Tottenham are in the market for a new centre-back and the North London club have come out of their meeting this week having identified two Premier League stars. 

Spurs lost Mickey Van de Ven to a hamstring injury during their defeat to Chelsea earlier this month and the Dutch defender has been ruled out of action until 2024.

Ange Postecoglou was already short in this area of the pitch as the Australian coach is not a fan of Eric Dier – who is expected to leave in January.

According to the Daily Mail, Spurs have identified Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite as potential targets for January; whilst alternatives come in the form of AC Milan’s Malick Thiaw, Morato of Benfica and Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio.

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Both Guehi and Branthwaite have been two standout defenders in the Premier League this season and either one would be a great addition to Postecoglou’s squad.

Both are young and will develop into even better players than they are now but the problem for Tottenham is the fact that clubs will not want to sell mid-season.

Everton’s financial situation makes the 21-year-old an easier signing but if Spurs want either of the two, they will have to fork out a large chunk of money.

The post Tottenham identify two exciting Premier League defenders for January during meeting this week appeared first on CaughtOffside.

England only managed a draw in their final game of EURO Qualifying, in a 1-1 draw with North Macedonia.

The attack for England was very flat on the day, struggling to create clear cut opportunities, and going behind in the first half, they managed to fight back and get a draw, but overall the performance wasn’t good enough from Gareth Southgate’s men.

Read on for our England player ratings, and who stood out for the Three Lions…

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Jordan Pickford – 7 – Made two saves, including saving a penalty but the rebound was scored, not much else he could do.

Rico Lewis – 7 – Very unfortunate to give the penalty away, other than that thought he made a good account, making two tackles, making one key pass and completing 59/59 passes.

Harry Maguire – 6 – Completed five of his eleven long balls, and only had a pass completion of 84%, however he did win 5/6 aerial duels.

Marc Guehi – 6 – Made one tackle, won 2/3 ground duels and made two of his three long balls, but only won 1/5 aerial duels.

Kyle Walker – 7 – Recovered well when needed for England, making two interceptions, one tackle and one block, he also went forwards well, made one key pass, and completed both of his long balls attempted.

Declan Rice – 7.5 – Solid in the middle for England, made one key pass and kept it simple with a 96% pass accuracy. Also won 4/6 ground duels and made four tackles.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6 – Wasn’t at his best, only made one key pass and that is what he is in there for. Failed all three of his long ball attempts and only completed one of his five crosses.

Phil Foden – 7.5 – Was very involved, and looked the most dangerous for England going forward. Drifting around picking up the ball, completed two key passes, created one big chance and completed two of his three dribble attempts.

Jack Grealish – 7 – Was nice and direct when he got the ball on the flank, made two key passes and completed seven of his eight dribbles. Marginally offside for his goal which was correctly ruled out.

Ollie Watkins – 5 – Barely got involved in the game, only played 58 minutes and only managed 10 touches.

Bukayo Saka – 6 – Did make two key passes, but could’ve done more on that right hand side. Nearly had an assist for Grealish’s disallowed goal, but did fail both of his other cross attempts, and only completed one successful dribble out of three.

Subs: Harry Kane 7, Cole Palmer N/A, Marcus Rashford N/A, Kalvin Phillips N/A.

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England have beaten Malta 2-0, on rather flat evening for the Three Lions. However an own goal and a Harry Kane goal earnt England a victory and three points.

Rice had one chalked off, which would have made it 3-0 England, but that would have been a rather flattering scoreline for the performance from the Three Lions.

Read on for our England player ratings, and who stood out for the Three Lions…

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Jordan Pickford – 6 – Didn’t have to make a save, and only made the one punch, made 41/41 passes but was un tested so can’t be rated higher.

Fikayo Tomori – 6 – Taken off at half time, played in a slightly unfamiliar left back role, becoming a back three in possession. Made two tackles and completed four out five long balls.

Harry Maguire – 6.5 – Kept a clean sheet of course, and made two clearances and one block. Also completed 10/10 long balls, and won 7/7 aerial duels.

