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Harry Winks’ time at Tottenham Hotspur is surely running out after the Englishman endured another disappointing outing this week.

The 25-year-old has been restricted to only 60 minutes of action in the Premier League so far this season, so the bulk of his opportunities to impress have come in domestic and European cup competitions.

Nuno Santo heavily rotated his side for their Europa League clash at Vitesse on Thursday night, leaving home the bulk of his starting XI, a decision which seemed pretty smart considering that he still had plenty of options available.

One of those was Winks, who started in the Netherlands, making it four appearances from a possible five in the competition, but he failed to take the golden chance handed to him.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, it could be best if both parties go their separate ways.

According to The Times, the Hotspur Way academy graduate is likely to seek a temporary move away from north London. He attracted interest from Everton, Aston Villa and Brighton in the summer and needs regular game time to stand a chance of breaking back into the England squad.

Valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, it could be wise for Spurs to simply offload Winks, as it seems unlikely that a positive loan spell would see him suddenly rise through Nuno’s pecking order.

The Lilywhites could instead sell him and use the funds to bolster other key areas of the squad such as in attack, where Harry Kane still lacks a backup, or in attacking midfield as they have been bereft of creativity for quite some time.

With all due respect to the Dutch outfit, who were very worthy winners, the north Londoners should be sweeping aside such teams, especially when there are several players with points to prove on the pitch.

Winks was pretty poor once again, not only picking up a yellow card for his troubles, but also winning just two of nine battles (22%) in the engine room, thus proving to be lightweight. He also committed three fouls and lost possession 11 times, as per SofaScore.

At half-time, BT Sport pundit Chris Sutton questioned his attitude and ability, claiming that the 25-year-old maestro “looked a shadow of himself” [21st October, 18:40pm].

In the past, Spurs legend Graham Roberts dubbed him “an average player” during an interview with Football FanCast in the summer.

After another abject display and one which will hardly have Nuno rushing to keep him involved, perhaps it would be wise if Winks never featured for the club again as it is clear that he is simply not good enough.

If he can’t do it against Vitesse, then there’s no real hope in the Premier League. It’s time to get rid and move on.

AND in other news, Forget Lo Celso: £27m-rated Spurs lightweight who lost 89% duels failed Nuno yet again…

Manchester City have reportedly made a bid for Barcelona outcast Ilaix Moriba, and the teenage midfielder could be a superb addition to Pep Guardiola’s squad in the future.

What’s the word?

After a disagreement with manager Ronald Koeman, Moriba looks set to leave Barcelona in the near future, which has piqued the interest of several top clubs across Europe.

According to Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), the 18-year-old has already received offers from City, Chelsea and RB Leipzig, with the Citizens looking to bring him in on a free transfer in 2022 when his contract at the Nou Camp expires.

Would Moriba be a good signing?

Moriba is currently being made to train with the reserves at Barcelona due to an ongoing contract dispute, but his previous performances in the first team, as well as him being a product of the esteemed La Masia academy, would suggest that he’d fit in well at Manchester City in the future.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-manchester-city-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read the latest Manchester City transfer rumours and news!”]

In total, the teenage midfielder has made 18 appearances for the Barcelona first team, in which he has contributed one goal and three assists.

After the youngster opened his account for the Catalan side last season, Koeman sang his praises, saying: “Ilaix scored a fantastic goal, it was an incredible goal and had a lot of impact on the match. He took advantage of the opportunities he had. He is very good at controlling the ball and he is a very strong player.”

However, he now seems to have ruined any chance of having a future at Barcelona, and he deserves a fresh start at another club, with a Nou Camp exit seemingly on the cards for Moriba in the near future.

Considering that three of Guardiola’s key midfielders in Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Fernandinho are all 30 or older, you could argue that the Manchester City manager needs some young talent capable of replacing them in the future.

