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Speaking in a Leeds Live Q&A session, journalist Beren Cross has shared what he knows on star midfielder Kalvin Phillips and a possible new deal.

The Lowdown: Phillips exit rumours…

Due to his stellar performances at club and international level last season, the Leeds favourite has been linked with a move away from Elland Road all summer until now.

Indeed, the Englishman has attracted interest from Manchester United amid their search for central midfield alternatives in what could be a future worry for manager Marcelo Bielsa.

Now, in an update, Cross has shared what he believes involving Phillips and his future at the club.

The Latest: Cross makes Phillips claim…

Speaking in the Q&A, Leeds reporter Cross refuses to rule out an exit for the 25-year-old in future but has made an exciting contract claim – and one which could ensure the Whites get the ‘best deal possible’.

When asked about the Phillips situation, he replied: “There would need to be some eye-watering bids for Leeds to even contemplate selling Raphinha or Phillips in January, especially if they’re still in the bottom quarter of the table at that time.

“Next summer is a more realistic time for those bids to come in and Leeds cannot stop other clubs bidding for their players. Sporting directors would not be doing their jobs properly if they did not take a look at talents like those two who, currently, do not play European football with their club.

“Leeds may not want to sell next summer, but they will surely be realistic enough to know every player has their price. Do not be surprised to see Phillips sign a new contract in the near future.

“That will boost his transfer value even higher and as Bielsa said recently, if and when he decides to go, he will ensure Leeds get the best deal possible from it.”

The Verdict: Smart move…

If Bielsa and Leeds do have to surrender one of their best players in future, the least they can do is recuperate as much money as possible from any deal.

Lauded as an ‘unbelievable’ player by pundit Kevin Phillips, the tenacious midfielder should have no trouble attracting big bids considering his age, form, performances and the fact he is homegrown.

Adding a new contract on top of that would only better Leeds’ chances to really make a profit.

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have been left talking after Sky Sports shared a live TV transfer update involving their club.

Manager David Moyes, seeking to maintain his side’s push for a Champions League-qualifying spot whilst continuing to battle in the FA Cup and Europa League, will need reinforcements before January 31.

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The club have been linked with signing a new striker, central defender, Jesse Lingard and potentially a left-back this month as reliable reports suggest these are the priorities of Moyes and recruitment chief Rob Newman (The Evening Standard).

Nearly half way through the window, West Ham are still yet to seal any deals, with Sky sharing the latest on their transfer plans on live TV.

As relayed by the broadcast giant on their Transfer Show, presented by Sky reporters Kaveh Solhehol and Dharmesh Sheth, Moyes has personally set his sights on ‘forward and centre-back options’ with the Scotsman revealing he has GSB’s backing.

“David Moyes says the West Ham board have told him he has money to spend if he wants to strengthen his squad,” they explained.

“Moyes is looking at forward and centre-back options.”

West Ham fans react…

Flocking to this Sky update (shared on Twitter by @WestHamViews), many West Ham fans have been left talking, with some optimistic given the positions being targeted and backing from their owners.

Others pitch who the club should sign, but given how far we are into the winter window, there are also some supporters pleading for West Ham to start making moves.

Find all of their best reactions down below:

“Finally the best news all year”

Credit: @Heardy768

“So he is being backed kind of. Get to it then David!”

Credit: @FromTheAnvilWHU

“Time to sort it out david…. we need players in Asap!”

Credit: @fatboyfeaver16

“Would love Origi and Diallo from PSG”

Credit: @HammersMighty

“Moyes has always been known for dithering with regards to signings. I’m satisfied by the only want the right players statement. But I believe the right players are available on 1st of Jan as well as 31st. And we could use those players. Prices are driven down end of window?”

Credit: @dazwhufifa

“Jonathan David please.”

Credit: @matthewpeet87

In other news: ExWHUemployee: West Ham could make move for 63-goal ‘monster’ loved by Irons chiefs, find out more here.

Newcastle United have now been dealt an injury blow on Jamal Lewis before they play Norwich City away from home in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Long-term injuries

The long-term injuries seem to be piling up for the St. James’ Park faithful, as more players join Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson on the sidelines.

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Eddie Howe recently admitted to the media in his pre-game press conference that he is unsure whether Ryan Fraser will be able to play again this season, while he is hopeful that Isaac Hayden will finally return to full training soon.

The Latest: Lewis operation

In his pre-Norwich press conference, Howe also revealed that Lewis has had another operation recently, and is hopeful that he will return in pre-season:

“He’s had a few operations and recently had another one. We hope this one has fixed his long standing groin problem. It’s been frustrating for him because he’s not felt 100%. I’d love to see him back in pre-season and show us the player he can be.”

