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Aston Villa could finally bin Frenchman Morgan Sanson by making a move for Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie in the summer transfer window.

The £45k-per-week Villa player has featured just 21 times for the club since joining from Marseille in 2021 and with Unai Emery looking at putting his own stamp on the team, it’s highly likely he will be moved on sooner rather than later.

Kessie left AC Milan for the La Liga giants in the summer on a free transfer but now wants a move due to a lack of game time in Spain.

His agent is reportedly pushing for a move to the Premier League, with Villa keen on signing the midfielder to bolster their options in the middle of the pitch.

CIES Football Observatory value Kessie at around €60m (£52m) but in light of Barca’s financial trouble, Villa could be willing to offer up to €14m (£12m) for the player, meaning it could be an excellent piece of business for the club if they can reach an agreement close to that price.

Last season in Serie A, the 25-year-old played an integral part in Milan’s team as they were crowned champions for the first time in 11 years.

He played 31 matches, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.07/10, all while chipping in with six goals. The Ivorian also made 0.9 key passes per match, created a further two big chances, and succeeded with 73% of his dribble attempts, proving that he can be an excellent attacking threat from the centre of the park.

Former Italy striker Antonio Cassano clearly liked what he saw last season, lavishing praise on Kessie on Bobo TV, saying: “I want Kessie in my team, he scores goals, he assists, he has personality, he has quality, he doesn’t lose the ball, he’s intelligent. I’m watching him carefully; he was devastating against Roma.

“It reminds me of the Yaya Touré of better times. He’s a different player but in terms of impact. He is holding up the Milan midfield by himself.”

Emery could certainly add some bite into his midfield by making an offer for the Barcelona player, and with just two La Liga starts this season, Xavi might be keen on selling him considering the Catalan side’s financial position.

In turn this could give the Spaniard the licence to finally ditch Sanson, who has been stealing a wage for too long at the Midlands side without contributing anything of note during his 18 months at the club. With that in mind, Kessie would be quite the replacement.

Sheffield Wednesday’s hopes of automatic promotion this season have taken a blow after it was confirmed that Michael Ihiekwe will miss a few months through injury.

The Owls have already lost influential centre-back Ben Heneghan to an ACL injury which has ruled him out for the rest of the season, and it seems as if Ihiekwe could now be sidelined until 2023.

The former Rotherham man was forced off in last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Derby County and Sheffield Star reporter Joe Crann provided an update on his injury after the game.

He said: “A bitter injury blow for SWFC as Michael Ihiekwe is ruled out ‘for a couple of months’ after sustaining knee ligament damage. No surgery required, but Wednesday don’t expect him back until early next year.”

Since making the move to Hillsborough during the summer, the 30-year-old centre-back has made 18 appearances in League One for Moore’s side, averaging a superb 6.97 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This ranks him as the fifth-best performer at Hillsborough so far this campaign, which emphasises how important he has been to Moore, and it is undoubtedly a worrying blow that he will miss the busy Christmas period.

Ihiekwe also has experience of promotion, as he featured in 42 third-tier games for Rotherham last season as they finished second in League One, earning a fantastic 7.22 rating from WhoScored for his performances, so losing him could certainly have a big impact on Sheffield Wednesday’s hopes of moving into the top two.

Crann was full of praise for the English defender, along with Reece James and Heneghan, after they produced a strong display in a 1-0 win against Port Vale earlier in the season.

He said: “Didn’t dare say anything while the game was still going, but Heneghan, Ihiekwe and James were tremendous for SWFC today. Monumental defensive performance.”

The Owls are certainly short on centre-back options now with Heneghan and Ihiekwe sidelined, and Moore will surely be considering a move for another defender in the January transfer window due to his worries in the position.

It is far from ideal that the 30-year-old is injured at such an important time of the season, and Owls fans will be hoping to see him back fit and on the pitch as soon as possible.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag might just be enjoying the 2022 World Cup in Qatar more than most, with a whole host of Red Devils playing pivotal roles for their national sides.

Casemiro has been a defensive rock for Brazil during their first two matches of the tournament, also clinching a late winner in the recent victory over Switzerland, whilst Bruno Fernandes has rekindled his sublime clinical prowess and scored two goals and assists apiece for Portugal. 

But it is Rashford who has stolen the limelight at present; in fine fettle throughout the tournament, the 25-year-old scored against Iran from the bench in the goal-laden opener and provided a promising cameo in the lacklustre draw against the USA, striking the target in his 12 minutes on the pitch. 

However, it was against local rivals Wales in the conclusive group fixture where the wily winger really shone through; as per Sofascore, Rashford recorded a match rating of 8.4, scoring twice as England secured top spot with a convincing 3-0 win and condemned their opposition to an early exit.