[freshpress-quiz id=“577936”]

Moriba seems to have a huge amount of potential and City fans will surely be delighted to hear that the Premier League champions have reportedly made an offer to sign him.

In other news… Guardiola handed huge boost with academy talent, fans will be buzzing

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn ahead of the upcoming January transfer window, with new interim manager Ralf Rangnick keen to strengthen his first-team squad.

What’s the story?

According to The Sun, United are scouring the market for engine room options due to the uncertainty over several stars currently at the club.

The report states that: “JOHN McGINN is still on Manchester United’s radar as they prepare for a new future under Ralf Rangnick.

“United are in the market for midfield reinforcements as doubts continue to surround the long-term futures of the likes of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Donny van de Beek.”

It goes on to claim that Villa are set to demand upwards of £50m for their prized asset, who still has three and a half years left to run on his current contract with the Midlands outfit.

Rangnick can seal dream Man Utd deal

Enticing McGinn to Old Trafford over the coming months could prove to be a dream deal for United due to the £25,000-per-week gem’s suitability for Rangnick’s famous Gegenpessing style of play.

As per FBref.com, the Scotland international has made 4.63 successful pressures per 90 this season, 1.42 successful tackles, 4.55 progressive passes and 1.57 interceptions, outperforming compatriot Scott McTominay in each metric.

In addition to those eye-catching underlying numbers, McGinn has also bagged three goals and laid on a further two assists in his 14 outings, further highlighting his top-class ability.

And the box-to-box dynamo has caught the eye of several onlookers with his outstanding performances in recent weeks.

On the BBC Radio 5 Live Daily Podcast (as relayed by ReadAstonVilla), pundit Micah Richards lauded McGinn’s displays of late in the absence of Jack Grealish following his summer switch to Manchester City.

He said: “John McGinn, he’s really, really impressed me. He was a bit in the shadow of Jack Grealish and he’s not as technically great, but he gives so much to that team, energy, he runs in behind, he tackles and he’s got everything, he really has.”

His new manager Steven Gerrard was equally as impressed following Villa’s 2-1 win over Leicester City on Sunday, hailing the diminutive star’s passing.

“Some of his passing today was outstanding, so I’m super pleased with John over the past few games, the challenge for him now is for him to stay in this place,” he said.

Therefore, McGinn could be the ideal candidate to excel under the tutelage of Rangnick at United, and he could be set to become the first acquisition of his reign at Old Trafford.

And, in other news…Forget Poch: Man Utd must swoop for “remarkable” Rangnick heir, fans would love him 

Celtic have made contact with Jeando Fuchs regarding a deal to bring the 24-year-old to Parkhead.

What’s the talk?

In a recent interview with French media outlet Foot Mercato, the Dundee United midfielder revealed that he is considering his options before making a concrete decision on his future at Tannadice, with the Cameroon international’s contract at the Premiership side set to expire at the end of the season.

Fuchs went on to claim that a number of clubs have already made contact with him regarding a potential switch next summer, including the likes of Celtic, Rangers, VfB Stuttgart, a plethora of EFL clubs and an unnamed Premier League side.

Regarding the interest in his services, the midfielder said: “I am at the end of my contract in May. I’m waiting to see something concrete and see if I have a choice to make at that time. I am not in a hurry.

“There has been contact with Blackpool, Peterborough and Wigan. Stuttgart have taken information since the summer. There has been contact from Celtic and Rangers as well, but nothing more. A Premier League club as well. England would be good.”

Disaster

While there are undeniable traits in Fuchs’ game that would suggest the defensively-minded midfielder is a very decent player in the middle of the park, whether or not the 24-year-old is up to the standard required to be a starter for Celtic is another matter altogether.

Indeed, over his 15 Premiership appearances so far this season, the £720k-rated man has made an average of two interceptions – the joint-highest in the league – 2.3 tackles – the joint eighth-most in the division – and won an impressive 5.8 duels per game.

