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Newcastle travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal in the Premier League as they again go in search of their first win of the campaign.

Eddie Howe is set to be in the dugout for the first time as the club’s manager and his impact could give the Magpies the lift they need to get themselves off the foot of the table.

Their 3-3 draw with Brentford last weekend saw them slide to the bottom of the league, with Norwich moving up to 19th, and they are the only team in the division without a win.

How many changes will Howe make to the team against the Gunners? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three alterations to the side from last week, with Martin Dubravka, Isaac Hayden and Ryan Fraser coming in.

Starting off in goal, Karl Darlow could be axed from the team for Dubravka to be handed his first start of the season. We published an article explaining why the former deserves to be dropped from the team after his recent blunder against Brentford, and the Slovakian could benefit from such a decision.

It would then be over to the 32-year-old to show that he is able to hit the ground running and reclaim his place as the club’s number one. A strong performance and a clean sheet could be a perfect return to action for Dubravka, and we are predicting that Howe will give him the opportunity to play.

In midfield, Isaac Hayden could come into the side ahead of Joe Willock. Playing at the Emirates could require an added defensive emphasis on the midfield and the 26-year-old enforcer could be selected to play as a holding midfielder next to Jonjo Shelvey. He has averaged 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game this season, showing that he has the ability to cut out attacks in the middle of the park.

Finally, we are predicting that Ryan Fraser will come into the side for Ciaran Clark in order to facilitate a change in formation. Howe’s favoured setup is said to be the 4-4-2 with two number sixes in midfield, which would mean that a centre-back needs to be dropped for a winger from the starting XI against Brentford.

Clark has been in poor form this season and the £42k-per-week dud should be axed from the side for Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar to start as a centre-back pairing, with Fraser moving out wide. He could then provide service to Callum Wilson and Joelinton up top.

AND in other news, PIF submit NUFC proposal to beast tipped to be “one of the best”, fans will be buzzing…

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly now behind in the race to sign Josh Stones this summer.

The Lowdown: Plotting move

It has previously been reported that the Teddy Bears are plotting a move to bring Stones to Ibrox, but face competition for his signature.

The striker is impressing at National League North side Guiseley, where he was scoring goals for fun earlier this term, while he also plays for England at youth level, and put in an ‘excellent‘ performance against Crystal Palace Academy last month after scoring in a 1-1 draw.

The Latest: Wigan ahead

As per Football Insider, Wigan Athletic are now leading the race to sign Stones ahead of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team, Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers.

A recruitment source has revealed that the Latics are in ‘pole position’, and are ‘favourites’ to agree a deal.

Stones ‘impressed’ during a training stint there, and the English League One club are now ‘keen’ to offer him a contract.

The Verdict: Blow

It is certainly a blow for the Teddy Bears that they now look set to miss out on Stones.

At just 18 years of age, he is clearly one for the future going by his plaudits so far and the intense interest in his services, and has already shown a lot of promise at youth level.

Stones was rewarded with a place on the bench in Guiseley’s FA Cup first-round game against League One side AFC Wimbledon back in November, who play three divisions above them, and so he is clearly destined for a good career in senior football.

Nonetheless, the Gers will now be hoping that it is not too late to persuade him to play in Scotland instead.

In other news, find out which RFC star could now be sold to the English Premier League here!

Luis Enrique is one of the names in the frame to take over at Manchester United, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein. 

Ornstein wrote that the appointment process will begin in earnest in the coming weeks, with the Red Devils keen to hire a manager with experience at a top European club.

A brief lowdown on United target Enrique

During his time with Barcelona between 2014 and 2017, Enrique won nine major honours, most notably the 2014/15 UEFA Champions League. He was named the World’s Best Club Coach that season, having also led his side to glory in La Liga and the Copa Del Rey.

Enrique is currently in charge of the Spanish national team and will be preparing for the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year.

Also in contention to succeed Ralf Rangnick permanently are Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino, Ajax’s Erik ten Hag and Enrique’s compatriot Julen Lopetegui, who is currently at Sevilla.

Ornstein relayed his news on Twitter, and here’s what these United fans made of it.

These United fans would love Enrique

“Luis Enrique would be a great match”

Credit: @Josh_Somwaru

“Enrique anytime”

Credit: @adi4utd

“I’d really love Enrique”

Credit: @StanleyMawu

“ENRIQUE, OMG I’M ON MY KNEES”

Credit: @youxufiftikhxr

“Omggg ENRIQUEEEEEE”

Credit: @aaron_utd

“Ten Hag or Enrique would bang”

Credit: @Rangnick_Era

In other news, lots of United fans flock to this January exit report

Taking to Twitter, Sportitalia TV reporter Gianluigi Longari has broken some Tottenham Hotspur transfer news in the race to sign Fiorentina star striker Dusan Vlahovic.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye Vlahovic move…

As per numerous reports, the Lilywhites and transfer chief Fabio Paratici have been eyeing a move for the Serbia international over these last few months as manager Antonio Conte seeks an attacking alternative to Harry Kane.

