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West Ham have opened talks to sign a new target in Athletico Paranaense forward Vitor Roque, according to journalist Venê Casagrande.

The Lowdown: Hammers make moves…

As manager David Moyes continues his battle for both Premier League survival and to save his job, there have been no shortage of transfer links as the January transfer deadline looms.

West Ham have just completed the signing of striker Danny Ings from Aston Villa after rapid movement in the last two days, giving Moyes a real boost in his search for more firepower.

The Hammers are also believed to chasing Lorient striker Terem Moffi, who has scored a brilliant 12 goals in 17 Ligue 1 starts this campaign.

The search for a central defender is also well and truly on with a few names already being offered to West Ham, according to insider ExWHUemployee.

The Latest: West Ham open Roque talks…

Now, as per reporter Casagrande, a Brazilian correspondent, West Ham are currently in ‘conversations’ with Athletico Paranaense over the signing of Roque.

The forward is currently playing at the South America Under-20 Championship in Colombia for his country but the east Londoners apparently want him on loan with an option to buy.

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Casagrande explained:

“West Ham are interested in Athletico’s Vitor Roque, who is currently playing in the South American Under-20 Championship in Colombia. The English team wants the attacker on loan and with a purchase obligation. Values come close to € 20 million between fixed and variable payments.”

The reporter also went on to state:

“Athletico would also keep a percentage of the future sale of striker Vitor Roque, as they did with Betis, from Spain, in the sale of left-back Abner. Conversations in progress.”

The Verdict: Steal…

Attempting to sign Roque under these conditions would be a real snip for West Ham going by the 17-year-old’s stunning reputation.

The attacker is seen as one of Brazil’s young jewels alongside the likes of Endrick, who has just signed for Real Madrid, and recent reports claim Roque has been attracting similar attention.

AS say Chelsea, PSG, Barcelona and Real have all been keeping tabs on the teenager, who is described as ‘brash’, ‘electric’ and ‘fighting’.

Clearly standing out as one of Brazil’s rising stars, he has also been likened to Endrick for his playing style, making this possible loan move a very attractive proposition.

Also called ‘very impressive’ by ESPN editor David Cartlidge, who has been blown away by his performances for the Brazil Under-20s in recent games, it’s clear why West Ham are attempting a move.

Leeds United are one of many clubs noted in a recent report in showing interest in a European wonderkid…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to the Evening Standard, who claim that the Whites are among a list of suitors for Giannis Konstantelias.

Victor Orta is expected to be rivalled by a host of Premier League clubs, as well as some illustrious European outfits such as PSV and Valencia, in the race for the 19-year-old.

The report also suggests the Greek forward is valued close to £10m, but PAOK Salonika expect him to be loaned back to the club should he be signed this month.

Could be a transfer disaster

Although Leeds’ Premier League position remains far from safe, it is clear that it’s not in attack that Jesse Marsch’s side are struggling.

The Yorkshire outfit currently boast 25 goals from 17 games in the league, with the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Rodrigo underpinning what has been a relatively free-flowing front line.

However, should the Whites be desperate to bolster their attack, Marsch would want an instant impact from someone who could offer more than what he already has at his disposal. In Konstantelias, this seems unlikely.

Although the 19-year-old would come to Elland Road as a coveted prospect, his current output combined with his touted price tag makes him a risky venture for a team which narrowly avoided the drop last year, especially considering that he is yet to score this term across 13 appearances, even if he has recorded four assists.

Whilst this is not a terrible haul of goal contributions, it is inferior to that of Jack Harrison, who himself had endured a barren run until this week. The Englishman has one goal and four assists to his name this season, but before his assist against West Ham United, he had not contributed offensively in 11 league games.

Despite this, he still provides a better and more cost-effective option than the PAOK starlet, who would likely not even be seen at Elland Road until next season if he were to join the Whites.

Although Konstantelias seems an exciting prospect from the reported transfer interest in him, with just two points separating Leeds from the relegation zone, now is not the time for spending precious funds on players to come good in the future.

Marsch needs players who can perform now, and should Leeds sign the unproven Greek youngster for an eight-figure fee, it could prove to be a huge transfer disaster by Victor Orta and co.

Liverpool are leading the race for a Serie A winger as Jurgen Klopp looks set to strengthen his squad in January…

What’s the news?

According to Italian outlet CalcioMercato (via TEAMtalk), Liverpool are leading the race to sign Napoli winger Hirving Lozano.

The Reds were first linked with the player at the end of last season, yet no move ever materialised during the summer transfer window, but it appears that Klopp could well do business next month.

