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Perhaps hoping to form an unstoppable strike partnership, Paul Mitchell has reportedly made contact with the agent of one particular forward who he wants Newcastle United to sign in 2025.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies are gearing up for a busy 2025 on the transfer front following such a poor summer transfer window, which ended with free agent Lloyd Kelly as the standout arrival. Since then, Mitchell has taken a fair share of criticism, but was quick to come out and speak on the failure of those at St James’ Park during the transfer window.

Alan Shearer laid into Newcastle star after signing, now he's undroppable

He is a key player under Howe following a tough first few years at Newcastle.

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 25, 2024

He said via The Athletic: “There are things we got wrong in our strategy, for sure. If we could have signed a player that we actively felt could make a really good squad better, would we?

“Of course we would have done. My learning is that coming in, in a pre-arranged strategy, is hard,” he said. “You ultimately then find yourself supporting, more than driving elements.”

Looking to redeem themselves in 2025, the Magpies have already been linked with moves for the likes of Richard King in a move to bolster their defensive options for years to come, but it could be a star striker who steals the headlines.

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Mitchell is in contact with the agent of Jonathan David as he wants Newcastle to sign the Lille forward in the summer of 2025.

He’s not the only one who’s made an enquiry, however, with West Ham United and Chelsea among other sides to have asked about the forward who is set to leave France as a free agent next summer.

Still just 24 years old, signing David ahead of the likes of Chelsea would be quite the statement of redemption for Mitchell and Newcastle as they look to get back on track.

"Fantastic" David would be lethal alongside Isak

Isak, alone, is talented enough to carry the Newcastle attack forward for several years, but add David next to him and Eddie Howe’s side may well find themselves back on course for Champions League football sooner than anyone thinks. The Canada international has already enjoyed a fine start to the current campaign too, scoring twice in five Ligue 1 games and four times in all competitions to accompany two assists.

It’s a rise to stardom that Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig saw coming, having dubbed David’s off-ball movement “superb” when he was initially stealing the headlines in France.

What’s more, Callum Wilson’s likely departure as a free agent next summer should free up plenty of room in Newcastle’s striker department for David to emerge and take the spotlight. In a deal that would redeem Mitchell, Newcastle could land an early coup in 2025.

A report has shared exactly what Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou told his Spurs squad behind-closed-doors after their disappointing loss to fierce rivals Arsenal on Sunday.

Postecoglou criticised after 1-0 Tottenham defeat to Arsenal

Tottenham’s set-piece record under Postecoglou is a cause for concern among supporters and critics alike, with Gabriel Magalhaes’ winning header from a corner being their 10th goal conceded from a dead ball situation since the Australian took charge last year.

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The Lilywhites were approached over an out-of-window deal.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Sep 18, 2024

Gabriel rose basically unchallenged to thump his header past the helpless Guglielmo Vicario from close range, resulting in on-lookers theorising why the Brazilian was so free inside Spurs’ penalty area and right outside their six-yard box.

Tottenham actually dominated possession on the day, and created openings of their own, but a lack of cutting edge meant that Gabriel’s header was enough for Mikel Arteta’s side to seize all the bragging rights and all three points.

Brennan Johnson was criticised for his attacking display against Arsenal, with Dejan Kulusevski also questioned by some critics after the Swede and his teammates failed to unlock a resolute Gunners backline.

“I know that, for some reason, people think I don’t care about set-pieces,” said Postecoglou after Tottenham’s defeat to Arsenal.

“I understand the narrative, but we work on them all the time. We held them [Arsenal] well for the most part, but switched off for one and paid a price. They’re obviously a very big threat from set-pieces and it only takes one.

“It wasn’t just [Cristian] Romero, others switched off too. The delivery was spot on and Gabriel is a threat in those situations. We paid a price for it, but you learn from that and you move on. It’s my burden to carry and I’m fine with that.

