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A journalist has dropped what sources close to the potential takeover of Newcastle United have said about arbitration.

The Lowdown: Things heating up

Things are certainly heating up ahead of the upcoming arbitration case between the St. James’ Park club and the Premier League over the failed takeover deal between Mike Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group.

The Tynesiders released a statement on their official website requesting for the process to be made public, and also claimed that they have ‘nothing to hide’, even suggesting that the top flight should have ‘no reason to be afraid of the public spotlight’ providing that they have acted ‘lawfully and properly’ and thus should be calling for the process to be made public as well.

Amanda Staveley, the businesswoman and head of PCP Capital Partners who is part of the consortium looking to take over at Newcastle, has also written a letter to Tracey Crouch, who is leading a government-commissioned review of the governance of football. She accused the division of a ‘closely guarded lack of transparency’ and argued that the administrator of the Premier League has raised ‘an effective shield against public scrutiny.

Jamie Reuben, a wealthy businessman who is also part of the consortium alongside Staveley, is understood to be supportive of the letter.

The Latest: Arbitration insight

Writing in his latest piece for The Independent, journalist Tony Evans has revealed that sources close to the potential takeover have said that they have not yet been given a date for the arbitration hearing, which is set to take place this month.

This comes after the statement and the letter were released as tension seems to be building ahead of the forthcoming proceedings.

The Verdict: Pressure mounting

There is clearly pressure mounting among both parties involved in the upcoming arbitration case.

Although the willingness to release both the statement and the letter can be seen as supreme confidence, it could also come across as desperate from both Staveley and Newcastle.

On the other hand, the Premier League have now been put under huge pressure to make the case public, as they too should have ‘nothing to hide’.

It is all set up for a very intriguing hearing, and the results should paint a much clearer picture over the direction of where the takeover is heading.

In other news, find out what takeover claim Ben Jacobs has dropped after reading Staveley’s letter

Birmingham City are interested in a deal to bring Matija Sarkic to St. Andrew’s this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by The Athletic journalist Tim Spiers, who revealed in a post on Twitter that the Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper is currently training with Lee Bowyer’s side, with a view to signing a loan deal at the club.

The highly-rated goalkeeper moved to Wolves from Aston Villa back in 2020, although is yet to make a first-team appearance for the Premier League side.

However, having spent last season on loan at League One side Shrewsbury Town, it now appears as if Birmingham feel that the 23-year-old is capable of making a step up in division in 2021/22.

Fans surely buzzing

Having impressed in League One last season, it is unsurprising to learn that Bowyer is interested in a deal to bring Sarkic to St. Andrew’s in the summer transfer window, with his potential signing being one that should also have fans of the club buzzing.

Indeed, over his 26 league appearances for Steve Cotterill’s side last term, the £4.9k-per-week man helped his side keep nine clean sheets and made a total of 60 saves, an average of 2.3 stops per game.

These returns saw the man Kris Boyd once dubbed an “excellent” player earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.80, ranking him as the Shrews’ joint 11th-best performer in the third tier of English football, playing a key role in his side comfortably securing survival in League One.

And, with Birmingham’s current number one Neil Etheridge earning a similar average SofaScore match rating of 6.81 over his 43 Championship appearances for the Blues last season, it would very much appear as if, despite the eight-year age gap between the Wolves man and the 31-year-old, Sarkic would not simply just provide backup for Etheridge next season, but also challenge the Philippines international for his starting spot between the sticks.

As such, the signing of the Montenegro international would very much appear to be an astute piece of business for Bowyer to get over the line this summer, as the 23-year-old would seem yet another step in the right direction under the Blues boss.

In other news: Birmingham confirm transfer news on exciting £3.1k-p/w dynamo, Bowyer will be buzzing

Celtic have now completed the acquisition of three players during the summer transfer window but Ange Postecoglou won’t stop there.

The Hoops are keen on landing a few extra faces as they aim to bolster their side ahead of attempts to reclaim their Scottish dominance.

What’s the word?

Postecoglou wrapped up a deal to bring Liel Abada to Paradise on Wednesday evening and after signing a winger, they’re working hard to land a full-back.

Osaze Urhoghide can feature in that third of the pitch but they want a more permanent fixture.

Celtic have been linked with Sacha Boey of Rennes in the last few days but they’re targeting his teammate Brandon Soppy too. He also happens to play at right-back.

Fabrizio Romano revealed the news earlier this week but provided an update on the latest edition of the Here We Go podcast.

The journalist said: “Brandon Soppy is an interesting right-back. I love this player, I’m sure he will be one of the next generation talents from Rennes.

“Celtic want him. They have an interest. Also, French clubs are working on it but Celtic have a strong interest in Soppy.”

