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Mark Warburton has hinted that he will not be making a move to bring Alex Pritchard to Queen Park Rangers this summer.

What’s been said?

In an interview with The Mirror, the QPR boss opened up on a number of the transfer rumours that are currently surrounding the club, including The Rs’ reported interest in the recently released Huddersfield Town midfielder Alex Pritchard.

However, despite heaping a considerable amount of praise on the 28-year-old, Warburton went on to suggest that his side would not be making move for the £2.52m-rated man this summer.

He said: “As for Alex Pritchard, I know him really well. He’s a very talented player. I see us getting linked with him all the time. But don’t forget we’ve got the likes of Ilias Chair, Chris Willock and George Thomas – so we’ve got that type of player in the building already.

“I’ve got enormous respect for Alex. He’s a top lad and a top player but as I say we’ve got players in that position already.”

Fans will be buzzing

Despite showing a significant amount of promise as a youngster, being dubbed a “talented” player by his former Tottenham Hotspur team-mate Christian Eriksen, since making an £11.12m move to Huddersfield back in January of 2018, it would be a fair claim to make that Pritchard has not quite lived up to his price tag.

Over his 83 appearances in all competitions for the Terriers, the former Tottenham man scored just three goals and registered three assists for the club – having last found the back of the net when Huddersfield were still in the top flight.

The 28-year-old was once again in extremely disappointing form over his 18 Championship appearances last term, scoring no goals and providing no assists, as well as creating just one big chance and averaging a mere 0.1 shots on target per game.

These metrics saw the midfielder earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.60, ranking him as the club’s joint 11th-worst performer in the second tier.

As such, considering these lacklustre displays, in addition to the fact that, as Warburton suggests, QPR already own the likes of Chair, Willock and Thomas who can operate in attacking midfield, as well as the potential issue of the former England U21 international’s wage demands – having been on £30k-per-week at Huddersfield –  the fact the 58-year-old does not seem to fancy a move for Pritchard is likely to have fans of the club buzzing.

In other news: QPR handed huge transfer boost over “top drawer” target that’ll have Warburton buzzing

Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce is eyeing a move for Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson in the upcoming summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

While the Magpies boss has already made it clear that he will be looking to sign Joe Willock on a permanent deal from Arsenal this summer, it appears that the Tyneside club also have their sights set on another midfielder in Ferguson.

According to the Daily Mail (via Not The Old Firm), Newcastle are the latest club to be interested in the 21-year-old, and the Magpies are believed to be monitoring his situation ahead of a possible move.

Another Joe Willock

The £2.7m-rated youngster, who was dubbed a “real leader” by former Celtic ace Mark Wilson just last year, has shown his ability to be a real box-to-box midfielder just like Willock, netting ten times in all competitions just last season – his young career has seen him bag 21 goals in total for Aberdeen.

Derek McInnes has previously raved about the 21-year-old, saying: “For me he will (play for Scotland) but whether he is ready for it now, it’s not my job to do that. The boy was born to play football and born to play on the big occasion, and I’m sure everything will come his way in time.

“His temperament has never been in question. He’s a boy but he’s a man. Nothing fazes him. He takes responsibility and there’s a maturity about him that I love. He’s still making contact and winning more headers and tackles than anyone else.”

ScoutedFootball writer Blair Newman described the midfielder as “a dynamic, physical and versatile midfielder” who “possesses a fine range of passing, impressive movement, and plenty of useful defensive attributes.”

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/newcastle-united-steve-bruce-premier-league-magpies-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-st-james-park-mike-ashley-takeover-pif” title=”Read the latest Newcastle transfer rumours and news!”]

As the Magpies look to chase a permanent deal for Willock, having Ferguson in their sights gives them a potential fallback option if they can’t work something out with Arsenal.

Meanwhile, Steve Bruce could sign a new Saint-Maximin in this “jewel”…

Whichever way you look at it, Duncan Ferguson is a legend at Everton.

He played 272 times for the Toffees and has managed the club on four occasions, taking interim charge of the club before Carlo Ancelotti was hired.

The Italian has now left the club for a second stint at Real Madrid but Ferguson rejected the chance to move with him.

Instead, he wants the Everton job on a permanent basis as Farhad Moshiri and co bid to find Ancelotti’s replacement.

There are a number of impressive head coaches in the frame to be handed the reins with the likes of Rafa Benitez, Erik ten Hag and David Moyes all on their shortlist.

