Harry Kane equalled Jimmy Greaves' all-time Tottenham scoring record as Spurs boosted their Premier League top-four hopes with a 1-0 win at Fulham on Monday.

The England captain's pinpoint finish on the stroke of half-time proved the difference as he matched Greaves' 266-goal benchmark for Spurs, who claimed a vital victory at Craven Cottage.

Fulham had controlled proceedings before Kane's memorable strike but failed to respond in the second half as Marco Silva's side missed the chance to leapfrog Tottenham into fifth.

Victory followed back-to-back defeats for Antonio Conte's side and moved Spurs to within three points of fourth-placed Manchester United, albeit having played a game more.

Hugo Lloris kept a dominant Fulham at bay during a one-sided opening, repelling Bobby De Cordova-Reid's drive before thwarting Harrison Reed's low effort from Andreas Pereira's right-wing cross.

Kane fired well over with a rare chance that characterised Spurs' tepid start, although Emerson Royal went close with an attempt Bernd Leno parried wide soon after.

Joao Palhinha squandered a golden headed chance from Pereira's pinpoint free-kick, and Kane punished that miss as he turned outside the area before curling into the bottom-right corner for a landmark goal.

Talisman Kane almost netted a record-breaking goal after the break but saw his close-range header expertly tipped over by sharp Leno reflexes as Fulham failed to threaten a comeback.

What does it mean? Crucial win sees Spurs continue Fulham dominance

After losing back-to-back games against Premier League title challengers Arsenal and Manchester City, the pressure was on Conte and Tottenham to deliver at rivals Fulham.

Spurs duly responded with their seventh straight Premier League win at Fulham, matching their joint-longest run of top-flight away wins against one club (also Aston Villa, twice).

Conte's side host City in their next Premier League match in what will prove a chance to avenge their 4-2 defeat at the Etihad Stadium and further boost their Champions League push.

Captain Kane strikes again

Kane had already scored the most goals in Premier League history in London derbies before taking his tally in such games to 48 with his deadly first-half strike.

The England star has netted in five of his six league appearances against Fulham and is now just one goal away from writing his name in Tottenham history by surpassing the late Greaves.

Missing Mitrovic

Like Kane, Aleksandar Mitrovic had enjoyed clashes against fellow London teams in the Premier League this season, scoring in all four of his derby appearances.

But the Serbia striker was largely a passenger for Fulham in this contest and failed to find the target with presentable headed opportunities in either half.

What's next?

Spurs visit Preston North End in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, when Fulham host Sunderland in the same competition.

Antonio Conte believes Tottenham have collectively forgotten how to "suffer" and grind out results after their capitulation against Manchester City.

Spurs blew a two-goal lead at the interval to slide to defeat against the Premier League champions on Thursday, going down to a 4-2 loss at the Etihad Stadium.

The result keeps the north London outfit well adrift of the top four, with a five-point gap between them and fourth-placed Newcastle United, with the Magpies also possessing a game in hand.

For Conte, whose long-term future at Tottenham remains a cloudy prospect, the manager thinks his side have lost their readiness to battle through the difficult moments this season, and he challenged them to show a "nasty" streak.

The Spurs spirit will next be put to the test at Fulham on Monday evening, with the Cottagers just two points adrift of Tottenham.

"I think that maybe we have to improve the spirit, the collaboration, the will and the desire to suffer," Conte said. "Maybe we have forgotten to suffer and to understand that.

"If we want to win the game, sometimes you have to stay there to suffer and defend the result, [with] the will and desire to not concede a goal."

Defeat to City marked a third loss in five Premier League games since Tottenham returned to domestic action following the mid-season World Cup break.

A draw with Brentford and a victory over Crystal Palace have been their other results, along with an unconvincing FA Cup win over third-tier Portsmouth.

Conte remains insistent he is seeing improvement from his side up to a point, saying: "I think that we are making progress in my opinion, in my mind, in some aspects.

