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Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier has been criticised by journalist Kevin Palmer for his poor performance in the 2-2 draw at Brentford this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Tottenham held to a draw

Spurs’ old habits got the better of them again in their first Premier League game since the season resumed after the World Cup, conceding the first goal for the ninth successive match.

Vitaly Janelt opened the scoring for the hosts after just 15 minutes, before Ivan Toney added a second in the early stages of the second half as Dier gifted Brentford a corner with a badly mis-hit clearance.

Goals from Harry Kane and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg rescued a point for the Lilywhites, but they no doubt would have been hoping for more.

The Latest: Dier slammed

Taking to Twitter during the match, Palmer delivered a scathing verdict about the 28-year-old England international’s performance at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The journalist stated: “It didn’t take long for Eric Dier to remind everyone he’s not good enough to play for a top 6 club.”

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The Verdict: Another poor error

In the Premier League this season, the 49-cap England international has made seven errors leading to goals, the eighth-highest figure of any player in the division, so Antonio Conte will be frustrated that the Englishman has made yet another costly mistake today.

With a SofaScore rating of 6.8, the centre-back was the joint-second worst performer of any outfield Spurs starter, with only Japhet  Tanganga scoring lower as defensive issues once again came to the forefront, costing Conte’s side what could be an important two points.

Dier showed some good signs in the match, winning five of the seven aerial duels that he contested and registering a 91% pass accuracy.

However, that counts for nothing when you make a silly mistake and lose the ball 10 times during the contest, so he will need to step up his game if he is picked in Spurs’ next match against Aston Villa.

Jude Bellingham’s father wants his son to complete a move to Liverpool once this season reaches its conclusion, according to an exciting new transfer update.

The Lowdown: Bellingham set to leave Dortmund?

The midfielder has already become a genuine force as a footballer, despite not yet turning 20, standing out as a key man for Borussia Dortmund and now England.

Bellingham has scored four goals in five Champions League appearances this season and a host of clubs have been linked with signing him after his impressive World Cup campaign in Qatar, with Liverpool right at the top of the list.

This summer likely presents the perfect opportunity for Dortmund to cash in while his stock is at an all time high, at which point there will be a huge battle for his signature.

The Latest: Player’s dad wants Liverpool move

According to Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey, Bellingham’s dad, Mark, wants his son to complete a move to Liverpool, seeing them as the best option for the prodigious midfielder.

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The report claims that the player himself has ‘had his head turned’ by Manchester City and Real Madrid, but the Reds are still trying to get a deal over the line after coming close last summer.

The three clubs are ‘all working hard behind the scenes on convincing the midfielder to join them’.

The Verdict: Deciding influence?

Bellingham and his father Mark seemingly have an extremely close relationship, so the latter’s influence could certainly play a big role in the former’s decision this summer.

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The teenager looks the perfect signing for Liverpool this year, even if they will have to pay an eye-watering amount to get him, and he could solve their midfield woes that have existed this season.

In fact, it is hard to find any negatives to the move, with Bellingham a long-term superstar who can be a key man from the off and mature into one of the best players in the world.

Newcastle United continued their impressive top-four surge after holding league leaders Arsenal to a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening, with the Magpies still having lost just once in 18 Premier League games this term.

The foundation for that rampant run of form has been built on the club’s defensive strength, with that having again been evident last night as the Tynesiders racked up yet another clean sheet, ensuring they have now conceded just 11 times in 18 top-flight games this season.

That brutal and battling display to keep the Gunners at bay saw summer signing Sven Botman particularly standout in his centre-back berth, with the towering Dutchman having been an “absolute brick wall”, according to journalist Aaron Stokes.

The 6 foot 4 colossus notably recorded six clearances as he dealt with anything that came his way inside the penalty area, having once again served to showcase just what a “class act” he is at the heart of the backline, according to journalist Mark Carruthers.

Another vital part of what is currently the league’s best defence has been former Brighton and Hove Albion man, Dan Burn, with the Englishman having offered a real consistent presence at left-back so far this season.

The 30-year-old – who has started 17 of his side’s 18 games this term – was again something of a rock against the Gunners, having overcome the challenge of dealing with the in-form figure of compatriot, Bukayo Saka.

The fleet-footed forward had gone into the match with six goals and six assists to his name in the league this season, although was eventually blunted by the imposing presence of Burn who doggedly stuck to his task.

The 6 foot 7 machine had endured a “difficult” opening against his opposite number, as per Newcastle World’s Jordan Cronin, although recovered well to help thwart the north Londoners, notably winning 100% of his aerial duels.

Although the boyhood Newcastle fan did lose possession on 16 occasions, the £35k-per-week giant still appeared a ‘cool customer’ – according to the Chronicle’s Lee Ryder – as his ‘dream season’ continued.

