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Manchester United are undergoing a rebuild under the tutelage of Erik ten Hag, with a host of areas identified in order to fortify Old Trafford and return the club to its former glory.

With the likes of Cody Gakpo and Joao Felix being heavily touted on the offensive front, the Red Devils are poised to rekindle the very best of their flair up front with the signature of some of the very best forward’s about.

But bolstering the departments dipping lower down the pitch would also bear fruit for the United, with Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur target Sofyan Amrabat one player who must be considered in the scrap for stability at the forefront of the Premier League.

With United’s centre midfield options of Fred and McTominay failing to cut the mustard on frequent occasions, indeed Fred holds a rating of 6.71 in the Premier League and his Scottish teammate only 6.63, a fresh conductor at the centre of the park is vital.

With Morocco defying expectations at the World Cup in Qatar, Amrabat has been the “monster” in the middle, completing 87% of his passes, and recording an average 2.5 tackles, and 1.5 clearances and interceptions.

His work at the centre has been imperative to the African nation’s success, allowing the likes of Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri the freedom to roam up front and search for openings.

Against Spain, where Morocco doggedly saw out a goalless draw before triumphing in a penalty shootout, earned Amrabat praise for his defensive “masterclass”, winning all seven of his ground duels and making four tackles.

And having kept three clean sheets from their four matches in the competition, against salient outfit’s Belgium, Croatia and Spain, his orchestrating of the play is integral.

For Fiorentina, at domestic level, Amrabat has played 20 times this term, maintaining an exceptional passing accuracy of 91%.

Statistical site FBref also further illustrate his supreme ball-playing prowess, ranking him within the top 4% for passes completed and 3% for progressive passes when compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues.

Signing Amrabat would be a real statement of intent, striking a blow into the hearts of Premier League rivals with similar aspirations and instilling a calm, composed presence into the engine of the Red Devil machine.

United must consider the “world-class” ace’s signature, and at a reported fee £50m, United should swoop soon, and welcome him to the fold.

West Bromwich Albion recorded their fourth straight victory under Carlos Corberan on Monday night, with the Spaniard masterminding a 2-1 turnaround win over Sunderland.

The new Baggies boss has now propelled his side to 17th in the Championship and will have revitalised aspirations of achieving the playoff spots once more.

In that game, he once again showcased his willingness to lean on youth players, with three of his starting 11 being 23 years old or younger, and the match-winner Daryl Dike being just 22 years old.

With this alleviated pressure following their separation from the relegation zone, perhaps he could now look to take that cultivation of youth one step further by handing some academy players some increased game time.

The standout option would be Rico Richards, with the attacking midfielder boasting all the flair and work rate to succeed at this level.

There was ridicule across the country when Birmingham City retired a shirt number for Jude Bellingham, who had left for Borussia Dortmund in a £25m deal.

However, his displays in the recent World Cup have sparked a desperate scramble among Europe’s elite to be his next destination in what promises to be an illustrious career.

The Birmingham-born star boasted a 7.34 average Sofascore rating across their five matches, even scoring his first goal for England in their demolition of Iran. Few are now laughing at that decision made by the Championship club.

There will be hope across the Hawthorns that they could produce their own talent resembling the 19-year-old with Richards.

This season in Premier League 2, the 19-year-old has already recorded five goal contributions across eight appearances, outlining his ability to both score and create.

He is poised to demolish last season’s tally of five goal contributions, which he has already equalled.

Surely he is in line for some added senior exposure having made just one appearance for the first team thus far.

Back in 2020, the youngster was named in The Guardian’s Next Generation list beside some inspiring words on the abilities Richards boasts: “He has a creative eye in terms of finding others but is equally capable of carving openings for himself.”

This could be describing Bellingham too, which stands as a testament to the pedigree this West Brom starlet holds.

It is certainly a long shot to think he could emulate the rise of the Dortmund man, but there is no reason to believe that he couldn’t match his quality one day should he continue his progress.

Manchester United have been handed a positive piece of news concerning the fitness of Raphael Varane after an injury scare with France during the World Cup final.

What’s the talk?

Concerns would have been rife among the ranks at Old Trafford as the 29-year-old limped off the pitch in the closing stages of the final in Qatar, just days before the resumption of Premier League football comes in thick and fast.

However, Manchester Evening News have since reported that the centre-back was merely fatigued and should be in contention to return to action with the Red Devils when he arrives back at Carrington.