The Mexican might be available for a reasonable fee, especially considering he has been in and out of the Napoli side this season and that his contract is set to expire in 2024.

Klopp’s own Saka

Liverpool have had their fair share of injuries this season and their front three has changed regularly throughout the campaign, although with Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota out for an extended period of time, Klopp will be looking to add at least one of two wide options ahead of the second half of the season.

Lozano hasn’t quite been in his usual sparkling form this season, registering seven goal contributions across 19 matches – four goals and three assists – however, this shouldn’t have any bearing on Klopp’s decision to sign him or not, especially considering how impressive he has been in the past for Napoli.

The 27-year-old has scored 30 goals and registered 16 assists in 133 matches since joining the Serie A side, and is very similar to a player lightening up the Premier League at the moment – Bukayo Saka.

According to FBref, the Arsenal winger is the fifth-most similar player to Lozano across Europe’s top leagues and this is not a bad comparison to have considering the youngster’s recent form for the north London side.

This season has seen the two wingers register similar statistics when it comes to shots on target (nine to eight), shot-creating actions per 90 (4.43 to 3.89), dribble success rate (46.2% to 35.1%) and blocks (16 to 11).

Both players obviously provide an excellent attacking threat from wide positions, and Klopp urgently requires an attacking spark. Signing someone that is statistically similar to Saka would be an excellent investment.

The £87k-per-week winger was dubbed “frightening” by Rangers Review journalist Derek Clark before Napoli played Rangers in the Champions League and there is no doubt Klopp can get him back firing and at his very best if he manages to lure him to the Premier League.

CBS journalist Ben Jacobs has shared a promising update on Liverpool’s chances of signing Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham.

The Lowdown: Reds eye move…

It is no secret that the Reds are seriously interested in signing the England international who has been shining for the Three Lions in Qatar.

The 2022 World Cup ace has started every tournament game under manager Gareth Southgate and stands out as their second-best performer by average match rating, behind only Arsenal star Bukayo Saka (WhoScored).

Bellingham has completed more dribbles per 90 than any England player, notching a goal and assist over his outings, adding further fuel to the fire that he will be a superstar.

The Latest: Liverpool ‘frontrunners’ for Bellingham…

The 19-year-old has an array of suitors from the Premier League but is in fact the Reds and manager Jurgen Klopp who are in pole position for his signing.

As per reporter Jacobs of CBS, Liverpool are the ‘frontrunners’ for his signature after putting in ‘a lot of leg work’.

He explained (via Twitter):

“Liverpool are frontrunners for Jude Bellingham largely because they have put in a lot of legwork. As previously reported, signing a top young talent isn’t just about the fee but the courting process. #LFC have always been excellent at pitching to players.”

The Verdict: Promising…

Called a ‘monster’ by other members of the media, Bellingham’s performances in the Middle East only highlight further why Klopp seems determined to bring him to Anfield.

Liverpool are arguably short of both quality and youth in the middle of the park and England’s newest sensation would certainly bring both in abundance.

There will be competition, but this latest update comes as a promising one.

Liverpool are interested in making a move for exciting young Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, according to a new transfer report.

The Lowdown: Williams shining for Bilbao

The 20-year-old is the younger brother of club-mate Inaki Williams and he is now forging an impressive career of his own.

He has chipped in with three goals and three assists in La Liga this season, also being described as ‘incredible’ by his older brother.

The youngster’s current Athletic Bilbao deal expires at the end of next season, so it is no surprise to see other clubs monitoring the situation.

The Latest: Liverpool keen on Williams

According to a report from Spain [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are ‘one of the main interested parties’ in signing Williams in the near future.

Jurgen Klopp is thought to be keen on bringing in an ‘unbalancing winger’ in the January transfer window, and the Reds now ‘take the lead’ in the race to snap up the Athletic Bilbao starlet, having sent scouts to the World Cup to watch the youngster in action first-hand for Spain.

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The Verdict: Exciting long-term option

It is vital that Klopp continues to rebuild his squad moving forward, not allowing it to grow old together, and Williams could be an ideal prospective long-term acquisition.

At 20, he is already an important squad figure for an established La Liga club and he is also making his mark at international level, winning three caps and scoring once for Spain.

Most prominent on the right flank, Williams could come in as a backup to Mohamed Salah, learning from the Egyptian and potentially acting as his long-term replacement.

Liverpool have reportedly made contact over the potential signing of Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar.

The Lowdown: Leaky defence

With 15 goals conceded in 12 games, Jurgen Klopp’s team have one of the leakiest defences out of the top 10 teams in the Premier League, which has seen them slump down to ninth in the table.

