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HLTCO presenter Dan Cook has slammed the idea that Crystal Palace could sell defender Marc Guehi for £45m in the summer.

What’s the word?

As per the Daily Mail, London rivals Tottenham Hotspur are considering a move for the Englishman when they look to strengthen their defence next season.

The report claims that Palace want to keep hold of their key central defender, but would be tempted into a sale if offers from £45m come in for Guehi.

Amid these rumours, while talking on the HLTCO podcast, Cook insisted that the club should hold out for more as it would be an “absolute steal” for Spurs to sign the player for the price currently being touted.

He explained: “There has been a report in the Daily Mail to suggest that £45m is around the mark that we would green-light a move for Guehi to leave SE25.

“I’m not going to tell Steve Parish and the people behind the scenes what to do, but I do think that seems a little bit on the low side, to be quite honest with you.

“You’ve got a full England international here, a centre-back, someone that is undeniably a modern centre-back in terms of his comfort in possession.

“He’s young, he has all sorts of room for growth. I think £45m would be an absolute steal if Spurs were able to get him for that.”

Bargain?

This is not the first time in recent months that Guehi has been linked with a move to Spurs. For instance, football.london journalist Alasdair Gold not that Tottenham are ‘big admirers’ of the central defender.

Seeing as the summer market is still a long way away but rumours are beginning to build momentum, some Crystal Palace fans may be concerned that a transfer saga could take place at the end of the season.

What’s more, Spurs may be on the lookout for a new defender shortly as current option Clement Lenglet is only there from Barcelona on a season-long loan deal.

Of course, though, the greater Tottenham’s need, the more desperate they will be to pay whatever it takes. And so if Palace point out that Guehi is a top prospect at 22 years old and a full England international, then may well be able to demand more than £45m for their player.

Chelsea signed a grand total of eight players during the January transfer window as Graham Potter looks to revive the club as he begins to shape the team to his own style and he will be hoping his new players can gel quickly together.

While there were plenty of incomings, Jorginho left for Arsenal and Hakim Ziyech was close to signing for Paris Saint-Germain on loan, however, the move was rejected due to paperwork issues and it’s clear his future no longer lies with the club.

Who could replace Ziyech at Chelsea?

Potter did sign youngster Noni Madueke from PSV Eindhoven as an option for the right-wing and with the club aiming to sell a few players to balance the books, Ziyech certainly looks like he could be moved on in the summer, having been moments away from a switch on deadline day in January.

Madueke made a breakthrough for PSV this season, making nine appearances while scoring twice and this prompted the London side to move for the 20-year-old.

In the academy, however, there could well be a player who is able to fill the Ziyech void whenever he does move – Dion Rankine.

Who is Dion Rankine?

The winger has been at the club since 2016 and has progressed through the age groups to become a regular for the development side, and he signed his first professional contract in October 2019.

Rankine can play on either the right or left, while has also operated as a wingback for the development side and this versatile nature could be a big plus point for Potter, coupled with his excellent pace, he could certainly be a player who could replace the Moroccan international.

The youngster’s attacking statistics are miles ahead of Ziyech’s this season, having registered seven goal contributions in 20 matches compared to just one in 16 games for the 29-year-old, proving that he should be given a chance during the latter part of the campaign.

Indeed, across all age groups for Chelsea, Rankine has scored 12 goals and registered ten assists in 105 matches, and considering some of these were played in a wing-back role, it’s all the more impressive.

Journalist Sam Inkersole once lauded the winger as “excellent” back in 2021 and it appears this season he has caught fire in terms of attacking output.

Despite the heavy spending at the club, Potter will surely be keeping an eye on players such as Rankine and will hopefully give the 20-year-old prodigy a chance in the first team sooner rather than later.

Leeds United are still searching for their next manager after sacking Jesse Marsch earlier this month, and an update has emerged on a potential target for the role.

What’s the latest on the Leeds manager search?

According to Portuguese news outlet Zero Zero, the Whites have made an approach for Al-Gharafa SC manager Pedro Martins.

