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Newcastle United haven’t had players who have made it into the England squad since Andros Townsend in 2016 but since the arrival of Nick Pope and Kieran Trippier, the St James’ Park curse on English players has been lifted.

Both Trippier and Pope are set to be almost certain contenders to make it into Gareth Southgate’s final draft of his squad before heading to Qatar in a few weeks for the World Cup, however, thanks to the phenomenal form and performances under Eddie Howe over the last 12 months there could be some more Magpies that will get the golden opportunity to feature.

Callum Wilson is the third most in-form English striker right now and there has been plenty of conversation surrounding his inclusion in the England manager’s squad later this month, but he isn’t the only wildcard Southgate could play when the squad files onto the plane.

On Wednesday night, England regular Ben Chilwell sustained a hamstring injury in the final minutes of Chelsea’s clash with Dinamo Zagreb and reports are suggesting that the talented left-back could now miss out on his chance to join the team for the prestigious international competition.

As a result, it has opened up the topic of who could replace him in the team and there is an argument to suggest that Newcastle’s Dan Burn could be a latecomer to get a shot at replacing the Stamford Bridge star.

The 6 foot 5 ace – who was dubbed an “underrated” asset by talkSPORT’s Tony Cascerino – signed for the northeast club in January for £13m and played a key role in the centre-back position to help Newcastle climb to safety in the Premier League.

Since then, Burn has been worth his weight in gold to the Magpies and has been occupying the left-back role in the team, keeping his position’s more experienced player Matt Targett out of the team due to his outstanding performances on the left flank.

Over 13 appearances, the 30-year-old has a pass completion rate of 88% in his own half and has won the majority of his duels (57%), as well as averaging 2.9 clearances, 1.3 tackles and one interception per game, proving that he is reliable and solid in his position.

Southgate was in attendance at St James’ Park to witness Newcastle’s 4-0 thrashing over Aston Villa last weekend, and it will be difficult for the England manager to ignore how consistent and influential in the backline Burn has been.

The Newcastle defender could be at a great advantage in earning a chance with his country as the 52-year-old manager is renowned for playing defensively and deploying full-backs who remain disciplined in their defensive roles in a more careful approach to games.

Burn also offers Southgate versatility in terms of his experience and attributes in the centre-back role too, giving England a player who can cover more than one position with ease.

With that being said, it would be a huge opportunity for Burn if he was called upon to represent his country at the World Cup and Southgate should not ignore the qualities and impeccable form that the defender could offer England over the tournament.

Sunderland are currently struggling for consistency in the Championship, and despite sitting comfortably in 13th, Tony Mowbray will be ruing the numerous missed opportunities his side have had to advance in the league.

Of their last five matches, they have drawn twice, lost twice and won just once. They have also only managed to score twice across this period.

Their issues are coming from the lack of forward play, and despite being inundated with tricky wingers, they have no focal point to play off.

They could instead look to the academy to fill this void that the makeshift Elliot Embleton has unfortunately failed to do.

The man could be Harry Gardiner, who has recently made the step up to U23s football having scored a fair amount for the U18s.

The 19-year-old was signed over the summer from South Shields FC, where the management staff were full of praise for their young marksman.

Academy manager Wess Brown led the praises, claiming: “He is a quiet lad on and off the pitch but his intelligence shouts louder than any player I’ve seen for a long time. Harry has a bright future and has excelled in our environment.”

During his trial period, he featured ten times for the U18s. He managed to score a respectable six times and assist a goal too, before being handed some appearances in the Premier League 2 where he has remained for the current season.

He has only featured once this season, but Gardiner will be desperate to build upon his fine start on Wearside.

Despite a productive opening stage at the Stadium of Light, Ellis Simms still remains injured. He had scored three goals in his first two games for the club and impressed with his speed and physicality despite his age.

Now, perhaps, might be the chance for one of their own youngsters to step up and stake a claim for themselves, with Gardiner demonstrating he could be the club’s own Simms such is his ruthless streak in front of goal. In the process, it would prove that the Mackems don’t need loan players in order to fire them back to the Premier League.

Whatever Mowbray decides to do, he will want to do it quickly to ensure his side does not fall too far away from those coveted promotion spots.

Liverpool have been consistently linked with a move for Jude Bellingham next summer and now an update from a reliable source has been revealed.

What’s the latest?

According to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth, Liverpool are the “favourites” to sign the Borussia Dortmund wonderkid.

Sheth told GIVEMESPORT:

“Next summer, I think the topic of Jude Bellingham is going to be very, very hot.

“It seems that Liverpool are the favourites to sign him. It has been talked about for the last year or so.”

CIES currently suggests the player is worth an extortionate £160m.

