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Leicester City are scouting Lorient midfielder Enzo Le Fee ahead of a potential move in 2023, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Le Fee profiled

The Frenchman worked his way up through the ranks at the Stade du Moustoir and has now cemented himself a starting place under Regis Le Bris, having been a standout performer for Les Merlus this season.

Despite still having nearly two years remaining on his current contract, the 22-year-old has been attracting interest from potential suitors across the English Channel, and there are four clubs who want to bring him to the Premier League.

The Latest: Leicester eyeing Le Fee

According to 90min, Leicester are joined by Newcastle, West Ham and Fulham in having ‘scouted’ Le Fee this season, with the English quartet following him ‘closely’.

Lorient are reportedly ready to ‘open talks’ regarding fresh terms with the 22-year-old amid this interest, although it’s stated that they will ‘find it difficult’ to keep hold of him.

The Verdict: Tielemans replacement

King Power Stadium favourite Youri Tielemans could be set to leave next summer following the expiry of his contract and amid reported interest from Newcastle. If he does move on, then Le Fee would be a perfect long-term replacement.

Dubbed ‘incredible’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the maestro is a creative playmaker just like the Belgian, having clocked up two goals and two assists this term, along with averaging 2.8 key passes per league game (WhoScored).

That figure is slightly higher than James Maddison’s squad-leading average of 2.5 per game at Leicester (WhoScored).

Brendan Rodgers would also be receiving a versatile operator, with Le Fee having played as a winger as well, so there’s no reason as to why this wouldn’t be a match made in heaven.

One of West Bromwich Albion’s summer targets has reportedly made themselves available once again…

What’s the latest?

According to German publication BILD, Hertha Berlin’s striker Davie Selke is keen to force a transfer through this January.

Having started the season poorly and been handed few opportunities, it seems the 27-year-old is now ready for a new challenge in a new league.

The report notes the clubs that had shown interest in the summer, naming: Rangers, FC Basel, FC Copenhagen, clubs from Istanbul and Athens, and the Baggies, who at the time were under the stewardship of Steve Bruce.

There will also be competition from Italy for his signature.

He can be a dream Grant heir

With an underperforming strike force and their main man still recovering from injury, Carlos Corberan entered the Hawthorns with a decidedly out-of-form team.

However, with two wins in a row now recorded, it marks a sensational turnaround having gone 12 games with just one win previously.

The main reason for their position in the Championship was the sudden drop in form from Karlan Grant, who had scored 18 last season.

With just three goals in the league this term, and a current ten-game ongoing goal drought, they are desperate for an heir to the disappointing 25-year-old.

In Selke, they would receive a hulking forward who knows where the net is and has proved it across his career in Germany.

Although recent seasons have been less kind to him, he still maintains fine goal-scoring records across Hertha Berlin, Werder Bremen and RB Leipzig, where he scored 14 goals and assisted four in just 53 appearances.

Standing at 6 foot 5, there are few doubts about him keeping up with the physical demands of English football.

At the very least the 27-year-old could offer a different dynamic to Grant, who without his goals can often drift out of games. With Corberan’s demands, this is untenable.

Once labelled a “strike sensation” by the official Bundesliga Twitter account, it is clear there was incredible untapped potential within the German forward.

Perhaps in a lesser league, where he would become a big fish in the smaller pond, he could recapture the form that saw him score nine goals in 15 games for his national team’s U21 setup.

Selke would mark a fine coup for the Midlands outfit, who are in desperate need of a striker they can rely on.

Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing a move for Leeds United youngster, Cody Drameh, although are expected to face competition for the defender’s signature.

What’s the word?

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Magpies are keeping tabs on the 20-year-old ahead of a potential swoop when the market re-opens in January, albeit with the Premier League outfit set to face rival interest from clubs across Europe.

