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Arsenal’s Rob Holding will be on Newcastle’s January centre-back shortlist, journalist Pete O’Rourke has told Give Me Sport. 

The lowdown

A recent report from The Daily Mail suggested that the Magpies want to sign two centre-backs this month, while The Athletic’s Chris Waugh said over the weekend that the club were hopeful of adding both Lille’s Sven Botman and Seville’s Diego Carlos to their ranks.

Newcastle have the joint-worst defensive record in the Premier League for goals conceded and the outright worst for expected goals against.

A potential alternative to the aforementioned duo, especially with Botman seemingly now unattainable, Holding has two-and-a-half years remaining on his Arsenal contract and is valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt.

The latest

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke is certain that the Gunners defender is one of the names under consideration at St James’ Park.

He stated: “Rob Holding at Arsenal. I’m sure he’s on Newcastle’s list.”

The verdict

Holding has found Premier League minutes hard to come by this season as he battles with the likes of Gabriel and Ben White. He has only started three times in the top flight in 2021/22, with most of his game-time coming in the domestic cups.

He may duly be open to leaving the Emirates Stadium and, intriguingly, data from FBRef shows he’s stylistically similar to Botman, with a high volume of progressive passes and blocks.

He also earned praise last month for reporting alleged racist abuse of some Arsenal team-mates during one Premier League match, with a statement from the anti-racism group Kick It Out saying that “his actions are a great example of taking a stand and being an ally to his team-mates” (The Mirror).

Is he actually good enough to address Newcastle’s defensive woes, though?

If scouts were watching him on Sunday, they may be far from convinced. Holding produced what Football FanCast editor Matt Dawson called a ‘royal stinker’ as Arsenal were shocked by Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, while he ranks a lowly 18th in WhoScored’s performance rankings among Mikel Arteta’s squad this season.

Ultimately, Newcastle can’t afford to take any chances on these crucial signings, especially with their Premier League status on the line beyond the midway point of the season.

In other news, Chris Waugh has said that PIF want to upgrade on this £10m Benitez signing

West Bromwich Albion have been heavily speculated to utilise strongly the upcoming winter transfer window, however, Valerien Ismael could make the most of a young player they already have developing in their youth system currently.

Reyes Cleary has been playing for the West Brom U23s in the Premier League 2, and has been putting in performances that should be catching the eye of first-team manager, Ismael, who until last weekend has been struggling to inspire his side to score in the Championship.

The 17-year-old sent a clear message to the senior management at West Brom, when he scored twice in the first 11 minutes of the U23’s fixture against Middlesbrough last weekend leading onto a hat trick by full time, with the youngster scoring a phenomenal 16 goals in just 14 appearances so far this season.

Cleary has been doubling up on his duties for West Brom, by also playing in the U18’s Premier League side too, with coach Peter Gilbery hailing the young player as “powerful” recently.

“Reyes is a powerful forward player with an eye for goal and is an excellent finisher.”

The young goal scorer is yet to secure a professional contract with the club but has reportedly already caught the eye of many big clubs who are poised to offer him his next challenge, including Newcastle United and Bayern Munich.

With the possibility of the teenager being snapped up by another club, West Brom need to act fast in offering him a contract as he continues to develop and become more attractive to clubs in positions of power to offer him the opportunity to play European football.

The Baggies are crying out for a creative goal scorer who will put them in a position to be promoted back into the Premier League next season, and Cleary could be their golden ticket right under their nose to succeeding that.

It would save Ismael not only the headache of finding a goal scorer in the upcoming transfer window but would also save the club millions in transfer fees as he strives to do so.

West Brom fans have already taken to social media to express their desire to see the youngster in the first team, with one fan tweeting;

“Can’t ignore him anymore Val. He needs to be on the bench at least!”

The Baggies have a long way to go in their Championship campaign and will be hoping to close the gap on Bournemouth and Fulham who are currently sitting the automatic promotion spots in first and second place in the league.

In other news: Jordan Hugill set for January exit

Journalist Luke Hatfield has been reacting to reports linking Aston Villa with a move for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, as per GIVEMESPORT.

The Lowdown: Villa offered Wijnaldum on loan

Wijnaldum has struggled in France since leaving Liverpool over the summer. The 31-year-old, who is thought to be earning more than £300,000 per week at the Parc des Princes, has made just 11 starts in all competitions under Mauricio Pochettino.

The midfielder’s representatives are looking at a possible loan exit in the New Year, with Aston Villa one of several clubs who have been approached.

It is believed that Villa are yet to dismiss the idea of signing Wijnaldum, with NSWE promising Steven Gerrard a big January transfer kitty.

