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Wolves are reportedly eyeing up a summer move for Tottenham Hotspur defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.

The Lowdown: Kilman out?

Chelsea are reportedly considering a move for Max Kilman in the summer, and as a boyhood Blues fan, it may be too hard for him to turn down.

That would mean that the Midlands club would have to dip into the market for a new centre-back, if they had not planned to do so already, given the injuries they have had in that position so far this term.

The Latest: Carter-Vickers in?

As per TEAMtalk, Wolves are among a number of clubs who are monitoring the progress of Carter-Vickers ahead of a potential swoop in the summer.

Leicester City, West Ham United, Burnley and Watford are doing the same, while Middlesbrough, West Brom and Bournemouth are also showing interest.

However, Celtic want to sign him on a permanent deal from Spurs after his loan at Parkhead expires, and they have negotiated an option-to-buy which is worth more than £10m including add-ons.

The Verdict: No-brainer

Given the injuries that Bruno Lage’s team have had at centre-back, and the rumours that Kilman could leave, it is surely a no-brainer for Wolves to try and snap up Carter-Vickers in the summer.

Described as ‘quick’ by his former Bournemouth manager Jonathan Woodgate, the American is unusually fast for a man of his 6 foot 1 stature. He can also execute the ‘ugly’ side of the game, as former Lilywhites teammate Jan Vertonghen even went as far as to call him a ‘beast’ when the 24-year-old was coming through the ranks in north London.

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Dubbed ‘excellent’ this season by former Hoops striker Chris Sutton, Carter-Vickers is currently ranking as the joint-seventh best player in the Scottish Premiership, and the best centre-back (WhoScored); and with his contract expiring, now is the best time for the Old Gold to pounce.

In other news, Wolves are also eyeing a move for this ‘sensational’ midfielder

Paddy Kenny has given his reaction to some news that he has now heard from Mehrdad Ghodoussi at Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Staying at SJP

In an interview with The Athletic last week, Magpies co-owner Ghodoussi revealed the North East club will be staying at St James’ Park, instead of building a new stadium.

They will also be looking to expand the ground beyond its current capacity, as they continue to build for the long-term project.

The Latest: Kenny reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League goalkeeper Kenny has now given his reaction to the news, and the 43-year-old was nothing short of delighted:

“It’s a brilliant move, there is so much tradition there.

“Newcastle fans are really passionate fans, they sell out every week. I’ve played there before it’s amazing.

“The place has been electric since the takeover and you can only think that will continue.

“Expanding is a good idea. It’s almost the next stage of their development as a club.

“It’s always full so I’m sure Newcastle would have no problem filling an 80,000 seater.

“It’s a great stadium to go to now so imagine the noise if there are 80,000 in there, that will be special.“

The Verdict: Another step

The expansion of the stadium is another step towards fulfilling the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium’s ambitions of becoming a real powerhouse in English football, and then eventually on the world stage.

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It is a great gesture as well to stay at St. James’ Park, a ground that the Toon Army have become attached to as their home, which they will now hope can become a fortress over the next few years.

Nonetheless, increasing the capacity will also attract more fans to the games, not just locally, but from around the world as well if they are successful, which will only help the Tyneside outfit build further.

In other news, find out what big transfer update has now emerged from NUFC here!

Celtic ‘will continue to keep tabs’ on Bristol City’s Antoine Semenyo, but he could prove to be too expensive for the Hoops. 

That’s according to freelance sports journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was speaking to GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Celtic sent senior scout Craig Strachan to watch Semenyo in action against Reading last month (via Bristol World). The 22-year-old is capable of operating anywhere across the frontline and has less than 18 months remaining on his contract at Ashton Gate (via Transfermarkt).

However, Bristol Live’s James Piercy has claimed that the Robins have slapped a £20m price tag on the forward. For context, Celtic’s record signing up to this point is Odsonne Edouard, who only cost them £9m.

The latest

Nontheless, O’Rourke believes that Celtic have yet to give up hope of signing Semenyo despite the warning over his price tag.

The journalist told GiveMeSport: “I’m sure Celtic will continue to keep tabs on him. But if it comes down to pricing, I think Celtic will be priced out of it.”

