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Newcastle United have reportedly made a ‘big verbal approach’ to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Youssoufa Moukoko.

The Lowdown: Contract expiring

The 18-year-old’s contract expires in the summer, meaning that he can sign a pre-contract agreement with a non-German club in January, or leave as a free agent.

Hailed as ‘the biggest talent in the world’ by Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland when he was with him at Dortmund, the teenager has already amassed 59 appearances across all competitions for the Bundesliga giants, scoring 11 goals and supplying a further eight assists (featured for Germany at the World Cup in Qatar.

To sign him on a free transfer would be a great pickup for any club considering his potential sell-on value, and it looks like the St James’ Park outfit have joined the race for his signature.

The Latest: Approach made

Taking to Twitter, Evening Standard journalist Nizaar Kinsella has revealed that Newcastle have made a ‘big verbal approach’ to try and sign Moukoko under the noses of their Premier League rivals Chelsea.

He tweeted: “Newcastle have made a big verbal approach to sign Moukoko from Dortmund in a bid to beat Chelsea to his signature.”

The journalist adds in his corresponding article that Barcelona are also thought to be interested in the 18-year-old’s signature, but the Tynesiders are ‘well-placed’ to beat both rivals to his signing.

They have reportedly discussed a deal worth more than £150,000 per week for Moukoko to join on a free transfer once his contract expires at the end of the campaign.

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The Verdict: No-brainer

To sign a player of Moukoko’s age and quality on a free transfer is a no-brainer for Eddie Howe’s side.

Lauded as an ‘incredible prospect’ by The Guardian journalist Ed Aarons, he ranks in the 94th percentile for non-penalty xG, 93rd for assists, 91st for non-penalty goals and 88th for npxG + xAG per game for all strikers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year (FBref), showing the high level output that he possesses in front of goal which goes beyond his tender years.

Also, Moukoko shares the same agent as Howe, which might just help to push through a move to the Magpies ahead of their fellow suitors.

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Danny Ings to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Mail, who claim that David Moyes is keeping a very close eye on the situation of the Aston Villa centre-forward ahead of launching a potential move for the 30-year-old this month.

However, the report goes on to state that West Ham are not the only side keen on the former England international, with Everton, AFC Bournemouth and the striker’s former club, Southampton, also thought to be interested in a move.

Insane signing for Moyes

While it is true that Ings has somewhat fallen down the Aston Villa pecking order this season, the 30-year-old has nevertheless proven that he still has what it takes to hit the back of the net on a regular basis so far in 2022/23.

Indeed, over his 17 Premier League appearances in the current campaign – only eight of which have come as starts – the £10m-rated talent has scored six goals – outperforming his xG of 4.95 – and created one big chance, in addition to taking an average of 1.5 shots – 0.8 of which have been on target – making 0.5 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the Winchester-born hitman average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 6.90, currently ranking him as Unai Emery’s fourth-best performer in the league.

However, it was over his 38 top-flight outings during his penultimate season at Southampton that Ings truly proved his ability at the very top level of the English game, scoring 22 goals, registering two assists and creating two big chances, as well as taking an average of 2.4 shots – one of which it the target – making 0.9 key passes and completing 1.3 dribbles per match.

These metrics saw the £120k-per-week striker who journalist Karl Matchett dubbed a “goal machine” average a spectacular Sofascore match rating of 7.04, ranking him as Saints’ second-best performer in the Premier League back in 2019/20.

As such, with West Ham having struggled to hit the back of the net so far this season – with the club’s 15 goals for seeing them rank as the league’s fourth-lowest scorers – it is clear for all to see that Moyes is in rather desperate need of greater firepower in his attacking arsenal at the London Stadium.

And, should the 59-year-old believe he can be the manager to get Ings back to his free-scoring best, the signing of the former England international would indeed appear an “insane” deal – as the player was dubbed in recent seasons – for the Scot to get over the line this winter.

Liverpool are hot in the market for quality additions that can bolster the midfield, and West Ham United’s touted phenom Declan Rice is rising up the Reds’ winter shopping list. 

What’s the word?

