Newcastle United are leading the race to sign Leicester City midfielder James Maddison this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on Maddison to Newcastle?

The Premier League playmaker has now entered the final 18 months of his contract at the King Power Stadium and having rejected several new offers to extend his stay, is likely to be on the move during the upcoming window. The England international is currently the Foxes' top-performing offensive player with an average WhoScored match rating of 7.24 and the high level of his performances have been attracting the attention of Eddie Howe for a long period of time.

The Magpies submitted two offers for the 26-year-old last summer worth up to £50m but they were both rejected as a result of them being considerably below the Foxes' £60m valuation. In January, journalist Rudy Galetti revealed that the two parties were previously in talks regarding a potential deal but a move failed to materialise before the deadline meaning that he had to stay put for the remainder of the season. Now though, it sounds like the northeast outfit are about to take yet another bite of the cherry…

According to Football Insider, Newcastle are the "firm favourites" to sign Maddison ahead of the 2023/24 term. The St. James' Park outfit are currently in "pole position" to land their long-term target with sources stating that they view him as a "superstar". PIF are already "laying the groundwork" for an approach, with £60-70m likely to be enough to prise him away from the Midlands.

Leicester now "expect" to lose their standout performer and the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Liverpool are also "keeping tabs", but it's the black and whites who are leading the race.

Would Maddison be a good signing for Newcastle?

Maddison has been dubbed a midfield "magician" by Statman Dave and looking at his creativity and remarkable return in the final third, he could be the absolute perfect fit to slot into the centre of Howe's squad at Newcastle.

The Coventry-born talent has racked up 15 goal contributions (nine goals and six assists) in 23 appearances across all competitions this season where he's averaging 2.8 shots and 2.3 key passes per league game, via WhoScored, not to mention that he's also the current second highest free-kick scorer in the top-flight, highlighting how strong he is at set pieces alongside in open play.

Finally, Maddison shares the same agent as both Kieran Trippier and Matty Longstaff so this could potentially give the Magpies even more of an advantage in the race for his signature in the months ahead.

West Ham United have sent scouts to watch Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Scott to West Ham?

The Robins starlet has worked his way up through the academy ranks at Ashton Gate to become a regular feature of Nigel Pearson’s first-team squad, making 86 appearances – catching the eye of David Moyes at the London Stadium in the process.

Football Insider reported in February that the Irons were readying a summer move for the 19-year-old and haven’t decided to waste any time. GiveMeSport claims that the E20 outfit have already submitted an enquiry to discover his availability, but any kind of deal will be far from easy to complete.

The Championship ace is contracted until 2025, which means they will be entering the market in a very strong negotiating position, but having set a £25m price tag, it’s clear that they would be open to letting him go should they receive their demanded fee.

According to the Daily Mail, West Ham are on the lookout for replacements for Declan Rice and believe that Scott has what it takes to fill the role. Irons scouts “continue to watch” their target and were even in attendance to assess him at England U20's game against France last week. PSV Eindhoven’s Ibrahim Sangare and Manchester City’s Carlos Borges are thought to be two other central players being monitored, but it appears that City's talisman is currently the preferred choice.

Would Scott be a good signing for West Ham?

Scott is still a teenager, so viewing him as a possible successor to Rice right now may be too much pressure, but with the qualities that he possesses, he’s certainly got the potential to be his replacement in the long term.

The Guernsey-born talent is currently averaging 2.1 tackles per second-tier game so loves to get stuck in and win back possession for his team, but is equally as strong in the offensive aspect of his play. The Robins ace has provided five assists and scored two goals across all competitions this season (via Transfermarkt), whilst whipping 90 crosses into the box, highlighting his desire to create and put away chances.

Compared to positional peers playing at a similar level over the last 365 days, he also ranks in the 87th percentile for progressive carries and the 84th for successful take-ons, so isn’t afraid to beat his marker and make an impact in the final third (FBref).

