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 An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s interest in Hellas Verona attacking midfielder Antonin Barak…

What’s the talk?

According to L’Arena, via Tutto Hellas Verona, the Magpies are interested in a deal to sign the Serie A midfielder in the January transfer window.

The report claims that West Ham are also showing an interest in the Czech international, with the Italian side wanting £21m (€25m) for his services.

Imagine him & Willock

Eddie Howe must land Barak in January as he could help Newcastle secure a dream midfield with the Verona beast playing alongside summer signing Joe Willock.

Barak is a box-to-box midfielder who can play in a typical number eight role or in the hole as a number 10, with the ability to score and create goals in the final third. He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.05 for Verona in the Serie A this season, scoring four goals and providing two assists.

Last term, he produced seven goals and three assists on loan with the club, whilst also winning 4.2 duels per game for his side, averaging a rating of 6.91. He then signed permanently and has continued his fine form, attracting interest from Newcastle.

Juventus and Czech Republic legend Pavel Nedved previously hailed Barak and claimed that he had the ability to play at a higher level than Udinese, prior to his move to Hellas Verona. He said:

“If we talk about Czech talents, we do not have to try a lot. Udinese has Barak and Jankto, two I like. They are doing well, but I think they can play at a higher level.”

He could form a dream partnership with Joe Willock for the Magpies, as the former Arsenal man is similar in his box-to-box style. Willock scored eight goals and made 2.5 tackles and interceptions per game for Newcastle in the Premier League last season, showing that he also has the quality to make an impact at both ends of the pitch.

This means that Howe could have a midfield duo capable of covering ground defensively and contributing in the final third when they break forward to support the attack. Therefore, the pair could provide a balance to the midfield and form a platform upon which Newcastle can build their attacks and stop the opposition.

AND in other news, NUFC must seal record-breaking £67m deal for “extraordinary” gem, fans would love it…

There is currently no sign of Wolves doing any more business in the January transfer window, according to reliable journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: Quiet January at Wolves

While other clubs have made plenty of signings this month, things have been relatively serene at Molineux up until this point.

Granted, Adama Traore has joined Barcelona and Jeong Sang-bin has come in and gone straight out on loan to Grasshopper Club Zurich for 18 months, but it hasn’t been a busy window.

There is still time for Bruno Lage to sort a potential new signing though, and some reports have even suggested the manager will bring in a replacement for Traore, but Spiers seemingly thinks otherwise.

The Latest: Spiers delivers key update

Taking to Twitter on Friday to respond to a question about the January window, Spiers admitted things are ‘pretty quiet at the moment’.

That suggests Wolves fans should expect little to happen prior to Monday’s transfer deadline, as Lage and his players enjoy some downtime during the international break.

The Verdict: No great issue

While it would have been nice to see a big name come in this month, particularly a centre-back or a replacement for Traore, the current situation is certainly no disaster.

Both Jonny and Pedro Neto could be set to return from long-term injury absences in the near future, acting as a huge boost, and no European football means matches won’t come too thick and fast.

Wolves should, therefore, have enough depth in their squad to maintain their current European push, with 13 points picked up from a possible 15 in their last five matches.

In other news, a journalist has backed Wolves to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

With the January transfer window now open for business, this will give Rangers and their manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst the chance to make any changes to their squad that they feel will be beneficial and give them the best chance to secure the Premiership title once again this season.

One potential deal with which the club have been linked this month is a loan move for Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville.

With nine goals and eight assists in 24 appearances for Leeds’ under-23 side, the 20-year-old certainly has some attacking talent in him. He could be given the chance to flourish at Rangers considering that he has only made five appearances in the Premier League for Marcelo Bielsa’s team so far this season, all coming off the substitutes’ bench.

Taking into account Summerville’s clear attacking abilities on the pitch in terms of scoring and creating goals, his potential move to Ibrox this month could give Van Bronckhorst the chance to create a deadly attacking duo of him and Alfredo Morelos, who has 13 goals and four assists in 29 appearances this season across all competitions.

If Rangers were able to secure the signature of Summerville this month and get him delivering similar returns to those in Leeds’ under-23 side alongside Morelos, this could be just what Van Bronckhorst could need to lead the Light Blues to a second consecutive league title.

Labelled a “bag of tricks” by his former manager Chris Powell, Summerville could be an exciting prospect for Rangers fans to see at Ibrox for the remainder of the season.

However, with recent reports suggesting that English Championship club Blackburn Rovers are also interested in signing the Dutchman on a loan deal this month, this could scupper Rangers’ hopes of signing him, especially if Leeds feel he could be better off staying in England rather than experiencing Scottish top-flight football.

