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Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is in ‘advanced negotiations’ with Barcelona over a pre-contract agreement, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Kante out of contract soon

The 31-year-old has been a wonderful servant for the Blues, making 262 appearances in total and often standing out as one of the world’s best midfielders.

Injuries have affected Kante badly of late, however, and he has been restricted to just two starts in the Premier League this season.

The Frenchman’s current Chelsea deal expires at the end of this season and there has been little sign of him extending his stay at Stamford Bridge.

The Latest: Barca move close?

According to Sport [via Sport Witness], Kante is in ‘advanced negotiations’ with Barca over a summer move, with a pre-contract agreement in January on the cards.

He is thought to be ‘in a hurry’ to find a new club, with Juventus also seen as a possible destination for him.

The Verdict: Right time to leave?

In truth, next summer does feel like the right time for Kante to move on from Chelsea, with his recent fitness issues becoming problematic.

At 31, there is an argument to say that the midfielder’s very best days are now behind him, with injuries arguably causing him to lose half a yard of pace and his sell-on value decreasing regardless of his contract situation.

Kante should be remembered as a truly great servant for Chelsea – Ally McCoist has described him as ‘absolutely magic’ – but a 2023 exit feels like a natural conclusion for all parties.

Tottenham Hotspur are edging closer to completing the signing of Atalanta’s Ruslan Malinovskyi, according to reports from Italy.

The Lowdown: Conte eyes Malinovskyi

Malinovskyi has been a long-term target of Antonio Conte, with Italian outlet Il Giorno previously reporting that Tottenham representatives were working on a deal at the start of November, via Daily Express.

Further details have now been brought to light, indicating that the move could be close to being concluded…

The Latest: Getting closer

As per Calciomercato, the Ukrainian’s current club were initially holding out for a fee in the region of €18m (£15.5m) to part with him, but they would now be willing to settle for €15m (£12.9m).

Other interested suitors Marseille are also said to be distant in regards to a switch, paving the way for Spurs to sign him in the January transfer window.

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The Verdict: Get it done

With the 29-year-old seemingly unwilling to commit to extending his stay with Atalanta beyond 2023, the Serie A side’s loss could be Spurs’ gain, as he would be a fantastic attacking midfield option for Conte.

Hailed as having a ‘wondrous left foot’ by journalist Emmet Gates, the £19k-per-week ace is a forward-thinking player, always trying to drive his team on by moving the ball forward, as indicated by an average of 5.72 progressive passes per 90 minutes over the past year, placing him in the 96th percentile.

In their pursuit of Champions League football, Tottenham could do with some fire attacking firepower, which the Ukrainian would almost certainly deliver, registering a stunning 20 goal contributions in 36 appearances in the 2020/21 Serie A season.

Although he is likely to play second fiddle to the likes of Dejan Kulusevski and Heung-min Son, Malinovskyi would provide excellent depth to Conte, and the reported price of just £12.9m seems an absolute steal for a player of his calibre.

Everton sporting director Kevin Thelwell is reportedly lining up a move for QPR goalkeeper Seny Dieng in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Thinking of the future?

The Goodison Park outfit have as many as four senior goalkeepers in their squad at the moment, but three of them are aged 35 and over.

England international Jordan Pickford is the established number one, but Asmir Begovic, Andy Lonergan and Eldin Jakupovic are all towards the end of their careers, and so the former will need some competition in the longer term.

The Latest: Dieng interest

As per Football Insider, the Merseyside club are ‘lining up’ a move for Dieng ahead of January, but will face competition from fellow Premier League rivals AFC Bournemouth, AS Monaco and LOSC Lille for his signature.

They have been making ‘regular checks’ on the 27-year-old, who is set to go to the FIFA World Cup with Senegal.

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The Verdict: Smart move

Signing a goalkeeper of Dieng’s profile would certainly be a smart move by Frank Lampard’s team.

Hailed as ‘outstanding’ by former QPR manager Mark Warburton, Dieng has really stepped up this season, keeping play-off places.

The six-foot-four colossus even scored in injury time to equalise in a 2-2 draw with Sunderland earlier this campaign, earning a point that could make all the difference come the end of the term.

Nonetheless, if Dieng is available in January, the Toffees should look to sign him before he raises his profile further, and other clubs come in for him.