However, the £3.1k-per-week midfielder’s passing – something that is an incredibly important factor in the way Ange Postecoglou likes his side to play – leaves a lot to be desired, with Fuchs completing a mere 20.9 passes – with a success rate of just 71% – per fixture.

It is more than likely this shortcoming that has contributed to the former Deportivo Alaves player averaging a disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.74, ranking him as Thomas Courts’ 13th-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football.

As such, considering the options that Celtic currently have in his position, such as Ismaila Soro, Nir Bitton, Liam Shaw and James McCarthy, it would very much appear as if signing the man who the Dundee United boss dubbed a “top player” would be something of a disaster for Postecoglou, as the Cameroonian would not seem to be much of an upgrade – if any – on the current crop at Parkhead.

In other news: Ange can save millions with “Roy of the Rovers” who’s got a “big future at Celtic”

According to Sky Sports, Celtic are still in ongoing talks to sign Royal Antwerp defender Aurelio Buta but are now ‘preparing’ a fresh £4.5m bid for his services.

The Lowdown: Hoops in Buta discussions…

After agreeing a deal to sign Carl Starfelt from Rubin Kazan, Celtic have since been in talks over a move for Buta as Fabrizio Romano first reported last month (Twitter).

The 24-year-old speedster has been the subject of heavy interest from Ange Postecoglou’s side for nearly a month with even more new signings being confirmed since they first entered negotiations.

Indeed, Joe Hart and James McCarthy have come through the Parkhead door in that time, but Sky have now brought news of Celtic’s unwavering determination to land Buta.

The Latest: Celtic plot fresh £4.5m offer…

As per the reliable broadcast giant, Celtic are believed to be preparing a new bid of around £4.5m to finally secure his services this summer.

However, as explained, Antwerp may value him at an even higher price and that could force The Bhoys to turn to alternative full-back targets.

Talks remain ongoing over Buta with new boss Postecoglou fully expecting more arrivals through the door.

Sky reiterate that, if these discussions end unsuccessfully, Celtic hold an interest in Croatian right-back Josip Juranovic but could face stiff competition from abroad.

The Verdict: Move on?

Buta can play a variety of roles out wide, having been deployed at both right-back and right-midfield in his career, but Antwerp’s stubbornness in talks could mean Celtic should consider moving on – especially if they don’t accept a possible £4.5m offer.

The Portugal youth international, on a reported £234,000-per-year salary at the Bosuilstadion (Salary Sport), made 19 Jupiler Pro League appearances last campaign and bagged three assists from out wide (Transfermarkt).

While his versatility and attacking threat could prove a useful asset for Postecoglou, he arguably isn’t worth breaking the bank for either.

In other news: Celtic in talks to sign yet another defender, this time from the Premier League…find out more here.

Rodrigo De Paul would have been at the top of Marcelo Bielsa’s transfer shortlist this summer, claims former Leeds United midfielder David Norris.

Leeds have been heavily linked with a move for the 27-year-old, with Goal reporting on the Yorkshire club and Atletico Madrid’s interest at the start of the month.

It is the latter, though, who have seemingly come out on top. According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the La Liga champions have struck a €35m (roughly £30m) deal with Udinese for De Paul.

It comes as a huge blow to Leeds, whose interest goes all the way back to the last summer transfer window.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about the Whites’ failed pursuit of De Paul, Norris said:

“It probably would have been in their top one or two targets, so when that doesn’t come off, it is always a little bit disappointing for the manager and obviously sometimes doesn’t look great from the outside in.”

Indeed, it certainly is disappointing for Bielsa given how long Leeds have been chasing De Paul.

As well as that, the Premier League outfit, of course, quite simply missed out on a quality player.

Last season, the Argentina international scored nine goals and provided nine assists in Serie A. He also averaged an impressive 3.4 dribbles per game, more than any Leeds player (via WhoScored).

