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West Ham United’s recent Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace saw them take the lead, before squandering it in the final minutes of the game courtesy of a Michael Olise finish.

It saw a particularly poor performance from Kurt Zouma, who admittedly has not had the transformative effect David Moyes would have hoped for when he spent £29.8m to secure his services.

Boasting a hulking figure and blistering speed, it was thought that the Frenchman might have been able to emulate the successes of Rio Ferdinand, who started his illustrious career in east London.

Described as “phenomenal” by Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2007, the Manchester United legend would go on to win almost every trophy available to him including six Premier League titles and a Champions League.

The 47-year-old made his debut at just 17 for the Hammers and would play 145 times before eventually being shipped off in a world record fee for a defender to Leeds United.

There will be hope around the London Stadium that in Jamal Baptiste, they now have a true heir to one of the most successful academy graduates in their history.

Already boasting two senior appearances for the club despite being just 19 years old, there is a solid platform slowly being built for which he can explode.

It is a testament to his ability that Carlton Cole – speaking to the Irons Inside podcast – likened the teenager to both Ferdinand brothers. He said:

“He’s going to be the next Anton Ferdinand hopefully or the next Rio, so hopefully we can these boys on the right track and help them transition into being a professional footballer full-time”.

In recent seasons he has announced himself as a mainstay in the under-23s side despite his youth, holding his own against some talents with far more experience than him.

However, even as a 15-year-old there was a belief he would be special.

Former academy chef Terry Westley noted his potential to graduate from Rush Green as a true star, as he spoke to Claret and Hugh back in 2019 to label him “one of the finest young prospects at the club… who believe me is going to be a monster player”.

With Zouma yet to truly hit the heights expected, perhaps for now Moyes could work on integrating Baptiste into the first team setup, to soon reap the rewards of a man who seemingly could go on to emulate the great Rio Ferdinand.

Everton could well be plotting a move to bolster their defence in the near future, with recent reports suggesting that Frank Lampard could maintain his long-held interest in Manchester United ace Luke Shaw.

Despite having overseen a vast summer overhaul, welcoming in eight new faces to Goodison Park, it was believed that in the full-back area the Toffees were well covered.

Ruben Vinagre came in on loan to offer much-needed protection to Vitaliy Mykolenko, who had stumbled through his first six months on Merseyside but shown flashes of his talents.

However, with just four short appearances for the Portugal speedster thus far, it is clear that he has not earned the trust to deputise for the Ukraine international.

That would therefore explain the report made by journalist Jacque Talbot, who wrote on Twitter earlier this month: “Told Luke Shaw did have talks with Leicester City and Everton over the summer – plus one more side. Everton manager Frank Lampard remains keen on the England LB…”

Having only been signed in January there is little expectation that Everton would completely abandon the ongoing project they have with Mykolenko, especially with 43 months left on his £58k-per-week deal.

However, offensively he has been less-than-impressive, and it has affected the philosophy Lampard has been trying to enforce.

For fullbacks, the 23-year-old ranks in the bottom 7% for assists and the bottom 13% for progressive passes. He may offer some defensive security, but when the ball finds its way to his feet, the attack is virtually over.

Meanwhile, for Shaw, his statistics could not be more antithetical when compared.

The former Southampton machine conversely ranks in the top 4% for assists and the top 14% for shot-creating actions of out of his positional peers in European football.

He is willing to accept the ball and looks to build play from the back with a confidence that has seen him earn 23 caps for England. The addition of someone of his ilk would be a huge boost to a Goodison Park dressing room that has likely been downbeat of late.

Tyrone Marshall even outlined some of the qualities that had made Shaw such a dependable asset for the Red Devils over the years: “Fit, aggressive, popular with his teammates, confident and an unassuming leader”.

The 27-year-old would mark an instant upgrade on Mykolenko, who clearly still has so much to learn in the English game.

Although exiting Old Trafford would be a huge step-down, the allure of working with legends such as Ashley Cole and Leighton Baines could persuade him, whilst the competition between him and the 5-foot-9 stalwart could benefit them both transcend their ceilings.

