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Mark Douglas has claimed in his latest piece for The Chronicle that the latest sanctions by the UK government on human rights abusers will not affect the proposed takeover of Newcastle United.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab addressed the House of Commons with new post-Brexit sanctions for certain events that fall into the category of human rights abuse, including that of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, where as many as 20 Saudi nationals are thought to be involved in his death.

Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of the late Khashoggi, has also accused the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian (KSA) crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) of being involved in his killing, however, nobody from the Saudi government, including MbS himself, have been found to have been involved as of yet.

The Saudi crown prince and his country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) are set to take an 80 per cent stake in the Magpies if the prospective £300 million deal between Mike Ashley and the buying side, which also includes businesswoman and head of PCP Capital Partners Amanda Staveley and the billionaire Reuben brothers originally from India but based in London, is eventually approved by the Premier League.

The consortium must pass the Owners’ and Directors’ Test (ODT) set out by the top flight, and MbS has been questioned as to whether he fits the criteria of being a fit and proper person.

However, Douglas does not see this as a problem even following the news of the sanctions, as MbS or his PIF were not said to be connected in the ruling over Khashoggi’s murder.

“To the straightforward question: will this have any impact on the bid the answer – surely – is no. Those close to the bid have always denied any link between anyone who has involvement or will have day-to-day responsibilities in any wrong-doings. That includes piracy, the biggest issue they have dealt with, but extends to the brutal murder of Khassogi,” Douglas wrote.

This may be a positive sign for some members of the Toon faithful, as they still await a final decision to be made by England’s highest division.

Geordies, do you agree with Douglas? Comment below!

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Callum Wilson from Bournemouth this summer, according to Sky Sports as relayed by Ricky Sacks. 

Recent reports revealed Tottenham are leading the race to sign the Cherries ace, although Daniel Levy will face a transfer battle with Premier League rivals Newcastle United and West Ham if he wishes to secure his signature.

After his side finished in the top six on the final day of the campaign, Jose Mourinho is preparing for his first summer window in charge of Spurs as he turns his attention to next season.

Levy has insisted he will not be spending “rivers of money” in the summer so Mourinho has a tough task on his hands as he will have to hunt for bargains, look for free agents and sort out swap deals to improve his squad.

Wilson was widely tipped to move to north London last year as reports suggested Mauricio Pochettino was preparing an £80m swoop for two Bournemouth players. As a move failed to materialise, Mourinho wants to succeed where his predecessor could not, as he is determined to get his man before the start of next season.

The Cherries have rejected any attempts to sign their star striker in the past but they are now in a precarious position as they have been relegated to the Championship.

The England international earns wages worth £110,000-a-week and he may have to take a considerable pay cut if he wants to remain in the Premier League. In comparison, Harry Kane is one of the club’s highest-paid earners with his latest contract earning him £200,000 per week.

Wilson, 28, has struggled for goals this season, as he has only scored eight times in the English top flight, having managed nearly double that total last year.

Will he want to play second fiddle to Kane? That remains to be seen, as this is a problem that has plagued Spurs for several years. Eddie Howe’s side will sell the forward for £20m as they seek to get rid of his salary as soon as possible.

The 26-year-old’s absence showed the Lilywhites lack real depth in the striking department and they must find suitable cover and competition for their talisman at all costs.

Tottenham fans, should Levy sign Wilson in the summer? Let us know down below!

Lots of Everton fans have been gushing over a transfer link to Wigan Athletic ace Antonee Robinson as Alan Myers have reported that the Merseyside club as well as Scott Parker’s Fulham have joined Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United in the race for his signature in the window.

As per the outlet, the Blades have had a bid of £2 million accepted by the Latics, but the deal has not been finalised as of yet, meaning that Carlo Ancelotti’s team may be able to swoop in for his services.

Indeed, Robinson impressed with his displays in the 2019/20 season, so much so that Italian giants AC Milan were linked with a move for him on transfer deadline day back in January, but it failed to materialise.

