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Newcastle United are close to completing a move for Kilmarnock centre-back Charlie McArthur, according to Daily Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath. 

The lowdown: Prodigious talent

Captain of Scotland at the Under 17 level, McArthur has already made great strides in a fledgeling career to date north of the border.

The exciting young defender made a senior bow for Kilmarnock last season and ended the campaign with four first-team outings under his belt.

Now, slightly over a month on from his 17th birthday, it appears as though the Magpies are nearing a swoop for the talented teenager…

The latest: McGrath on McArthur

Taking to Twitter, reputable journalist McGrath has claimed that Newcastle are set to land the 10-cap Scotland youth starlet.

He stated: “Newcastle are close to completing deal for Kilmarnock centre-back Charlie McArthur. Scotland youth international seen as huge prospect but sources at his club say it is difficult to stand in way when youngster is targeted by a Premier League club.”

The verdict: Snap him up

Described as a ‘dream to work with’ by then Kilmarnock boss Tommy Wright following a senior debut in the 3-1 win over Queen’s Park last term, McArthur can also operate as a left-back and would therefore provide all-important versatility to the Toon ranks further down the line.

Unperturbed by the lack of senior-level exposure, albeit perhaps too soon for McArthur to make an immediate impact on Eddie Howe’s plans, positioning such talented youngsters in situ at St James’ Park is a hugely promising sign as the era under PIF begins to take shape.

Should this move now be completed as expected, intentions will no doubt turn to bolster the first-team ranks as reports continue to index Newcastle with a move for Lille ace Sven Botman and Reims’ frontman Hugo Ekitike.

In the meantime, however, this is a deal that shows the long-term intentions of the ownership group as well as potentially an eye from newly appointed Sporting Director Dan Ashworth as to his vision for the Magpies moving forwards.

In other news, this maestro is willing to bide his time in order to seal a Newcastle move

Everton’s interest in Harry Winks could play a part in negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur over Richarlison, according to The Telegraph’s Matt Law.

The lowdown

Tottenham have expressed an interest in signing the 25-year-old, but the Toffees are driving a hard bargain. They believe he’s worth ‘well over’ £50m, having paid an initial £35m (potentially rising to £50m with add-ons) for the Brazilian in 2018.

Winks, who can play as both a defensive midfielder and a number eight, has two years remaining on his contract with the Lilywhites. The 26-year-old only started nine Premier League matches last season, and may therefore be open to making a move in pursuit of additional game time.

The latest

In The Telegraph, Law explained that Everton are admirers of Winks, who could consequently be included as part of a deal which would see Richarlison going in the opposite direction.

Alternatively, he and the Brazil international could move in separate transfers.

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The verdict

Transfermarkt value Winks at £15.3m, so that’s roughly the figure that we may see knocked off Richarlison’s price tag if he becomes part of the package. Would this be a smart business decision from Everton?

Winks is an accomplished distributor, ranking in the 76th percentile among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues for passing accuracy (86.6%) and the 98th percentile for progressive passes, as per FBRef. Also, he is capable of ‘dictating the game’, in the words of former Spurs striker Robbie Keane.

In this respect, the Englishman – who is similar in profile to Chelsea’s Jorginho – could be a real asset if he is added to Frank Lampard’s midfield.

He has earned praise from Pep Guardiola in the past, with the City manager noting after a 1-0 win for his team against Spurs at Wembley in 2018 that Winks ‘changed the game’ as a substitute, while the 26-year-old’s former boss Mauricio Pochettino likened him to Xavi and Iniesta.

Just imagine seeing a player of that ilk strutting his stuff at Goodison Park every other week…

In other news, David Ornstein has shared some big Everton news.

Rangers have been handed a hammer blow over Ianis Hagi’s injury, as an insider has dropped a big claim on the Ibrox player’s comeback…

What’s the talk?

Gheorghe Hagi has revealed that his son may not return to action for another four months as he is only halfway through his recovery.

