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Midlands-based football journalist Josh Holland has made a claim involving Tottenham Hotspur and their former transfer target Adama Traore. 

The lowdown: Stuttering career

After spending the second half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan back where it all began at Barcelona, the Spain winger has reached an impasse in what was once a promising career.

Expected to return to Wolves this summer, the 26-year-old had been deemed surplus to requirements under Bruno Lage as Spurs actively pursued a move when Nuno Espirito Santo was in the Tottenham hot seat last autumn.

That interest had since appeared to have cooled from north London, although one informed onlooker believes that Tottenham could reignite their admiration for the rapid winger…

The latest: Holland on Traore

Discussing the future of Traore and Spurs-linked Ruben Neves with GiveMeSport, Holland suggested that Tottenham could foreseeably reignite their interest in the Spaniard.

He said: “I think the Traore one is a more difficult circumstance than the Neves one. I think Neves has been respectful the whole time. Traore has to the public, but we don’t know what’s happened within the changing room.

“I won’t be surprised if Tottenham swoop round for him again, or another Spanish team come in for him, but I can’t see him playing at Wolves next season.”

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The verdict: Worth the risk

Despite his ineffectiveness in front of goal, the powerful winger still possesses all of the physical attributes which make him such a threat; and if used in the right way, Antonio Conte could be adding a potential wildcard star to the Tottenham ranks.

The eight-cap Spain winger scored just once and managed only four assists in 40 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona and Wolves in 2021/22, highlighting a worrying absence of clinical end product.

Nonetheless, signing the man who Jetro Willems called a ‘beast’ and said was harder to face than Cristiano Ronaldo due to his incredible speed for anything south of his Transfermarkt valuation of £18m would remain a worthwhile move for Tottenham, as Conte and Fabio Paratici attempt to strengthen the attacking ranks in north London.

In other news: ‘Being negotiated’ – Club now want their ‘sensational’ star to join Tottenham! Find out more here

Celtic won’t be completing the signing of Benfica youngster Paulo Bernardo this summer, according to a new transfer update from his homeland.

The Lowdown: Celtic linked with Bernardo move

Ange Postecoglou will be hoping for a productive summer in the transfer window, as the Hoops look to build on last season’s Scottish Premiership triumph and build a squad capable of challenging on multiple fronts.

One player who has been linked with a move in recent days is midfielder Bernardo, who is making a name for himself at Benfica, appearing 24 times for the first team to date, dubbed a player with ‘endless’ potential.

Now, it appears as though Celtic will need to look elsewhere, however.

The Latest: Transfer off the table

According to A Bola [via Sport Witness], there is not ‘any kind of negotiation’ between Celtic and Benfica over a summer move for Bernardo, pouring cold water on the claims.

The 20-year-old is expected to remain at his current club moving forward, with the Portuguese giants seeing him as an important figure for their future, even protecting that with a €100m (£85m) release clause.

The Verdict: Move on and look elsewhere

While this is a blow, considering Bernardo’s standing as a talented young midfielder, it is no disaster to miss a target this early in the summer and Postecoglou has plenty of time to move on and look at alternatives.

Midfield is certainly an area of the pitch that needs additions this summer, with Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton moving on and leaving a sizeable void in the middle of the park.

Someone older than Bernardo would make sense however, in terms of coming in as an immediate regular with experience on par to one of those departing heroes, while David Turnbull could be ready to go up a gear, too.

In other news, Celtic have been backed to seal the signing of one player. Find out who it is here.

West Ham United are reportedly monitoring Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby, ahead of a potential deal this summer.

What’s the word?

As per 90min, the Hammers have been named as one of the clubs who are ‘keeping tabs’ on the Frenchman’s situation, albeit with the Bundesliga outfit seemingly set to hold firm in their desire to keep the 22-year-old.

The report suggests that the German giants are ‘not entertaining offers’ for their young starlet – with the lack of a release clause aiding their cause – although there has been some indication that a bid of around £60m could be enough to tempt them into a sale.

That would prove to be a club-record offer for the east Londoners were they to pursue a deal, although they are also likely to face competition from Newcastle United, with the Magpies seemingly willing to break the bank with a £50m plus bid, as per the report.

