All posts by n8rngtd.top

Celtic former manager Brendan Rodgers has been lined up for a sensational return to Parkhead and it would be 'interesting' to see if the 50-year-old could 'get things back on track' at the club following his controversial exit in 2019 to Leicester City, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Celtic and Brendan Rodgers?

According to The Daily Mail, Celtic chiefs Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay flew to Majorca by private jet to hold 'face-to-face' discussions with Rodgers over a sensational return to Parkhead as the Scottish giants hunt for a new manager to replace Ange Postecoglou.

The report states that the 50-year-old has 'reservations' about taking on the role for a second spell in charge; however, Celtic's major shareholder Dermot Desmond has thrown his support behind Rodgers and the former Leicester City coach is now said to be weighing up a move with further talks expected later this week.

As per The Daily Record, Rodgers has not dismissed the possibility of coming back to Glasgow despite initially planning to take a break from football before returning to either a Premier League club or a stint abroad.

Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca, out-of-work manager Daniel Farke, Bodo/Glimt's Kjetil Knutsen and former Alanyaspor boss Francesco Farioli have also been linked with the managerial vacancy at Celtic.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that despite the sour ending when Rodgers left Celtic for Leicester City back in 2019, the Hoops may look to 'rekindle' their relationship with their ex-manager ahead of 2023/24.

Jones told FFC: "Rodgers himself has always said he would be open-minded to this, but you think about the way it played out after he left. It wasn't pretty the way it ended and it wasn't that long ago. It'd be interesting to see how open he really was to a situation like this and if he's the man they want. He's obviously at the moment getting his head around the fact that things went sour at Leicester and he's got to find his feet again and get back into a challenge. I'm not sure, to be honest, that it's a great idea to go back and I think that if Brendan Rodgers bides his time, there are going to be some other really exciting opportunities for him, but if they can put their little trouble behind them that they did have at the end there, then, who knows? Celtic and Rodgers could look to rekindle and see if they can get things back on track again."

Would Brendan Rodgers be the right fit for Celtic?

When he was at Celtic last time, Rodgers, who was hailed as a "genius", had an unblemished domestic record and won seven domestic trophies from seven available and established himself as a serial winner in Scotland, as per Transfermarkt.

His European achievements at the Hoops can be quantified in different ways depending on what the general public deem as successful. However, he did manage to achieve qualification to the Champions League group phase twice from the qualifying route and took Celtic to a third-place finish in 2017/18 at the expense of Anderlecht on goal difference and a subsequent passage to the knockout rounds of the Europa League.

In terms of recruitment, Rodgers did make some excellent signings at Celtic, especially the likes of Moussa Dembele and Scott Sinclair in his first season at the club, who both went on to be major players in the Scottish giants' invincible treble in 2016/17.

To summarise, Rodgers being appointed as Celtic boss probably wouldn't yield the same fanfare as he did in 2016; however, he is about as safe a bet as you can get to continue delivering domestic dominance in Glasgow's east end.

Leeds United target Daniel Farke is thought to be “open” to the idea of making the move to Elland Road this summer.

What’s the latest Leeds manager news?

The Whites are hoping to conclude their search for a new manager early next week, with final interviews planned following the weekend.

Farke, alongside West Brom’s Carlos Corberan and Scott Parker are thought to be in the frame for the vacancy in Yorkshire, with all three enjoying success in the second tier.

The former Norwich City manager is currently out of work after leaving Borussia Monchengladbach earlier this month, and it looks as if he would be interested in a return to the Championship, looking to win the title for a third time.

Journalist Pranav Shahaney took to Twitter to share news on Farke and Leeds, claiming the German is “open to managing” Leeds in what is a boost for new owners the 49ers Enterprises, although the people now in charge at Elland Road are yet to make a decision.

“While Daniel Farke is open to managing Leeds United, no decision has been made yet by the club. LUFC plan on concluding their managerial hunt next week and have lined up face-to-face interviews with the German being one of the candidates.”

Who is Daniel Farke?

Farke had a short playing career in Germany and received his first big break as a manager back in 2017 with Norwich after managing Borussia Dortmund’s reserve side for two years.

