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Sharing an update on Tottenham Hotspur’s January plans, journalist Sami Mokbel of The Daily Mail has made a transfer claim involving Paris-Saint Germain midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.

The Lowdown: Alli and Ndombele nearing exit?

As reliably reported, Spurs stars Dele Alli and Tanguy Ndombele are two big names who could leave north London by deadline day as transfer chief Fabio Paratici works on both incomings and outgoings (Sky Sports).

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The former has seen his market value plummet in recent seasons and a move away may be best for all parties. The latter, Spurs’ club-record signing, is reportedly eager to join PSG after being left out in the cold by manager Antonio Conte.

Potential swap deals have been touted in the press, with journalist Jason Burt of The Telegraph stating recently that Spurs were ‘offered’ Argentina international Leandro Paredes in such a potential deal.

Sharing news on Tottenham’s possible exits this month, another reporter in Mokbel has now made a claim involving former Liverpool star Wijnaldum.

The Latest: Wijnaldum ‘open’ to signing for Spurs…

Indeed, The Daily Mail journalist claimed that the 31-year-old is ‘open’ to a PSG/Spurs swap deal which would see the Netherlands international join Spurs on loan for the remainder of the current campaign.

This could result in either Ndombele or Alli moving in the opposite direction as chairman Daniel Levy aims to back Conte in the transfer market and kickstart the Tottenham rebuild.

The Verdict: Get it done?

We believe that signing Wijnaldum on a temporary basis is certainly something Conte should consider, especially going by the midfielder’s pedigree in the Premier League and threat going forward.

The 31-year-old has racked up 26 goals over 85 caps at international level and can operate as an advanced playmaker, potentially coming as the unlikely but long-awaited replacement for Christian Eriksen if Spurs decide to move for him.

During his last season at Anfield, the tidy £165,000-per-week ace averaged a higher pass accuracy (92.7%) than any Liverpool player under Jurgen Klopp (WhoScored), so it’s little wonder why the Reds boss described him as a ‘legend’ and the ‘architect’ of their success in recent years (The Daily Mail).

At the very least, it’s certainly a swap deal which must get Paratici thinking, with Wijnadlum’s stance crystal clear.

In other news: Personal terms agreed: Conte edges closer to signing ‘world-beater’ for Tottenham, find out more here.

A number of Liverpool supporters are fuming after James Pearce claimed the Reds are unlikely to sign anyone in the January transfer window.

Jurgen Klopp had a quiet time of things in the summer, with Ibrahima Konate the only player coming in and the likes of Gini Wijnaldum and Xherdan Shaqiri leaving the club.

There may be the need for January reinforcements to come in, though, especially with Naby Keita, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane departing to the Africa Cup of Nations.

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Next month could be a pivotal one in Liverpool’s season and whether or not they do any transfer business may end up proving key to their success.

According to The Athletic‘s Pearce [via Anfield Watch on Twitter], however, the Reds are unlikely to make any new signings in January, ‘barring an injury crisis or a change of heart’.

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Liverpool fans fume at James Pearce claim

It isn’t an update that has gone down well with some Liverpool fans on Twitter, with these supporters providing their thoughts.

“Tell us something we DON’T know James”

Credit: @andrefening

“Seriously, I love klopp and wouldn’t change him for any other manager but he cannot moan about congestion fixtures and then not sign any players”

Credit: @braham_shay

“Sorry can’t do this”

Credit: @StartJoeGomez

“Is this ever going to end?”

Credit: @jono1018

“Wow, what a shock. Come early Feb we will be linked with players again….. At least it wont be Sancho again lol”

Credit: @jayellcee7791

“The article on February 1st… ‘Liverpool are gearing up for a very expensive summer where they look to spend £200m+’…. The article on September 1st… ‘The new Anny Road development has gone over budget that’s why reinforcements could not be bought in!'”

Credit: @sjlfc2005

In other news, some Liverpool fans have flocked to an exciting transfer update. Read more here.

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s pursuit of Manchester United centre-forward Anthony Martial…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope has issued a key claim on the situation, providing some hope that a deal can be done this month.

He tweeted: “Re Anthony Martial & NUFC… Man Utd say reluctant to let players go (for now) because of Covid, but I’m told Newcastle are monitoring situation. Martial perhaps wasn’t type high on list pre January, but Wilson injury has changed thinking & increased urgency. One to watch.”

