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Rob Draper has shared his own insight on the proposed £300m takeover of Newcastle United by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group.

The Mail on Sunday journalist reacted to a video of a greeting between the KSA’s Crown Prince in Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), who was very much part of the consortium looking to strike a deal with Mike Ashley, and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, as he arrived to attend the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in the Kingdom, which had the aim of settling various disputes between the two countries.

Draper tweeted that the greeting was probably the ‘best hope for a Newcastle United takeover’, given the disputes that the two countries have over the banning of the beIN network in the KSA.

Can the Newcastle takeover be revived?

The settling of the disputes between the Kingdom and Qatar is certainly a step in the right direction in terms of trying to get the takeover bid back on track.

With the banning of Qatari broadcaster beIN in the KSA, games from the Premier League were left to be illegally streamed in the Kingdom, worsening their relationships with both Qatar and those in charge of England’s top division.

However, if beIN were allowed to broadcast matches in the KSA as a result of this settlement, then it could well be a step towards a possible revival of the prospective takeover at St. James’ Park as the piracy issue in Saudi Arabia could become one more problem that’s been resolved.

In other news, find out what takeover claim has been dropped after the latest activity from Jamie Reuben here!

Carlo Ancelotti will be in dreamland if Marcel Brands is able to strike a deal with Real Madrid for Isco, potentially threatening Tom Davies’ future at Everton.

What’s the word?

According to La Razon, Isco has rejected the chance to reunite with former Los Blancos and Spain manager Julen Lopetegui, after snubbing a potential move to Sevilla for economic reasons.

The 28-year-old has turned his nose up to slashing his wage in order to continue his career in La Liga, as the Andalusian outfit would not be able to match his €6million-a-season (£104k-p/w) salary despite only having to pay the remaining €3m to sign Isco on loan.

Isco has further rejected the chance of joining Andrea Pirlo’s maiden voyage as Juventus manager, feeling the Serie A would not be best suited for his talents and would prefer to join a league more to his liking in the January window.

Madrid are looking to offload Isco on loan this winter with a potential view to a permanent deal come the summer and with the midfielder snubbing two exit routes, the Premier League is seen to be the most likely destination.

Ancelotti allegedly ‘dreams’ of reuniting with the 38-cap Spain international following their time together at the Santiago Bernabeu, despite recently dismissing reports of a move in a fiery response.

Hello Isco, goodbye Davies?

While Ancelotti was quick to rubbish speculation of a move for Isco last month, the persistent rumours linking the Italian with a bid to bring the Real Madrid outcast to Goodison Park would suggest there is interest on the Everton manager’s behalf.

Isco has been drip-fed minutes in the Spanish top-flight by Zinedine Zidane this term, who has called on the £18m-rated talent – valued as high as £81m in 2018 – to start three La Liga fixtures while earning the remaining 121 of his 306 minutes over five substitute appearances.

The four-time Champions League winner is also yet to register a goal or an assist, while penning a measly average of 0.5 key balls and 0.5 shots per league game, including zero accurate crosses, 1.1 successful dribbles and 18.1 accurate passes in the opponent’s half, per SofaScore.

Ancelotti welcoming Isco to Merseyside, despite his recent form, would surely spell bad news for Davies, who has found himself an outcast of the Italian’s plans this term with just one of his two Premier League starts to date coming in his natural midfield role.

Davies was called on to play at right-back for last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Championship title-holders Leeds United, and had played just 18 minutes of top-flight football outside of his starting role in October’s 4-2 win over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Ancelotti clearly does not rate Davies to a high standard, and would surely be looking for a replacement to the Toffees product should Everton forge efforts to sign Isco in January.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Chris Kirkland has admitted that he could see Mauricio Pochettino being appointed Newcastle manager if a takeover went through.

After months and months of hope and promise, Newcastle fans had to watch as the Saudi consortium’s proposed takeover fell through.

It all looked as though Mike Ashley’s tenure at St James’ Park would be coming to an end, but in a cruel twist of fate, the Premier League’s indecision and labouring eventually saw things collapse in the final stages.

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

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But with the Magpies still being linked with a potential takeover, all may not be over just yet. And speaking to FFC’s James Beavis, Kirkland delivered his thoughts on the Tyneside club appointing Pochettino as Steve Bruce’s replacement.

He said: “There’s talk if they get taken over, they will sack him [Bruce] and get Pochettino in or get somebody else in which is absurd for me. Nothing should surprise you in football.