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The verdict

It’s no surprise that Celtic are interested in Semenyo. He’s impressively racked up 14 direct goal contributions in the Championship this season, with six goals and eight assists to his name.

Only six players in the entire division have set up more goals (John Swift, Harry Wilson, Chris Willock, Sorba Thomas, Jed Wallace and Ryan Giles), and they have all played at least four more games than Semenyo (via BBC Sport).

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Furthermore, Robins manager Nigel Pearson has said that the 22-year-old’s ‘power and pace’ make him a ‘nightmare to play against’.

Celtic perhaps shouldn’t give up hope just yet because Semenyo’s contract situation puts Bristol City in a difficult position. As it stands, they know that he could walk away for free in just over a year’s time, so they could be willing to compromise on his transfer fee as a result.

In other news, Stiliyan Petrov criticised this Celtic star on Sunday over one ‘poor’ moment 

Wolves defender Ki-Jana Hoever could return from injury after the upcoming international break, according to expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Hoever sidelined

The Old Gold picked up another crucial Premier League victory on Sunday afternoon, winning 1-0 away to Everton thanks to Conor Coady’s second-half header.

One player who didn’t partake in the win was Hoever, with the young right-back unavailable since going off early in the 2-0 loss at home to Crystal Palace earlier this month.

Bruno Lage controversially criticised the Dutchman’s professionalism after the injury, suggesting that he didn’t prepare correctly before the game.

The Latest: Dinnery makes positive claim on Hoever

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Dinnery provided a positive update on Hoever’s progress, suggesting that the 20-year-old could return in early April after the internationals.

The injury expert simply stated: “Ki-Jana Hoever could return after the break.”

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The Verdict: Vital for season run-in

With Nelson Semedo sidelined for the foreseeable future, it is vital that Hoever returns as soon as possible as Wolves continue to eye up European football next season.

Jonny has done well at right wing-back filling in for both players in recent weeks but he still doesn’t possess the natural width in that role compared to on the left-hand side.

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Hoever may feel that he has a point to prove to Lage upon his return following the aforementioned criticism, and he could see it as a perfect opportunity to get back in his manager’s good books, with the Wolves boss having previously hailed the young defender’s “aggressive” nature.

In other news, Tim Spiers hailed one ‘outstanding’ Wolves player against Everton. Find out who it is here.

Everton grabbed a vital three points in the Premier League on Thursday night with a 1-0 win at home to Newcastle United.

Alex Iwobi scored the winner deep into injury time after the match was delayed for several minutes when a protester tied himself to one of the goalposts at Goodison Park.

It was not plain sailing for the Merseyside club by any stretch of the imagination, though, as the visitors had more possession of the ball and more shots on goal. The Transfer Tavern have used statistical experts SofaScore to analyse who the three worst performers (to have played at least 45 minutes) were for the home side on the night:

Demarai Gray (6.7)

Given a 6.7 rating, Gray ranked as the Toffees’ third-worst player.

The winger lost out on six of his seven duels and failed to record a single shot on target, while he also gave the ball away 10 times.

Struggling to make any major impact, Gray was substituted off for Dominic Calvert-Lewin with the score still at 0-0.

Abdoulaye Doucoure (6.6)

Admittedly tied as Everton’s worst starter in terms of overall rating (6.6), Doucoure ranks second here as he at least kept a clean sheet as a defensive midfielder.

However, the Frenchman lost a player-high 13 duels and never managed a shot on target, successful dribble, interception or key pass, losing the ball on 13 separate occasions.

He also committed four fouls, again more than any other player on the pitch.

Richarlison (6.6)

With a 6.6 rating, Richarlison ranks as the Blues’ worst performer on the night.

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The Brazilian was unsuccessful in a mammoth 12 of his duels, while he managed no shots on goal at all and lost the ball 15 times, committing three fouls in the process.

In other news, find out why Anthony Gordon ‘fumed’ at Ben Godfrey

Former Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has spoken to Newcastle target Charles De Ketelaere following links of a move to St James’ Park.

The Lowdown: Newcastle links

Nicknamed ‘King Charles’, the creative 21-year-old midfielder appears to be on Newcastle’s radar ahead of the summer transfer window.

