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Steve Bruce must urge Newcastle United to re-sign Jetro Willems at the end of the season after the Eintracht Frankfurt defender was backed for a return to Tyneside.

What’s the word?

While speaking with the Transfer Tavern, Daniel Pinder, the editor-in-chief at Get German Football News, claimed Willems has his heart set on returning to the Premier League with the Magpies.

Willems joined the Toon on loan for the 2019/20 campaign in a deal that carried an €11m (£9.5m) clause to buy the Dutchman, but plans were derailed after he sustained a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament rupture in January.

The left-back had been keen to secure a permanent stay in the North East before the devastating blow, but was denied the chance and moved back to Germany where he is yet to feature since returning to fitness.

Newcastle had explored a potential return for the 27-year-old during the winter market when contact was made with his agent, but opted against pursuing a deal as “Jetro hasn’t played enough” as Bruce would later confirm.

Yet a possible summer switch was not scrubbed from the cards as Willems will be out of contract in June and is refusing to sign a new contract at Deutsche Bank Park, and Pinder believes a deal is entirely possible.

“I think Newcastle is where he wants to be, and I’ve seen him like tweets from Newcastle fans on social media about a return,” he told TT. “He hasn’t really played for Eintracht Frankfurt this season as he’s down the pecking order behind the likes of [Filip] Kostic and Erik Durm.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-newcastle-news%2c-gossip-and-views-2″ title=”Latest Newcastle news, gossip and views!”]

“Obviously, his contract is up in the summer as well, so yeah, I think Newcastle will be the club for him.”

Should Newcastle re-sign Frankfurt’s Willems?

There are no guarantees of Newcastle re-signing the same player they saw during Willems’ time at St. James’ Park on loan if the Toon were to explore a summer swoop, but getting a full pre-season under his belt could see the left-back alleviate Bruce’s winter concerns.

Bruce was full of praise for Willems during the Dutchman’s five months in the North East that saw him score twice and offer three assists in 20 games across all competitions, noting via quotes by The Northern Echo:

“He was playing week in, week out and had done very well [before the injury], and his goals against [Manchester] City and Liverpool were there for everybody to see.”

The Shields Gazette’s Liam Kennedy also claimed on NUFC Matters: “He’s a player that really impressed a lot of people at the football club – not only with his performances, but his attitude.”

Bruce should now urge Newcastle to rely on those positive positions in the off-season with the Toon on the search for a new left-back at a time when funds are expected to be almost non-existent – surely making a free move for Willems all the more appealing to Mike Ashley.

The £2.5m-rated beast returned to fitness this January and has been named on the bench for 10 Bundesliga fixtures by Adi Hutter to date, and would likely have been given a chance to feature if it were not for Eintracht Frankfurt’s immense run of form.

After claiming 27 of a possible 51 points while Willems was in the treatment room, Die Adler have since taken 29 of a possible 39 – only runaway leaders Bayern Munich (32/39) have taken more since January 21.

It remains to be seen if he can get back onto the pitch before the season draws to a close next month, but that should not stop Bruce from making Willems a Newcastle player again if the chance arises.

AND in other news, an “absolutely awesome” Newcastle colossus is wanted in a £6m summer switch…

Wilfried Zaha has unsurprisingly been one of Crystal Palace’s inspirational stars throughout the current campaign.

Despite missing large swaths of the season, he has been one of the Eagles’ stand-out performers once again, scoring nine goals alone in the Premier League.

However, it could have been so different had Steve Parish sold the Ivorian to Arsenal.

Zaha has long been linked with a switch to the Emirates Stadium, with reports as recently as July 2019 suggesting that he wished to leave Selhurst Park amidst interest from the Gunners.

Even Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has made his praise of Zaha clear, previously labelling the winger as “phenomenal”.

With Ian Holloway recently appealing for Arsenal to reignite their interest, suggesting that the Londoners purchased the wrong winger when they brought in Nicolas Pepe from Lille, Palace will be glad they held firm.

His importance to Palace has never been understated, with his 45 Premier League goals the most in the club’s history – the next highest is Luka Milivojevic on just 28.

That is exemplified this season with Zaha’s goals alone being worth eight points to Crystal Palace.

Without him, Roy Hodgson’s men would be stuck on 29 points and firmly marooned in the Premier League relegation mire.

With the huge differences in revenue between the top-flight and the Championship, any demotion for a club of Palace’s size really could have been devastating.