Date

Result

15th Sept 2024

1-0 Arsenal win

28th April 2024

3-2 Arsenal win

24th Sept 2023

2-2 draw

15th Jan 2023

2-0 Arsenal win

1st Oct 2022

3-1 Arsenal win

12th May 2022

3-0 Spurs win

26th Sept 2021

3-1 Arsenal defeat

“For me, it’s about the finer details of us getting to where we want to be — for us, the way forward is to try to turn the football we’re playing into something meaningful.”

The result takes Spurs’ tally to two Premier League defeats, a draw and a single win from their opening four league matches, with Brentford awaiting them next in the top flight this weekend.

Before that, Postecoglou prepares his side to take on Coventry City in the EFL Cup this evening, with silverware long eluding Spurs as supporters hope for a cup run.

What Postecoglou has secretly told his Spurs squad after Arsenal loss

Writing in a detailed piece for The Daily Mail this week, reliable journalist Sami Mokbel shared what Postecoglou has secretly told his Tottenham squad after their defeat to Arsenal.

According to Mokbel, the 59-year-old’s message to his players was clear – that they remain on the right path and to keep calm.

Members of the Lilywhites squad also believe that their performances in these first four league games have offered an improvement on last season’s opening quartet of matches, despite the contrasting results.

There remains real positivity behind the scenes at N17, but that optimism needs to translate into results on the pitch, otherwise Postecoglou will keep feeling the heat.

As Tottenham Hotspur suffered defeat against North London rivals Arsenal, former midfielder Jamie O’Hara slammed one player who put in a “frustrating” display before coming off.

Tottenham suffer derby defeat once again

With Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Ricardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino all missing, the North London derby handed Tottenham Hotspur the best chance that they’re likely to get this season to gain an edge over Arsenal. Yet, in a repeat of the last campaign, the Lilywhites found themselves on the losing side once more.

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ByEmilio Galantini Sep 14, 2024

This time, in a more narrow defeat, it was Gabriel Magalhaes who found himself wheeling away in celebration midway through the second half after overpowering Cristian Romero and heading home in style.

The defeat means that Spurs have lost back-to-back games in the Premier League to continue their disappointing form after the international break. The task now falls the way of Ange Postecoglou to find a way to get the best out of his side.

The Austrailian’s first task on that front may well be to replace Brennan Johnson in his side. Or, at least, that’s what O’Hara may believe. The talkSPORT pundit slammed the winger in a post on X, saying: “Brennan Johnson is even more frustrating to watch in the flesh than he is on TV.”

The former Spurs midfielder’s frustration can be justified by Johnson’s poor performance, in which he lost five out of his six duels – just 83% – and had only 25 touches before being withdrawn. Now, as Wilson Odobert continues to step up on his arrival, Johnson may well find his place under threat.

Johnson may lose Tottenham place

After arriving for a reported £48m last summer, Johnson showed plenty of promise in his debut campaign but is beginning to frustrate those around North London. But at just 23 years old, the likes of O’Hara must have patience in their winger, who managed five goals and 10 assists in the Premier League last time out.

The arrival of Odobert could concern Johnson, however, after he found himself replaced having struggled in the second half against Arsenal. Receiving plenty of the ball, the former Forest star could have been the driving force to an impressive victory for Postecoglou’s side. Instead, he quickly became the point of frustration.

For Spurs as a collective, they must now look ahead to the Carabao Cup and Coventry City, before Ferencvaros in the Europa League and a chance to get back to winning ways in the Premier League against a tough Brighton & Hove Albion side.

Fail to beat Brighton and the concern will only grow for Postecoglou. One thing for sure, another defeat in the North London derby certainly won’t have helped the former Celtic man who is enduring a tough start to his second season in charge.

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has heaped praise on a £100,000-per-week star, insisting that he is just "meant" to play under Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal preparing for all-important north London derby against Tottenham

The Gunners have two blockbuster encounters coming right after this international break, with both Tottenham and Man City awaiting Arsenal after their disappointing 1-1 draw against Brighton at the Emirates Stadium.

