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Thorgan Hazard is reportedly on the ‘shortlist’ of Newcastle United this summer.

The Lowdown: What’s next?

It has been reported that the St. James’ Park outfit have now agreed a deal with Lille to sign central defender Sven Botman.

He will likely become their third signing of the summer after Matt Targett and Nick Pope, meaning that they can now focus further up the pitch, where the likes of Moussa Diaby and Hazard are thought to be targets.

The Latest: Hazard update

Taking to Twitter, journalist Patrick Berger of SPORT1 has revealed that Hazard is on the North East club’s ‘shortlist’, although he is only thought to be a ‘Plan B’ option:

“#BVB winger Thorgan Hazard is on Newcastle United‘s shortlist. He is in talks with some Prem clubs, as reported three months ago. But the Belgian is only Plan B at #NUFC. There is no concrete offer so far. Dortmund would sell him this summer for around €15m.”

The Verdict: Good squad option

€15m (£12.9m) is not much money in today’s market for a player of the experience and quality of Hazard, and so he could be a worthy squad option for Eddie Howe.

Of course, the Toon Army will know his brother Eden Hazard well from his time at Chelsea, and the now Real Madrid star has even claimed that Thorgan is ‘better’ than he is.

That is such a big compliment from a player who won two Premier League titles and was Chelsea’s Player of the Year in the 2014/15 season, and has since gone on to win the La Liga title twice and the UEFA Champions League with Madrid (Transfermarkt).

Dubbed a coach’s ‘blessing’ by his former manager Marco Rose, the Borussia Dortmund winger could be a really shrewd signing by the Magpies.

The summer transfer window is well underway and Tottenham have been active, with deals for Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma and Ivan Perisic already sealed. 

Fabio Paratici is not wasting any time as he looks to improve the squad in the coming weeks, and another player he may be attempting to bring in is young attacker Joao Felix.

According to The Express, Spurs have recently been alerted to the possibility of signing the Portugal international ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that the news of Atletico Madrid being open to doing a deal for the talented youngster has left them with a chance to snap him up.

It is stated that a swap deal could be on the cards, as the La Liga side have been linked with an interest in Tottenham outcast Giovani Lo Celso.

Antonio Conte’s own Paulo Dybala

Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not Fabio Paracti will move forward with a bid for the attacker, Spurs would land Conte’s own version of Dybala by securing a deal for him.

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Spurs are reportedly interested in signing the Argentine gem on a free transfer from Juventus but can now find a suitable alternative by bringing in Felix from Atletico.

FBRef list them as similar players based on their statistics over the last 365 days and they are certainly similar in the roles that they can be deployed in on the pitch. Both of them are diminutive forwards who can play anywhere across the frontline; on either flank, in the number 10 position, and as a false nine or centre-forward.

Diego Simeone once dubbed Felix “complete” after an impressive performance for Atletico, and his statistics suggest that that is exactly what he often is on the football pitch. As per FBRef, he ranks in the 91st and 95th percentiles for progressive passes and carries respectively, whilst also ranking in the 92nd percentile for interceptions per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues in his position over the last 365 days, with Dybala ranking in the 93rd percentile or higher in all three categories.

Furthermore, the £113m Atletico phenomenon scored eight goals in 13 La Liga starts last term, after managing seven in 14 starts in the previous campaign. This shows that he can carry and pass the ball to create for his team-mates, whilst also winning possession back for the team and being able to finish off opportunities which come his way.

Therefore, Conte can land his own version of Dybala – a dynamic, versatile, threat who can score and assist – by landing a deal to sign Felix in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, Paratici plotting Spurs bid for “clinical” £50m gem, he can be Conte’s new “talisman”…

Journalist Josh Bunting has been left shocked by some transfer news that he has now heard from Everton.

The Lowdown: Winks talks

As per The Liverpool Echo, the Goodison Park outfit have held talks with Tottenham Hotspur over the potential signing of Harry Winks this summer.

They are at an early stage, but there is hope that a deal can be struck, as Frank Lampard has personally identified him as a player that can bolster his midfield options for next season.

The Latest: Bunting shocked

Taking to Twitter, Bunting was left shocked by the news, claiming that it would be ‘crazy’ if the Merseyside club signed Winks:

“Do Everton honestly not learn, £20-25 million for Harry Winks is an absolute waste. A club that have got themselves into an awkward situation regarding Financial Fair Play and then go out and spend that money on an utterly pointless player right now for them. Crazy.”