Star of the international break

There is no doubt that the powers at Anfield will have been watching Jude Bellingham perform over the international break for England in the Nations League and the talented midfielder certainly proved he is worth big money.

Last night against Germany, Bellingham was Man of the Match for his performance over the dramatic 3-3 clash at Wembley Stadium and despite criticism for both players and the manager over the last few days, the 19-year-old has been a consistent and reliable performer for his country.

According to SofaScore, the midfielder was the highest-rated player in Southgate’s starting line-up with a rating of 7.6, and it’s not hard to see why when you consider his contributions throughout the game.

The Bundesliga star tallied up a 91% pass accuracy, made one key pass, took three shots on goal, completed 100% of his long balls, as well as winning three interceptions, four tackles, eight duels and making one clearance.

A move to Liverpool couldn’t come at a better time either with there being a desperate need to refresh the personnel in the centre of the pitch with Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Thiago Alcantara all in the latter stages of their career.

Not only that, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will both, as it stands, be out of contract next summer, so there is a perfect opportunity to give the midfield a shake-up over the coming months at Anfield.

With that being said, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United are all also interested in snapping up the popular £27k-per-week midfielder, so FSG must be prepared for a battle to secure Bellingham’s signature as missing out on a player the club has been keen on for a decade would be an absolute disaster.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane could end up making a shock move to rivals Chelsea if he doesn’t sign a new deal, according to journalist Tom Barclay.

The Lowdown: Kane’s future up in the air

The 29-year-old has been linked with a move away from the club for a long time, with Bayern Munich now being strongly associated with a possible swoop for the England captain.

While Kane appears largely happy at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, his contract expires in the summer of 2024 and there is no sign of him extending his stay just yet.

While a move abroad seems most likely if he were to depart Spurs, a surprise switch to Premier League rivals hasn’t been ruled out.

The Latest: Chelsea move discussed

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Barclay claimed that the idea of Kane going to Chelsea is plausible, amid recent reports that new Blues manager Graham Potter is a big admirer of the 29-year-old.

The journalist said of the Spurs striker:

“You would think that the nearer it gets to the end of his contract, pretty much any club in the world – barring maybe someone like Manchester City just because they’ve got Erling Haaland now – would be interested.

“It doesn’t surprise me with Chelsea. Obviously, they need a long-term number nine because of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s age, so that wouldn’t surprise me.”

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The Verdict: Surely he wouldn’t?

While some Spurs fans may not find it difficult to begrudge Kane a move to an overseas club like Bayern, seeing him exit for Chelsea would be a different scenario altogether.

The rivalry which exists between the two clubs is difficult to overcome, particularly with both clubs now competing for Champions League football annually, so to see Tottenham’s star player join one of their biggest adversaries would be sore to take for the N17 faithful.

It still feels more likely that Kane will end up signing a new deal, with the 29-year-old enjoying life under Conte with 26 goals in 45 appearances during the Italian’s reign so far.

Right now, the idea of him joining Chelsea seems incomprehensible.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe pulled off a great escape to avoid relegation in the 2021/22 campaign after taking over from Steve Bruce.

After 19 matches, the Magpies found themselves 19th in the Premier League table with 11 points on the board – one more than 20th-placed Norwich.

PIF opted to back their man in the transfer market and splashed the cash in the January window to improve the squad, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier, among others, coming through the door.

The signing of Guimaraes proved to be a sensational piece of business by the club as his sublime form helped to lift Newcastle clear of the bottom three – finishing 11th and 14 points ahead of 18th.

After joining the club from Lille, the Brazil international played 17 matches in the top-flight and averaged an eye-catching SofaScore rating of 7.25 as he chipped in with five goals and one assist.

Sporting director Dan Ashworth could now find this season’s catalyst, a Bruno 2.0, by bringing James Maddison in before the deadline next month.

Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that the Leicester man, who is available for £60m, is a player they have been pursuing, telling GIVEMESPORT:

“James Maddison is obviously one that they keep knocking on the door for.

“Typically, I guess you might think James Maddison is a central player, but I think Newcastle think he might be able to do a job out wide.

“I think that there are lots of options for Newcastle to ponder at the moment.”

Ashworth must work his magic to get a deal over the line for the English magician because he has the ability to potentially win the club enough points to push them into the top-half of the table.

Former Magpies man Lee Clark recently claimed that he would be an “exciting” signing and dubbed the midfielder’s quality in the final third as “terrific”.

In the Premier League last season, he racked up a whopping 12 goals and eight assists in 28 starts – averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.32. If you placed him into the 2021/22 Newcastle squad he would be top of all three of those statistics – including players with 10+ appearances.

