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Fans could not contain their laughter as France thrashed the Netherlands in their European Championships qualifier, with Memphis Depay summing up his side’s performance with an astonishingly bad penalty miss.The forward joined Atletico Madrid from Barcelona in the January transfer window, and has caused anger amongst Blaugrana fans for comments made about the club and former coach Ronald Koeman since departing.

However, Barcelona have seemingly had the last laugh, as Koeman’s return to the Netherlands job saw his side lose in humiliating fashion, with Depay dropping a disasterclass by missing a late penalty in what was a night to forget for the 28-year-old.

His poor penalty was initially saved by Mike Maignan, before the rebound fell to the £150k-per-week attacker, who could not generate enough power to grab a consolation, and fans were quick to highlight how poor his attempt was.

Depay also made an error leading to one of France’s goals, and will want to quickly put this performance behind him, but fans may not be so quick to forget. The best of the reaction can be seen below.

Tottenham Hotspur's new right wing-back Pedro Porro is quickly becoming one of the most popular members of the squad inside Hotspur Way.

What has Pedro Porro done so far at Spurs?

Since landing in north London, the Spanish wing-back has had to be patient for his opportunity in the starting XI with Emerson Royal impressing in recent months.

But the 23-year-old has begun to show signs of what he could bring Tottenham having provided his first assist for the club on the weekend.

And it seems as if the defender has not been sulking behind the scenes with Alasdair Gold suggesting he has quickly become a popular member of the side at Hotspur Way.

Not only has he earned the friendship of his teammates, but it also seems he has earned their trust on the pitch – none more so than with Harry Kane:

"He's very popular within the squad already. He's a bit like Sonny [Son Heung-min] – he's kind of always got a smile on his face and that immediately kind of brings him into the squad atmosphere and everyone seems to like him.

"I guess it's been about trying to adapt, blend in, get to know the other players, become this kind of member of the squad that they can trust with the ball, and you can see that; Harry Kane especially keeps looking for him with his passes."

What can Pedro Porro bring to this Spurs side?

Throughout the campaign, Spurs have struggled on the whole with a lack of attacking intent from their options at right wing-back which saw them make changes during the winter window.

Emerson has impressed lately, however, on the whole, the Brazilian does not provide much of an attacking threat in Antonio Conte's set-up.

Over the course of the Brazilian's 31 appearances in all competitions this season, he has only been able to provide a return of just two goals and one assist.

To put that into context, Porro has only made four appearances in the Premier League and he has already matched Emerson's assists return for the campaign.

In comparison, this season, Porro has provided significantly more crosses into the penalty area as well as returning almost double the amount of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (via FBref).

It has to be recognised Emerson could still provide Spurs with a useful option given he has proven to be sound defensively.

The Brazilian has offered just over double the number of tackles per 90 minutes in comparison to Porro this season, potentially offering Spurs an option for games they expect to be put under serious pressure.

But to have a player who is finally able to offer a real attacking threat has to be exciting for all at Spurs but most of all Kane who will be hoping for more crosses like the one for his opening goal on the weekend.

Newcastle United are on the hunt for Champions League football in the 2023/24 campaign and are currently sitting fifth in the table as it stands.

The Magpies have two games in hand on Tottenham Hotspur, in fourth, and would go above their rivals and into the top four if they won those matches.

Irrespective of whether or not the club are competing in Europe’s premier competition next season, Dan Ashworth and Eddie Howe could look to bolster the squad by dipping into the market in the summer transfer window.

What’s the latest on Newcastle’s interest in Kieran Tierney?

The Sunday Mirror have reported that the Magpies are keen on signing Kieran Tierney from Premier League rivals Arsenal at the end of the season.

He is said to be open to the idea of moving to St. James’ Park as the defender is keen on regular first-team football and that could open the door for Ashworth to swoop in the summer.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke recently told GIVEMESPORT that the 5 foot 10 full-back would be an “upgrade” on the club’s current left-back options, something backed up by his statistics in recent campaigns.

Oleksandr Zinchenko has usurped the Scotland international this season but the ex-Celtic man did catch the eye with his performances in the top-flight last term.

Tierney averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.93 across 22 starts in the division. The full-back created 0.9 chances per match and won 61% of his ground duels, which shows that he was fairly consistent at both ends of the pitch in creating opportunities for his teammates and winning physical battles for the side.

Dan Burn, meanwhile, has averaged a score of 6.84 and managed 0.4 key passes per match. The giant defender has also lost 59% of his ground duels in the top flight, although the gem has won 68% of his aerial contests, with these statistics indicating that Tierney would be a big upgrade on the Englishman in terms of his defending on the deck and his attacking quality.

