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Tottenham Hotspur fans are torn on the possibility of signing Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech after a new report from 90 Min.

The Morocco international has been in electric form for the Dutch giants this season, making 21 appearances in all competitions and scoring six goals, while registering 15 assists.

Ziyech was brilliant for Ajax last season, too, even scoring against Spurs in their Champions League semi-final as he hit 21 goals and laid on 24 assists in all competitions.

Spurs are said to be making plans for when Christian Eriksen departs the club; the report states that the Denmark international will leave before the beginning of the 2020/21 season. As it is, his contract is set to expire in the summer.

And the club are exploring the possibility of bringing Ziyech in as a like-for-like replacement.

But Spurs fans appear torn on the report, with some believing that defenders are needed instead of further attacking midfielders, while others think that he would be a genuinely superb acquisition.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Leeds United have a lot of talented young players at their disposal, but as of late they’ve struggled to display that.

Indeed, the Whites’ U23 team made the headlines for all the wrong reasons after being thrashed 7-1 by Derby County’s youth side on Wednesday evening, but one man who managed to avoid the firing line was Mateusz Bogusz.

Bogusz wasn’t in the team on Wednesday, and while the other U23s at Leeds were being thrashed the young midfielder may have been reading some high praise he received from one of his teammates.

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What’s been said then?

One of the Whites’ most senior players was full of praise for the teenager when speaking at a recent Q&A event at Elland Road (via LeedsLive).

Mateusz Klich started by saying two words, “big future”, before then responding with the following:

“I told him already that he’s lucky that he got here at such a young age because he really has a lot of talent, he’s a very humble guy and he wants to learn.

“He’s a good player so I think he’s going to have a good future.”

Exciting

Combining talent with the right attitude is undoubtedly the recipe for success in professional football, and Klich’s quotes should excite every supporter.

We’ve known that Bogusz has a lot of talent for quite some time now, bagging against Western Sydney Wanderers in pre-season for the first team. Since then, his performances for the U23s have seen calls for him to get a chance in competitive action.

However, this is an insight into what the teenager is like as a person, and for Klich to call him ‘very humble’ is a great sign – particularly for someone that’s just 18 years of age.

Footballers can have all the talent in the world, but if they don’t apply themselves properly it can amount to nothing, but these quotes from the 29-year-old suggest that his fellow countryman won’t have those problems.

The challenge now is whether he can actually kick on. The Pole has only played once for the senior side in 2019/20, being denied opportunities. Improvement will be needed as the campaign gathers further momentum.

Manchester United’s 2024/25 campaign has gotten off to a disastrous start. The Red Devils are reeling in 13th place in the Premier League and drew their first Europa League game. It has been a far from the ideal start to the new season for Erik ten Hag’s side.

The Dutch manager now finds himself under some pressure, with a big week ahead for United. They travel to FC Porto on Thursday night in the Europa League, before a trip to Villa Park awaits them on Sunday afternoon.

Losses to the Portuguese side and Aston Villa could leave Ten Hag in trouble, with reporter Alex Crook reporting that “a managerial change” will be made if results do not improve.

United’s underlying numbers so far

Context is important, and whilst the Red Devils have clearly made a poor start to the new season, it is necessary to look further than their results. For reference, Ten Hag’s side have played six times in the Premier League, winning two, drawing one and losing three.

The losses have not just been unlucky defeats, either. The first one came against Brighton and Hove Albion, a late 2-1 defeat at the Amex. Liverpool then won at Old Trafford the following week, a humbling 3-0 victory, before Tottenham repeated the feat last Sunday.

Using Understat’s detailed Premier League table, it is clear to see that United are massively underachieving. They have amassed seven points so far, but are underachieving on expected points, a metric which suggests they should have 1.63 points more than they do, with an expected points tally of 8.63xPTS.

Whilst they are statistically seeming more comfortable from a defensive standpoint this season, they are struggling to find the back of the net, having scored five times. However, their expected goals tally is a shocking contrast; as high as 10.81xG, a big gap between the suggested total and the actual total.

Stat

Number

PL Rank

Points

7

=8th

Expected points

8.63xPTS

10th

Goals scored

5

=8th

Expected goals scored

10.81xG

9th

Goals against

8

=5th

Expected goals against

13.10

17th

All of these numbers are cause for concern for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his newly appointed hierarchy. Should they decide to sack Ten Hag if things don’t improve, they may have the perfect replacement waiting in the wings.

