Newcastle United’s prospective takeover continues to rumble on into the second half of May but The Sun’s Alan Nixon believes it could be a little longer before any official announcement.
On Monday, the Premier League announced a return to training starting today as part of their ‘Project Restart’ plans to get the remaining fixtures underway.
That’s on top of having to do their due diligence in the owners and directors test for the consortium wanting to purchase the Magpies.
Nixon also claims that they’ll need to shuffle a few more papers though he also states that it should still happen, which is reflected in the odds at www.betting.co.uk, so a sign of encouragement, perhaps.
He said:
It’s been well over a month since reports first emerged suggesting that Mike Ashley was going to sell up after 13 years at the helm, and while fans at St James’ Park are losing their minds at the length of time it’s taking, the current circumstances facing football and the wider country are paramount right now.
Whose Line Is It Anyway: Michael Owen, Garth Crooks or Mark Lawrenson?
AND in other news, George Caulkin downplays Newcastle post-takeover plans
Aston Villa striker Wesley has been called up by Brazil for their upcoming international fixtures against Argentina and South Korea (via @villareport).
The 22-year-old has replaced Ajax forward David Neres in the squad following his withdrawal due to injury and becomes the second Villa player in the squad alongside Douglas Luiz.
It is the first time in his career that Wesley has been called up into the Brazilian squad (Birmingham Mail). He will be competing with some top strikers for a place in the team, including Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Jesus and Richarlison.
This is Wesley’s first season with Aston Villa having joined in the summer from Club Brugge, and he has made an ok start to life in the Premier League.
Indeed, he has scored four goals and provided one assist in his 12 appearances so far, although he has failed to find the back of the net in his last four (Transfermarkt).
Villa fans have been reacting to the news of Wesley’s call-up, with several confused as to how he has been included as they haven’t been too impressed with his performances. Here is what some said on Twitter…
Aston Villa fans, do you think Wesley deserves his call-up for Brazil? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…
Sunderland’s fortunes show no signs of improving anytime soon, and that has led some fans to direct their concerns at Stewart Donald and the ownership of the club.
The club’s hierarchy would have been hoping for a new manager bounce when replacing Jack Ross with Phil Parkinson, but the former Bolton boss has won just two of his opening seven games.
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That has left a few supporters feeling desperate about the situation of the team, which seems to be in need of January additions in order to strengthen key areas and mount a promotion challenge.
However, it is feared that Donald and Co don’t have the required funds to provide Parkinson with a chance to do that, and the relationship between the board and the fans is growing increasingly more fractured.
Results and performances aren’t helping matters and a drab home draw with Gillingham in the FA Cup has sparked the latest outpouring of criticism, with some fans responding in the messages below.
Liverpool have been handed a blow after it emerged that one of their star men is now a doubt for their upcoming clash against Bournemouth, handing Arne Slot a selection headache ahead of welcoming the Cherries to Anfield.
Liverpool looking to regain momentum
The Reds were stunned by Nottingham Forest in their last Premier League outing, falling to a 1-0 defeat in front of their own fans. A late goal from Callum Hudson-Odoi proved the difference between the two sides, and sent the Midlands side back to the City Ground with a landmark three points, leaving Liverpool left ruing their missed opportunities.
Trademark Callum Hudson-Odoi 🤌
Our winning goal at Anfield 😍 pic.twitter.com/bfYzP75kbI
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) September 14, 2024
It looked as though they may be consigned to another defeat when they fell a goal down minutes into their Champions League opener against AC Milan, but goals from Virgil Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Dominik Szoboszlai proved enough to take all three points in a dominant midweek display.
Quickly back to winning ways, the Reds have a chance to close the gap at the top of the Premier League table once more, with a win this weekend moving them level with Manchester City on 12 points before the Cityzens welcome Arsenal to the Etihad stadium in a game where at least one of last season’s top two will leave having dropped points.
