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Newcastle United are believed to be closing in on the signing of Central Coast Mariners sensation, Garang Kuol, according to the latest reports.

What’s the word?

As per journalist Chris Waugh, the Magpies are reportedly negotiating a deal for the promising 18-year-old, as he revealed on Twitter:

“#NUFC are in advanced talks to sign Garang Kuol from Central Coast Mariners, as per reports. The forward has just turned 18 & is seen as Australia’s brightest prospect. Still raw but very talented. Likely a development signing to begin with, if concluded.”

In his attached piece for The Athletic, the club insider reports that the Tynesiders could well win the race for the forward’s signature ahead of ‘several top European sides’, albeit with the deal not set to become official until the January window opens should it go through.

The report goes on to add that the promising starlet may not automatically be handed a work permit were a deal to be agreed, with the St James’ Park outfit considering whether to loan him out to a European club.

Great future

While it would appear that such a move is with one eye on the future – with the youngster likely to initially join Newcastle’s U21 squad – it could well prove to be something of a masterstroke were the northeast side able to strike a deal, with the teenager having already showcased his talent in his embryonic senior career thus far.

Lauded as “Australia’s biggest prospect” – as per Waugh – the Egypt-born menace has already made an impact for his current club despite his youth, scoring four goals in just eight games after breaking into the side towards the tail end of the 2021/22 campaign.

Having been tipped to have a “great future” by Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez, the 5 foot 9 marksman has only recently been handed a senior call-up to the Australia squad for the Socceroos’ upcoming, pre-World Cup friendlies.

That inclusion is a marker of just how well-regarded Kuol is despite his impact having been relatively fleeting to date, with Mariners coach Nick Montgomery having only recently labelled him a “special talent” as a result of his explosive form.

All the signs appear to point to a player who is only set to continue his rapid rise over the coming years, with there no doubt a chance that the teenager could well go on to play a part in Qatar this summer.

As such, it would no doubt represent smart business for Eddie Howe and co to get a deal done prior to his potential World Cup involvement, with rival interest only set to rise if the £90k-rated prospect does go on to sparkle on the global stage.

Leeds United have begun the first steps of a move for Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, making contact with his representatives this week.

The Lowdown: Chalobah profiled

Chalobah, who Rio Ferdinand called ‘unbelievable’ for his performance in the 2021 UEFA Super Cup, is primarily a centre-back who can also turn out in a defensive midfield role.

The 23-year-old, valued at a career-high £18m by Transfermarkt, has made 30 senior appearances for the Blues, spending time out on loan with Ipswich Town, Huddersfield Town and FC Lorient.

He watched on at Elland Road on Sunday as an unused substitute in a 3-0 defeat for Thomas Tuchel’s side, and it looks as if Leeds are keen on a potential late move.

The Latest: Leeds contact

90min provided an update regarding Chalobah’s future on Tuesday.

They claim that Chelsea could make the player available for loan if they sign Leicester City’s Wesley Fofana, with Leeds making contact with Chalobah’s representatives.

The report adds that the Whites would indeed be interested in a move, should he ‘hit the market’.

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The Verdict: Look elsewhere?

Jesse Marsch is well-stocked at centre-back with four senior options and in midfield after bringing in Marc Roca and Tyler Adams.

Therefore, bringing in the versatile Chalobah doesn’t seem to be crucial, whereas you could make an argument for a new forward being an absolute necessity.

Yes, Rodrigo has starred so far this season, but he is mainly used in a deeper role, so securing a new number nine to provide competition to Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt would be a smarter move than pursuing a loan deal for Chalobah.

A little over two weeks before the summer transfer window is shut, one of the teams facing really tough times has to be Leicester City. The team is the only one in the Premier League in the summer transfer period that hasn’t so far signed new players. This is despite having exiting players.

A bad start to the season, coming on the back of a poor ending to last season, complicates matters even more for Brendan Rodgers’ team. The Foxes have just one point in their opening two league games and in the process they’ve conceded six goals.

While they haven’t brought in new players, and with the transfer window’s closure fast approaching, Leicester City are between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Blunt in attack, and no longer solid in defence, it seems Leicester City, previously an epitome of talent, selling for the top dollar, will have to find top replacements themselves.

Their form at the start of the season has exposed their deficiencies and it is quite easy to bet on their matches, especially where lack of clean sheets is concerned. This is a good avenue for first time registrations which come with bonuses on some of the best betting sites by SportyTrader, including 1XBet, which offers up to $130 in bonus, Betobet which has up to €100 bonus, same to ShangriLa.

As the 2016 Premier League champions grapple with a poor run of form, Leicester City have already seen one of their best players over the previous seasons, Kasper Schmeichel, walk out. The goalkeeper has left to join French Ligue 1 side Nice. So far, replacing the iconic keeper has proven a challenge and Daniel Ward, in the two opening league games, has proven to be way short.

