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Newcastle United are reportedly now ‘ready’ to offer Lorenzo Insigne huge money in order to sign for them.

The Lowdown: Winger wanted?

With the likes of Luis Diaz and Philippe Coutinho being linked with a move to St. James’ Park in recent days, it suggests that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium are now looking for a winger in order to bolster their forward line following their takeover in the northeast.

However, there may be a doubt over what kind of calibre of player they would be able to attract in the January transfer window, giving that they are currently lurking near the bottom of the Premier League table, with no wins and a mere five points from their first 11 games so far this season (Premier League).

The Latest: Insigne eyed by Newcastle

As per Rai Radio (via Sport Witness), Newcastle will now attempt to throw a huge amount of money – or as the outlet put it, ‘ready to shower him with gold’ – in order to try and sign Insigne as a free agent next summer.

He is out of contract at Napoli at the end of the season, but given that he has played at the highest level throughout his career, including in the Champions League and Serie A, he may want to move to a club other than the Magpies.

However, if the Tynesiders manage to avoid relegation, the Italian could be tempted by a move to the Premier League, with an ambitious project to get the Toon up to the very top.

The Verdict: Huge scalp

It would certainly be a huge scalp to lure the Napoli captain away from his club to go and join the Magpies, so it may take a big bumper contract in order to persuade him.

Regardless of what he is paid, there is no doubt that Insigne is a quality player, having played more than 400 times for the Serie A club, including 79 matches under former Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez, in which he scored 11 goals and supplied 17 assists (Transfermarkt).

The current Everton coach sang the praises of the Italy international back in 2015 when he was the forward’s boss at Napoli, and Insigne’s consistent presence in Italy’s Euro 2020-winning team shows that he can still perform on the big stage.

A Napoli great, he is inspired by club legend Diego Maradona, of whose face he has a big tattoo on his leg; and if he can channel his inner Diego, he would no doubt be a force to be reckoned with at NUFC.

In other news, find out which potential signing Magpies fans would be ‘excited’ by

Leeds United are not interested in Diego Martinez despite emerging reports, according to reliable journalist Beren Cross.

What’s the word?

The Yorkshire giants were linked to the former Granada boss in recent days with Super Deporte (via Sport Witness) claiming that director of football Victor Orta has already made a first approach to seal the 40-year-old as a potential replacement for Marcelo Bielsa at the end of the season.

However, the LeedsLive reporter delivered a fresh update to supporters in a recent Q&A, when asked about the links, he said:

“No, I don’t believe there is.

“From what I am told there is zero chance he will be Bielsa’s successor when the Argentine does eventually move on from Elland Road.”

Encouraging news?

Whilst this doesn’t completely rule out the Argentine’s departure, it is rather promising news, despite their disappointing form in 2021/22.

Bielsa is out of contract in the summer and is yet to agree to an extension, though he’s never signed anything this early on, ever since arriving at Elland Road in 2018.

The 66-year-old guided the Whites into the Premier League for the first time in 16 years and managed to secure a tenth place finish in their maiden campaign back in the big time.

Injuries have seriously curtailed their progress this term, with several key and influential stars missing a ton of games, including vice-captain Luke Ayling and leading talisman Patrick Bamford.

Any team would struggle without players of this quality and there is plenty of time left to salvage their season. United sit one place above the relegation zone but only 12 games have been completed.

Bielsa will, of course, leave one day but you can’t help but think he deserves a crack at keeping the Yorkshiremen in the top-flight.

Martinez, who has no experience outside of Spain, having held roles at Sevilla, Osasuna and Granada, would have been a massive risk, even more so as he would be trying to follow in the footsteps of the cult hero and fan favourite.

Therefore, much of the Elland Road faithful will surely be delighted by Cross’ claims this week.

AND in other news, Bielsa can unearth Leeds’ next Phillips in 18 y/o “big prospect”, fans must be excited…

As Liverpool’s top two goalscorers in the Premier League so far this season, it’s safe to say that Sadio Mane (7) and Mohamed Salah (11) have been two of the Merseyside club’s most important players in this campaign.

