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A reliable journalist has named five players that Newcastle United may sign in the summer transfer window as an alternative to Joe Willock.

The Lowdown: Willock may not join Newcastle permanently

As well as Willock has done in the North East since arriving at St. James’ Park from Arsenal on loan in January, there is no guarantee that the deal could be made into a permanent one, and so Steve Bruce’s team may have to look at alternative targets to find someone to add end product from midfield.

As money could well be tight due to the financial impact of the global pandemic, players who will become free agents in the summer could be a fruitful market to go to.

The Latest: Five players Newcastle could target

Writing in his latest piece for The Chronicle, journalist Sean McCormick has named five players that the Tyneside club could target in the summer if they run their respective contracts down.

The Toon Army will be familiar with the names of John Lundstram and James McCarthy, who both currently play in the Premier League for Sheffield United and Crystal Palace respectively, while Alex Mowatt has been captain of a Barnsley side who have taken up an unlikely position in the EFL Championship play-off places.

Hakan Calhanoglu and Alan Dzagoev have both featured prominently on both the European and international stage, and while the Magpies are very unlikely to sign up all five, one or two may be smart buys if they do not have to pay any transfer fees.

The Verdict: Little risk with free signings

There is little risk involved with signing players on a free transfer, as they are sure to have some resale value.

Taking the Transfermarkt values of each of the five players mentioned above currently, Calhanoglu (£31.5m), Lundstram (£6.3m), Mowatt (£3.6m), McCarthy (£3.15m) and Dzagoev (£3.15m) could save NUFC nearly £50m in potential transfer fees if they signed up all of them.

Of course, that is not going to happen, but even signing one or two of these players as free agents would certainly count as shrewd business if they can prove effective long-term or even for a short period before being sold for profit.

In other news, find out what big claim has been dropped on the potential takeover here!

With six defeats in their previous seven Premier League games, it’s safe to say that Everton are in a dreadful run of form at the moment.

Their latest match saw them lose 4-1 against their Merseyside rivals Liverpool at Goodison Park, which ended with one particularly disgruntled fan expressing his frustrations at Everton’s director of football Marcel Brands.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, one way that the Dutchman could help to get some of the more dismayed Everton fans back on his side and add some positivity around the club again would be to get rid of Cenk Tosun.

So far this season, the Turkish striker, who is currently picking up £69k-per-week according to Salary Sport, has made just one appearance. That came during the recent defeat against Liverpool, where he played a mere six minutes off the substitutes’ bench.

In fairness to the attacker, he had been suffering with a patella rupture and only made his first league bench appearance in their 2-1 defeat against Wolves.

Everton signed Tosun back in the 2018 January transfer window from Turkish club Besiktas in a deal worth a reported fee of £27m. Since then, the 30-year-old has had loan spells at fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace and a temporary return to Besiktas last season.

Overall, Tosun has made 59 appearances for the Toffees, scoring 11 goals and providing six assists in the process, which probably isn’t the return that the club would have been hoping for when they splashed out so much cash on him.

Moving forward, with recent reports claiming that Besiktas are looking to free up their wage bill so that they can make a move to sign Tosun in January, perhaps this would be the right time for Brands to call time on the striker’s spell at Everton and get his wages off their books.

Also, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin hopefully returning to action soon after being out injured since August with a fractured toe, his return and the presence of Richarlison and Salomon Rondon would seemingly serve to merely push Tosun further down the pecking order and make his chances of getting regular minutes incredibly slim.

In other news: Report reveals latest update on Benitez’s future, Everton fans could be excited

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has been dealt another frustrating injury blow this week…

What’s the latest?

Ahead of their FA Cup third-round clash with Premier League rivals West Ham United this afternoon, young striker Joe Gelhardt suffered an ankle injury during training on Thursday and is now expected to be out for three weeks.

“Marcelo Bielsa talking at his pre-West Ham presser – Joe Gelhardt is out. Injured [his] ankle in training yesterday and is out for three weeks. [Tyler] Roberts also out for similar period. Rodrigo not ready but [Patrick] Bamford likely to be involved on Sunday,” claimed The Athletic’s Phil Hay on Twitter.

