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Tottenham Hotspur have officially loaned promising midfield youngster Oliver Skipp to Norwich City for the 2020/2021 season (BBC), and the potential future alternative to Harry Winks could gain some vital experience in the Championship as he looks to become part of Jose Mourinho’s plans. 

The rebuild is in full swing as Mourinho plots for his first full season in charge of the Lilywhites, with Tottenham signing midfield enforcer Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg for around £15 million last week.

As one midfield man comes in, however, one must go out – and Skipp has made way for Hojbjerg as the club look to nurture his development through a loan deal.

Ex-Tottenham head coach and fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino took note of Skipp’s potential as far back as 2018, noting to the club’s official website that he is a ‘very talented’ prospect with a bright future.

Playing just 76 minutes in the Premier League last season (WhoScored), with Mourinho even slotting him in the right-back position over training sessions to experiment, it’s clear that he needs to go out on a temporary move in order to gain much valuable experience.

Over his brief 2019/2020 cameos, Skipp did manage to complete 89.5% of his passes to teammates, a similarly impressive number to Winks, but of course the club will need to see him feature more regularly to discover the extent of his technical ability.

The Canaries, looking to get back into the top flight at the first time of asking, could allow Skipp to be part of a promotion battle – and the move to loan him there will potentially pay off from Mourinho’s perspective. Indeed, not only will he gain vital game time, but also potentially experience pressurised football with the ambition of achieving something tangible.

Lilywhites, will Skipp become a star for the future? Have your say in the comments down below…

Despite the wealth of options Tottenham currently have in the middle of the park when everyone is fully fit and firing, there perhaps isn’t a natural holding midfielder – particularly with Eric Dier now seemingly converted into a centre-back on a permanent basis.

Against both Manchester United and West Ham, Jose Mourinho showed his faith in Moussa Sissoko to be the more defensive-minded player in the engine room, with Harry Winks, and then a combination of Dele Alli and Giovani Lo Celso lining up alongside him.

But whilst the Frenchman has got the kind of powerhouse game that can help Spurs offensively, he doesn’t offer the same protection to his back four as a more natural anchor man.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

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As per Whoscored, he has averaged just 0.7 interceptions per game in the Premier League this season, and makes just 1.2 tackles per match too – in fact, not since his early days at French side Toulouse has Sissoko averaged more than one interception per match over a league campaign.

And that is exactly why a swoop for AS Roma destroyer Amadou Diawara makes such perfect sense for Mourinho’s side. The Guinea international has been on the radar of Spurs ever since the days of Mauricio Pochettino, and now, according to Italian publication Il Messaggero, the Lilywhites are keen on reigniting their interest in him this summer.

The 22-year-old is the typical modern-day holding midfielder, breaking up play and then passing the ball on with the minimum of fuss. This season, he has averaged a very impressive 1.6 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in the Serie A – the latter stat actually good enough to place him fourth in the rankings of all midfielders in the competition.

One of his former coaches, Fabrizio Tazzioli, remarked that the moment he saw him in training, he knew he was a “phenomenon”. And at still only 22, and having played for the likes of Napoli and Roma, Diawara has already got some incredible experience at such a young age.

Spurs are lacking a genuine defensive midfielder in their ranks, and if Daniel Levy can pull off this move, then he could well provide Mourinho with the missing piece in the squad.

Jose Mourinho is determined to bring Arkadisuz Milik to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, no matter the cost.

According to the Daily Mail, Tottenham are prepared to send Lucas Moura in the other direction to try and persuade Napoli to part ways with the striker in the summer.

Mourinho is keen to find a backup for Harry Kane and has identified Milik as a suitable candidate. Spurs believe that the Polish international could be the perfect replacement if Kane leaves north London in the near future.

Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis admires Moura and tried to sign him last year, only to find that his request was blocked by former boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Despite his hat-trick heroics in the Champions League in 2019, Moura has struggled for Spurs this season, as he last scored for the club back in early February. He was the subject of major controversy after VAR disallowed Harry Kane’s equaliser in the defeat to Sheffield United as the ball was judged to have brushed his arm.

Milik’s contract is set to expire next year and he does not intend to renew it anytime soon. The Pole has often been compared to Robert Lewandowski, although it is fair to say he hasn’t quite hit the same heights as his esteemed compatriot as of yet, with the Bayern Munich striker netting an astounding 407 goals in 586 club career appearances.

Nevertheless, Milik has still scored 10 goals in 20 games in Serie A this season, taking three shots per game, with a passing accuracy rate of 82.9% (via WhoScored).

Spurs’ offer for Milik may not be enough as his agent Vincenzo Morabito recently played down talks of the Poland international moving to north London in the summer. Moreover, De Laurentiis currently values the Serie A star at €50m (£45m), whereas Moura’s valuation is priced at £28m by Transfermarkt.

