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Leeds United have held ‘delicate’ talks with West Ham over a fee for young forward Sonny Perkins, Phil Hay reports.

The Lowdown: Augustin update

The Whites found out last week that would have to pay RB Leipzig £18.4m regarding the signing of Jean-Kevin Augustin, with their appeal dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Leeds are thought to be planning another appeal, though, despite being ordered to pay an initial sum of £5.9m, and it looks as if a further off-field dispute is still ongoing at Elland Road.

The Latest: Hay makes Perkins claim

Perkins made his senior Leeds debut on Wednesday against Wolves in the EFL Cup, playing 71 minutes of the 1-0 defeat.

Hay wrote a story for The Athletic about the young talent coming through at Elland Road on Thursday and touched on Perkins’ move to Yorkshire. He said that West Ham want a seven-figure sum from Leeds for Perkins following ‘delicate’ conversations.

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“Conversations between the two teams at board level have been delicate at best. West Ham think Leeds were underhand in recruiting Perkins and want a good seven-figure sum.

“Leeds deny any wrongdoing and do not believe Perkins’ status as a scholar, his salary at West Ham, his limited minutes as a first-team player or prior fees for academy footballers like him should value him at more than £750,000.”

The Verdict: Tribunal?

Leeds appear to be willing to pay around £750,000 in compensation for the teenager, whereas the Hammers are holding out for more. Therefore, it looks as if the two clubs are set for a tribunal to settle a fee for Perkins, who looks like an exciting young talent.

The 18-year-old has scored seven goals in nine Premier League 2 games for the Whites, and after his first-team debut at Molineux, you’d expect that it could be the first of many senior appearances in a Leeds shirt.

Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements after suffering their worst start in the Premier League for over a decade but two impressive signings could transform the team.

What’s the latest?

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Pete O’Rourke provided his thoughts on the reported interest from Liverpool in Jude Bellingham and Youssoufa Moukoko.

Commenting on the pair, O’Rourke said: “It’d be a massive coup if Liverpool could sign both players.

“Bellingham and Moukoko are obviously two very talented young players who I think will only get better with time.

“But I think it won’t just be Liverpool who are interested in both of these players, I think there’ll be a huge competition for their signatures if they do decide to leave Dortmund.”

It would be a major coup

Like O’Rourke claimed, there is no doubt that signing both Bellingham and Moukoko would be a major coup for Liverpool as it would begin their youth revolution to build the next generation of talent at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp has a number of players who are in the latter stages of their career with Virgil van Dijk, Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara and James Milner all well into their 30s at this point.

The Reds have been long term admirers of Bellingham and have been linked on numerous occasions with a move for the €150m-valued (£130m) teenage sensation who has proven his talent yet again this season so far.

Over 15 Bundesliga appearances, the 19-year-old England star has scored three goals, registered two assists and created four big chances, as well as making 1.4 interceptions, 3.2 tackles, 1.1 clearances and winning a whopping 9.2 duels per game.

Those numbers are outstanding and prove that he is one of the most talented complete midfielders in the world right now.

Regarding Moukoko, the young centre-forward has just earned a spot in the Germany World Cup squad after impressing for Dortmund with his eye for goal.

The talented teenager who turns 18 years old today has tallied up 153 goals and 35 assists over 149 appearances already whilst rising through the ranks to the senior team, with a goal contribution every 51 minutes.

This season Moukoko has been given a starring role in the Dortmund first team and has proven himself to be a huge threat in front of goal in the Bundesliga.

Over 14 appearances, the goal machine has scored six times, registered three assists and created two big chances, as well as averaging 1.9 shots on goal and winning 2.2 duels per game.

With Bellingham’s aforementioned value, combined with Moukoko’s £26.1m price tag, it would cost FSG £156.1m to secure the signature of both players.

With that being said, if Julian Ward can pull off a deal for both young talents it could set up the forward line as a pairing for over a decade, something that would certainly influence more success and trophies in the years to come.

West Ham United have rejoined the race to sign Shakhtar Donetsk forward Tete amid his current loan stint at Lyon.

The Lowdown: West Ham interested in Tete…

The 22-year-old has previously been in thoughts of West Ham and their head of recruitment Rob Newman, as revealed earlier in 2022.

Reports claimed that David Moyes’ side had joined the plethora of clubs interested in signing Tete before he re-signed for Lyon on a temporary spell from the Ukrainian top flight.

The £22m-rated player seems destined to leave parent club Shakhtar on a permanent basis, though, as his deal is currently set to expire next year.

