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Miguel Almiron has dropped a quite worrying claim on his future at Newcastle United.

Speaking to Paraguayan radio station ABC Cardinal, the attacking midfield player said: “I would like to play in a team that fights more”.

Newcastle should be worried about Almiron

The fact that Almiron has suggested that the Magpies team does not fight enough should be a very big worry for the St. James’ Park faithful.

With the North East club lurking toward the bottom of the table in the Premier League and in serious danger of finding themselves relegated down to the EFL Championship, the least that the players can do is show some sort of fight to stay up.

If this continues to be the case, then the Paraguay international may want to look elsewhere for a new club, which would no doubt be detrimental to Steve Bruce’s side.

Almiron has scored five goals and made a further three assists in 30 games in total over all competitions across the 2020/21 term so far (Transfermarkt), and is certainly one of the Tyneside club’s better players going forward.

Alan Shearer even went as far to claim that the 27-year-old was ‘magnificent’ in a 3-2 home win over Southampton in the top flight back in February.

Nonetheless, the Toon Army will surely be worried by his latest comments.

In other news, find out what big double injury boost NUFC have received here!

If you could have predicted one fixture in the Premier League today to end in a 0-0 draw, it was always going to be West Bromwich Albion’s clash with Newcastle.

Both teams have been poor this season and consequently, this match was a relegation six-pointer. West Brom are currently in the relegation zone and a win today would have restored the gap to themselves and the Magpies.

Yet, in rather torrid fashion, they played out a goalless draw, a result that did neither side any favours on Sunday afternoon.

Sam Allardyce’s men kept their fourth successive clean sheet but were laboured in front of goal as they lacked the cutting edge necessary to see off Newcastle.

The man who typified their poor display this afternoon was Mbaye Diagne. Sporting eye-catching blue hair, that was about the most exciting thing on offer from him.

Diagne arrived in January on a loan deal and after scoring in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United, looked a solid acquisition. Though, as his performances of late are showing, he may not be up to scratch in the Premier League.

A number of players were dismal on Sunday, no less than Ainsley Maitland-Niles. His decision making was left wanting on a number of occasions in the middle of the park, but he was at least keen to drive his team forward, performing five dribbles.

The same cannot be said for Diagne. He didn’t offer much of a presence up top and made just 12 passes in the entire match. Though, most concerning of all was the Senegalese’s finishing ability.

Conor Townsend was rampant down the left-hand side but despite creating numerous chances for Albion’s striker, he didn’t tuck them away. Diagne’s movement was good but when the ball actually landed at his feet, he left Martin Dubravka with no reason to be fearful.

The winter signing fired a total of three attempts off target, costing Allardyce dearly in a game that meant so much to his team.

To make matters worse, he lost possession of the ball on 15 occasions. When you consider that he only touched it 33 times, it makes for pretty glum reading. Diagne was so poor that his tally of touches was actually fewer than goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

If West Brom want to stay in the division, they’ll need to find someone capable of scoring goals regularly sooner rather than later. Diagne doesn’t feel like the answer to their prayers.

AND in other news, “Might come back and haunt them” – Exclusive: Pundit raises doubts over “unfair” West Brom call…

According to Football Insider, Newcastle United are set to recall Matty Longstaff back into the first team squad soon.

The 20-year-old was linked with a move away from the Magpies in the summer transfer window, as Udinese were interested in him. The midfielder ended up signing a new contract with the Tyneside club and he could now be set for a first team recall.

Frozen out Longstaff set for return

Football Insider recently reported about the younger Longstaff, saying that the midfielder was playing for Newcastle’s youth team to build up his fitness, and Bruce is now set to give him another chance in the first team amidst their poor run of form in the Premier League.

He recently started in a Premier League 2 game against Sunderland and hasn’t featured for the first team since playing against Arsenal two months ago.

In the Premier League, he has made only five appearances this term and he has now played thrice for the club’s under-23s side. He had sustained an injury early in the season, which partially explains his dearth of senior game-time.

The 20-year-old had scored on his Premier League debut against Manchester United last season, which left Bruce saying that he had “never witnessed” a better top-flight bow in his managerial career. The Newcastle boss also said of the young midfielder: “He trains every day with a big beaming smile. He is so refreshing. He wants to play and is a great kid.”