"[But] in other aspects, I think that we have to come back like last season and be a bit more solid, a bit more focused, a bit more nasty.

"I think that we have to try to find the same solidity as last season and to learn again to suffer at the moment that we have to suffer. I think that we are [headed] in the right direction from my experience."

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe claimed his side were given the spur they needed to beat Fulham by Aleksandar Mitrovic's calamitous double-touch penalty.

Alexander Isak came off the bench to head an 89th-minute winner, with a 1-0 victory sending the Magpies third in the Premier League, after former Newcastle striker Mitrovic failed to capitalise from the spot.

In bizarre scenes, the Serbia international slipped as he took his attempt, illegally hitting the ball twice as he sent his effort into the net, with the goal disallowed and Newcastle given a free-kick as a result.

"The double touch I couldn't see, but I was really pleased to see it go that way," Howe said.

His high-flying team were lifted, and Howe said: "These moments can sometimes do that. Something happens, a flash point, we didn't concede. The crowd were really good for us from that moment on."

Fulham were awarded their penalty in the 66th minute after a challenge by Kieran Trippier on Bobby De Cordova-Reid, with Fulham already demanding a spot-kick after Andreas Pereira was, to their mind, fouled moments earlier.

"I thought the first challenge could have been a penalty. That wasn't given. The second one I didn't think was but was bizarrely given," Howe told Sky Sports.

Newcastle's victory puts them third in the Premier League, level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United who have a game in hand against Crystal Palace to play in midweek.

Fulham head coach Marco Silva felt the match officials gave his team very little "from the first minute" of the game at St James' Park.

"So many things to say about the ref's performance. But first I will say that I am really proud of the players and my team," Silva told Sky Sports.

"We had ambition, quality, desire and showed why we are doing so well this season."

Pointing to the first incident for which Fulham wanted a penalty, as Dan Burn seemed to impede Pereira, Silva said: "It is a clear penalty, red card for the player and the game would be completely different. The fourth official gave it, but the referee made his decision."

Silva added: "Credit to Newcastle, they are a really strong side as well. We missed a penalty, and we should have attacked more. Credit to them for not giving us more chances.

"We knew that we could not press for the full 90 minutes. We were very unlucky this afternoon. Very unlucky the way we lost this game. It went against us."

Eddie Howe will support a "remorseful" Joelinton after a drink-driving charge, but the Newcastle United boss has not yet decided whether to drop the midfielder this weekend.

Joelinton starred in Newcastle's 2-0 EFL Cup quarter-final win against Leicester City on Tuesday, scoring one goal and creating the other for Dan Burn.

However, the Brazilian was arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning for being over the prescribed limit for alcohol at the wheel of a vehicle.

Joelinton will appear in court on January 26, between the two legs of Newcastle's cup tie against Southampton – the Magpies' first major semi-final since 2005.

The incident has marred what had been a great week for Newcastle, with a huge Premier League clash with Fulham to come on Sunday.

Newcastle enter the weekend in third place, with Fulham in sixth, but head coach Howe told reporters on Friday he had yet to decide what Joelinton's role would be in the match.

No player has made more appearances (47) or starts (45) or played more minutes (3,845) for Newcastle in all competitions since Howe's November 2021 appointment.

Howe added: "It came very much as a shock. Joe was very upset and remorseful yesterday.

"He knows the seriousness of the situation, and so do we as a club. I think he understands his responsibilities, and we are now supporting him.

"We will deal with the matter internally. From day one, he's been a very good professional and hugely passionate about his career and the club.

"I was very surprised about what happened. We will back him and support him but also educate him about what happened. Everyone makes mistakes."

Joelinton has turned his career around under Howe, with only three players topping his nine goal involvements in the coach's tenure.

He has played a key role in Newcastle's 13-match unbeaten Premier League streak; a 14th game without defeat against Fulham would tie the club's record run in the competition.

