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Newcastle United are targeting players who will thrive in a 3-5-2 formation, according to The Athletic’s Chris Waugh.

The lowdown

The Magpies are hoping to assemble a squad that will steer them well clear of a relegation battle this season.

They wound up finishing 12th, but as late as 20th March, they were only two points above the drop zone (via BBC Sport).

Steve Bruce wants to bring at least three players but Newcastle are the only Premier League club yet to make a signing with the start of the 2021/22 campaign less than a fortnight away.

Mike Ashley has furnished him with limited funds as he attempts to force through the prospective takeover from a Saudi-led consortium.

Newcastle used a back three with wing backs and three central midfielders on 13 occasions last season, but Bruce also deployed his players in 4-4-2 (eight times), 5-4-1 (six times) and 4-3-1-2 (five times).

The latest

Waugh reports that Bruce is ‘committed’ to the three-at-the-back shape and that the club’s ‘transfer targets are primed to play in that way’.

However, ‘some sources fear’ that the manager could change systems if Newcastle encounter a ‘tricky patch’, which could hinder their new arrivals.

The verdict

Which reported targets does the 3-5-2 lend itself to? One that springs to mind is Manchester United’s Axel Tuanzebe, who produced surely the finest performance of his career on the right side of a back three away to Paris Saint-Germain last season. He dealt assuredly with the unique threat of Kylian Mbappe.

Tuanzebe ‘looks set’ to leave the club following the signing of Raphael Varane, and he’s valued at £7.2million by Transfermarkt. It looks an eminently sensible deal for Newcastle to do.

In other news, Mark Douglas dropped this intriguing information about Newcastle’s takeover case.

Crystal Palace are close to sealing a deal for Lucien Favre to take the reins at Selhurst Park, as reported by the Daily Mail.

As it stands, the south London club have held encouraging talks with the 63-year-old as they plot to replace the departed Roy Hodgson, who left the Eagles last month [BBC].

Everton are also said to be keen on the former Borussia Dortmund manager, but Crystal Palace are leading the battle to employ Favre as we edge closer towards the start of pre-season [Daily Mail].

The experienced coach has an impressive resume, winning five trophies across a managerial career spanning back 27 years to 1994, with two Swiss League titles, two Swiss Cups and the German Super Cup to his name as part of a CV which includes Dortmund, Borussia Monchengladbach and Hertha Berlin [Transfermarkt].

As you can imagine, loads of Crystal Palace fans took to Twitter to revel in this fresh update, as their wait for clarity over the direction of their club seemingly nears an end.

CPFC fans go wild:

Replying to popular Crystal Palace fan outlet Palace Xtra, here is how some fans summarised their feelings about the latest on Favre, with one supporter calling it a “miracle”:

“Stop you’re getting me excited”

Credit: @harley95612369″Omg omg omg”Credit: @cpfcaustin”How could the insect be close to pulling of this miracle”Credit: @w_cpfc”Please, please be true”Credit: @liamb0117″Tears in my eyes”Credit: @GoatZaha”what a night we are having atm omg”Credit: @turkishcpfc”LUCIEEEEENN”Credit: @SamWaters1994In other news, these Crystal Palace fans react to Ian Holloway’s famous speech from 2013.

Many West Ham United fans are delighted after it was revealed that David Moyes is set to put pen to paper on a new contract at the club.

The Hammers enjoyed a fantastic campaign in 2020/21, finishing sixth in the Premier League, which means they will be playing in the Europa League next term. Moyes has had a huge part to play in that success, keeping the Irons up the previous season as well.

With Carlo Ancelotti reportedly set to join Real Madrid (Fabrizio Romano), there had been rumours that Moyes could return to Everton to take the Italian’s place at Goodison Park (The Times). However, according to Claret & Hugh, the Scot has already signed a new deal which will be confirmed by the club soon.

