Mehrdad Ghodoussi has now dropped an exciting claim on Newcastle United following their 2-0 win at Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Lowdown: Cloud nine
The Toon Army are on cloud nine at the moment, as their three points against the Bees has now lifted them up to 14th place in the table in the top flight, four points clear of the relegation zone having played fewer games than some of the teams below them.
This is exactly the kind of impact that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium wanted Eddie Howe to make when he took on the job at St James’ Park, and now he is reaping the rewards as they look increasingly likely to avoid the drop.
The Latest: Ghodoussi claim
In an interview with The Athletic, Newcastle owner Ghodoussi has now made an exciting claim with regards to the future of the Tyneside club.
He stated: “There is no reason why Newcastle in the next five years should not be a Man City or a Man United or a Liverpool or a Chelsea.”
The Verdict: Exciting
The vision for Newcastle United from Ghodoussi is certainly exciting.
Assuming that they stay up this season, the summer looks set to be a very busy one in terms of transfers, as the Magpies look to strengthen the squad further following their January additions.
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Given the project and the fact that they would be playing in the Premier League, the kind of names that they could attract may well be mouth-watering. With the right players brought in, there is no reason why the Magpies cannot compete at the top of the division within a few years.
In other news, NUFC have now made an offer for this £31.5m-rated star
Journalist Pete O’Rourke has made a claim regarding Celtic striker Giorgos Giakoumakis ahead of this evening’s clash with St Mirren, GiveMeSport report.
The Lowdown: Giakoumakis 50-50
The 27-year-old netted a hat-trick against Dundee last month but failed to feature in the club’s next Premiership fixture due to an illness.
Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Giakoumakis is ’50-50′ on whether or not he will feature tonight and was expected to make a call this morning.
Celtic struggled without their summer signing against Hibernian on the weekend, registering just three shots on goal in a 0-0 draw.
The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments
Talking to GiveMeSport in a story shared 24 hours before the clash with St Mirren, O’Rourke had this to say on Giakoumakis, labelling his recent hat-trick as a ‘confidence booster’.
“He scored a hat-trick against Dundee, so Celtic will be hoping he can build on this, especially with Kyogo still out injured.
“They need someone to score the goals for them, those goals, especially the late winner, will be a confidence booster, so Celtic will be hoping that he can continue that between now and the end of the season and he can try and fire them to the title.”
The Verdict: Fingers crossed
Kyogo Furuhashi is still out injured, so Postecoglou will need to rely on Giakoumakis and Daizen Maeda for the foreseeable future in a centre-forward role.
It appeared as if Giakoumakis turned a corner following his match-winning display at Parkhead last time out, so it would be good news if he could return this evening, especially after Celtic fired a blank at Easter Road.
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As O’Rourke mentioned, you’d like to think his recent display would be a confidence booster, and if the Hoops are to retain the Premiership title, they may need some more match-winning displays from their towering striker.
In other news: Ange can finally fix big Lennon blunder as Celtic now hold talks for ‘dangerous’ star – opinion.
Taking to Twitter, Sky Sports news reporter Keith Downie has raved over Newcastle United whilst making an ‘extraordinary’ claim.
The Lowdown: NUFC hit their stride…
Magpies boss Eddie Howe has overseen quite the turnaround at St. James’ Park as Newcastle take huge strides away from the Premier League relegation zone.
Unbeaten in nine straight English top flight matches, with their last defeat coming in mid-December at the hands of frontrunners Manchester City, Newcastle are now a huge 10 points clear of the drop.
Winning six of those matches, Howe has seemingly transformed Newcastle’s fortunes, with Downie now making a claim on Twitter.
The Latest: Downie makes ‘extraordinary’ claim…
Indeed, the Sky journalist has raved over Newcastle on social media whilst bringing attention to one ‘extraordinary’ achievement in particular.
“Who would’ve thought before Newcastle faced Leeds on Jan 22nd they’d be a massive 10 points clear of the relegation zone less than 7 weeks later,” Downie exclaimed.
“19 points out of 21 in that time is a quite extraordinary achievement.”
The Verdict: Major…
A near-perfect league record over these last two months should certainly warrant major praise for Howe with the future looking very bright on Tyneside.
