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Tottenham Hotspur are in talks over a deal to bring Daniel James to north London this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, with the Italian journalist revealing in a recent post on Twitter that, following earlier reports of Spurs’ interest in a “shock” move the Leeds United winger, Fabio Paratici is indeed in discussions with the Whites regarding a deal for the 24-year-old over the remainder of the summer transfer window.

The transfer insider went on to state that Tottenham are hoping to secure the Wales international on a season-long loan with an option to purchase – believed to be in the region of £20m – the forward next summer, although it is also claimed that Jesse Marsch is not against keeping the attacker at Elland Road beyond Thursday’s transfer deadline.

In his post, Romano said: “Tottenham have discussed potential loan with buy option for Daniel James with Leeds last week – not an easy deal, also Everton asked for Dan. Situation remains open, it’s up to the player – Leeds would be happy to keep James.”

Paratici’s biggest mistake

While it is true that Antonio Conte has stated his desire to sign a replacement for Bryan Gil before sanctioning the Spain U21 international’s agreed loan to Valencia, considering just how poor James has been for Leeds since his £25m move from Manchester United last summer, the argument that the Welshman’s signing would be his biggest mistake yet is an easy one to make.

Indeed, according to FBref, the £16.2m-rated forward ranks in the bottom 28% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s big five leagues and European competitions for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the bottom 37% for assists, the bottom 8% for xG assisted – xG which follows a pass that assists a shot – and the bottom 6% for shot-creating actions over the last 365 days.

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Furthermore, the 34-cap international also ranks in the bottom 1% for passes attempted per 90, in addition to the bottom 5% for passes completed, the bottom 9% for progressive passes, the bottom 21% for progressive carries and the bottom 4% for dribbles completed over the past 12 months.

The £50k-per-week forward once again fails to impress in his defensive metrics, ranking in the bottom 30% for interceptions per 90, as well as the bottom 32% for blocks, the bottom 42% for aerial duels won and the bottom 49% for tackles over the last year.

As such, with James evidently being ineffective in the final third, poor in both his passing and carrying of the ball and underwhelming when working back in a defensive capacity, exactly what Paratici has seen in the 24-year-old to identify him as a suitable match for Conte’s squad is very much up for debate.

However, one thing that would seem much more certain is that should the Italian sporting director go on to agree a loan with a £20m option to buy the Welshman in the coming days, it would undoubtedly be his biggest mistake at Tottenham to date after an impressive transfer haul throughout 2022 so far.

Leeds United winger Jack Harrison could be interested in joining Newcastle United for financial reasons, according to former England striker Gabby Agbonlahor.

The Lowdown: Harrison exit links emerge

Throughout the summer transfer window, the Englishman was linked with a move away from Elland Road, with his exit arguably looking on the cards at times.

It was Newcastle who emerged as the front-runners to acquire Harrison’s signature, as Eddie Howe looked at boosting his wide attacking options and even submitted two official bids for the Englishman (The Athletic).

The 25-year-old ended up remaining at Leeds beyond the end of the window but that hasn’t stopped talk regarding his future.

The Latest: Agbonlahor talks up exit

Speaking to Football Insider, talkSPORT pundit Agbonlahor admitted he could see Harrison quitting the Whites for the Magpies, enjoying a huge pay increase in the process:

“It’s, ‘can I go and get double-and-a-half my money at Newcastle? Or, sign for a little bit more at Leeds?’

“Leeds won’t be big payers. Maybe, he’s looking at that. Football, yes, you love playing at clubs but you want to be earning as much money as possible.

“Maybe that’s going through his mind. He’ll see Dan Burn, Trippier and all these players going for big money wages and be thinking of that himself.

“I don’t think he signs a new contract unless Leeds improve his pay a lot.”

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The Verdict: Would be a loss

Harrison has proven over an extended period what a key figure he is so losing him would be a blow, with reports the club are trying to tie him down to a new contract.

The winger has scored 29 goals and registered 25 assists for Leeds, shining in both the Premier League and the Championship, while journalist David Brown has called him a ‘joke’ of a player, in a positive sense.

It is easy to envisage Harrison’s head being turned by Newcastle, though, given their financial status and the fact that they are aiming to be a Champions League-playing club in the coming years, so Leeds could do with offering him a new-and-improved deal as quickly as possible.

When Arsenal spent £6m on a relatively unknown Brazilian forward by the name of Gabriel Martinelli back in July of 2019, many supporters at The Emirates must have been wondering why Raul Sanllehi had committed such an amount on the signing of a largely inexperienced – albeit promising – player.

