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Newcastle host Tottenham at St. James’ Park today in what could be Steve Bruce’s final match in charge of the club following the takeover by PIF.

The 60-year-old is reportedly facing the sack after Mike Ashley sold the club to the Saudi Arabian consortium, with a number of managers being eyed to replace him.

This should not detract from the special achievement that this game brings Bruce, as it will be his 1000th match in management. Irrespective of what the fans may or may not think about his time at the club, he should be praised for reaching this milestone and will, hopefully, mark it with a win.

The Magpies head into this match off the back of a 2-1 defeat to Wolves in the top-flight. How many changes will Bruce make from the team that lost to Bruno Lage’s side? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three changes to the side, along with moving to a back-three/back-five formation to face Spurs.

First of all, the formation could alter to deal with the attacking threat Tottenham pose. Nuno Santo’s side could line up with Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane up top, with the pair managing 40 goals and 24 assists between them in the Premier League last season.

This means that a wide player must be cut from the side to bring in another centre-back. With Miguel Almiron having been away on international duty in South America, we are predicting that he will be given a rest and Jamaal Lascelles will return from injury to start in the middle of the defence.

In midfield, Sean Longstaff could be axed from the team to make way for Jeff Hendrick. The £18k-per-week beast could be sacrificed in order to get the Irish midfielder in, as Hendrick scored against Wolves and may have played his way into a starting role. Longstaff lost ten of his 14 duels against Wolves and was dribbled past an unbelievable seven times, suggesting that he deserves to drop to the bench.

Finally, we think that Bruce will go with Callum Wilson up front alongside Saint-Maximin, with Joelinton coming out of the team. The striker is back from injury after scoring two goals in his first three appearances of the season, having netted 12 goals in 23 starts last term in the top-flight – showing that he has the quality to find the back of the net at this level.

AND in other news, “Definitely”: Journo claims NUFC want £49.5m-rated star, he’s a huge Joelinton upgrade…

A number of Rangers supporters have lambasted Scott Arfield’s performance in the 1-1 draw at home to Motherwell on Sunday.

Steven Gerrard’s men were looking to go top of the Premiership table in what looked like a winnable game on paper. While the Gers ended up moving to the summit, they were only able to earn a point at Ibrox on what was a disappointing afternoon for the champions.

Fashion Sakala’s opening goal had the hosts on course for victory, but Kaiyne Woolery equalised for Motherwell midway through the second half. Rangers were unable to find a winner, meaning they dropped points at home in the league for the first time since March 2020.

Arfield came on as a second half substitute for the Gers, but he produced a disappointing cameo, failing to affect the result in a positive manner. As per SofaScore, he completed only two passes and failed to win any of his duels or get a shot on target.

Rangers fans slam Arfield’s display

These Rangers fans took to Twitter to criticise the midfielder’s cameo, with one supporter believing that the Canadian is “finished” at Ibrox.

“Simpson and Arfield should never wear the shirt again”

Credit: @woofly32

“Arfield is finished”

Credit: @QBLOYAL

“Am still trying to wrap my head around the subs of Sakala and Wright, the best players on the park, and I hate to say it but it’s time Arfield went”

Credit: @kevinMFtallica

“Arfield has to go. He’s a passenger”

Credit: @cozy1872

“Imagine having to still turn to Scott Arfield man. Not played well in over a year. But aye mon, win us the game son”

Credit: @dbr1872

“Scott Arfield is done. Kamara and Davis going backwards. Why did we not sign a good midfielder this summer? Poor”

Credit: @TheFamousRFC

In other news, another Rangers player’s performance was also criticised against Motherwell. Read more here.

Michael Ball has dropped a key claim on Rangers centre-forward Alfredo Morelos’ future…

What’s the talk?

Former Rangers defender Michael Ball has claimed that Alfredo Morelos ‘will’ leave the club as the Gers will want to maximise their profits on him.

He told This is Futbol:

“We know he will move on in the future, Rangers will want to capitalise on a good fee for him but it’s down to him, he’s got to be the key player week in and week out.”

Frustration

Rangers fans will surely be left feeling frustrated by this key transfer claim from Ball. Why is it inevitable for the club to sell star players? Supporters will want to see some ambition from Ross Wilson to retain Steven Gerrard’s top performers, rather than conceding that they will 100% leave.

Of course, there is sometimes little that can be done if a player is desperate to go and play for a top European side who are competing for the best trophies in football. For example, if Real Madrid, Manchester City or Chelsea came calling then you could excuse a player for wanting to move on, but is competing in midtable in the Premier League better than winning trophies with Rangers?

