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Newcastle United are thought to be “tracking” Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhaylo Mudryk, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: A meteoric rise

Mudryk has gone from strength to strength in recent years and is now rated as a €100m (£87m) player by Shakhtar.

The 21-year-old registered nine league goal contributions in 11 appearances for Shakhtar in the 21/22 season, with Mudryk building on that momentum this season.

Mudryk currently sits on a total of 13 attacking returns in the league in the form of seven goals and six assists from 12 games.

To top off his meteoric rise, the starlet boasts three goals and two assists in the Champions League, after failing to register a single return in the competition last season.

The Latest: Newcastle “tracking” Mudryk

Jacobs, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, said that Newcastle are tracking Mudryk ahead of a potential January swoop for his services.

He added that the Magpies have received somewhat of a boost, with Brentford and Everton seemingly put off making a winter window move for the Ukraine international due to Shakhtar’s asking price.

“Newcastle are tracking the player as well, Brentford and Everton haven’t come back in, not for January anyway, because they feel like they’ve been priced out of the market.”

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The Verdict: Statement signing?

The signing of Mudryk in January could represent a smart move from the Tyneside outfit. The 21-year-old may be seen as a statement signing for the future, without yet possessing the profile of a world-beating talent.

With his haul of returns in both domestic and European competition improving, Mudryk has found his touch in the attacking third and may fancy a move to an exciting project in the Premier League.

From a Newcastle perspective, this is a signing that could help them in their quest for European football, in what will be a tough second half of the season.

Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has reportedly been in contact with Barcelona over a potential free transfer next year.

The Lowdown: Contract situation

Hailed as an “irreplaceable” figure at Selhurst Park by journalist Malik Ouzia, the Ivory Coast international will soon be entering the final six months of his current deal. The 29-year-old is one of 11 Eagles players who are out of contract in 2023.

He has continued to be a regular under Patrick Vieira, contributing to eight goals in 12 games in the Premier League this season, but it seems as if Zaha may have one eye on his long-term future, possibly in Spain.

The Latest: Zaha contacts Barcelona

One Spanish outlet shared a story regarding Zaha and Barcelona on Tuesday.

They claimed that the Palace star has made an offer to the Catalan giants over a potential free transfer, adding that the winger would like to try his luck in Spain.

The Verdict: Big decision for Palace

Palace are facing the possibility of losing Zaha for nothing, so they may have a big call to make over the coming months regarding his future.

Should the 29-year-old not want to sign a new contract, Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman may decide to put the forward up for sale to ensure that the Eagles receive a fee for their star player.

Of course, that wouldn’t be ideal mid-season, but otherwise it looks as if there is a strong possibility that Zaha may depart Selhurst Park for nothing next summer.

Sunderland reporter for The Chronicle James Hunter has been left thrilled by some injury news involving Niall Huggins.

The Lowdown: Rarely seen

Having signed a four-year deal at the Stadium of Light from Leeds United back in the 2021 summer transfer window, with manager at the time Lee Johnson praising his versatility, physicality and speed, the youngster looked a really exciting capture.

However, his career on Wearside has been plagued by injuries so far, and he has only managed to make four senior appearances since joining, and none since September of last year.

The Latest: U21s comeback

Taking to Twitter, Hunter gave his reaction after Huggins played 45 minutes for the Black Cats’ U21s in a 3-1 loss to Reading on Friday night, calling it a ‘big positive’:

“Despite the result, big positive takeaway from the U21 game was Huggins’ comeback. Just played the first 45mins but looked pretty sharp – you wouldn’t have known he’d been out for 13 months. Needs more gametime, but this was a good first step.”

He of course won’t be involved in the first-team this week against Wigan, but getting minutes under his belt is the first major step in making that leap back into the senior squad.

The Verdict: Promising signs

The fact that Huggins looked ‘sharp’ upon his return is a positive sign that he can recover from his long-term injury quickly and hopefully get back to playing regular football without any more problems.

