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Journalist Dean Jones has shared an update on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Sporting CP defender Pedro Porro.

The Lowdown: Spurs prioritise Porro move…

The Lilywhites have been prioritising a move for Porro almost all transfer window with reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano claiming he is top of the list for Spurs and manager Antonio Conte.

However, the difficulty of this deal lies in Sporting’s firm stance in negotiations, with the Liga Portugal giants holding out for his €45 million (£39.4m) release clause or nothing.

Spurs recently made an opening bid for Porro which included a player and ‘guaranteed money’, but Sporting have rejected this formula with talks over a move set to continue.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, reporter Dean Jones has shared his own update on both the player’s stance and how Tottenham hope to get around the release clause roadblock.

The Latest: Porro ‘sold’ on joining…

The journalist has backed other reports surrounding the 23-year-old’s eagerness, claiming Porro is indeed desperate to join Tottenham and is ‘sold’ on the idea of a move.

In terms of the exit clause, Jones believes Spurs could be trying to set up this deal in a way that they won’t have to pay the entire £39.4m fee up front.

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He stated:

“From everything I know about this one, it sounds very much like Porro is sold on the idea. I think he’s keen to make the move to Tottenham, but Spurs want to avoid this release clause.

“I think they’re trying to work out if they can set up this deal in a different way without paying up all of that release clause.”

The Verdict: Perfect player?

Sporting appear the only roadblock to get a deal done for Porro.

If Spurs can arrange a way to pay his clause through instalments or make a breakthrough with an alternative structure, there is little denying the former Man City defender would be a real coup.

As per WhoScored, Porro tops Sporting’s charts for assists in the Portuguese top flight this season and also ranks in their top two for key passes made and attempts at goal per 90.

By comparison to Spurs’ current squad, Conte’s most regularly-selected option at right-wing-back, Emerson Royal, ranks nowhere near their best in both the latter regards.

Emerson has also just one assist to his name all season in the Premier League – backing Spurs’ obvious need for a wing-back alternative going forward.

Porro’s brilliant attacking stats back football analyst Marcus Bring’s verdict that the Spaniard is ‘creative’ and could be exactly what Spurs need at wing-back.

ESPN pundit Gabriele Marcotti has questioned what Arsenal see in transfer target Ivan Fresneda.

The Lowdown: Arteta wants strength in depth

The Gunners have reportedly taken the lead in the race for Fresneda amid competition from clubs such as Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund, with their ominous lead at the top of the table potentially playing a part.

As things stand, Mikel Arteta is playing Ben White at right-back in most games despite the former Brighton defender being a natural centre-back for the majority of his career thus far.

Fresneda is clearly still very raw at 18 years old and has just 10 first-team appearances in the top flight under his belt, but that’s seemingly not put off the Gunners in ploughing ahead with their interest.

The Latest: Fresneda could be flattering to deceive

Marcotti has admitted on The Gab & Juls Show that he’s watched Fresneda twice this season and is still yet to be impressed by the youngster amid Arsenal’s interest.

He said: “I have to say, I saw this dude – maybe it’s because Valladolid aren’t very good – [but] I watched two entire Valladolid games. In one he was okay, and in the other one, he wasn’t very good, although Valladolid weren’t good. Are we getting a little bit carried away, what are they seeing?”

The Verdict: Arsenal preparing for the future

Fresneda is still very young so will have a lot to learn, but given that a lot of Arsenal’s star players this season are at the beginning of their careers as well, the defender may yet thrive in such an exciting up-and-coming squad and environment.

The Gunners are in need of reinforcements this month, particularly in midfield due to Mohamed Elneny’s injury, and while right-back may not be a priority position as of yet, if Cedric Soares leaves on loan, it quickly will be.

It should also be considered that Takehiro Tomiyasu hasn’t had a clean bill of health this season, so having someone young such as Fresneda coming into the club could be just what Arteta needs in case of an emergency given he already possesses plenty of ‘technical ability’ and ‘athletic’ attributes, according to La Liga expert Matt Clark.

The January transfer window is set to slam shut on Tuesday night and it remains to be seen whether or not Aston Villa will make any further moves in the market.

Unai Emery has added Alex Moreno and Jhon Duran, from Real Betis and Chicago Fire respectively, to his squad in the window so far and has under 48 hours to make more signings.

The two additions the Spaniard has made so far fall at opposite ends of the spectrum as Moreno, 29, is an experienced campaigner who has become an instant starter, whilst Duran, 19, is inexperienced and one with an eye on the future.

Not every signing has to be one that is made with the intention of the player instantly establishing themselves in the starting XI and another young gem the club could strike gold with is 19-year-old Dario Osorio.

Chilean newspaper Las Últimas Noticias (via Sport Witness) recently reported that the Villans, alongside fellow Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur, are interested in signing the Universidad de Chile winger before the deadline.