It is a subjective question and one that there is little point arguing over right now, but Wilson needs to put up a convincing case for the Gers in order to keep hold of players like Morelos. The Colombian striker has proven his worth in the Scottish Premiership and losing him would be a huge blow for Gerrard’s side.

Speaking anonymously to The Athletic in 2019, a Scottish Premiership player labelled Morelos as “non-stop” and praised the way his movement made him difficult to defend: “In my experience, he is just non-stop.

“There’s never a time when he’s walking about or not interested in the game. He’s always involved, whether that’s taking you away or dragging you closer to the ball.

“He’s kind of dropping deep now and going out wide. That’s a nightmare for defenders because he’s your player that you’re meant to be man-marking but then you’re dragged out of position and you’ve got midfield runners taking his space. That means you need to start talking to your full-backs and centre-mids to start swapping players, which makes it a lot more difficult.”

This highlights the problems he can cause defenders in Scotland, which is why Wilson must avoid a disaster over the gem. Fans will be frustrated if the club actively looks to sell him on without trying to pin him down to a new contract to keep him at Ibrox.

AND in other news, Gerrard must unleash “exciting” £4.5m-rated Rangers beast, he may get fans off seats…

Manchester United kicked off the new Premier League season in style with a 5-1 thrashing of Leeds United over the weekend, and things could be about to get even better for the Old Trafford outfit.

What’s the story?

According to reliable journalist Jonathan Shrager, the Red Devils are interested in signing Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, with the club keen to bolster their engine room options.

He tweeted: “As it stands, Pape Sarr appears much more likely to go to City than #MUFC, whilst Tchouaméni is a player who interests United”.

Fellow Premier League side Liverpool have also been linked with a move for the highly-rated 21-year-old in recent weeks, who is believed to be valued at £25m by his current club, meaning football director John Murtough may have to move quickly to secure Tchouameni’s services.

Manchester United fans will be delighted

The youngster began life at boyhood club Bordeaux before earning a move to the Stade Louis II back in January 2020 and has gone on to establish himself as one of Ligue 1’s most exciting, young prospects since.

After making 42 appearances in all competitions for Niko Kovac’s charges last season, scoring three goals and providing a further four assists, Tchouameni caught the eye of several impressed onlookers, including teammate Cesc Fabregas.

“He can play anywhere in midfield, and he will not have a problem,” Fabregas told BT Sport. “He can play as a No.6 alone, as a defensive midfielder, as a No.8, in a double 6.

“What he’s doing now, even in a year’s time, he could become a good No.10 if he wanted. He’s got the power to get into the box.

“He needs to improve his final pass a little bit, but he’s so young, and he’s determined to learn. From what I can see, and the will that he has, he has a bright future ahead of him.”

Although the France Under-21 international made a decent contribution in the final third of the pitch, it’s his work off the ball that really makes him such a promising prospect.

As per WhoScored, Tchouameni averaged a whopping 3.5 tackles per league game in 2020/21, by far the highest tally amongst his team. He also made 1.7 interceptions, the joint-highest total when compared to his teammates.

But he didn’t just dominate proceedings on the ground, winning 67% of his aerial duels as the 6 ft 1 maestro made the most of his sizeable frame.

Therefore, a large section of United supporters will be delighted to learn of the club’s interest in Tchouameni.

Although his passing range needs improvement, the Monaco ace has the ability and potential to provide the steel and defensive cover to the Old Trafford outfit’s midfield that has been missing for so many years.

It remains to be seen whether Murtough can convince Tchouameni to swap Monte Carlo for Manchester, but Solsjaer and the fans alike will certainly be hoping so.

And, in other news…Man Utd suffer big blow in pursuit of “outstanding” £51m beast, Ole will be gutted 

Wolves have been sluggishly moving through this transfer window with very little to shout about.

Bruno Lage’s first window as the Old Gold manager has been rather non-eventful but they could end it with a bang on transfer deadline day.

What’s the word?

That’s because out of the blue, Wolves are working on a deal to bring Renato Sanches to Molineux on loan.

The young midfielder has been linked with the Midlands in the past but the Molineux outfit are now heatedly pursuing Sanches.

That’s according to a number of sources including Sky Sports who report that they are trying to bring him to the Premier League on a temporary basis.

It’s also thought Wolves are trying to include an option to buy the £27m-rated talent in the deal.