As Newcastle edge closer and closer to safety this term, what is set to be a very interesting summer transfer window is also right around the corner.
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Superstars like Harry Kane have even been linked, perhaps an indicator of PIF’s ambition for the club, with there being plenty of reasons for supporters to be excited after the turbulent Mike Ashley era.
In other news: Staveley already working on free Newcastle transfer deal, target has the same agent as Fraser! Find out more here.
The ongoing situation in Ukraine has led to consequences for Everton, with Alisher Usmanov’s lucrative sponsorship of the club being suspended – with the Toffees already on the verge of a points deduction due to “breaking profit and sustainability rules” after recording a loss of £155m more than they are allowed to in a three-year period, between 2017 and 2020.
To make matters worse, even if a points deduction isn’t handed out to them, the team on the pitch could yet be relegated anyway after a torrid run-of-form which has seen them win just one Premier League match in 2022, losing their other seven.
What’s the news?
It’s unlikely now due to a combination of their poor form and standing in the league as well as their financial issue, that even if they secure their top-flight status for next season, their key players like Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison will stay at the club beyond this summer.
Their departures will mean that Everton will need to replace them with smart, bargain signings who are ready for Premier League football, and while players that fit that profile are limited, boss Frank Lampard could take advantage of the new foreign players in Ukraine and Russia transfer window and sign Pedrinho from Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Toffees are reportedly interested in signing the Brazilian forward, who is claimed to want his future finalised by Friday, and at the moment just Wolves are interested in the former Benfica prospect.
Must sign in these circumstances
With the window closing on April 7th, interested clubs must act fast to secure transfers of foreign stars currently playing for Ukrainian and Russian clubs – and due to them all now being considered ‘out of contract’, Everton will likely be most keen of all to get a deal done for the 23-year-old forward.
Their rebuild can’t be costly, even if funds are raised this summer, making this the perfect opportunity to sign a key player for the team in the future, but also someone who can help steer the club away from relegation.
Any chance to strengthen the squad at this point of the campaign would surely be a masterclass, especially if they can help the Toffees beat the dreaded drop, something that when taking a look at the statistics suggests he could do.
Pedrinho is a 23-year-old left-footed right winger who hasn’t yet shown his full promise in Europe that he showed while with Corinthians back in Brazil, where he scored eight goals and made eight assists before signing with Benfica for £16.20m.
This season, the forward has made 0.69 goal contributions per 90 with the Ukrainian outfit – his best return of his career, having made zero for the year before with the Portuguese club, while Shakhtar have scored 13 more goals than they have conceded while he was on the pitch. As a result, he’d certainly be a solid addition to their ranks.
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Described by Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig as a “flamboyant winger” who is most similar to Riyad Mahrez, the Brazilian moved on to Shakhtar last summer for the same fee, and with a market valuation of £15.3m, it’s probable that his re-sell value will soar should he hit the ground running at Everton – making him a must-sign.
If he plays anything like Mahrez has in English football, the acquisition will be a guaranteed masterclass.
In other news: Lampard could unearth a new £40.5m-rated “threat” in Everton’s never-seen 16 y/o
The 18-year-old has made brief cameo displays from the bench against St Mirren and Dundee United, with his current Parkhead contract set to expire in the summer.
Fellow young Hoops attacker Ben Doak has been approached by Liverpool and now looks set to move to Merseyside, and Dembele may well be about to switch nationalities.
The Latest: McGrath’s post
McGrath took to Twitter on Monday afternoon to provide an update on Dembele.
He claimed that an approach has been made for the teenager by Ivory Coast, who want him to play against England later this month in a friendly at Wembley Stadium, outlining:
“Ivory Coast have made an approach for Celtic’s Karamoko Dembele to switch from England and play against Gareth Southgate’s team later this month. IC manager Patrice Beaumelle wants him for 2023 AFCON they are hosting.”
The Verdict: Club exit inevitable?
This update is an exciting one for Dembele, but with his Celtic contract running down, it seems as if a Parkhead exit is inevitable.
Kieran Devlin has recently claimed that it is unlikely that the 18-year-old will pen new terms in Glasgow, and clubs may well circle over the coming months over a possible pre-contract agreement.
