Josh Sargent endured a baptism of fire in England, but the USMNT striker has been assured that he can be a Premier League player.
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Newcastle United's 3-2 loss to Chelsea on Monday night was just another in a long list of disappointing results this season.
Eddie Howe's side haven't been able to replicate their impressive form from 2022/23, and they currently sit tenth in the Premier League.
However, compared to where they were just a couple of years ago, the club are on a clear trajectory, and with a team full of talented stars, it's only a matter of time until they start regularly challenging the big boys.
For example, starters like Joelinton have seen their value skyrocket over the last few years, although another star's worth has increased even more.
Newcastle signed the Brazilian from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim in July 2019 for a then-club record fee of £40m during the torrid reign of Mike Ashley.
His arrival came with lofty expectations due to his impressive form in Germany, but his first few years in English football didn't entirely go to plan.
Then-manager Steve Bruce opted to start the Aliança-born star as the team's sole striker for the first two and a half seasons at the club, a decision which was the wrong one as it saw him score just 12 goals in 73 games and get labelled as the 'worst transfer in recent Premier League history' by some in the press.
That all changed with the arrival of Howe, who, after a few more games of playing the Brazilian as a nine, opted to start him in central and attacking midfield, a position he has come to dominate in the years since.
In all, the 27-year-old has made 180 appearances for the Magpies, came second in the club's Player of the Year award in 2022, is set to sign a lucrative new contract this year and, best of all, has seen his valuation rise above what he originally cost the club.
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Joelinton's Newcastle record |
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|---|---|
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Appearances |
180 |
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Goals |
25 |
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Assists |
15 |
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Goal Involvements per Match |
0.22 |
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All Stats via Transfermarkt |
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According to the CIES Football Observatory, the Toon titan is now worth around €60m, about £51m – or £11m more than he cost the club in 2019. However, another star at the club has seen his value soar even higher.
Swedish striker Alexander Isak moved to St James' Park from Real Sociedad in August 2022 for another club record fee, this time £63m.
The then-22-year-old was effective from the word go and opened his account with a goal against Liverpool on his debut.
The rest of the campaign was a mixed bag for the Swede. When he was playing, he was arguably one of the best strikers in the league, scoring ten goals in 27 appearances, but a thigh injury saw him miss 16 games and disrupt his campaign.
It's been a similar story this year for the "outstanding" nine, as dubbed by Howe, as he has scored an impressive 16 goals in 29 appearances but missed ten games through a recurring groin injury.
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Alexander Isak's Newcastle record |
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|---|---|
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Appearances |
56 |
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Goals |
26 |
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Assists |
3 |
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Goal Involvements per Match |
0.51 |
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All Stats via Transfermarkt |
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That said, the 6 foot 4 goal machine is clearly an incredible talent, and his increasing value represents that, as according to the CIES Football Observatory, he's now worth around €100m, which is £85m – or £22m more than Newcastle paid for him just a year and a half ago.
Outscoring Isak: Newcastle may have sanctioned their £1.7m sale too early
The player left Newcastle United behind in a £2m deal.
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Ultimately, while 2023/24 hasn't been the most enjoyable season for the fans, a team filled with players like Joelinton and Isak isn't going to stay down for too long.
If the club can add one or two more quality players in the summer, they could cause a real upset next year.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?
New Real Madrid signing Kylian Mbappe will be presented to the Spanish club's fans in a sold out Santiago Bernabeu, according to a report.
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After receiving positive news regarding their appeal against their first Financial Fair Play charge, which initially saw them deducted 10 points, Everton have a much stronger chance to secure their Premier League status. Having been handed four points back from their initial deduction, the Toffees now sit five points clear of Luton Town in the relegation zone.
Sean Dyche's side aren't safe yet however, with a second charge pending, and recent reports have only added to the consequences that those at Goodison Park could face if they fail to avoid the drop this season.
To their credit, Everton's results and performances on the pitch have often mirrored those of a side sitting comfortably in mid-table. Both Amadou Onana and Jarrad Branthwaite have particularly starred for Dyche's side, attracting plenty of interest as a result, to hand the Toffees a potential dilemma.
Onana was reportedly the subject of interest from Arsenal during the January transfer window and has since been linked with Chelsea, as well as the Gunners once more. The central midfielder won't come cheap, however, with Everton reportedly demanding a price of £51m for the Belgian this summer.