While Valerien Ismael’s West Bromwich Albion side currently find themselves sitting in second place in the Championship standings, having picked up 15 points over their opening seven fixtures of the season, the Baggies’ recent form will be a cause for concern for the Frenchman.

Indeed, after labouring to a 1-1 draw against Millwall last weekend, West Brom once again struggled to break down lower-league opposition in the shape of Derby County in mid-week, with Albion failing to score at The Hawthorns for the first time this season in a 0-0 draw with Wayne Rooney’s side.

As such, the 45-year-old Baggies boss will undoubtedly be hoping for a return to winning ways on Saturday, with a trip to 14th placed Preston North End on the cards for the promotion hopefuls.

So, will Ismael make any changes to the side who started last time out against the Rams? Here’s how we think West Brom could line up against the Lilywhites, along with the latest team and injury news…

With Matt Clarke and Dara O’Shea remaining sidelined due to injury, and Kean Bryan looking as if he is not ready for first-team action just yet – with the defender having played 45 minutes for West Brom U23s on Friday evening – we expect Ismael to stick with the back five that started the 0-0 draw with Derby on Tuesday.

This means that Conor Townsend retains his place as part of the Frenchman’s back three, while Adam Reach also keeps his spot in the starting XI at left wing-back.

In midfield, the established first-choice duo of Alex Mowatt and Jake Livermore look set to once again start, while Darnell Furlong retains his place on the right.

However, considering the availability of certain players, and the fact that defence has not particularly been an issue for a side who have conceded just once in their last three league fixtures, perhaps it was to be expected that there would be no changes to Ismael’s back eight for the trip to Deepdale.

Indeed, it is in attack where we think the 45-year-old will tinker, with the Frenchman making two changes – the first of which is the £30k-per-week Karlan Grant – who is without a goal since the 3-2 win over Luton Town back in August and missed a penalty against Millwall – and the second Callum Robinson – who was largely ineffective following his return from illness and being withdrawn at half-time against Derby.

In their place, the two players who replaced the duo against the Rams come in to start against Preston, with Matt Phillips taking the spot of Grant on the right-wing, while the 29-year-old Jordan Hugill is awarded his first Championship start since joining the club on a season-long loan from Norwich City earlier this summer.

In other news: Ismael must unleash “quality” £36k-p/w West Brom beast today, he’d terrify Preston

Football Insider pundit Noel Whelan has been sharing his thoughts after news emerged of Celtic’s interest in Solihull Moors forward Kyle Hudlin. 

The Lowdown: Hudlin links

The Hoops have been keeping tabs on Hudlin recently, with the 6 foot 9 striker emerging as a January target.

Should his situation remain the same with the National League side, Hudlin will be available to discuss pre-contract terms with Celtic due to his deal expiring next summer.

Celtic scout Andy Thorne has watched Hudlin on a number of occasions, and former striker Whelan has been sharing his opinion on a possible cut-price move.

The Latest: Whelan’s comments

Whelan was talking to Football Insider about Celtic’s interest in Hudlin in a story on Tuesday morning.

The 46-year-old labelled Hudlin as a ‘brilliant asset’ and appeared to give his backing over a transfer.

“Celtic are looking for a different dimension.

“You can see that they want a focal point. I completely get that. Wyke is one of those players who has a stature about him.

“You can play long balls up to him and play off him. He holds the ball up so well and that’s what Celtic want.

“They have a lot of technical players in and around that one centre forward Postecoglou would love to have.

“A player like that can draw out defenders which then frees up space for the players in behind.

“I can see why Celtic want to do that. Also, look at when they concede, they aren’t the tallest team in the world.

“Adding a brilliant asset who can attack and defend at corners makes sense.”

The Verdict: Worth the risk?

Even though Hudlin has been plying his trade in the fifth tier of English football, a cut-price move could be worth a gamble.

Manchester City have been linked with the striker, so he clearly has the talent to go alongside his record-breaking height.

