Newcastle United’s Jonjo Shelvey ‘feels that he could hit new heights’ under Eddie Howe amid contract talks with the club, Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport.
The lowdown
The midfielder, who turned 30 on Sunday, is now into the final 18 months of his existing deal at St James’ Park. He joined from Swansea City in a £12m deal in 2016 and penned fresh £70,000-per-week terms in 2020.
The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards recently wrote that Newcastle are intent upon tying down Shelvey as reward for his ‘increased prominence and performances’ in the past few months.
He has started all but one game since Howe replaced Steve Bruce, and even on that occasion it was injury which kept him out of the side. The former Liverpool man has also donned the captain’s armband for the Magpies’ last two matches.
The latest
Transfer insider Jones has said that it was entirely predictable that Newcastle would offer Shelvey a contract extension, with the 30-year-old apparently believing that Howe’s style of play can bring out the very best in him.
Jones told GiveMeSport about the proposed new deal for the midfielder: “Jonjo Shelvey, I’m not surprised at all, because I know he’s somebody they value, and in the playing style that Howe has, I think he feels that he could hit new heights.”
The verdict
It will be interesting to see just how many extra years Newcastle are willing to offer Shelvey. According to research conducted by The Athletic, central midfielders typically peak around age 25, although there’s a ‘large spread’ of players who play consistently between the ages of 24 and 30.
Shelvey has reached the upper limit on that scale, and perhaps that could be a consideration for Newcastle in terms of the length of contract to be offered to him.
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Another factor is Bruno Guimaraes, the £40m January signing from Lyon. He is on the bench behind Shelvey for now, but for how much longer will that be the case?
In other news, Newcastle are keen on signing one player who featured in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday
With Karamoko Dembele’s Celtic contract set to expire at the end of the season – and, as yet, the winger being yet to sign a new deal with the Bhoys – there is a growing level of uncertainty surrounding the 19-year-old’s immediate future at Parkhead.
Indeed, the England U18 international is yet to play a competitive fixture under the management of Ange Postecoglou – something that has largely been down to the forward fracturing his ankle in pre-season – and questions are starting to be asked as to whether the teenager is a part of the 56-year-old’s long-term plans at Celtic Park.
This exact question was put to the Greek-Australian coach prior to Wednesday’s Premiership clash against St. Mirren, to which Postecoglou replied: “I hope so. With Karamoko, he’s just been really unlucky with injuries.
“In pre-season, I really was looking forward to working with him. People will remember he was on the end of a pretty unordinary tackle which really set him back. But he’s worked really hard to get his fitness back. He’s now available, we just haven’t found the right game to give him an opportunity, but he will get an opportunity between now and the end of the year – absolutely.
“It’s also about futures and where they see their futures. I’ve said all along, for me, this football club is everything that a young player should want. Particularly at the moment – I really want to bring young players into the first team and give them an opportunity. But they’ve got to be invested in our football club. I’m going to invest time in and give opportunities to people who want to stay at our football club.
“With Karamoko, he’s been in the squad the last couple of games. He’ll be in the squad tomorrow night. He’s obviously missed a lot of football as well so I’m really careful about when I want to put him in. But he’ll get an opportunity. He’s an exciting young player and the way we play should suit him, so, hopefully, he has an impact and helps us.”
As such, with Postecoglou himself suggesting he is waiting for the perfect opportunity to let Dembele loose in the first team, it would very much appear as if tonight’s home fixture against eighth-place St. Mirren could well be the ideal game to do so.
Indeed, with James Forrest having failed to find any real level of form so far this season, in addition to Liel Abada having had a game to forget against Hibernian last time out, now would seem to be the ideal time to unleash a fresh pair of legs on the right-wing.
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And, should the £2k-per-week forward who Ruud Gullit claimed is an “exceptionally good” talent who “looks pretty special” impress against the Saints, he could well go on to stake a claim as being a starter for Postecoglou over the remainder of the season – an outcome that would undoubtedly delight everyone involved with the club.
