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Newcastle United striker Chris Wood will be ‘made available’ for a January exit should he want to leave, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Magpies eyeing Wood replacement

The New Zealand international was signed by Eddie Howe after he took over at St James’ Park, making the £25m move from then-Premier League side Burnley, but hasn’t made the impact he would have been hoping for upon his arrival on Tyneside in January.

Recent reports have claimed that the Magpies are looking to add a younger attacker to their ranks next year as the 30-year-old’s replacement, which suggests that he might not be at the club for much longer.

The Latest: Newcastle open to Wood sale?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that Wood is likely viewed as nothing more than a bit-part player by Newcastle, and has his reservations over why the Magpies wanted to complete that deal in the first place.

He said: “It’s always been hard for Chris Wood to fit in at Newcastle. The transfer seemed strange from the start. I think part of it was the fact that they were looking at set pieces and him getting on the end of crosses.

“But, with the way that Newcastle are now improving and moving on to another level, part of me does expect for him to be made available in January if he wants to move on.”

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The Verdict: Time to move on

Callum Wilson has reportedly signed a new contract, and with the summer arrival of Alexander Isak on top of that, it seems that Wood won’t be able to get much of a look-in this season.

Despite being labelled a ‘handful’ by former BBC pundit Noel Whelan, the New Zealand international has made just one Premier League start this season and has scored only three goals in 26 appearances since joining Newcastle.

It’s obvious to see that Wood has fallen down the pecking order at St James’ Park and it will be hard for him to climb back up given the Magpies’ current form, so a move elsewhere for the £80,000-a-week striker would appear to be the best option for everyone involved.

West Brom slipped into the Championship relegation places after a 0-0 draw with Luton Town on Saturday but it seems as if Baggies fans will have to wait a while longer before Steve Bruce is sacked.

What’s the word?

Despite just one win in the second tier this season, Bruce seemingly has the backing of Steve Gourlay, with pre-season hopes of a promotion push a distant memory for the Baggies.

Alan Nixon provided the latest on his position as manager at the Hawthorns following Saturday’s stalemate, writing in The Sun:

“Steve Bruce looks like he is staying in charge of the Baggies for now and has the backing of chief executive Ron Gourlay.”

Gourlay must act now

In 32 matches in charge of West Brom, Bruce has won just eight games, drawing 12 and losing 12, which has earned him an extremely disappointing points per game average of 1.13.

When the 61-year-old took charge of the Baggies, they were fifth in the Championship, which was enough to see Valerian Ismael sacked by Gourlay.

Bruce was brought in with the aim of getting the Baggies promoted in his first season but they would finish tenth in the second tier, so the fact that he is still in charge eight months later having made West Brom significantly worse than they were under Ismael, is baffling.

Eye-catching summer additions such as John Swift and Jed Wallace looked as if they would steer the Baggies back towards the top of the Championship but this season has been a complete disaster so far.

While Bruce can’t take all of the blame, as the expected goals statistics suggest that West Brom should be much better off, it still isn’t good enough and the results show no sign of improving under Bruce.

Indeed, Albion are now on a run without a win since the back end of August, with nine matches passing since their last three points.

Nixon suggests that Gourlay still has faith in the 61-year-old but if West Brom are to have any chance of recovering this season, then he must be sacked as soon as possible.

Journalists caught a ‘risky’ move by Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte during their 2-0 victory over Marseille in the Champions League.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites seal big win…

The Lilywhites, looking to make a good impression back in Europe’s most prestigious competition after a two-year absence, managed to get off to the perfect Group D start.

Two goals from Richarlison in the last 15 minutes of the contest secured all three points for Spurs against the Ligue 1 side but they were made to work hard for their win.

Before the Brazilian’s brace, proceedings were very much on a knife edge, with Conte making the brave decision to take off two of his back three just past the 70 minute mark.

Clement Lenglet and Cristian Romero both made way for Japhet Tanganga and Ben Davies, presumably with Man City in mind at the time.

The Latest: Journalists make ‘risky’ claim…

This call by Conte certainly raised eyebrows among members of the press, with one calling it a ‘risky’ decision whist others branded the substitutions as ‘odd’.

“Lenglet and Romero make way for Davies and Tanganga. A risky tactic from Conte, who appears to be prioritising Man City this weekend. Hardly an attacking move and arguably increases the chances of Marseille hitting Spurs on the counter-attack. 0-0.” – George Sessions, PA Sport reporter (via Twitter).