Longstaff will add midfield depth

Currently valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt, Longstaff can play in central or defensive midfield. The Magpies have just one out-and-out option in the defensive midfield area and the 20-year-old will add numbers in that role as well as the central midfield berth, where Bruce is well-stocked.

Considering that the younger Longstaff scored twice last season in a limited number of appearances, Newcastle could do with some of his goals from the middle of the park. If anything, his return to the first team fold should add considerable strength to the side.

In other news, Liam Kennedy has discussed one factor which could affect the possibility of a Newcastle takeover – read more here.

David Moyes could sign West Ham United’s next Jermain Defoe with a late January swoop for FC Girondins de Bordeaux striker Josh Maja amid rumoured negotiations with his Ligue 1 side.

What’s the word?

According to L’Equipe, via GFFN, the Hammers have reached out to Bordeaux chiefs to sound out the possibility of Maja leaving the Matmut Atlantique in the final days of the winter market.

The 22-year-old has fallen out of favour under Jean Louis Gasset with Hwang Ui Jo now seen as the Girondins’ undoubted first-choice, sparking a keen awareness to his situation at West Ham and West Bromwich Albion as Moyes and Sam Allardyce strive to bolster their options.

West Ham’s interest in Maja’s situation has also previously been touted by talkSPORT, who claimed the London Stadium natives turned their attention to the Sunderland product after seeing a £27m bid for Sevilla star Youssef En-Nesyri turned down.

Maja is noted to be a much cheaper option and may be keen to explore a return to England by reuniting with Moyes, after the Scot gifted the £6m-rated striker his Black Cats debut in an EFL Cup tie with Queens Park Rangers in 2016.

His cameo appearance in the 2-1 win proved to be his only outing under Moyes for the Stadium of Light natives, while going on to score 17 goals in 48 further first-team appearances before sealing a £1.5m move to Bordeaux in January 2019.

The London-born, Nigeria international has started 11 of his 17 Ligue 1 appearances this term, scoring twice, after a potential move to Rangers in the previous transfer window failed to materialise.

West Ham’s next Defoe

Moyes urging the GSB ownership to do whatever it takes to sign Maja in the final days of the January transfer window, amid his search for a Sebastien Haller replacement, could see the former Manchester United boss secure the Irons their next Defoe.

Defoe is known to be a big admirer of Maja following his time playing with the 5 ft 11 striker at Sunderland, and often offered the £13,000-per-week forward advice in training to help the Black Cats product improve his finishing and ability to deceive goalkeepers.

Defoe further backed Maja to be the future of the Stadium of Light natives beside fellow up-and-comer Joel Asoro, now owned by Swansea City, as Maja was proving to be rare breed for his ability to make an impact despite not being blessed with blistering speed.

“Josh is a quick thinker and if you’re that fast upstairs you don’t need anything else,” Defoe told SAFC.com. “When he trained with the first-team, he showed such great awareness – he knew when to pass it, had a great touch – and although he’s not got electric pace, he’s two steps ahead of everyone, which means he’s got an immediate advantage.

“Just look at [Andrea] Pirlo, has anyone ever seen him sprint? No, but he doesn’t lose the ball. The gift Josh has is rare and if he builds on it, the sky’s the limit.”

So far, Maja has been met with a ceiling to his potential at Bordeaux, scoring 11 goals in 48 games across all competitions since joining, but his untapped skill could see the one-time Nigeria international prove to be West Ham’s next Defoe.

The England icon joined West Ham in his youth, but the 5 ft 7 marksman’s tender age did not stop Defoe from scoring 10 goals in his first full Premier League season and going on to make 102 appearances for the east London outfit.

No doubt his words of wisdom helped Maja to develop, and a homecoming to the capital for the former Fulham, Crystal Palace and Manchester City trainee could provide West Ham with just what they are looking for in the January transfer window.

AND in other news, West Ham are working on a deal to sign a £13.5m-rated striker on loan…

Steve Bruce should use the ace up his sleeve to see that Newcastle United win the race to sign Blackburn Rovers’ sought-after striker Adam Armstrong this summer.

What’s the word?

According to Chronicle Live, Armstrong would be open to making a return to St. James’ Park three years after being sold by Rafa Benitez.