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A senior international debut may attract more interest in the Celtic youngster, so Parkhead chiefs may have their work cut out when it comes to keeping Dembele at the club.
In other news: ‘Hope it’s not true… ‘ – Celtic pundit fumes at ‘massive’ Parkhead news after insider’s reveal
According to a report from Sky Italia (via Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur would appear to have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Juventus forward Paulo Dybala.
The lowdown: Spurs in the frame
Set to become a free agent at the end of the season, Tottenham continue to be linked with a move for the 28-year-old star.
Juventus CEO Maurizio Arrivabene recently confirmed that Dybala would be leaving the Old Lady this summer, ending a seven-year affinity with the club in the process.
Of course, the Argentina international nearly signed for the Lilywhites several transfer windows ago, only for the deal to fall through due to image rights issues, but they have now been handed a second chance.
The latest: Serie A giants fall by the wayside
According to the Sky in Italy, as translated by SW, Inter Milan’s interest has been dismissed as the club ‘must make economic assessments’ before considering any signings this summer.
Therefore the reigning Serie A champions are likely to cut their cloth accordingly rather than pursue the 32-cap Argentina ace, having previously been labelled as frontrunners to land the dynamic attacker.
Now, it’s claimed that Atletico Madrid and Barcelona will rival the north London club for the capture of Dybala, who would consider switching to the Premier League.
Given the calibre of the Argentinian, it’s no surprise that there would be intense interest from Europe’s elite, and the fact that one of the major players is already seemingly out of the running is no doubt a big boost for Fabio Paratici and co.
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Still holding a market value of £36million (Transfermarkt) despite the dwindling contract, signing the man likened to Liverpool ace Roberto Firmino would be a superb acquisition – the Brazilian kick-started Jurgen Klopp’s rebuild on Merseyside, so could Dybala do the same for Antonio Conte in London?
Ex-Spurs and England stopper, Paul Robinson, suggested that Dybala would be a ‘massive’ addition for a Premier League squad, and that belief is underpinned by this season’s impressive 19 direct goal contributions in just 29 appearances across all competitions.
In other news: Tottenham target ‘unhappy’ at Serie A club. Read more here
Fabrizio Romano has shared some ‘bad news’ for Manchester United regarding forward Edinson Cavani.
The Lowdown: Cavani’s injury problems
Cavani’s 2021/22 season has been one to forget, with the striker missing large parts of the campaign due to quarantine issues, knocks, tendon irritation and most recently a groin problem.
The 35-year-old has been limited to just six Premier League starts as a result, making a return to action against Tottenham prior to the international break.
He went away with Uruguay and featured against both Peru and Chile, however, Cavani appears to have picked up a fresh problem during the international break.
The Latest: Romano’s post
Romano took to Twitter in the early hours of Wednesday morning to relay news of Cavani’s latest injury. He said:
“Bad news for Manchester United as Edinson Cavani leaves the pitch with an injury during Uruguay game. New problem for el Matador.”
Manchester United have since confirmed that the striker is now a doubt for the match with Leicester City on Saturday following the fresh problem.
The Verdict: End of the road?
Cavani impressed during his first season at Old Trafford, scoring 17 goals in all competitions to earn him a new 12-month deal.
Unfortunately, the experienced striker hasn’t been able to replicate his form this year, so a summer exit could well be on the cards.
It looks set to be a summer of change for the Red Devils off the pitch, with a new manager coming in to replace interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
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Cavani is just one of a number of United players out of contract at the end of June, so his days at the club could be numbered following this latest injury blow.
In other news: ‘Led to believe…’ – Insider now drops major claim on Bruno and Ten Hag following Man Utd talks.
There is no denying that things have improved at West Ham United since Nuno Espírito Santo was appointed manager.
However, there are still plenty of problems with the team, and their 3-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City on Saturday afternoon was a reminder of that fact.
There is talent in the squad, but there are also some significant holes and a lack of cutting edge.
Fortunately, if reports are to be believed, West Ham are looking to address this problem and have already identified someone who’d be a real upgrade on Callum Wilson.
West Ham target Wilson upgrade
Now, there is no denying that there are problems throughout West Ham’s squad, but the need to bring in another number nine is particularly acute.