As per the report, talks are set to take place with the manager after the Yorkshire club made an informal approach for the 52-year-old, and negotiations are expected to go through his current employers should Leeds advance in their interest.

Would hiring Martins be a big risk for Radrizzani and Leeds?

The Whites have found themselves in a vulnerable position in the Premier League this season and could be facing a difficult relegation scrap if performances don’t improve quickly.

Leeds are currently teetering on the edge of the relegation zone in 17th place, with two crucial bottom-of-the-table clashes ahead of them. First up is a trip to Goodison Park to face Everton on Saturday, followed by a visit from Southampton to Elland Road, fixtures which give Leeds two golden opportunities to distance themselves from the bottom three.

It has been confirmed that Michael Skubala will lead the team in their forthcoming fixtures whilst the powers at the club continue their search for a permanent manager, although the interest in Martins could carry a big risk for Andrea Radrizzani.

The 52-year-old – who was hailed as “special” by Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Daniel Podence – is renowned for his time with Olympiacos, where he took charge of 221 games with a points average of 2.13 before he was sacked and replaced with now-West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan last August.

Indeed, there is an element of risk which comes with appointing any manager at this stage of the season, especially considering the unstable situation in which Leeds find themselves. However, the club have been linked with managers who, unlike Martins, already have Premier League experience under their belt.

Both Nuno Espirito Santo and Steven Gerrard have been linked with the vacant role in West Yorkshire, and although the trio may not be long-term solutions when it comes to a top-flight relegation battle, surely hiring a short-term manager with experience in the league would be advantageous.

Notably, it was around this time last year that Marsch – who like Martins had no Premier League experience beforehand – was brought in to replace Marcelo Bielsa. While the American succeeded in staving off relegation in 2022, he failed to win over much of the Elland Road faithful or prevent the Whites from dipping into trouble again this time around.

With that in mind, hiring Martins could indeed carry a risk of a repeat scenario.

It will be interesting to see how Michael Skubala gets on against Everton this weekend, as victory could take the immediate pressure off the Leeds hierarchy to find an instant solution in the managerial market so that they can focus on appointing the right coach at the right time.

Everton failed to secure the signing of any new additions to strengthen their forward line in the January transfer window and now Sean Dyche will need to perform nothing short of a miracle to secure survival in the Premier League.

The Toffees have finally climbed out of the relegation zone into 16th following their victory over Leeds United on Saturday, however, they still remain just one point clear of the drop with 15 fixtures remaining and a tight contest in the bottom half of the table.

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s constant injury concerns, Richarlison’s exit and more recently, Anthony Gordon’s move to Newcastle United the forward line has been significantly weakened which is reflected in their league goal tally with the joint-worst (17) in the entire Premier League.

As a result, it should have been a top priority for the Everton hierarchy to bring in a goal-scoring threat in January to improve the performances on the pitch and ultimately improve their chances of survival this season, however, it was clear that the club did not identify the right player to take the crucial role.

Did Arnautovic nearly join Everton?

One player who was linked with a move to the blue side of Merseyside last month was Bologna striker Marko Arnautovic but last week it was revealed that the club chairman Bill Kenwright blocked the signing.

Football Insider reported that Farhad Moshiri had agreed a deal to sign the player but Kenwright swooped in at the last minute to strongly advise against offering a big money contract to a player in the latter stages of his career with a £150k-per-week two-year deal offered.

Was Kenwright right to block Arnautovic’s move?

The 33-year-old striker is renowned for being a gifted but troubled striker and although he has scored far more goals than Calvert-Lewin this season with eight so far compared to the Toffees forward’s one, Kenwright may have saved Dyche a massive headache.

Arnautovic will be known mostly for his Premier League spells at Stoke City and West Ham United tallying up 184 appearances, 43 goals and 33 assists during his time in England but his indiscretions outside of his goal-scoring have taken the attention away from his quality in front of goal.

The £58k-per-week Austrian – dubbed a “nightmare” by former Hammers captain Kevin Nolan – has a history of shocking outbursts and poor temperament with the player investigated for racism on the pitch on two occasions over his career so far.