The Verdict: Blow

Given that it is not guaranteed that the North East club will sign Matt Targett on a permanent deal from Aston Villa, Lewis may still have a place on Tyneside, and so losing him to a potentially long-term injury is certainly a blow.

It works the other way as well, as if Targett is signed permanently, the Magpies will surely want to find a buyer for Lewis, but they may not receive any offers for the left-back if he is out on the sidelines.

Either way, the fact that he continuously has to have operations is not ideal, and the Toon will just be hoping that his latest setback is not serious.

In other news, find out which ‘world-class’ magician is now a serious option for NUFC here!

Speaking to Give Me Sport, journalist and ‘transfer insider’ Dean Jones of Eurosport has dropped an exciting update as Southampton eye Fulham attacker Fabio Carvalho.

The Lowdown: Carvalho on the move?

The 19-year-old, as things stand, could leave Craven Cottage on a free deal at the end of 2021/2022 with a plethora of Premier League sides allegedly eyeing a move.

Indeed, according to TEAMtalk, Carvalho’s stellar form for Fulham in the Championship this season has attracted interest from the Saints and, by extension, transfer chief Martin Semmens.

The likes of Tottenham, West Ham United and Liverpool are also interested alongside Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side with Fulham apparently growing fearful of losing the dazzling prospect (TEAMtalk).

Jones, speaking to GMS, has now made a promising transfer claim involving Southampton and Carvalho.

The Latest: Jones drops promising Carvalho update…

According to his information, the south coast side are real frontrunners to sign the talented teenager and are apparently ‘leading’ for his signature.

“There is competition from various clubs,” he explained.

“Particularly from Southampton, who have really been leading the race to sign Fabio Carvalho.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

While arguably unproven at the very top level thus far early in his career, we believe Carvalho could be a nailed-on star for the future if he continues this fast progression.

Having only made his full professional debut last season in September 2020, he’s already gone on to catch the eye of some real English top flight heavyweights including Liverpool, backing his obvious ability.

Scoring seven goals and assisting two others over 13 league outings this campaign, snapping him up for free could be a genuine bargain for Southampton, with former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips even calling Carvalho a ‘very exciting’ talent.

In other news: Dan Sheldon drops big Broja update in great news for Saints, find out more here.

A massive update has emerged in Newcastle’s search for a director of football…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope has revealed that the former FA chief will pen a deal with the Magpies to work with Eddie Howe at St. James’ Park.

PIF brought in Nick Hammond on a short-term move in December to assist the club in the January transfer window and they are now set to provide a long-term solution to that position with the ex-Seagulls supremo.

Hope Tweeted: “Understand Dan Ashworth will join NUFC after resigning from his role as Brighton technical director.”

He followed that up with: “Ashworth was offered the Newcastle role on Friday & club hope to confirm his appointment in due course.”

PIF masterclass

This is a major piece of news and represents a masterclass from PIF as they are on the verge of pinching a huge part of Brighton’s success in recent years.

Seagulls journalist Aden-Jay Wood previously Tweeted: “If Dan Ashworth goes (which I think he will), it will be a huge shame. Ashworth has almost singlehandedly changed Brighton’s approach both on and off the field and would be very, very difficult to replace.”

Wood’s comment suggests that the Englishman will be able to sculpt Newcastle’s future on the pitch and off it, working alongside Howe – leaving the former Bournemouth boss delighted. The Magpies head coach will surely love to work with a sporting director of Ashworth’s pedigree, much like Gareth Southgate did with England.

The Three Lions boss once showered him with praise for his work with the national team set-up, as he created a winning culture throughout the ranks, saying:

“I told Dan (Ashworth) as we walked in that he should feel really proud. The last time we came to one of these it was in St Petersburg three years ago but this time we walked in as world champions at U17 and U20 and we’ve been to a seniors’ semi-final, so we deserve our place at the table.

“That is a great credit to everyone involved, the backing the FA has given us in building St George’s Park and investing in the teams, to the work being done in youth development and to Dan in particular for putting those plans in place, which we have seen pay off for Spain, Germany and France. It’s up to us now to continue the work that’s been started.”

Since joining Brighton in 2019, Ashworth has overseen 16th and 15th-placed finishes in the Premier League. The south coast side is currently ninth in the table as it stands and this highlights the excellent work he has done at the AMEX, helping the club to continually progress.

This is why bringing him in will represent a masterclass from PIF as they have been able to secure a top-quality appointment from a Premier League rival who’s well ahead of them in the table. It shows the pull they have as an ownership group, as they have been able to tempt him away from what looks – on paper – to be an excellent job for him.

