Celtic: Rodgers eyeing "one of the biggest deals of the summer"

Celtic being able to initiate a sensational deal to land Scott McTominay this summer would be 'tough to pull off', according to journalist Dean Jones.

What clubs are keen on Scott McTominay?

Last term, McTominay was used primarily as a rotational option by Erik Ten Hag for Manchester United, though he still managed to make 39 appearances in all competitions, registering three goals and one assist, as per Transfermarkt.

Nevertheless, the Scotland international could be set to be axed at Old Trafford this summer alongside Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho and Fred as Dutch coach Ten Hag looks to 'streamline' his squad this season, according to The Independent.

Suitors have emerged for McTominay and Celtic have been named as a potential destination for the £60k-a-week ace, as Brendan Rodgers looks to strengthen his squad ahead of their defence of the Scottish Premiership title.

CBS Sports via The Daily Mail report that McTominay is also on the radar of Brighton & Hove Albion and Jose Mourinho's Roma; however, Manchester United's Financial Fair Play restrictions may lead to them keeping hold of the 26-year-old for another year due to the fact they would be unlikely to afford a direct replacement for him.

talkSPORT understand that West Ham United are in the market for a central midfielder and could turn to McTominay as a potential alternative to Declan Rice, who is set for a money-spinning move to Arsenal and looks to have played his last game for the Hammers.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones thinks that McTominay would be a 'mind-blowing' signing for Celtic if they managed to convince him to swap the Premier League for the Scottish Premiership.

Jones stated: "If Celtic could land McTominay, it would be mind-blowing, to be honest. I think it would be one of the biggest deals of the summer.

"It would be huge for Celtic, but it would also be a big decision for McTominay to switch from the Premier League to the Scottish Premiership at this point.

"It would be an incredible get for Celtic if they can pull something like that off, but I think it'll be tough to pull off."

What other players could Celtic and Rodgers sign this window?

Celtic have been slow off the mark this window as boss Rodgers runs the rule over his squad in their pre-season training camp in Portugal; however, some arrivals will be expected in the next few weeks as the Irishman ramps up his market proactivity at the helm of the Scottish champions.

According to Ukrainian outlet Sport Novyny, Celtic are regarded as frontrunners to sign Brazilian winger Tete, who spent the second half of last term on loan at Leicester City. The report adds that he intends to leave his parent club Shakhtar Donetsk due to fears for his safety due to the region's ongoing conflict.

Former Leicester City loanee Tete.

Gangwon midfielder Yang Hyun-jun has been extensively linked to Celtic this window and has stated that there has been "some progress" in the ongoing transfer saga that continues to unfold concerning his potential arrival in Glasgow, as relayed by Football Scotland.

Last month, The Scottish Sun claimed that Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney would be open to a blockbuster return to Celtic on a loan basis; however, both parties would need to come to a significant compromise over wages and any fee for the agreement.

Southampton: Martin Could Soften JWP Blow With £4m Leader At St Mary’s

Southampton are expected to lose some key players between now and the end of the transfer window, as long-serving skipper James Ward-Prowse and in-demand pair Romeo Lavia and Tino Livramento continue to be linked with the St Mary's exit.

What players have Southampton sold?

Since finishing bottom of the Premier League, and thus finding themselves in the Championship this coming season, Southampton have sold Mislav Orsic to Trabzonspor and released the likes of Mohamed Elyounoussi and Theo Walcott.

In truth, none of those losses will be majorly felt as the south coast side seek an instant return to the big time, but that could soon change given the speculation surrounding the aforementioned trio of Ward-Prowse, Lavia and Livramento.

There does not seem to be a top-flight side that has not shown an interest in Lavia, with Liverpool now looking well-positioned to sign the defender, while Livramento is supposedly wanted by Chelsea and Newcastle United.

The Saints could raise large sums for both, but it goes beyond money alone when it comes to Ward-Prowse. However, the Daily Mail claims Southampton are in talks with Everton for Mason Holgate, which could go a long way to softening the blow of the club captain departing.

What position does Mason Holgate play?

While Holgate has featured as a holding midfielder at times, he is a centre-back by trade who can occasionally fill in on the right. That means he is not a like-for-like replacement for West Ham United target Ward-Prowse, but Russell Martin is no doubt already on the lookout for a central midfielder.

