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According to reports, Tottenham are facing a battle to sign Milan midfielder Franck Kessie.

What’s the story?

MilanLive claim that the Serie A giants are intent on securing the £36m-rated star to a new contract at the San Siro, and that he is one of the players there who the club do not want to sell.

However, the report adds that the likes of Spurs, Arsenal and West Ham are all very much interested in luring him to the Premier League, and that they have “always shown interest” in him.

Mourinho’s new Essien

The 24-year-old has really come into his own this season in the Serie A, developing into a bona-fide star as a box-to-box midfielder – he’s already racked up ten goals and three assists in 36 games across all competitions, even earning some rave reviews from the likes of former Italy forward Antonio Casano.

He said: “I want Kessie in my team, he scores, he assists, he has personality, he has quality, he doesn’t lose the ball, he is intelligent. I’m watching him carefully, against Roma he was devastating. He reminds me of the Yaya Touré of the best times. He is a different player, but in terms of impact. He is holding Milan’s midfield alone.”

And, speaking after a 2-0 win over Torino, Milan manager Stefano Pioli, said: “Franck is a complete player. He gives us physicality, energy, quality, protects the defence and knits the moves going forward too. He has this eternally positive mentality during the matches, he’s the first to help out a teammate or reassure them. This is a young side that needs guidance and encouragement, so Kessie is invaluable in that sense.”

That unique combination of being a workhorse defensively, but also with the guile and craft to stitch things together in midfield, is eerily reminiscent of Michael Essien when he was in his pomp at Chelsea under Mourinho.

The former Ghana international would patrol the back-four, but also offer a presence going forward – you only have to look at that stunning swerving strike against Arsenal to see what he could bring to the table at both ends of the pitch.

Kessie is very much in that ilk, and it’s exactly why Daniel Levy must get a deal done for the Milan powerhouse. He could bring that power and drive to Spurs’ midfield, and give Mourinho the kind of player who would have fit in seamlessly in his early Chelsea days.

Meanwhile, Spurs played a blinder by selling this man for £17m…

Dean Windass has spoken exclusively to Football FanCast and given a scathing verdict on Newcastle United’s survival chances.

Steve Bruce’s side have taken just nine points from a possible 45 and recorded just two wins in their previous 17 matches. A worrying statistic that has seen the Magpies plummet into a relegation battle.

Newcastle’s Achilles’ heel has been finding the net consistently this season and with Callum Wilson, Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin now out until April the picture is looking extremely bleak.

The Magpies have improved their performances recently, however, it is all about results now with Bruce firmly in the hot seat with the club’s future firmly in the balance. With a potential takeover still in the pipeline, a relegation could scupper those plans.

A point against Wolverhampton Wanderers would usually have been seen as a positive result but Newcastle need wins with Fulham looking solid and difficult to beat. Newcastle have an eye on the Cottagers but must find a way to grind out results, even if that means performances become less attractive.

Many pundits fear the worst for Newcastle who could be set for a third relegation under the ownership of Mike Ashley.

Football Fancast spoke exclusively to Dean Windass with the former Darlington striker, not sugar-coating it for Newcastle fans.

A straight forward “yes” by Windass when asked if the Magpies could go down says everything you need to know about Newcastle as a club at the minute, people seem resigned to the fact they are going to be overtaken in 17th by Fulham.

Windass added: “It’s going to be a long [rest of the] season. 

“The one thing about Newcastle is that, no disrespect to Callum Wilson, how do you replace Alan Shearer?

“Newcastle never won anything really and Shearer was getting you 30 goals a season.

“Now, you need somebody to get you double figures a season to keep you in the Premier League.”

Newcastle’s future could be determined in the coming days if scans on both Almiron and Saint-Maximin’s injuries are to be as bad as first feared then the Magpies place all their creativity on Ryan Fraser who has had his fair share of injuries this campaign.

There are 12 games remaining and Newcastle fans will be buckling in for a long slog for some precious points which could set them up for a bright future in the Premier League under new ownership.

When it comes to Leeds United, they have a whole plethora of promising young academy players.

Victor Orta has made a point of strengthening that area of the club and in the summer it was a huge priority to improve Mark Jackson’s squad.

He added Cody Drameh, Crysencio Summerville, Sam Greenwood and Joe Gelhardt to the club’s academy ranks and a number of them have reaped the rewards pretty instantly.

Summerville scored a hat-trick against Burnley U23s while Greenwood was presented with a first-team opportunity against Crawley in the FA Cup.

