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Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope has enjoyed a phenomenal start to the 2022/23 campaign since making the move from Burnley in the summer transfer window.

The 30-year-old, who Shay Given once dubbed “phenomenal”, has played in all six of the club’s Premier League matches so far and has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.53 – the second-highest in the squad.

He has saved 82% of the shots against him in the top-flight and kept three clean sheets and has already made himself a key member of Eddie Howe’s squad.

However, Newcastle appear to be thinking about life beyond the ex-Claret stopper already as they have been touted with an interest in Porto’s Diogo Costa.

The Magpies are reportedly eyeing him up for a January transfer and the Portuguese giants are said to value him at £21.6m, despite him having a £51.9m release clause.

Dan Ashworth could now land the dream heir to Pope at St. James’ Park by snapping up a deal to sign the 22-year-old in the winter market.

Costa could come in as back-up or competition for the former Burnley man to begin with before succeeding him between the sticks in the future, as he is eight years younger than the Englishman.

One of the England international’s biggest strengths is his ability to sweep up behind his defence. He excels at running off his line to deal with dangerous crosses and through balls, instead of being rooted to the spot and allowing the opposition to take advantage of space in-behind.

Pope ranks in the 99th and 98th percentile for defensive actions outside of the box and the average distance of those actions per 90 respectively, among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days.

Costa is also one of the best goalkeepers around in terms of sweeping. He ranks in the 94th and 96th percentile for the two aforementioned statistics, based on his performances in European competitions over the last 365 days.

This shows that both players are perfect for a team playing a high line. Eddie Howe knows that he can instruct his defence to sit higher up the pitch because he knows that Pope can deal with the oppositions attempts to play the ball into the space it leaves, with Costa able to fulfill this role as well.

Howe wants his team to press high and force turnovers and having a goalkeeper capable of sweeping is crucial to that, as it allows the rest of the team to push on without fear of being exposed defensively.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed Costa “The Wall” after he won his fifth goalkeeper of the month award in the Portuguese top-flight last season, which illustrates how impressive he was in 2021/22 as he caught the eye with his displays between the sticks.

Therefore, he has the potential to be an excellent, long-term, signing for the Magpies as his goalkeeping style fits in with Howe’s way of playing and he is a young player who has put in strong performances in Portugal, whilst gaining experience in the Champions League.

Ashworth must work his magic in January to strike a deal for the gem so that he can come in to compete for the number one shirt with Pope, with a view to being his heir in the future as he continues to develop and hone his skills.

Liverpool have enjoyed a glorious period since the arrival of Jurgen Klopp as manager in October 2015, and the German has worked hard to build an exceptional team which has won every trophy available to them over his seven-year reign at Anfield.

Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Alisson Becker are just a few of the players that Klopp signed to turn into world-class superstars on Merseyside, with their contributions leading to Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup triumphs and the club’s first Premier League title in 2020.

However, there are still a few players who impressively made the cut to continue in the manager’s era after taking over from Brendan Rodgers all those years ago, with Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and midfielder James Milner remaining very much part of the team and becoming integral in the Reds’ recent success.

Milner in particular was an incredible piece of business for FSG, as the former Manchester City star came to Merseyside on a free transfer in the summer of 2015 after winning two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the League Cup in 203 appearances at the Etihad Stadium.

The 36-year-old has become a stalwart and part of the furniture at Anfield, tallying 298 appearances, 26 goals and 46 assists since joining the Reds seven years ago, winning seven trophies in total and offering a goal contribution every 250 minutes in his various roles in the team.

The £150k-per-week stalwart has played in almost every single position on the pitch over his illustrious career, including eight appearances as a centre-forward. He has mainly been found in the left, right and centre of midfield, along with 86 appearances across the two full-back positions.

His reliability, hard work and versatility has never been taken for granted by, Klopp who hailed Milner as “incredibly important” and a “role model” in the team by saying (via This Is Anfield): “Milly is Milly, is incredibly important for us. People talk about the dressing room [influence] and yes, he is really helpful there.