Payet 2.0

That clamour for the five-cap international’s signature has undoubtedly been justified in recent seasons, with the former Paris Saint-Germain gem having registered 72 goal contributions in just 124 games in all competitions for his current club since making the switch from the Parc des Princes in 2019.

That impressive haul includes a sparkling tally of 17 goals and 14 assists in all competitions during the 2021/22 campaign, helping to fire Gerardo Seoane’s side to Champions League qualification with a solid third-place finish.

A Frenchman with a devastating ability to make the difference in the final third? Irons supporters can’t be blamed for beginning to dream of the next Dimitri Payet strolling through the door this summer at the London Stadium.

In his 18-month spell with the club, the set-piece specialist dazzled with his tricks, flicks and all-round class, pulling off the frankly unthinkable at times, including that rabona in a clash with Watford back in 2016.

The comparison between the two compatriots doesn’t simply lie in the country of their birth, however, with the duo sharing a number of statistical and stylistic similarities, according to FBref.

That is seemingly a sure sign that the youngster would be a real success in English football, with the hope he can replicate Payet’s stunning, albeit brief, impact in a claret and blue jersey, in which he registered 29 goal contributions in just 48 Premier League games, before making a swift return to Marseille on a £25m deal in January 2017.

Although the former West Ham genius may no longer quite be at his peak at the age of 35, it is still telling that the one-time talisman has been outperformed by the younger man in recent times, Diaby netting more goals (13 to 12) and registering more assists (12 – 10) in the league in the 2021/22 season.

Dubbed an “important” player by Leverkusen sporting director Simone Rolfe, it is easy to see why the German outfit are so keen to hang on to him in the upcoming window, with the “lethal” speedster – as he has been described by one journalist – continuing to make an impact on a consistent basis.

If he can produce anywhere close to the mesmerising quality that was provided by Payet during his time with the Hammers, then both David Moyes and the club’s supporters are in for a real treat.

IN other news, “Another target…”: Ex drops big WHU summer transfer claim that supporters will love

Journalist Rudy Galetti of Sport Italia TV has shared a Tottenham Hotspur transfer update on their hunt for Benfica star Darwin Nunez.

The Lowdown: Spurs want new striker…

After crunch talks with club chief Fabio Paratici in Italy, it is believed that Spurs and their manager Antonio Conte have a star striker on the agenda for the summer transfer window (The Telegraph).

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Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus is one of the targets as the Lilywhites set their sights on an alternative option to centre-forward mainstay Harry Kane (The Telegraph).

The Premier League giants recently announced a £150m equity increase which will apparently be used to back Conte in the next transfer market ahead of his first full season in charge of the club.

Aiming to put it to good use, Spurs are apparently in contention to sign a ‘big name’ forward in Nunez.

The Latest: Galetti shares Nunez update…

According to Galetti, the north Londoners are ‘fully’ in the race for the Benfica sensation amid their pursuit of a star striker. Nunez is apparently destined for England, with Spurs, Manchester United and Newcastle United seemingly all in the mix.

The reporter explained (via Twitter): “Darwin #Nunez will leave #Benfica in the summer – as reported in Feb – and his future will be in #EPL. #MUFC are the front-runners, #NUFC and #THFC are fully in the race.”

The Verdict: Ambitious move…

As per The Daily Star on Sunday (via Sky Sports), the 22-year-old’s club will demand a fee in excess of £100m for his services, potentially making this transfer a tough one for Spurs to pull off.

Even with chairman Daniel Levy’s significant financial windfall, the funds must be used wisely as Conte reportedly eyes a major N17 overhaul in a variety of different positions (The Telegraph).

Nunez’s phenomenal haul of 34 goals and four assists in all competitions over 2021/22 is certainly an indicator of his obvious quality, but the sky-high asking price will be a major factor in determining Tottenham’s next move.

In other news: Tottenham chiefs willing to back Conte with risky signing as they make special exception! Find out more here

Aston Villa are once again being linked with a move for Burnley central defender James Tarkowski, according to a report from The Telegraph. 

