Celtic may have their first win of the Ange Postecoglou reign under their belts but they cannot neglect the need to bring more new faces to Paradise.
Joe Hart and James McCarthy became members of the Hoops family last week but there is still plenty of work to be done.
On the chalkboard
Anthony Ralston has performed admirably this season after coming in for scrutiny that he wasn’t good enough for Celtic.
Those claims made sense considering he played just once for the Bhoys last term. However, he’s been ever-present since Ange Postecoglou took charge and even scored a wonderful goal against Hearts last weekend.
Ralston collected the ball from Odsonne Edouard before dancing beyond several defenders and then planting the ball past Craig Gordon from inside the area.
He also scored against Dundee on Sunday afternoon in their 6-0 thrashing to continue his mightily impressive campaign.
Though, if Celtic are serious about advancing in Europe and contending for the title again, they will need to sign an improvement.
That’s why supporters should be delighted that they are in discussions to sign Royal Antwerp defender Aurelio Buta.
He’s been on Celtic’s radar for a number of weeks now but Sky Sports reported last Friday that a bid of £4.5m was now being prepared.
If they can lure him to Paradise, it would be an almighty upgrade on Ralston.
The Glaswegian side haven’t replaced Jeremie Frimpong since he left for Bayer Leverkusen last January but Buta would help them significantly.
He is a tackling machine and is equally adept in forward phases of play. Dubbed “very gifted” by journalist, Aster Nzeyimana, the 24-year-old completed 1.2 tackles per match in 2020/21.
That’s a tally that would have equalled Frimpong’s success rate in a Celtic shirt from the same season.
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Hailed as one of the best full-backs in the Belgian top-flight, Buta would be an exceptional piece of business by Postecoglou and co.
They have needed a permanent full-back for the best part of eight months now and thus, fans should be excited at the idea of signing him.
Ralston has enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign but he is still relatively unproven in the Premiership over a prolonged period of time.
AND in other news, Bye-bye Edouard: Celtic can boost title hopes by signing “wonderful” 19-goal beast…
A number of Manchester City fans are delighted after it was revealed that Ilkay Gundogan will not be missing from the Champions League final on Saturday night.
The Citizens are preparing for the biggest match in the club’s history in Porto. They have been in Portugal for most of the week as Pep Guardiola and his squad put together the final preparations for the match against fellow Premier League outfit Chelsea.
However, they were hit with a scare during training in the build-up. Gundogan, who has enjoyed a fantastic campaign as the team’s leading scorer with 17 goals, had to leave the field with an injury, and there were worries he would be unavailable for the big game (Manchester Evening News).
Fortunately, it has now been revealed by journalist Fred Caldiera that it was a minor issue and that the German will be ready to feature tonight.
The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the club’s supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the update.
Let’s see what these fans had to say about the Gundogan news
“Get innnn”
Credit: @KinehanMichael
“Some good news”
Credit: @Gundogan_08
“Yessssss”
Credit: @m7x_9
“Phew”
Credit: @ohzai17
“Lessgooo”
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Credit: @KavinDeBruyne17
“Good news, hopefully he starts”
Credit: @obmeri1
In other news, these Man City fans want one man signed this summer.
Middlesbrough have made a manager with “an impressive CV” a top target to replace Rob Edwards, and it would be a “significant coup” if they can get a deal done.
Edwards confirmed as Wolves boss as Middlesbrough receive £3m
Wolves confirmed the appointment of Rob Edwards as their new head coach on a three-and-a-half year deal on Wednesday.
The 42-year-old left the Riverside and agreed a contract until 2029 with Wanderers after they sacked Vitor Pereira earlier this month. It is reported Boro will receive around £3million in compensation after Edwards only joined them in June on a three-year contract.
