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Newcastle United have been offered the chance to take Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti on loan on favourable terms, according to The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder. 

The lowdown

Newcastle are trying to secure the signings of two centre-backs in the form of Lille’s Sven Botman and Sevilla’s Diego Carlos, but the 28-year-old could perhaps be an alternative option.

The Frenchman joined Barcelona from Lyon ahead of the 2016/17 season and made 25 league appearances in each of his first two campaigns (via WhoScored), but that dropped to 14 in 2018/19 and 13 in both of the subsequent two seasons. This year, he has featured just once in La Liga.

A succession of injuries, including a series of knee problems, has played a significant part in his limited involvement.

The latest

Posting a link to his piece in The Chronicle via his Twitter feed, Ryder stated: “Magpies offered cash incentive to take Barcelona star”

Barcelona have made it clear that they are willing to pay a portion of the defender’s £16m-a-year wages, something which Ryder claimed ‘could appeal to Newcastle should they go ahead with the deal’.

The verdict

Umtiti boasts a pretty enviable CV. He has won 10 major trophies at senior level, most notably the 2018 World Cup and two La Liga titles.

On an individual level, he featured in the FIFPro World XI second team in 2018, which indicates that he was deemed one of the four best centre-backs on the planet that year. Former Batcelona team-mate Lionel Messi has also spoken highly of him off the pitch, describing him an ‘excellent person’.

However, it’s simply too big a risk for relegation-threatened Newcastle to bank on a massively reimbursed player who’s been hit so hard by injuries and played so little football of late.

In other news, Nick Hammond is also interested in this potential signing

The Athletic’s Celtic correspondent Kieran Devlin believes that Hoops youngster Karamoko Dembele may have actually broken a bone in his ankle over the summer.

The Lowdown: Dembele’s Celtic career

Labelled as ‘special’ by former Bhoys manager Neil Lennon, the teenager has struggled to make a major impact at Parkhead since penning professional terms at Parkhead back in 2018.

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Now 18 years of age, the winger has turned out just eight times for the Hoops’ first team and is yet to make a competitive appearance under Ange Postecoglou.

He injured his ankle in the club’s pre-season tour of Wales and underwent surgery back in October following complications. However, Devlin believes that the youngster may have broken a bone in his ankle despite reports suggesting that it was a fracture.

The Latest: Devlin claim

Devlin ran a Q&A on The Athletic prior to Celtic’s meeting with Motherwell on Sunday afternoon.

He was quizzed on Dembele’s situation, replying with an interesting admission:

“He’s also injured, *think* it turned out to be a break in the end but conflicting information on that.”

The Verdict: Summer departure?

Dembele has had his struggles in Glasgow and is out of contract in the summer, so there’s every possibility that he’ll pursue a new challenge next year, should his situation remain the same over the coming months.

You’d expect that he wouldn’t be short of suitors either despite his injury issues, with the likes of Lille, Nantes and Danish side FC Nordsjaelland all linked with the teenager earlier this year.

Hopefully he’ll be back in the New Year and will get a chance under Postecoglou, but getting fit will be his main priority for the time being.

In other news: ‘Game-changer’ – BBC Radio 5 Live man ‘surprised’ as Celtic get closer to biggest signing of the Postecoglou era

Even though they’ve had four games postponed in recent weeks, Tottenham Hotspur have had a fairly positive start to life under Antonio Conte with four wins, one draw and one defeat across all competitions.

However, with Conte calling the quality of the Spurs squad into question after their 2-1 defeat against NS Mura in the Europa Conference League back in November, the upcoming January transfer window could be a great opportunity for Fabio Paratici to add some quality to Conte’s squad for the rest of the season.

With this in mind, it seems as though the Lilywhites already have their eye on signing someone in January who could fit into Conte’s plans.

According to La Repubblica, as relayed by La Lazio Siamo Noi (via Sport Witness), Tottenham are interested in signing Lazio midfielder Manuel Lazzari as he would apparently be a dream fit for Conte’s favoured 3-5-2 formation.

Since joining Lazio from SPAL back in the 2019 summer transfer window, the 28-year-old, who is currently valued at £16.2m according to Transfermarkt, has made a total of 99 appearances for Lazio across all competitions in which he has managed to score four goals and provide 10 assists along the way.

