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Daniel Levy will lose his mind at Jose Mourinho if the Tottenham Hotspur boss forces Davinson Sanchez out of the club in the January transfer window.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Spurs first-team have been given the next six-to-eight weeks to prove themselves to Mourinho and Levy, with the pair yet finalise a definitive plan for the upcoming market.

Tottenham intend to bolster the ranks in north London this winter after the fine start to the campaign Mourinho has orchestrated, with Spurs sitting second in the table and with the chance to go temporarily to the top with a win over Manchester City on Saturday.

Mourinho’s backline is expected to bear the brunt of the Portuguese’s focus, having grown concerned by the lack of pace that a pairing of Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld have to offer.

Sanchez is seen to be the fastest of Spurs’ centre-halves but found himself axed from their last three Premier League squads before the November international break, while summer signing Joe Rodon is yet to feature as anything more than a last-minute substitute at Burnley.

Should Sanchez or Rodon fail to dethrone either Dier or Alderweireld before the New Year, Mourinho is expected to explore the potential of adding a new central defender to his plans with the former Chelsea boss favouring a proven option over youth prospect Japhet Tanganga.

Sanchez may even find himself pushed out of north London, with the Colombian not thought of highly by Mourinho while Levy has to offload some of Tottenham’s unneeded high-earners to fund his winter dealings.

Levy will lose his mind

If Mourinho does decide over the next six-to-eight weeks that Sanchez has no future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, his decision may see Levy lose his mind having signed the 24-year-old from AFC Ajax in 2017 for a then-club-record £40million.

The Spurs chief will surely struggle to find a suitor willing to match – or better – that sum in the winter market, having seen the Colombian fail to keep a clean sheet in either of his four Premier League starts this season before losing his place in the 18-man squad.

Then finding a replacement for Sanchez who presents good value for money will be a second thwart challenge for Levy to overcome, with clubs reluctant to part with their most prized assets in the mid-season window for anything less than top-dollar as their departures could turn a campaign on its head.

Levy will be far better placed to urge Mourinho to keep faith in what Sanchez can have to offer, with the £65,000-per-week outcast’s performances over his top-flight appearances enough to rank first among all Tottenham defenders for successful tackles (9), and have three times as many interceptions (3) as Alderweireld (1) and ground duels won (9) as Dier (3), per SofaScore.

Levy can also turn to the words of Mourinho’s predecessor Mauricio Pochettino in arguing the case for the Colombian to stay, at least until the summer, as the Argentine coach was a staunch advocate for the defender’s potential.

“We nearly changed all the players and of course it’s important, after only 48 hours, to say [well done] to Davinson Sanchez because his effort on Monday and [Wednesday] was massive,” Pochettino said in November 2018 after helping Spurs to beat West Ham in the EFL Cup, via quotes by Goal. “He showed great mentality. He’s a beast.”

Pochettino also suspected the world would be Sanchez’s oyster after his capture in 2017, tipping the Ajax arrival to go on and become one of the best in his position.

“He has an amazing history and background,” Pochettino said, via quotes by The Guardian. “He is so aggressive, so fast and he loves to play with risk at his back. It’s a massive opportunity because we believe he will be one of the best centre-backs in the world.”

Only time will tell if Sanchez can use the next six-to-eight weeks to his advantage or if Mourinho has already decided the Colombian has no future in north London.

AND in other news, Jose Mourinho has been tipped for crunch talks with an “amazing” Spurs gem who’s unhappy in north London.

Even though he is a World Cup finalist with Argentina and a player of incredible pedigree and overall career, Gonzalo Higuain has become an outcast at Juventus over in Serie A. Of course, with the arrival of new head coach Andrea Pirlo, the Bianconeri are going through something of a revolution at the moment.

For that reason, the 32-year-old likely won’t retain his place in the squad and will have to find another club to play for. As of right now, however, according to the latest reports from La Repubblica (via Sport Witness), despite there being some interest from the Premier League, Higuain is refusing to terminate his contract with Juventus.

West Ham and Aston Villa have been mentioned as interested parties but it seems like they might have trouble convincing the Argentine to make a switch back to the English top-flight.

Of course, he has played for Chelsea in the past so he is very much familiar with the league as a whole. David Moyes needs reinforcements in the ongoing summer transfer window and even though a striker may not be his priority, landing such an established superstar might also be too good to pass on.

