Sports
Newcastle Open Talks to Sign Said El Mala as £43m Bid Accepted
Newcastle United have opened talks with FC Koln over a deal to sign highly-rated winger Said El Mala to replace Anthony Gordon, according to TEAMtalk.
The Magpies are anticipating a busy summer transfer window after selling Anthony Gordon to Barcelona for £70m, with their 12th-placed finish in the Premier League meaning they will have no European football for next season.
Eddie Howe is desperate to bring in attacking reinforcements as a result, while he plans a major squad overhaul, and a talented Bundesliga forward has now emerged as a real target.
Newcastle Open Talks for El Mala
El Mala, who has been described as a ‘one in a million talent’, has enjoyed a brilliant season with Koln in the Bundesliga, registering 13 goals and four assists in just 20 starts for the club.
Those performances have attracted strong interest from a number of clubs across Europe, including Premier League rivals Brentford. The Bees actually tabled a €45+5m bid (£43m) for the 19-year-old, but have since been informed he doesn’t want to join them.
However, that bid was accepted by Koln, and it has now opened the door for other clubs to try and agree terms with the winger, including Newcastle.
Newcastle have now opened talks with the Bundesliga club to agree terms over a deal, while they also want permission to speak to the German winger.
However, the big sticking point so far has been that his representatives are his parents, and they are pushing for any club that signs Said to also sign his older brother Malik, who also plays for the Bundesliga side.
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Newcastle Pushing for Gordon Replacement
Newcastle know that selling clubs will be aware they have money to spend after selling Gordon, and they know he needs to be replaced. That is likely to see asking prices raised as a result whenever they knock on the door, so they have to be smart.
El Mala is an unbelievable talent, and Newcastle now know the formula that Koln would be willing to accept to let him leave. That gives them some leverage in talks, and now a deal relies on them agreeing terms with the player and his representatives.
He is clearly ready to make the step up to the next level, and will have seen how players like Gordon and Alexander Isak developed at St James’ Park, which could well be appealing to him.
He Wants To Join: Newcastle Open Talks For ‘Perfect’ Anthony Gordon Replacement
Newcastle United are in the market for wingers, with one star appearing as an option to replace Anthony Gordon.
Sports
Tottenham In Talks to Sign Joao Palhinha Permanently, He Wants to Join
Tottenham Hotspur are already being very active in the transfer market, and they are now in talks to seal yet another transfer for Roberto De Zerbi.
Spurs have already completed an agreement to sign Andy Robertson from Liverpool on a free transfer, while a move for Marcos Senesi has also been agreed, and a bid has been submitted for Brighton star Jan Paul van Hecke.
Talks are said to be ongoing with Manchester City over a deal for winger Savinho too, with the club making moves, and now it has emerged they are engaging in talks for someone De Zerbi is a big fan of.
Tottenham In Talks for Joao Palhinha Deal
According to Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Tottenham are engaged in talks with Bayern Munich over a deal to sign Joao Palhinha permanently this summer.
The Portugal international, who De Zerbi has described as ‘one of the best’, spent this season on loan in north London and scored some vital goals to help them avoid relegation, including the winner on the final day of the season against Everton.
Palhinha has attracted strong interest from former club Sporting CP, with personal terms already agreed about a potential return to Lisbon. However, he would prefer to stay in the Premier League with Spurs, and has given them his priority ahead of a summer exit from Bayern.
Spurs hold an option to make his loan move permanent for €30m (£25.9m) including bonuses, but they are not currently willing to pay that much, and have not triggered the option as a result.
But the clubs are in talks over a potential lower fee, with the north London side hopeful that an agreement can be reached as Bayern are hopeful of selling the 30-year-old permanently.
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Tottenham Have Leverage to Seal Deal
Tottenham are expecting major changes in their squad during this summer window, and that means any stability that they can control would be a good thing.
Cristian Romero is expected to leave, as is goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, but there is interest in a number of players looking at the rest of their squad. De Zerbi will want to keep a lot of those players, and that includes Palhinha.
Bayern don’t want him, and the player wants to join, so Spurs have all the leverage to get a deal done. But they can’t wait too long or they risk allowing other teams to step in and hijack it. Tottenham must now get this deal done, or ENIC will have major questions to answer.
Tottenham Told ‘Exceptional Talent’ Perfect for De Zerbi Price, £45m Bids Rejected
The North London side have moved quickly to try and secure one of Serie A’s most promising midfielders.