Despite initially refusing to accept their coveted asset wanting to depart, slapping a £150m price tag on him, the Hammers are now resigned to losing their man and are willing to take £70m, according to Football Insider.

And now renowned transfer journalist Dean Jones, writing for GIVEMESPORT believes that the Reds should consider the 23-year-old as an alternative to Jude Bellingham, who is attracting monumental interest in his services.

With Liverpool unlikely to be able to seal the deal for both stars, Jones believes that the Merseyside giants might be prudent in forging ahead for a deal with Rice, given Bellingham’s gargantuan £129m price tag. 

An excellent Bellingham alternative

While occupying different roles in the midfield, with Borussia Dortmund’s Bellingham a magnificent blend of offensive and defensive tricks, who Liverpool decide to pursue might fall down to factors such as the necessity to fill the position.

Fabinho currently occupies the defensive midfield role in the squad but has been beset with a stark decline in form this term, and Liverpool may look to replace him with the younger, vibrant Rice. 

Football Insider claims that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been observing Rice at the World Cup, looking to see if he can transfer his fine performances at club level to the major stage.

Klopp will undoubtedly like what he sees, with Rice an integral part of an England side that has topped the group and assuredly swept into the quarter-finals following the first knockout phase, where the nation bested a commendable effort from Senegal.

As per Sofascore, the 37-cap international has recorded an average pass success rate of 94%, making two interceptions and recording 0.8 tackles per outing, whilst out in Qatar, and has cemented his role as a vital presence at the heart of the midfield, alleviating the pressure on the defence and instigating forward transitions when he sees an opening. 

In the Premier League, he has fared even better; putting in a rating of 7.27 – the best in the entire Hammers squad – and recording 2.4 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per outing, Rice has continued to glisten as a brilliant star, despite his club’s woes.

Indeed, West Ham sit in 16th place after 15 matches, one point above the relegation zone, and Rice has seemingly decided he has led the club as far as possible, now seeking pastures anew.

While Bellingham holds the glamour and the glitz, the “machine”-like Rice – in the words of reporter Paul Carter – is a master at retaining possession, providing a cushion for the backline and diverting offensive moves away from danger, while also possessing a knack for goal himself. 

Liverpool must seriously consider the deal, he could be just what they need to cement their success for years to come.

Wolverhampton Wanderers suffered yet another defeat in the Premier League, leaving them rooted bottom of the table as the domestic season heads into the midseason break for the World Cup.

Arsenal arrived at Molineux hoping to secure yet another win and extend their advantage at the top of the league to five points and a Martin Odegaard double secured all three points for Mikel Arteta’s men.

Wolves did look lively in the first half, but their goalscoring woes haunted them yet again as they couldn’t breach the Arsenal rear guard and the match was all square heading into the interval.

The second half saw the north London side kick into gear and score twice through Odegaard and Arteta will no doubt be pleased his side will be top of the table come Christmas.

The Old Gold had far too many passengers, however, with Nelson Semedo – who lost possession 11 times in 68 minutes – one of the many who let Davis down last night.

The interim manager will surely regret sticking with Joao Moutinho however, with the 36-year-old putting in yet another poor performance for the club.

The midfielder was substituted after 68 minutes last night having contributed just 27 passes during his time on the pitch, failing to demonstrate his experience and assert any authority in the match.

With just 38 touches, it appeared he was happy being a passenger, while he was caught in possession six times. New manager Julen Lopetegui was in the stands and will have been keeping a close eye on the players he believes can play a big part in saving them from relegation, but after tonight, Moutinho looks unlikely to be one of them.

Defensively, he only made one tackle and one interception, while showcasing his lack of pace by being dribbled past twice. Thus, it’s abundantly clear that his influence is waning in the Wolves starting XI.

When he failed to make the Portugal squad for their matches back in September, Zach Lowy dubbed him “dispensable” for the national side.

With his recent performances, might he be deemed the same for his club too? It certainly feels that way. The incoming Spaniard will have plenty to ponder during the winter break, that’s for sure.

