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Broadcaster Kevin Hatchard has been full of praise for Leeds United target Georginio Rutter amid the club’s desire to land the youngster.

The Lowdown: Victor Orta looking to back Jesse Marsch

Leeds have already acted very quickly to address a problem area of their squad by handing Jesse Marsch RB Salzburg defender Maximilian Wober, who can play as either a left-back or left-sided centre-back.

The Austria international becomes the fourth player from a Red Bull side to have been recruited during Marsch’s tenure, but Victor Orta isn’t only working his magic there.

Marsch and Orta appear to have identified the young attacker from Hoffenheim as their next transfer priority and that has seen the star dropped from club duties amid strong Premier League interest.

The Latest: Rutter could be signing number two

Hatchard has been speaking live on Sky Sports about how highly he rates Rutter, although did admit he’s still a very raw talent who wouldn’t arrive at Elland Road as the finished article.

He said: “At Hoffenheim, he’s had some games where he’s been unplayable. Defenders think they’ve got him caged by the touchline and he’ll weave through them and make something happen.

“He’s still raw, he’s not the finished article, but I think he would be a great fit for Leeds.”

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The Verdict: Leeds in need of attacking support

While Rodrigo is having a stunning season in front of goal for Leeds with 10 league goals, beyond him, the club’s next top scorer is Crysencio Summerville with four strikes, which makes for very worrying reading for a side that will need results to stay up.

If the Spaniard was to pick up an injury, as he did earlier in the season, Marsch will be forced to turn to players such as Joe Gelhardt and Sonny Perkins – potentially putting ridiculous pressure to put on such young shoulders.

Therefore, if Leeds can sign Rutter, who has a lot of first-team games under his belt despite only being 20 himself, it could be just what Leeds need to push away from the threat of relegation, although as always, when signing someone from another league, it’s a big gamble.

Southampton are now interested in signing Villarreal attacker Nicolas Jackson, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Jackson’s Premier League interest

As per previous reports, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is keen to reunite with Jackson, who he managed during his stint as Villarreal boss, with the Spaniard instructing the club’s hierarchy to move quickly to sign the attacking-midfielder.

The Daily Mail then reported that Everton, Bournemouth and Newcastle are also interested in the 21-year-old. They claim he has a £27m buy-out clause but he could be available for less than that figure.

The Latest: Southampton join the race

As per Sky Sports News, the Saints are now eyeing the Senegal international, and they confirm there is quite the race taking place as three other clubs are indeed interested.

“One source has told us that Villarreal want at least £20m”, says Sky’s presenter, so it would still be quite a large outlay for Nathan Jones.

The Verdict: A risk?

Even though they currently sit bottom of the Premier League table, crafting opportunities has not been the major issue for Southampton this season, with 25 big chances created placing them in the top half in this area.

As such, it is apparent that Jones needs a new, more clinical striker in the squad, and this may not be possible if they spend north of £20m on Jackson, who is clearly a promising player, with four goal contributions to his name in La Liga this season, but isn’t what they need at present.

Lauded as having ‘bags of potential’ by journalist Ashley Preece, the starlet is one for the future, but he is a versatile forward capable of playing on either wing, up front or as the number ten, rather than a proven clinical number nine.

Liverpool are interested in making what could be a big signing in 2023, with Julian Ward aiming to finish his tenure at Anfield with an almighty bang.

What’s the word?

Jurgen Klopp’s side are significantly off the pace this season and as a result, the addition of fresh and exciting talent in January is much-needed.

Fortunately, that appears to be at the top of the agenda for the Merseysiders with a new transfer target now emerging.

According to Dutch reporter, Mike Verweij, the Reds have entered the race to sign Ajax sensation Mohammed Kudus.

The player was the subject of £15m interest from the club’s rivals, Everton, in the summer but a deal failed to materialise.

Reds insider DaveOCKOP claimed that it was “huge news” with the source seemingly one of the most reliable when it comes to football in the Netherlands.

A World Cup sensation

This was always going to be an exciting World Cup when it came to witnessing young talent and it is hardly a surprise that Kudus is lighting up the competition.

That aforementioned £15m price tag is only set to rise following his displays in Qatar, as he continues his incredible form from 2022/23. For Ajax the winger has already bagged ten times in 21 outings this term with that a clear indication of the attacking threat he can provide.

Blessed with a sensational left foot, the Ghanian certainly evokes memories of an Anfield cult hero in Mo Salah and he is now proving that on the biggest stage of all.

Kudus has been one of the top performers in Qatar this autumn with his heroics ensuring his nation are still in with a shout of reaching the tournament’s knockout stages.

The lowest-ranked country in the entire competition, Kudus became the first Ghanaian to score twice in one World Cup game when he netted a brace against South Korea on Monday afternoon.

