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Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte could be without one of his key first-team stars this afternoon…

What’s the latest?

Spurs welcome Newcastle United to north London as both teams return to Premier League action following the international break, and the Italian will be hoping to maintain ground in the race for a top-four finish.

But ahead of kick-off, some worrying news has emerged as Sergio Reguilon could be a surprise absentee after pulling up in training on Thursday, as revealed by football.london reporter Alasdair Gold.

‘football.london understands that Sergio Reguilon pulled up in training on Thursday with a problem and had to leave the session,’ he wrote.

Huge blow

Whilst not in the best of form, the absence of the Spanish wing-back would still be something of a major blow to Conte and the Spurs squad, especially as this game will be too soon for his alternative, Ryan Sessegnon, to return.

“The good news is that [Oliver] Skippy and Sessegnon are very close to being back with the team, to having training sessions with us. They are not yet ready for the game against Newcastle, but they are improving,” the Italian revealed in his pre-game press conference.

The prospect of playing the Magpies without an out-and-out left wing-back is certainly cause for concern, even more so given the fact that Conte’s system relies so heavily on attacking influence in the role.

Reguilon is amongst Spurs’ most creative options, averaging 1.3 key passes per game, a feat only bettered by frontline duo Heung-min Son (two) and Dejan Kulusevski (1.7), as per WhoScored.

Elsewhere, the former Real Madrid dynamo has been a key influence defensively too, where he has registered an average of 1.6 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game; numbers that exceed that of Sessegnon.

If unavailable, it leaves Conte with little options.

Matt Doherty could switch across to the other flank, something he has done only three times across his last 50 competitive appearances in all competitions, whilst there could be a change in formation that sees Ben Davies deployed in his natural left-back role amongst a back four, rather than three.

That’s something the Italian has done just once since being appointed as Nuno Santo’s successor, resulting in a 2-0 defeat to his former club, Chelsea.

Without Reguilon, Conte will be handed a late dilemma over team selection and that will surely leave him absolutely gutted, if not fuming as injuries show no sign of easing up at Hotspur Way.

AND in other news, Forget Davies: Conte must start £27m-rated Spurs “beast” today, it could be game-changing…

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Davie Hay has warned Celtic not to concede an early goal to Valencia or else they are in for a long night.

Brendan Rodgers takes his side to the Mestalla on Thursday night looking to overturn a disappointing 2-0 defeat from the first leg a week ago.

Getting the first goal would open the tie up for the visitors but Celtic have taken a few European hidings in recent seasons and Hay has warned to put safety first in the opening stages.

In the Evening Times he stated:

“I think it will be a difficult night, but what you will find out in the opening 15-20 minutes is whether or not Celtic can go and cause a little bit of unrest within Valencia.

“If they lose an early goal, it is an exceptionally long night. The only thing that might work in their favour is the fact that Valencia and their support will expect this game to be little other than a walk into the next round.

“Publicly, of course, the Spaniards won’t come out and say that but there will be a feeling that they pretty much sealed their progress with the first leg win last Thursday night. Their support will be turning up expecting to see them turn on the style.

Rodgers has no fresh injury worries to deal with tonight with his biggest decision being over whether Timo Weah gets a place in his starting XI.

The on-loan Paris Saint Germain forward has made a big impact as a substitute in recent matches including the late victories over St Johnstone and Kilmarnock.

Getting Weah in from the start would pose a fresh threat to the Valencia defence, with Celtic toiling last week to make in roads on the Spanish defence.

Tottenham Hotspur are confident of sealing a move for Luis Diaz before the January transfer window deadline on Monday night…

What’s the word?

That’s according to ever-reliable football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, who delivered a very exciting claim to his YouTube channel, where he suggested it was now a more likely deal than Adama Traore, at this stage.

“The latest I understand on that situation is there’s a growing hope that they might be able to get this deal done,” he said.

“They are throwing everything at it. That’s their priority right now. I understand at the moment, and I must stress at the moment, Spurs are more hopeful of this one happening than Adama Traore.”

Major coup

The Antonio Conte era in north London would be truly underway if Spurs manage to secure a move for the FC Porto star as he’s one of the hottest talents in Europe right now – that much is evident from the interest of Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool.

Diaz has been in electric form this season, having provided the Portuguese giants with 16 goals and five assists across 24 appearances in the Primeira Liga and Champions League, primarily from left-midfield. That works out to be a direct contribution of once every 96.7 minutes, via Transfermarkt.

It builds on from his exploits at the Copa America, where he shared the golden boot with none other than Lionel Messi.