Unfortunately for the Reds, the prolific duo will be unavailable to play in January when they join their respective countries to play in the upcoming AFCON tournament.

While this definitely will be a big problem for Jurgen Klopp’s side, they have one player at the Merseyside club that could well be a suitable temporary replacement for the star wingers when January comes around.

17-year-old winger Kaide Gordon joined Liverpool back in February from Championship side Derby County.

Since then, the teenager, who is currently valued at £900k according to Transfermarkt, has made eight appearances for Liverpool’s U18 side, racking up six goals and providing three assists in that time.

The attacker, who has been described as having a “bit of magic in him” by fellow Liverpool youngster Tom Clayton, has also made four appearances for Liverpool’s U23 side, scoring three times and supplying one assist in the process, highlighting his attacking prowess at such a young age.

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Gordon made his senior debut for the Reds in their 3-0 win over Norwich City in the Carabao Cup where he played the full 90 minutes before being included on the substitutes bench in their recent 4-0 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League.

Taking all of this into account and the fact that Liverpool will be without Mane and Salah for a period in January, Klopp should definitely consider giving Gordon the chance to shine in the Premier League. Should he impress, then he will be more than suitable to fill in for the senior duo over the winter.

If Gordon does get the chance to play regularly at some point this season and manages to demonstrate what an attacking talent he is, the teen could well prove to be a valuable asset for Liverpool as they bid to keep themselves in the title race.

In other news: Big blow: Klopp dealt injury setback that is sure to leave Liverpool fans gutted – opinion

Flocking to Twitter, these West Ham United fans have reacted to a major update on manager David Moyes’ transfer plans ahead of January involving Burnley star James Tarkowski.

Since defender Angelo Ogbonna suffered an ACL injury in West Ham’s 3-2 home victory over Liverpool before the last international break, Moyes has been tipped to target a new signing as cover in the winter window (The Evening Standard).

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Of the players linked, which include Hertha Berlin mainstay Niklas Stark and Liverpool centre-back Nathaniel Phillips, Clarets favourite Tarkowski is a name repeatedly mentioned.

The 29-year-old is out of contract at the end of this season, with his current deal set to expire in 2022, and it is reliably believed that is he far from likely to sign an extension at Turf Moor (The Athletic).

As such, Burnley may feasibly have to let him go in January or risk losing him for free in the summer – with The Sun now coming out with a claim on what West Ham and Moyes have planned.

According to their sources, ‘West Ham boss David Moyes will make a final bid’ to sign Tarkowski this upcoming window with the club set for a transfer swoop.

It is believed they will lodge an offer of around £6m-£7m with the Hammers boss personally keen on a move.

West Ham fans react…

Reacting to this transfer claim, it’s safe to say these supporters hold mixed feelings.

There are those who believe he would be an ‘absolute steal’ at that price and ‘great addition’, hard to argue given he has averaged even more clearances per 90 (5.2) than any West Ham defender in the Premier League this season according to WhoScored.

Tarkowski has also been hailed as a ‘top player’ by Turf Moor boss Sean Dyche, highlighting his obvious quality.

However, others have mixed opinions on how willing Burnley would be to sell their prized asset amid a relegation battle whilst others question the validity of the claim.

One fan even worries for the West Ham youngsters coming through if Moyes decides to sign another ‘marquee’ defender like Tarkowski.

Find all of their best verdicts down below:

“He didn’t want to up root his family to come to us! What’s changed? Success!!!”

Credit: @Claret_Cook

“Like Burnley will sell one of their most important players in their bid to stay up.”

Credit: @Alex_COYI

“£7 million would be an absolute steal”

Credit: @stephenlott

“He’d be a great addition. But I do worry about opportunities for some of the really promising young CBs like Alese & Baptiste if we sign another marquee defender. Only reason for this can be that Ogbonna isn’t getting a new contract?”

