All posts by z3u9t.icu

To say it has been a turbulent time at Rangers as of late would be an understatement. Following the Gers' poor start to the season, which included a Champions League thrashing at the hands of PSV Eindhoven and a disappointing Old Firm derby defeat against Celtic, Michael Beale was relieved of his duties. This allowed for the arrival of Philippe Clement, who now has the task of turning things around at Ibrox.

The former AS Monaco manager's first task must be to put an end to the negative noise surrounding his side, turning morale around and defeats into victories in the process. One thing that will not have helped towards achieving that task are the comments recently made by Nicolas Raskin.

What did Nicolas Raskin say?

The latest Raskin transfer news has been initiated by the player himself, who commented on his future ambitions. And whilst the chaos of Rangers' poor start continues to unfold at Ibrox, such comments will only add fuel to the flames burning the Gers' slowly fading title chances in the Scottish Premiership.

Raskin told La Tribune, via Football Scotland: "I am now at 98 games for Standard, surely it would be nice to one day round that 100 mark there. One day I want to play in the Premier League, but I don’t put pressure on myself. I have a plan in my head, Rangers is just a stage in that. Rangers was the best choice at that time to realise my plan."

Reacting to the news, Frank McAvennie slammed Raskin, telling Football Insider: "You cannot say that, the fans will not accept it, shut your mouth. Rangers are not anybody’s stepping stone. He has got to start doing it on the pitch before he starts mouthing off because if you can’t do it in Scotland then you are certainly not going to do it down in England.

"Prove on the pitch that you are better than what you think you are, show the fans that you care about them and the club and then the fans will be behind you. If you are not doing it on the pitch then it is just stupid, the clubs in England are not going to want you if you are not doing it in Scotland.“

How has Nicolas Raskin performed this season?

When it comes to Raskin's stats, he has certainly been one of the consistent features for Rangers this season, starting in all but two games in the Scottish Premiership. With the Gers struggling, however, that stat may not reflect too well on the 22-year-old, who has one assist in 11 appearances in all competitions so far in the current campaign.

His recent comments won't exactly please new boss Clement, either. The recent arrival will have plenty of important decisions to make, and the less negative headlines surrounding his players, the better, making Raskin's words all the more frustrating. From now on, the midfielder may look to get his talking done on the pitch, rather than causing controversy away from it, perhaps avoiding the wrath of McAvennie and other media members in the process.

Celtic have been handed a boost after learning that one of their players is set to be available for the Scottish Premiership game vs St. Mirren on Wednesday evening, following a fresh update.

Celtic injury news

The Hoops currently have Liel Abada, Stephen Welsh, Maik Nawrocki and Marco Tilio out on the sidelines with their own respective problems, but the club recently suffered an even bigger setback regarding the fitness of Reo Hatate. The Parkhead midfielder has been ruled out of action until after Christmas having torn his hamstring against Atletico Madrid, but he’s not the only regular feature to have recently given Brendan Rodgers cause for concern north of the border.

During the 0-0 stalemate against Hibernian last weekend, Alistair Johnston took a knock and had to be replaced by Anthony Ralston after just 26 minutes, with the right-back leaving the field early, alleviating fears that he could be facing a spell on the sidelines.

The Canada international has established himself as the green and white’s second best-performing defensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Celtic statistics) so it would have been a huge blow to lose his services, but there has been a positive update to emerge surrounding the 25-year-old.

Alistair Johnston injury upate

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Monday, Rodgers confirmed that Alistair Johnston will be available for Celtic for their upcoming encounter against Stephen Robinson's side. As quoted by Video Celts, he said:

"Alistair will be fine, it was really just precautionary taking him off, especially with Tony being able to come in and play so he’s (Johnston) came out the game OK. Odin will be back as well which is great, he’s obviously been out for a few games with injury but he’s now been training and back so he’s available for us.

"The other guys, Reo, we’re not 100 percent on the exact timings, but he’s certainly going to be out until after Christmas we think, so that’s a shame. Stephen Welsh is back in training which is good, other than that the others are on course. Liel Abada, probably mid-December. That’s the update."

