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Former Newcastle United star Keith Gillespie has told The Transfer Tavern that he is surprised by the club’s poor form this season, insisting that he did not foresee their relegation battle this season.

Steve Bruce’s side drew 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend in a result that moved the club three points clear of Fulham, who lost to Aston Villa to remain in the bottom three on Sunday.

Newcastle actually began the season in decent form, beating West Ham United on the opening day, and winning five and drawing two of their first 11 games.

However, since their 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion on December 12, Newcastle have won just twice, and they face a daunting run-in.

Bruce’s side play Burnley, West Ham United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Leicester City, Manchester City, Sheffield United and, most intriguingly of all, Fulham.

Gillespie is surprised to see Newcastle in the position they’re in, especially considering the signings in the summer of the likes of Callum Wilson, Ryan Fraser, and Jamal Lewis.

He told TT: “I didn’t think they’d be scrapping for their lives. They brought in Jamal Lewis, things haven’t really worked out too well for him. Wilson’s been fantastic for them, where they would be without him? I dread to think.

“They brought in Fraser and you look at Fraser and Wilson, how well they worked together at Bournemouth. On the first day of the season you had Andy Carroll playing up front with Wilson, who was fantastic, but unfortunately with Andy Carroll you can’t keep him fit at times and 90 minutes is beyond him.”

Richard Keys feels vindicated after questioning Everton’s signing of James Rodriguez in the summer.

Keys said on the eve of the season that he wasn’t ‘convinced’ by the Colombian, who ‘wouldn’t be signing for Everton’ if he was truly a ‘top-drawer’ player; and the former Sky Sports anchor revisited the comment on his blog this week.

“I didn’t fancy James Rodriguez,” he wrote. “And who was right? Correct. I was.

“After a couple of good games in blistering sunshine – against run of [the] mill opposition – James disappeared, as I knew he would. And Everton are better without him.”

James’ season so far at Goodison Park

Rodriguez has scored five goals and set up eight since his arrival from Real Madrid. He has been directly involved in four goals against top-seven opposition, contributing assists in both Merseyside derbies and netting against Manchester United and Leicester.

The Colombian has missed Everton’s last four league matches through injury. Carlo Ancelotti’s men won the first two – against Southampton and West Brom – before consecutive defeats against Chelsea and Burnley.

Unsurprisingly, Keys’ staunch defence of his stance on Rodriguez did not meet kindly with these Everton fans on Twitter:

These Everton fans dismiss Keys criticism

“Haha, I’d have been happy to pay what we pay him just for Spurs, Utd & Liverpool away”

Credit: @EFCMatt1

“His blog is full of stuff like that. It’s going back in time. That being said there are some who seriously think we’re better off without James, as hard as that is to believe.”

Credit: @RyanSoccerAA

“He’s probably going to be the difference between Europe or not in our last 10 fixtures”

Credit: @bluesofgoodison

“Scored against United away, assists against Liverpool away, clearly been managing an injury when he has played”

Credit: @stebowy1

“Hahahahaah better off without him aye, at the start of the season we were scoring for fun, now this ‘run of the mill opposition’ beat us at home.”

Credit: @Owens_EFC

“He must be mad, James is our best player, the only genuine top class player we’ve got.”

Credit: @EvertonAllSorts

“And this is why we’re all better off not having @richardajkeys on our screens. The man who said Pep needed to watch how Sam Allardyce sets his teams up.”

Credit: @Mightymj1

In other news, many Everton fans loved this player’s rallying cry after FA Cup exit.

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Sevilla star Lucas Ocampos this summer, with a number of clubs thought to be keen on him.

Marcelo Bielsa will be eyeing up additions in the next transfer window as he looks to make his squad more formidable ahead of next season.

Leeds have impressed in their first year back in the Premier League, but they need to ensure they kick on and don’t go backwards in 2021/22. Bielsa may feel that more attacking firepower is required and an exciting new rumour suggests that is the case.

[freshpress-quiz id=“347980″]

Leeds keen on Ocampos move

According to Football Insider, the Whites are interested in snapping up Sevilla hero Ocampos, with the report claiming that they are ‘keeping tabs’ on the £36m-rated winger. Even better for Bielsa, the Europa League holders are reportedly willing to sell him for much less than his £62m release clause due to the financial effects of the global pandemic.

