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Crystal Palace are still searching for a new striker as the January transfer deadline approaches.

Roy Hodgson has been desperate to bolster his forward options to help lessen the goalscoring burden on Wilfried Zaha. Christian Benteke has struggled for form and fitness this season and Jordan Ayew has failed to have the desired impact during his loan spell. Despite Connor Wickham netting last week, a new forward would help them steer them away from danger.

Time is quickly running out for Palace to bolster their attacking options and Hodgson has limited time available. His best chance of completing a deal could be a loan move. With few options currently available, the ex-England manager should return to his former employers to solve his problems.

One man he could look to is Liverpool outcast – Divock Origi. Valued at £9m by Transfermarkt, the Belgian was expected to leave the club in the summer after slipping down the pecking order. However, Origi made himself a hero on the Kop again after netting the winner in the Merseyside derby. Since then, he has been overlooked after struggling away to Burnley.

The former Lille man will be eager to prove himself in the Premier League and moving to Palace could help him relaunch his career. A pacey, powerful forward with an eye for goal, his arrival would give Hodgson the quality option he has been searching for in attack. If he can rediscover his confidence quickly, he would be scoring for fun alongside Zaha at Selhurst Park.

With his Liverpool contract set to expire in 2020, the Reds are unlikely to stand in his way should he choose to depart and Palace could secure his services at a great price in the summer.

Crystal Palace fans, thoughts?

Crystal Palace and Southampton are both eyeing moves for Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks, according to The Daily Star.

The Lowdown: Winks’ lack of game-time

The 26-year-old has struggled to become a regular for Spurs this season, starting just nine Premier League games.

He has regularly featured in cup competitions but doesn’t appear to be in Antonio Conte’s first-choice XI, playing just two league minutes in Tottenham’s last four games.

Winks is out of contract in 2024, and it seems as if a move across London could well be on the cards this summer.

The Latest: Palace keen on Winks

The Daily Star shared a story regarding Winks on Saturday evening, revealing that both Palace and Southampton are keen on a move for the 26-year-old.

Spurs will reportedly listen to sensible offers for the midfielder over the coming months, with the player not featuring in Conte’s long-term plans.

The Verdict: Smart target?

Even though Winks has fallen out of favour in north London, he could still be a shrewd signing by Patrick Vieira for Palace. The England international has been labelled by Paul Robinson as ‘one of the best’ who ‘dominates the game’, and he has a wealth of Premier League experience.

You could argue that he should be in the prime of his career at the age of 26, and with a Transfermarkt valuation of £15.3m, a move could be one to keep an eye on for Eagles fans over the coming months.

Vieira also has just five defensive and central midfielders on the books on a permanent basis, two of whom are out of contract over the next few months, so that could be in Palace’s thinking when it comes to their interest in Winks.

In other news: ‘Appalling…’ – Matt Woosnam fumes as off-field news involving Crystal Palace is confirmed

Newcastle United have made a late attempt to hijack Aston Villa’s move for Lucas Digne, according to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg. 

The lowdown: Digne on the move

It emerged on Sunday evening that Villa are deep in talks with Everton over a deal for the left-back.

Digne’s future looks to lie away from Goodison Park after he fell out with manager Rafael Benitez and The Toffees subsequently paid £17million for another left-back – Vitaliy Mykolenko.

Newcastle meanwhile have already strengthened one of their defensive flanks this month, bringing in Kieran Trippier from reigning La Liga champions Atletico Madrid.

The latest

Sky Germany reporter Plettenberg wrote on Twitter on Monday evening that, ‘in the last few hours’, Newcastle had ‘raised their offer’ for Digne.

But it may be too late, with The Frenchman’s Villa medical potentially taking place within 48 hours.

Indeed, Digne’s move to the Midlands outfit was described as ‘close to be[ing] done’.

The verdict

If Newcastle really have made a last-gap attempt, then it suggests they may be looking to build a whole new back four this month, for in addition to Trippier, they’re reportedly looking to bring in two centre-backs.

Their only hope is that their intervention has given Digne cold feet, and that he may yet change his mind at the 11th hour.

If they don’t land him, though, it isn’t a disaster. Howe should perhaps show more faith in £14.85million 2020 signing Jamal Lewis, who’s only started four games this season but was in good form before his injury.