The 5 foot 10 winger has earned plenty of praise during this impressive run of form and that should only raise excitement from those around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium right now.

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He has been lauded as “phenomenal” by journalist Alex Goncalves and dubbed a “livewire” by presenter Manas Singh, though one of the most glowing endorsements has come from Portuguese football expert Marino Peixoto, who claimed the £36m-rated dynamo was “genuinely frightening” following a screamer against Vitoria this season.

Valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, it’s thought that Porto are asking for a fee in the region of €60-65m (£55m), which would equal Spurs’ club-record fee.

On the above evidence, he would be quite the signing indeed and supporters should be very excited by Gold’s recent claims.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Dele: Spurs plot swoop for £18m-rated “extraordinary talent” who’s like Zidane…

Everton have made a number of howlers when it comes to transfer decisions over the years with many players finding success after leaving the club, but there have been a small number that have failed to reach their potential after leaving Goodison Park.

One player who may seem like he has been successful since leaving Everton due to his high profile move to the Emirates back in 2016, but has failed time and time again to reach the potential predicted is Shkodran Mustafi.

Mustafi joined Everton Reserves from Hamburg U17s in 2009 on a free transfer, but after three years the defender failed to make it into the first team with just one game in the Europa League defeat to Belarussian side BATE Borisov and was eventually sold for just £68k to Sampdoria.

The 29-year-old had even once said that his time at Everton was the “worst time I had as a footballer” in an interview with Arsenal Player relayed by Football365.

Despite failing to make a single league appearance for Everton, the former Arsenal defender went on to achieve some special things, winning a World Cup with Germany two years after he left Goodison Park, and then going on to win two FA Cups with the Gunners in 2017 and 2020.

Despite winning major trophies, the German has made a name for himself after making numerous defensive howlers and was dubbed “king of the blunders” by former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit.

His £35m move to the Emirates was full of potential but his tenure at the club saw him commit a number of high profile mistakes that cost his team over his 151 appearances and four and a half years at the club. As a result, he is now worth just £1.8m according to Transfermarkt.

The calamitous centre half’s most notable blunders came in the 2018/19 season against Crystal Palace where he cost the side an important three points by giving away a penalty in the 82nd minute and then made the exact mistake again in the North London Derby needlessly conceding a late penalty handing Tottenham the three points.

Mustafi was eventually released by the club in 2021 and then released again by Schalke in the summer of 2021. He now plays for Levante, with the 29-year-old clearly unable to revive his career following his shocking time at Arsenal and it’s safe to say Everton clearly dodged a bullet this time.

In other news: Sold for £4m, now worth 395% more: Everton made big mistake with “confident” Spurs gem

Liverpool have had no issues when it comes to scoring goals in their latest Premier League season.

With 30 league games played, the Reds have found the back of the net 77 times, which is more than any other top-flight side have managed to score in this campaign.

One figure, in particular, that has contributed a lot towards Liverpool’s attacking power over recent months is winger Mohamed Salah.

Having appeared in 28 league games, the 29-year-old Egyptian has scored 20 goals and provided ten assists along the way, which is more league contributions than any other Reds player has been able to deliver.

Despite the 29-year-old’s deadliness in front of goal, it seems as though the Merseyside club could be looking to bring in another attacking talent that could potentially dethrone the iconic Liverpool star in the near future.

What’s the news?

According to journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, West Ham United winger Jarrod Bowen is one name on a list of players identified by the Reds for a potential summer transfer move.

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Since arriving at the east London club back in the 2020 January transfer window from Hull City, the Englishman has scored 22 goals and provided 21 assists in 93 appearances across all competitions, prior to their Europa League clash against Lyon.

‘Massive’ signing for Liverpool

With nine goals and eight assists to his name in 29 league appearances in this campaign, the 25-year-old has earned himself an overall performance rating of 7.23/10 from WhoScored, making him the highest-rated player in David Moyes’ squad. With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that he was dubbed a “massive” player for the club by Pablo Fornals.

To highlight how much of an attacking threat the £75m-valued former Hull star is, he has managed to rack up more shots on target this season (29) than the likes of Diogo Jota, Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling among many others.

While Salah may have more goal contributions than Bowen, the West Ham figure has proven himself to be a much more defensive-minded attacker by making 55 tackles and 45 interceptions more than the £90m-rated gem.

Having been labelled as an “unbelievable” player by Klopp in the past, as well as being a “special” talent by Sporting Index, Bowen would certainly be a solid addition to Liverpool’s already attack-heavy squad.

