Arsenal have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Martin Zubimendi, who is unwilling to leave Real Sociedad this month.

The Lowdown: Zubimendi’s future

There has been talk about the midfielder moving to a number of different Premier League clubs, with Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag known to be an admirer, while Chelsea have also been linked with a move for the Spaniard.

The 23-year-old is contracted with Real Sociedad until 2027 after committing his future to the club in October, but this deal also includes a release clause.

The Latest: Arsenal snubbed

According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal have been snubbed by the Spaniard, despite the Gunners’ willingness to meet the £52.5m release clause required to secure his services.

The boyhood Sociedad fan does not want to abandon his team while they are enjoying a strong season in La Liga, and even though his agents were in London on Friday, the deal now looks set to be put on hold until the summer.

The Verdict: Blow for Arteta

Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka have struck up a fine relationship in the Arsenal engine room this season, ranking fourth and sixth in the squad respectively in terms of average match rating (Sofascore), but Mikel Arteta could still do with some more midfield options to enable squad rotation.

There is every indication that Zubimendi could immediately challenge for a starting berth, judging by his performances with Sociedad, being lauded as a ‘special’ player by journalist Sid Lowe earlier this season.

The Spaniard particularly flourishes in his defensive duties, averaging 1.92 clearances per 90 in the past year. He is also an imposing presence in the air, ranking in the 93rd percentile for aerial duels won compared to other midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues.

A move still seems as though it will be possible in the summer, but Arteta may well be disappointed not to be able to land the maestro this month, given that he will need more strength in depth when the fixtures pile up as the Gunners’ Europa League campaign resumes later in the season.

Journalist George Caulkin has claimed that Newcastle United are looking at another target alongside Anthony Gordon.

The Lowdown: Newcastle keeping their options open

Newcastle had appeared to be pretty dormant in the January transfer window until the start of this week, when links between themselves and Gordon started to pick up pace, and these have only intensified with the winger having missed training on numerous occasions this week.

The Magpies were keen on Gordon over the summer and look to be trying to take advantage of Everton’s precarious position both on and off the pitch to land a top target this month.

However, given Everton are said to be adamant about receiving £60m for their academy graduate – who has more bookings than goals this season – Newcastle are not pinning all of their hopes on him alone.

The Latest: PIF looking at Gordon alternatives

Caulkin has claimed on Pod on the Tyne that he’s spoken to a senior source at Newcastle about their current situation amid the Gordon links.

He said: “I spoke to somebody very senior at the club yesterday, and they confirmed the Gordon interest, but there was also a kind of caveat that there was somebody else that they were looking at in the same position, so they haven’t put all their eggs in one basket.”

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The Verdict: Smart recruitment underway

It will be very comforting for Newcastle fans to hear that their club aren’t just going all in on Gordon this month as they were seemingly led down a garden path last summer only to not have a chance of competing with the likes of Chelsea for his signature.

Reports have been circulating lately about Newcastle’s interest in Brazilian youngster Matheus Franca, with some suggesting that bids have been rejected by Flamengo over the past few days, so he could well be the player Caulkin was talking about.

Something that Newcastle’s new owners certainly won’t do is pay over the odds for anyone, as they have walked away from deals for players such as James Maddison and Moussa Diaby in the past when they thought the prices were too high – and this approach has not done them any harm thus far.

Everton have ‘turned towards’ signing Morocco international and Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech this January, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Danjuma deal hijacked…

Despite already having his medical at Goodison Park, Spurs made a successful eleventh hour hijack attempt to sign Arnaut Danjuma much to the dismay of the Everton hierarchy.

Tottenham have since unveiled the Dutchman as a winter signing with the Toffees now forced to go back to their drawing board in the search for alternatives.

This comes amid the club’s search for a new Premier League manager after they sacked Frank Lampard.

The Latest: Everton turn towards Ziyech…

Now, according to broadcast giant Sky Sports, via their transfer blog (Wednesday, 15:27), Everton have now ‘turned towards’ signing Ziyech as an alternative.