With that in mind, Rangers will need to act quickly to convince Summerville and Leeds that he will be better off at Ibrox and get the opportunity to play regularly, which is presumably what all parties would want if the winger were to leave Elland Road on a loan deal in the coming weeks.

In other news: Van Bronckhorst could save Rangers millions with “magnificent” 21 y/o, he’s a “manager’s dream”

Having conceded 29 goals in 17 Premier League games so far this season, it’s safe to say that Everton could do with adding some defensive reinforcements to their squad sooner rather than later.

The upcoming January transfer window could well provide the Merseyside club with the best opportunity to do just that so they can try to improve their form in the second half of the campaign.

In a recent Everton-themed transfer mailbag report from The Athletic, Toffees journalist Greg O’Keefe was discussing the possibility of the club making a move to sign Norwich City right-back Max Aarons, with whom the Blues have been linked in the past, during the upcoming window.

He said: “With plenty of room to improve in age terms, he might be a good addition but it remains to be seen whether Everton will be able to spend another fee similar to what they’ve agreed for [Vitaliy] Mykolenko.”

Having signed Ben Godfrey from Norwich last year in a deal worth a reported £20m, with him going on to cement himself in the team by making 51 appearances across all competitions, the club now has the chance to replicate this sort of deal, this time with Aarons as a young defender from Norwich who has the capacity to make a long-term impact at Everton.

Having been praised in the past by Jon Newsome for delivering some “outstanding” performances for the Canaries, the 21-year-old could potentially one day become a long-term replacement for Everton’s 33-year-old captain Seamus Coleman at right-back given the age gap between the two players.

In terms of a potential move to Everton in January, it would be hard to see Norwich being particularly willing to let Aarons leave halfway through the season as they are trying to avoid relegation. Indeed, the £19.8m-rated youngster has played more minutes than anyone else at Carrow Road in the Premier League this season, showing how important he is to Dean Smith’s side.

Either way, Everton should definitely explore the possibility of trying to secure a deal with Norwich for Aarons in January. If the Canaries aren’t willing to let him go next month, the Toffees could wait until the summer to see if the situation would be any different.

In other news: Benitez must finally axe £92k-p/w Everton flop, he’s stealing a living

Newcastle United failed to win in the Premier League for the 19th time this season as a late Joao Pedro goal for Watford denied the Magpies a vital three points in the hunt for survival on Saturday afternoon.

Eddie Howe’s side had taken the lead early in the second half as Allan Saint-Maximin scored his fifth goal of the campaign, but they couldn’t hold on for what would have been just their second league victory of the season.

It was Kieran Trippier’s first Premier League game for the Tyneside club after making his debut in the 1-0 FA Cup loss to Cambridge United last weekend, while it was Chris Wood’s debut for the club after his £25m move from relegation rivals Burnley during the week. Unfortunately for the New Zealand international, it was one to forget.

According to SofaScore, the 30-year-old lost possession 14 times whilst making just 35 touches as he struggled to get into the game, losing the ball once for every 2.5 touches. The £5.4m-rated striker also committed three fouls and didn’t manage to get a shot on target as Newcastle were once again frustrated.

Wood had netted three goals in 17 Premier League games for the Clarets this season prior to his move to Tyneside with a further 50 goals in 148 games after making the move to Turf Moor from Leeds United in August 2017.

Newcastle have the top flight’s fourth-worst goal return, having scored just 20 times in as many games. It’s certainly an area where they need to improve if they are to retain their Premier League status.

Moreover, losing points from winning positions in the manner that they did against the Hornets, particularly given that Claudio Ranieri’s side are also in the battle to avoid relegation, is a terrible habit which will need to be broken in order to ensure top-flight survival.

Wood will be heavily relied upon to start scoring, particularly with the absence of Callum Wilson who has scored six league goals this term but will miss eight weeks of action through injury. If that is to happen, though, the 30-year-old will need to improve on today’s tepid debut performance, which was the type of one which could cost Howe and Newcastle their Premier League status by the season’s end.

AND in other news, Newcastle are also eyeing a move for this player who’s been dubbed the “new Vidic”

Newcastle United have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Everton centre-back Yerry Mina in January, with the defender reportedly available for £17m.

What’s the story?

The Magpies are likely to invest in January after the completion of their Saudi-backed takeover and will be looking for reinforcements to help push their survival bid.

Eddie Howe’s side are currently 19th in the Premier League, having won just one of their 15 top-flight games this term. However, that win came in their most recent match against Burnley and they will look to make themselves a more attractive proposition over the coming weeks before the transfer window opens.

They certainly need additions in the defensive department, conceding 30 league goals already this term, the third-highest tally in the top flight, and a swoop for Mina could be shrewd business.

