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Mark Douglas has revealed what insiders at Newcastle United are looking for after the latest twist in the takeover saga.

The Lowdown: Arbitration adjourned

As shared by the official website of the St. James’ Park faithful, the arbitration proceedings between them and the Premier League have now been adjourned until early next year due to issues with the disclosure of evidence.

The process was expected to take place this month, but now further delays have been implemented, leaving the North East club in limbo for the foreseeable future.

The Latest: Insiders looking to Ashley

Writing in his latest piece for The Chronicle, football journalist Douglas has shared that insiders at the Tyneside club are now looking to Mike Ashely to re-engage with their immediate concerns and ‘set the parameters’ of summer recruitment.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium ‘remain committed’ to the deal, although the KSA’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) are ‘yet to be drawn’ on the arbitration delay.

The Verdict: Plan needed

With the adjournment to the arbitration case, there is certainly a plan that needs to be made by both Ashley about the direction in whic the club are heading in the immediate future.

There has been delay after delay, and for the hearing not to take place until 2022 is certainly a kick in the teeth but there is a new season on the horizon and plans must now be made to help the Magpies have a successful campaign.

It is not ideal for the Magpies to go into yet another season with uncertainty, but so long as the consortium ‘remain committed’ to the deal, then there is till hope that eventually the takeover can be completed.

However, in the short term, Ashley needs to re-engage and provide Steve Bruce with the funds he needs to build a squad that can compete in the Premier LEague in the upcoming season.

In other news, find out which £50,000-per-week target NUFC is a ‘huge lure’ for here!

With West Bromwich Albion’s search to appoint Sam Allardyce’s successor at The Hawthorns having drawn on for an excruciatingly prolonged period, a door may have just opened that would allow the club to move for the perfect candidate.

Having been rejected by a number of their first-choice targets already this summer, a list that includes the likes of Roy Hodgson, Frank Lampard, David Wagner and Michael Appleton, as well as the club’s owner, Guochuan Lai, personally vetoing a move for Chris Wilder, it very much appears as if West Brom are running out of options in their managerial search.

However, with The Telegraph reporting on Tuesday that Scott Parker looks set to leave Craven Cottage by mutual consent in the coming days, the Baggies’ fortunes could have just made a dramatic u-turn.

Parker could be transformational

Despite having overseen a second relegation from the Premier League in the space of just three seasons, Parker’s record in the Championship should provide Lai with more than enough incentive to make an approach for the 40-year-old manager.

Indeed, over the former England international’s 46 games in charge of Fulham during the regular Championship season, the young coach guided his side to a highly impressive 23 wins, 12 draws and 11 losses, results which saw Fulham secure a fourth-place finish in the second tier standings, just two points behind Slaven Bilic’s West Brom side in the automatic promotion places.

Parker then overcame Cardiff City with a 3-2 aggregate win in the play-off semi-finals, before defeating a heavily fancied Brentford side 2-1 AET in the final – meaning the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder had achieved the feat of leading his team back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

As such, with an immediate return to the top flight very much being the primary objective for West Brom next season, Parker’s appointment would appear to dramatically boost the Baggies chances of being successful in their quest to once again be playing Premier League football at the earliest opportunity.

Furthermore, with managers such as Pep Guardiola, Marcelo Bielsa and Jurgen Klopp all singling the 40-year-old out for his impressive brand of football at Fulham, with the latter of the three stating his belief that Parker is an “exceptional” manager, not only would his appointment increase the club’s chances of promotion, it would also bring a fresh, exciting and attacking style of play to The Hawthorns – something that fans must be longing for after half a season of watching Allardyce’s West Brom.

So, it would seem Parker ticks a great deal, if not all, of the boxes that Lai is likely demanding from the Baggies’ next manager, leading us to believe that the owner should be doing all he can to lure the Fulham boss to West Bromwich this summer.

Parker is reportedly a target for potential play-off rivals Bournemouth and that is said to be his most likely destination but with nothing seemingly signed with The Cherries yet, West Brom, having also decided not to sign Wilder, should make big push to convince the former England midfielder that Albion would be the best place for him to manage.

In other news: Lai could have just made his biggest West Brom mistake to date, fans are rightly livid

Celtic have now been without a manager for three months but it feels like this arduous saga is finally beginning to come to an end for everyone associated with the Hoops at Parkhead.

That’s because the Bhoys are on the verge of welcoming Eddie Howe to Paradise in time for the summer transfer window.

Howe still needs to sort out what backroom staff will join him but a deal feels closer than ever.

What’s the word?

Despite a move being on the verge of conclusion, Celtic have made sure they’ve had other irons in the fire.