“It’s difficult to be fitter than Milly and he’s a role model. I told him and I can tell the whole world: Nothing we would have achieved in the last few years would have happened without James Milner, if he’s on the pitch or not.”

There is an argument to be made that James Milner is perhaps Liverpool’s best-ever free transfer, and also one of the greatest free transfers in the Premier League era when you consider his contributions and achievements during his time at Anfield.

One thing is for sure – the Reds struck gold seven years ago when signing him from a future title rival without dipping into their transfer kitty.

Leeds United winger Raphinha is in advanced talks concerning a move away from Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), who claim that the 25-year-old’s agent is in continued talks with Barcelona regarding a transfer to the Camp Nou at the end of the current campaign.

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The report goes on to state that, despite earlier claims that the Brazil international will be available for €25m (£21m) in the event that Leeds are relegated, this is in fact not the case, before also suggesting that Victor Orta has an agreement in place to sanction Raphinha’s sale for “not too high an amount” if the Whites do drop out of the top flight this season.

Supporters will be livid

Considering just how important a part of the Leeds side Raphinha has become since joining the club back in 2020, the news that the winger could leave the Elland Road on the cheap this summer is sure to be an update that will leave the Elland Road faithful livid.

Indeed, the £40.5m-rated attacker has continuously been a standout for the Whites ever since his £17m move, bagging 16 goals, registering 12 assists and creating 21 big chances over his 63 Premier League outings, in addition to making an average of 2.0 key passes, taking 2.3 shots and completing 1.9 dribbles per game.

These metrics have seen the £63k-per-week Brazilian average a quite breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.03 over his two league campaigns for the club – playing a crucial role in Leeds sealing a top-half finish last time out, as well as being the club’s top-scorer in the current campaign.

As such, should Orta sanction the sale of the 25-year-old for anything less than Leeds’ reported £60m asking price, it would certainly come as a huge blow to all involved with the Whites, as it is clear that Raphinha is a talent who would be well worth a figure around the £60m mark in the current market.

AND in other news: Forget Klich: Radz must ruthlessly axe £80k-p/w Leeds figure, he’s “out of his depth”

Tottenham Hotspur could repeat their Dejan Kulusevski masterclass by signing one of his former teammates…

What’s the word?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Spurs are ready to do business with Juventus once again, this time for midfielder Weston McKennie, who they want to sign on a loan-to-buy agreement, too.

The USMNT international has often been linked with a move away from Turin and he has struggled to maintain a regular place in Max Allegri’s starting XI.

Paul Pogba could return to the Allianz Stadium and that would push the American further down the pecking order. McKennie is currently valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt.

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Kulusevski repeat

Given the success stories of Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, it would be wise for sporting director Fabio Paratici to return to his former club for yet another signing.

Central midfield may not be a priority heading into next season but it’s clear that manager Antonio Conte is keen for reinforcements in the role, with the Telegraph suggesting that he wants deep enough squad depth to challenge, particularly if they qualify for the Champions League.

Signing McKennie on an initial loan would be hugely beneficial towards the budget as the club wouldn’t have to fork out a hefty fee when there are other areas of the squad to bolster.

On top of that, the 23-year-old would be a very solid addition indeed.

Capable of playing in a variety of engine room roles, the Juventus powerhouse could be of huge use to Conte when competing in multiple competitions next season.

“He’s an outstanding talent. In the No.6 or No.8 position he has the mentality, a real working mentality that you need,” once claimed his former Schalke manager David Wagner. “And he’s brave on the ball as well. He can be one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga.”

Also lauded as a “rock” by Old Lady legend Andrea Pirlo, McKennie ranks inside the top 2% of his position peers across Europe for touches in the penalty box (3.65 per 90), showing that he likes to get forward to try and create something, whilst also being able to press high up the pitch with 0.41 final third tackles per 90, which rates him inside the top 14%, per FBRef.

On the above evidence, the 5 foot 10 midfielder would be a nice signing to make during the off-season and considering how well the Kulusevski deal has gone, it would make perfect sense to repeat that masterstroke by bringing McKennie in on an initial loan.

