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An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in signing James Maddison ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Magpies are plotting a fresh bid to sign the England hopeful as Dan Ashworth looks to bolster the squad for the second half of the season.

The report claims that the club failed with offers to snap him up in the summer and that they were willing to pay up to £50m for his services. However, Leicester value him at around £60m and were not prepared to accept Newcastle’s advances for anything below that figure.

It is stated that they have remained in contact with the player’s representatives and that Eddie Howe has given the green light to pursue him once again in the winter as he is a big fan of the former Norwich and Coventry playmaker.

Howe’s own Mason Mount

Ashworth can land the Newcastle head coach his own version of Chelsea and England’s Mason Mount by securing a deal for Maddison in January.

They are both young and English attacking midfielders who can also play out wide, and they have both proven that they can deliver consistently in the Premier League.

FBRef lists them as similar players and they are both extremely creative individuals who can unlock defences at the top level. Mount (0.35) and Maddison (0.34) both rank in the top 14% in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days for assists per 90 and this illustrates their ability to play killer passes in the final third.

The Chelsea man enjoyed a stellar campaign in the Premier League last term as he racked up 11 goals and ten assists, creating ten ‘big chances’ for his teammates in 32 appearances.

Maddison, who was previously dubbed “world-class” by England boss Gareth Southgate for his set-piece delivery, caught the eye for Leicester with 12 goals and eight assists in the English top-flight, whilst creating 11 ‘big chances’ from the middle of the park.

These statistics show that both of them had a similar production rate for their respective clubs as they scored and assisted goals on a regular basis. They are both midfielders with room to improve, with both being under the age of 26, and have the quality to be match-winners in the Premier League.

Therefore, Howe can find his own version of Mount by signing the Foxes gem in January to improve his team’s attack.

Sheffield Wednesday journalist Dom Howson has revealed that the FA have launched an investigation regarding the crowd ‘trouble’ which took place against Ipswich Town.

The Lowdown: Trouble at Hillsborough

The Owls secured a 2-2 draw against the Tractor Boys in League One last weekend, though the match was ruined to the point where it almost couldn’t continue.

On several occasions, the game had to be stopped due to objects including a vaping device, lighter and a plastic bottle being thrown onto the pitch, with some of the home fans being hit by items as a result.

Referee Peter Wright spoke to both managers at the break to warn that the fixture couldn’t be played out if the incidents kept happening, and it seems like official action has now been taken.

The Latest: Howson’s update

Taking to Twitter, Howson revealed that the Football Association have started looking into the events vs Ipswich, with the man in the middle having handed in his report.

“Understand the FA are looking into the crowd trouble which marred Sheffield Wednesday’s clash with Ipswich.

“The League One fixture was nearly abandoned after several objects were thrown onto the pitch.

“The FA have received the referee’s report.”

The Verdict: Positives to take

Whether the FA will decide to take any off-field action against Wednesday yet remains to be seen, but it was a rather decent night in the footballing context.

Darren Moore’s side came back from two goals down to earn themselves a vital point in the top of the table clash, which now leaves them in fourth place after nine games.

The Owls boss will be hoping that his side can take this spirit into the game against Wycombe this Saturday, where there will hopefully be none of the same distractions coming from the supporters.

Leeds United attacking midfielder Mateusz Bogusz has finally made a return to action after 253 days out.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, LUFC Youth revealed that, after spending a little over eight months on the sidelines as a result of an anterior cruciate ligament injury, the 21-year-old finally made his long-awaited return to first-team football on Sunday – featuring for ten minutes in UD Ibiza’s 3-2 victory over CD Lugo.

In their post, LUFC Youth said: “253 days, he’s back! LUFC U21s midfielder Mateusz Bogusz made his return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury for Ibiza UD yesterday. Great to see you back, Mateusz!”

“Special player”

Considering just how much excitement Bogusz’s arrival at Elland Road stirred back in 2019, coupled with the fact that the attacking midfielder looks to be a player who boasts a considerable amount of potential for the future, the news that the Poland U21 international is finally back on the pitch is undoubtedly good for everyone involved with the Whites.

