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Derby County are one of a number of clubs who are interested in signing Norwich City striker Jordan Hugill, according to a new transfer report.

The Lowdown: Hugill out of favour at Norwich

The 30-year-old has forged an impressive career down the years, racking up a total of 51 goals in 252 appearances in the Championship.

Hugill has found himself almost completely out of favour at Norwich so far this season, however, failing to make a single league start and appearing just seven times as a substitute.

It could make sense then that the striker is allowed to leave this month, which is where Derby come into play.

The Latest: Derby eyeing up move

According to Football Insider, the Rams are keen on signing Hugill in the coming weeks, with Birmingham City, Rotherham and Reading also mentioned in the report.

Norwich are ‘open to offers’ for the veteran attacker in January, with his current deal expiring at the end of the season.

The Verdict: Proven quality

Hugill is someone who could aid Derby’s promotion push in League One in the second half of the season, with Paul Warne’s side currently fourth in the division.

As mentioned, the Englishman has proven himself over an extended period in the Football League and he could just give the Rams that extra bit of firepower and match-winning ability.

Hugill was once hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by Tony Pulis, in terms of his attitude, and he could be a really shrewd and experienced signing by Derby if they manage to get a deal over the line.

Everton are currently enduring a miserable run of form under manager Frank Lampard, with the Merseysiders having found themselves firmly in a scrap for survival for the second season running.

A notable issue for the Toffees this season has been their shortcomings in an attacking sense, with the Goodison Park outfit having scored just 15 goals in 19 league games to date.

In truth, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin did enjoy a brief, prolific spell as the leading man through the middle in the past – notably scoring 16 league goals in the 2020/21 campaign – the club have arguably never truly filled the void of Romelu Lukaku in the attacking ranks.

The Belgian sensation scored 87 goals in just 166 games after initially joining on loan from Chelsea back in the summer of 2013, hitting double figures in each of his four league seasons at the club.

That included a haul of 25 goals in the top tier during the 2016/17 campaign, with that clinical form unsurprisingly seeing the 6 foot 3 ace secure a £75m switch to Manchester United that summer.

Trying to replace such a ruthless asset has proven particularly difficult in recent years, although Lampard and co could well have finally identified a suitable heir in the form of Atalanta’s Duvan Zapata, with the Daily Mail naming Everton as one of the clubs interested in the Colombian marksman – who could command a fee of around £25m.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – has now revealed that while a move for the 31-year-old could prove difficult to complete due to differences over the nature of the deal, the Merseyside outfit are set to continue talks regarding a January switch.

The transfer insider stated: “Zapata is not easy too because they’re offering a loan with an option to buy, and Atalanta want a permanent move for Zapata. So, there will be more conversations between Everton and Atalanta about this Colombian striker.”

The goalscoring “machine” – as lauded by journalist Raj Chohan – would certainly be able to match Lukaku in being a physical focal point due to his 6 foot 2 frame, having been praised by ex-teammate Papu Gomez, who stated:

“Zapata’s shorts look like underwear, he is so big. Sometimes I don’t even want to get close to him in a match because he’s a beast and it hurts.”

The £57k-per-week sensation is not just a mere battering ram in attack, however, with the experienced centre-forward also making the difference when it matters in the final third.

Although the 34-cap hotshot has scored just once in an injury-hit campaign in Serie A, he has typically been a reliable presence in front of goal in recent years, with 80 goals and 40 assists in 174 games for the Bergamo-based outfit.

The one-time Napoli ace may not be able to provide Premier League experience, although the hope would be that he can help propel Lampard and co to safety in the second half of the season, while also filling the hole that was left by Lukaku just over five years ago.

Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch will be able to welcome back several of his key players as his side welcome Brentford to Elland Road in the Premier League…

What’s the latest?

In recent weeks, the treatment room was becoming a busy place once again with skipper Liam Cooper, recent signing Max Wober and Robin Koch joining the likes of Luis Sinisterra, Adam Forshaw and Crysencio Summerville on the sidelines.

However, according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, the majority of Marsch’s squad is fit to feature against the Bees today.

