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Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe wants to tie Sean Longstaff down to a new contract. 

The lowdown

Having come through the youth ranks at Newcastle, the North Shields-born midfielder made his senior debut in August 2018 (via nufc.co.uk). Less than four years on, he’s only seven short of a century of appearances for the Magpies.

The £11.7million-rated 24-year-old was due to be out of contract at the end of the season.

As he contemplates whether to sign on the dotted line, he’s may need assurances over playing time next season. Longstaff has made 22 Premier League appearances, 13 of them starts, so far this term.

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The latest

The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder relayed an update on Longstaff on Twitter on Thursday evening.

“Eddie Howe hoping to complete [a] deal for [the] midfielder,” he wrote.

In the attached story, he explains that Newcastle actually opened negotiations over the contract in 2019, but they stalled.

Longstaff apparently has other offers, but Howe wants to keep him at St James’ Park with a four-year commitment.

The verdict

It was looking a little bleak for Longstaff’s Newcastle future early in Howe’s reign.

He played 19 minutes of the manager’s first game against Brentford, but watched the next five from the sidelines.

However, he’s featured in 11 of the 19 matches since then and though that may not be quite the level of involvement he’d ideally like, it does show his value as a squad player.

Indeed, Howe and the club hierarchy may have decided that replacing Longstaff, who would be leaving on a free, would needlessly consume a portion of their summer transfer budget.

He’s a highly capable of midfielder himself, winning praise from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Ryder, who dubbed him ‘fantastic’.

In other news, Luke Edwards rages over this Newcastle leak.

Celtic celebrated their Premiership title in style last weekend as they thrashed Motherwell 6-0 at Parkhead before lifting and parading the trophy around the ground.

It was an emotional afternoon for multiple reasons as fans celebrated the title success as well as saying goodbye to two long-serving midfielders – Nir Bitton and Tom Rogic.

Both players will leave the club upon the expiry of their contracts at the end of next month and Ange Postecoglou will need to source replacements for them heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

One player the Hoops have been linked with a swoop for is Coventry gem Gustavo Hamer and he can be Ange’s dream heir to Rogic’s midfield throne.

In the Premiership this season, the Australian produced six goals and six assists – creating 1.5 chances per match – in 32 appearances, whilst also completing 1.6 dribbles and 3.4 duels per game for the Scottish giants.

He is a cultured midfield presence with the ability to make key contributions in the final third and his exit will leave a big hole in the squad heading into next season.

In Hamer, they can find a player who can have a similar impact on the team. He has showcased his quality in the second tier in England as he has enjoyed a fine season south of the border.

The Dutchman, who joined Coventry for £1.5m, chipped in with three goals and nine assists in 37 Championship starts, which means that both he and Rogic directly contributed to 12 goals in their respective leagues.

He created 1.6 chances per game for the Sky Blues as he proved that he can be a consistent creator for his side from a central midfield position, along with winning 3.3 duels per game as he battled hard in midfield.

His teammate Marko Marosi called him “unbelievable” and EFL pundit Ali Maxwell previously dubbed the gem a “class act”. This shows how he has impressed his peers and those in the media with his performances for the English club.

At the age of 24, he also has plenty of time left to develop and improve as a player. This means that he can be the short and long-term replacement for Rogic at Parkhead as he is a player Postecoglou can work with over the course of a number of seasons.

Therefore, he can be the heir to the Australian gem and Celtic must ensure that they can get a deal over the line for the Dutchman this summer.

AND in other news, £5m bid rejected, now worth £31.5m: Celtic had a giant howler on 190 G/A “lion”…

Everton are keen on a move for Tottenham Hotspur defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, according to journalist Larry Henry Jr. 

The lowdown

The 24-year-old has now reached the end of his season-long loan at Scottish Premiership champions Celtic. The centre-back would like to remain at Parkhead and has reportedly agreed personal terms with the Hoops.

Celtic can activate an option to purchase the defender outright for £6m, potentially rising to £10m with add-ons. That could make it the most expensive transfer in the Glasgow club’s history, so you can understand why they might be hesitant to let him slip through the net.

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The latest

Henry Jr explained on Twitter that Everton ‘are in the race’ for Carter-Vickers, as are newly-promoted Fulham, as confirmed by ‘a source close to the player’.

If Celtic fail to reach an agreement with Spurs before 12 June, the duo could then look to pounce.

Carter-Vickers is joining up with the United States national team ahead of their friendlies against Morocco and Uruguay on 2 June and 5 June respectively.

