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Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha could leave the club in 2023 after turning down a new contract, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Uncertain future

The Ivorian’s current deal at Selhurst Park is set to expire at the end of the season, and having not put pen to paper on fresh terms, his future remains up in the air.

The Eagles will be presented with the final opportunity to cash in on the 30-year-old in January, though there are two Premier League clubs waiting to snap him up on a free next summer.

The Latest: Zaha being monitored

According to Football Insider, Tottenham are ‘keen’ on Zaha and are ‘keeping tabs’ on his situation, with the player ‘likely’ to move on at the end of the term having ‘rejected multiple offers’ to extend his stay at Palace.

Arsenal are another club to have been linked with the winger and could therefore be ‘in the race’ for his signature – there is expected to be a ‘major battle’.

The Verdict: Don’t let him go

Patrick Vieira will know exactly how important Zaha is to Palace, and having been labelled ‘unplayable’ by Tony Cascarino, even the thought of losing his presence in the team is a painful one.

The Abidjan native has posted a remarkable 164 goal contributions for the club, and his versatility to operate at centre-forward as well as on the flank is an added bonus (Transfermarkt).

Should Spurs or the Gunners come calling, Palace could find it difficult to convince him to stay, but it’s essential they do everything they can to keep hold of him.

Leeds United might have to stave off January interest for one of their key assets this summer, but they seem to have a capable replacement lined up either way…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to French publication Media Foot, who suggest that Bayern Munich are showing real interest in Whites goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

With Manuel Neuer ruled out for the season following a skiing injury, the Bavarian giants are looking for his long-term replacement and could turn to the Frenchman.

What adds credence to these rumours is the reports linking Leeds with a move for Croatian World Cup hero Dominik Livakovic.

Whilst losing their talismanic shot-stopper might upset the Elland Road faithful, perhaps it could facilitate a transfer domino effect which would benefit the Yorkshire club.

Ditch Meslier

Having signed permanently in 2020, Meslier has established himself as one of Leeds’ most important players given their philosophy.

The 22-year-old is often called upon more than most Premier League ‘keepers, and yet he shows an alertness, speed and maturity which belies his youth.

During the Whites’ relegation-threatened 2021/22 campaign, he made the most saves (143) of any goalkeeper in the Premier League by some distance. He also ranks joint-sixth in the division this season for sweeper clearances made, outlining his importance to Jesse Marsch’s playing style.

Journalist Joe Donnohue even suggested that Meslier boasted a “rock solid” mentality, noting: “What’s always struck me about Illan Meslier is an ability to put wobbles & missteps behind him immediately. A really underrated attribute…”.

However, in Livakovic, Leeds would be gaining a goalkeeper boasting far more experience who clearly has the ability to bail out his team when needed. This was no better exemplified than in Qatar, where he announced himself as one of the tournament’s outstanding players.

Boasting a 7.33 average rating, he earned a 78% save success rate as he made 25 stops in just seven games (via Sofascore).

His display against Brazil was particularly outstanding as he made 11 saves to keep Croatia in the game, before thwarting Rodrygo during the penalty shootout as they knocked out the pre-tournament favourites in sensational fashion.

This came after another three penalty saves against Japan in the previous round, in a performance that journalist Cetin Cem Yilmaz dubbed “legendary”.

Now widely regarded as the World Cup “hero” that writer Sacha Pisani labelled him, the 6 foot 2 goliath could boast a more than capable replacement at Leeds for Meslier, who may be destined for bigger things.

Inter Milan are reportedly looking to secure a move for Newcastle United transfer target Marcus Thuram. 

The Lowdown: Newcastle linked with Thuram

The Tyneside club have been linked with a move for the 25-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach attacker, with current Magpies player Allan Saint-Maximin recently stating that he spoke to his fellow countryman to try and persuade him towards a move to St James’ Park.

This season has seen Thuram, who is set to become a free agent in the summer, score 13 goals in 17 appearances for his current club.

With the January transfer window set to open next week, Eddie Howe’s side could be at risk of missing out on the striker, who provided two assists for France during the recent World Cup in Qatar.

The Latest: Inter plotting Thuram move

According to a recent report from 90min, Inter are readying a contract offer for Thuram, who also has other clubs in Italy and the Premier League after him, including Newcastle.

The report adds that the Magpies ‘are ready to try and tempt’ the 25-year-old to join them in 2023 and will submit an offer ‘if the player shows a desire to make the move’.

