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An update has emerged on Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, regarding Newcastle’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, Newcastle are battling it out with Crystal Palace to land Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher on a season-long loan.

Both clubs are looking to snap him up following his impressive loan spell with West Brom in the Premier League last season. The report also states that Chelsea are not interested in selling him and a loan is the only option for Newcastle.

Forget Willock

Newcastle are reportedly keen on signing Joe Willock from Arsenal, but as it stands they do not have the requisite funds to land him on a permanent deal. This means that their pursuit of the midfielder could be all but over and they will need to look elsewhere in the market to strengthen the middle of the park, which is where Gallagher comes into play.

It is time to forget about Willock and start concentrating on the prospect of the 21-year-old Blues ace arriving at St. James’ Park.

He was in a difficult situation at The Hawthorns as Sam Allardyce’s side were scraping for survival throughout the campaign, eventually succumbing to demotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking, and that made it tricky for him to stand out.

However, he rolled his sleeves up and showed that he can be a combative nuisance in midfield at the top level. The youngster averaged 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game for the Baggies, proving that he can get about the pitch to break up the play and win the ball back.

Whilst he was on loan at Swansea previously, Sky Sports pundit Keith Andrews lavished praise on the midfielder and his “unbelievable” energy. He called him the ‘classic No 8’ in the sense that he can make an impact in both boxes.

He said: “But the one thing he has got is a fantastic engine, much like Lee Bowyer or Frank Lampard – it’s amazing, the resemblances between those two in their younger years particularly. But for me, he’s a classic No 8; he has an unbelievable energy, he does the ugly side of the game, but you have to let him off the leash and let him get forward.”

The £17k-per-week beast could, therefore, be a great addition to Bruce’s squad and strengthen his options in midfield. This is why the former Villa boss would love to bring Gallagher in on loan as he could add some steel to their side to attack the Premier League next season.

AND in other news, Ashley must sanction NUFC deal for “tremendous” £38k-p/w powerhouse, Bruce needs him…

Sheffield Wednesday are interested in signing Preston North End striker Jayden Stockley in the summer transfer window, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Moore on the lookout for new signings

The Owls were relegated from the Championship last season, with their points deduction proving to be too difficult to overcome in the end.

With a number of players expected to leave this summer, Darren Moore will be eyeing up reinforcements, looking to mastermind his side’s return to the second tier.

The Latest: Owls linked with Stockley move

According to the Lancashire Post, Wednesday are one of a number of clubs keen on making a move for Stockley, with the 27-year-old potentially leaving Preston.

Portsmouth are another of those clubs mentioned in the report, but the Owls are also in the hunt, and it is ‘up to Stockley where he wants to go.’

The Verdict: A move that makes sense

The striker could be a solid addition for Moore’s side, having scored eight goals and registered two assists on loan at Charlton Athletic last season.

While not necessarily prolific, he could be a good squad player, with his 6ft 3in frame making him a handful for opposition defenders.

Stockley won an incredible 9.8 aerial battles per game for the Addicks, highlighting what a monstrous presence he can be in the air, which could come in very handy in League One.

In other news, Sheff Wed reportedly face competition for the signing of one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Rangers’ hopes of signing Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson this summer look to have taken a setback after Watford submitted another bid for the 21-year-old, which suggests that Steven Gerrard and Ross Wilson need to act quickly if they are to bring him to Ibrox this summer.

Rangers were touted with an interest in the Scotland U’21 international by Football Insider recently, as they claimed that the Gers were ready to submit a bid for the youngster after he handed in a transfer request at Pittodrie.

Aberdeen subsequently rejected Ferguson’s request and suggested in a club statement that they had also turned down an ‘insulting’ offer from Watford, as they look to add to their squad following promotion back to the Premier League.

However, it seems clear that the Hornets are not to be deterred, with The Sun suggesting that Watford have already had two bids for Ferguson rejected by Aberdeen and are now readying a third for him ahead of the summer transfer window.

