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Mirror Football is reporting that Newcastle is ready to join the hunt for Ipswich striker Connor Wickham, however they are likely to face competition for the 18 year old from arch-rivals Sunderland. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is working through an extensive list of targets and Wickham is believed to be an option.

Wickham is the sort of raw talent that Pardew would hope to lure to Newcastle with the promise of more first-team football than he would likely get if he joined a team like Arsenal or Spurs. However, Steve Bruce is looking to substantial add to his striking options next season; Bruce is targeting as many as three new forwards and has described Wickham as the top young striker of his generation.

Wickham has been attracting plenty of interest from Premier League clubs and he has scored 8 league goals this season; Wickham has also represented England at U16, U17, U19 and U21 level. Wickham extended his contract in January until 2013 – but it is believed that there is a clause in the contract that would allow Wickham to move for a fee in the region of £15m, it is also believed that Tottenham have first refusal on the player. Wickham signed an extra one year extension in April committing him until 2014.

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Follow James Kent on Twitter @jimlk2007

New Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier is intent on making changes at Villa Park, but accepts that it will take time to implement his plans.

Houllier takes charge of Villa for the first time when they take on Blackburn Rovers in the third round of the Carling Cup on Wednesday evening, having signed a three-year deal as Martin O'Neill's successor.

The Frenchman told reporters:"In the short term I need to know the players more and they need to get used to the different types of training – more continental in terms of tactics and a variety of drills.

"It will take time to implement and be accepted. You come with philosophies and beliefs and need to convince the players to do them.

"Will we be playing in a different way? Obviously it won't be done overnight. You can't change habits in the middle of a competition, it has got to be gradual.

"The first mission is to get results, the second is to be entertaining. At the top level you need entertainment for TV and the fans. That will take some time.

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"But the players are eager to improve and everyone can progress provided the right environment and motivation is there.

"We have to improve in a few areas and the players know that."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

It only comes round twice a year and it’s always far more exciting than Christmas. Christians have Easter, children have birthdays, but for us football fans, the most important dates on our calendars are August 31 and January 31. Yes, it’s transfer deadline day. Prepare yourselves for a day of endless rumours of who goes where. Has Michael Owen been spotted in a Brighton supermarket? Did Fernando Torres really check into that Liverpool estate agent? And surely that wasn’t Lionel Messi in the dark sunglasses making his way through Leeds/Bradford Airport with a load of LUFC officials in tow.

Either way you put your work on hold, pop on Sky Sports News and settle down for the day. But not before you’ve enjoyed The Coin Toss’ Top 10 Deadline Day moves.

Click on Wayne Rooney to unveil the top 10

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Read more of my articles at The Coin Toss

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Two Midlands relegation candidates coming off heavy defeats will meet on Sunday, when Birmingham welcome Wolves to St Andrew’s.Mick McCarthy’s Wolves side have been entrenched in the bottom three for much of the season, and are sitting second from the bottom with four games to play – one point short of safety after their 3-0 mauling at Stoke on Tuesday.

Birmingham, meanwhile, are faring slightly better in 15th place, but are only four points clear of the drop zone.

Last Saturday, they ran into a rampant Liverpool outfit at Anfield, finding themselves on the wrong end of a 5-0 thrashing.

It has been a season of contrasting fortunes for Alex McLeish’s men – with their Carling Cup triumph over Arsenal on February 27 offset by some poor form in the league that has them in danger of becoming only the second side ever to win the league cup and be relegated in the same campaign.

In their only other meeting this season, a Stephen Hunt goal on the stroke of half-time was enough to secure Wolves a 1-0 win at Molineux.

Both managers have injury concerns, with Birmingham defenders Scott Dann and Martin Jiranek, plus striker Obafemi Martins all in doubt.

McLeish is hopeful big striker Nikola Zigic can overcome his groin and hip problems in time to play, but Enric Valles, James McFadden and reserve goalkeeper Maik Taylor are unlikely to play again this season.

