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‘There is a deal to be done’ for Newcastle midfielder Joe Willock, sources in North London have told Chronicle Live journalist Mark Douglas.

The lowdown

The 21-year-old moved to St James’ Park on loan at the start of February and enjoyed an immensely successful spell. He netted in the last seven Premier League games, matching the club-record streak set by Alan Shearer.

The Arsenal midfielder’s contributions were vital in pushing Newcastle up to 12th in the final standings and, despite only spending half the season on Tyneside, he wound up as the club’s second top-scorer for the campaign behind Callum Wilson.

The latest

Douglas has reported that Newcastle have ‘registered their interest’ in signing Willock permanently. Arsenal are said to be ‘assessing their options’ at present, and their decision could depend on whether they can secure their ‘priority targets’.

Newcastle may need to fork out £30m to persuade Arsenal to part with the midfielder, which would make him their second-most expensive signing behind Joelinton.

The player himself is apparently ‘open to a return’ and may receive encouragement from his family, as his father Charles was ‘particularly impressed’ by Newcastle’s handling of the 21-year-old.

The verdict

Unfortunately it’s difficult to see Newcastle shelling out £30m, especially with reports that Steve Bruce’s budget may be 40% or less of that figure, and even a reduction in Arsenal’s demands when they bolster their midfield ranks may not suffice.

The Magpies should probably pursue a second season-long loan deal and then launch a permanent move next summer, when the strains on the market will hopefully have eased.

They could also have new owners by then, of course, depending on the outcome of the ongoing takeover saga.

In other news, Newcastle have identified another transfer target.

Former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that the Owls keeping Darren Moore is the right call.

Moore was appointed as Wednesday manager at the start of March, tasked with trying to keep the club in the Championship.

However, following a thrilling 3-3 draw with Wayne Rooney’s Derby County on the Championship’s final weekend, Wednesday were relegated to League One in a development that could have thrown Moore’s future into doubt.

Owner Dejphon Chansiri, however, has given the former Doncaster Rovers boss his backing and confirmed he will be in charge of the Yorkshire outfit next season.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about Chansiri’s decision to stick with Moore, Palmer said:

“Absolutely the right call. I feel that Darren Moore’s come in there basically with his hands tied behind his back. And he knew that as well, I’m not dressing this up as anything that it’s not.

“I think Darren will be disappointed because there’s no way he took that job and felt that this Sheffield Wednesday would go down, absolutely not.

“So whatever happens, even though it’s not Darren’s fault, he was manager of the football club when they got relegated. So I think it’s only fair, it’s only right that Darren is given the chance to put things right next season.”

Given how late Moore came into the club and the amount of damage that had already been done before his arrival, it certainly would have been harsh to not give him more time in the job.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock this season, you’ll know that everything is far from rosy for Celtic Football Club.

Parkhead has been rocked by the absence of a trophy and the Hoops could now witness a number of their top players leave and head for pastures new.

What’s the word?

Odsonne Edouard is close to completing a move to England, while Ismaila Soro and Kristoffer Ajer also have admirers south of the border.

A mass exodus is set to disrupt the Hoops this summer but, in a rather worrying turn of events, they could also lose David Turnbull. The Scot only arrived last year but is already being linked with the exit door.

According to The Sun, Aston Villa are lining up a summer swoop for Turnbull as they look to bolster their midfield options. A move may cost the English side as little as £7m, a mere bargain for a player of his abilities.

Villa have watched the 21-year-old on several occasions now and feel as though he would offer similar value for money as John McGinn.

A huge blow for Celtic

Forget Ajer and Edouard; if Turnbull leaves Paradise this summer, it will be a disastrous blow to Celtic’s ambitions.

After all, this is a midfielder who was not only crowned the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year but also scooped the club’s Player of the Season award.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-manager-and-transfer-news-howe-favre-mcgregor-mccann-tierney” title=”Read the latest Celtic manager and transfer news!”]

Celtic have had a particularly difficult campaign but, when the going got tough, Turnbull has shone like a beacon for a ship lost at sea.

The youngster has been so impressive that he has now earned a call-up to the Scotland squad for the first time and will travel to the European Championships. He has been spectacular and, during the 2020/21 campaign, he scored ten goals and produced eight assists.

Also offering a set piece threat, there are fewer players in Scottish football with more creativity than Turnbull. In fact, during this season, no player recorded more key passes in the Premiership than Celtic’s young midfielder with 85.

