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According to Greek publication Sportime, Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos are interested in signing Konstantinos Mavropanos on loan.

What’s the word?

The Greek has barely featured for the Gunners this season thanks to injury problems, and only recently made his return from injury in the Europa League clash against Standard Liege.

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But with the likes of David Luiz, Sokratis, Calum Chambers and Rob Holding all ahead of him in the pecking order, Mavropanos’ game-time at the Emirates this campaign looks far from certain. And now, Sportime have claimed both Forest and Olympiacos are interesting in taking him on loan, with the report adding that a switch to the Championship is “more likely” at this point in time.

Much-needed

After a groin injury ruled him out for 14 games as per Transfermarkt this season, Mavropanos made his long-awaited return to first-team action against Liege last Thursday. Unfortunately for him, things didn’t pan out so well, with the display seeing fans of the north London take to Twitter after the game to criticise him.

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The £1.9m man made an early impression on former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, soon after arriving. He revealed that the 22-year-old “looked comfortable technically, he looks very mobile as a defender and he looks very pacy and strong in all aspects of defending”. In fact, such was the mark he left on the Frenchman, the Gunners decided to hang on to the Greek for the remainder of the season rather than letting him leave on loan, with the then north London side’s boss admitting the the first signs were “so encouraging”.

Can you get full marks on the Ultimate Arsenal Quiz? Test your knowledge below…

But rather than really kicking on from there, injury issues have effectively halted his progress, whilst he also seen the likes of Sokratis and Luiz arrive at the club to further limit his potential game-time – since his arrival at the Emirates, he has made a disappointing total of just eight senior appearances. A loan switch to the likes of Forest or Olympiacos in order to get regular first-team football again could be exactly what he needs. It may be the kick-start and catalyst for the 6 foot 4 powerhouse to truly achieve his potential.

Meanwhile, Arsenal fans have hailed this starlet after his goal-scoring display for the U23s.

Merih Demiral is one of the young, up and coming defenders that just might light up the footballing stage in the not so distant future.

At just 21 years of age, the Turkish centre-back is currently plying his trade over at Juventus, having arrived there last summer from Sassuolo in a €18m (£15.1m) deal.

Despite his young age, he has already won 12 caps for his national team and has tallied appearances for Alanyaspor and Sporting in the past.

But regardless of his talent, he can only boast a single game for the Bianconeri so far this term as Maurizio Sarri doesn’t seem to have him in his plans just yet.

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But despite Sarri’s consistent snubbing there is still hope for the youngster as Tottenham Hotspur seem to be interested in his services, as per reports coming from Bleacher Report.

The same source stated the youngster is getting annoyed at his lack of game time in Turin and Jose Mourinho could be his saviour.

But who exactly is the young centre-back and what can he offer to Spurs?

To answer those questions, we sought out the opinions of those who know him best…

Sergen Yalcin, Alanyaspor manager

Yalcin definitely knows what he’s talking about as Alanyaspor was Demiral’s home before his move to Sassuolo and eventually Juventus. Granted, he spent a lot of time away from the club on loan but the young defender did tally 20 appearances with one goal to his name for the Turkish giants.

Once his transfer to Sassuolo was announced, Yalcin spoke highly of his club’s former player, as quoted by 90min:

“Merih Demiral will be a ​Premier League player within 1-2 seasons. The Turkish national team has its new centre-back for the next 10-12 years”

Emre Sarigul, the administrator and co-founder of Turkish-football.com

Sarigul has been following Demiral since the very beginning and as one of the founders of Turkish-football.com, he knows a thing or two about the defender who’s bound to turn into a star in the not so distant future.

In an interview with Juvefc, Sarigul spoke at length about the 21-year-old, comparing him to Giorgio Chiellini and highlighting some of his best traits in the process as well.

