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An update has emerged regarding the future of Newcastle United striker Chris Wood on deadline day of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has revealed that the Tyneside club have turned down multiple attempts from other teams to take the New Zealand international off their hands.

Eddie Howe brought the striker to St James’ Park from Burnley for £25m in January and the Magpies look set to keep him for the first half of the 2022/23 campaign at least.

Hope tweeted: “Newcastle have rejected several enquiries for striker Chris Wood. Watford among them, but also number of PL clubs. Newcastle do not want to lose any attacking personnel this window #nufc.”

Deadline day blunder

This decision not to cash in on Wood could end up being a deadline day blunder by Toon chief Dan Ashworth.

Earlier this year, Frank McAvennie claimed that the centre-forward was “struggling” at Newcastle and tipped him to leave the club in the summer.

Whilst the second part has not come to pass, Wood has been struggling in a Magpies shirt throughout his time at the club.

The £80k-per-week flop ranks in the 1st percentile among players in his position over the last 365 days in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.11). This suggests that he is one of the worst players in the top five European leagues, not just the Premier League, when it comes to scoring from open play.

Since arriving at Newcastle, Wood has played 21 top-flight matches for Howe and found the net just twice, with one of those coming from the penalty spot.

The head coach wants his team to press, and the former Burnley man is average in this regard, ranking in the 58th percentile for pressures and the 25th for tackles per 90. This means that he offers very little at the top end of the pitch in possession and is not outstanding in terms of how the manager wants his side to set up off the ball.

At the age of 30, he is not a young player gaining experience or likely to make massive improvements at this point in his career.

Therefore, if he is unable to lift his performances, keeping him on the books and continuing to watch him struggle on the pitch could cause his value to drop, and they may not have the same interest in his signature in January, which is why this decision could be a blunder by Ashworth.

Sunderland’s academy has produced some solid Premier League talent over recent years, with Jordan Henderson their main export that has gone on to take the league by storm.

Having left the club in 2011, the Black Cats earned £20m which, at the time, seemed like a fine piece of business.

However, having gone on to succeed Steven Gerrard as captain of Liverpool, he will now go down in the history books at Anfield.

He has led his new side to victory in nearly every competition possible, with the Premier League, Champions League and both domestic cups under his belt, as well as a FIFA Club World Cup and a UEFA Super Cup.

Just 79 games at the Stadium of Light was modest compared to the phenomenal 455 games for the Reds, and he has overseen their growth from mid-table struggle to mentality monsters.

In his five appearances this season, he has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.06 and has done well to establish himself as one of the more dependable Premier League midfielders. 

During the year in which Liverpool won England’s top flight, the England international stepped his game up even further, raising his average match rating to 7.23 across his 30 league appearances in 2019/20. He also scored five goals and assisted four, which was impressive given how that is not normally his role.

The 32-year-old was just last year labelled an “immense captain” and “a real leader” by Leanne Prescott, who also cited his MBE as “richly deserved”.

Curtis Woodhouse also claimed that people won’t respect Henderson until he has retired, as he is a “proper all-round midfielder” and a “monster”.

It is impressive how much he has grown from the young Mackem lad playing for his boyhood club.

While £20m seemed like good money at the time, to see his growth as the Black Cats slumped down the divisions must have been a bitter pill to swallow for the club’s supporters.

As he geared up for his first of three Champions League finals – so far – the Wearside outfit had already been resigned to relegation to League One.

He could have captained Sunderland to glory, but instead, he led the revitalisation of Liverpool. They will surely regret the call to sell him now, with hindsight.

West Ham United are in the race to try and sign Spezia defender Jakub Kiwior, according to a new transfer report which has emerged.

The Lowdown: Kiwior already on West Ham’s radar

The 22-year-old has impressed with his performances for his current club and he was linked with a move to the Hammers during the summer transfer window.

Kiwior ended up staying put at Spezia, though, and he has continued to shine so far this season, winning 1.6 aerial duels per game in Serie A.

However, it appears as though a move to the Premier League is still possible for the Poland defender, in light of a recent report.

The Latest: West Ham still keen on Kiwior

According to Tuttomercatoweb, West Ham are still interested in signing Kiwior, although it isn’t specified if a January of summer switch could come to fruition.

Serie A champions AC Milan are also keen on acquiring his signature, though, with the youngster’s current Spezia contract expiring at the end of the 2024/25 season.