Fans will be excited

Newcastle fans will surely be excited with this update for multiple reasons. Firstly. it shows that PIF are not willing to take a gamble with Wilson by simply waiting for him to return from his lengthy injury. He is the club’s top scorer and losing his quality for any period of time is a huge blow for the Magpies, which is why fans will be buzzing with any attempts to bring in a new striker.

Wilson has scored six Premier League goals this season and Allan Saint-Maximin (four) is the only other player at the club with more than one to his name in 2021/22. This shows the worrying lack of quality at the top end of the pitch when it comes to taking chances, so the prospective signing of Martial could excite the Toon Army.

The Frenchman is a proven scorer in the English top flight and could come in to score the goals to help Newcastle avoid relegation to the Championship. He has found the back of the net 56 times for Manchester United in the Premier League, with four seasons of scoring nine or more goals in the division. In 268 games for the Red Devils in all competitions, he has netted 79 goals and provided 50 assists, showing that he can certainly make an impact in the final third.

This suggests that Martial could come in and be the focal point up top for the Magpies whilst Wilson is sidelined, before potentially partnering the 29-year-old upon his return. Newcastle fans could get excited by this prospect given the pair’s respective goalscoring records, as they could form a lethal partnership to provide match-winning quantities of goals in the team’s battle to avoid Premier League relegation.

It is now over to Nick Hammond and Eddie Howe to ensure that they can get a deal over the line for the French attacker before the end of the month…

AND in other news, Bid made: David Ornstein drops exciting Newcastle transfer claim which will delight Eddie Howe…

As per Football Insider, an update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tanguy Ndombele’s future at the club and what manager Antonio Conte intends in January.

The Lowdown: Future up in the air…

The club record signing, brought in from Lyon two years ago (BBC), has been at the centre of reports linking him with a move away since the summer window.

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Ndombele allegedly informed Tottenham chiefs of his desire to leave north London before August, but after a move failed to materialise, the 24-year-old has been in and out the team.

Conte’s arrival gifted the Frenchman yet another new start after the sackings of Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and Nuno Espirito Santo but Spurs’ latest manager has already called out his work ethic.

Now, in an update on his future, FI have shared some news on Conte’s sale stance.

The Latest: Conte wants him gone…

As per their information, the Italian ‘wants Ndombele out if a deal can be done’ with Spurs now aware of interest from Italian giants Juventus, the former club of transfer chief Fabio Paratici.

Football Insider also reiterate that Conte has already told Spurs chiefs to offload the midfielder in January, and while a permanent sale isn’t ruled out, an obligation-to-buy loan or standard temporary deal are more realistic options.

The Verdict: Time to go?

We believe cutting ties with Ndombele could be the only way forward at this point, even despite his obvious ability, with the former Ligue 1 sensation finishing 2020/2021 as Tottenham’s best dribbler on average with 2.2 completed take-ons per 90 in the Premier League (WhoScored).

He’s also been described as ‘unplayable’ by former Spurs keeper Joe Hart during his time in north London (Rio Ferdinand to BT via Spurs Web), but Ndombele’s quality is marred by a consistent lack of application.

Chairman Daniel Levy famously sat down with the £200,000-per-week ace to discuss his future during Amazon’s fly-on-the-wall documentary ‘All or Nothing’, and that was in his first season at Hotspur Way.

Having played under three new managers since Pochettino first brought him to Spurs, now may be time to consider parting ways.

In other news: Spurs in pole position to sign ‘perfect’ player for Conte as price tags drops by nearly half, find out more here.

West Brom are interested in signing Barnsley captain Cauley Woodrow in the January transfer window, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Woodrow impresses for Barnsley

The Baggies were held to a 0-0 draw on Friday as Valerien Ismael returned to Oakwell but failed to beat his former club.

One player who didn’t feature on the night was Woodrow, but the 27-year-old has been an important figure for the Tykes for some time.

The £7,400-per-week attacker has scored four times in the Championship this season – bettered only by Karlan Grant (nine) among West Brom’s squad – and he has found the net 53 times in 151 appearances for Barnsley, with 76 senior career goals to his name.

The Latest: West Brom keen on Woodrow

According to The Athletic, the Baggies are looking into the possibility of signing Woodrow next month in order to aid their promotion push.

