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While there are still a couple of weeks to go and plenty of football to be played, it would be fair to say that Arsenal have enjoyed another brilliant season under Mikel Arteta, one that could still end in Premier League glory.

The Spaniard’s side went into the campaign with the sting of last year’s collapse fresh in the mind, but instead of wilting under the pressure, they have shown that they are worthy of challenging Manchester City for domestic dominance.

That said, while almost every player in the squad has looked better than they did last year, Gabriel Martinelli has been underwhelming and, as a result, has struggled to make it into the starting XI of late.

However, based on recent reports, the North Londoners could soon land the perfect player to revive the Brazilian’s fortunes on the left – oh, and he’s already rejected Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Turkey (via TEAMtalk), Arsenal are keen on bringing Tottenham target and Fenerbahçe fullback Ferdi Kadioglu to the Emirates this summer.

The report has claimed that while the Lilywhites are interested in landing the 24-year-old’s signature, his agent has already met with Arsenal representatives and agreed to a ‘deal in principle.’

This means that for the Gunners to get the transfer over the line, they just need to agree a fee with Sarı Kanaryalar themselves, which, according to the report, could be as little as £26m.

Now, this would still represent a considerable investment from the Gunners in a player from a league outside of Europe’s traditional top five, but as he has the skills to revive Martinelli’s fortunes, it would likely be worth it.

How Kadioglu could revive Martinelli

On the whole, Arsenal have had a reasonably predictable lineup for the majority of the campaign thus far, with the same names generally starting week-in-week-out regardless of the opponent ahead of them, apart from on the left-hand side, that is.

Gabriel Martinelli

30

Oleksandr Zinchenko

24

Leandro Trossard

14

Jakub Kiwior

16

Gabriel Jesus

4

Takehiro Tomiyasu

8

So far this year, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Jakub Kiwior have all taken turns starting on the left of the back four. At the same time, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, and Martinelli have come in and out of the XI on the left of the attack.

This constant chopping and changing has clearly had an impact on the former Ituano ace, as last season, when he knew it would be Granit Xhaka and the Ukrainian behind him, he was fantastic, scoring 15 goals and providing six assists in 46 appearances. A stable lineup could reignite his devastating attacking threat.

This is where Kadioglu could come in, as in the opinion of respected data analyst Ben Mattinson, the Turkey international’s impressive “stamina, athleticism and speed” would allow him to make constant overlapping runs with the Brazilian, thus allowing him to “cut in and shoot more frequently.”

Moreover, Mattinson claims that the “electric” fullback can play on either side of the backline and invert when in the final third, becoming a “part of the attacking line” to further increase the Gunners’ myriad of attacking options and bring a new dimension to the team’s approach.

Appearances

48

Goals

3

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.16

Ultimately, if Arteta wants to bring Martinelli back to his very best next season, then signing Kadıoğlu is a brilliant way to do that and a fantastic way to increase the team’s attacking threat overall.

Arsenal star is quickly becoming their best player alongside Saka & Rice

Arteta has a natural talent on his hands.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 7, 2024

It's fair to say that while there is a sense of dismay regarding Liverpool's failure to keep pace with title chasers Arsenal and Manchester City into the final phase of the season, the real chagrin at the hearts of the supporters stems from their team's lack of fight, drive and determination.

For Liverpool to have fought so hard, with such awe-inspiring unity and belief during a season of resurgence, surpassing expectations and belying the catalogue of injury problems that should have but didn't stop the Reds from beating Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final in February, only to fall at the final hurdle with most senior stars fit once more is bleak.

Jurgen Klopp has cut a forlorn figure throughout this wretched recent period but the 56-year-old has worked true wonders on Merseyside and he must depart with his head held high, having lifted Anfield from the ashes and back to a position of power as one of the most feared units in Europe, conquerers of the Premier Leauge, conquerers of the Champions League.

While the Premier League title is out of reach, barring a miracle, Klopp will demand a response this afternoon, with Liverpool gearing up to host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

Spurs have lost three on the bounce and look shot for confidence right now, but Liverpool are not exactly free-flowing and a slow start could be detrimental against Ange Postecoglou's side.

