General Football News
Newcastle reportedly want Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammate Rafael Benitez described as ‘top-class’
According to TuttoJuve, Newcastle United are interested in signing Gonzalo Higuain from Juventus in the summer transfer window. It has been reported that Newcastle could make an offer for the former Real Madrid striker this summer. The report has added that Juventus will offload the Argentine striker on a loan deal if a club are willing to pay his annual salary of €7.5 million (£6.75m) in full. Stats Higuain has been on the books of Juventus and has done well for the Bianconeri, but with his former Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo joining the Italian powerhouse in the summer of 2018, he has struggled to hold the same kind of importance. The 32-year-old spent the first half of the 2018-19 campaign on loan at AC Milan and the second half on loan at Chelsea. The Argentine striker – described...
Danny Rose claims Mauricio Pochettino wanted to sign £80m player for Tottenham Hotspur
Danny Rose has said on The Lockdown Tactics that Mauricio Pochettino wanted to sign Harry Maguire for Tottenham Hotspur way before he moved to Manchester United from Hull City. Maguire joined United from Leicester in the summer of 2019 for a transfer fee reported by BBC Sport to be worth £80 million. The England international central defender started his professional club football career at Sheffield United before moving to Hull City and then to Leicester in 2017. Rose, who joined Newcastle on loan from Tottenham in the January transfer window, has said that Pochettino was interested in signing Maguire for the North London outfit after the defender played against them for Hull. Pochettino was appointed the Tottenham head coach in the summer of 2014 and was dismissed from his role at Totten...
Report: Leeds looking to land Senegalese striker as they prepare for the EPL
According to Turkish newspaper Takvim (via Sport Witness), Leeds United are preparing for life back in the English Premier League and are keeping tabs on Galatasaray striker Mbaye Diagne as boss Marcelo Bielsa looks to strengthen his squad ahead of the huge task ahead. The Senegalese is currently on loan at Belgian side Club Brugge but could have been at Elland Road already as Leeds wanted him in the summer of 2018. Diagne is also wanted by Watford and Nottingham Forest, and the availability of Premier League football would likely play a huge role in his next transfer decision. While he didn’t particularly impress at Brugge before they were declared league winners, the striker bagged 30 goals in 29 league games for both Kasımpaşa and Galatasaray last season and is far from finished. Work p...
Townsend admits he never thought reported Newcastle target would become ‘incredible’
Andros Townsend has admitted to Sky Sports that he did not expect his former Tottenham Hotspur teammate and reported Newcastle United target Gareth Bale to become as good a player as he is now. Townsend, who left Newcastle for Crystal Palace in the summer of 2016 after joining the Magpies in January 2016, played with winger Bale at Tottenham. The 28-year-old England international winger has raved about the Wales international winger, and he has admitted that he did not envisage the Real Madrid star becoming as good as he is now. According to Marca, Newcastle are interested in signing Bale from Spanish and European giants Madrid in the summer transfer window. Townsend told Sky Sports when asked if he could always see Bale’s ability at Tottenham: “You ask anyone now, they’ll say they always ...
L’Equipe claims former Spurs boss has rejected an offer to become NUFC manager
According to L’Equipe (via GFFN), Marseille manager Andre Villas-Boas has rejected an offer to succeed Steve Bruce at Newcastle United. The former Tottenham Hotspur boss is on the radar of the Magpies’ prospective new owners as they look to make major changes to the squad once their £300 million takeover goes through. However, Villas-Boas currently has plans to see out the remaining 12 months on his contract at the Ligue 1 outfit despite being offered a considerably better salary by the would-be Newcastle owners. While one ex-Spurs boss has turned them down, another could be taking up the offer and is widely seen as favourite for the job. Mauricio Pochettino is said to have told the incoming owners that he wants to be fully in charge of transfers if he becomes Newcastle manager, and an off...
Report suggests why Levy could be against Mourinho’s desire to land Lille’s DoF
Lille’s director of football Luis Campos was widely tipped to join Tottenham Hotspur by several French news outlets at the beginning of this week, with the Portuguese said to be willing to leave the French team for the North London side. However, L’Equipe has since reported that the Lille chief isn’t looking to leave the club but is only demanding for key changes. L’Équipe affirm that Luis Campos has no intention of leaving Lille but is rather seeking for the club to make changes to the internal hierarchy. More follows tomorrow. — Get French Football News (@GFFN) May 19, 2020 Spurs boss Jose Mourinho wants the club to appoint his compatriot as their director of football, and while that will be a good move given his impressive track record and success stories, The Athletic has suggested tha...
