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Newcastle United correspondent Chris Waugh has revealed that Allan Saint-Maximin was ‘desperate’ for Joe Willock to return to Newcastle. 

The lowdown

Willock has now sealed his permanent switch from Arsenal and will be available for the trip to Aston Villa next weekend (via nufc.co.uk).

The 21-year-old has inked a six-year contract and joins for a fee in excess of £20million (via BBC Sport).

During his loan spell last season, he was instrumental in the Magpies’ late surge up the table. He scored in their final seven matches as they climbed from the brink of the relegation zone to 12th place.

The latest

Waugh reports that a number of Newcastle players had kept in contact with Willock, and that Saint Maximin was ‘especially’ keen for him to extend his stay at St James’ Park.

The Frenchman’s public plea – he said Willock ‘can be really great for the team and me’ – was interpreted as ‘a clear indication’ that he’d be more inclined to stay if he was playing alongside the former Arsenal man. Intriguingly, Waugh says he wasn’t alone in that sentiment.

The dressing room has been left ‘relieved and enthused’ by the news, though there is still a feeling that further signings are needed.

The verdict

Willock and Saint-Maximin may have an excellent relationship, but it’s probably less about personnel than it is ambition. A player of the Frenchman’s quality needs to feel like he’s battling for more than just pure survival.

Turning the loan into a permanent signing will be regarded as the bare minimum for Newcastle in this year’s market, but it should help them steer clear of any relegation bother.

Get a couple more quality additions through the door in the remaining weeks of the window, albeit on loan, and an assault on the top half may not be out of the question.

For now though, the news that Saint-Maximin may be more inclined to stay thanks to Willock’s arrival is surely the cherry on top of the excitement around the signing.

In other news, could this be Newcastle’s next signing?

Liverpool have agreed a deal to sell wantaway forward Xherdan Shaqiri to French outfit Lyon.

What’s the story?

According to Sky Sports, a final fee of £9.5m (€11m) has been approved by both clubs, with the Switzerland international expected to arrive at the Groupama Stadium imminently.

Shaqiri revealed in a recent interview that his wish to depart Liverpool in search of regular game time had been granted by the club’s hierarchy and now he appears set for a switch to Ligue 1.

Fans will be buzzing

The 29-year-old forward arrived at Anfield back in 2018 for a £13.5m fee thanks to a relegation release clause inserted into his contract at Stoke City.

During his time on Merseyside, Shaqiri helped Jurgen Klopp’s charges claim the Premier League title and Champions League crown. However, a string of niggling injuries meant he played a very limited role in the club’s success.

Over the last couple of campaigns, the diminutive attacker has started just seven Premier League games, contributing to only three goals in the process.

Shaqiri’s reduced playing time led to increased speculation that the former Bayern Munich and Inter Milan ace would seek pastures new this summer, with Klopp keen to offload several fringe players to boost his limited transfer budget.

And it appears all parties are set for a happy conclusion. Although the creative talent has produced some memorable moments for Liverpool on the pitch, his unreliability often frustrated the supporters, and a large section of the fans will surely be buzzing to see him depart.

The substantial fee generated from his sale may allow the club to bring in just their second signing of the summer, even though a direct replacement now appears unlikely.

Sky’s report claims: “Liverpool have been planning for Shaqiri’s inevitable exit for the past 12 months, sanctioning Harvey Elliot’s loan to Blackburn to give him much-needed game time and the platform to see if he could perform week in week out in senior football.

“Game time in the Premier League and FA Cup is also likely to be filled by Kade Gordon, who has emerged as a rising star over pre-season, whilst there are high hopes for Elliott performing on both the Premier League and Champions League stage.”

Therefore, a central midfielder, to succeed the departed Gini Wijnaldum, seems more likely to be targeted than an extra winger.

Shaqiri’s exit may be met with some regret by the fans who may think ‘what could have been if not for the persistent fitness concerns?’ but if Director of Football Michael Edwards uses the proceeds well, it’ll be a celebrated deal, especially now that the Swiss star’s exit will free up a place for a non-homegrown player in the Reds’ squad.