The left-back was part of the youth team set-up at Goodison Park, where he played in 27 games in all competitions across three consecutive seasons, according to Transfermarkt.

He could be brought in to fill the void left by Leighton Baines, who retired at the end of the last campaign (via BBC).

At 23 years of age, Robinson still has plenty of time to grow and develop in his position, which could be good news for the Toffees for the future.

These EFC supporters gushed upon reading the news on Twitter, with one Blue even branding him as ‘brilliant’:

Evertonians, would Robinson be a good signing? Comment below!

As Leeds United gear up for their first season back in the Premier League after numerous years, Victor Orta and co will no doubt be working tirelessly to ensure the squad is strengthened ahead of the new campaign.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side finished as winners of the Championship, but one area of major concern for the Argentine, must surely have been the lack of real efficiency from his central strikers.

Patrick Bamford managed just 16 goals over the course of the league season, and was responsible for missing a number of gilt-edged opportunities – in fact, as per Sofascore, he squandered a whopping 33 ‘big chances’.

Is it Haaland Snr or David Hopkins? Your Leeds knowledge will be put to the test with this quiz…



World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

It’s no surprise then that according to The Daily Mirror, the Whites are eyeing up a potential swoop for Liverpool starlet Rhian Brewster, who spent last season on loan at Swansea.

The report claims that the 20-year-old is set for another loan spell away from Anfield, and that Leeds are “keen to add him to their ranks”.

After joining Swansea in the January transfer window, Brewster made up for lost time by racking up an impressive ten goals in just 20 league games.

Hailed as “wonderfully skilled” by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, the striker enjoyed an impressive game against Leeds themselves, despite ending up on the losing side.

Brewster was unlucky to score at the Liberty Stadium, seeing both of his shots saved by Illan Meslier in the Leeds goal, whilst he caused Ben White all sorts of problems with his surprisingly physical approach.

He made two tackles, won three of his six ground duels, and earned a free-kick too, with White struggling to keep him in check – the centre-back made no tackles whatsoever, and lost possession 12 times.

If Leeds are looking for someone to add some real firepower to their side, then they could do a lot worse than Brewster.

According to an update courtesy of freelance football journalist Peter Harding, Crystal Palace winger and previous Tottenham target Wilfried Zaha ‘wants to leave’ Selhurst Park with Everton his preferred choice – but Daniel Levy still may have been handed a chance to scupper the deal and land a much-needed winger. 

Spurs are reportedly on the look-out for a winger over this summer window, as well as a centre-back and striking partner for Harry Kane, and Zaha may fit the bill if Levy manages to swoop in and take advantage of the player’s unrest across London.

Turned off by his staggering £80 million price tag at the beginning of 2020, The Sun claim he may be available for a discounted £30m, a price far more in line with how much Levy could be willing to pay.

Described as ‘the next Ronaldo’ by ex-Spurs boss and fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino, Zaha is one of Palace’s key stars and has attracted plenty of interest over the last few seasons.

An update from Sky Sports suggests Roy Hodgson’s side are preparing for the worst case scenario, having his successor already lined up in Sassuolo winger Jeremie Boga.

Tottenham rival manager Mikel Arteta is certainly an admirer of the winger, having labelled him ‘phenomenal’ as well as ‘unique’ and ‘terrific’ (The Metro).

Zaha is now allegedly yearning for a move away from Palace, and given his discounted price tag and proven ability in the top flight, now may be the perfect time to strike for his signature.

Spurs fans, should Wilfried Zaha be targeted after this latest development? Have your say in the comments below…

It’s no secret that West Ham United boss David Moyes is after defensive reinforcements before the transfer deadline in a little over two weeks time and now fresh reports have linked them to a new right-back addition.

90min claim that the Irons are leading the race to sign Monaco outcast Djibril Sidibe with the likes of Wolves and Newcastle United also keen to sign him on loan this summer.

However, the Ligue 1 outfit will only let the 28-year-old depart if there’s an obligation to buy at the end of the temporary switch, so clearly he’s a player that’s no longer wanted in France.