In other news: Ange can unearth Celtic’s new Rogic in “talented” 17 y/o who “knows where the goal is”
Daily Record journalist Steven Mair has talked up the possibility of Liam Kelly making a ‘fairytale’ return to Rangers this summer.
The lowdown
The 26-year-old came through the youth ranks at Ibrox before he was offloaded to Livingston four years ago. From there, he moved to Queen’s Park Rangers, and then onto current club Motherwell.
Rangers may need a new ‘keeper this summer, with the veteran Allan McGregor reportedly set to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Kelly still has just under two-and-a-half years left to run on his deal at Fir Park, and he is valued at just £405,000 by Transfermarkt.
The latest
In pinpointing potential successors to McGregor at Rangers for the Daily Record, Mair claimed that Rangers realise Kelly has ‘plenty of peak years’ ahead of him. Furthermore, he is a particularly ‘great option’ for Giovanni van Bronckhorst if he ‘wants to go down the route’ of a ball-playing ‘keeper.
Kelly was ‘cut adrift’ by the Light Blues in 2018, so Mair wrote that ‘it would be the stuff of fairytales’ if the 26-year-old came back and assumed the number one spot. However, the journalist warned that he ‘wouldn’t come cheap’, which will surely be a consideration for the Gers.
The verdict
It was only at the weekend that Kelly faced off with his former club at Ibrox, and he certainly gave a good account of himself, making seven saves (five from inside the penalty area) to earn a team-high SofaScore rating of 8.0/10.
Mair described one save from James Tavernier as a ‘worldie’ but stressed that he’s produced a multitude of ‘wow’ moments over the course of the campaign.
In addition to his eye-catching saves and passing range, Kelly also boasts intangible attributes. For instance, WhoScored cite ‘concentration’ as a strength of his, while Mair noted that the goalkeeper is ‘largely seen as a great influence’ in the dressing room at Fir Park.
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Therefore, it should come as no great surprise that he is being talked up as the possible successor to McGregor at Rangers.
In other news, one journalist expects significant transfer interest in these two Rangers players
Alex Neil will be hoping to extend his current unbeaten run in charge of Sunderland to five games as his side host Crewe Alexandra this afternoon.
The Black Cats beat Fleetwood 3-1 in their last outing at the Stadium of Light and can now make it back-to-back wins on their own turf today.
If results go their way, Sunderland can move up to fourth in the table and above Oxford with a win, whilst also potentially moving to within six points off the automatic promotion places.
One change that Neil must make to his starting XI for this match is the removal of Patrick Roberts from the line-up after the 25-year-old’s disappointing performance last time out.
Former Black Cats boss Lee Johnson dubbed the winger an “amazing coup” upon his arrival at the Stadium of Light in January, but he is yet to prove the since-sacked manager right.
Neil offered Roberts a huge opportunity to showcase his quality against Fleetwood and he spurned that chance with a worrying display. He lined up on the right of the front three and failed to show that he deserves to retain his place in the team.
The ex-Manchester City winger struggled on and off the ball before being substituted in the 71st minute. As per SofaScore, he lost five of his eight individual duels and failed to make a single clearance, block, interception or tackle. This suggests that he was lacking on the defensive side of the game, as he was too weak in his battles and did not do enough to win back the ball for his team.
The 25-year-old also offered very little in possession. As per SofaScore, he completed 16 passes and failed to create a single chance, whilst also failing with three of his six attempted dribbles. He lost the ball 16 times from 38 touches, a recurring theme for him since joining the club.
In six League One appearances for Sunderland, Roberts has lost possession 48 times from 98 touches, which effectively equates to losing the ball every two touches on average. This is a shocking statistic and shows that he has been far too wasteful on the ball for the club in his short time on Wearside so far.
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Therefore, Neil must brutally axe him from the starting XI, as the winger’s abysmal form does not suggest that he will have a positive impact on the team against Crewe Alexandra. Hopefully he will be able to rediscover his best form soon, but he may have to do that whilst coming off the bench to prove that he deserves the time to get back to his best.