The Latest: West Ham rejoin Tete race…

As per reports from Italy, it appears that West Ham are back in contention to potentially seal a Premier League move for the former Brazil under-23 international.

Calciomercato claim that both the Hammers and Leicester City have taken a real interest in Tete ‘in recent months’, with Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi also in the mix.

Alongside the English trio, it appears that Serie A giants AC Milan are also in the frame, and this report claims that the Rossoneri have already made an enquiry.

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The Verdict: Make the move?

While he is estimated to cost around £22m by Transfermarkt, Shakhtar could be forced to agree a deal for less than that figure given Tete’s contract situation.

As such, West Ham could secure a relative bargain for a forward with a very positive reputation behind him.

The South American ace carries the nickname ‘Hurricane’, while Shakhtar CEO Sergei Palkin has even backed him to become a ‘big star’ one day.

While Tete is arguably yet to live up to that tag, with a decent yet unspectacular return of 38 goals in 132 club career games, at 22 there is still plenty of time to make it happen.

Everton will have been one of plenty of Premier League teams that welcomed the World Cup-enforced break, having lost their last three in all competitions.

They sit just one point from safety, in a position that will feel eerily familiar to Evertonians who suffered last season as they narrowly avoided the drop.

Many have their theories as to why the Toffees are underperforming once again, considering their vast summer overhaul that welcomed eight new faces to Goodison Park.

However, most would come to agree that the lack of a focal point up front has hindered them heavily.

It was common knowledge that Dominic Calvert-Lewin was an unreliable option given his injury history, so the addition of Neal Maupay seemed like smart business.

But with just one goal and an invisible physical presence has seen the transfer questioned already, with calls for extra reinforcements this January.

Perhaps Frank Lampard could consider moving in for an exciting young talent with which they spent most of the summer interested in, as Goncalo Ramos looks to gear up with Portugal for their World Cup campaign.

90min noted their interest alongside a host of Premier League clubs, with the report detailing Crystal Palace, Leeds United, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

More recently, Benfica were noted to value the youngster at €40m (£35m).

Although this would mark a significant outlay for a club renowned for their financial issues, it could be an incredible investment as he jets off to Qatar.

The 21-year-old is currently enjoying a blistering start to the season for his club, with 14 goals and six assists across 21 games in all competitions.

He actually boasts more goals than every single Everton player put together this season, which truly outlines how clinical he has been this season.

Although he will likely play second string to Cristiano Ronaldo, there will likely be chances for Ramos to show why Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulik dubbed him “incredibly prolific”.

He can surely be the surprise package at this World Cup, and Kevin Thelwell should definitely consider another move for this talented finisher who justifies his price tag with consistency in front of goal.

Arsenal centre-back William Saliba has a ’50/50 chance’ of starting France’s World Cup clash against Tunisia, according to reliable journalist Amy Lawrence.

The Lowdown: Saliba awaiting World Cup bow

The 21-year-old has enjoyed an outstanding season for the Gunners to date, playing a big role in them topping the Premier League table at Christmas.

Saliba’s form saw him named in France’s squad for the 2022 World Cup but he is still awaiting his first appearance in Qatar, with Raphael Varane, Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano all preferred so far.

However, that could be about to change ahead of Les Bleus’ clash against Tunisia on Wednesday.

The Latest: Saliba could start v Tunisia

Taking to Twitter, Lawrence claimed that Saliba was battling with Liverpool man Konate to start alongside Varane:

“A 50/50 chance of William Saliba making his World Cup debut for France tomorrow. Fingers crossed for him.”

The Verdict: Would be richly deserved

While bias can often come into play with football fans, Saliba not starting for France initially in this tournament arguably feels harsh from an Arsenal perspective, given his form this season.

Konate has been injured for much of Liverpool’s campaign, and while age could be used against the Gunners ace, he already looks a hugely mature and undaunted player.

Should Saliba start against Tunisia and impress, it could ensure him a place in the starting XI next to Varane in the knockout rounds, in what would be an ideal stage for him to showcase his brilliance.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their interest in signing Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid in the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Dean Jones has confirmed that the Villans are monitoring the Portugal international’s status ahead of next month, although he is not confident that the club will be able to secure a deal for his signature.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “It is true they are checking out his situation but it is one thing for Villa to have interest in Joao Felix and quite another to actually sign him.

“He’s a £100m footballer who is looking to become one of the best in the world in his position.

“At the age of 23 and on the back of a decent World Cup, it is difficult to see him joining a side with no European prospects.”

