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Nottingham Forest have come to life in the Premier League over the last few weeks with an impressive run of form that has seen them climb out of the relegation zone, however, a huge injury setback has now been revealed by a reliable source that will be troubling for Steve Cooper.

What’s the latest?

The Telegraph’s Midlands football reporter John Percy has confirmed that Dean Henderson will be out of action following a thigh injury sustained against Leicester City last weekend.

Percy tweeted:

“#nffc goalkeeper Dean Henderson set to miss 3-4 weeks with a thigh injury sustained in Leicester game on Sat. Wayne Hennessey expected to deputise but Forest may consider signing another goalkeeper.”

Cooper will be frustrated

There is no doubt that the latest injury blow to Henderson will be frustrating for Cooper as the side have finally hit a consistent and positive run of form of late and the Manchester United loanee has been a key player in the team’s rise up the table in recent weeks.

Although Forest have spent the majority of their campaign in the relegation zone, they are now 13th in the Premier League after picking up 10 points in their last five games, creating a five-point gap between themselves and the bottom three which is an incredibly impressive comeback ahead of the second half of the season.

The 26-year-old keeper is currently the fourth highest-rated player in the Forest squad and was integral in the club’s progression to the FA Cup semi-finals last week when he saved two of penalties in the shoot-out against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the City Ground.

Not only that, Henderson ranks seventh for shots saved and ranks fourth for aerial challenges won in the entire Premier League this season so far, proving that he has been an outstanding performer for the Trentside team.

Cooper will now need to rely on Wales international Wayne Hennessey to cover for the talented keeper should the club not dip into the market this month to strengthen the position whilst they have the opportunity to do so.

Hennessey has conceded seven goals over his four appearances for the Tricky Trees since joining in the summer, however, in his two appearances in the FA Cup the Welshman did keep two clean sheets so the manager will be hoping he can rely on the keeper to retain the positive momentum when they face Bournemouth this weekend.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see how the powers at the City Ground deal with the loss of Henderson and whether they will take advantage of the January transfer window to bring in another keeper to cover over the upcoming fixtures.

Crystal Palace are monitoring Almeria defender Sergio Akieme ahead of January, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Akieme profiled

The left-back made the £3m move from Barcelona last summer, but there’s already a strong chance that he could be heading for the exit door after just 18 months in southeast Spain amid fresh interest from England.

Despite the 25-year-old still having four years remaining on his deal in La Liga, he’s caught the eye of several potential suitors after an impressive start to the season under Rubi, which could see him make his way to the Premier League.

The Latest: Palace eyeing Akieme

According to Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo (via Sport Witness), Palace, Brighton and Everton are all eyeing Akieme, who could leave Almeria for a ‘very juicy amount’ should any of the trio ‘come seriously’ for his signature.

The full-back’s valuation is said to have increased to €7.5m (£6m), with Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman having no ‘problems’ affording this price.

The Madrid native ‘seems interested’ in moving to the top flight, and it’s believed that his club are already ‘targeting other players’ to find his replacement.

The Verdict: Mitchell alternative

Patrick Vieira only has Tyrick Mitchell at his disposal in the left-back position so cover is definitely needed, and Akieme would create excellent competition for places.

Barcelona B’s former star is an attacking player and likes to get down the flank with his pace, which is highlighted by his 11 assists and three goals throughout his fledgling career (Transfermarkt).

Akieme has been described as an ‘excellent signing’ by Xavi Garcia Pimienta, and for such a bargain price, Palace should splash the cash to secure his services in the New Year.

The January transfer window is fast approaching and Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte may be in the market to improve his squad heading into the second half of the season.

Spurs are currently sitting fourth in the Premier League table and the Italian head coach could bolster his side in an attempt to ensure that Champions League football is secured for another campaign.

However, he may also be on the lookout for signing for the future by snapping up young gems who could improve the starting XI in the long term.

The Sunday Mirror (via Glasgow Live) have claimed that Spurs sent scouts to watch Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Oscar Gloukh in action earlier this year and the club must now swoop for him in the January window.

Conte could land Tottenham their next version of world-class midfield talent Luka Modric by sealing a deal to sign the 18-year-old playmaker.

Spurs signed the Croatian international from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer of 2008 and the gem went on to score 17 goals and assist 26 in 160 matches for the club before signing for Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The mercurial magician has gone on to play 454 times for the La Liga outfit in all competitions, winning the Champions League five times and being crowned the best player in the world by winning the Ballon d’Or in 2018.

Modric is a central midfielder, who can also play in the no.10 role; one that can dictate the play with his immense ability on the ball and has the quality to make contributions in the final third – scoring 36 goals and providing 74 assists for Real Madrid to date.

Gloukh could be the next generational talent in the middle of the park to be unearthed by Tottenham as he has shown great promise in his short career to date.

