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According to The Athletic, Newcastle were prepared to listen to transfer offers for defender Fabian Schar in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

Despite seemingly interested in bringing in a new centre-back to Steve Bruce’s squad – the likes of Rob Holding and Phil Jones were mooted as potential transfer targets – it’s now claimed the Magpies were also willing to let one go.

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh has claimed that the Tyneside club would have listened to offers for Switzerland international, Schar. It’s added that with Bruce having some misgivings over whether the former Basel man can play in a flat back four, he was keen on signing a new pacier defender.

Bruce should have been ruthless

If Bruce has doubts over using Schar, then he really should have forced the issue with the Newcastle board and made it clear that the Swiss ace had to be sold.

It would have brought in some much-needed funds to strengthen the squad elsewhere, and would also have removed his reported £40k-a-week wage bill off the books too.

Instead, by taking a more passive stance and just waiting for interested teams to potentially come in, it has left Newcastle in a predicament where they have a defender the manager doesn’t fancy.

Add that to the fact the Magpies didn’t even bring in the new central defender that they wanted, and it was a complete disaster for Bruce over the summer in that position.

An expert on matters in the Middle East has made a big revelation regarding a possible takeover of Newcastle United by Sheikh Khaled bin Saqr Zayed al-Nayhan.

As per The Independent, his name was first mentioned in football circles when he was involved in takeover attempts at both St. James’ Park and Liverpool, and now, it looks like he is set to complete a purchase of Derby County.

When asked about the realistic expectations that Rams fans should have once Sheik Khaled completes the takeover of the EFL Championship club, Middle East expert Dr Kristian Ulrichsen of Rice University claimed:

“Let’s be brutally honest, maybe he’s found his level. He’s not been able to play in the big league, the Premier League. He might have gone down. There might be other reasons, he could have found a business partner in the Midlands.“But having gone for Liverpool and Newcastle, and obviously not being the name that had been thought, he could have found his level.” Newcastle takeover by Sheik Khaled unrealistic

Indeed, as Dr Ulrichsen suggests, perhaps a takeover in the North East by Sheik Khaled was unrealistic.

He failed with takeovers of both the Tyneside club and Liverpool, who are both very much established teams in the top flight.

On the other hand, Derby are lingering right at the bottom of the Championship table, and it looks as if the takeover of the Rams by Sheik Khaled will indeed go ahead.

Perhaps this kind of club is around his level as suggested, as he will now look to build them up and help them return to England’s highest division alongside the likes of the Magpies and the current EPL champions.

Is a Newcastle takeover still possible?

Indeed, if not from Sheik Khaled, a takeover at the Toon is still very much a possibility. The Saudi Sports Minister fairly recently claimed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) would still look into the opportunity of taking over at NUFC.

Nonetheless, any hope of a takeover by Sheik Khaled seems dead in the water now as he has now set his sights set on Derby instead.

In other news, find out why takeover hopes may potentially be boosted here!

Whilst Sunderland may not be in the play-off spots at the moment in League One, the one thing that they’ve got spot on for pretty much most of the season, has been their defence.

Before the Black Cats’ shock 2-1 reverse to MK Dons last weekend, they had the best defensive record in the division, and even now are joint-second.

One big reason for that, is Tom Flanagan. The 6 foot 2 centre-back has been one of the first names on the team sheet for Phil Parkinson this season, featuring in every single game bar one in which he has been available for.

His presence was badly missed in the defeat against the Dons, with Flanagan off on international duty with Northern Ireland. The defender was an unused substitute in the 1-1 draw with Romania, and The Northern Echo have claimed that he will have taken part in training on Friday.

After such a bruising defeat last time out in League One, Parkinson will be desperate to turn things around immediately, and bringing in one of the cornerstones of his miserly defence from this season could be the difference-maker to getting the side back on track.

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Speaking earlier this year, the Sunderland boss said: “Tommy in the last month or so has taken his game to another level. That is by identifying what he needs to do to have a good game, and training properly.

“His standard of training has gone up and he is reaping the benefits of that on a match day. He is desperate to do well, he is a good professional and I am pleased with his performances.”

Providing he passes any late fitness checks, Flanagan should be thrown straight back into the side for the game against Doncaster on Saturday.

Jose Mourinho handed summer recruit Joe Rodon his first start for the club on Sunday as Spurs travelled to Stamford Bridge to face their local rivals. Despite the hype surrounding the fixture, neither of the Premier League heavyweights were able to break the deadlock.

