Football League World

Sunderland could net themselves a significant amount of money if they were to sell Wilson Isidor this summer.

According to reports from Chronicle Live, scouts from Premier League outfits Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace were left impressed by the Frenchman’s performance in the Black Cats’ 2-1 defeat to Leeds United on Monday night.

Despite Regis Le Bris’ men falling to defeat in stoppage time, it is no surprise Isidor caught the eye, as he displayed the level of quality he possesses yet again with a pinpoint finish to put Sunderland ahead in the first-half.

The frontman only made his move to the Stadium of Light a permanent one during the January transfer window, but his impressive performances this season mean that Sunderland could already find themselves facing substantial offers for him in the summer.

Isidor has been superb this season

Only Borja Sainz and Joel Piroe have found the net more times than Isidor in the Championship so far this season.

The striker has been a revelation since moving to the North East from Zenit St Petersburg in the summer. He initially joined the Black Cats on a season-long loan deal, but his performances in the first half of the campaign were so impressive, that Sunderland opted to exercise their option to sign him on a permanent basis as early as February.

Although the official fee for Isidor was undisclosed, it was believed to be in the region of £3million (according to the Chronicle Live).

Given how effortlessly he has adapted to the English game, Isidor is already making that fee look tiny.

Monday night’s strike to put Sunderland ahead at Elland Road was the latest in a growing catalogue of eye-catching goals. It was a goal that encapsulated everything that he brings to Le Bris’ team.

Isidor showcased his strength and power by expertly pinning and then rolling Ethan Ampadu, before coolly slotting the ball past Illan Meslier and into the corner, via the inside of the far post.

A scarcely believable pair of stoppage time penalty misses in the 0-0 draw at Burnley in the middle of January was a notable down point, but Isidor has certainly proven his mental strength in the way in which he has bounced back from that disappointment.

The 24-year-old has notched four goals and one assist in the six games since that clash in Lancashire.

Sunderland would surely make a huge amount of profit on Isidor

Although he has only been at Sunderland for less than a year, given how high Isidor’s stock is right now, there must surely be a temptation for the club to sell him on in the summer.

As big a blow as it would be for the Black Cats to lose their talisman, with the likes of Spurs and Crystal Palace sniffing around, Sunderland could surely drive their asking price up significantly.

Palace are no strangers to taking young stars from the Championship. Millwall academy graduate Romain Esse was the latest to make the switch to the Eagles in January, while the South London outfit have also helped turn Ebere Eze from a promising Championship youngster into a genuine England international.

With the way the transfer market is now, Premier League clubs are beginning to throw more money at Championship players, with the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter making big money moves in the summer.

Losing Isidor so soon would undoubtedly be disappointing for Sunderland and especially the fans, but it would almost certainly see them net a huge profit from just one year’s work on the player.

Re-invest that profit wisely, and it could easily go towards three or four top-quality players to ensure the Black Cats have the strongest possible chance of either achieving promotion or Premier League survival next season.

If Le Bris’ men are to get over the line this season, becoming a Premier League club would only serve to add more money to Isidor’s valuation. If the Black Cats became a top-flight outfit once again, they could at least be safe in the knowledge that only the country’s genuine top clubs would be a step-up.

For now though, all attention at the club will be geared towards securing their return to the Premier League. With a tense end to the season ahead for Sunderland, Isidor could yet make an even more valuable contribution.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

The search for a new Swansea City boss is underway after the news that Luke Williams left his post in charge of the Championship side earlier this week.

The Swans have won just one of their last nine league outings before the decision was made for manager and club to part ways on Monday, with a new person in the dugout required to turn fortunes around.

While the Welsh outfit are reportedly in no rush to find their next boss, a three-man shortlist is already said to have been outlined, with Rob Edwards, Des Buckingham and Ryan Mason all reportedly being eyed for the vacancy.

With that in mind, we spoke to Football League World’s resident Swans fan Jason Lawrence about the final one of those three, with Mason currently working as an assistant coach at Tottenham Hotspur.

