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Footage online suggests that referee Andre Marriner and his VAR team may have made a key mistake in not sending off Ricardo Pereira for a foul on Joao Felix in the most recent Chelsea game.

What’s the latest on Joao Felix, VAR and Chelsea?

In their latest Premier League fixture, the Blues were able to pick up all three points on the road away against Leicester City in a solid 3-1 victory.

Ben Chilwell puts Graham Potter and co 1-0 up but the Foxes then hit back thanks to Patson Daka. However, goals from Kai Havertz and then Matteo Kovacic were enough to see the away team seal the win.

And while Chelsea will be delighted to pick up a much-needed three points in the league, they may feel as though the opposition should have been down to ten men early on in the game.

Indeed, inside the first few minutes,  Pereira clearly stamped his studs high into the side of Felix’s shin in what looked to be a really poor tackle – as shown in this footage.

Did Pereira deserve to be sent off for the foul on Felix?

The still image above shows how Pereira’s boot slides down the shin of Felix and then stamps into his ankle, which potentially could have been broken as it takes the brunt of the impact.

Evidently, it was a terrible challenge and with VAR able to review such incidents, it’s quite remarkable that the Leicester City defender isn’t sent off.

Presumably, Marriner didn’t realise just how poor the foul was live but the other officials really should have told him to then review it on the monitor. Perhaps Pereira got away with it because it was so early on in the game but with a tackle as bad as this, that shouldn’t have any relevance.

In the end, Felix was thankfully able to carry on and help his team pick up the points but had things turned out differently this could have been one of the big talking points in the Premier League this weekend.

Liverpool are ‘monitoring’ Mason Mount’s current situation at Chelsea ahead of a summer move, but two rival Premier League clubs are also interested.

The Lowdown: Mount on the move?

With each passing week, the more the 24-year-old’s future at Stamford Bridge appears to be thrown into doubt, with contract talks at an impasse.

Mount has been linked with a move to Liverpool numerous times recently and his talks for a new deal at SW6 are apparently breaking down, with the Reds potentially seeing him as a key addition to their midfield this summer.

It doesn’t look as though their interest is going away any time soon but they will be joined by rival suitors, following a fresh update.

The Latest: Liverpool ‘monitoring’ player

Taking to Twitter, ESPN journalist James Olley claimed that Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are all keeping an eye on Mount’s situation:

“Liverpool, Man City and Man Utd are among the clubs monitoring Mason Mount’s contract situation at Chelsea. Talks ongoing over an extension but nothing close, potential bidders yet to formalise interest. Current CFC deal expires in 2024.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

At one point, the thought of Mount leaving Chelsea seemed highly unlikely, considering he has been there since childhood and is seemingly happy there.

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It could be that he feels undervalued in terms of his contract offer, however – he earns £80,000 per week currently – and for that reason a move to Liverpool does all of a sudden feel possible.

Mount could be a brilliant signing for the Reds if they did strike a deal this summer, registering 51 goal involvements (27 goals and 24 assists) in 126 appearances in the Premier League, as well as being called a ‘manager’s dream’ by Adam Lallana.

He has the intelligence to thrive in a Liverpool midfield that demands both hard work and technical class, and he could bring the legs that have been badly missing in the middle of the park this season.

Newcastle United are reportedly ‘keeping tabs’ on Frankfurt midfielder Daichi Kamada ahead of a potential move as a free agent in the summer.

The Lowdown: Kamada profiled

Kamada is establishing himself as one of the best midfielders in Europe, ranking in the 99th percentile for non-penalty goals, as well as in the top 10% of all midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for the likes of assists, touches and progressive passes received per game (FBRef).

His contract at Frankfurt is up in the summer, meaning that he can leave on a free transfer once it expires.

With a market value of just under £30m, Kamada is sure to attract plenty of interest as a free agent.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘keeping tabs’

Co-writing for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey says that Newcastle are among a number of clubs that are ‘keeping tabs’ on Kamada’s situation at Frankfurt ahead of a possible move this summer.

Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are also doing the same, while FC Barcelona, PSG and Borussia Dortmund are also thought to be interested in his signature.

The Verdict: Smart business

The St. James’ Park outfit may be tempted to splash the cash in the summer, but signing Kamada on a free transfer would be a really smart piece of business.

