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Newcastle United lost 3-1 at Fulham on Saturday and journalist Luke Edwards has slammed the performance of one “shocking” Magpies player, not least his body language.

Newcastle suffer defeat at Fulham

Eddie Howe’s side knew a win at Craven Cottage could have put them top of the Premier League, following a strong start to the season, certainly in terms of results.

Newcastle’s performances in 2024/25 haven’t always been totally convincing, however, and a disappointing showing on Saturday afternoon ended in a deserved defeat.

Goals from Raul Jimenez and Emile Smith Rowe put Fulham in complete control in the first half, firing them into a 2-0 lead with only a quarter of the game played, but Harvey Barnes did at least reduce the arrears straight after half-time. Reiss Nelson completed the scoring in stoppage time, however, as the Magpies suffered their first league defeat of the season.

The loss in west London leaves Newcastle sixth in the table, and while the start to the season has been a solid one overall so far, there was arguably a feeling that a result of this ilk was coming, having beaten Tottenham and Wolves but not played particularly well in either, for example.

It was a day when so many individuals played poorly, but one star has come in for specific criticism, as his below-par start to the campaign continues.

Journalist slams "shocking" Newcastle player

Taking to X during the first half, Edwards didn’t hold back in his negativity towards Newcastle ace Anthony Gordon, describing his performance as his worst in a Magpies shirt to date:

In truth, the criticism aimed at Gordon is completely fair, with the Magpies’ £45m signing totally out of sorts for much of the game against Fulham, offering nowhere near enough quality in the final third.

He only won five out of 11 ground duels at Craven Cottage, while a 75% pass completion rate suggests he was a little wasteful in possession. Meanwhile, his Expected Assists (xA) during his 83 minutes on the pitch was just 0.08, highlighting a lack of creativity on show when his side needed it.

Gordon, on £60,000-a-week, has made a forgettable start to the season, especially compared to his excellent 2023/24 campaign, with only one goal and zero assists to his name in five appearances. He is being outperformed by Barnes, who has netted in his last three outings, and as Edwards alludes to, his body language looks questionable at the moment.

16x possession lost: 4/10 Newcastle man was worse than Trippier vs Fulham

Eddie Howe’s men suffered their first league defeat of the season

ByRoss Kilvington Sep 21, 2024

Whether the Englishman’s failed summer move to boyhood club Liverpool is playing on his mind remains to be seen, but he arguably doesn’t look the happiest player right now, and more performances like the one produced against Fulham could lead to Howe dropping him. Improvements are needed in the coming weeks, or his stock could start to fall.

A member of the Chelsea squad is “desperate” to leave Stamford Bridge and a January exit has been described as “very possible”, with Enzo Maresca’s side also open to doing business.

Maresca not afraid to axe unwanted Chelsea players

New head coach Maresca has shown that he is not afraid to omit unwanted players during his tenure so far.

£25m Chelsea player really impressing Maresca and Cobham staff in training

The Italian is becoming a serious fan.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 17, 2024

The Italian, speaking to the press earlier this summer, was candid in his message that those not in his plans will have to find a new club, with Raheem Sterling allowed to join Arsenal on loan and Ben Chilwell briefly omitted from first-team training.

“Brutal? I don’t think so. I try to be honest,” said Maresca on his out-of-favour players at Chelsea.

“I can repeat again if it’s not clear: I spoke with Raheem before the City game. I said he is going to struggle to get minutes with us and this is the reason why he is out of the squad.

West Ham (away)

September 21

Brighton (home)

September 28

Nottingham Forest (home)

October 6

Liverpool (away)

October 20

Newcastle (home)

October 27

“With Chilly, I said he is a lovely guy, but he is going to struggle because of his position. He is going to struggle. If you define this as brutal, it’s up to you to decide. For me, it’s not brutal, it’s just honest.”

Chilwell was attracting interest from Turkey but failed to secure a move away from Stamford Bridge, with Marc Cucurella now the much-preferred option for Maresca at left-back.

Maresca also decided to let David Datro Fofana leave Chelsea recently. The Ivorian joined Turkish Süper Lig club Göztepe on loan, with Angelo Gabriel also sealing an out-of-window move to Saudi side Al-Nassr.

