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Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman endured a frustrating January transfer window as the club lost Ellis Simms – who returned to Everton – and striker Ross Stewart was ruled out for the rest of the season.

Despite losing their two senior options through the middle of the pitch, the Black Cats were only able to bring in one striker as they signed Joe Gelhardt on loan from Leeds.

The 20-year-old has scored once in six Championship starts to date and it remains to be seen whether his presence will be enough to mitigate the losses of Simms and Stewart.

Sunderland have not always had the best of luck with signing new centre-forwards over the years and one attacker who ended up being a flop was Fabio Borini, who joined from Liverpool in 2015.

How did Fabio Borini perform at Sunderland?

The Italian forward had already enjoyed a sensational season on loan from Anfield at the Stadium of Light in the 2013/14 campaign. He struck seven times in 32 Premier League appearances and managed three goals in five League Cup outings – including the opening goal of the final in a 3-1 loss to Manchester City.

His impressive form on Wearside led to Liverpool giving him another chance in 2014/15 but the attacker only played 12 times in the league for the Reds with that opening up the door for the Black Cats to bring him back.

In the summer of 2015, then-Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat snapped him up on a permanent deal in a package worth £10m, including £8m up front, in the hope that the dynamo could recapture the form he displayed on loan at the club.

Instead, the striker had a fairly underwhelming campaign in 2015/16, scoring five goals and averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.70 – ranking him 15th in the squad – in 26 outings.

The 5 foot 11 forward followed that up by scoring just twice in 24 Premier League outings – averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.69 – in 2016/17 as the Black Cats were relegated from the top flight.

Sunderland’s relegation to the Championship ultimately resulted in the one-time Italy international leaving to join AC Milan on loan for the 2017/18 campaign.

At the time of his loan exit, journalist Josh Bunting criticised his dismal performances for the Black Cats, Tweeting: “When Borini wants to be good he is but his attitude is all wrong gave up last season, Serie A also suits him much better than the Prem.”

After a year with the Italian giants, in which he scored twice again – this time in 29 league matches –  Borini then signed for Milan on a permanent basis for £5m.

As a result, it’s evident that Advocaat had a shocker by signing the forward in 2015. The Italian flop struggled in both of his two full Premier League seasons with the club before leaving for half of the total package they paid for him, with that a marker of the poor deal they got both from a footballing and a financial perspective.

Arsenal have been considering a swoop for West Ham United captain Declan Rice this summer and could further enhance their thriving midfield by acquiring one of the Premier League’s most coveted players.

What’s the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

The 24-year-old emerged as Arsenal’s top target last month, with the Hammers previously accepting defeat in their wishes to tie down their prized asset to a new long-term deal.

According to football.london, the Gunners could look to abandon their interest in Borussia Dortmund’s touted prodigy Jude Bellingham after concerns over the finances involved in securing his signature, with Rice – who is valued at £70m by the Irons – considered the dream alternative.

With the England midfielder out of contract in east London at the end of next season, Arsenal’s technical director Edu could even look to lower that price and strike a relative bargain for the phenomenon.

Could Rice really be Arsenal’s answer to Casemiro?

Mikel Arteta’s reign at Arsenal has not been without its criticisms and concerns over his ability to lead the club back into eminence among Europe’s elite, but with the Gunners topping the Premier League table and performing at a level unseen in many years at the Emirates Stadium, his standing is solidified.

Should he be granted his wish in luring Rice to north London, the club’s chances of not only maintaining their current course but scaling even greater heights would likely increase further.

As per Sofascore, the 24-year-old has recorded an average league rating of 7.25 this term, the highest of any player in David Moyes’ squad by a long stretch.

Dubbed a “force of nature” by journalist Rob Blanchette, Rice’s prospective arrival at the Emirates could be the perfect answer to Manchester United’s £70m summer acquisition of Casemiro (the same amount at which the Englishman is valued by West Ham), who has been said to operate on a “different level” according to journalist Liam Canning.

Given Rice’s consistently superlative showings, it would unquestionably be a signing which could bolster Arteta’s midfield significantly, providing a new dimension to protect the defence and recycle possession at a level which would be the envy of other teams, with the 39-cap England star lauded as “world class” by writer Toby Cudworth for his herculean efforts at the London Stadium.

By looking at the transformative impact that Casemiro has made on Erik ten Hag’s United team, such progress is something that Edu will hope could be replicated to greater effect if Rice moves to the Emirates.