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Reports have linked the Magpies with a move for the Club Brugge star, suggesting that they were in the picture for a potential €40m (£33.3m) deal at the end of the season.

De Ketelaere has been in fine form in recent months, contributing to 26 goals in 41 games in all competitions in 2021/22, with Pep Guardiola impressed by the Belgian’s display against Manchester City in the Champions League during the autumn.

The Latest: Mignolet’s comments

Sport Witness relayed comments from De Ketelaere in a story on Saturday.

The 6 foot 3 midfielder was told by former Sunderland goalkeeper Mignolet that ‘there’s not much to do in Newcastle’, with the 34-year-old possibly trying to put him off a move to England.

The Verdict: Shrewd target

De Ketelaere appears to be a star of the future and has impressed in the Jupiler Pro League with plenty of goals and assists.

The Magpies will have the funds for a big-money transfer following their takeover, so it could be a realistic deal to pursue, so long as the player isn’t put off by a move to Tyneside after Mignolet’s comments.

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Newcastle have just two attacking midfielders on the books at this moment in time, so bringing in a third could be a shrewd move in the long run.

In other news – Deal agreed: Lee Ryder drops big Newcastle update during international break on ‘hard-working’ gem

According to several reports from various Italian publications (via Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur are one of a number of clubs plotting a move to sign Paulo Dybala this summer – with the forward having failed to agree a contract extension with Juventus, meaning he will become available on a free transfer at the end of the current campaign.

Indeed, Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Fabio Paratici’s position at Spurs gives the Premier League side an immediate advantage over the rest of the competition for the Argentina international’s signature, as the managing director was the man to sign the £36m-rated Dybala for Juventus back in 2015.

Meanwhile, Corriere dello Sport suggest that Antonio Conte’s role as the Tottenham coach will only intensify the north London side’s interest in a move for the 28-year-old, as the Italian is said to be a huge fan of the £222k-per-week attacker.

However, with Spurs having recently committed £37.5m to the signing of Dejan Kulusevski – a player who has highly impressed since his January switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – does Conte really need a player in the mould of Dybala this summer? Our writers give their verdicts below…

Dan Huggins

“Unless Daniel Levy is planning for a very busy and expensive summer, Dybala really shouldn’t be high on his list of priorities. Where exactly does he fit into Tottenham’s current 3-4-3 formation? Will his £222k-per-week wages be worth it? Who drops to the bench in his place? It’s a huge risk – unless Antonio Conte is planning for a tactical re-shuffle. 

“Fabio Paratici needs to look at the problem areas in the squad first – such as at full-back and in the heart of the Spurs defence – before he looks to make a marquee signing up-top. However, perhaps he is preparing for life without Harry Kane – in which case the signing of Dybala on a free would be a brilliant piece of business.”

James Thompson

“If Spurs were to sign Dybala on a free transfer, it would be a great piece of business for the club – as well as being something that highlights the benefits of having Paratici and Conte pulling the strings behind the scenes.

“Spurs supporters will be rubbing their hands together at the mouth-watering prospect of the Argentine playing alongside the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min in what could become an incredibly deadly trio – something that would undoubtedly make Tottenham a force to be reckoned with next season.

“Possessing impeccable technical ability and a clear eye for goal, Dybala has shades of Aguero about him. Also, given the pedigree the 28-year-old has from his trophy-laden spell at Juventus, not to mention boasting a wealth of Champions League experience, Dybala will have the exact sort of mindset that Conte wants in his players.”

Daniel Emery

“It would be an obvious – almost lazy – move given the historic links between Dybala and Paratici. Lazy is not always a bad thing, though, as the 28-year-old would strike up an instant connection with both Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski at Spurs, allowing him to hit the ground running.

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“He would offer Conte further strength-in-depth in his three-man attack, as well as affording the Italian the chance to switch up his formation. Dybala can play out on the right, in the number 10 role or as a centre-forward – something which means Spurs could utilise him in a multitude of ways in order to link up with the likes of Kane, Son and Kulusevski.

