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Newcastle United have made progress over the past few years, with Eddie Howe leading the first team to a new level, competing in the Champions League and vying for major honours.

One of the best parts about the Magpies’ high flight has been the success in bringing some high-class talent to St. James’ Park, with Alexander Isak in particular commanding a reputation as one of the best strikers in the business.

Newcastle's first-class striker

Isak has found his feet in recent games after a slow start to the 2024/25 campaign, having scored in successive matches against Chelsea before thumping a header past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya on Saturday to hand Newcastle a statement top-flight victory.

Having left Real Sociedad to join Newcastle in a £63m record transfer in 2022, Isak has been a menace in the Premier League, scoring 25 goals from 40 matches last season.

The Sweden international has been hailed for his “world-class” quality by pundit Harry Redknapp, and indeed, ranks among the top 17% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 15% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, highlighting his all-round quality.

A top, top player, and with Callum Wilson yet to feature this term and approaching the final few months of his contract, it’s likely that United chiefs will be looking for fresh options to strengthen the number nine spot.

Funding needs to be directed in other areas, however, and with a talent as exciting as Sean Neave rising to the fore, transfer expenditure might just be put on hold.

Newcastle might have their next star striker cooking

Lewis Miley’s emergence has almost been synonymous with that of Newcastle’s, for the 18-year-old midfielder has already appeared 28 times for the Magpies, scoring once and providing four assists for his teammates.

Howe has entrusted the slick and age-defyingly cultured star with a prominent role, and he has been duly rewarded, for Miley is now the cream of an academy crop that hasn’t enjoyed all that much success in recent years.

That said, Newcastle could now unleash another homegrown star in Neave who might even become their next version of Alan Shearer, who didn’t actually make his way through the Toon youth ranks but is a city native and boyhood supporter nonetheless.

Neave, 17, has been in fine fettle for the youth side this term, having already scored seven goals from just eight appearances – meaning that he has doubled Isak’s tally for the campaign.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

In total, he’s already scored 23 goals for Newcastle despite his young years and inexperience and will be gunning for a senior debut sooner rather than later.

A rangy footballer with power and pace in his legs, he could be the perfect option to serve as Isak’s foil over the coming years, and might just captivate the Toon masses if he starts to find success on the major stage, for he could be the academy talent capable of bringing goals in abundance – Shearer 2.0.

Newcastle have already sold an "outstanding" Longstaff upgrade

Newcastle sold him for big-money under Eddie Howe.

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 3, 2024

Mohamed Salah's contract talks with Liverpool appear to be at a standstill, and the Egyptian star could potentially join Barcelona next season.

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• Salah and Liverpool reach contract impasse
• Egyptian will become free agent after this season ends
• Has offered himself to La Liga giants Barcelona

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mohamed Salah and Liverpool seem to have reached an impasse over the renewal of the Egyptian's contract, which expires at the end of the ongoing season. According to a report from SPORT, Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has offered himself to Barcelona, but a move will only be possible if he agrees to a significant pay cut.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Over the past few weeks, it had been reported that Barcelona sporting director Deco was keen on signing Salah's Liverpool teammate Luis Diaz, who the club's sporting department regard to be the ideal choice to complete the left side of their attack.

  Now, it appears that signing Salah could be a more realistic outcome for all parties involved. However, the transfer would materialise only if the 32-year-old agrees to take a pay cut. Currently earning close to €18 million per season, Salah is among the highest-earning players in the Premier League. But he will have to settle for a reduced salary in Catalonia due to Barcelona's financial constraints and uncertainty over whether they have returned to the 1:1 rule.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Salah appeared for an interview with Liverpool legend Steve McManaman last month, where he seemingly hinted that his time at Anfield was coming to an end.  "I want fans to remember that I gave it all to the fans. I gave it all to the city. I was here, I wasn't lazy, I just enjoyed my football and gave it all. I think that's what the city is about – they give you love and you have a connection with them because you give your all. I just want them to remember that I was here for eight years and I gave it all."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MOHAMED SALAH?

  Liverpool fans will have to remain patient to hear official news regarding the future of their star man and club legend. In the meantime, the former Roma and Chelsea winger will be seen in action in the EFL Cup Final against Newcastle on Sunday, March 16, after they'll have faced PSG in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday night. The Egyptian has over 50 goal contributions in a little over 40 games across all competitions in what is turning out to be arguably his best season ever, helping the Reds remain in the hunt for the Premier League, Champions League and the EFL Cup.

