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Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in a move to bring Alejandro Grimaldo to the Premier League, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Free transfer available

Julen Lopetegui made six new signings in January, including Craig Dawson at centre-back, but given his team’s struggles this season, further defensive reinforcements may be needed in the summer if they manage to retain their top-flight status.

Benfica left-back Grimaldo will be out of contract at the end of the season and therefore available on a free transfer having not put pen to paper on fresh terms, and it appears that he has been identified as an ideal target by the hierarchy at Molineux.

The Latest: Wolves eyeing Grimaldo

According to Football Insider, Wolves and Newcastle have both ‘joined’ Leeds and Real Madrid in the race for Grimaldo’s signature this summer.

The Old Gold are ‘interested’ in completing a deal for the 27-year-old alongside their fellow top-flight rivals, with a move to England ‘not off the cards’ despite the attention from La Liga.

The Verdict: Ait-Nouri replacement?

Lopetegui was reportedly willing to let Rayan Ait-Nouri depart on loan in January amid interest from Real Betis, so should the French youngster exit in the summer, Grimaldo would appear to be the perfect left-back replacement at Wolves.

The Spaniard has clocked up 13 goal contributions across all competitions this season and currently ranks in the 99th percentile among positional peers outside of Europe’s top five leagues for attack-minded metrics such as expected assisted goals and progressive passes received.

The Benfica gem has also been likened to none other than Brazil legend Roberto Carlos by journalist Mootaz Chehade, which just goes to show how highly he is regarded.

Furthermore, Grimaldo shares the same agent as Max Kilman, so this could give Wolves a potential advantage over their competitors in the battle for the 27-year-old’s services.

Tim Spiers has admitted on The Athletic’s Football podcast that he can’t believe how Emerson Royal has managed to turn around his form and career in recent weeks at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: An unlikely transformation

Not too long ago Emerson was ridiculed and widely criticised for his shocking performances in a Tottenham shirt, but he’s performed so well as of late, that he’s been nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award.

Emerson was signed by Nuno Espirito Santo back in 2021 for £26 million but had never been able to nail down a regular spot under either him or Antonio Conte.

However, with Conte not in the dugout and perhaps giving him some tough love, Emerson has been able to thrive under Christian Stellini and go from a laughing stock to the number one right-wing-back.

The Latest: Emerson a totally different player now

Spiers has been left amazed by what Emerson has been able to produce in recent weeks with the Brazilian having scored two in his last six while also keeping four clean sheets in his last five League games.

He said: (9:00) “The really interesting case in point is Emerson Royal, who for my mind, must be the most improved player in the Premier League this year.

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“It’s been remarkable how he’s gone from one extreme to the other, I mean the guy was a walking calamity, to be honest. I find it incredible that he’s been Tottenham’s first choice right-wing-back for the majority of this season, astonishing, he’s completely flipped that on his head this year.”

The Verdict: Pressure is on to maintain these levels

It perhaps shows how much Spurs are worse off at the moment without Emerson in their side when they taste defeat at the hands of Sheffield United on Wednesday evening, especially given the performance of his replacement Pedro Porro.

The Spaniard deputised for Emerson – who reportedly picked up a muscular injury – and he squandered a glorious chance when he controlled a lofted ball in the Sheffield United box and then was at fault for the Blades’ goal being labelled as ‘so weak’ by Alasdair Gold.

Not many Spurs fans will have ever thought they’d be hoping and praying Emerson isn’t out for too long – given how poor he’s been since moving to N17 – but that is the scenario they find themselves in as he’s clearly been one of the league’s best performers of late.

Aston Villa are thought to be interested in signing Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney this summer, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Lack of game time

Tierney appears to have dropped down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta this season following Oleksandr Zinchenko’s arrival in the summer.

The Scot, who shares the same agent as Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa, has played just 468 minutes of Premier League action and has started only four top-flight games.

He has featured more in the Europa League, but it looks as if Villa are interested in his services despite signing left-back Alex Moreno in January.

The Latest: Villa update

Football Insider shared a story in the last 24 hours regarding Tierney, revealing that Villa are interested in his services.

Arsenal could green-light a summer sale and value the player at £30m, with the report adding that Villa could be willing to sell Lucas Digne to make room for the Scot.

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The Verdict: Good move?

Unai Emery is preparing for a busy summer window ahead of his first full season in charge, and should Digne move on, a swoop for Tierney could be a wise move.

Labelled as a ‘warrior’ by Ashley Cole, Tierney would bring a winning mentality to the Midlands after enjoying plenty of success with Celtic and even a potential Premier League winners medal with the Gunners.

He could be about to enter his prime at the age of 25 and has 81 games of Premier League experience. Not only that, but Tierney can also turn out as a centre-back or further forward on the left-hand side, so would be a versatile option for Emery, but it looks as if Villa would need to make him one of their most expensive signings of all time with a £30m valuation.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey says that Arsenal could make an offer for Lille central midfielder Carlos Baleba this summer.

