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Newcastle United could turn their attention towards a move for Belgian hotshot Romelu Lukaku in 2023, according to reports from Italy.

What’s the word?

As per Calciomercatoweb, Magpies sporting director Dan Ashworth is keen on signing the 29-year-old next summer should the Tyneside club qualify for the Champions League, with the 6 foot 3 ace currently on loan at Serie A side Inter Milan from Chelsea.

The report suggests that, while the Nerazzurri could look to keep the striker on loan for a further year, the west Londoners’ preference to sell may give Newcastle the advantage, with Ashworth ready to ‘forcefully enter’ for the centre-forward’s signature.

The 104-cap menace made his return to San Siro on a temporary basis during the summer, having only rejoined Chelsea a year earlier for a club-record fee of around £97.5m.

Could be a ‘monster’ at St James’ Park

There is no getting away from what has been a miserable last 18 months or so for Lukaku – both for club and country – with the former Everton man having scored only twice in all competitions this term following a number of fitness and injury issues.

Prior to that, the £180k-per-week marksman had netted just eight goals in the Premier League following his return to Stamford Bridge, with that limp output ensuring that the Blues made the bold decision to loan him out during the summer.

Equally, at international level the typically prolific marksman came up short at the World Cup in Qatar, notably missing four big chances off the bench in the final group stage clash against Croatia as the Red Devils crashed out at the first hurdle.

Alas, while the last year or so has been notably disappointing for the Antwerp native, Lukaku remains a hugely impressive attacking asset regardless, boasting a remarkable club career tally of 268 goals at senior level.

The lethal “monster” – as described by journalist Thierry Nyann – also has 68 goals to his name for his national team, having regularly delivered the goods when it matters for almost a decade.

Despite his recent difficulties at Chelsea, the ruthless Lukaku has previously been a real force in English football, having scored 121 goals in 278 Premier League games in total.

The former Toffees ace particularly caught the eye as a result of his form at Goodison Park – scoring 87 goals in 166 games – while even his brief stint at Manchester United proved somewhat fruitful, with 42 goals to his name in 96 appearances.

The one-time West Bromwich Albion star had been especially prolific during his previous stint at Inter, with his total tally for the Nerazzurri now standing at 66 goals and 17 assists in just 100 games.

A striker who can be “unplayable” when in full flow – as lauded by Arsenal legend Sol Campbell – Lukaku would provide a real focal point to Eddie Howe’s attack if he were to arrive at St James’ Park, while also offering an almost guaranteed supply of goals such is his remarkable career record.

With the Belgian seemingly in need of a boost in confidence, joining such an ambitious and high-flying outfit as Newcastle could well prove to be the perfect solution.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor returning from injury is a ‘huge boost’, according to former Scottish Premiership professional Tam McManus.

The Lowdown: Back in action

The Hoops midfielder was forced off the pitch in the 3-1 defeat to RB Leipzig back in October after sustaining a knee problem, and hasn’t featured in any competitive games since.

However, the 29-year-old made his long-awaited return to action last weekend for the mid-season friendly against Rennes, and supporters aren’t the only ones buzzing to see the skipper stage his comeback before Saturday’s visit to Aberdeen.

The Latest: McManus reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, McManus was delighted to see McGregor pull on the Celtic shirt once again and says Ange Postecoglou will be thrilled.

“Yeah, I saw he started. It’s a huge boost, he is the heartbeat of Celtic.

“He is a different kind of captain to Scott Brown in that he leads by example, his performances have shown that he is a very good player.

“I think Celtic have missed him, especially in those big European games that he was injured for. Carter-Vickers was missing as well and we [saw] the side struggle.

“As I say, it’s a huge boost to have him seemingly fully fit for the season returning in a few days. It adds to the competition in there.

“Going forward, I think McGregor can expect to return to that starting XI alongside Hatate, that seems to be the pair Ange likes.”

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The Verdict: Boost for Postecoglou

Celtic having McGregor available for selection upon the return of domestic action will be a huge boost for Postecoglou who will know the impact his leader has.

The Scottish international has posted 126 goal contributions during his time north of the border and currently averages an excellent 91.6% pass success rate.

