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An update has emerged regarding Aston Villa’s attempts to add to their squad before the January transfer window slams shut…

What’s the talk?

According to Chilean newspaper Las Últimas Noticias (via Sport Witness), the Villans are eyeing a move for Universidad de Chile winger Dario Osorio this month.

The report claims that Villa and fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur are interested in the forward, who was approached by Wolves last summer.

However, it is also stated that the player is happy in Chile as it stands, and that a transfer to England this month would not be an easy task for Unai Emery to complete.

Angel Di Maria 2.0

The 19-year-old is a young player with potential who could come to Villa Park, either this month or in a future transfer window, as someone who could grow and develop under Emery’s coaching.

The Villa boss could unlock the gem’s latent potential and unearth his next version of Argentina star Angel Di Maria by working with the left-footed right winger on the training pitch.

Emery spent two seasons with the World Cup winner during their time together at Paris Saint-Germain, and the current Juventus forward scored 35 goals and provided 27 assists in 88 appearances for the 51-year-old.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig previously described Osorio as a “similar” player to Di Maria, whilst hailing the teenager as a “flamboyant” atacker, and the Chilean winger has caught the eye in his homeland of late.

Former Chile international Raul Toro once hailed the teenager’s potential and compared him to another left-footed star, saying: “Dario Osorio sooner or later is going to be a craque (top player). (But) he has a long way to go. He scores beautiful goals but does not know how to score ugly goals.

“I find him very similar to Raphinha; Barcelona’s Brazilian. He is the jewel of Chilean soccer. At any moment, he can score a goal or provide an assist. In Chilean football, there is no one like him.”

Osorio plundered seven goals in 16 starts for Universidad de Chile in 2022 and has already been capped twice by his country, despite only turning 19 earlier this week.

The talented youngster has showcased his goalscoring potential and, if Villa sign him, Emery could work with the Chile international on the training pitch to develop him into becoming his new version of Di Maria – an excellent left-footed right winger – in the years to come.

Tottenham Hotspur will not look to bring in a new goalkeeper this month and will instead prioritise the position in the summer, according to Michael Bridge.

What’s the latest?

There have been reports suggesting that Spurs could look to bring in a new goalkeeper with the plan of replacing their veteran Frenchman, Hugo Lloris.

Everton’s Jordan Pickford has been named as a potential option in recent weeks with the England shot-stopper currently playing into the final 18 months of his contract at Goodison Park.

And another name to emerge as a potential option for Fabio Paratici is the Brentford goalkeeper David Raya who recently kept David de Gea out of the Spain squad for the Qatar World Cup.

But speaking on Sky Sports News on Monday night (09/01/23; 7.20pm), Bridge suggested this is an area which Spurs fans will have to wait until the summer to see addressed:

“Now, I’m told that’s one to look at in the summer. Hugo Lloris’ contract runs till 2024. They’ve got Fraser Forster as a No 2.”

Time catching up on Lloris

Now at the age of 36, there have been some instances this season where Lloris has cost the Lilywhites with the recent game against Aston Villa being a key example.

And when you consider no other player in the Premier League has made more errors leading to goals this season, it does seem as if the time for Lloris to move on is approaching.

On Monday evening, Lloris announced his retirement from international football after finishing second in the World Cup having lost the final to Argentina just last month.

But it seems as if Lloris is at least poised to keep his spot between the sticks at Spurs for the remainder of the campaign with Paratici set to tackle the goalkeeper spot in the summer.

Last year, Lloris put pen to paper on a new deal for a further two years in north London which will see his stay up until the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

However, what will be interesting to see is if Spurs bring in a new goalkeeper in the summer, whether Lloris sees out his contract or whether he is offloaded in the summer.

With the likes of Pickford and Raya already playing first-team football for their respective clubs, it would be difficult to imagine either of those wanting to come to Spurs to sit on the bench behind Lloris for the 2023/24 campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur have now submitted an offer for Barcelona forward Ferran Torres, according to reports from Spain.

The Lowdown: Tottenham target Torres

It was reported earlier this month that Torres was a transfer target for Antonio Conte, with Barcelona looking to cash-in on their £46.7m signing due to him not being able to force his way into the team so far this season.

At the time, Arsenal were deemed to be the favourites due to Mikel Arteta’s previous relationship with the player, but Tottenham now appear to be at a more advanced stage, having lodged an official bid…

The Latest: Offer submitted

According to Spanish sources, Spurs have already made an offer of no more than £31m for the forward, though they are someway off Barcelona’s valuation, which is said to be around £44m.