Credit: @jackbuck123

“Tarkowski would be a good buy under Moyes”

Credit: @GkWhu

“Here we go again anything with 2 legs and a heartbeat and we are linked to them…”

Credit: @dazza7370

In other news: ‘Wow’, ‘Siuuuu’, ‘Tears’…Many West Ham fans erupt as ‘massive’ off-field news emerges, find out more here.

Crystal Palace have reportedly received a boost in their pursuit of Rangers forward Joe Aribo ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to All Nigeria Soccer, the 25-year-old has informed the Scottish champions that he is not interested in signing a new contract and is set to reject the club’s initial offer of fresh terms.

With Aribo’s current deal set to expire in the summer of 2023, Rangers may be tempted to offload the highly-rated star over the winter in order to secure a high price for their prized asset.

It was recently claimed that Premier League trio Brentford, Watford and Palace were all set to battle it out for his signature, meaning this latest revelation will be warmly welcomed south of the border.

Imagine him & Wilfried Zaha

Since Giovanni van Bronckhorst replaced Steve Gerrard in the Ibrox hot seat, Aribo has been a revelation, scoring as many goals in four games under the new manager as he did in his final 29 under Gerrard.

However, it now appears increasingly unlikely that the Nigeria international will extend his stay with the Glasgow giants, opening the door to an imminent exit.

Since his arrival at Rangers back in July 2019, Aribo has established himself as one of Scottish football’s most influential figures, scoring 22 goals and providing 19 assists in 118 appearances, claiming the league title along the way.

His exploits at club level have also earned him 12 caps for his national side and have led to several impressed onlookers lauding his ability on the pitch, with former Gers player Steven Thomson hailing him as “phenomenal”.

And his arrival at Selhurst Park is one that could see a scary duo form in south London.

While Aribo has become renowned for his eye-catching dribbling ability, tackling and precise passing, Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha has continually displayed his ability to put the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis.

The 29-year-old became the first Eagles’ player to bag 50 goals in the Premier League earlier in the campaign and hit a personal best tally of 11 last term, highlighting the pair’s potential as teammates.

Therefore, Patrick Vieira and co. must move for the £14,000-per-week Aribo in January, adding some much-needed firepower and creativity to the first-team squad.

And, in other news…Imagine him & Guehi: Parish must seal CPFC swoop for £25.2m-rated “leader”

Everton reportedly remain interested in signing Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey in the upcoming January transfer window, with manager Rafa Benitez desperate to improve his engine room options.

What’s the story?

The Toffees have long been linked with a move for the 30-year-old as he’s struggled for regular game time in Turin, and now it appears as though an imminent switch could be on the cards.

According to The Mirror (as relayed by the Liverpool ECHO), Juve are desperate to get Ramsey off their wage bill and will allow him to leave on free in order to do so, despite him having 18 months left to run on his current contract.

It goes on to state that any potential suitor could end up paying £42m in wages on the Wales international over the next three-and-a-half years, although that’s not something Benitez is concerned about.

Everton can end their midfielder hunt

Ever since playmaker James Rodriguez departed for Qatari outfit Al-Rayyan back in September, Everton have lacked a player capable of carving open opposition defences on a regular basis.

And Ramsey is certainly someone who could solve that particular issue with ease, having proven himself to be an elite-level attacking midfielder throughout his 11-year spell with Arsenal.

Throughout his time with the Gunners, the £175k-per-week maestro scored 65 goals and provided 65 assists in 371 appearances, winning three FA Cups along the way.

After one particularly impressive display in a sem-final success against Manchester City back in 2017, Ramsey was even compared to Chelsea and England legend Frank Lampard by his former manager Arsene Wenger.

“In my head, Ramsey was going to be a player between 10 and 15 goals a year,” Wenger said – via the club’s website. “He is a Frank Lampard type. He is (about) getting in the box and he has a huge capacity to run.

“Physically, he has a combination of stamina, power and his capacity to repeat high intensity is certainly the best in the league. He has it all in the locker to be defensive and offensive. These kind of players are very important.”

However, things have not gone to plan since his free transfer to Juventus. Injuries have severely restricted his game time, and he’s slipped down the pecking order under Massimiliano Allegri, starting just one game in all competitions this season.

