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Newcastle United's meteoric rise has continued into this campaign and Eddie Howe's side look well-equipped to throw down the gauntlet on the Champions League spots once more, having qualified for Europe's elite competition last term.

The Magpies are currently six points off fourth-place Liverpool and have given a solid account of themselves in the Champions League, with the highlight so far being their 4-1 demolition of Paris Saint-Germain.

While their prospects domestically and in Europe are looking prosperous, the Toon have been hit with some bad luck off the field and their £55m summer signing, Sandro Tonali, is currently awaiting a ten-month suspension after breaching betting rules in Italy.

Following this devastating news for the club, Newcastle need to use the January transfer window to bolster their midfield options and fill the void that he'll leave behind in the middle of the park.

Several names have been touted, including Scott McTominay, Kalvin Phillips and Conor Gallagher, while Ruben Neves has also been linked with a move back to England after joining Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal for £47m in the summer.

Newcastle transfer news – Ruben Neves interest

According to talkSPORT, Newcastle are considering a loan move for Ruben Neves to replace Tonali in January.

The Portuguese maestro is currently plying his trade for Al Hilal, the club owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), who of course, also own a controlling stake in the Magpies.

The Premier League giants could use this situation to their advantage by luring the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man back to England, both fixing their need for a world-class operator and doing it in a cost-efficient way.

In many ways, targeting the 44-cap international makes sense as it plugs a temporary void in central midfield and saves them from splashing the cash on someone else.

The loan market could also be a favourable avenue for the club as the reported financial fair play (FFP) restrictions could prevent Newcastle from signing a permanent replacement for the 23-year-old in the winter window.

Indeed, it could be a wise decision from Howe to loan Neves, who displays similar attributes to the former, and then return him once Tonali's ban is up at the end of next season.

How Sandro Tonali compares to Ruben Neves

Lauded as "incredible" by former Wolves teammate Hugo Bueno, Neves would supply Newcastle with the requisite Premier League pedigree and exceptional technical attributes that could see him become a revelation at St James' Park.

For six successful years and 253 appearances at Molineux, he was the conductor in their midfield, dictating possession with his phenomenal passing range while displaying his ability to serve up the spectacular, becoming widely recognised for his outrageous technique and superb ball-striking abilities.

In the Premier League last term, the 26-year-old's performances were similar in profile to the likes of Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, according to FBref, having also showcased his defensive nous by placing in the top 19% against his positional peers for tackles in the attacking third, top 14% for interceptions, top 4% for shots blocked and top 3% for clearances.

Tonali was signed to have an impact at the other end of the field which means his defensive attributes fall short, ranking within the bottom 16% across Europe's top five leagues in the past year for interceptions, bottom 18% for aerials won and bottom 29% for blocks.

By contrast, the Italian's attacking attributes, including his exceptional vision, ability to drive forward and provide telling quality, have all seen Tonali rank high, placing in the top 21% for progressive passes, top 13% for assists and top 9% for key passes.

Although Neves, who is valued at £26.2m (€30m) as per Football Observatory, can't eclipse the former AC Milan midfielder for the aforementioned statistics, his quality defensive attributes paint a picture of an individual who could further solidify a Newcastle defence that ranks third for expected goals against (9.79) and fifth for goals conceded (11).

Newcastle United are one of the potential suitors to sign a "special" Premier League player in January, according to a fresh transfer story.

Newcastle's January business

The January transfer window will offer the Magpies a chance to bolster their squad midway through the season – something that may well be needed after Sandro Tonali's 10-month ban for breaching betting rules was confirmed earlier this month. A host of midfield players are being looked at by the Magpies, with Kalvin Phillips, Ruben Neves and N'Golo Kante all linked with moves to Newcastle in the same report, and plenty of others also being mentioned as options.

While midfield looks like the most pressing area for Eddie Howe to focus on, it could also be that he eyes up reinforcements in defence because of Sven Botman's injury-plagued season, and also further attacking additions with Harvey Barnes out long-term and neither of his strikers able to stay fit for a whole season.

With that in mind, a new update suggests that an exciting player in the final third could potentially make his way to St James' Park in the near future.

