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Man City summer signing Sergio Gomez is regarded by the club as a player who ‘could be moved on’, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Eastlands exits?

2023 could see a serious year of change at Eastlands with manager Pep Guardiola recently waving goodbye to former star player Joao Cancelo.

The Portugal international joined Bayern Munich on loan with an option to buy for €70 million (£62m) – sending shockwaves throughout the City community.

Cancelo was a mainstay and pivotal first teamer under Guardiola for a time, playing a major role in back-to-back Premier League title wins.

The Latest: Gomez ‘could be moved on’ from City…

The 28-year-old’s departure perhaps shows that anything can happen at City in terms of both incomings and outgoings, with reliable journalist Sam Lee now revealing who is most vulnerable in the squad.

Writing for The Athletic, the reporter claims summer signings Kalvin Phillips and Gomez could in fact depart this summer.

Indeed, a transfer for Phillips is ‘not completely off the cards’ with ‘rumblings at City’ suggesting he could leave if things don’t improve.

Alongside the former Leeds star, Lee also says Gomez ‘could be moved on’ this year, and while a loan is ‘likely’, a permanent exit is ‘not off the table’.

The Verdict: Give him time…

The 22-year-old was actually praised near the start of this campaign for some decent outings and we believe Gomez could still have plenty to offer Guardiola in future seasons.

City legend and former captain Vincent Kompany even recommended Gomez with the pair working together closely at Anderlecht last season.

The Spain Under-21 international also has an assist to show over his five league appearances this season but cannot showcase true ability without a consistent run of games.

A temporary deal elsewhere to get valuable experience and game time is certainly the best solution for Gomez, who could emerge as a top City talent in years to come.

This time last year, few would have envisaged the likes of Nathan Ake, for instance, becoming a mainstay in City’s starting eleven.

Manchester United could well be eyeing a summer move for RB Leipzig sensation Josko Gvardiol as Erik ten Hag seeks to strengthen his defence this summer.

What’s the word?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato.it, the Red Devils – along with Premier League rivals Liverpool – are believed to be in the mix for the Croatian’s signature, albeit with fellow top-flight club Chelsea having seemingly slipped out of the running.

The report does suggest that La Liga giants Real Madrid could be the 21-year-old’s preferred destination, albeit with the centre-back’s reported €100m (£89m) price tag potentially set to prove a sticking point for Los Blancos, duly heightening the chance of a move to England.

This follows previous reports in December which claimed that the Old Trafford outfit were one of the clubs to have submitted an offer for the 19-cap starlet, who still has more than four years left to run on his existing deal in Germany.

Big Lindelof upgrade

The addition of a new centre-back could well potentially hasten an exit for Sweden international Victor Lindelof, with the 28-year-old having seemingly been the subject of transfer interest from across Europe during January, with just 17 months left on his current contract at the Theatre of Dreams.

The former Benfica ace – who arrived in Manchester on a £30m deal back in 2017 – has been resigned to a bit-part role under Ten Hag so far this season, having made just four Premier League starts to date.

That lack of action could well ensure that the £120k-per-week Swede is easily usurped in the defensive pecking order if Gvardiol is to be snapped up come the end of the season, with the latter having been in truly imperious form for both club and country this season.

The highly-coveted “warrior” – as lauded by one journalist – was notably part of the Croatia side which surged to the semi-finals of the World Cup last year, having been described as a “standout” at the tournament by United legend Rio Ferdinand after starting all seven of his country’s games in Qatar

Such dominant showings have also been replicated for Leipzig so far this term, with the former Dinamo Zagreb hotshot averaging 1.1 interceptions and 0.5 tackles per game from his 17 Bundesliga appearances, while Lindelof has averaged just 0.7 for the same two metrics respectively.

It is Gvardiol’s quality in possession which has particularly caught the eye, though, as he ranks in the top 1% for successful take-ons and the top 5% for progressive carries among his European peers. Meanwhile, the current Red Devils defender ranks in the bottom 11% and the top 40% respectively in that regard.