Edwards, who managed Luton in the Premier League, begins a fourth spell at Wolves after making 111 appearances as a player as well as enjoying time as a coach and interim boss. He will be joined by assistant head coach Harry Watling after the pair worked together at Middlesbrough, with the rest of his backroom staff to be confirmed in the near future.
Wolves chairman Jeff Shi said: “I know Rob very well and I have seen his growth in different jobs. He’s a very good person, he knows the club very well, he knows the city, the fans and he is very talented.
“When he was a youth coach here, he showed his tactical awareness, but after he took first-team jobs he started to grow his own identity, character and leadership.
“We need to refresh the whole club with a new coach’s philosophy, bringing his own identity and ideas, and we can build on that. We are at a new chapter for the club and Rob will be a key piece of that.”
For Boro, it is now about finding a swift replacement as they aim to continue their Championship promotion push without Edwards.
Middlesbrough make Steven Gerrard a top manager target
As reported by Rousing the Kop and journalist Graeme Bailey, Steven Gerrard is among the top targets for Middlesbrough to replace Edwards.
Steve Gibson is a long-term admirer of the former Rangers and Aston Villa boss, who is out of work after leaving Al-Ettifaq in January.
Gerrard almost returned to Ibrox last month and is open to a return to the dugout, with a move to the Riverside something that could appeal to him.
Gerrard has never managed in the Championship, with his most successful period as a manager coming in Scotland, winning the league title with Rangers.
Steven Gerrard’s managerial career
Club
Games
Points per game
Rangers
192
2.15
Aston Villa
40
1.18
Al-Ettifaq
55
1.33
The 45-year-old primarily plays an attacking 4-3-3 system and is closing in on 300 games as a manager. Could that benchmark come at the Riverside?
Arsenal have emerged as the dream destination for one player this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano, with sporting director Andrea Berta continuing to carry out his extensive transfer window shopping ahead of 2025/2026.
£70m star wants to join Arsenal after Norgaard and Mosquera, talks ongoing
The north Londoners mean business this summer.
2 ByEmilio Galantini
Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi and Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga are both poised to be announced as new Arsenal players shortly.
Kepa completed his Arsenal medical in the last few days as he closes in on a £5 million switch from Stamford Bridge (Sky Sports), while Zubimendi touched down in London last week to finalise his near-£56 million transfer to the Premier League.
Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)
Money on new signings
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
The Spaniards will be joined by Brentford captain Christian Norgaard, too, with Arsenal widely reported to have agreed a £15 million deal for the Denmark international, including add-ons.
The 31-year-old has been permitted to travel for his Arsenal medical (Fabrizio Romano), and ex-Tottenham director Frank Arnesen says Mikel Arteta may have just snapped up a bargain.
“If he can take a step up and come to Arsenal, it would be fantastic. Every dressing room would be thrilled to have him. He has the right mentality, is a team player and has the attitude,” said Arnsen to Tipsbladet earlier this week.
“Mikel Arteta was fantastic as a player, I think, and as a coach he has done absolutely superbly, both as an assistant at Manchester City and afterwards at Arsenal with the way he plays football.
“He doesn’t just take a player in without knowing exactly what he’s going to use him for. Maybe he won’t play 50 games, you don’t know, maybe it’ll only be 30, but it’s about the whole package. He gets the whole package with Christian.”
Berta has wasted no time in moving on to Arsenal’s next target after Norgaard, either.
Valencia'sCristhianMosquerain action with Atletico Madrid's Samuel Lino
The Gunners have opened talks with Valencia over signing versatile young defender Cristhian Mosquera, and there is real optimism that they’ll reach an agreement for their fourth signing of the summer, even if their opening bid of £16 million was rejected (The Guardian).
Cristhian Mosquera wants "perfect" move to Arsenal
While there’s still some way to go in club-to-club talks, Berta will not run into any trouble on the player’s side.
As per Romano, speaking on the ‘Here We Go’ YouTube channel, Mosquera thinks Arsenal are the “perfect” move for him, and the 21-year-old wants to challenge Arteta’s preferred centre-back pairing.