The Latest: Hatfield’s comments

Express & Star journalist Hatfield was giving his thoughts to GIVEMESPORT over the reports linking Wijnaldum with a move to Villa Park.

This is what he had to say in reply, describing it as a ‘huge statement’ and labelling the midfielder as a player with ‘boundless quality’:

“That would be a huge statement signing, for sure.

“Obviously, it hasn’t really worked for him at PSG since leaving Liverpool but he’s someone who has got boundless quality and energy in midfield.”

The Verdict: Avoid

Although Villa’s owners may well be able to afford to sign Wijnaldum on a temporary basis, it could be wise for sporting director Johan Lange to snub a winter deal for the 31-year-old.

Villa’s highest earner is Danny Ings on £120,000 per week and there’s no guarantee that splashing the cash on Wijnaldum’s wage would instantly make Gerrard’s side better. He has struggled in France and has failed to become a regular in PSG’s starting line-up, with Villa having a number of central midfield options already in any case.

Prioritising an out-and-out defensive midfielder could be a smarter idea, with Marvelous Nakamba set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Wijnaldum has occupied a defensive role on just 38 occasions during his career compared to 250 appearances as a central midfielder, so perhaps it’s best to skip a January move for him and look at the long-term project by signing a player under the age of 30.

In other news: ‘On my knees’ – Many Aston Villa fans erupt as Lange makes ‘bold’ January transfer bid

Kevin Phillips has mixed feelings about Leeds United’s potential move for John Swift but has tipped Marcelo Bielsa to get the best out of him.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Swift move

The Whites are reportedly keen on signing the 26-year-old in the January transfer window in order to add squad depth in the middle of the park.

Swift is enjoying a fantastic season in the Championship with Reading, scoring eight goals and setting up another eight and arguably standing out as one of the best players in the division.

Bielsa has called the Reading maestro a ‘great player’ in the past, adding further fuel to the fire regarding a move to Elland Road.

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The Latest: Phillips has mixed feelings

Phillips is a bit unsure about the prospective transfer, telling Football Insider that he would love to see Swift succeed at Elland Road but feeling that it would be a “gamble” to take him to the Premier League. He said:

“I think it would be a slight gamble from Leeds. It’s a big jump, moving from the Championship to the Premier League.

“He is a player who has been around a while now. It makes you wonder why nobody has brought him up to the Premier League already.

“However, we know when Bielsa signs a player, he gets the best out of them. Swift might be one of those players who comes up to the Premier League and really surprises everyone. I would love to see him jump up and make an impression.

“If I’m honest though, I’m dubious as to whether he could do that. Bielsa’s man-management skills could bring out the best in him though. It’s certainly a position Leeds are light in.”

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The Verdict: Trust Bielsa?

The idea of signing a Championship player is naturally less enticing than bringing in someone from a top European league, but Bielsa has shown that he should be trusted with signings, given the success he has enjoyed at Leeds. The Argentine can also take credit for moulding the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Luke Ayling and Patrick Bamford from being useful Championship operators to accomplished Premier League-standard footballers.

He may believe that Swift has exactly what it takes to be a key player in his system, most importantly providing him with more midfield options as well. The 26-year-old is averaging 2.8 key passes per game in the Championship this season, with Raphinha (2.2) Leeds’ strongest performer in that area.

With Adam Forshaw still only recently back from a two-year injury absence and Kalvin Phillips’ future up in the air, the need for more bodies in the middle of the park is evident.

In other news, Phil Hay has discussed Leeds’ possible January transfer business. Read more here.

A key Rangers transfer claim has been made ahead of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s first window in charge of the Glasgow giants…

What’s the talk?

Retired Scotland international Frank McAvennie has claimed that he would ‘certainly expect’ the Gers to bolster their defence in the January transfer window.

The 62-year-old has pointed to their struggles against Martin Boyle, who scored a hat-trick in Hibernian’s 3-1 win over Rangers last weekend, as evidence as to why they need to dip into the market.

He told Football Insider: “I should think there will be deals.

“Martin Boyle is a very good player but if one player is running rings around your entire defence, you have a problem. The same quality hasn’t been there this season and sometimes the best way to amend that is with fresh blood.

“Maybe things have gone stale but look at the number of times they have conceded first this season.

“It’s a shocking drop off from last season. I don’t know if Van Bronckhorst will have taken the job if he wasn’t going to be backed. Let’s see what happens in January but I would certainly expect some movement to fix that defence out.”