The news was shared on Twitter by @WestHam_Central, and it attracted plenty of attention from Hammers supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the news on Moyes

“Yessss”

Credit: @JshWHU

“Class news”

Credit: @CameronWHU

“SIUUUUUUU”

Credit: @BennnWHU

“Europa League winners 2021/22 confirmed”

Credit: @whuabz

“YESSSSSS”

Credit: @FornalsFluency

“Siuuuuuuuuuuu”

Credit: @joelitt78828048

In other news, many West Ham fans want the Irons to sign this striker in the summer.

Rangers fans will have been keeping a close eye on the England vs Croatia game on Sunday afternoon, not only because both teams are in Scotland’s group, but also because Borna Barisic was set to represent Zlatko Dalic’s side at Wembley.

However, an injury saw him miss out on the squad, one which could prove to be a blow for Steven Gerrard’s Ibrox outfit ahead of next season.

After a superb season for the Gers, which saw the 28-year-old contribute five goals and 14 assists in 50 appearances in all competitions, it was no surprise that he earned a call up to the Croatian side ahead of the European Championships this summer.

Barisic is arguably Croatia’s first-choice at left-back but unfortunately, he missed the opening game of the Euros against Gareth Southgate’s side, and they fell to a 1-0 defeat.

Dalic confirmed after Barisic missed out on the squad for the game against England that:

“Barisic has had problems with injuries for the last ten days, Gvardiol is now the most prepared.”

He doesn’t allude to how long the defender will be out for, but the last thing Gerrard needs is one of his key players returning injured ahead of next season, which is set to kick off in around six weeks time, with Rangers confirmed to be facing Livingston in the opening game at Ibrox on July 31st.

The fact that he went into the Euros with an issue, and that he has picked up another, suggests that Barisic isn’t 100% fit and firing. Given Croatia’s precarious position in their group, it would not be a shock if the defender pushes to get back for their upcoming game with the Czech Republic and if he goes into that game without having fully recovered, he risks further aggravating his injury.

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The former Osijek man missed the final few games of last season after picking up an injury in the Old Firm derby, which forced Gerrard to deploy Joe Aribo at left-back due to Calvin Bassey also being missing through suspension, and the 40-year-old will surely be desperate to avoid a similar situation as they get their title defence underway next month.

If Barisic’s injury issue does end up costing him time at the start of next season, then he may well have already played his last game for the Gers, when you consider that he has been attracting serious interest from the Premier League in recent weeks, which could well see him depart Ibrox in the current transfer window.

Given his ability as a player, it’s easy to see why Premier League clubs would be keen to sign him and if a big-money offer comes in, it could be tough for Rangers to prevent him from moving on.

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776″]

It would be a massive blow for the Gers to lose the “exceptional” defender and their fans will be desperate for him to make a swift recovery with Croatia so he is fit in time for the start of the next campaign, as they’ll be keen to see him in a blue shirt once again.

And, in other news… Wilson can repeat double Allen masterclass with bargain swoop for £450k-rated beast

With no manager in place at Goodison Park, it’s particularly difficult to envisage how this transfer window pans out for Everton.

Rafa Benitez is the favourite for the job and is on the verge of becoming the new boss. The sooner he arrives, the quicker they can bring in new faces.

What’s the word?

One area of the squad the Toffees look keen on improving is in defence.

Merih Demiral is on their radar, a player who was rather disappointing for Turkey at Euro 2020.

Another experienced international Everton have now been linked with a move for is Mattia De Sciglio.

He spent last term on loan at Lyon but he’s now back at Juventus and searching for the exit door again.

Italian media suggest a fee of £5m could prise him away from Turin, with the Merseyside club believed to be a suitor.

Should they sign him?

With Seamus Coleman now in the final year of his contract at Goodison Park, it would be a wise idea for Everton to sign a new full-back.

De Sciglio’s career hasn’t quite turned out in the way it was hoped when he first came through the ranks but he’d still be a valuable signing for the Merseyside club.

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As he was breaking onto the scene, the great Italian defender Paolo Maldini suggested he could have a career like his: “I think De Sciglio can follow a similar path to me at Milan. Things aren’t going too well at the moment, but he can have a career like mine.”

At the age of 28, that ship has sailed but the £97k-per-week earner is a particularly versatile player.

