Newcastle United have ‘an interest’ in Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta but internal ‘talk’ from the club’s leadership seems split over a move, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Tipped for exit

The Brazil international has been tipped to leave the Ligue 1 outfit this summer after the club failed to qualify for European competition.

Back in April, The Chronicle reported that the Magpies were in the race with Arsenal for the attacking midfielder’s signature, but a formal offer is still yet to be tabled by either Premier League side.

According to French outlet L’Equipe (via The Chronicle), Paqueta now wants to leave Lyon this summer, with club president Jean-Michel Aulas having claimed that it would take £68m to do so.

The Latest: Jones lifts lid on internal discussions

Jones believes that a Newcastle move for Pacqueta could be difficult, since his situation is a ‘tricky one’, revealing that those within the club are not all on the same page.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the journalist explained: “It’s a tricky one Paqueta, because it depends which side of the Newcastle ownership you talk to about him being a target. I’m told not to take it too seriously at this stage, but there is an interest.”

The Verdict: Would be a huge signing

When looking at the 24-year-old’s underlying stats, it is clear to see that this would be an incredible signing for Eddie Howe’s side.

When compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Paqueta ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles, in the 96th percentile for pressures and in the 94th percentile for progressive passes received (via FBRef), numbers which depict a combative midfielder with an eye for picking up space in the attacking third.

Described as an ‘extraordinary’ player by manager Peter Bosz, it is easy to see why the Magpies would be interested in making a swoop for the Brazilian star.

However, with such a high valuation, this transfer seems unlikely to unfold this summer unless the club’s hierarchy become fully convinced to go all in.

Journalist Rudy Galetti has shared a promising update on Manchester City’s bid to sign Brighton and Hove Albion star Marc Cucurella this summer.

The Lowdown: Top target…

The Spaniard has been on manager Pep Guardiola’s radar for some time throughout this transfer window and links have since intensified amid Oleksandr Zinchenko’s move to Arsenal advanced.

City’s left-back is reportedly on the verge of joining Mikel Arteta’s side, following in the footsteps of ex-Blues striker Gabriel Jesus, who signed in north London earlier this month.

Cucurella is seen as Guardiola and co’s top summer target as they prepare to defend their 2021/2022 Premier League crown with reporter Galetti of Sport Italia TV now sharing what he knows.

The Latest: Galetti makes promising Cucurella claim…

The journalist, taking to Twitter, claims that the Seagulls and City are getting ‘closer and closer’ in negotiations with talks progressing ‘quickly and well’.

He explained:

“#ManchesterCity left-back: #MCFC and #Brighton are getting closer and closer for #Cucurella. Negotiation is progressing quickly and well.”

The Verdict: Great news…

News of club chiefs making headway in their bid to sign Cucurella should certainly come as music to the ears of supporters.

As per WhoScored, only goalkeeper Robert Sanchez played more league minutes on the South coast than the 23-year-old mainstay, who finished last campaign as Brighton’s third-best overall performer by average match rating.

Cucurella, as per journalist Fabrizio Romano, is also seen by Guardiola and those within City as the ‘absolutely perfect’ signing in terms of playing style.

Sealing a move for the former Getafe star must surely be priority, especially given Zinchenko’s looming Eastlands exit.

Newcastle United have been given the green light to bolster their attack by signing a new striker in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, the Magpies have been offered the chance – alongside West Ham and Everton – to sign Andrea Belotti ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that his representatives are attempting to land him a transfer to the Premier League and the Toon are one of the teams that he is willing to sign for.

He left Italian side Torino at the end of last season and is now available on a free transfer, although his wage demands are unclear at this stage.

Eddie Howe’s own Victor Osimhen

Another striker Newcastle have been linked with this summer has been Napoli talisman Victor Osimhen but his reported price tag of £80m+ has not drawn a serious attempt from the Magpies to land him.

In Belotti, PIF can bring in a player who has the quality to be Howe’s own version of the Nigerian international centre-forward. Both players are proven goalscorers in the Serie A who could arrive at St. James’ Park and have a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

FBRef names Osimhen as a similar player to the former Torino man and they certainly have one thing in common – they like to score goals.

The Napoli number nine has scored 28 goals in 68 matches for the club and found the back of the net 15 times in 23 outings for his country. He has shown that he knows how to score goals at the top level and would be a sublime addition to Howe’s squad.