Ryan Mason, Roberto Martinez comparison made as Swansea City eye new boss

Mason is an interesting choice for Swansea City to consider right now, with the 33-year-old yet to have a permanent job in management.

The former Hull City midfielder has been in charge of Spurs on an interim basis on two separate occasions, the most recent being in April 2023, when he oversaw the final six matches of the Premier League season following Cristian Stellini’s departure from the club.

Swansea have given managerial opportunities to young aspiring managers in the past, with Roberto Martinez being the prime example as he led the club to the League One title in the 07/08 campaign, but with results as poor as they are right now, Lawrence is tentative about going for an untried option at this point in the season.

“I can understand why Ryan Mason is being linked," Jason told FLW.

"He is clearly a well-though of coach, having retained positions under several managers at Tottenham and also being trusted with the interim job, when there was probably more experienced guys than him around. But they seemed to trust him with the reins in between managers.

“So he is an interesting one, he has-been linked before, which is probably part of the reason why he is being linked now. The other main reason is probably that Swansea have a bit of a track record of giving recently retired players a first go in management.

“Roberto Martinez, Garry Monk, and there have been others that have been linked with us, Angel Rangel, and other ex-players that are recently retired and have done their coaching badges and are looking for a way into management.

“Swansea have done that with some success in the past, obviously Martinez sticks out like a sore thumb, and is probably the man that his responsible for the Swansea way.

“But is Ryan Mason the next Martinez? Probably not.”

Swansea City urged to consider veering away from Ryan Mason option

With results as poor as they have been recently, something drastically needed to change at Swansea, and Williams’ departure will likely be the catalyst for a spot of soul-searching at the club.

The former Notts County boss had a mixed bag of results in charge in Wales, with 19 wins from his 53 Championship games in charge signalling a side destined to finish in lower mid-table, although the ill-feeling around the club made his position untenable going forward.

After showing plenty of willing to delve into the lower leagues for their previous three managerial appointments in Williams, Michael Duff and Russell Martin, it remains to be seen where the Swans head this time around, but Lawrence is sure that Mason is not the answer at this current juncture.

Jason continued: “Would he be the right fit right now? For me, definitely not.

“There is no doubt he is a very capable coach, and there is no doubt that if he wants to go on and be a number one and have a good managerial career, I am sure that is there for him7

“However, Swansea are in a bit of a hole right now; our form is dreadful, we have lost seven of the last nine and the last thing we can afford to do right at this moment is give a largely untried coach a high managerial opportunity.

“I think it would be massive gamble, I think we would be gambling with our Championship status if we gave someone of Ryan Mason’s experience level a hold of the reins right now.

“So I think it is the right job at the wrong time for him, and I think we can look elsewhere and get somebody else in with a bit more experience.”

Carlton Palmer has claimed that Burnley made the right call by rejecting Tottenham Hotspur’s attempt to sign Maxime Esteve on deadline day.

It was reported by L’Equipe on Monday that the Premier League club had a bid worth £20 million rejected for the centre-back, however these claims were questioned by Burnley's local media.

Esteve has earned a lot of praise this season for his performances in Scott Parker’s side, with their defensive strength proving key to their promotion push.

The 22-year-old has played in all 30 games, with the team conceding just nine times in the Championship, with the club chasing a top two spot in the table.

Palmer praises Burnley transfer decision

Palmer believes that the £30 million asking price set for Esteve was a much fairer figure, and that they were right to stick by it amid pressure from Spurs.

He has claimed that the defender will be a key figure in these final 16 regular league games given the strength of the competition for automatic promotion.

“Burnley have supposedly rejected an offer for their central defender Maxime Esteve, who has played 30 games so far this season,” Palmer told Football League World.

“He’s a very important part of Scott Parker’s team in their quest to get promotion back to the Premier League.

“The £20 million offer from Spurs was immediately rejected by Burnley, who told Tottenham that they want a lot more to part company with Esteve.

“Apparently they were saying they would only consider something in the region of £30 million to sell the 22-year-old.

