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Nigel Clough has backed Luton Town to win promotion from League One this season, per the Derby Telegraph.

Luton are five points clear of Barnsley at the top of the table, and the Burton Albion boss believes they are perfectly positioned to make the jump to the Championship.

What’s the word?

Clough’s Burton are currently 11th in the third-tier standings and lost 2-0 to the Hatters in December.

The Brewers boss was quizzed on who he believes will be promoted this season and insists that the two teams currently at the top of the tree will head into the Championship ahead of the 2019-20 season.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Sunderland are third, four points behind Barnsley, while Portsmouth are a point further back, though they have not won any of their last seven fixtures.

Clough said, per the Derby Telegraph: “I think Portsmouth have hit a little bit of a wall, just at the moment.

“It’s better to do it now. In the last 13 games they are more than capable.

“They got a break with a penalty being missed against them (on Tuesday night).

“Sunderland are more than capable of going on a charge and scoring goals, but I think the best two are probably at the top at the moment, everybody else is trying to catch them.”

Luton’s to lose

Luton have gone 19 games unbeaten in League One and have taken six wins from their last six outings.

Indeed, their last defeat came in October, as they fell 3-2 to Barnsley. In total, they have lost four games all season.

Clough, then, is correct in his assertion that the best team are currently top of the league, and it will take something truly special for them to be knocked out of the automatic promotion places between now and May.

Barnsley are on a 13-game unbeaten run and could well become champions if they take advantage of any Luton slip but Sunderland, who have lost just two games this season, have drawn 14 times – dropping a total of 28 points.

They have to ensure that that habit is cut out if they are to head back to the Championship automatically at the first time of asking.

And that looks a tough task, with Luton and Barnsley seemingly safely ensconced in their current positions.

A major Newcastle United transfer claim has been made over their chances to sign Ousmane Dembele…

What’s the talk?

According to AS, sources close to Barcelona have claimed that he is closing in on a transfer to PSG and is ‘guaranteed’ to sign a contract with the French giants this summer.

His deal with the La Liga outfit expires at the end of the current campaign and he is now set to leave for £0, with the Magpies being one of the teams linked with a swoop to snap him up for nothing.

Shocker

PIF are heading for a major shocker over Dembele as missing out on being able to sign him on a free transfer would be a huge blow.

The France international would be a sensational signing for Eddie Howe’s team and the Saudi Arabian consortium must attempt to hijack this move by convincing him to make the switch to the Premier League. He has been in sensational form of late for Xavi’s side and is showing the kind of form that would make him a fan favourite at St. James’ Park.

In La Liga this season, he has averaged an incredible SofaScore rating of 7.62. He has produced a stunning ten direct goal contributions in 12 appearances for the club, scoring once and providing nine assists from the right wing.

His former teammate Lionel Messi previously called him a “phenomenon” and Barcelona club president Joan Laporta once claimed “he is better than Mbappe” – highlighting how highly he is rated by people who have seen him up close in the flesh on a regular basis. 

His form in the Spanish top-flight shows that he is starting to live up to the hype around his hype as he has been a consistent creative threat for the Catalan giants. He has created 2.3 chances per game in La Liga and provided his teammates with eight ‘big chances’, despite only starting eight matches.

The forward is also still in the early parts of his career, at the age of 24, and has the potential to continually improve over time. Therefore, PIF are set to miss out on a gem who can make a huge impact in the short term and a player they could potentially sell on for a huge profit in the future, which is why this looks set to be a big shocker from the owners in the summer.

AND in other news, Sold for £30m, now worth £13.5m: Ashley played a blinder for NUFC over £83k-p/w flop…

Leeds United have been handed a timely injury boost heading into this afternoon’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side welcome the Magpies to Elland Road for a crucial encounter, with both teams sitting in the bottom half of the table.

The Yorkshiremen can extend their gap to the drop zone with a second successive victory, whilst Eddie Howe’s men can climb out of the bottom three with just their second win of the season.

According to The Athletic’s ever-reliable Phil Hay, the Argentinian head coach is expected to welcome back young striker Joe Gelhardt following injury, having missed the two games against West Ham.

Leeds defeated the Irons the second time around but there was serious cause for concern as Bielsa could only name one senior first-team player among nine substitutes on his bench.

Gelhardt is now considered a first-team star after his breakthrough this season and in the absence of Patrick Bamford, he must be unleashed from the off today.

As per Transfermarkt, the 19-year-old sensation has delivered one goal and three assists from his seven top-flight appearances,  in which just two have been starts.

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In just eight minutes against Chelsea, the youngster showed he was ready to be involved more regularly as the Champions of Europe struggled to track his runs into the box. He bagged on debut after just 42 seconds.

