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Newcastle United could still recruit the best behind-the-scenes talent in football without having to worry about breaching Financial Fair Play rules, claims finance expert Dr Dan Plumley.

The Lowdown: Non-playing staff

On Saturday 28 May, The Times reported that the non-playing staff at Newcastle will be handed a pay rise for the first time in several years.

The current FFP system in the Premier League permits clubs a £105m loss over a rolling three-year period, with salary costs counting towards that total.

However, the Premier League is expected to adopt UEFA’s new profit and sustainability system imminently. This limits clubs to spending 70 per cent of turnover on wages and transfers, but it ultimately means only player and manager wages will be counted towards the quota.

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The Latest: Plumley’s claim

Plumley believes that Newcastle can utilise the new system to pay elite non-playing staff big wages to gain an advantage, without breaching FFP rules.

Speaking with Football Insider, Plumley claimed:

“This is potentially one way to get around FFP.

“If you look at the makeup of the backroom staff, Liverpool are the gold standard. They look at data, sports science, and psychology. The list is endless.

“In a sport where the margins are so fine, it can really pay off if you can get an edge in this area. If you have the best minds and the finest talent in football, you can make gains behind the scenes.

“Of course, everything needs to be streamlined and the culture needs to be right, and the commercial team and the finance team can grow too.”

The Verdict: May have already started

Just last night Newcastle announced the appointment of highly rated Dan Ashworth as the club’s new sporting director.

The 51-year-old joined former club Brighton in 2018 with an impressive reputation after his spell with the FA, where he helped various England age groups triumph at three tournaments in 2017, and then proceeded to establish the south-coast side as a mainstay in the Premier League.

With such appointments already taking place, this will be a huge sign of things to come for Newcastle, who will be doing anything they can to make marginal gains in pursuit of European qualification.

In other news: Newcastle United: Magpies target Hugo Ekitike ‘told’ he can leave Reims

Tottenham Hotspur have ‘very recently’ held talks over signing ‘one of the top strikers in England’ for manager Antonio Conte.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye new attackers…

Spurs transfer chief Fabio Paratici, after meeting with Conte in Italy for a recruitment meeting, has since been busy with the Lilywhites having sealed both Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster on Bosman deals.

Having finished in a Premier League top four place, gifting qualification for next year’s Champions League, it appears the club have been putting their £150 million equity increase to efficient use so far.

The north Londoners reportedly want a new forward with links having emerged to Man City star Gabriel Jesus among others.

Now, speaking to CaughtOffside, super-agent Roberto De Fanti has some transfer news on Spurs’ pursuit of new forwards.

The Latest: De Fanti shares news…

Indeed, the player representative has claimed that Paratici and co have held talks over signing a £200,000-per-week top flight star, right across town from the aforementioned Jesus.

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According to De Fanti, Tottenham ‘very recently’ entered discussions to sign Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford.

He explained:

“It seems there have been some discussions very recently between the player’s camp and Tottenham Hotspur. The London club feel negotiating a deal for Rashford is virtually impossible though – so that transfer no longer seems an option.”

The Verdict: Blow for Conte?

De Fanti claims that a deal for the Red Devils big name would cost Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy ‘between £70 million and £80m’.

Taking this into account, perhaps a move does seem unlikely as things stand, but there is little doubting Rashford’s ability if something were to change and a Spurs agreement became more possible.

Despite enduring a bit of an off-campaign over 2021/2022, the England international has proven over many years just how good a player he is.

During the 2020/2021 season, Rashford racked up 20 goals and assists combined whilst completing more successful take-ons per 90 than any Red Devils player (WhoScored).

He finished that campaign as United’s third-best performing player by average match rating and played the fourth-highest amount of league minutes behind Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Bruno Fernandes (WhoScored).

Former interim boss Ralf Rangnick, speaking earlier this year, also raved over Rashford as ‘one of the top strikers in England’ who has ‘everything you need’ for a modern forward (Telegraph India).

You could argue that form is temporary and class is permanent with the 24-year-old, leaving little wonder United have placed such a high price on his head.

In other news: ‘Stronger and stronger’…Sky journalist shares promising Spurs news on £34m Bastoni alternative! Find out more here.

Wolves are reportedly the leading candidates to sign highly-rated Braga centre-back David Carmo in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Centre-back needed?

Romain Saiss is leaving Molineux this summer, which will leave Bruno Lage with fewer defensive options ahead of next season.

With Conor Coady’s future also potentially up in the air amid interest from Everton, there is no doubt that a new centre-back has to be one of Wolves’ transfer priorities in the coming weeks and months.

An exciting new rumour is now doing the rounds in that respect.

The Latest: Wolves could have Carmo edge

According to O Jogo [via Sport Witness], Wolves are the ‘latest’ club to enter the race to sign Braga defender Carmo this summer, and they have made an approach for the Portuguese gem.

