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According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham have joined the hunt for Birmingham’s in-form hotshot Che Adams, along with a number of other clubs who have taken a keen interest in signing the Championship marksman.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Adams is currently enjoying the season of his life right now, and his form has not gone unnoticed.

The 22-year-old has hit 19 goals in 29 Championship starts so far this season, as well as recording three assists, with his form a large reason for Birmingham’s unlikely push for the play-off positions – they are just seven points away right now, with plenty more games still left to play.

Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal along with Manchester United have also been credited with an interest in signing the English forward, whilst Burnley and Southampton saw bids rebuffed for Adams in the January window and Celtic and Watford have scouted the goal machine recently (as per The Mirror).

Do Spurs really need Adams?

Given the fact that Mauricio Pochettino hasn’t made a single signing over the last two transfer windows, one would only assume that there isn’t too much money to spend at the club – the debts from the construction of the new White Hart Lane may also be a contributing factor.

In that respect, the aforementioned TEAMtalk article states that Birmingham want £20m for Adams, which could be a lot for Spurs right now. Is it really worth splashing that much on a player who will only be used as Harry Kane’s understudy?

You may argue that Pochettino needs another forward, but we have seen by Heung-min Son’s blistering form and Fernando Llorente’s resurgence in the absence of Kane that there are plenty of players at the club who can step up in a time of need.

Perhaps any money afforded to Pochettino by Daniel Levy should be spent on a new right-back, as all three of Kyle Walker-Peters, Kieran Trippier and Serge Aurier have failed to nail down a place in the team on a consistent basis.

West Ham fans are ecstatic at the news that Armstrong Okoflex scored a hat-trick for the U23s in the young Hammers’ 4-2 win over Crystal Palace, putting them top of the Premier League 2 table.

Irish teenager Okoflex won and converted the penalty that saw West Ham bring back the lead after initially going 2-1 down to Palace, rounding off his hat-trick early on in the second half.

Kamarai Swyer then put the game to bed after left-back Jayden Fevrier fed the ball through to the attacking midfielder, who was able to lash in a near-post finish.

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West Ham fans have been extremely impressed with Okoflex this season, who has totalled 10 goals and one assist in 13 Premier League 2 appearances.

This wasn’t even his first hat-trick of the 2021/22 campaign, as the left winger netted three times in the U23’s 6-1 victory against Arsenal.

Okoflex has proved that he can perform at the senior level too, as he scored in West Ham U23’s EFL Trophy tie against Ipswich, which they won 2-1.

Fans erupt at Okoflex’s hat-trick

Fans have flocked to West Ham’s tweet, which announces the teenager’s third goal, with amazement. They even call for him to be promoted to the first-team, following his fine form.

“Get him on the bench for Thursday – the kid clearly has talent!”

Credit: @KDGAMING1996

“put him innnnnn Moyes”

Credit: @wideasIeep

“this man is a beast”

Credit: @IdkWhat51466692

“serious baller”

Credit: @Big_Ety

“The future is bright”

Credit: @LewisDowling7

“Literally sell Yarmo put this man on the bench”

Credit: @baphap01

As per reliable reporter Jack Rosser of The Evening Standard, an encouraging update has come to light as Tottenham Hotspur eye a move for Middlesborough defender Djed Spence.

The Lowdown: Spurs join race…

Sky Sports first broke the news that Spurs had joined the race to sign Boro’s in-demand youngster who is currently shining on loan at fellow Championship side Nottingham Forest.

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London World add that Spurs boss Antonio Conte is actually ‘edging closer’ to the 21-year-old’s capture as he eyes new-right back additions in north London.

In another update, Rosser has come out with an equally encouraging claim.

The Latest: Spurs agreement possible this month…

Taking to Twitter, he explains that a deal to sign Spence ‘could happen’ in January as Tottenham and north London rivals Arsenal tussle for his signature.

He does however add that the player won’t actually make the move until the summer.

“Arsenal and Tottenham target Djed Spence valued at up to £12m by Middlesbrough,” he explained.

“Deal could happen in January but Spence won’t move until the summer.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Already attracting plenty of praise for his performances at the City Ground over 2021/2022, we believe £12m would be a snip for the homegrown ace with both pace and delivery on the right-hand side.

