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Newcastle United’s wealth could prove too much for AC Milan in the race for Sven Botman, according to Sky journalist Gianluca Di Marzio (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown

Newcastle tried to sign the LOSC Lille centre-back Botman during the January transfer window. Alongside Sevilla’s Diego Carlos, he was a leading central defensive target.

Having seen a £30million approach knocked back, Newcastle, led by the Saudi PIF, considered making a ‘massive’ bid in the final week of the window, only to accept that Lille president Oliver Letang wouldn’t entertain a January sale.

They ultimately wound up signing Dan Burn from Brighton and Hove Albion for a more modest £13million.

The latest

The latest report (via SW) states that Lille’s demands could be ‘much higher’ than Milan, another of his suitors, are planning to bid.

And that could open the door for Newcastle, who are ‘also on the player’ and ‘could offer much more’.

Lille would prioritise ‘the better bidder’, but Di Marzio does note that the landscape may change if Botman himself expresses a preference to join Milan.

The verdict

Newcastle may be able to flex their financial muscles, but will they be Botman’s no. 1 choice?

AC Milan are one of the giants of the European game with seven Champions League titles – a tally only Real Madrid can better.

And they’re currently poised to compete in the continent’s premier club competition once again next term, while Newcastle would be content with simply staying up.

But Botman, who’s only 22, can afford to think long-term, and Newcastle are confident of eventually competing for the top honours under their new ownership.

What’s more, the opportunity to play in the Premier League is a big draw for the Dutchman, having previously professed a love for the ‘style of the play’ and the ’emotion’ in England.

In other news, Liam Kennedy reacts to team news that’s emerged before Aston Villa.

Football.London’s chief writer Alan Smith has provided a scathing review of David Moyes, questioning the manager’s comments following West Ham’s 1-1 draw with 17th-placed Newcastle United.

The Lowdown

The Irons failed to secure three points on Saturday as they were held to a disappointing draw against a resurgent Magpies outfit, who have won three and drawn three of their last six league games.

The Hammers failed to push on from sixth-placed Arsenal, who now match them on 42 points, with one goal the difference in the league table. However, Mikel Arteta’s men now have three games in hand over Moyes’ side, whilst Wolves and Tottenham also have extra games to play.

The 58-year-old could be getting more worried as the weeks pass, as West Ham could very easily let European football slip through their fingers altogether, never mind a Champions League finish.

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The Latest

Smith took to Twitter to share his review of the game from Football.London, highlighting the issues with Moyes’ management style which he feels are negatively affecting the club.

The reporter tweeted: “Should a club with top-four ambitions be ‘thrilled’ with a point at home to the team in 17th? Probably not but, then, did West Ham ever believe deep down that it was possible?”

Smith proceeded to claim in his corresponding article that it was once again tired legs and a lack of squad depth which caused the slack performance against Newcastle, despite Moyes’ insistence that fatigue is not an issue for the club.

The Verdict

Smith is right to criticise the Hammers boss, given his continue denial of the ongoing issues at the club. Moyes even said he was “thrilled” to have gained a point after such a poor performance, but coming from a team fighting for Champions League football, this is definitely not encouraging to hear.

Whilst the Irons are much improved when compared with two years ago, it was always inevitable that the squad were going to struggle in the second half of the season if the east Londoners failed to bring in any new additions in January.

This could have a lasting effect on the club, in terms of the calibre of players they will be able to attract in the future, and also their ability to retain their best talent.

If West Ham are to cement themselves as a top-six side, then Moyes may want to take a more ambitious outlook rather than being satisfied with a home draw against a relegation-threatened outfit.

In other news: West Ham eyeing move for this Championship gem

Rangers return to European action on Thursday as Giovanni van Bronckhorst looks to guide the Ibrox giants into the next round of the UEFA Europa League.

The Gers travel to Germany to face off against Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their knockout clash.

Van Bronckhorst’s side come into the match off the back of a 3-0 win over Annan Athletic in the Scottish Cup last weekend and the Dutchman could make a number of changes from that side.

