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Newcastle United are reportedly plotting a summer move for Wolves defender Max Kilman.

The Lowdown: Kilman profiled

The centre-back has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most consistent performers, playing in Transfermarkt).

Sky Sports’ Adam Bate noted how Kilman ‘pocketed’ the great Cristiano Ronaldo when Wolves beat Manchester United last year, while broadcaster Jacqui Oatley has hailed him as ‘pure class’ and believes that he is the ‘most nationally underrated’ player in the English top flight, having not yet been capped by England at the age of 25.

The Latest: Newcastle plotting move for Kilman

As per Football Insider, Newcastle are plotting a move for Kilman this summer, but they will face stiff competition for his signature.

His contract at Molineux is not up until 2025, but Wolves might be under pressure to sell given that they look like they may be in a relegation battle this season.

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The Verdict: Get it done

With Jamaal Lascelles reportedly on Nottingham Forest’s radar, Newcastle will need to sign another centre-back this summer, and Kilman would fit the bill.

Not only does he have the top-flight experience, he has been one of the standout performers not just in the Premier League but in Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the 93rd percentile for blocks and the 84th percentile for successful take-ons and 78th for clearances per game among centre-backs over the past year (FBref).

Being left-footed, he would add a more natural balance to a centre-half pairing with the likes of Sven Botman or Fabian Schar; and sharing the same agent as Eddie Howe, this is a deal which could accelerate closer to the summer transfer window.

TalkSPORT punditTalkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor has criticised Tottenham forward Richarlison for his Premier League form this season.

The Lowdown: Richarlison misfiring…

The Spurs attacker, signed by sporting director Fabio Paratici last summer from Everton, has found goals very difficult to come by in the English top flight.

Richarlison has contributed with strikes in cup competitions, the Champions League group stages specifically, yet remains without a single goal in 16 league appearances.

The Brazilian has been shining at international level but is struggling to really capture that form at Spurs so far, which is perhaps made worse by both injury issues and often being relegated to the bench this campaign (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Agbonlahor sends Richarlison message…

Speaking to Football Insider, the talkSPORT regular has claimed that Richarlison could be ‘moved on’ if he doesn’t improve soon.

He explained:

“Richarlison has got to wake up.

“He wasn’t great against West Ham or Chelsea – and that’s been a theme of his season.

“When you watch him, you struggle to see what he’s good at. He’s got no standout attributes.

“He’s not quick, he’s not a great finisher, he can’t hold the ball up, he can’t pass that well.

“I feel that he could be someone that Spurs look to move on. He’s not showing himself to be good enough for where they want to go.”

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The Verdict: Harsh?

The 25-year-old, as mentioned before, has had to deal with both limited appearances off the bench throughout 2022/2023 and injuries to his hamstring/calf (Transfermarkt).

It’s often difficult for players to gain consistent form when they’re so in and out of the team, potentially stifling Richarlison in his bid to justify a £60 million price tag.

Of course, when handed an opportunity, it is the job of the player to grasp it with both hands – which certainly wasn’t the case for Richarlison last night against Sheffield United.

Still fairly young and signed on a new deal until 2027, Spurs supporters have plenty of time to see their player’s best, but he could need time and consistent minutes.

Everton will make a trip to Trentside tomorrow for their Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest and now the Toffees could be set for a big injury boost.

What’s the latest on Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury?

Sean Dyche took to his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon to deliver a promising update on Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s recovery.

The Everton boss told the press:

“Dominic Calvert-Lewin is recovering and getting strong. We’ll see [for Sunday].”

Will Calvert-Lewin play against Nottingham Forest?

Whilst the injury update from Dyche is promising it is not a confirmation that Calvert-Lewin will return to action on Sunday afternoon at The City Ground, however, it will give the Goodison Park faithful some hope heading into the away clash.

The Toffees are currently one point deep in the relegation zone and desperately needed to start picking up crucial survival points over their remaining 13 fixtures if they are to have any chance of avoiding a drop into the Championship at the end of the season.

Calvert-Lewin has tallied up 59 goals and registered 18 assists over his 203 appearances for Everton and scored the most important goal of the campaign for his club last season when he found the back of the net against Crystal Palace to secure survival in the Premier League, proving that the gem is an incredibly valuable asset to the squad.

