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A source close to the proposed takeover of Newcastle United has given a rather positive update on the prospective £300m deal between Mike Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian (KSA) group.

According to The Independent, the source said that “we don’t see a legitimate reason to stop the sale”, which should encourage members of the Toon Army.

The source also played down any worries that the lack of urgency from the Premier League, as well as some of the negative publicity surrounding the bid, would make the Saudis think twice, claiming that “the decision making-process (leading to the involvement in the sale) was very deliberate. They (PIF) do not make knee-jerk decisions.”

Indeed, the buying side consists of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) as well as the KSA crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), the businesswoman and head of PCP Capital Partners Amanda Staveley, in addition to the billionaire Reuben brothers, who are originally from India but are now based in London.

As the whole saga has been dragging on for a number of months now, coincided with the fast-approaching end to the 2019/20 season, there have been fears that the takeover would not be given the green light by the Premier League as it would be in danger of fizzling out.

However, given that England’s highest division could essentially put this season to bed once the league finishes, perhaps they could then concentrate on making their final decision on the deal.

Nevertheless, everything is all speculation up until this point in time until they make this decision followed by an official announcement, but for now Newcastle fans will be left hoping for the best until the situation becomes clearer.

Geordies, are you more confident after hearing this update? Comment below with your views!

The deal to bring Jadon Sancho back to England is starting to become a real uphill battle for Manchester United. Of course, the player wants the switch to the Premier League to happen but his club, Borussia Dortmund, are still adamant he’ll only leave for a transfer fee upwards of £100m.

Needless to say, even for a club with pockets as deep as the Red Devils, this is a very tough task in current circumstances. Still, while they want to negotiate a fair price with the Bundesliga outfit, it is quite possible they will have to turn to other targets instead.

According to Defensa Central, they have now enquired about Real Madrid’s young prodigy, Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian has been outstanding for Los Blancos and at 20 years of age, he is definitely a player to look out for in the future.

The same source claims the Brazilian was not happy with Zinedine Zidane’s decision to not give him a chance against Manchester City in the Champions League and Man United see that as a potential way in.

However, the chances are quite slim as it would take quite an effort to prise Vinicius away from the Santiago Bernabeu. He still has a contract until 2025 and a gargantuan release clause of €700m (£630m). Quite clearly, he’s very highly valued at the Spanish capital.

Alongside Man United, the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Paris-Saint Germain are reportedly also tracking the young winger, which makes the situation that much more complicated for the Red Devils and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Verdict

On paper, Vinicius could indeed be a worthy Sancho replacement but it does feel like bringing him in would be as much of a hassle as the deal with Borussia is turning out to be.

Real Madrid don’t want to sell and the player likely wants to continue in La Liga anyway. Although it sounds exciting, this is a very difficult piece of business to pull off for Man United.

Leeds United are going to have to pay up if they are to land one of their reported transfer targets this summer after his release clause increased…

What’s the word?

According to Ole (via Sport Witness), Velez Sarsfield playmaker Thiago Almada has seen his value rise to €25m (£22.5m), which means the Yorkshire giants will need to fork out an additional €2m (£1.75m).

It’s claimed that Leeds are one of three Premier League teams following the 19-year-old, the others being both Manchester United and Manchester City, although neither side is yet to make a bid.

The young Argentine sensation has even admitted that he’d like to be managed by Marcelo Bielsa one day.

Hernandez’s heir

Splashing over £20m on a player that’s not been tested outside of Argentina or even on the international stage could pose a big risk but Almada is different – he’s something quite special.

Across 38 league appearances for Velez, the teenage sensation has provided seven goals and two assists, playing in pretty much every attacking position possible.

However, his most natural position is in that number ten role and is described as an “extremely skilful player with plenty of attitude” by the Guardian in 2018.

Juan Carlos Pasman also compared Almada to Carlos Tevez due to their similar upbringing whilst Sky Sports claim that he’s been dubbed the ‘next Lionel Messi’ by people in his homeland, which is quite the praise indeed.

The 19-year-old ranks inside the top four for key passes per 90 minutes in the Primera Division this season, so clearly the attacking midfielder is someone that creates a lot of chances.

Perhaps Almada could be the perfect candidate to one day take the reins from veteran Pablo Hernandez, who is getting no younger at 35 and whilst he’s ageing like a fine wine, he’ll still need to be replaced in the near future.