Amad Diallo has started to show just what he is capable of in a Sunderland shirt, but the Manchester United loanee won’t be at the Stadium of Light forever.

Fortunately for manager Tony Mowbray, the Black Cats already have an ideal replacement for the Ivorian in Jack Diamond, who is catching the eye on loan with Lincoln City.

After some impressive performances on loan with Harrogate Town in League Two last season, where the 22-year-old would contribute 13 goals and six assists in 39 appearances, there were some calls for Diamond to be a part of Sunderland’s Championship squad for the current campaign.

However, those at the club felt that another loan would be best for the winger’s development, this time at a higher level with Lincoln in the third tier.

He is once again proving to be a big threat, with five goals and one assist to his name in just 12 appearances, which has helped him to a solid 7.00 average rating from WhoScored.

For context, only Ross Stewart and Jack Clarke have more goal contributions and a higher average rating in Sunderland’s squad this season, so there seems no reason why Diamond can’t have an impact with the Black Cats’ first team in the near future.

The young winger is a product of Sunderland’s youth academy and already has 45 senior appearances under his belt, which includes two goals and six assists, which led former manager Lee Johnson to sing his praises in 2020.

He said: “I thought Jack was fantastic tonight in the way he played, and that’s something I really loved to see.

“I enjoyed watching his performance. We wanted plenty of movement and that’s what we got from him.”

In the five games before the World Cup break, Diallo managed three goals and an assist, so he is clearly becoming an important member of Mowbray’s squad.

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However, given that Manchester United paid £37.2m to sign the youngster, he seems destined for bigger things, so Mowbray may well consider giving Diamond a chance as his replacement next season.

Manchester United are yet to reward in-form forward Marcus Rashford with a new contract, with the England international still facing something of an uncertain future at Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

The 25-year-old currently has just over six months left on his existing deal with the Red Devils, albeit with Erik ten Hag and co having the option of triggering a one-year extension in order to avoid allowing the academy graduate to leave for nothing at the end of the season.

According to transfer insider Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – United will seemingly trigger that clause to extend the 49-cap gem’s deal at the club, with a longer-term contract still seemingly on the cards.

The respected source stated: “It’s all playing out nicely for both the club and for Rashford, to be honest. United want him to stay and they’re going to activate a clause that means he stays another year anyway.”

This follows a similar report from the Mirror which also claimed a lengthier deal could be in the works, with the electric talent – who was said to be valued at more than £120m in the summer – having been attracting interest from some of Europe’s top clubs.

Ten Hag’s best business

Tying down Rashford for the foreseeable future has seemingly become something of a necessity as far as those at the Theatre of Dreams are concerned, with Ten Hag potentially able to strike his best deal yet if he can tempt the local lad to commit his future for the long haul.

The Three Lions star is no doubt hot property at present amid his scintillating World Cup displays of late, the explosive forward having scored three times in just three group-stage outings in Qatar thus far.

The £200k-per-week dynamo notably played a starring role in the triumph over Wales in the final group game earlier this week, firing in a brilliance brace in that 3-0 win including a stunning, dipping free-kick to set Gareth Southgate’s men on their way to victory.

Such showings on the global stage have come following what’s been an impressive start to the campaign at club level for the 5 foot 11 ace, having scored eight goals in just 19 appearances thus far, including crucial strikes against both Liverpool and Arsenal.

After a turbulent last year or so due to injury and a loss of form – with the Manchester-born sensation scoring only four league goals last season – the resurgent Rashford now simply looks “devastating”, in the words of pundit Rio Ferdinand, having finally found his way back to his best.

The United hierarchy will simply be desperate to keep hold of an asset who is truly making his mark at present, particularly with the club’s attacking options already depleted following the perhaps inevitable exit of Cristiano Ronaldo.

While there has much talk of a new recruit to bolster the forward line – such as PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo – it could prove just as vital for Ten Hag to ensure that Rashford remains a part of his plans for years to come.

The former Ajax boss has worked his magic in the transfer market during his time in England thus far, although keeping hold of a home-grown and much-loved figure may well be just as important in the long term.