However, he wouldn’t come cheap and it does feel like only big wages and substantial bonuses would be enough to convince him to join the London side. His contract may be running out slowly but he is still a world-class player who would demand a pay to reflect his status.

Verdict

Landing Higuain certainly does sound extraordinary but can West Ham really pull off such a heist? Since we are talking about a club with financial issues and largely different priorities in the market, maybe this is not the way they should go after all.

It might be tempting to try because it’s Higuain but Moyes has to be reasonable and decide what’s best for the club moving forward.

Coventry City manager Mark Robins will approach today’s Championship opener with Bristol City full of optimism after a superb summer transfer window.

After winning the League One title last season and gaining automatic promotion, excitement has grown around the Sky Blues.

Robins, who has been nothing short of excellent during his time in charge of the Warwickshire club, has enhanced his squad over summer by bringing in no fewer than eight players – Gustavo Hamer, Julien Dacosta, Marcel Hilssner, Callum O’Hare, Ryan Giles, Leo Ostigard, Ben Sheaf and Tyler Walker have all arrived.

This afternoon’s game against Bristol City will hand Robins a first chance to select what could turn out to be his usual starting XI.

Looking at the starting XI, the goalkeeper selection seems to be one of the easiest to predict with Mark Marosi very much the club’s number one.

New signing Dacosta is unavailable through injury so a defensive back three of Dominic Hyam, Kyle McFadzean and Ostigard could be named.

Josh Pask and Ryan Giles could act as wing backs for the game at Ashton Gate, allowing Hamer and Liam Kelly to hold down the two defensive midfield roles. Jamie Allen and O’Hare could start as an advanced midfield duo behind striker Matty Godden.

Do you think Coventry can get off to a winning start? Let us know in the comments section below…

Brentford winger Said Benrahma could be set to join Chelsea this summer after a huge transfer hint was dropped by a close friend.

During a recent Instagram Live session, Moroccan footballer Fahd Moufi commented on Benrahma’s feed congratulating him on an apparent move to the London outfit (relayed via Sportsmole).

Chelsea are interested in signing the 24-year-old from the Championship side as they continue to bolster their squad ahead of next season (per Todofichajes, via TEAMtalk).

Moufi, who plays for Tondela in Portugal, wrote: ‘Congratulations on Chelsea my brother’ on Benrahma’s live feed, which hints that either a deal has been done or advanced talks are underway.

Frank Lampard has already welcomed attackers Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner to the club and could be adding another at Stamford Bridge.

The Algeria international has impressed for Brentford this season, scoring 14 goals and supplying nine assists for the Bees in the Championship (via Transfermarkt).

Chelsea look like they are going to be a very frightening team next campaign and aren’t messing around when it comes to challenging for silverware.

The addition of Benrahma could be an ideal signing to flesh out their attack. The left-winger plays in the same position as Christian Pulisic and would provide excellent cover for cup games or rotation in the Premier League.

Benrahma is also tallying similar numbers to Pulisic before he joined the Blues. The former Dortmund man racked up seven goals and six assists during his last season in Germany and caught the eye of the Chelsea board (via BBC Sport). Lampard is also impressed by the American’s form, so he will likely have the same attitude towards bringing Benrahma to Stamford Bridge.

A signing of the Algerian’s calibre who won’t cost the earth to secure (he is valued at just £9.45m by Transfermarkt) looks like an ideal move for the Blues, particularly as they seek to play in the Champions League next season and push to challenge for the Premier League title in 2020/21.

Should Chelsea sign Said Benrahma this summer? Join the conversation in the comments below!

Aston Villa appear to be the latest team to enter the race for one of the Bundesliga’s wantaway stars…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, the Midlands outfit are eyeing a move for Schalke 04 midfielder Weston McKennie, who is really keen on swapping the Bundesliga for the Premier League this summer.

Just a few days ago, it was claimed that Southampton were in talks to sign the USA international for a fee thought to be around £20m, as per Sky Sports.

It has been no secret that McKennie would love a move to England this summer, which is a boost for those interested teams, of which Everton and Newcastle United have also been linked.

