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Manchester City are reportedly interested in signing KRC Genk wonderkid Bilal El Khannouss and signing the Morocco international could allow Pep Guardiola to ditch Cole Palmer.

According to reports from Belgium, City and Napoli are currently leading the race to sign Genk’s golden boy, with the Pro League side set to demand around €32m (£28m) for his services this winter as they look to make the teenager their record sale.

Despite being just 18, the attacking midfielder has featured in all but one of Genk’s games in the Belgian top flight so far this campaign, contributing two assists in 18 games and earning a solid 6.68 rating from WhoScored for his performances, with De Smurfen currently comfortably top of the Pro League.

The club’s technical director Dimitri De Condé was extremely complimentary of El Khannouss’ ability and potential last year, saying:

“Bilal is a pleasure to watch and during my eight years at the club, I have rarely seen such a talent at KRC Genk.”

When you consider that the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Leandro Trossard have all come through Genk’s academy and gone on to big things, this certainly bodes well for the youngster’s future in the game, and City will no doubt be hoping that he can live up to his potential should he make the move to the Etihad.

The arrival of another highly-rated attacking midfielder could well spell the end for Palmer, who has struggled in his rare appearances so far this campaign, failing to notch a single goal or assist in any of his 16 appearances in all competitions.

The 20-year-old looked as if he could follow in the footsteps of Phil Foden when he was promoted to the first team by Guardiola, especially with his phenomenal record for the U21s, which has seen him manage 22 goals and 11 assists in just 29 appearances.

Guardiola has given him a chance to impress in each of the last two fixtures but he was anonymous in games against Chelsea and Southampton, so it would be a surprise to see him given many more opportunities this season.

Therefore, if the 18-year-old El Khannouss does arrive on the back of some impressive performances playing for a team at the top of the league, it could well spell the end for one of City’s academy graduates.

Leeds United could be set to push for another striker, just days after reaching agreement for a deal to sign Georginio Rutter…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to 90min, who claim that the Whites are one of three Premier League clubs interested in South Korean sensation Cho Gue-Sung.

The 24-year-old currently features in his homeland for Jeonbuk Hyundai, but his goalscoring exploits have not gone unnoticed across Europe despite his recent military service.

With Mainz having failed in a recent bid for the forward, it at least revealed the valuation placed upon him. His current club are holding out for a fee of around €3m (£2.6m).

Bamford upgrade

Although Cho’s statistics are somewhat clouded due to his aforementioned military service, during the 2021/22 season he was in lethal form.

Across 35 games, he scored 21 goals and set up a further five. This showed a marked increase in his mere 11 goal contributions from the campaign prior.

However, it was at the World Cup where he has truly risen to prominence, both for his performances and – as The Athletic’s Danny Taylor put it – ‘being handsome’.

He more than earned his 7.03 Sofascore rating at the tournament as his country emerged from their group alongside Portugal and ahead of Uruguay and Ghana.

It was his two-goal haul against the latter which made for one of the most striking games in Qatar, and it showed that he could convert his form from the domestic competition onto a bigger stage.

As such, Tottenham Hotspur star and compatriot Heung-min Son was full of praise for him but issued some advice: “For him to move to a European club must mean he is the best player in South Korea just now and that is quite an achievement. Once he adapts, he will enjoy the experience. But he has to keep working hard every day.”

Therefore, Leeds could even see him as a potential upgrade on the perennially injured Patrick Bamford, who will likely be forced into a supplementary role for Rutter once the French youngster’s impending move is completed.

Cho might be a better fit for this role, given his youth, fitness, and immediate form.

In the last season-and-a-half, Bamford has only managed 20 league appearances, scoring his first goal of the current campaign on Friday night against Aston Villa.

It may be tough to admit, but as the club have done recently with Mateusz Klich, it could be essential for Leeds to move on from the past in order to retain their status in the top flight.

Therefore, a move for Cho could not only skyrocket their brand in South Korea but also provide a fine goalscoring foil for the team-mates that he would be joining.

West Ham United have found themselves struggling in the Premier League this season with inconsistent performances and failure to see games out causing vulnerability for the east London side.

The Hammers are currently 16th in the league table and just one point clear of the relegation zone after 20 league outings having suffered the joint-second highest number of losses in the entire top flight, something David Moyes must improve instantly if the club are to have any hope of surviving a drop into the Championship.

Indeed, the club have recognised the pressing concern surrounding the inability to kill games with goals scored and snapped up the services of Danny Ings this week in hope that the former Aston Villa striker can find the back of the net consistently at the London Stadium over the second half of the season.