Liverpool reject has been even better than Diaz since leaving for just £15m
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In their way stand a Bournemouth side who have lost just once so far this season – a 1-0 home defeat against Chelsea coming after they had dominated much of the ball and seen a penalty saved. Now, it is Liverpool’s turn to try and get past Andoni Iraola’s side, and they have been handed an early blow in their preparations to do so.
Slot confirms Liverpool injury worry
That comes as Reds boss Slot has confirmed that goalkeeper Alisson is a “doubt” for the game on Saturday. Liverpool are already without midfielder Harvey Elliott, who was sidelined last week with a broken foot, and now look set to play without their no.1 shot-stopper.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
“Alisson is a doubt to see if he can train today and if he can’t, then he will probably not play. We will have to wait and see”, Slot explained to the media, revealing muscle tightness as the source of the problem.
Since he signed from Roma, the Brazilian has been one of the best goalkeepers in the world, with journalist Rory Smith dubbing him “flawless” back in January.
“He has been the standout performer in the Premier League. He will never it it [Footballer of the Year] because he’s a goalkeeper. But that’s slightly unfair. I think he’s the standout player in the Premier League thus far. I think he’s been flawless.”
Alisson in the Premier League 2023-24
Appearances
28
Goals conceded
30
Clean sheets
8
Save %
73.4%
Still with three years left to run on his £150,000 a week deal at Anfield, the Brazilian is set to have new competition next summer following the signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili over the summer, with the goalkeeper set to arrive in the summer of 2025.
For now, it is Caoimhin Kelleher who will be turned to, with the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper already having made his desire to quit Anfield clear on several occasions including over the most recent international break.
After back-to-back campaigns of coming painfully close and falling at the final hurdle, there was a feeling among Arsenal fans that it would be their year this season.
That feeling was only strengthened when Mikel Arteta's side picked up two wins from their first two games last month, but things went awry against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Early on in the second half, Declan Rice was given a controversial second yellow, and while the Gunners didn't lose, they did drop two points, and perhaps even worse than that, they'll be without their £105m man for the North London Derby on Sunday.
However, in even worse news, Martin Odegaard limped off the pitch in Norway's game against Austria last night, so it looks like he, too, will miss the game on Sunday.
Interestingly, the club once had a Premier League star on their books who would have been the perfect replacement for the Norwegian.
The latest on Odegaard
In the 67th minute of Norway's 2-1 victory over Austria last night, Odegaard was substituted for what has now been confirmed as an ankle injury.
Speaking after the game, Norway's team doctor, Ola Sand, revealed that the Arsenal captain had suffered a "small ankle sprain" and that the national team would wait and "see throughout the evening and [Tuesday] what happens next and what we will do about it."
The injury is yet another crushing blow for the Gunners, who will now likely be without their first-choice midfield three for the must-win game on Sunday due to Rice's aforementioned suspension and new signing Mikel Merino's freak accident in training last month.
That said, while Thomas Partey and Jorginho should be able to step into the fold for those two, albeit at a lower level, there simply isn't a natural replacement for the captain in the squad, and considering he racked up a seriously impressive haul of 22 goals and assists last season, that's a serious problem.
However, while it is of no help to Arteta today, the club once had a youngster on the books who has since developed into an international star and would've been the ideal replacement.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard
Why Eberechi Eze would be the ideal replacement
Yes, the former Arsenal youngster in question is Eberechi Eze, who was a part of the club's youth system between the ages of nine and 13, after which he was released for allegedly being too small.
Eberechi Eze celebrates for Crystal Palace
The Englishman then spent time in the youth systems of Fulham and Millwall before settling at Queens Park Rangers, where he made his senior debut in an FA Cup Third Round defeat to Blackburn Rovers on the seventh of January 2017.
After a short term loan spell with Wycombe Wanderers, the Greenwich-born gem finally made his way into the Hoops' first team and by the time he had left to join Crystal Palace for £20m in August 2020, he had racked up an impressive haul of 20 goals and 13 assists in 112 appearances.