Here’s what he said:

“Out of the current Juventus players perhaps Giorgio Chiellini. He is the type of defender the fans love because he is brave and loves to tackle and when attacking players have a beast like Merih lunging at them they think twice about trying to dribble past him. He is very difficult to beat in the air. The kid is fearless but isn’t arrogant. A real warrior who never gives up. He managed to keep the likes of Mbappe, Griezmann and Giroud quiet just last month when Turkey beat World Champions France 2-0 in the 2020 Euro qualifiers.”

Paolo Montero, former Juventus defender

The now 48-year-old former Juventus defender played a total of 277 games for the Bianconeri and he also seems to think Demiral will have a bright future ahead of him.

He said so just last month when he was talking about Matthijs de Ligt and the Turkish centre-back, tipping them both for greatness, mainly because they already have great role-models in Turin to look up to.

He said to Sky Sports Italia, as per the quotes from Sky Sports Italia (via Football Italia):

“He [De Ligt] played a spectacular game. He is demonstrating his value and he will become a world-class player. Demiral will also have a great future and find his place. They’ve got great defenders to learn from, players like [Leonardo] Bonucci and [Giorgio] Chiellini, and that will help them a lot.”

Verdict

Even though he is currently out of favour at Juventus under Sarri’s stern hand, Demiral is still young and seemingly has a bright future to look forward to.

Mourinho would be wise to pounce on the 21-year-old and bring him to Spurs sooner rather than later.

Ten years ago the festive period was indeed the season to be jolly for Sunderland and Bolton Wanderers with the Mackems placed sixth in the Premier League and the Trotters just behind in seventh.

By May both clubs had slipped to mid-table but though the heady days of Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn up front for Sunderland were becoming a distant memory – as too the great times experienced at the Reebok under Sam Allardyce – mid-table was still just fine. Each club was ticking along, a top flight fixture.

On taking charge at Bolton in January 2010 Owen Coyle compared his new employers to the one he’d just left, saying: “Everything I want in a football club is here. The best way to put it is that this is probably five or 10 years ahead of what we were trying to achieve at Burnley.” He, like everybody else at the club, and similarly everyone concerned 140 miles north on Wearside, had no earthly clue as to what was coming next.

While the Clarets entertained Manchester United this Christmas their fallen neighbours presently prop up League One having started their campaign with a 12 point deduction and with only six contracted players. In late August a takeover saved a club that had been entrenched in administration for several months from being liquidated and expelled from the league.

In 2014 Bolton were described by one broadsheet as being ‘broken’ and that was long before things got really bad with only cold water coming through the showers and players not being paid. Frankly, as much as their decline through the leagues disturbs, it’s a blessing and a wonder that a famous institution with four FA Cup triumphs to their name is still around.

Whose Line Is It Anyway: Roy Keane, Graeme Souness or Adrian Durham?

As for Sunderland, though their slump may lack the financial gravity it is still an undignified fall from grace that stuns. Anyone who watched – through their fingers – Amazon’s ‘Till I Die documentary detailing their relegation from the Championship in 2018 will be acutely aware of the club’s almost admirable ability to self-sabotage and so here they currently lie, a good few places off the League One play-offs having lost or drawn most of their matches this term.

Being under ownership in recent years that has been deemed ‘hapless’ has hardly helped their cause while burning through 16 managers since 2010 has inevitably led to one crisis being endured after another. This places even greater pressure on present incumbent Phil Parkinson who has only been in office for two months.

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The end of this calendar year is prompting those of a sentimental nature to look back on the past decade; highlighting the highlights and comparing the then to now. Let us be under no doubt that no two clubs have been through the wringer worse than this pair.

According to reports coming from Sky Sports in Germany, Arsenal have enquired about Bayern Munich’s veteran defender Jerome Boateng.

Even though Die Roten are quite thin at the back, this is a deal they should definitely consider.

What’s the word, then?

Sky are reporting that the Gunners are testing the waters and asking about the availability of the player, his wages and the possible fee that would be required to bring him to England.

