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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Newcastle United Hall of Famer, Rob Lee, has claimed that Ryan Fraser will never be a clinical goalscorer for the Magpies as he is still yet to get off the mark in the Premier League.

Fraser arrived as a free agent after he let his contract expire at Bournemouth last season, but he has picked up several injuries this campaign and he has missed 63 days through being injured since moving to Tyneside.

It has been a frustrating season for the £41,800 per week winger which has seen him handed just 10 league starts all season, as well as picking up an unnecessary red card in the Magpies’ embarrassing 1-0 defeat against Sheffield United.

Speaking on where Fraser could fit into Newcastle’s side when he is fit and if he will be able to find his form in front of goal that he had at Bournemouth, Lee exclusively told FFC:

“What he is best at is being a wide forward because I don’t think he will ever get you loads of goals, but he creates a lot of chances, especially with Callum Wilson.

“I’m not sure he can play as a number 10 because he’s not good with his back to goal. I think he’s better facing the goal so we need him back to the form that he had at Bournemouth.”

Newcastle have only lost once in their last six games which has coincided with Steve Bruce playing with wing-backs, which begs the questions, where could Fraser play for the Magpies?

Bruce has managed to guide Newcastle away from the bottom three as Fulham must now win all of their remaining games to have a chance of catching the Magpies.

Newcastle United have been gifted a transfer boost as Tottenham Hotspur have rejected the chance to sign wonderkid Bobby Clark.

The Lowdown: Clark has been in-demand

Clark, who is the son of former St. James’ Park star Lee Clark, who made more than 150 senior appearances in the North East, has been in-demand from a number of clubs.

Back in November 2019, the Daily Mail reported that Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Spurs were interested in signing the then 14-year-old talent, who is now 16 years of age.

The Latest: Tottenham reject Clark chance

Football Insider had reported a few days ago that Spurs had been offered the chance to sign Clark, but now, according to the same outlet, the North London club have since rejected the opportunity.

Academy coach Paul Bracewell has advised the Lilywhites not to make a move for him, having watched the Englishman in recent weeks, a Spurs source has allegedly told FI.

The Verdict: Newcastle transfer boost

Even though he is just 16 years of age, it looks as if Clark could grow up to be a star in the beautiful game.

He became the youngest-ever player to represent the Tyneside club at under-18 level at the tender age of just 14 years and 206 days, and has also represented England at under-16 level.

Thus, it may be too early to let a player with such promise go, especially to a rival in the Premier League, and instead let him develop further.

As he gets older he can only get better, meaning that if the Magpies were ever looking to sell him in the future, his value will increase up to a point and therefore they could demand a substantial fee later on.

Of course, there is also the dream scenario he becomes a fixture in the first team for the long haul, something the Toon Army would surely adore.

In other news, find out what big claim has been dropped on the potential takeover after a Mike Ashley development here!

Tottenham Hotspur are still looking for their next manager and have seen several targets ruled out of the running in the last week or so.

After missing out on Julian Nagelsmann, Erik ten Hag and Brendan Rodgers, the Daily Mail claim that Brighton and Hove Albion boss Graham Potter is now being considered as an option to replace Jose Mourinho in North London.

It is thought that the 45-year-old is high on technical director Steve Hitchen’s wishlist and ultimately, that’s who Daniel Levy will be trusting in this hiring process.

Potter would be a massive gamble for Spurs to take, given the Seagulls looked to be embroiled in a relegation dogfight at one stage this season, but he does play the attractive, attacking football that the chairman is longing for in his next appointment.

But what would the Lilywhites actually look like under him? Football FanCast takes a peek into his potential Spurs XI next season – if he were to be appointed…

Potter has kept Brighton in the division on a tight budget, whilst also playing an eye-catching brand of football. It’s a system that is largely three-at-the-back with wing-backs crucial to overloading the box.

Primarily playing from the back, his combative midfield swallows up possession and looks to contribute at either side of the pitch.

And a high-pressing style draws some similarities to that of Mauricio Pochettino, so arguably he could already have players to fit the system at his disposal.

Goalkeeper: Lloris

Hugo Lloris will be entering the final year of his currently contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer but it would be a surprise to see him depart given he’s the current club captain and there is a need to bolster other areas of the pitch on an already questionable budget.

