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Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce is in talks with Stade Brest over the signing of left-back Romain Perraud this summer, although they are set to face significant Premier League competition for him.

What’s the story?

Despite the Magpies signing Jamal Lewis from Norwich last summer and seeing Matt Ritchie make an impressive return to form in the final few weeks of the Premier League season, it seems that Bruce is keen on landing a new left-back.

According to French publication L’Equipe (via Get French Football News), the Tyneside club, along with Leeds United and Southampton, are in negotiations with Brest over bringing Perraud to the Premier League.

The report added, however, that the Saints currently lead the race to sign him and are hopeful of completing a deal in the coming days.

Far better than Lewis

In the £7.2m-rated Perraud, not only would they be getting a solid defender, but also someone who really comes into his own going forward and provides his team with a vital attacking outlet – this season has seen him record an impressive seven assists in Ligue 1 alone, compared to the measly one that Lewis managed.

Speaking on his podcast, The Athletic’s Leeds correspondent Phil Hay said: “He’s starting to become one of the leading left-backs, seen by many people, as the best left-back or one of them in France’s top division.

“It’s very clear from the performance data that he’s a very attacking left-back, who is good at creating chances, taking shots himself, a real threat going forward, but also really good at employing the press, good as part of a team that likes to press aggressively.”

A player profile from Get French Football News states: “Romain Perraud rapidly became a fan-favourite at the Stade Charlety, thanks to some Roberto Carlos-esque rockets from outside the box. Keeping everything in perspective, Perraud’s style is, on some points, quite similar to the former Real Madrid full-back’s. He has a fighting mentality, an incredible shot power and a left-foot that has proven throughout the season to be a deadly weapon for set-pieces.”

When you compare Perraud’s and Lewis’ stats, they are night and day. The Frenchman averaged more shots, key passes, dribbles, tackles and interceptions per game in the league last season and, at 23, is only a few months older than the Magpies defender.

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It’s no surprise that, given how Lewis has even fallen behind Ritchie in the pecking order, Bruce is keen on bringing in a more exciting, and attacking left-back this summer.

Meanwhile, Steve Bruce is interested in this Scottish starlet…

Journalist Ryan Taylor has now dropped some Newcastle United transfer news on Hugo Ekitike.

The Lowdown: January bid

A reported £33m deal for Ekitike to move to St. James’ Park from Reims fell through on deadline day in the January transfer window, so Chris Wood from Burnley was the only striker brought in to boost Eddie Howe’s forward ranks.

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However, given recent links to the likes of Victor Osimhen and Arnaud Kalimuendo, it is clear that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) would like to bring in another forward to the North East in the summer, with Wood only finding the back of the net twice for the Magpies.

The Latest: Ekitike update

Taking to Twitter, Taylor has shared that the Tyneside outfit have now been ‘told’ that they can sign Ekitike this summer, following comments from Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot:

“Newcastle have been told they can sign Hugo Ekitike this summer after January deadline day deal collapsed. #NUFC

“Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot: ‘Hugo will be allowed to go & he’s probably going to leave.’ Also interest from West Ham, Wolves, Fulham.”

The Verdict: Exciting

The summer window is shaping up to be an exciting one for the Toon Army, and more so given this update on Ekitike.

Described as a ‘very special‘ player earlier on this season by Reims manager Oscar Garcia, the French teenager has a big future ahead of him, and many in France even go as far as to claim that he could be the ‘next Mbappe‘.

Like the now PSG superstar did at AS Monaco, Ekitike has burst onto the scene, with ten goals and four assists in 24 games in total over all competitions so far (Transfermarkt), and at just 19 years of age, he could be a real coup for the Magpies.

In other news, find out which NUFC target is ‘definitely an upgrade on Ciaran Clark’ here!

Southampton have been linked with a move for Young Boys striker Jean-Pierre Nsame recently, and he could prove to be a superb addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad this summer.

What’s the word?

According to TEAMtalk, Southampton, Newcastle United, West Ham and Celtic are all considering a move for the Cameroon international, who has been in superb form for the Swiss club since joining from Servette in 2017.

The 27-year-old has experience in both the Europa League and the Champions League and boasts one of the most consistent goalscoring records in Europe, so it is easy to see why he is a man in demand ahead of the summer.

