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A journalist has revealed that there is now interest from Newcastle United in signing Sam Johnstone.

The Lowdown: Too leaky

The St James’ Park outfit have conceded no fewer than 42 goals in the Premier League so far this season, the joint-most along with bottom-placed Norwich City.

A change in goalkeeper could help, as Martin Dubravka has been disappointed with some of his performances when he has had to come in for the Slovakia international.

Nonetheless, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium have the money to go out and buy a new established number one for Eddie Howe, should he wish.

The Latest: Johnstone interest

Speaking on talkSPORT, journalist Alex Crook has revealed that Newcastle are now in a race with a number of other top-flight clubs to sign Johnstone, who is out of contract at West Brom in the summer.

He revealed: “I’m hearing Tottenham are joining the likes of Newcastle, Southampton and West Ham in showing a definite interest in Sam Johnstone.”

The Verdict: Get it done

If the Tyneside outfit can snap up Johnstone on a free, it would be a real bargain. He is currently rated at £7.2m by Transfermarkt, and being an England international, he could easily demand a bigger transfer fee, so getting him for nothing would represent very good business.

Even if he does not join until the summer, at the very worst the Magpies will be in the Championship. Therefore, if the Baggies do not go up, it should be a move that Johnstone would be fine in making.

He is ‘world class’ on his day, as Wolves legend Steve Bull says, and he could be a mainstay in the Newcastle side for years to come if he swaps the Midlands for the Magpies.

In other news, NUFC have now made a proposal for this Serie A beast

Heart & Hand’s David Edgar has shed some light on the kind of player Rangers might target to replace Nathan Patterson. 

The lowdown

The 20-year-old completed his move to Everton on Tuesday, with Rangers set to receive a £16m fee. That would make it the most lucrative sale in the club’s history, surpassing the £12.15million departure of current manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst in 2001.

Patterson has been playing second fiddle to captain James Tavernier, but he has still made 11 appearances this season, including two Premiership starts and one in the Europa League.

The latest

Writing on the Heart & Hand Twitter account, Edgar said: “I’d expect a young promising player as backup to replace Nathan.”

He thinks the signing ‘will be a bit like [Calvin] Bassey’, who arrived from Leicester City as a 20-year-old ahead of the 2020/21 season.

The verdict

It’s hard to say if this is the right move for Rangers. If they bring another top prospect, then the problem they faced with Patterson could repeat itself.

Tavernier is effectively undroppable given his level of performance and output. According to WhoScored metrics, he has been the Gers’ top player this season, recording four goals and 10 assists. At 30 years of age and under contract until 2024, he could feasibly have that spot tied down for another few years yet.

Perhaps it would be better to go the opposite way and sign a veteran who can accept limited game-time but deliver dependable performances whenever called upon.

In other news, Van Bronckhorst has said something ‘concerning’ about transfers

Aston Villa have joined Newcastle United in the race to sign Flamengo striker Gabriel Barbosa.

That’s according to reports from 90min earlier in the week which have had a number of Villa fans talking on social media.

Villa have already brought one Brazilian to the club this month in Philippe Coutinho to join compatriot Douglas Luiz in the Midlands, with Steven Gerrard and Johan Lange possibly after another in Barbosa.

According to 90min, Newcastle have held preliminary talks over a move for the 25-year-old, who is keen on making the switch to St James’ Park.

It is believed that a move would cost in the region of £30m, with West Ham also advanced in talks. The report adds that Villa, Chelsea and Wolves have also made contact regarding a switch for the Brazil international.

Villa fans react

Total Villa shared the links to Barbosa on Twitter on Friday afternoon. Here is what these supporters had to say in reply, with one labelling the forward as a ‘nuisance’ for opponents.

“We’re turning into the samba boys and I’m here for it”

Credit: @BratbyMartin

“Barbosa. He’s a real talent and ready made nuisance for defences. But agree we have Watkins, we still haven’t seen the best of Watkins because he needs consistent seasons and quality around him. Get that and we have a superb player already on our books. Thanks but a pass.”

Credit: @Russ_crook

“Absolutely no chance”

Credit: @Emi1Martinez

“Remember when this fella was being touted as the next Neymar and stuff. Surely we won’t get another attacker now though?”

Credit: @CaptainScott87

“Personally just need a left back, DM and CB now, worry about others in the summer”

Credit: @StephenHatton15

“Only way we sign any other striker is if Ollie or Ings leave and I can’t see that happening, we only play one striker so to have one playing and 2 on the bench I can’t see it”

Credit: @Paddy33Singh

In other news: ‘Oh my god’ – Many Villa fans erupt at who West Ham now want to sign

Newcastle United have made a “fresh bid” to sign Sevilla defender Diego Carlos according to The Telegraph’s Jason Burt…

What’s the story?

