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Leicester City have been linked with a number of wide options heading into the summer transfer window.

Two of the most prominent names have been Florian Thauvin of Olympique Marseille and Borussia Dortmund’s Thorgan Hazard.

It is certainly key that the Foxes bring in another wide option next season with on-loan Cengiz Under set to return to AS Roma. It should definitely be the former Newcastle United man Thauvin who Brendan Rodgers and Jon Rudkin target.

Both at the same age of 28, albeit Hazard being two months younger, the Frenchman is enjoying a much better season throughout 2020/21.

He has eight goals and nine assists in all competitions for Marseille, whilst the Dortmund man can only boast three goals and four assists, the lowest amount of goal contributions he has racked up in a single season throughout the entirety of his senior top-flight career.

Whilst Thauvin is clearly excelling thanks to his tangible output throughout the current campaign, the £25.2m-rated wideman continues to outperform Hazard in his general play.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-leicester-city-news%2c-transfer-rumours-and-more-mcgregor-iheanacho-soyuncu-dewsbury-hall-rodgers” title=” Latest Leicester City news, transfer rumours and more… “]

According to WhoScored, he attempts more than double the Belgian’s shots per game in the league, racking up two per match in Ligue 1, compared to the Dortmund man’s 0.7 per game in the Bundeslliga.

Thauvin’s composure and threat on the ball continues when looking at his 1.6 dribbles per game compared to Hazard’s paltry total of just 0.4. For context, even Leicester defender Wesley Fofana has completed more than that with his 0.6 per game according to WhoScored.

Meanwhile, the former Newcastle man is far more of a creative influence too, providing 1.5 key passes compared to Hazard’s 0.8.

So, whilst on paper, both Thauvin and Hazard may seem like extremely similar players, the former is the stand-out right-winger.

He then should certainly be Leicester’s number one priority should they, as is expected, choose to recruit a wideman in the summer transfer window.

AND in more news, the Foxes have been dealt a huge blow in the race for Celtic Odsonne Edouard…

Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that Sam Allardyce will leave West Brom this summer should they get relegated.

The former England boss replaced Slaven Bilic back December, but has managed just three Premier League victories from his 18 matches in charge of the Baggies, leaving them on the brink of an instant return to the Championship.

West Brom have enjoyed a mini-revival in recent weeks, following up their shock win at Stamford Bridge earlier this month by sweeping aside Southampton nine days later to boost their survival hopes.

But the Baggies are still nine points from safety with just seven games remaining, with Big Sam needing a minor miracle to continue his record of never having been relegated as a manager.

Allardyce hasn’t managed in the second-tier since winning the play-offs with West Ham nine years ago, and Windass doesn’t expect that to continue next season.

“I can’t see him staying if they go down, he told Football FanCast. “Can you see Big Sam managing in the Championship? Not him, he doesn’t need it.

“He looks at himself as a Premier League manager, so I can see Sam leaving.”

Newcastle United are keen to tie down Jacob Murphy to a new contract and talks will take place ‘in the coming weeks’, according to a report from Football Insider.

Murphy’s £25,000-per-week deal is set to expire in the summer, and potential suitors have been on alert.

Football Insider named Scottish champions Rangers, Newcastle’s mid-table rivals Southampton and recently-promoted Watford among the clubs who are keen, but the Magpies are now seeking to ward off that interest with Murphy enjoying a strong run of form.

Murphy shines in Toon’s survival push

Murphy has started Newcastle’s last four games at right-back, helping his side pick up eight points from a possible 12 and take giant strides towards Premier League safety.

The Englishman was hailed for an ‘excellent’ display in the 2-2 draw against Spurs before going on to score an excellent equaliser as Newcastle fought back to beat Burnley the following week.

Journalist Lee Ryder then awarded Murphy a seven out of 10 at the weekend after the Magpies snatched a draw away to Liverpool, saying that the 26-year-old ‘never gave up and kept pressuring’.

Transfer Tavern verdict

What has been really impressive about Murphy’s performances is that he knows he’s playing for his future and he has duly come alive.