The price tag that is also being mentioned hovers around €15m (£12.8m) and Mikel Arteta – despite not having substantial resources on his side for January, as per the same source – could be interested in acquiring his services.

But the injury to Calum Chambers, however, may mean that Arsenal will pull the trigger if the opportunity presents itself, as Sky have mentioned.

For Bayern, this should also be an opportunity they shouldn’t miss out on.

Cashing in

There are currently five centre-backs in Bayern’s squad but even with that being said, that’s a rather fragile position for Die Roten.

Both Lucas Hernandez and Niklas Sule are out injured and, aside from Boateng and the inexperienced Lars Lukas Mai, there’s practically no one to partner Benjamin Pavard at the heart of their defence.

But at 31 years of age and with only nine Bundesliga appearances in 2019/20 so far, the German is slowly but surely heading towards the twilight of his career.

The proof that he is no longer as sharp as he used to be can be seen in the five cards – four yellow and one red = he has collected in just 585 minutes in the domestic league. The numbers behind those performances are also not really otherworldly.

He averaged 1.4 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 2.7 clearances per game, which is decent but still doesn’t seem vital for Bayern’s backline.

Maybe cashing in and investing that money into someone younger and better would be a wise move for the Bavarian giants.

After all, they have been heavily linked with the likes of Unai Nunez of Athletic Bilbao in recent months, which could indicate that they are pondering such a solution.

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

For Arsenal, they should also be wary of bringing Boateng in for the very same reasons.

Is a 31-year-old centre-back in steady decline truly the right man for Arteta? They already have defenders of a similar mould in Sokratis and David Luiz, both of whom are not long-term options.

Maybe he could add something for a season or two but what happens after that?

Arsenal would be stuck with an ageing defender whose wages would likely make him a difficult player to shift.

And with other key pieces of their jigsaw – like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil – also on the wrong side of their 30s, maybe Arteta should be targeting younger players instead.

In other news, many Arsenal fans have been discussing recent links with a young defender that could potentially join the club…

Liverpool will face Tottenham Hotspur this weekend as they look to consolidate their 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Whilst the Reds are 28 points ahead of Spurs as it stands, Jose Mourinho will no doubt be confident that his side can upset the European Champions and end their unbeaten league run.

The big fat Liverpool quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Anfield?

With several injuries for Jurgen Klopp to contend with – just like his counterpart – it will be interesting to see who takes the field on Saturday. Here, we try to predict his starting XI.

In goal, Alisson will start. Adrian did do well in the match against Everton in the FA Cup, with Klopp specifically praising him, but the Brazil international is the first choice and with this being a vital league game, he will be between the sticks.

At the back, expect Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold to line up on the flanks. The latter recently picked up the Premier League Player of the Month award, and he will be hoping to keep up that form against Mourinho’s men. With both Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren out injured, Klopp has no choice but to select Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez. But, considering they have kept clean sheets as a pairing in their last four league matches, he is unlikely to be too worried.

Fabinho, James Milner and Naby Keita are all injured, which leaves central midfield a little light. Jordan Henderson should come back into the side at defensive midfield, whilst Georginio Wijnaldum should return as well. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain should also line-up as the former Borussia Dortmund boss deals with those injuries.

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Up front, though, he will be able to select his first-choice trio of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino. The 52-year-old will be hoping that they can give his side the edge they need against last season’s Champions League finalists.

In other news, Liverpool eye this youngster “worth €300m”.

According to BirminghamLive, West Brom are considering a move for striker Karlan Grant this month as manager Slaven Bilic looks to bolster his attacking department.

What’s the word?

It’s believed that Albion are in the market for another striker as they aim to push on with their quest for promotion, and with them sitting top of the league currently, the title is still firmly in sight.

Huddersfield boss Danny Cowley has played down any potential departure this month by saying, “The last thing we want to do is try to take away from it.”