The lowdown: Growing interest

Recently, Midlands journalist Josh Holland told Give Me Sport that Villa could make a move for Tarkowski as Steven Gerrard looks to add leaders to the squad over the summer.

Set to become a free agent in July (Transfermarkt), the 29-year-old has also been extensively linked with Newcastle United and West Ham previously.

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As the end of a six-year affinity with Turf Moor comes into view, the next move for the twice-capped England international is in the spotlight…

The latest: Villa discuss move

As per reputable journalist John Percy on Twitter and in a more recent report from his colleagues for The Telegraph, it’s suggested that Gerrard wants to bring Tarkowski to Villa Park.

Following an injury to Ezri Konsa, the Burnley man ‘has been discussed’ at Villa as a possible target in order to address a problem area in Gerrard’s squad.

Now safe from relegation, Everton have also been linked with the man hailed as ‘outstanding’ by former Burnley manager Sean Dyche.

The verdict: No brainer

Boasting 193 Premier League appearances and a no-nonsense approach to defending, adding a player of the £19.8million valued Tarkowski’s vast experience to the squad without the need for a transfer fee would be a masterstroke from Aston Villa.

This season, the combative Englishman has earned a superb 7.17 Sofascore rating whilst winning 6.8 duels and making 5.3 clearances per game and helping Burnley towards seven clean sheets, further proof of a well-rounded defensive acumen.

Prominent aerially (WhoScored), Tarkowski would provide an added weapon to Gerrard’s ranks, particularly for a manager who has developed an early reputation for allowing defenders the opportunity to score an abundance of goals.

Furthermore, adding someone of the ace’s know-how to the Midlands squad will only help bring on the likes of Konsa and Kourtney Hause.

In other news: Journo reveals Villa now eyeing ‘surprise’ move for 201-goal attacking midfielder 

Big-match temperament and growing tactical acumen makes for a compelling package

Matt Roller23-Aug-2023For seven years, the identity of England’s next white-ball captain was clear. Jos Buttler served as Eoin Morgan’s No. 2 between 2015 and 2022, deputising in nine ODIs and five T20Is, and was the obvious successor when Morgan called it a day last year.Now, there is a level of uncertainty. Moeen Ali is Buttler’s vice-captain and has thrived in that role, captaining England to a 4-3 T20I series win in Pakistan last year and making several unheralded contributions to their success in Australia. But Moeen is 36, and unlikely to play ODIs beyond November; next year’s T20 World Cup looks like a natural end-point.Buttler is only 32 and is the strong favourite to captain England into the 50-over World Cup in 2027, but there may well be a vacancy for the white-ball vice-captaincy as soon as next summer. In the short term, there is a three-match ODI series against Ireland in September in which the World Cup squad are unlikely to feature, which will require a stand-in leader; in the long term, there is no standout candidate to succeed Buttler.Enter… Sam Curran? It might seem a left-field suggestion, but at 25, Curran is England’s youngest white-ball regular. His diffident public persona does not suggest an obvious captain in the making, but those who have worked with him speak highly of his cricketing intelligence and leadership credentials. Quietly, he has become a viable contender to eventually succeed Buttler.Curran has only captained six games at senior level, and admits it came as “a big surprise” when Trevor Bayliss asked him if he would deputise as Punjab Kings captain at the IPL earlier this year. “Shikhar [Dhawan] was injured, and Trev just asked, ‘do you fancy doing it?'” he recalls. “I was more than happy to. The games went pretty well and I really enjoyed it. Who knows what will happen?”Under Curran’s leadership, Kings won two out of three – and the wins came away from home against sides that ended up qualifying for the play-offs: Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians. With Curran returning to the UK before Chris Jordan, Surrey’s regular T20 captain, he filled in for another three games at the start of the Vitality Blast.Sam Curran captained opposite Rohit Sharma in the IPL•BCCIAhead of the Hundred, Tom Moody, Oval Invincibles’ head coach, was keen for Curran to take a more active role in leadership, perhaps in part to lessen the burden on Sam Billings – one of two players in the Hundred, along with Buttler, who captains while keeping wicket.Along with Jason Roy, another senior player, Curran has been part of pre-match strategy meetings this season and is part of Invincibles’ leadership group. “It’s just about having chats with analysts and guys who want to chat about different scenarios,” he explains. “Obviously I know Bilbo very well, and we’ve had a lot of conversations.”In-game, Curran often fields at mid-on or mid-off during the Powerplay and returns the ball to the bowler, offering a word of encouragement or advice as he does so. He consults with Billings on reviews, and hurries his team-mates up during end-changes when they fall behind the over-rate.Does he enjoy the tactical side of the game? “Yeah, I do,” Curran says. “It was something new to me, but when I did it, I really enjoyed it. It helps when you’ve got senior players and experience around you.”By his own admission, Curran is “not a massive planner”. Instead, he says he is “a big reaction person”. He explains: “I’m not massive with watching videos. You obviously plan for the game in your mind, but I like turning up on the day and reacting to conditions and dimensions.”Regardless, analysts say that Curran’s reading of the game tends to marry up with their insights – and he has shown that adaptability in his own bowling, most obviously at last year’s T20 World Cup, where he took home the Player of the Tournament award as well as the trophy.Related