Nottingham Forest captured the attention of the English football community and media when they signed 22 new players ahead of their return to the Premier League this summer, and it is safe to say the newly-built team hasn’t delivered to the ambitious expectations set.

The Tricky Trees have spent the majority of their top-flight campaign so far in the relegation zone following a poor start that has seen them pick up just 13 points from a possible 45 so far.

Following a review of the recruitment drive in the summer transfer window, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis sacked both the club’s head of recruitment and head scout but it won’t be just the £150m spent on players that Marinakis will be regretful of.

Surprisingly, there were some targets missed by the powers at The City Ground during their rebuild of the Forest team with one player in particular who has been thriving ever since an offer from the club was rejected in the summer.

PSV Eindhoven and Netherlands star Cody Gakpo has been impressing at both club level and on the international stage during the World Cup and his success will be something that will be a hard watch for Marinakis.

The talented 23-year-old winger has been a stand-out performer for PSV over the season so far and considering his contributions in front of goal so far, would have been a hugely valuable asset to Forest in their pursuit to retain their Premier League status.

Over 14 Eredivisie appearances, Gakpo – who was hailed a “sensation” by Tom Allnutt – has scored nine goals, delivered 12 assists and created a whopping 12 big chances, as well as averaging 4.3 key passes, 1.9 successful dribbles, 3.6 shots at goal and 54.7 touches per game.

Not only that, the £35m Dutch international has been “on fire” and the linchpin in the Netherlands’ successful progression to the knock-out stages of the World Cup in Qatar, scoring three goals in three games and is currently joint-top goal-scorer in the prestigious tournament alongside Kylian Mbappe, Marcus Rashford and Enner Valencia.

Considering that Forest have scored the second joint-fewest amount of Premier League goals so far this season, it is safe to say that the signing of Gakpo would have been a much more worthwhile investment than Jesse Lingard who is currently collecting £200k per week at the club but has registered not a single league goal or assist over his 13 appearances so far.

With that being said, Gakpo has now become one of the most sought-after players in the world following his performances at the World Cup leaving little hope for Forest to reignite their interest in the winger and will likely now just remain a ‘what if?’ for Marinakis, Steve Cooper and the Forest supporters.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes target Mykhaylo Mudryk can be “one of the best”, according to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs. 

The Lowdown: Sensational rise

Mudryk’s first three campaigns in the Ukrainian Premier League saw him register a tally of zero direct goal involvements. He mustered zero goals and zero assists from 26 games in Ukraine’s top-flight – not the kind of returns you’d expect from a now £87million player.

But, in fairness, his returns have risen as rapidly as his valuation.

Eight contributions in the form of two goals and six assists came from 11 appearances for Shakhtar in the 21/22 season, with the number-10-wearing star translating that momentum into this campaign.

Mudryk currently sits on a total of 14 attacking returns in the league in the form of seven goals and seven assists from just 12 Ukrainian Premier League games.

To top off his sensational rise, the starlet boasts three goals and two assists in the Champions League, proving he is not just a flash in the pan from a lower-ranked domestic competition.

The Latest: Arteta’s thoughts

Jacobs of CBS has shared some insight on the Gunners’ interest, revealing Arteta’s thinking behind the scenes, with the gaffer allegedly plotting to turn Mudryk into a jack-of-all-trades.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said:  “Arteta feels that he can be developed into a more versatile player.

“At the moment he’s lightning quick, he’s got a good eye for goal, he weighs in with assists, he makes the pitch as big as possible, he starts on the left-hand side and he cuts in.

“I think Mikel Arteta thinks that he can spend more time during games in central areas and, even under select game management situations, switch sides as well.

“As he adds those strings to his bow, he could live up to his reputation as one of the best players in that position.

“So, it’s one to watch from Arsenal’s point of view.”

The Verdict: Potential Masterclass?

You get the impression that Arteta could offer Mudryk the necessary platform and development needed to become a genuine world-class star within the world footballing landscape.