He could so easily be trying too hard to impress or be playing with a weight on his shoulders, but that’s not the case whatsoever based on his efforts of late, so it makes infinite sense to extend the 26-year-old’s stay, especially as he has played his part in easing Newcastle away from the drop zone.

In other news, read the latest on Joe Willock’s future.

Leeds United favourite Stuart Dallas is reportedly set to be offered a ‘double your money’ deal at Elland Road following some influential performances this season.

The Whites have enjoyed an excellent campaign, sitting ninth in the Premier League and rarely looking relegation-threatened at any point. Therefore, it is no surprise to see Victor Orta and co already planning for next season and beyond.

There have been a number of standout performers for Marcelo Bielsa’s side and Dallas has certainly been one of them, excelling with his versatility and influence. The 30-year-old has scored seven goals and registered two assists in the league, with his match-winning double away to Manchester City particularly memorable.

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Leeds to offer Dallas new deal

According to Football Insider, Leeds are willing to offer the ‘underrated’ Dallas a ‘big-money new contract’ as a reward for his performances, likely double his current £23,000 per week.

A Leeds source has told the outlet that negotiations are set to take place once this season reaches its end, with the Northern Ireland international’s current deal expiring in 2023, in what looks to be the latest of a long line of popular Orta decisions.

Transfer Tavern take

Giving Dallas a new contract is a no-brainer, considering the nature of his displays this season and his enduring importance to this Leeds side. Only Patrick Bamford has scored more in the Premier League for them this season, while his tackling record is the fifth-best in Bielsa’s squad too (WhoScored).

Every squad needs a player of his ilk – someone who can often be unheralded but is cherished by his teammates, a little like ex-Whites man James Milner, who ironically has also performed both in midfield and at left-back.

Dallas may not be getting any younger, but his fitness levels remain superb and there is no reason why he can’t continue to shine for several more years.

In other news, a big-name rumoured Leeds target has reportedly made a key decision over his future. Read more here.

It looks as if Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham is set to return to Parkhead this summer.

That’s after Marseille president Pablo Longoria notably missed out the Hoops man when discussing the club’s plans for next season, as reported by the Daily Record.

The Ligue 1 side landed Ntcham on loan on deadline day and have an option to make the deal permanent for £4.5m this summer, but it is perhaps no surprise to see them refuse that option given his lack of impact in France.

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Ntcham, on £14,000-a-week, has made just six appearances back in his native country and hasn’t exactly blown fans or coaches away with his performances, so it seems as if they’ll be sending him back to Glasgow over the coming months.

Transfer Tavern take

New Celtic CEO Dominic McKay could really do without this update. Hoops sources recently revealed (via Football Insider) that Ntcham has made it clear he doesn’t want to play for the club again, so it could’ve been ideal for McKay if Marseille signed him for £4.5m.

However, it looks as if McKay will now have a player who doesn’t want to be at the club on his hands ahead of the 2021/22 season, and with just 12 months left on his deal in the summer, the Hoops may have to accept a cut-price fee for the 25-year-old which isn’t ideal.

Even worse, given he has mustered up a horrific 6.13 average match rating (Whoscored) in Ligue 1 and is now forever linked with the infamous Andres Villas-Boas storm (talkSPORT), McKay may not even be able to sell him, leaving the new chief needing to rebuild a squad while players like Ntcham act as roadblocks to that happening.

In other news: Celtic may have just been handed huge Eddie Howe boost as source drops 10-word development, find out more here. 

Darren Moore’s Sheffield Wednesday could be set to lose Osaze Urhoghide this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to the well-connected Yorkshire Live reporter Dom Howson, who recently claimed in a Q&A on the Yorkshire Live website that he is not confident of the Owls being able to convince the 20-year-old centre-back to stay remain at Hillsborough beyond the current season.

He said: “I would like to see them tie Urhoghide down to a new deal but I am less confident now he is going to stay.”

Shaw 2.0

While Sheffield Wednesday’s Championship campaign has been one that most fans would rather forget, one of the few bright sparks coming from Hillsborough this season has been Urhoghide.