Luiz upgrade

One of Dean Smith’s biggest problems last season was scoring goals – his strikers combined for just six of their 41 all season – however, it wouldn’t hurt to make additions across the board if they are to avoid another relegation dogfight.

McKennie would surprisingly be an upgrade to their defensive midfielder position as he has rated out better than Douglas Luiz in most areas of his game.

Per WhoScored, the 21-year-old powerhouse averaged 1.6 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, 1 dribble and 0.6 key passes per game, which is all an improvement on what the former City man delivered in a Villa shirt this season.

He was even dribbled past on fewer occasions and also committed fewer fouls.

McKennie’s current boss, ex-Huddersfield man, David Wagner tipped him to become one of the top players in the Bundesliga, labelling him an “outstanding talent” who’s “brave” and “very good in the air”.

Throughout his Schalke career he’s played anywhere through the middle, including central defence, right-back and upfront, which makes him an even more attractive prospect in Smith’s Villa system.

For just £20m, Johan Lange could bring an absolute bargain to Villa Park.

AND in other news, Bundesliga sensation is the perfect Jack Grealish successor…

Helder Costa has had a mixed experience since arriving at Elland Road and some people would be forgiven for thinking he hasn’t provided enough to live up to his £15m price tag.

That is how much Leeds will pay for him come the end of the season, and if he doesn’t do enough to help the Whites into the Premier League then he may not be considered good value for money.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has written a piece recently on the Portuguese winger, in which he is critical of Costa and the contribution he has made this term, highlighting the fact that he ranks behind his opposite winger Jack Harrison in both goals and assists, while achieving a cross success rate below 10%.

Virtually impossible: Can you name the year all of these Leeds flops arrived at Elland Road?

Room for improvement, then, but Costa has improved of late, and since he has had a proper run in the team over the past few games he has demonstrated the quality he has in his locker, which supporters have praised.

His two goals and one assist in the previous five appearances indicate that he is improving, and beginning to deliver on the promise and excitement that greeted his arrival.

Costa is still some way short of the ten goals and eight assists he achieved in his first season with Wolves, but the more he understands Marcelo Bielsa’s style of play and builds up an understanding with teammates, the better he will be.

It is difficult to achieve that when he doesn’t have a fixed place in the side, but now he has that he is beginning to deliver on a consistent basis, and proving how much of a threat he can be for Leeds.

Meanwhile, Leeds fans have also been discussing the possibility of signing one of Europe’s hottest strikers…

Former Sunderland defender Jack Baldwin is set to sign for League One rivals Bristol Rovers, according to Football Insider.

With the 2019/20 season ending abruptly for the Black Cats, manager Phil Parkinson has seen a number of players come to the end of their contracts and depart the Stadium of Light.

Baldwin, who spent last season on loan with League Two side Salford City, was one of those players, seeing his deal end on June 30. Shortly after his exit from Sunderland, it was reported that talks with Bristol Rovers had begun for the defender to sign a permanent deal.

Baldwin, who arrived at the Stadium of Light in the summer of 2018 from Peterborough United, made just under 50 appearances for the Wearsiders before being moved out on loan to Salford.

Bristol Rovers, who will be looking to strengthen their squad this summer with manager Ben Garner keen to improve on their 14th-place finish in League One, are now reportedly set to announce a deal.

Football Insider report that the League One outfit are ‘growing in confidence’ over a deal after holding talks.

Baldwin’s exit from Sunderland and potential move to Bristol Rovers is not a development that should cause too much upset to Black Cats fans. That he was sent out on loan to League Two Salford indicates that he wasn’t exactly regarded as an indispensable figure at the Stadium of Light.

However, now that he has permanently left the club, Parkinson must turn his attention to bringing in a centre-back replacement to bolster his squad for next season.

Do you think Sunderland will miss Baldwin next season? Let us know in the comments section below…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

Times are currently tough over at Manchester United.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men are sitting in the middle of the Premier League table and are struggling to keep up with the rest of the pack. Of course, the Red Devils seem to be lacking across the board and improvements are needed.

Watch Manchester United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Their recent pursuits of both Edin Dzeko and Mario Mandzukic clearly show that Solskjaer has identified the centre-forward berth as a potential deficiency in the squad.

And for that very reason, their decision to send Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan and let Mauro Icardi, who was apparently interested in coming to the Premier League as per an older report from 90min, slip through their fingers could come back to bite them.

