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West Ham United insider ExWHUemployee has now revealed some Newcastle United transfer news on Nayef Aguerd.

The Lowdown: West Ham medical

As per Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth, the 26-year-old underwent his first part of his medical at the London Stadium on Wednesday ahead of his proposed move to the Hammers from Rennes.

He is expected to do the second part today, although the Magpies are also thought to be interested in his signature.

The Latest: Newcastle hijack?

Taking to Twitter, ExWHUemployee has revealed that a ‘source’ of theirs have said that Newcastle are now ‘trying to hijack’ the Irons’ deal for Aguerd.

The West Ham insider outlined: “My source said Newcastle are trying to “hijack” our deal.”

The Verdict: Botman alternative?

Newcastle have been strongly linked with a move for Sven Botman this summer, but they may find a suitable alternative in fellow Ligue 1 centre-back Aguerd.

The latter actually won more aerial duels per game in the French top flight than the Lille star last season and also averaged more passes at a higher success rate, earning a 6.88 average match rating by WhoScored, better than Botman’s 6.83.

He is currently rated at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, while Botman is rated at £27m, so he should provide a much cheaper option than the Netherlands international.

Also, Aguerd is 26 years of age, so the Tynesiders would be buying a player who is about to enter his prime, if they can capture him from under West Ham’s noses.

In other news, find out who NUFC have now made ‘approaches’ to sign

Newcastle United have made an offer for Juventus centre-back Merih Demiral, according to journalist Osman Cengiz.

The lowdown

The 24-year-old spent the 2021/22 season on loan with Atalanta, who negotiated a purchase option as part of the agreement. According to Fabrizio Romano, they can sign him outright for €28m (just under £24m), but this report suggests that they aren’t entirely convinced that he’s worth the fee.

Newcastle have separately agreed a £30m deal for Lille’s Sven Botman, so they may be looking at Demiral as a potential partner for the Dutchman.

The latest

Cengiz shared the news about Demiral via Twitter late on Sunday night.

He wrote that ‘Newcastle United have applied’ for the signing of the Turkey international, with an offer of €25m (£21.4m) believed to have been submitted.

The verdict

What attributes could Demiral offer Newcastle?

According to WhoScored, he excels in aerial duels (winning three per match in Serie A last season) and at ball interception (2.1 per league game), pointing to an ability to read the game effectively. Sports journalist Josh Bunting has waxed lyrical about him, dubbing the 24-year-old ‘superb’ earlier this year.

He is also a player who chases lost causes, based on one moment from Turkey’s match against Luxembourg at the weekend. Demiral raced to retrieve the ball and wound up effectively slide-tackling the corner flag with two feet, which Serie A journalist Conor Clancy called ‘very on brand’.

Could he be a future cult hero at St James’ Park? Don’t rule it out.

In other news, this man is on the verge of leaving St James’ Park

Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch is heading into his first summer transfer window in charge of the Premier League club.

The American manager kept the Whites in the top-flight and will now be working with Victor Orta to improve the team with a view to progressing further up the table next term.

One player who has been linked with a switch to Elland Road is RB Salzburg right-back Rasmus Kristensen, with a £10m deal being touted.

When asked about the need to Google Leeds in a recent interview, the Denmark international said: 

“No, not the last few days, but I do not need to google Leeds United to know about that club.

“There is both a former teammate and my former coach who has switched to them. It is a huge club, a traditional club. It is the world’s best league, and it will be huge to get a foot in there.”

New fan favourite

Journalist James Marshment reacted to these comments by claiming that he can be a “terrace hero” for the Premier League side if he is able to match his personality with quality on the pitch.

He will surely have endeared himself to the Leeds fanbase instantly with those remarks as they illustrate how highly he respects the club and how much he would love to play in the famous white shirt.

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His manager, Matthias Jaissle, dubbed him an “absolute leader” and this suggests that he would also be a fan favourite with his ability to lead his teammates on the pitch. It shows that he has the mentality required to lift the team on and off the pitch and fans would enjoy seeing his passion in Premier League matches.

Kristensen’s statistics in the 2021/22 campaign also suggest that he has the footballing quality to go along with his terrace hero potential.

In the Austrian Bundesliga, he averaged a sensational SofaScore rating of 7.31 as he chipped in with seven goals and three assists from right-back. Whilst making key contributions in the final third, he was also solid in his defending as he won 60% of his duels and made 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game.