Last term, the Juventus defender played at left-back, in the centre of defence and at right-back. Everton already have a like-minded player in Ben Godfrey who was a huge success under Carlo Ancelotti in his first term at Goodison.

He is a different age to De Sciglio but it proves how valuable it is to have a defensively versatile player in their ranks.

Described as a player with “electric feet” by Alberigo Evani, the defender is two-footed and strong in the tackle. During the course of his career, he’s averaged 1.8 tackles per game; a higher tally than Coleman.

The arrival of the Italian, therefore, could put the final nail in the coffin of the captain’s Everton stay.

AND in other news, Brands could seal huge Gomes upgrade at Everton by signing “world-class” £30m star…

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been reacting to a video of Steven Gerrard singing ‘Simply The Best’ in a bar following the Gers’ 55th title victory.

Last Saturday’s 4-0 win over Aberdeen brought an end to a marvellous season for the Gers. The result meant the Ibrox outfit completed an unbeaten league campaign (BBC), just the second time in their history that they have managed to do so. In fact, they lost just three times in all competitions throughout the season, one of which was on penalties (Sky Sports).

The title was Rangers’ first major trophy in 10 years – as such, Gerrard is a hero for the Ibrox fanbase. He has made himself even more popular with a recent video, it seems, as he was recorded singing along to ‘Simply The Best’, the Gers’ unofficial anthem originally sung by Tina Turner, in a bar.

Earlier this week, an investigation was launched by Police Scotland after a clip was circulated online showing the Gers players following their trophy day celebrations amid accusations of using sectarian language, with the investigators concluding that there was ‘no criminality’ in the footage.

The clip of Gerrard singing was shared on Twitter by @JuanHeron10, and it attracted plenty of attention from Gers supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the video.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Gerrard clip below

“Can’t wait for the TikTok version”

Credit: @DJH_EK

“That’s a perfect way to end the week”

Credit: @Rangers4M

“Class, love it, our Gaffer he knows what it’s all about”

Credit: @TrueBlueLoyals1

“Our gaffer man. Absolute hero”

Credit: @ironfists125

“Probably watched this video 4 and half million times already. Unreal man”

Credit: @J_Drummond

“In 2 hours time Police Scotland will announce that they’re investigating this video”

Credit: @Jam_Scoosh

In other news, Rangers are planning a bid for this 21-year-old.

Manchester United could be hit with a bitter blow following the decision to postpone their Premier League meeting with Liverpool at Old Trafford.

The fixture, that was originally due to be played on Sunday, was postponed following a protest by Red Devils supporters at the Glazer family’s current ownership of the club.

Fans managed to make their way into the stadium and onto the Old Trafford pitch as numbers grew, leading to the decision to postpone the match to another date.

Whilst a potential rearrangement wil,l of course, frustrate the squad and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with them having already prepared, it could also have damaging consequences on the remainder of the current campaign.

Looking at the Red Devils’ current calendar, two out of the next three weekends between now and the end of the campaign are already taken up by Premier League fixtures against the likes of Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

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Meanwhile, mid-week fixtures against the likes of Fulham and Leicester City are added into the mix, along with the second-leg of the UEFA Europa League semi-final against AS Roma. Should the Red Devils progress past the Serie A outfit, Solskjaer will also have the Europa League final to consider on the 26th May where they will be required to travel to Gdansk in Ukraine.

The only free weekend for the Red Devils is the 15th or 16th of May, however, this could cause serious problems for the team in the fact that they could potentially be forced to play seven fixtures in just 20 days.

It goes without saying that this packed calendar could cause some complications for Solskjaer in relation to injuries and fatigue.

So whilst it remains to be seen when the fixture between the Red Devils and Liverpool will actually be played, it will certainly be a worry for United going forwards for the remainder of the campaign as wherever it get squeezed into the calendar, it won’t come at an ideal time at all.

AND in more news, read which current Red Devil has given the club a huge boost…

A number of Manchester City fans are delighted with the news that the Citizens were ready to sell John Stones until Eric Garcia revealed that he wanted to leave the club.

