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Newcastle United enjoyed a busy January transfer window as they brought in a number of new players to bolster Eddie Howe’s squad.

Dan Burn, Matt Targett, Bruno Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood all came in and this left the club needing to exclude three first-team players from their Premier League list.

Ciaran Clark, Jamal Lewis and Isaac Hayden were the unfortunate ones to miss out as they now look set to waste away on the sidelines for the rest of the season.

Ruthlessly axe him

Howe must now ruthlessly axe Hayden from the club in the next transfer window by landing Kalvin Phillips on a permanent deal from Leeds United.

FFC previously published an article explaining why he should be kept around at St. James’ Park next season due to his experience in the top-flight – suggesting that he should be re-registered in the summer.

However, 90min have now reported this month that the Magpies are eyeing up a potential swoop for Phillips and their interest in the England international changes our stance.

If PIF can secure a deal for the Whites enforcer that would then surely allow Howe to axe Hayden as he would take up the holding midfield position and be a major upgrade to the team.

The current Newcastle player has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.60 this year after managing a score of 6.83 in the Premier League last term.

Phillips, meanwhile, has averaged a rating of 6.80 this season – despite injury struggles – and achieved an incredible score of 7.21 in the 2020/21 campaign.

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Former Arsenal player Perry Groves claimed that he would cost “£100million” and his Leeds captain Liam Cooper once lauded him, saying: “He works so hard here (at Leeds), all the boys and the people of Leeds think the world of him and he deserves everything that comes his ways.

“I’ve seen how hard he works every single day, I see how much he takes on and turns it into his game. For me, he is one of the best midfielders in the world right now.”These quotes and his aforementioned statistics highlight his quality at the top level and why he would be an excellent signing for Newcastle. He has proven that he can perform to a high standard in the Premier League, with his performance data standing out above Hayden’s.This is why his arrival at St. James’ Park could result in the ex-Arsenal youth product being sold to another club in the summer.

AND in other news, Howe can finally axe £37k-p/w “weapon” as Newcastle eye swoop for 66-goal “phenomenon”…

Alison Conroy has dropped a promising Celtic injury update ahead of the Bhoys’ upcoming Europa Conference League clash.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Sky Sports journalist revealed that Ange Postecoglou’s side have no fresh injury concerns ahead of their trip to Bodo/Glimt on Thursday evening.

Regarding the current state of the Celtic squad, Conroy said: “No new injury concerns, so as you were for tomorrow’s game.”

Fans will be buzzing

While it would appear as if both Kyogo Furuhashi and David Turnbull will remain unavailable for selection for the Conference League clash, the news that Celtic have no fresh injury worries ahead of the crucial fixture against the Norwegian champions is sure to have left the Parkhead faithful buzzing.

Indeed, with the Bhoys suffering a shock 3-1 defeat to Kjetil Knutsen’s side in the first leg of the tie last week, Postecoglou will know that, if his side are to have any hope of making it through to the next stage of the competition, he will require as many of his first-team regulars to be available as possible on Thursday.

Even then, the Hoops still face a monumental task if they are to overturn a two-goal deficit tomorrow night, as Bodo/Glimt were the first team in a long while to make Postecoglou’s outfit look rather ordinary in their last meeting.

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However, the fact that the 56-year-old will not have to deal with any new losses to injury will undoubtedly come as a big boost to the Greek-Australian coach and his side, although, now Postecoglou must decide on what he feels will be the best plan of attack concerning his team selection for what is sure to be an extremely entertaining clash in the Arctic Circle.

In other news: Ange can amend Celtic’s £35m transfer disaster with “dangerous” 22 y/o goal-machine

West Ham United’s star midfielder Declan Rice was absent for their 1-0 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday evening through illness, with manager David Moyes opting to set up with a 4-4-2 as a result, with attacking midfielder Manuel Lanzini playing deeper than usual alongside Tomas Soucek.

Although the Hammers made a decent account of themselves in Merseyside, it did beg the question as to how Moyes should resolve the issue if Rice is to be absent again, either with the same illness or at another point this season.

With the Englishman and Soucek enjoying a solid defensive midfield partnership over the past almost two seasons, it would seem resorting to another defensive midfielder would be the sensible decision if either of the pair are to miss a game during the remainder of the campaign.

Therefore, it only seems right that Alex Kral is given the nod next time.

The 23-year-old Czech Republic international is currently on loan at The London Stadium from Russian outfit Spartak Moscow for the season but hasn’t seen much game time in England.

Kral has made just six appearances for the Hammers, with one game in the Premier League – a one-minute long cameo against Watford, making his loan spell currently an unsuccessful move.