Howe will now be buzzing to work with him ahead of the summer transfer window when they will hopefully be looking to build on a successful relegation battle.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Burn: Howe must now unleash “big” NUFC gem who’s massively “underrated”…

West Ham have endured a very up and down season so far but nevertheless, look a far better side under Manuel Pellegrini. 

After a horrendous start, West Ham found their feet and now see themselves aspiring to finish in 7th place in the bid to secure European football.

That right now remains a far-fetched ambition but if the owners continue to back Manuel Pellegrini during the upcoming transfer windows, the Hammers could be set for a hugely impressive next season.

A position that looks to be of great need in the summer is a centre-forward, as West Ham often find to be the case.

Marko Arnautovic, Javier Hernandez, Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez have all been linked with moves away from the London Stadium, meaning West Ham need to find some talent and fast.

One player who could fit the role is CSKA Moscow youngster Fedor Chalov, a player destined for great success in football.

Chalov, (who is valued at £9 million on Transfermarkt) is a clinical finisher that West Ham would be lucky to have within their ranks.

It would, of course, be a bold move considering where he currently plays and how old he is, yet with 11 goals and four assists this season, Chalov has been too impressive for West Ham to dismiss as an option.

The 20-year-old has a good turn of pace, an eye for goal and also the understanding to interlink with his team-mates, which creates more chances for him and his fellow players as well.

As a youngster full of potential, he could look at West Ham as being the best place for him to grow as a player.

Would Chalov be a good signing for West Ham… Let us know!

Leeds United are still reportedly interested in signing Arsenal youngster Eddie Nketiah, bringing him back to Elland Road in the process.

The Lowdown: Nketiah struggling at Arsenal

The 22-year-old may be England under-21s’ all-time record goalscorer but his stock has fallen in recent times.

Nketiah has found himself out of favour at Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta opting for the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette ahead of him. The striker is yet to play a single minute of Premier League action this season and his only two appearances have come in the Carabao Cup.

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The Latest: Leeds return on the cards?

According to TransferMarketWeb, Leeds have contacted Nketiah about a move to Elland Road, with West Ham, Crystal Palace and other European clubs also mentioned as potential suitors.

The young striker enjoyed a spell on loan with the Whites back in 2019/20, scoring five times in 19 appearances.

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The Verdict: Added squad depth

There may be question marks about whether or not Nketiah is good enough to regularly lead the line for a Premier League club, but he could be a good squad option for Leeds.

He could provide competition for the likes of Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo, and at 22 and having broken the England under-21 goalscoring record, there is no reason why he can’t still reach his potential, with Arteta once describing him as ‘extraordinary’.

Nketia has played under Marcelo Bielsa before at Elland Road during that loan spell and the Argentine could be the perfect man to get the best out of him.

In other news, Leeds have been mentioned as possible suitors for one exciting player. Find out who it is here.

Newcastle United are less than two weeks away from entering their first transfer window under the ownership of PIF and fans may be excited about what could be to come under the Saudi-Arabian consortium.

We have seen plenty of transfer speculation in recent weeks building up to January, with the Magpies reportedly looking at players to come in and bolster their squad ahead of the second half of the season.

However, the players currently at the club must also be taken into account as any new signing will need to take up a previously occupied spot in the XI and squad.

Finally axe Ritchie

One player who could finally be axed from the team is left-back Matt Ritchie. Newcastle are, according to the Daily Mail, interested in a deal to sign Lucas Digne from Everton and the Frenchman’s arrival would allow Eddie Howe to jettison the Scot by either leaving him on the bench or selling him.

Ritchie has been in poor form this season and signing a new player in his position could solve a problem area for the Magpies. He has averaged a dismal WhoScored rating of 6.43 in 16 Premier League outings this season, which shows that he has struggled to maintain a high standard throughout the campaign.

In the 2020/21 term, he averaged a higher – albeit uninspiring – score of 6.64. This suggests that he has not been performing well over the past 18 months and fans would surely love to see Howe finally axe him from the team by bringing Digne in.

The Blues defender averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.08 in the top-flight last season, after averaging scores of 7.38 and 7.16 in the two previous years. This shows that he can consistently churn out excellent displays at this level, making him a sizeable upgrade on Ritchie.

Chelsea and England midfielder Ross Barkley Tweeted earlier this year: “Lucas Digne, wand of a left foot,” seemingly in awe of the defender’s talents.

The £110k-per-week gem’s statistics back up this claim from the former Toffees man, with 18 assists in his first three Premier League campaigns for Everton. He has also set up three goals in his last six starts for France, highlighting the creative threat he can provide from left-back.

