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Southampton have been told Ryan Fraser would be a ‘really nice option’ for a January transfer swoop by transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Jones targeting winger

The Northern Echo recently detailed that the Saints are set to make an early January move for the Newcastle United winger, who could potentially become Nathan Jones’ first signing.

With the club in the midst of a relegation battle, another attacking option may be required to fire them to safety, and with the Magpies reportedly willing to field offers for Fraser, the door could be open for a switch to St Mary’s.

The Latest: Jones reacts

Jones told GIVEMESPORT that the 28-year-old would be well-suited to a Southampton move, due to his age and his desire to leave his current club:

“I think it would be a really nice option, actually. Fraser has clearly got his mind open at the moment to a transfer.

“He’s very hungry, and he’s at an age where he still has a lot to offer. I think Southampton can definitely do worse than to be pursuing a transfer like this.”

The Verdict: Make it happen

Newcastle reporter Miles Starforth has hailed the £42k-per-week earner as being ‘superb’ in a black and white shirt, and although he has largely been a bit-part player for the Magpies this season, he could have a new lease of life with the Saints.

Most well-known for his pace, which reporter Keith Downie claimed the Republic of Ireland ‘couldn’t handle’ during a fine display for Scotland back in September, the speedster would inject new life into the Southampton attack, which has only mustered up a disappointing 13 goals this season.

The Scot has had previous success on the South Coast with AFC Bournemouth, most notably in the 2018-19 season, in which he registered seven goals and 14 assists in the Premier League, the latter tally being the second-highest of any player in the division.

Fraser is a proven performer in the Premier League, and exactly what Jones needs in his squad if he is able to instigate a change of fortunes and avoid relegation to the Championship.

Leeds United have been dealt a potentially huge blow in their bid to bring Matheus Cunha to Elland Road in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Marca, who claim that, despite David Ornstein recently suggesting that Victor Orta could launch a move for the centre-forward should Wolverhampton Wanderers not be able to afford a deal, Atletico Madrid are now close to agreeing a fee with the Premier League side for the transfer of the Brazil international.

The report went on to state that the 23-year-old is set to leave the Metropolitano Stadium after an uninspiring year-and-a-half spell in Madrid, with the striker’s inability to find the form to earn a call-up to Tite’s Brazil squad for the Qatar World Cup said to have sped up the LaLiga side’s desire to move the attacker on in January.

Big blow

While it is true that Cunha’s return of seven goals and eight assists over 54 appearances since his €26m (£22m) move to Atletico back in the summer of 2021 is not the most impressive haul for a number nine, considering just how impressive the attacker was during his time with Hertha BSC, the news Wolves are close to landing the 23-year-old is sure to come as a big blow to Orta.

Indeed, over his 11 Bundesliga appearances in his debut campaign with Hertha back in 2019/20, the £26m-rated talent was in exceptional attacking form, scoring five goals and providing his teammates with two assists – helping his side secure a very respectable tenth-place finish in the German top flight that season.

The £49k-per-week forward once again caught the eye over his 27 league outings in 2020/21, bagging seven goals, registering five assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.3 shots – 1.3 of which hit the target – making 1.8 key passes and completing 3.0 dribbles – the joint second-most in the division – per fixture.

These metrics saw the player who Bruno Labbadia dubbed “special” average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.15, not only ranking him as Hertha’s best performer in the league but also as the joint 26th-best player in the Bundesliga as a whole.

As such, considering the fact that Patrick Bamford is continuing to struggle with injury this season, it is clear for all to see that Leeds are in rather desperate need of a new centre-forward in January, leading us to believe that missing out on Cunha will come as a seismic blow to Orta – with the director of football now needing to turn his attention in January elsewhere.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are in a troubling position in the Premier League and new manager Julen Lopetegui could be given the opportunity to turn things around in the January transfer window, with a promising update emerging.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Wolves transfer target Isco has become a free agent.

Romano tweeted: “Isco, now immediately available as free agent as contract has been terminated with Sevilla by mutual consent.

“Player’s camp already exploring all the options in Spain and England in order to find new solution. It’s open race.”

Imagine him & Cunha

There is no doubt that Lopetegui is in an extremely difficult position at Molineux and the January transfer window could be the linchpin in the new manager becoming the saviour at the club.

Wolves are currently rock bottom in the Premier League table after a continuous string of poor performances ahead of the World Cup break that ultimately cost Bruno Lage his job.