“There’s no indication that Burnley want to sell him, and with him being a key member of Scott Parker’s team and their quest to go up, they’re in a very, very good position to put a push on for the second part of the season.

“It’s going to be a tier up for automatic promotion, four clubs up there, who are all big clubs.

You’ve got Sheffield United, you’ve got Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland, so you want to keep your better players.

“So, yes, they’ve rejected it out of hand.

“It’s the right call because it’s important now, and an important part of the season with 16 games to go, and Burnley could be back in the Premier League and he could be playing in the Premier League.

“Right call, and Burnley supporters will be happy.”

Burnley are currently third in the Championship table, three points adrift of automatic promotion.

Esteve deal wouldn’t work so late in the window

Tottenham knew all month that defensive reinforcements would be a good move for Ange Postecoglou’s squad, but they waited until deadline day to make a move.

Burnley had no choice but to reject the £20 million offer in that context, as they had no time to source a proper replacement for him.

Esteve is a crucial part of Parker’s plans, and will be key to a successful promotion campaign, if they get over the line.

If Burnley can gain their top flight status back, then the player’s value could double in the summer, which is also very valuable for the Lancashire outfit.

Tottenham Hotspur are understood to be lining up a Championship loan for their highly touted young striker, Will Lankshear, according to Alasdair Gold.

The Spurs correspondent purports that, despite the North London side's well-documented dearth of personnel of late, the 19-year-old will be surplus to first-team requirements this campaign.

Hertfordshire-born Lankshear is among England's most exciting teenage forwards, having won the golden boot in last season's Premier League 2, scoring 23 goals in as many games.

A second-tier quintet of Burnley, Middlesbrough, West Brom, Cardiff and Luton are believed to be among those most interested, as Spurs are understood to have prioritised the EFL as their preferred temporary destination for Lankshear, quashing interest from abroad.

Cardiff City are believed to be among the front-runners, according to Wales Online, who understand it's more likely a two-horse race between them and one other.

Will Lankshear, left out as Tottenham youth shine

This information was shared less than an hour after the Premier League strugglers enjoyed their most youth-focused first-team result of the season. The academy trio of Dane Scarlett, Oyindamola Ajayi and Mikey Moore all grabbed their first competitive goals in Spurs colours, as the Lilywhites beat Swedish side Elfsborg 3-0 in an all-important Europa League tie.

While this was a rarely enjoyable night for most in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, there will have undoubtedly been a level of bitterness for Will Lankshear, an unused substitute on the night, as this cemented his apparent ostracisation from the squad.

It has been an up-and-down season for Lankshear thus far, who was predicted by many to slowly bleed his way into the first team after impressing under Ange Postecoglu's side in pre-season, scoring twice.

However, the former Arsenal schoolboy has found opportunities to be incredibly sparce, while failing to fully capitalise on them when they have arrived.

His only goal thus far, an equaliser during a 3-2 loss to Galatasaray, was shortly followed by a red card, dampening what should have been a positive day for the young centre-forward's reputation.

The most damning moment of last night from Lankshear's point of view will have been the opener, as Dane Scarlett, fresh from being recalled from a Championship loan of his own, announced himself to the Tottenham faithful.

One year his senior, and arguably possessing a higher potential ceiling within the game, Scarlett's reintroduction to first team operations sees Lankshear fall further down and already difficult pecking order.

Will Lankshear could be Richard Kone alternative if Luton don't get their man

Currently finding themselves in 23rd place in the Championship table, having played in the Premier League as recently as May, Luton Town are seemingly in crisis mode at the end of the January window.

Their most high-profile desire is that of a centre-forward, namely, Wycombe Wanderers' Richard Kone. Former Chairboys boss Matt Bloomfield joined the Hatters earlier in the month, and is desperately trying to ensure that League One's top scorer will be joining him at Kennilworth Road, too.

Having reportedly tabled bids as high as £7 million for the Ivorian, the promotion-chasers from Buckinghamshire are seemingly unwilting in their desire to keep the Ivorian striker, who boasts 16 goals thus far in England's third-tier.

