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A claim involving the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) has been dropped after the failed takeover of Newcastle United.

As per The Sun, the group have reportedly switched their attentions over from the St. James’ Park faithful to Inter Milan.

The news outlet understands that PIF are currently in talks with the Serie A club, who are valued at roughly £850m.

Inter have been desperate to sell since the end of last year and the publication report a source as claiming that PIF ‘look to have given up’ on the North East club.

Huge blow for Newcastle

If the claims that PIF are looking elsewhere are true, then it could potentially be a big blow to the hopes of a takeover on Tyneside.

For the original deal between Mike Ashley and the KSA consortium to be revived, they would need to put themselves back onto the table, but it looks as if they may be starting to lose interest in that.

Inter are currently a club who ‘tick all the boxes’ given that they are currently top of their domestic league at the moment, six points clear of their local rivals AC Milan after 26 games, with just 12 more left to play.

That puts Antonio Conte’s team in pole position to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the start of the 2021/22 term, which may well be seen as a more attractive proposition than taking over at the Magpies.

In other news, find out what PIF claim has been dropped by a finance guru on the potential takeover here!

Celtic have been linked with a move to sign a player from direct Premiership rivals Hibernian as they monitor their teenaged defensive talent Josh Doig.

Sky Sports have reported that the Hoops are amongst the clubs interested in signing the 18-year-old. If they want to snap up the left-back though, they may need to fight off Arsenal and Chelsea, who are also lurking, ready to pounce.

The Hoops have struggled defensively this season as they have fallen into the shadow of neighbours and rivals Rangers. The men from the blue side of Glasgow hold a whopping 23-point lead over the reigning champions and Celtic’s most recent loss to St Mirren only further highlights how unimaginable a comeback is at this stage.

Neil Lennon also struggled to guide his team through the Europa League group stages. After banking just four points, the Bhoys finished bottom of their group, having conceded the joint-most goals in the competition.

Strengthening their defence is definitely something Celtic must prioritise. Doig could prove to be an ideal signing, as not only would he cost very little judging by his £450,000 Transfermarkt value, but he is very similar to Celtic’s on-loan left-back Diego Laxalt.

According to WhoScored, the two are alike in their defensive performances this season. The pair average a similar amount of aerial duels won per match, plus tackles won and clearances made too. This potentiallt bodes extremely well for Doig, who is nine years Laxalt’s senior and still has a lot to learn.

However, his reliable nature for Hibs will have definitely caught the eye of Lenno, Peter Lawwell and Celtic’s other decision-makers. His defensive awareness, for a teenager, is very solid and he even caused Celtic star David Turnbull some problems the last time they met.

According to Sofascore, Doig made a crucial four tackles in the first half of the match and stopped Turnbull having a sniff at goal. It was only when the teen was substituted off in the second half that Celtic found a way through. Funnily enough, it was Turnbull who found the back of the net too, getting the better of Doig’s replacement, Lewis Stevenson.

If Lawwell can snap up the rising talent before too many other clubs become aware of his ability, he could have a defender for the future in his ranks for, potentially, a very low price.

In other news, Lawwell has pulled off smart Celtic business with Ben Davies coup…

Leeds United may not have utilised their stance in the January transfer window, but their business in the summer speaks for itself. Victor Orta did well to recruit the likes of Robin Koch and re-sign Jack Harrison on loan, but his best business was arguably through signing Raphinha.The winger joined the Yorkshire outfit from Rennes back in October for a sizeable fee of £17million, according to BBC Sport. But his price tag reflects his ability and he has already shown what he can do both on and off the ball for his new club.Leeds faced off against Crystal Palace last time out in the Premier League and bagged themselves a convincing 2-0 win at Elland Road. Whilst Raphinha may not have gotten involved in the goalscoring against the Eagles, he has contributed two goals and two assists in his last five matches, as per Sofascore.The £60,000 per week speedster pulled off a stunning piece of footwork at Elland Road to completely bamboozle Palace’s Gary Cahill. His silky nutmeg to outperform his defender and get into a dangerous position is just a snippet of the excellence he can conjure up.

