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Crystal Palace are interested in a deal to bring Middlesbrough forward Isaiah Jones to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Jones to Palace?

The Championship winger’s contract at the Riverside Stadium isn’t set to expire until 2025, but having fallen out of favour since the arrival of Michael Carrick – featuring in just 14 of his 22 league outings – he has been linked with an exit this summer.

The Sun first credited the Eagles with an initial interest in the 23-year-old back in October as the hierarchy were plotting to make a move in January, but they were soon dealt a blow in their pursuit of the starlet.

Speaking to TEAMtalk, transfer expert Graeme Bailey revealed that the north-east outfit weren’t willing to sell their prized asset at the start of the year due to wanting to keep their best talents in the building to help their push for promotion, but it seems that they have since had a change of heart regarding a sale during the upcoming window.

According to Football League World, Middlesbrough will “allow” Jones to leave this summer, with Carrick nor the board set to “stand in his way” should he want to move on.

Palace, West Ham and Bournemouth are all “keen” to secure his services, whilst there is also “interest” from the second tier in the form of Millwall, Norwich and Sunderland. The Lambeth-born talent is “likely” expected to move back down south having been brought up in London before joining Boro, which could be a potential advantage for Roy Hodgson's side.

Should Palace make a move for Jones?

Middlesbrough may not want to keep Jones beyond the summer, but having been dubbed a "full-back's nightmare" by journalist Josh Bunting, he could be an excellent acquisition for the boss should the board be successful in bringing him to Palace.

The £3.1k-p/w talent has recorded 12 assists and scored four goals in 78 senior appearances for Middlesbrough, while showcasing his desire to burst down the flank and whip crosses into the box – with 75 to his name this season.

The 37 Sport client also ranks in the 99th percentile for most touches in the attacking penalty area and the 98th for progressive carries among players in his position and level of competition over the past year (via FBref), so he's always looking to dribble past his marker and make the magic happen in the opposition's box.

Finally, Jones would add plenty of versatility to Hodgson's squad having operated in the midfield and on either wing, as well as at centre-forward, which would allow the manager to be more flexible in his team selection, making this deal even more of a no-brainer to complete.

Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto is reportedly attracting interest from Juventus ahead of the summer window.

The Lowdown: First-team impact

Former Whites manager Jesse Marsch stated in the summer that Gnonto ‘wouldn’t be Premier League ready’, however, the Italian arrived at Elland Road on deadline day from FC Zurich as the club’s search for a forward went down to the wire.

Since then, the 19-year-old has made a positive impact at first team level, contributing to six goals in 19 appearances. Gary Neville was left impressed with the Leeds youngster against Aston Villa back in January, saying:

‘To see someone so mature, so young is very unusual in that position. Sometimes you see potential and talent but watching him so closely, his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, when to run with it, his awareness of teammates, really good honestly.’

Italy manager Roberto Mancini has also praised Gnonto following his time at Leeds, saying:

‘Gnonto is a young boy, no one has thought of hiring him but he plays as a starter in the Premier League and that’s not a given at 19. He can still improve and he’s young, he has quality. I hope other young people can follow his example and go abroad to play. If they are good then they play.’

As well as Neville and Mancini, it looks as if his displays have been catching the eye of Juventus officials.

The Latest: Transfer update

Calciomercato provided an update regarding Gnonto in the last 48 hours. They said that Juventus have already started planning for the summer transfer market and have Gnonto on a list of potential targets.

The report states that Juventus officials could look to use Weston McKennie as part of a potential transfer, with Leeds having the option to buy the USA midfielder at the end of the season in a deal worth €35m (£30m).

The Verdict: A worry

This appears to be an extremely worrying update on Gnonto, who reportedly ‘would be very happy to return to Italy, especially in a top club like Juventus’.

He has been a bright spark in what has been a disappointing season on the whole in Yorkshire, with Gnonto’s stunning goal against Cardiff City in the FA Cup earlier this year being compared to fellow countryman Paolo Di Canio.

Gnonto is under contract at Leeds until 2027, however, should the Whites suffer relegation to the Championship over the coming months, the forward could become one of the most sought-after players in Yorkshire.

David Moyes has lived to see another Premier League game at West Ham despite the 4-0 thrashing against Brighton last weekend but a defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday could bring an end to his spell at the London Stadium.

The Scottish manager has seen his side regress after the dizzy heights of last season which saw them flirt with a top-four finish and reach the semi-finals of the Europa League.