The Bhoys orchestrator is a key cog in midfield, and he will no doubt go on to play a huge role in his side’s push for a second consecutive league title.

New Glasgow Rangers boss Michael Beale will seemingly be eyeing potential new recruits as the January window approaches, with the 42-year-old no doubt keen to put his stamp on the current Ibrox squad heading into the second half of the campaign.

With speculation still rife regarding the future of polarising forward Alfredo Morelos – with the Colombian having just a matter of months left on his existing deal – one area that may well need to be addressed is the Old Firm outfit’s centre-forward options.

Recent reports have claimed that one potential target for the Glasgow side could well be that of Ross Stewart, with the Gers able to exploit the uncertainty surrounding the Scotland international’s contract situation at current club, Sunderland.

The suggestion is that the Scottish giants are ‘waiting in the wings’ as talks over a new deal at the Stadium of Light hit an impasse, with the Black Cats now said to be considering a sale in the winter window with the striker’s existing deal nearing its expiry.

The former Ross County man – who made the move south of the border back in January 2021 – has been something of a “revelation” during his time at the club thus far, according to teammate Alex Pritchard, scoring 34 goals and recording eight assists in just 72 games across all fronts.

That includes a haul of 26 goals last term as the 6 foot 2 powerhouse helped to drag his side out of League One, while the two-cap gem has since started the new season in fine fashion, despite a spell out with injury, with five goals and three assists in just seven Championship outings.

Not just a mere goalscorer, the Irvine-born ace also offers the all-round package when leading the line, with the aforementioned Pritchard previously saying of his talents:

“[Stewart] is unbelievable. The size of him, on the ball, he can run, he can hold the ball up, he’s good with his feet. He’s got everything. He’s great in the air. Holds the ball up and he gets in behind”.

Having previously been a target for those at Ibrox over the summer during Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s stint at the helm, it may well make sense for Beale to revive that interest in the New Year, particularly with the aforementioned Morelos having scored just three times this season.

The addition of Stewart could well see the Light Blues snap up their answer to Fulham goal machine, Aleksandar Mitrovic, with the pair said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref.

Like the Scotsman, Mitrovic – who is also 6 foot 2 – offers a real physical presence in attack as he averages 5.49 aerial duels won per game, while the Sunderland man is not far behind as he averages 4.14 for the same metric.

Equally, the latter man also averages 3.86 shots per game as a marker of his attacking intent, while the Cottagers’ talisman is also a truly menacing presence as he averages 4.6 shots per 90.

Much like Pritchard’s assessment of his club colleague, Mitrovic has also been praised by Everton boss Frank Lampard for his quality outside of simply putting the ball in the back of the net, with the former England international stating:

“As an all-round striker he’s really strong but crosses are a big threat and it’s two-fold: stopping crosses and dealing with balls in the box in dangerous goalscoring areas where he’s very difficult to mark if he can get a run on you.”

The Serbian international is an eye-catching figure to be compared to such have been his goalscoring heroics of late, the 28-year-old having notably lashed in a record-breaking tally of 43 goals in England’s second tier last season.

That ruthless hot streak has continued this season despite the step up to the Premier League, with the former Newcastle United man having scored nine goals in just 12 league outings – the joint-fourth-best record in the division.

Were Rangers to snap up their own version of the one-time Anderlecht brute in the form of Stewart it would certainly be a major coup, with such an addition likely to aid Beale in his quest to revive the club’s fortunes.

Everton could be set to swoop in and raid a Premier League rival in peril…

What’s the latest?

According to transfer insider Pete O’Rourke, Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Daniel Podence could be of interest to Frank Lampard.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said:

“Bit of a surprise this – Podence linked with Everton. I think most people would think Everton would be looking for an out-and-out striker right now to improve their goal-scoring.

“That’s been a big problem for Frank Lampard’s side. He’s sorted out the defensive side of things, improved a lot that side so they are looking to add more upfront and Podence on his day there is a quality player for Wolves, but again he flatters to deceive maybe on too many occasions for Wolves as well.”

