Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City are targeting defensive pair Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis during the current transfer window.

City manager Pep Guardiola wants to strengthen a squad which has been badly affected by injuries during an unprecedented downturn in fortunes under the 53-year-old.

In his last transfer window - as sources say - City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain is determined signings should fit the club’s long term plan.

At 20 and 18, Khusanov and Reis appear to do that.

Khusanov is a central defender for French club Lens and the Uzbekistan national team. He was part of the Uzbek side that won the Under-20 Asian Cup, which brought him to the attention of clubs in the major European leagues. If he signed for City, Khusanov would become the first player from his country to play in the Premier League.

Reis has broken into the famous Palmeiras side in Brazil.

Already this month he has been linked with Wolves and Brighton but City believe they can sign the player.

A figure of €40m has been mentioned but it is not known whether this would include a number of clauses.

Everton

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The other fly in the ointment when it comes to Jose Mourinho managing Everton (which may seem unlikely to happen) is the Fenerbahce boss does not want to be involved in a Premier League relegation fight.

Speaking to Sky Sports in October, after joking he would be open to a return to England providing the club he went to does not feature in Uefa’s European competitions, Mourinho said fighting down at the bottom of the English top-flight was "too hard".

He added: "Honestly, that has to be the hardest thing, much more difficult than to play for titles. It’s very, very hard emotionally because it’s something that changes lives. You know, you stay in the Premier League or you’re relegated, it changes lives, changes lots of things. Brave guys that do it."

Mourinho left his job as a P.E school teacher to take up a youth coaching role at lower league Portuguese side Vitória de Setúbal. Around a decade later he led Porto to Champions League glory. You've got to start somewhere!

Everton

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Graham Potter is back, but is the 'Special One' returning to the Premier League as well?

Well, no. But according to the bookies, Jose Mourinho has emerged as one of the favourites to become the next Everton manager if the Toffees decide to dismiss under pressure boss Sean Dyche.

Mourinho is currently managing Fenerbahce in the Turkish Super Lig (the club are second in the table, eight points behind leaders Galatasaray) but that hasn't stopped the former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham coach from becoming a lead contender to take the role at Goodison Park if it opens up.

However, there is a possible sticking point to all this; Mourinho has already been sacked by Dan Friedkin, the big boss of Everton's new owners, The Friedkin Group, during his time at Roma and he was less than impressed.

Speaking in February 2024, Mourinho said he was was "eliminated by someone who knows little about football".

Graham Potter took an unconventional route into elite-level management.

He started out at Swedish side Östersunds FK, who he took from the fourth tier to the Uefa Europa League.

He then got his break in English football at Swansea before further enhancing his reputation with Brighton.

Can you think of any other managers with unusual beginnings in coaching? Has anyone gone from Sunday league to the Champions League? Let us know

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Former Brighton striker Glenn Murray spoke to BBC Sport's Nizaar Kinsella about Graham Potter's playing style: "He's not rigid. He's not stuck in a system or a style. He's very fluid, and I think we even see that in-game. When I played under him, we would change formations two or three times in a single afternoon, which is quite a skill to be able to have your players understand everything you want from them and be able to change in-game.

"I mean, these changes weren't made at half time. He wasn't exactly sitting everyone down. It was an instruction from the sideline, and, lo and behold! We all knew our jobs, and how to change that style in-game, which I think is credit to his managerial capabilities.

"Graham is a very thought-provoking manager. He knows exactly what he wants, but he wants feedback from the players.It's a collective rather than a dictatorship. And he will meticulously study each and every opponent, and he will best plan the way to try and penetrate that opponent, to try and hurt that opponent, and obviously win games at the end of the week."

Image source, Getty Images

Former Brighton striker Glenn Murray told BBC Sport's Nizaar Kinsella: "I think he'd be what the hierarchy want at West Ham. They want a better brand of football to be played at the London Stadium, and I think they'll be able to deliver that. They'll obviously have to be patient from the fan base for him to get his philosophy across to the players, all that takes time, I know.

"Preferably Graham would prefer to take over in the summer. But obviously, when it comes to jobs and when you're out of work, you've got to strike while the iron's hot and, well, pardon the pun, and step in, when need be, and I feel as though West Ham is a really good fit for Graham."

West Ham United

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Following the news that West Ham have appointed Graham Potter as their new manager, let's have a look at your thoughts on Julen Lopetegui's replacement.

Trevor: When David Moyes came back he really had a point to prove and managed to win us a trophy. Potter also has a point to prove and a career to save so hopefully he delivers a level of success for us in the same way.

Andrew: Moyes' departure was seen as a way forward for the club. Lopetegui made some improvements in attacking football but the new signings were clearly not of the quality required. The team need a clear vision and hopefully Graham Potter will provide the coaching skills to start getting us back up the table.

Larry: He won't last six months - totally clueless.

• Get more on West Ham here

Ian Dennis
BBC Radio 5 Live senior football reporter on the Football Daily podcast

It would have been a disservice to Potter had he accepted the job until the end of the season because despite his surname, he is not a magician. He needs time, any manager needs time.

This is a crucial job for Graham Potter. He profited from the structure that was in place at Brighton and yes he did a good job there but so did Roberto De Zerbi and Fabian Hurzeler has done a good job.

Ultimately you are judged on results and you are judged on your last performance in management where he failed at Chelsea at a bigger club - so going in at West Ham is an ideal opportunity for Graham Potter but he does need to make a success of it.

Listen to the Football Daily podcast.

Alex Howell
BBC football news reporter at the London Stadium

New West Ham coach Graham Potter has just finished his first press conference as the new head coach at the club.

It's his first job since being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023 and in that time he has been linked with a number of jobs that he hasn't taken.

I asked Potter whether he felt like he had something to prove following his time out of the game and how it ended at Chelsea.

"When I hear [Pep] Guardiola say he's got something to prove then we all have!" Potter said.

He went on to say he thinks he's "a better coach for the experience" too.

Potter does not have much time to implement changes to West Ham's play before the FA Cup third round tie against Aston Villa tomorrow night. He will take charge of his first training session this afternoon.