The 46-year-old took charge of 208 games at Carrow Road, winning 88 of those and leading the club to the Championship title on two occasions. He left in November 2021 and took over at Krasnodar a few months later, although he departed the club without even managing a game. As mentioned, his last role came with Borussia Monchengladbach, winning 12 of his 36 games during the 2022/23 season.

Farke ends to play a 4-2-3-1 system and has been dubbed as a "world-class" coach by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp in the past, so a move back to the second tier with Leeds were he enjoyed great success with Norwich could be a wise move.

It helps that the manager is also keen on the idea, unlike Brendan Rodgers who didn’t want to drop down to the EFL, so if talks go well early next week, who knows, we could see Farke announced as the club’s new man in charge fairly swiftly.

Juventus winger Federico Chiesa would be an "awesome" signing for Arsenal and stands out as an "exciting" player, says journalist Dean Jones.

Who will join Arsenal this summer?

Mikel Arteta and co are already making serious moves as the domestic transfer window officially opens, with the north Londoners thought to have already lodged a formal £80 million bid for West Ham star Declan Rice.

The offer was outright rejected by the Irons, who are instead hoping for a fee closer to £100m, but Rice isn't the only player Arsenal are looking at.

In central midfield alone, there have been reports that Brighton star Moises Caicedo and Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan are targets, while Arteta's side could also look to make a move for Southampton's Romeo Lavia.

For the forward areas, the most heavily linked recently has been Chelsea star Kai Havertz, with reliable journalist David Ornstein breaking news of an opening "proposal" for the German.

Chiesa, who boasts a Euro 2021 winner's medal with Italy, is apparently an attacking target too as reports in the Italian press claim Arsenal have registered an interest in the £38 million forward.

Indeed, newspaper La Repubblica reported earlier this month that the north Londoners are now in the race for his services, alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea and Newcastle United.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, in reaction to the claim, reporter Jones believes he would be an "awesome" attacking signing for Arsenal.

Jones goes on to call him a very "exciting" player, but it will be a difficult deal to do from Edu's perspective.

"I love Chiesa and I've always hoped he would one day land in the Premier League. It will be interesting to see how this summer window pans out for him.

He's obviously had some injury problems in the not too distant past. He's such an exciting player.

"You can imagine he would be awesome in that Arsenal attack too. I'm not convinced it'll be that easy to sign him though, I'm really not."

How has Federico Chiesa been playing?

The 25-year-old featured over just 21 Serie A matches last season, scoring two goals and assisting five others, though this has largely been down to fitness issues.

Chiesa missed a good chunk of matches through injury but has proved to be a more-than capable attacking asset on his best day.

La Gazzetta dello Sport, via Football Italia, praised his impact against Udinese in January after he came on as a late substitute for the remaining half an hour.

The newspaper wrote:

“A half-hour can be enough if you are in another category. Perfect cutback for Paredes’ invitation, delightful assist for Danilo. Yes, Fede is back.”

Liverpool know who they want to add to their ranks next according to Fabrizio Romano, with the Reds believed to be targeting Manu Kone over the often linked Ryan Gravenberch.

Will Liverpool sign Manu Kone?

The midfielder currently plies his trade for Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany and has already become a regular in their first-team, despite only joining them two campaigns ago. In 2022/23 for example, the 22-year-old featured on 30 occasions for them in the Bundesliga and even managed a goal and an assist from midfield. It means he has already managed more games in Germany than he did over the entirety of his time in France.

This added gametime has led to the Frenchman developing even further as a player. Kone now ranks nicely compared to other midfielders across Europe in the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues, with his 1.97 successful take-ons per 90 actually putting him in the top four percent in that area. It shows that, despite being a more defensive-minded player, he regularly takes on opposition defences and can then drive the ball forward (he has an average of 2.04 progressive carries per 90).

It's this form that has now led to interest from elsewhere. The midfielder is wanted mainly by Liverpool, and it now seems as though they are going to try and snap up the Monchengladbach man next after sealing a deal for Khephren Thuram.

That's according to respectable journalist Romano (via Caught Offside), who states that they are keen to add both Thuram and Kone next to their midfield, more so than Ryan Gravenberch. It seems that the Reds are most eager to wrap up deals for those two as their next two pieces of transfer business and bring them to the Premier League.

What has been said about Manu Kone?