The dream Ten Hag replacement

The man in question here is club legend, and current United assistant manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy. The former striker scored 150 goals and grabbed 30 assists in just 219 games for the Red Devils; he is widely regarded as one of the club’s best-ever centre-forwards.

Now, with Ten Hag’s future up in the air, the former Dutch striker has been linked with the role should it become vacant.

According to Crook, the United board “would consider putting” their legendary striker in interim charge, something which could turn permanent if it is a success, just as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer found out in 2019.

The 48-year-old is a great manager in his own right and comes with a high reputation. He was manager of Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven in the 2022/23 campaign and coached a side that included Everton defender, and long-term United target Jarrad Branthwaite, and exciting young Netherlands attacker Xavi Simons.

Van Nistelrooy had a superb record at PSV, coaching 50 games in all competitions, winning 34, drawing eight and losing eight. He won the Dutch Cup during his time in Eindhoven, but left the club due to ‘a lack of management support and amid reports of a player revolt’, as ESPN reported.

Impressively, Van Nistelrooy has a “better win rate than Arne Slot” in the Eredivisie as football statistician Statman Dave explained.

The man who replaced Jurgen Klopp at Anfield over the summer previously coached Feyenoord.

There, Slot boasted a win rate of 65%, less than the former United manager, who had a 69% win rate in the league at PSV. Van Nistelrooy also had a better league win rate than Ten Hag during his Ajax tenure, where he won 67% of his games.

It would be a bold choice for United to appoint Van Nistelrooy, but he is clearly a manager with great talent, as his record at PSV suggests.

Given he is an all-time great of the club, the appointment would surely go down well with the fans. He would be hoping to guide the club back on track this season if given the chance.

Serious target: Man Utd keen on "genius" Ten Hag upgrade who'd revive Bruno

The Red Devils could be set for yet another change in the dugout…

ByRobbie Walls Oct 1, 2024

Newcastle United have made superb progress under Eddie Howe since the Englishman took over at St James’ Park in November 2021.

They have reached a domestic cup final, the 2022/23 Carabao Cup showpiece at Wembley, although ran out runners-up to Manchester United, and qualified for the Champions League last season.

Howe’s record is impressive during his time as Magpies boss. The Englishman has managed the club for 131 games, winning 66 of those, drawing 28 and suffering 37 defeats.

Many players have transformed under the tutelage of the former Bournemouth boss. One of those players is Joelinton, who did not leave great first impressions but has become a key player under Howe.

First impressions of Joelinton

There was always likely to be a lot of expectation on the Brazilian, given he made the move from Hoffenheim to Newcastle for what was a club record fee at the time, although that has now been broken.

He cost the Magpies £40m in 2019 and signed an initial six-year contract. Originally, the South American, who came through the ranks at Sport Recife, was signed as a striker, but he struggled to adapt to the Premier League.

His record at centre forward in that famous black and white shirt is underwhelming, to say the least. The 28-year-old played three seasons up front for the Magpies, 74 games in total, but scored just 12 goals and grabbed seven assists.

That underwhelming record, and his big transfer fee, led to some criticism from the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer and Newcastle legend, Alan Shearer. The former striker believed Joelinton was “offering nothing” back in 2021.

Those were certainly scathing words from one of the all-time great Premier League players, who also admitted he’s a player who’s left him “screaming” in the past. Since then, however, it has been a completely different story for the Brazil international. He has been a man transformed under Howe.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Joelinton’s record under Howe

After the tough start experienced by the 28-year-old, he has completely turned his career at St James’ Park on its head, thanks to a genius move from Howe. That was to convert the Brazilian to a midfielder, a move which has worked out massively in his favour.

In an interview in April 2024 with the BBC, Howe cited some of the reasons why Joelinton’s move to the middle of the park has worked so much in his favour. The English boss explained that the Magpies man “has strength and speed” and the fact he “is like a brick wall” works to his advantage. Howe claimed that the “physical side is probably his biggest strength”, and it is hard to disagree.

According to Fbref, the 28-year-old is a tall player, standing at 6 foot 3, and is heavy, too, weighing roughly 168lbs. This physicality will certainly help him in the Premier League, one of Europe’s more physical leagues.

Indeed, his record under Howe speaks for itself and shows that he has repaid the faith of the Magpies boss. The midfielder has played 99 times under the English manager, scoring 16 goals and grabbing seven assists.