The Verdict: Look elsewhere

Lampard is bound to have admiration for Winks’ path from academy to the senior game as a former English midfielder himself, but he needs to put that behind him and look elsewhere for midfield targets.

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Winks made his senior England debut back in 2017, but he has not played for the Three Lions since 2020 (Transfermarkt), which has been completely reflective of his dip in form.

Lampard was a player renowned for scoring goals from the middle of the park, but Winks has remarkably only managed to score five times in over 200 matches for Spurs (Transfermarkt), and with the possibility that the Blues could lose both Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin this summer, they should surely be looking to spend the little cash they have on proven end product.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly been in contact with Villarreal over a potential deal to sign defender Pau Torres.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Ryan Taylor had his to say on the matter.

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He stated: “Torres has been the subject of initial swap-deal discussions with Villarreal because obviously, they want to sign [Giovani] Lo Celso on a permanent basis. Torres is left-footed and can play in a back-three as well.”

A product of Villarreal’s youth system, the 25-year-old has gone on to make 201 appearances for the club across their senior and youth teams, chipping in with 13 goals and five assists along the way.

Conte will be buzzing

His latest La Liga campaign saw the centre-back rack up more minutes than any other outfield player at Villarreal, showing just how highly he is rated at the club. In his 33 league appearances last term, Torres ended up winning 14 tackles in addition to making 44 interceptions and 43 blocks, also racking up the second-highest number of clearances (120) in the squad.

Alongside his clear defensive talent, the Spaniard has shown how impressive he is on the ball by completing a total of 1,715 passes last season, the second-highest at the club.

Indeed, during his younger years, Torres was described as having an “extraordinary talent to construct the play”, according to former Villarreal midfielder and coach Javi Calleja.

Taking all this into account, it’s easy to see how the centre-back could be a great asset for Antonio Conte at the north London club, especially considering Taylor’s point about the player’s versatility in defence.

With a reported release clause of £55m, if the Lilywhites can work out a deal with Villarreal this summer which would see them sign Torres and get rid of Lo Celso for good, this could be a perfect deal for all parties, and it would surely have the Spurs boss buzzing.

Having already secured deals for Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma, if the north London club can seal Torres’ signature and offload the underperforming Lo Celso at the same time, this would definitely add to what has already been a productive summer transfer window at N17.

In other news: Sky Sports drop big behind-the-scenes transfer claim, it’s terrible news for Spurs

Everton have reportedly now reached out to the representatives of Oleksandr Zinchenko ahead of a potential move this summer.

The Lowdown: Underrated?

Zinchenko perhaps does not get as many plaudits as some of the other players in Manchester City’s squad.

He does not always play under Pep Guardiola – in fact he only made four different positions during his time in Manchester.

The Latest: Everton contact

Writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer insider Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Goodison Park outfit are one of a number of clubs to have now reached out to Zinchenko’s representatives over a possible move.

West Ham United, Leicester City and Arsenal have done the same, while Wolves also hold an interest.

However, the Ukraine international is thought to cost in excess of £30m.

The Verdict: Sign

£30m may seem excessive for the Merseyside club, but they can raise funds from player sales, with the likes of Andre Gomes and Yerry Mina reportedly facing the chopping block.

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Nonetheless, Zinchenko would be worth every penny, given his added versatility, as he can provide a seriously quality option in the middle of the park while also giving sufficient cover to fellow countryman Vitaliy Mykolenko at left-back.

Kyle Walker has even gone as far as to claim that his teammate is ‘incredible’ and ‘more gifted’ technically than City superstar Kevin De Bruyne, so the Toffees would be getting a real coup if they sign the 25-year-old.

In other news, find out which ‘quality’ gem the Blues are now eyeing here!

Divock Origi’s exit from Liverpool could be completed within a matter of days, with journalist Fabrizio Romano providing a fresh update in the early hours of Friday morning.

The Lowdown: Origi on the move

The 27-year-old’s Reds contract expires next month and it has long been decided that he will move on to pastures new.

Origi became an increasingly sporadic presence in Liverpool’s squad in 2021/22, only making seven appearances in the Premier League and not a single start.

A summer move to Milan is on the cards and a new update has now emerged regarding his exit.

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The Latest: Romano provides update

Taking to Twitter, Romano says that Origi’s switch to Italy could even be completed over the weekend, revealing medical exams and signatures are expected ‘in the next days’:

“AC Milan have prepared all contracts for Divock Origi, just waiting for the Belgian striker in Milano in the next days to undergo medical tests and sign.”