However, while it is undeniable that Gunners supporters and Sanllehi did not exactly see eye to eye for the majority of his spell as the club’s head of football, it must be said that the 56-year-old very much hit the jackpot when bringing the winger to north London a little over three years ago.

Indeed, after taking two seasons to find his feet in England, the 21-year-old well and truly exploded over his 29 Premier League appearances last time out, scoring six goals, registering six assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.8 shots, making 1.2 key passes and completing 1.6 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £90k-per-week talent average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.93, ranking him as Mikel Arteta’s eighth-best performer in the top flight of English football in 2021/22.

However, over his seven league fixtures so far this season, the winger has taken his game to a new level, having already bagged three goals and created three big chances for his side, as well as taking an average of 3.0 shots – 1.3 of which have hit the target – made 2.3 key passes – the most of any Arsenal player – and completed 2.3 dribbles – the second-most in Arteta’s squad – per game.

These metrics have seen the Brazil international average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.30, not only ranking him as the Gunners’ third-best performer in the league but also as the joint 24th-best player in the Premier League as a whole – with the youngster playing a key role in Arsenal’s current top-of-the-table standing.

As such, while Martinelli’s returns on the pitch alone are enough to justify Sanllehi’s £6m move for the attacker back in 2019, the fact that the player who Jurgen Klopp dubbed the “talent of the century”, “unbelievable” and a “proper threat” now boasts a market valuation of £63m – an extraordinary 950% increase on his initial cost – well and truly proves how the former Arsenal head of football hit the jackpot on the Brazilian.

Newcastle United centre-back Sven Botman could leave Eddie Howe with “a real decision” to make after losing his place in the team, according to journalist Keith Downie.

The Lowdown: Botman fighting for his place

The Dutchman completed a big-money move to St James’ Park during the summer transfer window, coming in from Lille for £35m after thriving for the Ligue 1 outfit.

Botman has done well in general for the Magpies but he has been in and out of the team recently, only starting five of Newcastle’s eight Premier League matches so far this term.

The 22-year-old did play all 90 minutes of Saturday’s 4-1 win away to Fulham, but there is still a feeling that he is far from a guaranteed starter under Howe.

The Latest: Downie sounds Botman warning

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Sky Sports reporter Downie claimed that the Newcastle manager must ensure that Botman remains happy at St James’ Park, even if he isn’t starting every game.

The journalist warned Howe::

“He’s going to have a real decision on his hands moving forward. I mean, what you don’t want is someone like Sven Botman’s head going down because he’s not playing. You need to make sure he’s ready.”

The Verdict: Highlights Newcastle’s squad depth

In truth, this should be considered a positive situation in some ways, because it shows just how much quality Howe currently has in his squad at Newcastle.

The fact that Botman isn’t a nailed-on starter is proof that other centre-backs like Fabian Schar and Dan Burn are stepping up to the plate, creating a healthy competition for places.

Of course, having an unhappy player in your ranks is never a good thing, if that is indeed the case with Botman, but the 22-year-old should embrace the challenge and raise his game, possibly guaranteeing himself a constant spot in Howe’s starting line-up in that instance.

He has been described as ‘the total package’ by former team-mate and goalkeeper Warner Hahn, and now is the time for him to show that on a weekly basis.

West Ham United are lining up a ‘new’ contract offer for defender Craig Dawson, but there’s a real twist.

The Lowdown: Dawson plots exit?

The 32-year-old was heavily linked with a summer move away from east London as as he sought to return further north for family reasons.

Dawson was also thought to be on the way to Wolves, but after former Irons defender Issa Diop sealed a move to Fulham, West Ham were unable to find a replacement in time and an exit failed to materialise.

Since then, there have been question marks surrounding the former West Brom star’s long-term future under David Moyes, especially since his contract expires in June 2023.

The Latest: West Ham line up ‘new’ Dawson offer…

Now, according to a club insider, there has been an update on the situation.

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Claret & Hugh claim West Ham and owners GSBK by extension (Gold, Sullivan, Brady and Kretinsky) are lining up a ‘new’ contract offer for the defender, but there’s a real twist to the saga, as it is also believed he is unlikely to put pen to paper.

A ‘key’ Hammers source told C&H: “He wants the north long term but we will certainly put a new offer in front of him.”

The Verdict: Worth a try?

While family reasons will be hard to mitigate, West Ham officials can at least showcase their respect and admiration for such a brilliant servant by tabling improved terms.

Dawson has been nothing short of a revelation since his move to the London Stadium, playing 50 matches in all competitions alone for Moyes last season as he played his way into being an indispensable member of the squad (Transfermarkt).

If West Ham in fact cannot convince the Englishman to remain, they will have enjoyed two and a half or even three fine years of Dawson if he elects to run down his deal.