The spoils were shared after a 0-0 stalemate played out, which was enough to see Tottenham jump into first place in the table, ahead of Liverpool on goal difference.

Rodon started alongside Eric Dier in defence and put in a solid shift to silence Chelsea’s attackers. According to Sofascore, he contributed a respectable three interceptions, five clearances and completed 85% of his attempted passes.

The former Swansea man also earned praise from Mourinho after the match, with the three-time league title winner saying he was “very happy” with his performance against the Blues.

Rodon praise could be worry for Tanganga

Whilst Rodon is in a strong position with his new club already, it has put a lot of pressure on Japhet Tanganga. The £45,000 per week academy graduate wasn’t named as part of Mourinho’s Sunday squad, despite starting the Europa League match against Ludogorets last week.

With Toby Alderweireld out injured, Mourinho has been testing the waters with his options, it seems. Judging by the positive comments about Rodon, his preferred choice is Daniel Levy’s summer signing alongside veteran Dier. This of course, is bad news for Tanganga and it will be even more worrying once Alderweireld returns.

To make matters worse, the boss admitted that he viewed the 21-year-old as more of a full-back and yet he is still struggling to join the ranks as back up to the likes of Matt Doherty and Sergio Reguilon.

If Rodon continues to flourish at the north London outfit, it can only spell further difficulties for Tanganga as he pushes to find a way into Mourinho’s first team.

In other news, Exclusive: Gary Mabbutt lauds this Daniel Levy transfer decision…

Liverpool face Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Wednesday evening in a top-of-the-table clash, where a win would see the Reds move top of the Premier League.

The Reds could be without Joel Matip, after the Cameroonian defender went off injured in the 1-1 draw against Fulham at the weekend and if he cannot play, Klopp should put his faith in Nathaniel Phillips.

The 23-year-old defender has impressed in both of his Premier League appearances this season, picking up solid ratings against both West Ham and Brighton, suggesting that he can be relied upon against Jose Mourinho’s side.

Whoever Klopp opts to play in defence will be in for an extremely tough match, considering the way both Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son have started the season for the North London club but Phillips’ no-nonsense physical style could see him get the better of the England captain on Wednesday.

Whilst Kane is perhaps best known for being a goalscorer, this season has seen him drop deeper where he has shown his superb passing range, having registered 10 assists already in the top-flight this season.

However, if Phillips can win the physical battle against Kane and limit his influence on the game, then it would give the Reds an excellent chance of winning Wednesday’s game.

If the Spurs striker isn’t given any space to work in by Phillips and co, then he’s much less likely to be able to play one of his trademark through balls to his South Korean teammate.

Liverpool are, of course, without Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, meaning that if Matip isn’t fit to play against Spurs, they won’t have a single senior centre-back available in their squad.

Fabinho has shown his class in that position since returning from injury but playing another player out of position in Matip’s potential absence could spell disaster for the Reds’ defence, and Klopp must trust Phillips to produce another strong display against the league leaders.

After his Premier League debut against West Ham, former Liverpool man Jamie Carragher was full of praise for the £70k per week man, saying:

“It was what he did aerially. What Fabinho and [Joe] Gomez lack is domination aerially, and when you play against some teams, not necessarily the top teams, but many teams will look to set pieces, direct balls, crosses into the box, second balls, and Liverpool didn’t deal with that at all against Sheffield United, and that’s what caused them big problems.

“But today, that header at the end from a corner, one of the last kicks of the game, to be the leader and make sure you get your head on it, normally that would be Van Dijk’s role. That was a vital header, and it won Liverpool the game really.

“I love the maturity he showed in the game.”

Therefore, considering that Phillips has done an excellent job in both of his Liverpool appearances this season, he should be the man to start at centre-back on Wednesday if Matip isn’t fit, and perhaps his aerial strength will prove vital if it can help him keep Kane quiet.

And, in other news… Forget Clarkson: Liverpool have the long-term successor to Jordan Henderson’s throne in teenage sensation…

It appears that Southampton sold Jay Rodriguez at the perfect time when he left the Saints in 2017, as he has failed to find the back of the net for Burnley so far this season.

The striker would make 126 appearances for the South Coast club, in which he contributed 35 goals and 14 assists, having joined from Burnley in 2012.

After five years with the club, he joined West Bromwich Albion, before returning to the Turf Moor outfit in the summer of 2019.

