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Newcastle United could sign Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope for a fee in the region of £20m to £25m, according to former BBC pundit Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Newcastle interested in Pope

According to a report by Sky Sports last Thursday, the Magpies are interested in bringing the England international to St James’ Park this summer, with manager Eddie Howe looking to reinforce his goalkeeping options.

The 30-year-old is reportedly keen to make a move back to the Premier League following the Clarets’ relegation to the Championship.

Pope has just a year left on his contract at Turf Moor, although Burnley have the option to extend this by a further 12 months, so Whelan believes that a deal in the region of £20m to £25m would be a fair price for the shot-stopper.

The Latest: Whelan’s claim on Pope

Following Burnley’s relegation, the former Leeds striker now believes that the Clarets would be willing to sell Pope for the right price.

Speaking with Football Insider, he claimed: “Now that Burnley have gone down, I think you’re looking at the £20million mark for an international player.

“Nick Pope, he’s 30 years of age, yes, but what he does bring at that age is that agility, that organisation and that experience. He’s a player that can play for another six, seven, eight years as a goalkeeper.

“We see the longevity of a goalkeeper doesn’t end at 35 or 34, like outfield players. The demand on their body is not as intense. I think you’re still going to get the best years of a goalkeeper at 30.

“So I think that £20-25million mark with two years left on his contract. That would be something that would go a long way to help Burnley. I also think that Newcastle would be getting that one piece of the puzzle that has always been questioned. There’s a question mark over Dubravka.

“Would it be an improvement? Yes, it would. Would £25million, for that sort of player that has now got into the England setup, be worth it? In my opinion, every single penny.”

The Verdict: Would be a great signing

When compared with other goalkeepers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, Pope’s quality truly comes to the forefront, demonstrated by his ranking in the 99th percentile for launch percentage and frequency of  defensive actions made outside the penalty area (via FBRef).

Given such impressive statistics, it is easy to see why Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was so full of praise for the 30-year-old after Burnley’s 1-1 draw at Anfield in July 2020, with the German labelling Pope’s heroics that day as ‘sensational’.

Therefore, if Newcastle are able to secure his signing for a relatively cheap fee, this could be a great addition to Howe’s squad.

In other news: One pundit has been wowed by this Newcastle transfer news

Newcastle United are close to completing a move for Kilmarnock centre-back Charlie McArthur, according to Daily Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath. 

The lowdown: Prodigious talent

Captain of Scotland at the Under 17 level, McArthur has already made great strides in a fledgeling career to date north of the border.

The exciting young defender made a senior bow for Kilmarnock last season and ended the campaign with four first-team outings under his belt.

Now, slightly over a month on from his 17th birthday, it appears as though the Magpies are nearing a swoop for the talented teenager…

The latest: McGrath on McArthur

Taking to Twitter, reputable journalist McGrath has claimed that Newcastle are set to land the 10-cap Scotland youth starlet.

He stated: “Newcastle are close to completing deal for Kilmarnock centre-back Charlie McArthur. Scotland youth international seen as huge prospect but sources at his club say it is difficult to stand in way when youngster is targeted by a Premier League club.”

The verdict: Snap him up

Described as a ‘dream to work with’ by then Kilmarnock boss Tommy Wright following a senior debut in the 3-1 win over Queen’s Park last term, McArthur can also operate as a left-back and would therefore provide all-important versatility to the Toon ranks further down the line.

Unperturbed by the lack of senior-level exposure, albeit perhaps too soon for McArthur to make an immediate impact on Eddie Howe’s plans, positioning such talented youngsters in situ at St James’ Park is a hugely promising sign as the era under PIF begins to take shape.

Should this move now be completed as expected, intentions will no doubt turn to bolster the first-team ranks as reports continue to index Newcastle with a move for Lille ace Sven Botman and Reims’ frontman Hugo Ekitike.

In the meantime, however, this is a deal that shows the long-term intentions of the ownership group as well as potentially an eye from newly appointed Sporting Director Dan Ashworth as to his vision for the Magpies moving forwards.

In other news, this maestro is willing to bide his time in order to seal a Newcastle move

Manchester United are edging closer to the signing of Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona according to the latest reports from Spain, and the Dutchman would be a sensational addition to Erik ten Hag’s side.

What’s the word?

According to Sport (via Sport Witness), ten Hag is ‘seducing’ the former Ajax man with his new Manchester United project and that the two parties are now ‘very close’ to a full agreement.

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They cite Barcelona’s financial woes as a key reason for the midfielder’s potential exit and claim that he is ready to pack his bags and move away from the Nou Camp this summer, with ten Hag keen to convince him to make the move to Old Trafford.

Magic for Ten Hag?

There is little doubt that United need reinforcements in midfield if they are to improve on their disappointing sixth-place finish from last season.