Writing on Twitter about that interest, the transfer guru revealed: “Cody Drameh, attracting interest as many clubs are keen on signing him in January from Leeds. Borussia Dortmund, Lille and Bayer Leverkusen alongside Newcastle are following the English right back as talent for the future.”

This follows a report from the Daily Mail which also claimed that the northeast side are ‘tracking’ the young Englishman at present, having also been linked with a move for West Ham United starlet Harrison Ashby in recent times.

‘Future’ of St James’ Park

As Romano alluded, Drameh may well be a talent ‘for the future’ who can go on to be nurtured and developed under Eddie Howe in the coming years, with the St James’ Park outfit seemingly chasing a young understudy for undisputed first-choice, Kieran Trippier, at right-back.

With Emil Krafth currently sidelined with an ACL injury and with Javier Manquillo seemingly surplus to requirements – the Spaniard making just two appearances this season – the arrival of the Leeds prospect could well be needed in the New Year, with the exciting talent potentially able to be the long-term heir to 32-year-old, Trippier at the club.

While the England U21 international has been restricted to just two senior appearances at Elland Road this season – as a result of the presence of Rasmus Kristensen and Luke Ayling – the London-born machine notably impressed on loan at Cardiff City last term, providing three assists in 23 games for the Championship outfit.

That form saw the 5 foot 9 star – who has been valued at around £3.5m, as per CIES Football Observatory – swoop two end-of-season awards for the Bluebirds despite only joining the club in January, having been lauded for his “excellent” displays by former boss, Steve Morison.

Something of a “Duracell bunny” down the right flank – in the words of Morison – the energetic and relentless gem seemingly showcased what he could do during that promising temporary stint in Wales, having seen chances limited back in Yorkshire since joining from Fulham in 2020.

The mere fact that the Cottagers academy graduate has caught the eye of notable clubs on the continent is a sign of just what a talent he truly is, with Howe and co needing to act quickly to try and secure Drameh’s signature.

He may not provide a instant impact in the short term, although in the long-term Newcastle could well reap the rewards of such an astute investment.

West Ham United’s season has been a polarising one, as their form in domestic competition has been wholly disappointing whilst in Europe they have excelled.

Having cruised through their Europa Conference League group winning every game, they have instead lost their last three Premier League games before the World Cup break and will now have to mull over their issues for the next six weeks.

Of their current European campaign, David Moyes has not been shy of affording his academy players added involvement amongst the first team.

It has, therefore, given plenty of players a platform to showcase their talents for the Scotsman, although somewhat disappointingly, Freddie Potts only saw 24 minutes of action.

The midfield maestro had earned notoriety in recent years for his tempo-controlling displays that allowed the U23s to thrive.

This season alone he already has one goal and an assist too from the engine room in just 13 appearances for the youth sides.

His lack of involvement is likely down to the emergence of Conor Coventry, who given his slight seniority was preferred alongside Declan Rice.

However, in the near future, it could instead be Potts who could grow to surpass him and even the underperforming Tomas Soucek – who has just two goals this term – to partner with the club captain for years to come.

Having now made two senior appearances for the Hammers, he is clearly well thought of at the club given he is only 19 years old.

Back when he signed his newest scholarship deal, he was lauded by coach Gerard Prenderville as a “very, very good midfielder” who was “composed, ticks things over nicely and takes it forward when he needs to.”

He also referenced his father, Steve Potts, who made 285 appearances for the Irons across an 18-year career. With the history he shares with the east London outfit, the foundations are in place for his son to thrive and eventually nail down a spot in that senior side.

Acting as something of a metronome in midfield, he could soon offer a consistency that prevails over the Czech Republic international, who has been lambasted for his “awful mentality” by journalist Alan Rzepa this season.

Soucek too was a solid presence in their midfield who could both defend and attack, and should he not find his form soon it could spell the end for his guaranteed place beside Rice.

Boasting a proud history with the club already, Potts is seemingly making great strides towards breaking into Moyes’ team. The next time he gets his opportunity, he will just have to take it with both hands and make himself undroppable.