Cristhian Mosquera for Valencia.
“My understanding is that the player wants to go to Arsenal. He sees Arsenal as the perfect opportunity for his career,” said Romano.
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“Of course, you have to compete with Gabriel, with William Saliba, but what I’m hearing is that Mosquera is not scared. Obviously, he knows that these two defenders are probably the best in the world, but he wants to be there. He knows that Arsenal will have many games; with Mikel Arteta, young players develop very well. So Mosquera said yes to Arsenal.”
Able to play at both right-back and centre-back, the “magnificent” Mosquera could plug multiple gaps for Arteta, but his arrival surely spells the end of Jakub Kiwior – who’s been tipped to leave if they do sign the Spain Under-21 international.
After losing multiple key players over the summer, very few Leeds United supporters could’ve predicted the superb season they’ve endured in the Championship so far in 2024/25.
Georginio Rutter, Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray and Glen Kamara all played key roles in Daniel Farke’s squad last campaign, but all departed Elland Road after their failure to secure promotion.
However, the side have returned with a vengeance under the German this season, sitting top of the table and in pole position to end their two-year stay in England’s second tier.
LeedsUnitedmanagerDaniel Farke celebrates after the match
Whilst many of the first-team players have impressed over the last couple of months, numerous have failed to live up to the expectations many have set for them in Yorkshire.
Others have demonstrated glimpses of their quality, but ultimately, have been far too inconsistent over the last couple of months, putting their long-term future at the club in doubt.
Brenden Aaronson’s stats for Leeds in 2024/25
Midfielder Brenden Aaronson joined Leeds in a £25m deal from RB Salzburg during the summer of 2022, but left on loan last season – joining Bundesliga side Union Berlin after the Whites’ relegation.
However, he would return to Elland Road this campaign, impressing in spells, registering eight goals and two assists in his 34 league outings to date.
Whilst on the face of it, his record may seem impressive, the 24-year-old has only registered one goal contribution in 2025, with the only goal coming in the 7-0 demolition of Cardiff City.
Aaronson also failed to impress against Sheffield United on Monday night, being the first player to make way for the Whites as Farke hunted for an equaliser at Bramall Lane.
It was an example of how quiet and anonymous he can be in certain matches, just simply unable to extract his highest performance levels on a consistent basis since returning to the fold.
As a result, Farke may want to consider alternative options in the number 10 role, including one player who could offer a different option, albeit whilst featuring in an unfamiliar role.
The player who Farke needs to unleash to end Aaronson’s Leeds career
After Ethan Ampadu’s latest injury setback, Leeds now appear to be slightly light in the centre of the park, with the decision not to invest in the side in January now looking like the wrong one.
However, Farke will undoubtedly have faith in Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev to continue their partnership after starting together in the victory over their Yorkshire rivals a couple of days ago.
Their partnership could allow for fellow midfielder Joe Rothwell to operate in a slightly more advanced role, with his skill set potentially making him the perfect fit for the role.
The 30-year-old may only be on loan from Bournemouth, but he’s already adhered himself to the supporters with his impressive displays off the bench.
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Rothwell, who’s previously been dubbed “superb” by journalist Rich Sharpe, produced his best display against Sunderland, registering two assists for Pascal Struijk in just 19 minutes of action – showcasing the danger he possesses.
How Rothwell compares to Aaronson in 2024/25
Statistics (per 90)
Rothwell
Aaronson
Games played
31
34
Goals & assists
4
10
Progressive passes
6.6
4.1
Pass accuracy
86%
79%
Passes into final third
7.5
2.3
Shot-creating actions
4.2
3.8
Tackles & interceptions
2
1.6
Take-on success
62%
44%
Stats via FBref
When comparing his underlying stats with those of Aaronson, he has bettered the American international in numerous key areas, showcasing the talent he possesses, with Farke needing to reward him with a start in the number 10 role.
