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Celtic are reportedly leading the chase to sign Stal Mielec forward Said Hamulic.

The Lowdown: Hamulic profiled

The 22-year-old is primarily a centre-forward who can also play on the left wing. The Dutchman made the move to Polish club Stal Mielec in the summer and has been in fine form this season, contributing to 13 goals in 19 appearances.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has hailed the player for his pace, power and finishing, and it seems as if a move to Parkhead could be on the cards.

The Latest: Celtic lead Hamulic transfer race

The Scottish Sun relayed reports from Poland in the last 48 hours regarding Hamulic.

They described him as the unexpected star of the season and claimed that it is the Hoops who are leading the chase for his services, with Stal Mielec president Jacek Klimek accepting that they are set to lose the striker this month.

The Verdict: One to watch

Much of the talk regarding Celtic’s search for a new forward has been centred around Cho Gue-sung, but it seems as if Hamulic could be a name to keep an eye on in the coming days.

He appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high Transfermarkt valuation, and you’d like to think that he’ll only get even better in years to come.

Any forward who comes to the Premiership champions may end up replacing Giorgos Giakoumakis after contract talks broke down, with FC Midtjylland interested in the Greek striker’s services.

Chelsea remain interested in signing West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Chelsea’s midfield targets

The Blues have been targeting a new midfielder this month, with both Jorginho and N’Golo Kante’s contracts expiring at the end of the season.

The midfield duo are now both over the age of 30, meaning that younger options are needed for Graham Potter, and the manager has recently been linked with moves for the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.

The Latest: Rice still targeted

While there may have been some concern that Chelsea’s interest in a plethora of midfielders indicated that the Blues were no longer interested in Rice, Jones has now claimed that this is not the case.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “It’s an interesting one because Declan Rice does still remain a target at this stage. But he’s not available until the summer so Chelsea are trying to make sure they’ve got enough in the tank by the time they get to next season.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

CBS reporter Ben Jacobs claimed this week that the 23-year-old would be available for around £70m in the summer, and there is no doubt that Chelsea should pursue a deal for the West Ham skipper at that price, as he has consistently proven himself to be a top-level player.

ESPN’s David Cartlidge has previously hailed the Englishman as a ‘monster’, a fitting description considering his performances for the Irons, as he is still excelling despite his team’s very poor Premier League campaign up to this point.

His 6.90 WhoScored rating is the best of anyone at the London Stadium and would put him joint-fifth in Potter’s squad at Stamford Bridge.

The former Chelsea youth player has displayed his talent in distributing the ball by completing 1,106 passes, the eighth-most of any player in the league, making him a fantastic fit for Potter’s possession-based style of play.

Celtic have emerged as one of the clubs who are showing an interest in the Polish striker Szymon Wlodarczyk amid this January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

The reliable transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano, has been speaking on a Polish YouTube channel providing the latest from the world of transfers and has suggested there are three clubs showing an interest in their 20-year-old as well as an Italian side looking ahead of the summer.

Those clubs are said to be Anderlecht, Freiburg and Celtic with the Bhoys potentially on the lookout for a new striker this month if Georgios Giakoumakis is to depart.

It is believed Celtic’s Greek striker could be set to depart Parkhead this month with the Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds said to be in talks over an £8m deal.

And with the Greek potentially on his way out of Paradise, it seems as if Ange Postecolgou is already eyeing a potential option to provide some extra firepower up top:

(25:00) “And then I have something else on my phone here about Szymon Wlodarczyk this young striker playing for Gornik Zabrze is a very talented boy.

“I’m told that there in Poland you consider him as a potential young Lewandowski already with seven goals and it could be double at the end of the season. So very good talent. I’m told that some clubs are exploring a move for him including Anderlecht, Celtic and also Freiburg. But some Serie A club also moving for the summer. So let’s see what happens. Between January and the summer but he’s one to watch for sure.”

Another Postecoglou masterclass?

Since arriving in Glasgow, Postecoglou has unearthed some hidden gems from the J League with the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate impressing enormously.

However, could this be another example of the Australian being able to get ahead of the curve and bring in another young star to Parkhead?

Playing for the Polish outfit, Gornik Zabrze, Wlodarczyk has made an impressive start to the 2022/23 campaign having already netted seven goals in his 15 league appearances (via Transfermarkt).