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The Verdict: Right time to leave

While it is sad to see Origi move on, it makes complete sense for him to find a fresh challenge this season, following eight years at Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp clearly doesn’t see him as an important player moving forward and he is too good to be warming the substitutes’ bench week in, week out.

Origi has the potential to really flourish as the leading man at Milan, given his technical ability and physical prowess, and it would be heartwarming for Reds fans to see him thrive elsewhere.

In other news, a journalist has dropped a key claim regarding one Liverpool player. Read more here.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou could be heading for an early summer transfer disaster as the Hoops are at risk of losing defender Osaze Urhoghide permanently.

What’s the news?

According to a recent article from the Daily Record, Belgian club KV Oostende are weighing up a permanent move to sign the centre-back just a year after he signed for Celtic.

Last July, the Hoops secured a deal for the defender from Sheffield Wednesday, making him the first signing of the Postecoglou era at Parkhead.

After making just one senior appearance for the Bhoys, which came during their 3-2 win over Real Betis in the Europa League in December, the 21-year-old joined Oostende on loan in the January transfer window. Since then, the former Hillsborough youngster has made seven league appearances for the Belgian club.

In those appearances, he showed what a capable defender he is by averaging 2.1 tackles, 2.9 interceptions and 1.7 clearances per game. He also earned himself an overall performance rating of 6.81/10 from WhoScored, making him the second-highest rated player at the club in the 2021/22 season.

Taking this into account, and with Urhoghide still having a lot of time ahead of him to grow into an important and very capable first-team figure for the Hoops, seeing him potentially leave on a permanent basis this summer after barely getting a chance to show what he can do at Parkhead could be a big mistake from Postecoglou.

Bearing in mind how the Hoops have seen young players leave the club in recent times such as Ben Doak and Leo Hjelde, having Urhoghide added to that list of ex-Parkhead youngsters to potentially thrive and blossom elsewhere would not be a good look for the Bhoys.

While Oostende are reportedly weighing up a decision as to whether or not they will use their option to sign the 21-year-old on a permanent basis, the Hoops will need to hope that the Belgian club don’t trigger this option and instead send the player back to Glasgow.

Otherwise, if they do sign him outright, Celtic’s decision to put in a purchase option when they loaned him out could well come back to bite them.

In other news – “Celtic have..”: Transfer insider drops exciting claim that’ll have supporters buzzing

Liverpool have reportedly earmarked Rennes forward Martin Terrier as a replacement for Sadio Mane this summer, according to The Mirror. 

The lowdown: End of an era

Following the end of a relentless and successful 2021/22 campaign, speculation surrounding the future of Mane has spiralled out of control and it appears that the writing could be on the wall for an exit.

Both Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are pursuing the Senegalese star who is believed to be seeking a fresh challenge away from Anfield after a trophy-laden six years on Merseyside.

However, Liverpool are likely to be reticent to sanction the departure until a suitable successor can be lined up, which could be where the Terrier comes in…

The latest: Fresh beginnings

As per The Mirror, the Reds are said to have already ‘identified’ the 25-year-old former France Under 21 starlet as a replacement for the centre-forward role in which Mane ended the season.

It’s claimed that Terrier is the ‘ideal player’ to bolster Jurgen Klopp’s squad should Mane leave as expected following a stellar Ligue 1 campaign.

The report states that Liverpool could land the versatile Frenchman described as ‘intelligent’ and ‘hard-working’ by French football writer Jeremy Smith for a ‘reasonable fee’ in the off-season market.

The verdict: Better options available

Equally adept operating from the left-wing or as a centre-forward, Liverpool’s perceived interest in Terrier should come as little surprise as a like for like replacement for Mane.

His manager has also praised him for his ‘technical quality’ and ‘intelligence’, so perhaps we are even looking at a player of similar ilk to Roberto Firmino, who is also nearing the conclusion of his time as a Liverpool regular.

Terrier’s impressive 7.30 Sofascore rating from 2021/22 included winning 4.5 duels, taking 2.4 shots and making 1.1 key passes on average per game, so he is certainly an intriguing option for new Sporting Director Julian Ward.

However, prior to a 21 goal and four assist campaign last time out, the ex-Lyon ace has only reached double figures in terms of direct goal involvements in one other league season and at present only has 11 Champions League outings to his name.

At the right price, perhaps this is a move that would be worthwhile as a replacement for Divock Origi or even Firmino, but the Reds should also be attempting to sign a real rising star to succeed Mane, having been linked to the likes of Benfica’s Darwin Nunez.