Therefore, it is no surprise that a number of managers are being linked with the West Ham job in case the board do pull the trigger on Moyes, with Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick one of those touted as a potential option.

Could West Ham appoint Michael Carrick?

According to The Times, the Hammers could look to bring back their former academy talent in a managerial role after his impressive stint with Middlesbrough in the Championship.

The 41-year-old enjoyed a near-spotless spell as caretaker manager of Manchester United, having become assistant to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during his time at Old Trafford.

He was handed his first permanent job as a manager by Middlesbrough back in October, taking over at the Riverside after Chris Wilder was sacked, with the north east side languishing in 21st position.

He has overseen an impressive transformation since then, averaging 2.15 points per game with The Boro, which has seen them put themselves in contention for automatic promotion, as they currently sit third in the second tier.

Former Premier League footballer Jamie O’Hara, told talkSPORT [05/03/2022, 17:00] that the club should be looking at hiring Carrick if they decide to sack Moyes in the coming weeks.

He said: “Carrick is absolutely flying at Middlesbrough. They’re third in the table. Carrick at West Ham ain’t a bad shout, you know.”

Could Carrick unlock Gianluca Scamacca?

Carrick’s work at Middlesbrough sees them ranked as the second-top scorers in the division behind Burnley, so he clearly knows how to get the best out of his attackers.

The resurgence of Chuba Akpom has been particularly impressive, as, after a number of difficult spells in England and abroad, the former Arsenal youngster is enjoying the best season of his career, with 21 league goals to his name.

West Ham spent big on a striker of their own in the summer, splashing out £35.5m on Gianluca Scamacca, but he has done little to impress thus far, boasting just three goals in 16 Premier League appearances.

However, the talent is clearly there as the Italian hit 16 Serie A goals last season, and with the right, attack-minded manager, he could finally show his best form at the London Stadium.

The Italy international is still only 24 and shouldn’t be written off after a difficult start to life in England, as appointing a promising young coach such as Carrick could still see him tread a different path to the strikers who have failed before him at West Ham.

Everton have been gifted an injury boost as Sean Dyche has declared that Amadou Onana is ‘fit’ for their game at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Forced off against Leeds

Onana was forced off with a knee injury in Everton’s 1-0 win at home to Leeds United in the top flight last weekend.

Dyche admitted after the game that his injury has been a ‘niggly’ one, but believes that it is ‘manageable’.

The Latest: Onana ‘fit’

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match against Villa, Dyche has shared (via Birmingham Live) that Onana is ‘fit’ to play, as the ‘knock’ that he picked up against Leeds is ‘not serious’:

“Am [Amadou Onana] is not serious, more of a knock so we have been monitoring that, but he is training, but he’s fit.”

The Verdict: Big boost

It will come as a big boost to Dyche and the team to have Onana available to play after picking up a knock against Leeds.

The central midfielder was a standout player on the pitch before he had to come off, winning six of his duels and recording three shots, two clearances, two tackles and one key pass, achieving an 81% pass accuracy (SofaScore).

He has received praise for several of his performances this season, and even attracted interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United in the January transfer window, despite only joining in the summer.

Nonetheless, if the Toffees are going to get another win at Goodison Park, then Onana will no doubt be key once again.

Tottenham made a late January attempt to sign young Southampton defender Thierry Small before his loan move to St. Mirren.

The Lowdown: Spurs youth recruitment…

Spurs have arguably been known for their high profile youth recruitments in recent years, evidenced by the signings of Destiny Udogie and Bryan Gil in the last two years.

The Lilywhites also completed a deadline day deal to sign highly-rated starlet striker Jude Soonsup-Bell from Premier League rivals Chelsea, with chairman Daniel Levy continuing to bolster the club’s academy ranks.

As per a report from January, it appears they also tried to bring in Saints youngster Small.

The Latest: Tottenham made Small ‘bid’…

According to Football Insider, the north Londoners attempted to strike a move for the defender before his temporary switch to the SPFL.

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It is believed that Spurs lodged a ‘bid’ near the end of the winter transfer window as they attempted a move for Small who was, at the time, considering multiple offers.

Southampton apparently ‘signalled’ they were letting to let him go on a permanent deal to interested buyers but Tottenham didn’t offer enough to convince the south coast side to sell up.

The Verdict: Shame…

Small would have came as another brilliant youthful addition at N17 alongside Soonsup-Bell.

The 18-year-old primarily operates as a left-back but can play both as a wing-back and on the left-side of a three man defence – arguably making him ideal for a system like Antonio Conte’s.