There is no doubt that Calvert-Lewin is the most experienced striker at Everton with both Neal Maupay and Ellis Simms struggling to replicate the number nine’s impact in front of goal which has been an obvious issue in the most recent performances for the Merseysiders.

Over the last four league games in the 25-year-old’s absence, the Toffees have won one and lost three – with club captain Seamus Coleman scoring the only goal during this period against Leeds United, neither Simms nor Maupay have found the back of the net.

Calvert-Lewin scored 29 Premier League goals between the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns and the Everton boss would have a lethal finisher on his hands if he can get the best out of the England international, which is why the marksman’s potential return is a big boost.

With that being said, the forward could be the linchpin in not only snatching all three points away from home on Sunday but also better their chances of survival at the end of the season if, of course, he can remain fit.

Harsh words were spread about Tottenham on Wednesday night. Peter Crouch asked what the point of qualifying for the Champions League was if they were going to limp out as they did to AC Milan.

It was brutal from the former Spurs striker but it was a fair concern with Antonio Conte’s side throwing out yet another dismal and underwhelming display.

The Lilywhites were sat there with a fantastic chance of reaching the quarter-finals against a side sat fifth in the Italian top-flight with the draw having certainly been kind to those in north London.

Yet, they spurned another glorious opportunity of going deep into a competition, just days after being shambolically knocked out by Sheffield United in the FA Cup.

Plenty was to blame for the abject showing last night, none more so than the manager who failed to galvanise and inspire Spurs. The stadium felt lifeless, with that a damning assessment considering the shiny new ground they play their football in.

Yet there was another huge factor behind the defeat; a red card for Cristian Romero.

What is Cristian Romero’s disciplinary record at Spurs?

The Argentine defender takes both a modern and old-school approach to the game of football.

He is more than comfortable with the ball at his feet but the centre-back is also dominant in physical duels, completely bullying opponents.

However, in the words of BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand, he has the tendency to get too “emotional”, a trait that was on display against Milan on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-1 ace lunged in on Rafael Leao to receive a yellow card and then committed an unforgivable sin by performing a similar challenge on Theo Hernandez.

The French full-back attempted to break clear down the left but was ruthlessly wiped out by the World Cup winner who was subsequently given his march orders. As Chris Sutton put it on BBC Radio 5 Live, it was just “so reckless.”

That sending-off happened to be the third he’s received since joining Spurs and the sixth in his career to date. Considering he is still only 24, he simply has to learn sooner rather than later to keep his discipline. Indeed, at the moment, “it is a massive flaw to his game” – in the words of Jermaine Jenas.

Romero is truly frustrating. On his day he is a colossal defender and indeed one of Tottenham’s most important players. Yet, he is also incredibly unreliable at the same time and cannot be trusted to keep his head.

This element of his game echoes that of Granit Xhaka.

The Swiss, who plays for Spurs’ fierce rivals, Arsenal, has taken plenty of flack throughout the years for his ill-discipline, notably being criticised for an “absolutely ridiculous” red card in a crucial Carabao Cup tie with Liverpool.

Arsenal’s divisive midfielder has fought back to emerge as one of the club’s success stories this year but was a walking suspension during his early days in England.

At the age of 30, he has received a whopping 14 red cards throughout his club career with five of those coming at the Gunners.

Romero is now worryingly just two away from equalling that tally but as Xhaka has done so expertly, he must find a way to mature and iron out his reckless nature.

If the former Arsenal captain can manage to tame the beast inside of him telling him to lunge in, anyone can.

Man City manager Pep Guardiola is now believed to have personally spoke with Brighton star Alexis Mac Allister over joining the club.

The Lowdown: City linked…

The Premier League champions have been linked to signing Mac Allister in recent months with some reports even suggesting that they’re the overwhelming favourites.

Roberto De Zerbi’s star has been heavily courted by many top flight clubs, according to some claims, with the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle apparently interested.

Mac Allister is also thought to be eyeing an exit from Brighton amid this serious interest from top flight rivals, coming after his brilliant individual 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar.

The midfielder ended up playing a starring role for Argentina under Lionel Scaloni, perhaps raising his profile whilst turning Guardiola’s head.

The Latest: Guardiola contacts Mac Allister…

According to TNT Sports journalist Ariel Helueni, via news aggregation site All About Argentina on Twitter, Mac Allister is now a real transfer target for City.