And a move for the 21-year-old could be somewhat of a masterclass for both parties. The Gunners have a pretty nailed on trio behind the striker in Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Martinelli, so if Mudryk can indeed play all three roles, he could offer a quality option to rest and rotate all three rising stars.

Leeds United and transfer chief Victor Orta by extension have ‘have already moved’ for Real Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Orta making transfer plans…

Jesse Marsch’s side are in the midst of a Premier League relegation battle again, having picked up just four wins from 14 during the first half of this 2022/2023 season.

As well as this, Leeds are among the division’s most fragile defences, with only Nottingham Forest and Southampton conceding more than the Whites.

Orta and chairman Andrea Radrizzani will be looking for ways to back Marsch behind-the-scenes as a result, and according to a new report, it appears they have joined the long queue for Fresneda.

The Latest: Leeds ‘already’ move for Fresneda…

According to AS, sharing news in the last 48 hours, the Elland Road side are seriously interested in Valladolid’s highly-rated Spaniard who is also being watched by the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Leeds have apparently ‘already moved’ for Fresneda alongside many other sides across Europe and in England.

The report adds that his contract has a growing release clause currently worth €30 million (£26m).

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The Verdict: Exciting talent…

The interest of such huge sides like Barca and Real is a serious indication of Fresneda’s undoubted talent.

The 18-year-old is already earning quite a reputation among members of the media with journalist Juan Arroita calling the teenager ‘beastly’ due to his crosses from out wide.

However, if Leeds wish to strike a deal for the Fresneda there appears to be plenty of competition.

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte is personally attempting a double move for Atalanta rising star Giorgio Scalvini and Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye Italian duo…

Spurs have had their eye on both players according to recent reports as links between the north Londoners and Italy’s most promising talents show no sign of stopping.

Bastoni has been targeted by sporting director Fabio Paratici and Conte for quite some time, while Scalvini has emerged as a more fresh transfer possibility in recent months.

This comes as the north Londoners chase a second-consecutive Premier League finish in the top four, not to mention the Champions League riches that go with it.

The Latest: Conte ‘attempts’ double move…

According to Italian sources, Conte will require significant financial backing from club owners ENIC and chairman Daniel Levy ahead of January.

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Indeed, a report from InterLive now claims that Tottenham’s manager personally ‘attempts to attack’ the double signing of Bastoni and Scalvini – who could cost a combined marquee fee of £84 million.

It’s added that Conte will ask for both defenders if he continues to sit in the Spurs dugout and signs a contract extension.

The Verdict: Ambitious…

It will be a very difficult move to pull off and one that is perhaps a bit too far out of Paratici’s reach, but if we were to choose one of the two players to go for, it would be Bastoni.

The 23-year-old is one of Serie A’s rising stars and has already been called a ‘defensive genius’ for his work under Simone Inzaghi at the San Siro.

Indeed, the £107,000-per-week Bastoni would be a welcome addition at N17 – if they can get it done – and perhaps the perfect upgrade on the exit-linked Davinson Sanchez.

Manchester United are in a tricky situation on the transfer front; the Glazer family are reportedly mulling over ceding their throne – albeit at a price – atop the Theatre of Dreams, consequently throwing the winter transfer plans into jeopardy.

What’s the word?

The uncertainty surrounding the Red Devil hierarchy has had something of a domino effect on the fortunes of the senior outfit, with the club recently missing out on the signing of touted forward Cody Gakpo to rivals Liverpool, who clinched his signature for just £35m.

With funds for transfers possibly unattainable, delving into the loan market to bolster the squad this January might be the way forward for United boss Erik ten Hag, and Alvaro Morata has been distinguished.

According to ESPN, the Dutch manager has been left frustrated by failing to match Liverpool’s financial package for Gakpo, and now will look to clinch the services of Morata in a loan swoop, who is enjoying a steady season with Atletico Madrid. 

Cavani 2.0

United’s transfer policy over the past decade or so has left little to be admired, with a multitude of exciting acquisitions falling flat or failing to acclimatise to life at Old Trafford.

The transitional period for the Red Devils has failed to transcend to a cemented path of positivity, and now, under Ten Hag, there finally appears to be an exciting philosophy and a direction that might lead to major honours once again.