“[Kalvin] Phillips, [Liam] Cooper, [Jamie] Shackleton, [Charlie] Cresswell and [Pascal] Struijk all still absent too.”

Another big setback

Just when will it stop?

The Yorkshire giants seemingly get a new injury every single week and it’s seriously stalling their progress under Bielsa.

Over the festive period, the 66-year-old head coach was missing as many as nine first-team players as his Whites side were demolished by the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal. It had gotten so bad that a 15-year-old – Archie Gray – was named on the bench.

Some of those absent have since made a return, helping United to a very crucial win over Burnley last weekend – Daniel James and Jack Harrison both found themselves on the scoresheet after a stint on the treatment table.

However, this latest blow puts pressure on Bielsa as he now has an important call to make upfront.

Patrick Bamford is likely to return from injury, having missed 15 of their last 16 league games but he is surely not ready to put in a full 90-minute shift just yet – though, he is the only striker available, leaving the Argentinian with a tough decision.

‘Patrick Bamford, at least, is expected to be available to play against the Hammers, but a 90 or even 120-minute performance is not only likely to be beyond him, it would be neglectful of Leeds to ask it,’ wrote Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth ahead of today’s encounter.

Gelhardt may have been in line to start down at the London Stadium this afternoon and as a player that supporters have already taken to, it will be a big blow to not see him in action today.

The young fan-favourite has already scored and provided three assists from his seven top-flight cameos this campaign and is clearly admired by Bielsa, too.

“He’s like a human wrecking ball. I like him, he’s really exciting. He’s fast, he’s aggressive, he gets on the ball, he takes people on. Once he gets into the box, he loves it. That’s where he can do most of his damage,” the manager told Sky Sports.

Therefore, his absence is merely another gutting setback to Bielsa, the squad and the fanbase, The 66-year-old must getting a little more worried as each day passes with his team picking up so many injuries this season.

AND in other news, Bielsa must ruthlessly axe Leeds’ “shocking” £47k-p/w passenger, he’s not good enough…

The future of Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Adama Traore lies away from Molineux.

What’s been said?

That’s according to the Express & Star’s Luke Hatfield, with the journalist stating his belief in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that, with the 25-year-old winger being heavily linked with a move away from the club this January, it would appear more than likely that the Spain international secures a move away from the club sooner rather than later.

Speaking about the current situation of the Wolves forward, Hatfield said: “If I was a betting man, I would probably say that his future lies away from Molineux.”

Shi must act

While it is undeniable that Traore has become an integral part of the Wolves side since his £18m move to the club back in 2018, considering just how much of an impact the 25-year-old’s reported contract negotiations are having on his playing time this season, Jeff Shi simply must call time on the Spaniard’s spell at Molineux this winter.

Indeed, the winger scored one goal and provided one assist over his 25 Premier League appearances back in 2018/19, bagged four goals and nine assists over 37 league fixtures in 2019/20 and netted two goals and three assists over 37 top-flight games last season – with his returns playing a key role in reestablishing Wolves as a Premier League side.

Even in the current campaign, despite yet to contribute directly to a goal, the £17m-rated man has impressed over his 11 Premier League appearances, averaging 5.4 successful dribbles per game – the highest amount of any player in the league – while also taking an average of 1.5 shots and making 1.3 key passes per fixture.

These metrics have seen the man who Jurgen Klopp dubbed “unplayable” average a SofaScore match rating of 7.13, ranking him as Wolves’ second-best performer in the top flight.

However, over the club’s last three league fixtures, the £43k-per-week forward has featured for a grand total of just 36 minutes, with reports suggesting that, while his contract discussions are at a stand-off, Bruno Lage is less inclined to afford the 25-year-old game time ahead of Wolves’ other options out wide.

As such, with no resolution close regarding the contract discussions between him and the club, it would seem a very good idea for Shi and Wolves to cash in on Traore while interest in the winger is high, as the club will more than likely make a very tidy sum on the Spanish international.

