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Manchester United could finally strengthen their midfield over the coming months after being linked with a transfer move for Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara.

What’s the story?

According to The Athletic’s transfer expert David Ornstein, United a keeping close tabs on the 22-year-old’s situation after he decided to leave the Stade Velodrome as a free agent at the end of the season.

Kamara’s current deal is set to expire in the summer of 2022 and is not expected to extend his stay in the south of France, opening the door to an imminent exit.

The report states that: “There are suggestions that Marseille could yet make a last push to secure fresh terms but The Athletic understands Kamara has now opted to leave as a free agent at the end of the season.

“He is under consideration at one of the traditional top-four Premier League clubs and Manchester United are also across the situation as they weigh up possibilities to bolster their midfield.”

Rangnick must seal Man Utd move

Given United’s recent struggles at the base of their midfield, new interim manager Ralf Rangnick must seal a move for the former France U21 international.

After rising through the ranks at his boyhood club, Kamara has made 141 appearances for Les Olympiens in all competitions, illustrating his top-class credentials in a variety of positions.

Comfortable at the base of midfield, centre-back and right-back, the £46,000-per-week gem shone from an early age, catching the eye of former teammate Rolando.

“This kid is a phenomenon,” said the defender. “When he started training with us, he was 15 years old. And from day one, I said, no, but this little one is going to be a great player.

“He’s the kind of central defender I like. He is full of qualities and, above all, he works, he listens. It is out of the ordinary.”

But it’s in a holding role at the foundation of the engine room where Kamara has truly excelled this season, elevating his game to new heights under Jorge Sampaoli.

As per FBref.com, the 6-foot dynamo has recorded 1.59 tackles won per 90 throughout 2021/22, 6.02 successful pressures and 1.50 interceptions, bettering Scott McTominay’s totals in each metric.

The United ace has produced tallies of 1.32, 3.77 and 1.40, respectively, highlighting how Kamara’s arrival would improve the Red Devils’ midfield options.

Therefore, Rangnick must sanction a swoop for the promising maestro, kickstarting United’s new era under his watchful eye with an extremely astute acquisition.

And, in other news…“As things stand..”: Romano drops intriguing Man Utd update, fans will be ecstatic

A major update has emerged on Newcastle United’s efforts to seal a deal to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Lyon in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has issued a fresh claim on their attempts to close the transfer, as Eddie Howe seeks to complete his third signing of the transfer window after Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood.

Hope tweeted late on Thursday night: “Newcastle hoping to complete Bruno Guimaraes medical tomorrow.”

Howe will be salivating

This news will surely leave Howe salivating as his mouth waters over the prospect of Guimaraes holding up a Newcastle shirt alongside him in an official announcement photoshoot sooner rather than later.

Completing a medical will represent a huge step in their journey to completing the signing, as it will alleviate any worries over his physical condition, with the Brazilian – hopefully – not carrying any issues which will affect him in the long-term.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that the Magpies have agreed a fee which could rise to €48m (£40m) with Lyon and that he will sign a contract until 2026. This suggests that the medical could be the last piece of the puzzle before the Magpies are able to announce his arrival on Tyneside.

This is why Howe’s mouth will be watering over this latest update, as the midfielder is poised to link-up with the rest of the Newcastle squad ahead of their next Premier League match. It could also mean that the move is in place prior to deadline day, which will relieve the head coach as he will have no need to worry about scrambling to get the deal over the line in the final few hours. However, it remains to be seen whether or not that will be the case with other potential signings.

The ex-Bournemouth boss will also be excited by this news because of the quality of player the club are on the verge of bringing in. Guimaraes has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.3 in Ligue 1, making 3.6 tackles and interceptions along with 1.8 key passes per game.

This highlights how much of an impact he can have at both ends of the pitch at the top level. The Brazilian can break up the play and win the ball back for his team whilst also having the quality to step forward and play brilliant passes to create chances for his teammates, which is why Howe will be buzzing to have him as part of his squad moving forward.

AND in other news, Newcastle plotting late swoop for £54m-rated “winner”, he’s far better than Wilson…

Former Manchester City Michael Ball has waxed lyrical over the ability of Phil Foden in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast after some mesmerising displays for the club in recent weeks.

Foden has developed into one of City’s most important players and has been a regular under Pep Guardiola this season.