Moyes will certainly be feeling the pressure on his position leading the squad, however, after picking up three points in a clash dubbed ‘El Sackico’ with Everton yesterday it seems that the manager may be given more time to improve the performances in the upcoming fixtures ahead.

Not only that, the club are now preparing to lose Declan Rice in the summer with a number of Premier League clubs swarming with interest to sign the West Ham talisman this summer including Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.

As a result, preparing a replacement to succeed the unplayable midfielder at the end of the season will be crucial in ensuring that the side doesn’t suffer another relegation scrap should they survive this term.

One player who has been linked with a move to East London this week is Manchester United’s defensive midfielder Scott McTominay after falling out of favour at his current club due to the arrival of Casemiro.

Popular club insider EXWHUEmployee has claimed via West Ham Central on Twitter that McTominay is being considered as the long-term replacement for the 24-year-old.

There is no doubt that the England international offers more quality and potential in the centre of the pitch than McTominay, however, the Scottish midfielder is a capable and realistic target for West Ham ahead of the summer.

When comparing the positional peers over their last full season the pair shared many close similarities in their output including goals scored (1 v 1), aerial duels won (60.9% v 66.3%), dribbles completed (69.4% v 76.6%), blocks (45 v 45), clearances (52 v 60) and progressive passes received (32 v 36).

Over 15 Premier League appearances this season, the 26-year-old – who was hailed a “leader” by Thierry Henry – has tallied up an 81% pass completion rate and successfully completed 67% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 1.3 tackles, 2.3 clearances and winning 3.5 duels per game – despite only averaging 50 minutes per performance.

With that being said, the signing of McTominay would give West Ham a Premier League-proven player to occupy the important role in midfield if Rice should exit in the summer and with regular game time with the Hammers, Moyes could potentially get the best from the player.

Manchester United scouts have been watching Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos ahead of a potential move in 2023, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Ramos’ season so far

Ramos, labelled as an ‘incredible talent’ by football content creator Jacob Schneider, has enjoyed a free-scoring season so far for club and country.

The 21-year-old, who can play as a centre-forward, second striker or attacking midfielder, has scored 18 goals and registered seven assists in 27 club appearances.

He also featured at the World Cup, scoring a remarkable hat-trick and registering an assist in a 6-1 Round of 16 victory over Switzerland.

The Latest: Romano’s claim

Romano touched on United’s search for a new marquee attacker in his daily briefing for Caught Offside on Wednesday. The reliable reporter said that Red Devils ‘are monitoring many strikers’, although nothing is expected to happen in the final days of the January window.

One of those forwards is thought to be Ramos, with United scouts watching the Portugal international in action during the Champions League.

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The Verdict: Summer target?

Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen are also named in Romano’s briefing, however, Ramos could be a shrewd alternative, assuming Kane and Osimhen are above the Benfica man in the Old Trafford wish-list.

The Nike-sponsored forward has gone from strength to strength in recent months and now holds a career-high €30m Transfermarkt valuation, so is likely to cost less than the aforementioned pair despite being at the peak of his powers.

You’d expect he still has further room for improvement on his already impressive game before hitting his prime, so in the long run, you could make an argument for Ramos being a smart signing due to the fact he is already finding the back of the net with ease and is younger than Kane and Osimhen.

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has claimed that Southampton are ‘definitely’ looking to sign a couple of new players before the end of the transfer window.

The Lowdown: Saints hunting for a striker

Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that Nathan Jones’ side are looking to ‘identify’ a striker this month, expressing his confidence that the Premier League outfit will find themselves a new forward in that time.

One name that was recently linked with a move to the Saints was Antoine Semenyo, according to The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell.

However, Semenyo would opt to join AFC Bournemouth instead, leaving Southampton to continue their hunt for a new forward.

The Latest: Saints will be doing business

Sheth claimed that the Southampton boss is hopeful they can bring in one or two players this month when speaking to GiveMeSport, expecting them to make moves in the remaining hours of the window.

He stated, “Southampton, for sure [could be busy]. They’re definitely in the market to bring in [players].

“They’ve had a couple of bids for a couple of players rejected and I think Nathan Jones has been very, very public that not only does he want to bring in one or two players before the close of the window, he’s hopeful of bringing in one or two players before the close of the window.

“So it looks like a couple of deals are in situ just there at Southampton and they will be doing business in the last couple of days.”

The Verdict: A priority area

Southampton are seriously lacking in their options up front, and it would surely be seen by some as a key area being neglected if they don’t land a striker before the end of January.

The Saints only have three out-and-out forwards in their ranks. Che Adams is the most experienced of the trio, but he’s not someone that you can rely on to hit double figures on a consistent basis based on his output at St Mary’s – Adams has never scored more than 10 Premier League goals in a single season.