Given Bournemouth’s rise in the Premier League in recent months, a permanent deal could well be on the cards for Rothwell, regardless of whether the Whites secure promotion between now and the end of the season or not.
However, one thing is for sure, Aaronson’s inconsistency could hinder him going forward, with the aforementioned Rothwell arguably a better option in attackign areas given the figures he’s produced in recent months.
Leeds have an incredible star who's their finest EFL talent since Hernandez
Leeds United have found their best EFL player since Pablo Hernandez with the signing of one player.
Manchester United are keeping an eye on a £13 million-rated defender as they eye a possible long-term replacement for Luke Shaw, according to a new report. The Red Devils were very busy during the summer, as INEOS looked to make their mark on the team after their recent takeover. However, a position that fans were hoping would be strengthened wasn’t, as United decided against signing a new left-back.
Man Utd spotted scouting Kvaratskhelia but left wowed by second Napoli star
Man Utd sent officials on a recent scouting mission and were left impressed by one player in particular.
ByBrett Worthington Man Utd news and updates
Earlier this week, United fan/pundit Mark Goldbridge spoke of his surprise that the club didn’t look to sign a left-back in the summer. This is because Shaw has suffered with a lot of injuries in the last 12 to 18 months, missing the majority of last season and again yet to feature in this campaign. Goldbridge believes the decision not to sign a left-back, given Shaw’s injury record and Tyrell Malacia missing all of last season, was “unbelievable.”
United may look to sign a left-back in the near future, but they are also keeping their options open about improving other parts of their squad once again. That is because United officials were spotted scouting Napoli duo Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Alessandro Buongiorno in their game against Empoli last weekend.
Napoli forwardKhvicha Kvaratskhelia.
United staff were there to take in Kvaratskhelia in particular, but are said to have been left impressed by Buongiorno, who is a centre-back for the Italian side. But he is not the only defender United are looking at, as they are also keeping an eye on a promising left-back, which may please Goldbridge.
Man Utd tracking £13m-rated gem to replace Luke Shaw
According to TBR Football, Manchester United are keeping an eye on left-back Julio Soler as they look at different options heading into 2025. The left-back spot has been rather tricky for the Red Devils in the last year or so, as Shaw and Malacia have been unavailable for the majority of the time, meaning they have had to play players there who are unfamiliar with the role.
Diogo Dalot has been United’s main left-back in recent times, and while he has done a decent job, officials at Old Trafford are now looking at left-back options heading into the next transfer window.
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This report states that a host of players are on United’s radar, and one of those is Soler, who is currently playing for Lanus in Argentina. The 19-year-old, who was valued at £13 million in the summer when Liverpool were interested in his services, came through the academy at Lanus, and his performances for them earned him the chance to represent Argentina in the Olympics during the summer.
Julio Soler’s Lanus stats
Apps
49
Goals
0
Assists
2
As well as United, a number of European clubs are said to be keeping an eye on Soler, but the Red Devils have been active in recent months and have made “checks” on the player, who is said to be rated very highly.
Leeds United missed out on promotion to the Premier League in one of the worst ways possible last month as they were beaten in the play-off final at Wembley.
An entire season of effort culminated in a drab 1-0 defeat to Southampton, thanks to a first-half goal from Adam Armstrong, and the Whites must now prepare for a second year in the Championship.
Head coach Daniel Farke will look back on the 2023/24 campaign and identify ways to improve his side to ensure that they do not fall short for a second time.
Leeds' biggest xG underperformers
23/24 Championship
xG
Goals
xG differential
Georginio Rutter
16.05
7
-9.05
Patrick Bamford
11.11
8
-3.11
Joe Rodon
2.51
0
-2.51
Ethan Ampadu
2.31
0
-2.31
Mateo Joseph
2.43
1
-1.43
Stats via WhoScored
As you can see in the table above, three of his strikers underperformed against their xG and two of them, Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter, significantly underperformed – by a combined 12.16 xG.