Indeed, not long after his arrival at Leeds, the then-17-year-old was almost immediately called up to first-team training, and quite clearly made an impression on a number of the senior squad, with his compatriot in LS11, Mateusz Klich, saying back in the summer of 2019:

“When he trains with us I always try to help him. It’s not like I can give him any advice because he’s 17 and going to probably be better than me! If he needs anything, I am here for him. I’m very curious about him because he looks like a good player.”

Furthermore, following his full debut for the U21s against Nottingham Forst in February of 2019, the youth side’s former head coach, Carlos Corberan, raved about the potential of the number 10, stating:

“I think Mateusz is a young but very talented player. He’s only been here a few weeks at the club and today was the first time he could play a game. I think he’s a special player. We are going to continue to work with him because I think he can give a lot and bring very positive things to this club.”

Further still, after a 3-1 win over Newcastle United U21s later that month, the SC Heerenveen scout, Xander Wilkinson, also appeared to be in awe of Bogusz’s ability, with the talent-spotter commenting:

“Standout player for me was Mateusz Bogusz in just his second appearance in a Leeds shirt. Relentless energy in the No.10 role. Created space for himself with a number of clever third-man runs, [was] constantly available between the lines and won the ball back for the second goal. First impressions of him were fantastic. Look forward to seeing more of him. Not bad for 17.”

And, despite the fact that the £1.35m-rated talent has played a total of just 155 minutes of football for the Whites’ senior side, the forward-thinking midfielder was beginning to demonstrate his ability at senior level during a loan spell with UD Ibiza last season, prior to his unfortunate ACL injury.

Indeed, over his 20 LaLiga 2 appearances last time out, the £530-per-week youngster was in exceptional form, scoring four goals, registering six assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.5 shots, making 1.3 key passes and completing 0.9 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the 21-year-old average an extremely eye-catching SofaScore match rating of 7.14, not only ranking him as Ibiza’s best performer in the league but also as the joint eighth-best player in the Spanish second tier as a whole – with the Ibiza president, Amadeo Salvo, dubbing Bogusz as “one of the revelations of the second division” last season.

As such, it is clear to see that, should the Polish sensation be able to replicate this level of form during his second loan spell in Spain, he would appear well worthy of a shot in Jesse Marsch’s first-team squad next season, with the American very much looking to have a special talent on his hands in the shape of Bogusz.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is making a habit of getting the best out of previously underperforming players at St. James’ Park.

He turned Joelinton into a box-to-box machine in midfield after the Brazilian struggled up front and he has masterminded Miguel Almiron’s resurgence this season.

The Paraguay international scored once and failed to provide a single assist in 30 Premier League matches last season and has burst into life this term with four strikes in nine games so far – including two in the recent thrashing of Brentford.

Howe has adopted an attacking style of play at Newcastle with his side able to dominate possession and pass through teams whilst also having the tactical nous to sit deep and break quickly when needed.

This allows forward players to thrive in the final third and it makes you wonder whether the ex-Bournemouth manager could have got more out of some of the club’s previous flops.

Steve McClaren splashed out £13m to sign Florian Thauvin from Marseille in the summer of 2015 and the Frenchman struggled to make his mark in the top flight as he made just 13 appearances and failed to score or assist a goal.

He joined the club after scoring five times and assisting seven in 33 Ligue 1 outings in 2014/15 but he was unable to showcase the best of his abilities in England before heading back to his former club on loan in the second half of the campaign.

Newcastle were ultimately relegated from the Premier League under Rafa Benitez after McClaren’s departure, and Thauvin was sent out on loan to Marseille again for 2016/17 before sealing a permanent move back to France at the end of that campaign.

Between the start of 2016/17 and the end of 2018/19, the Toon flop scored 53 goals and provided 29 assists in 106 Ligue 1 outings as he discovered his best form in his home country.

McClaren’s team was described as a possession-based side that lacked the pressing work off the ball to make the most of their ability but Howe has instilled a pressing philosophy to win the ball back in good areas to allow forwards to thrive at the top end of the pitch.

Whilst Almiron is catching the eye in the current attacking set-up, Thauvin’s sublime numbers for Marseille as a left-footed right winger – just like the former MLS man – suggest that he would have been perfect for Howe’s attacking style.