Chelsea have a bloated squad right now and PSR concerns mean they could have to seriously consider selling more players before the next financial deadline in 2025.

Another high-profile player who could be next to quit the club is winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who Chelsea signed for an initial £62 million (rising to £88.5m with add-ons).

There are suggestions that Mudryk is battling for his Chelsea future right now, and other reports claim that the Ukraine international could be let go at the turn of the year, either on loan or permanently.

Mudryk "desperate" to leave Chelsea with January exit "very possible"

TEAMtalk have shared an update on the possibility of this happening, whilst revealing the 23-year-old’s own stance on a winter move.

It is believed Mudryk is “desperate” to leave Chelsea, and a January move away for the player is “very possible”. The Blues are open to doing business with interested sides, coming after Maresca made it clear to the winger that he has some work to do to make his starting eleven regularly.

A loan move is seen as the most likely outcome rather than a permanent deal, with Marseille emerging as real suitors. The Ligue 1 side, led by ex-Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, have already signed a plethora of ex-Premier League players over the last few months, and they’re apparently big admirers of Mudryk.

Southampton are yet to get up and running in the Premier League this season, with only one goal scored and zero points on the board for Russell Martin's downbeat Saints from three lacklustre games.

The possession-heavy style that worked a treat in the Championship isn't quite working up a division for Martin and Co, with Thomas Frank's Brentford beating the South Coast side 3-1 last time out, despite only possessing 36% of the ball.

Plenty more will be expected from Martin's low-on-confidence group moving forward, therefore, especially from the likes of Ben Brereton-Diaz, who hasn't broken his goalscoring duck for his new employers yet in the Premier League.

Brereton-Diaz's performances for Southampton

The main bit of action that has caught the eye from Brereton-Diaz's short-term stay with the Saints to date was his wild outburst with Fabian Schar on the opening day, an incident which saw the Newcastle United defender receive a red card after retaliating.

Away from this moment of drama at St. James' Park, the former Blackburn Rovers man has been quiet up top, leading to Southampton's goal-shy displays worrying those on the South Coast.

From the first three Premier League fixtures of the season, the new Saints number 17 has only found the target once with an effort on goal but did see three of his shots get blocked versus Brentford last match.

It just hasn't worked out so far for the adopted Chile international during the infancy of his playing days for Martin's men, but the Saints boss will know he has lots more to give away from any shaky early performances, as Brereton-Diaz managed to net six goals from 14 league games playing for Chris Wilder's doomed Sheffield United last campaign.

His poor early start for his new employers hasn't negatively impacted his transfer value, however, when glancing at Football Transfers, with the ex-Riversiders striker worth a hefty £9.9m.

But, another new face that now calls St. Mary's home has seen his value increase above Brereton-Diaz's value already. That man is Yukinari Sugawara.

Sugawara's increasing value at Southampton

It is already looking like a masterstroke from those at Southampton involving a deal to pick up Sugawara for only £6m, with the Japan international already proving himself to be a gem for his new side.

The ex-AZ Alkmaar defender has the impressive label above his head currently of being the only goalscorer for the Saints this season in the league, firing home late on away at Brentford to try and raise spirits in the despondent away end.

Minutes played

45

72

90

Goals scored

0

0

1

Assists

0

0

0

Touches

41

62

100

Accurate passes

58%

75%

88%

Key passes

1

0

2

Total duels won

3/3

6/8

4/5

Endearing himself to his new set of supporters with lively and tenacious displays, with 100 touches of the ball managed last match against Brentford as a presence constantly trying to make openings happen, it isn't a great shock to see his value has increased already.

He was even described as an "awesome" talent by journalist Sam Tighe recently, off the back of his superb start in England.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Sugawara is now worth £10.2m as per Football Transfers, which is now around £300k more than his teammate Brereton-Diaz's value, but the former Alkmaar man could actually help the goal-shy forward get up and running in his new location soon by linking up with him even more in games to come.

Southampton fans knew that this campaign was going to be difficult, but there could be rays of positivity to come if the Saints can pick up a win in the league soon, starting with a tough lunchtime kick-off against Manchester United this coming weekend.