Instead, Holgate can take over from Ward-Prowse – assuming the fan favourite does indeed move on this summer – in terms of his leadership qualities.

The 26-year-old has previously captained Everton and has been hailed as a "leader" by the Liverpool Echo's Sam Carroll. Southampton still have plenty of quality in their squad, but they lack obvious leaders beyond Ward-Prowse.

As someone who has been on Everton's books since 2015, Holgate is clearly loyal and also a team player, given he has had to be patient for his limited opportunities at Goodison Park.

That is not to mention the other qualities Holgate can bring to Southampton, such as his ability to clear the ball and tackle opponents – arguably the two most important traits for any centre-back.

Holgate ranks in the top 11% of all centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for clearances per 90 minutes (4.97), according to FBref, as well as the top 21% for interceptions per 90 (1.24).

The Doncaster native is also capable of bringing the ball out from the back, ranked as he is in the top 11% for successful take-ons per 90 minutes (0.53).

While it must be factored in that Holgate – valued at around £4m by Football Observatory – only played 508 minutes of Premier League football last season, the numbers show that he stood up when called upon.

If the former England U21 international now has to drop down a tier to play regular football, it may well be that Everton's loss is Southampton's gain.

Tigers circle wounded prey

ESPNcricinfo previews the second ODI between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at Dambulla

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Mar-2017Match FactsMarch 28, 2017
Start time 1430 local (0900 GMT)Bangladesh won only their second ODI in Sri Lanka to take a lead in the series•AFPBig PictureA win in a landmark Test, post-match calls from the prime minister, outstanding performances from debutants, seniors producing their best work – this hastily arranged tour was only supposed to be the postscript to Bangladesh’s high-profile visits to New Zealand and India, but now has the makings of a dream tour.Consider how dominant Sri Lanka have been against Bangladesh in the past. Muttiah Muralitharan’s record is sometimes attacked for containing too many Bangladesh wickets. Kumar Sangakkara looked bored while hitting half of his hundreds against them. Now, tables are turned, boots have switched feet, and the vanquishers are on the verge of becoming vanquished. Before Saturday, Bangladesh had won only one ODI in 15 attempts in Sri Lanka – and that, too, a rain-affected match that became a little chancy towards the end. Now they have crushed Sri Lanka by 90 runs, have players in form, and have possibly become favourites on an away tour.Not that Sri Lanka balk at the underdog tag. Often it’s when little is expected of them that they are at their most stirring. But in reality, this is a team that have now lost six ODIs in a row, have been defeated in five of their last six home one-dayers, and are operating without their best player – Angelo Mathews.Failed strategies have been curiously persisted with too. Sri Lanka have stacked their XI with allrounders, which seems to routinely leave them a bowler short in the death overs. They seem to constantly try to make limited-overs stars out of promising Test players, who might be better left to develop in one format (20-year-old Lahiru Kumara being a prime example). There is also the fielding, which we won’t go into again, because if you are a Sri Lanka fan, it will only want to make you cry.Form guideSri Lanka LLLLL (completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh WLLLLIn the spotlightIt is time to talk about Thisara Perera – perhaps Sri Lanka’s best batsman of the first ODI, where he hit 55 off 35 balls. Is he a batsman who can bowl a bit? Well, in 18 innings since the start of 2015, he has averaged 14.23 with the bat. Is he then a bowler who bats a bit? This seems even less likely, as since the start of 2015, he averages 54.33 with the ball, and concedes runs at 6.63 an over. His role in the team seems unclear.He has often found ways to be overshadowed in Sri Lanka, but Mehedi Hasan has been consistently effective, and has been a key contributor to Bangladesh’s success through this tour. On ODI debut on Saturday, Mehedi took the new ball – a task only experienced spinners are usually saddled with – and delivered a five-over spell that yielded one wicket and cost only 17, helping sink Sri Lanka’s chase early. Mehedi has also been an enthusiastic contributor with the bat and in the field. Here is a player worth keeping tabs on.Team newsNiroshan Dickwella was set to be available after suspension, only he has got himself injured and is now out of series. In his place Sri Lanka have drafted in offspinner Dilruwan Perera, while also strengthening their fast-bowling options with the addition of Nuwan Pradeep and Nuwan Kulasekara to the squad. There is a chance one of these new additions will play – Kulasekara the most likely. There is also some concern about a niggle to Suranga Lakmal.Sri Lanka: (possible) 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Upul Tharanga (capt), 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Asela Gunaratne, 6 Milinda Siriwardana, 7 Dhananjaya de Silva/Sachith Pathirana, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Suranga Lakmal/Nuwan Pradeep, 10 Nuwan Kulasekara, 11 Lakshan SandakanBangladesh may retain their winning XI, although Mashrafe Mortaza said he was not afraid to make changes if conditions demanded.Bangladesh: (possible) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Sabbir Rahman, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Mosaddek Hossain, 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Mehedi Hasan, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Taskin AhmedPitch and conditionsA little extra grass has been left on the Dambulla surface, so it may not be as given to turn as the previous one. The weather is expected to be mostly fine.Stats and trivia Sri Lanka have now lost their last three matches at Dambulla. They had lost two ODIs to Australia there last year. If Bangladesh whitewash Sri Lanka in the series, they will move to sixth on the ODI rankings list, and displace Sri Lanka to seventh.Quotes”We have [previously] broken our winning combination against India and South Africa in 2015. The wicket tomorrow may be different, so we have to keep that in mind.”