One player he must unleash from the start against Dortmund after leaving him on the bench against Annan is central midfielder Glen Kamara.

The midfield machine must be brought back into the XI as he is a pivotal player for the Gers and could be key to them picking anything up from the German giants.

He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.03 across 24 Premiership matches this season, showing that he has been consistently delivering quality performances. This means that he has been a reliable option in the middle of the park for van Bronckhorst, which is one of the reasons why he should be in from the start.

Neil McCann, his former manager at Dundee United, once heaped praise on the enforcer. He said of Kamara: “He isn’t a big, physical lad but he’s made of iron and really strong. I knew immediately that he could handle the ball under pressure and not give it away, so he was perfect.

“He’s a special talent. He’s lightning-quick but he doesn’t show it. He’s a player who takes instruction well.”

These comments highlight the physical aspect of his game and emphasise the impact he can have off and on the ball for Rangers, in terms of winning the ball back off the opposition and retaining the ball himself.

The Finland international has the assurance in possession to allow him to compete at the top level. He is able to quickly and effectively recycle the ball and this will be crucial against Dortmund if they decide to press high and look to win the ball off Rangers in their own half, as he will be able to beat the press and progress the play.

In the Premiership this season, the machine has completed a whopping 91% of his attempted passes. This proves that he is an excellent passer who does not give away possession away cheaply, which could be key against such an esteemed European outfit in their own stadium. His 1.3 key passes per game also shows that he does not have a high completion rate due to an unimaginative pass selection, as he regularly creates chances for his teammates.

AND in other news, Forget Bassey: GvB can save Rangers millions with £14k-p/w “leader”, he’s a monster…

Reliable journalist Dean Jones has revealed that a group of Leeds players approached Marcelo Bielsa over the possibility of adapting his style of play.  

The Lowdown: Bielsa gone

Leeds fell to another heavy defeat on Saturday, shipping four goals against Antonio Conte’s Tottenham at Elland Road.

Reports following the loss suggested that the Argentine was on the brink of leaving the club, with talkSPORT suggesting on Saturday evening that Bielsa had indeed left Leeds United by mutual consent.

Leeds officially confirmed the news on Sunday morning, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that Jesse Marsch is one step away from being named as Bielsa’s replacement.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to The Transfer Tavern, Jones revealed that Bielsa rebuffed an approach from a ‘group’ of Leeds players in regards to a change of style. He said:

“Bielsa was a bit too stubborn for his own good – I was told a group of players approached him about adapting the style of play but he wouldn’t listen to them. Moments like that go against you if results are bad.”

The Verdict: Interesting…

The Whites have made a huge gamble by sacking Bielsa with just 12 league games to go this season. Although the team was going through a woeful run of form, they have been without three key players in Patrick Bamford, Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips since December.

What is interesting is that a group of players apparently wanted him to make a tweak to his system, something to which Bielsa understandably wasn’t willing to agree.

Leeds always struggled in January and February during Bielsa’s time in charge, so if Marsch (or whoever is appointed) doesn’t lead the club to survival after the exit of the much-loved Argentine, you’d expect that the Whites board will have plenty of questions to answer in the summer.

In other news: ‘I’m told’ – Phil Hay drops hint of possible return date for injured Leeds duo

As per Calciomercato, it appears Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola have re-joined the race for a familiar target in Ajax defender Nicolas Tagliafico.

The Lowdown: Tagliafico targeted in 2020…

Reliable reports back in 2020 tipped Guardiola and the Sky Blues with a real interest in signing Argentina’s left-back back in 2020.

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Sky Sports claimed that City had earmarked Tagliafico as a player on the shortlist to replace makeshift defender Oleksandr Zinchenko if he were to leave Eastlands.

The broadcast giant were told of ‘early’ interest in the Eredivisie ace even before sporting director Txiki Begiristain made a decision on Zinchenko with City’s ace eventually staying in Manchester.