With or without Joelinton, Fulham represent a tough test, despite losing the reverse fixture 4-1 at Craven Cottage – a rare match in which Newcastle's number seven was left on the bench.

Marco Silva's side could even close to within a point of Champions League-chasing Newcastle with a win, but the Fulham boss said of a top-four challenge: "We are in a great position in the table, but we are not going to change anything from our goals until we achieve that.

"It is clear for me the goal is still at the same level. No one in our football club will achieve the goals until we achieve it. Until we remain in the Premier League, we are not changing anything from our aims and our ambitions.

"We are an ambitious football club, definitely, and I'm ambitious as a manager; my players, too. But we have to be realistic. We are really pleased how we have been playing, how we have achieved great results for us, but the Premier League is really tough."

After a week's break for the FA Cup, the Premier League is back with a full round of fixtures this weekend – in fact, some teams have midweek games too.

As such, fantasy football managers turn their attention back to team selections, transfers and captain choices.

Using Opta data, Stats Perform has picked out four options that might be worth your consideration…

Dean Henderson (Nottingham Forest v Leicester City)

Forest endured a pretty brutal reality check upon their long-awaited return to the Premier League, but things have started looking up in the past few weeks.

Henderson has undoubtedly been a shrewd addition between the posts and his recent form reflects Forest's general improvement.

Four of his five Premier League clean sheets this term have come in his seven most recent appearances, while Forest have collectively restricted their opponents to two or fewer shots on target in four of their past five outings.

Sven Botman (Newcastle United v Fulham)

Newcastle have excelled in many areas this term, hence their position in the top four. Defensively they have been solid, and Botman has more than played his part.

Eddie Howe's men have kept a clean sheet in each of their past four league games, with Botman playing at least 87 minutes in all of them.

Only four players have contributed to more clean sheets than his seven this season, and another will see the Magpies record five successive top-flight shutouts for the first time.

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United v Manchester City)

Granted, Fernandes is not exactly an "out there" selection, so this is more of a reminder of the value he can represent.

For starters, he is in good form having provided an assist in each of his past two league games, and for the season only Kevin De Bruyne (41) has created more chances in open play (40).

While he only has three assists, his 4.3 expected assists is the third best in the division, suggesting his team-mates have not fully made the most of his craft.

But with Marcus Rashford in such form and a big game against City – following by a midweek trip to struggling Crystal Palace – up next, Fernandes will be a leading candidate to be decisive.

Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion v Liverpool)

From a slightly obvious pick to a real wildcard, but bear with us.

Ferguson has made a big impact at Brighton over the past few weeks. The 18-year-old has been involved in three goals across his past two games (two goals, one assist).

If he gets another goal against Liverpool at the weekend, he will be the youngest player (18 years and 87 days on Saturday) to score in three consecutive Premier League games since Michael Owen (18y, 12d).

Is it written in the stars?

Graham Potter says Joao Felix's red card was the turning point in Chelsea's 2-1 defeat to Fulham, but the under-fire Blues boss understands why the debutant was dismissed.

Chelsea had levelled Thursday's contest at Craven Cottage when Joao Felix was sent off by referee David Coote for a studs-up challenge on Kenny Tete.

Carlos Vinicius went on to head home a winner for Fulham as they beat their west London rivals for only the fourth time in 53 top-flight matches, and the first time since 2006.

Potter was left to rue a sloppy challenge from Joao Felix, who was thrust straight into the starting XI after arriving on a short-term loan deal from Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

He is the first Chelsea player to be sent off on his Premier League debut, and the first for any club since Federico Fazio for Tottenham against Manchester City in October 2014.

"It was a forwards' tackle. There was no malice in it but I understand why it was a red," Potter told BT Sport of the Portugal international's lunge on Tete.

"It is another blow for us; the hits keep coming at the moment. [Joao Felix] was really good. You could see his quality in the game so it is doubly disappointing for us."

Willian had given Fulham the lead against his former side Chelsea, but the visitors responded through Kalidou Koulibaly's close-range finish after Mason Mount had hit the post.

