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Newcastle United have not enjoyed a fruitful summer transfer window so far, but Eddie Howe still has time to prove the noise is nothing more than a tempest in a teacup.

However, few of a Toon persuasion, if any, could say that Alexander Isak joining Liverpool wouldn’t be a detrimental blow to Howe’s grand plan.

It’s important to remember that the Sweden striker, who scored 27 goals last season, including a strike against Arne Slot’s Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, may yet remain at St. James’ Park.

Though the club will be cautious about keeping a player, star man he may be, against his will, it would be ludicrous to cash in for a British record £130m sum without sourcing an able replacement.

And that’s currently the focus on Tyneside.

Newcastle’s search for Isak replacement

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is the top target at number nine.

However, the Magpies are joined in the pursuit of their quarry by Manchester United, complicating matters having already fallen short in many a transfer tussle this summer.

He’s not the only one on the radar, though, with GIVEMESPORT revealing that the Tynesiders actually lead Tottenham Hotspur in the race for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, having been described as the ‘frontrunners’.

Wissa, 28, was one of the Premier League’s most prolific forwards last year, and Brentford want £50m for his sale.

However, his morale at the Gtech has deteriorated after what he believes is a gentleman’s agreement to leave for much less, terms shaken upon last summer. Brentford’s stance over the coming weeks will determine whether Newcastle will get their man.

As per the report, it remains to be seen if a compromise fee of £40m will be reached.

Why Newcastle want Yoane Wissa

Wissa might not be as ‘exciting’ as someone like Sesko, who is one of Europe’s most coveted strikers and billed as “the new Erling Haaland” by the likes of talent scout Jacek Kulig, but he’s proven in the Premier League.

In fact, he’s proved on English shores that he can chalk up 20-goal campaigns, and that’s something that could prove invaluable for Newcastle next season as they look to qualify for the Champions League once again, while fighting in Europe’s elite sphere concurrently.

Sure, the likes of Anthony Gordon would help someone like Sesko find their footing, but would the England winger not find a more secure partner in Wissa?

Gordon, 24, is one of the finest wingers in the Premier League, and he has forged quite the partnership with Isak over the past couple of years.

In 2023/24, Gordon was awarded the club’s Player of the Year award. It was his first full season in black and white, and he had contributed 22 direct goal involvements in the league to drive the Magpies through a frustrating, injury-hit season.

The recent term proved tougher for Gordon, who only scored six top-flight goals. Even so, his talent has been picked up by big hitters such as Arsenal and Liverpool, leading Howe and co to slap a £100m price tag on his head, warding such suitors away.

He’s described himself as “a nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, so athletic, so snappy, so fierce. Gordon’s movement and energy would be perfect alongside such a calm and composed finisher in Wissa, one whose pedigree in the division has been proven.

Wissa’s “absolutely sensational” finishing, as it has been hailed by Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam, is underscored through the data. The Congo DR international has posted 41 goals and assists across the last two seasons alone.

Having scored at a rate of 0.59 in the league last year, as per FBref, while keeping it crisp on the ball too, the data-driven site revealed him to be one of Isak’s most statistically comparable players.

It’s clear that he would add a sense of focus and confidence in the final third that Sesko perhaps might not, and that’s something that would only serve to enhance Gordon’s own game.

Matches (starts)

35 (34)

33 (30)

Goals

19

13

Assists

4

5

Touches*

29.1

30.7

Shots (on target)*

2.6 (1.2)

2.1 (0.9)

Big chances missed

17

10

Pass completion

79%

68%

Key passes*

0.8

0.6

Dribbles*

0.4

1.2

Ball recoveries*

2.3

1.9

Tackles + interceptions*

0.8

0.4

Duels (won)*

3.4

4.1

Thus, Wissa could be Gordon’s new Isak, a pillar of strength, a focal point, standing proud at the front and allowing the Three Lions star to shuttle up and down the flank, stretching and creating.

The ability to score many goals in the Premier League with consistency is a rare and precious thing. Isak would attest to that. To sell the 25-year-old to Liverpool is to lose one of the finest players in the world, and though the British-record fee that his sale would demand would ameliorate the loss, it’s absolutely crucial that that fee is redirected toward the right replacement.

Though that could be plural. Such would be the financial recuperation that both Wissa and Sesko could arrive at Howe’s door without Newcastle even topping the fee they would land from Isak’s departure.

And though Sesko has potential, it’s hard to imagine that he would provide the kind of goal threat that Isak has mastered. Wissa, obviously, isn’t as complete or technically sharp as the Swede, but he is settled into his prolific place in the Premier League, and so signing him would maintain a level of fluency that could in turn propel Gordon back into the ascendancy after a challenging season.

Here is an elite finisher. Perhaps not a natural-born goalscorer, but chiselled across a number of seasons in the Premier League. He’s worked hard for his opportunity, has Wissa, and now Newcastle must push to seal his signature and receive instantaneous success in the final third.

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Arsenal have now made progress in their pursuit of a “magician”, having reached an agreement in principle with his club, according to reporter Sebastien Vidal.