Stones has enjoyed a fantastic campaign after previously coming under fire from many supporters for his performances. He has made 32 appearances in all competitions, including 10 in the Champions League (Transfermarkt). In the 20 Premier League matches in which he has featured, City have conceded nine goals – in the other 15, they have shipped 17 goals.

Meanwhile, the £18m-valued Garcia (Transfermarkt) has been somewhat of a pariah at the Etihad Stadium after he revealed his intention to leave City (Sky Sports)- he will eventually do so on a free transfer. However, he may have redeemed himself in the eyes of some supporters after it was revealed by The Athletic’s Sam Lee that his desire to move on meant that Pep Guardiola kept Stones at the club.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the club’s fans. These supporters took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on this turn of events.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Garcia

“Eric Garcia deserves respect. He literally saved our season”

Credit: @_Delap

“Eric Garcia deserves hall of fame”

Credit: @AK10_03

“Tactical masterclass from Eric”

Credit: @Chal_lerec

“Retire his number”

Credit: @Bernardo20S1lva

“Eric Garcia deserves a statue outside the Etihad along with Aguero, Silva and Kompany”

Credit: @ali_saain

“GARCIAAAAA all is forgiven”

Credit: @Dylan_Parnell2

In other news, some Man City fans are unhappy with this photo of Phil Foden.

Freddie Woodman could leave Newcastle United this summer because ‘there is no clear path for him’ to the first team, according to Chronicle Live journalist Mark Douglas.

The lowdown

Woodman impressed on loan at Championship side Swansea City this season, keeping a league-high 21 clean sheets.

The 24-year-old also featured in The Athletic’s team of the season for the division as a result of his heroics as he helped the Swans to reach Saturday’s play-off final, in which they were beaten 2-0 by Brentford.

The latest

Douglas reported that Swansea are keen on a permanent move for the 24-year-old, who has signalled that he wants to play regular football and ‘is hinting’ that he wants to stay in south Wales.

That may not be possible at Newcastle given that Martin Dubravka signed a six-year contract during the 2019/20 season and ‘is an important voice in the dressing room’. Karl Darlow is then ‘next in line’ behind the Slovakian.

Arsenal, where Woodman’s father previously worked as a goalkeeping coach, could also be among his suitors.

Douglas reckons that £15m is a realistic price tag if Newcastle were to sanction a sale. That deal, though, should include ‘smart clauses’ such as first refusal on future moves or a ‘hefty sell-on’. [Chronicle Live]

The verdict

Newcastle need to box clever here. Dubravka is a more than capable number one who delivered some strong performances after his return from injury in the spring and, right now, it makes little sense to deny Woodman a lucrative move in order to keep him as a rarely-used backup.

It has been reported that, with Mike Ashley intent on selling the club, Newcastle may have as little as £12m to spend this summer – this deal could more than double their transfer budget.

If they can insert one of the clauses mentioned above, it would be a no-brainer for the Magpies to cash in on the 24-year-old.

In other news, Newcastle are in pole position to land this teenage forward.

Former Premier League striker Dean Windass has exclusively told the The Transfer Tavern that Arsenal can no longer trust captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Aubameyang has endured a difficult captain in north London, and has been unable to replicate his goalscoring exploits from previous seasons, with the Gabonese striker on course for his worst goal return for seven years having scored 14 in all competitions.

But the Gunners captain has been left out by Mikel Arteta more than once in recent weeks.

Aubameyang was axed from the side that beat Tottenham last month for turning up late, before his lacklustre display against Liverpool last weekend saw him left on the bench for Arsenal’s draw with Slavia Prague in the Europa League.

Aubameyang then missed the victory at Sheffield United on Sunday evening through illness, although he’s expected to be available for Arsenal’s second leg tie with Slavia.

But Windass told The Transfer Tavern that he hasn’t been impressed with the striker’s attitude in recent weeks and has questioned whether he still wants to play for the club:

“Don’t get me wrong, he’s a talented boy. But, like Lacazette, you can’t trust him.

“They’re not going to dig in and they’re not going to pull you out if you’re getting beat. I wouldn’t want him in my team.

“Does he really want to be there? Does he think he’s better than Arsenal? That’s how it looks when he plays.”