However, the Baggies will hope that they can tempt them into a sale with a sizeable bid.

Grant is just one of several names the club supposedly looking into.

Forget Dwight Gayle

Another name linked is the return of Dwight Gayle, but there have been many contrasting reports over his availability. John Percy of the Telegraph claims Newcastle would demand in excess of £20m for his services as an obligation following a loan move.

Considering Albion were ruled out of signing him in the summer for very similar reasons, his £60k-per-week wages being the primary factor, a move such as this seems hugely unlikely, so fans should just forget about the 29-year-old despite his 24-goal exploits last season.

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Instead, a move for Grant would be a wiser decision. Huddersfield only signed him for £2m from Charlton this time last year, and he has gone on to become a prolific talisman for them, netting 12 times in 27 appearances this season, per Transfermarkt, who also value him at £4.5m.

The 22-year-old set a new English scoring record back in April by becoming the youngest ever player to score in all seven domestic competitions – that’s all four leagues from the top-flight right down to division two as well as the three cups on offer.

He’s also been likened to Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson and described as having ‘everything’ by teammate Tommy Elphick while Johnnie Johnson has labelled him his ‘success story,’ claiming he has leadership qualities and pace to burn, both were speaking to the Totally Football League Show.

Can you remember how much each of these transfer icons cost? Only experts will get 100% on our quiz…

Bilic should make Grant his prime target this month, especially given his age and experience in the Premier League, which is Albion’s end goal this term.

While in other news, West Brom could suffer from Louie Barry deja vu over their latest rising U23 starlet…

Everton will look to build on their 1-0 win against Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend when they come up against West Ham United and former manager David Moyes at the London Stadium on Saturday.

The success against the Seagulls came on the back of a hugely disappointing performance and result against arch-rivals Liverpool in the FA Cup, when their players were slaughtered by The Liverpool Echo in terms of their match ratings in the 1-0 loss.

Carlo Ancelotti will be looking to repeat his only win on the road so far as Toffees boss when his team beat Newcastle United at the end of 2019.

We take a look at the starting XI the Italian needs to select in the capital…

With little strong competition for his spot, Jordan Pickford continues between the sticks.

Even though the centre-half pairing of Mason Holgate and Michael Keane kept a clean sheet against Graham Potter’s men last time out, Ancelotti suggested post-match that Yerry Mina would start the next match and that he might rest Holgate, and we believe he should do exactly that with the Colombian able to deal with the physical presence of Sebastien Haller.

Lucas Digne should continue at left-back, but we feel a change is needed on the opposite side for the game against the Irons.

FFC highlighted how Djibril Sidibe was disappointing – particularly from a defensive point of view – against Brighton, and club captain Seamus Coleman should return to the team-sheet in his place.

Call yourself an Everton expert? How much did each of these January signings cost?

Theo Walcott and Bernard start on the wings as they did against the Seagulls, but there is an enforced change in the centre of the park.

Gylfi Sigurdsson was partnered by Tom Davies last weekend as Morgan Schneiderlin dropped to the substitutes’ bench following the reverse at Anfield, but after the Iceland international has been ruled out through injury we believe that Fabian Delph would be the obvious pick for this clash.

Schneiderlin picked up a measly 3/10 rating from The Liverpool Echo for his last display on the road against Jurgen Klopp’s men, and coming up against Mark Noble and Declan Rice will be no easy task – therefore the more combative Delph is a better pick.

Up top, the absence of the injured Richarlison gives Moise Kean a chance alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and the Italian will need to make an impression given his competition have netted 20 goals between them in all competitions so far this term.

In other Everton news, Carlo Ancelotti has been full of praise for a Toffees player he hasn’t even seen play yet…

Liverpool are not just within touching distance of the title – they are edging ever closer to an unbeaten season.