It has also been claimed that ‘talks with Thuram’s representatives have been positive’, with Howe believing that the player ‘would be a good fit’ to the current Newcastle squad.

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The Verdict: Newcastle must act

In addition to his impressive tally of goals this season, Thuram has had more shots at goal (56), shots on target (30) and successful dribbles (23) than any other player at Monchengladbach.

His overall performances in the current Bundesliga campaign have earned the striker an impressive rating of 7.45/10 from WhoScored, making him the joint-third highest rated player in the division alongside Jude Bellingham.

This makes it easy to see why so many clubs have their eye on the 25-year-old, who has been described as “world class” by Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schafer.

With Inter seemingly intent on securing a deal for the Monchengladbach attacker, Newcastle must do all that they can to convince the player to join them instead. Maybe another Saint-Maximin intervention is in order…

West Ham United are likely to move for centre-back Michael Keane in the January window, according to journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Keane surplus at Everton

Keane has seen his Everton career completely fizzle out, with only 22 minutes of action coming in the Premier League this season as a late substitute against Brentford in August.

He’s been named on the bench 14 times this season but hasn’t been involved in the Toffees’ two league games back after the World Cup break, with James Tarkowski and Conor Coady ousting their English teammate.

The Latest: On the move

The Athletic previously reported that the 29-year-old could be a short-term option in east London, with their defensive issues potentially mounting if Craig Dawson leaves in January.

Brown told GiveMeSport that he’s definitely a player on David Moyes’ radar.

“I think he’s quite an underrated player who would fit quite well into that back four.

“I could see this one happening. There’s a deal to be done there, definitely. If West Ham want him badly enough, I think they’ll get him in January.”

The Verdict: Smart signing

Despite Keane’s omission from the Everton side, he’s a centre-back with vast Premier League experience who could prove a smart short-term signing.

The ability to add a seasoned Premier League defender like Keane whilst taking an option off a potential relegation rival is one that the Hammers should definitely consider, especially on a short-term basis as it would be a risk-free option without being left to necessarily fork out on a fee or expensive wages if it doesn’t work out.

West Ham’s depleted centre-back options and league position mean a new arrival may well be needed, with Nayef Aguerd’s fitness still a real problem as five straight defeats plunge them further into danger.

With Keane in the top 2% for goals and 10% for aerials won amongst centre-backs at this level (via FBref), he’s also a viable attacking threat – and the Hammers need goals from anywhere right now, with the Hammers currently having the third-worst attack in the top flight.

Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas has claimed that a Tottenham Hotspur takeover is still some way off.

The Lowdown: Spurs takeover talk

There have been some murmurings over the past 12 months about a potential takeover of Spurs, but given they are still yet to get naming rights to their stadium, that would appear to be unlikely.

ENIC have been in charge at Tottenham for 20 years and they have seen little success with their best achievement being one League Cup triumph and a Champions League final through an albeit impressive run of top-four finishes.

Therefore, it would only be natural for some fans to want a change, despite a huge cash injection on the transfer front in 2022 that saw them sign the likes of Richarlison and Cristian Romero.

The Latest: Tottenham takeover not close

Thomas was asked on Sky Sports’ live Transfer Centre blog if now was the right time for ENIC to sell Spurs, with frustrations bubbling over following their 2-0 loss against Aston Villa.

He said: “I think we are some way away from that happening. The naming rights for the stadium is the priority in terms of business and that will help bring a sizeable influx of money into the club once it’s complete, adding more value.”

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The Verdict: ENIC won’t be going anywhere

Considering ENIC spent so long building and pumping money into one of the world’s best stadiums, it would be bizarre for them to cash in and leave at the first opportunity in 2023.

Especially when Spurs are still in the Champions League, looking to be in with a shout of finishing in the top four once again and having a world-class manager in Antonio Conte at the helm, there are few reasons to sell up.

However, there is perhaps one, and that’s the fact other clubs are now up for sale, while the likes of Newcastle United have overtaken them in terms of wealth, so ENIC may feel they can no longer sufficiently compete.

Tottenham Hotspur could now pay the release clause for Pedro Porro, amid growing interest in the Sporting CP right-wing back from across Europe.

The Lowdown: Spurs’ Porro pursuit

There have already been plenty of twists and turns in Tottenham’s pursuit of Porro, with it emerging at the beginning of the month that a transfer was close to completion for a fee of roughly £35m.