Crystal Palace have made contact over the signing of an “elite” defender who has a £83 million release clause, according to a new report.

The Eagles’ three-game unbeaten run in all competitions ended over the weekend as they were beaten by Fulham at Selhurst Park. It is a result that leaves the south Londoners in the relegation zone as pressure continues to mount on Oliver Glasner.

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Crystal Palace news and updates

It has been a poor start to the campaign for Palace, and that has resulted in Glasner coming into the firing line. The Eagles appear keen to back the Austrian as he looks to turn this season around, with positive results against Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Wolves last week helping his cause.

However, there has been talk of David Moyes and Graham Potter being interested in the role should it become available. While they have also been linked with an ambitious move for Gareth Southgate, that appears very unlikely to happen at this stage.

Glasner will hope that Palace continue to back him as he tries to rectify their start to the season. Meanwhile, the Palace board already have their eyes on one player ahead of January, as they are plotting a move to sign Sunderland’s Chris Rigg – a player who is wanted by a host of top-flight teams.

Rigg is not the only player that has emerged on the Palace radar, as they are also keen on a defender who has a hefty release clause.

Crystal Palace make contact to sign Benfica defender

According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo, as relayed by Sport Witness, Crystal Palace have made contact with Benfica over the signing of Tomas Araujo. The 22-year-old has been with the Primeira Liga giants since July 2016, but didn’t become a mainstay in the first team until last season.

Araujo played 20 times in all competitions for Benfica last season and has now established himself as a firm part of the starting XI, as he’s started 8 of the side’s 10 league games he has been available for this season, as well as starting three Champions League games.

This report states that Araujo not only has interest from Palace, but also from Chelsea and Newcastle United. The centre-back has a release clause of €100m, which is roughly £83 million.

That is a very high price, especially for a team like Palace, but it is believed that the interested parties would be able to negotiate a lower fee ahead of a summer transfer.

There hasn’t been anything concrete yet, so the race to sign Araujo remains very much open. But when summer does arrive, Chelsea and Newcastle will hope they can offer something Palace can’t in the form of European football. The defender is currently playing in the Champions League, so it may be considered unlikely that he will look to give it up easily.

Potentially replacing Max Kilman at last, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly eyeing a 2025 move to sign a Bundesliga defender to help ease Gary O’Neil’s backline problems.

Wolves transfer news

Results have finally picked up for Wolves in recent weeks, with their attacking talent beginning to pay dividends to bail out what has been the leakiest defence in the Premier League so far this season. Now sitting outside of the relegation zone on goal difference after shocking Fulham to win 4-1 last time out, the Midlands club must now begin to look upwards whilst planning to reinforce their side in 2025.

When 2025 does arrive, those at Molineux have the chance to make up for what proved to be a fairly disastrous summer transfer window, in which they first lost and then failed to replace Kilman.

Leaving O’Neil short on defensive options ever since, it’s no surprise that Wolves have struggled to keep the goals out and are only just recovering from such a disappointing start. Out of the bottom three, those in the Old Gold could now be ready to back their manager.

Wolves could already have a ready-made Cunha replacement out on loan

The Wolves academy player has impressed on loan

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 29, 2024

According to The Athletic, relayed by GiveMeSport, Wolves are now eyeing a move to sign Nico Elvedi from Borussia Monchengladbach after failing to replace Kilman in the summer. The long-standing target previously had a reported release clause of just £8m, but that has since expired to hand Wolves a vital question that they’ll need answering in pursuit of the 30-year-old next year.

A player with plenty of experience on both the domestic and international stage with Switzerland, Elvedi could be a wise addition to a relatively young Wolves backline. Potentially stepping in for Mario Lemina and allowing him to progress back into midfield after his centre-back outing against Fulham, the addition of a recognised defender would undoubtedly go a long way in helping O’Neil’s side to reignite last season’s form.

"Strong" Elvedi can end Wolves' relegation concerns

With such a talented attack to fall back on alongside the individual quality of Matheus Cunha, Wolves should be a side heading for safety in the Premier League, but solving their defensive woes would allay any remaining fears of the dropzone in the Midlands. Previously dubbed “strong” by former Gladbach and current Leeds United boss Daniel Farke, Elvedi could be an ideal option.

Where Lemina is an accomplished player, he remains a key part of O’Neil’s midfield and Elvedi’s aerial presence and own experience among Europe’s elite would help put an end to the chaos of square pegs in round holes in the Wolves squad.