“Georginio Rutter is available and should be in the squad. He said himself that he wasn’t 100 per cent yet having missed some training while he was moving from Hoffenheim so a seat on the bench seems most likely – but I hope we’ll get to see him at some stage. The absentees today are Summerville, Forshaw, Gray and Dallas. From what Marsch said on Friday, everyone else should be fit,” he revealed in a pre-game update.

That means Cooper, Wober and Koch are all available in a major defensive boost.

Huge boost for Marsch

During the Whites’ midweek 5-2 win over Cardiff City in the FA Cup third-round replay, the £11m arrival went off injured in what appeared to look like a worrying blow. His versatility in playing left-back, centre-back and in midfield will be vital over the coming weeks, so the fact that he’s good to go is great news for Marsch and the squad.

Similarly, being able to welcome back their “real leader” – as described by journalist Dean Jones – in the Scotsman is going to be huge as without him, there is a considerable lack of true experience and guile in the backline.

Fellow defensive titan Pascal Struijk looked rusty and uncomfortable against the Championship outfit, having been moved centrally after playing much of the campaign out on the left, whilst Diego Llorente always seems to have a rick in him, so he cannot be relied on, which is why Koch’s availability is further key.

Sinisterra, who played his first 11 minutes in months against the Bluebirds, adds quality to the final third, where Leeds have lacked creativity and threat for much of the Premier League season, remaining winless since November.

All in all, this update is surely going to have the manager delighted as he can near-enough select from a full group of players and as such, that has got to bolster their chances of picking up a result against a European-chasing Brentford outfit this afternoon.

AND in other news, Forget Rutter: Marsch must unleash Leeds’ “mouth-watering” £21m “animal” on Brentford…

Leeds United could look at signing Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie on loan with an obligation to buy, according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: First offer

The Whites appear to be interested in signing the American midfielder before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, with Fabrizio Romano claiming that personal terms have already been agreed.

An opening bid worth €28m (£24.6m) has reportedly been made by Elland Road officials, with Juventus looking to receive a fee closer to €35m (£30.8m).

The Latest: Hay’s claim

Writing for The Athletic on Thursday, Hay said that the Whites are willing to do a deal for McKennie at the right price, with the club first looking at him during his time at Schalke 04.

However, the reporter added that ‘a loan with an obligation to make the transfer permanent when the season ends would be one way of making the move more affordable’.

The Leeds correspondent also added that Victor Orta is confident of signing teenage defender Diogo Monteiro from Servette in Switzerland.

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The Verdict: Versatile…

McKennie would offer plenty of versatility to Jesse Marsch’s side, should a move to Elland Road go through, with the 24-year-old playing in eight different positions during his career so far.

With a 6.73 WhoScored rating, he comfortably outperformed the majority of Leeds’ midfielders during the 2021/22 campaign, including Kalvin Phillips.

The player also has experience of lining out alongside Tyler Adams at international level, with the pair featuring together at the World Cup, so it could be a wise move, especially after Mateusz Klich’s exit earlier this month.

Wolves winger Adama Traore is likely to stay put at the club this month and then leave during the summer, according to journalist Alex Crook.

The Lowdown: Traore in and out of the team

The Spaniard has had an up-and-down career at the club, finding himself loaned out to Barcelona last season and not always managing to be a regular starter at Molineux.

This season, Traore has only started seven of Wolves’ 20 Premier League matches, scoring just once in that time and registering no assists – a far cry from the 2019/20 campaign in which he started 27 top-flight games and helped himself to 13 goal contributions.

There has been speculation this month surrounding the 27-year-old’s future, although one observer feels that Wolves may be happy to take a loss on the £18m that they paid for him in 2018, with his contract set to expire in June.

The Latest: Summer exit predicted

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Crook claimed that Traore would remain at Wolves for now but then leave at the end of the season, rather than the club cashing in on him this month in order to avoid losing him on a free transfer.

The talkSPORT presenter said:

“You’ve got Adama Traore, who a lot of people, including myself, thought that Wolves might sell last summer and again, this window.