Antonio Conte ‘really isn’t happy’ with his current options at right-wing back, but Daniel Levy was then hesitant to pay the Spaniard’s £40m release clause, a stance that Fabrizio Romano claims will make the transfer difficult, as Sporting won’t settle for less.

The Latest: Levy changes his mind…

According to a report from Portuguese publication Record (via Sport Witness), Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have now asked for information about the defender, amid concern about Tottenham advancing in the race to sign him.

The Spanish clubs intend to submit offers at the end of the season, so Daniel Levy is now considering an offer that will meet the requirements of Sporting, who continue to refer to his release clause.

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The Verdict: Make it happen

Spurs cannot afford to risk letting this transfer break down, and it appears as though they are still in the driving seat, given that the other interested parties are set to wait until the summer before making an offer.

Hailed as a ‘baller’ by journalist Jack Collins, the 23-year-old has Champions League experience, playing 12 games in the competition, and he has been a consistent performer for Sporting this season, ranked fourth in the squad with an average match rating of 7.20.

While Tottenham can depend on Ivan Perisic, in an attacking sense, at left-wing back, with the Croatian bagging five assists in the Premier League, they currently lack a similar player on the opposite side, and so Porro would be the perfect signing, offering up ten assists in 22 games this term.

Newcastle United have sent scouts to watch Lorient striker Terem Moffi in action ahead of a potential move for him, according to a new transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Moffi shining for Lorient

The Nigerian is enjoying an excellent season for his current club, standing out as arguably one of the most prolific attacking players in Ligue 1.

Moffi has scored 11 goals in just 17 league appearances this season and he also found the net twice for Nigeria during last year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

A new report has now emerged that suggests the 23-year-old could be heading to the Premier League.

The Latest: Newcastle scouting attacker

According to Football Insider, Newcastle sent scouts to watch Moffi in action for Lorient against Monaco on Wednesday evening – a game in which he found the net.

They are ‘assessing’ forward targets for the January and summer transfer windows and consider him an option to come in.

The Magpies ‘face stiff competition’ for the attacker, however, with Southampton, Everton, Aston Villa, West Ham, Leicester City and Bournemouth all mention in the report, too.

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The Verdict: Snap him up?

Moffi could be a superb signing by Newcastle, providing Eddie Howe with a long-term option who could battle with Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson, eventually usurping the 30-year-old, injury-prone latter.

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His goalscoring record this season speaks for itself – only Kylian Mbappe has scored more times in Ligue 1 this season – and he has been hailed as a ‘man of gold’ by Lorient manager Christophe Pelissier.

Newcastle need to reach a point where they have two genuinely top-class option in every position and Moffi would make the squad significantly stronger, with 34 goals in 89 appearances for Lorient a highly impressive record for a young player.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will be delighted with the direction of his team following his managerial appointment in October, having replaced the dismissed Steven Gerrard.

The 51-year-old has led the Villans to four victories from six games in the Premier League since his arrival, with the only defeat coming against Liverpool, and he is now bolstering the squad in the ongoing transfer market, with sights set on recording a top-half finish.

With Alex Moreno signed for £13.3m and Jhon Duran set to come in from Colorado Rapids after the clubs agreed an £18m fee, Emery is targeting a further addition to enhance Villa’s wide attacking options, and Arnaut Danjuma is seemingly the primary target.

Ever since the Spaniard’s arrival in Birmingham, the 25-year-old has been linked with a move to the Midlands to reunite with Emery – who managed him at Villarreal before taking the reins at Villa – with The Mirror previously reporting that the Premier League club were considering a bid for him.

According to Dharmesh Sheth, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, a move for the Dutchman would be a stellar one from Villa, with his skill-set fitting like a glove in Emery’s system once again.

The Sky Sports reporter said in relation to this transfer link: “There’s the obvious connection with Danjuma. He did so well in Spain, so that makes a lot of sense.”

Danjuma arrived in La Liga to ply his trade with Villarreal after dazzling in the Championship with Bournemouth, and any concerns over his ability to adapt to top-flight football have been washed away following his exploits over the past couple of years.

In 2021/22, the 25-year-old registered 16 goals and four assists from 34 outings for the Yellow Submarine, impressing under Emery and standing out as their top scorer. He has not quite reached the same heights this term, although his return of six goals from ten starts is certainly not shabby.

