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Chelsea have sent officials to watch Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa ahead of a potential summer move to the Premier League, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Options being assessed

The Stamford Bridge outfit’s current shot-stopping options, Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga, both have contracts that aren’t set to expire until 2025, but Graham Potter and Todd Boehly are reportedly already considering their long-term goalkeeping situation.

The Portuguese international was given the nod to represent his country at the World Cup late last year and now appears to have caught the eye of the Blues thanks to the standard of his performances in Qatar.

The Latest: Chelsea scouting Costa

According to 90min, Chelsea have been ‘scouting’ Costa, with representatives from the capital having been ‘in the stands’ to watch him in action in ‘recent weeks’.

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have also been following the 23-year-old, and the Blues’ recruitment team have simultaneously been identifying options already in the top flight should a move fail to materialise.

Everton’s Jordan Pickford, Brentford’s David Raya and Brighton’s Robert Sanchez are the three names to be mentioned, with the latter holding an existing connection to Potter from his time on the south coast.

The Verdict: No-brainer

Costa has been described as ‘superman’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and Chelsea pursuing a deal for him this summer is a no-brainer of a decision to make.

The 6 foot 1 star has kept a mightily impressive ten clean sheets in 19 Liga Portugal appearances so far this season and knows what it takes to be successful having won five senior titles during his time at the Estadio do Dragao.

Costa also shares the same agent as Joao Felix which could potentially give the SW6 outfit the advantage in the race for his signature come the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

Journalist Alasdair Gold has been left exasperated by Tottenham Hotspur after their “horrendous” loss completed a “mad week” at the club which was dominated by injuries.

What’s the latest Spurs injury news?

On the Sunday before last, Spurs picked up an impressive three points at home against the reigning champions. Since then, however, things have not gone so well.

Manager Antonio Conte was already absent from that win and has since admitted that he is yet to fully recover from emergency gallbladder surgery.

On top of that, the club have been hit by an incredibly unfortunate spate of key injuries. Indeed, goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is set to be out for six to eight weeks with a knee injury; Rodrigo Bentancur is out for the rest of the season after picking up an ACL injury; Yves Bissouma has had issues too, facing seven weeks on the sidelines; while Ryan Sessegnon is reportedly out for six weeks with a hamstring problem.

Amid all that, Spurs travelled away from home to play Leicester City in the Premier League on the weekend and were soundly beaten by the Foxes 4-1.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Gold couldn’t hide his emotions as he explained: “I’ve covered this club for more than half a decade now, we’re approaching seven years.

“I have had to report a lot of weird things, a lot of stupid decisions made, a lot of bad luck.

“I don’t think I’ve ever kind of had to report on such a mad week in terms of just disaster after disaster unfolding, and topped off by an absolutely horrendous performance that there were no real excuses for whatsoever.”

What do these injury updates mean for Spurs?

With Spurs pushing for a spot in the top four, their loss to Leicester City will have come as a major setback as it leaves them fifth, two points behind Newcastle United despite having played one more game than the Magpies.

What’s more, they started that game with Bentancur who proved his importance to the team by actually opening the scoring. He then came off with his injury after 65 minutes and won’t be able to help the club steady the ship for some time now.

Things might not get any easier for the club this week either as they have a Champions League match against AC Milan with Conte’s other key midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg suspended for the trip to the San Siro.

All in all, Spurs could be set for a rough period as they look to adapt to all these recent setbacks with their manager still recovering from his own health issues.

West Brom are set to be missing Australia international Tom Rogic for their Championship clash with Blackburn Rovers this evening.

The Lowdown: Baggies flying…

The Baggies, after appointing Carlos Corberan to replace Steve Bruce, have been flying in England’s second tier and are in real contention for Premier League promotion.

West Brom have won ten out of 13 league matches since Corberan’s appointment, prompting interest from out-of-manager Leeds United in the Spaniard.

In a boost for the Midlands side, Corberan opted against pursuing a move to Elland Road and instead committed his future at West Brom last week.

The Latest: West Brom team news before Rovers…

Relaying the latest team news before a crunch encounter with Blackburn, journalist Lewis Cox has shared what Corberan has said in regards to who will be available.

Kyle Bartley has suffered an injury setback, and alongside the Englishman, Rogic is also out with a hamstring issue.

