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Newcastle fans have taken to Twitter after they were linked with a move for Monaco midfielder Youri Tielemans, as reported by Belgian journalist Kristof Terreur.

The Belgian international joined the Ligue 1 side back in May 2017 for a fee of around £20m, and was part of the side that finished third at the World Cup last summer.

Monaco, who sit 19th in France’s top flight and are in real danger of relegation, are open to selling the 21-year-old for the same price they bought him for (as per the Telegraph), or shipping him out on loan.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

With Thursday’s 11pm deadline fast approaching, Newcastle are running out of time to get players through the door that would aid their hopes of Premier League survival.

Newcastle fans, though, aren’t too positive about the chances of signing Tielemans if their reactions on Twitter are anything to go by. Here’s a look at what they’ve been saying…

Under-fire Everton boss Frank Lampard faces a tough battle in his quest to renew the Toffees’ Premier League status for next season. It’s a battle that is made even more difficult as he returns to the club where it all started in West Ham United.

The Hammers will certainly not consider their opponents’ position in the table this season and will be out to fight for their own cause, as they look to bustle their way into the Champions League places in what, albeit, looks like a very unlikely ambition.

Two wins from their last six games in all competitions is not the kind of form that will elevate David Moyes’ side to that next level and todays fixture at the London Stadium represents a high stakes fixture for both sides.

West Ham seem to have lost momentum at the worst possible time of the season and will need a win against this season’s Premier League strugglers Everton in order to bounce back from what was a disappointing 3-1 loss against Antonio Conte’s Spurs side last time out.

Everton are in a similar vein of form, with the Toffees also registering two wins from six in all competitions, though one of their two wins came against National League outfit Boreham Wood during their FA Cup tie, so make of that what you will.

During that span of six games, Lampard’s side have shipped an unbelievable 11 goals and scored just three with both stats pointing towards serious downfall for the Merseyside outfit.

In terms of injury news, Lampard is optimistic over the return of the 6 foot 5 Colombian giant Yerry Mina and believes he will return to action in “the next couple of weeks.”

The Everton boss also revealed that Fabian Delph’s return could be “in another week or so” whilst the “long-term injury” to Andros Townsend will be a disappointing one to take for the Toffees faithful.

This is how we believe the Toffees XI will line up against an ambitious West Ham side:

Everton XI: Pickford, Holgate, Keane, Godfrey, Coleman, Doucouré, de Beek, Kenny, Gordon, Calvert-Lewin, Gray

Our prediction sees Richarlison, who was dubbed a “top” player by journalist Carl Markham, miss out after failing to score since the middle of January.

As a result, the £37.8m-rated Dominic Calvert-Lewin returns in what will be just his third start since early March.

His inclusion in the side will come as a huge boost with the Toffees in need of goals. Calvert-Lewin should certainly bring more of a goal threat considering his 21 strikes in 2020/21.

Townsend will miss out through injury, with Demarai Gray coming in to replace him and Andre Gomes will be axed for the inclusion of on-loan United midfielder Donny Van de Beek in the third and final change to the side.

In other news – Everton must finally unleash £19.8m-rated “freak of a talent” who has been “destroyed”

Liverpool striker Divock Origi has been linked with a move to Turkish giants Fenerbahce this summer, with his exit from Anfield looking almost certain.

The Lowdown: Origi on the move

The Belgian cult hero has found playing time almost impossible to come by this season, with Jurgen Klopp blessed with a plethora of attacking talent.

In fact, Origi has only appeared for 71 minutes in the Premier League during the whole of 2021/22, scoring a dramatic winner at Wolves in that time.

The 26-year-old, who has Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota all ahead of him in the pecking order, has been strongly linked with a move to AC Milan, but now another suitor has emerged.

The Latest: Fenerbahce meetings

According to Takvim [via Sport Witness], Fenerbahce have now entered the race to sign Origi this summer, with it stated that his contract at Liverpool ‘will not be renewed’.

There have been ‘several meetings’ between the Turkish side and Origi’s representatives, as the forward looks to seal a place in Belgium’s World Cup squad later this year.

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The Verdict: Milan would be better

It makes total sense for Origi to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, with Jurgen Klopp clearly not seeing him as an important part of his plans moving forward.

Milan would be the better option for the attacker, though, given their prestige and the level they play at, with Fenerbahce feeling like a bigger drop down in standard.

At 26, Origi could be heading into the best years of his career and he deserves to be starting regularly for a top club – something that Milan certainly are, currently leading Serie A with seven matches to play.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has provided a key Liverpool update. Read more here.

Rumoured Wolves transfer target Donny van de Beek is in talks with Crystal Palace over a January move, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Wolves keen on Van de Beek

The Dutchman has had a disastrous spell at Manchester United, featuring over just 69 minutes of Premier League action this season.