According to Transfermarkt, his tally for the seasons so far sees him notch eight goalscoring contributions in 17 Premier League appearances, and 12 in 25 overall. His performances in front of goal have been hugely beneficial to Leeds – who aren’t looking to experience another 16 years outside the top flight any time soon.

Raphinha is one of three options Marcelo Bielsa has on the right flank, but he has been the most consistent and most present since joining in the summer. Helder Costa has slipped down the pecking order and Ian Poveda still has a lot of experience to gather before he can be a fully-fledged starter.

Orta pulled off a huge coup in signing Raphinha, who was recently lauded by Emile Heskey for being an “exciting” player with a “fine edge”. Plenty are already wise to his abilities and there is surely only more to come.

In other news,ÂLeeds interest in Tommaso Pobega could be trouble for Shackleton…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Kevin Phillips, who made 149 appearances for Sunderland, believes Lee Johnson has just done a good job, rather than a great one so far on Wearside.

Johnson took over from Phil Parkinson midway through this season and has got Sunderland into a great position to mount a serious push for automatic promotion, as they find themselves two points behind Peterborough in second.

However, despite the mood on Wearside being the most positive it has been in years, Phillips is still coy over Sunderland’s current situation, stating that one injury to Charlie Wyke could totally curtail their season.

Speaking on the job Johnson has done since taking charge at Sunderland and when he will start to worry for Sunderland, Phillips told FFC:

“He’s done a good, but not great job, but certainly he’s done a good job.

“I think Lee technically is a very good coach and you can see that from their performance against Portsmouth [last week].

“They’ve been criticised in the past for not scoring enough goals but at the minute they’ve got one player scoring the goals in Charlie Wyke who is on fire. So, if he was to get injured, then I would become slightly concerned.

“He’s getting the best out of Aiden McGeady, which a lot of managers have tried to do but haven’t been able to. So, he’s obviously doing something right.”

Sunderland have not lost since February 9 when Shrewsbury Town came from 1-0 down to beat the Black Cats 2-1, they’re currently on a ten-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

The Black Cats broke their Wembley curse last weekend as they beat Tranmere Rovers 1-0 in the Papa John’s trophy.

According to Football Insider, Fenerbahce are close to signing Glasgow Rangers’ long-term target Bright Osayi-Samuel from Queens Park Rangers.

What’s the word?

The 23-year-old winger is high on Steven Gerrard’s shopping list and has attracted interest from a number of clubs, including Premiership rivals Celtic, and has also been linked to Premier League clubs Leicester City, Fulham and Brighton.

Osayi-Samuel has been in such fine form for Mark Warburton’s side, scoring three times in the Championship this season, but after his refusal to sign a new contract the Loftus Road boss axed him from his squad in October, which has paved the way for a possible move to Ibrox.

But, according to Football Insider, it’s Turkish side Fenerbahce who have stolen a march on the 54-time Scottish champions, and are set to snap up Osayi-Samuel for free in the summer.

Wilson must act now

The news will come as a huge blow for Gerrard, as it’s fair to say that the Nigerian could have been a real bargain for the Ibrox boss.

At the tender young age of 23, he already has a considerable amount of experience under his belt, and has made 20 appearances in the Championship this season, bagging three goals and three assists, via Transfermarkt.

Osayi-Samuel has impressed during his three-and-a-half years with the R’s and is now ready to take the next step in his career.

QPR manager Mark Warburton recently heaped praise on his young charge after his performance in the 3-2 win against Rotherham, saying: “He looked very good tonight. He looked dangerous and was a constant threat.

“The people above my pay grade are still talking. If someone wants to buy him I’m sure they can – every player in the world has got a price.

“All he’s doing right now is concentrating on playing football and that’s what he needs to do – just enjoy his football, enjoy being a good player and enjoy playing for QPR.”

He’s not wrong, either, as the young Nigerian has started to show signs of his untapped potential, having scored 13 goals and supplied 13 assists in over a hundred appearances across all competitions for the Championship club, via Transfermarkt.

Rangers are in danger of missing out on a player who has a bright future ahead of him and Ross Wilson must act swiftly to try and bring him to Ibrox.