• Jordan Cox, Sam Curran ensure thrilling Invincibles win over Superchargers

• Sam Curran clinches thriller for Invincibles after Will Jacks' all-round show

• Billings leads Invincibles into final with ruthless 76*

• Harry Brook's fastest Hundred century in vain as Welsh Fire keep hopes burning

In the final, he bowled shrewdly to the MCG’s vast square boundaries. Two of his three wickets came from batters pulling good-length balls to deep midwicket, as he finished his four overs with 3 for 12 to be named Player of the Match.”We are very lucky as players in this day and age,” Curran says. “We’ve got great analysts who work with us who can show you anything you want: videos, trends, match-ups and all those types of things. But for me personally, that might just confuse the game a little bit. I try to react to what’s in front of me.”Perhaps the biggest challenge for Curran would be his workload. England have had bowlers and allrounders as ODI captains before – think Bob Willis, Adam Hollioake, Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood – but not in the modern era of a relentless, three-format international schedule.And Curran is in high demand in franchise leagues: Bayliss made him the most expensive buy in IPL auction history last year, and he has been retained for a second season at MI Cape Town in the SA20. By the time Buttler steps away from the captaincy, the global landscape could look fundamentally different.Curran has not been at his best in the Hundred, scoring 120 runs and taking five wickets across eight group games. But Sunday’s final will provide him with another chance for him to perform on the big stage, and to underline the big-game temperament that has been such a feature of his career.If Invincibles win the men’s trophy for the first time, it will rightly be Billings who takes the plaudits for his savvy leadership over the last four weeks. Yet in Curran, England might well have stumbled upon a long-term option for the limited-overs captaincy.

Glasgow Rangers finally got their first win on the board in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, after they failed to win any of their first five league games under Russell Martin.

There would not have been a more relieved man in the ground than the Light Blues head coach when Max Aarons popped up in stoppage time to score the winning goal for the away side.

The Ibrox loanee came off the bench to rattle a finish into the bottom corner from Nicolas Raskin’s corner to prevent Rangers from falling to a fifth draw in six league games.

James Tavernier’s penalty miss did not help matters in the first half, as the captain failed to make it 2-0 before half-time, but the Gers still conceded a sloppy goal and lacked a cutting edge in the final third before Aarons scored the winner.

It was a win and a much-needed one for Martin. However, the manager may not be too pleased with some of the individual performances that were on display when he goes back to review the match.

Summer signing Bojan Miovski is one of the players who may end up finding himself on the bench because of his underwhelming start to life at Ibrox.

Why Bojan Miovski may be dropped to the bench

The Macedonia international was signed on a permanent deal from Girona in the summer transfer window to bolster the club’s attack, as a player who has already proven himself in the Premiership.

Miovski, as shown in the graphic above, scored 32 league goals in the division during his two seasons at Aberdeen before a move to Girona in the summer of 2024. This shows that he can score goals at an impressive rate at that level.

The Light Blues are yet to see the best of the left-footed forward in front of goal, though, as he missed a huge chance to open the scoring in the 2-1 win over Livingston on Sunday.

