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Under Patrick Vieira, Crystal Palace have become an exciting, youthful team that will surely be targeting a spot in European football in the not-too-distant future.

The French manager ditched a number of players that had stagnated under the stale ending to Roy Hodgson’s time with the Eagles and brought in fresh-faced talents such as Michael Olise, Marc Guehi and Odsonne Edouard.

However, there are still a few players from the Hodgson regime that remain at Selhurst Park, when it would perhaps be better for all parties if they moved on.

One such example is veteran midfielder, James McArthur. The former Scotland international joined the club from Wigan Athletic in 2014 and has been a superb servant in the eight years since, making 249 appearances for the club and contributing 19 goals and 23 assists.

His playing time has understandably dwindled in recent seasons but injury issues have meant that he is yet to play a single minute of the current campaign and it seems unlikely at this point that the 35-year-old will ever be a regular in Vieira’s side again.

The 35-year-old already fell behind in the pecking order with the summer arrival of Cheick Doucoure and if Palace do bring in another midfielder during the January transfer window, it may well be curtains for McArthur at Selhurst Park.

While his contract is set to expire at the end of the season, Vieira should certainly consider the possibility of moving him on sooner, as his £55k-per-week wage is currently going down the drain, and could definitely be spent more wisely.

It would be a ruthless decision to get rid of a player who has been a big part of Palace’s identity for nearly a decade, but football is a ruthless business and the Scottish midfielder no longer offers what he once did for the Eagles.

McArthur may have been described as a “leader” and a “manager’s dream” in the past by the Athletic’s Matt Woosnam but injury problems have meant that his time at the club could end on a sour note, as Vieira cannot afford to have injury-prone veterans in his side if he wants to continue the youthful transformation that Palace have undergone under his tenure.

Leeds United have been regularly linked with Daichi Kamada over the past few months, with recent reports suggesting that Victor Orta is thought to be keen on a deal to bring the Eintracht Frankfurt forward to Elland Road in the January transfer window.

Indeed, it is not difficult to see why the Whites would be interested in a move for the 26-year-old this winter, as the £26.5m-rated talent having already scored seven goals and registered four assists over his 13 Bundesliga appearances, as well as bagging three goals over six outings in the Champions League and notching two in two DFB-Pokal fixtures.

However, it was undoubtedly the £33k-per-week attacking midfielder’s display in Japan’s shock 2-1 victory over Germany earlier this week that truly announced the playmaker on the world stage, with the 24-cap star turning in a show-stopping performance against one of the favourites to go on and lift the World Cup in December.

Indeed, over his 90 minutes on the pitch, the 26-year-old highly impressed while in possession of the ball, completing 15 of his 18 attempted passes – a success rate of 83% – finding his man with three long balls and one cross, completing one dribble, making one key pass and taking one shot at Manuel Neuer’s goal.

The former Sagan Tosu sensation also caught the eye in a defensive capacity, winning four of his six duels – a success rate of 67% – and making three tackles, with these metrics seeing the 26-year-old earn an impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.0 – with Der Spiegel journalist Felix Dachsel dubbing Kamada “outstanding”.

As such, should Orta have had any doubts about the Japanese talent’s ability to perform at the very highest level of the game, the playmaker’s performance against Die Mannschaft will have most certainly put any uncertainty to bed, with Kamada very much looking to be a player who would make an exceptional addition to Jesse Marsch’s current attacking options.

However, with a higher profile comes greater interest, leading us to believe that, should the Whites’ director of football wish to give his side the best possible chance of landing the midfielder this January, he must start to put the wheels in motion on a move for the Frankfurt star.

Tottenham Hotspur are among the multitude of teams interested in signing Josko Gvardiol, who was one of the standout players of the World Cup group stages.

Tuttomercatoweb reported last month that current Lilywhites star Ivan Perisic had been tasked with convincing the 20-year-old that his future should lie in north London.

During the summer window, RB Leipzig’s asking price was thought to be in the region of £70m and that would have only increased after announcing himself on the world’s biggest stage, with the likes of Chelsea and Real Madrid also keen on his signature.

Whilst he would cost sporting director Fabio Paratici a club-record fee, it should not put the Italian off from sealing a real piece of the future. Gvardiol could be one of, if not the, best centre-back in the world considering he’s already delivering at just 20.

And by winning the race to land him, Spurs could well eclipse the signing of Heung-min Son, who has undoubtedly been one of the Lilywhites’ best-ever deals. His returns of 136 goals and 76 assists for just £22m have been unmatched.

Croatia kept two clean sheets across their three matches, despite being in Group F with Belgium, one of the favourites for the tournament, though they didn’t qualify for the knockout stages.