In total, of matches he has played 45 minutes or more in, Joelinton has played 73 times in midfield for the Magpies, in a number 10 role, a deeper lying number eight and even, on occasion, a destroyer at the base of midfield.

Number 6

3

0

0

Number 8

36

6

3

Number 10

30

1

1

It has been a spectacular turnaround for the 28-year-old in a Newcastle shirt. From being berated by Shearer for bad performances up front, to becoming an undroppable figure of Howe’s side, he is now one of the Premier League’s most underrated midfielders.

Newcastle flop who left for £15m has been even better than Isak this season

He left for just £15m in 2023.

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 24, 2024

Last week Mikel Arteta would have been waking up with cold sweats, that’s if he was even able to sleep.

The Arsenal manager was given a number of dilemmas after his squad were seemingly dropping like flies in the build-up to a pivotal north London derby.

They knew about Declan Rice for two weeks after his red card against Brighton but there were late blows to the likes of Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard who were both injured on international duty with Italy and Norway respectively.

They were also missing new signing Mikel Merino with a shoulder problem and Oleksandr Zinchenko sat out with his own fitness issues.

That meant that Arsenal’s bench was extremely thin on the ground for their trip across north London with five of the players named among the substitutes being Hale Enders.

Ethan Nwaneri was the most notable and was joined by Maldini Kacurri and Ismeal Kabia who enjoyed their first senior call-ups. Ayden Heaven and Myles Lewis-Skelly who were both seen in pre-season were on the bench too.

So, although it was only Nwaneri who was seen on the field, this was a remarkably impressive win for the Gunners who ran away back to the Emirates with a 1-0 win courtesy of Gabriel’s bullet header in the second half.

Arsenal's best players against Spurs

Well, deservedly so, Gabriel took the Player of the Match award home for a brilliant dominant performance in both penalty boxes.

1. Gabriel

15

2. Kurt Zouma

11

3. Lewis Dunk

10

4. Ben Mee

10

5. Virgil van Dijk

9

6. Michael Keane

9

7. Fabin Schar

9

8. John Stones

8

He shrugged off Cristian Romero with absolute ease for his goal before leaping high and heading past a helpless Guglielmo Vicario in the Tottenham net.

The goal-scoring defender was also a monster at the back, making a whopping eight clearances, blocking two shots and winning two of his three ground duels.

It was a complete performance but compliments must also be handed to goalkeeper David Raya who is proving to be quite the signing, just over one year on from his initial loan move from Brentford.

Raya won 100% of his duels in the match – he hasn’t actually lost a duel yet this season – and made four saves inside the penalty box. Spurs couldn’t get past him, nor can many teams. The Spanish gloveman already has three clean sheets to show for his efforts in four matches.

However, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows from an Arsenal perspective

Arsenal's biggest underperformer against Spurs

Speaking at full-time, Arteta obviously sported a beaming smile but was he 100% happy with the performance of his side? No.

Talking to Sky Sports, he noted: “We had some great moments in open spaces where we should have done a lot more than we actually did.

“We weren’t the best with the ball today and we did a lot of simple things wrong. The sequence of passes you can do against them are very few because they jump and press every ball, they make it very difficult.”

Those difficult moments that the Spaniard talks about were perhaps as a result of not having Odegaard in the team.

The Norwegian has been the man who makes things tick in this Arsenal team for so long and when the club can’t play him, they do lack genuine creativity from a central area.

So, how did Arteta try to fix that on Sunday afternoon? He gave Leandro Trossard the playmaking keys.

Did he make up for Odegaard’s absence? In truth, the Belgian struggled in an unfamiliar role. Handed a 5/10 match rating by GOAL’s Charles Watts, the Arsenal reporter noted that Trossard ‘couldn’t really get into the game and took some risks when in possession.’

Indeed, there was one particular moment in the first half where he surrendered the ball far too easily in the middle of the park when the Gunners were in a promising position in Spurs’ half. He should have done much better to continue the attack.

That was one of nine times the former Brighton star gave away the ball during an indifferent performance where he left the pitch having had fewer touches than Raya’s 48.

Minutes played

80

Touches

30

Accurate passes

12/16 (75%)

Key passes

2

Shots

1

Dribble attempts

1/1

Long balls

1/2

Duels won

4/10

Possession lost

9x

Expected goals (xG)

0.05

Expected assists (xA)

0.03

Arsenal face Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday and with Odegaard still a bit of a doubt, Arteta may have to stick with Trossard in an unfamiliar role.