The 24-year-old caught the eye with his displays in the Champions League as he made an incredible 5.9 tackles and interceptions per game across eight appearances – winning 58% of his duels.

These statistics suggest that he will become a fan favourite at Leeds because he is a strong defender who has proven himself domestically and at the top level in European competition, whilst also having the personality to get the supporters enjoying his presence in the team.

Therefore, Marsch must work hard to ensure that he is able to get a deal over the line for the full-back in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, “No chance..”: Journo reveals crushing Leeds transfer claim, supporters will be gutted…

Reach PLC Journalist Sean McGinlay has been left shocked at Steven Gerrard’s latest move to bring Neil Critchley to Aston Villa.

The Lowdown: Critchley joins

Gerrard brought assistant Michael Beale with him from Rangers when he took over at Villa Park back in November. However, Beale has now been appointed as the new manager of QPR, penning a three-year contract with the Championship side.

Villa haven’t wasted any time in bringing in Beale’s replacement, with Blackpool manager Critchley next to pen terms in the Midlands. The Villa Park outfit have of course been impressively busy in these last few weeks, securing deals for Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos.

Critchley and Gerrard crossed paths at Liverpool’s academy, with the latter describing Critchley as his ‘number one choice when looking for a new assistant head coach’.

The Latest: McGinlay reacts

McGinlay, a Blackpool reporter for Lancs Live, took to Twitter to share the news and his reaction.

He said he ‘can’t quite believe’ that Critchley has left his post as Blackpool boss to become Gerrard’s assistant, with fans echoing McGinlay’s reaction, saying it’s a big ‘shock’ and ‘absolutely wild’, while talkSPORT called it a ‘surprise’.

The Verdict: A coup for Villa

Critchley has plenty of experience as an academy manager and a first-team manager, with Villa set to be his first assistant position.

The 43-year-old was seemingly persuaded by Villa’s long-term plans to leave a managerial role for a number two position, and you’d expect that this could be a real coup for the club.

Villa have already made a number of exciting additions on the pitch and have acted quickly to replace Beale, showing plenty of positive signs ahead of Gerrard’s first full season in charge.

In other news: Villa and NSWE now want to sign ‘stand out’ forward after Suarez; Gerrard not hanging around. 

Sky Sports journalist Tom White has now revealed some ‘talks’ going on behind-the-scenes at Sunderland.

The Lowdown: Shares sold?

There have been rumours circulating on social media that both Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven have now sold up their shares at the Stadium of Light.

Football Insider have reported that they would part with their shares for £10.7m, while The Sunderland Echo claim that Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is looking to take full-control of the Wearside club.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Taking to Twitter, White, a presenter on SSN, has revealed that Donald and Methven have not shared their shares at the Black Cats, in spite of the rumours, but ‘talks are at an advanced stage’ with one group:

“Regarding the rumours that Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven have sold their shares in Sunderland, it’s my information that talks are at an advanced stage with one group, but there is still a long way to go.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Donald and Methven are clearly not connected to the club anymore, as finance expert Kieran Maguire has claimed that they have left a ‘toxic legacy’, and so their shares need to be sold as soon as possible.

Whether Louis-Dreyfus takes full control, or their shares are sold to another bidder, they need to get their board structure finalised before the start of next season.

Rich Energy drink founder William Storey has reportedly submitted his own takeover offer to the club, and so this is another path to consider as they look to cement their place in the Championship, and potentially push for promotion to the Premier League in the future.

In other news, find out which three Championship clubs are now eyeing this ‘incredible’ SAFC star here!

Newcastle United are interested in signing Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, according to a report from Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Goalkeeper hunt

Strakosha is the latest in a long line of stoppers linked with a move to the North East after Manchester United’s Dean Henderson and Leicester City star Kasper Schmeichel.

Toon boss Eddie Howe is expected to actively pursue an alternative to Martin Dubravka, who has almost always been the first choice at St James’ Park since arriving from Sparta Prague in 2018.

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The 33-year-old has made 129 appearances during his time at the club, but it seems as though his monopoly over the number one spot could be coming to an end this summer…

The latest: ‘Ready’ to move

As per Corriere dello Sport, translated by SW, Strakosha is described as being ‘ready for Newcastle’ ahead of the final Serie A game of the season and a contract expiry in July (Transfermarkt).

