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Chem Campbell is slowly but surely establishing himself as a first-team player at Wolves and the new manager must consider giving him more chances in the Premier League.

The 19-year-old winger has made four substitute appearances in the Premier League so far this season to take his tally in an Old Gold shirt to six, and he is surely knocking on the door for his first start as a senior Wolves player.

Last season saw the teenager contribute an impressive nine goals and nine assists in the Premier League 2, and considering Wolves’ woes in front of goal so far this campaign, Campbell surely deserves his chance to shine.

The Old Gold are now the lowest scorers in the football league with just three goals in their nine Premier League games thus far and with the likes of Pedro Neto, Sasa Kalajdzic and Raul Jimenez out injured, and Hwang Hee-Chan, Daniel Podence and Goncalo Guedes all struggling, Campbell could be the new manager’s solution.

Bruno Lage may have had doubts about playing the academy graduate on a regular basis as his contract was set to expire at the end of this season, however, it has been suggested that he is on the brink of signing a new contract at Molineux.

Once this behind-the-scenes development has been completed, there seems little reason why the 19-year-old shouldn’t get his chance to impress, and he will be hoping to win over whoever takes over from Lage at Molineux.

Wolves U23 boss, and current interim manager, James Collins was full of praise for Campbell when he made his senior debut against Newcastle United last season.

He said: “He’s always been a very talented boy, but sometimes it takes the really talented boys time to realise that it’s not just talent that gets you through.”

Praise has also been forthcoming from Steve Davis who once claimed that the Birmingham-born prodigy “can produce things out of nothing.”

With two goal contributions to his name in just four Premier League 2 appearances this season, Campbell is more than deserving of a first-team chance under the new Wolves boss, and given time, he could be the man to end the Old Gold’s shocking run of form in front of goal.

The Premier League’s fair value committee will likely limit Newcastle United pumping money into the club, but a new stadium naming rights deal could still end up totalling £20m a year.

The Lowdown: Stadium talks…

As per The i Paper, Magpies CEO Darren Eales recently revealed the north-east outfit intend to utilise the companies linked to their Saudi-backed owners as a means of expanding their commercial revenue.

Furthermore, Eales also suggested the Magpies are considering the possibility of a naming-rights deal for St James’ Park, which would allow the club to boost income under financial fair play rules.

The CEO insisted supporters would be consulted over any potential naming rights deal, and Plumley has now shared the type of figures fans can expect to see.

The Latest: £200m deal?

Plumley believes that over the course of a ten-year agreement, Newcastle could earn in the region of £200m with a stadium naming-rights deal.

Speaking with Football Insider, the football finance expert claimed:

“I think this will come down to two things.

“Historically, we’re looking at deals that have been done before. The other thing is the background of the Premier League taking a closer look at deals and seeing if they constitute fair value. that links to the ownership at Newcastle, as we know.

“As a result of that, it won’t be outrageously high because they will have to play the game a little bit.

“The benchmark was the £40m-a-year City deal with Etihad. But if we look lower than that, some of the figures that are doing the rounds with Everton and Tottenham are around £20m.

“We know money is no object to them and if there were no regulations then a naming rights deal could be worth anything. But they have to fall in line with regulations.

“The other interesting thing is we have to look at the history of that stadium’s name. We know people refer to it as St James’ Park, whereas with Spurs and Everton, those are brand new stadiums. The naming rights become more attractive with new stadiums.

“So there is plenty to go off there, but I think around the £20m figure is what we’re looking at.”

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The Verdict: Mixed reaction…

While a £200m boost in income would allow the Tyneside club to improve their squad and facilities without breaching FFP, it is likely fans will not be super receptive to the naming rights deal.

St James’ Park has been the home of Newcastle United since Newcastle East End and West End FC formally merged in 1892.

Having kept the name ever since, the only time this was ever abandoned was when former owner Mike Ashley temporarily renamed the ground the Sports Direct Arena back in 2011.

However, with huge backlash coming from Toon fans, this decision was quickly reversed. As such, this may not be the best idea for PIF to explore, as supporters may change their currently positive opinion of the new owners.

Juventus general manager Damien Comolli says the club will not accept an offer from Marseille for Timothy Weah unless it matches their asking price.

• Juventus say Marseille haven't made offer for Weah
• Clubs will have to match their asking price
• Comolli asserts USMNT man can't force a move

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Comolli has taken a stern stance on players who want to leave the club this summer. When asked about the situation surrounding Weah, the Juventus director clarified that the American striker wants to move to France. However, he asserted that players can't dictate the transfer window and the club will only allow a transfer if the price offered is right.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Weah and Samuel Mbangula were offered to Nottingham Forest for a combined fee of €22 million (£19m/$25m). This offer was rejected by Weah, but Juve, in a bid to force a move, benched him for the Club World Cup semi-final clash against Manchester City. This did not sit well with the player's agent, who called the tactic a 'disgrace'. Now, with Marseille's offer on the table, the club are reportedly playing hardball. Weah's agent accuses the club of raising his asking price to cause problems for the player. Comolli further added that the striker also runs the risk of spending time on the sidelines.