His performance against Burnley at the start of December – still Newcastle’s only Premier League win this season – showed real promise. He won five out of nine ground duels, making four tackles, and came up with four clearances.

Lewis is currently still out with a hamstring issue, but should be able to return later this month (via Newcastle World).

In other news, Newcastle have made an approach over this attacking target.

Celtic have been name-checked with an interest in Bologna left-back Aaron Hickey by Calciomercato.com.

The Lowdown: Hickey in Italy

Hickey, who shares the same agent as Hoops star David Turnbull, has been in Italy for just over a year now. He left Hearts for Bologna in a deal worth just £1.53m and has gone on to make 32 appearances – 20 of which have come this season.

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Capable of playing as a left-back or left-midfielder, the 19-year-old, labelled as a player with ‘quality’ by Bologna manager Sinisa Mihajlovic, has scored five Serie A goals in 2021/22 after being linked with a move to Celtic over the summer.

The Hoops valued Hickey at £4m compared to Bologna’s £8m asking price, but it seems as if they’re still keen on his services heading into 2022.

The Latest: Late-night news

Calciomercato.com shared a story late on Thursday evening regarding Hickey.

They claimed that the defender has ended up in the sights of Burnley, Celtic and Manchester City, with his current deal running until 2024.

The Verdict: Left-back wanted

Ange Postecoglou seemingly has his eyes set on bringing in a new left-back in the New Year, presumably to challenge Greg Taylor.

Barnsley’s Callum Styles and Hibernian’s Josh Doig are just two names that have been mentioned in recent weeks, and it appears as if the Hoops are still keeping tabs on Hickey.

Reo Hatate looks set to move to Parkhead in January, however, he is reportedly viewed as a midfield addition, even though he can play at left-back.

On that basis, you’d expect that the Hoops could launch a move for Styles, Doig or Hickey over the coming weeks, and should one arrive, Celtic could then look to move on outcast Boli Bolingoli, who has hardly featured this season and was linked with an exit over the summer.

In other news: Ange may look to sign 3rd Irishman for Celtic who can play in 3 positions – reliable journalist. 

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s attempts to add further signings to their ranks in January…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has revealed that the Magpies are unlikely to sign Divock Origi or Dominic Solanke this month as they go in search of a striker to bolster their squad.

He tweeted: “Understand Newcastle haven’t gone in for Burnley’s Chris Wood, as it stands, but he has been put to them (same agents as Trippier). One of several striking options being considered. Azmoun of Zenit among them but Origi/Solanke unlikely, I’m told. Either way, NUFC need to act fast.”

Howe will be gutted

This update will surely leave Newcastle manager Eddie Howe feeling gutted, as both Origi and Solanke are strikers who could come in and make an impact at St James’ Park in the second half of the campaign.

The Belgian is a proven Premier League performer and the Englishman is a player who the 44-year-old knows well from his time at Bournemouth in the top flight.

Upon signing him for the Cherries in 2019, Howe said this about the ex-Liverpool man: “Dominic is technically gifted, very athletic and has the physical profile that will give us something different in our front line.

“He has done very well for England at various age groups, has a huge amount of potential and I’m really excited about working with him.”

This shows that he rates Solanke highly, which is why he will be gutted a deal now appears to be off the cards this month, especially given the striker’s form this season. The 24-year-old has scored 18 goals in 25 Championship matches for Bournemouth, after managing 15 last term, and this suggests that he could be ready for another shot at the top flight.

Meanwhile, Origi has won the Premier League and Champions League for Liverpool, scoring in the final of the latter. He has found the back of the net 40 times in 167 matches for the Merseyside club, showing that he knows how to score at the very top level.

This is another reason why Howe will be gutted with this update from Hope, as the Belgian could have come in and scored vital goals for Newcastle. The ex-Bournemouth boss will now be hoping that quality alternatives are identified and brought in as quickly as possible to bolster his attacking options, especially with injured top scorer Callum Wilson facing several weeks on the sidelines.

AND in other news, “We understand”: Keith Downie drops big NUFC transfer claim which will leave fans gutted…

Newcastle United target Boubacar Kamara intends to leave Marseille on a free transfer, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein. 

The lowdown

The Tyneside club tried to sign the 22-year-old on transfer deadline day in August but he rejected both them and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Circumstances are now significantly different at St James’ Park, though, with the takeover complete and Eddie Howe installed as Steve Bruce’s replacement.

