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Steven Bergwijn could leave Tottenham Hotspur this January after a fresh update emerged this week…

What’s the word?

According to Mike Verweij on De Telegraaf’s football podcast (via Sport Witness), Antonio Conte isn’t keen on the Dutch winger, who could be sold or loaned out amid interest from Eredivisie champions Ajax.

“That interest in Bergwijn has been made known. Conte does not see it in him at all. Conte is also the one who opposed Bergwijn’s transfer from PSV to Italy. Inter were an interested club at the time, but Conte did not need him,” he said.

“Conte has only said two words to Bergwijn in two weeks at Tottenham Hotspur. That’s why Ajax can consider him, but first Ajax will have to sell Neres.”

Levy mistake

Bergwijn joined the Lilywhites in an initial £25m deal from Ajax’s rivals PSV Eindhoven in January 2020, and it’s fair to suggest that things have not gone to plan for the man earning a whopping £73k-per-week in north London.

Across 60 appearances, Bergwijn has scored just four goals, one of which came on his debut against Manchester City, whilst he has also delivered only nine assists, meaning he averages a direct contribution once every 243 minutes, via Transfermarkt.

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It’s no surprise to hear this development after Conte snubbed the Netherlands international from his travelling squad to Slovenia to face NS Mura in the Europa Conference last week – if he can’t break into the starting XI against them, then what hope does he have in the Premier League?

He has not started in the top-flight since Spurs’ third game of the season, whilst under the stewardship of Nuno Santo, which is another telling sign that he has been out of sorts.

On the above evidence alone, it’s evident that chairman Daniel Levy made a grave mistake in sanctioning this transfer, especially as the manager at the time, Jose Mourinho, didn’t even want to sign him, as he publicly revealed in the past.

“I’m always very honest on this – he wasn’t my first option when we decided to make a movement in the winter,” the 58-year-old told reporters (via the Evening Standard).

He will surely be laughing over in Rome right now as he has proven to be correct, and now Conte could be about to rectify the error by offloading the 24-year-old in January.

When factoring in the initial fee and wages, the £19.8m-rated dynamo has cost the north Londoners around £32m, and counting, in total – an expensive disaster.

It’s time for Spurs to save face and accept they were wrong here. He must be axed at the turn of the year.

AND in other news, “What I’ve been told”: Journalist drops big Antonio Conte claim at Spurs…

Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has revealed that defender Filip Helander should be able to return to training after the winter break.

What’s the story?

Helander has been sidelined since early September after suffering a knee injury against St. Johnstone earlier in the season, but could return to training after the winter break, according to the Gers manager

On the 28-year-old’s status, van Bronckhorst said: “Filip has been out on the pitch for a couple of weeks individually so hopefully, he can join us after the break in training sessions.

“We have to build up his stamina and his training time with the team so hopefully, he will be able to join the team as normal, I don’t think straight after the winter break but hopefully soon.”

Rangers fans will be buzzing

The Sweden international was an important player last season as Rangers won their first league title in ten years, making 31 appearances in all competitions, as well as six this season before his injury, so to have him back will be an enormous boost.

With a second consecutive league title in sight, the Gers will require as many options as possible as van Bronckhorst’s side enter the second half of their Scottish Premiership campaign.

Rangers are currently six points clear of their fierce rivals Celtic at the summit of the table and will be looking to extend that advantage in the coming weeks.

The Gers faithful will be particularly fond of the Swede after he scored the winning goal against Celtic in August’s 1-0 Old Firm triumph. However, since then, he’s rarely been seen at Ibrox.

Having started 20 of the Glaswegian club’s 32 league games last year on route to the title, the return of Helander will certainly be welcome and will provide the Dutchman with another option as well as add quality to his squad as Rangers look to further boost their title credentials.

On that evidence, this news should leave supporters and everyone associated with Ibrox buzzing.

AND in other news, Gio can axe £5.6k-p/w Rangers dud with bargain swoop for “technically skilled” beast…

Tottenham are looking to pip Aston Villa in the race to sign midfielder Yves Bissouma, according to journalist Fabrice Hawkins.

The Lowdown: Bentancur saga

Villa have been after a new midfielder all month, with reliable reporter David Ornstein believing the club could look at signing one on deadline day.