Israeli journalist Nisim Haliva previously described him as a “mega talent”, whilst reporter Raphael Gellar hailed him as “the most exciting talent since Manor Solomon” in Israel.

This is backed up by his seven goals and five assists in 27 matches for Tel Aviv’s first-team despite only turning 18 in April of this year, whilst he has also scored once in two caps for his country.

Gloukh is making a huge impact at senior level, with four goals and five assists in 12 league appearances this season, at an incredibly young age and Spurs must now take a gamble on the teenager to see if they can develop him into being Modric 2.0 at the club.

Like the Croatian superstar, the Israel international can play as a no.8 or no.10 in midfield and has shown that he has the technical quality to be a difference-maker in the final third, although it is now down to him to prove that he can do it consistently at the very top level in order to replicate the ex-Tottenham man’s success.

Chelsea are still yet to fully take shape under Graham Potter; with the manager replacing Thomas Tuchel at the beginning of the season, the Blues are yet to truly find their feet under the reins of the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager.

What’s the talk?

The World Cup break couldn’t have come at a better time for the 47-year-old, who could not prevent a three-game skid before the midseason pause, with the defence no longer holding its formidable aura and the attack lacking oil.

Paying close attention to the esteemed competition, Potter will be delighted to witness the endeavours of touted titan Josko Gvardiol, who recently hinted at a desire to leave RB Leipzig in the near future, saying “maybe one day I will be [at Chelsea].”

With Chelsea interested, and Fabrizio Romano now tweeting that the player is set to depart Saxony in 2023, speculation is only set to intensify, with Potter facing a clash against Real Madrid to secure the signature.

In his tweet, the Italian transfer insider said: “Josko Gvardiol race, still open. He will get big transfer in 2023 – Chelsea are still working on the deal but there are other clubs interested, it’s not done yet… as Nkunku is. Been told release clause is not worth €45m.”

Ramos 2.0

Gvardiol’s efforts on the global stage are only illuminating the calibre of the “man mountain” – in the words of Ryan Taylor – who is steadily climbing the ladder toward prominence.

Such efforts have earned recognition, with the colossus being likened to coveted former Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos, with the player himself basing his game on the illustrious legend.

And there is certainly semblance between the two titans, with both adopting the full-back role during the early stage of their respective careers and both possessing technicality and flair that most central defenders can only dream of boasting.

With aggression and an innate ability to repel advances, Gvardiol might just succeed in emulating the coveted former Madridista, and with Los Blancos also eyeing his services, it appears president Florentino Perez shares this notion.

The 20-year-old, valued at an eye-watering £80m, would be worth every penny that Chelsea can offer, with his assurance and ability on the ball a telling sign that a career laden with trophies and individual accolades is set to follow in the 15-cap international’s wake.

The “monster”, as Romano proclaimed in an earlier tweet, recorded a triad of sterling showings in Qatar, an integral part in his nation’s two clean sheets in three matches, with the only goal shipping during the 4-1 victory over Canada.

As per Sofascore, Gvardiol recorded an average rating of 7.3, excelling with his 5.7 clearances and 1.7 interceptions per match, while also completing 90% of his passes.

Having made 19 appearances for Leipzig this term, Gvardiol is truly on the cusp of breaking into the upper end of the copious pool of defensive talent in world football, and at Chelsea he would be able to harness and nurture these abilities, perhaps emerging as the new Ramos as the next era of the sport dawns.

Celtic maintained their seven-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table with a 2-1 victory away to Motherwell on Wednesday evening, ensuring a third win of the season for Ange Postecoglou’s side against the Steelmen.

The away side had taken the lead through Kyogo Furuhashi after just 15 minutes following good work from the ever-impressive Matt O’Riley, with the playmaker shrugging off his recent Denmark snub to tee up his Japanese teammate after superbly winning the ball back inside the area.

The Old Firm outfit had looked to have extended that lead after the break following a sublime finish from talisman Jota, only for the goal to subsequently be ruled out for offside despite images appearing to show that the Portuguese starlet was in fact in an onside position.

The Scottish champions have no doubt been on the receiving end of some questionable VAR decisions of late – including the harsh handball call against Alexandro Bernabei last weekend – and there was further controversy to come late on, with Josh Morris somehow escaping a red card despite a reckless lunge on the returning Carl Starfelt.

Those decisions ultimately had no bearing on proceedings as Daizen Maeda then sealed the points just minutes later with a brilliant sliding finish, albeit with Steven Hammell’s side ensuring something of a nervy climax after hitting back soon after through Ross Tierney.

While much of the talk post-match will once again be centred around the potentially questionable officiating, there may well be frustration at the performance of a few of Postecoglou’s key individuals amid what was a below-par display from the Parkhead giants, with Liel Abada notably underwhelming from his wide berth.

