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Kieran Maguire has dropped a big claim on the potential takeover of Newcastle United after a development involving the Premier League emerged.

The Lowdown: Ashley files against Premier League

Mike Ashley has filed a lawsuit against the top flight as he believes they have breached competition laws. The chief executive of Sports Direct alleges that, in the blocking of the proposed deal between him and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group, the division broke free-market regulations.

He is seeking damages for loss of profit and ultimately wants the Premier League to reverse its decision with regards to the failed takeover bid.

The Latest: Maguire reacts

Maguire, who is an expert in football finance, has since given his reaction to Football Insider on the actions taken by Ashley on the Premier League:

He said: “This is a proxy war for the takeover, without a doubt.

“Remember, the biggest beneficiary from this will probably be Mike Ashley. He is the person trying to sell the club.

“He does feel, rightly or wrongly, that there are other clubs who fear that a wealthily-backed Newcastle could turn the big six into the big seven.

“That’s why he thinks they are opposed to the takeover.”

The Verdict: ‘Big Six’ fearful

As Maguire suggests, there could be some clubs in the Premier League who are opposed to the takeover as they fear that the ‘Big Six’ could become the ‘Big Seven’.

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These clubs could include the ‘Big Six’ themselves, as they have been so used to having success in the top flight and do not want that to be taken away from them by a new challenger.

Nonetheless, the pending arbitration case could go a long way into determining whether the takeover will come to fruition, but there does seem to be some strong opposition towards it.

In other news, some NUFC fans slammed this man’s performance against Man City.

Everton had to rein their spending in over the summer window after years of frivolous purchases left them in no better shape on the pitch and precarious one off it.

The likes of Alex Iwobi, Moise Kean and Davy Klaassen arrived for big-money without translating their price tags into worthy performances on the pitch, leaving the Toffees in a state of limbo.

However, the Merseyside outfit’s hierarchy have also struck gold over a number of transfer dealing in recent years.

In the summer of 2015, the Everton chiefs snapped up former Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley as a free agent following the expiration of his contract at Old Trafford.

He burst onto the scene after rising through the ranks of his boyhood club, starring alongside fellow young hopefuls such as Danny Welbeck, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones.

But arguably none of the quartet fulfilled their potential, and as Cleverley’s role in the first-team squad began to diminish, he looked for regular game time elsewhere.

Despite a disappointing loan spell at Aston Villa throughout 2014/15, the Blues snapped up the technically gifted maestro, and then Everton boss Roberto Martinez was delighted to secure his services. 

“I can think of many reasons why fans will enjoy Tom representing our club,” said the Spaniard upon Cleverley’s unveiling.

“The most important one is that he is a perfect fit for what we are trying to build here as he has so much experience of playing in the Premier League and he still has his best years just ahead of him.”

Cleverley also enjoyed a loan spell at Wigan Athletic under the tutelage of  Martinez and was an England regular at the time after impressing in the early stages of his career. 

“At the age of 25 and a player who is representing his country, Tom has experienced winning trophies and having big roles in demanding teams,” the former Toffees manager added.

But things didn’t quite go to plan for the engine room operator. He failed to start more than 20 Premier League games in a single season during his two-year stay at Everton as he struggled to find his best form at Goodison Park.

The £50k-per-week earner was sold to Watford for £8m in 2017, earning Everton a healthy profit in the process and ending a nightmare spell for both parties.

Although Cleverley has failed to live up to his early promise, his time with the Hornets has resurrected his career somewhat and provided a happy ending to a frustrating spell for the player.

And, in other news…EFC may repeat Iwobi disaster by signing “lacklustre” £140k-p/w dud, Brands must avoid 

As shared by The Evening Standard, West Ham United boss David Moyes has been dealt a blow for Thursday evening with defender Vladimir Coufal still out of action.

The Lowdown: Coufal ‘discomfort’…

The Czech Republic star, who has been a revelation since his 2020 move from Slavia Prague, missed West Ham’s last Premier League game away to Everton due to injury.

Moyes, providing a cryptic update on Coufal’s condition after their 1-0 win at Goodison Park, revealed that he missed the trip due to ‘discomfort’ he has been carrying for a ‘few weeks’ (West Ham Zone).

The Latest: Coufal set to miss Genk…

While the Scotsman didn’t provide an update on the right-back in his pre-Europa League press conference yesterday, a report from The Evening Standard has shared his condition.

According to their confirmed team news and injuries piece, Coufal is indeed still out and set to miss tonight’s highly-anticipated clash at the London Stadium.

