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Liam Kennedy has now revealed some promising insight from PCP Capital Partners on the potential takeover of Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Ongoing CAT case

The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) case between Mike Ashley and the Premier League over the stalled takeover deal with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium is currently ongoing, with the date for the separate arbitration hearing now set for January 3rd 2022.

All parties involved in the bid are keeping a close eye on the proceedings and what information comes out of it that may affect the deal.

The Latest: PCP insight

Writing in his latest piece for Newcastle World, Kennedy has now revealed that PCP, headed by Amanda Staveley and part of the consortium looking to take over at St. James’ Park, are looking at the CAT case with ‘interest and hope but ultimately helplessness’.

The journalist also shared that they ‘remain committed to the deal’, despite reserving judgement on what comes next after the case has finished.

The Verdict: Promising

It is certainly promising to hear that PCP remain committed to getting the proposed takeover back on track, and that they are keeping a close eye on what is happening in the CAT case.

There is still hope from the buying side that a deal can be done, despite the delays that they have faced, and its possibility could well come down to the arbitration process next year.

Nonetheless, the Toon Army will no doubt be pleased to hear updates from the prospective buyers as their takeover dream remains alive, and if anything the fact they have been so hellbent in succeeding throughout all the chaos suggests they would be extremely ambitious if they ever do arrive.

In other news, find out which three clubs Allan Saint-Maximin now knows he could leave for here!

An update has emerged about West Ham’s pursuit of Kurt Zouma this week…

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports, the 26-year-old colossus is still a key target for the Irons, with just one week to go in the transfer window. The addition of a new central defender has been a top priority for manager David Moyes for several weeks now.

After a move for Fiorentina’s Nikola Milenkovic fell through, the France international has seemingly become the main option, despite rejecting the club several weeks ago.

“We’re told that they remain interested in signing Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma,” revealed Sky Sports News presenter Tom White. “This is just into us right now. We’ve been told that there is a deal to be done between the clubs. Chelsea’s asking price is believed to be £25m.”

“That isn’t the stumbling block, though. We’re told that the stumbling block is personal terms, which might be difficult to agree [on].”

Pay up, GSB!

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has provided further information into the situation, claiming in a recent column that Zouma is demanding an increase on his reported £46k-per-week wages at Stamford Bridge to around £125k-per-week.

Whilst it may seem like a considerable increase for a player that is currently not first-choice for the Champions League winners, the Hammers run the risk of missing out and signing nobody in the role.

You could also justify splashing that much on a player that has contributed towards that aforementioned triumph, as well as two Premier League titles.

That’s not to mention the fact that Andriy Yarmolenko is currently the highest-earner at the London Stadium, taking home a whopping £115k-per-week, via Spotrac. The Ukraine international only started one league game last season. What a waste of money.

Zouma, however, would walk right into Moyes’ starting XI and be a leader in the backline.

Once hailed as a “beast of a player” by England and Premier League legend John Terry, the 26-year-old powerhouse has made 165 appearances in the top-flight, whilst his 27 games across all European competitions will come as a benefit when the Irons’ Europa League campaign gets underway.

Last season, only three other centre-backs were better on the ball, with the Chelsea star averaging a passing accuracy of 90.6%. He was also a beast in the air, winning 3.6 aerial duels per match, which was more than every one of Moyes’ current options, as per WhoScored.

Valued at €30m (£26m) by CIES Football Observatory, it’s evident that West Ham would be getting a great deal at a reported £25m, so they should look to stump up the necessary funds to secure him.

There’s a week to go, GSB must pay up to secure Moyes his man. They’re risking disaster by not doing so.

AND in other news, Forget Antonio: £60k-p/w West Ham beast with 83 touches was Moyes’ unsung hero vs LCFC…

Two young Aston Villa summer additions, Caleb Chukwuemeka and Tim Iroegbunam, have been training with the first-team group at Bodymoor Heath.

Reliable reporter Ashley Preece shared the news, which led to a number of Villa fans giving their thoughts on social media.

Centre-forward Chukwuemeka, older brother of Villa midfielder Carney, arrived from Northampton Town, whereas central midfielder Iroegbunam left West Brom for Villa Park.

Chukwuemeka, 19, made his first-team debut against Barrow in the EFL Cup but has mainly been turning out for the Under 23’s.

Iroegbunam, 19, is yet to turn out under Dean Smith but has been a regular in the Under-23’s.