It was like watching Miovski at Aberdeen to create the chance. His movement on the last line to beat the offside trap was superb and he looked in control and composed, up until he needed to find the target.

The 26-year-old marksman, who scored his first goal for the club in the League Cup against Hibernian, has not done enough in his Premiership outings to warrant keeping a place in the starting line-up.

As you can see in the table above, Miovski ranks lowly among his positional peers in a host of attacking and physical metrics, as he has failed to deliver quality in the final third and reliability out of possession.

This is why Martin must drop the former Aberdeen and Girona centre-forward from the starting line-up, because he has not offered enough to the team in or out of possession.

The Macedonian number nine is not the only Light Blues star who showed that he should not be starting for the club at the moment in the win over Livingston on Sunday.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Thelo Aasgaard was selected once again in the left-sided central midfield role in Martin’s 4-3-3 system, but he failed to justify his inclusion in the team with a strong performance.

Why Thelo Aasgaard should not be starting for Rangers

The Norway international was signed from Luton Town during the summer transfer window with a view to adding an attacking threat to the team from a central midfield position.

Aasgaard scored 11 goals in 45 matches in all competitions for Wigan Athletic and Luton combined in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he did offer a decent threat in front of goal last term.

The English-born star, who was described as a “huge talent” by former Wigan communications officer Jamie Allen, has yet to show the Rangers fans what he is capable of at the top end of the pitch.

That has not been through a lack of opportunity, though, because Martin has provided him with six starts in all competitions, yet the attacking midfielder has not delivered a single goal or assist.

Aasgaard made no key passes, did not complete any dribbles, and did not register any shots on target in 73 minutes against Livingston, per Sofascore, which shows that he offered next to nothing in possession for the Gers.

Unfortunately, a lack of quality at the top end of the pitch has become a theme for the Norway international in the Premiership for Rangers so far this season.

As you can see in the table above, the summer signing from Luton has created one chance in four starts in the league, with no goals or assists to his name.

These statistics show that he is not offering enough to the team in front of goal, as is also the case with Miovski, despite being in the side to provide a spark and break down opposition defences.

This is why the Rangers head coach should ruthlessly drop both players from the starting XI for the trip to Falkirk in the Premiership after Thursday’s Europa League clash with Sturm Graz, because both of their performances on Sunday showed that they should not be starting.

Miovski and Aasgaard are not terrible players, as their records at previous clubs prove, but they are not delivering enough quality on the pitch for the Gers, which is why they should have a spell on the sidelines.

Worse than Tavernier: Martin must drop Rangers flop who was saved by Aarons

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin must drop this flop who was saved by Max Aarons against Livingston.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 29, 2025

If the two attackers can impress off the bench and start to show more promising signs at the top end of the pitch in matches, then they can earn back their place in the XI and start to kick on at Ibrox.

Marcus Rashford could return to Manchester United next summer if Ruben Amorim leaves the club by then, according to former Red Devils coach Rene Meulensteen. Rashford left his boyhood club this year to join Barcelona on a loan deal after he was included in Amorim's 'bomb squad' during pre-season, alongside several other unwanted United stars.

• Rashford back in form following Barcelona move

  Since completing his season-long loan move to Barcelona during the summer transfer window, Rashford has rediscovered his game under Hansi Flick and has slowly established himself as a regular starter. The attacker has already recorded three goals and five assists in 11 matches across all competitions for the Catalan club and has also earned a call back to the England national team.

  It is still unclear whether Rashford would return to United at the end of his season, especially with Amorim in charge of the club, as he clearly had fallen out with the Portuguese manager this summer. The Spanish giants also have an option to but the forward permanently next season for around €35 million (£30m/$41m), although they are compelled to trigger the option.

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  Former Man Utd coach's verdict on Rashford's return

  Former United assistant coach Rene Meulensteen addressed the topic of Rashford's possible return to Old Trafford as he claimed that it is unlikely for the striker to return, with Amorim still in charge of the club.