There was a lot of promise when he first joined, and there could still be a place for him in Tony Mowbray’s squad.

A player capable of playing at both right-back and left-back, Mowbray only has two other natural full-backs in his senior squad, and so the 21-year-old could yet play a key role in the rest of the season.

West Ham United are plotting a move to sign Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou next summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Attracting interest

The 31-year-old has a contract in La Liga that runs until 2025, but the fact that it doesn’t have an option to extend included means that the Spanish giants could be forced to cash in if he’s the subject of interest.

This appears to have alerted two Premier League sides in particular who sound keen to acquire his services, and the Irons are one of those to have been name-checked.

The Latest: West Ham eyeing Bounou

According to sources in Spain (via Sport Witness), West Ham, alongside Leeds United, are both ‘keeping tabs’ on Bounou, and have him ‘on their agenda’ with a view to a 2023 deal.

It’s reported that the shot-stopper ‘could leave’ Julen Lopetegui’s outfit, with the Irons being ‘more suited’ to him over the Whites if GSB decide not to offer Lukasz Fabianski fresh terms, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

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The Verdict: Fabianski replacement

If Fabianski were to depart following the end of his deal, Alphonse Areola would likely become the new number one, but Bounou would provide some excellent cover and competition.

The Moroccan, dubbed ‘superb’ by sports journalist Josh Bunting, has kept 68 clean sheets in 194 appearances throughout his career and has a save percentage average of 74.7% (FBRef).

Bounou could be available on a cut-price deal, and it would be a bargain for David Moyes given how much experience he could bring to the London Stadium.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Harrison Ashby on deadline day of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

90Min’s Toby Cudworth has claimed that the Magpies are on the verge of snapping the youngster up on a permanent deal from West Ham.

He Tweeted: “Understanding with my colleague @GraemeBailey is is that the deal to take Harrison Ashby from #WHUFC to Newcastle is all but done. Disappointing for the Hammers to lose another academy graduate but the player indicated he would not be signing a new contract.”

The gem is now set to become the club’s fifth signing of the summer transfer window, joining Sven Botman, Nick Pope, Alexander Isak and Matt Targett.

Howe should be buzzing

Eddie Howe should be buzzing with this news as Ashby could come in and provide much-needed back up at right-back, whilst also being a potential future star.

Emil Krafth suffered an ACL injury earlier this month and that blow has left the Magpies light in the full-back department, with Kieran Trippier the current first-choice on the right side of the defence.

Ashby can now come in to take up the Sweden international’s place on the bench and provide cover for Trippier. He could play in the cup competitions and get minutes off the bench in the Premier League, whilst being ready to start if the Englishman picks up an injury or suspension.

The West Ham gem has played six times at first-team level and made his top-flight debut last season, whilst he has also been capped three times by Scotland at under-21 level.

He showcased a willingness to get forward and make a contribution at the top end of the pitch in Premier League 2 last term as he chipped in with two goals and five assists in 21 outings for the Hammers’ youth team.

This shows that he is an attack-minded defender and the fans could enjoy watching him bomb down the flank if he is able to make the step up to playing regular first-team football.

At the age of 20, he is a player with plenty of promise and room to improve and Howe could enjoy working with him on the training pitch in the months, and potentially years, to come.

Therefore, the Magpies boss should be buzzing with the club’s move to bring the youngster to St James’ Park, as he provides squad depth and an exciting prospect for the future.

Crystal Palace have been linked with signing Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos recently, and the Portuguese star could prove to be a repeat of Patrick Vieira’s first signing at Selhurst Park, namely Michael Olise.

Brought in for just £8m, the former EFL Young Player of the Season arrived as a highly-rated youngster and quickly established himself as a silky talent with plenty of ability and skill.

In another promising talent in Ramos, Vieira could potentially repeat this masterstroke by bringing in another youngster to help shape the future of the club.

Reports last week linked the Eagles with the Benfica gem, who is also of interest to several other Premier League clubs. Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest had both held talks over the player, whilst Palace are joined by the likes of Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leeds United and West Ham United among those monitoring his situation.