The Frenchman consistently delivered goals and assists in Ligue 1 after leaving Newcastle and it is a shame that the club did not have a manager like the Englishman in charge at that time as he could have gotten the best out of him in the Premier League.

Journalist Josh Bunting previously described him as being “magnificent” and that is exactly what he would have been for the Magpies if he had been managed by Howe’s attacking, pressing, football as he could have had the chances in possession to make a big contribution in the final third.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are still waiting to name their successor to former boss Bruno Lage, with it having been almost two weeks since the 46-year-old was relieved of his duties by the Midlands outfit.

Any incoming head coach – whether it be Michael Beale, Nuno Espirito Santo or another – will be tasked with reviving the fortunes of an undoubtedly underperforming squad, with the club currently languishing just above the drop zone on nine points from their first ten league games.

One decision that any new appointment will have to make will be that of the future of mercurial talent, Adama Traore, with the Spaniard having been linked with an exit in the near future with just under a year remaining on his existing deal.

The 26-year-old had found himself surplus to requirements under Lage having been allowed to return to former club Barcelona on loan in January, albeit with the Catalan outfit ultimately opting against forking out to trigger the winger’s option-to-buy fee.

His subsequent return to Molineux has seen the eight-cap brute remain somewhat on the periphery in the early weeks of the season, having made just seven Premier League appearances thus far, only two of which came from the start.

Those starts have come in the club’s last two games under the interim charge of Steve Davis and James Collins, with it yet to be seen if Lage’s permanent successor will continue to persist with the undoubtedly “unique” talent, as described by journalist Liam Keen.

The £43k-per-week menace is an asset as a result of his relentless speed and innate dribbling ability – as he notably ranks in the top 1% for dribbles completed among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues – although far too often as he failed to couple that with quality delivery in the final third.

As one-time England boss Sam Allardyce warned following the explosive winger’s £18m arrival from Middlesbrough back in 2018, Traore has rarely shown the consistency needed to be considered a truly reliable figure for any manager, having recorded a measly tally of just 12 goals and 18 assists in 162 appearances for Wolves in all competitions.

That includes a return of no goals and assists in the top flight so far this term, as well as only one big chance created, with the £13.5m-rated man having so often struggled with regards to his end product, notably scoring just one league goal last season.

Although there were potentially encouraging signs in Saturday’s win over Nottingham Forest, with the aforementioned Keen praising the wide man for his ability to “take risks”, it was once again the same old story as the 5 foot 10 sensation was unable to deliver the goods when it mattered.

As Keen also stated following that display, Traore is undoubtedly a figure who “makes mistakes” with his final ball on the day having also been “not great”, with it arguably growing tiresome to see the player continue to underwhelm with regards to his goal contributions.

The struggling asset – whose average match rating so far this term of 6.67 is only the 15th-best among the Wolves squad, as per SofaScore – appears to have had his chance to impress at Molineux, with now the time for the new figure in the dugout to ruthlessly let him depart.

Aston Villa have reportedly targeted an exciting young European coach as their next manager…

What’s the latest?

According to The Telegraph, sporting director Johan Lange has already begun talks with Ruben Amorim to bring him from Sporting CP to Villa Park.

The report claimed that despite a big offer having been tabled, Mauricio Pochettino remains unlikely to join due to his aspirations being set at a much higher level.

The Portuguese boss is said to be willing to listen to the club’s offers, but he does have a big buy-out clause in his current contract.

It would be a smart appointment

Instantly, it is worth noting that with the vast wealth of the Villans owners, there will be few financial hurdles they cannot overcome to get who they want.

The fact that Amorim seems initially receptive to their interest should instantly outline him as an outstanding candidate, as he clearly would like to join the club despite what he has built at Sporting.

Having earned his managerial start at Braga, it only took 13 matches for one of the giants within the league to snap him up.

He only lost two of those games, both of which were to Rangers on their route to the Europa League final. The 37-year-old boasted 2.38 points per match.

Once he had moved to Lisbon, he began setting about a new identity that the club had been sorely lacking. Despite a fourth-placed finish in his debut year, the foundations were in place for the success that was to come.