And, in other news…Liverpool receive double selection boost pre-Burnley, Klopp will be delighted 

Former professional footballer Nigel Jemson believes that having had Manchester United midfielder James Garner on loan last season, Nottingham Forest are on the front foot for him to return this summer.

Nottinghamshire Live have reported that Derby County were also keeping an eye on Forest target Garner.

The 20-year-old spent the first half of last season on loan at Watford, before joining Nottingham Forest for the second half of the Championship campaign. Making a combined 43 appearances for the two clubs in all competitions, Garner scored four goals and assisted a further three.

And Nigel Jemson believes that after a spell at the City Ground last term, it puts Nottingham Forest on the front foot to get Garner back this season, exclusively telling Transfer Tavern: “Very Successful, did really well, well-liked, well respected.

“He’s gone back to Manchester United and I don’t know what the full situation is there whether he’s turned a contract down, I’ve read something that he was possibly going to be linked to Derby, which that wouldn’t have gone down well.

“But, you know, I think that if there’s a choice between the two clubs, having the fact that he spent last season with us that would put us on the front foot I would have thought and again that would be another good signing for us to bring him in.”

Football Insider have previously reported that Stoke City and Sheffield United are also interested in the youngster ahead of the August 31 transfer deadline.

Bolton’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end on Tuesday night as they were beaten 5-4 on penalties by Wigan in the League Cup.

Wanderers made their way through to the second round by beating Championship side Barnsley on penalties earlier this month, but fortune was not on their side for the second time as Nathan Delfouneso blazed over from the spot to see them crash out of the competition.

Ian Evatt’s side are unbeaten in League One after starting the campaign with two wins and two draws – both 3-3 – and will be disappointed that they have tasted defeat for the first time since last season.

Despite losing, though, there was one player who could give Evatt a selection headache ahead of their League One clash with fellow newly-promoted side Cambridge United on Saturday: Alex Baptiste.

The experienced central defender started Bolton’s first two matches of the campaign, which both ended 3-3, and was subsequently dropped for the following two games. It is hard to argue with the manager’s decision to take him out of the side after they conceded six goals in 180 minutes of football, but his performance against Wigan shows that he still has something to offer.

Per SofaScore, Baptiste was the highest-rated outfield player on the pitch for Bolton with a score of 7.5 for his display. The veteran enforcer and George Johnston (7.1) were the only players other than the goalkeeper Matt Gilks (8.7) to achieve a score higher than 6.8, which shows how he stood out.

Baptiste won 75% of his duels (6/8) in the match, including 100% of his three aerial battles to keep Wigan’s attackers at bay. He also made three tackles and four clearances, whilst no opposition player was able to dribble past him in the entire 90 minutes.

With 61 touches of the ball and a pass completion rate of 84%, Baptiste also showed that he could play out from the back competently. He completed six of his nine long passes, which shows that he was able to demonstrate his range of passing, playing it short and long when needed.

This performance could now give Evatt a selection headache ahead of the Cambridge game as Baptiste put in a strong defensive showing. At the end of the day, all the centre-back can do is produce impressive displays when called upon and hope that it earns him a place in the side at the weekend and this match was a great start.

AND in other news, Fewer touches than Gilks: £720k-rated Bolton dud proved Evatt wrong with horror show…

A family member of Borna Barisic has revealed he will not be leaving Glasgow Rangers this summer despite links to AS Roma.

The Lowdown: Barisic linked with AS Roma

The Croatia international had been heavily linked with a move to Serie A outfit Roma (The Scotsman).

However, there has now been an update on the future of the left-back from a very close source indeed.

The Latest: Barisic to stay at Ibrox

Apparently, a member of the 28-year-old’s family has revealed where the player’s future lies (Sportske Novosti).

Contrary to reports, Barisic is set to stay with the 55-time Scottish champions and will therefore not be making a switch to Italy any time soon.

The Verdict: Boost for Gerrard

This is no doubt a boost for Steven Gerrard and everyone at the club. Since making the move to Ibrox, Barisic has been a player the boss can rely on. Not only that, he has shown his attacking threat – he has provided a huge 33 assists in 117 games (Transfermarkt).

