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Former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley remains a hugely unpopular figure among Magpies supporters following what was a turbulent era at the club under his ownership, with the Englishman showing little sign of ambition throughout his time at the helm.

In a regime dogged by bizarre recruitment and failed signings, one of the businessman’s rare astute deals came in the arrival of Moussa Sissoko, with the Frenchman having been plucked for a bargain fee of just £2m from Ligue 1 side Toulouse in January 2013.

The Premier League outfit had moved astutely to sign the player at such minimal cost with just a matter of months remaining on his existing deal, with it having only been a few years earlier that his former club were demanding around £25m for his signature, following a £12m offer from Tottenham Hotspur in 2009.

Part of a raft of French incomings during Alan Pardew’s stint in charge, the 6 foot 2 menace quickly established himself as a reliable, yet unspectacular figure at St James’ Park, chipping in with 12 goals and 19 assists in 133 games for the Tynesiders over the next three-and-a-half years.

While the player’s final season at the club – the 2015/16 campaign – would see Newcastle suffer relegation, Ashley and co were still able to recoup a fairly hefty fee of around £30m following his departure to Spurs late in the window.

That figure was likely enhanced by rival interest from fellow top-flight club Everton, while the player himself had perhaps inadvertently raised his asking price after impressing for his country at Euro 2016, notably starring in the showpiece defeat to Portugal.

Such a performance seemingly had those at St James’ Park tearing their hair out having rarely seen such a strong display during his time at the club, with legendary figure Alan Shearer suggesting that it must have been his “twin brother” featuring for Les Bleus due to the difference in performance levels.

Having managed to secure a sizeable offer for a player who had flattered to deceive during his time with the club, the Magpies then ultimately saw the 71-cap man go on to initially struggle during his time in north London, further justifying their decision to cash in.

The £4.05m-rated man ultimately overcame that slow start to become a “superb” asset for the Lilywhites – in the words of pundit Kevin Phillips – although still remained a figure of frustration due to his at times clumsy manner and lack of a cutting-edge, scoring just five goals during his five-year stay in the capital.

A subsequent move to Watford last summer failed to bear fruit with the 33-year-old now back in his homeland at Nantes, having done little to truly leave Newcastle regretting their decision to sell for a fee that was around 15 times bigger than their initial investment.

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed an impressive record with regards to developing youth talent over the years, with the likes of Glenn Hoddle, Ledley King and Harry Kane having all gone from academy talents to first-team stars in north London.

One man who was unable to make that leap from emerging prospect to prominent figure was Andros Townsend, with the Englishman having failed to nail down a regular starting berth in his brief stint in the senior set-up.

To his credit, the dynamic winger had shown great persistence in an attempt to force his way into the first-team reckoning with Lilywhites, having endured a succession of spells out on loan in his early playing career.

Having made his Tottenham debut in January 2011, it wasn’t until the 2013/14 season that the 5 foot 11 forward truly become a first-team player for the club, having earned wider attention after starring during a temporary stint at Queens Park Rangers in 2013, scoring two goals in that six-month spell at Loftus Road.

A promising breakthrough campaign under Tim Sherwood – in which he made 25 Premier League appearances – was followed by a frustrating 2014/15 season under Mauricio Pochettino, as the Leytonstone-born dud was restricted to just ten top-flight starts.

The 13-cap, England international notably irked the Argentine following a row with fitness coach Nathan Gardiner in November 2015 after failing to make it off the bench in a clash with Aston Villa, subsequently receiving a ban from first-team training as a result.

Having made just three substitute appearances in the top-flight at the start of the 2015/16 season under Pochettino, Townsend opted to make the switch to Newcastle United in January 2016, having scored just 11 goals and provided 15 assists in 93 games at his former club.

That sale ultimately saw Daniel Levy and co pull off something of a blinder, as they were able to recoup a fee of around £12m for a player who had cost them nothing after coming through the academy.

After just a brief stint at St James’ Park, the wide man ultimately moved on to Crystal Palace in a £13m deal in the summer of 2016, going on to score 16 goals and lay on 28 assists in 185 games during his time at Selhurst Park.