During the 2020/21 campaign, the club’s faith paid off, as Amorimreturned their first league title in 19 years.

He was crazy about his 3-4-3 system which had the ability to revert to a diamond in midfield. This would benefit a Villa side that Steven Gerrard often switched between a narrow 4-3-1-2 formation and 4-3-3, which caused confusion. Finally, it could bear fruit.

Having featured in Europe and won numerous pieces of silverware, the exciting young manager shows a clear identity and a track record for developing a struggling squad into something really special.

It is a move that The Athletic journalist Jack Collins thinks would be a “smart appointment”.

With a Villa side inundated with talent that has lost its way, perhaps Amorim could be the man to turn it around and get them where they will feel they belong.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are believed to have identified Queen’s Park Rangers boss Michael Beale as the man to replace Bruno Lage at Molineux, according to the latest reports.

What’s the word?

As per esteemed journalist David Ornstein, the 42-year-old is now the Midlands outfit’s first choice target to fill the club’s managerial vacancy, having relieved Lage of his duties just over two weeks ago.

Writing on Twitter about that latest development, the respected insider stated: “Wolves have made Michael Beale 1st choice to become next boss. WWFC expected to move fast & contact anticipated between clubs to discuss release. Would be seen as a progressive, exciting appointment + break from previous mould.”

In his attached piece for The Athletic, Ornstein suggested that the Old Gold are said to have been ‘extremely impressed by his work, reputation and references’, while also revealing that the Englishman’s current contract at Loftus Road includes a release clause.

Special at Molineux

While it may come as something of a left-field choice considering the Bromley-born man’s relative inexperience – having only taken on his first-ever managerial job with the R’s this summer – as Ornstein alluded to, it is certainly an ‘exciting’ and bold appointment.

Recent days had seen links to former Lyon boss Peter Bosz, albeit with there notable reservations regarding the Dutchman, with the 58-year-old having been deemed “not good enough” in recent times by journalist Julien Laurens amid his fresh departure from the Ligue 1 outfit.

The beauty of appointing a figure such as Beale is that the coaching visionary has not been burned by previous bad experiences as a manager, having also honed his craft as a coach over the years, after previously working in the academy set-up at both Chelsea and Liverpool.

The promising figure has also gained valuable experience in recent years having acted as assistant manager to Steven Gerrard at both Rangers and at Aston Villa, having also previously taken on the same role for Brazilian outfit, Sao Paulo.

Lauded as a “genius” by former Gers striker Jermain Defoe, Beale has also been on the receiving end of glowing praise from the aforementioned Gerrard in recent times, with the former England international stating that what his colleague does on the training ground is “really quite special”.

That coaching quality has been evident in his relatively brief tenure at his current club thus far, with the west London outfit firmly in the mix for promotion having found themselves in the play-off places at present.

To be able to poach such an impressive, up-and-coming manager could be a real coup for those back at Molineux, with it potentially worth the risk to take a gamble on a special rising star, rather than a potentially fading force such as Bosz.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has to ‘get used to’ VAR decisions going against his side in the Scottish Premiership, says BBC pundit Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Postecoglou’s complaint

The Hoops experienced VAR in the league for the first time during the 4-3 victory over Hearts last weekend, but despite getting the win over the line, felt aggrieved that it could have been by more after being denied a penalty.

The Australian boss told Sky Sports after the game that he’d rather the video technology wasn’t introduced and complained that there is ‘a lot of theatre’ involved.

The Latest: Hutton’s warning

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton claimed that Postecoglou will have to adjust to VAR being in use for more of Celtic’s games in the future.

“It is here and it will stay.

“I think it had to come in and keep up pace with the other big leagues around the world. It was always going to happen.

“Because there were certain incidents that happened in the game and then you speak to a manager right after. Emotions are running high, you are maybe going to say something that you are thinking about.

“It is what it is, we will get used to it. The time will speed up, it will hopefully not take as long in the future.

