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Newcastle United could offer Miguel Almiron to Villarreal as part of a deal for Arnaut Danjuma, according to The Sunday Mirror. 

The lowdown

Eddie Howe was in charge at Bournemouth when the Cherries paid Club Brugge £14.8million to sign Danjuma in 2019.

Amid injury problems, he made only 14 Premier League appearances (six starts) in his first season on the south coast.

Howe subsequently resigned, but Danjuma exploded into life in the Championship, scoring 17 goals and providing eight assists in 2020/21.

That earned him a move back to the top level with Villarreal, for whom he’s made 28 appearances this season.

The latest

Howe has already been reunited with Callum Wilson, Matt Ritchie and Ryan Fraser on Tyneside and, in addition to Danjuma, he’s also said to be keen on bringing Lloyd Kelly to St James’ Park.

Reliable reports on the south coast say Kelly will be the subject of a summer bid from the Magpies, with scouts allegedly attending all his games, and it appears he’s not the only former Howe student catching the eye.

The latest reports (via The Boot Room) state that Newcastle have identified Danjuma as a target ahead of the summer transfer window.

Almiron is one of the players the club are willing to sell this summer, and they could attempt a part-exchange with The Yellow Submarine.

The verdict

What would this deal look like? Well, there’s about a £30million difference in the two players’ Transfermarkt valuations (Danjuma £45million, Almiron £14.4million) and so, assuming Villarreal are interested in the Paraguayan, there may still need to be a negotiation over the fee.

It’s easy to understand why Newcastle are keen on Danjuma though, his team’s top scorer this season with 13 goals in all competitions.

Five of those goals have come in the Champions League, and the Dutchman is currently preparing for a quarterfinal meeting with Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Villarreal vice-president Jose Manuel Llaneza has dubbed him a ‘Rolex player’, while talent scout Jacek Kulig considers him ‘one of Europe’s best dribblers’.

It’s certainly a signing, then, that the Toon could get excited about.

In other news, Keith Downie shares an update on Shelvey.

According to 90min, amid all the noise surrounding pre-summer talks for Paulo Dybala, it appears Tottenham Hotspur have made contact to sign another superstar forward in Darwin Nunez.

The Lowdown: Nunez in demand…

Touted by reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano as one of the ‘big name’ players who could be on the move this summer, Benfica’s star striker is apparently attracting interest from across Europe and the Premier League.

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As well as Spurs, north London rivals Arsenal, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and West Ham are all harbouring an interest in Nunez, who could leave for £65 million this summer (90min).

This is significantly less than his release clause, which is estimated to be over £100m, and 90min believe that the Lilywhites are already making their first moves for the player before July 1.

The Latest: Spurs in contact…

While the links to Dybala are hotting up, according to 90min’s information, Tottenham are also in contact with Nunez’s representatives to find out what sort of agreement is possible to back manager Antonio Conte with the forward’s signing.

The report adds that Nunez himself is ‘ready to move’ this summer and a switch to England is very much ‘in his sights’.

The Verdict: Promising target…

While it will require a hefty investment on Tottenham’s part, the 22-year-old has been in scintillating form for Benfica this season, leaving little wonder why they are set to demand a hefty fee.

He’s racked up a quite incredible 20 goals in 22 league appearances over 2021/2022 with his young age and versatility across the forward line coming as yet more incentives for Spurs to attempt a move.

As Spurs officials allegedly make contact, this could be an indication that the club have real ambition to satisfy Conte.

In other news: Paratici sets sights on ‘phenomenal’ £100m man who Spurs have been offered before! Find out more here.

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Two Celtic wingers are expected to complete loan moves before the January transfer window closes, according to The Daily Record.

What’s the story?

Brendan Rodgers is expecting more outbound business than incoming as the clock ticks towards Thursday’s midnight deadline.

Maryan Shved – albeit not officially a Celtic player yet – made a flying visit to watch last night’s 2-0 win over St Johnstone and will return to Karpaty Lviv after completing the formalities of his move to Celtic.

And 22-year-old Lewis Morgan is set to complete his loan move to Sunderland, reuniting him with his old manager at St Mirren, Jack Ross.

Winger overload

Celtic are exceptionally well covered for wingers with James Forrest and Scott Sinclair returning from the winter break in top form. Loan signings Oliver Burke and Timo Weah have a nose for goal and are best used coming in off the flanks.

As further back up Mikey Johnston is available while Jonny Hayes can also provide cover.

In short, game-time for Shved and Morgan would be extremely limited although both men could ‘do a Ryan Christie’ and play their way into Rodgers’ future plans.