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Vlahovic has been in scintillating form for his club over 2021/2022, catching Spurs’ attention as they reportedly hold pre-January transfer meetings with La Viola chiefs over a transfer (La Gazzetta dello Sport via Sport Witness).

Sources closer to home also back Tottenham’s interest in the 21-year-old, with The Telegraph claiming that he has been a Paratici target since the summer window.

Breaking some news on social media, Longari now has the latest on Spurs’ links to Vlahovic.

The Latest: Longari breaks Vlahovic news…

Taking to Twitter, the Italian reporter has claimed that Tottenham are now ‘working strongly’ to sign the striker for summer but are ‘also trying’ a difficult move for January.

“They are working strongly for Vlahovic for the summer and are also trying a difficult attempt for January,” he explained.

“Fiorentina want to keep him until summer.”

The Verdict: Pull out all the stops?

Amid Conte’s goal to secure Tottenham qualification the Europa League or Champions League at the end of this season, news that they are unlikely to sign him this month could come as a slight blow.

However, as they attempt to sway Fiorentina into a winter agreement, you could make the argument that every club has their price and we believe Paratici should be pulling out all the stops for Vlahovic as a priority target.

Scoring 18 goals and assisting four others in 21 appearances across all competitions (Transfermarkt), Vlahovic has been lavished with praise given he is one of the most in-form forwards in Europe right now.

Spurs insider John Wenham recently called him ‘unbelievable’ and a would-be ‘phenomenal signing’ for Conte and the club, with Vlahovic’s numbers certainly backing those claims.

Paratici would have to break Tottenham’s transfer record to sign Fiorentina’s man according to some reports as Gazzetta (via AS) claim the club have set an eye-watering €100million (£85m) price tag.

However, given Vlahovic’s age, sell-on potential, incredible form and obvious ability – he genuinely could be worth such a fee.

In other news: Tottenham prepare £16.7m offer for ‘sensational’ player, club have no choice but to accept…find out more here.

Everton have been interviewing candidates to replace recently sacked Rafa Benitez at Everton over the last week, with no official offers being made so far and now there has been a further development for the next candidate to enter talks with the owner and the board at Goodison Park.

What’s the word?

Everton insider, Alan Myers, has revealed on Twitter that Frank Lampard will hold talks with Everton this week to see if the position is something he would be interested in and whether he would be the right man for the job.

Myers tweeted on Tuesday afternoon “Lampard to discuss role this week.”

There are several key pieces of information in the tweet Myers has posted, with it confirming that Pereira will continue talks with the club as well and no contact had yet been made with fan favourite Wayne Rooney.

Fans will be delighted

Lampard is a manager that has been thrown into the mix several times this season when positions have become available at Premier League clubs, with the Chelsea legend reportedly close to taking the Norwich job back in November before Dean Smith was appointed at Carrow Road, and Everton fans have already taken to social media to share their delight in Lampard’s potential for taking the job in Merseyside.

One fan tweeted: “Moshiri and Everton should give the fans Lampard, if it doesn’t work it will be on us. But he must give him the best environment to be successful.”

There is no doubt that the 43-year-old Premier League legend would add something different to the Everton job with his success as a player and winning mentality representing something that would be a huge positive influence in a dressing room that lacks confidence after a series of poor performances from the Toffees this season so far.

He would also attract quality players to the team due to his connections at Chelsea, which could help get the deal for Malang Sarr over the line in time for Deadline Day next week, a player that Everton have been linked with over the last week.

In terms of Lampard’s managerial career, he definitely has what it takes to put up a fight, with Derby County knocking Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup on penalties during his tenure and leading the Championship side to the play-off finals against Aston Villa, but was unfortunately unable to get the club promoted.

He then moved onto Chelsea during their transfer ban season, developing young players like Mason Mount into the regular starter and England star he has become today.

Overall, the former midfielder would not necessarily be the worst choice that Moshiri could make in hiring a new manager, he can offer a fresh perspective on the current problems at Everton, something that could potentially inspire a U-turn in the Toffees campaign by developing a positive mindset in the players that could help them win games and climb back into safety in the Premier League.

In other news: Insider reveals update on Duncan Ferguson’s position

An update has emerged on Newcastle United target Hoffenheim midfielder Florian Grillitsch, regarding interest from another English side…

What’s the talk?

According to Sky Germany, via Fussball Transfers, Tottenham have now joined the race for his services alongside the Magpies.

The report claims that he will see out his contract in Germany before joining a new club next summer as a free agent.