He was phenomenal throughout with both goals an indication of what he can bring to the table. The first was a glancing header from close range while the second was a sweeping finish from inside the area.

Remarakbly, those were the only two times he touched the ball inside the area with the player’s xG of 0.4 suggesting he seriously outperformed what was expected of him from his influence in the game.

Kudus, who can also play in a central area whether it be in midfield or up front, is blessed with an incredible array of attributes.

Possessing pace, power, grace and technical elegance, he is a lively threat in the final third and for those of a Liverpool persuasion, they may be wondering how he stacks again up against his competitors.

Well, football writer Rahman Osman reserved fine praise for the 22-year-old after his two goals on Monday, suggesting he was “alongside Bellingham and Musiala as the stars of the World Cup.”

Both Liverpool targets, Bellingham netted his first England goal in the rout over Iran while Musiala has been equally as impressive, registering an assist in the 1-1 draw with Spain.

Such acclaim will no doubt pique the interest of those at Anfield with Kudus’ performances in the Middle East every reason they have to complete a deal in January.

If they could beat Everton to his signing too, it will only serve to elate supporters even more.

Indeed, competition is set to be fierce but with an ageing squad, he would be the perfect addition in January for Liverpool.

Glasgow Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst is reportedly closing in on the end of his time as manager of the Scottish giants.

Football Insider recently reported that it is ‘increasingly likely’ that the Gers boss will be dismissed during the break for the 2022 World Cup after a disappointing first half of the campaign.

The Light Blues board have already held crisis talks and could now wield their axe and task Ross Wilson with finding a replacement for the Dutchman.

Charlie Nicholas claimed that former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl could be one of the “serious contenders”, alongside Sean Dyche, to replace van Bronckhorst in the dugout.

Rangers’ current manager recently came under fire from Brian Laudrup as the retired midfielder criticised the head coach’s body language on the touchline.

Speaking in the Daily Mail, via Football Scotland, former Gers man said: “With the World Cup break looming next week, it’s time for the Rangers board to think seriously about the direction of the club and the manager’s part within it.”

He added: “Van Bronckhorst has tried a lot of different things with his team and is still trying to find answers. I also look at his body language at times. Hands folded. Looking down. He doesn’t look like a manager who is certain he can turn things around. It looks almost like he has given up a little bit.

“I’m not sure if he always knows his best line-up or the best approach to games. A dressing-room can feel that. Players become insecure.”

Hasenhuttl, meanwhile, has been compared to Jurgen Klopp in the way that he behaves on the touchline as he is prone to a wild celebration, seemingly not afraid of showing his emotions in front of the crowd.

Current Southampton boss Nathan Jones praised the Austrian’s “aggressive” style and that translated into his antics on the side of the pitch, which could endear him to the Ibrox faithful in a way that they have not been able to feel towards van Bronckhorst’s downbeat demeanour.

Klopp claimed that the 55-year-old did an “exceptional” job with the Saints, as he kept them in the Premier League in each of his four seasons at the club prior to the current campaign.

The head coach had enjoyed a successful spell in Germany before moving to England. Hasenhuttl led Ingolstadt to the second division title before finishing 11th in their first season in the Bundesliga, before earning himself a move to RB Leipzig where he finished second and sixth in the table.

This shows that he is adaptable as a manager as he has proven that he can manage in two major European leagues and that he can achieve relative success at the top and the bottom of the table, which is why he could be able to adapt to managing the expectations at Rangers.

Therefore, his managerial ability and the engagement he could get from supporters who have been seeing a reserved van Bronckhorst could make him an excellent alternative to the Dutchman, which is why Wilson must look at a reunion with the tactician he worked with at St. Mary’s.

Former Premier League striker and Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell has backed Newcastle United in their pursuit of Villarreal winger Nicolas Jackson.

The Lowdown: Newcastle interest

As per The Daily Mail, the St. James’ Park outfit are just one of a number of clubs in the Premier League eyeing a potential move for Jackson in the January transfer window.

They have been following his progress in recent months, but will face competition from both Everton and Aston Villa for his signature, as well as FC Barcelona.

Jackson’s contract at Villarreal runs out in the summer, meaning that he could be sold for a cut-price in January, at the risk of the Yellow Submarine losing him on a free transfer.

The Latest: Campbell backs move

Speaking to Football Insider, Campbell has claimed that adding a player of Jackson’s ‘quality’ in January ‘would be great’ for Eddie Howe’s side, as it would strengthen their chances of finishing in the top four come the end of the season:

“Newcastle could be big players in the market place come January.

“Now they find themselves in the top four, this is the time to strengthen. That would be the right way to think.

“Adding a player of quality to your squad like Nicholas Jackson would be great. It would be a smart move. It is essential to add goals to your squad and he would do that.