At the time, they would have had to invest substantially to acquire Tagliafico, with Sky journalist Rob Dorsett claiming that Ajax valued their man at £40 million.

Now, as reports suggest they will sell for as little as €7 million (£6m), it appears Guardiola’s men have re-entered the race for Tagliafico as that initial price tag plummets by 85%.

The Latest: Man City re-join Tagliafico race…

According to Calciomercato, the Premier League champions are back in the picture for Ajax’s full-back as City keep tabs alongside Napoli and Barcelona.

The Italian source adds that Tagliafico could now leave at the end of June, with his contract expiring in 2023.

The Verdict: Why?

The player is approaching 30-years-old and seemingly won’t have that much longer at the top level or in a physically demanding division like the Premier League.

Guardiola’s side also have Joao Cancelo who can operate on that side with the Portuguese star standing out as one of City’s most untouchable players this season.

In place of the 27-year-old, Nathan Ake, Zinchenko and even Aymeric Laporte are capable of slotting in at left-back when required – begging the question why Tagliafico’s signing could be necessary?

Despite being labelled a ‘big-name’ and ‘good standard of player’ by former Premier League full-back Alan Hutton , we believe City have more than enough of those on that side.

In other news: Man City now preparing bid to sign new forward target in ‘special’ £67m man! Find out more here.

Aston Villa must seal a summer swoop for £9m-rated Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah, and he would make a great partner for Ollie Watkins.

Villa were interested in bringing Nketiah to the club ahead of January but a move never materialised, but they can’t make the same mistake this summer and must secure his signature before another club do.

According to Birmingham Live, Villa are still interested in the 22-year old who has made 87 appearances for Arsenal and been directly involved in 22 goals. To have played that amount of games at such a young age is impressive, he has a long career ahead of him and we think he would make a worthy investment.

The Englishman has impressed when called upon by Mikel Arteta this season, particularly in their recent derby victory over Chelsea where he scored a brace.

Following this display his boss Mikel Arteta said he has been “unfair” on him, eluding to the lack of game time he’s given to the youngster. It’s that lack of game time that could see him leave the club in search for more regular minutes, with Crystal Palace also showing an interest.

His contract expires in June and there is another offer on the table but he looks set to leave for free. Not paying a transfer fee makes signing him even more attractive and a lot less risky, so much so that it’s a surprise other clubs aren’t in for him.

Former England star Michael Owen has heaped praise on Nketiah calling him a “goal-machine” who has a “hunger to score”.

If he made the move to Villa Park then he would be lining up alongside Ollie Watkins. He’s been a menace since he arrived from Brentford for £30.6m in 2020 and is the top scorer for the West Midlands side this season.

They could form a formidable partnership that would give the Villans the best chance at achieving Steven Gerrard’s aim of ‘bringing European football back’ to the club.

When you compare the two players they both excel in different areas meaning that they could each contribute to the team in unique ways.

Watkins is better when it comes to shots on target per 90 minutes with 0.92 compared to 0.84, whereas Nketiah beats him when it comes to goal creating actions per 90 with 0.42 compared to 0.22.

Ultimately not much can go wrong and if Villa want to improve their forward line in the summer then he is the best option for them.

IN other news: Aston Villa now plotting bid for £18m-rated “phenom”, he’s the “new Yaya Toure” – opinion…

Rangers recently hosted their end-of-season awards night to celebrate individual achievements this season for the various teams throughout the structure of the club.

The likes of Ryan Jack, John Lundstram and Calvin Bassey from the first team were honoured at the event and it was also a chance for some academy prospects to enjoy their time in the limelight.

One player who had a special night was Cole McKinnon, who was announced as the B team’s Players’ Player of the Year.

This is a particularly impressive award as it shows how highly his team-mates, who train with him throughout the season, rate him and reflects how well he has performed during the campaign, with the midfielder holding the potential to be Jack 2.0 for the Gers.

McKinnon was rewarded for his efforts in the youth team with a call-up to the senior squad for the Europa League semi-final clash with RB Leipzig last week. The midfielder was an unused substitute in Germany but it showed that Gio van Bronckhorst sees potential in him, as the Dutchman was willing to have him as an option on the bench.