While there were notable high points during his time with the Eagles – including his stunning effort in a shock win over Manchester City in December 2018 – the 31-year-old has done little to truly leave Spurs regretting their decision to sell, with the player himself having admitted he simply wasn’t “playing well enough” during his time at Tottenham.

The £2.7m-rated man secured a move to Everton on a free transfer last summer, although after a fine start to life with the Toffees – registering 11 goals in all competitions in the first half of last term – he has since been on the sidelines after sustaining an ACL injury back in March.

The £21.5k-per-week playmaker has enjoyed a respectable, albeit unremarkable, Premier League career since his north London departure just over six years ago, although it proved a real astute piece of business for the club to sanction his exit.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has admitted that the Premiership champions may sign one more player before the transfer window closes on Thursday.

The Lowdown: Celtic’s transfer window so far

The Hoops have been busy in the transfer market this summer, having welcomed seven permanent additions to Celtic Park after spending £20.4m. In addition, the Glasgow giants have added Moritz Jenz on loan players to Postecoglou’s squad.

Going the other way, Celtic have allowed seven players to leave Parkhead for good this summer, along with sanctioning a number of loan exits.

The Latest: Postecoglou teases possibility of signing

In a recent press conference, Postecoglou has admitted that there could be a few departures from the club this week. However, he went on to add that this could mean the Hoops may secure another addition before the transfer deadline on Thursday night.

As quoted by Football Scotland, the Celtic manager claimed: “I’d be very surprised if anyone wants to leave this place at the moment. We’ll see how the next few days go. There’s the possibility of a couple of outgoings.

“And that could give us the opportunity to bring another one in. But there’s nothing fixed. If the right opportunity came along, we might add one more.

“If we don’t – I’m happy with the business we’ve done. It was great to get Sead finally done. I’m pleased to get a player who will fit in well with us. He’s only 23 but already has great experience with clubs and at international level. He’ll be a great asset for us.”

The Verdict: Could still be deals done

As mentioned by Postecoglou, the Premiership champions secured a great coup when they signed Haksabanovic from Rubin Kazan last week.

The 23-year-old winger has already made 28 appearances for the Montenegro national team, having previously represented Sweden at youth level, and he boasts 78 goal contributions during his senior club career.

With the Montenegrin having already played for the likes of West Ham United and Malaga, Postecoglou will be hoping to bring in another player of the same calibre who could prove to be an important addition for the Hoops this season.

Therefore, even with just a few days remaining in the transfer window, we may still see multiple incomings and outgoings at Parkhead before Thursday night’s deadline. Either way, it’s refreshing to hear that the Celtic boss is content with the business done so far, while not ruling out the possibility of further additions in the coming days ahead of their Champions League group stage return.

Celtic have not been shy when it comes to loaning players out of the Parkhead club in recent years.

For example, this current summer transfer window has seen the likes of Osaze Urhoghide, Adam Montgomery, Ismaila Soro, Vasilis Barkas and Liam Scales head out to other clubs on temporary loan deals.

Another player, who has already been out on loan, currently in Ange Postecoglou’s squad that we think should be on his way out of the club, either on another loan deal or on a permanent basis is Liam Shaw.

Back in February 2021, Celta signed the 21-year-old on a pre-contract from Sheffield Wednesday before he joined up with the Hoops in the following summer window.

After making just two senior appearances for the Bhoys, the midfielder found himself getting moved out in the previous January transfer window to have a loan spell with fellow SPFL side Motherwell.

The first of those two senior appearances saw him play 65 minutes of action in Celtic’s 3-2 win over Real Betis in the Europa League.

His performance in that game ultimately earned him a match rating of 6/10 from Football.Scotland, who said that he “ran about a lot but lacked the quality to retain possession at times.”

Having started just two of the seven league games he appeared in during his time with Motherwell, this suggests that he didn’t impress enough to become a regular starter there.

When he did manage to get on the pitch, his performances earned him an underwhelming overall season rating of 6.33/10 from WhoScored, making him one of the lowest-rated players to feature for the club.

Therefore, this could have severely impacted his chances of becoming a regular figure at Celtic this season.