AND in other news, Neil must now unleash 21 y/o Sunderland gem with “persistence” and “effortless” natural ability…
Leeds United youngsters Jamie Shackleton and Lewis Bate have both picked up injuries on Under-23s duty, according to journalist Adam Pope.
The Lowdown: Leeds youngsters see off Man United
The young Whites enjoyed an evening to remember on Tuesday night, as they took on Manchester United in a Premier League 2 clash.
It was Leeds who prevailed 3-0 at Elland Road, with Stuart McKinstry, Max Dean and Archie Gray finding the net and the latter’s strike a stunner from 35 yards.
Shackleton and Bate also featured for the Whites but a negative update has emerged regarding the pair.
[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]
The Latest: Bate, Shackleton “doubts”
Taking to Twitter on Thursday, BBC’s Pope confirmed that Shackleton and Bate picked up knocks during the match, although they are only thought to be minor issues:
“Shackleton & Bates picked up small knocks in the Under 23s 3-0 win over Man Utd.”
According to Leeds Live, both players are now “doubts” vs Wolves on Friday.
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The Verdict: Blow to Marsch’s depth
In terms of Jesse Marsch’s first team, Shackleton and Bate’s injuries are not going to majorly affect their plans, with the pair not expected to play key roles between now and the end of the season.
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That’s not to say that they can’t be important players one day, but with a relegation battle on the cards, experienced heads are needed in the next couple of months.
That said, it is yet another blow to the manager’s already dwindling depth – Bate has made a Premier League bench nine times this term while Shackleton has featured somewhat regularly, playing 683 top flight minutes.
In other news, a journalist has made a key claim regarding one Leeds player. Read more here.
Leeds United are reportedly eyeing up a summer move for Trabzonspor goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, as Jesse Marsch looks to perfect his squad.
The Lowdown: Cakir shining in Turkey
Cakir has emerged as arguably Turkey’s best ‘keeper in recent years, winning 17 caps for his country and starting three matches at Euro 2020 last summer.
The 25-year-old’s form once saw him linked with a move to Liverpool but the transfer failed to materialise and he has remained at Trabzonspor since making his debut in 2014.
Cakir’s current deal doesn’t run out until the summer of 2024 but it appears as though Leeds are eyeing up a move in the near future.
[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]
The Latest: Leeds already in talks with agent
According to Turkish outlet Fanatik [via Sport Witness], the Whites have ‘stepped in’ for the Turk regarding a summer move, with Newcastle United also mentioned in the report.
It is claimed that ‘officials of the British team contacted the agent’ of Cakir, as interest in his signature hots up.
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The Verdict: Meslier heading elsewhere?
Considering Cakir would likely arrive at Leeds expecting to be first choice, it does potentially raise doubts over Illan Meslier’s future at Elland Road.
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Marsch surely wouldn’t feel the need to have both players in his squad – keeping them happy would be extremely difficult – so you have to wonder if their current stopper is heading elsewhere.
The hope is surely that Meslier stays put, given his potential, but Cakir is only 25 years of age himself and also has a high ceiling, having been hailed as ‘one of the best goalkeepers I have seen in my life’ by Leicester City Head of Senior Recruitment Lee Congerton.
In other news, one club are reportedly lining up a fresh bid for one Leeds player. Read more here.
Everton have had a shocking season, with numerous injury problems and poor performances contributing to their current relegation challenge. If they can remain in the Premier League next season, there seems little doubt that Frank Lampard will be making changes over the summer, but there is one player’s future which could be out of his hands already.
What’s the word?
Journalist Dean Jones has made a big claim on the future of Toffees deadline day signing Dele Alli, with his future at the club uncertain and potentially cut short.
The transfer insider told GiveMeSport: “If he’s not in the team by the end of the season, it’s pretty likely he’s gone.”
Lampard will be fuming
Lampard only joined the club on transfer deadline day in January but wasted no time bringing in Alli on the very same day to offer him the opportunity to revive his career away from Tottenham. However, due to the nature of Everton’s situation in the Premier League, the 43-year-old does not have the time at this point of the season to find the attacking midfielder’s best position in the team.