Scott has been dubbed an “intelligent” midfielder by journalist Josh Bunting and we feel Moyes would be acquiring a real star in the making should the Irons successfully secure his services at the end of the season.

Aston Villa have spent vast sums of money in the previous few years in order to maintain their Premier League status.

Under Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard, the likes of Diego Carlos, Emiliano Buendia and Leon Bailey have all arrived at Villa Park for big transfer fees, and although all three were brought in to strengthen the team, it’s clear that in order to improve, vast amounts now need to be spent in the transfer window.

This isn’t always the case, however – and Villa should know, having signed John McGinn for just £2m back in 2018 from Scottish club Hibernian during their time in the Championship. The Scot has gone on to become one of the club’s finest players during his association with the Midlands outfit, having recently shone in their superb win at Stamford Bridge last week.

How much is John McGinn worth now?

Having spent the previous two seasons stuck in the Championship, Steve Bruce needed someone who could give Villa that added bite in their midfield which could push them towards promotion – and McGinn was the ideal player.

He won the Scottish Cup and League Cup with Hibs and St Mirren respectively, and it was clear he had a winning mentality as he looked to help bring Villa back to where they belonged.

He scored seven goals and grabbed ten assists as the club reached the top flight via the Championship play-offs (with Smith now at the helm), and McGinn would go from strength to strength as he chipped in with the odd goal or two while the team kept their status in the Premier League.

At the start of this season, Gerrard awarded him the Villa captaincy, and although he struggled during the early stages as the side's form dipped dramatically, it looks as though he is getting back to his best under Unai Emery.

His dogged determination and desire to fight for every ball are qualities not every player has, but McGinn exudes them in abundance – with journalist Mat Kendrick lauding him as a “relentless creature”, referencing his footballing nature.

Indeed, the £55k-per-week gem is now valued at a staggering €40m (£35m) according to Football Transfers, and this represents a monumental leap from the £2m that Bruce paid for him five years ago.

He has reached new heights with both Villa and the Scottish national team, winning 54 caps and scoring 16 goals, and with the midfielder coming into the prime of his career, his next step will be trying to lead Villa to some sort of trophy or European football – and this may see his value rise further.

Villa certainly struck gold with McGinn, that’s for sure.

Leeds United remain engulfed in a battle for Premier League survival amid what has been a turbulent season for the club thus far, with Sunday's 5-1 defeat to Crystal Palace having only increased the sense of doom and gloom surrounding Elland Road.

The Whites' current predicament may well be leaving the club's hierarchy ruing their decision to cash in on both Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips last summer, with the latter man, in particular, having seemingly been sorely missed at the base of the midfield.

Despite his woes at new club Manchester City – where he has made just six league appearances this season – the England international had previously been a truly influential figure back in Yorkshire, having been hailed as a "magnificent talent" by pundit Frank McAvennie last year.

Supporters may well have been longing for the 27-year-old's return after watching the abject display against the Eagles last time out, with fellow midfielder Marc Roca having been particularly 'dire' on the day, as per Leeds Live's Beren Cross, after being dribbled past on eight occasions.

While there have been murmurings that Leeds could be keen on bringing Phillips back to the club, the relegation strugglers may well already have their next version of the local hero on their hands, in the form of academy starlet, Morten Spencer.

Who is Morten Spencer?

The 19-year-old has been tipped for big things ever since signing from Sunderland back in 2019, with respected source 'The 4th Official' describing the capture as a real "coup" at the time, with the Yorkshire side seemingly beating Man City to the teenager's signature.

Since then, the youngster has shown his class in the academy ranks, notably mirroring Phillips with his ability to feature in midfield as well as at centre-back, having been deployed in both positions so far this season.

The England-born gem – who currently features for Norway's youth sides at international level – has enjoyed a standout campaign to date for Leeds after racking up 15 appearances in all competitions, including three outings in the EFL Trophy earlier in the campaign.

The former Black Cats ace showcased his ball-winning prowess in that latter competition after averaging 1.7 interceptions and one tackle per game, with Phillips also a truly effective screen in front of the back four, as he averaged 1.2 and 2.7 for the same two metrics, respectively, for the Elland Road outfit last season.