The reporter has previously, however, revealed that the attacker is “open” to joining a Premier League side as his next club if he decides to leave Spain.

Jack Grealish 2.0

Unai Emery could land his own Grealish for Villa by securing a deal, against the odds, to sign the Atletico Madrid forward ahead of the second half of the campaign.

In his last season at Villa Park, the England international scored six goals and assisted ten in 24 Premier League starts for the club. He created 3.2 chances per game and averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.54 as he made himself Dean Smith’s talisman in the final third – scoring and creating goals to win the side valuable points.

Felix, who produced one goal and two assists in four World Cup appearances for Portugal in Qatar, is a forward who could have a very similar impact at the top end of the pitch for Villa.

The 23-year-old has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 18 La Liga starts for Atletico since the start of last season, after plundering seven goals and five assists in 14 starts in the 2020/21 campaign for the Spanish giants.

These statistics show that the dynamo, who talent scout Jacek Kulig once dubbed “beautiful” to watch”, has the quality to be a Grealish-like figure for Emery in the Premier League as he can be a difference maker in front of goal – both in terms of scoring and creating.

Therefore, the Villa head coach could land his own talisman in the attack by beating off competition from other teams and convincing Felix that the club has the potential to compete in Europe in the near future.

Everton boss Frank Lampard will be concerned at the recent availability of former boss Roberto Martinez after his departure from the Belgium National Team, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke. 

The Lowdown: Danger zone

For a second consecutive season, Everton find themselves between a rock and a hard place. 

As we venture ever closer to the recommencement of the season, the Toffees sit just one point above the relegation zone, with visible issues within the squad.

Whilst Everton have been a solid defensive outfit this season, they have failed to assert themselves in an attacking sense. 

Lampard’s ideology of playing counter-attacking football was a sound plan considering their frail structure, but ultimately this has been too predictable and has led to the side ranking as the second-worst scoring team in the league this season, having bagged just 11 goals. 

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For context, Harry Kane has scored 12 goals on his own for Spurs in the league this term.

Whilst chance creation has not really been a concern for the side, their lack of shots per match is, having managed an average of just 3.5 shots on target per 90 – another stat that sees them ranked within the bottom three teams. 

The Latest: Martinez available

Journalist O’Rourke believes that Martinez’s fresh availability could turn out to be a problem for Lampard, who has seen his side struggle this season.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT on Lampard’s position at the Toffees’ helm, O’Rourke said: 

“A lot will depend on what happens straight after this World Cup break. If Everton get off to a slow start and are struggling for form, it’s going to increase the pressure on Frank Lampard.

“It’s never great when you have a manager out of work, lingering over your shoulder, and that will be the concern for Frank right now – Martinez is available.”

The Verdict: Unlikely?

Whilst Martinez will surely be looking at returning to the club football scene, you would expect him to bide his time and hold out for a switch to a club who are competing for European football at the very minimum. 

This, though, will surely be after he has taken a step back, having just concluded a six-year spell in charge of Belgium. 

Martinez of course has an understanding of what it’s like to manage Everton, having been at the helm for three seasons. But if Lampard were to be sacked, it will be because of the Toffees’ lowly-ranked position in the league table, and it is hard to imagine Martinez leaping back into club football to take part in a fierce relegation scrap. 

Despite underachieving with Belgium’s golden generation on the national stage, Martinez’s reputation will be a lot higher than when he departed Everton, so it makes sense for him to hold out for a club in a more prosperous position.

Wolves are reportedly interested in signing Real Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda in January, and the Spaniard’s prospective arrival at Molineux could see Julen Lopetegui finally get rid of Nelson Semedo.

According to AS, both Leeds United and Wolves have already ‘moved’ for the 18-year-old ahead of next month’s transfer window, with a frantic race expected for the signature of the highly-rated youngster.

After featuring in six games for Valladolid’s senior side, Fresneda’s release clause has risen to €30m (£26m), which means that he could be an expensive option for the Old Gold in January, but he certainly seems to have a lot of potential.

Spanish journalist Juan Arroita has certainly been impressed with what he has seen from Fresneda in his brief appearances, as he tweeted earlier this year: “Iván Fresneda has a beastly ability to take measured crosses from the right-handed lane. How good does the boy look? 17 years old…”

The teenage defender has just nine senior appearances to his name, but that has clearly been enough to convince clubs in the Premier League that he is worth the investment, as his six appearances in La Liga this season have seen him average a strong 6.74 rating from WhoScored.