A necessity

Supporters should be absolutely elated with the way Celtic are going about their business at the moment.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-news-doig-nketiah-mccann” title= “Read the latest Celtic transfer news!”]

Postecoglou and Dominic McKay have seemingly identified players capable of improving the overall feeling of the squad and individuals who will fit his style of play.

The addition of tricky winger Abada demonstrates that while their chase for Carl Starfelt is also impressive. He prioritises distribution of the ball from defence, rather than carrying it forward like Kristoffer Ajer does.

The addition of Soppy would also help the Hoops significantly.

Not since the days of Mikael Lustig have they had a truly consistent full-back. Jeremie Frimpong was described by Neil Lennon as one of the best young players he’s worked with but proved to be inconsistent from a defensive point of view.

Jonjoe Kenny hardly helped their cause either. The Everton full-back spent half a campaign on loan but made a catastrophic number of errors in all three of the Old Firm derbies he played in.

He’s returned to Merseyside and as a consequence, they don’t have a senior right-back apart from Anthony Ralston.

Soppy could fix that headache but also fit seamlessly into Postecoglou’s way of playing.

The Australian prefers his players to press and hound the opposition regularly. Fortunately, Soppy is up to scratch in this department, completing 40% of his pressures – the fifth-best tally at Rennes last term.

Furthermore, he is one of the best in his position in Ligue 1. Last term, he attempted 4.03 tackles per 90 minutes which put him in the 98th percentile for full-backs in the French top-flight.

Per FB Ref, Soppy was in the 96th percentile for successful pressures, the 88th percentile for dribbles attempted and the 94th percentile for progressive carries of the ball. To top things off, he was one of the most fouled players in the division, ranking in the 99th percentile at 2.09 fouls drawn per 90.

On that evidence, he’d be a first-class addition to the Celtic ranks. Supporters should be delighted they’re trying to sign him.

AND in other news, Celtic begin talks to sign “talented” £2.2m-rated machine, Ange really needs him…

Celtic are monitoring Lausanne-Sport defender Moritz Jenz, according to The Scottish Sun.

The Lowdown: Jenz profiled

Jenz is 22 years of age and joined his current employers in 2020 from Fulham.

Since then, the German has made 31 appearances for the Swiss side, scoring once and registering one assist.

The 6ft 2in defender is Lausanne-Sport’s number four and still has two years remaining on his deal.

He’s primarily a centre-back but can also play as a right-back, and it seems as if he is now on Celtic’s radar.

The Latest: Recent report

The Scottish Sun shared a story on Thursday evening regarding Jenz and the latest on a possible swoop for Fraser Forster.

They claimed that Hoops scouts have been alerted over the availability of the defender and are one of a number of clubs now keeping tabs on his situation.

The Verdict: Shrewd signing?

Jenz is reportedly rated at £1m, so he could possibly be a shrewd alternative to Tottenham’s Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Celtic are thought to be in talks over a deal for Carter-Vickers, who is valued at £5m, so the Hoops could save £4m in a potential swoop for Jenz.

Both players can play as a centre-back or right-back, and Jenz clearly has something about him with a number of clubs across Europe interested.

Celtic could then potentially use funds saved by signing Jenz over Carter-Vickers on another summer addition, but they’ll have to beat multiple sides in the race for Jenz’s services.

In other news: £5.4m-rated club captain admits he would ‘immediately’ sign for Celtic; he’s on £18,000-a-week. 

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left fuming at a referee decision in their 0-0 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion in a friendly on Saturday evening.

Ianis Hagi thought that he had scored late on in the second half, only for the referee to bring the play back for an alleged foul on Yves Bissouma.

Steven Gerrard’s men more than held their own against the Premier League outfit, as new signing John Lundstram hit the crossbar as the Gers threatened to go ahead on more than one occasion in the first half (The Daily Mail).

Even though it was just a pre-season friendly, it would have been a very good result if the Ibrox faithful managed to beat the Seagulls, but in the end, they had to settle for a draw.

Nonetheless, a lot of RFC supporters were not happy at all with the decision to chalk Hagi’s goal off.

Rangers fans on disallowed goal

These Rangers fans slammed the decision to disallow Hagi’s goal on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it was a ‘terrible decision’:

“That’s the worst dive I’ve ever seen”

Credit: @666lucifxr

“Terrible decision by the ref! Goal all day”

Credit: @mjh1977

“Never a foul, we got robbed”

Credit: @Justin83517287

“That’s poor”Credit: @JamieGirdwood”Scottish officials are embarrassing”Credit: @EverySaturdayWe”No way is that a foul”Credit: @RangersCentral3In other news, find out what big claim has been dropped on this ‘top-quality’ Ger here!

Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly closing in on the signing of Swansea City midfielder George Byers, according to a fresh development which emerged on Wednesday morning.

The Lowdown: Sheff Wed busy in the transfer market

The Owls are having a productive time of things in the summer transfer window, as Darren Moore builds his own squad at Hillsborough.

Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Lewis Wing both arrived on loan on Tuesday, joining Jaden Bowen, Jack Hunt, Dennis Adeniran and Olamide Shodipo as fellow signings.

The Latest: Owls close in on Byers signing

It now looks as though a seventh arrival is on the horizon, with Yorkshire Live reporting that Byers is set to join from Swansea.

A move for the 25-year-old will be reportedly be completed imminently, barring ‘any last-minute hiccups’, as Wednesday continue to look busy.

Byers spent half of last season on loan at Portsmouth, making 14 appearances in League One, and his current Swans deal expires next summer.

The Verdict: Another shrewd addition

Byers could be another interesting signing for the Owls, adding more depth in the middle of the park, especially if Barry Bannan potentially moves on.

At 25, he is both experienced and young enough to be a long-term acquisition for Moore’s side, helping them mount a genuine League One promotion push next season.

He only started four league matches last term, so perhaps a new environment is exactly what he needs, and averaging 2.7 shots per 90 minutes he certainly could carry a goal threat from midfield if he can find more consistent playing time.

In other news, two clubs are reportedly keen on a move for one Sheff Wed player. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Nuno Santo could be lining up a bid for one of his former stars…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Star, Spurs are among the teams interested in signing Wolves winger Adama Traore this summer, although they face competition from Premier League rivals Liverpool and Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma.

It’s claimed that Nuno would consider an attempt to lure the player to North London ‘if the price was right.’

Reports last month suggested that the Midlands outfit would be open to selling several of their key [;ayers, including Traore and Ruben Neves, but it remains to be seen how much either would command.

The six-time Spanish international is currently valued at €30m (£26m) by CIES Football Observatory, whilst Football Insider believe £30m could be enough.

Imagine him and Son

By signing Traore, Nuno could well form a frightening attack in behind Harry Kane next season as he and Heung-min Son could strike fear into the opposition’s full-backs with their unique styles and ability to cut inside.

Indeed, the 5 foot 10 winger is built like a brick wall but has the pace of a cheetah, and was once described as “unplayable” by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

Once regarded as a player with no end-product, Traore transformed his game under Nuno at Molineux, where he provided nine goals and 15 assists across the 2019/20 and 2020/21 season, as per Transfermarkt.

Furthermore, no player in the entire Premier League managed as many dribbles per game (4.1) as the Spaniard last season and, combined with him being fouled 2.3 times per match (third-highest in the division), that makes him an incredibly tough and lethal opponent.

It’s no wonder BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand dubbed him a “machine” who “has been scaring defenders,” via Birmingham Live.

With Gareth Bale returning to Real Madrid, Erik Lamela joining Sevilla and the futures of Lucas Moura and Steven Bergwijn up in the air, it would make the world of sense to target a new right-sided winger and considering that Nuno knows the player better than most, it’s a shrewd option.

On the above evidence, Traore could run rings around Spurs’ opposition, allowing Son to come inside and make the most of his impressive finishing ability.

If the Lilywhites can secure the Spaniard, then they’ll have an attack to be feared next season.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold issues worrying transfer update on Cristian Romero…

David Norris has offered his thoughts on Leeds’ chances of landing Mikkel Damsgaard ahead of Liverpool.

What’s the talk?

The former Whites player has suggested that the Denmark starlet could prefer a move to Leeds over the Reds because of the game-time he would likely get at Elland Road.

Norris told Football FanCast: “I think that’s exactly it if he wants to come and play first-team football and you’d look at it on paper and expect him to have more chances at Leeds.”

According to Sport Mediaset earlier this month, Leeds and Liverpool are both keen on signing the Denmark international, with a price tag of €35m (£30m) on his head.

Bielsa would adore him

Victor Orta must act swiftly to secure a deal for Damsgaard. Norris believes Leeds have the edge over Liverpool and this is a boost for the Whites, but they cannot afford to dawdle if they are serious about signing him, as that would open the door for the Reds to snap him up.

Marcelo Bielsa would likely adore the forward, who has the quality to create moments of magic in the final third. Indeed, he could add something a little different to what Leeds already have on the left flank.

Whilst Jack Harrison offers natural width with his left foot out wide, Damsgaard is a right-footed left winger and could be a better option in games where Bielsa does not want to utilise the flanks as much.

Earlier this year, Danish football expert Martin Mikkelsen claimed that the youngster is “magical” and pointed to his ability to go either side as one of his biggest strengths. 

