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This January could be an almighty one for Newcastle United as they enter the transfer market for the first time under the guidance of PIF, their oil-rich new owners.

Trying to push any cash from Mike Ashley’s wallet in recent years was a strenuous task but it’s thought the club’s Saudi investors will be far more lapse with their finances.

What’s the word?

That could certainly be the case after an exciting new update from journalist Duncan Castles.

The reporter was speaking on his Transfer Window Podcast this week and told listeners to expect something pretty big from the Magpies in January after PIF decided to change their strategy just a few weeks after being in the northeast.

He said: “Initially, the idea was to be conservative in the January window, they didn’t want to do deals then.

“They were conscious that it’s hard to do deals then, the prices can be high and availability is limited, but they now feel that they have to use the window to its maximum potential.

“I’m hearing talk of maybe five or six players coming in.”

Fans buzzing

This is a piece of news that Newcastle supporters will have simply been dying to hear.

For so long the Toon Army have been starved of a lack of ambition at St James’ Park but Castles’ new claim seems to suggest that the Magpies will launch quite an offensive strategy in the January transfer market.

It remains to be seen who those five or six players are but it wouldn’t be a surprise if a few of them are marquee acquisitions.

Talented forward players like Mauro Icardi, Nicolas Pepe and Dusan Vlahovic have all been linked while the twinkle-toed Donny van de Beek is an option and the bulldozer that is Stefan de Vrij has popped up on their radar too.

Of course, it would be wise of Amanda Staveley and co to pull off a few shrewder deals too, gently balancing out the squad before truly flexing their financial muscles in the summer of 2022.

Either way, the idea of signing a whole new crop of players will surely leave supporters delighted, especially when you consider the considerable rebuild that Eddie Howe needs to pull off.

He has walked into a mess in the northeast with the Magpies sitting towards the foot of the table and in danger of relegation.

Therefore, any further help in January would be appreciated, let alone from half a dozen potential new recruits.

The buzz has died down a little since the initial period of being taken over but this is something that will no doubt create more hype around the club.

AND in other news, Howe could find his new Ake if Newcastle swoop for “very intelligent” £26.8m beast…

As per The West Ham Way website, reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has shared a transfer update out of Rush Green involving long-time target Jesse Lingard.

The Lowdown: West Ham still chasing…

Since the Manchester United ace’s prolific 2020/2021 loan spell at the London Stadium, it’s no secret that manager David Moyes has been eager to sign Lingard on a permanent deal.

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The Hammers were knocked back in their summer attempts to do so but that interest has since continued into this January transfer window.

It is believed by reliable sources that Lingard is still a top target for Moyes and recruitment chief Rob Newman as the England international seeks a move away from Old Trafford in search of game time and one last major move before the twilight phase of his career.

Newcastle have also been attempting to sign the 29-year-old this month, but after those talks stalled, insider Ex believes West Ham are ready to try and take advantage in a last-gasp move.

The Latest: West Ham ‘attempting’ to now ‘reach a deal’…

According to the insider, via WHW, the Irons are ‘attempting now to reach a deal’ for Lingard after failed negotiations between Newcastle and his club.

As just two full days remain to conclude business, with the window shutting at precisely 11pm on Monday night, Newman and co are apparently at work on an eleventh-hour agreement.

However, there are still hurdles to the potential transfer as Man United seem ‘reluctant’ to do business with a direct challenger for the Premier League top four, while there are also still ‘issues’ to be resolved on Lingard’s side.

The Verdict: Time to move on?

As West Ham also chase the signing of a striker and centre-half in this final hurdle, Moyes shouldn’t spend too much time chasing his former favourite.

One final attempt may be worth it to see if an agreement can in fact be reached, especially considering United run the risk of losing him for nothing in the summer.

Valued at around £18 million by Transfermarkt, the Irons could potentially snap up Lingard for far less given his contract situation, which is set to expire later this year.

Pundit Rio Ferdinand also branded the player ‘amazing’ for this spell on loan in east London last year, as evident by his nine goals and four assists in 16 Premier League starts.