MP batsman Harpreet aggrieved by case of mistaken identity

Several newspapers and websites published the Madhya Pradesh’s batsman’s name and photograph erroneously stating he had been detained by police in Mumbai

Arun Venugopal23-Feb-2017

Harpreet Singh emerged as the highest run-scorer in this season of the Syed Mushtaq Ali inter-zonal T20 tournament•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

On February 20, the day of the IPL auction, Harpreet Singh Bhatia was preparing for the Vijay Hazare Trophy with the Madhya Pradesh team in Indore when news reports emerged that the police had detained him for driving his car on to the platform of the Andheri railway station in Mumbai. It later emerged that the player in question was not Harpreet, but Harmeet Singh, the left-arm spinner who was part of India’s Under-19 World Cup-winning side in 2012.According to the , multiple news agencies and websites had mixed up the names and published Harpreet’s photograph with the erroneous story. Some websites, the said, had not corrected the mistakes until late on Wednesday. By the time the amended reports clarified that Harpreet wasn’t involved, he had already spent a harrowing few days responding to calls and messages on his supposed detention.The incident, however, coincided with Harpreet, 25, not being picked in the IPL auction. Harpreet said he wasn’t upset about not being picked at the auction, but that he was “confused” about the circumstances leading to the outcome. He had finished as the leading run-getter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali inter-zonal T20 tournament earlier this month, with 211 runs in four games, including a 51-ball 92 for Central Zone against South Zone.”It happens at times that you don’t get selected; I have no problems with that. This happened on auction day, so there was more confusion,” he tells ESPNcricinfo. “But I will feel good if I get some clarity one way or the other. Did I go unsold in the normal course of things or was it because of this incident? This incident happened two hours before the auction and the reports were on social media in no time. Such reports would have sent a wrong message to any franchise.”The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association has supported Harpreet and pointed out that the “erroneous reporting has tarnished the name of this upcoming player beyond repairs. It has caused ‎mental trauma to the player and his goodwill.””The player also expresses that since this ‎report was widely circulated on the very same day of the IPL auction i.e. 20 February 2017, he harbours this reasonable apprehension that the IPL franchisee could have disregarded his candidature for selection, which otherwise was greatly supported by his consistent performance in BCCI domestic season and particularly the recently concluded T-20 Tournament for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy,” MPCA secretary Milind Kanmadikar said in the release.”‎MPCA supports the player in this matter and requests BCCI/IPL to consider if this incidence has erased opportunity of his selection for IPL and in the event if any remedial action can be adopted to protect the future of the player.”He felt that the inevitable fall-out of the incident was a damaged reputation. “I felt bad not because of not being picked in the auction, but that whatever name I had earned due to my hard work has been spoilt for no fault of mine. I was disturbed, but my family was more disturbed than me. I have now come out of it because you have to be strong as a sportsman if you have to do well.”Harpreet also sympathised with Harmeet, his former team-mate at the 2010 Under-19 World Cup, over the mix-up.”There is no fault of his in what has happened to me. Even he wouldn’t know what’s been happening – he must be as confused as I am,” he said. “I hope he is safe and there is no major issue. It isn’t nice when such an incident happens to someone you have played with.”Harpreet has played four IPL matches till date, turning out for Kolkata Knight Riders in one match in 2010 and three matches for the Pune Warriors between 2011 and 2012.