Indeed, the Red Devils now have one eye on the league title as opposed to fighting for a top-four finish, and the 31-year-old’s integral role has been easily discernible, completing 78.7% of his passes in the Premier League and also averaging 3.2 tackles and 0.9 key passes per game, as per WhoScored.

Comparatively, the West Ham machine has made 2.1 tackles and 1.3 key passes per top-flight outing, also completing a remarkable 89.5% of his passes, despite his team being embroiled in a relegation dogfight. One can only where the Irons would be without his attributes to call upon.

While Thomas Partey currently anchors the Arsenal midfield with assurance, the £60k-per-week Rice is an object of desire for virtually all of the Premier League’s leading lights. With the north London giants enjoying a discernible rise after years of languishing in mediocrity, such a move might just materialise for the 24-year-old.

While Casemiro has been exemplary for the Red Devils, the Arsenal faithful could bask in the potential signing of a midfielder who could potentially be every bit as transformative for their team as the Brazilian has been at Old Trafford.

Conor McGilligan has slammed Leeds United’s Illan Meslier for his lack of ability in claiming crosses and having poor decision-making.

The Lowdown: A dip in quality will be a concern

In the past, Meslier has been linked with a move away from Leeds with clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur said to be circling around the young French shot-stopper.

However, while Leeds themselves haven’t been great in general currently engulfed in their second successive relegation battle, Meslier hasn’t covered himself in glory recently either.

The French goalkeeper was caught out in Michael Skubala’s final game in charge against Everton as Seamus Coleman netted at his near post which had been vacated, and was also questionably far off of his line for Palhinha’s goal in the FA Cup on Tuesday night.

The Lates: Meslier not as good as some may believe

McGilligan has admitted on his YouTube channel that he’s one of a few Leeds fans that haven’t been convinced by Meslier past his great ability to be a top shot-stopper.

He said: (18:20) “I’m not 100% sure he’s having the best season, I don’t think he is whatsoever, but I don’t know what we can expect in terms of where we are as a club position-wise, we’ve got the third stand-in French goalkeeper in Illan Meslier.

“I’ve never been 100% convinced on him. I think he’s a really good shot-stopper, I think he’s poor from crosses and I think his decision-making is poor but overall I think he’s a decent keeper.”

The Verdict: Leeds will do well to keep Meslier

If a club such as Spurs are looking at Meslier then Leeds will indeed do very well to fend off top-four suitors, especially one that would likely receive a ringing endorsement from someone who’s likely a hero to him in the form of Hugo Lloris.

Meslier has been an ever-present under the three coaches at Leeds this season and since becoming the Whites’ number one during their Premier League return he’s been able to prove he’s a suitable keeper at this level.

Given that Leeds are struggling for the second season in a row would suggest that their crop of players aren’t necessarily good enough to be performing in the Premier League, so Leeds will need Meslier to keep performing at his own top level because he may be seen as a sellable asset if the Whites were to be relegated.

Manchester United sent scouts to watch RB Salzburg forward Benjamin Sesko on Sunday, 90min report.

The Lowdown: Hat-trick in seven minutes

Sesko, who Ryan Taylor has described as a “generational talent”, actually started the game against Rapid Vienna on the bench.

However, the 19-year-old came on for the second half and netted a hat-trick in just seven minutes to secure the three points for Salzburg. The three goals took his tally to 11 in 30 games for 2022/23, and it looks as if United are one of many tracking the Slovenia international.

The Latest: United update

90min provided an update on Sesko in the last 48 hours, where the Red Devils were named.

They claimed that United sent scouts to watch the forward in action, with those at Old Trafford still seeing the player as a potential target despite the fact Sesko will join RB Leipzig in the summer.

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The Verdict: Future signing?

Erik ten Hag could really do with a marquee attacker signed this summer due to Anthony Martial’s injury issues, but it doesn’t look as if that will be Sesko, who is set to move to Germany with Leipzig.

Therefore, he could be viewed as a future signing at Old Trafford, provided he goes from strength to strength in the Bundesliga.

Reports back in the summer claimed that United made an offer for Sesko, so hopefully, the club may get another chance to make their move for the forward, and his name will be one to keep an eye on over the year, especially with comparisons already being made to Erling Haaland.

Newcastle United are likely to sign a new left-back in the summer transfer window with Dan Burn currently playing out of position.

