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Kyle Bartley would have been a ‘top’ signing for Newcastle United, Kevin Phillips has told Football Insider.

The lowdown

The Telegraph reported last week that the Magpies had decided against a move for the West Bromwich Albion defender, who was apparently valued at just £3m by the Championship club.

Newcastle are keen to sign a ‘ball-playing’ centre-back this summer, with Celtic’s Kristoffer Ajer, former Liverpool loanee Ozan Kabak and Tottenham Hotspur’s Cameron Carter-Vickers among the other options they have considered (via The Athletic).

Bartley made 30 league appearances for West Brom last season as they unsuccessfully tried to stay in the top flight. He averaged 3.6 successful aerial duels and 5.3 clearances per game, along with a passing accuracy of 77.1% (via WhoScored).

The latest

Phillips feels that, even if he wasn’t ever-present in the Newcastle team, Bartley would have brought key traits such as experience and leadership to St James’ Park.

The former England striker told Football Insider: “He’s a solid defender and you could have seen him and Lascelles forming a good partnership. I think for £3m plus his wages it’s not going to kill you.

“He possibly wouldn’t have played week in, week out. But he’s also got that experience which could be vital for Newcastle next season.

“He was definitely one of the best players at West Brom after Allardyce came in last season. He’s a leader on and off the pitch as well, which helps. It could be a top deal.”

The verdict

Despite Phillips’ endorsement, Bartley would have been a somewhat underwhelming signing in comparison to targets like Ajer and Kabak, imposing young defenders with plenty of potential and experience of major European competitions.

Perhaps they were simply priced out of moves for those targets, leading them to briefly consider a fairly cheap swoop for Bartley. The deal would have felt like short-term thinking, with the club currently in limbo as it waits to see whether the prospective Saudi-led takeover will go through.

Ultimately, it’s doubtful whether Bartley would have represented any improvement on the options already at Bruce’s disposal, considering that the 30-year-old was a regular in a Baggies team which had the worst defensive record in last season’s Premier League.

In other news, Newcastle are said to ‘admire’ this midfielder. 

Stuart MacGill’s retirement has raised more questions over whether Shane Warne could end his international exile

Cricinfo staff02-Jun-2008
Beau Casson is the front-runner to replace Stuart MacGill in the short term © Getty Images
Stuart MacGill’s retirement has raised more questions over whether Shane Warne could end his international exile, but Cricket Australia is confident there will be no return. While Darren Lehmann and Kerry O’Keeffe feel Warne could make a successful comeback, James Sutherland, Cricket Australia’s chief executive, believes he has heard the final word.”I am in Mumbai and I let Shane know that Stuart was about to announce his retirement,” Sutherland told the Sydney Morning Herald. “Shane was very clear on the subject: he said that not only is he very happily retired, but also that [a comeback] is the furthest thing from his mind. So that would seem to be the end of that.”Warne’s former mentor Terry Jenner told it was “time to move forward” and said in the Herald there was “no logical reason to go backwards”. However, his position was not as clear in the Australian.”The very situation that Warney talked about has arrived,” Jenner said. “All the criteria have been met for what Shane said would be the criteria for him to come back. Shane has been playing cricket, albeit Twenty20, MacGill has retired and the choice is to go to one of the young kids who might not be ready.”Beau Casson, who is on the West Indies tour, is the best-placed person to replace MacGill in the short term while the South Australian pair of Dan Cullen and Cullen Bailey held Cricket Australia contracts for 2007-08. The third Test against West Indies starts in Barbados on June 12 and Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke could also be employed instead of Casson.O’Keeffe, who played 24 Tests in the 1970s, said in the Australian Warne was a “big chance of a comeback now”. “I think he would do very well in England,” he said. Last month Warne said he would consider stepping in for one Test series if Australia really needed him.”You would have to be mad not to take him if we were struggling for whatever reason,” Darren Lehmann told the paper. “He definitely still has the fire in the belly. I saw that first-hand in the IPL. He is still bowling brilliantly, has been working hard on his fitness and can still bowl a lot of overs in a day.”

