Liverpool have already made a huge statement with Cody Gakpo set to join the Reds in the new year and now a new update from a reliable source has emerged on a potential Anfield exit during the January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to The Athletic’s Liverpool reporter James Pearce, Nathaniel Phillips could leave the club in January.

As per the report, Pearce claims that Liverpool are not expected to make a lot of cash from outgoings in the new year, however, Phillips could be allowed to leave with an estimated £10m transfer value stated.

It’s a risky move

Liverpool have been plagued with injuries to key players over the season, with both Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip in particular weakening the defensive options available to Jurgen Klopp so far.

As a result, the sale of Phillips could be a premature and risky move for the Reds, especially since the centre-back isn’t likely to command a transfer fee that would benefit the club financially in their pursuit to strengthen.

The 25-year-old ace – who was hailed a “cult hero” for Liverpool by Pearce – played an important role in the team’s revival after losing Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez to long-term injuries during the 2020/21 season.

Although rarely seen since his contributions to Liverpool’s third-place finish two seasons ago and enjoying a loan spell in the Championship with Bournemouth during the second half of the last campaign, Phillips has been a reliable performer.

The centre-back has only been part of five defeats with a 67.86% win ratio when featuring for Liverpool over 28 appearances and has even delivered one goal and one assist too.

Over two Premier League appearances this season, Phillips completed 93% of his passes in his own half and has won 100% of his aerial duels, as well as averaging one tackle, one interception, 35.5 accurate passes and three duels won per game.

With that being said, Klopp should be cautious when sanctioning outgoings over the second half of the season as it could be devastating to their Premier League campaign if injuries were to worsen for the Merseysiders in their pursuit to climb the league table over the months ahead.

Celtic defender Alistair Johnston was not good enough in the build-up to the first goal conceded by the Hoops in Monday’s Old Firm clash, says John Hartson.

The Lowdown: Old Firm draw

After only joining Celtic in December, the 24-year-old made his long-awaited Bhoys debut with Ange Postecoglou throwing him straight in at the earliest opportunity in the Old Firm.

The right-back played the full 90 minutes of the 2-2 draw at Ibrox as Celtic maintained their nine-point gap at the top of the SPFL thanks to a late Kyogo Furuhashi equaliser after the Hoops had surrendered a 1-0 lead.

The Latest: Hartson’s unhappiness

However, former Celtic striker Hartson was left unhappy with the Canadian’s defending for the hosts’ equaliser from Ryan Kent, who easily created space to whip a shot around the defender when facing him up one-on-one.

Speaking on The Go Radio Football Show, Hartson said: “It’s a brilliantly taken goal, but if you’re Alistair Johnston, you send him down the left side on his, I say weaker foot, he’s strong on his left side as well.

“He’s cut inside on his favoured right foot, you know what he’s going to do, you know he’s going to try and bend in that far corner beyond Joe Hart, and I just felt from a defensive point of view, it was too easy. I think Alistair Johnston should have done better, should’ve got closer.

“But listen, from Rangers’ point of view, from Ryan Kent’s, he’ll probably think that’s a wonderful goal, and it is a wonderful piece of skill, but defensively, I think you’ve got to get closer there to stop that.”

The Verdict: Had to be tighter

There couldn’t have been a tougher opposition to face on your debut with the unforgiving nature of the Old Firm swallowing up anyone who isn’t 100% at it.

Despite him faring okay on his debut, there was perhaps some naivety from Postecoglou who perhaps should’ve opted to start Josip Juranovic who was eventually introduced at left-back – although he had only recently returned from the World Cup and was rather forced on through Greg Taylor’s injury.

Nevertheless, Johnston wasn’t brave enough to get in the face of Kent and possibly too concerned about making a mistake and giving a potential penalty away on his debut if he dived in.

Kent instead used the 24-year-old as a screen to curl his shot around him and leave Joe Hart helpless, with the goal costing Celtic the lead and potentially three points.

Over the course of the match, Johnston lost the ball 17 times and lost four of his 10 duels, however, he did manage 88 touches, five tackles and an 85% passing accuracy (Sofascore), so we don’t feel this will define his performance nor the start of his Celtic career.

Tottenham Hotspur are now close to completing the signing of Sporting CP right-wing back Pedro Porro, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Tottenham’s Porro pursuit

With 90min reporting that one of Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty could be sold this month, while Djed Spence leaving on loan is likely, Tottenham have made it clear that they are interested in Porro to bolster the right-wing back area.