His most recent fall-out came in Euro 2020 when Arnautovic was given a one-match ban for making an alleged racist comment to defender Ezgjan Alioski in a clash with North Macedonia.

It appears that Arnautovic has a habit for rubbing his opponents, teammates and managers up the wrong way with even Jose Mourinho calling out the player and claiming he has “the attitude of a child” when managing him at Inter Milan.

Indeed, Everton are desperate for goals but ultimately signing Arnautovic could’ve been more of a hinderance than a help if he was to continue his brutish behaviour at Goodison Park which may well have become another wasteful investment of money for Moshiri.

With that being said, it looks like Everton dodged a bullet by not signing the striker in January and should now focus on identifying the right players who can make a long-term positive impact on the team next season.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to bolster their top-four claims by piling more misery on rivals Chelsea in what will be a crucial afternoon in the Premier League.

For Spurs, it’s a chance to register back-to-back victories amidst a spell of inconsistency, whilst the Blues find themselves in 10th place with just one win in their last ten outings.

The Lilywhites will be managed by Antonio Conte’s assistant Cristian Stellini once again, having steered the side to a 2-0 triumph over West Ham United last time out, thanks to goals from Emerson Royal and Heung-min Son, who will be in contention to return to the starting XI today.

With that in mind, here is how Tottenham could line up this afternoon…

How will Spurs line up against Chelsea?

There could be only two changes from the side that won here last weekend.

The first of which sees £12.5m-rated “monster” Ivan Perisic – as once lauded by journalist Oliver Young-Myles – return at left wing-back, with Ryan Sessegnon absent through injury.

It means Ben Davies – who did well in an unconventional role against the Irons – returns to the back three to partner Eric Dier and Cristian Romero.

Emerson’s fine form means he keeps his place over January signing Pedro Porro, too.

The engine room should remain much the same, given the long-term injuries to Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma, with means Oliver Skipp gets the nod over Pape Matar Sarr once again and he’ll partner Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who scored against Chelsea earlier in the campaign.

Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski should remain upfront, with the South Korean set to return after his goalscoring exploits from the bench last time out.

Predicted Spurs XI (3-4-3): Forster; Davies, Dier, Romero; Perisic, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Emerson; Son, Kulusevski, Kane

All the pieces have fallen perfectly into place at Arsenal and the signings of recent years have largely been resounding swoops that have been integral in the craft and construction of a now imperious outfit that competes for the Premier League title.

The likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard are two salient examples of the shrewd movements of the Gunners hierarchy, with both attacking gems now playing central roles in manager Mikel Arteta’s fluid system.

One further signing that has gelled with conviction and authority over the past few years is Brazilian centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, who arrived in north London from French Ligue 1 outfit LOSC Lille for roughly £23m in 2020, and despite an inconsistent start to his life in the Premier League, now stands beside Frenchman William Saliba as one of the division’s foremost defensive parternships.

The impact he has had on this Gunners team this term has been profound, and still only 25-years-old, the enforcer could cement his stature as one of English football’s very best titans over modern times.

Did Edu strike gold with Gabriel?

Hailed as a “rock” by Kevin Campbell for his unwavering strength and resolve in the defensive third, Gabriel has made 103 appearances for the Gunners and scored ten goals, which is an impressive tally for a central defender.

This season, he has played in 33 clashes across all competitions, and started all 25 of his outfit’s Premier League contests, paramount with his modernistic skill set and boasting the second-best defensive record in the league, behind only Newcastle United.

According to CIES Football Observatory, he is now worth £62m, which is nearly three times the fee paid to lure the player to the Emirates in the first place and shows that the club struck gold on him.

Such a towering figure is most impressive indeed, especially when compared to other prominent centre-backs in England; Liverpool’s 31-year-old colossus Virgil van Dijk is worth £44m, while Manchester City’s Ruben Dias is valued at £88m.

As per FBref, Gabriel ranks among the top 13% of centre-backs for non-penalty goals per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues and European competition over the past year, with the offensive precision to his rounded game imperative in providing Arsenal with an extra dimension to aid the unrelenting pursuit of the league trophy.

