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Wolverhampton Wanderers’ unbeaten run came to a heartbreaking end on Sunday afternoon as they sunk to eighth in the Premier League standings.

The west Midlanders looked to be on for a 12th straight game without tasting defeat until Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Jan Vertonghen popped up at the back post with an injury-time header to send his side back to north London with all three points.

Earlier this week, Football Insider revealed that senior members of the Spurs squad were so impressed by winger Adama Traore that they told their manager Jose Mourinho to sign him after the game.

This has led to several members of the Molineux faithful reacting on social media with some naming their price tag for the 23-year-old.

Watch Wolves vs Man City Live and Free with Amazon Prime on December 27th

Transfermarkt currently value Traore at £25.2m, which is an increase on the £18m they paid for him but fans’ evaluations seem to have far exceeded that with £100m being regularly mentioned.

Others brought up the fact that Spurs had tried to injure him consistently throughout the match, making the idea of them wanting to sign him quite baffling.

Three visiting players were all booked for trying to take down the pacy winger, including captain Harry Kane and England teammate Eric Dier.

It means in 26 appearances this season, 24 players have seen a booking for fouling the Spaniard.

And then there were some who issued a hands-off warning with a couple believing that he wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon…

It remains to be seen how accurate these reports are, but for the time being, we’ll have to wait and see what emerges in January. Wolves are indeed expected to be active according to their boss, so stay tuned.

Calling all Premier League experts: Who do these unique statistics belong to? Find out below….

Meanwhile, Nuno should call upon this highly sought-after prospect to bolster his defensive problems before it’s too late…

Coming up against a side languishing near the foot of the table, all expectations no doubt would have been of an easy Sheffield Wednesday victory on Boxing Day. Stoke had won just five Championship games all season, whilst the visitors were looking to keep pace with the front two, West Brom and Leeds.

Instead, in a major upset, Garry Monk’s side fell to a dramatic 3-2 defeat to the Potters, courtesy of two goals deep into injury-time from Tyrese Campbell and Sam Vokes. Wednesday had essentially snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, and questions will undoubtedly be asked of the Owls’ rearguard. But one man amongst that whose application and commitment to the cause cannot be questioned, is skipper Tom Lees.

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As well as scoring the goal that made it 2-1 for his side, Lees led by example throughout the game, and was certainly undeserving of being on the losing team. The fact he did so, is more a damning indictment of the rest of his teammates, than any particular criticism of his own performance. As per Sofascore, his 8.1 match rating was the best of any player on the pitch, and when looking at the underlying numbers behind his display, it is easy to see why.

In a mammoth performance that delivered a textbook lesson on how to be a centre-back in the cut-throat world of football in the Championship, the 29-year-old won an incredible 15 of his 20 total duels – the most of any player on either side. Not only did he win the 50/50s on most occasions, but he was also there to make last-ditch tackles and vital goal-saving actions.

Over the course of the 90 minutes, he made an impressive nine clearances (with one of them coming off the line), two tackles and one blocked shot. Whilst Monk will pore over his side’s late defeat in the days to come, one man whose performance cannot be debated is Lees’. His captain led from the back like a true leader, and the defeat to Stoke was down to his teammates letting him down.

Meanwhile, Julian Borner has waxed lyrical over this Sheffield Wednesday ace.

The cat’s out the bag.

We finally seem to know Eddie Nketiah’s fate with huge rumblings from reliable sources stating that the youngster will be recalled by Arsenal once the January transfer window opens.

Fortunately, we’ve already had three potential replacements for the attacker named as reports indicate that Che Adams and Rhian Brewster are all genuine options to replace the striker.

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Leeds may have signed Nketiah in deadline day last summer, but they can’t afford to leave it late this time around.

Injuries have been rife within United’s squad this term, and while Patrick Bamford has been injury-free for most of this campaign he’s struggled recently after missing Leeds’ most recent game against Birmingham City.

Nketiah is expected to be in the squad for the upcoming West Brom game as Bamford won’t be 100%, but once Nketiah is recalled, Ryan Edmondson will be Leeds’ second-choice striker, and Marcelo Bielsa apparently doesn’t trust him to play that role.

With every passing day that Nketiah isn’t replaced, the Whites will be taking a gamble. If Bamford picks up any other issues they’d be forced to rely on a player that the manager simply isn’t sold on.