The Glasgow Times quote him as saying: “Ianis is very well, I went to the Europa League Final to see him and I will see him for longer because he is coming on holiday with us too.

“He has done about 50 per cent of his recovery and still has 50 per cent of work to do. His knee is as strong as it was before and actually probably stronger than before the injury.

“He’s on the right track and his rehabilitation has worked very well. But it’s still going to take three or four more months for him to return. Ianis will get over this difficult moment in his career though.”

Gio van Bronckhorst will be fuming

The Rangers head coach will be fuming with this claim, as it suggests that Ianis Hagi may not play for the Light Blues until September or October.

This means that the 23-year-old is now set to miss the start of the 2022/23 campaign and all of the club’s Champions League qualifiers. The Gers need to qualify for the group stage after missing out on the Europa League and Premiership crowns this year, and this latest update has ruled out Hagi’s involvement in those matches.

His absence is a big blow for Van Bronckhorst, as the Romania international is an excellent midfielder who has proven himself in Glasgow, thriving in the Premiership since his move from Belgium.

In the 2020/21 title-winning campaign, Hagi produced seven goals and 11 assists in 33 games as he proved that he can make a big impact in the final third. He has the quality to score and set up goals for the Gers, playing on either flank or in the number 10 position.

He has also showcased his ability in Europe for the Light Blues. In the memorable 2021/22 Europa League run, the 23-year-old provided one goal and one assist in five games, also creating three ‘big chances’, and this shows that he can perform well on the continental stage too.

Van Bronckhorst will therefore be gutted by this latest update. It comes as a hammer blow to Rangers, as they will now be without the talented midfielder’s quality for crucial matches later in the summer, and the head coach will now be hoping that his other players can step up to make sure that Hagi’s absence does not have a telling impact.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Lundstram: Wilson must land Rangers deal for “fabulous” £28k-p/w maestro…

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has shared the latest information on the West Midlands outfit’s transfer plans for the summer ahead of the window opening on 10 June.

What’s the story?

The Villa boss was a pundit for BT Sport over the weekend covering Liverpool’s Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid and admitted that he will be ‘on the phone’ over the coming weeks as the 41-year-old looks to assemble a competitive squad.

“We have tried to get in while people are sleeping and try to make some big pieces of the jigsaw,” Gerrard told BT Sport, as quoted by Birmingham Live. “We are really happy with where we are right now.

“Of course, I will be on the phone doing what I need to do and I am really looking forward to a full pre-season and I am optimistic for next year.”

Villa have already completed three major deals before the window officially opens with Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos all being announced as permanent Aston Villa players.

Supporters will be ecstatic

It will be music to the ears of Villa fans to hear their manager said such positive words.

Although there were highs and plenty of signs of quality, the season was far too inconsistent for the Villans, with Gerrard’s side eventually finishing 14th, three places lower than last season.

The ex-Rangers manager took over from Dean Smith in November but will now finally have the opportunity to construct his squad how he would like with the upcoming summer transfer window his first in the Villa hot seat.

It’s no secret that Gerrard, as well as NSWE, has ambitious plans for the football club with money certainly there to be spent as seen with the captures of Coutinho and Carlos with Kamara joining on a free transfer.

Numerous high profile players have been linked with a move to Villa Park this summer, with Luis Suarez mentioned as a potential target, and to have a manager who is so switched on whilst being very well connected from his playing days will certainly have Villa supporters ecstatic.

AND in other news: Forget Carlos: Villa must now seal swoop for “astonishing” £25m star, Gerrard needs him

Newcastle United are believed to be edging closer towards the signing of Stade de Reims striker, Hugo Ekitike, having previously missed out on the player in January.

What’s the word?

As per journalist Craig Hope, the 19-year-old is believed to be keen on making the move to St James’ Park this summer, albeit with the northeast side now needing to come to an agreement with the Ligue 1 outfit.

Writing on Twitter about the developing situation, the trusted insider revealed that the deal appears to be heading in the right direction: “Understand Newcastle are currently in discussions over a deal for Reims striker Hugo Ekitike. The 19-yr-old wants to join the club & there is hope of progress. Package is €30m+.”

