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Celtic may look to use the upcoming summer transfer window to bolster their playing squad with new signings ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Hoops won the domestic double of the Scottish Premiership and the SFA Cup this season but they could go in search of more silverware next term.

Brendan Rodgers may want to land a domestic treble, adding the League Cup on top of the other two trophies, as well as more success in Europe.

Celtic are already reportedly looking at transfer targets to potentially arrive at Parkhead this summer, and are said to have an interest in a central midfielder.

Celtic's interest in £4m midfielder

The Daily Express' Charlie Gordon recently claimed that the Scottish giants hold an interest in Lausanne central midfielder Alvyn Sanches this summer.

Stoke City and Coventry City, from the English Championship, are also said to be admirers of the 21-year-old starlet as the three sides possibly prepare to compete with each other for his signature.

Gordon reported that the Swiss side are looking for a fee in the region of £4m for the midfielder, who is also attracting interest from unnamed clubs in Europe.

Instead of splashing out £4m to sign the young maestro from Lausanne, Rodgers could save Celtic millions by unleashing Bosun Lawal in the first-team next season.

He just spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Fleetwood Town in England and could now be ready to step up and make his mark in the first-team for the Bhoys.

Why Brendan Rodgers should unleash Bosun Lawal

The 21-year-old ace came up through the B team at Celtic as a centre-back but emerged as a defensive midfield option for Fleetwood this season and caught the eye with his fantastic displays.

Lawal only turned 21 last month and is the same age as Sanches, who has been touted at a price of £4m, which means that both players are midfielders with long-term potential to improve and develop.

Appearances

42

25

Goals

6

5

Big chances created

6

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.5

1.8

Duel success rate

62%

48%

Aerial duel success rate

74%

55%

As you can see in the table above, the 6 foot 2 colossus outperformed Sanches at league level this season with his contributions in and out of possession.

Lawal has the physical attributes to dominate opposition players on a regular basis, whereas the Swiss gem lost the majority of his battles, and he contributed with more goals and 'big chances' created combined when in possession.

These statistics indicate that the Ireland international, whose U21 coach for his country Jim Crawford hailed as "exceptional", has the potential to be a better option than the Lausanne star for Celtic, as he can win possession back and win more battles for the team as well as having a greater influence at the top end of the pitch.

If he can translate his League One performances over to the Premiership then the young colossus could be a terrific player for Rodgers and a dream alternative to signing Sanches.

Celtic in talks to sign "gifted" £6m star who could be Jota 2.0

The Hoops are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the midfielder on a permanent deal.

ByDan Emery Jun 4, 2024

This would, therefore, save Celtic millions as they would not need to splash out £4m on the Swiss maestro or millions on another transfer target, as Lawal could step up to be a first-team addition when he returns from his loan for free.

A £109,000-per-week Arsenal player may have played his last game for the club, with Mikel Arteta against keeping him as the Spaniard green-lights his sale.

Arsenal players who could be sold this summer

The Gunners' squad could be seriously trimmed this summer window, as it is believed that sporting director Edu and Arsenal are open to offers for a wide array of squad members.

Related £319,000-per-week Bayern Munich star would be keen on joining Arsenal

He’s been “left hanging” over a new deal.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jun 5, 2024

Aaron Ramsdale, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah have all been named by various reports as players who could be sold by Arsenal this summer as Arteta looks to continue evolving the squad.

The likes of Ramsdale, Partey, Jesus, Zinchenko, Smith Rowe and Nketiah stand out as the biggest names to have fallen down the Arsenal pecking order last season, and all players could fetch a pretty decent transfer fee depending on approaches from clubs.

Arsenal best-performing players in the Premier League last season

Average match rating (WhoScored)

Bukayo Saka

7.67

Declan Rice

7.38

Martin Odegaard

7.37

Kai Havertz

7.16

Gabriel Magalhaes

6.99

It is believed Fulham are in talks to sign Nketiah from Arsenal and preparing an official offer (TEAMtalk), while Partey is attracting interest from Turkey and Saudi Arabia as he enters the final 12 months of his contract.

There is also the matter of fringe squad members who spent 2023/2024 out on loan elsewhere. Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares and Kieran Tierney all fall into this bracket, and there's a very high likelihood that all three players will depart Hale End in the coming months. The latter was on a temporary spell at Real Sociedad last campaign, where he managed 20 La Liga appearances.