The Midlands club are far from safe in the Premier League yet and relying on Cunha to produce moments to remember every week is far from a sure way to secure survival. Instead, when 2025 arrives, Wolves must invest in fixing O’Neil’s leaky defence – perhaps starting with the arrival of the experienced Elvedi from Gladbach.

Luis Enrique has urged Paris Saint-Germain's fans to be respectful amid fears their game versus Marseille could be suspended due to homophobic chants.

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• PSG to host top-of-the-table clash against Marseille
• Authorities fear impact of 'discriminatory chants'
• Match could be suspended if tensions rise between fans

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  PSG's top-of-the-table clash with Marseille is likely to be a heated affair in part due to the return of Adrien Rabiot to the Parc des Princes, with the midfielder having come through French side's academy prior to joining their rivals last year. The battle has led to an increase in the number of law enforcement officers, according to , with concerns that the match could be suspended if "discriminatory and insulting chants" are heard by fans.

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  Fan trouble has been prevalent in France and Marseille are set to travel to Paris without their supporters due to a ban on away supporters in this fixture since 2015. Marseille's fans have already been handed bans this season in earlier matches against teams such as Lyon and Saint-Etienne due to concerns over their behaviour. The reverse fixture between the sides ended with a 3-0 win for PSG away in Marseille in October. That match was marred by homophobic chants from PSG fans, resulting in a statement from Ligue 1 condemning the supporters.

• WHAT Luis ENRIQUE SAID

  Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Luis Enrique said: "I've only played three Classiques, only one at home. We know it will be a special match for everyone, for the players but especially for our fans. My thinking is always the same: our fans are very important to us, we need their support in every match, in every competition. We appreciate the way they never give up and encourage us throughout the season. They've always been behind us, and I'd like to have that support until the end of the season.

  "With this level of excitement, I think the fans should focus on our team first and foremost, enjoy what we're doing, and respect the opponent. There's no better indifference than not devoting a single moment to the opponent and focusing on cheering for our team. That's my opinion, that's what I want, and I hope that's what happens."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PSG?

  PSG are desperate to avoid any disruption as they look to seal another Ligue 1 title, with Luis Enrique's side sitting 16 points clear of Marseille with nine games remaining. Having secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League this week, PSG know that any postponement of their game against Marseille would only add to their intense schedule for the remainder of the season.

Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez has followed Lionel Messi in withdrawing from their squad ahead of a World Cup qualifying showdown with Brazil.

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• Messi has "discomfort in his adductor region"
• Will not play against Uruguay and Brazil
• Martinez and Dybala are also out of contention

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Inter striker has been ruled out due to a muscle issue in his left hamstring, leaving Argentina without two of their most important attacking players. His absence was confirmed after he trained separately from the rest of the squad at the Ezeiza training facility before it was ultimately decided that returning to Italy for rehabilitation was the best course of action.

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  This latest blow adds to Argentina’s growing injury concerns, as Messi was already ruled out due to adductor discomfort, preventing him from featuring in the upcoming clashes against their South American rivals. Without Messi and Martínez, Argentina's attacking setup will undergo significant changes as Lionel Scaloni is likely to place his trust in Julian Alvarez, who has been in top form for Atletico Madrid.

• WHAT THE ARGENTINE FA SAID

  The Argentina FA put out a tweet on X which read: "#SelecciónMayor Forward Lautaro Martínez will be out of the squad for this March double date due to a muscle injury in his lower left hamstring."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARGENTINA?

  Despite these setbacks, Argentina remain in a strong position in the South American World Cup qualifying standings. They currently hold a five-point lead at the top of the table, putting them in an excellent spot to secure a place in the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

  During this international break, their first challenge will be against Uruguay on March 21 at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo. Following that, Argentina will return to Buenos Aires on March 25, where they will take on Brazil at the Monumental Stadium in a fixture that always promises to be intense given the historic rivalry between the two nations.

Chelsea managed to secure yet another superb victory under Enzo Maresca, further securing their second-place spot in the Premier League, now two points ahead of third-place Arsenal.

The Blues came out on top in a 4-3 thriller at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but not without difficulties, as Chelsea went 2-0 down inside 11 minutes, with two huge errors gifting Spurs their lead.

As good as Chelsea have been this campaign, they still have the odd error in them defensively, which has seen them only keep three Premier League clean sheets in 15 games.

Robert Sanchez's performance against Spurs

One man that always seems to have an error in him is Robert Sanchez, who yet again misplaced multiple passes against Tottenham, leading to extra chances for them to score.