He has already become a favourite amongst the dressing room, fan base and with Bielsa, as per The Athletic, as well as Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, who said back in November: “He’s like a human wrecking ball. I like him, he’s really exciting. He’s fast, he’s aggressive, he gets on the ball, he takes people on. Once he gets into the box, he loves it. That’s where he can do most of his damage.”

Bamford, for whom Gelhardt should cover this weekend, even believes there are comparisons to be made to Wayne Rooney, saying: “He is the same kind of build as Rooney was. A stocky lad, great finisher.”

Without the England international, Bielsa has regularly deployed Daniel James as a striker, and that’s an experiment which just doesn’t work. He’s too small and lightweight to cause damage in the middle, so it’s time to unleash the teenage gem today.

Gelhardt could really cause the struggling Magpies some damage, should Bielsa start him at Elland Road this afternoon.

AND in other news, Phil Hay reveals early team news ahead of Newcastle clash…

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Hugo Ekitike to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French publication Le10 Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that David Moyes’ side have made an offer of around €15m (£12.5m) for the 19-year-old Stade Reims centre-forward, with the Ligue 1 side and the France U21 international believed to be taking time to reflect on the proposal before getting back to West Ham with a decision.

The report goes on to state that Newcastle United are also interested in a move for the teenager this month, with it even being suggested that the Magpies had tabled a €35m (£29m) offer for the striker, however, according to Le10 Sport, Reims have only received one bid for Ekitike at present, and that is from the Hammers.

The next Mbappe

Considering the sheer amount of potential that Ekitike quite clearly possesses, in addition to West Ham’s rather desperate need for much greater depth at centre-forward, it is unsurprising to learn of Moyes’ interest in a move for the 19-year-old this January.

Indeed, over his 17 Ligue 1 appearances so far this season, the £5.4m-rated centre-forward has been in astonishing form for Reims, having already scored eight goals, registered three assists and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.2 shots and making 0.5 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the highest scoring teenager in Europe’s top five leagues average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.88, ranking him as the French side’s 11th-best performer in the division.

Furthermore, as a result of his rapid rise and impressive return of goals at such a young age, many in France have drawn comparisons between Ekitike and Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe, with Graeme Bailey stating on Twitter: “Many in France believe he could be the next Mbappe.”

As such, should the West Ham board indeed manage to seal a deal for the player who is said to possess “the mentality of Kobe Bryant in a 19-year-old’s body” this month, it would appear that Moyes could very much have an extremely exciting prospect on his hands in the second half of the current campaign.

And, who knows, should Ekitike continue his current rate of development following a potential switch to East London in January, the 58-year-old manager may even be in possession of the next Mbappe – something that is undoubtedly an extremely exciting thought for everyone involved with the Hammers.

In other news: “I’ve been told”: Ex drops teasing transfer claim that will have West Ham fans buzzing

As per Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, shared by the broadcaster, there has been another promising update on Tottenham Hotspur’s links to winger Adama Traore.

The Lowdown: Spurs in talks…

In what has been a long-winded transfer saga, with Spurs having been in talks over this last fortnight, reports have suggested that an agreement is near but they haven’t quite wrapped it up yet.

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Some sources suggest that Tottenham were looking to sign him on loan with the obligation to buy at one stage with reports then emerging of a rejected £15 million bid for Traore.

Wolves apparently want around £10m more than that if Spurs are going to seal a deal with Solhekol now sharing the latest on Sky.

The Latest: Spurs ‘very, very close’…

According to his information, Tottenham are ‘very, very close’ to signing Traore in a deal worth £20 million with a compromise fee on the cards.

“Spurs are getting close to signing him for a compromise fee of around £20m,” Solhehol explained.

“Last week they offered £15m, that was rejected, Wolves want about £25m, I think a deal is there to be done for around £20m.

“I think Adama Traore is now getting very, very close.”

The Verdict: Exciting times…

As Spurs also attempt to conclude other moves, both incomings and outgoings, the Lilywhites may well want this over the line first as they have been in negotiations for a while.

Lauded as a player who ‘could really excite the Tottenham fans’ by pundit Noel Whelan, his impressive average of 4.2 successful take-ons per 90 indicates a real threat who could be of use to manager Antonio Conte in the right-wing back role.

For £20m, he could be a real snip, especially considering he is still just 25-years-old and possesses bags of Premier League experience.

In other news: ‘Never been closer’…Journalist has major Spurs exit news, find out more here.

We are now just days away from potentially seeing the true financial might of Newcastle’s new owners with the January transfer window on the verge of opening.

However, before that, Eddie Howe will have to negotiate a tough test against another Premier League side who have a new manager in Ralf Rangnick’s Manchester United.

On the chalkboard

It will have been eight days since the Magpies last played which has presented them with an incredibly rare opportunity for the players to have a break during the festive season.

It was much-needed too, especially after the Toon were beaten horrendously by a rampant Manchester City team who put four past Martin Dubravka last time out.