Liverpool team news

Conor Bradley is fit once again after missing the past several weeks with an ankle injury, though captain Virgil van Dijk has missed most of the week's training and is a doubt for this afternoon's fixture.

Sadly, Diogo Jota will not be able to replicate his last-gasp winner in an incredible and frantic 4-3 victory at Anfield last season, with Liverpool 3-0 up after 15 minutes only to succumb to Spurs attacking pressure.

Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara and Ben Doak remain long-term absentees but Liverpool boast a healthy pick of options for this final month of the season.

Klopp will likely ring the changes after drawing to West Ham United last weekend, with Mohamed Salah in line to return to the starting line-up following his acrimonious clash with his manager at the London Stadium.

Salah's season in numbers

It typified the mood surrounding Liverpool's punishing slump. Salah, benched after a poor run of form, locked horns with his long-time gaffer as he was called to action in the closing stage of Liverpool's game at West Ham, moments after Michail Antonio's equaliser.

The uber-competitive goal machine was acceptably incensed that he had been kept on the fringe for so long but his shouting match against Klopp illuminated an acute issue that has stemmed from the German's pre-ordained departure this summer.

He's been introduced during the second half in two of Liverpool's past four Premier League matches, having bagged just the one goal from his last six appearances. Still, the 31-year-old has scored 24 goals and added 13 assists from 41 fixtures in all competitions this season.

He ranks among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals and the top 1% for assists and touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, as per FBref.

Furthermore, no Premier League player has created more big chances than he during the 2023/24 campaign either, veritably ratifying his status as the Premier League's most devastating multi-weaponed forward.

1.

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

21

2.

Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United

20

3.

Dwight McNeil

Everton

17

3.

Son Heung-min

Tottenham Hotspur

17

5.

Kevin De Bruyne

Manchester City

16

5.

Martin Odegaard

Arsenal

16

Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes are working tirelessly for the betterment of post-Klopp Liverpool but Salah must be still in the mix next term, serving as the centrepiece of Arne Slot's frontline.

He must start against Spurs, but he might not be the main man this time, with Luis Diaz boasting the form and the finesse to damage Ange Postecoglou's squad.

Why Luis Diaz could be the main man

Last weekend's drab display against West Ham did not bring the response that was expected and needed after falling by the wayside in such an inexplicable manner, but Diaz still shone as his team's beacon of hope, working tirelessly and putting some of his listless peers to shame.

The Colombian might not be the sharpest shooter in the Liverpool squad but he can certainly impact a game with his electric pace and shark-like movements down the channel, often swerving menacingly into the danger area to send his adversaries into a scramble.

It's true that Diaz's performances were blotched with inconsistencies throughout the first half of the current campaign but he has been vital on the left channel in 2024, notching up his output and producing dangerous displays to better reflect his speed and athleticism.

2023

23

5

1

2024

25

8

4

Not just most potent in front of goal, the £55k-per-week winger ranks among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 6% for touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 13% for shots taken and the top 12% for shot-creating actions per 90.

Not only do such metrics showcase Diaz's drive and determination, but they highlight his constant threat both as a direct attacking force and a creative member.

Of course, that's without even mentioning his dogged workrate, always running and always pushing to help his team – something that certain other Reds forwards could take note of across these wretched recent weeks.

Take, for example, the 27-year-old's recent performance against the Hammers, where the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle handed him a deserved 8/10 match rating after his tenacious effort, writing: 'Lots of running and endeavour first half and struck post after one wriggly run. Constant threat after the break, creating equaliser and several times thwarted by Areola.'

It's not quite a dead rubber match against Tottenham, but Liverpool's fading hopes of winning silverware this month must not negate the effort required to ensure that Klopp's brilliant reign does not end with a whimper.

Slot could sign "elite" £70m Van Dijk replacement for Liverpool

Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes would pull off a blinder by signing this “elite” talent.

ByAngus Sinclair May 2, 2024

Barcelona have enquired about Tottenham Hotspur left-back Sergio Reguilon, which would be a shock transfer given his recent struggles and rival past.

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Barcelona enquire over ReguilonLeft-back cover requiredSpaniard out of favour at SpursWHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Barcelona have been in contact with Tottenham to understand the conditions that might be expected were they to launch an approach for Reguilon.

