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Wolverhampton Wanderers have now opened talks with a “leader by nature” who is their top transfer target this winter, according to a report.

Wolves keen to strengthen in multiple areas

Keen to put his own stamp on the squad he inherited from Gary O’Neil, Vitor Pereira is looking to strengthen his squad in multiple areas in the January transfer window. The new manager has identified striker Tim Kleindienst as a target, making contact with Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach to discuss a deal, having been impressed by his record in front of goal this season.

A new defender is also of interest to Wolves, given that their defensive record has been very poor so far this season, and Sunderland’s Daniel Ballard is on the list of targets. Last week, it was reported that the Old Gold were leading the race for Lens defender Kevin Danso, having identified him as their top target heading into the January transfer window.

Now, there has been a new update on Wolves’ pursuit of Danso, with talkSPORT reporting that talks have now been opened over a potential initial loan deal, with an obligation to buy if they avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Pereira is said to have made signing a new centre-back his top priority since arriving at Molineux, and the Lens defender is right at the top of his list of targets.

Exactly the type of signing Wolves need

It is no secret that Wolves have been very poor at the back this season, holding the joint-worst defensive record in the league alongside Leicester City, so it is clear to see why Pereira is eager to strengthen this January.

There has been some respite in recent weeks, with the Old Gold keeping clean sheets in two of their last three games, but the defensive frailties were clear to see earlier this season, which will be a concern for the new manager.

Danso could be the answer to those problems, having been lauded for his leadership qualities at the back by former Lens manager Franck Haise, who said: “Kevin [Danso] is our boss. He gives commands, he directs his team-mates with a lot of vigour and passion.

“He is a leader by nature. This role suits him wonderfully and he fulfils it with much enthusiasm. Kevin is a top professional. Every day in training, he is very serious. Kevin is now one of the best central defenders in Ligue 1, but also in Europe.

“He has developed into a complete defender who is not only strong in the air but also has good technique with few mistakes in his build-up play and very clean passing.”

Dream first Pereira signing: Wolves could land "exquisite" Larsen upgrade

Vitor Pereira could welcome in this exciting new player as his first signing at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

1 ByKelan Sarson Dec 31, 2024

Over the past year, the Austrian ranks in the 94th percentile for blocks per 90 and the 79th percentile for aerials won, showcasing his defensive qualities, and if he is able to adapt to life in the Premier League quickly, he could help propel Wolves to safety.

This season has been full of incredible highs and dismal lows for Tottenham Hotspur.

For example, despite blowing both Manchester United and Manchester City away in the Premier League, they find themselves down in 12th, yet in the League Cup, they have a 1-0 lead over Liverpool heading into the second leg of their semi-final.

So, while their league campaign might well be over, there is still plenty to play for and to ensure Ange Postecoglou continues his record of winning silverware in his second season, Daniel Levy and Co must provide him with some new talent this month.

Fortunately, recent reports have revealed that the North Londoners are closing in on a sensational attacker who could do precisely that, an attacker who has been compared to the prolific Omar Marmoush.

Tottenham Hotspur close in on sensational striker

According to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham are looking to wrap up the signing of Randal Kolo Muani later this week.

The report claims that the North Londoners have been in talks with Paris Saint-Germain this week and that while the Parisians would prefer an obligation to buy in the deal, Spurs are pushing for an option.

Interestingly, the report has also confirmed that Manchester United and Juventus are looking to hijack the deal, but their unwillingness to even entertain an option to buy the Frenchman has left Levy and Co in an advantageous negotiating position.

There are clearly still things that need to be worked out for this loan deal to be finalised, but as things stand, it looks like Spurs will get their man, and considering his ability and the fact he’s been compared to Marmoush, that can only be a good thing.

How Kolo Muani compares to Marmoush

Okay, so in terms of exciting, game-changing and sought-after forwards across Europe, Marmoush is undoubtedly one of the hottest prospects around, and considering he’s racked up a sensational haul of 18 goals and 12 assists in 22 games this season, it’s not hard to see why.

With that said, where do the comparisons between him and Kolo Muani come from?