Small has also been called an ‘exciting’ prospect by members of the media upon his arrival at Southampton and it speaks volumes that the club signed him for £5 million from Everton.

The England Under-19 international also once became the Toffees’ youngest ever player to make a senior debut at 16, appearing in an FA Cup victory over Sheffield Wednesday in 2021.

Homegrown and seemingly quite promising, perhaps Spurs could make another move for him this summer.

Journalist Rudy Galetti has shared a Chelsea transfer update as the Blues enter advanced talks to sign Lyon right-back Malo Gusto.

The Lowdown: Boehly keeps busy…

The Blues, after sealing the signings of Mykhalo Mudryk this window among others, are thought to be keeping busy as owner Todd Boehly spends over £400 million since his takeover.

Gusto, who has emerged as a very promising right-back in Ligue 1, has been linked with a move to the Premier League in recent months.

Graham Potter’s side, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Barcelona, Manchester United, Arsenal and Man City have all been keeping tabs on the 19-year-old – according to reports.

The Latest: Chelsea enter advanced talks…

Now, as per reporter Galetti, Chelsea have entered advanced talks to sign the teenager.

He explained (via Twitter):

“Chelsea and #OL are in advanced talks for Malo Gusto.

“The team are willing to push already in the next hours for the right-back.

“No problem with the player: an agreement in principle has been reached without issues. Now it’s up to the clubs.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Having been linked to a host of top clubs all over Europe, Gusto could join Chelsea as one of the continent’s hottest prospects and we believe the club could making a scoop with his potential signing.

The defender has been lavished by members of the press who have called Gusto ‘one of the most exciting’ right-backs in football.

His stats certainly back this up, and for a player so young, the numbers suggest he can more-than compete with some of the English top flight’s most senior players.

According to WhoScored, Gusto ranks in Lyon’s top five for key passes made and completed dribbles per 90 going forward – showing how he could come as a terrific alternative to Reece James out wide.

Defensively, the Frenchman also ranks in their top five for interceptions made and currently sits joint-fifth in their squad for successful tackles made per Ligue 1 match (WhoScored).

As Chelsea enter advanced negotiations, Boehly could be about to back Potter with yet another rising star.

Despite Eddie Howe’s recent comments, journalist Jordan Cronin has insisted that Newcastle United have touched base over Scott McTominay.

The Lowdown: Midfield is an area to improve

It’s no secret that Newcastle could do with at least one new midfielder this month, which was probably required before Bruno Guimaraes’ recent injury, but that will have likely only intensified their search.

This is because last season, Guimarares was playing more advanced with Jonjo Shelvey sitting behind him, and that led to the Brazilian scoring five in the Premier League, whereas he’s only got three this term as Shelvey has also been largely absent.

Therefore, a new No 6 could well be just what the Magpies need, someone who can conduct play and do the hard yards while Howe unleashes Guimaares in the final third more often – which is where someone such as McTominay could come into the equation.

The Latest: McTominay on the radar

However, Howe recently rubbished any talk of Newcastle swooping in for a loan deal for McTominay, although Cronin has heard different information on the contact between Newcastle and Manchester United.

Speaking on the Loaded Mag YouTube channel, he said: “Eddie Howe denied that there was contact with Scott McTominay, but from what I was told, Newcastle did enquire about Scott McTominay – but Manchester United said that there was no chance of letting him go.”

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The Verdict: Newcastle could aim higher than McTominay

Given that McTominay has only been able to start six league games this season, it would suggest that the Scotland international isn’t quite up to the standard of a top-four club, which is what Newcastle are clearly looking to become.

The Magpies have been linked with moves for players such as Moises Caicedo and Youri Tielemans as of late, which would signal a big statement of intent given they’re also wanted by the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal respectively.

If Newcastle could bring in McTominay on loan until the end of the season without an obligation to buy, he could be a decent stopgap signing, although if someone such as Tielemans and Caicedo become more attainable this month, PIF could move for them instead.

What is clear is that there is interest in McTominay despite the Toon boss playing it down, and it remains to be seen if Manchester United can be lured into a sale for a player surely keen on more regular game time.

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Leeds United have Southampton forward Che Adams on their list of potential January signings, according to The Guardian’s Louise Taylor.

The Lowdown: Phil Hay’s update

Adams has been on Victor Orta’s radar for a number of years now, with links first emerging all the way back in 2020 during Marcelo Bielsa’s time in charge.