This aligns with a report from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who stated that the teenager had “agreed a five-year deal” with the Magpies, leaving just “final details” to be discussed with his current side.

The young Frenchman had previously rejected the move in the winter after a £33m deal had been agreed, although appears to have had a change of heart.

Supporters buzzing

Persistence has seemingly paid off for Eddie Howe and co, with the Premier League side having not given up hope despite that rejection in January, ensuring they are now set to secure the services of one the hottest prospects in Europe and a player who has been dubbed the “next Mbappe”, as per journalist Graeme Bailey.

In a breakthrough campaign in his native France, the £25.2m-rated gem bagged an impressive ten goals and provided three assists in the league in total, despite missing a fair chunk of the second half of the season with a hamstring injury.

Although he is a relative newcomer to senior football – having only spent a brief loan stint at Danish side Vejle BK prior to the most recent campaign – the indication is that he is a talent destined for the elite level, while he already compares favourably to those in his position across Europe’s big five leagues, ranking in the top 16% for progressive carries, as well as the top 3% for dribbles completed.

Those statistics would illustrate that he is so much more than simply just a goalscorer. His speed and ability to beat a man make him a comfortable fit on either flank, opening up the possibility that the Tynesiders could still move for another striker this summer.

Such excitement over potential incomings is a far cry from the dismal story of last year, when then-boss Steve Bruce was afforded little investment from the much-maligned former owner, Mike Ashley, eventually only bringing in Arsenal’s Joe Willock on a permanent deal, having already had the midfielder on loan the previous season.

With fresh faces now in the dugout and at boardroom level, there is a great deal of optimism that the club can finally threaten at the top half of the table, having so long languished in and around the relegation zone.

As for Ekitike, the promising starlet could well prove to be just the first piece of business in a seismic summer for Newcastle. Supporters are in for a real treat.

IN other news, Eddie Howe can now help NUFC sign “spectacular” £64m “nightmare”, he’s better than Saint-Maximin

Farad Moshiri is plotting an Everton bid for defender Levi Colwill as Frank Lampard looks ahead to next season.

What’s the word?

That’s according to reports via The Daily Mail who claims Lampard wants to raid former club Chelsea to sign centre-back Colwill in a loan deal for next season.

Crystal Palace are also keen on the player, but Everton looks more likely to give him first-team football as they secured their Premier League status.

Lampard needs to bolster his defence

Everton defeated Crystal Palace last week to remain in the top flight by the skin of their teeth and now the 43-year-old can relax and plan ahead for what will be an important season ahead.

Only four teams conceded more goals in the league than Everton and this is an area which needs urgently needs improvement during the summer transfer window.

Colwill has starred for Huddersfield Town this season having joined on loan, leading them to the play-off final against Nottingham Forest and they can secure another promotion to the top flight with a victory.

With an average WhoScored rating of 7.01, the 19-year-old is ranked fourth in the squad and despite his age, he could be a wise signing for Everton.

Fellow teammate Lewis O’Brien has dubbed him “fantastic”, with Nizaar Kinsella describing him as a “huge talent” and on the strength of his performances this season, it’s clear to see why.

The teenager is strong in the challenge, being dribbled past just 0.2 times per game this season, as well as making an impressive 1.8 tackles a match.

Thus, the next stage of his development will surely be playing in the Premier League on a regular basis and with Everton and Palace keen, there’s no shortage of admirers.

Lampard could utilise his Chelsea connections and work out a deal for the youngster and he could get vital experience as he strives toward succeeding at his parent club.

AND in other news, Lampard plotting Everton bid for £158k-p/w dynamo, he’d be a “joy to watch”…

Former Premier League defender Alan Hutton has made a claim involving Liverpool and the protracted contract negotiations with Mohamed Salah. 

The lowdown: Ongoing saga

Following months of speculation, it appears that the Reds are no closer to reaching an agreement with the 29-year-old superstar winger.