They say he is still nursing the groin injury and Moyes will also have to cope without summer signing Alex Kral, who has come down with COVID-19, and potentially Ryan Fredericks too, who is a doubt.

The Verdict: Blow for Moyes…

After winning their first two matches, West Ham could take one giant leap towards finishing top of Group H with another victory tonight.

If Moyes’ men can secure top spot, they would immediately qualify for the post-Christmas round of 16 as per the new Europa League format.

Tonight certainly comes as a big occasion in east London and losing Coufal through injury is undoubtedly a blow, especially considering he was a key player last season and lauded as ‘absolutely sensational’ by Stuart Pearce (Super Six Podcast via HITC).

In other news: ‘Yes yes yes’, ‘No brainer’…West Ham fans excited as contact made to sign ‘big’ striker, find out more here.

Wolves manager Bruno Lage must keep winger Adama Traore at the club beyond the upcoming January window, with the Spaniard linked with a potential move to fellow Premier League outfit Leeds United as well as Spanish giants Real Madrid.

What’s the story?

Although Leeds are reportedly interested in Traore, Eurosport journalist Dean Jones has claimed that their “budget won’t be able to stretch to Traore” and a swoop for the Spaniard may have to be waited for until the summer.

As for Real, the Barcelona youth product has reportedly expressed his desire to return to his homeland and his agent has already contacted the Spanish giants.

With potential suitors elsewhere, it does beg the question as to whether or not the West Midlands club should hold onto a player that, on one side is yet to score this season, but on the other has previously received top praise, with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola once labelling the 25-year-old as “a motorcycle.”

Wolves should keep Traore

It would be a disaster if Wolves allowed Traore to leave Molineux next month. The statistics don’t support that claim, with zero goals or assists in the Premier League so far this term. However, the Spaniard offers Lage plenty of pace and physicality, traits that the Portuguese’s squad isn’t necessarily blessed with.

Moreover, it isn’t as though the £27m-rated talisman is failing to bag in a high-scoring outfit, in fact, Wolves are the English top-flight’s second-lowest scorers with just 12 goals in 16 matches. Granted, Traore hasn’t contributed any of them and that is of course where he will have to improve.

We have seen what the 25-year-old is capable of before though, particularly in the 2019/20 season where he was “thrilling.”

That campaign saw Traore score a career-best four Premier League goals, three of which being against Manchester City.

You don’t go on to make over 100 Premier League appearances for a club without talent. Yes, it’s clear in which department Traore must improve but, given that his side are seriously struggling to score goals, Lage must keep the winger at Molineux for the remainder of the season at the very least.

After all, in the words of Tim Sherwood, he is a player who “destroys anyone.”

AC Milan have identified Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard as a possible centre-forward target, Italian outlet Tuttosport reports.

They claimed that the Rossoneri have decided to dip into the market amid the fitness struggles of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The legendary Swede has 483 career goals to his name, including 14 in as many Serie A games this season, but the 39-year-old is currently in the midst of his third injury lay-off of the campaign. Separate muscle injuries had already kept him out of action for a combined six weeks before an abductor tear at the end of February (via Transfermarkt).

Milan’s other forward options, Rafael Leao and Ante Rebic, have just 10 league goals between them this term.

Milan draw up striking shortlist

Meanwhile, Edouard has found the net 16 times in Scotland in the current campaign. Overall, the France under-21 international boasts an impressive record of 81 goals and 35 assists in 161 Celtic appearances (via Transfermarkt).

Milan do have other options in mind, according to Tuttosport. The alternatives are Fiorentina’s 21-year-old, 12-goal hitman Dusan Vlahovic and Torino’s Andrea Belotti, a seasoned Serie A goalscorer.

Transfer Tavern verdict

It’s no surprise to see Edouard attracting reported interest, and it seems inevitable that he’ll leave Celtic in the next year or two.

Earlier this month, Champions League-chasing Leicester were said to be intent on reuniting the striker with Brendan Rodgers (via Daily Mail). Edouard has one year left on his contract, so Celtic aren’t in a particularly strong position.

John Kennedy dismissed the Daily Mail’s suggestions that the 23-year-old would be allowed to leave for £15m, but you wonder whether an offer closer to £25m would tempt the Hoops, who could then reinvest in strengthening their squad.

In other news, Kris Commons has warned Celtic about allowing this midfielder to leave.

South Africa manager Eddie Ntseki has shared his anger after Glasgow Rangers refused to allow Bongani Zungu to join up with the Bafana Bafana squad for their clash against Ghana.