According to a report from Jeunes Footeux, the Toffees will allow the defender to leave Goodison Park in January should their €20m (£17m) asking price be met. Mina is also entering the final 18 months of his contract, meaning that an imminent sale would be preferred by the Merseyside club.

The Colombian has been limited to just seven league appearances under Rafael Benitez so far this season, although an ongoing thigh problem has been a major reason for his absence. Mina returned to action on Monday night in Everton’s 2-1 win over Arsenal after two months out of the team, although the 27-year-old only managed 31 minutes as he had to be withdrawn.

According to SofaScore, the £120k-p/w defender has averaged a 78% pass accuracy and 3.4 clearances per game this season, compared to the 66% pass accuracy and 3.7 clearances per game of Fabian Schär.

It appears that Mina is certainly popular with many associated with Everton, in particular teammate Richarlison, who claimed that the Colombian is the club’s “best defender”. Furthermore, former Everton defender Michael Ball claimed earlier this season that “when he’s fit, he’s a monster.”

The 27-year-old has shown that he poses a threat in the air, frequently netting with headers and winning at least 2.7 aerial duels per game in every season since moving to Merseyside. Such traits are reminiscent of former Newcastle defender Fabricio Coloccini, who was renowned for being ‘strong in the air’ during his time on Tyneside.

With Transfermarkt currently valuing Mina at £18m, it could prove a sensible deal for the Magpies if PIF can land a new version of former Magpies and Argentina defender Coloccini. At 6 foot 5, the Colombian is certainly a physical presence and would come to St James’ Park with plenty of Premier League experience, having made 73 appearances in the English top flight.

In other news: Howe drops four-word injury update which will leave Newcastle fans buzzing

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has reacted to Manchester United’s interest in Kalvin Phillips, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Manchester United ‘working on a deal’

Phillips has been linked with a number of clubs in recent months, with Aston Villa, Newcastle United and West Ham all showing an interest.

Manchester United have become the latest side to be name-checked when it comes to Phillips, with the Red Devils now ‘working on a deal’ for the England international.

The 26-year-old is in the process of changing agents and is keen to stay at Elland Road, however, Kenny feels a move to Old Trafford shouldn’t be ruled out at this stage.

The Latest: Kenny’s comments

Kenny was talking to FI about the update on Manchester United’s move for Phillips. He claimed that Leeds fans ‘will be devastated’ if a move materialised, labelling it as ‘a difficult one to turn down’.

“He’s Leeds through and through but we saw that with Jack Grealish didn’t we?

“He’s Villa through and through but he decided to sign for Manchester City last summer.

“If an offer like that comes in, it might never come again. Can you afford to say no?

“It’s like Lampard at Chelsea. He didn’t know if it was going to work out but that offer might not come again, you have to take it.

“It will be interesting to see if this move happens. The fans will be devastated if he does go.

“As a player, you have to look to the future and Leeds are a big club but Man United are one of the biggest in the world.

“It’s a difficult one to turn down, that’s for sure.”

The Verdict: Surely not…

Phillips is a boyhood Leeds fan, so he’ll know all about the fierce rivalry between the two clubs.

The Red Devils may not even be in a position to offer him Champions League football either next season, so a move across the Pennines doesn’t look too appealing as it once did.

The Red Devils could do with midfield additions over the summer, though, so it could be a real coup if they managed to persuade Phillips to move to Old Trafford over the coming months.

In other news: ‘Ten Hag has’ – Fabrizio Romano now drops Man Utd twist after what he’s heard from Old Trafford. 

Manchester United confirmed the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Sunday morning, after over three years in charge at Old Trafford.

In a statement, the Manchester United board thanked Ole and outlined their intentions moving forward;

“Ole will always be a legend at Manchester United and it is with regret that we have reached this difficult decision.

“Michael Carrick will now take charge of the team for forthcoming games, while the club looks to appoint an interim manager to the end of the season.”

The dismissal follows an embarrassing result for the Red Devils that saw them lose 4-1 to Watford on Saturday afternoon, which was seemingly the final nail in the coffin for the Norwegian manager, after an emergency meeting was held in the hours following the game, eventually leading to the club’s announcement.

Many names have been thrown into the mix for the highly speculated Manchester United manager job, and although the initial position to be filled is for an interim manager to take over for the next six months, moves are being made to find the right long term manager to lead them into the 2022/23 season.

One journalist has dropped a huge development on one particular popular candidate for the long term position next summer.

Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth claimed;

“It’s my information that Ajax simply wouldn’t entertain releasing a manager mid-season. However, I’ve been told that Erik ten Hag would 100% be interested in the Manchester United job in the summer. His contract runs out in the summer of 2023.”