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Reguilon isn't thought to have a place at Tottenham under Ange Postecoglou and Spurs are open to selling. He started last season on loan at Manchester United and, when that deal was cut short in January, finished it on a similar temporary deal at Brentford. Meanwhile, Barcelona were short on left-backs even before Alejandro Balde suffered a long-term hamstring injury midway through last season and have lost the cover they did have in loan signing Joao Cancelo, who has returned to Manchester City.

DID YOU KNOW?

Reguilon hails from Madrid and first joined the youth ranks of fierce Barcelona rivals Real Madrid at the age of nine. He spent a total of 15 years at the club, before his permanent transfer to Tottenham was completed in 2020.

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If Reguilon is to return to Spain, Barcelona will have to reach a decision on whether the response Tottenham have given make a more formal approach worthwhile. Balde has played sparingly in pre-season and himself is only 20 years of age, so lack real experience.

Women’s team coach says timing of coronavirus pandemic has minimised Cricket Australia’s financial impact

Daniel Brettig24-Mar-2020A postponement in moving Cricket Australia’s headquarters and a drastic cut down in travel may be among the measures the governing body will make to save cash in the time of coronavirus, while any decisions to reduce staff or salaries will be delayed as CA attempts to “absorb” the global pandemic within the business.CA has been compelled to look into a raft of saving measures to keep what cash the organisation can. This is over and above cash reserves that were around A$26 million entering the summer, augmented by the recent payment of rights fee instalments from Fox and Seven. CA had been planning to move its headquarters into rented office space while renovating its longtime headquarters in Jolimont, Melbourne, one of two large office properties the governing body can name as assets, alongside the A$29 million National Cricket Centre in Brisbane.Matthew Mott, coach of the T20 World Cup winning women’s side, said that while the message to all staff had been that CA would do its best to absorb the global suspension of sport to limit spreading of coronavirus, ways and means of becoming more efficient needed to be found in all departments of the organisation.”I can only go on the messaging we’ve had from our senior management, and this is an awful thing to happen to the whole of society, but in terms of timing we’ve been incredibly lucky,” Mott said. “We can shut down over Easter, we can shut down a few off-season programs. There will be huge financial implications, but timing wise if we were going to suffer something like this, the timing is not too bad.”We’ve been assured we’ve just got to make sure we come up with some really constructive feedback on how we can save some money going forward, but the expectation at the moment is that CA as a business can absorb this.”Obviously the longer it goes on, it’s going to put more pressure on everyone. I haven’t got a crystal ball, I don’t know how long this is going to last, nor does anyone, but in the short to medium term we’ve been assured that we’ve got enough equity and agility within the business to be able to absorb it, and we just need to be smart and pretty clinical about how we prepare and get our players ready.”In addition to having all staff work from home as of last week, CA will be able to find savings from a dramatic reduction in domestic and international travel, while the taking of paid annual leave among staff will be another option available to take cost off the governing body’s books. Mott was certain, however, that the women’s game would not be subject to cost-saving that might serve to stem the momentum that flowed from the World Cup and its technicolour finale, when Australia beat India in front of an 86,000-plus crowd at the MCG.”What we saw at the MCG just showed if you put the work in behind the scenes and you promote the game then the audience is there,” Mott said. “I think if anything the whole business is just going to have to be more efficient, and there’s going to be things that are cut out, it’s just the nature of where we’re at. I’m sure there’ll be input in both male and female programs about how we can get the best bang for our buck, and how we can be a lot more efficient. Everyone needs to work out what’s going to be the best for their programs, and how they’re going to make them run most efficiently.”It is a common lament among retired athletes that they never get the chance to stop, reflect and make balanced life decisions in the hurtling momentum of careers that last far less than half as long as those working regular jobs. Now, all of the world’s athletes will be taking stock, no matter where they sit on the road from rookie to veteran.”We’ve certainly put out messaging to our players, we’re going to have a break during this period here now, but often in those breaks you still think ‘I’ve got to do this, I’ve got to do that’. Not just cricket but sport and the community, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on what’s important,” Mott said. “I think it’ll wear thin after a while, but I’ve absolutely loved being able to hang out with my family on the weekend, cook meals together and spend time together and just hang out.”There’s no pressure to be catching up with other people or stuff like that. I do think it is a great opportunity for everyone just to take stock, work out what’s really important in their lives, and just plan out what are the next steps. All these things have a funny way of happening for a reason. I think if you take a positive mindset towards them, you can really make them work for you.”I know there’s going to be people out there that are really struggling making ends meet, and it’s going to put a huge amount of financial pressure on a lot of people in our community and that’s incredibly sad, but there’s a lot of people also who can use this as a real positive driver to just work out what’s really important in your lives and make sure that when we get out of this situation, which we will, that we can really crystallise what’s important for us as a community and how we want to take ourselves forward.”Two players who were already looking at time for reflection were Ellyse Perry (torn hamstring) and Tayla Vlaeminck (foot stress fracture) who did not make it to the end of the World Cup campaign. Mott said that both were tracking to be fit to play within the normal timeframes for their respective injuries. Whether there will be any cricket to play yet by the time they are ready is another matter entirely. “It probably eases both their minds a little bit,” Mott said, “that they’re not missing out on as much as they would if we were over in South Africa.”

