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Journalist Ross Gregory has urged Newcastle United to sign Declan Rice in the summer as he can help unlock Bruno Guimaraes in the midfield.

What’s the word?

With that January transfer market now shut, the Magpies will have to make do with their current squad with that they have now. And that means, completing the season without having added a new midfielder – something that was previously touted as a priority in the winter.

Last weekend, Eddie Howe’s men came up against West Ham United at home in the Premier League but were held to a 1-1 draw in front of their own fans.

Hammers’ captain Rice was a key part of that and Gregory has suggested that if Guimaraes is to get more attacking freedom next season, the Englishman would be the perfect buy this summer.

While speaking on NUFC Matters, he explained: “I’d like to see Bruno play a little bit higher up the pitch personally. But for that to happen, Newcastle would need to bring in a top-quality replacement.

“And I don’t honestly think that there is much better in, not just in the Premier League, but also in Europe, across Europe, currently than Declan Rice.

“I know some people don’t rate him. You know, I’ve had conversations over the last few days with people who don’t, who don’t rate him as highly as what I do. Which is fine, that’s football, it’s all about opinions.

“I’ve thought this for two or three years, and I’ve said it for two or three years, I think he’s absolutely top drawer. He is athletic, some of his positioning on Saturday night was outstanding.”

Perfect partner

If you look at Guimaraes’ heatmap in the league this season (via SofaScore), you can see that he plays in the middle of the park without getting into the opposition penalty box with much frequency.

Despite often playing pretty deep, he has still managed to score nine goals for the club since arriving last January and so it’s clear that he knows how to contribute to the attack with real quality.

Howe may well be keen on getting more from the Brazilian further up the field and perhaps a move for Rice next summer could be the perfect way to unlock that.

After all, Rice monstered the midfield against the Magpies from his deep-lying role, winning three tackles (as much as any Newcastle player), making three interceptions (the joint-most from both teams), won his only aerial duel, wasn’t dribbled past once, and also made one clearance – all with 83 per cent passing accuracy and one key pass.

He’s certainly a top talent, it’s just a shame his touted £120m price tag might put the club off.

Glasgow Rangers reporter for The Athletic Jordan Campbell was left fuming over the ‘farcical’ decision to give a penalty for a handball by Antonio Colak.

The Lowdown: Penalty given

Partick Thistle were awarded a penalty in their Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox on Sunday afternoon, as Colak was adjudged to have deliberately handballed in the box, which led to Kevin Holt putting the visitors in front from the spot before half-time.

The decision stirred up plenty of controversy, with pundits Alan Hutton and Martin Bartley both disagreeing with it arguing that Colak needed his arms up for balance, and the latter calling it ‘mind-boggling’ after the referee was sent to the monitor by VAR to look at it.

The Latest: Campbell reaction

Taking to Twitter, Campbell called the decision ‘farcical’ after watching it back:

“First time I’ve seen this back. Deary me. That might be the most farcical one yet, although I’m not even sure the vague wording of the rule can be blamed here. He’s literally turned as he’s landing from a jump!”

The Verdict: Bad weekend for VAR

This incident was not the first that VAR got badly wrong over the weekend, with the PGMOL confirming that Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb contacted both Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion in the English Premier League to acknowledge ‘significant errors’ made in respective games they were involved in.

VAR was introduced in Scottish football in October, but already there are seemingly problems with those operating it trying to re-referee games and giving poor advice to officials on the pitch.

Of course, VAR can also help referees get to correct decisions as well, but too many times are mistakes being made when the technology is there.

Luckily, this particular incident did not cost Rangers, as they won 3-2 in the end, but they will be wary going into their next set of fixtures.

Tottenham Hotspur are weighing up a move for Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson, according to a recent report.

The Lowdown: Kane’s future uncertain

Harry Kane faces an uncertain future at Tottenham, with conflicting reports emerging regarding whether or not he will be willing to sign a new contract.

One recent report indicated that Spurs’ talisman is full of doubts about extending his stay beyond 2024, while a more recent update suggested that the club are growing confident that he will pen a new deal.

Even so, the Lilywhites have started to look at potential new centre-forward options to bring in, with Ferguson fitting the bill.

The Latest: Ferguson eyed by Spurs

According to The Sun, both Tottenham and Chelsea are interested in a summer move for the wonderkid, in light of his recent form in the Premier League with Brighton.

It is also detailed that Spurs regard the Irish forward as a player who has the potential to be a long-term replacement for Kane, showing just how highly the 18-year-old is regarded by the north London club.

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The Verdict: Get it done

While Antonio Conte will no doubt be hoping that Kane does not leave anytime soon, the teenage Ferguson could be brought in as an understudy to the England captain initially, and it would no doubt be fantastic for the youngster’s development to learn from Tottenham’s all-time record goalscorer.

