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Tottenham Hotspur's turbulent campaign has actually tantalised prosperity down the line, with Ange Postecoglou's managerial appointment working wonders to restore the fluency.

Fifth in the Premier League after 18 matches and with a game in hand on third-placed Aston Villa, Spurs have the opportunity to advance against Brighton & Hove Albion this evening, having won their past three matches.

That said, Postecoglou has many issues to contend with, and while the Seagulls are not in the finest form, they possess more than enough to hurt the hosts this evening.

Spurs team news vs Brighton

Tottenham might be firing themselves back into form but they will need to defeat Roberto De Zerbi's squad with a certain thinness that stems from the injury troubles over the past few months.

Star centre-back Cristian Romero is expected to be out for four or five weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury, and with Micky van de Ven still not expected back until January, Postecoglou will be forced to tinker over the coming period.

No Romero as Ange makes 3 changes in Spurs' predicted lineup vs Brighton

The north Londoners will be chasing a fourth successive victory tomorrow evening.

ByRobbie Walls Dec 27, 2023

Yves Bissouma is serving the second game of a four-match ban before jetting off to AFCON, while James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Manor Solomon, Ivan Perisic and Ryan Sessegnon remain long-term absentees.

Relievingly, Destiny Udogie will return to the starting line-up after serving a suspension during last week's hard-fought victory over Everton.

The players who could replace Cristian Romero vs Brighton

Udogie's availability hugely benefits Postecoglou's chances of success against Brighton, with the Italian slotting into his natural position and allowing his stand-in, Emerson Royal, to perhaps move centrally.

This makeshift solution is something that has been implemented during the 2-1 home defeat against Villa and the thrilling 3-3 draw at the Etihad Stadium against Manchester City, though he won just six of 15 duels across said encounters.

Eric Dier will be desperate to make another appearance after coming on at half-time against the Toffees; the England international is firmly out of favour under the Australian's management but the pickings are slim down at N17 right now.

While the 29-year-old might not be the tailor-made choice for Postecoglou's system – amid reports that an exit could lie in store in January – he is an experienced Premier League defender and may well be called upon today.

Should Postecoglou opt for a different route, however, handing Alfie Dorrington his first-team debut might be the perfect solution, with Spurs reporter Alasdair Gold claiming that he's "one of the most exciting centre-back prospects to emerge from Spurs' academy in years."

Dorrington, aged just 18, has been on the bench for the past seven outings and won all nine of his games in the Premier League 2 with the U21s earlier in the term, with a scouting report highlighting his strength in passing, positioning and being 'strong and decisive in the challenge'.

Romero is not easily replaced, with the aggressive star ranking among the top 14% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 19% for progressive passes, the top 6% for tackles and the top 17% for blocks, as per FBref.

But Dorrington has been described as a 'commanding' centre-half by his club and will be confident in his ability to do a job on the major stage, with Gold stating that he believes a debut could be in the pipeline soon for the "terrific" starlet.

Having now been within the first-team mix for multiple match weeks, Dorrington could be handed his chance to shine, perhaps even impressing and staking his claim for a prominent role over the weeks and months to come.

Tom Brady's Birmingham City spark ridicule from bemused fans with a £2 ($2.52) pint offer before 11.30am ahead of Norwich relegation showdown.

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Birmingham rally fans ahead of relegation fightPromote never heard before offer on beerFans divided with matchday special saleWHAT HAPPENED?

As the Championship season nears its conclusion, Birmingham City faces a crucial fixture against Norwich City at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, presenting their final opportunity to stave off relegation to League One. And before the kickoff, the club has decided to introduce a happy hour which would see them sell beer at a discounted rate from 10.30 am until 11.30 am. They believe this would rally the fans to the stadium and help them do their job as the 12th man during a season-defining fixture.

AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

An user @TheSpecialRon mocked the decision and wrote: "Football clubs:'Please drink responsibly and behave yourselves.

"Blues: Drink as many £2 pints as you can in an hour. From 10.30. In the morning'."

Meanwhile, @26jpa wrote: "It’s basically saying get hammered and be roudy. I’m all for it. In fact, I think it should be a mandatory shot as you go through the turnstile too. Kids and all."

@RoughleySpeakin got sarcastic and commented: "Just tremendous – at long last, the owners are starting to get the fans!!!"