Taking into account how the Hammers star is a few years younger than Salah, he could well be a potential replacement for the Reds winger if his contract situation doesn’t sort itself out and he ends up leaving.

In other news: Liverpool now plot bid for £144m-rated “phenomenon”, he’s even better than Salah…

As we enter the final furlongs of the 2021/22 campaign, you would be hard-pressed to find a Celtic supporter who does not think that Ange Postecoglou has done a sterling job following his appointment at Parkhead last summer.

Indeed, the Hoops currently lead their Old Firm rivals at the top of the Premiership table by six points, gave a good account of themselves in the Europa League group stage and have already lifted the Scottish League Cup.

Furthermore, the 56-year-old Bhoys boss has also demonstrated his dab hand in the transfer market, spending nominal fees on the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Carl Starfelt, Liel Abada, Josip Juranovic, Matt O’Riley, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Reo Hatate – many of whom have already earned cult hero status at Celtic Park.

And, with it being recently reported that the Greek-Australian manager is looking to sign a new left-back this summer, Postecoglou could well land the Hoops another bargain by reigniting his interest in Derby County starlet, Lee Buchanan.

Indeed, with the 21-year-old’s contract at Pride Park set to expire this summer, and Wayne Rooney’s side being unable to activate a one-year extension clause as a result of the club remaining in administration, the England U21 international looks set to become available on a free transfer at the end of the season.

As a result, interest in the £2.25m-rated defender is certain to be high, with the likes of West Ham United and Nottingham Forest – both of whom were also reported to be keen on the youngster’s signing in January – more than likely to make an approach for Buchanan if presented with the opportunity.

However, Postecoglou’s tendency to afford Celtic’s most promising young players a regular spot in his starting XI will certainly be an attractive proposition for the Derby full-back, something that could well give the Hoops an advantage in the race for the 21-year-old’s signature.

Indeed, with 20-year-old Abada being the 56-year-old manager’s most used player so far in 2021/22, and the Israel international’s extremely impressive returns having already seen him linked with a move to the Premier League, Buchanan will be encouraged that Celtic could well prove a pathway to one of Europe’s big five leagues at some point in the future.

And, with the defender having been dubbed an “incredible” talent and tipped to have a “real bright future” in the game by former England captain Rooney, it is clear that the £5k-per-week sensation is indeed an incredibly exciting prospect.

As such, all things considered, it would appear an extremely wise move for Postecoglou to launch an offensive for the England youth international this summer, as a move from Pride Park to Parkhead would very much seem a transfer that would suit all parties down to the ground.

AND in other news: Ange must finally axe “disgraceful” £15.5k-p/w Celtic liability, he’s stealing a wage

Newcastle United have been scouting Fenerbahce powerhouse Attila Szalai ahead of a potential move in the summer transfer window…

What’s the story?

The Chronicle have revealed that the Magpies are keen on bolstering the centre of their defence this summer, and while the likes of Sven Botman and Diego Carlos remain on the table in terms of potential options, Szalai’s name also figures prominently.

The report said: “Attila Szalai of Fenerbahce is another centre-back Newcastle have been tracking and one that may be prepared to battle for his place with pressure eased in the heart of defence by the January arrival of Dan Burn.

“Toon scouts have been present to watch Szalai in recent games but have been joined by Aston Villa and notably Milan who also like the Hungary international. Newcastle already have a direct link to Szalai’s agency ROGON who look after Joelinton.”

Ideal Botman alternative for Newcastle

At a height of 6 foot 4, Szalai is a fearsome presence at the back, and if he were to arrive at St James’ Park this summer, the Magpies would boast a truly towering a centre-back partnership with him alongside 6 foot 8 Dan Burn.

Hailed by former Fenerbahce boss Emre Belozoglu as “exemplary” and with the “loudest voice in training”, Szalai possesses all the raw physical attributes to become a real force in the Premier League.

The centre-back has been a consistent performer for Fenerbahce this season, averaging 1.2 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in the Turkish Super Lig. His numbers fare even better when considering his displays in the Europa League, in which he averaged 1.8 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per match.

To put that into context, both his tackling and interception numbers are significantly better than pretty much all of Newcastle’s centre-backs this season in the Premier League, with only Fabian Schar averaging slightly more interceptions at just 1.4 per game.

Given that AC Milan still appear to be in pole position in the race to sign Botman, Newcastle could certainly do a lot worse than going after Szalai this summer.

AND in other news – Newcastle “win battle to sign” 5 foot 11 “huge talent”, Howe will be buzzing

Everton have now revealed some significant injury news involving central midfield player Fabian Delph.