Kamara’s £46,000-per-week contract at the Stade Velodrome is due to expire at the end of the season, which means he would be able to agree a summer move to a foreign club from January 1.

The latest

As per The Athletic, Marseille have recently tried to persuade Kamara to commit to a new deal, but it has been deemed ‘too late’. The Ligue 1 outfit could make one final push to keep him at the club, but it seems that the player himself has already decided not to agree a new contract and is set to leave as a free agent next June.

‘Lines of communication’ remain open with Newcastle, but he is also attracting interest from elsewhere in the Premier League, with Manchester United reportedly keeping tabs. Bayern Munich and Barcelona are in the frame as well, so the competition is pretty daunting for the Magpies.

The verdict

It will be interesting to see whether Newcastle pursue a cut-price January deal or seek to line up a summer move for Kamara.

The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson reported that players in the final six months of their contracts would be prime targets for PIF in the winter.

Hailed as a ‘phenomenon’ by former team-mate Rolando, the 22-year-old would be a real statement signing for the new ownership at St James’ Park given the calibre of the competition and his immense potential. Indeed, Ornstein wrote that the defensive midfielder is regarded as one of the best emerging talents in his position in world football.

That position isn’t fixed, either – he can also play as a centre-back and on the right, further enhancing his appeal to Newcastle after Bruce’s unsuccessful attempts to bring him to the club earlier this year.

In other news, Newcastle are also eyeing this Premier League ace

Aston Villa will begin life under Steven Gerrard when they take on Brighton and Hove Albion following the international break, and the new manager faces an extensive list of issues to resolve if he’s to turn things around and steady the ship.

Getting the best out of both Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins, reinstating Douglas Luiz and getting Tyrone Mings back to his best will be high up the 41-year-old’s agenda, but unlocking Emi Buendia’s true potential will surely be his priority.

The 24-year-old arrived at Villa Park for a club-record £33m over the summer and was hailed as a “great addition” by former boss Dean Smith after signing a five-year deal.

“We are delighted to have made such an exciting signing so early in the summer,” said Smith.”Emiliano is equally capable as a wide attacker or as a number 10 and is a great addition to our attacking options.”

It was hoped that Buendia would plug the gap that Jack Grealish left behind went he departed for Manchester City, yet the Argentina international has so far found life tough at the Premier League outfit.

After bagging 15 goals and providing 17 assists in 41 appearances last season as Norwich Citycruised to the Championship title, the £18m-rated creative genius was named the Canaries’ player of the season. 

However, he’s failed to translate eye-catching exploits at Carrow Road into standout performances at Villa in the early stages of his career with his new club.

Earning around £75k-per-week at Villa Park, Buendia has only completed the full 90 minutes on one occasion after making seven top-flight starts throughout 2021/22, highlighting his peripheral role within the squad, and when looking at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to understand why.

As per SofaScore, the versatile attacker created just two big chances in his 546 minutes of Premier League action, has averaged just 1.1 dribbles per game, 35.7 touches and has provided a single goal and one assist.

With Grealish gone, the player who was lauded as a “special talent” by former teammate Ben Gibson and a “game-changer” by ex-boss Daniel Farke must now step up and showcase his truly top-class potential on the biggest stage of all.

It will be up to Gerrard to devise a system, style and set of tactics that allow the Argentine to shine, and if the young tactician can do so, he could revive Buendia’s career and continue his progression as a manager in the process.

And, in other news…Gerrard must instantly reinstate £31.5m-rated Villa “star” who’s “among the best”

According to a report from Brazilian news outlet Vasco Noticias, Wolves are among the clubs battling to sign Vasco da Gama starlet Andrey Santos. 

The lowdown: Neves replacement?

This comes as speculation increases surrounding the future of talismanic Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.

Already linked with Barcelona, Manchester United and Arsenal in recent days, the future of the 25-year-old at Molineux appears to be in serious doubt.

A report from South America has now highlighted a possible long-term successor…

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The latest: Wolves in the mix for Santos

As per the report from Vasco Noticias, the Old Gold have joined Benfica, Monaco and AC Milan in the race to sign 17-year-old midfielder Santos in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Wolves have made an ‘enquiry’ over the teenager but ‘no conversations’ have yet progressed to a formal offer being made as Bruno Lage attempts to strengthen the ranks in the Midlands.