The club have had a bid turned down for Bissouma, while top flight rivals Spurs look set to win the race for Juventus midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, who Villa also made an offer for.

It now seems as if Tottenham could look to pip Villa owners NSWE in a transfer race again with Bissouma this time, even though there are just hours remaining of the winter window.

The Latest: ‘Intense’ talks

Hawkins took to Twitter to provide an update on Bissouma, revealing he could leave Brighton.

He added that Villa, Spurs and Manchester United are trying to sign him, labelling discussions as ‘intense’.

Brighton are asking for at least €45m (£37.4m) to part ways with the Mali international who is into the final 18 months of his current contract.

The Verdict: Wait until the summer

Villa’s initial bid for Bissouma was thought to be worth £25m, and should they pay Brighton’s asking price on deadline day, he would become the club’s most expensive signing of all time.

However, should they keep everything crossed and hope he remains on the south coast for the second half of the season, you’d like to think that valuation would drop. If Bissouma’s situation remains the same, he’d be into the final 12 months of his contract, where another £25m offer could perhaps twist Brighton’s arm.

It may be a case of hoping Daniel Levy and Spurs miss out on Bissouma in the final hours, with Villa surely set to be back in for him on the summer.

In other news: ‘Ridiculous’ – Lots of Aston Villa fans fume at ‘the dumbest’ deadline day move. 

Hugo Lloris is very close to extending his contract at Tottenham Hotspur…

What’s the word?

That’s according to football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, who delivered the very exciting behind-the-scenes update in a recent online Q&A session with supporters.

He revealed:

“That’s expected to be tied up very soon. Conte is confident and from what I understand Lloris is keen to stay and his modest demands have been deemed more than reasonable by the powers that be at Spurs so that shouldn’t take long at all now talks have finally started. It really should have been sorted a long time ago, not in the final six months of his deal.”

Indeed, Lloris had entered the final year of his £100k-per-week contract at the start of the season and had reported interest from his former club OGC Nice, fellow Ligue 1 outfit Stade Rennes and the Major League Soccer.

Great news

This latest development will surely leave manager Antonio Conte absolutely buzzing as it means he has one less thing to worry about in 2022.

Having taken over from Nuno Santo in November, the Italian head coach has walked into an absolute nightmare of a situation and is in desperate need of reinforcements to this struggling Spurs squad.

The prospect of losing not just his captain but also a World Cup winner, and vastly-experienced and reliable option in the Premier League, would have been devastating, especially as he has been free to speak to foreign teams this month.

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Across nearly a decade at the club, the 35-year-old shot-stopper has registered 394 appearances for the club, in which he has kept 134 clean sheets – and to his credit, he has done so with many differing defences in front of him. The latest has arguably been his worst.

The likes of Davinson Sanchez, Eric Dier and many others have been inconsistent and on the odd occasion, error-prone, often leaving Lloris there to bail out Spurs.

It’s no wonder ex-manager Mauricio Pochettino once deemed him to be “one of the best in the world, no doubt” after one particularly impressive display against Watford in 2018.

Conte has also waxed lyrical about the 136-cap France international. Coincidentally, it was after another wiin over the Hornets, where he told reporters (via football.london):

“The keeper has to follow the game and not only stay on the goal line to make saves. Hugo today showed that he is top, and he is always focused. For us, he is very important. And I am sure that in a short time, they can find a solution with the club because he loves Tottenham and Tottenham loves him.”

Therefore, it’s easy to see why he’d be absolutely buzzing by Gold’s recent claim that his contract is on the verge of being done and dusted. It’s surely now a matter of time before we hear an official announcement.

Conte and co can now focus on bringing in new additions this month.

AND in other news, Paratici can seal biggest Spurs signing since Son in £45m-rated “extraordinary talent”…

Aston Villa have been thriving ever since Steven Gerrard was appointed as Dean Smith’s replacement as manager, following a bad start to the season which left them 16th after losing five consecutive games in the Premier League during the autumn.

Villa have picked up 16 points in 10 games under the 41-year-old and now sit level on points with 10th- placed Leicester City in the league table, with Gerrard’s impact on the side clear to see.

Despite the U-turn that the Liverpool legend has inspired so far at Villa, not every player has benefited from his presence at the club, with Danny Ings failing to make an impact ever since he was signed last summer.