Therefore, Howe must now ensure that he can complete a deal for Digne so that he can axe Ritchie from the XI whilst upgrading in his position with a top-class performer who is proven in this division.

AND in other news, Move over Ashworth: NUFC must consider “irate” DoF whose “behaviour’s been a disgrace”…

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Matthias Ginter to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Sky Sports News (via the Daily Mail), who claim that Fabio Paratici is set to battle it out with Juventus, West Ham United and Aston Villa for the signing of the Borussia Monchengladbach centre-back – who is set to become a free agent upon the expiry of his contract at Borussia-Park at the end of the season.

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Conte can axe Sanchez with Ginter

While Antonio Conte and Paratici have reportedly made a left-sided centre-half their priority target this summer, considering just how impressive the right-sided Ginter has been for Gladbach this season, in addition to the fact that Davinson Sanchez does not look to have much of a future in north London under the 52-year-old manager, it is easy to see why Spurs would be interested in a move for the 28-year-old.

Indeed, over his 25 Bundesliga appearances in the current campaign, the £21.6m-rated defender has been imperious in the heart of Adi Hutter’s backline, helping his side keep four clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.3 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, three clearances and winning 5.6 duels – at a success rate of 67% – per game.

The Germany international has also impressed in an attacking capacity, scoring one goal and creating four big chances for his teammates, in addition to making 56.2 passes, 3.2 long balls and taking 1.2 shots per fixture.

These returns have seen the £50k-per-week player who Joachim Low dubbed “underrated” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.98, ranking him as Gladbach’s best defender and fourth-best player overall in the German top flight this season.

The 46-time capped World Cup winner has also earned praise from legendary German centre-back Lothar Matthaus, who went as far as to compare the Ginter to Paris Saint-German defender and former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.

Matthaus said: “Ginter has become a leader at the back, similar to Ramos at Real. He doesn’t just give instructions to his teammates, but leads them as well. That’s what Ginter is doing really well at the moment. He reminds me of Ramos.”

As such, considering the fact that the £42m Sanchez has not featured in seven of Tottenham’s last eight Premier League fixtures, as well as the £67k-per-week centre-back who Paul Robinson dubbed “inexcusable” having been linked with a move away from north London in the January transfer window, it would indeed appear as if the Colombia international could be on his way out of the club this summer.

And, if Sanchez does depart, signing Ginter on a free to replace the 25-year-old would undoubtedly be a fantastic piece of business for Paratici to get over the line – as the German would be a huge upgrade upon the former Ajax starlet.

AND in other news: “I wouldn’t be surprised…”: Gold drops teasing Spurs claim that supporters will love

When Leeds United travel to Selhurst Park later next month to take on Crystal Palace, there will be one player in the opposition ranks whom the club will wonder what could have been.

Michael Olise has been one of the shining lights for the Eagles this season in the Premier League as they continue to push up the table, but he could have been playing for the white of Leeds had the Yorkshire club acted on their interest.

Reports back in January 2021 suggested that then manager Marcelo Bielsa was very interested in landing the France U21 international, but a deal failed to materialise.

Then, according to TEAMtalk in the summer, Ligue 1 champions Lille put their name into the hat to take the teenager back to his native France, with the French side battling Leeds for his signature.

Of course in the end, it was fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace who won the race for him, and it’s been a debut campaign in the top-flight that has surely left Leeds thinking ‘what if’.

With seven goals and 12 assists, Olise was an absolute revelation in the Championship for Reading last term, and it’s no surprise that he has earned so many reviews for both his performances and incredible technical ability.

His Reading team-mate Sam Baldock said early last year: “Michael is a real talent, he’ll get on the ball in any situation. He’s fearless, if you ask him today I’ll guarantee that he had no nerves. He’s a lively character and one who I’ve noticed a real change in the last couple of months.”

Hailed as “super talented” by Reading boss Veljko Paunović, Olise’s former Royals manager Jose Gomes added: “Michael is really special. He can see, even before receiving the ball, more options than regular players. His technical ability and speed, decision capacity is really, really good.”

Signed for just £8m by Palace and becoming Patrick Vieira’s first signing in charge at Selhurst Park, the young Frenchman has come on leaps and bounds under the Arsenal Invincible, now being valued at a hefty £25m by CIES.

This campaign has seen him score four goals and provide an impressive nine assists in just 26 games across all competitions, including registering goal contributions against the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premier League.

The 5 foot 9 star is really making Leeds pay for not taking the leap of faith last year.

AND in other news – Forget Joffy: Marsch can get Leeds rocking by finally unleashing “phenomenal” 20 y/o