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Tottenham Hotspur will not be looking to make an approach for the highly-regarded, young Reims manager Will Still as they search for their Antonio Conte replacement.

Do Spurs like Will Still as an option?

The Lilywhites now find themselves onto their third manager of the campaign after Ryan Mason was handed the key by Daniel Levy earlier in the week.

Antonio Conte's departure saw Cristian Stellini take over earlier in the month but the Italian's fate was confirmed just a matter of days ago on the back of their dismal display on Tyneside.

There have been a number of big names linked to the vacancy in north London with the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique both believed to be on Levy's shortlist.

However, the name of a young manager coming out of the French top flight has also been reported as a potential option for Spurs in the form of Still.

The Belgian manager has earned a lot of publicity for his incredible campaign with Reims which has seen the 30-year-old lead his side to just four defeats in his opening 25 games (via Transfermarkt).

However, speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano has shut down the notion of the 30-year-old being a potential candidate for the job in north London:

(19:15) "I don't know who put that into the media, but I'm not aware of that. Honestly. I think Tottenham will go for a different kind of manager.

"With all due respect, he's doing an excellent job there in France, but I think they will go for a different kind of manager and they need someone who can handle the pressure. Who knows what knows it means to be the Tottenham coach in that kind of difficult moment. So it's not going to be him, from what I understand."

Who should Spurs go for as their next manager?

It is perhaps too early in the career for Still – who's been hailed a "genius tactically" by Julien Laurens – to be offered a job like Tottenham and it would bring huge risks for Daniel Levy if that was the direction he took.

Tottenham's last two permanent managers have been Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. Two huge names who have done a lot in their managerial careers.

Although Spurs could look to bring in someone not quite of the same ilk, Still is at the absolute opposite of the spectrum compared to those two household names.

However, there are names such as Vincent Kompany who could offer Levy a young, up-and-coming option on the back of his success with Burnley in the Championship.

He is someone who is believed to be firmly on the radar of the north London club alongside another young option in Nagelsmann.

The German has even been urged to take the job in north London by former Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick:

“It can be a very, very exciting story. There is room for improvement, a lot of room for improvement and yet this is not a club where the house expects you to be in the top one or two straight away,” he said.

On the back of appointing Mourinho and Conte, it will be interesting to see how big of a risk Levy is willing to take in this search for the new Spurs boss.

Chelsea will need something of a miracle if they are going to progress in the Champions League next week after suffering a 2-0 defeat against Real Madrid on Wednesday night.

Frank Lampard's side were always the underdogs ahead of their trip to Spain but once again failed to find the back of the net and will need to produce a sensational performance if they are going to knock out the holders at Stamford Bridge next Tuesday.

Goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio came either side of Ben Chilwell's inexplicable red card for bringing down Rodrygo when he ran in on goal, but the England international was not solely to blame for the Blues' defeat at the Bernabeu.

Who was Lampard's worst performer in Chelsea's 2-0 defeat to Madrid?

While there were a number of poor performances from those in Chelsea colours on Wednesday, it could be argued that no player struggled more than Wesley Fofana over the duration of 90 minutes.

The summer signing from Leicester City has established himself as a regular in the defence in recent weeks but was regularly exposed by the pace and trickery of Vinicius Junior, with accredited FIFA journalist Sulaiman Pooja Adebayo suggesting that the young defender had merely "mopped the floor" in his one-on-one battle with the dangerous winger.

An early yellow card for the centre-back set the tone for the evening when he felled the Brazilian winger, and he was perhaps fortunate not to earn a red card of his own when he was left in the dust by Federico Valverde later in the game. Indeed, as the Evening Standard's Nizaar Kinsella noted, the French defender was "bamboozled" all game long.

As per Sofascore, Fofana would earn a shocking 6.1/10 rating for his performance in Madrid, which was the second-worst of any player to start the game, with only Raheem Sterling (6.0) rated lower.

During the 90 minutes, the 22-year-old would win just four of his 11 duels, which suggests that the Real Madrid attackers well and truly had the better of him, while he was dribbled past twice, which represents a significant increase on the 0.4 times he has been beaten by opposition attackers on average in the Premier League this season.

It was clear that Chelsea didn't see enough of the ball as Fofana also completed just 34 passes, compared to his 60.6 pass average in the Premier League, as the centre-back was predominantly on the back foot against Carlo Ancelotti's side.

This season has been Fofana's first taste of Champions League football but the former Leicester City man, who earns £200k-per-week at Stamford Bridge, must do better in the second leg if Chelsea are to have any chance of progressing.

Chelsea are no strangers to splashing the cash in order to secure the very best talent to join the club. Millions have been spent over the previous two decades to bring the Blues up to a level where they can regularly challenge for glory and following five Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies and a handful of other domestic silverware, the strategy appears to be working.