Like the aforementioned Botman, Burn also proved himself adept at sniffing out the danger and preventing any openings for Mikel Arteta’s men as he recorded six clearances, with it once again appearing a tough ask to penetrate Howe’s destructive, defensive unit.

Although a second successive stalemate may have been something of a frustration for the Magpies boss, the resilient and courageous display of the likes of Burn will have illustrated that his side are firmly up for the top-four fight.

Celtic ‘have been monitoring’ FC Luzern midfielder Ardon Jashari ahead of a potential move to the Scottish Premiership, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Three-horse race

The Switzerland international’s contract in the Super League isn’t set to expire until 2026, but after putting in a consecutive run of impressive performances, has been generating interest from several potential suitors.

The Hoops, Leeds United and RB Leipzig are reportedly in a three-horse race to secure the 20-year-old’s services this month, with Mario Frick’s side valuing their maestro at £5m.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke confirmed that Celtic do indeed have Jashari on their radar and praised the prospect for his level of talent considering he’s still at such a young age.

“He looks a good young player, he’s only 20 years old and already a Swiss international as well.

“He’s done really well at FC Luzern, so with being a young player with big potential, Celtic have been monitoring him.”

The Verdict: Alongside Cho?

Celtic are closing in on the signing of Cho Gue-Sung having held talks with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors’ technical director Ji-Sung Park, and Jashari could be the next to follow in his footsteps to make the move to Glasgow.

The Cham native has provided four assists this season and currently averages 1.21 shots per league game despite naturally being a defensive midfielder, highlighting his ability to make an impact in the final third with his long-range shooting (FBRef).

Jashari would also bring plenty of leadership qualities being the Luzern captain, making him a hugely exciting prospective signing for Ange Postecoglou.

Celtic attacker Giorgos Giakoumakis could leave the club during the January transfer window, according to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Giakoumakis linked with exit

A number of Hoops exit rumours have emerged in recent weeks, with Josip Juranovic perhaps the most high-profile player linked with leaving the club.

The Croatian is not alone, however, with Giakoumakis another of those who has been backed to move on, having scored 25 goals in 56 appearances to date.

Now, another update has emerged, with the Greek’s future in Scotland again thrown into doubt.

The Latest: Fresh update emerges

Taking to Twitter, Romano claimed that Giakoumakis is the subject of lots of interest from a number of clubs:

“Giorgos Giakoumakis could now leave Celtic as many clubs are approaching the Greek striker. MLS, Japan clubs, also Sampdoria have asked for the conditions of the deal.”

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The Verdict: Would be a blow

Losing Giakoumakis would be a clear blow for Celtic, given his aforementioned goalscoring record, with Ange Postecoglou losing firepower in the process.

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The 28-year-old’s potential exit would surely lead to the Hoops bringing in an immediate replacement, with Cho Gue-sung looking like the leading candidate, following some recent reports.

The hope is that Giakoumakis still stays put at Parkhead beyond this month, however, helping Celtic win yet more trophies and continuing to dovetail effectively with the likes of Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi and Jota.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for Leandro Trossard in recent days as manager Antonio Conte looks to bolster his playing squad.

According to talkSPORT correspondent Alex Crook, the Lilywhites’ interest in the Brighton and Hove Albion dynamo is genuine, he tweeted:

“Led to believe #THFC interest in Trossard is genuine. No firm bids yet. Is under contract until 2024 after #BHAFC triggered a year’s option as revealed on @talkSPORT last week.”

Whilst no fee has been mentioned by the transfer insider, the Belgian international is currently valued at around £18m by CIES Football Observatory and the Seagulls are in no position to sell him on the cheap after extending his £40k-per-week deal by one further year.

It’s no secret that Spurs need further reinforcements upfront because Conte has endured a frustrating time with injuries over the past few months, with the likes of summer signing Richarlison, veteran Lucas Moura and arguably his most integral star Dejan Kulusevski all watching on from the treatment table, often at the same time too.

But would Trossard be a viable alternative?

Well, the versatile Brighton winger is actually outperforming Heung-min Son in several key facets this campaign, so it could be healthy competition for him as well as further cover for the aforementioned names.

Indeed, the Belgian is currently outscoring the South Korean by seven goals to four and doing so with ease as every 0.41 shots on target per 90 result in a goal, compared to Son’s rate of 0.18, via FBref.

Elsewhere, he is proving to be more creative too – it’s no wonder he has been lauded as a “wizard” in the past because he’s finding the net or providing an assist every 146 minutes, some 70 minutes more often than Spurs’ long-serving talisman.

And it’s the same story for progressive passes, with Trossard registering an average of 3.42 successful attempts per 90, compared to Son’s 1.6 in the Premier League this campaign.

