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Arsenal may be offered Jack Grealish as a makeweight in any potential Manchester City attempt to sign Bukayo Saka, claims Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Grealish’s position

After becoming the most expensive Premier League signing of all time when he joined City for £100m from Aston Villa in 2021, Grealish, who earns £300k per week, arguably hasn’t lived up to that price tag.

Following ‘breathtaking’ player, made the switch to the Etihad Stadium in order to win silverware, which he duly did in his first year as he lifted the Premier League trophy.

However, with just seven goals and seven assists in 59 appearances under Pep Guardiola, the Englishman is struggling to consistently show his best form and hold down a regular place in the side ahead of the plethora of attacking talent at the Spaniard’s disposal.

The Latest: Makeweight

90min reported back in September that the Brummie told those close to him that he’s looking to leave the Citizens at the end of the current season, and with his struggles continuing, it would be hard to imagine that’s changed.

As a result, Jones told GiveMeSport that City could look to offload the winger in a potential swap deal for Saka.

He said: “This one still needs to fully unfold as Grealish is working hard to make sure this £100million City move works out – but it’s worth being aware that the club have a constant eye out for ways to keep evolving.

“Rafael Leao is a player they like but so too is Bukayo Saka. Neither are attainable in this moment but that may change later in the year, depending on contract talks.

“One idea being mooted is that Grealish could even end up going in the opposite direction to either of those players.”

The Verdict: Hard to see

The thought of Arsenal allowing Saka to leave amid the Gunners’ current performances is unimaginable.

Mikel Arteta has made his Gunners side a different beast from what former Emirates outfits looked before, with them currently five points ahead of Grealish’s City side at the top of the table.

But playing devil’s advocate and imagining a deal coming about, the idea of Grealish playing with freedom again under Arteta could be a joy to watch. Dean Saunders dubbed Grealish “world-class” before the World Cup, and perhaps a fresh start at the Emirates would prove the ideal place to prove that acclaim.

West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamacca was criticised by the club’s correspondent for The Athletic, Roshane Thomas, for his performance in the 2-0 loss against Brentford on Friday night.

The Lowdown: Another defeat

West Ham dominated the ball with 63% possession, while also registering more than double the amount of shots mustered up by Brentford, but they failed to make their opponents pay, not creating a single big chance in the entire match.

Ivan Toney opened the scoring just shy of the 20 minute mark before Joshua Dasilva added another before the break to put the game out of reach for David Moyes’ side, who have now lost their last five matches in all competitions.

While it is fair to say that the majority of the team underperformed, Scamacca was deemed to have a particularly bad day at the office by Thomas..

The Latest: Scamacca criticised

Judging by his Twitter post during the game, it’s clear that Thomas thought the Italian was ineffectual on Friday night, with the journalist saying:

“Scamacca has been disappointing so far. Needs to offer more.”

One supporter went one step further in reply to Thomas’ post, calling the striker ‘the new Haller’.

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The Verdict: Shared responsibility

It is true that the 23-year-old had very little impact on the game, making just 16 touches across the 90 minutes, the lowest amount of any player that started the match, while also losing the only aerial duel that he contested.

However, the 6 foot 4 marksman needs more service from his teammates, and given that no big chances were created, the blame does not lie solely at his door, with the likes of Lucas Paqueta and Said Benrahma needing to do more to bring him into the play in the final third.

Therefore, a much better performance will be needed from the whole team if they are to get anything from an away trip to Leeds United on Wednesday.

New Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale is set to face his first big test against Hibernian next Thursday, with the Premiership season resuming following the World Cup break.

Having been in charge since November 28 and with his prior experience at Ibrox, he will have had a solid few weeks of preparation time before the tie against Hibs.

The 42-year-old will also be keeping an eye on a few potential transfer targets as the January window looms into view, and he will surely want to refresh a stagnating playing squad.

One player that must be looked at again is Sheffield United striker Oliver McBurnie, especially considering his contract expires at the end of the season.

The 6 foot 2 machine was first linked with the club in the summer of 2021 and considering he is a massive fan of the club, a move would surely make sense.

Indeed, the 26-year-old is similar in style to that of Portuguese hitman Goncalo Ramos, who burst onto the World Cup scene by scoring a wonderful hat trick against Switzerland.

According to FBref’s similar player model, Ramos is the ninth-most similar player to McBurnie across Europe’s top five leagues, and given the 21-year-olds recent form, it isn’t a bad comparison.