The two men also share a likeness due to their ability on the ball, with the current City man having been hailed for having an "array of passing skills" by ex-teammate Barry Douglas, while Spencer was lauded for his "superb" forward passing by Michael Skubala while featuring for Leeds' U21 side against former club Sunderland back in October.

The £140-per-week teen – who "loves a big slide tackle" according to journalist Joe Donnohue – is clearly a player who could be in line for a first-team role sooner rather than later, having only recently penned a new deal at the club until 2024.

The hope will be that Leeds supporters get to see their 'next Phillips' in action at senior level in the near future…

Everton have struggled to comfortably compete in the Premier League once again this season and Sean Dyche has been working hard to save the club from relegation.

The Toffees have just ten games left to secure survival and are currently just two points clear of the bottom three going into their clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night and after going unbeaten in their last three league games will be hoping they can continue to pick up crucial points.

Indeed, Everton have suffered a number of troubling injury concerns this season with Dominic Calvert-Lewin again unable to retain his fitness which has weakened the forward line considerably over the campaign so far.

Not only that, Richarlison's summer exit and Anthony Gordon's shock move to Newcastle United in January have both heavily contributed to the lack of options and depth Dyche has in his attacking threat, which has left Everton with the joint-worst goal tally (22) in the entire Premier League season.

As a result, should the former Burnley boss keep his team up this season the club must focus on finding new additions who can properly replace those departed forwards and significantly increase the goal contributions in the team.

One player who has long been linked with a move to Goodison Park is Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres, a goal-scoring machine who could be exactly what Everton needs next season to avoid another relegation scrap and dominate games more frequently.

Will Everton sign Viktor Gyokeres this summer?

There is no doubt that big changes need to be made and reinforcements need to be signed this summer if Everton maintain their Premier League status.

The club has been waiting for 18 months to see Calvert-Lewin get back to his best without success, and they are now in a position where they cannot afford to wait any longer or rely on the England striker to regain his form.

That is why the signing of Gyokeres could be monumental for the Merseysiders this summer as the presence of a prolific goalscorer has been sorely missed over the last two seasons.

Over 38 Championship appearances, the Swedish striker – who Jamie Mackie claimed is the "full package" – has scored 18 goals, registered eight assists and created nine big chances, as well as averaging 3.1 shots on goal and 1.6 key passes per game, which has led to the 24-year-old becoming the second-highest scoring player in the entire second tier so far.

It is clear that the Coventry star is a hard-working and creative contributor, something that would be massively valuable to Dyche if he could continue his incredible form on the blue side of Merseyside next season.

Despite Everton's serious financial concerns, the reported £20m fee set on Gyokeres should be an achievable price to meet due to the £45m sale of Gordon and the €28m (£25m) agreement in place with Juventus for Moise Kean.

With that being said, Dyche could get Goodison Park rocking again next season if the club can complete the signing of Gyokeres and ultimately improve the performances to get the Toffees back to competing comfortably.

Despite the current success under the PIF regime, prior to that Newcastle United had not always been astute operators with regard to transfer dealings, having notably moved on a handful of key figures somewhat prematurely.

Current Premier League stars Ivan Toney and Aleksandr Mitrovic are just two of those whom the Magpies have let slip from their grasp in the recent past, with the pair having particularly shone so far this season, scoring 18 and 11 top-flight goals, respectively, for Brentford and Fulham.

One other former St James' Park asset who is enduring a far more difficult campaign in the top tier, however, is Southampton's Adam Armstrong, with the Tynesiders having seemingly been vindicated in their decision to sell the 5 foot 8 marksman back in 2018.

How is Adam Armstrong getting on now?

The former Newcastle academy ace had been a highly-rated figure at the club during his time in the northeast, with the local lad having even been the subject of praise from then-England skipper Wayne Rooney back in 2015, after shining for the Three Lions at youth level.