• WHAT COMOLLI SAID

  Comolli, in his interview with Sky Sport, said: "He wants to go to Marseille, but in football you can't choose a team, because if the right offer doesn't come, you're left on the sidelines. And the offer hasn't arrived yet."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?

  Marseille have reportedly bid around €15m (£13m/$17m) plus add-ons for Weah but Comolli reportedly wants the French club to up their bid to €20m (£17m/$23m). The Serie A club want to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain, and for that, they can look to generate funds by parting ways with Weah.

Tottenham Hotspur saw their four-game unbeaten streak come to an abrupt end on Wednesday evening, with Antonio Conte’s side losing out 2-0 to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Indeed, second-half strikes from Fred and Bruno Fernandes proved enough for the home team to take all three points from the fixture – a result that saw the fifth-placed Reds Devils close the gap on third-placed Spurs to just four points.

However, while the loss will undoubtedly have disappointed Conte, it will most certainly be the manner of the defeat that will have left the Italian most concerned, as Tottenham were thoroughly outplayed by Erik ten Hag’s outfit.

Over the course of the 90 minutes, the visitors enjoyed less possession of the ball – 52% to 48% – took fewer shots at goal – 28 to nine – hit the target with fewer attempts – ten to two – created fewer big chances – two to one – and completed fewer passes – 498 to 445 – than the home side.

Although, it was not only the collective display of Spurs that will be a cause for concern for the 53-year-old coach but also the extremely poor individual performances of a number of his first-team regulars – including Yves Bissouma, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Son Heung-min – who all earned dismal match ratings of 4 from Alasdair Gold.

However, it was undoubtedly centre-forward Harry Kane who was the most out of sorts yesterday evening, with the 29-year-old enduring an incredibly uncharacteristic shocker in the Tottenham attack.

Indeed, the £69.5m-rated talent offered his side very little in possession, enjoying just 40 touches of the ball – seven fewer than Hugo Lloris between the Spurs sticks – completing a mere 13 of his 22 attempted passes – a success rate of just 59% – and ceding possession on 20 separate occasions – meaning he lost the ball with every two touches he had on the night.

The England international also lost 64% of his duels up against the impressive Lisandro Martinez – who “pocketed” Kane throughout the fixture – and missed his side’s one big chance in front of goal, with these metrics seeing the £200k-per-week striker earn an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.3 – the worst of any player to feature in the match.

As such, while it is more than likely that this was just an off night for a forward who already has nine league goals to his name this season, it is nevertheless undeniable that Kane was Tottenham’s weakest link on Wednesday – something that cannot be said all that often.

Everton recruited well over the summer, completely reshaping a defence that last season shipped 66 goals into a solid unit that is yet to concede more than two in one game so far this term.

This is mainly thanks to Conor Coady and James Tarkowski, who have added a steely resolve to an otherwise disappointing backline.

The latter was brought in on a free transfer, and has especially excelled, earning calls that he should be selected for England.

He has many years left at the top of the game for the Toffees, but as he starts to decline he could perhaps bestow his wisdom upon one of the promising youngsters from Finch Farm.

It might have to wait until next season though, as Jarrad Branthwaite is busy performing admirably for PSV Eindhoven.

Just last night he started for the Dutch giants against Arsenal in the Europa League and kept quiet Mikel Arteta’s rampant side.

Maintaining a clean sheet, the 20-year-old made four clearances and two interceptions, whilst winning 100% of his duels throughout the night – earning an extremely respectable SofaScore match rating of 6.9 against an Arsenal attack that have scored 25 goals in just 11 Premier League fixtures so far this season.

He boasts a maturity far beyond his years and already has 13 senior appearances for the Toffees under his belt. His incredible physical attributes have seen him make appearances under numerous managers at Goodison Park, including the legendary Carlo Ancelotti.

Standing at 6-foot-4, one of his former bosses Steven Pressley noted: “The thing with Jarrad is, he is actually very, very quick.”

He continued to praise the defender: “The truth is, I think he has got everything. He can pass the ball almost equally as good with both feet. He’s a terrific footballer. And If he continues to develop, then, without doubt, he can be an England player.”

This season, Tarkowski is averaging a 7.26 SofaScore rating and 5.8 clearances per game under Frank Lampard’s leadership, which is obviously a strength of his, to be in the right places at the right time.

It is clear that Branthwaite has the physical qualities to far surpass the former Burnley stalwart, and upon returning next season he could learn plenty from him and Coady to allow him to blossom into a sensational centre-back.

