Chelsea’s rebuild under Liam Rosenior continues to gather pace following the dramatic departure of Enzo Maresca earlier this month.

The 41-year-old arrived from Strasbourg on a stunning six-and-a-half-year contract and has wasted no time identifying areas which require immediate strengthening in January.

Rosenior faces the challenge of transforming a squad that sits fifth in the Premier League table, 17 points behind leaders Arsenal, and on a run of just two wins from their last 10 games in all competitions.

The Blues have shown flashes of their best, reaching the Carabao Cup semi-finals, beating Barcelona 3-0 on a famous night in Europe and maintaining their charge for Champions League qualification.

However, they’ve been on a torrid run of late, with the largely inexperienced Rosenior now tasked with steadying the ship.

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The new manager has already made clear his transfer priorities as well, with Chelsea reportedly preparing a substantial £130 million January transfer outlay, which includes a potential move for 2025 summer target Fermin Lopez from Barcelona.

However, the former Hull City boss recognises that defensive solidity must form the foundation of any successful campaign.

Chelsea have looked vulnerable at the back this season, shipping goals at crucial moments and lacking the physical presence required to compete against the Premier League’s more direct opponents.

Taking this into account, Rosenior has now reportedly identified his primary centre-back target for the winter.

Rosenior asks Chelsea to sign Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae

According to reports from Spain, £200,000-per-week Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae has emerged as the leading candidate to bolster Chelsea’s defense.

The South Korea international currently finds himself in an uncomfortable situation at Bayern where playing time has become increasingly scarce in the German giants’ rotation system.

His lack of continuity represents a dramatic fall from grace for a player who joined Bayern with considerable fanfare.

The 29-year-old, who José Mourinho tried to bring to Tottenham when he was manager of the north Londoners, now finds himself facing uncertainty surrounding his future.

Kim has been in and out of the starting eleven this term, but made a solid comeback from injury in a 5-0 friendly win over Salzburg this week to round off Bayern’s post-winter break preparations.

Chelsea view his current situation as a genuine market opportunity, with Rosenior asking Chelsea to target the towering Asian defender.

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As well as this, it is believed that BlueCo are ready to pay up to £26 million for Kim’s signature this month, while Bayern are open to selling.

The Bavarians will apparently sanction a departure if an acceptable proposal arrives during the window. The Bundesliga champions need to adjust their squad and no longer consider Kim untouchable given his secondary role.

A sale would allow Bayern to free up significant wage space while generating funds, and their willingness to negotiate could encourage Chelsea to pursue a deal, with Rosenior conveying his belief that Kim represents exactly the profile Chelsea require.

The manager wants a physically imposing centre-back with international experience who can dominate aerial duels and provide leadership from the back. Kim’s attributes may align perfectly, and with just two years remaining on his current deal, he could be available for a cheap-ish fee.

Related Chelsea making 'serious' £65m bid for Barcelona star to back Liam Rosenior

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini

While it’s not all been plain sailing, Mikel Arteta has got an awful lot right since taking the Arsenal job six years ago.

One area where he’s seen more success than failure has been transfers.

The likes of Declan Rice, David Raya, Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard and Jurrien Timber have all been transformational additions made to the team under the Spaniard’s stewardship.

However, when it comes to Arteta’s best signing, it’s hard to look past the monstrous Gabriel Magalhães, and if reports are to be believed, Arsenal could soon sign their next version of the centre-back.

Arsenal target their new Gabriel

While most of the team have performed to a great level so far this season – they are top of the league after all – there have been a few real standouts for Arsenal.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Perhaps the most impressive, alongside Rice, has been Gabriel.

The Brazilian titan has combined his no-nonsense throwback style of defending with an often underappreciated level of technical ability to become arguably Arteta’s most important defender, just ahead of the unreal William Saliba.

On top of his work at the back, he’s also become an even bigger goal threat at the other end of the pitch, be that with his head or, like against the Cherries, with his feet.

With all that said, it’s hardly a surprise to see the club eyeing up another defender who could be their next Gabriel.

At least, that’s according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, which claims Arsenal are among several sides interested in Jeremy Jacquet.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Real Madrid, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are ‘tracking’ the 20-year-old gem.

