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Newcastle United have been given the green light to bolster their attack by signing a new striker in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, the Magpies have been offered the chance – alongside West Ham and Everton – to sign Andrea Belotti ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that his representatives are attempting to land him a transfer to the Premier League and the Toon are one of the teams that he is willing to sign for.

He left Italian side Torino at the end of last season and is now available on a free transfer, although his wage demands are unclear at this stage.

Eddie Howe’s own Victor Osimhen

Another striker Newcastle have been linked with this summer has been Napoli talisman Victor Osimhen but his reported price tag of £80m+ has not drawn a serious attempt from the Magpies to land him.

In Belotti, PIF can bring in a player who has the quality to be Howe’s own version of the Nigerian international centre-forward. Both players are proven goalscorers in the Serie A who could arrive at St. James’ Park and have a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

FBRef names Osimhen as a similar player to the former Torino man and they certainly have one thing in common – they like to score goals.

The Napoli number nine has scored 28 goals in 68 matches for the club and found the back of the net 15 times in 23 outings for his country. He has shown that he knows how to score goals at the top level and would be a sublime addition to Howe’s squad.

Belotti, on the other hand, has proven himself over the course of a number of years. The 28-year-old ended his Torino career with 113 goals in 251 matches in all competitions and has scored over 100 goals in the Serie A, which proves that he is a reliable goalscorer.

In 12 seasons as a professional, the attacker – who Siavoush Fallahi once dubbed a “machine”, has reached double figures for goals in nine league campaigns. He has been consistent throughout his career and this suggests that he would be an excellent option at the top end of the pitch for Newcastle.

Therefore, he can be Howe’s own – older – version of Osimhen and join the club for the 2022/23 campaign to ease the goalscoring burden on Callum Wilson in the Premier League.

AND in other news, Romano: Newcastle given green light for “sensational” £21m signing, it’d be a big coup…

Glasgow Rangers have been involved in a significant number of deals throughout this latest summer transfer window.

One transfer in particular saw Joe Aribo make a move to the English Premier League, joining Southampton in a deal that could rise up to a reported fee of £10m.

After scoring 26 goals and delivering 25 assists in 148 appearances for the Gers across all competitions, it’s safe to say that the Ibrox club lost an important player this summer.

Despite this disappointment, the remaining weeks of the summer transfer window could give Giovanni van Bronckhorst the chance to bring in what could be Rangers’ next version of Aribo.

One player that has been linked with a move to Ibrox this summer that could fit this bill is Manchester City midfielder James McAtee.

Having scored 44 goals and delivered 27 assists in 87 appearances across City’s youth sides, the 19-year-old clearly has the attacking ability in him that mirrors what Aribo offered Rangers in terms of not only scoring goals but creating them as well.

Also, with the youngster being able to play as an attacking midfielder and in a central midfield role, this versatility also shows the similarities between him and the former Gers star, given his ability to also play in those positions.

This backs up why journalist Jonathan Smith hailed McAtee as a “highly-rated” player that has “massive talent and huge potential” in him.

Despite his clear talent, the Englishman has only made six senior appearances for the Premier League champions, which could be why reports have suggested that City would be willing to allow McAtee to leave on loan this summer to give him the opportunity to get regular game time.

With all of this in mind, before Rangers potentially find out how much of a miss Aribo could be for the team, it would make sense for them to do all they can to secure a loan deal for the City prodigy and see if he can replicate the same sort of attacking threat that the former Gers star did during his time in Glasgow.

If the Ibrox outfit were able to do this and the player hit the ground running in the team, his goals and assists could give Rangers a big boost to their chances of winning the Premiership title in 2022/23.

AND in other news: “New deal..”: Reporter drops transfer claim that’ll leave Rangers supporters gutted

Manchester United have had an opening bid rejected for Bologna striker Marko Arnautovic as Erik ten Hag desperately tries to bolster his attacking options.

What’s the word?

Fabrizio Romano confirmed via Twitter that Manchester United’s offer was rejected, saying: “Opening bid around €9/10m has been turned down.”

The price tag for the Serie A striker has been set at €15m (£12.6m) according to 90min and with Ten Hag aiming to add some attacking depth to his squad, another bid seems inevitable.