Sugawara would no doubt cement his status further as a new fan's favourite if he starred against Erik ten Hag's Red Devils, whilst Brereton-Diaz would love nothing more than to score his first-ever Saints goal this Saturday.

Reporter reveals dispute at Southampton which could now get Martin sacked

The next four weeks will be crucial…

2 ByTom Cunningham Sep 5, 2024

Nottingham Forest have made some questionable decisions in the transfer market after promotion back to the Premier League in 2022.

Signings of players such as Jonjo Shelvey and Omar Richards just simply haven’t worked out, with the latter spending the 2024/25 campaign on loan at sister club Rio Ave in Portugal.

As for Shelvey, he arrived from Newcastle United during the January window in 2023, only making eight appearances before being shipped out to Turkey after an alleged bust-up with then-boss Steve Cooper.

Such additions undoubtedly contributed to the club’s failure to meet the PSR limit for the previous financial year, with the Reds being hit with a four-point deduction last season.

However, there’s also another player who has failed to make an impact at the City Ground, with his big-money transfer now looking like a huge waste of money.

Emmanuel Dennis’ time at Nottingham Forest

After joining the club in a £20m deal from Watford back in the summer of 2022, striker Emmanuel Dennis arrived in the East Midlands with a lot of hype after scoring ten goals in the previous season with the Hornets.

However, his move to Forest has been nothing short of a disaster, with the Nigerian only making 25 appearances since his move two years ago.

As a result of his dismal form on Trentside, he spent last season on two separate loans at Istanbul Basaksehir, before rejoining former side Watford for the second half of the campaign.

Despite scoring four goals in the Championship, it wasn’t enough to force himself back into Nuno Espírito Santo’s side for the ongoing campaign – failing to make a single matchday appearance in any of the first three outings.

However, despite his recent failings at Forest, he’s still valued higher than one talent who once looked destined for big things at City Ground.

Emmanuel Dennis’ market value in 2024

Arvin Appiah came through the club’s academy before making his first-team debut as an 85th-minute substitute in the Carabao Cup defeat to Burton Albion back in 2018.

The youngster managed to get himself on the scoresheet, but it wasn’t enough to turn the game around – although his impact did result in numerous first appearances during the 2018/19 season.

Appiah ended up making six Championship appearances that season, before a shock £8m transfer to Spanish side Almeria that summer.

1. Brennan Johnson

£47.5m

2. Moussa Niakhate

£27m

3. Odysseas Vlachodimos

£19.9m

4. Orel Mangala

£19.7m

5. Britt Assombalonga

£15m

6. Matty Cash

£14m

7. Oliver Burke

£13.7m

8. Stan Collymore

£11m

9. Arvin Appiah

£8m

10. Michail Antonio

£7m

Whilst it may have been an unpopular decision at the time, he’s failed to kick on in his career, only scoring five goals in the last five years – featuring for six different sides in the process.

The now 23-year-old, who’s plying his trade for Nacional in Portugal, is only valued at £337k as per Transfermarkt, with Dennis still worth £3.5m despite his dismal spell in the Premier League.

On reflection, selling Appiah was a great decision by the club’s hierarchy, with his career failing to follow the trajectory that he was once on during his time at the City Ground.

Given his lack of impact, the club need to brutally part ways with Dennis, to avoid losing as much of the £20m fee as possible, with his time on Trentside nothing short of a disaster.

Nottingham Forest's recruitment department have their eyes on 21-goal star

The Reds will need to find more options up front as Chris Wood hits his mid thirties.

1 ByBrett Worthington Sep 2, 2024

Southampton are “looking at a deal” for Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury, who spent last season on loan at Watford, according to reports.

Who will Southampton sign this summer?

So far, there has been very little in the way of transfer activity at St. Mary’s, which is hardly surprising given their relegtion from the Premier League and loss of finances that come with it.

The Saints have an almighty task to bounce back at the first time of asking, though major clubs from the top flight are reportedly looking to steal away some of their best squad members.