Nobody in the top flight has scored fewer goals (8) than Wolves and Lopetegui must use the upcoming transfer window to transform the attacking threat in order to secure the club’s safety by the end of the campaign.

As a result, the signing of Isco could be hugely beneficial to the new manager as the five-time Champions League winner could offer a lot of experience and leadership to the current squad.

Ahead of his move to Sevilla, the 30-year-old enjoyed a successful career with Los Blancos – scoring 53 goals and registering 56 assists over 353 appearances with a goal contribution every 180 minutes.

Alongside a quintet of Champions League trophies, Isco won three La Liga titles, three UEFA Super Cups and four FIFA Club World Cups during his time at Madrid, proving that the player has a winning mentality that could be a huge asset to Wolves.

Over 12 La Liga appearances this season, the Spanish playmaker – who was dubbed “phenomenal” by Zinedine Zidane – has registered two assists and created two big chances, as well as averaging 1.4 key passes, 1.3 tackles and 5.4 duels won per game.

On that evidence, Isco could be the perfect partner to deliver goal-scoring opportunities to Matheus Cunha – who is set to become Lopetegui’s first Wolves signing.

Indeed, the talented playmaker’s selfless attacking-minded approach in the most advanced midfield position, alongside his ability to get into dangerous positions could give Cunha the service needed to increase the goal contributions at Molineux.

The Brazilian has failed to find the net this term but scored seven times in 2021/22, form he could even usurp should he be partnered alongside a creative marvel in Isco.

With that being said, the signing of the Spaniard could be the perfect solution for Lopetegui to revive Wolves’ attacking threat, thus saving the club from relegation over the second half of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur have made contact regarding a move to bring Pedro Porro to the Premier League in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according got a report by Portuguese outlet A Bola (via Sport Witness), who claim that, following a number of reports linking Spurs with a move for the Sporting Lisbon right-back, Fabio Paratici has now ‘made the first contacts’ for the 23-year-old, for whom the Liga Portugal side are demanding the defender’s €45m (£40m) release clause in order to part with this winter.

However, an earlier report by another Portuguese publication Correio da Manhã (via Sport Witness) suggested that Paratici may be able to secure a discount for the Spain international’s signing in January, by giving up Tottenham’s 50% sell-on clause for Marcus Edwards – who himself is reported to possess a £52m release clause.

Special signing

Considering just how impressive Porro has been in Portugal ever since his move from Manchester City back in August of 2020, it is not difficult to understand why Antonio Conte and Paratici would be interested in a deal to bring the right-back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the January transfer window.

Indeed, over his 23 Liga Portugal appearances last season, the £21.5m-rated talent was in fantastic form going forwards, scoring four goals, providing four assists and creating 11 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.6 shots, making 2.0 key passes and completing 1.4 dribbles per match.

The £10k-per-week defender also caught the eye in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.8 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, one clearance and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 53% – per fixture.

These metrics saw the one-cap Spaniard who Zach Lowry dubbed “special” average a quite breathtaking Sofascore match rating of 7.28, not only ranking him as Sporting’s second-best performer in the division but also as the 12th-best player in the Portuguese top-flight in its entirety last time out.

It has been a similar story over his 10 Liga Portugal appearances in 2022/23, with Porro having already registered four assists and created four big chances, in addition to making an average of 2.2 key passes, 1.4 interceptions and completing 1.1 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the 23-year-old average a rather remarkable Sofascore match rating of 7.11, currently ranking him as Ruben Amorim’s fifth-best performer in the league.

As such, considering just how talented a right-back Porro evidently is, the argument that the former City starlet would be a special signing for Paratici to get over the line this winter is an extremely easy one to make, especially if the Italian can negotiate some sort of discount with Sporting for the defender’s signature.

Newcastle United are reportedly set to return for summer transfer target Kouadio Kone, who could flourish within the growing pool of talent at St James’s Park.

What’s the word?

French outlet Media Foot stated last summer that Borussia Monchengladbach’s Kone was subject to a failed €35m (£31m) transfer bid from Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, who was enamoured with the ubiquity of his multi-faceted toolkit from the heart of the midfield.

And following a recent report from The Athletic, it is clear that the Magpies still maintain a vested interest in the player, who has been shortlisted as Howe continues to mull over the best strategy to continue the club’s meteoric rise since a Saudi-led consortium completed the £300m takeover in October 2021.