Throw in the fact that the Zagreb native could well be a player for the long term due to his relative youth, and it is easy to see just why he could well be an astute upgrade on United’s peripheral Swede.

Arsenal dropped more points in the Premier League, this time to Brentford, as a 1-1 draw allows Manchester City another chance to close the gap tomorrow.

Just like last week, Mikel Arteta’s men went in at half-time having failed to make any significant breakthrough. Although substitute Leandro Trossard seemed to have gotten the Gunners out of jail by breaking the deadlock, Ivan Toney equalised soon after, and it certainly feels as though the pressure of being league leaders is getting to the north Londoners.

Bukayo Saka was in fine form yet again as he set up Trossard’s goal while also having seven shots of his own, although he couldn’t quite find the net. He did create one big chance and make two key passes during the match, while also winning five of his nine duels, and he appears to be growing in confidence with each passing performance.

However, perhaps Arsenal’s standout performer wasn’t the goalscorer or indeed Saka, but rather Thomas Partey, who kept everything together for the team in the heart of midfield, and he is becoming an integral part in the Gunners’ title challenge.

How did Partey play against Brentford?

The Ghanaian received a 7.8/10 rating from Sofascore, with only Saka ranking higher. Arteta didn’t make the same mistake twice, having substituted Partey just before the hour mark last week, only to see Everton score the winner a minute later.

The 29-year-old took an astonishing 104 touches during today’s match while completing 78 of his 87 passes (90%). This allowed Arsenal to control the game in large parts, as evidenced by their 69% share of possession.

Furthermore, Partey made five key passes and was successful with 80% of his long balls and all three of his dribble attempts, showcasing his excellent all-round ability.

By making three tackles, one interception and one clearance, his defensive abilities didn’t shirk either. Journalist Abhimanyu Bose was clearly impressed with the Ghanaian, lauding him as “an absolute monster today”; and despite the dropped points, Arteta will be happy with Partey’s performance.

With Eddie Nketiah having to lead the line in Gabriel Jesus’ injury-enforced absence, it’s beginning to look like Arsenal are struggling in front of goal, with just one scored in their past two league matches, and this could pose a real problem for the manager in the coming weeks.

Partey and Saka were both outstanding today, and although it is another game without a win, the Spaniard will be hoping for much of the same from those two when Man City rock up at the Emirates Stadium in midweek.

Journalist John Gibson believes that at any other club, Newcastle United ace Dan Burn would be dropped from the first team.

The Lowdown: Howe is short of options

A lot has been made about Newcastle’s lack of depth in the centre of midfield due to Joe Willock’s injury, Bruno Guimaraes’ suspension and Jonjo Shelvey leaving last month.

However, that is arguably not the only problem area in which Eddie Howe has concerns, with Dan Burn – a natural centre-back – playing out of position for the majority of the season due to the injury Matt Targett sustained earlier in the campaign.

Many Newcastle fans may well want Burn out of the side after showing signs of carelessness during last weekend’s display against Bournemouth, including when he lost possession near his own box and required a goalline clearance from Kieran Trippier to spare his blushes.

The Latest: Burn lucky to keep his spot

While Burn has been a mainstay in the meanest defence across the Premier League, Gibson claimed on the Everything is Black and White podcast that any other side would drop Burn to the bench after his display last weekend.

He said: “I thought Dan Burn was horrendous last week, and that display of a left-back – who is not essentially a left-back – would normally see him dropped the next week at any other club. You’re not going to drop Dan Burn one week before the cup final and knock all the stuffing out of him completely, that’s not going to happen.”

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The Verdict: Eddie Howe shouldn’t start tinkering

Given the importance of the game this weekend against a top-four rival in Liverpool and also how impeccably well his trusted back four have performed this season having conceded just 13 goals, Howe should be sticking with what he knows.

If he was to thrust someone such as Jamal Lewis in at left-back then it would be an incredibly bold decision given that the Northern Ireland international hasn’t started a game all season, whereas Burn hasn’t missed a single league fixture.

While Burn certainly didn’t have his best of outings down on the south coast last weekend, his presence on and off the pitch has seen him become a ‘well-liked member of the dressing room’ and also allows Trippier to venture forward on the right knowing Burn will slot into a back three with Fabian Schar and Sven Botman.

