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An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Valencia forward Maxi Gomez in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed that the Magpies are one of a number of teams keen on signing the attacker.

The player is available for a fee in the region of £10m, although it remains to be seen if the Toon will submit an offer or not.

Plettenberg said: “Excl. News Maxi #Gomez: The 26 y/o striker wants to leave Valencia. Gladbach bosses should like the player (next to Beljo), talks took place. But: Price tag around €12m at this stage. Still too expensive for Borussia! Also in: Everton, Newcastle and Fenerbahce.”

Imagine him & Callum Wilson

By striking a deal to bring Gomez to St. James’ Park in the coming weeks, Newcastle could form an exciting competition for the number nine position.

Callum Wilson has been a superb signing for the Magpies since arriving from Bournemouth in 2020 because he has proven himself to be a reliable goalscorer.

In just over two Premier League seasons on Tyneside, the England international has started 41 matches and found the back of the net 21 times. This shows he knows how to beat the goalkeeper in the English top-flight and is a terrific option for Eddie Howe when fit.

However, however, he is not always available as he has had trouble with injuries since joining the club, missing 35 games across six injuries in his first two seasons.

His sketchy injury record is why bringing in another number nine to challenge him could be a smart move by the Magpies.

Newcastle could now land strong competition for his place by landing Gomez as the Uraguay international is a proven goalscorer at the top level. He has scored 52 times and set up 21 in 165 appearances in La Liga throughout his career, including 31 strikes in his two campaigns for Celta Vigo in the Spanish top flight.

Spanish football expert Tim Vickery previously tipped him to suit the physicality of English football and said:

“He is fearsomely strong. Opponents almost bounce off him, he is so physically strong. He is known as ‘The Bull’. You look at him and physically, he is a bull. He is a very, very strong, powerful centre-forward with plenty of technical gifts as well.”

This suggests that he would be able to hit the ground running in the Premier League, whilst Newcastle’s interest in him indicates that Howe believes he will suit how the team is going to play this season.

The marksman is also reliable in terms of his availability. He has only missed 19 games through injury since moving to Celta in 2017, compared to Wilson’s 47 in that time, and this means that he could cover for the former Cherries man throughout the campaign.

Now, imagine the pair competing for the number nine position every week, pushing each other to score goals and win vital points for the club.

Journalist and transfer insider, Dean Jones, has shared some details regarding West Ham United’s reported interest in signing Flamengo midfielder Lazaro.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones had this to say on the matter.

“I don’t know much about that one in particular, but there does seem to be something in it.

“I texted one person that might know and he said there was definite interest, but he didn’t know how far along the road it was.”

Moyes would love him

Although the Irons finally broke their goal drought against Villa, it had been pretty slow going up to then. Indeed, David Moyes’ side had been rather toothless in front of goal, with no goals and fewer shots on target (7) than any other side in the division prior to their clash today.

As a result, it’s easy to see why Moyes would love to have Lazaro in his ranks as he’d add a great deal of extra quality to the final third at the London Stadium.

As a product of the Brazilian club’s youth ranks, the 20-year-old has made 57 senior appearances for them across all competitions, scoring eight goals and providing an equal number of assists in the process, showing how deadly he can be going forward.

In the 20 league games he’s appeared in for Flamengo this season, the youngster has four goals and two assists to his name.

To further highlight his attacking prowess, only one man, Pedro, has a higher rate for shots (3.86 vs 3.52) and shots on target per 90 minutes (1.59 vs 1.41) than the reported Hammers target at the Brazilian club.

Described by football talent scout, Jacek Kulig, as a “quality” talent, it’s safe to say the Hammers boss would love to get his hands on such an exciting prodigy that could solve their immediate problems and give him a brighter option for the future too.

Should a move be concluded, then it would surely fill plenty of Hammers fans with excitement before the summer transfer window closes in a few days’ time.

Leeds United could make a late move to sign Wolves winger Adama Traore in the final hours of deadline day, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Traore a Whites target

The Spaniard was deemed surplus to requirements at Molineux midway through last season, joining Barcelona in what was arguably a surprise January move.

Traore’s loan spell at the Nou Camp swiftly ended in the summer, however, and with Bruno Lage still not seeing a future for the 26-year-old, Leeds have been linked with signing him.

While talks seemed to have cooled in recent weeks, a deadline day twist has emerged.