Belotti, on the other hand, has proven himself over the course of a number of years. The 28-year-old ended his Torino career with 113 goals in 251 matches in all competitions and has scored over 100 goals in the Serie A, which proves that he is a reliable goalscorer.

In 12 seasons as a professional, the attacker – who Siavoush Fallahi once dubbed a “machine”, has reached double figures for goals in nine league campaigns. He has been consistent throughout his career and this suggests that he would be an excellent option at the top end of the pitch for Newcastle.

Therefore, he can be Howe’s own – older – version of Osimhen and join the club for the 2022/23 campaign to ease the goalscoring burden on Callum Wilson in the Premier League.

AND in other news, Romano: Newcastle given green light for “sensational” £21m signing, it’d be a big coup…

Former Premier League striker now Sky Sports pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has urged Newcastle United to sign Armando Broja.

The Lowdown: On the list

Broja is reportedly on the list of striker targets at St. James’ Park, as his long-term future at Chelsea is unclear after he was sent out on loan to Southampton last season.

And the 20-year-old did impress at St. Mary’s, scoring a total of nine goals (Transfermarkt), and so could have earned himself a permanent move to another Premier League club.

The Latest: Agbonlahor stance

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor has now urged the Magpies to act on their interest in Broja by signing him:

“I think Broja is a top, top player but maybe his form in the second half of the season put a few suitors off.

“Clubs will want him, but he tailed off in the second half of the season.

“But if I was Newcastle or Leeds, clubs who need strikers, I’d be doing everything I could to get him in.

“He’s shown what he can do in the Premier League. He’s a threat, he’s big, he’s strong.

“The clubs will just have to hope that he can do it over a whole season, not just six months.”

The Verdict: Get it done

After signing goalkeeper Nick Pope, central defender Sven Botman and left-back Matt Targett, the North East club can now focus on attacking additions.

They have recently been linked with moves for James Maddison and Maxwel Cornet, and if they can sign Broja on top of them, it would really be the icing on the cake.

Callum Wilson will need someone to help ease the goalscoring burden off of him next season, and with just two goals since arriving on Tyneside from Burnley in the January transfer window, Chris Wood is struggling to provide that.

Thus, bringing in Broja, who has the comfort blanket of playing top-flight football last term, makes a lot of sense.

Sunderland have made an offer for Tottenham striker Troy Parrott, according to i News (via journalist James Copley).

The Lowdown: Parrott’s loan spell

The forward spent the 2021/22 season on loan with MK Dons in League One, where he made 41 appearances and scored eight goals for Liam Manning’s side, also providing seven assists.

The 20-year-old played in a number of positions last term, most notably as a centre-forward, but also on both flanks as a winger (via Transfermarkt).

To date, the Republic of Ireland international has made four senior appearances for Spurs.

The Latest: Copley’s claim

According to a report by i News, Sunderland are among numerous Championship clubs interested in taking Parrott on loan from the Premier League outfit for the upcoming season. Tottenham have requested that the youngster play as a centre-forward rather than a number ten.

Taking to Twitter, Copley shared the news of the Black Cats’ interest in the youngster.

The Sunderland journalist claimed: “Sunderland have made an offer for Troy Parrott. Personally think he would be an excellent addition but can’t help thinking the squad would need Nathan Broadhead as well to cope with demands in the Championship.”

The Verdict: He’d be a good signing

As per WhoScored, the striker averaged 2.2 shots, 1.1 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per game last season.

With strong experience in League One and 15 international caps for the Republic of Ireland, Parrott has a solid grounding to succeed in the Championship.

Alex Neil will be looking to add quality and depth to his squad ahead of the new season, so bringing in the likes of the 20-year-old on loan will help bolster the options available to the manager.

With no transfer fee required, there seems to be little risk involved, making this a good prospective addition to the Black Cats’ ranks.

Sunderland still have around four weeks left to bring more players into the Stadium of Light before the summer transfer window slams shut.

Kristjaan Speakman has brought in Ellis Simms on loan and Daniel Ballard, Alex Bass, Jack Clarke, Leon Dajaku, and Aji Alese on permanent deals.

Alex Neil recently claimed that he wants to sign up to five more players to improve his squad before the end of the window.

He told the Sunderland Echo: “We’ve still got four, potentially five that we want to bring in before the window ends.”We need to make sure the squad is competitive and not only that, they brought four or five really fresh lads on who know the level, and that can really make a difference.