It is believed that the 24-year-old has attracted real attention from the Blues with Guardiola even personally holding talks with him.

Helueni said:

“Pep Guardiola had talks with Alexis Mac Allister and he is a serious option for Manchester City in the next summer window.”

The Verdict: Phenomenal player…

In recent weeks, it has been claimed that Guardiola wants to add more goal-scoring midfield players behind his usual front three of Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden/Riyad Mahrez.

Mac Allister, who is currently Brighton’s joint-top scorer in the English top flight with seven in 21 starts, appears to fit the mould.

Indeed, the attacker is a consistent threat and has even managed more attempts at goal per 90 than any player in De Zerbi’s current squad (WhoScored).

In terms of overall performance, only in-form teammates Solly March and Kaoru Mitoma have averaged a higher match rating per game than Mac Allister (WhoScored).

The Argentine has also been endorsed by reporters who cover the Seagulls week in, week out, with reporter Ryan Adsett calling him ‘world class’.

However, it is believed that Brighton understandably won’t let him go for cheap as Football Insider reported earlier this month.

The price tag for Mac Allister apparently stands at around £70 million with City now left to weigh up their options and decide if that valuation is worth the punt.

The champions have an array of star attacking talent at their disposal and it’s important to remember that a centre-back is also high on their agenda.

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be interested in Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri as they weigh possible replacements for Antonio Conte.

The Lowdown: Spurs manager hunt continues…

The Lilywhites are still reportedly in the hunt for Conte’s replacement with no confirmed decision made on their intentions as things stand.

Spurs’ head coach had been linked with a departure this summer with his contract set to expire in June, yet an astonishing post-match rant last weekend may have accelerated his exit.

Conte attacked his squad, Tottenham’s history and even the board after his side squandered a late 3-1 lead to draw 3-3- with Southampton at St. Mary’s.

“We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, I see players that don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart,” said their furious boss (via The Daily Echo).

“Why? Because they are used to it here, they are used to it. They don’t play for something important yeah. They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress.

“It is easy in this way. Tottenham’s story is this. Twenty years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stays here. I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench.”

The result put a dent in Tottenham’s hopes to seal a top four Premier League finish, coming soon after they were knocked out of both the Champions League and FA Cup.

The Latest: Spurs interested in Sarri…

According to a report from Italy, the Lilywhites are now believed to be targeting another former Chelsea boss – Serie A manager Sarri.

Newspaper Il Messaggero , as also translated by Get Italian Football News, claim Spurs and some top flight rivals are eyeing a move for the 64-year-old who hasn’t yet replied to their interest.

This comes as Sarri seeks assurances from Lazio over transfer strategy as his relationship with sporting director Igli Tare apparently reaches boiling point.

The report adds that the Italian has also ‘already’ rejected a mega-money offer from a club in the United Arab Emirates.

The Verdict: Good candidate?

While Sarri arguably won’t get supporters as excited as, say, other rumoured candidates like Mauricio Pochettino –  but he does possess a few credentials.

The former Juventus boss has trophy-winning pedigree, clinching a Scudetto with the Old Lady in 2020 and winning a Europa League title with Chelsea in 2019.

Sarri has also been endorsed by Pochettino in recent years with the Argentine once tipping him to be a real success in England, claiming he ‘impressed’ everyone at the time.

The ex-Napoli boss also encourages an attacking brand of football, away from Conte’s pragmatic style, with members of the Italian media calling him a ‘top-class’ manager.

Crystal Palace are interested in appointing Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper this summer, according to The Daily Mail. 

The Lowdown: Three wins from 11

The Eagles decided to part ways with Patrick Vieira prior to the international break and confirmed on Tuesday that Roy Hodgson has returned on a short-term deal until the end of the season.

Paddy McCarthy will assist the 75-year-old, with Ray Lewington returning as first-team coach. The club also added that Dean Kiely will remain as goalkeeping coach at Selhurst Park.

Hodgson and Lewington are hoping that three wins from the club’s last 11 Premier League games will be enough to keep them in the division, with Palace’s last top-flight victory coming on New Year’s Eve.

Club officials appear to be already looking at Hodgson’s long-term replacement, with Adi Hutter and Paulo Fonseca possible targets, however, a manager in work in England appears to be another contender.