The report stated that the 22-year-old ‘fulfils the demanded requirements’ from Lage, and that the Old Gold could now ‘take the lead’ in the battle ahead of fellow Premier League clubs Liverpool and Manchester United.

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The Verdict: Ideal summer signing

Carmo could be a superb prospective signing for Wolves ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, with the youngster hailed as a ‘fantastic’ player by his manager Carlos Carvalhal.

He averaged 3.4 successful aerial duels per game across five Europa League appearances this season, along with an incredible 6.2 clearances per match. Across all competitions in 2021/22 he won 2.8 headers per game, which would put him second in Lage’s squad ahead of the likes of towering 6 foot 5 centre-back Max Kilman (2.2).

Carmo would come to Molineux as an immediate first-team solution and also a long-term acquisition, possibly making Wolves even harder to break down, having boasted the best defensive record of any team outside the top four in the most recent Premier League campaign.

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In other news, a foreign source has dropped a Wolves transfer claim. Read more here.

Leeds United are reportedly close to securing a transfer for Bayern Munich midfielder Marc Roca.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Marca, the Yorkshire club are closing in on a deal, said to be worth between €13m and €15m (£11.1m – £12.8m), for the 25-year-old.

The report also adds that the player will be signing a three-to-four-year deal at Elland Road and is expected to have a predominant role in Jesse Marsch’s side.

Marsch will be buzzing

As a product of Espanyol’s youth system, the midfielder went on to make a total of 172 appearances for the Spanish club across their senior and youth sides in all competitions.

In those appearances, Roca found the net nine times and delivered six assists before joining the Bundesliga side back in October 2020.

Since then, the midfielder has only made 24 appearances for Julian Nagelsmann’s side and hasn’t scored one goal or delivered one assist.

This makes it easy to see why Bayern have reportedly been willing to sell him to Leeds as he clearly isn’t near the top of the pecking order in the squad.

In fact, the Spaniard only made 13 appearances for the German side across the Bundesliga and Champions League this season, starting just four of them.

That said, it would still be a fantastic signing for the Whites. Having already secured deals for the likes of Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen, Marsch will be over the moon to get another new player through the door so early in the transfer window.

Praised by Nagelsmann for his “impressive” performances when he has been given the chance to play, Roca could well relish the opportunity to not only play for a big club like Leeds in the Premier League but also to play regularly once again instead of being a bit-part player at Bayern.

This also shows that he could well be a good fit at Leeds and in the English top division if he’s able to deliver impressive performances at a club like Bayern.

With current Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips linked with a move away from Elland Road this summer, adding a player like the £6.3m-rated figure could be the best way forward for the Whites should they end up losing the England international.

In other news: Leeds receive green light to seal third summer signing for free, Orta will be buzzing

Celtic had no trouble when it came to finding the back of the net during their previous SPFL campaign.

In their 38 league games, the Hoops ended up scoring 92 goals in total, which is 12 more than their Old Firm rivals managed to score in second place.

One figure that contributed a lot in that regard for the Bhoys is Kyogo Furuhashi.

With 15 league appearances to his name, the 27-year-old scored eight times and delivered two assists along the way.

Having missed a significant number of games through injury, it’s safe to suggest that the Japan international could have added more goals to his tally had he been fit enough throughout the campaign.

With that in mind, Kyogo will now be looking to have a more consistent season next time around and hope he doesn’t run into more fitness issues.

The summer transfer window has opened for business, with the Hoops already adding Benjamin Siegrist to their ranks. Another figure the Parkhead club have been linked with is Randers FC striker Stephen Odey, someone that could form a frightening duo alongside Furuhashi.

Having made 135 senior club appearances throughout his career, the 24-year-old has scored 37 goals and supplied five assists in the process.

With 33 appearances to his name last season for Randers, the attacker found the net 14 times, highlighting just how much of a consistent goal threat he can be.

To further highlight his attacking talent, no other player at the Danish club managed to make as many shots at goal (63) or shots on target (29) as the Nigerian.

Labelled as an “exceptional” player and a “deadly” attacker by his former coach Fidelis Ilechukwu, Odey certainly has what it takes to be a useful addition to Postecoglou’s squad.

The fact the 27-year-old Kyogo has played on either flank when needed means that his versatility could clear a path for Odey to take a place in the centre-forward spot. As a result, it’s easy to see how the two could play together in the same side, forging a mouth-watering duo in the final third.

Should the Hoops boss feel the need to add another striker to his ranks this summer, the Nigerian could be a suitable option in that regard.

In other news: Deal close: Celtic on the verge of “unbelievable” signing, it’s great news for Ange

Journalist David Ornstein has shared the latest developments regarding the future of Leeds United talisman, Raphinha.

