Nottingham Forest are thought to be among the frontrunners to sign an “insane” £20 million-plus star who could replace the departed Anthony Elanga, according to a recent report.

Elanga sends Nottingham Forest a goodbye message

Newcastle United confirmed on Friday evening that they had completed the signing of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest. The Reds have sold the Sweden international to the Magpies in a deal worth £55 million after he scored six goals and recorded 11 assists during the 2024/25 Premier League season, as Forest secured a place back in European football.

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After his transfer to Newcastle was completed, Elanga took to Instagram to send a goodbye message to Forest and their supporters. The winger described Forest as a “family” and said he will never forget walking out at the City Ground and feeling their energy.

Elanga wrote: “My Forest Family— it’s been real! From day one, the love has been crazy, and I felt it every time I stepped on that pitch. Grateful for the memories, the lessons, and the chance to wear that shirt with pride.

“Big love to my teammates, coaches & all the backroom staff, and to the City Ground faithful… You all made it special. I’ll never forget that feeling of walking out to your energy.

“Time for the next chapter. But this one? Forever in my heart. Thank you, Nottingham Forest. YOU REDSSS.”

Nottingham Forest among frontrunners to sign "insane" £20m+ star

Now Elanga has left, the Reds are wasting no time in finding a suitable replacement, as according to journalist Sebastien Vidal, Forest are progressing in their talks to sign Johan Bakayoko from PSV Eindhoven and are among the frontrunners.

It could cost the Premier League side well under half of what they sold Elanga for to sign Bakayoko, as the Dutch champions want just £22 million for the exciting winger.

However, since then, Sacha Tavolieri has added that it is Bayer Leverkusen who are in the lead for Bakayoko, who has agreed a five-year deal with the Bundesliga giants.

The 22-year-old, who has been dubbed an “insane” talent by football scout Ben Mattinson, has been at PSV since 2019. During that time, Bakayoko has won the Dutch title, the Dutch Cup, and the Dutch Super Cup twice, playing a key role in a lot of those campaigns.

Johan Bakayoko’s PSV stats

Apps

131

Goals

33

Assists

22

Bakayoko scored nine goals in 30 Eredivisie games last season, but given he is out of contract next summer, PSV may see this as the right time for him to move on. Bakayoko poses a similar threat to Elanga; he is a very quick and direct winger who has enormous ability and can also play in numerous positions across the frontline. The fact he may well be available for just £22 million means he could be a bargain purchase for the Reds, who are looking to go even better than last season.

Manchester United could now hijack Leeds United’s transfer and sign a “sensational” £21 million ace to replace Andre Onana in goal, according to a recent report.

Man Utd set to let Onana leave as they identify replacements

The Red Devils have plenty of decisions to make this summer as the transfer window begins to get into full swing, and it now appears as though a decision on the future of goalkeeper Onana has been made.

The Cameroon international really had an up-and-down campaign last season, costing important points and results with unforgivable errors while also producing some stunning moments. Ruben Amorim is of course assessing his squad and the areas he wants to strengthen, and now, according to The Sun, United are ready to loan Onana out for the 2025/26 season so they can bring in a new goalkeeper.

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Onana has been linked with a move to the Saudi Arabia Pro League before now, but talk of any potential transfer involving a team from that league has gone quiet. AS Monaco are believed to be interested in a deal, but that talk has also gone stale.

Therefore, United may now have to settle for loaning him out, and the same report states they could move for Botafogo’s John Victor as his replacement. The shot-stopper would cost United as little as £6 million, but he is not their only option when it comes to replacing Onana.

Man Utd could hijack Leeds move for Bulka

According to Caught Offside, Man United are keeping a close eye on OGC Nice goalkeeper Macin Bulka ahead of a potential move.

The report states that the French side want between €20-25 million for their goalkeeper, which is roughly £17-21 million. But United are not the only team from the Premier League chasing Bulka, as Chelsea are also considering making a move.

Should United make a move for Bulka, who has been capped five times by Poland, they would also have to get past both Sunderland and rivals Leeds United, who have opened talks with Nice, in view of agreeing a deal to sign the 25-year-old. Bulka is also attracting interest from teams such as Monaco, AC Milan and Galatasaray, but United will hope their worldwide pull can give them an advantage.