His knack for scoring and assisting goals on a regular basis in the division would make him a standout in the Magpies squad, as illustrated by the statistics last term. Therefore, he could take the team to the next level by helping Howe’s side to win more matches with his goal contributions.

This means that he could come in and make a big impact on the team, much like Guimaraes did in January, and that is precisely why Ashworth must swoop to bring him to Tyneside.

West Bromwich Albion have been dealt a huge injury blow to one of their main men… 

What’s the latest?

According to Birmingham Live, Daryl Dike’s injury could be worse than initially thought.

They spoke to Steve Bruce, who issued the following statement: “It’s a real frustration for us all, and the boy. He’s young, he’s 22, desperate to go to the World Cup with his nation, and he’s worked tirelessly to get right.

“Yesterday, he kicked a ball and has done something to his thigh which didn’t look very good. We’re hoping it’s not too bad, but from my experience, it’s bad enough the way he pulled up. He kicked a ball, frustrating.

“He knew straight away. He’s devastated, like all of us. We’re devastated for him because he’s really popular with the supporters because of the way he plays, and the way he is.”

Dike signed for the Baggies in January of 2022.

It’s a big blow for Bruce

To lose one of their main men with the Championship season just getting underway, and in such a way that suggests he will be out until the World Cup at least, will rightfully devastate Bruce who could well be left to rue this blow for a number of weeks.

This marks his second serious injury since joining the club, despite no prior record before his signing.

During the 2020/21 season, he caught the eye with his performances both in the MLS with his parent club Orlando City and for his loan club Barnsley.

Scoring nine Championship goals across 19 games (of which only 13 were starts), he became known for his exceptional physicality and blistering speed, proving integral in their surprise playoff push.

His 7.02 average SofaScore rating actually saw him rank third amongst his teammates that season, despite only joining in January.

He was a standout performer for that promotion hunting Championship side and likely would have been for Bruce’s promotion hunting side. Given a full season in the division, there’s no telling how successful he could have been.

Labelled a “monster” by radio host Jason Davis, the £32k-per-week striker has been struck down at the worst possible time for both himself and his club. Just as he was beginning to settle at one club and hopefully prove what all the hype was about, he was resigned to the treatment table.

Fortunately, at just 22 years old, he has age on his side. It will, however, remain a big blow for Bruce as the new season commences.

Sunderland saw numerous new faces make their way to the Wearside club during the previous summer and winter transfer windows.

One figure that was brought in during the last January window that ended up helping the Black Cats get back to the Championship is Patrick Roberts.

Signed on a free transfer from Premier League side Manchester City after spending numerous loan spells away from the Etihad Stadium, the winger made 17 appearances for Alex Neil’s side.

In those appearances, the Englishman found the net on two occasions, one of which came in Sunderland’s second-leg semi-final play-off clash against Sheffield United, and provided one assist in the process.

Now that the season has ended, this period could give the Black Cats the chance to replicate a similar sort of masterclass that they pulled off when signing Roberts.

Last week, it was reported that Sunderland are one of the clubs interested in signing another City winger that has been on several loan spells away from the Manchester club – Marlos Moreno.

Signed back in 2016 from Colombian club Atletico Nacional, the 25-year-old has spent time with clubs in Spain, Mexico, Brazil and Belgium whilst away on loan.

With 189 appearances to his name, the winger has found the net 20 times and delivered 19 assists along the way, highlighting how capable he is of scoring and providing goals.

In his 32 league appearances with Belgian side KV Kortrijk last season, not only did the City winger end the campaign with the second-highest number of shots (41) at the club, he also delivered 25 crosses, made 25 interceptions and won 38 tackles.

This shows just how dangerous he can be with the ball in an attacking sense and how tough he can be when trying to win possession back.

Praised for his “wonderful” performances for Lommel SK in the 2020/21 season by journalist Sven Claes, the Colombian could be a very useful addition to Sunderland’s squad in terms of his talent and in terms of providing the club with some extra attacking depth.

If the Wearside club want to give a chance to another City outcast this summer with Moreno, as they did with Roberts, this could be a very smart move for the Black Cats ahead of their upcoming Championship season.

AND in other news: Neil can land Gooch upgrade in SAFC deal for “direct” 21yo gem who’s a “bit different”

Manchester United have been handed a boost in their long-running pursuit of Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who has detailed every step of this courtship that has spanned almost all of Erik ten Hag’s current tenure.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the Italian journalist spoke of how Barcelona’s financial troubles could provide a boost for the Red Devils: “For Frenkie de Jong, I think the situation is a peculiar one.

