All posts by z3u9t.icu

Liverpool supporters will undoubtedly have a sense of foreboding ahead of the looming transfer deadline day, with many seemingly unconvinced that the summer business suffices after a subpar season.

Indeed, Jurgen Klopp's side fell by the wayside last year and finished fifth in the Premier League, failing to qualify for this year's Champions League.

Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo have been signed, but a first-class holding midfielder should really be targetted to combat the £40m sale of Fabinho, and with time running out, a move must be made soon.

What's the latest on Cheick Doucoure to Liverpool?

According to Sports Zone, Liverpool have "sent a contract offer" to Cheick Doucoure, with the Crystal Palace star having attracted attention from the Anfield side all summer.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The Evening Standard, meanwhile, claims that the Reds have been deterred by the Eagles' current £70m valuation of the Mali midfielder, but anything could happen between now and the end of the week, as we've often seen.

How good is Cheick Doucoure?

While the figure mooted for Doucoure's name appears rather steep, Liverpool's failed £111m bid for Moises Caicedo, who opted to join Chelsea, suggests that the substance is there to secure a momentous, galvanising new signing.

Although Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schamdtke combatted the failure to sign Caicedo with the astute acquisition of Endo – who has been dubbed a "warrior and leader" by Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard – the Japan captain is candidly not the solution.

What Liverpool need is a "combative, intelligent, and consistent" man in the middle, and since Doucoure has been hailed as such by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Klopp must throw the kitchen sink at securing his signature.

As per FBref, the £60k-per-week star ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for interceptions, the top 17% for blocks and the top 20% for tackles and clearances per 90, highlighting his excellence as a ball-winning phenom.

It would be a transformative signing for Liverpool, and one that could emulate the club's past deadline day triumph in landing Luis Suarez from Ajax.

While the transcendent Uruguayan joined in January, completing a £23m transfer in January 2011, he represents one of the finest last-minute deals in any transfer window in modern football history, plundering 82 goals and 46 assists across 133 outings for the Merseyside outfit.

The 36-year-old produced one of the most incredible, scintillating individual seasons in Premier League history during the 2013/14 term, posting 31 goals and 17 assists from 33 league displays, almost single-handedly spearheading the Reds' title challenge, albeit falling at the final hurdle.

Heralded for having "everything" by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, who described Suarez as his favourite teammate, the defence-shattering striker proved to be one of the most destructive signings in Liverpool's history, and while Doucoure is a very different player, he could have a similarly catalysing effect on Klopp's side.

Indeed, Liverpool boasts a turbo-charged attacking verve and a smorgasbord of high-quality players, but there is a sense that one of two well-placed moves could complete the team.

The club might consider Doucoure's price tag to be exorbitant, but they have left it late and now need to act to ensure that the squad have apt resources to fight for silverware once again.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has gone through a total revamp of the first-team squad, shipping out players who no longer feature in his plans while adding some exciting new talent in the process.

This gives the 42-year-old a solid platform to work with and despite a mixed start to the season which saw the Ibrox side lose their opening Premiership fixture against Kilmarnock, they have remained undefeated since and stand just one win away from the Champions League group stages.

With the summer transfer window drawing to a close in a few days, could Beale add another player or two?

Are Rangers going to sign anyone else?

The Gers have shown interest in signing another centre-back, with Harry Souttar and Zak Vyner names that have cropped up, and it looks as though this will be the main area Beale will be targeting.

The final few days of the transfer window also seem to throw up the chance of securing a wildcard signing and Beale may just have a surprise up his sleeve.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

The Light Blues were linked with a move for Sunderland youngster Tom Watson towards the end of July and while he wouldn’t go straight into the senior setup straight away, there is no doubt he could have the potential to form a key future duo with another talented young gem – Zak Lovelace.

How good is Zak Lovelace?

Giovanni van Bronckhorst signed Lovelace from Millwall in the summer of 2022 and it could turn into a stroke of genius by the former boss.

The youngster made his debut for the Championship side when he was just 15 years of age and had clearly displayed plenty of promise down south.