With Johnston having been described as an “excellent” player by journalist Josh Bunting, Celtic having him at their disposal once again will be a huge boost for Rodgers who will know the hugely positive impact he’s been having since the start of the season.

The Vancouver native, who pockets £17k-per-week (Celtic salaries), is currently averaging 2.1 tackles and 1.5 key passes per league game, highlighting his desire to get stuck in, win back possession for his team and push them as high up the pitch as possible (WhoScored – Johnston statistics).

Scottish Premiership Champion

2022/23

Scottish Cup Winner

2022/23

Scottish League Cup Winner

2022/23

Since putting pen to paper in January, Johnston has also provided two assists and even scored one goal himself, so he’s capable of getting involved in the final third when bursting down the flank (Transfermarkt – Johnston statistics), therefore, it’ll be a relief for the manager that he’s not done anything serious, and it'll be interesting to see if he's selected from the off.

Leeds United host Plymouth Argyle at Elland Road in the Championship this afternoon as they look to head into the November international break on a high.

The Whites are coming into this match off the back of an impressive 1-0 win over league leaders Leicester City and have the opportunity to make it three wins in succession if they can pick up all three points today.

Latest Leeds team news

Journalist Phil Hay relayed the latest injury news from Daniel Farke's pre-match press conference and a number of players are set to miss out on this clash.

Central defender Pascal Struijk will be unavailable for selection and is due to return after the international break as he deals with a hernia surgery.

Patrick Bamford is said to be a minor doubt for the match, whilst Charlie Cresswell, Stuart Dallas, Joe Gelhardt, and Jamie Shackleton are all out.

However, the German tactician could make one alteration to his XI that is not enforced by an injury with Wilfried Gnonto being unleashed ahead of Joel Piroe, whose performances have been less-than-impressive of late.

Joel Piroe's recent performances

The summer signing from Swansea City has only scored once in his last seven Championship matches for Leeds and is without a goal in his last four outings for the club.

He hit the ground running in Yorkshire with four goals in his first five games for Farke's side but has struggled to find the back of the net since that initial burst and is currently sitting on five goals in 15 league appearances for the Whites and Swansea combined this term.

Piroe played 84 minutes against Leicester, having started the match, and failed to score whilst also ending his time on the pitch with zero key passes and four out of seven duels lost.

The Leeds boss must now unleash Gnonto from the start ahead of the Dutch marksman to offer the 20-year-old a chance to impress before the break.

Gnonto's statistics this season

He has found starts had to come by this season but has caught the eye when given the opportunity to showcase his talent on the pitch for the Yorkshire-based outfit.

Gnonto has scored one goal and created nine chances in his last four starts for Leeds in all competitions, whilst he also assisted Crysencio Summerville off the bench for the first of his two goals against Norwich.

The Italy international, who was once hailed as "unpredictable" by journalist Josh Bunting, came into this season off the back of two goals and four assists in 14 Premier League starts last term.

He does have the potential to make things happen as a progressive and dangerous attacker, as shown by the 5 foot 7 dynamo's impressive statistics in the graph above, and bringing him into the XI could give Piroe extra motivation to rekindle his form in front of goal.

It would show the former Swans star that his place in the starting line up is not guaranteed and add further competition for places within the squad, whilst also allowing Gnonto to showcase his quality to stake a claim for a regular spot in the side.

Everton haven't enjoyed the most productive transfer windows in the last few years, welcoming several players to forget rather than improving their side. Last time out in the market, however, the Toffees did well to sign the likes of Beto and Jack Harrison for Sean Dyche, who is actively guiding his side away from Premier League relegation troubles and into the comforts of mid-table.

Turning things around at Goodison Park, Dyche will hope to breathe new life into previous transfer flops to give himself added reinforcements before the January window even opens. And that could include one particular player with talks underway to re-negotiate Everton's deal, which would hand the Toffees another option on the pitch.

