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Newcastle United return to action in the Premier League tonight as they host Frank Lampard’s Everton at St. James’ Park under the lights.

The Magpies are unbeaten in their last five matches in the division and will be hoping to extend that run as they face a Toffees team in the bottom half of the table.

Eddie Howe’s men are sitting sixth in the league and could move up to fifth if results go their way, whilst their opponents are 14th and one point above the drop zone.

Newcastle held Manchester United to a 0-0 draw in their last Premier League outing as they picked up a point and a clean sheet at Old Trafford.

Whilst it maintained the unbeaten run and was a solid point away from home, Howe is unlikely to have been pleased with the lack of attacking quality on display from the Magpies as they only mustered two shots on target.

Allan Saint-Maximin and Alexander Isak remain out injured and this means that the manager will need to look elsewhere in his squad to spark the team into life.

One player he could unleash from the start to add some attacking flair to the line-up is academy graduate Elliot Anderson, who has been brought into the first-team fold this season, in central midfield or out wide.

The 19-year-old has made five substitute appearances in the top flight so far and now could be in line to finally be named in the starting XI, as he could make a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

In 90 minutes of Premier League football, Anderson has won 53% of his duels, completed five tackles, and created one ‘big chance’ for the team.

Former Magpies scout Graham Carr previously hailed the youngster after being impressed by his performances on loan at Bristol Rovers last term, saying: “He is classy. He receives the ball like Peter Beardsley. He kills it & moves it all in one motion. That is a gift. He stood out like a sore thumb, miles above anyone else. I got in the car afterwards & started ringing people to talk about him.”

During his spell in League Two, the Scotland youth international scored seven goals and provided six assists in 20 starts, whilst creating 1.9 chances and making 1.7 tackles per game.

Anderson, who has played 83 games at club level from U18s to the first-team, is a player who has the potential to inject a spark into the team as he could make a big impact on the ball, with his ability to score and create goals.

He has shown glimpses of what he is capable of doing in possession in the Premier League so far this season and it is now down to Howe to unleash him from the start against the Toffees to see if he can make the step up.

Jacob Murphy and Ryan Fraser have one goal and zero assists in six combined starts between them and it is now time to see whether or not Anderson can ignite the side more than them in the absence of Saint-Maximin by starting on the left of the front three, away from his more natural attacking midfield role.

Manchester United head into the international break having claimed five wins from their last six games in all competitions, with manager Erik ten Hag having steadied the ship following the debacle at Brentford a few weeks ago.

A key factor in that recent turnaround has been the form of Scott McTominay, with the 25-year-old – who was on the bench against the Bees – having been an effective presence at the base of the midfield alongside the more creative, Christian Eriksen.  To fans like this is a good way to pass the time between bets, it is best to check out other parts of the gambling industry. This includes virtual sports betting and casinos both of which you can see at Casino Hawks and similar sites.

The Scotland international is somewhat proving the doubters wrong having been a much-maligned figure among supporters in recent years, with his partnership with teammate Fred so often berated on social media.

The 6 foot 4 brute has also been on the receiving end of stinging criticism from sections of the media and pundits in his United career thus far, with the academy graduate having been dubbed “not good enough” by club legend Roy Keane following the opening weekend defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion.

It had appeared that his regular role in the side would finally be at an end following the £70m capture of serial winner Casemiro from Real Madrid, with Premier League clubs having reportedly been waiting to pounce in the belief that he could be on the market following the Brazilian’s arrival.

As it has proved, however, McTominay has thus far managed to maintain his place in the side ahead of the summer signing in recent weeks, with Ten Hag having simply been unable to drop the imposing asset such has been his importance of late.

Acting as a screen in front of the back four, the £60k-per-week colossus has showcased his defensive strength in the past month or so, having notably impressed on the big occasion in the wins over both Liverpool and Arsenal.

Such performances have showcased just why he was labelled a “physical monster” by former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the past, having also been lauded as one of the “best midfielders in the world” by Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone back in February.