Midfielder James Ward-Prowse, who starred as Southampton’s arguable best player last season, is attracting interest from the likes of Fulham and West Ham with the Englishman also open to leaving.

Meanwhile, other big sides are chasing Belgium international starlet Romeo Lavia, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool all linked to the 19-year-old recently.

Mislav Orsic has since departed on a transfer to Trabzonspor, while Mohamed Elyounoussi and Theo Walcott left the club on Bosman deals following their contract expiries.

Given Russell Martin could see some stars depart this summer, supporters will be eager to hear news of any potential incomings, with The Telegraph now sharing it.

Reliable journalists Mike McGrath and John Percy, writing for the outlet, claim Southampton are “looking at a deal” for Leicester’s Choudhury.

The Englishman, who was a regular on loan at Watford last season, could be allowed to leave the King Power but that final decision ultimately rests with Enzo Maresca.

Not much else is said in regards to Choudhury, but it appears Martin and co do have a few transfer targets in mind this summer.

What’s been said about Hamza Choudhury?

The 25-year-old was practically undroppable for Watford last campaign, playing the fourth-highest number of Championship minutes for them (WhoScored).

In that time, no other Hornets star made more tackles or interceptions per 90 than Choudhury, with the defensive midfielder proving to be a rock in front of Watford’s back four (WhoScored).

The former England Under-21 international has also been praised by members of the press, with Ben Jacobs calling him an “all-action” midfielder.

Commenting on Choudhury’s previous links with Newcastle, the reporter lauded his “tremendous vision”.

Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui has been assured that the club will make several first-team signings following the sale of Ruben Neves this summer, according to Dean Jones.

No side scored less goals than the club's 31 in the Premier League last season and with a talent like Neves leaving, there's a lot of work to be done to address the glaring weaknesses left in the squad.

Money was initially an issue for Wolves, with the club facing financial difficulties, but following the big-money sale of the Portuguese midfielder, there have now been assurances to Lopetegui that deals will be made and money will be spent.

What's the latest Wolves transfer news?

With their star player in Neves leaving, Wolves have their work cut out for them as they look to replace the midfielder's presence within the squad, and they've had their eye on a young, promising talent from the Championship.

Bristol City's Alex Scott is a name that is on the club's radar according to Birmingham Mail, but they face stiff competition for the prospect, with Serie A side Inter Milan also interested in him, Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb reports.

The club has been faced with financial difficulties lately, with Lopetegui admitting that competing in the Premier League would be difficult unless they fixed their money issues, but with the sale of Neves, they might have been handed a lifeline.

What has Dean Jones said about Wolves' transfer business?

While losing your highly-rated captain is never easy, the sale of Neves may have been a blessing in disguise for Wolves, with the money generated from his departure helping the club's money problems, Jones revealed.

Speaking to Football FanCast, the journalist said: "The sale of Neves really helps Wolves get back on their feet here. So, it's probably a relief to more than anything to Lopetegui. That Neves deal to Saudi really helps him."

According to Jones, the Wolves board has also assured the manager that they will be active this summer, saying: "He's been assured that the club will make signings. I still don't think it will be quite to the level he probably dreamed of a few months back and his vision is probably going to have to alter slightly."

How big a miss will Ruben Neves be to Wolves?

While making £47m on a sale is going to help Wolves massively off of the pitch, losing Neves is going to be a big blow on it.

Just in terms of his impact, no one in the side had a better average WhoScored rating than his 6.95 for the club last season and in a team starved for goals, he was the joint top scorer, with six Premier League strikes to his name.

He was head and shoulders above the rest of the side last year, being named Man of the Match on five different occasions, the most of anyone at the club and only Max Killman and Jose Sa played more minutes in all competitions than Neves' 3408, showing how heavily the club relied on him during their struggles.

So, of course, while the money will be a huge help to the side's current financial troubles, Neves is going to be a major miss for the club next season, and they'll almost certainly have a hard job replacing him.

Manchester United's search for a David De Gea replacement has led them to Thibaut Courtois, with the Glazers now launching a bid for the Real Madrid superstar according to reports in Spain, via Football 365.

Are Manchester United signing Thibaut Courtois?