According to FBRef, the youngster excels at tackling, interceptions and clearances, ranking above the 88th percentile for all three among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues. That suggests that he is solid in defence, which could make him an immediate upgrade on Semedo.

The former Barcelona man has proven himself to be a “liability at the back” (in the words of Tim Spiers) on a number of occasions during his time at Molineux, most notably in the 3-2 defeat against Brighton ahead of the World Cup break.

After losing Kaoru Mitoma for the Seagulls’ equaliser, the Portuguese full-back then hauled down the Japanese winger when he was through on goal, receiving a straight red card and costing the Old Gold any realistic chance of earning an important three points against a strong Brighton side.

Semedo has averaged a shocking 6.31 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the Premier League so far this term, and Lopetegui will surely be looking for an upgrade in January as he looks to save Wolves’ season.

In Fresneda, the Old Gold’s new manager could find a significant long-term upgrade, so it will be interesting to see if the Molineux club can win the transfer race for the youngster next month.

Arsenal are ready to finally bring Youri Tielemans to north London, according to reports…

What’s the word?

TEAMtalk claim that the Gunners are preparing a bid to sign the Leicester City midfielder in January but are also prepared to wait until the summer to seal him on a free transfer.

“The Gunners are ready to try and entice Leicester with an offer in January, but if not they will look to land him at the end of the season,” journalist Graeme Bailey revealed.

“A January deal could also be helped if Leicester manage to bring in some sort of midfield cover, and that could very well be in the shape of Azzedine Ounahi.”

The Mirror believe that ‘any decent offer’ will be tempting for the Foxes, who have previously valued him at around £25m but with around six months to run on his current £33k-per-week deal, you’d imagine it will be a lot less than that.

January bargain

With recent worrying injuries putting a potential dent in Arsenal’s progress on the pitch, it would make sense for sporting director Edu Gaspar to make a couple of moves in the transfer market with further strength in depth required.

The news surrounding Gabriel Jesus is a cause for concern as the Brazil striker faces three months out and whilst he needs to be replaced in the short-term, the situation must be used to pre-empt it from happening in other areas of the pitch. If Granit Xhaka were to get injured, for example, then Mikel Arteta will be pretty short on options in the middle.

That is why a move for Tielemans – an FA Cup winner with Leicester – is what needs to happen as he can hand the Spaniard a valuable alternative, one that could even contend with the Swiss star and Thomas Partey.

Once described as a “phenomenon” by former Anderlecht star Par Zetterberg, the Belgian maestro has been a reliable stalwart for the Midlands outfit, having registered 27 goals and 25 assists across 175 appearances, including four goal contributions in 14 league starts this term.

An average of 2.77 tackles and 1.62 blocks per 90 – a feat that ranks him in the top 17% of his positional peers across Europe – also highlights his impressive box-to-box nature as he’s able to help his side at either end of the pitch.

As such, Tielemans would be an ideal signing for the Gunners to make at the turn of the year as Arteta looks to navigate all the trials and tribulations that football has to throw at him as he looks to seal a historic 14th top-flight title.

AND in other news, Arsenal lead the chase for “magic” £43.6m machine, he could be Arteta’s own Bellingham…

ESPN commentator Mario Marra has shared a promising Wolves transfer update on their plans after sealing the signing of Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha.

The Lowdown: Lopetegui set for backing…

In their bid to remain in the Premier League, club owners Fosun International and the Molineux board will back new manager Julen Lopetegui with funds in January.

Reports claim that discussions have even been held with up to 15 players as they target at least six new signings overall for next month.

The Old Gold are currently bottom of England’s top flight, having scored the least goals of any side in the division, putting them in real danger of relegation.

The Latest: Marra shares promising Wolves update…

Taking to Twitter, Marra has now claimed that Wolves could be set to strengthen in one position after Cunha at least.

He says that a ‘defender should also arrive’ following the transfer capture of Atletico’s striker.

Marra explained:

“Wolves yet. Local press claims that the first signing, albeit on loan, of the Lopetegui era will be Matheus Cunha. The club’s management took a while, but realized that they will need to hire. A defender should also arrive.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

The likes of Felipe and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are being repeatedly linked with moves to Wolves – so that could certainly be Lopetegui’s next priority.

Wolves have also conceded 12 goals in their last five league matches, backing the fact they could need to shore up what has been a leaky backline.

Getting this next signing right will be key to Lopetegui as the former Europa League winner seeks to keep his new team in the big time.