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Lee Ryder reckons that Newcastle United officials behind the scenes know ‘deep down’ that their poor performances under Steve Bruce ‘can’t go on much longer’. 

The lowdown

As the Premier League season pauses for the second international break, Newcastle find themselves second from bottom in the table.

They have failed to win any of their first seven matches, with only their three draws keeping them above Norwich City.

What’s more, the stats suggest that Newcastle fully deserve to be in the relegation zone. When you go by expected goals for and against, they should be 18th (via Understat).

Despite these struggles, the club has firmly backed the manager. The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards reported at the end of last month that ‘his job is not under threat and is unlikely to be any time soon’.

By contrast, a Chronicle Live survey in September found that a whopping 95 per cent of Newcastle fans are in favour of a managerial change.

The latest

In a fan Q & A for The Chronicle, Ryder was asked whether Bruce was ‘refusing to resign’ because he fears he won’t get another chance at the top level, or whether it was down to finances.

He acknowledged that it could be Bruce’s ‘last job’ in the Premier League, but stressed that compensation is a ‘big factor’.

If he’s sacked, he’s entitled to a ‘seven-figure pay-out’, but he waives that right if he resigns.

However, Ryder adds: “I think deep down they know this can’t go on for much longer unless the team REALLY (his emphasis) pick up after the break.”

The verdict

Are Newcastle’s fixtures conducive to an upturn in form? Not particularly. Tottenham Hotspur are next up, and then they travel to an impressive Crystal Palace led by Patrick Vieira.

After that, it’s title contenders Chelsea and early high-flyers Brighton and Brentford.

If Ryder is right about the true feelings of the decision-makers behind closed doors, then, perhaps the clock is ticking for Bruce.

In other news, could this be a potential replacement for Bruce? 

Speaking to Football Insider, a Tottenham Hotspur source has shared an unwanted update involving young winger Roshaun Mathurin after his ‘devastating’ injury blow.

The Lowdown: Mathurin tears ACL…

The Spurs teenager is one of many academy products turning heads at Hotspur Way, with the 17-year-old netting seven goals and registering two assists across 21 Under-18 Premier League starts last season (Transfermarkt).

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Mathurin’s performances even earned the player his first call-up to first team Tottenham training last season, with former manager Jose Mourinho seemingly taking full notice of his exploits.

However, the teenager suffered a major blow to his fitness, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) at the end of last month in a serious injury blow.

The Latest: Spurs source shares damning update…

Speaking to Football Insider, a Spurs source has now shared an update on Mathurin’s expected recovery time following surgery.

As explained, the Tottenham talent could now be out for at least nine months and possibly 12 after his ACL blow.

Mathurin is apparently regarded as highly-rated behind the scenes at Spurs and a player capable of breaking into the first team, but he will now begin an ‘extensive’ period of rehabilitation before he can play again.

The Verdict: Big shame…

ACL injuries are classed among the most serious in the modern game and Spurs will hope that one of their most highly-rated academy gems can recover as quickly and as smoothly as possible.

Mathurin’s world class display and hat-trick in a 6-1 victory over Chelsea under-18s last year highlights just how much potential there is in his locker. Hopefully he can put this significant setback behind him and make the leap into the first team in the future.

In other news: ‘Meetings with Tottenham’…Source close to ‘unstoppable’ player drops transfer reveal, find out more here.

Life under Ange Postecoglou for Celtic has been a topsy-turvy state of affairs.

The Hoops began their new era by exiting Europe’s premier competition and struggling to sign new players.

However, life on that front improved pretty rapidly with Celtic sealing their pathway to the Europa League group stages and signing 12 first-team bodies.

Sadly, proceedings at Parkhead have gone downhill again.

On the chalkboard

Celtic began their Europa League group stage campaign just under a week ago with a dramatic 4-3 defeat to Real Betis.

We championed the idea of James McCarthy starting in that game and after Ismaila Soro narrowly escaped a red card before being substituted, that theory looked correct.

The Irishman did eventually earn his first Celtic start in the 1-0 loss to Livingston last Sunday.

It was a bad day at the office for the vast majority of the players who pulled on a Hoops jersey but at the top of the pile was McCarthy.

It’s important not to overreact because he’s not had a full pre-season but the early signs for the midfielder don’t look good.