He’s recently been linked with a move to Everton, and former goalkeeper Paddy Kenny doesn’t think he’s the answer to their problems.

Kenny labelled the 26-year-old as a ‘decent squad player’, but believes he ‘isn’t the guy who will go out and get you 15 or 20 goals in a season’ when speaking to Football Insider.

If Southampton acquire a new striker in January, they need to make sure they have one important factor, and that’s goals.

Adams currently leads the way as their top scorer with eight goals in all competitions. Only four other players in their entire squad have netted more than one goal so far in this campaign.

We believe it’s clear that getting goals is where the real problem is, but there’s so little time left in the window that it will be incredibly challenging for Southampton to land themselves a new forward before the deadline passes.

Newcastle United wanted to make a loan move for Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the January transfer window, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Loftus-Cheeks stays put

The 27-year-old has found himself in and out of the Blues’ team this season, with Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter not always seeing him as a key man.

Loftus-Cheek has still made 12 starts in the Premier League in 2022/23 to date, but these have come in a variety of positions and a calf injury has prevented him from making more consistent appearances.

The Englishman ended up remaining at Chelsea last month, despite failing to lock down a regular role for himself at Stamford Bridge, but his long-term future arguably lies elsewhere after the Blues’ recent spending spree.

The Latest: Newcastle wanted temporary deal

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that the Magpies ‘hoped’ to sign Loftus-Cheek in January, but wouldn’t commit to a permanent move:

“I think Loftus-Cheek kind of came into the equation – Newcastle looked at it. They were hoping he might become available for loan and that just didn’t really happen.”

The Verdict: One that got away?

The Magpies were also linked with a late swoop for Conor Gallagher, so it is clear they are trying to buff up their midfield ranks, and Loftus-Cheek may actually have been the better option.

He is a talented player with ten caps to his name for England  – one who has been hailed as ‘fantastic’ by Rio Ferdinand – and he is someone who could have given Newcastle more depth in multiple positions.

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Powerful and versatile, the Chelsea man has enjoyed an 86.4% pass completion rate and averaged 1.1 tackles per game in the league this term, and he could have been a nice foil for the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, who arguably need a better deputy to rotate with after the departure of Jonjo Shelvey.

Whether or not Newcastle come back in for Loftus-Cheek this summer remains to seen – his current deal expires in 2024 – but it could be a shrewd piece of business and the Blues may be willing to sanction a cheaper exit as their window to receive a fee for the player ticks down.

Journalist Alasdair Gold has revealed that the Tottenham Hotspur squad were “shocked” to learn that Matt Doherty was leaving the club permanently.

What’s the word?

In terms of drama, transfer deadline day certainly didn’t fail to live up to expectations for those who follow Spurs. Indeed, Pedro Porro come in despite fear that a move to collapse.

However, his arrival meant that there was space for a wingback to leave and Doherty was that mean. Indeed, the Irishman was set for a loan to Atletico Madrid but that wasn’t possible because Tottenham had already filled their quota of having a maximum of eight players out on loan.

As a compromise, the club simply opted to terminate the defender’s contract allowing him to complete a move to La Liga. Internally, this twist seems to have surprised a few squad members.

Indeed, while writing for football.london, Gold explained: “‘Doherty’s Spurs team-mates were shocked when they suddenly found out the news on Tuesday that he was leaving permanently.”

Shock departure

Interestingly enough, Gold himself had predicted that Doherty’s status as a Spurs player might have been safe regardless of Porro’s arrivals due to his ability to play on the left and right side of the defence.

He wrote: “If Porro does arrive as expected then offers will be looked at for both players, although Doherty brings left-sided cover as well which [Antonio] Conte appreciates.”

Despite that, having struggled to nail down a regular spot in the team this season – with just seven Premier League starts and one in the Champions League – it would have been no great surprise to learn the player has been loaned out for the time being.

His permanent exit, however, shows the fickle and unpredictable world of football and the transfer market, with the Irishman’s time as a Tottenham player now officially and suddenly over.

Evidently, his teammates didn’t see it coming.

The Merseyside derby on Monday is likely to come ‘too soon’ for Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk to return from injury, according to expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Van Dijk injured

After being forced off at half-time in Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat away at Brentford at the beginning of January, Jurgen Klopp confirmed Van Dijk would be out for at least ‘a few weeks’.

The centre-back has recently taken to Instagram to share an update on his progress, posting stats of a fitness session he was involved in, after what transpired to be a hamstring injury ended up being worse than first feared.

The Latest: Dinnery’s update

In an interview with GIVEMESPORT, Dinnery claimed that next week’s Merseyside derby against Everton will be too early for the Dutchman to make a return.

