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Luke Edwards has dropped a big update on Newcastle manager Steve Bruce, regarding his future at St. James’ Park. 

What’s the talk?

Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards has claimed that he is expecting the Newcastle boss to be sacked before this weekend’s clash with Tottenham.

Edwards has revealed that Bruce had an hour-long meeting with the new owners where they thanked him for the job he had done, with another, less-pleasant, conversation now seemingly set to take place.

He told BBC 5 Live Sport: “I do think Steve Bruce will be gone. I think he’s going to go before the Tottenham game.

“My understanding is that they (the owners) may well have thanked him today for keeping them in the Premier League so that this takeover could happen.

“I think we’ll find out in the next 24 to 48 hours, Steve Bruce’s future, and I wouldn’t expect him to be in the dugout against Tottenham.”

Elation

Newcastle fans will be elated that Bruce is expected to be sacked before the club’s clash with Tottenham in the Premier League. The Magpies are 19th in the table and winless after seven games and supporters could be furious if the 60-year-old remained in the dugout and led them to another defeat to send them further adrift of safety.

A recent survey, prior to the takeover, by the Newcastle United Supporters Trust found that 94.3% of the fans wanted the experienced coach to be axed, with 95.3% stating that they believe the club will be relegated this season.

Another survey on Tuesday morning suggested that 97% of supporters wanted Bruce to get the boot as well.

This highlights how badly the Magpies supporters want the manager out of St. James’ Park and that is why they will be elated that he is unlikely to be in charge against Spurs.

They will be delighted that the owners are set to make a swift decision instead of dragging it out over the course of a few weeks and allowing Bruce to lose Newcastle more games in the top-flight.

It was, however, a respectable decision from the owners not to sack Bruce in their first meeting with him. If Edwards’ information is correct, it was a nice touch from them to thank him for what he has done for the club in the last couple of seasons, as it could help to end his ties with the club on amicable terms.

It also means that they may have learned valuable information from Bruce if they asked him about the squad and where he thinks it could be improved. With the January transfer window less than three months away, PIF could begin to draw up a list of targets and narrow it down based on Bruce’s advice, given that he has worked with the majority of the current squad for two years.

AND in other news, “Being discussed” – Craig Hope drops Newcastle manager claim, fans surely delighted…

India and Pakistan’s eagerly anticipation clash at The Oval tomorrow has been designated as a “Catch the Spirit” match by the ICC, a fundraiser to help support families of the victims of the attack on the Sri Lanka team and officials in Lahore in March.Funds raised through a variety of initiatives during the match will also support the Peace and Sport projects across Asia.”The Board wanted to do something to assist the families of the victims of the terror attacks on the Sri Lanka team and match officials in March, and using this high-profile match with a sell-out crowd as a vehicle to do that makes excellent sense,” said David Morgan, the ICC president.

“‘Catch the Spirit’ is one of the themes of the ICC’s ongoing centenary year of 2009 and it highlights the respect with which the game is played around the world. We are extremely grateful to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the hosts, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Surrey County Cricket Club, for allowing the match to take place under this banner.””We hope this match, watched by millions both at the ground and around the world will portray cricket in a positive light, make a positive contribution to the lives of those affected by those terrible events in March and contribute to assisting community-based projects across the Asian subcontinent that promote peace through cricket.”Ijaz Butt, the PCB’s chairman, added: “The attack in Lahore was a terrible shock and we have immense sympathy for all those who were affected by the incident.”The PCB provided support to the families of the victims immediately after the attack and it is encouraging to see the rest of the cricket world coming together in this way.”Details of how spectators and companies can contribute to the initiative will be announced during the match.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Paul Brown of The Daily Star has made a claim involving superstar striker Harry Kane after his summer drama at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Kane attempts to jump ship…

As widely known, England international Kane informed Spurs of his desire to leave in the summer with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola even confirming his side’s interest in signing him.

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After a move failed to materialise, the 28-year-old released a statement and pledged to continue at Tottenham as well as giving his all for the Lilywhites shirt.