Reports have emerged claiming that he’s struggling with the pace and intensity of Postecoglou’s methods while it’s also thought that the Australian and his recruitment team weren’t so keen on signing the free agent.

Yet, with Callum McGregor missing due to injury against Livi, he had to play.

McCarthy was incredibly disappointing, conceding possession 15 times despite playing a relatively low-risk style.

He only managed nine passes that took other opponents out of the game, meaning his pass success rate of 86% isn’t actually that eye-catching.

The Republic of Ireland international was too safe with his methods which when they were chasing the match, isn’t ideal.

Furthermore, the £2.7m-rated international had an xG and an xA of zero, capping off a mediocre display at the office.

With that in mind, Postecoglou should consider axing him from the starting XI against Raith Rovers on Thursday evening, that’s despite previously dubbing him “first-class.”

The opposition are from the Championship but it will be important for the manager to integrate McGregor as quickly as possible.

He is set to be fit for the clash on Thursday night and judging by McCarthy’s only start for the club, he doesn’t deserve another one for a long period of time.

AND in other news, Celtic suffer another big injury setback, Postecoglou will be gutted…

Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin wants to leave the club, according to reports…

What’s the word?

The Athletic’s David Ornstein dropped the surprising claim to Twitter on Monday, where he revealed that the Spaniard has been left frustrated by the club’s reluctance to sanction his departure.

It’s thought that the 26-year-old defender has informed both Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar of his intentions to leave the Emirates Stadium before the end of the transfer window this month. He’s even said to be willing to take a pay cut.

The Gunners failed to reach an agreement with Inter Milan over a potential deal, whilst Bellerin’s representatives have provided the technical director with possible destinations but none have come to fruition thus far.

One idea is to include the £22.5m-rated Spain international in a swap deal, with Barcelona’s Emerson Royal and Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier two likely targets.

Frustrating update

Arsenal’s unwillingness to offload Bellerin isn’t likely to go down well with the Gunners’ faithful, particularly as the north London outfit have largely struggled to get rid of their deadwood throughout the summer.

For example, Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira is AWOL in Spain despite not returning to Atletico on loan. Willian has been linked with an exit but no one appears to be willing to pay his extortionate wages. Sead Kolasinac, Eddie Nketiah and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are just three others that the club are still unable to move on.

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What perhaps makes this situation surrounding Bellerin even more intriguing is the fact that Arteta looked to left-back Nuno Tavares to replace Calum Chambers, who started on the right against Brentford, despite having the Spaniard, Cedric and Maitland-Niles available to him.

As predicted above, this news has not gone down well with some members of the Emirates Stadium fanbase, as seen by the responses to Ornstein’s tweet.

“Story of our window,” exclaimed one supporter, whilst another described Arsenal as a “shambles of a club,” with one further fan blaming the board for their “failure.”

Bellerin has played 239 times for the Gunners since joining the club from Barcelona as a youth player in 2011. However, in recent times, he has found game-time hard to come by – largely due to injuries.

Last season, he only started 24 league games, whilst in 2019/20, it was just 13 starts due to his ACL injury and a further hamstring problem.

On this evidence, it’s no wonder that some fans and the player himself are seeking a fresh start, though Arteta and Edu’s current stance is a perplexing one which will only frustrate everyone around north London even more.

AND in other news, talkSPORT drop major Arsenal transfer update…

Wolves now reportedly pose a ‘threat’ in the potential signing of Goncalo Guedes before the summer transfer window ends.

The Lowdown: Guedes eyed

There have been a number of reports throughout the window linking Guedes with a move to the Midlands club, and the rumours do not seem to be going away anytime soon.

However, if the Molineux faithful are serious about getting a deal done, then they have to act fast, with less than a week left until the window shuts.

The Latest: Guedes update

As per AS (via Sport Witness), Bruno Lage’s team pose a genuine ‘threat’ to the desire of Valencia manager Jose Bordalas to keep Guedes at the La Liga side.

There is a belief that they will try and sign the Portugal international if they end up selling Adama Traore to Tottenham Hotspur, but Valencia have continued to insist that Guedes will be sold for no less than €30m (£25.7m).

The Verdict: Sign

The Wanderers should be all over a deal to sign Guedes, especially if Traore ends up going to Spurs.