The Lowdown: Midfielders wanted

Arsenal want to sign midfielders this summer, with West Ham United’s Declan Rice being linked with an £100m move to the Emirates Stadium.

With Mohamed Elneny’s long-term injury, and Albert Sambi Lokonga being allowed to join Crystal Palace on loan in the January transfer window, the Gunners look a little short in the middle of the park, and could do with strengthening in that area come the next window.

The Latest: Baleba interest

Writing for 90min, Bailey says that Arsenal have been scouting Baleba for a number of months ahead of a possible summer move, with a view to a potential offer.

However, they will face competition from AC Milan, Juventus, Nice, Monaco, Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Leicester City for his signature.

Lille see Baleba as the next Amadou Onana, who they sold to Everton for £30m last summer, and value him at around the same price.

The Verdict: Get it done?

At just 19 years of age, Baleba is an exciting talent, and one that the Gunners could snap up now before his market value starts to rise.

He has already played 12 senior games for Lille so far this season, and ranks highly among his team-mates for average blocks, dribbles and long balls per match in Ligue 1 (WhoScored).

Presumably alongside a more experienced addition like Rice, Baleba would be the prefect signing to complement him and provide depth and a long-term option once he furthers his development.

Newcastle United return to action in the Premier League this evening as they travel away to face Nottingham Forest.

The Magpies beat Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out in the division and can move to within one point of the top four with all three points tonight, while still having a game in hand over Tottenham Hotspur.

Eddie Howe will surely have been pleased to pick up a win last weekend, having gone five matches without a victory in all competitions before that, but that does not mean that the head coach will not make any alterations to his side.

One player who must be unleashed from the start to face Steve Cooper's side this evening is Paraguay international Miguel Almiron, who caught the eye off the bench against Wolves.

Anthony Gordon remains out due to injury and Jacob Murphy was given the nod on the right of the front three in the last match. The English forward put in a hard-working display – winning four duels – but was unable to have a significant impact in the final third as the winger ended the match with zero goals, assists, and chances created.

Will Miguel Almiron start against Nottingham Forest?

Almiron should start alongside Alexander Isak and Allan Saint-Maximin in attack against Forest tonight as the winger could offer more quality in possession than Murphy.

The former MLS star played 22 minutes off the bench against Wolves and eclipsed the ex-Norwich man's contributions by scoring the winning goal – running onto Joe Willock's pass to curl the ball into the far corner – and creating one chance.

In the Premier League this season, the 29-year-old has had a breakthrough year in front of goal with 11 strikes and one assist to his name in 25 appearances. He has averaged a superb Sofascore rating of 7.10 – placing him fifth in the squad – and has proven to be a reliable option for Howe to call upon in the final third.

Analyst Statman Dave hailed the wizard as "electric" earlier this term and the £42k-per-week gem's aforementioned statistics back that claim up. The maestro has been a constant threat to opposition defenders with his goal threat, while also creating 0.7 chances per game, and that is why Howe must unleash him tonight.

Murphy, who has one goal and one assist in 25 top-flight matches, has not offered as much quality as Almiron at the top end of the pitch in 2022/23 and the Englishman must move aside to allow the ex-Atlanta United star to start.

Leeds United are thought to be eyeing a possible move for RB Salzburg striker Noah Okafor this summer, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Okafor profiled

Okafor has been in fine form during the current campaign, contributing to 15 goals in 30 games in all competitions for the Austrian side playing as a centre-forward, even scoring against Chelsea in the Champions League. The 22-year-old was labelled as ‘incredibly prolific’ and in ‘crazy form’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig earlier in the season.

The Switzerland international appears to be going from strength to strength with Salzburg and has seen his Transfermarkt valuation rise from €5m to a career-high €25m in just over 12 months. It looks as if a summer move could be on the cards, with Fabrizio Romano recently saying:

‘RB Salzburg forward Noah Okafor, one to watch in the summer as many clubs are following him — it’s expected to be time to leave the club. Okafor appointed new agent Sports360 in order to make summer move happen.’

The Latest: Transfer update

Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey shared an update regarding Okafor on Monday morning, revealing that Leeds are keeping tabs on the forward.

He said that Okafor is the ‘latest player from the Red Bull stable to be on United’s radar’, with Elland Road scouts regularly watching him in action. The report added that Leeds’ interest ‘will increase if they can escape from relegation’.

The Verdict: Needed?

Javi Gracia has made a positive start to life in Yorkshire as head coach, with Saturday’s impressive 4-2 win at Wolves seeing him pick up seven points from a possible 12 in the Premier League.

The Whites now sit in 14th position in the table with 11 games remaining, however, they are no means out of the woods just yet when it comes to relegation.