Since then, Kane’s form has taken a while to resurge with Brown now making a claim on how it could impact the Spurs dressing room.

The Latest: Brown makes Kane claim…

Speaking to GMS, reporter Brown believes that the forward still doesn’t actually want to be in north London despite his candid summer statement.

He also believes this could have an impact on the dressing room if manager Nuno Espirito Santo isn’t cautious.

“I think it’s a very unbalanced squad, and there are clearly problems in the dressing room because everyone knows the star player tried to quit in the summer,” the journalist explained.

“And while he’s playing and making all the right noises, putting a shift in, it can’t be easy in the dressing room to see the guy that you all look up to, ultimately, doesn’t really want to be there.

“I don’t think anyone can accuse Harry Kane of downing tools. I don’t think he ever will, and he was one of their better players at the weekend. But, it must put some doubt in the mind of your teammates when you’re thinking: ‘this guy tried his best to get out of the club, and how much is he really committed to us?’”

The Verdict: Nuno needs Kane revival…

Nuno’s tenuous position was perhaps on the line before Spurs narrowly edged past Aston Villa 2-1 last weekend and the Portuguese will need all the help he can get to keep his job.

Kane’s form over these next few months will be a major factor and the 47-year-old will want Tottenham’s 2020/2021 Golden Boot winner back and firing on all cylinders.

Lauded as a still very much ‘underrated’ player by reporter Matt Law, even despite his outstanding campaign last year, Spurs will benefit massively from his possible resurgence.

Alas, only time will tell if his failed summer move does indeed have an impact on the dressing room.

In other news: Levy told to hire ‘world class’ boss over Poch if Nuno is axed, Spurs players love him! Find out more here.

Crystal Palace could be set for a surprise injury boost over the coming months after a reliable journalist provided a positive injury boost on star midfielder Eberechi Eze.

What’s the word?

The highly-rated 23-year-old arrived at Selhurst Park in the summer of 2020 and quickly established himself as a pivotal cog in the capital club’s setup, starting 29 Premier League games throughout last season.

However, Eze ruptured his Achilles tendon during training back in May and has spent the subsequent months on the treatment table recovering from the serious setback.

His injury was initially thought to rule him out of action until the turn of the year, although hope of a quicker recovery was recently sparked after he shared a video of himself back in training.

And now, The Sun’s Tom Barclay has suggested that Eze’s comeback could be just around the corner. However, he has indicated that the club ought to be cautious with the player due to the significance of the injury that he is coming back from.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT regarding Eze’s ongoing recovery, Barclay said: “I’m told there is a good chance that there’s a good chance actually that he’s ahead of schedule on his return. Achilles injuries are bad injuries, they can keep you out for a long time, and they can affect you going forward.”

Palace fans will be delighted

News that Eze is believed to be ahead of schedule in his recovery process will undoubtedly leave Palace fans feeling delighted, given his importance to the south London outfit.

In his maiden campaign in the Premier League, the former Queens Par Rangers playmaker bagged four goals and provided a further six assists, playing a pivotal park in the capital club avoiding relegation.

And his underlying numbers were just as impressive. As per WhoScored, no Eagles player bettered or matched his tally of six Premier League assists and he also produced the most key passes and dribbles, with average totals of 1.3 and 1.9 per league game, respectively.

That sort of form saw him on the verge of England recognition with the attacking dynamo believed to be in Gareth Southgate’s 33-man provisional squad for the Euros before he was injured.

Therefore, new manager Patrick Vieira will be eager to bring Eze back into the first-team fold as soon as possible, providing a significant boost to their chances of success this season.

And, in other news…Parish must seal Palace move for £12.6m-rated gem, he’s an “outstanding technician” 

Amid a wretched start to the new Premier League season that has seen Newcastle United currently without a win, Steve Bruce will be desperately hoping for some better fortune when the international break ends later this week.

