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Reported Liverpool target Son Heung-min ‘would love’ to move to Anfield from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, according to former Scottish Premiership striker Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Liverpool plotting Son swoop

Despite still having more than two-and-a-half years remaining on his current contract at Spurs, recent reports have suggested that the 30-year-old would be open to leaving N17 in a bid to secure silverware, with the Merseyside giants interested in a deal.

When the two teams played out a 1-1 draw in May, Jurgen Klopp was pictured speaking to the forward after the final whistle, so it doesn’t come as a massive shock to learn of the rumoured attention, with the Reds reportedly keeping tabs on the South Korea star.

The Latest: McAvennie’s admission

Asked by Football Insider whether Liverpool could make a move to sign Son in 2023, McAvennie replied: “I heard that Liverpool are in for him and I think he would go.

“He is not going to win anything at Tottenham. You are going to be challenging to get into the Champions League but I cannot see them winning it, not with that team.

“He would be an absolute star at Liverpool, the way they play. I think he would love to go. I think he would want to stay in the Premier League, he loves it. Liverpool would be great for him.“

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The Verdict: Get it done…

FSG making a swoop for one of Spurs’ standout performers next summer should be a no-brainer if the opportunity were to arise, given his outstanding track record. Indeed, he netted in both games against Liverpool last season.

Son, who will be in action for South Korea at the World Cup later this month, has made a remarkable 212 goal contributions in just 344 appearances for Antonio Conte’s side, and he averages 2.8 shots and 2.2 key passes per league game (WhoScored).

Just two players in Klopp’s squad have a better shots-per-game ratio, while only Mohamed Salah can surpass the Korean’s key passes average at Anfield (WhoScored).

The Tottenham star would surely flourish playing alongside the likes of the Egyptian and would be an excellent addition to the Reds’ attacking department if they can bring him to Merseyside.

With Ralph Hasenhuttl being handed his marching orders, Southampton have instantly set about securing his replacement.

Looking to waste no time, within just a few hours of the announcement that he was gone they already seemed to have a move for Luton Town boss Nathan Jones lined up.

With John Percy noting the “advanced talks”, he went on to state that it is: “Uncertain at this stage whether Jones takes charge for final time at Stoke on Tuesday night but this is moving quickly”.

With that in mind, it seems that the 49-year-old can already start formulating his team for the Saints’ upcoming fixtures.

One man who certainly deserves a recall is Romeo Lavia, who seems ready to return following his injury absence.

Particularly with his replacement Ainsley Maitland-Niles having underperformed with his chance in the starting side.

This is outlined in his 6.72 average SofaScore rating, of which the 18-year-old had outperformed with his 6.92 in just five games.

A workmanlike presence beside James Ward-Prowse, the teenage sensation had starred since his move from Manchester City in the summer.

The Belgian was averaging 1.8 interceptions, 1.3 tackles per game, and had just secured his first Premier League goal with a scorching effort against Chelsea.

Meanwhile, the on-loan man from Arsenal had just 0.5 interceptions per game as a slightly more advanced midfielder, yet still has recorded no goal contributions.

He was left to rue a shoddy display against Newcastle on Sunday, with Maitland-Niles’ lacklustre defending the reason for Miguel Almiron’s opener while he also let Joe Willock in behind for their final goal.

The improvement when Lavia features is a testament to his ability at such a young age, outlined in the fact that they had won two of their first five games of which he featured, and yet have only won once in the nine matches following where he was absent.

Even Fabrizio Romano took note of his ability when announcing the nearly completed transfer, as he labelled the £38k-per-week starlet on Twitter a “top talent”.

Jones will enter St Mary’s with a relatively clean slate but will be aware of the club’s current situation and what must be done to drag them out of the relegation zone. They are just three points off 12th-placed Leeds United.

Unleashing this youngster once again, who earned vital minutes off their bench in their recent collapse against Newcastle United, could be the key to giving the incoming manager the best possible start before the World Cup break commences.

Scottish champions Celtic head into the World Cup break having opened up a nine-point lead at the summit following what’s been a relentless start to the new domestic campaign, with Ange Postecoglou’s side having hardly put a foot wrong in the league thus far.

Following that imperious form – that has seen the Old Firm outfit pick up 42 points from a possible 45 – there may well be one man looking on with envy at present, with former Hoops star Tom Rogic likely to be regretting his decision to depart over the summer.

The 29-year-old made the surprise move to call time on his lengthy spell at Parkhead at the end of last season, with the Australia international having originally joined the club for a reported fee of just £400k back in January 2013.

