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Newcastle United have been handed a boost with the news that an 'incredible" transfer target is open to a move to the club in January, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Newcastle want a new midfielder

Eddie Howe is going through one of his more challenging periods as Magpies manager at the moment, with so much going against him in the injury department. Newcastle are having to battle on without a host of key players available, from Sven Botman to Bruno Guimaraes, and their performances are suffering because of it.

On top of all the injuries, Sandro Tonali's 10-month ban for betting offences has also acted as a massive blow, meaning the Italian is out for the rest of the season, and a replacement may have to come in. Several players have stood out as the most likely individuals to arrive in the January transfer window, with former Wolves maestro Ruben Neves one of those who is in the mix, as well as Manchester City and England ace Kalvin Phillips.

Newcastle handed Neves boost

Taking to X, Jacobs dropped a significant development regarding the transfer situation at St James' Park, claiming that Neves is interested in joining Newcastle in January.

"Understand Ruben Neves is open to a loan move to #NUFC. Deal could even have an option to buy. Nothing clearer until after EPL vote on November 21 regarding associated party transactions. Al-Hilal could look at Casemiro in 2024 and are also one club considering Jadon Sancho."

This is great news for Newcastle and PIF, amid rumours that a move for Neves could be blocked, due to the Magpies and Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal having the same owners. If the Magpies could get a deal for the Portuguese over the line, it could make up for the loss of Tonali, with the ex-Wolves man possessing similar levels of quality on the ball, and also chipping in with end product after contributing to 43 goals in England.

At just 26, Neves still has many years ahead of him, despite feeling as though he has been around forever, and the fact that Jacobs mentions an option to buy could give him an extra incentive to shine in a Newcastle shirt.

Former Wolves teammate Hugo Bueno is someone who rates his old teammate extremely highly as a footballer, once saying of him after an eye-catching performance:

"He has incredible shooting. I am really happy for him for the goal, and for the team because it was a really important goal for us. He always runs the whole pitch and he’s always there. I don’t know how he does it. He is a key player for us. He works very, very hard to win the ball back and also when we have the ball he can control in the game."

Along with Phillips, Neves feels like the best option for Newcastle to sign in January, and the Magpies target has made 177 appearances in the Premier League, meaning that he could slot straight in seamlessly, even if readjusting to the pace of the division may take a short amount of time.

نجح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، في تسجيل الهدف الأول أمام نظيره الداخلية، خلال المباراة التي تجمع بينهما حالياً ببطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع الداخلية على أرضية استاد السلام، ضمن مواجهات الأسبوع الـ 31 من عمر مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري.

وسجل يوسف أوباما الهدف الأول في الدقيقة 19 بعد خطأ من حارس مرمى الداخلية استغله عمر جابر وأرسل عرضية قابلها أوباما بتسديدة داخل الشباك.

طالع أيضاً.. مباشر بالفيديو | مباراة الزمالك والداخلية في الدوري المصري

ويحتل الزمالك المركز الخامس في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، برصيد 45 نقطة، بينما يتواجد فريق الداخلية بالمركز الثامن عشر والأخير، ولديه 19 نقطة. هدف الزمالك الأول أمام الداخلية في الدوري المصري

Chelsea are one of the richest clubs in world football and are naturally linked to some of the best talent on the planet, with some names arriving at Stamford Bridge, and others being classed as ones that got away.

Following the departure of Mason Mount this summer, the Blues sought to overhaul their midfield with the additions of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, beating Liverpool to the punch for two of their top targets.

While being snubbed twice was a bitter pill for the Reds to swallow, the blow of losing out on two quality defensive midfielders was cushioned by the arrival of Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig.

The Hungarian starlet, who had been linked with a move to Chelsea long before Jurgen Klopp registered an interest in the midfielder, was the biggest star who got away from the west London outfit this summer.

Did Chelsea almost sign Dominik Szoboszlai?

In March, TuttoMercatoWeb [via FotMob] reported that Chelsea were on the verge of securing the signature of Szoboszlai after chasing him for the last 12 months.