It’s explained on video that the Merseyside club have ‘moved quickly’ on to their next target after Danjuma’s move collapsed with one ‘source’ saying they’re ‘ready to pay £25 million’ for the 29-year-old.

It’s added that Chelsea are ‘considering letting him go’ amid Everton’s interest.

The Verdict: Upgrade?

Called a ‘real handful’ by former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan, we believe the £100,000-per-week forward would be a real asset for both Everton and their next manager.

In their bid for top flight survival, they’re in dire need of proven attacking quality and Morocco’s 2022 World Cup star can provide exactly that.

As per WhoScored, Ziyech played a pivotal role on his nation’s run to the semi-finals whilst making history as being part of Africa’s first ever team to get that far.

He averaged more attempts at goal per 90 than any Moroccan whilst also completing their second-highest rate of successful take-ons – finishing the tournament as one of their top three best-performers.

While he has been pushed to the sidelines at Chelsea, if Everton were to offer an escape route, Ziyech is capable of injecting that real spark in the attacking areas.

Arsenal passed their biggest test yet and maintained control at the top of the Premier League standings with a dramatic late victory over Manchester United on Sunday night.

Manchester City thrashed Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the day to put the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s men, clinching all three points after going behind, to secure a five-point cushion from the second-placed defending champions.

And the Spaniard has Eddie Nketiah to thank after his match-winner in the 90th minute, having already bagged the Gunners’ first goal – the initial equaliser – either side of Bukayo Saka’s lovely angled strike.

But there were many heroes on the pitch at the Emirates Stadium, perhaps some that won’t get as much credit, such as versatile left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, who was practically playing as an additional central midfielder for the majority of the second half.

Not only did he get back to win his duels but practically every bit of play ran through him, eventually leading to that aforementioned three-point-snatching climax.

In what was described as a “phenomenal” and “monster of a performance” by ESPNUK editor David Cartlidge, the Ukraine star – who cost Arsenal only £32m in the summer – led the way with 85 touches, which was the most of any player on the pitch and thus, emphasises just how crucial he was to the end result.

With that possession, he provided 57 accurate passes (88%), of which one was a key chance created, whilst he also did some resolute and impressive defensive duties – living up to that ‘monster’ tag – as he registered two tackles, two interceptions and one clearance, via Sofascore.

Meanwhile, Zinchenko’s heatmap was remarkable, pretty much occupying a regular spot as a left-sided attacking midfielder, which not only shows how much influence he had but how Arsenal had the Red Devils camped in their own box for a good portion of the match, with the £150k-per-week star at the forefront of the action.

There were truly not enough superlatives to describe his showing, ranging from “unreal” from the Evening Standard’s Simon Collings to “very special” by Rank Squad podcaster Jack Collins.

Guardian and Times journalist Freddie Paxton also waxed lyrical, adding: “Alex Zinchenko. Constantly talking to his teammates. Geeing up the crowd. Never hides, master of keeping the ball. WORLD CLASS.”

Indeed, Zinchenko was the real star of the show as the Gunners registered what could be a very poignant victory at a crucial time in the season. If the 26-year-old continues to perform and lead like that, then he’ll no doubt be lifting the Premier League trophy come May.

AND in other news, Edu could repeat Odegaard masterclass in Arsenal swoop for Vieira-esque £35m “monster”…

Tottenham Hotspur are ‘leading the way’ to sign Roma forward Nicolo Zaniolo and are ‘prepared to put more money down initially for the loan’, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs renew Zaniolo interest…

Spurs are reliably believed to have renewed their interest in the 23-year-old after repeated links last summer, with journalists like Gianluca Di Marzio breaking the most recent links.

There have been further reports since then claiming that the Lilywhites and London rivals West Ham are in the running for the Italy international’s signature.

90min even claim that the likes of Leicester City and Leeds United are also eyeing a move for Zaniolo, but Spurs and their fellow capital club are more frequently mentioned in the press.