The deal does include an option to buy, however, Kral’s fortunes will have to improve if he is to remain in east London beyond this season.

However, it’s fair to say the Czech defensive midfielder hasn’t been handed enough opportunities to make an impression on Moyes.

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Soon after Kral’s loan move, Spartak wing-back Victor Moses, who was a Premier League winner with Chelsea, showered the 23-year-old with praise, saying: “I wasn’t surprised, Alex is a great player and he went to prove himself at the highest level. This was his dream, I wish that he settles well in London and enjoys playing for West Ham.

“Getting there is a normal desire for any ambitious player, and Alex has all the necessary qualities. He’s youthful, has high endurance, and the ability to play at a high level for 90 minutes.”

There is certainly potential within the £7.2m-rated deep-lying midfielder, having made just under 150 senior appearances at the age of 23 whilst also being capped 29 times by his native Czech Republic.The Hammers have certainly had success with recruiting Czech players over recent seasons with both Soucek and Vladimir Coufal arriving in 2020 and being major contributors to West Ham’s sixth-place finish last season.It would certainly be a valid argument to suggest that the Czech duo’s success was a contributing factor to West Ham’s decision to land Kral.However, unlike Soucek and Coufal, the 23-year-old hasn’t been handed the necessary opportunities to develop into a regular for the east London outfit. Granted, with both Soucek and Rice fit it’s near impossible for any player to shift either of the duo out of the starting lineup. But, with either absent, Kral should get the nod.In Lanzini, the Irons having an attacking midfielder perfectly suited to sit in the hole in a 4-2-3-1 setup but by playing the Argentian deeper and therefore shifting his preferred system, Moyes will see his side struggle.Next up for the Hammers is the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie with La Liga outfit Sevilla on Thursday. It appears as though Rice should be available, however, if he fails to recover in time it could be a big opportunity for Kral to be given the nod.Although, it would be a major call from David Moyes in arguably his side’s biggest game of the season so far.In other news: West Ham handed huge injury boost as exciting Rush Green image emerges

Everton have had their fair share of injury problems this season which has ultimately contributed to their poor form in the Premier League, with key players missing for large chunks of the campaign, and now Frank Lampard has delivered some more bad news following the Wolves defeat.

What’s the word?

The Toffees boss delivered an update after Dominic Calvert-Lewin was missing from action against Bruno Lage’s side at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon, and it could be a huge blow to Everton’s relegation battle.

Lampard had an eight-word response for questions about the striker’s absence in his post-match press conference. He commented:

“He is not well, so we will see.”

Supporters will be gutted

Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin, Demarai Gray, Yerry Mina and Abdoulaye Doucoure are just a few of the players who have suffered from multiple injury problems this season, and the ongoing injury issues have definitely affected the attacking output with Everton not scoring a single goal in their last four league fixtures, conceding defeats consecutively as a result.

Calvert-Lewin, in particular, has had a term full of injury and illness problems, and there is no doubt that his absence in the team has played a huge part in the lack of goals for the Toffees, with the star striker side-lined for the majority of 2021/22, only making nine appearances and scoring three goals so far, missing 17 league fixtures.

Supporters will surely be gutted to hear about the uncertainty surrounding the 24-year-old’s health, especially in the vulnerable situation they have found themselves. The loss of an attacking threat in the crucial final months for the Toffees could be the final nail in the coffin that sends Everton into the Championship at the end of the season.

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We should get more clarity on Calvert-Lewin’s condition when Lampard addresses the press ahead of the Newcastle United game at Goodison Park later this week, but with the side currently only safe from the relegation zone based on goal difference, there will be no room for error or weakness in the Everton team in their battle to maintain safety.

In other news: Alan Myers gives defiant response to relegation woes

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe addressed one of the team’s biggest issues in January by bolstering the defence with the signings of Matt Targett, Dan Burn and Kieran Tripper – leading them to conceding just five goals in their last eight Premier League games.

However, with them having Champions League ambitions under Saudi PIF, Trippier might be the sole long-term survivor of that trio in Howe’s strongest XI, and Lille centre-back Sven Botman could be a long-term replacement for left-footer Burn.

What’s the news?

While AC Milan are believed to have moved ahead of the Tyneside club, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, they are not giving up hope on attracting Botman to the Premier League.

The report also suggests the Dutchman is looking to play for a club with Champions League football next season, but money talks – and Newcastle have the most money out of any club in the world.