Everton transfer news

When the January transfer window does open, Everton will hope to be in a position to welcome some crucial additions. The Premier League's financial fair play investigation could yet prevent that, of course, or even hand the Merseyside club a 12-point deduction. If Everton are handed transfer sanctions, then they'll have no choice but to turn to internal options for Dyche. With their top flight status potentially on the line, they can't afford to get things wrong, and the return of Dele Alli could help avoid disastrous consequences this season.

According to The Telegraph, Everton are attempting to get Dele's appearance clause waived by former club Tottenham Hotspur. As things stand, when the midfielder reaches 20 appearances, Everton will have to pay Spurs £10m in a deal that is not currently feasible for those at Goodison Park. Dele is currently on 13 appearances for the club, who may limit his game-time unless the aforementioned fee is waived by Spurs.

The former Besiktas loanee is, of course, currently out injured, but when he returns, Dyche may well attempt to rediscover his best form once more. Dyche said recently: ‌“I must make it clear he is on the grass but still a long way from being fit, he is not training with us he is with the sports science staff.

"He is just really getting back to where he was He was drastically unfortunate when the rehab (went) wrong after an operation, and it is almost more time than the original moment. But the specialists advised to leave it alone and just let it heal naturally. He is in a good place, but he is still quite far away (from playing)."

"Very good" Dele Alli can boost Everton

Football loves a comeback story, and Dele has the chance to provide the sport with one of its best yet. At his best, this has been a player touted as the next Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard. The fact is, if Dyche can get anywhere close to that version of the midfielder back firing, then Everton won't just survive in England's top flight, they'll potentially flourish – Dele's stats at such a young age prove as much.

Player

Premier League Goal Involvements Before Turning 21

Dele Alli

40

Frank Lampard

15

Steven Gerrard

13

David Beckham

12

Jose Mourinho, despite his difficult relationship with the midfielder, has been one of many to praise Dele, saying via BBC Sport: "He could try to score but for Vinicius it was an easy goal. A team player does that, no risk and 2-0. It does not surprise me that he did that. Dele was like the team. A very good first half. In the second half in the first 20 to 25 minutes they closed and tried not to concede more goals."

Manchester United could be set to lose one of their first-team stars next summer, with a fresh report revealing that he’s set to receive an offer alongside Bruno Fernandes.

Bruno Fernandes – Saudi Arabia links

According to reports, Fernandes has emerged as a target for some of the biggest clubs in the Saudi Pro League who are keeping close tabs on his situation, with the same outlet claiming that his admirers are willing to offer up to £87m to prise him away from Old Trafford at the end of the season.

The Red Devils midfielder’s entourage are expected to hold talks with representatives from the wealthy division to discuss what a potential switch would look like upon the conclusion of the current campaign, but if the following update is to be believed, he might not be the only senior squad member heading for the exit door.

At the start of the season in the Premier League, Harry Maguire looked to have fallen significantly down the pecking order, but having started the past five consecutive games in the top-flight (Transfermarkt – Maguire statistics), Erik ten Hag appears to have handed the centre-back another lifeline.

West Ham United were heavily linked with a move for England’s international over the summer, whilst Everton also had a proposal rejected, and despite a deal failing to come to fruition for either club before the previous deadline, the 30-year-old is now attracting interest from a new potential suitor in the Serie A.

Juventus plotting swoop for Harry Maguire

According to JMania (via Sport Witness), Juventus are considering tabling a bid for Maguire next summer. The Allianz Stadium outfit are preparing a “monstrous offer” thought to be in the region of €30m (£26m) for their target, but with no further information available, it remains to be seen whether these claims are completely accurate.

Maguire has become "undroppable" under Ten Hag

Standing at 6 foot 4, Maguire is able to provide a real physical presence with his height at the heart of the defensive backline, and since being brought back into the team, he’s more than proved why he deserves to keep his place in the starting line-up at Man United.

The Sheffield-born talent is currently averaging 3.1 clearances and the same amount of aerial wins per game in the Premier League (WhoScored – Maguire statistics), but he’s also capable of posing a threat to the opposition when it comes to the action in the final third.