Apps

34

Goals conceded

41

Goals conceded per game

1.2

Saves

121

Saves per game

3.6 (75%)

Penalties saved

1/3

Clean sheets

8

Errors leading to goal

3

Bulka, who has been described as “sensational” by Jacek Kulig in the past, joined Nice on a permanent basis back in 2022 after spending a few seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, and has since wowed current PSG boss Luis Enrique after stifling the Champions League winners back in April.

SA batter has set himself the challenge of trying to adjust to different situations without losing the essence of his style

Firdose Moonda13-Aug-2024

Tony de Zorzi: “It’s just about being able to make small little adjustments according to the wicket”•AFP/Getty Images

“I wouldn’t say I was trying to entertain people and stuff like that. I don’t think I’m quite there to be thinking about it like that.”Except that’s exactly what Tony de Zorzi did. Off the field.He hosted the team’s video tour diary on their day off in Trinidad, which included a pop-quiz on who would play which sport at the Olympics (swimming was a favourite), designing a makeshift hurdles course for Dane Paterson, a spoof pitch report from Kagiso Rabada, and some politically-incorrect questions on which members of the squad chose not to swim and who was most likely to get sunburnt.Related

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But for those 13 minutes and 20 seconds, nobody could accuse de Zorzi of not trying to entertain.”It was another opportunity for me to talk nonsense, so I enjoyed it,” he said at a press conference. “And it’s important that you have those times where you can connect outside of a cricketing environment, because guys are obviously different in a training capacity and in a designated team environment.”Everyone’s quite cool, and keen to socialise and connect with each other in different ways. It’s nice to be able to connect and have those days together to just touch base.”Overall, South Africa looked relaxed and rested after a mentally-draining first Test against West Indies in Port of Spain, which went the distance because of a significant number of rain interruptions. As their coach Shukri Conrad had predicted, the match was mostly slow-paced, and run-scoring was tough.But de Zorzi, in his first outing as the new Test opener, acquitted himself well. In the first innings, he reached his half-century off 78 balls (at a strike rate of 64) upfront and finished on 78, and then hit a second-innings 45 off 60 deliveries to help set South Africa up to post a challenging target for West Indies.Tony de Zorzi fell for 78 in Port of Spain, but said there is no pressure to score his first Test century•AFP/Getty Images

De Zorzi explained his approach was less about playing his shots, and more about the situation.”I wouldn’t say it was something where I decided I’m going to come out and play Shuks-ball or something. It was just the conditions,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a bit easier because the ball is harder at the beginning. Being someone who was born up-country [in Johannesburg], I’m used to the ball coming on to the wicket, and scoring a lot squarer on the off side and the leg side. So it is [about] just being cognisant of the fact that I’m obviously going to have to hit a lot straighter for most of my runs.”Having spent his early career on the Highveld, de Zorzi has since moved down to the Western Cape, where he plays on slightly flatter surfaces. But he found the Queen’s Park Oval “completely different” to anything he has experienced at home. And he has set himself the challenge of trying to adjust to the differences without losing the essence of his batting style.”My mindset is that I’m here now, so I’ve got to just trust myself and back what I’ve done to get here,” he said. “I don’t think I have to try to reinvent the wheel in my game plan. It’s just about being able to make small little adjustments according to the wicket. So [it’s about] being comfortable enough to make a small change – not a massive one – and then just trusting it.”In the first Test, that shift was about getting on to the front foot more often than he might do at home, where back-foot play comes more easily. And so far, de Zorzi’s small shifts are working. He has now got past 75 twice in five Tests – once at home, and once away – and has shown signs he can go on to get bigger things. But asked if the pressure to score a first Test hundred is lurking, he was philosophical.”It’ll come when it’s supposed to,” he said. “I’m obviously doing the work that’s intended for me to get it, and I’m pretty comfortable with my game. Hopefully, next time it just doesn’t hit my glove [as it did against Jomel Warrican against West Indies], and I’ll get over the line.”For now, he’s just loving life as a Test cricketer, occasional vlogger and a foodie in the West Indies. “I’ve enjoyed the food in the Caribbean. It’s really nice, and really healthy,” he said. “I’ve found the food is pretty natural, and not as full of preservatives.”He had previously told the host broadcaster that the thing he has enjoyed the most on the tour was “the plantain”, which bodes well for his week in Guyana, the venue of the second Test. Deep-fried plantain chips are among the most popular snacks in the country, and if you’re keen to know what they taste like, keep an eye on de Zorzi’s socials, where you might spot a review.