Spurs ‘opened negotiations’ to sign the Spaniard prior to the January transfer window, with it later being claimed that they are willing to remove the 50% sell on clause in Marcus Edwards’ contract if they are given a discount.

The Latest: Conte closing in…

As per the Daily Star, Antonio Conte now looks to be closing in on the 22-year-old, with a £35m deal expected to be completed by the end of the week.

The Italian is said to have been chasing the defender for some time, and Daniel Levy being willing to back his manager by signing him could convince him to extend his stay at N17 beyond June 2023, when his current contract expires.

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The Verdict: Fantastic news

Tottenham now being close to completing the signing of Porro is fantastic news, with Jermaine Jenas previously lauding him as ‘different class’ when on co-commentary for BT Sport during Spurs’ clash with Sporting earlier this season. (via Spurs Web)

The wing-back excels on the front-foot, averaging 0.41 assists per 90 over the past year, a figure that places him in the 99th percentile when compared to his positional peers, while 1.5 dribbles completed in the same period ranks him in the 92nd.

Not only that, but Levy now seemingly being willing to sign the players that Conte wants is a great development for Tottenham fans, as it means that the manager is far more likely to agree a new deal, giving the club the best possible chance of competing for major honours.

Newcastle United have been boosted by the news that striker Alexander Isak will return from injury for the FA Cup clash at Sheffield Wednesday.

The Lowdown: Isak a long-term absentee

The Swede arrived at St James’ Park last summer as a hugely exciting signing – one who could take them to the next level and become a new hero on Tyneside.

Frustratingly, Isak has been limited to just three appearances for Newcastle to date, with a hamstring problem keeping him sidelined since way back in September.

The striker has been making positive progress in his injury return, however, and it now looks as though his comeback is almost upon us.

The Latest: Striker set for weekend return

According to The Telegraph‘s Luke Edwards, Isak is back in full training and ‘could play’ for Newcastle in their FA Cup third round clash with Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday evening.

Eddie Howie is thought to be weighing up the idea of ‘throwing him’ straight back into the team, as he looks to get some precious minutes and match fitness into his legs.

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The Verdict: Major boost for Newcastle

This is a huge boost for Newcastle, with Isak looking like a massive talent in those first three games, scoring against both Liverpool and Bournemouth.

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While Callum Wilson continues to do a good job for the Magpies, his fitness is still not entirely reliable and Isak could help spearhead their top-four charge from here, having been hailed as ‘exceptional’ by Gary Lineker.

In many ways, Isak could feel like a new January signing, coming back into the side and adding a major goal threat as the matches become more important in the coming months.

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva’s future at the Etihad Stadium is ‘up in the air, according to The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Silva’s City future

The Portugal star is still tied down on a long-term deal with the Premier League champions, with his current contract not set to expire until June 2025, although there has been talk about him completing a move away from the club.

Barcelona have been potential suitors for Silva since the summer, although there have since been reports that the Catalan giants have recently decided to cool their interest as Man City’s valuation of the player is deemed too high, considering that he will be 29 next August.

While Xavi’s side are no longer plotting a move, it is now being reported that the midfielder’s future at the Etihad could still be in doubt…

The Latest: Heading for the exit?

According to a report from The Athletic, Silva’s future as a City player is still ‘up in the air’, and Pep Guardiola may choose to cash in on a big offer if one arrives sooner rather than later.

However, a concern for the City manager would be finding a suitable replacement, with fellow midfielder Ilkay Gundogan’s contract coming to an end in June as things stand.

The Verdict: Silva must stay

Hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by football presenter Joe Thomlinson, Silva has been a fantastic servant for Guardiola since arriving at City in 2017, and he has continued to be an important player this season.

The 78-cap Portugal international has featured in all 14 of the Citizens’ Premier League games so far this term, scoring twice and bagging five assists, highlighting his aptitude for bringing his team-mates into the play and providing them with opportunities to finish.

This is also indicated by an average of 0.28 assists per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 96th percentile compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, while a match average of 3.95 shot-creating actions in the same period puts him in the 93rd percentile.

It could be very difficult to find a replacement who’s good enough to match this return, so Guardiola should hold onto Silva for the foreseeable future.

