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There is an overarching sense that Newcastle United are teetering on the cusp of greatness, having already made incredible improvements to a side that languished near the pit of the Premier League before the £300m Saudi-led takeover of the club in October 2021.

Under the tutelage of the vibrant and exciting Eddie Howe, the Magpies have exhibited a level of footballing intellect that bodes well for future exploits, with the signings over the past two transfer windows falling into the category of shrewd acquisition, rather than bid with reckless abandon.

Under the watchful eye of sporting director Dan Ashworth, the Tyneside outfit parted with roughly £89.5m last January and £120m this summer, though the signings forged have been considered and calculated, and the club’s league position is a reflection of that approach.

Perching in third place after 17 matches in the division, with just one defeat all term, not even Howe could have expected the outfit to have established such an exemplary base after such little time, but the cohesion and fluidity is striking.

And now, with the January transfer window’s hatches flung wide open, there has been consideration for a marquee swoop in the mould of Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy, with French outlet Foot Mercato stating that the Magpies are indeed interested in striking a deal with the French ace, who signed for Los Blancos from Olympique Lyonnais for £47m.

Should he arrive at St. James’s Park, the “amazing” marauder – as once hailed by former Real teammate and compatriot Raphael Varane – could well be able to emulate the success of Liverpool’s Andy Robertson, who recently provided his 54th assist in the Premier League – the most from a defender in the division’s history.

As per FBref, Mendy ranks in the top percentile for pass completion and the top 11% for dribbles completed when compared to full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues – indicating a Robertson-esque ball-playing and transitional aptitude that will pay dividends for Howe as he looks to inject further dimensions into his team’s attack.

It is true that the Scot boasts a far greater rate of productivity on the offensive front, but Mendy holds all the tools to become a force at a side that is showing no rate of slowing down. After all, the former’s assist count of ten during his time at Hull City is precisely the same as the Frenchman has managed in the Spanish capital, albeit from eight fewer outings.

Even if he can’t quite find the same level of creative flair in English football, the Madrid star’s refined and all-encompassing arsenal would be a massive improvement on Dan Burn, who is a solid defender, but not a spectacular attacker.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in a deal to bring Carlos Alcaraz to Molineux in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet FCInterNews, who claim that Julen Lopetegui is keeping a very close eye on the situation of the Racing Club central midfielder ahead of launching a potential move for the 20-year-old this winter – with the Liga Profesional side believed to be demanding either €15m (£13m) outright or €12m (£10.5m) plus add-ons for the starlet.

However, the report goes on to state that the Premier League side are not alone in their interest in the playmaker, with FC Porto and Inter Milan also thought to be tracking Alcaraz, while the player himself is believed to be particularly interested in the prospect of a move to the San Siro this January.

Oscar 2.0

Considering just how exciting a prospect Alcaraz has very much proven himself to be in recent seasons, it is not difficult to understand why Lopetegui would be interested in a deal to bring the 20-year-old to Molineux ahead of the second half of the Premier League campaign.

Indeed, over his 42 appearances in 2021/22, the £7.4m-rated talent well and truly burst onto the Argetine football scene, with the youngster proving a constant source of both goals and creativity in the heart of Fernando Gago’s Racing side, scoring nine goals and registering a further two assists in all competitions.

The playmaker particularly impressed over his 19 fixtures in the Liga Profesional, scoring three goals and creating one big chance, in addition to taking an average of 2.2 shots – 0.7 of which hit the target – making 0.8 key passes and completing one dribble per game.

The midfielder also caught the eye in metrics more typical of his position, making 1.1 tackles, 0.5 interceptions, 0.5 clearances and winning 3.8 duels per match, in addition to playing 1.8 long balls, 0.8 chipped passes and completing 20.7 total passes – at a success rate of 78% – per outing.

These returns saw the player who Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “one of the biggest talents in Argentina” and compared to former Chelsea and Brazil star Oscar average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 6.83 – a score that would currently rank Alcaraz as Wolves’ fifth-best performer in the top flight of English football.