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Defence: Reguilon, Rodon, Dier, Alderweireld, Doherty

Potter could turn to Sergio Reguilon and Matt Doherty for both his wing-back slots, giving the latter a lifeline after a poor start to his Spurs career. ESPN suggested his future was at risk under Mourinho whilst his very best form at Wolves came in a similar system to that of Brighton’s – the Portuguese often stuck him in a back four.

A new defensive leader was the priority for Spurs this summer under Mourinho, according to football.london, and the Seagulls’ Lewis Dunk was among the names being considered but with Joe Rodon, Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier, Potter may be set until finances vastly improve.

In the Englishman, he has a ball-playing option in the middle, given he was once a holding midfielder. Dier could be Potter’s Ben White in this regard.

Midfield: Hojbjerg, Bissouma

As mentioned, phenomenal work rate is needed in midfield and that’s where things get a little competitive. We’re unlikely to see the likes of Tanguy Ndombele or Giovani Lo Celso feature so much under Potter.

Instead, he could try to bring Yves Bissouma to North London with him, especially as he knows exactly what he’s getting with the Mali beast. Spurs have been linked to the 24-year-old this week and he could cost £30m, as per the Daily Star, which you’d imagine would be the bulk of their transfer budget.

He’d partner Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the middle.

Attack: Son, Bale, Kane

If Spurs can keep hold of Harry Kane and retain Gareth Bale for another year, then the attack will speak for itself with Heung-min Son joining the pair to form a very lucrative and exciting front three.

The Welsh superstar is set to return to parent club Real Madrid next month but the Daily Mail believes Levy will offer his next manager the chance to keep him for next season as Spurs do hold the option of a second year.

AND in other news, Daniel Levy could pile more misery on Spurs by hiring 47 y/o PL flop…

A number of Liverpool fans have been expressing their happiness at the news that Joel Matip has returned to the training pitch for the Reds.

Jurgen Klopp’s men have had a season to forget, with everything seemingly going wrong for them.

Having been tipped to defend their Premier League title, it now looks likely that Liverpool will even miss out on a top-four finish, which seemed unfathomable last summer.

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One of the biggest issues has been the Reds’ injury crisis at centre-back, with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all out for long periods of time.

It has meant Nathaniel Phillips has had to come in and do a job – Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have played in defence, too – while Ozan Kabak arrived from Schalke in January.

On Wednesday, Matip returned to training, however, running again with his teammates for the first time since suffering ankle ligament damage back in January.

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Liverpool fans hail Matip’s return

Matip does not appear to be back in full contact action yet, but these Liverpool fans took to Twitter to express their delight at his sighting.

“Finally some good news”

Credit: @NeonPhantom69

“Top 4?”

Credit: @Artendahl

“Big Joel is back! Good to hear. At least some positive news”

Credit: @attrakta

“Things you love to see”

Credit: @JamesFarquhars8

“Great news”

Credit: @Dreamspirit10

“2nd best CB at the club. Can’t wait to see him back”

Credit: @Sunraged

In other news, a striker with an outstanding goalscoring record has reportedly turned down a move to Liverpool. Find out who it is here.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Sheffield United striker Brian Deane has questioned his old club’s reported interest in John Terry.

The Yorkshire outfit are on the lookout for a permanent successor to Chris Wilder following his exit last month and it appears their search has taken them to Terry.

According to the Mirror, the Aston Villa assistant head coach is on Sheffield United’s shortlist to replace their former boss as the club prepares for life back in the Championship.

Terry has spoken in the past about his desire to become a manager, meaning this opportunity in the Bramall Lane dugout may appeal to him.

Deane, however, has sent a word of warning to his old side, picking up on Terry’s lack of managerial experience. On the subject, Deane told FFC:

“The club has to decide what direction they want to go in and part of that direction is, you know, do they want to go down a route where more of the club structure and infrastructure is club owned?

“Do they want to go down the route of kind of giving somebody an opportunity to come in and manage their club, you know, with relatively no understanding or no experience of the area, of what the fans expect, what kind of football? I don’t know what kind of football John Terry likes.”

The Mirror also reports that Villa are well aware of Terry’s ambitions to manage one day and will support him in his efforts to land the top job in a dugout, so it should not be too hard for Sheffield United to get him out of Villa Park.

Speaking to Football Insider, pundit and Sky Sports regular Paul Robinson has been blown away by the loan signing of Jesse Lingard for West Ham United – with the former England international calling it an ‘absolute masterstroke’ by manager David Moyes. 

The 28-year-old has been in the form of his life since joining the Hammers in January on a temporary deal from parent club Manchester United.