Sanchez made one error leading to a shot against Spurs, only making two saves in the game, conceding three times, and completing just 53% of his passes (21/40).

Ultimately handed a 4/10 by GOAL writer Sean Walsh, the stopper was lamented for his ‘atrocious range of passing’ which is rather apt when you look at the stats above. Jamie Carragher hit the nail on the head too, explaining that he “can’t see someone winning the Premier League with that goalkeeper.”

Maresca continues to publicly back Sanchez as the Chelsea number one, but the Blues have an excellent replacement option who was signed this summer and should be given a fair chance in the Premier League.

Chalkboard

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

Chelsea's goalkeeper solution

Filip Jorgensen, who was signed this summer from Villarreal for a fee of around £20.7m, has made nine appearances since joining the club, conceding eight goals, and keeping four clean sheets (one more than Sanchez), totalling 810 minutes played.

The 22-year-old, 6 foot 3 shot-stopper has shown brilliant signs in recent weeks, being calm and comfortable on the ball in short circuit passing around the back, with the ability to play the ball long into the channels.

Along with this, his shot-stopping has been excellent, making an incredible 11 saves against Heidenheim in the UEFA Conference League, with seven saves inside the box.

Jorgensen has been lauded as “incredible” in recent weeks, with his time surely not far in terms of becoming the Chelsea number one.

When comparing his metrics against those of Sanchez, the 22-year-old comes out on top in almost every statistic, making more saves, having better pass completion at all ranges, and keeping more clean sheets.

The only area Sanchez trumps Jorgensen is more passes attempted, and this is only by 1.5 passes per 90 (40.5 to 39.0). Much of this can also be down to Sanchez playing more games in a settled back line, with their passing circuits being slightly more drilled than the “second team”.

Jorgensen has been waiting in the shadows, going about his work quietly, and showing all he can as the backup, playing in cup competitions, and starting midweek against Southampton in the Premier League. Now, it could be time for Maresca to bite the bullet, and give the youngster a fair shot as the number one, in an attempt to cut out the errors leading to goals among the Chelsea backline.

8/10 Chelsea star was even more 'dazzling' than Palmer vs Spurs

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By
Connor Holden

Dec 8, 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo has responded to Rasmus Hojlund after the Man United striker copied his famous celebration in Denmark's 1-0 win over Portugal.

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• Hojlund scored the winner off the bench
• Ronaldo: "It is an honour"
• CR7 hopes to repay the favour in the second leg

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ronaldo was flattered by Hojlund's celebration, acknowledging the youngster's admiration of his career. Never one to be outdone, the ex-Real Madrid man said he hoped he would be the one to 'siu' in the return leg.

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  Hojlund came off the bench to score the only goal in the first leg. The 22-year-old insisted he meant no disrespect in copying the celebration of a man he described as his idol and Ronaldo has now responded.

• WHAT CRISTIANO RONALDO SAID

  Ronaldo said: "It's no problem for me. I know it wasn't out of direspect. It is not only him who does my celebration around the world.

  I'm smart enough to understand that. For me it is an honour. I hope to do it in front of him tomorrow [on Sunday]. It will be good. I'm glad he likes my celebration."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RASMUS HOJLUND AND CRISTIANO RONALDO?

  As Ronaldo hinted, both men's attention will immediately turn to the second leg of that UEFA Nations League quarter final tie. Denmark will take a one-goal lead to Lisbon as they look to advance to the semi finals.

Intermediaries are set to open talks with Chelsea and ask them about the possibility of signing a “top, top” player in January, coming amid the uncertain futures surrounding members of Enzo Maresca’s squad.

Chelsea face Aston Villa with refreshed squad after Conference League rotation

Maresca’s B-team faced off against Bundesliga side Heidenheim in the Conference League on Thursday, beating the German minnows 2-0 and leaving Chelsea’s first team refreshed ahead of their bout with Aston Villa on Sunday.

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The west Londoners are weighing up a move and have encouragement.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 30, 2024

Both sides are competing for a place in the Premier League’s top four by the end of this campaign and all the riches that come with qualification for the Champions League.

Unai Emery’s side haven’t won a single game in all competitions since late October, with Chelsea going into their clash at Stamford Bridge in much more favourable form, alongside the added bonus of selecting fresher stars who’ve had a full week’s rest.

