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Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte will be eagerly awaiting news over the fitness of Richarlison ahead of this afternoon’s fierce north London derby in the Premier League…

What’s the latest?

As relayed by Evening Standard journalist Dan Kilpatrick, the Italian has not ruled out either Rodrigo Bentancur or the Brazilian from featuring against Arsenal today, though has suggested it would be a gamble, putting their chances of starting in jeopardy.

“#thfc Team news: Conte says Kulusevski is “going to be ready to play” against Arsenal. He does not rule out Bentancur or Richarlison but suggests he it might be a “risk” to play them on Sunday,” he tweeted.

Conte needs him today

It’s certainly been a gutting blow to not have the £60m summer signing fit and available since domestic football returned following the World Cup as he’s capable of providing a new dimension in the final third.

Heung-min Son has been somewhat off-the-boil this campaign, with only one goal and two assists besides a hat-trick against Leicester City earlier in the season. It means 12 of his 16 appearances in the Premier League have seen him fail to register a direct goal contribution, which is uncharacteristic compared to past efforts.

On the other flank, Dejan Kulusevski has also battled with injuries and whilst he looks set to be involved today, his absence would have been substantially alleviated had Richarlison been available.

The former Everton star has shown in his little game time that he can do the business for Spurs, having delivered two important goals in the Champions League, on top of his three league assists, despite only starting five matches, per Transfermarkt.

Richarlison is also able to deputise through the middle for Harry Kane and whilst he won’t be replacing him anytime soon, he has more than enough reason to start a game of this magnitude, perhaps ahead of the underperforming South Korean, should he be passed fit to be involved.

Since his arrival in England, the 25-year-old has played the Gunners ten times across all competitions, winning 50% of those matches (more wins than defeats) and Richarlison has also made four goal contributions too, so he clearly likes playing against Spurs ‘ arch-rivals.

Therefore, Conte will be praying that the £90k-per-week “goal machine” – in the words of journalist and podcaster Philip Alimo  – can contribute to today’s encounter in some form because a talent of his in the final third is badly needed if the Lilywhites are to find a way past the rampant Premier League leaders.

AND in other news, Paratici “a big fan” of £40m “wizard”, he’d be a “breathtaking” January signing for Spurs…

Wolverhampton Wanderers are believed to be interested in Tottenham Hotspur right wing-back Djed Spence amid this January’s transfer window.

What’s the latest?

There have been some reports that Spurs would be willing to allow Spence to depart this month in a bid to get the 22-year-old playing more regular first-team football.

However, there have also been some suggestions claiming Antonio Conte would be keen to keep the player in north London despite him not playing a big role in the Italian’s squad, with Lyall Thomas saying:

“That’s what I’ve been told by my sources so far. As things stand, at the moment, he’s not going anywhere.”

But it would seem apparent that the Englishman does not hold an immediate spot in Conte’s plans given that he is yet to start a game for the Lilywhites since signing in the summer.

And speaking on the Last Word on Spurs YouTube channel, journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed the Wolves manager, Julen Lopetegui, is a big fan of the young wing-back:

“With Spence, there’s always been a massive amount of interest and I know that at Southampton, in particular, unlike when Ralph Hasenhuttl was there, Nathan Jones really likes the player. So that might be one to watch.

“And then Wolves have got a new manager too in Julen Lopetegui and he’s doing really well and he rates the player as well.”

A way out for Spence?

It has been a turbulent spell for Spence since making the move to north London in the summer for a fee believed to be worth in the region of £20m

The 22-year-old has now made six appearances in almost six months at Spurs and all of those six outings have come from the substitute’s bench racking up a combined 41 minutes worth of football (via Transfermarkt).

This is following an impressive stint in the Championship last season where the wing-back totalled 4372 minutes across all competitions for both Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest.

And looking back on his arrival at Spurs, it would seem as if Conte set his stall out pretty early on in Spence’s time at Spurs after he had the following to say about the signing of the 22-year-old:

“Spence is an investment of the club. The club wanted to do it. I said ‘OK, this player is young but he showed he can become a good, important player for us’. The club decided to buy him.”

In comparison to Wolves’ Nelson Semedo – and caveated by playing in the Championship – last season, Spence was able to provide almost double the amount of shot-creating actions as Semedo has this season (via FBref).

On top of that, the Englishman – hailed as “brilliant” – was able to complete over three times (1.89) as many successful dribbles per 90 minutes to the mere 0.49 average by Semedo this season.