Scoring eight goals and assisting three others in just nine Premier League starts so far (WhoScored), Lingard has been central to West Ham’s push for an unprecedented European qualifying spot.

Robinson blown away by Lingard ‘masterstroke’

West Ham are within touching distance of possibly finishing in the top four and the previously unthinkable is now a very realistic proposition.

Robinson, speaking to FI, has showered the acquisition of Lingard with praise as a result – even comparing it to Leeds’ signing of Raphinha.

“Wow, it has just been a brilliant loan,” he told Football Insider.

“It is between him and Raphinha for the signing of the season.

“It has been an absolute masterstroke from David Moyes. He obviously knew Lingard well, the kind of character he is and the talent he possesses. Moyes knew he could get the best out of him and it has worked out amazingly well for West Ham. He has been nothing short of a revelation.

“They will struggle to keep hold of him in the summer but I just do not see where he fits in at Manchester United with Bruno Fernandes there.

“It is going to be down to the player but at the end of the day he was frozen out at Manchester United. Moyes has given him a new lease of life at West Ham.”

Transfer Tavern take

Reports have circulated recently over the Irons wanting to secure Lingard with a permanent deal at the London Stadium.

West Ham insiders Claret & Hugh even stated that GSB will ‘move heaven and earth’ to make it happen this summer.

If Moyes manages to guide his side to a Champions League spot, signing the English star is an absolute necessity for the club if they hope to maintain their impressive form next season.

One would have to assume that the player himself would be happy to stay as well if top four is secured, given the ‘new lease of life’ he has been handed in East London.

In other news: Harewood wants this towering striker at West Ham, find out more here.

With Celtic currently lacking a manager, it’s perhaps a surprise to see so many new players being linked with Parkhead.

That being said, it’s positive thinking from a club who have done very little right this season.

On the chalkboard

The Hoops faithful are right to be scared about their current position. They have just lost the title for the first time in a decade and they didn’t even run their rivals close.

Neil Lennon is no longer in charge and thus, Dermot Desmond is searching for a new manager.

Whoever walks through the door could have to deal with a player exodus. Star striker Odsonne Edouard has long been linked with an exit, as too has Kristoffer Ajer.

Ajer has been a phenomenal addition since joining the club on a free transfer as a 17-year-old. He is now a matured international for Norway and that has undeniably come with its plaudits.

The centre-back was linked with a move to Tottenham last season while AC Milan have been monitoring his situation. If he does leave, it could leave a giant hole in the middle of Celtic’s defence to fill.

Christopher Jullien is out for the next nine months while Shane Duffy is due to go back to Brighton following the conclusion of his loan spell.

The solution

Celtic could well fill that gap with a certain Declan Gallagher. TEAMtalk reported this week that the Bhoys were ready to move for the Motherwell defender this summer.

They face plenty of competition for his signature with Cardiff, Barnsley, Aberdeen, Hearts and Dundee in the race to sign him.

Premier League clubs Burnley, Sheffield United and West Brom have him on their radar but it’s been claimed that Gallagher’s head has been turned by interest from Celtic.

At the age of 30, he is a seasoned professional and although the Hoops wouldn’t have much sell-on value, he’d be a fantastic acquisition.

Standing at 6 foot 6, Gallagher is a monster in the air and very rarely does he lose a defensive battle. The defender has won a colossal 3.9 aerial duels this term, a tally that betters every Celtic player apart from Duffy and Jullien.

Having won seven caps for Scotland, he has what it takes to play at a higher level and he’d certainly be able to do that at Celtic. After all, Gallagher possesses a similar never-say-die mentality to Ajer.

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Speaking about the Hoops-linked defender in January, Gary Holt told Radio Clyde: “I used to say we were fortunate to have players who were prepared to get hurt in both boxes. He’s prepared to get hurt. That’s what you like about him [Gallagher]. He’s somebody who’s going to do his job to the best of his ability. He’s kicked on massively since he left Livi.”

How Celtic could have done with more players like that this season. Ajer was been one of a few who were really prepared to put their body on the line for the team.

Therefore, if he leaves, it would be a bitter blow. Replacing him with Gallagher would certainly be no bad idea, though.

AND in other news, Better than Kenny: Celtic must sign “fierce” gem who’s made 89 tackles this term…

Newcastle United are reportedly preparing a bargain deal to sign Kristoffer Ajer, according to the Daily Mail.