“I’m sure he will be one of many names floating around. Newcastle have been taking their time with transfers. The key is to get it right.”

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The Verdict: Get it done

Jackson would certainly give Howe another quality option in his forward line, should the Magpies be able to get a deal done.

Capable of playing on the wing, the 21-year-old has also impressed in a centre-forward position, as he has not missed a single match yet so far this term, scoring three goals and making two assists (Transfermarkt).

Lauded as a player with ‘bags of potential‘ by journalist Ashley Preece, Jackson received his first call-up to the Senegal national team in September, and was an unused substitute in international friendlies against Bolivia and Iran (Transfermarkt).

He will be hoping to get his first caps during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, so the Toon Army should be looking to keep tabs on his performances throughout the tournament.

Liverpool reporter for The Athletic James Pearce has shared an injury update on Darwin Nunez ahead of their game away at Nottingham Forest.

The Lowdown: Injury concern

Jurgen Klopp confirmed that Nunez ‘felt something’ in their 1-0 win at home to West Ham United in midweek, as he was substituted before the hour mark.

The Uruguay international grabbed the only goal of the game in the first half with a well-placed header, and would have likely stayed on for longer if he did not pick up his injury.

The Latest: Treatment needed

Taking to Twitter on Friday afternoon, Pearce shared an update from Klopp on Nunez, as he confirmed that the striker has had ‘treatment’ on a tight hamstring, and is now a potential doubt for the match at Forest:

“He had treatment yesterday so we will see.”

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The Verdict: Would be a big blow

It would certainly be a big blow for Klopp and his team if Nunez is unavailable to play against Forest.

The 23-year-old looks like he is starting to find his feet after getting himself sent off earlier in the season, with three goals in his last four matches in all competitions (Transfermarkt).

With both Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota injured as well, Klopp’s options in the forward line are limited at the moment, and losing Nunez as well would not be ideal, as the Anfield outfit need to keep on winning to put pressure on the top four.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ goalscoring woes that held them back last year have yet again reared their head during the first seven Premier League matches of this campaign.

Having scored only 38 league goals in 2021/2022, the Old Gold have managed a paltry three efforts so far and this is despite having signed Goncalo Guedes and Sasa Kalajdzic (although he will miss most of the campaign having been injured on his debut).

This prompted Bruno Lage to delve back into the market, with the club announcing the signing of Diego Costa to provide cover for the injured Austrian last week. The 33-year-old might not be in his prime, but it was certainly a better option than another face who was looked at by the club.

Lage avoided a howler

Wolves were linked with a shock move for Andy Carroll before Costa joined, and this would have been a disaster, as he could well have potentially been a worse signing than that of Willian Jose two years ago.

The Brazilian centre-forward joined on loan from Real Sociedad in January 2021 until the end of the season, but the move turned out to be a nightmare for both parties.

In the end, he managed a solitary Premier League goal in 18 appearances in all competitions, with Wolves unsurprisingly not exercising their option to buy.

Carroll, who is of similar stature, would likely have had an impact comparable to that of Jose, with the 33-year-old scoring a total of just six goals in the previous four years. Indeed, it is evident that both players are not exactly prolific inside the opposition area.

The Englishman’s career hasn’t exactly taken off since he made a £35m move from Newcastle United to Liverpool in 2011 and overall, has scored just 54 top flight goals in 248 matches, hardly setting the world on fire.

His injury record was also a major cause for concern, thus rendering him worse than Jose who was, at least, available during his time at Molineux. The former England international has had 23 separate incidents throughout his career where he was injured and Lage certainly dodged a bullet over the former West Ham hitman.

Karen Brady once dubbed Carroll as a “behemoth from ages past” due to his poor attitude during his stint in the capital, and this is another reason why he was best to be avoided.

The jury is out on Costa, but one thing is for certain, he will be a far better option to call upon than Carroll.

Southampton mainstay Jan Bednarek is ‘ready to change club’ with an ‘unexpected’ and ‘surprising’ transfer to Aston Villa now on the cards.

The Lowdown: Southampton busy…

The Saints have been very active this transfer window having sealed six major signings in Gavin Bazanu, Romeo Lavia, Joe Aribo, Armel Bella-Kotchap, Mateusz Lis and Sekou Mara.

In terms of departures, there have been a few big names leaving St. Mary’s Stadium, with former goalkeeper Fraser Forster sealing a move to Tottenham and ex-striker Shane Long putting pen to paper at Reading (Transfermarkt).

September 1 lingers with just under a fortnight of the summer window remaining, but according to reports out of Poland, defender Bednarek could be on the move before then.

The Latest: Bednarek eyes move away…

According to news outlet Meczyki, the 26-year-old is ‘ready to change club’ this summer.

