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Liverpool are one of a number of top clubs eyeing up a potential move for Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Wirtz a huge talent

The 19-year-old has emerged as arguably one of the most exciting young players in the Bundesliga in recent years, already becoming an important figure at Leverkusen.

Wirtz has made 91 appearances for his current club, despite his tenders years, with an impressive tally of 21 goals and 28 assists coming his way in the process, outlining his end product.

This season, the German has scored twice in the Europa League and assisted four times in the league, as his reputation continues to be enhanced all the time.

Wirtz’s performance appear to have caught the eye of some of Europe’s top clubs, which is where Liverpool come into play, as Jurgen Klopp eyes up significant midfield reinforcements this summer.

The Latest: Liverpool in the mix

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Romano claimed that the Reds are monitoring Wirtz’s current situation, even though Leverkusen are extremely hesitant to sell him at this point in his career:

“Florian Wirtz, attracting lot of interest as one of the best talents in the world – but Bayer Leverkusen remain convinced he will stay at least until 2024

“Barcelona, Real Madrid and Liverpool keep following the situation — the race is 100% open.”

The Verdict: Could be a special signing

The thought of Wirtz in a Liverpool shirt is a mouthwatering one, considering his reputation as arguably one of the standout midfielders of his generation, perhaps alongside fellow Reds target Jude Bellingham.

Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso has even compared the teenager to Lionel Messi, in terms of his use of the ball, which is about the highest compliment possible in football.

Predominantly an attacking midfield who can move wide at times, Wirtz already has four caps to his name for Germany and is someone who could added much-needed guile and youth in the middle of the park at Anfield.

Too often, Liverpool’s midfield can look one-dimensional, with no current central player scoring more than once in the Premier League this season, so he would add a spark in that area.

Whether or not he can be prized away from Leverkusen remains to be seen, though – his current deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2027 – but if the funds are there and a big offer can be tabled, the Reds would be acquiring the services of an exceptional talent.

Todd Boehly is reportedly ready to sanction a Chelsea deal for Napoli sensation Victor Osimhen and the Nigerian's potential arrival at Stamford Bridge could allow Graham Potter to finally unlock the best version of Kai Havertz.

Could Chelsea sign Osimhen?

Chelsea, like several other sides across Europe, have been regularly linked with signing Osimhen in recent months amid his incredible performances for Napoli in Serie A and the Champions League.

Evening Standard journalist Nizaar Kinsella has now suggested on Twitter that Chelsea are one of two serious clubs that are "ready to poach" the forward away from the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium this summer.

Manchester United are the other side credited with an interest in the 24-year-old forward, but any potential suitor could be forced to pay as much as €150m (£132m) if they want to land Napoli's main man ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Chelsea's need for a natural striker is clear, as they have mustered just 29 goals in the Premier League so far this season, with only seven sides scoring fewer, all of whom are currently embroiled in a closely-fought relegation battle at the bottom.

Osimhen's return of 21 goals and four assists in just 23 Serie A appearances this season suggests that he could be the man to fix that problem, as Potter's side look to challenge back at the top end of the table again next year.

Since joining from Lille in 2020, the Super Eagles striker has crashed in 53 goals and 14 assists in just 91 appearances, with his performance against Cagliari in 2021 seeing him described as "phenomenal" by former manager Walter Mazzarri.

Could Havertz benefit from Chelsea signing Osimhen?

Chelsea's top scorer so far this season is Havertz and the German boasts just seven goals in the Premier League, with the German maestro underperforming on his xG in all three of his seasons at Chelsea, having regularly overperformed during his time at Bayer Leverkusen.

There is no doubt that the 23-year-old still has the attributes and the potential to be a big player for Chelsea in the future but his record in front of goal suggests that he will never be the clinical striker that they require to be a success at the top of the Premier League.

Should Osimhen arrive at Stamford Bridge and lead the line, it could allow Havertz to drop into a more familiar attacking midfield role where he excelled at Leverkusen, with the Nigerian forward running the channels and winning the physical battles to allow the German more time on the ball to create opportunities.

Therefore, while £132m is obviously a huge amount of money for Boehly to invest, he could help Potter to finally unlock a more dangerous version of Havertz if he were to play alongside Osimhen in the Blues' attack.

Frank Lampard's second coming at Chelsea got off to the worst possible start on Saturday afternoon as the Blues lost 1-0 at relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers.

What happened in Wolves vs Chelsea?

It was the same old story for the west London outfit, as despite Lampard switching to a four-at-the-back formation, his side were still unable to put the ball in the back of the net, meaning they have now averaged less than one goal a game so far this season, with 29 goals in 30 Premier League fixtures.