That said, he does have other options. Kai Havertz could be moved back into more of a number 10 role while Nwaneri – who looked so composed when he came on in the derby – may well be handed his first senior start. The latter, in particular, is something the Arsenal boss must explore, with Trossard moving back to the bench.

As good as Gabriel: 8/10 Arsenal star who won 100% duels was “astonishing”

The sensational talent was a rock for the Gunners.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 15, 2024

Manchester United are preparing an offer in the hope of enticing Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos to the Premier League, according to reports.

How good is Goncalo Ramos?

Ramos is a centre-forward who plies his trade at the Estadio da Luz having graduated from his club’s academy to get promoted to the first-team in 2020, where he’s since gone on to become a regular feature of the senior fold, starting 30 out of 34 Primeira Liga games last season.

The Portugal international’s contract isn’t set to expire for another three years, but having emerged as Roger Schmidt’s best-performing offensive player last season, he’s been identified as an exciting final third target by Erik Ten Hag in M16.

The Daily Mail recently reported that the Red Devils are internally discussing the possibility of a swoop for the 22-year-old as an alternative to Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, and the conversations must have been positive for them to be considering a bid.

Are Man United signing Ramos?

According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola (via Sport Witness), Man United are thinking about "advancing with a concrete offer" for Ramos which has put his club on "red alert".

Ten Hag "admires the striker's qualities" and is believed to have scouted him throughout the whole of last season. Benfica are set to "demand" €80m (£68m) in order to sanction his sale, so this could be one to watch closely in the weeks and months ahead at Old Trafford.

Where would Ramos fit at Old Trafford?

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has hailed Ramos for his “outrageous” numbers in the final third so he could bring a prolific threat to the centre-forward role – something Ten Hag was missing for the majority of last season following the disappointing loan spell of Wout Weghorst.

The World Cup star, who’s sponsored by Nike, posted 26 goal contributions (19 goals and seven assists) in 30 Liga Portugal appearances last term, not to mention that he recorded 98 shots over the course of the campaign which was higher than any other of his fellow teammates, as per FBRef.

As a reward for his high standard of his performances, Ramos not only received five man-of-the-match trophies but he was also named his division’s Striker of the Year for 2022/23, so should he put pen to paper this summer, it would be a massive coup for the boss to acquire his services ahead of any other fellow competitors.

Tottenham Hotspur have put together an interesting proposal in an effort to tempt a key new addition into their fold…

What's the latest on Roger Ibanez to Tottenham?

That's according to Corriere Roma (via Sport Witness), who outline the various meetings in London that Roma director Tiago Pinto undertook on Monday.

It was noted that one such proposal came from Spurs, who sought to discuss the availability of centre-back Roger Ibanez.

Whilst Ben Davies had been reportedly offered as a makeweight in a potential deal for the defender earlier in the week, seeking to play on how Jose Mourinho took to him during his time in north London, it seems the Lilywhites remain reluctant to meet the asking price of the Italian side and are instead exploring alternative avenues.

Ange Postecoglou is likely willing to play the long game though, knowing that the Rome outfit will have to sell some of their assets eventually. His price tag currently stands at €40m (£34m).

Would Roger Ibanez make Tottenham Hotspur stronger?

Given how Spurs have started the transfer window, it seems their new manager is not here to play around. He is already showcasing the grand vision he has for his club, unafraid to spend big to bolster key areas.

This was showcased through their straightforward acquisition of Guglielmo Vicario for £17.2m, and the recent news that they seem set to secure the signing of James Maddison too.

It is the former signing that would likely benefit most from the arrival of this Brazilian central defender though, as the two could form a fine partnership to shore up a fragile back-line, forged in the Serie A.

Last term the north London outfit shipped 63 goals, giving them the sixth-worst defence in the division despite finishing eighth. For a team largely overseen by the great defensive coach Antonio Conte, this was a damning indication of the lack of steel and quality within the team.

Ibanez would instantly mark an upturn, given he is a strictly defence-first centre-back. When compared to others in his position across Europe, he sits in the top 3% for interceptions and the top 18% for tackles per 90, via FBref.

This fed into his stellar Serie A campaign, in which the 24-year-old maintained a 7.00 average rating, upheld through 2.8 clearances per game too, via Sofascore.