Therefore, the German boss could dip into the market to bolster his attack during the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business earlier this month.
Work on that front already appears to be underway as the West Yorkshire side have been linked with an interest in a forward from the Bundesliga.
Leeds United battling to sign £12m attacker
According to the printed edition of The Sunday Mirror (23/06/24), as relayed by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds are one of the sides battling to sign Bayer Leverkusen ace Adam Hlozek this summer.
The report claims that the Whites and Premier League outfit West Ham United are just two of the teams keeping tabs on his situation with the Bundesliga champions.
It states that the versatile forward is set to move on from Xabi Alonso's side before the 2024/25 campaign and Farke is seemingly looking to take advantage of that with a swoop for his services over the coming weeks.
The outlet reveals that Leverkusen are prepared to demand a fee within the region of £12m for the Czechia international, who is currently competing for his country at the 2024 European Championship.
It now remains to be seen, however, whether or not Leeds are willing to offer the £12m that is apparently required to secure his services before the end of the transfer window, or if the player is keen on dropping down from the first division in Germany to the second tier in England.
If they can secure a deal to sign him, though, then they could land an exciting partner for Rutter in the final third next season in the Championship.
Georginio Rutter's creative brilliance for Leeds
As illustrated in the xG table earlier, the French youngster endured an incredibly poor campaign in front of goal with his wasteful finishing for the Whites.
There is no hiding away from the fact that Rutter must improve his finishing quality next year as he spurned far too many high-quality opportunities for Farke's side.
However, the 22-year-old magician did do a lot of brilliant work in possession when it came to creating chances for other players to find the back of the net.
The former Hoffenheim starlet ended the season with a staggering 15 assists and 22 'big chances' created in 45 league appearances for Leeds, which shows that he consistently looked to set up his teammates.
That is backed up by fantastic underlying chance creation numbers as the right-footed wizard ranked highly amongst his positional peers in the division.
Georginio Rutter vs forwards
23/24 Championship (per 90)
Percentile rank
Assists (0.39)
Top 2%
xAG (0.29)
Top 2%
Progressive passes (4.46)
Top 3%
Shot-creating actions (4.41)
Top 2%
Successful take-ons (3.06)
Top 1%
Stats via FBRef
As you can see in the table above, he ranked among the best in his position at creating high-quality chances for his fellow attackers in the Championship.
These statistics show that the Leeds magician has the quality to constantly split open opposition defences with his creative and incisive passing from a number ten position.
This could make him an exciting partner for Hlozek at Elland Road as the young Czechia star has the potential to be a lethal finisher as well as an impressive creator in the Championship next season.
Why Leeds should sign Adam Hlozek
Firstly, he only turns 22 next month and this means that the club would be bringing in a talented young starlet with time to develop and improve throughout his time in Yorkshire.
Farke could work with the youngster, who was described as a "diamond" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, to help improve his performances on the pitch and, as a result, increase his value for the Whites to potentially make a profit on him further down the line.
Secondly, Hlozek has the finishing quality to be a reliable option for the German head coach in the final third, unlike Bamford, Joseph, and Rutter.
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In his two seasons in the Bundesliga with Leverkusen, the 6 foot 1 marksman, who was dubbed "towering" by Mango, scored seven goals from an xG of 5.72 – an overperformance of 1.28.
The talented dynamo, who scored three goals in four DFB Pokal outings, has shown that he can finish at an impressive rate in a major European league, which suggests that he could be a ruthless finisher who could thrive with Rutter's creativity at Leeds.
Adam Hlozek's last two seasons for Sparta Prague
Fortuna Liga
20/21
21/22
Total
Appearances
19
29
48
Goals
15
8
23
Assists
8
13
21
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, he arrived at Leverkusen off the back of two fantastic league seasons with Sparta Prague in his home country.