He could be a perfect Everton player

With the Old Gold seriously underperforming this season, it could be perfect for the Toffees to swoop in and sign the 27-year-old who has intermittently impressed at Molineux.

The versatile £17m wiz last season scored six and assisted three in all competitions, but earns the bulk of his praise from how he drives his team forward and works relentlessly.

Podence embodies the bare minimum that Evertonians demand from their players, as he gets people on their feet with his quick feet, whilst Alan Smith has also praised his “great work ethic” during live coverage of Wolves vs Leicester City (via Molineux News).

In this current campaign, the diminutive wide man has made ten total chance-creating carries in just 953 minutes of play, suggesting an average of just over one a game.

He makes himself a constant threat for a side that are sitting in the relegation zone, even if his statistics themselves are not outstanding.

The £60k-per-week flyer would certainly provide additional space to the likes of Demarai Gray and Anthony Gordon, as the opposition would have to remain alert in the presence of someone with such blistering speed.

Former Old Gold winger Michael Kightly highlighted this as one of his biggest assets, claiming after a performance against Everton: “He looked sharp, he looked strong. Every time we got the ball, he looked like he was going to make something of it.”

Lampard could surely mould him into a more efficient attacker, and if so, instantly becomes one of the Premier League’s more threatening prospects.

Newcastle United’s U21s were involved in a bizarre end to a game on Tuesday night in the youthful Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland.

Black Cats goalkeeper Alex Bass scored a 94th-minute equaliser after coming up for a corner and then admitted, after the match, that the ball came off his hand and should have been disallowed.

Outside of the controversial end to the game, there were plenty of positives to take from Newcastle’s display and first-team manager Eddie Howe may be excited by the prospect of promoting a few of the players who were on show.

One teen who caught the eye during the game was left-back, and summer signing, Alex Murphy. Magpies journalist Dominic Scurr handed the gem an 8/10 for his performance, writing:

“The highly-rated defender’s first taste of Tyne-Wear derby action saw him lead the side out as captain. The summer signing got stuck in and was a calm head at the back to help keep Sunderland at bay. Despite being one of the youngest members of the squad, Murphy plays with a maturity and composure beyond his years.”

Murphy signed from Galway United in the summer and their chairman, Jack Barrett, previously claimed that the youngster is a “huge talent”.

The 18-year-old has caught the eye since making the move to Newcastle, and is starting to live up to that tag with Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope claiming that he has been “impressed” by the left-back ahead of the clash with Sunderland earlier this week.

He is an international for the Republic of Ireland at youth level and has shown signs of promise against senior sides in the EFL Trophy this season. In two games against Doncaster and Lincoln, Murphy made a combined five tackles and interceptions, created one chance, and won an exceptional 82% of his aerial battles – as per SofaScore.

These statistics show that he has the potential to play professionally as he has proven, at the age of 18, that he can stand up to the physical test of playing against experienced, senior, players. For context, Dan Burn and Matt Targett have won 70% and 56% of their aerial battles respectively in the Premier League.

He did more than hold his own in those matches as he physically dominated the opposition in the air and this suggests that he could handle the step up to first-team level from that perspective, which is backed up by his 32 appearances for Galways’s senior side.

Therefore, Howe could strike gold with Murphy by helping him to develop into a key first-team player for the Magpies in the future.

The youngster, who has two assists in the Premier League 2 this season, has plenty of years left ahead of him to grow and improve as a full-back, and his early form for the U21s suggests that he is a gem worth mining in the months and years to come.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to end their post-break slump when they travel to the south coast to face Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League this evening.

Antonio Conte’s side were held to a goalless draw by Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Tuesday night, just a few days after their 3-1 defeat to arch-rivals Arsenal.

The Italian’s frontline has faltered with Heung-min Son, in particular, struggling to refind his form of 2021/22.

Aside from a hat-trick cameo from the bench in the whitewash of then-basement boys Leicester City, the South Korean international has only provided one assist in his other ten appearances, via Transfermarkt.

That’s one direct contribution every 211 minutes, well below his more-impressive career average at the club of a goal or assist every 110 minutes.

