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Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Liverpool have nearly agreed personal terms with Alexis Mac Allister and just need to work out the finer details and then trigger his release clause to complete the transfer.

What's the latest on Alexis Mac Allister and Liverpool?

There is no shortage of suitors for the Brighton midfielder right now with a collection of Premier League teams linked with the Argentine in recent times.

What's more, there appears to be some sort of clause in his contract which will allow him to leave the Seagulls this summer if a bid comes in of a high enough value.

With that in mind, whoever wants to sign him may have to act fast to beat off the competition for Mac Allister's signature and it looks as though Liverpool will endeavour to be that team.

Indeed, while speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that he can leave in June and having sorted "90 per cent" of the personal terms, there are just a few things left to do before the Reds can land the £50k-p/w star.

He explained (2:58): “There is an exit clause for Alexis Mac Allister to leave Brighton. Formally it is something that Alexis Mac Allister's camp and Brighton decided when he signed the new contract months ago.

"In that moment, they decided the fixed amount for Alexis Mac Allister to leave the club in the summer and to leave the club in June. So early in the window.

“This is why Liverpool want to be fast. The agreement on personal terms is 90 per cent done. So Alexis Mac Allister is really really close to Liverpool.

"But this clause is also helpful on the club's side. Liverpool need now to complete the agreement on these details. And then in that moment, will be able to complete the deal.

"But being there a fixed amount – a kind of release clause into the contract – they know that it's crucial to reach a full agreement with the player, also on the final details to avoid any potential competition from other clubs with Mauricio Pochettino big fan of Mac Allister."

How much will Mac Allister cost?

It remains unclear just how much Liverpool will have to pay to trigger that release clause but

a report in Argentine newspaper La Nacion has stated that the 24-year-old will command a fee of around £60m, while his weekly wage will double to £100k.

That's certainly not a bargain but with a number of other teams interested in the World Cup winner, the Reds perhaps cannot afford to haggle over prices too much.

Indeed, it sounds as though they are happy to bite the financial bullet and meet both the player and Brighton's demands to get the deal done as soon as possible.

Tottenham and Daniel Levy have seemingly been dealt a managerial blow as Bayer Leverkusen CEO Simon Rolfes makes a statement on Xabi Alonso.

What's the latest Spurs manager news?

The Lilywhites are thought to be targeting a plethora of candidates to succeed Antonio Conte, who departed nearly two months ago, and there are some big names in the frame.

Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique, both free agents after leaving their most recent sides, arguably stand out as some of the most prestigious contenders.

Meanwhile, Feyenoord's Arne Slot, Sporting CP's Ruben Amorim, Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick, Brendan Rodgers and Graham Potter have also been linked with moves to N17.

Tottenham held an interest in Burnley manager Vincent Kompany, but the Belgian recently put pen to paper on a new deal at Turf Moor, ending all hopes of Spurs appointing him this summer.

Alonso is a fairly new coach to be mentioned as a possible Tottenham candidate, with reports last week claiming that he is actually one of the top choices.

The Liverpool and Real Madrid legend is a big name from his playing career, having also won a World Cup with Spain, not to mention back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

In terms of his managerial career, Alonso has been praised for transforming the fortunes of Leverkusen since his appointment, with the Bundesliga side contending for Europe.

In a blow for Levy and Spurs, it appears he may not be on the move.

Leverkusen CEO Rolfes, in an interview with TUTTOmercatoWEB, says Alonso is happy where he is and remains 100% committed to the project.

He explained:

"He has a contract with us, he is happy, he likes working here, he has a good team to develop. Even in the last press conference he said that he is 100% here with his head".

Who should Spurs appoint instead?

In light of the official's message, Spurs should undoubtedly keep up their pursuit of former Bayern boss Nagelsmann, who has been billed as a top target.

There are reports suggesting the 35-year-old is interested in replacing Conte, too, and with no club standing in Tottenham's way, he could be an excellent potential appointment.

Nagelsmann boasts league titles already despite his tender age, not to mention he deploys an exciting brand of intense, high-pressing football which could excite Spurs supporters.

He has been called a "phenomenal" tactical innovator by sections of the media and we believe Levy should make a considerable effort to get him to Tottenham.

Manchester United shook off their recent woes to secure a much-needed win at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon, with the Red Devils bouncing back from two successive Premier League defeats to get their top-four bid back on track.