After their relegation from the Premier League in 2021, West Bromwich Albion valued Sam Johnstone at £20m, but the Baggies could only watch on as he left on a free transfer the following summer.

The shot-stopper made the move to the Hawthorns in 2018, joining from Manchester United in a deal worth £6.5m after impressing in the Championship with Midlands rivals Aston Villa.

Johnstone would go on to make 167 appearances for the club, in which he conceded 216 goals and kept 45 clean sheets, with his performances certainly catching the eye in the 2020/21 campaign despite relegation from the top flight, with Gary Lineker labelling him “unbelievable” after some impressive saves.

The Preston-born goalkeeper earned a call-up to the England squad and West Brom were determined to make a big profit on him, despite his contract being set to expire in 2022.

Amid interest from West Ham United and old side Manchester United, with Johnstone no doubt to remain in the top flight after making a name for himself in the top division, West Brom demanded £20m for his services.

Unfortunately, that price proved to be too high for any interested parties, as the Hammers saw a £10m bid rejected, and he would remain in the Championship with the Baggies, making 36 appearances in the 2021/22 campaign as they endured a disappointing 10th place finish.

Johnstone was never going to extend his contract at the Hawthorns after such an underwhelming campaign and was free to move to the Premier League upon the expiry of his contract.

He would join Crystal Palace and while he is yet to usurp Vicente Guaita as the no.1 choice at Selhurst Park, making just one appearance so far, it seems likely that he will step up as the main man in between the sticks in Patrick Vieira’s side once the 35-year-old Spaniard moves on.

Had West Brom not been so greedy and demanded such a high fee for Johnstone, then they could have sold him to the Premier League and used the money to improve the squad, rather than losing such a talented player for nothing.

Liverpool are considering a move to sign RB Leipzig midfielder Konrad Laimer in 2023, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Bayern move falls through

The Austrian’s contract with the Bundesliga giants is set to expire at the end of the season, and despite having agreed personal terms with Bayern Munich over the summer, the two parties failed to complete a deal before the deadline.

The Reds were credited with a late interest in the 25-year-old in the previous window, and it sounds like they are once again weighing up the possibility of bringing him to the Premier League next year.

The Latest: Liverpool eyeing Laimer

According to 90min, Liverpool monitoring Laimer still ‘remains the case’, with the maestro under the ‘serious consideration’ of FSG ahead of a January approach.

The 24-cap international and his representatives are claimed to be ‘open to all options’, which include a ‘possible move’ to England.

He is currently recovering from an ankle injury, though ‘is expected’ to be ready to be thrown into action following the conclusion of the World Cup.

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The Verdict: Melo replacement

Arthur Melo is set to be sidelined for the foreseeable future and so Laimer, an ‘unsung hero’ according to journalist Josh Bunting, would be the perfect replacement.

The Austria star is a real creative spark in the centre, having racked up 18 assists and 11 goals during his time at Leipzig, alongside averaging 2.8 tackles and 1.8 dribbles per league game (WhoScored).

The 5 foot 9 talisman could be available on a cut-price deal given his contract situation, and Liverpool need to act fast if they want to capitalise and lure their target to Anfield.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola ‘may walk’ at the end of the season having not signed a new contract, according to Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell.

The Lowdown: Big few weeks ahead

The Premier League boss has now entered the final 12 months of his deal at the Etihad, but so far has refused to commit to extending his stay beyond the 2022/23 campaign.

The Daily Mail have recently claimed that the 51-year-old is set to make an official decision on his future during the upcoming World Cup break, with his wife expected to have a big influence on the outcome he delivers.

The Latest: Campbell’s comments

Asked by Football Insider whether it was obvious that Guardiola would put pen to paper on fresh terms, Campbell said:

“I’m not sure it is.

“It has gone quite quiet. He should not be allowed to get down to the final seven months of his contract. If I was a Man City fan I would be worried.

“At the end of the day, he may walk at the end of the season. Guardiola is the key to everything. Right now, he is not secure.

“From a player’s and a fan’s point of view, it is a concern. There is an element of doubt.

“Listen, he might sign a new deal in the break. But there is a serious risk of things being unsettled.”

The Verdict: Tie him down

Guardiola is undoubtedly the one who holds all the power when it comes to this decision now, but the hierarchy have got to table him the best offer possible in a bid to tie him down.

The Spaniard’s numbers have been simply unbelievable during his time in the top flight, winning 276, drawing 43 and losing just 54 of his 373 matches in charge, averaging 2.34 points per game (Transfermarkt).

The Santpedor-born coach has also led his side to 11 titles, and this will only increase should he reaffirm his commitment to the Sky Blues in the weeks ahead.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Youssoufa Moukoko to north London in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by 90min, who claim that Fabio Paratici sent Spurs scouts to watch Borussia Dortmund’s 4-2 defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach last Friday, with the BVB centre-forward believed to be the focus of the Premier League club’s attention.