Talking about him back in March, Owen Coyle provided a glowing review, one which demonstrates why it would be a significant blow if he left.

“His physical attributes are there,” Coyle began. “He’s got an unbelievable engine, he goes box-to-box, covers the ground. He’s a team player who works his socks off. I think he’s a manager’s dream.”

Edouard might be Celtic’s top scorer but Turnbull is a player who has glued everything together during a chaotic first season in Glasgow.

The threat of their most vibrant young player leaving should leave Celtic supporters running for the hills. Him leaving would be a scary way to start the transfer window.

AND in other news, Celtic can find the new Scott McDonald by signing 24 y/o with “everything to his game”…

If and when Jeff Shi leaves Wolves behind, he will be able to take a great deal of pride from his accomplishments in the Midlands.

Together with Nuno Santo, Fosun have taken the Old Gold to Europe and have developed some of the finest young talent in Europe along the way.

Shi has a very specific mantra; to sign and develop players for the future.

Diogo Jota is one of the biggest examples. He arrived from Atletico Madrid on a permanent basis in 2018 and after making a big impact in the Premier League, he earned a £41m move to Liverpool.

Another who could follow in his footsteps is Pedro Neto. The winger may be out for the best part of six months with a broken patella, but he has displayed very similar qualities to Jota and could join Manchester United in a £50m deal.

Hailing from Portugal, his nationality marks another trend at Wolves; signing Jorge Mendes clients.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-wolves-news-and-views-lingard-leao-jimenez-mir” title= “Read the latest Wolves news and views!”]

Another Mendes player on their books right now is Vitinha. The young midfielder was signed on loan from Porto this term and if Wolves have any sense, they’ll utilise his option to buy.

The 21-year-old has only started twice in the Premier League this season but as we saw in the U21 European Championships, he is a star in the making.

Consider Wolves also have Owen Otasowie in their ranks and the future certainly looks bright for their midfield.

However, because of those two players and the likes of Ruben Neves, it’s hard to see others getting a look in. You only need to factor in how few senior opportunities Morgan Gibbs-White has had down the years.

He is the crown jewel of their academy but has only featured on six occasions in the top-flight this season.

For players like Connor Ronan, on loan at Grasshopper in Switzerland and Christian Herc, the future doesn’t look too bright.

Herc has made an impact while enjoying a temporary stint in Slovakia with MFK Karvina this season, scoring six goals in 27 appearances from the middle of the park.

He is improving all the time and still has the dream of playing for the senior side.

“I have never played in England for the Wolves first-team, but that’s still the target,” the 6 foot 1 youngster revealed in an interview with the club’s media channels this week.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look likely. Now aged 22, Herc should have already made a breakthrough into the first team if he was good enough.

Instead, he’s never really received a look in at Molineux.

Herc has that wonderful knack of scoring goals from midfield but there are already so many players ahead of him in the pecking order.

Wolves should cut their losses in the transfer window and hand him a permanent exit. It’s harsh, but there isn’t a clear way into the first-team picture at Compton.

AND in other news, Wolves could sign big Silva upgrade in “outstanding” £71m gem with “excellent speed”…

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce is making a major mistake over Florian Lejeune as Chris Waugh delivers a crucial update on his future.

What’s the story?

The centre-back joined Alaves on a season-long loan after an injury-ravaged time at St James’ Park, but has been a virtual ever-present for the La Liga side this season, making 32 appearances in all competitions.

And now, writing for The Athletic, Waugh said: “With Lejeune turning 30 later this month, there has been no indication yet that Newcastle will look to extend his deal and, as things stand, perversely, he actually appears to be the most likely defender to leave. Alaves, who are fighting relegation, are keen to keep him if they survive, and both Lejeune and Bruce may feel it is best for the Frenchman to move on.”

Bruce making a mistake

Dubbed by Waugh as someone who’s got “everything”, the journalist added: “The Frenchman, who is both comfortable in possession and an excellent reader of the game, is arguably Newcastle’s best all-round defender.”

And that belief is something that was reflected by former Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez, who seemed to absolutely adore the man he signed at St James’ Park. Speaking back in September 2018, he said: “Then, in the months after he came back, he settled down because he is strong mentally, and then he was passing the ball and giving confidence to the team and all the players around. He became a very important player for us.

“Florian has been a big miss for us in terms of what he means for us as a crucial member of the team. The style of football he brings and helps us to adapt to is something we have lost.”

