Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale is reportedly plotting a move to bring goalkeeper Freddie Woodman to Ibrox this summer.
The Lowdown: Woodman profiled
Woodman is currently playing for Preston North End in the English Championship, where he has conceded just 38 goals and kept an impressive 14 clean sheets in 34 games so far this season (Transfermarkt).
Their defensive record is one of the best in the division, and has kept them in mid-table in spite of their struggles to score goals.
The Latest: Beale plotting move
As per The Scottish Sun, Beale is plotting a £3.5m swoop for Woodman this summer, who scouts from Ibrox have already watched a number of times this campaign.
Rangers are looking for a new number one, as veteran Allan McGregor is expected to leave after his contract ends this summer, and Woodman fits their profile having already had loan spells in Scottish football.
Preston are willing to listen to offers for Woodman, as he is one of their highest earners, and the Gers are expected to face competition from Premier League outfits Leeds United and Leicester City for his signature.
The Verdict: Get it done
With McGregor expected to leave, 25-year-old Woodman is capable of coming in and being the new number one between the sticks for the next decade.
The six-foot-two colossus ranks in the top 25% of all goalkeepers for a number of key metrics outside of Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, while he has also been hailed for his ‘excellent’ ability to save penalties by his former manager at Swansea City Steve Cooper.
Nonetheless, giving his experience in Scotland as well, Woodman should be able to settle in fairly quickly at the Light Blues, should they decide to make their move.
Journalist Charles Watts has hinted that Bukayo Saka should be fit for Arsenal’s next game, despite appearing to pick up a knock in their previous win.
What happened to Bukayo Saka?
The winger has been in sensational form for the league leaders this season, and was one of the stars of the show as Arsenal came from behind to win last weekend.
Saka scored the Gunners’ equaliser against Aston Villa, but was also involved in some heavy-handed duels with left-back Alex Moreno, and was limping towards the end of the game.
Mikel Arteta has spoken out about the heavy tackling Saka has had to face this season amid fears that he could pick up an injury if he is not afforded the protection he should be given.
However, Watts appears confident the winger will be available for his side’s trip to Leicester City, claiming on his YouTube channel that he is expected to make the trip as Arsenal face yet another important game in their title challenge.
He said: “Saka, in terms of team news for him, yes, he got a bit of a battering against Villa at the weekend, we saw how much he was limping. But he got through the game. He was still on there at the end, he was still sprinting.
“So Arsenal will assess him as the week goes on and make a decision on him, but I’d be very surprised if Bukayo Saka isn’t fit to feature against Leicester at the weekend.”
How important is Saka to Arsenal?
Saka is a remarkable figure of consistency when it comes to fitness, as he has featured in all of Arsenal’s last 65 league matches, which is currently more than anyone else in the Premier League.
The England international has been in sensational form, notching up nine goals and eight assists in 23 league games, scoring against Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Liverpool – proving himself as Arsenal’s main star in their biggest matches.
Based on this, you would imagine Arsenal will need Saka to continue his high level of performance if they are to go on and win the league, and an injury to their star man could prove pivotal, with Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey already absent.
Being able to select him this weekend will therefore be a massive relief for Arteta, and if he is fit, Saka will likely continue in his starting role on the right wing.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have made contact to sign Espanyol defender Cesar Montes this summer, according to reports.
The Lowdown: Montes’ admission
The Mexican only made the move to the RCDE Stadium from Monterrey in January but has instantly helped Diego Martinez sure up his backline.
The Midlands outfit are long-term admirers of the 26-year-old, who has previously admitted that he thinks the Old Gold are a ‘great club’.
Now, Julen Lopetegui sounds keen to bring the centre-back to Molineux but is set to face competition from one of his Premier League rivals.
The Latest: Wolves make contact
According to Spanish outlet La Grada (via Sport Witness), Wolves and Nottingham Forest both ‘have asked’ about the availability of Montes ahead of the upcoming window.
Wanderers have ‘not increased’ their interest as of yet with there still being several months to go, but their target does have a €30m (£26m) release clause included in his terms.
The Verdict: Ideal reinforcement
Montes has been hailed a ‘powerful’ defender by Barcelona manager Xavi, and despite Wolves already having Craig Dawson, Nathan Collins, Max Kilman and Toti as centre-back options, he would be an ideal reinforcement, especially with Kilman linked to clubs like Liverpool.
