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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly now fighting Arsenal to sign Omar Marmoush this summer.

The Lowdown: Kane alternative needed

Given that Harry Kane is the only recognised out-and-out striker at the club, Antonio Conte surely needs to bring in another forward in the summer for when his star man is not available.

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The Athletic journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke has revealed that Spurs are indeed looking for a back-up to the England international captain, among a number of other positions that they would like to strengthen.

The Latest: Marmoush eyed

As per Bild (via Sport Witness), the Lilywhites are one of a number of teams that are ‘closely monitoring’ Marmoush’s progress at Stuttgart, where he is on loan from Wolfsburg.

North London rivals Arsenal are also thought to have him ‘on their shopping list’, and he is considered to be a ‘major asset’ for both his club and his country, Egypt.

Bild note that he ‘stormed’ alongside Liverpool’s own Egyptian king Mohamed Salah at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) earlier this year, where they were beaten in the final by Senegal.

They claim that Marmoush is ‘lightning-fast’, and he has ‘dreamed’ of playing in the Premier League since he was a child.

The Verdict: Sign him up?

Marmoush is not the most prolific, having only managed three goals so far this season, and 29 in total at youth and senior level for club and country combined (Transfermarkt).

However, he is only 23 years of age, and clearly shows a lot of promise from his performances on the international stage especially.

Kane would be the perfect mentor for Marmoush, and given that he is currently only rated at £4.05m, Antonio Conte’s team could end up getting him on the cheap.

In other news, find out which ‘brilliant’ ace THFC are now eyeing here!

Tottenham Hotspur face Aston Villa in this evening’s teatime kick-off, with Antonio Conte’s side looking to keep up their impressive recent run of Premier League form in a bid to secure a top-four finish.

Indeed, with Spurs having won five of their last six league outings and Steven Gerrard’s side having lost their last three Premier League fixtures, the north London outfit will certainly fancy their chances of taking all three points back to the capital tonight.

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However, with Spurs only narrowly defeating Villa 2-1 in the meeting between the two sides earlier this season, Conte will be well aware that he must get his team selection spot-on in order to give his team the best chance of victory this afternoon.

Will the 52-year-old make any changes to the side which started the 5-1 win over Newcastle United last weekend? Here’s how we think Tottenham could line up against Aston Villa, as well as the latest team and injury news…

With Antonio Conte recently revealing that both Sergio Reguilon and Ryan Sessegnon are back in contention after recovering from their respective knocks, we predict the 52-year-old will make just one change to the team which lined up against Newcastle last time out.

The back four remains intact, with Hugo Lloris starting between the Spurs sticks, while Ben Davies, Eric Dier and Cristian Romero make up Conte’s three-man defence.

The solitary change comes at wing-back, with Reguilon – the player who Jonathan Woodgate dubbed “horrendous” and has recently been linked with a £43m move back to Real Madrid this summer – returning to the XI on the left. Matt Doherty moves over to his preferred role on the right, with the 23-year-old Emerson Royal – who Lucas Moura claimed has a “great future” – dropping to the bench.

In the middle, with Oliver Skipp still sidelined due to injury, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur start once again, while Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski also remain unchanged in the two attacking midfield roles.

Up top, Harry Kane leads the line, with the 28-year-old undoubtedly hoping to add to his seven goals and four assists over his last eight Premier League outings.

AND in other news: Conte can form “dangerous” duo as Spurs plot bids for £156m pair who “really get along”

According to The Daily Echo, Southampton striker Charlie Austin will be allowed to leave this month, with Premier League outfit Wolves and Championship side Aston Villa interested. 

The 29-year-old has played 16 Premier League games so far this season, more than he managed in the entirety of the 2016/17 and 2015/16 seasons. While he has only managed two goals, he looks poised to play the most games he has in one season in the league for The Saints, which is 24.

However, while he has been slightly more reliable than he has in some seasons at St Mary’s, he is obviously not deemed a necessity at the south coast by manager Ralph Hasenhüttl. For a manager with such an attacking philosophy, perhaps the former QPR forward just is not fruitful enough in front of goal, with the Austrian preferring Danny Ings and Shane Long.

However, one thing that this does suggest is the potential arrival of target Che Adams. The Birmingham striker has been linked with a move to St Mary’s before the end of the month, and the departure of Austin could be ushering in that move. The manager may have felt that there were currently too many strikers at the club, and has therefore decided to trim the fat slightly before a new signing. Being seven years younger than Austin, many Southampton fans would see the prolific Championship scorer as an upgrade.

