Ange Postecoglou’s one-man campaign to keep done deals aflame continues apace. Having moved on one versatile holding midfielder in Eric Dier, on loan to Bayern Munich, Tottenham are reported to be back in talks with the Bundesliga side … this time with up to £60m in a back pocket in exchange for the signature of Joshua Kimmich.
Postecoglou may, however, be thwarted by Thomas Frank in his attempts to land Antonio Nusa, the “Norwegian Neymar” – Brentford are thought to be closing on a £30m move for the tricky Club Brugge winger. It may not hold off talk of Ivan Toney moving on – the Bees could loan Nusa back to Brugge until the summer, so the striker may never get to see what kind of crosses this young buck might feasibly chuck his way.
Spurs have also been linked with Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher this month. But while uncertainty over their midfielder persists, Mauricio Pochettino simply can’t stop getting himself linked to new forwards. Suggestions that the likes of Victor Osimhen and Karim Benzema could be heading Stamford Bridge-wards have lended a persistent bassy thrum to this window, but a mooted move for Jonathan David may be more plausible. Napoli and Manchester United have also reportedly batted eyelashes at the 24-year-old Canadian international, who flew to 24 league goals for Lille last season but is down at six from 19 games so far this time around.
Jumping ahead a window. Paris Saint-Germain are noting Newcastle’s balance sheet with interest and would like to know more about release clauses in the five-year contract that Bruno Guimarães signed in October. “I’m delighted to get Bruno signed and committed to the long-term future of the football club,” Eddie Howe said at the time. “But an eye-popping offer of £100m next summer could send all that paperwork to the shredder,” he might well have added.
Divock Origi’s ill-fated loan spell at Nottingham Forest appears likely to end this week. Still only 28, the 2019 Champions League securer and 2018 Jordan Pickford befuddler is in talks with Forest and parent club Milan to bin one temporary deal and exchange it for another at the MLS side Los Angeles FC. Another occasional Liverpool folk hero, Nat Phillips, whose Celtic loan ended this month, is a fair bet to get his head on more or less everything airborne at either Leeds or Cardiff for the rest of the season.
Blackburn are also reportedly interested in a loan move for Phillips, and Newcastle may find themselves battling for the signature of the Championship side’s England youth international Adam Wharton, with Crystal Palace getting the bidding rolling for the midfielder at just below the £20m mark.
One deal to look out for today: Angeliño to Roma. The left-back has racked up eight clubs since signing for Manchester City in 2015, and Leipzig have reportedly reached an agreement with Galatasaray to end his loan spell in Turkey to facilitate a temporary move to Italy, with an option to buy this summer.