Meanwhile, Branthwaite has apparently attracted even higher interest. Reports have even suggested that Real Madrid are interested in signing the defender, as well as Tottenham Hotspur, in a deal that could be worth up £75m this summer.
Everton could bin £40k-p/w man who's earning more than Branthwaite
He’s been at the club since the summer of 2023.
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Mar 1, 2024
Now, to make matters worse, relegation could also create question marks over the future of Jordan Pickford. According to the Daily Mail, Toffees chiefs believe Pickford will "demand" a transfer if they go down. They did not put a relegation wage cut clause into his contract like with many others, because they fully expect he'd want to leave anyway.
The club have taken measures however to ensure they get good money for his services – the goalkeeper does not have a release clause in his deal, meaning it would simply be a case of tempting clubs into a bidding war.
In one swoop, the Toffees could lose their Premier League status, Onana, Branthwaite and Pickford in the coming months in what would be a disastrous start to the summer.
There are several reasons why Everton need to avoid Premier League relegation and keeping hold of star players is among those reasons. And that includes Pickford. The England international has been one of few consistent performers in Merseyside over the last few years, quickly becoming an important part of any successful relegation battle at Goodison Park.
Everton coach Alan Kelly even held praise for the shot-stopper after England's penalty shootout defeat in the Euro 2020 final against Italy, saying via Everton's official website.
According to a German source, Southampton are now lining up a move to sign Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic.
The 24-year-old first joined the Bundesliga outfit from Admira Wacker back in 2019, but only has 12 months left on his current contract at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, meaning that this will be the last opportunity for Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side to cash in.
Stuttgart’s sporting director Sven Mislintat admitted just last month that he will find it difficult to keep hold of the forward amid interest from across Europe, and in a new update, the Saints have been name-checked as just one of the multiple clubs interested in securing his signature.
In a new article published by German outlet Bild (via Sport Witness), it’s claimed that Southampton are ‘interested’ in Kalajdzic and have ‘joined’ Premier League rivals Brighton in the chase for his services.
Stuttgart are demanding a fee in the region of €25m (£21.5m) for his sale, as they ‘need transfer income’ to help aid financial difficulties.
The report adds that Bayern Munich were also in the race for the Austrian, but that talks between the two parties have ‘stalled’, with interest now coming from the English top-flight.
With Armando Broja having returned to parent club Chelsea following the conclusion of his loan spell on the south coast, not to mention the fact that Shane Long is expected to make an exit in the coming weeks, Southampton will be making the hunt for a new striker a priority this window.
Kalajdzic, who was once dubbed a “crazy” aerial threat by journalist Marcel Reif, could be the ideal man to come in and boost Ralph Hasenhuttl’s attacking ranks, having netted six goals and provided two assists in just 15 appearances in an injury-hit season (Transfermarkt).
Standing at a staggering 6 foot 7, the Vienna-born talent has a huge height advantage up top and so could prove to be a real handful for opposition defenders if he were to make the move to St. Mary’s before the start of the new campaign.
There has been a fresh development in Celtic’s pursuit of Manchester City-owned defender Ko Itakura…
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph offered the Hoops renewed hope regarding a deal, having revealed that they are now “back in the frame” for the Japan international.
He said: “Itakura is someone they’ve been tracking for quite some time and they wanted him in last season, actually, but he chose to go on loan to Schalke, and Celtic are back in the frame for him because Schalke weren’t able to pay the €6m option to buy. Celtic might look to do a loan with an option to buy there.”
The Old Firm outfit have been heavily linked with a swoop for the 25-year-old – whose contract expires next summer – in recent times, having first been tipped to make a move for the 12-cap gem last summer, prior to his eventual temporary switch to Schalke.
As Joseph alluded to, however, the versatile centre-back is not set to stay with the newly-promoted Bundesliga side next term, with the German outfit having confirmed that they cannot afford to pay the required fee.
It looks as if the Glasgow side could be set to prise yet another player from the Etihad, having previously brought in the likes of Patrick Roberts, Dedryck Boyata and Jeremie Frimpong – among others – from the Premier League champions over the years.
Like most on that list, however, Itakura can hardly even be considered a City player, having been shipped out on loan for the whole of his time at the club since joining from Kawasaki Frontale in January 2019.