Though, it’s a defender in Leeds’ ranks that we want to focus on for the time being. Of course, it will naturally be the attackers who take most of the credit but one man who’s also earned a first-team debut this season has been Charlie Cresswell.

The 18-year-old has only featured on one occasion under Marcelo Bielsa but it would hardly be a surprise if he starts to get more chances in the not too distant future.

That’s because he is the archetypal Bielsa player, a defender who likes to advance forward with the ball at his feet and play out from the back.

Speaking about the centre-back earlier this season, Noel Whelan highlighted his qualities: “At that centre-half position he’s got great attributes, he’s very calm on the ball, a great size to him, he’s quick, he can head, he can pass. He’s the modern-day, young-centre half.”

If you’d taken those words out of context, it could quite easily describe a certain Ben White.

Like Cresswell, he’s a baby faced centre-half and possesses very similar qualities. White was tremendous during Leeds’ promotion-winning campaign last season and in their 18-year-old academy graduate they have a player who could potentially live up to similar heights.

Last term, White completed 84.6% of his passes, a tally that Cresswell came close to emulating when the U21s took on Blackpool in the Papa John’s Trophy. On that day, the teenager completed 81% of his passes, demonstrating complete composure in the backline.

Like White, his reading of the game was near impeccable. Cresswell completed two interceptions and remarkably prevailed in seven tackles.

Last summer, it was all about who Leeds could find to replace the Brighton defender at centre-half. They tried to do so with the additions of Robin Koch and Diego Llorente but since arriving, they seem to have spent more time on the treatment table than out on the field.

Perhaps Bielsa’s answer was right in front of him all along? Cresswell typifies the modern defender and has all the attributes that made White such a hit at Elland Road.

AND in other news, Leeds could save millions by unleashing rarely-seen 20 y/o, he’s endorsed by Ian Harte…

Everton could jeopardise Jarrad Branthwaite’s future at the club with a move to sign Real Sociedad defender Modibo Sagnan during the January transfer window.

What’s the word?

According to France Football, via Sport Witness, Toffees chiefs have requested information on Sagnan’s future at the Anoeta Stadium ahead of a potential future move.

The 21-year-old centre-back has caught the attention of Everton, who are said to admire his potential after breaking through into Imanol Alguacil’s first-team plans this season.

Sagnan joined Sociedad in 2019 from academy side RC Lens but failed to make his presence felt before leaving for Spanish second-tier outfit CD Mirandes on loan in the following January window, having made just one appearance.

Alguacil has been more forthcoming with chances this term, with Sagnan featuring 13 times across all competitions, including being given six starting roles in 10 La Liga games to help the Txuri-urdinak challenge for European qualification.

His chance came following an injury for teammate Aritz Elustondo in the warm-up of their Europa League Group Stage tie with SSC Napoli in October, after which Alguacil vocalised his support of Sagnan.

“We believe he has potential, I am happy with the level that he gave,” the Sociedad boss said, via quotes by El Desmarque who note Sagnan offered a solid presentation of his talents and cause to believe he can become an important aspect of the San Sebastian outfit’s backline in years to come.

Sagnan is under contract at the Anoeta Stadium through to the summer of 2024, but may be offered a move to the Premier League with recent reports by Onze Mondial also crediting Everton with interest in the £2.5m-rated prospect.

Signing Sagnan at Branthwaite’s cost

Everton moving to sign Sagnan to provide further cover in Carlo Ancelotti’s defensive ranks could come at the cost of Branthwaite, who last week joined Blackburn Rovers on loan until the end of the season.

Branthwaite had struggled to secure any minutes in the Toffees’ first-team this term as a result of an ankle injury, which restricted the 18-year-old to a mere 24 minutes in the Carabao Cup and accepting a seat on the bench in four Premier League fixtures.

Ancelotti was bowled over by Branthwaite last season when the youngster was given a surprise summoning just months on from joining from Carlisle United, with the Italian claiming he was “really happy” with how the teen had fared.

The 6 ft 5 colossus has continued to impress now that he’s at Ewood Park after turning in a brilliant debut over the weekend, that left Rovers boss Tony Mowbray pleased with his decision amid an injury crisis in defence.

“Jarrad was very good. I think he keeps things simple and just does his job, which is remarkable considering he’s 18,” he said, via quotes by the Lancashire Telegraph. “Generally, he did exceptionally well. His distribution was good, he competed very well, and he looked steady.”