Cox explained:

“Just been to see Carlos Corberan. Kyle Bartley out for another 5-6 weeks after scan outcome on quad injury. Another setback for the centre-back.

“Tom Rogic also misses Blackburn tomorrow with hamstring issue. Latter not serious.”

The Verdict: Setback for Corberan?

As West Brom look to put their recent losses against Burnley and Birmingham City behind them, not having Rogic or Bartley still does come as a dampener.

In the case of Rogic, Celtic’s former star could’ve provided an injection of quality as a back-up option.

The 30-year-old, since signing as a free agent in the summer, has contributed to West Brom’s promotion push with three assists and a goal in 13 appearances overall (WhoScored).

Corberan has also raved over the ‘excellent’ midfielder when he has played this season, even if the manager has occasionally left Rogic out of the squad.

Having the ex-SPFL sensation as an option off the bench would have been ideal but it appears West Brom won’t have that luxury tonight.

Liverpool are set to have a transformative transfer window in the summer with a crop of players either out of contract or not performing at the high levels needed for the club to compete for more trophies and success in the future.

The Reds are currently eighth in the Premier League table after a poor start to their campaign, however, following their victory over Newcastle United on Saturday the side are now only six points adrift from a Champions League qualifying spot inside the top four.

Indeed, the performances are starting to improve on the pitch with several players returning from injuries including Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk but the Liverpool hierarchy will surely be preparing for the next transfer window after failing to reinvest in the midfield personnel last summer or in January.

Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Arthur Melo are all set for an exit from Anfield at the end of the season, whilst captain Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara are both in the latter stages of their careers, paving the way for Klopp to build the next generation of talent in the centre of the pitch.

One player who has been recently linked with a move to Merseyside is Chelsea ace Mason Mount, with the Daily Mail reporting that Liverpool are pushing to sign the midfielder this summer due to his challenging contract negotiations at Stamford Bridge.

Could Mason Mount be Klopp’s next prodigy?

There is no doubt that Mount has the Premier League experience to comfortably compete for a spot in Liverpool’s midfield set-up next season and could even further develop his skills under the German coach.

Over 22 league appearances this season, the 24-year-old – hailed “world-class” by Dean Saunders – has scored three goals and registered two assists.

Those aren’t the awe-inspiring numbers we’ve come to expect from a player with over 50 goal involvements in the Premier League.

That said, he has still made his mark in attack, successfully completing 54% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 1.5 shots on goal and 1.4 key passes.

Also a player who works incredibly hard, he’d certainly suit Klopp’s heavy-metal style of play having made 1.4 tackles and won 3.6 duels per game this term.

Not only that, Mount is a regular England international tallying up 36 caps and scoring five goals under Gareth Southgate and was integral in the national team’s progression to their first final since 1966 in Euro 2020.

It hasn’t been all plain-sailing for the talented €80m-rated (£71m) player this season in a disjointed Chelsea team that is struggling, however, an opportunity to make a move to another Premier League giant could be a great chance for Mount to succeed and progress under a manager who has experience of getting the very best from his players.

Van Dijk, Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum, Andy Robertson and Jota were all brought in from top-flight sides but played their best football, reached their potential and polished their craft under the Liverpool manager.

With that being said, the signing of Mount could well grant Klopp his next Liverpool prospect.

Insider Dean Jones has claimed that Wolves winger Adama Traore will be definitely leaving the club at the end of the season.

What’s the latest on Adama Traore and Wolves?

The future of the Spaniard has been up for some debate now and with his contract set to expire this summer, it doesn’t sound as though there will be a renewal.

In January, the player spoke about his future, seemingly leaving the door open to either staying or leaving. Indeed, he told Sky Sports: “For me, right now, it is important to help the team grow and after we’ll see what will happen.”

And no doubt, he would have been keen to see what life is like under new manager Julen Lopetegui but it seems as though he things haven’t panned out well so far.

Speaking on Chasing Green Arrows, Jones said: “Adama will be done now, I think, at Wolves, to be honest. This is his last season there.

“He’s not really enjoyed – well, in recent times, not enjoyed much at all. I think there was a possibility that under the new manager, he might get a new lease of life.”It’s not looking likely, and from what I’m told, Traore’s going to be going at the end of the season.” Is it time for Traore to leave Wolves?

Traore has played regularly in the Premier League this season with 20 appearances but has failed to nail down a starting role, featuring in the first XI on just eight occasions.

