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Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce has confirmed that Joe Willock is fine ahead of his team’s Premier League clash against Wolves later this afternoon.

What’s the story?

Speaking just last week before the game against Watford, Bruce initially said: “Joe Willock picked up an injury in this week, unfortunately, and Jamaal Lascelles hurt his thigh. So they, unfortunately, go on to the injured list, which makes that about five or six of our first team.

“Not that healthy, I have to say. Disappointed. Joe’s was a complete fluke, unfortunately he kicked the ground, damaged his toe. He’ll not make this week, and probably touch and go whether he’ll make next week as well.”To the surprise of everybody, Willock made a quick recovery and was able to start that game against the Hornets as the Magpies came away with a point from Vicarage Road.Bruce has now confirmed a huge boost ahead of the clash against Wolves today by revealing that the 22-year-old has been partaking in first-team training again.

The manager said: “He’s been OK. He was desperate to play. He trained last Friday which was a surprise to us all. He’s going to train again today and he trained yesterday so he’ll be OK.”

Fans will be excited

The fact that Willock started last time out against Watford must have come as a pleasant surprise for most Newcastle fans, and while he didn’t exactly have a barnstorming game by any stretch of the imagination, he still showed exactly why he’s such a vital part of this Magpies team.

As per Sofascore, nobody could match the impressive five tackles that he made, while only one other player could equal his four shots on goal and two successful dribbles on the day – the kind of all-round, all-action display that Willock has often come to produce since joining Newcastle.

While he has yet to find the back of the net so far this season despite a goal-laden 2020/21 loan spell, he has still shown his importance to Bruce’s side with a squad-high 4.3 tackles per game, while only Saint-Maximin has averaged more dribbles per match than the former Gunners starlet.It’s exactly why fans should be excited with the manager’s confirmation that Willock should be fit and raring to go today against Wolves.Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Chris Waugh has dropped a promising Newcastle United takeover update…

Taking to Twitter, Norwegian journalist and football expert Andreas Korssund has shared an exciting transfer development out of Manchester City.

The Lowdown: City eye striker move…

Over the summer, Manchester City and sporting director/transfer chief Txiki Begiristain appeared desperate to sign an out-and-out centre-forward as the club parted ways with club legend Sergio Aguero.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/man-city-latest-updates/” title=”Man City latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

City’s all-time top goal scorer bid an emotional farewell to Eastlands nearly a decade after he was signed from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2011.

Pep Guardiola clinched the 2020/2021 Premier League crown, a Carabao Cup and guided his side to a first ever Champions League final without the use of a natural striker.

That didn’t sway City’s attempts to sign one alongside the club record acquisition of Jack Grealish, however, as bids were lodged for Spurs attacker Harry Kane.

The Sky Blues couldn’t prise him away from N17 in the end and even briefly turned their attention to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Dusan Vlahovic.

Erling Braut Haaland, a player many City supporters want to see at Eastlands, was also linked.

Now, another update has emerged on the Norwegian superstar.

The Latest: Journalist reveals exciting Haaland development…

As per Korssund, an exciting development has emerged involving City and the red hot Borussia Dortmund striker.

It is believed that ‘Manchester City are ready’ to sign the 21-year-old next summer and Begiristain is even ‘planning meetings’ with super agent Mino Raiola ‘already in January’ (Twitter).

Haaland’s well known €75 million (£63.8m) release clause becomes valid in June 2022 (Fabrizio Romano), presumably motivating City to get ahead of the competition and begin winter talks ahead of a swoop later in the year.

The Norway international is currently valued at around £117 million by Transfermarkt but City could bypass paying any nine-figure fee with the 2022 clause.

The Verdict: Get it done Txiki…

Out of all the out and out strikers linked with a move to the Etihad, Haaland stands out as, by some distance, the most exciting of them all.

The footballing world’s most sensational young forward and son of former Man City player Alf-Inge Haland, he racked up a head-turning 41 goals and 12 assists in all competitions over 2020/2021 (Transfermarkt).

A physical and aerial presence at 6 foot 4, something the Sky Blues have arguably been missing for quite some time going forward, he appears to be the perfect Man City signing.

In other news: ‘No way’, ‘Get him gone’, ‘Sell’…Man City fans erupt over news on £300,000-per-week star, find out more here.

Heading into their next Premier League clash at the weekend with a trip to Watford, Liverpool boast the best attacking record in the top flight with 17 goals scored in seven games.

One player who has featured heavily for the Reds so far this season and been a significant part of their attacking force over the years is Mohamed Salah, with nine goals in as many appearances across all competitions this season alone.