That glowing assessment – as well as the hefty interest in his signature over the summer – may well represent that McTominay has been an at times unfair scapegoat at Old Trafford over the years, with both fans and pundits alike not recognising his value to the side which from a numerical standpoint, stands at a whopping £70m.

The aforementioned Eriksen has also recently lauded his new teammate for his encouraging form of late, with the 34-cap menace set to prove hard to dislodge for the likes of Fred and Casemiro.

That addition of the latter man has handed the Lancaster-born giant a real battle to keep his place as the defensive-minded presence in Ten Hag’s side, although on recent evidence he is more than rising to the challenge.

For all the praise for the Red Devils’ new additions, it would appear that a man who emerged from the academy – and cost them nothing – is the one who is truly shining at present.

Everton have been without Ben Godfrey since he sustained a shocking leg break during the Premier League opener against Chelsea, and now the player has given a behind-the-scenes update on his recovery at Finch Farm.

What’s the latest?

The Toffees defender has claimed he will be out for a “couple of months” but is “improving” following his concerning injury.

Godfrey revealed, via Everton FC:

“Things are going well in terms of the injury. Every day I’m improving and I’m just looking forward to being back.

“When will I be back? I’m playing it by ear. It’ll be a couple of months but I’m just taking each day at a time and when it’s right, it’ll be right.”

It should please Lampard

There is no doubt that Frank Lampard should be pleased that the recovery seems to be going well for Godfrey following the nasty injury as the Everton centre-back has been one of the most consistent performers in the side when he is fit to play.

The 24-year-old talent ranked in the top 10% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues over the last 12 months for his shot-creating actions and progressive passes received, as well as featuring in the top 20% for key defensive metrics such as pressures, tackles and blocks.

In fact, Godfrey featured in nine of the 17 games that the Toffees picked up points in over last season so his positive influence in the side should not be taken for granted, and his talents didn’t go unnoticed by his former boss Carlo Ancelotti who lavished praise on the defender when managing him last year.

The Real Madrid boss claimed: “He’s powerful, he has a lot of energy, tactically intelligent, really aggressive in the duels and so he can play in different positions and this is really important,”

“It was a surprise for me because I knew him, but not a lot and I found a really fantastic defender because he has all the quality that a defender needs.”

Lampard shouldn’t have too much to worry about though if Conor Coady and James Tarkowski can stay fit over the defender’s absence in the team with the pair already building a great centre-back partnership in the Everton backline.

The newly-signed centre-backs have played a part in the side successfully going unbeaten in their last four Premier League games, holding Liverpool, Leeds United, Brentford and Nottingham Forest to draws.

With that being said, it will be a huge boost for Lampard when Godfrey does eventually return to fitness. It should give the Everton boss enough quality in his defensive options to inspire more positive results at Goodison Park. Just imagine what he could do alongside his fellow countrymen in Tarkowski and Coady.

Wolves are desperately looking to sign a new striker before the transfer window shuts and it seems as if Southampton’s Che Adams is one man on Bruno Lage’s shortlist.

What’s the word?

According to The Daily Mail, Wolves, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Everton are all considering a move for the Scotland international, who could be set to leave St Mary’s this summer.

Lage sanctioned a loan move for Fabio Silva, while Raul Jimenez picked up an injury in pre-season, which has left the Portuguese manager extremely short of options up front.

Attacking reinforcements were always going to be necessary this summer after Wolves managed just 38 goals in the Premier League last season, the fewest of any side to remain in the top flight.

So far, Lage has added Valencia winger Goncalo Guedes to his side, but with just a few weeks of the transfer window remaining, they still look extremely short up front.

Would Adams be a good signing?

Adams enjoyed a prolific spell in the Championship with Birmingham City, scoring 22 goals in the 2018/19 campaign before his move to the Premier League.

Since then, he has made 110 appearances for the Saints, in which he has managed just 21 goals and 12 assists for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, including seven goals in the top flight last season.

