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An update has emerged regarding Newcastle’s interest in Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly.

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Tyneside club have identified the Senegal defender as their top transfer target for the January transfer window.

The report claimed that the Magpies want to sign the 30-year-old to bolster their squad following PIF’s takeover of the club earlier this week.

Fans would love him

PIF could raise the roof at St James’ Park with a deal to sign Koulibaly in January. The 30-year-old is vastly experienced at the top level and one of the best-performing players in Serie A during his time with Napoli in Italy.

He was named in the divisional team of the season in four consecutive years, proving himself to be one of the best centre-backs in the country. The defender has played 292 competitive matches for Napoli since moving from Genk in 2014.

In Serie A this season, Koulibaly has averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.46 in seven starts. He has scored two goals from centre-back whilst winning 59% of his duels and helping Napoli to keep four clean sheets in those matches.

To reaffirm the point on his quality, Serie A expert Conor Clancy hailed the Napoli man as a contender for the second-best centre-back in world football earlier this year, behind Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk. 

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said of Koulibaly: “He improves any team he goes to. He’s phenomenal. I’d say, to be honest, after Virgil van Dijk, he is in the conversation for being the second-best defender in the world.”

This comment from Clancy, along with Koulibaly’s aforementioned pedigree, shows why Newcastle fans would adore him. The Magpies faithful would surely love to see the Senegalese colossus lining up in the Premier League for their club, as he has proven himself to be a top defender in European football.

Imagine the noise which would erupt from the stands at St James’ Park when “Making his debut today… Kalidou Koulibaly” is proclaimed by the announcer reading out the starting XI on his debut for the club. It could raise the roof off the stadium and create an incredible atmosphere full of excited supporters ready to enjoy the start of a new chapter on Tyneside.

Therefore, PIF must ensure that they do all they can to get a deal over the line for the centre-back in January. His arrival could be heralded by fans and make sure that the Saudi-based consortium get off to the best possible start in the transfer market.

AND in other news, NUFC in talks over £42m deal for 29y/o with “magical powers”, fans would be ecstatic…

West Ham United have been handed a boost in their bid to bring Fabio Carvalho 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 the Fulham attacking midfielder could find a move to a Premier League side too tempting to turn down this month.

The report goes on to state that all of West Ham, Liverpool and Leeds United are keeping a very close eye on the situation of the 19-year-old – who has less than six months left to run on his current contract at Craven Cottage – ahead of a potential £5m swoop for the forward prior to the closure of the January market.

Lanzini’s heir

Considering just how impressive Carvalho has been for Fulham this season, it would appear a very smart move for Moyes to make an offer for the attacking midfielder this month, rather than waiting for the England youth international to become a free agent at the end of the season.

Indeed, the £3.15m-rated prodigy has been in breathtaking form over his 17 Championship outings in the current campaign, having already scored eight goals, provided two assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.1 shots, making 1.5 key passes and completing 1.2 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the £650-per-week forward who Greg Cruttwell – one of Carvalho’s first coaches at Balham FC – dubbed “unplayable” average a SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking him as Marco Silva’s eighth-best performer in the second tier.

Indeed, there are clear similarities between the Fulham starlet and West Ham’s own Manuel Lanzini – with both players being slight in stature, being able to operate on either wing as well as their primary position in the number 10 role, being extremely comfortable in their progression of the ball and possessing a penchant for scoring spectacular goals.

And, with the Argentina international turning 30 next season, as well as his current contract expiring in the summer of 2023, it will not be long before a replacement could be required for the Hammers’ current attacking midfield magician – with it being difficult to find a more suitable candidate than Carvalho.

As such, it is our belief that the West Ham board must do all they can to fight off the competition in order to secure a deal for the 19-year-old this month, as Carvalho is clearly a player heading for the very top of the game – something he could well achieve at the London Stadium.

In other news: Moyes can land perfect Gabigol alternative as WHU submit offer for “quality” £8.5m gem

Sunderland have been dealt a potential boost in their bid to bring Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel to the Stadium of Light this summer.

What’s the talk?

According to a report by 90min, Nottingham Forest have made a move for Boavista right-back Reggie Cannon, with the Reds submitting an undisclosed offer for the 23-year-old defender.

The Championship side also recently confirmed a season-long loan deal for Arsenal right-back Jordi Osei-Tutu, meaning that, should the Garibaldi be successful with their bid for Cannon, they will have four players in the position on their books.

Johnson will be buzzing

The news that Nottingham Forest are actively attempting to recruit a right-back over what remains of the summer transfer window could well mean that the Reds are now willing to sanction the sale of Lawrence-Gabriel, something that would leave Lee Johnson buzzing.