Sky Sports pundit Jobi McAnuff called Spence a ‘massive player’ for Forest this season whilst Boro’s manager Chris Wilder heaped praise on the ‘outstanding’ starlet for his temporary spell so far.

With plenty of years ahead in what could be a promising career, signing the defender should be a no-brainer.

In other news: Offer ready: Conte could soon sign ‘game-changer’ for Spurs after recent Levy meeting…find out more here.

Many Everton fans have been left flocking to a revelation involving Marcel Brands.

As per The Liverpool Echo, both Vitaliy Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson had been long-term targets for the Goodison Park faithful, and were identified by the recruitment department that worked under Brands.

Of course, the Dutchman has now left the Merseyside club, which begs the question as to whether he should have gone in the first place, given that he essentially helped identify the Toffees’ latest two signings.

There has not always been a good connection between supporters and the board in general, as they have taken a particular disliking to chairman Bill Kenwright, and so revelations like these really do not really help that relationship.

Nonetheless, it appears that a lot of Blues are not really shocked by the news.

Everton fans on Brands news

These EFC supporters were left flocking to the news on Brands as it was shared on Twitter:

“What a weird football club we really are.”

Credit: @eideangm

“Well now, who’d have thought it…”

Credit: @NTylerVI

“There’s a shock.”

Credit: @lewissefc

“This is the backwards way of thinking the board is stuck in at the moment. Freezes Brands out and lets him walk just to make the signings he recommended and attempt to take credit for them”

Credit: @The_Penny_Blue

“Brands getting more freedom to do his job when he’s no longer in the job has got to be the most Everton thing I’ve seen.”

Credit: @KaneVasco

“Only EFC would get rid of the DOF and then buy his recommendations. What next? Benitez fired and Brands recommendation of Potter as new manager taken up.”

Credit: @MurphyRichie

In other news, find out what transfer update has Evertonians buzzing here!

Tottenham have allegedly reached an agreement with Fiorentina for midfielder Sofyan Amrabat.

The Lowdown: Amrabat profiled

Amrabat is a Morocco international who is primarily a defensive midfielder who can also play in a central role.

The 25-year-old is valued at £8.1m by Transfermarkt and has made 45 appearances for the Serie A side after joining back in 2020.

He’s been missing in Fiorentina’s last four league outings and is yet to contribute to a goal for his current employers, with a move to Antonio Conte’s side now looking likely before Monday’s deadline.

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The Latest: Agreement reached

According to Corriere Fiorentino, relayed by Sports Witness, Amrabat is ‘more than happy’ to move to Spurs and it will happen ‘barring surprises’.

Conte and Fabio Paratici both ‘rate’ the midfielder, with an ‘agreement reached’ between the two clubs.

It seems as if Tanguy Ndombele has to leave the club first, though, with the report claiming the Frenchman is ‘blocking’ a transfer being finalised.

The Verdict: Needed

Spurs are in desperate need of reinforcements in the final days of the window and have ultimately wasted a lot of time on pursuing Adama Traore, who is in Barcelona ahead of a loan move.

They also look set to miss out on Luis Diaz, so it’s good news that a move for Amrabat is all but sealed, providing Ndombele can seal a move away from north London.

He now looks set to become the club’s third defensive midfielder on the books alongside Oliver Skipp and Harry Winks, so it’ll be interesting to see how Conte uses Amrabat in the second half of the season.

In other news: Spurs now preparing last-gasp bid to sign ‘special’ player who could leave for just £14m. 

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke (via GIVEMESPORT), West Ham signing Eden Hazard would be a ‘real signal of intent’ to the rest of the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Struggling in Madrid

Since joining Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2019 in a deal worth £103.5m, Hazard has not looked like the same player who tore up the Premier League in a Chelsea shirt a few years ago.

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The Belgian winger has failed to score in 13 appearances for Los Blancos this season. This follows his poor form since his arrival in the Spanish capital, where he has scored just five goals in 56 games during an injury-plagued stint at the Bernabeu.

When compared to his stats in a Chelsea shirt, where he scored 110 goals and produced 92 assists in 352 games, it is evident that Hazard is a shadow of the player he once was.

