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There appears to now be a frontrunner in Tottenham Hotspur's search for a successor to Antonio Conte at N17…

What's the latest on Thomas Frank to Spurs?

According to the Daily Record, the Lilywhites have seemingly identified Brentford manager Thomas Frank as the leading candidate to take charge of the club, with Conte facing an imminent exit after just 18 months at the helm.

The report suggests that provided the experienced Italian is shown the door, chairman Daniel Levy will hand the reigns to Ryan Mason on an interim basis until the end of the season, before naming a long-term appointment at a later stage.

As the piece also adds, despite Levy having sought out high-profile, marquee figures in the recent past in the form of both Conte and Jose Mourinho, the Englishman could now look to find a "project" manager who will be given time to build, such as the Bees boss.

Should Spurs appoint Thomas Frank?

Having gone down the short-term route of snapping up quick fixes such as Mourinho and Conte – both of whom have failed to deliver silverware despite being "serial winners", according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst – it looks as if it would be a wise decision to adopt a different approach this time around.

Although some may argue the appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo in 2021 was a more left-field, radical move, the Portuguese coach had been something of a last resort after a succession of managers had snubbed the chance of taking the job, with the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man also going into the role off the back of a disappointing campaign at Molineux – with the Old Gold finishing 13th.

Frank, by contrast, would be heading to north London following what has been a stunning campaign thus far at Brentford, with the impressive Dane having guided his side into European contention despite only securing promotion to the top flight ahead of the 2021/22 season.

After comfortably surviving last term, the west Londoners now have more lofty ambitions on their mind after moving into eighth in the table heading into the international break, with the 49-year-old having undoubtedly done an "unbelievable" job at the club to date, as per BBC pundit Alan Shearer.

As Shearer also outlined, Frank's men simply "fear no one" despite their relatively recent return to the top tier, having earned notable scalps against both Liverpool and Manchester United this season – hitting the latter side for four back in August.

Although the former Brondby boss – who took charge of his current side in 2018 after previously working as an assistant to Dean Smith – had suggested earlier this year that his side would need a "miracle" to find themselves competing near the top end of the table, on current form a place in Europe next season is not out of the question.

That fine work has ensured that Frank is more than deserving of a big move to one of the Premier League's 'big boys', with Tottenham likely hoping he could well be able to achieve a few more 'unbelievable' things were he to make the switch.

Everton podcaster Ryan Williams labelled Conor Coady ‘terrible’ after he was ‘exposed’ in their 2-0 loss at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Back down to earth

Everton sank back down to earth after last weekend’s 1-0 win at home to Leeds United, as they lost at Goodison Park thanks to an Ollie Watkins penalty and an Emi Buendia strike.

The result puts them back in the relegation zone, with a tricky trip to league leaders Arsenal to come next on Wednesday night.

The Latest: Coady ‘terrible’

Taking to Twitter, Williams was critical of Coady’s performance in particular, claiming that he was ‘terrible’ after the second goal was conceded, which left him ‘exposed’:

“The problem is that the backline is going to get exposed now as Emery is backing up and stretching them out. And there it is. Wow, Coady is just terrible.”

The Verdict: Must do better

Coady will know that he and the rest of the defence needs to do better if they are going to avoid relegation come the end of the season.

The Englishman lost out on three of his duels, and failed to make a single interception, while he was also dribbled past twice and lost possession a total of five times (SofaScore).

Coady has had much better performances this season, so much so that the Toffees reportedly want to sign him on a permanent deal after his loan spell at Wolves ends.

However, he will have to perform better than he did against Villa if the Blues are going to keep clean sheets from now until the end of the campaign.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester United are “monitoring” 15-year-old Kendry Paez amid rival interest in the talented midfielder.

What’s the latest on Kendry Paez to Man United?

With the excitement of the winter transfer market now a thing of the past, fans can primarily focus on how their clubs perform on the pitch with their squads now set for the remained of the season.

However, behind the scenes at big clubs such as Man United, the work on recruitment never stops. Indeed, it seems as though the Red Devils are already keeping close tabs on a deal for the future.

For instance, Independiente Del Valle’s 15-year-old Paez has been named by Romano as a target but the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen are all in the mix too.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, the transfer specialist said: “Kendry Paez. Born in 2007. Talented midfielder. Chelsea want him and Chelsea are absolutely in contact to sign Kendry Paez.