The 27-year-old’s current deal expires in the summer of 2023, so a fee would be required to bring him to The Hawthorns.

The Verdict: Strong potential addition

Woodrow could be an ideal man for Albion to bring in next month, with the Barnsley hero possessing lots of Championship experience, making 180 appearances in the division.

There has been too much dependence on Grant to provide goals for West Brom but Woodrow would ease that burden, giving Ismael another strong option in the final third.

At 27, he is also at a good age in terms of being both experienced and in his prime, so he wouldn’t merely be a quick fix either.

In other news, one player is reportedly a transfer target for West Brom. Find out who it is here.

Aston Villa fans should be excited by the arrival of Steven Gerrard’s assistant manager.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to The Athletic’s Aston Villa correspondent Gregg Evans, who claimed in a post on Twitter that Michael Beale, Gerrard’s number two at Rangers and likely assistant at Villa, is widely considered to be something of a genius behind the scenes.

Evans went on to share Jordan Campbell’s article for The Athletic regarding Beale’s route into coaching, the influence the 41-year-old has during training and his importance in implementing Gerrard’s tactical vision within a team.

In his tweet, Evans simply said: “Michael Beale is described as a ‘genius’.”

Fans should be excited

While Gerrard’s appointment as the new Aston Villa manager will undoubtedly steal the headlines over the coming days, should Beale indeed follow the former Liverpool captain to Villa Park, fans should be equally as excited about the appointment of the coach as they are about Gerrard.

Indeed, having gained experience as a coach in both the Chelsea and Liverpool academies, Beale also spent a brief spell as Rogerio Ceni’s number two at Brazilian side Sao Paulo, before returning to England as Liverpool’s head of academy coaching in the summer of 2017.

He would spend just one season in this role, as, following Gerrard’s appointment at Rangers in 2018, the 41-year-old manager offered Beale a role as his assistant at Ibrox, which he duly accepted.

In Glasgow, Gerrard – and Beale – would go on to transform Rangers, winning the club’s first league title for a decade in considerable style, with Gers remaining undefeated for the entirety of the 2020/21 Premiership campaign, as well as reaching the last 16 of the Europa League in each of the last two seasons.

Beale’s role in this success is undeniable, with the 41-year-old coach being understood to lead the vast majority of Rangers’ first-team training – taking a particularly hands-on role with the club’s midfielders and forwards – as well as watching the first half of Rangers’ fixtures from the stands, in order to gain a better tactical understanding of what is happening in a match before offering his findings to Gerrard at half time.

Furthermore, Beale has drawn considerable praise for the work he has done thus far in his career, with Gerrard himself stating of the coach: “It would take me 15-20 years to become as good as Michael Beale as an on-pitch coach, delivering sessions on a daily basis, so I let Mick be Mick because he’s the expert.”

The former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday also claimed that the 41-year-old is one of the best coaches he has ever worked with, stating: “He’s probably the best coach I’ve worked under. His attention to detail and defensive organisation is incredible… it’s the clarity and the role he gives every single player within the system. It’s very refreshing as a player to go into a game and know exactly what’s expected of you.”

As such, while Gerrard is very much the face of the operation, Beale is undoubtedly the brains, with his potential appointment at Villa being an extremely big positive for the club, players and supporters alike.

In other news: Gregg Evans drops major Aston Villa manager update that will have fans elated

Some Manchester United supporters are fuming after the club’s former player Steve Bruce was linked with taking interim charge of the Red Devils.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left his role as United manager on Sunday morning following the demoralising 4-1 defeat at the hands of Watford in the Premier League.

The result leaves the Red Devils a whopping 12 points behind current leaders Chelsea, with their title chances effectively over after just 12 games.

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The search for Solskjaer’s successor is now on, with some reports claiming that an interim manager could take charge until the end of the season.

According to The Athletic, Bruce is keen on taking the role, having been sacked as Newcastle United manager last month. The 60-year-old enjoyed a great playing career with the Red Devils, making 414 appearances and winning three Premier League titles during a glorious period in the 1990s.

However, his 23-year managerial career has not yielded a single trophy, while the highest Premier League finish he has achieved as a coach is 10th. He was also deeply unpopular on Tyneside, with many Newcsstle supporters lamenting his conservative tactical approach.

United fans furious at Bruce rumour

After the managerial links came to light, these United fans reacted angrily to the rumours about Bruce potentially taking the Old Trafford hot seat.