He told TV2 Sport: “It’s the season’s assist. Isn’t that where we are? He’s magical – what a speed! It is fantastic improvisation, and he just finds Balde in the field, as they both know what is going to happen.

“It is a free space he has, as he is not so locked. He is dynamic and can go both ways. He is creative but also so mature in his decisions. Was it something we dreamed of? It’s awesome.”

His statistics for Denmark in 2021 back up these comments from Mikkelsen. In six games across the European Championship finals and World Cup qualifiers, Damsgaard provided four goals and three assists. He averaged a sublime WhoScored rating of 7.28 in the summer tournament, with 1.2 key passes and 1.8 dribbles completed per game for his country.

This shows the level of quality he is able to produce at the top level, which is why Bielsa would surely love to have him and his wizardry at Leeds. It is now down to Orta to put together a deal with Sampdoria to bring Damsgaard to Elland Road…

AND in other news, Imagine him and Phillips: Leeds handed boost in pursuit of “tenacious” £5m powerhouse… 

Sheffield Wednesday have recently announced that Josh Windass has signed a new contract with the club, which will keep him at Hillsborough until the summer of 2023.

What’s the story?

Windass signed for the club back in 2020, and has gone on to make 53 appearances in total for the Owls, which includes 44 in the 2020/21 season.

The forward netted ten goals and was on hand to provide six assists in all competitions last term, in what was a frustrating season for Wednesday as they were relegated into the third-tier of English football, whilst under the management of Darren Moore.

Windass has been linked with a move to Premier League clubs earlier in the year but has committed his future to the League One club.

Sheffield Wednesday supporters will be hoping that he can return to action at the earliest of opportunities, with Windass currently recovering from a hamstring injury.

‘Explosive’

It’s a real statement of intent by Wednesday to tie Windass down to a new contract, as he’s shown that he’s more than good enough to be playing regularly in the Championship, never mind League One.

The 27-year-old was a rare bright spark for the Owls last term, as they were relegated from the second-tier, and he’s clearly keen on playing his part in their bid for promotion this season.

He was the club’s top goalscorer in the 2020/21 season and will be looking to make up for lost time when he returns from surgery on a hamstring injury.

You don’t attract interest from Premier League clubs by chance, and that shows a considerable amount about the ability that Windass has in his locker.

So, for Wednesday to be able to keep hold of a player of his quality, despite being in League One, it shows a lot about their ambition of wanting to win promotion back into the Championship at the first time of asking.

Speaking in an interview with Football FanCast back in January 2021 after Josh Windass suffered a hamstring injury, his father Dean, labelled his son as ‘explosive runner’.

“He pulled his hamstring last week. So I can say it’s a grade one tear. And he’s out for 10 days.

“He’s a bit gutted you know, but there’s been a lot of games and there’s been a lot of injuries in every club. He’s a quick, explosive runner so you’re going to get injuries like that.”

Sheffield Wednesday will be hoping they can pick up their first win of the season, when they return to action this weekend, as they take on Doncaster Rovers at Hillsborough.

And in other Sheffield Wednesday news, This man isa yet to make a decision about his future….

Kevin Phillips has urged Glasgow Rangers to sell Alfredo Morelos as soon as possible and believes it is the right time for the Colombia international to leave.

The Lowdown: Morelos future up in the air

Morelos’ future has been the subject of much speculation this summer, with Porto in particular said to be interested in his services.

The 25-year-old was even said to have agreed personal terms with the Portuguese outfit (Antena 1), but there has so far not been any concrete offer for the striker.

The Latest: Phillips urges sale

Speaking to Football Insider, Phillips has urged the Gers to sell Morelos this summer. He said:

“I’ve been saying it’s time for Morelos to go for a while now.

“It would help them out financially too if they need that extra cash now.

“There are always issues with him, you know he will miss games in the season.

“Whether that’s through a red card or an accumulation of quite a few yellows.

“I would imagine Rangers are expecting an offer for him now, other clubs know all about the financials.

“I think he will go.”

The Verdict: Will there be a better time?

Unless Morelos signs a new contract at Ibrox – which would be a shock considering he has previously revealed his desire to play in a more prestigious league (Goal.com) – there will surely never be a better time for the Gers to let Morelos go.

With two years left on his current deal (Transfermarkt), he still has a strong sale value. If the Gers were to wait another year, the potential fee they could receive for his services would be significantly lower.

Of course, Morelos is a striker with plenty of talent as he has shown with 95 goals in 185 appearances for Rangers, but Steven Gerrard does have a number of other options at his disposal in Fashion Sakala, Cedric Itten, Kemar Roofe and Jermain Defoe. If Morelos wants to leave, the Gers should respect his wish.

In other news, Rangers fans were livid at this interview.