“Also Man United, Man City are exploring the conditions of the deal. He’s playing for Independiente Del Valle. But also we have to include Bayer Leverkusen in the list of clubs interested in Kendry Paez.

“Super, young talent. So it will take some time to see him in Europe performing but all these clubs are monitoring Kendry Paez as a top talent for present and future.”

What do the transfer links to Kendry Paez mean for MUFC?

Seeing as the teenager is yet to make a senior appearance in his career (as per Transfermakrt), his talent must be quite remarkable to have him already linked with a number of top Premier League clubs.

Perhaps Paez caught the eye while playing for the Ecuador Under-17 team. After all, in just three appearances, the midfielder has scored once and provided two assists.

Still only 15 years of age, he certainly is a player to look out for in the immediate future even if Man United can beat off the competition to win his signature. However, by the sounds of it, his name certainly seems like one to remember as he could become one of the game’s top players in years to come.

The Athletic’s James Maw has proposed the possibility that Hugo Lloris may have played his last game for Tottenham Hotspur following his recent injury.

The Lowdown: Injury blow

Lloris has been ruled out for ‘at least’ six to eight weeks following sustained ligament damage in their Premier League clash against Manchester City last weekend.

The injury leaves Antonio Conte with three keepers available in his squad, Fraser Forster, Alfie Whiteman and Brandon Austin are all eligible to play.

Since the start of 2023, the French stopper has hit a run of low confidence, making a number of mistakes in recent times.

The Latest: Lloris’ last game?

Should the injury to the Tottenham number one take longer than the estimated timescale, Maw believes he might have played his last game for the club when talking to The View From The Lane Podcast.

He stated (2:48), “When this first broke, that was my first thought [has Lloris played his last game], that it’s not inconceivable that that is the case.

“It’s such a shame that this has come at this moment because it kind of felt like Spurs had got over the hump of a very difficult winter.

“They get two new players in, three wins on the bounce, three clean sheets and it comes suddenly feels like there’s real momentum again and we’re looking ahead to the rest of the season with such optimism.

“And then your captain, your most experienced player, a World Cup winner is out of the team, for let’s say at least half of the rest of the season, probably it’s a bit of a nightmare isn’t it?”

The Verdict: Far from over

We believe that even if Lloris were to miss the remainder of the season, he won’t have played his last game in a Spurs shirt.

The 36-year-old’s deal runs out in the summer of 2024, which would give him until the end of next season before his stint with Tottenham ends.

Spurs have been linked with David Raya of Brentford last month as a potential replacement for Lloris.

If the club were to land a new keeper in the summer, our view is it would be good to keep the Frenchman around as he could help a future number one learn and develop by offering tips with his enormous experience.

He may have hit a bit of a rough patch but he’s been a long-standing servant for Tottenham and would be a great figure to keep around the dressing room in our view.

West Ham co-owner Daniel Kretinsky has made no formal approach to increase his current stake in the club, according to a significant new update on the club’s ownership situation.

The Lowdown: Kretinsky a 27% owner

The 47-year-old is one of the most prominent figures at the Hammers currently, having bought a 27% stake with Pavel Horsky back in November 2021.

Kretinsky, a Czech billionaire, has the option to have a controlling share in the football club for a set price, with the sad recent passing of David Gold potentially making that more likely.

A new claim has now emerged regarding the situation – one that suggests things may not be changing dramatically just yet.

The Latest: No formal approach made

According to Football Insider, Kretinsky has ‘made no formal approach’ to increase his 27% stake and will instead wait until the end of the season to make a decision.

The report also states that any increase in his share is unlikely to be above the 51% needed to become the majority owner of West Ham.

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The Verdict: Matter of time?

While this update suggests that Kretinsky is biding his time with regard to becoming the main owner of the Hammers, there does seem to be an inevitability about it now.

He is a hugely ambitious businessman and will surely see himself as the person who can take West Ham up another level, in terms of financial investment moving forward, especially new signings.

It is imperative that the Hammers avoid relegation from the Premier League for that to happen, however, highlighting how vital the next few months are both on and off the pitch.

Transfer expert Rudy Galetti says that Arsenal have made ‘first contacts’ over the potential signing of West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice in the summer.

The Lowdown: Rice interest

It was reported by Spanish sources earlier this week that Mikel Arteta has given the ‘green light’ to sign the 23-year-old in the summer, with the Hammers valuing him at around €100m (£88m).