The £40k-a-week earning titan has proven his fitness at Alaves this season, and news that he looks like the defender most likely to leave this summer seems incredibly baffling given the high regard both those inside and outside the club hold him in.

The Magpies haven’t exactly been a defensive fortress this season either, with their total of 56 goals conceded in the Premier League only better than three other teams in the entire division – two of them being in the relegation zone right now.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/newcastle-steve-bruce-premier-league-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-st-james-park-joelinton-shelvey-max-aarons” title=”Read the latest Newcastle transfer rumours and news!”]

Lejeune, at the very least, deserves a chance to impress in pre-season and prove that he can stay fit here in England just like he has been doing over in Spain, but this latest update just shows that Bruce is making a major mistake.

Meanwhile, Newcastle must finally offload this star after a major transfer update…

When Patryk Klimala made his Celtic debut against Partick Thistle in January 2020, there was plenty of anticipation for what he could bring to Parkhead and Neil Lennon’s side.

That is no different to any new signing but his introduction into the fray was hardly reminiscent of Lionel Messi replacing Deco for his Barcelona debut in 2004.

Klimala replaced Leigh Griffiths in that encounter but unlike Messi, Klimala hasn’t even come remotely close to setting the world alight.

In fact, he’s been incredibly disappointing since signing for the Hoops in a £3.5m deal.

The 22-year-old arrived 14 months ago having scored seven goals in 17 outings for Jagiellonia Bialystok in the Polish top-flight. Unfortunately, those goal-scoring antics have seldom been replicated in Scotland.

Klimala has netted just three times in 28 outings for the Bhoys and had to wait a grand total of nine months before making his first league start.

That came during the club’s 2-1 win over St Mirren last September but since then the Polish forward has started only two further games in the SPFL.

He has scored three goals all season, the last of which came all the way back in October. Lennon didn’t particularly like him but it turns out John Kennedy doesn’t either. Klimala started against Aberdeen but managed just 65 minutes before being hauled off.

He managed only 22 touches of the ball in that clash, a tally that happened to be 13 fewer than goalkeeper Scott Bain. Furthermore, Klimala managed just five accurate passes.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-manager-and-transfer-news-roy-keane-nicky-butt-jesse-marsch-scott-brown” title=”Latest Celtic manager and transfer news!”]

It was a woeful showing, and it’s rather unsurprising that he’s failed to earn a single minute of football since.

Klimala has been so poor over the last year that his market value since penning terms in Glasgow has dropped dramatically.

Signed for £3.5m, he’s now rated at just £1.8m by Transfermarkt. That’s a considerable decrease of 48%. With a lack of match action and goals, his value will only continue to plummet over the coming months.

There could be an opening at the top of Celtic’s attack if Odsonne Edouard departs, but it would take a brave man to place faith in the young striker.

After all, a brutal assessment from Frank McAvennie sums it up. Speaking about Klimala he commented: “It must be soul-destroying for the full-back to keep putting the ball into the box and look up to see nobody there.”

Indeed, the Pole has been rather anonymous during his stint in Glasgow. Should Celtic cut ties in a few months time? They’d probably be wise before his value completely falls off a cliff.

AND in other news, The 7 transfers Roy Keane could make if he’s appointed Celtic manager…

According to information courtesy of Daily Mail correspondents Jack Gaughan and Matt Hughes, via City Xtra, Manchester City star Raheem Sterling is setting up his own football agency and will conduct his own Sky Blue contract negotiations with legal advice.

Sterling, who was Pep Guardiola’s top scorer in all competitions last season with 31 goals (Transfermarkt), has been the subject of speculation linking him with a new and improved deal at the Etihad Stadium.

Providing the latest update, journalists Gaughan and Hughes claimed that the Englishman will look for improved terms on his current £300,000-per-week contract and is now setting up his own football agency, meaning he will conduct his own negotiations with legal help, per City Xtra.

This could mean that Sterling looks set to be without the traditional football agent for his talks as he takes charge of his own affairs – an interesting move given the debatable stigma which surrounds representatives like Mino Raiola, for example.

Amid the 26-year-old’s bad run of form, with his latest outing against Leeds United attracting some criticism, this move by Sterling has still been praised by many City supporters on social media.

Some fans also believe he deserves a new deal, which is understandable considering he is still yet to hit his prime and has bagged an incredible 113 goals and 86 assists in all competitions since signing in 2015 (Transfermarkt).