Wilson will know he can land him for nothing at the end of the season and this is simply an opportunity far too good to miss.

AND in other news, Gerrard must unleash Cedric Itten on the right wing against Aberdeen…

Manchester City ace Bernardo Silva endured a night to forget in Portugal’s 1-0 defeat against France on Saturday, with the winger having little to no impact on the game.

As per SofaScore, the 26-year-old managed just 14 accurate passes during his 72 minutes on the pitch against France, and although he made one key pass, it seems clear that he couldn’t have much influence on the game.

The former Monaco man also lost possession on eight occasions during the game, so it is perhaps no surprise that Fernando Santos opted to replace him as his side chased an equaliser.

Silva has not had the best start to the Premier League 2020/21 season either, having failed to contribute a goal or an assist in his five appearances in the top-flight, which has seen him average a disappointing 6.60 rating (per WhoScored).

His performances in the Champions League too have been less than impressive, as he has averaged a very poor 6.38 rating  in that competition.

The arrival of Ferran Torres in the summer also adds competition for Silva’s spot in Pep Guardiola’s side, and as it stands, the Spanish youngster is ahead of the Portuguese international, having contributed five goals in all competitions since joining from Valencia.

It is strange that Silva is seemingly so out-of-form with the Citizens, as his performances in general since joining from Monaco have been excellent, perhaps most notably in the 2018/19 season when he averaged a superb 7.26 rating in the Premier League.

This led to Guardiola suggesting that he was the best player in the Premier League that season, saying:

“He was the best (this season), not just in our team. Bernardo can play incredibly well everywhere, give me a team and he can play well there. He does everything with the ball.” (per Manchester City)

However, the £72 million-rated man no longer looks to be a guaranteed starter in the Spanish manager’s team at City and following another disappointing display for his national side on Saturday night, it looks as if the 26-year-old will have to turn his form around quickly if he wants to start playing regularly for the Citizens.

Rob Lee has exclusively told Football FanCast that Sean Longstaff should forget about a potential move to Tottenham Hotspur and focus on enjoying his time with Newcastle United.

The former Magpies midfielder believes Longstaff has fallen from the heights supporters saw of the academy product following his graduation under Rafa Benitez in 2018, and must focus on regaining his form before even considering a route out of Tyneside.

Longstaff has been linked with a potential switch to Jose Mourinho’s Spurs by the Daily Mail after changing his agent to be represented by Pini Zahavi, who is said to have told those close to the 23-year-old that he can orchestrate a deal.

Zahavi is known as ‘Mr Fix It’ for his record of brokering deals for players, including current Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg who rejected interest from Everton to ensure he would join Mourinho’s squad from Southampton in the summer.

Alex Telles, who left FC Porto for Manchester United this summer, is another of Zahavi’s clients, alongside FIFA Men’s Player of the Year Robert Lewandowski.

Lee would urge Longstaff to be cautious over following Hojbjerg and Telles in allowing Zahavi to broker a deal, as the Toon talent would only be left on the bench at Tottenham.

“If you’ve got an agent like that, then sometimes maybe you get pushed into things, doing things that maybe you shouldn’t do. I don’t know who his agent was before. I don’t know why he left his agent, but it just seems, maybe you get carried away with who is Pini Zahavi and what players he’s got and how he’s moved them,” Lee told Football FanCast.

“It doesn’t always work for me. Yeah, he’s played 30-odd games, done well, [but] hasn’t hit the heights he hit when he first come in this year, maybe that’s because the teams not playing well. He’s had a couple of little knocks and I just think you have to sometimes forget about all that and just get on and enjoy playing football.

“It seems that kids have so much more on their mind now about moving and cars and houses and just enjoy playing football. It goes so quick. I tell my sons to enjoy it at whatever level you’re playing because it goes so quick. And you want to be playing regardless.

“There’s no point him going to Spurs or Man United and not playing, what’s the point? The idea you become a footballer is to play football, you enjoy football, you want to play football and for me, once he’s played 100 games and he’s played at a great level and scored goals and knocked on the England door, then if you want to move and you feel Newcastle isn’t the place for you then do it then.”

