All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

A very exciting season awaits for Newcastle United.

Last time round, the Magpies won the EFL Cup, ending their 70-year wait for domestic silverware, and finished fifth in the Premier League, with the Champions League patch featuring rather prominently in Monday’s third kit launch video.

More importantly, ahead of their Champions League return, Eddie Howe – backed by the Saudi PIF – will be determined to bolster his squad, so could some new signings be imminent?

Newcastle looking to bolster their backline

As has been widely reported, Newcastle United are close to signing Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford for £40m, thereby surely set to become the Magpies’ new number one.

This is interesting, because it is pretty debatable if Trafford is a clear upgrade on existing first-choice shot-stopper Nick Pope, more on that later.

Meantime, according to the Mirror, via Fußball Transfers, Newcastle are ‘stepping up their efforts’ to sign Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Edmond Tapsoba, claiming that they’ve made a £50m offer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

They add that Tottenham are also ‘interested’ in signing the Burkina Faso international, while die Werkself ‘are willing to negotiate a sale’.

However, having already sold Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah and Odilon Kossounou for a combined £164m this summer, die Schwarzroten are not under pressure to accept a low-ball offer, so could hold out for Tapsoba’s £81m release clause.

Nevertheless, having just brought in Jarell Quansah from Liverpool for a reported fee of £30m, Bayer may well be preparing for life after Tapsoba, so could he be on his way to Tyneside?

Why Edmond Tapsoba would be a better signing than James Trafford

Still only 26 years old, Tapsoba joined Bayer Leverkusen from Vitória de Guimarães in 2020, making 226 appearances for the German club to date, starting 28 of 34 Bundesliga matches as die Werkself picked up the Meisterschale for the first time ever in 2023/24.

His performances have earnt rave reviews, with journalist António Mango labelling him a “monster”, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout asserted that he is “solid as a rock”.

So, let’s assess how he compares to Newcastle’s current centre-backs.

Appearances

43

42

10

46

Minutes

3,613

3,629

581

3,974

Pass completion %

87%

83.7%

89.4%

88.4%

Tackles

1.4

1.2

2.7

1.1

Interceptions

0.9

1.4

1.1

0.8

Clearances

3.1

4.1

5.5

5.3

Blocked shots

0.6

0.8

0.9

0.7

Ball recoveries

4.5

4.2

3.1

2.8

Aerial duel success %

61%

44%

61%

66%

Ground duel success %

48%

48%

71%

50%

Touches

80.7

72.4

68.5

65.5

As the table documents, Tapsoba compares favourably to Newcastle’s existing centre-backs, leading the way when it comes to ball recoveries and touches per 90, while, across the board, he was only behind Sven Botman on a per 90 basis.

This, however, is due to the fact the Dutchman played fewer than 650 minutes across all competitions last season due to various knee injuries, underlining that centre-back is a position that Howe will be looking to bolster, especially left centre-back.

Goalkeeper, on the other hand, did not appear to be such a problem position, so let’s compare the two ex-Burnley goalkeepers, Pope and Trafford.

Appearances

28

28

Goals conceded

35

62

Saves

86

106

Save %

71.7%

65.7%

Post-shot xG – goals conceded

+1.8

-5.9

% of crosses stopped

10.9%

7.2%

Pass completion %

73.5%

65.5%

As the table highlights, when comparing the pair’s most recent Premier League campaigns, Pope’s numbers are actually more impressive than those of Trafford, with the caveat that the latter was playing for a hopeless Burnley side, and has certainly improved following a season back in the EFL Championship.

Nevertheless, Trafford does not appear to be coming in to fill a position of need, unlike Tapsoba.

Ben McAleer of the Guardian described the defender as calm and composed in possession, while Dylan Buesnel of Total Football Analysis agrees, praising his excellent ball retention and ‘ability to keep the ball under pressure’, adding that his ‘defensive attributes are helping him shine’.

