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Newcastle United have returned to the top of their game over the past month or so, winning seven matches in a row across all competitions.

Revived mid-season form is great and all but Eddie Howe will be focused on maintaining such fluency over the business months of the campaign, with the Carabao Cup title up for grabs and Champions League qualification through the Premier League the biggest priority.

Transfer activity isn’t the be-all and end-all in January, but it wouldn’t hurt if a player capable of lifting the Magpies squad was welcomed.

Newcastle's transfer priorities this year

The interminable struggle for a right-sided forward continues, though the need for a fresh face has been tempetred by Jacob Murphy’s fine form this season.

Miguel Almiron is expected to be sold, freeing up space for such a venture, while the 35-year-old Martin Dubravka is expected to lay down the gloves in the Premier League and move to the Saudi Pro League for one last bumper paycheck.

The most pressing concern, however, remains the lack of depth at centre-back. Four bids – the last totalling £65m – were chucked at Crystal Palace last summer for Marc Guehi but Steve Parish’s resolve remained annoyingly fixed.

Fabian Schar is in talks to extend his deal at St. James’ Park but Jamal Lascelles, injured this season, will leave at the end of his contract in June. Sven Botman has recently returned from a knee injury he picked up in March.

Newcastle could do with a bit more at the back, especially when planning for a European future.

Howe interested in La Liga star

Spanish sources have revealed that Newcastle are interested in signing Sevilla centre-back Loic Bade this winter, though they will face stern competition from Liverpool.

The report suggests that both sides have ‘closely followed’ the defender in recent times, with the Premier League pair said to view his signing as a ‘priority’.

United need to bolster their backline, and, while Bade wouldn’t come cheap, he is understood to have a price tag in the region of €30m (£25m), ostensibly within Newcastle’s parameters.

What Loic Bade would bring to Newcastle

Bade is a defender in the modern vein, ranking among the top 12% of La Liga centre-backs this season for assists (0.08), the top 1% for successful take-ons (0.68) and the top 4% for tackles (2.12) per 90, as per FBref.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has said that he “will be a world-class defender in the future,” only 24 years old but already showing high quality and an ability to overcome adversity.

Of course, he has already tasted Premier League football, in a sense, in the past, signing for Nottingham Forest from French club Rennes on loan in 2022 but failing to make a single top-flight appearance, suffering from the overload of signings as the City Ground side sought to ensconce themselves safely in the division after promotion.

He would leave on a loan deal to Sevilla in January 2023, with the rest history – as they do say. Now having chalked up 75 appearances with the Spanish side, Bade has lifted the Europa League and established himself as one of the country’s finest defneders.

Should Newcastle forge ahead and complete a deal, Howe could find himself repeating the neat trick that saw Alexander Isak brought to the club. In 2022, Newcastle signed the Sweden striker from Real Sociedad for £63m, a fee that still stands as the club record.

Bade would be leaving the Spanish scene having begun to unlock his qualities, much like Isak after the 25-year-old forward posted 23 goals across his final two full La Liga campaigns.

Premier League – Top Scorers 2024/25

Rank

Player

Goals (per 90)

1.

Mohamed Salah

18 (0.97)

2.

Erling Haaland

16 (0.80)

3.

Alexander Isak

13 (0.80)

3=

Cole Palmer

13 (0.67)

3=

Bryan Mbeumo

13 (0.65)

Stats via Premier League

Now an absolute menace in the English top flight, Howe has shown that his talent radar is unerring when he settles on the right player, with Liverpool’s intrigue in Bade’s signature corroborating the Magpies’ hopes in the France international’s skill set.

Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher has even gone as far as to hail Isak as the “best striker in the Premier League right now” after his scoring 14 goals across 15 appearances, though in truth, the eye test makes a more convincing comment on his quality than numbers ever will.

Further similarities can be identified through Isak’s failed stint with Borussia Dortmund, preceding his transfer to Sociedad, for he scored one goal and supplied one assist across 13 appearances in Germany.

Isak’s talent was recognised but the move came at the wrong time, and you could say the same thing for Bade at Nottingham Forest.