Fans will surely be buzzing with this revelation, as Erik Ten Hag is said to be one of the ‘most promising’ managers in world football right now.

The 51-year-old Ajax boss has led the Dutch side to two league titles and to their first Champions League semi-final since 1997 beating Real Madrid and Juventus on their way.

He also has connections to a Manchester United player who, ironically, scored the final goal for the side against Watford.

Ten Hag developed Donny Van De Beek into the player that scored 41 goals and 34 assists for Ajax, before making his move to Manchester United.

The 24-year-old midfielder would clearly welcome Ten Hag with open arms after having a turbulent time so far at Old Trafford with not being able to get into the team and would hope that his presence could boost his game time, and ultimately make him more of a key player in the starting team.

With that in mind, everyone associated with the 20-time English champions would surely be elated to see him arrive at the club next summer.

Manchester United are set to face Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday with Michael Carrick leading the team in their must-win in Spain.

AND in other news, “Sources close to Sir Alex Ferguson say” – MUFC manager update will have fans buzzing…

Celtic have been dealt a blow in their bid to bring Hannes Wolf to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Turkish media outlet Fotomac (via the Daily Record), who claim that, despite previous reports suggesting that Celtic and Rapid Vienna were the only serious contenders for the Borussia Monchengladbach attacking midfielder this month, both Trabzonspor and Istanbul Basaksehir have now joined the race from the 22-year-old.

The report goes on to state that the Bundesliga side have made moving the Austria international on one of their main priorities in the January transfer window, while it has also been claimed that Gladbach would be willing to part with Wolf on a temporary basis this month.

Postecoglou will be fuming

While it is true that Wolf has not enjoyed his finest form since making an £8.55m move to Borussia Monchengladbach this summer, the forward nevertheless proved during his time at Red Bull Salzburg that he is a player with a considerable amount of both potential and talent.

Indeed, over his 22 Austrian Bundesliga appearances back in 2018/19, the £12.5m-rated attacking midfielder scored eight goals, provided seven assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

These returns saw the £27k-per-week forward who Ralf Rangnick dubbed a “prominent” talent earn a highly impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.92, playing a starring role in his side’s title-winning campaign that season.

Furthermore, with Wolf also being capable of playing further back in central midfield, as well on the left-wing and up front, the 22-year-old’s positional versatility would also appear to be another big plus point in Ange Postecoglou’s books.

However, with the recent news that Trabzonspor and Istanbul Basaksehir have now joined the race for the youngster, both of whom have a considerably bigger wage budget than the Bhoys, Celtic’s chances of securing a deal for the Gladbach forward appear to have been shortened somewhat – something that will undoubtedly leave Postecoglou fuming.

In other news: “Opened talks”: Joseph drops major transfer update that’ll have Celtic fans buzzing

With Antonio Conte’s career as Tottenham Hotspur manager having got off to an impressive start – picking up seven points from a possible nine in his first three Premier League fixtures – the 52-year-old will undoubtedly be hoping for yet another three points when Norwich City visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

However, while it has undoubtedly been less of a problem since the Italian’s arrival in North London, Spurs’ inability to put the ball in the back of the net has been a rather worrying issue for the club so far this season – with their 13 league goals scored ranking them as the joint third-worst attack in the league.

And, while it is has been well documented that Tottenham are in the market for a new centre-forward in the January transfer window, perhaps Conte already possesses a player whose introduction to the side could change Spurs’ fortunes in front of goal – in the shape of Tanguy Ndombele.

Conte must unleash Ndombele

While a performance against the lowest-ranked side in the UEFA Europa Conference League may not be the best barometer of a player’s creative and attacking capacity, particularly as it was a fixture that Tottenham ultimately lost, there was nevertheless clear evidence in the 2-1 defeat to NS Mura that the 24-year-old could well be the missing link between Spurs’ midfield and attack.

Indeed, over his 76 minutes on the pitch, Ndombele enjoyed 81 touches of the ball, made one key pass and completed five of his seven attempted dribbles, very much appearing to be the player who was most likely to make something happen for his side on the night.

The £40.5m-rated man also made one tackle, two interceptions, blocked one shot and won six of his nine attempted duels, proving that he is also not afraid to do the dirty work in the middle of the park.

His efforts saw the player who Jose Mourinho dubbed both “magnificent” and “phenomenal” earn a SofaScore match rating of 7.0, ranking him Tottenham’s second-best player to start the fixture.

As such, with bottom of the table Norwich City up next, now would very much appear to be the time to unleash the France international in the middle of the park, as the 24-year-old could well prove to help light the spark that is needed in front of goal for Spurs.

In other news: Huge blow: Spurs dealt injury setback ahead of Norwich clash, Conte will be gutted