Hlozek racked up a staggering 44 direct goal contributions in 48 matches and Farke could look to unlock his creative quality, with 21 of those contributions being assists, to go along with his superb finishing.
He could, therefore, be an exciting partner for Rutter at the top end of the pitch for the Whites next term as his ability in front of goal could make up for the Frenchman's struggles in that department.
He's like Grealish: Leeds could sign "dangerous" EFL star to replace Piroe
The Whites manager could stop playing the Dutchman as a number ten by signing this target.
ByDan Emery
It is now down to the club to win the battle for his signature and bring him to Elland Road to bolster Farke's attacking options for the 2024/25 campaign.
Nottingham Forest have a charge pending from the Premier League for breaching profit and sustainability rules, with journalist Dean Jones sharing the piece of business which could prove crucial in determining the success of their appeal.
Forest appeal charge to avoid points deduction nightmare
Nuno Espirito Santo's side face the possibility of being deducted points if their appeal comes to no fruition, in similar fashion to Everton, who had ten points struck off in the largest punishment in English top-flight history.
David Ornstein confirms buy option on Nottingham Forest loan deal
Nuno’s squad will be boosted long-term by the latest arrival.
ByBen Goodwin
Forest's battle against the drop would therefore take an almighty hit if their case to the judicial panel, and subsequent independent commission hearing, fails to come through.
Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol says Forest's appeal will be resolved in a fairly quick fashion following their confirmed charge midway through January, and specifically by April 12.
"These rules are designed to deal with these cases very, very quickly. They are fast-track, new, streamlined rules," said Solhekol to Sky last month.
"These accounts went in on December 31, two weeks later we're hearing Everton and Nottingham Forest are in breach of the rules. The clubs have two weeks to respond to these charges and pretty quickly two separate independent commissions are going to be set up. And within 12 weeks these independent commissions will have finished their hearings – which last between one and five days – and a week after that we will get the decision.
"By April 12 we will have the decision."
Nottingham Forest's best-performing players this season
Match Rating
Morgan Gibbs-White
6.90
Willy Boly
6.88
Murillo
6.82
Anthony Elanga
6.73
Chris Wood
6.66
(data via WhoScored, minimum 15 appearances)
Relegation as a result of any potential charge would be a disaster, but Forest apparently believe their January business has them well prepared for that worst-case scenario. That is according to Jones, who claimed to GiveMeSport that they have very limited potential to spend big in the summer following their off-field sanctions.
Brennan Johnson sale will prove crucial to FFP charge at Forest
The reporter also claims one crucial piece of business by Forest could prove to be decisive in their appeal against PSR charges.
Indeed, Jones claims Brennan Johnson and the timing of his Tottenham transfer will be a deciding factor in Forest's FFP battle.
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"We know exactly where Nottingham Forest are at; a current charge pending for a PSR breach that they informed the Premier League about, and they are now waiting for their case to be heard," wrote Jones.
Tottenham's Brennan Johnson.
"Much will centre on the timing of the Brennan Johnson sale within that verdict and any potential points deduction would put them firmly in the relegation battle. Any summer spending would then be dictated by league status but under a worst-case scenario of relegation, expect a fire sale of players to bring the wage bill down."
Johnson signed for Spurs last summer for around £45 million, and his status as a Forest academy player means his sale has gone down as pure profit.
Newcastle United have made a breakthrough in discussions with one of their players regarding a new contract according to a reliable journalist, but there are still clubs interested in signing him.
Who have Newcastle signed in 2023?
PIF and Eddie Howe recruited five fresh faces over the summer in the form of Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes, Tino Livramento and Yankuba Minteh on a permanent basis, whilst Lewis Hall put pen to paper on a season-long loan from Premier League rivals Chelsea, as per Transfermarkt.
The Magpies have also recently been boosted by the news that Callum Wilson has signed a one-year deal extension meaning that he will remain at the club until at least 2025, but he’s not the only star already in the building that is set to commit his future to the northeast side.