Glasgow Rangers haven’t exactly had the greatest of weeks on the pitch.

A 7-1 Champions League defeat at Ibrox against Liverpool on Wednesday was bad enough, and a serious injury sustained to the ever-reliable Connor Goldson that night means that Giovanni van Bronckhorst is facing something of an injury crisis in defence.

The Engilishman joins Filip Helander and John Souttar on the treatment table, with all three looking like long-term absentees.

It also looked like Ben Davies might be joining them, as the defender was assessed following the Liverpool match with a suspected injury complaint.

However, The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell delivered a big boost to Rangers ahead of the Premiership clash against Motherwell tomorrow, tweeting: “Hearing positive news re Davies ahead of Sunday after further tests. He’s been positive in the last four starts. Been really composed and Rangers need him at the moment.”

This is great news for the Gers and will surely be a sigh of relief for Van Bronckhorst, especially as he would otherwise have had only Leon King and James Sands available to play at the heart of defence.

Davies arrived at Ibrox in the summer for £4m and has started for Rangers in their last four matches. In his three Premiership appearances for the club, the 27-year-old has averaged 54.7 touches and completed 92% of his attempted passes, proving that he is comfortable on the ball and can display an excellent passing ability.

The defender has also won 53% of his duels and lost possession just 4.3 times per match, showing that he is strong in one-on-one scenarios and doesn’t often make mistakes on the ball.

Van Bronckhorst will be praying that Davies is 100% fit for tomorrow’s clash against Motherwell, and the Dutchman will be looking at his team to grasp the opportunity to redeem themselves following the woeful midweek result in the Champions League.

Having the former Liverpool defender available will come as a huge boost to the Gers, especially in the wake of the Goldson body blow, and it looks like there is finally one piece of good news on the injury front for Van Bronckhorst.

Sunderland podcaster Philip West has given his verdict on some early team news for this weekend involving Aji Alese.

The Lowdown: At least three weeks out

Speaking to the media ahead of their game against Burnley in the Championship at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon, Tony Mowbray has confirmed that Alese is out for the next three or four weeks with injury in a ‘best case scenario’.

This comes after he left Ewood Park with a protective boot on his foot after being on the end of a heavy challenge in their 2-0 loss away at Blackburn Rovers last time out.

After having his scan, Mowbray suggested that Alese will now use the weeks leading up to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar to get himself fit, so is likely to be out of action until the tournament finishes.

The Latest: West stunned

Taking to Twitter, Roker Report’s West gave his instant reaction to the news on Alese, claiming that it is a ‘huge blow’, adding that it is now a ‘big test’ for the Wearsiders’ defence to play without him:

“Huge blow to lose Aji Alese. He’s been nothing short of immense in recent weeks, and he was getting better game by game. Big test for our defence without him.”

The Verdict: Massive miss

Alese will no doubt be a massive miss for the team, given that he had started the last seven matches in the Championship, including against Blackburn.

He has played in three different positions already for the Black Cats, and his versatility has been so key for Mowbray when other players have been unavailable.

Nonetheless, Alese’s recent performances have been very impressive, deservedly winning praise by the media, and so it will be more difficult for Mowbray’s side to get a positive result against Burnley without him.

When Craig Dawson left West Bromwich Albion for Watford in 2019, few would have predicted that the centre-back would go on to be starring in the Premier League and in Europe for West Ham United three years later.

The Baggies signed the Englishman from Rochdale in 2010 and he would go on to make 225 appearances during his time at the Hawthorns, contributing 15 goals and 12 assists.

Dawson’s last season for the club saw him make 43 appearances in the Championship with the Baggies as they finished fourth, contributing three goals and two assists, with WhoScored awarding him a solid 6.96 rating for his performances across the season.

It was perhaps no surprise that the centre-back would earn a move back to the Premier League with the Hornets and aged 29, it seemed as if the £5.5m fee West Brom received wouldn’t be too bad a deal, especially when he struggled in his debut season with the Vicarage Road outfit.

Dawson would make 29 appearances for Watford in the 2019/20 campaign as they were relegated from the top tier but a loan move to West Ham the following summer would see him really establish himself as a top defender at the highest level.

Impressive performances in his debut campaign with the Hammers would see them sign him permanently in 2021 and he was a mainstay in David Moyes’ side last season as they secured European football with a top-eight finish in the Premier League, as well as reaching a Europa League semi-final.

The 32-year-old was one of the stars in the Irons’ side as they were knocked out by eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt in the semi-final, with his performances earning him a spot in the Europa League ‘Team of the Season’.