Gvardiol played an integral role for the Vatreni, combining his frightening physicality with his deft touch on the ball – form that led transfer guru Fabrizio Romano to laud him as a “monster”.

Across those three matches, the Croat colossus has averaged a 90% passing accuracy, despite managing near 70 attempts per game, via Sofascore. A feat that outranks every one of Spurs’ current starters, including Eric Dier, who averages an 87.6% accuracy rate from 66.7 passes per game.

Gvardiol has also managed a whopping 5.7 clearances, 1.7 interceptions and 1.3 tackles per game at the World Cup too. By comparison, not even Cristian Romero has averaged more interceptions, whilst the Leipzig titan would also lead the way for clearances.

Meanwhile, his performances have also seen him dubbed as the Erling “Haaland of defenders” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, only further emphasising just how much of an instant impact he has made.

Journalist Zach Lowry even praised him as a “Rolls-Royce” and as a “sensational centre-back,” having been the best player on the pitch despite sharing it with Kevin De Bruyne and Luka Modric.

With Romero now a permanent presence at Hotspur Way, Paratici and co could really land their best-ever signing by luring the Leipzig superstar to north London in 2023. They may need to wait until the summer and fork out in excess of £70m but he’d be worth every penny and more.

AND in other news, Conte could land dream Maddison alternative in Spurs move 22 y/o World Cup “superstar”…

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou appears to have his eyes set on landing a new centre-forward recruit, with recent reports having claimed that a striker is one potential priority for the Parkhead outfit in the January transfer window.

That search has perhaps been influenced by the continued uncertainty surrounding the future of current Hoops man, Giorgos Giakoumakis, with the Greek international having been tipped for an exit of late.

The suggestion is that there has been a breakdown regarding talks over a bumper new deal for the 27-year-old, with the former VVV-Venlo man believed to be demanding a greater salary than the one he is currently being offered.

Even if the 11-cap marksman does remain in Glasgow, the Scottish champions could seemingly be in need of further additions to the forward line, particularly after having seen Swiss flop Albian Ajeti head to Sturm Graz on loan over the summer.

One man who could seemingly be an ideal candidate to strengthen Postecoglou’s ranks is South Korean sensation, Gue-sung Cho, with reports at the end of last month suggesting that the striker is a player on the Old Firm side’s radar.

The 6 foot 2 hotshot has fuelled the fire regarding a move away from current side Jeonbuk after admitting his desire to make the switch to a European club, amid reported interest from a number of sides on the continent.

That interest has been more than merited such has been the “incredible” talent’s impact of late, as described by journalist Jason Lee, with the 24-year-old having particularly caught the eye following his displays at the World Cup in Qatar.

The former FC Anyang man scored twice in his four outings in the competition prior to his nation’s recent exit at the hands of Brazil, with both of those strikes coming in the defeat to Ghana in the second group game.

Those two devastating headers showcased just what a potent and clinical goalscoring threat the forward is inside the penalty area, with Cho having also proven prolific at club level in recent times, with 21 goals in 35 games in the 2021/22 campaign.

That has ensured that his overall club career tally now stands at 51 goals and 16 assists in 133 games thus far at senior level, as well as an impressive record for his country with six goals in just 20 caps.

Not only a menacing presence in front of goal, the Korean ace is also a player who has “a little bit of swagger”, according to the aforementioned Lee, ensuring that he may well prove something of an instant hit were he to make the move to Paradise.

The in-form marksman is already a popular figure in his homeland having reportedly had to turn off his phone after receiving a raft of marriage proposals amid his World Cup heroics, with the hope being that he switches it back on again to receive any possible calls from Postecoglou and co…

Tottenham Hotspur have been warned not to sign Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie by Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell.

The Lowdown: Tottenham eyeing McKennie

Amid uncertainty surrounding his Juventus future,  Tottenham have made contact with the American regarding a potential move in the January transfer window.

A recent report from CalcioMercato details that £26m, or even slightly less, may tempt the Serie A club into selling the 24-year-old, but Spurs have now received a warning not to go ahead with the transfer…

The Latest: Campbell’s comments

Campbell believes that another midfield addition will cause problems in the dressing room for Antonio Conte, as he already has good enough options available, telling Football Insider:

“There’s Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Bissouma – they are already at the club.

“It’s just signing players for the sake of it. These players aren’t stupid, they want to play every game.

“You can accumulate all the players you want, but it’s only going to cause problems in the dressing room.

“If McKennie joins Spurs, he’ll want guarantees that he is going to play. You can imagine how Bissouma will react to that – he’ll be fuming.

“It’ll just cause unrest in that dressing room.”

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The Verdict: Get it done?