And it is apparent this is a 20-year-old who there is a lot of optimism around with Romano even claiming he is being dubbed as the “young [Robert] Lewandowski”.

Despite the majority of his appearances coming from the bench this season, Giakoumakis has still been able to provide a return of six goals in 19 league games – leaving big boots to fill if the Pole is to arrive in Glasgow this month.

There have also been links to the South Korean striker Cho Gue-Sung, with Romano recently suggesting the Korean now has three proposals on the table to choose from.

Regardless of whether Celtic look to progress their interest in Cho or Wlodarczyk, it seems they will have to beat off competition for their target.

But in Wlodarczyk, Celtic could have a potential gem for the long-term with Jacek Kulig hailing him previously as “one of the most talented young players in Poland”.

Leeds United have ‘unfinished business’ with Angers midfielder Azzedine Ounahi and could make another attempt to bring him to the Premier League, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Wide of the mark

The Moroccan was one of his nation’s standout performers at the World Cup last year, and his performances at the tournament have since seen him attracting plenty of interest from Elland Road.

In Qatar, Ounahi ranked in the top five in his team for shots, dribbles and created chances per game, while also managing 1.3 tackles each outing, proving to be a crafty operator on both sides of the ball.

The Whites have recently tabled an offer of £22m for the maestro but it’s believed that the French giants value their star at a fee closer to £27m, and with his contract not set to expire until 2026, the Ligue 1 side are in a very strong negotiating position.

The Latest: Second time lucky?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Taylor suggested that Leeds could make an improved bid for Ounahi before the end of the window, but should they decide to, will face stiff competition from two huge clubs in Europe.

“There is a case, with Ounahi, that there could be unfinished business there after the first offer.

“I know Napoli are very keen and there was some suggestion that PSG were actually closing in on the player, but that never seemed to happen, so it looks like an open race at the moment.”

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The Verdict: Worth another attempt

Ounahi has been dubbed a ‘revelation’ by scout Jacek Kulig, and whilst Leeds haven’t yet been able to make any significant breakthrough, it’s definitely worth having another attempt.

The Adidas-sponsored playmaker currently ranks in the 99th percentile for most dribbles completed by midfielders in Europe’s top leagues, also sitting in the top quarter of players in his position for interceptions, displaying his strengths both offensively and defensively.

The Casablanca native would only thrive further under the guidance of Jesse Marsch and it would be a massive coup for Leeds should they be able to get this deal over the line before the 31st.

Glasgow Rangers have received a boost on one of their transfer targets…

What’s the news?

Morgan Whittaker failed to make the Swansea City bench for this afternoon’s tie against QPR, meaning he still has a chance of joining the Ibrox side this month.

The Daily Record reported the news and due to the winger already playing for Plymouth Argyle this season, if he made an appearance for the Championship side today, he wouldn’t have been able to play for Rangers due to FIFA rules.

Swansea now don’t play a match until after the transfer window has shut, providing Michael Beale with a big boost as he looks to strengthen his squad.

Arfield upgrade

Swansea have priced Whittaker at £2m and despite the Light Blues already having a bid rejected for the 22-year-old, there is still time for Beale to secure his signature.

With Steven Davis, Scott Arfield and Ryan Jack out of contract at the end of the season, the 42-year-old will be hoping to bring a few new players to the club this month, and Whittaker could be an ideal upgrade for Arfield.

The 34-year-old has been deployed on the right wing numerous times this season, despite usually operating as an attacking midfielder, and while he has scored seven goals all season, this has masked some pretty average performances, especially in the Champions League.

He averaged a 6.5/10 rating via Sofascore for his displays on the continent and it’s clear that his influence is waning, with Beale keen to bring younger talent to the club.

Whittaker can also operate through the middle in an advanced midfield role or on the right wing and he has been in wonderful form this term, scoring nine goals and registering seven assists for League One side Plymouth in a loan spell during the first half of the campaign – highlighting how he could thrive under Beale.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him a “flamboyant winger” while his other strengths include “pace” and “crossing” which is something that could secure him a regular spot on the Rangers flank.

The Englishman is trying to reinvigorate Rangers and by luring talents such as Whittaker north of the border, he can build for the future while also releasing some members of the squad who haven’t quite contributed enough without worrying about their potential replacements.

A deal to bring Weston McKennie to Leeds United looks likely, Fabrizio Romano has claimed.

What’s the word?