Joel Matip is out injured at the moment, while Ibrahima Konate has also faced a spell on the sidelines this season, so the Reds could look to sign another centre-back if their injury problems continue.

The Latest: Skriniar interest

Writing in his latest piece for 90min on Friday morning, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that Liverpool are ‘huge admirers’ of Skriniar and have been ‘in contact’ with his representatives in recent weeks to address his situation at Inter.

The Slovakia captain is out of contract at the San Siro in the summer, so he can sign a pre-contract agreement with a non-Italian club in the January transfer window ahead of moving to them on a free transfer.

If he does not end up signing a new deal, then the Reds could look to pounce, but they face competition from Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur for his signature.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Signing a player of Skriniar’s quality for free is surely a no-brainer for Liverpool.

Hailed as an ‘absolutely top-class’ player both on and off the pitch by Inter CEO Beppe Marotta, and a ‘monster’ by Italian football journalist Carlo Garganese, the 27-year-old is clearly rated very highly, and he could slot straight into the heart of the Reds’ defence alongside Virgil van Dijk.

Skriniar ranks in the 97th percentile for pass completion and 88th for progressive passes received out of all centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year (FBRef), highlighting how comfortable he is at playing out from the back, and there is every reason to believe that he could thrive in the Premier League.

Liverpool have signed some of the biggest superstars in the world over the years but have also produced some incredible talents in their academy.

Steven Gerrard, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler are just a few of the players who were developed into household names through the academy on Merseyside, and is something that Jurgen Klopp should exploit more often.

The Reds have been struggling over their Premier League campaign and are currently 10th in the table, matching Brentford and local rivals Everton for points so far, making it their worst start to a season in a decade.

Klopp has been searching for solutions over the last few weeks to get his team back to winning ways by changing formation and switching up the tactics to make the Reds more unpredictable against their opponents, but there may be an opportunity to find solutions within the youth academy too.

One player who has been a standout performer in Liverpool’s youth setup is Oakley Cannonier, an 18-year-old forward who has been scoring for fun.

Throughout his career so far coming through the ranks in the under-18 and under-21 teams, the teenager has scored an impressive 43 goals and delivered five assists across 56 appearances, with a goal contribution every 73 minutes.

In fact, the talented centre-forward – who was dubbed a “goal machine” by journalist Neil Jones – was the top scorer in the Under-18 Premier League last season with 28 goals in just 26 appearances, and this season the youngster is showing no signs of slowing down.

Cannonier has scored an astonishing seven goals in just four UEFA Youth League appearances so far, along with two goals in the Premier League 2, proving that he may be worthy of a first team call-up very soon.

Liverpool youth coach Barry Lewtas has been singing the youngster’s praises after his hat-trick against Ajax last month, saying: “Getting a hat-trick in Europe isn’t easy. I think the real beauty, certainly in terms of Oakley’s goals, he’s been the one who has finished off the good attacks we have built.”

“He scores goals. He is always there to finish, which is the most exciting part of the game. So in fairness to him, he’s looked ever so sharp in the two games he has played for us in Europe.”

With that being said, the future is looking bright for Cannonier, and his clear eye for goal is something which will become harder for Klopp to ignore if he continues to score at this rate. It surely won’t be long before we see the striker getting his golden opportunity at Anfield soon and being famous not just for his ball boy role in that iconic Alexander-Arnold corner kick against Barcelona in May 2019.

Nottingham Forest are not interested in a January deal for Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Marinakis plotting late Bakayoko move

The 28-year-old arrived in the Premier League when he joined the Blues back in 2017, but is currently halfway through a two-year loan with Italian giants AC Milan.

The Reds were believed to be eyeing up a shock late move for the Frenchman in the final days of the summer window, but a deal wasn’t agreed before the deadline.

The Latest: Forest don’t want Bakayoko

Taking to Twitter, Romano denied all claims linking Forest to Bakayoko and insisted that Evangelos Marinakis would not be pursuing a deal in the New Year. He wrote:

“Rumours about Tiemoué Bakayoko to Olympiacos and then to Nottingham Forest in January are wide of mark.”

The Verdict: Waste of money

Hearing the news that Bakayoko won’t be joining Forest will no doubt be music to the ears of most supporters.

The ‘different mentality’ ace, as dubbed by former AC Milan star Lucas Biglia, has failed to make a single appearance in the Serie A so far this season and is currently on £93k-per-week, a salary not worth paying for someone who’d be nothing more than a bench warmer.