There was not much that the Blues could have done about Wolves' goal, however, as Matheus Nunes smashed an incredible volley into the top corner from a narrow angle, leaving Kepa Arrizabalaga with no chance in the Chelsea goal.

Lampard's side created very few clear-cut opportunities, with rarely-seen striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang perhaps coming closest when his close-range effort was blocked in the second half.

The result leaves the Blues in 11th position, with any distant hopes of a European finish this season all but over, and Chelsea fans will surely be hoping to see the back of this season, and their ill-equipped interim manager, as soon as possible.

Who was Chelsea's worst player in the defeat at Wolves?

While there were a number of shocking performances from those wearing Chelsea colours at Molineux, it was the experienced Raheem Sterling who perhaps disappointed most, as the England international continues to struggle since his summer switch from Manchester City.

In 21 Premier League appearances, the 28-year-old has just four goals and two assists, averaging a shocking 6.67/10 rating from WhoScored for his performances, failing to live up to the level he consistently produced in his time under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.

Sterling was often guilty of missing chances in City's side, but was nearly always in the right place at the right time, and was a constant threat to opposing defences in the Premier League, but that simply hasn't materialised at Chelsea.

As per Sofascore, the winger would earn a 6.5/10 rating for his performance against Julen Lopetegui's side, which was the worst of any Chelsea player to start the game.

During his 65 minutes on the pitch, the former Liverpool man would manage just 28 touches and 13 passes of the ball, which was lower than Kepa's totals on both counts in the Chelsea goal, as he contributed 49 touches and 23 successful passes.

Sterling's woeful pass success rate of 65% represents a significant decrease on the 77.8% he has averaged in the Premier League so far this campaign, while he would also fail with two of his crosses and lose possession on 12 occasions.

Considering Chelsea's woes in front of goal, the winger's wastefulness was lamented on Twitter during the game, as a man of his experience was expected to step up as the Blues continue to toil.

Daily Express reporter Joe Krishnan wrote: "Sterling has been poor today and he's just made a complete mess of a great chance."

Meanwhile, Daily Mail reporter Kamal Sultan added: "Sterling’s decision-making in 2v2 and 2v3 situations is a disgrace."

You would expect far more from a man who earns £325k per week at Stamford Bridge, and it seems as if Sterling will go down in the history books as another shocking signing by Chelsea and Todd Boehly.

Tottenham Hotspur have a squad inundated with players that need offloading, with almost the whole of English football aware of that.

However, it seems that the man who has allowed such mediocrity to fester, Daniel Levy, is the only one oblivious to such a fact.

For someone so frugal and seemingly petrified of spending big, the 61-year-old has certainly invested heavily in recent years in a desperate pursuit of silverware; a search that continues to go amiss.

Whilst there are plenty of depreciating duds that do need selling, perhaps the savvy CEO could first seek to capitalise on the few who have seen their value rise in preparation for the transfer war chest he will have to promise to the new boss.

One such name that springs to mind is Japhet Tanganga, who truly burst onto the scene during the 2019/20 season under Jose Mourinho.

The legendary manager saw immense potential in the 24-year-old, claiming after his first league start came against Liverpool: “I thought he did well. I think the kid has reason to be happy with his level.”

However, injuries and a sharp loss of form would see his reputation plummet, with the academy graduate falling way down in the pecking order. Therefore, he must be one of the first to go.

How much is Japhet Tanganga worth now?

Across his first six Premier League appearances, Tanganga maintained a 6.95 average rating that encouraged many. Journalist Charlie Eccleshare even branded him a “great prospect for the future."

Having burst onto the scene as a physical yet classy presence all across the back line, this figure would unfortunately decrease with each passing season.

With just three appearances to his name this campaign and a 6.3 rating to show for them, his downfall is truly exacerbated.

Pundit Jamie O’Hara even took to talkSPORT (5:38 pm, February 11, 2023) earlier this year to claim: “Tanganga, how he is still playing for Tottenham, I don’t know. It looks like he has got ice skates on him every time he is defending. It’s embarrassing.”

However, with increased prominence in and around the senior squad, no matter how poor the form, the £25k-per-week dud has still seen a valuation increase.

Transfermarkt has overseen this rise, suggesting that in September 2019 he was worth just €800k (£702k). However, despite the aforementioned underperformance, that has grown to €9m (£7.9m) as of November 2022. This marks a 1,025% rise across a three-year period.

With numerous poor performers culminating in what is set to be another year without a trophy, Tanganga could be an unfortunate but wholly necessary casualty of the impending revolution this summer should bring.