India will have a two-day pink-ball warm-up match ahead of the day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide when they face the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra.The floodlit fixture will take place on November 30 and December 1 at Manuka Oval in the gap between the first and second Tests.In the last two seasons the Prime Minister’s XI fixture has a four-day contest featuring West Indies in 2022 (which was also a day-night game) and Pakistan in 2023, having traditionally been a limited-overs match, but the India game has been trimmed to just two days.Related

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On their previous tour of Australia in 2020-21, India lost the day-night Test in Adelaide by eight wickets when they were bundled out for their lowest Test score of 36 in the second innings but famously came back to win the series 2-1 with an historic display in Brisbane.On that occasion Adelaide was the opening Test of a four-match series – which was completed despite the challenges of Covid-19 border closures – whereas this time the series will begin in Perth and includes five Tests.Overall India have played just four day-night Tests, with their most recent in 2022 against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, while Australia have featured in 12 (all at home) with last season’s eight-run loss to West Indies in Brisbane their first defeat against the pink ball.In recent seasons the Prime Minister’s XI has been a strong side which has effectively been an Australia A team. Matt Renshaw has had a particularly profitable time in the last two fixtures with scores of 81, 101 not and 136 not out against West Indies and Pakistan.However, last season’s pitch at Manuka Oval came in for criticism from Pakistan when it was very slow and low and did not provide ideal preparation for the Test in Perth although poor weather had made life difficult for the groundstaff. The final day of the game was abandoned after an overnight storm and ripped off the covers.India have an intra-squad warm-up at the WACA from November 15-18 ahead of the first Test on November 22. They will arrive in Australia on the back of a three-match home Test series against New Zealand.An India A squad will tour Australia from late October and play two four-day matches in Mackay and Melbourne.

Celtic are starting to accelerate their summer business and now find themselves in the hunt for a proven operator with plenty of Premier League experience, according to a report.

Celtic see off Sporting in statement pre-season victory

Rounding off their pre-season camp in Portugal, Celtic saw off Primeira Liga champions Sporting Clube de Portugal 2-0 courtesy of goals from Reo Hatate and Luke McCowan.

After a promising performance that will quell some anxieties experienced by supporters in relation to transfer business, Brendan Rodgers confirmed Celtic are close to making their sixth summer signing — Kawasaki Frontale forward Shin Yamada.

He stated: “He’ll have a medical over the next couple of days and we’ll have a look at him. We’ve lost a lot of goals, so we need to replace that. Hopefully, this can be one of a number of players we can bring in that aspect.

“He’s got intensity and workrate. It’s something the scouts have seen. In terms of the club, we will bring in players to develop and players for now. Even though he’s a bit older, he’s probably one that can give us that intensity and pressure.”

Contact has reportedly been made by Celtic in relation to Odsonne Edouard. However, Rodgers also appeared to distance himself from a move for the Crystal Palace forward during his post-match duties.

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Clearly, adding one or two alternatives through the middle has become a key priority for the Irishman, though he will also be keen to offer competition for Kieran Tierney on the left-hand side of defence.

With the Bhoys veering towards the start of their Scottish Premiership title defence, Celtic may have identified the man to fill their vacant slot.

Celtic plot surprise return for Jeffrey Schlupp

According to Africa Foot, Celtic could move to re-sign free agent Jeffrey Schlupp after he left Crystal Palace upon the expiration of his contract at Selhurst Park.

The Ghana international spent the second half of last campaign on loan in Glasgow, acting as a rotational figure alongside Greg Taylor as the Bhoys claimed the Scottish Premiership title.