Further reports have claimed that both Manchester United and Liverpool are also keeping a close eye on the situation of the 17-year-old ahead of launching their own potential move for the striker – for whom the Bundesliga side are believed to be demanding a figure in the region of €30m (£26.2m).

Finally, The Mirror suggest that, with Moukoko earning a surprise call-up to Hansi Flick’s Germany squad for the upcoming World Cup, interested clubs will be presented with a prime opportunity to take a closer look at the teenager in Qatar – with Die Mannschaft facing off with Spain, Japan and Costa Rica in Group E.

The next Messi

Considering the abundance of potential and ability that Moukoko already possesses, it is not hard to understand why Paratici would be interested in a move for the Dortmund starlet in January.

Indeed, after scoring a breathtaking 141 goals and registering 27 assists over 90 fixtures for Dortmund’s U17, U19 and reserve sides, the striker was handed his senior debut as a newly-turned 16-year-old back in November 2020, bagging three goals over 22 outings in 2021/22.

However, over his 14 Bundesliga appearances – only eight of which have come as starts – in the current campaign, the £26.2m-rated talent has truly exploded, scoring six goals, registering four assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots – 1.1 of which have hit the target – making 0.5 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

Rather unsurprisingly, these returns have seen the five-foot-ten attacker draw a significant amount of praise, with Flick stating of the 17-year-old upon his call-up to Germany’s World Cup squad:

“We’ve got two new players in Youssoufa Moukoko and Niclas Füllkrug. We’re delighted for the pair of them – with Timo Werner and Lukas Nmecha out, they could give us that special something.

“Both have improved fantastically this season. Youssoufa is just on a fantastic path of development. He’s quick, lively and has a great shot. We’re looking forward to seeing him. We have a lot of attackers who can play in several positions.”

Meanwhile, Bundesliga.com went as far as to compare the Yaoundé-born starlet to a certain Lionel Messi, writing of the Dortmund gem last year:

“Whilst Bundesliga.com would like to urge caution in comparing any player to Messi – a six-time Ballon d’Or winner who has revolutionised the sport – there are some parallels which are difficult to ignore.

“Often players playing up an age group or four are physical specimens, fortunate to have evolved into manhood ahead of most of their peers. But whilst Moukoko is by no means lacking in strength or speed, reducing his incredible goal-haul simply to those factors would be lazy journalism at best.

“Having only recently hit five-foot-ten in height, the majority of defenders Moukoko has lined up against have towered over him throughout his career to date. Instead, Moukoko uses his low centre of gravity, sharp control and impressive game awareness to make and take chances. He also has a deft touch with his favoured left foot and is ice-cold in front of goal.”

As such, it is easy to see why Paratici would be keen on a move for the teenager whose elder brother, Borel Moukoko, dubbed a “wonder” in January, as the Dortmund sensation not only appears to be a generational talent, but he could well prove to become the next Messi-eqsue star in European football – something that is undoubtedly an incredibly exciting prospect.

Borussia Monchengladbach will find it hard to keep hold of rumoured Aston Villa target Marcus Thuram, according to assistant manager Oliver Neuville.

The Lowdown: Villa keen on Thuram signing

The 25-year-old is currently on 2022 World Cup duty with France, as he looks to help the world champions retain their crown in Qatar.

Away from international commitments, Thuram has been linked with a move to Villa, with Unai Emery eyeing him up as a potential new signing.

The forward has scored 10 goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances this season and his current Monchengladbach deal expires at the end of the current campaign.

The Latest: Hard to keep hold of him

Speaking to Radio Sportiva [via Sport Witness], coach Neuville admitted that the German side are going to struggle to keep Thuram, amid much interest in him:

“He’s having a great season, he scored a lot of goals. It’s clear that last year he may have been injured a lot, but he still has a contract until the end of the season.

“I think it will be difficult for him to stay at Gladbach because if he continues to score so many goals it is certain that he will have many offers in Italy or Spain or England.

“You also have to be a bit realistic. I hope he stays here at Monchengladbach, but now he has also been called up by the French national team for the World Cup. It will be difficult for him to extend his contract, I hope so, but the chances are slim.”

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The Verdict: Will Villa have the pull?

Thuram could be a potent attacking signing for Villa as his goalscoring ability for Monchengladbach is undeniable, with 41 goals coming his way for them, taking his senior tally to 59.

Whether or not the Villans have the pull to lure him to the club is debatable, however, with the France international potentially keen on playing in Europe, with the likes of Newcastle and Tottenham also linked with a move.

Emery’s reputation as an elite coach who has won four Europa League titles could certainly help, though, and Thuram has the ability to take Villa to another level, being hailed as ‘phenomenal’ by Denis Zakaria.