Newcastle are a team of quality, for sure, but there is also a hive-minded drive and determination that serves as the solvent for any impressive skills and so on and so forth. Bade that the tenacious focus to succeed, and Newcastle need to get the deal done this month, ending the ruefulness that lingers after the botched Guehi bid and completing a defensive line that already stand strong despite lacking some cogs.

Whether Newcastle succeed in their efforts to shore up their backline with this talent remains to be seen, but there’s no question that he has tailor-made skills for the Premier League and could be a force to be reckoned with at the base of Howe’s system.

Partnered with Botman, United could enjoy quite the dynamic partnership at the back. Bade is hardly similar to Isak but his acquisition could be something of a repeat for Howe’s side, taking Newcastle one step closer to the summit of European football.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jan 11, 2025

Chelsea are now ready to make a move to sign a new defender for Enzo Maresca as they look to bolster their ranks in their bid for Premier League supremacy, according to a fresh report.

Chelsea expected to be busy in January

Currently second in the Premier League, Maresca’s Chelsea are expected to be among the busier sides in January. The Blues have been linked with a move for a new defender amid speculation they could look to sign Benfica’s Tomas Araujo, while their admiration for Victor Osimhen is also not thought to have diminished despite Nicolas Jackson’s immense form.

However, much of the work done at Stamford Bridge over the January window will likely be on exits.

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It would provide cover in a much needed area.

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Christopher Nkunku has been strongly linked with a move away from the club after struggling for minutes in the Premier League, though he continues to impress in cup competitions. Meanwhile, midfield trio Carney Chukwuemeka, Cesare Casadei and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have all suffered the same fate, with the trio yet to make an impact on Maresca’s Premier League XI.

In the case of Dewsbury-Hall, a loan move is the most likely given his arrival just six months ago, while Chukwuemeka has also been urged to leave on loan by Maresca. Casadei has been linked with a return to Serie A in January, either on loan or permanently.

Another who is almost certain to depart is Ben Chilwell, who failed to exit west London over the summer but has not played a minute since and is almost guaranteed to leave the club in January either on loan or permanently. Now, Chelsea could be eyeing an instant upgrade on the England international.

Chelsea monitoring French defender for Maresca

That is according to the Boot Room, who claim that Chelsea are one of four clubs keeping a close eye on Milan defender Theo Hernandez amid his contract standoff at San Siro. The Frenchman’s £81,000 a week deal in Italy expires in 2026, and Milan Live claim that “to date there has been no significant progress on his renewal”, meaning that “everything suggests that the left back could be sold in the next transfer window”.

Though dubbed a “special” defender by Milan icon Paolo Maldini, Hernandez could now leave on the cheap, and the report claims that he has “fallen out with manager Paulo Fonseca” in Milan, leaving a departure increasingly likely.

To that end, Chelsea “are being constantly notified” about his situation, having been keen to sign the defender last year. His arrival could coincide with Chilwell’s exit from Stamford Bridge, allowing Maresca to land an alternative to hugely impressive fullback Marc Cucurella at a fraction of Chilwell’s reported £200,000 a week wages.

Appearances

13

Goals

2

Assists

2

Yellow Cards

1

Red Cards

1

The Blues will face competition in their aim to sign the defender though, with Arsenal, Manchester City and Bayern Munich all mentioned among potential suitors for the fullback should his availability become common knowledge.

Still just 27-years-old, Hernandez could be an impressive signing for any club that manages to lure him away from Milan, and Chelsea will be hoping to beat the competition to his signature.

Botafogo have blown up their title winning roster, and might struggle for results in a tough group

Well, that's not how you keep a title-winning team together. Botofago enjoyed one of the best seasons in club history last year, completing an unlikely Brazilian Serie A-Copa Libertadores double despite being outsiders when the campaign kicked off.

They have followed that not by retaining the side, but rather by blowing it up. Star players Luiz Henrique and Thiago Almada both left the club in January. Top scorer Junior Santos also left. Early season results have been poor. They were battered by Racing Club in the Recopa Sudamericana – a clash between the winners of the Argentine and Brazilian top flights.