Fabrizio Romano: Arteta backs £21m Arsenal ace for "really important" role

He’s also extremely popular in the dressing room.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Sep 3, 2024

Joao Pedro's strike for the Seagulls cancelled out Kai Havertz's expertly taken lobbed finish over Bart Verbruggen in the first half, resulting in Arsenal's first dropped points of the new Premier League campaign, so it is imperative that Arteta's side get back to winning ways immediately.

City have won each of their opening three league matches in comfortable fashion, and it will take a near-perfect season from Arsenal to stop Pep Guardiola from making it five-consecutive Premier League title wins.

Tottenham (away)

September 15

Man City (away)

September 22

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

They could hardly ask for tougher tests than Spurs and the Sky Blues up next, and Arsenal are also set to be without key players for their trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Mikel Merino has been sidelined for nearly two months after fracturing his shoulder in training, while Declan Rice's sending off against Brighton means their star midfielder will miss the north London derby through suspension.

A silver lining for Arsenal is the potential debut of headline-grabbing summer deadline day signing Raheem Sterling, who wasn't registered in time to play a part against Brighton last weekend.

Arteta has explained to the press that Arsenal are preparing for Sterling his imminent first Gunners appearance, as the England international looks to get up to speed tactically and physically.

“We have to see him, speak to him (about) what he’s been doing and how he’s feeling about it," said Arteta on Sterling.

“And try to find quick wins to get him up to speed as quickly as possible and for him to understand what we are looking for from him in the dynamics of the team. We will use that time to do that and get him involved as soon as possible.”

Sterling arrives to hand Arteta a proven back-up to Bukayo Saka who can also play further forward, and it is believed they're only paying £100,000-per-week of the 29-year-old's sky-high Chelsea salary over the course of his loan move.

Ian Wright says Sterling is just "meant" to play for Arsenal

Speaking on The Wrighty's House Podcast this week, fan favourite ex-star turned pundit Wright says Arsenal signing Sterling is a "magnificent" deal, and the former Man City star's transfer was just "meant to be".

“I’m absolutely delighted, the way the deal’s panned out,” said Wright. “When I heard Fulham were in for (Nelson), I thought yeah, I think Raheem’s on his way.

“And when you consider the deal, Raheem, family doesn’t have to move, point to prove, knows the manager, ain’t got a problem with rotation playing, experience.

“You think to yourself that is a magnificent deal for us, a really good signing for us, at 29, Chelsea are paying the majority, it’s almost like it can’t get any better. The only way it’s gonna get any better is when he scores the winner against Tottenham. That’s when you think this is it, it’s meant to be.

“You know when you see a player in your shirt… he suits our shirt, 100 percent.”

Arsenal’s negotiations with Ajax over their much sought-after defender Jurrien Timber “have been very positive,” and the player himself “wants to make the move to Arsenal”, claims Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Arsenal transfer news – What’s the latest on Jurrien Timber

After falling just short of a first Premier League title in 19 years last season, the Gunners look set to add several quality players to their squad over the summer.

One of those quality players looks to be Timber. The North London outfit are reportedly now the front-runners to land the signature of the 22-year-old defender, despite their opening offer of £30m being rejected, per the Daily Mail.

That rejection doesn’t seem to have made any difference to the club’s ambition, as transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported on June 26th that Arsenal had made their “second official proposal to Ajax in order to get (the) Jurrien Timber deal done this week.”

In even better news for Gooners, the Italian reported that the player and club had “personal terms agreed last week on (a) five year contract.”

It isn’t the first time the Dutchman had been heavily touted for a move to the Premier League, as only last summer it was Manchester United, newly under former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, that looked set to land the Utrecht-born defender.

Dutch journalist Marcel Van Der Krann told Sky Sports News that the move fell apart after Louis Van Gaal warned the 5 foot 10 dynamo that a move to United would harm his chances of playing for the national team in the 2022 World Cup.

What did Dharmesh Sheth say about Arsenal and Jurrien Timber?