Lauded as a ‘joy to watch’ and an ‘incredible talent’ by journalist Josh Bunting, the Japan International was instrumental in Frankfurt’s UEFA Europa League win last campaign, five goals and making one assist as he started all but one match (Transfermarkt).

He has taken that fine form into this season, netting 13 times and supplying 5 assists in total across all competitions so far (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, with Jonjo Shelvey allowed to go to Nottingham Forest in January, Kamada would be perfect to slot straight into the squad for next term.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has only made one signing so far in the January transfer window during his first chance to add his own players to the squad.

The English head coach replaced Giovanni van Bronckhorst during the break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and this month represents his first opportunity to stamp his own mark on the playing roster.

Attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell, who joined on a permanent deal from Norwich, is the only signing of the month so far, but incomings are not the only business that Beale needs to consider.

SportMediaset recently claimed (via The Scottish Sun) that Alfredo Morelos has been offered to Serie A giants Inter Milan ahead of free agency in the summer.

The Colombia international’s contract at Ibrox is due to expire at the end of the season and he is currently free to speak to interested parties and sign a pre-contract this month before departing Glasgow later this year.

Beale must consider the future of his options at the top end of the pitch, as Morelos could be on his way out of the club in the coming months, and one player that the Gers could sign to replace him is Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland.

The prolific Scotland international could be a dream heir to the Colombian marksman at Ibrox, and Rangers must swoop to sign the 27-year-old, whether it be this month or in the summer.

Former Ibrox midfielder Barry Ferguson previously told the Go Radio Football Show (via Football Scotland) that Shankland is a player that “Rangers will be keeping an eye on” due to his terrific form in the Premiership this season. 

The marksman, who journalist Josh Bunting described as a “composed finisher”, has been lethal for Hearts in the Scottish top flight and proven that he can score goals on a consistent basis at this level.

These statistics from Sofascore show that the 27-year-old, who has scored 20 goals in all competitions this season, can be the go-to man for goals in a Premiership side. This is why he could be the dream heir to Morelos, who has scored seven goals in 19 top-flight appearances in the current campaign.

The current Rangers forward has only scored more than 14 goals in the division once in his career, when he struck 18 times in 2018/19, and this indicates that Shankland could be an upgrade on the Colombian when it comes to finding the back of the net.

Therefore, the Hearts forward – who has scored once in four caps for Scotland – could be a dream signing for Beale to replace Morelos, as the 27-year-old has proven his quality in the Premiership and could be able to hit the ground running in front of goal, given that he would not need time to adjust to the level of football.

Arsenal’s imminent signing of Leandro Trossard won’t affect their long-term transfer plans, claims Charles Watts.

The Lowdown: Trossard’s arrival

The Guardian has reported that Arsenal have secured a deal to sign the Belgium international from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee potentially rising to £26m.

Mikel Arteta’s side moved in rapid time to lure the wantaway 28-year-old to the Emirates Stadium after it emerged that Trossard had fallen out with Roberto De Zerbi, leaving a move away looking inevitable.

It comes just days after priority target Mykhailo Mudryk joined London rivals Chelsea for £88.5m (via Sky Sports), with the Gunners unable to agree a deal with Shakhtar Donetsk before the Blues swooped in.

The Latest: Watts’ comments

Following the news of Trossard’s imminent arrival from the south coast, Watts said on his YouTube channel that he doesn’t expect the transfer to affect Arsenal’s long-term vision and their potential summer recruits.

He said: “I don’t think this is a bad signing at all. I also don’t think that this would stop Arsenal in the summer [from] going out and still spending big money on a younger winger, a more long-term thing – because Trossard is not necessarily just an out-and-out winger.

“I don’t think that necessarily stops you going out in the summer; say you wanted to sign a [Moussa] Diaby from Leverkusen, who we know Arsenal have been linked with, I wouldn’t say that would stop a deal like that.

“If Arsenal go on and get Champions League [football] next season – which you hope from this position, they will – they’re going to need a very big, talented squad.”

“It’s not going to completely take up a place in the squad for a potential more long-term target if they decide to do that in the summer.”

The Verdict: Summer recruitment

We agree with Watts’ opinion that Arsenal will surely re-enter the summer window for a younger and longer-term target just like their pursuit of Mudryk and emerging interest in Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby (via Sky Sports) suggests.

Watts’ claim makes logical sense, as the Gunners were reported to have made two bids for the Ukrainian worth £57m and £62m respectively (via talkSPORT) and the majority of that money will have remained unspent, while Trossard’s deal is only coming in at an initial £21m (via The Guardian).

