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Tottenham Hotspur youngster Pape Matar Sarr is believed to have been informed by Antonio Conte that he will not be leaving north London this month.

What’s the latest?

There has been a belief that Sarr, alongside Bryan Gil, could be set to leave Spurs over the course of January for a potential loan move in search of some regular football.

However, the Senegalese midfielder has now made appearances in Tottenham’s last two Premier League outings against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.

Sarr came on for just 10 minutes in the home defeat against Villa on the weekend, but the 20-year-old was trusted with a further 24 minutes in Spurs’ emphatic victory at Selhurst Park on Wednesday night.

And on the back of his impressive cameo displays in the top flight, Gold believes Conte will have told the player to forget about a loan move away from N17:

(48:50) “It sounds like he’s been told he’ll be there for the rest of the season bearing in mind what Conte said. Obviously ever-improving English as well. He looks really in the group.

“I think I noticed in the third goal, he leapt on top of the Spurs players and the celebrations [he] came out of nowhere and ended up on top of them all. So clearly feels enough of part of the group to do that,” he said on the Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham podcast.

Seizing the opportunity

Sarr joined Spurs last season, however, at such a young age, the midfielder was immediately returned to Metz on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

And he was able to get a lot more first-team action under his belt with the Ligue 1 side than he may have done with Spurs after making 33 appearances in the league (via Transfermarkt).

Sarr will have required a lot of patience this season with the 10-minute cameo on the weekend his first appearance under Conte this season.

However, he has seemingly seized an opportunity with Rodrigo Bentancur out through an ongoing injury issue and with Yves Bissouma suspended for the game against Palace on Wednesday.

“Today also Bissouma was banned for one game. Rodrigo is injured, also in midfield we were in a bit of trouble. Instead, good answer from Skippy and a good answer from Pape Sarr,” Conte said after the game.

The 20-year-old only played for 24 minutes against the Eagles, however, in that brief cameo, he managed to complete more tackles (2) than Oliver Skipp (1) who he replaced after 66 minutes (via SofaScore).

And it seems as if it is not just Conte’s eye who Sarr caught on Wednesday night with journalist Ryan Taylor hailing the youngster as “monstrous”.

With Spurs’ issues through injury and an underwhelming start to Bissouma’s career in N17, we think it is essential Conte keeps hold of Sarr with the Senegalese ace showing a lot of potential over the last few days.

League leaders Celtic are back in action against Livingston at Parkhead on Wednesday night, with Ange Postecoglou’s side hoping to maintain their rampant and relentless start to the Premiership campaign.

The Old Firm giants have won 15 of their 16 games in the top flight so far this term, with the only blot on their copybook the defeat away to St Mirren in September, subsequently ending a 38-match unbeaten run in the league.

In truth, the Glasgow giants have looked almost imperious domestically since the 57-year-old’s arrival at the helm in 2021, with even the recent World Cup break having shown little sign of curtailing their momentum, as the champions clinched a 1-0 victory away to Aberdeen last weekend.

Despite the narrow winning margin – with the returning Callum McGregor having netted late on to seal all three points – it had been a “dominant” performance from the Hoops at Pittodrie, in the words of Postecoglou, as the visitors enjoyed 80% possession on the day.

The only thing missing prior to McGregor’s 87th-minute strike was that clinical edge in front of goal, with the forward line having come up short despite recording 33 attempts on goal, as per Sofascore.

One notable villain in that triumph had been Japan international Daizen Maeda, with the 25-year-old having been hooked at half-time following his recent return from featuring for his country at the World Cup in Qatar.

The diminutive speedster produced a typically hard-working display from the right flank, having won seven of his eight duels. However, he was once again unable to offer that killer touch in attack, having shown ‘plenty of endeavour but little end product’, in the words of The Scotsman’s Mark Atkinson.

Such a performance has been synonymous with the 12-cap menace of late, with the £18k-per-week striker having even been dubbed a “headless chicken” by journalist Casey Evans due to his shortcomings in the final third.

That has been evidenced by the fact that the former Yokohama F Marinos marksman has scored only three goals in his 15 league appearances so far this season, with that indicating his struggles of late.

As such, it should well be the case that Maeda is dropped to the bench against David Martindale’s men tomorrow night, particularly with Liel Abada having been “excellent” – according to journalist John McGinley – after entering the field in his place against Aberdeen on Saturday.

Leeds United are reportedly keen on signing Valencia defender Jesus Vazquez on loan.

The Lowdown: Vazquez linked with Leeds

The 19-year-old has progressed through Valencia’s academy and has made 22 senior appearances for his current employers. Vazquez is primarily a left-back but can also line out as a left midfielder or a left winger if required.

Valued at €5m (£4.3m) by Transfermarkt, Vazquez’s current Valencia contract runs until 2025, but it seems as if a potential temporary exit could be on the cards in the New Year.