Since moving from QPR in January 2016, Austin has played over 50 league games for the club, managing 16 goals, but his time could be coming to an end.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has made a transfer claim regarding Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash, GiveMeSport report.

The Lowdown: Atletico talks

Cash, described as ‘exceptional’ by Trevor Sinclair, has been a regular after joining from Nottingham Forest following Villa’s promotion to the Premier League.

The 24-year-old has made 59 appearances in all competitions, scoring his first goals in a Villa shirt this season.

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His displays have been catching the eye, though, with Fabrizio Romano revealing shortly after the January transfer window that Atletico Madrid have been in direct contact over a summer move.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

Talking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke labelled Atletico’s interest as ‘serious’, stating the now Poland international is among their top targets to replace Kieran Trippier.

“The interest from Atletico Madrid is serious. He is among their top targets to fill the void left by Kieran Trippier’s departure to Newcastle.”

The Verdict: No pressure

Cash has nailed down the right-back role in the Midlands and is contracted until 2025, so NSWE are under no pressure to part ways with the full-back this summer.

Of course, Cash could make it known to Villa officials he is interested in a move to the La Liga giants, which could make things complicated.

However, if he is happy to remain at Villa Park after learning of Atletico’s interest, it would make sense to keep hold of his services unless a mega-money offer comes in.

In other news: NSWE to write cheque: Gerrard set to annoy Liverpool as Aston Villa close in on wanted attacker. 

According to Claret & Hugh, Tottenham Hotspur could now try to sign Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford as transfer chief Fabio Paratici eyes a new target between the sticks.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites set sights on shot stopper?

Antonio Conte mainstay and long-serving Spurs star Hugo Lloris, who recently put pen to paper on a contract extension, will eventually have to be replaced.

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The Frenchman is well into his career twilight phase and Tottenham won’t be able to rely on him indefinitely, prompting recent links to goalkeeping transfer targets.

Paratici and co are very unlikely to keep loanee and current number two Pierluigi Gollini with the Italian seeming set to return to parent club Atalanta.

West Bromwich Albion ace Sam Johnstone, who will leave the Hawthorns as a free agent this summer, has been heavily linked with a move to north London recently, but C&H now have news on a homegrown alternative option.

The Latest: Pickford on the radar…

According to their information, Tottenham could try to sign Toffees shot stopper Pickford as they ‘look for a long-term’ Lloris replacement.

This comes as the England international ‘bids to remain in the Premier League’ ahead of this year’s World Cup finals in Qatar.

His club are currently in the midst of a relegation battle with Frank Lampard’s side seemingly in real danger, prompting both Conte’s side and West Ham to keep tabs on Pickford’s situation ahead of the summer.

The Verdict: Great option?

Homegrown, still only 28-years-old and a proven star at international level under Gareth Southgate – Pickford emerges as a really good option for Tottenham.

The Goodison Park ace attracted huge praise for his performances in a Three Lions jersey during last summer’s Euro 2020 Championships with pundit Trevor Sinclair even calling Pickford ‘one of the best goalkeepers in the world’ (talkSPORT).

It’s clear the former Sunderland star enjoyed a phenomenal tournament as one of Southgate’s best players and Pickford’s ability is arguably there for all to see.

Recent reports suggest that Everton could even green-light the goalkeeper’s sale for around £30 million, though with Johnstone available for nothing, it remains to be seen whether Paratici opts to invest significantly on competition for Lloris.

One certainty, however, is that Pickford would certainly come as a stellar option.

In other news: Tottenham eye agreement ‘in the coming week’ as they make offer for exciting midfielder! Find out more here.

Injury expert Ben Dinnery believes Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi could be out for four weeks with his current muscle problem, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Ange’s comments

Furuhashi injured his hamstring in the final game before the winter break against St Johnstone and missed Celtic’s first game back against Hibernian on Monday evening due to injury alongside Albian Ajeti, Christopher Jullien, Karamoko Dembele and David Turnbull.

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The 26-year-old, who has contributed to 21 goals in 26 games as a Hoops player, is expected to be out for at least a couple more weeks, Ange Postecoglou confirmed.