In fact, the Englishman has not made an appearance in the league for the Hoops yet.

Despite being labelled as a player that has “enormous potential” by Mike Trusson, it’s safe to say that Shaw’s time in Scotland has not been particularly successful yet as he’s shown that he is not yet good enough to be a part of Postecoglou’s squad.

With all of that in mind, if Celtic want to keep the faith in him and hope he can develop elsewhere, they should look to loan the £4k-per-week midfielder out again.

Or, if they feel he doesn’t have what it takes to be good enough to play for the league champions, they should cut him off and see if they can move him on permanently.

Either way, Postecoglou needs to sanction a move for him somewhere if he isn’t likely to be playing regularly.

Newcastle United are ‘prepared to loan out’ midfielder Matty Longstaff this summer, according to journalist Jordan Cronin.

The Lowdown: Longstaff’s pre-season

The 22-year-old linked up with his brother and the rest of Eddie Howe’s first-team for the Toon’s pre-season after returning from his loan spell with League Two outfit Mansfield Town, where he spent the second half of last season.

The central midfielder did not feature in the Tyneside club’s recent friendlies against 1860 Munich and Mainz 05, but was handed minutes against Burnley in a behind-closed-doors training match on Saturday.

The Latest: Cronin’s news

Cronin has shared news surrounding Longstaff’s future at St James’ Park. Taking to Twitter, the Newcastle World journalist claimed:

“Newcastle United are prepared to loan out Matty Longstaff this summer. The midfielder is into the final year of his contract.”

In the attached article, the Magpies boss is quoted as saying:

“We may look to maybe open the loan market to him again. We would open the door to him to maybe get football for his own benefit. We’ll wait and see.”

The Verdict: Stacked in midfield

With the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Joe Willock, Jonjo Shelvey and Sean Longstaff all ahead in the pecking order, the 22-year-old will struggle to make it into Howe’s 25-man Premier League squad.

This would be a shame for the youngster, who has been described by journalist Josh Bunting as a “good player on the ball” and a midfielder who is “aggressive driving forward”.

With less than a year left on his Newcastle contract, this could be the last time we see Longstaff in a black and white shirt if a loan move is secured, potentially leading to his permanent exit as a free agent.

Aston Villa have been heavily linked with Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer and his signing could finally allow Steven Gerrard to axe Villa flop Morgan Sanson.

Following a superb season on loan with Crystal Palace, where his performances earned him a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad, Gallagher has not been short of suitors so far this summer.

It is still unclear whether or not he will get guaranteed football at Stamford Bridge and Villa could offer him regular first-team minutes ahead of the World Cup in Qatar later this year.

The 22-year-old contributed eight goals and three assists in 34 appearances for Patrick Vieira’s side last season, averaging a superb 7.08 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The French manager was certainly a big fan of the 22-year-old, as he praised him last season, saying:

“He has got so much strength, so much power, so much mobility, but it’s about finding the right time to use his energy.

“He is unbelievable, and he is like that in life as well. He gives everything in every relationship with his teammates and he plays in the same way as he is in his life.”

Villa definitely seem to be in the market for a central midfielder this summer and should the England international arrive – with Chelsea reportedly willing to sell the youngster for a figure in the region of £50m – you feel it would put the final nail in Sanson’s Villa career.

Since signing from Marseille in a £16m deal in 2021, the Frenchman has made just 20 appearances for the Villans, in which he has failed to contribute a single goal or assist.

The signing of Gallagher would surely give Gerrard enough cover in midfield and Sanson could finally be axed, with his old side Marseille said to be interested in re-signing him in a £10m deal.

Unfortunately for the 27-year-old, his move to England has simply not worked out, emphasised by his shocking 6.34 average rating in the Premier League last season.

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Therefore, Villa fans will be hoping that a deal for Gallagher can be done, as it would surely bring an end to Sanson’s nightmare spell at the club.

AND in other news: Journo drops Villa claim on gem dubbed the “heir to Iniesta”, Gerrard would love him

Wolverhampton Wanderers look set to miss out on the permanent signing of Barcelona winger Francisco Trincao.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Portuguese outlet Record, which claims that Sporting CP are the front-runners in the race to sign the Portuguese winger via a two-year loan deal with an option to buy for a price of €20m (£17.3m) in 2024.