The £50k-per-week star’s 7.05 average league rating, via Sofascore, is an exhibit of his assurance and composure, with his superlative 89% pass success rate and 3.3 clearances per match crucial in rebuffing unwanted advances from the opposition, with Connor Humm even describing the former Brazil U23 titan as “on another level.”

Should Arsenal decide to cash in on their phenom any time soon, which, granted, is a highly unlikely proposition, then they would recuperate a mammoth sum that eclipses what was paid to land the player from his former outfit.

But regardless, his current value is a welcome reminder of the shrewd piece of business that was struck to clinch the signature of an ace now eminent among the talented crop of Europe’s best centre-backs.

Liverpool are ‘increasingly confident’ of sealing the signing of Chelsea and England midfielder Mason Mount this summer, reports talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook.

The Lowdown: Mount’s future up in the air

The 24-year-old’s future has been a big talking point of late, with the Blues failing to offer him the new deal he wants ahead of his current contract expiring next year.

Mount has been continually linked with a summer move to Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp possibly viewing him as a part of his much-needed midfield rebuild.

Now, a new update has emerged – one that suggests the Reds could really get their man.

The Latest: Liverpool confident over move

According to talkSPORT‘s Crook, Liverpool are now ‘increasingly confident’ of acquiring Mount’s signature, with his contract talks at Chelsea at a ‘standstill’.

Some sources even claim the move is ‘highly likely’, further suggesting that he could become a Reds player.

The Verdict: Snap him up, Reds

Mount may not be having his best season in a Chelsea shirt, losing his place recently and only scoring three goals in 23 league outings, but he could be such a shrewd signing by Liverpool.

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The 36-cap England international possesses the work ethic, technical ability and tactical nous to fit seamlessly into Klopp’s midfield, with Jose Mourinho once calling him a ‘very, very intelligent’ player.

Mount could fit nicely into the left-sided No.8 role in Liverpool’s midfield, but his versatility would also allow him to thrive as a No.10 at times, or even in a wide area.

While the Chelsea man can be a divisive figure at times, with some wondering what he actually does during a game, he could become a similar player to Gini Wijnaldum at Anfield, proving to be a key cog in the machine without earning the superstar recognition of some of his teammates.

Chelsea’s season hangs in the balance and arguably only a win and Champions League progression against Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge tonight can save it.

The Blues are languishing in tenth position in the Premier League after a woeful run of form under Graham Potter, with a top-four finish looking extremely unlikely given their recent form.

Last month saw Chelsea lose out 1-0 against Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park, so Potter’s side still have a real chance of progression, but will have to be at their very best to beat Edin Terzic’s in-form Black and Yellows.

How should Chelsea start against Dortmund tonight?

Chelsea can build confidence from their 1-0 win against Leeds last weekend, and the English manager should aim to achieve some consistency with a regular starting side, which means changes should be limited.

Here is how Football FanCast thinks Potter should line his side up at Stamford Bridge, with two changes from the team that started against Leeds.

With Edouard Mendy still injured, Kepa Arrizabalaga looks incredibly likely to keep his place in between the sticks.

There is one change in defence, as Marc Cucurella comes in for Benoit Badiashile, who was interestingly omitted from Chelsea’s Champions League squad.

He partners Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana in the back three after they played a vital role in the Blues’ victory and clean sheet at the weekend.

Ben Chillwell was also key to that on the left-hand side so he keeps his place, while Reece James returns on the right-hand side after recovering from the hamstring tightness that kept him out against Leeds.

He replaces Reuben Loftus-Cheek in that position, as while the “fantastic specimen”, in the words of Rio Ferdinand, did himself no harm on Saturday, James can offer a serious attacking threat in a game where Chelsea need goals.

Enzo Fernandez and Mateo Kovacic look likely to continue their partnership in the middle of the park, although N’Golo Kante may be fit enough to feature on the bench.

Potter has spoken in the build-up about wanting to unleash Raheem Sterling against Dortmund so he starts on the left wing, with Joao Felix on the opposite flank.