That means he is at risk of missing the Glasgow derby against Rangers on February 2, in what could be a crucial fixture at Celtic Park with Postecoglou’s side currently four points adrift at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

The Latest: Dinnery reacts

Dinnery was talking to Football Insider regarding Furuhashi’s injury. This is what he had to say in reply, believing the Japan international could ultimately miss four weeks of action and urged Celtic to be cautious when it comes to a return.

“There are high re-injury and recurrence rates with these injuries.

“That first month is where we see the highest recurrence rates, so we need to be very careful.

“When you suffer a setback, typically you are looking at how long you’ve spent on the sidelines previously and then adding to that.

“He was injured in the Boxing Day fixtures and he’s just returned, so we’re talking a couple of weeks there.

“If he’s been back on the training pitches for around 10 to 14 days, the assumption is it’s a fairly low-grade tear.

“It’s really unfortunate but maybe we’re looking at that two to four week period that he might miss.

“It’s one of those injuries where it makes sense to take a little bit more time with it. The longer you take, the more likely you are to stay fit afterwards.

“Around 40 per cent of all muscle injuries are hamstring injuries. Around the winter months, we see very high prevalence because of the schedule.

“There is likely fatigue involvement, so with Kyogo, we’re looking at maybe early February before he returns.”

The Verdict: Maeda set for first Glasgow derby?

Should Dinnery’s prediction prove accurate and Furuhashi’s absence stretch to four weeks, he will miss the meeting with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.

That could mean that new signing Daizen Maeda will get a first Glasgow derby start, and he proved against Hibernian he is more than up to the task when it comes to leading the line.

It took the 24-year-old just four minutes to score his first Celtic goal, and if he can continue his positive start, you’d expect him to feature ahead of Giorgos Giakoumakis and the injured Furuhashi and Ajeti against Rangers.

In other news: Transfer request submitted – Celtic handed boost as news emerges on possible 5th winter recruit. 

A big update has emerged regarding Newcastle United and their interest in Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson.

What’s the talk?

According to The Independent, the Magpies are scheduled to hold talks with the player’s representatives ahead of the summer, along with Leicester and Villarreal.

Brentford and Everton are also interested in the gem and are hoping to snap him up for a fee in the region of £20m-£25m. He has one year left on his contract with the Championship club and his agency – including his father – wants him to make the step up to the Premier League next season.

Johnson can get St James’ Park rocking

PIF can get St James’ Park rocking with a deal for Johnson, as he would be an exciting addition to the Newcastle squad in the short- and long-term.

He has been in phenomenal form for Forest in the Championship this season and has shown that he has the potential to make the step up to the Premier League next term.

Ex-Forest striker Glenn Murray showered the youngster with praise earlier this season, saying: “For me, Brennan, he just looks special. He just looks a cut above and he’s destined for the top.

“Yes, he’s not getting everything right at the moment but he looks at the top-level easily. I expect a really big future from him.”

In the current Championship campaign, Johnson has produced 15 goals and 10 assists for Steve Cooper’s team. This shows that he has been able to make a big impact in the final third as he has consistently delivered with the ball at his feet, scoring and setting up goals on a regular basis.

At the age of 20, he is still in the infancy of his professional career. He is just getting started and should have plenty of scope left to grow and develop as a player. This means that he would be a sublime long-term signing for the Magpies, as they would be able to watch his improvement over time and benefit from it on the pitch as he hones his skills.

Newcastle fans will surely be buzzing with the club’s efforts to bring such a talented and promising young player to the club. St James’ Park would be rocking with excitement if PIF can get a deal over the line for the 20-year-old, and that is why the Magpies hierarchy must work hard to snap him up in the coming months.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Bruno: PIF must finally launch NUFC move for “outrageous” £50m dynamo…

A key Rangers update has emerged on Ibrox shot-stopper Jon McLaughlin, regarding his future at the club…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Record, the Gers are close to agreeing a new contract with the goalkeeper as they look to avoid losing him for nothing at the end of the campaign.

The report does not claim how long the extension will be, but a deal is seemingly on the verge of being completed for him to remain in Glasgow.

Delight

Rangers fans will surely be delighted by this news as McLaughlin is a reliable operator who is a useful player to have in the squad. He has not let the club down whenever he has played this season and could remain as a dependable number two next term.

The 34-year-old has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.82 in the Premiership in the current campaign, saving 64% of the shots against him and making one penalty save from the sole spot-kick he has faced. This shows that he is a solid player at this level who is able to step in and perform when needed.