As so far this season, the French international has been limited to just 453 minutes of first-team football, and while he’s racked up a reasonable haul of three goal involvements in that time, he’s still just been a rotational player in Paris.

Well, aside from their positional similarities and the fact that, before he moved to PSG, the 26-year-old was also utterly unstoppable for Eintracht Frankfurt and produced 40 goal involvements in 46 appearances, this comparison primarily stems from FBref.

It compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Egyptian is the seventh most similar forward to the Frenchman over the last 365 days.

Expected Assisted Goals

0.21

0.24

Assists

0.30

0.33

Progressive Passes

2.53

2.47

Goals per Shot

0.19

0.15

Passing Accuracy

71.9%

70.0%

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.91

0.96

Successful Take-Ons

1.97

1.96

Carries

27.9

25.7

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, expected assisted goals and actual assists, goals per shot, progressive passes and passes into the penalty area, carries, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Finally, while the record from his time in Germany and the similarities to Marmoush should be reason enough for the North Londoners to go all out for the 26-year-old “superstar,” as dubbed by German legend Lothar Matthaus, his international experience is another big bonus to signing him.

For example, the £202k-per-week dynamo has already won 27 caps for the French national team, which, when you consider the quality of players in that squad, is seriously impressive.

Ultimately, Spurs need some attacking reinforcements this month, and while he might not be the biggest name around, Kolo Muani could be the perfect addition to Postecoglou’s squad.

Their own Rice: Spurs chasing "box-crashing" Bissouma upgrade in £42m star

The experienced midfielder would be an excellent addition for Spurs.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 10, 2025

Alexis Sanchez. For those of an Arsenal persuasion, you either love him or you hate him.

He is one of the best players of the Emirates era, crashing home 80 goals and supplying 44 assists in 166 matches. The Chilean was pretty damn good, that’s for sure.

The way he left the Gunners behind, however, has left a sour taste in the mouth of supporters. Fans thought he was chasing the money as he eventually departed north London and headed for Manchester United in a repeat move of Robin van Persie’s exit.

Sadly for him, it did not go according to plan. Sanchez played just 45 times for the Old Trafford side, scoring five goals in the process.

In an interview, he infamously revealed that after one training session he wish he’d never left the comforts of Arsenal behind.

Well, with Alexis initially moving from Barcelona, Arsenal could repeat that deal this winter.

Arsenal looking at LaLiga star

The main name on Arsenal fans’ lips this winter has been Nico Williams.

The Athletic Club winger is a player that Mikel Arteta reportedly ‘wants to sign this month’ but whether a deal can be done this month is hard to tell. The player boasts a release clause of around £50m but his wage demands are allegedly uncomfortable for the Gunners’ hierarchy.

So, why not sign another defender? That seems to be the order of the day as far as Arsenal are concerned. Considering they ended last season with the best defensive record in the Premier League, you can’t complain too much. That said, the fact of the matter is Arsenal haven’t made enough additions to their forward line.

Still, reports in Spain are now suggesting that Arteta and Co could raid LaLiga. Not for Williams, however, but for Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo.

According to the report, the defender now ‘wants to leave the club’ and with ‘Arsenal after the player’, they could submit a bid to sign him in the coming days.

Araujo is also receiving interest from Juventus and it’s thought a move could be done for a fee in the region of £67m.

Why Ronald Araujo would be a good signing for Arsenal

Throughout the years there have been a number of transactions between Arsenal and Barcelona.

More often than not, it’s been the Spanish giants raiding Arsenal, with the likes of club legend Thierry Henry, Alexander Hleb, Thomas Vermaelen, Alex Song, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and more all leaving north London for rather sunnier weather in Catalonia.

That said, the Premier League side have tried to seek revenge throughout the years and there are no two better examples than Cesc Fabregas and Alexis.

Sanchez was playing in the shadow of Lionel Messi, Neymar and to some extent Pedro at Camp Nou so understandably decided to leave Spain behind after scoring 46 goals in 141 matches.