Italian outlet iI Resto del Carlino, which is local to Bologna, have reported that Arnautovic has asked his side to sell him to Manchester United. Still, the Serie A side doesn’t want to.

It’s a blow for ten Hag

The Premier League side began their campaign with a toothless 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton as the new revolution under the Dutchman started off with a whimper.

A quickfire double by Pascal Gross gave Brighton a lead they never relinquished and Ten Hag will need to bolster his attacking options, and fast, if he wants to get the supporters behind his vision for the club.

Arnautovic has previous Premier League experience, scoring 43 goals in the competition in spells at Stoke City and West Ham United. Last season he netted an impressive 14 goals in 33 Serie A appearances, proving he still has the ability to terrorise defences at the highest level.

It is that touch in front of goal that the Red Devils desperately need with Cristiano Ronaldo potentially facing the exit door as well.

Any potential move might be seen as a sign of the way things have become at the club, with Gary Neville expressing his frustrations, saying: “I’ve got a comment on everything in the world, apart from Manchester United signing Marko Arnautovic. I’ve got nothing to say.”

These are understandable considering his age; however, the striker still has plenty to give and this could represent his last chance to shine in the Premier League.

Journalist Manuel Veth dubbed the player a “fantastic talent” and with Man United urgently needing a goal scorer, it could well be a move that surprises a lot of people.

Arnautovic generated 82 shot-creating actions in total last season for Bologna, which would have ranked him level with Jaden Sancho for United last season so it’s clear to see that he’d add a great deal more to a United side that lacks a much-needed spark.

He is a brute and tough to play against too, which is perhaps just the thing this feeble and lacklustre team are lacking.

The Austrian may not be the superstar the Old Trafford faithful want, but with a track record of scoring in England, it should be a blow to ten Hag that their first offer has been rejected.

Aston Villa are ‘still interested’ in signing Chelsea’s Ross Barkley this summer, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Surplus to requirements

Barkley, who Frank Lampard described as ‘first-class’ back in 2020, is into the final 12 months of his Stamford Bridge contract.

The attacking midfielder is reportedly free to find a new club which would bring an end to his four-and-a-half-year stay with the Blues.

Villa took the 28-year-old on loan for the 2020/21 campaign, and it appears as if Johan Lange is keen on bringing the player back to the Midlands.

The Latest: Phillips’ post

Phillips took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon to provide an update on Barkley’s situation.

The journalist, who linked Villa with a move last weekend, confirmed that Steven Gerrard’s side are ‘still interested’ in a transfer but face competition from the likes of Brighton, Newcastle, West Ham and Everton, while Celtic have now made a ‘permanent’ offer.

The Verdict: Avoid?

Barkley has scored 52 senior goals for club and country during his career, three of which came when playing for Villa. However, Gerrard seems fairly well-stocked when it comes to attacking midfielders with Philippe Coutinho and Emi Buendia, so a move for Barkley doesn’t appear to be crucial.

The club could be better off looking to bolster their central midfield or centre-forward ranks instead, with Gerrard using a 4-3-1-2 system in the win over Everton.

Should he continue with that system, you could argue that Barkley would be third choice behind Coutinho and Buendia, so may not get much game time.

Nottingham Forest have fallen behind in their pursuit of one former City Ground loan star… 

What’s the word?

According to Manchester Evening News, Southampton have emerged as surprise frontrunners to sign Manchester United youngster James Garner.

Along with the Saints, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Forest had all shown an interest after United decided to sell the 21-year-old.

Some may have expected Garner to naturally gravitate towards a return to the City Ground, but Steve Cooper will now have to act fast to ensure that the Reds do not miss out on bringing this highly-rated youngster back into the fold.

This deal would add another young English talent to the squad after Forest completed the signing of Morgan Gibbs-White from Wolverhampton Wanderers. 

Imagine him and Freuler

If Garner were to return to Nottingham, one player he would certainly benefit from having around is one of their newer signings in Remo Freuler.

The former Atalanta captain has a wealth of experience, and alongside Garner, the two could form a wonderful midfield partnership to keep the Tricky Trees in the Premier League.

The Swiss ace and the England under-21 international could both be seen as well-rounded midfielders, and therefore both are just as likely to threaten on the attack as they are to put their foot in when necessary.