“I think they’re more keen, say, rather than getting a nominal fee for him in January, actually keeping him; he can play a bit of a part in them staying up and then be allowed to leave on a free transfer.”

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The Verdict: Right time to leave

This seems like the perfect scenario for Wolves, retaining Traore’s services for the remainder of the season, and therefore keeping squad depth in their battle to avoid relegation.

It then makes complete sense to let him leave, though, with the £55,000-per-week winger now 27 and still the same hit-and-miss player, scoring only 13 times in 177 appearances in total for the club.

While Traore’s pace and power can render him unplayable on his day  – Andy Townsend has described him as ‘devastating’ – Julen Lopetegui is seemingly another manager who doesn’t fully trust him, considering his aforementioned lack of starts.

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West Bromwich Albion clambered back into form last night as they recorded yet another Championship victory to move them into the play-off positions.

It marks the Baggies’ tenth victory in their last 12 league games and a redemption result as their only loss during that period (other than to league leaders Burnley) was against the team they defeated last night, Coventry City.

In a close-fought encounter at The Hawthorns, the Sky Blues battled well to trouble the hosts on numerous occasions. Despite this, it was Grady Diangana’s strike on 15 minutes which separated the teams at the final whistle.

His close-range finish was one of just three shots on target for Carlos Corberan’s side, but the Baggies boss will once again revel in a display which afforded just one shot on target from the opposition and warranted another clean sheet.

Should the 39-year-old mould his team into a more clinical and creative outfit, combined with the defensive foundations already in place, he could be prepared to take the Premier League by storm.

One of few villains from last night played a large role in this lack of proficiency, as Daryl Dike endured one of his toughest games in a West Brom shirt.

The American was comfortably the worst-performing starter from the home side and deservedly earned his 6.1 Sofascore rating before being dragged off in the 59th minute. Indeed, journalist Elias Burke took to Twitter to claim that the 22-year-old had “looked pretty sluggish” before his substitution.

That lethargy translated into his influence, which was almost non-existent. In his time on the field, Dike only managed eight touches of the ball, three of which were completed passes. Even goalkeeper David Button managed more; in fact, his tally of touches (30) was almost quadruple that of the ex-Orlando City striker.

Dike’s lack of impetus to get involved could be forgiven if he were not so integral in squandering the few golden opportunities which fell his way. Despite having such a minuscule number of touches, the 22-year-old still managed to miss two big chances, which almost cost Corberan and Albion.

Winning by such a small margin is often satisfying, but had the visitors scored themselves, West Brom would have rued those chances that their American marksman fluffed.

This showing might offer proof that he is not the sole answer to the club’s striking woes, and that perhaps Karlan Grant’s failed deadline day move to Swansea City might be a blessing in disguise. He couldn’t have done much worse than his team-mate last night, even if the 25-year-old is desperately out of form, having not scored since August.

Everton are heading into the final hours of Deadline Day with the intention to strengthen their forward line and now a new potential transfer target has emerged.

What’s the latest?

According to Daily Mail journalist Simon Jones, Everton are showing interest in Reading striker Lucas Joao (15:16pm).

As per the report, the Toffees are looking to add a late addition to their strike force and have now identified the Championship player as a potential option in the dying hours of Deadline Day.

Moshiri heading for a howler

Farhad Moshiri and the powerbrokers at Goodison Park have the responsibility in the remaining hours of the transfer window to provide Sean Dyche with new additions that can make an instant positive impact, with the side struggling yet again to retain their Premier League status.

The Toffees are 19th in the league table, two points deep into the relegation zone after 20 outings and currently have the second-worst goal tally in the entire top flight, so there is no doubt that bringing in a consistent striker would give the squad their best chance at survival.

Following Anthony Gordon’s departure, the newly-appointed manager has been left with limited options in his attacking threat with Neal Maupay, Demarai Gray, Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin left as his main source of goals over the second half of the season.

Maupay was brought in by Frank Lampard in the summer to replace Richarlison’s goal contributions after the Brazilian made a move to London to join Tottenham Hotspur and so far it hasn’t worked out.

