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Manager turned pundit Alex McLeish is gutted for Leeds United defender Diego Llorente, who is set to miss out on Euro 2020.

The Lowdown: Llorente initially selected over Sergio Ramos for Spain’s EURO 2020 squad

Following a fine first season back in the Premier League for Leeds United, the Spaniard was selected ahead of Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos for Spain’s upcoming EURO 2020 Championship squad [Yorkshire Post].

An important squad player for the Whites, Llorente made a total of 15 appearances for the Elland Road side in 2020/21 and was scheduled to be a key player in the summer tournament [Transfermarkt].

However, these ambitions may need to be halted following this latest development.

The Latest: Leeds man tests positive

Reported on Wednesday afternoon, Llorente became the second Spanish player within their camp to test positive for Covid-19 after Sergio Busquets last week [Sky Sports].

Set to miss a portion of the tournament through mandatory isolation, McLeish was quick to offer his condolences to Llorente following the news, stating:

“To miss out on something like the European Championships, then it’s part of your life that is gone.

“Obviously he’s got time on his side and he can make it up.

“But that is a big, big blow for him. A big blow.” [Football Insider].

Fellow Leeds United teammate Rodrigo has received a late call-up to the squad, owing to the coronavirus outbreak [Leeds Live].

The Verdict: Hopefully Llorente can swiftly make a full recovery

Undoubtedly, it is hard not to share the disappointment the 62-year-old pundit feels for the ball-playing centre-back. On the verge of competing at the highest level, it is a shame he will not take part in his nation’s quest for tournament glory.

Making around 2.3 tackles on average per game this season, the 27-year-old would’ve added some solidity to the Spain rear-guard in their early tournament fixtures [WhoScored], and perhaps could have found some confidence and form to take into the next campaign in Yorkshire.

As for his manager Marcelo Bielsa, he will hope that the 6 foot 1 ace is able to bounce back in a fit and healthy state as the Whites look to hit the ground running in 2021/22.

In other news, a La Liga expert drops their verdict on a potential Whites target.

A reliable journalist has named five players that Newcastle United may sign in the summer transfer window as an alternative to Joe Willock.

The Lowdown: Willock may not join Newcastle permanently

As well as Willock has done in the North East since arriving at St. James’ Park from Arsenal on loan in January, there is no guarantee that the deal could be made into a permanent one, and so Steve Bruce’s team may have to look at alternative targets to find someone to add end product from midfield.

As money could well be tight due to the financial impact of the global pandemic, players who will become free agents in the summer could be a fruitful market to go to.

The Latest: Five players Newcastle could target

Writing in his latest piece for The Chronicle, journalist Sean McCormick has named five players that the Tyneside club could target in the summer if they run their respective contracts down.

The Toon Army will be familiar with the names of John Lundstram and James McCarthy, who both currently play in the Premier League for Sheffield United and Crystal Palace respectively, while Alex Mowatt has been captain of a Barnsley side who have taken up an unlikely position in the EFL Championship play-off places.

Hakan Calhanoglu and Alan Dzagoev have both featured prominently on both the European and international stage, and while the Magpies are very unlikely to sign up all five, one or two may be smart buys if they do not have to pay any transfer fees.

The Verdict: Little risk with free signings

There is little risk involved with signing players on a free transfer, as they are sure to have some resale value.

Taking the Transfermarkt values of each of the five players mentioned above currently, Calhanoglu (£31.5m), Lundstram (£6.3m), Mowatt (£3.6m), McCarthy (£3.15m) and Dzagoev (£3.15m) could save NUFC nearly £50m in potential transfer fees if they signed up all of them.

Of course, that is not going to happen, but even signing one or two of these players as free agents would certainly count as shrewd business if they can prove effective long-term or even for a short period before being sold for profit.

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

A number of Liverpool supporters are desperate for the Reds to sign Pedro Goncalves, following a report linking him with a move to Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp is expected to be relatively busy in the summer transfer window, looking to bring a freshness to his squad.

Liverpool have a group of players who have largely been together for an extended period now, so new faces could be important, in terms of them continuing to evolve under Klopp.

[freshpress-quiz id=“355458″]

A new centre-back looks set to be one of the primary areas of focus, with RB Leipzig’s Ibrahima Konate constantly linked with a move.

