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Craig Hope has delivered an update on Newcastle United’s transfer pursuit of Lille defender Sven Botman.

What’s the story?

Writing on Twitter, Hope said: “Sven Botman is interesting. They watched him when Lille played at Chelsea recently but there’s also now a suggestion they’re looking at other options. I’d say Diego Carlos is looking less likely given age & fee, it felt like one for January only.”

Better than Van Dijk?

Standing at 6 foot 5, Botman is a physically imposing defender, much like his Dutch compatriot Virgil van Dijk. Described as someone who is emerging as a “leader” by his boss at Lille, the centre-back has produced some superb performances this season for the French side.

Indeed, speaking on his podcast, Duncan Castles revealed that Botman’s teammate at Lille, Jose Fonte, had told him he rated him better than anyone else he has played alongside.

He said: “Fonte has played with an array of top-class centre-backs in his career including Virgil van Dijk, Toby Alderweireld, Pepe in the Portuguese national team and Gabriel last season who is now at Arsenal. From what I understand of Fonte’s impression of Botman, he thinks he’s the best of all of them.

“He describes him as a machine and a man who doesn’t make mistakes and also indicates that for a young player playing alongside an experienced professional, he’s very open to learning and taking instruction and improving his game.”

For Fonte to suggest Botman is better than even someone like Van Dijk, who of course is a Champions League and Premier League winner now at Liverpool, is certainly a massive statement to make, but one that makes the prospect of him joining Newcastle even more mouth-watering than it already is.

And when you compare some of the key defensive stats between the duo, there’s not a lot between them.

As per Sofascore, Botman wins 3.9 total duels per game at an impressive average of 67%, which only just falls shy of Van Dijk’s 4.4 and 72% respectively. The Lille man actually also makes more than double the amount of tackles as the Dutchman, while they both register 0.9 interceptions per match.

In terms of bringing the ball out from the back, the pair average 0.2 dribbles per game although Botman has a perfect success rate of 100% – that’s not to mention he is incredibly similar when passing out too, boasting an 88% pass accuracy to Van Dijk’s 89%, and having the same percentage when it comes to successful long balls.

The 6 foot 5 defender could be a superb addition to this Newcastle side in the summer.

AND in other news – Sold for £36.9m, now worth £720k: Newcastle enjoyed a blinder with “unplayable” flop

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Liverpool failed to find the result they were missing again Bayern Munich earlier on in the week as they, once again, failed to find a way past a deep-lying defence – the Reds were held to a draw by bitter rivals Manchester United.

It could have been a whole lot worse for the league leaders, though, had it not been for goalkeeper Alisson, who was one of only a few Reds to put in a performance to be truly proud of – others were shells of the players that put United to the sword in December, Mohamed Salah included.

The Egyptian’s incredible first season on Merseyside has set equally high standards for this campaign but he has, thus far, failed to replicate them, with his poor showing on Sunday the latest in a string of sub-par performances.

It has been made clear this year that the electric winger requires a hatful of chances to find the net and therefore it is of little surprise that he was unable to strike at the weekend – the former Roma man had just one shot, which failed to hit the target.

United left-back Luke Shaw kept the speedster silent throughout, although a crazy first half saw Liverpool catalyst Roberto Firmino make way due to injury – the Brazilian’s absences previously have often left Salah extremely isolated.

With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s battlers hot on his every touch, Salah was dispossessed a match-high 6 times in an uncharacteristically sloppy showing – the number 11 is usually reliable with the ball at his feet but this clash was an exception.

If his disappointing afternoon surely couldn’t get any worse, the 26-year-old took just 40 touches – the second-lowest of the Liverpool outfield players who played over 60 minutes.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

The Anfield outfit begin a hectic week of football by hosting Watford on Wednesday before a visit to bitter rivals Everton at the weekend, both games of which Salah will see as an opportunity to nip his bad run in the bud.

A new loan ruling that is set to be implemented next season could have a big impact on Wolves, according to reliable journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: New loan ruling

According to The Athletic, clubs will be limited on the number of international players they can have out on loan in the future.

From next season, teams will only be allowed to have eight players on temporary moves elsewhere and that number will drop to six by 2024.

Wolves currently have ten players out on loan, highlighting how clubs will be affected by the new venture moving forward.

The Latest: Spiers reacts to claim

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Spiers gave his thoughts on the news, discussing how it will impact on Wanderers’ business:

“New loan rules coming in next season which will impact Wolves, who had 10 players on loan overseas in the first half of the season (max of 8 next year then max 6 from 2024) and four at Grasshoppers (max 3 at one club).”

