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Exciting West Bromwich Albion teenager Harry Whitwell has signed his first professional contract at The Hawthorns, as per reliable journalist Lewis Cox.

The Lowdown: Whitwell impressing at West Brom

The 17-year-old is seen as one of the most highly-rated youngsters in the Baggies academy, impressing with his performances in recent times.

Whitwell has already made nine appearances for West Brom’s under-21s, despite only just turning 17 this week, also winning six England caps across various youth levels.

The midfielder has not only had a birthday to celebrate in recent days, but also the first major milestone of his football career

The Latest: Whitwell signs new deal

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Cox expressed his delight that Whitwell has signed his maiden professional deal at West Brom until 2025, in what is a big moment in his fledgling career.

The journalist tweeted:

“Great to see Harry Whitwell mark week of his 17th birthday with a first pro contract. Been very impressive when I’ve seen him play this season and rated very highly. An Eng u18 international too as of this season. Signed till 2025.”

The Verdict: One for the future

While Whitwell may not yet be part of Carlos Corberan’s first-team plans at The Hawthorns, this is undoubtedly great news for the club, given his evident potential.

Having top-quality homegrown talent coming through is important for any football club, and the 17-year-old is someone who could hopefully end up making the grade at West Brom, earning them good money for his services further down the line too if he is sold on at a profit.

The key now is for Whitwell is keep knuckling down and progressing, becoming an even more prominent player for the under-21s and hopefully maturing into a first-team regular for the Baggies as the years progress.

Wolves have been linked with a number of right-back options ahead of the January transfer window, with new manager Julen Lopetegui no doubt eyeing an upgrade on Nelson Semedo in his squad.

The Portuguese defender has proven himself to be a defensive liability on a number of occasions in his Wolves career, most recently when he was sent off in the 3-2 defeat against Brighton.

Jonny Otto’s form has also been disappointing, with the Spaniard ranked as their eighth-best performer with a poor 6.55 rating from WhoScored, so it is no surprise to see the Old Gold linked with several right-backs, including Isaiah Jones and Connor Roberts.

The former is attracting plenty of interest from Premier League sides as he continues to impress with Middlesbrough in the Championship with three goals and three assists to his name so far this season.

Roberts, meanwhile, was linked with Wolves after Burnley’s relegation last season and Lopetegui should consider reigniting that interest in January.

The Wales international has featured in 19 games for Vincent Kompany’s table-toppers so far this campaign and has one goal and two assists to his name.

He also has Premier League experience with the Clarets, having joined them from Swansea City in 2021, which suggests that he could have the edge over the more inexperienced Jones, as Lopetegui looks to turn Wolves’ season around.

The Spanish manager will be able to keep a close eye on the “brilliant” defender as he features for Rob Page’s Wales side in Group B in Qatar.

The 27-year-old started in the 1-1 draw with the USA earlier this week and will likely start again against Iran and England in their upcoming fixtures, so he could become a good option for Wolves in January should he play well.

His performance against the USA certainly suggests that the £35k-per-week earner could be a solid option for Lopetegui in the Premier League, as he earned a solid 6.9/10 rating from SofaScore after contributing two tackles, two clearances and a 100% ground duel success rate.

While Jones could be an exciting option for the future, he is only 23 and has just 71 senior appearances to his name so Roberts should be the superior option for the Old Gold should they target a new right-back after the World Cup.

It’s no secret that Liverpool urgently need to bolster their midfield options. Jurgen Klopp currently has James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Naby Keita out of contract at the end of the season, while Arthur Melo will surely return to Juventus following the end of his loan spell.

This could spark a wild summer transfer window, with plenty of outgoings and incomings as the German eyes an overhaul of his squad.

The Anfield side have been linked with Piotr Zielinski recently, while Klopp is a great admirer of Ismael Bennacer amid contract talks stalling over wage demands.

The Reds have also been interested in Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo for a few months now, although he could cost £85m.

N’Golo Kante 2.0

The Ecuadorian featured heavily for his nation at the World Cup, even scoring in their final game against Senegal as he firmly announced himself on the world stage.

The 21-year-old has been likened to Kante and he could be Liverpool’s own version of the combative Frenchman.

Their playing styles are similar and South American football expert Tim Vickery sang Caicedo’s praises while speaking to talkSPORT last year: “He is a terrific athlete who makes football look easy. A box-to-box midfielder.

“A year ago he was saying that Kante of Chelsea is his role model but he is already more than that. He already offers more in the final third.

“That kind of box-to-box midfielder that’s very much in the tradition of the England game. Strong, quick, intelligent and cool. He really does look like the genuine article.”