Last week, it was revealed they were still interested in former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard but they’ve directly held talks with another coach.

According to one Italian reporter, the Hoops have been in discussions with Enzo Maresca over the last few weeks.

The claim states that he’s also fielding interest from Girona and Sampdoria in Serie A but a fresh update on Tuesday morning from Fabrizio Romano reveals he’s now in advanced negotiations with Parma.

The 41-year-old is currently an understudy to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City so is evidently held in high esteem.

Perfect for Celtic

Maresca is currently Man City’s U23 manager where he’s enjoyed a wonderful campaign in the north of England.

The club’s first team came away with the Premier League title but Maresca’s academy side were also victorious in Premier League 2.

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He’s played a key part in preparing City’s next-generation for first-team life, being hailed by Guardiola for his efforts along the way.

Speaking only a few days ago, the decorated Spaniard said: “It doesn’t help the young boys to go to the media, it can be more confusing than positive. We are delighted with what Maresca has done. He’ll be an extraordinary manager in the future – like I felt it with Arteta.

“He’s developed many young players that will help us. It will depend on how many stay and how many leave. Who we sign.”

This would be vitally important for Celtic because the academy and reserve side is an area of the club that’s felt neglected.

One of their brightest prospects in Cameron Harper recently left for New York Red Bulls while Karamoko Dembele doesn’t have long left on his contract.

His terms at Paradise expire in the summer of 2022 and he’s not been given much of a sign that Celtic is the place to develop.

The 18-year-old began to make more of a senior breakthrough towards the end of the season but after scoring his first goal for the club against St Johnstone, wasn’t afforded a chance from the off on the final day versus Hibernian.

With Maresca in charge, the fortunes of those coming through the ranks at Lennoxtown could begin to change.

The developing young coach knows a clever talent when he sees one and as City’s success at academy level tells you, he knows how to progress their games.

This wouldn’t only be huge for Dembele but it could make a massive impact on the likes of Adam Montgomery and Luca Connell too.

That’s before you even consider the incoming Liam Shaw and a player like Leo Hjelde, someone compared to Virgil van Dijk.

Howe still looks like he’s the first choice but Maresca would have been a very solid alternative for Dominic McKay before his move to Parma.

AND in other news, Imagine him under Howe: Celtic must sign 6ft3 “freak”, he’s the spitting image of Ajer…

According to a report by the Daily Mail, Tottenham Hotspur are keen on Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus.

The Lowdown: Spurs and the Kane saga…

Sky Sports shared big news of star striker Harry Kane’s desire to leave Tottenham last month, leading to no shortage of transfer rumours.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic and financial uncertainty that comes with it, swap deals to lower prices have been touted through the media.

Among Kane’s plethora of admirers are Premier League champions Manchester City, but the Sky Blues would face a fight to sign him this summer.

Some reports even claim that Spurs chief Daniel Levy could demand close to £200 million (Eurosport).

The Latest: Spurs keen on Jesus…

Proposing players who could make way to north London in a possible exchange for Kane, the Mail say Levy and co are ‘keen’ admirers of striker Jesus.

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Indeed, one City player could head to Tottenham as part of a swap deal and the Brazilian is certainly a candidate.

It is believed that Jesus is ‘unimpressed’ with his lack of game time under manager Pep Guardiola, but whether he would entertain a move to Spurs is, for now, ‘unclear’.

City, however, will have to shift players out to fund expensive swoops for both Kane and Aston Villa star Jack Grealish.

The Verdict: Could do far worse…

Contrary to his perceived lack of game time, Jesus still managed to rack up 22 Premier League starts over 2020/2021 – scoring nine goals and assisting four others (WhoScored).

In all competitions, the attacker totalled 42 appearances whilst bagging 14 goals (Transfermarkt) – drawing praise for his tenacious and energetic playing style.

Guardiola, speaking to Manchester City’s official website back in March, hailed him as an unsung hero for the Sky Blues and described what he does for the team as ‘amazing’ and ‘brilliant’.

Brazilian footballing legend Dani Alves dropped a pretty big claim during the early rise of Jesus back in 2017, insisting to reporters back then he was ‘the new Ronaldo’ and will ‘get even better’ (The Daily Mail).

Having already scored 103 career goals in total across his spells at both City and Palmeiras, Spurs could do a lot worse than Jesus plus cash if Kane is certain to leave.

In other news: ‘Sad news’, ‘No no no no’ – Spurs fans worried by this claim, find out more here.

Leeds United need a replacement for when Kalvin Phillips is unavailable, says former Whites midfielder David Norris.

Phillips was an essential player for Leeds last season, starting 28 games for Marcelo Bielsa’s side in the Premier League.