The verdict

Defensive reinforcements are sorely needed at Goodison Park this summer. Everton conceded 66 league goals over the course of the season, and at one point, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher slammed their depleted back four as ‘Championship’ standard.

Injuries to Yerry Mina (who missed 25 games) and Ben Godfrey (sidelined for 14) certainly didn’t help matters, but they can’t bank on those players being fit and healthy throughout next season.

Carter-Vickers, who has been described as ‘immense’ by pundit Chris Sutton, isn’t the only centre-half with whom they are currently linked – the Blues have reportedly offered James Tarkowski £120,000 per week to join as a free agent.

It’s good to see that Kevin Thelwell and co are quickly getting to work with a view to next season, with the American looking like a solid Plan B in case things don’t work out with Tarkowski.

In other news, Everton are also keen on signing this defender

Tottenham Hotspur are in the frame to sign Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet, according to Spanish publication Sport. 

The lowdown

Barcelona forked out €35m (£29.8m) to sign the Frenchman from Sevilla in 2018, and he has since gone on to play 160 matches for the Blaugrana. However, he started only seven of their 38 La Liga games this season, and none of their six Europa League knockout fixtures.

The 26-year-old’s estimated Transfermarkt value has plummeted from an all-time high of £54m in December 2019 to just £12.6m now, an alarming decline.

Nonetheless, he is under contract for another four years and is thought to earn more than €10m per year (in excess of £160,000 per week).

Barcelona have already lined up the free agent signing of Andreas Christensen from Chelsea and would also like to bring Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli, pushing Lenglet further down the pecking order.

The latest

The report from Sport claimed that Lenglet has no place in Xavi’s plans heading into next season.

For a time, he refused to countenance the idea of a summer move, but ‘in recent days’ his stance have softened and he is open to leaving the Nou Camp on loan so that he can retain his full salary.

There are ‘several clubs’ in the Premier League and Serie A who have ‘asked about’ the prospective signing of the defender. Among his English-based suitors are Spurs, who face competition from local rivals Arsenal, as well as Everton and Newcastle United.

The hope is that a ‘solution’ is now ‘close’ for the out-of-favour Frenchman.

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The verdict

Spurs would be investing in Lenglet in the hope that he could rediscover his top form under Antonio Conte. He has 15 caps for the reigning world champions France and featured at last summer’s European Championshi[.

Indeed, when he first appeared on the international scene in 2019, Les Bleus manager Didier Deschamps heralded the Barcelona defender as a ‘world-class’ addition to the squad.

Lenglet is a player with very strong distribution, even if he can lack concentration at times. It may be viewed as a gamble worth taking at Spurs, given that the 26-year-old would not command a transfer fee.

In other news, Antonio Conte greenlights this midfielder’s exit.

Jurgen Klopp has led Liverpool to a brilliant season which has comprised two trophies and another appearance in the Champions League final, which unfortunately resulted in a defeat to Real Madrid.

FSG will surely be looking to improve the squad at Anfield ahead of next season for another tilt at a quadruple, with various positions in need of a slight rejig, especially with the news that Sadio Mane appears to be leaving the club in the summer.

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However, the Reds could have already identified his heir with a possible move for Bayern Munich forward Serge Gnabry.

According to a recent report from Anfield Central, Liverpool have held talks with the player’s agent ahead of a potential move in the summer.

The winger earns £115k-p/w at Bayern and will reportedly be demanding more than double that to sign for the Anfield club, which could nullify any potential deal.

There is no doubt about his ability, having been described as “magic” in the past and dubbed “a real weapon” by former Bayern manager Niko Kovac, so he could easily slot into the Reds’ front free.

According to FBRef’s player comparison model, Gnabry is similar to Neymar, and Liverpool could unearth their very own mercurial talent by closing a deal for the German.

Both players have similar styles of play and, when it comes to goals and assists, they are practically identical. Gnabry (14 goals and five assists this season) and Neymar (13 goals and six assists) both have the ability to cause a plethora of attacking problems for their opposition.

This season, the Germany forward registered 2.8 shots on target per match compared to the Brazilian’s 2.43. When it comes to shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, both players possess impressive numbers (4.37 for Gnabry and 5.98 for Neymar).

Although Liverpool currently have Mohamed Salah and Mane, they may be crying out for a superstar replacement if the latter goes, and someone in Gnabry who comes in the mould of Neymar would give the Reds a huge boost in the final third heading into next season.

The summer transfer window could be an exciting time to be a Liverpool fan.