While the vast majority of supporters praised this development, with one labelling it ‘brilliant’, there was also some who called it ‘ridiculous’ given Sterling’s current form – he is without a goal in his last seven appearances.

Find some of the supporters’ verdicts below.

Man City fans flock to Sterling contract claim

“Give Sterling whatever he wants”

Credit: @AK10_03

“Sterling making big moves”

Credit: @MrBowser1YT

“Very Deserved”

Credit: @mcfcR16

“Love this. Says something about the way contract negotiations are handled at City these days”

Credit: @Bubbleg58159799

“Brilliant stuff”

Credit: @ctiddanny86

“City players love it so much at City they don’t use agents.

We are many levels above the rest”

Credit: @MCFCTone

“Sterling is a club legend by now tbf”

Credit: @SsonSummerbee

“This is just ridiculous , a player on this amount shouldn’t be disappearing when we need him most , man has been scamming City”

Credit: @fredijeh2

In other news: Man City fans weren’t impressed with his ace’s performance, find out more here.

Former Sheffield United striker Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that it would be a “no-brainer” for Roy Keane to take the Celtic job.

The former Manchester United midfielder, who won the Scottish Premiership during a brief stint with the Hoops during the 2005-2006 campaign, has been out of management since leaving Ipswich more than a decade ago, although he’s been assistant boss at Republic of Ireland and Aston Villa, and most recently at Nottingham Forest under Martin O’Neill.

And reports have circulated since the departure of Celtic manager Neil Lennon last month that Keane wants a return to dugout and would be interested in the vacant role at Celtic Park.

Keane is currently working as a pundit for both Sky Sports and ITV, but is currently amongst the favourites to replace Lennon at the Glasgow-based club.

Given his previous links to the Scottish giants, Windass believes that it would be a great opportunity for Keane to return to management.

He told Football FanCast: “It’s a no-brainer really, if that’s the case with Roy.

“The links that he’s had for Celtic and he’s been there and played for them at the end of his career.

“It’s a great shout if that’s the case, and I’m sure if he walks in the changing room Celtic players will know there’s a man in there that demands high standards on and off the field, and they’ve got a massive challenge in taking the title off Rangers.”

Following an unrelenting fixture pileup in February, the return of Champions League football and the beginning of the World Cup qualifiers gave Premier League clubs some extra breathing room in March.

But the decrease in the number of fixtures certainly didn’t quell the entertainment factor which makes the Premier League such a universally popular competition. Sometimes less is more.

We were treated to local derbies in Manchester and north London, witnessed Newcastle United stumble into perilous decline and learned that Jesse Lingard might actually be a reincarnation of Lionel Messi after all.

Elsewhere, Leicester City continued their march towards European football as they bid to banish the demons that saw them narrowly missed out on the top-four following a late-season slump in 2019/20, while Brighton & Hove Albion finally managed to translate fine performances into points on the board to give themselves some vital breathing room in the fight to avoid relegation.

A multitude of individuals were at the pinnacle of their game and driving these narratives, but who were the standout players during the month of March?

Well, here are six of the best players from the calendar month who have played themselves into contention for March’s iteration of GIVEMESPORT Fans’ Player of the Month award.

All stats courtesy of WhoScored.

The goalkeepers

Nominee: Dean Henderson

Both Dean Henderson and Edouard Mendy s managed to keep a 100% clean sheet records in March with three shutouts in as many games, but the former gets the nod over Chelsea’s stopper on two counts.

Manchester United’s emerging star recorded two more saves (8) than Mendy and managed to keep a rampant Manchester City at bay at the Etihad Stadium, a feat that no other goalkeeper has managed all season.

It was another month of tangible progress for Henderson as he bids to simultaneously wrestle United’s number one jersey away from David De Gea and convince Gareth Southgate of his England credentials ahead of the delayed Euro 2020 competition.

There’s also an honourable mention for Leeds United’s long-limbed praying mantis Illan Meslier, who made a league-high 16 saves in just three outings.

The defenders 

Nominee: Cesar Azpilicueta

With Chelsea and Manchester United both boasting 100% clean sheet records in March, our nominee was always likely to come from one of those two camps.

The arrival of a new manager often brings players from the fringes of the squad and back into first-team contention. Cesar Azpilicueta was a notable victim of Frank Lampard’s preference towards youth, but now he’s a major beneficiary of Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea revolution in a table-turning change in fortunes.