“I could see it happening if they do get taken over. You can see them going for Pochettino if he’s still available.”

With his track record at Southampton and Tottenham especially, the Argentine would arrive with a wealth of top-level experience in the Premier League, and with an identity of playing attractive football.

The kind of negative approach that Bruce has adopted at St James’ Park is seeing indifferent results, with the Magpies of course suffering a 2-0 defeat to Southampton on Friday night.

If they do get taken over, bringing a name in like Pochettino could be the start of something great on Tyneside.

When Gareth Bale enjoyed his most devastating season at Tottenham in the 2012/2013 campaign, Andre Villas-Boas began to utilise him in a more central area, and to incredible effect.

In the ten games that he played in a second-striker position, the Wales superstar racked up six goals and five assists. There were a number of occasions where the 31-year-old picked the ball up in the inside right position before driving inside and unleashing a rocket into the top corner.

Ultimately, it was a case of getting the ball to the team’s best player and just letting him do his thing. Whilst Bale may have made his return to Spurs, there’s one man who Jose Mourinho could replicate AVB’s tactic with at the club: Heung-min Son.

The South Korea international, rated at £57.6m by Transfermarkt, has started the new campaign like a house on fire, scoring seven goals in six games, and picking up three assists too – just one of those goals came in the Europa League qualifying games, with the rest all in the Premier League.

The one game that he started the match through the middle came against Shkendija, and he showed his full ability, netting once and setting up two others.

His combination of pace, movement and clinical finishing has been a class above this season, and his outstanding four-goal haul against Southampton will live long in the memory.

The key takeaway from that game was how the 28-year-old didn’t play out wide or just hugging the touchline. Instead, he made a conscious effort whether through a tactical instruction or his own intuition to play more infield, and make those darting dangerous runs inside either the two centre-backs, or the full-back and centre-half.

Son is the man in form at the moment, and Mourinho would do well to strike while the iron is hot. Moving him into a more central position could see him wreak even more havoc.

Glasgow Rangers ace Steven Davis celebrated in style by crowning his landmark night with a crucial victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in a Euro 2020 qualifying play-off semi-final.

The Rangers stalwart sent Steven Gerrard a timely reminder in a game that went right to the wire. His 120th appearance went all the way to 120 minutes, which ended with an iconic twist when Northern Ireland won their first ever penalty shoot-out.

Rangers recently signed Bongani Zungu from Amiens on a season-long loan, but he could be forced to wait his turn, as Davis has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, at times it looked like he was playing with a point to prove…

Steven Davis’ Rangers role

Gerrard generally only plays three men in midfield, and he is hardly short of options to choose from, although his side have sometimes been accused of looking lethargic in the final third. As previously highlighted by Football FanCast, he wanted an attacking midfielder and had been previously linked with Huddersfield’s Juninho Bacuna and Preston North End’s Daniel Johnson, before settling for Zungu instead.

Davis, Glen Kamara and Scott Arfield have started two out of the past three league games together whilst Ryan Jack worked on his return from fitness and Joe Aribo remains absent due to injury. However, although the 120-cap Northern Ireland international’s work ethic is second to none, he arguably isn’t in his absolute prime any more.

But the Gers may have stumbled across the second coming of the seasoned veteran. Per SofaScore, the 35-year-old took 59 touches of the ball against Bosnia, whilst he won 75% of his aerial duels and made 34 passes at a pass accuracy rating of 79%. He also completed two clearances, two interceptions and made two tackles. And a look at his heatmap reveals he put in an immense shift around the outside of the centre circle as a critical component of the midfield.

Speaking to Sky Sports, his former Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino insisted you can put him in the same bracket as Barcelona greats Xavi and Andreas Iniesta as he shares “the intelligence to read the game.” Against Bosnia, Davis showed he is still an important part of the supply chain, with the ability to dictate play and control possession, which is something he does so well for his club. Write him off at your peril.

If Rangers are to regain the title, Gerrard is going to need all of the help he can possibly get. With Zungu arguably bringing more creativity to the engine room, the former captain could be a useful asset in the months ahead. And he didn’t cost a single penny – what a bargain!

AND in other news, Rangers boss Steven Gerrard should start Jermain Defoe instead of Alfredo Morelos…

According to a report from the Daily Mail, Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale on a season-long deal worth a reported £270,000-a-week – with manager Jose Mourinho apparently key in driving one of the deals of the summer window. 