The Latest: Cooper update

The Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel provided an update from Palace in the last 48 hours, claiming the club remain committed to appointing a new manager in the summer.

He reported that a number of managers Palace are interested in are currently in work, name-checking Cooper at the City Ground.

The Verdict: One to watch?

Hodgson will be taking on Cooper’s Forest side at Selhurst Park on the final day of the season, a match where Palace will be hoping they are already safe. The Reds are one of Palace’s relegation rivals, so if Cooper fails to guide Forest to safety, a move for the Welshman could become a real possibility.

Cooper, who shares the same agency as Eberechi Eze, has done a brilliant job with his current employers since taking over in September 2021 when they were towards the bottom of the Championship, leading the club to promotion following a playoff final win at Wembley. He has won or drawn more games in the Premier League than he has lost, coming out on top in his only meeting with Vieira back in November.

Sam Allardyce even thinks Cooper would have ‘done the best job of all the managers in the Premier League’ if he keeps Forest up, however, doing just that may impact Palace’s chances of a move.

Cooper could be a name to keep an eye on over the coming months, but Palace supporters will be desperate for the club to remain in the top flight and may not be worrying too much about who could take over from Hodgson at this moment in time.

West Ham United are being linked with Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri as a potential replacement for David Moyes, but the Italian boss could prove to be Avram Grant 2.0 at the London Stadium.

Could West Ham appoint Maurizio Sarri?

According to Italian news outlet Il Messaggero, Sarri has asked for assurances about summer transfers from Lazio before committing his future to the club, something which the Serie A side are currently unwilling to provide.

As a result, it is suggested that an exit could be on the cards for the former Chelsea manager this month, with Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham and Everton all named as interested parties.

Moyes is a man under pressure at West Ham given the east London outfit currently sit in a relegation spot in the Premier League, although the board are yet to pull the trigger on the Scot due to his achievements in seasons gone by.

Would Sarri be a good appointment for West Ham?

If they were to replace the former Manchester United boss in the near future, the club should look to hire a progressive, young manager to aid the Hammers' long-term project, so should be avoiding a 64-year-old such as Sarri, who was criticised for his previous spell in the Premier League.

The Italian manager did secure a third-placed finish with Chelsea, as well as winning the Europa League in 2019, but fans were not disappointed to see him leave for Juventus the following summer, as his style of play was lamented throughout his sole season at Stamford Bridge.

Eden Hazard was often the saviour for the Italian that season, providing 16 goals and 15 assists in 37 Premier League appearances, and without him, there is no telling whether he would have survived.

Jermaine Jenas criticised the experienced manager's set-up on Match of the Day 2 when two late goals saw Chelsea escape the Cardiff City Stadium with three points in 2019.

He said (via Daily Star):

“I can understand the Chelsea fans' frustrations. I think until Eden Hazard comes onto the pitch it was boring.

“They were passing the ball for the sake of passing the ball, there were no crosses coming into the box, it was just very much sideways and backwards.

“That is not what Chelsea are about, so I understand their frustrations.”

Considering West Ham's woes in front of goal so far this campaign, which see them ranked as one of the lowest scorers in the division with just 24 goals, the last thing the fans would want to see is another manager playing negative football.

The Hammer have a history of hiring former Chelsea managers, as Avram Grant arrived at the club in 2010 but managed just 1.12 points per game in his time at Upton Park, with the Hammers finishing bottom of the Premier League in the 2010/11 campaign.

Like Sarri, Grant was an ageing manager who struggled to win over the Chelsea fans and left Stamford Bridge sooner than expected, so the Hammers could be heading for a worrying repeat disaster if they choose to hire Sarri as Moyes' successor.

The managerial merry-go-round season in the Premier League has well and truly begun, but the latest reports suggest that West Ham United won't be taking part.

What's the latest West Ham manager news?

The Hammers are one of just two sides in the bottom half of the top flight to have not sacked a manager so far this campaign, with Nottingham Forest also keeping faith in Steve Cooper following their promotion from the Championship last season.

Swapping managers at Everton, Wolves and Bournemouth has arguably had the desired effect, with those three sides looking more solid under new leadership, but it is still any three from eight in the Premier League who could go down, in what will surely go down as one of the tightest relegation battles in history.