The Magpies have been very active in this January transfer window, clinching deals for the likes of Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood and being linked with a number of other players too.

And now, Burt has claimed that Eddie Howe’s side have gone back in for Carlos and are now “waiting” for his club to respond to their latest offer.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “Newcastle Utd have made a fresh bid for Diego Carlos and are waiting for Sevilla’s response.”

Perfect for Eddie Howe

Amid suggestions Newcastle have been trying desperately to sign Sven Botman from Lille, a move for Carlos could actually see the Magpies with the more proven and established defender for the here and now.

At six years his older, the Brazilian has had far more extensive experience playing at the highest level, including beating Inter Milan in the 2019/2020 season to lift the Europa League.

The 28-year-old was also a part of the Brazil side that won the gold medal at last summer’s Olympics, while he has been a regular for a Sevilla side this season that currently find themselves in second in La Liga, just five points behind table-toppers Real Madrid and with a game in hand too.

In fact, Carlos has played a big part in ensuring that Sevilla have the best defence in the Spanish top-flight this campaign, having conceded just 13 goals in their 20 league games – the big centre-back has played the full 90 minutes in all but one of his side’s games, and even that was down to a suspension.

Given his proven credentials and the fact Newcastle are in dire need of someone who can come in and hit the ground running to help rescue them from relegation, Carlos appears to actually be the better fit for the Magpies than Botman right now.

It’s exactly why Howe will be buzzing that the club have renewed their attempts to sign the strong Brazilian.

Meanwhile, Newcastle could save their season with this signing…

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte is keen to sign Weston McKennie this month.

According to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 52-year-0ld is pushing sporting director Fabio Paratici to bring his former Juventus signing to north London before the transfer deadline in under two weeks time.

The American international has excelled under Massimiliano Allegri and has clearly caught the eye of the ex-Bianconeri manager as he is said to be a big fan of the midfielder.

It’s believed that despite his breakthrough at the Allianz Stadium, the Serie A giants could still be willing to let him go for the right price, so if Conte wants him, then Paratici and Spurs should be all over it.

That’s because they could well deliver the Italian head coach his new midfield beast. At Chelsea, where Conte won a Premier League and FA Cup, he had an absolute animal in N’Golo Kante.

Never is he truly spectacular but he certainly is consistent and always, always delivers. The diminutive Frenchman does the dirty work with aplomb and has a knack for carrying the ball forward with ease.

The World Cup winner, who cost the Blues around £32m from Leicester City, was one of Conte’s first signings at Stamford Bridge.

[snack-amp-story url = “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-transfer-gossip-rumours-conte-paratici-levy-premier-league” title=”Read the latest Spurs news, transfer updates and much, much more!”]

“In my opinion, he can play in every position in midfield. We are talking about an amazing player, a top player,” Conte once told Sky Sports (via Goal.com).

“He is amazing with and without the ball. When you have N’Golo in your team, you can think you are playing with one player more. You can find a smile on his face every day. He is a very positive guy. He is one of the best players I have had in my career as a coach.”

There are some similarities to make with McKennie, who has also been lauded for his ability to play in a multitude of midfield roles.

His former Schalke 04 boss David Wagner not only described him as a “leader” but also an “outstanding talent” to Bundesliga.com.

“In the No.6 or No.8 position he has the mentality, a real working mentality that you need. And he’s brave on the ball as well. He can be one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga.”

The 23-year-old, once dubbed a “rock” by Andrea Pirlo, has averaged 1.4 interceptions, 1.1 tackles and 1.1 dribbles per game in the Serie A this campaign, via WhoScored. Such numbers aren’t that far off what Kante is achieving this campaign either.

Therefore, it would be an intriguing decision to land the £22.5m-rated McKennie this month and in the Juventus star, Conte could well discover his next Kante.

AND in other news, Spurs already have Conte’s dream Ndombele replacement in £18m-rated “fantastic talent”…

Wolves now have only a few days left to bring any new players into their squad before the January transfer window closes.

One potential deal that the Old Gold could look to finalise before the end of the month is for Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig, a player with whom they have been linked in recent weeks.

With Adama Traore reportedly set to join the Spanish giants on loan until the end of the season with a view to a potential permanent deal waiting for him in the summer, these negotiations could give Wolves the opportunity to ask about the possibility of signing Puig, either before the upcoming transfer deadline or when the summer transfer window opens.

Having worked his way through Barcelona’s famous youth ranks, the 22-year-old – who is currently picking up £64k-per-week according to Salary Sport – has gone on to make 51 senior appearances for the La Liga club across all competitions, scoring one goal and providing three assists along the way.

Despite his experience, the midfielder hasn’t been a particularly important figure for Xavi this season with just two starts amid a total of 12 appearances across all competitions. That would suggest that a move from Barcelona to somewhere that he would obtain regular playing time would be beneficial for his career and development.

