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An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s attempts to add further signings to their ranks in January…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has revealed that the Magpies are unlikely to sign Divock Origi or Dominic Solanke this month as they go in search of a striker to bolster their squad.

He tweeted: “Understand Newcastle haven’t gone in for Burnley’s Chris Wood, as it stands, but he has been put to them (same agents as Trippier). One of several striking options being considered. Azmoun of Zenit among them but Origi/Solanke unlikely, I’m told. Either way, NUFC need to act fast.”

Howe will be gutted

This update will surely leave Newcastle manager Eddie Howe feeling gutted, as both Origi and Solanke are strikers who could come in and make an impact at St James’ Park in the second half of the campaign.

The Belgian is a proven Premier League performer and the Englishman is a player who the 44-year-old knows well from his time at Bournemouth in the top flight.

Upon signing him for the Cherries in 2019, Howe said this about the ex-Liverpool man: “Dominic is technically gifted, very athletic and has the physical profile that will give us something different in our front line.

“He has done very well for England at various age groups, has a huge amount of potential and I’m really excited about working with him.”

This shows that he rates Solanke highly, which is why he will be gutted a deal now appears to be off the cards this month, especially given the striker’s form this season. The 24-year-old has scored 18 goals in 25 Championship matches for Bournemouth, after managing 15 last term, and this suggests that he could be ready for another shot at the top flight.

Meanwhile, Origi has won the Premier League and Champions League for Liverpool, scoring in the final of the latter. He has found the back of the net 40 times in 167 matches for the Merseyside club, showing that he knows how to score at the very top level.

This is another reason why Howe will be gutted with this update from Hope, as the Belgian could have come in and scored vital goals for Newcastle. The ex-Bournemouth boss will now be hoping that quality alternatives are identified and brought in as quickly as possible to bolster his attacking options, especially with injured top scorer Callum Wilson facing several weeks on the sidelines.

AND in other news, “We understand”: Keith Downie drops big NUFC transfer claim which will leave fans gutted…

Aston Villa will begin life under Steven Gerrard when they take on Brighton and Hove Albion following the international break, and the new manager faces an extensive list of issues to resolve if he’s to turn things around and steady the ship.

Getting the best out of both Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins, reinstating Douglas Luiz and getting Tyrone Mings back to his best will be high up the 41-year-old’s agenda, but unlocking Emi Buendia’s true potential will surely be his priority.

The 24-year-old arrived at Villa Park for a club-record £33m over the summer and was hailed as a “great addition” by former boss Dean Smith after signing a five-year deal.

“We are delighted to have made such an exciting signing so early in the summer,” said Smith.”Emiliano is equally capable as a wide attacker or as a number 10 and is a great addition to our attacking options.”

It was hoped that Buendia would plug the gap that Jack Grealish left behind went he departed for Manchester City, yet the Argentina international has so far found life tough at the Premier League outfit.

After bagging 15 goals and providing 17 assists in 41 appearances last season as Norwich Citycruised to the Championship title, the £18m-rated creative genius was named the Canaries’ player of the season. 

However, he’s failed to translate eye-catching exploits at Carrow Road into standout performances at Villa in the early stages of his career with his new club.

Earning around £75k-per-week at Villa Park, Buendia has only completed the full 90 minutes on one occasion after making seven top-flight starts throughout 2021/22, highlighting his peripheral role within the squad, and when looking at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to understand why.

As per SofaScore, the versatile attacker created just two big chances in his 546 minutes of Premier League action, has averaged just 1.1 dribbles per game, 35.7 touches and has provided a single goal and one assist.

With Grealish gone, the player who was lauded as a “special talent” by former teammate Ben Gibson and a “game-changer” by ex-boss Daniel Farke must now step up and showcase his truly top-class potential on the biggest stage of all.

It will be up to Gerrard to devise a system, style and set of tactics that allow the Argentine to shine, and if the young tactician can do so, he could revive Buendia’s career and continue his progression as a manager in the process.