Whereas, @FBAwayDays asked: "£2 a pint with the possibility of being relegated. What could possibly go wrong? 🫣"

The crowd is already geared up to make the most of the offer with long queues spotted in front of the bar.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

After a goalless draw against Rotherham United, a team destined for League One, Birmingham City's hopes of securing Championship survival were dealt another blow in a lacklustre performance against Huddersfield Town. Despite the urgency for a victory to bolster their league standing, the Blues once again faltered on the road, leaving them in a precarious position.

For Gary Rowett's side, the task ahead is monumental. With just one point separating them from 21st-placed Plymouth Argyle, who hold a significantly superior goal difference, Birmingham City's fate hangs in the balance. However, their fate is not solely in their hands. They must also rely on slip-ups from other relegation-threatened teams — Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield Wednesday, or Blackburn Rovers — to tip the scales in their favour.

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Birmingham, a club with a rich history and tradition, faces the looming spectre of dropping into the third tier of English football for the first time in thirty years — a prospect that seemed inconceivable earlier in the season when they occupied a commendable sixth place under John Eustace's management. However, a disastrous spell under Wayne Rooney, where they won just twice in 15 matches, derailed their campaign.

Ireland fought hard with Kevin O’Brien’s rapid half-century but once he fell in the 16th over, their challenge was done

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2019Rashid Khan wheels away in celebration•AFPHow much action can you pack into a single game of T20 cricket? Afghanistan and Ireland have practically dedicated an entire series to answering that question and here’s what happened on Sunday night.Mohammad Nabi made 81 off 36 balls. He came in to bat with nearly half the innings done. Kevin O’Brien replied with 74 off 47. He was single-handedly keeping Ireland in the game. Then with only five overs of the contest left, Rashid Khan ambled up and picked up four wickets in four balls, a feat so rare it hasn’t been seen in international cricket since Lasith Malinga sent South African pulses racing in the 2007 World Cup.In all, there were 388 runs scored – 210 by Afghanistan and 178 by Ireland – off 40 overs. And yet, it felt like the people of Dehradun – and indeed anyone that’s been following this series – left wanting oh so much more.Afghanistan have a way of making their fans feel that way in practically every game, and Rashid plays a big part in that. He is a masterful bowler, and aside from all the variations that he has, including even that legbreak that he seems to deliver out the back of the hand, his time-tested ability to deliver in the death makes for spectacular viewing. He dismissed O’Brien off the final ball of the 16th over with a ball that he tossed up wide, knowing the big-hitting allrounder had to go for runs and that his instinct would make him slog into the leg side. The resulting bottom edge was ever so smartly taken by the wicketkeeper Shafiqullah.With Ireland needing 53 off 18 balls, Rashid had George Dockrell caught at long-on (thanks to some incredible acrobatics on the boundary from Nabi) and his googly practically made Shane Getkate and Simi Singh self-destruct. The Afghanistan legspinner finished with 5 for 27. His overall average and strike-rate in T20Is are 12. !Asghar Afghan has repeatedly said his team can defend any total in a limited-overs game. And there’s no real secret to it. They try to keep things tight at the start to push the asking rate up. Then, when the batsmen are feeling vulnerable and left with little option but to attack, Rashid comes on and complicates everything. His control – rarely does he give up the short and wide delivery to cut and pull – sparks their undoing. And by constantly asking the opposition to try and hit good balls to the boundary, he gets truckloads of wickets.Those four balls, those four moments, stole the spotlight from an amazing innings. Well, two actually. Nabi and O’Brien are among the longest-serving allrounders in world cricket. And they only keep getting stronger. Nabi, at 34, is desperately sought after on the T20 circuit and O’Brien, having waited virtually his entire career to play a Test match, became Ireland’s first centurion just last year.Each is a hero in his own right but here only of them could emerge, silhouetted against the dust as it settled down on an epic game. And that was Nabi. He came in to bat in the eighth over, made 22 off the first 20 balls he faced, and then promptly lashed 59 off the next 16. If ever an innings had a split personality…And if you’re imagining a slew of front-leg cleared hoicks over cow corner, just stop it. Nabi crashed all but one of his seven sixes down the ground. He then came on to bowl, conceded only 28 off his four overs, and then yielded the stage to the man whose name is Khan.