First choice ‘keeper Ben Foster, who hobbled off with a thigh injury just before half-time in the Liverpool match, is expected to play

For Wolves, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake is doubtful after suffering a recurrence of his hamstring injury, but Steven Fletcher could be available despite limping off against Stoke with a knee problem.

Irish duo Kevin Doyle and Hunt are nearing returns from their respective hamstring and hernia complaints, but are long shots to play against Birmingham.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish must have felt like a jilted man as deadline day approached having being on the verge of a deal for Wigan’s French star Charles N’Zogbia, only to see it break down at the last minute – but the deals he completed with only hours of the window remaining may be a vindication that the club should not have bowed to N’Zogbia’s demands.

Tireless work from the St Andrews boss and the board which up until now had only fashioned frustration finally paid dividends as Blues bolstered their squad with Czech defender Martin Jiranek, Chilean star Jean Beausejour and one major coup in Barcelona’s Alexander Hleb on a season long loan.

The latter of which is particularly pleasing, and the Belarusian’s claims he rejected Liverpool and Tottenham to sign for them will only help endear himself to the supporters following the N’Zogbia debacle. Hleb said: “I had a few options – Liverpool, Tottenham and Benfica, but Birmingham clearly wanted to do the deal more than the others, which is why I made my choice” – Such refreshing comments from the former Arsenal man go a long way to nullify the greed that was laid bare by Birmingham’s refusal to submit to N’Zogbia’s wage demands.

It is also feasible that they are getting a better deal and a better player in Hleb who made 89 appearances during his time at the Emirates before his £14million to the Nou Camp and his arrival will help alleviate the anxious faces worn by fans’ after the latest dose of last gasp transfer heartache at St Andrews. He may well lavish quality upon Blues’ midfield and the fact he simply wants to get on and play for love of the game will fit perfectly into the ethos with which McLeish has orchestrated their recent successes.

The Scot seems to have conducted some shrewd late business which may aid his unenviable attempts to emulate Blues’ record-breaking season last term and he was naturally delighted with all three of his signings.  He described Hleb as “a top quality player – one who at one stage we’d only actually dreamed about” whilst lauding Jiranek’s “tremendous experience on club, European and international fronts.”

Late deals are often agreed with naïve haste in a frantic attempt to strengthen the squad, with managers knowing unless they do so they may struggle until January when the opportunity again arises to buy players but I believe one of the busiest transfer destinations in a compelling deadline day has seen some astute arrivals and Birmingham’s second season in the Premier League will no doubt benefit from this.

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A welcome addition the Premier League’s Wag arena – Click on image below to view gallery

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In promotion of the Men Ultra range and as part of their #JUSTWATCHME campaign, Head & Shoulders carried out a global survey across 8 nations, providing some interesting results on the decade defining football haircuts through the ages.

“Treating their scalps as blank canvases, footballers have long given their hairstylists full creative license in crafting artistic masterpieces that make statements, set trends and that grab the headlines when gracing football’s biggest stages” said football hairstylist Landry Agres.

The World Cup offers a stage where the planet’s most creative footballing talent can go head to head in pursuit of the most prestigious trophy in international football.

In a global survey of football fans across eight nations facilitated by Head & Shoulders, it has been revealed that Neymar Jr’s Bleached Barnet is the hairstyle that UK pollsters would most like to replicate.

Neymar’s bleached blonde locks have been subject to intense discussion on social media. Former United icon, Eric Cantona, had his say posting a light hearted picture where the Frenchman dons spaghetti on his head in homage to the Brazilian play-maker’s mop.

Cantona uploaded the image onto his Instagram account and puts his acting skills to the test holding a deadpan expression as he stares directly at the camera with spaghetti on his head.

He posted the photo the caption: “Neymar style. Spaghetti al dente!”

The picture was loved on social media, gaining hundreds of likes.

Despite the popularity of Neymar’s hairstyle in the polls, his new look was brutally trolled on social media.

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The same poll revealed that Belgium’s Radja Nainggolan has the unwanted title of having the hairstyle that UK pollsters would least like to replicate.

The fiery central midfielder and his Mohawk were both left out of Roberto Martinez’s World Cup squad.