As such, it is indeed easy to see why Lopetegui would be keen on a deal to bring the 20-year-old to Molineux in January, as Alcaraz quite clearly possesses the ability to go on and become the next Oscar-esque talent in the Premier League – something that is undoubtedly an extremely exciting prospect for everyone involved with the Old Gold.

Scottish champions Celtic could well be looking to strengthen defensive ranks even further in the January window, having already secured the signings of Alistair Johnston and Yuki Kobayashi.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish outlet Radio Marca Valladolid, the Old Firm giants are believed to be one of several European clubs who are interested in signing Real Valladolid sensation, Ivan Fresneda, in 2023.

The report suggests that the Parkhead outfit – as well as the likes of Arsenal, AC Milan and Juventus, among others – are interested in making an offer for the 18-year-old, despite the defender’s inexperience at first-team level.

Any move could well prove costly for those interested parties, however, with the piece also adding that the right-back has a release clause of around €30m (£26m) in his existing deal, with that figure having the potential to rise even further.

Juranovic heir

While the Glasgow side are highly unlikely to meet that clause – with the club’s current record transfer that of Odsonne Edouard for a fee of around £9m – the aim would no doubt be to agree to a reduced fee or strike a loan deal for the promising talent.

Although the teenage Spaniard has made just nine appearances for the La Liga outfit to date at senior level, the Madrid-born starlet has clearly already made an impression in that time, having been praised for his “beastly ability” to provide quality service from the flanks, in the words of journalist Juan Arroita.

The 6-foot ace has showcased his undoubted talent in the early weeks of the current campaign having made seven appearances in all competitions thus far, notably ranking in the top 16% in Europe among those in his position for progressive passes received to illustrate his strength in possession.

Not only a threat in an attacking sense, the Spain U19 international has also illustrated his willingness to put in the hard yards defensively, showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 5% for tackles made and the top 3% for interceptions.

The exciting asset could well prove to be a suitable heir to highly-coveted star, Josip Juranovic at Paradise, with the Croatia international potentially set for a departure next month following a stall in contract negotiations.

Having been “immense” for his country in Qatar – according to writer Zach Lowy – the 27-year-old is now believed to even be attracting the attention of the likes of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Manchester United.

The former Legia Warsaw man has spent the past 18 months in Scotland since his £2.5m arrival last summer, notably illustrating his attacking threat after scoring six times and registering three assists in 50 games for the Bhoys to date.

With it looking likely that an exit will be on the cards in the New Year, Postecoglou could well turn to young Fresneda as a more long-term fit, with the one-time Real Madrid youth asset able to provide stern competition to both Alistair Johnston and Anthony Ralston.

Newcastle United securing a sponsorship deal with Saudia brings ‘exciting times’ for the club, according to journalist Lee Ryder.

The Lowdown: Saudia partnership announced

The Premier League outfit reached an agreement with Fun88 in 2017 but their reign looks set to be ending a year early, with the Chinese betting firm seeing their logo on shirts for the last time in the final game of the 2022/23 season.

The Magpies recently announced a fresh partnership with Saudi Arabia’s national carrier Saudia, and whilst it remains to be seen whether their name will be on the club’s kits next term, it’s believed to be worth more than Fun88’s £6.5m per year contract.

The Latest: Ryder’s reaction

Taking to Twitter, Ryder reacted to the news and was buzzing at the thought of the positive effects that this could have on Newcastle moving forward, stating: “Exciting times on and off the field for #nufc.”

Expanding in his column for Chronicle Live, the reporter claimed that Fun88’s deal will look like a ‘drop in the ocean’ compared to the club’s new commercial move, which could see them secure their ‘biggest-ever’ sponsorship agreement.

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The Verdict: Hugely encouraging news

Saudia becoming Newcastle’s official tour airline partner is massively encouraging news for the Tyneside outfit, who are set to fly out to Riyadh for their mid-season training camp this Sunday.

PIF securing this record-breaking deal will help to further boost the club’s profile and put St James’ Park on the map, although this has perhaps started to happen already after the unexpectedly strong opening to the campaign.

The Magpies could also become more attractive to other sponsors in the future, so both financially and socially, this could prove to be a huge step in the right direction.

