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Pundit Tam McManus has claimed that Newcastle United defender Kieran Trippier is in ‘real danger’ of picking up an injury in the second half of the season.

The Lowdown: Overplayed?

The 32-year-old has played in every game in all competitions so far this season and has completed the full 90 minutes in 11 Premier League matches (Transfermarkt).

He has been picked for the England squad for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar by Gareth Southgate as well, so he is at risk of fatigue and injury once the league season resumes.

The Latest: Trippier concerns

Speaking to Football Insider, McManus is worried that Trippier may pick up a bad injury in the second half of the campaign, with the 41-year-old claiming that there is a ‘real danger’ of the Newcastle stalwart pulling up.

McManus said: “Trippier is probably the most important player in that side. What he gives you in leadership and confidence, you can’t buy that and that’s before you get to how good of a footballer he is.

“He’s been one of the best players in the league this season. Nothing gets past him, and he gets a fair few goals and assists as well.

“You just wish he was five years younger, but I think he probably has a good couple of years left in him at the top level.

“He did have that injury last season and he has been lucky to avoid that happening again. You wonder if in the second half of the season Newcastle will have to manage him because the games come so fast and losing him would be a big blow.

“I think there is a real danger of that happening.”

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The Verdict: Will need rest

There will come points in the season where Trippier will need to be given a rest, especially after playing in the World Cup midway through the campaign.

He did pick up an injury last term which ruled him out for a large chunk of 2021/22, having arrived at Newcastle from Atletico Madrid in the January transfer window.

At 32 years of age, Trippier may be susceptible to picking up muscle injuries more frequently late on in his career, so Eddie Howe will need to use the squad more in order to give him much-needed periods of rest.

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is reportedly a target for Barcelona in the upcoming January transfer window. 

The Lowdown: Gundogan’s contract at Man City

The midfielder’s current contract at the Etihad Stadium is set to expire at the end of June, meaning that he could leave the club as a free agent at that point unless he signs a new deal before then.

The 32-year-old, who will be representing Germany at the upcoming World Cup, has recently been linked with a move away from City, with Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich reportedly interested in signing him.

However, with the January transfer window approaching, it appears that another club have their eyes on the City midfielder.

The Latest: Barcelona eyeing Gundogan

According to a recent report from Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona see Gundogan as a potential target for the upcoming winter transfer window if they cannot land their primary Etihad target Bernardo Silva.

The report adds that the 32-year-old is a big fan of the La Liga club and could be persuaded to join Xavi’s side.

The Verdict: City must keep hold of Gundogan

Since joining City six years ago, Gundogan – who is now the club captain – has gone on to make 273 appearances in sky blue across all competitions, scoring 51 goals, providing 35 assists and winning numerous trophies along the way.

Having appeared in all but two of City’s games this season, this highlights just how important he is for Pep Guardiola, who has shared his admiration for the player in the past, and why it would be a big blow for him to leave the club in January.

Lauded as a “magical” player by journalist Ian McCullough in the past, the £140k-per-week midfielder has the fourth-highest number of shot-creating actions (40) in the league this season at City, along with the fourth-highest combined total of tackles and interceptions (19).

This showcases just how effective a midfield option he is for Guardiola and why the club should look to offer the Germany maestro a new contract.

Glasgow Rangers managerial candidate Michael Beale ‘would think’ about joining the Premiership giants, according to ex-BBC pundit and former Ibrox defender Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Beale made Rangers’ primary target

Earlier this week, reports suggested that Giovanni van Bronckhorst could be sacked in the coming days after the Light Blues’ board of directors held crisis talks regarding his future, and it sounds as if they already have a replacement in mind.

The QPR manager is believed to be the Light Blues’ number one target should Van Bronckhorst be relieved of his duties at the Ibrox, although Beale has already turned down the opportunity to join Wolves.

The Latest: Hutton backing Beale

Asked by Football Insider whether the Rangers vacancy would be enough to make Beale want to leave QPR, Hutton said: “I think it could. I think there is a possibility there.

“If you look from the outside in at Wolves, that is a very difficult job. At this moment in time they are at the bottom of the league. They are really struggling, they can’t score goals, that is a big task and a lot of pressure.

“Rangers is somewhere he knows, he knows most of the players. He has been used to that winning mentality when he has been there so I think it is something he would think long and hard about.

“It is maybe worth that change especially when you think of the European adventures. So I think it [is] something he would definitely seriously think about.“

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The Verdict: Reunion on the cards?