The effectiveness of a Fred and Scott McTominay double pivot has regularly been questioned, while ten Hag will also be without Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata after their contracts with the Red Devils came to an end.

De Jong was one of ten Hag’s key players in 2018/19, when the Eredivisie side reached the Champions League semi-final, as he made 11 appearances in the competition, averaging a superb 7.03 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The Netherlands international is extremely adept with the ball, averaging an impressive 91.7% pass accuracy in La Liga last season, which was comfortably better than any of United’s regular starters.

Journalist Muhammad Butt waxed lyrical about the young midfielder after his switch to Barcelona, saying:

“Frenkie de Jong though… What an unreal player. He is absolute magic. He’s gone under the radar since signing for Barcelona but he is absolutely on a whole another level to every other young midfielder around. A pure genius.”

Previous reports have suggested that he would be available for £67m this summer and while that represents a significant outlay for United, they are desperate for some quality in midfield and ten Hag already knows how to get the best out of De Jong.

If he can replicate his form for Ajax in a United shirt, perhaps even re-establishing his connection with Donny van de Beek in United’s side, then he would surely be worth every penny.

And, in other news… Bye-Bye Maguire: Glazers must swoop for Spanish defender…

Manchester City, and by extension manager Pep Guardiola, are now open to a shock summer sale as news emerges on mainstay defender Aymeric Laporte.

The Lowdown: Khaldoon sends message…

After the Sky Blues sealed a dramatic Premier League title win on the final day of 2021/2022, retaining their top flight crown with three goals in five minutes on the final day, a real summer of change may be looming.

Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has confirmed there will be more signings after City sealed moves for both Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez with The Telegraph believing a left-back/midfielder is high on the agenda.

Just as many exits from Eastlands are possible with Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus all heading into the final year of their deals.

The champions are also open to offers for the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Nathan Ake, but according to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), they aren’t the only players who could leave.

The Latest: City open to Laporte exit…

According to their information, City star defender Laporte is ‘not considered untransferable’ as the club become open to a possible sale.

This comes as Serie A giants Juventus re-ignite their interest in the Spaniard as they aim to bolster their defensive options with what Sport Witness call a ‘surprise’ move.

The Verdict: Surprise claim indeed…

Laporte’s phenomenal 2021/2022 campaign makes this update a surprise one to say the least.

As highlighted by WhoScored, the 28-year-old was a crucial player in helping Guardiola’s side build out from the back and break through opposition lines – averaging a higher pass accuracy (94.8%) than any player in the City squad.

Laporte also made the joint-fourth most appearances under Guardiola alongside fellow mainstay Rodri, becoming a fixture in the starting eleven and even working his way back in following both Ruben Dias and John Stones’ brilliant 2020/2021 partnership.

It’s little wonder Guardiola called the Spaniard’s season ‘incredible’ with the Manchester Evening News claiming he’s ‘never been so important’ (Twitter).

This news that City could be open to a sale certainly comes as bizarre.

In other news: Man City could now join race to sign £68m ‘monster’, club already preparing for his exit! Find out more here.

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has shared the latest information on the West Midlands outfit’s transfer plans for the summer ahead of the window opening on 10 June.

What’s the story?

The Villa boss was a pundit for BT Sport over the weekend covering Liverpool’s Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid and admitted that he will be ‘on the phone’ over the coming weeks as the 41-year-old looks to assemble a competitive squad.

“We have tried to get in while people are sleeping and try to make some big pieces of the jigsaw,” Gerrard told BT Sport, as quoted by Birmingham Live. “We are really happy with where we are right now.

“Of course, I will be on the phone doing what I need to do and I am really looking forward to a full pre-season and I am optimistic for next year.”

Villa have already completed three major deals before the window officially opens with Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos all being announced as permanent Aston Villa players.

Supporters will be ecstatic

It will be music to the ears of Villa fans to hear their manager said such positive words.

Although there were highs and plenty of signs of quality, the season was far too inconsistent for the Villans, with Gerrard’s side eventually finishing 14th, three places lower than last season.

The ex-Rangers manager took over from Dean Smith in November but will now finally have the opportunity to construct his squad how he would like with the upcoming summer transfer window his first in the Villa hot seat.

It’s no secret that Gerrard, as well as NSWE, has ambitious plans for the football club with money certainly there to be spent as seen with the captures of Coutinho and Carlos with Kamara joining on a free transfer.

Numerous high profile players have been linked with a move to Villa Park this summer, with Luis Suarez mentioned as a potential target, and to have a manager who is so switched on whilst being very well connected from his playing days will certainly have Villa supporters ecstatic.