Marc Guehi – 6 – Not to much to do, made two interceptions and made 103/106 accurate passes, with 7/8 long balls.

Kieran Trippier – 6 – Managed two tackles, one clearance and one interception at right back, also making one key pass and completing 5/5 long balls.

Conor Gallagher – 5 – Subbed at half time to bring on the more attacking Bukayo Saka, worked hard and won some duels in midfield, however was a little sloppy in possession on a few occasions.

Jordan Henderson – 5 – Subbed after 61 minutes, played 2/2 long balls and won 2/4 ground duels. Didn’t offer enough in the middle of the park when playing out.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7 – Could have created more but did get forward in central midfield, getting four shots off (two on target) and making one key pass.

Marcus Rashford – 5 – Subbed after 61 minutes, struggled to get himself in the game, had one shot which was blocked and only completed 2/6 of his dribbles.

Harry Kane – 7.5 – Scored the goal to give England a 2-0 lead, and allow them breathing room. However wasn’t as involved as he could have been, only having 34 touches.

Phil Foden – 8 – Tried to make things happen whenever he got the ball, made three key passes, completed 4/4 dribbles and looked the most dangerous player on the pitch.

Subs: Bukayo Saka 7, Kyle Walker 6 , Cole Palmer 6 , Declan Rice 6

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Crystal Palace will have been delighted to have tied down Eberechi Eze to a new contract after doing so with Michael Olise, and the Eagles now need to concentrate on getting Marc Guehi to do the same.

The England international defender appears to be coveted by a number of clubs, however, Palace chairman, Steve Parish, is doing his level best to really help build something special at Selhurst Park.

The south Londoners have some of the brightest young English talents in their squad, and whilst Roy Hodgson is still doing a remarkable job as manager, assuming this is his last season in football, whomever Parish brings in for 2024/25 could have an effect on the playing staff.

After all, it’s clear Palace don’t want to lose Guehi.

‘Guehi has always been appreciated by many top English clubs,’ CaughtOffside columnist, Fabrizio Romano, wrote in his exclusive Daily Briefing.

‘No concrete bids or talks are taking place at the moment, he’s a key player for Palace and of course they want to keep him.

‘It’s quiet now around Guehi, but with many PL clubs looking for a new centre-back, he could be a name to watch in 2024.’

Having so many homegrown players in their first-team squad and starting XI does Palace great credit.

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Not only does it mean that they have a strong English core, but it offers those youngsters coming through at Palace’s academy a genuine belief that if they’re able to hit the heights required, that Crystal Palace will give them a crack at the big time.

That motivating factor will be a God send for Parish and his board, who appear keen to continue with the current business and playing status quo in the hope that the Eagles soar in the not too distant future.

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Manchester United could be set to sell Raphael Varane to a club in the Saudi Pro League in this January’s transfer window, with Harry Maguire now seen as increasingly likely to stay at Old Trafford.

Sources with a close understanding of the situation have informed CaughtOffside that Man Utd would be ready to consider the right offer for Varane, who is attracting interest from the PIF group of Saudi clubs, meaning he could end up at any one of Al Ahli, Al Hilal, Al Nassr or Al Ittihad, depending on who needs him most.

A host of big names moved to Saudi Arabia in the summer, with Cristiano Ronaldo starting this trend when he joined Al Nassr almost a year ago after also leaving United.

The Red Devils are keen to make a centre-back a priority for 2024, and while it had previously seemed like Maguire could be the obvious choice to leave, that is no longer the case, as the player remains keen to fight for his place in Erik ten Hag’s squad, whereas Varane is understood to have expressed a desire to try a new challenge.

The Frenchman has been a solid performer since his move from Real Madrid a couple of years ago, but it also seems pretty clear that he’s no longer at the peak of his powers, and MUFC have identified some younger centre-backs as potential replacements.

CaughtOffside understands that Goncalo Inacio, Antonio Silva, Edmond Tapsoba and Marc Guehi are among the names on the club’s list of targets in that area of the pitch, though the preferred option at the top of their list is Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo.

