Tottenham Hotspur are one of the Premier League sides who could potentially look at James Ward-Prowse as a midfield option in the summer.

How much would Ward-Prowse cost?

The north London side's midfield has been decimated by injuries this season which has seen both Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma miss a lengthy period of time.

In their absence, Spurs have had to heavily rely on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with Oliver Skipp and Pape Matar Sarr also playing a role in the middle.

However, the Danish midfielder has come under fire in recent weeks over his performances as the results leave Spurs adrift in the race for the top four.

Ahead of the summer window, Spurs have been linked with a potential attacking midfield option in Leicester City's James Maddison.

And another midfielder who they could potentially compete for over the coming months is Southampton's main man, Ward-Prowse.

The Saints are in serious danger of relegation with just several games remaining in the season and it is believed he would be a certainty to leave if they do go down.

This is all according to journalist Toby Cudworth who has been speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast where he noted the interested clubs in the £100k-per-week midfielder:

(34:55) "If [they] go down he's almost certain to leave the club now. Southampton probably could still command a very hefty fee for him. We talk about prices, Southampton probably seeking still around £50m we'd have thought because he's that valuable to them.

"And he has clubs who like him. Newcastle we've mentioned they're looking to strengthen their midfield looking to strengthen in a number of positions; left-wing/forwards, potentially another defender as well. James Ward-Prowse is a player who we think is capable of playing European-level football.

"So Newcastle like him, Tottenham also admire him, Aston Villa, who are now creeping up on Unai Emery. They like James will perhaps as well. So it could be a bit of a Premier League battle for him."

Would Spurs be a good move for Ward-Prowse?

Ironically, the 28-year-old has been hailed as a "machine" by journalist Alfie House and he has an incredible record against the north London side with three goals and three assists to his name in their last five league meetings (via Transfermarkt).

The midfielder even scored the equalising penalty in their most recent clash on the south coast to complete an impressive comeback for the league's bottom side.

He is a player who is renowned for his stunning free-kick ability but he has also provided an impressive return of 3.48 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes this season (via FBref).

However, he has also provided more tackles (1.74) per 90 minutes than Hojbjerg (1.61) has this season as well as more than 14 times as many crosses per game than the Dane (via FBref).

But with a valuation of around £50m, that is a big price to pay for a player who may not necessarily fit into the plans of the new manager.

It is unknown who will become Antonio Conte's successor and, therefore, the formation which Spurs will play next season is yet to be seen.

Potentially, Spurs could play with just two midfielders again and when Rodrigo Bentancur returns it could mean a potential spot in the XI for Ward-Prowse may not be there on a regular basis.

After all, Bissouma arrived in north London with the tag of one of the best midfielders outside the top six and he has failed ot make an impact on the Spurs side.

Leeds United's 4-1 defeat to Arsenal on Saturday evening proved a miserable return to north London for former Gunners youth product, Luke Ayling, with the experienced defender having been something of a liability for Javi Gracia's side at right-back.

The 31-year-old – who failed to make an appearance for the Emirates outfit after rising up through the club's youth ranks – notably gave away what could be considered a soft penalty to allow Gabriel Jesus to fire the hosts ahead, before also being beaten by Gabriel Martinelli as Mikel Arteta's men powered home a second through Ben White just after the break.

As Leeds Live's Beren Cross noted, the Brazilian winger had Ayling 'on toast all afternoon', with the latter man having undoubtedly "struggled" to shackle the dynamic and relentless youngster, as per journalist Joe Donnohue.

Those woes were also reflected by the fact that the Whites' stand-in skipper won just four of his 11 duels and lost possession on 11 occasions, while also being dribbled past five times as a marker of his defensive shortcomings.

Such a grim performance saw the Lamberth-born dud record a match rating of just 5.6, as per Sofascore, with that the joint-lowest of any player for either side, alongside teammate Illan Meslier.

With the Yorkshire outfit back in Premier League action against fellow relegation strugglers Nottingham Forest this evening, Gracia must surely be considering whether to ditch Ayling for the visit of Steve Cooper's men, particularly with the Englishman having also previously underwhelmed against the Garibaldi earlier this season.

Will Ayling start against Forest?

Ahead of what will be a potentially crucial clash with Forest at Elland Road later today, the Leeds boss may need to reflect on Ayling's dour display when the two sides met in the reverse fixture back in February.