The Juventus midfielder looks set to leave in this window with a number of clubs interested, and according to Romano, Leeds seem to be among the frontrunners for his signature.

Jesse Marsch is after a central midfielder to strengthen his squad, and World Cup star Azzedine Ounahi has also been linked with a move to Elland Road.

Speaking on the Here We Go Podcast, Romano claimed that the clubs are in negotiations and a transfer could happen.

He said: “Weston McKennie is on the list at Leeds. Leeds are looking at McKennie; McKennie and Ounahi are the two options in the midfield for Leeds.

“Both options are open, but there are conversations ongoing between Leeds and McKennie, so it’s a serious possibility.”

A strong addition

The USA international could link up with national teammate Tyler Adams in the midfield while adding experience and quality to the side.

The 24-year-old could bring some attacking threat from a deeper position, as he ranks in the top 16% of midfielders for touches in the attacking penalty area, whilst also ranking highly for goals, as per FBref.

He has scored 13 times in 96 games for Juventus, and given the amount of interest in him, if Leeds can secure his signature, it could be a huge boost to their survival hopes.

Indeed, he has received high praise during his time at Juventus.

“McKennie is probably the best American player playing in Europe. I think it’s very important for him to continue showing the high level that he has at Juve,” Massimilano Allegri stated of his midfielder.

Given this high praise for him whilst he is at one of Europe’s biggest clubs, he would surely be a statement addition if Leeds can lure him to Elland Road.

BBC journalist Harry de Cosemo has claimed on the True Faith podcast that Newcastle United could go back in for Moussa Diaby if they fail in landing Anthony Gordon.

The Lowdown: Newcastle keen on a new winger

While the form of Miguel Almiron during the first half of the season helped paper over the cracks at Newcastle his goals have since dried up and now they are struggling to score and win games in the Premier League.

The Magpies have scored one goal in their last four league games winning that match 1-0 and drawing the rest 0-0, which has seen them turn to Gordon, although he indeed only has three strikes this term.

It has been reported that Gordon’s price tag is causing negotiations to go a lot slower than perhaps planned with Everton wanting a hefty fee for one of their academy graduates and if they continue to stall on agreeing a deal, Newcastle may wait until the summer to sign a new wide man in the form of Diaby.

The Latest: Diaby could come back on the radar

Newcastle were heavily linked with Diaby over the summer but his price tag was deemed too hefty and De Cosemo wouldn’t be surprised if PIF moved again for the Frenchman over the summer if their pursuit of Gordon is unsuccessful.

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He said: (£2:15) “I think Moussa Diaby is still somebody – if Newcastle don’t get Gordon – Moussa Diaby in the summer is still somebody to watch to see where that goes because they just ran into a dead end where Leverkusen didn’t need to sell, didn’t want to sell and weren’t willing to negotiate on something silly like €100 million or just less than that but it was crazy money he wasn’t worth.”

The verdict: PIF could avoid rash spending this month

While Gordon would indeed arrive with Premier League experience and be fairly comfortable with the league and style of play, Diaby is very much proven in the attacking department with 44 goal involvements since the start of last season, whereas Gordon has 10.

It was reported earlier in the month when Arsenal were said to be keen on landing Diaby that Leverkusen had not lowered their mammoth asking price as they looked to keep the winger until the summer at least.

However, come the summer he will have two years left on his contract and Leverkusen won’t be able to offer him European football, something that Newcastle very likely will be able to do a better value-for-money deal could indeed be done if PIF wait just a few months for someone with a better record in front of goal and has been hailed as ‘speedy’ which would suit Newcastle’s style of play and pressing.

Journalist Dean Jones has revealed he was shocked to learn that Crystal Palace could try and sign Anthony Elanga on loan on transfer deadline day.

What’s the word?

With the final hours of the winter window now upon us, it looks as though the Eagles will end the day having completed an exciting move for one Premier League player.

Indeed, Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga has all but been confirmed as a loan signing for Palace but it looks as though the club are trying to get another deal done, having also welcomed Naouirou Ahamada from Stuttgart.

And while speaking on the Ranks FC deadline day podcast, despite there being no strong links, Jones explained that a source of his at the south London club said the Manchester United man was a loan target.

He explained: “I checked in with one of my contacts that knows Palace very well.

“I said to him, what’s going on at Palace, mate, should I expect anything? Literally expecting just, ‘Yeah, Lokonga’.

