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According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle were very interested in signing Lazio striker Ciro Immobile in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

The Magpies were on the look-out for a new-front line striker, and amidst talk of a potential takeover too, the club were linked with a whole host of high-profile players.

Now, Romano has claimed that Italy international Immobile was someone who the Tyneside club were very keen on luring to St James’ Park, even going as far as contacting the forward and offering him a five-year contract.

In the end, Immobile stayed put in Serie A, with Romano adding that both the 30-year-old and Lazio turned down Newcastle’s interest, and decided to extend his contract.

Elite striker

With 127 goals in 182 games for Lazio, Immobile has proven himself to be one of the most prolific strikers in all of European football over these past few seasons.

Enticing the Italian to come join Newcastle would have undoubtedly been one of the biggest coups of the transfer window for any side, and it would have laid down a marker about the Magpies’ ambition.

Valued at £40.5m by Transfermarkt, Immobile would have been the kind of game-changer signing that could have helped fire Newcastle right up the table.

In the end, they brought in Callum Wilson from Bournemouth, and whilst the England international has started life on Tyneside very well with four goals in five Premier League games, he just isn’t the kind of Champions League calibre striker that Immobile is.

If there is one transfer target that Bruce would have been fuming about missing out on, then Immobile is surely at the top of the list.

Leeds United are on the hunt for a new central defender and it appears they may have edged closer to landing one if reports are to be believed.

What’s the word?

According to The Sun, the Yorkshire giants are lining up a £15m swoop for Spurs defender Juan Foyth with Marcelo Bielsa believing his fellow Argentinian compatriot would improve the Premier League newcomers.

It’s also claimed that this won’t affect the club’s pursuit to land fan-favourite loan star Ben White on a permanent basis either, which will come as encouraging news to the Elland Road faithful.

Foyth has fallen out of favour in north London and is ‘set to quit’ the club in search of regular match opportunities.

The idea of playing under the 65-year-old is also of huge appeal after the centre-back claimed “[Bielsa is] one of the best coaches in the world and it would be nice to be coached by him.”

Bielsa headache alleviated?

There’s no denying that the Whites will need to bolster their squad in order to compete in the top-flight but no position will be more of a concern than in central defence.

Currently, Bielsa only has one senior option in the role in skipper Liam Cooper, so finding the right sort of target to fill such a void will undoubtedly provide the Argentine with his biggest headache in two years at the club.

Soon-to-be free-agent Gaetano Berardi has been ruled out of action until April 2021, so that’s put pay to any new contract, you’d imagine.

If they can clinch White from Brighton’s grasp after a stunning breakthrough year, it would be huge to their chances of longevity in the PL, but adding a player like Foyth alongside him would surely be the stuff of dreams.

The 22-year-old has been courted by Barcelona in recent months and despite a lack of regular game time at Spurs, plenty have heaped praise on him.

His former boss Mauricio Pochettino called him a “clever” player with “a lot of potential” whilst Jose Mourinho halted a loan exit in January, labelling Foyth “very solid” and “very calm”.

Leeds having a partnership of White and Foyth would be cetainly be a good way to kickstart their first top-flight campaign in 16 years. Solid.

AND in other news, Orta can land a dream Phillips successor in “exceptional” £27m beast…

According to ESPN, Tottenham are facing increasing competition for Schalke midfielder Weston McKennie.

What’s the word?

Despite having already signed Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this summer, it appears Jose Mourinho hasn’t finished rebuilding the Spurs midfield ahead of the start of the new Premier League campaign next month.

ESPN claim that the Lilywhites’ reported target, McKennie, is now being pursued by other Premier League clubs, but that it’s Southampton who are currently “leading the race” for the signing of the USA international.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…



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The report adds that a deal for the 21-year-old could reach up to £20m.

Imagine him and Hojbjerg

Whilst Spurs may feel they already have the ‘defensive midfield’ aspect of their squad sorted following the arrival of Hojbjerg, just imagine the kind of unbreakable wall Jose Mourinho could help build if he paired the Denmark international with McKennie.