Journalist Ben Jacobs has recently backed up claims of Arsenal’s interest, adding that the Irons captain could even be sold for around £70m-£75m instead.

Rice would reportedly like to stay in London, opening the door for the Gunners as well as Chelsea, while Manchester United are also said to be admirers of the England international.

The Latest: ‘First contacts’ made

Taking to Twitter, Galetti says that the Premier League leaders have now made ‘first contacts’ over the potential signing of Rice in the summer, adding that it is an ‘evolving situation’.

He tweeted: “#Arsenal have put in their sights Declan #Rice. #AFC want to buy a defensive midfielder in the summer and the #WestHam player is a concrete option. First contacts already happened: evolving situation.”

The Verdict: No-brainer

It is a no-brainer for Arsenal to go for Rice this summer, given their strong position in the Premier League table and the likelihood that they will be able to offer him Champions League football for next season, something that the 23-year-old has recently stated as an ambition for his career.

Hailed as a ‘monster’, a ‘force of nature’, a ‘leader’ and a ‘serious talent’ by journalist Rob Blanchette, there are not many better players in Rice’s position, while former England international Paul Parker even believes that the West Ham skipper is the ‘best central midfielder in the country’.

Rice showed his glowing admiration for Arteta and Arsenal on Boxing Day when the Gunners beat his team 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium, so a move to north London makes a lot of sense for both parties.

David Ornstein has listed four midfield transfer targets Chelsea are big admirers of.

The Lowdown: Chelsea’s midfielder transfer shortlist

Chelsea have been heavily linked with a move for Enzo Fernandez this January, although his hefty release clause could indeed be a problem for Todd Boehly.

However, if they don’t land the young star, Chelsea fans shouldn’t be too worried, as The Athletic’s Ornstein has revealed they are interested in a number of midfielders from Europe and the Premier League.

The Blues could well be stepping up their pursuit of a new midfielder amid interest in one of their own, with Jorginho reportedly wanted by top-four challengers Newcastle United.

The Latest: Ornstein reveals four-name transfer list

Ornstein was speaking on the NBC Sports YouTube channel when he revealed that Chelsea have a list of midfield targets and that they aren’t just going all in on Fernandez.

He said: “They’ve got other options, too – the likes of Declan Rice (£100m), Alexis Mac Allister (£60m), Moises Caicedo (£60m) and Romeo Lavia (£50m).”

The Verdict: Chelsea must sign a midfielder

Chelsea surely have to sign a midfielder, and judging by those names listed by Ornstein, they are going for a younger player to provide some much-needed legs and energy for Graham Potter.

This is because a lot of their midfield options are starting to get on in their careers, with the likes of Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante all going to be on the wrong side of 29 come the end of the season.

However, it does remain to be seen whether Chelsea will sign a big-name midfielder in January or wait until the summer to try and land someone such as Rice, who won’t be able to leave mid-season, as David Moyes has confirmed.

England and Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham is Liverpool’s main midfield target amid a three-way battle to sign him, according to Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: Bellingham a wanted man

The 19-year-old is impressing for the Three Lions at the 2022 World Cup currently, starting both of his country’s matches in the tournament to date, and scoring the opener in the 6-2 win over Iran.

Bellingham is arguably one of the most sought-after players in world football, and Liverpool have long been linked with a big-money move for him in recent months.

There is set to be a fierce battle to sign the midfielder and a new update suggests that the Reds are right in the mix.

The Latest: Liverpool’s ‘top target’

Taking to Twitter, Sky Sport journalist Plettenberg claimed that Manchester United have all but dropped out of the race, adding that Liverpool see him as their ‘top target’, and Jurgen Klopp is ‘pushing’ for a deal:

“Been told that #MUFC hardly has a chance anymore. Triple fight: Liverpool, City, Real! #LFC & Klopp pushing! But not at any price due to FFP. Price: Up to €150m! JB is LFCs top target for central midfield – next to 2 players from South America.”

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The Verdict: A special footballer

The main stumbling block behind Liverpool’s attempts to sign Bellingham is money, with the teenager someone who will cost easily a club-record fee for the Reds.

Qualifying for the Champions League is also absolutely paramount if they are to get him, with Liverpool lingering in sixth place in the Premier League table at the moment.

