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Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn’s future at the club is tough to predict after a poor run of form, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: McGinn in and out

The Scot has been a key performer for Villa for some time, bringing quality and energy to the middle of the park and replacing Tyrone Mings as captain during the summer.

McGinn has had a disappointing season to date, however, struggling to influence matches, not scoring or assisting and being left out of the Premier League line up in recent weeks, although he did return to the starting XI against Brighton on Sunday.

With Unai Emery now coming in as Villa’s new manager, this feels like a pivotal point in the 28-year-old’s career.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that it ‘could go either way’ when it comes to McGinn’s situation at this moment in time, either enjoying a resurgence or being shipped off by Emery:

“This really could go either way for McGinn at this point, but it’s a fresh start. Emery is a coach who is very open-minded and willing to give everybody a chance.

“He hasn’t even decided who his captain is going to be yet, so I think that’s a clear indication that this is a clean slate for everyone.”

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The Verdict: Good time to have a breather

In truth, the World Cup break could come at a perfect time for McGinn, who has arguably looked like a jaded figure this season, struggling to cover ground and boss midfield battles like he used to.

This six-week gap between Premier League matches could allow him to recharge the batteries and return a far more formidable footballer again after Christmas.

He has proven so many matches what a good player he is – Steven Gerrard once described him as ‘outstanding’ – but if he doesn’t improve, Emery could decide to move him on next summer.

Leeds United’s search for frontline reinforcements this January has taken them back to LaLiga.

Reports in Spain suggest that the Yorkshire giants are one of the teams looking to take advantage of Atletico Madrid’s situation after they failed to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.

And as manager Jesse Marsch needs senior strikers, with Patrick Bamford back on the treatment table, Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha has emerged as a likely target.

It’s thought that he would be available for around €30m (£26m) and according to transfer insider Dean Jones, chairman Andrea Radrizzani and co have money to throw at another attacker this winter.

“We know that they’re going to have some reasonably decent money to throw at an attacker, but I’ve seen this one being spoken about a fair bit,” he told GIVEMESPORT, before delivering a verdict on Cunha: “He’s a good player, but I think the key here is that Marsch really has to make sure that he gets the profiles of his attackers right.”

The versatile Atletico ace enjoyed a pretty solid campaign last term, delivering 14 goal contributions across all competitions but he has struggled so far this season, failing to find the net in 17 appearances, despite being deployed as a centre-forward.

This should set alarm bells ringing and director of football Victor Orta may want to think twice before going ahead with a move for Cunha.

There could be some similarities drawn to Leeds’ signing of Rodrigo, who after seven goals and 11 assists, was signed in a then club-record deal for around £27m.

Just like the Brazilian, who was once dubbed an “unbelievable talent” by German YouTube sensation Maximilian Knabe, the Spanish frontman is capable of playing in behind the striker too and it took a while for the Whites to get their rewards.

Rodrigo has scored nine goals in 13 league games so far this term but his record up until now has been pretty dire, having found the net only 13 times across 63 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Time is no luxury, particularly if you are costing around £26m. Marsch – and Leeds – cannot afford to wait for Cunha to get up to speed if they were to sign him in January as they need a goalscoring talisman now, not in two years’ time.

As such, Orta must look to avoid this risk by turning his attention elsewhere after the World Cup.

AND in other news, Leeds plotting £13m swoop for “beautiful player” in Jan, he’s a huge Rodrigo upgrade…

Tottenham Hotspur have now been linked with a move for Edouard Mendy as their search for a long-term Hugo Lloris successor continues…

What’s the word?

According to 90min, the Chelsea shot-stopper is one of several candidates being considered as a potential replacement for the long-serving France veteran, who will turn 36 in December.

Lloris is currently at the World Cup in Qatar, alongside Mendy, and has emerged on the radar at Hotspur Way.

It remains to be seen whether the Blues would allow their backup goalkeeper to leave to a direct Premier League rival and for how much, however, the Senegal international is currently valued at €50m (£43m) by CIES Football Observatory, two and a half years after his £22m move from Stade Rennes.

Lloris replacement?

Not only is Lloris getting on a bit but his consistency between the sticks has regularly been called into question over the last couple of seasons.

Back in 2021, his display in the 5-4 defeat to Everton in the FA Cup saw talkSPORT pundits Trevor Sinclair and Jason Cundy slam him as “a weak link” and as having “lettuce wrists.”

More recently, Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer slammed him for a “stupid” mistake as his former side, Newcastle United, beat Spurs last month.

Mendy would be an intriguing alternative to the Frenchman’s throne, particularly given their links to Leeds United’s Illan Meslier and Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid, and the fact that he has lost his place to Kepa Arrizabalaga since Graham Potter took the helm.