If Villa technical director Johan Lange is indeed to submit a transfer bid in the forthcoming days, the Claret & Blue could enjoy a deadly new offensive partnership, with Danjuma and Duran potentially linking up to great effect.

Duran is a raw yet exciting talent with a bundle of energy and talent waiting to be unleashed on English football, with his athleticism and raw power attributes which could nicely complement Danjuma’s fleet-footed, agile nature in his gliding gait across dangerous positions.

During the 2022 MLS season, the 19-year-old Columbian scored eight goals and supplied six assists for Colorado Rapids despite only starting 17 times, and his budding presence within the offensive third hints at a prosperous future on the big stage.

As per Sofascore, he recorded an average rating of 6.91 in the previous MLS campaign, averaging 2.2 shots per match, and with Danjuma by his side, their respective skill-sets could meld into a cohesive and unified cutting edge.

Siavoush Fallahi previously heralded the Dutchman as a “baller” and it’s clear to see why, with his dynamism and innate goalscoring sense bound to entice any manager across world football into mulling over the thought of the £34k-per-week Villarreal dynamo starring for their team.

With both players demonstrating a knack at unleashing efforts on goal with regularity, Emery could soon put the pieces together to great effect with the prospective acquisition of Danjuma to go alongside that of Duran, duly getting Villa Park rocking with excitement.

Manchester United are looking at signing a creative player this month, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: United’s position

Erik ten Hag’s side have turned their early-season form on its head of late, with nine wins coming from their last 10 games in all competitions.

Their form has seen them climb to third in the Premier League table with an outside chance of a title push potentially hinging on their result against Arsenal on Sunday, with an eight-point gap currently keeping United off the top of the table.

Despite their league position, the decision by the Glazers to put the club up for sale means that the club have little to no money available to spend – with the Daily Mail previously reporting the club wouldn’t be buying players in January.

The Latest: Romano’s update

So far, the only arrival at Old Trafford this window has been the loan signing of Wout Weghorst, but Romano claimed on his YouTube channel that United are still in the market for a creative player, saying:

“I don’t think Manchester United will have any kind of conversation with the players rumoured from Real Madrid like [Eduardo] Camavinga.

“Man United look for creative signings in the final days of the window if something will be available; otherwise, they will stay with the current squad.”

The Verdict: Van de Beek replacement?

Any links to Camavinga referred to by Romano have since been shut down by the journalist himself after he shared that the Frenchman will likely be staying at Real Madrid following a conversation with his agent – so it appears that United would have to seek alternative targets.

The potential arrival of a creative player at Old Trafford could be down to the severe injury that Donny van de Beek picked up against Bournemouth, with Ten Hag confirming that the Dutchman will miss the remainder of the season.

Although only holding a fringe role at United since arriving for £37.5m (via The Guardian), the 25-year-old has played just 60 games across two and a half years in Manchester.

But before his injury, he appeared in four out of five of United’s previous league games – even starting two – showing his place in the squad is an important one and an incoming could lessen the impact of his absence.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has reportedly made an enquiry for Real Betis’ Luiz Henrique, according to Dominic King. 

The Lowdown: Henrique profiled

Henrique is 22 years of age and is primarily an advanced winger, but can also turn out deeper as a more traditional wide midfielder if needed.  He only made the move to Betis last summer from Brazilian outfit Fluminense and is currently valued at a career-high €15m by Transfermarkt. 

The Brazilian is a pacy player who can operate on both flanks, but likes to cut in from the right and shoot with his stronger left foot. He has contributed to two La Liga goals in 15 appearances, and it looks as if he is of interest at Villa Park. 

The Latest: Enquiry made

King, a correspondent for The Daily Mail, took to Twitter on Tuesday to share an Aston Villa transfer update. 

He said that Villa have failed with a club-record bid to sign Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao, even though they were prepared to match a £45m release clause. The reporter then adds that ‘Emery has enquired’ about Henrique as an ‘alternative’ target. 

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The Verdict: look elsewhere?

You could say that Villa need to bring in another centre-forward to rival Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran after selling Danny Ings to West Ham. Villa may feel light of numbers in attack with just Watkins and Duran, and Henrique isn’t primarily a striker, so it may be wise to look elsewhere for now. 

A versatile forward like Gerard Deloufeu could be a wiser target instead of looking to sign Henrique, as the Udinese man is primarily a centre-forward and has previous Premier League experience, something which could be handy with one of Villa’s current attacking options, Duran, new to England and still developing.