Ferguson doesn’t possess the same managerial experience but he knows the club inside out and has a great affinity with the supporters.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast last week, Dean Windass commented: “He’s a legend at the football club, he’s got blue blood running through his veins and he’s a very passionate man.

“Give Big Dunc a go, he did very well in temporary charge before Ancelotti. The fans love him, and the fans will be back next year.”

Whether or not the board view him as someone that can take Everton to the next level remains to be seen but if he does join, the club may as well bid farewell to Moise Kean.

The striker has had a troublesome spell at Goodison Park, scoring just four goals in 37 outings for the Toffees.

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However, he’s taken French football by storm this term, finishing the campaign with 19 strikes after a loan move to PSG.

Described as “fearless” by Thomas Tuchel, the £25m signing clearly has immense potential. That being said, if Ferguson becomes the permanent manager an exit may grow closer.

He’s already been tipped to leave by various outlets and he doesn’t exactly have the greatest of relationships with Ferguson.

After all, it was the 49-year-old who provided Kean with one of the most embarrassing moments of his career so far.

The youngster was substituted on against Manchester United in December 2019 but lasted just 18 minutes before he was withdrawn by the manager.

Kean cut an extremely sad figure as he trudged down the touchline without a single exchange with Ferguson.

Speaking after the match, the boss said: “I just needed to make a substitution to kill a bit of time.”

It was a decision that attracted staunch criticism. In the wake of that remarkable moment, John Arne Riise commented: “He’s destroying this young boy’s confidence.

“He doesn’t even shake his hand. Give him a hug – he’s a young boy. That is the worst thing you can do for any player but especially a young boy who doesn’t speak the language very well.”

Kean would only go on to start four more league matches that term before he was handed a loan spell with Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

He’s shown what a huge talent he is away from English shores but it’s unlikely he’s going to have a future in Merseyside. Bring Ferguson into the equation and an exit looks even more inevitable.

Remaining at Everton would surely destroy him even more; he has to get out.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Nuno: Everton can form a magical duo by signing “sensational” £50m gem…

Sheffield United have been linked with a move for Stoke City midfielder Sam Clucas, as reported by Yorkshire Live.

Caught up in a bizarre contractual situation, the 30-year-old is free to leave the bet365 Stadium for nothing this summer despite having one year left on his deal [The Star]. Due to the extent of their wage bill, Stoke are set to let the former Swansea midfielder depart due to his status as one of the highest earners in the squad [Yorkshire Live].

Searching for players to rejuvenate their squad after a bleak 2020/21 season, the Blades are rumoured to be battling Nottingham Forest, Blackburn and Millwall for his signature [Alan Nixon]. The 30-year-old contributed just two goals and three assists in 26 appearances last term [Transfermarkt] and was only their ninth-best performer in the Championship according to WhoScored.

With the Blades scoring a measly 20 goals in the league last season, and only one of those coming from central midfield [WhoScored], loads of Sheffield United fans are rather underwhelmed by the prospect of seeing the far from free-scoring Clucas in their red and white.

Blades fans react to Clucas news

Criticising their clubs’ ambition, many of the Bramall Lane faithful took to Twitter to voice their concerns. Here is what some of them had to say:

“Poor signing if so”

Credit: @Cantsairsoft

“How do we know who identifies all these targets?”Credit: @dubblow7″Be a poor signing imo”Credit: @chazhardy10″Wow hope not”Credit: @Jackcgodfrey”We seem to be looking for an older midfielder rather than youth”Credit: @EJ_sufc”Can’t see it. We’ve already got better.”Credit: @FatherCheesyIn other news, these fans discuss what’s next for one Sheffield United ace.

With Bruno Lage succeeding Nuno Santo at Wolves, he cannot afford to rest with the transfer window now in full swing.

Wolves face a summer of departures and insignificant spending so it might not be the easiest of starts for the new manager.

On the chalkboard

The biggest threat to the Wolves side is a departure for Ruben Neves.

Signed for a Championship record fee in 2017, the Portuguese midfielder took his game to an incredible level under Nuno.

Manchester City were linked with his services and now Arsenal are interested in securing Neves for a fee of around £35m.

It’s thought the midfielder is one of Wolves’ most sellable assets as they strive for extra cash in a bid to improve their squad.

Samu Costa to Wolves?