However, if this transfer continues to drag into deadline day, Moyes, unfortunately, has no time to waste and alternatives simply must be pursued at that point.

In other news: West Ham eye late window bid for ‘world class’ player after manager leaves him out of squad, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur have it all to do if they are to make it to a second successive Carabao Cup final this evening.

Antonio Conte’s side trail Premier League rivals Chelsea by two goals ahead of the second-leg of their semi-final clash at home, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Italian go full-strength in his bid to seal some instant silverware for the club.

However, he is facing several injury problems.

Eric Dier, Heung-min Son, Steven Bergwijn and Cristian Romero were all absent for their FA Cup third-round victory over League One outfit Morecambe on Saturday, where several big names were also rested.

Many of these are expected to also miss this encounter, whilst it was the introduction of Lucas Moura and Harry Kane that swung the tie in their favour. Conte must turn to these, especially the Brazilian winger, tonight.

Moura has time and time again proven to be a massive game-changer for the Lilywhites. His come-from-behind hat-trick against Ajax in the Champions League semi-final was a very long time ago but is evidence that he’s the sort of player who could save this tie from the dead.

After he came off the bench on Sunday, Spurs finally looked like the top-flight side as his pace and dynamism was no match for the third-tier minnows.

The £18m-rated dynamo currently rates out as Conte’s second-best performer in the Premier League, averaging a WhoScored rating of 7.18 per game, which is only betted by Son (7.24).

Moura leads the squad for dribbles (2.5 per game) and isn’t far behind for key passes (1.3 per game), suggesting that he is a crucial cog in the final third as he’s the man willing to take on the opposition and then create chances for the likes of Kane and Son.

According to teammate Eric Dier, the former PSG man is an absolute “nightmare” to train against, so just imagine him on form in an actual game. If he’s causing the English colossus problems, then he can surely create havoc against Thomas Tuchel’s depleted squad.

The Blues boss may even be without star defender Thiago Silva, so the Spurs winger could well feast tonight.

Conte must unleash the game-changing winger from the off this evening.

AND in other news, Spurs handed huge boost as Hotspur Way footage emerges pre-Chelsea…

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke (as per GIVEMESPORT), West Ham will only be able to sign Benfica’s Darwin Nunez if they qualify for the Champions League this season.

The Lowdown: Nunez thriving for Benfica

Since arriving in Portugal in 2020 in a deal worth £21.6m, Nunez has emerged as one of Europe’s most prolific scorers, having netted 32 times in 65 appearances for the Lisbon club, including a phenomenal 13 goals in as many league games this season.

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This follows an emphatic performance against Barcelona in the Champions League during the autumn, with the 22-year-old scoring twice as Benfica dominated the Spanish outfit in a 3-0 victory.

The Latest: O’Rourke makes Nunez claim

The Hammers have recently been linked with a potential swoop for Nunez and are said to have joined the increasingly competitive race to sign the Uruguay striker. It has been reported that Benfica would require €120m (£101.6m) to let the player leave, which would surely price the Irons out of any realistic transfer.

However, O’Rourke believes that there could be a chance if the Hammers manage to secure qualification for Europe’s top club competition.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: “For West Ham to have any chance of signing someone of his quality, they probably need to be qualifying for next season’s Champions League if they are to try to sign him in the summer. But I think a January deal is a no go.”

The Verdict: Could be tough for West Ham to pull off

With his exceptional goalscoring record, Nunez would be an unbelievable signing for David Moyes’ side, having been labelled as “special” by Joao Goncalves, the sporting director of his former club Almeria.

Benfica boss Jorge Jesus has also hailed the 22-year-old, claiming that it is only a matter of time until he becomes ‘world-class’. He said: “All this decision-making ability, finishing and speed…He was Benfica’s most expensive purchase, and when there is no pandemic, he will be the most expensive sale. He will be a world-class player.”

West Ham are set to face tough competition in pursuit of Nunez’s signature, and with his price tag inevitably rising with each goalscoring performance, it seems increasingly unlikely that the east Londoners will come out on top in this transfer chase, particularly given how their ailing form in recent weeks has made a top-four finish a tough task.