This news comes after journalist Fabrizio Romano ruled out a deal in January, saying: “Lille position on Sven Botman’s still the same: he’s untouchable and his future will be discussed in the summer. Deal off with Newcastle. Magpies already working on two other candidates in order to sign a new centre back this week.”

St James’ would be bouncing

Averaging a 7.14 match rating for Lille in the French Ligue 1 this season, he has also scored three goals in 21 games – and with an excellent set-piece taker in the shape of Trippier, he could potentially contribute even more with the Magpies too.

Standing at 6 foot 4, the 22-year-old has demonstrated his ability in the air regularly on the defensive side of his game too, ranking among centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues and continental competitions over the last year in the top 7% for percentage of aerials won per 90 (74.6%) and top 12% for least aerials lost per 90 (1.01).

With a valuation of just £27m by Transfermarkt, it’s unlikely that Lille will price Newcastle out of a move, as the French club themselves have only just found their way out of financial troubles – and despite no longer needing to sell, they likely won’t turn away a figure of around £45m.

In the words of Rio Ferdinand, Newcastle should get the contract out, put it on the table, let him sign it, let him write whatever numbers he wants to put on there, because Botman is the real deal – and will continue to get better and better in the years to come, while the owners have the money to tempt him.

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Based on his incredible potential and the January saga that revolved around him, St James’ Park would surely be bouncing if the club finally got their man.

In other news: Sold at £10.9m, now worth £40m: Ashley had NUFC disaster on “nasty” 22 y/o “scorpion”

West Ham United manager David Moyes has been an ‘absolute nightmare’ when it has come to disclosing information about his players’ injuries and fitness this season, claims injury expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Recent injuries

Ahead of the Hammers’ return-leg clash against Sevilla in round 16 of the Europa League, striker Michail Antonio and full-back Aaron Cresswell were both doubts for the game after struggling with light injuries.

When questioned over their availability, Moyes responded (as quoted by football.london): “I don’t really know yet but if I did I would not tell you because I am not going to let Sevilla know any idea whether they’re going to be fit or not.”

Even when one reporter tried to catch him out and asked about the new reliance he had on Andriy Yarmolenko, Moyes countered: “That would be unfair to say that as I would not answer that as it would suggest Mich is not going to be fit. At the moment I do not really know and that is the true answer.”

In the end, both players played the full 120 minutes in their 2-0 win over the Spanish side.

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The Latest: Dinnery’s claim

Injury expert Dinnery has weighed in on the situation, explaining Moyes’ motivation to do so.

Speaking with Football Insider, he claimed: “David Moyes has been an absolute nightmare this season.

“Most occasions this season, all he has said is that they have had problems but that he isn’t going to give any more information.

“They have had Covid in the past, like every other team. But the manager has chosen not to say who it has affected.

“He is within his rights to do that, of course. We are seeing more and more managers adopt this stance and not being forthcoming with information.”

The Verdict: Clever tactic

This tactic employed by Moyes has clearly been effective, demonstrated by the way in which the Irons took Sevilla by surprise and came back from a one goal deficit to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

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This tactic may even be the case with Jarrod Bowen’s injury – just the other way around. Despite the club announcing that he had not suffered any serious damage, igniting return rumours, it has recently emerged that this is not the case, and that Bowen could be out for a long time. Perhaps Moyes is withholding information on any serious damage to keep the feel-good factor in the London Stadium going.

The Hammers have sustained numerous injuries this season, particularly in areas where they were already short. For example, in the central defender position, Angelo Ogbonna’s season-ending injury back in November led to an injury crisis at the back when Kurt Zouma was sidelined, meaning Craig Dawson and Issa Diop had to step up in their place.

With an important string of games coming up, Moyes will be hoping he doesn’t have to play injury politics too often between now and May.

In other news: West Ham United: David Moyes is a ‘long-term admirer’ of Joe Worrall

After joining Leeds United in what was a £90k deal back in January of 2019, first-team opportunities have been somewhat sparse for Mateusz Bogusz in the two years since his switch.

Indeed, after featuring twice in the Whites’ 2019/20 campaign, and once in 2020/21, the versatile attacking midfielder was sent out on loan to UD Logrones in October of 2020 – where the Poland U21 international went on to make 23 appearances in LaLiga2, scoring one goal and providing one assist along the way.

Then, after returning to Elland Road last summer, Victor Orta once again decided a temporary spell away from the club would serve the 20-year-old’s development best – with Bogusz returning to the second tier of Spanish football, this time at UD Ibiza.

And, over his 20 LaLiga2 appearances in the current campaign, the £1.35m-rated forward has highly impressed, scoring four goals, registering six assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.5 shots and making 1.3 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the youngster average a SofaScore match rating of 7.13, ranking him by far and away as Ibiza’s best player in the league so far this season.