Needless to say, Daniel Levy will likely have to splash the cash at some point as negotiations continue, amid interest from Atletico Madrid and Juventus. Whether he will be willing to spend so far above Milik’s apparent market valuation is another matter.

Tottenham fans, do you think Daniel Levy should sign Milik in the summer? Let us know in the comments below!

Newcastle United fans have been left absolutely reeling by fresh takeover reports from The Sun.

They claim that up to ten Premier League clubs could ‘group together’ to block the deal from happening, which comes just a few days after news that there would be a delay after new evidence was submitted for the owners and directors test.

It’s been well over a month since news broke of Mike Ashley potentially selling the northeast outfit for £300m with a Saudi-fronted consortium, involving the PIF, the Reuben brothers and Amanda Staveley leading the charge.

But the longer it has gone on, the more impatient and worried supporters have gotten.

Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?

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And this latest revelation hasn’t helped matters with many of the Magpies faithful flocking to social media to deliver their thoughts on the matter.

The Daily Mail ran the story themselves, citing The Sun, and several fans have responded on Twitter.

Here’s what has been said…

AND in other news, Newcastle fans go berserk over the Guardian’s takeover update

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Tottenham Hotspur have refused to follow up on interest in Hull City midfielder Jarrod Bowen, according to Football.London’s Alasdair Gold (4.19pm).

Gold claims that Spurs decided at an internal meeting not to pursue a deal for the 22-year-old. He added that the club watched him in every game he played over the past month, as Spurs look to return to a transfer model of signing English players.

CheekySport’s Joel claims Spurs badly need to invest in January after not having “the balls” to beat Arsenal. Check out his uncensored opinion in the video below…

Bowen has enjoyed a breakthrough season at Hull, per Transfermarkt, scoring 14 goals and providing three assists in 29 Championship appearances thus far this season.

Tottenham appear set, however, to again fail to make a signing in this transfer window.

Chairman Daniel Levy also failed to sign a single player in the summer, leaving Lucas Moura as the last player to move to Spurs, when he joined from PSG in January 2018.

And Spurs fans have been left fuming as they face up to another transfer window of disappointment.

Jurgen Klopp continues to ignore the transfer “fuss” raging around Mohamed Salah, with Liverpool still confident that he will stay.

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Reds reluctant to part with talismanHave him tied to a contractRumours of move to Middle East ignoredWHAT HAPPENED?

The Egypt international continues to see questions asked of his future at Anfield as clubs in Saudi Arabia remain in a position to keep spending. Al-Ittihad are said to be keen on Salah, with talk of big-money offers and record-breaking contracts doing the rounds.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Liverpool have turned a deaf ear to the gossip, with there no need for them to consider parting with a player that is tied to terms through to 2025. Klopp has batted away all questions on the subject and remains adamant that a key part of his plans will be hanging around on Merseyside.

WHAT THEY SAID

Klopp told when quizzed on the subject of Salah’s future once again: “I never had any doubt about his commitment to this club. You can’t imagine how much fuss the world has made but how calm we are with it. He is our player and wants to play here.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Salah scored his 188th goal for Liverpool in their 3-0 win over Aston Villa, doubling his tally for the season, and could make even more history on Merseyside before the day comes for him to bid farewell.

Phil Parkinson has revealed the touching text message he received from Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney following a 5-0 thrashing against Stockport.

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Dragons secured promotion last seasonHollywood stars boast big ambitionFull support of playing & coaching staffWHAT HAPPENED?

The Dragons suffered a humbling reversal away at fellow League Two promotion hopefuls on September 23, with that contest seeing them concede five goals for the third time in the 2023-24 campaign. There was to be no emotional reaction to that drubbing, though, with the Welsh outfit retaining full confidence in their playing and coaching staff.

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Wrexham have gone nine games unbeaten since that painful setback, winning six across all competitions, and remain among the fourth tier frontrunners following their record-breaking promotion back into the Football League last season.

WHAT THEY SAID

McElhenney, along with fellow co-chairman Ryan Reynolds, continues to deliver financial and emotional support to Parkinson and his players, with the Wrexham boss saying at the FWA Northern Writers Awards: “Every promotion or title or cup you win as a manager is hard. It's really, really, really tough. There are tight dividing lines all the time and you need really good people alongside you. And with the glitz and the glamour of the Hollywood owners, that's great. But Rob and Ryan are really genuine people and have been so supportive to me and Steve. Not just financially, if we need to get a player in, but moral support, every time they come over or if we have a bad result. We got beat 5-0 at Stockport a few months ago, the first text was from McElhenney – ‘Phil we're right behind you, we're right with you’ and that means a much as being supported financially.”