Rather more appreciated at Arsenal, he became the main man at a big club, something he always dreamt of.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The situation is perhaps a tad similar to Araujo’s. The Uruguayan hasn’t played all season because of a hamstring injury but even last term he found himself in and out of the league team, starting just 21 of the 32 LaLiga fixtures he was available for.

Considering Xavi has previously described the 25-year-old as “one of the best centre-backs in the world”, this is rather surprising.

Still, Barcelona’s loss is Arsenal’s gain here. They may well have plenty of defenders but you sense that if William Saliba or Gabriel got injured, they are still lacking somewhat.

Jurrien Timber can play at centre-half but has done a sterling job at right-back while it looks as though Riccardo Calafiori’s future is at left-back. That leaves Jakub Kiwior whose performances have been incredibly inconsistent, notably making a massive error that led to Crystal Palace’s opening goal in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

It’s often spoken about how Arsenal can raise the floor of this squad and by replacing Kiwior with Araujo, they’d certainly be doing that.

Here’s how the Barca star compares to the club’s very best centre-backs.

Pass success %

88.8%

92.4%

88.7%

Progressive passes

4.55

4.13

3.46

Key passes

0.36

0.16

0.09

Touches

81.6

81.4

72.4

Take-on success %

72.7%

66.7%

40%

Progressive carries

1.08

0.42

0.38

Tackles won

0.99

0.68

0.83

Interceptions

0.54

0.76

0.92

Aerial duels won %

73.2%

59.5%

55.4%

So, as you can see, there isn’t very much separating the trio but there are some areas where Araujo has the beating of Saliba and Gabriel.

He’s a far more progressive carrier of the ball and interestingly, he wins an even higher percentage of his aerial duels.

That could well be music to the ears of set-piece coach Nicolas Jover who will no doubt be delighted about the idea of adding even more aerial threat to the team.

While Gabriel has been one of the most free-scoring defenders, bagging 19 goals in 194 outings, Araujo certainly knows where the net is too.

He has netted 21 goals in 243 club outings (a goal every 11.5 games) to Gabriel’s 25 in 308 (a goal every 12 games), meaning that he could be an even greater weapon for Jover moving forward.

While a centre-back should by no means be Arsenal’s number one priority in 2025, if they did complete a deal it would be a brilliant signing.

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ByBrett Worthington Dec 5, 2024

Everton have now made contact over a deal to sign an “electric” new winger target, who could be brought in instead of the heavily linked Ernest Nuamah this month, according to a report.

Toffees' Nuamah move stalling

Lyon’s Nuamah has been one of the Toffees’ major targets during the January transfer window, and at one point it looked like they were close to getting a deal over the line, but there has been a lack of progress since then.

In fact, it now appears as though the move isn’t going to happen this month, with the Merseyside club presumably failing to strike an agreement with Lyon.

As such, David Moyes may have to move on to other targets, and Everton have now taken their first concrete steps towards signing a winger from the Liga Portugal.

According to a report from Caught Offside, the Toffees have now made contact with Sporting CP to explore the possibility of signing Marcus Edwards, who has fallen down the pecking order in recent weeks.

Edwards’ poor relationship with manager Rui Borges has led to a lack of game time, meaning Sporting are now open to selling him for €12m (£10m) this month, although 35% of that fee will be owed to former club Tottenham Hotspur.

The report also states that Nuamah is unlikely to move to Goodison Park this month, as it looks like the move has fallen through for the second time, with Everton also missing out on his signature last summer.

Everton make enquiry over "powerful" striker who's also wanted by West Ham

David Moyes wants to bring in another forward this month.

ByDominic Lund Jan 22, 2025 Edwards could be a better signing than Nuamah

The Sporting winger is likely to be available for a far lower fee than Nuamah, who was reported to have a price tag of £25m, and there are indications he could make a better impact at Goodison Park in the second half of the season.

Although the Englishman has fallen down the pecking order at Sporting this season, he has proven himself over a sustained period of time in the Liga Portugal, while the Lyon man is yet to register a single goal or assist in Ligue 1 this term.