With Unai Emery confirmed as the new Aston Villa manager, there was quiet confidence that Aaron Danks might be able to pull off another huge result when facing Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe’s side hosted the Midlands club in blistering form, having lost just once all season.

However, following last weekend’s drubbing of Brentford, it was showcased that Steven Gerrard’s side boasted an abundance of talent despite their underperformance.

Those performances seemed to disappear for this latest fixture, as they were shown up by a side that seem unstoppable at the moment.

A 4-0 drubbing saw Villa slump back to within two points of the relegation zone, leaving the inbound Spaniard plenty to do to steer them away from what would be a catastrophy for the club.

Whilst Leon Bailey might be singled out for particular condemnation, earning the worst SofaScore rating of anyone on the pitch (5.9), this game once again marked an anonymous display from Ollie Watkins.

The striker did not perform much better with his rating of 6.1, as he had a torrid time in front of goal once again.

It marked yet another game without scoring, with the £75k-per-week dud having bagged just twice in the Premier League this season.

Once described as a “beast in training” by journalist Gregg Evans, it seems he has lost these primal attacking instincts that saw them unload £28m on him back in 2020.

However, given Gerrard’s spending in the summer, combined with the £91.22m that Dean Smith spent the summer prior, there might not be all that much left for the new manager who arguably boasts the highest pedigree of all three mentioned.

To fund his new revolution, of which he could surely attract some top players, one of the main assets at Villa Park might have to be moved on.

If his form is to continue in this vein, Watkins could be that man used as a bargaining chip to usher in the new revolution.

Clearly very financially viable, he is a hard-working English striker who would likely still command a high fee despite having scored just 29 goals in 90 appearances for the club.

He let his previous manager down, and despite scoring for Danks, it was hardly the most convincing of finishes as he poked home at the third time of asking.

Confidence seems to be at an all-time low, and they might do well cashing in whilst his stock is still relatively high.

Wolves are considering a move for Queens Park Rangers manager Michael Beale, according to Liam Keen.

The Lowdown: Beale profiled

Beale is currently just five months into his first senior managerial role after joining the Championship side in the summer.

The 42-year-old was previously Steven Gerrard’s assistant at Rangers and Aston Villa and was Liverpool’s U21 boss prior to that. He likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 system and currently has The R’s fourth in the second tier, a point off the top spot.

The Latest: Wolves interest

Keen took to Twitter on Sunday afternoon to provide an update on the hunt for a new boss at Molineux.

He revealed that ‘Beale is being considered by Wolves for their head coach vacancy’ after his impressive start to life in first-team management, however no official contact has been made yet.

The Verdict: One to watch?

Beale has certainly made a positive impact with QPR, winning seven of his 15 games in charge so far. Gerrard has also struggled at Villa Park this season without Beale, which may show how important the latter of the two was at both Rangers and Villa.

Therefore, it could be one to keep an eye on, as you’d like to think the club will step up their search this week after parting ways with Bruno Lage over two weeks ago.

Liverpool have been continuously linked with moves for Jude Bellingham for many years now, and next summer it has been persistently reported that the club will try again to lure the Borussia Dortmund wonderkid away from Germany.

James Pearce has written an article for The Athletic this week giving an update on the Reds’ pursuit of the young midfielder and expects Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United to join the race to secure the popular player’s signature next summer.

With a staggering price tag of £131.6m, it is and will be one of the most highly anticipated transfer stories if any club manages to complete a deal for Bellingham over the next 12 months. Liverpool are considered the front-runners at present, but Pearce has now revealed that the club have already once missed out on a chance to sign the England international a decade ago.

Whilst in the U11s at Birmingham City, Bellingham and his parents made the trip up to Merseyside where the midfielder spent two days at the Kirkby academy. Liverpool desperately tried to convince the player and his family to make the move to the North West so that he could continue to develop in the club’s academy.

However, the star’s family made the disappointing decision to stay put in the Midlands after Liverpool made their pitch alongside Chelsea and Man City. That is now evidently a nightmare scenario given his current extortionate price tag but they have never given up on the hope that one day he would become the heart of the team at Anfield.