Recently, the 27-year-old has been indexed with a move to Fulham, and it appeared that a move to the newly-promoted London club could be on the horizon.

However, the latest revelation fails to mention Marco Silva’s outfit and instead claims that Newcastle are in the box seat to sign the 19-cap Albania international on a Bosman deal.

The verdict: No brainer

Boasting 163 career Serie A outings, signing Strakosha on a free transfer would be a superb piece of business from the new ownership group at PIF.

This season, the 6 foot 4 Albanian ace has kept 11 clean sheets in 30 appearances and is a close stylistic match for the likes of Premier League goalkeeping stars Edouard Mendy, Hugo Lloris and Barcelona ace Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Fbref).

Branded ‘extraordinary’ by former Lazio manager Alberto Bollini for his incredible athleticism, adding the £6.3milion valued Strakosha to the St James’ Park ranks whilst leaving the budget untouched for other areas in the squad would be a masterstroke on Howe and co’s behalf.

In other news: Newcastle now eyeing move for ‘absolutely superb’ international, read more here

Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino will be ‘dropped’ for the Reds’ Premier League clash against Wolves this afternoon, according to former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Liverpool face huge day

Jurgen Klopp’s side go into the final day of the league season knowing they must beat Bruno Lage’s visitors in order to realistically have any chance of winning the title.

Liverpool will also be relying on Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa doing them a huge favour, as they make the trip to the Etihad Stadium to face league leaders Manchester City.

Firmino started in Tuesday’s 2-1 win away to Southampton as Klopp rang the changes, but the 30-year-old could struggle to keep his place against Wolves.

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The Latest: Firmino backed to be dropped

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson claimed that the Brazilian would make way for others in the starting lineup for Liverpool today. The ex-Leeds goalkeeper stated:

“Firmino played against Southampton to give the others a rest. I think Salah, Mane and Diaz will come back in against Wolves.

“There is a squad for a reason. Yes, Firmino came in and did well and helped them get a massive three points but that is what was expected of him. That is what the manager wants and that is why he is part of the squad.

“It is a massive game at the weekend so I think Klopp will go full strength and Firmino is not part of Liverpool’s best XI anymore.

“We are in an era of football where you can put in a 10/10 performance on the weekend and be dropped a few days later. That is the way it is. Firmino will be part of the rotation.”

The Verdict: Firmino likely to be benched

Firmino has been a wonderful servant for Liverpool, scoring 98 goals in 325 appearances, leading the line in superb fashion for many years and being hailed as ‘world-class’ by Klopp.

The 30-year-old is no longer a guaranteed starter, though, and it would be a surprise if he didn’t make way for Sadio Mane this afternoon, with the Senegal star thriving in a new central role.

Firmino could still be a key figure from the substitutes’ bench, affecting the game in a positive manner in the second half if needed, but it feels as though he has made his last start of the season, especially with him not long back from a foot injury.

In other news, Liverpool are demanding £17million for one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Celtic were crowned Premiership champions this month to cap off what has been a successful domestic campaign for the Hoops and Ange Postecoglou.

With 29 wins, six draws and just three defeats in the top flight, the Bhoys ended up scoring 92 goals along the way and only conceded 22 times.

However, one man who didn’t contribute much to their title-winning season is left-back Boli Bolingoli.

Celtic signed the defender from Rapid Vienna in the summer of 2019 in a deal worth a reported £3m.

The Belgian featured in a mere eight matchday squads for the Hoops across all competitions this season and only played in two games.

In 2020, the defender effectively threw his Celtic career under the bus when he broke the government’s guidelines during the pandemic by not quarantining after a trip to Spain, which led to him being charged by the SFA.

Having been called “arrogant” by newspaper columnist Bill Leckie for his actions, the 26-year-old has reportedly been training on his own in Belgium for the past number of weeks, which doesn’t say much for his chances of redemption at Parkhead.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Celtic will be looking to move the full-back out of the club on a permanent basis this summer, which to us feels like the right decision for all parties.

To further highlight Bolingoli’s downfall, his market value was listed at £2.7m by Transfermarkt in February 2020, whereas it now stands at £1.35m, highlighting a drop of 50%.

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that Celtic’s deal for the Belgian has turned into a disappointing one up to now.

If Postecoglou can finally get the player out the door for good and his £15k-per-week wages off the club’s books, this would pave the way for them to bring in a suitable and hopefully reliable replacement.