This season has seen the two strikers register similar statistics with regard to goals (both nine), shots per match (4.87 to 4.06), goal-creating actions per match (0.34 to 0.23), and dribble success rate (45.8% to 40%).

They are both clearly dangerous players in the final third and McBurnie even ranks in the top 5% over the previous year for total shots (4.11 per 90) and touches in the opposition penalty area (7.02).

The Scot was even described as “unplayable” by former national team striker Chris Iwelumo back in 2020, and although McBurnie suffered a dip in form last season – scoring just once – his improvement this season may justify Iwelumo’s praise.

With the chance to secure the player on a pre-contract agreement in January, Beale should be wasting absolutely no time and McBurnie could be Rangers’ own Ramos, which will no doubt please the Ibrox faithful.

Glasgow Rangers face a crucial January transfer window if they hope to add some quality to their squad and improve after a woeful first half of the season.

With the Ibrox side lagging nine points behind Celtic in the race for the Premiership title and missing out on European football after Christmas with a dreadful Champions League showing, Giovanni van Bronckhorst was sacked earlier this week.

Mick Beale appears to be the main target for Ross Wilson and it seems to be the most logical appointment, especially considering his history with the club and playing a big part under Steven Gerrard as the Light Blues won the title in 2021.

Rangers are struggling in front of goal, with just Antonio Colak hitting double figures so far this season (14) and this needs to improve going forward.

The club are interested in Blackpool forward Jerry Yates however and the new manager could well land a dream first signing by bringing the 26-year-old to Glasgow.

The Championship club are demanding a fee of £5m for anyone wanting to sign the player, with the Gers leading the chase and he could add some much-needed firepower to this Rangers side and take the weight of expectation from Colak’s shoulders.

Yates has scored nine times in 21 Championship matches so far this season and he is joint first in the race for the golden boot alongside a host of other names. This form has sparked interest not only from Scotland but the Premier League too, with Brentford and Bournemouth keeping tabs on the forward.

During his career, he has scored 66 goals and there is no doubt he could replicate his form in the second tier against the likes of Ross County and Dundee United.

Blackpool reporter Sean McGinlay dubbed the Englishman as “immense” following a 2-2 draw against Sheffield United and if Ross Wilson manages to get a fee for the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent – who are both out of contract at the end of the season – in January, the money should go towards a move for Yates.

He could certainly be a dream signing for Beale.

West Ham United are plotting a move to sign Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita next summer, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Spell on the sidelines

The Guinean has failed to play a single minute of Premier League football this season due to a hamstring injury, with his last appearance coming in the Community Shield back in July.

The 27-year-old is therefore likely to leave Anfield when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign, and there are four potential suitors waiting to snap him up.

The Latest: West Ham eyeing Keita

According to Italian outlet MilanLive (via Sport Witness), West Ham, alongside Newcastle United and AC Milan, have all been credited with an interest in Keita.

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The trio are keen to land the maestro on a free transfer in 2023, with Borussia Dortmund also name-checked as a ‘potential destination’.

It’s stated that his consistent injuries would be something ‘to consider’ for David Moyes’ side, who would ‘want assurances’ regarding his fitness or a deal based on a number of appearances.

The Verdict: Risk worth taking

GSBK signing Keita would be a risk given how prone he is to sustaining injuries, but it’s one that’s surely worth taking given what he’s capable of when at full fitness.

The midfield ‘enforcer’, as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting, has netted 11 goals and provided seven assists during his time on Merseyside, showing his ability to contribute in the final third (Transfermarkt).

With Premier League and Champions League titles to his name, Keita would bring a wealth of experience and success to the London Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur made it back-to-back Premier League defeats on Sunday afternoon, having suffered a 2-1 loss at the hands of a resurgent Newcastle United side following what was another unconvincing display from Antonio Conte’s men.

Just a matter of days after their limp showing at Old Trafford against Manchester United, the north Londoners again came unstuck against the Magpies, having been undone by first-half goals from Callum Wilson and the in-form Miguel Amiron, who bagged his sixth league goal of the campaign.

A header from the ever-reliable Harry Kane – who now boasts a stunning haul of ten top-flight strikes so far this term – had given Spurs hope of a comeback against Eddie Howe’s men, although the home side were ultimately unable to produce much of a rally as they stumbled their way to defeat.

A key villain in that disappointing affair for the Lilywhites had been that of centre-back Davinson Sanchez, with the Colombian international having failed to deliver after taking the place of the stricken Cristian Romero in the backline.