The game started in the worst possible way for Howe’s side as dreadful defending saw City score a simple opener.

Joao Cancelo knocked the ball back from the byline line and instead of heading clear, Ciaran Clark ducked under the ball which meant a simple tap in for Ruben Dias who was left unmarked just yards from goal.

It was a truly unforgivable mistake from the centre-half and one that was slammed by club legend Alan Shearer.

The former striker said of Newcastle and Clark’s defending:

“The way Newcastle defended, if it wasn’t my team I would say it was laughable, but it was anything but that.

“Then [the Clark mistake] happens. You wouldn’t see it in an under-10s game, this wouldn’t happen.”

For Shearer to essentially describe the Irishman as worse than an U10 speaks volumes but this isn’t the first time he’s let his side down at a crucial point.

Take the Norwich City game for example. Teemu Pukki rolled in behind and was clean through on goal but Clark brought him down in a cynical fashion and he was shown a red card.

It’s evident that Newcastle’s backline needs desperately improving.

Heading into Christmas, the Magpies had shipped more goals than any other team in the top-flight (41) and had one of the worst defensive records in the highest four divisions of English football. Only Morecambe and Peterborough United (44) had let in more strikes throughout the campaign than Howe’s men.

Clark has been a big reason for that and as a result, he simply has to be axed from the starting XI this evening against United.AND in other news, Downie reveals behind the scenes NUFC update “from Saudi Arabia”, fans surely livid…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Fiorentina centre-forward Dusan Vlahovic…

What’s the talk?

According to Spanish outlet El Nacional, PIF chairman Mohammad Bin Salman is prepared to meet the Serie A side’s £67m (€80m) valuation of the attacker, whilst he is also willing to offer him a heft salary to convince him to make the switch.

The report claims that Real and Atletico Madrid are also keen on the forward, with the Magpies hoping to steal a march on their La Liga rivals.

Cloud nine

This report will surely leave Newcastle fans buzzing as it shows a serious degree of ambition from the owners. It would be a stunning deal for the club as his goalscoring record over the last 18 months suggests that he would be a major addition to the squad and beating massive Spanish clubs to his signature would show a sign of intent.

Since the start of last season, Vlahovic has scored 31 goals in 47 Serie A starts for Fiorentina. This shows that he can score goals at an exceptional rate at the top level, which bodes well for his potential form in the Premier League if he joins the Magpies.

He has shown that he has the quality to score goals on a regular basis and fans would surely be delighted to see such an attacking threat come through the door in January.

Serie A expert Connor Clancy heaped praise on the attacker earlier this year and pointed out his key strengths.

He told This is Futbol: “[He’s] Incredible, and it really caught me by surprise because I’d seen him play in the flesh a few times and he scored a great goal against Inter and there was a lot of hype in Florence about him. People were saying this guy’s the real deal and I just couldn’t see it.

“He’s just a complete number nine and I know it’s just off the back of one season, but he’s strong, can link play up, can hold the ball up and most importantly, he’s scoring goals. He’s one of those players that when he looks confident, you almost expect him to score every time he plays.”

Newcastle fans will, therefore, be delighted with the prospect of Vlahovic arriving at Newcastle in January.

They will also be elated to read that PIF are prepared to pay the £67m and are willing to commit the funds to bring him to Tyneside, even if the move doesn’t go through for other reasons – with the club currently battling against relegation in the Premier League.

This would be a stunning signing, one that could lift them from the doldrums of a relegation battle to brighter times.

AND in other news, Newcastle played a blinder with dream £7m deal for colossus who “gives everything”…

Alex McLeish has given his reaction to some Glasgow Rangers injury news that he has now heard involving Alfredo Morelos.

The Lowdown: Thigh surgery for Morelos

The Ibrox club confirmed earlier this week that the 25-year-old has undergone surgery on a thigh injury and will now return to training in pre-season, which means he has been ruled out for the rest of the current campaign.

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It has been reported that they could now sell the Colombia international in the summer, meaning that he may have played his last game for the Teddy Bears.

The Latest: McLeish reacts to Morelos blow

Speaking to Football Insider, former Light Blues manager McLeish has now given his reaction to the news of Morelos’ injury, as well as the striker’s potential departure this summer. He said:

“Listen, you couldn’t rule it out. It’s a massive blow because who else do you turn to now in terms of getting goals?

“I like Roofe but I think he has to play with somebody up front. I don’t think he’s a lone striker. I do feel he needs a foil to play with. Who that foil is going to be, I don’t really know.”

The Verdict: Others must step up

Morelos is Rangers’ top scorer this season on 19 goals, and in his absence, others must now step up to the plate ahead of Sunday’s clash against St Mirren.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team managed no shots on target in their 1-0 loss away to Braga in the Europa League on Thursday night, which is simply not good enough.