With that in mind, reports have already emerged linking the Hoops with a summer swoop for Hammarby left-back Mohanad Jeahze.

Should the club secure his signature, it could well be the final nail in the coffin for Bolingoli’s chances of having any sort of a future in a Celtic shirt.

In other news – “Around that number..”: Big Lennoxtown transfer claim emerges, it’s great for Celtic

Liverpool kept their Premier League title dreams alive against Aston Villa last night, however, the victory was bittersweet after an in-game injury worry occurred in the first half of the clash.

What’s the latest?

Fabinho hobbled off the pitch in the first half an hour of the game at Villa Park on Tuesday night and now Jurgen Klopp has given an update on the midfielder’s condition following the full-time whistle.

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Jurgen Klopp updated in his post-match interview on Sky Sports casting doubt on his player’s condition (via Metro):

‘That’s a massive problem. That’s a big blow for us. I don’t know (how bad), hopefully not that bad, but I don’t know.’

Klopp will be frustrated

There is no doubt that the Liverpool manager will be massively frustrated to potentially lose such a key player in his team ahead of the FA Cup final and Champions League final coming up over the next few weeks.

The Brazilian midfielder has been one of the most influential players in the centre of the pitch and has been integral in Liverpool’s chase for multiple trophies this season so to lose him when the side has one hand on two huge trophies is a massive blow.

Fabinho has been involved in Liverpool’s incredible 17-game unbeaten run, scoring four goals during this time as well as providing consistent solid defensive performances in his role in the centre of the pitch.

According to SofaScore, the Liverpool star has been successful in an impressive 73% of his dribbles, wins 63% of his aerial duels and makes 1.6 tackles and 1.4 interceptions on average per game in the Premier League this season.

Anfield and Brazil teammate Alisson Becker even called Fabinho “the most important” player for Liverpool and his national team in an interview:

“I believe that Fabinho is the most important player for both the club and the national team, this is my opinion about that, he’s a very important player wherever he is, he always proves his worth on the pitch.”

With that being said, there will surely be a further update on the star player’s condition ahead of the Chelsea clash on Saturday afternoon at Wembley and supporters will be anxiously hoping for positive news on Fabinho’s availability.

AND in other news: Klopp must now finally axe Liverpool gem who lost the ball every 3 touches yesterday

Sunderland have a couple of massive games ahead of them as the Black Cats are preparing to take on Sheffield Wednesday in two play-off semi-final clashes.

The first showdown is set to take place at the Stadium of Light on Friday evening before Alex Neil takes his side to Yorkshire for the second leg on Monday.

Sunderland’s previous game saw them pick up a 1-0 win over Morecambe on Saturday thanks to a goal from Nathan Broadhead in the tenth minute.

The Wearside club have now not lost a game in the league since their 2-1 defeat against MK Dons back in February during the early days of Neil’s reign in charge of the side.

Looking ahead to the first-leg clash between the two sides aiming to reach the Championship, it seems as though the home side may have been handed an early injury boost that could increase their chances of securing a positive result.

What’s the news?

According to Chronicle Live, Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan picked up a muscle injury during the late stages of their recent 4-1 win over Portsmouth.

This could be crucial for the Black Cats with the Owls midfielder proving one of their most influential players so far this term.

Great news for Neil

With 45 league appearances under his belt in this campaign, the 32-year-old has scored nine goals and provided 12 assists along the way, suggesting that the Yorkshire side will be without a vital attacking presence if his muscle problem keeps him out any longer.

To further highlight his creativity and how much of an attacking danger he is, only Sean McConville has completed more crosses (391) than the Owls captain (287).

Having racked up more minutes for Wednesday than any other player, the midfielder is currently listed as the highest-rated member of Darren Moore’s squad according to WhoScored.

As well as this, his rating of 7.21/10 makes the Scotsman the 13th-highest rated player in the entire league.

Taking all of this into account, potentially being without the veteran in their side for Friday’s showdown will surely be a big blow.

From Sunderland’s point of view, however, the prospect of not having to deal with Bannan’s attacking talents would be great for Neil and his chances of seeing the Black Cats pick up a positive result.

Moving forward, whether the Owls star is fit enough to play or not, the 40-year-old will undoubtedly be wanting his side to go out and secure a win no matter what.

In other news: “Been offered a deal”: Journalist drops summer claim that’ll delight SAFC supporters