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The Verdict: Long-term acquisition

Kiwior could be a shrewd acquisition for the Hammers if they manage to get a deal over the line, not only improving squad depth at centre-back but also acting as a long-term signing.

At 22, he is still maturing as a player and should continue to find new levels in the coming years, although the fact that he is already a regular in Serie A says a lot about his quality. He can also play as a defensive midfielder, so his versatility is an added bonus.

Indeed, with FBRef citing him as stylistically similar to former West Ham colossus Cheikhou Kouyate, who like the Spezia gem can adapt to either a centre-back or midfield role, Irons supporters may well get something of a throwback to the Senegal international at the London Stadium if the club’s interest manifests itself in a transfer.

Kiwior also has four caps to his name for Poland and will hope to impress at the upcoming World Cup after featuring in both of his country’s UEFA Nations League matches over the past week, ideally giving David Moyes and West Ham an opportunity to see him on the biggest stage of all.

James Maddison signing a new contract with Leicester City could stave off interest from Newcastle United, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has claimed.

The Lowdown: Maddison linked with Leicester exit

The 25-year-old has been one of the Foxes’ star players over the past few years, proving to be a creative hub of the team and scoring 36 goals in the Premier League.

Maddison was touted for move away from Leicester during the summer transfer window, and Newcastle have continued to be linked with him.

However, a new update suggests that the Foxes could boost their chances of retaining his services as they look to keep hold of one of their most prized assets.

The Latest: Downie shares Maddison claim

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Downie stated that Leicester tying Maddison down to a new deal could ultimately see Newcastle unable to afford him, in what would be a huge fillip for the Foxes.

The Sky Sports reporter said of the 25-year-old:

“If he does go on to sign a new contract at Leicester, you’ve got to say Newcastle have got no chance of getting him. Their only chance really of getting him would have been in that sort of cut-price deal [in the summer], and I’m saying cut-price deal, we’re talking over £40 million.

“He’s worth £50 million and that’s why I think Newcastle were kind of pleasantly surprised when they learned that they could get him for that money, but they couldn’t get him.”

The Verdict: Will he extend his stay?

Maddison has remained loyal to Leicester up until this point, but their current struggles under Brendan Rodgers could understandably leave the playmaker questioning his future at the King Power Stadium.

The 5 foot 9 midfielder is an exceptional player who has been hailed as ‘superbly consistent’ by Gary Lineker, and he may feel that a step up to a more successful team is required.

Leicester’s struggles are certainly despite rather than because of him, with the 25-year-old already scoring three goals this season and ranking as by far his team’s best player according to WhoScored.

Maddison’s current contract expires in 2024, so it is slowly edging towards a crunch period, but extending his stay would at least allow the Foxes to sell him at a premium if he does leave.

Arsene Wenger led Arsenal to countless major trophies during his 22-year reign at the club, leading them to an undefeated Premier League season as well as a first-ever Champions League final.

It was perhaps the Frenchman’s vision in the transfer market, particularly in his first decade, which really enamoured him to the Arsenal faithful.

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The likes of Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, and Marc Overmars were all signed and contributed towards one of the greatest periods in the club’s revered history.

One of his most underrated signings was that of Theo Walcott in January 2006, with Wenger paying Southampton an initial fee of just £5m for the 16-year-old. He had to wait until his 17th birthday to sign full professional forms.

That summer, Walcott made headlines by being selected for Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England World Cup squad, without having played a single minute for Arsenal.

He didn’t feature at the tournament but made his Arsenal debut in August 2006 and scored just eight goals in his first two seasons.

Goal returns of six, four, 13, and 11 suggested he was developing into the player that saw Wenger bring him to the club in the first place.

It was 2012/2013 when he had a proper breakthrough, certainly in goal contribution terms, for the club. Buoyed on by being part of England’s Euro 2012 squad (scoring in a 3-2 win over Sweden) Walcott netted 21 goals and registered 16 assists in all competitions.

This proved to be the apex for the winger at Arsenal, with 2016/2017 being the only campaign that came close to matching those ridiculous heights (19 goals and two assists). His talents deserved more trophies, with the Englishman winning three FA Cups under Wenger, but his spell at the club coincided with their nine-year trophy drought.

The Frenchman lavished praise on the winger when he was going through the best scoring season of his career in 2013, saying he was “absolutely sensational” following the successful transformation at the club.