The report stated that negotiations were at an advanced stage with the two parties very close to agreeing a deal, however, once the summer transfer window rolled around, the 22-year-old had many of Europe's big hitters flocking for his signature.

Szoboszlai ended up choosing Liverpool as his preferred destination following a phone with Jurgen Klopp, who used his powers of persuasion to convince him to join the Reds on a five-year contract.

After making his £60m switch to Anfield, the midfielder said he was "very assured" and felt relaxed when the two spoke over a video call.

Speaking to Hungarian outlet, Sportal [via Daily Mirror], Szoboszlai commented: "Obviously, I won't reveal what was said during the video call, but I can say that I was very reassured by that conversation.

"In addition to being one of the best coaches in the world, he is also absolutely overwhelming as a person. He is amazing, it was a kind of chill conversation. We talked as if we had known each other for a thousand years. I can't wait to start working together."

He's only in the embryonic stages of his Liverpool career, but the early signs demonstrate why Chelsea were so keen to lure him to Stamford Bridge.

How does Dominik Szoboszlai compare to Conor Gallagher?

Dubbed by former England women's striker Natasha Dowie as "a young Steven Gerrard" and catching the eye through his ferocious midfield displays, Szoboszlai has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water since arriving from the Bundesliga.

Impressing in the defensive phase of his game by pressing exceptionally to win possession back while becoming a driving force for Liverpool further forward, the Hungarian's performances have encapsulated what the Reds have missed since Georginio Wijnaldum departed for Paris Saint Germain in 2021.

The boundless energy, press resistance and quality in the final third are attributes that were dormant from Liverpool's midfield trio of James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho last season, with the arrival of Szoboszlai exponentially improving their output in all departments.

The £120k per-week wizard – who has been described by former Reds' defender Stephen Warnock as "outstanding" – has shown real maturity to his game and his domineering performances are acting as a showreel for what Pochettino could have had.

For instance, when comparing his key metrics to that of Conor Gallagher, a player he would have potentially replaced in the Blue's midfield, Szoboszlai is exceptionally better at gliding across the pitch with the ball, showing composure in possession and capable of conjuring up match-winning moments.

According to FBref, the Hungarian ranks higher for progressive passes received (4.75/3.60), shot-creating actions (5.00/2.40), successful take-ons (1.13/0.80), carries into the penalty area (0.75/0.27) and key passes (2.13/0/80).

Throughout this season, putting their four goal haul against strugglers Burnley aside, Chelsea have struggled to break down teams and while Gallagher offers plenty in the way of his ability to dispossess the opposition, the creative side of his game is severely lacking, and there is no doubt that the addition of the £69m (€80m) rated Szoboszlai would have improved that.

Finally starting to find their feet under former Norwich City boss Daniel Farke, Leeds United's recent form have been positive, having lost just once in their last five games in the Championship, which came against fellow recently-relegated side Southampton. The international break, this time, comes at a bad time for those at Elland Road, with their form the most promising it has been all season.

The break will at least give them a chance to get a full squad back in contention, however, or as close to that as possible. And one injury update has provided Farke with a thankful boost ahead of a busy period once the international football has been played.

What's the latest Leeds United injury news?

Leeds' injuries have eased up a little recently, but with the likes of Stuart Dallas and Wilfried Gnonto out long term, they could do with some positive news from the treatment room, especially with fixtures coming thick and fast in the Championship. If Farke can get his squad as close to full strength as possible, then a promotion charge will be far from out of the question, even if the top two are putting a serious gap between themselves and the rest.

With that said, The Athletic's Phil Hay has provided the latest Junior Firpo injury update, reporting that Leeds are expected to be able to recall their full-back to the side after the international break, ahead of their game against fellow play-off hopefuls Norwich City.