What’s the word?

Writing on Twitter about the 25-year-old’s situation, the transfer insider revealed that fellow Premier League side Arsenal are set to “intensify” their bid to sign the Brazilian, with the player himself said to be “open” to the move.

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Ornstein stated:

“Arsenal to intensify efforts next week to sign Raphinha from Leeds. More talks planned with 25yo’s camp & increased offer expected. Feeling among other suitors is #AFC now leading & he’s said to be open to joining them.”

In the attached piece for The Athletic, the report suggested that the Gunners are now ‘firm favourites’ to secure the nine-cap gem’s signature, having already seen a bid rejected by the Elland Road outfit.

Supporters surely fuming

It looks as if the Yorkshire side’s worst fears are set to be realised, with the gifted playmaker – who signed on a £17m deal from Rennes two years ago – seemingly on his way out of the club in the coming weeks.

That £40.5m-rated man’s potential destination will no doubt further anger the club’s supporters, with it looking as if Jesse Marsch’s side will have to come up against the fleet-footed forward in the Premier League next term, having perhaps hoped for a switch abroad to La Liga giants, Barcelona.

The Whites are clearly fully aware of just how much damage the £63k-per-week sensation can inflict on an opposition defence, with the one-time Sporting CP man having chipped in with 17 goals and 12 assists in the league over the last two seasons combined.

That impressive haul includes a tally of 11 goals and three assists in the top-flight during the 2021/22 campaign, with the 5 foot 9 speedster proving instrumental in helping Jesse Marsch’s side stave off the drop at the end of a largely bleak season.

While not totally consistent throughout the entire campaign, notably earning criticism from pundit Danny Mills for his “attitude”, Raphinha stepped up when it mattered most to ensure the club’s top-flight survival, netting a vital spot-kick on the final day to set Leeds on their way to a dramatic win over Brentford on the road.

The jubilant scenes that ensued – which saw the player celebrating wildly with the away support – showcased the forward’s sheer delight in helping his side avoid a return to the second tier, although just a matter of weeks later it looks as though he could well spoil the party by heading for the exit door.

AND in other news, Phil Hay now reveals “serious” Leeds transfer development, supporters will be buzzing…

Nottingham Forest have been linked with a move for Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien.

What’s the news?

According to journalist Alan Nixon from his Patreon page (via Nottingham Forest News), the Midlands club are looking to add the midfielder to Steve Cooper’s squad in addition to Harry Toffolo.

As a product of Huddersfield’s youth system, the 23-year-old has gone on to make 131 senior appearances for the Yorkshire club across all competitions.

In those appearances, the Englishman has found the net eight times and delivered ten assists in the process.

Cooper would love him

Last season saw O’Brien show just how important he was for the Terriers and how much of a capable player he is.

Having played more minutes in the Championship than any other Huddersfield player, the midfielder won more tackles (59) than any of his teammates.

His overall performances earned him a solid season rating of 7.09/10, making him the highest-rated outfield player at the club according to WhoScored.

In the recent Championship play-off final, which saw Forest beat the Yorkshire club to secure their place in the Premier League, O’Brien once again showed how impressive he is on and off the ball.

The Englishman successfully completed all four dribbles he attempted, in addition to winning ten of the 13 ground duels he was involved in.

This display ultimately earned the player an overall match rating of 7/10 from SofaScore, making him the second-highest rated Huddersfield player on the day.

This backs up why Huddersfield manager Carlos Corberan described the midfielder as an “exceptional” player.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that the Huddersfield star certainly has what it takes to be a standout player in the Championship and therefore could be ready to make a name for himself in the Premier League.

Therefore, it would presumably be an exciting prospect for Forest manager Steve Cooper to have a player like O’Brien in his ranks that he can help develop and grow into a top-flight star.

With a reported price tag of £10m, this is an investment that the newly-promoted side should definitely consider making as the potential benefits could be massive for the club on the pitch.

AND in other news: “Advanced talks”: Sky Sports journo drops claim that’ll leave Forest supporters gutted

Manchester City are close to completing their second signing of this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the word?

That is according to super-journalist Fabrizio Romano who claims that Manchester City have completed the signing of 29-year-old goalkeeper Stefan Ortega from Arminia Bielefeld.

The Italian took to his personal Twitter page to issue the update on City’s latest transfer coup.

Romano said: “Stefan Ortega, new Manchester City goalkeeper to be announced soon. Contract until June 2025 for the new second GK, with Zack Steffen set to leave. Middlesbrough are closing on Steffen loan deal with Man City.”

The news comes with the Citizens also on the verge of acquiring Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

Pep will love it

With Manchester City willing to let second-choice goalkeeper Steffen leave, with the American in pursuit of regular minutes with the World Cup just around corner, they needed to bring in an extra layer of quality who can provide adequate competition for Ederson, whilst also accepting a role as a bit-part player for the Premier League Champions.