Leeds United are reportedly leading the race to sign Birmingham City starlet, George Hall, with the teenager seemingly in line for an exit from St Andrew’s in the near future.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Premier League outfit are in ‘pole position’ to sign the 18-year-old in January, with the suggestion being that an exit from the Blues is now “inevitable” for the highly-rated youngster.

The report claims that the England U19 international is somewhat disappointed at his lack of game time with his current side, with only five of his 16 Championship appearances this season having come from the off.

As the piece also outlines, the Redditch-born starlet was reportedly the subject of a £3m offer by the Yorkshire side back in the summer, with Elland Road transfer chief Victor Orta seemingly now eyeing an improved bid in the New Year.

Leeds’ own Bellingham

Despite making just 18 appearances for Birmingham at senior level thus far, it is no doubt impressive that Hall has managed to rack up that tally at such a young age, having notably signed his first professional contract with the Midlands side just under a year ago.

The exciting prospect – who has one goal and one assist to his name in the second tier this season – is no doubt highly thought of by those at his current side, with U18 coach Martyn Olorenshaw saying at the time of the player’s new deal:

“He is an attacking midfielder with an ability to create and score goals. He is explosive, dynamic and has the prowess to influence games. He is a really exciting player that has the ceiling to achieve whatever he wants to achieve.

“He has received international recognition recently which is a huge achievement, a testament to all his hard work and a reflection of his character.”

That assessment will likely have piqued the interest of Orta and co, with the hope now that the Whites can poach what is yet another promising talent to have emerged from the Birmingham youth set-up, with Hall’s current teammate Jobe Bellingham also making his mark under John Eustace at the age of just 17.

It is the latter man’s older brother whom Hall will likely be looking to emulate, however, with Jesse Marsch’s side no doubt hoping to have their own version of midfield star Jude Bellingham on their hands if a deal can be struck.

The Borussia Dortmund colossus is himself still only at the early stages of his career at the tender age of 19, although has blossomed since leaving St Andrew’s two years ago in order to make the move to Germany on a £25m deal, with 40 goal involvements in just 119 games for the Bundesliga giants thus far.

Now a regular England international, the 17-cap superstar – who was named in Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad for the upcoming World Cup earlier this week – has emerged as the “hottest youngster in world football” at present, in the words of Wayne Rooney, while also recently finishing second in the Golden Boy award rankings.

A player now seemingly on the radar of a host of Europe’s top clubs – including Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City – the £87m-rated sensation looks destined to only go from strength to strength in the years to come, having shown no ill-effect of leaving his former club so swiftly.

The hope will be that Hall – who like Bellingham also operates in central midfield – can follow a similar trajectory if he is to make the move to Elland Road, with Orta simply needing to get a deal over the line.

