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Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse could be contemplating a move away from the club, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: England snub

During the summer of 2021, the now 27-year-old missed out on Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championship. Looking to bounce back from that disappointment, the midfielder subsequently claimed: “I had to use that as motivation to raise my levels even more to make sure I don’t miss out on another one.”

However, after initially being included in England’s squad for their recent UEFA Nations League games, Ward-Prowse failed to play a single minute, having been left out of the matchday squad entirely for their game against Germany.

The Latest: Jones’ claim

With his omission from the England setup coming just two months before the World Cup is set to commence, Jones believes that Ward-Prowse will be seeking assurances over his career at Southampton.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the journalist said of the Saints skipper: “At this stage of his career, he’ll want to have some assurances about where he’s going, and can he finally get a proper running the England squad?

“So, it’s a tough decision for him. I don’t think he’ll get aggressive about pushing for a move, but I’m sure it’s on his mind.”

The Verdict: He’d be a huge loss

Hailed by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola for his ‘exceptional’ abilities as a set-piece taker, Ward-Prowse’s overall game has also proven pivotal to Ralph Hasenhuttl during his time in charge of the Saints.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the midfielder ranks in the 93rd percentile for shot-creating actions and expected goals assisted, and in the 92nd percentile for non-penalty goals.

This marks him out as a player who can make a telling impact in the final third, even from his customary midfield role.

Having finished last season as Southampton’s top scorer in the Premier League, fans will surely be desperate for the Saints to keep hold of their captain, who has proven instrumental in ensuring the club’s top-flight survival in recent years.

Tottenham Hotspur bounced back from their recent north London derby defeat with a narrow victory away at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday evening, with talisman Harry Kane getting the game’s only goal in what was an entertaining encounter at the Amex.

The England skipper had produced an instinctive header to turn home Heung-min Son’s whipped cross, with that lethal pairing yet again combining to good effect, having broken the Premier League record last season for most goal combinations in the competition’s history – ahead of Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.

That stunning Lilywhites duo were again the key figures in that triumph over the Seagulls, although there was another individual who also proved their worth in that clash, with summer signing Yves Bissouma having made his mark on what was just his second top-flight start of the season so far.

The Mali international – who had signed on a £25m deal from Brighton in the recent window – has been forced to bide his time under Antonio Conte to date, although showcased his talent in what was an encouraging performance in a midfield three against his former side.

The absence of Dejan Kulusevski due to injury had seen the title-winning coach deploy a 3-5-2 formation for the meeting with Roberto De Zerbi’s men, with Bissouma lining up alongside Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojberg.

The 26-year-old made a “big difference” to the side – in the words of journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke  – as he helped to bolster the centre of the park, notably winning two of his three ground duels and recording one tackle and one interception in that 70-minute outing.

As journalist Dan Kilpatrick noted in his post-match player ratings piece for the Evening Standard, Bissouma proved an effective presence at the base of the midfield, having ‘offered Bentancur and Hojbjerg a platform to push on’, before being withdrawn in place of fellow new addition, Richarlison late on.

Having that ability to deploy a different system to what’s become Tottenham’s typical 3-4-3 approach could well be vital for Conte, with the former Inter Milan boss having used that tactic to good effect during his title-winning stint at San Siro.

The £31.5m-rated machine offers a real ball-winning presence in that deeper role having notably recorded the second most tackles in the top flight during the 2020/21 campaign, while he also ranks in the top 10% for interceptions made among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

While the former Lille man had looked somewhat ‘rusty’ at times at the weekend – in the words of Football.London’s Alasdair Gold – that is perhaps to be expected due to his lack of game time, with a more regular role in the coming weeks likely to allow his talents to truly shine.

Pascal Struijk has been criticised for his poor performance by journalist Beren Cross as Leeds United fell to defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest.

What’s the word?

The left-back had a difficult time against Forest and was substituted off in the 67th minute as fears of picking up a second yellow card increased.