Hailed as a ‘complete’ forward by football scout Jacek Kulig, the Irish starlet has already proven that he has what it takes to perform at Premier League level, weighing in with three goals and two assists in just seven appearances this term.

That return is way beyond what you would expect from a player who’s so young, indicating that he could be able to challenge for a regular first-team place in the near future, so Spurs should continue to monitor the Brighton gem for the rest of the campaign.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is a ‘big fan’ of Lyon striker Moussa Dembele as the club eye up a potential free transfer, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Two options

Villa parted ways with Danny Ings last month but brought in teenager Jhon Duran. That has left Emery with just Ollie Watkins and Duran as his only senior centre-forward options, with youngster Cameron Archer currently out on loan with Middlesborough.

Watkins has scored in each of his last four Premier League games, but it looks as if more attacking additions are on the agenda ahead of the summer.

The Latest: Transfer news

FI shared a new update regarding Villa and Dembele, with the forward out of contract at the end of the current campaign. They report that Emery is a ‘big fan’ of the 26-year-old, with Villa one of four Premier League clubs keen on his services.

A move to Southampton has already been described as off, whereas switches to Bournemouth or Leeds depend on their Premier League status, so Villa look best placed at this moment in time to secure a transfer.

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The Verdict: Good move

You’d expect that Dembele still has plenty left to offer at the age of 26 and could be just what Villa are after to rival Watkins and Duran in both the short and long run.

The Frenchman has netted 140 goals in 322 games for Fulham, Celtic and Lyon, with journalist Bertrand Latour describing him as a ‘scoring machine’ back in 2021.

Dembele scored an impressive 21 Ligue 1 goals last season, so he could be a shrewd addition in a cut-price deal to give Emery another quality option ahead of his first full season in charge.

Chelsea are considering dismissing Graham Potter from his managerial duties after appointing the Englishman only earlier this season.

What’s the latest on Chelsea’s managerial position?

The Premier League giants have fallen wayward this season, and despite replacing Thomas Tuchel with Potter in the maiden phase of campaign, Chelsea languish in tenth place after 23 matches.

As such, according to reports stemming from Spain, there have been a number of managers discerned as potential successors to the managerial position in west London, and Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone could be a tailor-made appointment at Stamford Bridge.

Simeone, according to prior reports, is set to depart from his role at the head of the Madrid-based outfit at the end of the campaign, ending an 11-year attachment to the club after arriving from his Argentine homeland in 2011.

Would Simeone be a good fit at Stamford Bridge?

Chelsea are a football club steeped in silverware. Since the turn of the millennia, no club in English football have clinched more major honours than the Blues; in 2020, Chelsea had one more trophy than Manchester United behind them, who have not tasted triumph dinner winning the Europa League in 2017.

And should the “respected” – as dubbed by Ralf Rangnick – Simeone be handed the opportunity to craft his own chapter in west London, he might just combine with owner Todd Boehly’s affluence to steer the club towards the very forefront of the competitive pool of talent in England, and indeed in Europe.

Despite living in the shadow of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Atletico, Simeone has become a “master of the dark arts” – as dubbed by CBS’ Aaron West – enjoying ample success and bringing silverware to his team, winning two La Liga titles, two Europa League’s, the Copa del Rey and two UEFA Super Cup trophies.

This comes after a period in Los Colchoneros’ history of great strife, achieving promotion to the top-flight roughly ten years prior to Simeone’s arrival and winning just two major honours during this time.

A manager who is “like Mourinho” – in the words of Danny Mills – he possesses such a clear identity and proven track record of sniffing out silverware and heaping success onto his outfit.

That certainly goes in tandem with the demands and expectations of the proud and prestigious Chelsea fanbase, no strangers to roaring in adulation as their crops of players lift trophies into the air.

Organisation and tactical fluidity are the two salient aspects of Simeone’s system at Madrid, and despite not more most aesthetically-pleasing and free-flowing manager in Europe, it is these components that make up an iron-clad resolve that has formed the nucleus of his sustained success in Spain.

The 52-year-old, lauded as “absolutely exceptional” by Jurgen Klopp, could emulate the success of past Chelsea managers Mourinho and Antonio Conte – the most offensive-minded managers, the sturdy defence and steely mentality ensured silverware rained down from multiple corners.

As such, Chelsea would greatly benefit from someone of Simeone’s ilk, reconstructing the core of the club and providing the dynamic that many past Chelsea squads have held in order to steer towards success in abundance.

Nottingham Forest have made contact to sign Espanyol defender Cesar Montes this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Successors needed

Steve Cooper already has Joe Worrall, Felipe, Steve Cook, Willy Boly, Scott McKenna and Moussa Niakhate available as centre-back options but five of those have now entered the final 18 months of their contract meaning that successors could soon be needed.