His first goal, a magnificent free-kick from the left, was met with thunderous applause at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, looping over the defence and evading the efforts of Danny Ward in the Welsh goal. 

His second, England’s third, came 18 minutes later after a deft piece of skill opened up a small pocket of space for Rashford to drill in a low, driven effort, which Ward should have parried.  

Sticking to the Welsh defence like glue, the Man United phenom recorded a match-best of four shots on target, completed three out of five attempted dribbles and won four of his seven ground duels in an all-encompassing performance for the Three Lions. 

And the 49-cap international now stands as the joint top goalscorer at the World Cup, having netted three times. 

The forward is continuing his stellar form at club level this term after suffering a severe lapse in goal return and performance for United last season, finding the net just five times across 32 appearances. 

With his spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad actually jeopardised by his dwindling presence on the pitch, the £200k-per-week maestro needed to return with emphasis to dispel the polarising views on his national inclusion. 

Having scored eight goals and provided three assists in 19 club appearances this season, Rashford, labelled “outstanding” by Jacob Tanswell, is indeed returning to form of the richest vein, a spark bright and blinding in its intensity, his offensive arsenal will prove the difference, as it has already, and he will continue to have a decisive say in England’s success in Qatar. 

And when the tournament draws to a close, Rashford will be certain that the faith boss Ten Hag holds in him will have only strengthened, with his contribution to the squad set to be key as they look to win silverware and return to the Champions League.

Everton have developed a reputation for transfer calamities during the ownership of Farhad Moshiri at Goodison Park, and the club could be about to make yet another terrible decision on that front.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian news outlet Forza Roma, the Merseysiders could be in line to sell centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite in January.

As per the report, Roma are interested in signing the Everton youngster next month, and it is claimed that the Toffees have set a price of just €5m (£4.3m) to part ways with the 20-year-old.

Another Moshiri disaster

Everton have made numerous mistakes on and off the pitch which have contributed to their downfall in the Premier League, with numerous management changes, financial problems and relegation scraps plaguing the Merseyside club over the last 18 months.

They could soon be adding to their poor projections by getting rid of one of their most talented and promising youth prospects in Branthwaite, who has thrived in the Everton U21s and, more recently, on loan with PSV Eindhoven.

Across eight Eredivisie appearances this season, the 20-year-old – who was dubbed “skilful” by former Toffees manager Carlo Ancelotti – has scored one goal and tallied a 90% pass completion rate, along with averaging 45.3 touches, 35.3 accurate passes, 2.9 clearances and 2.4 successful duels per game.

Branthwaite’s former Carlisle United coach Steven Pressley even claimed that the solid centre-back had the attributes to become an England international.

Speaking to Everton’s official website, the 49-year-old said: “He had so many quality attributes to become a top player. I told people he was a future England international.

“Not once from when I gave him his debut did I ever consider leaving him out again because I felt his performances had been so strong.

“The truth is, I think he has got everything. He can pass the ball almost equally as good with both feet. He’s a terrific footballer.”

Branthwaite made eight senior appearances for the Toffees last season but hasn’t had consistent opportunities to prove himself at Goodison Park, and considering how young he still is, he has plenty of time to earn experience and become a key player for Everton in the future.

Therefore, selling him would be another one of Moshiri’s big mistakes, if he were to thrive at Roma like he has done this season with PSV, and it’s a prospective decision that the owner could live to regret.

Tony Mowbray will have some big decisions to make at Sunderland in the January transfer window, and the manager should consider getting rid of Leon Dajaku.

The German winger initially joined the Black Cats on loan from Union Berlin when they were in League One last season and impressed with his performances, registering four goals and four assists in 22 appearances to help the Wearsiders achieve promotion back to the Championship.

A clause in his loan contract which involved Sunderland earning promotion was activated, and he joined on a permanent basis in the summer, with it seemingly likely that he would continue to be a regular under Alex Neil in the second tier.

However, he has made just two starts so far this term and has been ousted by Amad Diallo on the wing. Also, Mowbray has preferred a four-at-the-back formation in recent months, which has limited Dajaku’s chances even further, as he featured as a wing-back on a number of occasions last season.

Kevin Phillips spoke to Football Insider last term about the importance of Lee Johnson getting the best out of the young winger, praising his performances in a Sunderland shirt.

The ex-Mackems marksman said of Dajaku: “They know he has a lot of talent. It is just about nurturing him and trying to get the best out of him because he is a young kid. Lee Johnson and his staff have been very patient with him.

“They knew he wasn’t fully fit when he came. It looks now as if they’re bearing fruit from that now. Lee Johnson, the coaching staff and the physio deserve huge credit for getting him fit and firing.”