For comparison, this figure would see him as the highest-rated centre-back at Spurs from last term, with the third-most clearances too.

Such imperious form unsurprisingly has led to praise from his boss, with Mourinho branding the defender "untouchable" in late 2022.

To add this alongside the shot-stopping capabilities of Vicario, who last campaign was the second-highest rated goalkeeper in the whole Serie A, immediately one of the club's biggest issues would be plugged. Not to mention he maintained such a rating whilst making 3.1 saves per game, keeping seven clean sheets, via Sofascore.

This potential partnership, which would largely have been made in Italy, could be the answer to Postecoglou's prayers. In one fell swoop he could have added the key goals from midfield that his side craved, and toughened up their defensive frailties.

Arsenal are currently leading the chase to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer as Mikel Arteta looks set to strengthen his midfield.

What’s the latest on Romeo Lavia to Arsenal?

According to Football Insider, Arsenal are in pole position to sign Lavia during the transfer window after the youngster verbally agreed to join the Gunners.

He will cost around £50m and the north Londoners have jumped ahead of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United with regard to the move, although Manchester City do have a buy-back clause which is active next summer, but the report claims they are undecided on acting sooner.

Will Romeo Lavia join Arsenal?

It is looking increasingly likely that he will arrive at the Emirates ahead of next season and Arteta will be hoping to put Arsenal’s failed Premier League title challenge from last season behind him as the 2023/24 campaign looms on the horizon.

Indeed, the Spaniard is close to signing Chelsea star Kai Havertz for a fee of £65m, as with the added rigours of the Champions League next term, bolstering his options is a shrewd move and could certainly pay dividends.

It is unclear to what position the German will play upon joining Arsenal, as he was mainly deployed as a centre-forward during Chelsea’s underwhelming season, yet with Gabriel Jesus likely to be leading the line for Arsenal next term, he could drop back slightly deeper, perhaps into an attacking-midfield role.

With Lavia coming in and solidifying the midfield, there is potential for a key partnership to be formed which may spur the club onto success next term, with the Belgian’s defensive acumen allowing Havertz the freedom to express his creative talents.

He ranked second in the Southampton squad for tackles made per game (2.1) while also having the second-highest pass success rate (86%) across the whole squad, being able to dictate the play well. The midfielder also ranks in the top 17% across Europe’s big five leagues for ball recoveries per 90 (7.58), suggesting he is effective at sweeping up loose balls in order to move the ball onto more creative talents.

The German could benefit from having someone like Lavia playing behind him. Havertz, across Europe’s top five leagues, ranks in the top 9% for passes received per 90 (34.24) and the top 18% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (5.98), indicating that he is keen to receive the ball as often as possible deep into the opposition half.

Lavia’s passing ability could find Havertz in these ideal positions and they could form a dream duo for Arteta. Reporter Benjy Nurick hailed the teen gem as a “monster” earlier this year and Arsenal must get this move over the line as soon as possible.

Newcastle United enjoyed an incredible season under Eddie Howe's tutelage and returned to Champions League qualification with a top-four finish, and have now identified Chelsea's Marc Cucurella for transfer.

What's the latest on Marc Cucurella to Newcastle?

According to the Mirror, Magpies technical director Dan Ashworth has added the Spanish full-back to the club's list of transfer targets after signing Cucurella while the pair for €18m (£15m) were both at Brighton & Hove Albion.

Having completed a stunning season with the Seagulls, the 24-year-old was signed by Chelsea for a mouth-watering £63m last summer, but after an uninspiring year Newcastle could look to provide him with a fresh start on English soil.

The Magpies have been in fine fettle indeed, but with the introduction of European football, the depth of the club will need to expand, and Cucurella could be the perfect choice to enrich the left flank, especially given that the Blues are considering a cut-price sale of just £30m.

How would Marc Cucurella perform at Newcastle?

Despite failing to produce the desired results at Chelsea, Newcastle could reignite a player who demonstrated he is Premier League quality and then some on the south coast.

Recording an average rating of 7.11 (Sofascore) with Albion over the 21/22 campaign, Cucurella completed 82% of his passes, averaging 1.2 key passes, 2.7 tackles and 1.9 clearances per game, also winning 61% of his ground duels, hailed for his "brilliant" performances by former teammate Leandro Trossard.

