Tottenham lead West Ham in £60m striker race as Newcastle United plot bargain midfielder raid

We begin Tuesday’s Premier League transfer rumour round-up with news of a three-way battle for Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi. According to a report from TEAMtalk, the Nigerian star is a target for high-flying top flight trio Tottenham, Newcastle United, and Aston Villa, who could all look to prise him away from the King Power Stadium during the January transfer window.

The 26-year-old is out of contract next summer, and could sign a pre-contractual agreement with a new club in the coming months, before leaving on a free transfer at the end of the season. Alongside Spurs, Newcastle, and Villa, it is also understood that Brentford are monitoring his situation, as are continental giants Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Lyon, and AS Monaco.

The 3AM Verdict: You could make a strong argument for all three of Spurs, Newcastle, and Villa requiring some kind of midfield reinforcement in the relatively near future, and they could certainly do worse than forcing through a swoop for Ndidi. The Nigerian was one of Leicester’s best performers in the Premier League, and has maintained his output despite having dropped down the Championship. Whoever wins the race for him will be pulling off a real coup, especially if they can get him on a free transfer.

Spurs lead Gimenez race

Elsewhere, renowned journalist Dean Jones has claimed that Tottenham are ahead of both West Ham and Fulham in the race for in-demand Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez. The Mexican sensation has hit 15 goals and three assists in 12 outings so far this season, and could be worth as much as £60 million to his current employers if they decide to sell him any time soon.

And according to Jones, Spurs could be his most likely destination if he decides on making a move to the Premier League. Speaking to GiveMeSport, he said: ‘Santiago Gimenez is causing all sorts of fuss at the moment, and a lot of recruitment teams across the Premier League are tracking his situation. From what I have been able to gather so far, a move to Tottenham would be a lot more plausible than a move to West Ham or Fulham because this is a player that is already used to the Champions League and feels he has a place at the very top of the game.’

The 3AM Verdict: It makes sense that a talent who is already playing at the level Gimenez is would be interested in signing for Spurs ahead of the likes of West Ham or Fulham. Ange Postecoglou’s men are on the march, and must surely represent an attractive prospect to just about any prospective acquisition at the present moment in time. Whether they will be willing to fork out £60 million on a striker in January remains to be seen, however, especially when the are ticking along quite nicely as things are.

Liverpool eye Kelly

And finally, Liverpool could look to make a move for Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly, according to Football Insider. The 25-year-old is out of contract on the south coast at the end of the season, and the Cherries may be forced to cash in on him before then to avoid the blow of losing a key asset on a free transfer.

As such, a January raid could very much be on the cards, with Jurgen Klopp reportedly keen to bolster his options at the back by parachuting in a versatile talent partway through the campaign. It is understood that Kelly has been a target at Anfield for some time now, with Tottenham also keeping tabs on the player.

The 3AM Verdict: This could be a great move for Liverpool. Kelly continues to prove that he is a top tier talent ready to take the next step in his career, and if he is available for a bargain fee in the winter widow, then it makes absolute sense that the Reds would try and cobble together a deal sooner rather than later.