Meantime, Vishnu Anandraj of Breaking the Lines labels him a ‘consistent performer’, impressed by his ‘athleticism and composure’, all of which suggests Tapsoba would be a transformative signing for Newcastle and for PIF, whereas it’s difficult to argue that the same could be said of Trafford.

Manchester United have plenty of decisions to make this summer and Andre Onana’s future at Old Trafford may now have taken another twist, according to a report.

Andre Onana's Manchester United future uncertain

On the face of it, Onana is a name that divides opinion across the Red Devils’ support and his inconsistent performances last campaign won’t have won any favour among the undecided.

The Cameroon international conceded 65 times in 50 appearances across all competitions, and a string of high-profile errors have led Manchester United to look at the likes of Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez as a potential replacement.

Shedding light on the rumours, ex-Premier League scout Mick Brown stated: “Man United have made it clear they would like to sign Martinez. They’ll take whatever they can get for Onana, and then they’ll make contact with Aston Villa and see if they can get a deal over the line.

“He’s seen as a huge upgrade on Onana so they’re prepared to take a hit to get things moving. If Man United could swap Onana for Martinez tomorrow, they’d jump at it. Martinez is in his 30s now, but he’s a very capable goalkeeper and they’re not concerned about that.“

Intriguingly, Manchester United have also been given the green light to pursue Porto stopper Diogo Costa, lending credence to the notion that they could be set for a change between the sticks this summer.

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Plenty of names may enter the hat to replace Onana if he is moved on, though it remains to be seen how events develop over the next few weeks.

That said, the Red Devils could now have their house in order on that front as Ruben Amorim tries to sort out his goalkeeping situation.

Man Utd could loan out Onana with John Victor lined up

According to The Sun, Manchester United could loan out Andre Onana this summer and sign Botafogo’s John Victor as a replacement for as little as £6 million.

In the case of Onana, Monaco are said to have asked the question over a temporary move, but his £120,000 per week wages have proved to be a stumbling block. The Red Devils would prefer to conduct a deal with a European club over a Premier League rival.

Andre Onana vs John Victor – who is a better fit for Manchester United?

Andre Onana – Premier League

Save percentage

67.2%

Goals conceded

44

Clean sheets

9

Pass accuracy

69.8%

Penalties faced/saved

1/4

John Victor – Brazilian Serie A

Save percentage

81.1%

Goals conceded

7

Clean sheets

6

Pass accuracy

79.4%

Penalties faced/saved

0/0

Victor may have a smaller sample size than Onana, but purely for demonstrative purposes, his statistics do stand up to scrutiny when evaluating the consistency levels needed for a Manchester United goalkeeper to succeed at Old Trafford.

Keeping ten clean sheets in 29 appearances across all competitions this season, he could be the man to succeed the Cameroon international, even if there will be difficulties to overcome in sanctioning his exit.

Manchester United have started talks with a big club over the sale of a “world-class” Red Devils player, according to a new update from Sky journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.

Several struggling attackers could leave Man Utd

Wholesale changes are needed in Ruben Amorim’s attack in the summer transfer window, both in terms of signings coming in and current players moving on, following a dismal 2024/25 season at Old Trafford.

Jadon Sancho was loaned out to Chelsea last summer, following an underwhelming three years in a United shirt, while Marcus Rashford and Antony also departed on a temporary basis midway through the campaign, joining Aston Villa and Real Betis respectively.

Meanwhile, Rasmus Hojlund experienced a hugely taxing period leading the line for the Red Devils, scoring just four goals in 32 Premier League appearances, while Joshua Zirkzee didn’t exactly set the world alight after completing a move from Bologna.

For that reason, it’s no surprise that a host of attacking players have been linked with a move to United this summer, with Matheus Cunha already arriving from Wolves. Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo and Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike are reportedly being considered, with the former looking likely to come in.