Last week, MLS reporter Tom Bogert claimed that the club are keen on a swoop for the USA international, Tweeting:

“Middlesbrough have made an offer to Mallorca for USMNT forward Matthew Hoppe, per sources. Offer is around $3m (including add-ons). Sunderland interested as well. Hoppe, 21, has six caps with the USMNT. Joined Mallorca last summer from Schalke.”

By striking a deal to sign the attacker, potentially for £2.5m ($3m), Speakman could land Neil his own version of Tottenham striker Harry Kane.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has stated that he is a similar type of player to the England captain and listed his strengths as; finishing, instinct, heading, hold up play, off the ball movement, composure, ambidexterity, whilst dubbing him “complete”.

In his Bundesliga career for Schalke, he played 1309 minutes and scored six goals and provided one assist. This means that he averaged a goal contribution nearly once every other game, whilst the attacker has also scored once in six caps for his country, which suggests that he has the potential to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

At the age of 21, he is nowhere near the peak of his career and it is unrealistic to expect him to be firing in 20+ goals per season in a major European league. In the season before he turned 21, Kane scored three goals in ten Premier League matches for Tottenham, having scored two goals in 13 matches in the Championship on loan at Leicester the year before.

He was then able to develop into the player who has scored 183 top-flight goals in England and found the back of the net 50 times for the Three Lions.

Hoppe could now continue his development by coming to Sunderland and working with Neil to fulfil the potential that Kulig sees in him to become a similar player to Kane.

If he can hit his stride and start firing in the goals on a more consistent basis then he would be a fantastic player for the Black Cats and their very own complete number nine, having already shown promise at the top level in Germany.

Leeds United are still on the lookout for a new left-back but aren’t closer to sealing any targets…

What’s the word?

That’s according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, who delivered a frustrating update during a recent Q&A with supporters – speaking ahead of their final pre-season clash against Cagliari, the reliable reporter revealed:

“As it stands, they aren’t close to bringing another LB in, although Marsch has made it clear that they’re looking.”

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Frustrating update for Marsch

In recent weeks, the Yorkshire giants have been linked to several potential targets in the role, including PSV Eindhoven man Philipp Max and Stoke City’s Josh Tymon.

But going by Hay’s latest claim, it appears that the club are no closer to finding a solution and that will leave manager Jesse Marsch bitterly disappointed, if not hugely worried as the season gets underway in less than a week’s time.

Leeds face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League opener on Saturday and will currently do so without a recognised left-back available, with the versatile Stuart Dallas also set to be absent through injury until the New Year at the earliest.

Current first-choice Junior Firpo has been ruled out for the start of the season, as per The Athletic.

That said, even if Firpo was fit to feature, you would have your doubts as the ex-Barcelona star has struggled to maintain consistency since his move to England, with the Mirror’s David Anderson deeming him to be a “liability” last season after he racked up over ten yellow cards.

Wolves have plenty of firepower on the flanks, notably Adama Traore, so Marsch will surely be concerned heading into kickoff this weekend as it means Pascal Struijk or the relatively unknown Leo Hjelde will have to play out of position, causing all sorts of problems.

Hopefully, director of football Victor Orta can find a solution sooner rather than later.

AND in other news, Journo reveals exciting Leeds transfer update…

Tottenham Hotspur are actively looking for more signings in the transfer market…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Daily Star journalist Paul Brown, who provided GIVEMESPORT with an exciting update on the current situation in north London.

“I suspect that most of Spurs’ business is done,” he said, before adding:

“They are still looking in certain areas but I don’t think they’re looking particularly hard because they’ve spent quite a lot of money already. I can’t see another big signing suddenly rocking up at the club. I could be wrong. We’ll see.”

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Conte will be thrilled

The Lilywhites hierarchy have managed to secure as many as six new signings for manager Antonio Conte and that will surely leave him delighted heading into the new season as he’s been backed with substantial investment.

Richarlison was one big-money splash, costing a whopping £60m from Everton, whilst Djed Spence (£15m) and Yves Bissouma (£25m) have been the other substantial arrivals, with the likes of Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster coming through the door on free transfers, and Clement Lenglet on loan.

His Spurs squad now has some serious depth to it, meaning they should be able to remain competitive in all competitions after qualifying for the Champions League with a fourth-place finish last term.

However, it’s even better to learn that Tottenham aren’t resting on their laurels just because they have spent so much already, just as Brown claims, it seems as if they are keeping their eye open for further deals, in which a new attacking midfielder could feature, as per football.london’s Alasdair Gold.