Marcus Edwards

League appearances

Goals

Assists

2021-22

30

10

6

2022-23

33

7

9

2023-24

26

4

5

2024-25

6

1

0

The 26-year-old has 32 goals and 30 assists to his name in 154 Liga Portugal games, and he has been lauded as “electric” by members of the media during his time with the Portuguese club.

Nuamah is younger than Edwards, at 21-years-old, but otherwise there is no real advantage to signing the youngster this month, so it is by no means the end of the world that Everton look like they have missed out.

Moreover, with Edwards available for a fee of just £10m, it is definitely worth pursuing a move for the winger this month.

Everton are already struggling to score goals this season, netting just 19 times in 23 Premier League games, only Southampton scoring fewer in this time frame (16). The Toffees have also generated the lowest xG in the division this season, with 24.87 xG, while boasting an average of just 0.1 xG per shot.

And things could be set to go from bad to worse, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks set to be out for weeks, Armando Broja – on loan from Chelsea – looks likely to miss a significant amount of the season with another injury issue and Beto is now being linked with a move away from Goodison Park this month.

This could see David Moyes’ side obtain another centre-forward in the last few days of this window, as they look to provide cover for their injured forwards whilst also adding much-needed goal-scoring power alongside Iliman Ndiaye, who has taken much of the onus so far.

Latest on Everton's search for a new striker

According to reports from Italian outlet TuttoSport, Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi could be a potential late move for Everton in the striker department. This has been linked to Beto’s return to Serie A, as he is Everton’s only fit forward currently, meaning he would need to be replaced before leaving the club.

The Forest striker has also been linked with a move to West Ham this month, which broke down as the Hammers went on to look at other striker options, potentially leaving the door open for Everton to swoop in last minute for the 27-year-old.

Awoniyi has made 20 appearances so far this season, only scoring one goal and totalling 401 minutes played, with the majority of his minutes coming from the bench, as the 27-year-old striker now finds himself behind the in-form Chris Wood in the pecking order.

Why Awoniyi could be Moyes' next Yakubu

Moyes may be looking to repeat the success of having landed another Nigerian striker from a Premier League rival during his first stint in charge, with Yakubu joining from Middlesbrough in 2007 for around £11.25m.

Yakubu made 107 appearances for the Toffees under Moyes’ management, scoring 33 goals, providing 12 assists and totalling 6,747 minutes played. ‘Feed the Yak and he will score…’

Awoniyi could provide Moyes with a similar story to that of his compatriot, the £50k-per-week striker joining Everton from Nottingham Forest, bringing important goals to the squad and offering a target man for other players such as Ndiaye to work off of.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Awoniyi

Calvert-Lewin

Goals

0.45

0.17

Assists

0.23

0.06

xG

0.41

0.35

Progressive Carries

0.69

1.26

Progressive Passes

1.21

1.09

Shots Total

2.20

2.63

Shots/Goal

0.21

0.07

Key Passes

0.86

0.40

Shot-Creating Actions

2.59

1.43

Aerial Duels Won

1.81

4.74

When comparing Awoniyi’s 2023/24 record and Calvert-Lewin’s record so far this season, you can see the Forest man offers much more output and clinical finishing, with a drastic difference in their goals/shot ratio, with 0.21 goals/shot for Awoniyi vs a 0.07 goals/shot ratio for Calvert-Lewin.

Transfer Focus

Whilst the Englishman’s aerial stats are far superior, much of that can come down to Everton’s play style, hitting their frontman directly on a more regular basis.

Nottingham Forest icon Steve Hodge praised Awoniyi as an “extraordinary” player, labelling the striker “really clever” after a goal he scored against Manchester United.

Moyes could well be given his next Yakubu in Awoniyi, a strong solo striker who can play with his back to goal, bully defenders and bring other creative outlets into play, dealing with direct balls that suit Everton’s play style and most importantly, putting the finishing touch on balls into the box to add goals to the team.

Big Doucoure upgrade: Everton close in on signing "fearless" star for Moyes

Everton are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign the impressive centre-forward.

ByDan Emery Jan 30, 2025

Glasgow Rangers’ transfer activity during the winter window consisted of just one signing, as defender Rafael Fernandes arrived at Ibrox on a six-month loan deal with an option to buy.