Since PIF took over on Tyneside, the Magpies have brought in two permanent signings at left-back in Matt Targett and Dan Burn.

Targett joined initially on loan from Aston Villa, but his stay was made permanent last summer, however, he has had his struggles since with Burn keeping him out of the starting XI.

And although Burn has racked up the majority of the starts under Eddie Howe at left-back, he is naturally a centre-back who has been shifted out of position.

Speaking on the Let's Talk Football show, insider Jacque Talbot has claimed the Magpies will be looking to bring in a more natural option at left-back in the summer:

(11:35) "I've just remembered, as well, we've got Dan Burn playing at left-back at the moment. I'm not sure whether that is part of the formula where they make a three and Trippier goes up.

"But possibly another left-back. More than likely another left-back I feel."

Do Newcastle need a new left-back?

On the other side of the defence is Kieran Trippier who has proven to be an incredibly shrewd piece of business by the Magpies with the 32-year-old having racked up eight assists this season.

However, at left-back, Burn has struggled to provide much of an attacking threat with the Blyth-born defender yet to register a single assist this season. However, he has played the third most amount of minutes.

Reports have emerged recently suggesting a move for Arsenal's Kieran Tierney could be a potential option for the Toon in the summer.

He would certainly provide Howe with a more natural fit at left-back and could help strengthen their depth at centre-back by freeing Burn of the responsibility on the left.

However, the Scotsman would arrive on Tyneside with his own baggage having had an incredibly difficult time in north London as a result of his injury issues.

And due to his inability to remain fit for a prolonged period of time, Tierney's returns over the years at Arsenal are unlikely to impress the Newcastle fans.

Given Burn's attacking threat is virtually nil, it does seem as if Dan Ashworth could be right in looking to strengthen their left-back options.

But considering Newcastle are a side who have suffered heavily from injury issues, it will be interesting to see if Tierney's record proves off-putting for the Toon.

Journalist Phil Hay believes Wolves will have no chance of winning any potential appeal on Jonny’s latest red card.

The Lowdown: Wolves would be wasting their time

A lot of journalists and fans connected to Wolves felt that, once again, decisions didn’t go their way during their latest defeat, which was a 4-2 thumping at Molineux.

Wolves will likely believe they should’ve had a penalty go their way when Junior Firpo appeared to kick Nelson Semedo, but that wasn’t all as Jonny’s yellow card was upgraded to a red before referee Michael Salisbury did the unusual thing of going over to the monitor and not overturning his decision to allow Leeds their late goal.

Julen Lopetegui spoke post-match and he was visibly angered and frustrated by the decisions about how Wolves would be looking to appeal Jonny’s red card – which may be quite ludicrous given the nature of the tackle.

The Latest: Jonny was rightfully sent off

Leeds United reporter Hay spoke on The Phil Hay Show about how Wolves would not have a chance of getting Jonny’s red card rescinded.

He said: “Lopetegui said afterwards [they] might appeal the Jonny red card. They’ve not a chance that gets overturned, absolutely no chance.

“That is studs-up, it’s through Ayling’s shin. If you look at the replay, it clearly bends his leg. That is not ever getting overturned, that is a clear, clear red card and there’s no dispute about it.”

The Verdict: Lopetegui could spend his time far more wisely

Wolves were indeed up in arms about the decisions which didn’t go their way as they were slightly controversial, however, if they didn’t allow the likes of Ayling to be free at the back post and Rasmus Kristensen to ghost into the box and score, they wouldn’t have needed these decisions to go their way.

Lopetegui should be focusing on how his side have conceded six goals in their last two matches and left themselves with mountains to climb in each game instead of debating what would surely be a frivolous appeal over a red card.

The Midlands outfit boast some top-quality talent in the form of Ruben Neves, Matheus Nunes and Matheus Cunha, but if they continue to worry about officials instead of what they’re doing on the pitch, relegation could become a very real possibility.

Leeds United were in desperate need of a new defensive midfielder following Kalvin Phillips' move to Manchester City in the summer and it now seems that Victor Orta struck gold again with his signing of Marc Roca.

How much is Marc Roca worth now?

The Spaniard was once lauded as the heir to Xabi Alonso at Bayern Munich but Orta was able to prise him away from the Allianz Arena for just £10m in the summer transfer window, and he has been a mainstay at Elland Road ever since.