Arteta green-lights Kieran Tierney sale at Arsenal

According to TEAMtalk, the Scotland international may well have played his last game for Arsenal.

Indeed, it is believed Arsenal are set to green-light Tierney's exit this summer with Arteta personally against keeping him at the club. The north Londoners have opted to sell, with the 27-year-old having struggled with injuries for many years.

On a reported £109,000-per-week, TT claim the full-back would walk back to Celtic as his favoured option, but it is unlikely the SPFL champions could afford his asking price.

"He has been solid," former Arsenal defender Ashley Cole told Sky Sports.

"I think he would have liked to see more game time, he’s had a few injuries that hampered his season. When he’s in the team, they are a different team, he’s willing to defend, he’s that kind of leader and warrior they need in this team.

"There were those questions marks over him and his ability to come from Scottish fooball and adapt to the Premier League. But I think he’s adapted very well.

"He’s got those leadership qualities which are needed along with the younger players in there. When he doesn’t play they miss him on he left. for me, he can defend which is a plus."

It's been another Premier League season to remember for Arsenal this year, as with just one game to go, they're in with a real chance of winning the title.

However, with the campaign almost at an end, Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar must start preparing for next year and, with Kai Havertz now the team's established number nine, Gabriel Jesus could well be on the way out.

The Brazilian marksman hasn't had the best of seasons, and based on recent reports, the club could be in close communication with a player who could replace him in the squad.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Elvis Basanovic, the agent of Slovenian striker Benjamin Šeško, was present at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon to watch the Gunners beat the Red Devils 1-0, and based on another report from the Standard, both teams are keen to bring the forward to England in the summer.

The Standard's report revealed that RB Leipzig, the team he joined last summer, has placed a €50m – £43m – release clause in his contract that will activate at the end of the summer, meaning he is genuinely attainable for both sides.

Cross-city rivals Chelsea and Newcastle United were also mentioned as interested parties in the article, but following Sunday's game, it would appear that Arsenal and United are at the forefront of the race.

It would likely be a challenging deal to get done and one that would still cost a pretty penny, but following an impressive year in Germany, it's one Edu and Co should pursue, especially as Jesus has been poor in front of goal this year.

How Šeško compares to Jesus

So, with Havertz looking like he'll remain the Gunners' preferred number nine until the end of the season and potentially into next year, the player we should be comparing Šeško to is Jesus, especially after reports at the start of the month revealed that the North Londoners could be open to selling him in the summer.

With that said, when looking at the pair's pure output this season, the "prolific" Leipzig ace, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, just about comes out ahead of the Brazilian, racking up 17 goals and two assists in 41 appearances, or just 1966 minutes, meaning he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 103 minutes.

In comparison, the former Manchester City star has scored eight goals and provided eight assists in 35 games, or 1897 minutes, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 118 minutes.

Šeško vs Jesus this season
Players	Šeško	Jesus
Appearances	41	35
Goals	17	8
Assists	2	8
Goal Involvements per Match	0.46	0.45
All Stats via Transfermarkt

What about their striker-relevant underlying numbers, then? Does the Slovenian come out ahead there as well?

Well, while it's not a total landslide, the former Salzburg gem once again comes out ahead overall as while he produces a lower non-penalty expected goal and assist figure, takes fewer shots and produces fewer shot-creating actions per 90, he scores more goals, is far more clinical with his shots, takes more shots on target, produces more goal-creating actions and wins far more aerial duels per 90.

Šeško vs Jesus
Stats per 90	Šeško	Jesus
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists	0.54	0.61
Non-Penalty Goals	0.81	0.25
Assists	0.12	0.21
Shots	2.76	3.32
Goals per Shot	0.30	0.07
Shots on Target	1.44	1.17
Goals per Shot on Target	0.57	0.21
Shot-Creating Actions	2.19	3.50
Goal-Creating Actions	0.50	0.49
Aerial Duels Won	2.31	0.92
All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 League Season

Ultimately, while Jesus is a highly talented player and arguably a more complete all-around attacker, the players' pure output and underlying numbers make it crystal clear that when it comes to who is the better out-and-out goalscorer, the only answer is Sesko.