So it would seem as if Lopetegui could be interested in providing more of an attacking threat down his right side of defence but it could take Spence some time to get up to speed having sat on the sidelines for so long now.

Everton journalist for The Liverpool Echo Joe Thomas has shared that Michael Keane has picked up a ‘small’ injury, and will have to ‘undergo a scan’.

The Lowdown: Named on bench

Keane was originally named on the bench for the Goodison Park outfit in their 1-1 draw away at Manchester City in the Premier League, but was replaced by Isaac Price after picking up an injury in the warm-up.

He has only made one appearance in the top flight so far this season, as he has seen his game time limited by the arrivals of both Conor Coady and James Tarkowski in the summer.

The Latest: ‘Small’ knee injury

Taking to Twitter on Saturday evening, Thomas has shared that Keane has picked up a ‘small’ injury to the back of his knee, and he will need to undergo a scan to find out the extent of it:

“Latest on Michael Keane, who was named on Everton’s bench and then pulled out at the last minute: He has a ‘small’ injury to the back of the knee that he initially felt yesterday. Will undergo a scan to look at it in more detail.”

The Verdict: Time to go…

The City game may have given Keane an opportunity to prove himself to Frank Lampard and earn a starting spot, but instead an injury setback means that his opportunities will likely continue to be limited.

He has recently been linked with a move to West Ham United amid the opening of the January transfer window,  and on £80,000-per-week, the Englishman is one of the Toffees’ higher earners in the squad (FBRef).

Nonetheless, it may be time for the Blues to move on from Keane now, especially given that he has not been a regular.

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.

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has provided his verdict on reported Celtic target Cho Gue-sung following speculation linking the South Korea international with a move to Parkhead.

What’s the word?

The Scottish Sun revealed at the end of last month that the Old Firm outfit had joined the race for the 24-year-old, with the Premiership champions said to be one of ‘several’ European clubs who are interested in the Jeonbuk centre-forward.

The player himself has raised hopes regarding a move to Glasgow after outlining his desire to go to Europe in the near future, with the Hoops said to be plotting to secure a new attacking addition in January.

According to O’Rourke – in an interview with Football FanCast – the 20-cap marksman seemingly has what it takes to be a “success” for Celtic, with such an acquisition likely to help strengthen Ange Postecoglou’s firepower.

The respected journalist stated of Cho: “He’s a player who looks like he’s got all the attributes to be a success in Europe. He’s a big strong forward as well.

“Obviously Celtic have had their problems with [Giorgos] Giakoumakis being injured on numerous occasions, while [Kyogo] Furuhashi has also had his injury problems as well. So it’s an area of the team that it looks like Ange Postecoglou would like to strengthen in”.

Big coup

Bringing Cho into the fold at Paradise could well be a notable coup for the Premiership champions, with the 6 foot 2 ace having been in prolific form of late at club level, having scored 21 goals and laid on five assists in 35 games in all competitions in the 2021/22 campaign.

That stunning season has ensured that his overall club career record now stands at 51 goals and 16 assists in 133 games at senior level, with the eye-catching talent having been lauded by journalist Jason Lee for his “incredible” form.

That hot streak was also replicated for his country in recent weeks, with the former FC Anyang man having starred at the World Cup in Qatar, notably scoring twice in an eventual 3-2 defeat to Ghana in South Korea’s second group game.

That clinical double saw the highly-coveted ace showcase his ruthlessness in front of goal, having twice powered home with two bullet headers, with such an impact unsurprisingly having caught the attention of Postecoglou and co.

As O’Rourke referenced, there is seemingly a need for further competition in the centre-forward ranks at Celtic due to the injury woes of Kyogo Furuhashi, with the Japan international having been absent for much of the second half of last season with a hamstring issue.

The same is also true of Giorgos Giakoumakis, who has endured his own injury woes over the last 18 months, with the Greek marksman currently facing an uncertain future in Scotland after contract talks hit an impasse.

As such, a new striker has become something of a priority for Celtic heading into the New Year, with Cho’s prospective arrival likely to be a big coup as the Hoops look to maintain their rampant autumn form.

Aston Villa centre-back Tyrone Mings has a ‘big six months’ ahead of him in terms of his future at the club, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Poor season for Mings

The Englishman had a tough time of things during the summer, with former Villa manager Steven Gerrard deciding to strip him of the captaincy.

Since then, Mings’ form has been hit-and-miss this season, with some individual errors proving costly and doubts being raised over his long-term future.