Despite the Hammers enjoying regular top-half finishes under David Moyes in recent seasons, as well as impressive runs in the Europa League and Europa Conference League, there is no doubt that the Scottish manager has been one of the prime candidates for the sack this season, considering the perceived strength of his side compared to others in the bottom half.

The former Manchester United boss was on the brink of the sack ahead of the 4-0 win against Nottingham Forest and probably saved his own skin with another victory against relegation rivals Southampton last weekend, although the performance suggested that the long-term future under the 59-year-old is not bright.

Unfortunately for dissatisfied West Ham fans, the latest reports suggest that David Sullivan has no intention of sacking Moyes or bringing in the likes of Brendan Rodgers or Graham Potter, despite their recent sackings by Leicester City and Chelsea.

Will West Ham consider Rodgers or Graham Potter?

According to Claret and Hugh, West Ham won't look at Rodgers or Potter, despite previously claiming that there were no suitable candidates to replace Moyes, and that is why he was safe at the London Stadium.

This season has seen the experienced Scottish manager muster just one point per game in the Premier League, whereas Rodgers would average 1.59 points per game in his time at Leicester, and has previously impressed in spells with Swansea City, Liverpool and Celtic, notably winning several trophies in Scotland.

Potter, too caught the eye with Swansea in the Championship and worked wonders with Brighton, helping lay the groundwork for their phenomenal Premier League season this year, so he shouldn't be judged too harshly for his failure at Chelsea, where he was expected to keep a huge squad of players happy.

Both represent younger, more attack and possession-minded managers than Moyes, who has shown this season that he cannot get the best out of the talented squad available to him at the London Stadium.

With big players likely to depart in the summer regardless of the division West Ham find themselves in, sticking with Moyes could see Sullivan better his 2010 mistake of hiring Avram Grant, with the former Chelsea boss overseeing relegation to the second tier despite being handed a lengthy four-year contract.

So bad was that season that former goalkeeper Rob Green claimed "it was the hardest year of my career by a mile."

Now that two talented managers are available, Sullivan should be acting quickly to sack Moyes, before another club takes a chance on Rodgers and Potter.

They will surely not be short of suitors, and sticking with the current manager looks likely to end in another disastrous relegation.

Leeds United have reportedly made an approach over a potential summer move for Belgian midfielder Mandela Keita.

What’s the latest Leeds news on Keita?

Keita is just 20 years of age and is a defensive midfielder who is currently on loan at Royal Antwerp from Oud-Heverlee Leuven. The Belgian U21 international has made 10 appearances for the club during the current campaign, registering one assist in the Jupiler Pro League.

Valued at €3.5m (£3.1m) by Transfermarkt, there is an option for Royal Antwerp to make a transfer permanent this summer, but it looks as if the Whites are eyeing a move of their own.

David Van den Broeck, a Belgian football journalist, shared an update regarding Keita on Twitter in the last 48 hours. He stated that Leeds have made an enquiry for Keita, adding that Royal Antwerp have a €10m (£8.8m) option to make a move permanent, although an agreement is yet to be reached.

Is Orta planning for the Championship?

There is no doubt that Leeds' transfer activity over the coming months will heavily depend on which division they will be playing in come the summer.

And with Leeds in another battle to remain in the Premier League after a heavy 5-1 defeat to Crystal Palace last time out – leaving the Whites in 16th place, just two points above the drop – it looks as if sporting director Victor Orta may well be planning for life in the Championship.

That’s because Keita is also wanted by second-tier sides Norwich City and Blackburn Rovers, so Keita could potentially be viewed as a replacement for loanee Weston McKennie, with a permanent move for the American now off the cards at Elland Road. The Whites were expected to trigger the £30m option to buy the midfielder and had even agreed personal terms. However, they have now backtracked.

Keita has made a positive impact at Royal Antwerp after joining on loan in January. As per WhoScored, the midfielder is the club’s third-best performer with an average match rating of 7.03/10, a better score than any Leeds player this season.

He ranks highly for tackles and interceptions per 90, while also having one of the best pass success completion rates of any player. You’d expect he still has plenty of time to improve before hitting his prime as well, and that could be in West Yorkshire, with Leeds unsure if they will be a Premier League or Championship club come August.