Carlos Vinicius' first goal for Fulham prolongs 10th-placed Chelsea's terrible run of form, which now stands at seven defeats in 10 matches in all competitions.

"I think we controlled the game early, won the ball back high, created some opportunities, maybe missed the last pass. We made a couple of mistakes for their goal," Potter said.

"Second-half I think we responded well and then the red card changes the game. It makes it a little more difficult for us.

"But I thought the application when we went down to 10 was really good. I'm disappointed with the [winning] goal because I think we could do better and that is what cost us."

Chelsea's return of 25 points from their first 18 Premier League matches is their fewest at this stage since the 2015-16 campaign (18 points), when going on to finish 10th.

Further questions will inevitably be asked of Potter, who only succeeded Thomas Tuchel in September, but the Englishman has called on his squad to stick together.

"We have got to keep working, there is no other solutions," he said. "You have to keep working stay together and try to get the three points."

Former Chelsea winger Willian did not celebrate his first-half opener against old suitors Chelsea, whom he won five major honours with earlier in his career.

"I had an amazing seven years at Chelsea," said Willian, who is the 26th player to score against Chelsea in the Premier League after previously playing for them.

"I have a big respect for the fans and the club. I play for Fulham now and have to do my best. It was a special night.

"We deserved the win. We know how difficult it is to play against Chelsea. They are in a difficult moment but we are a really good team. We deserved it and we have to carry on."

A fourth top-flight win in a row for Fulham – the first time they have achieved that since April 1966 (a run of five) – moves them within four points of the Champions League spots.

Debutant Joao Felix's red card proved costly as Carlos Vinicius earned Fulham a 2-1 win over west London rivals Chelsea that piles even more pressure on head coach Graham Potter.

Joao Felix was named in injury-hit Chelsea's starting line-up, a day after joining on loan from Atletico Madrid, and saw red for a lunge on Kenny Tete shortly before the hour mark.

Chelsea had fought their way back into the match at the time of that dismissal after Kalidou Koulibaly's close-range finish cancelled out former Blues winger Willian's first-half opener at Craven Cottage.

Fulham were without suspended top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic, but Carlos Vinicius headed in his first Fulham goal in the 73rd minute to land his side a rare win in this fixture and make it six defeats in eight for Chelsea.

Bernd Leno did well to keep out an early Lewis Hall strike in a bright start from Chelsea, with Joao Felix looking particularly lively in the final third.

Fulham soon grew into the game and struck the crossbar through a powerful Bobby Decordova-Reid effort, shortly after Carlos Vinicius had a penalty shout rejected.

However, Willian gave Fulham the lead when Chelsea's defence backed off and allowed the winger to fire away a shot that deflected off Trevoh Chalobah on its way through.

Leno continued to frustrate Chelsea, but he was almost caught out by a Mason Mount free-kick that struck the right-hand post and landed nicely for Koulibaly to squeeze over the line.

Chelsea lost another player to injury when Denis Zakaria hobbled off and then had Joao Felix dismissed for a studs-up challenge on Tete.

More misery was to follow for Chelsea and Potter as Andreas Pereira played in a delightful cross for Carlos Vinicius to get above Chalobah and power home a winning goal at the back post.

Joao Felix was thrown straight into the Chelsea starting XI for the Premier League clash at Fulham on Thursday.

The Portugal international sealed a loan move until the end of the season from Atletico Madrid on Wednesday and head coach Graham Potter wasted no time in handing him his first start.

Potter opted for Joao Felix in attack with Kai Havertz and Mason Mount for the match at Craven Cottage, making four changes from the team that was thrashed 4-0 by Manchester City in the FA Cup on Sunday.

The former Brighton and Hove Albion boss also brought in Thiago Silva, Cesar Azpilicueta and another loan signing in Denis Zakaria, leaving out Bashir Humphreys, Conor Gallagher, Jorginho and Hakim Ziyech.

