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When Raul Jimenez suffered a fractured skull against Arsenal last month, everyone at Wolves feared the worst.

Their star man was now out injured for a prolonged period of time and the player they had to rely on instead was just 18 years of age.

What’s the word?

The transfer window has come just at the right time for Wolves who are searching for reinforcements in the market, namely in attacking positions.

According to Eurosport FR (via Get Football News France) Jeff Shi and his recruitment team are eyeing up a move for Montpellier forward Gaetan Laborde.

They face competition from two unnamed Bundesliga clubs in a bid to sign him. Per Transfermarkt, the 26-year-old is valued at around £11.7m. Thus, a sizable fee seems unlikely.

His wages are also far from astronomical. Laborde earns £23k-per-week in Ligue 1, so this shouldn’t be a deal that sets Wolves back very much.

Ideal for Nuno

Laborde is far from a household name, particularly in English football, but he’d be an exceptional investment for a side who need cover for Jimenez.

When you look at the Frenchman, he plays in a very similar way to Wolves’ number 9 and that’s not just in terms of his goals.

The 6-foot striker – who stands just three inches smaller than Jimenez – is a commanding force in the air and has won a mammoth 70 aerial duels this season – 3.9 a match. Considering he’s of lesser stature than the Mexican, he’s actually more dominant in that part of the game. For context, Jimenez has only won 1.5 battles in the air a game.

That isn’t the only thing Laborde offers though. Like his potential new teammate, he is adept at bringing others into play and has five assists to go with his six goals in Ligue 1 this term.

A big part of Jimenez’s game is that he can hold the ball up and utilise others well, something that Laborde does to near perfection.

A cut-price option in January, the Montpellier forward looks like a handy player and would undoubtedly add valuable depth to Wolves’ frontline.

AND in other news, Wolves can land huge Silva upgrade in 9-goal beast, he’s on his “way to the top”…

Ever since Emile Smith Rowe was thrust into the starting line-up against Chelsea towards the end of 2020, Arsenal have looked a completely different team.

They’ve rattled off five wins in six games, and the England youth international was in superb form once again in his side’s Premier League win over Newcastle on Monday night.

Mikel Arteta’s side ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in the end, and whilst Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck two goals and was awarded the Man of the Match award by Sky Sports for his performance, it was Smith Rowe who arguably stole the show.

The 20-year-old was once again deployed in the number ten role, something that held even more significance given Mesut Ozil’s imminent departure to Turkish giants Fenerbahce.

And Smith Rowe was the creative hub of the Gunners as they ground Newcastle down in the first-half, and then opened them up in the second.

Aside from a glorious run and cut-back for Bukayo Saka’s goal, the Arsenal academy product also provided four key passes on the night – the most of any Gunners ace, and as much as the entire Newcastle team combined. It was his choice and timing of passing that really stood out, never trying to force things and always making sure he moved things forward for his side.

Speaking after the game, Arteta described both Saka and Smith Rowe as “extraordinary”, whilst Jamie Carragher raved about him on punditry duty for Sky Sports.

He said: “You feel like he’s always in control. He’s trying to beat a man, he beats him, but he gets the composure right too, and the night belonged to Emile Smith Rowe – I thought he was outstanding.

“He looks like someone who actually plays the right pass for the team at that time. People might watch it and not think it’s very spectacular, but when you play with players like that, who always make the right decision, it’s not about looking good, it’s about helping your team-mate, giving him the ball.”

Smith Rowe’s impact cannot be understated, and with the Gunners still seemingly in the market for a new attacking midfielder – they’ve been linked with Norwich’s Emi Buendia in recent weeks – Edu faces a major headache about how he goes about doing that.

The north London side have a real talent on their hands, and the last thing he needs for his development is someone who’s just going to come in and take minutes away from him and stunt his progress. The Gunners’ technical director has a tough decision to make in this January transfer window.

Meanwhile, Arsenal heading for another Balogun disaster…

Despite the addition of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the summer, Tottenham Hotspur are pursuing another midfielder this month.

According to Sunday Times journalist Duncan Castles in December, Spurs boss Jose Mourinho asked for a box-to-box maestro in the upcoming January transfer market.