All in all, Walcott scored 108 goals and grabbed a further 80 assists during his 12-year spell in London, before moving to Everton and back to his first club, Southampton.

For £5m, Wenger certainly spotted a prodigious young talent. Whether or not he lived up to his early promise is up for debate, but 108 goals for Arsenal and 47 appearances for England suggest that the Frenchman saw something.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has been reacting to West Brom’s reported interest in former Burnley manager Sean Dyche.

The Lowdown: Dyche rumours

The Baggies have yet to make any real progress when it comes to securing Steve Bruce’s long-term successor after parting ways with the 61-year-old on Monday.

Dyche was thought to be the club’s first-choice candidate, according to Chris Lepkowski, but as we know, a potential move is yet to gather pace.

The 51-year-old led Burnley to the Championship title in 2015/16 and has been out of work since April after he parted ways with the Clarets, six months short of his ten-year anniversary at Turf Moor.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

Talking to The Transfer Tavern, O’Rourke described Dyche as a ‘proven manager’ and someone who would ‘tick a lot of boxes’ at The Hawthorns.

“Yeah, Dyche, proven manager. He can go in there and get teams playing and he’s got that promotion with Burnley on his CV as well.

“So I think he’s somebody who would definitely tick a lot of boxes for West Brom.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Time is ticking for chief executive Ron Gourlay, with the Baggies currently in the Championship relegation zone. However, if he can lure Dyche to the Midlands, it could prove to be worth the wait, with the Englishman having plenty of previous success in the second tier.

He has two previous promotions to the Premier League with Burnley, so if believes in the project at The Hawthorns, Dyche may fancy his chances of a third promotion with West Brom.

Aston Villa are set to ‘hold talks’ with former Arsenal boss Unai Emery over the vacant manager’s role at the Midlands club, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Villa on the search for new manager

Steven Gerrard’s sacking earlier in the week had been coming, with a consistently poor run of results in the Premier League ultimately leading to his demise, amid vocal supporter unrest in recent days and weeks.

Since then, Villa have been linked with several different managers as potential replacements, including Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Frank and Ruben Amorim.

Another name has now seemingly entered the race as NSWE look to nail their next appointment.

The Latest: Emery in the mix

According to Football Insider, Villa are planning to ‘hold talks’ with Emery over taking charge at the club, with the 50-year-old currently in the hot seat at Villarreal.

The Spaniard is described as one of NSWE’s ‘top targets’ to become the new boss in the Midlands, and he is ‘believed to be interested’ in hearing out the Villa owners about the vacancy.

The Verdict: Proven pedigree

Emery has proven himself as a top-class manager for an extended period of time, so the idea of Villa snapping him up has to be considered an exciting one.

While his time at Arsenal proved to be forgettable overall, he has won the Europa League an incredible four times – a feat that no other manager can boast, not even when the UEFA Cup era is included.

Whether or not Emery is genuinely willing to leave a thriving Spanish club for struggling Villa is up for debate, but if the opportunity arises to get him, NSWE should go all-in on a manager who Jurgen Klopp has described as ‘world class’.

Aston Villa are plotting a move for Queens Park Rangers star Ilias Chair, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Nine goal contributions

Chair has been a regular in the QPR first team since 2019/20 and has made a total of 167 appearances for the Hoops. The 24-year-old has starred under new manager Michael Beale, already contributing to nine goals in the second tier.

The Morocco international has been influential in the club’s positive start to the season, and it seems as if he is catching the eye of one Premier League side.

The Latest: Villa interest

FI journalist Pete O’Rourke shared a story on Monday lunchtime regarding Chair. He revealed that Villa are ‘plotting a move’ for the attacking midfielder, regarded as one of the outstanding players in the Championship.

The report adds that Villa have sent scouts on a regular basis to Loftus Road during the current campaign and are thought to be lining up a winter window swoop as a result.

The Verdict: A worry

The Hoops appear to be set for a promotion push under Beale, so this update involving Chair will come as a worry.

He has been the club’s second-best performer behind Chris Willock, as per WhoScored, so losing his services in January would come as a blow to all associated with QPR.

Chair, however, is under contract until 2025 –  so a silver lining for QPR supporters could be the strong position their club are in to demand a huge fee for Beale’s star man.

Having reached a deal in principle to sign Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna for a fee of £42m, Arsenal are now turning their full transfer attention to the engine room.