So if Arsenal have a chance to bring him to the Emirates in the summer, they must take it.

Arsenal must axe "phenomenal" fan favourite who earns more than Trossard

Despite his hefty wages, the talented ace doesn’t have a future at the Emirates.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 14, 2024

The fast bowler has moved seven places to No. 3, a position he last occupied in August 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2020

Stuart Broad roars in celebration•Getty Images

Stuart Broad enjoyed a hugely memorable Test match as England sealed a 2-1 series win over West Indies at Old Trafford. He picked up a 10-wicket match haul, the Player-of-the-Match award, and along the way his 500th Test wicket as well.That performance has also catapulted Broad seven places on the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings, up to No. 3 – a position he last occupied nearly four years ago, in August 2016.Broad is the lone England bowler in the top ten, behind Australia’s Pat Cummins and sandwiched between the New Zealand pair of Neil Wagner (No. 2) and Tim Southee (No. 4). West Indies captain Jason Holder, who took 10 wickets in the three Tests against England at an average of 30.10, completes the top five.Other big movers in the ICC rankings after the England-West Indies series are Rory Burns, who has moved up 13 spots in the Test batting rankings to No. 17, and Ollie Pope, who has gone up 24 places to No. 46.

With the club still without a replacement for Dan Ashworth, Newcastle United are reportedly in advanced talks to finally put an end to any speculation and seal their next sporting director.

Newcastle transfer news

Ashworth – on gardening leave since links with a move to Manchester United emerged – looks destined for Old Trafford. His departure is undoubtedly a large blow for Newcastle, who never really got the chance to see Ashworth in his true transfer element, having had so much success at Brighton & Hove Albion previously. One of the most highly-rated in his role, replacing Ashworth was never going to be an easy task.

With the summer transfer window fast approaching, however, the Magpies have seemingly made their move to land a replacement once and for all. According to Sky Sports, Newcastle have held advanced talks to sign Dougie Freedman from Crystal Palace. The sporting director has enjoyed an impressive spell on a budget at Selhurst Park, with his eye for talent clear.

Newcastle need to cut their losses on star who's worth less than Longstaff

He’s not started a game for the Magpies since the beginning of March.

ByEthan Lamb May 10, 2024

The frontrunner to now land the Newcastle role ahead of Johannes Spors, Freedman's first task will be to help those at St James' Park put an end to their squad depth troubles and take the side back into the Premier League's top four.

To sum up just how impressive Freedman has been at Palace, he was the man responsible for the arrivals of Eberechi Eze for £20m, Michael Olise for £8m and Marc Guehi for £18m. Worth a combined £46m when they first signed, Eze and Olise now reportedly have a price tag of £60m, whilst Guehi's sits at a reported £50m. From £46m, Freedman's signings could now be sold for a combined £170m.

It is the type of buisness that would see Newcastle avoid any issues with the Premier League's Financial Fair Play rules, whilst building Eddie Howe a young and exciting team.

"Brilliant" Freedman can fill Ashworth void

Ashworth initially earned plaudits at Brighton for his work on a budget to produce such an impressive squad which has come on even further leaps and bounds ever since. Now, Freedman has created a similar reputation and his history of landing bargain deals would go a long way when it comes to avoiding the sale of top stars at St James' Park.

There's no doubt that Crystal Palace owner Steve Parish will be disappointed if Freedman, however, having handed him significant praise earlier this season. Parish said via Sportskeeda: "[He’s been] really important. He’s a brilliant guy. He was the second manager I had at the club.

"He was instrumental in us getting promoted. He’s been instrumental, he saved the club [as a player] when we were about to get relegated from the Championship with a last-minute goal at Stockport. He got us promoted while playing for Wolves."

Aston Villa are about to embark on the final furlong of what could turn out to be one of their most successful Premier League seasons.

Unai Emery currently has his side sitting in fourth position in the league table, having a genuine chance of securing Champions League football for next season.

The Spaniard won’t just be targeting a top-four finish in the league either, as the club are into the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League following a stunning 4-0 win over Ajax in the previous round.

The international break is over with the fixtures coming thick and fast, meaning Emery will have to utilise the full capabilities of his squad over the coming weeks.