Of course, it isn’t without its faults as unless you have a near-flawless scouting network, big money will be spent on players who will naturally underachieve and fail to live up to the lofty expectations.

The likes of Timo Werner, Christian Pulisic and Romelu Lukaku have all arrived at the club recently for extortionate sums and notably underperformed.

However, there is one player in particular that Frank Lampard signed who is continuing to bleed the club dry; Hakim Ziyech.

What salary is Ziyech on at Chelsea?

The Moroccan winger agreed to join the club from Ajax in February 2020 for a fee believed to be £33.3m before joining up with Lampard and his new team that summer ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

His form for the Dutch side during 2018/19 was simply stunning and was clearly a big factor in the club signing him. He played a key part as Ajax reached the semi-finals of the Champions League while registering a mightily impressive 45 goal contributions across all competitions – 21 goals and 24 assists.

His spell at Chelsea so far has been a disappointment compared to the statistics he registered for the Eredivisie side and across 102 games, he has scored just 14 goals and grabbed 11 assists, a far cry from the numbers he was expected to reach upon his arrival.

Indeed, this season has been terrible even by his standards. Ziyech has just one assist from 19 matches, and it’s no wonder he has been described as “lazy” by the supporters, including podcaster Ryan Whitney.

With the January spending spiralling out of control, Graham Potter will need to move on some deadwood during the summer in order to balance the books and the winger should be the first name to go. Across his near three-year spell at the club, the player has rinsed Chelsea of £49m, combining his transfer fee along with his £100k-per-week wages.

Hopefully, the Englishman will take note of his predecessor's failings and spend wisely in the transfer market to avoid expensive duds ransacking the club even further.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy could well be looking to line up a potential successor for Fabio Paratici as his off-field issues continue to rumble on in the background.

What is the latest with Fabio Paratici?

The Italian director of football was slapped with a 30-month ban earlier in the year from the Italian court after he was found guilty of false accounting issues from his time at Juventus.

And it is believed the final result of his ban will be heard in the coming weeks as to whether it has a wider effect than Paratici simply being banned from any involvement in Italian football.

If the Italian Olympic Committee find his ban to have been correctly judged, they will then forward it on to UEFA and FIFA to ask for it to be made a worldwide ban from football.

At a time when Spurs are believed to be looking to sack their manager, journalist Alasdair Gold told the Last Word On Spurs that Levy will likely be considering his options to possibly succeed Paratici:

"Well, knowing the way that football club works, there's always someone else. There's always someone being lined up.

"So I have no doubt that if they are deciding they're going to keep pursuing down this route – and as I said earlier, it's a route that Daniel Levy clearly loves – I'd imagine, yes, there will be someone else that comes in."

Should Spurs bring in another director of football?

It is believed Paratici is currently involved in the search for a manager to potentially succeed Antonio Conte – whether that be now or at the end of the season.

Reports would suggest the 50-year-old has already drawn up a shortlist of potential managerial candidates who could be brought in to replace his Italian colleague.

However, it has to be questioned whether Levy will have that much faith in Paratici's advice on a potential successor when his previous hire went so badly wrong.

It is believed Paratici was the one at Tottenham who fronted the pursuit to bring in Nuno Espirito Santo back in 2021 and has to convince Levy to make the appointment.

Who may potentially succeed Conte may also have a huge part to play in whether Spurs were to replace Paratici if he is to leave the club for whatever reason over the coming months.

With the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, it is said that he would not be keen on working under a set-up like Spurs currently have and isn't in favour of having a director of football.

This will likely leave Levy in a catch-22 situation where he has to decide whether the managerial option he wants is worth more than the club's current set-up which involves a director of football.

Glasgow Rangers bounced back from their cup final defeat last week by beating Kilmarnock 3-1 at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

Head coach Michael Beale made changes to his side and Antonio Colak was one of the players who benefitted from that as the striker led the line ahead of Alfredo Morelos.

The former POAK forward assisted Fashion Sakala’s goal and recorded a Sofascore rating of 7.2 as he justified his selection in the side with an excellent performance.

Since arriving in Glasgow last summer, the 29-year-old has plundered 11 goals in 16 Premiership starts and scored 15 goals in 33 matches for the club in total.

His superb form for the Light Blues comes after a difficult spell in Greece where he only managed four strikes and two assists in 39 outings for PAOK, although he did score 22 times in 41 games for Malmo on loan during that period.

Could Rangers repeat their Antonio Colak masterclass?

Colak’s impressive goal return for Rangers shows that sporting director Ross Wilson played a masterclass in signing him last summer.

However, the former Southampton chief could now repeat that trick by dipping into the Greek market once again to sign Fotis Ioannidis from Panathinaikos.

Rangers have reportedly sent scouts to watch the centre-forward in action and could find their next Colak by snapping him up in the summer transfer window.