Fans will be buzzing

Rangers fans will surely be buzzing with this claim from McAvennie as the team’s defence has faltered at times this season, so bringing in defensive reinforcements in January could delight those who want to see the backline improved.

So far this season, the Gers have only kept three clean sheets in their 13 Premiership matches. In the 2020/21 campaign, Steven Gerrard’s side managed 26 shutouts in 38 games on their way to the title, but the 41-year-old was unable to carry the impressive defensive record into the current season prior to his departure for Aston Villa earlier this month, with Van Bronckhorst tasked with improving that statistic.

The Dutchman also has to deal with Leon Balogun and Connor Goldson both being out of contract at the end of the season, although the former has an option to extend by a further 12 months. This means that Goldson could be on his way out the door next summer, so signing a replacement for him in January could be an ideal situation for the club and would surely please the fans.

Rangers could bring in a centre-back during the January transfer window to slowly take over from Goldson throughout the second half of the campaign. The former Brighton man could then leave next summer, with his replacement already in the door and accustomed to Van Bronckhorst’s tactics and his teammates.

AND in other news, Forget Morelos: “Special” Rangers beast with 91.6% duels won stole the show vs Sparta…

Everton have always produced a steady stream of impressive youngsters down the years, and the next superstar produced in their academy could be ready to come off the conveyor belt.

The likes of Wayne Rooney, Leon Osman and Ross Barkley have all been nurtured in the Toffees’ youth system before going on to carve out impressive careers in the senior ranks.

And now versatile forward Charlie Whitaker could be the next name to join that illustrious list of local lads to wear the famous blue of Everton.

Whitaker joined the Merseyside outfit from Blackburn Rovers aged just 12, but the teenager really started catching the eye with his impressive performances last term.

In the final game of 2020/21, Whitaker bagged a hat-trick in a 4-0 thrashing of Southampton to take his tally to five goals and two assists in just four starts since being handed his full U23s debut by manager David Unsworth.

The youth team boss lauded the attacking talent in an interview with the Liverpool ECHO shortly after, saying: “I’ve watched Charlie for a number of years, and we always knew he had the quality in flashes.

“He has played out wide, he has played up-front….but we have tried to play him as a second striker, not a number 10, a second-striker because his game is naturally dropping into spaces where you want a number 10.

“We have tried to get someone up there with him, and he has been sensational. He is a great trainer, great to work with, and a great lad.”

Despite his promising performances in several positions, the youth team coach was determined not to get too carried away with Whitaker’s contributions since making the step up from U18’s level, though.

Unsworth continued: “I have really enjoyed the last few months working with him! I really have. He does the hardest thing in the game, which is score goals, and he makes it look really easy.

“For the size of him, he is good in the air, he is brave, we just need him to link play, and the future is bright for him. I’m not getting over-excited, because you can’t, it is too early. But the signs are very, very good.”

And Whitaker has picked up where he left off last season in the opening weeks of the current campaign, bagging four goals and providing one assist in just nine appearances.

With Richarlison heavily linked with a move away from Everton over the summer, manager Rafa Benitez could unearth the Brazilian’s natural heir in the shape of 18-year-old Whitaker, someone who can play in a wide array of positions just like their energetic number 7.

However, whether he provides him with the opportunity to showcase his talent in the senior setup remains to be seen.

And, in other news…”Still uncertainty” – Patrick Boyland drops Everton update that should concern fans 

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has admitted it will be difficult for Leeds United to stay in the Premier League this campaign.

The Lowdown: Leeds struggling

In what is their second season back in the Premier League after a 16-year absence, the Whites are struggling at the the wrong end of the table.

As it stands, they are 17th in the top flight, just three points above Burnley in 18th (Sky Sports). They have won just one of their last four matches in all competitions and, with Leicester City, Tottenham and Brighton to come in the next three games, they may struggle to pick up more points for a while.

The Foxes are always a tough out, Tottenham will be enjoying a new manager bounce, while Brighton have just picked up an impressive draw at Anfield.

The Latest: Radrizzani makes survival claim

Speaking at the Lisbon Web Summit (via Leeds Live), Radrizzani revealed it will be difficult for Leeds to stay in the division. He said:

“This year it will be very difficult to stay in the Premier League but if we stay up this year we can do much more next year. Next, the top six over time and hopefully start to renovate the stadium and grow this club.”

The Verdict: More confidence needed

While it may be true that this season will be a struggle to stay up – nine clubs, in fact, have been hit by second-season syndrome in the Premier League (via Sports Economics) – it is not the best thing for the owner to say so publicly. After all, Leeds have splashed out £140m since being promoted on transfer fees (Transfermarkt), and manager Marcelo Bielsa is one of most influential bosses in the history of the game (BBC).