Todibo has long been scouted closely by United, and it’s widely felt that he could soon leave his current club for a new challenge, with Nice likely to ask for around £44million to let him go. Reports have also linked Chelsea with the player, but CaughtOffside‘s sources are not currently aware of anything happening on that front.

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United, meanwhile, are continuing to back Ten Hag as manager, with no truth to links with other big names like Zinedine Zidane and Ruben Amorim, while it remains the case that Jadon Sancho is likely to leave Old Trafford in January, though no one has come forward with a concrete approach so far.

Anthony Martial could also leave, depending on offers, but United hope to agree new contracts for Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Victor Lindelof, while there is not currently any plan to move Antony on. Marcus Rashford is also fully focused and committed to the club despite recently landing himself in trouble with Ten Hag for attending a birthday party shortly after the defeat in the Manchester Derby.

The post Exclusive: Another defender now more likely than Harry Maguire to seal transfer out of Man United in January appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea are reportedly looking to sign a new centre-back in the January transfer window.

That’s according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, who claim Mauricio Pochettino is desperate to bolster his backline despite already having seven centre-backs at his disposal.

Looking to bring in a new centre-back, Chelsea’s recruitment team, funded by US billionaire owner Todd Boehly, are thought to have drawn up a shortlist comprising of five young defenders.

Ousmane Diomande (Sporting Lisbon)

The Blues have scouted the 19-year-old defender on multiple occasions already this season with the player, who is believed to have a release clause of £69 million, meeting the club’s recruitment criteria.

Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)

Chelsea will almost certainly regret selling Guehi, who came through their youth academy, and that is because the Londoners are heavily linked with re-signing him.

The 23-year-old Englishman is one of the Premier League’s most in-demand defenders. In addition to Chelsea, both Manchester clubs, as well as Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, are all heavily linked with approaches (The Sun).

Antonio Silva (Benfica)

A huge admirer of Benfica’s Silva, Pochettino would reportedly love to sign the 20-year-old, but a release clause of £87 million is likely to postpone any January approach.

The Portuguese youngster is certainly one to watch for the future though.

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Leny Yoro (Lille)

Lille’s Yoro, aged just 17, is the youngest defender on Pochettino’s shortlist.

While he would be unlikely to be an instant first-team starter should the Premier League giants sign him in the new year, there is an overwhelming sense of expectation that it won’t take him long to develop into a leading defender.

The talented teenager has already played nine times in Ligue 1 and three times in Europe this season. Chelsea’s recruitment specialist Joe Sheilds is thought to be a huge fan of Yoro, whose contract with Lille is set to expire in 2025.

Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen)

And the fifth name thought to be on Chelsea’s shortlist is Bayer Leverkusen’s Tapsoba.

Heavily linked with a transfer to Spurs in the summer, the Burkinabe defender is one of Europe’s most highly rated defensive prospects, and that could see Chelsea inspired to make a mid-season move. Like all of the names already mentioned though, Leverkusen’s number 12 won’t come cheap.

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There are a host of Premier League clubs reportedly in the running to sign Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

That’s according to a recent report from The Sun, who claims several of the country’s top clubs are big admirers of the young Englishman.

Both Manchester clubs and Arsenal have all been credited with wanting to sign Guehi, 23, but while the defender is likely to leave Selhurst Park next summer, his next destination remains unknown.

Interestingly, Chelsea, whose academy Guehi came through as a youngster, are also in the mix to sign the highly-rated 23-year-old.

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However, the Blues are less likely to sign the centre-back if his eventual transfer fee goes too high – something Palace are hoping for as they prepare for Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s £50 million record sale to Manchester United in 2019 to be broken.

Arsenal, in particular, have a good recent record of identifying young English talent and that has been proven by their summer acquisition of Declan Rice. Although the Gunners spent a whopping £105 million on the former West Ham captain, very few fans and pundits have referenced the midfielder’s price tag since his move; testament to how impactful he’s been.