Son was arguably Conte’s most important player last season, having delivered 23 goals and nine assists across 35 league appearances, which was six more contributions than Harry Kane as he outranked the Englishman in both regards.

There’s no denying that the 29-year-old – who was once dubbed a “machine” by one former teammate – has been out of sorts for much of the season so far, as evident by his WhoScored ratings of 6.31 vs Chelsea, 6.46 vs Nottingham Forest, 5.92 vs West Ham United and 6.3 against the Gunners.

It now leaves Conte with a conundrum as Son is the sort of player that can usually turn it on at any moment, though we’ve only really seen it once in 11 outings.

The 53-year-old hinted at a tweak in the system during a recent press conference and if fellow wide man Dejan Kulusevski isn’t back from injury, then it would make sense to go to a 3-5-2 and for Son to be axed.

As ruthless as it would be – after all the £22m man has been a shining light over many, many years – Conte must be bold and drop the struggling South Korean if he’s to turn their attacking fortunes around against the Seagulls at the Amex Stadium tonight.

If anything, it could ignite a flame just as it did in the triumph over the Foxes right before the international break.

AND in other news, Conte’s “important” £30m “non-stop machine” is proving to be his next Hazard…

Sheffield Wednesday are thought to be one of six sides interested in signing Northampton Town forward Sam Hoskins.

The Lowdown: Hoskins profiled

Hoskins joined Northampton back in 2015 and has made 306 appearances for the club since then. He has shown his versatility by making 10 or more appearances in seven different positions during his career, however, he has established himself on the left-hand side this season.

The Englishman appears to be in the form of his life after netting 72, and it seems as if those displays have caught the eye of Darren Moore and co.

The Latest: Wednesday keen

According to Football League World, the Owls are one of six EFL sides keen on landing Hoskins in the January window.

The report adds that League One rivals Barnsley, Derby and Portsmouth are interested in the forward alongside Championship sides Middlesbrough and Sunderland.

The Verdict: Smart signing?

Hoskins has started the campaign on fire playing from the left, so he could be a shrewd addition to Moore’s squad. Wednesday only have two left midfield options in Marvin Johnson and Nottingham Forest loanee Alex Mighten, so Hoskins could come in and rival both men as well as providing competition in a number of other areas.

That versatility could come in handy during the second half of the season, especially given the number of games, but Wednesday may need to beat a number of third-tier rivals to his signature as a possible January auction begins.

Tottenham Hotspur are ‘definitely’ considering a move for Wolves winger Adama Traore, according to transfer insider Dean Jones. 

The lowdown: Traore out of favour

Having previously been a key figure for former Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo at the Midlands club, the 26-year-old now finds himself out of favour at Molineux, playing just half an hour over the first four games of the Premier League season and yet to be handed a top-flight start in 2022/23.

The Spain international was sent on loan to his former club Barcelona last term, having fallen down the pecking order under Bruno Lage.

Linked with Tottenham earlier this year, one well-informed onlooker has suggested that the north Londoners could still land Traore in the final days of the summer transfer window…

The latest: Spurs still chasing Traore

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones – a journalist for Eurosport – has claimed that Spurs are keen on bringing the eight-cap dynamo to N17.

He said: “I think Spurs is definitely one that is being explored. The way that he could be used in Conte’s system is very interesting. I know that they have gone back to the table and they obviously looked at Traore a while back.”

The verdict: Do it

Capable of playing anywhere across the frontline, in deeper positions and as a wing-back, signing Traore would certainly add another impressive squad option to Antonio Conte’s ranks.

With the 52-year-old favouring a 3-4-3 formation throughout the majority of his managerial career, the Spaniard would likely operate as a right-wing back for the Lilywhites, perhaps as an impact substitute given his lightning-quick pace.

Haivng seem Tottenham also linked with Anthony Gordon, Ruslan Malinovskyi and Hakim Ziyech, it’s clear to see that Fabio Paratici is still actively seeking wide options to bolster the ranks at Hotspur Way.