Sponsored by Puma, Ten Hag’s colossus has clocked up 54 goal contributions (29 goals and 25 assists) since the start of his career, so not only is he effective in his own position, but he can even help the side be successful at the top end of the pitch.

Since he’s returned to the team, Maguire has been described as an “undroppable” player by journalist Josh Bunting for the leadership qualities and the determination that he’s shown, so whilst a summer exit initially seemed likely, it might be a good idea to keep him in the building beyond next summer.

Chelsea once again spent big in the summer to rebuild their squad and hand Mauricio Pochettino the chance to take them back into the Premier League's top four after a campaign to forget. They parted ways with the likes of Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic in favour of Christopher Nkunku, Moises Caicedo, Nicolas Jackson and many more. Yet, on the verge of the busy festive period, the Blues haven't shown any signs that they're on their way back to the top of English football.

With January approaching, their transfer tactic looks unlikely to change, however, with Mauricio Pochettino reportedly demanding his new side to beat Tottenham Hotspur to the signature of one particular target.

Chelsea transfer news

Despite making so many changes throughout the summer, Chelsea's goalscoring problem has remained. Eight goals against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in a 4-4 draw and a 4-1 victory may have been somewhat of a false dawn, as the Blues returned to their blunt selves in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United. Nicolas Jackson's stats, scoring six goals in 12 Premier League games – three of which came against Spurs – prove that he's not ready to solve Chelsea's problem, either. And now, the London club could turn elsewhere in January.

According to The Sun, Mauricio Pochettino has demanded that Chelsea hijack Spurs' pursuit of Santiago Gimenez, who Feyenoord reportedly value at just £35m. The Argentine seemingly wants to beat his former club to the forward in an attempt to solve his side's problem in front of goal once and for all. As Pochettino's top target, according to TeamTalk, Gimenez is certainly one to keep an eye on when the winter window swings open. West Ham United could also have a say in any deal, though, given their reported interest to give Chelsea plenty to think about.

"Sensational" Gimenez could end Chelsea's goalscoring woes

When it comes to Premier League goals, only Manchester United have scored less than Chelsea's 22 in the top half, which doesn't exactly leave them in good stead to qualify for next season's Champions League. Gimenez's stats show that he is more than capable of solving that issue, however.

Player

Goals

Assists

Progressive Carries

Progressive Passes

Santiago Gimenez

16

3

24

20

Nicolas Jackson

6

0

23

16

With 16 goals so far this season, it's no surprise that Spurs, Chelsea and West Ham are all reportedly chasing Gimenez's signature. The Mexican, as a result of his performances, has attracted plenty of praise, including from journalist Graeme Bailey, who said on the Talking Transfers Podcast: "Santiago Gimenez looks sensational by the way, he looks so good. He looks amazing to me. Teams have been watching Feyenoord, of which there is a few, they are the best team in Holland, we know Arsenal and Tottenham have been watching Gimenez as of late.”

Gimenez has deservedly caught the attention of Premier League sides this season and looks set to have a decision to make in the January transfer window, in a choice that could change his career.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke had plenty to deal with throughout the summer transfer window as players flooded in and out of Elland Road.

The likes of Tyler Adams, Rodrigo, Max Wober, Robin Koch, and Jack Harrison, among others, departed either permanently or on loan after the club suffered relegation from the Premier League.

Three months on and the Whites are currently third in the Championship and vying for an instant return to the top-flight but that has not stopped speculation over the future of their players.

TEAMtalk reported at the end of October that sources close to the player believe that a January transfer away from Yorkshire is possible for Wilfried Gnonto.

Lazio, Roma, and Everton are all said to be keen on the £25m-rated dynamo and this means that Farke could lose another first-team squad member.

However, the German head coach could unearth a surprise replacement for the 20-year-old forward in current Leeds academy whiz Connor Douglas.

Gnonto's season in numbers

The Italy international has one goal, one assist, and zero 'big chances' created in 13 Championship appearances for the club so far this season.