Whether or not Arteta can beat Pep Guardiola to Guehi’s signature remains to be seen, but with the Arsenal boss reportedly viewing the Palace man as a key part of his long-term strategy, and few prepared to argue the Arsenal project isn’t one of football’s most exciting, there is a genuine possibility the Gunners can beat rival interest again.

Consequently, when it comes to Chelsea potentially bringing back one of their old players, fans won’t be feeling too hopeful despite US billionaire owner Todd Boehly’s huge spend since succeeding Roman Abramovich in May 2022.

The post Chelsea set to miss out on Premier League defender amid rivals’ interest appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal are keen on signing the Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

The 23-year-old has established himself as one of the finest young defenders in the Premier league and his performances have attracted the attention of a number of English clubs. The likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are all keeping tabs on the England international, but Crystal Palace are likely to demand the premium for him.

A report from the Sun claims that Arsenal are huge admirers of the defender and they are hoping to beat their Premier League rivals to his signature.

Crystal Palace are unlikely to sanction his departure midway through the season and therefore any transfer would have to wait until the summer transfer window.

The Gunners could certainly use more depth in the central defence and Guehi would be a superb acquisition. He could be the ideal long-term partner for William Saliba at the heart of the defence.

Signing another quality young central defender would sort out the Arsenal defensive unit for the foreseeable future.

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The 23-year-old Crystal Palace defender will certainly be tempted to join a big club and Arsenal will be able to offer him Champions League football as well.

Regular football at a big club would help him cement his place in the England starting lineup as well. It remains to be seen whether Crystal Palace are ready to let him leave for a reasonable price in the coming months. Ideally, Arsenal will not want to enter into a bidding war for the player or pay over the odds for his services.

The post Arsenal eyeing up a move for 23-year-old defender, three other PL clubs keen appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has provided an update on the future of Crystal Palace stars Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi.

Both of them are key players for Crystal Palace who will be desperate to keep hold of them amid interest from top Premier League clubs.

Eze was subject to a bid from Manchester City on deadline day in the summer transfer window. Meanwhile Guehi has attracted interest from the likes of Manchester United.

Jones claims Palace want to tie both the players down as they intend to bring something special at Selhrust Park.

New contracts would also mean Palace will be in a strong position to demand top money if they have to sell them.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones said:

“Palace will want to tie him down [Eze]. We can see that this is a club who have little intention of letting players like him leave, same with Guehi.

They want to build something at Palace. But the very least, if they’re going to lose these players, then it has to be for top dollar.

So you look to tie these players down, first and foremost, because you have got to protect their value and protect the club. But secondly, you want to also keep them so you can build something at Crystal Palace.”

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Arsenal will prioritise a move for 25-year-old PL star in January

Nov 24 2023, 11:35

Palace are currently 13th in the table having won 3, drawn 3 and lost 4 games this season.

The post Crystal Palace looking to tie down two key players amid interest from Manchester City and Manchester United appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Man United’s hierarchy look set to let Erik ten Hag down again as the club cannot afford to sign one of their top centre-back targets in January

That is according to Football Insider, who reports that the Manchester club will turn their attention to signing low-cost alternatives to their top centre-back targets as the Red Devils don’t have the resources to spend during the winter window.

This comes after the club failed to land Ten Hag a centre-back over the summer and that has come back to bite them following injuries to Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez already this season.

This also means that none of their current centre-backs will be leaving the club as the Dutch coach is left to work with what he currently has.

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Mikel Arteta confirms Arsenal star with four appearances will start vs Brentford

Nov 24 2023, 11:56

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Nov 24 2023, 11:35

Man United were interested in Goncalo Inacio and Jean-Clair Todibo over the summer and were linked with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi ahead of the January window.

Any one of these would have been a great addition to United’s squad but no reinforcements will be arriving at Old Trafford, which is not what fans of the club want to hear given their poor start to the season.

The post Man United set to let Erik ten Hag down again by abandoning signing player for key position appeared first on CaughtOffside.