As such, a deal does not appear to be close at present, and Conte will seemingly need to decide whether to increase the offer or turn his attentions elsewhere.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

As noted by Alasdair Gold after the injury to Dejan Kulusevski, Conte desperately needs more options in his forward ranks, with the bench looking bare during the 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa.

Lauded as ‘clinical’ by former manager Pep Guardiola, Torres would be a versatile option to have in attack, as he is capable of playing across the front three and contributing goals from wherever he is picked.

Given that any new addition in the frontline is unlikely to start very often over Harry Kane, being able to play elsewhere is of the utmost importance, and the 22-year-old has weighed in with a solid 37 goals in 185 professional appearances, including 16 in 43 during his time with Manchester City.

In truth, Tottenham’s defensive issues are their real problem this season, and so a new centre-back should be the main target, but a bit more depth up front is also starting to look like a necessity.

West Ham United are in need of reinforcements after a lacklustre start to the Premier League season, and Blackburn Rovers’ Ben Brereton Diaz fits the bill…

What’s the word?

Having risen to the top of the talented pool of Championship strikers over the past two seasons, the 23-year-old has attracted the attention of numerous clubs across Europe.

West Ham are one such club with interest in the forward, with The Sun claiming last summer that Irons manager David Moyes wanted to bring the Chile international to the London Stadium. 

With Brereton Diaz’s contract with Rovers set to expire next summer, it is anticipated that scores of clubs will dive in to try and secure his signature, and with West Ham in need of bolstering their squad, a January transfer would be prudent.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, transfer specialist Dean Jones stated that the east London club indeed still want the 23-year-old, and that such a move might be forthcoming. 

He said: “I think West Ham are still in a pretty good position on this one for whenever the time comes to move, but he’s been prepped by a lot of teams this season, like a ridiculous number of teams.”

Antonio upgrade

Michail Antonio has been a stalwart for West Ham, a beloved figure and scorer of 66 goals for the Irons since signing from Nottingham Forest in 2015, although only five of those goals have come this season.

However, with the Jamaica international now 32, recruiting a fresh face to lead the line alongside £35.5m summer acquisition Gianluca Scamacca could reap rewards for the Hammers, who sit a lowly 16th in the Premier League after 14 matches, having clinched European qualification in the past two campaigns.

Brereton Diaz could be that man. Having netted 41 goals for Blackburn across 152 appearances, including ten this season, the 23-year-old has gone from strength to strength over the past 18 months. 

The 17-cap Chile star scored 22 times from 37 Championship outings last term, earning the £20m price tag that his club demanded for his signature. However, with his contract edging closer to its conclusion, such a demand might fall on deaf ears now.

Moyes will likely have been reminded of the forward’s prowess when he scored against the Hammers in the Carabao Cup this season, with Sofascore recording his match rating at 7.4 from his impactful 30-minute cameo off the bench. 

In the Championship this season, the €16m-rated (£14m) gem has averaged 2.7 shots per match and  created five big chances.

With West Ham’s two established centre-forwards recording one shot per game and one big chance created (Antonio), and 1.9 shots per game and one big chance created (Scamacca), the Blackburn man’s vastly superior level of output could indeed bode well if he is recruited to Moyes’ squad. 

Hailed as “phenomenal” by football scout Ron Dor, Brereton Diaz simply must be signed by Irons head of recruitment Rob Newman.

With the east London club languishing dangerously near the Premier League relegation zone, a return to the fine form of the last two campaigns is imperative for both the manager’s job security and the club’s top-flight future.

Sunderland have received a ‘major boost’ with the news that centre-back Aji Alese is back from injury this weekend, following an update from James Hunter.

The Lowdown: Sunderland back in action

The Black Cats haven’t played since the 2-1 victory at Birmingham City on November 11, with the World Cup in Qatar prompting a hiatus in the club season.

Sunderland are back in action on Saturday as they host Millwall in what is the only Championship fixture of the day.

Alese hasn’t been in action since the 2-0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers in October because of a foot issue, but he is on course to return this weekend.

The Latest: Hunter drops Alese update

Taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding article for Chronicle Live, Hunter revealed that the 21-year-old is back fit again and could feature against Millwall tomorrow.