The diminutive marksman had been handed a chance to impress during that 2014/15 campaign for the Magpies after making 15 appearances in all competitions, albeit with the young striker failing to find the back of the net in any of those outings.

That limited involvement ultimately saw Armstrong go on to join Coventry City for the following campaign, with the young Geordie making his mark after netting 20 League One goals, albeit while scoring just six times in the 2016/17 season for Barnsley in the Championship.

Another loan to second-tier side Bolton Wanderers failed to prove fruitful as the former England U21 international scored just once in the league in the first half of 2017/18, before again flourishing in League One at Blackburn Rovers, after netting nine league goals in the remainder of the campaign.

Having failed to truly show his worth above the third tier, the Tynesiders made the decision to allow Armstrong to depart that summer, with the emerging talent moving to Ewood Park on an initial £1.75m deal, after making just 21 appearances back at St James' Park – all of which ended without a goal to his name.

Toon legend Malcolm MacDonald suggested in 2021 that it had been a "crazy" decision to let the centre-forward leave the club, while lauding the striker with notable praise: “Adam is an out-and-out goalscorer who reminds me of Tony Cottee — on the small side but very quick, very agile, always facing the goal and ice-cool in one-on-one situations."

Armstrong initially lived up to MacDonald's billing after scoring 49 Championship goals across his first three full seasons with Rovers, with that subsequently earning him a £15m move to St Mary's in the summer of 2021.

Since then, however, Newcastle's decision to sell has looked far wiser as the £55k-per-week flop has been unable to deliver the goods back in the Premier League, scoring just three goals in the competition since the start of last term.

The current campaign, in particular, has proven rather disappointing for the 26-year-old as he has scored just once in the top-flight for the relegation-threatened outfit, with that a smaller tally than what ex-Newcastle dud Chris Wood has achieved this term, the New Zealand international netting three times for both the Magpies and new club, Nottingham Forest.

That is an indication of the extent of Armstrong's struggles for the Saints, with the St James' Park faithful likely to be no longer pining for their former youth asset with Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson now fit and firing.

علق محمد محمود لاعب فريق فيوتشر على الفوز أمام بيراميدز والتأهل لنهائي بطولة كأس السوبر المصري، مشيدًا بإقامة المباراة في الإمارات.

وتأهل فيوتشر لنهائي كأس السوبر المصري انتظارًا للمتأهل من مواجهة الأهلي وسيراميكا كليوباترا والمقررة في السابعة مساء اليوم.

طالع أيضاً.. فيديو | فيوتشر يحقق فوزًا دراميًا بضربات الجزاء الترجيحية ويتأهل لنهائي كأس السوبر المصري

وقال محمد محمود في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة أبوظبي الرياضية: “الحمد لله جئنا من بعيد جدًا وربنا أكرمنا وصعدنا للنهائي، أشكر اللاعبين على المجهود والإدارة على الدعم”.

وأكمل: “أشكر الإمارات على الاستضافة الجميلة، فوز صعب على فريق محترم، وسنرى من سنواجه في النهائي، وأتمنى أن أواجه الأهلي إن شاء الله”.

واختتم: “فوز صعب، كنا نلعب على الهجمة المرتدة، ولم يُحالفنا الحظ في خطف هدف، لكن ربنا عوضنا بركلات الترجيح وتأهلنا”.

Tottenham Hotspur have made initial contact with Julian Nagelsmann's camp over the vacancy in north London following Antonio Conte's departure.

Will Nagelsmann replace Conte?

It has been a whirlwind of a past week in the managerial circle with both Conte and Nagelsmann finding themselves out of a job over the weekend.

Reports would suggest Conte's dismissal was a long time coming, with the north London club having drawn up a shortlist over recent weeks for his potential successor.

However, Nagelsmann may have taken some by surprise as Bayern Munich pounced on the opportunity to appoint Thomas Tuchel amid his links to Spurs.