With Bruno Guimaraes currently occupying the holding midfield position for the Magpies – considered more of a pivot – and Jonjo Shelvey’s incessant injury troubles restricting him to just three substitute showings in the league all season, technical director Dan Ashworth would be prudent to sign a fresh anchor to protect the defence and initiate forward advances from deep is paramount for Newcastle’s efforts across the second stage of the season.

Kante 2.0

Kone, just 21 years old, has earned his name on the team sheet for Gladbach, starting 14 of the 15 league outings this term and impressing with the tenacity of his all-encompassing performances.

As per Sofascore, the French starlet – hailed as the “complete package” by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has recorded a rating of 6.85, completing 87% of his total passes and chipping in with 2.1 tackles per match, also winning 54% of his total duels.

He does have a tendency to lunge in and attach himself to a booking, with his five yellow cards across the first 11 German Bundesliga outings this term resulting in a one-match ban, but with experience comes maturity, and he will continue to nurture every aspect of his game over the coming years.

And as per FBref, he remarkably ranks within the top 1% of midfielders for dribbles completed, averaging 2.17 per 90 – indicating the kind of forward-thinking presence from the heart of the midfield that will serve Howe’s offensive philosophy well as he looks to pump further vitality into his team.

Should he sign for Newcastle, then based on the evidence above he could be the Premier League’s next N’Golo Kante.

He has won league titles with both Leicester City and Chelsea, earning the Player of the Season award with the Blues due to his tough-tackling nature and dynamic skills in control of the ball.

Having made 222 appearances in the English top flight, Kante has made an incredible 676 tackles at a 62% success rate, and 504 interceptions, illustrating the supreme recycling aura he brings to the pitch.

Kone, who equally possesses an innate defensive aptitude and a tendency to seek promising forward plays, would be a fine addition to St. James’ Park, which would welcome the robust tenacity of his game, bringing “an extra man” to the fold.

Mikel Arteta is keen on adding a couple of new signings for Arsenal during the January transfer window as the club head into the most important few months of their recent history.

The club are still working on a deal to sign Ukrainian winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, while Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix is being considered for a loan move, although the price tag of €21m (£18.6m) could be a potential stumbling block for Arteta.

The North London side have also been linked with Napoli winger Hirving Lozano recently, although they face competition from fellow Premier League side Newcastle United.

With just 18 months left on his current contract, a move for Lozano could come at a reasonable price and he could well be an ideal alternative to Felix.

Felix alternative?

Lozano has registered just seven goal contributions this season and the 63-cap Mexico international may see a move to the Premier League as a chance to replicate his form over the previous few years.

The 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 campaigns saw the right winger register 20 and 12 goal contributions respectively and despite his numbers falling this term, there is still a case to be made that he could be a solid addition if any potential Felix move fails to materialise.

The 27-year-old has registered just one fewer goal contribution than Felix in league matches this season while taking more shots (26 to 25), generating more shot-creating actions (32 to 26), having a better dribble success rate (44.4% to 26.1%) and delivering more crosses into the opposition box (29 to eight).

These statistics prove that Lozano is still operating at a high level, despite not being as effective at scoring compared to the previous few seasons, and his ability to offer an excellent attacking threat from a wide area could be key for Arteta.

The Mexican star was previously dubbed a “sensation” by broadcaster Bolariwa Olajide in 2017 and since moving to Europe six years ago, he has certainly justified the lavish praise by scoring 70 goals across spells at PSV Eindhoven and now Napoli.

A fresh start in England could work out well for the winger, and with Arsenal on the cusp of something special, Lozano might find it extremely difficult to turn down.

Chelsea are expected to make an offensive signing this January after a woeful start to the campaign has left them tenth in the Premier League, ten points adrift of top four, and defeated by the hand of Manchester City in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Despite agreeing a fee for flourishing German Bundesliga star Christopher Nkunku in October for £52.4m, Blues boss Graham Potter is eyeing one of the dynamic French forward’s most talented teammates at RB Leipzig, according to reports from Spain.

Indeed, Dani Olmo has been a mainstay for Leipzig since signing from Croatian outfit Dinamo Zagreb in January 2020 for £17m, chalking up 106 appearances for his outfit, scoring 19 goals and providing 22 assists. 