Sporting CP midfielder Goncalves has been tipped to join Liverpool, however, with the midfielder scoring an impressive 23 goals in the Primeira Liga this season, highlighting the quality he possesses in the final third.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/the-latest-liverpool-transfer-news-2/” title=”The latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

Liverpool fans call for Reds to sign Goncalves

These Reds fans have taken to Twitter to provide their thoughts on the Portuguese, urging the club to sign him in the coming weeks and months.

“Yes I’m on my knees”

Credit: @HNuruhakeem79

“Yes please”

Credit: @ftblldylan

“This kid is what United fans think Bruno is lol, he’s not the next Bruno Fernandes, he’s the new Portuguese king”

Credit: @Thebuzzman76

“Yes we should!!! He is amazing!!! I watched plenty games of Sporting Lisbon and I think he is better than Bruno”

Credit: @mister_d75

“Under Klopp he will explode”

Credit: @ayushxlfc

“He’s better than Penandes”

Credit: @Cxllumj

In other news, journalist Paul Joyce has provided an update on one Liverpool transfer target. Read more here.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer believes Sheffield United’s board were against the signing of Rhian Brewster.

Brewster was signed under former Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder for big money, joining from Liverpool in a £23.5m deal last year.

However, the 21-year-old striker has really struggled in the Premier League this season, failing to score a goal all campaign.

Ultimately, it is a transfer that has simply not worked out yet, and Palmer is convinced the signing is one that the Sheffield United higher-ups were never fully on board with.

On Brewster, the ex-Sheffield Wednesday player told TT:

“The striker I believe that they signed from Liverpool, I think the board were against him [Wilder] bringing him in. He hasn’t really hit the ground running.

“But, you know, on another day that could have worked out. Now they’ve been relegated, that could work out for him. He could score shedloads in that division.”

Brewster was in prolific form during his last spell in the Championship, scoring 11 goals in 22 appearances for Swansea City back in the 2019/20 season.

Bearing that in mind, the England U21 international could still come good for the Blades and help fire them back up to the Premier League.

Sheffield United take on Crystal Palace at Bramall Lane on Saturday afternoon, with Paul Heckingbottom’s side looking to build some momentum ahead of their return to the Championship next season.

Although the Blades are rock bottom and already relegated, they showed some resilience with a 1-0 win against Brighton in their last home fixture and will be looking to re-establish Bramall Lane as a place to be feared ahead of next season, with their home form having been a key aspect of their promotion to the top flight and their impressive 2019/20 campaign in the Premier League.

There is likely to be plenty of changes from Heckingbottom after the Blades were thrashed by Tottenham in their last Premier League fixture, after a Gareth Bale hat-trick and Heung-min Son stunner earned the hosts a 4-0 win.

Here’s how Football FanCast thinks Heckingbottom will line up on Saturday, with two changes from the starting team which lost in north London…

Aaron Ramsdale keeps his place in goal, with the summer signing one of few players to escape this season with little criticism, as he has made some impressive saves and looks set for a bright future.

Due to a lack of defensive options, Heckingbottom goes with the same back five, as Ethan Ampadu and Jack O’Connell are still sidelined, with the latter having been a huge miss for the Blades this season after an excellent 2019/20 campaign.

There is one change in midfield as Sander Berge earns a start after making his return from injury as a substitute against Spurs. He replaces Ben Osborn, who struggled in North London, losing six of his 10 duels and giving the ball away 13 times.

David McGoldrick continues up front as Sheffield United’s main goal threat and he is partnered by the energetic Oliver Burke, who replaces Rhian Brewster. The youngster, who reportedly earns £27,500 per week at Bramall Lane, was anonymous once again in the defeat against Spurs, completing a pathetic total of three passes. The £23.5m signing is still awaiting his first Blades goal after 28 appearances.

In other news… Sheffield United should swoop for “top-class” £3.15m-rated gem likened to Messi

In recent comments made to Italian radio, Ciro Venerato claimed that West Ham United have retained their interest in Nikola Maksimovic ahead of the summer transfer window.

Having previously been linked with a move for the Napoli centre-back, with reports suggesting the Hammers made the Serie A side a €25 million (£21 million) offer for Maksimovic that the Gli Azzurri president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, rejected, new claims by Venerato suggest that David Moyes’ side could make a move for the 29-year-old once again this summer.