He tweeted:

“‘Monster’ Aji Alese’s return is a major boost for #safc”

The Verdict: Massive boost for Black Cats

This is an undoubted boost for Sunderland, with Alese such an important presence already despite his tender years, being hailed as a ‘seriously good’ player by podcaster Tom Edwards during his time at West Ham.

The Englishman has done well in his 10 appearances for the Black Cats since joining permanently in the summer, averaging 2.7 clearances and 1.8 tackles per game in the league this season. Those returns see him rank among the top five for both metrics at the Stadium of Light.

Whether or not Tony Mowbray throws Alese straight into the starting line-up on Saturday remains to be seen, but the probability that the whole squad could be lacking some rhythm after so long without playing makes it less of a risk than it would in the thick of a hectic fixture schedule.

Manchester City have been dealt a potential injury blow ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash against Sevilla. 

The Lowdown: City vs Sevilla

Following on from their 1-0 win over Leicester City in the Premier League last weekend, the Manchester club take on Sevilla for their final group game of the Champions League at the Etihad Stadium.

Having kept four clean sheets in the five group games they’ve played in the competition so far this season, it’s safe to suggest that Pep Guardiola would want to see his side keep another one this time around.

However, it appears as though the City manager may be without one figure in his squad who has played a big part in their Champions League journey this season.

The Latest: Akanji missing from City training

According to a recent Twitter post from journalist Simon Bajkowski, Erling Haaland isn’t the only notable absentee at training, as City defender Manuel Akanji was not spotted in Tuesday’s session either.

Bajkowski also added that Kyle Walker was not there, with the full-back still recovering from surgery.

The Verdict: A potential worry for Guardiola

Bearing in mind how City have kept three clean sheets in the four Champions League games that Akanji has played in, it’s safe to say that he has been a prominent and useful figure for the team in this competition.

In fact, the 27-year-old is in the top three at City for the number of clearances (8), blocks (4) and successful tackles (5) he has made in Europe this season.

This highlights how much of an effective figure the £180k-per-week unit is at the back and why he could be a big miss for his side this evening.

Moving forward, if the Blues do have to get through tonight’s game without Akanji, everyone at the club will undoubtedly be hoping that he won’t be missing any other games or else it could be a big worry for Guardiola.

Carlos Corberan took charge of his first West Brom game on Saturday but could only watch on as his side fell to a 2-0 defeat against Sheffield United, a result that leaves the Baggies bottom of the Championship.

The Spanish manager was appointed on Monday but is no miracle worker, and his side were well and truly bested by the promotion-chasing Blades at the Hawthorns.

Corberan opted to start Jake Livermore in the midfield despite his less-than-impressive performances so far this season and the 32-year-old was substituted just before the hour mark after another disappointing display, with Birmingham Live awarding the experienced Englishman a dismal 4/10 match rating.

Since signing from Hull City in 2017, Livermore has gone on to make 211 appearances for the Baggies, contributing eight goals and 11 assists.

While there is no doubt that the club captain was once a reliable player for West Brom, his performances so far this season suggest that he is now well past his best, and Corberan should consider making a big call and dropping him if he wants to get the Baggies out of the dreadful position that they find themselves in.

WhoScored has awarded the 32-year-old a woeful 6.35 average rating for his performances in the second tier so far this term, which ranks him as the 15th-best player in Corberan’s squad, suggesting that he shouldn’t be starting.

Considering the former England international earns around £46k-per-week at the Hawthorns, a figure that makes him the best-paid player in the squad, you would hope that he would be one of the star performers, but sadly he has declined to a point where he can no longer be relied upon in the Championship.

Even last season, when his season rating of 6.57 wasn’t much better, Livermore was averaging more tackles (1.9 vs 0.9), interceptions (1.1 vs 0.9) and key passes (0.5 vs 0.3) per game in the Championship, which emphasises that he is steadily getting worse.

Fortunately for Corberan, Livermore’s contract with the Baggies is set to expire at the end of the current season, but if the Spaniard harbours any hopes of a positive finish in the Championship this campaign he must ditch the club captain from his starting XI.

Leeds United are still being linked with a move for Blackburn Rovers forward Ben Brereton Diaz.

The Lowdown: Late summer approach

The Whites left it extremely late in the summer to sign a new forward but eventually brought in teenager Wilfried Gnonto.

Leeds chiefs reportedly pushed to land Brereton Diaz on deadline day prior to signing Gnonto. Brereton Diaz, who is out of contract next summer, has continued to score goals in the Championship after a personal best tally last season, netting seven times in 14 appearances this term.