While the acquisition of teenage talent is always somewhat of a risk, if Luton are unable to get their target, and with the February 3rd deadline fast approaching, Will Lankshear could prove a circumstantially perfect alternative.

A tall, physically imposing striker with natural finishing ability and link up play beyond his years, Lankshear is, on paper, perfectly equipped to attempt to achieve both goalscoring success and recognition in the second-tier. He will possess a hunger in front of goal that is desperately needed for the Hatters, as they will be hoping to avoid a second-successive relegation.

It is unsurprising, given his playstyle, that Lankshear has been unable to avoid comparisons to former Tottenham icon Harry Kane. However, he may continue to emulate the England captain's career, as a footballing education in the EFL Championship appears to be in his immediate future.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Queens Park Rangers have completed their second signing of the January transfer window, and supporters will be more than excited to see a new face at Loftus Road.

The R's had embarked on an unbelievable run of form before they were beaten 2-0 by Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, but they still remain within touching distance of the play-off places.

Just six points separate Marti Cifuentes' side and Middlesbrough, despite the West London outfit currently sitting 13th in the Championship table.

After a desperate start to the campaign, few would have expected QPR to be in the position that they are in now, and this has led to Tottenham Hotspur trusting them to help develop South Korean star Yang Min-hyeok, who joined the Premier League side in the summer for £3.5m.

QPR supporters will be looking forward to seeing Min-hyeok

Although the R's have had an incredible rise up the standings, improvements are still needed to help them make that push and avoid missing out on the top six.

Few would have foreseen this new ambition, but after Cifuentes was given the chance to turn his team's season around, he has repaid that faith and will want to be able to add to his squad.

The winger is the R's second signing of the window after Ronnie Edwards also joined on loan earlier this month, and Football League World has asked their QPR Fan Pundit, Louis Moir, if he believes that Min-hyeok has enough to help the side to the play-offs despite being only 18.

He told FLW: "I think the signing of Yang Min-hyeok from Spurs is a really exciting one. Despite obviously only being 18, you've just got to look at what he's done so far before he signed for Spurs, and he looks to be one of the biggest youth prospects to come out of South Korea.

"There's a lot of interest nowadays in the Asian market, and you see a lot of Asian players playing at a high level and there has been a few that have come to Championship clubs as well. So, I think it's a market people look at. Obviously, we only have him on loan to the end of the season, but he really does excite me.

"People may say what's the point of getting a young winger on loan when we can develop our own? But realistically, we haven't got that right-sided young winger who's ready to play for us at the moment. So, I'm all for it."

Louis continued: "He looks really quick; he looks skillful, he looks like he can beat his man, and he looks like he's got a final product to him as well. I think we're in need of another winger because it gives you that option, especially on the right, not to play Smyth every single week.

"So, I’m really, really excited by this and if he does really well, depending on what happens to us in terms of a club this season, if the miracle happens, and we somehow get promoted or if we stay in the Championship, Tottenham might want to loan him to us next season again.

"But I’m really, really buzzing about this one."

Min-hyeok will have to hit the ground running

Although he arrives with a big reputation, he must not let that affect him, and Min-hyeok has to make an impact at Loftus Road from the off.

QPR's defeat to Sheffield Wednesday was disappointing, but they cannot afford to let this one blip stop them in their charge up the table, and they have to react to it on Saturday against Millwall.

The R's could have seen this season as a free-hit after a disappointing start, but they have regrouped excellently since November and with the inconsistencies of those around them, there is no doubt that they have a serious chance at promotion.

QPR are lining up a move to sign Tottenham Hotspur youngster Yang Min-hyeok on loan for the rest of the season.

According to Alasdair Gold, the forward is set to make the switch to Loftus Road after an agreement was reached between the two clubs.

Spurs finalised a transfer for the 18-year-old last summer, but he stayed with K-League side Gangwon until January in order to complete the season there.

The youngster is capable of playing on both the right and left flank as a winger, although he predominantly prefers the right-hand side.