“And he was like, ‘Yeah, so Elanga…’

“I was like, Sorry, what? Elanga? Elanga?

“And he’s like, ‘Yeah, they’re asking the question of Elanga. They’re not sure if Man United are going to let him out or not but I’ve asked.’

“And I was like, oh, I like that. That a proper deadline-day signing, isn’t it? Zaha is injured so you sign Elanga.”

Good move?

Interestingly, journalist Sami Mokbel had actually spoken about Palace chasing one more Premier League loan signing on deadline day after Lokonga – and it now looks as though Elanga was that man.

Seeing as Wilfried Zaha is currently out injured with a suspected hamstring injury, it would have made sense for the club to consider a late swoop in the market to bolster that position.

Elanga could have been a decent option in that role, too. After all, while he isn’t a regular starter for United, he has still been trusted enough to play 20 times in all competitions for United this season – delivering two assists in this time.

Interestingly enough, Everton were also said to be potentially considering the player as an option after the sale of Anthony Gordon, so the chances of the Eagles landing him in the closing hours were always going to be slim, but Sky Sports News (31/01, 21:19) claimed Manchester United had suggested that they had no intention of letting Elanga leave.

Journalist Simon Phillips has claimed that Conor Gallagher could be ‘willing’ to leave Chelsea in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Staying put

Towards the back end of the month, the midfielder was wanted by fellow Premier League clubs, according to 90min.

The 22-year-old has played on 19 occasions for Graham Potter’s side, with only 10 of those games being from the start.

As far as minutes are concerned, Gallagher has struggled for them. On average, he’s played 44 minutes in the league in the 2022/23 campaign. And after the raft of players brought in by Chelsea last month, it would be difficult to blame the midfielder for having his head turned.

The Latest: Possible summer exit

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Phillips claims that Gallagher wants to play games and feels he won’t get that at Chelsea.

He stated: “He knows he wants to play games and he’s not going to get that at Chelsea with all these players there.

“He would be willing to leave in the summer if it carries on that he’s not a regular starter for Chelsea because he doesn’t want to be a bench player.”

The Verdict: Unlikely to feature

We believe that it is unlikely for Gallagher to break his way into Chelsea’s starting XI on a regular basis.

The Blues are jam-packed with options in the midfield positions, and in our view, it’ll be difficult for him to nail down a starting place as they’ve added two new additions to their team last month.

Gallagher could definitely offer a lot to another Premier League – his loan spell with Crystal Palace proved he can be an attacking threa in our opinion.

Whilst on loan with the Eagles, Alan Shearer said the player showed the capabilities to be an ‘all-round midfielder’ in a 2-2 draw against West Ham United when speaking on Match of the Day.

With 83 Premier League appearances in three seasons, we wouldn’t be surprised if a club looked to sign Gallagher in the summer.

He knows the league well and showed bags of talent at Palace. Our view is a number of managers would back themselves to get the player delivering once again.

Leeds United are now thought to be considering a move for Marcelo Gallardo, according to The Times.

The Lowdown: Gallardo profiled

Gallardo is 47 years of age and is currently out of work after leaving River Plate at the end of 2022. The Argentine, who has won 255 games during his managerial career, spent more than eight years in charge of River Plate, winning nine trophies.

He likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 system and appears to be on Leeds’ radar alongside Rayo Vallecano’s Andoni Iraola and Feyenoord’s Arne Slot.

The Latest: Leeds interest

The Times shared a story in the early hours of Wednesday morning, claiming that Leeds have narrowed down their managerial shortlist to four names.

Gallardo was one of the names mentioned, with Leeds already holding interviews with a number of candidates as they aim for a relatively swift appointment.

The Verdict: Pros and cons…

Gallardo only has experience of managing in South America, whereas Iraola and Slot have knowledge of taking charge of clubs in Europe.

Therefore, you could say that a swoop for Gallardo by owner Andrea Radrizzani and Paraag Marathe, the president of investors 49ers Enterprises, who have the key say when it comes to managerial decisions, could be a risk.

Pep Guardiola has hailed the Argentine in the past however, labelling the work he achieved at River Plate as ‘incredible’.

Leeds have good memories of bringing in an Argentine coach in Marcelo Bielsa, so despite Gallardo having no experience in Europe, his wealth of coaching knowledge and South American passion could make him a good fit at Elland Road.