Man Utd in talks to sell Jadon Sancho

According to Sky journalist Gianluca Di Marzio [via Sport Witness], Manchester United have entered talks with Juventus over the sale of Sancho in the last few hours. The Serie A giants are said to have “intervened” in Friday, looking to beat Napoli to the signing of the 25-year-old, having had a long-time interest in him.

Believed to be on more than £250,000-a-week, Sancho has been an undoubted disappointment for United, also struggling to impress at Chelsea, only starting half of the Blues’ league matches last term (19) and bagging only four assists in 31 outings in the competition overall.

For that reason, it does make sense for the Red Devils to part ways with the Englishman permanently, even though Lucien Favre has waxed lyrical over him in the past.

“Jadon’s a world-class player, no question about that – but you have to remember he’s only 19 years old. It’s hard to be outstanding in every game.”

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Sadly, Sancho simply hasn’t backed up his early-career hype when he was at Borussia Dortmund, and at 25, there is a feeling that he will never reach his vast potential that existed at that point.

United need to sign attackers who can consistently perform and produce end product on a weekly basis, and Sancho has shown for long enough now that he can’t be that player in the Premier League.

Borussia Dortmund

158

53

67

Man Utd

83

12

6

Chelsea

41

5

10

A move to Serie A could benefit him however, in terms of the pace and physicality of the league not being as intense as the English game, with United using the funds received for the winger on a summer upgrade.

Manchester United have now directly “called” the agents of a “phenomenal” £68m striker, with the race for his signature still “open”, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd eager to bolster attacking options

Man United have already secured the signature of Matheus Cunha, and with Bryan Mbeumo, who could cost around £70m, still in their sights, it is no wonder there is a great deal of skepticism about how they will be able to fund their summer transfer business.

However, football finance expert Kieran Maguire has revealed that INEOS have been using a different company for PSR purposes, and the transfer fees for any new arrivals will be spread across the entire length of their contract.

As such, the Red Devils are £100m better off PSR-wise, which could free up the required funds to sign a new striker alongside Cunha and Mbeumo, and Romano has revealed they have made renewed contact over a deal for Viktor Gyokeres.

The transfer expert said: “It’s an open race for Gyokeres. He remains on Arsenal’s list in case the Sesko deal doesn’t happen, Man United have called his agents again over the weekend.”

Having held direct talks with Gyokeres’ agents, there is clearly a great deal of interest on United’s behalf, and the Gunners appear to be prioritising a move for Benjamin Sesko, which could open the door for the Sweden international to move to Old Trafford.

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However, a deal for the Sporting star may not be cheap, with it recently being revealed the Portuguese club have now hiked their asking price to £68m.

"Phenomenal" Gyokeres could push for summer move

Sporting boss Rui Borges will no doubt be disappointed to lose the 27-year-old, should he move on this summer, having singled the centre-forward out for praise back in April, saying: “Viktor is a game-changer, and he will continue to be, whether with us or elsewhere. His quality is undeniable; it is phenomenal.”

However, Borges may have an unsettled player on his hands until a bid is accepted, with it being revealed the former Coventry City man has been left furious by Sporting’s decision to raise their asking price.

It is no wonder the Stockholm-born striker is seeking a move to one of Europe’s top leagues, as he found it all too easy in Portugal last season, outscoring Arsenal target Sesko by a considerable margin.

As such, while it is unclear whether the talks with Gyokeres’ agents were positive, it is promising news that Man United appear to be stepping up their interest, and they will be hoping the Sporting star is keen to reunite with former manager Ruben Amorim.

Is it set to be a busy summer at Celtic?

After missing out on the treble, beaten on penalties by Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final, the Hoops are expected to heavily reinforce their squad this summer.

Well, with a crucial Champions League play-off tie circled in red on the calendar, taking place at the end of August, Brendan Rodgers will want his summer business to be done early, so are the Premiership champions about to land a new recruit?

Celtic targeting a new midfielder

Defenders are certainly the order of the day for the Celts this summer with Kieran Tierney’s return to Parkhead one of Scottish football’s worst-kept secrets.