Leicester City will not have it easy with a number of teams salivating over their players. Jamie Vardy, one of the few remaining heroes of the league winning 2016 team, has attracted interest from Manchester United on a short term deal. It remains to be seen if the man who rejected Arsenal before will still hold his loyalty to Leicester City aloft as the season unfolds.

Youri Tielemans has also been a target for other Premier League sides, top among them being Arsenal. However, Leicester seems to be winning the race to hold on the Belgian international, at least for a year. The danger is that they may lose him for free next season.

Wesley Fofana is back to full fitness and his promise remains clear despite the team’s struggles. He has featured in both opening league games and has stayed professional despite open interest from Chelsea. The Blues have had offers rejected as they prop up a valuation of £80m and there is concern that the club is only setting the valuation high to frustrate a move, even as there have been indications the player would like to move to a team playing in the Champions League as a means of forcing his way into the French national team ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

Photo by Unsplash

Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin is likely to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer but the club have not discussed terminating his contract, according to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Bellerin’s contract

The Spaniard has entered the final 12 months of his deal in north London, with seemingly no prospect of game-time under Mikel Arteta this season, having not even made the 20-man matchday squad against Crystal Palace on Friday night.

According to reports emerging from Spain, the Gunners have accepted they are unlikely to receive a fee for the 27-year-old. As a result, they are said to be willing to cut the full-back’s deal short and let him re-join Real Betis on a permanent basis after he spent the 2021/22 campaign there on loan.

Bellerin’s former team-mate Borja Iglesias has claimed that the Arsenal man is desperate to return to the La Liga outfit.

The Latest: Taylor’s claim

Whilst Taylor expects the four-cap Spain international to leave the Emirates and join Betis this summer, he doesn’t believe that a termination of the defender’s £110,000-per-week contract has been considered by the club.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the reliable journalist claimed: “At the moment, I’m told there’s nothing in talks that he’s going to mutually terminate his contract, I do think that is something that could still happen, but as of now, it’s not something that has been discussed.

“There’s an appreciation that he wants to return to Real Betis, and it will probably happen, but at the moment, he’s still very much an Arsenal player.”

The Verdict: La Liga return could suit everyone

During his year-long loan stint in Spain, Bellerin made 23 appearances in La Liga and featured four times for Betis in the Europa League. More impressively, he made five appearances in the Copa del Rey, helping the club to their first major trophy in 17 years.

During the league campaign, the 27-year-old averaged 2.3 tackles and 2.4 clearances per game, earning a solid 6.87 match rating for the year (via WhoScored). The tackling average was better than anyone who played in more than two league matches under Mikel Arteta in 2021/22.

Therefore, with limited game-time on the table at Arsenal, a move back to Betis would appear to be the best option possible for the Gunners defender.

Liverpool could receive as much as £11m from their pre-season tour of Thailand and Singapore, according to financial expert Dr Dan Plumley.

The Lowdown: Liverpool on pre-season duty

The Reds have flown to Thailand for the first leg of their summer tour, taking on rivals Manchester United in Bangkok on Tuesday afternoon.

After that comes a meeting with Crystal Palace in Singapore on Friday, as huge Liverpool fans from Asia are given the chance to see their heroes in the flesh.

The trip looks set to be a hugely lucrative one for the Reds, as they continue to thrive both on and off the pitch.

The Latest: Expert drops financial claim

Speaking to Football Insider, Plumley claimed that Liverpool could pocket £11m from their pre-season trip abroad.

The financial expert outlined:

“I think around £11m is a reasonable benchmark. That’s probably in the region of the top end of what you could expect.

“That is huge. You can see why clubs are prepared to fly all around the world to do this. If you’re a bigger club as well, you have to engage with these fanbases when you’re there.

“The Man United game links to that as well in that the broadcaster IMG have paid for some of the rights. They might be able to go a bit further than previous figures this time around, but it’s a fair amount whichever way you cut it.”

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The Verdict: Special time to be a Red

This is further proof of the force that Liverpool have become during the Jurgen Klopp era, with the German turning them into one of the world’s biggest clubs and arguably the most appealing team to play for on the planet currently, given their style of play and team spirit.

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The money they will receive during pre-season could even go towards new signings later in the summer transfer window, should Klopp feel the need for further reinforcements.

There has barely been a better time to be a Reds supporter and the upcoming friendlies will give fans their much-needed fix after the summer break.

West Ham United boss David Moyes is reportedly driving the club’s pursuit of Jesse Lingard, with the Englishman available on a free transfer this summer.

What’s the word?