It was perhaps not the most inspiring window, but if Fernandes impresses, he will be another talented youngster with the potential to make the club a significant profit in the coming years.

Bridging the financial gap between them and Celtic is the main aim, especially with the Parkhead side benefiting from the Champions League windfall gained due to making it past the league phase.

Philippe Clement did manage to get another deal completed before the transfer window closed, although the Light Blues will have to wait until the summer to see the fruits of their labour.

Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron signed a pre-contract agreement with the Ibrox side, and the move could turn into a smart piece of business.

“I am delighted that we have agreed a deal for Lyall to join the club and to continue his career at Rangers come the summer,” said Technical Director Nils Koppen after the deal was announced.

“Lyall has a lot of potential and I look forward to seeing him continue to grow at Rangers in the coming years.”

Why did Rangers sign Lyall Cameron?

Adding another home-grown player is vital for the club, especially regarding European squad quotas – and Cameron fits the bill perfectly.

His ability to push forward from the heart of the midfield could give Clement’s side something extra, especially given his recent displays at Dens Park.

Indeed, across 30 matches in all competitions, Cameron has registered 15 goal contributions – eight goals and seven assists – ranking him as the third-highest goalscorer in the squad this term.

Furthermore, Cameron has also created four big chances in the top flight, averages 1.6 key passes and wins 3.8 total duels per game, demonstrating his talents across a range of performance metrics.

Of course, if he is to succeed at Rangers, performing to a consistent level will be key as there are so many talented players in his position.

However, the 22-year-old will be a solid option to call upon, and his wages are likely to be lower than someone like Kieran Dowell, who has offered nothing since joining the Gers.

Goals

5

Assists

4

Big chances created

4

Key passes per game

1.6

Ground duels won per game

3.1

Shots per game

1.5

Via Sofascore

This philosophy might take some time to pay off, but if Clement can build a squad full of exceptionally talented players with a few experienced heads scattered throughout, it could soon prove to be successful.

The manager must also start to utilise the talent that is emerging from the academy, as there are several players there who could save the manager millions in the transfer market.

Bailey Rice and Findlay Curtis are two superb youngsters who have a bright future ahead of them if they can forge their way into securing regular minutes for the first team.

That said, the Gers did sell a youngster who was earmarked as the next big thing at Ibrox. Alex Lowry may have been their own Cameron if he had a better mentality.

Rangers already had their Lyall Cameron

Considering how well his Ibrox career began, seeing Alex Lowry depart Rangers without living up to his full potential will pain the majority of supporters.

Having not made a first-team appearance for the club this season, it looked as though Clement was likely to sell Lowry if a suitable offer arrived during the winter window.

English League One side Wycombe Wanderers agreed a fee with the Light Blues and the midfielder left Glasgow to kickstart his career down south.

Hopefully, he gets the chance to perform, as there is no doubt Lowry has exceptional ability which should have seen him become a success at Rangers.

Why Lowry could have been a success at Rangers

Having impressed for the youth sides, Lowry’s big break came during a Scottish Cup clash against Stirling Albion in January 2022, although it was due to unfortunate circumstances.

Ianis Hagi suffered a season-ending knee injury and Lowry came on in his place. It only took a few minutes, but the 18-year-old slotted home the opener to enjoy a stunning debut, and it looked like a star was born.

He made another six appearances for the Gers between then and the end of the campaign, scoring another goal while grabbing two assists in the process.

The teenager was even named on the bench for the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt, although he failed to make it onto the pitch.

These impressive displays should have been the catalyst for Lowry to make more inroads into the first team during the 2022/23 season, yet he managed to feature just seven times for the Ibrox side in all competitions.

He was praised by former teammate Rory Wilson for being “top-class” in 2023, but it was clear opportunities were required if he was to make the grade at Rangers.

A loan spell at Hearts during the first half of last season saw Lowry register five goal contributions – four assists and a goal – in 17 appearances, yet he started just 11 times for the Tynecastle side in total.

Clement recalled the youngster last January due to him suffering an injury, but he didn’t make a first-team appearance for the Light Blues until he was sold a few weeks ago.