Since joining the Merseyside club back in the 2017 summer transfer window from AS Roma for a fee of £34m, the Egyptian has gone on to make 212 appearances for the Reds across all competitions, scoring 134 goals and providing 50 assists along the way. Furthermore, he has also won a number of team titles and individual awards during his time with the Reds.

On the international stage, Salah has made 71 appearances for Egypt’s senior side, scoring 43 goals in the process and showing just how important he is for his country as well as his club.

In terms of his market value, it was listed as £36m in October 2017 according to Transfermarkt shortly after he moved to Anfield, whereas it now stands at a massive £90m, showing just how much he has progressed and improved since joining Liverpool.

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that Salah, who has been described as an “incredible” footballer and person by Reds teammate Andy Robertson, has been a vital figure for Jurgen Klopp’s side since his arrival four years ago and arguably one of the best signings the club has ever made.

Looking ahead to the future, with Salah’s contract set to expire in 2023 and recent reports claiming that the club are trying to get him to sign a new one, we feel that Liverpool should be doing all they can to get the winger to pledge his long-term future to the Reds given how crucial he has been for them.

If he does sign a new contract with Liverpool and continues scoring a ton of goals, there’s every possibility that his market value could increase even further despite him turning 30 next June.

In other news: Klopp could seal Wijnaldum replacement at Anfield with “sublime” £49.5m-rated ace

Tottenham Hotspur spoiled Newcastle United’s takeover party at St James’ Park with a 3-2 victory on Sunday evening.

Nuno Santo’s side moved into fifth place, just four points away from league leaders Chelsea with the win, whilst the Magpies remained within touching distance of the bottom spot.

After falling behind to an early Callum Wilson opener, the Lilywhites quickly turned the game around before the break, thanks to goals from Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Kane and Heung-min Son.

All three played a substantial role in Spurs picking up a valuable three points but it was perhaps Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s influence in the heart of midfield that allowed the trio to dominate in the attack.

The great Dane was an absolute powerhouse in the engine room and much of the visitor’s play led through him, at both ends of the pitch, too.

As per SofaScore, the £36m-rated beast was graded as Spurs’ joint highest-rated player alongside Kane (8.0), whilst he enjoyed more touches (118) than any other player to feature for either side.

That only goes to show how influential he was on the ball and this correlated into an impressive 96% passing accuracy from 99 attempts, in which one was even a key chance.

The 26-year-old enforcer also registered a match-high eight tackles, helping thwart the main threat of the Magpies in Joe Willock. By comparison, Nuno’s whole back four managed just one more combined than Hojbjerg’s overall total.

It’s no wonder he has been lauded as a “monster” by former Denmark and Derby County midfielder Morten Bisgaard to The Athletic.

Hojbjerg was also rated favourably by the local press, with both the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick and football.london’s Alasdair Gold praising his performance in their respective post-game columns.

It’s also worth mentioning that it was his perfectly-timed through-ball that allowed Kane to score his first Premier League goal and it is also worth commending the presence of Oliver Skipp, who has allowed the former Saints captain to trundle forward without a worry in the world.

All in all, the Denmark international absolutely ran the show for Spurs and Nuno must be grateful as his side made it two wins from two.

AND in other news, Spurs could sign their next Ossie Ardiles in “exceptional” £18m-rated dynamo…

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been handed a boost regarding the fitness of Francisco Trincao ahead of their upcoming Premier League fixture.

What’s the latest?

According to a report by Birmingham Live, the 21-year-old winger, who missed Wolves’ 3-2 victory last weekend after falling ill while on international duty with Portugal, has returned to first-team training ahead of the trip to Leeds United on Saturday.

Speaking about the condition of the Barcelona loanee last week, Bruno Lage said: “For two or three days he didn’t feel well, but now he’s OK. He’s started training at home, so when he comes back he’ll have some training.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive Trincao has been since his arrival at Molineux on a season-long loan deal this summer, the news that the forward looks as if he will be available for selection this weekend is sure to have Wolves fans buzzing.

Indeed, despite being yet to find the back of the net or register an assist over his six Premier League appearances, the £19.8m-rated winger has nevertheless impressed for Lage’s side, taking an average of 2.5 shots – the most of any Wolves player so far this season – making one key pass and completing 3.2 dribbles per game.

These metrics have seen the Portugal international who Ronald Koeman dubbed an “excellent” talent earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as the club’s ninth-best performer in the top flight.