One name that has been linked with a switch to north London is former Premier League ace Marten de Roon, who has made a name for himself in Serie A for surprise package Atalanta.

90min revealed exclusively that both Spurs and Manchester City were keeping an eye on him, though Pep Guardiola are more likely to consider an approach for him in the summer, thus potentially opening the door to Daniel Levy.

Further fuel has been added to the fire after Eurosport’s Dean Jones confirmed just last week that the Dutchman was indeed a player they were looking at.

He also went on to suggest that Gedson Fernandes is likely to return to Benfica, whilst the futures of Dele Alli and Harry Winks were by no means certain, so a new midfielder could well be on the agenda.

And de Roon fits the mould of what Spurs should be after.

They’ve got that defensive anchor in Hojbjerg and potential no.10s in Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso.

Though, the latter is yet to hit the ground running having contributed to just seven goals and four assists in 56 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Perhaps that’s because he’s not been given the freedom that Christian Eriksen once had in attacking midfield, after all, the Argentine playmaker is averaging 1.6 tackles per game across the Premier League and in Europe too.

So the addition of a box-to-box option alongside Hojbjerg could be a dream for Lo Celso’s attacking output.

Valued at €20m (£18m) by CIES, de Roon is a player who has previously received a glowing endorsement from Mourinho.

After his Manchester United side beat Middlesbrough in the FA Cup in 2017, he told reporters via GazetteLive:

“This kid De Roon is phenomenal, his work-rate is phenomenal.”

The 29-year-old has continued to deliver for Atalanta this term, where he is averaging 2.1 tackles, 1.9 interceptions, 0.7 shots and 0.6 key passes per game, via WhoScored, which merely emphasises his ability at either end of the pitch.

It also goes to show that his influence in the middle-third could be exactly what Mourinho needs to unlock Lo Celso’s true potential.

Daniel Levy must do what he can to secure the 15-cap gem this window.

AND in other news, Spurs transfer target rated at a BARGAIN £9m just delivered a defensive masterclass…

Manchester United are undoubtedly one of the biggest football clubs in the world. In terms of their history, finances, stadium and fan base, they can compare to anyone on the planet.That is why their Champions League exit at the hands of RB Leipzig simply cannot be accepted. Admittedly, they were handed a very tough group, which included PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir, along with the classy German outfit. Nevertheless, United should still have expected to qualify when you consider the resources they have, but once again, they came up short. However, the most worrying aspect is that nobody was really surprised because the standards at Old Trafford have slipped so much.

A quick glance at the latest football odds shows that you can get 16/1 for the Red Devils to win the Premier League. So, even in this season, one of the most unpredictable ever, the neutrals still don’t give United much of a chance. What’s also worrying for the fans is that nobody would dispute that, as the side have fallen way behind Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and even Tottenham.

From top to bottom, they are a club that lacks an identity or a plan. That was encapsulated by the fact that key figures are now apparently demanding the club look into appointing a director of football once again. They wanted one, they didn’t want one and now they want one again.

Ultimately, that lies with the Glazers, right at the very top. They need to set out a clear vision that everyone can buy into, and they then must appoint the right people in the right places. Whether that means Ole Gunnar Solskjaer keeps his job is open to debate, although the idea that he should be the United manager because he ‘knows the club’ is astounding in today’s game.

That lack of planning has also been evident on the pitch. After years in charge, Solskjaer still hasn’t settled on a formation and key men don’t play to their potential under his guidance.

The saving grace for the Norwegian, and those above him, is that United have somehow managed to just about avoid a catastrophe in the past. They can go 2-0 down to Southampton, but individual magic will rescue them. Similarly, a poor Premier League performance can be overshadowed by a magnificent win in Paris in Europe. They would be on the cusp of a disaster, yet they would just about get out of it.

That didn’t happen against Leipzig though, even though they nearly managed the unthinkable after trailing 3-0 with 20 minutes to play. In the end, though, they were out. We all know the importance of playing in the Champions League to the money men, so the recent elimination will have hurt. It should mean those awkward questions are asked, and then action can be taken.

