Newcastle United are ready to brave a battle with Premier League duo Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur and try to sign one of the top-flight’s most in-demand full-backs.

It’s been another frustrating summer for Eddie Howe and the Magpies after missing out on top targets for their rivals. They were close to sealing a deal for Victor Munoz before Liverpool swooped in and signed the Spanish winger from Osasuna.

Newcastle set their sights on Swiss midfielder Johan Manzambi, but he chose Aston Villa, where he’ll replace Chelsea-bound Morgan Rogers. Setback after setback for the Tyneside outfit has given them an almighty task to try to rebuild Howe’s squad.

Newcastle Enter Race For Neco Williams

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Despite the struggles that have ensued for Newcastle so far this summer, they are reportedly ready to move for Nottingham Forest’s Neco Williams. The Welshman is a wanted man, with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur also interested in signing the former Liverpool star.

According to Football Insider, the Magpies are prepared to join the race for Williams and hand Howe a versatile full-back. He has emerged as a target thanks to his ability to play on both sides of the defence.

Williams, dubbed “exceptional” enjoyed a superb past season with Forest, featuring 37 times in the league, posting two goals and three assists. His impressive displays haven’t gone unnoticed and there’s a chance he moves on this summer.

That said, Forest are reportedly trying to hold on to the 25-year-old and are ‘pushing ahead with talks to renew his contract.’ He joined the Tricky Trees from Liverpool in the summer of 2022 for around £16 million.

Neco Williams Could Be a Real Asset

While there’s no mention of a fee involved in a potential deal for Williams, he’d be an excellent signing for Newcastle. He’s as versatile as they come and has years of experience playing at the highest level.

The Welsh star is also at the right age to make an immediate impact in Howe’s team rather than a young prospect who needs time and patience. But the threat of Spurs and United is worth noting given they are in the midst of rebuilding their squads.

Depending on the price, Williams could prove to be a superb acquisition for the Magpies. Having lost Kieran Trippier following the expiration of his contract, there’s much to like about the possibility of the Forest man arriving at St James’ Park.

Manchester United are eyeing up a summer move to bolster their defensive options this summer, according to a report by Fussball Daten.

The Red Devils have made strengthening their midfield the priority this summer, with deals for Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans already completed, while a left-back and left-winger are also expected to be targeted as the window progresses alongside a third central midfielder.

But with Harry Maguire entering the final year of his contract, Matthijs De Ligt still recovering from back surgery, and Lisandro Martinez picking up a thigh injury during the World Cup final, the club are now eyeing potential reinforcements at centre-back.

Man Utd Eyeing Anton Deal

According to a report, Man Utd are eyeing up a move to sign Borussia Dortmund central defender Waldemar Anton this summer.

Anton, who has been described as ‘incredible’ by Julian Nagelsmann, was part of the Germany squad at the World Cup this summer as they crashed out at the Round of 32 to Paraguay, but enjoyed a fine campaign with Dortmund in the Bundesliga to earn his spot.

The 30-year-old has now emerged as a target at Old Trafford as they eye up potential reinforcements, and it’s claimed that they are ready to match Dortmund’s €40m (£34m) asking price to get a deal done.

Dortmund do not want to sell the Germany international; however, his age means they must consider big offers, and United are ready to pay the price to get him to the Premier League.

It’s also claimed that United are ready to make a ‘lucrative’ contract offer to the defender to convince him to make the switch, amid stiff competition from Atletico Madrid and Aston Villa for his signature.

Club staff believe that he has the physical capabilities to adapt to the league quickly, and United are considered to be the favorites to win the race for this deal as things stand, with a substantial budget set aside to bring in a proven leader in defence.

Anton Deal Would Be a Gamble

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Man Utd have plenty of areas of their squad that need strengthening if they plan on being competitive in the Champions League next season, but central defence is probably not one of them at this stage.

Maguire has shown excellent form under Michael Carrick, while De Ligt is due back in September, and Martinez’s injury may not be that bad. But even if it is, Carrick must show faith in current options Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven in the meantime, rather than just splashing the cash and blocking their pathway.

While Anton has quality, it’s hard to see how he would be anywhere near the team when everyone is fit, and that means the money being considered for him should instead be spent on other areas.

Spain have added a second star to their nation’s badge with a 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina in the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.

After dominating Lionel Messi and co for the entire match and reducing them to only two shots in normal and extra time, it was Ferran Torres who scored his only goal of the tournament in the 106th minute to secure the trophy for La Rioja. Still, the financial reward for that historic achievement won’t be quite as glittering as the trophy itself.

Luis de la Fuente’s squad were set for a huge payday from the Royal Spanish Football Federation for their triumph, yet a significant chunk of that windfall was always destined to disappear before it reached their bank accounts.

Spain’s Players Set for Six-Figure Bonus

REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

According to Gestha (per The Mirror), the Spanish union representing Tax Agency experts, each member of the 26-man squad is in line for a gross payout of €754,701.92 (£640,500) for lifting the trophy.

That figure stems from the agreement in place with the RFEF, under which players receive 45% of the roughly €44 million (£37.3m) FIFA awards the federation for winning the tournament, works out at around €19.8m (£16.8m) split among the squad, having reportedly only agreed to collect major bonuses upon reaching the latter stages.

Tax Bill Wipes Out Huge Portion of Spain’s Reward

REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

That headline figure shrinks considerably once income tax is applied. The 17 squad members playing their club football in Spain are subject to personal income tax rates that reach as high as 49.5%, depending on which of the country’s Autonomous Communities they reside in, with rates in Madrid sitting around 45%, the Basque Country at 49%, and Catalonia ranging between 47% and 49.5%.

In the best-case scenario, a player based in Spain would take home around €385,000 (£327,000), a figure that drops to roughly €353,500 (£300,000) at the higher rate.

Names affected include Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi and Dani Olmo, as Spain’s treasury stands to collect an estimated £5m from the squad’s domestic-based players alone.

Those playing abroad, such as Golden Ball winner Rodri, David Raya, and Mikel Merino, face a different tax picture entirely, governed by residency rules and double taxation treaties in their respective countries, on top of taxes owed across the World Cup’s host nations.

Even so, the reward still dwarfs the roughly €600,000 (£503,000) handed to Spain’s 2010 winning squad, but those players at the time didn’t feel the swift hand of the taxman quite as badly, with top-end rates in Spain sitting at 43% 16 years ago.