It is clear that the 29-year-old and fellow striker Ollie Watkins can’t find the connection when they play together, with Ings scoring three of his four Premier League goals this season when his strike partner was not on the pitch.

At the end of December, it was revealed that the former Southampton forward had the lowest non-penalty xG per 90 (0.15) and the lowest xA per 90 (0.02) of any Premier League forward so far this season, and has since scored just one goal.

Ings’ presence is clearly affecting Watkins’ output too, as the latter has been relocated out wide to accommodate the ex-Liverpool striker, Nonetheless, he has scored more than Ings, with five goals and one assist in 19 appearances so far this season.

Former Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor weighed in on the lack of connection between the two strikers. Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “For me, when I watch Watkins play as a central striker making runs into the channels, that’s where I want to see him, that’s what gets the best out of him.

“Every time I’ve watched Ings and Watkins play together it hasn’t worked, something isn’t working with their connection.”

Now that Gerrard has signed Philippe Coutinho, it could be the right time to axe the £19.8m-rated Ings from the team. That would Watkins to revert to his preferred position up top, with Emi Buendia and Coutinho out wide, a setup which was clearly more effective in Villa’s first win in three games against Everton recently.

It will be interesting to see how the Villa manager tackles the challenge of setting up his forward line, especially when Leon Bailey returns from injury. Unfortunately for Ings, he simply hasn’t done enough since the start of the season to merit being a regular in the starting XI, so it may be time for Gerrard to wield the axe on him.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano drops behind-the-scenes Villa claim

A Tottenham insider has claimed that Christian Eriksen could now return to Hotspur Way to train, with a potential view of signing a contract.

The Lowdown: Eriksen return?

The 29-year-old captured the attention of the whole world when he collapsed on the pitch against Finland while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020 after a cardiac arrest, and there have been question marks since over whether he will have to retire for his own health and safety.

He has not played at all since then, and Inter Milan announced that they had terminated his contract at the San Siro earlier this month.

However, The Athletic have reported that Eriksen’s agent Martin Schoots has said he has already had offers from as many as four clubs around Europe, suggesting that the playmaker’s footballing career may not be over yet.

The Latest: Insider on Eriksen

Speaking to Football Insider, Spurs insider John Wenham – who regularly breaks news about the north London club on his Lilywhite Rose social media channels – has claimed that Eriksen could now come back to his former club in order to train with them, before potentially being offered a contract. The insider explained:

“We don’t know the ins and outs of his medical situation.

“If he’s not allowed to play in Serie A I don’t know why the Premier League would be any different.

“The medical advice in the top leagues is the same I would imagine. I would expect it is a bit different in the Netherlands or somewhere like that.

“If he wanted to come back and he felt that was the right thing to do, we should always have space for him.

“He’s a magician and he’s better than a lot of the players we have.

“Conte obviously knows him. Maybe he could come over and do a couple of weeks training with the club.

“I could see that happening.

“Obviously, it’s a big step to then signing a contract but who knows.”

The Verdict: Do it

Given his past connections to Tottenham, Eriksen should be invited to train with them if he is looking to get back on the pitch as soon as he can. If he impresses, they should seriously consider offering him a deal.

Of course, he is a player that Antonio Conte knows very well, so the Italian likely knows how to get the best out of him. Also, at 29 years of age, Eriksen still has a few more years left in the tank if he can get back playing professionally.

With rumours that Giovani Lo Celso could be leaving as well, the Denmark maestro would provide Conte with another good option in midfield, should he be able to get back to his best.

In other news, Alasdair Gold has revealed some exciting January transfer news

West Ham United’s top-six hopes were dealt a big blow this afternoon as the Hammers were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation-threatened Burnley.

The managerless Clarets, who parted company with Sean Dyche on Friday after ten years in charge, took the lead through Wout Weghorst in the 33rd minute and could’ve had a two-goal lead at half-time when awarded a penalty. However, the spot-kick was missed by Maxwell Cornet.

Irons midfielder Tomas Soucek was able to equalise with 16 minutes to go for the hosts to ensure they took something from the match, although after Thursday’s 3-0 win in Lyon, the result will certainly be a disappointment.

Depsite the result, there were some shining lights for David Moyes’s side with attacking midfielder Manuel Lanzini particularly impressive.