Jeffrey Schlupp at Celtic – is he worthy of a permanent deal?

Schlupp’s record at Celtic

18 appearances, one goal, one assist.

Pros

Experience at a high level (280 appearances in the Premier League, FA Cup winner). Capable of featuring at left-back, in central midfield or as a left winger. Familiarity within Brendan Rodgers’ system.

Cons

Likely a stop-gap signing at 32 years old. Little sell-on value and doesn’t fit stereotypical transfer model. Any deal would be a sign Celtic have failed to land other targets, i.e. Flavio Nazinho.

Labelled “wonderful” by Rodgers, an added caveat to a potential transfer comes in the form of Schlupp having the same agent as Celtic forward Adam Idah.

However, some would argue bringing in a younger player would cover more bases in the long-term rather than someone approaching the twilight of their career.

Either way, Celtic will face competition for Schlupp, given that Hull City, Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion are also circling for the veteran defender.

Everton manager David Moyes finally completed a deal to bring Thierno Barry to the club from Villarreal.

A fee of £27m was spent to sign the Frenchman, but given his eye for goal in La Liga last term, it could turn into a bargain.

Next up for Moyes is adding another midfielder or two to his squad in the coming weeks. John McGinn has been heavily linked with a move to Merseyside.

He isn’t the only midfield option that Everton have been linked with, however, as Moyes also has his eyes on two former Premier League stars.

Everton’s search for a midfielder

According to Paul Joyce of The Times, Everton are showing interest in bringing Douglas Luiz back to England this summer.

Transfer Focus

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He has been discussed internally at Everton, alongside McGinn, while Moyes could be set to target an ambitious move for Joao Palhinha – with the Portuguese also named as one of those under consideration.

The Bayern Munich midfielder hasn’t settled in Bavaria, which could open the door for Moyes to make a swoop this summer.

This experience abroad will have enhanced Palhinha’s skills, no doubt about that. The question is, could he be a better signing than McGinn for the Toffees?

Why Everton must sign Joao Palhinha

McGinn would be a fine signing, for that there is no doubt. Across 203 Premier League appearances, the Scot has scored 17 goals and grabbed 25 assists for Villa.

He will turn 31 in October, however, and while McGinn certainly has a few years left at the very top of the game, Moyes would be best to make a move for Palhinha, who offers more from a defensive point of view.

The Toffees conceded 53 goals last season across 42 matches. Not the worst return, but there is room for improvement.

When compared to his positional peers during his final Premier League campaign for Fulham in 2023/24, Palhinha ranked in the top 1% for tackles (5.07) per 90, while also ranking in the top 8% for interceptions (1.53) and in the top 10% for blocks (1.9) that season.

He may have only started six Bundesliga games for Bayern last term, but the Portuguese midfielder still won 58% of his total duels contested, while losing possession just 3.4 times per match.

Accurate passes

33.2

Tackles

4.6

Interceptions

1.4

Total duels won

7.6

Possession lost

9.1

Balls recovered

5.9

Hailed by journalist Dom Smith as “world-class” in November 2023, it was always going to be difficult for Fulham to keep one of their star men.

After just a single season in Germany, it appears as though Palhinha could be available this summer.

McGinn would offer plenty in the final third, but with Barry arriving, plus at least another couple more attacking players, Moyes must add some solidity to the midfield, especially after losing Abdoulaye Doucoure.

As such, signing a player such as Palhinha could turn into a stroke of genius by the manager given his previous success in the English top flight.

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Much will depend on the fee, but if it is within the club’s price range, Palhinha could be a fantastic signing, turning out to be even better than McGinn.

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As they look to continue their spending after Fer Lopez, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly confident that they’ll win the race to sign a Premier League winner this summer.

Wolves pushing on after Lopez

Wolves have money to burn after selling both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri and have already left a small dent in their budget by splashing out £19m to sign Lopez from Celta Vigo. Given that Cunha alone cost Manchester United £63m, however, it’s fair to say that Molineux chiefs could still have a fairly large budget to work with this summer.

With that budget in mind, it’s no surprise that several names have seemingly found themselves on Wolves’ radar this summer. And that includes Bologna defender Jhon Lucumi.