Following a grim week that saw the Old Trafford outfit slip up away to Brighton and Hove Albion and West Ham United – as well as lose Marcus Rashford to injury – Erik ten Hag's men put in a largely confident display against the Old Gold, with Alejandro Garnacho sealing the win at the death following an earlier, close-range effort from Anthony Martial.

While not on the scoresheet himself, it was United's midfield maestro Bruno Fernandes who was once again integral to all that was good about the hosts after being restored to his usual playmaking berth, with the Portugal international registering a standout tally of six key passes and creating two big chances.

It was the 28-year-old's delightful threaded pass that teed up Antony in the build-up to Martial's well-crafted opener, while the former Sporting CP man again split the visiting defence with another luscious through ball late on to find substitute, Garnacho.

Although the influential ace was clearly the headline act – with his 8.5 match rating the highest of any player for either side, as per Sofascore – Fernandes wasn't alone in having shown his quality, with teammate Luke Shaw also proving why he is "absolute dynamite", as hailed by journalist Liam Canning.

How did Shaw perform against Wolves?

Following his recent stint in the side at centre-back in place of the injured Lisandro Martinez, the England international was restored to his usual left-back berth this time around, showing yet again just what an invaluable asset he is to Ten Hag.

The 27-year-old – who was recently rewarded with a new contract by the club – proved a real asset against Julen Lopetegui's side both in and out of possession, notably registering two key passes as a marker of his creative prowess, having teed up Antony midway through the first half with an inviting cross, only to see the Brazilian inexplicably fire his header over the crossbar.

On what was 'another consistent performance from a consistent starter' – as hailed by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – the long-serving asset also used the ball impressively after recording a pass accuracy rate of 95%, having 'played with purpose', according to Luckhurst.

The £150k-per-week ace was dribbled past twice during that stellar 90-minute outing, although the one-time Southampton man was rarely bettered by Wolves' attacking unit, having won eight of his 11 total duels.

Unsurprisingly, Shaw's match rating of 7.9 was only second to that of Fernandes for the home side – and only behind the impressive Daniel Bentley (8.0) for the visitors – with the 29-cap machine proving a reliable, leading presence for the Champions League hopefuls.

Everton may well have claimed an impressive point yesterday at Crystal Palace, but results elsewhere have left them still in the mire when it comes to Premier League safety.

Travelling to Roy Hodgson's resurgent side, who had won their last three in comfortable fashion, it was expected they would do so again when welcoming the struggling Toffees. Sean Dyche's men, conversely, had not won in their last four.

However, in a performance that the former Burnley boss would have been proud of, his side were resolute as they ground out a 0-0 draw. Despite that, they fell into the relegation zone following Leicester City's win.

Following the clash in which defences triumphed, James Tarkowski took to the media to demand more from his attackers. He noted: "To grind it out with ten men is nice but there's way more from us. We defended well, we had conceded a few goals recently so that's a plus but we need to do more and expect more from our forward players. We have some really talented boys but we need more from them.

"It has been a tough season and maybe we are losing that confidence. The players we have got are super super talented boys."

His rally cry might apply to the likes of Dwight McNeil and Demarai Gray, who were quiet yesterday, but Alex Iwobi was the sole offensive shining light in Royal Blue.

How did Alex Iwobi play vs Crystal Palace?

Despite only being handed a Sofascore rating of 6.7 for the match, of which seven of his teammates bettered, it perhaps does not account for the consistent creative presence he offered alongside his ever-selfless work rate.

The 26-year-old started almost as a second striker, but with just 43% of the ball, he had to be economical when in possession. Whilst only recording 46 touches, the Nigeria international was exactly that.

Iwobi maintained an 80% pass accuracy which included a whopping four key passes. In a moment of first-half brilliance too, the former Arsenal winger nearly proved to be the difference, as he thundered a right-footed volley towards goal which Sam Johnstone had to be alert for. At full stretch, he palmed it wide, but it marked one of the visitors' few fine efforts on goal.

For comparison, McNeil and Gray mustered just one key pass and two shots on target combined, via Sofascore.

Journalist Joe Thomas also took to Twitter to highlight the attacking impetus that the £120k-per-week trickster was providing, writing: "Iwobi bursting forward at every opportunity."

