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Aston Villa have reportedly opened discussions over a potential move for Vitoria S.C. defender Ibrahima Bamba.

The Lowdown: Bamba profiled

Bamba is just 20 years of age and has made 26 of his 33 first-team appearances for Vitoria this season. The Italian has mainly turned out as a centre-back but can also feature as a holding midfielder if required.

He has established himself as a regular this season, picking up ten yellow cards in the process, and is under contract until 2026, but it looks as if a move to Villa Park could be on the cards.

The Latest: Transfer update

The Times shared a story in the last 48 hours regarding Bamba, claiming that Villa have opened discussions over a summer transfer.

They describe Bamba as one of Vitoria’s most talented players and say that he has caught the attention of a number of Premier League sides.

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The Verdict: NSWE key?

Aston Villa’s owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens are set to purchase a 46% stake in Vitoria, so they could be crucial in regards to a transfer materialising over the coming months.

Bamba appears to be a potential star in the making and has already cemented himself at senior level in Portugal. His versatility could come in handy under Unai Emery, and with the connection between the two clubs in place, Bamba could be the first to make a move between the two clubs.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale has a number of significant decisions to make heading into the summer transfer window as a collection of players are set to be out of contract.

The Gers have a host of first-team squad members whose deals expire at the end of the season and the Light Blues boss, working alongside Ross Wilson, needs to decide who he does, and does not, want to keep.

One player who could be worthy of an extension is Scotland international midfielder Ryan Jack, who has been heavily involved so far this season.

The 30-year-old has played 17 times, starting 11 of those matches, in the Premiership this term and has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.88 in that time.

Jack, who started nine games in the run to the Europa League final in 2021/22, has been a reliable performer for Beale in the middle of the park and it could be worth handing him an extra couple of years, given that he only turns 31 this year.

However, Beale must also start to think about what life may look like at Ibrox after the Scottish battler departs and that is where B Team gem Bailey Rice comes into play.

The Light Blues head coach could find the long-term successor to Jack by developing the young academy talent to a point where he can take the experienced technician’s place in a few seasons’ time.

Extending the current first-team star’s contract for another two or three campaigns would allow the club to work with Rice to ensure that the youngster is fully ready to make the step up to first-team football.

The 16-year-old, who was dubbed a “prospect” by journalist Mark Hendry, joined the club from Motherwell in January of last year and has been a regular for the youth side this season.

Despite only turning 16 in October of 2022, the enforcer has played 14 matches for the B team, alongside some players who are three or four years older than him, and six times for the U19s.

The midfielder, who has scored two goals and provided one assist in 13 Lowland League outings, is seemingly showing maturity and quality beyond his years to be regularly selected for the B Team at his age, which is a promising sign for the future.

Premier League champions Manchester City were also interested in signing the gem last year, which shows how highly his performances in Motherwell’s youth set-up were rated, and Rice has also been capped 15 times by Scotland at youth level.

His accomplishments and the transfer interest he garnered before the age of 17 suggest that the gem, who has vowed to “keep improving”, has immense potential and could be a future star of the Gers first team if he can continue to develop and grow as a player.

Therefore, Rice could be the long-term successor to Jack in the middle of the park and extending the latter’s contract to coincide with when the B Team star will be nearing his 20s could be a smart move by the club.

Newcastle United will need to put together a loan agreement with an obligation to pay at least £45m if they want to sign Conor Gallagher, according to journalist Craig Hope.

The Lowdown: Gallagher leaving?

Chelsea have strengthened their squad considerably in the January transfer window, bringing in the likes of Mykhaylo Mudryk for £88.5m and Benoit Badiashile for £35m, but they are still targeting new additions in the centre of midfield.

The Guardian report that the Blues are closing in on a £115m deal for Enzo Fernandez, while adding that they could also make a late push for Moises Caicedo, which means that there could be no room for Gallagher in Graham Potter’s squad.

The Latest: Newcastle told what they must pay

According to Hope via Twitter, Newcastle must match the £45m offer for the midfielder which is currently on the table from Everton if they want to secure a deal before the deadline.

The agreement would be on loan with an obligation to buy, and the journalist also claims that Eddie Howe is a ‘big admirer’ of the player.

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The Verdict: Worth it?

The 22-year-old has recently been hailed as ‘fantastic’ by Chelsea manager Potter, so the possibility of him leaving the west London club isn’t due to a lack of ability, but because of the sheer amount of talent that the Blues could have in his position by the close of play tonight.