During a busy summer transfer window, amongst all the bustle of Steven Gerrard’s supposed revolution, Aston Villa managed to tie down one of their key young assets in Cameron Archer.

The 20-year-old – who has enjoyed loan spells at Solihull Moors and Preston North End – was then quoted as looking forward to the battle for first-team spots with the seasoned professionals in front of him.

He said: “You’ve got players like Danny Ings, Ollie Watkins and he (Gerrard) wants to keep me around to fight for a place in the squad. I like learning from them, they’re established Premier League goalscorers.”

However, since then he has featured five times in the Premier League, accruing a total of just 36 minutes as he wasted away under the former management team.

The young striker has shown much promise during his time at Villa Park, with a consistent stream of goals at youth level and last season in the Championship. 

It was the next natural step up to gain an increased involvement in the Villans’ senior squad, particularly when his competition, Ings and Watkins, had scored just once each under Gerrard this season.

During the first half of last term, Archer once again set about proving that youth football was beneath him. He scored three and assisted two in just four Premier League 2 games, and even against lower-tier senior sides scored six goals in four EFL Trophy matches.

So when he earned his half-a-season loan move to the Lilywhites, it was no surprise that he continued this trend, with seven goals in 20 Championship outings.

This exposure to senior football likely led to the 1500% rise in his value over the last 11 months, with the starlet receiving glowing praise from his manager Ryan Lowe.

He said: “His quality levels are fantastic, he’s bullish, strong, he can roll, he has got that little burst of pace too.”

Having been promised increased opportunity under the last manager, Unai Emery will have been briefed on his goalscoring prowess upon joining the Midlands club.

It is now his turn to surely unleash the youngster who knows how to find the back of the net with regularity; something that his current forwards clearly do not.

West Ham United could be set for a ‘massive boost’ with summer signing Nayef Aguerd nearing a potential return, says Sky pundit Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Big night in London?

The Hammers can seal top spot of their UEFA Europa Conference League group tonight if they avoid defeat against Silkeborg at the London Stadium.

West Ham boss David Moyes will be mindful of the importance of clinching Group B victory considering a first-placed finish will guarantee them a place in the Last 16.

The east Londoners can completely avoid a Conference League knockout round play-off and need just one point from their remaining two games to make that a reality.

However, West Ham have had to cope with numerous injury issues lately, with summer signing Aguerd among them.

The Morocco international has been filmed in training by West Ham’s official account and Moyes now hints he could even play tonight.

The Latest: Robinson makes ‘massive boost’ Aguerd claim…

Former England international goalkeeper Robinson now says Aguerd’s potentially imminent return is a ‘massive boost’ for West Ham.

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Reacting to footage of his training at Rush Green, he explained to Football Insider:

“He’s someone they spent a lot of money on for a reason – and they’ll want him to play.

“He was very unfortunate to get that injury straight away.

“They had a really slow, sluggish start but they’ve picked up and a player like that coming back into the reckoning will be a massive boost for them.

“It’s like having a new signing mid-season.”

The Verdict: Big boost…

If the 26-year-old comes back into the fold as soon as possible then West Ham will indeed be set for a big boost.

Aguerd would give Moyes another option defensively, especially as a left-footer, which could allow the east Londoners to have more balance playing out from the back.

One of the more notable transfer missed opportunities at West Ham United in recent times saw the club reportedly miss out on a move for Egyptian starlet Mohamed Salah, with the ruthless forward having since gone on to leave GSB more than ruing that previous failure.

The former Basel man had been snapped up by London rivals Chelsea on an £11m deal back in January 2014, although after scoring just twice in 19 appearances in all competitions at Stamford Bridge, the mercurial wizard was subsequently shipped off to Serie A side Fiorentina on loan after just 12 months in England.

That temporary move to Florence proved particularly fruitful as the 5 foot 9 menace scored nine times and provided four assists in just 26 games in the second half of the 2014/15 season, with such form seemingly catching the eye of the Irons.

The east London outfit – then managed by current Watford boss Slaven Bilic – had reportedly made an ambitious loan offer to sign the dynamic ace from the Blues in the summer of 2015, with the Hammers looking to pair the winger in attack alongside the incoming Dimitri Payet.