West Indies collapse from a position of strength as South Africa take series 3-2

Firdose Moonda03-Jul-2021

South Africa won their first T20I series since March 2019, and first in six series, by successfully defending the highest total of the five-match series against West Indies in Grenada. The victory earns coach Mark Boucher and captain Temba Bavuma their first T20I trophy and means South Africa will leave the Caribbean triumphant in both the Test and T20I series.After choosing to bat first, South Africa posted 168 for 4 thanks largely to the continued excellence of Quinton de Kock and his acceleration in the middle-overs. De Kock brought up his third successive half-century of the series, and saw South Africa through a 49-run Powerplay and most of the period between the 7th and 15th over, in which they scored 89 runs at 9.66. He put together 128 for the second wicket with Aiden Markram, who top scored with 70.That proved to be the difference against a misfiring West Indian line-up. Tabraiz Shamsi turned in his most economical effort (four overs for 11 runs) while Kagiso Rabada and Wiaan Mulder conceded less than eight runs an over to ensure West Indies could not keep up with the required scoring rate. Notably, South Africa rebalanced their side to ensure they had six, frontline bowling options, including a seam-bowling allrounder, and that strategic change worked well.South Africa have now won three of the 11 T20I series where the final game has effectively been a decider. Meanwhile, West Indies have won just three of their last 10 T20I series, one against Bangladesh and two against Sri Lanka.Highest partnership of the series South Africa tried a different combination in the top three for this match and though Temba Bavuma’s promotion to open the batting did not work, Markram made a strong case to be considered the permanent partner to Quinton de Kock. The pair’s 128-run stand, the highest of the series for either side, laid the foundation for a total in excess of 180.Both de Kock and Markram brought up half-centuries; de Kock’s was his third in the series and Markram’s his fourth in nine T20Is. Impressively, they both scored all around the ground, with Markram’s 70-runs an even split of 35 each on the off and on side, with boundaries including his signature cover drive, the cut and aerial shots in the ‘v’.De Kock was stronger square of the wicket, with 28 runs on the off-side and 32 on the leg-side and boundaries mostly on the off-side apart from the slogs off Andre Russell and Akeal Hosein for his two sixes. De Kock’s 225 runs are also the most by an individual batter in a bilateral series.The slowdown While South Africa would have been pleased to keep things moving through the middle-overs, their concerns around the finishers remain. They scored just 32 runs in the last five overs, and lost Markram and Rassie van der Dussen in that time. David Miller managed his highest score of the series but did not appear entirely confident and faced 14 balls before his only boundary.Van der Dussen batted lower than usual, at No. 5, and was only needed in the 17th over, which did not give him the time he may have liked to settle. Mulder too didn’t look in control with his only boundary coming off a bottom-edge. Overall, South Africa’s scoring rate in the last four overs in the series was 6.95, while West Indies struck at 11.43 runs an over in the same period.Evin Lewis set the chase up for the West Indies•AFP/Getty Images

Lewis leads for West Indies True to form, Evin Lewis cleared the boundary off the third ball of the West Indian reply when he hit left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin over his head. That triggered a sensational beginning for the hosts; Lewis would hit two more sixes and five fours in his right T20I fifty, off judst 30 balls.It was the second slowest fifty of Lewis’ T20I career, after his 34-ball fifty against Pakistan in 2017. All his other fifty-plus scores have come in 26 or fewer balls. That may not sound entirely disappointing but Lewis would not have been happy with when and how he was dismissed. In the 10th over, Lewis mistimed an attempted six of Ngidi over long-on and was caught by Markram well inside the boundary.West Indies’ lost plot South Africa kept West Indies in check in the Powerplay with some sterling efforts in the field, like Lungi Ngidi’s full length dive at short fine to stop a Lendl SImmond’s flick that was destined for four and Temba Bavuma’s dive at mid-wicket to intercept a fierce Lewis pull. But they also put some chances down, some more difficult than others.Tabraiz Shamsi could not hold on to a return catch in his followthrough off Shimron Hetmyer’s leading edge or to the opportunity Hetmyer presented when he swung at a Mulder full toss and sent the ball swirling to short third man. Mulder got his reward off the next two balls though. Markram held on to a simple chance at long-off to dismiss a hamstrung Pollard before took a low, diving catch at point to dismiss Andre Russell for a first-ball duck.Mulder’s third over took West Indies from 103 for 3 to 112 for 5 and left them needing 57 runs off the last five overs to win. West Indies stayed somewhat in the hunt until Bavuma plucked Dwayne Bravo’s slice off Kagiso Rabada out of the sky to all but secure the series for South Africa. Bavuma judged the catch perfectly, as he made a lot of ground from point to deep point, and took it cleanly to complete a good day in the field.

Glasgow Rangers are currently licking their wounds following last night’s shambolic 7-1 defeat at Ibrox, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men having now shipped 16 goals in just their opening four Champions League games amid what’s been a miserable return to life in Europe’s premier competition.

As the post-mortem continues following the Gers’ inexplicable second-half collapse at the hands of a rampant Liverpool side, one man who is perhaps rightly under scrutiny is Ryan Kent, with the explosive winger having been somewhat anonymous up against his former club.

The expectation would have been for the former Anfield youth product – who joined the Old Firm outfit on an initial loan deal in 2018 – to have a point to prove against his previous employers, although the 25-year-old was one of a number of figures who simply went under against Jurgen Klopp’s men.

The £15.75m-rated forward had been criticised prior to Wednesday’s clash for his lack of impact and work ethic in last week’s defeat on Merseyside, with pundit Frank McAvennie suggesting that the Englishman is the “biggest failure” for the Glasgow side at present.

