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Newcastle United are believed to be keeping tabs on Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, with a new midfield addition seemingly on the agenda ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the word?

According to journalist Craig Hope, the Belgian international is reportedly on the “radar” of Magpies sporting director Dan Ashworth, with the northeast side “looking at” a handful of midfield targets at present.

In the attached piece for the Daily Mail, the report suggests that the 25-year-old has been a long-term target for the St James’ Park outfit and ‘remains of interest’ ahead of the market re-opening next month.

The former Monaco dynamo – who has also been linked with a move to Arsenal of late – is facing an uncertain future at the King Power Stadium, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the season.

Imagine him and Maddison

Ashworth and co appear to have their eyes firmly set on raiding the Foxes in the New Year, with England international, James Maddison having also been heavily linked with a move to Tyneside in recent months.

Bringing the playmaker and Tielemans to the club could well prove to be a masterstroke for Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, with the pair having both been leading figures under Brendan Rodgers in recent years, notably ranking first and second, respectively, among the Leicester squad for their average match ratings this season, as per Sofascore.

In the case of Maddison, the former Norwich City ace has scored seven goals and registered four assists in just 12 Premier League outings so far this season, after previously providing 20 goal contributions in the top flight alone last term.

The creative gem has emerged as something of a talisman for his side of late, with pundit Rio Ferdinand having only recently been full of praise for the 26-year-old’s “frightening” record both in terms of goals and assists this season.

The Coventry-born ace has not carried the attacking burden alone for Leicester of late, however, with Tielemans also providing the goods from his deep-lying role after chipping in with five goal involvements across all fronts this term, having registered 12 goals and assists in all competitions last season.

The 25-year-old midfield maestro – who has been dubbed an “incredible talent” by Sky Sports News pundit Michael Dawson (23/10/2021, 12:59) – is simply a player who “catches the eye”, according to pundit Noel Whelan, such is his quality in possession.

The £35k-per-week menace has notably created five big chances in the league this season and averages 1.2 key passes per game, while the 5 foot 9 dynamo has also showcased his brilliance defensively after averaging 2.4 tackles per 90.

Such relentless work ethic no doubt allows the aforementioned Maddison to shine in his free role as the link between the midfield and attack, with it set to be a notable coup if Ashworth can seal that double deal in the near future.

The Belgian has only combined with Foxes striker Jamie Vardy for more goal contributions (eight) than with Maddison (seven) during his time at the King Power Stadium, so it’s a proven and fruitful partnership that could work wonders under Howe.

As Whelan stated, Newcastle would not “need too much else” if that devastating duo could be signed, with Tielemans, in particular, potentially set to prove a “massive player” for the Magpies.

With Howe’s men currently striving for a top-four berth, bringing the two men into the fold would surely only aid in that quest for Champions League qualification.

Newcastle United squeezed their way into the last 16 of the Carabao Cup following a nervy victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening, with the Magpies overcoming an underwhelming 90-minute display to clinch progression via the dreaded penalty shootout.

Following a rather drab affair at St James’ Park, Eddie Howe’s side were left thanking the quality of first-choice stopper Nick Pope for helping to seal their place in the next round, with the Englishman having produced three spot-kick saves to deny the Eagles.

The former Burnley man was undoubtedly the shining light for the hosts as they laboured to victory, with the decision to keep the 30-year-old in the sticks ahead of deputy Karl Darlow seemingly paying off.

The ten-cap colossus’ overall performance was also no doubt impressive, notably recording a 100% pass accuracy rate from his 38 touches and completing all four of his long balls, while his 8.8 match rating, as per SofaScore, was by far the highest of any player on the day.

Such heroics have simply been no surprise for those on Tyneside such has been the 6 foot 3 titan’s impact at the club thus far, having proven something of a bargain by PIF after being snapped up from Turf Moor over the summer for a reported fee of just £10m.

While no doubt aided by a strong defensive unit, the one-time Charlton Athletic brute has already kept six clean sheets from 14 Premier League games so far this season, conceding just 11 goals in that time – the best record in the division.

That form has unsurprisingly seen the Soham-born ‘keeper enjoy a rise in value of late, with the player now reportedly worth in the region of £25m, according to Football Transfers.

Not that Howe and co will be looking to move on the “dominant” 6 foot 3 gem – as described by journalist Josh Bunting – any time soon in order to make a profit, it is simply a marker of how Pope has been “such a good investment” for the northeast side, as per Bunting.

After the frustration last term regarding the inability to settle on a first-choice pick – with the aforementioned Darlow, as well as Freddie Woodman and Martin Dubravka all enjoying a run in the side – it is no doubt now a real bonus to have an undisputed number one in Newcastle’s ranks.