Some at the London Stadium may recognise the defender quite well as he enjoyed a loan spell at Everton last season where he made a total of 28 appearances in all competitions, though his performances were not enough for the Toffees to sanction a €14m (£12.8m) permanent move.

Sidibe was part of the side that defeated the Hammers 2-0 back in October and he put in quite the defensive masterclass up against Felipe Anderson and Arthur Masuaku.

Per SofaScore, the Frenchman recorded four tackles, won four ground duels, created one big chance and delivered two accurate crosses – all resulting in a 7.4 rating.

Anderson’s afternoon was so poor that he was subbed off at half-time.

Whether he’d be a good addition for Moyes very much remains to be seen – Toffees caretaker Duncan Ferguson called him “unbelievable” after playing through illness against Chelsea whilst Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville slammed him for his display against Arsenal, labelling his defending a “madness.”

AND in other news,  many Hammers fans rave about one man’s HUGE display against Arsenal…

Mark Robins will look to make it back-to-back wins this coming weekend as Coventry City travel to face Barnsley in the Championship.

The impressive 3-2 win over Queens Park Rangers last weekend saw the Sky Blues gain their first three points of the new season.

Gaining promotion from League One to the Championship last term, Robins has made significant changes to his squad via the transfer market, bringing in a whole host of new faces, including Gustavo Hamer from PEC Zwolle and Callum O’Hare on a permanent deal from Aston Villa.

For the trip to Barnsley, Robins is unlikely to make any changes to the starting 11 which will ultimately be a key decision as he looks to gain a second win in three games.

Having three names on the injury list at the present time in Liam Kelly, Wes Jobell and Julien Dacosta, Robins has a fairly fit side. Whilst Kelly is back in training, it has been confirmed that the Barnsley game will come too soon.

Marko Marosi will continue in between the sticks, behind a back three of Dominic Hyam, Kyle McFadzean and Leo Ostigard.

The left wing back role will be taken up by Ryan Giles and Fankaty Dabo could keep his place on the opposite side.

Jamie Allen and Gustavo Hamer looked comfortable together last weekend and they will be deployed in the holding midfielder roles, allowing the likes of O’Hare and Jordan Shipley to play in advanced midfield roles.

The lone striker role will be taken up by Matt Godden, who has netted twice in two Championship outings, but Tyler Walker will be desperate to get on the pitch and be handed a chance by Robins.

Do you think Coventry can get all three points against Barnsley? Let us know in the comments section below…

Southampton are in the running to land a deal for Watford veteran Troy Deeney before the EFL transfer window closes this week.

According to written version of The Sunday Mirror (via tbrfootball.com), The Saints are rivalling two other Premier League sides who are also looking to bring the Englishman back to the top flight. No asking price has been named for Deeney but as it stands, he has less than 12 months left on his current contract and he is not getting much game time for the Hornets.

An ideal back-up for Ings

Transfermarkt currently value the striker at £5.8million so an offer in that region could be enough to get a deal done. However, as the 32-year-old looks to be surplus to Vladimir Ivic’s side, Watford may accept a much smaller fee.

With Ralph Hasenhuttl already strengthening his attack with the addition of Theo Walcott on loan from Everton, bringing in Deeney would be a smart move to further bolster Southampton’s ranks. The Austrian could play two men up top and have both experienced strikers posing a threat, but the likelihood is that the Watford skipper would still play second fiddle to Danny Ings.

The former Liverpool man has a gruesome backlog of injuries, suffering ACL damage during his time at Anfield. Saints fans will be keeping a close eye on Ings’ fitness in case his previous problems come back to haunt him and having another option to manage Ings’ game time could be a wise move. At 32, Deeney might be looking for the club he wants to retire with and Southampton could be a good destination for him.

Hasenhuttl will want to improve on his 11th place finish last season and he might even be eying up a top six place in the near future. Deeney’s seniority and desire to win a trophy could be a driving force in a Southampton side that is seemingly on the rise.