The Oldham-born speedster has been linked with a return to the Premier League in recent times – with former boss Steven Gerrard reportedly keen on a reunion at Aston Villa – with the £18k-per-week man facing an uncertain future with the Scottish giants with just under a year left on his current deal.

As McAvennie suggested, however, “nobody is going to touch him” – referring to possible suitors – if his work rate does not improve, with Kent having done himself little favours with that meek display last night.

The former England U20 international was restricted to just 22 touches in his 76-minute outing, failing to provide a single key pass and also failing to record a single successful dribble, while also winning just one of his four total duels on the night.

The Scotsman’s Andrew Smith suggested that it was a ‘typical Kent performance’ due to his inability to make an impact in the final third, while Football Scotland’s Euan Robertson suggested that the 5 foot 8 star simply ‘went missing’ in the second half, before his eventual withdrawal.

Pundit Neil McCann was notably critical as he suggested the fleet-footed forward had “disappeared” amid that second-half collapse, while also stating that Kent can have “so much more influence” than he is currently.

Such a performance will likely be of real concern to manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, with the Dutchman perhaps considering the player’s place in the side, as well as whether it is worth fighting to try and keep the contract rebel beyond the end of the season.

On recent evidence, it could well be time to ditch the one-time Bristol City loanee both for this weekend’s clash with Motherwell, as well as potentially in the long term.

Everton are renowned for their disastrous transfer decisions, however, over the last few months it has looked as though the recruitment strategy has taken a turn for the best following a difficult relegation scrap for the Toffees last season and financial concerns plaguing the club.

Following the departure of Brazilian forward Richarlison who was last season’s top goal-scorer at Goodison Park, the future wasn’t looking bright for Frank Lampard’s side but after making eight new signings, Everton are in a fantastic position in the Premier League.

After eight league outings, the Toffees match their fierce local rivals, Liverpool, for points and are currently just four points off the top four after going unbeaten in their last six games picking up four draws and two wins, something supporters would never have dreamed of at the end of last season.

Indeed, Everton were linked with a lot of players over the summer after their struggle over the last campaign but there was one player, in particular, that they dodged a bullet on, former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard.

Everton were reportedly in contact with the out-of-contract player over the summer and were even reported to have submitted him an offer to join the squad on Merseyside. However, the 29-year-old decided to sign for Nottingham Forest instead which turned out to be a huge blessing in disguise for Lampard.

Lingard has not registered a single goal or assist for the Tricky Trees yet, in fact, the attacking ace hasn’t scored a goal in 381 days since he struck against his former loan club West Ham United for Man United in the Premier League last September.

At Nottingham Forest, the playmaker has been a flop in his first seven appearances, creating no big chances and becoming anonymous in his position on the pitch averaging just 30.9 touches per game.

He has also proven unsuccessful in 60% of his dribble attempts and lost 64% of his duels so far.

Everton already made the mistake once of giving an opportunity to a player who has been in the spotlight for their struggles at a top six club with Dele Alli joining the club in January from Tottenham Hotspur after Lampard gave him the chance to prove himself at Goodison Park.

However, it was very quickly obvious that Alli was not going to reignite his career with Everton making a loan move to Turkish side Besiktas this summer after playing just 367 minutes for the Toffees.

Indeed, Lingard who was comedically dubbed “Mr Instagram” by former Man United full-back Paul Parker could have had a similar fate as his spell at Forest so far demonstrates.

With that being said, there is no way Lampard will be losing any sleep over Lingard’s decision to move to the Midlands instead as the recruitment at Everton has been hugely impactful and the future is looking promising for the club.

Leeds United winger Jack Harrison could be tempted by a move to Newcastle United this summer, according to ex-Whites goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Harrison linked with Newcastle switch

The Magpies have had a steady summer rather than a spectacular one, although the signing of Alexander Isak is an undoubted major signal of intent right before the deadline.

One individual who has been continually linked with a move to St James’ Park is Harrison, who has become a key man for Leeds in recent years, scoring 29 goals in 169 appearances.