Leeds need to settle any potential nerves early by getting their business done as soon as possible.

If reports are to be believed, the Yorkshire club already have two targets lined up. Therefore, there is no excuse for dawdling when it comes to replacing the Arsenal man.

In other news, Kalvin Phillips could be to blame for Leeds’ recent defensive lapse.

Liverpool have signed Joe Hardy for an undisclosed fee from Brentford.

What’s the story?

With Rhian Brewster on the verge of moving to Swansea City, Hardy has been snapped up by the Reds to come in to the U23 side in the absence of the 19-year-old.

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A truly left-field signing

If you look at his stats without context, the Englishman looks to be an impressive striker. During his time at Griffin Park, he managed 40 goals in 80 matches, whilst he also plundered 11 times in 19 matches, adding five assists, for the Citizens during the 2016/17 season.

Can you name the result these iconic Liverpool images belong to? Give it a go now…

However, it is crucial to note that those strikes for the London outfit came whilst playing in the club’s B team, and his appearances for City were for the U18 side. At 21 years of age, he has never played a professional game of football in his career.

This is truly a left-field signing by Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool hierarchy. For a start, it is almost unheard of for a club to sign a back-up option for their U23 team, which is what the Reds have done here. Why have they not decided to use one of the youngsters already at their disposal in that position? That would surely make far more sense.

It is unlikely that the Anfield outfit will have paid much money at all for Hardy, and the player himself will hardly be able to believe his luck considering he effectively failed to make the grade at a Championship team. The Bees reserves side do not even play in a league, with the most competitive level he has played at being the London Senior Cup against the likes of Dulwich Hamlet. It really does say something when an U23 side will arguably be a step up for him, or at the very least a move sideways.

The more you look at it, the less sense it makes. Either way, don’t expect to hear too much about Hardy in the future.

Elsewhere, Klopp suggests this Liverpool man has given him a dilemma.

Thomas Lemar’s start to his new Atletico Madrid adventure hasn’t really gone to plan.

The 24-year-old winger, who joined the Rojiblancos from Monaco, has played 21 games across all competitions for Diego Simeone’s side up until matchday 19 in La Liga, but has failed to find the net or even provided an assist thus far.

For a player who managed to bag 22 goals and 33 assists for his former club, this is a rather disappointing figure.

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But it seems that Spurs are still interested in acquiring his services in the not too distant future, according to a recent report from The Independent.

A €6m loan deal with an option-to-buy is being considered by the club, though Arsenal and other European clubs are also monitoring his situation.

But what do those who know him best have to say about him?

Let’s find out…

Franck Louise, Guadeloupe’s technical director

Lemar grew up on the Caribbean island, Guadeloupe, and was always seen as their massive talent.

Louise, the island’s football technical director, showered the young player with praise, highlighting his incredible winning mentality and the eagerness he always possessed.

Here’s what he said, as quoted by Get French Football News (via The Guardian):

“The best player that Guadeloupe has ever known.

“He did not like to lose, even when he was 10cm shorter than everyone else. His competitive side was not expressed by ranting, but by hyperactivity on the pitch: anywhere the ball was, Thomas was there too. He absolutely wanted to have influence.”

Philippe Tranchant, former Caen B manager

Interestingly enough, Tranchant is the man responsible for the discovery of the talent that is the now 24-year-old winger.

The former Caen B manager watched Lemar play football for the first time during a trip to Guadeloupe in November 2008 and immediately he knew he had stumbled upon a true gem.

He has paid the forward some incredible compliments, praising his technical and tactical abilities, as quoted by Bleacher Report:

“Technically and tactically, he’s above 90 percent of other players.

“I think Thomas could play for any high-level club, and as the level gets higher, the higher he’ll raise his level. That’s the mark of the great players.”

Leonardo Jardim, former Monaco coach

Jardim knows Lemar very well given he used to coach him back at Monaco.

Now, of course, neither Jardim or Lemar remain at the club but the former manager held his young player in high regard from the very start, stating that his versatility is one of his greatest strengths.

Here’s what he said when asked about Lemar, as quoted by UEFA:

“Lemar is a top player. A coach who has a player like Lemar is happy – he doesn’t need to make substitutions to change formation. Lemar understands football: he can play as a winger, an attacking or defensive midfielder or even a full-back.”