A potential price for the youngster is not mentioned in the report, but stories from earlier this month stated that £35m could be enough to tempt Stade Rennais into selling amid claims the Gunners had already held initial talks over signing the youngster.

Therefore, it could be a complicated and somewhat costly transfer to get over the line, but given Jacquet’s ability and potential, one Arsenal should be all over, especially as he could be another Gabriel.

Why Jacquet could be another Gabriel

Now, there are, of course, some differences between Jacquet and Gabriel, but there are more than a few similarities between them and their potential transfers.

The first is that, as with the Brazilian in 2020, if the Frenchman were to join the Gunners in January or the summer window, he would be moving from Ligue 1 as a highly rated defensive prospect.

For example, ahead of his move to the Emirates, former LOSC Lille owner Gerard Lopez described the Gunners’ number six as “among the top five dominant central defenders in Europe” and that “he’s an absolute machine.”

Similar things have already been said about the Rennais gem, with respected analyst-turned-scout Ben Mattinson describing him as having “top five centre-back in the world potential” and U23 scout Antonio Mango claiming that “whoever signs him is getting a monster.”

Subscribe to the newsletter for in-depth transfer analysis Get deeper scouting breakdowns by subscribing to our newsletter — stats, scout notes and positional context on transfer targets like Jacquet and how they compare to Gabriel, giving focused coverage and expert analysis of Arsenal’s recruitment.

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Another trait that the “insane CB in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, shares with the North Londoners’ star man is that he’s a colossus at the back while also having real quality on the ball.

For example, FBref rank him in the top 3% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles in the attacking third, the top 4% for interceptions, the top 6% for tackles plus interceptions, the top 12% for key passes, the top 15% for expected assisted goals and more, all per 90.

Finally, as Mattinson highlights, the Frenchman’s “jumping prowess and ability to create separation” helps him to “be dominant in aerial duels and on set-pieces”, which sounds a lot like the Gunners’ Brazilian star.

Jacquet’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.27

Top 3%

Interceptions

1.69

Top 4%

Pass Completion % (Long)

75.1%

Top 5%

Tkl+Int

3.64

Top 6%

Tackles (Mid 3rd)

0.77

Top 11%

Key Passes

0.46

Top 12%

% of Aerials Won

67.6%

Top 14%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.05

Top 15%

Tackles Won

1.23

Top 15%

Tackles

1.95

Top 16%

Successful Take-Ons

0.34

Top 18%

All Stats via FBref

Ultimately, it won’t be easy to get over the line, but Arsenal should do what they can to sign Jacquet, as he looks like a superstar in the making and could be another Gabriel.

Related A Rice repeat: Arsenal make "future England captain" a new primary target

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Eddie Howe will soon know what the complexion of Newcastle United’s season is going to look like after a hectic January is over and done with.

Indeed, in the Premier League alone, the Magpies have a jam-packed schedule to contend with, as five league fixtures come thick and fast.

On top of wrestling with this tricky string of clashes, the Tyneside titans also have the Champions League and the EFL Cup still on their agenda, in a month that has been rightly dubbed as “season-defining” by their manager.

Howe can flesh out his squad more with some January signings, though, as the up-and-down Magpies continue to be linked with a whole host of names, to ensure the intimidating fixture schedule doesn’t swallow them whole.

Newcastle prepared to spend big on midfield signing

Newcastle’s squad has often been stretched to its limits this season, with Lewis Hall unfortunately finding himself in and out of his manager’s starting XI plans, owing to recurring injuries.

To lessen this concern, Newcastle could soon go after rising Toulouse star Dayann Methalie, with reports suggesting that an enquiry will soon be made by the Magpies involving the promising left-back.

Moreover, Howe and Co. could be prepared to splash the cash on AZ Alkmaar midfield sensation Kees Smit, as he remains at the top Newcastle’s list when it comes to potential midfield additions.

This had been reported by the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, with the i Paper further adding fuel to the fire to suggest that if Newcastle are to ‘go big’ for anyone this January, it will be the Dutch midfielder.

The piece notes that while the Magpies are expecting it to be a ‘quiet month’, the situation could change if they feel there is a deal there to be done for Smit.