Leicester City star James Maddison and AS Roma’s Nicolo Zaniolo are two names that have been heavily mooted with a switch to N17 in recent weeks.

We know from Conte’s past, particularly at Chelsea and Inter Milan, that he spent big in the transfer market and it led to respective league titles, so the fact that Spurs are eyeing more transfers, even if it’s unlikely to come fully come to fruition, is surely hugely exciting for the Italian.

Tottenham could well shock a few teams this campaign.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano reveals Tottenham transfer update…

West Brom are among a dozen clubs being linked with a move for Newcastle United youngster Elliot Anderson this summer, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Anderson on the move?

The 19-year-old enjoyed an impressive spell on loan at Bristol Rovers last season, joining in January and scoring seven goals in 21 League Two appearances.

With Newcastle looking to bring in new signings this summer as they flaunt their vast wealth, it could be that Anderson is again sent out on loan, in order to aid his development.

With West Brom also looking at reinforcements, it looks as though the Magpies youngster is a target for Steve Bruce, who knows him from his time at St James’ Park.

The Latest: West Brom keen on Anderson

That’s according to Edinburgh News, who claimed that as many as 12 clubs are pursuing Anderson ahead of a temporary move, with the Baggies in the mix to sign him.

Scottish Premiership duo Hearts and Hibernian are two of the clubs mentioned, as are fellow Championship sides Bristol City, Luton Town, Millwall and Huddersfield Town.

The teenager has voiced his openness to another temporary exit from Newcastle, saying: “If they think I need another season out (on loan), I’m happy to do that. Whatever’s best for me.”

The Verdict: Exciting option for Bruce

Anderson clearly isn’t going to be easy to sign this summer given the enormity of interest in him, but his productivity for Bristol Rovers last season is proof of what he is capable of producing.

West Brom need improved squad depth if they are to mount a genuine Championship promotion push in 2022/23, with just 23 players currently in Bruce’s first-team roster. The Newcastle youngster is someone who could provide exactly that, adding a spark in the final third.

Some rawness would have to be expected, so Anderson may not always be trusted week in, week out if he moves to The Hawthorns,

Nonetheless, he has been hailed as a ‘phenomenal’ player and the ‘Geordie Maradona’ by former Bristol Rovers team-mate Alex Rodman, a clear indicator of just how much raw talent the youngster possesses.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their chances of landing a deal for Arnaud Kalimuendo in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Jacquee Talbot has revealed that the striker is one of the players PSG are willing to cash in on ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

PIF are said to be eyeing up a deal for the centre-forward after missing out on Hugo Ekitike and Talbot has claimed that they have been given the green light to sign him.

The reporter told GIVEMESPORT: “He’d [Kalimuendo] be absolutely amazing [for Newcastle]. I think Luis Campos has put together a list of around 15 players, with [Presnel] Kimpembe being one, who are able to leave and just really look to do a bit of a transformation and have a bit of an identity.

“I think that’s the idea, so all these players who are very talented but just don’t fit in with what he perceives to be the identity and the core principles of PSG are now able to go.”

Better than Ekitike

The 20-year-old gem, who has been touted at a fee of £20m, would be an excellent signing for the club as he would be better than Ekitike, who has – ironically – signed for PSG.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once dubbed Kalimuendo “prolific” and his form at youth and senior level has backed that up. He plundered an impressive 11 goals in 10 games for PSG’s U19s before spending two seasons on loan at RC Lens – scoring 21 goals in 65 matches, whilst also providing six assists.

Ekitike, meanwhile, scored six goals in 13 games for Stade Reims B and three goals in 11 outings for Vejle Boldklub on loan. Since making the step up to senior football, he has scored 11 goals in 27 matches for Reims’ first team, earning him a transfer to PSG.

Whilst this is an impressive return from the centre-forward, he has only proven himself in one season after an average return during his loan spell with Vejle. Kalimuendo, meanwhile, has played in two Ligue 1 campaigns and produced 22 direct goal contributions in 41 starts.

This means that he has been in superb form over the course of two years, compared to Ekitike’s one, despite the pair both being 20. The former Lens loanee would, therefore, be a better signing as he has more experience at the top level and has proven that he is not a one-season wonder, whilst they have a similar level of production at the top end of the pitch.

PSG’s mistake can be Newcastle’s gain…

AND in other news: Imagine him & ASM: Howe can form scary Newcastle duo by signing “magical” £117k-pw wiz