One way for Bruce to attempt to turn things around and give the club and its fans some hope and optimism for the future, is by turning to the club’s academy system.

Elliot Anderson is one of the Magpies’ prized jewels and was in excellent form for the Tyneside club’s U23s last season, scoring five goals and providing a further assist in just nine games at Premier League 2 level.

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh delivered a key update on where things currently stand with Anderson following the Magpies’ 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Aston Villa in the FA Youth Cup towards the end of the previous campaign, saying: “Anderson continues to train with the NUFC first team and there have been suggestions that, with Steve Bruce’s side edging towards safety, the 18-year-old may get a few cameo appearances between now and the end of the season.”

The attacking midfielder’s knack for breaking into the box and grabbing a goal is something Newcastle have only really seen from Joe Willock, with The Chronicle journalist Lee Ryder suggesting earlier last season that Anderson is “banging on Steve Bruce’s door now” thanks to his performance.

His former youth coach John Forrest, meanwhile, told The Athletic: “He knew how to dominate a game, which is a natural skill that’s hard to coach. He really was an outstanding footballer. He stood out, even then.”

Several of Anderson’s former Newcastle academy team-mates meanwhile have told The Athletic that, not only was he the “most talented player” in the team, he was also “supremely driven”.

Bruce himself admitted towards the end of last season, saying: “There’s a chance. We understand that he’s making big strides. And he’s only 18, the boy, but he’s in and around us. Yeah, he might get a chance before the end of the season. I’ll look at it, and what we’ve got. We’ve got our big players fit at the top of the pitch, of course, in Allan, Callum and Joelinton. He’s got fierce competition.”

Anderson played just three minutes of top-flight football all season, coming on in the closing stages of the 3-0 defeat to Arsenal back in mid-January. The lack of game-time for the talented teenager has led to plenty of Newcastle fans, on different occasions, calling for Bruce to bring him into the first team fold, but that has fallen on deaf ears.

Just recently, Magpies supporters voiced their anger at seeing him fail to even make the matchday squad against West Brom, while after he made his debut for England’s U19s, they urged Bruce to unleash him in the Premier League.

It may now be the perfect time for Bruce to listen to the fans and actually give one of the club’s most promising academy prospects a chance in the first-team, and arresting this poor run of form.

Meanwhile, Newcastle had a howler over this star…

After suffering another blow this international break, Tottenham Hotspur boss Nuno Santo may have to turn to an unlikely figure for the very first time this season…

What’s the latest?

Young midfielder Oliver Skipp, who has started all three of Spurs’ opening Premier League games, was forced off with a groin injury in England U21’s victory over Kosovo on Tuesday night.

It adds to the Portuguese’s worst nightmare after Steven Bergwijn also picked up a knock, whilst Heung-min Son is also a doubt for Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace.

The Lilywhites will definitely be without South American trio Giovani Lo Celso, Davinson Sanchez and Cristian Romero, with the trio in quarantine in Croatia before returning to the UK.

On the Chalkboard

It means Nuno could well be forced into a change in midfield, something he would’ve probably not wanted to do, given Spurs’ unbeaten start to life in the top-flight this season.

With Lo Celso and Skipp potentially both absent, the 47-year-old’s hands may be tied and as such, he could well have to call upon the unseen Tanguy Ndombele for the very first time this season, just a few weeks after he expressed his desire to leave the club.

Nuno doesn’t have many options at his disposal, as a result of these latest setbacks, but the club-record signing has been back in first-team training for the build-up to this encounter.

We’ve seen a mixed bag of form from the 24-year-old dynamo since his arrival in the summer of 2019 – on his day, he’s the most technically gifted at the club and as Joe Hart once described, he can be “unplayable”.

However, these performances have been far and few between, having only contributed eight goals and eight assists across 75 appearances, managing a direct contribution every 267 minutes – or once every three matches.

Spurs need to see a lot more from a player that they invested £55m on and in their desperate time of need, he could be offered a lifeline to get his career in north London back on track.

