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Chelsea have held internal negotiations regarding a potential permanent deal for Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix, according to reports.

The Lowdown: £85m required?

The Portuguese international arrived at Stamford Bridge in January on loan for the remainder of the season but there is no option or obligation to buy included in his move to the Premier League.

The forward was sent off on his debut under Graham Potter but has since shown what he’s capable of, and reports have suggested that the club are willing to offer Mason Mount to the La Liga giants in a swap deal for the 23-year-old.

Reporters have claimed that a fee of £85m could be enough for Todd Boehly to complete the switch at the end of the term, and it sounds like he’s keen to get it wrapped up.

The Latest: Chelsea hold negotiations

According to 90min, Chelsea are ‘looking’ to make Felix’s stay in SW6 permanent with the hierarchy having been hugely ‘impressed’ by what they have seen on offer so far.

The Blues have already held ‘negotiations’ with Atletico regarding signing him for good, with the player even having hinted that he would be open to staying.

The Verdict: Take the opportunity

Felix may have only made three appearances across all competitions but his talent is clear to see so Chelsea should grab the opportunity to secure his permanent services with both hands.

The Adidas-sponsored ace already has an assist and man-of-the-match award to his name and is currently averaging over 4 shots per top-flight 90 minutes (WhoScored).

The Viseu native would also provide the boss with plenty of versatility where he’s operated in four different positions over the course of this season.

Finally, Felix has been dubbed a ‘nightmare for defenders’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig which he’s already proven with the level of his performances in the capital.

Tottenham employees have been left ‘enchanted’ by Lecce midfielder Morten Hjulmand as Spurs are named as one of the sides ‘interested’ in his signing.

The Lowdown: Spurs make summer plans…

Spurs have reportedly been planning for the summer transfer window in recent weeks as recent claims suggest both a central defender and winger will be high on the agenda.

The Lilywhites are currently chasing a top four Premier League finish but must also look beyond the 2022/2023 campaign.

Antonio Conte’s side have also been linked to signing a central midfielder with reports from Italy now suggesting they’re blown away by a new name.

The Latest: Tottenham staff ‘enchanted’ by Hjulmand…

According to Calciomercato, Spurs staff in the form of their scouting department have been left ‘enchanted’ by Denmark international Hjulmand.

The north Londoners, alongside Roma, Napoli and Borussia Dortmund, have been named as one of the sides ‘interested’ in the 23-year-old.

Going by this report, it appears the club, and by extension sporting director Fabio Paratici, are eyeing a new target.

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The Verdict: Lecce’s colossus…

Hjulmand has stood out as one of Lecce’s colossal stars over this Serie A season.

As per WhoScored, the box-to-box ace is one of their most-selected players domestically with only three Lecce players featuring over more top flight minutes.

Hjulmand also sits second in terms of highest match rating per 90 in their squad whilst also accumulating more tackles and interceptions per game than any Lecce player (WhoScored).

The 6 foot 1 colossus can also contribute effectively going forward, having registered four assists and Lecce’s third-highest rate of key passes (WhoScored).

Winning more Man of the Match awards than any of his teammates this campaign, Hjulmand stands out as a big fish in a small pond, leaving little surprise Spurs are taking notice.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has made an instant impression at Ibrox, having taken the reins back in November.

A dozen wins and one draw from 13 matches is a fantastic start to the 42-year-old’s managerial tenure, but his first big test arrives today as he has the chance to claim his first piece of silverware in the Viaplay Cup final.

Old Firm arch-rivals Celtic provide the opposition, so it promises to be a tough encounter, but after Rangers’ performance against the Premiership leaders at the start of January, Beale will take a lot of encouragement going into the tie.

He will need to get his starting XI spot-on though, with everyone required to be on top form to claim a record-extending 28th League Cup victory, and the Rangers boss must unleash Fashion Sakala, especially after his previous Old Firm display.

Will Fashion Sakala start the League Cup final today?

In the traditional New Year derby last month, Sakala was outstanding for the Ibrox side, causing chaos down the right wing, and he was pivotal in both of the Light Blues’ goals in the eventual 2-2 draw.

The winger played one key pass that day while winning the penalty from which James Tavernier scored Rangers’ second goal, while also succeeding with three of his five dribbles during the match.

The forward was lauded by Joshua Barrie following his mazy run to set up Ryan Kent’s equaliser, with the journalist describing it as an “excellent driving run”. Jordan Campbell was also full of praise for the Zambian that day, stating that he “changed the game for Rangers”, and it shows how much he has improved under Beale.