In other news: Lage can save Shi millions by unleashing “magnificent” 19 y/o Wolves gem, “he’s ready”

It has now been more than three weeks since Neil Lennon decided to stand down as manager of Celtic.

The Hoops are still on the hunt for a new manager but it wouldn’t be a great surprise if they waited until the summer to bring in a fresh face.

What’s the word?

Jesse Marsch revealed this week that it was an honour to be linked with the Celtic job.

However, in a fresh twist to their search, there has also been an update in the Hoops’ pursuit of former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard.

That came courtesy of Alex McLeish, who was speaking to Football Insider this week. He said: “I’m hearing whispers that Frank Lampard was seen with the Celtic directors. No matter what, the rumour mill will continue to thrive until an appointment is finally made.

“I think the fans would love a big name. There’s no doubt about it, they’ll be looking for that kind of personality.”

Desmond buzzing

It’s evident that the Bhoys are stepping up their hunt for a new manager, and if they have really met with Lampard, majority shareholder Dermot Desmond should be foaming at the mouth.

Celtic have been linked with a variety of managers from Steve Clarke to Mick McCarthy. However, as McLeish says, a big name would really get the fans off their seats.

Lampard may be relatively inexperienced but he could bring a host of qualities to Parkhead which would suit the Bhoys.

For starters, he gives young players an opportunity, something Lennon seldom offered during his time in Glasgow. Cameron Harper has already left because of a lack of first team opportunities while Karamoko Dembele could leave on a free transfer in the summer for the same reason.

Although Lampard received the sack in west London, he helped to bring players like Reece James, Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham into the limelight.

Therefore, it’s not just Desmond who should be excited at this news; the club’s reserve players should also be thrilled. This could finally be their chance to really make an impact at Parkhead.

In the past, opportunities to impress the first team manager have been limited. That could change if Lampard is chosen as Lennon’s long-term successor.

AND in other news, 0 starts under Kennedy: Celtic must unleash £11k-p/w beast with “explosive power”…

Ex-Everton player Michael Ball has bemoaned The Toffees’ struggles at Goodison Park but admits he’s ‘used to’ such frustration.

The Blues were beaten 2-1 by relegation-threatened Burnley on Saturday evening in a blow to their top-four hopes.

Chris Wood and Dwight McNeil put the visitors two goals up inside 25 minutes, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s effort before the break was not enough to inspire a fightback.

Everton have now lost on home soil to the teams in 15th (Burnley), 17th (Newcastle) and 18th (Fulham) this season.

They sit eighth in the table, five points off fourth-placed Chelsea with a game in hand. Had they beaten those three struggling outfits, they would be within striking range of Manchester United.

Everton players need ‘kick up the backside’

Without supporters present, Ball fears that complacency may have set in. He lamented what he sees as a tendency for Everton to shoot themselves in the foot.

“The lads should be embarrassed by this home record,” he wrote in his Liverpool Echo column.

“We’re not the only team struggling on our own turf, and it probably is down to the fans not being there, but find a solution.

“Some players are getting away with it because there’s no-one there to give them a kick up the backside.

“The sad thing is that we’re used to this. We’ve got many home games coming up and we’ve got a find a way to stop this rot.”

Transfer Tavern verdict

After the initial frustration, Everton fans will find solace in perspective.

Yes, they have squandered opportunities, but they are still having an excellent season and remain in a strong position in the European race.

The key for Carlo Ancelotti going forward in this long-term process is to hone the different ways of playing.

Everton have been able to frustrate high-quality sides like Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal, but it’s a different matter when the onus is on them to be constantly on the front-foot.

In other news, Everton fans are unhappy that this player was overlooked by his international boss.

Insider ExWHUemployee has revealed that West Ham United goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski should be fit to play in the club's next game despite his recent injury.

What’s the latest on Lukasz Fabianski's West Ham injury?

The Polish shot-stopper has been out for the past two Premier League games after having to come off early against Nottingham Forest after taking a knock to the head.