In the CPL, he’ll be looking to take on the role Shoaib Malik performed for Guyana

Deivarayan Muthu11-Aug-20201:24

Will be strange to play without crowds – Ross Taylor

This February Ross Taylor became the first New Zealand men’s player to feature in 100 T20Is. Taylor celebrated the occasion with a half-century, studded by three successive signature hockey-swiped boundaries in a 34-run over off India allrounder Shivam Dube at the Bay Oval.Taylor floated in the middle order at No.5 or No.6 in New Zealand’s most recent T20I series at home against India, and struck 166 runs in five innings at an average of 41.50 and strike rate of 131.74. He will be 37 when the T20 World Cup, which has now been pushed back to 2021 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, gets underway. So, does he see himself making that World Cup next year?”Oh! Not sure,” Taylor told ESPNcricinfo in a video interview from Trinidad where he will be based for a month to play in the CPL 2020, playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors. “As you get older, things slow down a little bit, but your training and experience and your mind become even more important.”There had been questions over Taylor’s T20I future after the previous T20 World Cup as well, in 2016, when he managed only 91 runs in five innings. In 2017, then-coach Mike Hesson explained that players on the fringe were putting too much pressure on Taylor.Coming into the CPL, Taylor reckoned all players involved would face a sense of unease, having not played competitive cricket for a long time. Taylor had last played competitive cricket in March 2020, when New Zealand faced Australia in a closed-door ODI in Sydney before the rest of that tour was called off. Last month, Taylor was part of New Zealand training camp at the Bay Oval before heading to link up with five-time finalists Warriors.”Yeah, it has been a strange time all around,” he said. I haven’t gone this long without playing any cricket since I was in high school. So, yeah obviously isolation and all those other things are a little bit strange, but it is what it is.”You know it’s going to be strange for everybody at the CPL. Nobody has played international cricket for a while, so everyone is going to be nervous, I’m sure. So, the training and early games are very important. The atmosphere in Twenty20 cricket is a lot of what you play and we get the best crowds in that format. So, to play in front of nobody but knowing that people at home will be watching and cheering us on, it’s going to be a bit strange, but at the same time something that we’re going to get used to.”Taylor is expected to fill the void created by the withdrawal of CPL veteran Shoaib Malik, who is currently on tour with Pakistan in the UK. With last season’s breakout star Brandon King at the top, followed by the power-hitting pair of Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer in the middle order, Taylor said that his role this season would be to draw on his experience and anchor the innings.”Shoaib Malik has got a fantastic record, especially in Twenty20 [cricket] and especially for Guyana as well,” Taylor said. “I think he has got that anchor role – and a role that I’ll be looking to do as well. Hetmyer and Pooran… I’ve played with him [Pooran] before; they are not just exciting players in West Indies cricket, but in the world as well. I’m looking forward to see how they go and grow. It’s an exciting team to play for and every time I played against Guyana in the past, they’ve always been tough competitors.”‘Expect spin to play a big part’With CPL 2020 set to be played in just two venues in Trinidad & Tobago, the pitches are likely to deteriorate faster than usual. As a result, nearly all sides have packed their sides with spinners and slower-ball specialists. Taylor admitted that tackling spin could have a major impact on the tournament.”Every team is stacked with quality spinners and we expect spin to play a big part and probably reverse-swing throughout the whole tournament,” he said. “Traditionally, it does spin a lot here anyway, so the way you play spin is going to be very important. Some of the world’s best spinners are here, and it’s going to be a good test for us batsmen going forward.”You’ve just got to adjust as quickly as possible and adapt as quick as possible as well. I think regardless of whether you’re playing on bouncy wickets or spin-friendly wickets, you got to adjust to what kind of total you’re chasing or what you think is a par total is as well. So, hopefully the experience and reading the situation [helps] going forward, and also taking to your partner as much as possible and helping him out as well.”