Now all eyes will be on FSG and the recruitment team at Liverpool to get the deal done over the Premier League powerhouses and European giants who pose a huge threat in signing the 19-year-old who was dubbed “exceptional” by Pep Guardiola.

The Liverpool owners are renowned for their tight transfer policies and wage structure but with no permanent signing made to improve the midfield this summer and the worst start to a Premier League season under Jurgen Klopp, they must not waste a single expense or resource needed to make sure Bellingham pulls on that famous red shirt at Anfield next season.

Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Thiago Alcantara are all well into their 30s, whilst Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are currently in the last 12 months of their contracts, which leaves the future of Liverpool’s midfield hanging in the balance and solutions must be found over the coming year ahead.

Indeed, a £131.6m transfer fee is something never seen at the Merseyside club, but when you consider that the Bundesliga sensation could offer up to and beyond a decade worth of service, every single penny would be well spent.

With that being said, Liverpool must not miss out on their second chance to snap up Bellingham and must be willing to do whatever it takes to complete a deal over their competitors when the time comes, as over 10 years’ worth of keeping close tabs on the talent could go to waste.

Aston Villa haven’t been shy recently in spending large fees to bring in quality players that will improve their squad.

And, while the signings of the £26m Diego Carlos and the £17m Philippe Coutinho may not seem like earth-shattering fees, for the Midlands side, they represent significant deals.

Furthermore, the club hasn’t been averse to moving on squad players or those who haven’t contributed as effectively as first envisaged, with Villa having narrow escapes on certain signings, one example being Henri Lansbury.

The central midfielder was signed from Nottingham Forest for a fee of £2.75m in 2017, as Steve Bruce looked to bolster his side during their first season in the second tier since the Premier League era began.

His time at Villa proved to be unsuccessful, featuring for the club just 53 times and scoring only twice, while making only ten appearances in the top flight following the club’s promotion in 2019.

His performances were blasted as “anonymous” and it’s clear that he didn’t exactly live up to the hype when Bruce signed him. Lansbury helped Villa escape the Championship but his talent was never going to be enough to become a regular Premier League midfielder.

He finally left for Bristol City on a free transfer in 2021 after Villa convinced the 31-year-old to terminate his contract early – with his career having slipped into a decline ever since.

A poor spell at City did his chances of signing for another big club no favours and he was soon on the move to another Championship side, this time Luton Town.

With a rating of 6.53 on WhoScored for his performances last season, the 31-year-old is struggling to even make an impression in the second tier. Lansbury didn’t manage to score or register any assists during his time on the pitch and his 66.6% pass success rate ranked him 14th out of the Hatters’ squad.

Although he left Villa on a free transfer and they effectively wasted £2.75m on him, it could have been a lot worse should he have stayed on for the remainder of his contract – proving they played a blinder in cutting their losses at the right time.

He wouldn’t have gotten a game under Gerrard considering his poor performances at Championship level, and the club did well to move him on when they did.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro and the Brazilian could be exactly what Erik ten Hag needs at Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth, United are “looking at” the 30-year-old as they look to improve their midfield before the transfer window closes later this month.

The first two games have seen United dominated by Brighton and Brentford, so new additions are clearly required if Ten Hag is to achieve a top-four finish this season, and Casemiro’s experience and ability suggest that he could be the ideal man.

Ten Hag needs him

Casemiro has been a regular at Real Madrid since signing for the club from Porto in 2015. The midfielder has made 336 appearances in total, in which he has contributed 31 goals and 29 assists.

Winning trophies has been a real problem for United in recent seasons, with their last coming under Jose Mourinho in the 2016/7 season, but in Casemiro, they would be signing a serial winner.

The Brazilian has won three La Liga titles and a remarkable five Champions League titles during his time at Real Madrid, which emphasises that he is more than capable of producing at the top level of football.

Ten Hag desperately needs to strengthen in his midfield after the departures of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic, as Fred and Scott McTominay’s early season form has emphasised that they are not good enough as a double pivot, with the pair failing to complete a single 90 minutes between them this term.

Meanwhile, Christian Eriksen has done little to win over fans with his first two displays in a United shirt, as he combined with David De Gea to gift Brentford a second goal last weekend.

Last season saw Casemiro make 32 appearances in La Liga for Los Blancos, averaging a superb 7.26 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which was better than any United player would average last season, proving he would be a far more reliable option in Ten Hag’s squad.