As such, while both Adama Traore and Daniel Podence highly impressed in the victory over Aston Villa last week – amassing two key passes and seven dribbles between them – Trincao’s return to Lage’s matchday squad will nevertheless come as a very welcome boost to the 45-year-old manager. He will undoubtedly be hoping his team can continue their extremely fine run of recent form against Marcelo Bielsa’s struggling Leeds United side on Saturday.

In other news: 1.3 key passes P/G: “Incredible” £900k-rated Wolves gem may be Doherty’s perfect heir

Sunderland have confirmed that 2,700 fans will be making the trip to West London this evening ahead of the club’s Carabao Cup tie with Queens Park Rangers.

And, as to be expected, a number of Black Cats supporters have been reacting to the official Twitter post.

Sunderland, the only side outside of the top two divisions left in the competition, will be looking to reach the quarter-finals by upsetting Championship opposition.

Lee Johnson has promised to freshen up his side ahead of a busy run of fixtures on the road, and his side will be backed with a huge following in the capital.

The club confirmed that the last-16 clash won’t be broadcast in the UK or overseas, but 2,700 fans will be making the trek from Wearside to the capital.

Sunderland fans react

The club wished fans travelling down to London a safe journey on Tuesday morning.

This is what these fans had to say in reply, with one labelling the number of supporters making the trip ‘tremendous’.

“LET’S GO”

Credit: @Rishabahram

“Amazing effort”

Credit: @Granda_Dave

“Tremendous”

Credit: @tomdawson97

“Wow”

Credit: @AdamSAFC97

“This is unbelievable btw, on a Tuesday night.”

Credit: @Sunlunfan

“Imagine not being this massive. What a club”

Credit: @PR_1879

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has revealed the latest on Leeds United star Raphinha amid recent transfer speculation linking him with a move away from Elland Road.

What’s the story?

Reports have suggested that the likes of Liverpool are interested in making a move for the recently-capped Brazil international, and Hay has now indicated that the Whites will expect to receive offers for him.

He said: “Very hard to say. He’s bound to attract bids. All a case of what they are and when they arrive. Needless to say, no way in the world that Leeds would want to lose him in January.”

How long can Leeds keep him?

As is probably the case with another one of Leeds’ talismanic figures, Kalvin Phillips, it’s really now a case of when those bids arrive, and what those respective clubs will be looking to pay for them.

Had the Whites really pushed on from last season when they finished in the top-half of the table in their return back to the top-flight, then keeping the likes of Raphinha and Phillips for a while longer would seem much more plausible.

But if their current form continues, and they look short of contending for a place in Europe, then it will be inevitable that interest will increase – something former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell has said about Raphinha in particular.

He said: “His stock is rising all of the time. Let’s not forget, there was already some interest in him last summer. Whether you like it or not, Leeds are not where they were 20 years ago. They are not what they once were.

“If one of the big boys comes in for him, Leeds will sell. They will sell. I think it is just a matter of time. I cannot see him being a Leeds player at the beginning of next season. If he continues to perform like this he will be gone.”

Hay’s claim is sure to worry fans about how much longer the Whites can keep hold of their talismanic winger. After all, it will be incredibly hard to replace his 19 goal involvements since arriving in Yorkshire.

Meanwhile, Graham Smyth has dropped an encouraging four-word Leeds United update…

Newcastle United’s new owners tried to bring recently-appointed Tottenham manager Antonio Conte to St James’ Park before landing Eddie Howe, according to The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Conte’s Tottenham U-turn

The Italian was also wanted by Tottenham over the summer, but he turned down the chance to move to north London prior to the 2021/22 campaign.

As we know, Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici ended up with Nuno Espirito Santo, who they sacked after less than five months in charge.

Conte, who has been described as ‘outstanding’ by Pep Guardiola and boasts five league titles to his name across two countries, then had a U-turn on the position at Spurs and officially joined the club earlier this month. However, it appears as if he was wanted elsewhere in England while Nuno was still in charge of Tottenham.

The Latest: The Athletic’s claim

The Athletic shared a story regarding Newcastle’s swoop for Howe on Tuesday morning.

Within their report, they suggested that the Magpies’ new owners courted Conte, along with former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino, before failing in a move for Unai Emery, which eventually led to a swoop for Howe.

The Verdict: Spurs counting their lucky stars

It seemed as if Spurs missed the boat when it came to bringing in Conte over the summer, so they’ll be thankful that the Italian had a change of thought regarding a move to north London and the fact that he didn’t relocate to Newcastle following an approach.

Conte was also looking at a possible move to Manchester United, but Spurs’ defeat to the Red Devils at the end of October meant that Nuno was sacked and Tottenham had a vacancy before the Manchester club, where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remains in charge but under pressure.