Whilst Tarkowski certainly has a point, given Everton are the lowest scorers in the whole division, Iwobi should be exempt from such criticism temporarily after his display yesterday. He was Dyche's shining light.

Crystal Palace are monitoring Sunderland forward Jack Clarke ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

Who is Jack Clarke?

Clarke is a promising young winger who currently plays his football at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats ace initially joined Tony Mowbray’s side on loan in January 2022 from Tottenham Hotspur then made his move permanent later that summer after impressing in the northeast, as per Transfermarkt.

The Championship starlet’s contract therefore isn’t set to expire for another three years, but being his manager’s overall second best-performing player with a match rating of 7.05, has been attracting interest ahead of the upcoming window.

According to Nixon’s Patreon report (via Football League World), Crystal Palace are “keeping tabs” on Clarke ahead of the 2023/24 term. The Eagles were reportedly “keen” on a move for the 22-year-old during his time at Leeds United so have clearly been long-term admirers and are now weighing up an approach in the summer.

Roy Hodgson and his outfit, however, would only be “willing to step up their pursuit” if Wilfried Zaha was to leave at the end of the season. The Ivory Coast international has been “tabled” a new contract but has potential suitors queuing up to secure his services.

Could Clarke step into Zaha's shoes?

Clarke hasn’t got any proper experience in the Premier League having failed to make the breakthrough at Spurs so it could be seen as a risk throwing him in at the deep end, but whilst he’s still young, he’s got more than enough ability to step up and fill Zaha’s role at Palace.

The Black Cats forward has clocked up 19 goal contributions (ten goals and nine assists) in 42 appearances across all competitions this season where his individual impact has been recognised having received five man-of-the-match awards. The £15k-p/w talent has also whipped 85 crosses into the box and is averaging 1.5 key passes per game, showing that even if he’s not always on the scoresheet, he’s constantly looking to create chances for his fellow teammates (all statistics prior to the game vs Cardiff).

Clarke, who has been dubbed an “unreal” player by journalist Josh Bunting, is additionally comfortable operating in six different positions, including in midfield and on the wing on both the left and right flanks alongside at centre-forward, so he would be an all-round fantastic addition for Hodgson.

Tottenham Hotspur are on the lookout for a new manager to replace Antonio Conte, and they have been rejected by former boss Mauricio Pochettino, according to a report from TyC Sports.

Do Tottenham Hotspur want Mauricio Pochettino?

There have been conflicting reports regarding whether Spurs are keen to bring Pochettino back, with it recently being reported that he is among the frontrunners for the job, alongside former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann.

Journalist Paul Brown has claimed people in the dressing room would "really love" to have the Argentine back, while reporter Ben Jacobs has previously stated chairman Daniel Levy would be "extremely open" to his return.

However, the Daily Star report that Tottenham are no longer interested in the 51-year-old taking over as manager, and a new update indicates that he is eyeing a move elsewhere, and has no intention of returning to his former club.

According to a report from TyC Sports, the former Paris Saint-Germain boss recently rejected the chance to return to Tottenham, while he is also uninterested in taking over at Chelsea, Ajax, and the Brazilian national team. This stance is due to the fact he expects to take over at Real Madrid at the end of the season, at which point Carlo Ancelotti may leave to take up the role of Brazil manager.

Everything is said to be on track for Pochettino to join Real Madrid, as he is said to be the Spanish club's first-choice candidate, ruling out a return to N17.

Who will Tottenham appoint as manager?

It will be disappointing for many Spurs fans that the Argentine is out of the running, given the "brilliant" manager's previous history with the club, however, there are still a plethora of candidates for the role.

It has now been reported that Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner is interested in the idea of taking over at Tottenham, and he could be a savvy appointment, given that he led the German club to Europa League success last season.

Nagelsmann is another option for the Lilywhites, however they may have missed the opportunity to bring him to north London, as Fabrizio Romano reports Chelsea are considering him to replace Graham Potter.

The quality of manager Spurs can attract is likely to come down to whether they are able to achieve a top-four finish under the stewardship of interim boss Cristian Stellini, currently sitting in fifth place, one point behind Manchester United and Newcastle.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to move on from their club captain Hugo Lloris in the coming months when the summer transfer window opens.

How long does Hugo Lloris have left on his contract?