Newcastle United are reportedly looking closely at the South American market to build their super team at St James’ Park, and a new potential transfer target has emerged that could be a great prospect for the club.

What’s the latest?

According to Brazilian news outlet TNT Sports, Newcastle are interested in signing Flamengo midfielder Matheus Franca.

As per the report, the Magpies are competing with fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen to secure the signature of the rising star and the Eagles are currently trying to reach an agreement to secure Franca’s signature.

Imagine him & Bruno

It’s safe to say that Newcastle have had huge success with signing Brazilian talent in the centre of the pitch, with Bruno Guimaraes becoming a stand-out performer for the club since his arrival in January and clearly the powers at St James’ Park are keen to continue to acquire the services of South American prospects.

Over 17 Brasileiro Serie A appearances this season, the 18-year-old has been seriously impressive.

Indeed, he has scored four goals and created one big chance, as well as taking 1.4 shots per game and successfully completing 59% of his dribbles, proving that he is a real attacking threat that could become a valuable asset to Eddie Howe.

Not only that, Franca ranks in the top 1% of his positional peers across the ‘next eight best’ leagues across the world for tackles, progressive passes and dribbles completed, as well as ranking in the top 15% for non-penalty goals, interceptions and touches.

The youngster – who was hailed a “Brazilian talent” by Fabrizio Romano – could form a formidable partnership with fellow Brazil native Guimaraes if he makes the move to Tyneside in the coming months as he is clearly capable of building play from midfield to become a threat in front of goal.

The Newcastle midfielder ranks in the top 10% compared to his positional peers across the top five European leagues for dribbles completed, tackles and non-penalty goals, so combining Guimaraes’ talents with Franca’s attacking attributes could be deadly for their opponents.

With that being said, the signing of Franca would be an exciting addition for Newcastle in their ambitious effort to dominate domestic football and break into European competitions once again as the Brazilian wonderkid could be a real prospect for the future.

Nottingham Forest have had their fair share of injury problems over the Premier League season so far, however, now a new update has emerged on a player who could be returning to action for the Tricky Trees.

What’s the latest?

Forest left-back Harry Toffolo took to his personal Instagram account to confirm that he is back in training with a picture of himself alongside his teammates captioned – “so good to be back”.

The former Huddersfield Town ace suffered a hamstring injury back in October during a substitute appearance against Brighton and Hove Albion, with Steve Cooper revealing (via Nottinghamshire Live):

“Harry is injured. He picked up a hamstring injury, unfortunately, which will rule him out for a little while.”

Fantastic news for Cooper

There is no doubt that the return of Toffolo is fantastic news for Steve Cooper, who will be preparing his team for their return to action against Manchester United at Old Trafford after Christmas.

Nottingham Forest are in desperate need to pick up vital points in their pursuit to retain their top-flight status as they have spent the majority of their campaign in the relegation zone.

Despite the slow start from the Garibaldi, they did have a good run of form ahead of the World Cup break, picking up points in four of their last five Premier League fixtures and are now just one point away from climbing out of the bottom three.

As a result, the return of Toffolo will be warmly welcomed at The City Ground as the summer-signed full-back has been a consistent and reliable player in his role on the left flank when he has been available.

Over eight league appearances, the 27-year-old has won 54% of his ground and aerial duels combined, as well as averaging one tackle, 2.4 clearances and 41.5 touches per game.

With that being said, Cooper will be glad that another player has returned from recovery to give him depth and options over the second half of the season and the manager will be hoping that having the availability in his team can make a positive impact in their Premier League campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur will unlikely be able to sign Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie in January, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Tottenham target Kessie

Spurs recently emerged as the most likely party to sign Kessie if his current club decide to sell him this winter, although there are several offers on the table, as per Spanish sources.

However, a fresh claim has come to light which indicates that the 25-year-old could be set to remain with the La Liga club, at least for the remainder of this campaign.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones played down the rumours linking the Ivorian with a Premier League move.