Last season, though, the Senegal star registered the fourth-best save percentage of any other keeper in the Premier League, via FBref, whilst the 6 foot 4 titan also stopped more crosses than all but four other keepers, both of which were better than Lloris.

The Chelsea outcast will also be six years younger than Lloris at the turn of the new year, so he could certainly be a viable option for several seasons, should manager Antonio Conte hold genuine interest.

“Chelsea have gone up a level since Mendy’s come in, the shot-stopping is excellent. When I think of Kepa I think of a highly strung goalkeeper, with Mendy he’s always in control,” claimed BT Sport’s Chris Sutton only last year. “Some of these saves are incredible. He’s agile, he’s good with the ball at his feet. He is to Chelsea what Alisson has been to Liverpool.”

If Spurs can bring that sort of player in, then they would surely be in safe hands for the foreseeable future, so any move for Mendy – or any goalkeeper – could mean that Conte finally ditches the long-serving “legend.”

AND in other news, Spurs swoop for £43m “phenomenon” is still “open”, he’d be a dream for Conte…

West Ham United could land their own Robert Lewandowski if David Moyes manages to lure Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram to the London Stadium.

However, the Scot could face competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur, who are all vying to sign the in-demand Bundesliga star ahead of the January transfer window.

The Hammers are interested in Thuram as Moyes looks to bolster his attacking options, and a recent update shed further light on the price tag placed on the Frenchman.

According to German outlet Sport Bild, the 25-year-old is set to be available for as little as £6m in the January transfer window due to the player not signing an extension to his contract, which expires at the end of the season.

This should surely tempt Moyes into making a move, and with the striker comparable to the legendary Polish hitman according to FBref’s similar player model, it would be something of a coup.

This season has seen the two strikers register extremely similar statistics when it comes to shots on target (30 to 28), goal-creating actions (eight to seven), shot-creating actions (40 to 39) and dribble success rate (both 50%).

Despite playing in a poorer team than Lewandowski, having similar metrics proves that Thuram could certainly thrive if he made the move to the Premier League.

He was dubbed a “physical monster” by Herve Renard and having scored 10 Bundesliga goals in just 15 matches this season, he could be the answer to West Ham’s Premier League goalscoring woes.

Moyes’ side have scored just 12 league goals so far, the third lowest in the division. Michail Antonio isn’t getting any younger and summer arrival Gianluca Scamacca is still settling into Premier League life, therefore the 59-year-old will surely be targeting another forward in January.

Thuram could be a steal at just £6m and the Scot will need to act sooner rather than later in order to secure his signature considering just how many teams are interested in the Gladbach sensation.

Leeds United appear to have dodged a massive bullet with Sergino Dest.

The American right-back crashed out of the World Cup on Saturday as the USMNT were defeated 3-1 by one of the tournament’s favourites in the Netherlands.

Once linked with a move to Elland Road, the 22-year-old struggled to combat the threat of Louis van Gaal’s attacking options out wide, with is opposite number Daley Blind even getting on the scoresheet.

Indeed, reports suggested that the Whites were keen on the FC Barcelona ace during the most recent summer transfer window. Well, director of football Victor Orta can count his lucky stars tonight that he didn’t sign him as he would have been Junior Firpo 2.0 in west Yorkshire.

The left-back was signed from the LaLiga giants and ever since then, has struggled to make much of a positive impact. Mirror journalist David Anderson has even described him as a “liability” who has provided very little in terms of ability. consistency and leadership.

Dest very much struggled to have any influence against the Dutch – highlighted by his disastrous 5.8 rating, which was the worst of anyone on the pitch.

It’s perhaps little surprise to have seen him hooked 15 minutes from time and that won’t have just been because the Stars and Stripes needed a goal. Also per Sofascore, the former Ajax gem managed just one successful dribble from six attempts, meaning he struggled to beat Blind and the Oranje backline whenever he got forward.

Meanwhile, he also lost 80% of his duels and handed possession back to the Netherlands with 14 of his 55 touches. Not only being wasteful but being hugely ineffective for his team overall. As per American filmmaker Barry Jenkins, they had Dest “in handcuffs” and he looked like he was “in the backyard playing against his big brothers.”

Despite once described as a “big talent” by former Ajax teammate Quincy Promes, it’s a rather telling sign that he cannot get game time at AC Milan, where he is currently out on loan, having garnered only 373 minutes from nine outings so far this season.

Only three players to have started in the Serie A for the defending champions this season have a worse average WhoScored rating.

As such, Orta and Leeds dodged a bullet by not signing Dest during the summer. Rasmus Kristensen, who manager Jesse Marsch pined for instead, has been a far greater option in the role.

