Newcastle Could Rival PL Club For £42m Star

Newcastle United have joined Manchester United in their interest for Napoli defender Kim Min-jae, reports Fabrizio Romano.

The 26-year-old has been linked with a move away from the Serie A champions this summer, and the Red Devils are currently the front-runners.

Newcastle have also taken an interest, though, and could try to hijack a move for the defender if the opportunity presents itself.

With the Magpies securing Champions League football next season for the first time in two decades, the club have their work cut out for them this summer as they look to bolster the squad and build on last season's Premier League success and adding Kim would be a great start.

What's the latest Newcastle United transfer news?

After a strong transfer window last summer, it seems Newcastle are aiming to repeat the feat this year, with the club already linked to several major names and some figures heading out of St. James' Park as they prefer for European football.

Chris Wood is the first sale of the summer for Eddie Howe's men, as the forward recently completed his permanent transfer to Nottingham Forest after he spent the last year on loan at the midlands club.

Newcastle have also announced that Ciaran Clark and Matty Longstaff will be let go in the summer, but the club have been linked to some exciting incomings.

Former Manchester City academy graduate, Felix Nmecha is reportedly a target for the Magpies, with the Wolfsburg midfielder seen as a viable option to add to the club's midfield.

While their priority is building for the upcoming season, Newcastle have also had an eye on the future, recently signing 18-year-old winger Yankuba Minteh, before immediately loaning him out to Dutch champions Feyenoord, with the plan being to assess his first-team potential once he returns next summer.

As they continue to strengthen the side, stealing Kim's signature out from under United's nose would be a huge statement of intent.

What has Fabrizio Romano said about Kim Min-jae, Manchester United and Newcastle?

While United are currently the favourites to land the South Korean, reports that they've agreed a deal with Napoli aren't true, reports Romano.

Speaking on his Youtube channel, Romano said: "There are many reports of a done deal with Manchester United coming from Italy. Guys, at the moment, nothing is done. This is not a done deal yet."

Romano also went on to reveal that Newcastle, as well as several other clubs, were interested in Kim, saying: "There is also interest from Newcastle, but also other clubs are interested in Kim, so the race is absolutely open, trust me."

With a release clause of £42m being activated early in July, the Magpies will have to act quickly if they're to beat United to a potential deal.

Younis added to Pakistan squad for second Test

Pakistan have added batsman Younis Khan to their squad for the second Test against West Indies in Abhu Dhabi, which starts from October 21

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2016Pakistan have added batsman Younis Khan to their squad for the second Test against West Indies in Abu Dhabi, which starts from October 21. Younis’ inclusion is the only change to the squad for the ongoing series.Younis had missed the first Test after being advised extended rest as he recovered from a bout of dengue. The 38-year-old batsman had contracted a high fever last month that was later diagnosed as the mosquito-borne disease, as he underwent treatment at a Karachi hospital. The illness also forced him out of the first round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan’s premier first-class tournament.Younis is Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in Tests with 9456 runs at 53.72. Before the Dubai Test, he had last missed a Test in May 2011, and had since played 41 successive matches, scoring 3839 runs at an average of 59.06. He scored 218 against England at The Oval in his last Test appearance.

Arsenal Told To Bring £350k-p/w ‘Monster’ To The Emirates

Arsenal are reportedly looking towards the summer transfer window, after a season of progression and lessons in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta’s young side led the race for the title for the majority of the campaign, however, injuries and lack of squad depth influenced a spell of poor form, subsequently blowing their hopes of becoming champions.

There are many positives for the Gunners to take from this term, with Champions League football confirmed and areas to improve on highlighted ready to be acted on in the market.

News surrounding Arsenal’s potential incomings has been dominated by the likes of Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, however, a former legend has pointed the north Londoners in the direction of a forward.

Could Romelu Lukaku go to Arsenal?

Former Arsenal midfielder and Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has advised the Gunners to attempt to sign Inter Milan forward Romelu Lukaku this summer.

The 30-year-old, who is on loan in Serie A from Chelsea, could be on the market this summer as the opportunity for the Belgian to assert himself in the west Londoner's plans isn’t guaranteed.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Merson explained that the striker would be a good fit for Arsenal, with his ability to score “scrappy goals” to exclude the Gunners’ predictability going forward.