But his fitness woes and astronomic wages are not thought to have put Benitez off, with the 61-year-old said to be a huge admirer of the creative talent and is pushing to make the deal happen in January.

The Mirror claim the Spanish tactician is the driving force behind the Toffees’ interest and that could prove to be a pivotal factor following the recent departure of the former director of football Marcel Brands.

Benitez now holds a huge amount of power in Everton’s transfer dealings, and his first move could be for Ramsey over the coming months. By doing so, he’d end their long hunt for a new option in midfield.

And, in other news…Everton eye swoop for “immense” 6ft4 goliath, he could be a Rafa masterclass

Daryl Dike and Yorkshire have met before. Not at Leeds United, of course, but rewind to last season and you may remember the stocky American forward in the red of Barnsley.

His experience of playing in the north of England will bring back fond memories, finding the net on nine occasions in 22 outings.

It was an eye-catching spell in English forward for Dike who has rightfully now attracted the eyes of those in the Premier League.

Leeds are one of the teams interested in his services and it’s easy to see why. The 21-year-old has 28 career goals, experience of English football, and Marcelo Bielsa’s men are in desperate need of an extra striker.

Patrick Bamford has played just once since September because of an ankle injury and those who have filled in for the England international, have hardly performed well.

Club-record signing Rodrigo has only two goals all term while Tyler Roberts has just the solitary strike in the top-flight this season from 18 appearances.

In the process, the Welshman has also left Bielsa furious.

After a dismal outing against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup, Leeds Live reporter Beren Cross noted the following: “Roberts received the ball in a promising position last night with Arsenal out of shape and rather than look to turn Maitland-Niles, as he had the time to do, he waited and looked for contact from behind to go down.

“The referee waved played on and the hosts took the ball away. Bielsa was furious and barked immediately for Gelhardt to come on.”

Indeed, his performances since have hardly improved and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Leeds boss barked for Dike to come and replace him next month.

The young forward plays in MLS at the moment so it’s hard to get a fair reflection for how he may perform in the Premier League.

That being said, he is a genuine goalscorer and a scary opponent for any defender to deal with.

Former teammate Jordan Williams once commented: “Daryl has got a rocket of a right foot. I think he’s similar to Lukaku. He hasn’t scored as many goals yet, but he can hit a ball just as hard.”

Romelu Lukaku has been a feared prospect for a number of years now and should Dike perform anything like the Chelsea forward if he joins the Whites, he’d turn out to be a magnificent capture.

It’s evident that Leeds are in a big hole at the moment and without a reliable striker in the form of Roberts, they are never going to improve. That’s exactly why they need to delve into the January market to axe him.

AND in other news, Orta masterclass: Leeds struck dream deal with £36m-rated “magician” who’s “a storm”…

Sharing his information via The West Ham Way website, reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has backed some reports out of the club as they eye Lille striker Jonathan David.

The Lowdown: West Ham linked…

Claims have emerged involving the red hot Ligue 1 forward over this last week as West Ham become touted with a possible move.

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Calciomercato were the first to mention David Moyes’ side, going on to claim that the player himself is open to joining the club and ‘likes’ the idea of signing for West Ham.

Meanwhile, Fichajes say that interest is very much reciprocated from the side of the Hammers as Moyes looks to strengthen his attacking options.

The Latest: Ex backs reports…

Sharing information via The West Ham Way website, ExWHUemployee backed reports that West Ham are interested in the Canada international – but insists that many other sides will also be keeping tabs.

He namedrops Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal specifically whilst putting the Hammers’ odds of signing David as fairly slim by comparison.

The Verdict: Would be sensational…

If Moyes could somehow jump ahead of the stiff competition and land the £45 million-valued man, it’s safe to say that recruitment chief Rob Newman would be pulling off a masterclass.

The ‘elite striker’ has been attracting major plaudits for his form in France this season with Ligue 1 football expert Adam White even likening him to Luis Suarez (The Guardian).