Despite holding an estimated market value of £18m, Traore is now into the final 12 months of his Wolves contract and could reportedly be available for as little as £10m. Therefore, Tottenham should be pushing to land the player who was described as ‘so explosive’ by journalist Joel Rabinowitz before Thursday night’s deadline.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie has revealed that the Magpies want to sign the England international to bolster their squad this season.

However, the reporter has added that the situation is complicated as his current club are looking to bring in a replacement first before sanctioning a move.

He Tweeted: “Newcastle are keen on Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, but The Blues unlikely to entertain anything until they bring in another midfielder of their own. Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong still Chelsea’s main midfield target. Similar situation with NUFC’s interest in Armando Broja.”

It is unclear as to whether the Toon are eyeing a permanent or loan deal for the gem, but it has been reported that he is valued at £40m by the Blues.

Imagine him & Bruno Guimaraes

If Newcastle can swoop in for the midfield machine after Chelsea bring in their own target, Eddie Howe could form an exciting partnership in the middle of the park with Gallagher and Guimaraes.

The pair could form a brilliant pairing in midfield due to their similar skillsets and ability to function in a high-energy system.

In Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days, Guimaraes ranks in the 88th percentile for pressures and the 99th for tackles won per 90 in his position. Gallagher, meanwhile, ranks in the 93rd percentile for pressures and the 94th for tackles won in the final third per 90.

This shows that both players excel at pressing the opposition and making tackles to win the ball back high up the pitch in dangerous positions.

They could, therefore, be vital in games when Howe feels counter-pressing will be key to winning the match. The head coach would have two players capable of effectively winning possession back in critical areas, but what could they do when they get the ball back?

Guimaraes scored five goals and set up one in 11 Premier League starts last season, whilst Gallagher – who Patrick Vieira dubbed “special” – scored eight goals and provided three assists on loan to Crystal Palace in the top-flight.

This shows that both players are central midfielders with the quality to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch when they have the ball at their feet.

Therefore, they could be an exciting pairing for the Magpies as they have the potential to be a terrific high-pressing duo in the Premier League – winning possession in the final third and contributing to counter-pressing goals.

Serie A club Napoli want to replace West Ham target Piotr Zielinski with Tottenham Hotspur’s Giovani Lo Celso, according to Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla.

The lowdown: Moving parts

Signed from Real Betis in 2019, Lo Celso was sent on loan to Villarreal for the second half of the 2021/22 campaign having failed to break into Antonio Conte’s plans at Spurs.

The 26-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain man was an influential member of Unai Emery’s side in Spain, helping the relative minnows reach the UEFA Champions League semi-final.

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However, upon returning to north London, Lo Celso remains on the fringes of matters at Hotspur Way having been omitted from the pre-season touring squad and could now be viewed as a potential successor to West Ham target Zielinski in Naples…

The latest: Contact made

As per journalist Alfredo Pedulla, Napoli are believed to have made ‘contact’ with Spurs regarding the 39-cap Argentina star.

It’s claimed that Lo Celso is ‘no longer part of Tottenham’s plans’ and Fiorentina have also taken a ‘significant’ look at the possibility of enticing the midfielder to Italy.

The report also states that Napoli would look to strike a loan deal first for the man once described as ‘magnificent’ by former Lilywhites’ boss Jose Mourinho, although much depends on the future of Zielinski.

The verdict: Cash in

Recouping anything close to the £27.7million expenditure splashed out on Lo Celso remains a possibility whilst the Argentine still has three years remaining on his deal (Transfermarkt), a situation that ENIC and Fabio Paratici should be closely considering.

After arriving with a burgeoning reputation as a creative force who could emulate Christian Eriksen, 84 outings in a Tottenham shirt have yielded just 14 direct goal involvements so far, a fry cry from what was expected given the fee paid out.

Last season, the versatile midfielder scored just twice and provided three assists in 40 appearances across all competitions in Spain and in England, highlighting a distinct lack of top form required at the elite level.

If indeed West Ham can manage to strike a deal for Zielinski, a player previously linked to Spurs this summer, then selling Lo Celso would be a wholly acceptable circumstance for the north Londoners, particularly were it to help fund a potential swoop for Roma sensation Nicolo Zaniolo.