“You hope throughout the season that more goes for you than against you. Every manager and player within the league, and the fans, are going to have to get used to it.“

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The Verdict: No need to panic

Former SPFL referee Steve Conroy has insisted that VAR’s decision not to award Celtic the penalty was wrong, and whilst this is frustrating, luckily for them, it didn’t have any impact on the outcome of the game.

The Bhoys remain four points clear of rivals Rangers at the top of the table following the Hearts game, and winning is all they can continue doing to keep them there, regardless of any technological mishaps moving forward.

Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru has started to realise his potential in Darren Moore’s side and the Owls manager must look to tie him down to a new contract at Hillsborough.

The 21-year-old midfielder joined Sheffield Wednesday from Manchester City in the summer of 2020 and has gone on to make 59 appearances for the club, in which he has contributed six goals and three assists.

Five of those goals and two of the assists have come in just 14 appearances this term, which emphasises how much he has improved and become an integral part of Moore’s squad.

However, his contract at Hillsborough is set to expire at the end of this season and it would represent a big blow if he were to depart on a free transfer, especially if he can help the Owls earn promotion back to the Championship.

Sheffield Wednesday reporter Dom Howson provided the latest on the youngster’s contract situation recently, writing:

“I asked Darren Moore for an update on Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s contract. Says talks remain ongoing and is still confident FDB will extend his stay. FDB has taken his game to another level this season. They need to sort his future ASAP.”

Moore spoke about the midfielder’s contract situation following last weekend’s game, which saw Dele-Bashiru notch his fourth league goal of the campaign in the 4-2 win over Burton Albion.

He said: “We are talking (about a new contract) at the moment. The boy is happy here. He wants to stay here and we want him to stay here but we understand from a contractual point of view that it has got to be right for all parties.”

It sounds as if Moore is very keen for the former Manchester City youngster to extend his stay at Hillsborough, which is no surprise when you consider that his four league goals have come from just five starts in League One throughout 2022/23.

Saturday saw him earn a very strong 8.07/10 rating from WhoScored for his performance, which shows just how good he can be in the Owls’ midfield, alongside the influential Barry Bannan.

While it is also imperative that Moore extends the Scottish midfielder’s contract, as he is also set to become a free agent at the end of the season, he will turn 33 next month and cannot be expected to star at Hillsborough forever.

Dele-Bashiru meanwhile is still so young and has so much potential, so it is vital that Moore gets him tied down to a new deal, as he can be the future of Sheffield Wednesday’s engine room.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma, has been praised for his performance in the north London club’s 2-1 defeat against Liverpool in the Premier League. 

The Lowdown: Defeat for Spurs

Having topped their Champions League group in midweek thanks to a 2-1 win over Marseille, Antonio Conte’s side found themselves on the wrong end of the same scoreline against the Merseysiders on Sunday.

A brace from Mohamed Salah put the visitors 2-0 up by half-time, with Harry Kane’s strike in the second period proving a mere consolation goal for the Lilywhites.

Despite the disappointing result, one man in the Spurs team found himself on the end of some glowing praise.

The Latest: Praise for Bissouma

In a post on Twitter, The Times journalist Tom Allnutt hailed Bissouma for his performance against Jurgen Klopp’s side on Sunday.

He tweeted: “Bissouma really picked up where he left off in Marseille. His best performance so far for #thfc I would say by quite a distance.” 

The Verdict: A decent display from Bissouma

Taking a look at the £55k-per-week midfielder’s performance against Liverpool, he had 77 touches of the ball in total throughout his 88 minutes on the pitch.

Having also completed 51 of the 56 passes he attempted, this left him with the third highest passing accuracy percentage in the team (91%).

The 26-year-old, who has been described by Gary Lineker in the past as an “exceptional” player, also did his bit from a defensive point of view by winning six duels and making two tackles, one interception, one clearance and one block.

Football.London also picked up on the Mali international’s efforts in the game by giving him a solid match rating of 8/10 and saying this about his performance: “Probably his best game in a Spurs shirt as he battled for everything in the centre of the pitch and showed real composure on the ball in cluttered areas.”

Taking all that into account, it’s clear that Allnutt’s praise for Bissouma was wholly justified, as the midfielder was one of Spurs’ few bright sparks in this defeat.