Appearances
36
17
40
31
Goals
4
1
10
11
Assists
6
1
4
6
Goal Involvements per Match
0.27
0.11
0.35
0.54
However, while he impressed at Loftus Road, he exploded at Selhurst Park, and while he's battled with injuries, he has since become an incredibly sought-after player, with a tally of 28 goals and 17 assists in 128 games for the Eagles and a release clause worth £68m that is reportedly set to be active once more next summer.
The Gunners were loosely linked with the 26-year-old "superstar", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, over the summer, but nothing materialised. However, given Odegaard's recent injury, we are sure the club wish they had pursued him further, as his positional versatility could have been the answer to their current predicament.
For example, while the eight-capped Englishman has played all over the pitch during his career, his most played position – with 105 appearances there – is attacking midfield, and given his performances last season, in which he scored 11 goals and provided six assists, he undoubtedly could have helped carry the creative and attacking load in the Norwegian's absence.
However, Arsenal made their decision 13 years ago, and while Eze has gone on to become a serious talent, there is no telling what would have happened had he stayed in North London; moreover, there is always the chance the club will go back in for him next summer.
Arsenal let their Saka regen leave for £0, now he's outscoring Martinelli
A £120,000-per-week Arsenal player is reportedly now a "top target" for one club outside the UK transfer window, with the player seen as their main priority to sign before they can no longer make new additions.
Players who left Arsenal in 2024 summer window
Manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar offloaded a host of assets during the summer window, which closed last Friday, including some pretty big names.
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Emile Smith-Rowe was the biggest of them all, after the midfielder became Fulham's club-record signing for an initial £27 million, which could rise to £34 million with add-ons included.
The attacking midfielder has started all three of Fulham's opening Premier League matches, scoring his first goal for the club recently, and he'll be looking to eventually work his way back into the England set-up in time for the 2026 USA World Cup.
Tottenham (away)
September 15
Man City (away)
September 22
Leicester City (home)
September 28
Southampton (home)
October 5
Bournemouth (away)
October 19
Alongside Smith-Rowe, Eddie Nketiah sealed a £30 million switch to Crystal Palace, where he'll have the exact same goal as his Smith-Rowe – eventual England contention.
Aaron Ramsdale, Mohamed Elneny, Cedric Soares, Fabio Vieira, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares, Reiss Nelson and Karl Hein also left the Emirates Stadium over the summer window, but there are a couple of players who couldn't seal an exit, despite repeated links.
Thomas Partey was regularly tipped to leave Arsenal, and Arteta will be thankful to have not given the green-light on a transfer away for the Ghanaian, as the Gunners are now very short in midfield for their looming north London derby trip to north London.
Theoretically, Partey could still depart with both the Turkish and Greek windows still open, but a suspension for Declan Rice and injury to summer signing Mikel Merino highlights just how crucial the 31-year-old will be for Arteta in the coming months.
Left-back Kieran Tierney was also regularly linked with an Arsenal exit, but he's now been named in their official Champions League squad, much to the surprise of many who believed he may not even be included in their final Premier League squad submission – with the deadline on September 14.
Tierney emerges as "top target" for Istanbul Basaksehir
Now, according to reports out of Spain, Tierney has emerged as a "top target" for Istanbul Basaksehir, with the Turkish window remaining open until the end of next week.
It is unclear what Arsenal's stance is on this, but if they were to entertain any Basaksehir bid for the Scotsman, they could have to replace him with another homegrown or locally trained player for their Champions League squad.
The £120,000-per-week defender spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad, and is unlikely to feature too often under Arteta this season, with his contract also set to expire in 2026 – giving Arsenal limited time to make a decent amount of money back off his £25 million transfer fee.
Tottenham Hotspur have held talks over a move for Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, and the defender has been placed on their shortlist alongside Edmond Tapsoba, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Who is Micky van de Ven signing for?
Tottenham are set to do battle with Liverpool for the Wolfsburg defender's signature, and Football Insider report the Reds are currently leading the race, having identified him as one of their key targets ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
According to reports, the German club are set to demand at least €30m (£26m) to sanction the 22-year-old's departure this summer, however, there is no offer on the table at present, and there is a chance he remains at Wolfsburg.
