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Newcastle United target Kieran Tierney ‘could be tempted’ to move to St. James’ Park this summer, according to journalist Simon Collings.

The Lowdown: Arsenal open to offers

The Magpies are reportedly heading into the market for a new left-back and Eddie Howe has identified the 25-year-old as the perfect candidate.

Mikel Arteta’s defender is believed to be growing frustrated at his lack of game time having lost his place in the team to Oleksandr Zinchenko, who is on a great run of form in the Premier League.

The St. James’ Park outfit were first linked with a move for the Gunners star in February and have since been handed a boost after learning that the N7 giants are open to offers.

The Latest: Tierney’s temptation?

Taking to Twitter, Collings hinted that Tierney may consider joining Newcastle if his situation at Arsenal doesn’t get better between now and the end of the season. He wrote:

“Kieran Tierney could be tempted by Newcastle move if minutes don’t improve. Arsenal and Tierney rejected interest from Leicester in January. Neither club nor player decided about summer yet.”

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The Verdict: Potential advantage?

Tierney shares the same agent as Nick Pope, Javier Manquillo and Elliot Anderson, so this could give Newcastle a potential advantage when trying to get a deal over the line.

The left-footed ace has posted 18 senior goal contributions during his time at the Emirates Stadium and loves to attack down the flank, ranking in the 94th percentile for most progressive passes by top league full-backs.

The Scotland international is also a versatile option to have in the building with his ability to play at centre-back and in the midfield alongside his natural position.

Tierney has been dubbed an ‘absolute baller’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig and he would be an excellent signing for Howe should a move come to fruition in the months ahead.

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s chances of signing a potential upgrade on Allan Saint-Maximin in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Neymar to Newcastle United?

According to a report from 90min, intermediaries have held talks with the Magpies to inform them that Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar could be available and that the Brazilian is interested in playing in England.

The report claims that fellow Premier League clubs Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United have also been contacted about a possible deal.

It is stated that the 31-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, is open to moving away from the French giants in the summer, and PSG have not ruled out the possibility of a sale this year.

Allan Saint-Maximin upgrade

Dan Ashworth could land a huge upgrade on Newcastle’s French forward by beating their Premier League rivals to the signing of the Ligue 1 star at the end of this season.

If the financial package is right and Eddie Howe believes that the attacker would buy into the project, then it could be a phenomenal deal for the Magpies, as the Brazil international is a sensational player.

Neymar, who was dubbed an “artist” by his manager Christophe Galtier, is his country’s all-time top scorer alongside Pele and has proven his quality at both Barcelona and PSG, scoring 222 goals and providing 152 assists for the two clubs combined.

This season, the 31-year-old has scored 12 goals and set up ten in 19 Ligue 1 appearances, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.65. He has created 13 ‘big chances’ and produced a whopping 2.5 key passes per game for his team-mates, and these statistics show that the dynamo is an excellent goalscorer and creator.

The 5 foot 9 superstar, whose penalties were once described as “magical” by journalist Owuraku Ampofo, has also racked up two goals and two assists in six Champions League outings for PSG this term.

Meanwhile, Saint-Maximin has managed one goal and three assists in 14 Premier League matches in the current campaign, averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.89 for Newcastle.

The 25-year-old has created two ‘big chances’ and provided 0.8 key passes per game for his team-mates, and this comes after the forward racked up seven ‘big chances’ and made 1.4 key passes per match in the 2021/22 campaign.

Both Neymar and Saint-Maximin have also averaged 1.9 dribbles or more per outing in their respective leagues this season and are both left-wingers who want to take on opposition defenders with the ball at their feet.

However, Neymar’s incredible statistics for PSG suggest that Ashworth would land a huge upgrade on Saint-Maximin by signing the Brazilian wizard, due to his superior quality in terms of scoring goals and creating chances on a regular basis.

Former Scotland footballer Peter Grant believes Rangers should axe Alfredo Morelos following his “disgraceful”  previous behaviour at the club.

The Lowdown: Morelos on the move?

Morelos’ situation at Ibrox has been well-documented, with the Colombian’s £33k-per-week deal expiring in the summer (via Salary Sport) and no extension in the works.