The Latest: Loan rumour

The Boot Room relayed an update from a Spanish outlet regarding Leeds and Vazquez on Wednesday.

They claimed that the Whites want to bring the Spaniard – who has a €40m (£34.5m) release clause – to Elland Road on loan, adding that Vazquez has changed agents in anticipation of a potential move.

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The Verdict: Interesting…

Jesse Marsch has used centre-back Pascal Struijk at left-back this season, with Junior Firpo missing the majority of the season through injury.

Therefore, you can see why the Whites are looking at a possible left-back recruit, which could then allow Struijk to return to his more natural role.

However, Vazquez isn’t exactly an established first-team player, so it would be a surprise if he is seen as the solution at left-back.

Borussia Dortmund’s Raphael Guerreiro is another left-back who has been linked with a move to Yorkshire, so the Portugal international appears to be a better immediate option for Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani to consider at this moment in time.

Aston Villa journalist Gregg Evans has shared his praise for Ollie Watkins and Jacob Ramsey for their efforts in Villa’s 3-1 win over Manchester United in the Premier League. 

The Lowdown: Emery’s dream start

Unai Emery saw his tenure in charge of the Midlands club get off to a flying start as the Villans beat the Red Devils for the first time in the league since 1995.

Goals from Leon Bailey, Lucas Digne and Ramsey secured the three points for Villa, who will be taking on Erik Ten Hag’s side again on Thursday in the Carabao Cup.

As Villa picked up this impressive victory, Evans took to Twitter to share his praise for two players he thought were instrumental for the third goal of the game.

The Latest: Praise for Ramsey and Watkins

With Ramsey scoring Villa’s third goal of the game, Evans had this to say about it on Twitter.

He said: “A stunning finish from Ramsey, who just loves that one-touch smash into the top corner. But my word, what a run and assist from Watkins who has been excellent today.”

The Verdict: A great day for Villa

Focusing on Ramsey’s overall performance, not only did the midfielder score Villa’s third goal and provide the assist for Bailey’s opener, he also managed to win seven out of the eight duels he was involved in and made five tackles in total, which is more than any other Villa player won.

The only unfortunate moment for him came when he cost his side a clean sheet with an own goal on the stroke of halftime.

With Watkins also helping out in an attacking sense by providing the assist that Evans raved about in his tweet, it’s safe to say that it has been a great day at the office for Villa and their new manager.

Moving forward, it seems likely that Emery will want to see this sort of performance from his players throughout the rest of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been handed an exit claim on midfielder Giovani Lo Celso amid his current loan stint at Villarreal.

The Lowdown: Lo Celso shines…

The Argentina international, who is hopeful of appearing at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, has been thriving during temporary spells with Villarreal over the last 11 months, with The Athletic’s Dermot Corrigan hailing his turnaround in fortunes as “amazing”.

Lo Celso played a key role in their run to the Champions League semi-finals last season and has continued in that vein this season when available and fit.

As per WhoScored, the midfielder ranks in Villarreal’s top four in terms of shots at goal, completed dribbles and fouls drawn per 90 in La Liga, which shows his splendid contribution to the team.

It isn’t impossible to think that the South American’s solid form could be catching the eye of Spurs boss Antonio Conte, but according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Lo Celso’s future seems written.

The Latest: Romano shares Lo Celso exit update for Spurs supporters…

The transfer reporter claims that, despite his good form, the Argentine is still perilously close to the permanent Spurs exit door.

The 26-year-old’s good form at Villarreal last season didn’t prompt Conte to keep him at Hotspur Way for 2022/23, and it appears that the manager’s stance has not changed.

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Writing for Caught Offside, Romano claims Lo Celso’s seems destined to leave north London.

He explained: “I expect Giovani Lo Celso’s future lies away from Tottenham. His price tag around €20-25m stopped Villarreal from signing him on a permanent deal this summer, but they love him and he’s key player since returning on loan.

“As of now, there are no talks with Tottenham and the player also wants to focus on the World Cup.”

The Verdict: Time to move?

While Lo Celso has impressed in Spain, the midfielder has never quite managed it consistently enough in the Premier League, starting only 28 top-flight matches across two-and-a-half years, so we believe that it could be time for Spurs to cut their ties with him for good.

The only point of contention remains his price tag, and chairman Daniel Levy will be looking to make back a decent portion of his original investment in the Argentine.

Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane could now ‘actually consider’ a move to Bayern Munich, according to Sky journalist Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: Last chance saloon?

After his failed move to Premier League champions Man City in the summer of 2021, Spurs’ star striker has said he is currently focused in north London amid the much more positive Antonio Conte era.

This comes as Bundesliga giants Bayern display a real interest in signing the 29-year-old as they search for a like-for-like heir to former forward Robert Lewandowski.