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It is no surprise that the 21-year-old is attracting interest, as he enjoyed a superb season for the Dons in 2020/21, contributing nine goals in all competitions, whilst his performances in the Scottish Premiership saw him average an impressive 7.07 average rating from WhoScored.

This was the second-best of any player in Stephen Glass’ squad to make at least 10 league appearances this season, so it is clear to see why they have thus far rejected Watford’s advances, as he is a key player at Pittodrie.

However, he wouldn’t have handed in a transfer request if he wasn’t keen to test himself at a higher level and eventually Watford will meet Aberdeen’s valuation, so Rangers arguably need to get their act together and submit a bid if they do want to bring him to Ibrox this summer.

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The “brilliant” 21-year-old could certainly be a stellar addition to Gerrard’s squad and would reportedly be keen on a switch to Ibrox, so Rangers fans will rightfully be gutted if the club doesn’t make a bid for him and lose out to Watford in this intriguing transfer race.

And, in other news… Gerrard must axe Rangers’ “exciting talent” from Ibrox after his huge setback

Lawrie Sanchez doesn’t believe that Roberto Martinez would turn down the Tottenham job, but has doubts over whether the Spaniard could cope with the pressure.

Martinez is currently preparing for the European Championships with Belgium which start next month and hasn’t managed in the Premier League since his sacking from Everton at the end of the 2015-2016 season.

He led the Toffees to fifth place in his first season at Goodison Park, but consecutive 11th-place finishes led to his departure.

He’s since produced some impressive work with Belgium, leading them to number one in the world ranks after their third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup, but there will be pressure on Martinez to guide the Red Devils to European Championship glory.

Martinez, who won the FA Cup with Wigan after getting Swansea promoted out of League One, is on a long list of managers being linked with the job and is reportedly continuing to have talks with Spurs, who are hoping to appoint Jose Mourinho’s successor in the coming days.

But having failed to previously manage a traditional top side club, Sanchez has questioned whether the 47-year-old could make the step up.

He exclusively told Football FanCast:

“Spurs is a great job. Martinez would only be too happy to come back. The trouble with Martinez is, he went to a big club and failed.

“He did a smashing job with Swansea and Wigan, but stepping up to the big job, people will question having failed at Everton, can he handle a big club?

“I wouldn’t be surprised. He would love the chance and it would be interesting to see whether having done as well internationally whether that could translate into being ready for a big job that perhaps he wasn’t ready for at Everton.”

Rangers have been linked with Milwall striker Adbul Abulmalik recently and the youngster could prove to be the long-term heir to Jermain Defoe at Ibrox should he join Steven Gerrard’s side this summer.

The Gers have been linked with the 18-year-old recently, with Swansea City having reportedly made an offer to the England U17 international.

Abdulmalik is attracting plenty of interest as he is yet to sign a professional deal at The Den, meaning he would be available for a small compensation fee this summer, should he decide to sign his first contract with Rangers rather than with the Championship side.

The striker, according to Millwall’s website, has featured regularly for the U18 and U23 sides, whilst he hit four goals in four FA Youth Cup games in the 2019/20 season (Transfermarkt) which emphasises his eye for goal at a young age.

The fact that he is yet to make his senior debut with the Lions suggests that if he did move to Scotland, he would join up with Rangers’ academy sides rather than making an immediate impact in the first-team squad, but he could certainly prove himself a worthy signing in the future.

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Arsenal are also said to have watched him ahead of a potential summer move and given their reputation for spotting and developing young English players such as Bukayo Saka, Abdulmalik could certainly be worth the gamble for Ross Wilson and Rangers this summer.

If he were to join and impress with the academy sides, then there seems no reason why he couldn’t step up into the Rangers first-team in the future, and perhaps become their long-term replacement for Defoe.

The 38-year-old veteran recently signed a new contract which will keep him at Ibrox next season as a player/coach but given that he made just 15 league appearances last season, the majority of which came from the bench, his playing days could soon be over.