As per 90min’s Toby Cudworth, the former Everton boss is said to be “pushing” the Hammers to sign the 29-year-old, with the versatile forward having previously shone on loan at the London Stadium.

Writing on Twitter about the ongoing situation, the journalist stated: “Unsurprisingly it’s David Moyes pushing #WHUFC to sign Jesse Lingard – a saga to say the least but the Scot is hopeful an agreement can be reached. Will be high wages and agent fees if a deal is eventually done.”

In the attached piece, the report suggests that the 32-cap international would become one of the highest earners at the east London outfit, with a reported salary of around £100k-per-week.

Supporters will love it

As Cudworth alluded to, the situation regarding the Manchester United academy graduate is becoming something of a ‘saga’, with it having previously appeared a relatively easy deal to push through following the confirmation of his departure from Old Trafford.

This latest update will, however, spark renewed excitement among the Irons faithful, with it looking as if the £16.2m-rated gem is edging ever closer to a return to the club where he had briefly rejuvenated his career during the second half of the 2020/21 season.

That six-month spell saw the £80k-per-week forward bag nine goals and register a further four assists in just 16 Premier League games, helping to secure an impressive sixth-place finish and the subsequent Europa League qualification.

Having enjoyed something of a renaissance under Moyes, it had looked as if Lingard would be returning on a permanent deal last summer, only to eventually stay at his parent club for another year.

That decision has backfired spectacularly with the Warrington-born playmaker going on to start just two top-flight games all season, although he was perhaps deserving of a more prominent role after a strong start to the campaign, notably netting a stunning late winner away at West Ham back in September.

Supporters can now start to believe that he will be producing such moments of magic again next term, albeit this time in a claret and blue jersey.

AND in other news, Moyes plotting move for “special” £45m “baller”, he’d be a “superstar” for West Ham

A new name has emerged in Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer plans this summer…

What’s the word?

According to Alasdair Gold of football.london, Spurs have been tracking Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who Premier League rivals Newcastle United tried to sign earlier this year.

It remains to be seen how much the Brazil international would command, given how much of a regular he was for the Ligue 1 outfit last season.

Transfermarkt currently value the 24-year-old star at £31.5m, whilst he is thought to be earning wages in the region of £49k-per-week at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais.

AC Milan will be due 15% of any sale due to an agreement in the €20m (£18m) deal to sell him.

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Frightening midfield unit

The arrival of Paqueta in north London would be quite the coup and could allow manager Antonio Conte to form one of the better midfield departments in the English top-flight.

During the 2021/22 campaign, the Lyon star delivered a total of 11 goals and seven assists from attacking midfield across both domestic and European competitions.

As such, WhoScored graded him as L’OL’s highest-rated player (7.24), whilst as per FBref, he ranks inside the top 6% for progressive passes (9.25 per 90), top 9% for shots (3.06 per 90) and top 12% for non-penalty xG+A (0.59 per 90) of his positional peers across Europe’s top five divisions.

“I love his dribbling and blind passing, but what I love is his desire, his activity, his selflessness, his commitment,” once claimed former Premier League talisman Thierry Henry.

With similar workmanlike players such as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Oliver Skipp and Rodrigo Bentancur, Paqueta could fit right in to make Spurs’ engine room one to be feared every week.

Meanwhile, teammate Jerome Boateng has also waxed lyrical about the Brazilian’s exploits, declaring:

“He brings so much to our team. He’s running a lot, his skills of course, his technique, his creating chances, his passing, his fighting for the ball, he helps us a lot. And I think he has a big potential to be really a world star in football.”

As such, sporting director Fabio Paratici must look to swoop for the Lyon playmaker in the coming months. He’d be a fine addition to Conte’s squad heading into a Champions League campaign.

AND in other news, Paratici now eyeing £18m-rated Spurs bargain, could be bye-bye “horrendous” Nuno flop…

Newcastle United have continued talks with Manchester United over signing Dean Henderson, as per 90min journalist Graeme Bailey.

The Lowdown: Goalkeeper pursuit

According to a report by the Daily Mail from 21 March, the Magpies had drawn up a list of potential goalkeeper targets ahead of the summer transfer window, with Eddie Howe keen to increase competition for first-choice Martin Dubravka.

Old Trafford shot-stopper Henderson was linked with a move to St James’ Park in January, with the 25-year-old having failed to dislodge David de Gea as the Red Devils’ first-choice. However, negotiations were swiftly concluded when the Manchester club raised the possibility of Dubravka going in the opposite direction.

The Latest: Henderson talks continue

Taking to Twitter, Bailey has shared the latest news on the Magpies’ pursuit of Henderson, claiming: “Newcastle continue talks with Man Utd over Dean Henderson.”