Whilst Zaha is rated at £40.5m, the reward for another season in the Premier League is worth far more, the importance of remaining in the top-flight surely outweighs any transfer fee that they may have received for Zaha’s signature.

So, with the Eagles set to profit even more with the vital help of Zaha, the Selhurst Park hierarchy will surely be delighted that they managed to hold onto the 18-cap Ivorian despite Arsenal’s overtures.

AND in more news, read about which other transfer that the Eagles played to perfection…

According to Eurosport’s Dean Jones, Manchester United are keeping tabs on Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer searches for defensive reinforcements.

What’s the word?

The Red Devils are on the rise as they find themselves embroiled in a race for a top-four place at the top of the table.

But defensive frailties have once again proven to be their undoing at times and Solskjaer is still searching for a long-term partner for Harry Maguire at the back, with question marks remaining over each of Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof and Axel Tuanzebe.

Indeed, United have conceded 32 goals in 25 Premier League games, that being the worst out of any side currently in the top four and 11th in the league overall, according to the official standings.

However, Solskjaer could yet find the solution in the form of Villarreal defender Pau Torres, who has impressed for the Yellow Submarine in the Spanish top-flight thus far.

Woodward’s No.1 priority?

The 24-year-old was fast-tracked through the academy ranks in 2016, playing his first match in La Liga just one year later.

Eric Bailly continues to be linked with a move away from Old Trafford and his potential departure would leave Solskjaer with just Harry Maguire and Lindelof as his senior natural centre-halves.

Signing a player of Torres’ calibre would surely be a significant upgrade on Lindelof, who has so far struggled for consistency this season – against Newcastle, he was rated as the worst United player on the pitch to start the game against the Magpies by SofaScore during the 3-1 win over the Toon at Old Trafford.

Standing at 6 ft 2 in tall, the Spaniard cuts an imposing figure in the box, and boasts an impressive 3.4 clearances per 90 in La Liga this season, via WhoScored.

He also blocks 1.3 shots on goal per game in the Europa League, showing a willingness to get stuck in, which is more than can be said for Lindelof, who has barely been able to manage one block per game in the same competition.

Getting the ball away from the danger zone would at the very least be a good place to start for United,.

Ed Woodward must prioritise signing a new central defender in the summer and he ought to look no further than the 7-cap Spain international.

AND in other news, Max Aarons would be a major upgrade on Man Utd outcast Diogo Dalot…

In recent comments made on Patreon, ExWHUemployee revealed the West Ham United board’s summer valuation of defensive midfielder Declan Rice.

According to ExWHUemployee, David Moyes recently stated that the West Ham board believe Rice is “worth £100 million” in the summer transfer market.

However, the manager claimed that he “wouldn’t put a price” on the head of the £49.5m-rated 22-year-old, as well as confirming that he “wouldn’t be sanctioning” the sale of the midfielder for the figure at which owners David Gold, David Sullivan and Karren Brady (GSB) value the England international.

ExWHUemployee also revealed that Moyes claimed he wants Rice to know his “ambitions can be achieved” while playing for West Ham and that he is “pushing” this stance with both the £32,000 per week ace as well as the club’s board.

Transfer Tavern Take

So far this season, Rice has proven himself an indispensable part of Moyes’ highly impressive West Ham side, with the midfielder starting all 26 of their Premier League games, over which he has scored one goal, provided one assist and averaged a WhoScored match rating of 7.0 – ranking him as the fourth-best performer in a team currently occupying seventh place in the Premier League.

As such, it is not surprising to hear that Rice’s valuation in the board’s eyes has increased from the reported £80m figure which Chelsea were quoted for the midfielder last summer, with West Ham’s hopes of European qualification very much alive this season.

In other news: Many West Ham fans responded to this club update, find out more here!

According to reports, Leeds could make a big-money move for Sevilla winger Lucas Ocampos in this upcoming summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

Football Insider claimed that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are keeping tabs on the Argentina international, with a number of Premier League clubs also said to be interested.

The report added that the Whites are assessing Ocampos’ situation at Sevilla, and is a player regarded as lighting up English football.

Another Raphinha

One of the standout signings of the last summer is Raphinha, who has enjoyed a superb debut campaign in the Premier League with Leeds.

The Brazilian has bagged six goals and provided a further five assists in the top flight alone, and has combined pace and trickery with an impressive work ethic – exactly the kind of description which fits Ocampos as well.

The Sevilla star has scored four goals and four assists in 24 La Liga games, while his attacking numbers are all fairly similar to Leeds’ wing wizard.