The Schalke ace is another ball-winning ace whose energy and relentless running is a perfect match for the modern game. His manager at the Bundesliga side, David Wagner, said: “He’s an outstanding talent. In the No.6 or No.8 position he has the mentality, a real working mentality that you need. And he’s brave on the ball as well.”

His teammate at international, Reggie Cannon, further backed that up, revealing: “If you lose the ball, you know he’s going to be the first one running (to get) the ball. He’s a leader and that’s something I can learn from – everyone can learn from to up their game.”

Whilst playing two workman like midfielders in the same line-up seems counter-productive or even defensive, Mourinho could help bring back that solidity that was sorely lacking from Spurs last season – only Chelsea and Burnley conceded more than their 47 Premier League goals out of the top ten.

The teams that Mourinho has been successful with, particularly at the likes of Chelsea and Inter, have had a formidable spine to them – think back to players like Claude Makelele, Michael Essien and Esteban Cambiasso to name but a few. Playing Hojbjerg and McKennie together would offer greater protection to the Spurs back-line and help strike fear into the rest of the Premier League.

Nobody would feel comfortable playing against a duo that hunt down every possession, and get the ball moving up the pitch as quickly as possible. It has all the hallmarks of being a potentially great midfield partnership.

Manchester City are reportedly in the mix to sign Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar this summer – a move which could have implications for Phil Foden at the Etihad Stadium.

French media outlet L’Equipe reported [via Sport Witness] that the Premier League champions, along with Juventus, have “positioned themselves” to sign the 21-year-old, who was also approached by Pep Guardiola’s side last year.

Central midfielder Aouar has impressed for Lyon this season, scoring nine goals and supplying seven assists in 37 games for Les Gones and setting up his team’s winner against Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash. [via TransferMarkt]

The well-rounded 21-year-old has shown several strings to his bow in his team’s European campaign – a match average of 2.2 successful tackles shows that he is more than willing to get stuck in, while averages of 1.6 key passes and 4.2 successful dribbles per game indicate that he uses possession wisely as well as winning it regularly. His drawing of 2.6 fouls per game also shows that he gets plenty of attention from opposition defences. [via WhoScored]

David Silva’s departure from the Etihad this summer will leave a central midfield vacancy to fill in the squad, with Manchester City academy graduate Foden surely eyeing up the chance to step into that void.

However, Aouar’s potential arrival at the Etihad would likely see him being parachuted in ahead of Foden in the central midfield pecking order.

The English midfielder, who turned 20 last week, already has 62 appearances and 10 goals so far in his senior club career, a more than respectable tally for a player so young. However, substitute appearances account for a huge chunk of those – he has still made only six Premier League starts.

Aouar is just two years older than Foden but already has 133 senior games under his belt and 24 goals. Notably, he has been a regular starter in Ligue 1 for the past three seasons – by the time of his 20th birthday in June 2018, he had started 27 games in the French top flight (as per WhoScored).

Valued at £44.55m by TransferMarkt, the Lyon midfielder will not come cheap and Guardiola isn’t likely to spend that amount on a player to warm the bench behind a comparatively green academy graduate. Foden’s prospects of becoming a first team stalwart could take a major setback if Aouar pitches up at the Etihad over the summer.

Man City fans, do you think Foden could seek a move away from the Etihad if Aouar comes in and blocks his path to the first XI? Have your say by commenting below!

Gabriel Magalhaes has been attracting the attention of clubs around Europe, including Arsenal, and the latest update seems to suggest the Gunners have a big battle on their hands if they want to acquire the player.

Reports from L’Equipe and Made in Dogues claim that the defender, who plays for Ligue 1 side Lille, has five teams available to him after they have all submitted transfer offers. These include Arsenal and fellow Premier League side Everton, as well as Serie A club Napoli.

Despite the offers from the Premier League sides, it seems that Gabriel prefers a move to Italy and will snub Arsenal and Everton in favour of Napoli.