The only Chelsea player to start against Heidenheim, days after their 2-1 win over Leicester City last weekend, was Benoit Badiashile. Apart from the Frenchman, the entirety of their XI against the Foxes got a chance to recuperate ahead of Villa tomorrow.

However, Maresca appeared to suggest in his pre-match press conference that it is not an advantage by any means.

“It depends. You can also say they play yesterday [Wednesday] and we play tonight [Thursday]. We arrive [home] very late and it is already Friday,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s ability to rotate.

“For sure, we change players but hopefully we can do this all season because imagine if we didn’t have the chance to change players. You arrive late, it’s not easy and especially the strange thing, sometimes you play tomorrow on Friday and then play Thursday and on Sunday. Southampton, they don’t play any European competition.

“This is not something normal. We have two days after Sunday’s game and they have almost a week, six days – this is something not normal. But we are going to try and prepare the game in the best way and try to win.”

£195,000-per-week forward Christopher Nkunku has featured predominantly in the Conference League, with his goal against Heidenheim adding to the 10 strikes he’d accumulated in all competitions this season.

Agents preparing to open talks with Chelsea over signing Nkunku

In the build-up to their clash with Heidenheim, Maresca ruled out selling Nkunku in January, despite reports linking the France international with a winter move away amid his lack of chances in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old, called a “top, top striker”, has scored 11 in total this campaign but finds himself behind Nicolas Jackson in the pecking order.

Regardless of their firm ‘not for sale’ stance in the winter, GiveMeSport reported this week that agents are preparing to ask Chelsea about signing Nkunku as the west Londoners become braced for enquiries.

Following on from Maresca’s public admission, Nkunku apparently won’t be pushing for an exit behind the scenes, nor will Chelsea entertain any such bid for his services, but that won’t stop clubs from trying to test their resolve in an effort to lure him away from the Bridge.

Liverpool maintained their 100% Champions League record after a win over Spanish outfit Girona. It was not an easy three points for the Reds, who were made to work hard for the win, but they managed to hold on and triumph again in Europe’s premier competition to stay top of the table.

Few things of note happened in the first half, although both sides missed some good chances to take the lead. In the second half, the Reds kept chipping away and were eventually rewarded.

Colombian winger Luis Diaz was brought down in the penalty box by former Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek, which was eventually deemed by VAR to be a foul. Mohamed Salah stepped up and, unsurprisingly, converted to give the Reds the lead.

Arne Slot’s side managed to see the remainder of the game out safely, to take an important three points back to Merseyside. There were some impressive performances from the Reds, with Salah once again a standout player.

Mo Salah’s stats vs. Girona

There is an inevitability about Salah. It is almost a certainty that Liverpool’s number 11 will score or assist this season; he has only failed to do so on five occasions all season. He now has 16 goals and 12 assists in 22 games in all competitions, simply ridiculous numbers.

His influence in the game against Girona was not as great as you may assume, and he did not have as much involvement as he may have hoped. As the stats on Sofascore show, the winger had just 45 touches of the ball, competing two dribbles and creating one chance.

When he did have the ball, the Egyptian attacker was an influence, as shown by the big chance he created. Salah’s penalty was composed, sending Paulo Gazzaniga the wrong way and firing home on the left-hand side of the goal.

It was a vital goal and saved the blushes of one Reds teammate who missed a few big chances in the game. That man is Darwin Nunez.

Nunez’s stats vs. Girona

It was a tough night for the Uruguayan striker who missed some critical chances. One of Nunez’s shots was well saved by Gazzaniga, using his foot to prevent a shot across his body from nestling into the far corner. It would have been a huge goal for the Reds.

His stats reflect just how poor Nunez was against Girona. Incredibly, he managed just 16 touches and completed just 50% of his passes, a really disappointing rate. On top of that, the Liverpool number nine missed two big chances and won just one from four duels.

He received a 5/10 from Liverpool Echo journalist Ian Doyle. He explained the striker looked like he was ‘short of confidence’ and had a second half with ‘diminishing returns’. It was certainly a tough night at the office for Nunez, with his performance fortunately overshadowed somewhat by the clinical nature of teammate, Salah.

It will be interesting to see if Slot keeps his faith in his number nine ahead of the weekend’s clash against Fulham.

Chalkboard

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

With Diogo Jota perhaps making a return from injury, and Cody Gakpo an option, Slot should well decide to rotate Nunez and bring in a fresh face against the Cottagers.

Slot must axe Szoboszlai & unleash Liverpool's very own Bellingham instead

Liverpool are expected to make rotations against Girona in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 10, 2024