Ecuadorian football historian Enrico Castro-Montes also lavished the youngster with praise while speaking to Het Niuewsblad (via Sport Witness), saying: “In his own country, he is really seen as the crown jewel of a new generation.

“Caicedo really has everything to become the best Ecuadorian footballer of all time. I think that off the ball, he is indeed somewhat reminiscent of Kante, but on the ball, he resembles Paul Pogba with his flair and his technique.”

This season, the 21-year-old has impressed in the Premier League, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.12/10 while making 1.1 key passes per match, averaging 67.8 touches and also making 3.1 tackles each game, proving he has a wide range of qualities that would enable him to fit well into Klopp’s system.

The aforementioned £85m might sound a lot, but there is no doubt Caicedo is just going to keep improving and he would be a perfect fit for Liverpool.

Everton are reportedly looking to add new attacking players to their squad at Goodison Park in the January transfer window, and it could not come soon enough for Frank Lampard.

The Toffees are currently 17th in the Premier League and teetering on the edge of the relegation zone after struggling to maintain some consistent form, losing five of their last seven matches in the top flight ahead of the World Cup break.

Indeed, the powerbrokers at Goodison Park delivered some fantastic signings in the summer, with the likes of Conor Coady, Amadou Onana and James Tarkowski coming on board, but strengthening in the final third remains a pressing issue.

Only Wolverhampton Wanderers have scored fewer goals than Everton in the Premier League this season, so it is clear that bringing in some players who can improve the Toffees’ goal contributions and creativity is of paramount importance.

One player who has been linked with a move to Merseyside is Udinese centre-forward Beto, who could be a hugely valuable asset to Lampard in his pursuit to change Everton’s fortunes in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old has scored 30 goals and registered four assists over 94 senior career appearances, proving that he offers a reliable and consistent threat in the penalty area.

Beto has many similarities to his style of play as Everton star Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has struggled with a number of injury issues over the last 18 months, but Lampard could now sign a clone of the England marksman.

Just like Calvert-Lewin, Beto uses his 6 foot 4 stature to win possession and make opportunities to score in dangerous areas of the pitch against his opponents, with both strikers ranking inside the top 18% of their positional peers across Europe for aerial duels won over the last 12 months.

Furthermore, the £33m-valued Portuguese ace also ranks in the top 18% for non-penalty goals, clearances and dribbles completed, with Beto receiving high praise for his towering presence in the forward line.

Sports journalist Josh Bunting tweeted in response to one performance from the 24-year-old for Udinese earlier this season: “Beto with the equaliser for Udinese at Sassuolo, they will get decent money for him one day. Quality player offers more than goals, good hold up play and links play effectively. 3 goals in 6 games this season in Serie A. Can pull defenders around with his movement, intelligent.”

With that in mind, there is no doubt that Beto would be a major coup for Everton, as it would not only offer them depth and fresh perspective in the forward line, but also add a player who already possesses qualities which have been hugely successful in this team through Calvert-Lewin.

Rangers are looking to offer young striker Robbie Ure a new deal to keep him at Ibrox for the foreseeable future. 

The Lowdown: Ure’s career so far

With 30 appearances for Rangers’ youth side under his belt, the 18-year-old has scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in the process.

The teenager has even made two senior appearances for the Gers, the latest of which seeing him come on as a late substitute in last month’s 1-1 draw against St. Mirren.

Having had a small taste of senior action, the youngster seems to have convinced the club that he is someone that should be kept hold of for the long term.

The Latest: Rangers want a new deal for Ure

According to a recent report from Football.Scotland, the Ibrox club wants to offer terms on an extension to lock down their starlet.

The report also adds that with his current contract set to expire in the summer, Rangers see Ure as a rising talent and someone they want to keep at the club.

The Verdict: A good move for Rangers

Given the number of goals and assists the Scotsman has delivered for the club at youth level – and in the first team when he scored a goal against Queen of the South in the Scottish League Cup back in August – it’s easy to see why the hierarchy at Ibrox want to offer him a new deal.

Described as a “raw” and “quality” talent by journalist Josh Bunting on Twitter, Ure now has a decision on his hands over whether or not he pledges his future to the club.

In our view, it would definitely be worth giving the teenager some regular minutes in the first team to see how comfortable he is playing in the league and to convince him that staying at Ibrox would be the best move for him and his career.

Everton have yet again found themselves in an unstable position in the Premier League this season, although Frank Lampard will be afforded the opportunity to find solutions to the team’s poor form when they return to action after Christmas.