Without Samuel Saiz, there hasn’t been a similar kind of player in Bielsa’s ranks for the past year with Tyler Roberts often playing in the hole instead.

It’s time for Leeds to take a dive and sanction a £22.5m move for a potential generational talent.

AND in other news, Bielsa suffers a big blow as mooted target prefers to join Euro giants…

The English Football League (EFL) are looking to change the rules on how the season would end if a points-per-game system had to be used once again.

Sunderland missed out on promotion last term via the PPG system, finishing eighth in the League One table and ensuring that they entered a third successive year in England’s third tier.

The decision, which was made due to the curtailment of fixtures from March due to the global pandemic, caused a stir with teams such as Portsmouth, Peterborough and the Wearsiders all being affected.

As the 2020/21 season begins, there are growing concerns over a repeat scenario in terms of fixtures being disrupted, with parts of the United Kingdom being subjected to local lockdowns.

A report which was released via The News cited comments made by the EFL over the possibility of a similar scenario happening this season and a potential plan to counter it and end the season on fairer terms.

In a Q&A sent out via their website, the EFL said: ‘There are many unknowns for all of us as the Government continues to take measures deemed necessary to help the country tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and we cannot be complacent in any decisions we take, particularly around the return of supporters to stadiums.

‘As a result, it wouldn’t be sensible to predict what could happen and if there is going to be a second wave. We will continue with reasonable optimism, and that includes still looking forward to the return of partial crowds, hopefully in the near future

‘Behind the scenes, the EFL will continue discussions with all EFL Clubs later this month to consider if there is a need for increased Regulation to determine what might happen in future in the event of a future outbreak or period of sustained postponement.

‘Considerations such as at what point a season can be considered ‘valid’ or ‘complete’ and when it is voided will be discussed, as will potential issues of who makes the decision to ultimately curtail and on what basis, i.e the application of PPG, will also be factored into these discussions in order to provide further clarity.

‘It is important that any such decision is agreed upon with our colleagues at the Premier League to ensure a unified approach across English football and we will update fans as soon as we have reached a consensus on this.’
Sunderland kicked off the new League One campaign with a draw against Bristol Rovers and Phil Parkinson will be hoping that his side can bounce back tomorrow when they face off against Oxford United.

With little time to come up with a decision, considering the speed of the outbreak, fans must remember that the EFL did a good job in ending the season as fairly as they possibly could in the circumstances.

Whilst some teams missed out after PPG kicked in, the fact that it happened so late into the season suggests that maybe they just hadn’t been consistent enough over the course of the campaign.

Do you think the PPG solution was fair or not? Let us know your views in the comments section below…

As debuts go, Allan’s first game in the Premier League for Everton was something to behold.

The midfielder joined the Toffees from Serie A giants Napoli, and already looks like a superb piece of business from the likes of Marcel Brands and Carlo Ancelotti.

The little Brazilian ran the game from the middle of the park, screening the Everton back-line with ease, and making incisive passes into the likes of James Rodriguez and Richarlison out wide.

How big of an Everton fan are you? Can you spot Mikel Arteta from Graham Stuart? This quiz will test your knowledge, try it if you’re brave enough…

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As per Sofascore, he made four tackles, two interceptions, and won an impressive eight duels on the ground – it was the perfect example of how to play the anchor man role.

And after seeing his display, Everton fans took to Twitter to rave about the former Napoli man.

A couple of Toffees fans admitted that whilst James was impressive, Allan looked immense in the engine room, and that he was “another level”.

If his display against Spurs is a taster of what’s to come, then Everton fans have every right to be very excited.

Rodriguez may have been the player Toffees supporters may have been thinking about keeping a close eye on before the game, and whilst the Colombian absolutely impressed, Allan’s industry and composure in the middle set the tone.

Ancelotti would have been left grinning from ear to ear at his new signing’s performance.

Liverpool came into this transfer window needing a new winger to act as a backup to Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

They got their man last week as Diogo Jota signed from Wolves in a deal that could eventually be worth £45m, but before the Portugal international arrived at Anfield, it looked as though the Reds were going to go in a slightly different direction.

The one name that was consistently linked throughout the summer was Watford’s Ismaila Sarr.