Vitor Pereira and co. have reportedly joined the race to sign the Colombian defender, whose £24m release clause is set to expire on July 10. With Wolves, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur – among others – chasing his signature, the race to sign Lucumi is certainly hectic and is only set to heat up as the clock ticks down on his release clause.

Whether those in the Midlands can beat their Premier League rivals is the big question at Molineux. It would certainly show plenty of ambition if they managed to do so and ambition is exactly what they must show after losing key men this summer.

If Pereira is to pick up where he left off in his first full season in charge then replacing Cunha’s creativity will be particularly important. It won’t be an easy task to find the heir to the Brazilian’s throne but on Premier League gem would certainly be a strong candidate.

Wolves now confident they'll sign Harvey Elliott

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Wolves are now confident that they’ll win the bidding war to sign Harvey Elliott this summer, who Liverpool value at £40m.

The young midfielder is one of the names likely to be shown the Anfield door at the right price in the coming months. Jarell Quansah has already suffered that fate and is on his way to Bayer Leverkusen. Now, Elliott could follow suit to join Wolves and receive a much-needed starting role.

Whilst there may be some concerns over Wolves’ ability to match his price tag, the departures of Cunha and Ait-Nouri should be able to help fund a move that would certainly be worthwhile.

Although he’s come off the back of a difficult first season under Arne Slot, it wasn’t so long ago that Elliott was on his way to becoming a key man under Jurgen Klopp, who was a huge admirer of the now Premier League winner.

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The former Reds boss told reporters when the young midfielder scored against Cardiff City on his return to injury in 2022: “Harvey was unlucky with the injury but lucky with the whole process afterwards.

“Everything went really well. He did an incredible job, the medical department did an incredible job. He is a fearless boy and a great footballer so all these things.”

Last season might not have ended in the glory many Arsenal fans hoped it would, but it wasn’t all doom and gloom.

After all, Mikel Arteta’s side made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 16 years and secured second in the Premier League despite the absurd number of injuries they had to contend with.

Moreover, when he was fit, Bukayo Saka reached an entirely new level, ending the season with an outrageously impressive haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances.

Appearances

37

Starts

30

Minutes

2619′

Goals

12

Assists

14

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

Minutes per Goal Involvement

100.73

So, fans should be delighted about reports now linking Arsenal to a Premier League star who’d be a dream teammate for the Hale End icon.

Arsenal target Premier League stars

As Arsenal really need to make good on their resurgence over the last few years and finally get over the line next season, it makes sense that they have been linked with so many Premier League players this summer, such as Noni Madueke and Anothy Gordon.

Transfer Focus

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The former looks likely to cost in the region of £50m, and while he might not be the most popular target among the North Londoners’ fans, he’s young, dynamic, and was able to amass a tally of seven goals and four assists in 32 league games last season.

Gordon, on the other hand, could cost as much as £80m, but again, he’s shown signs he could be something special, amassing 39 goal involvements in 85 league games since joining Newcastle United.

However, there is another, even more exciting Premier League star who now appears to be a serious and attainable target for the Gunners, someone who Saka would no doubt love playing with: Eberechi Eze.

At least that is according to insider Team news and ticks, who, on the latest episode of The Inside Foreward podcast, reaffirmed that Arsenal’s interest in the £100k-per-week Crystal Palace star is real and significant.

Furthermore, he revealed that the deal for the player could be “wrapped up in the next hour if they wanted to” and that the Eagles ace is supposedly “desperate” to join the North Londoners.

However, to get their man, the Premier League runners-up will likely have to pay his release clause, which stands at around £68m.

It would be a costly transfer to get over the line, but Eze has more than proven he’d be worth the outlay in recent campaigns, and we have no doubt that he’d be an incredible teammate for Saka.

Why Saka will love Eze

The first and undoubtedly most important reason Saka will love playing alongside Eze is an incredibly straightforward one: his output.

Despite playing in a midtable side, the Greenwich-born game-changer was able to amass a brilliant tally of 14 goals and 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes.