As well as this, Bednarek ‘may become the hero of a surprising transfer’, as it is claimed that Aston Villa are eyeing an ‘unexpected move’ which ‘may occur’ in the final days of this window.

The Verdict: Fight to keep him?

As per WhoScored, the Poland international finished 2021/22 as one of Southampton’s top five best-performing players by average match rating – all while playing the fourth-highest amount of league minutes.

Defensively, he was arguably manager Ralph Hasenhuttl’s star asset – averaging more interceptions, clearances and blocks made per 90 than any other player in the Saints squad.

Still yet to reach his prime, letting Bednarek go would be a regrettable end to the window and Southampton would arguably need to sign a replacement.

Indeed, this could be one to avoid for the club.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the teams looking at Memphis Depay…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Italian journalist Gerard Romero, who delivered a fresh update on the Dutchman’s situation at Barcelona to his Twitch channel, where he revealed that Spurs and Serie A giants Juventus are two likely destinations for the forward.

The 28-year-old is expected to leave the Nou Camp on a free transfer, as revealed by Fabrizio Romano last week, who tweeted:

“Excl: Barcelona and Memphis Depay lawyers are in negotiations to reach an agreement on free agency. No way for €20m fee. Depay will accept to leave Barça only in case he’ll find the right option for his future.

“Memphis Depay will only consider top clubs.”

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Free agent bargain

That means the former Manchester United man may not cost the Lilywhites’ owners, the ENIC Group, a penny in terms of a transfer fee as Barcelona will be desperate to get his wages off the books.

And just like with Ivan Perisic, sporting director Fabio Paratici and his recruitment staff could seal another free transfer masterclass.

Another forward may be the least of manager Antonio Conte’s priorities, having added the £60m acquisition of Richarlison to a frontline containing Harry Kane, Heung-min Son, Dejan Kulusevski and Lucas Moura, but another option would add serious depth and quality to the squad, especially when they could be available for nothing.

The north Londoners will also be competing in the Champions League this season and in a World Cup year, rotation could be imperative heading into the second half of the season – at least if Spurs are aiming to end their trophy hoodoo.

Depay may have struggled in the Premier League before but that came at an early time in his career.

Since then, he has bagged 19 goals in 36 appearances in 2017/18, then 20 goals across 37 league matches in 2020/21, both for Lyon, and even finished last season as Barca’s top goalscorer, despite losing his place to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

It’s no wonder he has been lauded as a “special talent” by Dutch legend Marco van Basten, who certainly knows a thing or two about goalscoring himself.

Not only does he offer goals, though, as he ranks inside the top 1% of all forwards across Europe for passes attempted (48.11 per 90), as well as the top 3% for progressive carries (7.37 per 90), showing that he can get on the ball and help provide for his teammates, whether that be through a pass or a drive through the defensive line, as per FBref.

With Depay valued at €40m (£34m) by CIES Football Observatory, who assess the transfer value of professional footballers on a scientific basis, it’s clear that signing him on a free would be an absolute bargain, not to mention his aforementioned credentials.

As such, the Dutchman would be a pretty good depth option for Conte this season but they’ll have to beat Juventus to his signature.

AND in other news, Paratici can seal “incredible” Maddison alternative in Spurs bid for “special” target…

Tottenham are still interested in completing the signing of Wolves winger Adama Traore this summer, according to journalist Alex Crook.

The Lowdown: Traore’s future unclear

The 26-year-old is back at Molineux during pre-season, having been allowed to join Barcelona on loan midway through the 2021/22 campaign.

Traore’s time in Spain proved to be unimpressive, failing to score despite a promising first five appearances as he registered four assists (Transfermarkt), with manager Xavi having no interest in retaining his services on a permanent basis.

The Spanish winger has been linked with a move to Spurs this summer, and one journalist has suggested that it is a transfer which could still go through.

The Latest: Spurs still keen on Traore

Speaking to GiveMeSport, transfer expert Crook claimed that the north Londoners see Traore as a potential summer option to bring in.

He stated:

“The other name that I’ve been told that is still on their list is Adama Traore, to add some right wing-back competition.”

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The Verdict: Better to sell this summer

It became clear last season that Bruno Lage doesn’t consider Traore a key player, with only 10 Premier League starts coming his way before his loan departure last season.

For that reason, it makes complete sense for Wolves to sell him permanently this summer and receive a healthy fee for his services, spending the money on new signings instead.

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Traore can still be very effective on his day – Andy Townsend has described him as ‘devastating’ in the past – but there is an inconsistency in his game which seemingly will never go away.

An overall tally of 11 goals and 18 assists in 154 appearances simply isn’t good enough for such a fast attacking player, and perhaps that is why Lage has not been sold on the 26-year-old up to now.