“Please tell me the Steve Bruce thing is a really bad joke”

Credit: @littleman1979

“Oh please”

Credit: @M_acBrown

“What sort of things be this. Ah”

Credit: @ZanuteySages

“I love Steve, he is genuinely a wonderful football guy but I absolutely don’t want this”

Credit: @MOVIESTVMAD

“No. Just no. I don’t care if it’s Carrick during the interim. Not another legend coming in to ‘save the club'”

Credit: @markziegs

“Goodbye. I’m going back to bed”

Credit: @JasonofSuburbia

In other news, some United fans have flocked to another managerial claim. Read more here.

It’s not about talent, or natural ability. Becoming a professional footballer is all about how hard you work and the choices that you make during your career. It’s also about who you know! If there are people in your life with connections – like coaches, scouts, agents- then use them to get ahead of the competition. Because it takes more than just skill to become a professional football player these days; it takes drive and determination too!

What qualifications do you need to be a professional footballer?

To play professionally, the most important qualification is that you’re good enough. All players who want to earn money from football can’t be considered for playing in any league or team without meeting all the requirements set out by the individual teams. That means an ability to read and write English well, as well as being able to speak comfortably on behalf of yourself and your teammates. 

The rules vary among countries but they usually involve having no criminal record either in England or abroad, no history of drug or casino abuse (such as no deposit free spins) and medical certificates confirming that there are no conditions preventing you from working.

What are the chances of becoming a professional football player?

Your chances of becoming a professional footballer depend on many different factors. Where you live, the team that you play for, and if you have any sort of connection to a coach or scout all have an effect on your chances. At the end of the day, it is up to you to put in the hard work and dedication necessary to become a professional footballer.

Top tips for becoming a professional footballer Be willing to relocate for the right opportunity: Moving to a new town or country can be difficult, but it is sometimes necessary to give yourself the best possible chance of success. Get as much experience as you can: The more matches and training sessions you play in then the better your chance of being noticed by scouts and coaches. Play well with others: Competition for places is tough at professional clubs so if you want to get noticed than demonstrating your ability and willingness to work hard for your teammates is important too. Learn English: With so many foreign players in the Premier League, it’s crucial that young players understand English so they can speak confidently with their coaches and teammates. Have a back-up plan: All footballers get injured sometimes; if you’re lucky, it will be a minor injury and you’ll only miss a few games. But what about times when injuries can end your career? If that happens then having a solid education could save you from financial hardship in the future. Take up an active hobby: Given how much time football players spend on the field practicing, clubs prefer to sign those who have healthy interests such as horse riding or outdoor sports to help them recover from injury and maintain good mental health. Be coachable: When young players reach professional level, they often find themselves working under managers and coaches with decades of experience playing the game at the highest level. Sometimes younger players don’t feel confident in challenging a coach or manager’s decisions during a match. However, if you demonstrate faith in your colleagues and authority figures then they’ll be more likely to take you seriously on the pitch too. Develop good personal habits: Eating well, getting enough sleep each night and keeping healthy are all important factors in ensuring that players stay motivated and achieve their best performance levels on the football pitch. If you’re not taking care of yourself properly then it will be harder for coaches to trust you with a place in the team. Watch matches closely: Sometimes when watching a football match it can be easy to get caught up in what is happening elsewhere on the field rather than concentrating on your own role within the game. Keeping an eye on what other players are doing lets you learn from their good and bad play. Don’t give up: If you truly want to become a professional footballer then make sure that nothing gets in the way of achieving your dreams. Bad luck, injuries and lack of opportunities can all put talented players off going for their dream, but if that’s what you really want then persistence is key! Moving to a new town or country can be difficult, but it is sometimes necessary to give yourself the best possible chance of success.

The more matches and training sessions you play in then the better your chance of being noticed by scouts and coaches.

Having faith in your colleagues and authority figures then they’ll be more likely to take you seriously on the pitch too.

If you truly want to become a professional footballer then make sure that nothing gets in the way of achieving your dreams.

Conclusion

It’s not impossible to become a professional football player, but it is difficult. You need to be willing and able to relocate in order for your skillset to reach its full potential. It will also take time, effort, and dedication on your part.

Newcastle United are reportedly now ‘very interested’ in signing Matteo Guendouzi for Eddie Howe.