The Verdict: Good decision

In truth, it is healthy to see this ruling introduced, with the report correctly stating that it is a good way of preventing clubs from ‘stockpiling talent’.

It is good to see that players aged 21 and under won’t be affected, however, as loan moves can be healthy for their development, such as Wolves forward Theo Corbeanu, who is currently at MK Dons.

It will make teams think more about recruitment in general and potentially ensure they get the most out the players already in their ranks, rather than stockpiling players for purely financial reasons.

In other news, some Wolves fans have reacted to an exit rumour regarding one player. Find out who it is here.

Farhad Moshiri is onto the sixth permanent manager in six years with Frank Lampard at Everton after sacking Rafa Benitez back in January, and depending on how the season ends for the club, the search for seventh could commence this summer.

What’s the word?

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Dean Jones, has revealed that there will be a “big decision” made at Goodison Park over the next few months on Lampard’s future.

“It’s a big decision for them to make, and they’re not going to rush into anything right now,” he began.

“But with the way things are going, you wonder how this is going to pan out.”

Supporters will be livid

Everton fans have been on a rollercoaster ride ever since Moshiri took over the club in 2016, with huge investments on transfer signings and a constant cycle of managers being brought in and spat out over and over again, so supporters will be livid that this constant unsettle at the club could potentially continue into next season.

Of course being relegated from the Premier League for the first time ever would be every Evertonian’s worst nightmare, but it is clear the supporters are not happy with the owners management of the club following a number of protests this season against the powers at Goodison, and sacking Lampard at the end of the campaign could cause further disaster for the club.

The 43-year-old manager was appointed on Deadline Day, so hasn’t been given the opportunity to build the squad with a transfer window, inheriting a team in absolute disarray from his Spanish predecessor, lacking confidence, form and quality, with a number of injuries hindering the team. Thus, it would surely not be a fair assessment to judge Lampard on the outcome of Everton’s season considering the hand he has been dealt.

The Toffees are three points clear of the relegation zone after winning their game in hand that they had over their relegation rivals in the bottom three and are currently 17th in the Premier League table, but there is still work to do to secure safety for the club, if Lampard can keep the side up after such a tumultuous season, it would be an achievement.

In other news: Fresh injury news emerges from Finch Farm, Lampard will be delighted

Sunderland have had their fair share of transfer successes and disasters over the years as they have felt the wrath of the window as well as the joy of it.

Not all moves work out as it is impossible to guarantee that a player will be able to fit in with the squad and consistently perform on the pitch.

Whilst it is easy to look at the transfers that did happen and judge them, you can also look at prospective switches that didn’t go through in the end.

According to The Sunderland Echo, one player the Black Cats attempted to land was Brad Friedel for £600k in 1995 as Peter Reid looked to snap up the shot-stopper. The move fell through due to a work permit issue, despite him having played for Newcastle’s reserves earlier in 1994.

Instead of moving to Wearside, he sealed a transfer to Turkish giants Galatasaray. The giant kept 15 clean sheets in 37 appearances before moving back to the MLS with Colombus Crew, playing 45 times and keeping 13 clean sheets for the American outfit.

He then found his way to England as he secured a switch to Liverpool in 1997. This suggests that Sunderland did not get in quickly enough as soon as he was eligible for a work permit, as their interest in 1995 indicates that they would have had an advantage over their rivals as they already did their homework on the goalkeeper and had spoken with him previously to agree the £600k transfer.

Friedel endured a mixed time with the Reds as he kept eight shutouts in 31 outings across three seasons. Blackburn snapped him up from Anfield in 2000 and this is where his career exploded as he enjoyed a sublime spell with the Lancashire side. He played a whopping 355 matches for the club and kept the opposition out 118 times in what was a magnificent spell at Ewood Park.

The USA international ended his career with Aston Villa and Tottenham, making 198 appearances between the two clubs – keeping 55 shutouts.

Mark Bosnich previously lavished the veteran with praise, saying: “I remember talking to my then-agent Graham Smith and saying ‘this boy is really talented.’

“He then arrived at Liverpool, had a bit of a tough time, but since then his form for Blackburn and Villa has been absolutely outstanding.

“He is like a fine wine – as he’s got older he’s got better and better. Fair play, even when I first saw him he was very talented and he’s developed brilliantly.”

Overall, the monster ended his career with 450 appearances in the Premier League and 132 clean sheets between the sticks. He enjoyed a fantastic spell in England and Sunderland missed out on his talents, which is why this failed transfer was a blunder by the club as he was one that got away…

AND in other news, Sunderland heading for big disaster over £2.7k-p/w gem who’s “a dream for any manager”…

According to a report from German outlet Kicker (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are interested in signing RB Leipzig midfielder Konrad Laimer. 