Speaking to Kiss Kiss Napoli’s Radio Goal (via Sport Witness), the Italian journalist stated: “Maksimovic could greet Napoli also for a tactical issue, but it is not only Inter Milan that likes him. West Ham are also on his trail.”

Transfer Tavern Take

Considering the fact that the 6 foot 4 Maksimovic’s contract at Napoli is expiring at the end of the season, meaning West Ham could land the defender – for whom they made a rather substantial offer last summer – on a free transfer, the Hammers making the offer of a contract to the Serbia international this summer would appear to be a very likely possibility, as Venerato suggests.

Furthermore, with both Fabian Balbuena and Craig Dawson’s deals at the London Stadium coming to an end this summer, Moyes may well be in need of additions in the centre of his defence, and the man once dubbed “the new Nemanja Vidic” could prove a very astute signing for the club indeed.

In other news: West Ham are preparing a summer offer for this 16-goal £13k p/w Moyes target – find out more here!

Keith Hackett has slammed the Professional Game Match Officials Limited’s (PGMOL) view on why Newcastle United did not get a penalty versus Burnley.

The foot of James Tarkowski appeared to be very high and in a dangerous position when Sean Longstaff was about to head the ball in the box, but nothing was given in the end after a check by VAR, after both Stuart Atwell at Stockley Park and Anthony Taylor on the field decided that the incident was not worthy of a penalty to the St. James’ Park faithful.

The PGMOL have since come out and explained their decision, stating (via Mark Douglas) that Tarkowski had ‘played the ball first’ and that Longstaff had ‘stooped and put his head into that area’.

Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett, who is a former referee in the Premier League, slammed the statement given:

“The most outrageous and stupid comment.

“I suggest whoever made it needs to examine the laws of the game.

“It’s just ridiculous, I just want to know who these people are who are making these statements.

“In football, in the laws of the game, you cannot use the ball as an excuse for a foul change.

“I don’t know who makes it. I shuddered when I listened to it.

“My emails and social media was going crazy with referees from around the world saying ‘Who is this person at the PGMOL making this statement?’”

Newcastle won in the end

It was lucky that Steve Bruce’s team managed to end up winning the game, otherwise a lot more may have been made of the controversial decision and subsequent explanation.

It begs the question over whether the officials are using the technology given to them correctly if a former referee in the top flight is strongly disagreeing with them, and luckily the on-field decision did not cost the North East club any points in the end.

Still, the explanation itself may be the most worrying aspect of the whole ordeal, even more so than the original decision, given that Hackett seems to suggest it doesn’t even abide with the laws of the game.

In other news, find out what inside claim Liam Kennedy has dropped on James Pallotta and the potential takeover here!

Nabil Bentaleb was once one of the more promising midfielders to breakthrough in the first-team at Tottenham Hotspur.

Then only 19, the young academy gem featured regularly under Tim Sherwood, playing 20 times in all competitions and was touted as a future international.

England, Algeria, and his country of birth, France were in an “arm-wrestle” to tie him down.

“I know Bentaleb, I know what he possesses. He trains like every day is the last day in the world and that’s a great trait to have for a young kid,” once lauded Sherwood.

Unfortunately for him, though, the former midfielder-turned-manager was soon replaced by Mauricio Pochettino, and soon, he found game time hard to come by.

As explained by football.london’s Alasdair Gold to ChronicleLive: “He was a very young player, he was inconsistent and I think that’s what he got it [criticism] more for.”

The 6 foot 2 livewire would go onto make a total of 66 appearances in four years for the north London outfit, largely from the bench, before Schalke 04 came calling.

Bentaleb initially joined the Bundesliga side on a season-long loan, with an option to buy for £17m, as per the Guardian.

That move was indeed made permanent a few months later in February, so he must’ve made a big enough impact for the seven-time league champions to sanction such a deal.

Although for Spurs, it was merely another sign of Daniel Levy’s magic touch in the transfer market.

His struggles have been well-documented since.

Last season saw a return to the Premier League, joining Danny Rose on loan at Newcastle United, where he failed to make much of an impact. One fansite compared his stint to that of Henri Saivet – aka. the bottom of the barrel for Magpies flops.