And it seems as if Nagelsmann's availability has seriously interested Spurs with insider Graeme Bailey telling the Talking Transfers podcast contact has been made:

"The reports suggesting the day after [Nagelsmann's sacking] that there'd been contact isn't true, from what I'm told from people close to him. But there has been contact between third parties now, Tottenham are letting him know that there is an interest there."

Is Nagelsmann right for Spurs?

Tottenham's recent history of managers has shown a different approach with Daniel Levy bringing in 'proven winners' who may have been brought in for a quick trophy fix in north London.

Spurs' trophy drought is well documented within the game and the likes of Jose Mourinho and Conte were two short-term options which have failed to deliver on their reputation.

And with this method from the Spurs board now another failure on their record, it does feel as if the logical step is to return to a manager of Mauricio Pochettino's mould.

The Argentine has been linked with the job in north London but reports would suggest he has not been contacted by Spurs with some board members holding reservations about reappointing him.

And in Nagelsmann they could well have that with the 35-year-old having a lot of experience at big clubs despite his young age.

But the big issue seems to be that the German is keen to wait until the summer to assess his options with suggestions the Real Madrid job could potentially open up for him.

Although it is understandable why Nagelsmann may think this way, after Conte, Spurs surely want a manager who is only interested in the north London club.

And it seems as if Pochettino is keen to make his return to Spurs after over three years since his sacking in 2019.

Nagelsmann has displayed a lot of positives for Spurs with his attacking style of football, favourable age and experience with players at the highest level.

But it will be interesting to see whether the pressure grows on Levy to make an appointment before the end of the season depending on how the results unfold under Cristian Stellini.

تحدث مارسيل كولر المدير الفني لفريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الأهلي، عن مباراة مودرن فيوتشر في نهائي كأس السوبر المصري للأندية الأبطال.

ويواجه الأهلي نظيره مودرن فيوتشر مساء غد الخميس، في مباراة نهائي بطولة السوبر المصري بشكلها الجديد، المقامة في الإمارات.

وقال كولر في المؤتمر الصحفي الذي يسبق المباراة: “واجهنا صعوبات كبيرة بسبب ضغط المباريات، لقد لعبنا قبل 48 ساعة وبالأمس خاض اللاعبون مرانا استشفائيًا ثم اليوم سيخوضون المران الرئيسي”.

أيمن الرمادي: انزعاج جماهير الأهلي لا يشغلني.. وارتكبت خطأً قبل مواجهتهم

وأضاف: “علينا التركيز في لقاء الغد من أجل حصد اللقب، وهو ما يجعلنا أمام ضرورة اللعب بشكل قوي ونملك الخبرات للفوز بالكأس”.

وأردف: “ليس لدي أي مخاوف من الناحية البدنية للاعبين، ونحن جاهزون بشكل جيد واللاعبون اعتادوا على هذا الأمر وسيركضون لآخر دقيقة من المباراة”.

وتابع: “نمتلك قائمة تضم مجموعة من اللاعبين الكبار وبمستويات متقاربة وسأقوم بتحديد التشكيل حسب الجاهزية البدنية والفنية”.

واستكمل: “قادة الفريق معنا يقومون بتقديم الأحاسيس الجيدة للاعبين الشباب وهو أمر رائع جدًا داخل الأهلي”.

واستطرد: “لم أشبع من البطولات وأريد تحقيق المزيد، وأعلم جيدًا أن جمهور الأهلي لا يشبع من هذا الأمر، ولا يرحم لو خسرت أي بطولة وهو عنصر إيجابي”.

وواصل: “لا بد أن يعرف الناس أنك لن تفوز بكل البطولات، بل قد لا تنجح في ذلك، وهو أمر لا يتقبله جمهور الأهلي، لدينا غدًا مباراة هامة للغاية وسنقدم ما لدينا لتحقيق اللقب، لأنها بطولة هامة”.

واستكمل: “شاهدنا اليوم فريق مودرن فيوتشر خلال محاضرة بالفيديو مع ‏اللاعبين ودرسنا كل شيء للوقوف على كافة الجوانب الفنية والخططية الخاصة بالمباراة”.

