Newcastle United are expecting a busy summer transfer window at St James’ Park, and one potential new addition has now been identified.
The Magpies have missed out on European football entirely for the new season after a disappointing campaign, and manager Eddie Howe is expected to oversee a major squad rebuild in the summer, with a number of exits and incomings planned all over the pitch.
One area that could be strengthened in particular is central defence, with question marks surrounding the future of Fabian Schar and Sven Botman, but the club are ready to enter the race to bring in one of the top young stars in the position.
Newcastle Eyeing Antonio Silva
According to a report by Record, Newcastle are preparing a move to sign Benfica starlet Antonio Silva this summer.
Silva, who has been described as ‘one of the best defenders’ by Jan Vertonghen, broke through into the Benfica team as a teenager and has established himself as an important part of the side that went unbeaten in Portugal’s top-flight this season. However, the team lost out on the league title to Porto, while manager Jose Mourinho is set to take over at Real Madrid.
The 22-year-old is now set to enter the final 12 months of his contract at the Estadio da Luz, which has seen Benfica offer him a new long-term contract and the club captaincy. But there is concern he could reject that, and if he does, he will likely be sold ahead of the new season.
That has opened the door for Newcastle to step up their interest and enter the race for his signature, and they could have an advantage having held talks with the player’s representatives in the past. There is no potential fee mentioned, but it’s unlikely to be too high, although Benfica will be hoping he performs well at the World Cup to help raise the price should he leave.
Newcastle Move Could Be Ideal for All
The Magpies know that they have a huge summer ahead of them, and Howe will likely go back to the transfer policy that helped him build his successful side in the first place.
Young talent from foreign leagues who are ready for a step up in competition is the best way for them to go, and Silva will undoubtedly be one of the top market opportunities in that bracket this summer. He’ll help strengthen a problem position, but he would also be a bit of a statement signing, while also allowing the player to play at a higher level.
It’s a deal that could work out for all involved, but it won’t be easy for the Magpies to get it over the line amid strong competition.
Saturday night’s blistering two-round heavyweight shootout between Anthony Joshua and Kristian Prenga was fixed. That’s the view of former Crystal Palace and talkSPORT owner Simon Jordan, who took to social media after the fight to share his theory.
The bout was considered by many to be little more than a warm-up for Joshua ahead of his planned showdown with long-time rival Tyson Fury later this year.
However, within just seconds of the opening bell, ‘AJ’ was fighting for his career after being sent to the canvas with a right uppercut. The Watford man made it back to his feet, but looked to be in real trouble of suffering a first-round defeat.
Anthony Joshua Was Almost Knocked Out By Kristian Prenga
His Albanian opponent seemed to realise it, too, as he marched forward, landing a barrage of blows. Joshua did his best to try and avoid damage, but touched the mat again during the final minute of the round, prompting another count from referee Luis Pabon.
‘AJ’ made it back to his corner, but it hardly looked like the 60-second break would do him much good. The 36-year-old appeared on the verge of being taken out in a loss that would have almost certainly signalled the end of his time in the ring.
Curiously, though, Prenga didn’t seek to force home his advantage in the second round, allowing Joshua to find his way into the fight and ultimately secure a knockout victory with a huge right hand that sent Prenga sprawling to the canvas.
Admittedly, there was a huge gulf in class between the two fighters in terms of their resumes, but Jordan insisted that there was something more sinister behind the dramatic turnaround in the fight.
Conspiracy Theory Emerges on Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga
“Not having that Anthony Joshua fight,” he argued in a post on Twitter. “Dropped twice and sets the tempo [in the second round]. How’s that? Prenga totally different in the 2nd. Something not quite right. All designed to rinse the maximum amount of money.”
Per official numbers from CompuBox, the underdog Prenga only threw 17 punches in the second round before he was stopped, landing with just three. That came after he found the target with 13 of 46 in the first.
While Prenga’s output definitely dropped in the second round, there is no evidence to support Jordan’s theory of the fight being fixed.
Credit: REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
However, some fans on social media were in agreement with the controversial radio host.