According to reports in The Telegraph on February 5, former Watford manager Marco Silva is reportedly a target for West Ham United if they don’t keep David Moyes on at the end of the season, but Irons fans are not convinced that he would be a good appointment for them.

The Telegraph reported that the east London outfit had already decided that their Scottish boss wouldn’t be kept beyond his current contract even if they stay up – a story which has since been denied by the club – highlighting the currently unemployed Silva as a potential target.

The 40-year-old was sacked by Watford last month following a breakdown in the relationship between the Portuguese boss and the board – as well as with his players – after he was denied the opportunity to speak to Everton about their vacant managerial job back in November.

West Ham supporters were quick to have their say on Silva via social media, and while one said “I’d much rather have Eddie Howe”, another said “never understood the obsession people have with Marco Silva”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Manchester City chief Manuel Pellegrini believes that his side have earned the Premier League title for the way in which they have coped with set-backs and performed this season.

The Sky Blues effectively need to avoid defeat at home to West Ham tomorrow to finish ahead of Liverpool and lift the trophy on the back of an excellent campaign, which has also yielded the Capital One Cup.

Although the Reds have been hailed for their attacking prowess and Chelsea – in third spot – have impressed with their defensive solidarity, City have powered on despite injuries to key men such as Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure.

Pellegrini feels that their resolute displays could not have been produced by their rivals had they had the same problems, and that his side deserve to be champions:

“Yes, I think so.” He is quoted as saying by The Mirror when asked if his side have played the best football this season. “As When I arrived here, my target was always to play well and try to win the title. The moment I accepted the job it was because I had a lot of trust that I could win the league.

“The first thing I can say is we chose the right squad we needed for this year,” said Pellegrini. “I don’t want to compare other teams but I think maybe we were without Aguero, he missed 14 or 15 games in the Premier League.

“Maybe some other teams, if you take Luis Suarez out of 15 games for Liverpool, Eden Hazard from Chelsea or Santi Cazorla from Arsenal…

“All the teams have injured players through the year.

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“But the reality in the way we did it is one of my best achievements. I’m happy with the whole squad.”

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Kick It Out chairman Lord Ouseley has hit back at criticism of the organisation and blamed the FA for the continuation of racism in the English game.

A number of Premier League footballers including Rio Ferdinand refused to wear the company’s t-shirts as a front against racism in the weekend’s fixtures, with the players disenchanted with the organisation’s efforts.

Ouseley has stated that the FA are the governing body of the game and as such the players’ disillusionment should be aimed elsewhere.

“We don’t make the decisions, we don’t run football. We are a small charity trying to help football come to terms with the reality of the 21st century,” he is quoted as saying in The Guardian.

“We can shout from the rooftops and I can understand what the black players are saying: you are too involved in the game in the way you operate to be independent and say the things that have to be said.

“The power and decision-making is with the Football Association and the Premier League. We all would have liked the John Terry case to have been wrapped up within days last October, alas it’s lasted a whole year and it has caused a lot of pain and grief.

” They know what has to be done. We’ve been knocking on their door for a long, long, long time so they know what their responsibilities are. The absence of their voices during all this has been noticeable,” he concluded.

The English game has been blighted by acts of racism over the last two years.

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Porto have said they are open to offers for Newcastle target Yacine Brahimi, according to Portuguese website A Bola.

What’s the story?

Newcastle have been interested in the Algerian wide-man for a number of months following his impressive performances in the Primeira Liga.

Having scored nine goals and made nine assists from the left wing this season, the 28-year-old has attracted interest from a host of clubs, including West Ham.

A Bola report that the tricky winger has a release clause of £53million but it is believed a fee of £26million will be enough to secure the player.

Is he worth it?

Newcastle fans love a player who runs directly at defenders with pace and that is exactly what Brahimi is all about.

Averaging over five dribbles per game this season, he is an exciting player that gets fans off their seats and normally provides a good end product.

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He may not come cheap but this player is in the prime of his career and Newcastle will do very well to see off their rivals to his signature.

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