“Romero & Lenglet make way for Tanganga & Davies. Odd changes but a consequence of the mad schedule. Conte wants his defenders fresh for Haaland and Co. on Saturday.” – Dan Kilpatrick, The Evening Standard (via Twitter).

“For Lenglet and Romero. Hmmm.” – Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic (via Twitter).

The Verdict: Bold…

The Premier League’s side’s move to bring off two reliable defensive assets at 0-0 certainly was a bold one.

Luckily for supporters, Conte’s men stormed to a late victory regardless, and it looks like Spurs’ flurry into the summer transfer market has now granted them an option to make such changes.

Lenglet’s arrival on loan from Barcelona and Romero’s permanent signing from Atalanta have gifted Tottenham real strength in depth with solid players like Davies and Tanganga now able to come on in their stead.

Given the mountainous task a trip to Man City presented at the time, it’s arguably understandable why Conte elected to bring off his summer acquisitions in preparation to face Pep Guardiola’s champions.

Leeds United have been dealt a fitness concern ahead of their Premier League clash against Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via Leeds Live), Jesse Marsch revealed that, despite earlier hopes that Patrick Bamford could have been included in the Whites’ squad for the 3-1 Carabao Cup victory over Barnsley on Wednesday, the 28-year-old is once again a doubt for the trip to the south coast on Saturday.

Speaking about the current condition of the England international, the Leeds manager said: “The big question mark is Patrick Bamford. We think he’s doing well and moving forward.

“I think also with the performances of the team, it allows us to be patient but we will still have a call to make for exactly what it means for this weekend. But we want to put him in the best position possible to physically be ready to pick up where he left off.”

Big blow for Marsch

It is true that Leeds have not exactly struggled for goals in the absence of Bamford so far this season, having bagged three against both Chelsea and Barnsley in their last two games. However, it is nevertheless undeniable that the centre-forward once again being unavailable for a fixture as challenging as Brighton – who currently sit in fifth, just behind Leeds – will come as a big blow to Marsch.

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Indeed, the long-term effects of the Whites being without Bamford’s services up front are clear to see from the club’s return of goals last term, when the England international managed only seven starts in the league as a result of numerous knocks and Marsch’s team found the net just 42 times – the joint fifth-worst record in the league.

For comparison, when the £14.4m-rated striker featured in every game of Leeds’ 2020/21 Premier League campaign, the Whites scored 62 goals in the league – more than both Chelsea and Arsenal – while Bamford netted on no fewer than 17 occasions, ranking him as the division’s joint fourth-highest scorer.

As such, it is evident that Leeds are a much more fluent attacking outfit with the 28-year-old leading the line.

That leads us to believe that the Englishman’s continued absence for the trip to Brighton on Saturday will do nothing to help the Whites’ chances of returning to Yorkshire with all three points in tow – something which would represent a gutting outcome for supporters and Marsch alike.

Mateusz Klich could potentially leave Leeds United this summer, according to Beren Cross of Leeds Live.

The lowdown

The Poland midfielder started 26 of the Whites’ 38 Premier League games last term and featured in all but five overall, but his limited role in pre-season doesn’t bode well for his chances of repeating that level of involvement.

He didn’t play against Brisbane Roar, Aston Villa or Crystal Palace on the club’s trip to Australia, while he was an unused substitute against Cagliari on Sunday in Leeds’ final pre-season friendly of 2022 (via SofaScore).

The latest

Cross tweeted on Sunday night that ‘Klich’s future is uncertain’, with Marsch unsure if the 32-year-old be at Elland Road ‘beyond September 1’.

The reporter added that Klich ‘needs minutes’ ahead of November, when he hopes to feature prominently for Poland at the World Cup in Qatar, but he was ominously ‘left on the bench’ alongside the ‘outgoing [Helder] Costa and [Ian] Poveda’ against Cagliari.

In the attached article, Cross reveals that Klich has told his manager that he needs to be playing regularly ahead of the World Cup in November.

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The verdict

Klich has been an excellent servant for Leeds, racking up 178 appearances for the club, scoring 22 goals and providing 21 assists. Indeed, he was a core part of the team which won back the Whites’ place in the Premier League in 2020 after a 16-year absence.