Wolves had an option to make Trincao’s stay at Molineux permanent for around £25m, but seem to have rejected the chance to act on that proposal.

Wolves’ transfer disaster

Having managed just three returns in the form of two goals and one assist across 28 Premier League games, Trincao endured a rocky time at Wolves for the most part, but in fairness did show glimpses of the quality that we saw in his final season at Braga, where he bagged eight goals and eight assists in 27 games.

Tactically, it weakens Wolves, with a lack of inverted options at the right wing position, leaving just Pedro Neto as the only left-footed winger in the side.

His last goal for Wolves against Chelsea made for a positive display and demonstrated his ability against top-class opposition, though performances like this have been few and far between for a player previously described as “magic” by Jose Carvalho Araujo.

In an ideal world, the Old Gold boss may have hoped for a straight swap deal between Barcelona loan star Adama and the £17.3m technician Trincao.

But this was a previous option and with the 22-year-old’s reunion with former boss Ruben Amorim at Sporting CP pending, it looks as though Wolves boss Bruno Lage is set to miss out in what could be a decision that ends up as a disaster. He certainly won’t want the tricky attacker to end up being one that got away.

AND in other news: Lage given green light for £15m Wolves target who “will explode”, he’s Ruben Dias 2.0 

An update has emerged on Tottenham’s pursuit of Pervis Estupinan in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Marca, Fabio Paratici is now eyeing a deal to sign the left-back from Villarreal alongside an interest in landing his teammate Pau Torres.

The report claims that the Spanish team are open to cashing in on the £15m machine as they see this as a great opportunity to make money off of their Champions League run in 2021/22.

Silenced Robert Lewandowski

Estupinan would be an excellent addition to the squad to compete with Ryan Sessegnon as he is a young talent who has caught the eye with his displays in Europe.

Villarreal beat Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and the Ecuador international helped to silence Lewandowski in a 1-0 win at home in the first leg.

The Polish centre-forward played the full 90 minutes and blanked in front of goal as he registered one shot on target and ended the match with a SofaScore rating of 6.6.

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Estupinan made an eye-catching six clearances, one interception and three tackles throughout the game as he impressed at left-back to ensure that Lewandowski, or any of his teammates, did not get anything out of him.

Football Consultant Reece Chambers previously dubbed him “really impressive” and that is exactly what he was in that clash with the Bundesliga giants as he silenced the legendary striker.

He was also superb in Villarreal’s other Champions League outings as he made ten appearances in the competition last term, making 2.9 tackles and interceptions and 2.9 clearances per game – winning the ball back for his team on a regular basis.

These statistics suggest that he was defensively solid throughout the tournament, whereas Sessegnon made 2.2 tackles and interceptions and 1.5 clearances per match in the Premier League.

At the age of 24, Estupinan would also be a player Antonio Conte can work with over time to develop him into the perfect full-back for his system. He is a player with the potential to improve as he is yet to reach the peak years of his career and he would, therefore, be an investment by the club whilst also making an impact in the here and now.

Spurs will be playing in the Champions League next season and he has proven that he can be a solid defender in Europe’s top competition.

AND in other news, Paratici and Conte now eyeing Spurs swoop for £45m-rated “machine”, he’s Eriksen 2.0…

West Bromwich Albion got the ball rolling with regards to the potential summer overhaul that Steve Bruce addressed some weeks ago as the Baggies announced they had secured the signing of midfielder John Swift on a free transfer from Reading.

Now that the move has been confirmed, it seems as though a claim has emerged over the potential transfer of another Championship midfielder with whom the Midlands club have been linked recently.

What’s the news?

During a recent online Q&A for The Athletic, Baggies reporter Steve Madeley was asked what the chances are of West Brom securing the signing of Joe Rothwell from Blackburn Rovers.

In response, the journalist said: “Rothwell is a player West Brom are aware of but I haven’t heard any suggestion that West Brom have made a move for him.”