Mikel Arteta has sculpted an almighty outfit in north London but accepts that several signings are needed after falling short to Manchester City in the Premier League title for a second successive year.

Declan Rice joined in a club-record £105m transfer last summer, but the Gunners are now preparing to make a move for the final piece of the puzzle in the middle, and no, it's not Mikel Merino.

Arsenal transfer news

According to Foot Mercato, Arsenal are interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain's Fabian Ruiz this summer but have not yet approached the Ligue 1 champions. This follows claims from Football Transfers that Arsenal have been locked in negotiations for the Euro 2024 champion.

Ruiz, 28, is not up for sale in the French capital but nor is he considered untouchable, and if the right offer arrives he will be allowed to search for pastures new.

Why Arsenal should sign Fabian Ruiz

Ruiz signed for PSG from Napoli two years ago for an initial fee of just €21.5m (£18m). It's unlikely that he would command a colossal outlay to sign, and when compatriot Mikel Merino, who played in his shadow for Spain at the Euros, is reportedly going to cost around £25m, Arsenal might be wise to look in Paris' direction.

Rodri vs Fabian Ruiz: Euro 2024 Stats

Statistics

Rodri

Fabian Ruiz

Matches played

6

6

Matches started

6

6

Goals

1

2

Assists

0

2

Pass completion

93%

91%

Touches per game

83.7

86.3

Key passes per game

1.0

1.7

Ball recoveries per game

6.8

7.7

Dribbles per game

0.3

2.0

Possession won per game

1.0

2.3

Tackles per game

2.3

1.5

Duels won per game

5.2 (56%)

4.3 (55%)

Stats via Sofascore

Rodri was crowned the Euro 2024 Player of the Tournament after his formidable performances at the heart of the Spanish outfit, but might it be fair to say that Ruiz was the true heartbeat of Luis de la Fuente's triumph? The manager himself noted the PSG maestro's "incredible" efforts.

Ruiz was immense, producing complete displays to reaffirm his name as one of Europe's finest in the middle of the park. Across his 2023/24 club campaign, the £147k-per-week star showcased his dynamic qualities, ranking among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for pass completion, the top 6% for assists and the top 15% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

His artistic, press-resistent approach to his football could see him perform expertly alongside Rice in the centre of the park for Arsenal, producing the kind of deep-lying, ball-playing performances that would allow the England international to raise his name even higher in his newfound No. 8 role.

The statistics-led site even mark Rodri as one of Ruiz's most comparable players, with his metronomic style and combative nature marking him as the perfect addition to bolster Arteta's team and edge closer toward leapfrogging Pep Guardiola's Citizens at the summit of English football.

Arsenal need another piece to complete their midfield and sway the odds in their favour this season, and Ruiz could prove to be the perfect addition, one who could make all the difference.

Related He wants Arsenal: Gunners lead race to re-sign £34m star who's like Felix

He wants to join the Gunners this summer.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jul 27, 2024

Leeds United youngster Leo Hjelde is considered an injury ‘doubt’ for his side’s Premier League clash with Liverpool, adding to the considerable list of problems for Jesse Marsch.

The Lowdown: Leeds head to Anfield

The Whites make the trip to Anfield on Saturday evening in what represents another crucial game for the under-fire manager.

The American is desperately battling to keep his job at the moment and there is no denying that he can’t afford too many more bad results.

Injuries aren’t helping Marsch’s current plight and another potential setback has emerged with kick-off against Jurgen Klopp’s side on the horizon.

The Latest: Hjelde could miss out

Taking to Twitter, Phil Hay confirmed that Joe Gelhardt, Rodrigo, Luis Sinisterra and Tyler Adams all need to be assessed while Stuart Dallas and Adam Forshaw will not play.

And with defensive depth already so thin, Hjelde could also miss out this weekend:

“Hjelde is a doubt too.”

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The Verdict: Injuries continue to mount

Granted, Hjelde isn’t exactly is one of the first names on the team sheet at Elland Road but this still has to be considered a blow, affecting Leeds’ preparations for Liverpool.

The 18-year-old hasn’t yet played a minute of Premier League action this season but he is a huge talent who has actually even been compared to Saturday’s opponent Virgil van Dijk, so he may have been expecting to start getting some minutes as the injuries stack up in the defensive ranks.

The hope is that Hjelde is passed fit for the game and named on the substitutes’ bench – if not, the Whites simply have to crack on with even less depth and focus on picking up a desperately needed positive result.