Leeds were arguably unlucky to lose, having dominated both possession and attempts, but Brennan Johnson’s first-half strike was enough to see them lose again.

In his match review for Leeds Live, Cross gave Struijk a rating of 5/10, and stated that the Dutchman did not contain Johnson well.

“Tough afternoon dealing with Johnson down his flank. Consistently looked a yard off the pace when dealing with the forward. Took a yellow when giving away the foul which generated the free-kick before the opening goal. Looks shaky.”

Time to be dropped?

It’s safe to say that Struijk didn’t have the best of games as he lost the ball 24 times, had a passing accuracy percentage of 67 and failed to complete a cross or long ball (SofaScore).

With Robin Koch suspended, Liam Cooper and Maximilian Wober played at centre-back, but as the German is set to return in the next game, there is a case to be made that Wober could move to left-back, with Koch in the middle and Struijk on the left.

Wober played predominantly as a left-back during his time at Red Bull Salzburg, and even this season he has played 16 matches on the flanks compared to seven in the middle.

Struijk struggled to contain a fast attacker in Johnson, and with a double-header of matches against Manchester United coming up, Leeds cannot afford to have a struggling defender in the side.

Leeds need to address their poor run of form, as they remain winless in the league since the World Cup break, and are now dangerously close to the relegation zone.

Former Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard could be an option for Leeds United, should they part ways with Jesse Marsch, according to The Daily Express.

The Lowdown: Previous links

Gerrard was previously linked to replace Marcelo Bielsa in Yorkshire during his successful stint as Rangers manager.

Reports suggested he was a prime contender to take over from Bielsa, but as we know, it was Marsch who got the nod with Gerrard moving to Aston Villa.

Gerrard has been sacked in the Midlands after 11 months in charge, whereas Marsch appears to be under serious pressure at Leeds with no win in eight Premier League fixtures.

The Latest: Future option?

Journalist Charlie Gordon shared a story for The Daily Express on Tuesday, looking at four ‘intriguing options’ Leeds could have to possibly replace Marsch.

One of those was Gerrard, saying he could divide opinion at Elland Road but potentially provide serious pull in the transfer market when it comes to signings.

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The Verdict: One to watch?

Victor Orta appears to have been looking at Gerrard in the past, so who knows, he could be viewed as an option, should they go their own was with Marsch over the coming weeks.

Yes, the 42-year-old’s time with Villa didn’t go to plan, but it may have been a case of the wrong club at the wrong time. Gerrard shares the same agency as Leeds star Luis Sinisterra, and with plenty of talent on the books in Yorkshire, perhaps his change of style could suit the current squad better, making it possibly one to watch.

Liverpool roared back to winning ways on Wednesday, defeating Ajax 3-0 to seal progression to the Champions League knockout rounds.

Goals from Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott were enough for the Reds to seal all three points and put last weekend’s defeat to Nottingham Forest behind them.

Jurgen Klopp saw much-improved performances from his players, and with out-of-sorts Leeds United the visitors to Anfield tonight, the German shouldn’t need to alter his team too much.

Joe Gomez was excellent at centre-back against the Dutch champions in midweek, and the 55-year-old must keep faith in the English defender.

Gomez received a rating of 7.4/10 from SofaScore against Ajax, winning three of his five duels while taking 85 touches, showing his willingness to constantly get on the ball. The defender also made three clearances, three interceptions, one block and one tackle against the Eredivisie side, and he was Klopp’s rock at the heart of the Liverpool defence.

The performance and clean sheet will boost his confidence, but the £85k-per-week Englishman has enjoyed a solid campaign so far.

Seven Premier League starts for Gomez have resulted in the Reds keeping four clean sheets, and he ranks among the top three in the Liverpool squad for clearances (2.3), interceptions (1.3) and tackles (two) per match,  displaying a high level of consistency in his game as he has deputised well for the recently injured Ibrahima Konate.