Having all the talent in the world is great, but if the mentality to succeed and become the best you can be isn’t there, then that talent is ultimately wasted.

Lowry now has a second chance to succeed in the senior game by moving to Wycombe, a place where the pressure won’t be nearly as great as it is at Ibrox, even if the Chairboys are chasing promotion to the English Championship.

If he can secure a consistent run of games in the senior side between now and May, Lowry might just fulfil his vast potential, no doubt about that.

Clement has struck gold on Rangers' star who's worth 5x more than Cameron

Rangers have hit the jackpot on a player who is worth millions more than Lyall Cameron.

ByRoss Kilvington Feb 8, 2025

West Ham United’s tactical approach has changed in recent weeks under Graham Potter. Despite their fortunes not fully changing with results, the performances overall have shown good signs.

Where Julen Lopetegui played a 4-2-3-1, often leading to a very disjointed press, Potter has made adjustments to a 5-2-3, aiding their off-ball work, providing extra protection in the back line, but also allowing them to be more aggressive in the press.

Potter’s usage of wing backs, his approach to prioritise his best players, such as Mohamed Kudus, Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen, and his willingness to play more directly into a narrow front three, have given West Ham a different dynamic since his arrival.

That being said, there is still a big issue in one certain area of the pitch, which has been prevalent for quite some time now.

West Ham midfield issues

West Ham clearly have a mobility issue in the middle of the park, and this isn’t a new problem from this season. Since Declan Rice left the club in 2023, the Hammers midfield recruitment has lacked the necessary ground-covering attributes that were lost when the England international left the club.

Rice was sold to Arsenal for a fee of around £105m in the 2023/24 summer transfer window, and his replacement signings were Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse.

During the 2024/25 transfer windows, West Ham have failed to address this spot, with their further midfield additions also lacking mobility, with Guido Rodriguez the main defensive midfield signing, who joined on a free transfer in the summer.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Rice

Alvarez

Soucek

Goals + Assists

0.16

0.06

0.26

Progressive Carries

2.45

1.09

0.21

Progressive Passes

6.59

4.01

2.94

Passes into Final Third

6.40

4.56

2.68

Tackles

2.17

2.52

1.55

Blocks

1.24

1.29

1.29

Interceptions

1.77

0.88

0.77

Ball Recoveries

9.18

4.69

2.27

Aerial Duels Won

1.02

1.36

3.56

When you compare Rice to the current midfield options for West Ham, you can see the mobility they are now missing, as Rice averaged 9.18 ball recoveries per 90 and made 2.45 progressive carries per 90, which is more than both Alvarez and Tomas Soucek combined in these metrics.

It could be argued that the Hammers did, at one stage, have a dream successor to the midfield powerhouse in their ranks, only to have seen him depart for a Premier League rival too…

West Ham lost their best talent since Rice

West Ham lost a “serious talent” according to Ben Mattinson in the same summer they lost Rice, with Divine Mukasa joining Manchester City on a long term deal.

The 17-year-old is already attracting interest from the likes of Bayer Leverkusen and Ajax, having made 28 appearances for Manchester City’s U21 and U18 teams, scoring 14 goals and providing 21 assists.

The versatile attacking midfielder is left-footed, oozes class and creativity in the final third, whilst having the quality to operate in tight spaces between the lines.

His overall quality shines through, and he would surely already be getting minutes for West Ham’s first team this season – as Mattinson hinted at – had he stayed at the club, especially with the injury troubles in recent weeks.

Losing Rice in the 2023/24 summer window was bad enough, but at least the Hammers received a sizable fee for the England midfielder, which then allowed them to reinvest in their squad.

But losing Mukasa could come back to haunt them, as the youngster is showing he may well be the biggest talent to come through the academy since Rice.

Lopetegui may have already sold "incredible" Rice replacement at West Ham

West Ham already sold their “incredible” Rice replacement too soon

2 ByConnor Holden Feb 14, 2025

Amid growing interest in Alexander Isak’s signature, Newcastle United have reportedly joined the race to sign a Champions League striker who could yet replace the Swede this summer.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies saw their momentum come to a crashing halt at The Etihad last time out as Manchester City did in 90 minutes what Arsenal failed to do across 180 by easing past Eddie Howe’s side. On a rare occasion in which many in Tyneside would have deemed Manchester City a very winnable game in their current state, they soon endured a humbling afternoon.