The 6 foot 3 giant currently averages 5.5 clearances and 1.8 aerial wins per game in La Liga, highlighting his physical presence at the heart of the backline (WhoScored).
Montes also knows Raul Jimenez being his international teammate for Mexico, so this existing connection could help Fosun get a deal over the line ahead of their competitors should an offer be made in the months ahead.
West Ham supporters have been handed a big update on the future of manager David Moyes by talkSPORT presenter Jim White.
The Lowdown: Moyes pressure mounts…
Despite a 2-0 win over AEK Larnaca in the Europa Conference League Last 16 on Thursday, the pressure is still well and truly on Moyes with supporters very much still dissatisfied.
The Premier League strugglers spent £172 million since last summer and Moyes has arguably failed to get the very best out of his squad, even if the Scotsman has also had to deal with injuries.
West Ham have won just once in their last five league games as members of the fanbase grow worried over their top flight status.
The Latest: White shares big Moyes update…
Speaking to talkSPORT, via their live feed [March 9], there is now a feeling at West Ham that Moyes could carry on even if they’re relegated.
White explained:
“I’ve been speaking to someone of authority at West Ham.
“The feeling there, what is dominating their thoughts at this stage of the season is Premier League survival and winning the Europa Conference League. Those are their targets.
“There is also the feeling that even if West Ham go down, David Moyes would carry on.”
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The Verdict: Bizarre…
The former Everton boss has undoubtedly built up plenty of credit in the bank, guiding West Ham to two successive campaigns in Europe and a famous Europa League semi-final run last year.
However, given the state of their standings, there is a very real argument that Moyes has taken the east Londoners as far as they can go now.
Perhaps a fresh face with new ideas is the best solution to really get the likes of Lucas Paqueta and Gianluca Scamacca firing, yet according to this update, the board appear set to keep faith in their current boss.
Time will tell whether this is the right decision but it may be an unpopular one with some West Ham supporters.
Arsenal may well be looking to banish a few demons as they get ready to take on struggling Everton at the Emirates this evening, with the north Londoners having suffered a 1-0 defeat in the reverse meeting on Merseyside earlier this month.
The Toffees had wilted amid the raucous atmosphere at Goodison Park on the day, with the Merseysiders having enjoyed an instant lift following the appointment of Sean Dyche, as defender James Tarkowski headed home the game’s only goal.
With Mikel Arteta’s side hoping to right those wrongs this time around, the former Manchester City assistant coach will once again be without the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Mohamed Elneny due to injury, albeit with Thomas Partey in the frame for a more prominent role after making his return from a muscle issue against Leicester City last time out.
How will Arsenal line up against Everton?
While the Spaniard has largely stuck with his tried and trusted starting lineup so far this season, Football FanCast predicts that there will be two changes from the side that edged past the Foxes on Saturday…
One of those notable tweaks could lie at right-back with versatile defender Ben White in line to make way for Takehiro Tomiyasu, with the Englishman having produced his “worst performance of the season” against Dyche’s men a few weeks ago, as per journalist Jason Soutar.
Ahead of the backline, the aforementioned Partey could make his return to offer a greater physical presence in the centre of the park, with the 6 foot 1 gem’s inclusion set to see January arrival Jorginho drop to the bench, despite the Italian’s recent strong form.
The “world-class” 5 foot 10 asset – as described by pundit Jose Enrique – has been branded “superb” by former Gunners striker Kevin Campbell (talkSPORT, 20/02/2023/, 08:11) for his impact of late, although endured an underwhelming debut against the Toffees at Goodison, having failed to provide a single key pass and squandered possession on six occasions in his 30-minute outing.
That alteration could seemingly be Arteta’s final change to the side, with the continued absence of Jesus set to see Leandro Trossard given the nod once again ahead of Eddie Nketiah in a centre-forward berth, with the Belgian having been somewhat controversially denied a fine goal against Leicester.
It’s fair to say that Newcastle United haven’t always got it right in the transfer market, especially under Mike Ashley.
The Magpies have made enough mistakes to be in a better position when it comes to spending their new-found riches. Now in their first summer as one of the richest clubs in world football, they’ll be hoping to have learnt from previous mistakes.
With that said, we’ve ranked Newcastle United’s biggest flops of the Premier League era.
