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Nottingham Forest signed 22 new players during the summer, with Evangelos Marinakis clearly putting in an ambitious effort to give the newly-promoted club their best chance at retaining their Premier League status.

However, despite spending £150m on a new army of players for Steve Cooper to mould into top-flight competitors, it hasn’t worked out as well as the owner would have hoped, with Forest spending the majority of their season so far in the relegation zone.

Marinakis did not rest on his laurels when addressing his recruitment team’s unsuccessful transfer window, sacking the head of recruitment and the head scout following a review of their summer business.

As a result, Cooper will head into the January transfer window with a new recruitment team to work with, and although the club will want to leave the disappointing transfer window in the past, there could be an opportunity to revisit some of the players on whom they missed out.

One player who was linked with a move to the City Ground and has continued to show just how talented he is in front of goal is Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos, who could be a great asset to the team if Forest are willing to rekindle their interest in him.

Across 11 Liga Portugal appearances this season, the 21-year-old has scored nine goals, delivered one assist and created one big chance, along with averaging one clearance, 1.5 shots on target and 3.7 successful duels per game, and his output this season is not just down to a good run of form.

The £25.9m-valued centre-forward – who was dubbed “prolific” by Jacek Kulig – has scored 55 goals and registered 19 assists throughout his career so far, with a goal contribution every 109 minutes, which is a consistent and reliable output.

Indeed, Forest have already signed a striker, with Taiwo Awoniyi joining the Tricky Trees in the summer, although it seems clear that Ramos would offer a better threat in front of goal compared to the ex-Union Berlin forward, who has only scored three goals this season so far.

With that in mind, signing Ramos would be a great piece of business for Nottingham Forest if they can pull it off this time; and if they could convince the player to join up with them in January, it could make a huge difference in their fight for Premier League survival in the second half of the season.

QPR’s search for a new manager had already begun before Michael Beale’s departure to Rangers was confirmed on Monday, with Coventry City boss Mark Robins seemingly catching their eye.

According to Football League World, the 52-year-old manager is on the shortlist for the Hoops as they look for a new manager to get their promotion push back on track after their form has suffered in recent weeks.

The report suggests that QPR would be willing to pay the necessary compensation to bring Robins to Loftus Road, despite him signing a new contract with the Midlands side in May.

A return of just one point from a possible 15 has seen QPR drop out of the playoffs, so it is no surprise that they are targeting one of the division’s most in-form managers in Robins.

His Coventry side shot up the table ahead of the World Cup break, winning each of their last four games without conceding a goal, with a playoff position certainly on the cards for the Sky Blues should they win their games in hand, despite the ongoing issues off the pitch.

During his time in charge at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry have earned two promotions from League Two and League One respectively, and he could still complete an extraordinary treble should he remain with the Sky Blues this season.

However, QPR will be hoping that they can tempt him to Loftus Road, as his experience and winning record suggest that he could even be an upgrade on the outgoing Beale.

In 286 games in charge of Coventry, Robins has won an impressive 119 matches, drawing 69 and losing 98, with a strong points-per-game average of 1.49.

For comparison, Beale averaged just 1.41 points per match after winning just nine of his 22 fixtures, so there seems little to suggest that Robins couldn’t do a similarly impressive job at Loftus Road should he arrive as the former Aston Villa assistant’s replacement.

Journalist Richard Keys was full of praise for Robins after he signed a new contract in May, with the Coventry fan perhaps a little biased in his description of the former Rotherham boss.

He said: “Robins is one of the brightest and best coaches outside the Premier League. He’s done an extraordinary job cleaning up a wasted decade inflicted by SISU.”

Therefore, considering Robins’ reputation, experience and recent form with Coventry, it seems clear that he would be an excellent appointment by the QPR board.

Leeds United rising star Crysencio Summerville suffered an injury during the Whites’ training camp in Spain, reports Beren Cross.

The Lowdown: Summerville’s starring role

The Dutchman has enjoyed a breakthrough season at Elland Road, scoring some of the most important and memorable goals of the campaign to date.

Summerville has netted four times in as many Premier League starts, burying crucial late winners against both Liverpool and Bournemouth, deservedly being called ‘exceptional’ by BT Sport pundit Michael Owen.

With Leeds currently at a training camp in Spain during the World Cup, a new injury scare has emerged after the devastating news of Patrick Bamford’s need for surgery.

The Latest: Youngster suffers scare

Taking to Twitter, LeedsLive’s Cross confirmed that Summerville suffered an issue, although it isn’t thought to be serious right now:

“Some breath held when Summerville stayed down after a tackle today. Some treatment, but went off under his own steam.”

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The Verdict: Nothing to worry about?