What is particularly impressive about the Englishman is that he has a lot to offer in an attacking and defensive sense, with the latter being indicated best by the fact that he has averaged 1.74 blocks per 90 in the past year, placing in the 91st percentile compared to other midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues.

While on loan at Crystal Palace last season, the maestro reached double figures for goal contributions in the Premier League, finishing the campaign with a very respectable total of eight goals and three assists.

£45m is a lot for Gallagher but he is still very young, and a move to Newcastle, where he would be able to feature more regularly in the first team, could be exactly what he needs in order to flourish.

Chelsea would be silly not to sign Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Thuram’s future

Sky Sports man Kevin Hatchard recently claimed that he had received a text signalling ‘definite’ interest from Chelsea in signing Thuram this month, with Fabrizio Romano writing in his SubStack column that a Premier League move is the player’s priority (via CaughtOffSide).

The Frenchman has been unwilling to commit to a new contract to extend his stay with Monchengladbach beyond 2023, and so he could be available on a cut-price deal, with BILD claiming it may only take £6m to sign him. (via Football Insider)

The Latest: Taylor’s comments

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Taylor claimed that the 25-year-old is definitely a player that they should be targeting, saying:

“I’m surprised United aren’t looking at this one, maybe even Arsenal, because he ticks that box. But, at the same time, I think Chelsea probably would be silly not to go for it at the moment given their depleted squad.”

The Verdict: Make it happen

Chelsea should be jumping at the opportunity to sign the forward, as they have been presented with a great chance to either get him for a bargain fee, or on a free transfer if a pre-contract agreement can be arranged.

The 6 foot 4 marksman has received some very high praise from people within the game, namely Arsene Wenger, who compared him to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, while he has also been lauded as ‘world class’ by Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schafer.

Given Thuram’s very impressive attacking record in his career so far, it is clear to see why he has been the subject of such high praise, scoring 59 goals and registering 32 assists in 234 appearances at club level, a fantastic return given that he has played the majority of these games at left-wing.

Graham Potter is clearly in need of some new forward options, given that his side are in the bottom half for goals scored in the Premier League, and Thuram has a brilliant scoring record.

Chelsea have now held positive talks with N’Golo Kante over a potential new deal to keep the French midfielder at Stamford Bridge.

What’s the latest?

Kante’s future in London has come under serious scrutiny of late with the 31-year-old’s contract at Chelsea now set to expire at the end of the current campaign. There were even reports claiming the French international could walk away from the Blues with an agreement unable to be found.

However, Fabrizio Romano has now suggested Chelsea have held fresh talks with the midfielder which could see him put pen to paper on a new deal to keep him playing under Graham Potter:

“It’s important to mention also what happens about Chelsea’s situation with N’Golo Kante.

“Now the focus is on coming back from his injury but the last conversations with his agents have been positive. Positive conversations because Kante is prepared to accept different kinds of terms to stay at Chelsea.

“So a few months ago, it was really complicated and the feeling was for Kante to leave Chelsea on a free. Now it’s a 50/50 between Kante and Chelsea there are chances for him to stay there are chances for him to leave.”

Ahead of the January window and even the summer market, the Blues have already been linked with a host of names which could potentially be a long-term replacement for the Frenchman at Stamford Bridge.

The likes of Enzo Fernandez, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice are all names who are believed to be on Todd Boehly’s radar with the future of Kante still uncertain as he enters the final months of his deal in west London.

Optimism at the Bridge

It has been a testing campaign for Kante whose game time in the starting XI has taken a major blow due to a hamstring injury which he picked up back in August against Tottenham Hotspur.

The injury has seen the Frenchman miss every single game since then with just 175 minutes of action under his belt for the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign.

However, even last season, the midfielder saw his game time hindered by a hamstring injury with 26 appearances to his name across the Premier League campaign.

With this in mind, could the likes of Rice or Fernandez provide Potter with an upgrade on the World Cup-winning midfielder in the coming transfer windows?

Comparing Kante’s 2021/22 campaign with Fernandez and Rice’s current campaign, the Frenchman still provides the most tackles per 90 minutes (via FBref).

But in terms of passes completed, the Argentine remains head and shoulders above the Premier League duo with more than 40 extra passes attempted than Rice and Kante (via FBref).