Chelsea went into the local derby 10th in the Premier League, 10 points off the top four and three behind Fulham, albeit having played a game fewer.

Chelsea were already interested in new loan signing Joao Felix, but Graham Potter suggested the club's injury crisis "sharpened the focus" in the transfer market.

The Blues have been the big movers of the January window, signing Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos on permanent deals.

Potter was also able to add Portugal forward Joao Felix on Wednesday as he agreed a temporary move until the end of the season from Atletico Madrid.

His arrival boosts a Chelsea side struggling in 10th in the Premier League, albeit Potter believes the number of injuries he is dealing with "can skew the picture a little bit".

"If we had those guys back, I think the picture changes, I really do," he said. "I don't think we're as far away as we may think from the outside."

Potter was uncertain if Joao Felix could immediately debut against Fulham on Thursday, as Chelsea wait on his registration, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be back after missing the previous match against Manchester City.

There was less positive news on Christian Pulisic, who may miss months, while Raheem Sterling is still being evaluated. Ben Chilwell remains out, and Reece James and N'Golo Kante are only now training on their own.

"We've been aware of [the Joao Felix deal] for a while; these things don't happen quickly," Potter said. "Obviously the injuries have maybe sharpened the focus a little bit."

Joao Felix underwhelmed after a record-breaking move to Atleti, but Potter would not be drawn on his career in Spain, which is set to be extended after the ex-Benfica man signed an extension at the same time as joining Chelsea.

The Chelsea coach's only assessment was Joao Felix is "a quality player" who "can make a difference in the final third of the pitch".

That has been a problem under Potter, with Chelsea netting only 20 league goals so far this season. His Brighton and Hove Albion team similarly had a reputation for struggling in attack.

However, Joao Felix alone will not be expected to turn the team's fortunes around, as Potter added: "My thoughts are you have to fix the team; it's not just one person to solve your problems."

Perhaps further signings could help the new man impact change, with Chelsea – heavily linked with Benfica's Enzo Fernandez – not necessarily done in the transfer market.

"There's time," Potter said. "Whether we'll find the right players or not is another thing."

He added: "We're happy with what we've done so far, but we'll keep going to try to improve the team."

Marcus Rashford joined Erling Haaland in being nominated for the Premier League's Player of the Month award for November and December after a strong run of form for Manchester United.

With the 2022 World Cup necessitating a seven-week break for elite club football, performances from either side of the tournament contributed towards the nominations.

Having scored three times during England's campaign in Qatar, Rashford hit the ground running on his return to club football by claiming a goal and an assist against Nottingham Forest before netting the winner at Wolves in United's final game of 2022.

Rashford – who was named Player of the Month in September – will face fierce competition for the award from Haaland, who scored four goals in four games for rivals Manchester City either side of the World Cup break.

Casemiro joins his United team-mate Rashford on the shortlist after helping Erik ten Hag's resurgent side win three of their four games throughout November and December.

Meanwhile, leaders Arsenal have strong representation from two nominees, with captain Martin Odegaard on the shortlist after recording six goal contributions (three goals, three assists) during this period – the most of any Premier League player.

Bukayo Saka is also in contention after netting in the Gunners' crucial victories against West Ham and Brighton and Hove Albion over the festive period.

Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier, Brentford defender Ben Mee and Fulham's Joao Palhinha complete the eight-man shortlist for the prize, which will be awarded next week.

Manchester United are on the search for a new striker in the January transfer window as they seek a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo and a solution to their goalscoring issues.

While United may have put three past a poor Nottingham Forest side on their return to Premier League action, they have struggled to find the net in general this season.

With 23 goals in 15 matches, at an average of 1.53 per game, 10 Premier League teams are scoring at the same or a better rate than Erik ten Hag's side.

That means half the division are more prolific than United, including the likes of Brentford (1.56 goals per game), Fulham (1.69) and Brighton and Hove Albion (1.73).