The pair have seemingly been catching Smith’s eye and have been training with the first-team group ahead of this weekend’s Premier League clash with Everton.

Villa fans react

Preece shared the news regarding Chukwuemeka and Iroegbunam on Twitter on Wednesday. This is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply…

“They ain’t ready for the Chukwuemeka takeover”

Credit: @AlexAV1982

“Had a hunch, and was told, it wouldn’t be long before Caleb got himself involved with first team boys!”

Credit: @amc89avfc

“This is why the owners have stopped transfers,to give the talented crop of kids a chance.”

Credit: @avgorou

“great to see! the youth we have coming up is one thing that really excites me!”

Credit: @TotalVillansPod

“Tim’s stock is rising rapidly atm. He’s looked quality since arriving”

Credit: @VillansOpinions

“Our youth system is currently one of the best”

Credit: @Nathhhavfc

In other news: ‘We’re done’, ‘Was coming’ – Villa source update has lots of fans talking. 

Everton have been linked with a move for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks as the club begins to make plans for the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to Caught Offside, the 25-year-old is wanted by Toffees manager Rafael Benitez and will push for a Spurs exit once the winter transfer window opens, with the Liverpool Echo claiming that the Merseysiders have now made an enquiry to Spurs for the player.

Winks has struggled for game-time in recent months and is now believed to be seeking a way out of north London in search of regular action.

Imagine him and Doucoure

After rising through the ranks at his boyhood club, Winks has made 178 appearances for Tottenham in all competitions and started their 2019 Champions League final defeat at the hands of Liverpool.

The technically gifted talent featured prominently during the reign of former manager Mauricio Pochettino, who lavished praised on the midfielder after a late winner against Fulham two years ago.

“He deserves the praise because the whole action is amazing,” said Pochettino. “He recovered the ball like a full-back, we started to build from the back, and then he arrived for the cross from GK, which was fantastic – we have to praise him too.

“It’s amazing, amazing, because we were talking in the last few weeks that he had to score and to have more presence in the opposition’s box because he has the quality to do it. I’m so happy.”

However, a lot of Winks’ good work goes unnoticed. The England international has only recorded nine goal contributions throughout his career, but he offers a different set of skills to the team.

As per WhoScored, no Spurs player who started a league match bettered or matched his average of 70 passes per game last season, and he also topped the charts for pass completion after achieving a 90% success rate.

His highly impressive figures weren’t just down to picking the safe and simple options every time, either. Winks managed 1.3 key passes per Premier League fixture in 2020/21 and pulled off 4.4 long balls – of all of Tottenham’s outfield players, only Toby Alderweireld completed more (7.3).

Therefore, Winks’s key attributes would provide the perfect balance for current Everton midfield star Abdoulaye Doucoure. The Frenchman’s power and pace cause opponents constant issues, but he also has the intelligence to play cute through balls in the final third of the pitch, making him a nightmare for defenders to handle.

It remains to be seen whether Everton follow up their interest in the £18m-rated Winks, but director of football Marcel Brands could pull off another astute piece of business by snapping up the disciplined Tottenham maestro.

In other news… Brands must sanction Everton swoop for £12.6m-rated ace, he’s an “outstanding technician” 

Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that he’s surprised Leeds haven’t signed another striker to compete with Patrick Bamford.

Marcelo Bielsa has been generally quiet in the transfer window, with left-back Junior Firpo from Barcelona their only notable addition, although Jack Harrison did sign permanently from Manchester City.

Leeds came ninth in their first campaign back in the Premier League and quickly established themselves as one of the most entertaining in the division, with goals a plenty at both ends of the pitch.

Bamford was a key part of their success last season, scoring 17 goals in the league, behind only Bruno Fernandes, Mohamed Salah, and Harry Kane.

Despite Bamford’s heroics in his first full season in the top-flight, though, Windass believes that Leeds need another top striker to compete for European football next term.

They currently have Spaniard Rodrigo, but he managed just seven goals in his debut campaign in English football.

Windass told FFC:

“They need another number nine, a proven 20-goal a season that gets you in the top four or top six.

 “Bamford did extremely well, but I think every football club needs a proven goalscorer. So, I’m surprised Bielsa hasn’t signed another nine to push Bamford.”

Lee Johnson’s Sunderland were left frustrated on Saturday as they were held to a 3-3 draw with Wycombe Wanderers in League One.