In fact, it was such a bad injury that he ended up suffering a fractured cheekbone and eye socket and so was expected to potentially be on the sidelines for some time.

And while he has been out for a little while, it does sound as though he could be ready to start against Southampton if required, when West Ham are next in action after the international break.

In an update on The West Ham Way podcast, Ex outlined the situation, saying: “Fabianski is back in training with his face mask on now and should be fit for the Southampton game.”

What has David Moyes said on Lukasz Fabianski's injury?

David Moyes recently spoke to the press about the player's possible return, noting that Fabianski was "desperate to come back" as soon as possible.

However, the club manager explained that he and the medical team remain a bit "unsure" and "worried" about him starting as he could suffer pretty badly if he was to get hit in the face by a ball.

In full, he said: “He is desperate to come back. He feels like he is ready. Medically we are a little bit unsure as they are worried about him getting a ball in the face.”

He also noted some concerns about how his performance could be impacted by wearing a mask, saying: “I have got no problem with that, but I haven’t got a strong enough opinion on it.

“Sometimes anything on your face means you don’t see other things, if you wear a hat or glasses, so a mask like that may not be great for a goalkeeper.”

By the sounds of it, though, the time off for the international break should hopefully allow Fabianski sufficient time to heal and so when Southampton come to visit at the start of next month, it's likely the 37-year-old will be there to face them.

If not, though, Alphonse Areola will be expected to come in instead, having started the last two league games – albeit failing to win any and shipping five goals in that period.

Adama Traore has very quickly become one of the most menacing players in English football.

The Wolves winger is a frightening bustling ball of energy. Once he gets going, he embodies a roadrunner. His relentless pace is a sight to behold, both with and without the ball.

Therefore, it’s rather surprising to hear that he hasn’t scored in the Premier League for over a year. In 2019/20, he discovered the best form of his career at the highest level. The Spaniard scored four times, but what was most impressive was his nine assists in the Premier League.

The rapid wide man embodies an old fashioned flanker. He beats his man and then sticks in the cross. There is no nonsense to his play, merely a struggle to sometimes find an end product.

Though, that hasn’t done enough to deter potential suitors. Traore isn’t short of them and given his qualities, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him leave Wolves in the coming years. His natural speed is supremely rare and to quote Michael Owen, he “can scare any team.”

In short, that’s why many teams, including Leeds United want to sign the £43k-per-week earner.

Traore, of course, previously worked with Victor Orta at Middlesbrough and it would appear that the director of football is keen on a reunion.

After Leeds signed Raphinha last summer, splashing out on another wide player might not make much sense, especially at the quoted £40m. However, opportunities to sign a player with Traore’s qualities come about very rarely.

What former Leeds player could he embody by arriving at the club? Cast your minds back 11 years and the dazzling feet of a certain Max Gradel may emerge in your memory.

The Ivorian had many of the same qualities as Traore, using incredible physical attributes to score 25 goals in 82 outings for Leeds.

Gradel hasn’t had the traditional career and after rejecting Arsenal as a teenager, made his way to Elland Road via Leicester and Bournemouth. His mesmeric penetration stood to attention immediately as a young player.

Writing for The Athletic, Leeds guru Phil Hay previously outlined Gradel’s greatest attributes, labelling one of the qualities we associate with Traore: “Gradel had the benefit of his core strengths: pace, creativity, good finishing and the ability to beat a man,” he wrote.

When he first arrived at Leeds, the player himself said: “I was direct, I could dribble and I could go past people. I could score goals and create goals. That was my job and I didn’t try to be clever. Don’t try to be the guy who does all the tricks and tries to look good. Just do what you’re good at or get out of the team. I went with that attitude and it worked for me.”

In many senses, this is exactly what Traore has worked out he needs to be. His end product was questionable prior to last season but he simplified his game, didn’t try to be too clever and consequently helped himself to 13 Premier League goal involvements last term.

Gradel, now 33, ultimately departed for Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1, but he left behind a glaring hole in terms of speed.