Still, this is a historic club with fans around the world. And even if it was just a solo season of glory, then it wasn't a bad one for supporters to hold onto. It could have implications for the Club World Cup, though, where a weakened side might struggle in a group that also includes PSG and Atletico Madrid.

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums in 11 U.S. cities, from the opener on June 14 until the final on July 13. In the U.S., fans can stream or watch matches on DAZN or TNT. Leading up to kickoff, GOAL will provide scouting reports on each of the 32 participating teams in the expanded field.

Next up is Botafogo, with a look at key players to watch, and expectations for the reigning Brazilian champs in a tough group.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The Basics

  DOMESTIC LEAGUE: Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A

  CLUB WORLD CUP HISTORY: Never qualified

  GROUP: B (Seattle Sounders, Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico de Madrid, Botafogo)

  OPENING MATCH:  Seattle Sounders – June 15, 10 p.m., Seattle

Advertisement

• How they got here

  Botafogo were the last side to clinch a spot in the competition, qualifying after beating Clube Atletico Mineiro in the 2024 Copa Libertadores final – despite playing the game with 10 men for almost the entire 90 minutes.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The player to watch

  Well, that depends. There is scattered talk that Thiago Almada could be back in time for the Club World Cup – but that runs off the hefty assumption that Lyon would be willing to terminate his loan slightly early.

  Jefferson Savarino is the star man otherwise. The Venezuelan attacking midfielder is a smooth operator in the final third, who hit double digits in both goals and assists in their title winning season. The 28-year-old will need some help around him, though, if he is to replicate those kinds of numbers in the United States this summer.

• AFP
  

  Realistic Expectations

  A few months ago, Botafogo would have been trendy outsiders to bump one of PSG or Atletico out of the tournament in the groups. Now, though, this looks more like a rebuilding side than title-winning unit. Expect them to be down at the bottom, likely scrapping it out with Seattle Sounders.

  They would need an improbable win over Atleti or the Parisians – as well as a result against Seattle – to make it into the knockouts.

After the third international break of the season, the Premier League is finally back, and Tottenham Hotspur have the small task of an away game against Manchester City to contend with.

Ange Postecoglou would likely have preferred an easier first game back, but given the Champions’ recent struggles, now could be as good a time as any to try and come away from the Etihad with all three points.

However, to make things even harder for the North Londoners, they will be without several of their key starters as injuries have taken their toll, especially in defence.

That said, while losing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero is far from ideal, the manager can instead start someone who impressed at the Eithad last season and has mountains of experience to call upon.

Spurs' injury problems

As things stand, Spurs will be without six players for the game this afternoon due to injury.

In attack, Postecoglou will have to make do without Wilson Odobert, Richarlison and Timo Werner on the bench, who have been out for some time now, and Mikey Moore, who was ill before the international break and is still suffering the effects.

However, arguably, the biggest concern is in defence, as both starting centre-backs will miss out.

Van de Ven injured his hamstring in the League Cup clash with City last month, and unfortunately, the manager confirmed that he’ll remain out until the “middle of December.”

On the other hand, Romero injured his foot while on international duty with Argentina.

However, while his absence will be a massive miss, the prognosis isn’t as bad, with the Australian revealing in his presser that while he “won’t be right for tomorrow’s game,” the club are “hoping he’ll be right for next week.”

Overall, things aren’t looking great for the North Londoners ahead of what will undoubtedly be an incredibly tough encounter.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Nevertheless, there is a player Postecoglou can turn to, a player who’s already stood in for the club in this exact game before.

The Spurs ace who can step in against City

So, for those of you who remember, when Spurs travelled to the Etihad for a Premier League game last December, they were also without Van de Ven and Romero.

The former was due to another hamstring injury he suffered against Chelsea, and the latter was due to a straight red card he received in the very same match – when it rains, it pours.

So, with his arms tied, Postecoglou turned to his squad and opted to start Emerson Royal, who left in the summer, and a certain Ben Davies.

Despite playing two full-backs in the centre-back roles, the North Londoners came away from that game with a point in hand, and the Welsh veteran was a key reason why.