Throughout his entire career, Lazzari has made a total of 255 appearances as a right-midfielder but has played 16 games as a right-back for Lazio this season, showing that he’d be a useful figure for Spurs in either the right-wing back position or even possibly as part of the back three.

Labelled as a “quality” player in the past by current Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri, it’s easy to see why Conte would be interested in signing Lazzari and bringing him to Tottenham as an experienced and versatile player who would fit right in on the flank.

However, with Spurs having the likes of Matt Doherty, Emerson Royal and Japhet Tanganga in their squad that can play in the right-back or right-wing back position, it would be interesting to see if Conte would immediately give Lazzari the right-wing back spot ahead of their current options, or possibly look to offload one of those names first.

Either way, if Paratici sees an opportunity to deliver Conte with what would be a potential dream fit, then he should definitely look to do all he can to bring Lazzari, who was earning a weekly wage of £45k-per-week last year according to Salary Sport, to north London.

In other news: Paratici could deliver Spurs masterclass with £22.5m-rated beast likened to Vidic – opinion

The previous summer transfer window saw a number of players leave Liverpool, including Harry Wilson, Xherdan Shaqiri and Marko Grujic among others.

One other man who departed Anfield over the summer after making 237 appearances for the Reds across all competitions was Georginio Wijnaldum, who joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

Looking ahead to the January and summer transfer windows, it seems as though the Merseyside club could be in the running to sign a potential replacement for the 31-year-old.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by International Business Times that Liverpool are interested in making a move to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, with the Catalan club apparently willing to cash in on the Dutchman to raise funds.

Since joining the La Liga giants in the 2019 summer transfer window in a deal worth a reported fee of £65m, De Jong has made 106 appearances for the Blaugrana across all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing 14 assists in the process, prior to their league match against Espanyol this weekend.

His nine appearances in La Liga so far this season have seen the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at £81m by Transfermarkt, prove himself a useful midfield option in a creative and defensive regard. He has racked up a passing accuracy percentage of 92%, with an average of 1.2 key passes and two tackles per game according to SofaScore.

De Jong, who has been called an “extraordinary” player in the past by current Barcelona manager Xavi, has also shown how impressive he can be on the international stage. He completed 78 out of his 80 passes in Netherlands’ recent 2-0 win over Norway, as well as winning eight of his 11 duels. He duly earned an overall match rating of 7.5/10 from SofaScore, which was higher than the rating given to Wijnaldum (7.1/10).

In terms of a potential move to Liverpool, if Barcelona are willing to let De Jong leave the club, then FSG should be all over it trying to bring him to Anfield and add him to Jurgen Klopp’s squad as Wijnaldum’s long-term heir given his talent and relatively young age.

In other news: “Incredible” Liverpool ace with 2.2 shots PG has been Klopp’s unsung hero this season

West Ham United maintained their Champions League push over the weekend, defeating European champions Chelsea 3-2 in an enthralling encounter at the London Stadium.

However, the three points may have come at a considerable price for David Moyes’ side, with Kurt Zouma and Ben Johnson joining the ever-growing injury list ahead of a crucial run of fixtures.

And while the experience Vladimir Coufal can comfortably deputise at right-back in Johnson’s absence, Zouma’s potential spell on the sidelines could cause a whole host of issues.

That’s because first-choice centre-back Angelo Ogbonna has already been ruled out of action for the remainder of the season after picking up an ACL problem against Liverpool.

As a result, it’s likely that Issa Diop will be awarded a run of games over the coming weeks, providing him with the perfect opportunity to revive his career and finally fulfil his top-class potential.

The 24-year-old arrived on English shores with an enviable reputation back in July 2018 and impressed throughout his maiden campaign, making 33 starts in the Premier League.

Diop’s eye-catching displays saw former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho label him a “monster” just months into his West Ham career, yet he has struggled to replicate that sort of form ever since.

Since the beginning of 2020/21, the £13.5m-rated gem has started just 19 top-flight fixtures for the east London outfit as he’s slipped down Moyes’ pecking order.

But Diop has shown signs of encouragement and improvement in recent months. Following an outstanding performance against Leicester City in the final weeks of last term, pundit Trevor Sinclair praised the Frenchman’s showing.

He tweeted: “Delighted to watch Issa turned a corner today @IssaDiop97. Well done young man,” highlighting his much-improved display.