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Rangers may be in need of a replacement in the near future and if the “fabulous” Adbulmalik can realise his obvious potential, then he could prove to be a big hit at Ibrox and could save the club a lot of money.

And, in other news… “Exceptional” Rangers beast may have already played his last game after setback

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Tottenham Hotspur legend, Paul Stewart, has claimed that Harry Kane is very likely to leave this summer as he is an ambitious player.

Kane has been heavily linked with a move away this summer as Tottenham continue to fall behind their rivals and after another season of not winning any silverware, Spurs’ number nine could look for pastures new.

After bursting on the scene in 2014 with 21 goals in 34 games back in 2014, Kane has managed to score 164 Premier League goals but has still not won a trophy with his boyhood club despite making two finals in the last two years.

Speaking on what Kane’s future may look like beyond this season and how he has ambitions that Tottenham may not be able to match, Stewart exclusively told FFC:

“‘I’m not sure whether Harry Kane will be there next season because he’s one of the best strikers in the world and he’s not winning trophies.

“You’ve got to say he’s been loyal to the club but he’s ambitious and he’s not getting any younger. So, I think we’ll see him move on in the summer.”

Tottenham signed Carlos Vinicius last summer on loan as a back up to Kane but the Brazillian has only scored one goal in the Premier League this season as the club continues to struggle to find a suitable backup option.

They’re still without a permanent manager but Ryan Mason, who is in temporary charge, has managed to oversee two wins and one loss in the league since he got the job.

Leeds defenders Pascal Struijk and Diego Llorente received praise for their performances against Manchester United, as well as the ‘outstanding’ Kalvin Phillips.

The Whites picked up another good result against a top side on Sunday, drawing 0-0 at home to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side. In truth, it wasn’t a game which will live long in the memory, but Marcelo Bielsa’s men more than held their own, as was the case against Manchester City and Liverpool recently.

A number of individuals stood out on the day, with Phillips arguably the star turn following a monstrous performance in the middle of the park.

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Leeds trio praised by journalist

Taking to Twitter after the game, journalist Graham Smyth hailed the 25-year-old, but pointed out that Struijk and Llorente also excelled:

Transfer Tavern take

These glowing reviews are fully merited, with Phillips not giving Bruno Fernandes a second to breathe at Elland Road, man-marking him and producing a total of four successful tackles and 12 recoveries.

Meanwhile, Struijk and Llorente were a rock-solid centre-back pairing, rarely allowing a dangerous Red Devils attack to click. Struijk won six of his eight duels overall, outlining his dominance, while Llorente enjoyed a pass completion rate of 90%, also winning both of his tackles.

With so many Leeds players on top of their game, it’s little wonder that the in-form visitors couldn’t find a breakthrough on Sunday.

In other news, an ex-Leeds player has been discussing the importance of one individual. Find out who it is here.

Ismaila Soro has been dismissed as ‘not good enough’ to succeed Scott Brown at Celtic.

Hoops great Charlie Nicholas issued the verdict in his brutal Daily Express column (via the Daily Record).

Nicholas made 209 appearances over the course of two spells in Glasgow, scoring 125 goals and winning two Scottish titles, so he knows a thing or two about what it takes to meet the level required at Parkhead.

‘Soro can’t anchor the midfield like Brown’

Captain Scott Brown is leaving Parkhead this summer after a 14-year stint.

And while Nicholas, earlier in his column, rubbished the notion that Brown was a ‘legend’, he does accept that there will be big shoes to fill.

“What Celtic will have more difficulty replacing is Brown’s personality and leadership qualities in the dressing room,” he claimed.

“Ismaila Soro is not good enough to be regarded as Brown’s successor in the midfield anchor role.”

How has Soro fared at Celtic?

Soro, who joined Celtic in January 2020 for a fee of around £2million, has had limited involvement this season.

Either side of a run of 10 successive league starts between December and February, he’s barely been used (via Transfermarkt).