“The Argentine is at his best when cutting in off the right to bend the ball into the far corner with his left foot in Arjen Robben-esque fashion. He also catches the eye with his diminutive and silky play in possession as he drops deep to pick the ball up – in a similar vein to Kane – and his technical ability is one of the reasons why he could be a phenomenal signing.”

AND in other news: “Definitely”: Alasdair Gold drops behind-scenes Spurs update that supporters will love

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Newcastle United are one of the teams interested in signing Bologna defender Aaron Hickey.

What’s the story?

Posting on Twitter, Romano claimed: “Newcastle are interested in signing Bologna fullback Aaron Hickey. Potential fee £15-20m not an issue, he’s considered a top talent – but other clubs monitoring closely. #NUFC Hickey has played more minutes than any other teenager in Europe’s top five leagues this season.”

Part of Newcastle’s future

Able to play anywhere across the back-line, the £13.5m-rated Hickey has already shown incredible versatility, and it’s something that Eddie Howe would surely embrace.

The 19-year-old has been a regular presence for Bologna, making 27 appearances in Serie A, scoring four goals and providing one assist.

With stints at left-back, left-midfield, right-back and right-midfield, Hickey is getting a footballing education in Italy, and it’s no surprise that he has been tipped to transition into midfield more permanently in the future.

Craig Levein, the man who gave the teenager his senior debut, pointed out: “He’s got really good defensive qualities but I don’t know if he’ll end up being a full-back, he might end up going back into midfield. He could be a fantastic holding midfielder with his great awareness of danger and his ability to get out of tight situations with the ball at his feet.”

With a passing accuracy of 84.1% in Serie A (the fourth-best of any Bologna player to have started more than ten games this season), and averaging 1.4 tackles per game (again, the fourth-best among his teammates), he certainly has the ball-playing skills and reading of the game to thrive in central midfield in the future.

At just 19, Hickey is already building up considerable experience in playing at the highest level for a side competing Italian football’s top-tier, while he should find it easier to acclimatise to the Premier League given his stint in Scotland.

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The teenager’s arrival would surely have supporters excited.

AND in other news – Sold for £36.9m, now worth £720k: Newcastle enjoyed a blinder with “unplayable” flop

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta could now consider signing a Premier League star in January amid the club’s injury concerns.

Arsenal's potential transfer plans for January

While most anticipate a fairly quiet window for the north Londoners after they spent nearly £270 million in the summer, the prospect of a fresh face arriving next month hasn’t been entirely ruled out.

Mikel Arteta’s squad has been ravaged by injuries yet again this campaign, with a seismic 17 players out of their 25-man squad ruled out through injury or illness on at least one occasion so far.

They were also without a plethora of key attackers at one point, but Kai Havertz and Max Dowman are now the only attacking casualties, with Gabriel Jesus also back after spending 11 months on the treatment table.

Instead, Arsenal are seriously depleted at the back.

Related Arsenal set sights on AC Milan duo with 'serious' discussions already held

The Rossoneri pair are attracting real north London interest.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini

Ben White is set to be out for ‘at least’ one month after injuring his hamstring in the dramatic 2-1 win over Wolves last weekend, coming as a blow for the player given he was just getting back to full speed in recent weeks.

Gabriel Magalhaes also remains out with a thigh injury he got on international duty last month, while summer signing Cristhian Mosquera is still sidelined with an ankle problem.

Luckily for Arteta, Riccardo Calafiori has now returned from suspension, with Piero Hincapie and William Saliba also available to fill in at the heart of Arsenal’s defence.

Even with the likes of Mosquera, White and Gabriel out right now, Arsenal are still pretty well-stocked at the back overall, except maybe at right-back where Jurrien Timber is their only available senior option.

Taking that into account, this latest piece of news from CaughtOffside and journalist Mark Brus today comes as a bit of a surprise.

Arsenal to consider January move for Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi

According to their information, Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi could find himself on Berta’s transfer radar in the winter window.

The England international’s contract expires next summer, meaning he will soon become one of 2026’s most sought-after free agents, and Premier League clubs could either snap him up for nothing later this year or sign him for a cut-price fee in January.

CaughtOffside state Arsenal may consider a January move for Guehi amid concerns surrounding squad depth and injuries, particularly in midfield and defence.