Earlier this month, journalist John Percy tweeted that West Brom are one of the clubs interested in signing the midfielder on a free transfer once his current deal at Ewood Park runs out at the end of next month.

While the Rovers ace still has a few weeks left before he officially becomes a free agent, it would still be bad news for Baggies fans to hear that there has not yet been an inkling over a potential move for him to The Hawthorns.

After working his way through Manchester United’s youth ranks, the midfielder found himself at Blackburn in the summer of 2018 after a two-year spell with Oxford United.

During his time with Rovers, the 27-year-old made 161 appearances across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and delivering 18 assists along the way.

In what has turned out to be his final season at Ewood Park, Rothwell found the net three times and supplied 10 assists in 41 league appearances.

To highlight his attacking and creative prowess on the pitch, he not only ended the season with far more crosses (141) to his name than any other Blackburn player, he also posted a higher average of key passes per game (1.7) than any of his team-mates.

With the Baggies failing to score in 18 of their 46 Championship matches this season, having a creative midfielder like Rothwell could be just what Bruce needs to make his side a much deadlier force going forward.

Therefore, Madeley’s downplaying of Albion’s links with the 27-year-old will come as bad news for the club’s supporters.

In other news: Bruce heading for big transfer calamity as West Brom eye move for £1.7m dud

It is seemingly the worst kept secret in football that West Ham United are in pursuit of a new centre-forward addition, having as yet failed to replace £45m flop Sebastian Haller following his departure for Ajax in January 2021.

The Hammers had reportedly been eyeing a move for Benfica’s 22-year-old hotshot Darwin Nunez in January, although failed with what would have been a club-record bid on deadline day, leaving them scrambling once again this summer to acquire a suitable alternative to Michail Antonio.

According to recent reports, David Moyes may well have found his man, with respected insider Claret and Hugh naming Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah among a list of possible striking targets ahead of this summer. Reports from Football Insider last month also suggested that the Irons were in the chase for the forward.

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The 22-year-old, Gunners academy graduate faces an uncertain future at the Emirates with his existing deal set to expire in June, having also rejected potential offers of an extension from the club.

The player himself revealed that he may wait until the end of the campaign before making a decision as to where he will be plying his trade next term, although respected journalist Charles Watts has admitted that he thinks it unlikely that the forward will remain in north London beyond the summer.

That decision could be to West Ham’s gain, with Moyes and co offering an attractive destination, with Champions League qualification still a possibility should they run out winners in the Europa League.

A move for a new forward addition is seemingly a necessity for GSB in the upcoming window, with the club simply unable to rely on Michail Antonio as the sole, senior centre-forward for another campaign.

The Jamaica international has scored eight Premier League goals this season, although six of those came during the first nine top-flight outings, with the former Nottingham Forest man now on a dry spell stretching back to New Year’s Day.

Nketiah’s goal return has been poor in itself, with just two league goals so far this season, although he has only been afforded a consistent run in the side in recent weeks, notably bagging a brace in the vital 4-2 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

His display in the recent win over the Hammers particularly caught the eye, with pundit Graeme Souness insisting he was the “best player on the pitch” and that he has provided Arteta’s men with “a new dimension” such is his quality in leading the line.

The £9m-rated gem had been resigned to domestic cup duty prior to his recent return to league action, although has showcased his unerring quality in front of goal in those competitions, notably bagging five goals in just five games in the Carabao Cup this season.

He now has 20 goals in 88 starts for his current side, as well as 16 goals in just 17 outings at England U21 level, making him the nation’s record scorer at that age group.

There is undoubtedly a great deal of potential there for a player once dubbed “extraordinary” by his current boss, with Moyes and co having the chance to take a gamble on that exciting talent without having to spend a penny, with the youngster available on a free transfer.

Despite largely being renowned for his finishing, he also puts in the hard yards too, ranking in the top 1% for tackles made and the top 10% for pressures among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues, as well as in the top 11% for interceptions made.

Although Antonio has featured more regularly this season, his defensive stats are far inferior, with it time now that those at the London Stadium turn their attentions towards the younger man across the city.

In other news, GSB must complete WHU swoop for “unbelievable” £31.5m-rated star, Moyes will love him…