Furthermore, David Prutton has described him as an ‘unsung hero’ who has made a ‘wonderful’ contribution to the club.

However, a big concern for the Poland international is that Leeds have recruited four new midfielders this summer in Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams, Marc Roca and Darko Gyabi, and that seems to have nudged him down the pecking order.

Klich has two years left on his £34,000-per-week contract, so he should still retain some value if the Whites want to cash in this summer.

Manchester United have ‘shown some interest’ in AC Milan centre-back Fikayo Tomori, according to Italian outlet Calciomercato (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

The Guardian reported in April that signing a centre-back would be one of the summer priorities for new United manager Erik ten Hag. The Red Devils have made one new signing so far, bringing in left-back Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord for an initial £13m.

Tomori came through the youth ranks at Chelsea before moving to Milan for £25m in 2021 following a successful loan spell. In his first full season with the Rossoneri, the England international helped them to win Serie A for the first time since 2010/11.

The latest

Calciomercato reported (via Sport Witness) that Milan are planning to commit Tomori to a new contract which will run until 2027, warding off any suitors in the process.

United have expressed their admiration for the 24-year-old, but he has apparently told his agent that he isn’t interested in leaving the San Siro this summer.

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The verdict

You can see why United might be interested in Tomori. He started 30 out of a possible 38 league games for Stefano Pioli’s champions last season, with their defensive record the strongest it’s been for a decade.

The Englishman defends on the front foot, ranking in the 92nd percentile for pressures per 90 minutes,. He also reads the game well, placing in the 80th percentile for interceptions among centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues (via FBRef).

Milan technical director Paolo Maldini has called him ‘quick’ and ‘hard-working’, while another Rossoneri defensive legend in Franco Baresi said that the ‘skilful’ 24-year-old is is ‘definitely one of the most promising prospects out there’.

A move may not be possible this summer, but who’s to say that Tomori won’t want another crack at the Premier League in a couple of years’ time?

Nottingham Forest are interested in signing Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien this summer, according to a fresh transfer claim.

The Lowdown: O’Brien superb for Huddersfield

The 23-year-old has arguably become the Terriers’ most influential player in recent years, standing out with his superb performances in midfield – indeed, he posted the squad’s highest WhoScored rating in 2021/22 when goalkeepers are excluded.

O’Brien started 46 Championship games last season and helped guide his team to the play-off final, where they were eventually beaten 1-0 by Forest at Wembley.

It now looks as though the Englishman could be heading to the club which shattered Huddersfield’s Premier League dreams six weeks ago.

The Latest: Forest eye up O’Brien move

According to The Athletic, Forest are in talks to sign O’Brien in the summer transfer window, as Steve Cooper looks to bolster his options ahead of his side’s return to the Premier League.

Discussions are believed to be ongoing, with Harry Toffolo and Morgan Gibbs-White also mentioned as possible suitors in the report.

The Verdict: Great potential addition

O’Brien may be unproven in the Premier League but he is someone who looks ready to make the step up to the next level, having mastered the Championship at this point and been hailed as ‘exceptional’ by his former Terriers boss Carlos Corberan.

Indeed, Cooper will be all too aware of the damage that the 23-year-old can yield. When the current Forest manager was in charge of Swansea in February 2021, they fell to a crushing 4-1 loss at Huddersfield in which O’Brien scored one goal and set up another (Transfermarkt).

The midfielder could be a perfect fit for Forest, possessing technical quality on the ball but also endless tenacity out of possession, having averaged 2.1 tackles per game in the league last season.

At 23, O’Brien should only mature further in the coming years, further highlighting why he could be an excellent signing who can enhance Forest’s midfield next season.

Liverpool’s incredible history has almost always included a serial goalscorer in their side, from Ian Rush, King Kenny Dalglish and Fernando Torres, to Luis Suarez and Mohamed Salah. Where there is a Liverpool squad there is a world class striker, a couple of anomalies aside.

In the last decade, the Reds have been particularly blessed, having had the privilege of watching Suarez torment the rest of the Premier League, with Norwich City feeling the most of his wrath, before Salah followed in his footsteps a few years later.

Of course, there was a brief spell in which Brendan Rodgers lined up the likes of Rickie Lambert, Mario Balotelli, and Fabio Borini. But that has been discreetly put into the past now, never to be seen again, with Jurgen Klopp’s heavy metal football writing a new chapter in the Liverpool history books.