Thankfully, it doesn’t sound as though Summerville will be impacted much by this injury, at a time when he must feel on top of the world at Leeds.

The World Cup has come at a bad time for him in truth, considering the momentum he had before the tournament, and the key now is returning in the same rich vein of form – his goals will be even more crucial with Bamford out.

Summerville hasn’t always convinced when given the opportunity for the Whites but he has found a new gear this season and now looks like a long-term figure at Elland Road.

Arsenal have been rocked by the news that starring talisman Gabriel Jesus will face months out of action after picking up a knee injury against Cameroon whilst on 2022 World Cup duty in Qatar, with Brazil.

Jesus, signing from Premier League champions Manchester City in a £45m deal this summer, arrived at the Emirates Stadium with a heap of expectation on the level that he would bring to the club, and he has ticked the boxes in resounding fashion.

The five goals and seven assists that he has brought to north London since his move only shed light on half the story, with his dynamic, versatile approach to his forward play and his seamless ability to conduct the team’s forward pushes resulting in a new sheen of slick cohesion.

Such newfound fluidity has been a defining factor behind the excellent form that has seen an ascension to first place in the Premier League; after 14 matches played, the club perch five points above nearest rivals Man City.

Regardless, Jesus will miss the action for the foreseeable future, and Gunners boss Mikel Arteta might now turn to another summer signing who has not yet quite hit the ground with full impact.

The 22-year-old Fabio Vieira, who arrived from FC Porto in a £34m deal, has displayed glimpses of brilliance since his arrival, but has enjoyed more success in the Europa League than on the domestic front thus far, only starting one match in the Premier League, although he did score in that fixture – a 3-0 rout over Brentford.

Nonetheless, he has made 15 appearances across all competitions, scoring two goals and registering two assists and is slowly integrating into the side, and while the absence of Jesus comes as a major blow to Arteta, it provides the perfect opportunity for the Portuguese maestro to demonstrate why he deserves more game time under his Spaniard manager’s tutelage.

In the Europa League, the 22-cap U21 Portugal star has achieved an average rating of 7.15, as per Sofascore, averaging 2.0 shots and making 1.8 key passes per game to complement the laudable 91% passing accuracy.

And as per FBref, Vieira’s deployment high up the pitch has provided his team with excellent frontal charge, evidenced by his rank within the top 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 7% for progressive passes received out of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues over the past 12 months.

If Vieira can continue to make the increments towards earning a regular starting role in Arteta’s thriving team, putting his “velvet left foot” – as praised by Joe Cole – to good use, then he will swiftly work his way up the ranks and etch his name into prominence, dazzling with a melange of attributes that can split defences apart and leave defenders plummeting to the ground after being bested by his trickery.

Jesus’ injury does indeed come as a big blow, but with the likes of Vieira waiting in the wings, there is plenty to remain positive about at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal are on the rise, and their Portuguese summer signing can greatly contribute toward the ascension.

West Ham defender Vladimir Coufal is ‘frustrated’ behind-the-scenes with club owners GSBK now making a decision on his future, say Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Coufal shunned?

The Czech Republic international, who seriously impressed under manager David Moyes during his debut 2020/2021 Premier League campaign, has been a bit-part figure this season.

As West Ham seemingly battle to avoid relegation at this moment in time, the east Londoners have started Coufal in just under half of their top fight matches.

The 30-year-old’s decline under Moyes is stark given Coufal’s past form earned him a new and improved Hammers contract, all whilst becoming a real club favourite.

The Latest: Sky Sports share Coufal exit news…

As per Sky Sports, there has been some news on the right-back’s future at West Ham.

Writing via their transfer blog (15:22, December 14), Coufal is committed to the club but grows ‘increasingly frustrated at his limited playing time’.

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It’s added that Bayer Leverkusen and two unnamed English clubs are keen on signing the defender with GSBK making a transfer decision.

West Ham will apparently look at concrete offers for Coufal but are reluctant to let him leave just yet with their mounting injury problems.

The Verdict: Don’t sell…

The Irons are right to be reluctant over selling the player in January given a real defensive shortage right now, with Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd’s problems harming the depth in the middle while Aaron Cresswell has also been dealing with a hamstring issue.

Called a ‘top full-back’ and someone who still has a lot to offer by former England international Paul Robinson, we believe West Ham are best served waiting until the summer to make any calls.

Sunderland journalist Phil Smith has shared his praise for Luke O’Nien following his display in the Wearside club’s 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers in the Championship on Boxing Day. 

The Lowdown: Sunderland win it late

After putting his team behind with an unfortunate own goal, Ross Stewart scored an equaliser from the penalty spot a few minutes later, and Ellis Simms netted a stoppage time winner for Tony Mowbray’s side.