If Howe’s men are to have any chance of securing a top-four berth or ending their lengthy trophy drought, then keeping the “absolute monster” – as per former manager David Flitcroft – injury-free will seemingly be a must.

Football Scotland journalist Mark Hendry slammed John Lundstram after the midfielder appeared to give up a challenge in Glasgow Rangers’ defeat on Sunday.

The Lowdown: Lundstram gives up

Footage was shared on social media on Sunday of the 28-year-old appearing to give up and pull out of a challenge after a bad touch in the Ibrox outfit’s 2-1 loss at St Johnstone in the Premiership.

It eventually led to the hosts scoring the opening goal of the match in the first half, which gave Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side too much to do after the interval.

The Latest: Lundstram ‘really poor’

Taking to Twitter after watching the footage, Hendry saw Lundstram’s lack of effort as amateurish, comparing it to a five-a-side match, claiming that it was a ‘really poor’ piece of play from the Rangers midfielder.

The journalist stated: “If you did this at fives – and I have many times – you’d get a hammering. Really poor from Lundstram who you’d expect would’ve thrown himself into that 50/50.”

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The Verdict: Unforgivable

What Lundstram did was simply unforgivable, and it eventually cost his team as they could not claw back a win or even a draw.

Aside from this poor piece of play, the former Sheffield United man was guilty of giving the ball away 16 times in total, the fifth-most out of his team-mates, while he also lost three of his duels and made no interceptions (SofaScore).

As one of Rangers’ more experienced players at 28 years of age, the Light Blues would have expected so much more from Lundstram, and Van Bronckhorst must now consider whether the midfielder still merits his starting place.

West Ham centre-back Craig Dawson will be ‘high’ on Wolves’ list of potential January transfer targets, according to an update from journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Dawson linked with Wolves move

Wanderers lost a number of key defenders during the summer, with Conor Coady, Romain Saiss and Willy Boly all moving on to pastures new.

One player who has been linked with making up for the loss of those players is Dawson, who is struggling for playing time for West Ham, making just one start in the Premier League this season.

While a summer move didn’t materialise, it could be that a January move is possible, with the player himself thought to be keen on a move to be closer to his family.

The Latest: Fresh update emerges

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke claimed that Dawson could head to Molineux in the next window to play under Wolves’ new manager:

“I think it’s a position that they will definitely look to strengthen again in January. I’m sure Dawson will be pretty high on the list of targets.”

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The Verdict: Great option for Wanderers

At 32, Dawson may not be at the peak of his powers anymore, but he remains a solid Premier League player who could be an effective squad option for Wolves.

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The centre-back now has a wealth of experience at the top level, playing 239 times in the top flight, as well as winning 16 caps for England’s Under-21s during his younger days.

The fact that Dawson can also thrive as right-back makes him a versatile option, too, so while it is wouldn’t be a game-changing signing, it would be a shrewd one.

Nottingham Forest have been ruled out of a move for Atletico Madrid defender Renan Lodi by transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Lodi links

The 24-year-old has recently fallen down the pecking order under Diego Simeone, failing to play a single minute of football so far this season, making a move away from the Spanish giants this summer likely.

Premier League sides Manchester City and Newcastle United have been heavily linked with the left-back, alongside the Reds, who were claimed to have opened talks over a potential deal.

The Latest: Romano reacts

Taking to Twitter, Romano was asked about the links, reacting by telling a Reds fan there is ‘no way’ Forest will sign Lodi before the end of the window, even temporarily.

“No, been told no way for loan deal for Renan Lodi as things stand. They rejected Man City approached in July…”

The Verdict: Blessing in disguise

Lodi has been dubbed ‘the new Marcelo’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and whilst he is a household name, it’s not a bad thing that Forest have missed out on the chance to sign him.

If Atletico wouldn’t let him leave to join Pep Guardiola’s side, it’d only prove twice as difficult to try and get him to put pen to paper elsewhere.

Having not played in La Liga so far this campaign, he would also probably require a bit of time to get up to speed, and for the amount of money he’d be on, this is not a move worth pursuing.

Aston Villa appear to be closing in on signing Marseille defender Duje Caleta-Car.

The Lowdown: Diego Carlos injury

Steven Gerrard was handed a nightmare injury blow over the weekend, with summer signing Diego Carlos rupturing his Achilles tendon in the 2-1 win against Everton.

Villa have confirmed that the Brazilian will require surgery, with reports claiming the defender is set to be sidelined for much of the season.