The Lowdown: Out of action

Delph has been out of action since December, when he featured in the Goodison Park faithful’s 3-1 loss away at Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

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His season has been plagued by injuries, much like the rest of his career, but it looks like he could now make a return to the team.

The Latest: Back in training

The Merseyside club have now posted a few photos of Delph in action at Finch Farm on their official Twitter page, with the caption ‘back in full training’.

The former Aston Villa and Manchester City ace will be hoping that he can now return before the Toffees play West Ham United away from home in the top flight on April 3rd.

The Verdict: Significant

While a lot of Evertonians have not always warmed up to Delph, his potential return to the squad remains significant.

The Blues are already missing Tom Davies through injury, while Dele Alli seems to have fallen out of favour under Frank Lampard and Andre Gomes has taken huge criticism for his work ethic, or lack thereof, in recent weeks.

Therefore, the former Derby County and Chelsea manager will need all the options he can get in the middle of the park, and if Delph can keep himself fit from now until the end of the campaign, he may well be a valuable squad member to have.

In other news, find out which 6 ft 4 colossus EFC are now eyeing here!

Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid have all reportedly ‘enquired’ about a potential move for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

The Lowdown: Phillips’ reputation soars

The 26-year-old has matured into one of the Premier League’s most formidable midfielders since the Whites returned to the top flight last season, producing consistently influential performances.

It has led to Phillips becoming a regular starter for England, too, and he is his country’s reigning Player of the Year after an outstanding tournament at Euro 2020.

Speculation continues to surround the Leeds man’s future, though, especially with a new deal not yet signed.

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The Latest: Trio interested in signing Phillips

According to The Daily Mirror print edition on 7 February [via MOT Leeds News], Liverpool, Man United and Real Madrid have all eyed up a move for Phillips ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Englishman has turned down their advances, though, as he looks set to extend his stay at Elland Road.

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The Verdict: Loyalty set to prevail?

The thought of Phillips signing a new contract with Leeds is hugely exciting, with the midfielder such a massive figure at the club, being hailed as ‘amazing’ by Jose Mourinho.

He will hopefully be back from injury soon, showcasing his importance to the team by averaging 2.3 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in the league so far this season.

The lure of joining an even bigger club playing Champions League football is understandable, but the loyalty that Phillips seemingly has for his boyhood club looks set to be shining through given the reports that he would rather stay put.

If he is willing to turn down the advances of three clubs who have won 22 European Cups between them, it’s a sure sign of his devotion to the Elland Road cause.

In other news, a key Leeds injury update has emerged regarding one player. Find out who it is here.

Everton have had an awful 2021/22 campaign thus far – with the Toffees embroiled in a tough relegation battle, and Frank Lampard trying everything he can to keep the club from dropping into the Championship next season.

Many players have already been linked with moves away from Goodison Park following their disappointing campaign in the Premier League, with Richarlison, in particular, heavily speculated to leave the club this summer.

With that being said, the Toffees boss must exercise some damage control when it comes to keeping the team together – no matter the outcome at the end of the season – and now another player is reportedly being lined up for a move away from the club.

The Daily Mail reported this week that Manchester United are targeting the Everton centre-back for a move to Old Trafford, with the youngster catching the eye of the 20-time Premier League title winners.

The 19-year-old has made just six appearances for the senior team across all competitions this term, with his most notable performance coming in his first Premier League outing of 2021/22 – scoring in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge under Rafa Benitez.

Branthwaite was hailed “fabulous” by Glen Hoddle following this display, and Benitez was also full of praise for the young defender, stating: “He showed character and he’s a player who has potential. Always with the young players, you have to be careful but you have to give them a chance if it is possible.”

Since Frank Lampard has taken over from the Spaniard, Branthwaite has been given three opportunities to prove he has what it takes to compete for a spot in the Everton backline, and his defensive statistics speak for themselves.

The 6ft5 tank has understandably used his height to impose himself on opponents, winning 67% of his aerial duels, as well as making an average of 3.3 clearances and 0.8 tackles per game.

He has also averaged an 81% pass accuracy inside his half, proving he can be a threat and offer presence for the Toffees.

Ultimately, Lampard must avoid a disaster in losing the £5.1k-per-week defender this summer, as sanctioning the sale of one of the club’s most promising up and coming talents may well be a decision that the Goodison Parkfaith never forgive the 43-year-old for.

AND in other news: Huge blow: Everton dealt fresh injury setback ahead of Liverpool, Lamps will be gutted