He did start in the club’s most recent game but failed to do enough to help Wolves pick up any points as they lost 1-0 at home to fellow relegation rivals Bournemouth. Though, not for the want of trying, as he was named “Wolves’ best player” in the BirminghamLive player ratings but still couldn’t deliver a telling blow.

And in general, he has never been able to produce enough end-product despite his raw talent. For example, across his last three league campaigns he has scored a total of just four goals. And in his whole career, he has just nine goals for 180 top-flight outings in England.

And so, when we reach the summer, it certainly won’t be a shock to see Traore leave without extending his contract.

There’s no denying it, Southampton are embroiled in turmoil scarcely seen on the south coast since promotion from the EFL Championship was clinched over a decade ago, in the 11/12 campaign.

Indeed at the nadir of their stay in the Premier League, Saints are four points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table and currently boasting their third permanent manager of the campaign in Ruben Selles.

So much has gone wrong and an engrained sense of deflation seems to have attached itself to St. Mary’s Stadium this season.

However, one shining light that continues to exude coruscating positivity is the club’s captain, leader, legend: James Ward-Prowse.

To be bestowed with the tag ‘club legend’ is often used too freely and nonchalantly these days, but Ward-Prowse, 28-years-old, has been the catalyst for so much of the good fortunes that Saints have unearthed over the past several seasons, and it is no coincidence that his ascension to prominence ran parallel with his outfit’s own eminence among the top-flight crop over the past ten years.

Selles, who has been involved as a first-team coach for the duration of the term, since being promoted to manager, recently encapsulated it with one sweet vignette: “Ward-Prowse is Southampton and Southampton is Ward-Prowse.”

How much is Ward-Prowse worth now?

Since rising through the academy ranks, the Portsmouth-born maestro has plundered 52 goals and 51 assists from 395 appearances, never once donning a shirt of another colour, and the club have hit the jackpot with him.

Now valued at £38m by Football Transfers, the “unbelievable” pro – as lauded by Fara Williams – holds a mammoth hike in value, and if the club were to sell, a lucrative profit would indeed be struck after coming through the youth team for nothing.

Lauded as a “dead-ball specialist” by Squawka, Ward-Prowse is commonly known and endeared across English football for his scintillating, jaw-dropping success perched just outside the penalty box, honing in on the area of deployment for the static ball at his feet.

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Indeed, the £100k-per-week phenom did just that in a recent fixture against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, sending the ball past the hapless Kepa Arrizabalaga, Ward-Prowse incredibly scored his 17th Premier League direct free-kick, placing him just one strike behind tying David Beckham for the all-time record.

In the clash against the Blues, the 11-cap Englishman’s goal stole all three points, condemning Chelsea to a chastening loss and providing Selles with the perfect foundation to forge ahead with the relegation battle.

Stepping up at such a moment is all in a day’s work for this machine; having scored six goals and served two assists from 24 league outings this season, the midfielder has been paramount to his team’s progress, in fact netting both goals during Southampton’s previous league victory before the match in London, a pivotal away win over Everton.

And in assisting Che Adams’ late winner against Leicester City in the early phases of the season, Ward-Prowse has played a key role in 60% of his outfit’s divisional triumphs this campaign.

Ranking among the top 5% of midfielders for non-penalty goals and 11% for shot-creating actions per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days, as per FBref; and recording an average league rating of 7.27 – Saints’ highest – making 1.6 tackles per match and completing 83% of his passes, via Sofascore, the gem’s rounded and robust arsenal has left his trade invaluable to his club’s success.

Southampton have fallen from their once proud position, safely embedded at the heart of the Premier League, and now teeter on the cusp of preservation among England’s elite.

But with Ward-Prowse pulling the strings and orchestrating the flow, Selles and co stand a good chance of salvaging something from this season and returning to former vigour.

Whatever happens this season, though, Southampton have played a huge blinder by bringing the maestro through for £0 and unearthing a player who is now valued as a multi-million-pound midfielder – a masterstroke by the club.

Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes of Champions League progression ended in a whimper on Wednesday evening, with the Lilywhites crashing out of the competition following a drab, goalless draw at home to AC Milan.