The 20-year-old is still rotated, much like the rest of the Catalan’s squad, but he has made 45 appearances in all competitions, scoring 14 goals and registering nine assists.

That includes a goal in each Champions League quarter-final tie against Borussia Dortmund, along with strikes against Chelsea and Liverpool in the league.

Now firmly a big-game player, Foden, who is valued at £63m by Transfermarkt, could also play a central role for England this summer in the rearranged European Championships.

And Ball has been wowed by the youngster’s displays, as he kicks his game up a notch, with City now on the verge of winning the Premier League title and 90 minutes away from the Champions League final, after beating PSG 2-1 in the first leg of their last-four encounter.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, Ball said: “Foden just looks unbelievable right now, he’s on fire, teams are putting two or three players around him.

“He’s just going about them the way he is, he’s just got that awareness about him, and he’s playing alongside top, top players and that does help.”

New Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has spoken to Steve McClaren over a possible Old Trafford role, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Ten Hag announced

The Red Devils officially confirmed the Dutchman as their new manager on Thursday.

Ten Hag will depart Ajax in the summer and has signed a three-year contract with United which includes the option of a further 12 months.

He looks set to be joined at Old Trafford by current Ajax assistant Mitchell van der Gaag, and a reunion with McClaren, who Ten Hag worked with at FC Twente, looks like it could also be on the cards too.

The Latest: McClaren talks

Romano, who has been on top of all Ten Hag to United developments, shared an update on Thursday afternoon regarding his coaching staff.

The reliable reporter said that Van der Gaag has ‘accepted’ to join his coaching staff, adding that Ten Hag has also had a ‘direct conversation’ with McClaren over a role at Old Trafford.

The Verdict: Interesting…

You can see why Ten Hag has spoken to McClaren over a possible reunion ahead of his first season as United boss, with a lot of work needing to be done off the pitch before he takes to the Old Trafford dugout for the first time.

The pair know each other well after Ten Hag served as McClaren’s assistant at FC Twente for 50 games. Roles could now be reversed in Manchester, and with McClaren already working under Sir Alex Ferguson for 142 games between 1999 and 2001, a backroom role could be a shrewd move by the new manager as he looks to settle in during his first season in England.

In other news: ‘Revolution begins’: Fabrizio Romano now shares key Man Utd exit news emerging from Old Trafford. 

Upon signing for Manchester United in 2016, there was hope that Eric Bailly could have been the defensive colossus for which the Red Devils were striving.

However, it has not panned out that way for the Ivorian at Old Trafford, with his transfer valuation now the lowest it has ever been since he arrived in Manchester.

Initially when he arrived at the club under Portuguese Jose Mourinho from Spanish outfit Villarreal, the then 22-year-old was rated at £18m by Transfermarkt.

As he established himself within the Red Devils setup with an impressive debut campaign, that rating shot up to its peak of £31.5m at the start of 2018.

However, a combination of poor form, injury woes and new signings have all seen Bailly fall down the pecking order at Old Trafford and consequently seen his valuation slide all the way down to its current level of £13.5m – an £18m decrease on its peak.

Since his first season at the club, the centre-back has not played more than 20 matches in all competitions during a single campaign – only taking to the pitch on 11 occasions during the 2019/20 season.

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The 36-cap international now seems highly unlikely to improve on those numbers, with the likes of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof being Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-choice pairing, whilst the Norwegian is also reportedly keen to bring in a new centre-back during the transfer window.

This would, of course, be bad news for Bailly as he gets pushed even further down the pecking order despite Solskjaer recently praising his “immense” performances.

Considering that he is now meant to be entering his peak, the defender’s lack action on the pitch and his perennially falling transfer rating both suggest otherwise.

Once again, it is not the trajectory that Bailly would have envisaged when he swapped the Estadio de la Cerámica for Old Trafford in 2016.

AND in more news, take a look at which European hotshot could replace Edinson Cavani at Old Trafford…

Speaking in a football.london Q&A, reliable correspondent and Tottenham Hotspur journalist Alasdair Gold has made a behind the scenes claim on Gareth Bale. 

The Lowdown: Spurs signing Bale permanently?

After spending the 2020/2021 campaign on loan at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, there is still the begging question as to whether the Lilywhites will make his move permanent.