Upon signing, he was thrust right into the B team and enjoyed a stunning campaign, registering 28 goal contributions across 37 games – 18 goals and ten assists – and he proved that not only is he extremely clinical, but his talents stretch to more than just scoring goals.

Having made two first-team appearances for the senior side, his time will come in the next year or so and Watson could certainly follow along a similar path before hopefully forging a partnership with his compatriot.

Who is Sunderland starlet Tom Watson?

The 17-year-old tends to operate either on the left wing or through the middle and has scored 15 goals while grabbing ten assists during his 43 games at U18 and U21 level.

He has also already made his senior debut for Sunderland, which bodes tremendously well for his future.

Indeed, Tony Mowbray gave him a two-minute cameo against Huddersfield Town back in April, and it is clearly a sign of things to come for the future.

Journalist Josh Bunting heaped plenty of praise on Watson back in 2022, saying:

“Tom Watson is a player to keep and eye on, he’s scored for Sunderland 18’s against Leeds this afternoon, that’s three goals in his last four games, makes it stick up top, only 16 so is very much new in 18’s football but has taken it to it like a duck to water, natural finisher.”

Lovelace has already shown his vast promise at the club and having someone like Watson to link up with in the future could only be a big boost for Beale as he aims to build a squad full of talented young gems who could take the senior side by storm in the coming years.

Leeds United have been offered renewed hope of sealing a deadline day deal for one of Daniel Farke's leading targets…

Who will Leeds sign on deadline day?

According to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – the Elland Road outfit could still be in with a chance of signing Genk star Joseph Paintsil before the close of the window, despite prior reports indicating that there had been a stall in negotiations regarding a deal for the 25-year-old.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Speaking about the Ghanaian forward – who has been the subject of a €10m (£8.5m) offer from the Whites – the respected insider stated that the player himself is likely still keen on the move:

"I think Leeds still believe that Paintsil wants to go to the club. It just could come to a bit of brinkmanship towards the end of the window on whether Genk and Paintsil can sort out their dispute to allow this deal to happen, because for Genk this would be big money.

“And it's one of those situations where ‘can they refuse it?’ They probably don't want to refuse it. They probably still want to do the deal with Southampton, but they're probably aware that Paintsil’s preference is probably to go to Leeds.”

How good is Joseph Paintsil?

While it may be late in the day with regard to the window as a whole, it would certainly prove worth the wait if Farke could get his man before the deadline, with Painstil having showcased his sparkling form in Belgium in recent times.

The nine-cap international notably enjoyed a stellar 2022/23 campaign in which he bagged 18 goals and provided a further 14 assists in just 39 games in all competitions for the Pro League side, with that tally of 32 goal involvements far beyond anything achieved by those back in Yorkshire, as the recently departed Rodrigo led the way with 17 goals and assists last term.

As Scott Coyne of the Belgian Football Podcast recently stated, "Paintsil is such a strong offensive asset" – as his "sensational" numbers can attest to – with the diminutive ace the type of player who can simply "cause damage" from the flanks.

That glowing assessment will spark hope that the 5 foot 7 ace can strike up a stellar attacking partnership with recent Elland Road arrival, Joel Piroe, with the latter man having already made a strong start to life in his new surroundings after scoring on debut against Ipswich Town last week.

The former Swansea City ace – who was dubbed the "full package" by his new boss following that goalscoring entrance – typically operates through the middle, ensuring he could be provided with regular, quality service from the flanks due to Paintsil's creative prowess.

That ability to tee up his teammates is evidenced by the fact that the Leeds target has already registered two assists from just four league outings so far this term, while also previously creating an impressive haul of 12 'big chances' last term – more than any player achieved for the Whites in the Premier League in 2022/23.

It looks as if Piroe – who scored 20 goals in all competitions last season for his former employers – could well have the goods served up on a plate this term if a deal for Painstil can finally be agreed.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke arrived at Elland Road this summer with a reputation for working with and developing young players.