Supporters were denied the chance to see what would have been a simply mouthwatering partnership in action, however, as the fleet-footed sensation returned to Italy to join AS Roma on an initial loan deal, before signing permanently a year later for just £16m.

The rest, as they say, is history, with Salah having subsequently gone on to sparkle during his two-year stint at the Stadio Olimpico – providing 56 goal contributions in just 83 games for I Giallorossi – before joining Premier League giants Liverpool on a £34m deal in 2017.

That switch to Anfield has proven a masterstroke for Reds boss Jurgen Klopp – despite the German’s initial reservations – with the 83-cap machine having been a consistently clinical presence in the years since, with three top-flight Golden Boots to his name and 161 goals in just 266 games for the Merseyside outfit.

A simply “unique” asset – as described by Ben Webb – the £350k-per-week marksman has repeatedly terrorised opposition defenders with both his creative flair and relentless speed, proving a constant nightmare for West Ham, in particular, with a remarkable haul of nine goals in just nine games against the London Stadium outfit to date.

Such has been the 30-year-old’s rise since being cast out by his former employers Chelsea, he is now reportedly worth as much as £88m, according to CIES Football Observatory, notably earning praise as “one of the best players in the world” from current boss, Klopp.

To have missed out on such a stunning talent will likely be a huge source of frustration for both GSB and Hammers supporters, having also previously fluffed the chance sign another former Blues man on loan in the form of Romelu Lukaku in 2013…

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their efforts to bolster their squad throughout the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to the print edition of German outlet Bild, via Derek Rae, the Light Blues attempted to sign Hertha Berlin centre-forward Davie Selke.

Ross Wilson tried to bring the German attacker to Ibrox and failed to get a deal over the line, as Croatian striker Antonio Colak ended up being their only addition in that area of the pitch for the Premiership giants.

Rae Tweeted: “Per Bild, Rangers were in pursuit of Hertha striker Davie Selke during the most recent transfer window but ultimately in vain. Basel, FC Copenhagen West Brom were among other interested parties.”

Bullet dodged

Wilson dodged a Rangers howler by failing to sign Selke as the forward could have been a poor signing for the Light Blues this season.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig described him as “awful” in 2020 and named him as one of a number of failed prospects who have “wasted” their potential, which is backed up by his form in recent seasons.

He burst onto the scene in the 2017/18 campaign with ten goals and four assists in 27 Bundesliga appearances, along with four goals in three Europa League outings. The attacker, who was in his early 20s at the time, showcased his ability at the top end of the pitch and appeared to be a player with the world at his feet.

However, he has since failed to kick on and fulfil his potential in Germany. In the following four-and-a-bit seasons, Selke has scored just 11 times in 113 games – a goal every 8.7 matches on average.

This shows that he has been unable to live up to the standards he set in 2017/18 and has not been a consistent goalscorer in the Bundesliga over a number of campaigns.

Instead of signing the Hertha striker, Rangers brought in Colak to bolster their attacking options and he has been a revelation at Ibrox this season. The former PAOK man has found the back of the net nine times in 13 appearances in all competitions – an average of a goal every 1.4 outings.

These statistics, in comparison to Selke’s, suggest that Wilson dodged a bullet before striking gold in the transfer market over the summer. He avoided a nightmare by failing to land the German flop, whose goal record suggests that he would have struggled, and the signing of Colak is, as it stands, looking like a masterstroke from the former Southampton chief.

West Ham United are set to receive a welcome boost, following an update on the fitness of defender Vladimir Coufal.

What’s the word?

According to Claret and Hugh, the 30-year-old will be in line to feature against Aston Villa later this week, despite having been forced off late on in the defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion at the London Stadium on Sunday.

The report suggests that the Czech Republic international was knocked unconscious in that disappointing 2-0 loss, although should be available for the trip to Villa Park next weekend, with a club insider stating: “He was concussed after being knocked unconscious. As a result it will be the stipulated six days before he can play again”.