Traore, however, could help bring that attribute back to Elland Road. That’s precisely why they must sign him.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Casilla: Leeds must swoop for “outstanding” 26 y/o, he could be game-changing…

Southampton are being linked with a move for Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek ahead of the summer transfer window and should he join Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side for next season, he could form a superb partnership with James Ward-Prowse in midfield.

According to the Express, Southampton were keen on signing the England international on loan last summer before he joined Fulham and Hasenhuttl’s side are willing to offer him another chance in the top-flight next season, despite his disappointing spell with the Cottagers.

In 28 Premier League appearances for Scott Parker’s side, the 25-year-old has managed just one goal and no assists, earning a less than impressive 6.52 average rating for his performances from WhoScored.

Loftus-Cheek is a product of Chelsea’s academy and was once regarded as the next big thing at Stamford Bridge but he has unfortunately been unable to live up to his immense potential, with injury problems undoubtedly playing their part.

However, his performances in the past earned him a spot at the World Cup with England so he clearly has a lot of ability and he perhaps wasn’t able to showcase that as often as he would have liked playing in a relegation side this season.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-southampton-news%2c-transfer-rumours-and-more” title=“Latest Southampton news, transfer rumours and more!“]

He has shown glimpses of his ability, earning rave reviews from Parker earlier in the season after his performance in a draw against Liverpool, for which he was labelled “exceptional” by the young manager.

The six-foot-three midfielder would certainly add a physical presence in Hasenhuttl’s midfield and could definitely work well alongside Saints captain Ward-Prowse, who would perhaps have more freedom to dictate play alongside a box-to-box player such as Loftus-Cheek.

Only Stuart Armstrong and Kyle Walker-Peters have averaged more dribbles per game than Loftus-Cheek in the Premier League this season, which emphasises his ability to carry the ball through the middle. That’s something the Saints arguably lack when Armstrong plays out wide, as Ward-Prowse often plays alongside the more conservative Ibrahima Diallo or Oriol Romeu.

Therefore, if Southampton could bring the Chelsea man in on loan this summer, he could definitely prove to be an excellent addition in midfield alongside Ward-Prowse. It would certainly be well worth the risk from Saints vice-chairman Martin Semmens.

And, in other news… Southampton could sign their ideal Ings heir with “magnificent” 19-goal beast

Liverpool have been handed a huge boost for tonight’s clash against Burnley after Jurgen Klopp confirmed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is back in contention and that James Milner may also be fit enough to make a return.

The Reds travel to Turf Moor this evening to take on Sean Dyche’s men in what could prove to be a pivotal encounter for their Champions League qualification hopes.

Klopp’s charges are currently sitting in the fifth position in the Premier League standings, just three points behind fourth-placed Leicester City. However, the six-time European champions have a game in hand over the Foxes, and their superior goal difference means Liverpool are in control of their own destiny.

A dramatic win last time out against West Bromwich Albion, courtesy of goalkeeper Alisson Becker’s injury-time effort, has kept the Anfield outfit’s top-four dreams alive, and now they’ve been handed another significant lift.

In a press conference on Tuesday (as reported by the Liverpool Echo), Klopp revealed experienced midfielder Milner was set to take part in training, while Oxlade-Chamberlain had recovered from illness.

“Milly will train today but is that enough to be involved tomorrow? I will see,” he said. “Ox was ill. Ox is back.”

The potential return of the duo is bound to have Klopp buzzing after having to cope without several key players throughout the current campaign due to injury.

It would allow the enigmatic German manager to field Fabinho in the centre of defence if he so wishes knowing he has experienced heads to call upon to fill the gap left in the engine room, or simply offers him more experienced options from the bench should he require them.

Liverpool’s season hinges on tonight’s result against Burnley, but the return of Milner and Oxlade-Chamberlain is certainly a big boost to their chances, whether either of the duo start or are able to come on from the bench, as tonight has the feel of a game where experienced stars will be more beneficial than raw youngsters.

And, in other news… Asking price set: Edwards must act to sign Reds target with a pass accuracy of 87.1%