The lowdown: RB pathway

The 24-year-old came through the ranks at Red Bull Salzburg before taking the well-established route to German Bundesliga side Leipzig in 2017.

Since then the decorated ace, who was named Salzburg’s Player of the Season in 2016/17, has gone from strength to strength whilst racking up 154 appearances.

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Now, the highly-rated Austria international could be about to take another familiar career path and follow in the footsteps of Naby Keita and Ibrahima Konate.

The latest: Reds’ linked

As per Kicker, as translated by SW, Liverpool are said to be ‘looking’ at Laimer ahead of the summer transfer window.

Arch-rivals Manchester United are also cited as potential suitors with German giants Bayern Munich also in the mix to land the 20-cap Austria ace.

Out of contract in 2023 (Transfermarkt), Laimer – who was tipped to have a ‘huge future’ by compatriot Marko Arnautovic – currently ‘wants to focus’ on the end of the campaign and potential Europa League glory before deciding on his next move.

The verdict: Bellingham alternative…

So far this season Laimer has scored five times and provided six assists in 36 appearances and actually stacks up as the closest likeness in terms of playing style and output to widely reported Liverpool target, Jude Bellingham, when using FBref’s comparison tool.

Valued at £23.4million and in the final 15 months of a contract, any quest to sign the Austrian for new Anfield transfer chief Julian Ward would be a wholly more affordable option than the mooted £101million fee required to land Bellingham.

Believed to have idolised Kop legend Steven Gerrard as a child, Laimer has clearly paid close attention to the ex-Liverpool captain and possesses impressive tackling, passing and long-range shooting ability (WhoScored), making the Austrian the perfect addition to Jurgen Klopp’s ranks.

In other news, the finance expert details potential Liverpool windfall. Find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Wilfried Singo to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), who claim that Fabio Paratici is set to open talks with Torino regarding a deal for the right-back.

The report goes on to state that Antonio Conte is believed to be a fan of the 21-year-old and would support a summer swoop, however, the Serie A side are not thought to be open to parting with the Ivory Coast international unless a substantial offer is submitted – with €20m (£17m) reported to be the club’s asking price.

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Conte can axe Emerson with Singo

Considering how impressive Singo has been for Torino this season, coupled with how much Emerson Royal has struggled since his €30m (£25m) move to north London last summer, it is easy to see why Paratici and Conte would be interested in a deal for the Ivorian ahead of the club’s 2022/23 campaign.

Indeed, over his 29 Serie A appearances this term, the £25m-rated full-back – who is also comfortable operating from wing-back or right midfield – has been one of Ivan Juric’s standout performers, scoring three goals, providing four assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.2 shots and making 0.7 key passes per game.

The £5.4k-per-week defender has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 0.7 interceptions, 1.7 tackles, 1.3 clearances, 24.2 passes, completing one dribble and winning 5.9 duels – at a success rate of 57% – per fixture.

These returns have seen the player who Matteo Bonetti claimed “has been a revelation” for the Granata average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.98, ranking him as Torino’s joint sixth-best player in the Italian top flight.

In comparison, over Emerson’s 23 Premier League outings this season, the £25m-rated right-back has been rather less impressive, scoring one goal, registering one assist and creating one big chance, in addition to making an average of 0.7 interceptions, 2.3 tackles, 28.3 passes, completing 0.6 dribbles and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 55% – per game.

These returns have seen the £62k-per-week player who Jonathan Woodgate dubbed “horrendous” earlier this season average a disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.87, ranking him as Spurs’ 10th-worst performer in the English top flight.

As such, with the Brazil international already being linked with a move away from north London this summer, it would appear wise for Conte to cash in on Emerson while the interest is there, before reinvesting the fee received from the 23-year-old’s sale into a move for the much more promising Singo.

AND in other news: Conte can finally axe “anonymous” £120k-p/w dud as Spurs eye “ultimate” £16.5m dynamo

Lyon will try and negotiate a cut-price deal with Tottenham for Tanguy Ndombele in the summer, according to former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor (via Football Insider).

The Lowdown: Ndombele’s move to Lyon

The Frenchman re-joined his former Ligue 1 club on transfer deadline day after a tiring transfer saga throughout the January window.

Although only on loan until the end of the season, Lyon have the option of making the deal permanent. Sky Sports have reported that it would cost £54million to enact the permanent transfer, and that the French club have already paid a £1.2 million loan fee.

The France international made his return to action in the Ligue 1 outfit’s 2-0 loss to AS Monaco at the weekend after coming on at half-time. He impressed with a 91% passing success rate, along with completing all of his long ball and dribble attempts.