The Black Cats have been heavily linked with a move for the defender this summer, with his potential addition undoubtedly providing the 40-year-old’s hopes of securing promotion from the third tier of English football with a considerable boost.

Indeed, while the 22-year-old has not got off to the best of starts for Forest this season, the £225k-rated right-back highly impressed over his 29 League One appearances while on loan at Blackpool last term, helping Neil Critchley’s side keep ten clean sheets, as well as making an average of 0.8 interceptions, 0.9 tackles, 1.5 clearances and winning 4.6 duels per game.

The man Blackpool Gazette journalist Matt Scrafton dubbed an “important” player also impressed in a creative capacity, registering one assist and creating one big chance for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 0.7 key passes per match.

These returns saw the £1.2k-per-week defender earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.75, with his performances playing a huge part in Blackpool going on to secure promotion to the Championship.

As such, it would very much appear as if Lawrence-Gabriel would be a fantastic addition for Sunderland to make prior to the closure of the summer transfer window, with a deal now appearing a great deal more likely than previously thought.

In other news: Lost possession 20x: Sunderland’s sloppy £653k-rated ace cost Johnson dearly vs Burton

Reported Leeds United transfer target Jens Cajuste says he ‘hoped to take the next step’ and move to the Premier League in the summer. 

The lowdown

Swedish publication Expressen reported in July that the Whites had opened talks with FC Midtjylland over a deal for the midfielder. Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Crystal Palace were also credited with an interest.

However, Cajuste will remain with the Danish outfit, who have qualified for this season’s Europa League, until January at the earliest.

The 22-year-old looks to be a hugely talented footballer, with one scout hailing the ‘excellent’ midfielder as ‘the future of Swedish football’. He has two years left on his Midtjylland contract and is valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt.

The latest

Cajuste told Fotbollskanalen that playing in the English top flight would have been “fantastic fun” and said that he was “disappointed” to be denied the opportunity but has since accepted his situation.

He stated: “I was disappointed and I hoped to take the next step, but I have to accept it and make the best of the situation. I felt that I was ready to take the next step, but that’s how it is in football. I have to accept this.”

The verdict

It was a surprise to see Cajuste miss out on a move to England given that Midtjylland seemed resigned to losing him. They even kept him on the sidelines for their Champions League qualifier against Celtic so that an injury wouldn’t scupper any potential move.

Still, it may only be a matter of time before he ascends the footballing ladder, and Leeds could well remain in the frame. Cajuste could be a strong backup to Kalvin Phillips at Elland Road and maybe even succeed the Englishman if he is lured away should transfer interest re-emerge over the winter.

In other news, there’s potentially bad news on another Leeds transfer target. 

It’s been an extremely encouraging start to life under new manager Patrick Vieira for Crystal Palace, but a major stumbling block could be just around the corner for the French tactician.

The Eagles are set to lose four first-team stars for up to a month in January due to their involvement in the rescheduled Africa Cup of Nations.

Jeffrey Schlupp and Jordan Ayew ARE expected to feature for their native Ghanawhile Wilfried Zaha and Cheikhou Kouyate are set to represent Ivory Coast and Senegal, respectively.

The 24-team tournament, postponed from last year amid the pandemic, is due to get underway in Cameroon on January 9 and run until February 6.

It means the quartet could miss the Eagles’ derby clash with Brighton at the Amex Stadium on January 15, and the visit of Liverpool on January 22.

They are also likely to miss Palace’s third-round FA Cup tie, which is likely to be played on the weekend of January 8. They could also be absent for the Premier League game away to Norwich, currently scheduled for February 8, if their nations go deep into the competition.

It’s set to leave Vieira extremely threadbare in attack, given the club were unable to replace Andros Townsend over the summer, but the solution could be a rather simple one.

Teenage winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi was brought into the first-team fold at the backend of last season under former Palace manager Roy Hodgson, earning a place on the bench on three occasions as 2020/21 drew to a close.

“He dealt with it very well,” said Hodgson (as relayed by The Athletic), who chose to take Rak-Sakyi to Everton as a non-playing squad member for a draw at Goodison Park.

“For such a young man, he’s shown a remarkable maturity, and a remarkable sangfroid as well, coming into a group of senior players who he’s probably only watched from the terraces before. You wouldn’t notice that with his performances in the training sessions where he’s really taken on the responsibility.

“Everyone’s taken to him and been appreciative of him and what he can do. I’m very pleased with him and very pleased for him. We believe at Crystal Palace that he has a big future and he will get better and better,” the ex-England boss concluded.

And Rak-Sakyi showcased just how much of a threat he can be last season, bagging eight goals and providing a further eight assists in just 16 appearances for Palace’s U18s, before being promoted into the U23s.