Would he be a good signing?

In 169 appearances for Young Boys, Nsame has contributed a superb 97 goals and 26 assists, which included 32 goals in as many league appearances last season. He is on 25 goals for the current campaign.

Whilst Gerardo Seoane’s side are clearly the dominant force in Switzerland, you cannot question Nsame’s reliability in front of goal, and he would surely prove to be well worth the risk if he were able to replicate this form in the Premier League.

Hasenhuttl has already suggested that Southampton will target players who are likely to cost £10m or less this summer, and given that Nsame is valued at just £6.3m by Transfermarkt, he definitely seems to fit the bill for the Saints.

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Given that Southampton have been hugely reliant on Danny Ings, Che Adams and James Ward-Prowse for goals this season, it would definitely be a good idea to add another prolific striker to the mix ahead of next season, as squad depth is certainly something the Saints lack at this moment in time.

Certainly, if Ings ends up leaving the south coast this summer, then a replacement will need to be brought in, and Nsame could well be the man to step up in his absence.

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The fact that he has been able to find the back of the net in Champions League and Europa League qualifying matches certainly suggests that he could perform in a higher-quality league than the Swiss top flight, so Martin Semmens should definitely consider bringing him to St Mary’s this summer.

In other news… Bye-bye Vestergaard: Semmens should seal Saints swoop for £4.5m-rated beast this summer

Noel Whelan has offered his thoughts on Connor Goldson’s contract situation at Rangers…

What’s the talk?

Ex-Premier League striker Noel Whelan has said that Goldson’s contract situation at Ibrox is worrying as he only has 12 months left to run on his current deal.

The central defender will become a free agent in the summer of 2022 if he does not put pen to paper to an extension on his current £27k-per-week deal, which Whelan is backing the club to get done.

He told Football Insider:

“It is a big worry, absolutely.

“He was so important to them last season. We all know what a good player he is and he is the one constant in that backline. I’m sure there is a huge amount of respect between him and Steven Gerrard.

“Negotiations over new contracts are never as easy as you think. Rangers will have a finite amount of money that they can pay in wages but talks will be ongoing.

“To be honest, I can see him signing a new deal. He is at a club that is going in a great direction. He has the Champions League to look forward to this year.”

Fans would be devastated

Ross Wilson must avoid making a howler with Goldson over the next 12 months. The Rangers chief has to ensure that he can pin him down to a contract extension as soon as possible to avoid losing him for nothing next summer, which would undoubtedly infuriate the fans.

Supporters would be devastated to see one of the club’s best performers depart on a free transfer, as Rangers would receive no money in return to replace him.

The £6.75m-rated beast was sublime in the Scottish Premiership last season as the club won the title, averaging a phenomenal WhoScored rating of 7.38 – a figure that only Joe Aribo, James Tavernier and Ryan Kent were able to better.

Earlier this year, Gers boss Steven Gerrard heaped praise on the former Brighton man, calling him an absolute “mountain” at the back and hailing his leadership. He told The Scotsman:

“Connor has been an absolute mountain for this team, a warrior.

“I can’t describe to you how well he has done for this team, not just in terms of what you have seen on the pitch but also his leadership on the inside of the club and his availability every single day.”

This shows how important the 28-year-old is to the club and why allowing him to leave on a free would represent a gigantic howler from Wilson.

He must now work hard behind the scenes to reach an agreement over fresh terms with the defender to secure his future at Ibrox. If not, it will leave fans furious for the club for allowing this situation to drag on.

AND in other news, Time to go: Rangers must ruthlessly axe £9k-p/w “warrior”, Gerrard doesn’t need him…

Middlesbrough are willing to listen to offers for Chuba Akpom this summer, Neil Warnock has confirmed.

What’s the story?

Akpom only signed for Middlesbrough back in 2020, having previously been on the books of Greek side PAOK earlier in his career.

But his spell at the Riverside hasn’t gone as well as he would have hoped for, with the 25-year-old scoring just five goals in 39 appearances for Neil Warnock’s side.

Boro are light on options in attack heading into the 2021/22 Championship season, with both Akpom and Uche Ikpeazu being the only recognised senior options for the first-team at this moment in time, after Ashley Fletcher and Britt Assombalonga departed at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

Warnock has recently revealed that Middlesbrough are willing to listen to offers for Akpom though, but only if their valuation of the forward is met.