Hay wrote for The Athletic, via Leeds All Over: "Their aborted bid for Bayer Leverkusen’s Nadiem Amiri in August was a hint that Farke would like more depth at No 10, but Firpo is due back after the international break and neither Djed Spence nor Willy Gnonto are a mile away from recovering from injury.”

Firpo is, of course, yet to play a single minute for the Yorkshire club this season, having picked up an injury in pre-season, which ruled him out up until after the second international break of the season.

How much does Junior Firpo earn?

Back in contention, Firpo can begin to prove exactly why he's one of the highest earners at Elland Road, alongside others, as he looks to help his side bounce straight back to the Premier League.

Player

Wage Per-Week (Leeds salaries)

Georginio Rutter

£70k

Patrick Bamford

£70k

Junior Firpo

£60k

Daniel James

£50k

Pascal Strujik

£45k

The full-back has certainly impressed during his time at Leeds to earn that wage, with Connor McGilligan telling One Leeds Fan Channel: "We needed a left-back in January, and the reason we needed a left-back was to replace Firpo, was to get [Pascal] Struijk out of that left-back position.

“But what he's done right now is… you know, I think that that was his sixth game on the bounce. And I don't think he's done that for Leeds yet, which is great. And I think he's been immense. I think he's been very, very, very good."

Firpo will now look to pick up where he left off to become a permanent feature under new boss Farke. If he can get back to his best as soon as possible following his injury, then Leeds will have an important option.

ScorecardMiddlesex captain Dawid Malan wants the ECB to experiment with a pink ball in the County Championship to prevent more early season washouts.Only 58 overs were bowled during Middlesex’s Division Two clash against Glamorgan at Lord’s, with rain on the final morning ensuring the match was abandoned as a draw.

Sophia Gardens returns

The home of Glamorgan Cricket is to be renamed Sophia Gardens Cardiff after its partnership with its title sponsor SSE ended earlier this year. Sophia Gardens Cardiff, which echoes the name used by the venue from 1967 to 2007 will be used immediately, with the ground currently undergoing a rebranding process.

But Malan feels it could have been a different story with a pink ball in use on the second day, when no play was possible due to overcast conditions – although the Lord’s floodlights were switched on.”We could have had a full day we’d had a pink ball because there was no rain around,” said the Middlesex skipper. “We were literally sitting around for four hours of bad light.”We’re lucky that we’ve got lights now – we never had them before – but we still got hardly any cricket in. It might be worth the ECB looking at using pink balls this time of the year.”If you have a ball you can use under lights in the pitch black it probably makes sense to use it at that time of the year when you’re probably going to lose more cricket, instead of the middle of summer.”We’ve been experimenting quite a lot in county cricket over the last eight to nine years, so we might as well throw another one in.”If it’s something that’s going to get you on (the field) and it’s not an unfair advantage to the bowlers, I think it’s worth trying and seeing what happens. You might not lose so much cricket.”

1:17

Faulkner: Delhi should have chased this target down

Rajasthan Royals returned to their fortress in Jaipur to rain, but managed to squeeze out a win by stifling Delhi Daredevils in a six-over chase. Chasing 71, Daredevils finished on 60 for 4 in damp conditions at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium and lost their seventh game in a row to Royals.After Royals batted 17.5 overs for their 153, after which rain halted play for more than two hours, Daredevils came out to bat at nearly midnight. Ben Laughlin, who played a key role in Adelaide Strikers’ BBL triumph in February, took two wickets in two stellar overs for Royals, denying Daredevils any momentum whatsoever in an innings in which they needed to hit from the onset. The first Laughlin over cost just five runs, leaving Daredevils with 42 to get off three. The wicket of Glenn Maxwell in the following over effectively ended the contest.Maxwell, however, had not been a significant threat either. Having landed in India on Monday, he struggled to connect with most of his swings as he opened the chase. He was denied room as both the spinner K Gowtham and seamer Dhawal Kulkarni hit the blockhole.Rishabh Pant, promoted to No. 3, was denied pace on the ball at the other end. This increased the pressure after Colin Munro ran himself out without facing a ball. The first two Powerplay overs fetched just 15, leaving Daredevils with too much to do in the last four.Earlier in the evening, unusual summer rains that started four hours before the match abated to allow an on-time start. Ajinkya Rahane began the Royals innings by getting involved in another run-out: for the second game in a row, the Australian D’Arcy Short was dismissed by a direct hit. Two overs later, the decision to promote Ben Stokes to No. 3 failed, when Trent Boult had him caught behind with one that jagged away off the pitch to square up the left-hand batsman. At 28 for 2, Royals were in a little trouble.Sanju Samson had laced his second delivery to the point boundary and he followed up with an incredible short-arm jab over midwicket for six off Boult to ease the pressure. His surge allowed Rahane to play himself in and the Royals captain began to step on it by hitting Mohammed Shami for back-to-back fours in the 13th over.Buttler too began like a bullet train, before a decision to hop across his stumps and scoop Shami over fine leg cost him his wicket. That was when it began to rain, with Royals 153 for 5, and play was halted for more than two hours.The revised D/L target of 71 meant that Daredevils could afford few slip-ups in the chase, but they never really got going.