The injury expert said: “I would suggest that the Merseyside derby on Monday is probably going to come a little bit too soon for him.

“I think, realistically, Jurgen Klopp would want more time on the training pitches for him, so it could be the game after that where he makes his return.”

The Verdict: Disappointing news

Hailed as ‘outrageous’ by Jonathan Woodgate (via The Mirror), it is no secret how important the 31-year-old is for Klopp’s side, ranked by Sofascore as their best-performing centre-back in the Premier League this season, averaging a 7.01 match rating.

In the absence of the 6 foot 5 titan, the Reds have looked shaky defensively, going two goals down inside 12 minutes against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, with Joel Matip being rated as the worst player on the pitch.

While Liverpool should not need Van Dijk to beat Everton, given the disparity between the teams in the league table, Klopp will still be disappointed that one of his best players is not back to full fitness yet, and the hope will be that he can return for the tough trip to Newcastle United a week on Saturday.

Newcastle United have been gifted a big injury boost before they play Bournemouth in the Premier League, as Alexander Isak is back in the squad.

The Lowdown: Head injury

Isak, who had come on as a substitute, had to be substituted off with a head injury in Newcastle’s 2-1 win at home to Southampton in their recent Carabao Cup semi-final.

He received a blow to the face from a powerful free-kick from James Ward-Prowse, and was subsequently taken off in injury-time.

As a result, Isak Eddie Howe’s team drew 1-1 against West Ham United in the Premier League at St. James’ Park last weekend.

The Latest: Back in squad

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match against the Cherries, Howe has confirmed that Isak has ‘fully recovered’ from his injury, and that he will be ‘in the squad’:

“He will be in the squad. He’s fully recovered with no problems. Initially he got hit on the head and he didn’t feel too bad but we had to follow protocols. He’s been good this week.”

The Verdict: Big boost

Having Isak back in the squad will certainly be a big boost for Howe and his team.

The club-record signing has had twice in his opening three appearances in the Premier League, including against Liverpool at Anfield.

He also netted the winner upon his return from a hamstring injury against Fulham in January, showing how much of a poacher he can be in front of goal.

The Magpies have been goal-shy in recent games, scoring just eight times in eight matches in all competitions since January, and Isak has shown that he can be ruthless when given the chance.

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa side return to action in the Premier League in the lunchtime kick-off today as they attempt to avoid three straight defeats.

After losing to Leicester and Manchester City in their last two outings, the Villans host Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who will go top for a few hours at least if they avoid defeat in the Midlands today.

Both teams were beaten 3-1 by Pep Guardiola’s men in their respective last matches in the top flight, and Emery will surely be hoping for a strong response from his players against an Arsenal team who have stuttered of late.

The Spanish head coach may alter his starting XI in an attempt to rejuvenate his team for this clash against his former club, and one player who should be unleashed from the start is Philippe Coutinho.

Will Philippe Coutinho start against Arsenal?

After his impressive cameo off the bench last time out, the £125k-p/w attacking midfielder must be named in the Villa starting XI to take on Arsenal this afternoon.

Against Manchester City, the 30-year-old came on as a substitute and recorded a Sofascore rating of 7.4 by completing two dribbles and winning four of his six individual duels, whilst also registering one shot on target.

Emi Buendia, who started that match, lost 100% of his battles and failed to produce a single shot in his 60 minutes on the pitch (as per Sofascore), and the Argentine gem should now be replaced by his Brazilian team-mate, who could get the best out of Ollie Watkins.

The Villa centre-forward has scored three goals in his last three appearances and has racked up four goals and one assist in seven league matches since the World Cup break.

Coutinho, who ex-Liverpool player Phil Thompson dubbed a “creative genius”, has not scored or set up a single goal in the Premier League this season in six starts, but his flash of quality against City suggests that the spark which he showed last term could be coming back to him.

At his best, the wizard has the quality to put opportunities on a plate for Watkins to continue his excellent streak in front of goal, and the pair could make for an exciting duo against the Gunners.

In 2021/22, the Brazil international averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.09 across 19 appearances and chipped in with five goals and three assists from midfield, whilst creating five ‘big chances’ and providing 1.3 key passes per game for his team-mates.

The ex-Barcelona gem, whose touch was once described as “magical” by journalist John Townley, has 184 career goals and assists combined at club level, along with 21 goals for his country, and is vastly experienced at being a difference-maker at the top level.

Emery must now unleash Coutinho alongside Watkins from the start against Arsenal today and hope that the Champions League winner can provide some moments of magic to tee up the England international to continue his hot streak.