Newcastle linked with Emile Smith Rowe

Speaking to Give Me Sport, journalist Ben Jacobs claimed that Newcastle are eyeing a move for Arsenal youngster Emile Smith Rowe, admitting that a January exit from the Emirates isn't out of the question, partly because of injury problems:

"There are clubs looking at Smith Rowe. Newcastle are one of them, for example. Aston Villa have looked in the past as well. But Arsenal may be a bit more bullish about this and, before they agree to any kind of possible exit talks, they may first want to see whether the player can get fit in the second half of the season and then assess their options in the summer, rather than January.

"Smith Rowe may feel the same as well because it's all very well having your head turned by a possible move, but when you've been injured for this amount of time, stability can actually be the best thing to rehabilitate, build up your match time and then to assess your position within the Arsenal squad in the summer."

Smith Rowe has been linked with a move to Newcastle in the past and he could certainly add the depth that is needed, especially as he can play in midfield and attack, proving to be effective in central and wide areas. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher certainly rates the 23-year-old highly as a footballer, saying of him recently:

"He's so exciting, the pace, moving with the ball. He's a special talent. He can pop up in different positions, he has that ability to play all four positions up top and that's a real bonus."

Smith Rowe's chance of playing regularly for Arsenal look slim at the moment, considering some of the attacking options the Gunners have in his position, whether it be Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard or Gabriel Martinelli, so he could jump at the chance of testing himself at Newcastle, who have been 'goals by committee' this season rather than using an out-and-out Erling Haaland type number nine.

Technically-gifted and versatile, the Englishman still has so much of his career ahead of him, and Howe could feel that he can get more out of him than Mikel Arteta, utilising his versatility to pitch in with goals and assists from all over the pitch.

Gio Reyna provided a much-needed assist from a corner kick, helping Nottingham Forest level the score at 1-1 against Wolves.

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• Reyna provides assist
• USMNT star's first start
• Forest need three points

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Reyna was handed his first start since joining Nottingham Forest in the winter transfer window, and the American made sure to make his mark toward the end of the first half. Reyna's corner kick was headed home by Morgan Gibbs-White, who canceled out Matheus Cunha's opener to send the two teams into the locker room level at 1-1.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reyna had played extremely sporadically since joining Forest, having signed on loan from Borussia Dortmund after a tough start to the season in Germany. He's fared no better in England so far, but Saturday's start was his first real chance to impress in extended minutes.

  The American has seemingly seized the chance, providing an assist that may just be crucial for Forest's hopes of staying in the Premier League.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REYNA?

  Up next for Forest is a crucial match against Everton, another relegation contender. After that, Reyna and co. will face Manchester City on April 28.

The early hours of Friday morning happened to be a proud moment for Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli.

When it's come to international football, regular chances for the tricky wide man have been hard to come by. After all, this is a young talent competing among the likes of Neymar Jr and Vinicius Jr for a place on the flanks.

However, against Colombia on Friday, he stole the show from a Selecao point of view, scoring his country's only goal in a 2-1 loss.

It's now two defeats on the spin for Brazil who are finding it difficult to live up to the hype in recent international breaks.

Martinelli's stats vs Colombia

Described as a "constant threat" in GOAL's player ratings for the game, the 22-year-old was in electric form for his nation.

Some wonderful play between Martinelli and Vinicius Jr carved open the opening with the Gunners ace finding the net in assured fashion during the first 45. It was his first goal for Brazil, and surely the first of many.

Throughout his time on the pitch, the winger barely gave Colombia a moment of peace. He completed 91% of his passes, won six of his nine duels and even found room to play a key pass. His goal, meanwhile, came from the only shot Martinelli registered all game. Clinical indeed.

However, he wasn't the only Arsenal player in action for Fernando Diniz's side. Gabriel Magalhaes was selected to play at centre-half.

Gabriel's stats vs Colombia

Earning just his fifth cap for Brazil, this should have been a special night for the defender playing alongside his club colleague.

It started off an impressive performance from the centre-back, who ended the first half with a clean sheet in tact and a pass success rate of 100%. It's a shame, therefore, that his and Brazil's performance in the second period dwindled significantly.