The pundit added: "Ivan Toney would have suited Arsenal, but that won’t happen now because of his ban.

"Romelu Lukaku might be available. The 30-year-old is an out-and-out centre-forward. He will stay up front and back into players. That might help Arsenal."

What could Romelu Lukaku offer Arsenal?

There is little to doubt that Lukaku can score goals, having found the net 287 times in his illustrious career so far spanning over 596 professional appearances – as per Transfermarkt.

Described as a “monster” by journalist Siavoush Fallahi, the £350k-per-week forward ranks with Europe’s best in terms of his numbers over the past year, and not just for his goals.

Likened to Harry Kane by FBref, the Belgian ranks in the top 8% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for the number of progressive passes received, averaging 8.61 per 90, highlighting his presence when leading the line.

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku on loan at Inter Milan.

Arsenal are in need of an out-and-out goalscorer, with their top two scorers this season being Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard, showing their need for a lethal number nine to pop up when needed.

Despite signing Gabriel Jesus last summer, the Brazilian has missed a whopping 16 big chances in 25 appearances this season in the league, as per Sofascore, and has not been as clinical as required when it comes down to the fine margins of winning a title.

In signing Lukaku, Arteta could have a true presence leading the line to convert when the chance arises, lauded as “physically devastating” by Udinese ‘keeper Juan Musso, the £39m-rated talent could equip the squad with something they’re arguably lacking.

With no concrete link made, time will tell if the Spaniard opts to hire reinforcements in the striker role this summer, however, Merson’s advice should not go unheard as the Gunners aim to challenge in Europe next season.

Leeds United On The Trail Of £18k-p/w Star For Summer Move

Leeds United are on the trail of Rangers winger Ryan Kent for a potential summer move, according to a recent report from TuttoMercatoWeb.

What's the latest on Ryan Kent's future?

Rangers manager Michael Beale has recently clarified that he has not offered Kent a new contract to remain at Ibrox beyond the end of the season, with his current deal set to expire this summer, and he has now been linked with a move elsewhere.

There are multiple clubs eyeing moves for the winger, with it being reported that Fenerbahce have now joined the race for his signature, while Burnley are also said to have made their move to sign him on a free transfer in the upcoming window.

Leeds have previously made contact with the 26-year-old's representatives to discuss a move, and they are still keen, although there is growing interest in his signature, as per a report from TuttoMercatoWeb (via Sport Witness).

The Whites are on the trail of the Rangers star, but they will have to do battle with a number of clubs from across Europe, with Udinese and Bologna also interested, while Fenerbahce have now submitted an offer to his representatives.

The report confirms the Englishman is set to leave the Scottish club at the end of the season, potentially opening the door for a move to Elland Road, although it is not specified which club is currently leading the race.

Should Leeds sign Ryan Kent?

In many ways, it is bizarre Beale is seemingly happy to let the former Liverpool man leave, as there were some indications that a new contract was a possibility earlier in the season, as a result of his fantastic performances.

The dynamo has weighed in with three goals and eight assists for the Gers this season, with the latter figure ranking him second in the squad, and he has amassed a total of 90 goal contributions in 218 appearances for the club.

One of the £18k-per-week attacker's best attributes is his pace, with journalist Jordan Campbell once claiming: "I’m convinced Calvin Bassey and Ryan Kent could sprint at top speed continuously for 24 hours straight. They genuinely looked no different in the 119th minute today than they did in the 1st minute on Wednesday. Incredible athletes."

Kent would be an excellent addition for Leeds, but given that newly-promoted Burnley are also interested, they will likely need to retain their Premier League status to stand any chance of winning the race for his signature.

West Ham’s £90k-p/w Flop Has Let Moyes Down

After sealing consecutive top-half finishes in the previous two seasons, West Ham spent £179m last summer, with only Chelsea and Manchester United spending more in Europe.

However, the Hammers have dramatically regressed this term and currently sit just four points above the relegation zone and face the unenviable task of playing Manchester City tomorrow evening.

Manager David Moyes admitted the campaign hasn’t worked out as planned and it has been extremely disappointing.