Longstaff has been linked with a switch to north London before after Spurs scouted the 23-year-old amid their search for depth in the engine room, with young up-and-comers seen as their best bet to solve an area that had needed attention for a few years.

Whether they decide to pursue a deal in the New Year remains to be seen, while Longstaff – who Manchester United were quoted £50million for last year – is believed to be keen on staying at St. James’ Park where discussions over a new contract are expected to begin soon.

AND in other news, Mike Ashley must block Steve Bruce from making a knee-jerk decision on an “instrumental” Newcastle gem.

With just two wins from their last ten outings, Wolves are stuck in a diabolical rut.

Fears of relegation are suddenly looming for those at Molineux but with the transfer window open, they have an opportunity to turn their fortunes around.

What’s the word?

Last month, it was reported that Wolves were interested in signing Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard.

Claims stated that Jeff Shi’s club were willing to bid for the Frenchman, with a potential €20m (£18m) offer on the table.

However, new information has circulated suggesting that although the Scottish side have softened their stance on Edouard, it will take a much larger fee to secure his services.

Journalist Ignazio Genuardi said last week: “While no agreement could be reached for an extension, Celtic is gradually revising its requirements downwards for a possible departure of the former Parisian Edouard. Today, there is more talk of a price around €25-30m.”

In English money, that fee would equate to around £27m.

Sign him up

This would be phenomenal business from Wolves if they can find the cash to supplement a deal. Edouard is an exceptional talent and has become a genuine all-round goal scorer at Celtic.

Of course, the Scottish Premiership is a class below the Premier League but you only need to look at the way Kieran Tierney and Virgil van Dijk have stepped seamlessly into life in England following moves from Glasgow to see that players who succeed in Scotland can do well south of the border.

The latter has become a Premier League and Champions League winner while Tierney is among the best players in the Arsenal side in terms of chance creation this season.

Unlike those two players, however, Edouard is capable of scoring a bucket load of goals, something Wolves are missing in abundance. Since Raul Jimenez fractured his skull, Nuno’s team have scored three goals in one game just once.

They are clearly struggling without him and thus, the addition of a top-quality striker in January would go a long way to salvaging something from their season.

Edouard has scored 11 goals this term and registered a mighty haul of 28 strikes last season. Crucially, though, is his ability to bring others into play, just as Jimenez does.

In 2019/20, the 22-year-old picked up 19 assists for his troubles. He is the complete striker and can cause all sorts of problems for defenders.

His former coach Jean-Claude Giuntini once said: “He [Edouard] had the confidence and the obsession with scoring all great strikers need. He never doubts his qualities. But this behaviour can create panic – for the opposition defenders.”

It’s a rave review for the young forward who is currently making waves in Scotland. In the words of Frank McGarvey, he has “magic in his feet.”

Fabio Silva did score his first Wolves goal from open play on Saturday but despite his record-breaking move, he looks far from confident in front of goal.

Thus, with Jimenez out and the Old Gold requiring an instant injection of goals, Edouard could certainly save their season.

At present, they are 14th in the table. After two consecutive seasons finishing in the top half, that is not good enough. Shi needs to bring the youngster to Wolves.

AND in other news, Worse than Coady: Wolves star who made just 1 tackle all game betrayed Nuno…

Arsenal are poised to battle it out for the Premier League title once again, and while Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino have been signed, the frontline needs some work before the day is done.

Emile Smith Rowe has joined Fulham while Eddie Nketiah is closing on a £30m transfer to Crystal Palace; Fabio Vieira has also re-joined Porto on loan. Mikel Arteta boasts one of the most talented teams in Europe, but surely some added depth is needed to fire across all cylinders over the coming campaign.

Arsenal transfer news

As per ESPN, Arsenal are holding internal talks over whether to strengthen their frontline before the transfer deadline this evening, with Chelsea's Raheem Sterling offered Arteta's way.

The England international, as Fabrizio Romano also reports, is at the core of late-stage discussions in north London to determine a possible transfer, but with Manchester United also interested, Arsenal are also weighing up an alternative option.

However, Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman is also an option and could be the perfect alternative, with the German giants hoping to collect a €40m (£34m) fee for the 28-year-old.