Currently under contract until 2023 (Transfermarkt), the Anfield hierarchy have been attempting to tie down their prized asset in order to avoid losing Salah for free next summer.

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Now, following a recent update from a Football Insider source ‘close’ to Anfield claiming that Salah is willing to compromise on previous demands over a four-year deal at £500,000 per week, one onlooker has suggested there is only one possible solution…

The latest: Hutton urges action

Speaking to Football Insider in reaction to the latest news, regular BBC pundit Hutton claimed that the goalscoring phenomenon and his representatives have been left with no choice but to accept what’s on offer.

The 37-year-old said: “We’re talking four years now. Was that not one of the stumbling blocks before, the length of the contract?

“If your agent’s phoning you and saying you’ve got that on the table, I’d say: ‘Fire that through to me. I’ll get it signed.’ That is an obscene amount of money for that contract for four years.

“I think they’ve done everything possible to keep hold of one of their star players. If that’s the deal, how can you grumble at that? I think they’ve shown their intent moving forward. They want him within this team moving forward and offered what he’s worth, in my opinion. Hopefully, for Liverpool, it’s just a matter of time.”

The verdict: Standing firm

Regardless of Salah’s undeniable importance to Jurgen Klopp’s side and indeed the profile of the club moreover, Fenway Sports Group have already proven that they won’t be held to ransom when it comes to new player deals.

Having allowed Gini Wijnaldum to leave the club as a free agent, the board will be reticent to see the £90million valued Egyptian star go the same way.

However, it now seems unlikely the 29-year-old 82-cap sensation will be granted all of his contract wishes as he attempts to land one ginormous major deal before he brings an end to what has already been a memorable career.

With important matters still to be dealt with on the pitch, Salah and his illustrious attacking partners Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino may have to wait to resolve their futures for a few more weeks yet.

Should no new deal be agreed for any of the aforementioned trio, a big summer departure from Merseyside could well be on the cards.

In other news… the Reds are believed to be in pole position in the pursuit for one of their summer transfer targets.

Liverpool have not been shy when it comes to signing teenage talents in recent years with the likes of Harvey Elliott joining and Fabio Carvalho set to arrive.

Now that the next summer transfer window is around the corner, it seems as though the Reds have another young prospect in their sights to potentially add to their ranks.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Mirror, Liverpool are the early frontrunners to make a potential summer swoop for Birmingham City’s 16-year-old midfielder Jobe Bellingham.

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Following in the footsteps of his brother Jude, the teenager is a product of Birmingham’s youth academy and made his senior debut for the Championship club back in January this year.

With 26 appearances to his name across the club’s senior, U23 and U18 sides, the midfielder has scored five goals and delivered one assist along the way.

A scary talent inbound?

If Liverpool can secure a move for the 16-year-old this summer then they could well unearth the next version of his older brother.

After making his senior debut for Birmingham, Lee Bowyer reserved fine praise for Jobe, words that sum up why he’d be such an exciting signing at Anfield.

“Young Jobe coming on looked so comfortable. He’s earned that, he’s been training with us for two, three, four weeks now, you can just see him growing and improving every day.

“He played with a confidence and that’s because he’s improving every day and I thought it was the right time and I’d like to think that I was right.”

Should the teenage sensation find himself on the same trajectory as his brother, whose talent has been described as “scary” by Jack Grealish, then securing a move for the Blues starlet this summer should definitely be near the top of Liverpool’s priority list.

Currently valued at a massive £127m according to CIES, the Borussia Dortmund star has scored ten goals and provided 18 assists in 90 appearances for the German club across all competitions since he left Birmingham in the 2020 summer transfer window.

Having also been linked with the 18-year-old, Liverpool could possibly sign the next best thing by acquiring the younger Bellingham brother this summer, someone dubbed a “wonderkid” by TEAMtalk.

Talented footballers clearly run in the family and they could also save plenty of cash by opting for Jobe instead of Jude this summer. Should he progress at a similar rate then his transfer value, stock and potential will only increase as it has done for his elder sibling.