Bale finished the campaign as Spurs’ third top goalscorer in the Premier League, bagging 11 strikes and two assists, with only superstar men Harry Kane and Son Heung-min bettering those numbers.

As such, Tottenham have been linked with a possible swoop for the 31-year-old and supporters want to know if he could remain in north London.

The Latest: Gold makes behind-scenes Bale claim…

Speaking in a Q&A, when asked for the latest on Bale’s situation, Gold made a behind the scenes claim on what the belief is within Tottenham.

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He claims that Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival at parent club Real Madrid complicates matters and the general consensus is that he will see out the final year of his deal at the Bernabeu.

“I’d like him to return for another season but there seems to be a belief within Spurs that he will return to Madrid for the final year of his contact and with Ancelotti there it makes more sense than it did a few months ago,” Gold explained.

“The only obstacle would be whether Real want him off the wage bill, or at least some of those huge wages, but Bale is not exactly someone who cares what people think.”

The Verdict: Turn away…

New managing director Fabio Paratici has some major decisions to make in regards to Tottenham’s summer transfer plans and one of them is whether to push for Bale on a permanent deal.

Amid this Gold claim, we believe it should not be a priority given his age, high salary demands and the fact Spurs are in dire need of centre-back reinforcements.

The Lilywhites won’t exactly have unlimited funds to play with and re-signing Bale on a permanent deal comes as a luxury, not a necessity, when compared to Tottenham’s other areas which need strengthening.

In other news: Journalist says Tottenham now want ‘magical’ man as ‘official contacts’ begin, find out more here.

Aston Villa are still eyeing a move for Burnley winger Dwight McNeil after The Telegraph’s recent transfer update.

What’s the story?

A report from Football Insider had previously claimed that Dean Smith’s side have their eye on the 21-year-old, and that the Premier League club are “lining up a huge bid for him”.

Then, The Athletic’s Gregg Evans revealed: “Villa already recognise the need for another wide player, and The Athletic understands Burnley’s Dwight McNeil is of serious interest, as is Emi Buendia of Championship winners Norwich. Extensive groundwork has already been done on both of them.

“The scouting department has closely scrutinised his in-game contributions, and McNeil is recognised as a player who brings additional options to open up a game.

And now, The Telegraph have claimed that Villa still have McNeil high up on their target list as they look to reinforce their squad ahead of the new Premier League season.

Premier League quality

The £43m-rated winger has been one of the few standout players for the Clarets since breaking onto the scene, and it’s something which has led to Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp raving about him.

He said: “Dwight McNeil is such a good player, lovely left foot, doesn’t stop running. Every time I watch him he gets better and better, he’s got real quality and certainly a player that the top six to eight clubs will be looking at, and that’s no disrespect to Burnley because I don’t like saying that sometimes, but he is that good.”

With his ability to beat players one-on-one – his average of 1.8 dribbles per game in the Premier League was the highest of any Burnley player last season – McNeil could bring a new and exciting dimension to Villa’s attack.

That dribbling, and McNeil’s composure on the ball, is something very much akin to Villa talisman Jack Grealish, andled to Burnley manager Sean Dyche waxing lyrical about the kind of talent he is.

He said: “He’s a real talent. He’s a really good player, he’s improving, his calmness at the end – I’m saying get it in the corner – but he cuts in, and his calmness to cross it into a dangerous area, and then gets his reward.

“Before then, his calmness to dribble out of trouble – he’s a really good player, really good, and he can only mature.”

The Telegraph’s update on their interest in McNeil should surely have Villa fans buzzing given the kind of attacking flair the winger could bring to the club.

Meanwhile, Matt Maher has dropped a major Aston Villa transfer update…

Plenty of Crystal Palace supporters have been reacting to a social media post regarding defenders Joel Ward and Scott Dann.

Both Ward and Dann are out of contract at the end of the current campaign, but it seems as though they may not leave Selhurst Park over the coming months.

According to reliable BBC reporter Alex Howell, the pair are in talks with Palace in regards to extend their respective Eagles stays.

Ward, 31, joined the club way back in 2012 and has made 266 appearances for the club.

Meanwhile, Dann, who arrived in 2014, has turned out on 178 occasions for the club, with the pair becoming two of the more experienced members of Roy Hodgson’s squad.

Palace fans react

Howell shared the update on Twitter on Tuesday lunchtime, with the post receiving plenty of interaction.