In a recent interview with Sky Sports, he said: “I have to be honest and say that it's not worked as well as I would've liked.

"We've introduced a lot of new players, and in the Premier League, it takes time.

“I don't think we could have done anything differently, but we just need to try and see if we can get ourselves through this one and hopefully look forward to picking up next season."

One signing who has perhaps been the most underwhelming and has been unable to adapt to a new league has been Gianluca Scamacca.

The Italian is on £90k-per-week on a five-year deal and has been draining the club whilst offering little output.

How has Gianluca Scamacca played for West Ham?

The 24-year-old was signed by the Irons for £35.5m and was their second-most expensive transfer of the window. Combine that with his astronomical wage and it means by the end of the campaign, he will have cost them £40m.

But, the forward hasn’t scored a league goal for West Ham since 4 January and has netted three times in 16 appearances. It has been a hugely unsatisfactory showing, blighted by injuries and consistency.

Gianluca-Scamacca-in-action-West-Ham-against-Brentford

Last month, it was confirmed that the former Sassuolo man was undergoing knee surgery, and it would be highly unlikely he would feature again this term.

Prior to his injury, Moyes was strangely reluctant to use the target man and said the best Hammers line up doesn’t include Scamacca: “We know that his physical data has got to be much better than it is. Gianluca has got to get himself back.

“No manager wants to put out a bad team. You want to put out the players who you think are going to win for you, so you are always looking to put your best team out. We just want the output to be bigger and more.”

These comments reflect poorly upon the 11-cap international’s effort and mentality, raising immediate questions if he survives at the London Stadium beyond this term.

Chris Sutton has previously favoured the manager’s standpoint on Scamacca claiming that the attacker has “let Moyes down.”

Whatever happens for the Irons in the remainder of the season, it seems that his future is very murky, and it could be best for both parties if he moves on.

Rangers Must Unleash £18k-p/w "Wizard

Glasgow Rangers have one chance to claim glory this season as the Scottish Cup semi-final awaits this afternoon at Hampden Park.

Celtic are the opponents and Michael Beale will be hoping to finally win a tie over them having lost twice and drawn one of his three games in charge against them this term.

Last year, the Gers defeated Celtic 2-1 in extra time to reach the Scottish Cup final before they went on to win the competition for the first time in 13 years and Beale will be hoping his side can channel some of that spirit today.

The Englishman also provided some injury news during his pre-match press conference, saying: "[Connor] Goldson, [Scott] Wright, [Ryan] Kent and [Alex] Lowry all trained. We just need to see how they react now and assess after returning today to training.”

If Kent has reacted well to training, then there is absolutely no doubt that Beale should unleash him this afternoon, especially with the fact he has already scored against Celtic this season.

Will Ryan Kent start for Rangers today in the Scottish Cup semi-final?

The future of the winger is in doubt as he only has a few weeks remaining on his current contract, and with Burnley seemingly interested in landing him on a free this summer, this could well be his penultimate game against the Ibrox sides' Old Firm rivals.

Kent struggled during the early part of the season, scoring just once under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, however, under Beale, the 26-year-old has scored twice and grabbed four assists, getting himself into much better attacking positions on the pitch.

The £18k-per-week “wizard” – as lauded by his former teammate Leon Balogun – has all the required tools to dismantle Celtic’s treble hopes today, but he needs to be at the top of his game for that to happen.

Ryan Kent

His record against the champions is solid enough, having terrorised them on more than a few occasions. Across his five and half seasons at Ibrox, Kent has scored three times and registered four assists in 20 matches and if he is leaving, adding another goal or two would be an excellent way to bow out.

Rangers have lost just two Scottish Cup semi-finals against their arch-rivals since 1925, coming in 2017 and 2018 and if Kent starts on the left wing, the Gers will have an excellent chance to reach yet another major showpiece.

Tottenham: Spurs Hold "Positive" Talks For "Genius" Boss

Tottenham Hotspur have held 'positive' talks with the agents of former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique, and he is now happy to sit down with them.

Who could Spurs replace Conte with?