West Brom are reportedly interested in signing Aston Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane, according to The Athletic…

What’s the story?

Hourihane has been with Aston Villa since 2017, and has gone on to make 150 appearances since signing for the club from Championship side Barnsley.

The 26-cap Irish international played his part in the club’s promotion-winning season in 2018/19, but has found consistent minutes hard to come by in recent seasons.

The arrival of John McGinn has forced him out of the starting XI, with Hourihane leaving the club on a temporary basis during the 2020/21 season, as he went on to sign for Swansea City on loan.

But since returning to Villa Park, it seems as though the £3.15m-rated ace’s days with Dean Smith’s side are going to be numbered, with Sheffield United rivalling West Brom to a potential agreement for the midfielder.

Proven Championship experience

West Brom will be eager to win promotion back into the Premier League at the first time of asking, after being relegated from the top-flight last term.

The Baggies were hugely impressive in their promotion-winning campaign in the 2019/20 season, and the club’s supporters will be keen to see similar success from their side this year.

But for that to happen, reinforcements are needed, especially with squad rotation likely during the hectic Championship fixture list.

Hourihane could turn out to be a shrewd addition for the Baggies as well, with the Irishman having a considerable amount of experience in the second tier of English football.

More importantly, though, he’s shown that he can perform to a high standard at this level, which will make him a player in-demand this summer. Therefore, it’s not a surprise to see that the likes of West Brom are keen to land his signature before the transfer window reaches a conclusion later this year.

Hourihane was labelled as ‘excellent’ by Swansea boss Steve Cooper whilst with the Championship side, and he’ll be hoping he can have his future resolved at the earliest of opportunities.

“I thought he was excellent, he’s been so impressive since he walked through the door.”

Hourihane netted five goals in his loan spell with Swansea City, which put him joint-third with Connor Roberts on the list for the Swans’ top goalscorers in the 2020/21 season – only behind forwards Jamal Lowe (14) and Andre Ayew (17) in the rankings.

Swansea have been well-known for having their fair share of possession in matches in recent seasons, with Steve Cooper’s side averaging 50.2% possession in last year’s campaign.

Hourihane has shown that he’s more than comfortable on the ball as well, with the 30-year-old having a pass success rate of 78.6%, which puts him fifth on the list for Swansea last term.

Therefore, West Brom would be having a player that some might feel ticks all the right boxes for a team that are likely to be in the hunt for promotion into the Premier League once again.

Ismael must urge a move for the Villa midfielder.

AND in other news, Albion could suffer a “big blow” with “brilliant” £15k-p/w gem, Ismael would be gutted…

Two of Arsenal’s coveted midfielders are expected to remain at the Emirates Stadium this season despite speculation over their futures…

What’s the word?

The Athletic’s David Ornstein relayed a fresh update to supporters after Gunners boss Mikel Arteta played down reports linking Emile Smith Rowe to Aston Villa and Joe Willock with a return to Newcastle United.

“Without a question. Yes. He (Smith Rowe) will stay here. 100 per cent,” claimed the 39-year-old.

“Well, he (Willock) wasn’t involved today because he had a little groin issue. He trained yesterday really well but we didn’t want to risk him. Joe is part of our plans, he’s our player and in the time that he is here, we will try to make the most out of him. He had a great experience on loan. He was, I think one of the most important players for their survival.”

During the off-season so far, Villa have submitted two bids for the Croydon-born playmaker, which have both been rejected by the Arsenal hierarchy, whilst Steve Bruce has been keen to bring Willock back to St James’ Park after scoring eight goals on loan there last season.

Hale End talent

This will come as hugely exciting news for everyone associated with the North London giants.

Smith Rowe is one of Arteta’s most creative and dynamic options in the current squad. He can play on either flank and through the middle, and with no new no.10 signing in sight, he could benefit from further playing time next season.

The £36m-rated dynamo provided four goals and seven assists across all competitions in 2020/21 and topped the charts for key passes per league game (1.4), via WhoScored.