This is what some Palace fans had to say in reply to the contract update on the pair, with many not impressed.

“shambles”

Credit: @cam_cpfc

“Is this a joke?”

Credit: @Dazzaedwardo

“Amazed at this”

Credit: @kpgardener61

“I think that about sums up our ambitions for next season”

Credit: @Raymond30952890

“Why are we wasting money on dann? Been a legend but time for him to go I’m afraid”

Credit: @JacobStockton

“This rebuild is a myth”

Credit: @danofthesouth_

In other news: Palace’s rivals join race for Eddie Howe following Eagles talks, find out more here. 

UPDATE: Shortly after the publication of this article, Gennaro Gattuso was named as the new Fiorentina manager.

—-

Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley could fire up his squad by hiring Gennaro Gattuso amid Fabrizio Romano’s major update.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Italian is someone the Magpies are interested in as they assess their managerial options ahead of the new Premier League season in a couple of months.

Now, journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Gattuso will leave Napoli, thereby opening the door for Ashley to potentially bring in the fiery 43-year-old in the summer.

The news of Gattuso’s departure was then confirmed by the club’s owner Aurelio De Laurentiis, who said: “Dear Rino, I am happy to have spent almost two seasons with you. Thank you for your work and I wish you success wherever you go. A hug also to your wife and children.”

Could rock the Newcastle squad

Even in his playing days, Gattuso was the kind of tigerish midfielder that really set the tone with his intensity, and he’s brought exactly that style to his management career as well.

Back in November, Corriere dello Sport (via Daily Mail) reported that the Italian had clashed with his Gli Azzurri squad, with Gattuso angrily saying: “I’ve been talking about this for months now. I see an attitude I don’t like and it hurts me. We need to sort this aspect out as soon as possible.”

That never-say-die mentality is something he prides himself on, and he’s previously spoken of his disdain about the state of football right now, saying: “When I lost a match I broke down in frustration. Today players lose, take a selfie and put it on the Internet. They make me sick.”

Nicknamed a “snarling dog”, Gattuso could come into St James’ Park and really light a fire under the Newcastle players and leave them in no doubt that nothing other than 100% will do.

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That kind of effort and passion from the side-lines would surely lift the crowd at Newcastle, and gets the fans onside too – you only have to look at how Liverpool fans have embraced Jurgen Klopp and his manic presence in the dugout to see the kind of impact a charismatic figure can have.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are heading for transfer disaster over this £15k-p/w star…

Leeds United journalist Graham Smyth has stated not to ‘rule anything out’ on the future of youngster Alife McCalmont.

The Lowdown: Impressive last season

McCalmont, 21, is currently out on loan at League One side Morecambe, where he has appeared in four of their five games in the third tier so far this season.

After plying his trade in League Two last term with Oldham, impressing with eight goals and five assists, the midfielder now finds himself testing himself against better opponents, but whether he has a future at Leeds is up for debate.

Over the international break, McCalmont has been handed his first Northern Ireland international start in the friendly victory over Estonia after making his debut in a 1-0 victory over Luxembourg in 2019.

The Latest: Work cut out

Replying to Whites presenter Joe Wainman on Twitter, Smyth replied when asked if McCalmont’s time at Elland Road finished.

Smyth said: “You can never rule anything out, but he’ll have to do what Ben White did and show he can handle the step up to League One with real comfort, having done well in League Two.

“Leeds would have listened to permanent offers this summer though so he has his work cut out. Lots of potential I think.”

The £49,400-per-year man’s appearances in Ian Baraclough’s squad, alongside an impressive season in League One, could see him land a permanent move away from Leeds.

The Verdict: Key season for midfielder

Marcelo Bielsa already possesses great quality in centre-midfield, McCalmont’s position, with Matuesz Klich, Kalvin Phillips and Adam Forshaw now available for selection.

At the age of 21, McCalmont will be wanting to establish himself at the highest level possible to continue representing his country and making more senior caps.

The current season at Morecambe could be a defining one for the midfielder as if he impresses enough, a Championship club may swoop in to sign him on a permanent deal. With his contract not expiring until 2024, Leeds stand to make a decent profit if they are able to cash in.

In other news, rumoured Leeds target is in talks to sign a new contract at his current club. Find out more here.