The former Toon boss sanctioned the 24-year-old’s £2m move to Ewood Park in 2018, in a decision that select club staff did not agree with at the time.

As part of the transfer, Newcastle inserted a 40% sell on clause, that would have left Blackburn with a paltry profit had the striker been sold in the January transfer window amid rumours David Moyes weighed up West Ham making an £8m offer.

Rovers are thought to have valued the forward at closer to £30m earlier in the season, but are expected to be more realistic in their appraisal this summer should Tony Mowbray fail to secure promotion into the Premier League.

Armstrong, who left Newcastle on excellent terms with those at the executive level, has less than 18-months remaining on his current Blackburn contract and is said to have been watched by a clutch of clubs from across the Premier League, Europe and Major League Soccer.

The forward has earned his array of potential suitors after thriving in the Championship over the last two seasons, hitting 17 goals in 26 games this term and 16 in 46 across 2019/20. He also fired home once in the EFL Cup earlier in the campaign, to move to within two goals of his career-best return of 20 achieved in 2015/16 while on loan with Coventry in League One.

Yet Mowbray confirmed on Deadline Day last week that his outfit did not receive any official bids, noting via quotes by the Lancashire Telegraph: “Am I surprised? Probably yes. I’m not disappointed, but am I surprised? I thought the phone might have rang.”

Should Newcastle bring Armstrong back?

Armstrong made his Newcastle debut way back in March 2014 as a fresh-faced 17-year-old, yet was never really given a run in the side whilst Benitez was at the helm with just two appearances under the Spaniard compared to 10 under Alan Pardew between 2014 and ‘15.

The forward never truly hit the ground running when on the field, either, having failed to score in any of his 21 career games for the Magpies, but has clearly come on leaps and bounds since moving to Blackburn Rovers with an increasingly prolific record in front of the net.

Mowbray also lauds Armstrong for his play off the ball for the way it creates obstacles for opponents to overcome, with the 24-year-old proving a menace in the second-tier.

“His explosive pace at the top end of the pitch allows you to play both ways, to not be overly concerned if you’re pinned back around the edge of your box because one pass releases pressure to someone like [Harvey] Elliott to play the pass that he can hit, just leaving it in the space for the speed and dynamic movement of Armstrong – it’s a devastating effect for the team,” the Rovers boss said earlier in the season, via quotes by FourFourTwo.

Bruce would surely benefit greatly from having another option like that at St. James’ Park who can supplement the threat of players like Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron, so should be urging Mike Ashley and Managing Director Lee Charnley to use their 40% sell-on clause to bring the striker back to his boyhood side.

Newcastle may soon be depleted in attack with Dwight Gayle and Andy Carroll both now in the final six-months of their respective contracts, so using the sell-on clause could be particularly beneficial in driving Rovers’ asking price down and saving funds that can be used to sign other options as well.

Neither Gayle nor Carroll are currently playing their way into new deals with just a goal each in the Premier League this term, so United will have to box smart in rebuilding their attack. And only an astronomical asking price should rule Armstrong out of that remodel.

AND in other news, a £47k-p/w colossus is weighing up his future at Newcastle United…

It’s fair to say Diego Llorente hasn’t enjoyed the happiest of starts to life at Leeds United.The Spain international has been out of action for the majority of this Premier League season with injury, with his only appearance for Marcelo Bielsa’s side coming against Chelsea back in early December.But having recently returned to training, an opportunity may be on the horizon, especially after his performance for the club’s U23s side on Monday night.Llorente got a crucial 45 minutes under his belt against Stoke City, and put some icing on the cake by seeing his first-half header prove to be the winner.In their post-match ratings, Leeds Live gave the 6 foot 1 gem a nine out of ten, saying: “Hardly put a foot wrong on his return from injury,ÂLlorenteÂwas everything a centre-back should be. Composed in possession, he attempted plenty of passes into the channels as well as reading opposition play excellently.”The Spaniard made a number of interceptions and never looked troubled by Stoke’s pressure. He capped his 45-minute display with a well-taken header, nodding in from Kalvin Phillips’ floated delivery.”Before the U23s’ clash, The Athletic journalist Phil Hay took to Twitter to declare that especially with Robin Koch missing for the Whites, Llorente has “got to be in the reckoning”.