The Mexican international only joined Diego Martinez’s side in January, but having already put in some impressive performances over his eight appearances, has caught the eye of two potential suitors in the Premier League.

The Latest: Forest make contact

According to Spanish outlet La Grada (via Sport Witness) Forest and Wolves both ‘have asked’ Espanyol about signing Montes ahead of the 2033/24 season.

The Reds have ‘not increased’ their interest to anything more official yet with there still being months to go before the window opens, but their target does have a €30m (£26m) release clause included in his deal.

The Verdict: Perfect for Cooper

Montes is a seasoned professional having made 273 senior appearances throughout his career and he would be the perfect defensive candidate to slot into Cooper’s backline.

The Hermosillo native currently averages 5.5 clearances and 1.8 aerial wins per 90 minutes in La Liga, highlighting the strong physical presence he provides (WhoScored).

The Adidas-sponsored gem also has an outstanding success rate of 100% for dribblers tackled, which is exactly the profile of no-nonsense player the boss should target.

Barcelona manager Xavi has claimed that Montes has a lot of ‘potential’, so should the opportunity to sign him arise, Forest have a no-brainer of a decision to make.

talkSPORT commentator Tom Rennie slammed defender Ben Johnson in West Ham’s humbling 4-0 loss to Brighton today.

The Lowdown: Irons taste defeat…

The east Londoners, in their battle to avoid Premier League relegation, tasted defeat at the hands of Europe-chasing Brighton in a real afternoon to forget.

West Ham travelled to the Amex knowing they were in a deep fight against the drop and things couldn’t have started any worse when Alexis Mac Allister put the home side in front early on.

The Argentine’s penalty was just the start with Joel Veltman, Kaoru Mitoma and Danny Welbeck adding more goals in the second half – compiling misery on to the on-looking David Moyes.

The Latest: Johnson slammed…

It was a very dismal display from West Ham as Rennie took issue with right-back Johnson in particular.

The Englishman was at fault for both of Brighton’s first goals, losing the ball in the air for the home side’s first and was caught ball-watching for the second.

He  criticism, stating:

“Ben Johnson. I’m sorry, but that’s appalling. He’s so far short of the quality required. Both goals, he’s just asleep.”

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The Verdict: Off-day…

The homegrown defender has displayed signs of true promise in recent seasons but today seems like a true afternoon to forget.

Former West Ham assistant coach Stuart Pearce is among those to have praised Johnson for his fine form last season but performances like this afternoon’s won’t do much to grow his reputation.

That being said, the still-young 23-year-old is still very much becoming the finished package and could need time to develop before we see his very best again.

The more experienced Vladmir Coufal perhaps would have been a better option for such an encounter but now it is very much back to the drawing board for Moyes.

There were murmurs of discontent from West Ham fans when Gianluca Scamacca was named on the bench for the Hammers’ game against AEK Larnaca on Thurday evening.

The Italy international has struggled for form and confidence recently and after making his return from injury, the game against the Cypriot minnows would have arguably been the perfect chance to build up his fitness and try and get him on the scoresheet.

However, David Moyes opted for the tried and tested Michail Antonio, despite the Jamaican’s own struggles in front of goal of late, and he would score both goals in the 2-0 win.

Scamacca was left on the bench for the 4-0 defeat against Brighton last weekend and given his cameo in Cyprus last night, it was easy to see why.

How did Scamacca perform vs Larnaca?

As per Sofascore, the former Sassuolo man would earn a shocking 6.3/10 rating for his performance, which was joint with Lucas Paqueta as the worst of any player to feature in the game.

The 24-year-old replaced Antonio with half an hour remaining but failed to make any impact whatsoever during his time on the pitch, contributing no shots, no key passes and no successful dribbles.

Scamacca was signed to be a powerful target man but looked anything but against the Cypriot side, failing to win any of his six ground duels in the game, while he would muster just seven successful passes.

He somehow managed to lose possession on five occasions, despite touching the ball just 16 times in his time on the pitch, which emphasises just how poor the 6 foot 5 attacker was in a game where West Ham were expected to win comfortably.

Since signing from Sassuolo in a £35.5m deal in the summer, he has managed only seven goals in 26 appearances, four of which have come in the Conference League, with fans perhaps concerned that the young forward will follow in the footsteps of a number of strikers who have struggled to make the grade with the Hammers.

Moyes has faced some criticism for the Italian’s lack of game time in recent weeks but his shocking performance on Thursday evening arguably proved the Scottish manager right, and Scamacca will have to massively improve if he wants to establish himself as the main man at the London Stadium.

Manchester United head into tonight's Europa League last-16 clash away to Real Betis having all but secured their place in the last eight, with the Red Devils holding a commanding, 4-1 aggregate lead following the first-leg meeting at Old Trafford.

Last week's encounter saw Erik ten Hag's men produce a stunning second-half display to take full control of the tie, shaking off early nerves following the previous defeat to Liverpool to ruthlessly power their way to victory.