As per Whoscored, Ocampos averages slightly fewer shots per game than Raphinha at 1.9 per game compared to the latter’s 2.1, but actually manages more dribbles than the Leeds man with 2.2 to 1.8.

He also wins more tackles than Raphinha, averaging 1.3 per game in La Liga compared to the Brazilian’s one, and that desire to match his attacking instincts with hard work should go down a treat with Bielsa.

Dubbed as an “absolute ace”, journalist Mohammed Ali waxed lyrical about the £60m-rated winger to La Liga Lowdown, saying: “Lopetegui is giving him more of a free rein in a squad with a higher attacking IQ than Marseille, so now he’s strutting his stuff.”

If Victor Orta is looking to land a Raphinha-esque player in this summer transfer window for Leeds, then he should look no further than Ocampos.

Meanwhile, Leeds must surely regret selling this goal-scoring star…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Howey has heaped praise on Rangers duo Allan McGregor and James Tavernier for their performances this season.

The former Newcastle and Manchester City centre-back waxed lyrical about McGregor and Tavernier when speaking exclusively to FFC earlier this week.

Veteran goalkeeper McGregor has quickly re-established himself as the first choice between the sticks since returning to Ibrox on a two-year deal.

And Tavernier, who has arguably been one of Steven Gerrard’s best and most consistent players, seems to have found an entirely new level over the past 12 months.

The club captain has now scored 17 goals this season as he continues to rack up astonishing numbers from right-back as Gerrard’s side edge closer to Scottish Premiership title glory.

When asked by Football FanCast to name Rangers’ best player this season so far, Howey went one step further than that, by saying that both players have been immense for Gerrard’s band of merry men.

Here’s what he had to say about McGregor and Tavernier when speaking exclusively to Football FanCast:

“With Rangers, the two players that have stood out for me this season – and all of them really have done very well, everyone’s chipping in – but Tavernier, some of the goals he has scored from set-pieces and Allan McGregor the goalkeeper (stand out) but, I think all of them have done very well.

“If you take Tavernier, for example. He was at Newcastle and this is why I’ve got such admiration for these players because ultimately, they’ve been rejected.

“We’ve seen so many good players who have been at clubs and have been released and not come back because they’ve let the rejection get to them.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, the likes of Adam Armstrong, Ivan Toney and Tavernier have all suffered massive setbacks but they’ve come good.

“And again, I’m delighted for Tavernier, I think he’s been excellent this season.”

Tavernier has even managed to turn his domestic form into two goals and three assists in six Europa Lague appearances, whilst he’s clearly turning heads amid interest from clubs south of the border.

It’s no surprise, then, that his market value has soared, as he is currently valued at £7.2m via Transfermarkt, which is a dramatic increase in his market value last year.

This means that any potential move away from Ibrox won’t come cheap, with Gerrard reluctant to sell any of his key men in the January transfer window as he bids to stop Celtic from ten in a row.

Both men are two of the most seasoned and experienced members of the squad and it’s unlikely that the board would be willing to let both players leave halfway through the season, especially when they find themselves leading the title race at the top of the table.

Rangers fans will hope that the two men picked out by Howey continue to shine and lead Rangers to the title.

AND in other news, Rangers loanee Kai Kennedy showed his class against Hearts…

Big things were expected of Wesley Hoedt when he joined Southampton in a £15 million deal back in 2017 but it is fair to say that things did not go to plan for the defender at the South Coast club.

However, it now seems as if there could be a way out for the Dutch centre-back, as Lazio, where he is currently on loan, are reportedly keen to make his stay permanent in the January transfer window, in a deal that would see them re-sign the 26-year-old.

In his three years with Southampton, Hoedt has managed just 45 appearances, in which he contributed one goal and one assist (per Transfermarkt).

The Dutch international has spent time on loan with Celta Vigo and Royal Antwerp in his time with the Saints but never looked likely to re-establish himself in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side when he returned in the summer and was sent back to Lazio on loan shortly before the transfer window shut.

In fact, the centre-back is yet to make a first-team appearance under Hasenhuttl, suggesting that he has no future with the South Coast club whilst the Austrian remains in charge.

Therefore, the club will surely be relieved that Lazio are reportedly considering making his move permanent in the January transfer window, although they will surely have to take a loss on the £15 million they spent on him in 2017, considering he is now valued at just £5.4 million.

Hoedt’s performances in Serie A this season have been less than impressive, as he has averaged a disappointing 6.41 rating for his performances, so really, Southampton will be lucky to receive any sort of fee for the 26-year-old.