Whether he rises to the occasion or is even selected remains to be seen, but it would make sense for the £36m-rated midfielder to make his first bow this season at Selhurst Park.

AND in other news, Nuno Santo now left with big Spurs headache as update on £24k-p/w “real asset” emerges…

Sheffield United are reportedly closing in on the loan signing of Republic of Ireland midfielder Conor Hourihane.

The Lowdown: Blades look for late summer business

The summer transfer window closes late on Tuesday night, with clubs up and down the country looking to do some business at the 11th hour.

The Blades have been linked with signing a number of players recently, but they now appear to be on the verge of officially completing a move for the Aston Villa midfielder.

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The Latest: Hourihane set for Bramall Lane move

According to The Telegraph’s Matt Law via Twitter, Hourihane is set to join Sheffield United on loan, with his medical taking place on Monday.

He claimed that the 30-year-old will be a ‘great signing’ for Slavisa Jokanovic’s side, having made some ‘huge contributions’ during his time at Villa, tweeting: “Conor Hourihane is close to joining Sheffield United on loan from Aston Villa with the player expected to have a medical today. Will be a great signing IMO. Hourihane has been such a great pro at Villa and made some huge contributions.”

Hourihane has scored 29 goals and registered 23 assists in 151 appearances for the Villains, not to mention winning 26 caps for Ireland.

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The Verdict: Strong signing for Sheffield United

This could be an excellent signing for the Blades, with Hourihane a hugely experienced player at Championship level, playing 145 matches in the division and winning promotion from the second tier with Villa in 2019.

He could help steer Jokanovic’s side clear of the relegation zone following a hugely disappointing start to the season, bringing some much-needed quality to the squad.

Hopefully Law’s prediction regarding Hourihane’s impact at Bramall Lane will come true – his reputation as a stellar professional and his promotion-winning experience suggests that the journalist could be proven right.

In other news, Sheffield United are thought to be eyeing up a late-summer move for a defender. Find out who it is here.

Despite the transfer window closing a week ago, Declan Rice’s long-term future at West Ham United has been thrown into doubt once again.

Back in early July, the Telegraph’s Matt Law claimed that the 22-year-old England international had rejected two new contract offers from the Irons’ hierarchy in an attempt to see if any interest materialised during the summer.

Most of the Premier League’s top dogs have been mooted with a move for the young midfielder in recent times, namely Champions of Europe Chelsea and Manchester United.

And now, fresh reports suggest that Rice expects this current season will be his last at the London Stadium.

According to 90min, the Hammers star is open to signing an extension on the basis that it includes a release clause that would leave the club powerless if any team did come forward with a bid in the future.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether this campaign will indeed be his final one in the claret and blue but you’d be foolish to think that Rice will be sticking around east London for years to come.

That’s because he continues to thrive on the international stage, having earned his 24th cap this week, whilst his Transfermarkt value has soared to £63m thanks to his phenomenal and consistent performances on the pitch in the Premier League. He is so deserving of a team in the Champions League, and if we’re being honest, that may not be the Hammers in the long run.

But perhaps David Moyes and co shouldn’t sweat about it too much. They could well already have his dream successor right under their nose.

Conor Coventry is thought to be very highly-rated among those at the Irons’ Rush Green training base, particularly the Scotsman. But after the arrival of Alex Kral on loan on deadline day, the young academy gem was allowed to join Peterborough United on loan.

He will now get valuable minutes in the Championship, though if West Ham need him, he can be recalled, so that goes to show just how much Moyes thinks of him.

Described as an “exciting talent” by The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas, Coventry excelled during pre-season in the absence of Rice, who was enjoying a well-deserved post-Euro 2020 break.

He has only racked up three senior appearances in the League Cup but the 21-year-old has to be considered the heir to Rice’s throne in the near future. The Hammers faithful have even spotted the similarities in playing style between the pair in the past, so they may well have no problem in him stepping up when the time comes.