Despite the SPFL transfer window closing last month, Turkish side Konyaspor have been linked with a move for the 26-year-old according to reports in Turkey (as per The Scottish Sun), and with the Super Lig window still open, it could mean Morelos is on the verge of an exit this month should a deal be struck.

The Latest: Grant’s rant

Speaking on The Go Radio Football Show, former Celtic man Grant urged Rangers to consider bids that come in for their striker after claiming his behaviour in regard to his contract saga do not merit another chance to remain at Ibrox next season.

He said: “I wouldn’t be giving him a new contract, not for the way he’s carried on when you’re going to play the last four months of the season. Sorry, that’s not enough when you’re playing at a club that’s supposed to be challenging and trying to win things. And the way he went on with the last manager, which was disgraceful.

“So all of a sudden you think two or three good games offers you that, and I said to you before, I said that’s my concern coming into the season, bangs a few goals in, you get sucked in again thinking, well, he’s changed, he’s turned the corner because he works really well with a manager.

“He’s done it too often. They say a leopard never changes its spots, and I’m all for giving guys another chance, but he’s had so many chances.”

The Verdict: Sell now?

With potential interest from Konyaspor, Rangers could avoid Morelos’ contract saga rumbling on any longer, with the side eighth in Turkey’s top flight desperate for goalscoring options given they’ve picked up just one point from their last five games.

It’s not a certainty that the Colombian will leave Glasgow, but the Daily Record’s report last month that his agent had offered his services to Inter perhaps shows where his preference lies.

An imminent move does seem unlikely given his nine starts in 11 games under Michael Beale potentially show his importance at Rangers, and with Antonio Colak still easing his way back to fitness and Kemar Roofe playing just 82 minutes of football all season, his place is key right now.

However, we would not be surprised if Grant’s view is one that resonates with sections of the Rangers faithful who may have had enough of Morelos’ attitude and behaviour during his time at Ibrox.

Celtic striker Giorgos Giakoumakis is set to sign for MLS side Atlanta, rather than Urawa Red Diamonds, according to a report from Greece.

The Lowdown: Giakoumakis set to depart

With Giakoumakis often featuring in a more limited role this season, appearing as a substitute in his last eight matches for Celtic, there have been reports linking him with a move away throughout January.

The Hoops, at one stage, were said to have accepted an initial £3m bid from Urawa Red Diamonds for the striker, with Fabrizio Romano this week claiming that the Japanese side were still ‘leading the race’ for his signature.

The Latest: Agreement with Atlanta

A more recent report from Greece has now indicated that the 28-year-old has agreed to continue his career with Atlanta in the United States, turning down a move to Japan.

All that is left is for Celtic to approve the transfer, which is expected to happen in the next few days.

The Verdict: Right decision?

Whenever the Greece international has been given a run in the team, he has always been very good in front of goal, netting 17 goals in 24 domestic games last season, however a deal is probably the best move for both parties.

Ange Postecoglou has hailed the forward as being ‘super’, but the Celtic boss is blessed with some fantastic options in attacking areas, namely Kyogo Furuhashi, who is enjoying a prolific season, already on 17 league goals.

Giakoumakis has done very well for Celtic since arriving for £2.5m in 2021, but the Hoops are more than capable of bringing home their second league title in a row without him, and Postecoglou can use the funds raised to invest in other areas of the squad.

Mikel Arteta looks like he has already moved on from the fact Arsenal missed out on Mykhaylo Mudryk by securing a deal to sign Leandro Trossard from Brighton and Hove Albion.

It could represent an excellent piece of business by Arteta, with Trossard already a proven Premier League player, he will need no time to settle in and could hit the ground running against Manchester United on Sunday.

The Spaniard won’t be stopping there however, as he aims to add perhaps another attacking option to his squad ahead of what is a crucial few months ahead in the title race.

The 40-year-old could well return for summer target Yeremy Pino according to journalist Dean Jones, who spoke to Football FanCast regarding the Gunners’ interest in the Villarreal winger:

“Yeremy Pino, a player they have explored previously, could certainly be considered as a backup that they might return to.”