They took the first lead in the game, with Dennis Cirkin delivering a beautiful cross into the box for Ross Stewart to attack and his effort came off the crossbar and in off goalkeeper David Stockdale, going down as an own goal.

Anis Mehmeti then equalised for Wycombe with a rasping effort from distance, before Sam Vokes nodded in from close range to put the home side in front.

Stewart may not be credited with the first strike but he most certainly claimed the second as he delightfully finished an Elliot Embleton cross with a deft touch at the near post. The towering Scot then made it 3-2 to Sunderland in the second half as he raced onto a through ball from Lynden Gooch before slotting it past the goalkeeper and into the far corner.

However, it was late heartbreak for the Black Cats as a scrappy Wycombe goal from a corner secured a point for the hosts in the 98th minute of the game.

One player who let Johnson down badly was full-back Carl Winchester as he struggled throughout the match against Gareth Ainsworth’s side.

Defensively, he was a lightweight. As per SofaScore, he lost 89% (8/9) of his duels throughout the match, including losing all five of his aerial battles. This suggests that he was physically dominated by the Wycombe players and did not step up to the challenge of the match, which resulted in him making one tackle, zero interceptions and zero blocks.

On the ball, he offered very little. As per SofaScore, he completed 0% of his dribbles, failed to create a single chance for his teammates and only completed 73% of his attempted passes – giving the ball away 11 times, once every 4.8 touches. This shows that he was unable to provide quality in possession to make up for his lapse defensive work.

Therefore, he let Johnson down badly as his performance left a lot to be desired at both ends of the pitch throughout the match. Hopefully, he will be able to shake himself down and improve his display next time out as this outing was nowhere near good enough from the Northern Ireland international.

The £3.4k-per-week dud has won 52% of his duels and averaged 3.1 tackles and interceptions combined per game in League One for Sunderland this season, which suggests that this was a one-off for Winchester. However, he needs to ensure that this is not the beginning of a dire run of form as performances like this could leave his place in the team up for debate.

West Ham like the idea of signing Aston Villa winger Anwar El Ghazi this month.

That’s according to The Daily Mail, and a number of Villa supporters have been reacting to the news on social media.

El Ghazi is reportedly unhappy with his lack of game time under new Villa boss Steven Gerrard, with the Dutch forward playing just 33 minutes of Premier League action following Gerrard’s arrival.

Villa are thought to be open to permanent and loan offers for the 26-year-old this month, although they would prefer a full-time transfer.

The Daily Mail claimed on Saturday that the Hammers want a forward, with El Ghazi one of the players they would like to sign in their bid for another impressive finish in the European places.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful shared the news regarding West Ham liking the idea of bringing El Ghazi to the London Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with many keen to see him depart.

“Beg this is true”

Credit: @FloppyChicken92

“Swap deal for Bowen”

Credit: @marcw1987

“oh my god please take him”

Credit: @NoahKnowsBall

“Today is just getting better and better”

Credit: @avbiIly

“Imagine if we get rid of El Ghazi and replace him with Coutinho”

Credit: @PositiveVillan

“I’ll drop him off”

Credit: @Miller_JD

In other news: ‘Mental’ – Some Villa fans fume as Gerrard eyes club-record transfer. 

Newcastle United are considering a transfer move for experienced Inter midfielder Marcelo Brozovic.

What’s the story?

The Croatia international’s contract with the Serie A giants comes to an end next summer, and would therefore allow him to sign a pre-contract agreement with the Magpies when the January transfer window opens up in a couple of months time.

And, according to Italian publication Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), the Tyneside club are very much serious about signing the 28-year-old, and that they are ready to offer him a salary of around €7m (£5.9m) per season.

Newcastle fans will be buzzing

Rated at £36m by Transfermarkt, Brozovic has been mostly used in a more defensive-minded role for Inter, but has still managed to score 25 goals and provide 34 assists in his time at the San Siro.

The Croatian can dictate the tempo of the game, and is at his best when controlling the action. As per WhoScored, he has averaged a whopping 61 passes per game in Serie A this season, at an extraordinary passing accuracy of 92.3%.

And judging by the kinds of comments that his managers at both club and international have said about him, it’s clear to see why Newcastle should be prioritising him this summer.

Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic declared: “He is very important to us in the game, he is very calm and his technique is perfect. Through him we can easily get out of the opponent’s pressing”.