The German head coach helped the likes of James Maddison, Ben Godfrey, Max Aarons, and Emiliano Buendia to thrive during his spell with Norwich, and could look to enjoy similar success with the Whites.

Who are Leeds' most valuable academy graduates?

A number of players have progressed through the ranks with the Yorkshire-based outfit and are currently valuable assets, either for Leeds or another club.

Farke will now be hoping to uncover the next Kalvin Phillips over the coming months and years with the club and has already shown a willingness to dip into the academy as 17-year-old Archie Gray has started all five of their Championship matches to date.

Most valuable academy graduates

Current market value

Kalvin Phillips

£27.5m

Pascal Struijk

£15.4m

Crysencio Summerville

£12.8m

Jack Clarke

£10.3m

Lewis Cook

£8.5m

Valuations via Transfermarkt.

The teenager, who has assisted five goals in 44 appearances at youth and senior level, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.60 in the league this term, which is the 19th-best score within the squad – out of 20 players.

Another academy prospect who could be a future star for the Whites and is well worth a look at for Farke is U21 central midfielder Charlie Allen, who has caught the eye of late.

Who is Charlie Allen?

Allen is a 19-year-old talent who turns 20 in November but is yet to make his first-team bow for Leeds, although he does have senior experience from his time with Linfield in Northern Ireland.

The Whites snapped him up from his former club in 2020 after he became their youngest-ever player at the age of 15 in 2019 and went on to play four matches before his move to England.

They faced stiff competition for his signature, though, as Liverpool, Manchester City, Rangers, and Chelsea all reportedly showed an interest in signing the talented teen after his breakthrough with the Northern Irish outfit.

Allen played three Premiership games for Linfield and Patrick Van Dort, who was the deputy sports editor for JPIMedia in Northern Ireland, claimed that people described him as a "joy to coach".

What is Charlie Allen's style of play?

Van Dort also revealed that the central midfielder was compared to Scotland international Billy Gilmour during his time with Linfield, due to his game intelligence and calmness on the ball that allows his teammates to have trust in his ability in possession.

This suggests that Farke could unearth his next version of the former Chelsea metronome as the German head coach worked with him during the 2021/22 campaign at Norwich.

Gilmour spent the season on loan with the Canaries and enjoyed time with the ex-Borussia Monchengladbach chief before his dismissal in November 2021.

The midfielder revealed that Farke's style of football suited the way that he wanted to play in terms of getting the ball down and trying to pass through teams.

How well did Gilmour perform for Norwich?

In spite of Norwich's relegation to the Championship, Gilmour did show signs of promise throughout the campaign with an average Sofascore rating of 6.82.

He featured in 24 Premier League matches for the Canaries and showcased his reliability on the ball with a pass accuracy of 91% within his own half that term, along with one key pass per game as he burst forward to create for his teammates.

The Scottish maestro earned himself a £9m transfer to Brighton & Hove Albion from Chelsea off the back of his season in Norfolk and the talented midfielder has continued to display his impressive ability in possession.

Over the last 365 days, Gilmourranks within the top 3% of his positional peers among the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions with a pass completion rate of 90.4% for the Seagulls. He also ranks in the top 15% for progressive passes per 90 (7.22) during that period.

These statistics show that Gilmour is one of the best midfielders in Europe at retaining possession due to his superb ability to find teammates with his passes, whilst his progressive numbers also prove that the Scot does not achieve such a high success rate by playing safe and risk free passes.

How many assists has Allen provided for Leeds?

Farke could now find his next version of the Scotland international in Allen as the Northern Irish youngster has showcased his ability to provide assists on a regular basis to go along with his aforementioned reliability and calmness on the ball.

The 19-year-old has racked up eight assists in 74 matches for Leeds at U18 and U21 level combined but six of those came during the 2022/23 campaign.

He only managed two assists in 24 academy matches for the club throughout his first season at Elland Road in 2020/21 and followed that up with zero assists in 25 games throughout the 2021/22 term, which included two goals in 11 Premier League 2 appearances.