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Getty/GOALWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Wrexham have moved into the second round of the FA Cup this season, are set to progress from their group in the Football League Trophy, and sit third in the League Two table after 16 games – five points back on leaders Stockport.

There was plenty of promise when Mauricio Pochettino's side went forward on Sunday, but the Argentine will have grimaced at his side's defending

The tone for Chelsea's afternoon of sloppy defending was set just seven minutes in at the London Stadium, when Nayef Aguerd was given all the space in the world to nod home a corner from West Ham debutant James Ward-Prowse.

The hosts' second goal reflected just as poorly on Mauricio Pochettino's side, as a comedy of errors led to Michail Antonio nearly taking the net off with a powerful strike eight minutes after the break. The cherry on top of a farcical cake came when £115 million ($146m) signing Moises Caicedo conceded a late penalty in the dying embers, lazily bringing Emerson down, with Lucas Paqueta converting from the spot to seal a 3-1 win.

As much as this will have frustrated Pochettino, there were at least some signs of life going forward – something that was desperately lacking for pretty much the entirety of the 2022-23 season.

Carney Chukwuemeka's goal was sublime, Raheem Sterling was unplayable at times and his side peppered Alphonse Areola's goal. If Enzo Fernandez could have scored his penalty, or the Blues could have shown a little more composure when West Ham were reduced to ten me after Aguerd's red card, they likely would have come away from east London with something.

Instead, they head back across the capital with the sour taste of defeat in their mouths – with Pochettino still awaiting his first three points as Blues boss. The footballing revolution he was tipped to bring certainly hasn't started yet.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from the London Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Robert Sanchez (5/10):

Probably should've claimed Ward-Prowse's corner and prevented the home side's opener. Beaten by a Paqueta shot before the break but saved by the post. Could not do much to stop Antonio scoring.

Axel Disasi (5/10):

Booked for a rash, and probably unnecessary, challenge on Antonio. Did not get close enough to the same West Ham striker in the second half, allowing him to score.

Thiago Silva (6/10):

Won nearly everything in the air. Great on the ball too, pushing up high into midfield to help with the Blues' build-up play. Might have done better for the second goal.

Levi Colwill (5/10):

Got high and wide, interchanging positions with Chilwell in an interesting way. Antonio got the better of him for the Hammers' second.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Malo Gusto (7/10):

A promising full debut. He used the ball neatly for the most part and positioned himself intelligently when Chelsea had the ball. Defended stoically.

Enzo Fernandez (5/10):

Hadn't missed a penalty in his career before this one. That disappointment aside, he kept things ticking over, while overhitting a few through balls.

Conor Gallagher (6/10):

Easily out-jumped by Aguerd for West Ham's goal. Gave Chelsea some bite in midfield. Will be interesting to see if he continues to start over Caicedo.

Ben Chilwell (6/10):

Got himself into some good crossing positions and swung in a couple of dangerous balls. Great engine too. A little bit surprising to see him subbed in the second half, though he had put some shift in.

Getty ImagesAttack

Carney Chukwuemeka (7/10):

All at sea at Aguerd headed West Ham in front, but made up for that with an emphatic finish to level things up. He'll be devastated to have been forced off through injury.

Nicolas Jackson (6/10):

Always busy, but he's still a bit raw. Once he cuts out the loose touches and nervous shooting, he should be a seriously effective striker.

Raheem Sterling (8/10):

Early days, but he looks transformed under Pochettino. A really positive performance full of direct running and trickery. Won the penalty, too.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Mykhailo Mudryk (4/10):

Did not really get into the game after coming on at half-time. With competition for places fierce, he needs to impress when he does play.

Moises Caicedo (4/10):

Nearly scored just seconds into his Chelsea debut, but he fired wide. His first taste of Blues action ended horribly when he gave away a penalty in second-half stoppage time.

Noni Madueke (6/10):

Had one decent effort, which just deflected wide.

Mason Burstow (N/A)

Thrown on late but made no impact.

Mauricio Pochettino (4/10):

Chelsea's set-piece defending was abysmal for West Ham's first and they looked open in transition for the second. There is a lot to be positive about going forward, but defensively the Blues aren't quite there under Pochettino. He needs to rectify that – fast.

Jurgen Klopp's squad is set for a significant overhaul this summer, with several arrivals expected and plenty of departures likely

The great Liverpool summer rebuild is already well underway. Anfield has already said goodbye to a few modern-day heroes, with James Milner and Roberto Firmino joined by Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in heading for the exit door, and a host of new and exciting names linked with a move to Merseyside.

It is not exaggerating to say that this is perhaps the biggest and most important transfer window of Jurgen Klopp’s reign, with key arrivals expected and several departures anticipated.