Ortega offers Guardiola that exact option and oozes quality that is encapsulated by his experience as a 29-year-old who has completed around eight seasons as a first-choice goalkeeper throughout the first and second-tier in Germany.

In the season just gone, the 6 foot 1 shot-stopper averaged a 73.3% save percentage having faced 172 SoTA (shots on target against).

Although Ortega conceded a lot more goals than Ederson did at Manchester City last term, he did beat the Brazilian’s 69.9% save percentage, so despite the German achieving just six clean sheets in the Bundesliga last term, there is a lot of potential within his numbers.

And on a personal level, with a super save percentage, he endured a successful season despite suffering relegation with Arminia Bielefeld.

Pep will be delighted with what is an astute acquisition that can provide further competition for Ederson in Steffen’s absence.

AND in other news: “Getting closer..“: Journalist drops big Man City transfer update, Pep will be gutted 

Following Erik ten Hag’s appointment as Manchester United boss, the Red Devils have been linked with a host of players the Dutchman has managed at Ajax, with striker Brian Brobbey the latest name to be tipped for a switch to Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

According to German news outlet Sport Bild, United could hijack the 20-year-old’s move from RB Leipzig to Ajax, with ten Hag keen on signing him after having the young forward on loan at the Johan Cruyff Arena last season.

They suggest that ten Hag has already phoned Brobbey and wants to bring the striker to England after being impressed with his performances last season, with the striker hitting seven goals in 11 league games for Ajax.

He is likely to cost around €15m (£12.7m).

A dream duo

In total, Brobbey has hit 13 goals in 32 appearances under ten Hag at Ajax, so the Dutch manager is already well aware of what he is capable of.

United are in dire need of attacking reinforcement this summer, with Edinson Cavani and Jesse Lingard having already departed the club, while Cristiano Ronaldo is also seemingly set to depart Old Trafford.

While it would be unfair to expect Brobbey to step up as the legendary Portuguese forward’s replacement, he is clearly a player that ten Hag appreciates and at just 20, still has a lot of time to achieve his obvious potential.

man The new United boss spoke last year about his desire to keep Brobbey at Ajax, saying:

Former Scotland defender Alan Hutton has delivered his verdict on the transfer situation surrounding Celtic ace Josip Juranovic. 

The lowdown: Instant impact

Signed from Legia Warsaw for £2.5m (Sky Sports), the Croatia right-back has been nothing short of sensational since arriving at Parkhead.

The 26-year-old was one of numerous new signings last summer as Ange Postecoglou built a squad to try and dethrone Rangers at the top of the Premiership, playing a major role whilst making 26 league appearances as the Bhoys reclaimed their crown as Scottish champions.

After a stellar campaign in Glasgow, Spanish giants Atletico Madrid are reportedly keen on acquiring Juranovic’s services, a prospect that one pundit can foresee becoming a reality this summer…

The latest: Hutton on Juranovic

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton has claimed that both Old Firm clubs would find offers of around £10m for their prized assets difficult to resist.

The BBC Sport contributor said of Juranovic and Celtic: “Ultimately I don’t think they’ll want to sell him. I think he’s one year into a five year contract. He’s had an excellent first year, he’s very versatile and he fits into the Ange Postecoglou way so ultimately they won’t want to sell him.

“But, if Atletico Madrid come in for you and they put £10million on the table, I think it’s a figure that a team like Rangers or Celtic can’t turn down.

“So it’s going to come down to the fee. What that’ll be I don’t know but he has had an outstanding season.”

The verdict: Not enough

Holding a market value of £6.3m and just 20% of the way into a five-year deal at Parkhead (Transfermarkt), Celtic could and should be demanding offers of at least their reported £15m asking price for the 20-cap Croatia international.

Furthermore, unlike in previous campaigns, the Hoops can now offer Champions League football to the likes of the man branded ‘different class’ by Celtic podcast host Ryan Clifford. That proposition that had been off the table in the past and perhaps lured star names away or prevented potential signings from materialising.

Capable of playing on either side as a full-back, the energetic Croatian won three duels, made 1.5 clearances and completed 1.3 key passes per game in the Scottish top-flight during 2021/22, showcasing his attacking and defensive acumen in both halves of the pitch (Sofascore).

Having already bolstered the squad with the permanent double swoop of Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers, along adding Alexandro Bernabei and Benjamin Siegrist to the Lennoxtown ranks, the Parkhead hierarchy should be doing everything in their power to further back Postecoglou. They must resist any temptation to cash in on Juranovic, who ended the 2021/22 season with the eighth-highest average Sofascore rating among the squad at 7.21.