Therefore, if Liverpool are able to bring the Birmingham youth talent to Anfield this summer, they could find themselves with a long-term midfield option for their team and one of England’s top prospects.

In other news: “He’s gonna leave”: Romano drops Liverpool update that’ll have supporters gutted

Sunderland manager Alex Neil has confirmed that there are no fresh injury concerns ahead of the League One play-off second leg against Sheffield Wednesday on Monday night. 

The lowdown: Advantage Sunderland

Neil’s side head to Hillsborough with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg encounter at the Stadium of Light thanks to Ross Stewart’s strike late in the first half last Friday night.

The Black Cats were roared on by more than 44,300 vociferous supporters in the northeast, and those fans will be praying for a trip to the capital later in the month.

As Sunderland look to book a place in the Wembley showpiece for a shot at promotion to the Championship, the manager has updated the fitness situation at the club…

The latest: Neil reveals Sunderland team news

Speaking on Sunday ahead of the trip to Yorkshire (via Sunderland Echo), Neil confirmed that there were no new injuries suffered to the Sunderland matchday squad.

The 40-year-old stated: “Everyone seems to be OK. The lads were in yesterday (Saturday) afternoon, it’s always difficult after a night game in terms of your sleep.

“But they’ve had a good rest now, they’ll be back in this afternoon and then we’ll take a view on how they are. But certainly there were no additional issues for us as of yesterday.”

The verdict: Huge boost for Sunderland

Whilst Sunderland could remain without Leon Dajaku and Everton loanee Nathan Broadhead due to illness and a muscle problem respectively, Neil will be delighted to have the same 18 players from Friday at his disposal once more for another pivotal clash.

Albeit with only a slender lead, the Black Cats enjoyed the lion’s share of proceedings in the first leg, with 15 shots to the Owls’ eight and seven corners to the visitors’ three on the night (Sofascore).

Neil may look to use the same players on this occasion with a view to getting Dajaku, Broadhead and indeed Dennis Cirkin and Carl Winchester fit for a potential play-off final against either Wycombe or MK Dons.

In other news, Sunderland are now facing one big dilemma

A big Rangers transfer claim has been made over Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s plans for Ibrox centre-forward Alfredo Morelos…

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has revealed that Rangers are set to put a fresh deal for Morelos at the top of their to-do list, with his current terms at Ibrox set to expire in the summer of 2023.

O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT: “Morelos will probably be the priority because he’s probably the one who’s going to get you the biggest fee if he is to be sold right now. And if he was to sign a new contract, that would obviously enhance his price tag as well going forwards for Rangers.

“So, I think Morelos probably will be the priority if they were to keep anybody right now because he is the out and out goalscorer in that team for Rangers.”

Supporters will be buzzing

This claim will surely leave the supporters buzzing as they will want the club to be in the best possible position to keep hold of Morelos.

Whilst, as O’Rourke explains, a new contract will increase his value in the market it also gives them a bigger chance of retaining him.

They will not be forced to cash in on the striker this summer as they would not have the looming prospect of him being able to sign a pre-contract with a foreign team in January 2023, which means that they would only sell if the right offer came in for him.

The attacker has produced 19 goals and eight assists in all competitions for the Gers this season. He has proven himself to be a consistent performer at the top end of the pitch as he has chipped in with goal contributions on a regular basis in the number nine role.

In the Premiership this season, James Tavernier (7.73) is the only outfield player for Rangers with a higher average SofaScore rating than Morelos (7.32). He has been one of Gio van Bronckhorst’s top performers in the division and that is why fans will be delighted with the club wanting to tie him down to a new deal.

The supporters will surely want to see the Colombian in action for the Gers again next season and agreeing on a contract extension appears to be the best way of going about keeping him. It will allay any fears of him leaving on a free transfer next summer and put Wilson in a strong position to reject offers for his services.

AND in other news, Fewer touches than McLaughlin: Rangers dud with 0 duels won was a passenger on Sunday…