As such, it is perhaps not surprising to learn that Mateusz Klich has extremely high hopes for his fellow Pole, with the midfielder stating of Bogusz back in 2019: “When he trains with us I always try to help him.

“It’s not like I can give him any advice because he’s 17 and going to be better than me! If he needs anything, I am here for him. I’m very curious about him because he looks like a good player.”

Furthermore, the former Leeds U23 head coach, Carlos Corberan, also appeared to be a big fan of the attacker, stating of the 20-year-old shortly after his arrival in England: “I think Mateusz is a young but very talented player.

“He’s only been here a few weeks at the club. And today was the first time he could play a game. I think he’s a special player. We are going to continue to work with him because I think he can give a lot and bring very positive things for this club.”

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As such, should Bogusz continue his impressive run of form with Ibiza over the remainder of the current campaign, the forward-thinking midfielder will undoubtedly be a player who Jesse Marsch considers making a regular part of his first-team squad next season.

And, while Klich may have been joking in his suggestion that the Poland youth international would go on to become a better player than him, Bogusz’s inclusion in the senior squad could very easily come at the expense of the 31-year-old – as the £32k-per-week midfielder who Joe Wainman dubbed “lacklustre” looks as if he could be on his way out of Elland Road this summer.

AND in other news: Orta set for Leeds disaster as terms agreed for £63k-p/w “storm” who’s “a level above”

Newcastle’s under-23’s pulled off an incredible victory on Monday night as they beat West Brom 4-3 in a thrilling clash at St James’ Park.

A smattering of supporters attended the match and they got the chance to watch some of the club’s talented young prospects in action live in the flesh. They were able to see an enthralling game and may have come away from it wondering whether or not any of the players on show will make it to the first-team in the future.

One player in particular who caught the eye was Mexican forward Santiago Munoz, as last summer’s signing scored his first goal for the under-23 side in just his second appearance.

He rose highest to brilliantly place the ball into the bottom corner with his head, halving the Baggies’ lead to 2-1 at the time and kickstarting the comeback. The goal showed that he has the aerial quality to leap and score with his head, in a similar fashion to Callum Wilson, as perfectly shown by the latter’s goal against Everton in 2021.

The 19-year-old striker already has experience of senior football. He played 19 games for Santos Laguna in his homeland prior to joining the Magpies, scoring three goals and providing three assists despite his tender age.

He is currently on loan at Newcastle until December and the club have an option to make that deal permanent in January 2023. They should be looking to exercise that clause, as they have may Wilson 2.0 in the making with the Darsley Park teenage talent.

Whilst they were both at Bournemouth, Eddie Howe said about Wilson: “He is an outstanding player with unique attributes for us. He has that ability to run in behind and he’s got the work ethic off the ball and, of course, he knows where the goal is.”

Munoz seemingly shares the £20m Englishman’s work rate, with Lee Ryder noting: “Santiago Muñoz so far. Has battled hard, decent with the ball at his feet and has stood up to a so far physical test from West Brom.”

The journalist’s view on watching the Mexican live suggests that he has the desire to put in a shift for the team, much like Wilson. He was able to find the the net in the process, a trait at which the ex-Cherries predator also excels, with 18 Premier League goals in two seasons for the Tyneside club.

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It is now up to Munoz to kick on and show that he can continue to fire in goals at youth level before earning the chance to play in front of a packed-out crowd for the Toon. Howe will then be able to unearth the new ‘outstanding’ predator in the same vein as Wilson further down the line.

The 19-year-old has rarely been seen so far, but this goal against the Baggies will hopefully spur him on to fulfill his potential in England. Munoz may not go on to play for Real Madrid like his near-namesake in a certain film but he may well have a great journey at St James’ Park…

AND in other news, Howe can get St James’ rocking as Newcastle plot bid for “phenomenal” £50m wizard…

Micky van de Ven has been in the news this week after the Tottenham Hotspur defender opted to go on The Overlap to do an in-depth interview with Gary Neville.

The Netherlands international spoke about a range of topics, which you can go and watch on their YouTube channel, and explained that the main reason he signed for Spurs was because Ange Postecoglou promised that he would be a starter.

That has been the case for the left-footed star so far in North London, as he has started 54 of his 55 appearances in the Premier League for the club, per Sofascore.

The former Wolfsburg defender has not had the best start to the season, losing 62% of his aerial duels in the top-flight (Sofascore), and could lose his place as a starter unless his form improves.