He could add a different dimension to Ange Postecoglou’s attacking options, so Dominic McKay may make his move in the New Year, should Thorne provide a glowing scouting report.

In other news: Ange handed another injury blow with Wednesday news on ‘excellent’ ace emerging.

Millwall are interested in a deal to bring Allan Campbell to The Den this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that Gary Rowett’s side are one of a number of EFL clubs keeping a close eye on the Motherwell midfielder ahead of a potential move in the upcoming transfer window.

It is reported that the 22-year-old has decided to call time on his spell at Fir Park, with the £1.08m-rated man rejecting the offer of a new deal to remain with Graham Alexander’s side beyond the summer, with his current contract set to expire in the coming weeks.

Rowett must move

With central midfielder Shaun Williams being set for release by Millwall this summer, the position is undoubtedly one in which Rowett will be looking to strengthen in the upcoming transfer window.

And, considering just how much potential Campbell appears to possess, it is unsurprising to learn of the 47-year-old Lions manager’s interest in the Scotland U21 international.

Over his 34 Scottish Premiership fixtures for Well last term, the £1.5k-per-week man scored four goals and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and winning 4.7 duels per game.

These returns saw the midfielder average a SofaScore match rating of 6.82, ranking him as Alexander’s joint ninth-best performer in the Scottish top flight.

Indeed, the “highly-rated” 22-year-old appears to have an extremely promising future in the game, with his manager stating his belief that the youngster is a “shining example” for others at the club.

As such, with Rowett looking to build a side capable of improving on their impressive eighth-place finish in the Championship next season, the addition of a player with a future as bright as Campbell would appear to be a fantastic way to kick start Millwall’s summer transfer business, especially as he would cost the club nothing in fees.

In other news: Get it done: Rowett must sanction Millwall swoop for £4k-p/w “revelation” this summer

West Bromwich Albion have had an incredibly busy period behind the scenes since the club were relegated from the Premier League last season.

Having appointed Valerien Ismael as manager and brought in a number of players in the previous summer transfer window, the Baggies got rid of the former Barnsley coach after just seven months in charge.

Now with Steve Bruce at the helm, the Midlands club are currently sitting in 13th place in the league table.

With promotion out of the question, the Baggies will be facing another season in the second division.

Before that, the club have the chance to make some more changes to their squad during the upcoming summer transfer window, which is apparently on Bruce’s mind already.

What’s the word?

Speaking about the window and what sort of business they’ll be looking to do in it, Bruce had this to say on the matter:

“It’s what I’ve done for the past 20-years and I’m quietly confident that we can do it.

“I think they have seen the same players too often maybe. It’s not the players’ fault either. But we need to freshen the whole place up.”

“We are going to work as hard as we can. Not everyone is going to go and let’s be fair we have still got some good players for this division here. But the club needs to be freshened up.”There is a lot that have been here for a long time and I think the supporters want to see some new faces more than anything. And the players that do stay will respond to that. Absolutely they will. You can change the manager or the coach. But there is nothing like a new player, a good player, coming in. Maybe it will be three, four, five, six, maybe.”Great news for Baggies fansTaking what Bruce had to say into account, it seems as though there will be a significant amount of transfer activity going on at the Hawthorns this summer.This should therefore be an exciting bit of news for the Baggies fans and increase their hopes that next season will be much smoother than this current one.One area of the squad that the Midlands club should definitely look to strengthen is their attack given how they’ve only scored 47 goals in 44 league games. However, that will be smoothed out by the return of Daryl Dike after injury; someone that Bruce is surely relishing the opportunity to finally let loose.Combine him with a few new additions in the final third and their chances of promotion next term will look far brighter.Bruce has plenty of experience when it comes to signing players, and this could be vital for West Brom’s hopes of having a successful next campaign if they get their recruitment right.In other news: Bruce could now save WBA millions with £9m-rated “monster”, he’ll be key next season – opinion