Gunners set sights on new forward after Gyokeres

The Gunners finally got a deal for Viktor Gyokeres over the line on Sunday, and Mikel Arteta is clearly delighted with the signing, saying: “Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels.

“He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat.”

It will be a real relief to have signed a striker, but Andrea Berta and co have no plans to stop there, given that Arteta was left a little short on options out wide at times last season too, and they are currently working to get another forward through the door.

Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze is among the main targets, with reliable reporter Ben Jacobs revealing the England international is “keen” on a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, and initial talks have now been held with the Eagles.

There has now been a further development in Arsenal’s pursuit of Eze, with journalist Sebastien Vidal revealing they are now “pushing” to get a deal over the line, having reached an agreement in principle with Palace.

The Gunners plan to pay £30m for the £27-year-old up front, and they are currently negotiating the time scale of when they will pay the rest of the installments, with the Eagles keen to receive full payment within two years.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jul 26, 2025 "Magician" Eze could be yet another fantastic signing

A deal for the Palace star is unlikely to be cheap, with the attacker’s current employers keen to receive £68m, but there are plenty of signs he could be yet another fantastic signing, in what has been an exciting window for the north Londoners.

Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards has lauded the Englishman as a “magician” in the past, and he was regularly among the goals for Palace last season, providing 25 attacking contributions across all competitions.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

34

8

8

FA Cup

5

4

1

EFL Cup

4

2

2

By far the Greenwich-born forward’s most important goal came in the FA Cup final, scoring the winner against Manchester City, which meant Crystal Palace lifted major silverware for the first time in their history.

As such, Eze is clearly a big-game player, and it is exciting news that Arsenal are now making progress towards sealing a deal.

It is set to be a busy summer at Aston Villa.

According to widespread reports, the Villans could be forced to sell a key player before 30 June, which is only ten days away now, to avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.

This issue was only exacerbated by the fact Unai Emery’s team missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day, forced to settle for a significantly less lucrative spot in the Europa League.

So, with a claret and blue stalwart or two potentially on their way out of Villa Park, has Emery already identified a dream replacement?

Aston Villa targeting a new striker

With Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio heading back to their parent clubs at the end of their loan spells in the Midlands, Villa clearly need to strengthen their forward line.

Well, according to a report by GIVEMESPORT, Aston Villa are ‘eyeing’ a move to sign £32m Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, should the Senegalese international become available this summer.

It’s revealed that Villa ‘are ready to enter discussions’ over what it would take to tempt the forward away from Stamford Bridge if they decide to transfer-list him.

The Blues have already signed Liam Delap for £30m earlier this summer, also purportedly interested in many other centre-forwards, including, most-notably, Hugo Ekitike, suggesting Jackson could get squeezed out.

Manager Enzo Maresca has always been full of praise for his striker, labelling him “fantastic” and “very important”, but the sheer churn at Chelsea in recent years means no one’s future at Stamford Bridge is ever certain.

So, could he soon be swapping West London for the West Midlands?

How Nicolas Jackson would improve Aston Villa

Aston Villa sold Jhon Durán to Al-Nassr for a reported fee of £71m in January, with Rashford and Asensio ostensibly coming in as the Colombian’s replacements, albeit both only on loan, and it remains to be seen if either will return to Villa Park.

Durán arrived from Chicago Fire for around £16m in January 2023, and was absolutely on fire during the first half of this season, scoring 12 goals in 29 appearances, thereby averaging a goal every 87 minutes, before being flipped for a massive profit, a business model Villa would surely like to replicate going forward.

Neither Rashford nor Asensio favour playing as a central striker, leaving Ollie Watkins as the only player for that position at the club right now, and even he is itching for a move away this summer, according to Football Insider.

Reports suggest Arsenal are still very much interested in Watkins and Villa could be looking to cash in on the 29-year-old to help comply with PSR.

So, would Jackson be a shrewd replacement? Well, let’s assess how the duo compared this season.

Appearances

35

54

Minutes

2,501

3,578

Goals

13

17

Goals per 90

0.49

0.44

Assists

6

14

Shots on target %

47.5%

42.6%

Shot-creating actions per 90

2.75

2.19

Goal-creating actions per 90

0.41

0.44

Big chances missed

22

31

Touches per 90

28

22

Average Sofascore rating

7.07

6.88

As the table shows, Watkins and Jackson’s statistics were broadly very similar throughout last season, with the Chelsea striker scoring just four fewer goals in around 1,000 fewer minutes, largely due to the fact he spent around two months on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury between February and April.

The Senegalese star though, did come out on top when it comes to goals-per-90, as well as a higher shots on target percentage and shot-creating actions-per-90, while registering more touches-per-90 and squandering fewer Opta-defined big chances.

Moe Adikwu of Breaking the Lines believes that Jackson has become a ‘proper centre-forward’ at Chelsea, adding that he ‘offers a lot more than his goals’, praising his work-rate, link-up play and ability to hold up the ball while journalist Rahman Osman has praised his “special” ability.