Spurs ready to make move for Premier League star

Van de Ven’s security in the starting line-up could also come into question if the Europa League champions are able to bring in another player in his position.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi in the January transfer window.

The report claims that Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United are among the other teams, alongside Spurs, who have made contact with the England international’s representatives to gauge his interest in a move.

It adds that Tottenham, along with the other Premier League sides mentioned, are ‘ready’ to make an offer to sign the Eagles star, whose contract at Selhurst Park is due to expire at the end of the season.

Why Guehi would be an upgrade on Van de Ven

If Spurs can win the race for Guehi, whether that is for a cut-price fee in January or on a free transfer next summer, he could come in as an upgrade on Van de Ven on the left side of the defence.

Despite being naturally right-footed, the former Chelsea academy graduate typically plays in the left centre-back role for club and country, which means that he could come in as a direct rival to the Dutchman’s place in the team.

Van de Ven brings attacking qualities, with six goals this season, to the side, but Guehi has also shown that he can make an impact at the top end of the pitch, with two goals and three assists as a centre-back this term, per Sofascore.

This shows that replacing the Dutchman with the Palace captain may not hinder Tottenham too much from an offensive perspective, whilst it could improve them defensively, based on their respective form this season.

Guehi’s impressive performances in the Premier League for Palace in the 2025/26 campaign suggest that he would improve Thomas Frank’s backline as a direct replacement for van de Ven in the left-sided centre-back role next to Kevin Danso or Cristian Romero.

25/26 Premier League

Guehi

Van de Ven

Appearances

15

15

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.9

2.2

Clearances per game

5.1

3.3

Blocks per game

0.3

0.3

Duels won per game

5.7

3.0

Ground duel success rate

62%

56%

Aerial duel success rate

71%

38%

Yellow cards

2

3

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the England international has outperformed the Dutchman in a host of defensive metrics in the top-flight this season, particularly in aerial duels.

Subscribe for in-depth transfer analysis and defender stats For deeper context on transfer races and lineup debates, subscribe to our newsletter for clear player comparisons, defensive-metric breakdowns and expert analysis to understand why clubs target specific upgrades. Subscribe Subscribe for in-depth transfer analysis and defender stats For deeper context on transfer races and lineup debates, subscribe to our newsletter for clear player comparisons, defensive-metric breakdowns and expert analysis to understand why clubs target specific upgrades.

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Van de Ven’s 38% win percentage in aerial duels is a dismal statistic to have as a centre-back, tasked with being dominant in the air against attackers and defending set-pieces, whilst Guehi excels in that department, winning 71% of his aerial contests.

These statistics may go a way to explaining why Palace have conceded six goals fewer than Spurs in the Premier League, per Sofascore, and are six places above them in the league.

Reporter Bobby Manzi once described Guehi as a “monster in defence” and his statistics this season back that claim up, as he has been a dominant and impressive Premier League centre-back.

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Therefore, Spurs should be pushing hard to win the race for Guehi’s signature, either next month or in the summer, because he could come in as a significant upgrade on Van de Ven, who would then not have the starter status that he joined for in the first place.

Wolves defender Nelson Semedo won’t play again this season because of a hamstring injury, according to expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Semedo’s injury-plagued season

The right-back joined Wanderers from Barcelona back in 2020 but his second season at the club has been negatively affected by fitness issues.

Semedo has been limited to 25 Premier League starts, which while still a healthy amount, would be comfortably higher if he had remained injury-free.

The Portuguese ace suffered a second hamstring problem in last weekend’s 3-0 defeat at home to Brighton and a key update has now emerged regarding the situation.

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The Latest: Defender’s campaign over

Taking to Twitter, Dinnery confirmed that Semedo’s season is over, meaning he will miss Wolves’ remaining Premier League fixtures against Chelsea, Manchester City, Norwich City and Liverpool:

“Having already lost Max Kilman for the remaining fixtures. Nelson Semedo quickly follows suit… after he was forced off against Brighton with a hamstring injury.”

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The Verdict: Season fizzling out

This is another blow to add to Max Kilman’s season-ending injury of his own – Semedo has been described as ‘unbelievable’ by journalist Tim Spiers – as Wolves’ season threatens to peter out after such a promising campaign overall.

Bruno Lage’s men have a tough-looking final four matches, especially without two key defenders fit, and the aforementioned defeat to Brighton was worryingly lethargic.

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There is still the lure of European football, however, which has to act as inspiration – they are three points behind seventh-placed West Ham with a game in hand -and the hope is that Wolves can re-capture their previous good form in the next few weeks.

In other news, Wolves have been handed a transfer setback. Read more here.