The Toffees are currently 17th in the table after a string of lacklustre performances which has left them just one point clear of the relegation zone.

Only Wolverhampton Wanderers have scored fewer goals than Everton over the top-flight campaign so far, with the Goodison Park outfit finding the net just 11 times in their first 15 league outings.

As a result, Lampard will surely be looking ahead to the transfer window to find the perfect profile of player who can boost goal contributions in the team and help them to pick up crucial points in order to avoid another difficult relegation scrap over the second half of the campaign.

One player who has been linked with a move to Goodison Park in the New Year is Ajax and Ghana star Mohammed Kudus, for whom Everton had a £15m bid rejected in the summer. Such is his form, however, that he’s now worth double that according to recent reports.

The talented 22-year-old ranks in the top 1% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues this year for passes attempted, pass completion and dribbles completed. He also ranks in the top 5% for shots on goal, progressive passes and touches, proving that he is one of the hottest prospects in European football right now.

Not only has Kudus been impressing at club level, he was also the standout performer on the international stage for Ghana at the World Cup in Qatar over the last month.

In three appearances at the finals, the attacker – who was dubbed a “special talent” by sport writer Yaw Ampofo Jr – scored two goals, completed 71% of his dribbles and won 53% of his duels, along with averaging 1.7 tackles, 2.7 shots on goal and 47.7 touches per game.

After losing Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur over the summer, the Ghana international could be the perfect heir to the Brazilian winger at Everton. He is also hugely versatile in his positioning in the final third, with experience of playing in attacking midfield, central midfield, centre-forward and on the right wing.

This has echoes of the current Tottenham attacker, who played at centre-forward and on both flanks during his time on Merseyside.

If the powers at Goodison Park can secure Kudus’ signature in the New Year, he could make a huge difference to Everton’s attacking threat as they set out to protect their Premier League status once again.

Historically, Southampton have been a remarkably well-run club.

They have unearthed some of the world’s standout managers who have overperformed with their respective squads, while also finding and nurturing some of the best talents in the world.

The likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Ronald Koeman, Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane are some of their recent standout successes over the past decade, and they looked set to breed another when they spent a club-record £16m to sign Sofiane Boufal from Lille in 2016.

Joining from the Ligue 1 club which had previously given the world Eden Hazard, this “magic” Moroccan – as dubbed by BBC’s John Bennett – was coming off the back of 12 goals and four assists in his last season in France and looked well-placed to emulate the Belgian’s success in England.

However, it seemed like the 29-year-old never really got going on the south coast, as apart from scoring one of the best solo goals in Premier League history, he only recorded ten goal contributions across 84 appearances for Southampton.

That mazy run against West Bromwich Albion in 2017, followed by a cultured finish, was a mere highlight of what could have been at St Mary’s. As such, he was allowed to leave on a free transfer in 2020, marking a huge financial loss on the Moroccan.

It was thought that the man who Carl Anka dubbed a “trickster” would see out his career by showing flashes of brilliance in Ligue 1 without truly realising his potential, but few could have predicted how Morocco would perform in the 2022 World Cup.

Thrown into a group consisting of Croatia, Belgium and Canada, they finished top and defeated Portugal and Spain on their way to becoming the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the competition.

However, boasting a solid defensive core and the expressive exploits of Hakim Ziyech and Boufal himself, they had all the makings of a team prepared to upset the odds.

The former Southampton man starred from the left flank and maintained a 6.83 Sofascore rating for his performance in Qatar.

Despite not scoring or setting up a goal, his efficient ability on the ball was essential for driving his team forward when they would struggle for possession.

He averaged a 58% dribble success rate alongside 0.6 key passes per game, while also managed to outline his defensive credentials with 1.6 tackles per match (via Sofascore).

It might leave Southampton fans wondering whether the club should have trusted in him to eventually come good, especially considering how their current crop of wingers boasts a combined tally of just two goal contributions and he has six already this season.

It is fair to say that, after Boufal’s display at the 2022 World Cup, the Saints suffered a rare howler on letting him leave for free two years ago.

Chelsea are ‘already negotiating’ with Benfica over the big-money signing of exciting youngster Enzo Fernandez, according to journalist Cesar Luis Merlo.

The Lowdown: Enzo strongly linked with move

The 21-year-old had a memorable 2022 World Cup with Argentina, not only winning the tournament but also scooping the Best Young Player award in Qatar.

Since then, Fernandez has become hot property and Chelsea have arguably emerged as the front-runners to sign him in the January transfer window.