Pino could be a terrific Mudryk alternative, especially due to his versatility which has seen him play on both wings this season as well as through the middle on a few occasions.

Last season, the 20-year-old sensation burst onto the scene, scoring seven goals and registering four assists while his attacking talents were on display across his 31 LaLiga appearances for the Yellow Submarine.

The £50k-per-week winger created six big chances while also making 0.6 key passes per match and could have added to his goal tally had he not missed five big chances too.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has previously lauded the youngster, describing him as “incredible” and Arteta could take his development to the next level should he manage to lure him to England.

There is no guarantee he would be a starter initially, especially with the form that Bukayo Sako and Gabriel Martinelli have been in this season – registering 13 and nine goal contributions respectively – but with a buzz about the Emirates for the first time in a good while and a clear direction of where the team is going, Pino could eventually establish himself in the starting XI.

The Spanish wizard – who is thought to be valued by the Yellow Submarines at around €50m (£44m) – would jump at the chance to show his potential in the Champions League once again having scored in the competition for Villarreal last year and with Arsenal edging closer to glory, Pino could become part of a new generation.

Southampton could make a move for FC Lorient striker Terem Moffi in the January transfer window, Alex Crook has claimed.

What’s the word?

Southampton are in desperate need of goals, with Nathan Jones’ side rock bottom of the Premier League, and with Mislav Orsic joining from Dinamo Zagreb, more January additions can be expected.

Moffi is a 23-year-old forward who plays for Lorient in Ligue 1, and has scored 10 goals in 16 games this season, and 33 for the club overall.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Crook named Moffi as a player Southampton could move for within the next few weeks as they aim to dig themselves out of the bottom three.

“I’m told they are close to making at least one signing, and they want to get two or three in within the next week or so,” he stated.

“Terem Moffi is a young striker from Lorient in the French League.”

A game-changer?

Moffi would arrive as an in-form goalscorer, something which Southampton currently lack, with the Saints only managing to score 15 times in 18 games, and the 23-year-old could help spark their team into life.

Although he lacks experience, he will be arriving into a young side, and he could develop quickly with regular game time.

At 1.88m, he would provide a physical presence in the box, and if he is able to translate his good goalscoring record over, he could potentially be the difference between survival and relegation.

Alongside Orsic, Southampton need reinforcements, and picking up a young talent in good form could be a smart under-the-radar signing, but with their relegation rivals strengthening, they may need more recruits beyond Moffi.

Leeds United have been dealt a potentially huge blow in their bid to bring Matheus Cunha to Elland Road in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Marca, who claim that, despite David Ornstein recently suggesting that Victor Orta could launch a move for the centre-forward should Wolverhampton Wanderers not be able to afford a deal, Atletico Madrid are now close to agreeing a fee with the Premier League side for the transfer of the Brazil international.

The report went on to state that the 23-year-old is set to leave the Metropolitano Stadium after an uninspiring year-and-a-half spell in Madrid, with the striker’s inability to find the form to earn a call-up to Tite’s Brazil squad for the Qatar World Cup said to have sped up the LaLiga side’s desire to move the attacker on in January.

Big blow

While it is true that Cunha’s return of seven goals and eight assists over 54 appearances since his €26m (£22m) move to Atletico back in the summer of 2021 is not the most impressive haul for a number nine, considering just how impressive the attacker was during his time with Hertha BSC, the news Wolves are close to landing the 23-year-old is sure to come as a big blow to Orta.

Indeed, over his 11 Bundesliga appearances in his debut campaign with Hertha back in 2019/20, the £26m-rated talent was in exceptional attacking form, scoring five goals and providing his teammates with two assists – helping his side secure a very respectable tenth-place finish in the German top flight that season.

The £49k-per-week forward once again caught the eye over his 27 league outings in 2020/21, bagging seven goals, registering five assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.3 shots – 1.3 of which hit the target – making 1.8 key passes and completing 3.0 dribbles – the joint second-most in the division – per fixture.

These metrics saw the player who Bruno Labbadia dubbed “special” average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.15, not only ranking him as Hertha’s best performer in the league but also as the joint 26th-best player in the Bundesliga as a whole.