The 21-year-old had potentially warranted a start after netting off the bench late on in the recent win over Dundee United, although it had been something of a bold call to bring the Israel international back into the side in place of Sead Haksabanovic, with the latter man having scored twice last Saturday.

The former Maccabi Petah Tikva man failed to take his chance on the right flank having notably made just 34 touches in his 60-minute outing before being hooked in favour of that man Haksabanovic, with that limited involvement seeing him make fewer touches than teammate Joe Hart (48).

Abada was also wasteful when he did have possession, having lost the ball on 12 occasions and enjoying a pass accuracy rate of just 73%. He also recorded just one dribble after offering little in an attacking sense on what was a ‘quiet night’ for the dynamic asset, in the words of Glasgow Live’s Ben Banks.

Such an anonymous display ultimately didn’t prove costly in what was an end-to-end affair, although Postecoglou will know his side can’t afford to carry any passengers if they are to maintain their imperious form after the upcoming World Cup break.

For all of Abada’s goalscoring brilliance again this season – with nine goals in 20 games in all competitions – this latest outing was a reminder that the youngster is still far from the finished article.

Tottenham Hotspur have been gifted a ‘huge boost’ after injury news on summer signing Richarlison, says Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Spurs worry…

The Brazil international, after Spurs’ last Premier League encounter against Everton, was pictured leaving the stadium on crutches whilst also appearing very emotional.

Richarlison was hauled off with a calf strain mid-way through Tottenham’s 2-0 victory over the Toffees on Saturday with fears then emerging over his possible exclusion from Brazil’s 2022 World Cup squad.

Alas, those worries were put to bed by the forward himself, who took to social media and explained the ‘big scare’ was over and he may be back in just two weeks.

The Latest: Robinson thrilled…

After his development, former Lilywhites goalkeeper Robinson has explained his delight, calling it a ‘huge boost’ for Tottenham and manager Antonio Conte.

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He explained via Football Insider:

“At first, I feared the worst.

“It looks as if it will be two weeks though and he will be fit for the World Cup which is massive for him personally.

“It is a huge boost for Spurs as well because they are in the middle of a busy period. Richarlison seemed to have got himself a regular starting spot in the team.

“There is cover for him in that area. [Dejan] Kulusevski has been injured but Lucas Moura can play there or they can put [Yves] Bissouma in and move to a midfield three.

“I like it when they play that way. It allows [Pierre-Emile] Hojbjerg to push further forward. The manager has options.

“It is a relief Richarlison is not as bad as first thought though.”

The Verdict: Fantastic…

The 25-year-old has quickly established himself as a Spurs favourite among the fandom with some passionate showings and impressive performances on the pitch.

Richarlison should be handed the chance to represent Brazil at next month’s World Cup so this injury update comes as a fantastic bit of news.

The former Watford star has grabbed two goals and three assists at N17 already and his international record is pretty impressive, having notched 16 goals in 37 caps for Brazil.

Spurs supporters will be excited to see their man potentially represent one of football’s most successful ever sporting nations.

According to The Telegraph journalist John Percy, Julen Lopetegui has decided he will not take up the vacant manager role at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Lowdown: Lopetegui’s managerial career

After a three-year period in charge at Sevilla, the 56-year-old was sacked by the Spanish club just last week.

Across 170 fixtures under Lopetegui, the La Liga outfit averaged 1.85 points per match, having finished third in the 2019/20 campaign and fourth in the back-to-back subsequent seasons.

However, due to Sevilla’s disappointing start to the new season, which saw them sat 17th in the league table, Lopetegui was dismissed after his side lost 4-1 to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last week.

The Latest: Percy’s news

Having held talks with Wolves over their vacant manager role, Percy has now shared a significant update on the Old Gold’s search for a new head coach.

Taking to Twitter, The Telegraph journalist revealed they will talk to other candidates imminently:

“As per Guillem Balague, Julen Lopetegui has reluctantly decided that he will not be taking over at Wolves, following talks over the last 24 hours. Wolves were informed this afternoon and are respectful of the decision. Club will now approach other candidates later this week.”

According to BBC Sport, the 56-year-old’s elderly father is unwell and that played an important part in his decision.

The Verdict: Blow for Wolves

Following Bruno Lage’s dismissal, Lopetegui was Wolves’ first choice option to take on the job.

Represented by agent Jorge Mendes, the appointment would have made sense due to his association with the Midlands club, which has seen a vast number of his clients make the move to the Wanderers.

Having to respect the former Sevilla coach’s decision, Wolves must now act quickly as they look to bring in a replacement to Molineux.

The club sit inside the relegation zone of the Premier League table, having recently just lost 3-0 to Chelsea under interim bosses Steve Davis and James Collins.