AND in other news, Klopp can unearth his own Lewandowski for LFC with bid for “exceptional” £34m maestro

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United and the future of Dean Henderson heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards has claimed that the Magpies are not in for the Manchester United shot-stopper despite recent reports.

He tweeted: “The Henderson story is very, very strange but denials have been consistent from #nufc end and were especially strong when I checked again today. Got the impression they have had enough of it being reported.”

This comes after reporter Samuel Luckhurst was quoted as saying that the goalkeeper wanted a move to St James’ Park earlier this month, outlining: “He [Dean Henderson] wants the Newcastle deal done early and there’s been no indication so far that he should hang around. United are looking at options to replace him (Bachmann, Darlow) — He’s a man in a hurry.”

Eddie Howe will be frustrated

Edwards’ claim that the Toon are not in the running to land Henderson will leave Newcastle head coach Howe frustrated ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The 25-year-old had the potential to be an excellent signing for the Magpies, and Howe will be gutted that he will not be able to work with the shot-stopper next term. The Tyneside club may have alternative targets or perhaps they are happy to stick with Martin Dubravka for another season, with the latter being a potentially dangerous decision.

Karl Darlow is the current number two and having him as back-up for 2022/23 would leave Howe fuming, as the English stopper has proven that he is not good enough to be trusted. If the Slovakian number one suffers an injury over the next year, then Newcastle would be left with a goalkeeper who has shown that he cannot handle the top tier.

Darlow averaged a dismal SofaScore rating of 6.47 in 2021/22 as he let in 1.9 goals per game and made one error directly leading to a goal in eight matches. Meanwhile, Henderson has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.94 or higher in his two Premier League seasons to date, conceding just 0.9 goals per game across 49 outings in the division.

This shows that the Red Devils ‘keeper would be a major upgrade on Darlow and also provide Dubravka with serious competition for the number one jersey at St James’ Park.

Howe will therefore be frustrated by Newcastle’s lack of interest in Henderson and will surely be hoping that he is not forced to go into the 2022/23 campaign with Darlow as his second-choice goalkeeper.

AND in other news, Ashworth can land big Wood upgrade in NUFC deal for £30m gem who’s “one of the best”…

Manchester United have a ‘genuine interest’ in Ajax winger Antony, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Antony profiled

Antony is primarily a right-winger who can also operate from the left and is valued at a career-high £31.5m by Transfermarkt.

The 22-year-old has been with Ajax since 2020 and has made 79 appearances for the Dutch giants, contributing to 42 goals during that time.

The Brazilian was a regular under Erik ten Hag in the 2020/21 campaign, helping Ajax to a league and cup double and once again played his part in lifting the Eredivisie title last season.

The Latest: Romano’s post

Romano took to Twitter on Monday afternoon to provide an update on United and Antony.

He revealed that the Red Devils have a ‘genuine interest’ in the winger and have held ‘internal discussions’ over a possible move. United are yet to launch a formal bid for the attacker, though, who remains under contract until 2025.

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The Verdict: Shrewd move

Ten Hag actually doesn’t have a senior right-winger to choose from at Old Trafford, so a reunion with Antony could be a smart move.

Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Elanga are all primarily left-wingers, so the Ajax star could slot perfectly into Ten Hag’s plans in England.

The Dutchman was the man who brought Antony to Ajax and got the best out of him, and still just 22 years of age, you’d like to think he still has plenty of time to improve on his already impressive game.

In other news: ‘We’ve been told…’ – Sky Sports now drop major live TV update on Man Utd’s pursuit of De Jong. 

Celtic are believed to have identified Dundee United goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist as a potential new recruit this summer, according to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph.

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the reporter revealed that the Parkhead club have been keeping tabs on the Swiss ‘keeper, with a deal potentially in the works.

He stated: “Siegrist is someone they’ve been looking at for quite a while, just in terms of their wish list of good goalkeepers. And he’s out of contract, so that would be quite an easy one, and it would not surprise me if Siegrist was to join this summer. He probably wants to also be back in the setup for international football as well.”

As Joseph stated, the 30-year-old is set to be available on a free transfer this summer having confirmed his departure from Tannadice, having spent the last four seasons with the Premiership outfit.

This update follows a report last week which suggested that the former Wycombe Wanderers stopper has been monitored by Celtic as a potential replacement for Vasilis Barkas, with the Greece international joining FC Utrecht on a season-long loan deal.

Barkas replacement

That exit for the 28-year-old comes after what has been a truly dismal and error-strewn stint at Parkhead thus far, with the former AEK Athens man having failed to ever justify the £5m paid by the Hoops in 2020.