QPR agree Spurs loan

QPR are set to sign Min-hyeok on loan for the rest of the Championship season, with Martí Cifuentes keen to bolster his attacking options.

The Hoops are in the mix for a play-off place this season, so will be looking to make the most of the winter market in order to boost their top six hopes.

It has been claimed that Spurs are keen for the teenager to get regular first team experience in English football.

Despite the significant injury issues at the Premier League side, they have sanctioned a loan exit, indicating their belief that he isn’t quite ready for life in the top flight just yet.

QPR have only got one deal over the line so far this January, bringing in Ronnie Edwards on loan for the rest of the season from Southampton.

The London outfit have until 3 February to complete any remaining deals, with the team fighting for potential promotion to the Premier League.

QPR league position

QPR are currently 13th in the Championship table following their 2-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend.

The defeat ended a run of four wins in a row, with Cifuentes’ side being one of the most in-form in the division at the moment.

The gap to the play-off places is now six points after 29 games played each.

Next up for Rangers is a trip to face local rivals Millwall on 1 February in a 3pm kick-off.

Min-hyeok will be a big unknown for QPR

Min-hyeok is obviously a very promising young talent given Spurs have ensured they’ve signed him at just 18.

But he will need some time to adjust to English football, and a loan down to the Championship makes a lot of sense from Tottenham’s perspective.

It is a gamble for QPR to bolster their attack with someone who will be a real unknown quantity at this level.

But if he can settle in quickly he could prove a very shrewd signing, with the youngster showing he can contribute in the K-League last year with 12 goals and six assists in 38 appearances.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

West Bromwich Albion forward Josh Maja has received lucrative Premier League interest in the form of London giants Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, according to Fichajes.

With 12 goals in 26 matches, the one-time Nigeria international sits second in the Championship's scoring charts, behind only Norwich's Borja Sainz.

At 26, Maja has previously tasted top-flight football during spells with both Bordeaux and Fulham, with form suggesting he is ready to revisit the summit of the English football pyramid.

While the previous purported interest from relegation threatened Ipswich Town and Southampton made seemingly perfect sense, Maja joining a 'top-six club' would represent a significant surprise to all parties.

"Maja would suit Ange-ball" says Baggies pundit

Speaking to Football League World, Baggies fan pundit Callum Burgess speculated that the unlikely nature of these rumours could suggest agentry dark arts are at play, though agreed that one of the clubs mentioned would benefit from Maja's talents more than most.

"With 18 months left on his contract, I do wonder if Josh Maja's agent is potentially playing a part in these sorts of stories starting to come out, especially when you remember that he's been linked with the likes of Bournemouth, Ipswich and Southampton in recent weeks, and he's been 'linked' with Chelsea and Spurs.

"I wouldn't say that a move to Chelsea would be very likely, I'd imagine that they're looking for a number nine to take over from Nicolas Jackson and be the main man, be the one who's going to be getting them 20 to 25 goals etc., so I don't think they'd be looking for another backup in that sense.

"Tottenham I could see as a reasonable link, because they'll be looking for a backup to Dominic Solanke and I think Maja would suit Ange-ball with his link-up play and ability to drop in deep, and he's also a very good finisher, as well as he's shown with his 12 goals this season.

"I don't see these two links coming to anything, but I think it would actually be a good choice for Tottenham as a back-up to Dominic Solanke. But yeah, I think the sooner that Albion are able to tie Josh Maja down, the better for all parties.

"He's a very important player for us, not just in his goals but, as I mentioned, his ability to link-up play. He's got the best link-up play for a striker in this division by a country mile, I believe. It's definitely best for our interests and the incoming West Bromwich Albion manager to have Josh Maja signed down to a new contract as soon as possible."

Regardless of the legitimacy of the interest, Burgess identifies the importance of extending Maja's contract at the Hawthorns, as his continued excellence could prove the key to play-off security.

Josh Maja could be the ideal Solanke back-up for Tottenham Hotspur

As Burgess states, there is a notable similarity in playstyle between both Solanke and Maja. While nobody is suggesting the two are equally talented, the Lewisham-born striker could be an apt like-for-like deputy to Spurs' number 19, who was a Championship player himself just three years ago.