Ntseki angry over Zungu situation

Zungu was selected to represent his country during the international break. However, while he will be able to play against Sudan, he has been denied permission to travel to his homeland for the Ghana match as South Africa is on the UK’s “Red List” (gov.uk). That means Zungu cannot travel there without needing to quarantine for two weeks upon his return to Scotland.

Ntseki was far from happy with Rangers’ decision on the 28-year-old as he said (via IOL):

“We should all agree that nobody from South Africa or Africa brought Covid-19. It is very unfair for us to be punished by saying: ‘You cannot be released to go to South Africa because it is a hot spot’. I think all over the world, it’s a hot spot.

“For them not to release our players it’s a very big disappointment for us. I think even in South America, they were made aware that there were players that weren’t going to be released for the World Cup qualifiers and they suspended their games.”

Rules are the rules

Unfortunately, this is the way of the world at the moment. A pandemic on this scale is unprecedented in our lifetime, and that means everyone has to make sacrifices. Football is already granted plenty of exceptions to travel regulations. and while Zungu’s absence is unfortunate for South Africa, that’s just the way it is.

The 28-year-old will probably be disappointed not to be able to join up with his national team. He has started just one of Rangers’ last 10 Premiership matches and recently found himself in hot water after breaking lockdown rules to attend a house gathering (Sky Sports).

A return to his homeland may have given him a welcome distraction as well as some more playing time. As it is, he will have to wait until the Sudan fixture to get back on the pitch.

In other news, this man has been tipped to be Rangers’ Player of the Year.

Reliable journalist Gary Jacob has made a claim on defender Angelo Ogbonna amid recent hopes he could make a return before the end of 2021/2022.

The Lowdown: Insider shares West Ham hope?

The Italian, who hasn’t featured since November, sustaining an ACL injury against Liverpool, has been at the centre of claims in recent days that he could in fact be available for the final few games of this season.

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Indeed, West Ham insider Claret & Hugh believe that there is hope within the club that Ogbonna could make a contribution for manager David Moyes over the last couple of matches.

This comes after the centre-half returned to light training and travelled to France, watching the Hammers’ historic victory over Lyon in the Europa League, though he was not a squad member.

It’s also been claimed that Ogbonna, if Moyes’ men make the Europa League final, ‘could be fit enough’ to start.

However, issuing a claim to the contrary, Jacob has more pessimistic news amid this update.

The Latest: Jacob makes Ogbonna claim…

Jacob, writing for The Times in midweek, says that Ogbonna is in fact ‘out for the season’ with West Ham suffering somewhat of an injury crisis at the back.

Kurt Zouma could already be sidelined for ‘several weeks’, meanwhile Issa Diop’s ankle injury could rule him out for the remainder of this campaign.

This may leave Craig Dawson as Moyes’ only fit, natural centre-half for the final run-in.

The Verdict: Blow for Moyes…

Amid C&H’s update, Irons supporters will be hoping that there is in fact hope of an Ogbonna return despite Jacob’s firm claim.

The colossal 6 foot 3 defender was a mainstay in Moyes’ side before the ACL injury and has been an arguably crucial player for nearly two full seasons.

Former Hammers defender James Collins has labelled Ogbonna ‘phenomenal’ for his contribution at the London Stadium and his return would be a real boost.

However, as things stand, it appears Moyes may not be able to rely on the 33-year-old’s surprise early comeback.

In other news: Moyes set for GSB backing as West Ham insider makes exciting big-money claim, find out more here.

Leeds United are facing a transfer battle in the race to sign Spezia striker M’Bala Nzola.

What’s the story?

With summer signing Rodrigo yet to really find his feet at Elland Road in terms of scoring goals – he’s managed just three in 18 games – it’s no surprise to see Marcelo Bielsa’s side being linked with a move for a new centre-forward.

According to Italian publication, Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), Leeds are name-checked as one of the clubs monitoring Nzola and considering a transfer move for him.

The report adds that there are also other clubs from England, Germany and Italy who have been closely tracking his progress, with the 24-year-old having only joined Spezia in the summer.

Bye-bye Tyler Roberts

It’s been a curious old time for Tyler Roberts this season, with the Wales international making just nine first-team appearances in total for the club.

Last week, reports suggested that a whole host of Championship clubs were interested in luring him away from Elland Road during this transfer window, with Bielsa claiming that he was “unavailable at the moment” in a pre-match press conference on January 2nd.

If Leeds were to snap up Nzola, then that could be the final nail in the coffin for Roberts’ long-term future at the club. The Spezia striker has been in superb form in his debut season in Serie A, bagging nine goals in 13 games in the competition, with only six players ahead of him in the league’s goal-scoring charts.