And after seeing him score the winner and help the U23s keep a clean sheet, Bielsa will surely be tempted to throw Llorente into his starting line-up in the Premier League very soon.

Next week’s clash against Newcastle presents the perfect opportunity for him to do just that. It may be a long time coming but Llorente may finally get his chance to prove why Leeds spent big money to bring him to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

Meanwhile, Leeds should give this future Klich successor a chance…

Celtic’s record this season has been nothing short of shambolic for a club of their stature.

That’s why the January transfer window has now come round at an ideal time.

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports, the Hoops are in talks to re-sign defender Filip Benkovic this month.

It’s understood that the 23-year-old is not a part of Leicester’s short-term plans and as a result, Celtic are keen on signing the Croatian on an initial loan deal with an option to buy in the summer.

The Foxes are open to receiving offers for the centre-back who is currently managed by former Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers.

Benkovic spent the first half of this season on loan at Cardiff but was recalled this week after making only one appearance in Wales.

The youngster is rated at just £4.5m via Transfermarkt, and is on a salary of £32k-per-week. Clearly, a deal would not be cheap.

Their next Van Dijk

Despite a few spells on the sidelines with injury when he was last at Parkhead, Benkovic was nothing short of colossal.

He was an imperious defender who undoubtedly improved the way they played. The Croat was capable of playing out from the back and used his mammoth height to overpower the opposition.

If anything summed up his displays, it was a set of quotes from Rodgers this year: “He needs to get working again and show the level he can play at.

“Thankfully for myself, I’ve seen the level. When he was with me at Celtic he played against RB Leipzig and he was sensational,” he commented.

A productive defensive performance has been all too rare at Celtic this term, especially on the continental stage where they conceded 19 goals in only six outings. Though, not only would Neil Lennon find a huge upgrade in Benkovic, but he could also fill the void left behind by a certain Virgil van Dijk.

The Liverpool star is widely renowned as one of the best in the game and the Celtic target possesses similar qualities.

For example, Benkovic completed over 90% of his passes when he was last at Parkhead. Van Dijk, on the other hand, has amassed the same number in the Premier League this season.

They are also both seriously impressive in the air. The Dutchman has won 4.5 aerial duels per game throughout his career, while the Glaswegian’s potential new arrival has won 3.7 on average.

However, it’s the ball-playing aspect that gives us the biggest Van Dijk vibes. He’s a mighty figure in the backline and knowing Celtic like he does, would be their ideal addition this month.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Soro: Hammond can revive Celtic with swoop for £8.5k-p/w tank…

Gylfi Sigurdsson endured a calamity on the international stage as the Everton midfielder failed to help guide Iceland to victory over Hungary on Thursday night.

Iceland had travelled to the Puskas Arena striving to secure a place at next summer’s postponed UEFA European Championship, but saw their hopes of reaching the tournament dashed by two late goals.

Sigurdsson broke the deadlock in the 11th-minute when his free-kick was fumbled in by Peter Gulacsi, and appeared set to be the hero with his 25th goal in international football.

But efforts from Loic Nego and Dominik Szoboszlai in the 88th and 92nd-minutes overturned the scoreline as extra time loomed, knocking Iceland out in the Play-Off Final and securing a spot in Group F alongside Portugal, France and Germany.

Sigurdsson was Iceland’s hero in their victorious Play-Off Semi-Final tie with Romania last month, when the 31-year-old settled the clash with a brace to successfully mark his international return after a year out of the squad.

Manager Erik Hamren would have been eager to see a similar performance from the Everton midfielder against Hungary on Thursday night, yet saw a disastrous display from the player Ronald Koeman vastly lauded upon his £45million capture in 2017.

“We lost 25 goals with [Romelu] Lukaku and we need more players than one to get that number of goals and he is that type of player with that productivity,” Koeman said of Sigurdsson, via quotes by The National News. “He had really good seasons in Swansea. He is, in my opinion, one of the best in his position in the Premier League.”

Sigurdsson ultimately scored just one goal under Koeman before the Dutch coach was sacked and now boasts a similar record under Carlo Ancelotti, having struck home two of his 24 career Everton goals in 30 games since the Italian’s appointment.