Coming up against an ever-improving Wolverhampton Wanderers side will test Villa to the limit and every player will need to be at their best in order to secure all three points.

Aston Villa team news

The main absence from the starting XI will be John McGinn. The Scot was sent off following a rash challenge on Tottenham Hotspur's Destiny Udogie as Villa eventually succumbed to a 4-0 defeat, having since served the first of his three-game ban in the recent draw with West Ham United.

The likes of Tyrone Mings, Boubacar Kamara and Emiliano Buendia are all still unavailable, while Matty Cash is the latest name to be ruled out of the Wolves clash.

"Bad news with Matty Cash,” Emery said during his pre-match press conference. “After playing with his national team, he came back with a small injury. He’s not available for tomorrow.

“For Saturday he is not available – maybe two or three weeks more.

“Jacob Ramsey is progressing well and we are going to train this afternoon and we will decide if he can help us or not tomorrow.”

Aston Villa's injury and suspension list
Player	Reason	Estimated return
Tyrone Mings	Knee injury	24/06/2024
Emiliano Buendia	Knee injury	24/06/2024
Boubacar Kamara	Knee injury	26/10/2024
Matty Cash	Thigh injury	21/04/2024
Jacob Ramsey	Ankle injury	30/03/2024
John McGinn	Suspension	06/04/2024

Emery could switch things up from their last outing against the Hammers in that 1-1 draw, with one new signing being dropped to the bench…

Morgan Rogers’ statistics for Aston Villa

Morgan Rogers impressed for Middlesbrough during the first half of the season, scoring seven goals along with registering nine assists, which clearly caught Emery’s attention.

So far, Rogers has featured six times for the Midlands side without registering a goal involvement, although he has shone in spells since making the move to Villa.

He was deployed on the left side of the midfield during the first leg against Ajax and delivered a mature display. During his 63 minutes on the field, the youngster attempted six dribbles, succeeding with five of them while also winning 70% of his ground duels during the tie.

The performance proved that he was ready to make the step-up while showing that the occasion or opponent didn’t faze him at all.

Against West Ham a couple of weeks ago, Rogers was once again trusted in the starting XI, but his display wasn’t as effective as Emery would have liked.

He did succeed with two of his three dribble attempts, but completed just 77% of his passes, won just a third of his ground duels and committed four fouls.

The former Boro gem was subbed off after 63 minutes as he was replaced by Nicolo Zaniolo, and he should be given the nod this evening against the Old Gold.

Nicolo Zaniolo’s performance against West Ham in numbers

The Italian has endured a mixed spell since arriving on loan from Galatasaray last summer, but he came to the rescue against the Irons.

He also attempted as many dribble attempts during his cameo as Rogers did, although he succeeded with just one, while Zaniolo won three of his seven ground duels and took 20 touches.

His goal ensured the club shared the spoils and this could give Emery a licence to unleash the 19-cap Italy international this evening instead of Rogers.

Nicolo Zaniolo’s Aston Villa statistics

Zaniolo has made 32 appearances for Villa since joining last summer, yet the former AS Roma starlet has scored just three goals during that spell.

In the Premier League, the 24-year-old has started just seven times, registered 1.1 shots per game, averaged 0.4 key passes per game and recovered 1.4 balls per game.

During the reverse clash against Wolves earlier in the season, Zaniolo came on for the final half an hour and looked lively.

He delivered two crosses into the opposition box, took one shot, and won three of his five ground duels, while also being fouled three times during his cameo appearance.

Another display like this, but from the first whistle, could see the midfielder offer a dangerous attacking threat against the Wolves defence and give Villa their first win over the Old Gold in six attempts.

The £60k-per-week dynamo was called up to represent Italy during their recent international friendlies against Venezuela and Ecuador, starting the latter game.

He started in an attacking midfield role and managed to make one key pass, miss a big chance while taking two shots during the clash, and he was praised by journalist Matt Santangelo following his display, who said:

“Nicolò Zaniolo’s ball carrying and hold up play has been quality tonight. You definitely need someone to play off him, but the physical side of his game has been encouraging.”

If he can carry over his displays for his country into tonight’s tie against Wolves, then they will have an excellent chance at securing all three points.

He has been devoid of confidence in a Villa shirt recently, but his goal against West Ham last time out should hopefully give him a boost.