Unfortunately, Dajaku is yet to showcase his obvious ability in the Championship, as he has rather struggled with the step-up in quality to the second tier so far.

Across his eight appearances in this division, the German has averaged a shocking 6.03 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which ranks him as the worst player in Mowbray’s squad to have made at least one start this season.

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While he is only 21, and it would perhaps be ruthless to get rid of him so early into his time as a permanent Sunderland player, you only have to look at the performances of fellow youngsters Diallo, Jack Clarke, Aji Alese and Ellis Simms – four of Sunderland’s top five players this season as per WhoScored – to see that Dajaku simply isn’t good enough at this point.

Therefore, Mowbray should look to get rid of him in January, rather than the German wasting his career and potential on the bench at the Stadium of Light.

CBS journalist Ben Jacobs has shared an update on Arsenal’s attempts to sign Ukrainian wonderkid Mykhaylo Mudryk.

The Lowdown: Arsenal eye Mudryk move…

The Shakhtar Donetsk sensation has been a transfer target for sporting director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta for last few months, with repeated reports sharing the Gunners’ interest.

Currently leading the Premier League, Arsenal are frontrunners to claim their first league title in nearly 20 years as things stand, but stern competition indicates that they may need financial backing ahead of January.

Mudryk has been lighting up the Ukraine top flight with an array of scintillating performances, scoring seven goals in just 11 starts for Shakhtar in the current campaign.

The Latest: Jacobs shares Mudryk to Arsenal latest…

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs has explained that the north Londoners are ‘now in talks’ with both the player’s entourage and his club, providing an update on the situation.

He stated: “Arsenal have made the move on Mudryk in the sense that they are now in talks with both Shakhtar and Mudryk’s representatives.

“The talks with Mudryk’s representatives are easy because Mudryk wants Arsenal; the negotiations with Shakhtar are a whole lot harder.”

The Verdict: Mixed bag…

News that the 21-year-old wants a move to Arsenal is clearly a boost in his transfer pursuit, but Shakhtar’s apparent stance does indeed complicate things.

However, if Edu and co keep pushing, Mudryk’s statistics and glowing reputation indicate that he would be worth the effort to capture in January.

Called a ‘top, top’ player and a ‘potential star’ by Fabrizio Romano, the attacking midfielder’s stock is rising, and Arsenal appear determined to get it over the line.

Manchester United are reportedly best placed to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix.

The Lowdown: Contact made

The Red Devils appear to be on the hunt for a new attacking addition in January after missing out on Cody Gakpo to Liverpool.

Erik ten Hag’s side parted ways with Cristiano Ronaldo last month and have been linked with a move for Felix, his Portugal teammate.

Recent reports have suggested that United have made contact over a potential deal for the 23-year-old, and a further update has now emerged.

The Latest: United best placed

Sports Witness relayed news from Marca on Thursday regarding Felix’s future.

They claim that it is Manchester United who are the ‘main candidate’ and are ‘best placed’ to sign the forward. The report adds that Atletico are now ‘willing to agree to a negotiation’ for Felix, with his agent approaching clubs, including those at Old Trafford.

The Verdict: Get it done

United could really do with getting an attacker in as soon as possible, even if it is on loan with a view to a permanent deal in the future.

Felix, hailed as a ‘world class’ player on his day by Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin, can play in a variety of attacking roles, including as a centre-forward or second striker.

Still just 23 years of age, he has contributed to 51 goals in 129 games for Atletico, so he could be the perfect signing for United both in the short and long run after the disappointment of missing out on Gakpo.

Liverpool have been consistently linked with a move for Enzo Fernandez and now a reliable source has given an update on the club’s stance on their swoop for the player in 2023.

What’s the latest?

According to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, Liverpool will not make a move for the Argentina and Benfica star during the January transfer window.

Jacobs wrote in a thread of tweets:

“Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid are fans of Fernandez, too. #NUFC also one to watch. But all clubs are trying to understand Fernandez’s ambitions and work out whether rivals will genuinely move in January.

“#LFC and Real would only consider a summer swoop and Fernandez could end up intertwined in the Jude Bellingham chase.”

It’s bad news for Klopp

There is no doubt that strengthening the personnel in the centre of the pitch is something that needs to be the top priority at Anfield, so it’s bad news for Jurgen Klopp that it is looking unlikely that Liverpool will move for Fernandez in the upcoming window.

As Jacobs has claimed, the 21-year-old is attracting attention from some of the biggest clubs in European football and Liverpool’s casual approach to snapping him up could be costly in their pursuit of the player.

Fernandez – who has a release clause of €120m (£105m) – is one of the hottest young prospects in football something that was only elevated by his displays for Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar over the last month.