As per the news outlet, the Magpies are preparing to launch a bid of £8m for the Celtic defender, who only has one year left on his current deal with the Hoops and has been urged to leave Parkhead by Stale Solbakken, his international manager with Norway.

The Celts believe that Ajer is worth closer to £35m, but the 22-year-old will be able to talk to foreign clubs over a permanent transfer in the January window of 2022, meaning that the Bhoys face losing him for a mere fraction of what they had originally hoped to recoup.

Ajer has reportedly set his sights on a move to the Premier League, which will no doubt have alerted the Magpies, although there is also interest in signing him from Italy.

Newcastle have admired Ajer for a long time but must avoid being relegated from the top flight at the end of the current campaign to stand a realistic chance of securing his signature.

Newcastle must sign Ajer

If they do end up staying in the Premier League come the end of the season, the Tyneside club must try and sign Ajer at all costs. With a mammoth 6 foot 6 frame, the centre-back should have no problems at all coping with the physical and aerial demands of the English top flight.

He has received very high praise in the past, with former Toon ace Lee Clark claiming that he is an ‘outstanding’ player when asked about him earlier this month, while former Scottish Premiership winger Neil McCann likened him to footballing legend Cafu back in 2019, despite him primarily being a centre-back by trade.

Nonetheless, Newcastle should do all they can to sign Ajer in the summer, providing that they can preserve their Premier League status, of course.

In other news, find out takeover claim Lee Ryder has dropped on Mike Ashley here!

In a recent interview with Football FanCast, Marlon Harewood stated his belief that Frank Lampard would be the ideal candidate to replace Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace.

Having been appointed Chelsea manager on a three-year deal back in the summer of 2019, in his time at Stamford Bridge, Lampard oversaw 84 games in charge of the Blues – winning 44, drawing 15 and losing 25.

However, after a run of results which saw Chelsea pick up just given his marching orders by Roman Abramovich.

Despite his rather uninspiring tenure at Chelsea, former West Ham United striker Harewood claimed that Lampard would be the ideal replacement for Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace, whose contract with the Eagles expires this summer.

He said: “It’d be a decent thing for Lamps to come into – if he’s ready to come back into management. That’d be a very good club to come into, [they’ve] got some great players there. I think he’d go and complement it well.

“He’s had a good experience of what he needs to do and what he didn’t do and [the chance to] reflect on how he can better himself because you always do that [after being sacked]. Yeah, it would be a good fit.”

Transfer Tavern Take

With Lampard himself stating that he wants any team he manages to “play good football” and to be “really aggressive and to win the ball back,” these are no doubt promising words to hear from the perspective of a potential new suitor for the former England international. It could also be music to the ears of Palace supporters who have taken umbrage with what they see as an overly pragmatic approach from Hodgson.

However, the 42-year-old also came under criticism for his tactical setup at Chelsea being “somewhat all over the shop”, with reports suggesting that a number of his players were “left confused by what Lampard wanted” from them.

As such, perhaps a team like Palace who typically finish in the bottom half of the Premier League table should not take the risk on Lampard just yet, as it would seem that the ex-Chelsea manager still has work to do on the tactical side of his game.

In other news: A Palace star has been linked with a move to the Eagles’ PL rivals, find out more here!

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has played down the prospect of Ivan Toney moving to Elland Road this summer.

Marcelo Bielsa may be looking to add to his squad at the end of the season, in order for Leeds to cement their place as Premier League regulars.

They currently sit 11th in the table after an eye-catching first season back in the big time, with the focus now on maintaining their current standards.

Whelan unsure over Toney move

One of the players linked with a move to Leeds in recent days is Brentford star Ivan Toney, with TEAMtalk claiming they are among the clubs interested in signing him this summer.

The striker has been in remarkable form with 34 goal contributions in the Championship this season, scoring 25 times and registering nine assists.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds, via insidefutbol, Whelan cast doubts over a move materialising, however, with Brentford surely keeping hold of him if they achieve promotion to the Premier League:

“If Brentford get to the Premier League there is no way they are selling him. They will not be that team again. The reason they sell a lot of players is, once you do not get into the Premier League, they have got to offload. If they get to the Premier League, there is no way they will be letting him go.”

Transfer Tavern take

It is certainly difficult to see Brentford allowing Toney to move on next season, should they be in the Premier League for the first time in their history.

The 24-year-old has been their star man this term and losing him to a direct rival like Leeds would both weaken them and make Bielsa’s attack even more potent.

In other news, Phil Hay has provided an update on Pablo Hernandez.