The five-match ODI home series will be followed by visits to Netherlands and Ireland in June and July

Liam Brickhill19-Mar-2019Zimbabwe’s extended international hiatus will come to an end when they host United Arab Emirates in April, after which they will visit Netherlands and Ireland in June and July.Zimbabwe Cricket has struggled to fill the gaps in its calendar since failing to qualify for the World Cup, with a rare trip to India – originally scheduled for March in the Future Tours Programme – falling through and Afghanistan pulling out of a tour scheduled for late April because the games would not be televised. The national side has had no engagements since November last year, when they visited Bangladesh, with players spending the season taking part in Zimbabwean domestic cricket or seeking opportunities in franchise T20 cricket overseas.The gap between international assignments will have stretched to five months before Zimbabwe host UAE for five ODIs, with the matches scheduled for April 10, 12, 14 and 16, all at Harare Sports Club. Before the ODI series gets underway, UAE will first face Zimbabwe A in a 50-over warm-up match at Old Hararians Sports Club on April 8, two days after their arrival in the country.Next up for Zimbabwe on the international arena will be an away tour to the Netherlands for two ODIs pencilled in for June 19 and 21, and two Twenty20 international matches set for June 23 and 25.From there, Zimbabwe will proceed to Ireland where they will play three ODI matches and three T20Is. The ODIs against Ireland are scheduled for July 1, 4 and 7, while the T20I matches are slated for July 10, 12 and 14.While the exact dates are yet to be confirmed, the current ICC FTP suggests that Zimbabwe could host Afghanistan for a Test, five ODIs and three T20Is in August, and then West Indies for five ODIs and one Test in October.

Glasgow Rangers return to Premiership action this afternoon as they look to make amends following their recent Old Firm defeat.

Kilmarnock are the visitors to Ibrox in what is the final league clash for three weeks as the winter break gives teams the chance to rest and regroup ahead of the second half of the season.

Philippe Clement suffered his first loss as boss of the Light Blues against Celtic and the performance was below what was expected, especially given how impressive the club have looked in recent weeks.

The clash against Killie gives the Belgian coach an opportunity to rotate some of his squad and this should mean Cyriel Dessers gets dropped to the bench after his dismal showing last weekend.

Cyriel Dessers’ performance against Celtic in numbers

The striker had registered four goal contributions in the three games prior to the derby clash, and he could have given his confidence another lift by scoring against Celtic.

Unfortunately, his performance lacked any real substance, and he didn’t recover after missing a glorious one-on-one chance in the first half.

The 29-year-old was given the freedom of Glasgow as he had a perfect chance to open the scoring, yet he took one touch too many and failed to even get a shot away.

The striker took just 26 touches throughout the match while winning only three of his 14 total duels and this lack of physical presence along with a failure to provide any meaningful attacking input led analyst John Walker to claim his performance was “atrocious” and he wasn’t wrong.

Rangers' 4/10 dud was a bigger villain than Leon Balogun in Old Firm defeat

Rangers suffered yet another Old Firm defeat this afternoon

ByRoss Kilvington Dec 30, 2023

A win against Kilmarnock is imperative in order to get the derby defeat out of their minds as the club look to head into the winter break in a positive mindset.

The man to replace Cyriel Dessers

The Ibrox side managed to secure the signature of 21-year-old Fabio Silva on a loan deal until the end of the season from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and he could be in line to make his debut against Killie.

The striker has featured just ten times for the Old Gold during the 2023/24 campaign, scoring once, and there is no doubt he will be fresh heading into the second half of the season.

The former Porto starlet has struggled during his spell at Wolves, yet proved just how talented he is during two temporary spells with PSV Eindhoven and Anderlecht in 2022/23.

The youngster netted 11 goals and grabbed four assists in 32 games for the Belgian side, before registering seven goal contributions in 19 games for the Eredivisie outfit and Clement will be hoping this is the Silva that the Gers have signed.

Dessers simply doesn’t deserve to start the clash against the Rugby Park side and with Danilo out until April with a knee injury, the 49-year-old tactician may not have a choice but to unleash Silva in the starting XI.

The Portuguese gem could announce himself by scoring a goal or two if he manages to make an appearance this afternoon and if the youngster lives up to expectations, his loan spell could be very lucrative indeed.

Leeds United have around two weeks left to bolster their squad during the January transfer window ahead of the second half of the season.

The Whites are currently in the mix to secure a place in the top two to land automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

However, as you can see in the table below, Daniel Farke's side have a mountain to climb and it will take a huge effort to finish above their rivals to avoid the play-offs.