Indeed, even in that routine victory over Forest earlier this week, United's profligacy was clear to see prior to eventually killing off the contest with their third goal.

"We have to score more goals," manager Ten Hag said. "We created so many chances and it takes us until just before the end to score the third goal. 

"You can see Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford are goalscorers; Bruno Fernandes scores goals. We have a lot of players who can score, but we have to be ruthless."

The Magnificent Seven

"Ruthless" is the key word there. Ten Hag has made it clear he is not after a creative player, or indeed a wide forward who chips in with, say, 10 to 15 goals a season.

What Ten Hag and United need is, as Michael Owen pointed out on Tuesday, "a Ruud van Nistelrooy, a Robin van Persie, a Wayne Rooney who scores 30-plus goals a season".

Finding one of those players is easier said than done, of course, not least in the notoriously difficult-to-negotiate January window.

Taking all competitions into account, seven players from clubs across Europe's top five leagues hit that magic 30 mark last season, led by Robert Lewandowski (50).

It is safe to assume United will not consider negotiating for Lewandowski in January; the same being true for Karim Benzema (44), Kylian Mbappe (39) and Mohamed Salah (31).

Christopher Nkunku (35) would have been a far more attainable target had Chelsea not got there first, with a fee reportedly having already been agreed with RB Leipzig for a future transfer to the Blues.

That leaves Wissam Ben Yedder and Ciro Immobile as Europe's only other 30-plus-goal forwards from last term, having both scored 32 times for Monaco and Lazio respectively.

Ben Yedder and Immobile are still netting regularly this season, averaging a goal every other game, though both turn 33 next year and have no English football experience.

As stated by Ten Hag, who has been honest in his assessment of United's squad since arriving in July, any signings must "match the sporting and financial criteria".

Negotiating fees for under-contract duo Ben Yedder and Immobile, and tying them down to deals lasting into their mid-30s, would certainly not tick the latter box.

So what United actually need to find, then, is a prolific goalscorer who is on the right side of 30, attainable and ready to hit the ground running. What could be easier?

Who needs Vlahovic when you can have... Mitrovic?

There is one player – a surprise name on the face of it, perhaps – that ticks every possible box. Yes, that's right – Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Only Erling Haaland (1.3), Lewandowski and Mbappe (both 0.95) are averaging more goals per game among Europe's elite this season than Mitrovic (0.77).

It puts the Serbia international in a similar band to Marcus Thuram (0.76), Nkunku (0.74) and Victor Osimhen (0.71), each of whom have been regularly linked with United.

While it would be easy to dismiss those figures as misleading (he averages 0.31 goals across his Premier League career), he is a player very much for the here and now.

Mitrovic's 10 Premier League goals have come from an expected goals (xG) return of 8.6 – only three others have a higher figure – highlighting his prolific nature.

To put that differential of 1.4 into some context, United's leading scorer Rashford stands at 0.3 for the season – far from the ruthless finisher United crave.

That is not a slight on Rashford, who with 10 goals for the season has double the number of any other team-mate. Rashford is not the problem; a lack of centre-forward is.

Of course, for a club as big as United there is always an added onus to recruit marquee names, especially following the departure of a certain CR7.

That explains links with Enzo Fernandez, Dusan Vlahovic and Cody Gakpo, who starred at the World Cup with the Netherlands but has since agreed to join Liverpool.

A persuasive case can be put forward as to why any of those players still on the market could make the difference for United in the second half of the season.

Again, though, Ten Hag wants a "ruthless" striker. So how about the three names perhaps more synonymous with United and a January move than any other players?

The supporters' picks

Goncalo Ramos was still relatively unknown prior to the World Cup, but his hat-trick for Portugal against Switzerland in the last 16 changed all that.

Let us not forget, either, that Ramos was propelled into the side to replace Ronaldo up top. As the Primeira Liga's leading scorer this term, he is a young goalscorer with pedigree.