While his goalscoring form hasn’t been the best in recent seasons, the Scottish forward would add energy and physicality to Lage’s attack, evidenced by Hasenhuttl keeping his faith in the forward when he struggled to break his goalscoring duck in his debut campaign at St Mary’s.

He said: “He is a guy who is one day a little bit frustrated when he sees he doesn’t play but then when the game comes, he shows up immediately and this is fantastic.

The Austrian also described him as a “role model”, suggesting that he had gone from “zero to hero” when he did eventually find the net.

Given Wolves’ need for strikers, Adams would represent a solid, experienced Premier League option for Lage, and the Portuguese manager should definitely consider bringing him to Molineux as their fourth signing of the window this summer.

Reliable journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that Celtic will look to make two new first-team signings before the transfer deadline on September 1.

The Lowdown: Jenz makes it seven

Ange Postecoglou led his side to both the Scottish Premiership and League Cup titles in what was an outstanding debut season in charge in Glasgow, and the boss has been busy improving his squad to go one further and challenge in Europe this term.

The Australian has already added seven fresh faces to his squad in the form of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Jota, Alexandro Bernabei, Benjamin Siegrist, Daizen Maeda, Aaron Mooy and Moritz Jenz, and the activity is showing no signs of slowing down.

The Latest: Two more

O’Rourke, speaking to The Transfer Tavern, claimed that Celtic are likely to target two more positions in particular before deadline day. He said:

“I think maybe a defensive midfielder seems to be the issue for them.

“So far this summer they haven’t been able to bring in several targets that they’ve been after and I think Postecoglou would also be looking for a new striker as well with Albian Ajeti set to move on.

“So I think defensive midfield and centre forward are probably the two main areas that Celtic are looking to strengthen between now and the end of the window.”

The Verdict: Reinforcements needed

Nir Bitton left the club earlier in the summer and Celtic are yet to replace him in the middle of the park, and if Ajeti also departs in the coming weeks, Postecoglou will need to find suitable reinforcements in those areas before the start of the new campaign.

Silverware is an important part of the game for any player, and after Celtic managed to get their hands on two pieces of it last season, it just shows how ambitious they are about achieving big things and it should be easy enough to lure players to work under the charismatic manager.

The fact that they can offer Champions League football will be a hugely attractive prospect too, so it’s likely that we’ve not seen the last of the new faces walking through the doors at Parkhead just yet.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has voiced a teasing update regarding the Tyneside club’s transfer aims for the remaining weeks of the summer transfer window.

What’s the news?

Relayed on Twitter by the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, the Magpies boss spoke about the current transfer situation after seeing his side secure a 3-0 pre-season win over 1860 Munich on Friday.

The 44-year-old said: “We are keen to add strength to certain areas. It remains to be seen whether we can get a deal done. It’s a difficult window, a difficult market, high prices & very limited availability. I’m sure we can hopefully a land a player who can make a difference.”

So far in the summer transfer window, the Toon have secured a permanent deal for Matt Targett following his loan spell at St James’ Park last season, along with bringing in Nick Pope and Sven Botman.

This shows that the Magpies have been keen on strengthening their defence ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign.

Bearing in mind how Newcastle conceded 62 league goals last season, it’s easy to see why Howe has been eager to add some strength and depth to that area of his squad.

Newcastle supporters will be buzzing

Now that the Magpies boss has shared his hopes of seeing a new player make their way to Tyneside this summer, this should surely have lots of Newcastle fans jumping for joy.

In terms of what sort of player the club could look to bring in before the transfer window shuts, the fact that the club have been entangled in a saga over a potential move for Reims striker Hugo Ekitike – who has now been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain – could suggest that the Toon want to sign a new attacker this summer.

Should the Magpies end up missing out on securing a deal for the Frenchman, this would allow the club to focus on other potential attacking transfer targets that they may want to sign.