Despite the lack of action at his parent club, the £3.15m-rated colossus has impressed during those temporary stints away from Manchester, first catching the eye at Dutch outfit Groningen, where he was dubbed “one of the very best central defenders in the Eredivisie” by pundit Haans Kray.
The most recent campaign saw him also flourish for Schalke in 2. Bundesliga, chipping in with four goals in his 31 league outings, while also averaging an impressive 1.4 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and three clearances, winning 61% of his total duels and enjoying a solid 87% pass accuracy rate.
His potential arrival could then ensure a departure for the Hoops’ current centre-back Christopher Jullien, with the Frenchman having fallen drastically out of favour since his return from injury at the turn of the year.
Despite his return to fitness, the 29-year-old only managed to make just a solitary appearance in all competitions under Ange Postecoglou, with the title-winning coach favouring the “immense” pairing – as dubbed by Chris Sutton – of Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers.
With the latter man recently putting pen to paper to turn his loan stint into a permanent move, Jullien is seemingly set to remain on the periphery, with the potential incoming of Itakura likely to be the final nail in the coffin, amid reports of a possible return to Ligue 1 for the former Toulouse man.
IN other news, Deal Imminent: Celtic “very close” to big summer move, it’d be Ange’s best swoop yet
According to a report from West Ham insiders Claret and Hugh in the last 48 hours, Jarrod Bowen will not be leaving the club this summer.
The 25-year-old first made the switch to the Premier League in a £20m move from Hull City back in 2020, where he’s since gone on to become a fan favourite, making 104 appearances in just two years.
Even though his current contract with the Irons isn’t set to expire until 2025, the forward’s impressive performances this season appear to have caught the eye. It was reported last weekend that Arsenal are interested, while Liverpool have also been linked.
In a new article published by Claret and Hugh, it’s claimed that Bowen will ‘absolutely not’ be joining Arsenal, with a West Ham source confirming to the website that the Leominster-born talent ‘won’t be leaving’ in the coming weeks.
It’s further stated that the winger was indeed attracting additional attention from the likes of Tottenham and Liverpool, but the insider yet again reiterated that there is ‘no chance’ and he would cost £100m to shift this summer.
The news that Bowen won’t be departing will come as a huge boost to David Moyes, who will know just how much of an influence the starlet has in his starting XI, especially given his scintillating form this campaign.
The £80k-per-week gem found the back of the net 18 times and registered 11 assists across all competitions, making him the club’s top goalscorer and ranking joint-first with Michail Antonio for the latter, via BBC Sport.
Bowen’s achievements on the pitch have also been recognised by Gareth Southgate of late, having recently made his England debut, and if he continues to progress, he will become just as important of a player for the Three Lions as he is for the Hammers in years to come.
In other news… a reliable journalist has backed West Ham to make a summer move for a Premier League midfielder.
Former Premier League striker Noel Whelan has made an intriguing claim regarding the future of Glasgow Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo.
This comes following a report from Football Insider claiming that some English top-flight clubs are ‘keeping tabs’ on the 25-year-old ahead of a potential summer swoop.
Since then, former Gers boss Steven Gerrard has been linked with forming a reunion with Aribo at Aston Villa, despite the 19-cap Nigeria international insisting that he is ‘not thinking about leaving’ in the upcoming transfer window.
With just one year remaining on his deal at Ibrox (Transfermarkt), the Rangers hierarchy certainly have a decision to make over the player’s future, and one onlooker has had his say on what could happen next…
Speaking to Football Insider, ex-Aberdeen striker Whelan has suggested that Aribo could be playing to the gallery with his latest comments.
The one-time BBC pundit said: “I don’t think he’s going to want to overcommit to anything, is he? He’s going to take his time. I think he’s earned that right with the performances he’s put in for Glasgow Rangers.
“Look, he’s in a very good position and he knows that. He’s been looked at by some top English clubs – even his old manager in Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa. It’s not an easy one, but he’s in the strongest position. He knows he’s got a year left.
“He’s in that place, one year left, where he can possibly force Rangers’ hand and get them to sell.”
With nine goals and 10 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions, Aribo was certainly firing on all cylinders in the 2021/22 campaign, and it’s no surprise that clubs from south of the border would be taking a closer look at the London-born maestro.