Who should be on their way out? GOAL takes a look…

GettyKEEP: Fabinho

Fabinho’s struggles this season have, in many ways, exemplified Liverpool’s, in that they have been as inexplicable as they have been dramatic. At his best, the Brazilian is one of the finest, most consistent defensive midfielders in Europe, but the question now is whether the 29-year-old will get back to his best.

For now, Liverpool should back him to. But they need to make the right signings this summer, and build a team whose structure will protect him better. It’d cost a lot to replace him, and if they were to sell him this summer, it would surely not be for a huge fee.

AdvertisementGettyKEEP: Thiago Alcantara

Thiago was in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season 12 months ago, but this campaign has not gone to plan for the Spain international. He started it with an injury and finished it with an injury, and in between there were few of the classy, dominant performances we have come to expect.

With just a year left on his contract, the 32-year-old is unlikely to be offered a new one, but with Liverpool already needing such a huge rebuild of their midfield, it would be unwise to give themselves another player to replace. Rather, they need to make sure they are not quite as reliant on Thiago, and his fitness, as they seem to be right now.

Getty Images.SELL: Joel Matip

Another player with a year left on his deal, and one who has been a wonderful servant for the Reds over the past seven years. But Matip is no longer first-choice at Anfield, and his fitness issues over the last 12 months suggest the time has come to say goodbye.

He’ll need replacing, mind, and that won’t be easy. At his best, he’s one of the most underrated centre-backs around. His future this summer will depend on what kind of offers arrive, and what kind of player Liverpool could get to take his place.

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Getty ImagesKEEP: Joe Gomez

Many would disagree on this one, but Gomez’s age and ability to play as a right-back as well as centre-back make him a valuable squad player. Sure, the England international has had a poor season, and his contract status means he may be a pretty saleable asset, but what would Liverpool have to pay to find better?

Unlike Matip, who is well into his 30s, Gomez is a player who could still have a role to play in two or three years’ time.

Arsenal may be top of the Premier League but it's clear that they will need reinforcements if they are to sustain their title challenge.

Arsenal’s strength in depth has been the topic of much discussion since Tuesday's 0-0 draw with Newcastle.

Mikel Arteta looked to try change the game as it wore on but his options were very limited, so much so that his only substitution saw him bring on Takehiro Tomiyasu for Ben White at right-back.

The Arsenal manager has stated that the club is active in the transfer market and their attempts to bring in winger Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk are now common knowledge.

But just how shallow is Arsenal’s pool of players and where are reinforcements most required? 

GOAL takes a look below and ranks each area in terms of importance…

Getty ImagesFull-back

This is an area where Arsenal are very well stocked. Indeed, that there is a chance that they could even let one full-back leave.

Cedric Soares is wanted by several clubs, including Fulham, and has made just two substitute appearances in the league this season due to the number of options Arteta has available to him.

White has made the right-back spot his own since the start of the campaign, while Takehiro Tomiyasu represents an excellent alternative.

Arsenal then have Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney competing for the left-back spot, with Tomiyasu also more than capable of filling in there as well if needed – as he has already demonstrated this season.

So, full-back is not a position that needs to be prioritised right now, even if Cedric is allowed to move on.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesGoalkeeper

Arsenal also have plenty of depth here, so there is no need for the club to go looking for a goalkeeper this month.

Aaron Ramsdale is the undoubted No.1 and is enjoying a fine season, while summer signing Matt Turney has proven himself to be a more than adequate understudy, both in terms of his performances in the Europa League and during the World Cup with the United States.

Third-choice Karl Hein is an impressive young shot-stopper, while talented 21-year-old Arthur Okonkwo is out on loan at Crewe Alexandra.

GettyAttacking midfield 

Arsenal spent £34 million ($41m) on Fabio Vieira last summer, so they will not be investing in another attacking midfielder in January.

Vieira is still adapting to a new club and country, but has shown in flashes why Arsenal invested so heavily in the former Porto ace.

Captain Martin Odegaard, meanwhile, is having a superb campaign, while Granit Xhaka continues to write his own redemption story having been asked to play in a more advanced role by Mikel Arteta.

And with Emile Smith Rowe about to finally return after his long-term injury, there is no pressing need for Arsenal to bring in another attacking midfielder.

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Getty ImagesCentre-back

Arsenal have an exceptional centre-back pairing in Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.

Mikel Arteta also has Rob Holding to call upon if needed, with the former Bolton man still an integral part of the Spaniard’s squad.

And there is, of course, White, who it’s easy to forget is actually a centre-back by trade – despite his superb performances on the right side of the back four this season.

Looking to the long-term, Arteta will be hoping to add another left-sided centre-back option to his squad to provide natural cover for Gabriel, but it’s unlikely that Arsenal will try to do anything in that position before the close of the winter window.

Indeed, with those four strong centre-back options already at the club, and Tomiyasu capable of providing further cover if required, Edu will be prioritising other positions.