Arteta is clearly a massive fan, having dubbed him “extraordinary” back in January and after scoring in their pre-season opener this week, many fans are demanding that he sign a new contract, as revealed by football.london. They will be buzzing that he’s certainly here to stay in 2021/22.

Similarly, it’s positive news that Willock is in line for more game time and quite understandably too as both Dani Ceballos and Martin Odegaard have returned to Real Madrid, whilst Granit Xhaka is expected to join AS Roma this window.

After bagging eight goals from midfield in a poor Magpies side, the 21-year-old could be an intriguing weapon under the Spanish coach next term.

The presence of Smith Rowe and Willock in Arteta’s first-team is another fantastic sign for the Gunners’ Hale End academy, too.

This latest information, via Ornstein, should have many in N5 absolutely thrilled.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops exciting Arsenal transfer update…

According to Turkish outlet Takvim (via Inside Futbol), Fenerbahce have set a price tag of €5m (£4.3m) for Glasgow Rangers transfer target Bright Osayi-Samuel this summer.

The Lowdown: Gers eye Osayi-Samuel

The Ibrox outfit were interested in the winger before he made the move to Fener from Queen’s Park Rangers in January (Football Insider via completesports.com).

However, after just 19 appearances for the 28-time Turkish champions (Transfermarkt), he could be on the move again, and the Gers are once again in pursuit of the winger (Fotospor).

The Latest: Fener set asking price

Takvim (via Inside Futbol) reported that Fenerbahce have set their asking price for Osayi-Samuel.

The Turkish outlet claimed that the Istanbul club are looking for €5m (£4.3m) to part ways with the 23-year-old.

The Verdict: Negotiate

Osayi-Samuel showed at QPR that he has plenty of ability – he netted five goals and provided nine assists in 37 Championship matches during the 2019/20 campaign and was labelled “outstanding” by former QPR and Gers boss Mark Warburton after a resounding win over Cardiff (kilburntimes.co.uk).

He has found life difficult at Fenerbahce, though, managing just one goal and one assist during his time there, so the £4.3m price tag could be a bit steep. However, if Ross Wilson is able to negotiate and shave a bit off that figure, Osayi-Samuel may just be worth a punt for the 55-time Scottish champions.

In other news, Dave Kings slams Rangers fans after this development.

MatériaMais Notícias

Contratado para substituir o lesionado Douglas, Gastón Fernandez já está em Porto Alegre. O meia desembarcou na manhã desse domingo no aeroporto Salgado Filho, na capital do Rio Grande do Sul, e já está no hotel que serve de concentração para o Tricolor gaúcho, que viaja na próxima terça para a Venezuela, onde enfrentará o Zamora-VEN pela Libertadores.

Por recomendação da Infraero, o jogador não saiu pela área de desembarque internacional do aeroporto e não foi recepcionado pelos torcedores presentes. O meia assinou contrato com o Grêmio por duas temporadas, com opção de renovação por mais um ano.

When Jose Mourinho was sacked earlier this year many Tottenham Hotspur fans expected the club to make a statement appointment to set them up for the coming years, however former Spurs star Paul Stewart believes that Paulo Fonseca is certainly not the right man.

Fonseca was renowned for an attacking and brave style of football during his time with both Shakhtar Donetsk and Roma, and that will please Spurs fans who were deprived of a lot of exciting football last season under Mourinho as Spurs only won a league game by more than one goal 13 times.

The former Roma manager has reportedly agreed personal terms with Spurs and a lot of fans will already have an opinion on him after seeing what his Roma side were like during the Europa League semi-final against Manchester United, and it’s safe to say they didn’t look great, getting brushed aside 8-5 on aggregate.

Spurs fans will want a manager to come in and play exciting and front-foot football, something which was an ever-present under Mauricio Pochettino and despite Fonseca being likely to bring this, Stewart claims he could be the worst option for his former club as he spoke exclusively to Football FanCast:

“He’s the last and worst option, because like you said, when you watched them against Man United they were totally outclassed and were never in the tie at all, and Levy is looking at someone like him to bring success to Spurs.”