According to SofaScore, the Argentinian was the Hammers’ joint-second best player, picking up a 7.4/10 rating alongside right-back Ben Johnson with goalscorer Soucek the highest-ranked with a score of 7.5.

The Czech Republic international’s goal was assisted by the 29-year-old, his fourth of the campaign, who also managed to impressively complete 93% of his passes whilst making 65 touches in a lively 79 minutes.

With three key passes and a 100% dribble success rate, the playmaker was a handful to deal with for Burnley. Moreover, Lanzini also won half of his duels.

Eyelids certainly wouldn’t have been batted outside the London Stadium when team news was announced if the Argentinian wasn’t starting having played from the off three days prior in Lyon.

Furthermore, the attacking midfielder was recently involved in a serious car crash that left him with a knock.

However, once again being deployed in the middle of an attacking midfield trio, the 29-year-old, who was labelled as a “special, special player” by captain Declan Rice earlier this season, impressed.

There’s plenty of competition for places in West Ham’s attacking midfield with the likes of Said Benrahma, Nikola Vlasic, Pablo Fornals and Jarrod Bowen all able to play behind the striker.

The Argentinian is easily the longest-serving of them all though and is certainly a fan favourite after seven seasons at the East London club.

Although, his time as a Hammer may soon come to an end with the maestro’s contract set to expire next summer with few signs suggesting an extension will be signed.

For now, though, Lanzini must continue performing well to maintain a starting spot in both the Premier League and Europa League as the Hammers look to push for European qualification for next season.

AND in other news: West Ham plot bid for £21.6m-rated “leader”, Moyes can now axe “shocking” £61k-p/w dud

Everton are reportedly now eyeing an ambitious move for Conor Coady in the summer.

The Lowdown: Everton’s defensive misery

The Goodison Park club have conceded no fewer than 49 goals in the Premier League so far this season, the fifth-worst defensive record in the top flight.

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Merseyside legend Jamie Carragher even went as far as to claim that they have a ‘Championship back four’ after a 5-0 mauling at Tottenham Hotspur in March, so Frank Lampard’s team could do with strengthening their backline this summer.

The Latest: Coady eyed by Everton

Writing in his latest piece for TEAMtalk, transfer insider Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Toffees are now plotting an ambitious swoop for Coady in the summer, but any potential move does come with difficulties.

He still has three years left on his contract at Wolves, so he would not come cheap, while he also has a strong connection to Everton’s rivals Liverpool after being born there and making a handful of appearances for the Reds’ first team.

Also, the Midlands club are currently fighting for European football, in sheer contrast to the Blues at the other end of the table, so one would question whether Coady would like to take a step down.

However, Everton may have an advantage through Kevin Thelwell, who was at Molineux when Coady was signed and has had shared glowing references of the defender in the past, once calling him ‘fantastic’ after a spell at Huddersfield Town.

The Verdict: Unlikely

For all of the reasons mentioned above, it is highly unlikely that the Toffees would be able to lure Coady away from Molineux.

Described as a ‘brilliant defender’ by pundit Noel Whelan, the 29-year-old has worked his way into the England squad with his impressive performances for his club, with Gareth Southgate hailing him after his “outstanding” Three Lions debut back in 2020.

If he were to join Everton, the Wolves captain may struggle in a team which is certainly not as good defensively, so the move does not seem beneficial to his career at this moment in time.

Nonetheless, it would be a great coup for the Toffees should they be able to land his signature.

In other news, Everton are also eyeing a move for this Premier League ‘wizard’

Tottenham Hotspur retain an interest in signing Nikola Milenkovic ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Italian outlet Calciomercato, who claim Spurs manager Antonio Conte is an admirer of the Fiorentina colossus, though they will face competition from the likes of West Ham United, Manchester United and Juventus.

Valued at £18m by CIES Football Observatory, the Serbia international is a target for the north Londoners this winter, with his current contract set to expire in 18 months time.

It remains to be seen how much a move for Milenkovic would cost.

Conte’s dream defender

The Viola colossus has all the attributes to be a perfect signing under Conte and if sporting director Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy can seal his signature, then they could well form a frightening duo in north London.

Spurs could well be in need of additional centre-backs, too, with Cristian Romero facing a pretty long stint on the sideline. There won’t be many better options out there this winter than Milenkovic, and he could well be an ideal option alongside the Argentine in the future, particularly under Conte.