Leicester

1

27

65

Ipswich

2

27

58

Southampton

3

27

55

Leeds

4

27

51

West Brom

5

27

45

Coventry

6

27

40

The January transfer window has provided the club with an opportunity to improve their chances of promotion by adding more quality to the playing group.

With this in mind, here is a dream XI that Farke could select at the end of the month if the club are able to sign three of their reported targets over the next two weeks…

1 Illan Meslier

Starting off between the sticks, Illan Meslier could remain the club's number one as there has not been much in the way of serious transfer speculation over his future or another goalkeeper coming in to take his place.

The French stopper has started 25 matches in the Championship so far this season and has kept nine clean sheets for the Whites in total.

2 Neco Williams

The first new signing could come at right-back. On The Square Ball Podcast, journalist Phil Hay revealed that Leeds are interested in Neco Williams, although it could be difficult to convince Nottingham Forest to part ways with him.

In his last season in the Championship – for Fulham in the 2021/22 campaign – the Wales international caught the eye with his sublime attacking play.

Williams ranked within the top 1% of full-backs in the division for progressive passes (6.42) and the top 2% for progressive carries (4.23) per 90.

In a dream scenario, Leeds will be able to land the Welsh dynamo and his arrival would free up Archie Gray to compete for a spot in the middle of the park.

3 Joe Rodon

At the heart of the defence, Joe Rodon's place should not be in question. The on-loan Tottenham Hotspur titan has played 24 league games for the Whites and won an eye-catching 68% of his duels, which shows that the ace has been dominant in physical battles.

4 Pascal Struijk

Alongside the Wales international, Pascal Struijk is another player who should remain a first-choice for Farke heading into the second half of the campaign.

The Dutch colossus has captained the Whites when Liam Cooper has not been on the pitch this season and has formed a strong partnership with Rodon at the back.

5 Borna Barisic

The second dream signing of the window could come in the form of Rangers full-back Borna Barisic, who FootballScotland recently claimed is a target for Leeds.

Farke could ditch Junior Firpo from the starting XI with a deal to sign the Croatia international, who could provide more at both ends of the pitch.

Appearances

Seven

11

Key passes per game

0.9

2.2

Tackles per game

1.1

1.6

Interceptions per game

0.9

0.9

Duel success rate

48%

61%

As you can see in the table above, the £21k-per-week Light Blues whiz, who also created 12 'big chances' and made 2.3 key passes per game during the 2022/23 league season, can offer over twice as much creativity per match whilst also being far more effective in individual duels.

Therefore, the head coach could bench the former Barcelona man to improve his side from a defensive and offensive perspective by snapping Barisic up from the Scottish giants.

6 Ethan Ampadu

The central midfield pairing does not need tinkering with. Ethan Ampadu, who joined from Chelsea on a permanent deal last summer, has started 27 league matches for the Whites this season and averaged 7.2 ball recoveries per game for his side.

7 Glen Kamara

Alongside the Welsh enforcer, Glen Kamara should still be a key player for Leeds. He is a midfield metronome with his phenomenal passing ability, which is illustrated by his superb pass success rate of 92.5% – placing him within the top 2% of Championship midfielders this season.

8 Dan James

On the right side of the attack, Farke should continue to place his faith in former Swansea and Manchester United winger Dan James, who has been in fantastic form with nine goals and five assists in the second tier.

He has created ten 'big chances' for his teammates so far this season and has only been rewarded with five Championship assists, which suggests that his fellow attackers have let him down at times.

9 David Brooks

The third dream signing that could be made this month is Bournemouth attacking midfielder David Brooks – once described as a "creative spark" by journalist Josh Bunting.

Reporter Alex Crook recently told GIVEMESPORT that Leeds are interested in a deal for the Wales international, who could be on the move before the end of the month.

In his last full season in the second tier, the 26-year-old whiz ranked within the top 15% of Championship attacking midfielders and wingers for Expected Assisted Goals (0.21) and progressive passes (4.36) per 90 during the 2020/21 campaign.

Joel Piroe has been deployed as a number ten this term and currently ranks within the bottom 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division for xAG (0.06) per 90 and the bottom 44% for progressive passes (3.45) per 90.

This suggests that Farke could land a natural number ten who is able to create high-quality opportunities and progress the play at an impressive rate, in comparison to Piroe.