Other statistics in which the January transfer target excels in include passing completion, goal-creating actions and passes into the opposition’s penalty box per 90, via FBref.

On that evidence alone, he would surely be a more than worthwhile signing and that’s not to mention his consistency in the big time as he also enjoyed 11 goal contributions across 34 league appearances last season.

Therefore, sporting director Fabio Paratici could hand Conte a new attacking threat by luring the 28-year-old “game-changer” – in the words of BBC journalist Phil McNulty – to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before deadline day on January 31st.

AND in other news, Paratici could sign Spurs’ own Foden with £21m “hurricane”, he’s perfect foil for Kulusevski…

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the agent of Eduardo Camavinga has denied talk that his client could join Arsenal on loan this January.

What’s the word?

The Real Madrid midfielder has been linked with a move to the Gunners of late, with reports claiming the Premier League club wanted to make the 20-year-old their “surprise” winter ambition.

The Gunners certainly look to be in the market for a new midfielder too, with West Ham United’s Declan Rice said to be a key target in the summer.

And so, in theory, Camavinga could join on loan now to help with the club’s title ambitions before then going back to Madrid, leaving space for Rice to join ahead of the start of next season.

However, while speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano has revealed that a deal doesn’t seem realistic at this stage.

Indeed, the journalist explained (1:26): “The agent Joshua Barnett told me no way for Arsenal loan or Chelsea loan or any other club.

“Because many clubs in Europe, all the top clubs in Europe, want Camavinga but Real Madrid are very happy with him and Camavinga is very happy with Real Madrid. So, no way.”

Too good to be true

Camavinga certainly would be an exciting name to bring to the Emirates before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month. After all, as per Squawka, he has won more duels per 90 than any other player with 360+ minutes in La Liga or the Premier League so far this season.

Still, it sounds as though the Real Madrid ace won’t be allowed to go with Carlo Ancelotti backing up Romano’s reporting, as he recently told the press: “We will not let Camavinga leave, he’s untouchable, like [Luka] Modric and Toni Kroos.”

Saying that though, the Frenchman has started just five league games so far this season. So it’s not as if he’s quite like Modric or Kroos. And if the youngster feels as though he would prefer to move to try and get more minutes, Arsenal could be an attractive proposition.

Still, for now, everything seems to suggest a loan won’t be happening but you can never say never in the world of football.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to hold their ‘crucial’ meeting regarding Sporting CP defender Pedro Porro ‘in the next hours’, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Meeting planned

The Spaniard has been identified as Antonio Conte’s number one target this month, and despite seeing an opening offer rejected as a result of it not meeting his €45m (£39m) release clause, the manager seemingly remains keen on bringing him to the Premier League.

The Italian journalist then claimed that Fabio Paratici and co had scheduled another meeting with Sporting chiefs today to discuss an improved deal for the right-back, hoping to secure a deal after the capture of Arnaut Danjuma.

With the 23-year-old reportedly keen on the move, a positive update on today’s proceedings has now emerged.

The Latest: Matter of hours…

Taking to Twitter, Romano has now reported that Spurs will meet Sporting chiefs quite literally within a matter of hours, and also revealed personal terms were agreed with the player long ago.

“Crucial meeting will take place in the next hours for Pedro Porro to Tottenham, as revealed yesterday – talks are advanced but new round of negotiations will be key to get the deal done.

“Personal terms agreed weeks ago. Clubs will discuss also payment terms/instalments.”

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The Verdict: Massive coup

Porro is clearly the most sought-after player amongst N17 chiefs right now, and given the attacking threat he provides down the flank, it would be a massive coup for Spurs should they be able to land him.

The Don Benito native has already posted an impressive 14 goal contributions in 25 appearances across all competitions this season and is averaging 2.6 shots and 2.4 key passes per league game (WhoScored). To put those attacking figures into perspective, Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty have combined for just three goal involvements this season, and both players average far fewer shots and created chances.

Conte reportedly isn’t happy with any of his current options in Porro’s position, so having been dubbed the ‘best right-back in Portugal’ by journalist Zach Lowy, he would make the perfect candidate.

Tottenham Hotspur have seen their move to bring Pedro Porro to the Premier League collapse with less than 48 hours remaining of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to David Ornstein, with the journalist revealing in his latest article for The Athletic that, despite Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici having agreed a €45m (£39.5m) deal with Sporting Lisbon for the transfer of the right-back, the Liga Portugal side have now reneged on the terms of the 23-year-old’s proposed move to north London.

Subsequently, Fabrizio Romano revealed in a post on Twitter that talks between the two clubs will “continue today” in order to attempt to reestablish an agreement regarding the defender’s fee.