Steve Cooper already has the likes of Lewis O’Brien and Cheikhou Kouyate at his disposal in midfield, so making the decision not to pursue Bakayoko is almost definitely the right one.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to land their eighth summer signing in the coming days.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Valencia manager Gennaro Gattuso, who revealed in comments cited by TuttoMercatoWeb (via Sport Witness) on Sunday that Fabio Paratici has informed him Bryan Gil’s loan switch to Spain should go ahead as planned, as Tottenham potentially close out their search for a replacement – a deal which may well be completed very soon.

Regarding the LaLiga side’s move for the Spain U21 international, the Italian manager said: “For Bryan, it’s done. Tottenham told us that – 90-99% – it is closed. Two or three days [from Sunday], Spurs told us that before they let him go they must take a substitute. We are waiting for Tottenham to acquire a player in that role.”

Conte should be buzzing

With Conte himself revealing that he would like Paratici to bring in a replacement for Gil prior to Spurs allowing the forward to join Valencia, the suggestion that the club are now potentially closer to bringing a new player into the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is sure to have left the 52-year-old manager buzzing.

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Indeed, it is undeniable that Gil is a talented young player, but when considering the £16.2m-rated winger has started just two fixtures in all competitions – making a further six appearances from the bench – since Conte’s arrival in north London back in November of last year – it is clear to see the Italian manager is not overly keen on the club’s £21.6m signing.

As such, should Paratici have identified a player who is more suited to Conte’s tactical setup at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – such as the sporting director’s January signings of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, both of whom have nailed down regular places in the starting XI during their Tottenham careers – as Gil’s replacement, it would only appear to be a positive for the manager and his side.

Indeed, with Spurs sitting pretty in the Premier League standings – currently in third place and still boasting an unbeaten record after four games played – the addition of another Conte-approved forward to Tottenham’s already fit and firing squad will certainly be an extremely exciting prospect for everyone involved with the club, not least the 52-year-old himself.

Newcastle United are set to return with another offer for Everton starlet Anthony Gordon, having previously been rebuffed by the Toffees earlier this summer.

What’s the word?

According to the Chronicle, the Magpies are believed to be ‘considering’ a new bid for the 21-year-old, as they remain frustrated in their approach for Leicester City’s James Maddison – having seen two offers rejected by the Foxes thus far.

In the case of the Merseyside youngster, the Englishman was reportedly the subject of a £35m approach by the northeast side back in early July, with Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie recently suggesting that a wide player – as well as a striker – could be targeted before the window closes.

Despite having brought in three new faces so far this summer, the Tynesiders are yet to bring an attacking recruit to help bolster the current squad, with manager Eddie Howe opening up on his desire to add to his forward line in the coming weeks.

Could be incredible

While it could prove a hefty fee for a player who has made just 50 Premier League appearances in his embryonic, senior career thus far, Gordon has no doubt illustrated just what a talent he is of late, having enjoyed a real breakthrough campaign last time out.

After returning from a six-month loan spell at Preston North End at the end of the 2020/21 season, the local lad went on to become a key figure at Goodison Park last term, scoring four goals and providing two assists in 35 league games for the club, proving a rare ray of sunshine in what was another wise turbulent season for Frank Lampard’s side.

A dynamic and relentless attacking presence, the £18m-rated ace also impressed due to his stunning defensive approach, ranking in the top 2% for blocks, the top 4% for tackles and the top 5% for pressures made among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

Current Newcastle star Allan Saint-Maximin, for instance, ranks in just the bottom 1% for tackles made and pressures, as well as in the bottom 5% for blocks made, with that a stark illustration of the differing work ethic between the pair.

Not that the Frenchman would need to be necessarily dispensed from the side, however, with Gordon potentially able to make up for Saint-Maximin’s defensive shortcomings and allow the mercurial talent to shine, while he also offers the flexibility to feature all across the front line, having notably started through the middle in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea.

The £10k-per-week sensation may not be the glamour name that Magpies supporters were craving – after a summer of links to the likes of Hugo Ekitike and Moussa Diaby – yet he remains an “incredible” talent, in the words of former teammate Morgan Feeney, as well as a “frightening” prospect for any defence – as per Boreham Wood boss Luke Garrard.

A player with invaluable Premier League experience already under his belt, there is no reason why the Kirkdale-born star couldn’t thrive as part of Howe’s squad this season were he to sign on the dotted line.

Although desperation is potentially setting in at St James’ Park as the search for a new forward addition goes on, Gordon could well prove to be an ‘incredible’ capture, both for his attacking flair but also his dogged defensive approach.