Ioannidis, who only turned 23 in January, has produced three goals and two assists in ten Super League starts this season, after managing to hit the back of the net four times in 15 starts in the division last term, with that return marking a goal contribution every other start.

The youngster, who has been capped four times by Greece, also scored eight goals in 49 matches for APO Levadiakos before his move to Panathinaikos – to go along with his 13 in 87 for his current club – and this shows that the forward has plenty of experience despite being early on in his career.

Journalist Josh Bunting previously stated that he was “impressed” with the marksman, who has “lovely balance”, and the 6 foot 1 ace’s solid statistics suggest that praise is warranted.

Ioannidis is yet to have a breakthrough campaign in terms of beating the goalkeeper on a consistent basis but the young talent has built up a bank of experience and showcased his potential as a goalscorer in limited starts. As such, the striker could be an excellent long-term signing for the Gers.

Journalist Ryan Taylor has claimed that Aston Villa manager Unai Emery doesn’t see defender Matty Cash as his preferred option at right-back going forward.

What has Taylor said about Matty Cash and Unai Emery?

The Poland international defender has been a regular performer for Villa, appearing 21 times in all competitions this season, and started in their defeat to Arsenal, providing an assist for Ollie Watkins to open the scoring.

However, it has now been mooted that Emery, who was appointed in November, is not a fan of the 25-year-old, and may look to replace him in the summer transfer window.

Cash has made 89 appearances for Villa since his arrival from Nottingham Forest in 2020, but may not be seen as a long-term starter by the Spaniard.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Taylor questioned why Emery may not like the full-back.

“I feel like there are areas of Villa’s squad that they’ll look to strengthen. Right-back, I don’t feel like Emery fancies Matty Cash, which is bizarre because some people really rate him highly.

“I feel like he’s a bit Marmite. A lot of Villa fans actually don’t rate him, which I find quite surprising from the outside looking in.”

Does Cash suit Emery’s style?

Emery’s style throughout the years has required his fullbacks to be comfortable on the ball as well as defensively robust off it, and on the left side he brought in Alex Moreno from Real Betis as his first signing.

Moreno ranks highly in progressive carries and clearances as per FBref, highlighting why he may be a good fit for Emery’s Villa, and looking at other defenders he has managed, Cash may not be stylistically suitable.

When in charge at Villarreal, he would play Juan Foyth as a right-back, and the Argentinian ranks highly for pass completion and tackles, two metrics in which Cash ranks particularly low, and he may therefore be sacrificed for a fullback who can offer more in that regard.

Leeds United target Andoni Iraola appears to be keen to explore the Elland Road managerial vacancy, according to Phil Hay for The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Second approach?

The Whites have found it tough going in their search to replace Jesse Marsch, with Iraola a leading candidate. Sporting director Victor Orta flew to Spain looking to seal a deal for the Rayo Vallecano boss during the week, but as we know, he returned to England empty-handed.

Reports have suggested that the club could make a second approach for the 40-year-old, who appears to be open to the idea of moving to Yorkshire.

The Latest: Iraola interested in Leeds job

Hay shared a story for The Athletic on Saturday, looking at the club’s pursuit of a new manager.

When it came to Iraola, the reliable Leeds correspondent said: “Iraola has tried to be respectful to Rayo Vallecano and their president, Martin Presa, but he told his club that Leeds was an opportunity he wanted to explore and, if a final offer was there, an opportunity he was tempted to take.”

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The Verdict: Still possible?

It looks as if a move for Iraola could still be possible, although a release clause in his contract appears to be a potential stumbling block. However, if the Whites are adamant that he is their man, then perhaps a deal can be finalised, hopefully over the coming days.

Journalist Nick Emms has described the young manager as ‘fantastic’ and a ‘really exciting’ potential option at Elland Road, and with Iraola seemingly interested, you’d like to think that this managerial link could still have legs.

The job he has done with Rayo Vallecano is impressive, guiding them to fifth in the current La Liga table within two years of getting them promoted to the top flight.

Time is ticking with two crucial fixtures against Everton and Southampton to come, so the sooner that a new manager can be brought in the better – even if it is an interim boss, as has been speculated.

YouTuber Conor McGilligan has urged Leeds United to sign Azzedine Ounahi amid the current January transfer rumours linking him with a move to Elland Road.

What’s the word?

According to reliable transfer source Fabrizio Romano, the Whites are keen on a move for the Angers midfielder and ‘conversations’ are ongoing regarding a possible deal.

The reporter also claims that Napoli are keen on a move, but only in the summer, and so this could leave the door open for Leeds to pounce if they can offer enough money.

With that in mind, McGilligan has urged the club to just get it done and not worry too much about how much it will cost. While speaking about it all on the One Leeds Fan Channel, he said: “It’s key really for Leeds to get this one done, for me.