Sheth highlighted the positive nature of the talks so far and the player’s overwhelming desire to come to London and be a part of Arsenal’s project moving forward.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: “You’ll remember last summer Manchester United tried to sign Jurrien Timber but couldn’t get that one over the line. It looks like this one could end in a positive resolution with regard to Arsenal because they are pushing for him.

“Talks have been ongoing, talks have been very positive, as far as I’m aware. And all the indications are that Jurrien Timber quite significantly wants to make the move to Arsenal as well.”

Would Jurrien Timber improve Arsenal?

The first thing to stress about Timber is his positional versatility. During his time with Amsterdam’s biggest club, he has played in both the centre-half position and as a right-back, something that has surely piqued the interest of Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners employed a system last season that saw the right-back – often Ben White – come back into the central areas of the pitch and play as a third centre-half when the team was in possession. This would be a role that Timber would thrive in.

How does he stack up to Ben White, the player most likely to be his competition at the Emirates?

When it comes to the player’s goal threat, there isn’t much of a competition. According to FBref, the Dutchman puts up a seriously impressive expected goals number of 4.9 across 34 games, whereas the former Leeds and Brighton man can only muster 1.3.

However, it’s a totally different story regarding excepted assists, where the Ajax academy graduate amasses just 0.8 while White hits a respectable 3.2.

Defensively speaking, it’s fairly evenly matched, with The Englishman winning 0.91 tackles per 90 to Timber’s 1.01, also per FBref.

With the deal looking like it could be finalised any day now, the Gunners should be able to rely on more quality reinforcements next season.

Manchester United are interested in signing teenage forward Adama Bojang, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the latest transfer news on Man United and Bojang?

The Red Devils and Erik ten Hag have made a new forward one of their transfer priorities this summer, with Wout Wegorst’s loan spell coming to an end.

Anthony Martial’s future is also up in the air, which could leave Ten Hag with no senior striker on the books ahead of the 2023/24 season.

A number of marquee names have been linked with a move to Old Trafford, including Harry Kane. Reports have suggested that Man United could be tempted back into a move for the Tottenham star if they lower their £100m asking price to £80m.

Meanwhile, there has been speculation that Man United are in the lead to sign Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos, and alongside a proven high-profile attacking addition, it looks as if a lesser-known final third name is also on the agenda.

Romano took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share an update he’s heard on Bojang. He revealed that those at Old Trafford are “now showing interest” in signing the “huge talent”, however, German sides Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig are also keen alongside French outfit Strasbourg.

“Manchester United are among clubs now showing interest in Gambia 2004 born talent Adama Bojang.

“Understand Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig are pushing to close deal for Bojang, considered a huge talent. Strasbourg are also monitoring the situation.”

Who is Adama Bojang?

Bojang is just 19 years of age and is an out-and-out centre-forward who plies his trade for Steve Bicko FC in The Gambia.

Standing at 6ft 3, he has been nicknamed “The Gambian Hurricane” and an absolute physical specimen in the media, blessed with both speed and strength. Bojang has also been praised for his good anticipation skills and composure when presented with chances in the box, drawing slight comparisons to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

He appears to be catching the eye all across Europe, so a move to Manchester could be a shrewd one by Old Trafford officials, and by the looks of things, it could be another to monitor over the coming months.

Celtic officially confirmed the arrival of Brendan Rodgers as their replacement for Ange Postecoglou in the dugout at Parkhead on a three-year deal earlier this week.

The Northern Irish tactician, who left Leicester City earlier this year, is now tasked with replicating the immense success he enjoyed during his first spell in Scotland.

Rodgers won seven trophies in less than three years at Paradise and The Scottish Sun have reported that the 50-year-old boss will be handed a whopping £30m to work with in the summer transfer window in order to rake in more major honours.

One such investment could be on a player named Zan Vipotnik.

Who is Zan Vipotnik?

Football Scotland claimed last month that the Hoops are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Zan Vipotnik, a 21-year-old striker currently playing for Maribor in Slovenia.