Ahead of Manchester City being in action on Thursday night, Arsenal are eight points clear at the top of the Premier League and 15 clear of City’s opponents, Tottenham Hotspur, in fifth – meaning only a total collapse would see them fail to qualify for the Champions League.

This means more depth and quality will need to be added to the squad as Watts suggests, with Arteta seemingly reluctant to use his entire squad, having only fielded 17 players for over 100 minutes in the top flight this season.

Everton goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic is in negotiations to join Los Angeles FC, according to reports over the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Jakupovic out of favour

The Swiss shot-stopper arrived at Goodison Park on a short-term deal in September after leaving Premier League rivals Leicester City, but he hasn’t been able to make the impact for which he may have hoped.

Frank Lampard has understandably opted to keep the in-demand Jordan Pickford as his first choice between the sticks, and with understudy Jakupovic yet to receive any game-time, it now looks like an exit from Merseyside is set to take place before the end of the month.

The Latest: Jakupovic set to depart Everton

According to Football Insider on Wednesday evening, Los Angeles are in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Jakupovic on a free transfer this month upon the expiry of his contract with the Toffees.

The 38-year-old is ‘close’ to finalising an exit, with an agreement ‘expected’ to be in place by the end of the week, having been ‘made available for sale’ by Everton.

The Verdict: Correct call

Jakupovic has been nothing more than a fringe player since his arrival at Everton, signed amid a goalkeeping injury crisis in the autumn, so it’s the right decision for the club to allow him to depart.

The 6 foot 2 colossus has only been named on the bench once in his time with the Toffees, and that was for the 1-0 victory against West Ham nearly four months ago (Transfermarkt).

Everton still have Asmir Begovic and Andy Lonergan available as cover for Pickford, but it’s possible that Farhad Moshiri will enter the market to sign an additional backup for the second half of the season, especially if the transfer interest in the England goalkeeper intensifies.

Chelsea are looking to potentially hijack Arsenal’s move for Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhaylo Mudryk, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Mudryk’s star growing

The Ukrainian has emerged as arguably one of the most exciting young attacking players in Europe currently, producing some magnificent performances for Shakhtar.

Mudryk scored three goals and registered two assists in the Champions League group stage, and has also netted seven goals in 11 starts in the league this season.

Arsenal arguably look like the favourites to sign the 21-year-old in January but they may not have it all their own way.

The Latest: Chelsea keen on signing

According to Calciomercato, Chelsea are eyeing Mudryk as an option to solve their goalscoring woes, as they look to stun their London rivals and pip them to his signature.

Graham Potter is thought to be keen on bringing in a new attacker player next month, a process which could speed up after the injury to Armando Broja.

The Verdict: Could be a masterstroke

If Chelsea managed to pull off this deal, they would be acquiring the services of a special young player – someone who has even been compared to Lionel Messi and Neymar in terms of his style of play.

At 21, Mudryk would come in as both an immediate key player and a long-term signing, possessing quick feet, unpredictability, and most importantly, reliable end product.

Thierry Henry thinks he is a ‘good player’, which is always a ringing endorsement, and getting him ahead of Arsenal would be an added bonus, affecting their transfer plans at the same time.

Arsenal are basking in a brilliant season at present, with the cogs finally clicking into place and the side challenging for major honours on the domestic and continental front. 

While the Gunners’ manager Mikel Arteta will be wary of progress seeing disruption following the midseason break, making way for the ongoing 2022 World Cup in Qatar, one positive that the Spaniard manager can take is William Saliba’s maiden appearance at the tournament, with the young titan exhibiting many of the qualities that have granted his starting spot in the Premier League table-toppers side. 

Signed from Saint Etienne in a deal rising to £27m in 2019, Saliba spent his first three seasons for Arsenal back on loan in his homeland, finally making his debut for the North London outfit this season. 

And it’s no coincidence that his place in the side coincides with an upturn in form and a laudable tightening of the defence.

His fantastic performances for his club this term, earning him a Premier League rating of 7.05, as per Sofascore, have persuaded French national manager Didier Deschamps to include him in the squad as the nation targets a successive World Cup triumph. 

Failing to make an appearance across Les Bleus’ opening two group fixtures, the 21-year-old finally earned his shot in the culminating match against Tunisia, and despite the 1-0 defeat, Saliba provided defensive cover and assurance at the back after coming on in the second half. 