It appears that NSWE want to act fast over a potential replacement and it looks as if Caleta-Car, who has been linked with a move to Villa Park in recent months, could become the club’s sixth signing of the summer.

The Latest: Packing his bags

So Foot shared a story shortly after the news broke on Carlos on Monday, name-checking Caleta-Car.

They were told that the Croatia international ‘has already packed his bags to join his mate Boubacar Kamara’ in the Midlands.

The Verdict: Good news

It’s good to see that the club are willing to act quickly in the market following Carlos’ serious injury, and Caleta-Car could be a shrewd replacement if he comes in.

The 25-year-old is into the final 12 months of his Marseille contract and shares the same agency as five Villa players, so that could make talks fairly straightforward over a deal.

Dubbed an ‘excellent player’ by talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, Caleta-Car has plenty of experience in Ligue 1 and the Austrian Bundesliga, so he should be able to provide strong competition for Gerrard’s available centre-backs.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the remaining transfer business of Leeds United this summer.

What’s the latest?

In a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, the Italian journalist revealed that Victor Orta is still exploring a number of options in the summer transfer window, however, the Spanish director of football is acting with caution in the market in order to avoid pursuing a potential target who is not a suitable fit for the club.

Regarding the Whites’ remaining transfer business, the transfer insider said: “For Leeds, they are exploring some options. But they want to make sure that it is the right opportunity. They don’t want to waste money, they trust the players they have, and so they’re looking at the market for some opportunities.”

Great news for Marsch

While it is true that Orta has already secured a great many additions to Jesse Marsch’s first team squad this summer, with the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra, Tyler Adams, Rasmus Kristensen, Marc Roca, Darko Gyabi, Joel Robles and Sonny Perkins all arriving at Elland Road since the end of last season, there are still a couple of areas of the Whites’ squad that very much appear in need of greater depth.

Left-back is one such position, with Junior Firpo struggling for form in his debut season with the club last time out – ranking him as Leeds’ seventh-worst performer in the top flight of English football in 2021/22 – as well as both the former Barcelona defender and Stuart Dallas – Marsch’s only other viable option on the left of his backline – being ruled out due to injury at present.

Centre-forward is another position in which the 48-year-old manager clearly requires greater depth, with Patrick Bamford – who started just seven Premier League games last season as a result of injury, as well as being withdrawn in the first half of the 2-2 draw with Southampton last weekend due to a fresh knock – being the American’s only senior out-and-out striker.

However, while it is true that time is running out for Orta to bring in targets in each respective position prior to September’s transfer deadline, Romano’s suggestion that the Spaniard is taking his time to ensure that a potential new addition is the right fit for Leeds is undoubtedly great news for Marsch – as this will certainly reduce the chance of any new signing becoming a flop.

Indeed, with the Whites having been burned by the likes of Jean-Kevin Augustin, Helder Costa, Ouasim Bouy and Jay-Roy Grot in recent years, the Elland Road faithful and the club’s manager will be delighted to hear that care, thought and patience is being applied by Orta this summer, as the long-term benefits of this approach will certainly benefit them greatly.

Newcastle United are believed to be edging closer towards the signing of Stade de Reims striker, Hugo Ekitike, having previously missed out on the player in January.

What’s the word?

As per journalist Craig Hope, the 19-year-old is believed to be keen on making the move to St James’ Park this summer, albeit with the northeast side now needing to come to an agreement with the Ligue 1 outfit.

Writing on Twitter about the developing situation, the trusted insider revealed that the deal appears to be heading in the right direction: “Understand Newcastle are currently in discussions over a deal for Reims striker Hugo Ekitike. The 19-yr-old wants to join the club & there is hope of progress. Package is €30m+.”

This aligns with a report from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who stated that the teenager had “agreed a five-year deal” with the Magpies, leaving just “final details” to be discussed with his current side.

The young Frenchman had previously rejected the move in the winter after a £33m deal had been agreed, although appears to have had a change of heart.

Supporters buzzing

Persistence has seemingly paid off for Eddie Howe and co, with the Premier League side having not given up hope despite that rejection in January, ensuring they are now set to secure the services of one the hottest prospects in Europe and a player who has been dubbed the “next Mbappe”, as per journalist Graeme Bailey.

In a breakthrough campaign in his native France, the £25.2m-rated gem bagged an impressive ten goals and provided three assists in the league in total, despite missing a fair chunk of the second half of the season with a hamstring injury.