Bale, who left north London for the Bernabeu seven years ago in a then-world record £85.3m move, has now completed a sensational return on a temporary basis, with the Welshman putting pen to paper on a loan deal which will make him the highest-paid player at Spurs above the likes of Harry Kane and Tanguy Ndombele. 

The 83-cap international’s return has excited a plethora of Spurs supporters, all of whom consider him a real cult hero, and they apparently have Mourinho to thank, with the manager reportedly key in striking a deal.

Indeed, the ex-Chelsea boss thought that Bale’s transfer was imperative to Tottenham’s 2020/21 Premier League hopes due to his flair and dynamism, and he will join fellow left-sided star Sergio Reguilon, who underwent a medical yesterday (Evening Standard). 

As per the Daily Mail, it would appear that the 31-year-old is now a Tottenham player, a notion which has excited many supporters given the various updates over the last 48 hours.

However, despite reportedly securing a deal for one of their club icons, Lilywhites could have even more reason to get excited, with recent updates suggesting that Spurs are not done there.

Reliable Football.London correspondent Alasdair Gold has claimed that a centre-back and striker are still on the agenda, and the end of the window could prove just as exciting as this latest update.

Spurs fans, who should the club sign next? Have your say in the comments below…

Next on the agenda for Tottenham Hotspur appears to be a new striker, but Jose Mourinho has been dealt a bitter blow this week…

What’s the word?

According to Dan Kilpatrick at the Evening Standard, Spurs’ transfer plans are being held up by a struggle to offload unwanted right-back Serge Aurier.

It’s thought that funds made through his sale would allow Mourinho to bolster his attacking department with a new forward but neither AC Milan or Bayer Leverkusen are willing to splash the cash on the Ivorian.

He goes on to claim that their attention has now turned to AFC Bournemouth striker Joshua King after being offered the relegated star.

Manchester United failed with a £20m bid for the 28-year-old during the January transfer window.

Versatile foil

A move for King makes a ton of sense for a multitude of reasons.

The Norway international reached double figures for goal involvements once again, even despite the Cherries being relegated to the Championship and prior to this campaign, he bagged at least eight goals in each of the previous three seasons – a best of 16 in 2016/17.

Having come through the system at United, King qualifies as a homegrown talent, which is another benefit to Mourinho.

It’s also no surprise to see the Portuguese boss being a big fan after the 28-year-old gave his Red Devils the runaround in 2017 – not only did King net from the spot, but he also recorded three dribbles, won nine duels and made 7 clearances all whilst playing as a number ten, via SofaScore.

That versatility could prove crucial throughout the season with Spurs having to qualify for the Europa League early doors. He can play out wide or through the middle, so not only will he be a backup to Harry Kane but also a potential partner and extra cover for the likes of Heung-min Son and Steven Bergwijn.

Eddie Howe believes King is “unique” and has also hailed him as a “complete package” in the past due to him being “outstanding physically, technically and mentally.”

Daniel Levy should do everything in his power to secure Spurs the prolific goalscorer this summer.

AND in other news, Spurs target a must for Mourinho after HUGE transfer update…

West Ham United are on a mission to somehow offload the deadwood in the ongoing summer transfer window, raise the necessary funds and then re-invest that money back into the squad. David Moyes knows keeping the team competitive going into the next season won’t be an easy task, not least because of the lack of resources.

And not to mention that the transfer market is a tough place and the Hammers may struggle to find bidders for players they want to get rid of. But, someone just might throw them a lifeline after all.

According to the latest update from the Daily Star, Lazio are interested in re-signing Felipe Anderson, a man Moyes is desperate to offload in the ongoing window. The really interesting part is that Anderson is a former Lazio player, having signed from the Italians and joining the Premier League outfit for £36m back in 2018.

Needless to say, his stay in London hasn’t exactly gone as planned and West Ham’s record arrival has more or less flopped in the English top-flight.

The same source claims there is, however, another problem. Yes, Lazio seem interested and may return for their man but as of right now, they have received no official bids. Not to mention that Anderson still has two years left on his current contract and is presumably on more than £80,000 a week.

This could indeed make him quite an expensive target for most clubs from abroad. But West Ham are desperate and they just might sell him for cheap in the end.

Verdict

At this point, it does feel like Moyes would accept almost any kind of deal just to ensure some of the players do indeed leave the club. Anderson is one of those players and Lazio are the Hammers’ best chance of recouping at least a bit of that initial sum they had to pay a couple of years ago.