Ahead of the summer, Lloris is set to run into the final year of his contract in north London having signed an extension in the early stages of last year.

However, there is now a belief that this upcoming transfer window will be the one where Spurs look to permanently replace the Frenchman.

It has not been the easiest campaign for Lloris, who has been sidelined for a significant chunk of time now having picked up a muscle injury earlier in the year.

But speaking on the Last Word On Spurs YouTube channel, Alasdair Gold has claimed the club are keen to move on from the 36-year-old goalkeeper now:

"Certainly, I know that the aim is to bring in his long-term successor this summer. But it'd be interesting to see whether that is straight away.

"But if I'm a goalkeeper coming in, how are you going to convince me to spend a season maybe shadowing Hugo Lloris?

"I can't really see that, and I think logically, it would suggest that it comes to a head this summer and maybe he does head off."

Who should replace Lloris?

There have been a number of replacements touted as potential options for Spurs with most of them coming from inside the Premier League.

The likes of Jordan Pickford, David Raya and Robert Sanchez have all been suggested by Gold in the past as possible options for the north London side.

Brentford's Raya, for example, has racked up the most saves (108) of any goalkeeper in the Premier League with Pickford (93) not too far behind him.

And they will all have Premier League experience which may encourage those at Spurs and provide them with more confidence over their suitability for the role in north London.

However, Lloris arrived at Spurs with no experience in England and has gone on to be an excellent servant for the club.

Spurs have also been linked by Gold with potential interest in AC Milan's Mike Maignan and they have seen first-hand just what the Frenchman could offer them.

The 27-year-old made three saves and had more touches of the ball than Harry Kane as he left the Italian side to a clean sheet in north London (via Sofascore).

There are certainly plenty of options available for Spurs, however, it seems as if they could well be fighting alongside the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United to find their next number one.

Although it has not been Lloris' best season, the task of finding a replacement for the £100k-per-week ace won't be easy and Spurs will certainly be hoping to find another servant who is good enough to offer 10+ years between the sticks.

Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery enjoyed a reasonably quiet first transfer window in charge in January as the Spaniard only made two additions to his squad.

The ex-Villarreal boss brought in Jhon Duran and Alex Moreno from Chicago Fire and Real Betis respectively on permanent deals and allowed striker Danny Ings to join Premier League rivals West Ham United.

Emery’s side are currently ten points clear of the relegation zone and eight points off the top six, which means that they are placed firmly in the middle of the table in 11th.

The Villans appear set to retain their Premier League status for another season and planning could already be underway with regard to what they want to do in the summer transfer window, as a result of their security in the table as it stands.

It has been reported in recent weeks that the club may reignite their interest in Southampton star James Ward-Prowse at the end of the campaign and Emery must act on that by swooping for the midfielder as he could be a big upgrade on John McGinn in the centre of the park.

Would James Ward-Prowse be an upgrade on John McGinn?

McGinn has been a solid performer in the top-flight for Villa this season – averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.95 – but the Saints skipper could offer a step up in quality.

The Scotland international has created 0.5 chances and made three tackles and interceptions per game whilst failing to score a single goal in the league this term.

Ward-Prowse, meanwhile, has scored six times and produced 2.1 key passes and 2.9 tackles and interceptions per match for Southampton.

The £100k-per-week magician ranks in the top 11% of players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days for shot-creating actions and non-penalty goals per 90, whilst McGinn does not rank higher than the top 42% in either statistic.

This shows that the England international would be a significant upgrade on the Scotsman when it comes to what he offers in possession – both in scoring goals and creating chances for others.

Their aforementioned defensive statistics also indicate that there is not a big difference between the volume of work they get through on a weekly basis, which suggests that Villa’s defence would not be worse off by replacing McGinn with Ward-Prowse.

Therefore, Emery must sign the Saints star, whose set-piece ability was once hailed as “sensational” by ex-Villan Darren Bent, as the gem could be a big upgrade on his current option in that position.

It is now down to the Spaniard and Johan Lange to strike an agreement with Southampton in order to improve Villa’s team heading into the 2023/24 campaign.

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has created an environment for young players to thrive in the first-team at the Stadium of Light in recent years.

In both his recruitment and his managerial appointments, the Black Cats chief has sculpted a squad full of talented youngsters with the potential to grow and develop.