The Dutchman is contracted until the summer of 2027, meaning the Bundesliga side are in a strong negotiating position, and they do not need to accept any offers below their asking price.
In a new update on Twitter, Romano has now claimed the centre-back is on Tottenham's "shortlist", alongside Tapsoba, with both players "appreciated by the club."
Talks have already taken place over the Dutch defender, however, it is unclear whether any progress has been made towards agreeing a deal.
Should Tottenham sign van de Ven?
It is clear that Spurs will need to bring in some new defensive options this summer, given their very poor record at the back last season, conceding 63 goals in the Premier League, the sixth-highest amount of any side.
Football Scout Jacek Kulig has hailed the Wolfsburg ace as a "complete & dominant" centre-back, while also praising him for his great positioning and tenacious tackling, however, there are aspects of his game that need to be improved.
Despite his 6 foot 4 frame, the Wormer-born defender has averaged just 1.06 aerials won per 90 in the past year, which places him in the fourth percentile compared to his positional peers, while he is also in the 13th percentile for interceptions.
That said, the former Volendam man displayed a keen eye for picking out his teammates last season, which is an important quality for a modern-day centre-back, recording a pass-completion rate of 83%, the highest figure of any Wolfsburg player that completed a full 90 minutes.
Van de Ven is far from the finished article, however, given that he will be available for just £26m, it could be worth Tottenham taking a gamble on him this summer, looking to pip their top-flight rivals Liverpool to a deal.
Tottenham Hotspur could be set to revisit an old acquisition, seeking to make a questionable loan permanent.
What's the latest on Clement Lenglet to Tottenham Hotspur?
That's according to Spanish publication Sport, who suggest that Ange Postecoglou is keen to add Clement Lenglet to his squad for the foreseeable future, despite the French defender having struggled in north London.
The club have reportedly reaffirmed in recent months their satisfaction with his performances in a Spurs shirt, and therefore their willingness to strike a deal with Barcelona.
With three years left on his whopping £200k-per-week deal at the Spanish club, and the Catalan giants once again strapped for cash, they are seeking out a figure of around €12m (£10m) to recoup a portion of the €36m (£31m) they first invested.
Would Clement Lenglet be a smart signing for Tottenham Hotspur?
Whilst such a small fee would represent good value to add some depth to the squad, his performances for the Lilywhites were nothing short of abysmal in their most recent term.
Although it had been claimed so back in 2020, he really proved journalist Roy Nemer correct this season, who had branded him a "defensive liability". It could even be argued that the 27-year-old was even worse than Eric Dier, who acted as something of a lightning rod for criticism under Antonio Conte.
The England international may have been poor, but his 6.86 average rating was a far cry from the left-footed flop that Lenglet turned out to be. This figure was upheld by his 86% pass accuracy and 1.1 interceptions, 0.9 tackles and 3.3 clearances per game in the league, via Sofascore.
For comparison, the former Sevilla stopper saw his average rating plummet to 6.65, made worse due to his positional culpability and failure to dominate as expected. He would only muster 0.7 interceptions and 2.6 clearances per game in the league, also per Sofascore.
Even at the Nou Camp, his most recent year saw an average rating of 6.67 maintained too.
Despite this, it was the former Everton youth product that was most often lambasted, with talkSPORT pundit Darren Ambrose grouping him up with others who were "not good enough" for the club. He has become an easy target for ridicule in recent years.
It seems an easy excuse to rush at Dier for his failures, forgetting that the 29-year-old has been an ever-loyal servant to this club, making 361 appearances and enjoying some truly impressive spells. As recently as the 2021/22 season did he record a 7.01 average rating.
eric-dier-tottenham-hotspur
For all his shortcomings he at least deserves some credit, especially ahead of this loanee whom he actually outperformed during their most recent torrid campaign.
Lenglet could mark a bargain, but if he performs consistently like he did last term, at a level way below one of the club's most polarising figures, then it is a deal not even worth spending £10m on.
Liverpool have "lots of work to do" with Darwin Nunez next season, according to Redmen TV presenter Ste Hoare.