AND in other news, Paratici eyeing Spurs swoop for £60m-rated “phenomenon”, just imagine him and Romero…

A big update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Hugo Ekitike heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Frenchman is poised to seal a transfer in the coming months as the Magpies and Borussia Dortmund battle it out for his signature.

The teen striker recently explained why he rejected the chance to sign for the Premier League outfit in January, saying: “I have a lot of respect for that big club. But it was all happening very quickly, the timing wasn’t right. It was better to stay here, to play a full season, to establish myself.”

Romano Tweeted: “Key days ahead for Hugo Ekitike’s future, he’s expected to leave Reims after great season. Newcastle are still working to sign him after January late negotiations, now hoping to beat Borussia Dortmund in the race. Ekitike will make his choice on the future soon.”

Supporters will be excited

Toon fans will be excited by this claim from the Italian reporter for multiple reasons.

Firstly, the claim that Ekitike is ‘expected’ to leave his current club is a boost to Newcastle as it suggests that Reims are open to doing a deal. This means that there is a realistic possibility that the club can strike an agreement for his services, although they will still need to beat off competition from Dortmund.

The supporters will also find this claim exciting because the Frenchman would be an excellent addition to Eddie Howe’s squad.

He ended the Ligue 1 campaign with ten goals and three assists in 15 starts as he averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.89 in the division. The forward ranks in the 92nd percentile in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90 at 0.64 and this suggests that he has been one of the biggest goal threats from open play this season.

Meanwhile, Callum Wilson ranks in the 66th percentile and Chris Wood in the 5th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90. Ekitike can, therefore, be a huge upgrade on what Howe currently has to work with at the top end of the pitch, in terms of finding the back of the net without needing spot-kicks.

At the age of 19, he has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve over the years. This means that he would be a signing for the future as well as the here and now and the fans would be able to look forward to watching him grow over the course of a number of seasons on Tyneside.

AND in other news,  Newcastle now “interested” in signing £42m star, he could be Howe’s next “hero”…

A worrying Newcastle United injury setback has emerged on central midfielder Joelinton…

What’s the latest?

Eddie Howe has revealed the gruesome extent of the Brazilian’s blow and has been unable to rule it out being a major issue heading into the summer.

He suffered a laceration in the 11th minute of the 2-1 win over Burnley on Sunday in the final Premier League match of the campaign and it now remains to be seen how it will impact him ahead of 2022/23.

Injury expert Ben Dinnery quoted Howe as saying: “It didn’t look good. I thought ‘this could be serious’. I think the doctor, initially when he saw him, could see part of his bone, so I think it was quite deep. We knew immediately we had to withdraw him, but he’s in good spirits.”

Supporters will be gutted

This blow will surely leave the fans gutted heading into the summer as it could be a big setback for Joelinton heading into next season.

Hopefully, the injury does not disrupt the start of his pre-season or rule him out of any matches next term, but it remains unclear as to the extent of the damage at this moment in time.

Losing him for any period of time would be frustrating for the supporters as he has been a revelation in the middle of the park. He started the campaign playing out wide for Steve Bruce and was then converted into a combative midfielder by Howe and that decision has been a masterstroke by the head coach.

The ex-Hoffenheim man was recently named Newcastle’s Player of the Season and this illustrates how highly he is rated by those at the club and in the stands.

In the Premier League, Joelinton averaged an impressive 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game as he won an outstanding 6.9 duels per match. He has shown that he can win the ball back for his side on a consistent basis as he has dominated the midfield for large parts of the campaign.

The 25-year-old has also chipped in with four goals and one assist. Whilst this return may have been an unimpressive one based on where he was previously playing for Newcastle, this is a solid contribution from the machine as he has spent the majority of his time trying to win possession instead of being in the final third.

This is why fans will be gutted by this injury blow as Joelinton is a crucial player for Howe and one they will want to see in action again as soon as possible.