At the age of 19, the dynamo is a talented young player with the scope to improve and develop in the years to come. This means that Villa could sign him with the view to helping him to fulfil his potential so that he can become a key first-team player further down the line.

Universidad’s sporting director Manuel Mayo once hailed the young wizard’s talent, saying: “He is a tall, very fast player. Osorio shoots spectacularly and plays as if he were at home.”

Former Chile star Raul Toro also lauded the forward in the past, saying: “Dario Osorio sooner or later is going to be a craque (top player). (But) he has a long way to go. He scores beautiful goals but does not know how to score ugly goals.

“I find him very similar to Raphinha; Barcelona’s Brazilian. He is the jewel of Chilean soccer. At any moment, he can score a goal or provide an assist. In Chilean football, there is no one like him.”

In 2022, Osorio scored seven goals and created four ‘big chances’, whilst creating 1.1 chances per match, for his teammates in 16 starts in the Chilean top-flight.

The magician, who only turned 19 this month, has also been capped three times by Chile at international level and this shows how highly rated he is within his own country.

Signing a player with no experience in European football at such a young age is a risk but it is one that could lead to a huge reward if the winger is able to adapt to English football and develop into a forward who can regularly create chances and score goals at the top level, something he has threatened to at his current club.

Therefore, Emery could strike gold at Villa by taking a gamble on Osorio and hoping that the youngster can fulfil his potential at Villa Park in the coming years.

Newcastle United are expected to launch a summer move for the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves in the summer.

What’s the latest?

The Toon’s January transfer window was not exactly a hugely exciting one with only two new faces coming through the doors of St. James’ Park.

But significant money was still spent with Anthony Gordon costing the Magpies in the region of £45m with £40m of that sent to Everton in one lump sum.

However, there was speculation surrounding potential interest in Neves as his contract at Molineux continues to wind its way down to its conclusion next summer.

And speaking on his YouTube channel, Craig Hope has mooted a potential swoop for the Portuguese midfielder in the summer with Wolves possibly sweating over his contract situation:

(6:00) “I wouldn’t be surprised to see them revisit perhaps maybe from a Premier League perspective a Ruben Neves-type. I know he’s got admirers within the club.

“He’ll have a contract situation with only 12 months to run come the summer. Now again, you know, they’ll probably be a premium price on that. And there’ll be a lot of competition, but I know, he’s certainly got admirers within.”

An opportunity to be had

Aforementioned, Neves is now just 18 months away from his contract at Molineux running its course which means this summer will be the last opportunity for Wolves to really cash in on the midfielder.

And this is a player – hailed “extraordinary” by Cristiano Ronaldo – who has received reported interest from some of the biggest clubs around with the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona said to be interested in signing him.

However, if Newcastle continues on their upwards trajectory they could be in a position to offer the Portuguese midfielder Champions League football for next season.

Neves has ranked highly among other midfielders for his defensive contributions with the 25-year-old in the top 10 percentile for interceptions and top three percentile for clearances (via Fbref).

And in comparison to Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes, the Portuguese star has provided more tackles and passes per 90 as well as more goals this season.

Considering Newcastle saw Jonjo Shelvey leave over January without any midfielders coming through the doors, it is a position which will likely need to be addressed in the summer.

And given there is still a reported interest in a potential big-money swoop for the attacking midfielder of James Maddison, a cheap option in Neves could prove a real steal to beef up Howe’s options.

Chelsea see Vitoria Guimaraes midfielder Ibrahima Bamba as an alternative signing if the deal for Enzo Fernandez collapses on deadline day, journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed.

The Lowdown: Enzo the main target

The Blues clearly see Fernandez as their main midfield transfer target in January, with various reports saying they are trying to sign the Argentina World Cup winner.

Benfica have held firm for much of this month, however, and there is no guarantee that Chelsea will end up getting their man before the end of deadline day, even with reports of a medical taking place in Lisbon as we speak.

Now, it looks as though another target is being kept in the back pocket as an emergency option.

The Latest: Bamba an alternative

Taking to Twitter, Talbot said that the Italian-born Bamba is considered an alternative to Fernandez if things go awry before the 11pm cutoff on Tuesday:

“Chelsea looking at Ibrahima Bamba if they can’t get Enzo Fernadez done.”

The Verdict: Feels unlikely

In truth, it would now be a big surprise if Bamba became a Chelsea player this month, with Fernandez seemingly edging closer to signing on the dotted line.

That being said, the Vitoria Guimaraes man could be a decent option if the move falls apart at the 11th hour, having averaged 2.6 tackles per game in the Primeira Liga this season.

The 20-year-old isn’t out of contract at his current club until the summer of 2026 but he would be seen as a long-term addition, adding much-needed youthful exuberance in the middle of the park.