Indeed, since the 42-year-old took over at Ibrox towards the end of 2022, the £8.3k-per-week “firework” – as he was notably dubbed by Alan Hutton – has scored three goals and registered five assists, having only contributed one of each under Giovanni van Bronckhorst earlier in the campaign.

The 25-year-old has been revitalised in recent months and he more than deserves his chance to be the hero in today’s cup final. Rangers haven’t lifted the trophy since a 2-1 victory over Celtic back in 2011, but having won the Premiership title in 2021 and the Scottish Cup last year, could a League Cup triumph now follow suit?

If Beale leads the club to silverware this afternoon, it could just be a catalyst for a hugely successful reign at Ibrox, and Sakala could be the man to inspire the Gers to a cherished victory.

Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has suffered knee ligament damage and will miss Saturday’s meeting with Leeds United.

The Lowdown: Looking for the double

The Whites travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon with Javi Gracia looking for back-to-back wins in the Premier League as Leeds head coach. His first game in charge ended in a 1-0 win over Southampton, a result that took Leeds out of the relegation zone.

Another victory will see the Whites do the double on the Blues after a 3-0 victory at Elland Road back in August, when Jesse Marsch and Thomas Tuchel were in the respective dugouts.

Silva played the entirety of the game in Yorkshire earlier this season, however, the Chelsea star won’t be featuring this weekend.

The Latest: Injury update

Graham Smyth took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to relay an update from Stamford Bridge regarding Silva.

He said that the centre-back has suffered ‘knee ligament damage’ and ‘misses the Leeds game’, with his post receiving plenty of interaction from Leeds supporters.

The Verdict: Boost for Gracia

Silva has been a regular under both Tuchel and Graham Potter, making 27 appearances in all competitions. The 38-year-old has shown he is still at the top of his game this season and has been one of the club’s top performers, as per WhoScored.

He’s come in for praise from Potter and Gary Neville in recent months, so knowing that he won’t be available will come as a boost to Gracia.

Chelsea do have a total of five senior centre-backs, though, so it’s not as if Potter is short of options following this news.

Glasgow Rangers travel away from home to face Hibernian in the Premiership tonight as Michael Beale aims to continue his unbeaten start to life in the Scottish top-flight.

The Light Blues are nine points off the top of the table and a late title charge, with 27 games already played, may not be a realistic ask of the team at this point.

Rangers face off against Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup on Sunday and that clash could take priority this week as the competition may be their last chance to end the season with a trophy.

Therefore, Beale could make some alterations to the starting XI that beat Kilmarnock 3-1 last time out with a view to the game at the weekend.

What is the predicted XI for Rangers against Hibernian?

We predict the Light Blues head coach will make three alterations to the XI by bringing in Jon McLaughlin, Glen Kamara, and Adam Devine against Hibernian, after he confirmed that there are no fresh injury issues to deal with.

Firstly, McLaughlin has not played since the 4th of February and it seems unlikely that the manager would then throw him in for a quarter-final clash on Sunday, which could open the door for him to start tonight and afford Allan McGregor a rest so as to not overwork the veteran.

Kamara, who was once hailed as “lightning-quick” by former Dundee United boss Neil McCann, could come in to replace Ryan Jack after the Scotsman struggled at the weekend.

The 31-year-old lost six of his seven individual duels and failed to create a single chance from midfield, whilst the Finland international has won 48% of his battles and created one chance per game in the Premiership this term, and this could result in him being ditched for this match.

Finally, James Tavernier could be rested, having started all 27 league matches to date, ahead of the quarter-final and this would afford academy right-back Devine the chance to step up and show what he can do in his favoured position.

The 19-year-old averaged 1.2 key passes per game and won 55% of his duels in five Premiership outings at left-back earlier this season and could take his game to another level by being played on his strong, right, foot.

Presenter and Manchester United fan Mark Goldbridge wasn’t impressed with referee Anthony Taylor after he sent off Casemiro during Sunday’s Premier League draw with Southampton.  

The Lowdown: Casemiro sent off

Casemiro was shown a second red card of the league season following a first-half tackle on Saints midfielder Carlos Alcaraz at Old Trafford.

The Brazilian was initially shown a yellow card by Taylor, however, he was quickly advised to check the pitchside monitor and changed his decision by upgrading the card to red.