Kane’s current deal expires in 2024, and next summer, he will be entering the final year of his Lilywhites deal – perhaps giving chairman Daniel Levy a real decision to make.

Spurs want to offer the England international a new and improved deal, but if he is going to sign it, this season could be crucial as he dreams of winning silverware.

The Latest: Plettenberg shares Kane update…

Now, as per Sky Germany reporter Plettenberg, there has been an update on the situation and Kane’s exit stance.

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It is believed that the forward is open to leaving and ‘could actually consider the move’ to Bayern given the ‘slim chance’ of winning a trophy at Tottenham.

The Allianz Arena could apparently ‘tempt’ Kane who can ‘certainly imagine’ joining Julian Nagelsmann’s side – with his future described as ‘open’ having not yet decided whether to sign a new deal.

The Verdict: Worry for Levy…

Kane is absolutely crucial for Spurs, not just in terms of goalscoring, but also for his creativity.

The Three Lions superstar can drop deep and link up play, winning 2020/2021’s Playmaker of The Year award alongside his Golden Boot.

Described as ‘untouchable’ by journalist Fabrizio Romano, the homegrown ace will be near irreplaceable if he does decide to eventually depart.

In terms of winning trophies, Bayern could hand him the perfect chance to seal a long-awaited league title.

Celtic striker Georgios Giakoumakis has required a scan on a leg problem while on international duty with Greece, journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos reports.

The Lowdown: Giakoumakis’ season so far

Giakoumakis missed large parts of the previous season through injury and has had to remain patient under Ange Postecoglou during the current campaign.

The 27-year-old is yet to start a Scottish Premiership fixture, with his two starts coming against Real Madrid in the Champions League and Ross County in the Scottish League Cup.

The forward, labelled as a ‘hugely important’ player by Postecoglou, has netted three goals in 387 minutes of action, and it looks as if he has been in some pain while away with Greece.

The Latest: Injury update

Chorianopoulos took to Twitter on Saturday to share an update on the Celtic man.

He revealed that Giakoumakis required a scan after feeling a ‘a little problem’ in his leg. The resulting scan didn’t show anything serious, Chorianopoulos added, however, the forward will still be checked by Greece’s medical staff.

The Verdict: Caution needed

Giakoumakis missed the UEFA Nations League game with Cyprus on Saturday through suspension but is eligible to take on Northern Ireland on Tuesday.

However, following the recent injury scare, Celtic may be hoping that the national side do not take any unnecessary risks with the striker, should the pain remain.

It will undoubtedly be one to keep an eye on over the coming days by Celtic officials, and hopefully, he’ll return to Parkhead in good condition.

Much of Wolves’ summer transfer window was dedicated to finding a new striker for Bruno Lage’s side, with goalscoring still a huge problem for the Old Gold.

After finishing as the lowest scorers (38) of the sides not to be relegated from the Premier League last season, it was clear that Wolves needed another striker to compete with Raul Jimenez.

The Mexican forward finished as both Wolves’ top scorer and assister last season in the top flight, with just six goals and four assists, which emphasises how much Lage’s side struggled in front of goal.

Fabio Silva was loaned to Anderlecht and Sasa Kalajdzic arrived from Stuttgart, only to damage his ACL on his debut against Southampton.

This led to Diego Costa joining on a free transfer following the transfer deadline, with Wolves clearly desperate for attacking reinforcements after scoring just three goals in their opening seven fixtures this season.

However, Lage may not have required either Kalajdzic or Costa had former academy star Austin Samuels made the grade at Molineux.

The 21-year-old striker was at Wolves for 13 years and excelled in the U18s and U21s, scoring an impressive 31 goals in 86 appearances, but he was never given an opportunity in the first team.

Samuels even spoke about his desire to emulate Jimenez in Wolves’ side, which suggests that he could have been an intriguing heir to the former Benfica man had he realised his obvious potential at Molineux.

He said: “Playing as a nine, I try to emulate Jimenez as much as I can. We’re not exactly the same type of player, but I’ve tried to learn from what he does in terms of linking the play.”

Disappointing loan spells with Bradford City and Aberdeen, where he managed just one goal in a combined 21 appearances, would follow and Samuels was eventually released from his Wolves contract last summer.

However, he did earn a lot of praise from former Aberdeen boss Stephen Glass, who said:

“Austin did really well, he was positive, direct, he even turned a couple of clearances into opportunities for us which is a little bit different to what we’ve had before. That pace and that energy up front was exciting for us, he’s a real forward-thinking player.”

He would join Scottish second-tier side Inverness Caledonian Thistle where he has rediscovered his goalscoring touch somewhat, hitting six goals in 29 appearances.

At 21, Samuels could still have a bright future in football, but it is a shame that he didn’t come good at Wolves having done so well in the academy just a few years ago, as he could have eased the glaring issues in the Old Gold’s attack under Lage.