TalkSPORT’s Jim White has insisted that Declan Rice, who’s been labelled as perfect for Newcastle United, could cost the club around £120m.

The Lowdown: Rice would fit nicely

Rice was certainly the talk of Newcastle on Saturday night as he dominated the midfield and has earned specific praise from both Toon boss Eddie Howe and journalist Aaron Stokes after his impressive display, with the latter labelling Rice as an ‘absolutely perfect’ signing for the Magpies, who have been mentioned as a potential destination come the summer.

While Newcastle were indeed without Bruno Guimaraes, Rice stepped up and showed how good he is despite West Ham’s struggles this season, with the midfielder bossing the game with three interceptions, six progressive passes and registering the most carries into Newcastle’s final third (FBref).

Therefore it’s no surprise that a lot of people, including Stokes, have been speaking about how Rice would be perfect for Newcastle’s midfield as they look to take the next step in their development.

The Latest: Perhaps it’s a signing too far

It has been mooted that Rice wants to join a Champions League club, and while that could be Newcastle in the summer, it remains to be seen whether or not the Magpies would pay his mammoth price tag that White spoke about.

He said “It’s our understanding £120m plus add-ons will get him; £120m plus add-ons would secure you Declan Rice. We understand that Manchester United last summer bid £100m and didn’t get him.”

The Verdict: Perfect signing for Howe

It would be a tremendous signing if Newcastle could lure one of the top midfielders in the Premier League to Tyneside amid interest from the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea, but it does appear to be a pipeline dream as things stand.

While Newcastle are indeed enjoying a marvellous season in the Premier League sitting fourth with just 17 games left to play, they are far from a finished article and may fall off next season when they have to potentially cope with midweek European football.

Therefore, Rice making the switch to somewhere more used to winning silverware over the past few years and also, in London where he’s from, could well be more appealing but it does show how far the Magpies have come in a short period of time that some are even talking about them looking at Rice.

West Ham United have suffered this season after a period of relative success, as their consecutive finishes in European spots are being drowned out by this campaign’s relegation battle.

David Moyes had built a solid foundation with which his workmanlike team could compete with most, and as such, they were good value for their sixth and seventh-placed spots in the last two years.

However, now just one point from safety, it is clear something has gone fundamentally wrong.

Many would trace their failures back to last summer when they oversaw a huge outlay on many players who are yet to pull their weight. The Hammers shattered their club record fee and spent big on a new striker, both of whom have struggled to acclimatise to English football.

Despite all this, one of the more under-the-radar deals from that transfer window was acquiring Alphonse Areola.

Having spent last year on loan, he signed permanently from Paris Saint-Germain for a nominal fee of just £7.75m. Despite not featuring all that much thus far, his move still represents phenomenal value.

How much is Areola worth now?

That is mainly due to how his reported price has since rocketed, which makes the deal even sweeter.

Poised to be their successor to Łukasz Fabiański, the 29-year-old has featured just twice this league campaign but was selected for France’s World Cup squad to back up their captain.

Despite this, as of last month, FootballTransfers mark his expected transfer value at €19.5m (£17.2m), which marks a sensational 122% rise in just seven months.

Whilst his chances have been limited in east London, if his performances at Fulham are anything to go by, the future is bright with him as their number one.

During the 2020/21 campaign in which the Cottagers fell to relegation, he maintained a 6.94 average rating that was underpinned by a 71% save percentage, of which he made 3.2 saves per game, via Sofascore.

This fleet-footedness paired with his immense physicality gives him all the traits to be a success in the Premier League, with former professional goalkeeper Ben Foster dubbing him an “absolute specimen” with regard to his physique.

Should he finally be given a run in the team to recapture that form, he could not only prove instrumental in their relegation fight but increase his growing value even more.

Tottenham Hotspur right wing-back Emerson Royal has left TalkSport pundit Jamie O’Hara stunned by his recent turn of form in north London.

What’s happened to Emerson Royal?

The Brazilian’s time at Tottenham has certainly come with a lot of scrutiny from the Spurs fans who have voiced their frustrations towards the 24-year-old.

However, he has suddenly made a huge U-turn in form which has seen him become a regular in the starting XI despite the big-money signing of Pedro Porro in January.

And his upturn in form of late was summed up on Sunday when he provided the Lilywhites with the opening goal against West Ham United.

Speaking on TalkSport on Monday morning, O’Hara shared his disbelief at what he has seen from the Brazilian in recent weeks in the Spurs side:

“Emerson Royal, all of a sudden, looks like prime Cafu. I mean I don’t know what’s happened to him, but Pedro Porro’s come in and it’s obviously given him a kick up the backside that he needed because he was fantastic again yesterday, and sometimes players need that bit of competition.”

When will Pedro Porro play?