If Newcastle are prepared to spend big to land the Real Madrid-linked ace, who has been valued at £52m, it could be bad news for Lewis Miley.

Miley is currently starring at St James’ Park, but the competition for midfield spaces would only intensify further with the arrival of the classy 19-year-old.

Why Smit joining would be bad news for Miley

While Newcastle weren’t always at their electric best towards the latter stages of 2025, Miley still managed to stick out, with the homegrown product even bagging his first-ever Champions League goal last month, when placing this header past Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

It wasn’t just this header, though, with the 19-year-old battler also managing to score a last-minute goal in the EFL Cup to send Newcastle to the semi-final stages of the competition.

Moreover, he further looked lively when others downed tools versus Burnley, with four duels won, capping off a brilliant individual month for the teenage sensation, as the December player of the month accolade also fell into his lap.

Still, even with the special number 67 being at the top of his game at the moment, he would find it a lot harder to keep a firm grip on a spot in the main lineup, if Smit were to talk through the door at some stage this month.

Smit vs Miley – League stats (25/26)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Smit

Miley

Games played

15

15

Goals scored

2

1

Assists

2

2

Touches*

62.3

41.3

Accurate passes*

42.7 (89%)

27.8 (89%)

Key passes*

1.7

0.6

Big chances created

3

1

Ball recoveries*

5.6

3.3

Total duels won*

3.3

2.7

Stats by Sofascore

While Miley continues to generate a lot of hype in Newcastle circles exclusively, Smit seems to be the talk of the town in the whole football world this January, with one scout even revealing to TEAMtalk that the 6-foot midfielder is a talent “everyone is watching” at the moment.

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It’s clear to see why there is so much interest at his door, when taking in the table above, with Smit displaying very few flaws in his well-rounded game in the Eredivisie this season, with more accurate passes averaged by the 19-year-old per 90 minutes than Miley, alongside also displaying more vigour and energy when trumping the Englishman’s ball recovery and duels won numbers.

With a fierce effort up his sleeve, too, seeing content creator Spencer Mossman hail him as a “difference maker” from the middle of the park for Maarten Martens’ side, Smit could well be capable of storming straight into the Newcastle XI without looking out of his depth, with Miley tumbling down the pecking order, subsequently.

After all, Smit looks to be the real deal, already, while Miley arguably needs to fine-tune aspects of his game to be on the same level as the £52m-rated star.

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ScorecardChris Read’s century put Notts into the lead•Getty Images

Chris Read helped himself to a second century of the season as Nottinghamshire dominated day three against Middlesex at Trent Bridge. Having passed three figures for the first time this summer in the four-day game between the sides at Lord’s back in April, the Notts captain was at it again, this time on home soil.Having been dropped on 54, Read, the 36-year-old former England wicketkeeper, went on to score 108 from 206 balls as Notts built a useful first innings lead.Resuming on their overnight score of 180 for 4, Notts found themselves in a spot of trouble when Samit Patel was bowled, in the third over of the day, at 184 for 5 and Steven Mullaney holed out to Tim Murtagh off Ollie Rayner 45 runs later. At that stage, they still trailed Middlesex by 145. But despite losing 15 overs to rain, Notts pushed on after lunch with Read and Brett Hutton adding 157 for the seventh wicket.Read, who missed six weeks of the season from the middle of May due to a hamstring injury, struck eight fours in reaching his half century, off 101 balls, and posted three figures for the first time since mid-April, off 190 balls. Having been dropped at slip by Ollie Rayner on 54 – a sharp chance to Rayner’s right hand – he eventually fell to Toby Roland-Jones, at 386 for 7.The captain’s job was made all the more easy by Hutton, who batted beautifully to post his highest first class score of 72. The 22-year-old bowling allrounder brought up his own half-century off 121 balls, with seven fours, and looked comfortable throughout against a Middlesex attack that offered precious little as the day wore on.Hutton continued to bat with due care and attention after his skipper’s departure and with Luke Wood, who was dropped on 0 off the bowling of Dawid Malan, he added 25 for the eighth wicket. But he finally departed at 419 for 9 and at that juncture Notts declared with a first innings lead of 45. Middlesex opener Sam Robson and nightwatchman James Harris successfully negotiated the final two overs of the evening and trail Notts by 38 runs with all 10 second innings wickets in hand.