Another Sunderland player to garner some positive attention on Monday was O’Nien, who made his 22nd league appearance for the club in the current campaign, most of which have come from centre-back despite often being classified as a defensive midfielder.

Indeed, the 28-year-old found himself the recipient of some glowing praise from Sunderland Echo journalist Smith.

The Latest: Smith’s praise for O’Nien

Taking to Twitter following the win over Blackburn, the reporter singled out O’Nien for praise due to his efforts in the match.

He tweeted: “L09 absolutely outstanding today mind. He’s #SAFC starting CB on merit at the moment – so impressive.”

The Verdict: A solid display

Playing the full 90 minutes against the Lancashire club, O’Nien showcased his defensive talents by making two tackles and two clearances and blocking one shot. He also came out on top in seven of his nine duels, more than any other Sunderland defender won on the day.

Chronicle Live also picked up on the 28-year-old’s performance by saying in their player ratings article that he “hardly put a foot wrong” in the game.

Mowbray joined in the praise for the player by calling him “amazing” and even tipping him for a potential move to the Premier League at some point in the future.

Taking all of that into account, it’s safe to say that O’Nien put in a solid display against Blackburn and played a big part in seeing Sunderland come away with victory.

Tottenham Hotspur are the latest team to register an interest in signing World Cup sensation Enzo Fernandez ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, who has listed the north Londoners alongside a range of teams who have sounded out his agents over a potential move in 2023.

The likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, both Manchester clubs and Arsenal are among the domestic rivals, whilst European giants such as Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are also keen to secure his signature.

However, if a team is to land him, then they’ll have to pay Benfica his €120m (£105m) release clause and after he won the ‘Young Player of the Tournament’ award in Qatar, that is something of a “bargain” – in the words of analyst Statman Dave.

Imagine him and Bentancur at Spurs

Fernandez is a real star of the future, potentially joining the likes of Josko Gvardiol and Jude Bellingham as generational talents at the highest level.

Indeed, the Argentine “phenomenon” – as hailed by scout Jacek Kulig – has already been likened to one of the game’s greats in Zinedine Zidane by Nigeria manager Jose Peseiro.

According to the former Real Madrid assistant, who was at the Bernabeu at the same time as the legendary French midfielder, Fernandez’s “surprising passes and vision” are “similar to those of Zidane, who sometimes solved a play just by the way he received the ball,” before also lauding him as “absolutely amazing.”

It’s hard to argue against that, as we’ve just seen at the World Cup, where he stood alongside compatriot Lionel Messi and PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe as the award winners on the world’s biggest stage.

Across seven appearances, the Benfica dynamo provided two goal contributions from a holding midfield role and also averaged 3.97 tackles and interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

Being defensively sound but also capable of showing creativity in the final third – having averaged 3.04 shot-creating actions and 3.81 progressive passes per 90 in Qatar – is certainly in similar ilk to Zidane.

And when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s ‘next eight’, he’s in a total league of his own, ranking inside the top 1% for non-penalty expected goals and assists (0.45), attempted passes (96.83) and progressive passes (9.50) per 90, via FBref.

If Spurs were to shock the footballing world and win the race for Fernandez, then sporting director Fabio Paratici could form a frightening partnership in Antonio Conte’s engine room, pairing him alongside Rodrigo Bentancur.

The Uruguay international caught the eye in the group stages but has been immense for the north Londoners domestically, managing four goals and two assists from 14 league appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Pairing the Argentine “beast” – as described by journalist Ives Galarcep – with the Uruguayan “Rolls-Royce” – as South American football writer Tom Robinson once lauded – would be a midfield unit to be reckoned with in the Premier League and beyond.

Paratici and co would need to shatter a club-record but on recent evidence, Fernandez would be worth every penny, so he must look to try and lure the 21-year-old to Hotspur Way in January.

AND in other news, Paratici could ease Spurs’ big Richarlison blow by signing £13m “magician” in January…

West Ham United could now sign Torino midfielder Sasa Lukic for £13m in the January transfer window, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: West Ham’s Lukic pursuit

It was reported towards the end of December that West Ham were one of the clubs showing an interest in Lukic, alongside the likes of Napoli, Leicester City and Roma.

There is current concern at the club surrounding the future of Declan Rice, who is yet to commit to a new deal at the London Stadium beyond 2024, when his current deal is due to expire.

As such, the Serbian is now emerging as an option as a potential long-term replacement, with the Italian media providing a new update…

The Latest: Vlasic swap deal?

As per TuttoMercatoWeb, the 26-year-old could join the Hammers for £13m this January, with a potential swap deal being talked up by the Italian outlet.