He put in an impressive performance against what was the best attack in the league and, by full-time, had earned a 7/10 match rating from respected Spurs writer Alasdair Gold, who wrote that he ‘battled away at the back’ and it was his ‘diving header that ended up setting Spurs away for Lo Celso to score.’

On top of already showing that he can step in and cope with Pep Guardiola’s juggernaut, the “outstanding” defender, as dubbed by the manager, has plenty of experience to rely on, which could help Radu Dragusin keep his cool alongside him.

For example, across his career, the 31-year-old veteran has made 337 appearances for the Lilywhites, 85 for Swansea City and won 89 senior caps for the Welsh national team, of which he’s captained nine times in the last year.

Team

Appearances

Goals + Assists

Tottenham

337

32

Swansea

85

6

Wales

89

7

Ultimately, Spurs are going to be in for a challenging game this afternoon, made all the tougher thanks to Van de Ven and Romero’s absences, but with Davies in the side, they know that they can get a result at the Etihad.

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Three La Liga sides have opened talks with a Tottenham player via his representatives, as it is now believed Spurs could green-light a January loan.

Players who Spurs could sell or loan in January

Lilywhites boss Ange Postecoglou will need every man at his disposal for the second half of this campaign, with the Australian’s side competing on all four fronts as things stand.

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Spurs have a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Ruben Amorim’s Man United on the horizon, not to mention the all-important Premier League ties against Chelsea and Liverpool next month, and the significance of their fixtures will only heighten as we approach the business end of the season.

Nevertheless, there have been reports that Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy could allow a select few players to depart the club in January.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League games

Date

Tottenham vs Fulham

December 1

Bournemouth vs Tottenham

December 5

Tottenham vs Chelsea

December 8

Southampton vs Tottenham

December 15

Tottenham vs Liverpool

December 22

£40 million summer signing Archie Gray is yet to start a top-flight game for Spurs, playing just 42 minutes across five substitute appearances, and there is a belief that Levy could let him go out on loan in the winter as a result.

Tottenham are expecting loan offers for Gray in the January window, according to GiveMeSport. Other media sources have even stated Leeds could re-sign Gray on a temporary deal, which would be quite a coup for Daniel Farke, even if it would be a brief reunion.

Meanwhile, a player who is even more likely to quit the club mid-season is out-of-favour left-back Sergio Reguilon.

The defender hasn’t been included in a single Premier League matchday squad last season, with his only inclusion coming on the bench against Coventry in the Carabao at the start of the campaign.

There are rumours that Tottenham could terminate Reguilon’s £120,000-per-week contract as a result, amid interest from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, but clubs in his native Spain are also keeping a watchful eye on his situation.

La Liga trio open talks with Sergio Reguilon as Tottenham could green-light loan

According to Spanish media sources, Real Sociedad, Getafe and Osasuna have contacted Reguilon’s agents as they look to facilitate a potential return to La Liga for the 27-year-old.

The former Real Madrid and Sevilla full-back, despite claims his contract could be terminated, may be allowed to leave on a loan-with-option-to-buy move – which has piqued the interest of these three sides.

Sociedad are looking for strength in depth to cope with the increased fixture schedule, while Getafe need alternative defensive options after a few injuries.

Sixth-placed Osasuna are also an option for Reguilon, who is appearing more and more destined to leave N17 before the expiry of his contract next summer.

“I’ve been an admirer of Reguilon for some time,” said pundit Noel Whelan to Football Insider, after Reguilon scored his first ever goal for Spurs against Leeds in 2021.

“He really stamped his authority on the game and grabbed the winner to show what a quality player he is.”