Having just concluded their respective World Cup campaigns on Sunday, both Varane and Argentine world champion Lisandro Martinez will miss Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash against Burnley and will likely be sidelined for the return to Premier League action next week when Erik ten Hag’s side take on Nottingham Forest, but should be available thereafter.

Ten Hag will be thrilled

Varane has only made 11 appearances for United since the start of the current campaign, missing eight matches due to ankle and leg injuries.

Nonetheless, his exploits in Qatar have reaffirmed his status as one of Europe’s elite centre-backs, with the illustrious defender narrowly missing out on his second World Cup title. 

As per Sofascore, the 93-cap international completed 90% of his passes at the World Cup, making one interception and 2.5 clearances per game, while his assured presence at the back is highlighted by him losing possession just five times per match. 

In the 2022/23 Premier League, the “titan” – as dubbed by Squaka – has four clean sheets from the eight matches that he has started, playing a busy role in averaging 1.2 tackles and 3.8 clearances per match. 

His experience and pedigree should indeed reap dividends for United in the forthcoming period of the season as the Red Devils chase their first piece of silverware since 2017, when AFC Ajax were defeated 2-0 in the Europa League final. 

Signed for £41m from Real Madrid in the summer of 2021 , Varane can continue to combine with former Los Blancos team-mate Casemiro and build upon his centre-back partnership with Martinez, playing a definitive role in the club’s ascent back towards prominence in England and possibly Europe. 

Ten Hag will surely be buzzing to discover that the Frenchman’s exit from the World Cup final is not something which should preclude him from action for United for any great length of time.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Milan Skriniar to the Premier League in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet CalcioMercatoWeb, who claim that, having been heavily linked with a move for the Inter Milan centre-back ever since Antonio Conte’s appointment in north London back in November 2021, Fabio Paratici is now preparing to make a €30m (£26m) offer for the 27-year-old this winter.

However, the report goes on to suggest that, despite the Slovakia international heading into the final six months of his contract at the San Siro in January, Inter are likely to reject this bid – with the Serie A side believed to be hopeful of tying the defender down to a new long-term deal in Milan.

“Unreal”

Considering just how much success Conte has enjoyed when working with Skriniar in the past, coupled with the centre-back potentially being available on a cut-price deal due to his current contract situation, the argument that the 27-year-old would be an unreal signing for Paratici to pull off in January is an extremely easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 32 Serie A appearances during Inter’s title-winning campaign back in 2020/21, the £52.5m-rated talent was a rock in Conte’s backline, helping the Nerazzurri keep 12 clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.5 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 2.7 clearances and winning 3.5 duels – at a success rate of 52% – per game.

The £92k-per-week defender also caught the eye in an attacking capacity, hitting the back of the net three times, as well as playing an average of 2.6 long balls, making 0.3 key passes and completing 62.2 total passes – at a success rate of 92% – per match.

These returns saw the 54-cap international Siavoush Fallahi labelled a “monster” and Andy Castell dubbed “unreal” average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as the seventh-best performer in Conte’s side that season.

As such, with Skriniar being a defender who is incredibly solid at the back, a threat in the final third and capable of bringing and playing the ball out from the back – not to mention being a proven winner – it would indeed appear as if landing the 27-year-old for a fee of just £26m would be an unreal deal for Paratici to get over the line this winter.

Aston Villa could potentially suffer a setback ahead of their Boxing Day tie against Liverpool, as goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is unlikely to be available following his World Cup heroics, helping Argentina win the trophy.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke discussed the availability of the 30-year-old ahead of the crucial festive schedule while speaking to Football FanCast:

“Yeah, I can’t see Martinez being back available for that game.

“Obviously, we all know that their celebrations look like they will go on for a few more days in Argentina and get the players to switch back to domestic action.

“I think it is going to be pretty hard for all managers of players who have tasted success with Argentina at the World Cup so I think we probably won’t see Martinez maybe until January as well.

“And I’m sure Aston Villa have been preparing for that anyway, for the players who maybe went to the later stages of the World Cup.”

This will undoubtedly represent a blow for Unai Emery, especially considering Martinez’s form in Qatar. The goalkeeper kept three clean sheets across his seven matches played, while also making three penalty shootout saves in the wins over the Netherlands and France.

He was in solid form before jetting off to Qatar, making 2.7 saves per match, a success rate of 67%, and keeping three clean sheets in 15 games.

Emery will have to call upon backup keeper Robin Olsen, and this might send shivers down his spine considering just how bad he was in his only Premier League appearance this season.

The Swede played just 55 minutes against Newcastle United back in October, conceding four goals in that time, making just 1.0 passes, and saving just 2.0 shots in a terrible performance.