He has come in for a criticism for his start to this season (via Ibrox News), but it was from his corner that Filip Helander scored the only goal of the game against Celtic at the weekend. Keeping him at the club is paramount, and it seems the Gers have done that for now.

In other news, this ex-Rangers man appears to complete shock transfer.

Leeds United could choose to sell a big-name player in order to follow the Leicester City model, according to journalist Graham Smyth.

The Lowdown: Leeds in a great place

The Whites are enjoying a wonderful period in the club’s history, with Marcelo Bielsa guiding them back into the Premier League and establishing them as a top-half team, playing exhilarating football along the way.

Leeds now have a formidable squad capable of battling across various competitions, and in someone like Kalvin Phillips, they have a genuine international star in their ranks.

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The Latest: Star player could be sold

While Phillips isn’t specifically mentioned, the Yorkshire Evening Post‘s Smyth has responded to a question on Twitter and claimed that Leeds could eventually opt to sell one of their prized assets, hinting at the way Leicester City have cashed in on players before reinvesting:

“No I don’t imagine so. But if they’re going to follow the Leicester model someone’s likely to be sold at some point aren’t they?”

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The Verdict: Inevitability about it?

In truth, the Whites will find it impossible to keep hold of their best players forever – sadly, that is the nature of modern football, with richer clubs eventually getting their own way.

It could be that an enormous offer comes in for Phillips next summer, for example, at which point Leeds may feel selling him on and building the squad with those funds could be more beneficial in the long-term.

In an ideal world, someone of Phillips’ calibre would remain at Elland Road forever, but it may end up making more sense to part ways and use it to their advantage, assuming he wants a fresh challenge.

In other news, Leeds have been tipped to sign one player in January. Find out who it is here.

According to a West Ham United source, speaking to Football Insider, the club and GSB have set sights on Preston North End starlet Lewis Leigh.

The Lowdown: West Ham academy booming…

After superstar Declan Rice emerged through the Irons’ academy, there has been no shortage of young talent following in his footsteps.

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The likes of Conor Coventry, Ademipo Odubeko, Jamal Baptiste and Emmanuel Longelo have all been nurtured, while West Ham also brought in a plethora of talent from elsewhere over the summer.

Indeed, the club signed promising young starlets Armstrong Oko-Flex, Pierre Ekwah Elimby and Thierry Nevers, with news now emerging about yet another talented target.

The Latest: GSB now eyeing Leigh…

As per Football Insider, sharing information from a club source, West Ham have ‘set their sights’ on Preston hotshot Leigh following his performances for the Championship side’s youth setup.

Rush Green scouts have apparently been ‘hugely impressed’ by the midfielder and are set to keep further tabs in the coming months.

However, while West Ham are very keen, they are not the only club keeping close watch as Premier League rivals Everton also hold an interest.

Despite only just signing his first professional deal until 2024 last month, Leigh is already a wanted man at West Ham and has been on the fringes of Preston’s first team squad without yet being given a senior debut.

The Verdict: Carry on…

Following on from their astute transfer window business regarding young talent spotting, it appears that West Ham scouts are showing no sign of stopping.

This could be great news for the club over these next few years, and in particular for manager David Moyes, who is looking to not only restructure his first team but the academy as well.

In other news: ‘Had a shocker’, ‘Offered nothing’…West Ham fans slam ‘poor’ ace who lost the ball 16 times against Southampton, find out more here.

Aston Villa loanee would ‘welcome’ a permanent move from Manchester United, according to The Sun.

The Lowdown: Tuanzebe’s third loan spell

Tuanzebe was one of five Villa signings over the summer, sealing a third loan move to Villa Park.

He’s started two of four Premier League games this season but won’t be able to feature in Villa’s trip to Old Trafford later this month.

The 6ft defender still has two years remaining on his Manchester United contract, but it seems as if he is open to a permanent transfer to the Midlands.