The shot-stopper currently plays for Real Madrid and has spent five seasons with the Spanish side, adding even more silverware to his collection since leaving Chelsea. Having won a Premier League title with the Blues, he has since won La Liga with Madrid and has also bagged himself a Champions League trophy.

In 2022/23, he was unable to help his side to claim the league title though, despite featuring in 31 top flight games and conceding only 29 goals.

His showings over the last year have also led to the keeper re-establishing himself as arguably one of the best in his position in Europe, if not the greatest. The Belgian's save percentage of 78.9% for example puts him in the top five percent in that category and his crosses stopped rate has him in the top nine percent too.

It shows that he not only keeps out opposition attempts at goal but can command his box with confidence under barrages of long balls and crosses, something De Gea often struggles with.

And these showings have now led to interest from Man United. According to reports from Spain via Football 365, Red Devils chiefs have a real interest in Courtois and have launched a huge 80 million Euro (£69m) bid to land the player over the summer.

The club are of course in the market for a new shot-stopper, with De Gea potentially out of the exit door at Old Trafford. Courtois has Premier League experience to boot and they are apparently offering him £17m (about £325k-p/w) a year to sign on the dotted line.

When does Courtois' contract expire?

The player's deal with Real Madrid is set to expire in 2026, so the Spanish side would likely be hoping to hold onto him for longer than this summer. If a bid as big as this one is indeed on the table though, that could perhaps tempt them into a deal.

If United do land Courtois, they would be getting themselves a shot-stopper who has been described as "top class" by football journalist Josh Bunting and has certainly proven that to be true.

The journalist also added that the performance in the Champions League final against Liverpool was "immense" from the Belgian – and if the Red Devils could add him to their squad then, they would have a much more solid option in goal and some extra bragging rights over their rivals to boot.

Fulham are "on pole" for the signing of Fiorentina centre-back Igor Julio, and he is believed to be on closing in on an exit from his club, according to journalist Dimitri Conti.

Who could join Fulham this summer?

Marco Silva's side enjoyed a successful first campaign back in the Premier League last season, finishing in the top half and above the likes of west London rivals Chelsea.

They were even contending for a European spot at one point but fell just short with the likes of Aston Villa, Liverpool and Brighton beating them to Europa League and Conference League qualification places.

It was a promising season for Fulham and one which has resulted in plenty of interest in their key assets, with midfield star Joao Palhinha attracting interest from Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Man United.

Meanwhile, it is believed Silva wishes to reinforce his squad this summer as the domestic window officially opens today.

Gil Vicente striker Fran Navarro, for instance, is reliably believed to be of interest to Fulham with Man United duo Harry Maguire and Fred also on their radar.

It has also been mentioned that Fulham are plotting a move for Austria international and Wolfsburg star Patrick Wimmer, as they are with Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Another player they have been linked with is Igor, with reporter Conti sharing an update in a piece for TUTTOmercatoWEB.

According to his information, a major overhaul could occur at Fiorentina this summer as the future of manager Vincenzo Italiano appears to be resolved.

La Viola reached two major cup finals last season, but that apparently won't stop some players seeking pastures new, with Igor being one of them.

Conti says his suitcase is "already in hand", meaning he is on the verge of leaving, and Fulham are "on pole" to bring him to England.

The Whites are apparently favourites for his signing as they seek to build upon last season's brilliant efforts.

Who is Igor?

The Brazilian was one of Fiorentina's key defensive players last season – ranking in their top three for tackles made, interceptions and clearances completed per 90 in the Italian top flight (WhoScored).

He also sits sixth in their squad for most Serie A minutes played, and with just over 12 months remaining on his deal, Fulham could get him for a fairly reasonable price.

The left-footed centre-back is also still just 25-years-old, meaning he has many years at top level still feasilbly ahead of him.

Chelsea target Moises Caicedo will not be sold for £100m+ this summer but is expected to cost in the region of £70m-£80m from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Will Moises Caicedo be allowed to leave?

The Ecuadorian midfielder has enjoyed an impressive campaign on the south coast which has seen the Seagulls manage to secure a spot in the Europa League for next season.