A "phenomenal" Mohamed Salah dominated Arne Slot's pre-season fitness test as the Liverpool forward showed no signs of slowing down.

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Liverpool back in pre-season trainingSalah aced fitness test11 players have yet to report to KirkbyWHAT HAPPENED?

The 32-year-old forward has plenty of gas left in his tank as he aced the fitness test in pre-season. Liverpool's players were tasked with a grueling six-minute race test, which Salah won by covering more ground than everyone else – surpassing Sepp van den Berg, who previously held the top spot on the leaderboard. Returning for pre-season training in impeccable shape, Salah is leading from the front with an exemplary work ethic in the gym and on the training field.

AdvertisementWHAT CONALL MURTAGH SAID

Conall Murtagh, Liverpool’s first-team fitness coach, described Salah's performance as "phenomenal."

“It’s important to show your mentality. Show the lads how it’s done as leaders in the group,” Murtagh added, via

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Andy Robertson, Dominik Szoboszlai, and young goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros returned to Kirkby on Tuesday after an early exit with their respective countries from Euro 2024. However, Arne Slot has to continue working without 11 senior players as all of them have been serving their nation either at the Euros or the Copa America.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Liverpool's pre-season tour of the United States kicks off next Tuesday and it is evident that Slot will fly without several key players. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez are on holiday following England’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain, while Alexis Mac Allister helped Argentina win the Copa America, and Darwin Nunez played for Uruguay in the third-place play-off – which means they are also enjoying their post-season break.

Players typically receive a three-week break after tournaments, meaning that Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Mac Allister, Nunez, and others will not take the grass until Liverpool return from the U.S. on August 4. The Dutch players including Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, and Ryan Gravenberch, along with France's Ibrahima Konate made it to the last four of the Euros and are expected to be back slightly earlier but are unlikely to cross the Atlantic and join Slot in the US. However, Gomez, Gravenberch, and Konate, who did not play during the Euros, may opt to return to training early and the club has left the decision to the players themselves.

Sunderland's inconsistencies reared their ugly head again away in Birmingham, with a 2-1 defeat at St Andrew's meaning the Black Cats are now winless in their last two after going on an unbeaten streak of three games prior.

A late flurry of second-half goals for Tony Mowbray's Blues allowed the former Sunderland manager and his new team to pick up a narrow win against the hit-and-miss Wearside outfit, who sit in tenth position now in the Championship off the back of this slim loss.

Michael Beale will feel significantly let down by a number of his first-teamers but will feel the most frustrated when it comes to this Sunderland individual who is yet to taste a single minute of action this year for the stuttering Black Cats.

On a handsome wage at this moment in time, those with connections to Sunderland could well look to offload the player in question soon to free up some of the wage bill and get this dud off the books for good.

Bradley Dack's salary at Sunderland

Bradley Dack is currently earning a hefty £15k-per-week salary, an arguably extortionate amount of money for the 30-year-old midfielder to be raking in considering his on-the-fringes presence at the Stadium of Light.

Battling with a number of well-publicised injury demons at Blackburn Rovers, Dack's bad luck when it comes to picking up knocks did, unfortunately, follow him to Sunderland early into his Black Cats career and continues to hinder him – the 5 foot 9 creator missing for most of September and October as a permanent fixture in the treatment room.

Scoring only one goal since making the switch to Wearside from Blackburn across 13 appearances, Dack now finds himself out injured again with his last slice of action coming on Boxing Day last year against Hull City.