The 26-year-old has chipped in with four goals and assists apiece in La Liga this season, starting 21 of Sevilla’s league matches.

Transfer Tavern take

Ocampos seems an exciting player, so it would feel significant if Leeds could get a deal over the line. At 26, he is at a prime age to come in and make an immediate impression.

Wolves are also believed to be interested, however, as are other clubs, so Bielsa may have to work all of his magic in a timely fashion if a deal is to be completed.

In other news, one international Leeds player is set to leave the club this summer – find out who it is here.

According to Football Insider, Newcastle United are set to recall Matty Longstaff back into the first team squad soon.

The 20-year-old was linked with a move away from the Magpies in the summer transfer window, as Udinese were interested in him. The midfielder ended up signing a new contract with the Tyneside club and he could now be set for a first team recall.

Frozen out Longstaff set for return

Football Insider recently reported about the younger Longstaff, saying that the midfielder was playing for Newcastle’s youth team to build up his fitness, and Bruce is now set to give him another chance in the first team amidst their poor run of form in the Premier League.

He recently started in a Premier League 2 game against Sunderland and hasn’t featured for the first team since playing against Arsenal two months ago.

In the Premier League, he has made only five appearances this term and he has now played thrice for the club’s under-23s side. He had sustained an injury early in the season, which partially explains his dearth of senior game-time.

The 20-year-old had scored on his Premier League debut against Manchester United last season, which left Bruce saying that he had “never witnessed” a better top-flight bow in his managerial career. The Newcastle boss also said of the young midfielder: “He trains every day with a big beaming smile. He is so refreshing. He wants to play and is a great kid.”

Longstaff will add midfield depth

Currently valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt, Longstaff can play in central or defensive midfield. The Magpies have just one out-and-out option in the defensive midfield area and the 20-year-old will add numbers in that role as well as the central midfield berth, where Bruce is well-stocked.

Considering that the younger Longstaff scored twice last season in a limited number of appearances, Newcastle could do with some of his goals from the middle of the park. If anything, his return to the first team fold should add considerable strength to the side.

In other news, Liam Kennedy has discussed one factor which could affect the possibility of a Newcastle takeover – read more here.

Former Scottish Premiership striker Noel Whelan believes that Eddie Howe fits the profile to become the next permanent manager of Celtic.

Howe to Parkhead?

Neil Lennon recently resigned after his second stint in the hot seat – leaving the Hoops well adrift of rivals Rangers in the standings.

But the former Bournemouth boss has been heavily linked as a target for the Bhoys and was described as “incredible” by Bournemouth legend Brett Pitman after leaving the Vitality Stadium last summer.

Howe famously guided the Cherries all the way from English League Two to the Premier League in the space of six seasons, in what was a remarkable rise to stardom for the South Coast side.

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan insisted that Howe would be the man to bring the best of the Hoops’ talented players.

When asked if Howe is the right man for the job, he said: “Yeah, absolutely. Thank god. Thank god someone has actually seen sense.

“I think a change of direction, a change of style. Fresh ideas is what I’ve been saying at Celtic. I think the players will become better players with Eddie Howe there.

“I’m surprised that no one’s taken a little chip at him yet outside of Scotland. I’m very happy if that’s the direction they’re looking.

“I think that’s the right direction with Celtic. I think he’s a fantastic manager, great ideas. He’s fresh, he’s very intelligent and he’s got that know-how with younger players as well.

“He’s not that old himself. He knows how to man-manage players, he knows how to get the best out of players. I think that would be a great move for Celtic if they can get it signed, sealed and delivered.”

Transfer Tavern Verdict

Not only has Howe got an impressive CV, but he has also proved himself to be an inspirational figure, despite suffering relegation from England’s top flight last season.

However, whether Celtic need more than just a psychological lift, remains to be seen. But with reports suggesting that mass changes are due to take place at the end of the season, the stage could be set for Howe to work his magic.

That said, we doubt that a decision will be made on the manager until the new chief executive Dominic McKay comes in.

In other news, Kieran Maguire believes key Celtic board member should be axed on one condition.

Leeds United should be looking to reignite their summer interest in Premier League champion Divock Origi if they want to bolster their attacking options before Monday’s deadline.

Football Insider reporting the Yorkshire outfit held a concrete interest in Jean-Philippe Mateta earlier this month suggests they could be in the market for a striker if the deal was right.