It appears as though Kone would be an excellent addition to the Liverpool midfield based on the high praise he has received. Football journalist Josh Bunting for example called the player "absolutely immense," which shows how capable he is on the ball and how commanding he can be in the centre of the field.

The player then could certainly boost a rocky Liverpool midfield if he joins ahead of next season, especially if he's partnered by the arrival of Thuram.

The Reds are expected to bid for the OGC Nice midfielder once he has finished his international duties with France next month.

For all the talk of West Ham United needing to replace Declan Rice, it may well be that David Moyes is in the market for a second central midfielder this summer.

The Hammers' Europa Conference League success papered over what was a disappointing Premier League campaign that ended with the club finishing six points above the relegation zone, and a facelift of sorts may be required.

What is the latest West Ham United transfer news?

Moyes' side have been linked with an array of players across multiple positions, but it is no surprise that midfield targets are right at the centre of the gossip.

From James Ward-Prowse and Harvey Barnes to Amadou Onana and Kalvin Phillips, there are countless options for West Ham to choose from when it comes to filling the void left by Rice.

But according to Sky Sports Italia journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, United are further down the line in signing another player. It is claimed that negotiations are already in play with Juventus over a move for Denis Zakaria, who will be eager to prove himself in the Premier League after a forgetful spell at Chelsea last season.

Juve are said to be hoping to sell Zakaria this summer, rather than exploring another loan offer with the chance to purchase, with the former Borussia Monchengladbach ace on wages of around £90k a week, according to Capology.

Is Denis Zakaria a good option for West Ham United?

On the basis of last season, West Ham supporters can be forgiven for questioning exactly why their side are interested in bringing in a player who started only five league games for their London rivals.

Quite simply, it did not work out for the Switzerland international at Stamford Bridge. But that is not to say he cannot have a major impact down the road at the London Stadium.

Indeed, if the rumours are to be believed, Zakaria's arrival could spell bad news for Tomas Soucek. Despite his limited playing time over the past 12 months, Zakaria still ranks in the top 5% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for pass completion (88.9%), as per FBref.

That compares to a pass-completion percentage of 71.3% for Soucek, which ranks him in the bottom 7% among his positional peers across Europe's elite leagues.

That ability to keep things ticking along in midfield would come in handy for Moyes, but Zakaria is also strong in other areas. Using data from the 2021-22 campaign while with Serie A giants Juventus, the 26-year-old showed he is comfortable getting the ball past an opponent as he averaged 2.13 take-ons per 90 minutes, compared to 0.54 for Soucek last season.

Zakaria also outperformed Soucek across those respective seasons in terms of carries (32.4 v 17.4) and goal involvement (0.23 goals and assists per 90 v 0.16), though the latter did come out on top for more defensive metrics such as tackles won (1.18 v 0.95) and interceptions (1.69 v 1.36).

As put by former Chelsea player and now BT Sport pundit Joe Cole after Zakaria belatedly made his Blues debut in November's Champions League tie with Dinamo Zagreb, the midfielder looked "excellent" and particularly impressed with his ability to get around the pitch.

Moyes may well have accepted that he will not find a true like-for-like replacement for Rice, with a couple of new players potentially needed to share the workload.

In Zakaria, he can land a player who thrives in many similar areas to outgoing Rice and will prove an upgrade on Soucek in what could yet prove to be an exciting midfield overhaul.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to bring in either Edmond Tapsoba or Micky van de Ven but not both of them, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest on Tottenham's defender search?

Following a season in which Spurs continually underwhelmed, failed to qualify for Europe and saw three different managers in the dugout, there remains hope of a new era at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The arrival of Ange Postecoglou, perhaps not a glamorous appointment but an intelligent one, has allowed Tottenham supporters to dream of a change of fortune heading into the new campaign.

It has been 15 years since the Lilywhites won a major trophy, but, in all honesty, what is more significant ahead of the 2023/24 season is that Tottenham fans begin to identify with their team again.

The turgid, slow football Spurs fans have experienced over recent years with Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte at the helm should be replaced by a more offensive-minded approach from Postecoglou, but the Australian has his work cut out for him.

Tottenham conceded 63 goals in the Premier League last season – more than Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United – and desperately need to improve their backline if they want to succeed under their new coach.