Despite Kante still holding his own among the promising midfield duo, his injury record of late has to be a concern for those at Stamford Bridge as the Blues sat slumped down in eighth spot of the Premier League following Sunday’s draw at Nottingham Forest.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that signing Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha would be a ‘big coup’ for Leeds United.

The Lowdown: Contact made

As per 90min, Leeds, as well as Aston Villa and Everton, have made contact with Cunha’s representatives over a potential move, and are ‘actively trying’ to strike a deal for him in the January transfer window.

Cunha is interested in working with Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui, but ‘sources’ have claimed that he wants to explore all of his options before making a final decision on his future.

His entourage have also offered him to Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United, and Atletico are desperate to offload Cunha’s wages, and would be prepared to sanction a loan deal.

The Latest: Cunha a ‘big coup’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has claimed that signing Cunha would be a ‘big coup’ for Jesse Marsch’s side:

“It’d be a big coup if they could land Matheus Cunha, who does seem like he is available. There’s going to be big competition for his signature. We’ve already seen the likes of Wolves and Aston Villa strongly linked with him.”

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The Verdict: Get it done

It has recently been reported that it is not clear how long Patrick Bamford is going to be out for with injury, meaning that the Whites need to strengthen their striker options in January.

Lauded as a player who is ‘very fast’, with ‘great technical skills’, ‘unpredictable gameplay’ and an ‘excellent goal instinct’ by his former boss Maurizio Jacobacci, Cunha showed early promise as a teenager at FC Sion, where he managed seven goals and four assists in 15 games under the Swiss (Transfermarkt).

Once hailed as ‘something special‘ by former Hertha Berlin head coach Bruno Labbadia, the Brazilian continued his impressive streak in Germany, managing 23 goal contributions in 40 games (Transfermarkt), while at RB Leipzig, he managed a further nine goals and three assists (Transfermarkt).

Cunha has not been able to reach the same heights at Atletico, failing to find the back of the net so far this term, but there is no doubt that the talent is still there.

If Marsch puts an arm around his shoulder on the pitch, then we could see the best of Cunha again, if the Peacocks are able to bring him to Elland Road.

A claim has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and how good the potential signing of a Scotland international would be for the Light Blues…

What’s the talk?

Radio pundit Mark Wilson has claimed that central midfielder Billy Gilmour would thrive back at Ibrox as a senior player if the club managed to snap him up from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Speaking on the radio show Clyde 1 Superscoreboard (29/11/2022) – via the Glasgow Times – the pundit reacted to a supporter suggesting that the Gers should swoop for the gem:

“Listen, he’s someone with exceptional talent who wants to play. He is finding it difficult at the minute and he’s got to find a home that he can play 30, 40, 50 games without long breaks in his career.

“He is at a stage now, but he’s at a crossroads. If there was some sort of miracle that Rangers could entice him up to Scotland, I think he would flourish up here.

“I think he may find it easy to take the ball in tight positions, but the wage he might demand could be out of Rangers reach.”

Davis upgrade

Gilmour signed for Brighton for a fee that could rise to £10m in the summer but has struggled for game time since making the move away from Chelsea.

He has only played four times in the Premier League this season and amassed 20 minutes of action as a substitute in that time – with no top-flight start since his loan spell with Norwich in 2021/22.

His struggle for minutes on the pitch with the Seagulls suggests that the manager does not believe that he is ready to play week-in-week-out in the top tier of English football, and this could open the door for the Gers to swoop in during the January window.

The promise of regular first-team football during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign could be tempting for Brighton and allow Michael Beale to snap the youngster up on loan, after the Light Blues were named as a potential destination for him last summer.

Gilmour could be an upgrade on veteran midfielder Steven Davis if the club are able to secure a temporary deal for the Scotland international.

The gem, who was once dubbed a “fabulous” player by Graeme Souness on ITV, caught the eye during his country’s World Cup qualifying campaign as he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.03 across eight appearances – making 2.4 tackles and interceptions per match.

Meanwhile, Steven Davis has averaged a score of 6.96 across seven outings in the Premiership – making 1.2 tackles and interceptions per game. He also averaged a score of 6.81 in eight World Cup qualifiers for Northern Ireland – making 2.2 of the aforementioned defensive contributions per clash.

These statistics indicate that Gilmour has the potential to be an upgrade on the 37-year-old midfielder if Beale can get the best out of him at Ibrox, which Wilson seemingly believes would be the case, as he has the quality to perform to a higher level whilst winning the ball back more frequently.

