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Transfer expert Dean Jones says that a shock Southampton move for Benfica and Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos in the January window is not ‘impossible’.

The Lowdown: Hat-trick hero

After coming into the starting line-up for Portugal in place of Cristiano Ronaldo for their last-16 clash against Switzerland in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Ramos managed to bag himself a hat-trick and an assist in a 6-1 demolition.

His performance would have certainly raised his profile further on the world stage, having scored 14 goals and made six assists in 21 games for Benfica in total over all competitions before the break (Transfermarkt).

The Saints have been linked with a move for Ramos, but the striker is sure to attract plenty of other interest in January given his World Cup exploits, with European heavyweights Bayern Munich, PSG and Juventus already reportedly sniffing around his signature.

The Latest: Not ‘impossible’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has claimed that a shock St. Mary’s move for Ramos is not ‘impossible’, and that he could ‘still become an option’ for Southampton in January:

“I’m not sure they actually are, I think they could still become an option if he does actually leave.

“I think the hat-trick obviously put him on the map, but the fact that there was no follow up on that, the fact he is now out of the tournament, it means there’s no further profile boost for him.

“And that probably helps clubs of that level because if he’d done it again, and suddenly he’s escalated and just kind of passed you by. But I’m not convinced that that’s impossible.”

The Verdict: Does seem difficult…

Even though a move for Ramos may not be impossible, it does still seem difficult for the Saints to be able to attract him, given the level of competition that they are likely to face for his signature.

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Hailed as an ‘incredible talent’ by football content creator Jacob Schneider after his fine opening goal for Portugal against Switzerland, the 21-year-old would surely aim higher than Southampton in terms of his next move, with them currently in the relegation zone in the Premier League.

Nonetheless, if the Saints can offer up the right amount of cash, then they may still have a chance of signing him in January.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United centre-forward Callum Wilson and his current injury situation…

What’s the talk?

According to The Times, the Magpies attacker is set to make his return to action on the other side of the international break against Fulham.

The report claims that he will be fit for Newcastle’s next Premier League outing after missing the last four matches with a hamstring knock that he sustained in the 3-3 draw against Manchester City.

It is also stated that the 30-year-old has not given up all hope of being able to play his way into making the England squad for the upcoming World Cup in November.

Eddie Howe recently refused to rule out the possibility of it happening, saying:

“I never try to predict what will happen in the future and I’ll never write off Callum Wilson. His mindset is incredible. I don’t think his World Cup chance is gone and I don’t think Callum believes so either.

“Of course, I feel for him because he’s not in the squad and I feel for him because he’s been injured. But you have to look to the future and for Callum, you can’t sit there and dwell and go, ‘Poor me’.”

Howe should be delighted

The Magpies’ head coach should be left delighted by the prospect of Wilson being available for the match against Fulham at Craven Cottage next month.

Newcastle have only scored three goals in four games since the striker’s injury and this suggests that they are sorely lacking at the top end of the pitch.

Summer signing Alexander Isak scored two of those three goals, in three starts, and Allan Saint-Maximin bagged the other, as the rest of the team have struggled to make an impact going forward.

Wilson coming back in could provide an added goal threat against Fulham, whether that comes with him starting alongside Isak or coming off the bench to make a difference in the final 20 minutes or so.

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He is a proven goalscorer in the Premier League and a player Howe knows he can rely upon in front of goal. The Englishman has scored two goals in three appearances this season, after managing eight strikes in 16 starts last term and 12 goals in 23 starts the year before that.

He knows how to find the back of the net on a consistent basis at this level and, therefore, can add a much-needed presence in the final third.

This is why the Toon head coach should be pleased by this injury update, as having Wilson back fit and available will be a big boost to the team and their goalscoring prospects heading into the clash with Fulham in London.

A claim has emerged on Tottenham target Youri Tielemans and what he wants to do in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed that the Spurs target, who they are not seriously pursuing at the moment, wants to sign for their bitter rivals ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He Tweeted: “Youri Tielemans update. Still no formal offers made. Tielemans wants to join Arsenal and Edu still in touch with his agent. Arsenal have agreed terms, and worked on the deal for a year, but have never placed an official bid.”

The reporter then added: “Tottenham and Real Madrid (other clubs sometimes linked) to date aren’t serious suitors. Nothing advanced. Right now, Leicester are planning for Tielemans to stay and not totally ruling out a new deal, which could still come if offers don’t materialise.”