Sissoko 2.0

Eddie Howe must ensure that Newcastle are able to beat Spurs to his signature as he could be the club’s new midfield beast moving forward.

The Austrian could finally be the heir to Moussa Sissoko’s throne in the middle of the park, with the Magpies failing to sign an effective enforcer since he left the club. Both players stand at 6 foot 1, 1.87m, and are able to put a shift in across the park at both ends of the pitch.

Sissoko managed one goal and seven assists in his final Premier League campaign for Newcastle, whilst averaging 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game. His height also allowed him to win 1.5 aerial battles per game, which helped the side in terms of defending long balls and set-pieces.

Last season in the Bundesliga, Grillitsch chipped in with two goals and one assist, averaging 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game. He won 1.2 aerial battles per game, which has shot up to 1.5 this term, showing that he can also have an impact in the air.

German coach Julian Nagelsmann was previously effusive in his praise of the range midfielder, saying:

“In my opinion, Flo Grillitsch is one of the best six in the Bundesliga who is already a little under the radar. At least you rarely read anything about him.

“He still has a few construction sites, he knows that, I’ve told him that often enough. But he is an extraordinary footballer and has an incredible ability to determine the rhythm of the game.”

Newcastle’s current defensive midfielder, Isaac Hayden, is averaging a dreadful WhoScored rating of 6.44 in the Premier League. Grillitsch, meanwhile, is averaging a score of 6.98 in the Bundesliga for Hoffenheim – suggesting that he could be a sizeable upgrade on the ex-Arsenal man if he is able to adapt to English football.

It is now down to Howe to work with Nick Hammond to get a deal over the line for the midfield machine as the ex-Bournemouth boss could unearth Sissoko 2.0 for the Magpies and solve their issues in midfield.

AND in other news, Move over Ashworth: NUFC must consider “irate” DoF whose “behaviour’s been a disgrace”…

According to Irons insider Claret & Hugh, there has been a promising West Ham United transfer update involving long-time David Moyes target Jesse Lingard.

The Lowdown: Moyes attempts move…

Over the past two windows, a reoccurring theme of West Ham’s transfer activity has been their determination to sign Man United playmaker Lingard on a permanent deal.

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West Ham attempted to seal an agreement both last summer and in the most recent winter window but those attempts at a breakthrough eventually failed to come to fruition.

As Lingard runs down his contract, which is set to expire in June this year, the 29-year-old could now join the Hammers on a Bosman – with Red Devils boss Ralf Rangnick green-lighting the player’s exit.

It is believed that the attacker has had it ‘made clear’ that an Old Trafford extension is unlikely due to a ‘plan set in place’ by Rangnick.

The Latest: Lingard has preference…

According to C&H, as Lingard weighs his next move, it is believed the Englishman is ‘set to turn his back on Newcastle for West Ham’ due to his belief that Moyes is more likely to play him regularly than Magpies boss Eddie Howe.

The forward is apparently still a serious option for West Ham and their manager ahead of this summer window with their interest very much maintained.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Valued at around £18 million by Transfermarkt, West Ham could bypass this fee completely and seal an established Premier League creative force for nothing.

Taking this into account, a move for Lingard on the eve of his contract expiry should at the very least be considered, especially going by the player’s personal stance.

The Three Lions ace will be looking to work his way back into Gareth Southgate’s England squad ahead of the World Cup in Qatar later this year and a move to West Ham could well be his best option.

One of Lingard’s best seasons in the English top flight came on loan at the London Stadium last year and it isn’t inconceivable to believe he could re-discover that form for 2022/2023.

In other news: West Ham surprise on the cards with GSB in mix to sign ‘big name’ once valued at £100m, find out more here.

With Leeds United having the second-youngest squad in the Premier League with an average age of 24.8 according to Transfermarkt, it seems as though the Yorkshire club could be looking to add a player to their squad that could offer them a lot of Premier League experience.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Calcio Mercato (via Sport Witness) Leeds are interested in signing Juventus and former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey on a loan deal in the upcoming January transfer window.

Before jetting off to Juventus back in the 2019 summer transfer window, Ramsey made a total of 371 appearances for Arsenal across all competitions, scoring 65 goals and providing 65 assists in the process.

With 262 of those appearances coming in the Premier League, this shows just how much experience the Welshman could offer Marcelo Bielsa’s side if he does leave Juventus next month and fancies a return to England with Leeds and play alongside some of his Wales teammates such as Dan James and Tyler Roberts.

Labelled as an “outstanding technician” in the past by pundit and former Arsenal star Martin Keown, Ramsey could definitely offer some creativity and goals to this Leeds side who have only managed to score 15 times in as many games so far this season.