Tottenham Hotspur have endured a tumultuous season, but one which remains very much alive as they vie for a top-four finish and are still in both the FA Cup and the Champions League.

It has been a campaign marred by a lack of consistency, and it has been further thrown into question of late as Antonio Conte remains out of action as he continues to recover from surgery.

One ongoing frustration from the current campaign is Heung-min Son’s lack of potency up front, with the 30-year-old having netted just four league goals so far. His strike against West Ham United last Sunday was his first in six matches in the Premier League.

This decline in performance from the division’s joint-top scorer last season could perhaps draw parallels with players who have seen similar declines at the club in recent years, with Dele Alli a prime example.

Now playing his football in Turkey, few players took English football by storm in the way that he did as a youngster before his output declined considerably and he faced accusations of laziness from Jose Mourinho.

Fortunately for Spurs and Conte, they could be set to unearth their next iteration of the 26-year-old who once promised so much.

The man poised to emulate the England international is Alfie Devine, with the 18-year-old boasting all the quality and goalscoring know-how of a young Alli.

Who is Alfie Devine?

The teenage sensation has been a mainstay in Spurs’ youth system, having featured heavily for both the U18s and U21s.

It was quickly understood that he was at a level above the former category, as he notched 16 goal contributions in 42 games at the latter level to earn his promotion to the fringes of the senior ranks. He has since featured twice for the first-team, even scoring once. 

The current campaign has seen him excel once more at an age group way above his station, and the 18-year-old boasts three goals in just four UEFA Youth League matches to truly outline his clinical nature. Indeed, Gallows drummer and long-time Spurs season ticket holder Lee Barratt called for increased game-time for the “baller” last year.

At the peak of his powers, Alli was famed for his decisive ability in front of goal. During the 2016/17 Premier League season, he scored 18 goals and set up a further nine, and he consistently reached double figures for goal contributions in the subsequent three campaigns.

However, his drop-off was dramatic and disappointing as he departed in 2022 on an initial free transfer, with Everton then shipping him out to Besiktas, where he has been jeered by his own club’s supporters.

In Devine, all the attributes are in place for a similar succession to a young Alli. The teenager is part of a “bright” crop of youth talent currently Tottenham, as labelled by journalist Alasdair Gold.

Upon his return to the dugout, Conte could perhaps reintegrate this goalscoring midfielder to his senior ranks and offer him vital first-team minutes to allow him to develop into the club’s next Alli.

Cristian Stellini certainly seems to expect a continued presence for Devine in the senior ranks, with injuries in the squad contriving to prompt Conte’s assistant to declare that the youngster is now “part of the squad completely 100 per cent”.

Tottenham are reportedly closing in on the signing of Fenerbache goalkeeper Altay Bayindir after making an offer to the player.

The Lowdown: Spurs target Lloris replacement…

The Lilywhites have been on the hunt for a Hugo Lloris replacement in recent months as the likes of Illan Meslier become linked to joining Spurs.

Currently out through injury, the France international has been on a downward trajectory when available this season – forcing manager Antonio Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici to contemplate the future.

The Premier League top-four hopefuls, according to a ‘surprising claim’, appear to be closing in on their Lloris understudy and eventual heir.

The Latest: Bayindir accepts Tottenham offer…

Indeed, as per news outlet Fotospor, Spurs are closing in on the signing of Bayindir from Fenerbache on a Bosman deal.

The Turkey international’s contract expires at the end of this season with Paratici and co making an ‘offer’ to the player – and one which he has ‘accepted’.

As such, it is believed that Bayindir now ‘signs [a] deal with Tottenham’, with the player putting pen to paper on a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ to join Conte.

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The Verdict: Good news?

The 6 foot 6 colossus has been an integral part of Fenerbache’s backline alongside central defensive ace Atilla Szalai, playing the joint-most Super Lig minutes in their squad (WhoScored).

Bayandir is still only very young in terms of goalkeeping years at 24-years-old, and on a free deal, this could be a potential signing of both value for money and real longevity in the squad.