In 23 Premier League appearances, the 26-year-old has contributed one goal and two assists from midfield, averaging a solid, if unspectacular, 6.55 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

While this only ranks him as the 13th-best player at the Yorkshire club so far this campaign, he ranks in the top ten Leeds players for tackles, interceptions, shots and key passes per game, which highlights his role as an all-rounder in the Whites' midfield.

Considering this is Roca's first season in English football, he has not looked out of place at all in the Premier League and will be hoping to go from strength to strength under his Spanish compatriot Javi Gracia, as he looks to help Leeds avoid relegation back to the Championship.

The former Espanyol man was praised by ESPN editor David Cartlidge on Twitter ahead of his move to Leeds in the summer last year.

He said: "Was on the verge of something very special with the right next move. Ridiculously talented player but lack of physical/athletic ability will/has put so many off."

Fans may have noticed Roca's struggles from a physical point of view, as only Junior Firpo has been dribbled past more in Leeds' squad so far this term, but his impressive ability on the ball suggests that the Yorkshire outfit need to find a way of getting the best out of him in midfield, without leaving him exposed defensively.

Fortunately for the Whites, the defensive midfielder is still only 26 and his style of play suggests that he could still do a job for Leeds in another decade's time, as we have seen with prominent Spanish midfielders such as Alonso, Sergio Busquets and Xavi in the past.

There is no doubt that if Leeds did opt to cash in on Roca, they could make a profit, as his market value has shot up during his time at Elland Road, with Transfermarkt now valuing him at €15m (£13.2m) compared to just €7m (£6.2m) less than a year ago, which represents an impressive 113% increase as a marker of his improvement.

Therefore, Orta deserves credit for his impressive transfer business once again, with Leeds fans now hoping that Roca can prove himself as a good footballing signing as well as a good financial one.

Journalist Charles Watts was left blown away by the performance of Arsenal transfer target Declan Rice in the most recent England match.

What’s the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

Earlier this week, the Three Lions travelled to Italy and came away with all three points in their Euro 2024 qualifying match in a narrow 2-1 victory.

Understandably, much of the talk post-game has been about Harry Kane, who netted the second goal of the match to become England's all-time top scorer.

However, it was West Ham United star Rice who opened the scoring, and it seemed as though he really stood out for Watts. Indeed, with the midfielder linked with a summer move to Arsenal, the journalist outlined his thoughts on the possible deal.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: "He was so good in that game, especially in the first half when he absolutely ran the show in Naples. Second half, not quite so dominant and Italy played a lot better, but I still thought Declan Rice was good.

"And I was just watching that game yesterday, I was thinking he would be such a fantastic signing for Arsenal if it does happen this summer.

"It's not going to be easy, going to cost a lot of money. We've heard time and time again from West Ham in the build-up to this summer that it's going to take a British record transfer fee to sign Declan Rice.

"Now, whether that actually is the case, again, we'll have to wait and see. I'm pretty sure that we're going to try and get him for a lot cheaper than that considering he’ll only have, I think, a year left on his deal at the end of the season."

How good was Declan Rice against Italy?

To be fair, it seems Watts wasn't the only one impressed with Rice as journalist Jacob Steinberg handed the Englishman an eight out of ten in The Guardian player ratings for his efforts.

He noted: "The West Ham captain answered criticism from Graeme Souness by opening the scoring. He later produced a superb tackle to deny [Nicolo] Barella. Furious to be booked for time-wasting. Stood firm when England were under the cosh."

Souness had suggested that Rice needed to score more goals to prove himself as a top midfielder – to which Rice replied, calling the comments "harsh" before then netting against Italy.

There is a feeling that the West Ham man is particularly keen to come and play for Mikel Arteta at Arsenal as he is a big fan of the Spaniard and it's not hard to see why the Gunners are hoping to land the player, either, after he showed his talents in this most recent game.

However, a deal might not be easy as West Ham are said to want more than £100m for the player who no doubt also demand a major boost in wages compared to the current reported £60,000 he earns per week.

Chelsea are expected to make contact with Mauricio Pochettino over the coming days as their search for their next permanent manager rolls on.

Could Chelsea land Pochettino?

The Argentine manager has now been available since leaving his post with Paris Saint-Germain last summer but is garnering attention from elsewhere.

London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, have also been credited with an interest in their former manager, although there are believed to be some reservations behind the scenes.