Described recently as a ‘really exciting’ player by The Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield, the winger is certainly capable of getting fans off of their seats, scoring seven goals and making a further seven assists in 34 games in total over all competitions across the 2020/21 season (Transfermarkt).

At 24 years of age, Guedes has not reached his peak yet either, and so paying £25.7m for him would be a smart bit of business should they be able to secure his signature.

In other news, find out what news ahead of Manchester United has WWFC supporters fuming here!

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith is reportedly considering a tactical reshuffle in order to accommodate new additions Leon Bailey, Danny Ings and Emiliano Buendia, according to the Daily Mail.

After signing each of those three for £28m or more, Smith appears to have wasted no time in figuring out how to incorporate them into his setup following the departure of Jack Grealish.

According to the Daily Mail, former Southampton marksman Ings could partner fellow striker Ollie Watkins in attack within a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 system for the Midlands side.

Interestingly, the possibility of a midfield diamond with Buendia at the tip has also been assessed going into the forthcoming season.

In light of this news, loads of Aston Villa fans took to social media to fume over the reported tactical reshuffle from Smith, whose preferred 4-2-3-1 formation helped his team to a comfortable mid-table finish last term.

Aston Villa fans react:

Replying to popular Aston Villa fan outlet villareport on Twitter, here is what some supporters had to say about the planned tactical reshuffle:

“Then why sign Bailey? And we wouldn’t need Traore or even Sanson. Can’t see this much.”

Credit: @Da_Cubbies”I give it three games until we’re back to a 4-2-3-1″Credit: @VillaTalk2″No chance they are shifting from a back 4. Worked so well last season.”Credit: @Rich90754593″What’s the point in signing Bailey then?”Credit: @OAlexander2019″We’ll get horribly over-run in midfield”Credit: @Ross_Leach”Just can’t see it working, it’s not how we play”Credit: @9teen8tytwoIn other news, these Aston Villa fans react to an update on this transfer target

Crystal Palace remain interested in signing Watford midfielder Will Hughes this summer as the club’s rebuilding job continues to gather pace.

What’s the story?

The Eagles were first linked with a move for the 26-year-old several weeks ago but are yet to make a formal offer for his services.

According to The Sun, though, Palace are fighting hard to land Hughes, with fellow Premier League outfit Newcastle United undecided over whether to sign him.

Hughes has entered the final year of his contract at Vicarage Road, and negotiations over a new deal have reached an impasse, meaning an imminent exit could be on the cards.

Patrick Vieira needs him

New Palace boss Patrick Vieira has rung the changes at Selhurst Park since arriving in south London, allowing several experienced campaigners to depart on free transfers.

The likes of Joachim Andersen, Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher have replaced the outgoings, bringing a new wave of hope and optimism to the capital club, although a few more fresh faces may be needed before the window closes.

In Vieira’s press conference before the Chelsea game over the weekend, the French tactician admitted he needs some extra reinforcements.

“When you look at the squad, we are maybe a little bit more light on numbers, and we are working hard to improve the squad (with) the window are still open. We will try to bring players that can improve our squad.

“I think where we are maybe a little bit more short is upfront and in the midfield, I think it would be good to reinforce those positions,” Vieira said after being asked if there’s any particular position he’s looking at.

After coming up through the ranks at boyhood club Derby County, the Hughes joined Watford back in 2017 in search of top-flight football.

Since joining the Hornets, the combative midfielder has established himself as a very useful Premier League player, scoring five goals and providing eight assists in 77 appearances in England’s top division.

His solid displays saw former Watford manager Javi Gracia laud the £6.3m-rated maestro after an impressive return from injury, saying: “I think he did a very good job in the time he was on the pitch. He was very clever made a very good assist, and took care of the ball. I think he was very good for us.”

Therefore, a large section of Palace fans will surely be hoping he joins Vieira’s new-look side this summer, adding some extra top-flight experience to the Eagles’ ranks.

And, in other news…Journalist drops exciting Crystal Palace transfer update, fans will be buzzing 

A number of Liverpool supporters have been reacting positively to Fabrizio Romano’s claim that Marko Grujic is on the verge of joining Porto permanently.

While much of the focus this summer will be on who comes in and makes Jurgen Klopp’s squad stronger, there are also outgoings to consider.

There are a number of players who won’t have futures at Anfield and selling them will help generate funds for new signings.