AND in other news, Newcastle now “interested” in signing £42m star, he could be Howe’s next “hero”…

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Giorgi Mamardashvili to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Marca, who claim that Fabio Paratici has now joined the race to sign the Valencia goalkeeper, with Manchester United having already made contact with the LaLiga side regarding a deal for the 21-year-old.

The report goes on to state that, with Los Che needing to raise around €70m (£60m) from player sales in order to balance their books, Jose Bordalas’ side would be open to the sale of the Georgia international this summer – with the shot-stopper reported to have a €20m (£17m) release clause written into his contract at The Mestalla.

The next Jan Oblak

Considering the sheer amount of potential Mamardashvili undoubtedly possesses, it is easy to see why Paratici would be interested in a deal to bring the ‘keeper to north London this summer – especially for a figure of just £17m.

Indeed, the £4.5m-rated talent highly impressed over his 18 LaLiga appearances this season, keeping eight clean sheets and making an average of 3.1 saves per game – the joint fifth-most in the league.

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These returns saw the £13k-per-week shot-stopper who Xisco Munoz claimed can have “brutal growth” and Jacek Kulig dubbed Jan “Oblak-esque” average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 6.98, ranking him as Bordalas’ fourth-best performer in the Spanish top flight.

Furthermore, according to FBref data, the 21-year-old also ranks in the top 8% of goalkeepers in Europe’s big five leagues for saves made per 90, as well as the top 4% for clean sheets, the top 23% for goals conceded, the top 9% for goal-kick distance, the top 24% for crosses stopped and the top 29% for defensive actions outside of the penalty area over the last 365 days.

As such, with the 35-year-old Hugo Lloris being no spring chicken, and Mamardashvili clearly being an exceptionally talented young goalkeeper, it would appear highly advisable for Paratici to do everything he can to land the Georgian ahead of Manchester United this summer.

Indeed, should the Valencia starlet continue his extraordinary rate of development following a £17m switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Italian sporting director could well have sealed a player who could go on to become the next Oblak – the Atletico Madrid number one who had a £70m asking price last year – for Spurs.

AND in other news: “Understood to be keen”: Gold drops big Spurs transfer claim that supporters will love

David Lynch has dropped an update on the future of reported Leeds United transfer target Takumi Minamino.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the journalist revealed that the 27-year-old is now closing in on a move away from Liverpool this summer, with the Japan international’s agent said to have made contact with Leeds United, Southampton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham and AS Monaco regarding a summer switch.

Lynch went on to state that, considering the sheer amount of interest in his services, the forward’s future is likely to be resolved quickly, with Jurgen Klopp’s side hoping to receive a fee in the region of £17m from the former Red Bull Salzburg winger’s sale.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “Takumi Minamino closing in on a Liverpool departure with his agent having flown to Europe to field interest from Leeds, Southampton, Wolves, Fulham and Monaco. Situation likely to be resolved quickly – Liverpool hoping to secure £17m.”

Marsch will be buzzing

While it is true that Minamino has not enjoyed the best spell of his career since his £7.25m move to Liverpool back in January 2020, it is undeniable that the 27-year-old is nevertheless an extremely talented player.

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Indeed, despite having made just 24 appearances – with only nine of these coming as starts – across all competitions in 2021/22, the £12.5m-rated attacker still managed to score ten goals and provide his teammates with one assist – averaging a direct goal involvement every 92 minutes of football played last season.

Furthermore, the £72k-per-week talent has already proven how effective he can be under the leadership of Jesse Marsch, with the 27-year-old bagging nine goals and registering 11 assists over his 22 fixtures for the American at RB Salzburg –  once again averaging an extremely impressive direct goal involvement every 81 minutes.

As such, should Victor Orta manage to fight off the competition for Minamino’s services this summer, the Japanese sensation would very much appear to be yet another impressive early piece of business by the Spanish sporting director – not to mention being a signing that would leave Marsch buzzing.