United were interested in the striker but were put off by the striker’s agent.

The now 26-year-old decided to swap Inter for Paris Saint-Germain, and despite not really having the best of starts to a brand new adventure, he is already showing Manchester United what they could’ve had in the summer.

A real test for any fan: Can you name all of these obscure Man Utd signings?

Icardi has tallied seven appearances for the Saints in the ongoing Ligue 1 campaign, scoring six times and assisting once in the process, which is a brilliant return in just 457 minutes of game time under his belt.

And not only that, but he also managed to maintain 87% passing accuracy along with 3.1 shots per game, which is also impressive in itself.

Last season, in 2018/19 at Inter Milan, when he was playing regular football, was when his abilities were fully on display.

Back then, he scored 11 goals and assisted four in the process as well, averaging 2.5 shots and 1.2 key passes per game.

Needless to say, Icardi is very much a lethal striker that maybe could’ve helped United avoid the slump they find themselves in at the moment.

Letting Lukaku leave seems to be bad enough in the first place, but not getting anyone else in to replace him and help fill that void could be exactly what’s haunting them now.

And Icardi could’ve been their saviour.

Meanwhile, Roma might swoop in and hijack one of Chelsea’s big targets to help patch up a sore area in their squad…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Santo has often utilised a small squad since he took over the club in 2017, and it has never really been an issue.

If anything, it only goes to show the sort of job he’s achieved at Molineux. Wolves won the Championship title in 2018 and qualified for the Europa League last season by finishing seventh in the Premier League – their very first season back in the top-flight.

This term, the Portuguese boss has used just 19 players with 11 of them playing in 12 or more matches, per WhoScored.

But now with the burden of additional fixtures, it could be a wise decision to bolster the playing squad, and that seems likely given Nuno’s recent comments.

Earlier this week, two different reports emerged that could change the landscape of Wolves’ frontline.

On the Chalkboard

First, summer arrival Patrick Cutrone was linked with a switch back to Serie A as Bologna are keen on his services if they cannot attract number one target Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the club (La Repubblica via Sport Witness).

And now The Telegraph claim RB Salzburg striker Hwang Hee-Chan is a prime target for Nuno in January, although, he could be loaned back to his current club for the rest of the season.

It is believed that he should be available for between €20m-€25m (£16.9m-£21.2m).

Although the two reports are merely coincidental, it could mean that Cutrone is under a bit of pressure to perform. He’s so far struggled for game time since his move from AC Milan in the summer.

The 21-year-old has started just three of 16 matches in the Premier League as Raul Jimenez continues to be preferred.

Hee-Chan, on the other hand, has been electric for the Austrian outfit, including in the Champions League this season where he scored and assisted against defending champions, Liverpool.

In total, he’s netted nine goals and provided 14 assists per Transfermarkt, which is substantially better than the Italian’s entire amount for last season (11 goal contributions) before he clinched the transfer to Molineux.

Cutrone will have to buck up his ideas fast as Nuno strengthening this area only puts his credentials at risk, especially with clubs keen on taking him on.

Best of the decade: Quickfire Quiz on the last 10 years of Premier League football

In other news, the departure to one of Wolves’ key figures would undermine everything the club are building towards…

With another January transfer window on the horizon, it’s that time of year where Manchester City are once again linked with a move for Spanish playmaker Isco, but now it looks like there could be another name about to be consistently tipped for a switch to the Etihad. 

Particularly during City’s newly-found defensive crisis, with first-team stars Ederson, Aymeric Laporte and Oleksandr Zinchenko out for the foreseeable future, the club have been repeatedly linked with a move for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly.

Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness) has been the latest source to link the centre-back to a move to Manchester – but these fans clearly don’t fancy Pep Guardiola adding him to the team.

The Senegalese international has been one of Europe’s top centre-backs in recent seasons and a top ball-playing defender, exhibiting a 91.2% pass success rate in the 2017/2018 season for Napoli, highlighting why he may be so sought after at Eastlands.

Regardless of the credibility of some rumours, City supporters seem to prefer a range of alternatives to the Napoli defender, making their views clear online.

Here’s what they had to say on Twitter:

City fans, which defender would you sign for the club? Let us know below!