Tottenham Hotspur have received no offers for Sergio Reguilon…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, who delivered an update on outgoings from Spurs to supporters on Twitter.

“Napoli have agreed deal in principle with Tottenham for loan signing of Tanguy Ndombele – loan fee €1m with an option price of €30m. Medical this week. Clubs from Spain & Italy have shown interest in Harry Winks. No offers for Sergio Reguilon,” he said.

And now in the Lilywhites’ pursuit of Atalanta star Ruslan Malinovskyi, the Serie A outfit have been offered the Spain full-back in return, as per Calciomercato.

Spurs’ next Ndombele

Reguilon cost Spurs around £32m after he arrived alongside returning legend Gareth Bale from Real Madrid back in 2020, signing a five-year deal worth £53k-per-week.

It’s become apparent. though, just like Ndombele, the 25-year-old has no future under manager Antonio Conte after the Italian left him out of their pre-season schedule in a bid to resolve his future, per The Athletic.

That is yet to materialise with less than two weeks remaining in the transfer window and that has to be a worrying sign for chairman Daniel Levy as he’s endured his fair share of problems with the club’s big-money signings.

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Ndombele, whilst he appears to finally be on his way out, has struggled to find suitors for much of the off-season and even in past windows, one of which saw him demand a transfer.

And just like the one-time club-record signing, Reguilon’s route back into the Spurs first-team appears unlikely, given the fact that Conte has signed his tried and trusted favourite, Ivan Perisic.

Ryan Sessegnon has also been starting matches in the Premier League ahead of the Croatian, so it’s those two that Conte will be running with throughout 2022/23.

After Conte’s arrival in November, the Spaniard struggled for form last term, registering only two goals and one assist in the top-flight. Some of his displays led to criticism.

Lilywhites insider Jon Wenham dubbed him “so average” and “just not that good” for his performance in the 3-1 win against West Ham United, whilst football.london reporter Alasdair Gold claimed that he won’t “ever trust that he’s going to put the ball in the net” in the defeat to Southampton.

That’s a key attribute for a wing-back playing under Conte and perhaps why the Italian doesn’t trust him whatsoever either.

But with a lack of interested parties, the north Londoners may well have to keep Reguilon on their books for longer than they’d want to, leading to a potential Ndombele 2.0 for Levy and co.

AND in other news, Paratici could repeat his Romero masterstroke in Spurs swoop for £25m-rated “cannon”…

Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie has delivered a damning assessment of Mikey Johnston’s immediate future at Parkhead. 

The lowdown: Bit part player

A product of the youth system at Lennoxtown, Johnston made 14 appearances for the Hoops’ youth sides before providing an assist on his Scottish Premiership debut against St. Johnstone in 2018.

Since then, the 23-year-old former Scottish youth international winger has made a further 79 first-team outings for the Hoops, directly contributing to 21 goals in the process.

Having attracted interest over the weekend from Belgian top-flight outfit Standard Liege (via Anthony Joseph, Sky Sports), one heavily invested pundit has provided his verdict on what could be best for Johnston…

The latest: ‘Got to go’

Speaking to Football Insider after hearing of Standard Liege’s interest, McAvennie – who represented the Glasgow giants on 85 occasions across two spells – suggested that the 11-cap Under 21 starlet has ‘got to go’ in this window.

He said: “He’s an enigma really. I like him, he’s got such good talent but he’s not going to get into the first team now. He’s just not going to play.

“I think, Ronny Deila, he’s the manager of Standard Liege, he knows him. I think it would be good for him if it’s on loan to go and prove a point and maybe come back and get your place and come back into the team.

“I just don’t see where he’s going to play at Celtic. There’s so many players that weren’t playing yesterday [31 July] that are coming in before Mikey. I think they should probably let him go and build up because he’s too good to sit on the bench or in the stand. But I don’t think he’s good enough to be in the first team.

“I think he’s got to go, whether that’s on loan or selling him. I just think he’s got to go and play. I think it’s going to happen before the end of the window that’s for sure.”

The verdict: Refresh needed

Despite bursting onto the scene in Glasgow, Johnston has struggled to kick on at the club and opportunities appear to be few and far between under Ange Postecoglou.

Last season, the £720,000-valued youngster – who was described as ‘sensational’ by club captain Callum McGregor – only provided one assist in 20 fleeting appearances across all competitions, a distinct drop off in output from a six goal and six assist 2019/20 campaign.

Left out of the squad for the opening day victory over Aberdeen at Parkhead alongside fellow want-away star James McCarthy, the talented Scot looks set for another term on the periphery of matters at best.

Therefore, with the likes of Daizen Maeda, Jota and Kyogo Furuhashi all rightfully ahead in the pecking order when it comes to wide attacking options, sanctioning a loan exit in the hope that Johnston can recapture his best form appears to be the most suitable option for all parties.