That meeting at the City Ground saw the £20k-per-week man prove somewhat culpable for the game's only goal, as the long-serving asset arguably "fell asleep" after losing his man in the build-up to Brennan Johnson's winner, as per pundit Shaun Wright-Phillips.

That lapse in concentration epitomised what was a rather dour outing for the former Bristol City man, as he again proved rather lightweight in a defensive sense after winning just four of his 12 total duels, while being dribbled past on two occasions.

The 6-foot menace was not just a liability out of possession, however, having also failed to make his mark on the ball, regularly playing his side into trouble after losing the ball on 27 occasions and completing just five of his 12 attempted long balls.

While that might have been part of Ayling's desire to 'get forward and create' – as noted at the time by Yorkshire Evening Post's Graham Smyth – it remains rather worrying for a defender to be so erratic when attempting to play out from the back.

Gracia – who wasn't in charge at the time of the trip to Nottingham – can likely ill-afford another error-strewn performance from the struggling asset this time around, with it perhaps for the best that Ayling sits this one out.

Aston Villa recorded one of their results of the season yesterday, as a packed-out Villa Park played host to the mauling of top-four chasers Newcastle United.

The tie pitted two of the Premier League's most in-form sides against one another, but on the day only one outfit really showed up.

A beaten and bruised Magpies outfit were sent back to Tyneside with no points and a lot to think about, as Unai Emery masterminded a 3-0 demolition job where his team once again shone.

Better in almost every position across the whole field, there were a few standout performers who truly spearheaded such an unlikely result.

Whilst plenty of the praise will once again go to Ollie Watkins, and rightly so for another two goals, the influence Alex Moreno had down that left flank cannot be understated.

Having signed only in January for a fee of just £13.3m, the 29-year-old only goes from strength to strength as he further embeds himself within the squad. With a European place now well and truly attainable for the Villans, there will be hope that the former Real Betis man can maintain these levels to complete what has been a sensational turnaround within this campaign.

How did Alex Moreno play vs Newcastle United?

Having started once again in the place of Lucas Digne, the £35k-per-week speedster's dynamism continues to inject so much added energy into a Villa squad that seemed resigned to relegation under Steven Gerrard.

Yesterday's result arguably outlined the apex of his impact thus far, as Moreno was ever-present up and down his wing, culminating in his assist for the second goal.

Before that, however, the defender had recorded an impressive 72 touches, which allowed him to have such an influence. This constant involvement brought about the three key passes he completed, with the fact he lost possession 24 times an indicator of just how desperate he was to forge something of note, via Sofascore.

Journalist Luis Miguel Echegaray even took to Twitter to laud his role in Watkins' first of the day, highlighting his "genius" that had created the goal.

The dominance of the home side often meant that the full-back could get away with shirking his defensive duties, however, the 5 foot 10 star still recorded one clearance and won three of the four duels competed in.

With a well-earned 7.3 Sofascore rating for his role in such a statement victory, it was unsurprising to see him further marked out for praise by journalist Lewis Steele, who also wrote on Twitter: "Ollie Watkins will get all the headlines again but left-back Alex Moreno is some talent. Two mins ago assists Watkins but he’s offside; now he’s done it again and it’ll count. A constant danger."

It seems that the unstoppable form of Villa has now drawn everyone's attention to Moreno, who might well go down as one of the coups of the January window. With three assists now in just 13 Premier League games only scratching the surface of his importance, the sky really is the limit for the relentless wide man and his team.

Watkins might earn the plaudits, but it was his creative teammate that was Emery's real hero yesterday.

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is set to leave the Etihad this summer, with his mind made up on a move to Barcelona, Football Insider report.

What’s the latest Man City news on Gundogan?

Gundogan, hailed as "magnificent" by Phil McNulty, has been on the books in Manchester since 2016 and has been a regular ever since arriving from Borussia Dortmund.

In total, the 32-year-old has made 293 appearances for the club, captaining the side on a number of occasions during the current campaign, although he didn’t feature in Saturday’s 3-1 Premier League win over Leicester City.

The midfielder has contributed to an impressive 92 goals in Sky Blue, however, he is out of contract in a matter of months, and an exit is on the cards.

Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke shared a story he’s heard from City regarding Gundogan in the last 48 hours. He stated that talks with the German over a new Etihad contract have made very little progress and that an exit on a free transfer seems inevitable, with the player making up his mind to join Barcelona.

The report adds how Pep Guardiola is a big fan of the midfielder and City in an ideal world, City do not want to lose his services, however, the club also do not want to stand in his way.

Will City need a replacement?

With Gundogan set to depart, Guardiola will be left with no out-and-out central midfielders in his side, with the rest of his options either holding or central midfielders, as per Transfermarkt.

Therefore, you’d like to think that the club will be in the market for a new central midfielder over the coming months, something club officials can be working on behind the scenes right now after hearing Gundogan’s decision, with Guardiola's full focus on a possible treble in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham has been earmarked as a potential replacement, and City are thought to be leading the likes of Real Madrid in the race for his services. A transfer could set City back a club-record fee of £130m+ for Bellingham, however, the teenager could well offer a long-term solution in midfield, possibly reuniting with former teammate Erling Haaland in the process.

Chelsea chiefs are monitoring Brentford striker Ivan Toney ahead of a potential move to Stamford Bridge, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

What's the latest on Toney to Chelsea?

The Blues currently have Frank Lampard in charge but regardless of whoever is set to take over in the summer, attacking reinforcements will be needed given the uncertainty surrounding the futures of both Romelu Lukaku and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang.

The Bees forward won’t be out of contract at the Community Stadium until 2025, but being Thomas Frank’s overall and offensive best-performing player this season with a match rating of 7.27, has been identified as a possible target by the Premier League giants.

The Mirror reported last August that the SW6 outfit had joined the race alongside Manchester United and Everton to sign the 27-year-old, and having since made his debut for England at the Euro 2024 qualifiers he has re-emerged onto the radar of Todd Boehly and his team.

According to Jones in his column for GiveMeSport, Toney has “caught the eye” of Chelsea’s recruiters and they believe that he would be a “good fit” with the other attacking options currently available to them. The Blues have been “crying out” for a natural centre-forward who has a “confidence in his own ability”, but Brentford won’t let him leave without a fight.

With Ollie Watkins previously bringing in £33m when he left the Bees to join Aston Villa, it’s believed that the striker is “easily” valued at £50m as a result of him eclipsing “anything he had achieved”, so the owner will need to dig deep should he want to secure his services.

Should Chelsea sign Toney?

Toney certainly might not be as high-profile as some of the other big names like Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic, who Chelsea have been linked with, but we feel they should empty their pockets to move him across the capital this summer.

The Three Lions international has clocked up an outstanding 87 goal contributions (66 goals and 21 assists) in 120 Brentford appearances and he is currently the third-highest scorer in the top-flight this season just behind Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.

The Northampton-born talent has also recorded 81 shots since the start of the term which is higher than any of his fellow teammates, and this collective form and effort has seen him dubbed a "monster" by Bees reporter Billy Grant, so this deal really is a no-brainer to complete should the opportunity present itself at the end of the season.

تعرف على تشكيل النصر اليوم أمام التعاون في الدوري السعودي

أعلن البرتغالي لويس كاسترو المدير الفني لفريق النصر، عن تشكيل لاعبيه أمام التعاون، في المباراة التي ستجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري السعودي.

النصر يلاقي التعاون، على أرضية استاد مدينة الملك عبد الله الرياضية، في خضم منافسات الجولة الـ19 من عمر مسابقة دوري روشن.

وكان النصر قد حقق فوزًا كبيرًا على منافسه الاتحاد بنتيجة 5-2، الثلاثاء الماضي، في المباراة المؤجلة من الجولة السابعة عشر بالدوري السعودي.

طالع أيضاً.. موعد والقنوات الناقلة لمباراة النصر والتعاون اليوم في الدوري السعودي.. والمعلقين

ويدخل النصر المباراة محتلًا وصافة جدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي برصيد 43 نقطة، بينما يتواجد التعاون في المركز الرابع، وفي جعبته 34 نقطة. تشكيل النصر اليوم أمام التعاون في الدوري السعودي

حراسة المرمى: نواف العقيدي.

خط الدفاع: سلطان الغنام – عبد الإله العمري – إيمريك لابورت – أليكس تيليس.