Michail Antonio was full of praise for the impact that Dawson has had during his time at the London Stadium on the Football Daily Podcast saying:

“He’s been unbelievable, he’s been a rock at the back, he’s like an old-school centre-half. He’s tough, he fights, he’s solid, he’s not scared to get down and deep, he’s been quality and he’s been solid for us. He came in not really to play, he’s taken his opportunity he’s taken his shirt and he’s not giving it up.”

Considering that West Brom have managed just three clean sheets in the Championship so far this season, they definitely could have used a player of Dawson’s quality in the heart of their defence now, so must be regretting letting him go for so cheap in 2019.

Journalist Dean Jones has suggested that Cody Gakpo's future is at centre-forward as the Liverpool attacker continues to adapt to life in the Premier League.

What did Jones say about Cody Gakpo?

When Liverpool announced a new signing at the beginning of last season's January transfer window, many fans were mightily relieved. Finally, a new midfielder to help steady the ship.

But that wasn't quite the case, with the arrival of attacker Cody Gakpo, while recognised as a great piece of business, not the kind of signing the Liverpool supporters were after.

With Jurgen Klopp managing to mould the forward into a prime Roberto Firmino replacement, Gakpo was instrumental in the Reds' Europa League qualification last season, managing to salvage something from a torrid campaign.

While the 24-year-old arrived from PSV Eindhoven as a left-winger, Klopp has rarely played the Dutch international there, instead moving him centrally into a false-nine role.

Finishing the season with seven goals and three assists in the Premier League, the experiment worked, also helping others around him find better form such as Diogo Jota.

Dean Jones believes that Gakpo is destined to play in a central role moving forward, arguing that it is the position in which Liverpool can get the most from their winter signing.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones said: "He did keep going though and as the older he gets, the more you would be willing to expect him to overcome those difficulties in front of goal."

He added: "He does look and have the build of somebody who probably should be a centre-forward. So, I think that that's probably the best route for them to go down. But Gakpo is just so versatile, so smart that it's just nice to know you've got that one up your sleeve."

Liverpool fans will be hoping that Gakpo can impress even further next season with a full pre-season under his belt and a more settled and well-stocked squad around him.

The Reds are not expected to go into the market for an attacker, instead prioritising a midfield rebuild and defensive reinforcements in the summer window.

What do the stats say about Cody Gakpo?

While Gakpo may not have flourished into a goalscoring number nine yet, the signs suggest that he is still a very clinical player. In the Premier League last season, compared to other forwards, Gakpo was in the top 3% for goals per shot on target, averaging 0.58.

The Dutchman also outperformed his 6.2 xG, netting seven times, and also finished in the top 30% for goals per game.

His defensive stats compared to other strikers are superb, sitting in the top 8% or higher for tackles, tackles in the attacking third and dribblers tackled. This highlights his importance in leading the press for Liverpool and forcing turnovers high up the pitch, something which Klopp will undoubtedly love about Gakpo.

Described by Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders as having a "special skill set", the balance he provides Klopp's side is of great significance, and he has already made himself the perfect heir to Firmino's Anfield throne.

A Tottenham Hotspur ‘source’/insider has reportedly shared an update on chairman Daniel Levy’s £320m sponsorship deal with AIA amid political pressure.

The Lowdown: AIA controversy…

The All-Party Hong Kong parliamentary group has apparently written to Levy expressing their discontent with AIA whilst asking the Spurs chiefs to reconsider their sponsorship deal with the firm.

This comes after AIA publicly supported a 2020 bill from the Chinese Communist Party which aimed to bring about ‘stability’ by curbing pro-democracy rallies. However, human rights activists have hit back at the legislation, arguing that it impedes freedom of speech and the right to peaceful demonstration.

As a result, it is claimed that Spurs and Levy are under a degree of pressure to ditch their relationship with AIA after their links to the 2020 bill – much like Manchester United severed their ties with airline Aeroflot due to their Russian state affiliation following the invasion of Ukraine.

The Latest: Spurs source shares AIA update…

As per a ‘source’/insider, there has been an update on Tottenham and Levy’s stance on their eight-year, £320m AIA sponsorship agreement.

It is claimed that Spurs are ‘unlikely’ to break off their lucrative deal despite the potential for backlash, especially considering that early termination fees would apply.

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This information comes courtesy of Football Insider as an informant with ‘internal knowledge’ of the sponsorship market shares these claims.

The Verdict: Interesting…

Amid Levy’s quest to seal Spurs’ stadium naming rights, the Lilywhites would perhaps be more inclined to reconsider their AIA relationship once Google’s talks over the former are completed.

For now, it appears that their £320m agreement with AIA is too valuable to jettison regardless of the political consequences, especially given Tottenham’s mounted club debt since lockdown.