Rangers players and supporters will already be familiar with Beale, who previously spent three years as a first-team coach at Ibrox alongside Steven Gerrard, so this existing connection to the club might make him want to retrace his steps to Glasgow.

The Bromley native has won nine and drawn four of his level on points with Millwall, who are in the Championship play-off places.

Beale’s preferred formation is a 4-3-3 attacking setup, which hints that he likes his teams to play on the front foot, so this could be a match made in heaven for him and Rangers if Van Bronckhorst gets his P45.

Newcastle United are believed to have been given the opportunity to sign Borussia Monchengladbach striker, Marcus Thuram, with the Frenchman currently attracting interest from a number of clubs.

What’s the word?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – who revealed that the Magpies are contemplating whether to make a move for the 25-year-old, with the forward seemingly up for grabs as his existing deal ebbs towards its expiry.

The respected source stated: “Thuram has been offered to Newcastle for the next window. He’s somebody that they are willing to consider. They see that he holds good value at the price that’s been put to them.”

This follows a recent report from The Sun that claimed the five-cap gem is a target for Eddie Howe’s side – as well as Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal – amid the prospect of leaving for a cut-price fee in January, or departing Germany for nothing in the summer.

Isak-esque

Not only is Thuram attracting interest as a result of his contract status, but the former Guingamp man – who is the son of France legend Lilian Thuram – has warranted such attention as a result of his on-field displays, having been in sparkling form at club level this season.

The £54k-per-week ace has netted 13 goals and laid on four assists in just 17 games across all fronts for the Bundesliga side so far this term, taking his total tally for the club to 41 goals and 26 assists in 119 games to date.

The Parma-born ace – who is part of Les Bleus’ World Cup squad – could well add even greater firepower to Howe’s ranks at St James’ Park, with the northeast side seemingly plotting another centre-forward addition despite only recently securing the capture of Alexander Isak.

The club-record signing is edging his way back to fitness having featured only three times so far this season due to injury, scoring twice, with the hope being that the Swede can go on to play a more prominent role in the side in the second half of the campaign.

Adding Thuram into the mix could well prove to be an ideal competitor or striking alternative for the former Real Sociedad man, with the pair said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref.

Not only are the two men impressive and imposing figures in attack – with both standing at 6 foot 4 – but there are also mirrored in their ability on the ball, with Isak notably ranking in the top 7% in Europe for dribbles completed, while the Gladbach star ranks in the top 8% for the same metric.

The addition of the latter man could also allow the pair to potentially start together in attack if needed, with the “phenomenal” asset, as described by former teammate Denis Zakaria, having also regularly operated in a left-wing berth throughout his career thus far.

To bring in such a versatile talent – who seemingly fits the mould of the type of player Howe is looking for due to his likeness to Isak – would no doubt aid in the club’s push for a top-four berth, while also doing so on the cheap as he is valued at just £8.7m, as per CIES Football Observatory.

In truth, if Newcastle have truly been offered the chance to strike a deal, it should really be a no-brainer.

Queens Park Rangers are undoubtedly an attractive proposition for a number of managers in the football league and it was perhaps no surprise to see Chris Wilder register his interest in the vacant position at Loftus Road.

According to The Sun, the former Sheffield United and Middlesbrough boss is keen on a swift return to management after being sacked by the North East outfit in October.

The 55-year-old would prove a far cheaper option than Coventry City boss Mark Robins, who has also been linked, as he wouldn’t cost the Hoops any money in terms of compensation.

While Wilder’s time with Middlesbrough did not go to plan, his average of 1.49 points per game with the Reds was still better than the 1.41 points per game averaged by Beale in his brief spell at QPR.

The experienced Englishman will also be judged on his incredibly successful spells with Northampton Town and Sheffield United, having won league titles with both.

After leading the Cobblers to a hugely impressive League Two title win in 2016, despite off-field issues, Wilder oversaw a revolution at a sleeping giant in Sheffield United.

The Blades had endured three tough seasons in League One without promotion before Wilder’s arrival in 2016 and he made it back-to-back league titles of his own, as the Bramall Lane outfit returned to the Championship.

Sheffield United would then finish 10th in their first season back in the second tier before earning a remarkable promotion to the Premier League the following campaign, with Wilder clearly instrumental to their turnaround.

The Blades even flirted with the possibility of European football in their first Premier League jaunt under Wilder, finishing in ninth position in their debut campaign back in the top flight, but after a poor run of form the following season he was sacked rather harshly, with Sheffield United then dropping back into the Championship following his departure.