The Latest: Transfer update

The Sun shared a story on Monday afternoon regarding Tuanzebe’s future.

They were informed by an insider that the 23-year-old is ‘very happy’ at Villa Park and would ‘welcome’ a full-time move to the club, should that arise.

Tuanzebe believes Dean Smith can get the best out of him and would relish the opportunity to make his stay at the club permanent.

The Verdict: Sign

Reports back in May suggested that an offer of £7m could have been enough for Tuanzebe on a permanent basis, and if that is still the case, it could be a wise move by Villa.

Tuanzebe, who was handed his Manchester United debut by Jose Mourinho, is capable of playing as a centre-back and a right-back and is still in the early stages of his career even though he has racked up over 75 senior appearances.

Villa are fairly short of centre-back and right-back options, so keeping hold of a player who wants to be at the club seems a smart call.

In other news: ‘Bad attitude’ – Aston Villa ace’s comments have got loads of fans talking. 

Aston Villa crashed out of the Carabao Cup after a penalty shootout defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday evening.

And a number of Villa supporters hit out at Anwar El Ghazi on social media during the match for his display at Stamford Bridge.

The 26-year-old, who impressed in the previous round against Barrow, returned to the side for his fifth start of the campaign.

Villa managed to take the tie to penalties after youngster Cameron Archer cancelled out Timo Werner’s opener in the second half.

El Ghazi netted Villa’s first penalty, with Ashley Young and Marvelous Nakamba missing, but struggled in normal time, losing possession on 13 occasions. [Sofa Score]

The Dutchman also completed just 62% of his passes in London and failed to make a successful cross or long ball. [Sofa Score]

Villa fans react

His poor display resulted in a number of Villa fans taking to social media to talk about the winger, with one labelling him ‘a mess’.

“El Ghazi is clearly the worst player at our football club, the man lives off the penalty spot, such a wimp”

Credit: @matty__jeff

“El ghazi passenger, shock”

Credit: @tom_mills06

“El Ghazi a mess, Buendia giving the ball away too much, Sanson injured again, Traoré ouchy…need to tighten it up at halftime.”

Credit: @ConnorMcBride

“El Ghazi has been terrible”

Credit: @kconners10

“No bigger bottle job in world football than el ghazi when it comes to putting a foot in, Buendia clearly not impressed with him either”

Credit: @AmbitiousVillan

“If someone wanted him I’d happily let him go, just nowhere near consistent enough, seems to have an odd attitude, that’s the impression you get anyway”

Credit: @NeilPugh5

In other news: ‘Magical’, ‘Love to see it’ – Lots of Villa fans react as Sky Sports share ‘excellent news’.

Kalvin Phillips knows he will leave Leeds United for another club in the near future, according to former West Ham striker Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Phillips continues to shine

The Whites may have made a poor start to the season, but Phillips has again been a key performer, shining in the middle of the park.

His status as a player has grown so much since his performances at Euro 2020 for England and he possesses an aura and respect in midfield now that only comes when you perform on a big stage like that.

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The Latest: Midfielder tipped to leave

Leeds could find it extremely difficult to keep hold of the £36m-rated (Transfermarkt) Phillips in the long-term, and speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie, 61, claimed he would leave soon, with the offer of a new deal a way of Leeds protecting themselves:

“It’s a very sensible move. He could always run his contract down and no one wants that. He’s a Leeds boy and he knows he’s going to move.

“It’s a great idea. He had a cracking Euros and we all know how good he is. We know there is interest and when the time comes Leeds are protected a bit more now.”

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The Verdict: Inevitable?

In an ideal world, Phillips would spend the rest of his career at Leeds, going on to potentially become one of the greatest servants in the club’s history.

The brutal truth is that the 25-year-old will be eyeing up playing Champions League football and winning big trophies, though – something the Whites may not be able to offer him.

Whether it’s next summer or beyond, Leeds may have to accept that life without Phillips isn’t too far away, and penning him to a new deal is certainly the best way to ensure the club wins a big profit if he does depart.

In other news, one Leeds player has signed a new deal. Find out who it is here.