As a result, the 31-year-old looks set to be suspended for the next four domestic fixtures, starting against Fulham in the FA Cup.

The Latest: Goldbridge reacts

Goldbridge took to Twitter following the red card to share his thoughts on Taylor, and it’s safe to say he wasn’t best pleased with the official.

He labelled the referee as ‘dreadful’ and in another post said that he has ‘no idea about football’, stating that Casemiro gets the ball first before going over the top.

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The Verdict: Controversial

The decision could be one that splits opinion, with The Mirror describing it as a ‘horror’ tackle. However, being without the player will be a big blow for United and Erik ten Hag, especially with the campaign entering a crucial stage with United looking to consolidate a place in the top four.

Casemiro will be available in Europe, but a second red card in his last three Premier League games will come as a concern, especially as he never received a straight red card for former employers Real Madrid.

Ten Hag reacted by bringing on Scott McTominay for Wout Weghorst against Southampton, so the Scot could be in line to fill the void left by Casemiro, with Fred another option who didn’t start on Sunday.

Tottenham Hotspur have been left ‘impressed’ by Brentford boss Thomas Frank and in particular one aspect of the job he’s done across London.

The Lowdown: Conte set to leave?

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte is reliably believed to be edging closer and closer to the exit door with many managerial candidates in the frame to replace him.

The likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Luis Enrique have been mentioned as potential targets for chairman Daniel Levy who may have to start contemplating life without Conte.

The former Inter Milan boss’ current deal expires at the end of this Premier League campaign, and while Spurs do have the option to extend, reports suggest there is currently little incentive to do so.

The Latest: Spurs ‘impressed’ by Frank…

As per an article by WhoScored and The Guardian, writing a cooperative piece, the north Londoners are ‘believed’ to hold Frank in high esteem.

It’s claimed that Spurs have been left ‘impressed’ by the Dane and what he’s done with Brentford this season, most notably his work on a mini budget.

Indeed, the fact he has done a noteworthy job at the Gtech Community Stadium with limited funds on a ‘minimum of fuss’ is said to have turned Tottenham’s head.

The Verdict: Shrewd candidate…

The 49-year-old could end up being a shrewd appointment by Levy and co if they go down that route, especially since Frank has proved he can get the very best out of a fairly limited squad.

Brentford are currently well in contention for a European qualifying place, having kept chase with the likes of Newcastle, Liverpool and Brighton who are within three points of each other.

Frank has also been heralded by members of the media for his job with the top flight minnows.

Journalist Keith Costigan had this to say about the coach recently: “What an incredible job Thomas Frank has done at Brentford. Got them to Premier League. Created a real identity that troubles the opposition. Helps the club is so well run but he is an outstanding coach. And comes across as a great guy too.”

The Bees have lost just once in their last five league games under Frank, and while prestigious free agents like Pochettino, Enrique or even Thomas Tuchel are enticing options, we shouldn’t discount Brentford’s boss either.

The prospect of managing a big six team like Spurs also may be tempting for Frank past this season.

Journalist Liam Kennedy has admitted he was far from impressed with Allan Saint-Maximin’s first-half showing in Newcastle United’s latest victory.

The Lowdown: Chaotic win for Newcastle

Newcastle were involved in a chaotic evening at the City Ground which saw VAR step in to rule out a goal from Elliot Anderson despite a lot of confusion around why it was not allowed to stand.

It certainly wasn’t all simple for the Magpies as they saw Saint-Maximin hooked off at half-time after he failed to register a single shot in the opening 45 minutes, while he only touched the ball a staggering 20 times (Sofascore).

Eddie Howe spoke post-match about how Saint-Maximin had felt something in his hamstring, so he was perhaps carrying a muscle knock in the opening exchanges of the match, but he didn’t seem his usual self.

The Latest: Saint-Maximin fails to impress

Kennedy – who was at the City Ground on Friday night – spoke after the game about Saint-Maximin and how there is something just isn’t quite right with the Frenchman after his latest showing.

He said: “I thought that was the best Newcastle United performed as a team since Christmas, probably. I thought that was overall the best performance.

“There were a couple of off-days, Botman; Saint-Maximin, there’s something not right with that today. Botman just had a really bad day at the office, it happens.”

The Verdict: Howe must manage Saint-Maximin carefully

It has been a staggering fall from grace for Saint-Maximin over the last 12 months, as he has gone from a player who was relied upon so heavily at Newcastle during the Steve Bruce era to having started just nine league games all season and earning a 4/10 rating for his latest display from Newcastle World’s Jordan Cronin.