The former Brighton and Hove Albion striker has only found the back of the net once this season so far with a goal conversion of just 8% from his 13 shots, and now Moshiri could be heading for another howler with the signing of Joao.

Over 22 league appearances, the 6 foot 4 dud has only scored five goals, delivered no assists and created no big chances, as well as averaging just 0.3 shots on target and 0.4 key passes per game, proving that he is not a reliable performer in the penalty area.

Like Maupay, Joao hasn’t made a huge impact on his team despite being in the Championship this season which leaves little hope for him to be the difference-maker that saves Everton from a spell in the second tier themselves.

With that being said, Moshiri must put his focus into identifying targets who not only have Premier League experience as an advantage but also a consistent output in front of goal to help Everton pick up the crucial points needed to avoid relegation at the end of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur technical coach Ryan Mason has left Antonio Conte blown away since he joined the club back in November 2021.

What’s the latest?

The Italian has taken Mason under his wing since making the move to Spurs with the Englishman having held a role at the club for a number of years now.

Mason played for Spurs up until 2016 after being sold to Hull City after years with the north London side having come through the ranks at the club.

But after being forced to retire back in 2018, Spurs handed Mason an opportunity to develop as a coach and this is exactly what he has done having, again, worked his way up the ladder.

And speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Alasdair Gold has admitted Conte and his coaching staff have been mightily impressed with what they have seen from the 31-year-old:

“Ryan Mason, the players really respect him. Don’t forget, he was a caretaker manager at the age of 29.

“His training sessions, I’m always told, are superb, really kind of tactically intelligent, challenging sessions.

“So from what I understand, the coaches and these are experienced Italian coaches, they’ve come in and been pretty impressed with Ryan Mason.

“Conte was similar the moment he walked in, because obviously, he wasn’t technically allowed to take the early training sessions because I think it was his work permit hadn’t arrived yet. So Mason was taking the sessions and Conte was a bit like okay, this lad’s got something. And that’s why you saw him kind of become this real trusted member of the staff.”

Making an impression

Mason began his coaching career in Tottenham’s mouth setup and was quickly promoted to the role of head of academy coaching in 2020.

But then his biggest opportunity to date arose after being offered the role of the caretaker manager in 2021 following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.

And in that time, Mason took charge of seven games including the Carabao Cup final which they narrowly lost to Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.

Spurs’ form in the league wasn’t too shabby under Mason with 12 points taken from a potential 18 although there were some frustrating results mixed in there like the 3-1 loss to Leeds United.

But then Mason took on the role as a technical coach under Conte and recently formed part of the staff which guided the ship to a stunning 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the Italian’s absence.

And we do think for a young manager who is looking to develop himself in the world of coaching, Mason is going about it in a very sensible manner.

We have already seen with former players such as Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard that they have perhaps jumped into senior managerial jobs too quickly and had their fingers burnt.

Both of them are currently unemployed having been sacked by Premier League sides this season.

And although Mason may not have carried over their level of experience from his playing days, the 31-year-old is learning his trade under some incredibly experienced managers.

With the approval of Conte, it will be interesting to see where his career in coaching takes him.

While Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag was no doubt brought in to inspire short-term success, the Dutchman also appears to have a keen eye on building for the future, having been overseeing the club’s U21 side of late.

That hands-on approach to the academy set-up has come amid the 53-year-old having given notable opportunities to Argentine sensation Alejandro Garnacho in the first-team in recent times, while fellow teenager Kobbie Mainoo has also been a regular fixture in the matchday squad of late.

The former Ajax head coach will also no doubt be keeping a close eye on the club’s young talents who are currently flourishing out on loan, however, with Tunisian international Hannibal Mejbri having shown his class at Birmingham City so far this season.

How is Mejbri getting on at Birmingham?

The 20-year-old playmaker has only recently hit the headlines as a result of his stunning, curling free-kick in the win over West Bromwich Albion on Friday night, with the dynamic midfielder showcasing his intelligence to bend the ball around the wall and catch out opposition ‘keeper David Button in the process.