  Meulensteens was speaking to CasinoHawks, who offer the latest online casinos, and said: "Marcus Rashford back to Man Utd? That's a real personal choice, and things can change, you don't know. I don't think it would happen with Ruben Amorim, to be fair, because I think something must have happened for that move to be forced. So I don't know, but I think Marcus, and maybe Barcelona as well, would most likely want to see if they could make it a permanent deal because Marcus is 27 now, so he's still a good age. Playing in Spain is different than in the Premier League. It's not as demanding, especially with Barcelona having maybe 70% or more of the ball, which is a nice position to be in."

• Rashford backed to become Barcelona's No.9

  Rashford has already earned Flick's trust with consistent performances in the attack in both La Liga and Champions League matches. With Ferran Torres and Raphinha doubtful for both their Champions League clash against Olympiacos on Tuesday and El Clasico at the weekend, the German coach has confirmed his faith in the England international to spearhead the attack as their No.9.

  Speaking to reporters, Flick said: "Rashford is a good option as a No. 9, but he can also play as a No. 11. That's what we thought when we signed him: he can play as a No. 9 or No. 11, and it's great to have him in our team. He's improved a lot in recent weeks. He gives us a lot of positives, and of course, he can play as a No. 9."

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  Rashford blamed Man Utd's 'inconsistent environment' for failures

  Rashford experienced a major dip in his form in the last two seasons at Old Trafford as he managed to score just 19 goals across the two campaigns. In the second half of the 2024-25 season, the winger was sent out on a loan move, where he started to regain his confidence and long-lost form.

  Addressing his issues at United, Rashford had earlier told : "For sure, consistency is a massive part of it. I feel like I have been in an inconsistent environment for a very long time, so it is even more difficult to be consistent. But I completely agree, I think consistency is what I need to bring into my game and I am looking to do that. I want to be at my best, not sometimes, but as often as possible. When people talk about consistency, in order to be consistent in anything not just sport, you need consistent variables in your life and the way you train. We have just had so many changes so far in my career but I have to look forward and that it definitely one of the things I want to put right and improve on to be at my best more often. When I am at my best I really enjoy everything about the sport."

Can you hear it, the din from the summer transfer window? Newcastle United’s tumultuous market has been placed in the background, now, and Eddie Howe must be delighted that he can crack on and write another chapter into this wonderful story.

But there’s no denying the events of recent months have taken a toll on the Tyneside outfit, who have started their Premier League campaign with just two points from three games, losing that ridiculous clash against Liverpool and blanking in stalemates against Aston Villa and Leeds United.

Still, United are organised and efficient, and having signed forwards such as Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa among a host of other signings, there is hope that the disappointing departure of Alexander Isak can be offset and that targets might still be hit.

But it hasn’t all been sunshines and rainbows. Isak is bound to carry his prolific nature over to Anfield, but perhaps more frustrating is the recent success of Elliot Anderson, who was sold to Nottingham Forest over a year ago to ease the strain of PSR regulations.

Why Newcastle sold Elliot Anderson

The way Isak forced his way out of Howe’s Newcastle will sting for many years. Never again will the Sweden striker receive the ball at St. James’ Park without being the recipient of a venomous chorus of boos.

But Anderson was one of the club’s own, homegrown and sold for pure profit to avoid financial ramifications. His success with Nottingham Forest over the past two years has been quite a thing, and his recent performances for the Three Lions have underscored his value.

Newcastle sold the centre-midfielder to the Tricky Trees for around £35m in 2024, but he has since become something more, hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson as a “do-it-all midfield warrior” and regarded in the Premier League as one of the driving forces of Nuno Espirito Santo’s success last season.

The 22-year-old could have been something special for Newcastle, and now serves as a reminder to keep onto those top talents who show such promise but perhaps aren’t yet equipped to maintain the consistency of their more experienced peers.

Take, for example, Anderson’s countryman Lewis Hall, who has lulled of late but remains one of the most exciting up-and-comers within the Premier League scene.

Newcastle have struck gold on Lewis Hall

Hall has spent more time than he would have liked in 2025 in the infirmary, with the full-back’s fitness problems taking away from him the building noise after an emphatic start to life at Newcastle.

It was not that long ago that Toon reporter Dominic Scurr declared Hall to be “the best left-back in the country, bar none.”