The 26-year-old was “desperately poor” on the day – in the words of Sky Sports reporter Ben Grounds (Live Blog, 23/10/2022, 17:41), having been particularly wasteful in possession, squandering the ball on ten occasions from his 50 touches.

The £65k-per-week flop – who cost the club an eye-watering £42m fee back in 2017 – also failed to complete any of his four long balls, while also proving something of a liability in a defensive sense, having won just two of his six aerial duels.

On what was just his fifth league start of the season, the former Ajax man proved just why he has largely played second fiddle during Conte’s tenure to date, with his match rating of 6.6, as per SofaScore, having been the joint-second worst of any of his starting teammates against the Tynesiders.

The £25.2m-rated man was also notably criticised by the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick in his post-match player ratings piece, awarding the 50-cap dud a 5/10 rating, while also stating: ‘Uncomfortable when pressed and touch was sloppy. No surprise he was rusty but rarely comfortable when asked to play out.’

On the basis of that display, Sanchez – who has proven something of a costly mistake for owner Daniel Levy – will be lucky to retain his place for Wednesday’s Champions League meeting with Sporting CP, having only served to amplify the setback of losing Romero to injury.

Celtic made a winning return to Scottish Premiership action on Saturday afternoon following the recent international break, securing a narrow 2-1 victory over Motherwell in what was an eventful encounter at Parkhead on Saturday.

The Hoops had succumbed to a first defeat in 38 top-flight games away at St Mirren two weeks ago, although were able to maintain their two-point advantage over Glasgow rivals Rangers at the top of the table following the win over the Fir Park outfit.

Goals from Japanese duo Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate helped to steer Ange Postecoglou’s side to all three points, with the hosts surviving a late scare following captain Callum McGregor’s dismissal to make it seven wins from eight in what appears to be a relentless defence of their title for the Old Firm giants.

A key performer in yesterday’s clash was that of the aforementioned Hatate, with the 24-year-old once again proving his worth to the Hoops boss after netting a stunning second-half strike to seal the win, after Josip Juranovic’s calamitous own goal had drawn the visitors level midway through the first period.

The one-cap gem – who arrived in Scotland for a bargain fee of just £1.4m last summer – picked up the ball just outside the box before unleashing a fierce effort past a helpless Liam Kelly, with that the midfielder’s tenth goal contribution in just 29 games for the club to date.

The diminutive ace had warned the away side prior to that fabulous effort having seen another fierce strike canon off the woodwork from distance, with the £2.25m-rated playmaker developing something of a knack for a long-range stunner, having produced similar heroics in the win over the Gers back in February.

The 5 foot 8 machine recorded a stunning 7.6 match rating as a result of his performance, as per SofaScore, with that by far the highest of any player for either side, despite squandering possession on 19 occasions.

As that latter metric showcases, there is still perhaps improvement to be made in the player’s game – with Postecoglou suggesting that there is still a “lot more to come” from his star asset – albeit with this recent triumph showcasing yet again just what a key figure he has become at Celtic Park in such a short space of time.

Leeds United have been handed a boost in their bid to bring Hwang Hee-chan to Elland Road this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Alan Nixon, who revealed in a recent post on Twitter that, following a number of reports linking Jesse Marsch with a move for the Wolverhampton Wanderers forward in the coming days, Bruno Lage will part with the 26-year-old for the right price prior to Thursday’s transfer deadline – with previous reports suggesting that the South Korean’s asking price will be around the £25m mark.

In response to a supporter asking whether Wolves’ recent €18m (£15.4m) signing of Sasa Kalajdzic could see Hwang secure a move away from Molineux, The Sun journalist replied: “Lad can go at right price.”

This comes as something of a twist in the Whites’ pursuit of the winger, as Lage had previously suggested that he is desperate to keep hold of the former RB Leipzig attacker beyond the closure of the summer transfer window.

A boost for Marsch

Considering just how much success Marsch enjoyed with Hwang at Red Bull Salzburg – with the duo securing a league and cup double in 2019/20 – Nixon’s claim that Wolves would be willing to part with the forward this summer is likely to have come as a great boost to the 48-year-old manager.

Indeed, in Salzburg’s aforementioned victorious Austrian Bundesliga campaign, the £14.4m-rated Hwang was in sensational form for Marsch’s side over his 27 appearances, scoring 11 goals, registering 13 assists and creating 15 big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.7 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 1.2 dribbles per game.

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These metrics saw the £19k-per-week talent who Richard Buxton dubbed “incredible” average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.29, not only ranking him as his club’s joint sixth-best player in the league but also as the joint seventh-best performer in the Austrian top flight as a whole in 2019/20.