The Latest: Late move could now happen

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that Traore joining Leeds is now a possibility again due to the collapse of the Bamba Dieng deal:

“Leeds are now tempted to turn back to players they have had an interest in for some time. Hwang is an obvious one but also look out for Adama Traore.”

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The Verdict: Worth the risk?

Traore has his detractors, with a lack of end product cited as a reason for it – he has scored 12 goals in 158 games for Wolves, and got one in 21 for Barca  – but it could be worth Leeds taking a late punt on him after their move for Dieng fell through.

The Spain international, dubbed a ‘game changer’ by Noel Whelan, has incredible speed at his disposal, not to mention unpredictability, and Jesse Marsch may feel he can get the best out of him. Tim Sherwood has said he ‘destroys’ players, which aptly sums up the threat he poses.

Traore would certainly be an entertaining signing but his game would have to go up a level if he was to be a genuine success story at Elland Road, with current his game not overly dissimilar to the departing Dan James.

Aston Villa’s transfer business this summer, in which they brought in Champions League players such as Diego Carlos and Philippe Coutinho, is a far cry from some of their business when in the Championship.

The Villans certainly spent big during their spell in the second tier but it didn’t always work out, with Ross McCormack perhaps the prime example.

The former Scotland international joined Villa in a deal worth £12m in 2016 from Fulham, having scored 42 goals in just two seasons with the London club.

However, his time at Villa Park was far less successful and it signalled the start of a serious decline for McCormack, who was recently released by non-league Aldershot after failing to score in just two appearances for the club.

His spell at Villa saw him make 22 appearances, in which he managed just three goals, meaning Villa paid Fulham £4m per goal, a shocking return for a striker in the Championship.

Attitude and fitness issues also plagued McCormack during his time at the club, and he struggled to recover from the public criticism he received from Steve Bruce after he missed training due to a locked gate.

The former Villa boss said: “In my opinion, he is not fit enough to play and he will not play unless his attitude towards training and missing training improves. If that improves then I will reconsider him but if he continues to miss training, as he has done, that will be the situation.

“There has been too much indiscipline here at Villa. Not in 20 years in management have I ever gone down this route but I feel I have to make a stance because I will not put up with it on my watch.

“He has decided the team has picked itself. How can I pick him when he doesn’t come into training? His failure to turn up for training has happened more than once. Everyone can have an excuse but when it is more than once I will not accept it.”

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McCormack was eventually released by Villa in 2019 after a number of loan spells away from the club at the likes of Nottingham Forest and Central Coast Mariners, with his only decent spell coming with Melbourne City, where he hit 14 goals in 17 games.

Considering he is now 36 and without a club, retirement seems a likely next step for McCormack, who will surely go down as one of the worst signings in Aston Villa’s recent history.

Yannick Bolasie may well have been a fan favourite during his time at Crystal Palace but his form since leaving emphasises how well the club did to sell him for £25m.

The DR Congo international joined Palace from Bristol City in 2012 and was a regular for the Eagles in his four years at Selhurst Park, making 144 appearances in total, in which he contributed 13 goals and 30 assists.

While he was never prolific in the Premier League, his superb skills on the ball certainly won over a lot of Palace supporters, while his overall performances were not to be sniffed at either.

His final season at Selhurst Park saw him contribute five goals and three assists in the top flight, averaging a superb 7.14 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

That was enough to convince Everton that he was worth £25m and he made the move to Goodison Park in the summer of 2016, signing a five-year deal with the Toffees.

He started well with the Toffees, as one goal and four assists in just 13 Premier League appearances earned him a strong 7.20 rating from WhoScored before a cruciate ligament rupture ruled him out for more than a year.

Sadly, he was never the same player and would manage just one more Premier League goal for Everton in another 18 appearances for the Toffees.

Loan spells with Aston Villa, Anderlecht, Sporting Lisbon and Middlesbrough would follow, as Everton surely rued giving the ageing winger a five-year deal, and eventually, they cut their losses on Bolasie and released him on a free transfer when his contract expired.

A move to Turkey would follow, with the 33-year-old now plying his trade with Caykur Rizespor, with whom he has managed just two goals and one assist in 28 appearances.

While he was unfortunate to suffer such a terrible injury and was a fan favourite at Crystal Palace, those at Selhurst Park deserve a huge amount of praise for selling him for £25m, as his career since leaving has been something of a disaster.

It looks as though the hierarchy cashed in at exactly the right time with the current squad now going from strength to strength, especially in the positions that Bolasie occupied.

Do you know which celebrities you could see at St. James’ Park cheering on Newcastle United at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon? 