خط الوسط: عبد الله الخيبري – مارسيلو بروزوفيتش – أوتافيو مونتيرو.

خط الهجوم: ساديو ماني – أندرسون تاليسكا – كريستيانو رونالدو.

قائمة الفريق الرسمية للمباراة تصـل! 🤩
بالتوفيق لنجومنا 💛#النصر_التعاون | #AlNassrAlTaawoun pic.twitter.com/XVZEhdCIpi

— نادي النصر السعودي (@AlNassrFC) December 30, 2023

Celtic attacker Liel Abada is believed to have rejected a new contract with the Hoops, according to a concerning new report.

Is Abada having a good season for Celtic?

The Hoops are on the cusp of another Scottish Premiership title, sitting nine points clear at the top of the table with matches running out this season. There have been so many players who have done their bit throughout the campaign, from Carl Starfelt in defence to Kyogo Furuhashi in attack, among many others who have contributed positively to the cause.

Someone who has certainly done his bit for Celtic is Abada, with the Israeli scoring 10 goals in as many starts in the league, making 29 appearances in the competition overall. However, there has been speculation surrounding his future at the club, even though his current deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2026.

It could be that he decides he wants a fresh challenge, especially having not necessarily been a consistent starter this season. Now, a worrying update has emerged regarding the future of the 21-year-old.

Could the attacker leave Hoops this summer?

According to Football Insider, Abada has "rejected a new contract at the club ahead of a potential summer move", in what is a negative fresh development. It is noted that he "wants to leave Parkhead this summer amid links to Premier League bottom club Southampton", with the lure of a move south of the border potentially too great to ignore at the end of this season.

This is clearly not the kind of update that Celtic supporters will want to hear, with Abada proving to be such an effective player, scoring 27 goals and registering 18 assists for the club to date. At 21, there is still so much more to come from him, too, and the hope will be that he is plying his trade at Parkhead for many years to come.

The fact that the nine-cap Israel international only has 10 Premiership starts to his name is something he could use as a reason for leaving, with more regular playing time something that he clearly craves.

Ange Postecoglou has described him as a "really strong" player and one of very few who have arguably "played every game for us this year", showing that he rates him and wants to retain his services.

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Abada, but it appears as though there could be developments further down the line over the summer.

Arsenal have made contact with Wolfsburg defender Ridle Baku about a summer move to the Emirates Stadium, according to journalist Christian Falk.

Do Arsenal need a defender this summer?

The Gunners have the joint-second best defensive record in the Premier League this season, having conceded just 27 goals, with William Saliba impressing so much that contract talks have been underway for quite some time.

Ben White has been solid in an unconventional right-back role, making 33 appearances in that position this season, however Mikel Arteta is a little light on back-up options for the Englishman, and so he could enter the market this summer.

Arsenal tried to sign Ivan Fresneda in the January transfer window, but they will be forced to wait until the summer, and TEAMtalk report they will make another approach for the Spanish youngster at the end of the season.

Fresneda is not their only option at right-back, however, with Falk telling CaughtOffside that Baku has "got the call from Arsenal", but they are not the only Premier League side to have made contact with the Wolfsburg ace.

Chelsea made a call of their own during the January transfer window, while there is also expected to be suitors from abroad, as Villarreal want to make a bid in the summer.

The journalist does not give any details about whether any progress was made in discussions with the player, but the Gunners are definitely interested, and it remains to be seen how the situation develops over the coming weeks.

Would Ridle Baku be a good signing for Arsenal?

Hailed as "outstanding" by former Mainz manager Sandro Schwarz, the 25-year-old would have a lot to offer Arsenal going forward, given that he ranks in the 98th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 in the past year, compared to other full-backs.

The four-time Germany international has amassed five goals and one assist in the Bundesliga this season, highlighting his attacking threat, and he has been versatile enough to slot in at right-midfield when required.

Not only that, but there is also an indication the £33k-per-week right-back would be solid defensively, ranking in the 98th percentile for blocks per 90 in the same timeframe, averaging 1.97, while White has averaged just 1.43.

Arsenal are short on numbers at right-back, and Baku would be an excellent addition, largely due to his talent going forward, which would be very useful for Arteta in certain games.

Tottenham Hotspur's players have been dug out by Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane for their lack of responsibility following the exit of Antonio Conte.

