Eddie Howe has admitted Newcastle will need two XIs of equal quality to cope with the rigours of European football next season.
The Magpies secured a Europa League campaign at worst with Thursday night’s 4-1 Premier League victory over Brighton, and will play in the Champions League if they win one of their two remaining games of the current campaign, which continues with struggling Leicester’s trip to St James’ Park on Monday.
Asked what that would mean for the summer transfer window, Howe, who has been allowed to spend in excess of £250million to date, replied: “It’s a good question. We need to figure that out.
This team.
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC)
“If you have a strong squad, rotation will be important. Rotation is going to …
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly on the verge of agreeing a deal to bring in Ismail Azzaoui from Belgian giants R.S.C. Anderlecht.
According to reports, Azzaoui, 16, has turned down a contract offer from the Jupiler Pro League giants in favour of securing a move to the English top-flight.
Anderlecht the Southampton of Belgium are infamous for developing young talent, having groomed Adnan Januzaj before he joined Manchester United in 2011.
When players become 16 we offer them a development plan and later a financial plan. We aren t going to change our way of working, Anderlecht head of youth development Jean Kindermans told Het Laatste Niuws, as per.
We ve heard Spurs are interested in Azzaoui and it s the player s right to make a choic…
Roma eyeing Spurs duo
AS Roma are keeping close tabs on Tottenham Hotspur midfielders Sandro and Paulinho, according to Il Corriere dello Sport.
Given Kevin Strootman s serious knee injury and uncertainty surrounding Miralem Pjanic, the Giallorossi could be in the market for a new midfielder.
And Il Corriere dello Sport has learned that Roma officials are pondering summer moves for Tottenham stars Sandro and Paulinho.
Taking into account that former Roma official Franco Baldini is currently acting as Spurs sporting director, the Serie A side believe they can reach an agreement for the two Brazilians.
Sandro, 24, has been unable to nail down a regular starting berth this season due to numerous injury problems and the club could decide to entertain…
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho criticised the scheduling of mid-season international friendlies after losing England defenders Chris Smalling and Phil Jones to injury.
Smalling (leg) pulled out of England s squad after playing in a friendly defeat to Germany, while Jones sustained a toe problem in training that has left him battling to play any further part in United s season.
Mourinho is already without the injured Paul Pogba for Saturday s Premier League match against West Brom, as well as suspended duo Ander Herrera and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
And losing his defensive duo in the international break has not improved Mourinho s mood, although he did concede that he may one day have a different view on the issue when he moves into international management.
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Both Lazio and AC Milan managed to end Serie A losing streaks at the weekend, but those wins will mean little if they fail to emerge triumphant from the clash at Stadio Olimpico. The Biancocelesti are in a better position at the moment, but the Rossoneri could revive their top 3 bid by winning on Monday evening.
Lazio
have endured some tough times since lifting their second Serie A title in 2000, but it appears the Stadio Olimpico outfit are finally showing some improvement. The Biancocelesti finally achieved a top 3 finish in the 2014/2015 campaign, but then failed to secure progress to the Champions League group stages, before enjoying a pretty disappointing campaign last term. Against all odds, La…
Lionel Messi will start for Paris Saint-Germain against Manchester City in their blockbuster Champions League clash.
Messi has missed PSG s last two games because of a knee injury and was a doubt for the match at the Parc des Princes.
However, he will get the chance to face a City side led by former boss Pep Guardiola, with whom he won three LaLiga titles and two Champions League crowns during their storied time together at Barcelona.
Messi was named in PSG s starting XI, meaning he will line up alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in a frightening front three.
In his pre-match media conference, Guardiola conceded he did not have a plan to stop that trio.
Tonight’s starting XI
Marco Verratti and Leo Messi return after injury! | …
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says Granit Xhaka will be a big, big loss but insists the Gunners will cope in the absence of the midfielder.
Xhaka has been ruled out for up to three months after suffering a medial knee ligament injury during Sunday s victory over north London rivals Tottenham.
The Switzerland international sustained the blow during an accidental collision with Lucas Moura, and subsequently limped off to be replaced by Albert Sambi Lokonga.
Xhaka is likely to miss the remainder of 2021, although the club confirmed he will not require surgery on the injury.
This is the latest setback for the 29-year-old, who had just returned from a three-match suspension following his red card at Manchester City last month, while he also contracted COVID-19 whi…
Brazilian defender Rafinha has completed his move from German side Schalke 04 to Genoa, the Italian first division club announced on Wednesday.
Details of the transfer have not been announced but media reports put the fee at between eight and 12 million euros.
The 24-year-old, who had a year left on his contract, joined Schalke in 2005. Last season he played 30 times as Schalke finished as runners-up to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
He has won one full cap for Brazil but in 2008 he was fined 700,000 euros by Schalke for breach of contract after he went to Beijing to play for Brazil at the Olympic Games where they won bronze.
It marks the second arrival in two days for Genoa who signed defensive midfielder Miguel Veloso from Sporting Lisbon for nine mi…
Newcastle United are reportedly close to signing FC Twente s Ivorian midfielder Cheick Tiote. According to the Daily Mail, the Magpies have reportedly offered Twente £3.5m for the services of Tiote, who has been capped eight times by his country.
Tiote first played continental football with Belgian club Anderlecht and was with them till 2008, when he joined Twente. Prior to moving to Twente, he also had a loan spell with Roda JC.
Tiote was part of Twente s Eredivisie winning 09/10 squad.
Newcastle have only made three signings this summer- James Perch, Dan Gosling and Sol Campbell, two of whom have arrived on Tyneside on a free transfer.
[Source:- Daily Mail]
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Mexico striker Javier Hernandez has been told by his international coach that he should quit Manchester United this summer, .
The 25 year old, who moved to Manchester four years ago, has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, having made just six starts in the Premier League last season.
He hit nine goals in a disappointing season, first under David Moyes and then briefly interim player-coach Ryan Giggs who was this week named as assistant to incoming manager Louis van Gaal.
However, Hernandez’s chances of still being at the club when the Dutchman takes charge appear slim, and Mexico boss Miguel Herrera believes that it would be in the forward’s best interests to leave.
In his four years in England, the former Guadalajara man has scored …