Midfielder Moises Caicedo has endured an embarrassing moment while playing in his first home game for Chelsea, he certainly won't want to watch the footage back.

What's the latest on Chelsea vs Luton?

Playing host to Luton Town at Stamford Bridge on Friday night, the Blues were looking for their first win of the Premier League campaign having drawn and then lost their opening two fixtures.

Rob Edwards' men were also in the same boat, after losing their opening game and then seeing their next fixture postponed as Kenilworth Road is still undergoing extensive ground improvements, including the construction of a new stand to meet broadcast and media requirements.

Mauricio Pochettino and co got off to a better start this time out, though, and took a 1-0 lead in at halftime thanks to a fine solo goal from Raheem Sterling. The English winger picked the ball up on the right flank before weaving in between a few opposition defenders and then placing his left-footed shot into the far corner.

Sterling then netted again in the second half while Nicolas Jackson also got on the scoresheet to net his first competitive goal for the West London club. This was enough to seal a fairly routine 3-0 win for the home side.

However, before the first 45 minutes was up, new midfielder Caicedo – making his first start for the Blues – unfortunately, suffered one moment he won't enjoy watching back in the morning.

Indeed, as you can see in this footage shared on Twitter, the Ecuadorian awkwardly slipped and fell while trying to dribble with the ball at his feet, despite not really even being challenged by an opposition player.

You can watch another angle of the bizarre moment below:

How much did Caicedo cost Chelsea?

Caicedo only arrived from Brighton and Hove Albion – for a whopping British-record fee of £115m – a short while ago but of course, already made his debut last weekend in the 3-1 defeat against West Ham United.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

That wasn't a great outing for him either though as he gave away a penalty and couldn't help the Blues pick up a result against the Hammers – even though David Moyes' men finished the game with ten men after Nayef Aguerd's red card.

Despite his slowish start to life in West London, Caicedo does at least very clearly have the backing of his new manager. Indeed, speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the game, Pochettino was full of praise for the 21-year-old.

"I never worked with [N'Golo] Kante but he [Caicedo] is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League," said Pochettino when asked whether the midfielder can fill the boots left by the France international.

"He has some similar characteristics to Kante but Moises is still young and needs to work really hard to improve in different areas.

"But he has the potential to be one of the best."

Whenever a new player joins a Premier League team for big money, however, they will immediately be under pressure to perform. With that in mind, unsurprisingly, rival fans were quick to jump on this awkward moment for Caicedo against Luton.

Indeed, here are some of the best reactions…

Manchester United will be hoping to sign a new defender before the summer transfer window slams shut in just three weeks, especially considering they have bolstered other areas of their squad.

Erik ten Hag has lured Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund to Old Trafford so far, yet with Harry Maguire looking likely to sign for West Ham United, could another centre-back be his key priority?