There is so much excitement around the North East following the takeover of the Magpies from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian (KSA) consortium, and they have been able to bring in stars like Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak from Lyon and Real Sociedad respectively.

The start to the season has been a little shaky, with five draws from their opening seven games in the Premier League, but Eddie Howe will be confident that his team can put a string of wins together after the international break.

Meanwhile, while waiting for the Toon to return to your TV screen, why not test your knowledge of famous NUFC supporters with our Celebrity Newcastle Fan Quiz! Just simply tell us if you believe any of these to be a Magpie…

Crystal Palace enjoyed a promising Premier League campaign last season after Patrick Vieira was appointed in the summer of 2021, with several new players making their move to Selhurst Park to become part of the former Arsenal captain’s project.

One player who was a standout in Vieira’s new-look Palace team was Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher who completed a season-long loan deal with the Eagles last summer, although despite the club’s efforts to hold onto their golden boy returned to Stamford Bridge to stake his claim for a permanent spot in Chelsea’s starting line-up.

There is no doubt that Palace miss the talented midfielder’s versatility and presence in the centre of the pitch with the England international producing eight goals and five assists last term. His exit has since reflected in the performances on the pitch, and led to Vieira’s side slipping into 17th in the Premier League table.

One of the most regrettable decisions the South London side may have made during the transfer window was not to replace Gallagher’s contributions in midfield, although they did show interest in one player who could’ve been the perfect fit for the position.

Joe Aribo was linked with a move to Selhurst Park throughout the summer, but instead completed a deal worth up to £10m to join Southampton instead, something that Palace should now regret considerably.

The former Rangers midfielder has made a fantastic first impression from his central role at St Mary’s over his first eight appearances this season so far.

Aribo has scored two goals and created one big chance, made 1.9 tackles and won 5.3 duels per game, as well as currently ranking sixth in the Premier League for pass interceptions in an opponent’s half, proving he has versatile attributes that would’ve been perfect in replacing Gallagher’s role at Crystal Palace.

Indeed, those numbers mean he is currently outperforming Gallagher this term who has scored just once, failed to create a big chance, made 1.7 tackles and won 3.2 duels a match.

The Nigerian ace was given a glowing assessment from new manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, who said of his quality:

“We believe Joe can bring energy and creativity to our side. Feeling comfortable in so many different positions is very helpful for a manager and shows he has a high level of football intelligence, with the ability to take on new information quickly.”

Further dubbed a “special talent” by Jordan Campbell of The Athletic, it’s evident that Palace made somewhat of a mistake when it came to their decision making at times this summer.

Vieira will surely be disappointed that Palace were unable to complete a deal for Aribo, however, in the January transfer window, there is another opportunity for the manager to strengthen his midfield options ahead of the second half of the season.

Samir Carruthers looked destined for a career at the top when he captained Aston Villa’s academy side to Next Gen Series glory in 2013.

However, nearly ten years on and the midfielder is plying his trade with Dartford in the National League South, the sixth tier of English football.

The Irish midfielder joined the club from Arsenal in 2009 and helped the U19 side win the prestigious European competition, regularly training with the first team before Paul Lambert’s arrival in 2012, after which he was left to play in the reserves.

In the end, Carruthers would make just three substitute appearances for Villa in the 2010/11 Premier League season, before he joined MK Dons for an undisclosed fee in 2014, having spent the previous season on loan.

He would spend the majority of his professional career with the Dons, making 137 appearances, in which he contributed six goals and 24 assists.

Carruthers looked set for a decent career in the Championship but things started to go downhill in March 2016, as the midfielder was filmed urinating into a glass and pouring its contents over a balcony at Cheltenham Festival, with Cheltenhamshire police describing the incident as “a disgusting and thoughtless act.”

Carruthers was fined and suspended by the club, despite manager Karl Robinson describing him as a “top player” who he expected to return to the Premier League.

After that, the Irishman would have brief spells at Sheffield United, Oxford United and Cambridge United before eventually dropping into non-league after failing to find a club for the entirety of the 2020/21 season.

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Carruthers failed to score or assist in 20 appearances for Hemel Hempstead in the sixth tier and was released at the end of the season. He has started much more impressively with new side Dartford, contributing four goals and one assist in the opening nine games of the season.

It has been a dramatic fall from grace for Carruthers after breaking into Villa’s first team so young, and you feel that his reckless decision in 2016 went a long way towards ruining his career in the professional leagues.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Leon King ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the Magpies are scouting the Scotland youth international, alongside two other Premier League teams.

