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As reported by The Mirror, Jose Fonte has turned down a contract offer from Southampton with Jose Mourinho and Ronald Koeman both interested in securing his services this January.

What’s the word?

Jose Fonte is an eight-year veteran at Southampton and has been with the club since their days in League One, but his relationship with the club could soon be coming to an end after contract talks broke down.

The Mirror report that the Saints were willing to raise his wage to £80k-per-week salary but would not guarantee his contract past the end of next season – the date at which his current contract expires.

They also reckon Fonte, 33, is unhappy with his club after they failed to notify him of a £9m bid from Everton in the summer, a move that would have seen him reunited with former boss Koeman.

According to the report both Everton and Manchester United are still interested in his services and he looks set to leave St Mary’s this January.

Club veteran

The Southampton captain has made close to 300 appearances for the Saints over the years, and has been instrumental in their rise to become one of the Premier League’s most consistent clubs.

His departure would leave a big gap at the back at St Mary’s, which is a real worry with the future of Virgil van Dijk also in doubt.

His incredible rise was highlighted this summer when he played every knockout game, including the final, at Euro 2016 as his Portugal side won the trophy for the first time.

A player with vast experience he’d likely improve both Everton’s and Man United’s backlines, at least in the short term.

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Olivier Giroud has had his fair share of critics during his time in English football but it’s fair to say he’s fought back this season, leading Arsenal valiantly in the last few matches having found his scoring boots.This season he’s been a bit-part member of the squad, with Alexis Sanchez leading the line, but Giroud has battled back into the first-team in a case of deja vu, as he claimed his spot back from Theo Walcott last season in similar circumstances.[ad_pod id=’now-tv’ align=’centre’]With nine goals in all competitions, Olivier Giroud has excelled and has scored some very important goals for the Gunners. Now, the stats have revealed he is the finest striker in England’s top-flight at this time.

Involved in a goal every sixty minutes on average, Olivier Giroud is a crucial player for Arsenal and his fine minutes to goal ratio sees him joined by Lucas Perez (67) and Alexis Sanchez (88).

With that, Arsenal have a wealth of reliable players and it’s a good omen for the Gunners in the months ahead.

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Everton’s season has brought mixed emotions at Goodison Park.

Ronald Koeman enjoyed the joint-best start of any manager in Toffees history but after September, the club went on a three-month run that witnessed just one Premier League victory. However, the fortunes of the team seem to have changed in recent weeks.

As we approach the new year, the Toffees are mounting a charge towards European football qualification as they look to bring it back to the blue side of Mersey for the first time in three seasons.

Following their Premier League clash with Hull City yesterday evening, we’ve now reached the 19-match halfway mark of Everton’s top-flight campaign.

The topsy-turvy season has seen Everton produce some incredible strikes, so it’s time to consider the Goodison outfit’s best goal of the campaign thus far.

We’ve whittled it down to a shortlist of five contenders – let us know which one gets your vote in the comments section below!

5. Ashley Williams – Arsenal

It’s not the most attractive goal Everton have scored this campaign but its importance cannot be overstated.

Everton had won just once since September before Williams netted against Arsenal with just moments remaining.

The Toffees held out for the victory and guaranteed three points finally came their way, whilst condemning Arsenal to a first league defeat since the opening day of the season.

4. Romelu Lukaku – Sunderland

Romelu Lukaku hadn’t scored all season when the Toffees visited the Stadium of Light to take on Sunderland back in September.

The Belgian fired an eleven-minute hat-trick to give the Toffees a convincing victory. Most notably, his third goal was a brilliant team goal that saw the Merseysiders slice through the fragile Sunderland defence.

3. Yannick Bolasie – Burnley

Many eyebrows were raised when Everton forked out £25million to sign Yannick Bolasie in the summer, but the winger’s impact was fantastic before his injury.

The former Crystal Palace star scored his first Toffees goal away at Burnley, when he capped off a remarkable counter-attack against the newly promoted side.

A knee injury looks set to rule Bolasise out for the remainder of the season, however.

2. Romelu Lukaku – Manchester City

When Everton visited the Etihad Stadium in October, not many gave the Toffees a chance of coming away with a result.

Shortly after the hour mark, however, Romelu Lukaku decided to silence the doubters by scoring one of the best individual goals this season.

The forward picked the ball up on the halfway line and ran at the City defence before firing the Merseysiders into a surprising lead.