The Daily Mail continued speculation regarding a switch to Stamford Bridge at the weekend, underlining his signature as one to be considered as a shrewd alternative to the touted Shakhtar Donetsk phenom Mykhaylo Mudryk, who Chelsea and Arsenal are waging a transfer battle for his £88m signature.

With the 24-year-old Olmo’s contract set for expiry with his German outfit in 2024, he might be an acquisition worth pursuing, providing versatile quality for a team in dire need of a spark for success.

Mudryk alternative

This season, Olmo’s three goals and four assists from only seven starts across all competitions have been a reminder of his prowess, with a knee injury hampering his progress.

Regardless, the £30m-rated ace is one of the best fluid playmakers in the game, with FBref ranking him within the top 16% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s major leagues for progressive passes, and the top 18% for dribbles completed, highlighting the creative approach that could spark some attacking potency into Chelsea’s withered squad.

One scouting report encapsulated the multi-faceted arsenal the Spaniard boast, saying:

“Olmo is seen as one of the most talented players in Spain’s latest generation of midfield maestros. The Catalan’s specialities which make him stand out are his technical skills with the ball at his feet.

“His close control is mesmerising to watch, and almost impossible to play against as an opposition defender. Olmo couples that ability with his will to drive the ball at goal, be that in his own possession or with threaded through-balls.”

That will to drive forwards will no doubt be reminiscent of speedster, Mudryk, who despite possessing less technical grace than the Spaniard, is just as dangerous with the ball at his feet.

Compared to the “magic” Olmo – as dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig – he ranks poorly for progressive passes (the worst 1%) but as far as dribbles are concerned, they are incredibly alike with the Ukraine superstar sitting in the best 3% of wingers for that metric.

Starring for Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the 29-cap Olmo recorded an average rating of 7.05 for his exploits, starting all four matches his nation played, registering one goal and one assist.

His 3.0 shots per match, 1.3 key passes and 86% passing accuracy are all tools that could be successfully wielded at Chelsea, with his ingenuity and selfless play resulting in a marked increase in productivity across every offensive department.

Olmo is a player that Blues technical director Christopher Vivell must sign, an official bid would likely tempt Leipzig, giving his contract situation, and he could turn the ship around at a time of desperate need, bringing lift back to the core of Stamford Bridge.

Everton were yet again on the wrong end of a result at Goodison Park today, as they welcomed the Premier League’s rock-bottom club Southampton and allowed a half-time lead to slip away.

Having scored with just six minutes left of the first half, there was a quiet confidence that Frank Lampard would be able to sneak away with a narrow victory over a team who gave as good as they got.

However, no less than 90 seconds after the interval, James Ward-Prowse stole in behind to finish past Jordan Pickford and stun the watching Evertonians into nervous silence.

That would continue until Anthony Gordon’s reckless foul allowed the 28-year-old a shot at goal from a dead ball. A notorious sharp-shooter from set pieces, the Saints captain made no mistake, leaving the goalkeeper rooted as he slammed in his 16th goal from a free kick in the Premier League.

With no characters to stand up for Everton when they were needed, the 2-1 scoreline would stand as the Toffees searched for a late equaliser to no avail. They had lost to a Southampton team enduring a six-game losing run in the league prior to today’s clash.

Whilst many players among the home side could be highlighted for their poor performances, Seamus Coleman stands out given his lack of attacking impetus, which duly left Lampard’s team hamstrung.

With the manager opting to continue with a 5-3-2 system, the club captain was forced to retain his place on the right flank due to Nathan Patterson’s injury.

However, it is clear that time has not been kind to the 33-year-old Irishman, who was handed a 6.5 rating for his display which saw him record just 49 touches and complete 14 of his 24 attempted passes (via Sofascore). For comparison, even Pickford touched the ball more often (58).

To outline what made Coleman so toothless today is to look towards his ball progression, having been unsuccessful in all three of his attempted dribbles, while only one of his three crosses found a team-mate.

It is a shame to see someone who was once such a dynamic presence for the club now neutered, and frankly a detriment to the team due to poor recruitment.

What further compounded his miserable afternoon was his defensive outlay, as he could only win three of his seven duels. He lost the ball 21 times and was substituted after 69 minutes, a damning indictment of his horrendous afternoon.

Whilst Coleman’s individual performance will be the least of the worries for Lampard, it will frustrate him all the same as his job security could now hang by a thread, having already been under pressure even before this dismal defeat.

