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West Ham United boss David Moyes will likely utilise this break in football to plot his potential moves in the upcoming January transfer window, with the World Cup expected to once again provide the stage needed for players to put themselves in the shop window.

One man who is expected to play a leading role for his country this winter is the prolific Senegalese striker, Boulaye Dia, with the 5-foot-9 marksman heading into the tournament off the back of his blistering form for his new club Salernitana.

He already boasts eight goal contributions in 14 Serie A games this season, looking to build upon his seven-goal and six-assist season for Villarreal last season.

This standout form has unsurprisingly brought about widespread transfer rumours, with the 26-year-old having been linked with Everton, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest all mentioned in various reports.

With the 19-cap star still boasting just under four years left on his £20k-per-week deal, it is the Spanish club, of whom are his parent club, that still hold all the cards.

Following the injury to Sadio Mane, the limelight is set to be shone more generously across the Senegal squad, and Dia could be the man to step up when his country needs him most.

Having proved himself a consistent goalscorer across his career, there is certainly a belief that, having scored 58 goals and assisted 12, he has the ability to back up his conviction in his own ability.

Upon first signing for the Spanish outfit, he was quoted as claiming: “I want to have continuity and improve my level on the pitch each season”, before outlining his outstanding qualities, “I can give more depth to the team, especially while running, creating spaces and opening up the pitch. I think I have different qualities to my teammates and we can complement each other.”

With Gianluca Scamacca having only scored twice in the Premier League since his summer move, and Michail Antonio not getting any younger, Dia could provide a fine foil for the Hammers frontmen.

However, should he excel like he very well could do at Qatar, the list of competition alongside the Irons could expand exponentially.

Tottenham Hotspur have been urged to sell Davinson Sanchez during the upcoming January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Sanchez’s season so far

This season has seen the defender make 12 appearances for the Lilywhites across all competitions, with just seven of those coming as a starter.

This suggests that he is not at the top of Antonio Conte’s pecking order in the defensive area of his team. With the January transfer window approaching, this has led to one pundit suggesting that the north London side should look to move the Colombian out of the club.

The Latest: Spurs urged to sell Sanchez

Speaking to Football Insider, Spurs expert and pundit, John Wenham, had this to say about the current squad and what changes should be made in January.

“We need to improve the defence. The players I am happy with at the moment are [Eric] Dier, [Cristian] Romero, [Clement] Lenglet, and [Ben] Davies. That is four taken already.

“You then have to look and think about who we could realistically move on and get a decent fee for as well as someone who takes up a foreign player spot.

“That’s Davinson Sanchez or Japhet Tanganga. Tanganga, the whole world apart from me thinks he must be sold but they don’t understand the basic principles of the homegrown regulations. He counts as club trained as well so if Tottenham got an offer for either, I am telling you right now they would accept the offer for Sanchez.

“He is on bigger money and he counts towards one of the foreign player spots. Where do I stand on Sanchez? It is probably time now, he has been here for a number of years, we are playing three at the back now and he hasn’t established himself as one of the starters.

“Maybe he looked better when he first joined because he was playing alongside [Jan] Vertonghen or [Toby] Alderweireld, who were world-class defenders.

“I always thought he was ok while others criticised him. But we are at the point where we need to upgrade the defence and get someone out, he is the one.”

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The Verdict: A decision for Conte

Despite not always being included in the starting XI, the 26-year-old has shown how much of a useful defensive option he can be as he currently sits in the top five for the average of tackles (1.4), interceptions (1), blocks (0.6) and clearances per game (2.4) at Spurs.

However, having been slammed for his “shocking” performances in the past by Jamie O’Hara, Sanchez’s efforts in the league this season have earned him a rather disappointing overall rating of 6.53/10 from WhoScored, leaving 11 Spurs players above him.

Taking all of this into account, it seems as though Conte may have a big decision on his hands over whether or not he decides to keep the £65k-per-week defender at the club beyond January or not.

Scottish champions Celtic are seemingly eyeing a move for Al Ahly playmaker, Afsha, with manager Ange Postecoglou seemingly keen to continue his winter recruitment drive.

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, the Parkhead outfit are believed to have engaged in talks with the 26-year-old’s representatives regarding a potential January deal, with the Hoops having already secured the signings of Yuki Kobayashi and Alistair Johnston ahead of the winter window.

The journalist revealed on Twitter: “Celtic have expressed an interest in Al-Ahly attacking midfielder Mohamed Magdy – more commonly known as Afsha. It’s understood the Hoops have held discussions with the Egypt international’s representatives, who are exploring his options.”

This follows a report from Football Scotland’s Mark Hendry who also revealed that there had been “contact” regarding a move for the Egyptian midfielder, with the player having also reportedly been a target for the Old Firm giants back in the summer of 2021.