With the tie finely poised following the narrow, 1-0 win for the Serie A side in the first leg at San Siro, Antonio Conte’s side should well have been more than capable of overturning that deficit, although proceeded to produce a simply “pathetic” performance, in the words of journalist Josh Bunting, to ensure that the wait to end the club’s long-running trophy drought is set to continue for another season.

On a night in which the hosts registered just two shots on target having offered as much fight as that of a deflated balloon, the woes of the hosts were compounded late on as erratic defender Cristian Romero was dismissed for a second yellow card, with the Argentine brute inexplicably lunging in on Theo Hernandez on the touchline.

That head-scratching challenge saw the World Cup winner dubbed a “clown” and “utterly unprofessional” by presenter Terry Flewers, while journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft noted that seeing the 24-year-old being shown his marching orders was “as predictable as Hallelujah in a church”.

The frustrating “liability” – as described by ex-Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara – was not the only figure to have yet again let the side down against the Rossoneri, with misfiring forward Heung-min Son again producing an ineffectual display from the flanks.

How did Son perform against Milan?

Having swooped the Premier League Golden Boot last season with 23 top-flight goals to his name, the South Korean sensation has looked a shadow of his former self so far this term, failing to even reach double figures for goals in all competitions.

As The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare stated, the 30-year-old – as well as teammate Dejan Kulusevski – look “so off where they were last season”, with the former Bayer Leverkusen man, in particular, having been ‘really poor’ against Stefano Pioli’s side, according to football.london’s Alasdair Gold.

That dismal outing notably saw Son squander possession on 13 occasions from his 38 touches and provide just one key pass in total, having also offered little in the way of an attacking threat after failing to complete any of his four crosses.

Those woes were also mirrored in a defensive sense as the £190k-per-week man was only able to win two of his 11 total duels and was dribbled past on two occasions, with his meagre match rating of 6.3, as per Sofascore, the second-worst of any Tottenham player on the day, ahead of only the aforementioned Romero (6.1).

As such, it is not too hyperbolic to suggest that that pairing were the key villains in costing the club a place in the quarter-finals, having proven particularly underwhelming at both ends of the pitch in their own right.

Just 24 hours on from seeing rivals Chelsea power their way into the last eight with a second-leg comeback over Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge, Spurs were unable to follow suit as they meekly bowed out without so much as laying a glove on the Italian champions.

With speculation already rife regarding the future of Conte – as well as that of talisman Harry Kane – it is difficult to see just where the club goes from here after last night’s abject performance, both over the coming months and beyond.

Newcastle United have reportedly scouted Sheffield United striker Iliman Ndiaye ahead of a potential move this summer.

The Lowdown: Outstanding season

Ndiaye is enjoying an outstanding season at the Blades, where he has managed a total of 12 goals and eight assists over all competitions so far (Transfermarkt).

He scored the automatic promotion places in the Championship.

The Latest: Newcastle interest

As per The Sun, Newcastle scouts have watched Ndiaye in action ‘in recent weeks’, but face competition from fellow Premier League rivals Everton and West Ham United for his signature.

Ndiaye can play as a central striker, out on the wing or in attacking midfield, and so his extra versatility makes him an attractive proposition to a number of clubs not just in the English top flight, but in Europe too.

The Verdict: Ready for the Premier League

Even if the Blades are not promoted this season, Ndiaye has shown that he is ready to make the step up to the Premier League.

Hailed as an ‘unbelievable footballer’ by his club team-mate Tommy Doyle, the 23-year-old has also made an impact on the international stage, playing three times for Senegal in helping them reach the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and grabbing himself one assist (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, Ndiaye would offer Eddie Howe another great squad option, especially if they are playing European football as well as in the top flight.

Liverpool have suffered a disappointing defeat at the Vitality Stadium in their Premier League clash with Bournemouth this afternoon and Jurgen Klopp will surely be extremely frustrated with the poor performance put in by his team.

The Reds could have gone into the outing on a high after their monumental 7-0 victory over bitter rivals Manchester United at Anfield less than a week ago, however, it wasn’t to be for the side on the road in the early kick-off.

Despite having far greater possession (69%), more shots on goal (15 v 5), more shots on target (6 v 2), more big chances created (4 v 2), and more accurate passes completed (522 v 175), Liverpool just couldn’t take their opportunities when it mattered most which is something that has become a regular occurrence for the side this season.