Tottenham Hotspur is reportedly a realistic destination for Romelu Lukaku in the summer.

The Lowdown: Lukaku’s struggles

It is safe to say that the Belgian has had his struggles since returning to Chelsea last summer, with a bust-up between Thomas Tuchel and him over an interview the striker gave claiming that he was unhappy at Stamford Bridge being widely reported.

On the pitch, he has not been able to have the sort of impact that you would expect from a player who cost a whopping £97.5m to sign from Inter Milan.

He has scored just 10 goals across all competitions so far this season, with only five in the Premier League (record of a mere seven touches of the ball in the Blues’ 1-0 win away to Crystal Palace, the fewest of any outfield player to feature for a full 90 minutes in a top-flight match since such records began being taken.

Thus, with Kai Havertz scoring in midweek in the Champions League against Lille in a false-nine position, there are now question marks over whether Lukaku should really play instead of him in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday.

The Latest: Tottenham move for Lukaku?

As per Calciomercato, Tottenham is now the ‘only realistic escape route’ for Lukaku if he is to move on in the summer.

The Belgium international reportedly ‘wants’ to leave the Blues, and he could make the switch to north London if the deal is right.

The Verdict: Shock

It would certainly be a shock if Lukaku moved across the capital to Spurs, even if his former manager Antonio Conte is in charge at N17.

Having excelled under the Italian’s management, scoring no fewer than 64 times and supplying a further 17 assists in just 95 matches under the 52-year-old at Inter (Transfermarkt), it would not be a surprise if Conte wanted to work with him once more.

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The Italian even called the 28-year-old a ‘gentle giant’ when he was managing at the San Siro, so it seems clear that they have a good relationship off the pitch as well.

However, it seems strange that Lukaku, who Thomas Tuchel has dubbed ‘world-class‘, would leave Chelsea after just one campaign when so much money was spent on him, especially to a major London rival in Tottenham.

In other news, Spurs are also eyeing a move for this ‘quality’ playmaker

Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino has emerged as an unlikely hero in recent weeks, popping up with some big goals in cup games – including a brace against Norwich City in the week – leading him to be dubbed a “new Luis Suarez” due to the former Kop hero’s history of also terrorising the Canaries.

The Japan international has netted a goal every 47 minutes this season in the Premier League, as well as a goal every 68 minutes in the FA Cup and every 77 minutes in the Carabao Cup – and it would be harsh to pin that all down to him mainly appearing off the bench when teams are already tired.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp labelled him “incredible” after the match in midweek, while experienced midfielder James Milner also gave him some high praise, saying: “What a guy, what a player. He’s patient. Every time he comes in and he delivers.

“He just carried on. He’s brilliant in training. Great temperament. I’m absolutely delighted for him.”

The performance should be enough for Klopp to decide on giving him more chances in the Premier League from the start, beginning with this evening’s game against West Ham, where he could really give Pablo Fornals and Aaron Cresswell nightmares should he be given the nod.

Statistically, Minamino is one of the best wingers in the world right now at pressing high and defending from the front, ranking in the top 1% in Europe’s top five leagues and continental competitions for successful pressures with 7.88 per 90; and also for pressures in the middle third, with 12.82 per 90.

With an attack as good as Liverpool’s, it’s hard to pick a player to drop. However, one man who could benefit from a rest is Diogo Jota. The Portuguese forward has suffered a slight dip in form since his brace against Leicester in the second week of February, failing to register a goal or assist in his four games since.

The 25-year-old has featured in every single Liverpool league game since mid-October and covered well for Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane while the star duo were at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Minamino’s recent form could provide Klopp with a good opportunity to not only rest Jota over the next few weeks, but also test out whether or not the 27-year-old can truly reach a new level of his game and put in some equally impressive performances in the Premier League with goals and assists.

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If the Japanese maestro carries his cup form into this evening’s clash and is given an overdue first league start of the campaign, he could terrorise West Ham’s backline.

In other news: Liverpool dealt big injury setback ahead of West Ham clash, fans surely gutted

Following a season in which Ivan Toney scored 26 goals and registered seven assists over 39 appearances in all competitions, Celtic’s interest in signing the centre-forward in the summer of 2020 would not have come as a surprise to many.