In his last season with the Saints, Rodriguez would grab five goals and two assists in 24 Premier League appearances but this clearly wasn’t enough to see him stay with the club and after another fairly poor goalscoring return the next season, he enjoyed his best season to date with the Baggies in the Championship, notching 22 league goals.

This saw him return to the top-flight with Burnley and whilst he was able to score 11 times last season, this campaign has not been a happy one for the 31-year-old so far, as he has failed to find the back of the net in 11 appearances so far this season.

Therefore, it could definitely be argued that Southampton did well to sell the Englishman for around £12 million in 2017, as he has failed to consistently score goals in the top-flight since the 2013/14 season under Mauricio Pochettino, having suffered a serious injury.

His value has decreased in his time since leaving the Saints, as when he left he was valued at £9 million, whereas now he is valued at just £5.4 million.

Unfortunately for the forward, he has also struggled with injuries at times during his career, notably when he missed 50 games with the cruciate ligament rupture in 2013/14, which makes the fee Southampton received for the forward even more impressive.

His performances for Burnley this season have been disappointing, with Rodriguez averaging a 6.21 rating for his performances in the top-flight, reinforcing the point that Southampton sold him at the perfect time, as since his departure, they have certainly progressed, with the likes of Danny Ings and Che Adams now leading the line up front.

Hopefully, for Rodriguez, it isn’t too long until he gets himself back on the scoresheet for the Clarets.

And, in other news… Southampton handed transfer boost in pursuit of electric winger likened to Lionel Messi

Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey will have left Steve Bruce fuming with his shocking performance at home to Fulham on Saturday.

Bruce recalled Shelvey to the starting line-up for the St. James’ Park affair after handing the former Liverpool and Swansea City gem a rare day off for the 5-2 humbling at Leeds United on Wednesday night.

Shelvey had captained the Magpies to victories over Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion before sitting out the Elland Road trip, and he may now find that he has to fight for his place in the side to face Brentford in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final clash.

Shelvey lacked the leadership skills against Fulham that has seen the 27-year-old awarded the captain’s armband in recent weeks, as he ghosted around the field to get on the ball without ever threatening Scott Parker’s relegation-threatened side.

Fulham fortuitously opened the scoring through a Matt Ritchie own goal, but thoroughly deserved their advantage at the break having dominated the early proceedings after Bruce surprisingly opted to park the bus at home to a side that had allowed 22 goals this season.

Ritchie tried to atone for his collapse yards off Karl Darlow’s line yet could not, though he still ended the 90-minutes with more credit in his pocket than Shelvey as Newcastle failed to beat a 10-men Cottagers side that weathered the sending off of Joachim Andersen.

Shelvey badly let Bruce down in the engine room beside Sean Longstaff, with the £13m-rated man winning just a single duel from three contests, while turning over possession 16 times, committing one foul and failing to hit the target with either of his two shots, per SofaScore.

The midfielder, who Bruce lauds for being “blessed with a natural ability”, would take a game-high 90 touches, as well, yet would only return one key ball from a game-high 81 total passes – 12 more than any other player for either side.

He additionally did not attempt, let alone complete, a dribble against Fulham, while registering just a single successful tackle and two clearances as he paraded the half-way line.

Shelvey has been an important player for Bruce this season with the Toon’s third-most shots (13) and second-most key balls (11) after the Magpies’ opening 13 Premier League games, per WhoScored, but that version of himself was not on show on Saturday and was sorely missed.

AND in other news: “No point him going to Spurs” – Exclusive: Rob Lee drops huge claim on Newcastle star’s future.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Carlton Palmer has delivered his verdict on Leeds’ interest in Julian Draxler.

The Germany international was linked with a move to Elland Road in the summer but a switch failed to materialise.

However, there has now been an update on the attacking midfielder’s future. Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness) reportedly recently that Draxler could become a free agent this summer.

As a result, Leeds are pondering a move for the German who initially cost PSG £30m in 2017. They will reportedly face interest from Hertha Berlin for his services so it won’t be an easy pursuit.

Speaking about the report, Palmer exclusively told FFC that he’d be brilliant for Leeds, citing his style of play as a key reason.

When questioned whether he’d be a good acquisition, the pundit said: “The way he plays, yeah. You know what, the way Bielsa plays, there is nobody that is going to fit into his system if you haven’t got high tempo and can get around the football pitch.