واستطرد: “مشاركة أي لاعب تتوقف على المنافس بجانب الأمور التكتيكية الخاصة ‏بكل مباراة وعلى حالة اللاعب، من يجتهد يحصل على فرصته، ومن لا يشارك عليه أن ‏يقاتل لاستعادة مستواه، والمنافسة بين اللاعبين بشكل عام مطلوبة في كرة القدم، ولا يوجد ‏مكان محجوز لأي لاعب في التشكيل”.‏

وأكد كولر أن الأهلي يمتلك جهازًا طبيًا ‏على أعلى مستوى، وأي نسبة شك في إصابة أي لاعب، يكون القرار الفني عدم مشاركته ‏أو المجازفة به، وذلك في ضوء التشاور بين الجهاز الفني والجهاز الطبي.‏

واستأتف: “مع ضغط المباريات يوجد شكوى طبيعية نتيجة كدمات أو ألم خفيف، وهو أمر ‏متوقع، ولكن لا يوجد لاعب يشارك مع الأهلي مع وجود نسبة شك في عدم جاهزيته»”‏

‏وأشاد كولر بأحمد نبيل كوكا، مؤكدا أنه لاعب يمتلك قدرات خاصة أظهرها خلال مشاركته ‏في كأس العالم للأندية التي أقيمت مؤخرا بالسعودية.‏

وأتم: “ضيق الوقت ما بين المباريات لا يسمح للجهاز الفني بالتعامل مع إهدار الفرص بالشكل الكافي، ‏ودائمًا أتحدث مع اللاعبين عن التركيز والثقة أمام المرمى للتسجيل، مع تجديد دوافعهم للفوز ‏بالبطولات وإسعاد الجماهير”.

وكان الأهلي قد نجح في الوصول للدور النهائي ببطولة كأس السوبر بفوز صعب على سيراميكا كليوباترا بهدف نظيف.

وذلك بعد أيام قليل من تحقيق انتصار كبير على أوراوا الياباني بطل قارة آسيا، في كأس العالم للأندية وحصد المركز الثالث.

Arsenal have held talks over signing Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount this summer as they begin to step up their summer transfer plans, according to a recent report from GOAL.

What's the latest Mason Mount transfer news?

Mount's contract is set to expire at the end of next season, and he is yet to commit to a new deal with Chelsea, meaning rival Premier League clubs have now started to work on potential deals for the midfielder.

Liverpool are seemingly leading the race at present, given that they have already gone as far as to prepare and approve a contract for the Englishman, with manager Jurgen Klopp said to be keen on the deal.

There is still a possibility the 24-year-old remains at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues now said to be "a little bit more optimistic" than they once were about being able to agree fresh terms with the £80k-per-week earner.

However, the central midfielder's head could now be turned by Arsenal, given that the Gunners are now said by GOAL to be monitoring him, having already held talks about his potential availability this summer.

The Gunners are believed to be targeting West Ham United's Declan Rice as a priority, however Mount is also being discussed, as he is now expected to leave his current club in the summer.

There is set to be stiff competition for the England international's signature, however, with Liverpool pushing hard, while both Manchester clubs, as well as Newcastle United are also keen on a deal.

Should Arsenal sign Mason Mount this summer?

The maestro will not come cheap, given that the Blues are set to demand £70m to allow him to leave this summer, which poses a big question about whether he is a worthwhile signing for the Gunners.

Considering that huge price tag, a move for the Cobham academy graduate may rule Arsenal out of contention for Rice, who is set to cost around £100m, and there is evidence the West Ham star is superior, having averaged more interceptions and a better pass-completion rate per 90 than his compatriot in the past year.

Mount is by no means a bad player, having been hailed "phenomenal" by members of the media, weighing in with 21 goal contributions in 32 Premier League appearances last season.

However Rice should remain the priority for Mikel Arteta, and the Chelsea midfielder should only be targeted as a back-up option.