In other news, Agent says Brandon Williams would be “absolutely mental” not to join Southampton…

Everton defender Callum Connolly may have found his perfect fit for 2021 already as he has sung the praises of Fleetwood Town after securing a second loan spell with the League One side.

What’s the word?

Connolly completed his temporary return to Fleetwood for the 2020/21 season during the final week of the domestic transfer window, after spending the second half of last term with Joey Barton’s outfit.

The 23-year-old was a regular for the third-tier side, making 13 straight outings in the starting line-up before the season was cut short due to the pandemic, while featuring in each of their Play-Off Semi-Final ties with eventual winners Wycombe Wanderers.

Barton awarded the defender his second debut against Accrington Stanley at the Wham Stadium on Tuesday evening, after which Connolly spoke of his joy at returning to Highbury and playing for the Cod Army.

“It’s great to be back,” he said, to Fleetwood’s official website. “I was here last year and it’s great to be back in a Fleetwood Town kit, it was a tough one to take tonight and hopefully it’s going to be a better season than last year and hopefully we can learn our lesson tonight where we can get going on push on.

“It’s a friendly squad, there’s a lot of scousers, it’s a great team where everyone is dead down to earth. The new lads that have come in are great and you can get along with everyone, you can see it on the pitch, and hopefully, when we keep on playing and training together it will one day click, and we can be a force.”

Connolly has just eight months remaining on his current Everton contract and he is expected to leave the Toffees once his Fleetwood loan expires.

Found his new home?

While Connolly is not thought to have a future at Goodison Park, the 23-year-old may have found his new home already in Fleetwood, given how much pride he takes from playing for the League One side and the admiration that he receives from those connected with the Highbury club.

Barton lauded Connolly last winter for being able to play not only in defence but also in midfield, with the Cod Army boss stating to the Blackpool Gazette: “We thought he would give us versatility but every position he’s gone into, he’s just played better.

“He’s played left centre-half and was superb, then he flipped over to right centre-half and he was superb. He went into centre-midfield and scored a goal against Peterborough last week. Then we pushed him into the number 10 role against Portsmouth to put pressure on Tom Naylor and give us a pressing platform, and he pops up with another.”

It can only be presumed that Barton and Connolly will look to sound out the potential of a deal to keep the £1.44m-rated man at Highbury beyond his full season on loan, given that Everton will not be due a transfer fee for the player who first joined the Toffees’ academy in 2006.

AND in other news, Everton will be in heaven over a 29-year-old who’s causing his former side to regret accepting a summer transfer.

After the incredible goalscoring start Callum Wilson has enjoyed, it’s only fair to assume that the striker would be hoping his manager try and either build the side around him, or play to his strengths.

Newcastle’s summer striker had bagged six goals in seven Premier League games prior to the clash against Southampton on Friday night, and that form surely warranted Steve Bruce to really try and tap into that a little bit more.

Instead, the Magpies inexplicably sat back even more and showed virtually little attacking intent, and it was no surprise to see them fall meekly to a 2-0 defeat on the south cast.

And when you look at Wilson’s display, it’s hard not to feel sorry for him.

As per Sofascore, the England international managed just 21 touches of the ball, 15 less than goalkeeper Karl Darlow. And if that wasn’t sad or damning enough, then the fact he made just four total passes in the 78 minutes he was on the pitch before he was substituted with an injury, said it all.

It’s a crying shame that even despite signing a Premier League proven striker, Newcastle show no desire to play the kind of football that could get the best out of him.

Instead, even with their talented attacking players like Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin for example, they continue to play one way, and one way only.

And sure enough, with Wilson feeding off scraps all night (and even ‘scraps’ is a bit of a reach), he pulled up with a hamstring injury and was forced to go off.

Now, the Magpies face the prospect of being without their one genuine goal-scorer for the next game and potentially even more. All in all, it was a very sobering night for Newcastle, and one that raises major questions about Bruce’s tactics.