Rumours returned in the summer with reports even claiming the Whites actually made an approach for the Scotland international, but as we know, a transfer failed to materialise.

Phil Hay has recently teased a New Year move, and the 26-year-old has been named again when it comes to Leeds’ January plans.

The Latest: Potential option

The Guardian shared a story on Saturday, looking at all 20 Premier League clubs and what they are hoping for in the winter window.

When it came to Leeds, Taylor said that ‘money is believed to be tight at Elland Road’, but a forward could be useful. The reporter then said that Adams ‘ranks among the potential options’ when it comes to attacking targets.

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The Verdict: Needed

Patrick Bamford has struggled with injuries massively over the past 18 months, so a new forward would be extremely beneficial to Jesse Marsch.

Adams has scored eight times already this season and was described as ‘terrific’ in 2022 by Ally McCoist, while he also holds. a career-high €22m Transfermarkt valuation.

He has plenty of Premier League experience, no major injury history and is into the final 18 months of his St Mary’s deal, so now could be the perfect time to finally get a move over the line.

Tottenham Hotspur have made contact with the representatives of Argentina star Enzo Fernandez, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Fernandez in demand…

One of the breakout stars of this year’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the 21-year-old dazzled under manager Lionel Scaloni as the South American side went on to win the tournament in dramatic fashion.

The Benfica midfielder featured in every single game for Argentina and ranked in their top five best players by average match rating, making more tackles per 90 than any of his teammates (WhoScored).

Fernandez’ stock has risen dramatically as a result with a host of Premier League sides taking real interest, including Antonio Conte’s side.

The Latest: Spurs make contact…

As per Portuguese source, Spurs are one of many clubs to have thrown their hat in the ring as the north Londoners eye a move.

Newspaper O Jogo (via Foot Mercato) claim Tottenham have ‘sounded out’ the representatives of Fernandez as they hold agent talks.

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However, they are not alone, with north London rivals Arsenal, Paris-Saint Germain, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, ​​Atlético de Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Inter all doing the same.

It’s also added that Benfica will be stubborn when it comes to selling in January and will demand no less than Fernandez’ €120 million (£105m) release clause.

The Verdict: Make the move?

His £105m demand represents a very tricky obstacle for sporting director Fabio Paratici and this may be one that could have to wait until the summer.

If Fernandez hasn’t been snapped up by then, the starlet would certainly add real quality to Conte’s squad at Hotspur Way.

Called a ‘beast’ by members of the media, Argentina’s star won the World Cup’s Young Player of the Tournament and was a colossal midfield presence.

It’s no surprise the Lilywhites have taken interest, but it may well be an uphill battle.

Leeds United oversaw a summer of vast change under Jesse Marsch, with the American allowed to reinvest heavily following the sales of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.

With the latter, it marked a tough task to replace their top scorer, and arguably the catalyst for their survival.

Although Luis Sinisterra has performed admirably at times, it was always going to take time for the Columbian to acclimatise following his £21m move.

Perhaps Marsch might be opting for a different tactic this January, similar to what he did with Phillips, by spreading his output across multiple different players.

That could explain their reported interest in another south American winger in Gonzalo Plata.

Poised to battle with Newcastle United for his signature, the winger is currently impressing for his country at the World Cup, building upon his impressive start to life at Real Valladolid.

Having moved permanently to La Liga for a €10m (£8.5m) fee, the 22-year-old has been around the senior game for some time despite his youth.

Because of this, his average Sofascore rating of 6.71 is actually commendable, where he has been averaging 1.1 key passes per game.

Although he is viewed as a very raw wide man – with journalist Dean Jones once labelling him “pacey” – he clearly boasts all the physical assets to be a huge success in European football.

Ranking in the top 7% for dribbles completed stands as a glowing recommendation for his ability on the ball, furthering Adrian Blanco’s claim that he is a “true trickster”.

By signing this exciting 33-cap talent, it could spell the end of Dan James’ career on Elland Road.

The Welsh attacker boasts a similar skillset but has consistently underperformed at the level that is required. He has just four goals in 40 appearances since his £25m move from Manchester United.

As such, Marsch’s decision to bring in a new winger while he is out on loan is a damning assessment of his standing within the squad.

He has had his chances, but with the Ecuadorian maestro boasting 24 goal contributions to go alongside his incredible ability to beat a man, it would be a huge upgrade to swap Plata out for the 25-year-old dud.

Therefore, the American head coach can finally send James packing if he were to follow up his interest in the Ecuador whiz this January.