It’s a result that they’ll want to forget about sooner rather than later and the visit of Nottingham Forest certainly gives those at St James’ Park the perfect opportunity to do exactly that.

Meanwhile, as the fixtures continue to come thick and fast, so do the transfer rumours surrounding Isak. The in-form Swede has reportedly attracted the interest of several top Premier League sides, including both Liverpool and Arsenal to send the alarm bells ringing around Tyneside. Left with little choice but to consider their options, the Magpies have seemingly turned towards Italy.

Newcastle want "incredible" 25 y/o who can be their right-sided Gordon

His team won at St James’ Park earlier this season.

ByHenry Jackson Feb 17, 2025

According to GiveMeSport, Newcastle are now battling to sign Dusan Vlahovic ahead of Tottenham Hotspur this summer amid concerns over Isak’s future. The Serbia international has fallen down the pecking order since Randal Kolo Muani’s arrival on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in January and has seen his valuation fall to £50m as a result.

Whilst their spending power has been a problem in the past, the sale of Isak would likely turn a £50m deal into a routine transfer for all involved at Newcastle. Still just 25 years old too, Vlahovic could quickly prove to be a bargain buy.

"Important" Vlahovic could replace Isak

Replacing Isak will undoubtedly be a near-impossible task whenever Newcastle are forced to do so, but the potential availability of Vlahovic should ease their concerns this summer. Whilst the forward hasn’t endured an easy time at Juventus, he has shown in glimpses just how clinical he can be in front of goal at a time in which the Old Lady’s powers are waning in Serie A.

Starts

16

23

Goals

8

17

Assists

1

5

Expected Goals

10

14.2

The alarm bell that will be ringing for Newcastle when looking at the numbers is that Vlahovic has underperformed when it comes to expected goals, which is where Isak has thrived. In that department, the Serb would need to enjoy instant improvement if he is to be among the top candidates to arrive this summer.

Meanwhile, Thiago Motta may not be keen to show the door to his forward, having told reporters at the end of January when asked about Vlahovic: “How did he react? Very good, very positive guy, very positive leader for the team.

“He came back from a small injury. When he participated, he helped the team a lot. He knows that he can also be an important choice in the second half to have a different profile, a different characteristic and maintain or raise our level to play a full game of 95 minutes.”

Rangers’ takeover deal has hit a major breakthrough this week, with 49ers Enterprises President Paraag Marathe and former banker Andrew Cavenagh agreeing a deal to acquire at least 51 per cent of the shares at Ibrox.

Rangers make takeover breakthrough

The sacking of Philippe Clement was a big moment in the Gers’ recent history, and amid the Belgian’s struggles as manager, there has also been constant speculation off the pitch over 49ers Enterprises buying the club.

Now, a huge update from Sky Sports has claimed that the takeover of Rangers has been “agreed in principle”, heralding a new era at Ibrox in the process. There is a “growing confidence on all sides that it will be completed ahead of the new season”, which has the potential to create a far better feel-good atmosphere after a damaging defeat to Motherwell at the weekend.

This has been a season to forget so far for the Gers, even though they are still in the Europa League, with some patchy form throughout the campaign allowing Celtic to build a 16-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.

The hope is that this takeover can be agreed as soon as possible, giving Barry Ferguson and his players an extra spring in their step, not to mention the fans.

Who is Andrew Cavenagh?

One relatively unknown figure until now who is heavily involved in the takeover is Andrew Cavenegh, with the health insurance magnate “leading” the bid along with the 49ers’ Marathe, who is a more publicised name due to his involvement at Leeds United.

It is thought that Cavenegh’s “involvement at Ibrox could be key in ensuring Scottish FA dual ownership rules are not a barrier”, as Marathe and the 49ers are limited to just a 29.9 per cent stake in the club because of their current involvement at Elland Road.