‘Best player’

Turning to Afsha – whose full name is Mohamed Magdy – could well provide an extra creative element for Postecoglou’s side, with the 20-cap gem having showcased his talents amid his sparkling form in his homeland to date.

The 5 foot 6 dynamo – who is said to be valued at just over £4m – has scored 29 goals and 32 assists in 146 games in all competitions for his current side thus far, while his total club career tally stands at 98 goal contributions in 257 appearances across all fronts.

The diminutive maestro has started the new campaign impressively with two assists in his four league outings, having been particularly impressive last term with ten goals and five assists in 42 games for the Cairo outfit.

Such form even saw him lauded as the “best player in Egypt” back in January 2021 by former boss Ante Cacic, having notably ended the 2020/21 campaign with 25 goal involvements across all fronts.

A player for the big occasion, the Giza-born gem has also twice been named Man of the Match in the CAF Champions League final – in both 2020 and 2021 – having also previously clinched the competition’s goal of the season award in consecutive seasons, facts that only back up the aforementioned praise from Cacic.

Adding the fleet-footed magician into Postecoglou’s ranks would no doubt provide a further boost heading into the second half of the campaign, with the title-winning coach hoping to see a repeat of the impact of this year’s January arrivals, such as Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley – the two men having put in an “enormous shift” of late, according to their manager (BBC Scotland, 12/11/2022).

To have a further creative presence to add into the mix alongside that pair could well prove a truly exciting prospect as far as the Bhoys are concerned, with the rest of the Scottish Premiership no doubt concerned to see the rampant league leaders already strengthening so efficiently.

Everton were linked with a move for Ben Brereton Diaz right up until the final hours of Deadline Day in the summer and now a reliable source has delivered an update on the club’s chances of signing the player in January.

What’s the latest?

According to Everton insider and journalist Alan Myers, the talented Blackburn Rovers striker is set to stay at his current club at least until the end of the season.

Myers claimed on the All Together Now podcast:

“I don’t think he will be available in January, it’s as simple as that. Blackburn are flying high, I think they are third in the Championship now.”

“They’re going to lose him at the end [of the season], what money are they going to get for him now, you know? So I don’t see that happening.”

It’s bad news for Lampard

It is no secret that Everton are yet again struggling in the Premier League after a string of poor performances leading up to the World Cup break. It has seen the side score the joint-second fewest amount of goals in the top flight, so it’s undeniably bad news for Frank Lampard that Brereton Diaz is set to stay at Rovers.

The Merseysiders are currently teetering on the edge of the relegation zone in 17th – just one point shy of falling into the bottom three – so when the side return to action after Christmas big improvements must be made on the pitch.

Lampard will have the opportunity to strengthen his team in the January transfer window and adding some quality to the forward line to increase the goal contribution should be a main priority for the manager.

As a result, the signing of Brereton Diaz would’ve been a major addition for the club as he has become one of the biggest attacking threats in the Championship and could’ve taken his next step to Premier League football via Goodison Park.

The Chile international has scored 41 goals and registered 13 assists so far for Blackburn with a goal contribution every 174 minutes.

Over 21 Championship appearances this season, he has continued to prove his quality.

The £10m-valued Everton target – who was hailed “wonderful” by Tony Mowbray – has scored nine goals, registered one assist and created four big chances, as well as averaging three shots on goal and winning 2.9 duels per game.

With that being said, it will be disappointing for the powers at Goodison Park that they may not be able to convince Brereton Diaz to join in January but they will need to find a suitable alternative fast to make sure they have enough quality to compete over the second half of the season.

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.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a boost in their bid to bring Mohammed Kudus to north London in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who revealed in a recent article for CaughtOffside that, despite being “one step away” from signing the Ajax forward in the summer, Everton are now “no longer the favourites” for the 22-year-old’s signature, with the Ghana international believed to be “exploring more options” following his remarkable start to the season.

This is sure to have come as a huge boost to Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici, with the Italian duo also reported to be keen on a move for the youngster this winter – with the Eredivisie side believed to be demanding a figure in the region of £40m in order to part with the attacking midfielder in January.

Regarding the interest in Kudus, the Italian transfer insider said: “Everton were one step away from signing him in August, then the deal collapsed as Ajax didn’t want to sell also him after Antony, Lisandro [Martínez], [Ryan] Gravenberch and more. Everton are no longer the favourites, he’s also exploring more options.”

“Star boy”

Considering just how impressive Kudus has been for both club and country so far this season, it is easy to see why Conte would be keen on a deal to bring the 22-year-old to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the January transfer window.

Indeed, over his 14 Eredivisie fixtures in the current campaign – only five of which have come as starts – the £13m-rated talent has been in astonishing form, scoring four goals, as well as taking an average of 1.8 shots, making 0.4 key passes and completing 1.6 dribbles – at a success rate of 70% – per game.