Having overcome initial injury woes that would inhibit the playmaker’s impact in the first few years of his time in Glasgow, the 6 foot 2 sensation would go on to become a key figure for the Bhoys, scoring 46 goals and providing 49 assists in 272 games in all competitions.

The 53-cap magician had somewhat fallen down the pecking order at Paradise after coming close to a move away from the club in the summer of 2020, only for the arrival of Postecoglou to spark something of a revival, as the midfield maestro went on to provide 16 goal contributions in 50 games across all fronts last term.

Having blossomed under the 57-year-old’s tutelage, it had then come as a shock to see the former Central Coast Mariners man opt to depart, with Rogic eventually joining West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer.

On reflection, the Hoops may well have parted company with the player at just the right time, with the £1m-rated man having gone on to struggle in his new surroundings, making just six appearances for the Baggies thus far.

Having not signed on the dotted line until mid-September, the silky asset has seemingly been playing catch up of late, ensuring that he has been restricted to just a solitary start in the Championship at the Hawthorns.

Those woes have been compounded by the fact that the Aussie star has been omitted from his nation’s squad for Qatar, with that lack of game time having potentially proved costly to his chances of an inclusion.

At present, it seemingly beggars belief as to why Rogic was so keen to move on from Celtic Park only to end up as a peripheral figure in England’s second tier, with journalist Alexi Demetriadi suggesting that such a switch is simply “mystifying”.

The player himself may well have regrets regarding his exit, although as far as Postecoglou and co are concerned there have been no real ill effects as a result of that departure, with the Celtic machine continuing to march on without him.

Wolves are plotting the ‘landmark hire’ of a new technical director, with the club’s new manager Julen Lopetegui ‘pushing’ behind the scenes.

The Lowdown: Lopetegui era begins…

The appointment of the 56-year-old signals a new era at Molineux after the sacking of former boss Bruno Lage in early October, but the ex-Sevilla manager will have a mighty job on his hands.

Wolves are currently bottom of the Premier League table having scored fewer goals than anyone else in the top flight, thanks largely in part due to some major attacking injuries.

That being said, Lopetegui’s experience of coaching in the Champions League, not to mention a Europa League winner’s medal, signals a potentially solid appointment at Molineux.

The Latest: Wolves plan ‘landmark hire’…

As per Football Insider, the Old Gold are plotting a ‘landmark hire’ at the request of Lopetegui behind the scenes.

It is believed that the Spaniard is personally ‘pushing’ for Wolves to hire a new technical director who he knows and trusts ahead of a potentially pivotal transfer window.

This comes as Wolves reportedly overhaul their set up following Lopetegui’s arrival in the Black Country.

The Verdict: Interesting news…

Incoming managers often want assurances that they can take mostly full control of transfers and all on-field matters, and Lopetegui appears no different.

It’s now up to Fosun to grant the 56-year-old his wish and appoint a chief technical director who is capable of both backing him in the transfer market and adhering to his various demands.

Nottingham Forest have not had the Premier League return the supporters would have dreamed of as the side have spent the majority of the season so far in the relegation zone due to their struggle for consistency on the pitch.

Steve Cooper will be frustrated that the World Cup break came when it did as the Tricky Trees started to find their feet in their last five fixtures ahead of the prestigious international tournament – picking up eight points from a possible 15.

Alas, the manager will be hoping that his team can come back after Christmas and pick up where they left off in the top flight when they head to Old Trafford for their clash with Manchester United after Christmas.

Forest made 22 signings over the summer spending an ambitious £150m to build a team that can compete at the highest level to retain the club’s Premier League status and establish themselves comfortably in the league, however, it hasn’t worked out as of yet.

Although a flurry of new faces at The City Ground was something the club was in desperate need of with so many players departing at the end of last season, many of those players who remained at the club were quickly overlooked as to what they could offer the team in the top tier.

One player who is quickly proving Cooper wrong whilst flourishing on loan with Toronto FC in the MLS is forgotten man Richie Laryea.

The talented 27-year-old was shipped off back to his native Canada this summer but has been proving the Forest boss wrong for not including him in his squad by displaying glimpses of his capabilities and talents in Toronto.

Over ten league appearances, the versatile full-back has registered three assists, created four big chances and tallied up a 91% pass completion rate, as well as averaging 1.3 key passes, 1.4 tackles, 1.2 clearances and 6.2 duels per game, proving that he is having a positive impact in both attacking and defensive play.

Not only that, Laryea shined in Qatar during his World Cup performance for Canada against Belgium and was the highest-rated (7.3) player on the team according to Sofascore.