He is a versatile attacker who can play on either flank or through the middle as a number ten or centre-forward but has not produced the quality to go alongside that versatility this term.

Appearances

13

Sofascore rating

6.83

Key passes

Six

Dribbles completed

14

Goals + assists

Two

Gnonto has started six league matches under Farke and this shows that his lack of contributions in the final third have not been down to a lack of chances.

It could, therefore, be a shrewd piece of business for the club to cash in on the young gem if the likes of Everton, Roma, and Lazio come in with offers, as his performances have been less-than-impressive this season.

Connor Douglas' Leeds statistics

Supporters may expect the club to dip into the transfer market to find a replacement if they do decide to sell Gnonto but Farke could use his willingness to offer chances to young players to unearth a surprise heir.

Douglas is a versatile forward, like the Italian prospect, who can play out wide on either flank and he has showcased his potential at youth level for the Whites.

The 18-year-old winger burst onto the scene with the U18s and plundered six goals and three assists in 23 appearances – with all of those goal contributions coming in 15 league matches last term.

He earned himself a promotion to the U21s towards the end of the 2022/23 campaign and has racked up four goals in ten matches at that age group to date.

This means that he has 13 goals and assists combined in 33 appearances for the academy – one involvement every 2.53 matches – in comparison to the current senior ace's two in 13 Championship outings – one involvement every 6.5 clashes.

These statistics show that the talented whiz, who only turned 18 in October, has produced goals and assists far more frequently at youth level than Gnonto has for the first-team this season.

Of course, there is no guarantee that Douglas will be able to translate his form over to the senior squad but his impressive displays should not go unnoticed and Farke could look to offer him a chance to stake a claim for a place in the side if Gnonto moves on.

The head coach has already proven that age and inexperience is not a significant issue for him as 17-year-old Archie Gray has played 18 league games so far this term.

Manchester United are on the lookout for new reinforcements and could now look to bring in an exciting signing at the expense of Raphael Varane, according to a report.

Raphael Varane's Man Utd future…

Undoubtedly, Varane has had something of a stop-start campaign at Manchester United and injuries alongside spells in and out of the side have taken their toll on the Frenchman.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones has indicated that Varane is frustrated with his lack of first-team opportunities at Old Trafford and could look to move on in January if the right type of opportunity arises, saying:

"Varane is still a great player. He's obviously extremely frustrated about his own opportunities in that team right now, so I can understand that. But he needs the right move for himself, too, and it does seem like he's only going to consider a very specific type of club at this moment in his career.

"Whether that comes on in January is also unlikely. But yeah, I actually personally think it will be a mistake to let him go."

Reporter shares what he’s heard on Erik ten Hag’s Man Utd future

Will Sir Jim Ratcliffe look to replace the Dutchman?

ByHenry Jackson Dec 17, 2023

According to The Daily Mail, former Real Madrid man Varane alongside teammate Casemiro, could be moved on in January to free up finances for Ten Hag to invest elsewhere in his side.

Joining from the La Liga giants for a fee of £42 million in 2021, The Athletic cite in a separate report that he is actually only under contract until the summer and could leave on a free transfer in 2024, which would be a damning reflection of the Red Devils' poor recruitment over recent years.

In light of this, United now look to have identified a potential replacement for Varane that could help to soften the blow that would be left by his prospective departure at Old Trafford.

Man Utd eye David Alaba move

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are at the centre of a three-way battle to sign Real Madrid defender David Alaba next summer, who is also attracting interest from Serie A giants Juventus and Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad. The Austrian international is valued at around €60 million (£51.6 million) by his current employers, who would consider selling him due to inconsistent performances.

Raphael Varane vs David Alaba comparison – 2023/24 (as provided by WhoScored)

Raphael Varane (subject to change)

David Alaba (subject to change)

Interceptions: 0.1

Interceptions: 1.2

Clearances: 2.5

Clearances: 2.6

Pass success rate: 92.4%

Pass success rate: 91.6%

Aerial duels won: 1

Aerial duels won: 0.7

Average match rating: 6.45

Average match rating: 6.76

The outlet claim that the Red Devils are keen to strengthen in central defence as Varane is mooted to be close to departing the club and Alaba has been identified as someone with the requisite experience and skills to replace the Lille-born man.