Indeed, it was his missed header that led to the first Colombian goal as they fought back in the second half, a looping ball swung in from the left-hand side that Luis Diaz met from close range and found the back of the net.

The second goal – again scored by Diaz – he wasn't at fault for, but Gabriel and a number of Brazilian defenders did appear to be standing in a zone where they weren't even marking anyone.

Such a display led to brutal criticism of the 25-year-old with one notable Brazilian influencer and U23 scout suggesting he has been "very poor" whenever he's pulled on the jersey.

One Brazilian news outlet went even further, taking to social media to say: "It’s genuinely scary just how bad Gabriel Magalhães has been for Brazil tonight."

GOAL happened to give the central defender a 6/10 rating, suggesting he wasn't actually the worst of the defenders, something the stats would agree with.

He ended the game with a 93% pass success rate, only misplacing five passes on the entire night and won 4/6 duels. His defensive colleague, Marquinhos, only contested three duels during the game, winning two and had less of an influence on the ball, taking 57 touches to Gabriel's 84.

To suggest the Arsenal brute was the sole reason for Brazil's defeat was harsh, although supporters back at the Emirates and indeed Mikel Arteta will be hoping that sort of night doesn't seep back into his displays at club level.

Naby Keita has been suspended by Werder Bremen and barred from club facilities after the ex-Liverpool star allegedly refused to board the team bus.

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• Keita was omitted from Werder squad
• Club claimed Keita refused to travel to Bayer Leverkusen
• Werder have imposed severe sanctions on the midfielder

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In a campaign marred by several injuries, Keita has been able to make only five appearances for Werder in his debut season, having joined the club last summer as a free agent after leaving Liverpool. To add to his problems, Clemens Fritz, the sporting director of Werder Bremen, claimed that the midfielder opted not to board the team bus after learning that he would not be in the starting lineup during last weekend's clash against German champions Bayer Leverkusen.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Fritz had warned that Keita would face severe consequences for his defiant actions and in a statement released by the club on Tuesday it was confirmed that the player has been suspended until the end of the season. Moreover, the Guinea international must also pay a fine to the club for his alleged unprofessionalism.

• WHAT WERDER BREMEN SAID

  The statement released by Werder Bremen read: "Werder Bremen officials have suspended Naby Keïta until the end of the season. In addition, the Green-Whites have imposed a significant fine on the midfielder. From now on, the 28-year-old will neither train with the team nor spend time in the professional dressing room."

  Fritz further added: "Naby’s behaviour cannot be tolerated for us as a club. With this action, he let his team down in a tense sporting and personnel situation and placed himself above the team. We can't allow that. At this stage of the season, we need full focus on the remaining games and a team that is very close together. There was therefore no alternative to our measures."

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• KEITA DENIES ANY WRONGDOING

  Refuting these claims made by the club, Keita wrote in his Instagram story: "I have always tried to help the club and the great supporters, especially during this time of poor results. Since the start of my career, I have never had problems with my discipline and have always shown an exemplary attitude. I will not accept any person trying to tarnish my image. To the supporters, I would like you to know that in every training session, I fight so that I can make you happy every weekend. Training, and giving everything, these are the limits of my power. To my teammates, good luck for our match. Go Werder!"

Marcus Rashford claimed that he has faced "abuse" from disgruntled Manchester United fans "for months" and vowed that "enough is enough".

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• Rashford going through a lean patch of form
• Has scored just eight goals this campaign
• Fans have not been kind to the misfiring forward

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 26-year-old has been a shadow of his former self, when he scored an impressive 30 goals during the 2022-23 season, as he has found the net only eight times across all competitions in this campaign. In lieu of his poor form and his lackadaisical body language on the pitch, the English forward has been subject to intense criticism from fans who want to see more from the senior player at Old Trafford.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In addition to struggling with form, Rashford was under scrutiny after being spotted at a nightclub in Belfast, shortly before reporting ill to first-team training at Carrington. Moreover, his decision to go to a nightclub, just hours after a derby defeat to Manchester City was frowned upon by the United faithful.

• WHAT RASHFORD SAID

  Responding to a supportive post on social media, Rashford acknowledged the ongoing abuse he has faced for months and asserted that it is time for it to stop.