10) Sol Campbell
Featuring one of the greatest Premier League centre-backs of all time on this list feels somewhat ludicrous, but here Sol Campbell is.
The idea of signing experience is always a harmless one; a helpful one, if you will.
But, the fact is, sometimes experience doesn’t necessarily bring a player in their prime and ready to perform, as Newcastle found out when signing a 35-year-old Campbell.
He made a total of eight appearances before slipping away into retirement.
9) Jean-Alain Boumsong
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Jean Alain Boumsong – Newcastle United
Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Jason Cairnduff
When a player’s former club are surprised to see a player attract interest for a fairly decent fee, then the buying club are in big trouble.
The scout who took the central defender to Rangers, Paul Montgomery, told Chronicle Live: “I said ‘he can’t play in the Premier League’.
“When we signed him, I told Alex, ‘he’ll be like Beckenbauer in Scotland but when we play the good teams in Europe, he’ll get found out’.”
And, best believe, that’s exactly what happened.
8) Claudio Cacapa
Claudio Cacapa’s time at Newcastle was summed up when Sam Allardyce subbed the Brazilian off with just 18 minutes on the clock against Portsmouth.
This was a player fresh off the back of six Ligue 1 titles.
Yet, come the end of his time at St James’ Park, this was a player destined for the ‘flop’ category of Premier League transfers.
In total, he played 29 times for the club and left to no fanfare whatsoever.
7) Hugo Viana
Billed as one of the best young players in world football at 19, Newcastle mustn’t have believed their luck when they managed to sign Hugo Viana.
But that lucky feeling soon turned into incredible disappointment.
The midfielder scored just four goals in 61 appearances for Newcastle and he departed for Sporting Lisbon in 2004.
He’s actually gone on to have a decent career, and played 29 times for Portugal; he just couldn’t adjust at Newcastle.
6) Siem de Jong
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Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez with Siem De Jong
Action Images via Reuters / Jason Cairnduff
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The football gods just didn’t want Siem de Jong to star, or even consistently feature, for Newcastle.
The Dutchman arrived in 2014, before going through injury hell.
The former Ajax man even suffered a collapsed lung at St James’ Park. Say what you want about De Jong as a player, but the fact is, he didn’t exactly get the luck he needed at Newcastle.
In the end, he only managed to play 26 times for the club and only scored twice; he’s still going, and is now playing for De Graafschap in Holland’s second-tier.
5) Chancel Mbemba
Since leaving Newcastle, Chancel Mbemba has flourished at Porto, hitting the form of his life.
So, what went wrong at Newcastle?
Well, for starters, in his final season at the club, the centre-back was forced to play out of position at full-back, which is not how you help a struggling central defender.
It’s also fair to say that Mbemba featured in a difficult era for Newcastle, making things even more difficult.
4) Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa
Arriving as a Ligue 1-winning captain, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa seemed to have all the potential to become a real asset for Newcastle.
He made just 46 appearances in 18 months, however, and fell victim to the Magpies’ habit of playing struggling centre-backs at full-back, before leaving the club.
Amazingly, he actually seemed to thrive after leaving the club, even playing in the Champions League for both Roma and Lyon.
Now, though, he’s without a club.
3) Seydou Doumbia
Every Fifa player would have been excitedly rambling on about just how good Seydou Doumbia was in 2016 after seeing the forward join Newcastle on loan.
And, in fairness, he wasn’t just a good player in the video game, his record at CSKA Moscow spoke for itself, as he netted 95 goals in 150 games for the club, before making just three appearances for Newcastle.
He just didn’t seem to fit in at the club and was not kept around; he later had spells at Basel, Sporting Lisbon, Girona and Sion before bringing the curtain down on his career at Maltese club Hamrun Spartans.
2) Florian Thauvin
Florian Thauvin must be one of Newcastle’s biggest regrets when you look at how he’s done since leaving the club.
Of course, the Frenchman didn’t help himself, however, opting to do his best 007 impression by arriving dressed in a full tux in a home game against Watford.
But, he clearly had talent, given the fact that he has since starred for Marseille back in France.
During his time at Newcastle, though, he played just 16 times and only scored one goal. What a shame.
1) Remy Cabella
Remy Cabella arrived at Newcastle United as a player meant to be the difference-maker; the man to take the Magpies out of mediocrity.