As one of the richest and most powerful clubs in the world, it’s about time Manchester United started using that to their advantage. The embarrassment of falling into the Europe League, again, has to be the wake-up call that fans have been warning about for years as they look to build a team that can thrive domestically and in Europe, as they should.

Since joining from Bristol City, Luke Ayling has been one of Leeds United’s most consistent performers, playing well over 150 games in less than five seasons at the club.And under Marcelo Bielsa, the 29-year-old has been a beacon of reliability, figuring week-in and week-out for the Whites. This season has seen him split his game-time at both right-back and centre-back, and on Wednesday night against West Brom, he was once again used in the middle.Bielsa’s side ran riot at the Hawthorns, racing to a four-goal lead at half-time, before a Raphina strike mid-way through the second-half put the icing on the cake of an emphatic 5-0 win away from home in the Premier League.And whilst the Baggies hardly laid a glove on the visitors, there’s no questioning that Ayling looked absolutely supreme at the heart of defence, boasting a superb reading of the game and coolness in possession.As per Sofascore, he had 133 touches of the ball and made a whopping 109 passes too – both of which were team-highs. Added to that, he also won all eight of his duels on the night (four on the ground and four in the air), and completed nine of his 15 attempted long balls.His rapid progress under Bielsa has been something to behold, and a couple of Leeds fans on Twitter seemed to think so too, with one hailing his development over the past couple of years, and describing him as a “top-level” centre-back now.

Bielsa’s long and illustrious career has seen him work with some of the world’s best talents, but his coaching at Elland Road and improving Ayling in particular has been nothing short of fantastic.

Capable of playing in a back-four or a back-three, or as a full-back or as a centre-back, Ayling just seamlessly adapts to whatever his manager demands of him, and has been a consistently impressive presence for the Whites.

They may have missed out on Ben White in the summer, but Ayling is showing that they don’t really miss him at all.

Former Portugal international Jorge Costa has torn into West Ham United winger Felipe Anderson for the Brazilian’s slack efforts whilst on loan with FC Porto.

Costa, who graduated from the Porto academy before captaining the Liga NOS giants during his playing days, has brandished Anderson as a “big disappointment” during a recent interview with O Jogo.

Anderson joined the Estadio do Dragao natives on a season-long loan this summer after failing to impress David Moyes last term, with the Scot ultimately preferring a sizable loan fee and the Brazilian’s wage being covered than to utilise his services after failing to secure a permanent transfer.

Moyes called on the 27-year-old to start just four of his 10 Premier League appearances between replacing Manuel Pellegrini at the London Stadium and sanctioning the temporary transfer, with Anderson also offering his first and only goal during the Scot’s first top-flight fixture back with the Hammers.

Porto are yet to see any return from their agreement to cover Anderson’s wages, said to be in excess of £100,000-per-week, as the former SS Lazio star Pellegrini signed for a then-club-record £36million has featured for just 49 minutes across all competitions to date.

Porto boss Sergio Conceicao is yet to award the one-time Brazil international his first start, either, instead favouring Anderson from the bench while even leaving the attacker out of his matchday squad to face Olympique de Marseille in the Champions League entirely.

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The forward’s struggles saw Costa, who currently manages Romanian club CS Gaz Metan Medias, tell O Jogo: “Anderson is, for now, a big disappointment.”

The 50-cap ex-international is not the first to question Anderson, either, as Porto boss Conceicao recently told Desporto Ao Minuto that his early impression of the Irons outcast was that he is not committing his all to the Liga NOS side and must forget his prior achievements in order to be a success in the future.

“Felipe has this notion, that in order to return to having brilliant moments as he had, it is necessary to work hard,” he said.

“Anything he does now can have beautiful consequences in the future, and everything that happened no longer matters, he stays at home in the museum. The important thing is what you will do at FC Porto.”

Moyes will undoubtedly agree with Conceicao that all that matters for Anderson right now is what he can achieve with Porto, as any further failings in Portugal this season will cause the West Ham manager to have nightmares in 2021 should he again try and sell him.

Any hopes Anderson has of reviving his Irons career next year will also come short, unless he can prove to Moyes that he can offer more than the one goal from four big chances and four assists recorded throughout the 2019/20 Premier League campaign, per SofaScore.