Allen finally hit his creative stride for Leeds last season as he racked up six assists, to go along with two goals, in 21 league clashes for the U21 side.

The Thorp Arch talent, who completed 97% of his attempted passes within his own half over two EFL Trophy matches during the 2021/22 campaign, has displayed his ability to provide his teammates with opportunities to score on a regular basis from a midfield position over the last 12 months.

Last season, no first-team midfielder for Leeds managed more than two Premier League assists and no player in that position has registered a single assist over the first five Championship matches of the current term.

This suggests that Farke is not blessed with creative quality in the middle of the park so Allen could emerge as a much-needed spark in midfield with his ability to frequently provide assists as a number eight.

The German head coach should now look to offer the talented youngster an opportunity to impress at senior level to see if the Northern Irish gem could be his next version of Gilmour.

Chelsea have been in regular conversations with an elite club, and during these points of contact, they’ve enquired about signing a marquee forward for Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea pursuing new attackers this summer

Injuries to Marc Guiu, Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke – combined with João Félix’s loan to AC Milan and Mykhailo Mudryk’s failed drug test – have resulted in the Blues’ sudden shortage of attacking options in the final third.

Chelsea approach £83m Barcelona player to see if he'd join Maresca

The Blues could look to raid Hansi Flick’s side.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 16, 2025

At the start of the Premier League season, it was hardly thinkable that Maresca wouldn’t have many options to play with in that department, with Chelsea possessing serious strength in depth over the first half of 2024/2025, but their decision not to bring in another forward during the January window could now have serious repercussions.

Aston Villa (away)

February 22nd

Southampton (home)

February 25th

Leicester City (home)

March 9th

Arsenal (away)

March 16th

Tottenham (home)

April 2nd

Attention is already turning to the summer window and who they could target ahead of next campaign, with Chelsea believed to be serious contenders for Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams among other high-profile names.

In terms of strikers, Chelsea have laid groundwork to sign Liam Delap ahead of the Club World Cup, but he isn’t their only centre-forward target, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko also high on their shortlist (Simon Phillps).

Supporters will be keen for the Stamford Bridge hierarchy to bring in another attacking third option, with Chelsea failing to register a single shot on target in their last game against Brighton and Christopher Nkunku proving ineffective alongside the out-of-form Cole Palmer.

Chelsea ask AC Milan about signing Rafael Leao

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, in an article for The Boot Room, AC Milan forward Rafael Leao is also being considered by Maresca’s side.

The 25-year-old with 17 goal contributions in all competitions this campaign (nine goals, eight assists) does have a release clause in his contract, but it stands at a seismic £145 million, and Milan would only consider letting him go if a club triggered it.

Nevertheless, Bailey writes that Chelsea have asked Milan about Leao in regular conversations with the Serie A heavyweights, and they also discussed Felix’s long-term future at the San Siro.

The Rossoneri are apparently unwilling to sell as things stand, but Barcelona’s interest and the temptation of Chelsea means a summer exit cannot be entirely ruled out. Leao was said to be on the shortlist to replace Kylian Mbappé, according to Ligue 1 journalist Julien Laurens.

“He’s definitely on the shortlist to replace Mbappe. The club now knows for sure that Mbappe is leaving,” said Laurens last year. “I’m not sure if he would want to go. He’s on the shortlist, and he can make his mind up.”

Meanwhile, the Portugal international has also drawn some comparisons to Brazil legend Ronaldinho, even if he does need to work on his consistency.

“He’s Ronaldinho-vibes, sometimes, when he’s on it,” said TNT Sports pundit Owen Hargreaves. “I think to be world-class, you’ve got to be consistent. Because he’s a bit flaky and a bit loose at times, he’s probably just missing that gap to world-class, but the talent’s there to be world-class.”

Arsenal brushed aside any doubters today as they enjoyed a perfect afternoon on the south coast, cruising past AFC Bournemouth by an impressive 4-0 scoreline.