AND in other news: Forget Carlos: Villa must now seal swoop for “astonishing” £25m star, Gerrard needs him

A big Rangers update has emerged on Leon Balogun and his future at Ibrox under Giovanni van Bronckhorst heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Record, Rangers have set a meeting with the centre-back to discuss a new deal with the Glasgow giants.

He is out of contract this year and the Gers will now hold talks with the 6 foot 2 brute to see whether or not they can come to an agreement on extending his terms.

Ibrox will be rocking

Van Bronckhorst can get Ibrox rocking by securing a deal to keep Balogun in Glasgow heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

He is a crucial player for the club and retaining his services would be a huge boost for the club, particularly given Connor Goldson’s expected departure at the end of the month.

Former Gers man Alex Rae previously dubbed him a “tremendous addition” to Rangers, having joined on a free transfer from Wigan in the summer of 2020. Since arriving, he has played 65 games for the Light Blues in all competitions as he impressed under Steven Gerrard and carried that form over to his time with van Bronckhorst. 

In the 2020/21 campaign, he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.13 in the Premiership as he helped the team to win the Scottish title.

He was reliable, once again, in the top-flight for the Gers in 2021/22 as he was a defensive rock for Rangers…

These statistics show that he was a strong, commanding, presence at the back for van Bronckhorst as he won the ball back for his team on a consistent basis and won the majority of his individual battles.

Balogun also played a key role on the way to the Europa League final. He made ten appearances in Europe and averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.96 as he chipped in with two goals and made an outstanding 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game.

The Nigeria international has proven his quality domestically and in Europe and that is why supporters will be rocking with joy at Ibrox if van Bronckhorst can agree a deal to keep the defender at the club.

He is a reliable, quality, player to call upon when needed and losing him this summer would be a big blow as there is no guarantee that any replacement coming in will be able to offer the same experience and defensive nous.

AND in other news, Rangers can land dream Kent heir in deal for £1.5m “asset” who can “affect the game”…

Premier League veteran Ashley Young may have played his last game for Aston Villa on Sunday. 

The lowdown

Young played the closing minutes as Villa lost 3-2 to Manchester City at The Etihad Stadium.

The Englishman, who spent four years at Villa earlier in his career, returned to the Midlands outfit last summer on a free transfer after leaving Inter Milan.

However, he only signed a one-year deal, believed to be worth £50,000 per week.

The 36-year-old needs to play seven more games to reach 400 Premier League appearances.

He’s turned out 215 times for Villa overall, scoring 37 goals and laying on 61 assists.

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The latest

As Young prepared to enter the fray, The Athletic’s Aston Villa correspondent Gregg Evans took the opportunity to provide an update on his future.

“In other news: Ashley Young coming on for #AVFC. 

“Could it be his last game in a Villa shirt? Villa would like to keep him on, but he’s out of contract soon.”

It remains to be seen whether the Englishman grants the club’s wish by penning an extension.

The verdict

Young featured in 24 matches over the course of the campaign, ten times from the start and 14 times off the bench.

His versatility has proven to be an asset for the Villans, with Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard both able to deploy him up and down the left flank, in central midfield and even on the right.

In the autumn, Gerrard said that Young had been ‘perfect’ and labelled him a ‘standards-setter’.

Much may depend on whether Villa are proposing a significant pay cut, and whether Young is happy with this level of involvement as he comes towards the end of his career.

In other news, Villa have been watching this defender.

Italian football expert Conor Clancy has dropped his verdict on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Antonin Barak.

What’s been said?

In a recent interview with Football FanCast, Clancy stated his belief that the 27-year-old Hellas Verona midfielder, who has recently been linked with a €20m (£17m) summer move to Tottenham, needs to leave his current club in order to progress his career, before going on to claim that the Czech Republic international could go on to become Antonio Conte’s next Dejan Kulusevski at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Concerning the future of Barak, the journalist said: “I do think, this isn’t going to sound great to Verona, but he needs to leave Verona to really realise his true potential, because he’s shown a lot there. But, there’s always a ceiling with Verona – they’re not even in Europe, they’re not going to qualify for the Europa League even.

“So, if he wants to kick on he needs to leave and I think if he went to Spurs he could really kick on. In a Conte team, we’ve seen Kulusevski do what everybody who watched him knew he was capable of doing, and I think Barak could be quite similar in that way. He could go to England and explode.”

Kulusevski 2.0

Considering just how impressive Barak has been in Italy this season, it is not difficult to understand why Conte would be keen to bring the attacking midfielder to north London this summer, nor is it hard to see why Clancy believes that the 27-year-old could go on to become Spurs’ next Kulusevski.