Indeed, the Bhoys were reported to have had a £5m bid rejected for the then Peterborough United striker, with the Posh holding out for a figure closer to the £10m mark in order to part with the hitman.

And, while Celtic were dithering, Brentford stepped in with a bid of an initial £6.5m – rising to £10m with add ons – for the striker, which the League One side swiftly accepted, seeing Toney sign a five-year deal with the Bees.

Speaking about the Bhoys’ interest in his services back in 2021, Toney revealed just how close he came to making a switch to Parkhead, stating: “Yeah, that was close. I spoke to a few people there and I spoke to the manager, but just couldn’t get a deal over the line.”

Instead, Celtic opted for a £5m swoop for West Ham United’s Albian Ajeti, a player who is already being linked with a move away from Glasgow after scoring just nine goals in 48 appearances for the Hoops.

Meanwhile, Toney has flourished at Brentford, scoring 33 goals and providing ten assists over promotion-winning Championship campaign last season, and having bagged nine goals and registered two assists over 23 Premier League outings this term.

So impressive has the £31k-per-week forward been that the likes of Everton and Chelsea are believed to have taken an interest in the £28.8m-rated hitman, with the Peterborough United chairman, Barry Fry, suggesting that Brentford could demand a figure of up to £50m in order to part with the 25-year-old.

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As such, considering the contrasting trajectories of Toney and Ajeti, in addition to just how close Celtic came to signing the former, it is clear to see that Peter Lawwell and the Bhoys had a nightmare when failing to pull the trigger on the centre-forward who Fry dubbed a “revelation” – a decision that has quite evidently cost Celtic dearly.

In other news: Ange could unearth Celtic’s next Ajer in 18 y/o “complete leader” who “nothing fazes”

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland has defended Everton winger Anthony Gordon after the Toffees’ embarrassing display against Tottenham.

The Lowdown: Poor performances

Apart from their all four of their other Premier League games with the ex-Chelsea man in charge.

However, Monday night’s display against Tottenham was the worst of the lot, with a number of extremely poor performances taking place.

As per statistical experts SofaScore, Everton’s average rating across the team was 6.16, a monumental difference when compared with Spurs’ 7.41. The Toffees even had four players rated below a six, with Jordan Pickford on the receiving end of a very poor 4.9 rating.

The Latest: Boyland defends Gordon

One of the only positives for Lampard was Anthony Gordon, due to the determination he put in throughout. The 21-year-old had an 84% pass completion rate and made four successful dribble attempts, whilst winning an enormous 12 ground duels (via SofaScore).

Taking to Twitter, Boyland defended Gordon after the game, who was pictured clapping to the away crowd.

“Gordon goes over to clap the remaining Everton fans, gets applause back. Deserves that for the effort he put in. Raises his hand up apologetically and then limps off. Wasn’t on him”

The Verdict: Deserves more?

At just 21 years old, Gordon has played a substantial part in Everton’s season. He has made 22 Premier League appearances, 14 of which came in the starting XI.

When compared with some of the dire performances in the Spurs game, it was evident that Gordon deserved better around him, as a number of players seemingly looked disinterested after the first few goals went flying in.

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This isn’t the first time the winger has been singled out for praise. When Everton drew 1-1 with Manchester United in October, former Toffees attacker James McFadden hailed the youngster’s display as “sensational”.

Thus, if this pattern continues to occur, it would not be surprising to see transfer news arise, especially if Everton get relegated this season.

In other news: Everton: Pickford, Coleman and Keane’s nightmare performances vs Spurs

The mid-season transfer window is well behind us, but there is a lot of transfer talk going on across the 20 EPL teams. Mo Salah stalled talks with Liverpool, Cristiano Ronaldo’s projected move out of England, and Luis Suarez mooted EPL return have been making headlines in the last few days. 

As per reports, Chelsea could be locked out of any new business, meaning they could lose some of their stars who will be out of contract in the summer. A new club buyer is not forthcoming, but there has been a lot of interest lately. 

Newcastle’s upturn at St. James means new owners could sanction big signings in the summer to make the Magpies an elite European franchise. Until then, we’ll be looking at some of the news making headlines in the EPL transfer front on top sportsbooks as Vwin99.