And the youngster also put in an encouraging 90 minutes on his first Premier League outing of 2021/22 on Saturday, making two blocks, one clearance and one tackle, while winning two duels and securing a passing accuracy of 94%.

Therefore, the next few weeks could prove pivotal in Diop’s West Ham career, with Ogbonna and Zouma’s absence handing him the ideal opportunity to get back on track.

And, in other news…“They do like him”: Journo drops exciting West Ham transfer update, fans surely elated

Speaking to Polish news outlet Meczyki, West Ham United goalkeeper Lukasz Fabiabski has dropped a big update concerning a potential new deal at the London Stadium.

The Lowdown: West Ham looking to extend?

One of the few senior West Ham players out of contract next summer, with others like Angelo Ogbonna also at the centre of reports, Fabianski’s future is certainly an interesting topic.

West Ham completed the signing of Paris-Saint German shot stopper Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan with the option to buy last summer and you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a big hint in regards to Fabianski’s long term status.

Alas, he continues to prove a mainstay under David Moyes, starting every Premier League game so far, and now the player himself has dropped a contract bombshell.

The Latest: Fabianski shares news…

Speaking to Meczyki, the 36-year-old has confirmed that there have been some ‘preliminary talks’ going on behind-the-scenes over a possible extension.

“As far as I can tell, there have been some preliminary talks already going on,” Fabianski said when asked if he wants to extend his east London stay.

“I hope that we will calmly come to a good solution for both sides. I do not see any reasons for it to be otherwise, since the club and I are satisfied with this cooperation.”

The Verdict: Good news?

While you could make the argument that Moyes and West Ham need to start thinking more long term, as evident by the signing of Areola and links to West Brom ace Sam Johnstone, the Hammers’ current number one has given no reason not to offer another one-year deal.

The fact Moyes is yet to start Areola in an English top flight match despite his form for Fulham last year tells you all you need to know of Fabianski’s ability and application.

Time will tell whether the club and player will come to an agreement, but West Ham could certainly do far worse in-between the sticks for now.

In other news: ‘Bargain’, ‘Incredible’…Pundit blown away as West Ham eye ‘very, very good signing’ for Moyes, find out more here.

Aston Villa reportedly now want to bring in Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand to replace Dean Smith, according to Alan Nixon of The Sun.

As to be expected, the latest managerial link has had a number of Villa fans talking on social media.

Smith was officially sacked on Sunday following a fifth defeat on the spin, with the Villa board now on the lookout for a new boss.

The likes of Paulo Fonseca and Lucien Favre are two other names who are thought to be of interest to NSWE, and Hjulmand is the latest addition to that list.

Nixon led with a headline on Saturday night claiming that Villa want Hjulmand to replace the under-pressure Smith, with the 49-year-old labelled as ‘world-class’ by his former FC Nordsjaelland employer Tom Vernon.

Hjulmand likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 formation and has won 16 of his 23 games as Denmark boss, guiding them to the Euro 2020 semi-finals in the wake of Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest. However, his only experience as a club manager in a top European league came with Bundesliga side Mainz back in 2014, where he lasted just 231 days, winning five of his 24 games.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful shared the links to Hjulmand on Twitter on Saturday evening, with a mixed response from Villa supporters as outlined below.

“This was be a class appointment if true. Especially as he’s worked with Lange in the past. Got the best out of a decent Denmark side. Would be a perfect fit ”

Credit: @firkins11

“Get him in”

Credit: @firebundem

“Europe inbound”

Credit: @rossmow6

“Would be an awful appointment. Fonesca or Gerrard.”

Credit: @Harry1874avfc

“Only major league he managed in was the Bundesliga and had a 20% win percentage, no thanks”

Credit: @DanAVFC_

“Has to be a wind up”

Credit: @bigderm

In other news: ‘How?’, ‘God help us’ – Some Villa fans ‘baffled’ by confirmed player news

Leeds presenter Joe Wainman believes that Dan James was always destined to sign for the club, even suggesting he is like a son to Marcelo Bielsa.

The Lowdown: Leeds finally capture James

Leeds signing of £16.2m-valued James (Transfermarkt) had been two years in the making. The Whites had been close to capturing the Wales international in 2019, but the move from Swansea City fell apart on deadline day.

He of course moved to Manchester United before finally switching to Elland Road in the summer for a fee of £25m (BBC).