One player Lage could bring to the Midlands in order to replace Neves is Samu Costa.

According to A Bola, Wolves are already in talks to sign the 20-year-old from Braga.

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This feels like a typical transfer link for the Old Gold. He is Portuguese and a client of Jorge Mendes, somebody who enjoys a fantastic relationship with Fosun.

Costa also fits the bill for how Wolves want to progress players. He is young and has enormous potential after starring in the second tier of Spanish football last year.

A defensive midfielder by trade, he is following a similar path to Neves; stand out in the lower tiers before making your move to the top-flight.

Costa is a robust individual and picked up a mighty haul of 15 yellow cards this term. He may lack a sense of discipline but his defensive numbers are impressive.

During the 2020/21 season, the youngster produced 1.8 interceptions and one tackle per 90 minutes.

Neves won over two tackles per 90 but his interceptions of 1.5 are actually lower than Costa’s.

Possessing a wonderful reading of the game, the 6-foot midfielder could more than fill the void left behind by Neves.

He doesn’t have a goal-scoring habit but his shot on target rate (28.6%) is higher than the Wolves star. With that in mind, Lage could train him to be more offensive if required.

Wolves will have to pay €25m (£21.5m) to sign but very rarely has a price tag deterred the Midlands side when it’s come to a young player. His tackle rate implies he’s a beast in the defensive third; that’s exactly what Lage will need.

AND in other news, Lage could become an instant hit if Wolves sign “spectacular” £34.5m Mendes client…

After a stunning 2020/21 campaign at Ibrox, Steven Gerrard will be looking to improve his squad while also keeping together the core group of players that served him so well last time out, that’s according to former Rangers defender Michael Ball.

There were worries that both Borna Barisic and Glen Kamara could flourish at the Euros this summer and thus attract interest from clubs in the Premier League, however, it is just the latter who has impressed, with Barisic still injured.

Kamara has been deployed in a slightly more defensive and deep role for Finland, which is understandable considering how their squad compares to others in the tournament, but that has not stopped newly promoted Watford reportedly opening talks over potentially signing the midfielder.

Gerrard will be hoping to put his trust in the same group of players who won the SPFL title, amassing over 100 points, while adding a couple of quality players to keep competition strong, so it wouldn’t make sense to sell their top players, that’s according to Ball, who spoke exclusively to Transfer Tavern:

“If any of them have a good Euros then they won’t sell them on the cheap but I don’t think Steven will be happy if any of these players move on because he will want to support them for what they achieved last year, as well as bringing in one or two players to keep that competition strong.

“Whether that’s realistic or not with the board as he will probably demand more money, is another question but fingers crossed, they do stay and they can win the title back to back.”

Kamara was a standout player in the middle of the park for Rangers last term, often popping up in both boxes in crucial moments that helped Rangers finally get their hands back on the Scottish league title.

It would be a massive blow to lose such an influential member of the squad, as he can operate in several positions through the middle of the pitch with his ability to glide past players and pick out quick one-twos.

Newcastle United may include Freddie Woodman in a potential swap deal to sign Joe Willock in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Willock wanted

As quoted by the Evening Standard, Steve Bruce has admitted that he would ‘love’ to sign Willock on a permanent deal from Arsenal, given how successful his loan spell was at St James’ Park.

The midfielder scored eight goals in 14 matches in the Premier League for the Magpies (Transfermarkt), so it is not a surprise that Bruce would like to have him back.

The Latest: Swap deal?

As per The Chronicle, Woodman could be used in a potential swap deal with the Gunners to bring Willock back to Tyneside.

Mikel Arteta’s team are reportedly looking to sign an English goalkeeper to add to their homegrown quota, and Woodman – who is currently valued at £10m – would take a chunk out of the fee that the Magpies would have to pay in order to sign Willock.

The Verdict: Good deal

With Woodman having an uncertain future on Tyneside, given that they already have Martin Dubravka and Karl Darlow on their books, it would seem a wise idea to cash in on him.

Newcastle need to sign Willock permanently, given how much he offered the team during his short loan spell.Magpies legend Alan Shearer hailed his display as ‘magnificent’ in the 3-2 home win over Southampton back in February, showing that it was not just his goals but his all-round performance which caught the eye at St James’ Park.

Given that Arsenal are looking for an Englishman in between the posts, Woodman would certainly help their transfer ambition, so the Magpies may be able to tempt them into selling Willock as a result.