The 19-year-old was rewarded for his standout displays last term after Vieira handed him his Premier League debut off the bench against Chelsea in the club’s curtain-raiser at Stamford Bridge. That could be the first of many top-flight outings for the youngster this term.

A tally of five goals and two assists in just six outings for the youth side this season suggests Rak-Sakyi will be ready to make the step up when needed in January, meaning Vieira will be able to continue to progress in south London despite the absence of several key players.

And, in other news…Report provides exciting Crystal Palace transfer update, fans will surely be delighted 

West Ham United are battling Napoli for the signing of Villarreal left-back Pervis Estupinan, according to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

The Ecuador international only joined Villarreal in September 2020, leaving Watford in a £14.76m deal after they were relegated from the Premier League last summer.

The Hornets had previously loaned him out to three different Spanish clubs and never handed him a competitive debut (via Sky Sports).

Estupinan made 33 appearances for Unai Emery’s side in all competitions, including four in the Europa League as he helped Villarreal to lift the trophy after beating Manchester United on penalties in the final.

It may be difficult to prise him away from The Yellow Submarine, though, given that they committed him to a seven-year contract on his arrival.

The latest

The report from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness) stated that West Ham are now in the frame for the 23-year-old, along with Luciano Spaletti’s Napoli.

While the Serie A outfit have been pursuing the move for longer, the Irons could have the advantage in this transfer race because they ‘don’t seem to have any economic problems’.

The verdict

This would be a slightly superfluous move for the Hammers. They already have two good left-back options in the form of Aaron Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku, whose respective WhoScored average match ratings for 2020/21 were 6.81 and 6.89, both of which far outshone Estupinan’s 6.53.

On top of that, Villarreal would be within their rights to demand a hefty sum of money less than 12 months on from signing the Ecuadorian.

There are bigger priorities to be addressed – namely a centre-back, a backup forward and an alternative to Jesse Lingard if he isn’t going to be returning permanently – so the Irons shouldn’t be too dismayed if they don’t manage to sign the Villarreal full-back.

In other news, West Ham are plotting a new bid for this transfer target.

Newcastle United target Boubacar Kamara intends to leave Marseille on a free transfer, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein. 

The lowdown

The Tyneside club tried to sign the 22-year-old on transfer deadline day in August but he rejected both them and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Circumstances are now significantly different at St James’ Park, though, with the takeover complete and Eddie Howe installed as Steve Bruce’s replacement.

Kamara’s £46,000-per-week contract at the Stade Velodrome is due to expire at the end of the season, which means he would be able to agree a summer move to a foreign club from January 1.

The latest

As per The Athletic, Marseille have recently tried to persuade Kamara to commit to a new deal, but it has been deemed ‘too late’. The Ligue 1 outfit could make one final push to keep him at the club, but it seems that the player himself has already decided not to agree a new contract and is set to leave as a free agent next June.

‘Lines of communication’ remain open with Newcastle, but he is also attracting interest from elsewhere in the Premier League, with Manchester United reportedly keeping tabs. Bayern Munich and Barcelona are in the frame as well, so the competition is pretty daunting for the Magpies.

The verdict

It will be interesting to see whether Newcastle pursue a cut-price January deal or seek to line up a summer move for Kamara.

The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson reported that players in the final six months of their contracts would be prime targets for PIF in the winter.

Hailed as a ‘phenomenon’ by former team-mate Rolando, the 22-year-old would be a real statement signing for the new ownership at St James’ Park given the calibre of the competition and his immense potential. Indeed, Ornstein wrote that the defensive midfielder is regarded as one of the best emerging talents in his position in world football.

That position isn’t fixed, either – he can also play as a centre-back and on the right, further enhancing his appeal to Newcastle after Bruce’s unsuccessful attempts to bring him to the club earlier this year.

In other news, Newcastle are also eyeing this Premier League ace

According to a report from Brazilian news outlet Vasco Noticias, Wolves are among the clubs battling to sign Vasco da Gama starlet Andrey Santos. 

The lowdown: Neves replacement?

This comes as speculation increases surrounding the future of talismanic Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.

Already linked with Barcelona, Manchester United and Arsenal in recent days, the future of the 25-year-old at Molineux appears to be in serious doubt.

A report from South America has now highlighted a possible long-term successor…

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The latest: Wolves in the mix for Santos

As per the report from Vasco Noticias, the Old Gold have joined Benfica, Monaco and AC Milan in the race to sign 17-year-old midfielder Santos in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Wolves have made an ‘enquiry’ over the teenager but ‘no conversations’ have yet progressed to a formal offer being made as Bruno Lage attempts to strengthen the ranks in the Midlands.