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown thinks that the 25-year-old has had a solid season, dubbing him “outstanding” while even calling for Gareth Southgate to call him up for England for the World Cup next month, saying: “Can we really turn out back on Joe Gomez for the World Cup squad?”

Despite Gomez’s excellent performances, a seat on the plane to Qatar might be out of the question, but this can only benefit Klopp and Liverpool, as the defender will be fresh upon the resumption of the Premier League after Christmas Day.

For now, the 25-year-old must start against Leeds tonight, and after his defensive solidity could be the game-changer which allows the home side to claim all three points at Anfield.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are ‘back in talks’ with Julen Lopetegui regarding their Premier League managerial vacancy, according to journalist Liam Keen.

The Lowdown: A saga for the ages

Fosun had identified the 56-year-old as their number one target to replace Bruno Lage following his sacking last month, but the former Sevilla boss turned down the opportunity to join due to personal reasons.

Chairman Jeff Shi later released a statement revealing that Steve Davis would remain in charge until 2023 whilst the hunt for a new coach was put on hold, though a remarkable development has now emerged in the last 48 hours.

The Latest: Wolves deal close

Taking to Twitter, Keen confirms that Wolves have now re-entered negotiations to appoint Lopetegui, with an agreement potentially set to be reached prior to the international break.

“Incredible how football works out…Wolves are back in talks with Julen Lopetegui. It’s progressing well and Wolves are hopeful of appointing him before the World Cup break.”

The Verdict: Massive coup?

Should Lopetegui agree to make the move to Molineux, it would be a massive coup for the Old Gold, not only because they tried to land him before but also given his impressive track record.

The Spaniard won 90 and drew 44 of his trophy in 2019/20.

This is exactly the level of consistency and pedigree that Wolves need to bring to the club, and the sooner he’s hired, the more chance he’ll have of being able to turn the side’s form around.

For large parts of this season, it has felt like Crystal Palace have been underwhelming.

Indeed, last term saw Patrick Vieira undertake an excellent job at Selhurst Park, building the Eagles into a young and much-liked side across the country.

It was a slow start to 2022/23, however, with Palace winning just two of their opening eight matches.

They have revived themselves ahead of the World Cup, though, with Vieira’s men now losing only two of their last nine Premier League games, four of which have been wins.

Key to their success in that time is Eberechi Eze, who has returned from a horrendous Achilles injury to star alongside the likes of Wilfried Zaha and Michael Olise.

Indeed, he is the youngster player in the English top-flight with 3+ assists and 5+ big chances created this term.

On that evidence, he is certainly doing everything he can to be in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Qatar and his performance on Sunday afternoon put him in good stead once again.

The aforementioned Olise and Zaha were the scorers on the day, with the former bagging a late winner in the 2-1 victory over West Ham, but arguably it was Eze who was most deserving of the plaudits.

Capable of beating his marker with relentless energy, his performances have increasingly caught the eye this campaign, with VAVEL’s Robin Mumford suggesting he “plays like every defender is a slalom pole.”

The former QPR starlet is a slithery eel in the final third and that was more than evident this weekend.

Eze supplied two key passes – one of which created Zaha’s equaliser – and completed a whopping 92% of his passes, demonstrating fabulous composure in possession.

Furthermore, the 24-year-old attempted two dribbles, and was successful with his only long ball in the game.

The youngster’s numbers weren’t truly world-beating but it was yet another lively display from a player who appears to be improving all the time.

He now has two goals and three assists in 13 Premier League matches this season, showing he is well and truly back to his best following an injury-hit few years.

Southgate is set to name his squad for the World Cup on Thursday and based on his term so far, deserves to be in with an outside chance of making it on the plane.

Manchester City are reportedly interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos. 

The Lowdown: City’s transfer previous

The Premier League champions have a track record when it comes to signing players from Champions League clubs across Europe.

The likes of Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias and Erling Haaland, among others, have all come to the Etihad Stadium from various sides who have featured in Europe’s premier club competition.