And now, Bentaleb is enduring a relegation battle in the Bundesliga. Well, he’s been watching from the stands as he cannot get a game for the German strugglers, having been restricted to only nine league appearances all term.

If you’re failing to get game time at 26 for a side desperate for a bit of quality, then what hope is there long-term? It didn’t work out at Spurs, it didn’t work out at Newcastle and it’s not working out at Schalke.

That only makes Levy’s decision in 2016 look even smarter. Indeed, Bentaleb’s value has plummeted rapidly. His worth now sits at just £1.8m as per Transfermarkt – a rather damning indictment of his quality these days.

With his contract due to expire this summer, it’s hard to imagine the “wasted” Algerian international getting another crack at the big time, given his performances over the past few years.

Despite all the potential, make no bones about it, Bentaleb has been a disaster both at Spurs, and ever since. The Lilywhites can count their lucky stars that they received such a hefty amount, what a move.

AND in other news, Forget Ings: Spurs should swoop for “model professional” who idolises Kane…

According to journalist Duncan Castles on the latest episode of the Transfer Window Podcast, Manchester City ‘hold an interest’ in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Pedro Neto – prompting many Sky Blues to beg for the ‘dream signing’.

Neto, who has been a mainstay under Nuno Espirito Santo this season, grabbing five goals and five assists in 28 Premier League starts whilst also winning five Man of the Match awards (WhoScored), continues to entice interest from the Sky Blues.

Castles explains that while City officials were scouting Adama Traore last season, they started to see the quality of Neto as he became more of a regular in the Wolves team – resulting in some interest.

The journalist also reveals that City, and by extension sporting director Txiki Begiristain, still hold this fondness for the 21-year-old – with City supporters begging for his acquisition as a result.

One supporter called him a ‘dream signing’, and given his form this season, it’s not hard to see why.

Find all of their best verdicts down below, after the news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra.

City fans beg for Neto signing

“Dream signing”

Credit: @kwameKonfanko

“OMG YESSSSS”

Credit: @SilkyCyrus_74

“Music to my ears ..”

Credit: @DavidTheOneOnly

“PLEASE I BEG”

Credit: @DylanMCFC

“City pls make this happen”

Credit: @BerradiBenny

“Yes please”

Credit: @FerociousFerran

“Give them whatever they want for him! Lads going to the top”

Credit: @MikeyTidmas

“I’d bin Mahrez in half a second for him, I’m sorry”

Credit: @CanceloCulture

In other news: Man City fans were ecstatic by this ‘great news’, find out more here.

Manchester United are some way off the league crown this season, lagging 14 points behind rivals Manchester City.

One way that the Red Devils are reportedly attempting to close the gap is by making a big-money move for Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland.

It is easy to see why they, and as a matter of fact, many clubs around Europe are interested in the forward.

Since joining the German giants from Red Bull Salzburg, he has plundered an eye-watering 43 goals in just 45 appearances. Pundits such as Jermain Jenas have even labelled him as “complete” at just 20 years of age.

However, it could be argued that the Red Devils simply do not need the forward despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reportedly being “in regular contact” with the player and therefore seemingly keen on a deal for his compatriot.

In having the likes of Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani, Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial and even Bruno Fernandes already at the club, United are more than capable of putting the ball in the back of the net.

Indeed, they are the second-highest scorers in the league this season with 53 goals. It is simply not their goalscoring which has left them lagging behind Pep Guardiola’s men.

It is instead at the other end of the pitch where their standards have fallen low. United have already conceded 33 goals in the Premier League this season. Only Everton in the current top six have shipped more.

With it being reported that recruiting a new centre back is being considered by the club, the fee that it would take to bring Haaland to Old Trafford could be spent more smartly.

Currently rated at £99m, it might well be suspected that an even higher fee could be demanded by Dortmund for them to even contemplate letting their star depart – eliminating a vast chunk of United’s transfer budget.

A lack of a move could anger Solskjaer considering his apparent interest in his fellow Norwegian, but the funds being spent on other parts of the squad make a lot more sense at the current time for Ed Woodward and the Old Trafford hierarchy.

AND in other news, read why we believe Dean Henderson has to stay in goal even when David De Gea returns to action…