With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also left out of the Champions League squad, Kai Havertz should start again in attack, although the Germany international may have to improve upon his goalscoring woes if Chelsea are to progress against the Bundesliga side this evening.

Chelsea have been given a second chance to sign Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez after missing out last summer, according to a report.

The Lowdown: Chelsea eyeing Alvarez

Chelsea have been eyeing Alvarez for quite some time, with journalist Ben Jacobs claiming they ‘came close’ to signing the midfielder last summer, a move that the player himself was said to be keen on.

The 25-year-old has admitted that he ‘grieved’ when the proposed £43m switch to Stamford Bridge fell through, indicating that he is ready to leave the Dutch club, where he is currently contracted until the summer of 2025, and he may now have the perfect opportunity to do so…

The Latest: Second chance for Chelsea

According to a report from De Telegraaf (via Sport Witness), Ajax have now promised the central midfielder he can leave in the summer transfer window, having already started work on signing a replacement.

It is, as yet, unclear whether Chelsea will look to renew their interest, but the fact they were willing to spend as much as €60m (£52.8m) on the maestro is said to be a clear indication of how highly they rate him.

The player himself has also confirmed that he wants out, saying: “Of course my focus is one hundred percent on Ajax at the moment. But if something nice comes along next summer that is good for Ajax and for me, then I want to seize that opportunity.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Graham Potter may well need to look at strengthening in central midfield this summer, given that Mason Mount’s father is now said to have mandated an agent to sound out interest in the 24-year-old, amid stalling contract talks.

The Cobham academy graduate has attracted interest from fellow Premier League sides Liverpool and Manchester United, and while Potter will be hoping an agreement can be reached, Alvarez could be a fantastic replacement.

Lauded as ‘sensational’ by members of the media, the Mexico international is assured in possession, ranking in the 92nd percentile for his pass completion rate per 90 in the past year, while he is also solid defensively, placed in the 91st percentile for tackles when compared to other midfielders.

It remains to be seen whether Chelsea are willing to spend big on another midfielder, having brought in Enzo Fernandez for £106.8m in January, but if Potter does enter the market again, Alvarez would be a very good addition to the squad.

Chelsea are making progress over the permanent signing of on-loan attacker Joao Felix this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Felix impressing at Chelsea

The Portuguese joined the Blues during the January transfer window, as he looks to kick his career back into gear after a disappointing spell at Atletico Madrid.

Felix has struggled to become a consistently key part of Diego Simeone’s plans in Spain and a loan move looked like the best option for all parties at the beginning of the year.

Since coming in at Chelsea, the 23-year-old has looked like a class act, not necessarily always delivering end product but catching the eye with his technical quality.

Felix does now have two goals in seven appearances in the Premier League, though, having found the back of the net with a clinical finish in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Everton.

Chelsea seem keen to turn his move from a temporary switch into a permanent transfer, and a positive update has emerged, in that respect.

The Latest: Permanent move progressing

Writing for Give Me Sport, Jones said that the Blues’ feelings towards signing Felix permanently are ‘becoming more clear’, with ‘further talks’ planned for next month.

He is described as a ‘breath of fresh air’ at the training ground and those high up at Chelsea are now ‘beginning to mastermind a plan on how they could integrate him permanently into their plans’.

The Verdict: No-brainer for Blues

Felix has always been a massive talent, winning the prestigious European Golden Boy award back in 2019, and his quality has been clear to see at Stamford Bridge.

The four-goal Portugal international has simply looked a happier player than he did at Atletico, where Simeone’s defensive style has arguably held him back too often.

Chelsea should do all they can to sign Felix permanently at the end of the season, with Alvaro Morata hailing him as a ‘special’ footballer and his best years still highly likely to be ahead of him.

As he continues to adjust to Graham Potter’s playing style and his new teammates, he should only improve further, with the Champions League allowing him a great chance to further prove his worth, ahead of a mouthwatering quarter-final tie for Real Madrid.

Perhaps most importantly, Felix appears to be enjoying his time at Chelsea and doesn’t want to return to Atletico, so the idea of him moving there for good this summer feels like a match made in heaven.