While there are admirers from abroad also in Borussia Dortmund, it appears that Antonio Conte’s side are in pole position, according to an update from West Ham insider ExWHUemployee.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘leading the way’ for Zaniolo…

The reliable Hammers in-the-know claimed via Patreon that Spurs are currently ‘leading the way’ for Zaniolo ahead of West Ham for one main reason.

It is believed that Tottenham are ‘prepared to put more money down initially’ for a proposed loan with an obligation to buy.

In a further boost for Conte and Spurs, the Irons have had their offer rejected by Roma.

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The Verdict: Good news…

As things stand, it would appear that Spurs are the frontrunners to sign Zaniolo this month as club chiefs look for a creative spark and heir to Christian Eriksen.

The Sky Sports panel have described the 23-year-old as a player who can fill the void left by Tottenham’s former fan favourite, dubbing him a ‘Conte sort of player’.

As per WhoScored, the Italy international’s creativity is evident through his league numbers last season, having racked up a higher rate of successful take-ons and fouls drawn per 90 than anyone in Jose Mourinho’s squad.

The only caveat to this move would be Zaniolo’s current dip in form, having only scored one goal all season.

However, we believe that working under a manager like Conte, combined with the excitement of working in Europe’s highest-ranked league (as per UEFA’s association club coefficient), could reignite a spark in the midfielder’s game.

His physicality is also a bonus given that Zaniolo stands at a lofty 6 foot 3 and has been called ‘physically imposing’ by members of the media, seemingly making him tailor-made for a move to England.

Wolverhampton Wanderers may finally be able to ditch one of their most underperforming players in the coming months…

What’s the news?

According to CNN Portugal (via Record) Benfica are reportedly looking at re-signing defender Nelson Semedo in the summer.

Although his contract expires at the end of the current campaign, Wolves have the option to extend it for a further two years.

The 29-year-old joined the Old Gold in 2020 from Barcelona having previously been a member of the Benfica first-team squad between 2015-2017.

“Useless”

Julen Lopetegui has overseen a remarkable turnaround since taking over from Bruno Lage in November. The 56-year-old has only tasted defeat on three occasions, against Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United, while improving their form in front of goal, scoring nine times in nine matches having scored just 11 goals until the hiatus for the World Cup.

The Spaniard is certainly asserting his own stamp on the team, luring talents such as Matheus Cunha, Pablo Sarabia, and Mario Lemina to Molineux and the next step is to ditch those who have underperformed or simply don’t feature in his plans for next season, and Semedo should be one of those players.

The £80k-per-week right-back was dubbed “useless” by pundit Gabby Agbonlahor earlier this season and his performances haven’t exactly lit up Molineux.

Across 18 Premier League appearances this season, Semedo has registered an average rating of 6.67/10 via Sofascore which ranks him a lowly 17th in the whole Wolves squad and underlines just how poor he has been so far this term.

The defender also ranks fourth for tackles, seventh for interceptions, and fifth for blocks made per match, while he also ranks second in the squad for total cards (four yellow and one red) and it’s evident that Lopetegui needs to move him on either in the next couple of days or in the summer.

A new era is beginning to take shape at Wolves and there is no place for passengers who simply want to coast through matches. The former Real Madrid manager has high hopes for his side and ditching underperforming liabilities such as Semedo will only help his cause.

Chelsea are readying a mammoth part-exchange bid to sign Benfica star Enzo Fernandez this month, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Fernandez links…

The Argentina international, who played a starring role for his nation as they won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, has been of serious interest to Chelsea this January transfer window.

Todd Boehly and the Stamford Bridge hierarchy have been making moves for Fernandez behind-the-scenes with reports claiming they were in talks a few weeks ago.

Links to the 22-year-old haven’t faded as manager Graham Potter allegedly seeks to add a new midfielder to his ranks, with a report from Portugal sharing the latest.