Transfer Focus
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After all, while Wilson isn’t doing terribly, he is really the only out-and-out nine the manager can call on, as the wantaway Niclas Füllkrug simply isn’t good enough.
Therefore, it’s hardly a surprise to hear that the club are making moves to bring in another striker.
At least that is according to a recent report from Brazil, as relayed by Sport Witness, which claims West Ham are interested in the free-scoring Kaio Jorge.
In fact, the report goes further, revealing the East Londoners made an initial offer to take him on loan for €4m until the end of the season with an obligation to buy for €21m, which comes to around £22m in total.
Unfortunately, that offer has been rejected, with the forwards’ club, Cruzeiro, appearing unwilling to sell unless a more significant offer is made.
It could therefore be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Jorge’s ability and potential, West Ham should continue to fight for him, especially as he’d be an upgrade on Wilson.
How Jorge compares to Wilson
Okay, so when comparing two strikers, the first thing to look at, and the most important measuring stick of all, is their respective output.
Unfortunately for Wilson, this is an area in which he comes out a distant second best.
For example, in 15 appearances this season, totalling 627 minutes, the Englishman has scored four goals and provided one assist.
That comes out to a reasonable enough average of a goal involvement every three games, or every 125.4 minutes.
Jorge vs Wilson
Player
Jorge
Wilson
Appearances
46
15
Minutes
3471′
627′
Goals
26
4
Assists
9
1
Goal Involvements per Match
0.76
0.33
Minutes per Goal Involvement
99.17′
125.4′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Jorge, on the other hand, finished the season in Brazil with an outrageous tally of 26 goals and nine assists in 46 appearances, totalling 3471 minutes.
That comes out to a superb average of a goal involvement every 1.31 games, or every 99.17 minutes.
Now, there is, of course, the caveat that he put up those numbers in a weaker league, but even so, it’s clear that, in the words of analyst Filipe Sousa, he just “does not stop scoring goals.”
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In addition to the output, something else the Cruzeiro star has on his potential competition is youth.
At just 23 years old, the Olinda-born poacher is a decade younger than the former Newcastle United star.
Therefore, there is still plenty of upside wth him, which cannot be said about the 33-year-old.
Ultimately, it wouldn’t be an easy deal to get over the line, but West Ham should do what they can to sign Jorge in 2026, as he could be the perfect Wilson upgrade.
Sullivan must regret not selling West Ham's 4/10 disaster
West Ham United are aboard a sinking ship in the Premier League this season.
Tottenham Hotspur’s recruitment hasn’t been good enough in recent years. Winning the Europa League under Ange Postecoglou’s management before the summer coated over the many issues that still saw the Australian dismissed in one final flourish of power by Daniel Levy.
Now, Thomas Frank is trying to put the London club to rights, but it’s hardly been smooth sailing for the old Brentford, who needs more potency and leadership in attacking circles.
Premier League 25/26 – xG Leaders
Club
League Position
xG
(1) Man City
2nd
30.3
(2) Chelsea
4th
26.9
(3) Man United
8th
26.8
(4) Arsenal
1st
26.5
(5) Crystal Palace
5th
26.2
(17) Tottenham
11th
15.2
Data via FBref
Tottenham have not been slick enough in the final third. That needs to change, and if ENIC Group are serious about lifting Spurs and cementing them at the top of the European ladder, they need a new talisman, someone like Bukayo Saka.
Spurs in talks to sign their own Bukayo Saka
Harry Kane left, and then Heung-min Son did too. Different forwards have since been welcomed down N17, but Tottenham haven’t yet recaptured that star power.
The Londoners could do with a figurehead like Saka, who has been front and centre of Arsenal’s revival under Mikel Arteta’s wing. Saka is an inspiring winger, but he’s also hard-working and singular in his style.
Tottenham need a bit of that, and they might just have found their own version in Said El Mala.
According to reports in Germany, Tottenham are ready to do battle with Manchester United for the Koln wonderkid, who has been in fine fettle in the Bundesliga this season. The 19-year-old is valued somewhere in the ballpark of £35m and it’s alleged that club-to-club talks have begun.