With only ten league games left for the Toffees, Lampard is obviously looking to his most experienced and reliable attacking players to secure safety for the club to remain in the Premier League this season. With Alli struggling for consistency in his game, as seen at Spurs over the last few seasons, the former Chelsea boss clearly doesn’t trust him yet.
Lampard will surely be fuming at the speculation surrounding the 25-year-old, and after giving Alli a chance to join him at Goodison Park, he would no doubt be disappointed if the player decided to leave due to a lack of game-time in a vulnerable period for the Toffees, as there could be an opportunity to take a much more consistent role in the team next season if they aren’t relegated this year.
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Even this season, there could still be moments when Lampard feels that he can lean on the ex-Spurs playmaker, but it could really pay off for Alli if he maintains patience and works with his manager to secure a role in the team in the future. Alas, this could ultimately depend on the league status of the club next season – if they were to drop into the Championship, they will likely have a tough time trying to keep many of their marquee players, including Alli.
In other news: Everton handed fresh lift as update emerges, Lampard will be buzzing
Aston Villa had a fairly miserable return to Premier League action on Saturday following on from the latest international break.
Having travelled to Molineux to take on their Midlands rivals Wolves, Steven Gerrard’s side ended up losing 2-1 after an Ollie Watkins penalty wasn’t enough to overturn their 2-0 deficit at the halftime point.
One other blow the Villans suffered in the clash was to left-back Lucas Digne, who had to be replaced by Ashley Young after just 13 minutes.
Now that a couple of days have gone by since this defeat, an update has emerged on the Frenchman’s fitness, which will surely be a big positive for Gerrard and a huge boost for the team.
What’s the news?
According to a Twitter post from Villa journalist Gregg Evans, Digne was taken off the pitch “after complaining of an upset stomach,” rather than being injured.
Since arriving at Villa Park back in the previous January transfer window from fellow Premier League side Everton in a deal worth £25m, the 28-year-old has made nine league appearances, quickly cementing himself as their first-choice left-back.
Great news for Gerrard
In those appearances, the defender has racked up an average of 1.2 key passes per game, the third-highest of any Villa player as well as an average of 1.1 crosses per game, the highest of any player in Gerrard’s squad.
This highlights just what he offers the side and why they may have weakened after his early exit against Wolves.
His overall performances have earned the former Toffees star a season rating of 6.79 from WhoScored, making him the seventh-highest Villa player above the likes of Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia and Danny Ings among others.
This shows just how much of a solid signing he’s been for the Villans since his winter arrival.
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Moving forward, with confirmation that Digne didn’t suffer an injury at the weekend and was just an upset stomach that forced him off the pitch, this will surely be a relief for Gerrard given how much he’s relied on the Frenchman.
With Villa now having lost their three previous league games, having Digne and his attacking talents in the side on a consistent basis will surely be a big boost for the team and their hopes of turning their fortunes around.
In other news: Forget Young: “Stupid” Aston Villa dud who lost 71% duels was a liability v Wolves
Heading into the New Year at Elland Road, there’s plenty to be positive about for Leeds United.
With two wins and two draws to date in December, Daniel Farke’s Whites have impressively pulled themselves out of the Premier League relegation mire, with the 4-1 triumph over Crystal Palace last time out being a very early Christmas gift for the passionate West Yorkshire masses to savour.
Unfortunately, though, even as Ethan Ampadu and Dominic Calvert-Lewin lead by example, with the Leeds captain noted as having “run the show” versus the Eagles as per the Athletic’s Beren Cross, there is a large portion of Farke’s camp who are still staring the exit door in the face.
Who could leave Leeds in January?
With Calvert-Lewin now up to an eye-catching seven Premier League strikes for the season, and Ampadu firing home first first-ever top-flight strike against Oliver Glasner’s men, it goes without saying that this duo are some of the first names on the German’s team sheet.