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Signing a player from a relegated side is always a risk, but Liverpool have found great success in doing just that in recent years, with Gini Wijnaldum, Andy Robertson and Xherdan Shaqiri all becoming bona fide first-team options after being brought in on the cheap from a relegated side.

However, Sarr wasn’t going to be available for a cut-price fee, Watford were looking for £40m, and at one point it looked as though Liverpool were ready to pay it.

The problem is that at £40m, you’d want a player who can consistently live up to that price-tag, and Sarr very rarely showed that sort of promise last term.

The 22-year-old scored just five goals and assisted a further four last season, and while it could be argued that his teammates were holding him back, other players have been able to put up better numbers in worse sides.

Harry Wilson had more goals last season for a Bournemouth team that were also relegated, while Gerard Deulofeu had an identical goal contribution record in the same team, and you don’t see him being linked to any £40m moves.

The Reds were almost swindled by Sarr’s hype of being an expensive player last summer, but luckily a better option came up in the window and they jumped at the chance to take it.

Michael Edwards had a massive dilemma when it came to signing a new winger, and luckily he managed to get it absolutely right.

David Gold and David Sullivan are set to land David Moyes a superstar in Said Benrahma amid reports West Ham United are close to agreeing on terms with Brentford.

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports, West Ham are close to finalising a deal with Brentford for their star forward Benrahma to move to the London Stadium.

Negotiations between the two sides are thought to have reached an advanced stage, after Moyes urged the Irons to land a forward option to replace Felipe Anderson following the Brazilian securing a one-season loan with Portuguese giants FC Porto on Deadline Day.

The deal to bring Benrahma to east London is expected to be worth up to £30million should all add-on clauses be fulfilled, while the base amount paid to Brentford is unclear with reports by The Telegraph suggesting he will cost around £17m yet the Daily Mail claim the figure to be £18m.

Benrahma, who is currently on international duty with Algeria – which could make completing a medical challenging, has also been a target for Crystal Palace this summer after striking 17 goals and penning 10 assists across all competitions last season.

Brentford signed the 25-year-old from OGC Nice in 2018 and have seen Benrahma score 30 times and record 27 assists for the club, including two goals in this year’s Carabao Cup but is yet to get off the mark in the Championship after just 39 minutes from two appearances.

Upgrade, not alternative, to King

West Ham had opened talks with AFC Bournemouth in the hope of luring Joshua King to the London Stadium during the final week of the EFL transfer window, in a deal which could have signalled real intent given the Norway international’s form in the Premier League. However, The Telegraph suggest negotiations have stalled, leaving Benrahma as the prime candidate to improve Moyes’ squad before the October 16 shut off.

For all of King’s quality shown on the south coast since the Cherries were promoted to the top-flight, the 28-year-old would not have been the better option to Benrahma if both options were still on the table and West Ham are right to push on in their efforts to land the Brentford star.

Benrahma has lit up the Championship ever since his arrival in England with back-to-back campaigns featuring 10 or more goals on a rising scale, but also displayed creativity in his vast number of assists that took Brentford to the Play-Off Final last season.

The Algerian was scarcely afraid to try his luck, either, with SofaScore data showing an average of 2.9 shots per league game in 2019/20, while only wasting four big chances to score and creating four strong opportunities that his teammates could not convert.

He further made 3.1 successful dribbles a game, won 5.4 ground duels, registered 1.1 tackles and was fouled 1.3 times – showing that opposite sides were often forced into giving away free-kicks in order to stop Benrahma presenting a threat.

A deal worth up to £30m will make Benrahma one of the most expensive players to depart the Championship this summer, but his highlight reel from the division should transfer to the London Stadium once the pen is put to paper.

AND in other news, a £32.6m-valued player showed West Ham what they missed this week after failing to secure a summer transfer.

West Bromwich Albion are already planning to offer a new contract to one of their summer arrivals and it could prove to be a stroke of genius from Luke Dowling…

What’s the word?

According to the ever-reliable John Percy at the Telegraph, the Baggies are set to hand wing sensation Matheus Pereira lucrative new terms just two months after signing permanently.

He claims that the 24-year-old is in line for a £15k-per-week increase on his current pay packet of £30k-per-week having emerged as one of Slaven Bilic’s most integral players.