Man Utd Agree Terms With £70m Premier League Star

Manchester United have been in hot pursuit of Mason Mount over the last few weeks and now a new update has emerged on their pursuit of the player this summer.

What's the latest on Man United's move for Mason Mount?

According to The Times, the Chelsea midfielder has agreed personal terms to become a Man United player this summer.

As per the report, it is claimed that the Red Devils are closing in on making Mount their first signing of the summer with Erik ten Hag keen to add more creativity into his midfield set up this summer and Chelsea are keen to cash in to ensure they don't lose a huge asset on a free next summer.

Would Mason Mount be a good fit for Man United?

Whilst the most pressing concern for Erik ten Hag will be the centre-forward role this summer, an opportunity to strengthen the quality and attacking perspectives in the centre of the pitch is a chance they cannot afford to pass up on.

Although Man United boast a number of highly-respected talent in midfield it is definitely an area of the squad that is starting to age with Christian Eriksen, Casemiro and Fred all in their 30s at this point and other than Bruno Fernandes, are three of the most experienced first teamers.

mason-mount-chelsea-premier-league-man-united-transfers

As a result, the signing of Mount presents an opportunity for the Dutch coach to continue his rebuild at Old Trafford by injecting not only some youth into the midfield personnel but also maintaining a high level of quality and a winning mentality to match those decorated players who surround him.

The 24-year-old Champions League winner – who has been "unbelievable" in the words of Joe Cole – offers flexibility in his positioning with experience operating in a number of roles over his illustrious career so far, but could be the dream creative outlet that Ten Hag is searching for who can combine with one of his England teammates to make United an unstoppable force.

Marcus Rashford has been one of the standout performers on the red side of Manchester this season – tallying up 30 goals and 11 assists in all competitions with a goal contribution every 104 minutes, an impressive output unmatched by any player in the team as Fernandes came in second scoring less than half (14).

Now, Mount could provide the pacey winger with even more opportunities to convert chances by injecting some consistent creativity into the midfield and breaking the lines of attack to form a dangerous attacking threat.

The Chelsea academy graduate ranks in the top 15% of his positional peers in midfield across the top five European leagues for shot-creating actions, shots on goal, progressive carries, touches and progressive passes received, proving that he could be a key asset in playing that final ball into the box or even taking the goal-scoring opportunities for himself with confidence.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see how Ten Hag will deploy Mount if he joins the Red Devils this summer and whether he can reach the high expectations that will come with his reported £70m price tag next season.

Rimmington, Carey star in thrilling tie

South Australia squandered a strong position in their chase against Western Australia as the Matador Cup match at the WACA ended in a thrilling tie

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2016
ScorecardOpener Alex Carey hit 75 off 86 balls, but South Australia lost their last six wickets for 38•Getty Images

South Australia squandered a strong position in their chase against Western Australia as the Matador Cup match at the WACA ended in a thrilling tie.Pursuing 243 for victory after a disciplined bowling effort from a young attack missing Daniel Worrall, Joe Mennie, Adam Zampa and the state captain Travis Head, SA cruised to 4 for 204 in the 39th over, needing a mere 39 from 66 balls at the moment Alex Ross fell.SA had been pushed that far by the debutant Jake Weatherald’s fluent start and then a composed hand by the wicketkeeper Alex Carey. However, SA proceeded to toss away their carefully constructed position, losing their last six wickets for 38 to leave the match tied.WA’s fightback had been driven by Nathan Rimmington, who claimed four wickets including the key figure of Jake Lehmann when SA were within three runs of victory. The final wicket of Nick Benton fell to Jason Behrendorff the following over.WA’s innings had been characterised by a series of starts. The captain Adam Voges top-scored with 51, but he will be hoping for bigger scores from the top six in future assignments.

Leeds United Eyeing 40-Year-Old As New Manager

Leeds United reportedly see West Brom boss Carlos Corberan as a possible ideal option to be their next manager moving forward.