After playing League Two outfit Edinburgh City in a friendly, McKinnon spoke about his desire to make the grade at senior level.

He said: “A lot of the boys haven’t really played against that level at first-team and today you could see they coped with it well. They were winning balls and going into 50/50’s and I thought the boys were excellent.

“It is what we need, we are all pushing to try and get round that first-team side and these are the games we need to play against first-teams so that we are ready when we go round there.”

This shows that the 19-year-old is determined to break into Van Bronckhorst’s side, as reflected by his performances for the B team. He has scored five goals in the Lowlands League this season as the Gers sit second in the table after 34 matches, whilst he has also chipped in with one goal and two assists in the UEFA Youth League this term.

His Player of the Year award also highlights how impressive he has been for the youth side this term, and that is why he deserves to be given a chance to impress at senior level, as he could be the new Jack in Rangers’ midfield.

The 30-year-old Scotland international has caught the eye in the middle of the park for the Gers, with an average SofaScore rating of 6.93 across seven Europa League starts. He has been a consistent and reliable option for Van Bronckhorst in 2022, and McKinnon’s award suggests that he can grow into that role as his colleagues in the B team clearly rate and respect him enormously.

AND in other news, GvB can now axe Rangers “shambles” by signing £1.8m-rated gem with “huge potential”…

Italian journalist Stefano Benzi has now shared a big live TV update on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij, claiming Spurs are ready to make a significant bid.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye move…

The Netherlands international will be no stranger to Spurs supporters given he has been linked for a pretty long time.

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Even before the new year, the Lilywhites held an intense interest in signing de Vrij for manager Antonio Conte – coming after the central defender’s pivotal role during Inter’s 2020/2021 title-winning campaign.

Football Insider, sharing news in late 2021, even revealed that the 30-year-old told friends he was interested in a January move to Spurs – unsurprising given Conte’s presence at N17.

De Vrij’s current deal at the San Siro expires in 2023, potentially giving transfer chief Fabio Paratici a boost for potential negotiations given Inter may need to contemplate selling while they still can.

The Latest: Benzi shares live TV update…

According to journalist Benzi, speaking live on Calciomercato.it TV, the Lilywhites are now ‘willing’ to table an ‘important figure’ of €40 million (£34m) for the Dutchman.

He explained: “There is a very serious interest on the part of both City and Tottenham for de Vrij and they are willing to spend an important figure: 40 million euros net.”

The Verdict: Right man?

There is little doubt Conte wants a new defender with reliable reports from The Telegraph and The Athletic both backing Tottenham’s intent to land a left-footed centre-back.

De Vrij for £34m arguably comes as a mixed bag, mainly due to his fairly seasoned age – a factor which could well mean he is hardly a long-term solution for Spurs at the back.

That being said, for around two to three seasons of Premier League action, Conte and Paratici could do far worse.

According to WhoScored, under Conte’s rule at Inter last year, he made more clearances per 90 than any member of the 52-year-old’s Scudetto-winners – all whilst proving to be a virtually untouchable member of the starting eleven.

He played the sixth-most Serie A minutes out of any Nerazzurri player over 2020/2021, leading to members of the press describing de Vrij as a ‘world-beater’ (ex-Leeds striker Noel Whelan, Football Insider).

Taking this into account, if Spurs can somehow whittle the £34m down a notch, he could be a shrewd summer capture.

In other news: Source: Tottenham edge closer to ‘top signing’, he really wants to join Conte! Find out more here.

Leeds United are facing an anxious wait regarding the fitness of Liam Cooper ahead of Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Arsenal.

What’s the latest?

According to a recent report by Leeds Live, there has still been no confirmation on the current condition of the centre-back, who missed the Whites’ 4-0 defeat against Manchester City on Saturday after pulling out of the warm-up with a knee injury, with it being unclear as to whether the Scotland international will be available for the trip to north London this weekend.