Despite the defender’s tender age, since featuring in the starting XI on a regular basis for the Owls back in January, the £270,000-rated youngster has turned in a number of highly impressive performances – earning a SofaScore match rating of 7.3 in the 2-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers, a 7.4 rating in the 1-0 loss to Stoke City and a 7.2 rating in the 2-1 win against Barnsley.

Over his total number of 16 Championship appearances this term, Urhoghide has helped his side to keep three clean sheets and has made an average of 1.6 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and 2.7 clearances per game.

These metrics would be impressive at the best of times, however, considering the former AFC Wimbledon player has been thrown into a side who are fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the Championship table, his performances appear all the more “immense” – to quote Darren Moore.

As such, the loss of such a talented youngster this summer, particularly on a free transfer, would be devastating for Moore and Wednesday fans alike, and harks worryingly back to the deal which saw Liam Shaw agree a pre-contract deal with Celtic back in March.

So, regardless of whether the Owls retain their second-tier status on the final day of the season or not, one of Dejphon Chansiri’s primary concerns this summer should be doing whatever it takes to tie Urhoghide down to a new deal at Hillsborough – although, considering the mess the club is in at present, we would not blame the youngster for wanting to get as far away from Sheffield as possible.

Moore, given how highly he speaks of the youngster and how he’s utilised him this season, will be gutted if the defender leaves for free.

In other news: Chansiri heading for disaster over “explosive” Sheff Wed beast, fans won’t forgive him – opinion

Newcastle United could sign a major upgrade in Miguel Almiron in former Chelsea starlet Gael Kakuta.

What’s the story?

The 29-year-old is a familiar name in English football after his early high-profile move to Stamford Bridge in the late 2000s, with FIFA finding the Blues in contravention of their rules and banning them from signing any new players for a couple of years.

Now, Kakuta is plying his trade for Ligue 1 side Amiens, but has spent this season on loan at fellow French outfit Lens where he has played a starring role, scoring 11 times in the league alone.

And, according to Foot Mercato, Steve Bruce’s side have already contacted his representatives over a potential move in the summer, although it is suggested Kakuta himself is intent on finishing the season before making his decision.

An upgrade on Almiron

Dubbed as being “phenomenal” by French football journalist Zach Lowy, Kakuta’s form at Lens this campaign even saw him named into L’Equipe’s team of the season for the first-half of the year back in January.

With 11 goals and five assists in 33 league games for Lens, the attacking midfielder appears to be among the best form of his career, and the Magpies could do with that kind of production from someone other than Callum Wilson.

In fact, when you compare Kakuta to Almiron, Bruce could land a real upgrade on the Paraguay international.

Not only does Kakuta comprehensively outdo Almiron in terms of goal contributions – the Magpies ace has just five goals and three assists this season – he’s also been far more influential in terms of the key underlying numbers too.

As per Whoscored, the Lens attacker averages more shots, key passes and dribbles per game than the 27-year-old, while he also averages more than double the amount of crosses too – the kind of all-around influence that has seen Lens punching above their weight and lying in sixth in Ligue 1.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/newcastle-steve-bruce-premier-league-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-st-james-park-joelinton-shelvey-max-aarons” title=”Read the latest Newcastle transfer rumours and news!”]

The £7.2m-rated Kakuta is the kind of attacking midfielder the Magpies desperately need, and one they surely thought they were getting from when they signed Almiron.

Meanwhile, Newcastle must land this “absolute tank” this summer…

Newcastle United are set to be restricted in this summer’s transfer market because ‘the club remains in limbo’.

That’s according to Chris Waugh, a journalist for The Athletic.

The lowdown

A £300million deal involving Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, PCP Capital Partners and the Reuben brothers was agreed with Mike Ashley in April 2020 (via BBC Sport).

But the group pulled out after running out of patience with the Premier League’s lengthy scrutiny process.

Ashley, described as ‘desperate’ to move on by sources close to the 56-year-old, has not given up on the deal and hopes to resurrect it.