In other news: ‘Fallen off a cliff’, ‘Isn’t actually a footballer’ – Many West Ham fans slammed this player’s performance against Southampton

West Ham United remain interested in a deal to bring Layvin Kurzawa to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French media outlet Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness), who claim that David Moyes’ side remain in the race for the Paris Saint-Germain left-back this month, although the 29-year-old is not believed to be near the top of the 58-year-old’s list of targets in the current market.

The report goes on to state that the likes of Lazio, Inter Milan and Napoli are all also interested in a move for the France international, while Chelsea are believed to have rejected the chance to sign the former AS Monaco defender.

He’d be a huge upgrade

While Kurzawa may not be high on Moyes’ list of priorities in the January window, with the Irons manager prioritising the signing of a centre-back and centre-forward this month, considering the experience and ability the signing of the 29-year-old would bring to the left of the Hammers’ backline, it would appear highly advisable for the boss to indeed make a move for the PSG defender this month.

While it is true that the £8.1m-rated man has struggled to hold down a starting spot in the PSG side in recent seasons, he has nevertheless demonstrated previously that, when given the opportunity to do so, he can be an extremely useful player for a side challenging at the top of the league table.

Indeed, over his 19 Ligue 1 appearances in his debut campaign following a £22.5m move from AS Monaco back in 2015, the £89k-per-week left-back scored four goals, registered five assists and created six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.1 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

The defender also impressed in metrics more typical of his position that season, helping his side keep seven clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 3.3 interceptions, 2.7 tackles, 2.2 clearances, 43.4 passes and winning 7.2 duels per fixture – with a success rate of 62%.

These returns saw the player who labelled himself as a little “crazy” earn a rather astonishing seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.49, ranking him as the fourth-best player in the entirety of the French top-flight that year.

As such, should Moyes be able to help Kurzawa refind this form following a potential switch to West Ham this winter, the 29-year-old would not only appear to be a huge upgrade on Arthur Masuaku, but he could well push the Hammers’ first-choice left-back, Aaron Cresswell, for his starting spot at the London Stadium.

In other news: Moyes must now launch WHU bid for £46k-p/w “phenomenon” as key transfer twist emerges

Manchester United lost 1-0 to Everton at Goodison Park this afternoon, leaving their chances of a top four finish and Champions League football next season in serious doubt.

The Toffees are currently the fourth-most out-of-form in the Premier League over the last six matchdays, and after today’s defeat the Red Devils have become the seventh-most out-of-form, losing their eighth top-flight game of the season.

Despite having 67% possession, more shots on target and over twice as many passes completed today, United could not take anything from their clash on Merseyside, with players such as Alex Telles summing up their wastefulness on the ball, losing possession a team-high 28 times.

The Toffees took the lead in the 27th minute when Anthony Gordon’s shot deflected off Harry Maguire into the back of the net behind David de Gea. The visitors had more than hour to redeem themselves but failed to impose themselves successfully on Frank Lampard’s resilient Everton side.

One player who put in yet another nightmare performance for the Red Devils was Marcus Rashford, who failed to make a sufficient impact in the game, perhaps becoming more of a hindrance than a help.

According to SofaScore, United’s golden boy – who Gary Neville called “terrible” – was the worst-rated player on the pitch (5.9) and for good reason, losing all seven of his ground duels and 87.5% of his duels overall.

The forward also lost possession of the ball every 2.7 touches and failed to complete any of his three dribbles before he was hooked by Rangnick in the 64th minute, being replaced by Anthony Elanga.

It has been reported that the 24-year-old is intending to leave Old Trafford this summer after coming through the club’s academy and breaking through into the first team; and when you consider the season he is having, it would be no surprise if his desire to leave the club will be heard and delivered by United.

Rangnick will need to hope that the teams immediately ahead of them suffer the same fate during their fixtures this weekend to give his side a slight chance of redemption to keep their Champions League chances intact. One thing is for sure; Rashford did not do United’s top-four push too many favours today.