The 47-cap international was also in astonishing form over his six Champions League appearances that season, scoring three goals, providing five assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.3 shots – 1.5 of which hit the target – making 2.3 key passes and completing 1.3 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the Korean average a simply breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.70, ranking him by far and away as Marsch’s best performer in Europe’s most prestigious club competition – a quite extraordinary feat considering Salzburg were in a group alongside Liverpool, Napoli and Genk.

Furthermore, with Hwang being able to operate from attacking midfield, on either wing and as a centre-forward, should Leeds manage to get a deal over the line for the 26-year-old in the coming days, not only would he provide Marsch with much greater depth on the flanks, but he would also be capable of providing the increasingly injury-prone Patrick Bamford with cover up top.

As such, should the American coach believe that he can help Hwang refind his Salzburg form at Elland Road, the Wolves winger could well prove to be an incredible signing for the Whites this summer – with Nixon’s lastest update suggesting that there very much is a deal there to be done for the attacker.

Aston Villa are eyeing a move for Blackburn Rovers forward Ben Brereton Diaz, according to TEAMtalk.

The Lowdown: Brereton Diaz profiled

Brereton Diaz, hailed as a ‘beast’ by former Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray, is primarily a centre-forward but can also play on either wing.

The 23-year-old has scored 46 senior goals for club and country – 22 of which came in the Championship last season.

Described as the ‘face of Pepsi’ in Chile due to massive marketing campaigns following his international success, Brereton Diaz is into the final 12 months of his Blackburn deal and is unlikely to pen new terms, and it looks as if Villa are one side keen on his services.

The Latest: Villa interest

TEAMtalk provided a transfer update regarding Brereton Diaz on Tuesday morning. They claimed that Spanish side Sevilla are eyeing a move in the January window when the forward could sign a pre-contract agreement.

However, the report also said that Villa, Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and West Ham are ‘checking’ on the player but have ‘baulked at the asking price’.

The Verdict: Sarr alternative?

It appears as if NSWE and Johan Lange are on the hunt for a new marquee attacker before the window closes, with a move for Ismaila Sarr recently falling through.

Villa agreed on a £25m deal for Sarr, and you’d expect that Brereton Diaz could be cheaper due to his contract situation and £14.4m Transfermarkt valuation.

He’s just come off his best season in front of goal and has already netted twice during the current campaign playing on the left, so he may prove to be a smart alternative despite initially baulking at the asking price.

Newcastle United are reportedly one of a number of clubs who are interested in signing Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, with the Englishman facing an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge.

What’s the word?

As per 90min, the Magpies – as well as a raft of other Premier League clubs and Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund – are said to be ‘showing an interest’ in the forward this summer, with the 21-year-old seeking a loan exit from west London.

The report suggest that the three-cap gem is ‘wary’ that he may be restricted to a bit-part role under manager Thomas Tuchel this season, having not even made the bench in the recent win over Everton at Goodison Park.

The report also outlines how the Blues academy graduate could potentially be part of a deal involving Crystal Palace, which would see Eagles talisman Wilfried Zaha head in the other direction.

Game-changer

The end of the transfer window may be in sight, yet there is work still to be done for the northeast side, with manager Eddie Howe having been unable to add a new attacking recruit to his side so far this summer.

Securing the capture of Hudson-Odoi would, however, be a notable coup for the Tynesiders were they to win the fierce battle for his signature, with the £22.5m-rated man having proven just what a talent he is in recent seasons.

Dubbed a “game-changer” by Gabe Henderson, the £120k-per-week sensation has chipped in with 16 goals and 22 assists in 126 games in all competitions for his current side thus far, despite having been hampered by injury in that time.

The “electric” wideman – as described by Tom Barclay – registered nine goal contributions in 28 outings across all fronts last term, with only Callum Wilson (8) and Allan Saint-Maximin (10) having registered more goals and assists among the Newcastle squad during the 2021/22 campaign.

The London-born starlet could be the ideal figure to line up in attack alongside that devastating duo, with his sheer pace and quality in possession making him a real frightening prospect for any defence.

The 5 foot 10 speedster also notably ranks in the top 6% for progressive carries among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, showcasing his ability to drag his side up the pitch in a manner similar to that of Saint-Maximin – who ranks in the top 13% in the same metric.

Having two lethal threats on either flank in the Frenchman and Hudson-Odoi could well prove to be something of a game-changer for Howe and co, with no opposition likely to enjoy coming up against such dynamic and unpredictable talents.