Ageless Peter Siddle claimed five wickets as Adelaide Strikers swept aside Hobart Hurricanes with a desperately needed seven-wicket victory at Adelaide Oval.After being sent in, a struggling Hurricanes were bamboozled by 37-year-old Siddle who unleashed his full-length mastery to great effect and helped restrict the visitors to just 126.Opener Matthew Short made light work of the chase with a BBL career high of 72 not out from 44 balls as Strikers jumped off the bottom of the table with their second win of the season, while Hurricanes’ (4-5) inconsistency continued.The game was moved back an hour after BBL’s tumult continued when Wednesday night’s latter clash between Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers was postponed due to 12 Heat players and a coach returning positive PCR tests to Covid-19.Hurricanes also had some upheaval with international players Harry Brook and Jordan Thompson ruled out due to being close contacts of allrounder Josh Kann, who has tested positive for Covid-19 and is in isolation in Hobart.Siddle turns back the clockEven though seven of the last eight games at Adelaide Oval had been won by the team batting first, Strikers elected to bowl perhaps due to the forecast of rain.Strikers’ attack has been their strength but they decided to change it up with legspinner Fawad Ahmed replaced by exuberant seamer Harry Conway, who made his season debut and set the tone with the big wicket of Hurricanes skipper Matthew Wade in the first over.They frustrated a reckless Hurricanes batting outfit and picked up wickets at important junctures to maintain a stranglehold. Siddle, who had earlier claimed the key scalp of Ben McDermott cheaply, bowled dangerous Tim David in the power surge in a game-changing moment.Strikers’ bowlers impressively maintained control of the increasingly greasy ball as Siddle starred at the death with superb yorkers to claim three wickets in the final over and finish with his second five-wicket haul of his T20 career.McDermott fails, Hurricanes misfire Wade has completely gone off the boil with just 63 runs in his last six innings. He only added one to that total leaving the pressure once again on red-hot McDermott, who couldn’t get going and fell for 11. With McDermott out cheaply, the vulnerable Hurricanes struggled, particularly D’Arcy Short.The left-hander has a BBL career strike-rate of 133.6 but drops to 99 this season and he maintained that lowly mark with a run a ball 32.Hurricanes slipped further when Peter Handscomb was run out calamitously and Caleb Jewell fell to a soft dismissal, but that provided an opportunity for David, whose season strike rate of 174 underlined his mastery of finishing innings.Coming out in the 10th over, David made his intent clear second ball with a brutal six off star spinner Rashid Khan and was in belligerent form until falling for 28 in the 16th over. Hurricanes lost their momentum to finish with a disappointing total.Matthew Short acknowledges the applause of the dressing room•Getty Images

Short makes light work of chaseGiven their batting frailties, Strikers were no guarantee to chase down the modest total. To turn around their fortunes, they promoted Henry Hunt who made his BBL debut last start against Sydney Thunder at No.5.It did the trick with Hunt confidently striking several attractive boundaries as the home side powered to 0 for 38 after the four-over powerplay. But he disappointingly fell to a long hop from Sandeep Lamichhane’s first over as Short took over to keep Strikers’ momentum going.Short has been destructive in the powerplay but had only one innings of substance prior this season. He changed the script by picking the right balls to hit and finished with five sixes in a commanding performance.Since coming into the side after Australia A duties, Matthew Renshaw has shored up the batting order at No.3 and again he provided composure until holing late for 19. There was no trademark batting calamity for Strikers on this occasion with Short finishing the deal with 29 balls to spare.Injury concern for Meredith Shorthanded without injured quick Nathan Ellis, Hurricanes needed early wickets but bowled too straight and let Strikers off the hook. Quick Tom Rogers, who has starred this season with 14 wickets, had a rare off performance as Hurricanes never really threatened.They were further weakened by the loss of speedster Riley Meredith, who only bowled one over after appearing to suffer a rib injury. He faces a nervous wait with Hurricanes mired mid-table after losing their second consecutive game.

England’s batting line-up, which managed 147 and 297 at the Gabba, will remain unchanged

Andrew McGlashan15-Dec-2021

Having planned for years to always have a point-of-difference pace option in their Ashes teams, England have left out Mark Wood, their fastest bowler, from their 12-player squad for the day-night Test in Adelaide.England said that Wood, who topped 150kph in Brisbane, had been rested with James Anderson, who was not in final consideration for the first Test, taking his place. Left-arm spinner Jack Leach has been retained despite the punishment dished out to him last week with the final decision again seemingly between him and Stuart Broad.Related