Arsenal are interested in a deal to bring Martin Terrier to the Emirates Stadium in 2023.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to French media outlet Media Foot, who claim that all three of Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool have approached Stade Rennais for information about the 25-year-old forward, who the Ligue 1 side are believed to value at a figure in the region of €50m (£44m).

The report goes on to suggest that Terrier himself would be open to a move away from Roazhon Park next year, as the former France U21 international has aspirations of joining a major European club in the not-too-distant future in order to help force his way into Didier Deschamps’ France squad.

The next Henry

Considering just how impressive Terrier has been in France in recent seasons, it is easy to see why Mikel Arteta would be interested in a deal to bring the forward to The Emirates either in the January transfer window or next summer.

Indeed, over his 37 Ligue 1 appearances in 2021/22, the £31m-rated talent was in devastating attacking form, scoring 21 goals, registering three assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.4 shots – 1.3 of which hit the target – making 1.1 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the player who European football writer Tim Williams dubbed “phenomenal” average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.30, not only ranking him as Rennes’ second-best performer in the league but also as the joint 11th-best player in the French top-flight as a whole last time out.

It has been a similar story over the £51k-per-week forward’s 14 Ligue 1 fixtures in the current campaign, with Terrier having already bagged eight goals, provided three assists and created three big chances, as well as taking an average of 3.0 shots – 1.6 of which have been on target – making 1.7 key passes and completing 0.6 dribbles per match.

These metrics have seen the 25-year-old – who is equally comfortable operating as a left-winger or a centre-forward – average a breathtaking Sofascore match rating of 7.55, ranking him not only as Bruno Genesio’s best performer in the division but also as the sixth-best player in the league in its entirety – one place above a certain Kylian Mbappe.

Furthermore, with Terrier being a right-footed left-winger who is a hybrid between a winger and a striker, the aforementioned Williams even went as far as to compare the former French youth international to none other than Arsenal legend Thierry Henry on the Sky Sports Transfer Talk podcast back in the summer, stating:

“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 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.”

As such, considering the fact that Gabriel Jesus looks as if he will be ruled out of action for around three months after picking up a knee injury on international duty with Brazil, the signing of a player in Terrier’s mould would appear an extremely wise move for Arteta this winter – with the 25-year-old possessing the traits to potentially become Arsenal’s next Henry-esque attacker.

Southampton have now emerged as the favourites to sign Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Southampton target Akpom

It was reported at the beginning of the month that Southampton were monitoring Akpom, with Crystal Palace and Everton also keeping tabs on the striker for a potential move this month.

The Saints have since added winger Mislav Orsic to their attacking ranks, but they are still crying out for a new centre-forward option, given that Che Adams has struggled in front of goal in the Premier League, missing a total of nine big chances so far.

The Latest: Saints leading the race

According to a new report from TEAMtalk, Southampton have pushed their rivals aside in the race to sign the former Arsenal man, although Boro are reluctant to lose him, after his fine form in the Championship this season.

It is claimed that the Saints are now ready to test the resolve of the Teesside club with an offer, now emerging as the team that are pushing hardest to get a deal done in the January window.

The Verdict: Best option?

There is a definite element of risk involved when it comes to signing the 27-year-old, given that he is yet to prove himself at Premier League level, only ever appearing in the competition four times, but he has been fantastic in the second tier, emerging as the league’s top scorer this season, with 13 goals to his name.

Nathan Jones’ side need a fresh spark in attack, and Akpom, who has been described as ‘brilliant’ by reporter Craig Johns, could be the man to kick start their season, judging by his recent record in front of goal.

However, there are arguably better options available to Southampton, as they are currently favourites to sign Terem Moffi, who is much younger at 23, and has a proven record in a top league, with ten goals in 16 Ligue 1 appearances for FC Lorient this season.

Chelsea have a ‘concrete’ interest in Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: World Cup winner

Mac Allister, who has scored 28 goals during his career, recently helped Argentina win the World Cup for the third time. The 24-year-old was left out in the opening defeat to Saudi Arabia but started every game after that, netting his first goal for his country in a 2-0 win over Poland.

His Transfermarkt valuation has rocketed to a career-high €42m as a result, and it seems as if Chelsea were left impressed by his displays.

The Latest: Chelsea keen

FI reporter Wayne Veysey shared a story on Saturday morning, revealing that the Blues have a ‘concrete’ interest in Mac Allister as they look to sign a top-class midfielder.