An arbitration panel will now assess the validity of the league’s concerns in what could be a decisive battle.

The latest

The report states that, because ‘reluctant custodian’ Ashley remains in his post and is still waiting on the takeover, the club’s transfer budget will be limited.

As a result, a ‘much-needed squad overhaul’ will have to wait, so Steve Bruce – or whoever else may be in charge – will be forced to deal with a quiet summer window.

It appears Ashley has the perfect excuse not to spend money this summer.

The verdict

It’s dispiriting news for Newcastle fans. The Magpies flirted with relegation this year and, though recent form suggests they’re too good to go down when Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson are fit and available, they looked completely out of touch with the rest of the league when those two star men were out.

You can understand why Ashley wouldn’t want to commit huge sums when he sees his future elsewhere, but the Toon is desperately short of squad depth.

On the other hand, he did sanction a £20million deal for Wilson last summer in the aftermath of the takeover’s apparent collapse, so maybe one or two exciting signings could still be made.

In other news, read finance expert Kieran Maguire’s reaction to this Mike Ashley development.

Both Crystal Palace and Tottenham are thought to be interested in bringing Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic to England.

And, as to be expected, the latest managerial link has had a number of Eagles fans talking on social media.

According to BILD, both Palace and Spurs are keen on the 38-year-old, who has been in charge of Borussia Dortmund since December.

Terzic, who favours a 4-2-3-1 system, took over after Lucien Favre was sacked by the Bundesliga giants. He’s averaged 1.97 points per game in his 31 matches in charge, and it seems as if he has caught the eye at Selhurst Park.

Palace are on the search for a new manager after it was announced that Roy Hodgson will leave the club at the end of the season.

Terzic was the assistant to Slaven Bilic at West Ham between 2015 and 2017, and it seems as if a return to London could well be on the cards.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared the news on Thursday afternoon. This is what these Palace fans had to say in reply…

“Oh my Please can we”Credit: @Kobycollingwood”If I were him. I’d come palace. Spurs in a shocking state”Credit: @Mark_CPFC”do it”Credit: @RRcpfc”This is gonna be a fun summer”Credit: @cpfcjj89″loool imagine”Credit: @localpla15tic”Were linked with everyone”Credit: @MarkDre44138040

In other news: Many Palace fans buzz as club close in on £9.9m-ratd ace, find out more here. 

After clinching a win in midweek, Newcastle United will be hoping to end their Premier League season with another three points as they make the trip down to London to face Fulham.

Steve Bruce’s side have enjoyed a revival in form in recent weeks, and Joe Willock’s winner against Sheffield United on Wednesday helped seal another three points and give them an extra bit of momentum heading into the final day.

But with the Magpies having nothing left to play for, the Newcastle boss may opt to make a few changes to his starting line-up and give some of his fringe players the chance to shine.

And, with that in mind, below is a look at how Newcastle might line up when they take on Fulham on Sunday afternoon.

In goal, Martin Duvravka is a major doubt after playing on with a hamstring problem last time out in the Premier League, and that could see Mark Gillespie make a rare start.

The back-five could see a couple of key changes as Bruce looks to rotate, with Fabian Schar and Jamal Lewis in particular hoping that he gets the chance to impress amid Matt Ritchie’s return to form – Schar of course returns after serving his three-match suspension.

Further ahead, Joe Willock should be fine after feeling fatigued against the Blades, while Jonjo Shelvey could be dropped to accommodate a rare outing for 21-year-old Matty Longstaff.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/newcastle-steve-bruce-premier-league-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-st-james-park-joelinton-shelvey-max-aarons” title=”Read the latest Newcastle transfer rumours and news!”]

And with doubts over both Allan Saint-Maximin and Joelinton upfront, the Magpies boss could give Dwight Gayle and Andy Carroll the chance to start.

Predicted XI: Gillespie; Murphy, Schar, Fernandez, Dummett, Lewis; Willock, Longstaff, Almiron; Gayle, Carroll.

Meanwhile, Newcastle MUST start this star vs Fulham…