Over his 74-minute performance, the Canadian talent had two shots on goal, made four key passes, won two tackles and completed 100% of his long balls and crosses.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Cooper has made a mistake by not giving Laryea the chance to be part of his Premier League squad this season but if they do manage to pull off survival this season the manager should consider reinstating him in the Forest back-line.

Tottenham Hotspur full-back Emerson Royal is reportedly being eyed by Inter Milan for a potential transfer move. 

The Lowdown: Royal’s time at Spurs

Spurs signed the defender back in September 2021 from Barcelona on a five-year deal under previous manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

Since then, the Brazilian has made 59 appearances for the club across all competitions, chipping in with one goal and two assists.

Now though, with the January transfer window approaching, it seems as though Royal is on the radar of one of Europe’s top clubs.

The Latest: Inter eyeing Royal

According to a recent report from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Inter have Royal as one of their top transfer targets for the January window, and see him as a suitable potential replacement for Denzel Dumfries.

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The report also adds that the Italian club believe that their connection with Antonio Conte could work in their favour, should they launch a move to sign the Spurs full-back.

The Verdict: Spurs should sell Royal

So far this season, the 23-year-old has made 12 appearances for Spurs in the Premier League, across which he has managed to win just 12 of the 24 tackles he’s made.

In addition to that, the £40k-per-week full-back has failed to control the ball 15 times in total, which is more than the likes of Ben Davies (9), Ryan Sessegnon (6) and Eric Dier (5).

With only two of the nine attempts at goal he’s had be on target, this further highlights how ineffective he has been on the pitch this season.

His overall performances in the league have earned Royal, who has been slammed for his “horrendous” displays in this campaign by journalist Sean Walsh, a rather underwhelming season rating of 6.62/10 from WhoScored, leaving 10 other Spurs players with higher scores.

Taking all of this into account, we feel that if Inter were to make an offer for the Brazilian in January, Spurs should definitely consider selling him.

Scottish champions Celtic have already acted swiftly ahead of the January transfer window, with manager Ange Postecoglou bolstering his defensive ranks with the signings of both Yuki Kobayashi and Alistair Johnston.

It does appear that the Parkhead outfit are not done yet, however, with recent reports suggesting that a new centre-forward addition could well be on the cards in the New Year, particularly amid the uncertainty surrounding Giorgos Giakoumakis’ future in Glasgow.

The latest speculation is that Dutch forward Said Hamulic could well be one figure who is attracting the attention of the Old Firm outfit at present, with reports in Italy suggesting that the Hoops are the most ‘active’ suitor in the race for the striker’s signature.

The 22-year-old – who currently plies his trade for Polish outfit Stal Mielec – has enjoyed a sparkling start to the season so far with nine goals and four assists in just 17 league appearances, having only joined the Ekstraklasa side over the summer.

The 6 foot 2 dynamo – who spent his youth career in his homeland – previously netted seven goals in just 14 games while on loan at Lithuanian side Suduva in the second half of last term, while his record at former club Dainava stands at 16 goals in just 36 games.

A player who has showcased his finishing prowess in his embryonic senior career thus far, Hamulic could well prove to be yet another hidden gem that can go on to thrive under Postecoglou’s tutelage should he make the move to Scotland.

The Leiderdorop-born marksman will also likely be hoping to emulate the impact of compatriot Pierre van Hooijdonk at Paradise, with the former Netherlands international having proven truly prolific after joining the Bhoys in the summer of 1995.

Despite enduring something of a sour end to his time at Celtic Park, after departing for Nottingham Forest following a dispute over wages, the 6 foot 4 menace proved a popular figure at the club due to his rampant goalscoring exploits.

The former NAC Breda man memorably scored 26 goals in his first full campaign with the Scottish Premiership side during the 1995/96 season, with his total tally for the club standing at an impressive haul of 56 goals in just 92 games in all competitions before his exit in 1997.

Such form has ensured that Van Hooijdonk remains something of a cult figure among the club’s supporters, with Celtic likely hoping that the potential arrival of another Dutchman, Hamulic, can prove just as fruitful.

Celtic attacker Daizen Maeda could explode into life at Parkhead after a productive 2022 World Cup with Japan, according to Tam McManus.

The Lowdown: Maeda enjoys good World Cup

The 25-year-old played a key part in Japan’s tournament in Qatar, starting two of his country’s group stage matches and leading the line in the round of 16 too.

Maeda scored once in the competition, in a key encounter against Croatia that finished 1-1, prior to Japan crashing out on penalties.