And, in other news…Gerrard must instantly reinstate £31.5m-rated Villa “star” who’s “among the best”

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.

Taking to Twitter, Sky Sports reporter Angelo Mangiante has made a West Ham United transfer claim involving Borussia Monchengladbach powerhouse Denis Zakaria.

The Lowdown: West Ham in 2022 free agent tussles?

The Switzerland midfielder isn’t the first potential 2022 free agent to be linked with a move to the London Stadium in recent weeks, with head of recruitment Rob Newman seemingly eyeing a plethora of pre-contract swoops.

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Indeed, Burnley defender James Tarkowski and Napoli winger Lorenzo Insigne are other names on the West Ham agenda, with their deals also set to expire at the end of this season.

Newman was brought in to help David Moyes in the transfer market and is gearing up for his first transfer window in his new role in east London after leaving his post as chief scout at Manchester City (The Athletic).

Making a claim on West Ham’s transfer plans, and by extension Newman’s, Mangiante has some news for Hammers fans.

The Latest: Newman eyeing Zakaria swoop…

As per the Sky journalist, writing on his personal Twitter feed, West Ham and Newman are now eyeing a swoop for Zakaria, with his contract at Monchengladbach running out next year.

It is believed that the Switzerland international is now attracting the Irons’ interest alongside the likes of Liverpool and Everton.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Despite the presence of Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek and Alex Kral in the defensive midfield roles, we believe that Zakaria could be a rather shrewd addition from West Ham’s perspective.

Whether it be for a small transfer fee in January or as a free agent next summer, the 40-cap international would come with a plethora of experience on the biggest stages in football already, not to mention sell-on potential given he is still just 25 years old.

He has received no shortage of praise in the past either, with Gladbach legend Gunter Netzer previously calling him ‘enormously valuable’ to the Bundesliga side (Planet Football). Meanwhile, Germany hero Lothar Matthaus once likened Zakaria to Real Madrid star Toni Kroos, highlighting his obvious ability (Planet Football).

Also capable of playing as a centre-half, the 6 foot 3 powerhouse could tick many boxes for West Ham, and it is feasible that they could give him a new lease of life in the Premier League.

In other news: West Ham could already back Moyes with £17.1m bid to sign another 6 foot 3 colossus in January, find out more here.

In response to a tweet from Liverpool FC fan feed @AnfieldWatch, a number of Reds fans have suggested Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s time at the club is up.

Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Liverpool for £35 million (BBC) in 2017 but injuries have stalled his Anfield career.

Remarkably, he hasn’t completed 90 Premier League minutes since April 2018, towards the end of that debut season (via @CaoimheSport).

He has started two Premier League games this term – the defeats against Southampton and Burnley in January – but was substituted before the hour mark on both occasions.

In fairness, the Englishman was unavailable until December, but since his return to fitness he has only clocked 221 minutes (via Transfermarkt).

Curtis Jones’ impressive form looks to have nudged Oxlade-Chamberlain further down the pecking order. Liverpool’s depth in midfield is now strong even despite their injury issues, particularly after Naby Keita returned to the fold on Sunday.

Liverpool fans think Oxlade-Chamberlain’s prospects are bleak

“He was running around when he came on last time like a headless chicken. More focus required from him.”

Credit: @huggy1965

“No way, he needs to be sold! He’ll end up at Southampton.”

Credit: @MarkThomas9

“Even when fit he blows hot and cold. Time to cash in whilst there still resale value. We’d be dumb to keep two injury midfielders especially after this season and Keita gets my vote to stay. “

Credit: @robfreelancer

“He’s gone in the summer. Love the lad but his time is up. 20 year old Curtis and 35 year old Milner are ahead of him.”

Credit: @TheeNormalOne

“We can’t keep hold of so many injury-prone players. Some have to go.”