He is also quickly becoming a very important member of Gareth Southgate’s England team, proving that with his role in Raheem Sterling’s matchwinner against Croatia in the Three Lions’ opening Euro 2020 game.

For Norris, when Phillips is not in Leeds’ team, there is a dip. And the ex-Whites player is now calling for Bielsa to address that by signing some adequate cover.

“When he’s not played, they haven’t done as well,” Norris said in an exclusive interview with FFC. “If he was going to pick up a little bit longer term injury or be a little bit more in and out with potential injuries, a replacement is probably going to be needed.”

The above is certainly something for Bielsa to consider going into the new campaign. Fortunately, Phillips has had a good injury record over the last few years.

The England midfielder was rarely absent during his time in the Championship, making 37 appearances in Leeds’ 2019/20 title-winning season and 44 the campaign prior. It bodes well, though Bielsa can do no harm by signing a back-up.

Former Leeds United striker Brian Deane has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that he is not expecting Marcelo Bielsa to do too much this summer.

There has been quite a bit of speculation about Bielsa’s future, with his contract set to expire. However, all of that could soon be put to bed after The Telegraph reported that the 65-year-old is close to agreeing a new deal.

It means that Leeds will be able to turn their full attention to the summer transfer market and the upcoming 2021/22 season, though Deane would not be surprised to see Bielsa not do too much over the next few months.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about the Yorkshire club’s potential plans for the summer, the retired Premier League forward said:

“I don’t think he’ll do too much different. He’s been there three seasons now, and I think all he’ll probably do is look to tweak what he’s done – maybe bring in a little bit more quality.

“I don’t think Leeds are in a position to start spending, you know, hundreds of millions. I think he’ll refresh certain positions. But, yeah, I think it’s just the natural progression now.”

Leeds had a very successful transfer window last year, bringing in the likes of Raphinha and Diego Llorente, who have gone on to become regulars – the latter after picking up a serious groin injury. So it will be interesting to see if they can replicate that kind of recruitment again.

Frank McAvennie has dropped a big behind-the-scenes claim on the manager hunt at Celtic after a transfer update emerged.

As per transfer market expert Nicolo Schira, the Hoops had a bid rejected for Mario Vuskovic earlier this week, and McAvennie has put two and two together as it would be strange for the Parkhead club to be bidding for new transfer targets without a permanent manager to approve of them.

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Hoops striker said the development is a ‘strange’ situation:

“It might be that there’s a manager behind the scenes who’s telling them who to go for.

“I can’t see Celtic going and buying a player without a manager in place. The situation is strange, why would you buy new players if a new manager might come in and say ‘I don’t want him’?

“There’s a chance that they might not be bothered about what the new guy thinks, or someone is telling them to get him. 

“It would be such a waste of money if a new manager came in and didn’t want him. It wouldn’t be a good start to their Celtic career. 

“I’ve not heard anything but if that report is true, it means Celtic are talking to a new manager.”

Do Celtic already have their new manager?

While there have not been any confirmed reports in the media of a new manager for the Bhoys as of yet, it is no doubt an interesting connection that McAvennie has made with the transfer bid for Vuskovic.

Surely they would not be trying to bring in new players if they did not already have a new boss lined up already, as those players would have to fit their style and system.

Celtic have a lot of work to do in the summer to try and wrestle the Scottish Premiership title away from the hands of their bitter rivals Rangers, and so the next managerial appointment is key.

Nonetheless, that next appointment may already be lined up behind the scenes if the Vuskovic rumours are true.

In other news, find out what former European Super League team are monitoring this Hoops ace here!

Newcastle’s Matt Ritchie has dropped an enticing transfer claim about where he thought his future was during the January window, with the summer transfer period now not too far away.

The Lowdown: Ritchie’s future was uncertain

Ritchie’s future at the St. James’ Park faithful was uncertain when the January transfer window came along.

The Scotland international was strongly linked with a Deadline Day exit back to his old club in AFC Bournemouth, but that move never came into fruition.

Of course, those rumours were joined a month later by the story of a bust-up in training between the Scot and manager Steve Bruce.

The Latest: Ritchie thought he was leaving

Ritchie has since spoken to Sky Sports about how close he was to leaving the North East just a few months ago, to which he claimed: “If I’m honest, yes, I thought my Newcastle career was over”.

The former Portsmouth man, who currently earns £45,000-per-week, still remains at the Tyneside club, and it has ended up being a good decision not to let him go.

The Verdict: Ritchie still important to Newcastle

Ritchie is still an important player for the Magpies, as shown by him starting in their last five games in the Premier League in the 2020/21 term (Transfermarkt).