The Lille centre-back has made 30 appearances in all competitions this season, including the Champions League, and has made 1.8 tackles per game and 3.3 clearances per game, via WhoScored.

To be a key part of the Lille team which finished fourth in Ligue 1 whilst battling in the Champions League at the age of 22 emphasises that he has a lot of quality and potential, as does the reported transfer interest from no fewer than five clubs around Europe.

His tackles per game average is better than any of Arsenal’s regular centre-backs, via WhoScored, and with the defence being criticised at times this season, Gabriel could be a good central defender to strengthen the back line.

If they can somehow beat Napoli to his signature, then it should really help Mikel Arteta build a better squad to improve their league position next season.

Gunners fans, do you think Arsenal can land Gabriel or will he go to Napoli? Comment below with your views!

Southampton fans have taken to Twitter to reveal some pretty harsh words for Cedric, despite watching their side gain another crucial three points with a 2-1 win over Norwich.

The victory means that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men have now earned six points out of a possible six against relegation rivals Watford and the Canaries, with Wednesday night’s result moving them out of the drop zone.

While that may lighten the mood around St Mary’s, one lingering cloud of negativity surrounds one Southampton player – Cedric Soares.

The Portugal international played every minute of the Saints’ vital win, but was especially sloppy against Daniel Farke’s men, completing just 63.6% of his 22 passes.

Cedric – who recently spoke to The Telegraph about his plans to leave Southampton at the end of the season – has still come in for some criticism despite the three points.

One supporter said that the sooner the club can find a replacement for the 28-year-old, the better, as the full-back offers “literally nothing”.

Additionally, another fan said that the former Sporting CP man is the “worst player in this football club”, and begged for Yan Valery to start playing ahead of him.

Elsewhere, the supporter below also expressed a desire to see the Portuguese ace leave St Mary’s – it really doesn’t appear as if the right-back is a popular figure on the south coast.

This fan said that, other than pace, they don’t know what Cedric has to offer, whilst adding that Valery is “not the answer” until he sorts out his positioning – they then went on to question the potential chance of a new right-back arriving in January.

Lastly, this fan said that their “only negative” from the 2-1 victory could be found in “everything” to do with Cedric, highlighting this one supporter’s deep dislike for the diminutive defender.

In other Southampton news, take a look at our Saints Team of the Decade – there’s no room for Dusan Tadic, Luke Shaw or Graziano Pelle…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Off the Bench series, which places in-game managerial decisions and squad selections under FFC’s microscope.

In what proved to be a difficult contest by the end of the 90 minutes, Liverpool came out on top as they beat Watford 2-0 at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

Snapshot

Having sealed qualification to the knock-out stages of the Champions League thanks to an away win against RB Salzburg in mid-week, the Reds returned to Premier League action to take on a Watford side managed by Nigel Pearson for the first time.

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And the Hornets kept out the current league leaders for much of the first-half, with their resistance eventually being broken by Sadio Mane. The Merseyside club would wrap up the three points late on thanks to a Mohamed Salah finish, but in truth, it was the second-half introduction of Andy Robertson that ensured the game fully tilted in Liverpool’s favour.

Off the bench

With a busy Christmas schedule looming for the Reds – including their travels for the Club World Cup – Jurgen Klopp understandably chose to rest a couple of players. One of them being Robertson. In his place, veteran midfielder James Milner was asked to play out of position at left-back, and whilst there could be no accusations of a lack of effort on the part of the 33-year-old, he just didn’t provide anywhere near the attacking intensity and productivity of his teammate.

As per Sofascore, Milner failed to complete either of his attempted crosses, whilst he also lost possession 13 times. The balance just didn’t look quite right, with the former Manchester City man understandably wanting to cut inside onto his stronger right foot. But following Robertson’s arrival in the 59th minute for an injured Georginio Wijnaldum, the Reds looked far more menacing again.