But Everton adding Sagnan to the ranks beside Michael Keane, Mason Holgate, Yerry Mina and Ben Godfrey would make competition for minutes an even tougher ordeal next season, and make Branthwaite’s time with Rovers increasingly important to ensure he returns with a role to occupy.

AND in other news, Everton must end the 14-year club association of a player completely frozen out by Carlo Ancelotti…

For the first time in 28 games, Glasgow Rangers were on the losing end of a result as they were defeated 3-2 by St. Mirren on Wednesday, and Bongani Zungu was far from at his best.

The Gers were the favourites in the League Cup quarter-final, but they surprisingly lost. Connor Goldson actually did give them the lead, but Jamie McGrath scored twice to turn things around. A Steven Davis equaliser late on looked to have saved the Ibrox outfit, but Conor McCarthy was on hand to grab the winner in injury time.

Zungu, who was making just his second start for the 54-time Scottish champions since signing for them on loan on transfer deadline day, was poor in the middle of the park. He regularly slowed the game down for the Gers, which contributed to their defeat.

The supporters were far from happy with his display, and they took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Zungu below

In other news, Stewart Robertson has shared these Gers transfer plans.

Liverpool look to have been handed a transfer blow in their chase for Dominik Szoboszlai, as RB Leipzig now seem to be favourites to sign the Hungarian international.

The Reds have been linked with the 20-year-old wonderkid recently but it seems as if he is likely to join Die Roten Bullen following an update from Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.

He confirmed on Twitter that the Bundesliga side are likely to win the race to sign him, as they are keen to activate his €25 million release clause ahead of Christmas.

Considering the history of RB Salzburg players joining RB Leipzig, it is no surprise that they are now the favourites to sign Szoboszlai, however, this still comes as a blow for Liverpool, as he has shown in recent seasons that he is an incredible young player.

In 80 appearances for the Austrian side, the midfielder has contributed an impressive 25 goals and 33 assists, so it is no surprise that he is being linked with a move away.

So far this season, the midfielder has notched eight goals and nine assists in 19 appearances in all competitions, which definitely seems to suggest that he should be playing at a higher level.

The 20-year-old has already earned the praise of one of the greatest to ever play the game in Lothar Matthaus, with him saying:

“He is a gem. He’s like Kai Havertz. He could move to RB Leipzig in January, but I’m convinced that every top club in Europe has him on their list, including FC Bayern. In Hungary, Szoboszlai is already being compared to the great Ferenc Puskas.”

This is high praise indeed, although it is no surprise to hear that the RB Salzburg man is already revered by Hungarian fans, after he helped them secure European qualification by scoring an injury-time winner against Iceland last month.

Considering he is reportedly available for as little as €25 million (£22.9 million), this definitely could be a transfer Liverpool regret making in the future, particularly when you consider the success of former RB Salzburg man Erling Haaland since his departure from the Austrian side.

Therefore, Leipzig being close to his signing is definitely a blow for the Reds, but fans should certainly keep an eye on him as a potential star of the future.

And, in other news… Forget Jota: Klopp must unleash £120k-p/w gem who “offers something totally different”

Celtic could be slipping into extremely hot water following recent comments from star player Odsonne Edouard. The French striker has been out of action recently due to a positive coronavirus test and it has definitely shown in their performances of late.

The Hoops have struggled since their defeat to Rangers in the Old Firm at Celtic Park and Neil Lennon has come under a lot of scrutiny.

Things could be about to go from bad to worse, with Edouard now discussing a potential move away from the Premiership champions.

Celtic could lose Edouard

Many clubs have been linked to a move for the 22-year-old, who has firmly said that he is currently focusing on this season with Celtic. However, that isn’t to say his future lies with the Scottish outfit.

“I’ve been here for three years, and for sure when the time comes I’ll think about leaving, look for a higher league,” Edouard told Telefoot (via Daily Record). He went on to say that “when the right time comes” he will consider his options regarding a move away from Celtic Park.

This will certainly be a worrying thought for Lennon, who already has a lot on his plate. If Edouard opts to leave the club after this season, the Hoops will need to put their back into scouting out a worthy replacement. The France international already has five goalscoring contributions in seven league appearances this season, continuing his fiery form from last time out.

Last campaign, Edouard notched an astonishing 21 goals and 12 assists in 27 Premiership games (via Transfermarkt). It’s no wonder he has turned heads with these numbers and if Celtic cannot rectify their form this term, the in-form forward may be too tempted to look elsewhere for success.

Whilst the Premiership is dominated by the Hoops, this time they could fall short to Steven Gerrard’s Rangers. Should they lose out on the title to their arch rivals, that could be the deal-breaker to send Edouard into the arms of another club.