Van de Beek has been linked with a move to Wolves, as Bruno Lage eyes up quality additions, but nothing has come to fruition in the January transfer window.

It now looks as though the final nail in the coffin may have been delivered, in terms of him moving to Molineux.

The Latest: Romano delivers blow

Taking to Twitter on Friday, Romano confirmed that Palace were in talks with the midfielder over an imminent move:

“Talks ongoing again today between Manchester United and Crystal Palace for Donny van de Beek. Patrick Vieira is pushing to have Donny soon.

“Discussions on salary coverage and loan fee between the two clubs. No buy option clause included.”

The Verdict: One that got away

It is hard to put your finger on what has gone wrong for Van de Beek at United but he showed his ability at Ajax, enjoying 75 goal involvements (41 goals, 34 assists) in 175 appearances.

For that reason, Wolves missing out on him is a blow, even if it was only on loan, with his arrival having the potential to give the midfield an added dimension between now and May.

It looks as though Wanderers will have to make do with what they have, but with Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves in superb form, and no European commitments, the squad should hopefully have enough quality to continue its current excellence.

In other news, some Wolves fans have gushed over a transfer update. Read more here.

West Ham United have been dealt a setback ahead of their upcoming Premier League meeting with Burnley on Sunday.

What’s the latest?

According to BBC Sport, David Moyes are likely to face Burnley defender Erik Pieters tomorrow afternoon, as the Lancashire outfit are now set to welcome the Dutchman back after his recovery from a knee issue.

However, this hasn’t been the biggest bit of news coming out of Turf Moor this week, as, after ten years of service, manager Sean Dyche was relieved of his duties on Friday – with Burnley 18th and four points from safety with eight games remaining.

Therefore, U23s boss Michael Jackson will be in the opposing dugout at the London Stadium as he takes up temporary charge of the visitors, whilst defender Ben Mee will also be a part of the coaching set-up.

However, amid the surprise regarding Dyche’s dismissal, West Ham must continue to prepare to take on a side desperate for points and who will be stronger with the return of Pieters.

Pieters’ return is bad news for West Ham

Prior to suffering his injury in February, Pieters had been playing well with Burnely in decent form.

The left-back played every minute of the Clarets’ seven Premier League matches between late January and late February before being withdrawn away at Crystal Palace after an hour.

From those seven matches, Dyche’s side lost just once, winning twice and drawing the other four matches which gave their survival hopes a boost.

Prior to that run in the side, the 33-year-old had struggled for minutes in claret and blue, making just four league appearances before the turn of the year.

Since Pieters has been out of action, Burnley have been in dire form, winning just one of their last six in the top flight, losing the other five.

However, that victory was a crucial one as the Lancashire outfit overcame relegation rivals Everton 3-2 at Turf Moor before embarrassingly losing 2-0 at bottom side Norwich City, the final nail in the coffin for Dyche.

The Hammers will certainly smell blood as they look to consolidate their place in the top six, which is currently hanging on a thread.

Although, Burnley supporters will be expecting a reaction after a rollercoaster week at Turf Moor and the boost of Pieters’ return could prove awkward for David Moyes to deal with.

AND in other news: West Ham plot bid for £21.6m-rated “leader”, Moyes can now axe “shocking” £61k-p/w dud

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Dean Jones of Eurosport has made a West Ham United transfer claim involving Sparta Prague striker Adam Hlozek.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye Hlozek…

As widely reported in recent months, the Czech Republic international is a striker West Ham and manager David Moyes have been keeping tabs on as the January transfer window opens for business.

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Indeed, Football Insider claimed just before the new year that the Irons, and by extension recruitment chief Rob Newman, made an early approach for Hlozek to find out what it would take to win the race for his signature.

They believe that Sparta could demand around £16-20 million for West Ham to sign him mid-season with The Daily Mail reporting since then that Hlozek is still firmly on the club’s radar.

Sharing an update, Jones has made a claim to GiveMeSport as he backs their interest further.

The Latest: Jones makes Hlozek claim…

Speaking to GMS, he says that West Ham are ‘definitely’ eyeing a move for the 19-year-old sensation who they like a lot.

However, he also claims his valuation could well be reason why they haven’t made their move yet.

“He is definitely somebody that’s on their radar and they like him a lot,” Jones explained.

“I can’t remember what his value is right now but I think that’s part of the concern of signing him at the moment.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

As West Ham remain in the market for a player who can back up striker Michail Antonio, a move for Hlozek in January comes with both ups and downs.

Lauded as ‘world class’ by his agent Pavel Paska (90min), the teenage hot shot has certainly impressed since the beginning of 2020/2021 – racking up 21 goals and 24 assists in all competitions (Transfermarkt).

These numbers at such a young age highlight his magnificent potential, but one red herring may well be that this comes in a far inferior division to the Premier League.