Fulham have made contact to sign Inter Milan defender Stefan De Vrij next summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Attracting interest

The centre-back will be out of contract with the Italian giants in 2023, and the fact that he could available on a free at the end of the season has alerted several Premier League clubs.

Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have both been credited with an interest in the 30-year-old, though a new name has now entered the fold in the race for his services, and it’s coming from Craven Cottage.

The Latest: Fulham eyeing De Vrij

According to FC Inter News (via Sport Witness), Fulham have ‘contacted the entourage’ of De Vrij, and are ‘ready to move’ for him should he not agree to fresh terms with Inter.

The Dutchman is believed to ‘still prefer’ to remain in the Serie A, though the club have ‘frozen all talk’ of a new deal, which has now ‘opened the door’ for Marco Silva’s side, who are considered a ‘valid track’.

It’s stated that the Cottagers have the sufficient ‘money to invest’ and could offer their target ‘important sums’ to entice him to England.

The Verdict: Massive coup

If Fulham could pull off the signing of De Vrij, it would be a massive coup for everyone associated with the club given the profile of player he is.

The 6 foot 2 star, who Antonio Conte once said was ‘like Bonucci’, has Champions League experience under his belt and has made a name for himself on the world stage.

Knowing that he would be a guaranteed starter would surely give the Cottagers the advantage over their fellow competitors, so this will definitely be one to watch in the months ahead.

Everton have ‘asked’ about the availability of Leeds United winger Daniel James, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Looking for an attacker

Following the departure of star forward Richarlison earlier in the window, the Toffees have been hard at work searching for a possible replacement.

Having already brought Burnley winger Dwight McNeil to Goodison Park, Blues boss Frank Lampard remains in the market for up to three more attackers before Thursday’s transfer deadline approaches (via GiveMeSport).

This signing looks all the more necessary with Anthony Gordon asking the club to sanction his move to Chelsea, amid talk of a £50m plus £10m bid being made for the 21-year-old.

The Latest: Romano’s news

With Everton still in the market, Romano has name-dropped Daniel James as a possible Gordon replacement for the Toffees, with the club having made an enquiry for the Wales international.

Taking to Twitter, the reliable journalist claimed:

“Tottenham have discussed potential loan with buy option for Daniel James with Leeds last week — not an easy deal, also Everton asked for Dan.

“Situation remains open, it’s up to the player — Leeds would be happy to keep James.”

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The Verdict: Surprising target

In 34 Premier League appearances last season, the 24-year-old bagged four goals and five assists, elsewhere failing to contribute in front of goal when playing in the EFL and FA Cups.

James was awarded a 6.64 average match rating for last year’s league campaign; his score placing him in the bottom ten players out of the entire Leeds squad.

However, the attacker still fleetingly demonstrates the same promise which initially earned him his move to Manchester United in 2019.

Having clocked a top speed of 35.1km/h in the Premier League last season, James ranks in the top eight percent for pressures made by wingers across Europe over the past year (via FBRef) – something Gordon also excels at.

Earlier this year, pundit Micah Richards hailed the forward for his performance against Aston Villa in which the Welshman netted two goals, calling the youngster ‘outstanding’.

If Frank Lampard thinks he can get the best out of James and utilise his speed and work rate the same way he does with Gordon, this seems like a no brainer for the Toffees on a possible loan to buy deal.

Sport Italia TV journalist Gianluigi Longari has shared a teasing Tottenham Hotspur transfer update after a meeting ‘in London’ over Nicolo Zaniolo.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye Zaniolo move…

The Lilywhites have been repeatedly mentioned alongside the AS Roma star this summer as sporting director Fabio Paratici keeps chasing more new addition for the Premier League club.

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte has been well and truly backed already in the transfer market, with a host of new signings in Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence all putting pen to paper.

As per reports, Zaniolo has been widely tipped to potentially follow them and become yet another Paratici capture.

The Latest: Longari shares teasing update…

Transfer reporter Longari has now shared his own news on Spurs’ chances of signing the Italy international.

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Indeed, taking to social meda, the journalist claims that talks are well and truly ‘on’ after a meeting ‘in London’ between the Lilywhites and Roma director Tiago Pinto.

When asked for a Spurs update on Zaniolo, Longari explained: “Talks on with Tiago Pinto, he was in London on Thursday”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Reports have suggested that Roma will demand around £50m to sanction the 23-year-old’s exit to Spurs.

Given the 23-year-old’s ability, we believe that Paratici and co should at least consider an offer in and around that mark.

As per WhoScored, no Roma or Spurs player completed more successful take-ons per 90 or attracted more fouls than Zaniolo domestically last season.

The numbers are an indicator of his obvious ability, and the Serie A starlet would surely be a welcome addition at N17.