In other news, find out what promising insight has been shared on this takeover case lawyer

La Liga expert Euan McTear believes that Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri may well fit in nicely at West Ham United if he makes a move to the club this summer.

The Hammers have been linked with a potential swoop for the forward, for the second transfer window in a row.

Manager David Moyes was said to be willing to table a bid in the January transfer window following the exit of Sebastien Haller to Ajax, but that move did not come to fruition.

It seems as though that could be revisited this summer, though, with the Hammers again looking for depth in attack behind Michail Antonio.

McTear thinks that the Morocco international would be able to slot into Moyes’ tactical set-up, because of how flexible the Scot can be in terms of his systems.

Last season, En-Nesyri scored 24 goals in all competitions but he did not provide a single assist, and has netted 30 times in 78 appearances in total for Sevilla.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, he said: “It’s hard to know, David Moyes and Julen Lopetegui are so different. Lopetegui is very much, that Sevilla just have the ball, very, very possession orientated, sometimes it’s a bit slow. Maybe that’s sometimes why En-Nesyri leaves the box because the ball stays in midfield too long and it takes a while to get up there.

“But don’t rule out David Moyes, I think last season surprised us all in terms of how versatile he showed he can still be, and how he managed to fit some of those players in at West Ham, so yeah, maybe he sees something in En-Nesyri that he can use..But if he thinks he’s going to be a striker who scores some and creates some for the other players up front, Antonio and the like, I don’t know about that because I don’t think En-Nesyri had a single assist this season and it’s not like he created many chances either.”

Dean Smith appears to have somewhat of a transfer war chest this summer at Villa Park but a shrewd and under the radar piece of business could be Chris Wood ,who has been backed to impress for the Villans by former Newcastle United defender Steve Howey.

Wood is part of an illustrious club that may surprise a few people, especially Villa fans who may not be impressed with links suggesting Smith could move for the striker, as he is one of only eight players to have hit double figures in the last four Premier League seasons.

The New Zealand international has a contract that runs until 2023 but that has not stopped Villa from being linked with the striker, and it would appear no price tag would put them off if they accept Manchester City’s £100 million offer for Jack Grealish.

It would certainly be a different type of signing to Ollie Watkins but with Smith unable to rely on his main striker to be firing every single game, a proven Premier League player like Wood who would offer them a different style of attacking could be a smart signing, according to Howey, who spoke exclusively to Football FanCast:

“He’s certainly a very good outlet, you can just clip a ball into him if you’re under pressure and he can win you a foul further up the pitch. 

“If he can improve his hold-up play then I certainly think you’ve got a striker there with his goals that could be quite good for Villa.”

Wood was signed from Leeds when they were in the Championship and despite being part of a Burnley side who are more often than not in a relegation battle, he’s thrived off great service and Sean Dyche’s side playing to his strengths.

Despite his frame and being six foot three, his touch and finishing with his feet is very underrated. You just have to look at his goal away to Fulham last season which left Alphonse Areola with no chance, and Alan Shearer praising him last year for being very good at occupying two centre backs at once, saying he’s “horrible to play against”.

Dean Windass reckons that Dele Alli would be an excellent replacement for Jack Grealish at Aston Villa.

Whilst Villa are hopeful of convincing their captain and talisman to sign a new deal at Villa Park, Manchester City are doing all they can in their attempts to bring the attacker to the Etihad Stadium this summer.

Grealish has proved himself as one of the top attackers in the Premier League and is now showing the world what he can do on the international stage with England.

Having marked his first European Championships start by setting up the winner against Czech Republic, Grealish then came off the bench to assist Harry Kane’s second to seal the victory against Germany on Tuesday.

However, with Grealish’s future in serious doubt, Villa have already signed Emiliano Buendia from Norwich for a club-record fee.

But Grealish are going to need more than Buendia to replace their captain, and Windass exclusively told Football FanCast that Alli, whose own future at Tottenham is up in the air, would fit the bill:

“I think that would suit Dele Alli, he would be a big player for Villa. I know he’s a different type of player to Jack, but with him being young and English.

“Dele wants to play, players want to play, they’re not happy when they’re not playing. Would be a good fit for Villa even if they keep Jack, to strengthen the team, he would be unbelievable.

“They would probably want £50m-£60m for Dele Alli, but that’s the type of player Dean Smith would want to bring in if Jack left.”