Garner featured 44 times for Forest in the league last season, which suggests that it would not take long for him to re-acclimatise himself with the surroundings in the Midlands. Despite playing from a deeper role, his four goals and eight assists in 2021/22 outline him as a creative threat from this position.

To combine this attacking output with Freuler’s more modest four goal contributions in Serie A last term, that makes for a fine return from central midfield. The Switzerland international also ranks in the top 7% for progressive passes among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues, so he could find the likes of Jesse Lingard from deep in dangerous pockets of space to start attacks.

The former Atalanta man also comes to the City Ground with a wealth of Champions League experience (21 appearances), which he could bestow upon the young Garner to accelerate the latter’s development.

The £17k-per-week ace’s value to the team is also reflected in his defensive duties, as he averaged 1.4 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and 0.9 clearances per game in 2021/22. He is unafraid to do the dirty work, and for a team who will likely have to battle for every point they earn this season, he could be the ideal midfielder for a heroic underdog story.

Combined with his offensive statistics, this outlines him as the “perfect” midfielder, using the words of journalist Josh Bunting, and he could flourish beside the brains and experience of Freuler. The two midfielders could be instrumental in keeping Forest in the Premier League, if they are to team up.

The Chronicle journalist James Hunter has shared some Sunderland injury news before they travel to Stoke City in the Championship this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Missed Sheffield United

Evans missed out in the 2-1 loss away at Sheffield United in midweek, with Alex Neil claiming that he ‘expected’ him to be fit for the game.

Even though he added that Evans’ injury is ‘not significant’, it does beg the question whether he will be fit enough to play any part against Stoke.

The Latest: A doubt

Taking to Twitter, Hunter shared an injury update from Neil before the clash, claiming that while Danny Batth ‘should be OK’ for the trip, Evans is unfortunately still ‘a doubt’:

“Alex Neil: Corry Evans is a doubt for tomorrow, but Danny Batth should be OK.”

The Verdict: Blow

It will certainly be a blow if Evans were to miss the game against Stoke as well.

He has averaged the joint-most tackles per game of any of his teammates in the Championship so far this season, and also ranks highly in terms of average interceptions, shots, passes and long balls per match (WhoScored).

Fellow central midfielder Carl Winchester has also picked up an injury, leaving the Black Cats a little bit light in that area of the pitch at the moment.

Thus, they will be hoping that Evans makes a swift recovery, and can hopefully play some part this afternoon.

Newcastle United could make a loan move for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards reports.

The lowdown

Newcastle have signed three players so far this summer, bringing in centre-back Sven Botman, full-back Matt Targett and goalkeeper Nick Pope for a combined fee of £59.4million.

Gallagher spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan with Crystal Palace, and it remains to be seen whether he’s part of Thomas Tuchel’s plans for the full season.

After brief substitute appearances in Chelsea’s first two games, he started in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat against Leeds United.

The latest

Edwards writes that ‘NUFC [are] still pushing for signings’ before the end of the window on 1 September.

He says that a loan swoop for Gallagher is ‘being discussed’, as is a similar move for Chelsea team-mate Christian Pulisic.

The verdict

Gallagher was outstanding for Palace last season, winning the club’s Player of the Season award, and should look to leave Chelsea if his game time is going to be limited.

He could offer an excellent all-round package at Newcastle based on his statistics from the past year.

The 22-year-old ranks in the top 20 percentiles for non-penalty goals (96th), shot-creating actions (80th), dribbles completed (92nd), progressive passes received (88th) and pressures (93rd).

And Ian Wright has previously marvelled at the amount of energy he puts into the game.

“I’ve never seen anyone work that hard, closing down, running back, linking up with the defence, the midfield, going forward with the forwards,” he said.

Thomas Tuchel has echoed that praise, calling the youngster’s work rate ‘outstanding’, The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke even dubbed him like ‘Poch-era Dele Alli’.

Tottenham Hotspur are still locked in talks to sign Atletico Madrid star Yannick Carrasco as journalist Sacha Tavolieri shares an update near the deadline.

The Lowdown: Spurs off to fire start…

The Lilywhites are off to a flying start as manager Antonio Conte aims to build upon his Champions League qualification and guide Spurs to a memorable 2022/2023 Premier League season.