Things could have played out differently for both Spurs and Conte, so you’d expect that Tottenham are very thankful that they have the 52-year-old in charge instead of coming up against him with Newcastle.

In other news: ‘The real winner’ of Conte’s appointment will still be sold in Spurs clearout, pundit predicts

West Ham have had an incredible start to their season, currently sitting third in the Premier League, four points from top of the table. For Hammers fans this is the season of dreams so far.

Last term, West Ham finished in a respectable 6th place and it’s safe to say a certain injection of energy and attacking talent in the January transfer window played a huge part in the European qualifying position.

Jesse Lingard joined the Hammers on a loan deal from Manchester United during the winter transfer window and nobody could’ve predicted how integral he’d become for West Ham in the second half of their Premier League campaign.

The 28-year-old attacker in just 16 appearances for the East London scored nine goals, not to mention the impact he had on the players around him, assisting five strikes scored by his teammates too.

There was no doubt that after an impressive loan spell, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was keen to snatch Lingard back from West Ham, and David Moyes was well aware that was the case.

‘Ole made it clear to me quite early in the transfer window that he wanted to keep him. I knew pretty early in the transfer window that he was staying at Manchester United,’ Moyes said.

Despite committing to Manchester United, the England international, who’s contract ends in the summer, has failed to get the game time he had the pleasure of having at West Ham, and as a result, has been linked with a permanent move away from Old Trafford to east London.

West Ham should do everything in their power to secure the signature of the attacking midfielder. His versatility and determination going forward will add further cover in the attacking prowess and threat that West Ham must excel in to stay inside the top four this season.

There are so many benefits to signing Lingard to the London club, with not only his experience, in general, as a seasoned professional with 218 Manchester United appearances and 29 England caps, but he already has 4-5 months of experience playing in this West Ham side, understanding the vision and the culture of the team.

Lingard really enjoyed playing in particular with, West Ham number nine, Michail Antonio, in February he spoke about his ‘connection’ with his West Ham teammates.

“In training we have that connection and built it up fairly quickly. On matchday it is fairly easy to play with Michail Antonio and Declan Rice.”

The thought of those three players lining up alongside each other is a salivating thought for Moyes and the club’s supporters who would no doubt be delighted to see him back in claret and blue.

It would also ensure that West Ham start the Daniel Kretinsky era with a bang by signing the £80-per-week gem, continuing to challenge for the top four providing they can convince the midfielder to leave Manchester United before his contract ends.

In other news: Lingard could be Pogba’s replacement long term

Aston Villa are in a new era under Steven Gerrard and will be looking to capitalise on the opportunities which come with having such a high-profile leader manager at the club to attract new talent to Villa Park.

The Midlanders had a busy summer in the transfer window, securing some of the most exciting prospects in the Premier League including Danny Ings, Emi Buendia and Leon Bailey to name a few.

There was one player in whom Villa were speculated to take an interest over the summer and who would be a very interesting addition to see under the wing of Gerrard.

Curtis Jones was rumoured to have been on the radar of the Midlands club, with a £15m bid allegedly being prepared to offer to Liverpool for the young attacking midfielder, as it seemed he was out of favour in Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI.

The £27m-rated beast has since played a part in a run of unbeatable form this season by the Merseyside giants which was only broken in their 11th Premier League game against West Ham, one in which the 20-year-old was not involved.

Former Liverpool midfielder Gerrard has spoken highly of the youngster in the past when he managed the Reds under-18s, where he dubbed Jones “a top talent”.

“This team is built around him. He’s a top talent and he’s a top player,” the 41-year-old said while working as Liverpool under-18 manager.

“It’s important he gets on the ball as much as he can because he makes us play. He’s got that quality to create something out of nothing.

“But it’s important we don’t get carried away. Curtis is doing really well, he’s improving all the time. He’s a great kid, he wants to work, he wants to learn, he’s a top, top talent.”

Jones possesses similar qualities to Gerrard as a player and has been compared to the newly-installed Villa manager by coaches at Liverpool, so the move would seem like the perfect match for the two Scousers to come together and develop the young midfielder’s game.

Johan Lange should make Jones his prime target this summer, as the youngster continues to prove that his attacking abilities are developing at Liverpool, with a goal and three assists so far this term. His potential is yet to be fully unlocked, something Gerrard would have no problem squeezing out with his experience in the youngster’s position.

Aston Villa and Gerrard will likely be looking for ways to improve their current Premier League form by potentially adding new players in the winter transfer window in a few weeks’ times, and Jones could yet be a renewed target for the club.

In other news: Gerrard could get Villa Park rocking by signing this ex-Liverpool winger