The north Londoners, over a month after parting ways with former boss Antonio Conte, are still very much on the look out for his permanent replacement. Cristian Stellini and assistant coach Ryan Mason have taken interim charge of the Premier League top four hopefuls in the meantime, with the aim of securing Champions League qualification.

The Lilywhites have reportedly drawn up their shortlist of managerial candidates to succeed Conte with the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Julian Nagelsmann and Enrique among their most high profile options as free agents.

Those in-work are also attracting attention from Tottenham, with perhaps most notably Arne Slot of Feyenoord and Oliver Glasner of Eintracht Frankfurt being the most heavily tipped to potentially join. Whoever chairman Daniel Levy chooses to appoint will be a crucial, crucial decision – especially as voices in the stands grow ever more restless with the ownership of ENIC.

Spain's former boss Luis Enrique.

Brendan Rodgers and Graham Potter have also been sporadically mentioned by members of the media, though the British duo don't appear to be as regularly talked about as the likes of Enrique. Going back to the Spaniard, after reports of Spurs planning to open talks with him, an update has come to light courtesy of 90min.

The outlet claims that Tottenham have held 'positive' talks Enrique's entourage, and after these optimistic discussions, Spurs are set to sit down with the 52-year-old. He is now apparently happy to talk with Spurs over their vacancy as both sides prepare for 'face-to-face' negotiations.

Should Spurs go for Enrique?

One big obstacle in Tottenham's way will be rivals Chelsea, who could surely be stepping up their pursuit of a new manager after they crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

They're apparently targeting Enrique as well, but if Spurs can somehow convince the tactician to move to their side of London, he could be an exciting appointment. Boasting multiple La Liga titles and a Champions League winner's medal on his CV, Enrique encourages an attack-minded 4-4-3 formation (Transfermarkt) – being called a 'genius' by members of the press.

Of course, his lack of Premier League experience could be seen as something which may count against him, but Enrique's status as a free agent opens the door for clubs like Spurs to make a risk-free move financially.

We believe he should, at the very least, be up there on Levy's list of serious options.

Chelsea’s £86k-p/w Flop Has Rinsed The Club

Chelsea have distanced themselves from the reputation they had a few years ago of having a seemingly endless number of young players out on loan.

The likes of Matt Miazga, Lucas Piazon and Marco van Ginkel would all spend a number of years at Chelsea without ever really featuring for the first team but have all finally left Stamford Bridge on permanent deals.

However, one forgotten man from Chelsea's loan army is still contracted by the club, with Baba Rahman currently on loan with Reading in the Championship in what is remarkably the 28-year-old's seventh separate spell away from the west London club.

How long has Rahman rinsed Chelsea?

Chelsea signed the left-back from Augsburg in 2015 for a fee of £14m, which could have raised to £20m had he made more than 100 appearances for the Blues.

Considering his last appearance for the Stamford Bridge outfit came in the 2015/16 Premier League campaign, it seems unlikely that the Bundesliga side will ever see that £6m.

The Ghana international was expected to be a replacement for Filipe Luis when he made the move to Chelsea and he was something of a regular in his first season at the club, making 23 appearances in all competitions, contributing no goals and two assists. These would be the only showings he would make for the Blues.

He has since spent time with Schalke, Stade Reims, RCD Mallorca, PAOK and finally Reading, with his 49 appearances for the Royals the most of any club he has played for in his career.

A cruciate ligament injury that Rahman suffered at Schalke was seemingly the end of his hopes of making it at Chelsea, and his lack of appearances since then makes it difficult to understand why the £86k-per-week earner is still contracted at Stamford Bridge.

Ahead of his first loan spell with Reading in the summer of 2021, the Blues opted to extend his deal until 2024, perhaps in the hope that some strong performances in England would encourage a club to pay a fee for him, yet they sent him back out to the Berkshire side again last summer.

Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Group H – Portugal v Ghana – Stadium 974, Doha, Qatar – November 24, 2022 Portugal’s Joao Cancelo in action with Ghana’s Abdul Rahman Baba REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

He has made 18 appearances for Paul Ince's side this season in the Championship, averaging a woeful 6.43 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which well and truly hammers home that the Ghanaian won't ever be playing for Chelsea again.