That means the 27-year-old dynamo maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

Appearances

43

Minutes

3303′

Goals

14

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

Just imagine how many goals and assists the Gunners’ mercurial number seven would have to his name after a season of playing with someone as productive as the former QPR gem.

Moreover, last season also showed that he is the archetypal ‘big game player’ as not only did he open the scoring in Palace’s FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa, but he then went and scored the only goal in the final and led the club to their first major trophy in their entire existence.

So, when the North Londoners find themselves in a high-stakes must-win game next season, which will probably be a common occurrence, the Hale Ender can rely on his new teammate to be just as impactful as he is.

Finally, should the goalscoring “superstar,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, move to the Emirates in the coming weeks, then not only will he be able to form a partnership with Saka at club level, but also on the international stage, as he’s becoming more and more involved with the England team now.

Ultimately, while it won’t be cheap, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Eze this summer, as not only would he help improve the entire team, but he could also form a game-changing partnership with Hale End’s favourite son.

Arsenal talks with "unique" target "advanced" after further moves this week

The Gunners closer to another deal.

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Newcastle United supporters will be filled with relief after seeing Eddie Howe secure his first major signing of the summer transfer window.

A move for Anthony Elanga was finally confirmed on Friday, but this deal has been weeks in the making.

The Swedish winger cost the Toon around £55m, but Howe will be hoping that this fee eventually turns into a bargain.

“Elanga is an exciting talent with attributes that make him a unique attacking threat,” said Howe upon Elanga’s arrival at St James’ Park.

“His pace, energy and ability to create and score goals will strengthen us and complement the way we want to play.”

Champions League football will take centre stage next season and Howe will be aiming for his side to do better than when they were last in the competition. Newcastle finished bottom of their group during 2023/24, despite claiming a famous 4-1 win over PSG.

With Elanga now signed, it should be the catalyst for the manager to land another couple of signings in the coming weeks.

The former Nottingham Forest star has plenty of Premier League experience, but what exactly will he offer the Magpies next term and beyond?

What Anthony Elanga will offer Newcastle

Since making the move from Manchester United to Forest in the summer of 2023, Elanga has been at the forefront of their recent success.

Across these two seasons, the winger has scored 11 goals in the Premier League, while chipping in with 20 league assists in that time.

He doesn’t just offer a clear-cut threat in front of goal either. According to FBref, when compared to his positional peers in the Premier League last term, Elanga ranked in the top 3% for crosses (6.66) per 90, along with ranking in the top 10% for goal-creating actions (0.65) and in the top 27% for carries into the opposition penalty area (1.73) per 90.

While signing the 23-year-old is a boost for the team, plus giving Howe an excellent attacking option for the next few years, was signing another player in this area a priority for the club?

Jacob Murphy was excellent on the right flank last term, tearing it up for the Magpies in the top flight. Indeed, across 35 top flight games last season, the Englishman scored eight goals while recording 12 assists for the Magpies.

If comparing him to fellow wingers Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes, who registered 12 and 14 goal involvements in the Premier League, Murphy was by far the best-performing wide man in the squad.

Of course, he won’t be around forever, and some competition would be ideal, but in terms of improvement, the right flank shouldn’t be Howe’s priority ahead of next season.

The defence is an area which requires strengthening, notably at centre-back and between the posts.

Howe is certainly making inroads to bolster both positions and he has been given an exciting update regarding a transfer target recently.

Newcastle’s search for a defender

Marc Guehi still looks like a target, although it remains to be seen exactly how far Howe is prepared to go in order to sign him.

Elsewhere, Malick Thiaw and Leonardo Balerdi are both defensive targets, with Howe expressing interest in both centre-backs recently.

The one player he appears to be most keen on is Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini. The Italian could be set to leave the Serie A side this summer, but they have placed a £50m price tag on his head.

According to The i Paper, the Toon have ‘carried out preliminary work on a possible deal’, but there are a host of clubs keen on securing his signature, including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus.

Scalvini has reportedly stated he is intrigued by the prospect of playing in the Premier League, while also gushing about both the club and manager when on international duty of late.

Could this help Howe get a deal wrapped up sooner rather than later? Only time will tell.