Has Corberan been linked with Leeds job?

The 40-year-old has done a hugely impressive job at the Hawthorns during his short spell there to date, having arrived when they were second-bottom of the Championship late last year.

West Brom ended up coming close to finishing in the playoff positions, however, and if Corberan had been in charge a little longer, chances are they would have achieved that goal.

Since Sam Allardyce's exit as Leeds manager was confirmed last week, numerous names have been linked with replacing him in the Elland Road hot seat. Steven Gerrard and Brendan Rodgers have emerged as high-profile options, but Corberan's name has also been thrown into the hat.

The Whites seemingly consider the Spaniard as a strong choice to come in, having seen the job he is doing with the Baggies, but it remains to be seen if he will eventually be the man to be handed the reins.

carlos-corberan-west-brom-leeds-united

Is Corberan really a target?

According to Football Insider, Corberan is indeed "on the shortlist" at Leeds currently, and it is unlikely that they will look to bring in a "traditional figure" in the mould of Allardyce.

Interestingly, the West Brom boss is seen as "ideal" by those high up at the club, should they want to bring in a long-term appointment who can build something special over time.

Leeds are further boosted by a claim in the report that states that Corberan's future with the Baggies is also in doubt "amid a backdrop of financial issues at the club".

It is so important that the Whites get this decision spot on, avoiding the same ludicrous situation they have found themselves in this season, with Jesse Marsch, Javi Garcia and Allardyce all in charge at some point in the campaign.

Corberan may still be a young manager – one who isn't as proven or well-known as the likes of Gerrard and Rodgers – but the progress he has made at West Brom has been bordering on astonishing, and he has even reportedly been inspired by the style of former Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa.

The fact that Corberan has worked at Leeds in the past is also a bonus, having spent three years in charge of the Under-23s between 2017 and 2020, and he will have learned plenty from Bielsa in that time.

Injured Coulter-Nile out of Sri Lanka tour

Fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile has been ruled out of the remainder of Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka with an injury to his lower back

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2016

Nathan Coulter-Nile has been ruled out of the remainder of Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka•Getty Images

Fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile has been ruled out of the remainder of Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka with an injury to his lower back. Australia have named a 13-man squad for the two T20s that round out the tour, with wicketkeeper Peter Nevill retaining his place and allrounder Glenn Maxwell and batsman Chris Lynn set to join the group.But Coulter-Nile, who played in all four of Australia’s matches at the World T20 in India earlier this year, will not be part of the series and will instead fly home to have his injury assessed. Coulter-Nile has been in Sri Lanka since the start of the tour as part of the Test and ODI squads but has not played a match.”Nathan had been experiencing a gradual increase in lower back pain which is now preventing him from bowling at match intensity,” Australia’s physiotherapist David Beakley said. “He will now return to Perth for further investigation which will determine the extent of the injury and possible return to play timelines.”Coulter-Nile will not officially be replaced in the ODI squad for the remaining three matches, with the selectors comfortable that enough cover is already present. Scott Boland and John Hastings, who are in the T20 squad, have arrived in Sri Lanka early and are travelling with the ODI team and could be called on if fast-bowling cover is needed.Maxwell, who was dropped from the ODI squad due to disappointing batting form, will get a chance to impress in the two T20s alongside Lynn, who has played five T20s for his country.”Both Chris and Glenn are dynamic players who are both capable of winning a game from their own bat and they also bring that x-factor in the field,” national selector Rod Marsh said.Matthew Wade had been Australia’s preferred gloveman in the T20 format until the selectors sprung a surprise by installing Test wicketkeeper Nevill for the World T20 in India earlier this year. Wade remains the incumbent ODI keeper, and scored a career-best 76 in the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Wednesday, but Nevill remains the choice for T20s.”Peter is the incumbent wicket-keeper in the T20 side and had a very good World T20 for Australia, the panel wanted to keep that consistency heading into these two matches,” Marsh said.Australia play Sri Lanka in two T20s in Pallekele and Colombo on September 6 and 9. David Warner will captain the side in the absence of Steven Smith, who is flying home to rest ahead of the upcoming tour of South Africa and a busy home summer.Squad David Warner (capt), Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Moises Henriques, Peter Nevill (wk), James Faulkner, John Hastings, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Scott Boland.