Rodgers must now push to make the young centre-forward his first signing of the summer and use the significant budget that Dermot Desmond and the rest of the board are set to back him with, as the attacker could be an excellent alternative or partner to Kyogo Furuhashi.

Maribor reportedly value the Slovenia international at £3.5m. It is not hard to see why they want a multi-million-pound fee for their player when you consider his impressive form in the 22/23 campaign.

Vipotnik, who talent scout Jacek Kulig described as a "poacher", plundered an eye-catching 20 goals and one assist in 30 Prva Liga outings and produced three goals in four domestic cup matches.

This means that the prolific hotshot registered one goal every 1.48 games in Slovenian football, which shows that he knows how to be consistent in the penalty area.

The four-cap marksman, who also struck ten times in 14 clashes for Triglav Kranj earlier in his career, could come in at Celtic and be another incredible forward option for Rodgers alongside Kyogo, who was the only Hoops attacker with more than 11 Scottish Premiership goals last term.

His 27-strike campaign in the division was enough to secure him the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award and there is, therefore, little doubt that the Japanese finisher will be a huge player for the new manager next season.

However, bringing in a player of Vipotnik's potential quality – if he is able to translate his form over to Scottish football – could provide Kyogo with serious competition for his place and give Rodgers the option to go with both of them as a pairing up front, which could frighten opposition defenders with their incredible respective records in front of goal.

Liverpool should focus on bringing in two more midfielders whose main attributes are their dynamism and athleticism according to Redmen TV presenter Ste Hoare.

The club recently confirmed the signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion, and will now push to bolster the midfield further ahead of the next campaign.

Liverpool transfer news – midfielders

Liverpool is set for a major midfield overhaul after a disappointing season which resulted in Europa League football for the first time in eight seasons.

The club has already completed the signing of Mac Allister on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, but reports state the fee is around £35m as the Reds activated a clause in the Argentines contract.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool is set for talks with the agents of Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram and Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone following the completion of the Mac Allister transfer.

There have also been reports on the Red's interest in Southampton's Romeo Lavia, Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch and Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga.

It is clear based on the reports and rumors that the Merseyside-based outfit is targeting young midfielders who can come into the current squad and play their part whilst also having the potential to grow into a regular starter.

What does Hoare think of Liverpool's midfield situation?

When asked on the midfield situation, Hoare told Football FanCast: "In terms of who is next, I think they probably need two more midfielders.

"The one thing Mac Allister doesn’t offer that we are probably still in need of is more dynamism and athleticism. He’s a very good player, and he puts in a lot of work, but I think Liverpool probably lacks a bit of physicality still in the midfield, and we saw that at times last season."

Who should Liverpool sign for midfield?

As the Redmen TV presenter stated, Liverpool needs to bring in midfielders that offer more "dynamism" and "athleticism" than the current options at the club, and both Thuram and Kone fit those descriptions.

The 22-year-old from Nice made 35 appearances in Ligue 1, scoring two and assisting four en route to averaging a rating of 6.91 according to WhoScored.

The 6 foot 4 midfielder is a fantastic creative force, averaging 0.18 xAG as well as 3.25 progressive carries and 1.63 successful take-ons per 90, which ranks him alongside some of the best midfielders in Europe, according to FBref.

Kone is a more defensively dynamic option, with the man who was dubbed a "one-man army" making 30 appearances for his club last season and averaging a rating of 6.81 according to WhoScored. The French youth international averages 2.55 tackles per 90 as well as 1.10 interceptions per 90 showcasing his defensive prowess, as per FBref.

If Liverpool are able to bring in both French youngsters, their midfield will arguably be as dynamic and athletic as ever.

Arsenal midfielder Jorginho "is leaving" north London this summer as Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri dreams of signing him, according to reports out of Italy.

Who could leave Arsenal this summer?

As well as managing who could come into the club, with West Ham star Declan Rice and Galatasary's Sacha Boey being heavily linked recently, Mikel Arteta's side must also shift the deadwood.

Having missed out on their first Premier League title in nearly 20 years to Man City, it's back to the drawing board for club chief Edu, who has already confirmed that transfer planning is well and truly underway.