“I think everybody knows if the right offer comes in, we’d consider that but at the same time, we are still looking at other forwards.”

Statistics speak for themselves

Akpom’s statistics don’t make for the best of reading from last year’s campaign, as Boro finished tenth in the Championship table under Warnock’s management.

The 25-year-old had an average Whoscored rating of 6.42, and chipped in with just five goals in total for the second-tier side, who would have hoped to have challenged for promotion into the Premier League last term, although an inconsistent run of results saw them miss out on a top-six finish. That Whoscored rating put Akpom 19th on the list in terms of ranking the Middlesbrough squad, which doesn’t make for the best of reading.

Akpom averaged 1.1 shots per game, but only mustered an average of 0.3 dribbles per game. Whereas Duncan Watmore was deployed as a makeshift forward during the second half of the 2020/21 season and had an average of 0.9 shots per game, whilst averaging 0.8 dribbles per game.

However, Watmore took the chances that fell his way, with the former Sunderland winger scoring nine goals for Boro last term, as they finished tenth in the second-tier standings.

Warnock has previously criticised Akpom after his performance earlier in the 2020/21 season, and labelled him as ‘very poor’.

He said:

“I’m hoping things calm down for him in the next couple of weeks and he can still contribute. He’s got everything in his locker.

“We speak a lot about inconsistencies and that isn’t limited to Chuba that’s right through the squad.

“But the last time he came on before Saturday, I thought he was really poor. The inconsistency around the team is what bugs me more than anything.”

It’s the right call to consider offers for Akpom this summer, but you can understand Warnock’s thinking behind only letting him depart if their valuation is matched, as they don’t have a considerable amount of options in attack ahead of the new Championship season.

Boro are set to take on Fulham in their opening match of the new campaign, in what is certain to be a tricky test up against Marco Silva’s side at Craven Cottage. Time will tell if Akpom is part of the squad. Boro will be hoping he’s not, as that should mean that another club has met his valuation.

If you’re a young player at Wolves, it’s incredibly likely you’ll get an opportunity to shine in the first-team.

Jeff Shi’s mantra since purchasing the club has been to buy players at a young age and progress them towards reaching their high ceiling.

Diogo Jota and Pedro Neto are two of Wolves’ biggest success stories since Fosun completed their takeover at Molineux but others continue to come through the ranks.

As well as buying for the first-team, the Old Gold have been keen to strengthen their options from an academy point of view.

They broke their record fee for an academy player by signing Christian Marques after they beat Bayern Munich to his signature. Another of their finest captures at youth level is Luke Matheson.

Amidst studying for his GCSE’s, the teenager scored at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup for Rochdale.

It’s a moment that has made his career as he broke into their first team at the tender age of 16.

What followed was a move to Wolves, who have yet to blood him at senior level.

However, it surely won’t be too long before he earns his opportunity under Nuno Santo. After all, he already has a taste for first-team action and has all the qualities that perfectly suit Wolves’ style of play.

Unfortunately, he does have plenty of players ahead of him in the pecking order. The Old Gold signed two right-backs last summer in Nelson Semedo and Ki-Jana Hoever.

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That said, Semedo has been a liability at times this season and has now been linked with a move to Roma.

If Wolves decided to cash in just a year after buying him, they should look to finally unleash Matheson at Molineux.

Speaking during his debut campaign at Rochdale, the teenager earned plenty of praise from manager Brian Barry-Murphy: “Luke is an exceptional guy. He is one player you would have no problems staying grounded and true to his family.”

The 18-year-old hasn’t developed as rapidly as many thought he would when he scored against Manchester United but he still possesses plenty of eye-catching traits.

After he signed for the club, scouting writer David Alexander Hughes told Birmingham Live: “In terms of his defensive work, the defender is exhibiting a strong tactical understanding of the game, reading opposition attacks well and making a decent amount of interceptions and possession recoveries per game.”

Hughes continued: “Matheson’s abilities in progressing the ball and providing a threat in the attacking third make him an ideal candidate to feature as a wing-back for Nuno’s side.”

He added: “Wolves have recruited a young and exciting defender who looks to have a very high ceiling. To be a regular within League One at just 17 is a true testament to his ability.”