A previous report from UOL had cited interest from Barcelona and Everton in the six-cap Brazil under-16 starlet.

The verdict: Get it done

Albeit only a sample size of four fleeting senior appearances from which to judge, the fact that Santos has already made strides into first-team action at such a tender age is a testament to his prodigious talents.

Despite possessing a €30m (£25m) buyout clause, it has been reported that Vasco da Gama would be willing to sell their teenage star for between €6m and €7m (£5m-£6m).

At that price, this deal would represent a relatively low-risk option for Wolves should Neves indeed depart, and given the levels of top European interest, those in power at Molineux should be actively attempting to bring Santos to the Black Country.

In other news, Wolves man wanted by Portuguse giants. Find out who it is here.

Despite already signing two new players already, Everton were rumoured to be interested in signing their third, with Phillippe Coutinho linked with a move to Goodison Park, but Fabrizio Romano may have just put a dampener on it.

What’s the word?

Transfer insider, Romano, took to his Twitter account this afternoon to claim that Aston Villa have accelerated their interest in the Brazilian forward, Tweeting;

“Aston Villa are in direct contact with Philippe Coutinho agent to negotiate potential loan move, as first reported by @tjcope @helenacondis. It’s not a done deal/agreed yet.

“Coutinho has been discussed with 3 Premier League clubs. He’s open and prepared to leave Barça.”

This could be a huge blow to Rafa Benitez’s transfer plans, as the club was named as one of the teams interested in acquiring the player during this transfer window.

Everton fans will be livid

Despite the allegiance with fierce local rivals, Liverpool, Everton fans have been responding positively to the rumours that the club could be in contention to sign the £380k-per-week player, with many taking to social media to welcome the speculated move.

One Toffees fan Tweeted: “Like it or not, Coutinho walks into this current Everton side.”

Benitez could split the opinion between fans with the signing of Coutinho, but the rewards of having the attacking threat that the Brazilian has been proven to offer at Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Barcelona far outweigh the emotion of supporters not being happy to see a player who has scored against them three times in the Merseyside Derby during his time at Anfield.

Even though the forward has struggled to make an impact at Barcelona, he has scored 25 times and bagged 14 assists in 125 appearances for the club, but hasn’t been given the opportunity to establish form in the side, especially this season where he has only started in five games.

Everton need to start picking up points in the Premier League, currently sitting 15th in the table just six points ahead of the relegation zone, and adding players who are proven and experienced in getting results is essential for the side to revive their season in the short time they have left to fix it.

As a result, the idea of Coutinho joining their league rivals instead is sure to have left fans rather livid with proceedings.

In other news: Alan Myers reveals more about clubs chasing Lucas Digne

With the international break now firmly in the rear view mirror, Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa will be desperately hoping to pick up some much-needed momentum when his side take on Spurs on Sunday afternoon.

The Whites picked up four points from a possible six in their last two Premier League games before the internationals and will look to kick on when they make the trip to north London to face Antonio Conte’s side.

Bielsa was given a significant injury boost earlier in the week when Junior Firpo was declared fit, and he should be thrust straight into the starting line-up for the clash against Spurs.

While Firpo may not have been a regular starter at former club Barcelona last season – he played just 18 times in all competitions – he is the kind of attacking left-back who seems to be a perfect fit for Bielsa’s Leeds.

He was once tipped for big things by French defender Eric Abidal, who told Diario Sport (via Tribuna): “He’s a player with a lot of potential. He could be one of the best left-backs in the world. I always tell him that he must work hard and be aware of the (style of) play. He’s going to get better, for sure. It’s always difficult to get started at Barca.”

Speaking to The Yorkshire Evening Post, player analyst Josh Hobbs said of the flying full-back: “Going forwards, he’s a good dribbler – particularly when he gets up to speed and he can steam past players. He likes to play a pass into midfield and then sprint down the line to receive in behind and get into the box.

“His delivery in wide areas is usually a fizzed low cross, which is dangerous as often if the player at the front post misses it, can be met by somebody running centrally or to the back post.”

The £12.5m-rated machine is exactly what Leeds need to help break down Spurs and get their attacking play firing on all cylinders.

His pace and power down the left flank could cause problems for Conte’s back three and give the Whites a potent attacking threat which could really terrify Spurs if they’re not on their game.

Meanwhile, Leeds have been handed a transfer update on this star…