The disparity to his time at Stamford Bridge could not be greater, branded a "defensive liability" by journalist Okon Nya and at the core of the west London outfit's woes as they finished 12th.

However, provided a license to flourish at St. James' Park, Cucurella could return to the top of his game and leave observers waxing lyrical in their throngs once again.

Linking back up with his former teammate Dan Burn, who completed a £13m move from Brighton to Tyneside in January 2022, the £175k-per-week Chelsea ace could snatch the defensive left flank from the 31-year-old, cementing a starting berth for the most pivotal of encounters next season.

A centre-half by trade, Burn played 39 times at left-back this year after impressing in the makeshift role, with the 6 foot 5 colossus being heralded as "solid as a rock and immense" by journalist Aaron Stokes, but his stagnancy in transition is undoubtedly a weakness and the variation that Cucurella would bring is an enticing thought, with Burn having been 'dragged all over the place' on occasion, according to journalist Jude Summerfield.

As Newcastle progress and creep closer toward the forefront of European football, Cucurella's progressive presence could lead to him taking the baton and transcending Burn's performances in the team, proving to be the ultimate attacking heir down the left-hand side.

And given that the former Barcelona youngster can also play as a central defender, he could offer the dynamic assurance to win Howe over and play a pivotal role in a thriving Premier League outfit once again.

Newcastle United are about to enter their fourth transfer window since the new ownership took control, and it promises to be a big one. After all, they now boast a place in the Champions League after finishing 4th in the Premier League.

Their rise has been rapid, with some massive signings that transformed the team under Eddie Howe. They haven't signed every player they hoped for, however, and Football FanCast has taken a look back on some of their near-misses over the last 18 months.

Here's what could have been…

8 Cody Gakpo

Chronicle Live claims Newcastle were big, big fans of Gakpo before his move to Liverpool. They'd actually been watching him pre-takeover and continued right the way through the World Cup.

It always looked likely that Gakpo would move on from PSV Eindhoven in January, and Newcastle were a common name linked. Anfield would be his ultimate destination, however.

7 Mykhailo Mudryk

Just about every Premier League club wanted Mudryk – or at least, it felt that way to start the year. Newcastle were among those, says The Athletic, but they couldn't justify his ultimate fee as Chelsea swooped in.

6 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Kvaratskhelia arrived at Napoli a year ago and absolutely stormed it in Serie A, leading his side to their first title in decades. Naturally, Newcastle were amongst the clubs hoping to sign the now-superstar – according to The Times. All reports suggest he's staying put after signing an extended deal, though.

5 Enzo Fernández

Enzo was one of the biggest stories coming out of the World Cup, with Benfica under pressure to sell the player they'd signed just a few months prior. A Bola in Portugal believed Newcastle wanted him, too, and that they could trigger his release clause. As it turned out, Chelsea would be the ones to do that.

4 Jude Bellingham

Bellingham was quite possibly the most in-demand player on the planet ahead of this summer. Sport Bild claimed that the Magpies were hoping to get involved and make the midfielder a marquee signing. He does feel like the perfect player to build around given his age and quality.

Instead, he has now signed for Real Madrid, but perhaps a Premier League move beckons in the future.

3 Neymar

Okay, so maybe it's time to take these ones with a pinch of salt. Still, rumours swirled this season that Paris Saint-Germain wanted to sell Neymar. Few clubs could actually afford the Brazilian – but Newcastle are one of them.

90min made the link, and while Neymar is ultimately still with PSG, you can expect to hear this one again. Speculation is louder than ever that the playmaker will depart this summer. Maybe Champions League football in the north-east appeals?

2 Kylian Mbappé

There was a lot of drama around Mbappé ahead of the World Cup, with suggestions in France that he wanted out of PSG. Much like Neymar, the number of clubs that could afford the superstar is very small. Newcastle would again be up there, though.

And journalist Ben Jacobs claimed they were a potential destination at the time. Now, again as with Neymar, nothing ultimately happened. But the striker doesn't seem too happy and Newcastle may just have a chance to try again someday soon.

1 Lionel Messi

One PSG star who was on the move was Lionel Messi – he's joined Inter Miami. But there was talk in Spain this year that Newcastle were planning to make a monster offer to arguably the greatest player of all time.

That's what Sport claimed. Barcelona also wanted Messi back but Newcastle were seen as a genuine threat. As it is, Messi will leave elite European football behind and take his talents to South Beach.