The journalist said in relation to Spurs’ recent transfer links with the player: “I think a cheeky bid for Kessie in January would probably be a waste of time to be honest.

“He’s basically chasing a dream here. And I think he’ll give it the rest of the season before he even contemplates going anywhere else.”

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The Verdict: Blow for Tottenham

Once lauded as ‘fantastic’ by Serie A analyst Matteo Bonetti, the £69k-per-week earner would provide depth for Antonio Conte in Tottenham’s midfield engine room, providing a more defensive option to compete for a starting berth with the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

His acumen in cutting out opposition attacks is highlighted by an average of 1.62 blocks per game over the past year, placing him in the 86th percentile compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues.

He is not limited to defensive contributions either, as indicated by his match average of 2.85 touches in the attacking penalty area (95th percentile), so he appears to offer a well-rounded package.

While it seems that the Ivorian enforcer currently wants to make a name for himself at Barcelona, Spurs should continue to monitor him over the winter, as his multi-faceted attributes would surely be of great use to the north London club in their push for Champions League football.

Transfer expert Dean Jones says that Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been recommended Josip Juranovic by his assistant Steve McClaren.

The Lowdown: On his trail

It was reported last week that the Old Trafford outfit are still on the trail of Juranovic, after looking at him in the summer.

The right-back is currently enjoying a fine FIFA World Cup with Croatia, being a mainstay in a Croatia team which has reached the semi-finals, impressively knocking out Brazil in the last eight, and Juranovic received widespread plaudits for his own performance in that match.

The Latest: McClaren recommendation

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has shared that McClaren ‘really likes’ Juranovic, and has recommended his signing to Ten Hag:

“As we said before, McClaren really likes this guy, and that’s where I’m told the recommendation comes from.

“I guess, typically, Ten Hag is going to look to prefer his own guys over anyone else recommending people.

“But ultimately, he’s now been able to see him at the World Cup, and it’s a very easy way to scope out a player in real time, especially when they’re playing games of their own.”

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The Verdict: Big call

It is a big call from McClaren to recommend Juranovic to Ten Hag, given that he is likely to want to bring in his own targets having taken over in the summer.

Hailed as ‘outstanding’ by Celtic legend John Hartson, Juranovic has scored six goals and made three assists in 50 games in all competitions over the last season-and-a-half for the Hoops, helping them to win the Scottish Premiership title last season, and he also appears to be well on his way to another one this time around (Transfermarkt).

With Aaron Wan-Bissaka reportedly being allowed to leave in the January transfer window, Juranovic would be a worthy replacement, and should provide healthy competition for Diogo Dalot at right-back.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Federico Chiesa to the Premier League at the end of the current campaign.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet CalcioMercatoWeb, who claim that Antonio Conte ‘dreams’ of signing the Juventus right-winger for Spurs, and could put the 25-year-old’s name forward to Fabio Paratici as a target for next summer on the premise that the 53-year-old manager himself signs a contract extension at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, the report goes on to suggest that the Serie A side are highly unlikely to be willing to part with the Italy international any time soon, with Massimiliano Allegri’s outfit believed to have informed both Conte and Paratici that it will take a large cash offer plus either Richarlison or Son Heung-min in order for them to agree to Chiesa’s departure.

Richarlison for Chiesa?

While it is true that a series of injuries have severely limited Chiesa’s first-team game time over the past two years, considering just how impressive the winger is when fully fit and firing, coupled with Richarlison’s somewhat slow start to life at Spurs, Conte and Paratici should, at the very least, consider a swap deal between the two forwards next summer.

Indeed, over Chiesa’s 33 Serie A appearances in his last injury-free campaign back in 2020/21, the £52m-rated talent was in devastating form going forwards, scoring nine goals, registering nine assists and creating a whopping 18 big chances, in addition to taking an average of 2.1 shots, making 1.5 key passes and completing 1.6 dribbles – at a success rate of 56% – per game.