It is claimed that Nikola Vlasic, who is currently on loan at Torino, could go the other way permanently for the same amount, after impressing for the Italian club this season.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

Akin to Rice, Lukic particularly flourishes in his passing abilities, registering an average pass completion rate of 86.4% per 90 over the past year, not too far shy of the 90.5% average from the current West Ham man in the same timeframe.

Lauded as ‘outstanding’ by journalist Josh Bunting for his abilities in protecting the Turin club’s back three, the 26-year-old is ranked as the third-best performer in his squad in the Serie A this term, with an average match rating of 6.95.

The former Partizan man would be a welcome addition in the middle of the park, clearly capable of fulfilling similar duties to Rice, and given the swap deal that is now an option, it would be a cheap deal for David Moyes.

Sunderland are not targeting Jerry Yates in January, according to journalist Phil Smith.

The Lowdown: Sunderland wanting a striker

Prior to Sunderland losing former loanee Ellis Simms, who was recently recalled by his parent club, it appeared that they needed a new striker due to Ross Stewart’s injury woes this season. Now Simms has left, that need will have likely increased.

The Black Cats are currently sitting just one point off the play-offs and will be hoping to kick on in the second half of the season, but some pressure perhaps has to be taken off Stewart’s shoulders.

As things stand, Sunderland have just one striker on their books, but someone who seemingly won’t be joining despite recent links is Blackpool’s Yates, who has got nine goals this season.

The Latest: Yates not on the radar

Smith has revealed on The Roar podcast that despite recent transfer links, he’s not heard anything about Sunderland exploring the signing of Yates.

He said: “In January, things can change incredibly quickly, so you would never be definitive about any player. My understanding is that Yates certainly isn’t one who’s been on the radar up until this point.

“I think if you look at Yates, he’s a very good Championship striker, no doubt about that – he’s also 26 and I think he would cost a fairly large amount of money to sign him from Blackpool.

“So he doesn’t really fit what Sunderland have been trying to do over the last few windows and want to do moving forward.”

The Verdict: Sunderland going in a different direction

Smith is right to acknowledge Yates is a top-level Championship striker, as he currently sits as the league’s fifth-highest goalscorer this campaign, but with Stewart already the definitive first choice at the Stadium of Light, it’s unlikely Yates would settle for playing second fiddle.

This, along with the fact Sunderland and Tony Mowbray are seemingly looking to build a young and energetic side with players such as Amad Diallo, Aji Alese and Dan Neil featuring prominently, so a young striker would look to be a more likely move.

It would make a lot of sense for Sunderland to dip back into the loan market this month to replace Simms, not least as he was only a Black Cats player on a temporary basis. This would save money for the summer and also allow Mowbray to continue his great work developing young stars.

Wolverhampton Wanderers look set to face a transfer battle over a potential signing with fellow Premier League side Leeds United…

What’s the word?

According to French outlet Foot Mercato, Leeds have made a bid for Angers midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, something that could spur Wolves into action as they too have been linked with the player following his World Cup performances.

The price for the Moroccan is thought to be hefty, with previous reports suggesting he may cost €45m (£39m). That may well prove a stumbling block on top of the vast competition for his signature.

Alongside Leeds, West Ham United and Southampton have been credited with interest with Julen Lopetegui face a battle.

Lopetegui’s own Gavi

Ounahi came to prominence during the World Cup, with the midfielder playing an integral role in Morocco becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals at the tournament.

Across seven appearances in Qatar, the 22-year-old sparkled. He didn’t score during the tournament but he did make 0.9 key passes per game while creating one big chance and proving successful with 83% of his dribble attempts, suggesting he was constantly looking at opportunities to create chances for his teammates.

He was dubbed “sensational” by journalist Zach Lowy and he is also statistically similar to another player who was at the World Cup – Spanish wonderkid Gavi.

According to FBref, the youngster is ninth-most similar to Ounahi across Europe, and considering just how talented the 18-year-old is, plus his success at such a young age, it isn’t a bad comparison to have.

This season has seen the two players register similar statistics when it comes to pass success rate (87.6% to 86.2%), shot-creating actions per match (3.80 to 3.52), goal-creating actions (both three), and dribble success rate (52.9% to 50%).

These stats clearly show that both players can provide the central areas with a huge amount of composure, while also having an excellent passing ability that enables their respective sides to circulate the ball well during a match.

As a result, Lopetegui could certainly take Ounahi to the next level if he were to move to Wolves and with Joao Moutinho’s influence in the first team starting to wane, there will be an opportunity to slot straight into the starting XI.

The next few weeks could be very interesting, that’s for sure.