However, the full-back isn’t the only player who could be closing in on a move to Paradise according to reports.

As per Portuguese outlet A Bola, Celtic have ‘opened initial talks’ to sign midfielder Demir Ege Tıknaz.

They outline the fact that the 20-year-old spent this season on loan at Rio Ave from Beşiktaş, and the Portuguese club have an option to make this move permanent for €5m (around £4.2m).

However, given interest from Celtic, as well as Lille, Rio Ave are preparing to make a quick profit on Tıknaz, placing a €10m (around £8m) price-tag on his head.

So, would he be a good signing for the Scottish champions, and which former Celt is he reminiscent of?

Demir Ege Tıknaz: the next Nir Bitton?

Writer Ryan McGinlay believes that Tıknaz’s ‘resemblance in play-style to Nir Bitton is uncanny’ and, should he arrive, if the Turkey international had even half as successful a Celtic career, he’d be doing well.

Bitton signed from FC Ashdod in 2013 and would remain at Celtic for nine years, making 271 appearances and winning 18 major trophies.

Naturally a defensive midfielder, the Israeli international would frequently fill in at centre-back too, with Kieran Devlin of the Athletic praising Bitton’s ‘reading of the game’ and ‘composure in possession’, with Joe Sullivan labelling him ‘versatile and highly reliable’.

So, could Tıknaz be something similar?

Well, analyst Ben Mattinson believes the Turkiye U21 international ‘reads the game well’ allowing him to ‘step up and intercept​​​​​​​’, praising his ‘timing of tackles​​​​​​​’ and ability to ‘steal the ball’, adding that he possesses a ‘decent passing range’ too.

Meantime, in an interview with Sarah Shephard of the Athletic, Tıknaz​​​​​​​ himself says he has a similar playing style to that of Sergio Busquets, stating “I always want to have possession… I’m kind of a playmaker… I can play box-to-box too”.

Well, according to Aryan Suraj Chadha of Goal, the Turkish youngster is one of the most ‘sought-after talents across Europe’, so let’s assess his statistics in the Primeira Liga this season.

Minutes

1,976

107th

Completed passes

826

82nd

Pass completion %

85.1%

45th

Passes into the final third

99

34th

Progressive passes

96

62nd

Tackles

35

15th

Interceptions

47

3rd

Ball recoveries

132

21st

​​​​​​​

Worth stating first and foremost that, according to a study by Bernd Frick, Tommy Kweku Quansah and Markus Lang, the Primeira Liga is one of the ‘least balanced leagues’ in European football, so the fact that Tıknaz was playing for Rio Ave, who finished 11th, makes his statistics all the more impressive.

Demir Ege Tıknaz (Tiknaz)

The Turkish midfielder ranks highly for metrics both in and out of possession, sat third when it comes to interceptions, while also registering noteworthy numbers when it comes to his pass completion percentage as well as passes into the final third.

Thus, all available evidence suggests Tıknaz is a high-quality, high-potential player, one that Celtic should absolutely be looking to snap up.

​​​​​​​

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Tottenham Hotspur have held talks with the representatives of an “outrageous” forward compared to Argentina icon Lionel Messi, according to reports, coming amid their triumph in the Europa League.

Tottenham end 17-year wait for silverware after Europa League win over Man Utd

Brennan Johnson etched his name into Spurs folklore on Wednesday night, scoring the only goal of a tense encounter, with Ange Postecoglou’s side ending the club’s 17-year wait for major silverware after beating Man Utd 1-0.

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As Tottenham’s squad hoisted the trophy aloft, Postecoglou was also reminded of the promise he made earlier this campaign – namely that he ‘always’ wins silverware during his second season in charge.