The defender is out of contract with Glasgow Rangers at the end of next season and Dan Ashworth is keeping tabs on his performances at Ibrox.

Romano Tweeted: “Many clubs are monitoring Rangers centre back Leon King (2004) who started against Liverpool at Anfield, last week — he’s out of contract in June 2024. Manchester United, Newcastle and Leeds have already sent their scouts to follow King.”

Imagine him & Sven Botman

Newcastle bolstered their options at centre-back in the summer transfer window by signing 22-year-old Sven Botman from French side Lille.

The young defender is in the early years of his career and has the potential to be a key player for the club for many seasons to come, whereas Dan Burn and Fabian Schar – who are both 30 – are at the other end of the spectrum.

Botman has been signed for now and for the future and bringing in a player like King could seal Eddie Howe’s central defensive partnership in future years if all goes to plan.

The Dutch centre-back is already proving his worth in the Premier League since his move from Ligue 1. He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.03 across seven appearances and has won a whopping 74% of his individual duels, which shows that he is putting in consistently strong performances and dominating opposition attackers.

King, on the other hand, is four years younger than the Newcastle man and it may take him time to develop into a player with the quality to start week-in-week-out in the English top flight.

However, the potential is there for him to reach that level as he has already played 17 matches for Rangers by the age of 18 and made three appearances in the group stages of the Champions League, whilst completing 94% of his attempted passes in the Premiership this season.

Formers Gers defender Alan Hutton previously described King as being “elegant” in possession and dubbed him a “Rolls-Royce”, which suggests that the ex-Premier League full-back has been impressed by the youngster’s performances in a Light Blues jersey.

At the age of 18, he has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and hone his skills and Howe could work with him on the training pitch to help him grow into being the dream partner for Botman at the back.

He would offer a right-footed balance to the left foot of the Dutchman in a central defensive pairing. His passing quality in the Scottish top-flight also suggests that he would suit a possession-based team, much like the ex-Lille machine – who has completed 89% of his passes in the Premier League.

Therefore, King and Botman could be a dream pairing for Newcastle in the future and Ashworth must now bring the Scottish gem to Newcastle in January to give Howe the chance to mould him into a first-team star for the Magpies in the years to come.

Glasgow Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has some tough decisions facing him ahead of the January transfer window after some disappointing performances of late.

His side have lost all four of their group-stage matches in the Champions League so far this term and look set to crash out of Europe altogether, after reaching the final of the Europa League in 2022/23.

They are also second in the Premiership and two points behind their Old Firm rivals, which leaves them with ground to make up if they want to win back the title.

The Light Blues need their players to hit top form in order to achieve success this season and a few of van Bronckhorst’s regular starters have not been at their best.

Goalkeeper Allan McGregor has conceded a whopping nine goals from 12 shots on target in the last two matches, against Motherwell and Liverpool, and has been far from convincing between the sticks. His positioning for multiple goals against the Reds was questionable and he allowed a free-kick to sail over his head in the win at the weekend.

However, Ryan Kent’s performances this season have also left a lot to be desired and the January window could be the perfect time for the manager to finally bin him.

The Englishman is out of contract at the end of the season and selling him in the winter could prevent losing him for nothing whilst giving Ross Wilson some cash to bring in a replacement heading into the second half of the campaign.

It was recently reported that Premier League side Leeds United are eyeing up the forward and the Light Blues must take advantage of this by cashing in on him.

Kent has been a fine servant for the club over the year, scoring 31 goals and assisting 51 in 189 outings, but his wastefulness on the ball since the start of last season has been disappointing to watch.

In the 2021/22 campaign, the English winger scored two goals from 65 shots in the Premiership.

This term, he has scored once from 16 shots in eight matches in the Scottish top flight and has also been tackled in 65% of his attempted dribbles.

Former Gers striker Kris Boyd recently admitted, speaking on Sky Sports, that the club should be seeing better performances from the forward, saying: “Rangers do need more from him, he needs to do more for himself. In the contract situation, it’s one where you can look at it and say, has he spoken to somebody are there other things there.

“Even if you have and your future’s away from Rangers, then you’ve got to be doing better to show them that you’re ready to come to you, whether it’s in January or next summer.”

The £18k-per-week attacker has been far too wasteful in front of goal in the last 18 months or so and that is why van Bronckhorst must allow him to leave in January, which will then provide Wilson with the chance to bring in a player with a bigger goal threat.