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Wood bowled with pace and hostility in Brisbane, claiming Steven Smith caught behind on the second day to spark a period where England briefly brought themselves back into the contest before Travis Head ripped the game away from them.Wood was the only one of the three express quicks England had earmarked for this tour with Jofra Archer and Olly Stone injured.Anderson’s recall for this match had been expected with the hope that he can exploit the pink-ball and have the opportunity to bowl when conditions are favourable under lights. Four years ago, he took his only five-wicket haul in Australia when he and Chris Woakes bowled Australia for 138 in the second innings although the game still ended in a heavy defeat for England.”I had success with it [the pink ball] last time here, but it is quite temperamental still,” Anderson said. “It’s not a given it will swing round corners. We know it’s generally a good pitch here, if the sun’s out it won’t do a great deal but there might be times during the game – twilight or when it’s dark – that it might do a little bit more. Take advantage of those times when it does do a bit.”England’s batting line-up, which managed 147 and 297 at the Gabba, will remain unchanged.Keeping Leach in the 12 is a show of faith after he was treated harshly in Brisbane to concede 102 from 13 overs. They were cautioned against going into the day-night Test without a spinner by Adelaide Oval groundsman Damian Hough while Nathan Lyon has taken 19 wickets at 25.78 in the fixture.”History says that the pitch will spin,” Hough said on Wednesday. “Nathan has always played a role out there so from our end we believe that spin in Adelaide needs to play a part. We feel that it has previously and it still should.”

Despite a draw against Rangpur Division, Dhaka Division retain their top position in tier 1

Mohammad Isam27-Oct-2021

Sylhet Division picked up their first-ever win in tier 1 of National Cricket League 2021-22 when they beat Khulna Division by four wickets. Still, Dhaka Division retained their top position after their draw against Rangpur Division.In tier 2, Barisal Division beat Chattogram Division inside two days, while the match between Dhaka Metropolis and Rajshahi Division ended in a draw.Best batters
There were three centuries in the second round, and two of them came on the first day. Dhaka Divison’s Abdul Mazid and Saif Hassan added 118 runs for the second wicket against Rangpur, with both reaching the three-figure mark. Mazid struck ten fours and three sixes in his 110, while Saif made 107 with eight four and two sixes.The other century came from Najmul Hossain Shanto, who made an unbeaten 103 with the help of eight fours and a six in Rajshahi’s drawn game against Dhaka Metropolis.Best bowlers
The veteran Mohammad Ashraful took the first hat-trick of his first-class career during Barisal’s big win over Chattogram. Ashraful removed Sadikur Rahman, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Yasir Ali in the eighth over of Chattogram’s first innings. He finished with figures of 5 for 53.Dhaka Metropolis’ Sharifullah also took a hat-trick during his 5 for 70, dismissing Pritom Kumar, Taijul Islam and Asaduzzaman Payel against Rajshahi.Seamer Rejaur Rahman Raja starred for Sylhet with his eight-wicket match haul against Khulna. Raja’s 5 for 51 in the second innings helped bowl out Khulna for 178, giving Sylhet a chance to come back into the game. During Barisal’s win against Chattogram, left-arm spinner Monir Hossain took eight wickets. For Chattogram, Hasan Murad and Nayeem Hasan took nine wickets each in the game.Best match
Sylhet chased down a target of 203 on the final day to beat Khulna. Amite Hasan and Jaker Ali made 41 each, but it was Shahanur Rahman and Tanzim Hasan Sakib who took them home with a 26-run unbroken stand for the seventh wicket.In the low-scoring game, Khulna were bowled out for 196 in the first innings but restricted Sylhet to 172 to take a 24-run lead. But Raja’s five-wicket haul meant Sylhet had a modest target in front of them, which they clinched on the final day.Players to watch
Shanto, Saif and Nayeem would feel they are priming themselves for the Test series against Pakistan next month. It is important that Bangladesh’s Test specialists get runs and wickets under the belt. Nayeem and Saif have shown good form, while Shanto’s second-innings century will encourage him for the rest of the tournament.

Newcastle United want to complete the signing of an “exceptional” attacking player on a free transfer in 2025, according to former Premier League scout Mick Brown.