With Sunderland more willing to give young talents such as Jobe Bellingham time to shine in the attacking midfield positions, Dack's short-lived time at the Stadium of Light could soon be up especially if he continues to bleed the Championship club dry by routinely suffering setback after setback with injuries.

Amazingly, the 30-year-old comes in at a higher wage than the aforementioned Bellingham with Dack earning more than double that of the former Birmingham City teenage sensation.

Bradley Dack's salary compared to the Sunderland squad

Dack, when comparing his wage to the rest of the Black Cats camp, comes in as the joint second-highest earner currently at the football club.

Jack Clarke only beats Dack just – with the 15-goal star deserving of his top £16.9k wage – whilst Daniel Ballard ties with Dack at £15k-per-week according to Capology.

1. Jack Clarke

£16.9k

2. Daniel Ballard

£15k

3. Bradley Dack

£15k

4. Patrick Roberts

£12.5k

5. Anthony Patterson

£10k

Surprisingly, despite Bellingham starring this season with five goals and one assist next to his name, the 18-year-old comes in with a meagre £6.5k per week compared to Dack's far greater salary packet.

With Beale stating recently that Dack could be back from his recent knock soon, the time is now for the ex-Blackburn man to step up and justify his handsome pay packet to the disgruntled Sunderland masses when fit by putting in performances that make the wage seem less excessive.

At the peak of his powers for his former Lancashire employers, Dack did dazzle second-tier defences for fun – the attacking midfielder bagging 15 goals during the 2018-19 season for the Riversiders at the level.

Yet, in the present with Dack not getting any less injury-prone, Sunderland could sense severing ties with the 5 foot 9 midfielder as the most logical thing to do to then seek out some more appropriate young talent down the line.

After a quiet January transfer window, Newcastle United have already turned their attention towards the summer, when they could finally land Eddie Howe a player they made a bid for last month.

Newcastle transfer news

Attempting to stay within the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules after recording a reported loss of £155m over the space of the last three seasons, Newcastle's hands were tied in the winter transfer window. Instead of incomings, rumours circled over potential departures at St James' Park, with Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron linked with moves away. Those exit rumours are still coming too, with Paris Saint-Germain reportedly interested in both Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.

For now, however, the Magpies have kept hold of their star players and seemingly turned their attention back towards potential incomings this summer. Reports have already emerged that PIF want to sign another top striker, perhaps to avoid the panic of finding a makeshift option in the event of Wilson and Isak's absences. And that top striker could come in the form of Can Uzun.

Newcastle submitted a bid of over €10m (£9m) for Uzun in January, before being told by FC Nurnberg that any deal must wait until the summer.

Now, according to Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg, Uzun does not have a release clause, meaning Nurnberg can set their own price, but that number is indeed believed to be around €10m, so the Magpies may effectively only need to repeat their offer again come the summer.

Having already met the price-tag in January only to be rebuffed, it will be interesting to see what Newcastle do next in pursuit of the teenager as the summer transfer window approaches.

"Wonderkid" Uzun can partner Isak for years to come

At just 18-years-old, Uzun is already starring in the 2. Bundesliga and is destined to get better and better with more experience, potentially making the young forward the perfect partner for Isak. The Swede, himself, is only 24-years-old and has several years left in his prime. With Wilson now 31 too, it won't be too long before Howe will be forced to start thinking about a replacement. Statistically speaking, Uzun has more than proved that he can keep up with the current duo.

Goals

10

7

10

Assists

1

1

0

Expected Goals

5.9

7.2

10.1

Progressive Carries

36

9

35

Key Passes

13

7

12

It's no surprise that Uzun has earned a lot of praise, given the numbers, including from X account Football Wonderkids, who posted:

Newcastle will now hope that it's them who benefit and help Uzun realise his potential, as they potentially line up a summer move to sign the teenager.

da brdice： After a disappointing January transfer window, followed by the news of Dan Ashworth's pending departure, Newcastle United have turned their attention back towards handing Eddie Howe a positive change in the form of an exciting midfield reinforcement this summer.

Newcastle transfer news

da premier bet： The Magpies were restricted by their £155m in losses over the last three seasons during the winter window, which resulted in a quiet month on the incoming front. That struggle to welcome fresh faces looks set to be Ashworth's final act at St James' Park too after the club confirmed that the sporting director has been placed on gardening leave amid interest from Premier League rivals Manchester United.