Matheson is maturing all the time but after an unsuccessful loan spell with Ipswich, is now back in the U23s at Compton.

Nuno has always had a keen eye for young talent at Molineux; the 18-year-old must surely be near the top of his priorities, however.

AND in other news, Nuno must wield the axe on “uninspiring” £30k-p/w Wolves flop, he’s done at Molineux…

A major update has emerged about Southampton target Thomas Delaney, regarding Dortmund’s stance on his future. 

What’s the talk?

According to Sky Sports Germany, As relayed by Saints Extra and the EDP, Borussia Dortmund are ready to sanction a sale for Southampton target Thomas Delaney this summer, amid interest from the Saints, Crystal Palace and Norwich.

The report claims that Delaney would prefer a move to the Premier League over any other top division, handing a boost to the three English sides.

Wanyama 2.0

It’s time to say bye-bye to Mario Lemina this summer. Newcastle are reportedly keen on the Saints outcast and Martin Semmens needs topermanently axe him from the squad and put the funds towards a deal for Delaney ahead of next season to bolster Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad. Lemina has had loan moves to Galatasaray and Fulham in recent seasons but it is now time to cash in on him and get him off the books for good to help fund a move for Delaney.

The Danish midfielder could be Victor Wanyama 2.0 at St. Mary’s with his exceptional defensive midfield talent, which is why Semmens must sanction a swoop for him immediately.

Wanyama was a midfield beast for the club during his time on the south coast. He averaged superb WhoScored ratings of 7.12 and 7.02 in his final two Premier League seasons at Southampton, before moving on to Tottenham in 2016. The Kenyan was a rock in the middle of the park as he averaged 5.4 tackles and interceptions in his final campaign in red and white.

Throughout his career, Delaney has proven himself to be adept at winning the ball back for his side. He has a career average of 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game across over 150 competitive appearances, which is only 0.2 lower than Wanyama’s career average. This suggests that he is of a similar quality to the former Saints star and could arrive this summer and be the enforcer in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s midfield.

After a 1-0 win over Hoffenheim last season, Dortmund director Michael Zorc hailed the “outstanding” performance of Delaney at centre-back. The 29-year-old was deployed at the back due to the club’s injury issues and caught the eye with an excellent display.

Zorc said:

“We really deserved to win the game. We had to replace Lukasz Piszczek early on, but Thomas Delaney did an outstanding job in central defence.

“The introductions of Haaland and Reus gave us an additional attacking push and we created many goalscoring opportunities. We should have put the game to bed earlier, but we did our job here very well. When you consider as well that we haven’t won here for so long, I’m very satisfied.”

These quotes only emphasise Delaney’s quality and show that he is versatile in terms of where he can play on the pitch. The £85k-per-week beast has played at centre-back, defensive midfield and central midfield over the past 12 months for club and country.

He could be a terrific addition to Hasenhuttl’s squad and could provide the same qualities that Wanyama did at St Mary’s.

Semmens needs to get Lemina out of his squad and needs to strike a deal for Delaney as soon as possible before Palace and Norwich are able to swoop in for him.

AND in other news, Semmens could strike gold for Saints with swoop for 5ft 6 starlet, Ralph would love it…

A number of Sheffield United supporters have been left stunned by Rhian Brewster’s harsh red card for England’s Under-21s on Monday.

The Blades are currently preparing for Saturday’s Championship clash at home to Stoke City, as they look to respond after their 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth last time around.

Another international break has halted the domestic season for the time being, but a number of United players have been in action for their respective nations.

Someone who has had an unfortunate time of things is Brewster, after the young striker was sent off in farcical fashion for England U21s in their 1-0 win away to Andorra, with a video of the incident shared by The Bladesman (@The_Bladesman) on Twitter.

The 21-year-old received a second booking for an innocuous foul, summing up his struggles since leaving Liverpool, which has seen him score just once in 38 Blades appearances.

Sheff Utd fans react to Brewster sending off

These United supporters took to Twitter to react to Brewster’s unlucky red card, struggling to believe how harsh the decision was.

“Man, he can’t catch a break at the minute. Shocking decision”

Credit: @JackBarrett1889

“What did he actually get sent off for?”

Credit: @CMcB_89

“Quite frankly, ridiculous!!”