Can you name the result these iconic Liverpool images belong to? Give it a go now…

In the first-half, they managed a total of just four shots on goal. In the second, they registered 12. Robertson completed 89% of his passes, provided one key pass and made one successful long-ball. With his greater pace and athleticism, he could make far more charging runs up and down the flank, and cause the visitors far more problems.

Playing at left-back also allowed Milner to come into a more natural central midfield role, and it was no surprise to see Liverpool take control of the game and closing it out with a late goal. So whilst the 25-year-old may not have directly contributed to the end result with a goal or an assist, Robertson’s introduction made a huge difference to Klopp’s men walking away with all three points.

Meanwhile, FFC’s writers have given their thoughts on whether Liverpool can retain their Champions League crown this season.

Aside from their own struggles since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2013, Manchester United have had to watch their two fiercest rivals in Manchester City and Liverpool go on to dominate both the domestic and European scenes too.

Last season was a particularly forgettable one for Red Devils supporters, with City winning the Premier League for the second consecutive season, and Liverpool clinching yet another Champions League title.

With the duo once again neck-and-neck in the top-flight this season, you would have thought United fans may have clung on to any crumb of comfort. Instead, following Pep Guardiola’s admission that star striker Sergio Aguero would miss the Manchester derby early next month, supporters of the Red Devils did not appear to take any extra confidence.

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Heading on to Twitter, many fans suggested that even with Aguero being ruled out of the game, they would still go on to get beaten by their arch-rivals, and seemed resigned to their fate.

Check out some of the reaction of United fans below:

Meanwhile, former Manchester United midfielder Kleberson has hailed Fred’s huge improvements this season.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Serge Aurier was in genuinely excellent form as Tottenham Hotspur beat Olympiacos in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

On the chalkboard

The Ivory Coast international was in mixed form under Mauricio Pochettino prior to the Argentine’s sacking, conceding a penalty against Liverpool and also being sent off against Southampton.

But on Tuesday, he was exceptional as Jose Mourinho’s men came from 2-0 down to beat the Greek side 4-2.

Aurier provided a somewhat fortunate assist for Dele Alli’s first goal – the defender in front of Alli inexplicably sliced his clearance – but then scored a screamer in the second half, bending a sublime half-volley into the bottom corner to give his side the lead.

Per WhoScored, the 26-year-old registered two key passes in total, had a passing accuracy of 88%, won two aerial duels and also made two clearances.

Surprisingly, he didn’t actually win a tackle, nor did he even attempt one.

Clever management

This is tactically astute management from Mourinho.

Aurier is not the best defensive performer – he averages a foul per game in the Premier League and 1.7 per game in the Champions League – and is better suited to playing further forward.

That was best emphasised by his display against Olympiacos.

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Not only did he get forward, but he did it with aplomb, making a massive impact in the final third and continually threatening with his deliveries.

His goal was the icing on the cake and it suggests that he will continually be utilised as a full-back-cum-winger, instead of merely being a defensive player, where his weaknesses are all the more exposed.

He has shown that he can make that role his own.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans have hit out at one star for his performance. 

Manchester City fans are bitterly disappointed on the news that playmaker David Silva could miss the vital clash with Liverpool this week.

Indeed, following the weekend win over Southampton, Pep Guardiola confirmed that Silva is a major doubt for the game next weekend and will certainly miss the trip to Atalanta in midweek.

The champions will travel to Anfield on Sunday in what is set to be the biggest match of the Premier League season so far. A win for the home side could put them nine points ahead, with Liverpool’s late winner against Aston Villa keeping them six points adrift of City at the moment.

Silva has, of course, been of immense importance to the Sky Blues over the last decade and will be a huge miss this Sunday. The Spaniard has three goals and four assists in the league so far, and he continues to prove his worth to the club week in, week out.

Some fans have alluded to the fact Phil Foden could come in for Silva. However, most supporters are gutted by the news and can’t believe their luck with injuries this season.

Here’s what some City fans have had to say on this bad news…