In the end, however, he was the exact opposite, making 34 appearances in one season for Newcastle and scoring just the one goal in what was an incredibly disappointing spell in England.
Having cost £12m from French club Montpellier, he was a bitter disappointment, and has since played for Marseille, Saint-Etienne, Krasnodar, Montpellier, again, and Lille.
So, there you have it, our list of Newcastle United’s biggest flops of the Premier League era. We’re sure that, if the Magpies spend their riches unwisely in the coming transfer windows, then this list will need a re-write. As of right now, however, their business deserves a bit of praise. The players that they have welcomed since the takeover have been nothing but smart acquisitions.
Wolves could be set to repeat their Morgan Gibbs-White masterclass, as Ryan Giles’ storming performances in the Championship look likely to make him a wanted man in the summer.
Could Ryan Giles be Wolves’ next big-money sale?
Last season saw Wolves loan out Gibbs-White to Sheffield United in the Championship, where he played a huge part in their run to the playoffs under Paul Heckingbottom.
The English midfielder would make 37 appearances in total, contributing an impressive 12 goals and ten assists, which saw him win the Blades’ player of the season award.
It was expected that the 23-year-old would play a big part at Molineux this term but instead, he would sign for Nottingham Forest in an eye-watering deal worth £42.5m, which represented fantastic business for the Old Gold considering the midfielder had never really cut it in the Premier League.
Although the former England U21 international has been one of the better performers in Steve Cooper’s side so far this campaign, with WhoScored ranking him as the second-best performer of those to make at least ten appearances, he is yet to justify his price with only two goals.
Therefore, Wolves will perhaps be feeling as though they got the better end of the deal.
They may now look to repeat that feat with Giles, who is likely to play a huge part under Michael Carrick at Middlesbrough as they seek to earn promotion to the Premier League this season.
The 23-year-old has made 35 appearances in the second tier and boasts an impressive nine assists, averaging a strong 6.83 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which ranks him as the fifth-best player at the Riverside.
No player in the Championship has contributed more assists this season and given Wolves’ attacking woes this season, Bruno Lage arguably made a mistake in loaning him out, especially given he also impressed at Blackburn Rovers last year.
Former Rovers boss Tony Mowbray was full of praise for the English defender during that spell in 2022, saying:
“The Championship can catch people out if you’ve never played in it but he’s taken to the league very comfortably. He’s got a wonderfully cultured left foot, he’s a good footballer and he’s athletic, he’s just what we require.
“He’s got fantastic talent, brilliant speed, amazing technique on his left foot, if he doesn’t get the ball he doesn’t seem to mind and he just carries on.”
The emergence of Hugo Bueno, as well as Rayan Ait-Nouri, means that Julen Lopetegui will have a plethora of young left-back options ahead of next season and it would not be a surprise to see one of them sold.
Middlesbrough are said to be keen on a permanent deal for Giles and should they earn promotion to the top flight, Wolves may be able to cash in once again, in what could be a repeat of last summer’s Gibbs-White masterclass.
Newcastle United are ‘considering’ submitting an offer for Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun this summer, according to journalist Steve Kay.
The Lowdown: Premier League interest
The Gunners forward is currently out on a season-long loan at Reims in Ligue 1, with his performances having caught the eye as a result of him being their top-performing offensive player.
CaughtOffside reported last week that there was Premier League interest in the 21-year-old ahead of the upcoming window, but it wasn’t revealed where it was coming from, and it now very much looks like it was Eddie Howe at St. James’ Park.
The Latest: Newcastle weighing up bid
Taking to Twitter, Kay revealed that Newcastle are pondering whether to table an official offer for Balogun later in the summer. He wrote:
“Newcastle United are considering making a bid for Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun this summer.
“The Gunners forward who is currently on loan at Reims, has scored 15 goals in 25 games in #Ligue1UberEats this season.”
Balogun has been excelling out on loan at Reims and whilst his price tag is unknown, it would be a massive coup for Newcastle should they be able to successfully secure his services.
The Adidas-sponsored ace has clocked up an outstanding 120 goal contributions (96 goals and 24 assists) in just 161 appearances throughout his career at youth and senior level, and he’s currently averaging three shots per league game so the numbers should be sustainable.
The New York-born talent also ranks in the 86th percentile for progressive passes received, showing that he is consistently able to get himself in the best positions in the final third.