Should Klopp manage to entice the Dortmund starlet to Anfield, however, it would have the potential to be one of the most pivotal signings the club have made in decades.

Bellingham is a truly special footballer who is already starting at World Cups, not to mention scoring four goals in five Champions League outings this season and already making 112 appearances for Dortmund, and he could transform an ailing midfield with his quality, dynamism and long-term potential.

Nottingham Forest have a whopping ten players taking part in the World Cup 2022 in Qatar over the coming weeks, however, one player could be about to have his dreams crushed as a new injury update emerges.

What’s the latest?

Forest and Senegal midfielder Cheikhou Kouyaté was stretchered off during Senegal’s 2-0 World Cup defeat to the Netherlands on Monday evening.

Senegal manager Aliou Cisse revealed after the game:

“Cheikhou Kouyaté twisted his ankle. I hope it’s nothing major. For now, I can’t comment on that yet. We will take stock tomorrow and we will have more information,”

This morning, journalist Papa Mahmoud Gueye has revealed an update that Kouyate will miss at least the remaining group-stage games as they continue to assess his condition and recovery timeframe:

“Cheikhou Kouyaté out for the remainder of the first round. He would suffer from a tear in the right thigh.”

It will frustrate Cooper

Kouyate – who was a starter in the Group A clash before he suffered an injury scare and left the pitch in the 73rd minute – has been a consistent feature in the centre of the pitch for the Tricky Trees, so there is no doubt that the injury news will frustrate Steve Cooper ahead of a busy festive period after the World Cup.

Over 12 league appearances, the 32-year-old midfielder has scored one goal, created one big chance and has completed 84% of his dribble attempts.

He’s been superb from a defensive point of view, averaging 1.8 tackles, 1.6 clearances and winning 3.6 duels per game, proving that he has become a positive presence and a reliable performer for Forest.

The former Crystal Palace ace was a standout in the Senegal team against the Netherlands and there is an argument to be had that his injury blow could have caused the defeat that led to two late strikes from their opponents after Kouyate left the pitch.

During his 73-minute display, the talented AFCON winner made one key pass, won 50% of his duels and completed four clearances. Furthermore, his one block and two interceptions proved vital, so he will likely be a big miss for his nation over the coming games.

With that being said, Cooper will undoubtedly be concerned about Kouyate’s injury but will be hopeful that the talented player can get back to his best ahead of Forest’s clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford after Christmas.

Chelsea will be expected to go into the January transfer window with keen interest in snapping up some talent to improve their season after a difficult start to their Premier League campaign.

The Blues are currently seventh in the top flight after a disappointing run of form that has seen them unable to pick up three points from any of their last four games and on Wednesday night they lost their chance to progress in the Carabao Cup after losing to Manchester City at the Etihad.

As a result, the second half of the season will be crucial for Potter to climb the league table whilst making their presence known in the Champions League and FA Cup in the latter stages.

One way that the new Chelsea boss can improve and strengthen his team to get them playing positive football and delivering the best performances possible when they return to action is by taking advantage of the January transfer window, with many players already linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

It was reported by French outlet Jeunes Footeux this week that Potter has given the green light to the recruitment team to sign Stade Rennais star Martin Terrier, a player who could make a huge difference to the attacking threat in the team.

Over 13 Ligue 1 appearances, the 25-year-old has scored eight goals, which just so happens to be more than a certain Lionel Messi this term.

Furthermore, the £40m talent has registered three assists and created three big chances, as well as averaging 1.6 key passes, 1.7 tackles and winning 7.6 duels per game, displaying that he is clearly a huge threat in front of goal and could be a valuable asset to Potter.

Not only that, Terrier ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers across the top five European league for tackles and aerial duels won, further proving that he is not afraid to get stuck into challenges and press from the front.

The talented Frenchman has been the recipient of high praise with European football writer Tim Williams describing the forward’s best attributes:

“He’s a very quick, left-sided right-footed attacking player whose trademark is coming in off the left flank and whipping shots in, a-la Thierry Henry.”

“Looking at his age and the phenomenal season he had last season, he will probably think that if he is ever going to make a big move to the Premier League, it’s probably going to be now or never.”

With that being said, it would no doubt be a major coup for Chelsea if they can secure the signing of Terrier in January and it could just be the signing that breathes fresh life into their campaign, lifting their hopes of winning a trophy a process.