It is a rumour that is refusing to go away, as Newcastle look to bolster their attacking options after the injury to Callum Wilson.

The Latest: Robinson worried

Speaking MOT Leeds News, Robinson, now a regular on Sky Sports, claimed that it is easy to envisage Harrison wanting to trade Leeds for the Magpies this summer:

“Listen, Newcastle are going places.

“It’s well documented how much money they’ve got and are going to have in the future. It’s a club on the up and it’s a club who are moving forward and looking to challenge the top-half of the Premier League and get into the Champions League eventually.

“It’ll be difficult for a player to admit his head hasn’t been turned by a club like that – it’s only natural. If you look at the wage structure and wage bill at Newcastle compared to Leeds. It’s nowhere near.

“When you look at the two clubs without the takeover at Newcastle, it’d be a sideways move. But with the way Newcastle are and the direction they’re moving in, it would be a forward move and it’d be a hard one for a player to turn down if they come knocking.

“They’ve got potential for success in the future and there’s the financial package they could offer you. It’s only going to be natural to have your head turned by that.”

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The Verdict: Big loss for Leeds?

Harrison is someone who has provided consistent quality from wide areas for a sustained period, helping Leeds get out of the Championship and then taking his form into the Premier League.

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While the former Manchester City man may not always have stood out as much as other attackers, from Raphinha to Patrick Bamford, 74 top-flight appearances in the space of two-and-a-bit years highlight his importance.

Harrison’s versatility and durability allows him to impress both out wide and in a central attacking midfield role, while an average of 2.3 tackles per game in the league this season highlight the defensive work that will also appeal to Jesse Marsch, so losing him would be a big blow.

Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings has now been dealt another setback, according to reports…

What’s the latest?

The Daily Star claim that the 29-year-old centre-back is facing a fight to get back into Steven Gerrard’s starting lineup after being banished to the bench for their Premier League season-opening defeat at newly-promoted AFC Bournemouth.

It’s thought that a scan has revealed a groin injury that could now keep him out of training for several days and that’ll surely put his chances of a return to the XI in grave danger.

The England international also missed their final pre-season friendly against Stade Rennes and faces an almighty battle to regain his spot in Gareth Southgate’s squad for this winter’s World Cup.

Another problem lingering

Dropped by England, dropped as Villa skipper and dropped from the starting lineup.

These three events are enough to test the mental fortitude of even the strongest character and it appears that Gerrard has another problem lingering around Bodymoor Heath as the 6 foot 5 colossus is dealing with injury troubles.

That will only increase the pressure on Gerrard, who has overseen just two wins from his last 12 matches in charge.

The decision to relinquish Mings of the captaincy is certainly looking like an early-season blunder and it’s one that has been slammed as a “big mistake” by beIN SPORTS presenter Richard Keys, who claims that it has split the dressing room – not that it’s a slight on John McGinn.

Truth be told, Villa rarely win without Mings involved. In the 12 league gamers that the Englishman has missed, the Midlands outfit have lost a whopping eight times, winning on just two occasions.

Gerrard’s recent remarks on the matter won’t have helped the situation or the furore surrounding his future at Villa Park either.

“I’m confident and have full belief [that] when Tyrone is back at his best and looks me in the eye and shows me he’s ready to play, he’ll get opportunities,” said Gerrard to the BBC West Midlands reporter Steve Hermon.

Meanwhile, Villa legend Paul McGrath has suggested that the £80k-per-week star “ticks all the right boxes” for the club and questioned the bold decision. “So how do you lose the Armband and your place in seconds . You don’t, so who said what to who, No one cares get him in the team,” he tweeted.

“Titan” and “maverick” is also how presenter Dan Bardell has described the centre-back in the past.

With Mings facing fitness troubles and Villa struggling for form, Gerrard is under immense pressure and he’s only going to get another big problem on his hands the longer he’s absent from the team.

Regardless of holding the captain’s armband or not, Mings must start for Villa.

AND in other news, “I’m sure..”: Journo claims Aston Villa could launch late swoop for “unplayable” £20m “wizard”…