That fact should, however, ensure that the full-back is absent from Thursday’s Europa Conference League, second-leg clash away at Viborg FF, albeit with the Hammers already firmly in control of the tie following their 3-1 victory at home last week.

Welcome relief

Amid what is already proving a tricky start to the new season for the east London outfit, it will surely come as a welcome relief to manager David Moyes that Coufal won’t be out for an extended period of time, with the Scotsman likely needing all the help he can get to reverse the current slump.

Having won just one of their final seven league games of last season – with that solitary triumph coming against relegated Norwich City – the Irons have seemingly carried that form into the current campaign, having slipped to three straight defeats in the top-flight thus far.

As such, Moyes’ men currently find themselves at the foot of the Premier League table with five goals conceded and none scored as yet, with one key factor in that dismal opening having been the absence of key figures in defence.

Summer signing Nayef Aguerd could potentially be out until the New Year after undergoing ankle surgery, while the typically reliable Craig Dawson is yet to feature this season as he nurses a thigh complaint.

With veteran ace Angelo Ogbonna only recently making his long-awaited return from injury in the victory in midweek, the Hammers have been left desperately short of options at the back, even with the addition of Paris Saint-Germain man, Thilo Kehrer.

Losing Coufal for the clash with Steven Gerrard’s side on Sunday would have been yet another unwanted headache for Moyes and co, although the assumption is that the right-back should be to retain his place in the starting XI.

The £35k-per-week brute has been a hugely consistent figure at the club since joining from Slavia Prague back in October 2020, providing 12 assists in 74 games in all competitions thus far, with his involvement no doubt set to be vital as West Ham chase their first three points of the season.

Leeds United are set to seal the signing of goalkeeper Joel Robles in the coming days.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Graham Smyth, with the journalist revealing in a recent article for the Yorkshire Evening Post that, following a number of reports suggesting that Victor Orta was set to make a move for a backup ‘keeper in the coming weeks, the Spaniard is now close to landing the 32-year-old on a free transfer following his release from Real Betis back in June.

Smyth went on to state that the former Spain U23 international is expected to complete his switch to Elland Road within the next week, and will join Jesse Marsch’s squad as the third-choice shot-stopper, behind number one Illan Meslier and number two Kristoffer Klaesson – who picked up a slight ankle injury in a behind-closed-doors friendly last weekend.

Perfect Casilla heir

With Kiko Casilla finally being moved on by the Whites earlier this summer – agreeing to a mutual termination of his contract 12 months before it was due to expire – it would very much appear as if a move for Robles could well see Orta land something of a perfect heir for the former Real Madrid ‘keeper.

Indeed, in comparison to Casilla, Robles boasts much more Premier League experience, featuring 42 times for Everton – shipping 48 goals and keeping 17 clean sheets – between the 2013/14 and 2017/18 Premier League campaigns.

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Meanwhile, the £630k-rated Spaniard made just three appearances in the top flight during his time at Leeds, having already fallen behind the 22-year-old Meslier in the club’s goalkeeping pecking order by the time of the Whites’ promotion from the Championship two seasons ago.

Furthermore, with the 35-year-old well known to have been something of a “liability” – in the words of Oscar Mario – during his time at Elland Road, making a number of costly mistakes between the sticks, Robles would appear to be a much more reliable option for Jesse Marsch to call upon next season.

Indeed, over 20 appearances in his most recent Premier League jaunt, the £1.35m-rated stopper impressed, keeping 10 clean sheets and conceding an average of just one goal per game, with these metrics seeing the 32-year-old average a SofaScore match rating of 6.94 – a rating which actually betters Meslier’s average of 6.87 last season.

Further still, with Casilla reported to have been earning a whopping £40k-per-week in LS11, should Orta manage to land Robles on a similar £12k-per-week salary the shot-stopper was earning at Betis, it would undoubtedly represent something of a “bargain” – as Simon Harrison dubbed the Spaniard – for the Whites.

As such, when taking all of the above into account, it is clear to see that Robles is indeed the perfect heir to Casilla’s spot in the Whites’ goalkeeper pecking order, with all three of Orta, Marsch and supporters sure to be delighted with the impending arrival of the 32-year-old.