According to journalist Alex Crook, Tottenham are looking to sign RB Leipzig star Marcel Sabitzer.

What’s the word?

Having taken over the reins in north London mid-way through the season, Jose Mourinho heads into his first summer transfer window in charge of Spurs looking to strengthen his team ahead of the new campaign.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

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And speaking on talkSPORT, Crook has claimed that the Lilywhites are aiming to beat a host of other top clubs to the signing of Austria international Sabitzer, who of course was instrumental in Leipzig’s Champions League triumph over Spurs.

The midfielder struck twice in the second leg of the contest as Julian Nagelsmann’s men dumped Spurs out of the competition.

Better than Dele Alli

Aside from delivering a masterclass against Spurs, Sabitzer was the picture of consistency for Leipzig throughout the 2019/2020 campaign.

All in all, he scored 16 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 games across all competitions, and when you consider that Spurs’ Premier League rivals Chelsea are reportedly planning on making a big-money move for Bayer Leverkusen starlet Kai Havertz, there’s a real argument that it’s Mourinho’s side who are getting the better player right now.

Whilst Havertz had a fine campaign himself – he netted 18 times and provided nine assists in 45 games – he was a complete shadow of himself in the Champions League. In the five matches he played in, he failed to score or provide a single assist, compared to Sabitzer who has been instrumental in Leipzig’s run to the semi-finals – he has four goals and three assists in eight matches.

Described as a “leader” by Nagelsmann, Sabitzer is the kind of perfect attacking midfielder that Mourinho would surely love. The Austrian’s current manager said: “He is incredibly ball-safe and a good ball conqueror with a lot of really great actions.” The 26-year-old does just as much off-the-ball as he does with it, and it’s something his boss at national team level has echoed.

Franco Foda remarked: “Marcel is a player who gives everything for 90 minutes, does a lot for the team and works a lot defensively.  He runs a lot, has some good technical moments, and is now scoring goals.”

When you look at just how inconsistent of a season Dele Alli had last year, he averaged a dismal 0.9 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per game, a move for Sabitzer makes so much sense. He’s far more of a reliable player in terms of his performances, and as the Lilywhites have seen themselves, steps up in the big occasions. The Austrian is a real live-wire, creating chances for others and putting them away himself. He’s the kind of all-action player Mourinho could build Spurs around.

Tottenham Hotspur are confident of completing a deal for Southampton star Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, despite the fact the Saints have accepted a bid from Everton. 

Jose Mourinho has identified Hojbjerg as the signing he needs to rebuild Tottenham’s midfield in the summer and the Dane has made it clear he wants to move to Spurs.

According to Fabrizio Romano via The Guardian, as per @Daily_Hotspur, Spurs are convinced that they can get a deal done.

The Italian transfer guru revealed talks between the two clubs are still ongoing, even though Everton have reportedly submitted a successful bid.

Recent reports suggested Southampton will use their £25m offer as a starting point in negotiations, although Daniel Levy will look to lower their asking price.

Hojbjerg has informed the Saints he will not sign a new deal at St Mary’s, which resulted in him being stripped of the captaincy by Ralph Hasenhuttl in response.

The midfielder has missed out on several occasions since the Premier League restart, although he played the full 90 minutes against Brighton at right-back.

Hojbjerg, 24, who is the same age as Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish, has played 33 games in the Premier League this season, supplying one assist, taking 1.4 shots, winning 2.4 tackles and completing 1.5 clearances per game on average (via WhoScored).

At some point it seemed like the Lilywhites were winning the race to sign the ex-Bayern Munich ace, but things are far from certain.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti is determined to get his man at all costs, while it looks like Levy is determined to drive down their valuation as low as he possibly can.

Spurs had hoped he would be available for a cut-price deal, as revealed by The Times, although this no longer seems to be the case.

However, it is worth pointing out they should be able to afford him, as Levy paid £53.8m to sign Tanguy Ndombele last year. Whether or not the chairman will be willing to splash the cash is another matter entirely, as he has gained an unsavoury reputation for being notoriously tight-fisted over the years.

Spurs still have an ace up their sleeve, as he is represented by Pini Zahavi, who has a strong relationship with Mourinho, and this may sweeten the deal.

Tottenham fans, do you think Levy should sign Hojbjerg in the summer? Let us know in the comments below!