The Belgian should surely be considering his options now as he slips further and further down the pecking order at Liverpool.

Since the arrival of Diogo Jota, Origi has been reduced to mere cameo appearances and has played just 408 minutes across all competitions. He also didn’t help his own personal situation when he missed a one-on-one sitter in the defeat to Burnley at Anfield earlier this month.

With the Portugal international and Roberto Firmino ahead of him, he only runs the risk of wasting his peak years on the bench.

The Whites were linked to a move for Origi back in the summer when Liverpool got to work in bringing in exciting new recruits. According to The Mirror, Victor Orta and co had identified the Red as their back-up option to original desired target Odsonne Edouard.

Would Origi fit in at Leeds?

Origi is highly regarded at Liverpool, thanks to his brace against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final and goal vs Spurs at the last hurdle, as the Reds went on to lift their sixth European trophy. He also came up with the goods against Everton, striking at the death back in 2018 to win the Merseyside Derby.

However, the ‘cult hero’ status only lasts for so long. Liverpool are looking to take the world by storm and it seems Origi does not fit the narrative. Now is the perfect time for him and Leeds to enter talks, but the Whites must act fast if they want to secure his signature.

The 25-year-old enjoyed a loan spell with Wolfsburg back in the 2017/18 season, netting seven times and contributing three assists, via Transfermarkt. His situation has interested several European clubs, with Inter Milan looking to swipe up the striker.

Leeds the run the risk of Inter or another Euro giant swooping in and tying him down. They must get the wheels in motion and initiate talks with the £60,000 per week goal-getter. Not only would he provide excellent cover and competition for Bamford – coming on and providing a fresh take on attack – but he could even partner the Englishman, too.

Origi can also play on the wing, so his versatility means he will be able to cover several positions on the pitch in case of injury or fatigue.

His Liverpool teammate Caoimhin Kelleher previously praised him for an “unreal” performance. He will certainly be a strong asset to Leeds with his versatility and love for a big occasion.

In other news, Leeds target Josh Doig could mean trouble for Leif Davis…

According to The Liverpool Echo’s Phil Kirkbride, Everton right-back Jonjoe Kenny is heading to Celtic on a loan deal.

What’s the story?

With Jeremie Frimpong having sealed his transfer move to Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen, Neil Lennon has been left without a natural at right-back, with Anthony Ralston clearly not in favour.

Now, Kirkbride has claimed that Kenny could be the man Lennon has turned to solve his problem, and that with the Toffees unable to agree a permanent deal with fellow Premier League side Burnley, the 23-year-old looks set to head north of the border to join Celtic for the rest of the season.

Lennon will be buzzing

With the Hoops’ main rivals for Kenny’s signature out of the way, Celtic appear to have been handed a major boost in their bid to land the £6.3m-rated Kenny, and thus solve their crisis at right-back.

Kristoffer Ajer, predominantly a centre-half, has had to fill in there, and whilst he hasn’t exactly put a foot wrong, it certainly isn’t a long-term solution for Lennon.

In Kenny however, Celtic will be getting a man described as an “outstanding talent”, and one that has built up some top-level experience by playing for Bundesliga side Schalke last season – he played 31 times in the German top flight for the Gelsenkirchen outfit.

A loan deal just helps tide things over for Lennon until the summer, when they can focus on bringing some more permanent additions to the squad. For now, needs must, and Kenny’s signing would represent a solid capture.

After arriving from French giants Lyon in the summer, it’s fair to say Bertrand Traore hasn’t exactly set the Premier League alight with Aston Villa.

The Burkina Faso international had made a slow start to life at Villa Park, with no goals in the top-flight until December 20 when he netted against West Brom.

But since then, he’s shown real signs of finally finding his feet for Dean Smith’s side, bagging four goals in his last six games, including one against Newcastle in a 2-0 win on Saturday night.

The 25-year-old looked in the mood all game, and his confidence told when he scored with his weaker right foot. All night he looked to make things happen, with Magpies left-back Jamal Lewis having his work cut out trying to stop him.

Traore sent in three crosses and cracked off two shots on goal, almost double the amount of shots he’s taken on average in the Premier League this season (1.1). The former Lyon man also provided one key passes on the night too, again higher than his season average thus far.