He is also 16 years younger than the current Gers man and could offer fresh legs in the middle of the park, Daily Mail journalist Calum McClurkin Tweeting that Davis has been “towing a caravan” on the pitch this season.

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.

Chelsea have been keeping a close eye on a pair of talents from the French top flight that could both be on the move in January as they look to bolster Enzo Maresca’s ranks, it has been reported.

Chelsea begin Premier League season strongly

More than a quarter of the way into the Premier League season, Chelsea find themselves in fourth place and just seven points off the summit, currently being occupied by Liverpool.

It has been an impressive start to the campaign for Maresca’s side, especially in light of the upheaval the club underwent again in the transfer market and the continued noise surrounding the likes of Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka.

Spearheaded by Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, the Blues have lost just twice all season, though they were held to a 1-1 draw by a wasteful Manchester United side at Old Trafford in their most recent outing.

Having lost only to the sides above them as it stands, they will be handed yet another measure of their potential to challenge for the title in their next game as they welcome under-par Arsenal to Stamford Bridge, with a win likely to both lay down a marker for Maresca’s side and all but end any prospective title challenge from their London rivals.

But the squad is not yet complete, and there are concerns over the squad depth in attack, with Palmer and Jackson not having any natural replacements within Maresca’s ranks. Now, the Blues are looking to change that.

Chelsea send scouts to watch Ligue 1 pair

That comes as The Boot Room report that Chelsea have sent scouts to watch Ligue 1 pair Jonathan David and Rayan Cherki ahead of a potential swoop for the pair in January. Lille striker David is out of contract at the end of the season as things stand, and will be free to negotiate with any European club in January and agree a pre-contract.

However, Les Dogues would like to receive a fee for the Canadian marksman, who has continued his fine goalscoring record in France with seven goals in 10 games this season. As a result, they may be willing to accept a cut-price offer for the 24-year-old, something that Chelsea may look to take advantage of as they seek an alternative to Jackson.

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Cherki, meanwhile, was on the cusp of leaving Lyon over the summer only for a move to break down, with Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and Fulham all among the interested clubs.

Instead, the 21-year-old talent penned a new deal at Lyon, but that deal comes to an end in 2026 and a move away from the Parc Olympique Lyonnais is still likely in the near future. He has started just three Ligue 1 games since agreeing a new contract, though he has impressed in the Europa League.

Like Palmer, Cherki is able to play both on the right hand side of attack as well as centrally, and provides similar creative numbers to Chelsea’s talisman, albeit without the goals or assists to show for it.

With Chelsea having spent significantly in recent seasons, the Ligue 1 pair could well provide a pair of bargains in January that could help add yet more depth to Maresca’s squad.

Mikel Arteta has brought the good times back to Arsenal, with the club currently sitting top of the Premier League after eight wins in nine matches, including an excellent 3-2 victory over Liverpool last weekend.

The Spaniard has struck gold over new signings Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, with both already playing an important part in the club’s renaissance.

The two summer arrivals are just 25 years old, with fellow new signings Fabio Vieira and Marquinhos just 22 and 19 years of age respectively, it appears Arteta is building for the future.

He might already have one of the future stars in his squad, and he has a key part to play in the next few years at the club…

Arsenal have hit the jackpot over Bukayo Saka

The midfielder has progressed through the age groups at the club to be a prominent fixture in the first-team squad.

Saka made his debut for Arsenal in the Europa League in 2018 under Unai Emery, while it was the next season, 2019/2020, that he had his breakthrough.

The youngster played 38 matches for the first team, scoring four goals and registering ten assists as he offered a glimpse of his potential.

Arteta has since developed him accordingly and he has since gone from strength to strength. Since the beginning of the 2020/2021 season, Saka has netted 23 goals and chipped in with a further 21 assists.

The Englishman made his national team debut in October 2020 during a 3-0 win against Wales and has earned 20 caps since, scoring four times. Saka was the one that missed the decisive penalty against Italy in the 2020 European Championship final to lose in the most agonising way.

This setback has arguably made him stronger, with Arteta claiming “experiences like that mark your career” and he certainly looks like he has put it to the back of his mind.

CIES Football Observatory values the midfielder at €100m (£87m) and Arsenal have hit the jackpot over the player. They could easily make a fortune from Saka, and there appears to be no ceiling on his potential.

Former Arsenal star Ray Parlour dubbed the youngster a “revelation” and if he continues on his current upwards trajectory, there will be plenty of potential suitors sniffing about the 21-year-old.