Back in May, 90min reported that Bruno Guimaraes had been in talks for months over a new contract, but having attracted interest from Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid since, the two parties are yet to reach a full agreement.
The Brazil international has been a revelation during his 63 appearances since first joining from Lyon back in January 2022, and if the following update is to be believed, the defensive midfielder is one step closer to putting an even bigger smile on the faces of supporters.
Is Bruno signing a new contract at Newcastle?
Writing in his article for TEAMtalk, Graeme Bailey confirmed that Newcastle and Guimaraes have progressed in negotiations over his improved terms, with both sides hoping to finalise terms before Christmas in December. He said:
“Sources close to this deal had become frustrated that the contract was not signed before the end of last season. Now talks have accelerated again and the belief now is that the deal will be finalised sooner rather than later.
"Bruno’s people insist that his needs have never been overly demanding and Newcastle do want to recognise his importance to the club. It can’t be underestimated how happy they are with him and how important he is to them.”
Newcastle United midfielderBruno Guimaraes.
What is Bruno's style of play?
First of all, Newcastle will admire the “leader” that Guimaraes is on the pitch, as described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, but it’s his ability to make an equally positive impact at both ends of the pitch that make him such a well-rounded and in-demand player.
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The Bertolucci Sports client, who currently earns £120k-per-week, has made nine tackles so far this season which is the second-highest total throughout the squad behind Dan Burn, via FBRef, but he’s also posted 16 goal contributions (ten goals and six assists) since joining.
Furthermore, the 25-year-old has the ability to operate at centre-back and slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his usual role sitting in front of the backline which makes sense as to why he’s so strong all over the pitch, and it would be a massive coup if he was to sign on the dotted line for the Magpies.
Manchester United will be desperate to build on their solid debut campaign under Erik ten Hag and as Champions League football is set to grace the Old Trafford pitch once again following a hiatus last term, the Dutchman will be keen to strengthen.
Not only that, but he will also be looking at moving some of the deadwood out of United that has dragged them down, with Harry Maguire being a player who must be banished from the Red Devils.
Tottenham Hotspur were linked with a move for the player last month and despite claims that he wants to remain at the club and fight for his place, the Dutchman looks certain to improve his defensive options.
Maguire started just 16 games last season, with only half of those coming in the Premier League and his current earnings of £190k-per-week were not rewarded with regular game time – hence why he should be moved on.
United have shown interest in Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard according to Football Transfers and he could be the perfect replacement for the club's struggling skipper.
Could Benjamin Pavard sign for Manchester United?
The Bundesliga giants are reportedly allowing the Frenchman to leave should they receive offers of around €30m (£26m) this summer and Ten Hag could see this as a deal which represents excellent value.
The World Cup winner has tended to play more as a right-back during his career, but last season for Bayern, he featured heavily at centre-back and this adaptability could be a big plus in terms of Ten Hag launching a potential move.
Pavard could give United an unlikely goal threat, as he ranks in the top 1% across Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.18) and top 3% for shot-creating actions per 90 (1.58) however, it is his ability to bring the ball out of defence that could entice the United boss into signing him.
The 27-year-old ranks in the top 1% for progressive passes per 90 (7.59) and the top 9% for progressive carries per 90 (1.31) across the big five leagues in Europe among those in his position, suggesting that he’d be a perfect fit for Ten Hag’s tactical system which relies heavily on defenders playing out from the back.
In contrast, Maguire makes only 3.09 progressive passes per 90 and 0.95 progressive carries per 90 across Europe's big five leagues, and these are much lower totals than the Bayern star, thus rendering his role as obsolete should he arrive.
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The former Stuttgart defender was lauded as being a “real talent” by former Germany international Thomas Hitzlsperger and for a paltry £26m, Ten Hag might not make a better signing in terms of value for money all summer.