Why Arsenal should sign Kingsley Coman

Coman has led a storied career, draped in hordes of silverware, and while he has a lucrative offer from the Saudi Pro League, he might feel that he wishes to try his foot in the Premier League.

Bayern wish to get the versatile winger off the wage bill but that certainly does not mean that he is past his sell-by date, carrying athletic and creative properties that could see him thrive among Arteta's squad.

And while his injury record leaves something to be desired, Coman would not be expected to shoulder a hefty workload, for Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and co all compete for starring spots in the Gunners' starting team.

Sterling might be a decorated Premier League icon, but the 29-year-old has not been brilliant since transferring to Chelsea for £47.5m two years ago, scoring just 19 goals and adding 12 assists across 81 matches. It's not a bad haul but still a regression from his Manchester City days.

His underlying metrics are also not the best, with Coman outperforming him across a sweep of ball-playing and ball-carrying statistics, which suggests that Arteta's dynamic project might find better use of the Frenchman's qualities.

Goals scored

0.31

0.32

Assists

0.21

0.19

Shots total

2.36

2.74

Shot-creating actions

3.51

4.21

Pass completion

73.4%

80.5%

Passes attempted

31.73

50.93

Progressive passes

3.46

5.35

Progressive carries

5.24

5.74

Successful take-ons

1.94

2.74

Ball recoveries

4.03

4.27

As the statistical analysis shows, Coman has outstripped Sterling across every aspect, highlighting the gains that could be found from adding him to the Arsenal accord.

His former coach Patrick Gonfalone has even said: “His reading of the game and his technique stand out and make him formidable." Such traits would go down a treat at the Emirates.

Arteta, having parted with several stars, will need to sign someone before the transfer window concludes, ensuring that the frontline is in a fitting condition to charge across multiple fronts this year.

Arsenal offered last-gasp move for "unplayable" Trossard rival

He’s been offered to Mikel Arteta…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 30, 2024

Manchester United could end the season on a high today as they take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final, with victory ensuring they finish the campaign with two trophies for the first time since 2016/2017.

Regardless of the outcome, Erik ten Hag has restored some pride in the Red Devils and with the summer transfer window just around the corner, he could further bolster his team in order to claim more prestigious prizes in the future.

Strengthening his attacking options seems to be the priority, with Rasmus Hojlund and Randal Kolo Muani key targets, however there will surely be improvements all over the pitch.

The Old Trafford side have been linked recently with defender Goncalo Inacio according to O Jogo (via Sport Witness) and Sporting CP will demand a fee in the region of £45m should Ten Hag look to make a bid for the player, which is well within their budget.

A move for Inacio could see the Dutchman move on a few defenders, with Victor Lindelof surely one that could be departing United this summer.

Could Goncalo Inacio replace Victor Lindelof at Manchester United?

The Swedish defender found himself down the pecking order behind both Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez during the opening months of the season, yet when the Argentinian suffered a season-ending injury in April, he managed to find some form.

During the win over AFC Bournemouth in May, he was lauded as “unbelievable” by journalist Liam Canning, and he averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.12 across his final five league matches, looking resurgent under Ten Hag.

However, if United sign Inacio, he could find himself further down the pecking order, with Varane, Martinez and the 21-year-old potentially ahead of him next season.

Indeed, the 21-year-old possesses a bigger attacking threat from centre-back than Lindelof, registering more shot-creating actions (1.98 to 0.4) per 90 and touches in the attacking third (140 to 35) per 90, which could be a bonus for Ten Hag.

Additionally, the Portugal international also ranks in the top 1% for progressive passes and top 3% for progressive carries across Europe’s big five leagues over the previous 365 days, with the Swede ranking in just the top 59% and 48% in the same metrics, suggesting Inacio is far better at bringing the ball out of defence and starting attacks from the back than the current United defender.

Journalist Zach Lowy has even dubbed the 6 foot 1 defender as “underrated” and gaining experience in the Premier League and Champions League for United next term could see the youngster break through to the next level.

Ten Hag must act sooner rather than later, as for the aforementioned price tag, the move could represent wonderful value over the coming years.