"Our planning has already been done," said Edu back in April (ESPN via 90min)."It has already reached the owners. Now, we're taking things step by step. We're focused on how we will finish the season, but we've put in the planning and I'm very excited."

Of the players who could leave to make room for new signings, there are a fair few, with the standout names being defender Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe, Nuno Tavares, Sambi Lokonga, Folarin Balogun and, of course long-serving star Granit Xhaka (Goal).

However, a report from Italy suggests another name has been added to that long list, as Jorginho is being tipped to leave just six months after putting pen to paper on a move from Chelsea.

According to La Lazio Siamo Noi, the Italy international "is leaving Arsenal" this summer window, and Lazio are thought to be very interested in signing him.

The midfielder, who was brought in last winter as midfield cover, is seriously wanted by his former manager at Chelsea and Napoli.

Sarri apparently "dreams" of signing Jorginho and it is believed there is a real chance the pair could work together at, what would be, their third club.

Who is Jorginho?

The 31-year-old has proven to be a phenomenal player in recent seasons, even winning the UEFA Player of the Year award in 2021 as he helped Chelsea to Champions League glory.

Called "world class" by former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique, Arteta has also praised Jorginho's efforts since making the move to north London.

Speaking after a win over Aston Villa in mid-February, the Gunners boss called him "tremendous" whilst hailing some real magic he produced.

"I certainly didn't expect that from him (Jorginho). I thought he was tremendous today," said Arteta.

We needed a magic moment and Jorginho produced it, the boys really wanted it, after what happened a couple of days ago.

"If you want to be at the top you have to win games in different ways."

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy still has the former Barcelona boss, Luis Enrique, on his managerial shortlist as the search continues.

Who will Spurs hire as manager?

What was a huge underwhelming 2022/23 campaign for the north London side has finally come to a conclusion, however, the work has not stopped for Levy.

Indeed, the Lilywhites have now been without a permanent manager since Antonio Conte's exit back in the latter stages of March this year.

Since the Italian's exit, Cristian Stellini stepped in as the interim boss and following his exit, Ryan Mason took the reins until the end of the campaign.

But now it is time for the chairman to bring in a new permanent boss who can lead the Tottenham project with the club seemingly crying out for a reboot.

One name which has climbed to the top of the Lilywhites' shortlist is Celtic's Ange Postecoglou with the Australian impressing during his first two seasons at Parkhead.

However, speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano has claimed Levy still has his eyes on Enrique who is dreaming of a job in the Premier League:

"Postecoglou is in the list. And from what I understand, Luis Enrique remains in the frame. He's a name that was in the list at Tottenham when Fabio Paratici was there. Then Fabio Paratici resigned, but he remains a name appreciated internally at Tottenham. Luis Enrique dreams of Premier League."

Who should Levy hire for Spurs?

It is believed the Australian is currently on a rolling one-year deal with Celtic which would mean Spurs could potentially prise him away from Paradise for free at the end of the campaign.

The Bhoys have a big cup final coming up this weekend which will provide the 57-year-old with the opportunity to land the treble in what has been a mightily impressive 2022/23 campaign/

However, there will be concerns over his lack of experience at the top level.

This is something which would not be a concern with Enrique given the Spaniard has lifted numerous trophies during his time at Barcelona.

But whether Enrique would bring the desired style of football to north London is another matter with the Spaniard's time in charge of the national side coming crashing to an end at the World Cup.

In comparison, Postecoglou has instilled an exciting brand of football at Celtic and has done so with a number of signings he has made with the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate and Jota.

Now, this raises another question, the Spurs vacancy would provide him with the opportunity to operate in the transfer window on a much bigger scale.

His time at Celtic has been largely a success as a result of his recruitment from the Japanese J-League, could he translate that success into a much bigger operation that is a Premier League budget?

Enrique may provide Levy with an opportunity at quicker success, however, that has not worked over recent years with the likes of Jose Mourinho and Conte.