“That’s got to be the most blatantly fixed fight ever. Prenga drops Joshua twice in round 1, comes out for round 2, doesn’t throw a punch and just lets Joshua punch his head off,” argued one fan.
Another wrote: “Did someone get into Prenga’s ear after the first round to throw that fight? He didn’t throw a single punch in the 2nd round. Fixed.”
A third agreed: “Something very sus about this. Geezer was battering Joshua then 2nd round came and he didn’t wanna know! Fixed to max!”
Others, though, were quick to shoot down Jordan’s statement.
“AJ took an uppercut (by a fighter with 20 KO wins),” began one reply. “[He was a] little rusty and came back. His jab clearly warned off Prenga, and he did some damage before the knockout. Not everything has to be a conspiracy!”
“Bit too deep Simon. Was just a fight,” declared another response. AJ got whacked, and then 2nd round, whacked the other guy out. You can’t script/fake what happened in that fight.”
A final comment pointed out: “The aftermath felt genuine. Very hard to orchestrate a heavyweight boxing match.”
With Joshua now set to move on to a money-spinning bout with Fury, it is highly unlikely that Prenga will ever get the chance to share the ring with ‘AJ’ again, especially given the shock that he almost caused.
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
Former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua won his final fight before his planned showdown with Tyson Fury later this year with a victory over unheralded Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
Fury competed in a warm-up bout of his own on Friday night, stopping 46-year-old veteran Mariusz Wach. Joshua got the job done quicker, as he ended his fight in the second round, but he had to survive a huge scare.
Joshua was floored within the first 30 seconds after being caught flush with a right uppercut and would find himself on the canvas again before the end of the session.
Joshua bounced back in the second, securing the win with a devastating left hand that separated Prenga from his senses.
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
Newcastle United are interested in signing Rangers full-back James Tavernier, although Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC have now emerged as the frontrunners in the race to land the defender, according to TEAMtalk.
Tavernier left Rangers at the end of last season when his contract expired, having made 565 appearances for the Gers, netting 143 times in the process. The Englishman developed a reputation for contributing to goals at a prolific rate from full-back, and thus, it’s no surprise that several clubs are looking to secure his services on a free transfer.
Interest from England, Turkey and the United States has emerged, and Charlotte FC are now deemed the favourites to seal the deal. Newcastle lost Kieran Trippier this summer and are subsequently in the market for a right-back, identifying Tavernier as a potential option.
Newcastle in Race to Sign James Tavernier
The Magpies will be without veteran full-back Trippier for the first time since the 2021/22 campaign, and Eddie Howe seemingly isn’t willing to begin a new season without a seasoned right-back who can influence the game in the final third.
Tavernier is on Newcastle’s transfer shortlist, and the brother of Bournemouth winger Marcus would replace some of Trippier’s key attributes. The 34-year-old has consistently put up elite numbers at the front end of the pitch, popping up with goals and assists at an unprecedented rate for a defender.
According to TEAMtalk, while Charlotte are in a strong position, the race for Tavernier is far from over. Turkish sides Istanbul Basaksehir, Kasimpasa and Amedspor have all held talks over a potential move and are ‘firmly’ in the race.
However, Newcastle are monitoring the situation and are ready to pounce later in the window, once their squad picture becomes clearer. If signed, they will be bringing a defender who broke the record as the highest-scoring defender in British football history in 2024.
The Tynesiders are undergoing a summer of change regarding their roster, with Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon and potentially Bruno Guimaraes all on their way out. The club’s hierarchy are eager to see how their new group of players takes shape over the coming weeks, before committing to a deal for Tavernier.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
Newcastle Should Be Able to Attract James Tavernier
The north-east outfit could do with a win, and Tavernier could provide them with this. The competition for the former Rangers star is stiff, but there’s no reason why Howe shouldn’t be capable of convincing him to join Newcastle.
While the likes of Charlotte and those in Turkey might be able to offer him a lucrative contract, they cannot offer the chance to play in the Premier League or to keep the player in his home country, surrounded by family and friends.