While Sigurdsson broke the deadlock with a great deal of fortunate and was on course to be Iceland’s hero against Hungary until two minutes from time, the £16.2m-rated playmaker endured a calamity with SofaScore data showing he lost 70% of his total duels having won just two of eight contests on the ground and one of two aerial battles.

The former Swansea star further lost possession 18 times, committed two fouls, was issued a yellow card in just the fifth minute, made only one tackle, was dribbled past once and misplaced 32% of his 22 attempted passes.

Sigurdsson’s goal came from just one of two shots on target while fielded at striker alongside Alfreo Finnbogason in a 4-4-2, as well, while also failing to complete his only attempted dribble.

The 77-cap international was able to record two key balls from his 15 accurate passes, but Sigurdsson could only connect with teammates with one of four attempted crosses and one of three long balls as he registered his 48 touches across the field at the Puskas Arena.

A performance like his will make it unlikely that Ancelotti looks fondly on Sigurdsson’s name when Everton return to Premier League action, having also been replaced after 66 minutes in defeat to Manchester United last time out.

AND in other news, Everton have reached a decision on the future of a “quality” but rarely-seen £4.5m-rated talent.

Big things were expected of Wesley Hoedt when he joined Southampton in a £15 million deal back in 2017 but it is fair to say that things did not go to plan for the defender at the South Coast club.

However, it now seems as if there could be a way out for the Dutch centre-back, as Lazio, where he is currently on loan, are reportedly keen to make his stay permanent in the January transfer window, in a deal that would see them re-sign the 26-year-old.

In his three years with Southampton, Hoedt has managed just 45 appearances, in which he contributed one goal and one assist (per Transfermarkt).

The Dutch international has spent time on loan with Celta Vigo and Royal Antwerp in his time with the Saints but never looked likely to re-establish himself in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side when he returned in the summer and was sent back to Lazio on loan shortly before the transfer window shut.

In fact, the centre-back is yet to make a first-team appearance under Hasenhuttl, suggesting that he has no future with the South Coast club whilst the Austrian remains in charge.

Therefore, the club will surely be relieved that Lazio are reportedly considering making his move permanent in the January transfer window, although they will surely have to take a loss on the £15 million they spent on him in 2017, considering he is now valued at just £5.4 million.

Hoedt’s performances in Serie A this season have been less than impressive, as he has averaged a disappointing 6.41 rating for his performances, so really, Southampton will be lucky to receive any sort of fee for the 26-year-old.

However, with his Southampton contract set to expire in June 2022, they may be better accepting whatever Lazio might offer in January, rather than holding on to him and potentially seeing him leave on a free transfer in 2022.

Whilst things didn’t work out for Hoedt at Southampton, it seems as if it would be best for both parties if he just left the club for good in January, to bring an end to what has been a nightmare three-year spell with the Saints.

And, in other news… Southampton can sign 22 y/o beast likened to Frenkie De Jong in January…

Newcastle should have got the cheque-book out to sign Arsenal star Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the summer transfer window.

What was the story?

The Telegraph claimed back in late August that the Magpies were one of the clubs interested in signing the England international, with the Gunners seemingly open to a sale of their academy product.

However, it was revealed Steve Bruce’s side had been put off by the £25m valuation placed on his head, and with fellow Premier League outfit Wolves also refusing to match that fee, Maitland-Niles stayed put at the Emirates.

Versatility would have been key for Bruce

Whilst Maitland-Niles may be being used a left wing-back at Arsenal these days, his versatility would have been something that Bruce would surely have appreciated at St James’ Park.

Able to play in either full-back/wing-back role, or even further forward out wide or in central midfield, the England international is the kind of player every squad would love having.

In fact, former Gunners ace Jeremie Aliadiere waxed lyrical about Maitland-Niles, saying: “I rate Maitland-Niles really highly. I like the fact that he’s so versatile and technically he’s very good and confident on the ball. The fact that Maitland-Niles can play anywhere makes him priceless to the team.”

Bruce and Newcastle saw what the Gunners ace can do first-hand, when he played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s 1-0 triumph at St James’ Park last season, providing the assist for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s winner in an all-action display. Playing at right-back, he also won ten of his 17 ground duels and made four tackles and three interceptions too as per Sofascore.

He may have cost £25m, but when you think of the sheer number of positions he could have filled in for at Newcastle, then it really seems like they missed an absolute steal.