West Ham United have overtaken Premier League rivals Crystal Palace to sign Juventus defender Koni De Winter this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on De Winter to West Ham?

The Belgian first joined the Allianz Stadium’s U17s back in 2018 and has since worked his way up through the ranks to become a feature of their reserve side, as per Transfermarkt. The Italian giants’ centre-back is currently out on a season-long loan at Empoli to gain some valuable first-team experience, where in his 11 Serie A starts and two substitute appearances, via WhoScored, have been attracting interest from England.

Calciomercato recently credited the Irons with an interest in the 20-year-old, who is valued at €15m (£13m), claiming that they were 'ready to knock' on Juve's door, but weren’t alone in their pursuit, with Southampton and Palace also monitoring his situation. Now, though, David Moyes has since been handed a huge boost…

According to Tutto Juve (via Sport Witness), West Ham are still “very much keen” on De Winter and have overtaken the Eagles, whose interest has “slowed down”. Roy Hodgson replacing Patrick Vieira is listed as a potential reason for this, but it’s stated that the veteran’s side are “no longer” as attracted as they once were.

The London Stadium outfit have therefore received the “good news” and are set to face less competition in the top flight for their target’s signature during the upcoming transfer window – though it’s worth noting that Monza and Sassuolo are admirers outside of the Premier League.

Should West Ham make a move for De Winter?

Standing at 6 foot 2, De Winter has been lauded as a “strong” centre-back by former Juventus vice-president Pavel Nedved and adds a physical presence to the backline with his height, so we think West Ham should definitely consider making an offer.

The Antwerp native currently ranks in the 98th percentile for clearances among players in his position in Europe's top competitions over the past year, showing that he’s a no-nonsense defender and isn’t afraid to clear the danger, alongside recording an 85.3% pass success rate, highlighting his composure on the ball.

The Belgian U21s international would also bring plenty of versatility to E20 having previously operated at right-back and slightly higher up in defensive midfield outside of his natural position, which is likely to be an attractive attribute to Moyes – so we believe this really is a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the Premier League sides who could potentially look at James Ward-Prowse as a midfield option in the summer.

How much would Ward-Prowse cost?

The north London side's midfield has been decimated by injuries this season which has seen both Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma miss a lengthy period of time.

In their absence, Spurs have had to heavily rely on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with Oliver Skipp and Pape Matar Sarr also playing a role in the middle.

However, the Danish midfielder has come under fire in recent weeks over his performances as the results leave Spurs adrift in the race for the top four.

Ahead of the summer window, Spurs have been linked with a potential attacking midfield option in Leicester City's James Maddison.

And another midfielder who they could potentially compete for over the coming months is Southampton's main man, Ward-Prowse.

The Saints are in serious danger of relegation with just several games remaining in the season and it is believed he would be a certainty to leave if they do go down.

This is all according to journalist Toby Cudworth who has been speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast where he noted the interested clubs in the £100k-per-week midfielder:

(34:55) "If [they] go down he's almost certain to leave the club now. Southampton probably could still command a very hefty fee for him. We talk about prices, Southampton probably seeking still around £50m we'd have thought because he's that valuable to them.

"And he has clubs who like him. Newcastle we've mentioned they're looking to strengthen their midfield looking to strengthen in a number of positions; left-wing/forwards, potentially another defender as well. James Ward-Prowse is a player who we think is capable of playing European-level football.

"So Newcastle like him, Tottenham also admire him, Aston Villa, who are now creeping up on Unai Emery. They like James will perhaps as well. So it could be a bit of a Premier League battle for him."

Would Spurs be a good move for Ward-Prowse?

Ironically, the 28-year-old has been hailed as a "machine" by journalist Alfie House and he has an incredible record against the north London side with three goals and three assists to his name in their last five league meetings (via Transfermarkt).

The midfielder even scored the equalising penalty in their most recent clash on the south coast to complete an impressive comeback for the league's bottom side.

He is a player who is renowned for his stunning free-kick ability but he has also provided an impressive return of 3.48 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes this season (via FBref).

However, he has also provided more tackles (1.74) per 90 minutes than Hojbjerg (1.61) has this season as well as more than 14 times as many crosses per game than the Dane (via FBref).

But with a valuation of around £50m, that is a big price to pay for a player who may not necessarily fit into the plans of the new manager.

It is unknown who will become Antonio Conte's successor and, therefore, the formation which Spurs will play next season is yet to be seen.

Potentially, Spurs could play with just two midfielders again and when Rodrigo Bentancur returns it could mean a potential spot in the XI for Ward-Prowse may not be there on a regular basis.