The 21-year-old has earned huge praise for his blistering start to the season. Having scored a hat-trick in their opening Champions League qualifier, he has now accrued eight goal contributions in Benfica’s opening five fixtures of the campaign.

These figures show that he has certainly lived up to the label of “incredibly prolific” which was bestowed upon him by Football Talent Scout.

All signs suggest that this season could be the one where he truly explodes, and Palace could invest early in the £30m-valued star to avoid wondering what might have been in a few years’ time.

Olise had enjoyed a remarkable season at Reading before moving to Selhurst Park, having scored seven goals and set up another 12 on his way to his Young Player of the Season award. He joined the Eagles as a player with huge promise, much like Ramos.

However, it is the Portugal under-21 forward who also boasts the creativity which likens him to the 20-year-old, and the two would likely strike up a fine partnership should they be paired in the same team.

Ramos averaged 0.8 key passes per game and created three big chances last season despite registering just one assist. Hopefully with an increase in quality surrounding him, his numbers would increase exponentially.

Despite operating predominantly as a striker, the 21-year-old is just shy of Olise’s 0.9 key passes per game.

If Vieira could tempt this hot young property to join him at Palace, one couldn’t help but draw comparisons between the two deals as the Eagles once again look to snap up a huge coup for the club which could benefit them massively in the future.

Having Olise and Ramos in the same team could be a frightening prospect for opposition defenders and would be indicative of the fine recruitment in place at Selhurst Park.

Manchester United are ‘really interested’ in signing RB Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko, with Fabrizio Romano labelling it as a ‘big opportunity’, GiveMeSport report.

The Lowdown: United talks

Erik ten Hag is going into the new season short of options in attack with Cristiano Ronaldo wanting out and Anthony Martial an injury doubt for Sunday’s opener with Brighton.

Therefore, a new forward could be of use at Old Trafford before the summer deadline, with Sesko, lauded as a ‘generational talent’ by journalist Ryan Taylor, a player of interest.

Romano revealed this week that the Red Devils have held more than one direct meeting with the 19-year-old’s agent, and he has made a new claim on a potential move to Manchester.

The Latest: Romano’s comments

Talking to GMS, Romano said that Sesko has been on the Old Trafford wish-list ‘even before’ Ten Hag took over and described this summer as a ‘big opportunity’ to land the striker.

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“Man United are really interested. They had this player on the list even before the arrival of Erik ten Hag.

“He’s always been a player highly rated by the scouting team. And so, now it’s a big opportunity, I think, for Man United; they need a striker.”

The Verdict: Get it done

United could do with a new striker and also need to think long-term about Ronaldo’s eventual replacement, so a move for Sesko now could prove priceless.

He’s netted 36 senior goals for club and country and has already been compared to Erling Haaland by football talent scout Jacek Kulig for his combination of size and speed.

Marquee strikers are hard to sign at the best of times, so this, as Romano mentions, is a ‘big’ chance to bring Sesko to Old Trafford and if they don’t, United officials could live to regret it in years to come.

According to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, Theo Walcott could leave Southampton for a move to the United States this summer.

The Lowdown: Interest from MLS

The forward has now entered the final year of his contract at St Mary’s and is yet to have been offered fresh terms, leaving his future in the Premier League up in the air.

The Sun first reported in May that the 33-year-old has been attracting interest from Major League Soccer (MLS) in America, and it’s claimed that the player would be happy to make the move having fallen out of favour under Ralph Hasenhuttl, making an exit this summer seem quite likely.

The Latest: Walcott considering MLS offers

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Crook confirmed the MLS attention and revealed that Walcott is considering a potential move Stateside.

He said: “I think Redmond, Djenepo and Theo are only going to be fringe players, so if they want to go and play regular football, I don’t think Southampton will stand in their way.

“I know there’s interest in Walcott from America, and that is a possibility from what I’m told.”