The 31-year-old still has a lot to offer both off of the pitch with his experience and leadership, as well as on it, as former Cherries boss Jason Tindall saw when he described him as a ‘fantastic’ player back in January – when his side were linked with the versatile man.

Nonetheless, in case there is any revived interest in the summer to sign Ritchie, the Toon should look to keep hold of the winger at all costs.

In other news, find out what transfer boost NUFC have received here!

Football Insider pundit Danny Mills believes that Aston Villa will want to sign Celtic midfielder David Turnbull before the European Championships begin on June 11.

The Lowdown: Villa plotting £7m bid

According to The Scottish Sun, Villa have watched the 21-year-old on multiple occasions this season and are lining up a £7m bid.

Turnbull, who Neil Lennon described as ‘brilliant’ last summer, was one of a few shining lights in a disappointing season for the Hoops. The attacking midfielder netted nine goals and registered eight assists in green and white, picking up the Scotland PFA Young Player of the Year award for his displays.

He was also named in Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad for the European Championship, and Mills believes that Dean Smith’s side could look to wrap up a deal over the next three weeks.

The Latest: Mills makes Turnbull claim

Asked by Football Insider if Villa will look to complete a deal for Turnbull before June 11, Mills said:

“Definitely.

“Good managers won’t buy players off the back of a good European Championships, or they shouldn’t do.”

The 44-year-old former Leeds defender added:

“Your targets should be identified by February because you’ve had six months to look at your players, you know what those players are like, you know what your weaknesses are and you know where to improve.

“Your scouts and scouting network should be doing that work all the way through that time. You should have an A, B and C target. Who they are and for what position.

“The best way is to just get it done. If you have to pay a little bit over the odds, just get it done.

“You don’t want to come back late to pre-season because of the Euros thinking ‘We haven’t signed a player. The player’s going to miss parts of pre-season, he’s not integrated.’

“Just go out and do it, that’s what Villa should be doing.”

The Verdict: Celtic under no pressure to sell

In our opinion, should Villa come in with a reported £7m bid before Euro 2020, Celtic should make their feelings clear that he is not for sale.

Yes, he is only valued at £1.62m, so the Hoops would be receiving a fee over four times that figure, but the club should be thinking of the bigger picture.

Frank McAvennie recently compared Turnbull to a young Scott Brown, and should the former go on to achieve half of what Brown did at Celtic Park, keeping hold of him will prove a brilliant decision.

The 21-year-old on just £7,500 per week at Parkhead and has a deal which runs to 2024, so the Hoops may have to think of rewarding Turnbull for his recent performances in order to keep him happy in Glasgow.

In other news: Celtic have the chance to sign ‘creative’ £20k-p/w January target for free as news is confirmed, find out more here. 

Former Rangers youngster Lewis MacLeod looked destined for an excellent career when he left Ibrox in 2015 but, after a disappointing few years, it appears as if the Gers sold him at the perfect time.

The midfielder impressed with Rangers in the lower leagues, contributing 16 goals and 15 assists for the Light Blues in just 76 appearances between 2012 and 2014.

He earned a move to Brentford as a result, with the Bees having earned a reputation for signing young players and developing them into top talents in recent seasons, although things didn’t work out for MacLeod at the London club.

Speaking ahead of his move, interim Rangers boss Kenny McDowall had this to say about the youngster: “It would be naturally a blow to see him go. He is a talented lad and he’s got the opportunity to move on, which looks like it may now be the case.

“It’s disappointing to lose him but that is football. You have got to move on. Lewis is one of our top players but it is also an opportunity for someone else to come into the team and stake a claim.”

In 43 first team appearances, MacLeod managed just four goals and six assists, with injury problems regularly keeping him out of the side. He joined Wigan Athletic on a free transfer in 2019 and spent just one season with the Latics, managing no goals or assists in 12 appearances.

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Last summer, he joined League One side Plymouth Argyle and unfortunately he is continuing to struggle at that level, with just one assist to his name in 14 appearances for the Pilgrims so far this season.

His impressive spell as a youngster at Rangers seems like a very long time ago now and you wonder whether he would have been better staying with the club and helping them return to the top flight, as it is clear that his time at Ibrox was the best spell of his career so far.

MacLeod is now 26 and. considering his less than stellar performances with Plymouth, unfortunately he may well find himself without a club again in the near future.

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Therefore, Rangers’ decision to sell MacLeod for as much as £1m in 2015 must be applauded, as his disappointing time with Brentford certainly suggests that they paid over the odds to sign him, whilst his current market value of £428,000 on Transfermarkt is the lowest in six years.

In other news… Gerrard should unleash rarely-seen Rangers gem at Ibrox next season, he’s a “manager’s dream”