But the Ivorian nonetheless earned the backing of former Scotland manager Alex McLeish during that short run of form.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly impressed by the 22-year-old, and McLeish said (via Football Insider) there was ‘no doubt’ that Celtic could come to regret sanctioning that move.

Notably, he also expressed certainty that ‘foreign players understand what it means to play for Rangers and Celtic’, indicating that Soro could play with similar passion to Brown.

Transfer Tavern verdict

Nicholas’ comments sound a lot like he’s writing Soro off, which seems unfair – he’s still young, and he’s found opportunities to prove himself hard to come by.

Celtic’s new manager might well see more promise in Soro than his predecessors, and even in the few chances he has been given this season he has shown what he can offer, averaging 1.9 tackles per game, the most of any Hoops player to have appeared more than once (Whoscored).

In other news, Kris Commons slammed two Celtic stars after the woeful defeat at Rangers.

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has blasted Ezgjan Alioski for his controversial behaviour against Burnley last weekend.

The Lowdown: Alioski in trouble

The Whites were in impressive form at Turf Moor last Saturday, cruising to a 4-0 win and keeping their faint European hopes alive.

There was an unsavoury moment in the game, however, with Alioski gesturing towards Burnley’s Dwight McNeil, while it is still not known exactly what was said between the two players.

The incident was reported to the FA by match official Graham Scott, with no decision made yet over the severity of it.

The Latest: Kenny lays into defender

Speaking to Football Insider, Kenny was not impressed by Alioski’s behaviour, saying it could take the gloss off what has been a superb season for Leeds:

“This is the last thing they need after Casilla. It isn’t good and let’s hope it’s nothing racial. Leeds have had such an amazing season. They don’t want to get brought under the spotlight for stuff like this.

“A huge part of Bielsa’s approach is about discipline after all. What Leeds are trying to do is nothing short of extraordinary.

“They have proved how good they are this season. They don’t need players like him bringing these unnecessary things to attention and marring their extraordinary work.”

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The Verdict: Right time to part ways

Alioski is widely expected to leave Elland Road at the end of the season and incidents such as these make it clear that it is time to move him on.

The 29-year-old has been a good servant for Leeds, but he possesses both an erratic style of play and character, not always fitting the type of individual Marcelo Bielsa wants in his squad.

Alioski may yet be found to be clear of any wrongdoing in this instance, but it is sad to see the focus being taken away from this wonderful Whites side.

In other news, Leeds are believed to have scheduled talks with a potential new signing. Find out who it is here.

A number of Wolves fans have been reacting the crushing news of Jonny Otto suffering a second anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side endured another disappointing night at the office on Monday, losing 3-2 to high-flying West Ham.

Wolves found themselves 3-0 down in the first half, and while a spirited comeback saw them save what could have been an embarrassment, it was still a poor result at Molineux.

It leaves them sitting 14th in the Premier League table, with very little to play for between now and the end of the season.

There was horrible news that broke earlier in the day, however, with the Express & Star‘s Joe Edwards revealing Jonny has suffered a second ACL injury, news now confirmed by the club.

It means the 27-year-old faces another long spell on the sidelines, having only returned from his other serious setback in February.

It is a cruel blow for a popular Wolves player and the main hope now is that he can battle through this long recovery and return the same footballer of old.

Wolves fans bemoan Jonny injury

These Wolves supporters took to Twitter to react to the news, with many left heartbroken for Jonny.

“Nooo”

Credit: @GianSG11

“Career over”

Credit: @NeilPugh10

“That’s really disappointing, has made a huge difference back in the team, may need to start planning for life without Jonny moving forward”

Credit: @Ry4nH07

“Unbelievable season for injuries. Poor Jonny.”

Credit: @daturk74

“Awful news, awful season. Best wishes Jonny”

Credit: @metalliam

“Unusual to rupture the same ACL after reconstruction. Wish him the best of luck”

Credit: @Stuart16913042

“Get well soon Johnny….so disappointing..Gutted for him”

Credit: @RobDew8

In other news, a Wolves legend believes the club missed out on signing a world-class player – find out who it is here.