The likes of Jack Clarke, Anthony Patterson, Dan Neil, Amad Diallo, and Daniel Ballard are just a few of the promising gems who have been brought into the side, via the academy or the transfer market, in the last 18 months or so.

However, former Sunderland owner Stewart Donald did not have as much success with youth and one player the former boss had a nightmare with was youth star Sam Greenwood as the English supremo decided to sell the dynamo to Arsenal in the summer of 2018.

Where is Sam Greenwood now?

After 15 goals and six assists in 39 U18 matches for the Gunners, the midfielder signed for Leeds United in 2020 and has enjoyed a terrific time in Yorkshire.

Greenwood plundered 21 goals and six assists in 41 U21 games for the Whites and this convinced Jesse Marsch, who has since departed the club, to bring him into the senior side.

Ex-Leeds forward Noel Whelan once compared him to Southampton and England’s James Ward-Prowse because of his incredible set-piece ability, saying:

“Free-kicks are his forte.

“Immediately you think about someone like James Ward-Prowse and what an unbelievable dead ball specialist he is. When you see the goals Greenwood has scored from set pieces you put him up there on that mantle.”

The retired attacker also lauded the youngster’s “immense” ability and described his free-kick talent as a “weapon”, which suggests that Sunderland could have had their own version of Ward-Prowse if Donald had kept hold of the magician.

Since the start of 2006/07, the Saints man has scored five more free-kicks than any other player in the Premier League (16) and the current Leeds wizard has showcased his quality from deadball situations at youth level for the Whites.

The 21-year-old has also established himself as a first-team player at Elland Road and has made 13 appearances in the Premier League so far this season, starting twice.

He has produced one goal and two assists, whilst creating 12 chances, from midfield – as an eight or a ten – in that time and this shows that the maestro has the quality to make an impact in the final third at the top level.

The dynamo could now go on to become a regular in the top-flight for many more seasons to come at Leeds and his set-piece quality could be a feature of his play, like it is for Ward-Prowse, if the gem can consistently deliver goals from those positions.

Therefore, Greenwood, who was dubbed a ‘free-kick master’ by the Yorkshire Evening Press, could have been an excellent prospect for Tony Mowbray’s side this season and beyond, given that the midfielder has already earned himself plenty of minutes at a higher level.

Ths means that Donald deprived Sunderland of having their own version of Ward-Prowse by deciding to sell him to Arsenal in 2018 instead of convincing the talent to remain on Wearside.

Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that there could be late transfer movement in the January transfer window for Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos.

The Lowdown: Preparing his replacement?

In a recent press conference, Michael Beale said that the Scottish Premiership side will be ‘looking’ for a new striker between now and the summer.

Morelos’ deal at Ibrox runs out at the end of May and is on course to bring a six-year stint in Glasgow to a close.

In that time, the 26-year-old has played 253 times for the Gers in all competitions, scoring 119 goals.

The Latest: Potential movement

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that some clubs are aware of the situation surrounding Morelos and that there could be a late swoop for him this month.

He stated: “Clubs have been made aware of his situation and his potential availability.

“And it’s at this point of a window when you would kind of expect those interested clubs to come forward because let’s face it, if you’ve got a particular problem and you’re a bit desperate, this is the moment to try and solve that with a player like Morelos.”

The Verdict: Big shoes to fill

We believe that losing Morelos would be a huge blow for Rangers as he’s been a consistent source of goals for a number of years.

His former boss, Steven Gerrard, has spoken highly of him in the past, labelling the forward as a ‘fantastic’ and ‘perfect’ player.

However, Rangers do have a great alternative in Antonio Colak. The Croatian is the club’s top scorer in all competitions with 11 goals from 22 appearances.

In our view, with a return like that, Colak could definitely be someone to take over as the Gers’ undisputed first-choice striker.

Meanwhile, it appears as if Beale is potentially looking to bring in a younger attacker into his squad. According to Wales Online, Swansea City have rejected a recent £2m bid for winger Morgan Whittaker.

Adding the 22-year-old into the mix would allow Colak to lead the line and have Whittaker, who can play across the frontline, as a backup for the 29-year-old.

Whittaker certainly scored plenty of goals whilst on loan at Plymouth Argyle, but he could learn a lot from both Morelos and Colak and help him settle into life at Rangers if he decides to make the switch.