The Verdict: Bit-part player

Walcott made his dream move back to Southampton permanent last summer, but it’s fair to say that it hasn’t gone as well as he may have initially hoped, so leaving the south coast could be the best outcome for all parties.

The former England international, who was once dubbed a ‘perfect’ counter-pressing player by sports journalist Josh Bunting, only made five starts in the top flight last season, which suggests that even if the 33-year-old were to stay, Hasenhuttl would view him as no more than a bit-part player next term.

It will be difficult for Walcott to say goodbye to his boyhood club once again, but it would be the right decision to make if he desires a more realistic chance of regular game-time as he enters the twilight years of his career.

Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth has revealed that Nottingham Forest are interested in making a move for Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White this summer.

The Lowdown: Gibbs-White up for sale

The 22-year-old is an academy product at Molineux, but spent the 2021/22 season out on loan at Sheffield United where he enjoyed a hugely successful spell, having been named the Blades’ player of the year.

Upon his return to the Premier League, it was reported that Wanderers had offered the maestro a new contract in a bid to tie him down for the long-term, but he has yet to put pen to paper, with the Daily Mail claiming that Bruno Lage’s side are now willing to listen to offers as a result of the delay.

The Latest: Forest interested in Gibbs-White

Taking to Twitter, Sheth broke the news that Forest are monitoring Gibbs-White, but are set to face competition from the Toffees for his signature. He wrote:

“Everton interested in Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White & expected to make official offer. Told Wolves value him at £25m but yet to decide whether they will allow him to leave. Nottingham Forest have also shown an interest.”

The Verdict: Possible reunion with Cooper

It could be difficult for Forest to beat interest from Goodison Park, but if they could get a deal for Gibbs-White over the line, it would be a signing that would massively boost their chances of having a successful season back in the English top-flight for the first time in 23 years.

The £9.9m-rated gem, who was once dubbed a ‘sensational’ player by BBC pundit Danny Murphy, was the standout performer at Bramall Lane last term, making 20 goal contributions in just 35 Championship appearances, via Transfermarkt, and played a significant role in the Blades reaching the top six.

Forest might just hold the advantage over Everton in this battle though, with Steve Cooper already having worked with Gibbs-White who was a player he had in his England U17s World-Cup winning team, so the chance to reunite with his former international coach at the City Ground might be too good of an opportunity to turn down.

The Reds are set to confirm the signing of Moussa Niakhate from Mainz soon, and Gibbs-White could well join him through the doors.

Liverpool will look to sign a new midfielder during the summer transfer window, journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed.

The Lowdown: Liverpool’s midfield ageing

Jurgen Klopp currently has a wonderful squad at his disposal but there is no doubt that his midfield is slightly on the ageing side.

James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Thiago and now all in their 30s, while Fabinho turns 29 later in the year, highlighting their advancing years as a unit.

Liverpool may have missed out on Aurelien Tchouameni, who signed for Real Madrid on Saturday, but their midfield interest is unlikely to end there.

The Latest: Liverpool backed to strengthen midfield

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke backed Liverpool to sign a new midfielder this summer, believing it to be a transfer priority for the Reds. He claimed:

“I’m sure Jurgen Klopp and his recruitment team will be looking at possible midfield alternatives to see who they can possibly bring in to strengthen the squad, because I’m sure Nunez up front and possibly someone for midfield are probably the two key positions Liverpool need to fill this summer.”

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The Verdict: Key area of focus

Liverpool’s defence and attack currently look very strong, with a mix of youth and experience, but midfield is the one area which could do with some fresh legs.

Granted, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones are both young players with big futures, but the Reds could do with someone in their mid-20s, possessing enough experience but also having their best years ahead of them.

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For now, the likes of Fabinho, Henderson and Thiago remain regular starters, but they will need to be phased out eventually, and a new signing would enable Klopp to begin that process gradually with someone who’s ready to hit the ground running.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a move for a La Liga player. Find out who it is here.