However, Rangers either need to tie down the man hailed for a ‘sensational’ strike in a resounding 4-1 victory over Dundee United in February 2021, or else cash in this summer in order to achieve maximum incomings from their £9m-valued asset.
While the 25-year-old is clearly an integral part of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s plans given how much he played this season, keeping Aribo beyond the summer with no new deal would leave the Glasgow giants in a dangerous position, as they then risk losing a healthy influx of money and a key player for nothing in 12 months’ time.
In other news: Alex McLeish has had this to say on Nikola Katic’s Ibrox return
Rangers defender Connor Goldson has signed a new contract at Ibrox in a huge blow to Nottingham Forest’s transfer plans.
The 29-year-old first completed the switch to Glasgow from top-flight side Brighton and Hove Albion back in 2018, where he put pen to paper on a four-year deal, making a staggering 222 senior appearances for the club since that time.
The centre-back’s spell with Gio van Bronckhorst’s side looked to be coming to an end this summer, but the Gers shocked fans on Wednesday by announcing a four-year extension.
The Scottish Sun revealed late on Monday night that the Reds were about to ‘step up’ their interest in Goldson.
Steve Cooper is said to be ‘huge fan’ of the player and the Premier League new boys were ‘ready to make their move’.
The 1-0 victory against Huddersfield Town in the play-off final at Wembley last weekend will see the club receive an astonishing £170m cash boost for making the jump up to the top division.
Goldson, once dubbed an “incredible” player by former Gers boss Steven Gerrard, would have been a superb way to start off their summer business, immediately granting Cooper one of his top targets without paying a penny on transfer fees due to his contract situation.
Averaging 3.3 clearances and 1.2 tackles per league game this season, via WhoScored, he’s been an absolute rock in Rangers’ back-line, also racking up 13 Europa League appearances.
A reunion with Joe Worrall would have provided Cooper with a truly solid pairing of two colossal defenders ready to take the top flight by storm, but the manager will now have to look elsewhere for defensive reinforcements, and it’s extremely unlikely he’ll find one he likes so much on a Bosman deal.
Journalists Liam Kennedy and Jordan Cronin have revealed the list of players that Newcastle United might seek to move on from the club this summer.
Exactly halfway through the season, Newcastle were 19th in the Premier League with just one win and 11 points from 19 games, staring relegation in the face.
A busy transfer window in January saw the arrivals of Bruno Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Matt Targett and Chris Wood at St James’ Park. Fuelled by these new additions, the Magpies went on a sensational run of form in the first few months of 2022, remarkably ending the season in 11th place with a total of 49 points, averaging two points per game in the second half of the campaign.
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Following the club’s success in the January transfer market, PIF will surely be looking to build upon this again in the summer. However, this time around, it is expected that a whole host of players will need to make way for the new arrivals.
Kennedy revealed in a Newcastle World Q&A that, whilst the majority of departures are to be expected, Jamal Lewis is set to be handed another chance at St James’ Park
He stated: “This list is getting quite lengthy. And I think we all know the candidates. So instead, I will list one player who I think might stay, despite it appearing as if he is heading out the exit door. Howe is keen to take a look at Jamal Lewis this summer, and depending on what happens in the market, he may well get a second chance at Newcastle.
“In my opinion, a player with all the tools to succeed, just needs a lot of decent coaching – and let’s be honest, that wasn’t forthcoming before Howe walked through the door.”
Taking a different approach, fellow journalist Cronin name-checked a few players that Eddie Howe could jettison during the summer.
He claimed: “Since Liam didn’t write the list of potential departures, I will… Yes, the most obvious are Freddie Woodman, Ciaran Clark, Federico Fernandez, Jeff Hendrick, Isaac Hayden and Dwight Gayle. I wouldn’t rule out others departing however – Miguel Almiron for example, i.e. a player you might not expect to go.”
If Newcastle are to keep buying high-quality players who require substantial transfer fees, then it will be important that the club can offload some of the deadwood early in the window, so that the board have enough time to secure their transfer targets and stick within Financial Fair Play parameters.
Therefore, numerous incomings and outgoings are expected at St James’ Park this summer, as Howe looks to carry the positive momentum from 2022 so far into the forthcoming season as the Magpies potentially eye up a European finish.
In other news: Newcastle United: Journalists address Lucas Paqueta transfer links