Although he is a relative newcomer to senior football – having only spent a brief loan stint at Danish side Vejle BK prior to the most recent campaign – the indication is that he is a talent destined for the elite level, while he already compares favourably to those in his position across Europe’s big five leagues, ranking in the top 16% for progressive carries, as well as the top 3% for dribbles completed.

Those statistics would illustrate that he is so much more than simply just a goalscorer. His speed and ability to beat a man make him a comfortable fit on either flank, opening up the possibility that the Tynesiders could still move for another striker this summer.

Such excitement over potential incomings is a far cry from the dismal story of last year, when then-boss Steve Bruce was afforded little investment from the much-maligned former owner, Mike Ashley, eventually only bringing in Arsenal’s Joe Willock on a permanent deal, having already had the midfielder on loan the previous season.

With fresh faces now in the dugout and at boardroom level, there is a great deal of optimism that the club can finally threaten at the top half of the table, having so long languished in and around the relegation zone.

As for Ekitike, the promising starlet could well prove to be just the first piece of business in a seismic summer for Newcastle. Supporters are in for a real treat.

IN other news, Eddie Howe can now help NUFC sign “spectacular” £64m “nightmare”, he’s better than Saint-Maximin

Transfer insider Dean Jones has made a significant claim regarding Crystal Palace and the possible return of Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka. 

The lowdown: Difficult switch

Having risen to prominence at Selhurst Park, the 24-year-old right-back made a £50m move to Manchester United in 2019 (BBC).

Since then, the Englishman has struggled to recapture his best form in 126 outings for the Old Trafford club and failed to appear in any of the last five Premier League fixtures in 2021/22.

Links with a move back to south London have emerged recently, and it appears that an Eagles return could well be a possibility…

The latest: ‘Palace are interested’ in Wan-Bissaka

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones stated that Palace would be keen to bring Wan-Bissaka back to Selhurst Park to work under Patrick Vieira.

The journalist said: “It’s going to be a massive six weeks for him once Ten Hag gets all of the players back in, because it will determine very quickly whether he will stay or not. Then they’ve got to figure out where he can go.

“Crystal Palace are interested, but financially, they have to find something to work for them. It would be a massive step back if he ends up back at Crystal Palace next season.”

The verdict: Problem solved

Despite Palace enjoying a positive first campaign under Vieira as they finished 12th in the Premier League, having beaten United on the final day, there remains room for improvement in the squad.

The right-back incumbents are Nathaniel Clyne, Joel Ward and Martin Kelly. The former ranked a lowly 16th in WhoScored’s ratings of the Eagles’ squad this season, while the latter didn’t feature at all in the top flight, so it’s little surprise that the club might want to reinforce their options in this part of the pitch.

Despite enduring a difficult season in which he has received plenty of criticism, Wan-Bissaka has also been hailed by Harry Maguire for his ‘brilliant’ attributes. Also, at just 24, he still has plenty of time to revitalise his career with a return to Selhurst Park, just like Wilfried Zaha did after an abortive spell at Old Trafford.

In other news, Crystal Place are eyeing Premier League ‘freak’ for summer move. Read more here

Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie is hugely excited by the attacking options at Ange Postecoglou’s disposal ahead of next season.

The Lowdown: Glorious season at Parkhead

The Hoops have completed a fantastic 2021/22 season, ending it with both Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup glory.

There have been heroes all over the pitch, from Cameron Carter-Vickers at the heart of the defence to Callum McGregor in the middle of the park.

Celtic’s attackers have done their bit, with the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi and Georgios Giakoumakis shining, including scoring a brace apiece in the 6-0 win over Motherwell on the final day.

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The Latest: McAvennie gushes at ‘wonderful’ moment

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie lauded the attackers Postecoglou has to choose from, as seeing the pair both score was ‘wonderful’:

“I know they weren’t on the pitch at the same time but to see them both scoring in the same game was wonderful. It’s incredibly exciting because we brought off the main man Kyogo and Giakoumakis came on and got two as well.

“When they are both fit they are two quality options for us. That’s what I have wanted for so long. It’s just a shame we haven’t been able to see they play together this season because of the injuries.

“They can be a real asset to us if they both stay fit next season because they have both proved they can perform in the league.”

The Verdict: One more this summer?

McAvennie is correct in his assessment, with Celtic blessed with several strong options in the final third – something that will be required across four competitions next season, including the Champions League.

It could even be that another ruthless goalscorer is looked at to bolster Postecoglou’s choices further in the summer, considering only Liel Abada (ten) reached double figures in the league this season.

That could help competition for places be even more fierce in 2022/23, at a time when Celtic are looking to build their most formidable squad in years.

In other news, a journalist has dropped an exciting Celtic transfer claim. Read more here.