Thus, given that Watkins is 29 and Jackson is 23, if Villa could secure a big fee for the former and then snap up the latter, that would surely be shrewd business for a club operating under tight financial constraints.

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June is nearly upon us, yet Glasgow Rangers still don’t have a permanent manager. Philippe Clement was sacked 96 days ago, and ahead of the most important in the club’s recent history, the onus is on the board to bring the right man to Ibrox.

Whenever there is a managerial vacancy, plenty of names have been linked with a move to Glasgow.

At the start of the month, Marco Rose and Danny Rohl were named potential Rangers managers, yet the links died down after a few days.

Steven Gerrard’s name has been mentioned over the past few months regarding a potential return to Scotland.

Between 2018 and 2021, the former Liverpool captain took over a shambles of a club and returned them to the summit of Scottish football within three years.

Recent news suggests that he wont be the next manager of the club, however, leaving Russell Martin and Davide Ancelotti as the leading candidates.

Whatever happens, getting someone in swiftly should be the main priority for the board. With pre-season set to start in a few weeks, plus the prospect of Champions League qualifiers in mid-July, the longer the wait goes on, the worse it could turn out for the Light Blues.

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With Gerrard now out of the frame, it appears as though Ancelotti is the frontrunner for the vacant role.

The Italian has held talks with the board and is currently a free agent, having not joined his dad, Carlo, on his adventure with the Brazil national side.

“Davide is thinking [about] what to do for the future,” said the elder Ancelotti. He’s in talks with other clubs as he tries to be first coach, and he knows if he doesn’t find the opportunity, he will be here with me.”

Having assisted his dad at clubs such as Real Madrid, Napoli, Bayern Munich and Everton, Davide has a plethora of experience in a coaching capacity.

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The younger Ancelotti was the brains behind Madrid’s tactical approach, which saw them win two La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies between 2021 and 2024.

A fluid approach to the game, which means his team can play across multiple formations at will, is certainly a positive.

The caveat being that he hasn’t managed a side on his own. While the pressures of Ibrox may be slightly different to those at the Bernabeu, the desire to win every game remains the same.

Should he win the race and get the job, it would be an almighty gamble for the board, no doubt about that. Is there a better option currently available, however?

Rangers search for a new manager

Now, a new name has entered the fray. According to the Herald journalist, Stephen McGowan, Rangers have now reportedly held talks with former Ajax boss Francesco Farioli.

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The Italian left the Dutch side following their Eredivisie collapse, which saw them lose the league title to PSV Eindhoven, despite being nine points clear with five matches left.

He dragged Ajax from fifth the previous season to the brink of the title, while securing a return to Champions League football for 2025/26.

Farioli reportedly blamed a difference in ‘visions and timeframes’ from the Ajax board as to why he quit the role after just a single season in the Netherlands.

When Giovanni van Bronckhorst was sacked in November 2022, the former Nice manager was sounded out to be his replacement. In the end, it was Michael Beale who eventually took over the role. Might things be different three years later?

Why Rangers must hire Francesco Farioli

Of course, fingers will be pointed following Ajax’s major collapse over the final five matches of the season. Considering that the Dutch giants endured their worst season in living memory just a year ago, however, getting that far was certainly a step forward.

Journalist Lars Jesse praised the 36-year-old after he left the club, saying: “Francesco Farioli has achieved something unique at Ajax. After years of incompetence, uncertainty, and misery, he brought back calm and structure.”

Club

Date appointed

Games in charge

Points per game

Ajax

July 1, 2024

54

2.09

Nice

July 1, 2023

38

1.68

Alanyaspor

December 31, 2021

48

1.54

Karagümrük

March 22, 2021

27

1.52

During the 2023/24 season, Ajax lost eight league games, scored 74 goals and conceded a staggering 61 times.

A year later, they may have scored four fewer goals throughout the campaign, but the club lost just four times and conceded 32 goals, a major improvement.

Farioli tends to utilise an attacking 4-3-3 system, which could be a wonderful fit for some of the current Ibrox squad. He will also be keen on signing his own targets for the club during the transfer window.

Across his 54 matches in charge of the Dutch side, Farioli’s side scored 115 goals – 2.1 per game – while he accumulated 2.09 points per game.

This focus on dynamic attacking football would certainly win over the Ibrox faithful, who have had to endure Clement’s distinct lack of style. Despite his tender years, the Italian manager has managed an impressive 167 senior games throughout his managerial career to date.

Coming so close to success with Ajax will hurt, but it might give him the confidence that he can lead a fallen giant back to its previous glories.

In that regard, taking on the role of Rangers manager would suit him nicely. A total cultural reset is required at Ibrox this summer, and only by bringing in someone who is able to provide a fresh start will that happen.

Much will depend on whether Farioli wishes to jump straight back into a hot seat so soon after his Ajax departure. If so, then the board must be doing everything it can to convince him that Rangers are the right choice.

Like any managerial appointment, bringing Farioli will be a big gamble – although considering his recent experienced in a top job at an elite club, he would certainly be less of a gamble than Ancelotti.

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