The same cannot be said for midfielder Ilia Gruev, who has fallen down the pecking order dramatically ever since promotion was achieved. The likes of Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach have not helped Gruev in that regard, arriving through the door in the summer to bolster the midfield ranks.
Consequently, the Bulgarian has only managed to line up for three full Premier League matches this season for Farke’s men, and with the ex-Norwich City manager now clearly finding a winning rhythm with his chosen lineup, it feels very unlikely that Gruev will push back into his first team plans shortly.
Jack Harrison will also surely be feeling the inevitability of his Leeds career ending, with no goals or assists coming his way from his limited 263 minutes of league action this season.
Only 22 minutes of that meagre tally fell in November and December, with the 29-year-old, who once lifted the Championship title in West Yorkshire under Marcelo Bielsa, now some way off the first team picture.
Illan Meslier’s contract also expires at the end of the season at Elland Road, with a sad farewell looking likely as early as January if he’s sold, or at the very end of the campaign, with the Frenchman, despite being error-prone, a long-standing Whites servant having notched up 215 appearances for the club.
He isn’t the only part of Farke’s promotion-winning camp who has seen all of his game time dry up after promotion, though.
Leeds star looks finished in 2025/26
That is the one glaring negative about Calvert-Lewin now coming to the forefront as Leeds’ main marksman, with previous free-flowing strikers pushed to the background to accommodate the goalscoring prowess of the top-flight proven ace.
Joel Piroe has fallen victim to these changes up top, despite the ex-Swansea City centre-forward actually picking up the coveted accolade of the Championship’s golden boot last season.
A clinical 19 goals were scored by the lethal number 10 last campaign as Farke and Co romped home to the title. Journalist Josh Bunting was right in his assessment that Piroe is an extremely “dangerous” forward presence to try and contain in the second tier.
His manager was even more complimentary, having hailed him as the club’s “best finisher” when he was in this red-hot form, while even outrageously claiming that the 26-year-old was a “world-class” star when leading the goalscoring charts.
Piroe’s league numbers for Leeds
Stat
24/25
25/26
Games played
46
9
Games started
36
2
Goals scored
19
0
Assists
7
0
Stats by Sofascore
Yet, Farke, despite all this praise, has barely handed the Dutchman opportunities to shine in the Premier League, resulting in Piroe still being goalless this campaign, from a minimal nine appearances.
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He is now cutting an “anonymous” figure – as he was once criticised in the Championship when not on top form by journalist James Marshment – with his 15-minute cameo against a leaky Palace defence seeing him register no goals on the away side’s net.
Staggeringly, he last attempted a shot at an opposition goal back in November when Aston Villa came to town, with Lukas Nmecha a far better reserve option up top for Farke to call upon when he’s fit, having bagged four top-flight strikes since leaving Wolfsburg behind.
Piroe could well prove to be an inspired pick-up for a second-tier outfit in January, aiming to push into the promised land of the Premier League, with the unusually goal-shy number ten surely done now at Elland Road.
Farke now has his own David Batty at Leeds in "indispensable" star
Daniel Farke has a new leader in his Leeds United ranks who could be considered his own David Batty.
Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer hopes Roy Hodgson stays at Craven Cottage and resists the opportunity to manage Liverpool.
The Reds are looking for a new manager after dispensing with Rafa Benitez's services and veteran Cottagers boss Hodgson has already been linked with the Anfield vacancy.
Australia international Schwarzer said:"The gaffer is huge for Fulham. He has done a remarkable job during the past two-and-a-half years.
"We hope he doesn't go, we hope he stays at Fulham. But I wouldn't blame him at all if he decides to move.
"It doesn't surprise me if a number of clubs would be after him as a manager given his superb record.
"The gaffer is at that stage of this career where he is thinking 'will this sort of opportunity come around again?'
"I suppose in a lot of ways you can't blame the guy if an opportunity like this came along.
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"It is Liverpool you are talking about, a huge club, who normally compete in the Champions League every season.
"There are four or five such clubs in the country and there would be very few managers or players who would find it difficult to resist going to them."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email