Elsewhere, Combate Global commentator Maximiliano Bretos branded the 21-year-old ‘phenomenal’ for his exploits on the international stage. Scoring 15 goals already in all competitions for Lille, it’s little wonder he is so highly sought after.

In other news: ‘Can’t wait’, ‘Best news today’…ExWHUemployee’s ‘amazing’ update has many West Ham fans buzzing, find out more here.

Newcastle United have received the latest on the status of star player Allan Saint-Maximin after the winger was forced off through injury during their 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Monday.

What’s the latest?

The Frenchman scored the Magpies’ opener against United on Monday night, but required treatment on his calf before being substituted as a result of the injury.

However, according to Chronicle Live, injury expert Ben Dinnery is confident that the 24-year-old has a low-grade calf injury and could be fit in time for Newcastle’s crucial game against Watford in two weeks.

This would mean that the only match Saint-Maximin would miss is next weekend’s FA Cup third-round clash against League One outfit Cambridge United after the Toon Army’s games against Everton and Southampton were postponed.

Eddie Howe will be buzzing

The Newcastle manager may have feared the worst when the 24-year-old limped off against Manchester United, especially with star striker Callum Wilson injured too and potentially facing months on the sidelines.

There’s little doubt that the North-East club will be busy this month with the club now in it’s first transfer window since the completion of the big-money, Saudi-backed takeover. However, there is no doubt that regardless of who was to come in this window (realistically), the Frenchman would remain a vital player in the Toon Army’s bid for surivival.

Newcastle remain in a dire situation as they remain in the Premier League relegation zone, sat in 19th place. Despite being just two points from safety, 17th-placed Watford have two games in hand on the Geordies which could prove significant, especially ahead of the two sides’ meeting on the 15th January.

Howe will need as many of his players available as possible as the 43-year-old looks to clear up the mess he has walked into as soon as possible.

It’s exactly why the Magpies boss will be buzzing with the news.

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Brennan Johnson to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Mail, who claim that David Moyes’ West Ham side have joined Brentford, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for the versatile Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder, with the Championship side believed to be demanding a fee in the region of £14m in order to part with the 20-year-old this month.

The report goes on to state that Steve Cooper would like to avoid selling the Wales international midway through the current campaign, however, it is believed that a significant offer from a Premier League side could leave the Reds with no other choice but to cash in on the youngster before the end of the month

The next Joe Cole

While it is still very early days in Johnson’s professional football career, the youngster has nevertheless proven that he is a player with an exceptional amount of potential in the game.

Indeed, over his 43 League One appearances while out on loan at Lincoln City last season, the £900k-rated man scored a whopping 11 goals, registered five assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.3 shots and making 0.7 key passes per game.

These returns saw the 20-year-old earn an impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.98, ranking him as Michael Appleton’s sixth-best performer in the third tier of English football last time out.

The player who Glenn Murray dubbed a “special” talent has continued this fine form over his 25 Championship outings upon his return to Forest last summer, scoring five goals, providing five assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 1.3 key passes and taking 1.6 shots per game.

These metrics have seen the Welshman average an even more impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.01, ranking him as Cooper’s joint second-best player in the second tier.

However, it is not only Johnson’s returns in front of goal which would suggest he would make a fantastic addition to Moyes’ options in attack, but also his positional versatility – with the youngster being able to operate from central and attacking midfield, as well as from either wing and at centre-forward.

Indeed, there are very clear similarities that can be drawn between the Nottingham Forest youngster and former West Ham midfielder Joe Cole, who scored 17 goals and provided eight assists over his 180 appearances for the Hammers – doing so while being deployed out wide or through the middle of the park in attacking midfield.

As such, while £14m is undoubtedly a hefty fee to pay for a Championship player, it would appear extremely wise for Moyes to cough up for the £2.5k-per-week man this winter, as, should Johnson continue on his current trajectory, the Scot could well unearth West Ham’s next Cole in the 20-year-old Forest starlet.

In other news: Moyes could solve major WHU issue as GSB open talks for “exceptional” £100k-p/w beast