Balogun has been likened to Napoli striker Victor Osimhen by talent scout Jacek Kulig and when you consider what he’s already achieved at just 21, he’s sure to have an extremely bright future ahead of him.
Southampton welcome Brentford to St. Mary's in the Premier League on Wednesday evening, looking to build upon the point taken from Old Trafford last weekend.
With Casemiro dismissed for a reckless, high-booted challenge in the first half of the league encounter, Saints assumed license to drive forward and seek a monumental upset, having defeated Chelsea at Stamford Bridge two weeks prior.
The match ended a draw, goalless, but Southampton boss Ruben Selles can take solace in the knowledge that three clean sheets have been kept from his four matches in charge, with the bottom-placed club now just two points from safety, although with a far inferior goal difference to Leeds United, three points would be needed to get heads above water once more.
Which means defeating Brentford, who lost to Saints’ relegation rivals Everton last weekend, is imperative to finally climb out of the bottom three having spent 13 weeks embroiled in their relegation zone quandary.
Should Walcott start vs Brentford?
Against the Red Devils, veteran winger Theo Walcott was among the more robust of the Saints squad, notably forcing a point-blank save from David De Gea, with the Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell labelling it a “glorious chance”.
As per Sofascore, the former Arsenal star hit the target twice and made two key passes, winning four of his seven duels and making two interceptions, illustrating the innate predatory instinct that has not yet left.
With Walcott also winning six of his 11 duels against Leicester City in the preceding fixture, his combative nature could indeed pay dividends, with Thomas Frank’s outfit’s 375 tackles the second-lowest in the division, behind only Manchester City, an area Selles will undoubtedly be seeking to exploit with a gritty approach.
Once hailed as “relentless” by journalist Patrick Boyland, the 33-years-old has led a distinguished Premier League career, scoring 78 goals and supplying 62 assists from 385 appearances.
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The 47-cap England international has made eight Premier League appearances all season, but has found a starting berth on the past two occasions, with Southampton winning against the Foxes before the draw at Old Trafford, and given the club look to continue the recent purple patch and complete an emphatic turnaround, Walcott must retain his starting role in a bid to boost their survival hopes.
The £75k-per-week star could indeed make an impact; with the Bees having won just one of the past four fixtures, the winger’s career average 1.8 shots per match and 0.8 key passes could be a definitive factor, as per WhoScored.
With former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger once heralding the “absolutely sensational” phenom, Selles will hope the ace can channel the very best of his ability and secure an imperative victory to finally lift Southampton from the rubble.
Journalist Joshua Barrie has claimed that Rangers defender Ben Davies has a weakness in the air but his passing ability “outweighs any negatives”.
What’s the latest on Ben Davies and Rangers?
In the summer, the Ibrox outfit paid Liverpool £4m to land the centre-back permanently on a four-year deal and he has since established himself as a regular in the team.
Indeed, manager Michael Beale has started him in every Scottish Premiership game so far since taking over, with Rangers yet to lose.
Despite plenty of positives to focus on for Davies, it seems as though their could be a vulnerability to his game that could come back to haunt the club in the future.
When speaking on the Rangers Review podcast, Barrie noted that the 27-year-old isn’t “dominant” in the air and can look “suspect” in certain situations.
He said (18:58): “I think at points, Ben Davies in the air, looks a little bit suspect. I don’t think he’s that dominant – that’s something he’s acknowledged himself.
“But with that being said, what he gives you on the ball, what he gives you in trying to break down a defence. Playing, whether it be those lofted balls, diagonals over the top, or whether it be those kinds of wrapped passes into the striker’s feet, I think that far outweighs any negatives.”
Could Davies be a problem for Rangers?
In a scouting report on the player before arrived in Scotland, it was noted that he could have issues in the air. After all, while he was successful in 77.87 per cent of his defensive duels during his final season with Sheffield United, but won just 58.43 per cent of his aerial duels.
What’s more, in the league this season when compared to other Rangers centre-backs Connor Goldson and James Sands, he wins the least amount of aerial duels per 90 (via WhoScored).
With that all in mind, it certainly does seem as though he has a slight weakness in his game but so long as manager Beale is happy with everything else he can bring to Ibrox, then it seems as though he’ll continue getting regular starts for the foreseeable future.