But it is apparent large sections of their fans would like to see the 51-year-old make his return to N17 as they sang his name from the stands on Monday night.

The Argentine has a big affiliation with Chelsea's rivals so it would be intriguing to see whether that could potentially get in the way of a potential move to Stamford Bridge.

However, there is also the matter of the potential opening at Real Madrid in the summer in which Pochettino is believed to be one. of the main candidates ahead of the summer.

Speaking to NBC Sports, David Ornstein has claimed he now expects contact to ramp up between the Blues and managerial candidates with the 51-year-old being one of them:

(0:30) "There will be contact with a number of others as well, such as Mauricio Pochettino. And those contacts are now starting to be initiated as Chelsea look to move on.

"And the reason they want to move on is because of the potential competition. Tottenham Hotspur are also looking for a manager, Paris Saint-Germain could be in the market in not too long too. Real Madrid possibly at the end of the season.

"And from what we hear the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Julian Nagelsmann may be interested in the Real Madrid post. So I think Chelsea are trying to steal a march on their rivals."

Would Pochettino be a good appointment for Chelsea?

What the Argentine would have going in his favour is his knowledge of the Premier League having spent over five years in London with Spurs.

And in that time he was able to develop Spurs into a consistent top-four side who were challenging for trophies over the course of his reign.

However, the main issue many Chelsea fans will likely have is that the Argentine was not able to get Spurs over the line in terms of trophies with his tenure effectively proving fruitless despite their respective achievements.

Another potential concern that may be evident for some is that Pochettino has proven himself to be somewhat of a project manager having looked to develop talent at Spurs with the funds not widely available over his time at the club.

And as Graham Potter has found out, time is not on your side as the Chelsea manager with Todd Boehly clearly looking for quick success after the money he has spent.

Pochettino – hailed a "master tactician" by BBC's Mina Rzouki – previously managed a side full of superstars during his time at PSG and his tenure will probably go down as mediocre with Lille winning Ligue 1 in his first season.

So it will be intriguing to see whether Pochettino would be open to a potential move to Stamford Bridge and whether the vacancy would even prove to be something that would appeal to a manager like the Argentine.

Tottenham Hotspur are unexpected to hand Harry Winks an opportunity to return to the fold over the summer when he returns from his loan spell in Italy.

How has Winks performed out on loan?

The Englishman was handed an opportunity last summer to leave his boyhood club in search of more frequent minutes playing first-team football.

And he took the opportunity to leave the country and joined Sampdoria until the end of the 2022/23 campaign, but it hasn't been plain sailing.

The 27-year-old arrived at the Italian outfit with a niggling injury issue which saw him sit out until after the turn of the year (via Transfermarkt).

Indeed, the ankle issue was so severe it saw him forced to undergo surgery, meaning his debut for Sampdoria did not come until the middle of January.

However, his arrival in the side has seen its own issues with the Serie A strugglers having only won one of the 12 games in which Winks has featured as they look set for relegation.

And speaking on The Tottenham Way podcast, journalist Tom Barclay has claimed the 27-year-old is unlikely to have a future in north London; even if Mauricio Pochettino was to return:

(39:45) "I think he'll be looking for a new club. Some people have sort of talked about if [Mauricio] Pochettino were to come back, given what he thinks of Harry Winks, would there be an opportunity? But I understand that he's probably going to be looking for a new club in the summer."

Do Spurs need midfielders over the summer?

Tottenham are expected to make some moves in the summer transfer window for an additional midfielder on the back of their struggles this campaign.

Injuries have not been kind to the north London side this season with both Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma suffering major injuries which have curtailed their campaigns.

So, in theory, there could well be an opportunity for the £50k-per-week ace to stake a claim for a spot in the Tottenham side for the new campaign with a different manager set to be appointed over the summer.

However, it seems as if the 27-year-old has used up all of his opportunities at Spurs and will be forced to look elsewhere when the summer window opens.

Former manager and reported contender for the vacancy at Spurs, Mauricio Pochettino, hailed Winks as "amazing" during his time in north London but his returns this season have been far from that.

The 27-year-old ranks in the bottom 44th percentile for his pass completion rate with his defensive returns also leaving a lot to be desired with only 1.68 tackles per 90 minutes (via FBref).

When Winks returns to north London he will have one-year remaining on his deal with Spurs and it seems as if he may be best to leave his suitcase packed as he may not be around for much longer as a Spurs player.