The Benfica dynamo won the Young Player of the Tournament award for his contributions to his national team’s World Cup victory and it comes as no surprise when you consider his strengths compared to his positional peers.

Fernandez – who was dubbed “class” by Yussif Alhassan Chibsah – currently ranks in the top 10% in the ‘next eight competitions’ for shots on goal, assists, shot-creating actions, passes attempted and progressive passes.

Injuries to the engine room has seen the likes of Harvey Elliott garner more game time than expected, with young academy hopefuls Ben Doak, Bobby Clark and Stefan Bajcetic also earning Premier League minutes in recent outings.

With that being said, the signing of Fernandez is an opportunity too good to miss for the Reds and if the powers at Anfield don’t act fast they could lose the talented player to a Premier League rival next month.

Everton have been credited with an interest in Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom recently and the in-form forward could prove to be the next Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Goodison Park.

According to the Daily Mail, Everton, Crystal Palace and Southampton are all keen on the 27-year-old, who currently leads the way for goals scored in the second tier this season with 13 strikes to his name.

The former Arsenal man has exploded into life under new manager Michael Carrick and boasts ten goals in his last 12 appearances for the Riverside outfit, so it is easy to see why he is attracting Premier League interest this month, especially from the clubs mentioned in the report, who are all struggling for goals at the moment.

Carrick was full of praise for his main man when he hit a hat-trick against Championship strugglers Wigan Athletic, highlighting precisely why he’d be such a good addition in Merseyside.

He said: “I am delighted for Chuba, he’ll get the headlines and rightly so because he’s a huge threat at the moment for us, and is getting his rewards in front of goal.

“But it’s more about his performances and what he brings to the team, his link-up play and taking up clever positions that give other people space.”

Neal Maupay and Calvert-Lewin have scored just two goals between them this season and it seems clear that Frank Lampard needs attacking additions in the transfer window if he wants to keep his job with the Merseyside outfit.

While Everton’s once talismanic forward has failed to fill the void left by Richarlison this season, he has shown that he can be a quality Premier League striker in the past, hitting 16 league goals in the 2020/21 campaign.

Like Akpom, Calvert-Lewin was playing in the lower leagues of English football when he joined the club from Sheffield United and had to work hard until he established himself as a regular in the Toffees’ first team.

The Middlesbrough man was once highly thought of in Arsenal’s academy, with Arsene Wenger dubbing him “dangerous” but he failed to make the grade in the Premier League as a youngster and has since spent time abroad with the likes of PAOK and Sint-Truidense in Greece and Belgium respectively.

However, he has now returned to English football with devastating effect and could save Everton from relegation in the second half of the campaign should he replicate his form with Boro in the top flight with the Toffees.

Akpom could do a similar job to Calvert-Lewin as a target man in the Everton attack, as WhoScored suggests that both players like to flick the ball on, which suggests they excel in the air.

Therefore, Everton should definitely look to bring the Middlesbrough man to the Premier League this month.

Leeds United continue to be linked with other striking options, with the latest being from a Championship star…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Phil Hay, who writes in The Athletic about potential alternative targets should the Whites’ pursuit of Georginio Rutter fall through.

Viktor Gyokeres is part of that list, and although the Frenchman might be seen as a more marquee signing, the Coventry City striker would surely be a dependable substitute.

However, with Everton also listed as interested in the forward, Victor Orta may want to act quickly on the Sweden international.

“Unbelievable” signing

Whilst it might not seem it on the surface, this has all the hallmarks of being a truly unbelievable signing for the Yorkshire outfit.

Gyokeres has outlined himself as a wholly dependable goalscorer in his division, perhaps earning the step up that Jesse Marsch’s interest would provide.

Already boasting 12 goals in the Championship this season, the Swede continues to add seemingly every week to his 111 career goals scored at the age of just 24.

The forward seems poised to smash last season’s tally of 17 league goals, suggesting that he is only getting better with each passing season too.

It is therefore unsurprising to see him so widely linked with a move away from the Sky Blues, with manager Mark Robins having admitted his worries at losing his talisman.

He noted they were “at the mercy of predators” during the summer window, before claiming: “He has some unbelievable ability – power, technique. He has got everything in his locker and that desire and hunger to score goals…”.

The Coventry boss would back that up early on in this season, maintaining that the forward was “gleaming from belief” as his brace saw off Peterborough United.

With Rutter having only scored twice this season in the Bundesliga, perhaps Gyokeres should even be discussed alongside the 20-year-old rather than as a backup option.

Signing the Championship star would be a stroke of genius for a goal-shy and striker-shy Leeds, who would surely pull away from the relegation zone should they add his goals and ‘unbelievable’ talent to the fold too.