Ray Parlour once hailed the £110k-per-week Arsenal defender as an “exciting” player and his 1.1 key passes per game and five ‘big chances’ created in 26 Premier League starts in 2020/21 backs that up, as the left-back has proven his ability to consistently create chances for his team at the top level.

The 25-year-old, who registered 37 assists in 180 matches for Celtic earlier in his career, is also five years younger than Burn and could, therefore, offer more to the club as a long-term asset.

Tierney was once dubbed a “machine” by journalist Simon Collings and the fact that the enforcer has won at least 61% of his ground duels in three of his four Premier League campaigns suggests that he is a monster in physical battles and could be a strong defender for the Magpies.

Add in his age and the huge attacking boost he would give the side, in comparison to Burn, and that is why Ashworth must sign the Scottish battler.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has praised Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper for handling the “outrageous” number of new signings made this season.

What’s the word?

After being promoted to the Premier League, the club spent big in the summer on a series of new transfers for players such as Jesse Lingard, Taiwo Awoniyi, Neco Williams, and Emmanuel Dennis.
This winter, Forest then went and added even more new players to their ranks, taking their total number of incomings across the last two transfer windows to a whopping 30 (via ESPN).
Despite all the chaos of players coming and going, Cooper has managed to keep the ship steady this season and guided the team to an important 1-0 home win over Leeds United on the weekend.
In reaction to it all, while speaking live on BBC 606, Sutton praised the manager, saying: “It’s sort of outrageous, the amount of players that Nottingham Forest have signed, isn’t it?
“But the end justifies the means and Steve Cooper has done an amazing job gelling all these players together.”

Who next?

The win at the weekend saw Forest beat potential relegation rivals Leeds, moving them up to 13th in the table with 24 points after 21 games – six points above the bottom three.
Incidentally, in that game, Forest handed out a debut to one of the club’s new key signings Keylor Navas who joined on loan from PSG until the end of the season.

The goalkeeper ertainly delivered in his first match too as he made a number of fine saves to keep a clean sheet and earn himself the man of the match accolade along the way.

Seeing as Navas is the latest example of Cooper managing his ever-changing squad admirably, it’s only right that the Forest manager earns his own plaudits from the media too.

Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Jorginho on deadline day…

What’s the word?

That’s according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, who has provided a major update on the Gunners’ pursuit of the Chelsea midfielder.

“Arsenal advancing towards agreement to sign Jorginho from Chelsea. 31yo Italy midfielder now most likely #DeadlineDay recruit. Acceptance at #AFC that Brighton stance on Moises Caicedo means pursuit of 21yo Ecuadorian is over,” he tweeted.

He then added:

“Arsenal have agreed deal with Chelsea to sign Jorginho. Worth £12m & personal terms in place on contract to summer 2024 + option to extend by 1yr. Expected at #AFC training ground today to undergo medical + complete #DeadlineDay move.”

Time to forget Caicedo?

Just as the reliable journalist suggests, this all but ends their interest in the Brighton and Hove Albion star, which is hardly a surprise given their mooted £80m asking price – an amount that would shatter the club’s record fee.

The 31-year-old is a vastly experienced leader, having made 213 appearances for the Blues since his £50m move from Napoli in July 2019. During his time at Stamford Bridge, the Brazil-born Italy international has clinched a Champions League winners medal, with that triumph only being 18 months ago.

He’d come at a far cheaper price, you’d imagine and with wages thought to be in the region of £110k-per-week, he wouldn’t be among the Gunners’ top, top earners, with as many as six current stars earning more

Once lauded as a “beast” by writer Mark Worrall, the Blues veteran is very much of a different profile to what Mikel Arteta currently has in Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey as he’s arguably a more defensive choice than either but he’s a quality candidate that’s capable of dictating games with his passing.

Jorginho remains one of the best players in Europe in this regard – compared his positional peers across the top five divisions, he ranks inside the top 6% for completed and attempted passes, which extends to the top 5% for short and top 7% for medium-range passes. Whilst he even sits among the top 7% for passes into the final third, further highlighting his ability to dictate play with consistency.

Also per FBref, the Italian “game-changer” – in the words of content creator George Benson – even sits among the top 8% for dribbles tackled and the top 10% for ball recoveries, so evidently, he could be capable of playing a large role on the Gunners’ way to, potentially, the Premier League title.

It’s, therefore, time for the Emirates faithful to forget about Caicedo as Ornstein suggests, it’s going to be a move for Jorginho on deadline day instead.

AND in other news,  Arsenal could now sign “new Sergio Busquets” in swoop for £53m “baller”…

Liverpool have ‘already’ held talks over the signing of Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham as Sky Sports share a potentially promising transfer update.