Reports suggest that former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho, during his reign at the club, also took a real interest in the player – allegedly giving the green-light for chairman Daniel Levy to open talks in 2020.

Indeed, it appears the north Londoners could do far worse than Bayandir, especially on a free.

TalkSPORT’s Mark Goldbridge believes that David Moyes could leave West Ham at the end of the season.

The Lowdown: No change appears imminent

There has indeed been a lot of talk over the last few weeks and months about the future of Moyes at West Ham as he struggles to guide them away from the threat of relegation with just six league wins under their belt.

However, their emphatic win at home on the weekend against fellow relegation strugglers Nottingham Forest will have done him and the team a whole load of good as they’re now out of the bottom three.

Moyes has been able to guide the Hammers away from relegation battles in the past and if West Ham were to sack him and bring in a new manager, there may not be many better qualified to do so, than Moyes himself.

The Latest: Moyes and West Ham may part ways in the summer

Goldbridge has admitted on Ben Foster’s YouTube channel that sacking Moyes now would make no sense but doesn’t believe a decision could be made in the summer.

He said: (16:40) “We said it a few weeks ago, I think with Moyes it might be time to go at West Ham but that’s a summer move. That’s a thank you very much and off you go, then you try a different project and then you’ve got the start of the season if it goes wrong you can make a change but you don’t take [him out now].”

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The Verdict: West Ham should be sticking with Moyes

The Hammers already made the mistake in the past of parting ways with Moyes only to return to the Scott with their tail between their legs and ask for him to come back, which has seen him lead them to a Europa League semi-final and come very close to a top-four finish.

West Ham mustn’t be looking into making a change as Moyes has had a hand in signing all of these expensively assembled players so he must be allowed to try and get a fine tune-out of them in the final stretch of the season.

With just 14 Premier League games left to play it would make very little sense to relieve Moyes of his duties as a new boss would have next to no time to implement his tactics and style of play and would also show a lack of respect for the job Moyes had done at the London Stadium.

Liverpool blew Manchester United to smithereens on Sunday evening, obliterating their historic, venomous rivals 7-0 at Anfield in one of the most shocking and inconceivable results of modern times.

In a campaign holding so much peril, Jurgen Klopp’s Reds rekindled their former vigour in the most resounding of fashion.

Man United, having last week clinched the Carabao Cup – the club’s first silverware since 2016/17 – have been resurgent under Erik ten Hag’s tutelage this year, and despite the ignominious recent loss still boast a seven-point advantage in the Premier League table to Liverpool, whose recent purple patch has finally instigated a climb up the table, away from mid-table obscurity.

There have been glaring question marks erected above Merseyside since the turn of the campaign, with Liverpool – quadruple-chasing and FA Cup & Carabao Cup-gleaning last term – facing the inconceivable prospect of failing to qualify for the Champions League, a proposition now seeming far more realistic.

The powers that be at Anfield will be hoping that the monumental victory can serve as a watershed moment for Klopp’s squad, setting course of silver-laden success over the coming years.

The imperious Mohamed Salah stole the show, plundering a brace of goals and assists, but seasonal signings Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez scored doubles of their own, and a devastating new offensive force might just be borne.

Who is Liverpool’s next Sadio Mane?

When Sadio Mane was sold to Bayern Munich for £35m last summer after years of splendid servitude, there was trepidation aplenty that Liverpool’s once roaring front three, revered and enviously admired by all, had run its course, fears that were grudgingly confirmed as the wobbly start to the season capitulated into a truly woeful year.

Mane scored 120 goals and registered 48 assists from 269 outings for the Reds, imperative in winning a wealth of major honours, notably the Premier League and Champions League, in the most illustrious spell in the outfit’s modern history.

To counter his summer exit, Liverpool completed the club-record £85m signing of exciting young forward Nunez from Benfica, and despite offering glimpses of brilliance, there has been plenty of criticism over the Uruguayan’s wayward shooting boots.

In the graphic listed above, Nunez’s impact is clearly discernible with 14 goals already, and if these are the numbers on offer for the phenom before he finds his feet, the Premier League must be quaking at the thought of his potential under Klopp’s wing.