Whilst there were understandably many standouts, it once again proved to be a particularly enjoyable day for Martin Odegaard, who was once again outstanding.

How did Martin Odegaard play vs Bournemouth?

Amidst all the injury turmoil that surrounded the fixture, the Norway international was one guaranteed starter, as their ever-present captain ready to lead them to victory.

So, to see Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba all passed fit enough to start, his job was only made easier.

As creative as ever, the midfielder proved instrumental in orchestrating their victory, scoring the second and assisting the fourth, deservedly earning his 9.1 match-best rating.

However, that barely scratches the surface of his quality, recording three key passes and two tackles whilst also winning five ground duels, via Sofascore.

The 24-year-old was combative yet unafraid to flex his creative muscles, and helped spearhead Mikel Arteta's side to another impressive result at the Vitality Stadium.

And yet, despite all those starring statistics, it could actually be argued that the foundation for his success was built from the platform Oleksandr Zinchenko afforded him.

How did Oleksandr Zinchenko play vs Bournemouth?

Although he did endure some defensive frailties at times during the match, as is expected with his inverted full-back role, his economical presence in the engine room was instrumental in starving the hosts of possession and keeping moves flowing.

This was no better exemplified than through his 82 touches and 89% pass accuracy, with two of those passes being regarded as key ones capable of forging a goalscoring opportunity, via Sofascore.

One such example was outlined as he and Eddie Nketiah combined for the first penalty, which Odegaard would dispatch, as journalist Sam Dean described: "Zinchenko and Nketiah playing one-twos up the pitch to win that penalty. Zinchenko has been troubled defensively a few times today but he's been so silky on the ball."

However, whilst such an attractive performance was always certain to catch the eye, the Ukraine international was far from work-shy. In fact, with four tackles, two interceptions and two clearances, whilst also winning seven of the ten duels he competed in, it is fair to say that today marked a phenomenal all-around performance from Zinchenko, via Sofascore.

This was a notion that journalist Simon Collings would support in his post-match player ratings, handing the former Manchester City star an 8/10 rating whilst also writing: "Involved in a lot of Arsenal’s good play and helped win their first penalty by playing in Nketiah. Unlucky not to score on a few occasions".

A perfect away performance from Arteta's unstoppable Gunners, it seemed like nothing could make the day any better. That was, until Manchester City threw their perfect Premier League record away for the season, falling to a shock defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

All signs are pointing towards this potentially being the year that the apprentice becomes the master, and Arsenal's 41-year-old head coach seeks to triumph over Pep Guardiola.

David Moyes has enjoyed a sensational return to life at Goodison Park since he agreed to join Everton for a second spell to replace Sean Dyche in January.

The Scottish manager, who was let go by West Ham United at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, has won four, drawn one, and lost one, of his opening six matches in charge of the Toffees so far.

James Tarkowski’s last-gasp screamer in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park earlier this month has, arguably, been the highlight of Moyes’ second tenure to date, and it will be hard to beat.

The former Manchester United boss has racked up 13 points from his first six games and that is significantly better than what Dyche managed when he first arrived at Goodison.

Arsenal (H)

1-0 win

Liverpool (A)

2-0 loss

Leeds (H)

1-0 win

Aston Villa (H)

2-0 loss

Arsenal (A)

4-0 loss

Nottingham Forest (A)

2-2 draw

As you can see in the results above, the former Burnley gaffer only racked up seven points in his first six games in charge of the Toffees, with three losses in those six games.

Another thing that Moyes already has over Dyche is that he has managed to get a tune out of Portuguese centre-forward Beto, who has been on fire in recent weeks.

Everton's top goalscorers this season

The former Udinese number nine had only scored one goal in 12 appearances in the Premier League under the former Everton manager in the first-half of the season, after a return of just three goals in 30 league outings in the 2023/24 campaign.

However, Beto has propelled himself to being the second-top scorer for Everton in the top-flight this season with an exceptional haul of four goals in his last three outings in the division.