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Grujic is one of those players, with Klopp having no first-team plans for him moving forward, having made just 16 appearances for Liverpool, all but two of which were prior to the end of the 2017/18 season.

According to reliable journalist Romano on Twitter, the 25-year-old is close to joining Porto on a permanent deal, with an ‘agreement completed’ on a long-term deal that will keep him at the club until 2026.

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Liverpool fans happy about Grujic leaving

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to provide their thoughts on the update, with many pleased to see Grujic moving on to the next chapter in his career after a succession of loan moves.

“Hopefully we should start seeing some sort of movement soon!”

Credit: @zubinofficial

“Finally Klopp’s 1st signing is finding a real home”

Credit: @IsabiryePhilo

“It’s permanent thank god”

Credit: @G1121C

“Some good news”

Credit: @LfcRahul

“Fresh incoming…”

Credit: @psandiwarwar

“Here we go”

Credit: @fanskarduss

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been reacting to a rumour regarding one Reds player. Find out who it is here.

Diego Costa’s agent has offered the forward’s services to Celtic according to journalist Lahcen Senhaji.  

The Lowdown: Costa links

Costa, who has been without a club since January, was initially linked with the Hoops last week.

Reports from France suggested both Celtic and Crystal Palace made an approach for the 32-year-old, who is valued at £5.4m by Transfermarkt.

Rumours went quiet for a few days, but it appears as if the former Atletico Madrid man’s agent has now got involved.

The Latest: Agent claims

According to Senhaji, Costa’s agent is offering the forward’s services everywhere, in particular to Celtic and Turkish side Besiktas.

Senhaji claims that the forward’s agent is offering Costa for a considerably reduced salary, with the Spaniard on over £200,000-a-week since 2018.

“Six months without playing were enough to convince Diego Costa to lower his salary to find a club. Its agent is currently offering it everywhere, and in particular in Celtic and to Besiktas for a considerably reduced salary.”

The Verdict: Not going to happen

Celtic’s highest earner is Callum McGregor on £20,000-a-week, so even if Costa is prepared to reduce his wage considerably, it probably still won’t be in Celtic’s price range.

The mega money, along with Costa’s poor form over the last three seasons (12 goals in 58 games) surely means the Hoops would snub a move.

Odsonne Edouard is still working on a Parkhead exit, but Costa shouldn’t be viewed as a replacement for the short or long term. He is simply too expensive of a risk.

In other news: Report claims Celtic now want forward Bielsa signed for Leeds. 

The agent of reported Liverpool target Otavio has been discussing the future of his client. 

Israel Oliveira told Portuguese newspaper A Bola that the 26-year-old could leave Porto this summer ‘if it’s good for Porto and for Otavio’.

Otavio has a €60m (£51.43m) release clause but the Liga NOS runners-up are in need of an influx of cash and will accept a ‘fair’ offer far lower than that amount.

The lowdown on Otavio

The Brazilian has scored 19 goals and provided 49 assists in 188 appearances for Porto. He has also showcased significant versatility over the course of his career, operating as a central and attacking midfielder, right and left midfielder and even as a secondary striker.

The 26-year-old’s average WhoScored rating of 7.4/10 was the second-highest in the Portuguese top-flight last season, only behind Sporting’s Pote.

Liverpool have already got their summer business underway with the £36m signing of centre-back Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig.

Fan feed The Anfield Talk relayed Oliveira’s comments, and here’s how supporters reacted. Despite Otavio’s decent scoring and performance figures, many Kopites felt rather underwhelmed by the interest in him – a couple of fans drew comparisons with Manchester United’s advancing pursuit of the prodigious Eduardo Camavinga, who plays in the same position as Otavio.

Liverpool fans unimpressed by Otavio links

“While United are getting Camavinga smh”

Credit: @theKlavanEra

“I speak for all Liverpool fans when I say we shouldn’t sign him.”

Credit: @_TDRx

“Like we don’t have enough bozos”

Credit: @Jay_LFCv2

“I don’t think Otavio is the player we need. Much better quality options available”

Credit: @lfcxcathal

“I don’t know about this”

Credit: @karthik_the_red

“So Man Utd sign with Camavinga and we with Otavio?? If I speak on this club man…”

Credit: @Its_VASKO

In other news, these Liverpool fans reacted to an update on the future of one Anfield ace