His side take on arch London rivals West Ham on Wednesday evening and are yet to lose a league game, having won three and drawn one of their opening four top flight encounters.

However, ahead of what will be a long campaign, Spurs have little time remaining to strengthen in key areas with the summer transfer window deadline fast approaching.

The Latest: Conte and Carrasco both keen…

According to reports over the last 48 hours, sporting director Fabio Paratici and co have set their sights on Atletico star Carrasco.

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Reliable Belgian source Tavolieri, sharing news on Twitter, has now confirmed Tottenham are definitely trying to sign the Belgium international and ‘real talks are going on’.

What’s more, Conte is apparently pushing for this move himself while the player is keen to try his luck in England. The journalist explained:

“#Tottenham trying for Yannick #Carrasco ! Real talks going on despite the doubt that #THFC can meet the high financial conditions of #Atletico . #Conte pushing… And Yannick #Carrasco would like to discover the #PremierLeague. To be continued.”

The Verdict: Make the move…

The £141,000-per-week star finished 2021/22 as Atletico’s best-performing La Liga player by average match rating, proving indispensable for manager Diego Simeone (WhoScored).

Carrasco even played the second-highest amount of minutes domestically behind goalkeeper Jan Oblak, all whilst completing Atletico’s highest rate of key passes and completed dribbles per 90 (WhoScored).

The 28-year-old’s versatility is also a huge plus point with Carrasco capable of being deployed across the midfield, at wing back and further forward.

If Spurs can get a deal done, it would certainly be a sensational end to the window.

Journalist Peter Vandenbempt has criticised West Ham United for their conduct in previous attempts to sign Club Brugge star Hans Vanaken.

The Lowdown: Hammers target signs new deal…

The Irons, like in previous seasons, were repeatedly linked with a move for the Belgium international over the course of this year’s summer transfer window.

There were suggestions that Vanaken himself really wanted to join West Ham but it appears both the Premier League side and Brugge were having trouble agreeing a deal.

As a result, all hope faded with the forward then putting pen to paper on a contract extension with the Jupiler Pro League high-flyers.

The Latest: Vandenbempt criticises West Ham…

Now, Dutch reporter Vandenbempt has criticised David Moyes’ side for their attempts at business over Vanaken – specifically for not paying the required transfer fee.

He explained (via voetbal 24):

“West Ham has been courting Vanaken for a few years, but when they have to pay they don’t do it. They don’t want to go further than 10 to 11 million and that is a sign of little respect.”

The Verdict: Regrettable?

Head of recruitment Rob Newman and the club clearly didn’t see enough in Vanaken to pay over the odds, but only time will tell whether that proves to be the correct call.

The 30-year-old stood out as a star player for Brugge last season, finishing 2021/22 as their third top goal scorer domestically with 11 strikes and nine assists to boot (WhoScored).

Overall, Vanaken also ranked in Brugge’s top three best-performing players by average match rating per 90 – so the quality is certainly there.

That being said, at 30, the forward would’ve come with little sell-on value, so perhaps that came into the club’s thinking.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence is ‘not an important figure’ for manager Antonio Conte, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Underwhelming start

The right-back left Middlesbrough to join the Premier League giants in a big-money move over the summer following a loan spell at Nottingham Forest that caught the eye of Fabio Paratici.

However, Antonio Conte later admitted that the 22-year-old’s signing was one made by the club’s hierarchy rather than himself, which has been made evident by the young prospect starting zero games since his arrival.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that Spence won’t be making any real impact on Tottenham’s starting XI this season.

“I think it’s worth remembering that Djed Spence is more of a club signing than a Conte signing.

“He’s just not an important figure for Conte in terms of how he looks at the starting XI. He’s got other priorities in terms of getting Tottenham established in that top four.”

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The Verdict: Loan move needed

Yves Bissouma is another summer signing who has come under recent criticism from Conte, but with Spence being at the age he is, he would more than benefit from a loan spell.

The Italian seems pretty set on playing Emerson Royal on that right-hand side and also has Matt Doherty at his disposal, so it’s unlikely that there will be any way in for the former Boro starlet.

A temporary exit would be the best option for both parties if Spence wants sufficient game time this term, where he could then return to Spurs next year in better form to seriously challenge for a place in the first team.