That handsome, three-goal advantage should allow the chance for the Ajax boss to somewhat shuffle his pack this evening, despite the fact that the Dutchman has typically avoided the temptation to rotate throughout his United tenure thus far.

The 53-year-old will be forced into at least one alteration from the weekend draw with Southampton, however, following the news that summer signing Antony will not make the trip to Seville due to illness.

With fellow winger Alejandro Garnacho also facing a spell on the sidelines after picking up an ankle injury against the Saints – and with Anthony Martial still not ready to make his return to action – it could be an ideal opportunity for Ten Hag to hand what would be a first start for the club to promising youngster, Facundo Pellistri.

Will Pellistri play against Betis?

The 21-year-old is still waiting for his first inclusion in a starting lineup for the Red Devils, having been limited to just six first-team appearances since making his move from Penarol on a £9m deal back in 2020.

It was, in fact, only earlier this year that the Uruguayan international was handed his debut at the club by Ten Hag, with the young speedster bizarrely featuring for his country at a World Cup before being handed a senior bow at the Theatre of Dreams.

There are likely those scratching their heads as to why the 5 foot 9 menace has not yet been unleashed from the start, having seemingly made a telling impact whenever he has come off the bench in recent months.

The lively gem notably contributed an assist on debut in the Carabao Cup victory over Charlton Athletic, while it was also his driving run through the middle that ultimately lead to Bruno Fernandes' late strike in the semi-final, first-leg win over Nottingham Forest.

The Montevideo native then played his part in sparking his side's comeback against Leeds United last month, doing 'brilliantly to retain the ball' on the flanks in the build-up to Marcus Rashford's bullet header, as per Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst.

Against Betis last week, Pellistri then took just a matter of seconds after entering the fray as a substitute to again prove crucial in Wout Weghorst's late clincher, producing a "scintillating", driving run inside the area – as per Express journalist Alex Turk – before expertly picking out the advancing Scott McTominay, who's rebounded effort eventually fell the way of Weghorst.

While such moments of magic have been rather fleeting, the ten-cap ace has proven he can cause havoc in the final third, with the time having now come for the exciting talent to be handed a chance from the start – even if his future is set to lie elsewhere next season amid talk of a temporary exit.

With Pellistri likely to feel comfortable performing against Manuel Pellegrini's men this evening – having previously spent 18 months on loan in Spain with Alaves – he could well be something of a secret weapon for Ten Hag tonight.

A number of Leeds United supporters have been reacting to news that Darko Gyabi and Archie Gray could feature under Javi Gracia following an injury to Tyler Adams.

The Lowdown: Adams out

Leeds are preparing for a key Premier League meeting with relegation rivals Wolves this weekend but will be without star midfielder Adams.

The club officially confirmed on Wednesday that the USA midfielder has suffered a hamstring injury in training and will miss the match at Molineux and also won’t be available to represent his country during the international break.

Phil Hay has since added that specialists are assessing Adams is set to see how much of the run-in he could miss. Hay also added comments from Gracia’s pre-match press conference, with the head coach admitting that Gyabi and Gray ‘are midfielders he’ll think about using while Adams is out’.

The Latest: Fans react

Hay’s post regarding the two Leeds teenagers potentially featuring in Adams’ absence had a number of fans talking, with a mixed reaction available to view below.

“Omg we are down. No disrespect to these 2 but what is he thinking” – @jamesxlufc

“Resorting to school children to keep us in the Premier League again. We’re basically in a slightly worse position than we were last season but without KP and Raph. This isn’t going to go very well.” – @mattylufc_

“I would like to see Gyabi get some minutes but surely it’ll be McKennie & Roca in midfield on Saturday.” – @ConnorMOT92

“archie gray is some serious talent if our last 3 managers think he has a chance of playing first team” – @LUFCTheo

“Amazing how many think we should risk playing Gyabi or Gray in a crucial match like this – with zero evidence that either of them is ready for it. Arguably, in Gyabi’s case, we have evidence (Cardiff + Wolves cup games), that he isn’t.” – @leelangford66

“They are good prospects for the future but this is one of the biggest games out of the 12 we have left for me has to be Roca and Mckennie starting in the middle” – @EthanHy37140011

The Verdict: Roca and McKennie?

As some supporters mentioned, surely Gracia will opt for senior options Marc Roca and Weston McKennie from the off, with potentially both Gyabi and Gray both potentially on the bench.

Gyabi has played seven minutes of Premier League action this season but did start against Wolves in the Carabao Cup back in November, whereas Gray has been out injured for large parts of the campaign and is still waiting to make his senior debut.

Therefore, you could say it would be a risk to use either youngster from the off, but should Adams’ injury prove worse than first feared and Roca or McKennie suffer any issues, Gracia’s hand may be forced.