  X user UtdParadigm posted: "The way Marcus Rashford is being treated is absolutely disgusting. It's cruel. It's abuse."

  Just after midnight, the England forward quote tweeted the post and wrote. "I appreciate your support," he wrote. "It is abuse and has been for months. Enough is enough."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Rashford had earlier responded to criticism in a free-flowing account with The Player's Tribune where he insisted that his "commitment" to the club remains paramount.

  "Listen, I’m not a perfect person," he said in the interview with . "When I make a mistake, I’ll be the first one to put my hand up and say that I need to do better but if you ever question my commitment to Man United, that’s when I have to speak up.

  "It’s like somebody questioning my entire identity, and everything I stand for as a man. I grew up here. I have played for this club since I was a boy. My family turned down life-changing money when I was a kid so I could wear this badge."

Newcastle United are believed to be in talks with an "incredible" player's agent over a move to St James' Park, according to a new transfer update.

Newcastle linked with striker

The Magpies came roaring back into form on Saturday afternoon, securing a fantastic 4-1 win at home to Chelsea in the Premier League, in what was an ideal return after the international break.

While clearly a brilliant result, it doesn't change the fact that Newcastle still need to be looking at making new signings in the January transfer window, with injuries hampering them so much this season.

Newcastle willing to pay £26m for “extremely agile” potential ace

Could he be an ideal Sandro Tonali replacement?

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 26, 2023

Strike duo Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak have both found themselves in and out of the team with fitness issues in 2023/24, and it looks as though a striker could be high up on Eddie Howe's wishlist.

VfB Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy is one player who has been linked with a move to Newcastle, with the 27-year-old enjoying a remarkable start to the season. The Magpies target has scored 15 goals in 10 Bundesliga appearances, only eight of which have been starts.

Newcastle in talks with Serhou Guirassy

According to an update from TEAMtalk, Newcastle are in talks with Guirassy's agent over a move to the club, as they look to get a deal over the line.

"TEAMtalk can confirm that Newcastle have begun the process of trying to bring Serhou Guirassy to the club and have spoken with the players’ agents and Stuttgart about the structure of a deal.

"Newcastle are set for a busy January as they look to strengthen their squad and cover a multitude of injuries and suspensions. Midfield and forward targets are on the club’s radar and they have already started to make moves on key targets such as Guirassy."

The report also goes on to add that Newcastle are "ready to pay the release clause in full", with £15m the amount needed to trigger it in January.

It really does look as though Guirassy is a genuine target for the Magpies, and his aforementioned record so far this season highlights what a spectacular signing he could be.

Granted, some players can simply go through purple patches and then struggle to replicate their previous brilliance, but Newcastle's potential new signing has 30 goals in 39 games for Stuttgart, as well as 30 in 53 Bundesliga outings in his career.

At 27, Guirassy is someone who has now been around for a long time, but is still young enough that he can still be a force for four or five years at the top level, at least.

The injury records of Wilson and Isak are problematic for Newcastle, as they look to seal back-to-back top-four finishes in the Premier League, but acquiring the services of the Stuttgart ace could make life easier for Howe, making their absences less of a concern if they keep happening.

A release clause of only £15m is also low for someone currently in such impressive form, so it is difficult to find many negatives when it comes to the Magpies signing him.

Tottenham Hotspur could reportedly sign a "fascinating" player on loan in the January transfer window as manager Ange Postecoglou looks to shore up his squad.

Spurs in deep trouble with absentee list growing

Spurs currently have 10 players either injured or suspended, with James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Richarlison, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, Ashley Phillips, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur all unavailable to play.

A fair few of these players now aren't expected back until 2024, a list which includes star summer signings Maddison and van de Ven. Indeed, Perisic, Solomon and Bentancur also won't feature again this year, with the latter picking up an ankle ligament injury against Aston Villa.

To make matters worse, the likes of Bissouma, Sarr and Son Heung-min are set to be away soon after the start of 2024, as they represent their nations at AFCON and the Asia Cup respectively.

The January transfer window is therefore a crucial one for Postecoglou and new sporting director Johan Lange, who is tasked in advising chairman Daniel Levy and Chief Football Officer Scott Munn on targets.