After all, Bissouma arrived in north London with the tag of one of the best midfielders outside the top six and he has failed ot make an impact on the Spurs side.

Newcastle United are currently flying high following Sunday's emphatic, 6-1 victory over top-four rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with Eddie Howe's men having produced a stunning opening blitz against the north London outfit.

With Champions League qualification potentially on the line, the Magpies hit five goals in what was a breathtaking 21-minute spell at St James' Park, including a stunning, long-range effort from resurgent winger, Jacob Murphy.

That sensational and scintillating display from the Tynesiders culminated in the sacking of opposition boss, Cristian Stellini, with six points now separating the two sides.

The northeast side could look to enhance their position in the top four even further with victory over relegation strugglers Everton at Goodison Park later today, having run out 1-0 winners over the Toffees when the two sides last met back in October.

Will Newcastle make any changes against Everton?

It would certainly be no surprise if Howe was to name the same starting XI for the trip to Merseyside as the one which was so rampant last time out, albeit with the quick turnaround of games potentially set to lead to some notable alterations this evening.

One change that could well be made is in the attacking ranks, with this hectic schedule potentially allowing for striker Callum Wilson to earn the nod through the middle, having netted off the bench in the weekend win.

While fellow forward Alexander Isak has been in a rich vein of form of late – having now scored seven goals in his last seven league games following Sunday's brace – there will still be concerns about over-using the towering Swede, with the summer signing having previously missed a large chunk of the season through injury.

In Wilson, Newcastle certainly have a more than adequate understudy or rival to take on the striking berth, with the Englishman having bagged 11 top-flight goals this season – one more than the former Real Sociedad sensation.

Hailed as a player with an "incredible mindset" by his manager, the former Bournemouth dynamo has continued to thrive despite the increased competition that has come with Isak's return to fitness, having provided four goals and one assist in his last five league outings.

As for tonight's encounter, the 31-year-old could well terrorise the Toffees yet again and bolster his stellar record against the upcoming opponents, having thus far scored six goals in only nine meetings with the Merseyside outfit.

While the £46k-per-week marksman failed to score in the reverse fixture – as well as missing both of the two meetings last season through injury – prior to that the Coventry-born gem did shine during the 2020/21 campaign, having netted a double home and away against Carlo Ancelotti's side.

The six-cap menace – who also netted a brace against Everton for the Cherries back in 2019 – could prove to be a thorn in the side of those at Goodison yet again, with the chance for him to be the difference-maker later today.

Sam Allardyce couldn't have asked for a tougher first game as Leeds United manager, as his side face Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon.

The Premier League's worst defence against its best attack suggests that there will only be one winner in Manchester, but Allardyce's arrival could inspire hope and bring a newfound stability to a leaky Leeds defence.

Opportunities to attack City will be rare, but if Allardyce can set his side up well and hit Pep Guardiola's side on the counter-attack, they could just cause an upset, as they did two seasons ago under Marcelo Bielsa – winning 2-1 at City despite going down to ten men.

Therefore, the 68-year-old manager should select his best counter-attacking threats at the Etihad, which surely means dropping Crysencio Summerville as the young winger continues to struggle for form at Leeds.

Should Summerville be dropped by Leeds?

Although the Dutch winger would enjoy a strong run of form in the build-up to the World Cup, notching four goals in four appearances, he has managed zero goals and two assists in 17 appearances since top-flight football resumed, which suggests that he shouldn't be anywhere near the starting side on current form.

After scoring in his fourth consecutive game in the 4-3 defeat against Spurs before Premier League football was paused due to the tournament in Qatar, Summerville earned a lot of praise from Michael Owen on the Premier League's coverage of the game.

He said (via Leeds News): "The ball is behind him. He takes one lovely touch with the outside of his foot, then another one to keep him away from the defender and finishes it brilliantly.

"This is a really hard chance. He’s behind the defender in many ways when he gets the ball. I mean, how he does that is really, really exceptional."

The injury concerns of Luis Sinisterra have perhaps meant that the former Feyenoord man has featured more than he would have done, but Allardyce's comments on Wilfried Gnonto prior to his arrival at Elland Road suggest that it is the Italian who will get the nod to start out wide.

If we compare Gnonto and Summerville's stats from the Premier League season thus far, it is apparent that the Italian offers more in the final third, as he has averaged more shots (1.1 vs 1), key passes (1 vs 0.6) and dribbles (1 vs 0.9) per game.

While they are both on the smaller side, Gnonto is much more built physically than Summerville and could cause problems down the left, whereas Summerville could be more easily bullied out of the game by the likes of John Stones or Kyle Walker, who could feature as a defensive-minded, physical right-back in Pep Guardiola's side.