As such, considering the fact that Patrick Bamford is continuing to struggle with injury this season, it is clear for all to see that Leeds are in rather desperate need of a new centre-forward in January, leading us to believe that missing out on Cunha will come as a seismic blow to Orta – with the director of football now needing to turn his attention in January elsewhere.

England and penalties. Two words that will spark fear in the eyes of many across the country.Throw in two more words – major tournament – and that fear gets even larger. There is a reason the Three Lions haven’t won anything since 1966 and on a night inside the Al Bayt Stadium, Qatar, that wait would grow even longer.This may have been a crushing defeat, but at the same time, it left many feeling proud of England. There hasn’t been mass hysteria in the press, pundits were also glowing of Gareth Southgate’s men at full-time.That might not be a trophy but it’s an achievement in itself.Of years gone by, this national team has been vilified, thrown under the bus and told not to even come back to England.There was a night in France six years ago when they tasted their worst defeat at a major tournament yet, as Roy Hodgson’s side were disgraced by minnows Iceland.There was no embarrassment this time. England had been the better team against none other than the World Champions. However, sport isn’t fair.You’d have put your mortgage on Tottenham striker Harry Kane scoring a penalty if required. You’d have gleefully turned your car in, given your savings away. Perhaps even your firstborn. And indeed after the striker found the net from one spot kick against clubmate Hugo Lloris, you’d have done that all over again after Mason Mount had been bundled over late on.Up stepped the Spurs star again, but this time the ball flew into the Qatar sky never to be seen again.Yes, the man you’d just given away your house for had missed a penalty. It was the biggest of his career, it was a spot kick that would have earned him England immortality. He had already equalled Wayne Rooney’s Three Lions record on the night and had this found the back of the net, he’d be the nation’s all-time leading goalscorer.That day will inevitably come for the Tottenham man, just on a less grand stage than a World Cup quarter-final.Kane hadn’t struggled in the opening rounds of the tournament as England’s star man, but he will leave the Middle East behind with just two goals to his name. It’s unlikely many will remember them in two years’ time at the Euros, but this team must bounce back and quickly. They will learn from the experience and surely in 18 months’ time, they will be in an even stronger place to win a tournament.The striker will primarily hold most of the responsibility for their exit last night but he cannot shoulder it all. It feels harsh to play the blame game. Kyle Walker did a good job against Kylian Mbappe. Jordan Henderson ran himself into the ground. Bukayo Saka gave Theo Hernandez a rough night and Jude Bellingham was constantly on the front foot.Yet, when it mattered, Harry Maguire became a cause for concern again. His selection for this competition had always been controversial and until last night he had arguably been England’s best defender in Qatar.As ever, he was a set-piece threat in the final third and defensively, looked largely untroubled in what was a revival period for the Manchester United man.Sadly, he was the man who lost Olivier Giroud who scored what would be the decisive goal in Al Khor on Saturday evening.

The AC Milan man, who enjoyed spells in England with Arsenal and Chelsea, had become France’s record scorer over the last few weeks, defeating none other than Thierry Henry and his strike this weekend was perhaps typical given his own history in the United Kingdom.

He was left open by Maguire behind inside the box as the French forward evaded his marker before guiding the ball beyond Jordan Pickford.

This moment perhaps summed up Maguire’s form throughout 2022. Indeed, one pundit even said it was a “huge mistake” to take him this autumn. Cast aside at his club, it is for errors such as these that he hasn’t been trusted by Erik ten Hag. The mistake was perhaps not as high profile as it could have been but the way he left Giroud free was inexcusable.

He left Pickford with no chance and penalty miss or not, must shoulder some of the blame for last night after his 101 touches on the night.

That said, Maguire deserves another chance, whether it be at Old Trafford or in Southgate’s ranks. He is still one of the nation’s best centre-backs and often does not deserve such harsh criticism.

For most of the tournament, he was a pillar at the back while his bullish nature at the opposite end of the pitch meant he put fear into the eyes of many. Sadly for the defender, there was no such fear in Giroud’s eyes on Saturday night. Rather, there was glee and happiness.