Cavenagh, a former banker, is the co-founder and former CEO of US based company ParetoHealth, with the report adding that they manage around £5.2bn in assets and “cover more than one million lives” in the States. ParetoHealth provides midsize companies (50–1,000 employees) with affordable healthcare benefits which “traditional insurance has failed” to do.

His role as CEO came to an end last month, seemingly in order to focus on this takeover of Rangers, having congratulated his replacement on taking up the job on LinkedIn: “The thing of which I’m most proud, however, is the team that we have built at Pareto. It is therefore with incredible pride that I share that Maeve O’Meara has been promoted to CEO.”

He revealed he will be stepping down to a lesser role as Executive Chairman from March onwards: “I will be serving as Executive Chairman and will work closely with Maeve on strategy and will stay closely engaged with our community. I am excited to dream big with Maeve and the best is yet to come.”

Educated at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania between 1988 and 1992, Cavenagh has enjoyed executive roles at Berkley Risk and Berkley Accident & Health prior to eventually kick-starting ParetoHealth as CEO in 2019.

The American is a high-powered businessman who has dealt with pressurised situations in banking and insurance throughout his career, meaning Rangers are hopefully in good hands as they look to strike a deal with majority shareholder Dave King and others.

All Gers supporters want is for an end to this saga, allowing the club to kick on to bigger and better things in the coming years, become the powerhouse of Scottish football again.

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While there is clearly a huge amount of work to do in that respect, from bringing in the right long-term manager to providing more funds for new signings, the hope is that the influence of Cavenagh and others will aid Rangers greatly.

Liverpool may be Premier League champions in waiting, but that is not set to stop Arne Slot from showing the door to a number of players this summer as he reportedly gets ruthless.

Liverpool transfer news

Out of all the clubs in need of a clear-out this summer, it seemed unlikely that the side sitting top of the Premier League would get a mention. Yet, as the transfer window approaches, it looks as though Slot has seen enough in the case of several players who sit outside of his strongest line-up. Planning a summer overhaul, the Dutchman could officially stamp his own mark on the Reds in what should be a frightening prospect for the rest of European football.

It wouldn’t be the first time that those at Anfield decided to sell before they buy either. In fact, they famously used the big-money sale of Philippe Coutinho to build the squad which went on to write themselves in the Liverpool history books under Jurgen Klopp.

Now, at the beginning of a new era with a number of assets seemingly heading for the exit door, the Reds could cash in to hand Slot the same opportunity that was sent Klopp’s way many moons ago.

According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool could now sell as many as five players this summer on a combined salary of £390,000-a-week, which would reduce their wage bill and free up plenty of room for improved reinforcements.

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The players in question at threat of being moved on are Harvey Elliott, Diogo Jota, Caoimhin Kelleher, Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa in five departures which would likely get mixed reactions from those at Anfield.

Liverpool planning summer overhaul

For the likes of Kelleher and Chiesa, summer moves certainly make sense. With Giorgi Mamardashvili arriving and Alisson Becker staying put, Kelleher could fall even further down the pecking order, and he has already made his plans to become a starter no secret. Chiesa, meanwhile, has struggled for game time since arriving last summer.

The same can’t be said for Endo, Jota and Elliott, however. Starting with Endo, the Japan international’s brief cameos have become the recognised symbol for the finishing line in Merseyside, with his assured, duel-winning strength becoming more and more important as the season has progressed.

Elliott, meanwhile, represents the future of Liverpool’s frontline. Already an experienced player despite being just 21 years old, the winger handed Slot a timely reminder of his quality when he scored a last-gasp winner with his first touch from the bench against Paris Saint-Germain in the Reds’ first-leg battle.

The case of Jota can be argued either way. At his best, the forward is one of the most clinical players at Slot’s disposal but his own injury history has stood in his own way at times. With Darwin Nunez’s future already in doubt, however, questions could be asked about whether Liverpool can afford to lose two strikers in one summer.

So, although Slot will be keen to mark his stamp on his side once and for all, Liverpool should act with caution before beginning to dismantle what is likely to be a title-winning side.