What did Roy Keane say?

It has been a turbulent few months in north London for the Lilywhites who have dropped out of the top four as a result of their poor league form.

Dropped points against relegation battlers Southampton and Everton felt like a huge step backwards in the north London club's pursuit of the top four.

Matters off the pitch have not been much kinder to the club either with their director of football, Fabio Paratici, banned from all football matters.

Adding to that, Conte unleashed a scathing rant following their capitulation against the Saints prior to the international break which ultimately never saw him return to north London.

Speaking on The Overlap, Keane has now laid into the Spurs squad for their involvement in the recent downfall in north London:

(8:40) "But if you look at Spurs' last couple of games, you talk about managers and chairman, the players have got to take responsibility to get the goal in front and they just back off almost no bottle some of these Spurs players. Absolutely none whatsoever. Just get the job done."

"But at this top-level sport, it's about winning games, it's about getting over the line. So whatever about the managers of Spurs, Spurs are going to have the same problems. It's in their DNA, the players, a lot of their players just can't do it."

Are Spurs serial bottles?

A lot of people use the term 'Spursy' when it comes to the Lilywhites for their inability to perform in the big moments when it matters most.

And there are certainly some examples of that over the last few years with a number of appearances in cup finals only offering up runners-up medals.

However, finals are not supposed to be easy – that's the nature of the game – and there can be some solace taken in losing a final to some of the sides Spurs have faced over the years.

However, there are also plenty of examples where Spurs have shot themselves in the foot with their dismal displays which have caused them to let down their fans.

The recent FA Cup game against Sheffield United is a great example of this, there may be some question marks about not starting Harry Kane and Cristian Romero.

But the players who were selected were all experienced members of the squad who should have had enough about them to see the tie over the line.

Instead, Spurs were only able to produce one big chance on the night at Bramall Lane and their opposition have since booked their spot in the semi-finals at Wembley (via SofaScore).

Again, the recent Premier League draws against Southampton and Everton should have saw Spurs take six points back to north London.

Instead, they were left with just two points after they capitulated late on in both games.

So there is certainly some merit in what Keane is saying and this set of players now have eight games remaining to salvage something from their season with a spot in the top four still to play for.

But it is not an easy road ahead of them with Newcastle United, Liverpool and Manchester United all to play before the end of the month.

Manchester United have reportedly been in contact with RB Leipzig's Dani Olmo over a potential summer swoop.

What’s the latest Man United news on Olmo?

Olmo, primarily an attacking midfielder who can also play on the wing, has been on the books with the Bundesliga side since 2020 after arriving from Dinamo Zagreb. He has gone on to make 115 appearances for his current employers, contributing to 44 goals in all competitions.

The 24-year-old is out of contract in just over 12 months' time and was linked with a move to Manchester earlier in the year, with journalist Bundesliga insider Christian Falk claiming that the Red Devils were watching the Spaniard.

Described as an 'outstanding footballer' by former coach Julian Nagelsmann and a player who 'can produce magic' by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Olmo has continued to feature heavily for Leipzig during the current campaign, but an exit could soon be on the cards going off a decent update.

Sport Witness relayed news from SportBild regarding Olmo, where the Red Devils were mentioned. They claimed that a contract renewal appears to be improbable with Leipzig and the report mentions talk of a possible exit worth around €40m (£35m).

The player himself along with his father, who is his agent, are considering a possible move to the Premier League, with Old Trafford a potential destination. The report adds that United have been in contact with the player to learn of his future plans.

Where would Olmo fit in at Old Trafford?

As mentioned, Olmo is an attacking midfielder, so he could provide competition to Bruno Fernandes, who is Erik ten Hag's only option in that area heading into his second season in charge.

Olmo, on £68,000 a week in Germany, has been a solid performer for Leipzig this season, and if he was to replicate his current form at Old Trafford, he would be United's sixth-best performer this season, as per WhoScored. Olmo has even averaged more dribbles per 90 than Fernandes and is fouled more than the Portugal international, so he could bring something different to Old Trafford in the final third while also providing cover out wide.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola also once described Olmo as having an 'incredible work ethic', so he could fit into Ten Hag's counter-pressing style, and it looks as if the midfielder could be keen on heading to England over the coming months, making this one to watch over the coming months after initial contact was made.