The Lowdown: Reds eye Bellingham…

It is perhaps the worse kept secret in Premier League football that the Reds and manager Jurgen Klopp want to sign Bellingham as updates emerge consistently.

Reports have suggested that Liverpool have been firmly in the race for Dortmund’s superstar midfielder since as far back as last summer with the Anfield side looking to fight their way back to the top.

Klopp’s men are out of the title race as frontrunners Man City, Arsenal and Man United move further and further into the distance. Planning for next season now could be a crucial for FSG and the Merseyside giants with Bellingham still front and centre of their plans.

So much so, they’ve already held talks over the player whilst making a big proposal – that he could be the next Steven Gerrard.

The Latest: Liverpool talks ‘held’ for Bellingham…

That is according to Sky Sports and Sky Sports Germany, via their live blog and reporter Kaveh Solhekol (19/01, 17:42), who claim Liverpool are also optimistic over signing Bellingham in the summer.

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Solhekol explained:

“No official offer has been made by Liverpool yet, But according to Sky Germany, Liverpool are offering him the possibility of becoming the new Steven Gerrard.

“We know lots of clubs are potentially interested in signing him in the summer – Real Madrid, Liverpool, PSG, Chelsea, Man City.

“But Sky Germany are saying this afternoon that Liverpool are optimistic of signing him in the summer and talks have already been held.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Bellingham’s possible signing this year would upgrade Klopp’s options at Anfield to no end.

As per WhoScored, the England international tops Dortmund’s charts for shots at goal, dribbles completed and fouls drawn per 90 – backing his real creativity and threat in the forward areas.

The 6 foot 1 teenage talent is also a very well-rounded midfielder and can contribute defensively – averaging a higher rate of successful tackles per 90 than any of his teammates in the Bundesliga.

Standing out as their best-performing player by average match rating, the numbers suggest Bellingham can contribute majorly in all areas of the pitch.

It’s little wonder pundit Owen Hargreaves has described the midfielder as a ‘swiss army knife’ who can ‘do everything’.

Hargreaves also called the player ‘aggressive’ whilst other members of the media have called Bellingham a ‘monster’ – with there being no shortage of plaudits or admiration.

It’s clear Liverpool need to prioritise a move.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that Everton may look to sign Ben Brereton Diaz in the January transfer market.

What’s the latest?

With the winter market now open, plenty of players will be linked with numerous Premier League clubs over the next month. And the Blackburn Rovers striker is one man who has now been tipped to make the step up from the Championship.

Indeed, in a recent interview with GiveMeSport, Jones said that the Toffees could be keen on trying to sign Coventry City man Viktor Gyokeres and then Brereton Diaz in the hopes of landing either player in January.

He said: “It wouldn’t surprise me if they go after both Gyokeres and Brereton Diaz at the same time to just see what becomes possible. I’m not sure they could do a deal for both of those players, but at least to know that they could get one through the door so they have some potential for goals.”

Everton striker salvation

Seeing as Everton lost Richarlison in the summer, they were always going to have a tough time replacing his goals. He netted ten times in the league last term to help save the club from the drop.

This term, however, no player in the squad has managed more than four goals in the division, with Demarai Gray sitting on that many and then behind him Antony Gordon on three, while new striker Neal Maupay has just one.

What’s more, key striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has not been able to stay fit of late – with just five league starts all season – and so he can’t really be relied upon for regular goals.

Brereton Diaz, who has been hailed as ‘extraordinary’ and has ‘many qualities’, however, has had no issues with injuries or struggles finding the back of the next for Blackburn in recent times. Indeed, in the Championship so far he has nine goals and three assists in 25 outings.

With that in mind, it’s easy to see why he may be chased by the Toffees this winter.

Arsenal full-back Cedric Soares is reportedly being eyed for a January transfer move away from the north London club. 

The Lowdown: Soares’ season so far

This season has seen the 31-year-old make just four appearances for the Gunners across all competitions, starting just one of them.

This suggests that the right-back is not particularly prominent in Mikel Arteta’s plans, with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu both ahead in the pecking order.

With the January transfer window close to opening for business, the Portuguese defender has found himself being watched by numerous clubs.

The Latest: Soares eyed for January exit

According to a recent report from European media outlet Foot Mercato, fellow Premier League side Fulham are keen on signing Cedric in January on a loan deal with a mandatory option to buy.

The report also adds that Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid have their eyes on the defender, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £75k-per-week at the Emirates.

The Verdict: A decision for Arteta

The only game Cedric started this season saw him complete the full 90 minutes of Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup.