If they are to have any chance of going through to the semi-finals, then their frontmen must be more prolific. After all, they could be playing for a starting spot next season if Morelos ends up leaving Ibrox.

In other news, these were the Gers’ three worst performers against Braga

Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing a swoop for Nantes attacking midfielder Ludovic Blas, with Eddie Howe’s side in desperate need of extra creativity in the final third.

What’s the story?

According to the Daily Star, the Magpies are in talks with the Ligue 1 outfit over a potential deal for the 24-year-old, with Premier League rivals Watford also reportedly in discussions.

The Frenchman has been in stellar form this term, scoring seven goals and setting up another one in 19 Ligue 1 appearances, with his side currently ninth in the French top flight.

Valued at £14.4m by Transfermarkt and earning £16k-p/w, the attacking midfielder -who is often deployed as an inverted right-winger – has two years left on his contract with Nantes and could be on his way to the Premier League this month.

Last season, Blas completed the most successful dribbles in Ligue 1 with 80, whilst recording the fifth-highest amount in the French top flight since the 2017/18 campaign.

There has been plenty of attention surrounding the 24-year-old, with team-mate and former Liverpool midfielder Pedro Chirivella comparing Blas to former Anfield teammates Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

Speaking to French magazine So Foot, Chirivella said: “When it comes to pure talent, I rate Ludovic Blas above all the others. I played with [Philippe] Coutinho, Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, I know what they are capable of.

“And when I see what ‘Ludo’ is doing in training or in games, he has nothing to envy them when it comes to talent. He’s incredible, spectacular, and his future looks bright. We are often lined up together in the middle, we see football the same way, and it is a pleasure to grow alongside him.”

Blas would be a huge upgrade for Newcastle

With Eddie Howe’s side still 19th in the Premier League table and in real danger of being relegated, the 44-year-old will be desperate for as many new recruits as possible this window.

The Magpies have already signed right-back Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid and striker Chris Wood from Burnley this month.

However, their attack could do with the sort of creativity that Blas may be able to provide. The Tyneside outfit are currently averaging a goal per game in the Premier League, having scored just 20 goals in their 20 matches; only three teams have scored fewer goals in the division.

Callum Wilson has provided six of those goals, but the 29-year-old is set to miss eight weeks of action through injury.

Right now, Allan Saint-Maximin is the Magpies’ top creator with five goals and three assists. However, after the Frenchman, no midfielder or attacker has contributed more than one assist.

Granted, there is the argument that Blas would need the time to settle in a new league, whilst there also being serious expectations put on the 24-year-old’s shoulders with Newcastle deep in the relegation dogfight. Based on the Nantes player’s goal return and the garlands surrounding him, though, he could prove to be exactly what Howe desperately needs.

AND in other news, Newcastle eyeing a move for player dubbed the “new Vidic.”

An update has emerged regarding Paris Saint-Germain’s plans for reported Newcastle United transfer target Mauro Icardi.

What’s the talk?

According to L’Equipe’s Friday edition, via Sport Witness, the Ligue 1 giants are open to offers for the attacker ahead of the January transfer window and are looking for a fee in the region of €50m (£42.7m), whilst they could also be tempted into a loan move with an option to buy at the end of the season.

The Magpies have been touted with the centre-forward recently, with Eddie Howe plotting his targets ahead of next month.

Dream deal

PIF could seal a dream deal for Newcastle in multiple ways by landing a swoop for the Argentina international in January.

Firstly, the structure of the move could work perfectly for them. If PSG are willing to allow him to join on loan with an option to buy, that would alleviate the added financial pressure which would be forced upon them if they were relegated to the Championship with Icardi’s wages on the books.

The Magpies would be able to opt against signing him permanently if they finish in the bottom three, or they could pin him down to a long-term contract if his contributions help to keep them in the top flight, which is why this could be a dream deal for the club.

His goalscoring record throughout his career suggests that he has the ability to keep them up. The marksman scored 124 goals in 219 games for Inter and has now found the back of the net 36 times in 79 games for PSG, highlighting his class in front of goal.

Italy centre-back Giorgio Chiellini had previously lavished praise on the 28-year-old, saying: “Among the great attackers I have faced, I highly value Icardi, who inside the area is almost impossible to mark. Mauro against Juve has often scored, it hurt me.

“He’s a world-class centre-forward, even if he lacks something in the collective game, he’s a Trezeguet but with different characteristics, lethal in the aerial game but perfectible outside the surface.”

This suggests that Icardi has the ability to come in and score goals for Newcastle, as he has proven that he can do it at the top level in France and Italy, with Chiellini’s comments showing how much of a threat the 28-year-old can be to defenders. Therefore, he could be a dream signing for PIF both in terms of the financial aspects of the move and what he could bring to Howe’s side on the pitch.

AND in other news, Dream come true: PIF could leave the Toon Army buzzing with major NUFC appointment…