The “phenomenal” work done by Wilder with Northampton Town and Sheffield United suggests that he knows how to get the best out of a squad, and there seems no reason why he couldn’t get QPR’s promotion push back on track should he arrive at Loftus Road as Beale’s replacement.

West Ham are reportedly interested in signing Sheffield United left-back Rhys Norrington-Davies and the Wales international could allow David Moyes to finally get rid of Aaron Cresswell.

According to The Sun, the Irons, Crystal Palace, Leicester City and AFC Bournemouth were all tracking the defender ahead of a potential January transfer move, although his current injury is set to rule him out until February.

The 23-year-old had been impressing in Paul Heckingbottom’s side at Bramall Lane ahead of his injury setback and looked likely to be part of Rob Page’s Wales squad for the World Cup in Qatar, given that the manager called him “exceptional” earlier this year.

Unfortunately for Norrington-Davies, he would miss the tournament with his injury and could face another 10 weeks on the sidelines, which may also rule out his chances of earning a Premier League move in next month’s window.

This season has seen the former Stoke City and Luton Town loanee make 15 appearances in the Championship for the promotion-chasing Blades, averaging a solid 6.60 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Should he arrive at the London Stadium in the near future, he would likely compete with Cresswell and Emerson for a starting spot in Moyes’ side, with the former perhaps more likely to lose his place, given that he will turn 33 next week.

Although he has been an excellent servant for the club, making 311 appearances for the Irons since joining from Ipswich Town in the summer of 2014, last season emphasised his vulnerabilities as a defender, as he was sent off in two hugely important Europa League fixtures against Lyon and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Cresswell has failed to average above a 7/10 rating from WhoScored in any of his eight and a half seasons with the club, which suggests that Moyes should be aiming for better, especially if he still views the Hammers as a side capable of playing regular European football.

This season has seen Norrington-Davies average more tackles (1.4 vs 0.9) and dribbles (0.3 vs 0.1) per game than Cresswell, while he is also dribbled past less, which suggests that the young Welshman could be an upgrade on the veteran full-back at the London Stadium.

Cresswell’s contract at West Ham is set to expire at the end of the current campaign, which suggests that a replacement is needed, and Norrington-Davies could be the ideal man.

BBC pundit Alan Hutton has been left thrilled by Tottenham Hotspur as they eye a move for World Cup wing-back Denzel Dumfries.

The Lowdown: Conte’s wing-back woes…

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte has had to pick from Matt Doherty and Emerson Royal for his all-important right-wing-back role as he seeks to guide the north Londoners to a top four Premier League finish, with youngster Djed Spence virtually out of the picture.

Reports however have suggested that the Italian has been left less-than impressed with the duo and either one of them could even leave as the Lilywhites scour for upgrades.

Dumfries is allegedly one of the targets who could come in for Conte and claims have recently emerged that there has even been contact with Inter Milan for the Netherlands international.

The Latest: Hutton thrilled as Spurs eye Dumfries…

Speaking in an interview, former Spurs right-back Hutton claims Dumfries is the ‘ideal’ player for Conte – urging the club to make a move.

He claims that the 26-year-old could be one of these star signings who could take Tottenham to the ‘next level’ – but first chairman Daniel Levy must loosen the purse strings.

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Hutton stated to Football Insider:

“In the formation that they play he is an ideal player.

“At this moment in time they are quite weak in that position when you think of Emerson Royal, I do not think he ticks all the boxes. Doherty has been very up and down with injuries.

“For someone like that to come in, with the experience that he has got, I think he would be a brilliant buy. That is what Tottenham are looking to get into the club, these superstars that are going to push them to the next level.

“He is going to cost a lot of money there is no doubting that. When you see him for the national team you can see he fits into the style Conte wants to play.

“So I think he would be an ideal player to come in, if Daniel Levy loosens the purse strings again.“

The Verdict: Go all out?

Dumfries has been called a ‘very exciting’ and ‘effective’ wing-back by members of the Italian media, while pundits closer to home have also called him ‘big’ and a potentially ‘really good signing’ for Spurs (Kevin Campbell).

Levy and co, it seems, are currently being told by multiple sources to make a move for the Dutchman but it certainly won’t be cheap – with reports suggesting he could cost €40 million (£35 million.)

However, if Conte is to seal a second-consecutive top four finish, he will need sufficient backing.

Football Insider pundit Kevin Campbell has reacted to news claiming Leeds United will make a move for PSV Eindhoven defender Philipp Max.

The Lowdown: Max move

The Whites could well be looking to bolster their left-back ranks in January with centre-back Pascal Struijk turning out in the position due to Junior Firpo’s struggles for fitness in recent months.