As a result, they have been targeting new centre-backs, with links to Edmond Tapsoba and Micky van de Ven, of Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg respectively, the most prominent.

Both defenders enjoyed good seasons in the Bundesliga last year and have been earmarked as candidates to help reinforce Spurs' flimsy defensive unit.

However, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, it appears unlikely that Spurs will sign both Tapsoba and Van de Ven, instead opting for a deal for one of their two targets.

What did Romano say?

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Romano stated: "For the centre-back, Edmond Tapsoba remains the top target for Tottenham, together with Micky van de Ven.

"Let me explain that, from what I understand, they are working on both deals but at the moment the idea is to sign one of them, not both of them. Then, we will see. We never know in the market. I'm not Daniel Levy unfortunately, so I cannot control if they sign two, three or four."

He added: "But at the moment, the focus is on getting one. So, they are having contacts with Edmond Tapsoba, they are having contacts with Micky van de Ven. They have different kinds of skills but they are both very high on the list at Tottenham.

"So, for both players there will be new contacts during the week and we will see what happens."

This may come as disappointing news for Tottenham supporters who were hoping the club would bring in both centre-backs, but Romano does not completely rule out that possibility.

Tottenham are also looking at more affordable targets in that position, with Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo having been linked in a deal that could be significantly cheaper than either Tapsoba or Van de Ven.

Spurs have also been touted with a permanent move for Clement Lenglet, who spent last season on loan with the Lilywhites, with Barcelona president Joan Laporta having suggested that a deal for the centre-back could be reached (via Fabrizio Romano).

Tottenham Hotspur have made contact to sign Wolves defender Max Kilman and could hijack Napoli's move for him, according to reports.

Who are Spurs signing this summer?

Ange Postecoglou has seen his new Spurs side make serious moves this summer transfer window, with the north Londoners already sealing deals for Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison and, soon enough, former Fulham loanee Manor Solomon.

Vicario, who signed from Empoli in a £17.2 million deal, could succeed the potentially outgoing Hugo Lloris who has freely admitted he could leave this summer. The Frenchman has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, and if all goes to plan, Lloris may well end an 11-year assocation with Tottenham.

Meanwhile, the capture of Maddison from Leicester City hands Postecoglou a creative attacking midfield option, and his impressive haul of 10 goals and nine assists in the league alone last season should excite supporters.

The signing of a centre-back is now Spurs' top transfer priority, and according to reports, they have made some headway.

Indeed, Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven is apparently edging closer and closer to north London, with Tottenham also eyeing up moves for Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo and former loanee Clement Lenglet from Barcelona.

There have been some reports linking Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi as well, but his alleged £60 million asking price poses a problem for Spurs.

Kilman, who impressed for Wolves under Julen Lopetegui, is being courted by Serie A title-winners Napoli but Spurs are also in constant contact.

That is according to TUTTOmercatoWEB and journalist Raimondo De Magistris, who say Tottenham have entered the race for Kilman.

Writing on Twitter, De Magistris said:

"After Napoli, also Tottenham on the trail of Max Kilman, central unit born in '97.

"Lots of contacts in the last few days. Wolves have already rejected a 35M offer from Napoli and value his value at more than 40."

In his TMW piece, De Magistris also writes that Napoli are "stuck" on the rejected offer as Tottenham swoop in for Wolves' star defender.

"Napoli is stuck on the rejected offer for now and Kilman is now evaluating other opportunities," said the reporter.

"It's not the only English club interested in the London center but the one that is carrying on the closest contacts today."

Who is Max Kilman?

The 26-year-old played more league minutes than any other Wolves player last season, all while making more clearances and winning the most aerial duels per 90 of any Molineux star (WhoScored).

It's little Kilman has been seriously endorsed by esteemed members of the press, like football commentator Jacqui Oatley, who claimed last year that he is "nationally underrated" and "pure class".

"Which player is the most nationally underrated in the Premier League? I’ll start us off with Max Kilman," said Oatley.

"The 24-year-old left-footed centre half is pure class and surely on Gareth Southgate’s radar."

Aston Villa’s interest in Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson has left the City Ground outfit concerned, according to reports from The Athletic.

Who are Villa signing in 2023?