In other news – “Erik ten Hag has..”: Romano drops exciting Man Utd update this morning, it’s great news

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time as Manchester United manager has finally come to an end, an eventuality that will leave all four corners of Old Trafford beaming from ear to ear.

It has been a sorry tenure for the Norwegian tactician who leaves behind one of the most prestigious jobs in world football after a desperate 4-1 defeat to Watford on Saturday.

What’s the word?

A number of managers have been tipped with landing the job after Solskjaer’s sacking with Zinedine Zidane one of the most eye-catching names in the frame.

However, today, it has been claimed that Julian Lopetegui is on their radar, while they could also move for Laurent Blanc as an interim solution.

Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, has been admired by the club for a while and it’s now thought that the club’s biggest legend wants him at United.

That’s according to talkSPORT journalist Ian Abrahams who said on Twitter: “Information I’ve been told today – sources close to Sir Alex Ferguson say the former United manager wants Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s next manager. He thinks Zidane will go to PSG releasing Poch to move to Old Trafford.”

Fans buzzing

It’s fairly evident that Ferguson still has a huge role to play behind the scenes at Man United with the Scot proving key in Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to English football.

It will also come as no surprise to hear that Pochettino would be his first pick at United.

After all, the 79-year-old has hailed him previously as the finest tactician in the Premier League, while he’s also been described as the “best manager in the world” by Everton forward Andros Townsend.

He’s not far wrong either. Despite not winning anything with Tottenham, he guided them to a Champions League final despite spending minimal transfer fees, while he’s also impressed at PSG.

Based on that, his stock is incredibly high and judging by his CV and accomplishments to date, the United fanbase would surely be elated to see him walk through the door to replace Solskjaer.

The Argentine has experience of English football, something plenty of other suitors do not possess, and now he’s in Paris, he clearly knows how to live up to some of the biggest expectations in football.

Combine that with his knowledge of managing some of the largest personalities in the sport – Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe for example – he could be the man to finally make this United team gel.

At the moment it looks more like a team of individuals than a collective group all fighting for each other. Pochettino, however, could be game-changing in turning that around.

Supporters will be delighted to see him so intently linked with the vacant role.

AND in other news, Forget Zidane: Glazers can save Man Utd by hiring “very serious” gem with 62% win rate…

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster expects clubs’ live streaming of Scottish football to come to an end at the conclusion of the 2021/22 campaign, as per the Press and Journal.

The lowdown: Positive vibes at Parkhead

At present, all is rosy at Celtic Park as manager Ange Postecoglou has the Bhoys facing in the right direction in pursuit of the Scottish Premiership title.

Six points clear of Old Firm rivals Rangers at the summit and with a potential domestic treble on the horizon, things really couldn’t be going much better for Celtic fans at the moment.

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Having been forced to turn to club streams in lieu of live-action during the post-pandemic era, Hoops supporters have been able to return to Paradise to watch their side’s renaissance in person.

Now, the option of season ticket holders watching any game from a distance could be set to be taken off the table…

The latest: ‘Blocked hours’ back

Speaking to P&J, Doncaster has confirmed that the availability of watching top-flight football not chosen for television coverage from home will come to an end next season.

“We’re very grateful for the help Sky Sports have given us over the past two years, allowing our clubs to stream games.

“Effectively there has been a suspension of article 48, which is the blocked hours. The blocked hours mean you can’t broadcast between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on a Saturday.

“I would expect blocked hours to resume from this summer and we’ll return to a world where you need to attend the game to see it.

“But football broadcasting remains an ever-changing landscape.”

The verdict: Backwards step

Whilst having supporters back inside football stadiums is the priority, allowing fans to watch their beloved side whenever possible from home was a step in the right direction.

This return to the so-called ‘blocked hours’ is a detrimental one and in truth only has a negative impact on the Scottish game, which already suffers from receiving far inferior broadcasting deals to the English leagues.

Albeit the days of empty stadiums are hopefully a thing of the past, some supporters may still be reticent to return and bringing an end to the option of streaming the Hoops may exclude those supporters.

In other news, Celtic are facing competition for EPL defender. Find out more here.