Supporters will be gutted

This update will surely leave supporters at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium feeling gutted for multiple reasons.

Firstly, they will be frustrated that the club are not seriously considering a swoop for the gem this summer. He would be an excellent signing for Antonio Conte as he would add a much-needed goal threat from the middle of the park.

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No Tottenham central midfielder managed more than two goals in the Premier League last season and this suggests that they do not have much goalscoring quality in that position.

The likes of Harry Winks, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Ollie Skipp and Rodrigo Bentancur did not offer a great deal in front of goal, in terms of scoring, and new signing Yves Bissouma scored once for Brighton in 2021/22.

Tielemans, meanwhile, scored six times – at least three times as many as any Spurs midfielder – and has 12 strikes and eight assists in the last two top-flight campaigns combined for Leicester.

These statistics suggest that he has the quality to make a big impact in the final third from midfield and that is why he would be a fantastic addition to the squad, as he would offer something different to Conte’s current options.

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Because of this, the fans will also be gutted by the prospect of him signing for their bitter rivals. It would be frustrating for the fans to watch Tielemans performing well week-in-week-out for Arsenal and improving their team – wondering what he would have been like in a Spurs shirt.

Therefore, the supporters will be fuming with this latest claim and will now be hoping that the Gunners fail to get a deal over the line in the coming weeks. It could just make a big difference in the race for top four next term.

AND in other news, Conte approves move for “incredible” £9m signing, he’d give Spurs an “extra dimension”…

Newcastle United are reportedly now eyeing up a move to sign Ivan Toney in the summer.

The Lowdown: Where it all started…

It is easy to forget that Toney used to play for the St. James’ Park faithful, but he only made a mere four senior appearances, and was subsequently sold to Peterborough United back in 2018 for just £351,000.

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Now rated at £31.5m, the striker has scored 14 goals and made a further five assists in 32 matches in total over all competitions for Brentford so far this term (Transfermarkt), and is really showing his worth in the Premier League.

The Latest: Newcastle lurking

As per Football Insider, a recruitment source has revealed that both the North East club as well as Brighton and Hove Albion are among a number of teams that are ‘keeping close tabs’ on Toney, who is thought to cost at least £30m.

Eddie Howe is thought to be a ‘big admirer’ of his ‘pace, power and presence’, and thinks that he would ‘fit well’ in his side.

The Verdict: Sign

It would be a remarkable story if the Magpies decided to bring Toney back to Tyneside, and he would certainly be a signing that would excite the Toon Army.

Described as ‘phenomenal’ by Brentford chairman Cliff Crown, the 26-year-old has not reached his peak yet, and so he will feel as if there is another level that he can get to.

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Howe’s team could be the main beneficiaries of that, should they be able to strike a deal with the Bees.

In other news, find out what exciting NUFC transfer update Keith Downie has now dropped here!

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has addressed Celtic’s interest in Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Hannes Wolf, Give Me Sport report.

The Lowdown: McGree move breaks down

The Hoops have already brought in four players during the January transfer window, two of which have been midfielders in Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi.

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Ange Postecoglou seemingly wants more, though, as it appeared as if he would be getting another in Riley McGree. However, talks broke down over personal terms, with the Aussie now set to join Championship side Middlesbrough.

Celtic were linked with a move for Wolf prior to the saga with McGree, and O’Rourke has been having his say on a possible swoop for the Austrian.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

O’Rourke was talking to Give Me Sport regarding Celtic’s interest in Wolf, claiming that Postecoglou is a ‘big admirer’ of the midfielder.

“Wolf has been a long-term target for Celtic.

“Ange Postecoglou is reportedly a big admirer of him and it seems he doesn’t really figure in Monchengladbach’s plans going forward.”

The Verdict: Loan move?

The £12.5m-rated attacking midfielder can also play on either wing, so he could be a shrewd addition with David Turnbull ruled out for two months through injury.

A loan deal is thought to be possible for Wolf, and if the Hoops can include an option to buy within a temporary transfer, it would give them the power in the summer.

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Wolf has featured just once in Monchengladbach’s last 12 Bundesliga fixtures, however, should he replicate his 2018/19 form with RB Salzburg where he contributed to 15 goals in 22 games, it could be a wise move with the versatile midfielder still just 22 years of age.