However, with his Southampton contract set to expire in June 2022, they may be better accepting whatever Lazio might offer in January, rather than holding on to him and potentially seeing him leave on a free transfer in 2022.

Whilst things didn’t work out for Hoedt at Southampton, it seems as if it would be best for both parties if he just left the club for good in January, to bring an end to what has been a nightmare three-year spell with the Saints.

And, in other news… Southampton can sign 22 y/o beast likened to Frenkie De Jong in January…

Speaking to the press before Tottenham’s FA Cup tie against minnows Marine on Sunday, manager Jose Mourinho has shared his worry surrounding the ‘major concern’ of a postponement for their mid-week trip to Aston Villa – going on to say it would leave them in a ‘completely impossible’ situation. 

A COVID-19 outbreak at Villa Park has thrown Spurs’ encounter with Dean Smith’s men into serious doubt, and Mourinho is currently sweating over the prospect of a fixture pile up which could cause all manner of issues.

Mourinho speaks out over postponement fears

So much so, the Lilywhites boss has come out to declare that his side would ‘never’ accept playing three games in three weeks due to postponed fixtures – going on to call out the Premier League whilst imploring them to show ‘leadership’.

“I believe that it’s a completely impossible situation for a club to have three matches postponed, especially if that club plays in Europe.” explained the Tottenham boss.

“If it is a club that doesn’t play in Europe, there are always the UEFA fixtures, which are six to eight fixtures for Champions League teams and in the Europa League case even more. So for a Europa League team to have three matches postponed is impossible. Completely impossible. That’s the only thing I can say.

“We cannot be put in an impossible situation. So I repeat: to have three matches postponed is impossible. It’s not for us to find solutions, I think it’s the moment for the Premier League to show leadership and make decisions.”

Transfer Tavern take

Villa’s postponement does come as a ‘major concern’ for Spurs, as described by Dan Kilpatrick, with Mourinho making his feelings on the matter abundantly clear.

Given the implications of a fixture pile up and what it could mean for the club, the Lilywhites boss has every right to be sweating over a worrying development.

In other news: Kaveh Solhekol has dropped a major update on this Tottenham target, find out more here.

To suggest that Rafa Mir’s time at Wolves has been a disaster would be putting it lightly.

The Spaniard has played just four times for the senior side and has struggled to ever really make an impression on Nuno Santo.

In fact, he has found life difficult in England as a whole. Mir hasn’t scored in English football and endured a dismal loan spell at Nottingham Forest, where he didn’t find the net.

However, back in his native Spain, the 23-year-old has been a joy to watch this season. He is finally making an impression and because of that, Nuno should be taking note.

Mir has always been highly thought of. The very fact he had two years in Barcelona’s famous La Masia is evidence of that. Though, like a lot of players that pass through their gates, he has not achieved much since departing.

The striker hasn’t lived up to his true billing and he hasn’t met expectations either. When he penned terms in January 2018, former Wolves star Diogo Jota said; “He’ll be a good signing for us.”

That has been anything but the case. Mir has struggled with the language and has never settled in the Midlands.

Unfortunately, the forward’s time at Wolves could be coming to an end just as his career takes off. On loan at Huesca, the Spanish outfit have an option to buy the player.

Though, if Nuno and Jeff Shi have any sense, they will try and convince him to stay. After all, his form this season dictates he could be a valuable option for the club next term. Wolves have their own option to buy Willian Jose who is currently on loan from Real Sociedad but by bringing Mir back in the summer, they could save a fair amount of cash in the transfer market.

Wolves supporters are unlikely to be convinced by the striker but he has been a force in Spain this season. In total, Mir has racked up nine strikes in just 22 outings. Six of those have come courtesy of recent hat-tricks.

The tall and quick attacker knocked three goals past CD Marchamalo in the Copa del Rey in December before scoring another trio of goals when Huesca defeated Real Valladolid last Friday.

Mir was in inspired form, demonstrating attractive all-round qualities. He completed both of the dribbles he attempted and won a colossal six aerial duels. Based on that, he feels like the complete striker. He is quick, physical and importantly, he can now find the net.

With Raul Jimenez injured for the last 14 games, Wolves have won just four matches. One of the reasons they’ve struggled so much is down to a lack of firepower. Fabio Silva has scored twice all campaign for instance.

Thus, Mir could give Nuno’s men some much-needed firepower in 2021/22. He must be given the chance.