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Speaking after the loss to City, Jesse Marsch said of Cooper’s injury: “So first, Liam had a weird feeling in his knee and warm up after making a pass. Nobody’s really sure exactly what it is and he will need a scan. We’re hopeful, hopeful that it’s not a major issue, but we will see.”

Supporters will be worried

Considering just how important a player Cooper is to the Whites, both Marsch and the Elland Road faithful will surely be worried about the club captain’s fitness ahead of the Arsenal clash this weekend.

Indeed, after making a return to first-team football following his recovery from a hamstring injury at the start of April, the £6.3m-rated man proved just how crucial he is within Leeds’ backline over the club’s three Premier League fixtures prior to the City game, earning a SofaScore match rating of 7.1 in the draw with Southampton, a 7.6 rating in the win over Watford and a 7.6 rating in the draw with Crystal Palace – helping his side keep two clean sheets from a possible three.

This impact is something that former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson commented on in a recent interview with MOT Leeds News, with the 42-year-old stating:

“You only have to look at when Cooper’s come back into the team when he and Kalvin Phillips kept two clean sheets. It’s not just his performances that are good but his leadership qualities are as well both on and off the field.

“Robin Koch, Diego Llorente and Pascal Struijk all look better players when they play alongside Cooper just because of that. He’s got a good understanding of the game and when he doesn’t play, I think it’s more of a communication issue.

“It’ll be a big loss for Leeds if he’s out any longer. If it was a case of missing the Manchester City game and then playing the rest of the season or playing the Man City game and missing the season, they’ve made the right choice. You’d much rather him miss one and play the rest.”

Indeed, Leeds supporters will certainly hope that it was a case of Cooper either missing the City fixture or missing the rest of the season, as, with the Whites currently sitting just two points above the relegation zone, Marsch and his side desperately need the Scot orchestrating the Leeds backline over their remaining four games of the season.

AND in other news: “Imminent talks…”: McGrath drops big Leeds summer update, supporters will be gutted

Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension manager Antonio Conte, have set their sights on a new target who is ‘on fire’ this season, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye overhaul…

Spurs transfer chief Fabio Paratici is seemingly working on a behind-scenes transfer overhaul as the Lilywhites manager personally asks for as many as six major Premier League signings this summer.

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This includes a reserve goalkeeper, right-wing-back, central defender, two midfielders and a new forward (The Telegraph) with promising young stars also on the agenda.

Middlesbrough ace Djed Spence and Peterborough United defender Ronnie Edwards are just two starlets attracting Conte and Paratici’s with news now coming to light on a brand new target.

The Latest: Marca make Alcaraz claim…

According to Marca, Tottenham have now sent club officials to run the rule over exciting midfielder Charly Alcaraz, who is currently shining in Argentina with Racing.

As well as scouting, it is believed they have ‘asked’ about signing the 19-year-old, but they aren’t alone, as Conte faces real competition from Atlético, Sevilla, Juventus, Arsenal, Inter and AC Milan.

Less interested but still in the mix, Wolves and PSV Eindhoven are also there in the background.

The Verdict: Make a move…

The South American has been a revelation recently, even drawing comparisons to marquee Tottenham transfer target Lautaro Martinez.

Alcaraz has also been called one of the ‘most promising young talents in Latin America ‘ by The Sun, racking up five goals and two assists in 17 matches over 2021/2022 for Racing.

Further abroad, South American media have raved over the teenage wonder-kid with broadcast giant ESPN Sports Center claiming he is ‘on fire’ recently.

Elsewhere, members of the Argentine press have said Alcaraz ‘has everything to be an elite player’ and is ‘worth 30 million dollars, not 20’ (Twitter).

Clearly very highly-rated, the fact his club could sell their gem for $20 million (£16m), willing to compromise on his $25million (£20.5m) release clause (Marca), means this move should seriously considered by Spurs.

In other news: Reliable source: Tottenham agreement now ‘very likely’ as Conte pushes for ‘top signing’…find out more here.