It remains a point of contention whether he could eventually replicate those numbers in England and there is an argument to be made he is more one for the future than the here and now.

West Ham shareholder Daniel Kretinsky’s ties as co-owner of Sparta, however, could gift the club an advantage in the race for his signature.

We believe a swoop for Hlozek is certainly worth considering even despite the slight drawbacks.

In other news: ‘Tears in my eyes’, ‘Finally’…Many West Ham fans flock to ‘very exciting’ transfer development, find out more here.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have once again been linked with a move for Brentford striker Ivan Toney this summer.

According to a recent report by 90min (via Birmingham Live), Bruno Lage is in the market for adding a striker to his squad ahead of next season, although his side could be priced out of a move for the Englishman.

Toney has settled into the top-flight excellently after catapulting the Bees into the Premier League last term with 33 Championship goals, finding the back of the net 12 times in the current campaign for Thomas Frank’s side, who now look all but safe after their first season in the first division.

Having played in League One, the Championship and now the Premier League over the last three seasons, the 26-year-old’s rise up the English football ladder has been remarkable.

Netting 139 senior goals over the course of his career, Toney has been a kingpin for Frank’s men, despite only joining in September 2020.

The Danish manager has previously labelled the striker as “special” whilst also claiming that he has the “mindset of a lion.”

The former Newcastle youth player has quickly established himself as one of England’s most prolific forwards and is certainly destined for bigger things, with no disrespect to Brentford.

Although the Englishman would see sides that can offer European football as a preference, joining Wolves would certainly be a step up with the West Midlands club enjoying a successful first campaign under the management of Bruno Lage.

The Old Gold currently find themselves eighth in the Premier League, although they are three points behind seventh-placed West Ham with a game in hand.

Securing European football is still very realistic for Lage’s men which, if they are successful in doing so, will make them a much more attractive prospect for potential signings.

Despite their strong campaign, quality in the final third has frequently been lacking for Wolves who have scored just 33 goals in 32 matches – with only Brighton, Burnley, Watford and Norwich have scored fewer.

Therefore, adding a prolific striker will certainly be a priority for the Portuguese manager.

This season has seen the return of forward Raul Jimenez after a horrific skull fracture that could’ve easily forced the Mexican into early retirement.

However, while the 30-year-old is Wolves’ joint-top goalscorer this term, he has been well below the standard previously set prior to his injury, scoring just six goals.

Although there were extra matches with the West Midlands outfit reaching the quarter-final of the Europa League, the 2019/20 campaign saw Jimenez score a whopping 27 goals and assist a further 10 in 55 games.

Moreover, the season prior saw the Mexican find the back of the net on 17 occasions in 44 appearances.

Had Wolves’ defence not been as good as it has been this campaign, the Golden Boys would undoubtedly find themselves well out of contention for a European spot.

Therefore, adding a more consistent goalscorer over the summer is vital as Lage’s men cannot rely on solely shutting teams out regularly to progress. With a good record, plenty of potential and top-flight experience, Toney would be an excellent candidate.

AND in other news: Huge blow: Wolves dealt late injury setback ahead of Burnley, Lage will be gutted

A number of Everton fans have reacted in disbelief following the club’s announcement of further first-team staff departures.

Rafael Benitez left Goodison Park on Sunday after being relieved of his duties as first-team manager.

Following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Norwich City, the Toffees have still only managed to pick up one win in the Premier League since the end ofSeptember. As a result, it is no surprise to see the former Newcastle boss get the sack, with Everton a dismal 16th place in the table.

Following on from Benitez’s departure, an official club announcement revealed that a further four Everton coaches have now parted ways with the club following Benitez’s dismissal. As reported by The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Francisco de Miguel Moreno, Antonio Gomez, Jamie Harley and Cristian Fernandez have left the club’s “first-team technical staff with immediate effect”.

De Miguel Moreno worked as Benitez’s assistant manager, alongside first-team coach and senior analyst Gomez, head of sports science Harley and first-team rehabilitation fitness coach Fernandez.

Many Everton fans react to further departures

Following an official tweet from the club announcing the four coaches’ departures, many Everton fans flocked to the comments to express their disbelief with the whole situation.

Here’s what these fans had to say:

“How about a statement in regards to the direction of this club that we all love? Why is that so hard for anyone, in any senior role at the club, to understand that’s what we as fans demand?”

Credit: @jdhein13

“lads we have no staff or anything, get Danny Donachie back and get some of the best staff out there”

Credit: @jayefc_

“So we sacked all of ours for his, now we have nothing, ahahahahahah nice one”

Credit: @EFCAaron1

“When is Bill Kenwright leaving and Moshiri selling?”

Credit: @PatrickDrohan

“can we get a club statement that explains the actions of our leadership?”

Credit: @gromszgrad

“Thought this was going to be something telling us your intentions going forward, but that’d actually be transparent, so why would you?”