Both naturally place onus on holding up the ball, bringing midfielders into play and running into unnocupied space, qualities that are imperative in Ange Postecoglu's deep-build-focused tactical set-up.

While perhaps technically inferior, Maja's physicality in ball retention near-mirrors that of Solanke, and with the Lilywhites still active in three different cup competitions, there could be significant game time up for grabs as and when the former Bournemouth man requires rest.

While it is difficult to know whether the forward would be happy playing second fiddle after becoming so talismanic at his current club, the inevitable financial incentive suggests that it could be a difficult proposition to turn down.

West Brom forward Josh Maja has been vital to the Baggies’ push for a play-off place so far this season.

The Nigerian international has impressed the Albion faithful by netting 12 times so far this term and is the second-highest goalscorer in the division behind Norwich City’s Borja Sainz, at the time of writing.

While Maja has been getting in on the act in front of goal, his deep runs and silky link-up play have been just as valuable to helping Albion quickly transition from defence into attack, while the frontman is usually in the right place to finish off a devastating move with service provided from both Mikey Johnston and Tom Fellows on the flanks.

The London-born forward has shown all the attributes of a Premier League player in waiting, and the Baggies will be hopeful his goalscoring prowess will see him achieve that goal while in a blue and white shirt.

With such a presence provided in attack and a key focal point up front, Maja’s impressive run of form hasn’t gone unnoticed, with concern arising that he may make a switch away from the Black Country during the January transfer window.

This will undoubtedly prove to be a huge dent to the Baggies’ promotion hopes if Maja was to depart, but the club must stand firm under the new ownership and outline their ambition of a return to the top flight by keeping hold of the 26-year-old beyond January.

Emerging Premier League interest in Josh Maja

In a report made by Fichajes in Spain, Premier League duo Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are both “seriously considering” a move for the West Brom's Josh Maja.

The same outlet has reported Albion value their forward at £15 million, which is a considerable figure banded about for a second tier player, although the price tag is not set to be an issue for both sides.

However, the Baggies are within their right to hold out for such a high-value bid, with the former Sunderland man still having 18 months left on his contract and possessing so much quality at the top end of the pitch.

This is not the first time Albion have had interest in some of their top talent, with Spanish side Celta Vigo reportedly interested in securing Maja’s services earlier this season to replace the experienced Iago Aspas, while Premier League sides Everton and Crystal Palace have also eyed up moves for talented winger Tom Fellows, so the Baggies will have to show some backbone and not give in to some of the leading top flight teams.

West Brom must stand firm as Josh Maja interest heats up

Potential moves to Chelsea and Spurs are sure to get Maja’s head turning slightly over what he could achieve in making the move, but Albion must do all they can to convince him of the project in the Black Country and over their plans to be a competitive Premier League side in years to come.

Former Bordeaux striker Maja is developing into a special player at this level for Albion, and it is unlikely the club will find such a similar replacement in the short time remaining in January.

Meanwhile, deputy striker Devante Cole has failed to convince supporters that he could be an adequate replacement, while Daryl Dike’s fitness simply isn’t reliable enough as he closes in on a return from a long-term Achilles problem.

The best course of action West Brom should take is to rebuff any offers for Maja in order to allow him to see the rest of the season through, and then proceed to review the situation next summer when he enters the final year of his contract.

There will be a big pressure on the Baggies to gain promotion to the Premier League to safely secure Maja’s long-term future, but keeping him beyond January gives them the best possible chance of success for the remainder of the campaign.

Stoke City are interested in making a loan move for highly-rated Tottenham Hotspur youngster Tyrese Hall this month, according to new reports.

Hall is a central midfielder by trade, and has also played in a deeper role in his time at Spurs since joining the North London club's academy from Premier League rivals Chelsea.

The 19-year-old is yet to play senior football in his short career so far, but has impressed in Spurs' youth ranks at under-18 and Premier League 2 level, while stepping up to feature in Ange Postecoglou's first-team squad on one occasion last year, against Manchester City in May.