The Latest: Chelsea ready mammoth Fernandez…

According to Record, via Sport Witness, the Blues are now readying a mammoth €100 million (£88m) offer for Fernandez ‘plus a couple of players’.

The part-exchange bid, though, may not be enough with Benfica unwilling to sell and therefore Potter’s side may have to trigger his €120 million (£105m) release clause to make a deal possible.

The Verdict: Make the move?

Reports have suggested that Moises Caicedo is another player of interest to Chelsea amid their hunt for a new midfielder.

Boehly and co do have alternatives to Fernandez if they opt not to trigger Fernandez’s release clause or raise their offer, it would seem.

However, going by the South American star’s serious credentials, we believe they shouldn’t be so quick to move on from a midfielder proven both at club and international level.

Fernandez won the World Cup Young Player of the Tournament award for his exploits in Qatar and has carried over that form for Benfica.

According to WhoScored, only three players have featured over more league minutes than the indispensable midfielder who also ranks in their top two for tackles made per 90 in Liga Portugal.

Fernandez also ranks joint-top of his side’s rankings for assists this season (5), impressive for a supposedly defensive-minded player.

A real all-rounder, the ‘sensational’ midfielder has also amassed Benfica’s third-highest rate of key passes made per 90 in the final third.

Scottish champions Celtic marched on in the rampant defence of their Premiership title after securing a 2-0 victory away to Dundee United on Sunday, with goals from Jota and Aaron Mooy proving the difference amid a commanding performance from the Old Firm giants.

After failing to break the deadlock despite an impressive first-half performance – having also seen VAR overturn an initial penalty decision for a potential foul on Kyogo Furuhashi – the Hoops finally struck a killer blow just after the break as Jota cleverly nodded home at the back post.

That lead was extended just minutes later as the Hoops were awarded a spot-kick following a handball from Kieran Freeman, with the resurgent Mooy – who has been “outstanding” of late according to his manager Ange Postecoglou – subsequently converting to net his fifth goal of the season.

There was to be no real fightback from the home side as Postecoglou swept to his 50th Premiership win in just 61 games in charge, with only former treble winner Martin O’Neill having reached that milestone at a faster rate (59) for Celtic.

On an evening of standout showings for the Parkhead outfit – including January arrival Alistair Johnston – one man who perhaps underwhelmed somewhat was Kyogo Furuhashi, with the Japan international failing to add to his tally of 17 top-flight goals this season.

That record has illustrated the remarkable hot streak that the 28-year-old has enjoyed of late, but the diminutive speedster was unable to maintain that form against the Tangerines, despite previously netting four times already this season against Liam Fox’s men.

Having netted a hat-trick when the two sides met at Tannadice in August, it proved a far more frustrating day for the former Vissel Kobe man this time around, despite posing a ‘constant threat’ in attack, in the words of Glasgow Live’s Alan Galindo.

The £19k-per-week hotshot notably missed a gilt-edged chance just 30 seconds into the match after firing high and wide following a neat, threaded pass from the aforementioned Jota, before again proving rather profligate after firing straight at the onrushing Mark Birighitti just prior to the half-hour mark.

The forward’s all-round game was also rather disappointing as he recorded a mere 14 touches in total during his 82-minute outing, just over half as many as Joe Hart took between the sticks (26).

The 5 foot 7 sensation completed only two passes and lost possession five times to further illustrate his struggles on the ball, having also failed to offer much in a defensive sense as he did not win any of his four duels.

That rather muted display unsurprisingly saw the 16-cap maestro record a match rating of 6.4 from Sofascore, the worst of any Celtic starter on the day.

Although that performance may have been a mere blip amid a scintillating run of form for the dynamic ace of late, the Japanese forward did somewhat let his manager down with his limp outing.

With new signing Oh Hyeon-gyu likely chomping at the bit to secure a regular role in the team, Kyogo cannot afford too many more quiet days at the office.

Leeds United have been tipped to seal a late move for Roma midfielder, Nicolo Zaniolo, with the Italy international facing an uncertain future at the Stadio Olimpico.