While Tottenham are already blessed with an array of talent in the engine room, the Texas-born maestro is still a worthwhile purchase for Conte, owing to impressive form for both club and country in recent times.

Although the USA bowed out at the round of 16 stage, the £49k-per-week earner was “excellent” in his group stage display against England, according to Jamie Carragher, a game in which he exhibited his versatility by playing on the right of midfield, a trait which would be useful for Conte.

Despite Juventus seemingly being happy for him to leave, the 6 foot ace has also shown promising signs for the Italian club, particularly specialising in getting on the ball and looking to pick out teammates further up the pitch, as shown by an average of 4.01 progressive passes per 90 minutes over the past year, placing him in the 92nd percentile compared to his positional peers.

It is true that the Lilywhites already have some great options in midfield, but McKennie is a fine player, who should be pursued in January.

Celtic are thought to be one of a number of clubs keen on signing Real Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda.

The Lowdown: Fresneda profiled

Fresneda is just 18 years of age and doesn’t have too much first-team experience under his belt, making just nine senior appearances for his current employers.

The right-back is valued at €1m by Transfermarkt but has a €30m release clause in his contract. The Spaniard’s deal with Real Valladolid runs until 2025, and it looks as if the Hoops are eyeing a potential move.

The Latest: Transfer update

One Spanish outlet shared a transfer update regarding Fresneda in the last 48 hours.

They claimed that Celtic are one of eight clubs across Europe who could be willing to make an offer for the teenager’s services.

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The Verdict: Unlikely?

The Hoops recently bolstered their right-back ranks by landing Alistair Johnston from CF Montreal, so a move for Fresneda seems unlikely.

He could also command a club-record fee, which currently stands at €10.3m for Odsonne Edouard, given his €30m release clause and the likes of big European clubs Arsenal, AC Milan and Juventus showing an interest in the teenager.

It could be a name to keep an eye on, however, Ange Postecoglou could be looking at other areas of the pitch after landing Johnston.

Everton’s on-loan left-back Ruben Vinagre could look to make an early departure from Goodison Park during the upcoming January transfer window. 

The Lowdown: Vinagre’s time with Everton

The Toffees signed the defender in July on a season-long loan from Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon. Since then, the 23-year-old has made just four appearances for the Merseysiders across the Premier League and Carabao Cup.

With the January transfer window set to open in just over a week’s time and with Everton already terminating Salomon Rondon’s contract after he had barely a look-in during the campaign, the club could now see Vinagre swiftly follow the striker out the door.

The Latest: Vinagre eyeing Everton exit

According to a recent report from Portuguese media outlet A Bola (via Sport Witness), Vinagre could look to join another club in January due to the lack of regular playing time he has had at Everton so far this season.

The report adds that Frank Lampard’s side have an option to sign the defender on a permanent basis for a fee of €20m (£17m), but are unlikely to do so as things stand.

The Verdict: Everton should keep hold of Vinagre

Having been given the chance to prove his worth in the Carabao Cup by playing the full 90 minutes in Everton’s matches against Fleetwood Town and Bournemouth, the Portuguese full-back didn’t show why he deserves to be a regular figure in the team.

His performances in those two games earned him a rather underwhelming overall rating of 6.26/10 from WhoScored, leaving 13 other Everton players who featured in the competition with higher ratings.

However, even though Vinagre has not been particularly impressive this season, letting him leave next month could be a risk for the Toffees given how they only have one other predominant left-back in their squad, namely Vitaliy Mykolenko.

While it would be understandable if the Portuguese defender has not been pleased with his spell at Goodison Park so far, Everton should keep hold of him until the end of the season and then make a decision regarding what they want to do with him.

West Ham United are reportedly weighing up a January move for Australia’s World Cup star Harry Souttar, with his club Stoke City willing to discuss a deal for the right price…

What’s the word?

Souttar recently returned from the sidelines, having been sidelined due to an ACL injury which consequently threw his World Cup hopes into jeopardy.

Making a resounding return, the 24-year-old was the defensive focal point, and is now at the centre of heated interest from a host of Premier League outfits, according to TEAMtalk.

Although, following his successful ventures with his nation in Qatar, The Sun have reported that the Potters have slapped a £25m price tag on their coveted centre-back.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are allegedly frontrunners, with new head coach Julen Lopetgeui searching to inject his essence into the Molineux, but Hammers boss David Moyes is also desperately seeking a remedy to ail their toiling campaign, and instilling a sturdy defensive rock could pave the way for future success.

Can revive the Hammers’ poor season

Many of the Hammers faithful must hold a certain sense of incredulity when staring at their team’s landslide of a decline, despite the lucrative summer spending and star-studded quality littered across every department of the pitch.