‘Celtic spoke to me’: Player Brendan Rodgers reportedly wants shares his future plan
Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor has told The Scottish Sun that he plans to stay at the club next season, despite reported interest from Leicester City. According to The Scottish Sun, McGregor is on the radar of Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers. Rodgers worked with the Scotland international midfielder at Celtic and wanted to sign the 26-year-old in the summer of 2019 as well, according to the report. McGregor has been on the books of Celtic his entire professional club football career so far, and has won the league title six times with the Hoops. Having won the Scottish Premiership title for the past nine seasons, the Glasgow giants will be aiming to make it 10 in a row during the 2020-21 campaign. McGregor has said that he wants to stay at Celtic Park beyond the summer, and has ex...
‘Confirming the takeover’, ‘Basically confirmation’ – Some NUFC fans react to Bruce’s latest comments
Newcastle United head coach Steve Bruce has broken his silence on the £300 million takeover bid by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The bid is currently with the Premier League as the Directors and Owners test is being carried out, but it is expected to be successful despite the delays, and an official announcement has been tipped to be made this week. As a Geordie and fan of the club, Bruce will be delighted to see the takeover go through, but his job is at stake as PIF are expected to bring in a new manager ahead of next season. The former Aston Villa boss is confident that he can take Newcastle to the next level with enough backing in the transfer window, though, and has made his desires to remain in charge post-takeover known. “If it’s good for Newcastle, and the club are going t...
Report: £1m player Rodgers described as ‘wonderful’ likely to leave Celtic
According to The Scottish Sun, Jonny Hayes is likely to leave Celtic in the summer transfer window. The 32-year-old winger joined Celtic from Scottish Premiership rivals Aberdeen in the summer of 2017 for a transfer fee reported by The Scottish Sun to be worth £1 million. According to Transfermarkt.co.uk, the Republic of Ireland international winger is out of contract at the Hoops at the end of this month. The Scottish Sun has claimed that Hayes is likely to leave, adding that his Celtic teammate and goalkeeper Craig Gordon will be out of Celtic Park, with the Scotsman’s current contract also ending at the end of this month. Disappointing Celtic spell Hayes has had a difficult time at Celtic, as the winger has not been a regular in the team, either under former manager Neil Lennon or his c...
Report: Jurgen Klopp stance on £90k-a-week West Ham and Crystal Palace target
According to The Express, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is ready to let Nathaniel Clyne leave this summer, with West Ham United and Crystal Palace interested in the defender. Clyne is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of next month, and manager Klopp is reportedly ready to let him leave on a free transfer instead of offering him a new deal. The report has added that London clubs Palace and West Ham are interested in securing the services of the 29-year-old right-back, who earns £90,000 per week as salary. Disappointing Liverpool spell Clyne has been at Liverpool since 2015, but the former Southampton star has failed to make a massive impact at Anfield. There have been injury issues, and when the right-back has played, he has not been exactly great. The 29-year-old former Palace righ...
Report: Gerrard hopes to beat Hammers to striker’s signature a yr after Liverpool links
According to The Scottish Sun, Rangers are hoping to beat several English Premier League sides to the signature of West Bromwich Albion striker Rayhaan Tulloch this summer as manager Steven Gerrard looks to stop Celtic’s 10-in-a-row bid. West Ham United and Brighton are very much keen on the 19-year-old after he forced his way into manager Slaven Bilic’s plans this term, and the Baggies are looking to convince him to sign a deal as he is out of contract next month. Liverpool were one of the clubs linked with an interest in Tulloch last summer, but the speedy striker could be lining up for their former skipper at Ibrox if Rangers play their cards well. West Ham know the teenager well having watched him first hand during their FA Cup clash against Bilic’s side in January, and it appears he d...
Report: Manchester City make offer to £10m Newcastle United target
According to AS, Newcastle United and Manchester City are interested in signing Facundo Pellistri from Penarol in the summer transfer window. Spanish and European giants Real Madrid are also reported to be interested in securing the services of the 18-year-old forward this summer. City are leading the race for the youngster, but Premier League rivals Newcastle are not giving up, according to the report. The Citizens are reluctant to pay the $12 million (£9.81 million) release clause in the contract of Pellistri, and are hoping to pay half of it upfront and the rest in bonuses and add-ons, according to the report, which has further claimed that last season’s Premier League champions have offered him a five-year contract and a huge wage increase. Newcastle United to miss out? While Newcastle...