It has been a chapter full of success, too, and a front three worthy of the number of honours. The transition from Lambert, Balotelli, and Borini to Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mane epitomises just how far Liverpool have come since 2015.

Stats from TransferMarkt revealed one dominant attacker when it comes to goal contributions since 2012, however. Below we’ve listed the player with the most goals and assists from the last ten Liverpool seasons.

12/13: Luis Suarez – 43

When Fernando Torres left on Deadline Day of January 2011, not even the most optimistic of Liverpool fans would have expected a quick fix. Yet, in came Luis Suarez – an unfamiliar name at the time that would soon become the thorn in every Premier League team’s side.

The 2012/13 season is when things really began to take off, with the forward scoring 30 goals, and assisting a further 13 in all competitions.

13/14: Luis Suarez – 50

If the 2012/13 version of Suarez was impressive, then the Suarez we saw a season later was out of this world. After missing the first five games through suspension for biting Branislav Ivanovic, the Uruguayan went on to score 31 goals in 33 league games to pick up the Golden Boot, and assist 17 goals in all competitions.

With 48 goal contributions in the league, Suarez single-handedly dragged Liverpool into the title race at times, before eventual heartbreak, with Manchester City winning the title following Steven Gerrard’s famous slip against Chelsea.

14/15: Jordan Henderson – 22

Can you tell that this is the season after Luis Suarez left? Because we certainly can. Jordan Henderson is by no means a goalscoring midfielder, either. Yet, with an impressive 15 assists and seven goals, topped Liverpool’s goal contributions list in a campaign to forget.

It’s no surprise that the Reds finished sixth, with their highest contributor going from 50 to just 22 in the space of a year.

15/16: Roberto Firmino – 22

Back to a more positive outlook, the 15/16 season saw the arrival of Klopp and the beginning of turning the doubters into believers. And what better player to highlight that change in attitude than one of the best to play for Klopp? Firmino proved an instant hit in his first season, with 11 goals and 11 assists.

16/17: Philippe Coutinho – 24

Speaking of Liverpool’s Brazilian players, Philippe Coutinho had a season to remember under Klopp in 2016/17, with 24 goal contributions.

With Mane and Firmino alongside him, the midfielder flourished, with particularly impressive performances against Arsenal on the opening day and West Ham away, in which he scored two braces.

His last full season at Liverpool, it’s fair to say that he went out with a bang, having helped Klopp’s side to a Champions League return.

17/18: Mohamed Salah – 60

If you’re not a fan of Mohamed Salah, it’s probably best to look away now, because from 2017 onwards, he has been dominant in a Liverpool shirt.

Starting with his debut campaign, the Egyptian instantly proved any doubters wrong, and in some style, too. By the end of the season, he had broken the record for most goals in a 38-game Premier League season by scoring 32 to seal his first Golden Boot.

A season of 44 goals and 16 assists led Liverpool to the Champions League final, where they suffered heartbreak against Real Madrid, as Salah was forced off with injury early in the first-half.

18/19: Mohamed Salah – 39

Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Here’s Salah once again at the forefront of Liverpool’s attacking exploits. This time, there may have been no record for the former AS Roma man, but he did, at the very least, end the season with another Golden Boot to his name, with 22 league goals.

In all competitions, meanwhile, Salah netted a total of 27 goals, and assisted a further 12 as Liverpool bounced back from Champions League heartbreak the season before to defeat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final, partly courtesy of Salah penalty in the first minute.

19/20: Mohamed Salah – 36

Guess who? Yep, the Egyptian King is out of this world, isn’t he? And, this time, his contribution led to Liverpool’s first-ever Premier League title. With 23 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, Salah once again shone at Anfield.

Salah’s Most impressive performances came in the 3-1 win over Manchester City and the 2-0 win over Manchester United, in which he scored late on to cue the famous celebration at the Kop end and all but confirm the title.

20/21: Mohamed Salah – 37

Now onto Salah’s most difficult season yet in a Liverpool shirt.

With the Covid-19 pandemic forcing games to be played behind closed doors, and Klopp left with Nat Phillips, Ozan Kabak, Rhys Williams and makeshift centre-back Fabinho to turn to after a flurry of injuries, it was Salah’s goals, at times, which kept Liverpool in the hunt for top four.

31 goals and six assists in all competitions gave the Reds hope. And, by some miracle, an Alisson Becker header put them on course for a third-placed finish to end a nightmare campaign.