AND in other news, David Moyes enjoyed a narrow escape on a £31.5m sensation West Ham courted this summer.

The Southampton union was split up last night as Denmark and England locked horns in their latest international performances. Jannik Vestergaard came off the bench for the Danes, who enjoyed a slim 1-0 victory over an unsteady looking Gareth Southgate side.

The Three Lions picked up a startling two red cards as Harry Maguire and Reece James were given their marching orders. Saints stars Danny Ings and James Ward-Prowse didn’t make it off the bench for England, despite the game crying out for some creative play.

However, their skills haven’t gone unnoticed and Vestergaard has lauded his south coast teammates for their influence on the club. Speaking to Goal.com, the centre-back praised Ings’ huge goal tally from last season – finishing just one goal shy of Jamie Vardy’s Golden Boot winning amount.

A winning formula for Southampton

“I am always madly impressed by his nose for goals – he can sniff them up out of nothing,” Vestergaard said. “He is an amazing player to have in your team and a fantastic person as well.”

Indeed, the former Liverpool man has been a dream signing for Ralph Hasenhuttl. Ings bagged 22 goals in 38 Premier League appearances last season and has already burst out of the blocks this term, netting three goals in four (via Transfermarkt).

Similarly, Ward-Prowse was hailed for his work ethic, with Vestergaard boldly tipping him to have unmatched free-kick skills. “What an engine Ward-Prowse has got! It just never runs out of fuel during games – he is so hard-working for the team,” the 28-year-old said before going on to state that he sees his teammates as close friends of his.

This clear tight-knit chemistry Hasenhuttl’s team has could be key for driving Southampton up the table this season. The duo – both valued at £18million by Transfermarkt – may play a huge part in ensuring the Saints secure a top ten finish at the end of this campaign.

In other news, Theo Walcott comments could see exciting partnership between him and Kyle Walker-Peters…

Leeds were always going to have a keen interest in the playoff final after their promotion to the Premier League, as they’ll have wanted to have a look at who is going to join them next season in the top-flight.

However, despite the winners joining them in English football’s top division, United may be a lot more interested in the losing team after an article in The Athletic linked them with moves for players from either team.

Indeed, Phil Hay has stated that Leeds have an interest in each of Ollie Watkins, Said Benrahma from Brentford and Joe Bryan from Fulham, but it seems as though the club only believe they can land any of those players if they’re on the losing side at Wembley.

Luckily for Leeds, one team has to lose on Tuesday, but with the caveats that come with a playoff loss, United have to be hoping for one outcome.

The Yorkshire club should have their fingers crossed in the hopes that Fulham overcome Brentford for a number of reasons.

For a start, The Athletic state that the Whites think Benrahma would be available for less than £20m if the Bees don’t go up, which would be a snip for a player of his quality, contributing to 26 league goals this term and being linked to Chelsea.

Signing Benrahma is a much more attractive proposition than Bryan, a Championship standard left-back who would only add to the conundrum Bielsa already has with Stuart Dallas, Barry Douglas and Ezgjan Alioski.

Watkins also adds another element to United, being a potent finisher, something that the Whites have needed for some time.

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On top of this, Fulham are still receiving parachute payments, and they have a number of sellable assets with Andre Franck Zambo Anguissa being linked with a €25m (£22.5m) move and Jean Michael Seri still valued at £8.55m by Transfermarkt, the London club don’t have to sell their stars, and they won’t be pressured into it.

Meanwhile, Brentford have paid £71m for a new stadium, and they’ve never been in the Premier League, so money is a bit tighter for Thomas Frank’s side, meaning that Leeds, or any other top club, would have an easier time in trying to poach their stars.

Anyone associated with Leeds should certainly be an honorary Fulham fan on Tuesday.

Manchester United flop Alexis Sanchez could be forced to take a pay cut if he wants to stay at Inter Milan, reports say. 

Recent reports revealed the Red Devils are ready to sell Sanchez this summer after he agreed personal terms with Antonio Conte’s side.

The Chile international, who is now valued at £14.4m, has only scored five goals in 45 games for Man United and has been a persistent thorn in Ed Woodward’s side ever since he arrived at Old Trafford from Arsenal in January 2018.