AND in other news, Orta could seal a “really good signing” as Leeds plot move for £25m “absolute beast”…

Scottish champions Celtic are currently marching on in the defence of their league title, with the Parkhead outfit having surged nine points clear at the summit heading into the international break, subsequently leaving their Old Firm foes Rangers with a mountain to climb to get back in the race.

A major facet of the Hoops’ rampant form of late has been the club’s devastating brilliance in attack, with Ange Postecoglou’s side having already scored 50 goals in just 15 Scottish Premiership games so far this term.

Despite that hot streak in front of goal, the latest speculation suggests that the Glasgow side are plotting to even further bolster their forward line in January, with that no doubt a worrying prospect for the rest of the division.

According to the Daily Record, Postecoglou – and head of recruitment Mark Lawwell – are keen to provide extra competition to the current centre-forward options of Kyogo Furuhashi and Giorgos Giakoumakis, particularly with the latter man facing an uncertain future at the club.

Reports in Italy have claimed that one potential target could well be that of Dutch marksman, Said Hamulic, with the Bhoys said to be the most ‘active’ suitor in the race for the 22-year-old’s signature.

The 6 foot 2 sensation has seemingly caught the eye as a result of his sparkling form for current club Stal Mielec so far this season, with the emerging talent having scored nine goals and laid on four assists in just 17 games in all competitions to date for the Polish outfit.

That stunning start to life in his new surroundings – after only joining the club this summer – has seen talent scout Jacek Kulig suggest that the Ekstraklasa side hit the “jackpot” with their signing of the player, with the hope being that Postecoglou and co can enjoy similar success if they do wrap up a deal in the near future.

The in-form asset has been branded as a “complete forward” by Kulig due to his “pace” and “power”, as well as his clear eye for goal, with the former Go Ahead Eagles youth star having also proven prolific at former club Dainava.

That stint in Lithuania saw Hamulic score 16 times in 36 appearances during the 2020/21 campaign in what was his first season at senior level, having then gone on to score seven goals in just 14 games while on loan at FK Suduva last term.

A player who has proven a real ruthless and potent attacking threat wherever he has been in his career to date, the signs are that the £1.3m-rated man – who has just 18 months left on his contract with his current side – could well go on to continue that trend were he to make the move to Scotland.

Should he do so and go on to thrive in the green and white jersey, it could well see Celtic hit the ‘jackpot’.

Manchester United are among the top outfits eyeing a move for Borussia Dortmund sensation Youssoufa Moukoko, with Athletic correspondent David Ornstein confirming interest is heating up for the teenage prodigy. 

What’s the word?

The 18-year-old is enjoying an emphatic breakthrough season with Borussia Dortmund, with a host of clubs now notching up the intrigue in luring him to their ground. 

According to The Athletic reporter David Ornstein, Chelsea are now the frontrunners to sign the German sensation.

That said, with United holding an interest in the player, a swoop to steal the prospect from under the Blues’ noses must be struck. 

Sport BILD (via The Mirror) stated last month that United and Liverpool can clinch the ace’s services for a cut-price fee of just £26.2m, so Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag simply must prevent his Premier League rivals from getting ahead in the race.

Forget Ronaldo

With Cristiano Ronaldo departing the Theatre of Dreams in acrimonious circumstances last month, United are on the prowl for a new talisman, and in Moukoko, they might unearth an offensive focal point capable of leading them to glory for years to come. 

Having scored six goals and served a further six more assists across just 22 appearances (12 starts) in the current campaign, Moukoko is emerging as one of the brightest prospects on the entire globe.

And now a two-cap Germany international, having earned a call-up to the nation’s 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar, Moukoko’s future points toward a golden horizon, and with such a glorious melange of talents it is hardly surprising that some of Europe’s most illustrious outfits are seeking his signature.

The forward’s fantastic blend of lightning pace and deadly finishing indeed allude to a career that might just reach the very top of the game, with FBref already highlighting some remarkably impressive metrics.

According to the statistical site, the “biggest talent in the word”, as proclaimed by Erling Haaland, who knows a thing or two about goalscoring, ranks within the top 7% for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 7% for rate of assists and the top 12% for tackles when compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues over the past year.

It is easy to forget that Moukoko is actually enjoying his first professional season of sustained football at the top level, and his resounding rate of success does indeed hint towards a fruitful career.

Moukoko, should he join United, could emulate the success of Ronaldo, who himself arrived in Manchester at a young age and nurtured and developed his abilities until emerging as one of the greatest forwards that football had ever seen.

The “wonder” that is Moukoko is certainly going to see interest ramp up even further as his contract creeps closer towards completion with Dortmund, and if he does in fact decide to depart, United and Ten Hag must make all of the requisite moves to barging past the likes of Chelsea and cementing his future at Old Trafford.