Credit: @LemonsTom

“That’s a really, really poor decision to send off Rhian Brewster last night”

Credit: @HoltChris

“That’s a shocker!”

Credit: @AlanBiggs1

“The refereeing in the Euros made me think things were getting better but this decision is ridiculous. Not even a foul”

Credit: @Mick616161

West Ham are back in action this afternoon as they look to return to winning ways in the Premier League.

David Moyes and his squad head to his old stomping ground, Goodison Park, to face an in-form Everton side who are above them in the standings.

Right before the international break, the Irons suffered only their second defeat of the 2021/22 campaign, losing late to newly-promoted Brentford at the London Stadium.

It leaves the Hammers in tenth place, though a victory up in Merseyside could see Moyes’ men overtake the Toffees, who currently occupy a spot in the top six.

There are plenty of selection headaches facing the Scotsman, however. He hinted at injury troubles in his pre-game press conference and it remains to be seen how fatigued some of his players are after the break, with many out serving their respective countries.

The starting XI that tasted an agonising defeat to the Bees is the manager’s usual team but with only one clean sheet in seven outings, perhaps it is time to tweak the backline.

Kurt Zouma should remain but maybe Moyes could opt for his fellow countryman, Issa Diop, over the vastly-experienced Angelo Ogbonna, who was amongst West Ham’s lowest-rated players (6.4) against Brentford.

The French duo struck up a very good partnership in their win over Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League, whilst his three 90 minute appearances this campaign have coincided with three clean sheets.

In recent seasons, he has struggled for game time, particularly under Moyes but Diop looks a different animal and it could be time to trust him in the Premier League.

He’s certainly going to outlast the likes of Craig Dawson and Ogbonna, who are in the thirties.

Valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, the 24-year-old beast was described as a “colossus” for his part in their Carabao Cup win over Manchester United by assistant manager Stuart Pearce, echoing the thoughts of Jose Mourinho, who once dubbed him a “monster” for a similar performance against the very same team in 2018.

At Old Trafford, the 6 foot 4 star recorded two tackles, three interceptions and two aerial duels won, via WhoScored, proving to be an absolute rock up against Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial and last season’s loan sensation Jesse Lingard.

The Toffees are not only in-form but on their day, they have a lethal frontline, including England international Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has bagged 19 goals in 36 league games since the start of last season, and Richarlison among others.

Diop’s aerial and physical ability could be exactly what Moyes needs to help secure a clean sheet against his former side, so on the above evidence, it would be a wise decision to unleash Diop from the off today.

AND in other news, David Moyes drops worrying West Ham injury claim ahead of Everton clash…

Celtic look set to sign Maccabi Petah Tikva forward Liel Abada, according to Israeli outlet One.

The Lowdown: First Abada links

The Scottish Sun shared news from Israeli sources regarding Celtic’s interest in Abada on Monday evening.

They suggested that the Hoops had joined clubs in Belgium, France and Greece in the race for the 19-year-old, and it seems to have stepped up a gear in less than 24 hours.

Abdada scored 13 goals last season playing as a centre-forward and a right-winger and it now looks as if he will become Ange Postecoglou’s first big signing as Celtic boss.

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The Latest: Deal close

Israeli site One shared a story on Abada on Tuesday, claiming he is on his way to becoming a Hoops player with a deal set to close in the next 24 hours.

Celtic are willing to pay €4m (£3.42m) for the teenager, who was set to fly to London on Tuesday and then up to Glasgow on Wednesday to complete a move.

Agent Dudu Dudhan, who helped seal Ismaila Soro’s Glasgow move last year, closed the deal for Abada.

The Verdict: A much-needed addition

Prior to the news on Celtic’s €4m move for Abada, the club’s only signings were Osaze Urhoghide, Liam Shaw and Joey Dawson on pre-contracts or free transfers, so spending some cash is a welcome sign.

Over £3m on Abada is much-needed, especially with the club’s Champions League qualifier just around the corner and lack of senior wide additions.

Abada has already made 76 appearances during his career, scoring 20 times and registering 10 assists.

He was clearly a player in-demand across Europe as well, so it seems as if the Hoops are getting themselves a highly-rated young international attacker capable of playing anywhere across the front line.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano claims Celtic are keen on £2.5k-p/w French ace, find out more here.