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece gave him the second highest match rating of any Villa player with eight, saying: “Smith kept faith with ‘Berto’ who started his seventh-straight match now. Traore looked lively from the get-go and came up trumps with his fourth goal in his last six with a cool-as-you-like side-footed finish with his weaker right foot after 42 minutes.

“Gave Jamal Lewis problems as Cash looked to work with him whenever he could. Starting to become the £17 million player Villa signed in the summer. Oozed quality and had end product to boot. A real trickster.”

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans further claimed that “he’s turning into a big player now”, and that will be music to the ears of Smith, who no doubt would have been desperately hoping that Traore could sprinkle that extra bit of magic at the top end of the pitch.

Whilst Watkins may grab the headlines for finally breaking his goal-scoring duck – he hadn’t scored in his last nine league games – it was arguably Traore who stole the show for Villa.

Meanwhile, Villa must land this Scandinavian starlet…

MatériaMais Notícias

Na manhã deste domingo, a Portuguesa estreou no Campeonato Paulista da Série A2, diante do Barretos. Sob forte sol, as equipes não conseguiram mostrar uma boa performance, como era esperado pelo torcedor que compareceu aoEstádio Fortaleza, em Barretos, no interior de São Paulo. A partida acabou sem grandes chances de gol e com o placar zerado.

O JOGO
​O primeiro tempo não reservou nenhuma grande emoção ao torcedor. A primeira boa oportunidade aconteceu apenas aos 42 minutos, com Jorge Pará, da equipe da casa, que chutou na entrada da área e quase acertou o travessão do goleiro Douglas. Os goleiros, aliás, pouco trabalharam. Na segunda etapa,
as defesas continuaram trabalhando bem e impedindo quaisquer tentativas ofensivas. Apesar disso, as equipes entraram mais dispostas e buscaram o gol. A investida do ala direito, Lucas Mendes, foi em vão, já que a bola tocou o travessão e já no finalzinho da partida quase saiuo gol barretense, mas Lídio também acertou a trave.

RelacionadasFotosFOTOS: Veteranos da bola ‘reforçam’ os Estaduais pelo BrasilFotos28/01/2016SantosSantos B terá Ronaldo Mendes e jogará a Copa Paulista em 2016Santos08/12/2015Futebol NacionalPaulistão tem interior com tradição e ‘medo’ de rebaixamento ampliadoFutebol Nacional28/01/2016

Na sequência do campeonato, o Barretos volta a campo na próxima quarta-feira, quando enfrentará o Bragantino, às 19h30, no Estádio Nabi Abi Chedid, em Bragança Paulista. Já a Portuguesa receberá o Juventus, no mesmo dia, mas às 20 horas, no Estádio do Canindé, em São Paulo.

Escalações:
​
Barretos:Júnior;Lucas Mendes (William Cordeiro), João Vitor, William Mineiro e Cleydson;Diogo Margazão, Ualisson Picachu, Lídio e Norton(Almir Dias) e Luciano Mandí;Jorge Préa(William Santos) -Técnico: Vilson Tadei

Portuguesa:Douglas;Digão, Luan Peres, Talles e Ferdinando;Renan Teixeira, Milton Júnior (Diego), Moacir (Guilherme) e Matheus;
Dominic e Boquita (Marcelo Labarthe) -Técnico: Estevam Soares.

أعلنت اللجنة المكلفة بإدارة نادي الزمالك برئاسة حسين لبيب عن تمديد التعاقد مع عبد الله جمعة لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم لمدة 3 مواسم لينتهي موسم 2024-2025.

وكان من المقرر أن ينتهي عقد عبد الله جمعة مع الزمالك بنهاية الموسم الجاري.

طالع.. صور | الزمالك يعلن تجديد عقد إمام عاشور 4 مواسم

ووقع عبد الله جمعة على عقود التمديد للقلعة البيضاء في الجلسة التي عقدها اليوم مع حسين لبيب رئيس اللجنة المكلفة بإدارة النادي في حضور حسين السيد عضو اللجنة.

وحسمت اللجنة المكلفة بإدارة النادي ملف تمديد عقد اللاعب قبل انتظام الفريق في معسكر مغلق استعدادا للقاء الإسماعيلي المقرر له يوم الجمعة المقبل في الجولة الرابعة للدوري، للحفاظ على استقرار الفريق.