The 27-year-old marksman struck twice in the 4-0 win over Leicester, opened the scoring against Liverpool in the derby, and netted the opener against Crystal Palace in a 2-1 win last time out.

Iliman Ndiaye

4.22

6

+1.78

Beto

3.73

5

+1.27

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

7.51

3

-4.51

Dwight McNeil

0.98

3

+2.02

Michael Keane

0.71

2

+1.29

As you can see in the table above, his recent burst of goals has taken him up to second in the standings and only behind Ndiaye, who has an impressive return of six goals from 4.22 xG.

Meanwhile, Dominic Calvert-Lewin almost has as much xG as Ndiaye and Beto combined and, yet, has only scored three goals in the Premier League this season.

On the topic of strikers, though, there is a former Everton star – Moise Kean – who is now outscoring all three of the current Toffees forwards combined, almost two years on from when the club ruthlessly sold him.

Why Everton sold Moise Kean

The Italy international was initially snapped up by Everton from Juventus in the summer of 2019 for a reported fee of £29m, which could have soared to £37m with add-ons, under Marco Silva.

Unfortunately, the young marksman failed to hit the ground running at Goodison Park and only started six of his 29 Premier League appearances during the 2019/20 campaign, scoring two goals and providing two assists in that time.

He was then sent out on loan to Paris Saint-Germain for the 2020/21 and the Italian ace caught the eye with a return of 19 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions.

Kean returned to Everton and played twice under Rafa Benitez at the start of the 2021/22 campaign before being sent to Juventus on a two-season loan deal that summer, with an obligation to make the deal permanent.

His move to the Old Lady on a permanent basis was confirmed in March 2023 for a reported fee of £25m, after he had scored 11 Serie A goals and had been described as “useless” by journalist Tancredi Palmeri after the 2022 Supercoppa Italiana final against Inter.

Where Are They Now

The Italy international then endured a torrid 2023/24 season with the Serie A giants, as he failed to score in 19 appearances and eight starts, and joined Fiorentina in the summer of 2024.

Moise Kean's stunning form this season

The 24-year-old star has hit his stride in the Serie A since his move to Florence last year, as he has proven that he does have the ability to find the back of the net on a consistent basis in a major European league.

After a return of just 11 goals in three seasons with Juventus, after initially leaving Everton on loan in 2021, Kean has already scored 15 league goals for Fiorentina in the current campaign.

The right-footed sensation has outscored Calvert-Lewin, Beto, and Ndiaye combined (14) at league level this season with his 15 strikes, and has done so in an efficient manner.

Kean, who has struck 19 times in all competitions, has scored 15 times from 12.77 xG and only missed nine ‘big chances’ in the Serie A so far this term, which shows that he has been ruthless in front of goal for the Italian side.

Non-penalty goals

0.65

Top 4%

xG

0.59

Top 12%

Non-penalty xG

0.52

Top 7%

Shot on target percentage

42.9%

Top 15%

Non-penalty xG per shot

0.16

Top 14%

As you can see in the table above, the former Everton flop ranks incredibly highly among forwards in the division in a host of key goalscoring metrics, which illustrates just how well he has performed this season.

The Toffees may, now, regret their decision to completely cut ties with the young centre-forward back in 2021, when they sent him out on loan with an obligation for Juventus to buy him, because he has gone on to develop into a fantastic striker and one who is significantly outperforming all of Moyes’ current options.

Imagine him & Beto: Moyes could find Antonio 2.0 in "prolific" Everton teen

Everton could see some exciting academy talents come through with Moyes back in the dugout.

ByAngus Sinclair Feb 19, 2025

Of course, that is with the benefit of hindsight and Kean did struggle at Juventus in the last three seasons before his move to Fiorentina, so there is no guarantee that he would have found his best form if he remained at Goodison Park.

Newcastle United have been linked with a move for Brentford striker Ivan Toney, and now a new update has emerged regarding their pursuit of him.

Do Newcastle want to sign Ivan Toney?