1. Seamus Coleman – Middlesbrough

Nothing excites football fans more than seeing a player run at the heart of the opposition defence.

Against ‘Boro in September, Seamus Coleman combined with his team-mates to carve open the newly promoted side’s backline.

The jinking run accumulated with him firing Everton into a half-time lead with an absolute rocket into the bottom corner.

Manchester United and Liverpool come toe-to-toe on Sunday in a huge Premier League clash in the battle for a top-four finish, in what should be a thrilling encounter at Old Trafford.

Liverpool currently have the advantage in the Premier League standing’s but a victory for the Red Devils this weekend would cut the gap to just two points, whilst potentially lifting United into the top-four if other results go their way.

Speaking to BBC Sport ahead of the clash, Pogba stated it was the most important derby of the season- ahead of the all-Manchester clash against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

“The history of Liverpool vs. Manchester United — it’s a big derby. More than Man City, I think, because of the way you feel that the atmosphere is more.”

“I want to win. I want three points. It’s good to win three points against Stoke City, any team in the league, but it’s even better, you have more taste, when you win three points against Liverpool because it’s the derby, you know.”

With Pogba finding form in recent matches, and United enjoying a six-match winning run, the hosts for this weekend’s clash are rated as the favourites, although Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool could present a tough test.

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Manchester United have been given a big boost in their quest to land Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid after the player’s image advisor backed the tansfer, as reported by Goal.

What’s the word?

Antoine Griezmann’s name has been linked to Manchester United for the past few months and it seems that Jose Mourinho’s side are desperate to bring the French international to Old Trafford, where he would unite with close friend Paul Pogba.

The 25-year-old would cost United a huge financial package, which Atletico Madrid would find difficult to turn down, and Griezmann’s international image advisor told So Foot that a move makes sense to all parties involved.

Atletico’s number 7 would likely want the same number at Old Trafford, which is currently vacant following Memphis Depay’s departure in January, and the trump card could be held in the form of David Beckham.

What was said?

Speaking to So Foot magazine and quoted by Goal, Griezmann’s advisor Sebastien Bellencontre said:

“When I read articles about a hypothetical transfer to Manchester United I think it would be the ideal commercial scenario. He would play at Beckham’s former club, which is his idol, with the same legendary number on his back.”

“Beyond sports, Paris Saint-Germain would be interesting at Franco-French level, but he already has international trajectory with the selection.”

Will he move?

All the cards seem to be falling kindly for Manchester United in their pursuit of Antoine Griezmann and the availability of the number seven jersey could provide them with a huge boost, as the French international has made no secret that David Beckham was his idol growing up.

With the financial package that Manchester United can offer the French international, as well as all the corporate deals and sponsorships that would come his way, Griezmann’s move would make sense- although the potential lack of Champions League football could be a problem.

In the Spanish capital though, Griezmann may be seen as having done all he could with Diego Simeone’s side; having reached two Champions League finals with Atleti, enduring defeat in both matches against Real Madrid.

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As reported by French outlet L’Equipe, Kurt Zouma is considering his Chelsea future carefully as he seeks a return to regular first team football.

What’s the word?

Since returning from injury in January, Zouma has made just one Premier League appearance, playing just two minutes of Chelsea’s big victory over Arsenal last weekend.

Now he’s been left considering his Chelsea future and is set for talks with the club in the summer. When asked about his future he revealed he desires more first team football.

As quoted by L’Equipe, Zouma said:

We’ll have to see how the second half of the season goes. The team is the priority: first of all, to be champions! After that, yes, we’ll have to talk, because I’m young, and it’s at my age that you have to play the most. I’m going to have to play if I want to achieve my objectives and get back into the France team.

It’s at least honest and his words are unlikely to cause ire amongst the Chelsea support, who must understand the defender’s ambition.

Is he good enough for more?

Kurt Zouma has the potential to be a regular fixture in the Chelsea defence for years to come. At the age of just 22, he already looks the complete package; strong in the air, strong in the tackle, pacy and composed.

His ambition to seek more first team football is admirable and that desire should be rewarded by Conte. Perhaps wrapping the league up with games to spare will give the Italian manager breathing room to give him more top-flight time.

What’s certain though is that Conte should seek to address the concerns of Zouma and offer assurances he has a bright future at Stamford Bridge.