The Lowdown: Howe ‘close’

It has been reported that Howe is now ‘close’ to becoming the next manager at St. James’ Park, although it is expected that Graeme Jones will take charge of their game away at Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday evening.

It means that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium can now get on with their plans for the January transfer window, in which they will surely be looking to do a few deals in order to try and help them avoid relegation down to the Championship.

The Tyneside club have just four points and no wins from their first 10 matches in the top flight so far this term, sitting in 19th place, just above Norwich City (Premier League).

The Latest: Guendouzi interest

As per Foot Mercato, the North East club are now ‘very interested’ in signing Guendouzi for Howe.

However, it may not be easy to lure him away from Marseille, where he is currently on loan at from Arsenal, as he has instantly become a fan favourite because of his ‘fiery character’ and ‘overflowing activity on the pitch’.

Thus, the €11m (£9.4m) option to sign him on a permanent deal looks to have a ‘good chance’ of being activated by the Ligue 1 team.

However, Guendouzi is ‘popular’ amongst the Magpies new KSA owners, and they could still look to sign him from the Gunners next summer, should he not move to Marseille permanently.

The Verdict: Get it done

Guendouzi has been a bit of a revelation since signing for Marseille, coming up with three goals and three assists in the league from midfield (called up to the France national squad for their upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifying games.

Offensively, he is better than what the Toon currently have at their disposal in the middle of the park, averaging more shots (1.3), key passes (1.1) and long balls (2.8) per match than Isaac Hayden, Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff in their respective domestic leagues so far this season, while also recording the highest pass success rate (90.2%) (WhoScored).

What makes Guendouzi stand out from the crowd though is his character, as Alan Shearer once dubbed him a ‘warrior’ while he was playing for Arsenal back in 2019, and this was emphasised in a game away at Brighton and Hove Albion, when his passion and the fire in his belly made him take things a little too far (talkSPORT).

In any side, you need players who will fight for the badge, and there is no doubt that Guendouzi would do that if he moved to NUFC with the crowd behind him.

In other news, find out which ‘amazing’ manager was still in the running before Howe here!

Tottenham Hotspur boss Nuno Santo is now under intense pressure as concerns behind-the-scenes from both parties have seemingly emerged…

What’s the word?

According to Sunday Times journalist Duncan Castles, the north Londoners are already looking at potential replacements for the Portuguese, who was only appointed 91 days ago, whilst the 47-year-old himself is far from pleased with his own circumstances at the club.

Speaking on ‘The Transfer Window’ podcast this week, the reporter said:

“The information I have is that Tottenham are already considering replacements for Nuno and this is not necessarily a unilateral process, in the sense that Nuno is not happy with his own circumstances at Tottenham.

“It’s not what he expected when he came into the club, so there’s discontent on both sides.

“The most likely solution to the problem is to be hiring another new coach.”

Time running out?

Nuno wasn’t Tottenham’s first-choice to replace Jose Mourinho back in April, so it’s hardly a surprise that this relationship is heading for the rocks.

It took over 70 days to find his successor and the Lilywhites only fell on the former Wolves boss as talks with Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino, Paulo Fonseca and many more fell through – or it just simply wasn’t able to happen.

They surely don’t want to risk the same scenario happening but they also cannot let this situation build up, especially as the fans are starting to turn against the manager – plenty were never even for the appointment anyway.

This major development will undoubtedly leave them a little excited as Castles not only suggests that chairman Daniel Levy and sporting director Fabio Paratici are looking for a new boss but also that Nuno himself isn’t happy, and that could make key decisions a little easier.

Spurs started the new Premier League season with three straight 1-0 victories but have since fallen to three successive defeats, all of which has seen them leak three goals, highlighting major defensive issues, on top of their problems in attack too.

No team has averaged fewer shots per game (9.3) than the north London outfit, whilst they rank second-worst for expected goals (5.47), so the brand of football on offer is hardly inspiring.

It’s no wonder much of the Hotspur faithful are against the current regime.

Spurs and Nuno appear to be hanging by a thread and with a potential banana skin in Europe on Thursday and the small matter of Aston Villa on Sunday right before the international break, we could soon see the situation come to a head.

Either way, plenty around N17 will be buzzing by this news.

AND in other news, “exciting” £26m-rated flop in danger of becoming Spurs’ next Adel Taarabt…