In his post, the Italian transfer insider said: “Pedro Porro – Tottenham had medical tests booked today in order to complete the deal, agreed on Saturday as player said goodbye to the fans. Sporting changed details/conditions of the deal right before signing documents. Talks continue today to resolve the issues.”

Forget Porro

While it is undeniable that Porro would represent a fantastic addition to Conte’s current options on the right of his backline at Tottenham, should Sporting continue to mess Paratici around heading into the final 24 hours of the transfer window, it would appear wise for the Italian sporting director to turn his attention back towards a long-term target: Denzel Dumfries.

Indeed, reports from Italy earlier this month suggested that Conte views the Inter Milan full-back as a dream alternative to the Spain international, with Tottenham said to be planning to ‘slingshot on Dumfries’ if ‘negotiations for Porro were to fail’ this month – with the Serie A side believed to be willing to part with the 26-year-old for a fee of €40m (£35m).

And, considering how similar the two players are in an attacking capacity – with Conte known to prefer his wing-backs to be predominantly forward-thinking rather than defensively focused – the argument that Dumfries would be a dream alternative to the Sporting star is an extremely easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 33 Serie A appearances in 2021/22, the £35m-rated Dutchman was in fantastic attacking form, scoring five goals, providing five assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 0.8 key passes and completing 0.4 crosses per game.

The £54k-per-week right-back has been in similarly fine form over his 18 league outings this season, having already hit the back of the net once, registered two assists and created eight big chances, as well as taking an average of 1.1 shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 0.4 crosses per match.

In comparison, over Porro’s 23 Liga Portugal appearances last season, the £22m-rated talent was also in eye-catching form going forwards, bagging four goals, providing four assists and creating 11 big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.6 shots, making two key passes and completing 1.8 crosses per game.

It has been a similar story over his 14 league fixtures this season, with the £10k-per-week Spaniard having already scored two goals, provided six assists and created eight big chances, as well as taking an average of 2.6 shots, making 2.4 key passes and completing 1.8 crosses per match.

As such, while it is true that Porro’s returns slightly better those of Dumfries over the last 18 or so months, considering the fact that the Dutchman looks to be available for roughly £4.5m less than the Sporting star, should Paratici fail in his negotiations for the 23-year-old, the Inter defender who Micah Richards dubbed “breathless” would indeed appear a dream alternative.

Everton have been handed a big boost late in the transfer market, with the impending sale of Anthony Gordon.

Having fought off advances in the summer from Chelsea, by setting the price so high (£60m) it seems to have convinced Newcastle United that the initial £40m expended is a good deal.

Whether the 21-year-old blossoms into a sensational winger or not, for the player that is currently being sold the Toffees have made a huge coup with that deal.

It also has allowed them precious funds to now reinvest, with the soon-to-be new boss Sean Dyche likely to be handed the bulk of this incoming money to add some much-needed new faces.

One transfer rumour that he could now pounce on is that linking them with a switch for Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, which emerged just after Frank Lampard’s sacking.

The Moroccan joined Stamford Bridge under the 44-year-old for an initial €40m (£35m) fee but has struggled to recapture his blistering form at Ajax that saw him so coveted.

His 14 goals and 11 assists in 98 appearances for the Blues make for disappointing reading, but again it is difficult not to be enamoured by his exceptional final two seasons in Amsterdam.

The 2018/19 campaign stands out as his most impressive, where he featured off the right flank and would cut in on his razor-sharp left foot to record 16 goals and 17 assists in the Eredivisie as well as a further nine goal contributions in the Champions League and its qualifying rounds.

It is this lackadaisical but often unstoppable play style that could draw comparisons to a former Everton favourite, who many would argue left too soon.

James Rodriguez joined and left before the full might of Goodison Park got to witness his quality, driven out by a manager who would be sacked just six months later.

Despite his one season on Merseyside having been marred with injuries, his six goals and five assists in 23 Premier League games were impressive, with his class oozing through to put him a cut above the rest.

Ziyech could likely have a similar effect, should he recapture that initial form at Ajax. The affinity in their play style and unquestionable quality suggests that this could certainly be the case.

His displays at the recent World Cup for a historic Morocco side give credence to the suggestion it could be possible, with analyst Owuraku Ampofo claiming “the magician is back” after one of his fine performances.

Soon after first making the move to Chelsea, The Athletic’s Liam Twomey admitted that he was most excited to watch the 29-year-old before claiming: “His crossing from the right should be absolutely perfect for Pulisic/Werner/Hudson-Odoi”.

Whilst it has yet to work out, that touch of class that has seldom been seen at Everton of late could be set to return, potentially reigniting the buzz around the club that was there when Carlo Ancelotti presided over Rodriguez on Merseyside.