Emery will be hoping he can improve against Liverpool on Boxing Day; however, the quicker Martinez is back, the better.

Aston Villa are exploring a move for Gerard Deulofeu, according to The Daily Mail. 

The Lowdown: Impressing for Udinese

Deulofeu has spent a large percentage of his career in England with Everton and Watford but has been on the books with Udinese since 2021.

The 28-year-old netted a senior career-best 13 league goals last season and has continued his good form during the current campaign, contributing to ten goals in all competitions.

Sponsored by Nike, the Spaniard is entering the final 18 months of his contract, and a return to the Premier League could be on the cards.

The Latest: Emery’s a big fan

According to The Daily Mail, Emery is personally pursuing a move for the speedster, with NSWE ‘on the lookout for wide men’ in the winter window.

Club chiefs intend to back the manager in the January market and Deulofeu ‘features prominently on their list of targets’.

The Villa boss has previously confessed his admiration for the player, praising him after a clash between Arsenal and Watford back when he was Gunners boss.

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The Verdict: Fits the bill

Emery is after a new A-list forward this month who can potentially play anywhere across the front line. Deulofeu can do just that, and is primarily a centre-forward, so seems to fit the bill perfectly.

He is also in fine form over in Italy, and with 127 games of Premier League experience under his belt, Villa may see him as a really shrewd signing.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are one of several clubs in the running for a hot European prospect…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to the Evening Standard, who note the Old Gold as one of numerous interested parties in Greek wonderkid Giannis Konstantelias.

Valued at £10m, the forward predominately occupies the left-wing role coming inside onto his favoured right foot. Therefore, there is a belief he could be Julen Lopetegui’s very own Pedro Neto, who had earned similar success from the right flank before a succession of serious injuries.

The next Pedro Neto

Whilst the 19-year-old has hardly set his domestic league alight, having yet to score in the current campaign, it is clear that he is highly regarded by many clubs across European football.

What stands as a glittering testimony to his talents is exemplified by a tweet from Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who likened him to Eden Hazard whilst commending the “amazing job” of the PAOK academy, 

However, it is perhaps more realistic to hope that he can instead be more like Wolves’ Portuguese wizard.

During the 2020/21 campaign, Neto scored five goals and set up a further six in what was his standout season. However, he somewhat struggled to initially acclimatise to life in England, scoring just three times in his debut Premier League season in 2019/20.

The early signs from Konstantelias suggest that he too could make the move to England with success, having already posted four assists this season in just 12 domestic appearances. This is supplemented by his averages of 1.1 shots and 1.3 key passes per game, outlining him as a constant offensive threat.

As such, journalist Stavros Kolkas could seldom believe the talent on display when viewing the teenage sensation, claiming: “PAOK has a Messi clone in its academy”.

This is a notion which would be wholeheartedly supported by Agia Paraskevi academy head Alexandros Malakasiotis, who noted: “Such a player does not emerge every day. Not even every 50 years… For me, he is a phenomenon. If you see how he passes and moves into space, you will understand what he is about.”

Should he achieve the immense potential that those who have seen him in action seem to attribute to him, the Greek youngster could even surpass Neto at Molineux if Lopetegui brings him in.

West Ham United have made a move in their bid to bring Youssef En-Nesyri to the Premier League in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to David Ornstein, with The Athletic journalist revealing in a recent post on Twitter that, after seeing an offer totalling €30m (£27m) for the centre-forward rejected by Sevilla FC back in January of 2021, David Moyes has now launched a fresh bid for the 25-year-old this month – believed to be an initial loan deal.

In his tweet, Ornstein said: “West Ham make fresh approach to sign Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri. Unsuccessful bid to recruit Morocco international permanently in 2021 – this time offer is initial loan. Sevilla FC struggles mean WHUFC optimism low but interest firm.”

An unreal addition for Moyes

While En-Nesyri has not been at his free-scoring best in Spain so far this season – bagging five goals over 18 appearances – considering just how impressive the centre-froward has been in previous campaigns, coupled with his remarkable showing for Morocco at the Qatar World Cup this winter, it is easy to see why Moyes could seal an unreal signing here.

Indeed, over his 38 LaLiga appearances back in 2020/21, the £22m-rated talent was in sensational form going forwards, scoring 18 goals and creating six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.1 shots – 0.8 of which hit the target – making 0.4 key passes and winning 4.3 duels – at a success rate of 50% – per game.

These returns saw the 25-year-old average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 6.98, ranking him as Sevilla’s eighth-best performer in the top flight of Spanish football – playing a crucial role in his club going on to secure an extremely impressive fourth-place finish in the league that term.