It now appears that the Citizens have their eye on signing a player who has been no stranger to competing in and winning the Champions League.

The Latest: Man City eyeing Kroos

According to a recent report from Sport, Pep Guardiola’s side are interested in signing the midfielder and have already ‘made a first approach’ to sign him. 

The report adds that City are willing to offer the player €14m (£12m) per year to join the Premier League champions.

The Verdict: Would be a big coup

Across the 11 La Liga appearances that the 32-year-old has made for his side this season, Kroos has made more progressive passes (99) and more passes into the final third of the pitch (159) than any other player in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.

Having also racked up the fourth-highest combined total of tackles and interceptions (28) at the Bernabeu this season, this showcases how effective the German can be out of possession as well as on the ball.

Hailed as an “extraordinary” player by former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, the £367k-per-week dynamo has also received praise from Guardiola, who managed Kroos during their time together at Bayern Munich and described him as “a very intelligent, very brainy and very calm” player.

Taking all that into account, even though the midfielder would become one of City’s oldest players if he were to join, he certainly appears to have the quality to be a crucial player for the club.

Talented Aston Villa youngster Rory Wilson is expected to sign his first professional contract at the club, according to reliable journalist Ashley Preece.

The Lowdown: Wilson impressing at Villa

The 16-year-old is making a name for himself at Villa Park with some eye-catching performances at youth team level, having joined from Rangers back in July.

Wilson has scored four goals in just five appearances for the Under-18s, leading the line in expert fashion despite not yet turning 17 years of age.

Once he hits that birthday milestone, he will be able to sign his first professional deal as a footballer, and it looks as though it is on the cards.

The Latest: First professional deal expected

Taking to Twitter, Preece confirmed that Wilson is set to sign on the dotted line at Villa, committing his future to them:

“Rory Wilson – 9 goals in 11 apps this season for #avfc and Scotland – expected to sign first pro deal.”

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The Verdict: One for the future

Wilson looks to be a hugely promising young player with a bright future, with his eye for goal already standing out at such a tender age.

The Villa youngster has also scored 12 times in 13 caps for Scotland’s Under-17s, which is a phenomenal return, and he is someone who will hopefully mature into a formidable first-team player eventually.

Planning for the years ahead is always vital for the Villans, as well as ensuring that there is a nucleus of homegrown talent, and Wilson ticks both of those boxes.

Glasgow Rangers face a crucial January transfer window if they hope to add some quality to their squad and improve after a woeful first half of the season.

With the Ibrox side lagging nine points behind Celtic in the race for the Premiership title and missing out on European football after Christmas with a dreadful Champions League showing, Giovanni van Bronckhorst was sacked earlier this week.

Mick Beale appears to be the main target for Ross Wilson and it seems to be the most logical appointment, especially considering his history with the club and playing a big part under Steven Gerrard as the Light Blues won the title in 2021.

Rangers are struggling in front of goal, with just Antonio Colak hitting double figures so far this season (14) and this needs to improve going forward.

The club are interested in Blackpool forward Jerry Yates however and the new manager could well land a dream first signing by bringing the 26-year-old to Glasgow.

The Championship club are demanding a fee of £5m for anyone wanting to sign the player, with the Gers leading the chase and he could add some much-needed firepower to this Rangers side and take the weight of expectation from Colak’s shoulders.

Yates has scored nine times in 21 Championship matches so far this season and he is joint first in the race for the golden boot alongside a host of other names. This form has sparked interest not only from Scotland but the Premier League too, with Brentford and Bournemouth keeping tabs on the forward.

During his career, he has scored 66 goals and there is no doubt he could replicate his form in the second tier against the likes of Ross County and Dundee United.

Blackpool reporter Sean McGinlay dubbed the Englishman as “immense” following a 2-2 draw against Sheffield United and if Ross Wilson manages to get a fee for the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent – who are both out of contract at the end of the season – in January, the money should go towards a move for Yates.

He could certainly be a dream signing for Beale.