21/22: Mohamed Salah – 47

Salah’s best season numbers wise since his debut campaign, there was a period of time throughout last season when a Salah goal became an expectancy rather than a possibility.

He ended the season with disappointment, of course, having lost the Champions League final after missing out in the title race. But with a Golden Boot, Playmaker award, League Cup and FA Cup medal to provide comfort, we think he’ll be alright.

With 31 goals and 16 assists in all competitions, Salah was more than worthy of the PFA Premier League fans’ Player of the Year.

Leeds United could be set for a busy summer in the market after retaining their Premier League status, according to transfer insider Dean Jones. 

The lowdown: Early transfer business

Jesse Marsch’s side survived on the final day of the season with a victory over Brentford, but some big names could still be set to depart Elland Road as the likes of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips continue to be linked with moves away.

Exits aside, the Whites look set to secure their first summer signing in the shape of Red Bull Salzburg attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson, and it could be the first of many to come through the door.

That’s the view of one respected onlooker, who has had his say on the situation at the Yorkshire giants…

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The latest: ‘Really exciting’ summer ahead for Leeds

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has claimed that it looks set to be an active summer transfer window for Leeds and director of football Victor Orta, with Marsch set to demand that the Whites aren’t left with such a close shave with relegation again next year.

He explained: “I think it now gets really exciting for Leeds. They can look for additions all over the squad and they will look to make sure that they’re not in this position again in a year’s time.

“Jesse Marsch will be saying ‘please, please now just see what I’ve given, the character I’ve put in this team is there and it’s going to be different from what you saw under Bielsa but it could be every bit as special’.”

The verdict: Overhaul required

Having failed to make any additions in January, Marsch and his predecessor Marcelo Bielsa were left bereft of options in the Leeds squad in order to arrest an alarming slide towards the drop zone. Ultimately the American won four of his 12 matches at the helm, just enough to stave off relegation to the Championship.

In order to avoid another season of similar struggles, Andrea Radrizzani must sanction a raft of incomings in order to bolster a young squad with an average age of just 24.7, regardless of who stays and who goes in the meantime.

Whether or not Marsch can indeed recreate the feel-good factor harnessed by Bielsa remains to be seen. However, with money to spend and hopefully the right recruitment, there is certainly the hope of a prosperous summer and a much-improved 2022/23 campaign.

In other news, Sky Sports drop worrying update on Leeds star. Find out who it is here

Celtic not only ended their 2021/22 SPFL season with the league title under their belt but they also did it whilst boasting the best-attacking record in the top flight.

Having played 38 games, the Hoops found the net 92 times, which is 12 more than their fierce rivals, Rangers, did.

One player that ended up playing a rather significant role in Celtic’s attack this season was Jota.

Signed on loan from Portuguese club Benfica back in the previous summer transfer window, the winger played in 29 league games for the Bhoys.

In those appearances, the 23-year-old scored ten goals and delivered 11 assists along the way.

Rather unsurprisingly, there have been reports claiming that the Hoops are looking to make the winger’s stay at Parkhead permanent this summer.

Should they be successful in those attempts, the focus can then shift to potentially bringing new players to the club and help strengthen Ange Postecoglou’s squad.

One figure that the Bhoys have been linked with recently that could form a scary attacking partnership with Jota is Ferencvaros striker Ryan Mmaee.

With 141 senior club appearances under his belt across all competitions, the 24-year-old striker has scored 49 goals and delivered 25 assists in the process.

This season saw the Moroccan rack up 19 goals and 11 assists in 37 appearances for his current side, which included two games against Celtic in the Europa League.

This shows just how much of a deadly striker he is who can not only score goals but provide them as well.

It also backs up why he was described as being “prolific” for the Hungarian side by journalist Maher Mezahi on Twitter.

Having racked up the second-highest average for shots and dribbles per game in the Europa League this season for his current side, he clearly has the attacking talent to be a suitable addition to the Parkhead club’s ranks.

With all of this in mind, if Celtic can start their next campaign with both Jota and Mmaee in their side, it would give Postecoglou the chance to form a potentially frightening attacking pair that could give the Hoops a great chance to not only possibly regain the SPFL title but to go as far as they can in Europe as well.In other news: Celtic can replicate CCV masterclass by signing 25y/o gem who’s “one of the very best”