And it’s Nzola’s style of play that will likely appeal to Bielsa, with Metropolitan Magazine describing him as “a very fast central striker who manages to attack space with absolute effectiveness. He is also difficult to deal with because he has enviable physical strength which makes him an extremely uncomfortable customer.”

Just like Patrick Bamford, Nzola would be tasked with leading the line on his own and running the hard yards into the channels, behind the opposition defence, and pressing the centre-backs as well.

And as seen by his clinical touch – he’s scored every 121 minutes and missed four big chances in 13 games, compared to Bamford who’s scored every 146 minutes and missed 12 big chances in 17 games – Nzola could provide a superb option up front.

An efficient goal-scorer, and someone with the kind of footballing characteristics that make him an ideal fit for a Leeds United side under Bielsa. The Whites boss would surely adore the 6 foot centre-forward  if he arrives at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Leeds must desperately sell this flop…

This season has been one plagued by injuries for Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re in the academy or part of the first-team set-up, the treatment room has been full for the majority of the campaign.

Jonny has suffered two ACL problems, Pedro Neto is out for six months with a broken knee cap and Daniel Podence will now miss a period of time after undergoing surgery on his groin.

They have also missed the services of Raul Jimenez who has been absent since November while he recovers from a fractured skull.

The Mexican is nearing a return but there are still plenty of boxes left for him to tick before he makes a full comeback.

It’s unlikely he’ll be available to face Everton on Wednesday but another player that will be absent is Theo Corbeanu.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Nuno Santo commented: “He’s not going to be involved. Only the senior players will join the group for Everton.”

The reason for that is because he picked up an injury while playing for the club’s U23 side this week.

It’s not a huge blow for Wolves given his status in the first-team but it will irk Nuno considerably that his already small squad is now missing another player.

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It’ll represent a big setback to the player, though.

Corbeanu came off the bench against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend to make his senior debut for the Wolves first-team. In doing so, he became the youngest Canadian to play in the Premier League.

With the Old Gold having nothing but pride to play for during the rest of the season, the youngster may have been in with a chance of securing more minutes as the campaign drew to a close.

It will have been exciting to see what he could do at senior level. After all, the qualities he has at his disposal are mouth-watering.

Speaking earlier this season, U23 boss James Collins said: “He’s athletic, tall, can head it, can defend, can dribble past people and score, he can shoot, he can pass, he’s both footed, he’s got a bit of everything.”

Collins added: “Theo can be anything he wants to be. He’s an outstanding prospect.”

Corbeanu’s chances this term may have been curtailed but it won’t be a great surprise if we see him in the first team on a more regular basis next season.

AND elsewhere, Wolves set for huge boost after Molineux news emerges, Nuno will be thrilled…

Leicester have suffered a major blow in their pursuit of Atalanta full-back Robin Gosens after reports revealed La Liga giants Barcelona have entered the race for his signature.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet Sport, Barca are looking at the Germany international as they step up their search for a new left-back.

The report claims that the transfer of Gosens to Leicester was taken for granted but that the 26-year-old has not signed anything with the Foxes, leaving the door open for Ronald Koeman’s charges to pounce.

Fans will be gutted

It was previously reported by Calciomercato that contracts had been drawn up between the Midlands outfit and the defenders’ representatives, implying a move to the King Power Stadium had all but been secured.

With James Justin expected to remain on the treatment table for several months following a serious knee injury, and the experienced Christian Fuchs departing over the summer, Brendan Rodgers is targeting a new left-sided defender to bolster his ranks.

After scoring an outstanding 22 goals and providing a further 16 assists in all competitions over the previous two campaigns, Gosen has attracted the attention of some of the continent’s top clubs, and it seemed as though Leicester had won the race for his signature.

However, the circumstances appear to be rather different in the present day. With Jordi Alba entering the twilight years of his illustrious career and Junior Firpo linked with a move away from the Camp Nou, the Catalan club are also on the search for a solution to their left-back conundrum.

Gosens has played a pivotal part in Atalanta’s incredible success in recent seasons, helping Gian Piero Gasperini’s men to three consecutive third-place finishes in Serie A, as well as a run to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2019/20.

The £31.5m-rated (as per Transfermarkt) beast has just 12 months left to run on his current contract and would, therefore, be available at a reduced price over the coming months, making him the ideal target for Leicester.

But Barca’s ambitions to take the powerful German to Spanish football may ruin those plans and leave Leicester’s supporters gutted.

And, in other news…Leicester City eye move for “magnificent” 22-goal gem, fans will surely be buzzing