The move will take Pereira closer to Albion’s top-earners, namely Kieran Gibbs, Charlie Austin and Jake Livermore.

Dowling masterstroke

This proactive approach could turn out to be a defining moment for the Midlands club as well as their sporting and technical director.

West Brom have often rested on their laurels with their key stars – think back to Dwight Gayle at the end of the 2018/19 campaign. He was on loan and after an emphatic 24-goal campaign, they should’ve tied him up permanently.

They didn’t and it’s taken until this month to finally find a viable replacement in Karlan Grant.

At least with Pereira, they’ve managed to do the first part – securing him down as a contracted player and the decision to already give him a new contract means he is very much in their future plans, for the long-term.

It shows that Dowling has learned his lessons quickly and if any interested party wants to come in for him – whether that be in January or next summer – they’ll face an uphill battle to do so from day one.

Sky Sports pundit Keith Andrews named Pereira as his ‘Player of the Season,” he said: “I’m going to go for Pereira because I have been blown away by his skill, his ability on the ball, the way he takes the game to the opposition and the vision he has. He is such an all-round attacking player and isn’t just one type of No 10. I think he is at his best in the centre, but we have seen him play from the right and the left, too.”

The £11.7m-rated superstar, once dubbed a “genius” by former coach Nate Weiss, is the sort of player that Bilic can build his team around for years to come. No wonder they want to keep a tight grasp over him.

AND in other news, £50k-per-week FLOP is bleeding West Brom dry, he needs to be sold in January…

Glasgow Rangers have been performing fantastically on the pitch, and now it seems they are doing well off of it too.

The Gers are currently top of the Premiership by nine points, and are unbeaten in their first 18 games of the season in all competitions. In fact, they have won 16 of those matches – they have arguably never played better since Steven Gerrard was appointed as manager in 2018.

Now, they are looking to increase their prestige off the pitch with a number of commercial partnerships. They previously announced that they have struck a deal with Cadbury, and now they have joined up with Glasgow Airport for the 2020/21 season.

James Bisgrove is a busy man at the moment, and the Gers fans are absolutely delighted that he has been able to add another deal to the growing list. They have taken to Twitter to share their pleasure.

Let’s have a look and see what the Rangers fans had to say below

In other news, Rangers fans hammer this selfish duo.

Wolverhampton Wanderers head into the international break knowing that several of their key stars will be in action for their respective countries, mainly Portugal.

Although a surprise name has been called up to the senior side for the very first time in his career as young midfield prospect Owen Otasowie is in line to feature for the USA when they face Wales and Panama.

The 19-year-old, born in New York City, will join the likes of Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson for their November camp across Europe.

Otasowie has only featured once under Nuno Santo since his emergence in the academy set-up, coming on as a substitute during their 4-0 win over Besiktas in the Europa League last season, but his recent presence in the matchday squad for two Premier League fixtures suggests he could add to it soon enough.

And being recognised on the global stage will only do wonders for those chances.

The young American talent primarily played as a central defender last season in the Premier League 2, but has since shifted into midfield recently and it is in this role, some think he could thrive most.

His former U20 coach, Tab Ramos, who is now in charge of MLS outfit Houston Dynamo, compared his ability to Paul Pogba – he said:

“He had great athleticism, he was confident on the ball and he always wanted the ball. He never shied away from the ball and was very strong. He had a good hold up play, similar traits to Pogba in that he knows how to protect the ball. He always played midfield for us. He’d always boss it and control the game.”

“He reads the game very well and he also has great technique. I like to have teams where the central defenders are important in the development of the play out of the back. He has excellent feet for that.”

Otasowie certainly seems like the perfect player for not just Nuno Santo but Fosun too as they aim to build from within and as such, might he one day usurp Ruben Neves in the first team?

It’s possible. No Wolves star is safe following the sale of Diogo Jota to Liverpool. If the price is right, Jeff Shi will pull the trigger. At Molineux, it’s more about finding the right profile of player rather than the name on the back of the shirt.

If Otasowie impresses in that no.6 role, then he could be fast-tracked into the Portuguese’s plans.

The Reds may one day come back in for their mooted target, Neves, but with the 19-year-old breaking ground, the Wolf Pack could be in safe hands indeed.

AND in other news, Wolves must rue missing dream Jimenez partner in £36m-rated ‘next Ronaldo’…