If Newcastle end their latest transfer window with another player through the door who can improve Howe’s squad, this would surely tie up their summer transfer activity nicely and put them in good stead to attack their upcoming Premier League campaign.

AND in other news: PIF plotting Newcastle bid for £211k-p/w target, he’d be “one of the best” summer signings

The summer transfer window is now in full swing and Glasgow Rangers are yet to make a first-team addition to the squad.

John Souttar has arrived on a free transfer from Hearts but the deal was agreed, as a pre-contract, in January, which means that Ross Wilson has not sanctioned any moves since the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

The Light Blues chief still has plenty of time to add to Gio van Bronckhorst’s Premiership squad, though, and the club have been linked with a number of players.

Gers podcaster Andy Barnett recently told the Heart & Hand podcast that the club have been eyeing up a move for 18-year-old midfielder Oscar Gloukh.

He outlined: “I can tell you that apparently Rangers scouts were in my home. That’s along with scouts of over 40 teams at the Israel-Austria under-19 game, which Israel won 4-2.

“They were meant to be looking at Oscar Gloukh, who I’ve seen play in person and is an absolutely superbly talented youngster, a wonderkid.

“He came on for Maccabi Tel-Aviv in the final third of the season and was just the best player in the league in the final third. He scored against Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Tel-Aviv which are the two biggest games and there was meant to be clubs from La Liga as well as Rangers looking at him last night.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv reportedly want £8m for the gem, and Wilson can land the Gers their next Ianis Hagi by securing a deal to sign him in the coming weeks and months.

The Romania international, who was also dubbed a wonderkid in his younger days, has produced 15 goals and 21 assists in 85 games for the Light Blues so far, playing as a number 10 and a winger.

In Gloukh, Rangers can find their next exciting young attacking midfielder to burst onto the scene at Ibrox. Despite only turning 18 in April, the prospect has already played 10 games for Maccabi Tel Aviv’s first team, scoring three goals, and has been capped 21 times by Israel at various youth levels.

The number 10 has shown great promise at such a young age, with journalist Sam Tighe dubbing him “clever”, and this suggests that he has the scope to continue progressing and make it as a professional. He has many years left ahead of him to hone his skills and he can absorb tips from Hagi to help him fulfill his potential.

Wilson must now take a gamble on the ‘wonderkid’ and see if Van Bronckhorst can coach him into becoming the new version of the Romanian in Glasgow in the years to come.

AND in other news, “Understand..”: Jordan Campbell drops Rangers exit claim that’ll delight Gvb…

Reliable journalist Paul Brown has now dropped some significant Everton exit news on Richarlison.

The Lowdown: Tottenham interest

As per The Daily Telegraph, Tottenham Hotspur are now targeting a move for Richarlison this summer, but would have to pay more than £50m for the Brazil international.

The outlet have also reported that Frank Lampard is targeting a move for Harry Winks as part of his rebuild at Goodison Park, and so perhaps a deal can be struck between both clubs this window.

The Latest: Brown update

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Brown has said that the Merseyside club would rather take the money on its own for Richarlison should they wish to sell him, rather than accepting any kind of player swap deals like they could potentially do with Spurs and Winks:

“My understanding is that from Everton’s point of view, they would rather keep the two things separate and that any deal for Richarlison would be just for money. That might change.”

The Verdict: Keep

The Toffees should be looking to keep Richarlison if possible, regardless of what kind of prices are offered to them from Tottenham or any other club.

The 25-year-old remains one of their key players, having been their top scorer and highest-rated performer in 2021/22 (WhoScored), and so would be very difficult to replace.

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He was their saviour at the end of last season, as he scored six goals and made a further two assists in his last ten games in the Premier League, including a goal in the 3-2 win at home to Crystal Palace which secured their top-flight status (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, the Blues could well be dragged into another relegation battle if he departs.

In other news, find out who EFC have now made ‘contacts’ over signing here!

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has already received one almighty boost this summer…

What’s the word?