The attacker will now be concentrating on a return to action for Celtic, hoping to improve on his tally of just three goals in 14 Scottish Premiership appearances this season.

The Latest: Attacker backed to find new gear

Speaking to Football Insider, McManus backed Maeda to improve his club form after a positive time of things in Qatar:

“Fair play to him, he has had a good World Cup and Japan had a good run. It’s great for Maeda, great for his confidence. Playing and scoring in the World Cup is the pinnacle. Maybe he will come back to Celtic a more confident and better player.

“He has taken a bit of stick from Celtic supporters, he’s missed a lot of chances. He hasn’t really shown that composure in front of goal but maybe he will come back a different player.

“You always want to see your players doing well at the World Cup and I think he did well with Japan. Goals like that can make a huge difference to your career if you capitalise on them.”

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The Verdict: Still a key man for Celtic

There is no denying that some of Maeda’s finishing for Celtic has been underwhelming of late but he remains a hugely important figure under Ange Postecoglou.

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His work-rate and general impact in attack are influential, even if he isn’t banging in the goals, and he is always someone who can be a match-winner for the Hoops.

Maeda showed on the biggest stage of all what he is capable of – he averaged one tackle and interception apiece per game at the World Cup, leading Japan’s press from the front – and now it is time for him to find another level in a Celtic shirt.

Liverpool chiefs ‘believe’ they have a ‘great chance’ of signing Borussia Dortmund star and Man City target Jude Bellingham, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Reds eye move…

The Bundesliga sensation has been called a ‘ridiculously exciting’ prospect by members of the media, and for good reason, with Bellingham currently standing out at both club and international level.

Fresh off the back of a brilliant individual World Cup campaign with England, the Qatar tournament has only reinforced Bellingham’s stellar reputation.

The 19-year-old started every single game for the Three Lions, standing out as their second-best performer overall, scoring one goal and registering an assist in the Middle East (WhoScored).

Bellingham’s club form is even more impressive as Dortmund’s star ranks as their best player by average match rating, all while attempting more shots at goal and completing more dribbles per 90 than any other player in his side.

Liverpool and City are targeting the teenager with reporter Dean Jones sharing the latest.

The Latest: Liverpool hold Bellingham belief…

While being eyed by the Sky Blues also, a fierce transfer competitor, Anfield officials apparently still hold a real belief they can sign the midfield gem.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones explained:

“Man City might consider themselves with the greatest chance of signing him right now in their eyes, but Liverpool believe that they should have a great chance, too, and that they just have to go all out and put in front of him why they think he should join Liverpool.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Beating arch Premier League rivals City to the signing of Bellingham would be a real statement of intent on behalf of the Reds and manager Jurgen Klopp.

Indeed, the aforementioned praise and statistics surrounding Dortmund’s key man just highlight how he is truly one of Europe’s most in-demand rising stars.

Of course, Bellingham is hardly likely to come cheap, but landing the best players in world football will require significant investment.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is reportedly now in prime position to land Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni.

The Lowdown: Tottenham’s Bastoni interest

Tottenham’s interest in Bastoni is nothing new, with Football London reporting back in the summer that he was one of Antonio Conte’s top targets, but a move did not transpire, with the likes of Clement Lenglet and Cristian Romero arriving instead.

Given Spurs’ defensive issues, with the side conceding 21 goals in the Premier League, more than the likes of Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion, Conte appears to have reentered the market for a centre-back.

However, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has recently detailed that Inter would not be willing to sell the Italian for anything less than £52m, meaning Daniel Levy will need to shell out a similar sum to the one he spent on Romero.

The Latest: Conte lining it up…

According to a new report from CalcioMercato, Conte is in the prime position to land the 23-year-old out of all the interested parties, ahead of Pep Guardiola, who has tried to get information regarding a move to Manchester City.

The same source details that Conte has previously initiated contact with the defender in regards to a move to north London, but he was happy to remain at the San Siro.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

The £89k-per-week earner is a forward-thinking centre-back, as indicated by an average of 3.57 progressive passes recorded per 90 in the past year, placing him in the 90th percentile compared to his positional peers.

However, he also has the defensive quality to boot, with football writer Muhammad Butt describing him as a ‘warrior’, while also lauding him as the ‘real deal’ after a performance for national side Italy.

Displays at club level haven’t been bad either, with Bastoni ranked as Inter’s joint-best performing centre-back by SofaScore, and crucially he is used to playing as part of a back three, a system utilised by Simone Inzaghi in all 21 matches this season.

As such, the colossus would be able to make a seamless transition into the Tottenham starting lineup, with him being perfectly suited to Conte’s style of play.