According to The Daily Express, there has been a major development in West Ham United’s hunt to sign Manchester United star Jesse Lingard in January.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye Lingard deal…

Numerous reliable sources have backed that manager David Moyes has identified the signing of Lingard on a permanent deal as one of West Ham’s major priorities this month.

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Club insider ExWHUemployee claimed recently that the Irons are set to make a move early this window while reliable reporter Jack Rosser of The Evening Standard reiterates that Moyes is still very much eager.

This comes as Lingard’s current deal at Old Trafford expires in the summer with no sign of fresh terms as The Express now share a major update involving West Ham.

The Latest: West Ham ‘at the front of the queue’…

As per the outlet, West Ham are ‘at the front of the queue’ to sign United’s attacker as they enter pole position for his January signing.

It is believed the Irons are now ‘ready to table’ another bid to sign Lingard as he remains Moyes’ top target, with West Ham’s manager personally ‘working on a package’ to tempt him behind-the-scenes.

The Verdict: Exciting…

Given Moyes’ is currently readying an offer for the 29-year-old as he aims to seal his permanent signing, this update comes as an exciting one with West Ham now favourites.

Lauded as ‘absolutely phenomenal’ and the best player in the Premier League on form at one stage last season (Adrian Durham, talkSPORT), Moyes himself has been very public in his praise for Lingard.

The Scotsman waxed lyrical over England’s international ace, calling him ‘incredible’ for his performances on loan at the London Stadium over 2020/2021.

He bagged a brilliant nine goals and four assists in just 16 English top flight starts, leaving little wonder Moyes wants a return, and Hammers supporters may be hoping he gets his wish before January 31.

In other news: West Ham source: Newman eyeing bid for brand new forward target as club greenlight January sale, find out more here.

Newcastle have endured a nightmare season to date and currently sit 19th in the Premier League table after 15 matches played.

They have 10 points on the board after picking up their first win of the campaign against Burnley over the weekend, to go along with their seven draws and seven defeats.

Howe must wield the axe

Whilst the club’s poor form this season has been caused in part by a number of players underperforming on the pitch, one man who has particularly struggled is Miguel Almiron.

The ex-Atlanta United playmaker has been a passenger this season and Eddie Howe must brutally axe him from the squad in January unless something changes in the next month. His performances have not been anywhere near good enough for a player who Transfermarkt claim to be the fourth-most expensive signing in the Tyneside club’s history.

In 13 Premier League appearances this season, the Paraguayan has failed to score or set up a single goal. As per SofaScore, he has also lost 52% of his duels and given possession away a whopping 98 times, whilst only averaging 0.8 key passes and 0.2 crosses per game from out wide.

This shows that he has been a passenger on the pitch as he has not pulled his own weight on the ball, despite his work rate out of possession. He is not showing enough quality with the ball at his feet to warrant a place in the team, and that could force Howe to look at the transfer window as a possible solution to that problem.

Last year, Almiron’s former boss Steve Bruce dished out glowing praise of the 27-year-old due to his willingness to train and play on despite carrying an injury. 

The ex-Magpies coach said: “Almiron is a manager’s dream. He’s bright, he’s tough, he trains every day and he’s been carrying a thigh injury but doesn’t want to tell anybody.

“The last 20 minutes on Sunday (against West Ham United) he was limping about the pitch. In 18 months he’s proved to be a really top, top player.”

This highlights the positive aspects of Almiron’s game and shows that he is willing to work hard for the team and put in a shift. However, that is little use to Newcastle if it comes with almost no quality in possession, given that he often plays in the final third of the pitch.

Therefore, unless the Paraguayan bucks up his ideas and starts making an impact in front of goal in providing assists and/or scoring goals, Howe may need to cash in on him in January and look elsewhere for a replacement. The Magpies will need quality at the top of the pitch to get themselves out of the relegation zone and Almiron is not providing that at this moment in time, as shown by his appalling statistics in the top flight.

AND in other news, Howe preparing NUFC bid to sign 20-goal “great finisher”, fans would love him…