Not only did that moment of genius speak volumes of Mejbri’s confidence to try his luck from distance, but the manner of the strike itself was also hugely impressive, as he expertly whipped his long-range effort into the bottom corner.

That also marked a fine way for the youngster to score his first goal at senior level, having already racked up six assists in all competitions for the Blues so far this term in what is proving a fruitful spell at St Andrew’s.

Unsurprisingly, the former Monaco man – who arrived at Old Trafford on a £9m deal back in 2019 – has since been lauded by manager Josh Eustace, who described him as “awesome” and “unplayable” on the night.

As Eustace acknowledged, there has been “inconsistency” in the midfielder’s game this season, albeit with that seemingly understandable with Mejbri having only made two senior appearances back at his parent club in the previous campaign, including a brief, robust cameo in the defeat away to Liverpool at Anfield.

Although it would clearly be a tough step up to jump from the Championship back into the top tier with United next season, the France-born sensation could well help to bolster a midfield department that is short on depth at present.

Imagine him and Diallo

The 20-cap wonderkid will not be the only asset out on-loan who will be hoping to force his way into Ten Hag’s plans for the 2023/24 campaign, with Amad Diallo having been a leading figure for Sunderland in the second tier this season.

The diminutive winger has been restricted to just nine appearances since his £19m arrival at the Theatre of Dreams in January 2021, although is beginning to showcase why that hefty price tag may have been justified, with seven goals and two assists in 24 games across all fronts this season at his temporary home.

That breakthrough campaign at the Stadium of Light has seen the former Atalanta youth product described as a “wonderful, wonderful footballer” by Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray, having also been lauded as “terrific” by ex-United man Michael Carrick earlier this season.

The aim will likely be for the Ivorian ace to challenge Antony for that right-wing berth this season, with Ten Hag having the prospect of utilising both Amad and Mejbri as quality back-ups in attacking and midfield roles, respectively.

That latter pairing could well grow to become a truly fearsome partnership in the future, with Mejbri – who ranks in the top 1% among his peers in the ‘Men’s next eight competitions’ for assists – able to supply quality service to Amad, who ranks in the top 13% for non-penalty goals to illustrate his finishing prowess.

Although there is no guarantee that either of the two emerging talents will be in the mix for a prominent role at United next term, they do appear to be exciting players for the long term in Manchester.

Journalist Ashley Preece hailed one ‘incredible’ moment from Tyrone Mings’ in Aston Villa’s 4-2 defeat at home to Arsenal on Saturday lunchtime.

The Lowdown: Unlucky result for Villa

Unai Emery’s side faced a massive Premier League clash at Villa Park, with the Gunners heading there after failing to win any of their last four matches.

A brilliant game saw Ollie Watkins open the scoring early on and Bukayo Saka equalise for the visitors, only for Philippe Coutinho to fire Villa back in front.

Oleksandr Zinchenko made it 2-2 in the second half with the Gunners then going on to steal a very hard-fought and dramatic late win.

Jorginho’s late long-range effort struck the underside of Villa’s crossbar only to bounce back in off the helpless Emiliano Martinez, making it 3-2 before Gabriel Martinelli scored Arsenal’s fourth on the counter-attack.

The Latest: Preece lauds Mings

Taking to Twitter, Preece hailed Mings for one moment in the first half – particularly his phenomenal clearance at 1-0 to keep out at Arsenal when they had a brilliant first half chance.

“Tyrone Mings typifying his importance there as he rushes back to stop Nketiah from tapping home from Ben White’s shot-come-cross across goal. Incredible defending, Mings.”

The Verdict: Crucial player…

Mings hasn’t always been on top form this season but that excellent but of individual defending was much more like it from the centre-back.

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Granted, the 29-year-old’s headed clearance did go straight to Saka for his goal, but Villa’s centre-back also made 5 clearances (more than anyone in Emery’s backline) and won 100% of his aerial duels, according to Sofascore.

Mings remains such an important player Emery when he is performing like this, with his physicality and experience making him a different animal defensively.

The key now for him is to find a consistent level whilst continuing to silence any real potential doubters.