Villa are sure to be one of the busiest clubs in the summer transfer market, kick starting their business early by locking up an agreement with Leicester City star turned free agent Youri Tielemans.

The Villans hierarchy, NSWE, were reported earlier this year to be gearing up to hand Unai Emery a “huge” summer budget, and they have also delivered him a helping hand in the market by bringing in renowned transfer guru Monchi, who helped transform Sevilla from a relegated side in 2000 to one of Europe’s dominant forces, winning the Europa league twice during his tenure.

Of course, the Midlands outfit will be hoping the Spanish duo can repeat some of that magic on the continental stage this year in the Europa Conference League, but that competition also brings increased pressure to improve the depth and quality available throughout the squad.

The priority after the capture of Tielemans seems to be a wide player who can add pace and goals, with links to the likes of Harvey Barnes and Wilfried Gnonto, and attention has now turned to Brennan Johnson.

According to a report from The Athletic detailing the Reds’ summer business and transfer plans, the City Ground hierarchy are growing concerned about the interest in their talisman, namely from Villa.

NSWE, Emery and Monchi are very keen to bring the Wales international across the Midlands and this has become a “genuine concern” for those in situ at Forest.

They are not actively seeking to cash in on their star man, but given he has risen up through the ranks from their academy they are aware they could generate a massive profit from his sale and potentially land themselves in a good position when it comes to Financial Fair Play.

That said, they have already rejected a £30m offer from Brentford, so it seems Villa would have to really test their resolve with an impressive offer.

How many goals has Brennan Johnson scored?

The 22 year-old, labelled “fantastic” by Cooper, scored eight times in the Premier League last season and also provided three assists, an impressive return in a team who scraped clear of relegation and largely struggled to create chances and score goals.

However, delving deeper into his numbers suggests he may not be worth splashing a large portion of the summer budget on. According to FBRef’s metrics, which compares players with their positional peers across the top five European leagues, Johnson was in the bottom half of players for every single statistic they measure – except aerial duels, where he was 59th percentile.

He measured in the bottom one per cent for shot creating actions, which suggests he struggles to make chances out of nothing either for himself or his teammates, and also ranked poorly in tackles and interceptions, painting the picture of a player who won’t provide much pressing and defensive cover from the front.

If Emery is desperate to land a direct winger who can score and create goals but also help his team out of possession, especially in tough European games, Johnson is not the one.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is open to letting Harry Kane leave this summer should a club match the price he has in mind, according to Dean Jones.

A number of top European sides have interest in signing the English forward this summer, but the North London side have publicly maintained the stance that he is not for sale.

Will Harry Kane be at Tottenham Hotspur next season?

As it stands, Spurs are not planning on losing Kane this summer window.

That's according to the Times, who have stated that the club have offered their all-time record goalscorer a new deal worth an incredible £400k per week, which would make the England national team captain the joint highest-paid player in the division alongside Belgian star Kevin De Bruyne at Manchester City.

However, it seems that the striker wants to keep his options open during the window, and reportedly has no intention of signing the deal until the closure of the transfer window. This puts the club in a tricky situation as the forward only has 12 months remaining on his deal, and could leave for free next summer should no deal be agreed.

A number of sides are interested in the Spurs talisman, however German giants Bayern Munich remain the most interested. The club have launched multiple bids in an attempt to bring the striker to the Allianz Arena, with manager Thomas Tuchel reportedly having held talks personally with Kane in his own home in order to try and convince him to make the move from London to Munich.

Both offer have been rejected by Spurs, and according to journalist Jones, who was speaking to GIVEMESPORT, it would take a club record transfer fee from the Bavarian club to convince Levy to sell: "Daniel Levy has a real conundrum if Bayern commit to a bigger offer because this is his last chance to get big money for Kane and, at the same time, get him out of the country so that he can’t harm Spurs in the next couple of years. It’s probably the most intriguing part of this.

In a year’s time, he could end up at [Manchester] United or Chelsea or at another rival club on a free transfer, but if he joins Bayern now, he’s almost certain to stick with them for a couple of seasons while he collects his trophies. Now, that totally goes against everything briefed because Spurs are adamant still that Kane is not for sale — in England or abroad. But everyone is wondering if the businessman in Levy can genuinely stick to that line of thinking. And actually, I’m told there is a point at which he would listen to offers.