Indeed, over his 29 Serie A appearances in the current campaign, the £18m-rated talent has been in breathtaking form for Igor Tudor’s side, scoring 11 goals, providing four assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.8 shots, making 1.0 key passes and completing 1.1 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the £15k-per-week midfielder average a quite sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.05, ranking him as Hellas’ second-best player in the Italian top-flight – playing a key role in his side’s push to secure a top-half finish this term.

Furthermore, according to FBref data, the 30-time capped international also contributes greatly in a defensive capacity, with Barak ranking in the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s big five leagues for clearances per 90, as well as the top 5% for ariel duels won and the top 15% for blocks over the last 365 days.

As such, should the 27-year-old be able to replicate this level of form following a potential switch to Tottenham this summer, it is not difficult to imagine the midfielder having a similar impact on Conte’s side to the eight-assist Kulusevski – something that leads us to believe Fabio Paratici simply must do all he can to get a £17m deal over the line for the Czechia sensation in the coming months.

AND in other news: Fabrizio Romano reveals big Spurs transfer twist that will leave supporters fuming

Tottenham Hotspur ‘insider’ John Wenham has been left exciting by some promising Lilywhites transfer news involving a ‘monster’ defender.

The Lowdown: Paratici set for big summer?

Spurs transfer chief Fabio Paratici is reportedly facing a big summer window with manager Antonio Conte allegedly demanding as many as six major signings behind-the-scenes (The Telegraph).

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The Italian sporting director, as a result, has his finger in many pots and is also working on sealing deals for potential stars of the future.

Middlesbrough ace Djed Spence and Peterborough United defender Ronnie Edwards are just a few examples of lower league talent on the radar at Tottenham with a promising update recently coming to light on Blackburn centre-half Ashley Phillips.

As reported by The Sun’s reliable source Alan Nixon, the Lilywhites are ’emerging as favourites’ to sign the England youth international as they enter pole position.

Nixon also claims that the Premier League top-four chasers are ‘ready to get the deal done as quickly as possible’.

The Latest: Wenham excited…

Speaking to Football Insider, Wenham has been left excited by the development, imploring the north Londoners to reach an agreement ‘ASAP’ – also branding Phillips a ‘monster’ defender.

He explained: “I looked into him, he’s a monster. He seems to have the assets and all the physique you want in a centre-half.

“For me, that is no risk, high reward. Get that done as soon as possible. We have a really good relationship with Blackburn.

“We sold them Dilan Markanday in January. To get one over on Chelsea and Man United would be fantastic as well as him looking like a top young talent.

“The update from Alan Nixon is really positive as I rate him highly, he really knows his stuff about the EFL and lower leagues.

“Hopefully we can get this one done ASAP.”

The Verdict: Great news…

Highly-rated by those within Blackburn and beyond according to Nixon, the towering 6 foot 3 starlet looks to be heading to the top judging by verdicts like this one from Wenham.

Hotspur Way chiefs could apparently have to fork out £3 million to seal an agreement but Phillips’ sky high potential may well be worth investment.

His signing could also go some way to balancing Tottenham’s prevalent homegrown quota issue in the future and there is no surprise Paratici is eager to strike a fast agreement.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano says ‘monster’ Spurs player is now ‘expected to leave’! Find out more here.

Wolves are interested in signing Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill during the summer transfer window, according to a fresh report.

The Lowdown: Brownhill impressing Burnley

The Clarets have had a tough season, with Premier League relegation potentially on the cards, but their midfielder has performed solidly for much of the campaign.

The 26-year-old has started 29 league games and featured in 32 overall, averaging two tackles and 1.9 interceptions per match in the process.

The prospect of relegation could see Brownhill look for a new club, though, and he seemingly won’t be without suitors.

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The Latest: Wolves keen on Brownhill move

According to 90min, Wolves are among a host of top-flight clubs expressing an interest in the Englishman. The likes of Aston Villa, Everton and Leeds United are all seen as potential suitors too, as are newly-promoted duo Fulham and Bournemouth.

Brownhill’s current Burnley deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2024, so prospective suitors may have to accept not being able to sign him on the cheap.

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The Verdict: Possible Neves replacement?

While Brownhill may not be the most glamorous midfielder in the Premier League, he is an effective footballer who has recently been hailed as a ‘brilliant’ player by his Turf Moor team-mate Jack Cork.

He may also fill the void which could be left by the eminently possible departure of Ruben Neves, who has been strongly linked with a summer move to Barcelona, fulfilling a childhood dream.

Brownhill is someone who could add steel and underrated quality to Wolves’ midfield next season, making them more sturdy in the middle of the park and allowing others around him to express themselves.

That’s underplaying his own ability, though, with two goals and three assists in the Premier League this season showing that he is also capable of adding considerable end product at Molineux if he makes the move over the coming months.

In other news, Wolves reportedly lead the race to sign one player. Find out who it is here.