Allan McGregor’s contract at Ibrox expires in the summer and it remains to be seen whether or not the veteran, who turns 40 next week, is willing to extend his career. This means that pinning down the current number two to fresh terms could help to keep some continuity in the ranks if the ex-Hull stopper moves on, rather than leaving Rangers in the lurch between the sticks come the summer.

The Gers have been linked with a swoop for Benjamin Siegrist of Dundee United and the shot-stopper could come in to compete with McLaughlin. This could create a level of competition similar to what Van Bronckhorst currently has with his two goalkeepers at Ibrox this term, with both players battling for the number one jersey, which is why this update will come as a big boost for the head coach.

Therefore, fans will surely be delighted with this news, as it means that Rangers could be set to have a strong goalkeeping department next season instead of losing both of their first-choice ‘keepers and being left scrambling around to bring in two new additions. The Gers now need to ensure that they can get a deal over the line for Siegrist, or an alternative target, if McGregor decides to hang up the gloves in the summer.

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst can jettison Rangers liability in swoop for “phenomenal” 18y/o with a “big future”…

Newcastle United journalist Luke Edwards has lamented Donny van de Beek’s decision to turn down a loan move to St James’ Park. 

The lowdown

According to The Telegraph journalist (via Extra.ie), the Tyneside club made an approach to take the 24-year-old from Manchester United until the end of the season.

However, the player wasn’t interested in making the move to St James’ Park, with the Magpies in the midst of a relegation battle.

Newcastle are currently 19th in the Premier League, having picked up just 12 points from their first 20 matches.

Van de Beek would prefer to be a substitute at Old Trafford, where he hass only played 68 league minutes across eight appearances this season, than drop down to the bottom of the table.

The latest

After breaking the news for The Telegraph, Edwards took to Twitter to register his dismay at the Dutchman’s snub of a move to Newcastle.

The journalist tweeted this in accompaniment to a link to his article: “A very difficult story to write on a personal and professional level because we all know Donny would be loved at #nufc. At least some positivity elsewhere in recruitment drive”.

The verdict

Of course Edwards is disappointed.

While Van de Beek hasn’t really been able to show what he’s capable of  at Old Trafford, with just two Premier League goals and one assist after starting a mere four top-flight games in a season and a half, the journalist must have a longer memory.

The Dutchman was a key part of the Ajax team which came within a whisker of reaching the 2018/19 Champions League final, finding the net in the quarter-final clash with Juventus and also the semi-final against Spurs. His quality isn’t in doubt, with those being just two of his 17 goals in that particular season.

The hope for the £22.5m-rated midfielder may be that a better offer comes along in the remaining fortnight of the January transfer window. However, it’s a big miss for Newcastle, with none of their midfielders scoring more than once this season – a damning return now that we’re beyond the midway point of the campaign.

In other news, Newcastle could ‘immediately’ make this signing

According to a report from Spanish outlet Super Deporte (via Sport Witness), Wolves are interested in signing Sevilla winger Lucas Ocampos. 

The lowdown: Impressive rise

Signed for €13million (£10.7million) in 2019 from Marseille (Football Espana), the Argentine ace quickly established himself as a key member of Julen Lopetegui’s side.

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The 27-year-old was the club’s top goal scorer in his debut season in Spain with 16 goals in all competitions and has since gone from strength to strength, dazzling on the wing with 1.6 successful take-ons per game this term.

Now, as the summer transfer window approaches, Premier League clubs are paying close attention…

The latest: Big spend needed

As per the report from Super Deporte, as translated by SW, Wolves and West Ham are both keen on the Argentina international.

It’s claimed that the Wanderers ‘want’ Ocampos and would be looking to utilise a pre-existing ‘good relationship’ between the La Liga outfit and Scott Sellars.

However, Sevilla are believed to be determined to keep the left-winger and would therefore demand a €70million (£58million) release clause was met.

The verdict: Record-breaking

Signing Ocampos for the mooted fee would require executive chairman Jeff Shi to shatter a previous £36million high-spend on the deal that brought Fabio Silva to Molineux (Transfermarkt).

So far this season, the skilful forward, hailed as ‘electric’ by journalist Fede Praml, has scored nine times and registered four assists in 36 outings.

Capable of playing on either wing, the 10-cap Argentinian would seemingly be the ideal candidate to replace the outgoing Adama Traore in Bruno Lage’s squad.

In other news, Wolves interested in South American wonderkid. Find out who it is here.