AND in other news: Victor Orta now edging closer to “lovely” £8.5m signing, he’s Leeds’ next Raphinha

According to Tottenham Hotspur insider John Wenham, the club could now make a move for Villarreal defender Pau Torres after missing out on Alessandro Bastoni.

The Lowdown: Spurs confident of Torres deal

Despite still having two years remaining on his current contract with the La Liga outfit, a recruitment source told Football Insider just last month that the Spanish giants are expecting to cash in on the 25-year-old this summer.

The same source also claimed that the centre-back could be signed for a fee in the region of the £45m mark, with Fabio Paratici growing confident of being able to secure his services at a discount from his £55m release clause.

This comes after news has emerged within the last week, as confirmed by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, that Spurs’ previous target, Bastoni, is expected to stay at Inter.

The Latest: Wenham’s praise for Torres

Speaking to Football Insider, Wenham said he has been ‘blown away’ when watching Torres, urging Spurs to make the ‘huge’ upgrade by signing him.

“Possibly, I have seen some people seem unconvinced by Torres.

“Online I have seen stats guys say he maybe isn’t physically strong enough for the Premier league but personally, whenever I have seen him play he has looked very, very good.

“In a Europa League game against Man United, I was blown away by him. On the ball, his leadership skills, he looked a really good player.

“He regularly starts for Spain as well so if Conte and Paratici want him, who are we to question them?

“Torres would be a huge upgrade for our defence.“

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The Verdict: Second time lucky?

Torres, who was once dubbed an “extraordinary” talent by former Villarreal midfielder Javi Calleja, made a total of 33 appearances in La Liga this season, making six goal contributions and averaging 3.1 clearances per game, alongside winning 1.8 of his aerial duels, via WhoScored, firmly squashing any fears that he isn’t physically strong enough.

It’s thought that Antonio Conte is looking for a new central defender as part of his squad rebuild ahead of the start of the new term, and after suffering a huge blow in their pursuit of Bastoni, it doesn’t come as any shock to see Spurs turning their attention elsewhere to find their ideal fit.

Tottenham did actually try to sign the 6 foot 2 colossus last year, but he resisted the urge to join as a result of wanting to play Champions League football – with that carrot now dangling from N17, could it be a case of second time lucky?

In other news… Tottenham chiefs are set for talks in the ‘next few days’ regarding a possible move for one of their transfer targets.

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain recently and if he were to join Steven Gerrard’s side this summer he could prove to be his own version of Jude Bellingham.

According to Football Insider, Villa have turned their attentions towards signing the former Arsenal man ahead of next season, with the 28-year-old reportedly available for a cut-price of just £10m, as he seeks regular first-team football away from Anfield.

Since joining the Reds in a £35m deal in 2017, he has gone on to make 133 appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side, in which he has contributed 17 goals and 15 assists.

The strength of the German’s midfield meant opportunities were hard to come by for Oxlade-Chamberlain last season and it is perhaps no surprise that he is seeking a move away, and Villa could be the ones to benefit.

Although Villa fans might not take too kindly to a potential signing being compared to Bellingham, given that he started his career at fierce rivals Birmingham City, there seems little doubt that he will become one of the best midfielders in world football.

At 18, he is already a fully-fledged England international and a regular for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and the Champions League, with his performances in the German top-flight last season earning him an impressive 7.12 average rating from WhoScored.

FB Ref suggests that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Bellingham have very similar styles of play, with both excelling at progressive carries and dribbling, which suggests that the Liverpool man could add some real dynamism and counter-attacking threat to Gerrard’s side next season.

WhoScored also suggests that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Bellingham like to dribble, so it seems clear that both midfielders like to carry the ball and use their athleticism to go past opposition defenders.

Therefore, while the “fantastic” £16.2 million rated Liverpool man in the words of Gerrard, might have ten years on Bellingham, he could perform a similar role to the teenager in Gerrard’s squad next season for a much cheaper fee, so Villa should definitely consider bringing him in.

And, in other news… Gerrard already has his dream Watkins heir at AVFC in “bullish” rarely-seen 20 y/o