Everton "Happy" To Sell £120k-p/w "Monster" At Goodison Park

Everton and Yerry Mina have made a mutual decision “behind the scenes” for him to depart upon the conclusion of the 2022/23 Premier League season, according to journalist Paul Brown.

What's the latest on Mina's future?

The Toffees centre-back first arrived on Merseyside back in 2018 and has since gone on to make 97 appearances to date, but with his contract set to expire at the end of the campaign, he is currently expected to leave as a free agent having not been offered fresh terms.

The Colombian international has made just five starts in the top-flight this term having sustained an ankle injury in the earlier stages, and despite being an unused substitute on the bench 17 times after, the last two fixtures vs Brighton and Manchester City, he’s played the full 90 minutes and impressed under Sean Dyche.

Football Insider as a result reported that the Goodison Park outfit could table the 28-year-old a new deal with the boss being a big fan of his defender, but there’s a chance that his future has already been decided internally.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Brown claimed that Everton and Mina have reached a mutual in-house agreement for him to leave the Blues at the end of the campaign. He said:

“I think a decision was made behind the scenes a few weeks ago from both sides that this would probably be his last season at Everton and that he'd be happy to seek a new challenge, and the club would be happy to let him go.”

Everton defender Yerry Mina.

Should Everton keep or let go of Mina?

Everton will have to significantly reduce the wages of their first-team players should they get relegated, especially Mina who is pocketing £120k-per-week making him the joint second-highest earner on the books, but considering the positive impact he makes when given the chance to play, they should definitely keep hold of him.

The Merseyside “monster”, as lauded by former professional Michael Ball, is averaging 4.8 clearances and 2.4 aerial wins per top-flight game, alongside recording a 91% pass success rate, via WhoScored, so is a rock at the heart of the backline and is calm and composed on the ball, form which sees him ranked Dyche’s third best-performing defensive player.

The 6 foot 5 titan, who has the versatility to operate higher up in defensive midfield alongside his natural centre-back position, is also a threat at the top end of the pitch having clocked up nine goal contributions (eight goals and one assist) in 97 outings, so retaining his services if possible is something the board shouldn’t have to think twice about.

Newcastle Linked With £961k-p/w Transfer Target

Journalist Dean Jones has revealed that Newcastle United genuinely "like" Neymar as they want to sign a "marquee player" this summer.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

It seems as though fans can expect to see the Magpies spend big this summer. After all, their Saudi-back ownership has made money no object for Eddie Howe and co.

Adding to that, the club looked almost certain to be playing Champions League football next season and that will make Newcastle a much more attractive prospect for targets across the globe.

Indeed, it could unlock a whole new level of possible signings and one such name to have been linked in recent times is PSG winger Neymar.

Eddie Howe was even recently quizzed about signing the Brazilian, while Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo was also touted. The manager played down the rumours though.

He told BBC Sport: "We could not be able to come close to affording those players.

"They are the best players in the world. We are never going to be in a position currently to afford those transfer fees and wages, so we need to go underneath and find them young and develop them into the players they can be."

Despite this public claim, however, when speaking on the latest episode of Chasing Green Arrows, insider Jones revealed he'd heard something different behind the scenes at Newcastle.

Indeed, he said (19:50): “I did actually speak to someone you know about Neymar – I saw someone just talking about it in the [Youtube] comments.

"And I'm not saying it's going to happen because it probably won't, but they like him.

"But Newcastle want to go that one step and sign their first marquee player. They can afford the transfer fee. They're going to be in the Champions League. They want another wide forward. There's a lot of things there. They've got a couple of Brazilian lads in the squad already.

"He is on 30 million euros a year at PSG and he's got a contract for another four years. That's the problem.”

Could Neymar end up at Newcastle?

While Neymar – previously hailed a "magician" by Jones – certainly wouldn't come cheap – after all, he earns a reported £961k-p/w (over €1m-p/w) – it seems disingenuous from Howe to claim Newcastle can't afford him.

After all, thanks to their new owners, the Magpies are now today considered the richest club in world football and so can technically afford him if PSG can.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.

Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Howe would want to add the 31-year-old to his ranks – especially amid constant talk in the media of the player's love for late-night partying.

But with the Premier League club seemingly at least considering the player as an option, it might be unwise to completely rule this one out just yet.

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