The £106k-per-week striker also caught the eye for all the right reasons over his seven fixtures at the World Cup last year, hitting the back of the net twice, in addition to taking an average of 1.3 shots and winning 4.7 duels – at a success rate of 60% – per match.

These metrics saw the player who Aaron West dubbed “unreal” average a highly impressive Sofascore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as Morocco’s joint ninth-best performer in Qatar – playing a key part in the Atlas Lions’ historic run to the semi-finals.

All of that would bode phenomenally well for a side who aren’t exactly free-scoring this term. No player from an Irons perspective in the Premier League has scored more than three goals throughout 2023/23 with their leading centre-forwards – Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio – combining for just five all term.

As such, should Moyes believe that he can help the player who BBC Sport reporter Piers Edwards dubbed a “monster” refind his best level of form in east London, the Sevilla ace would undoubtedly represent an unreal addition to the Hammers’ current attacking arsenal, leading us to believe that the Scot must do everything he can to land the €40m (£35m) valued striker this month.

Aston Villa have reportedly made an offer worth an initial €13.5m (£11.9m) for Real Mallorca’s Lee Kang-in.

The Lowdown: Moreno set to become Emery’s first signing

Unai Emery looks set to bring in Real Betis full-back Alex Moreno in what will be his first signing in charge at Villa Park.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the club have agreed on a deal worth €14m (12.3m), with the player set for a medical soon. It looks as if NSWE and Johan Lange are already looking at other targets, with an update emerging on attacking midfielder Lee.

The Latest: Villa make offer for Lee

Sport Witness relayed an update from one Spanish outlet regarding Villa and Lee. They said that an offer worth an initial €13.5m has been made, with a move possibly rising to €15m (£13.2m) with add-ons.

Mallorca are hoping to receive around €15m for the player, with Newcastle United also thought to be keen on him.

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The Verdict: One to watch

It seems as if Lee is now a firm target at Villa Park, with a bid now placed for his services. Should he arrive, the South Korea international would offer plenty of versatility to Emery’s side, giving him another option both centrally and out wide.

The left-footed Lee has gained plenty of senior experience in Spain with Valencia and Mallorca, and at the age of 21, he may still have room for further improvement, possibly in England with Villa.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is still very much on the radar of Bayern Munich ahead of this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the latest?

The England captain is now playing into the final 18 months of his contract in north London following months of speculation in 2021 about a potential move away to Manchester City.

Some reports, including from reliable journalist David Ornstein, have suggested the Lilywhites will pick up transfer talks following the conclusion of the January window.

However, Spurs insider Paul O’Keefe has claimed on Twitter the striker is not engaging in talks over a potential new deal and Daniel levy would not stand in his way if he was to request a move this summer.

And now, speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has declared Bayern’s interest in the possibility of landing Kane in the summer:

“We’re reporting that Bayern Munich still hold interest. They haven’t found that Lewandowski replacement yet. You know, it’s less than 12 months until he can sign a pre-contract with Bayern Munich on a possible Bosman [free transfer] if he wished.

“It’s really interesting this situation but we can confirm Bayern still think in an ideal world they would sign Harry Kane this summer.”

Huge months ahead for Spurs

Tottenham’s form this season has been turbulent, to say the least, with the last few months not going in their favour and seeing them drop out of the top four.

However, the form of Kane has not dipped in the slightest with the 29-year-old remaining the Premier League’s second-highest goalscorer this season with an impressive return of 15 goals from 19 games.

And it does feel as if the coming months for Spurs could be huge for their future given their manager, Antonio Conte’s, time in north London is also not set in stone for the years to come.

Kane is now nearing the age of 30-years-old and it does feel as if this upcoming deal could potentially be the final big one of his career.

And despite nearly being 30, the England captain still finds himself chasing that allusive piece of silverware.

Considering Bayern have won the Bundesliga for the last 10 campaigns and are already sitting top of the table this season with a four-point cushion, it would be a fair presumption that a move to Munich would likely satisfy his trophy needs.

However, we do wonder if Spurs winning a trophy this season could possibly put that need to win his first trophy to bed and see him sign a new deal at Spurs.

Currently, Tottenham only remain in the Champions League and FA Cup – with the Premier League title seemingly out of reach – so we do wonder if winning either of those could play a big part in his future.

But it would certainly be interesting to see if – at the age of 30 – Kane would be willing to try a new country and potentially leave behind Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League goal record if Bayern were to come knocking.