With that in mind, and given his young age, it could be worth Wolves trying to sign Puig – who has been labelled an “intelligent” player by his manager Xavi – on a long-term permanent deal to give him sufficient time to get accustomed to the Premier League and potentially become a regular figure in their team.

Taking all this into account, Jeff Shi now has the chance to sign Wolves’ next version of Ruben Neves as a young midfielder from a top European club who could come in and make a name for himself in the Premier League. The Portuguese midfielder has done just that since joining Wolves from FC Porto back in 2017, making a total of 197 appearances for the Old Gold.

Also, with Neves having been linked with a move away from Molineux, it could be an important piece of business from Wolves to bring Puig in if they end up selling their current midfield star any time soon.

Having had previous experience of signing young players from Barcelona as they did last summer with Francisco Trincao, a move for the current Blaugrana gem should definitely be considered either in the next few days or at the end of the season if his situation at Camp Nou doesn’t change.

In other news: Wolves eyeing transfer swoop for £14k-p/w “man mountain,” Lage would be delighted

Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch could finally axe one of Marcelo Bielsa’s most-trusted lieutenants amid emerging interest in one potential summer signing…

What’s the word?

According to The Sun earlier this month, the Yorkshire outfit will battle Premier League rivals Southampton to the signature of Manchester United midfielder James Garner, who has been impressing out on loan to Nottingham Forest.

Eurosport transfer insider Dean Jones has since added fuel to the fire by waxing lyrical about the Leeds target. He told GIVEMESPORT this weekend:

“James Garner has got massive potential and ambition. I think this is a key summer for him to decide what the next phase is.”

It’s thought that the 21-year-old would fall within the Whites’ budget plans, though the Manchester giants may only want to see the £3.6m-rated enforcer depart on loan.

Bye-bye Klich?

By signing Garner, whether that’s on loan or on a permanent basis, Marsch could stamp his mark down at Elland Road, shifting away from the Bielsa era.

One name in the firing line has to be Mateusz Klich – who despite regular inconsistencies and poor form kept his place in the side under the Argentine and continues to do so with the American at the helm.

However, he was withdrawn after just 45 minutes in their most recent outing, a 3-2 win over Wolves, meaning he has played the full 90 minutes just twice since January.

Garner’s arrival would provide the Polish veteran with some stiff competition and considering he’s 32 in the summer, it could be wise to move on and upgrade with a more youthful option, fit to play Marsch’s pressing demands.

The Red Devils gem has been a bundle of energy for Steve Cooper’s side in the Championship this term, where he ranks inside his top-six performers on the season.

He has contributed at either end of the pitch, registering three goals and four assists, on top of an average of 1.8 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and a squad-high 1.8 key passes per game, so he’s being aggressive in his pursuit to win the ball back, as well as delivering in the final third, via WhoScored.

These are returns that far exceed that of Klich, who has managed fewer tackles (1.4), interceptions (0.4) and key passes (0.7) per game.

“Jimmy Garner, I think is a really good player, I really like him and the way he kicks the ball. He’s really aggressive off the ball too,” once claimed United teammate Bruno Fernandes to their official website.

Also dubbed “exceptional” by former Leeds shot-stopper Paul Robinson, Garner could well be a shrewd signing for director of football Victor Orta to make.

On the above evidence, the 21-year-old dynamo could be exactly what Marsch needs to improve the engine room – it’s time to move on from some of Bielsa’s favourites, starting with Klich.

AND in other news, Forget Raphinha: Marsch heading for big Leeds nightmare over £42m-rated “rare talent”…

West Ham will host Lyon at the London Stadium this evening in hope of continuing their European run in the Europa League Quarter Final first leg, and it is important for David Moyes’ side to make a good start by taking advantage in their home game.

The Hammers boss took to his pre-match press conference to provide some updated team and injury news ahead of the clash, confirming that Ben Johnson is back in training and available for selection tonight alongside recently returned Jarrod Bowen.

However, there is some doubt on Vladimir Coufal’s fitness, with Moyes revealing “we’re not totally convinced that he’s 100%” for the European tie, so even though the defender was seen on the bench against Everton last weekend there could be a good chance that the player won’t make his return against Lyon this evening.

In terms of suspension, the Hammers will be without influential midfielder Manuel Lanzini due to picking up his third yellow card against Sevilla in the Round of 16.

With that being said, this is how Football FanCast expects West Ham to line-up against Lyon this evening…

We expect to see only one change from the team Moyes deployed in their victory over Everton, sticking to the 4-2-3-1 formation against their Europa League rivals.

As Johnson has been confirmed to be fit and available for selection this evening, we predict that the Hammers boss will bring the right-back straight back into the starting line-up.