Sports
Iraola Told How To Sign ‘World-Class’ Bournemouth Star For Liverpool
It is almost a foregone conclusion that Liverpool will be linked with a number of Bournemouth players in this summer transfer window.
Leaving the Vitality Stadium after three years in the dugout, Spaniard Andoni Iraola is the new manager at Liverpool, having replaced the sacked Arne Slot at the helm.
Iraola enjoyed three successful years on the south coast, guiding the Cherries to the UEFA Europa League for the first time in their history at the end of this season, ending the campaign 18 games unbeaten.
Iraola likely to be linked with Bournemouth’s best
Now with work to do at Anfield to get Liverpool back challenging for the Premier League title, after the Reds only finished fifth this season, one place above Bournemouth, Iraola may look at some of his old players to do a job for him in the north west.
Marcos Senesi is already leaving the Cherries, set to sign on a free transfer from Tottenham, while the likes of Alex Scott, Eli Junior Kroupi and Rayan have all been linked with a move away from the south coast club.
Rayan has a £130million release clause, although it does not come into effect until the January transfer window, while if Scott does not agree to sign a new contract, Bournemouth may be forced to sell to one of the big six in the Premier League.
Junior Kroupi has already attracted the attention of Arsenal who are on the lookout for a new striker this summer, but the teen sensation is now being linked with a move to Liverpool too.
Junior Kroupi was a Premier League record-breaker
The striker broke Premier League records this season when he scored the most goals by a teenager in a single Premier League campaign, beating Robbie Keane and Robbie Folwer by netting 13 goals.
He has also been likened to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, with analytical website Breaking The Lines saying: “He has all the hallmarks of a potential world-class striker with traits not dissimilar to Thierry Henry, especially in the entirely indiscriminate way that he finishes the chances that are created for him. He also shares the searing pace that a young version of Henry was so famous for.”
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Iraola knows what it would take to sign Kroupi for Liverpool, having probably been privy to talks over Bournemouth’s transfer plans before he left.
According to the i paper, there is an expectation that Kroupi will stay on the south coast this summer, although he does not have a release clause in his contract.
He has been labelled as a “special case” by the i paper, who say that his price tag would be “well in excess” of £100million and that three figures would be what is required to test the waters with Bournemouth over a deal.
Sports
Iraq World Cup Star Held For Nearly 7 Hours After Arriving at US Airport
With less than a week to go before the 2026 World Cup kicks off, participating nations have been arriving in the United States. It will come as no surprise to hear that this has been difficult for some fans, staff members, and even players.
President Donald Trump currently has 39 countries on his travel ban list, while Iran appear to have had their training camp moved to Mexico, from the originally planned location of Tucson, Arizona, due to the nation’s ongoing conflict with the US. Getting visas into North America is no easy task either.
South Africa recently had to hold an emergency meeting after players and officials were denied visas, preventing them from arriving into Mexico as planned. Iraq have reportedly been the latest nation to have difficulties, this time coming after they’ve made it into the US.
Iraq Star Held For Hours in Chicago’s O’Hare Airport
As per Reuters, Iraq’s World Cup striker, Aymen Hussein, was held and questioned for nearly seven hours at Chicago’s O’Hare airport after arriving with the squad early on Saturday morning (6 June). According to an Iraqi sporting official, the 30-year-old was finally allowed in, but the team’s photographer was barred from entering the United States.
While no official comment has yet been made by Iraq on the matter, an official explained that Hussein’s phone was inspected after he arrived. He then added:
“National team photographer Talal Salah was held for more than 10 hours, underwent similar phone checks, and was ultimately denied entry into the United States.”
Hussein Scored Vital Goal To Send Iraq to 2026 World Cup
Considering Hussein is currently his nation’s fifth all-time top goal scorer – and netted the goal that secured qualification for the World Cup finals – Iraq will be relieved that he was eventually allowed into the host country. After all, Swiss striker Breel Embolo has been denied entry into the US, although that visa issue is said to be related to a past issue with the law.
However, this is far from a warm welcome or ideal preparation for Iraq, who come up against Norway in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on 16 June. They will also play France and Senegal in Group I.
Iraq are returning to the World Cup for the first time since making their debut 40 years ago, and it’s understood that fans came out in the early hours of the morning to greet the squad at the O’Hare airport, holding flags and asking players to pose for pictures. At this point, Hussein and team photographer Salah were held for hours.
FIFA Men’s World Rankings List
The latest international rankings have been revealed – Spain have been dethroned ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
According to Reuters, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Homeland Security Department did not immediately respond when quizzed about the incident.
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