Typically a centre-forward, Nunez has indeed forged 11 appearances on the left-wing in Luis Diaz’s absence – the Colombian is out with a long-term injury – and scored seven goals, with his impact against the Red Devils an illustration of his prowess, with the 16-cap star praised for making a “big difference” by The Athletic’s James Pearce.

Hailed as a “monster” by sports writer Charlotte Coates, the £140k-per-week machine ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five divisions for goals and shots per 90, as per FBref, and given Mane’s formerly prolific expertise, the Senegalese sensation winning the Premier League top scorer in 18/19, the similarities are illuminating.

Nunez is an unrefined diamond, but make no mistake, he is a glistening gem.

The inflated price tag raised eyebrows, hardly helped by his wayward shooting – Nunez has missed 17 big chances from 19 Premier League matches –  but the quality this South American sensation exudes is undeniable, and as Klopp’s new-look Liverpool starts to slot into place, Nunez will only grow into his talismanic role.

Mane’s departure has been sorely felt, but the winds of change hint at fruitful future fortunes, with the ‘monstrous’ striker the new catalyst.

Transfer expert Steve Kay says that William Saliba will sign a new contract at Arsenal ‘by the end of the month’.

The Lowdown: Talks ongoing

It has been reported that talks are ongoing between Arsenal and Saliba over a new deal, but certain parts still needed to be ironed out before it is signed off.

His current contract at the Emirates Stadium expires in 2024, meaning that he will only have a year left come the summer.

The Latest: Deal close

Taking to Twitter, Kay says that he has been ‘told’ that Saliba will sign a new contract ‘by the end of the month’, which will increase his wages and length of deal from first discussions in January:

“Arsenal centre-back William Saliba will sign a new contract I’m told by the end of the month.

“Currently the French international is on  £40,000 per-week, #Arsenal will look to a compromise regarding increased wages & a larger contract than first discussed in January.”

The Verdict: Huge boost

The fact that Saliba’s contract situation will seemingly be sorted out by the end of the month is a huge boost for the Gunners.

He was a standout performer in Thursday evening’s 2-2 draw away at Sporting in the UEFA Europa League, scoring the opening goal of the tie with a bullet header, while none of his team-mates made more clearances, interceptions or accurate long balls than him, and he also had the most touches of the ball (SofaScore).

Saliba has also been a key player in Arsenal’s title charge this campaign, with only Gabriel in the squad winning more aerial duels than him, while he averages more passes per match than any of his team-mates in the Premier League, and has played in every match under Mikel Arteta this term (WhoScored).

On only £40,000-per-week, Saliba is remarkably one of the lowest earners in the squad, and so deserves a significant pay rise to match his importance to the club.

Leeds United are thought to be keen on signing Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom, according to talkSPORT.

The Lowdown: Seven goals in 11

The Whites have struggled in front of goal in over recent months under both Jesse Marsch and now Javi Gracia, scoring just seven times in 11 Premier League games since the restart after the World Cup.

An ankle injury to top scorer Rodrigo hasn’t helped things at Elland Road, with the club once again involved in another battle to avoid relegation.

Akpom, meanwhile, is having a season to remember and has scored 21 Championship goals in 28 games at an average of a goal every 105 minutes.

The Latest: Leeds keen

TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook provided an update on Akpom in the last 48 hours, with Leeds receiving a mention.

The reporter said that the Whites, Crystal Palace and with Everton are ‘waiting to pounce’ for Akpom if Boro’s promotion push falls short, with the player out of contract at the end of the season.

The Verdict: A gamble?

Akpom is certainly having a brilliant campaign and has been hailed as a ‘fantastic’ striker by former Boro caretaker boss Leo Percovich.

However, this is the first time in his career that he has hit double figures for senior league goals in a season, so there is no guarantee he’d be able to continue his fine form in the top flight.

Leeds also tend to move for younger players in recent years, so it’ll be interesting to see if they look at a possible free transfer for Akpom, 27, providing they remain in the top flight over the coming months.