Labelled a "complete player" by Carlo Ancelotti, Alaba has made 16 appearances in all competitions for Los Blancos at the time of writing, registering two assists in the process (Alaba statistics – Transfermarkt).

Manchester United seem to have a habit of making high-profile signings at Old Trafford and Alaba could provide an elite-level pedigree should a move to England materialise for the former Bayern Munich star.

Sunderland interim manager Mike Dodds could take charge of his final game today against Bristol City, with new rumours suggesting the Black Cats have finally found a replacement for Tony Mowbray that will be announced imminently.

Michael Beale is believed to be the manager deemed worthy of coming in and taking the pressurised job, as was reported by Fabrizio Romano yesterday alongside various other media outlets.

Dodds will want to go out with a bang therefore if these rumours are true, fielding this predicted lineup for the trip to Ashton Gate…

1 GK – Anthony Patterson

Anthony Patterson will remain as Dodds' first-team goalkeeper for the trip down to Bristol, Sunderland's trusted number-one shot-stopper is yet to miss a minute this season even under the interim manager.

2 CB – Pierre Ekwah

Setting his Black Cats side up in a 3-4-3 formation for the triumphant 1-0 win over Leeds last match, Pierre Ekwah could replace Jenson Seelt as one of three key centre-back figures.

Seelt was impressive against Daniel Farke's tricky Whites – winning five duels in total, as per Sofascore – but Dodds could well be intrigued to see how Ekwah would do from the start at the back in place of the Dutch defender.

Ekwah was solid when substituted on in this role against Leeds, making two interceptions in a short but sweet 18-minute cameo.

3 CB – Daniel Ballard

Sunderland's colossus at the back in Daniel Ballard will also be retained by Dodds for the game at Ashton Gate, Ballard misplacing just two of his passes in the game versus Leeds whilst also winning one ground duel.

4 CB – Luke O'Nien

Luke O'Nien was also resilient at the back up against Leeds' intimidating attacking players such as Crysencio Summerville mid-week, only losing one of his eight duels on the day.

Wearing the captain's armband, O'Nien will want to play the role of dependable leader again with Dodds wanting to add another win to his interim resume with the Black Cats.

5 RM – Trai Hume

Pushed further forward by Dodds in an ingenious move, Trai Hume was a man possessed against the Whites with more freedom to attack at will knowing that he had three rock-solid centre-backs behind him doing the dirty work.

Hume also rolled up his sleeves when necessary, clearing a shot off the line in the contest to keep the clean sheet and the 1-0 win secure.

6 CM – Jobe Bellingham

Jobe Bellingham continues to be a star player for Sunderland despite only being 18 years old, the teenager scoring the only goal of the game versus Leeds to seal a slim win.

The promising midfielder's goal wasn't an outrageous strike by any means, but it showcased Bellingham's eagerness to help his team no matter what – bundling an effort into the net after being found by teammate Alex Pritchard.

Bellingham will just be keen to keep progressing and reaching new heights with Sunderland away from all the outside praise he's receiving, hoping to score again at Ashton Gate today.

7 CM – Dan Neil

Dan Neil will also most likely start away at Bristol in Dodds' potential final game in charge, Sunderland's reliable number 24 solid in the Leeds win.

Only misplacing three passes at the Stadium of Light in this one, Neil will hope he can add another assist to his season tally of two versus Liam Manning's Robins with a pinpoint ball hopefully unlocking the hosts.

8 LM – Niall Huggins

Sunderland's Welsh number two would have been pleased playing at left wing for the Leeds game, Niall Huggins naturally a left winger but had been played further back in defence by Mowbray.

Huggins was ineffective however against the visitors from West Yorkshire further up the pitch, only winning 50% of his duels whilst failing to serve up one accurate cross in the game to further expose the Leeds defence.