AND in other news, Forget Jota: £75k-p/w ace who goes “under the radar” has been a bigger miss for Wolves…

Newcastle United may be relying on striker Alexander Isak to lead the line effectively as they chase a top-four finish in the Premier League, but the Swede is one of the best forwards in England.

In seven games for club and country this term, Isak has scored four times while grabbing one assist, emerging as a key player for both Newcastle and Sweden.

If he remains healthy, a consistent run in the starting XI will give Eddie Howe and his men the ideal chance to secure a return to European competition.

Could this perhaps mark the end of Callum Wilson’s spell at the Magpies?

Callum Wilson’s Newcastle statistics

The striker joined the Toon in 2020, costing £20m from Bournemouth. The Englishman had scored 67 goals for the Cherries during his spell on the south coast.

He impressed in the Premier League, which saw Newcastle snap him up, where he has continued to shine. Indeed, over the previous four seasons, the Englishman has scored a very respectable tally of 48 goals in 108 matches, meaning he registers a goal nearly once every two matches.

2023/24 (Newcastle)

20

9

1

2022/23 (Newcastle)

31

18

5

2021/22 (Newcastle)

18

8

0

2020/21 (Newcastle)

26

12

5

2019/20 (Bournemouth)

35

8

1

2018/19 (Bournemouth)

30

14

9

2017/18 (Bournemouth)

28

8

2

2016/17 (Bournemouth)

20

6

0

2015/16 (Bournemouth)

13

5

0

Since the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign, however, Wilson has missed 42 matches in all competitions, failing to reach the heights of his first couple of years in the north-east.

With the signing of Isak two years ago, Wilson’s stature in the team is very much playing second fiddle to the Swedish gem, but when fit, he can still provide a solid option for Howe to call upon.

Isak might not be at the club for much longer should he maintain his current form, though.

What the future holds for Alexander Isak

Following a wonderful campaign, the summer transfer window saw Isak begin to attract attention from elsewhere. Indeed, Chelsea were just one of the clubs looking to make a move for the former Borussia Dortmund striker in a bid to strengthen their attack.

With the Toon missing out on Europe ahead of the new season, it was only natural for the supporters to be worrying whether Isak would still be at the club, particularly when considering his desire to play in the Champions League.

Nothing materialised and he has been playing well so far. The Swede will move on from St James’ Park eventually, but Howe will be hoping to get as many years out of him as possible.

The talk of replacements will soon arise. Do the Magpies have a player in their academy who could potentially be the next Isak, however?

Newcastle's next Isak

Over the previous few years, Newcastle hasn’t exactly been a breeding ground for prodigious young talent.

Yes, Andy Carroll departed for Liverpool in 2011 for a staggering fee of £35m, having emerged from the academy to first-team regular, but since their promotion back to the top flight in 2017, the club have been starved of youngsters looking to make an impression in the first team.

Lewis Miley broke through to the first team aged just 17 last season, making a total of 26 appearances, which included three in the Champions League. The 18-year-old could be the next academy graduate to secure the club a major profit in the next few years, no doubt about that.

Another name on some people’s lips is that of Ben Parkinson. A year older than Miley, the 19-year-old made his debut last season too, coming on as a substitute against Bournemouth in November 2023 during a 2-0 defeat.

The youngster was also on the bench during the Champions League games against both PSG and Dortmund, yet failed to make an appearance.

Operating as either a right-winger or centre-forward, Howe has a player who could become important in the coming years, especially judging by his form for the U18s and U21s recently.

11 goals and five assists came during his time with the younger age group, while he has made the step-up to the older group with ease, registering ten goal involvements in just 28 matches.

He trained with the first team on numerous occasions last term, which earned him praise from U21 coach Ben Dawson, who said: “Ben’s had a longer period than most, in terms of days spent with the first-team group, and you can see that in some of his play.

“He’s always had that knack of being in the right place at the right time and was fortunate enough to be in the right place to score tonight which should have been the goal that killed the game off.”

Wilson has less than a year left on his contract, while Isak’s future could come into question should Newcastle fail to make the Champions League this season.

While both may not leave at the same time, a player like Parkinson could potentially take full advantage of some gaps in the squad to emerge as a first-team player in the next few months.

The teenager has trained plenty of times with the senior side, while also making the bench various times last term, suggesting he won’t be fazed by whatever Howe throws at him.

Should he succeed, it could inspire plenty of other academy players to follow suit in the coming years.

Forget Barnes: Newcastle star who won 5/6 duels was just as impressive

Eddie Howe saw his two super subs enjoy wonderful games against Wolves

ByRoss Kilvington Sep 16, 2024