The Blues are gathering pace at an ominous speed under the German, and Azpilicueta’s performances in an indomitable back line have underpinned much of their defensive prowess. Not only did the 31-year-old play a key role in helping Chelsea record three clean sheets in three games this month, he also completed 231 passes and five key passes to underline his playmaking expertise.

Elsewhere, it was another brilliant month for Luke Shaw who came agonisingly close to securing his second nomination on the bounce.

The England international did something that nobody else has managed to do this season by making Joao Cancelo look distinctly average during the Manchester derby, terrorising the Portuguese on the overlap of Marcus Rashford before scoring United’s killer second on the day.

The midfielders 

Nominees: Martin Odegaard, Riyad Mahrez

There’s something intrinsically insatiable about left-footed wizards, and in the shape of Gareth Bale, Martin Odegaard and Riyad Mahrez we were treated to some delightful slices of genius from Premier League midfielders in March.

Bale was finally removed from the comfort of the substitutes bench and, from Crystal Palace’s perspective, turned his seemingly permanent pitch side smile into something rather more sinister by notching a brace during Spurs’ 4-1 win over the Eagles at the beginning of the month.

However, that marked the end of a flurry that started in February and his tepid display in the north London derby was juxtaposed by his Real Madrid teammate Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian continued his captivating opening to life at Arsenal with a goal to cap off an excellent all-round performance. In three outings he racked up eight key passes in a fluid number ten role that appears key to facilitating the broader success of Mikel Arteta’s system.

Meanwhile, Mahrez continued to show that his almost iconic deft first-touch is just one of the myriad weapons in his armoury by scoring three goals in as many matches, including two sublime efforts against Southampton.

One of the nearly players of the Premier League, Leandro Trossard, finally managed to deliver some goal contributions for Brighton following a season of frustration for the Belgium international.

Trossard followed up a sumptuous 56th minute winner against Southampton with a darting, long-range strike and an assist to boot against Newcastle in the following game, and he only narrowly missed out on a nomination here.

The strikers 

Nominees: Kelechi Iheanacho, Harry Kane

It was a productive month for Premier League strikers as four players managed to score three goals or more, but Leicester City star Kelechi Iheanacho and, to the surprise of absolutely nobody, Harry Kane are the nominees here.

Gabriel Jesus’ steady rise in form saw him find the net three times in three games during March, while Che Adams scored in three consecutive games to end a run of thirteen league outings without a goal.

Iheanacho, however, was the pick of the bunch. The Man City academy product is 25 this year and showed that he may have turned a significant corner in his development more than three and a half years after signing for the Foxes.

Amid Jamie Vardy’s uncharacteristic dry spell in front of goal, Iheanacho scored five goals in three games, including a hat-trick against Sheffield United, to help Brendan Rodgers’ side continue their march towards a top-four finish. Though it wasn’t factored into his nomination, it’s worth noting that he scored two and provided one in Leicester’s 3-1 win over Man United in the quarter-final of the FA Cup before the international break.

And what to say about Lord Kane that hasn’t already been said? Having scored three and assisted two in four league games in March, speculation over his future in north London has come to the fore once again.

Will he leave Spurs this summer? Will he win this award? The answers to those questions remain unsolved, but Kane scoring goals in the Premier League remains an eternal certainty.

Cast your vote for March’s Player of the Month now by visiting https://fan-awards.com/.

Carlo Ancelotti has dropped a double injury blow for Everton ahead of their home game versus Southampton in the Premier League on Monday night.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match against the St. Mary’s faithful, the Italian boss revealed that there has been no date set for Jean-Philippe Gbamin to return to training, while Yerry Mina faces another two weeks out of action.

Double Everton injury blow

The Merseyside club will be without both Mina and Gbamin for the fixture against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men at Goodison Park, and will no doubt miss the former especially.

Mina has been nothing short of a rock for the Toffees in the heart of the defence, winning no fewer than 4.7 of his duels a game in the Premier League so far in the 2020/21 term, as well as averaging 4.5 clearances, 1.1 interceptions and one tackle per appearance (Sofascore).

As for Gbamin, it is a case of whether the Blues will ever be able to see him play for EFC again. The central midfield player has had an awful time with injuries ever since his move from Mainz, and has only played in a mere two senior matches in all competitions for Everton, with his last one coming all the way back in August 2019.

Nonetheless, Ancelotti’s team will have to find a way to get all three points against the Saints without both of them.

In other news, find out why Paul Joyce’s latest update has been lauded by Everton fans here!