Milenkovic ranks inside Fiorentina’s top six players and is arguably one of their best on the ball, averaging a passing accuracy of 90.8% – the second-best of any player to start ten or more league games.

This would suggest that he’s more than capable of being a reliable ball-playing option in defence for Conte. Furthermore, he offers a ruthless edge, also averaging 1.9 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game, via WhoScored.

Once likened to Premier League great Nemanja Vidic, the Serbian should have no trouble in adapting to the English top-flight, especially if he turns out to be half the player of the ex-United powerhouse.

“Milenkovic is better than Vidic with the ball at his feet, and he is much calmer on the field,” Mozzart journalist Dejan Stankovic told ESPN in 2018. “He is the most talented centre-back Serbia have had since Vidic, and they definitely have one thing in common – [they are] both are fearless.”

Meanwhile, he has also been dubbed a “beast” by former Partizan head coach Ivan Tomic.

On the above evidence, Conte would surely love to seal a move for Milenkovic. He had the best defence in Serie A with Inter Milan last season, on their way to the league title, and the Fiorentina star has all the skills to be a perfect fit in his Italian-based system over in N17.

Conte and Milenkovic would be a frightening prospect heading into the remainder of the campaign.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Skipp: Spurs eye “unbeatable” £27m-rated machine, Conte would love him…

Everton are once again in the hunt for a manager after sacking Rafael Benitez last week, with the Spaniard lasting just over six months in the Goodison Park dugout. The Toffees are now searching for their sixth permanent manager in less than six years.

What’s the latest?

According to The Daily Express, Everton’s shortlist for the managerial vacancy is down to three names. Derby County manager and former Everton player Wayne Rooney, as well as former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, are two names that Everton fans will know well. Also on the list is Fabio Cannavaro who had a stellar playing career.

The Italian is yet to manage a European club after stints with Chinese Super League outfit Guangzhou Evergrande – where he won the Super League title in 2019 – Saudi side Al Nassr and the Chinese national team.

The 48-year-old has been out of work since last September and is believed to have interviewed well for the position in Merseyside. However, there has been a suggestion from Chinese football expert Zhao Xiaoou that Cannavaro may not be suited for the role, labelling the former Italy captain “the fall guy”.

Xiaoou, the owner of Wild East Football, told The Daily Mail: “First time round at Evergrande, everyone’s expectations were really high, believing he was the protege and natural successor to Lippi. It didn’t pan out but you can blame injury problems and praise his audacity to use young players in really big games.

“His time at Quanjian is somewhat a success. He got them into the Champions League and beat Evergrande to exact some revenge, leading to the second spell with them. Critics would say it is hard not to be successful with the amount of money that was spent at Quanjian.

“Cannavaro’s second spell at Evergrande is harder to assess. The main criticism was still his tactics and touchline adjustments in game that are not up to scratch. And a lack of silverware at Evergrande equals failure though a lot of people believe he’s just the fall guy.”

Everton must avoid Cannavaro

Despite the suggestion that he was impressive in his interview, Cannavaro does not appear to be the sort of candidate that Everton will want to steady the ship and lead a revolution at Goodison Park.

The 48-year-old’s managerial record speaks for itself – no experience at a single European club, let alone in Europe’s top five leagues, as well as relatively underwhelming stints in Asia.

Of course, the experience that Cannavaro the player could offer Everton would be invaluable, having won the World Cup, Ballon D’Or and UEFA Cup, as well as numerous other titles in both Italy and Spain. That doesn’t immediately make him a strong managerial candidate, though.

Now seeking their sixth manager in five-and-a-half years, Everton need stability and the indication that their next appointment would be for the long term. The Toffees haven’t seen a manager enter his third season in charge at Goodison Park since Roberto Martinez, who was at the helm between June 2013 and May 2016.

Moreover, their precarious position towards the foot of the Premier League means that Everton desperately need a quick turnaround in results. A lack of Premier League experience from Cannavaro could prove costly should the Italian be appointed.

It is absolutely vital that the Everton hierarchy get this appointment right, as otherwise there could be dire consequences on the blue side of Merseyside. Hiring the relatively unproven Italian could result in the same sort of chaos in the stands which characterised Benitez’s brief, unhappy reign.

In other news: One Everton player could be out for much longer than originally feared