The Latest: Hazard linked with Hammers move

El Nacional previously reported that West Ham had made a €25m (£21.3m) offer for Hazard. This fee seems low at face level, but when combined with his reported £381,000 weekly wage, the finances soon add up.

O’Rourke believes that the Hammers’ prospective signing of Hazard would be a huge signal to the rest of the Premier League if it materialises.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: “West Ham, they can offer him Premier League football, and could match his wages, you can never say never in football. It would be a real signal of intent if West Ham can convince Eden Hazard to move to the London Stadium.”

The Verdict: Return to London unlikely

Earning 116 caps for the Belgium national side, Hazard has not been short of praise. Back in 2018, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher compared the winger’s power to that of Diego Maradona and Pele, also claiming that he was ‘the best player in the Premier League’ at the time.

This was reinforced by former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera, who said that the Belgian is ‘the best player I have ever played against in my five years playing in the Premier League’.

With these glowing testimonies, it is easy to see why the arrival of Hazard would send a huge message to the rest of the league. Challenging for Champions League qualification, West Ham could be the ideal destination for Hazard to revive his career.

If the Hammers manage to scrape together the money, this transfer could prove to be a shrewd move for both parties. However, his staggering weekly wage could prove to be too much for the Irons, and that may be the rock on which this intriguing rumour perishes.

In other news: West Ham eyeing ‘unbelievable’ ace for Moyes as contact is made with agent

New Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst made a ‘catastrophic error of judgement’ in choosing to watch their Scottish League Cup semifinal defeat from the stands. 

That’s according to The Daily Record’s Keith Jackson, writing in his Monday column.

The lowdown

The Van Bronckhorst era got off to a pretty disastrous start on Sunday as his new club fell to defeat against Hibernian at Hampden Park. The Gers found themselves three goals down inside the first 40 minutes, and Scott Arfield’s goal failed to ignite a comeback.

Van Bronckhorst, whose appointment had been confirmed on Thursday, was sat alongside sporting director Ross Wilson in the rafters rather than in the dugout. That’s despite the fact his work permit had reportedly gone through, which means that he could have taken full charge at the weekend.

The latest

Jackson was scathing in his criticism of the new Rangers boss after, in his eyes, he refused to carry out his ‘responsibilities’.

The journalist wrote: “This was not just a catastrophic error of judgement for Van Bronckhorst who made himself look weak by choosing to watch on from the main stand, it was a shirking of responsibilities on an industrial scale.”

The verdict

Only time will tell whether this was a significant misstep. It may have cost Rangers a place in the Scottish League Cup final, yes, but what kind of response can Van Bronckhorst muster?

With the Gers sitting third in their Europa League group on four points, Thursday’s Ibrox clash with Sparta Prague looks like a must-win if they are to progress to the knockout stage. If they do get those three important points, then you might feel that the cloud hanging over the club – amid growing fears that last season’s success may have been a one-off – will at least partially be lifted.

Put it this way, Van Bronckhorst’s seating arrangements last Sunday will be long forgiven and forgotten if the Gers retain their Premiership title.

In other news, many Rangers fans were excited by this development.

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Ludovic Ajorque to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French media outlet Foot Mercato, who claimed that David Moyes and his Hammers transfer team are closely monitoring the Strasbourg centre-forward ahead of a potential swoop this month.

However, the report added that the Ligue 1 side will unlikely want to part with the 27-year-old in the current transfer window, although they could be tempted with an offer for the Frenchman at the end of the season.

Haller replacement

Since the £20m sale of Sebastien Haller last January, West Ham have been operating with only Michail Antonio as an out-and-out centre-forward, so it is clear to see that Moyes is in desperate need of a replacement for the Ivory Coast international this month.

When taking into account just how impressive Ajorque has been in France this season, in addition to the 6 foot 6 striker’s physical similarities to that of the 6 foot 3 Haller, the 27-year-old would very much appear to be a fantastic heir to the Ajax forward in the Irons’ squad.

Indeed, over his 18 Ligue 1 appearances in the current campaign, the £13.5m-rated marksman has been in exceptional form for Strasbourg, having already bagged 10 goals – with only Lille’s Jonathan David having scored more in the division – registered six assists and created seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking 1.9 shots and making 1.3 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £14k-per-week forward average an astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.30, not only ranking him as his club’s best performer in the league, but also as the joint 10th-best player in the whole of Ligue 1.