Now, another update has emerged – one that further suggests that a move to Stamford Bridge could be on the cards very soon.

The Latest: New update emerges

Taking to Twitter, Merlo gave an update on the situation, claiming that talks over a €127million (£112.6m) transfer are fully underway:

“Chelsea and Benfica are already negotiating forms and structures around the offer of €127M for Enzo Fernandez. The fixed amount, bonuses and forms of payment must be established. It is not an easy operation but the English are bidding for it.”

Meanwhile, Record [via Sport Witness] also report that Fernandez is ‘tempted’ by a move to Chelsea, especially given the lure of the Premier League.

The Verdict: Midfield saviour?

Fernandez is understandably one of the world’s most sought-after young midfielders now and he is someone who could be a long-term colossus in the middle of the park for Chelsea.

With the likes of N’Golo Kante and Jorginho now in their 30s, fresh blood is required as soon as possible and the Argentine could be the perfect fit for Graham Potter.

A player with maturity beyond his years in a deep-lying midfield role, Fernandez enjoyed an 87.6% pass completion rate at the World Cup, as well as averaging an impressive 3.1 tackles per game, showing tenacity off the ball and class on it.

Julen Lopetegui is reportedly eyeing up a Wolves move for Stoke City central defender Harry Souttar in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Impressive World Cup

Souttar has come off the back of an impressive FIFA World Cup with Australia, where he ranked as their best-performing player and helped them qualify for the knockout stages of the competition, before they were lost to eventual winners Argentina.

Lauded as ‘huge, quick’ and an ‘absolute monster’ of a defender by The Athletic journalist Jordan Campbell after his heroics in Qatar, and ‘like superman’ by pundit Danny Murphy after a stunning late challenge in a 1-0 win over Tunisia in the group stages, Souttar is now concentrating in firing Stoke up the league table in the Championship, although he may have just earned himself a move to the Premier League come January.

The Latest: Lopetegui interest

As per TEAMtalk, Lopetegui is eyeing a January move for Souttar in order to bolster his team’s defensive options.

The report outlines his ‘remarkable’ performances at the World Cup, considering that he only recently recovered from a serious knee injury, which ruled him out for over a year.

Souttar was attracting interest from clubs in the top flight prior to his injury, and Stoke are bracing themselves for interest again in January.

West Ham United are also thought to be eying up a deal, and Stoke would find it hard to resist any sizeable offers.

The Verdict: Get it done

After letting the likes of Conor Coady, Willy Boly, Romain Saiss and Leander Dendoncker go in the summer, the Old Gold have left themselves fairly short in the centre-back area.

Souttar would surely relish the opportunity of the step up from the Championship to the Premier League, where he has excelled as Stoke’s best performer, despite missing a large chunk of the campaign through injury.

Nonetheless, the six-foot-six colossus has been a standout performer for both club and country, and at 24 years of age, deserves a chance to prove himself in the top flight.

Chelsea are monitoring Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo after their move for Enzo Fernandez broke down, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the word?

Chelsea’s negotiations to sign Fernandez from Benfica broke down after they refused to pay his €120m (£105m) release clause, and are now exploring other options in the market.

One name which they are looking at is Caicedo, who Graham Potter signed at Brighton last year. The 21-year-old has been impressive for his club this season, starting in all but one of their Premier League games, and is valued at around €30m (£27m) by CIES Football Observatory.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano claimed that the midfielder, who has been hailed as a “ridiculous” player, was now on Potter’s radar again as they look for Fernandez alternatives.

“Chelsea are now focused on other potential players. I would keep an eye on other midfielders too, let’s see if Chelsea will decide to return for Enzo or go for another one,” he stated.

“For example, a player they are following is Moises Caicedo from Brighton, who Graham Potter knows very well.”

Long-term investments

It is clear that Chelsea’s strategy under owner Todd Boehly is to sign younger players to build for the future.

A number of elite youngsters have arrived at the club including Omari Hutchinson and Carney Chukwuemeka, and they are seeking out young central midfielders as they prepare to move on from Jorginho and N’Golo Kante.

Both Fernandez and Caicedo are 21, and both have some, albeit limited, experience at a high level. Potter knows Caicedo well, and could bring him as a familiar face to follow Marc Cucurella to Stamford Bridge.

Although a deal could be expensive, with Brighton reportedly setting a price tag of around £80m, it may be a difficult deal to do, particularly if Potter’s side do not qualify for the Champions League this season.

Their ability to complete a future deal for Fernandez may also depend upon their European status, but if they are able to secure big signings in January, then they would stand a better chance of qualification in the second half of this season.