With Unai Emery now in charge, this feels like a pivotal moment in the 29-year-old’s career, especially as reports have already suggested Villa will be in the market for a new left-sided defender.

The Latest: ‘Big six months’ ahead

That’s certainly the opinion of Jones, who told Give Me Sport that Mings needs to perform between now and the end of the season:

“Mings has probably got more to prove, I think he’s got a big six months ahead. He’ll still believe in himself, he’s got to at this point, it’s all going to be about strength of mind for him, I think, in how he comes through this.”

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The Verdict: Time to prove himself

It does feel that Mings is battling to save his Villa Park career – he has been hailed as ‘outstanding’ by Gabby Agbonlahor in the past – especially with Emery no doubt eyeing up future signings to improve his overall squad.

Once the 2022 World Cup is done and dusted, the centre-back needs to find a consistently high level to prove his worth, with his current deal expiring in 2024 and the club potentially looking to cash in next summer.

The fact that Mings was in the team before the World Cup break does suggest that Emery will stick with him for now, but continued patchy showings could be hugely problematic for him.

West Bromwich Albion could be set to ship out one of their youngsters on loan, despite their misfiring front line…

What’s the latest?

As per Birmingham Live, the Baggies are preparing a number of youngsters for development moves in January, with Reyes Cleary mentioned amongst two others – Zac Ashworth and Ethan Ingram – who could leave.

Although Carlos Corberan had reportedly claimed there was no focus on incomings, the recent form will have alleviated some of the pressure to allow him to perhaps look ahead.

This could explain the potential exit for the young striker, who surely could offer something more than what Karlan Grant or Brandon Thomas-Asante have done this season.

Corberan must unleash him

Perhaps instead of shipping Cleary out to an EFL club, the Spaniard should instead choose to unleash the 18-year-old marksman who has proven himself a fine goalscorer at youth level.

Just this season alone he has bagged 11 times in seven Premier League 2 matches, yet this has only earned him 55 minutes of Championship football.

This follows up a campaign where the 6 foot 1 sensation made that step up with ease, after scoring 18 times in 14 U18s matches, before finding the net a further seven times in 15 outings for the U23s.

This clinical excellence in front of goal led Steve Bruce to label him a “natural finisher” who “smashes it in the goal”. This powerful proficiency is exactly what they have been lacking.

It is clear that even despite his youth, academy football seems below him.

However, the main reason why he should be given a chance relates more to the disappointment of his peers than his blistering form.

Their £15m man Grant has just three goals in 17 Championship games so far, whilst the summer signing of Thomas-Asante has only managed the same amount in five fewer games.

Regardless, neither is form worthy of a nailed-on spot in the side.

Therefore, there is little risk for Corberan to perhaps start integrating Cleary when this enforced break is over.

It could save the club millions, potentially unearthing a star striker to lead the line for the foreseeable future.

Tottenham Hotspur have produced some fantastic talents through their academy system over the years and have benefitted from that on the pitch in the Premier League.

The likes of Sol Campbell, Peter Crouch, Stephen Carr, and, of course, Harry Kane are just a few of the players who have broken through from the youth set-up at the club in the past.

Antonio Conte should now be on the lookout for the next star to rise through the ranks and one player who could be on his way to putting his name amongst the aforementioned gems is central midfielder Oliver Skipp.

The youngster first made his debut for the club in the 2018/19 campaign as he made 12 appearances in all competitions, including eight in the Premier League.

He was unable to kick on in the 2019/20 season as he played 11 matches in all competitions, eight in the top flight, but did make two outings in the Champions League.

Tottenham then decided to send him out on loan to speed up his development and opted to place him at Norwich under Daniel Farke in the Championship for 2020/21. At the time of the move, Transfermarkt valued him at £6.48m.

Skipp enjoyed a phenomenal campaign with the Canaries as he played 45 of their 46 league matches on the way to winning the title, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.02. He made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game in midfield for the Yellows, whilst winning 56% of his individual duels.

Farke heaped praise on the England U21 international during his spell at Carrow Road, saying:

“Oliver is a perfect lad. So humble. He is a brilliant loan signing.

“A fantastic lad. He reminds me a little of Max Aarons in his first season, who also delivered with unbelievable consistency, with no mistakes, never injured, never ill. I actually said before Birmingham there was one or two areas he can still improve, like in terms of the attacking side, and then in the very next game he scores at Birmingham.”