The Latest: New update

Sports Witness relayed an update from Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo regarding Brereton Diaz.

They claimed that Almeria, Sevilla, Valencia, and AC Milan are in the race for the forward, but Leeds and Everton are also possible destinations for the Blackburn star in a potential free transfer.

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The Verdict: Shrewd addition

Leeds could well be on the hunt for another attacking addition next year, and providing Brereton Diaz’s situation remains the same, Victor Orta could look to lay the groundwork over a possible free transfer.

The 23-year-old, labelled ‘very intelligent’ by Chile manager Eduardo Berizzo, can play anywhere across the front three but is primarily a centre-forward, so could prove to be Patrick Bamford’s long-term successor.

Leeds will need to pip plenty of sides to Brereton Diaz’s signature, but it looks as if it will be one to watch over the coming months.

Sunderland have been dealt some more injury news alongside Ellis Simms involving Abdoullah Ba.

The Lowdown: Simms setback

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match at home to Preston North End in the Championship on Saturday afternoon, Tony Mowbray has confirmed (via The Chronicle) that Simms is unlikely to make his return after suffering some ligament damage on his big toe.

The Everton loanee was forced to come off early in the 3-0 away at Reading before the international break, and so missed their subsequent 2-2 draw against Watford last time out (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Ba also injured

In his conference, Mowbray also confirmed (via The Chronicle) that Ba has suffered a ‘dead leg’ while on international duty with the France U20 national team, and so he could also miss the Preston clash, although he is still going to train with the squad:

“As for Abdoullah Ba, he picked up a bit of a dead leg, but he is going to train, and we will see how he is.”

The Verdict: Not ideal

Potentially having both Simms and Ba ruled out of the game is certainly not ideal for Mowbray and his side.

The Wearside supporters have only seen 11 minutes of the latter in action since arriving in the summer transfer window, and would have hoped that the international break would have given him time to work on his fitness and sharpness, thus being ready to start matches for the Black Cats.

Instead, it is unclear whether Ba will be risked at all for the weekend, with Mowbray unlikely to want to aggravate the injury that he now has.

Southampton are reportedly in talks with Arsenal over the signing of Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and the young Englishman could be a superb addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

What’s the word?

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano:

“Southampton are pushing to sign Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

“Talks now in progress with Arsenal on loan with buy option, as current AFC deal also included an option to extend until 2024. Saints, insisting to beat competition from two more clubs.”

This isn’t the first time Southampton have been linked with the versatile Arsenal fan, which suggests that Hasenhuttl is clearly a big fan and it seems as if he will finally bring him to St Mary’s this summer.

Hasenhuttl needs him

Maitland-Niles has shown during his time at Arsenal, as well as in loan spells at West Brom and Roma, that he is more than capable of featuring in both central midfield, and at right-back.

Considering the lack of options available to Southampton at right-back right now, with Valentino Livramento a long-term absentee through injury, it is clear that Hasenhuttl needs depth in this position.

Left-back Romain Perraud is also injured, and the Austrian manager may well be tempted to put Kyle Walker-Peters back there as he did last season, should a new right-back arrive at the club, as currently, Moussa Djenepo is featuring in an unorthodox wing-back role.

Maitland-Niles, who earns £35k-per-week at Arsenal, has struggled for regular game time in recent seasons, earning just eight league appearances at Roma last season, while he is yet to feature for the Gunners in the new campaign.

However, he is still only 24 and has earned an England cap in the past, so with more football under his belt, he could easily rediscover the early career form that made him so highly thought of.

Mikel Arteta was full of praise for Maitland-Niles last season after he impressed in a rare start against Watford, saying:

“First of all, I see a different player in terms of his urgency, his commitment, the clarity in his play, his purpose.

“Since we made the decision (to keep him), it was clear what I was seeing that I wanted him to stay, because he was going to be useful.

“He has a huge talent because he’s versatile enough to adapt to almost any position on the pitch.”

Versatility is always a huge bonus for any manager and Hasenhuttl will know that, should James Ward-Prowse, Romeo Lavia or Oriol Romeu suffer an injury, he can also rely on Maitland-Niles as a solid midfield option.

Therefore, all the signs suggest that the Arsenal man could be a quality addition at St Mary’s, and Hasenhuttl will be hoping to get the deal done before this weekend’s game against Manchester United.