Recent reports have claimed that Leeds are plotting a move for Max as they look at targets who could slot straight into Jesse Marsch’s first-team squad.

The 29-year-old is under contract with PSV until 2024 and has made 12 appearances for the Dutch side this season.

The Latest: Campbell’s comments

Campbell, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to FI regarding Leeds’ reported planned swoop for Max. He appeared to welcome the news, suggesting he could be ‘a good signing’ at Elland Road.

“A bit of experience is what is lacking at Leeds.

“The experience they have seems to be on the treatment table a lot, and that’s not right. You can’t legislate for that, but it’s not right.

“This team is very young. It needs a bit more seasoning to it, and that’s what Philipp Max would bring.

“He’s an international, he’s seen it all in two top leagues – he’d be a good signing.”

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The Verdict: Needed

Struijk has coped well at left-back and has been the club’s best-performing player, as per WhoScored, however, his long-term future seems to be at centre-back.

Therefore, bringing in someone like Max, who has plenty of experience, could be just what is required going forward to rival Firpo.

The German can also provide cover in multiple areas and has even turned out as a centre-forward during his career, and it looks as if a transfer will be one to watch in 2023.

Liverpool are reportedly one of the clubs interested in signing Ajax attacking midfield star Mohammed Kudus. 

The Lowdown: Kudus’ season so far

After seeing Everton make a £15m bid for him during the previous summer transfer window, which was rejected by Ajax, Kudus has gone on to have a strong start to the season with the Dutch club.

With 21 appearances to his name across all competitions, the 22-year-old has scored ten goals and delivered two assists.

Looking ahead to the upcoming January transfer window, the Ghanaian has numerous top-flight clubs eyeing him up after an impressive World Cup campaign in Qatar.

The Latest: Liverpool in the mix for Kudus

A recent report from the Daily Mail had this to say regarding Kudus’ situation and what the January transfer window could hold for him:

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“Kudus could try and force a move in January with Ajax out of the Champions League and Newcastle, Liverpool and Everton are all among a host of admirers.”

The Verdict: An exciting signing for Liverpool

With six Champions League appearances to his name this season, the midfielder has scored four goals and delivered two assists.

One of those goals came against the Reds in their 2-1 victory over Ajax back in September, and Kudus was described as “incredible” by Jurgen Klopp.

Having come out of the recent World Cup as Ghana’s top goalscorer with two goals and as their highest-rated player based on his performance ratings from WhoScored, this further highlights how much of an exciting talent Kudus is.

Hailed as a “sensational” player by journalist Karl Matchett on Twitter, it’s easy to see why these Premier League clubs are after him and why Ajax are reportedly looking to pick up a transfer fee of up to €40m (£34m) for the midfield maestro.

Taking all of this into account, we feel that the Ajax star would be a very exciting signing for Liverpool given the talent he has at such a young age.

Liverpool returned to Premier League action on Boxing Day with a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa and this means the club have won three league matches on the spin for the first time this season and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping to carry more momentum into 2023 by defeating Leicester City tonight.

Despite the win over Villa, Klopp’s front three didn’t quite click how he would have hoped beforehand. Darwin Nunez led the line, flanked by Mohamed Salah on the right and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the left, yet the Uruguayan and the Englishman were poor, averaging Sofascore ratings of 5.7 and 6.1 respectively.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was particularly unimpressive, failing to register a single shot during the tie while failing with any of his four dribble attempts and it’s clear Klopp requires a different solution tonight.

On the Chalkboard

Harvey Elliott replaced the 29-year-old on Monday evening; however, the German should certainly consider unleashing him against Leicester tonight in order to provide a more significant attacking threat.

Elliott has played 15 league matches so far this term for the Anfield side, scoring once and averaging a rating of 6.81/10 as per Sofascore.

The 19-year-old has been given more opportunities by Klopp this season, featuring in 24 games across all competitions, even impressing in the Champions League, scoring two goals from six matches.

His potential is limitless and his recent performances have led football writer Leanne Prescott to sing his praises in October, saying: “There’s such a genuine buzz around Harvey Elliott. No matter where he is on the pitch, he makes things happen. Has assumed lots of responsibility given injuries, but works hard & never hides.”

The youngster averages 1.3 shots and 0.9 key passes per game and compared to Oxlade-Chamberlain (zero shots and 0.5 key passes per match) it’s clear who possesses the better attacking threat.

Although Elliott is usually deployed through the middle, he can operate on the left wing. With Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota still out through injury, Klopp should unleash the Englishman this evening as he could offer something different going forward.