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Wesley is ‘fit and well’ after being substituted early for Aston Villa’s under-23s on Friday, according to the Birmingham Mail.

The striker departed after just 38 minutes of the Premier League 2 Division Two clash with Wolves as Wesley apparently felt a ‘sharp twinge’ in his right knee following a 50-50 challenge.

Wesley’s grim absence

The Brazilian, a £22m signing from Club Brugge two summers ago, hasn’t featured for Villa’s first team since New Year’s Day 2020, when he sustained a cruciate ligament rupture in a 2-1 win at Burnley.

Thankfully though, what would have come as a major scare on Friday is apparently nothing to worry about.

“It’s been a long, hard road back for him,” Dean Smith said last month, adding: “As coaches and staff we just have to be patient and work hard with him.”

When he is fully fit, Wesley will be able to provide competition for Villa’s top scorer Ollie Watkins. The Brazilian had scored five Premier League goals in his debut season before it was cut short.

Transfer Tavern verdict

Off the back of this update, you might think that Wesley would be able to get some first team minutes under his belt before the end of the season.

Villa’s under-23s are back in action on Friday against Fulham, and if indeed Wesley is ‘fit and well’, you’d hope he can come through that match unscathed.

Smith will be keen to give him a morale-boosting runout soon enough. He has effectively lost more than a year of his fledgling career, and seen Watkins arrive to tie down the centre-forward role long-term given his impressive 2020/21 season.

In other news, what’s the latest on Jack Grealish?

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Lee Hendrie thinks moving for Bournemouth’s Asmir Begovic could be a good idea for Celtic, claiming that the 33-year-old is a “big player”.

Following Fraser Forster’s return to Southampton, Vasilis Barkas has spent some time between the posts for the Bhoys after joining the club from AEK Athens last summer.

However, the goalkeeper has really struggled, recently coming in for some strong criticism from Richard Foster.

Undoubtedly, the role in goal has proven to be a problem position for Celtic this season, and Hendrie believes a player like Begovic could be the solution – especially as the 6 ft 6 stopper is someone prospective new Bhoys boss Eddie Howe knows well from their time together at Dean Court.

The Sky Sports pundit told FFC in an exclusive interview:

“Begovic, you know, he’s a big player. Again, he’s had a very good season at Bournemouth.

“I do feel that, yes, the goalkeeping area is certainly a massive must for me. Begovic is a very, very good goalkeeper.

“There are lots of goalkeepers out there that would certainly be attracted to go into Celtic.”

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international had a spell at Chelsea between 2015-2017, where he was described as an “excellent ‘keeper” by former manager Jose Mourinho, so has experience playing for a demanding club where there are a lot of expectations.

A journalist has claimed that Newcastle United are ‘ready’ to change manager, with Gennaro Gattuso named as a potential successor to Steve Bruce.

Writing in his latest piece for Calciomercato, Marco Giordano has claimed that both the St. James’ Park faithful and Wolves are looking to bring a new coach into their respective clubs, with the North East club’s interest in Gattuso only just coming into fruition.

Newcastle should be wary over Gattuso

While Bruce’s time on Tyneside could be up in the eyes of some members of the Toon Army, the Magpies should be wary over appointing Gattuso should the former end up leaving.

There is no doubt that the 43-year-old had a glittering playing career, in which he won the FIFA World Cup with Italy and two UEFA Champions League titles with AC Milan to name just a few major honours (Transfermarkt).

However, his time as a manager has not always been successful, having being sacked at both FC Sion and Palermo as well as underwhelming spells at Milan and his current club Napoli, with the latter currently at risk of failing to qualify for the UCL as they sit outside of the qualification spots at the moment.

Although a change of boss may be the way forward at NUFC, perhaps they should think twice before moving for a maverick like Gattuso.

In other news, find out which Magpie Liam Kennedy has slammed for his displays so far this season here!

Newcastle United are set to receive £4.8m from the Premier League, Chronicle Live has reported.

It comes after Norwich City and Watford secured an immediate promotion from the Championship back to the top flight. As a result, the Premier League will not have to provide the two clubs with parachute payments totalling £83m.

Relegated clubs are entitled to a slice of Premier League broadcasting cash for two years if they go down in their first season or three years if they survive for longer, but that goes out the window when they return to the top flight.

The money which would have gone to Norwich and Watford can now be distributed among the current top-flight clubs.

Chronicle Live also pointed out that the windfall will increase if Bournemouth join them in coming straight back up. The Cherries are fourth in the table, already assured of a play-off place.

Transfer Tavern verdict

It’s a welcome boost to Newcastle’s transfer budget as they look to build a squad strong enough to avoid any relegation trouble next season.