Guglielmo Vicario

7.7

Yves Bissouma

7.6

Cristian Romero

7.4

Bruno Fernandes

7.4

Destiny Udogie

7.2

via WhoScored

It was a statement which could’ve come back to bite him, but the 59-year-old’s message has now been vindicated by Spurs’ glorious night in Spain. Postecoglou became the first Australian manager to win a major European trophy, doing his country proud in the process, all while changing an ever-present narrative around the Lilywhites that they’re a ‘nearly’ team.

“It wasn’t me boasting, it was a declaration,” said Postecoglou on his ‘second season’ quote after Tottenham’s win over United.

“If we fell short, I was ready to cop it.”

Guglielmo Vicario’s heroics in goal – combined with Cristian Romero’s outstanding defensive display, Micky van de Ven’s acrobatic clearance off the line and the performances of their wing-backs – helped to shut a dominant Man United side out and end Tottenham’s long wait for a parade.

Spurs also sealed a monumental boost by qualifying for next season’s Champions League, and all the riches that come with it in terms of both revenue and player-pull.

This will undoubtedly have a positive effect on their summer recruitment strategy. Whether or not Tottenham’s trophy-winning boss will be at the helm to benefit from it next term remains to be seen, following previous reports Postecoglou could leave regardless of their Europa League campaign.

However, whether it be for Postecoglou or any potential new manager, Lyon star Rayan Cherki is attracting Daniel Levy’s interest.

Tottenham hold talks with Rayan Cherki after Lionel Messi comparison

According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham have declared their interest in Cherki after holding talks with his representatives.

Levy and co are apparently attempting to discover more about the terms he’d want to join them, and there are reports that the exciting French winger has a very tempting £19 million release clause in his contract.

This could make the “outrageous” forward one of the bargains of this summer window, especially after a phenomenal 24/25 haul of 12 goals and 20 assists in all competitions.

GMS also stated that the boldness of Tottenham’s offer to Cherki would be directly linked to their Europa League triumph, so now that they’re confirmed champions, Levy could make a more tempting proposal.

Their status as a Champions League side for next season now also makes Spurs a far more attractive proposition to players like the 21-year-old, so this could be one to watch in the coming weeks, with Cherki also being likened to Messi by former Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas.

Manchester United have now made contact over a deal for another “world-class” Brazilian after Matheus Cunha, according to reporter Rudy Galetti.

"World-class" Cunha set to join Man Utd

All signs point towards Man United wrapping up a deal for Cunha in the near future, with Fabrizio Romano stating a deal for the Wolverhampton Wanderers star is now close, and there are signs he could be an exciting addition to Ruben Amorim’s squad.

The forward, who has been lauded as “world-class” by writer George Lakin, has outscored Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee combined in the Premier League this season, amassing 15 goals and six assists in 31 appearances for the Old Gold.

Amorim will be pleased that it looks like an early deal for the 25-year-old is close to completion, but the manager may also be looking to strengthen his options in a number of different areas, given just how poor his side have been this season.

Another position in which Man United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe may look to upgrade their options is right-back, according to an update from Galetti on X, having made contact to explore the conditions of a move for AS Monaco defender Vanderson.

Monaco are willing to sanction a departure this summer, with the French side willing to listen to offers starting from €30m (£25m) for the defender, who is attracting strong interest from the Premier League, with Tottenham Hotspur also making an approach.

There is yet to be a formal bid made by either English club, but there is clear interest on the Red Devils’ behalf, with Amorim seemingly looking to bring in competition for Diogo Dalot at right-back.

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Bringing in new forwards may be a more pressing matter for Amorim, given that his side have been particularly poor on the front foot this season, netting just 42 Premier League goals up to this point, but there are signs the Monaco star could be a fantastic addition.

Much like Cunha, the Brazilian has been performing at the highest level, having been lauded as “world-class” by one scout, and his defensive aptitude is showcased by the number of tackles, interceptions and blocks he has averaged per 90 over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

3.14 (95th percentile)

Interceptions

1.71 (96th percentile)

Blocks

1.74 (95th percentile)

There is also an expectation that the 23-year-old would be an ideal fit in Amorim’s three-at-the-back system, given that he is comfortable playing at wing-back, picking up two goals and five assists for Monaco in the 2024-25 campaign.