Therefore, after a woeful run of form, Allardyce must surely consider ditching the £15k-per-week Summerville, as there is little to suggest that he can be the man to inspire the turnaround required to keep Leeds in the Premier League.

Sky Sports journalist Ben Grounds has praised Everton right-back Nathan Patterson after his "superb" display in the club's recent win.

What's the latest on Everton and Brighton?

The Toffees picked up a huge three points in their pursuit of Premier League survival as they beat Brighton at the Amex Stadium.

Not only was it a big result as the win lifts Sean Dyche and co two points out of the relegation zone, but it was literally a huge result in regards to the scoreline.

Indeed, a brace each for Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dwight McNeil, as well as an own goal from Jason Steele, handed Everton a 5-1 win over the Seagulls.

Despite the comfortable win, the club's backline still had to work hard for the result as Brighton finished the game with 77.7 per cent possession, having 23 shots at goal.

But it sounds as though Patterson stood out as doing just what was needed on the day as he was praised by Grounds for his efforts.

Indeed, as quoted on Sky Sports, the journalist said: "Nathan Patterson is on the cover to intercept Gross' long diagonal. Brighton looking to change it up, be a bit more direct.

"But Everton have had the answer to everything that's been thrown at them. Patterson is having a superb game up against Mitoma."

How good was Patterson against Brighton?

It was Dwight McNeil who received most of the media praise for his brilliant brace and creativity in the game, but it's good to see the performance of Patterson not slipping under the radar.

Patterson was likely only in the team as usual right-back Seamus Coleman suffered a bad injury recently. And coming up against Kaoru Mitoma – who has a literal university thesis on dribbling – this could have been a difficult task.

However, the defender did his job diligently. Indeed, he finished the game with six clearances, 49 touches, two interceptions, one blocked shot and also won the most tackles for Everton with four (via SofaScore).

It seems Grounds wasn't the only one who appreciated the efforts of Patterson on the day. Indeed, in the player ratings for LiverpoolEcho, Chris Beesley handed the right-back an 8/10.

The journalist also wrote: "Involved in an engrossing duel with Kaoru Mitoma who had run him ragged in the reverse fixture at Goodison Park, he stood his ground and it was the alertness of his early interception that paved the way for Everton’s first goal."

The £28k-p/w defender certainly showed his value to Dyche on this occasion and this was the perfect display to help ease fears over the absence of Coleman who is likely to be out for the rest of the season.

A report from Germany has provided an update on Julian Nagelsmann after Tottenham Hotspur made an approach for the former Bayern Munich boss.

What's the latest on Nagelsmann to Spurs?

The 35-year-old has been billed as a top Spurs managerial target and one of the favourites to replace Antonio Conte, coming after the latter coach parted company nearly two months ago.

Nagelsmann, who was recently subject to a shock dismissal from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, was linked with the Chelsea job but their prospective appointment of Mauricio Pochettino has ruled them out.

Unless any major jobs become available soon, Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy may well have a free run at appointing Nagelsmann.

As well as the German, Tottenham are said to hold an interest in the likes of Luis Enrique, Feyenoord's Arne Slot, Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso, Sporting CP's Ruben Amorim and Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick.

The likes of Brendan Rodgers and Graham Potter have also been mentioned by sections of the press, with Burnley boss Vincent Kompany thought to be a past target before he put pen to paper on a new deal.

Going back to Nagelsmann, a report by Sport 1 has provided an update on Spurs' attempts to lure the tactician to N17.

The outlet claims an approach has been made, with Tottenham making contact weeks ago, but there have been no concrete talks as of yet.

This is due to Tottenham still being without a sporting director after Fabio Paratici's departure with Nagelmann apparently unwilling to hold any serious negotiations until that issue is resolved.

The former RB Leipzig boss apparently doesn't want to leave anything to chance after his surprise Bayern sacking, and needs to know exactly what any potential employers intend to do with him.

What Nagelsmann could bring to Spurs?

Nagelsmann, we believe, is by some distance Tottenham's best managerial option – not least because he stands out as one of Europe's most exciting young coaches.

Boasting a league title already at the age of 35, the former Hoffenheim boss has been revered for his "crazy" in-game tactical switches – attracting praise from some of world football's most elite counterparts.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, speaking all the way back in 2017, said about Nagelsmann before a Champions League encounter with Hoffenheim:

"He’s a big, big coaching talent. We don’t know each other very well but I’ve followed his way because I like good football.

“He’s not the only one but he’s a good example of a lot of really good young managers in Germany."