His power and economical use of such strength has revealed a likeness to Arsenal’s star forward, and it’s clear that the Lilywhites would be wise to act quickly and win the race.
Why Spurs need to sign Said El Mala
El Mala is enjoying a stunning rise to the top. He has already been called up to the international stage by Germany boss Julien Nagelsmann,
A destructive dribbler, El Mala has a quality when driving the ball forward that cannot be taught. His brilliance is inherent, and at Tottenham, he could become a superstar in the Premier League while concurrently developing into Frank’s main man.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 6% for successful take-ons and the top 11% for tackles won per 90, emphasising his blend of technical quality, power, and commitment.
Picture this: you’re an up-and-coming winger, beginning to make headway in the German top flight. You are 19 years old, and one year ago, you starred in Germany’s third tier. You have since been described as “the most direct winger in Europe” by data analyst Spencer Mossman.
This is El Mala’s reality. He is in his infancy as a professional, and yet his performances have caused a storm that is set to lead him to prominence in the Premier League. Tottenham need to take a punt here and sign their own Saka-esque star.
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He is not on the Three Lions man’s level, not yet. But the pointers suggest he will be, bearing similarities and perhaps even more explosiveness and sharpness in front of goal.
League Stats 25/26 – Saka vs El Mala
Stats (* per game)
Saka
El Mala
Matches (starts)
14 (12)
14 (6)
Goals
4
6
Assists
1
2
Shots (on target)*
2.1 (1.1)
2.0 (1.0)
Accurate passes*
21.4 (79%)
7.1 (69%)
Big chances created
7
4
Dribbles*
1.7
1.5
Ball recoveries*
4.4
1.6
Tackles + interceptions*
1.5
1.1
Duels won*
6.1
3.6
Data via Sofascore
A self-defined “street footballer”, El Mala also plays with an intelligence to match his combative nature. In this, he shares traits with Saka, and that has indeed been picked up by FBref’s data patterns.
He likes to pepper the goal, does the young Koln star, but he also likes to chip in with defensive contributions and activity in the duel. Having started only six Bundesliga fixtures this term, the teenager has already found a real clinical edge,
Tottenham might look at El Mala’s signature and deem the payment required to be sizeable. Perhaps the transfer chiefs would be right. But he’s only going to get better, and given that Arsenal’s rise and rise would not have come about without Saka’s emergence, this is a player worth paying for.
The new Dele Alli: Spurs pushing hard to sign "generational" English talent
Tottenham have something of a knack for signing top teenage talents.
Harry Redknapp has rubbished rumours that he would be willing to sell Luka Modric to any club, for any price:
“There’s no chance of it happening at all. Luka’s key to everything that’s happening at this place. Everybody knows what I think of him. And if you want to move on to higher levels you don’t start flogging off your best players – to anyone.” –The Sun
I didn’t think the news needing announcing but apparently Ferguson’s ‘friendship’ with Redknapp could have had a deciding factor on the player’s destination. It’s difficult to imagine Redknapp selling the Croat to any bidder in this transfer window considering the importance of retaining, whilst adding to, a squad that is pushing to be in the Champions League group stages come the beginning of next season.
It was rumoured that United may be tabling a £25m bid for Modric in an attempt to add some desperately needed creative influence in midfield. But the 24 year old has himself hinted that he would prefer to be part of the future at White Hart Lane:
“I thought at the time, ‘this is a big thing for us’. If we qualify for the group stages of the Champions League I’m sure this club will go on to another level.”
Although what players say can rarely be given credence anymore considering the transfer climate it is safe to assume that Redknapp will certainly not allow the diminutive attacker to be sold as his squad prepares to battle it out with Europe’s best.
With the door publicly and proverbially closed on United it leaves me wondering who Ferguson can look to capture and reignite the variety of Old Trafford’s attack. David Silva remains an option, although the noises from Spain are now suggesting some reticence to the notion of selling. Wesley Sneijder is another man who, despite having the best debut season possible with Inter, may be available given Mourinho’s departure (and the likelihood of one or two high profile names following him to the Bernabeu).
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But with the World Cup only a mere fortnight away there remains plenty of time for players to enhance (or degrade) their reputations.