Arriving in Scotland in mid-season would be a big ask for Shved – returning to Kalpaty and upping his game will give him time to prepare for a big move and to make the best impact when he returns to Celtic.

Morgan certainly has ability, and linking up again with Ross to play in front of large demanding crowds at Sunderland will improve his game and his Celtic prospects.

Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell could miss the FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea through injury, according to The Evening Standard.

The Lowdown: Mitchell goes off

Labelled as ‘popular’ by former Eagles boss Roy Hodgson, the defender was forced off against Leicester City in his team’s 2-1 defeat on Sunday.

The 22-year-old has been a key member of Patrick Vieira’s squad during his first season in charge, starting every Premier League game.

However, he had to make way against the Foxes after just 34 minutes with what appeared to be a calf problem, and along with Michael Olise, he could now be in a race against time to feature at Wembley.

The Latest: Nervous wait

The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick shared a story regarding Mitchell on Monday.

He revealed that the full-back was due for scans on the problem on Monday, with Palace facing a nervous wait on the extent of the damage.

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

As mentioned, Mitchell has been an ever-present figure at Selhurst Park this season, so it would be a major blow if he is unable to feature at Wembley next weekend.

The Palace academy graduate has been their best-performing defender, as per WhoScored, and he is the only senior out-and-out left-back on the books for the Eagles.

Vieira will be keeping everything crossed that Mitchell can recover in time, as otherwise he will have a few selection headaches over the coming days.

In other news: Vieira now wants Parish to bring 25-assist star to Palace; club preparing to lose their player. 

Backing big transfer news out of Tottenham Hotspur, Alasdair Gold has shared some news on Twitter involving Juventus forward Dejan Kulusevski.

The Lowdown: Spurs ‘hit the panic button’…

After missing out on two targets in less than a week with both winger Adama Traore and forward Luis Diaz now looking off the table, Spurs and transfer chief Fabio Paratici are set for a pivotal last few days of the winter window.

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There has even been talk from sources of Spurs hitting the ‘panic button’ in north London with a ‘massive’ last hurdle approaching and ‘fears’ that manager Antonio Conte could walk (Telegraph reporter Matt Law).

Tottenham look set to be busy behind-the-scenes as they attempt to orchestrate both incomings an outgoings before Monday’s deadline, with midfielders Tanguy Ndombele and Dele Alli also still unable to seal moves away despite a willingness to let them leave.

Sharing more news out of N17, backing a claim from The Athletic and journalist David Ornstein, football.london correspondent Gold has dropped his own update on Twitter.

The Latest: Gold shares Kulusevski news…

As relayed by the reliable reporter, Tottenham and Paratici have now entered last minute talks for Sweden international Kulusevski.

Spurs’ managing director apparently has ‘high hopes’ for the 21-year-old personally as he turns to potentially signing the former Parma star as a Diaz alternative.

“Fabio Paratici is in talks for another name on his list in Dejan Kulusevski after the Diaz disappointment,” Gold explained on Twitter.

“He has high hopes for the versatile 21-year-old Swede even if he’s not the statement signing the Colombian was.”

The Verdict: Boom or bust?

The Scandinavian rising star will be a name familiar to most Spurs supporters given their club have long been linked with a move.

TUTTOmercatoWEB even claimed before the new year that both Paratici and Conte see Juve’s attacker as a ‘gem’ who possesses huge potential – thereby prompting the Italian duo to add Kulusevski to their list of transfer targets.

Gold reiterates that Spurs are looking to secure a loan deal with the option to make his move permanent, and if Juve green-light those conditions, Kulusevski could actually come as a shrewd purchase.

Over his best Serie A season for ex-club Parma in 2019/2020, the winger averaged a brilliant 2.2 key passes per 90 – a number exceeding that of any Spurs player in the Premier League this campaign (WhoScored).

He’s also highly versatile, able to play on the wing, further forward or even as an advanced playmaker – plugging many holes in Conte’s side.

Lauded as an ‘athletic phenomenon’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Kulusevski comes with bags of potential and it could be very interesting to see how he fares in England if Tottenham can seal an agreement.

In other news: Spurs now also preparing marquee eleventh hour bid to sign ‘special’ forward for Conte, find out more here.

A key Newcastle transfer claim has been made regarding their pursuit of Reims’ Hugo Ekitike…

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Magpies have failed with their first bid to sign the attacker from the Ligue 1 side this month.

He tweeted: “Reims are not intentioned to accept Newcastle opening proposal for talented striker Hugo Ekitike. Deal more than complicated – there’s interest also from West Ham but nothing advanced yet. #NUFC Reims want also a sell on clause included into potential Ekitike deal.”