Verdict

Even though he might be struggling at Atletico Madrid at the very moment, Lemar is still an intriguing talent worth considering for Spurs

There’s plenty of potential buried somewhere beneath his rough texture and perhaps north London is an ideal destination for him to reignite his career.

Manchester United provided a blistering performance as they went on to beat Norwich City 4-0 thanks to a Marcus Rashford brace and goals from Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood.

On top of the strikes from the aforementioned forwards, what will also be seen as an encouraging sign is the team keeping a clean sheet, having conceded twice against Arsenal.

David de Gea celebrated the three points and clean sheet on Twitter following the final whistle.

There was plenty of love shown for him in the replies by United fans, as they maintained that he is their “numero uno”.

The Spain international went on to make three saves during the game to ensure that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men went through the day’s proceedings untroubled.

One save stood out, which came when he got down to his left, getting a strong hand on Todd Cantwell’s effort that was otherwise destined for the bottom corner.

Quickfire Quiz: How much do you know about Man Utd’s history in the January transfer window?

As well as congratulating the 29-year-old on his performance in this one match, United fans have been looking on this as a potential springboard for the goalkeeper, who has become a key figure at Old Trafford having represented the club 386 times.

He has had a few questionable moments in recent times, including his failed punch against Everton, his fumbling attempt at a save against Watford, while there could also be an argument made that he should have done better with Arsenal’s second on New Year’s Day.

However, fans are putting that behind them, with one stating “the shot-stopper is back”, while another suggested that this is “time to start building up your confidence”.

Meanwhile, a Man United youngster was hailed for their impressive performance against Norwich City.

Arsenal face Sheffield United today as they look to continue their quest for the top four.

As it stands, they are 11 points off fourth-placed Chelsea, who currently occupy that last remaining qualification spot for the Champions League. Whilst the Blades are newly-promoted, they are currently enjoying a fantastic campaign as they lie in sixth and four points above the Gunners.

Quickfire Quiz: How much do you know about Arsenal’s history in the January transfer window?

Mikel Arteta has named his starting XI for the clash, and there have been some surprises, particularly with the inclusion of Shkodran Mustafi. The 2014 World Cup winner has played just twice since the Spaniard took over from Unai Emery, but he lines up alongside David Luiz in the game against Chris Wilder’s men.

Many supporters are not too happy to see his name on the team-sheet.

It’s not surprising to see the club’s supporters be so pessimistic about the former Sampdoria defender. He has often been lambasted by portions of the fan-base for his underwhelming performances, with the game against Norwich earlier in the season drawing particularly fierce criticism.

Others are particularly worried to see him lining up alongside David Luiz.

Having arrived in the summer from Premier League rivals Chelsea, Luiz has had his fair share of hairy moments this season, most notably in a calamitous performance against Liverpool that saw him concede a penalty and get torn apart for Mohamed Salah’s second goal.

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From a Sheffield United point of view, this pairing will certainly give them confidence that they can replicate the kind of result they pulled off at home.

Arteta will be hoping that his attack can get the job done for him so that he does not need to be too reliant on his defensive players.

Elsewhere, Arsenal are set to miss out on one target this month.

Islam Slimani is a target for Tottenham Hotspur this month, according to The Telegraph.

On the chalkboard

Spurs, of course, are desperately seeking some reinforcement up front, with Harry Kane potentially out for the entirety of the season.

The only out-and-out alternative to the England international is Troy Parrott but he has yet to make his full debut for the club in the Premier League.

As such, Jose Mourinho is said to be seeking a target man and a move for Slimani could well be in the offing.

He is currently on loan from Leicester City at AS Monaco but there is the potential of the Foxes cutting the short-term deal short in order to sell him.

Were he to end up at Spurs, though, what would he bring?

Per WhoScored, he has made 13 appearances in Ligue 1, scoring seven goals and registering seven assists.

In an impressive season, he has averaged 3.1 shots per game, 1.8 key passes along with 0.5 dribbles.

His passing accuracy could use some work – 67.7% from 26.7 average passes – and it must be noted that he has not hit seven goals in one campaign since the 2016/17 term with the Foxes.