One possible target is Young Boys striker Jean-Pierre Nsame, valued at £6.3m by Transfermarkt. Theoretically, this latest windfall could cover around 75% of the potential fee for the Cameroon forward, who last year was described as being ‘in another galaxy’ after a run of 41 goals in 46 matches.

The news could also improve Newcastle’s chances of landing Joe Willock permanently. It has been reported that the Arsenal loanee would cost as much as £20m if the Magpies are to upgrade his loan move.

The immediate returns of Norwich and Watford to the Premier League may already be reaping some knock-on benefits for the Tyneside club.

In other news, these comments from a Championship manager are promising for Newcastle.

Liverpool are back in Premier League action tonight as they tackle Leeds United at Elland Road.

The match takes place on the backdrop of the huge news revolving around the European Super League proposals but Jurgen Klopp will certainly be attempting to keep the Reds focused on their task to earn a position in the top-four following their elimination in the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid.

How many changes could the German be tempted to make for the trip to Yorkshire?

We are expecting as many as three alterations for Klopp tonight.

Despite that, there will not be any in the defence where Alisson will once again be shielded by the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ozan Kabak, Nathaniel Phillips and Andrew Robertson.

There will, however, be two changes in the centre of the park.

Fabinho will retain his spot just in front of the backline but will have different colleagues to look out for. Due to the quick turnaround, James Milner and the £90k per week Georginio Wijnaldum could well drop out.

This would usually have given Thiago Alcantara an opportunity to start. However, with the Spaniard having not yet registered a goal or an assist for the Reds since a summer move, it would possibly be better to reintroduce Curtis Jones who has eight direct goal contributions to his name this season.

Meanwhile, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has not started in the Premier League since mid-January, could also potentially be introduced for a more attacking threat.

Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino could well remain in the starting line-up but Sadio Mane surely has to be benched having not scored in any of his last nine Premier League games.

[snack-amp-story url=” https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news%2c-transfer-rumours-and-more-asensio-vlahovic-van-dijk-alberto-pedri” title=” Read the latest Liverpool news, transfer rumours and more… “]

He could once again be replaced by Diogo Jota.

AND in more news, read about how Liverpool’s decision to sign up for the European Super League has betrayed Jurgen Klopp…

Leeds United defender Gaetano Berardi’s time at Elland Road will come to an end this summer, according to The Athletic‘s Phil Hay.

The once-capped Switzerland international joined the Whites back in 2014, arriving from Sampdoria for an undisclosed fee.

Berardi has gone on to make a total of 155 appearances for Leeds, performing solidly in that time and being more of a regular during his early years at the club.

Under Marcelo Bielsa, however, the 32-year-old has featured far less and he is now coming to the end of the one-year contract extension he signed last October.

[freshpress-quiz id=“351040″]

Hay tips Berardi to leave Leeds

The reliable Hay confirmed that he doesn’t expect Leeds to retain Berardi’s services beyond this summer, such is the depth now at Bielsa’s disposal:

“And I won’t be surprised if Gaetano Berardi leaves at the end of his latest contract too.”

Transfer Tavern take

Hay continued to explain that the Whites are very well covered at centre-back, and thus it makes perfect sense for the club to move Berardi on, getting him off the club’s wage bill and freeing up funds for potential reinforcements to come in.

He is currently on approximately £32,ooo per week (the fifth highest paid player in the squad), and considering he suffered an ACL injury last summer, he is unlikely to fully return the same player again.

Leeds have moved on without Berardi and should now be looking at younger players who can help take the team forward in the long-term – perhaps another striker given the rumours surrounding Rodrigo’s future.

In other news, a former Leeds star has given his take on the Whites’ summer transfer budget. Read more here.

Many Liverpool fans have been buzzing over a transfer update on Yves Bissouma as Sunday World have reported that talks are underway to sign him.

As per the news outlet, sources close to Brighton and Hove Albion have said that the player and his advisers are aware of the interest coming from the Anfield faithful, with a potential £35m deal believed to be discussed.

Bissouma certainly fits Jurgen Klopp’s profile of central midfielder with the energy and athleticism that he offers from the middle of the park, and he has outperformed several Reds players in key aspects of that position so far in the Premier League this season.

The Mali international has averaged more tackles (2.8), interceptions (1.7), shots (1.2) and dribbles (1.5) per game than Gini Wijnaldum, Fabinho and Thiago (Whoscored), and at just 24 years of age, he should only get better over the next few years.