The priority is believed to be a left-sided centre-back at Spurs, but it's also been claimed that Postecoglou is very keen to shore up his options out wide. This has lead to various reports that they're targeting Al-Ittihad winger Jota, a player who the Spurs boss knows very well after coaching him at Celtic.

Tottenham could sign Jota on loan

According to The Standard and journalist Nizaar Kinsella, Tottenham signing Jota on loan is a "possibility" as Postecoglou looks to sign a winger after injuries to Perisic and Solomon.

He cost around £25 million for Al-Ittihad to sign from Celtic in the summer window, but the 24-year-old hasn't gone on to be a star for them just yet and could seek a return to Europe. This comes after a previous report by 90min claimed that Jota would be very interested in linking back up with Postecoglou at Tottenham.

Jota scored a fantastic 11 goals and 11 assists in his last season at Parkhead before making the switch to Saudi Arabia, and it will be very interesting to see if he could make it in England.

Called a "fascinating" player by journalist Joel Sked, the former Benfica star has also been called an "exciting" forward by ex-Tottenham defender Alan Hutton in an interview with Football Insider.

"Jota's only 23-years-old, he's still developing," explained Hutton in the summer of 2022. "He's probably only going to get better, I think he can get better. What he's done this season has been incredible, for him to come from his parent club, where he's not really been playing. Benfica are a big club in their own right but to come to another club where there's a lot of pressure, to perform at such a young age, he's stood up to that task.

“Jota's that player fans want to see. He's exciting, he takes people on, he makes things happen, he scores goals and ticks all the boxes."

Winning runs in Lionel Messi’s family, with Antonela Roccuzzo hailing the efforts of son Thiago after seeing Inter Miami’s academy become “champions”.

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• Argentine star shining in the United States
• Children have joined academy ranks
• Success being savoured at all levels in Florida

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  After moving to the United States, eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi has already savoured Leagues Cup glory. He is currently in the process of chasing down more major honours, with Inter Miami making a positive start to the 2024 campaign.

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• THE GOSSIP

  Messi has registered 11 goals for them through 10 appearances in all competitions, with A-list guests flocking to watch him in action. He is delivering for David Beckham and the Herons board, but the Florida-based outfit have one eye on the long-term future.

• WHAT ANTONELA SAID

  Messi’s sons have followed him onto the books at Inter Miami, and they are impressing at youth level. Thiago has got his hands on a trophy, with his mother saluting that achievement after watching a tournament triumph alongside Luis Suarez’s wife, Sofia Balbi. Antonela has posted on Instagram: “Let's go INTER! How beautiful it is to share it together friend! @sofibalbi, to many more!! Soccermoms. CHAMPIONS!”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

  Inter Miami’s senior side have risen to the top of the MLS Eastern Conference, with Messi putting in another talismanic performance last time out in a 4-1 win over the New England Revolution, and they will be back in action on Saturday when playing host to the New York Red Bulls.

Wrexham have paid tribute departing skipper Luke Young as he prepares to depart the club after six years.

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• Young released by Wrexham
• Spent six years in North Wales
• Captained club for three seasons

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The promoted League Two side released their retained list earlier in the week as they prepare to make the step up to the next division. Young was one of eight players not to be offered a new contract and the club have since paid tribute to their devoted captain on social media.

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• WHAT WREXHAM SAID

  In a final farewell message on Instagram, Wrexham said: "Look… I love Luke Young!

  "Our back-to-back, promotion-winning first-team captain will depart the Club after 259 appearances and 22 goals, two Player of the Season Awards, two Steve Edwards Goal of the Season Trophy wins and one top goalscorer award.

  "Thanks for the memories, Youngy!"

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Back-to-back promotions to the third tier of English football is something fans could only dream of when Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney first took over. The Red Dragons will need to recruit some more serious firepower if they are to compete with some huge clubs in 2024-25 and it may be sad to see some popular figures leave, but it is a necessary process to ensure progress for the club.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LUKE YOUNG?

  At 31, Young has limited time left as a professional and must move carefully. He could opt to follow Wrexham into League One and look for a contract there, or remain in League Two where he knows he can perform as a standout player.