In other news: Ange now eyeing Celtic move for left-midfielder amid McGree collapse; he’s his agency’s top star. 

Celtic have been dealt a tough hand in Europe with Ange Postecoglou having to withstand the test of some troublesome sides.

The Hoops have already come unstuck against Real Betis and they will desperately need to improve when Bayer Leverkusen arrive at Parkhead.

On the chalkboard

Based on Celtic’s recent form, supporters should be incredibly fearful over what result may occur on Thursday evening.

They have lost to Livingston and drawn with Dundee United during their last two league fixtures so the omens don’t exactly bode well.

Postecoglou’s men did score three times against Betis but it would be a great surprise if the same eventuality occurred tomorrow night.

Celtic will still be missing Kyogo Furuhashi and it’s thought that Callum McGregor will almost certainly be absent again.

He sat out their last Europa League clash with what was thought to be a knock but he hasn’t played since.

Who plays instead of him will be a crucial point of debate for the manager because he simply hasn’t got it right in the last few weeks.

James McCarthy has been abject to say the least, being terrorised for his performances since a first start in the defeat at Livi. During that clash, the Irishman attempted no attacking actions and lost the ball on 15 occasions.

Sadly, the midfielder was average against Dundee United too, winning just 33.3% of his defensive duels last weekend.

The solution

With that in mind, Postecoglou should consider turning to Ismaila Soro on Thursday, especially in a game where the Bhoys are expected to do more work off the ball.

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Like McCarthy, Soro hasn’t been at his best this term and he was fortunate not to be sent off against Betis.

The Ivorian was keen to get stuck in and did make a number of impressive robust tackles. However, he is often caught out with his lack of discipline causing him to throw in challenges even when he’s already been booked.

That being said, the Celtic brute is clearly more dynamic and mean-mannered than McCarthy.

Described as a player with “explosive power” by former coach Ori Guttman, he has been compared to N’Golo Kante and it’s clear to see why.

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Soro occupies little pockets of space that enables him to sweep up the play. He reads the game well and is traditionally in the right place at the right time.

The 23-year-old knows what it takes to put in a defensive masterclass in Europe too. When they beat Lille 3-2 last term, he made a mind-boggling ten successful tackles.

The midfielder has failed to replicate that sort of display since but he simply has to step up with McGregor still on the sidelines.

Now feels like his time to really make a name for himself in Glasgow.

AND in other news, Ange may fix one of Celtic’s biggest problems by signing “lightning-quick” 43-cap ace…

Fulham have been dealt a blow in their bid to secure Aboubakar Kamara an exit from Craven Cottage this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Peter Rutzler, with The Athletic journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that talks regarding the 26-year-old’s proposed £4m switch to Aris Salonica have collapsed.

In his tweet, Rutzler said: “It’s understood that talks regarding a £4m transfer for Fulham’s Aboubakar Kamara to Greek Super League side Aris Salonica have broken down.”

Silva will be fuming

Considering just how poor Kamara has been for Fulham in recent seasons, reports that a deal which would have seen the striker seal an exit from Craven Cottage this summer – particularly for a fee of £4m – has fallen through is sure to have left Silva frustrated.

Indeed, over his 11 Premier League appearances for Fulham last term, the £1.8m-rated man scored no goals, registered no assists and missed one big chance, averaging just 0.2 shots on target per game.

These returns saw the man Claudio Ranieri dubbed “disrespectful” when he dislodged regular penalty taker Aleksandar Mitrovic to hit a spot kick in 2018, only to duly miss, earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.36, ranking him as the Cottagers’ fifth-worst performer in the top flight.

Seemingly as a result of these disappointing displays, in addition to his considerable £21k-per-week wages, Scott Parker subsequently sent the Mauritania international out on loan to Dijon for the second half of the campaign.

As such, it would very much appear as if Kamara’s time at Fulham is all but up, and with Aris having offered an extremely generous figure for the striker, this move would have been a fantastic outcome for Marco Silva and the west London club.

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However, with his proposed switch to Greece now appearing dead in the water, Tony Khan and Fulham’s transfer team will now have to get to work on finding the 26-year-old a new club.

In other news: Khan could have finally replaced Fulham legend with “outstanding” £19k-p/w beast

Lots of Manchester City fans are delighted after it was revealed that the Citizens could offer Gabriel Jesus in part-exchange for Harry Kane.