The Uruguayan international joined Liverpool in the summer of 2022 for a club-record fee of £85m, but the Liverpool expert believes that the enigmatic forward isn't the best player available in any frontline position at the club.
Has Darwin Nunez had a good first season?
After arriving from Benfica, Nunez has had an interesting first season on Merseyside, with incredible highs balanced out with embarrassing lows.
The 23-year-old made 42 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, and registered 15 goals and four assists, with his highlights being a brace in the Reds' historic 7-0 victory against arch-rivals Manchester United, as well as a fantastic opening goal in Liverpool's first-leg clash against LaLiga giants Real Madrid.
However, it hasn't been all positive for the former Almeria whiz, with moments such as his debut red card against Crystal Palace at Anfield, whilst a whopping 20 big chances missed in the Premier League gives further cause for concern.
The 6 foot 2 forward has found himself falling down the pecking order as well following the arrival of Cody Gakpo in January in tandem with the return from injury of both Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, with the striker only starting three of the club's final 12 league games.
What has Ste Hoare said about Darwin Nunez and Liverpool?
Speaking on Nunez's situation at the club, the Redmen TV presenter told Football FanCast:
"There’s a question mark of how he fits into the team. Because he isn’t the best left option. And he isn’t the best forward option.
"Jota and Diaz are both better than him on the left, and at this moment in time, Gakpo and Jota are both better than him up front, so I think there is lots of work to be done on Darwin Nunez, to be honest with you."
What does the future hold for Darwin Nunez in Liverpool?
Liverpool won't give up on the £140k-per-week star just yet, with manager Jurgen Klopp stating before the Red's clash with Nottingham Forest in April that the situation is a "long-term project".
Whilst on the face of it, Nunez has had a mediocre campaign, his underlying numbers paint the picture of a player with all the potential to become one of the most feared attackers in European football.
His non-penalty expected goals + assists per 90 is 0.97, which according to FBref, is among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues, showcasing that should Nunez become more clinical and decisive, he could be contributing almost a goal a game.
Liverpool supporters will be hoping that the Uruguayan has a similar trajectory as his time at Benfica, where after a disappointing first campaign, the Uruguayan attacker burst to life, having scored 34 goals in 41 games across all competitions.
Leeds United will lose around £80m in television revenue after being relegated from the Premier League, according to a new update.
Has it been a nightmare season for Leeds?
The Whites started the 2022/23 season with high hopes that they could kick on after avoiding relegation from the top flight, but instead, a disastrous campaign unfolded.
Jesse Marsch ultimately proved to be out of his depth as manager and was replaced by Javi Gracia, but he lasted very little time in the Elland Road, with Sam Allardyce coming in to hopefully rescue things. He didn't manage to do that, however, having had so little time to work with his squad, and Leeds' fate was sealed last weekend, following their 4-1 loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
Not only have the club had to deal with the misery of heading back to the Championship but also the recent bombshell regarding owner Andrea Radrizzani reportedly looking to use Elland Road as a way of funding his takeover of the Italian club Sampdoria.
It's fair to say that this isn't a happy period for Leeds currently and a fresh update isn't likely to improve the mood of the supporters, either.
How much is Premier League survival worth?
According to Football Insider, the Whites' 19th-place finish and subsequent relegation means that they are "set to lose £80million in television payments alone after being relegated to the Championship". It is described as a "devastating financial hit", with money given to EFL clubs for TV rights "significantly less" than in the Premier League.
For that reason, there will now be a "major impact" on Leeds' revenues in 2023/24, showing how crippling it can be to be relegated from the top flight.
This is clearly a big blow for the Whites, even though it is one that they will have known was coming, and it goes to show how precious playing in the Premier League is. The biggest hope is that the potential 49ers Enterprises' takeover of the club still goes through this summer, in order to soften the blow of this update, considering the financial boost it could hand them.
It is imperative that Leeds make a swift return to the top of the English game rather than languish in the Championship for a number of years, but having the money to make good signings and redevelop the club is vital to that. Some good news is certainly badly needed in the coming weeks.