Although his game time at Reading has allowed him to become a regular for the Ghana national side, it seems as if he hasn't impressed there either, with journalist Ohene-Bampoe Brenya dubbing him "terrible" during the World Cup.

Chelsea surely cannot allow Rahman to go out on loan again this summer, so Graham Potter must finally bring an end to his 2,788-day stay at Stamford Bridge.

Spurs insiders believe Lenglet could star

Tottenham insiders believe defender Clement Lenglet could become their ‘best option’ at the centre of a back three, according to Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Lenglet joins…

The Frenchman, after a few seasons in the Barcelona wilderness, joined Spurs on a season-long loan deal from the Catalans last summer.

As part of sporting director Fabio Paratici’s bid to strengthen Antonio Conte’s defence, Lenglet put pen to paper on a move to N17, but he has endured a mixed campaign.

The 27-year-old has been criticised for some questionable performances this Premier League season and reports suggest Spurs want to strengthen the centre-back position further this summer with other signings.

The Latest: Spurs hold Lenglet belief…

However, despite the criticism and another lacklustre performance against Wolves on Saturday, Spurs insiders believe Lenglet could star under Conte.

According to Alasdair Gold, writing for football.london, those within the club believe the former Sevilla star could become their ‘best option’ at the centre of a back three.

It’s added that they’re a big fan of his passing ability, even if Lenglet’s showing at Molineux did little to back up that theory.

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The Verdict: Right call?

Lenglet’s ability as a ball-playing central defender is without question – completing a cool 87.4% of his passes out from the back this season (WhoScored).

However, the concerns lie in his ability to thwart opposition attacks, with pundit Jamie O’Hara calling Lenglet an ‘imposter’ after a recent Champions League horror show against AC Milan.

The £145,000-per-week ace also ranks below the likes of Eric Dier and Cristian Romero in a lot of key defensive metrics – with the two Spurs stars averaging a higher rate of blocks, interceptions and clearances made per 90.

While Lenglet stands out a composed ball-player, there appears to still be work to do in terms of his defensive ability, and these next few months will be crucial in determining his future.

Man United’s Weghorst slammed for Barca display

Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst has been torn into by TalkSport’s Jason Cundy for his display in their victory over Barcelona.

How did Weghorst play against Barcelona?

The Dutchman started the game for Erik ten Hag’s men, however, he was withdrawn at half-time with the Red Devils trailing by a goal in the break.

Weghorst was replaced by the Brazilian Antony who, ultimately, provided United with the winning goal to secure themselves a spot in the next round of the Europa League.

But it was apparent the Dutchman’s first half was not good enough and it could potentially put his spot in the starting XI at risk ahead of the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.

Indeed, speaking on TalkSport, Cundy absolutely ripped into the 30-year-old striker suggesting he was exposed during the game against the Spanish giants:

“Weghorst got exposed tonight unfortunately for him, he got exposed. He’s nowhere near the quality. When you’re at that elite level. That’s level that’s a Champions League game. When you’re at that level, you [Jamie O’Hara] and I were talking and watching him I felt for him. He was like a fish up a tree, wasn’t he?”

What does this mean for Weghorst’s future at United?

Weghorst is technically playing for his future at Old Trafford despite only arriving in the January transfer window having only signed from Burnley on a short-term loan.

He is yet to find his goalscoring form in the Premier League with no goal to his name in his six appearances which has seen him rack up 457 minutes (via Transfermarkt).

However, this may not tell the full story with United having only lost one of their 11 games with Weghorst in the side which came against the league leaders, Arsenal, last month.

And the Dutchman has recently received a lot of praise from the Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville who has hailed Weghorst’s influence off the ball:

“What Weghorst does, he’s very good in transition. He’s very good defending set-pieces. He’s very good when they’re in shape and he’s watching space. He’s doing a vital job for a team that has got a lot of attacking talent,” he said.

But it has to be said his 45-minute appearance on Thursday night against Barcelona left a lot to be desired with United significantly better when he had been replaced.

During his first-half display, the Dutchman only recorded 12 touches in total and he gave the ball away on seven of those occasions (via SofaScore).

And given he failed to provide Ten Hag with any attacking intent, it will be interesting to see whether he is selected for the starting XI at Wembley on Sunday.

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