The 22-year-old hailed “fabulous” by his manager, put in an outstanding 120 minute performance in the comeback victory against Sevilla in the last round of the European tournament, so there is no doubt that Moyes’ will want to reward him with the opportunity to play in the quarter-final clash in front of home fans.

With Johnson making a return back into the starting team against Lyon, it would mean that £38k-per-week Ryan Fredericks who was hailed a “threat” by journalist Sam Delaney, will miss out on the exciting clash tonight to make way for his position competitor.

The 29-year-old has had a poor season which hasn’t been helped with injury problems throughout, however Moyes must make the cut-throat decision to drop the defender despite being part of the team who defeated Everton in their last game, as Johnson has earned his place to start in the Europa League clash.

West Ham must take every opportunity to keep their Europa League dreams alive at the London Stadium this evening, as the deciding second leg will be played in France, so capitalising on that home advantage to get a head start over their opponents is an absolute must for Moyes and his team.

In other news: West Ham given huge late injury boost ahead of Lyon, supporters will be thrilled

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte is set to leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Fabio Santini, with the Italian journalist stating in a recent interview with CMIT TV (via Sport Witness) that the 52-year-old will not remain in north London for the 2022/23 campaign, as he is currently in negotiations to become Mauricio Pochettino’s successor at Paris Saint-Germain.

Speaking about the future of Conte, Santini said: “He does not stay in London. I know thanks to a source very close to him. And at the moment there is a negotiation with the Parisians.”

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Bad news for Spurs

Conte is not a manager who’s known for his longevity in a position, having failed to spend longer than two years in charge of any team he has coached. However, should the 52-year-old indeed depart Spurs after just seven months at the club, it would undoubtedly be something of a disaster for Daniel Levy, Fabio Paratici and Tottenham supporters alike.

Results have been somewhat unpredictable since the Italian’s appointment in November, with Spurs crashing out of the Europa Conference League in the group stage after losing 2-1 to NS Mura, exiting the FA Cup after losing 1-0 to Middlesbrough and being defeated 3-0 on aggregate in the Carabao Cup semi-final by Chelsea. However, the 52-year-old has managed to get Tottenham back on track in the league.

Over his fourth in the top-flight standings, an impressive feat considering their ninth-place standing at the time of the 52-year-old’s arrival.

Furthermore, with Paratici having landed both Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur in January – two players who are very much Conte-type signings, committing around £59m of Tottenham’s transfer budget to do so – it is clear to see that the club have already backed the Italian in the transfer market. That would make his potential departure this summer all the more painful.

As such, while Santini’s claim is far from concrete, the suggestion that Conte could be on the move once again this summer is nevertheless bad news for everyone involved with Spurs, as the Italian’s departure would very much take the club back to square one in their bid to beginning challenging towards the top of the Premier League table.

AND in other news: Conte could land Spurs’ next Poyet as contact made for “sensational” £83.5m “talent”

Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick has been dealt a huge blow over the fitness of his superstar centre-back Raphael Varane.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-game press conference on Monday, interim manager Ralf Rangnick revealed news that the United fanbase will be gutted to hear ahead of such an esteemed clash against Liverpool tonight.

The German confirmed that Edinson Cavani, Scott McTominay, Luke Shaw, Fred and Raphael Varane will all miss the trip to Anfield.

On Raphael Varane’s injury status, Rangnick said: “Rapha [Varane] didn’t train with the team. He was on the pitch with one of our rehab coaches.”

Rangnick will be gutted

Whilst Varane has failed to live up to the standards we grew so used to seeing at Real Madrid defensively speaking, he has maintained his composure in possession – which would have been of great benefit to Manchester United against a high-pressing Klopp side tonight.

Maguire and Varane are difficult to split in their defensive metrics this season and are also the most composed duo on the ball within United’s central defensive line.

The 28-year-old has managed to transfer his passing prowess powers from his time at Real Madrid, with his passing completion percentages of both short and long pass types ranking him in and around the 90th percentile for positionally similar players across Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days, according to FB Ref.

His pass completion percentage for short passes is around 95%, whilst his pass completion percentage for long passes is lower at 81%.

It’s this particular range of passing that United will miss most tonight, with his efficiency in possession serving as a kickstarter for United’s counterattacks. For a defensive player, his ability to create is impressive, as can be evidenced through his assist against Wolves earlier this season.

Varane also brings experience at the back, with the Frenchman having a full understanding of the term ‘pressure’ with his experience on the big stage with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid.

With Ronaldo ruled out and Maguire not seen as an out-and-out leader in most people’s eyes, Varane’s presence, just for experience alone, will be sorely missed.

Rangnick and the United faithful will be gutted, but can hopefully look forward to the Frenchman’s return soon.

In other news: Imagine him & Bruno: Ralf can terrify LFC by unleashing Man Utd’s “elite” £180k-p/w gem…