Why Newcastle must sign Giorgio Scalvini

Newcastle must add at least one centre-back to their squad this summer. Last season, Howe mainly relied on Dan Burn and Fabian Schar. Both are excellent players, but they are both 33 and won’t be around forever.

Indeed, the only centre-back in the current squad who is under 30 is Sven Botman, but he has missed 59 games since the start of the 2023/24 season.

As such, a move for Scalvini is a must for the club. He missed the majority of last term due to injury, but throughout the 2023/24 campaign, he was superb.

Giorgio Scalvini’s Serie A stats for Atalanta (Per 90 in 2023/24)
Accurate passes	37.8
Tackles	1.6
Interceptions	1.8
Clearances	2
Total duels won	4.8
Balls recovered	4.9
Via Sofascore

Hailed as a “top talent” by Fabrizio Romano in 2022 – as well as a “world-class” centre-back by talent scout Jacek Kulig – Scalvini ranked highly across a range of metrics in Serie A during 2023/24.

Compared to his peers, he ranked in the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90, along with ranking in the top 11% for touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 4% for interceptions and in the top 16% for aerials won per 90.

If he is able to replicate those types of performances at Newcastle, then Howe would have landed an excellent signing for the club.

The best thing is, Scalvini has yet to even reach his peak, indicating that the next few years could see the Italian defender only going from strength to strength.

Although Howe has just spent £55m on Elanga, there is no doubt that a deal to sign the Atalanta starlet would be viewed as a more important signing, especially with concerns about the defence.

Scalvini has showcased his talents in Europe before, impressing during the 2024 Europa League final as his side defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0.

Performing in the Champions League will be a massive step-up for the youngster, but if he wishes to take his game to the next stage, this is the level he should be playing at.

The next few weeks will be interesting for the club. That much is certain.

Elanga's new Gibbs-White: Newcastle leading race for £40m "magician"

Newcastle are hoping to make more signings after landing Anthony Elanga.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 12, 2025

Manchester United are now in talks to sign an “exciting” forward, who has even been likened to former Liverpool man Sadio Mane, according to a report.

Man Utd eyeing low-cost additions to the squad

After missing out on the Champions League last season, Man United will have to err on the side of caution in the transfer market, and having already shelled out around £133m this summer, they may not have much room left to manoeuvre.

New signing

Position

Transfer fee

Bryan Mbeumo

Winger

£65m

Matheus Cunha

Second striker

£64m

Diego Leon

Left-back

£3.5m

The Red Devils were also left frustrated by Brentford playing hardball over the transfer of Mbeumo, with their Premier League rivals raising their asking price during negotiations, which means they may have ended up paying slightly over the odds.

As a result, it would make sense if the remaining additions to the squad were on the cheaper side, and United have now entered talks for a forward, who is set to be available for a bargain fee.

That is according to a report from France (via Sport Witness), which states Man United have entered negotiations with the entourage of FC Metz forward Idrissa Gueye.

Gueye is expected to leave Metz this summer, despite the French side achieving their goal of promotion to Ligue 1 last season, and they are looking to receive a fee close to €15m (£13m), amid widespread interest in his signature.

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The Metz ace is thought to have 10 or more suitors, including the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton, so the Red Devils could have a battle on their hands trying to get a deal over the line.

"Exciting" Gueye likened to Mane

While he enjoyed the best years of his career at United’s bitter rivals, Liverpool, there is no denying that Mane was a top-quality forward, scoring 120 goals in 269 games for the Reds, and there is a belief the 18-year-old is a similar type of player.

The teenager has been likened to his compatriot, with journalist Alan Nixon adding the youngster is “rated as highly as Sadio Mane was”, indicating he could be capable of going on to be one of the Premier League’s top forwards.

Unlike Mane, however, the Senegalese starlet’s main position is striker, and he enjoyed an impressive debut campaign with Metz in Ligue 2, picking up five goals and one assist in 17 games, with scout Ben Mattinson lauding him as “exciting”.

Given that Gueye is yet to prove himself at a high level, however, Man United will also need to bring in a proven top-level striker, and they have now opened talks to sign RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.