A purple patch

Slimani is, at least, in form.

He would be an acquisition based on a purple patch more than anything else but his statistics suggest that he could well be an interesting acquisition.

He is continually looking to get on the ball for Monaco and move it forward, as his shots and key passes attest to.

Spurs die-hards are getting 70% on this Ultimate Tottenham Quiz. Can you beat them?

In the immediate term, he could replace Kane but also potentially work alongside him when he returns to fitness.

Fans are not exactly delighted with the prospect of signing the Foxes forward but he could well be exactly what Spurs are looking for.

Meanwhile, Spurs are continuing to pay for a major mistake…

Alan Hutton believes that Tottenham Hotspur need to invest in their defence in the summer after their January dealings, per Football Insider.

What’s he said?

Spurs made two acquisitions in the winter window, bringing in Gedson Fernandes on loan from Benfica and also signing Steven Bergwijn from PSV Eindhoven. Spurs also made Giovani Lo Celso’s loan move from Real Betis permanent.

However, they did not bring in a defender, despite allowing full-backs Danny Rose and Kyle Walker-Peters to move to Newcastle United and Southampton on loan respectively.

And Hutton, who played for the club between 2008 and 2011, thinks that defenders will need to be acquired in the next transfer window.

He said: “Mourinho wants those options, he wants fast players, he wants ball carriers and players that can really hurt defences. When Harry Kane comes back, they have got a lot of options up there.

“For me, there are other positions he needs to get in. Perhaps he thinks he can cope with the players he has got until the summer, we will have to wait and see.

“There have been great acquisitions in the forward-thinking areas but I do believe they need to sort out their defence to be a real force again. In the summer it will be a big building job.”

Full-backs needed

Spurs need to make a move to strengthen the right-back and left-back positions.

Both only have one senior option in Serge Aurier and Ben Davies. Japhet Tanganga can play in both positions but there is a general lack of depth in both areas.

Spurs die-hards are getting 70% on this Ultimate Tottenham Quiz. Can you beat them?

At centre-back, they have Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Jan Vertonghen as their senior options, while Juan Foyth and Eric Dier can also play there, as can Tanganga.

However, Vertonghen’s contract expires at the end of the season and he has yet to commit his future to the club.

Regardless of whether he commits or not, he is 32 and he will soon need replacing.

At least three acquisitions in defence are necessary this summer.

Meanwhile, check out Spurs’ potential XI against Manchester City!

Speaking to the club’s official website, David Luiz has pinpointed what recently-appointed head coach Mikel Arteta has brought back to Arsenal.

What did he say?

After a tumultuous start to the campaign saw Unai Emery get sacked, Arteta was appointed as the Spaniard’s permanent successor back in December.

Whilst the wins haven’t exactly been free-flowing under Arteta, with just one to their name in the Premier League, the Gunners have been a far tougher nut to crack, losing only once.

And Luiz has delivered a glowing verdict about the club’s new head coach, and hailed him for bringing back a smile and sense of fun to the atmosphere at the Emirates.

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He said: “The result of people when they are happy is 10 times better than when they are sad. For me, you have to have fun not just in football, but in life. That’s the most important thing – and Mikel Arteta has brought that back. Working with Mikel has been great since the first day. He’s always working straight to the point and he has already shown us his ideas, his goals. He wants to try to bring the shine back to this club with a winning mentality and by working hard every single day. “

Promising signs

Make no mistake about it, the atmosphere has considerably changed around the Emirates since Arteta’s arrival. At the height of discontent under Emery, things boiled over rather dramatically, with sections of the fan-base turning on Granit Xhaka during the clash against Crystal Palace – it was an incident that encapsulated the ill-feeling towards the Gunners’ under-performing team.

But with Arteta, the Spaniard has routinely applauded the Arsenal fans for their unwavering support, and has reminded them that they will be key to ensuring the north Londoners enjoy major success of the coming weeks, months and even years.

Can you name all of these obscure Arsenal signings? Give it a go now!

That is exactly why Luiz’s verdict on what Arteta has helped to bring back is so important. If the players themselves are happy and on board with the coach’s methods, then that will naturally translate to the people watching in the stadium. It’s a recipe for a success.

Meanwhile, Arsenal must seal a summer swoop for this starlet who looked up to Robin van Persie.