Credit: @Gazzz1995

“Is there anyone left who actually works there?!?! My word.”

Credit: @efc_alex

In other news: ‘Top professional’, ‘I’d be very happy’ – Many Everton fans purring as club ‘great’ could return to Goodison Park

Leeds United are ‘very likely’ to sign Brenden Aaronson this summer, with the Whites readying a £25m offer.

The Lowdown: January bids for Aaronson

The 21-year-old emerged as a key transfer target for Leeds in January, with the club making two offers for the attacking midfielder.

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The second was thought to be worth £20m, but as we know, Aaronson remained with Red Bull Salzburg, which left Leeds with no senior signings in January.

However, it looks as if he is still a key target and could reunite with fellow countryman Jesse Marsch over the summer, having made 25 appearances under the 48-year-old during the Leeds manager’s time in Austria.

The Latest: Twitter claim on Aaronson

Leeds Radar, a Whites news feed, made a claim regarding Aaronson on Twitter. They suggested that the 21-year-old is ‘very likely’ to make the move to Elland Road, with a £25m bid to RB Salzburg now ready.

Aaronson already shares the same agent as six Leeds players – one of whom is Adam Forshaw, who penned a new deal in January – so you’d expect that they will already know Andrea Radrizzani well.

The Verdict: Aaronson is needed

Providing that Marsch steers Leeds to safety, the club need midfield reinforcements, and Aaronson appears to be a smart target.

He starred under the 48-year-old in Austria, contributing to 12 goals in 25 games and can also play in a deeper role or on the left. Aaronson ranks in the top 1% of players in terms of distance covered, so should slot right into Marsch’s pressing system and attempts to catch opponents on the break.

A £25m move would make him the club’s third most expensive sighing of all time, but this season has shown that Leeds could do with more numbers and quality in midfield, especially with Kalvin Philips sidelined for large periods of the campaign.

In other news – 5 key passes, 1 goal: Leeds target produces stunning midweek display as Orta eyes move

As the Premier League progresses and players are getting transferred like trading cards in January, it’s interesting to look at the top players of the league to far. Maybe it will inform some transfer decisions, maybe it will inform some betting options or maybe it is all pie in the sky given the ridiculous sums bandied around in the press and on TV.

Whether you’re looking for some insight or amusement, take a look at our picks for the players to keep an eye on in the Premier League.

Photo by Emilio Garcia on UnsplashJamie Vardy, Leicester City FCAre all goals created equal? That is the question that is posed from looking closely at Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy. The striker memorably put away three goals in September in a game against Burnley in the early days of the Premier League – but one of them was an own goal. No, Jamie, we’re not about to forget it either.However, Vardy is making up for it for being one of the top scorers of the Premier League, third in place behind Liverpool’s Salah and Jota. In 16 games played he has gained nine goals and his ability to turn the tables on his opponent at the last possible moment makes for a nail-biting experience to watch. For that alone, you should keep an eye on him.Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait to see him, as at the moment he’s off for a month with a hamstring injury incurred during his game against Liverpool on December 28th, 2021. He can do some sports betting online like the rest of us for the time being.Kieran Trippier, Newcastle FCOnly as of the 4th of January has the news been confirmed that Keiran Trippier is joining Newcastle United FC. Coming in from Atletico Madrid of all teams, the 31-year-old defender was bought for £12million to Newcastle, where he will be reunited with his old Burnley turned Newcastle manager, Eddie Howe. Doesn’t that warm the heart?The sad reality is that Newcastle is currently second to last in the Premier League at the moment, having shamefully won only one game since the season started, and they’ll need a decent injection of talent to pull them out of this slump. Will Trippier be the one to pull them out?He’s got the experience, having played for Burnley, Tottenham, and England in the past, and his time with Atletico Madrid has left a good impression, concluding with a La Liga win last season.Mohamed Salah, Liverpool FCLiverpool FC are currently third on the Premier League table, just a point behind Chelsea and vying for that semi-final space – and no one can say they would have got there without Mohamed Salah.Salah not only tops the scorers’ chart but the assists chart too, having assisted on 9 goals on top of his 16 scored in 20 games. In the process he equaled Jamie Vardy’s record of scoring a goal in 15 consecutive Premier League games, proving he can go against the best before him and extending his long history of breaking records.It was frankly a snub to see that he wasn’t nominated for the FIFA Fifpro World 11 awards, especially when 10 Premier League players made the cut.Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp agrees, saying that Salah is “phenomenal” and that “For sure, at the moment, he is the best player in the world.”Does praise get any higher? Even, no, especially, if it’s coming from your boss.Unfortunately, yet another game has been postponed due to an outbreak amongst the players, so we’ll have to wait to see how Salah does against Arsenal in the first semi-final match of the season.

Image from: unsplash.com