This comes amid rumours of a move for Burnley attacker Chris Wood, who the Toon are believed to be on the verge of signing.

Infuriation for Hammond

This will surely infuriate Nick Hammond as he goes about looking to improve Eddie Howe’s Newcastle squad in the January transfer window.

The Magpies are in desperate need of reinforcements, and bringing in players as quickly as possible could be vital with big games coming up in the Premier League. They are currently 19th in the table and have only won one of their 19 matches in the division so far this term, whilst also conceding the joint-most goals along with bottom club Norwich.

This shows how desperate their situation is and why signing targets before the final few days of the window could be crucial as every point counts. Newcastle face Watford on Saturday with a chance to move out of the bottom three, and any signings before that clash could improve their chances of winning, which is why failing with this offer for Ekitike will frustrate Hammond.

Callum Wilson is currently out injured and this puts added pressure on those at the top end of the pitch. He is the club’s top scorer in the Premier League with six goals and is one of just two Magpies players to score more than once in the current top-flight campaign. This means that they will be missing his clinical touch in the final third, and the signing of Ekitike could have alleviated some concerns over his absence, although it remains to be seen if a deal for Wood will be completed in time for him to play.

The 19-year-old has eight goals and two assists in ten Ligue 1 starts this season, which suggests that he could have an immediate impact at St James’ Park if he adjusts to English football. Just imagine a talented young player linking up with the more experienced Wood, someone who has already bagged 50 times in the top-flight.

With that in mind, the duo may well have made a difference in the beat to drop.

Furthermore, they could have made the difference against Watford and, unless something dramatic happens in the next couple of days, the club’s failure to sign Ekitike this week could negate Howe’s chances of beating the Hornets in this weekend’s relegation six-pointer.

AND in other news, “Hearing”: Luke Edwards drops exciting Newcastle transfer claim which will delight fans…

Mohamed Salah wants more top players to join Liverpool in order to stay put at the club this summer, according to former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie, after he heard a recent claim from the forward.

The Lowdown: Salah’s future still unknown

The 29-year-old’s future has been one of football’s biggest talking points recently, with the Reds superstar seemingly no closer to signing a new deal.

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Salah has matured into arguably the world’s best player this season, tallying up a remarkable goal haul and getting into double-figures in terms of Premier League assists.

His current contract runs out at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, however, meaning there is a risk that they lose him for free next summer or he looks to leave before then.

The Latest: McAvennie reacts to Salah claim…

Speaking to Football Insider, reacting to the Egypt international’s recent message that it’s not all about the money when speaking on his contract, McAvennie claimed that Salah wants Liverpool to show ambition in the transfer market in order to stay:

“If it’s not money, then, my god, what is it? Maybe he wants a sign that more big signings are coming in to help Liverpool challenge.

“But they signed Diaz in January and by all accounts, he is brilliant, Jota too. Liverpool have one of the best squads in the world. The defence is ridiculous.

“Maybe Salah just wants to know they aren’t going to fall behind Man City and really, Liverpool should be making these signings anyway.

“Man City will spend and to keep up with them, Liverpool will have to spend. You just hope something can be agreed with Salah because he is unbelievable.”

The Verdict: A matter of time?

There is undoubted truth in McAvennie’s remarks – Salah is a born winner with high standards – but in fairness to Liverpool, they are already providing him with top-class teammates.

Luis Diaz’s arrival from Porto in January is proof of that and it seems highly likely that yet more renowned players will head to Anfield in the summer window.

We still feel as though Salah will end up signing a new contract but it would be handy if it could be sorted sooner rather than later, due to it acting as a distraction to Liverpool’s quadruple charge. The thought of him leaving is a grim one, considering the legendary Reds career he has forged.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a shock move for one player. Find out who it is here.

West Ham United are preparing an offer to bring Fabio Carvalho to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sun, who claim that David Moyes’ side are ready to make a move for the Fulham attacking midfielder this month, while Liverpool, Leeds United and FC Porto are also believed to be weighing up offers for the 19-year-old – with a figure of £5m mentioned in the report.

The Sun’s report comes following a recent claim made by ExWHUemployee, with the Hammers insider suggesting that the East London side could make an early move for the former England U18 international – despite the fact Carvalho is out of contract at the end of the season.

The next Di Canio

Considering the quite frankly insane amount of potential that Carvalho clearly possesses, should West Ham manage to get a deal over the line for the in-demand forward this winter, David Moyes could very well have the club’s next Paolo Di Canio on his hands.