The Magpies have built a formidable squad these days – arguably their best of the Premier League era – with real quality and depth all over the pitch. In attack, both Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson represent excellent options in the final third, with the pair providing consistent end product, and dovetailing well with one another.

That doesn't mean that Newcastle won't always be eyeing up potential new signings, however, and they have been linked with a move for Toney recently, even though the Brentford ace is currently banned until January for betting breaches.

Now, a new update has dropped over their attempts to possibly re-sign the 27-year-old – one that has seen a twist emerge in the saga.

What's the latest on Newcastle's move for Ivan Toney?

According to a fresh update from Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, Newcastle no longer consider Toney an option to sign in January, but are looking to bring in a younger alternative:

"Brentford star Ivan Toney does not fit the profile of striker Newcastle United will target in January, sources have told Football Insider. The Magpies have become the latest side to be linked with a potential move for the 27-year-old ahead of the winter window.

"It is believed a number of other Premier League sides are also ready to swoop for Toney. Brentford value the banned striker at close to £100million as speculation over his future ramps up.

"However, a well-placed source has told Football Insider that Newcastle will pursue a younger striker signing in the January window. It is believed they are keen to bring a less polished option to St James’ Park with the potential to learn and grow under Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson by playing a supporting role."

Toney is an excellent player who has thrived in the Premier League since making the jump up from the Championship, scoring 32 goals in 68 appearances in the competition, not to mention being hailed as "remarkable" by Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

For that reason, he could have been a really strong signing by Newcastle, coming in as a proven option in and around the peak of his powers, but there does also seem to be some sense in their decision not to sign him.

For starters, Toney may be rusty upon his return in January, taking more time to settle than another signings, and he does turn 28 next March, suggesting that he wouldn't be a long-term addition. For the money that would have to be spent on acquiring his services, that could be an expensive risk.

It is paramount that Newcastle don't only focus on players who can come in and hit the ground running immediately, and also look at the long-term picture and sign individuals who are in their early to mid 20s. It looks as though they are doing just that, and it will be intriguing to see who they potentially look to snap up in the next transfer window.

Southampton could be set to lose one of their summer signings to injury for the forseeable future, and one journalist has reacted to the disappointing news he’s hearing from St. Mary’s.

Hull vs Southampton team news

In the Championship, Russell Martin already has Jack Stephens on the sidelines having been missing since August, but there has recently been some more encouraging news regarding the fitness of a fresh face who is yet to make his first appearance for the club.

According to Saints reporter Mark Wyatt, Ross Stewart could be set to make the bench for this weekend’s second-tier game vs Hull City at the MKM Stadium, but with one player likely to return to domestic action, another is unfortunately expected to take his place in the treatment room on the south coast.

Since putting pen to paper on a season-long loan over the summer, Manchester City centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis has started all six of the games he’s featured in, and he’s formed a solid defensive partnership with Jan Bednarek (WhoScored – Harwood-Bellis statistics), but there is a chance that he might be ruled out for an unknown period of time.

England’s youth international returned from representing his nation early last week after sustaining an injury, but with further assessment and any kind of comment yet to be released regarding the extent of the 21-year-old’s problem, it isn’t looking good.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis injury update

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Dean Jones offered his verdict following the injury update on Taylor Harwood-Bellis and admitted that it will be a concern should he get sidelined at Southampton.

He said: "Yeah it would be [a blow]. He's played a significant role this season and obviously, of all of the things that have gone wrong for Southampton, at least they had the makings of a partnership that was showing real promise.

"You've got both ends of the equation there in terms of youth, experience, and hope, and then you've also got someone of such experience in Bednarek, so it's a real blow for Southampton if he's going to be out for a while.

"Obviously, they are getting back in and need to check him out thoroughly, and they won't take any risks on him. But from a Southampton perspective, they really will hope they can get him back in that team as soon as possible."

How tall is Taylor Harwood-Bellis?

Standing at 6 foot 2, Harwood-Bellis has been a rock at the heart of Southampton’s backline since joining, where he’s been averaging 4.2 clearances and 2.8 aerial wins per game in the Championship, highlighting the real physical presence he provides.