In the corresponding 90min article, he reported that the Tyneside club are long-term admirers of the former Sheffield United loanee, with the goalkeeper having made it clear that he wants to play regular first-team football.

It is understood that negotiations have yet to determine whether an agreement will involve a permanent transfer or a loan move.

The Verdict: Good move for Henderson

With Henderson having failed to play a single minute of Premier League football across the entire 2021/22 campaign, the 25-year-old will need to move elsewhere if he is to establish himself as a potential England number one.

Newcastle could be the perfect destination to achieve that mission, given the club’s huge ambition and upwards trajectory.

From Howe’s perspective, the Magpies will be getting an up-and-coming young prospect, who former Blades teammate Sander Berge labelled “exceptional”.

However, with Henderson’s contract set to run until 2025, Newcastle may be quoted a substantial fee by Erik ten Hag’s side; and with the player’s current £120,000 weekly wage topping Dubravka’s reported £38,000 per week, this won’t be a cheap deal for PIF to get over the line.

In other news: Magpies make offer for this Serie A gem

Jurgen Klopp heavily rotated his Liverpool team against Southampton last night which led to worry about the fitness of key players ahead of the last day of the Premier League season and the Champions League final. However, a new update has emerged that will relieve supporters.

What’s the latest?

In a Q&A session on The Athletic website, Liverpool reporter James Pearce gave a promising response to a concerned supporter who was worried about Sadio Mane’s fitness as he did not appear in the matchday squad at St Mary’s on Tuesday evening.

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Pearce gave a promising four-word response when asked if the Senegalese winger had picked up an injury: “Just rested I believe.”

Supporters will be delighted

Supporters will be delighted that Mane was just rested and hasn’t picked up an injury after Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Mo Salah have all had fitness worries since the FA Cup Final, especially when you consider how effective he has been for Liverpool over the last few months.

The 29-year-old has scored 22 goals and contributed five assists in 49 appearances this season, with three of his goals scored in important knock-out games in the Champions League. He’s also bagged eight Premier League goals since the turn of the year, proving highly effective and making a huge impact on Liverpool’s quadruple challenge.

With that being said, Klopp clearly made the right decision in resting the attacker in the victory over Southampton last night and has given him the opportunity to recover ahead of the final game of the season and the trip to Paris to face Real Madrid in the Champions League final, two games his positive influence and impact will be desperately needed in.

The German coach recently held high praise for Mane when he scored the winner against Aston Villa last week to keep Liverpool’s dream of a second Premier League alive.

“He’s a machine, I told him after the game,” Klopp claimed.

“Massive player. [His] physicality is brutal, this mix of technique, desire, and physicality in this moment when everybody has a few yards in the legs…you can see it with him to be honest. Top goal, just fantastic, a world-class player.”

It will be interesting to see whether Klopp involves the forward in his line-up on the last game of the season against Wolverhampton Wanderers or saves him for the Champions League final in Paris. Either way there is no doubt that unleashing Mane in the team over the next two games will lead to more outstanding performances.

AND in other news: Forget Matip: £150k-p/w Liverpool “beast” who won 80% duels stole the show v Saints

Sky Sports pundit Alex McLeish has questioned why Newcastle United did not sign a winger in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Saint-Maximin injury

Speaking to the media in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday afternoon’s 0-0 draw at home to Crystal Palace, Magpies manager Eddie Howe admitted that Allan Saint-Maximin had to be assessed after picking up an injury.

The Frenchman did not make the matchday squad in the end and also missed their 2-1 defeat at Liverpool through injury, sparking concern over his fitness.

The Latest: McLeish reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, McLeish questioned why another winger was not signed this summer, claiming that Newcastle ‘will rue’ not bringing in cover for Saint-Maximin following his latest injury setback.

The former Aston Villa manager said of Howe’s squad: “I think maybe a winger, they don’t have too much depth there. Well, they have depth but there isn’t a lot of quality once someone like Saint-Maximin gets injured.

“I’m sure they tried, we know they have the resources. Maybe Isak can play out wide but he’s going to play through the middle while Wilson is out.

“It’s a funny one, I just think they will rue not getting a winger in as the season goes on because we know what is going to happen with injuries.”

The Verdict: Missed opportunity

There was certainly a missed opportunity from Newcastle by not signing a new winger.

They were linked with moves for the likes of Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Moura and Everton’s Anthony Gordon towards the end of the transfer window, but a deal for either of those never materialised.

With Saint-Maximin injured, the Magpies only have two natural wingers in their squad available at the moment in Ryan Fraser and Jacob Murphy, and if either or both of those were to pick up an injury as well, it would leave them very short in that area of the pitch.

Therefore, you can understand why McLeish has questioned the club’s inability to add to their wide attacking ranks when they had the chance to do so.