“The president of Barcelona, Laporta, has said that he will try to keep the player, but he wants Frenkie to reduce his salary. From what I’m told, Frenkie is not reducing his salary. At the moment, this is not the case.”

Supporters will be buzzing

At last it appears another breakthrough has been made in this never-ending transfer saga, as United’s financial muscle will prove too much for Barcelona.

Supporters will be both excited and relieved in equal measure as it appeared the deal was stagnating somewhat, but Erik ten Hag seems to be one step closer to reuniting himself with the mercurial maestro.

Xavi will be frustrated to lose him, as he only recently spoke so highly of the Netherlands international.

He had the following to say: “For me, Frenkie is a great player, he’s a beast – I like him and I think he can be part of an important era of the club. We will see the economic situation of the club… but I like de Jong.”

To receive that sort of praise from one of the greatest midfielders ever should go a long way in proving what all the hype is about, but his stats only solifidy Xavi’s statement.

De Jong ranks in the 94th percentile for progressive carries, the 92nd percentile for pass completion and averages 2.79 shot-creating actions per 90. He is a constant creative threat from central midfield, and bagged six goal contributions this season.

It is no surprise to see his average SofaScore rating at such a level, boasting a 7.08 across 32 league appearances.

Supporters can finally start to get excited at the prospect of seeing him in a United shirt and spraying balls across the Old Trafford turf, as Ten Hag closes in on his number one target.

AND, in other news: Huge terms offered: Man United submit bid to sign £60m “magician”, he “oozes quality”.

Leeds United are going in strong for Paris Saint-Germain forward Arnaud Kalimuendo, according to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb.

The Lowdown: Bid made?

The Whites appear to have turned their attention to signing a new striker after securing deals for Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca.

Kalimuendo could well be the player to arrive and rival Patrick Bamford, with reliable reports claiming last week that Leeds have made an offer in the region of €20m (£17.1m).

PSG would want a buy-back clause in any transfer, but it looks as if Andrea Radrizzani and co are still keen on the Frenchman.

The Latest: Kalimuendo update

Tuttomercatoweb shared a story regarding Kalimuendo and Leeds on Monday afternoon.

They claimed that the Whites are ‘strong on Kalimuendo’, with their information stating that PSG’s valuation is actually €20m – the figure that Leeds have reportedly already matched.

Perhaps, then, we’ll see this one moving on towards personal terms fairly swiftly.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Still just 20 years of age, Kalimuendo could be the perfect addition at Elland Road alongside the likes of Bamford and Joe Gelhardt. The PSG man has been labelled as ‘clever’ by Frank Haisethe and a modern forward at ‘the highest level’ by Cameron Smith.

He impressed on loan at Lens last season, scoring 12 goals in 34 Ligue 1 games, so a fee in the region of £17.1m could be an excellent piece of business to bolster Jesse Marsch’s attacking options both in the short and long term.

In other news: Orta now working on signing 31-goal striker for free; famous Leeds fan may help Elland Road move. 

Manchester United reportedly have a “nice envelope” for recruitment summer.

What’s the word?

That is according to TopMercato.com, who state that the club is “currently having difficulty concluding its files”, with the report mentioning the targets of Marco Asensio, Arnaut Danjuma and Darwin Nunez as players whose proposed transfers “seem to be in trouble.”

TopMercato added that Frenkie de Jong is Erik ten Hag’s priority at United, and a report from Manchester Evening News give fresh hope of one signing.

The Manchester-based outlet have an understanding that the Red Devils are keeping tabs on Danjuma, with the Dutchman’s recent admission adding some momentum.

The 25-year-old told Sky Sports, via Manchester Evening News: “There’s definitely unfinished business for me in England. The reason why I joined Bournemouth originally was for me to play Premier League football. I think how big the league is and it’s seen as the best league in the world for many of us.”

Forget De Jong

With headway slowly being made in the chase for De Jong, United should learn to compartmentalise like the rest of Europe’s elite clubs and give further attention to 25-year-old Danjuma.

The former Bournemouth man has had a stellar campaign with Villarreal, notching 16 goals this season means he has now scored 67 goals over the course of his career.

Listed as ‘both footed’ by Fotmob, Danjuma is a technical winger who would suit the style of Ten Hag, with the Villarreal star perhaps the key to attacking transitions for the 52-year-old due to his direct style of play.

Statistically similar players to the Netherlands international include the likes of Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe, as per FBRef; and with an average of 0.61 goals per match, it’s easy to see why.

Danjuma represents a high-potential purchase for United, and if Ten Hag decides on an attacker, the former Bournemouth ace could well be the man to provide the spark which the Red Devils need in the final third.

In other news: Romano issues Man Utd twist on £31.5m-rated brute, Ten Hag needs him