The Tottenham striker dropped a bombshell on Monday as he revealed to Spurs his intention to leave the club this summer (Sky Sports). The England international has had a wonderful career at Tottenham from a personal point of view, scoring 220 goals in 334 games for them (Transfermarkt), but he is yet to win a single trophy. As such, the Citizens have been linked with a move for his services.

It has been reported that they could offer Jesus plus cash to take Kane to the Etihad Stadium (Daily Mail). The Brazil international has 81 goals in 192 matches for City, but he has come in for criticism from some supporters due to his performances this season.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the club’s supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts, imploring director of football Txiki Begiristain to do all he can to pull off the swap deal.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Jesus news below

“Wow! deal of the decade! Win-win for City to be honest!”

Credit: @ancvalu

“YES PLS”

Credit: @mcfcbalz

“Txiki must make this happen!”

Credit: @MogaleMokoena

“What a move….What a move I’m loving this news”

Credit: @Trishent44

“Yeeeeees! We take the Kane, they the Jesus, the Torres at 9, and the Grealish wing, Perfect plan for us”

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Credit: @Dred17738856

“ON MY KNEES”

Credit: @mcfcbyron

In other news, a number of Man City fans loved this man’s comments.

Tottenham will be looking to continue their run in the Europa League with a positive result against Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday evening, although Jose Mourinho may have one eye on Sunday’s North London derby when he selects his team for the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs progressed comfortably past Wolfsberger in the last round, whilst Dinamo Zagreb made it through to the Round of 16 after beating Russian side Krasnodar 4-2 on aggregate.

Whilst it won’t be an easy game for Spurs, the Portuguese manager should make the most of his squad depth and make plenty of changes for the visit of the Croatian side, with the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son perhaps deserving a rest.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects Mourinho to set his side up against Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday, with 10 changes from the side that started against Crystal Palace on Sunday…

Joe Hart is likely to continue his role as the usual starter in the Europa League, coming in for Hugo Lloris.

There are three changes in defence, as Serge Aurier comes in for Matt Doherty at right-back, and Ben Davies replaces Sergio Reguilon on the left.

Toby Alderweireld is rested, with Eric Dier partnering Davinson Sanchez at centre-back, with the Colombian the only man to keep his place.

Mourinho has already confirmed that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will be rested, and after sitting out against Palace, Tanguy Ndombele is likely to come back in, with Moussa Sissoko the man to partner him in midfield.

Dele Alli’s recent impressive form sees him come back in, whilst Erik Lamela and Steven Bergwijn start in place of Gareth Bale and Son, who reportedly earns £175k per week at Spurs, on the wings.

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Finally, Carlos Vinicius will be looking to continue his decent record in the Europa League, with Kane rested, although it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Englishman feature if Spurs are struggling to make the breakthrough on Thursday.

And, in other news… Mourinho masterclass: Jose has revitalised £110k-p/w gem at Spurs with one simple change

According to an update by BILD football chief Christian Falk, via onefootball, Spurs are monitoring the situation of Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng alongside north London rivals Arsenal – with Daniel Levy and co still on the hunt for a new centre-half. 

Boateng, who has enjoyed a decorated career at the Allianz Arena, will be out of contract at Bayern next summer – with the player and club still yet to agree terms on a potential new deal.

Boateng on the move?

As the January transfer window looms, if Boateng does not put pen to paper, he could sign a deal to leave as a free agent in the summer with no profit going towards the Bavarian giants.

Bearing this in mind, selling the 32-year-old could be an ideal course of action, with both Spurs and Arsenal having a better chance than ever to finally secure him.

Tottenham have monitored the defender since 2017, and now Levy could sign the 6 foot 4 colossus who is valued at a bargain £10.8 million by Transfermarkt. 

Transfer Tavern take

Jose Mourinho failed to sign a top-class centre-half over the summer window, with talks breaking down over a deal for Milan Skriniar, and Joe Rodon is largely seen as one for the future.

Spurs could have a stable quick fix in Boateng despite him reaching the twilight stages of his career, and he dropped a huge hint over potentially moving clubs.

As reported by the Guardian, Boateng claimed he ‘would not say no’ to a Premier League move – with Tottenham among those who could snap him up after that declaration.

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If Mourinho manages to land this ‘excellent’ ace, it’s safe to say he would provide some much-needed solidarity and experience.

In other news: Spurs fans reacted to Mourinho’s strange comments, find out more here.