Arsenal considering Coutinho move

29-year-old Brazilian Phillipe Coutinho is having a fantastic season at Aston Villa. The former Liverpool star’s performances for Steven Gerrard’s team have not gone unnoticed since his return to the Premier League. He has bagged four goals and provided three assists in nine appearances for Villa.  

Coutinho is on loan at Aston Villa from Barcelona, but the Catalans would listen to offers of €40 for the Brazilian. Gerrard is aware of the challenges Coutinho’s wage demands could mean, but he still says he’d wish to sign him permanently in May.

Arsenal is also interested in signing Coutinho to bolster their midfield for next season, with Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United also interested in signing.

Suarez for Villa?

35-year old former Liverpool and Barcelona striker Luis Suarez could be on his way out of Atletico Madrid this summer. Several teams have already been sounded out, but Aston Villa look to be the most solid destination.  

The reports could be heightened given that Steven Gerrard is Aston Villa’s manager and had tremendous success playing alongside Suarez for Liverpool. Considering Coutinho recently moved to Villa Park, it’s easy to see why this deal looks likely.

Dybala to Spurs

Tottenham is among many clubs interested in acquiring Juventus forward Paulo Dybala on a free transfer this summer. After disagreeing on a new contract with Juventus, the Argentine is free to speak to other clubs, with Tottenham reportedly one among them.

Inter Milan, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid are all said to be in talks with Dybala, which shows just how highly-rated the striker is. Spurs will be hoping that a transfer to the Premier League and the English capital, as well as a big wage package, would be enough to persuade the forward to join them. Conte’s links in the Italian Serie A could be key if any deal will be reached between the player and Spurs. 

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Wijnaldum’s Newcastle return a possibility

Dutch midfielder Gini Wijnaldum’s situation at PSG is not hidden from the public, and one possible destination for the former Liverpool star is St. James Park. Interestingly, it was at Newcastle where Gini made his name, sounding Liverpool to go for his signature.

New owners may not have a problem with the wage demands for Gini, and the fact that he was a cult-hero at St. James gives these rumours more credibility. 

Photo by Unsplash

Newcastle United are on course to avoid relegation to the Championship as Eddie Howe has galvanised the club in recent months.

The Magpies are nine points clear of the bottom three as it stands and have only lost two of their last 11 matches in the Premier League.

Howe has led them out of the relegation zone and may look to restructure his squad with incomings and outgoings in the summer. Who could be facing the axe?

Sell him

One player who the 44-year-old must brutally axe from the club at the end of the season is midfielder Jeff Hendrick, who is currently on loan at QPR in the Championship.

The 30-year-old’s current contract with the Magpies does not expire until 2024, having signed for the Tynesiders two years ago. This means that the club must cut ties with him in the summer, or else he will continue to pick up a wage for another two years without contributing much on the field.

Toon reporter Scott Wilson previously dubbed him a “liability”, while club legend Steve Howey once ripped into the midfielder for a sending off which he deemed “embarrassingly bad”.

That quote from Howey can also be used to describe how Hendrick has played for the club in the Premier League since 2020. He has not been good enough for a top-flight team for a number of years, and it is now time to finally axe him on a permanent basis.

Since the start of the 2018/19 campaign, his SofaScore rating of 6.63 across just three outings this term is the best he has managed. He registered scores of 6.51, 6.55 and 6.58 respectively across the three seasons leading up to the current one, which shows that he has consistently underperformed and failed to impress for both Burnley and Newcastle. Indeed, he ranked a pitiful 25th out of 26 in the Toon squad for SofaScore ratings last season.

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Therefore, the £50k-per-week dud must not be at St James’ Park by the end of the summer transfer window. Howe must push the club to sell him before the end of August or, at the very least, loan him out for the entire 2022/23 campaign with an option for the other club to sign him at the end of that agreement.

His statistics in the top flight are horrific and do not suggest that he will be a player of use to the head coach heading into next season. At the age of 30, Hendrick is entering the twilight of his career, and the Magpies may not have a better chance to cash in on him before he regresses further and his value dwindles with age.

AND in other news, Left for £0, now the next Sancho: NUFC will have nightmares over 18 y/o “huge talent”…