As such, it is clear for all to see that the player who Strasbourg boss Julien Stephan dubbed a “complete” striker would make a brilliant addition to West Ham’s current attacking options, leading us to believe that Moyes and the Hammers board must do all they can to get a deal over the line for the 27-year-old this month.

In other news: Exciting “behind the scenes” West Ham transfer update emerges; fans will be buzzing

With Fabian Delph’s career slowly winding down, it’s easy to forget that the midfielder actually came through the academy system at Leeds United, and that it was at Elland Road where he really made his breakthrough into senior football.

All in all, he played 58 times for the Whites, before earning a high-profile £6m move to Villa in the summer of 2009.

His time at Villa Park saw him establish himself as a really Premier League quality midfielder, and it was no surprise that he eventually earned a call-up to the England squad, earning the first of his 20 senior caps back in September 2014 under Roy Hodgson.

But perhaps just like he might have seen Leeds, Delph used Villa as a stepping stone to bigger and betting things, with the club captain making a £8m move to Manchester City in the summer 0f 2015 – just a week after insisting he would stay put in the Midlands.

In his time at the Etihad, he won the Premier League twice in 2018 and 2019, and won four domestic cups too (one FA Cup and three League Cups).

It was no surprise to hear Pep Guardiola rave about him whilst the pair were both at the Etihad, hailing his role and influence behind-the-scenes.

The City boss said: “He gives us character. He is a real leader in the locker room, Fabian Delph. That’s why I always give credit to the players for what they do.”

He added: “Some guys, they only want to play in one position, ‘in the other one I am not comfortable’, so he’s a guy who always tries to help. Last season we didn’t play always with his voice in our locker room, so I am so satisfied, so happy for him. Especially for him.”

After slowly being phased out of the City first-team picture, Delph eventually made his way to Everton, where injuries have continued to blight him – he’s played just 36 times for the Toffees since arriving at Goodison Park.

And, with his contract coming to an end in the summer, he looks set for an exit, and there may be doubts over whether another Premier League club chooses to pick him up on a free transfer.

But with a total of seven trophies to his name – all achieved at City – it’s fair to say Delph has enjoyed a fine career since leaving Elland Road.

AND in other news – Leeds must finally offload £15k-p/w outcast who last played at Elland Road in 2018

Matt Clarke, Alex Mowatt and Andy Carroll were the standout performers as West Brom pulled off an impressive 2-0 victory at home to AFC Bournemouth. 

The Baggies kept their faint playoff hopes alive with a crucial three points at a stage of the season where only wins will suffice if Steve Bruce’s side are going to make a late dash for the Championship top six.

Two early goals were enough for the home side at The Hawthorns as Mowatt opened the scoring after eight minutes before Carroll cooly doubled the lead just four minutes later – the veteran striker’s second goal since joining the club in January.

According to Sofascore, there were three players who stood out as West Brom’s most influential on the night – could this spine drive Bruce’s side towards a sneaky play-off berth?

Clarke 7.8/10

The 25-year-old full-back was at the heart of this performance and produced a defensive masterclass to keep the automatic promotion-chasing Cherries at bay.

Clarke provided seven clearances, two blocked shots, four interceptions and three tackles – winning 6/9 (67%) of his duels overall up against Ryan Christie and Jefferson Lerma.

Mowatt 7.7/10

This was yet another strong performance from the midfielder who has so often been West Brom’s leading light this season.

Early goal aside, the 27-year-old was a key figure in the midfield and ended the match having made two key passes, winning 2/4 (50%) duels and with a pass completion tally of 20/24 (83%).

Carroll 7.8/10

So often the figure of angst, Carroll repaid the faith shown in him by Bruce in the absence of Karlan Grant with a display packed full of all the qualities needed to act as a focal point in attack.

The 33-year-old former Newcastle United star made two clearances and two interceptions in defence to add to a successful tally of 12/21 duels (57%) – winning eight in the air.

In other news, Premier League club sent scout to watch West Brom ace. Read more here.