Liverpool fans on Bissouma transfer update

These Kopites were buzzing upon reading the transfer update after it was shared on Twitter, with one Liverpool supporter believing that a £35m deal for Bissouma would be a ‘bargain’:

“Please man please”

Credit: @lfcarish

“Take him all day me.”

Credit: @jaytaylor1892

“Music to my ears.”

Credit: @Abyss90709335

“LET’S GOOO”

Credit: @thebeckerstyle

“Get it done”

Credit: @declanwhitaker

“Bargain if that’s true”

Credit: @lewieblue

In other news, find out which Liverpool ace could leave Anfield after news of transfer talks emerged.

Leeds must win the race to sign Crystal Palace star Patrick van Aanholt in this summer transfer window amid reports linking him with a move elsewhere.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side have got their eye on signing the Dutchman on a free transfer when his contract expires this summer.

However, Football Insider now claim that Galatasaray have offered a contract to Van Aanholt as they look to beat the Whites to his signing, with the Turkish giants also the team who have supposedly agreed a deal to land Leeds’ Gjanni Alioski.

Premier League proven

Van Aanholt is battle-hardened in English football, having played 209 times in the Premier League, and would surely be more of a guarantee in terms of hitting the ground running at Elland Road.

His more attacking style of play as a left-back is also right up Bielsa’s wheelhouse, with Gus Poyet, his former manager at Sunderland, saying: “You need to be really on top of him for his defensive duties and maybe have people around who can help him to maintain the mentality you need to defend. He’s a very offensive full back. He has an explosive ability to go forward and help the team to create chances.

“I would say use him as much as you can on the offensive side, and convince him to help with his defensive duties. But that’s his character. It is what it is. We can’t change that and he can’t be a different player than he is.”

The £55,000-a-week earning Dutchman would be a shrewd signing for Leeds given his Premier League experience and the fact he would arrive as a free agent once his contract expires.

It’s a deal which Victor Orta and co should be all over.

Meanwhile, Leeds must surely rue letting this star leave…

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, ex-Celtic striker Frank McAvennie said he believes Celtic have missed a trick by not playing “best finisher at the club” Leigh Griffiths more often this season.

The former Scottish striker has been restricted to a bit-part role at Celtic Park this term, starting just seven Scottish Premiership matches, and hasn’t been included in the XI since January.

Despite his lack of opportunities under both Neil Lennon and now John Kennedy, Griffiths has still chipped in with six goals and two assists in all competitions, in under 750 minutes of action.
And his lack of game-time has led to speculation surrounding his future – with Aberdeen, who’ve recently signed Scott Brown on a player-coach role, interested in making a double-swoop in order to bring Griffiths to the North of Scotland.
The former Wolves and Hibs striker has been an outstanding servant to Celtic, scoring more than 100 goals in his eight seasons in Glasgow, but has under 14 months remaining on his contract with the Hoops, which could lead to a summer departure.
And given his goalscoring prowess, McAvennie believes that Griffiths has been unused this season. He told Football FanCast:

“I look at him and think, he’s the best striker at Celtic. At the moment he’s better than Edouard, finishing I mean, he’s the best finisher at the club. You give him a chance and he’ll put it away, that’s what he does.

“I’d have played Griffiths, I’d have stuck with it. I don’t get this in the modern day game, people saying he’s not fit. I’ve heard John Kennedy saying he’s not fit, Neil Lennon saying he’s not, that’s on you, you’re the manager. What are all these fitness coaches getting paid for?”

It’s been a difficult campaign for Celtic, but with Odsonne Edouard the only player to reach double figures in the league, they might have missed a trick by not playing Griffiths slightly more.

A source has reportedly shared some insight on the potential takeover of Newcastle United involving an expert in the Middle East.

As per the Daily Mail, Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked Middle East expert and Downing Street strategist Lord Eddie Lister back in September if there was any news on the proposed deal between Mike Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group, to which he replied that a call was being set up and that the deal would hopefully be signed that week.

Mr Johnson then responded ‘brilliant’ when receiving the news in what is some very interesting insight into what may have been for the St. James’ Park faithful.

What might have been for Newcastle

The exchanges between Lord Lister and the PM suggests that the takeover deal was close, although the Premier League eventually decided to fail the bid.

Nonetheless, the KSA’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and their bottomless pits of money would seemingly bring more wealth to the North East if the takeover were eventually to go through, perhaps why Johnson was seemingly so gleeful at the prospect of a deal.

The pending arbitration case between the North East club and the top flight should give a much clearer indication over the direction in which the potential takeover is heading, and a positive result there could lead to its possible resurrection.

In other news, find out what big claim has been dropped on the potential takeover involving the EPL here!