These returns saw the £153k-per-week sensation average a remarkable Sofascore match rating of 7.19, not only ranking him as Juve’s third-best performer in the league but also as the joint 21st-best player in the top flight of Italian football that season.

Furthermore, the 25-year-old – who Jack Gallagher claimed has “developed that ‘always hits the target when he shoots’ thing that Harry Kane has” – also impressed in cup competitions in 2020/21; scoring four goals and providing one assist over eight Champions League fixtures and bagging two goals and one assist over five domestic cup outings – taking his total to 15 goals and 11 assists over 46 appearances that year.

In comparison, Richarlison’s Everton back in 2019/20, when the £60m signing scored 13 goals and registered three assists over 41 appearances in all competitions.

Further still, while it is true that the Brazil international is capable of featuring anywhere across a front three, so too is Chiesa, however, the Juventus star can also operate as a support striker, an attacking midfielder and as a left or right wing-back – something that would appear to make the winger a much better fit for Conte’s tactical set-up compared to Richarlison.

As such, while it would undoubtedly be a bold call to swap the 25-year-old summer signing for Chiesa just 12 months after spending an astronomical amount of money to prise him away from the Toffees, considering their respective returns and positional versatility, it is a decision worth pondering for Conte and Paratici, as the “unreal” Italian would very much look to be a dream Conte signing.

2022 has been a testing year for Chelsea: penalty shootout defeat in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup at the hands of Liverpool; the departure of long-time endeared owner Roman Abramovich; the dismissal of Champions League-winning manager Thomas Tuchel.

And now the west London giants languish in eighth place in the Premier League 14 matches into the 2022/23 campaign, with manager Graham Potter, signed from Brighton & Hove Albion in the early stages of the season, tinkering away at a fix for the issues the side are beset with.

Having scored just 17 goals in the league – the lowest tally of any side in the top half – Chelsea have unsurprisingly been linked with a host of striking talent to slot into the fray.

Regardless of the issues, Chelsea are tenacious and determined, and still jam-packed with an abundance of supreme talent; it is a matter of time until the cogs fall into place and the Blue machine is whirring once again.

On the chalkboard

One player of high quality who can make a defining impact is Kai Havertz, with the forward returning from a disappointing World Cup campaign with Germany, who exited in the group phase for the second successive tournament.

Despite Die Mannschaft’s subpar Displays, Havertz impressed in his solitary start against Costa Rica, scoring two goals and serving as the offensive focal point, recording a stunning match rating of 8.89.

Signed from Bayer Leverkusen for £75.8m in 2020, Havertz has split opinion since his arrival on English soil, having bursts of brilliance but often falling wide of the mark and failing to display the same prolific return that alerted Europe’s elite outfits to his name while plying his trade in his homeland.

His return of 27 goals and 14 assists from 112 appearances is not the most impressive return for a forward of his calibre and price, yet his breezy style of play and seamless transitional movement does plenty for Chelsea’s offensive surges.

Not to mention his winning goal in the 2020/21 Champions League final against Manchester City. Sadly, his stock has fallen since then with the German not even starting their last league match, a defeat to Newcastle.

The “outstanding” maestro, as lauded by prominent journalist Raphael Honigstein, can provide the key to the bolted door that is prohibiting the Blues from clinching the free-flowing attacking aura that will propel their standing in the Premier League.

Over his final two campaigns with Leverkusen, the 23-year-old scored 38 goals across his final two seasons.

And as per FBref, the gem ranks within the top 10% for pass completion, 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area and 16% for progressive passes – indicating a diverse and dynamic approach to his play, all that is missing is the consistent direct goal threat.

The pieces of the puzzle are there, scattered on the floor, and a footballing mind of high intellect, such as Potter’s could finally complete the jigsaw and unleash Havertz on the Premier League, where his unique approach play could rekindle and save the Blues’ campaign.