The aforementioned Osimhen has scored 10 goals in 14 games for Napoli this season, making it clear why many supporters have urged United to make a move.

Mohammed Kudus, too, is enjoying a good time of things at Ajax, and Ten Hag's previous business suggests he favours players with links to his home country.

There are certainly options out there for United, but whether the club can be shrewd enough in landing Ten Hag's top target, or targets, in a limited market is another question.

Yet for all the talk of chasing a star of Qatar 2022 or a possible star of the future, United may well be better off shopping closer to home to fulfil Ten Hag's wish.

Chelsea are reportedly closing in on a loan deal for Atletico Madrid club-record signing Joao Felix in January.

Felix, 23, was signed in 2019 for €126million after winning the European Golden Boy award with Benfica, shattering Atletico's previous transfer record of Thomas Lemar by over €50m.

However, despite netting 33 goals for his new club, Felix has struggled to consistently earn a spot in their starting XI, with seven of his 12 LaLiga appearances this season coming as a substitute.

Having made such a substantial investment, Atletico are not willing to sell him at a massive loss just yet, and while they have made him available for transfer, a loan move to rehabilitate his value appears far more likely.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA LOOK TO LOAN DEAL TO ADDRESS FORWARD WOES

Chelsea have been actively seeking reinforcements up front, but with significant investment also planned in defence, a cheaper loan deal could be the band-aid solution for their goalscoring issues.

The Telegraph is reporting Chelsea and Atletico are deep in discussions about a deal that would involve either an option or an obligation to turn the loan into a permanent move at the conclusion of the season.

ESPN added Atletico will also demand a loan fee in the range of €9m for the half-season rental.

It remains to be seen if Chelsea can afford to secure a quality forward option in January on a permanent basis, with Fabrizio Romano reporting they are also in the final stages of negotiations for a €35m purchase of 21-year-old Monaco centre-back Benoit Badiashile.

ROUND-UP

– According to CBS, Cristiano Ronaldo has a medical scheduled with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr ahead of signing a contract that will pay him €70m per year.

– The Telegraph is reporting Arsenal have submitted a £55m bid for 21-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk.

– Napoli will look to sign 26-year-old Wolves winger Adama Traore in January as he enters the final six months of his contract, per Calciomercato.

– The Daily Mail is reporting Everton are one of a number of Premier League clubs showing interest in 20-year-old Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga.

– According to journalist Ekrem Konur, Premier League teams including West Ham, Everton and Aston Villa are considering offers for 28-year-old Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

England's 1966 World Cup final vice-captain George Cohen has died at the age of 83, his former club Fulham have announced.

The west London outfit described Cohen as "one of our greatest ever players", while England's hat-trick hero against West Germany, Geoff Hurst, recalled "a lovely man".

English Football Association (FA) chair Debbie Hewitt said she was "very sad" to be told of Cohen's death.

Cohen spent his entire club career at Fulham, making 459 appearances, and was described by Manchester United great George Best as "the best full-back I ever played against".

Fulham said in a statement on Friday: "Everyone associated with Fulham Football Club is desperately saddened to learn of the passing of one of our greatest ever players – and gentlemen – George Cohen MBE."

Hurst, who was the only man with a World Cup final hat-trick until Kylian Mbappe's treble for France against Argentina on Sunday, also paid a fond tribute.

He wrote on Twitter: "Very sad to hear my friend and @England team-mate George Cohen has died. Everyone, without exception, always said that George was such a lovely man.

"He will be sadly missed, my heartfelt thoughts are with George's wife Daphne and his family."

Gary Lineker, who starred for England at the 1986 and 1990 World Cups, said Cohen earned "footballing immortality" by helping the team to their 1966 triumph.

On behalf of the FA, Hewitt said: "We are very sad to hear the news of George Cohen's death today.

"George won 37 caps for England and was vice-captain of our World Cup-winning team.

"We would like to pass on our deep condolences to George's family and friends at this sad time."