According to the ever-reliable Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard, talismanic striker Harry Kane is eyeing up a new contract at Spurs and is thought to be very “happy” with the direction the club is going in.

“Harry Kane is happy at Spurs and open to signing a new contract,” the reporter tweeted alongside an accompanying article.

It’s thought that the England international will push for fresh talks when he returns for pre-season training after some time off. He still has two years to run on his current £200k-per-week deal.

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Big boost

This will come as massive news to not just the Lilywhites faithful but also the Italian head coach.

Speculation over Kane’s future has always been a sticking point in recent times, having failed to join Manchester City during last summer’s window. Meanwhile, Liverpool have now also been mooted with interest in the Spurs striker.

The £90m-rated forward, who turns 29 in July, would surely be seeing out his career in north London should he sign a fourth long-term extension.

Spurs recently announced a £150m cash injection from owners, the ENIC Group, so Kane can clearly see there is an ambition to back Conte during the upcoming transfer window, where a left-sided centre-back and a backup or alternative to himself will be high up on the priority list.

Kane ended the season on 17 Premier League goals, despite only finding the net once before his arrival in November. He hit 27 across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

“I am happy. I am happy for him because we are talking about a world-class striker,” Conte claimed after their rampant 5-1 win over Newcastle United last month.

“He deserves the best because he’s a great worker, hard worker. This is not normal because usually the players that have talent many times don’t like to work hard because they have talent.

“In my career I didn’t have great talent [so] for this reason I worked hard. What I liked about him from the first time was his ability. He was a big example for his team-mates.”

That glowing endorsement alone goes to show exactly why the 52-year-old manager will be absolutely delighted by Kilpatrick’s big reveal. Heading into next season, in the Champions League too, Conte will be bolstered by having his main man committed for the long run.

AND in other news, Paratici now plotting Spurs bid for “deadly” £21m talent, he’d be “perfect” for Conte…

Sunderland have secured a spot in the League One play-off finals next weekend at Wembley Stadium against Wycombe Wanderers and keeping their relentless team together next season no matter the outcome should be a priority for Alex Neil.

The Black Cats manager who was appointed in February has unlocked a formula to get the side back to their winning ways taking nine victories, seven draws and just one loss from his 17 games in charge at the Stadium of Light, leading them to the position they are in now with one game standing in the way of promotion back to Championship for the first time in four seasons.

Although the Scotsman has made a huge difference since his arrival, the players in the team have really turned it up a notch and worked hard to earn their chance to climb up the Football League.

One player who has been effective since his arrival at the club in January is Tottenham Hotspur loanee Jack Clarke, with the right winger scoring one goal and contributing three assists over the last 17 appearances for Sunderland.

The £4.5m-rated gem who was hailed as “absolutely outstanding” by Sunderland Echo journalist Phil Smith, has been a creative force during his time in the North East with five big chances created, making 1.6 key passes, 1.2 tackles and 1.5 shots on average per game, winning the majority of his ground duels and proving successful in 66% of his dribbles.

With that being said, Neil could turn him into the next Aiden McGeady, another wizard on the wing, if he can secure a deal to extend the youngster’s time at Sunderland, with a deal potentially there for the taking ahead of his return to North London.

Spurs insider John Wenham who has confirmed that the Lilywhites will offer the 21-year-old winger a new contract when his current one expires at the end of this month, and will be offered back out on loan.

Wenham told Football Insider:

“So I think what will happen is he will return to us and sign a new one-year extension and he will go out on loan again.”

“I also don’t think Sunderland will be able to afford him outright but he could re-join them next season if they go up.”

Ultimately, the Sunderland manager will be working to make sure his squad is ready to take their golden opportunity to rise back into the second tier right now, however, he will need to address Clarke’s situation quickly this summer as Spurs could offer him out to other clubs if they extend his contract in the next few weeks.

AND in other news: Neil set for 1st SAFC disaster as he plots move for “difficult” flop, he isn’t needed