They write that he is a ‘big-name’ option who could come into play next month, alongside highly-rated Rennes youngster Jeremy Jacquet, who they’ve been linked with before.

Subscribe to the newsletter for transfer & squad insight Want clearer transfer context? Subscribe to the newsletter to access deeper analysis of transfer rumours, squad depth and injury impacts across top clubs, giving clear context around links like Guehi and how they could shift defensive plans. Subscribe Subscribe to the newsletter for transfer & squad insight Want clearer transfer context? Subscribe to the newsletter to access deeper analysis of transfer rumours, squad depth and injury impacts across top clubs, giving clear context around links like Guehi and how they could shift defensive plans.

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Arsenal made contact over a deal for Jacquet in the summer, according to Fabrizio Romano, and the 19-year-old is apparently still being monitored by their recruitment team ahead of 2026.

In terms of Guehi, the 25-year-old would undoubtedly be a stellar addition and a potentially bargain price, but it is difficult to see where he would fit into Arteta’s current squad.

The Palace stalwart would surely want a guaranteed starting place, though with Saliba and Gabriel standing out as one of Europe’s best central defensive partnerships, Guehi would face a major battle to get into their starting eleven.

With rumoured competition from the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, Man United and Tottenham, who’ve all been linked with Guehi, the defender also has his pick of other top clubs heading into next summer.

Related Fabrizio Romano: Arsenal without star for at least a month after fresh injury

Arteta’s side are ravaged with fitness concerns.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini

A little known fact for you: today was the first Liverpool Premier League game without Steven Gerrard registered in the squad since May 1998. That’s 17 years with a tub-thumping Gerrard at the heart of all things Liverpool.

It was always going to difficult (impossible) to replace Gerrard but it will be very interesting to see how the club move on with their favourite son tearing it up for LA Galaxy in the MLS.

Liverpool’s first game of this season, against the same Stoke team that tore them to shreds with a 6-1 drubbing on the final day of last term, offered as a few tantalising clues of what can be expected post-Gerrard – even if it did end up being a relatively dour 1-0 win for the Reds.

Grab yourself a biscuit and enjoy our three things we learned about a Liverpool sans Gerrard offering

1. Milner and Henderson just won’t do

James Milner and Jordan Henderson (especially the latter now he’s got the captaincy) have got some big boots to fill and, on today’s showing, but are going to need to up their game considerably.

Between the two of them they offer fantastic honest hard graft but what was clear from today was that Liverpool were desperately missing some creativity from deep. Phillipe Coutinho and Adam Lallana, though nott setting the world alight themselves (until the Brazilian’s scorcher), were starved of possession from early on and consequently Liverpool failed to ever really click into gear.

The supposed theory behind having Henderson and Milner as a deep-lying two posits that this will build a foundation for Liverpool’s more gifted attaching midfielders to work off, but on the evidence of today, this s

2. Someone needs to step up and become the main man at Anfield

Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling. Regardless of what they did or didn’t achieve at the club, these are all BIG characters with distinctive playing styles that have left Anfield in the last couple years.

Of course, when you’re bringing in an influx of new names and faces, it’s always going to become difficult to achieve a solid identity or persona, in the same way that Gerrard characterised everything about the club or Suarez brought to life those around him in only the way he can.

This one is just a matter of time and hoping that certain individuals begin to impose themselves on both the team and the club in a manner necessary for the club to continue challenging at the business end of the season. Phillipe Coutinho showed glimpses of what he’s fully capable of last year and after providing the decisive moment in the win at Stoke, Liverpool fans will be desperate for him to push on and do for the club what Eden Hazard has done, for example, at Chelsea.

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3. The team feels it lacks an identity

Wasn’t this season supposed to be the season we see Liverpool fully adopt the certified Brendan Rodgers brand of passing football?

Admittedly Stoke isn’t the easiest place to come to play football – reference any sort of Stoke-based meme from the last five years – yet Liverpool looked a long way from displaying a coherent system.

Where does Emre Can fit into the system and are Phillipe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino too alike to fit into the same starting XI? Despite a promising win in the first game of the campaign, there are still a lot of questions that need answering at Anfield.