During this game, the defender failed to make even one tackle or interception in the game, as well as managing to give the ball away on 18 occasions, which makes it easy to see why he hasn’t been a regular figure in the team.

Taking into account the lack of regular game time this season, it could be said that moving him out of the club in January for a suitable fee would be a good move for all parties.

Despite previously being praised for his “fantastic” performances in an Arsenal shirt by former Gunners player Gilberto Silva, if a suitable transfer offer comes in for the 31-year-old next month, we feel that Arsenal should definitely consider accepting it.

Everton are renowned for their transfer disasters and Moise Kean is certainly one player who could be considered as one of the worst signings made under Farhad Moshiri. However, a reliable source has provided an update on the striker’s future that could hugely benefit the club.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed more details about Kean’s future and prospective permanent move to Juventus.

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast on November 24th, Romano claimed:

“For Moise Kean, the situation is pretty clear, Juventus will buy him on a permanent deal from Everton. It’s just a matter of time and everything will be completed in 2023. So for Everton, it’s also important news as they will make money with Moise Kean.”

Rare Moshiri masterclass

Indeed, Moshiri has rarely got it right over the last six years when it comes to transfer business but the latest development surrounding Kean’s future could be a masterclass for the Everton owner.

The Italian striker was signed for an initial fee of £25.1m back in 2019 but failed to hit the ground running at Goodison Park, scoring four goals and registering just two assists over 39 appearances before being shipped off on loan after just one full season with the Toffees.

Kean made a season-long loan move to Paris Saint-Germain and then returned to his former club Juventus for a two-year loan where he has scored four goals in 13 appearances so far this season.

It is reported that Juventus have a £24m obligation to buy Kean, something they have been keen to renegotiate in order to permanently sign the 22-year-old. However, Everton have stood strong on their opportunity to make a profit on the player.

Including wages covered over the last 18 months as well as the obligation to buy the total fee is expected to be around €38m (£33m), which means Everton have profited enormously from signing Kean which will surely delight Moshiri.

With that being said, the promise of some incoming cash will be a huge boost for Everton in the summer when they look to reinvest in the team. Moshiri will be thankful that not only the club has finally cut ties with the player but that Everton are able to recoup some money from the failed transfer.

Chelsea are in desperate need of reinforcements in their team after a poor start in the Premier League has left them eighth in the league table and now a new update has emerged on a potential new transfer target who could save the season.

What’s the latest?

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Chelsea are “looking at” the potential of bringing in a number nine, and signing Brentford striker Ivan Toney could be an option.

O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT:

“I think Chelsea long-term will be looking to bring in a number nine, probably this summer.

“I don’t think Pierre Emerick Aubameyang is the long-term answer due to his form and his age probably.

“So, I think Chelsea will be looking at him [Toney]. If you’re looking at Premier League strikers and ones that are probably more gettable than others, Ivan Toney definitely comes into the reckoning.”

Boehly can finally ditch Lukaku

If Chelsea are serious about targeting a brand new number nine in the summer of 2023, it could spell the end of the £97.5m nightmare featuring Romelu Lukaku as Todd Boehly could ditch the banished striker who is currently on a season-long loan with Inter Milan after a disastrous return to Stamford Bridge.

Toney has been a stand-out performer in the Premier League this season with Brentford and has been constantly put into conversations about the potential of going to the World Cup in Qatar with England over the last few months, but ultimately missed out.

Despite the snub from Gareth Southgate, it is without question that the forward, who is thought to be valued at around £40m, has the talent to take the next step in his career and Chelsea could provide that if they do make a move for the goal machine.

Over 14 league appearances, Toney has scored 10 goals, delivered two assists and created six big chances, as well as averaging 1.1 key passes, 1.1 clearances, 2.9 shots and 6.1 duels won per game, with only Harry Kane and Erling Haaland scoring more goals than the Bees star so far.

The 26-year-old has been the recipient of high praise for his performances at the Brentford Community Stadium over the last 18 months, with manager Thomas Frank hailing Toney a “lion” and “very intelligent” in an analysis of the striker’s form:

“Ivan is very intelligent, because he’s reflecting, and he deserves a lot of praise himself for also coming into a well-run club and listening to all the small bits and adding extra layers to his development and performance.”

“He’s coming across so fantastically: he’s humble, calm, but with a mindset of a lion.”

So far, the Blues have scored the fewest amount of goals in the top half of the table despite signing Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Raheem Sterling in the summer to strengthen the attacking threat.

With that being said, if Toney continues to score at the rate he has this season there is no doubt that Chelsea will be interested in snapping up his services in the summer, as he could be the long-term solution to one of the club’s biggest problems on the pitch.