With a relatively limited Roma side, Fonseca turned them into an exciting team to watch with how many goals they both scored and conceded but it was also the volume of chances they created with 3.05 goal creating actions per 90 minutes, the sixth-best in the Serie A.

Fonseca won plaudits across Europe during his time at Shakhtar Donetsk for the fearless and attacking style of play in the Champions League, even beating Manchester City 2-1 during the 2017/18 season.

Bourne 231 for six (David Christmas 92 not out), Market Rasen 117 all out (Richard Howitt 5 for 21)Bourne won by 114 runs, taking them back clear at the top of the league

Lincolnshire CCC Media Release23-Jun-2002Bourne 231 for six (David Christmas 92 not out), Market Rasen 117 all out (Richard Howitt 5 for 21)Bourne won by 114 runs, taking them back clear at the top of the league.Grantham 298 for six (James Clarke 162 not out), Caistor 119 all outGrantham won by 179 runs and go above Market Rasen into second placeSleaford 242 for nine (Richard Tomlin 70), Lindum 130 all outSleaford won by 112 runs and stay fourth.Market Deeping 267 for six (Chris Jones 112, Lee Peacock 61, Mike Troops 5 for 63), Boston 204 all outMarket Deeping won by 63 runsMessingham 281 for 5 (Ashley White 129 not out), Allenby Stevenson Grimsby Town 130 for eightWinning draw to Messingham who move back up to sixth.

Pakistan coach Mudassar Nazar said players will not be released for the second round action in the National one-day tournament that begins March 26.Mudassar said the players would only be allowed to play for their departments in the semifinals and final scheduled for April 2 and 4.”It is an important camp since our objective is to find at least a couple of good openers. They will be pitted against the best bowlers in the country,” he said from Lahore.But when argued that training camp cannot replace competitive matches, he said: “The players would be playing matches. I think the competition in those games would be good because everyone would try to perform well and impress the selectors.”The decision to not allow players to appear in the second round action will certainly create an uproar by the departments. At least, PIA has already written to the PCB for the release of its players.”Ten of our players have been invited to attend the camp. If those players are not released, where will we go? I think it is grave injustice,” a PIA spokesman said.Similarly, Habib Bank and Allied Bank, who are in the same pool as PIA, will also be depleted. Habib Bank have five players in the camp while Allied Bank have three.Mudassar said he was upset and sad with the media and public uproar over defeat in the Asian Test Championship final. He argued that his team had won so many games before the final. “But one defeat seems to have thrown everything out of the window. I have never come through such criticizm during my playing days,” he said.He repeated that his team lost to a better side and added that he briefly discussed with the captain on the reasons of defeat. “But at no stage we regret the decision of leaving out players on whom there is criticizm.”

A number of Liverpool fans have been showing their happiness at the news that Mohamed Salah could reportedly sign a new deal this summer.

The Reds didn’t have a huge amount to shout about last season, even though they ended up salvaging their campaign with a third-place finish.

It was a year that saw so many players drop below their best level, with the likes of Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino particularly culpable, in that respect.

Someone who couldn’t be blamed for Liverpool’s shortcomings was Salah, however, with the Egyptian scoring 31 goals, in all competitions.

The 28-year-old showed what a priceless player he remains and the idea of him leaving the club doesn’t bear thinking about.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, Liverpool will focus their attention on tying Salah down to a new deal this summer, hoping he commits his future to the club well into his 30s.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/the-latest-liverpool-transfer-news-3/” title=”The latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Liverpool fans delighted with Salah update

These Reds supporters provided their thoughts on the matter on Twitter.

“That’s my goat”

Credit: @CxllumAllez

“Let’s get this job done Reds!”

Credit: @colin_neil_show

“YESSSSSS”

Credit: @Cxllumj

“Wow. That’s such a relief”

Credit: @ImMihir05

“Pay the man a lot”

Credit: @AZenker8

“Happy news”

Credit:@Rakpenguin63

“Let him finish his career here”

Credit: @JoeHardwick10

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been reacting to a key transfer update by a reliable journalist. Read more here.