These returns have seen the “star boy” – in the words of Kwame Benaiah – average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 6.90, currently ranking him as Ajax’s 13th-best performer in the Dutch top flight.

The versatile attacker also impressed over his six Champions League outings this term, with the £10k-per-week starlet bagging four goals and providing his teammates with two assists, in addition to taking an average of 1.3 shots, making 0.8 key passes and completing 1.8 dribbles – at a success rate of 79% – per game.

These metrics have seen the “really special” and “electric” – in the words of Jacek Kulig – youngster average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.22, ranking him as Alfred Schreuder’s second-best player in the competition.

Furthermore, Kudus also enjoyed a stellar World Cup campaign with Ghana, scoring two goals over his three appearances in Qatar, as well as taking an average of 2.7 shots – 1.3 of which hit the target – and completing 3.3 dribbles – the fourth-most in the competition – per match.

These returns saw the 22-year-old average a breathtaking Sofascore match rating of 7.70, not only ranking him as the Black Stars’ best performer in the tournament but also as the sixth-best player in the competition as a whole.

As such, with Kudus very much having exploded onto the scene this year, it would indeed appear an extremely wise move for Conte to do all he can to land the trickster this winter, as the 21-cap international would certainly look to be a really special signing for the 53-year-old to get over the line heading into the second half of the season.

Historically, Southampton have been a remarkably well-run club.

They have unearthed some of the world’s standout managers who have overperformed with their respective squads, while also finding and nurturing some of the best talents in the world.

The likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Ronald Koeman, Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane are some of their recent standout successes over the past decade, and they looked set to breed another when they spent a club-record £16m to sign Sofiane Boufal from Lille in 2016.

Joining from the Ligue 1 club which had previously given the world Eden Hazard, this “magic” Moroccan – as dubbed by BBC’s John Bennett – was coming off the back of 12 goals and four assists in his last season in France and looked well-placed to emulate the Belgian’s success in England.

However, it seemed like the 29-year-old never really got going on the south coast, as apart from scoring one of the best solo goals in Premier League history, he only recorded ten goal contributions across 84 appearances for Southampton.

That mazy run against West Bromwich Albion in 2017, followed by a cultured finish, was a mere highlight of what could have been at St Mary’s. As such, he was allowed to leave on a free transfer in 2020, marking a huge financial loss on the Moroccan.

It was thought that the man who Carl Anka dubbed a “trickster” would see out his career by showing flashes of brilliance in Ligue 1 without truly realising his potential, but few could have predicted how Morocco would perform in the 2022 World Cup.

Thrown into a group consisting of Croatia, Belgium and Canada, they finished top and defeated Portugal and Spain on their way to becoming the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the competition.

However, boasting a solid defensive core and the expressive exploits of Hakim Ziyech and Boufal himself, they had all the makings of a team prepared to upset the odds.

The former Southampton man starred from the left flank and maintained a 6.83 Sofascore rating for his performance in Qatar.

Despite not scoring or setting up a goal, his efficient ability on the ball was essential for driving his team forward when they would struggle for possession.

He averaged a 58% dribble success rate alongside 0.6 key passes per game, while also managed to outline his defensive credentials with 1.6 tackles per match (via Sofascore).

It might leave Southampton fans wondering whether the club should have trusted in him to eventually come good, especially considering how their current crop of wingers boasts a combined tally of just two goal contributions and he has six already this season.

It is fair to say that, after Boufal’s display at the 2022 World Cup, the Saints suffered a rare howler on letting him leave for free two years ago.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale will be hoping to continue his perfect start to life at Ibrox with a fourth straight win in the Premiership tonight.

The Light Blues host Motherwell in the Scottish top-flight in their fourth match since returning from the break for the 2022 World Cup, after winning their first three.

Beale replaced Giovanni van Bronckhorst at the helm and has beaten Aberdeen, Ross County and Hibernian so far, maintaining a 100% record in competitive matches to date.

John Lundstram’s long-range strike in the first half against Ross County was enough to seal all three points in a 1-0 win last time out and the Gers coach could look to make changes to his side to keep things fresh and increase the competition within the squad.

Whilst some may want Alfredo Morelos to come back in after Fashion Sakala, Malik Tillman and Ryan Kent failed to score in their last game, the manager should unleash rarely-seen Rabbi Matondo after a promising cameo off the bench.

He had only played a total of one minute in Beale’s first two games in charge but was given 23 minutes to showcase his quality against County and caught the eye with one chance created, one dribbled completed and two shots from out wide – as per Sofascore.

The winger, who has produced three assists and three ‘big chances’ created in six Premiership starts, has the potential to be an exciting player for supporters to watch at the top end of the pitch and the Gers should be looking to get the best out of him.