During his 27 minutes on the pitch, Saliba completed all 37 of his passes, bringing a sprinkle of the ball-playing prowess that Arteta demands from his Arsenal players.

The Gunners phenom also completed his one dribble and won both of his duels in the match, making one key pass as France looked to find an equaliser that ultimately failed to materialise.

With France looking to play high-intensity football with an onus on technicality, Saliba is staking a considerable claim that he is the man to start transitions from the back, with FBref claiming he ranks within the top 3% for pass completion and the top 5% for dribbles completed when compared to centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues across the past year. 

Once hailed as “untouchable” by Fabrizio Romano, the eight-cap international has certainly staked his claim to enter the starting fold for the first time in the tournament, with France topping their group despite their defeat against Tunisia and earning a knockout fixture against Poland as a result. 

Despite his youthful years, the £42.7m-rated colossus is beginning to emerge at the very forefront of global football, and if his performance in the previous match – coupled with his stunning displays for Arsenal – are anything to go by, then he could bask in further success before the tournament in Qatar draws to a close.

Aston Villa have been given the price they will need to pay in order to land Unai Emery’s top target…

What’s the latest?

As per 90min, Villarreal are reportedly braced to lose their star man Pau Torres.

The Spanish club are noted as willing to sell, and despite seeming unlikely to demand his full release clause of £55m, will want upwards of £40m.

This news will prick the ears of Johan Lange, who will have to battle with a whole host of top clubs to attain him. The report namedrops Tottenham, Chelsea, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan all as interested parties.

Perhaps the connection the manager holds with him could give the Villans a boost in the chase for Torres.

A huge statement of intent

Under Steven Gerrard, it was widely believed that his summer acquisition of Diego Carlos would be the big turning point in his tenure.

Having spent £26m on the Brazilian, to see him struck down inside two games was arguably the catalyst for the 42-year-old’s downfall.

Now, the new manager could make a similar move by bringing in his own defensive reinforcements to revolutionise the clear weak spot in the team.

The £125k-per-week centre-back is a fine defender and has been for some time for the Yellow Submarine. He has an instrumental part of a defence that last season conceded just 37 goals in 38 La Liga games.

However, it is his ability with the ball at his feet that makes him such a sought-after commodity in world football.

He ranks in the top 5% of defenders in Europe’s top five leagues for dribbles competed, and the top 13% for progressive passes. There are few defenders in the game that boast such impressive statistics, that are integral to the way the modern game is often played.

His inclusion in Spain’s World Cup squad is a further testament to his importance to not only his club side but the national team too.

Luis Enrique, who will lead his country to Qatar this winter, has been full of praise for the 25-year-old: “I like everything about Pau, I like players who have the ball out. I like his tactical sense, he’s tall, handsome, a good boy.”

With his talents now renowned across Europe, there was expected to be a host of competition for his signature.

Thus, should Villa be the club to land him, it would mark a huge statement of intent from Emery and boost his already impressive start to life in the Midlands.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is interested in signing highly-rated Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni, according to a new transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Bastoni shining at Inter

The 23-year-old has emerged as arguably one of the best Italian defenders of his generation, already becoming a key figure for a strong Inter side.

Bastoni has 130 appearances to his name for the Nerazzurri, playing eight times in Serie A so far this season and also winning 16 caps for European champions Italy.

With United possibly looking at further defensive reinforcements given the lack of quality depth behind Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, an exciting update has emerged.

The Latest: Man Utd eyeing up move

According to reports in Europe [via Sport Witness], Ten Hag personally wants to acquire Bastoni’s signature, while the player himself ‘gives the feeling of needing a club with higher aspirations’.

The United manager reportedly has a ‘great obsession’ with the Italian and has asked ‘for an effort’ from the club to sign him.

The Verdict: Outstanding potential signing

Bastoni looks like a superb talent with a massive future ahead of him, so he could be an exceptional signing for United if they could get a deal over the line.

With Varane and Harry Maguire turning 30 next year, and the latter completely out of sorts, the Inter man could come in as a long-term partner for Lisandro Martinez.

According to BBC writer Premier League Panel on Twitter, Bastoni is developing into one of the ‘world’s best’ in his position. He also boasts an 88.6% pass completion rate in the league this season, which suggests he would suit Ten Hag’s progressive style of play.