10 Crysencio Summerville

Crysencio Summerville's position in a dream XI for Leeds does not need much explaining. The Dutch whiz has chipped in with 12 goals and seven assists in 24 league appearances this season.

Chelsea have added two names to their managerial shortlist if they decide to part ways with Mauricio Pochettino.

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Chelsea eyeing moves for McKenna and Amorim Pochettino to meet Blues hierarchy for season reviewChelsea finished sixth in the Premier League WHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentine manager is due to meet Todd Boehly and Co. for an end-of-season review this week where a decision could be taken regarding his future upon assessment of his performance by the Chelsea hierarchy.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Per the club have already included two names to their managerial shortlist if they decide to sack Pochettino after just one season in charge at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are reportedly eyeing moves for Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim and Kieran McKenna, who guided Ipswich to automatic promotion from the Championship this season.

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After a slow start to their campaign, the West London side managed to turn things around and since the boxing day, they have secured 41 points in the league which allowed them to finish sixth in the Premier League standings.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

The players will now enjoy a well-earned break before they return to action in July. The club will travel to the US where they are scheduled to face Wrexham in a pre-season friendly.

It’s only the first meeting between the two sides this season, but Knight Riders enter the contest needing nothing less than a victory to keep their playoff hopes alive

The Preview Sreshth Shah27-Apr-20196:46

Can floundering hosts Kolkata Knight Riders stop the Mumbai Indians juggernaut?

Big pictureWhen Rohit Sharma walks out at the toss at Eden Gardens on Sunday night, he’d be looking to extend Mumbai Indians’ eight-match unbeaten run over Kolkata Knight Riders. But if there’s ever a night for the hosts to change that statistic, it would be Sunday. Languishing at the sixth place with eight points, and needing victories in their last three matches to even dream of a playoff spot, Knight Riders can bid the season goodbye if they lose their seventh successive IPL game, and fifth successive at home.Form guide

Kolkata Knight Riders: lost to Royals by 3 wickets, lost to Sunrisers by 9 wickets, lost to Royal Challengers by 10 runs (most recent matches first)
Mumbai Indians: beat Super Kings by 46 runs, lost to Royals by 5 wickets, beat Capitals by 40 runs

After Piyush Chawla and Sunil Narine found turn against Rajasthan Royals, Dinesh Karthik may consider bringing Kuldeep Yadav back after he has spent two games in the dugout. That their pacers have been poor in the Powerplay, taking only six wickets in the period, is an extra reason for Karthik to revert to Knight Riders’ old formula of spin.For Mumbai, just one victory in their final three games would be enough for the playoffs, but they’ll be aiming a top-two finish, and a chance to play Qualifier 1 at the Chepauk – a ground where they haven’t lost an IPL match since May 2011. Mumbai and India fans alike would’ve enjoyed Rohit’s maiden half-century of the season in their convincing win over Chennai Super Kings, and both Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya could inflict damage on Knight Riders’ pace bowlers at a ground where the ball travels far.Lasith Malinga comes into the contest with a four-for in his last match and, in Krunal Pandya and Rahul Chahar, Mumbai have potent spin options to match Knight Riders player-for-player. Thus it’s not much of a surprise that Mumbai start as clear favourites, but they’ll remain wary of the chutzpah that Knight Riders will come in with, given they have nothing more to lose.In the newsLeft-arm fast bowler Beuran Hendricks, Mumbai’s replacement for the injured Alzarri Joseph, has linked up with the team but is unlikely to get a look-in unless Malinga is rested. Mumbai left-arm spinner Anukul Roy made a promising IPL debut with 1 for 11 in Chennai and has impressed enough to merit another opportunity.Likely XIsKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Chris Lynn, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Andre Russell, 6 Dinesh Karthik, 7 Rinku Singh, 8 Carlos Brathwaite, 9 Piyush Chawla, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Prasidh KrishnaMumbai Indians: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Rohit Sharma (capt), 3 Evin Lewis, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Krunal Pandya, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Kieron Pollard, 8 Anukul Roy, 9 Rahul Chahar, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Jasprit BumrahStrategy punt It’s time for Knight Riders to go all in, so don’t be surprised if Australian fast-bowler Matt Kelly comes into the side for Carlos Brathwaite. In his short T20 career, Kelly has picked up a wicket every 15.4 deliveries in the Powerplay and concedes only 7.20 runs per over; 52.8% of the 24-year-old’s deliveries in Powerplays have been dots. Piyush Chawla, Knight Riders’ regular new-ball bowler, may be held back for later in the innings. Hardik Pandya has scored only 100 runs in 98 deliveries against legspinners since IPL 2018 and has been out six times to them. Mumbai should aim to save two overs each of Bumrah and Malinga for the final five overs. When they bowl in tandem at the death, Mumbai concede only 8.50 runs an over at an average of 13.50. For any other bowling combination, Mumbai concede 11.40 runs per over.Stats and trivia If Knight Riders lose to Mumbai on Sunday, it will be the worst streak for any IPL team. They enter the contest tied for the record at eight losses with Kings XI Punjab (against Knight Riders, 2014-17) and Delhi Daredevils (against Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2011-2015). It will be Rohit Sharma’s 100th game as IPL captain.