Newcastle transfer rumours

The Magpies’ interest in Lille striker Jonathan David isn’t showing any sign of going away, and they could even be the club most likely to snap him up next summer. That’s because their financial muscle may give them the edge over Inter Milan and Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is also said to be of interest to Newcastle, as Paul Mitchell and Eddie Howe eye an upgrade on Miguel Almiron.

Another rumoured target is Red Star Belgrade prodigy Andrija Maksimovic, with scouts sent to watch the highly-rated 17-year-old in action, ahead of a potential long-term move to St James’ Park.

Omar Marmoush has made a sensational start to the Bundesliga season for Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring eight goals and registering four assists in just six appearances. He is seen as an attacking option for Newcastle, too, as they look to add more firepower in the final third.

Newcastle linked with Bayern Munich star on free transfer

Speaking to Football Insider, ex-Man United, Sunderland and Tottenham chief scout Brown claimed he’s heard that Newcastle want to sign Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane on a free transfer next summer:

“Given their financial situation as it has been, they’ll be pushing to get this one over the line. I’ve often wondered why he left City, to be honest, and I know clubs have been tracking him since then. I’m surprised nobody here took him in the first place before he went to Bayern Munich, but there’s definitely interest.

“He’s 28 now and he still looks the type of player that has something to offer at the top level. I’ve heard Newcastle are among those clubs who will be looking to bring him in, and I’d be surprised if they didn’t at least try to get it done. Given his availability on a free, they’ll be looking to get him in with no outgoing fee which would be perfect for their finances.”

Sane’s pedigree as a top-level player is undeniable, with the £323,000-a-week winger arguably one of the most naturally gifted attacking players in Europe.

The fact that he has enjoyed long stints at Manchester City and Bayern is proof of his ability, and his former manager Thomas Tuchel is a huge admirer of his compatriot, saying earlier this year:

“You always try to have a bond with the sensitive and exceptional players. We want Leroy to be a team player. I know that he has been training with pain for seven or eight weeks – and yet he still makes himself available for the team. He’s played with pain that was almost unbearable. He deserves the highest praise for that.”

This also hints at a potential attitude issue, however, which has been aimed at Sane before, but if Howe can get him firing on all cylinders, he could be a sensational signing by Newcastle next year.

Paul Mitchell holds Newcastle interviews for new recruitment position

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The fact that he would be available on a free transfer makes it even more of a no-brainer, allowing the Magpies to offer him huge wages, not to mention taking away a slight risk element if it doesn’t work.

Ayabonga Khaka and Marizanne Kapp took a combined five wickets to restrict West Indies to 115 for 8

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-2021Opener Lizelle Lee’s 75 off 52 balls helped South Africa set up a 50-run win over the hosts West Indies in the second T20I in Antigua and move up 1-0 in the series.The visitors, who were put in to bat, were off to a strong start with Lee and Dane van Niekerk combining to put up a 53-run opening stand. It was left-arm quick Qiana Joseph who made the breakthrough with van Niekerk’s wicket in the seventh over. But Lee continued on, partnering with Marizanne Kapp this time for the second wicket as the duo put up a 69-run stand. Lee brought up her fifty off 39 balls.The duo kept the runs flowing before Hayley Matthews thwarted them with a double strike in the 18th over. Lee departed for 75, hitting 12 fours and one six while Kapp was dismissed for a 32-ball 24. Laura Wolvaardt then provided the perfect finish with a nine-ball 33 in which she cracked four consecutive sixes off Matthews in the last four balls of the innings, taking the total to 165.The hosts made a good start in the chase, racing to 21 in 2.3 overs. But following Matthews’ dismissal off the next ball, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Kapp struck regularly to keep West Indies’ top-order batters in check with the asking rate climbing. Ayabonga Khaka was frugal in her four overs, conceding just eight runs and picking two wickets.”We are very happy with how we handled ourselves in today’s match against the West Indies,” Wolvaardt said after the match.”As a team I feel we did what was required from us and executed our plans very well. This result goes a long way in lifting our confidence for the rest of series against a very strong Windies team and hopefully keep that good performance going.”The sides will meet in the decider in the third and final T20I, scheduled to take place at the same venue on September 5. The first T20I was called off due to rain.