The Stockport-born talent is also capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch having posted 15 contributions, ten goals and five assists, since the start of his career, showing the threat he can pose when it comes to set pieces (Transfermarkt – Harwood-Bellis statistics).

Additionally, Harwood-Bellis knows what it takes to get out of the division having achieved promotion with Burnley last term, where his fighting spirit saw him hailed a “warrior” by journalist Josh Bunting, but this is another attribute that Martin could have to cope without.

Manchester United over the years have flexed their muscles in the transfer market by landing statement buys for extortionate fees, the Red Devils paying obscene amounts for the likes of Antony, Harry Maguire and Jadon Sancho who all remain at the club today – all three combined transfer fees coming in at a whopping £235m.

However, those three players in question still didn't demand a record transfer fee to get them into the building with Paul Pogba's return to Man United solidifying the Red Devils' label as major big-spenders.

The Frenchman – who was originally on the books in Manchester as a youngster – returned back to England after starring out in Italy with Juventus in the summer of 2016, rejoining the Theatre of Dreams for an eye-watering £89m.

His time back at Old Trafford would be dominated by distractions off-the-field, Pogba's attitude frequently under the spotlight throughout his six-year stay at Old Trafford, whilst his performances on the pitch never lived up to the extortionate transfer fee he demanded when he returned back.

The failure of this deal was compounded by the fact that Pogba would leave Old Trafford on a free transfer in 2022, Man United burning through money in the process.

Buying Sancho for an inflated transfer fee – with hindsight – also now feels like a colossal waste of money, with the former Manchester City youth product exiled from Erik ten Hag's plans completely at this moment in time.

How much did Man United buy Sancho for?

Splashing the cash on Sancho back in the summer of 2021 – the exciting winger fresh off 20 goals and assists from 26 Bundesliga games with Borussia Dortmund in the previous season – the excessive £73m transfer paid to land his services felt warranted.

Joining in the same transfer window as ex-Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane alongside the fabled return of Cristiano Ronaldo to the Theatre of Dreams, everything pointed in the direction of a successful forthcoming campaign with Sancho leading the way as the bright spark.

But, his United career hasn't ever really got off the ground with the hierarchy at the Red Devils cursing their luck that they've managed to somehow purchase another expensive dud.

It even led to Football365 journalist Jason Soutar labelling the former Dortmund star-man as a "flop" in Man United colours back in November last year, a claim that has been substantiated further by recent developments at Old Trafford.

How has Jadon Sancho performed this season for Man Utd?

Before this season got underway, Sancho was showing signs of improving in a Red Devils strip if his numbers from last season are anything to go by – scoring an encouraging six goals from 26 starts, upping his goalscoring output overall for the club to 12.

But this campaign, Sancho is goalless after only being afforded brief substitute appearances under Ten Hag.

Capped 23 times by England at senior level – not featuring under Gareth Southgate however since 2021 – the 23-year-old has been frozen out of Ten Hag's plans since a cameo off the bench versus Nottingham Forest in August.

The issue surrounding criticism of the player's work ethic in training – and his subsequent response to his manager – looks to have been the catalyst for the Dutch head coach to cut all of Sancho's game-time, with a January departure now mooted.

With his wage at Man United also coming in at an unbelievable £250k-per-week, as per Capology – making Sancho a higher earner than Lisandro Martinez by £130k, for instance – it would not be a surprise if the Red Devils severed ties with the 23-year-old in the near future

In truth, this failed transfer move leaves an even worse taste in the mouth than Pogba's fall from grace, with the latter man at least helping the club to notable silverware during his debut campaign, while enjoying a handful of standout seasons – including 2018/19 in which he contributed 22 goals and assists in 35 league games.

Sancho, by contrast, has yet to get anywhere close to such highs. With Pogba there was always a sense that the Frenchman could conjure up a moment of magic, yet with his former teammate, it has largely been a tale of woe so far.

Perhaps, for all concerned, it would be best if the forgotten man finds a new home in January.