The £40k-per-week technician then came back to Tottenham and was given the number four shirt in a show of faith by the club. That was before going on to play 18 Premier League games in the 2021/22 campaign, featuring in 28 matches in all competitions despite dealing with a pelvic injury during the second half of the season.

Skipp has returned from his knock to play in eight games so far this term, six in the top flight and twice in Europe’s elite competition, and has been trusted by Conte to start the last two matches in the league.

The midfielder’s Transfermarkt valuation is now sitting at £13.5m, which represents an impressive 108% increase on the £6.48m he was valued at prior to his move to Norwich in 2020.

This shows that Tottenham have undeniably unearthed a diamond in Skipp as his valuation has been soaring in recent years and he is beginning to establish himself as a regular in the senior side. Hopefully, he continues his upwards trend and can become a star for Conte and Spurs in the future.

Liverpool chiefs are now ‘confident’ they can sign Borussia Dortmund’s marquee midfielder Jude Bellingham after ‘extensive talks’ behind the scenes.

The Lowdown: Bellingham linked with Liverpool…

The 19-year-old is a very hot commodity in football right now as a ‘stampede’ of clubs reportedly take an interest in snapping him up next year.

However, it is reliably reported that Jurgen Klopp’s side are frontrunners for his signature, with Telegraph journalist Matt Law claiming (via This is Anfield) that both the Reds and Real Madrid are ‘leading the way’.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is also believed to be attempting some discussions with Bellingham’s entourage, although a new report has shed light on some of Liverpool’s own talks for the player.

The Latest: Liverpool ‘confident’ of signing Bellingham…

Indeed, Football Insider now claim that Anfield chiefs are ‘confident’ that they have laid the groundwork for a potential deal for the midfielder next year.

In addition, it is believed that ‘extensive talks’ have been held ‘behind the scenes’ with Bellingham’s camp as Liverpool attempt to get ahead of the competition.

The Verdict: Promising update…

The teenage superstar would be a stellar signing for Klopp on Merseyside and a real asset who could help to add much-needed depth to Liverpool’s midfield.

As per WhoScored, the England international ranks as Dortmund’s best-performing player this season by average match rating, while only defender Nico Schlotterbeck can match him for most minutes in the Bundesliga.

He also had the honour of captaining the team at the weekend despite still being a teenager, although his side fell to a 3-2 defeat against Koln.

He is quite evidently one of football’s most standout prodigies at the moment, and it seems only a matter of time before he seals a mega-money move to the Premier League.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola starting Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez up front alongside each other is a ‘frightening thought’, according to BBC pundit Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Great starts to life at City

Since arriving at the Etihad this summer, the pair of strikers have enjoyed fantastic starts to their careers with the Premier League champions.

In Man City’s first six top-flight games this season, Haaland has bagged an incredible ten goals, having also netted twice against Sevilla in the Champions League.

Having started just one game, Alvarez has endured a slower start to life than his Norwegian teammate. However, the Argentina international has still been able to score twice in the league, having come off the bench on three occasions.

The Latest: Hutton’s claim

As quoted by Manchester Evening News, Haaland has said his partnership with Alvarez is ‘really important’ going forward for the team.

When asked about the possibility of the pair playing together more regularly this season, Hutton, who works as a pundit for BBC, told Football Insider:

“It is a frightening thought, the two of them together up front.

“I would not like to be in a back four trying to mark those two.

“If they do that though, they’re changing their whole system and their whole philosophy. They have been playing with one striker for years.

“A wide player would have to sit out, whether that be [Jack] Grealish or [Riyad] Mahrez.

“How would they play? 4-4-2? It would be interesting to watch.

“We all know Pep, he likes to throw in a curveball every now and again. I cannot see it at this moment in time though.

“Haaland is going to be number one. We will see how it develops but I cannot see it happening in truth.”

The Verdict: Incredible depth

With Haaland touted as one of the most exciting players to watch in world football, it is crazy to think City were able to secure another incredible young talent this summer on top of the former Borussia Dortmund man.

With the Norway international’s previous experience playing in the Bundesliga, in which he scored 62 goals in 67 appearances, it was always expected that Haaland would be able to have a more instant impact when he joined City.

Alvarez, on the other hand, had only played in the Argentinian top-flight prior to the move, so it was always going to take him more time to adapt to the Premier League and one could even say he has exceeded expectations in his limited minutes thus far.

The thought of the two of them dominating together for the next decade is an exciting one for City fans, but less so for their rivals.