In the first half, the Reds looked comfortable and in control of the game for the majority of the opening minutes but it wasn’t long before their poor defensive transition caught up with them as Philip Billing found the back of the net in the 28th minute, giving the home side the lead ahead of the half time whistle being blown.

In the second half, the Merseysiders continued their lethargic and uninspiring display throughout, although were given the golden opportunity to equalise when the Cherries’ Adam Smith gave away a penalty following a handball inside the box.

The usually dependable and inevitable Egyptian goal machine Mohammed Salah stepped up to convert the one-on-one opportunity with the keeper but instead completely missed the target as the ball shot into the stands, causing no concern for Neto.

Indeed, the shocking misfire will surely haunt Liverpool’s fan-favourite forward for a while, as the ball went some way wide of the post, however, when the final whistle was blown to confirm the defeat it was clear the real villain for the Reds was Virgil van Dijk.

How did Virgil van Dijk perform vs Bournemouth?

It is no secret that Liverpool’s defence has had many humiliating moments over the campaign so far, however, the performance in the back-line this afternoon will be one that Van Dijk will be hoping to forget quickly.

Over the Dutch dud’s 90-minute performance, he missed two big chances, was dribbled past once, and committed two fouls, alongside a controversial challenge on Dominic Solanke that could’ve cost the player his place on the pitch in different circumstances.

He also allowed Dango Ouattara to burst past him with ease in the build-up to Billing’s goal, almost giving up on his attempts to stop the winger from putting a cross in.

Van Dijk’s poor self-awareness and constant blunders throughout the clash led to a scathing review from popular Liverpool journalist DaveOCKOP who tweeted:

“Van Dijk off it today. Too nonchalant. More frustrating that he is looking elsewhere after his errors rather than to himself.”

Surprisingly, it is only the second game that Liverpool have lost when Van Dijk has been joined by Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate in the starting back four according to OptaJoe, which only elevates how huge an opportunity has been missed to take all three points.

With that being said, it is displays like today that have left huge doubt surrounding Liverpool’s chances to break into and finish inside the top four over the remainder of their campaign and van Dijk is one of the key players who will need to thoroughly reflect on his showing this afternoon.

His woeful defending, for the Bournemouth goal and in general, cost Klopp’s side on the day and set the tone for the rest of the team’s performance, which is why he was the real villain of the match.

Chelsea summer target David Raya will not be sold for cheap in the summer with Brentford expected to hold out for a significant fee.

Do Chelsea need a new goalkeeper?

There is the belief that the Londoners will be on the hunt for a new goalkeeper in the summer despite Kepa Arrizabalaga emerging as Graham Potter's first choice.

It's thought Edouard Mendy could be in line to leave Stamford Bridge as a result of this season's disappointment which has seen his game time extremely limited.

And one of the goalkeepers which the Blues are said to be looking at is the 27-year-old Spaniard from Brentford who also has reported interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

But speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has insisted the Bees will not be bullied into selling Raya for a low fee:

"He wants to leave, however, Brentford also, we understand from sources close to the club that they have set a price on him and will not let him go for anything less.

"But they will sit on him if they don't get the money, the price. They're not selling them for £10-15m, that's for sure."

Would Raya be an upgrade on Arrizabalaga?

Raya has established himself as the Brentford number one and has been in impressive form for the west London side since their promotion to the Premier League.

The Spaniard has played in all of Brentford's 25 Premier League games this season and has been able to keep eight clean sheets with 33 goals being conceded (via Transfermarkt).

In comparison, Arrizabalaga has been in goal for 18 of Chelsea's league games and has been able to keep the same number of clean sheets with only 14 goals being conceded (via Transfermarkt).

However, it has to be noted the huge gulf between the backline which Brentford are able to field in comparison to Chelsea, who have spent £220m this season on defenders alone.

Looking deeper into the pair's seasons, Raya has more than doubled the number of crosses stopped than his Chelsea rival this season (via FBref).

And although the 27-year-old may have an ever so slightly lower save percentage than the Chelsea man, it is worth noting that he has faced almost double the number of attempts.

This has earned Raya the top spot among Premier League goalkeepers for saves made (108) with over 50 more than his fellow countryman at Stamford Bridge.

Raya would arrive at Chelsea without any experience in the Champions League so it would be interesting to see how he copes under the pressure, however, he certainly appears to be a player ready for the next step.