Stoke City track Tyrese Hall to potentially bolster their midfield ranks

According to transfer journalist Darren Witcoop, via X, Hall is attracting loan interest and could leave Tottenham this month, while the Potters are claimed to have the 19-year-old on their radar ahead of a possible move in the coming weeks.

Stoke are yet to sign any players so far in the January window, after new manager Mark Robins was only officially appointed as their new boss on New Year's Day.

Robins has moved to recall both Lewis Baker and Nathan Lowe from their respective loan spells at Blackburn Rovers and Walsall, but Stoke's January business is believed to be likely to take place closer to the deadline, due to their struggles regarding profit and sustainability (PSR) and financial fair play (FFP) rules.

The Potters have just one loan space left in their squad right now as it stands, per EFL rules, but do already have a working relationship with Spurs, with centre-back Ashley Phillips currently impressing on a season-long loan from the Lilywhites.

Central midfield is not a priority for the Potters this month

Stoke are in pretty desperate need of some incomings to bolster their squad, but those signings are likely to be made in wide forward and striker positions this month, rather than in the middle of the park, where Robins is relatively fine for depth right now.

The Potters can call on the likes of Wouter Burger, Tatsuki Seko, Andrew Moran and Lewis Baker as the core of their current fit midfield options as it stands, while the likes of Sol Sidibe and Jordan Thompson are each on the periphery of the squad, and both Bosun Lawal and Ben Pearson are on the comeback trail from long-term injuries.

With that said, it does seem unlikely that they would use up a valuable loan space on a midfielder, particularly an unproven youngster like Spurs man Hall.

Instead, their January focus is much more likely to be on signing wingers and a left-back, given the injuries to Million Manhoef and Eric Bocat, while Tom Cannon's Leicester recall situation could dictate a lot of moves later on in the window.

Stoke are currently 19th in the second-tier as it stands, just four points from the relegation places, so they definitely need to make some signings soon, but Hall may well be a potential addition that materialises closer to the deadline, when other moves have already happened.

Tottenham Hotspur have received interest from a number of clubs in the Championship and in mainland Europe for highly-rated young striker Will Lankshear but are yet to make a decision on his immediate future, Football League World can exclusively reveal.

Due to the difficulty of completing transfer deals in the January window, where clubs are naturally even more keen to avoid sanctioning exits for key players, the loan market tends to prove a popular avenue for Championship sides to explore.

This only tends to increase following the third-round of FA Cup fixtures, where Premier League clubs often have a better idea on the futures of some of their young talents.

The third-round matches - involving top-flight sides, that is - are scheduled to take place between this evening and Sunday, where Tottenham are in action away to National League outfit Tamworth.

Championship, European clubs interested in Tottenham Hotspur's Will Lankshear

Sources have exclusively informed Football League World that a host of Championship clubs, along with several sides on the continent, are keen to acquire Lankshear on loan this month.

Specifically, it's not yet clear which clubs are in the race to land the 19-year-old's signature, but FLW can confirm no shortage of interest in his services.

Back in the summer, The Athletic reported that Lankshear had received several loan offers from clubs in the second-tier and abroad, though he has ended up staying at Tottenham for the first-half of the season at least.

FLW understands Spurs are yet to make a decision on whether to keep Lankshear in the building or loan him out and allow increased first-team football exposure and experience.

Will Lankshear's 24/25 season for Tottenham Hotspur

Lankshear has been held in impressively high regard for quite some time, having been a prolific goalscorer for Spurs and England at youth-team level.

The 19-year-old has made something of a step-up into the first-team frame this season. He made his debut by starting in a 2-1 UEFA Europa League victory at Hungarian side Ferencvaros at the start of October.

Lankshear then opened his senior account a month later by scoring after 18 minutes in an eventual 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray, where he was also sent off.

He's only played nine minutes of football since then, but the highly-rated striker has continually been named in Ange Postecoglou's matchday squads as the Aussie boss contends with a well-documented injury crisis.