A previous report from UOL had cited interest from Barcelona and Everton in the six-cap Brazil under-16 starlet.

The verdict: Get it done

Albeit only a sample size of four fleeting senior appearances from which to judge, the fact that Santos has already made strides into first-team action at such a tender age is a testament to his prodigious talents.

Despite possessing a €30m (£25m) buyout clause, it has been reported that Vasco da Gama would be willing to sell their teenage star for between €6m and €7m (£5m-£6m).

At that price, this deal would represent a relatively low-risk option for Wolves should Neves indeed depart, and given the levels of top European interest, those in power at Molineux should be actively attempting to bring Santos to the Black Country.

In other news, Wolves man wanted by Portuguse giants. Find out who it is here.

A number of Liverpool supporters were fuming after a report claimed that Jordan Henderson has picked up an injury during the international break.

The Reds are currently on a two-week gap between matches, with Jurgen Klopp’s players off representing their respective countries. Henderson was in excellent form for England on Friday evening, scoring one goal and setting up another as the Three Lions won 5-0 at home to Albania.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375258″]

Unfortunately, it appears as though the Liverpool captain has picked up an injury issue since then, with The Times’ Henry Winter confirming on Twitter that the 31-year-old has been sent home “for further assessment.”

It is the latest setback for Klopp, who is already without midfielders Naby Keita, James Milner, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott ahead of the Reds’ home clash with Arsenal in the Premier League next Saturday.

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Liverpool fans fume at Henderson news

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to bemoan the news about Henderson’s injury, the latest in a long line of fitness problems for the Reds dating back to last season.

“At this rate, our midfield vs Arsenal will be: Morton – Fabinho – Balagizi”

Credit: @ac111991

“I can’t do this anymore”

Credit: @morganclee

“Every single time we have international games one of our players what’s come back injured. Gomez, then Trent and now Hendo”

Credit: @ReusProp

“I’m so stressed! Why has it always got to be us!!!”

Credit: @lfcleahx

“Seriously? Just how many midfielders are left now????!”

Credit: @SilentKumar96

“Oh god please no”

Credit: @D66STIEL

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has given a key update on one possible Liverpool target. Read more here.

Tottenham Hotspur have reignited their interest in Antonio Rudiger after a fresh plea from manager Antonio Conte, according to club sources.

What’s the word?

As revealed by Football Insider this week, the north London outfit are back in the race to sign the out-of-contract Chelsea centre-back this summer in a fresh twist behind-the-scenes – just a few months after being ruled out of the running.

The 29-year-old German has been long admired by Spurs and the Italian head coach, who he once managed at Stamford Bridge, having been a top target last summer and during the recent winter window.

It now appears as if the Lilywhites will make another push to seal his signature ahead of some of Europe’s elite, including Barcelona and Bayern Munich, after the 52-year-old made it clear that he wants to be reignited with his ex-star to supremo Daniel Levy.

Conte is believed to be ‘pushing hard’ to sign the free agent and it will now be a test of the chairman’s ambition heading into a big summer of business.

Rudiger coup

Whilst Spurs are far away from being the front-runners to seal the Germany international, if they manage to secure him next season, it would surely be something of a major coup for the club.

They would not only be prising him away from their arch-rivals – the Blues – but he would also fill a big need of Conte’s as he searches for a central defensive addition this summer.

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If Spurs want to keep Conte on board for the long term, then there won’t be a bigger statement of intent than signing Rudiger, who played 45 times under the Italian at Chelsea.

They clearly had a positive relationship with the defender lauding his coach as “very good” during their stint together.

Despite his contractual situation, Rudiger has remained an imperative member of Thomas Tuchel’s side, having featured in 47 games across all competitions, on the back of their Champions League triumph last term.

Across 28 league starts, the £31.5m-rated titan has won an average of 1.8 headers and 1.3 tackles per game, whilst being equally adept on the ball, managing a seasonal passing accuracy of 87.8%, so it’s no wonder Conte retains an interest as his ball-playing and physical ability would be an ideal fit in N17.

Such form for the Blues has led to some high praise indeed.

Premier League great Rio Ferdinand, now a pundit for BT Sport, lauded the 6 foot 3 colossus as an “animal,” with his current boss describing his performance against Real Madrid earlier this month as “world-class” and “outstanding.”

Given his current value, form, ability and suitability to Conte, as evident above, Rudiger would indeed be a major coup for the north Londoners this off-season. Fabio Paratici and his recruitment team must now deliver for Levy as the supremo will want to keep the Italian as happy as possible.

AND in other news, Paratici can land his next Bentancur as Spurs eye £21m talent whose “tempo is perfect”…