Should they retain their top-flight status, though, Okafor could be just what the club need heading into the 2023/24 campaign, following in the footsteps of Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, Tyler Adams and Max Wober who have all arrived from the Red Bull stable over the last 12 months.

Rodrigo has been Leeds’ main source of goals this season with 13 in all competitions, nine more than any other player. Patrick Bamford has four to his name but has missed large parts of the season through injury, so Okafor could be viewed as a possible long-term replacement for the Englishman and the future first-choice forward in Yorkshire.

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani is still keeping his options open regarding the managerial situation at Elland Road, according to Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Gracia in charge for now

The Whites have suffered another tough season in the Premier League, once again battling relegation after surviving by the skin of their teeth last time around.

Leeds find themselves sitting 14th in the table with 11 matches remaining, with Javi Garcia coming in and doing an impressive job as the club’s manager on a short-team deal.

The Spaniard replaced the departed Jesse Marsch after the American struggled to ever properly get going in charge, and Saturday’s 4-2 win away to Wolves was one of the most important results of the campaign to date.

Gracia is only currently in the Elland Road hot seat until the end of the season, at which point Leeds will have a big decision to make regarding the situation.

The Latest: Radrizzani keeping options ‘open’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that Gracia would likely get the job if Leeds stay up but Radrizzani and the 49ers are continuing to keep their cards close to their chest:

“We know that Andoni Iraola was a top choice, but there was no ability to get a deal done with Rayo Vallecano and Iraola wasn’t that intent on leaving mid-season either.

“There are lots of moving parts with Leeds at the moment, and the best way for Gracia to get the job beyond this season is to keep Leeds up.

“But I think all options are being kept open at this stage.”

The Verdict: Massive few months

In fairness to Gracia, it would be a huge surprise if he kept Leeds in the Premier League and was then disposed of by Radrizzani, given the job he would have done.

Assuming he wants to stay on as boss, keeping him in charge makes perfect sense, as the Whites look for some stability under a manager with genuine pedigree, having guided Watford to the 2019 FA Cup final.

Should Leeds go down, things could be different, in truth, while Radrizzani and the new 49ers group are understandably planning for a scenario where Gracia ends up not wanting to extend his stay at Elland Road.

As things stand, though, he is doing enough to guide the Whites to safety come May, and given the positive results he is picking up, the supporters will surely be perfectly content to see him remain as manager this summer and beyond.

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has shared a definitive update on the future of Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe amid his current loan spell at Nice.

Who could leave Arsenal this summer?

There are currently a few players who could depart north London this summer as Mikel Arteta's current crop chase a long-awaited Premier League title.

The Gunners are sitting eight points clear of league champions Man City, and as things stand, they're on course to win a first domestic crown in nearly 20 years. It appears Arteta has now found that perfect balance in his squad after years of building. Some names, however, find themselves on the periphery of the Spaniard's plans.

Nuno Tavares, after his 21/22 debut season at Arsenal, could leave this summer and is currently out on loan at Ligue 1 side Marseille. Meanwhile, the likes of Kieran Tierney, Mohamed Elneny and Rob Holding have also been mentioned as potential candidates to depart the Emirates Stadium.

Alongside the aforementioned players, Arsenal winger Pepe, who is currently on a temporary deal at Nice, is firmly up for the chopping block as Sheth drops an update on the 27-year-old.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, the Sky journalist claims Arteta has 'made it clear' that Pepe is no longer in his plans moving forward. Sheth explained:

"I don't even think the form of those players [Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli] is going to have an impact at all because I think Mikel Arteta has made it clear that he's not in his plans."

"He wasn't a Mikel Arteta signing, remember. This was a signing made by Unai Emery and Emery has since said he actually wanted to sign Wilfried Zaha, but the club decided that they were going to go for Nicolas Pépé — maybe because of his attributes and maybe because of his age as well."

Should Pepe leave Arsenal?

Since signing for the club from Lille in a club-record £72 million move back in 2019, Pepe has struggled for consistency despite being called 'fantastic' at points by Arsenal legends like Robin van Persie.

Over his appearances last season, the £140,000-per-week ace managed just a goal and two assists over 20 league cameos as Pepe couldn't exactly kickstart a purple patch of form. Arsenal ultimately missed out on a top four finish that year with Arteta arguably needing more from such an expensive club acquisition. Across his whole career, spanning 112 games, he has mustered just 27 goals and 21 assists.

This season, however, the Ivorian has dazzled on loan at Nice as he looks to reinvigorate his career – averaging more attempts and successful take-ons per 90 than any other player in Didier Digard's squad, all while scoring six goals (WhoScored).

It may well be best for all parties to go their separate ways with Pepe clearly shining back in France, and Edu will be hoping that will drive up his market value ahead of a potential permanent sale this summer.