Additionally, with Leeds only having four central-midfield options in their squad at the moment, this backs up why signing a midfielder such as Ramsey, who is currently valued at £9m according to Transfermarkt, would be a good idea for the Yorkshire club to do in January to give Bielsa that bit of extra depth in that area of his squad.

The report does claim, however, that Leeds would look for a loan deal for Ramsey whereas fellow Premier League club Everton could be willing to make a permanent deal for the 30-year-old, which might be more appealing to Juventus rather than a loan deal and therefore put the Whites on the backfoot in the chase for his signature.

Either way, with January around the corner, Leeds and Victor Orta should definitely explore the option of signing Ramsey either on a loan deal or permanent basis if they can, as it would definitely start their transfer window with a bang given his pedigree at the top level.

In other news: Huge setback: Leeds struck with double injury blow that’ll surely have Bielsa fuming – opinion

Kevin Phillips has dropped a claim on the future of West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

What’s been said?

In a recent interview with West Brom News, the Sky Sports pundit stated his belief that, should the Baggies receive a sizeable offer for the 28-year-old this month, they will more than likely cash in on the England international as a result of his contract situation, with his current deal due to expire at the end of the season.

However, the former Premier League centre-forward went on to suggest that, if Albion were to lose the services of the former Manchester United ‘keeper – who has been linked with Tottenham, West Ham, Newcastle and Rangers this month – it would come as a huge blow to Valerien Ismael’s chances of automatic promotion from the Championship.

Speaking about Johnstone’s future, Phillips said: “It’s always a difficult one. You can look at it from two points of view – the club’s point of view and then about getting the club back to the Premier League.

“From a business point of view, if a big offer comes in, it wouldn’t surprise me if the club took it because he could walk away for free in the summer. I would like to see the club wanting him to stay, but it’s business. I’d like to see the player himself help get the club back to the Premier League. If he was to leave, it would be a huge blow.”

“Huge blow”

Considering how impressive Johnstone has been for West Brom since his £6.5m move to The Hawthorns in 2018, the loss of the goalkeeper this month would undoubtedly come as a huge blow to Albion’s chances of securing a top-two finish in the current campaign, as Phillips has said.

Indeed, over his 24 Championship appearances this season, the £7.2m-rated stopper has kept 11 clean sheets, in addition to making 1.4 saves and 1.7 successful runs out per match. These returns have seen the 28-year-old average a SofaScore match rating of 6.82, ranking him as Ismael’s 14th-best player in the league.

However, it was undoubtedly over his 37 Premier League outings last term that the England international solidified his reputation as a top-class option between the sticks, with the £32.5k-per-week ace keeping six clean sheets and making 4.5 saves per match – the most of any ‘keeper in the league.

These metrics saw Johnstone earn an astonishing seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as the Baggies’ second-best player in the division – a quite remarkable feat considering the club’s ultimate relegation from the top flight.

As such, it is clear for all to see that the loss of the 28-year-old would come as a significant blow to West Brom’s chances of securing a return to the Premier League this year. That leads us to believe that it would be worth keeping Johnstone around until the end of the season, before waving goodbye to him on a free transfer this summer.

In other news: West Brom finally receive positive injury news, fans will be buzzing

Many Everton fans have been left fuming over some transfer news on Vitaliy Mykolenko.

As per Italian football journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Ukraine international is currently now undergoing his medical at Goodison Park ahead of a move from Dynamo Kyiv.

The final price is between €21-23m (£17.8-19.5m), and personal terms have already been agreed with the player.

The fee itself certainly seems hefty given the Merseyside club’s problems with Financial Fair Play (FFP), and some Toffees supporters are now worried that there will not be money elsewhere to spend on other priority positions, as they already have Lucas Digne at left-back.

While club captain Seamus Coleman has been a faithful servant, he is 33 years of age now, and so needs replacing soon, while deputy right-back Jonjoe Kenny has only played in a mere four games in total over all competitions so far this season, with that area in particular one that certainly needs strengthening.

Everton fans on Mykolenko transfer news

These Blues fumed as the transfer news was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that they were ‘concerned’:

“Everton with no money and gaping holes in the squad on the right side, spending €20m+ on a left back. WHY?”

Credit: @0ptimumvelocity

“We’ve replaced our replacement for Baines before replacing Coleman”

Credit: @Ofearns7

“How’s he worth £18m yet no one’s heard of him… that’s a stupid amount to pay.”

Credit: @Evertxn

“Took us 2 weeks to find a replacement LB but 4 years after Coleman broke his leg we still have no RB”

Credit: @J_Reck90

“Madness that this is a priority when we have Nkounkou out on loan too, priority has to be to replace Seamus Coleman surely”

Credit: @gally1878

“Seriously concerned.”

Credit: @The_Penny_Blue

In other news, find out who is now a candidate to potentially replace Rafa Benitez here!