Best transfer since Neto

Wolves don’t tend to do too much business when it comes to improving their first-team ranks but one of the best deals of recent years has to be Pedro Neto.

The winger was an unknown quantity to many when he swapped Lazio for English football back in 2019.

However, he’s taken to the Premier League like a duck to water and has been simply sensational in Wolves colours.

Neto ended last season with a broken patella but he was still crowned the club’s Player of the Season after scoring five goals and registering six assists.

His quick feet and ability to get fans off their seats has made him such a hit at Molineux but the same eventuality could befall Sanches.

That’s because he’s long been thought of as one of the biggest prospects in European football.

He was signed by Bayern Munich as a teenager but the 24-year-old’s career hasn’t quite gone in the direction many people thought.

The Portuguese midfielder has since revived his career at Lille in Ligue 1 and looks on track to realise the future many thought he had.

That’s why’d be a considerable coup and their best deal since Neto.

Described as a “machine” by the official Lille Twitter account, Sanches was in vibrant form last term in France, showing how complete he is as a midfielder.

He was involved in four goals, did the dirty work by completing 0.6 tackles per game and was also an elite ball carrier, managing 1.7 dribbles per game.

On top of that, the Portugal international completed 85.8% of his passes. On the evidence provided, he has everything in his locker and would be an outstanding acquisition for Wolves.

He has the potential to really carry the club forward.

AND in other news, Tim Spiers delivers four-word Wolves transfer update, fans should be fuming…

Former Premier League footballer Dean Windass could see James Ward-Prowse going to Aston Villa, but says Southampton won’t want to lose him.

Villa have already signed Danny Ings from the Saints this summer and there has been plenty of speculation that they are interested in midfielder James Ward-Prowse.

Sky Sports reported last month that Southampton had rejected Aston Villa’s £25m offer for the player and that the south coast outfit have no interest in selling him.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Windass could see the transfer happening but also understands that Southampton won’t want to lose him, saying: “Another situation where Southampton won’t want to lose him, he’s the captain.

“I can see that happening obviously with the funds they get for Jack, he could be the one that can come in. [He’s] not a similar player to Jack but obviously similar quality in the sense he can get you goals from free-kicks. His wide free-kicks – he puts them on the money every now and then.”

Ward-Prowse featured in every Premier League game for Southampton last season and also in the clubs six cup matches (5 FA Cup and 1 EFL Cup), scoring nine goals and creating a further seven.

Both Villa and Southampton have looked to strengthen their sides this summer, with both making five new signings each. With under a month to go in the transfer window, will Ward-Prowse be the sixth Villa signing or will the Saints stand firm and keep hold of their captain for the upcoming season?

Celtic are set to make an approach for Legia Warsaw defender Josip Juranovic after a loan move for Manchester City defender Yan Couto collapsed, as per Sky Sports’ Transfer Centre.

The Lowdown: Celtic look for further reinforcements

Following some good recent results, new Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou has left the impression thus far that no stone will remain unturned in his quest for domestic and European success.

One area which he may see as a priority is the right-back berth, with Anthony Ralston currently the only figure on the Parkhead books with first team experience in the position.

Could the Celts now be set to tick another recruitment box before the transfer window closes?

The Latest: Hoops look to Juranovic as Couto move collapses

Celtic are mooted to be readying an opening offer for Juranovic following the capitulation of their loan move for Brazilian youngster Couto, as per Sky Sports.

The Croatian full-back is said to be keen on the move, whilst is valued at a cool £2.5m by his current employers Legia Warsaw. [Sky Sports]

Juranovic will be a familiar face to many within Scottish football, as he played against Scotland for his native country in their 3-1 win over the Tartan Army at Euro 2020 [BBC].

The Verdict: Juranovic would represent a real coup for Celtic

Juranovic would seem to be a real coup for the Hoops should any move come to fruition, as he would add quality to Celtic in an attacking and defensive sense.

The 26-year-old excelled in Poland last season, registering nine goal contributions in 32 appearances with one goal and eight assists [Transfermarkt], a fine return for a defender. He is also renowned for his pinpoint crossing ability, something which Celtic could utilise when struggling to play through low-block defences.

Performing solidly in his two appearances at the European Championship over the summer, he managed to complete six ball recoveries and three clearances for Croatia during the finals [UEFA.com].

Given his wide range of attributes and their need for more experienced right-back depth, Celtic should definitely try to seize upon Juranovic’s apparent desire to join the Hoops and submit an offer to meet Legia Warsaw’s asking price.