The final few weeks of the season, depending on how far Villa progress in Europe, could see them playing twice a week until May. This means Emery will have to rotate his squad on a regular basis, giving plenty of fringe players the chance to impress.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Starting tonight, Zaniolo could stake his claim to be a regular in the starting XI if he delivers a solid performance as it could inspire the club to another Premier League victory.

There is no doubt he should be given a chance against the Molineux side to see what he can do from the very start.

Rogers & Duran dropped in predicted Aston Villa lineup vs Wolves

Aston Villa face Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday evening

By
Ross Kilvington

Mar 30, 2024

Leeds United reportedly want to sign another "brilliant" player on a permanent transfer alongside defender Joe Rodon.

Leeds working to sign Joe Rodon on a full-time basis

Daniel Farke has worked wonders in Yorkshire after arriving in the summer following Leeds’ relegation from the Premier League.

Now under new owners in the 49ers Enterprises, Leeds are now top of the Championship with eight games remaining, winning 12 of their 13 second-tier fixtures in 2024.

Leeds tempted to bid for £25m star who's a mix of Rutter & Summerville

The Whites could face plenty of competition to secure his signature in the summer.

By
Dan Emery

Mar 25, 2024

Summer signings Rodon and Ethan Ampadu have been vital at the back during this incredible run, with Leeds conceding three goals in 13, none of which have been from open play.

As a result, it comes as no surprise that the Whites want to make Rodon’s loan deal from Tottenham Hotspur a permanent transfer. In fact, it has been claimed that Leeds have already held talks to sign Rodon on a full-time basis in a deal which could be worth around £12m-£15m.

Alongside the centre-back, though, the 49ers also have their eyes on another permanent transfer as they plan for the summer.

Connor Roberts transfer update

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds ‘also’ want to sign fellow loanee Connor Roberts on a permanent transfer, with the right-back impressing those at Elland Road since joining in January from Burnley.

Roberts, called “brilliant” by former Swansea City manager Steve Cooper, has chipped in with two vital goal contributions in a Leeds shirt scoring against Leicester City and providing an assist against Huddersfield Town.

On £30,000-a-week, Roberts joined fellow Wales internationals Rodon, Ampadu and Dan James, providing cover and competition for Archie Gray at right-back after Luke Ayling left for Middlesbrough.

Connor Roberts' best Leeds performances	WhoScored rating
Leeds United 1-0 Stoke City	7.40/10
Leeds United 3-1 Leicester City	7.11/10
Huddersfield Town 1-1 Leeds United	6.77/10

The full-back also recently explained the reason behind his moustache, saying he has played around 25 Championship games with it and never lost.

"It's just a little bit of a joke to be honest. My wife last year, she was like 'Why don't you grow it?' so I did and then we went on an unbeaten run at Burnley.

"I've done the same thing this year and keep asking her if I should shave it off but she likes it so I'm leaving it there. I think it has played about 25 Championship games and never lost, so I hope that continues in the Championship and maybe it gives us a bit of luck on Tuesday. It's the power of the 'tache, isn't it?"

He appears to have fitted in extremely well alongside his fellow countrymen at Elland Road, so it could make sense to sign him on a permanent deal, hopefully providing an experienced full-back option in the Premier League.

The duo achieved their career-best Test rankings after impressive performances in the win over New Zealand in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Dec-2019Marnus Labuschagne and Mitchell Starc have achieved their career-best ICC Test rankings, breaking into the top five of the batting and bowling charts respectively.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

For Labuschagne, the rise has been meteoric. He is just 12 Tests old, and had an unremarkable run in the first five of those, between October 2018 and February 2019. But after walking out as Steven Smith’s concussion substitute at Lord’s during the Ashes Test in August this year, he has been spectacular, tallying 893 runs in 11 innings and averaging 81.18 – he has centuries (185, 162 and 143) in each of his last three Tests too.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