Sergio Busquets, who will surely go down as one of the best defensive-midfielders of his generation, was full of praise for Casemiro earlier this year, saying:

“If he’s not the best, he’s definitely among the best. You just have to watch his games, his career or the work he does on the field. It happens to midfielders like us, we’re not flashy and people don’t pay attention to us because at the end of the day they just take a look at goals, assists and dribbles.”

United need someone of Casemiro’s quality and ruthless efficiency in midfield, as it could free up the likes of Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes to do their thing in attacking areas. Therefore, Ten Hag desperately needs to bring the £158k-per-week midfielder to Old Trafford.

Celtic have been handed an injury boost ahead of their first away clash of the new Premiership season against Ross County on Saturday.

What’s the news?

In a recent post on Twitter, Sky Sports journalist Alison Conroy revealed that Hoops defender Carl Starfelt will be available to play at Dingwall following his recovery from an injury that he picked up over the summer.

Celtic signed the centre-back from Rubin Kazan last summer for a fee of £4m. His debut season at Parkhead saw the defender play a big role in seeing the Hoops secure the league title as he racked up more league minutes (3,015) than any other outfield player at the club.

In terms of his defensive output, the Sweden international ended the campaign with the second-highest number of interceptions (42) and successful tackles (30) at the club, along with the second-highest average for clearances per game (3.6)

Big boost for Postecoglou

His overall performances throughout the campaign earned him a solid season rating of 7.19/10 from WhoScored, making him the sixth-highest rated Celtic player currently at the club.

This shows just how important he is for the Hoops and why his return to fitness could provide a massive boost for the team and Ange Postecoglou.

Celtic’s opening match of the new campaign saw them secure a 2-0 win over Aberdeen, in which Stephen Welsh started next to Cameron Carter-Vickers in Starfelt’s absence.

Not only did the Scotsman help the Bhoys to keep a clean sheet by making two tackles and two clearances and winning six duels, he also scored his team’s first goal of the afternoon.

This could duly give Postecoglou a headache over whether or not he decides to give Starfelt his first appearance of the season against Ross County on Saturday or reward Welsh with another start after making such a big impression last weekend.

Either way, that the 27-year-old is now fully recovered from his injury will still be a huge positive for the club, especially with the number of games ahead of them across all competitions this term.

Irrespective of whoever Postecoglou decides to select at his starting centre-backs on Saturday, the main objective will undoubtedly still be to pick up another win, along with another clean sheet if possible.

Journalist Mark Hendry, sharing news in the last 48 hours, has an update for Celtic supporters on the club’s transfer plans for the rest of this summer window.

The Lowdown: Ange backed…

The Hoops, after sealing a 2021/2022 SPFL crown over an impressive debut campaign in charge for Ange Postecoglou, have seriously backed their boss in this summer window so far.

Indeed, the Scottish champions have made seven major signings in total, most recently sealing deals for both Aaron Mooy and Moritz Jenz to complete a brilliant double capture.

Next campaign will represent an interesting one for Celtic as they look to defend their crown and fend off arch Glasgow rivals Rangers all while competing back in the big time of the Champions League.

The Latest: Hendry shares Celtic transfer plans…

Following the acquisitions of Mooy and Jenz, reporter Hendry has taken to Twitter with a last 48 hour update on the club’s summer plans.

According to his information, Celtic chiefs are ‘happy’ with their conducted business, and as things stand, they won’t be making any more signings.

He explained:

“For now I’m hearing business is finished. Obviously Matt O’Riley in January is proof that things can change but Celtic happy with what they’ve done right now.”

The Verdict: Right call?

While some supporters could arguably want to see more come through the door at Parkhead, it is also debatable that Celtic have re-enforced in the right areas and just enough not to upset the applecart.

It is imperative that Ange and Hoops chiefs don’t disrupt the harmony of a tight-knit, title-winning squad too much whilst adding that degree of quality to freshen things up.

That being said, you can certainly see why those within Celtic have made the decision to not make more approaches, yet Hendry also hints this could change depending on developments.

Indeed, if the right player becomes available, club officials may want to consider their next move carefully and it will be interesting to see if they do in fact pull a U-turn on their current stance.