The adaptable 22-year-old will just hope he can bounce back from this Leeds off-day against the Robins if selected, helping his team in some capacity to pull off three victories in a row.

9 RW – Patrick Roberts

Dropped by Dodds for the game mid-week, the short-term Sunderland boss could bring Patrick Roberts back into the team today after a dismal showing from Roberts' stand-in Abdoullah Ba against Leeds.

Ba's performance was passive throughout an unmemorable 59 minutes on the Stadium of Light turf, failing to register a single shot on the opposing goal whilst only winning three of his nine ground duels.

His poor day at the office saw Sunderland Echo journalist Phil Smith give Ba a 5/10 rating in his post-match article after the Whites win, saying that the young Frenchman's final ball just 'let him down.'

In stark contrast, Roberts offered much more than Ba going forward in a promising half an hour or so off the bench.

The 26-year-old won one more duel than his counterpart, whilst also being credited with a key pass. Therefore, it should be a no-brainer selection decision for Dodds to bring back in Roberts to the first team fold today.

10 ST – Alex Pritchard

Alex Pritchard started as a makeshift striker figure under Dodds versus Leeds, helping himself to an assist for his efforts.

That was Pritchard's third assist under the interim boss in just two games, the 30-year-old's fading Sunderland career exploding back into life over the past few matches.

With Nazariy Rusyn and other strikers at the Stadium of Light still putting in underwhelming displays up top, Pritchard will more than likely start over those reserve attackers again for the game against Bristol City.

To say that Newcastle United have been forced to learn the hard way about what happens when a side does not prepare for a season in both European football and the Premier League would arguably be an understatement. The Magpies crashed out of the Champions League in the Group Stage and sit eight points adrift of the top four, having just suffered defeats against both Luton Town and Nottingham Forest.

Eddie Howe's side find themselves in a rut and may use the January transfer window to find solutions. And that could start with finding a replacement for Nick Pope, who is currently sidelined with an injury that should see him miss the majority of the remainder of the campaign.

Newcastle transfer news

Whilst Newcastle have been unfortunate with injuries, those at St James' Park did not help by failing to recruit enough reinforcements during the summer transfer window. Meanwhile, those who did come in haven't had it their own way. Harvey Barnes is injured, Lewis Hall hasn't been a regular and Sandro Tonali has been issued with a 10-month ban, making January all the more important. With Pope out injured, however, PIF's first Newcastle addition in 2024 may well be a goalkeeper.

According to reports from Spain, Newcastle and PIF's chair Prince Mohammed bin Salman are eyeing a move to sign Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin in January, who has helped cover for the absence of Thibaut Courtois for the Spanish giants this season.

The shot-stopper is reportedly happier than ever at the Bernabeu due to taking advantage of injuries to earn game time but will be aware that Courtois will take his place as soon as he returns. With his contract running out in 2025 too, Lunin will be in a position to discuss a free transfer away from Madrid in just over a year, potentially handing Newcastle a cut-price opportunity next month.

"Great" Lunin could be the perfect Pope replacement

Lunin could be an upgrade on Martin Dubravka, who has been thrown into the starting role in Pope's absence. But given Lunin's stats and the fact that Pope is 31 years old, there could be an argument that the Madrid man, who has started seven La Liga games this season, could replace the England international in the long run.

Player

Save Percentage

Passes Attempted Per 90

Crosses Stopped Per 90

Andriy Lunin

83.3%

24

1.29

Martin Dubravka

68.8%

26.3

1.18

Nick Pope

73.6%

20.3

0.43

At 24 years of age, Lunin may be entering his prime, which could make January the perfect time for Newcastle to make their move. Earning plenty of praise from Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti this season, the managerial icon said:

"We have total confidence in Lunin who is a great goalkeeper. He's been very good during pre-season. He's talented and what he lacks is what all young players lack – experience, which he's going to gain day by day."

With that said and the January transfer window swinging open in a matter of days, Newcastle could be wise to move for Lunin in the winter window, especially as they look to rediscover their best form under Howe in the Premier League.