Caicedo featured in 37 of Brighton's Premier League games this season and started in a whopping 34 of them (via Transfermarkt).

However, it does seem he could be set to leave this summer despite the prospect of European nights to come at the Amex Stadium next season.

Brighton have already seen Alexis Mac Allister depart this summer after the Argentine completed a £35m move to Liverpool on Thursday.

And it is believed that they will not stand in the way of the 21-year-old, Caicedo, who is expected to bring in considerably more money than his former teammate, Mac Allister.

Indeed, speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has provided some insight towards a potential move from the south coast to west London with Chelsea believed to be seriously interested:

"Chelsea are absolutely into the race. Chelsea are convinced that Caicedo is kind of perfect player for the idea.

What's the point? I heard something about £100m value for Caicedo. No, the idea from sources I spoke to is that Caicedo is gonna be worth maybe £70m/£80m no more than this."

Who is interested in Caicedo?

Of course, Chelsea have been credited with interest in the Ecuadorian midfielder ahead of the summer window but there are also other reported suitors.

According to Romano, there is interest also coming from other Premier League sides with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United keen on the 21-year-old.

This comes just months after the Gunners made a serious move Caicedo in the January transfer window which saw two bids – worth up to £70m – rejected by the Seagulls.

It is also believed Arsenal are set to launch their first bid for Declan Rice over the coming days but it has previously been suggested this would not deter their interest in Caicedo.

The Blues will not have any form of European football ahead of the new campaign, however, they will likely provide a financial battle to match any other side.

Todd Bohely's willingness to invest the cash into Chelsea since his arrival cannot be ignored with the Blues having spent around £600m over the last two transfer windows.

With N'Golo Kante expected to leave the club over the coming days and the likes of Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher also linked with potential moves away, the door could certainly open up for the Ecuadorian at Stamford Bridge.

Aston Villa are in the race to sign Villarreal defender Pau Torres this summer and have 'no concrete competitors' for his signature, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

What's the latest transfer news involving Pau Torres?

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa have made an 'official move' to sign Villarreal defender Torres this summer and his current employers may be forced to cash in on his services.

The report states that Torres is out of contract at the Yellow Submarine in 2024 and it is said that Aston Villa boss Unai Emery would be keen to link up with his former player.

90min also understand that Aston Villa are monitoring Torres and detail that he has a release clause in his £63k-a-week contract at Villarreal worth around €50 million (£43 million).

Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte has also been identified as an alternative target to Torres, with Aston Villa keen to sign some high-profile names to help them balance both domestic and European football next term.

FootballTransfers have revealed that Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus are in the race to sign Torres in the off-season as they look to bolster their respective backlines.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Galetti thinks that Aston Villa could have a free run at pursuing Torres this summer due to complications within Juventus and Tottenham's interest.

Galetti said: “[Aston Villa are] On his track at the moment. There are also Tottenham and Juventus but Spurs, before finalising any market choice, have to wait for the new director. At the same time, the Bianconeri for different reason have yet to understand how all the extra issues will end up. And at the moment, they cannot make any operation on the transfer market. So, we can say that Aston Villa have no concrete competitors in this moment.”

How did Pau Torres get on in 2022/23 for Villarreal?

All things considered, Torres, who has been hailed as "sensational", enjoyed another solid season for Villarreal and it is unsurprising that several clubs are courting his services heading into the transfer window.

In 2022/23, the Spaniard made 39 appearances in all competitions for his current employers, registering a solitary strike, as per Transfermarkt.

As per WhoScored, Torres managed to make an average of 4.1 clearances per fixture in La Liga, showing his agile nature when faced with dangerous attacking situations.

FBRef illustrate that Torres is also excellent in bringing the ball out from the back and has fared well in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions in the art of progressive carries, managing 2.24 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the first percentile for this metric.

One of his most unrecognisable strengths is his speed, which saw him clock in at 21.6 miles per hour back in 2021, which put him amongst the top 5 fastest players in the La Liga that year.

Aston Villa are a side on an upward trajectory and being able to attract someone like Torres to Villa Park will only strengthen their credentials as an established Premier League outfit moving forward.