“The overspending thing is interesting. Listen, I understand that people don’t want us to overspend, but that’s not our problem. We don’t need to be getting flashbacks from the Ridsdale era. I think this is a little bit different, to be honest with you.

“So yeah, I’m really excited by this one. I hope we can get it done.”

Time to live the dream…

McGilligan refers to former chairman Peter Ridsdale, who mismanaged the club’s finances in the early 2000s, leaving the club in turmoil. He later admitted: “Should we have spent so heavily in the past? Probably not, but we lived the dream, we enjoyed the dream.”

However, now back in the Premier League, the Whites have shown a willingness to spend this winter already – paying notable fees for Maximilian Wober and Georginio Rutter.

As for Ounahi, he could boost in the region of €40m (£35.5m), if Angers’ reported demands are to be met this winter. It remains to be seen if Leeds feel the player is worth it but he could well be the difference between relegation and survival at the end of the season.

Leeds United added to their squad over the weekend by striking a club-record deal to sign winger Georginio Rutter from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim.

However, that was not the club’s only business that they completed last week as Victor Orta and Jesse Marsch also sanctioned an exit for Polish international Mateusz Klich.

The Whites allowed the veteran midfielder to join Major League Soccer outfit D.C. United on a free transfer and the club could look to bring in a replacement for him during the January transfer window.

Klich made 14 appearances off the bench during the first half of the campaign and this indicates that there is now a gap in the squad in that position heading into the second half of the season.

Earlier this month, Leeds were named as one of a number of Premier League clubs interested in a deal to sign Bristol City central midfielder Alex Scott, alongside the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton and Hove Albion, and AFC Bournemouth, and he could replace the 32-year-old at Elland Road.

The Telegraph’s John Percy has claimed that Wolverhampton Wanderers are particularly keen on a swoop for the gem but the Championship side’s £25m asking price could prove to be an issue for them.

Orta could now replace the departed Klich by securing a deal to sign Scott ahead of their top-flight rivals, as the 19-year-old has shown promise in the Championship this season.

Robins player pathway manager Brian Tinnion previously heaped praise on the talented youngster, saying:”His work rate and his desire to learn has been unbelievable.

“He has every single attribute you would want in a professional footballer. He can tackle, he’s great with both feet, he can head the ball, his delivery is good and his overall quality is great.’

“He lets his football do the talking and he’s getting better all the time. We are really excited about his future.”

These comments indicate that he is a player with big potential and his form this term backs that up.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.88 in the Championship and made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game, along with chipping in with four assists for his teammates, which shows that he is a tenacious midfield player who can also provide creativity at the top end of the pitch.

At the age of 19, Scott could arrive as a long-term addition to the side instead of someone who would be expected to make an immediate impact.

This means that he could be the perfect replacement for Klich as the maestro could take up the Polish gem’s role of being a substitute option, rather than replacing a regular starter, before working his way into the XI in the future.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was unable to continue his 100% record in the Premier League with the club as his side lost 3-1 to Liverpool on Boxing Day.

The Spaniard won his first two league matches in charge of the Villans, beating Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United before the break for the World Cup, but Jurgen Klopp’s side proved to be too much for them to handle.

Emery was let down by a few of his players on the night as Villa struggled to deal with the quality on display from the Merseyside giants and one dud, in particular, who failed to step up to the plate was Leon Bailey.

The Jamaican international only completed 43% of his attempted passes and lost 75% of his individual duels as he failed to make a positive impact on the game.

Bailey has scored four goals and assisted four in 33 Premier League matches since the start of last season and Emery may already be looking at him as a player to replace in the upcoming transfer window.

He has not produced consistent quality in the final third for the Villans and his display against Liverpool showed that he does not have the ability to be a difference-maker in the big matches, as the likes of Andy Robertson and Virgil van Dijk were able to keep him quiet with relative ease.

The Mirror recently reported that Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma is on the club’s radar and Emery could finally ditch Bailey by securing a deal to sign the Dutchman, who he worked with in Spain.

Former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips once described the Dutchman as a “nightmare” for defenders and claimed that he can “hurt” any defence on his day, whilst EFL Quest pundit Clinton Morrison dubbed him an “exceptional talent”.

These comments are backed up by his excellent form for Villarreal throughout the 2021/22 campaign as he plundered La Liga and the Champions League combined.

The gem, who has racked up 15 goals in 33 Championship matches, and this suggests that he would not need much time to adapt to playing in England.

His pre-existing relationship with Emery also means that he would not take long to adjust to playing under different tactics as he knows what the Spaniard wants from his players, which is another reason why the Dutchman could hit the ground running at Villa Park.

His statistics for Villarreal indicate that he would be a big upgrade on Bailey in terms of the end product that he can provide in the final third. He would offer a far greater goal threat than the former Bayer Leverkusen man and allow Emery to axe the dud by arriving in January.