An away trip to Wolves has been a notoriously tricky test for the Premier League’s top sides (reigning champions Manchester City lost back in late December), but in the end, the Reds once again picked up three points – just as they have done in 21 of the other 22 matches they have played in the top tier so far this term. The 2-1 victory at Molineux means they are now 16 points clear at the top, with 15 matches to play.

The big fat Liverpool quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Anfield?

However, it was not their best display, with only six shots on target and one big chance created. And one of the players to disappoint was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, at least in the eyes of the fans. They took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

It was undoubtedly a poor day at the office for the former Arsenal man – amongst those who started the game for Liverpool, his SofaScore rating of 6.6 was only above Georginio Wijnaldum. Oxlade-Chamberlain had no shots whatsoever, made just one tackle, and only made 23 passes. The fact he only had five more passes than Sadio Mane who went off in the 33rd minute speaks volumes of just how poor the midfielder was.

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In the end, the England international was hooked off with 20 minutes left to play. It is fair to say that it was a decision that went down well with some of the supporters.

The fact that it was Fabinho coming on to take his place may have been one of the reasons why it was such a popular call from Jurgen Klopp, and now that the Brazil international is back from injury, it remains to be seen how many more minutes Oxlade-Chamberlain picks up in the near future.

Meanwhile, Liverpool eye this Premier League youngster.

Leeds United’s hunt for a striker is becoming a bit of a desperate situation, and they’ve now been linked with a proven player in Scotland.

Indeed, the Whites are apparently interested in Celtic’s Leigh Griffiths, but they should really reconsider their appeal in him after Neil Lennon’s side’s asking price was revealed.

What’s the story then?

Football Insider first reported Leeds’ interest in the 29-year-old on Tuesday, but a few hours after their first article they had a further update.

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The site state that Celtic are unwilling to loan the forward and that they’re demanding a fee of around £10-12m for his services this month.

That’s enough to make him one of the most expensive players ever signed from the Scottish top flight, and Leeds need to think very carefully before they act on their interest.

Too high a price

To pay an eight-figure fee for a man who has started just two league games for Celtic this season would be ridiculous.

On top of that, he only played 571 league minutes last term, so it’s unlikely that he’ll be match fit, and certainly not to Bielsa’s standards as Pontus Jansson has stated that the Argentine weighs his players each morning.

Add into the equation that he may not rediscover his old form after two years of limited football, and the move becomes unviable.

Then consider that Che Adams has been valued at a similar price and it’s a no-brainer.

Now, we know that Leeds have a tough task in landing Adams, but if a fee of around £10m can get you a striker of his calibre, netting 22 goals and sealing a Player of the Year nomination last term, it’s clear that Leeds should continue their search rather than shelling out big money for Griffiths.

In other news, Leeds may not need an Eddie Nketiah replacement if they sign this man.

Leeds United had an incredibly frustrating game against Wigan Athletic, as despite having 18 shots, they walked away from the match on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline.The feeling after the game was not helped by the fact that just one of Leeds’ last five league matches have ended in a win, which is far from good enough for a team chasing promotion.To make things even worse, Marcelo Bielsa’s side are now just three points above Fulham, meaning they could be in danger of falling into the playoffs if this form continues.

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Plenty of Leeds figures have been the target of discontent, such as Bielsa for not including Jean-Kevin Augustin and Ezgjan Alioski for his performance.

It turns out that Helder Costa is another player who has left Leeds fans severely underwhelmed and full of frustration.

One fan suggested that he was “absolute budget” while another added that the 26-year-old was “absolutely woeful”.

There was one aspect of his game that seemed to annoy fans more than any other: his crossing and final ball.

He only completed one during the 90 minutes, which looks even worse when Phil Hay reported that Leeds attempted 41 crosses throughout the game, completing just 11 of them.

Call yourself a Leeds expert? How much did each of these January signings cost?

One fan dubbed his “the worst crosses”, which seems to summarise the general feeling towards his entire performance.

Meanwhile, FFC has suggested Leeds are actually weaker now than they were in January.