Dalot has made the right-back spot his own this season, chalking up 51 appearances in all competitions, so bringing in competition should not be a priority for Man United, but Vanderson is well-suited to Amorim, and the potential asking price of just £25m makes him an attractive option.

Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly and BlueCo are expected to sell their “best player” of 2025, in what would be quite a surprising move given his form.

Chelsea players who could leave Stamford Bridge this summer

A host of stars are widely tipped to leave the club this summer, so there is plenty of work to do in that regard, as many don’t appear to have a long-term future under Enzo Maresca.

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Kepa Arrizabalaga, Alfie Gilchrist, Renato Veiga, Armando Broja, Raheem Sterling, João Félix, David Datro Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi are all contenders to leave Chelsea, with the loanees seemingly out of Maresca’s plans.

Chelsea will need to find another new home for each of the aforementioned players this summer, with AC Milan already deciding they won’t pursue a permanent deal for Felix, while Arsenal are also set to allow Sterling to return to west London.

Newcastle (away)

May 11th

Man United (home)

May 16th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 25th

Chelsea will be very keen to find buyers as soon as possible, as they seek to gauge control of their wage bill and stay in line with Financial Fair Play/PSR.

Another key decision awaiting BlueCo is the future of defender Trevoh Chalobah, who has seriously impressed since returning from a loan spell at Crystal Palace.

The Cobham academy graduate was frozen out of Maresca’s pre-season tour and allowed to make a temporary move to Selhurst Park, only for Chelsea to activate a re-call clause in the deal and bring him back amid their centre-back shortage.

Since then, Chalobah has enjoyed a fantastic run in the first-team, starting each of their last six Premier League games. Chelsea have won four out of their last six, drawing the other two, and they’ve conceded just five goals in that time.

It is no coincidence that this run of form has coincided with the 25-year-old’s presence in Maresca’s backline, but it is believed by some that Chalobah could be used in potential Chelsea swap deals for other centre-backs.

Chelsea expected to sell Trevoh Chalobah despite stellar form

Now, The Telegraph’s Matt Law has provided an update on his future, and it appears the Englishman could still part company despite his excellent form.

Speaking on the London is Blue podcast, relayed by The Chelsea Chronicle, Law stated that Chelsea are expected to sell Chalobah this summer, and it is a case of Groundhog Day for Maresca’s “best player” of 2025.

“I suspect that they will try and sell him because I think that’s what the whole bringing him back was about,” said Law.

“I know that they are obviously interested in bringing in one defender. I don’t think it will be two defenders, so I think it will be one defender rather than two unless there are a lot more sales than planned, but I do fear that Trev will be on the up for sale list again. No one can be surprised because it’s the same thing that happens every year.

“I mean, it’s literally, it’s like Groundhog Day with Trev. He becomes the best player of the second half of the season, then they try and sell him.”

Newcastle United have now joined Manchester United in the race to sign a £30 million rising star, according to a new report.

Newcastle chasing midfield signings ahead of busy summer

The Magpies are solely focused on the remaining games of the Premier League, as they know if they win all their games, they will be playing Champions League football next season. Securing another season in that competition would likely see Newcastle’s transfer budget for the summer change, and Eddie Howe will already have his eyes on potential new recruits.

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Signing a midfielder may become somewhat of a priority in the summer, depending on what happens to Sandro Tonali. Tonali has now been linked with a move to Barcelona and others, as the Spanish giants see him as someone who can replace Frenkie De Jong, should he not agree to a new contract.

So, Howe and Co. are looking at potential midfield additions should Tonali leave, and it’s been reported that the Magpies are interested in signing Alexis Saelemaekers from AC Milan.