Try as he might, the executive vice-chairman has been unable to get rid of him for good so far.

However, that may be about to change, as Inter have reportedly expressed interest in signing the Chilean permanently, so he will have to significantly reduce his salary demands with his wages worth £400,000-a-week at the Theatre of Dreams.

According to ESPN’s Rob Dawson, Sanchez is not part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans and United are open to another long-term loan but would prefer to sell even if they have to take a substantial loss.

Solskjaer may face his toughest challenge in the transfer market, as he will have a hard task finding suitable buyers for the deadwood because clubs are struggling to cope with the financial pressures of these unprecedented circumstances.

Conte seems to have made his life a whole lot easier as Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed the Nerazzurri want Sanchez to stay at the San Siro.

The Chilean is considered surplus to requirements by Solskjaer and could be shipped out the door as soon as possible.

United fans, should Woodward sell Sanchez ASAP? Let us know down below!

Giovani Lo Celso has excelled in his new role at Tottenham Hotspur ever since the Premier League restarted last month.

After Jose Mourinho decided to give Harry Winks another chance, Lo Celso was deployed further forward, and he was let loose against the Everton defence.

While it may not have been pretty, he played an instrumental part in breaking the deadlock, as Michael Keane deflected his strike into the back of his own net.

Paul Robinson insists he would not swap the Tottenham ace for Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Spurs star claims Lo Celso has been “outstanding” for Mourinho’s side.

Last month, Fernandes revealed Spurs came close to signing him before Sporting Lisbon blocked the deal, via Sky Sports.

Mourinho dismissed his compatriot’s comments and said he would rather have Lo Celso anyway.

After being asked by Dylan Childs if he would swap the Argentine for Fernandes, Robinson admitted he would like to have both of them, but would choose Lo Celso if he was forced to pick between the two.

He told Football Insider “I would like to have them both! Two top-quality players.

“Lo Celso has shown a side to his game that not many people, including myself, knew that he had. He is not afraid to do the hard yards and play as a holding midfielder as well as an attacking midfielder.”

“I certainly would not swap him for Bruno Fernandes. Two outstanding players but Lo Celso has become key to what Spurs do. He’s settled and adapted to life in the Premier League very easily and very quickly.

“He looks to be a very astute signing along with Bergwijn. They are the type of signings that Spurs need. They have changed the team.

“Fernandes is a top player but I would not swap him for Lo Celso.”

It is hard to argue with Robinson here, as Lo Celso pulled all the strings in the 1-0 win over the Toffees.

The midfield maestro was widely touted as Christian Eriksen’s successor but ended up playing in a deeper role alongside Winks before the break. This didn’t stop him from being one of the club’s best players prior to the nationwide lockdown in March.

However, the 24-year-old has burst into life since the restart, as his performances have continued to get better and better with each passing week. Indeed, he earned a solid SofaScore rating of 6.8 in the draw with Manchester United, but bounced back with impressive displays against West Ham and Everton.

While Bruno Fernandes has been in electric form ever since he arrived at Old Trafford in January, the statistics don’t paint the full picture.

Lo Celso only has two goals this season, but these numbers can be attributed to the fact that it has taken him until 2020 to get his shot in central midfield.

Mourinho has let him off the leash over the past week or so, which has given him the freedom to move further forward, and he was unlucky not to score his first Premier League goal after his effort ricocheted off Keane.

It is difficult to believe it will be too far away if the Portuguese sticks with his new system as Lo Celso continues to take new strides in the final third.

That isn’t to say Fernandes wouldn’t make an immediate impact, as the evidence is there for all to see, the fact remains Lo Celso is arguably a better fit for where Spurs are at right now.

It is highly likely he will stick around for the foreseeable future, whereas Fernandes will no doubt be attracting attention from Barcelona and Real Madrid, which could unsettle the United squad.

Mourinho’s side are currently eighth in the table, eleven points behind fourth-placed Leicester, tied with Sheffield United on 48 points.

All hope of claiming silverware this season is basically over at this point and he will be looking to plan ahead for next season instead.

Tottenham fans, who would you choose? Let us know down below!