Newcastle's CEO, Darren Eales, told the club's official website: "We are naturally disappointed that Dan has chosen to leave, however our exciting journey doesn't stop and the process to recruit a new sporting director will begin immediately. We thank Dan for his efforts at Newcastle United and we wish him and his family well for the future."

Related Latest Newcastle United injury news, return dates and suspensions

FFC keeps you up to date with all the latest Newcastle news involving injuries as they face Sheffield United in the Premier League.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 26, 2024

With or without Ashworth though, those at St James' Park need reinforcements this summer, and Howe could get exactly that in the form of a potential Bundesliga champion. According to Sport Bild, via Sport Witness, Newcastle are eyeing a move for Exequiel Palacios, who has been part of an incredibly impressive and unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen side this season. The midfielder and his teammates are currently eight points clear of champions Bayern Munich.

Newcastle aren't alone in their interest it seems, however, with Aston Villa also eyeing a move in a deal for Palacios which would start at €40m (£34m) and likely increase due to Leverkusen's reluctance to sell this summer. A World Cup winner with Argentina and on course to become a Bundesliga champion, it's no surprise that Palacios has attracted such interest from the Premier League.

"Terrific" Palacios can add depth to Newcastle midfield

Whilst his current injury has ruled him out of Leverkusen's last four games, Palacios has more than played his part under Xabi Alonso this season, starting 16 of his side's 22 Bundesliga games. At 25-years-old, the Argentine international still has plenty of time to get even better, meanwhile, which could yet come as a result of a Premier League switch.

Palacios would offer a much-needed extra option for Howe in the middle of the park too. The former Bournemouth boss has been forced to fall back on the inexperienced Lewis Miley at times this season. Despite the youngster's brilliant breakout, with Joelinton's current deal set to expire in the summer of 2025, the Magpies could soon become desperate for a reinforcement.

Negotiations will prove tough when it comes to Palacios, of course, especially given what Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes had to say about signing the midfielder back in 2020.

Harry Kane has responded to Michael Owen’s claim that he was “nuts” to pull his kids out of school and go trophy-chasing at Bayern Munich.

Severed ties with Spurs in summer of 2023Became Bundesliga title winner in 2025Has defended choice to leave Premier LeagueFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Having failed to break his much-publicised silverware duck at Tottenham – with final heartache also being endured at major tournaments with England – Kane took the decision to leave north London and head for Germany in the summer of 2023.

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Said switch has been questioned by former Liverpool and Three Lions striker Owen, as he told the podcast: “Harry Kane is just lethal; he's a brilliant finisher. I disagreed with him going to Germany; I was outspoken about that. I still think he was nuts. You're on the verge of being the all-time Premier League goal scorer, you've got kids that are all in school. I mean, I just couldn't see it. I don't see it.

“If you're that desperate to win something, then do another year and then go. It's like if you go up and move to Celtic and win the league, you win every year, but there's no great achievement in that. A great achievement would have been being the top goal scorer ever in the Premier League. That would have been unbelievable, and he could have won things along the way.”

WHAT KANE SAID

Kane admits to being aware of those comments, but has said in response to them: “I heard it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I've spent a bit of time with him but don't know him well. Obviously, he is a Premier League great and an England great as well, so I'll respect him as a person, but ultimately as he will know, everyone's career is different – everyone's decisions and motivations are different.

“I know he was insinuating I went just for the trophy, but it was to be at the highest level for as long as possible, and I'm really happy in that sense of playing big games, title runs, big Champions League matches, Club World Cup quarter-final.

“I feel I'm improving as a player, I'm pushing my limits as a player in terms of goalscoring. It's hard not to hear things these days, but the decisions are best for me and I'm really happy that I made that decision and very happy at Bayern Munich now.”

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Kane collected his first major honour when becoming a Bundesliga title winner in 2024-25. He has savoured a German Super Cup win since then, taking his tally of goals for Bayern to 91 through 100 appearances. He remains 47 efforts short of Shearer’s record-setting haul of 260 in the Premier League, with a possible return to English football being speculated on alongside a shock switch to La Liga giants Barcelona.