His performance – 143 and 50 – in Australia’s first Test against New Zealand in Perth helped Labuschagne displace David Warner in fifth place.Starc, meanwhile, had match figures of 9 for 96 in Perth, where Australia won by 296 runs.Elsewhere, Babar Azam has entered the top ten of the Test batting rankings for the first time, moving four spots up to No. 9 after his century in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. That made him the only one currently apart from Virat Kohli to be in the top ten among batsmen across formats – he is No. 1 in T20Is and No. 3 in ODIs.The bowlers’ table, which has quicks occupying all the top ten spots, saw Tim Southee climb three places to No. 10 after a nine-wicket haul in Perth, while Neil Wagner and Josh Hazlewood moved up a spot apiece to No. 3 and No. 7 respectively.Among other batsmen to make major strides, Ross Taylor moved up five places to the 11th position after scoring 80 and 22 in Perth, while Dhananjaya de Silva moved eight places up to 35th after making an unbeaten 102 in Rawalpindi.Kohli and Smith held on to their No. 1 and No. 2 positions respectively in the batting rankings, which is dominated by India and Australia taking up six spots, while Pat Cummins remained top of the bowlers’ list.

Newcastle United have been playing outside of the sphere of form and fluency that captured the awe and admiration of many for some time now, with Eddie Howe's side knowing that failing to defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon could be detrimental in the fight for top four.

Indeed, Champions League qualification seems a stretch as it is, with the Magpies a staggering 15 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa after 26 matches, though the new UEFA coefficient rankings could open up Europe's elite club competition through a fifth-place finish.

The crux of Newcastle's problems stem from their shoddy defensive record, having gone nine Premier League matches without a clean sheet and shipped 31 goals from the previous 12 fixtures.

The continued absence of Nick Pope, compounded by the injury problems that have ravaged Sven Botman's former fluidity and dominance, is damaging, like a spreading stain, and Howe must now ensure that St. James' Park restores its imperiousness to bat away Wolves and mount a late-season purple patch.

Newcastle team news

It would be remiss to discuss Newcastle's drop in form this season without acknowledging the catalogue of injuries that have made life rather tough for Howe and co.

Pope, as mentioned, continues to recuperate from a dislocated shoulder, while Matt Targett is nearing a comeback but will not be risked this weekend.

Dan Burn has not been at the races recently and will likely be rested in place of Tino Livramento, who is much better equipped to deal with the pace and directness of Pedro Neto.

Rested in midweek as modest Newcastle defeated Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup, Botman is likely to return to the starting line-up in place of Jamal Lascelles.

Why Sven Botman is underperforming

Botman signed for Newcastle from Lille in a deal worth around £35m back in July 2022 and he was mesmerising in his defensive duties last term as Newcastle qualified for the Champions League.

“Sven is looking good,” said Howe. “We just felt with Sven, he would benefit more from training than playing. He’s another player that’s come back from a longer-term injury. He’s come back into the team, but we just felt he needed more individualised training to get back to his very best. We could definitely see him (against Wolves) though."

The 24-year-old played 73 minutes one week ago as his side were thumped to a 4-1 defeat in London by Arsenal, and after scoring an own goal and making another big defensive error, the Dutchman was branded with a 3/10 match rating by The Shields Gazette.

Still, Botman has proven his worth as one of the Premier League's best defenders and he will return to form soon, and against Wolves, he has the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Crisp in his distribution, completing 91% of his passes, and usually sturdy in his defensive efforts, winning 63% of his contested duels (as per Sofascore), Botman will be crucial against a dogged and uniform Old Gold side that will think they have a real chance of winning on Tyneside.

O'Neil benches Doyle in predicted Wolves lineup vs Newcastle

Wolves face Newcastle United in the Premier League today

By
Ross Kilvington

Mar 2, 2024

The rearguard is not the only area of concern for Howe though, and while last weekend's loss in London was a bitter pill to swallow, the goalscoring return of Joe Willock off the bench added an invaluable dimension to the engine room, and now he must be unleashed from the outset.

Why Joe Willock should be unleashed vs Wolves

Willock did actually start earlier this week as Newcastle prevailed against Blackburn, playing just over an hour of action before understandably being withdrawn early.

The £80k-per-week star didn't impress, completing 87% of his passes but only managing 30 touches – less than goalkeeper Martin Dubravka's 40 – and winning just one of his eight contested duels and failing with each of his four attempted dribbles, also being dribbled past twice.

But having impressed last weekend against his former club Arsenal, winning two of three duels and making a tackle to complement his consolation strike, there will be hope that he has recovered enough coherence in his play to make a mark against Wolves, who are actually one point ahead of tenth-placed United after a burst of form under Gary O'Neil.