The Latest: Wainman makes James claim

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Wainman believes James was always going to end up with the Whites. He said:

“I just felt that it was always going to be Leeds United’s deal because they were so big on him. Victor Orta very big on him. Of course, Bielsa, he’s like Bielsa’s son, I think. It was always going to happen.”

The Verdict: Finally

It is hard to understate just how close James was close to moving to Yorkshire – he was even pictured holding up a Leeds shirt before the transfer fell apart (inews). Two years later, the Whites finally have their man, and he has already made five appearances in all competitions for the club (Transfermarkt).

How much of an impact he has remains to be seen – he is yet to score or provide an assist as of yet – but if Bielsa was that desperate to capture him, he clearly has a certain ability. After all, the Argentinian is a hero in Leeds and, so far, the vast majority of his decisions have paid off.

In other news, Noel Whelan is delighted with these club plans.

Southampton fans have not had much to shout about so far this season, with four draws and three defeats in their opening seven games of the Premier League campaign.

In addition to this disappointing run of early results, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have only managed to score five goals in those seven matches.

However, with the January transfer window on the horizon, it seems as though the club are eyeing up a potential player who could come in and help resolve their goalscoring issues.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by Italian media outlet Tutto B (via Sport Witness) that Southampton and German club RB Leipzig are both interested in signing Lorenzo Lucca, having sent scouts to watch him in action during the Italy under-21s’ match against Sweden in midweek.

The 21-year-old centre-forward, who is currently valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt, joined Serie B side Pisa back in July and has scored six goals in seven league appearances, which is probably why Southampton and RB Leipzig have their eyes on him.

On the international stage, he has made just three appearances for Italy’s under-21 side but scored his first goal for them in the recent 1-1 draw against their counterparts from Sweden.

Ideal Ings replacement?

Southampton sold Danny Ings to fellow Premier League side Aston Villa over the summer transfer window and have since struggled to find the back of the net, the Englishman scoring 46 goals in 100 appearances for the club (including 34 over the last two top-flight campaigns) before departing. With a huge void to fill in attack, perhaps Lucca could well be an ideal long-term replacement for the 29-year-old given his young age and goalscoring talent.

In our view, it could well be worth Southampton taking a shot at signing Lucca either in the upcoming January transfer window or next summer based on his age and the talent he has shown on the pitch so far this season.

However, given that he’s only just moved to Pisa and how well he’s done for them, perhaps they would be quite reluctant to let him go.

For the time being, Hasenhuttl will have to make do with the attacking options he has at his disposal and hope that they can finally click into gear and help move the team away from the relegation zone.

In other news: Saints could repeat their Livramento masterclass by signing “fantastic” 19 y/o talent

Speaking to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur ‘insider’ John Wenham has shared what he knows as managing director Fabio Paratici allegedly eyes a swoop for West Ham star Jarrod Bowen.

The Lowdown: Spurs scouts get tracking…

As per The Independent, it appears Tottenham and Paratici have now taken a keen interest in signing the Irons attacker who has thoroughly impressed under David Moyes so far.

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Indeed, as they reported earlier this week, Spurs are long-time admirers of the Englishman and have been circling alongside the likes of Liverpool and Leicester City.

The Latest: Lilywhites source shares what he knows…

Speaking to FI, Lilywhites source and ‘insider’ Wenham has shared what he knows on this interest and reliably informs whether this deal could indeed happen.

“West Ham spent £18million on him and would obviously look for a lot more than that to sell him,”

“Tottenham and West Ham don’t do business. There is no love lost between the two clubs at boardroom level.

“I don’t see West Ham entertaining any bids for Bowen from Tottenham, that one is a non-starter.

“Tottenham may be interested in him but some clubs just don’t do business.

“I would categorically rule that one out now. Even if West Ham said he was available they would turn down an approach from Tottenham.

“From what I’ve heard from people I know in the industry, I just can’t see that one happening.”

The Verdict: Blow for Spurs fans?

Going by the numbers, Bowen would be a stellar signing for Spurs, so it comes as a blow that this N17 source sees it as a non-starter.

According to WhoScored, the 24-year-old has averaged an electric 3 completed dribbles and 2.4 key passes per 90 in the Premier League so far – both more than any Spurs player.

As well as this, talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan recently labelled him a ‘world-beater’ for his fine form (talkSPORT via Read West Ham).

In other news: Medical was done: Source reveals player’s summer move from Spurs fell apart at the very last second, find out more here.