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Any Newcastle United fan would be forgiven for thinking that their team have secured Premier League promotion after coming from behind to beat rivals Brighton on Tuesday night.

Rafael Benitez’s side were trailing for 80 minutes after Glenn Murray netted from the penalty spot within the first quarter of an hour.

The equaliser came from Mohamed Diame thanks to an incredible slice of luck when his flick found its way into the top corner.

Two minutes from time, Ayoze Perez found a dramatic winner when he nestled the ball into the bottom corner from eight yards out.

Brighton started off the better side, but the Magpies grew into the game, creating 19 shots compared to the Seagulls’  10.

The result has moved Newcastle back to the top of the Championship table, eight points above the playoff places and two ahead of Brighton.

Fans took to Twitter to express their delight and recognised what this result could do for their Premier League promotion hopes.

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Speaking exclusively to The Evening Times, former Celtic hero Stiliyan Petrov believes that Moussa Dembele is so good that he can eventually reach the very top of the game.

What’s the story?

Petrov knows what it takes to get it done for Celtic and in the English Premier League after a spell with Aston Villa and he’s backed red hot striking sensation Dembele to have a massively successful career.

As quoted by The Evening Times, he said:

What we have all seen is that he has the potential to go to the top. Celtic did very well to stay strong and hold on to him in the January transfer window and that is important. They should want to have him at the club for as long as possible and from what I hear he is happy where he is. He is very young, he has a lot of time to get better and as a striker you always have to prove yourself. It is not enough to do it over one season, you have to do it again and again – like Henrik.

The comparisons to Henrik Larsson appear to be getting more and more frequent with many Celtic supporters believing the Frenchman is the greatest striker to grace the club since those days. Are they right?

How good is he?

Dembele’s season has been quite extraordinary. He’s scored 32 goals in 44 appearances for the club so far this term, although only 33 of those appearances have been from the start of matches.

He’s rapidly closing in on the 40 goal mark and could break the record for most goals in a debut season for the Bhoys which stands at 43, set by Joe McBride in 1966.

Also scoring 5 goals in 3 matches against arch-rivals Rangers this season, he’s rapidly become a fan favourite amongst the passionate Celtic support.

He’ll have another chance to enhance his reputation at the club when the Hoops take on the Gers this Sunday at Celtic Park.

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England may have suffered a 1-0 defeat to Germany last night courtesy of an incredible strike from retiring Mannschaft icon Lukas Podolski, but there was plenty of positives for Gareth Southgate to take from an energetic and entertaining ninety minutes in Dortmund.

Not least including a fantastic performance from young midfielder Dele Alli, deemed the Man of the Match by many due to his presence at the heart of virtually every Three Lions attack and general quality shown around the final third.

But England lined up in a new-look 3-4-2-1 formation that partnered the Tottenham man alongside Liverpool’s Adam Lallana, who was equally pivotal to England’s promising display.

Indeed, as our infographic shows, Lallana was a relentless threat, with two shots, three created chances and five balls whipped into the box – two of which found their target. But he also chipped in off the ball, producing one tackle and one interception throughout the ninety minutes.

It shows England fans shouldn’t simply be excited about Alli’s progress on the international stage; the real positive going forward is the Alli and Lallana partnership behind England’s front-man.

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As reported by The Evening Times, Rangers defender Danny Wilson has lifted the lid on who he and the squad feels is responsible for a dire season after their promotion to the top-flight.

What’s the story?

Ex-Rangers boss Mark Warburton has received a lot of flak in recent months after poor results and missed opportunities have seen the Gers fall a massive 35 points behind league leaders Celtic.

However, Wilson reckons that the buck stops with the playing squad themselves.

As quoted by The Evening Times, the defender said:

It could be a good end to the season but there is a lot of hard work to be done between now and that hopefully happening. We are all well aware that we have underperformed this season but we are of the mind-set that it is our fault so we are the ones that have to try and put it right.

It’s a candid admission, especially when Rangers supporters would have been unlikely to find fault had he asserted Warburton and his assistant David Weir were to blame for where they went wrong across the campaign.

Rangers still have plenty of goals between now and the end of the season with massive matches against Aberdeen and Celtic ahead. In fact, if they are to find it in themselves to finish second ahead of Aberdeen then every match has become a must-win one.

With the Scottish Cup also up for grabs, can Wilson and his teammates right the wrongs so far this season and make this one a memorable one for supporters?

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