The Frenchman was even being tipped with a move to Tottenham Hotspur last summer and talking about trying to win a spot in France’s World Cup squad at the back end of last year, and now he’s getting hooked off at half-time.

Now, with the likes of Elliot Anderson starring against Forest and Jacob Murphy starting back-to-back games in the league, Howe must be careful to not push Saint-Maximin out of the spotlight too much and manage his ego, because he could still be very valuable in the final few games of the season.

Presenter Mark Goldbridge has expressed his happiness that Manchester United are pursuing Paul Mitchell as a sporting director.

What's going on with Man United and Paul Mitchell?

Bids have come in for a takeover of Man United, and amidst what could be significant changes to the club, they are reportedly trying to hire a sporting director.

United are competing with Liverpool to try and recruit Mitchell, who could leave his role at AS Monaco, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe's consortium has targeted him should they win the battle for ownership of the club.

Speaking on The United Stand (12.00), Goldbridge claimed that Mitchell is the right kind of executive United should be targeting, and that he could even work alongside the club's current personnel in similar roles.

"Paul Mitchell, the director of football that many of us have wanted for a while. Man United and Liverpool are going to go head to head for him. He'd be a very good, very, very good recruiter to bring in," he stated.

"I don't necessarily think it would mean that John Murtough gets the sack, and I'm not mad. I'm not a big fan of John Murtough as director of football and I'm not a big fan of Richard Arnold as CEO.

"I mean ideally, you move those people on because they're not good enough at their job, but actually if you brought someone like Paul Mitchell in or Rangnick had stayed, I'm sure John Murtough would stay as well.

"It's about getting good quality people in, it's really important and I think that's what we want to see. Paul Mitchell would be very, very welcome at the football club."

What can Mitchell bring to Man United?

The Englishman has experience at a number of clubs including Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and RB Leipzig, in addition to Monaco, and has identified some top talents in that time.

He has unearthed gems including Aurelien Tchouameni, Dele Alli, Heung-Min Son and Christopher Nkunku during his career, and he can help United improve their player recruitment.

United's transfer dealings have been scrutinised, as despite heavy spending on big names over the years, there have been a lot of transfer failures. The likes of Alexis Sanchez, Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Angel Di Maria all arrived with big reputations and produced little.

Making smarter signings can help Erik ten Hag revolutionize Man United, and Mitchell potentially arriving alongside a new ownership could spell a really exciting time for United fans.

Southampton are monitoring Juventus defender Koni De Winter ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

Southampton make De Winter enquiry…

The Belgian initially joined the Serie A outfit’s U17s five years ago and has since worked his way up through the ranks to become a member of the club’s Next Gen side, as per Transfermarkt. The 6 foot 2 colossus’ contract at the Allianz Stadium isn’t set to expire until 2026 but he’s currently out on a season-long loan at FC Empoli where during his ten starts and two substitute appearances, via WhoScored, has caught the eye of Ruben Selles.

Italian outlet Tutto Juve reported in November that the Saints, alongside their top-flight rivals Crystal Palace and West Ham, all made an enquiry regarding a deal for the 20-year-old with a view to taking him in January, and despite a move failing to materialise, they are still very much keeping a close eye on their target ahead of the upcoming window.

According to Tuttomercatoweb (via Sport Witness), Southampton still “like” De Winter who is being “followed closely” by the hierarchy at the St. Mary’s Stadium. Juventus are believed to be “happy” to sanction his sale should they receive a “good offer”, with the south coast outfit one of the clubs to have “viewed” him in recent weeks.

Sport Republic are “deeply attentive” to scouting younger players for the future with the defender one of the ideal candidates to have been identified and he has “no shortage of offers”, making this “one to watch” in the months ahead.

Should Southampton cash out on De Winter?

Italy and Juventus captain Leonardo Bonucci has claimed that De Winter is a player that has “no fear” with “enormous room” for improvement and he would be an exciting signing for the future of Southampton should they secure his services in the summer.

The Antwerp native is currently averaging 4.1 clearances per league game, highlighting the rock he is at the heart of the backline, and is recording an 86% pass success rate, displaying his calmness and composure when playing out from the back (WhoScored).

De Winter is also a threat at set pieces having scored three goals and provided two assists throughout his career so far with the versatile operator having additionally played at right-back and as a defensive midfielder, making this a no-brainer of a deal to complete (Transfermarkt).