As England fly home, few would bet against France becoming just the third team after Brazil and Italy to retain the famous trophy.

Journalist Dean Jones has been reacting to an Aston Villa injury update involving Philippe Coutinho.

The Lowdown: Training ground injury

Coutinho has struggled to get going this season and is without a Premier League goal or assist in 12 games.

The 30-year-old sustained a quadricep injury on the training ground and is set to be out of action for up to 10 weeks. The update also means that Coutinho won’t be at the World Cup with Brazil later this month, and Jones has been giving his thoughts on the injury.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Talking to GiveMeSport, Jones said it feels like there is a ‘curse’ on the playmaker at Villa Park, saying ‘it never rains, it pours’.

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“It never rains, it pours for Coutinho. He’s had a terrible time since leaving Liverpool and it was such a big decision to make that transfer in the first place, to quit Anfield.

“I don’t know if somebody put a curse on him or something, but it certainly feels like it because nothing has gone right for him no matter what transfer he has tried.”

The Verdict: Nightmare

Coutinho shone under Steven Gerrard after initially making the move to the Midlands, however, his return to England has gone downhill pretty quickly.

He would’ve been hoping to turn things around under Unai Emery but he now looks set to be out of action until 2023 in a disappointing update for all involved.

Hopefully, Coutinho will find his feet when he returns under the Spaniard, but for now, Emery will have to rely on the likes of Emiliano Buendia and Leon Bailey for a creative spark.

It has been a woeful 18 months of football for previously optimistic Aston Villa fans. Living the dream under fellow Holteenders Dean Smith and Jack Grealish, they achieved the dream of returning to the Premier League with a late club record equally winning streak and whilst it was not always pretty, they survived the first year back in the Premier League and in the 2020/21 campaign they pushed into 11th spot.

With issues at the club, in terms of how did Smith get a consistent tune from them with Grealish in the side, it then went from back to worse as he moved on that summer for a jaw breaking £100 million to Manchester City, and the signings made to replace him just did not settle, or perform and as Villa registered five defeats on the spin, there was no sentiment from the Boardroom and Smith departed, with Christian Purslow somewhat bizarrely choosing the hugely inexperienced Steven Gerrard to take the reins.

He has a reasonable first month in charge, picked up a few wins and then – as is usually the case – an inexperienced gaffer runs out of a honeymoon period, and despite spending big on his signings in both January and the following summer, the only tune Gerrard has consistently got, is the one involving fans turning against his lack of managerial skills which any football odds today website would have seen coming.

Following an embarrassing heavy 3-0 defeat to Fulham on Thursday evening, whilst Purslow may have still backed his former Liverpool colleague, a reportedly irate Nassef Sawiris forced action and Gerrard’s spell in charge was over before the end of the night.

So this is now familiar turf for Villa, they are on the hunt for a manager once again, but the reality of choices available leaves them in even more of a tighter spot than when they gambled on the former England skipper not even 12 months ago.

Mauricio Pochettino continues to be a favourite. His achievements at Tottenham Hotspur speak for themselves in terms of getting them into the mix, but it took a move to French giants Paris Saint-German before he won the first trophies of his career. Even then it quickly soured and the 50-year-old was dismissed back in July and has been without a club since.

Former Arsenal gaffer Unai Emery will not look back at his time in the English Premier League with many fond memories, but having again tasted good success at Spanish La Liga side Villareal, he was Newcastle United’s first choice to take over from (also former Villa gaffer) Steve Bruce following their Saudi Arabia backed takeover – but Emery personally chose against it.

With success at Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel would be a bold choice by a Villa Board looking to get back on track, but it is believed the 49-year-old German has already turned two firm offers to return to the league so far.

The remaining names in the fray probably do not inspire the vast majority of fans who want proven pedigree and not another hopeful gamble.

Sean Dyche, Thomas Frank, and Michael Beale seem to be the next three favourites, but Beale was on Gerrard’s coaching staff for a good period of time and their down turn did not correspond with his departure.

It could be a long few weeks for fans of the one time European Cup Winners.

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