He claims that Graham Potter is keen on a reunion with the player, who could cost around £60m.

The Verdict: One to watch?

The Blues aren’t hanging around when it comes to 2023 additions with swoops for David Datro Fofana, Andrey Santos and Benoit Badiashile, and it seems as if a move to Stamford Bridge for Mac Allister is one to keep an eye on as well.

Potter will know all about the player’s quality from his time on the south coast, and Mac Allister would also offer plenty of versatility in midfield.

He can play as a holding, central or attacking midfielder and showcased his ability on the biggest stage in Qatar, so a swoop could prove to be an inspiring one both in the short and long term.

Glasgow Rangers overcame a slow start at Tannadice to secure a 2-0 victory on Sunday evening, with the Gers continuing their impressive unbeaten run under new boss Michael Beale.

After what was a rather dour end to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s tenure, the arrival of the Englishman in the dugout has sparked a real resurgence for the Glasgow giants, having now claimed five wins and a draw since the return to competitive action following the World Cup break.

Despite the continued positivity, however, it was far from a vintage display from the visitors against Liam Fox’s Dundee United, having struggled to break down a rather stubborn opposition defence in what was a tepid first-half performance.

Following that drab opening, the game then sprung into life just after the break as the Gers netted twice in the space of just three minutes to make sure of the points, with Fashion Sakala having first broken the deadlock with a devastating finish from the angle.

That strike – which was then followed by another clinical effort from Malik Tillman – has continued the Zambia international’s sparkling form of late, with the 25-year-old having now provided six goal contributions in his last six Scottish Premiership games.

The dynamic forward was not the only figure to have caught the eye against the Tangerines, however, with teammate Borna Barisic having posed a constant threat from his full-back berth, notably playing his part in Sakala’s strike after producing a delightful dinked pass that was smartly flicked on by Ryan Jack.

That contribution was one of three key passes that the Croatia international made during his 89-minute outing, with the 30-year-old also recording 16 crosses to illustrate his relentless attacking intent.

Although that willingness to impact proceedings did see the experienced defender lose possession on 25 occasions from his 93 touches, the 29-cap brute more than made up for that fact by winning the ball back effectively, having won six of his seven ground duels and one of his two aerial duels.

That ‘effective’ performance – as lauded by Glasgow Live’s Matthew Fulton – saw the £18k-per-week titan unsurprisingly record an eye-catching match rating of 8.1, as per Sofascore, with that the highest of any player for either side.

Despite the lack of competition due to Ridvan Yilmaz’s injury woes, it would appear that Barisic is still managing to keep his levels high in his full-back berth, with the 6 foot 1 machine having truly stolen the show today.

Sky Sports presenter Joe Thomlinson is concerned by the lack of impact Nathan Jones has been able to make at Southampton.

The Lowdown: Worrying times for Southampton

The Saints are currently propping up the Premier League table with just two wins to their name, but they do appear to be addressing their worrying situation.

They’ve already moved to hand Jones some more tools in the form of Mislav Orsic, who arrives on the south coast with an impressive goalscoring record out in Croatia for Dinamo Zagreb.

Jones hasn’t been able to yet put a proper stamp on this Southampton side in terms of new signings, though while that will likely change very soon, the Welsh boss has seemingly changed very little on the pitch, having lost all his league games as manager.

The Latest: Jones has to be doing more

Thomlinson has slammed Jones on the Football Daily YouTube channel for not making a big enough impact on his Southampton side from a tactical point of view since his arrival.

He said: “My biggest concern is that they’ve appointed Nathan Jones prior to the Word Cup, he’s had 5-6 weeks working with this side, solidly, of a group of players… not many of them went to the World Cup.

“And they still don’t have a set formation, there’s still a different XI being put out every time, it doesn’t look like anybody knows what they’re doing out there. That is a massive concern.”

The Verdict: Unsure times ahead for the Saints

This will be very alarming for fans and Sport Republic watching on as their new appointment, who was brought in to drag them away from the threat of relegation, has arguably only made them worse, having now lost five league games in a row.

Southampton are in desperate need of some inspiration from their manager to bring about some fresh ideas that can help them pick up points to stop the rot of this horrid losing streak.

Jones did indeed have a large chunk of time with no distractions to get his ideas across during the World Cup, but it appears as though the squad have only been left confused and uninspired as there are few other explanations as to why they should be losing so many games.