Here’s what I’ve heard: If Bayern make an overall offer that gets above and beyond £100m, then it would have to be considered. And when I say beyond, I’m talking £120m. So let’s face it — that is unlikely. Bayern are serious about trying to sign Kane and they have been given assurances that he is willing to do it. But can they actually get to the levels needed? It’s true Spurs are putting a new contract offer in front of Kane but, of course, there is no chance of him signing that at the moment."

Should Tottenham Hotspur sell Harry Kane?

It is an incredibly interesting dilemma that can be argued both ways.

Should Spurs let go of their talisman for a fee in the region of what Jones reported, those funds could help to fund the rebuild that the North London side is currently undertaking. They have already added keeper Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli and attacking midfielder James Maddison from Leicester City, whilst reports have linked the side with Bundesliga centre-back duo Micky Van de Ven and Edmond Tapsoba. Spurs could use the money from Kane's departure to fund moves for both central defenders rather than having to choose one, and could also move to replace the England international with Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, who they have been linked with.

However, should the club manage to convince their club legend to sign the new mega-money deal and commit his future to Spurs, new manager Ange Postecoglou would have arguably the best striker in the world on his hands, which would be a fantastic building block for the Australian as he looks to form his new-look team. Keeping Kane would also be a big help for keeping Spurs fans onside during potential transitional years, as they would appreciate the ambition shown to keep their home-grown star at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

It is one of the biggest decisions in recent Spurs history, and all parties will be hoping it gets solved soon.

Newcastle’s £35m signing of Sven Botman has emerged as one of the signings of last summer as his defensive solidity helped the Magpies secure Champions League football for the first time in 20 years.

The Dutchman is still only 23 years old and has a monumental future ahead of him. Eddie Howe will be looking to repeat this trick and find a more long-term partner for Botman, considering that Fabian Schar turns 32 in five months.

One player tipped to become part of the Tyneside revolution and be a great addition is Joachim Andersen.

What’s the latest on Joachim Andersen to Newcastle United?

Last week, it was reported that Tottenham and Newcastle were both chasing the Crystal Palace star, who the Eagles value at around £50m.

Since arriving in English football in 2020 on loan at Fulham, Andersen has amassed a respectable reputation as a physical, composed, and technically astute defender.

Indeed, despite suffering relegation with the Cottagers in his debut Premier League season, the 27-year-old still performed admirably. In February 2021, he was nominated for the division’s Player of the Month Award in which he captained the side, played every minute, and registered an assist.

It seems strange that a loan player would ever be given the captaincy, but it is a testament to his quality and influence, which earned him a move to Palace and yet more Premier League exposure.

In south London, his consistency reached new heights, as the £80k-per-week titan has started 66 of the club’s last 76 domestic outings, in which the Eagles have nailed down their status as a sturdy mid-table side that has barely been threatened by relegation.

This is partly owed to Andersen’s marvellous ball-spraying ability and commanding leadership from the back. Last term, he won 64% of his duels, made no errors leading to shots or goals, averaged an 80% pass accuracy and ranked within the best 16% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for aerials won per 90.

Would Joachim Andersen be a good signing for Newcastle United?

Andersen’s former coach at Midtjylland, Svend Graversen, has previously lauded his talent, saying: "He always had that calmness. Growing up, what I liked was that he took full responsibility to bring the ball through the lines.

"He was the leader in defence — I put him at centre-back but he was normally a midfielder. You could see the calmness on the ball, his awareness, especially the space in front of him in the defence was very good. There was the potential to be a top defender.

"As an under-17, he was the best in the league. Even though the national team couldn’t see it right away, he was on another level."

If Newcastle seals this deal, it could afford Andersen the chance to replicate Fabricio Coloccini’s heroics. The former captain made 275 appearances for the Magpies and was an instrumental component of the side in the 2011/12 season that finished fifth.

That year, the Argentinian played 35 matches, averaging the most interceptions per game (2.6) and third-most tackles (2.0) per game, and his stint as skipper shows he and Andersen are both deemed leading figures.

Alan Pardew has also previously highlighted his “calmness” on the ball, which Andersen possesses in abundance, so a possible move could see a rebirth of Coloccini at St James' Park.