Over the January window, Spurs offloaded Djed Spence on loan and Matt Doherty permanently with right wing-back clearly a position for real improvement.

And it seemed as the Lilywhites had found the man to come in and provide that change with Porro who arrived from Sporting CP in a deal believed to be worth in the region of £44m.

However, since arriving, Porro has only played 75 minutes of football with three appearances on the bench whilst Emerson starts for the Londoners.

It is not exactly surprising Spurs fans were voicing their frustrations towards Emerson earlier in the season with the Brazilian not exactly showing much to suggest he was good enough to play at wing-back.

Prior to the game last month against Manchester City, the 24-year-old had only provided the Lilywhites with one assist for the season (via Transfermarkt).

Yet in his last four Premier League starts, the Brazilian has scored two goals against City and West Ham on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Porro’s debut was far from impressive with the Spanish wing-back slammed for his 75-minute display in the game against Leicester City.

However, we saw on Sunday against the Hammers that Spurs are rotating players with Ivan Perisic rested as Ben Davies played at left wing-back on Sunday.

Ad having spent so much money on Porro there will surely be an urge not to leave him on the bench for too long.

But when Emerson is showing such impressive form, it does leave Cristian Stellini with. tough decision to make at right wing-back.

Tottenham Hotspur have conducted scouting missions to assess Anton Stach ahead of a potential transfer swoop, according to a report.

The Lowdown: Spurs eyeing midfielder

Tottenham already have plenty of options in central midfield, with the likes of Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr at Antonio Conte’s disposal, however that hasn’t stopped them being linked with new options.

Bentancur and Bissouma are currently sidelined with the former not expected to return for a while following ACL surgery in Spain.

In the January transfer window, it was reported that Spurs cast an eye over Fulham’s Joao Palhinha, and given that Bentancur has now been ruled out until November, Conte may look to bolster his options in the engine room this summer.

The Latest: Stach profiled

According to a report from 90min, the Lilywhites have been keeping a watchful eye on Stach, having conducted scouted missions during 2023, however other Premier League clubs are believed to be interested.

Liverpool, Newcastle United and West Ham United have also watched the midfielder this year, meaning Spurs could face competition for his signature.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

Football scout Jacek Kulig has described the 24-year-old as ‘underrated’, and given his performances over the course of the past year, that is definitely a fair assessment.

The 6 foot 4 colossus has demonstrated his talent in so many different areas of the game, ranking in the 96th percentile for aerials won per 90, while he is also in the 94th for interceptions, and the 97th for assists.

As such, it is clear that the two-time Germany international is a well-rounded player, capable of pitching in with the defensive side of the game when necessary, while he is also a threat on the front foot, which is indicated by nine assists in 32 games last season.

Stach would be an excellent addition to the Tottenham midfield, and he is at the right age to be a long-term success at the club, so Conte should continue to monitor his availability between now and the end of the season.

West Ham United have endured a disappointing campaign so far, with David Moyes under real pressure with the club slipping into the Premier League relegation zone having won just five league matches this term.

Several big-money signings just haven’t worked out for the club, with Gianluca Scamacca scoring just seven times across all competitions since arriving for a fee of £35.5m in the summer, while Brazilian Lucas Paqueta – who has only four league goal involvements to his name – has yet to showcase the form of a £51m player, having become West Ham’s record signing last year.

There hasn’t been much to shout about for the West Ham faithful, although there has been one summer signing that has made a solid impression since joining the club, while also seeing his value more than double in just over six months – Thilo Kehrer.

How much is Thilo Kehrer worth now?

The German centre-back joined the Irons last summer for a fee of £10.1m from French giants Paris Saint-Germain and with Moyes looking to add some more quality to his threadbare squad, it looked like it could prove to be a wise investment.

Roshane Thomas certainly thought so, saying that Kehrer was a “brilliant addition” to the team while lauding his versatility, and although the club have struggled domestically, the 26-year-old has enjoyed a solid start to life in England.

His performances in the Premier League this season have seen him rank third for pass success rate (85%), fourth for clearances made (2.6) and interceptions (1.3) per game, and sixth for tackles made (1.7), among his new teammates, showing that he has settled in well.

Germany manager Hansi Flick has dubbed him a “complete” player and these stats certainly back up his all-round effectiveness from the centre of the defence.

Having signed for just over £10m, Football Transfers now value him at €25.1m (£22.1m) which works out as a 120% rise on their initial investment. Considering he has been at the club for just over six months plus the fact he has had to settle into life in a new league, West Ham have clearly struck gold on Kehrer.

The defender still has plenty to give and this value will only continue to rise, especially if his performances improve and the club can avoid relegation.

Despite it largely being a season to forget for all involved with the club, Kehrer’s valuation increase proves that Moyes still does know how to sign a player that could potentially generate a major profit for West Ham in the future.