Willock has been terribly unfortunate on the injury front this season but he was electrifying in his creative prowess last term, creating 12 big chances and providing six assists in the Premier League to offer a constant outlet for the likes of Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

This term, however, his injuries have left him with only one Premier League start so far, so that sure could change as Howe seeks different routes to clinch success.

As per FBref, the one-time Hale End graduate ranks among the top 16% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 2% for assists, the top 1% for progressive carries and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90.

Newcastle: Last 5 meetings with Wolves
Date & comp	Venue	Result
28 Oct 2023 – Premier League	Molineux	2-2 draw
12 Mar 2023 – Premier League	St. James' Park	2-1 win
28 Aug 2022 – Premier League	Molineux	1-1 draw
08 Apr 2022 – Premier League	St. James' Park	1-0 win
02 Oct 2021 – Premier League	Molineux	2-1 loss
Sourced via 11v11

The 5 foot 10 dynamo has been lauded for his “infectious” presence on the pitch by Howe and Newcastle could certainly do with this now.

Dynamic and combative, Willock is the missing link in midfield and his return to the starting line-up will only serve to enhance those around him, boosting Bruno Guimaraes' elite distribution and Sean Longstaff's industriousness.

Newcastle's porous backline is a far cry from last year's strength and solidity, but the issues pervade the whole squad and Willock's inclusion and success will be vital to the rekindling of form that may yet see Howe engineer an emphatic end to the campaign.

Still in the FA Cup and with it all to play for in the Premier League, Willock's return comes at the perfect time, and he might just play a defining role in the outcome this afternoon.

Earlier this month, Tottenham Hotspur confirmed the signing of 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall from Swedish club Djurgarden. Bergvall travelled to Barcelona to hold talks with sporting director Deco but ultimately chose to join Ange Postecoglou's project in North London instead.

Bergvall will link up with his new teammates in the summer, having penned a long-term senior contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Technical director Johan Lange was apparently the driving force behind the deal, and he's now set his sights on another player in the same division.

Spurs now set sights on Djukanovic

According to Swedish publication Fotboll Direkt, via Sport Witness, Spurs are now showing a strong interest in Viktor Djukanovic at Hammarby. Lange has been following the winger since last autumn, and the reports he's received from his scouting team at the club have been very strong up to this point.

Tottenham are one of a multitude of clubs looking at Djukanovic as they look to recruit another young talent based in Scandinavia, and they're seemingly ready to meet Hammarby's valuation of up to £15m.

Spurs may catch rivals napping for Djukanovic

Lange seems to have a pretty good eye for talent, because Djukanovic has been impressing since he made his move from homeland club Buducnost Podgorica just over a year ago.

Expert reacts to new update on ex-Spurs player moved on by Levy

The Lilywhites made the decision at the end of last year.

By
Tom Cunningham

Feb 11, 2024

He ranked joint-third in the Swedish league's goal charts last season after scoring 11 times, and overall, he's found the net 13 times in 33 senior appearances for the club – an excellent return for a 20-year-old.

Allsvenskan top scorers 2023
Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Isaac Kiese Thelin	Malmo	16
2	Benie Adama Traore	Hacken	12
=3	Gustav Engvall	Varnamo	11
=3	Sebastian Nanasi	Malmo	11
=3	Jeppe Okkels	Elfsborg	11
=3	Viktor Djukanovic	Hammarby	11

At the international level, meanwhile, Djukanovic has already earned three senior caps for Montenegro, the first of which came in a 3-0 win Nations League win over Romania in June 2022. That made him the fifth-youngest debutant in his country's history at 18 years, four months and 16 days.

Fabrizio Romano reported last month that French club Lorient, who are currently in the relegation places in Ligue 1, saw a €5.5m (£4.7m) bid for Djukanovic rejected, while Belgian struggles Leuven, mid-table Austrian outfit Rapid Vienna and Major League Soccer franchise Charlotte FC had all shown interest too.

It seems interesting that Spurs are the only 'big' team eyeing the winger given what he's achieved so far, and if they do manage to sign him, their rivals both in the Premier League and across Europe might be left wondering just how he escaped their radar. The surprising lack of hype suits Lange, of course, who could be able to do a deal on more favourable terms.