“That’s the way he plays, so for sure, he’d fit into Bielsa’s team and I’m sure that Leeds will do a bit of business in the January transfer window just to get some reinforcements in of quality because now they’ve established a foothold in the Premier League.”

Draxler would be a stand out signing if he does indeed move to Elland Road in January or the summer.

He is capped 56 times by his country and is a World Cup winner so has plenty of pedigree. His opportunities this term have been limited to just ten games but the 27-year-old has contributed to three goals in the process – certainly not a bad record.

Although Draxler sometimes struggles for consistency, he would be a considerable coup for Leeds, a team who broke their transfer record on a further attacking midfielder in Rodrigo last summer.

With his contract expiring in a matter of months, Victor Orta could conclude a bargain deal here.

AND in other news, Kebe 2.0: Radz will be raging if Orta brings “wonderful” £10.8m-rated ace to Leeds…

Many Liverpool fans heaped praise on summer signing Thiago Alcantara and his performance against the club’s arch-rivals Manchester United.

The 29-year-old made his first start at Anfield this season in what has been a frustrating campaign for the Spaniard since his £20m move from Bayern Munich in September.

After contracting coronavirus at the end of that month, Thiago picked up a knee injury following a hard challenge from Richarlison during the Reds’ 2-2 draw against Everton.

Because of this, he has seen very little action – but the cameos he has made have received widespread praise from far and wide, and this evening’s performance against the Red Devils was no different.

Unsurprisingly, his quick thinking, sharp movement and his eye of a needle passing excited the supporters and made their feelings clear towards him on social media.

Fans drool over Thiago

“Thiago is just different class.”

Credit: @DanielRoachLFC

“Man like Thiago”

Credit: @mv_jenkins

“Thiago is world-class. The problem is he’s playing as a no 6 and is marked constantly. Need him in the advances midfield positions.”

Credit: @Strictly_Scouse

“Thiago is making mincemeat of United here, different gravy”

Credit: @macjp1991

“Thiago is wonderful to watch. Make it look so easy”

Credit: @BradleyPearce96

“Thiago is a baller #LFC walking through that midfield as he likes…”

Credit: @Goranh75

In other news, Liverpool eyeing up Serie A skipper as possible Gini Wijnaldum replacement.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, former Premier League footballer Carlton Palmer discussed Gareth Bale’s form since his summer return to Tottenham Hostpur.

After leaving Spurs for Real Madrid in what was an £85 million world-record deal back in 2013, Bale went on to feature 251 times for Los Blancos, scoring 105 goals and providing 68 assists, helping the Spanish giants to win a remarkable four Champions Leagues, two La Ligas, four FIFA Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, two Supercopa de Espanas and one Copa del Rey.

Half a season into his return to Spurs, Bale has so far started just one Premier League game for Jose Mourinho’s side, playing just 160 minutes over a total of four appearances in the top flight, in which he has managed one goal.

“On the Gareth Bale situation, if that wasn’t at Tottenham, that would be an absolute catastrophe move and I thought it was inspired at the time,” Palmer told The Transfer Tavern. “But it’s not looking to be that way at the moment and Tottenham are lucky that he’s not become a main player for them, or not needed to be a main player, because it’s not worked out at the moment.”

He continued: “I knew he needed time to get his fitness up and get up to speed and whatever, but he should be ready to be playing an active part in the first team and delivering. Considering the wages they’re paying out to him at the moment, that’s turning out to be a bad, bad deal. At this moment, he’s been a waste of money because he’s not playing.”

Indeed, as Palmer suggests, Bale’s performances have not exactly been sensational for Tottenham so far this season, with the 31-year-old averaging a WhoScored match rating of 6.67 in the Premier League and a rating of 6.85 in the Europa League, ranking him as the club’s 11th-best performer in both competitions.

And, while Madrid are reported to be paying around 60% of the Welshman’s £600,000 weekly wage, Bale’s presence at Spurs is still costing the club around £240,000 per week, enough to rank him as Tottenham’s highest-paid player.

As such, it would appear that Palmer is entirely justified in dubbing Bale a “waste of money” at present, as, considering Harry Kane has 12 goals and 11 assists in the Premier League, while Son Heung-min has 12 goals and six assists in the top flight, both of whom earn less than Bale, it is easy to argue that the 31-year-old has not yet proved anywhere near good value for money for Spurs.

In other Tottenham news, Spurs have been linked with this French striker, find out more here!