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The Latest: Agbonlahor makes Ndombele claim

According to talkSPORT’s Agbonlahor (via Football Insider), Lyon will try and negotiate a cut-price deal in talks with Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici.

When asked whether he thought the midfielder’s Tottenham career was over, Agbonlahor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “It could be.

“But I don’t see Lyon paying that sort of money, to be honest.

“There will be a negotiation on that price. I can’t see Lyon paying that sort of money for someone like Ndombele.”

The Verdict: Lyon won’t make it permanent

Due to the global pandemic, the TV rights debacle in the French league and failing to qualify for the Champions League, L’Equipe reported (via Get French Football News) that Lyon are in a financial crisis, with an estimated deficit of €185m (£156.16m).

As a result, it seems highly unlikely that the club will be able to make Ndombele’s loan permanent in the summer window, with the staggering £54m fee required to do so. Even if that fee were halved, it would make him their most expensive signing ever.

If the Ligue 1 outfit are able to negotiate a much cheaper deal, then this move becomes much more feasible. However, if Spurs are willing to let go of the midfield ‘maverick’ – as Tim Sherwood called him – on the super cheap, there may be a long list of clubs lining up to secure his signature.

In other news: Pete O’Rourke claims Spurs will be interested in signing Paulo Dybala in the summer

Celtic correspondent Kieran Devlin has been reacting to rumours that Albian Ajeti’s return to Basel is off.

The Lowdown: Reports from Switzerland

The Switzerland striker was expected to leave the club this month, along with Vasilis Barkas and Boli Bolingoli.

The striker was heavily linked with a move back to Basel, especially after Arthur Cabral’s €16m (£13.3m) move to Fiorentina from the Swiss club went through.

However, according to Swiss outlet Basler Zeitung, as relayed by 67 Hail Hail, a move for Ajeti doesn’t look likely, with the 24-year-old not fitting the model at St Jakob Park. His wage demands are also too much for Basel, with Devlin now giving his thoughts to the news.

The Latest: Devlin’s comments

Devlin was asked by a Celtic supporter on The Athletic about Ajeti and a move to Basel being off the cards.

Here’s what he had to say in reply, believing that it could be a ‘negotiation tactic’ for the forward’s services and name-checking Cabral’s recent exit:

“Possibility that’s grandstanding/negotiation tactic with them receiving 15 million euros for Arthur Cabral.”

The Verdict: Still time…

As Devlin mentioned this morning, a move to Basel wasn’t one which needed to be finalised today, with the Swiss market still open for another few weeks.

It’s not just Switzerland where the market stays open, though, with a number of countries still allowed to do business going into February.

Should the likes of Ajeti, Barkas and Bolingoli fail to seal Parkhead exits today, at least the Hoops will still have a chance to find the trio a new home outside of the UK over the coming weeks.

In other news: ‘Fans will be worried’ – Pundit thinks late £5m+ Celtic move will now go through

Steve Bruce must unleash attacking midfielder Romaine Sawyers and involve him at the Hawthorns next season. The £1.3m-rated player has spent this season on loan at fellow Championship club Stoke City and could be key to the Baggies’ push for promotion next season.

Sawyers has featured 20 times for Stoke this campaign and has been one of the best midfielders at the club averaging the second-most assists of any midfielder at the club per 90 minutes.

His contract with West Brom runs out in the summer and his future is “up in the air” according to reporter Steve Madeley. However, the club are understood to have an option to extend his terms by a further 12 months and we think they should.

The 30-year-old watched from the sidelines as the Potters beat his parent club 3-1 last time out. However, speaking after the game Bruce gave Sawyers hope that he still had a future at the club.

He admitted that the player is “in his thoughts” and that he’s “always liked him” and with the club not willing to settle for being mid-table in the Championship he can look to Sawyers to help them climb the table next season.

The player moved to the West Midlands in 2019 for £2.8m after impressing at Brentford the season before assisting seven goals in 42 games. He then made several appearances in his first two seasons, including in the Premier League, before being loaned out when the club got relegated.

His experience is something West Brom can rely on and might need if they are to get back into the top flight, and Bruce seems to recognise that.

If you compare him to the Baggies’ current midfielders then it proves even more why they need to keep him. His number of goals and assists per 90 minutes is 0.31 compared to Alex Mowatt who has 0.19.

He even has one more assist this season than Mowatt despite playing 13 games less.

Ultimately he’s a player worth keeping hold of, at 30 it’s not worth offering him a long term contract, and West Brom are unlikely to make any profit from selling him.

Their best bet is to try and get the most out of him next season, and he could well help get them promoted.

IN other news: West Brom: Grady Diangana struggled in defeat to Stoke City…