Likewise, talent scout Jacek Kulig called the 21-year-old “one of the best left-backs in the Premier League” in December 2024, with Hall firing on all cylinders and instrumental in building the form that would lead United back toward the gates of the Champions League and the Carabao Cup title.

But injury struck in the days before that Wembley meeting with Liverpool, and Hall would be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.

Hall has also featured twice in the Premier League this season, but both times as a substitute and for a total of 43 minutes as he gets back up to speed. He will hope to reclaim his starting berth in the weeks to come, and on the basis of the evidence, his improvements last season suggest Howe will soon deploy him from the opening again.

Data-led platform FBref reveal Hall to rank among the top 12% of positional peers in the Premier League last year for passes attempted, the top 15% for assists and the top 20% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90, so it’s clear that his technical quality is crucial to erecting the build-up patterns that define Howe’s transitional approach.

It’s also clear that this ball-playing skill aligns with the methods of some of England’s finest. Indeed, Caught Offside revealed in the months preceding the summer transfer window that Liverpool and Manchester City had both registered their interest in the young England international, who Newcastle valued at a floor of £60m.

Of course, this puts Hall above a former Toon talent such as Anderson, who left for £35m and has since seen a market growth toward the ballpark of £45m, as per Football Transfers.

The aforementioned Premier League giants both signed left-backs this summer, which perhaps signals the strength of Newcastle’s response when Hall’s name was discussed in negotiations.

Hall is a defender who can do it all. After all, he played most regularly as a robust central midfielder during his younger days, since refashioned into a wide defender. Perhaps there is a future for him in the middle of the park, where he might rival players such as Anderson for a prominent role in England’s national squad.

Newcastle might have entered something of a transitional campaign, but Howe will remain steadfast in his belief that last year’s success can be used to prop up the riches still to come at St. James’ Park.

In any case, with such exciting talents as Hall set to star for years to come, there’s every reason for excitement.

New Isak: Newcastle have "one of the best teenage prospects in the world"

Newcastle will need to replace Alexander Isak’s goals with a range of different attacking talents.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 3, 2025

Pep Guardiola has been urged to leave Manchester City and seek a new challenge by one of his most trusted confidants. The Catalan coach has enjoyed remarkable success since moving to England in 2016, lifting 18 major honours during the greatest period in City’s history, and is under contract at the Etihad Stadium until 2027.

• Guardiola and City have dominated English football

  After achieving incredible success in both Spain and Germany with Barcelona and Bayern Munich respectively, Guardiola and City have dominated English football since joining forces nine years ago. Under the 54-year-old’s stewardship, City have won six Premier League titles – including an unprecedented four in a row – as well as two FA Cups and four League Cups. City also lifted their first Champions League crown as part of only the second treble-winning season in English football history in 2022-23.

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  Planchart believes time has come for a new challenge

  And after presiding over what has been the golden spell in City’s history, Guardiola has now been told he should look for new mountains to climb. In an interview with Spanish publication Carles Planchart – who worked alongside Guardiola at Barcelona, Bayern and City as a performance analyst – believes the time has come for his close friend to seek a fresh challenge.

  Planchart said: “It’s a personal decision he’ll (Guardiola) have to make. I think a project should last five or six years, no more. But not for him, for everyone. Afterwards, you have to regenerate. As a friend, I would tell him to look for a new project because he still has a long way to go.”

• Pep wants to manage a national team at a World Cup

  What a new project would look like for Guardiola remains to be seen. The manager has previously expressed his desire to manage a national team at a World Cup before he calls time on his illustrious coaching career, saying in February 2024: "I would like to train a national team for a World Cup or a European Championship. I would like that.”

  When pressed if he had a preferred national team in mind, Guardiola added: "I don't know who would want me! To work for a national team they have to want you, just like a club."

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  Emotional Barcelona return ruled out

  Guardiola has categorically ruled out completing an emotional return to Barcelona, however. Having built one of the greatest club sides in football history during his first stint as Blaugrana boss between 2008 and 2012, he insists he has no intention of managing the Spanish giants again. 

  In an interview with in July, Guardiola said: “It's over. It's over forever. It was very beautiful, but it's over now.”

  And when pressed on a potential presidential post at Camp Nou, Guardiola added: “No! I'm no good at this.”