The midfielder, who can also play on the wing, is out on loan at Roma, and he is expected to be made available for a sale this summer, with Milan looking to get around £17 million.

He is not the only midfielder under consideration, as Newcastle are also interested in signing Matteo Guendouzi from Lazio, as Howe is a big fan of his and tried to sign the Frenchman last year.

Newcastle join Man Utd in race to sign Liam Delap

As well as looking at strengthening their midfield, the Premier League side are also looking at potential new forwards. According to The Telegraph, Newcastle are now keen on signing Liam Delap from Ipswich Town.

The report states that the club’s recruitment team have been tracking Delap since his days at Manchester City, and he is now a player who is of major interest to them ahead of an ambitious summer transfer window. It goes on to add that the Magpies are aware of Delap’s £30 million release clause, and they believe this is good value for money for a player who can play alongside Alexander Isak – not replace him.

Newcastle play Ipswich this weekend, and it is seen as an opportunity for them to take a closer look at the striker live in action. Delap, who has been described as “incredible” by Alex Howell, is also of interest to Manchester United, with it being reported that the Red Devils have already made an offer to sign him from Ipswich, as he is their top transfer target for strengthening their forward line.

Apps

32

Goals

12

Assists

2

However, Newcastle will hope they have an advantage in this race, as Delap, who is represented by CAA Stellar, has the same agent as young forward William Osula. Therefore, previous work with the agency could help them when completing a deal for the Ipswich striker.

Leeds United have their eyes on a new centre-back signing and one who could come in to replace Pascal Struijk.

Leeds return to top of Championship with win over Middlesbrough

The Whites and Daniel Farke managed to get back to winning ways in the week after a run of just one victory in their previous six Championship games with a 1-0 triumph over Middlesbrough.

Dan James’ early goal proved to be the winner, although Ao Tanaka and Patrick Bamford both had goals wrongly ruled out for offside.

Leeds’ win, coupled with both Burnley and Sheffield United dropping points, ensured that they’d return to the top of the table with just five games remaining.

Talking after the game, Farke said: “I’m proud of my boys. It was a tough game, overall an excellent advert for the Championship. Both sides had periods, but in the end we found a way to win this game and it was crucial today to return to our clean sheet behaviour.

“We had to dig in, had to deal with a couple of injuries and had one day less in between games, and Middlesbrough were in red-hot form. “We had to dig in and show steel and togetherness and spirit to bring this over the line in a hard-fought game and a well-deserved win.”

Leeds (85 pts)

Sheffield United (83 pts)

Burnley (85 pts)

Preston North End (h)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Norwich City (h)

Oxford United (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Watford (a)

Stoke City (h)

Burnley (a)

Sheffield United (h)

Bristol City (h)

Stoke City (a)

QPR (a)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Blackburn Rovers (h)

Millwall (h)

Leeds won at the Riverside without Pascal Struijk, with the left-footed centre-back suffering an injury against Luton Town. There is a concern that Struijk may have a fracture in his foot and could be out for the season, which resulted in Ethan Ampadu filling in at centre-back.

Now, a transfer target has emerged on the Elland Road radar who could prove to be a replacement for Struijk.

Leeds keen on signing Modibo Sagnan

According to reports in France, relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds and the 49ers are interested in signing Montpellier HSC centre-back Modibo Sagnan.

Like Struijk, Sagnan is a left-footed defender and could be on the move this summer with Montpellier bottom of Ligue 1. Leeds could take advantage of their potential relegation with a move for the Mali international.

Sagnan, 25, can also turn out as a left-back as well as a centre-back and has played for the likes of Real Sociedad, Lens and FC Utrecht before joining Montpellier.

Over the last 12 months, Sagnan has ranked in the top 10 percentiles when compared to centre-backs in the big five European leagues for both goals and take ons – he has scored five times in 39 games for his current employers.

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Struijk also has an eye for goal with Leeds, but by the looks of things, should Leeds win promotion, a move for Sagnan could be one to watch.