What’s the word?

Reports earlier today claimed that Whites sporting director Victor Orta had made a loan-to-buy offer for the 23-year-old, with the towering playmaker having also been linked with a £31m switch to fellow Premier League side Bournemouth in recent times.

According to transfer insider Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – the Elland Road outfit could well capitalise on the player’s apparent desire to leave his current side, by making a concrete move before the deadline.

The respected journalist stated: “Leeds could take advantage of a tricky situation but they only wanted a loan and other clubs, including some in Italy, are having a look. We know Zaniolo is stuck between a rock and a hard place because he needs to leave Roma.”

Aaronson upgrade

The addition of Zaniolo could well allow Orta and Jesse Marsch the chance to secure an upgrade on summer signing Brenden Aaronson, with the USA international having been unable to truly make his mark in the playmaking berth so far this season.

Although the 22-year-old’s relentless work ethic has been commendable – as he notably ranks in the top 4% among his European peers for blocks made – he has been unable to offer a greater end product to go with it, having scored just once and laid on only two assists in 22 games in all competitions this season.

For a player that is seemingly meant to be the creative hub of the side, such a limp return is no doubt something of a problem for the Yorkshire outfit, hence the possible desire to provide quality competition in the form of the Roma maestro.

The latter man – who has been described as “such a special player” by journalist Carlo Garganese in the past – has already provided five goal involvements in 17 outings in all competitions, despite a spell out with injury, after previously registering eight goals and nine assists under Jose Mourinho last season.

That difference in attacking threat between the pair is also illustrated by the fact that Zaniolo ranks in the top 4% for total shots and the top 11% for progressive passes received, while Aaronson ranks in just the bottom 14% and the bottom 17% for the same two metrics, respectively.

While Marsch may be inclined to stick by his compatriot – who cost in the region of £24.7m back in May – the evidence would suggest that it is Zaniolo whom the former RB Leipzig coach could really build his team around.

Dan Cook has claimed on the HLTCO podcast that Lucas Moura could make a difference for Crystal Palace amid recent links.

The Lowdown: Palace looking to be active

Despite Patrick Vieira constantly talking about how he wants new signings this month, Palace are yet to make a breakthrough, although that looks set to change with Naouirou Ahamada close to joining the club.

The Eagles are now also said to be without star man Wilfried Zaha for a prolonged period of time due to a hamstring injury he picked up in their draw against Newcastle United two weeks ago.

Given the injury to Zaha, which will be a huge blow to Vieira, it should be no surprise that Palace are said to be keen on reinforcements to plaster over the gap he will leave – and that could well see them make a move for Moura, who only has a few months left on his contract.

The Latest: Lucas Moura tipped for Selhurst Park move

The Brazilian is not going to be offered a new contract according to reports, and that could now see Palace make a move for him despite his age, as Cook has spoken about.

He said: “I’m not necessarily sure that it’s the right thing for us to do. It certainly doesn’t fit with our current transfer strategy, but there is a part of me as well which wonders if we’re a little bit too young and naive, and whether we need a little bit more experience.

“There’s no denying, just because Lucas Moura isn’t necessarily in favour at Spurs under Antonio Conte, I don’t think there’s any doubt that he could come into Crystal Palace and, as long as he remained injury-free, he could make a big difference for us.”

The Verdict: Moura would be a risky signing by Parish

Given the way Crystal Palace have operated in the transfer market since Vieira came to the club, it would be a very left-field move for them to swoop for someone on the wrong side of 30 this month.

Over the last few windows, Palace have brought in youthful players such as Marc Guehi, Joachim Andersen, Michael Olise and Malcolm Ebiowei, so for them to turn to someone with the age profile of Moura would be interesting.

However, it could be to bring some experience into their forward line, especially given the fact Zaha will now not be in the side for a number of games to help guide some of the younger players through difficult times – though his reported £150,000-per-week wage demands could well see them turn away from the Brazilian.