Credit: @RedRivelino

“Arsenal were waiting for the same for years also – I have my doubts somehow”

Credit: @SRobbo7

In other news, Fans slate Ozan Kabak after Liverpool’s win over Sheffield United

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer expressed his doubts over Liverpool’s reported interest in Leeds United star Raphinha.

The Brazilian attacker has impressed at Elland Road this season following his £17m move from Rennes in last summer’s transfer window, managing to score five goals and provide five assists in the current Premier League campaign.

Raphinha is now being linked with a move to Jurgen Klopp’s side, with France Football (via MailOnline) previously reporting that the 24-year-old tops the Reds’ shortlist. Palmer, however, thinks it is too soon for that type of talk.

Discussing the speculation in an exclusive interview with FFC, the ex-Leeds player said:

“I think it’s a bit early to say that [Raphinha ready for Liverpool]. I mean, you know, all the media in the UK, all of a sudden, they have a couple of good games, the next minute, they’re Messi or Ronaldo.”

Speaking on the subject further, Palmer later added: “Players have to play consistently, and that’s what the top players do. Top players perform eight out of 10 games well. That’s what they do, and you have to do that over a period of time to be considered a top player, so he has to keep doing what he’s doing.”

Even if Raphinha is ready to make that jump from Leeds to Liverpool, it may not be the best career move in regards to getting minutes on the pitch.

While the former Rennes man has certainly performed well in attack this season, he would be competing against two of the best forwards in world football in Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane at Anfield.

The Liverpool duo recorded some brilliant numbers in front of goal on the Merseyside club’s way to the 2019/20 Premier League title, scoring 37 times combined, showing the extent of what Raphinha would be up against.

Journalist and transfer ‘insider’ Dean Jones has made a behind-the-scenes West Ham United claim on midfield star Declan Rice’s future at the club.

The Lowdown: Rice rumours emerge…

A plethora of rumours surrounding Rice have come to light in the last week with big name transfer source Fabrizio Romano claiming he is ‘open’ to leaving this summer and has turned down a third new deal offer.

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This comes after both Jones and 90min reporter Scott Saunders first said he is more open than ever to a Rush Green exit, yet according to Claret & Hugh, there have been claims to the contrary.

The insider believes that Rice is committed to West Ham for 2022/2023 at the very least, though if there isn’t any sign of competing for silverware, he could consider his future next year.

The Latest: Jones shares update…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that the 23-year-old is set for a ‘big’ conversation with West Ham behind-the-scenes and there is ‘no doubt’ clubs will be knocking on the door.

He explained: “Declan Rice is going to have to have a big conversation with West Ham at the end of the season, no matter what happens.

“There’s no doubt that there’s going to be two or three clubs asking the question of how much would you actually sell this guy for?”

The Verdict: Interesting summer ahead…

There is little danger of manager David Moyes losing his superstar player this window given West Ham’s hard-line sale stance and the fact GSB have an option to extend his contract by a further year.

However, if Rice pushes for a possible move away, West Ham may be pressured somewhat to entertain interested clubs as to not disrupt the harmony of Moyes’ squad.

That being said, any price below £100 million simply shouldn’t be considered given his obvious quality, the fact Rice is homegrown and may only get better.

According to WhoScored, the colossal Three Lions international has averaged a fifth-best passing accuracy per game on average out of every Premier League player in the division (91.6%) – backing his composure and assurance at an impressively young age.

He’s also in high demand, putting West Ham in a position of strength to command a justifiable fee for his services.

Ideally, Moyes will have another season or two with Rice in his squad, but this summer could be a very interesting one nonetheless.

In other news: ExWHUemployee shares major West Ham player update with deal agreed! Find out more here.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former footballer and current pundit Carlton Palmer has spoken about Liverpool’s chances of signing PSG striker Kylian Mbappe.

The Reds have been linked with a move for the French wonderkid, with rumours intensifying as a result of Liverpool’s Nike deal they signed earlier this year.

The young striker has established himself as one of the brightest young talents in European football in recent years, having moved to PSG from AS Monaco in a £165.7 million deal in 2018 after spending the previous season on loan.