Indeed, the £3.15m-rated sensation has been in remarkable form over his 16 Championship appearances this season, having already scored seven goals, provided two assists and created three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.1 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 1.2 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the £650-per-week attacking midfielder who Scott Parker claimed has a “massive” future average a SofaScore match rating of 7.06, ranking him as Marco Silva’s joint eighth-best performer in the second tier of English football.

As such, considering the roaming number 10’s clear eye for goal, his creativity in the final third and his talent with the ball at his feet, there are very clear comparisons that can be drawn between Carvalho and West Ham’s legendary forward Di Canio – who scored 50 goals and provided 14 assists over his 137 appearances for the Irons.

This is not to say that the 19-year-old is of a similar standard to the Italian at present, however, should the Fulham starlet continue his current rate of development after a potential switch from West to East London this winter, the sky would very much appear to be limit for the attacking midfielder.

In other news: Tom Clark reveals early West Ham team news ahead of Man U clash, fans will be buzzing

Nick Hammond is reportedly now ‘interested’ in signing Benoit Badiashile for Newcastle United in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Hammond busy

Having been hired as a transfer consultant on a short-term deal at St. James’ Park (Sky Sports), Hammond is likely to be a very busy man this month.

Kieran Trippier has already been brought in, and now it looks like a new central defender is next on the list.

Both Sven Botman and Diego Carlos have been heavily linked with a switch to the North East recently, as they look to bolster up their defence even more.

The Latest: Badiashile interest

As per Foot Mercato journalist and transfer expert Santi Aouna, the Tyneside outfit, as well as West Ham United, are now ‘interested’ in signing Badiashile, and there has already been ‘contact made’ with AS Monaco and the player’s representatives.

They will ‘take action’ in the event that deals for either Botman or Carlos fall through.

The Verdict: Great alternative

If deals cannot be done for Botman or Carlos, than Badiashile is a great alternative.

Standing at six foot four, the Frenchman is a beast, and not only is he a threat physically, but he is also ‘very good technically’ and ‘very fast’, according to Monaco Vice President Oleg Petrov (Get French Football News).

Badiashile has the whole package as a centre-back, and the scary thing is he is just 20 years of age, and so has a big future ahead of him.

Nonetheless, he would be a shrewd signing by the Magpies, especially if they can snap him up this month.

In other news, find out which ‘monster’ NUFC have now started talks with here!

Celtic were left frustrated as they chucked away a lead to lose 2-1 in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup against their rivals on Sunday.

The opposition came close to opening the scoring in the first-half as John Lundstram’s effort went past Joe Hart and smacked the woodwork.

Postecoglou’s men rallied and wrestled back control of the game to take the lead through Greg Taylor. A quick free-kick found Callum McGregor and his pass was finished off by the left-back, via the help of a deflection, to make it 1-0.

However, the Hoops were not able to hold out as the organised, persistent, press from Rangers allowed them to dictate the play and they eventually found their equaliser through Scott Arfield.

That goal sent the game to extra time and Gio van Bronckhorst’s side scored the winner in the 115th minute in dubious circumstances. Calvin Bassey appeared to be in an offside position when he was played in down the left and his cross was then turned into his own next by Carl Starfelt.

The Swedish international scored an own goal to seal the win for the Gers but one player who let Postecoglou down badly was central midfielder Tom Rogic.

He put in a disappointing showing as he was left completely ineffective by Bassey’s man-marking of him throughout his time on the pitch. The central defender was constantly stepping out of his line to deal with Rogic and this meant that the £16k-per-week dud had no time on the ball.

Former Hoops ‘keeper Pat Bonner blamed the speed of the match for his display, saying: “The positional play of Rangers has been excellent. Ramsey is almost an inside-right, stopping Taylor getting on the ball. Aribo is high up on McGregor, stopping him influencing the game. The game has been too quick for Tom Rogic so far.”

Journalist Mark Atkinson also criticised the Australian and cited his area of the pitch as one of the reasons behind the loss. He Tweeted: “Celtic will regret letting that slip. Took the lead but ceded midfield battle after arrival of Davis and Arfield. Badly let down by Hatate and Rogic in that department.”

Although he was substituted in the 57th minute, the damage was already done as his dire performance set the tone for the rest of the game. The Hoops were unable to match Rangers’ energy in the middle of the park through Ryan Jack and John Lundstram as Rogic simply could not keep up with them whilst also being marked out of the match by Bassey.

AND in other news, Signed for 7 figures, left for peanuts: Celtic had a mare on “unplayable” £15k-p/w dud…