Read the latest Man United news HERE…

Frenchman Jean-Clair Todibo has been earmarked as a key target for Ten Hag along with Bayern Munich ace Benjamin Pavard and the Dutchman could have a big decision to make over the next few weeks.

Is Benjamin Pavard joining Manchester United?

Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg provided an update on United’s pursuit of Pavard earlier this week, saying: “Benjamin #Pavard: Concrete talks with @ManUtd at this stage! All parties involved are working on a verbal agreement now.

“Ten Hag is pushing for Pavard as he’s a versatile defender. Pavard wants to leave FC Bayern in August.”

With Pavard clearly looking to depart the Bundesliga giants, a fee of around €30m (£26m) should be enough to convince Bayern to sell before the window slams shut.

What is Benjamin Pavard’s best position?

The defender is perhaps most fondly remembered for playing his part during France’s World Cup glory in Russia five years ago.

His stunning goal against Argentina was voted the goal of the tournament and it turned the tide in their favour to secure an eventual 4-3 victory.

He played at right-back throughout that competition and has done so for the vast majority of times he has represented France. However, last season, he was deployed as a centre-back on a regular basis for his club side and this could be the position for which Ten Hag could utilise him should he join United.

The 27-year-old has registered 28 goal contributions across his club career thus far, clearly enjoying the freedom on the right-hand side of defence as he is able to bomb up and down the wing, yet his performances during 2022/23 at the heart of the defence were excellent.

Over the previous 12 months, Pavard has ranked in the top 6% for tackles per 90 across the big five European leagues, while ranking in the top 10% for progressive passes, progressive carries and touches in the attacking penalty area, combining defensive acumen with a positive attacking threat.

He could certainly form a solid partnership with Lisandro Martinez at the heart of the United defence should he move to the Premier League.

The Argentinian also ranked in the top 6% for tackles per 90 when compared to positional peers across the previous 12 months, while also ranking in the top 5% for blocks per 90, and he could shine alongside Pavard.

Having signed from Ajax last summer, the World Cup winner proved a real revelation for Ten Hag's side at the heart of the defence, with club legend Patrice Evra having hailed the 25-year-old as "one of the best signings" in "years" at the Theatre of Dreams.

With Pavard clearly enjoying getting forward as much as possible, knowing Martinez effectively will cover for him could see Ten Hag deploy the duo as his first-choice centre-back pairing if the Frenchman moves to England.

Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel even heralded him as “underrated”, but given his form since the beginning of last season, the former Stuttgart man has turned into a fine central defender who could improve the Old Trafford side.