Indeed, the Daily Mail’s secret scout claims that the West Ham youth product is “powerful in the challenge” and “is not frightened to surge forward”, which is very much similar to rice.

If Coventry delivers at the Championship outfit this season, then it’ll only bolster his claims to replace the England international in the next few seasons. He could even be granted a first-team spot sooner than this, with club legend Mark Noble set to retire at the end of the season.

Moyes may well already have the Irons’ perfect Rice heir at the club.

AND in other news, Moyes’ deadline day decision has handed West Ham big boost over £35k-p/w “machine”…

كشف تامر النحاس وكيل إيهاب جلال المدير الفني السابق لمنتخب مصر، عن رد موكله على مفاوضات الإسماعيلي من أجل قيادة الدراويش في الفترة القادمة، وحقيقة طلبه 10 ملايين جنيه.

وكان يحيى الكومي رئيس مجلس إدارة الإسماعيلي، أعلن أنه تحدث مع وكيل إيهاب جلال، تامر النحاس، وأن المدرب طلب 10 ملايين جنيه لقيادة الفريق. طالع التفاصيل من هنا.

وقال وكيل إيهاب جلال خلال تصريحات لبرنامج “الماتش” على قناة “صدى البلد”: “إيهاب جلال كان قد اتخذ قرارًا بعدم العمل هذا الموسم، لأنه يحتاج لراحة ذهنية ونفسية”.

وأضاف: “الإسماعيلي تواصل معنا وكان رد المدرب بالرفض، وعندما تم إعادة الاتصال مرة أخرى وكانت ضغوط كبيرة من جانب يحيى الكومي وأشخاص كثيرة من الإسماعيلية وكان الرد بالرفض مرة أخرى”.

وتابع: “بعدها قلت لـ يحيى الكومي أن حمزة الجمل يجب أن يستمر ولا يجب التسرع في إقالته، أعذر الإدارة في قرارتها المتسرعة بسبب الأزمة التي يمر بها الفريق، ولكن تغيير المدربين ليس سحرا وقلت له الأفضل أن يستمر حمزة الجمل”.

وأتم: “قلت لـ الكومي عندما تبحث عن مدير فني لظروف الفريق الحالية لا تنظر كم ستدفع 10 أو 20 مليون جنيه لإنقاذ الفريق، ولم أكن أقصد أن إيهاب جلال يريد الحصول على 10 ملايين جنيه كما قال رئيس الإسماعيلي”.

A number of Liverpool supporters are unhappy about Jurgen Klopp’s comments regarding the Reds’ pursuit of a central midfielder.

It has been a quiet summer in the transfer market for the Reds, with centre-back Ibrahima Konate still the only signing made to date.

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Meanwhile, Gini Wijnaldum has departed for Paris Saint-Germain, leaving a potential void in the middle of the park at Anfield.

The Dutchman may not have always provided goals and assists from midfield, but there is no doubting his impact during his time at Anfield, racking up 237 appearances and rarely ever missing time through injury.

Speaking in his pre-Norwich press conference on Friday [via journalist Paul Gorst on Twitter], a spiky Klopp played down the need to sign a new midfielder, rattling off the options at his disposal.

The Liverpool manager’s comments suggest the Reds won’t be bringing in anyone to replace Wijnaldum, which may not go down well with many.

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Liverpool fans unhappy with Klopp’s remarks

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to show their unhappiness at Klopp’s comments, suggesting a new midfielder should be arriving.

“He’s gone mad somebody stop him”

Credit: @JCJlfc

“Bold of him to assume Naby can stay fit for two weeks”

Credit: @rebekkarnold

“Yep he’s finished”

Credit: @lfcJxn

“REPLACE YOUR MOST USED MIDFIELDER LAST SEASON”

Credit: @Alfieoclfc

“He’s just winding us up at this point”

Credit:@Maahir_J

“No, more depth you plank”

Credit: @ftblmichael

In other news, a journalist has provided an update on Leeds’ attempts to sign one player. Find out who it is here.