Chelsea ‘will talk again’ with N’Golo Kante before any decision is made about him leaving the club, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Kante’s future

With Kante’s current Chelsea contract set to expire in June 2023, there have been reports linking him with a move away from Stamford Bridge in the near future.

Interest comes from Europe, with Spanish sources detailing that Barcelona were making progress on a deal earlier this month, with the Spanish club able to sign him on a pre-contract agreement in January.

There have also been claims that Tottenham manager Antonio Conte remained keen back in November, but there seems to have been no development on that front in more recent times.

The Latest: Phillips’ update

According to Phillips, who was speaking to GIVEMESPORT, there is still a possibility that the Frenchman extends his stay at Stamford Bridge, with the player himself keen to remain at the club:

“Kante is happy to stay at Chelsea and he’s hoping he can find an agreement there still, but right now it’s not happening. But they will talk again, I think, before a final decision is made either way.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

A hamstring injury sustained back in August has meant that the midfielder has only managed to make two Premier League appearances so far this season, but he has previously proven time and time again that he is up there with the very best in the defensive role.

BBC Sport’s Abbie McCarthy has lauded the 53-time France international as an ‘unreal player’, and for good reason, as he has displayed remarkable acumen in preventing opposition attacks throughout his time at Stamford Bridge.

Over the past year, the enforcer has averaged 2.94 tackles per 90 minutes, which places him in the 88th percentile compared to his peers, as does the figure of 1.65 interceptions over the same timeframe.

Given that he is now 31, Graham Potter may not want to tie Kante down on a long-term deal, but he deserves at least two more years at the club, given his previous success.

Leeds United centre-back Robin Koch could be the next to receive a contract extension, according to Phil Hay.  

The Lowdown: Struijk and Llorente

The Whites have been busy in recent weeks in regards to new deals for defenders, with Pascal Struijk the first to extend his stay in Yorkshire.

The 23-year-old, who has featured at left-back during the current campaign, put pen to paper on a new deal through to 2027. Diego Llorente was the next to sign an extension through to 2026 shortly after, and it seems as if Koch could follow suit.

The Latest: Koch next?

Hay took to Twitter on Thursday, sharing a story for The Athletic regarding Leeds’ defence.

The reliable reporter cited deals for Struijk and Llorente and said that one for Koch is ‘in the pipeline too’.

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The Verdict: Makes sense?

Koch is entering the final 18 months of his current contract and has been a regular under Jesse Marsch this season, who has praised the player in recent months, so a new deal appears to make sense.

He’s started every Premier League game so far and is valued at a career-high €18m by Transfermarkt. The German has also shown his versatility by turning out as a holding midfielder during his stay at Elland Road, so hopefully, he can follow in the footsteps of Struijk and Llorente.

Newcastle United could be set to strengthen their squad even further when the January transfer window opens tomorrow, and now a new update has emerged on a potential new transfer target.

What’s the latest?

According to journalist Hrach Khachatryan, Newcastle are one of three Premier League clubs interested in signing OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram.

Khachatryan tweeted:

“Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram is linked with Premier League move. Chelsea, Newcastle, and Liverpool are interested.”

Howe could land his own Valverde

There is no doubt that Eddie Howe will be thrilled with his Tyneside squad after a phenomenal start to their Premier League season, however, the opportunity to continue to strengthen the squad will be a chance surely not missed by the club.

The Magpies are currently third in the top flight after drawing with Leeds United this afternoon – having only suffered one defeat over their first 17 outings so far, which is an extremely impressive feat considering 12 months ago they were battling relegation at the bottom of the table.

Not only that, Newcastle remain in contention to compete for both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, so adding some depth in key positions on the pitch would be advantageous and Thuram – the brother of World Cup finalist Marcus Thuram and son of World Cup winner Lillian Thuram – could be the perfect signing to bolster Howe’s options in the centre of the pitch.

Over 16 Ligue One appearances, the 21-year-old Frenchman – who was dubbed “perfect” by journalist Alex Jaquin – has delivered two assists, created three big chances and completed 68% successful dribbles so far, as well as averaging 1.4 tackles, 34 accurate passes and 2.9 duels won per game.

Howe could even land his very own Federico Valverde as the Real Madrid talent has been named as one of the most comparable players to Thuram over the last 12 months, according to FBref.

The midfield positional peers share many similarities in their output this season so far including assists (two v two), pass completion rate (87.4% v 88%), dribblers tackled percentage (47.4% v 38.5%), blocks (10 v 11) and dribbles completed (65% v 63.2%).

With that being said, the signing of Thuram – who is expected to cost €20m (£17m) – could be a great piece of business for Howe as he attempts to retain Newcastle’s dominance inside the top four and secure Champions League qualification over the second half of the season.