In other news, Celtic are closing in on this 23-year-old defender 

Former Newcastle United defender Steve Howey believes that Freddie Woodman will become a top goalkeeper.

Woodman spent last season on loan at Swansea City and has been linked with another move away from St James’ Park this summer, with AFC Bournemouth interested in taking the shot stopper on loan.

The move to Bournemouth was postponed though, as Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka suffered a foot injury and could need an operation according the Chronicle Live.

With injury to Dubravka, it remains to be seen whether Woodman will be staying at St James’ Park or whether he will head out on loan again before the start of the season, with Bruce surprisingly admitting that he may have to register four stoppers in his 25-man Premier League squad for the 2021/22 campaign.

Whatever happens, the 24-year-old comes with high praise from Steve Howey, who told Football FanCast: “I think he will be a top, top goalkeeper in a few years to come, so it will be an interesting decision what he makes of whether he actually comes back to Newcastle for the start of the season, or whether he goes back out on loan.”

Woodman was in inspired form last season at the Liberty Stadium, conceding less than a goal per game, being beaten just 47 times in 52 appearances in all competitions, as well as keeping 22 clean sheets.

In an exclusive interview with The Transfer Tavern, former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer has described the exits of Osaze Urhoghide and Liam Shaw as “horrendous”.

Both players officially joined Celtic this summer after their contracts at Hillsborough expired, with the former’s transfer confirmed at the start of the month.

Urhoghide was offered a new contract by Wednesday at the end of last season before deciding to move to Celtic, while Shaw had already agreed to join the Scottish giants back in March.

For Palmer, to lose both players for nothing is ridiculous. On the two departures, the ex-Wednesday star exclusively told TT:

“It’s horrendous what happened with him and Shaw, both young players who are at the club and have been allowed to basically leave for free.

“I’ve seen a quote from Darren Moore basically saying it’s criminal that these guys were allowed to run their contracts down.

“You’ve got two good young players there who are the future of the club, future money. Surely you don’t let them get down to the last year of their contract?”

Urhoghide, 21, and Shaw, 20, they both certainly did look like the future of Wednesday.

The Celtic duo were already in the Wednesday first team, a Wednesday first team playing in the Championship. In a division lower, you would have expected both to feature, continue developing and perhaps help the Owls win promotion.

A worrying claim has emerged on the future of Declan Rice at West Ham United…

What’s the word?

At the start of the month, the Telegraph revealed that the 22-year-old midfielder had rejected two new contract offers from the club and they also claimed the England international would wait to see if interest from Manchester United and Chelsea is followed up this window.

Now, the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee has delivered a fresh update into the current situation – and it’s not good news for David Moyes or the fans.

In a recent Q&A on his Patreon page, the anonymous source said:

“Not so much our budget, but I think we promised good signings and that the club would build the [team] around him and so far that’s not happened.

“[He’s] not signed a new deal and probably won’t. If a big club like Chelsea or Man U meet the asking price I think we would struggle to hold onto him.”

Only a matter of time?

This is the last thing that those around the London Stadium will probably want to hear right now as it’s almost a double hammer blow heading into the new season.

That’s because the Irons are yet to make any moves in the transfer market and as a result, it could force Rice closer to an exit, which would be devastating for a club on the rise.

Indeed, the Hammers were saved from relegation with one game to spare and are now in the Europa League, all in the space of just one season. Rice played an integral role in that happening.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-west-ham-news-transfer-rumours-the-latest-gossip-and-much-more-2” title= “Read the latest West Ham news, transfer rumours, gossip and much more!”]

As per WhoScored, he rated out as Moyes’ fourth-best player with an average rating of 7.01. No player made more interceptions (1.8) per game, whilst he wasn’t far behind for tackles (1.8) and passing accuracy (88%) either.

Moyes has previously warned that it would take an astronomical fee to prise his star man and future captain away from East London but his hand may well be forced after an update like this.

“Bank of England money would be required, and you might even need to add Bank of Scotland on to that as well because he has been so good,” claimed the 58-year-old last season, via Goal.

Either way, with no new signings on the horizon just yet and Rice seemingly waiting for activity – both from the club and his interested parties – it seems like it’s only a matter of time before the Hammers faithful know his fate.

It’s certainly going to cause some anxiety heading into next month’s transfer deadline. Ex’s suggestion that he won’t sign a new deal is one big hammer blow.

AND in other news, West Ham fans won’t like ExWHUemployee’s takeover claim…