Indeed, after two momentous years under Moyes’ sagely wing, West Ham now perch precariously in 16th place after 16 matches, one point above 18th-placed Wolves and currently enduring a four-match losing skid. 

With ten losses already in the league this season, not even at the midpoint – last term, the Irons suffered 14 defeats – a revitalised presence in the mould of Souttar could in turn breathe fresh life into the squad, provide some solidarity in defence and rekindle the resilience that has seemingly evaporated over the past months.

Making just the four appearances this term in the Championship, due to his extensive layoff, the 24-year-old has yet to taste defeat, winning twice and drawing the other two.

Recording an average rating of 6.8, steadily acclimatising back to the relentless life within English football, making 1.5 tackles and forging an incredible 8.5 clearances per outing for the Potters.

As per Sofascore, the 6 foot 6 titan was immense in Qatar, etching a rating of 6.97 into the system as his assurance and physical presence at the back secured second place from the group phase, with the nation losing valiantly to eventual champions Argentina. 

He completed 83% of his passes while making 1.5 interceptions, 1.0 tackles and 5.5 clearances per game – his sweeping approach is evident, and the Irons owners – David Gold and David Sullivan with Karren Brady (GSB), would reap the rewards at the London Stadium in rebuffing the offensive advances of Premier League opposition.

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During the World Cup, Pat Nevin, commentating for BBC 5 Live (via the Stoke Sentinel) lauded the colossus for having “a magnet in his head,” and he will certainly enjoy success as a repelling force in front of the West Ham goal, bolstering the side at both ends of the pitch and thus helping to steer the ship back on its course.

Liverpool are continuing their negotiations with Roberto Firmino over a new contract at Anfield, according to Fabrizio Romano. 

The Lowdown: Firmino’s contract situation

The Reds attacker is currently in the final year of his deal at the Merseyside club, meaning that unless he puts pen to paper on a new one, he’ll be leaving Anfield as a free agent at the end of this season.

However, it was reported earlier this month that the Reds have been in talks with the 31-year-old over the possibility of him signing a new one or two-year deal at the club.

Now though, some extra behind-the-scenes details have emerged on the matter.

The Latest: Romano’s Firmino update

In a recent Twitter post, Romano shared an update on the contract situation surrounding Firmino, starting by relaying recent comments from Jurgen Klopp on the matter, who confirmed he wants the forward to stay.

“Negotiations are ongoing on [a] potential short-term deal, but Firmino has to decide his future as Liverpool idea is very clear.”

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The Verdict: Firmino should sign

Taking into account what Klopp had to say about him during his latest press conference, it’s clear that the Liverpool boss still sees him as a vital player in his squad.

Bearing in mind how the Brazilian has scored seven goals and delivered three assists in 13 league appearances this season, his attacking talent has been vital for the team.

In addition to that, the veteran currently has the highest percentage of shots on target (60.6%) in the squad, highlighting how clinical he is in front of goal.

With Romano revealing that Firmino has yet to decide whether he wants to continue with Liverpool or not, we feel that he should sign a new deal with the club given how highly thought of he is at Anfield.

Former footballer Frank McAvennie has claimed that Rangers manager Michael Beale will probably have to sell players first if he wants any new signings this winter. 

What’s the word?

With the January transfer window now open, the Ibrox outfit have already been linked with some exciting new deals. For instance,  Wolves defender Dion Sanderson has been tipped as a target recently.

However, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Rangers may have a few financial struggles to overcome in the near future. The club are currently dealing with the fact that the Sydney Super Cup organisers have attempted to sue them for £1.6m after they pulled out of the friendly tournament in Australia at short notice.

With things like that in mind, McAvennie has claimed that chairman Douglas Park won’t be keen to splash the cash this winter and so Beale might have to stick with the squad he already has.

He told Football Insider: “The pressure is really on them.

“They are talking about buying players but I do not know if they have got the money to buy players without getting people out. There is not a bottomless pit at the moment.

“They have got lawsuits coming out their ears, that is going to cost them money. I do not know where they will get the money from. The chairman will tell Beale to get on with the squad that he has got.“

A quiet January incoming?

On top of that Sydney Super Cup trouble, the Scottish Daily Express also report that Rangers could also be sued for £9.5m by the administrators of the Elite Sports Group amid claims they breached a contract related to the provision of their kits.

And so it’s no shock to hear McAvennie suggests that the club have ‘lawsuits coming out their ears’ right now and that this could halt any plans to spend big in January.

There has been some talk that the club could look to cash in on Alfredo Morelos this winter but with his contract expiring in the summer anyway, it remains to be seen how much money he could bring in.

All in all, it sounds as though those hoping for a big Ibrox spending spree this month may well be disappointed.