And, former Inter boss Luciano Spalletti hailed: “Brozovic is one who has a compass in the foot, knows football, has clean passages and find the free man”.

Brozovic could come in and become the deep-lying playmaker that Newcastle could do with to best unlock the likes of Joe Willock and Allan Saint-Maximin further forward, and helping to turn them into a team that likes to dominate possession.

With his age at just 28, the Croatian is still in the prime years of his career, and is the kind of marquee signing that would surely have Newcastle fans buzzing.

Meanwhile, Newcastle could get St James’ Park rocking by hiring this man…

A major Newcastle United transfer claim has emerged on Allan Saint-Maximin’s future…

What’s the talk?

The Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope has revealed that Eddie Howe is not keen to cash in on the French winger ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The journalist has admitted that the club are not completely opposed to selling him if the stars align this summer, but the preferred scenario ends with him remaining at St. James’ Park.

Hope Tweeted: “Why would NUFC consider selling Allan Saint-Maximin? Primarily, an offer of circa £50m would be considered if it meant strengthening significantly elsewhere (striker is priority) & staying ahead of spending rules. But Eddie Howe would prefer to keep him.”

Supporters will be buzzing

The Toon faithful will surely be buzzing with this claim as it suggests that the attacker is likely to stay at the club beyond the end of the next transfer window. If Howe wants him to remain on Tyneside then it is logical to think that PIF will not sell him unless they can replace him with a significant signing – which could alleviate any concerns about selling a current star.

Supporters will want him to be playing in black and white next season as he is an exciting players to watch out on the pitch. He gets the fans off their seats with his incredible dribbling ability as he glides past the opposition in an attempt to create openings for himself and his teammates.

In the Premier League this season, he has completed 4.3 dribbles per game and converted that into five goals and three assists. He has also delivered 1.4 key passes per match as he has been a constant creative threat on the wing, providing the likes of Chris Wood, Joe Willock and Ryan Fraser with opportunities to score.

At the age of 25, he also still has room to grow and develop as a player. Howe can work with him on the training pitch to help him gain more consistency in his end product to help improve his goal and assist numbers, with the Frenchman having plenty of time on his side to do so.

This, along with how exciting he is in the present, is why fans will want to keep him at St. James’ Park for the foreseeable future. Therefore, they will be delighted to read that the head coach’s primary aim is to avoid selling him this summer.

AND in other news, Same agency as Joelinton: NUFC scouting 6 ft 4 star, he’s a dream Botman alternative…

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has implored Aston Villa boss Dean Smith to go “back to basics” amid his recent tactical shift in the Premier League.

What’s the story?

The Villans moved to a back-three for the trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea a few weeks ago, and while they were beaten 3-0 by the Blues, they stuck with it for the games against Everton and Manchester United – both of which resulted in victories.

However, since then, it’s been a real struggle, with the Midlands club now on a run of three successive defeats in the competition following last Friday’s dismal 3-1 defeat away at Arsenal.

And now, Preece has suggested Smith go back to his tried and trusted, even indicating that the players themselves appear to be lost right now.

During a Q&A for The Birmingham Mail, he said: “Yes, it’s time to get back to basics. The players don’t seem comfortable playing 3-5-2, such was their body language of late. Midfield non-existent last week in that first half. Lost count how many Arsenal players just ran straight through to Villa’s defence without a tackle going in.

“Yes, I’d go with what you suggested. Who starts up front for you; Ings or Watkins? Also agree re Buendia, he’s looking like a better option out wide where he did his damage for Norwich. Bossed again centrally last week.”

“Back to basics” for Aston Villa

While the switch to a back-three worked against the likes of Everton and United, it has been nothing short of a disaster since then, stifling any creativity and seeing their midfield overrun far too easily.

Against Arsenal, their dreadful first-half performance saw them have no shots on goal whatsoever compared to the Gunners’ 14, with Douglas Luiz and John McGinn simply find it too much to deal with the likes of Thomas Partey, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Emile Smith Rowe and Alexandre Lacazette dropping into central spaces.

With the returns of Leon Bailey and Bertrand Traore, Smith now has two genuine wingers who he can turn to and utilise in a more familiar 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, and that could see them rediscover their form.

Right now, Villa’s players just look completely uncomfortable in their system and roles as Preece says, and it’s high time Smith reverts to type ahead of this weekend’s crunch Premier League clash against West Ham on Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Villa must sell this star amid some Premier League interest…