Liverpool had to share the spoils at Stamford Bridge last night in their Premier League clash with Chelsea but Jurgen Klopp will be relieved to take a point from the performance.

The Reds are now seven points adrift of the top four following their stalemate in west London and will need to take much more from their ten remaining fixtures ahead if they are to secure a Champions League qualifying spot for next season.

Despite having more possession (51%), more shots on target (4 v 3) and completing more accurate passes (449 v 437), Liverpool were unable to secure the important three points needed – lacking creativity and discipline throughout the game.

It was nothing new for the two teams who collected their third consecutive 0-0 draw against each other in the Premier League, despite the Liverpool boss making a number of big changes to his starting XI.

Kostas Tsimikas, Darwin Nunez, Curtis Jones, Roberto Firmino, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez were all brought in to give the line-up a refresh following the defeat to Manchester City and although a point was earned, the changes didn't make a big enough impact to secure all three points.

Similar inconsistencies remained and a lack of creativity from the midfield into the final third cost the Anfield outfit opportunities to take the game by the scruff of the neck and ultimately cost them the chance to close the gap with the top four even further.

Although the Merseysiders lacked quality all over the pitch and most players wouldn't feel that their individual performances were up to scratch, it was Tsimikas who arguably had the biggest nightmare after being handed a rare start over fellow left-back Andy Robertson.

How did Tsimikas play vs Chelsea?

The Greek left-back has been a worthy back-up for Robertson and has even competed for the position on occasions since his arrival at Anfield back in 2020.

However, under the lights at Stamford Bridge last night, Tsimikas struggled to make his presence known on the left flank and became more of a hindrance than a help.

Over his performance, the £50k-per-week dud was dubbed "shocking" by sports consultant Dinesh Kumar with his opening five minutes, in particular, a cause for concern.

Via Sofascore, the defender lost possession of the ball a whopping 17 times having failed to complete five of his six crosses on a truly wasteful evening.

He wasn't great from a defensive point of view either, failing to make any interceptions, losing five duels and committing three fouls.

The Greece international was also dribbled past once before being hooked for Robertson on 66 minutes.

There is a lot to take away from last night's performance for Klopp going into the Arsenal game on Sunday at Anfield and although Tsimikas is great for bringing on a fresh pair of legs in the second half, there is no doubt he remains in the shadow of Robertson in terms of quality on the ball and creativity.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see if Klopp continues to tweak his starting XI or revert to relying on his most experienced and trusted players for the clash against the league leaders this weekend. On the evidence of Tuesday evening, turning to Tsimikas again would be a big risk.

Chelsea managerial target Jose Mourinho “will push” to stage a return if approached for the managerial vacancy at Stamford Bridge, according to journalist Santi Aouna.

What's the latest manager news at Chelsea?

Following Frank Lampard being appointed as interim boss until the end of the season, Todd Boehly can now focus his attention on working behind the scenes to identify his long-term successor, with a view to starting at the beginning of the 2023/24 term.

Former Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann and Spain's ex-boss Luis Enrique are currently believed to be the two leading candidates for the job having both held positive meetings with the hierarchy, but Mourinho's name has cropped up in the background.

The AS Roma boss isn’t out of contract at the Stadio Olimpico until next summer, so the 60-year-old won’t be a free agent for over another 12 months but it’s been reported that the Serie A giants would be open to sanctioning his exit before then should they receive a “hefty compensation package”.

Taking to Twitter, Aouna revealed that Mourinho would indeed be keen to stage his comeback in the dugout at Chelsea. However, he will need to be contacted by the board first instead of instigating a move himself. The journalist wrote:

“Info: Jose Mourinho. The Special One is ready to leave Roma only for certain clubs including Chelsea / PSG. If the Blues make an offer, Mourinho will push to go. Mourinho is not interested in Saudi Arabia. Roma is open to the departure of its coach.”

Should Chelsea make another move for Mourinho?

Mourinho has been lauded as a managerial “legend” by talent scout Jacek Kulig for what he’s achieved on the sidelines throughout his career, and Chelsea bringing him back for another spell should be a no-brainer of a decision considering how successful he was during his previous spells in SW6.

The Portuguese, who shares the same agent as Joao Felix, won 204, drew 65 and lost just 51 of his 320 games in the capital, whilst averaging 2.21 points per match (via Transfermarkt) – form which saw him guide the team to nine trophies before departing the Bridge for a second time in 2015.

Over the course of his managerial career, Mourinho has secured 39 trophies, which shows that he’s in no way a one-trick pony and can be successful wherever he is appointed, having proven himself to be a consistent and reliable boss across the years. However, he did fail to win silverware when in charge at London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.

But the level of success he enjoyed at Chelsea means the Blues are clearly close to Mourinho's heart, and this latest claim certainly looks to put him in the running for the permanent job for a third time.