Benfica will reportedly hold out for Enzo Fernandez's full €120million release clause just six months after signing him for €10million from River Plate.

Fernandez, 21, has become one of the hottest names in football since arriving at Benfica, helping his side to an undefeated group stage in the Champions League before earning his place in Argentina's World Cup squad.

After starting the group stage on the bench, Fernandez worked his way into the starting XI for the final group match against Poland, before playing every minute of Argentina's run through the knockout stages.

His rapid rise saw Fernandez become a target of both Real Madrid and Liverpool, and despite earlier reports that he would be available for €100m, the Portuguese club will now seemingly not settle for anything less than his release clause.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL, MADRID TOLD TO MEET €120M RELEASE CLAUSE FOR FERNANDEZ

Portuguese publication Record is reporting the €100million bid Benfica rejected came from Liverpool, with an earlier Daily Mirror story claiming the Reds had reached a pre-agreement with Fernandez on personal terms.

Liverpool have made no secret of their desire for a new midfielder, but it remains to be seen if the extra €20million to meet the release clause will be a deal-breaker.

Meanwhile, Madrid appear to be looking elsewhere, with a fresh report from AS stating they are in the driver's seat in the chase for Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, and that they view 24-year-old Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli as a reliable back-up plan if they land neither Fernandez or Bellingham.

ROUND-UP

– Chelsea have agreed to a £10.5million signing of 20-year-old forward David Datro Fofana from Norwegian club Molde, per Fabrizio Romano.

– According to Repubblica, Arsenal are interested in signing 27-year-old Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot on a free transfer at the end of the season.

– The Evening Standard is reporting Fulham, Villarreal and Bayer Leverkusen are considering January moves for Arsenal full-back Cedric Soares.

– The Evening Standard is also reporting Crystal Palace would like to bring right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka back to the club, three years after selling him to Manchester United.

– According to Sport, Barcelona will look to move on from Raphinha at the end of the season if he does not make himself a key part of Xavi's plans.

Everton and Wolves are reportedly interested in signing Atletico Madrid forward Matheus Cunha as the Spanish side look to cash in on their young talent.

The 23-year-old arrived at the club in August last year and, despite making 29 LaLiga appearances, he was only awarded eight starts, scoring six goals and contributing six assists for the campaign.

This season has been more of the same for the Brazilian international, being subbed on in 15 games across all club competitions, while making just two starts. He is yet to score this season.

Sitting fifth in LaLiga with only seven wins from 14 fixtures, Atletico were also eliminated from all European competition by finishing bottom of their Champions League group – and they have decided it is time for some changes.

TOP STORY - BRAZIL'S CUNHA BEING PURSUED BY PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS

According to Fichajes, Wolves and Everton are the two main clubs showing a desire to bring in Cunha, who has eight international caps for Brazil, but was left out of their World Cup squad.

The report states the club needs to part ways with some prominent players for financial reasons, and while Thomas Lemar and Rodrigo De Paul have plenty of suitors, Atletico are more likely to ship off Cunha and fellow Brazilian Felipe.

Wolves are said to be investigating a potential deal to bring in both Cunha and 33-year-old centre-back Felipe, while Everton are focused on Cunha by himself, with no mention of an asking price.

ROUND-UP

– 90min is reporting Newcastle United and Liverpool are among a host of teams interested in a loan deal for Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic, but the Stamford Bridge club would prefer to send him overseas to avoid strengthening their competition.

– According to Marca, Real Madrid have decided to make a run at Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham in January after his impressive World Cup campaign.

– Sport claims Real Madrid are no longer planning a move for Manchester City's Erling Haaland after securing 16-year-old Brazilian prodigy Endrick from Palmeiras.

– Fulham are the favourites to land Roma right-back Rick Karsdorp, with Lille and Juventus falling behind due to their hesitance for a permanent deal, per Calciomercato.

– Fabrizio Romano is reporting Chelsea will aggressively pursue a striker in January after the ACL injury to Armando Broja.