In the Belgian Pro League last season, Matondo plundered nine goals and two assists, creating four ‘big chances’, in 23 starts on loan at Cercle Brugge.

The £28k-per-week Welsh international, who was once described as “electrifying” by former manager Ryan Giggs, also showed signs of promise in Manchester City’s youth team earlier in his career as he scored 11 goals and assisted five in 31 matches for the U21 outfit.

He is a wizard with the potential to be a match-winner as he has shown, prior to joining the Gers, that he has the quality to score and assist goals on a semi-regular basis.

It is now down to Beale to put him in a position where he can thrive in the Light Blues’ team and finally unleashing him from the start tonight could ignite the gem’s career at Ibrox.

So, whilst some supporters may want to see Morelos back in the side to improve the team’s goalscoring prowess, the manager must bring Matondo into the team out wide.

Tottenham Hotspur may have been handed a blow in their believed interest in Sofyan Amrabat amid this month’s transfer window.

What’s the latest?

It has been reported for the best part of a year now that the north London has held an interest in the Fiorentina midfielder, Amrabat, with Fabio Paratici in contact with the Serie A side during the last January window.

Interest in the 26-year-old was carried into the summer window and has now reportedly extended into this month’s market with Antonio Conte’s men still believed to be showing an interest.

However, they are not the only club said to have Amrabat on their radar this month with one of their Premier League rivals, Liverpool, credited with an interest in the Moroccan.

But after his exceptional display in the World Cup, Fabrizio Romano has suggested on the House of Champions YouTube channel that the midfielder’s price tag has more than doubled on the back of his showings in Qatar with Fiorentina wanting €40m (£35m):

“Fiorentina had a conversation with people close to the player and they were very clear, they want €40m for Amrabat.

“So after his World Cup, the value has basically more than doubled than before the World Cup because I think in the summer with €16m/€17m, Amrabat was available.”

Room for improvement

Spurs looked like they had made one of the signings of the summer when they had prised away Yves Bissouma from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal believed to be worth around £35m.

However, the Mali midfielder has been hugely underwhelming since making the move to north London with Alasdair Gold recently awarding him 5/10 ratings for his displays against Brentford and Aston Villa.

With this in mind, it seems as if Conte could welcome another midfielder this month if someone of Amrabat’s quality was an option.

Amrabat’s defensive showing in Qatar was nothing short of exceptional with possession won 19 times across his games against France and Spain.

But his impressive returns don’t end there with the Moroccan inside the top three percentile across midfielders for progressive passes (6.05) per 90 minutes (via Fbref).

Spurs have already, reportedly, cooled their interest in the right-wing-back Pedro Porro this month having found out the Spaniard’s £40m price tag.

With this in mind, it has to be imagined Romano’s update will come as a potential blow to Daniel Levy and Paratici this month if funds are not widely available to be spent.

As Spurs hope for positive news on the fitness of Rodrigo Bentancur, youngster Pape Matar Sarr shone at Selhurst Park on Wednesday night which may provide Conte with some hope surrounding his midfield options.

So considering Amrabat, who has been hailed as a “crazy player”, may now be out of reach for Spurs, it will be interesting to see if Conte puts more trust in some of his younger options like Sarr over the coming months.

Celtic will feel hard done by after a controversial penalty decision went against them in the 2-2 Old Firm draw.

The Lowdown: No penalty

In the second half at Ibrox, Celtic were denied a penalty as Karl Starfelt’s goal-bound volley was blocked by the hands of Connor Goldson.

The Bhoys were 2-1 down at the time after Rangers staged an early second-half turnaround following Daizen Maeda’s opener just five minutes into the contest.

Ange Postecoglou’s side eventually found a late equaliser when Kyogo Furuhashi turned in from close range to keep Celtic’s nine-point lead at the top of the table intact.

The Latest: Reaction to the decision

Celtic left Ibrox with a point that will suit them a lot more than Rangers considering their league position and the nature of their equaliser.

But the game could’ve been different had the penalty been awarded or even reviewed by VAR, with journalist Craig Finn tweeting: “Perplexed” – alongside a picture of the incident.

Sky Sports co-commentator at the game Andy Walker said on the replays of the incident: “Yeah it does hit his hand, and his hand is high.”

The Verdict: Game-changing decision

Despite Celtic eventually clinching the draw, the game – not to mention the title race – could’ve panned out differently had the penalty been given and subsequently put away.

The ball certainly struck the hands of Goldson with them up by his head, almost pushing the ball away, however, there was little to no reaction from any Bhoys player.

Rangers survived the VAR check, which perhaps surprisingly brought no extra action, with John Beaton not asked to review the decision, presumably because of the little distance the ball travelled before the contact.

The Bhoys remain six unbeaten against the Gers now in all competitions, with Furuhashi’s last-minute equaliser arguably saving VAR from more scrutiny amid the debatable incident.