If Lennon cannot improve the club’s form, a new deal must be considered. At the moment, the striker is earning £19,000 per week, according to salarysport.com. A bumper new contract with a pay rise could be enough to keep Edouard in the team, but Lennon and co must act fast before an elite side comes knocking.

In other news, Albian Ajeti was a disappointment for Celtic in another Neil Lennon switch up…

Many Everton fans would like to sign Josh King as they reacted to a tweet from Simon Johnson regarding the Bournemouth ace.

According to The Athletic journalist, King is highly in-demand, with Serie A clubs Fiorentina and Torino as well as Europa League holders Sevilla reportedly holding talks and making enquiries about the availability of the Norway international.

However, King has apparently opted in favour of a move back to the Premier League following the relegation of the Cherries from the top flight at the end of 2019/20.

The transfer window for domestic deals for EPL players such as the 28-year old runs until October 16th, so there is still time for the Merseyside club to negotiate a possible transfer.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side have reportedly been interested in a potential move for King before and so they may revisit their interest given that the striker allegedly wants a move back to England’s top flight.

Over the course of his career, King has been a consistent scorer in the EPL, with two seasons in which he got into double figures and 48 goals in 161 games at that level, as per Transfermarkt.

These members of the Goodison Park faithful would like to sign the Bournemouth forward if given the opportunity before the domestic window officially shuts, with one fan describing him as “miles better than Tosun” in reference to the Turkish striker with just 10 goals in 51 games for the club:

Evertonians, would King be a good signing? Comment below with your views!

Many Aston Villa fans have reacted to some transfer gossip that claims former striker Christian Benteke is available for sale this summer for £10m.

Claret and Blue boss Dean Smith saw the likes of Mbwana Samatta, Keinan Davis and Wesley all struggle to find consistency last term.

Adding 26 goal striker Ollie Watkins from Brentford last week, Smith now has more firepower in his front line but further transfer gossip has emerged linking Lyon striker Bertrand Traore with a move to the club.

Further to that report linking the Burkina Faso striker with a Villa Park move, Birmingham LIVE have reported that Benteke is available for a small transfer fee of £10m.

The Belgian striker scored 49 goals in 101 appearances for Villa, whilst also supplying 12 assists for his former teammates.

Reacting to the gossip, some Villa fans gave a response via Twitter account @AVFC_News. However, it seems the majority are not keen on a reunion with the big striker, suggesting it would be a backwards step for the club.

Indeed, Benteke has really struggled in recent years and has scored just three league goals in the last two seasons. Here is what some had to say…

Do you think a return move for Benteke would be a good idea? Let us know in the comments section below…

Former Glasgow Rangers striker Kevin Kyle has said that the Gers should look to bring in Martin Boyle from Hibernian if Ryan Kent does leave the club this summer.

23-year-old Kent has been the subject of interest from Leeds United over the past couple of weeks – the Whites have even had a £10m bid rejected for the left-winger. Whilst Steven Gerrard will not want to see one of his star players leave, he will need a contingency plan if the Liverpudlian cannot resist the bright lights of the Premier League.

Kyle believes that the Gers should target Boyle if he does depart. He told Open Goal:

“I think Kent, he could be replaced by a (Martin Boyle, of Hibernian).

“What do you want in a winger? You want somebody to get at the full-backs. Martin Boyle does that week in, week out, so why not? I think he would be a very cheap replacement and I think we would get just as much quality. People might disagree with that.

“I’m not saying he’s at the same level (as Kent). What I’m saying is, we’re in the Scottish game. If Martin Boyle is ripping it up for Hibs against most teams, week in, week out, in the Premier League playing with Rangers, Martin Boyle should be able to do the same. Maybe with a bit more quality because he’s surrounded by a bit more quality. In terms of the league he’s in, Martin Boyle would be able to a job for any of the teams, I would think.”

Boyle would certainly be an interesting choice. He has been a regular scorer or provider of goals during his time with Hibs, managing 36 goals and 36 assists in 193 games for the Edinburgh outfit, whilst he also has two goals in three caps for Australia.

Kent, though, cost the Gers £7m, which they paid as much for his potential as for his current ability. He has started to show just how good he can be this term by scoring three in his first five matches, and the fact that the likes of Leeds are eyeing him shows he has a big future ahead of him.

Valued at £900,000 by Transfermarkt, Boyle would certainly be a cheaper option. Whether he could replace Kent, though, is a different discussion.

Let us know what you think below!