With some of his performances described as “awful” by the club’s former striker Frank McAvennie, the £9k-per-week disaster made 15 league appearances in his debut campaign before being swiftly replaced by Scott Bain. The arrival of current first-choice Joe Hart last summer pushed Barkas even further down the pecking order, as he made just one league outing last term.

With his temporary departure opening up a place in the squad alongside the aforementioned Bain and Hart, a move for Siegrist would duly make sense, with Celtic in need of increased depth as they prepare to compete both domestically and in Europe next term.

The £585k-rated colossus has racked up 145 appearances for Dundee United over the last four seasons, notably keeping nine clean sheets and conceding a respectable 41 goals in his 34 league starts last term, averaging an impressive three saves per match for the Tangerines.

Such form has seen him tipped to be a “great signing for Celtic” by his former Tannadice manager Micky Mellon, with the 50-year-old having lavished him with praise for his “top work ethic”.

That glowing assessment would suggest that Ange Postecoglou and co could have a hugely valuable asset on their hands if they are to swoop for the 6 foot 5 ace this summer, with Siegrist offering a reliable presence as an understudy to Hart.

IN other news, Deal imminent: Celtic “very close” to big summer move, it’d be Ange’s best swoop yet…

According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are now in ‘advanced’ negotiations to sign Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus.

The Lowdown: Jesus wants City exit

The Brazilian first arrived in the Premier League when he joined the Sky Blues from Palmeiras six years ago, but with just 12 months remaining on his current contract at the Etihad, his future at the club has been up in the air after the versatile forward informed City he wants to leave this summer.

As a result, the 25-year-old has been attracting huge interest, in particular from north London, and after a new update has emerged it looks as though Mikel Arteta’s side hold the advantage over their rivals in the race for his signature.

The Latest: Arsenal in advanced talks

Taking to Twitter, Romano confirmed that Arsenal are edging ever closer to completing a deal for their transfer target. He wrote:

“Gabriel Jesus deal update. Arsenal are working on it and negotiations are very advanced – Arsenal will now need to be fast on final, key details involving player/agents to get the deal done and avoid twists.”

The Verdict: Lacazette replacement

Following the departure of Alexandre Lacazette, Arteta will of course be looking for a suitable replacement in the final third, and Jesus has a fantastic track record to be the man to come to the Emirates and do just the job.

The 56-cap international, who was once hailed the “best in the world” by his manager Pep Guardiola, 28 league appearances for the Manchester outfit last term in three different positions, and still managed to make 17 goal contributions during that time, as per Transfermarkt.

A proven goalscorer is something that Arsenal have been without ever since Aubameyang fell out of favour, but bringing in Jesus would finally fill that void, with his return up top possibly being the difference between the Gunners securing or missing out on a Champions League place next season.

Sunderland are hoping to land the signature of Leeds United youngster, Charlie Cresswell.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk editor James Marshment who claims that the Black Cats have joined the hunt for Cresswell’s temporary signature.

Marshment states that the Leeds United youth product is holding talks over a potential loan move to Millwall, but Sunderland’s late surge of interest means that they too are hoping to land the defender.

Taking to his personal Twitter account to reveal the interest surrounding Cresswell, Marshment said:

“Charlie Cresswell is holding talks over a potential loan move to Millwall – but TEAMtalk understands that Sunderland are also hoping to land the Leeds United defender.”

Alex Neil will love him

The news surrounding Sunderland’s latest endeavour in the transfer market will be like music to Sunderland boss Alex Neil’s ears.

At 19 years of age and already a regular on the Leeds United bench, the England U21 international has a lot of potential and is clearly respected.

However, despite being a regular squad member in the first team, the centre-back has made just 228 minutes of football played is no where near good enough. And despite featuring regularly for the under-23s, he now needs consistent minutes for a competitive senior side.

It’s something that Cresswell’s agent Hayden Evans made clear back in May, as per Leeds That Podcast:

“You get the frustration of certain fans who say ‘if they’re good enough they’re old enough’ and they should be given opportunities, but there is a reasonable understanding about why he’s not getting the minutes when you see who is in front of him.

“But he has to get more football soon. We’ll have the usual conversations in the summer and see where it goes from there,”

A move to Sunderland would benefit both club and player and from the perspective of Neil who will most certainly love his style as a physical yet elegant central defender, it’s a move that has to happen.

AND in other news: “Completing a move..“: Reporter drops huge SAFC transfer update, Neil surely elated