In other news, a fresh Liverpool transfer rumour has emerged. Read more here.

Journalist Phil Smith has sung the praises of Alex Pritchard after Sunderland were promoted to the Championship on Saturday afternoon. 

The lowdown: Sunderland promoted

The Black Cats overcame a resilient Wycombe Wanderers to return to the second tier of English football, having won the League One play-off final 2-0 at Wembley.

Elliot Embleton opened the scoring for Alex Neil’s side before Ross Stewart doubled the advantage just 10 minutes before full-time in London as Sunderland ended a four-year spell in the third tier of English football.

After the match, in a performance full of impressive outings from the Wearsiders, Smith was full of praise for one man’s standout display in particular…

The latest: Pritchard praised

Compiling the player ratings for the Sunderland Echo, the outlet’s chief SAFC writer awarded the 29-year-old a nine out of 10 rating.

Pritchard was hailed for his ‘excellent’ positional awareness and ‘superb work rate’, whilst also providing the assists for both goals at Wembley.

The midfielder completed five of his nine crosses, won six duels and made four key passes and three clearances during an 81-minute outing which earned a match-high 8.10 Sofascore rating.

The verdict: ‘What a moment’

Ultimately, Pritchard’s performance and indeed the day were summed up in Smith’s final line – ‘what a moment’. This day had been a long time coming for Sunderland supporters, and to do it in such style was an ideal way to finally seal promotion.

Former England under-21 international Pritchard has been sensational throughout the campaign, with four goals and 14 assists, and he played a fitting role in the win which ensured that Neil’s side will bring Championship football back to the Stadium of Light for 2022/23.

Attention can now turn to Neil’s transfer business both in terms of incomings and outgoings over the coming weeks and months, and the 29-year-old is almost nailed-on to remain an integral part of Sunderland’s Championship plans after his Wembley heroics.

In other news: ‘Toxic’ – Sky Sports expert rips into Donald and Methven after Sunderland takeover development

Former Sunderland captain Max Power has backed his old club to gain promotion to the Championship ahead of their upcoming League One playoff final and says he is ‘gutted’ he couldn’t get the job done himself.

The Lowdown: Road to the final

The Black Cats are set to face Gareth Ainsworth’s side at Wembley Stadium this weekend after securing a 2-1 aggregate victory over Sheffield Wednesday in the semi-final to book their place in the ultimate showdown.

The 28-year-old, who currently plays for Wigan Athletic, recently helped the Latics claim the third-tier title, but is still showing support for his former club and believes that they will be able to join him in the promotion party.

The Latest: Power hopeful but ‘gutted’

Speaking during an episode of the Roker Rapport Podcast, Power admitted that he can’t envisage anything but a Sunderland win on Saturday, even though Wycombe are a difficult opponent to play against. He said:

“You look at both teams, I think for me and this is no disrespect to Wycombe at all, I think they have got some very good players and a very good manager and very much a different style to what Sunderland will bring on Saturday but, for me, I look player for player and I think Sunderland have got the better players.

“If there’s one team who can upset a game and cause issues and problems and are comfortable without the ball, it is Wycombe.

“I think Wycombe are very experienced and before, by the way, I meant no disrespect to them by saying Sunderland, for me, have got the better players, I stand by that. But I do think Wycombe can cause any team problems and I like I said, they are comfortable without the ball.

“I’m not going to sit on the fence, I do think Sunderland will win the game on Saturday.

“It’ll be interesting. I’m over in Ibiza, so I’ll find a bar to watch it in.

“Over the course of this season, I think anyone who knows me on a personal level knows I’ve no ill feeling towards Sunderland whatsoever. Obviously I’ve moved on and that’s football but I look back at my time with Sunderland, I am gutted it didn’t go how I wanted it to but I’ll be rooting for the lads on Saturday and I’m just glad I’m not involved to be honest!”

The Verdict: Advantage Sunderland

If the results from when the two sides met earlier on in the season are anything to go by, it’s looking like very happy reading for Alex Neil, whose outfit are yet to be defeated by their rivals.

The Black Cats recorded a comfortable 3-1 win at the Stadium of Light back in August, before playing out a 3-3 draw in the reverse fixture at Adams Park in January.

Over 44,000 Sunderland supporters have already booked their seat at Wembley, so it promises to be an amazing atmosphere and one that hopefully is enough to help get the Wearsiders over the line.

In other news… Sunderland have reportedly made an approach to sign one of their summer transfer targets.