A move for Morata could actually be prudent, though the forward has divided opinion throughout his career, playing for prominent outfits Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Chelsea – but sometimes failing to live up to the promise. 

Having signed for Chelsea in a – then – club-record deal of £70m in 2017, the Spaniard arrived with a weight of expectation, having risen to prominence with Los Blancos the season before, netting 20 goals and providing six assists, winning the Spanish La Liga and the Champions League.

He could not quite find his feet, and only managed 24 goals from 72 appearances with the Blues. 

Now, the 30-year-old journeyman is plying his trade with Atletico, and has plundered six goals from 13 starts in the league, also scoring an impressive 30 goals from 61 appearances with Spain over the course of his international career. 

Should Ten Hag instigate a winter move, he could replicate United’s previous swoop for Edinson Cavani, who scored 19 goals and seven assists from 59 appearances on English turf, despite his veteran age and utility role.

Both towering, imposing forwards, Cavani and Morata bear a resemblance in that they can hold up the play and allow pacy wide players, such as Marcus Rashford and Antony, to thrive; Morata must emulate his star-studded senior in this regard.

Bridging the gap between Old Trafford and the Champions League, a loan swoop for Morata would be a shrewd and worthwhile endeavour, installing a talismanic force into the fold to do a job and add a dimension to the attack over the latter stage of the campaign.

Once hailed an “assassin” by Rio Ferdinand, a loan move for Morata would kill two birds with one stone, fixing a hole in the armour – for very little cost – and thus readying Old Trafford’s director of football John Murtough for a lunge towards a high-profile frontal target in the summer, when the cogs fall into place. 

Michael Beale has enjoyed a strong start to his return to Glasgow Rangers by winning his first three Premiership matches in charge of the Scottish giants.

The former assistant manager at Ibrox is now the main man in the dugout and has started his reign with wins against Hibernian, Aberdeen and Ross County.

However, he has not been able to gain any ground on their rivals at the top of the Scottish top-flight as they remain nine points adrift of first place in the table.

Despite picking up three wins out of three, there have been plenty of signs that Beale has room to improve the current squad – whether that is by dipping into the transfer market or improving individuals on the training pitch.

One player who has not covered himself in glory since returning from the break is veteran goalkeeper Allan McGregor. The 40-year-old conceded four goals from seven shots on target against Hibernian and Aberdeen before missing the clash with Ross County through illness.

This included him allowing a free-kick to beat him on his side of the goal against the Dons, despite almost standing on the left post as his starting position.

The experienced shot-stopper has only saved 58% of the shots against him in the Premiership this season, after saving 66% of them in the top-flight last term, and this shows that he is struggling badly between the sticks as he is barely saving more than half of the efforts on his goal.

McGregor, 40, is out of contract at the end of the season and Beale must now look for a long-term successor to the underperforming Scotsman.

The Gers’ head coach could solve this big issue in the team by finally unleashing 24-year-old shot-stopper Robby McCrorie. He signed a new contract in October to take him through to 2025 and the youngster could be the future between the sticks for the Light Blues.

McCrorie has not played a single minute of action in any first-team competition for Rangers this season but caught the eye with the two appearances that he made in the 2021/22 campaign – keeping two clean sheets in as many matches in the Premiership and a Europa League qualifier.

The academy graduate kept a clean sheet and recorded a Sofascore rating of 7.40 in a 1-0 win over Celtic in the top-flight last season – making three saves and completing 100% of his sweeping actions.

Scotland manager Steve Clarke described the £5.7k-per-week gem as an “improving” player and journalist Josh Bunting once dubbed him a “big talent” – which shows that he has caught the eye in spite of his limited game time in recent years.

He is a promising young gem and his statistics, albeit in a small sample size, from last season indicate that he could be an upgrade on McGregor as he was able to keep shutouts whilst the current number one is struggling to make saves.

Therefore, Beale could solve a big Rangers issue between the sticks by ditching the veteran and unleashing McCrorie in the coming weeks and months.