Today’s result could be the final nail in the coffin at Goodison Park for the 44-year-old, who is slowly transitioning from a hero of last year’s burst to survival to a villain of the present-day relegation battle.

The immediate full-time aftermath was dominated by the sit-in protest organised by various fan groups, but when the blue smoke clears and Farhad Moshiri has some time to think, he might need to act upon a manager who has not steered his team to victory since October.

Aston Villa could be in the market to add a goalscorer to their squad before the end of the January transfer window after agreeing the sale of Danny Ings to West Ham.

The current Villa centre-forward is reportedly set to complete a transfer to the London Stadium for a fee in the region of £15m and his exit will leave a gap in the roster.

Johan Lange and Unai Emery have completed the signing of Jhon Duran from Chicago Fire, but the 19-year-old is new to European football and scored just eight goals in 27 MLS appearances in 2022.

Ings is currently Villa’s top scorer in the Premier League this season, with six goals in 18 appearances, and no other player in the squad has managed more than four goals.

This means that the club are set to lose a proven, experienced goalscorer, and as it stands thet have replaced him with an inexperienced young forward who is playing on the continent for the first time.

Therefore, bringing in another striker to compete with Ollie Watkins could be a shrewd move by Villa, as it would allow Duran more time to settle into life in Europe instead of throwing him in at the deep end at such a young age.

One player that the club are reportedly interested in signing this month is Genk attacker Paul Onuachu, who is said to be available for a fee in the region of €25m (£22m).

Emery could now land Villa’s next Christian Benteke by signing the Pro League marksman, as the Villans have already enjoyed success from signing a number nine from that particular Belgian club.

They snapped up Benteke from Genk in the summer of 2012 and the Belgium international went on to plunder 49 goals and 12 assists in 101 matches in all competitions for Villa, providing a goal contribution more than once every other game.

Onuachu could now be the next centre-forward from the Belgian outfit to arrive at Villa Park and have a huge impact on the pitch, as he has been in terrific form in recent years.

The striker, who was once dubbed a “goal king” by John Fashanu, has scored 68 goals in the Pro League since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, including 33 in 38 appearances in the first season of that sequence.

Onuachu, who journalist Oliver Young-Myles once dubbed one of the most “prolific” strikers in Europe, has found the net 14 times in 13 starts in the Belgian top flight this season.

He is a proven, experienced goalscorer who, at 28, could come in and have an instant impact in the Premier League if he can adapt to English football.

The forward could follow in Benteke’s footsteps and be a prolific scorer for Villa in the years to come, given his incredible goal return for Genk over the course of several seasons, and that is why Emery must swoop for him before the end of the month.

Aston Villa could see Lyon striker Moussa Dembele as the ideal replacement for Danny Ings this month, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Villa linked with Dembele signing

In recent times, the 26-year-old Frenchman has found himself linked with a move to Villa Park, having caught the eye greatly for the Ligue 1 side down the years.

Dembele has an impressive record of 69 goals in 160 appearances for the French giants, not to mention bagging 51 in 94 during his time at Celtic.

It doesn’t look as though Villa’s interest in the striker has gone away yet, following a fresh update.

The Latest: Possible Ings replacement?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Dembele could be seen as the best replacement for Ings, who has moved to West Ham:

“It’s a really interesting option. He’s one of the names that we floated at the start of the window as an option for somebody when they were desperate for a striking situation to be resolved.

“I think if you’re looking for somebody to replace Ings now in that frontline, Moussa Dembele would certainly be capable of that.”

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The Verdict: Upgrade on Ings?

It is important that Unai Emery brings in a new striker this month, mainly in terms of squad depth, and Dembele would be an exciting addition, with his aforementioned goalscoring record summing up his pedigree.

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In fact, the Lyon man could easily prove to be an upgrade on Ings, considering he is our years his junior and has been described as ‘excellent’ by Brendan Rodgers during their time at Celtic.

Looking at their underlying statistics, Dembele actually scores higher than Ings for every single attacking metric except for assists per 90 minutes, while he also wins out in many of the possession-based numbers, such as dribbles and pass completion.

The £66,000-a-week-earning Dembele could help take Villa up another gear in the second half of the season, at a point where Emery is threatening to build a formidable team, bringing more firepower to a side that has only scored 23 times in 20 Premier League outings this season.