Aravinda de Silva, Roshan Mahanama, Brendon Kuruppu, Graeme Labrooy, perhaps even Mahela Jayawardene – these are the names Sri Lanka Cricket is attempting to align itself with as the board looks to arrest the decline of the national team.Even more crucially for SLC, getting former players with good reputations on board may also help turn around its ailing public reputation. The board is now not only widely believed to be detrimental to the development of cricket, it is also seen as one of the most toxic governing bodies in the country.Whether these former players are willing to become associated with SLC given its present state remains to be seen. But as far as some board officials are concerned, they have several vacancies to fill, and would like for these men to be installed in those positions. De Silva, for example, would return to his role as cricket advisor, some board officials hope. They would also like Mahanama, Kuruppu and Labrooy to become selectors, to replace the Sanath Jayasuriya-led committee that resigned earlier in the month. Ideally Jayawardene might also come in as a consultant. And the only reason officials have not set their sights on Kumar Sangakkara is because he is still playing cricket overseas.Of these ex-players, Labrooy and Kuruppu have confirmed that SLC has approached them, while Mahanama has said he has not been approached so far. Labrooy is currently an ICC match referee.There is some irony in the board gunning for the aid of these former players at this juncture, because some of them are the same men it has spent the last 18 months alienating. Kuruppu was part of the selection committee that was sacked by Thilanga Sumathipala and the board just 48 hours from the team’s scheduled departure from the 2016 World T20, for example. Jayawardene’s plan to take cricket into the provinces was scrapped and criticised, and he was ousted from his position in the SLC cricket committee. De Silva had held the cricket advisor post for about 12 months, but then quit earlier this year, due to strong differences with SLC.Two developments have precipitated this drastic change of approach. In the wake of the 0-9 drubbing by India, and indeed the unprecedented losses to Bangladesh and Zimbabwe earlier this year, members of SLC’s executive committee have become convinced that the board’s existing trajectory was untenable. Those defeats have also substantially weakened Thilanga Sumathipala’s political grip within the organisation, with pressure now having been placed on him from higher political offices in the country.Sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekara has repeatedly said that he would not dissolve an elected board to appoint an interim committee, so the Sumathipala presidency is safe for now – at least until the board elections early next year (they could be brought forward to December).However, other board officials have now taken strong issue with the manner in which Sumathipala has conducted business at SLC, particularly his alleged meddling with team selection and direct influence over cricket matters. These agitating officials claim that should any of the former players they are trying to woo take up positions at the board, those new appointments should “have a free hand”, in contrast to what had previously been the case. It is perhaps relevant that Graham Ford resigned in June exactly because he felt his role was repeatedly encroached upon.The sports minister is also hoping to get many of these former players together for a brainstorming session on how SLC might turn cricket around, over the next week or so.Essentially, amid a significant decline in influence for Sumathipala, there is now substantial will within SLC to change tack. Early indications from the former players they are chasing, however, is that they would rather await fundamental change in SLC – either the election or the appointment of a fresh board – before they become involved.

Fulham have agreed a £15m deal for Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu, while they are also close to signing Ajax's Calvin Bassey, according to a report from talkSPORT.

What's the latest Fulham transfer news?

Fulham have been pursuing a new centre-back during the summer transfer window, with Benfica's Morato emerging as a major target, having recently made a €25m (£22m) offer for the Brazilian, however they are now set to bring their pursuit to an end.

As reported by the Portuguese media, Benfica "remain adamant" they will not sell the 22-year-old, rejecting the most recent offer made, meaning the Cottagers are set to move on to other targets, with Bassey one of the names on their list.

Marco Silva may have to bring in more than one new defender this summer, amid the uncertainty over Tosin Adarabioyo's future, with the Englishman's contract set to expire at the end of next season, meaning it is Fulham's last chance to cash-in.

Talks over a contract extension for Adarabioyo have broken down, and Tottenham Hotspur have recently asked for more information about the 25-year-old, so he could be on his way to north London this summer.

As such, Silva has set his sights on signing Salisu and Bassey, with talkSPORT reporting they have agreed a £15m deal with Southampton for the former, meaning personal terms are the only thing that need to be finalised.

Sky Sports have reported that AS Monaco also expressed an interest in signing the centre-back, but the French side have had two bids rejected, and it now appears as though the Cottagers have won the race for his signature.

Bassey is also thought to be heading to Craven Cottage, in a deal worth around £18m, and the Ajax defender is set to have his medical and finalise personal terms in the coming days.

How good is Mohammed Salisu?

Lauded as "fantastic" by members of the media, the 24-year-old was one of the few shining lights in the Southampton side that was relegated from the Premier League in the 2022-23 campaign, and he could be a solid acquisition for Fulham.

With an average WhoScored match rating of 6.78 in the top flight, the Saints defender was ranked as the second-best performing player in the squad, averaging more tackles per game than any other member of the team.

Not only is the Ghanaian a very good tackler, he also ranks very highly for clearances and blocks per 90 over the course of the past year, placing in the 96th and 99th percentile in those two areas, when compared to his positional peers.

At 24-years-old, the Southampton star should be entering his prime years, and he has out-performed Adarabioyo on almost every key defensive metric in the past year, indicating he could be a real upgrade on the Englishman.

A fee of just £15m could be an absolute bargain for Salisu, given the level of his performances for Southampton in recent times, and it is promising news that a deal is edging closer towards completion.