Alisha Lehmann’s summer holidays are over for now, with the Aston Villa star leaving sun-soaked Brazil to join up with the Switzerland national team.

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Enjoyed post-season break in South AmericaHeaded to homeland of boyfriend Douglas LuizReturns to her roots for Euro 2025 qualifiersWHAT HAPPENED?

The 25-year-old forward has been enjoying a post-season break in the homeland of her Brazilian partner, Douglas Luiz. The pair have been relaxing on the beach and by the pool, while ensuring that a football is never far from their thoughts.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

They have also been mingling with some familiar faces, with Luiz being joined in South America by fellow countrymen Matheus Cunha – who now plays his club football in the Premier League at Wolves – and former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho – who is a team-mate at Villa despite spending much of last season out on loan in Qatar.

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Lehmann was keen to keep the holiday vibes going, as she reported for duty at the Swiss camp wearing sunglasses, but she was greeted back to Europe by grey skies and showers. The Switzerland squad were, however, in high spirits after being reunited.

West Brom are reportedly showing an interest in signing an exciting talent who has "got everything", with Newcastle United and Brighton also in the mix to snap him up.

West Brom transfer news

The Baggies are unlikely to be busy in the January transfer window, but at the same time, it would be a surprise if no new faces arrived to strengthen their Championship promotion hopes. One player who has emerged as a strong transfer target is Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt, with the Hawthorns seen as a good destination for the young Englishman. He is struggling for minutes under Daniel Farke this season, although it remains to be seen if the Whites would want to send him to a direct rival.

Hertha Berlin's Derry Scherhant is another option for West Brom, with the 21-year-old primarily playing in the 2.Bundesliga this season, and Bournemouth and Wales striker Kieffer Moore could also be brought in, giving him a chance to enjoy more regular minutes than he is getting at the Vitality Stadium.

While the Baggies need to be looking at players who can make an impact from the off, planning for the future is also hugely important, and it looks as though they are eyeing the signing of someone with a massive ceiling.

West Brom want Jordan James

According to Corriere Della Sera [via Sport Witness], West Brom are interested in signing Birmingham City youngster Jordan James, with the 19-year-old a highly-rated prospect.

The midfielder is wanted by a host of top clubs, however, with Premier League sides Newcastle, Brighton and Brentford all mentioned as potential suitors, as well as Serie A team Fiorentina. The list of clubs keen on acquiring his signature is thought to be getting "longer by the hour", with Birmingham demanding a €10m (£8.5m) fee.

Admittedly, it does look as though West Brom are the outsiders to get their man, but it is encouraging to see them showing such ambition in targeting a player of enormous long-term potential. Wales manager Rob Page has heaped praise on James, saying:

"He reads the game well, he’s athletic, he likes a tackle, he can pass the ball, he can head it. He ticks a lot of boxes; he has got everything. He is a great lad and he wants to work hard. He has got potential and we’re going to help him achieve that."

At 19, James already has 79 appearances to his name in the Championship, showing that is more than capable of being a reliable squad immediately for West Brom, while eight caps for Wales while still in his teens is arguably even more impressive.

West Brom could sign "special" rival for Weimann before the deadline

West Brom could further bolster their attacking positions with this January deal.

ByKelan Sarson Jan 21, 2024

It feels more likely that the teenage midfielder will head to the Premier League if Birmingham sanction his exit, but if he sees the Baggies as a team that could go up this season, as well as give him regular playing time, there is still a chance that they could sign him.