There are still 28 games left to play, and the omens suggest they will be ok – only Bournemouth have had at least 10 points by this stage in the season and still been relegated in the last three full terms (Transfermarkt).

Still, more inspiring comments than the ones from Radrizzani would not go amiss.

In other news, Leeds want to sign this Championship star.

Lots of Everton fans have been left gushing over some news that has emerged involving Andros Townsend.

As per the official Twitter page of the Goodison Park faithful, his stunning strike from outside of the box at home to Burnley has now been nominated for September’s Goal of the Month (GOTM) award.

Supporters of the Merseyside club can now vote for Townsend’s goal on the Premier League’s website, as he is nominated alongside Bruno Fernandes, Jesse Lingard, Romelu Lukaku, Naby Keita, Matty Cash and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The goal encapsulates a great start to life at the Toffees for Townsend, who has scored four goals in total and made a further three assists in eight games over all competitions since his arrival (Transfermarkt), and will no doubt be hoping to bag more screamers as the campaign progresses.

Everton fans on Townsend news

These Blues fans gushed as the news of Townsend’s nomination was shared on Twitter:

“Never fails to make me grin from ear to ear”

Credit: @ellieq

“We cannot understate how good @andros_townsend has been for us so far this season! Whether starting or not, he has a big role to play in the next couple of years”

Credit: @DaAlexJohnson

“Cracking goal that really should win”

Credit: @Adamefc95

“Booooooooooooom”

Credit: @Georgie_Redman

“Belter”

Credit: @Bigpoppa1878

“Was an absolutely sensational 10 minutes I thought Gwladys Street Stand was gonna collapse loved absolutely every second”

Credit: @RDW_Engineering

In other news, find out what contract talks have Evertonians buzzing here!

Former England striker Kevin Phillips believes that Sam Johnstone will remain at West Brom despite interest from Premier League clubs.

The Lowdown: Johnstone linked with exit

Johnstone is among the Baggies’ most important players, given his status as a three-cap England international and possibly one of the best goalkeepers in the Championship.

The 28-year-old’s performances have been influential over an extended period of time, leading to reported interest from the likes of Southampton and West Ham.

The Latest: Phillips makes big claim

Despite that strong interest, Phillips has told Football Insider that he thinks Johnstone will ignore the current interest in him and remain at The Hawthorns for the rest of the season.

The former Sunderland striker said:

“I like Sam, he’s a fantastic goalkeeper. I actually don’t think he will want to leave.

“He’ll want to stay there and get them promoted and be playing for them again in the Premier League.

“It will take a big offer for him to want to go down there to Southampton, where we know goalkeeper is a position they desperately need.

“I think he’s quite happy where he is. I know it’s Premier League football, but he could well be playing in that league next season with West Brom.

“He’s shown loyalty. He could have pushed for a move in the summer but didn’t, and I hope he stays put.”

The Verdict: Must stay until the summer

It would be a huge blow for West Brom if they were to lose Johnstone midway through the campaign in January, at a point when their promotion push would be reaching a crucial stage. The 28-year-old has missed just two league games since joining the Baggies in 2018, illustrating his importance to the team under multiple managers.

However, should Valerien Ismael’s side fail to return to the Premier League, it would then be understandable if the English ‘keeper wants a fresh challenge next summer.

Ideally, Johnstone will help inspire the Baggies back into the top flight, remaining at the club for another few years and helping them build into the future.

In other news, some West Brom fans have been left dazzled by one player. Find out who it is here.

Dara O’Shea’s injury is a massive blow, former West Brom midfielder Carlton Palmer has told The Transfer Tavern.

The Baggies defender sustained a fractured ankle while on international duty with the Republic of Ireland and could now miss up to six months of action, the club has confirmed.

O’Shea has been an important player for West Brom in this early part of the season. The 22-year-old has started the Midlands outfit’s first five games and currently has the highest WhoScored rating (7.73) in Valerien Ismael’s squad.

West Brom acted quickly by bringing in Kean Bryan on a free transfer, but Palmer feels O’Shea’s injury is still a huge setback, nevertheless.

“Devastating,” the ex-West Brom player said in response to the news about O’Shea’s injury. “He’s been very instrumental for West Brom.

“He’s obviously got the experience of being in international football. It’s a massive blow to them.”

Other than that and a few other injury problems they have, it has been a positive season for West Brom so far.

They are currently top of the Championship table with 14 points, yet to lose a game. Ismael will now be hoping for Bryan or whoever fills in for O’Shea to step up to help the team maintain this excellent start to the campaign.