Now rated at £162 million, Mbappe has been prolific in his time with Les Parisiens, with 103 goals and 59 assists to his name, in just 140 appearances for the club.

He has also been in sensational form this season, having contributed 11 goals and five assists in 11 appearances in Ligue 1, resulting in a superb average rating of 8.06.

Here’s what Palmer had to say about Liverpool’s chances of signing Mbappe when speaking exclusively to Football FanCast…

“Why not? The Premier League is the most marketable league in the world. If you’re a top player, at some point you want to have played in the Premier League. So, why not?”

Palmer seems to suggest that Mbappe will want to Premier League at some point in the future, so why shouldn’t that be with the Reds?

After all, PSG have won seven out of eight of the last league titles, so it could definitely be argued that the French league isn’t much challenge for the prolific forward, and he must try his hand in another top league if he wants to be appreciated as one of the best players in world football.

Of course, Mbappe has already won the World Cup with France but is yet to taste European success with PSG, so if they are unable to win the Champions League again this season, it would perhaps not be a surprise to see him depart the club.

Whilst it would cost Liverpool a huge amount of money to sign the striker, he could be a top striker with the Merseyside club for the next 10-15 years and would perhaps take the Reds to another level, so maybe we will see Liverpool try and sign Mbappe at some point in the near future.

And, in other news… Klopp must sanction January exit for LFC liability with “a taste for the big games”

Celtic and Newcastle United are both reported to be keen on signing Crystal Palace midfielder James McCarthy over the coming months.  

As to be expected, plenty of Eagles fans have been reacting to the two club’s reported interest in the 30-year-old.

According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle are looking to pip Celtic to a deal for the Irishman, with the Scottish giants coming close to landing the player on a pre-contract agreement back in January.

McCarthy, who is on £50,000-a-week at Selhurst Park, is out of contract in a matter of months. He has made just 49 appearances since joining in 2019, with 14 of those coming this season.

The midfielder began the campaign as a regular under Roy Hodgson, but he has since fallen out of favour and a Palace exit appears to be on the cards.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared TEAMtalk’s claims on McCarthy on social media on Friday evening.

Here is what some Palace fans had to say in reply. A few praised the player, whereas others want to see the back of the midfielder over the coming months.

“Get rid. Please”Credit: @stuartAchalmers”A fit James McCarthy is one of our most solid players.”Credit: @Padraic_McG”Move him on”Credit: @Steve_CPFC”I like him, prepared to fight for the team”Credit: @JimRuss1980″Good when he plays but he doesn’t often.”Credit: @Georgiecpfc”Need to get younger players in”Credit: @AdamNye1

In other news: Many Palace fans fume at Hodgson’s recent comments regarding his future, find out more here. 

Marcus Bent has exclusively told Football FanCast that he believes Eddie Howe wants to stay in the Premier League.

The former Bournemouth manager has been out of work since taking the Cherries down last season but has been strongly touted as Celtic’s number one target to replace Neil Lennon at Parkhead.

Howe reportedly made a verbal agreement to become the next Hoops manager earlier this month, but talks appear to have stalled, with the 43-year-old yet to decide regarding the job.

But since making that agreement with the Glasgow giants, Howe has been heavily linked with the vacancy at Crystal Palace, with growing uncertainty surrounding the future of Roy Hodgson, whose contract expires in the summer.

Howe has held talks with the Eagles, and Bent thinks that remaining in England would be his preference, especially following his outstanding work in the Premier League with Bournemouth.

Bent told Football FanCast:

“With Celtic you’re moving away from the Premier League, there’s four teams in that league you can compete with. I think he probably wants to stay in the Premier League.

“Palace, the players and the team are doing ok. He could go in there and bring in one or two players and his backroom staff.

“I’m sure that would be a good move for him, still managing in the Premier League, so I think that would be a good move for him rather than Celtic.”