An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in signing Hirving Lozano in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Hirving Lozano to Newcastle?

According to Italian outlet Il Mattino (via Sport Witness), the Magpies are one of the clubs in the race to sign the Napoli winger at the end of the season.

The Sun reported that Chelsea are eyeing a deal to sign the forward and Il Mattino have added to that story by claiming that Newcastle and Arsenal are also keen on him.

It is stated that the Mexico international would be willing to make the switch to the Premier League if his current team accepted an offer, with Napoli said to be holding out for a fee of around €50m (£44m).

Will Ryan Fraser leave Newcastle this summer?

Eddie Howe recently banished the Scotland international to the academy squad and all but confirmed that the winger will be departing from St. James’ Park later this year.

The head coach said: “Ryan’s training with the Under-21s. I made the decision to concentrate on players that are committed to Newcastle. For the benefit of the group, I’ve made that call.”

When asked if the forward has a future at the club, the boss added: “I think that’s a difficult one for me to answer, because I’d never put a firm decision on that, because life and football can change quickly but, I’d say at the moment, no he doesn’t.”

Lozano, who journalist Derek Clark hailed as “frightening” earlier this season, could come in to allow Newcastle to sanction an exit for Fraser as bringing in another winger would ensure that jettisoning the Scottish dud would not leave them light in that department.

Since the start of last season, the current Magpies attacker has produced two goals and three assists in 35 Premier League appearances for the club. This shows that the dud has rarely contributed with quality at the top end of the pitch, which could have played a part in Howe’s decision to ditch him from the squad.

The Napoli star, who is two years younger than Fraser, has chipped in with eight goals and eight assists in 34 Serie A starts since the start of 2021/22 and this indicates that he would be a sizeable upgrade on the ex-Bournemouth man in terms of his output in the final third.

Over the last 365 days, Lozano has averaged more progressive carries, progressive passes, and take-ons than Fraser per 90 and this shows that the Mexican dynamo could also offer more quality in build-up play as the gem can get the ball up the pitch with his dribbling and passing ability.

Howe and Dan Ashworth must now work together to secure a deal for the Napoli wizard as it would allow them to then ditch the outcasted Scotsman for good in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have been left fuming with Antonio Conte appearing to back down in his criticism of the board.

The Lowdown: Conte fuming

After Tottenham’s 3-3 draw against Southampton on Saturday, Conte was left fuming by the capitulation from his players, saying:

“I see selfish players, players that don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart into this”

“There’s no fire, no desire. You need to have this in every moment. When you are NOT a team, you can’t improve”.

Not only did the manager criticise his team, but he also appeared to take a swipe at owner Daniel Levy, questioning why the club have failed to win major trophies under his stewardship.

However, Alasdair Gold has recently reported that the Italian has clarified his comments to the board, explaining they were aimed solely at the players.

The Latest: Spurs fans react

Taking to Twitter after the news, Spurs fans expressed their frustration about their manager appearing to change his stance.

They said:

“So he’s a coward. Regardless, how can he work with the players after this. Does he pick the same team and expect different, will they play for him? It’s untenable. End it now. He needs to go, the bad egg players definitely need to go and the owners most definitely need to go.” – @80sHotspur

“You throw your players under the bus and expect them to perform for you. Coward.” – @ForgorJonathan

“So the board now have a manager that won’t commit and players that they don’t believe in. This could be awkward.” – @mint_spurs

“So he’s backed down? Great.” – @HeHeFunnee

“Conte has well and truly bottled it, the man really has no class. Overrated washed up dinosaur. He’s now attacked the fans numerous time and the players, time to go.” – @Bridgenn

“Stick to your guns Conte. It is the board and the players.” – @Rory4Spurs

The Verdict: Time to go?

Regardless of who the main target of the extraordinary rant was, it is looking ever more likely that Conte will exit, at least by the summer, with members of the squad now said to be growing frustrated by the negativity he often conveys in public.

There are a whole host of options for Tottenham, with Thomas Tuchel still out of work, however he is only believed to want the job if the club secure Champions League football for next season.

Ryan Mason has been discussed internally as a potential interim manager for the rest of the campaign, but appointing the 31-year-old would be a risk, given his lack of experience.

Levy faces a difficult task when it comes to appointing his next manager, with both Jose Mourinho and Conte failing to win any silverware, despite being successful elsewhere, indicating there is a fundamental problem with this group of players.

Leeds United are thought to be keen on signing Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom, according to talkSPORT.

The Lowdown: Seven goals in 11

The Whites have struggled in front of goal in over recent months under both Jesse Marsch and now Javi Gracia, scoring just seven times in 11 Premier League games since the restart after the World Cup.

An ankle injury to top scorer Rodrigo hasn’t helped things at Elland Road, with the club once again involved in another battle to avoid relegation.

Akpom, meanwhile, is having a season to remember and has scored 21 Championship goals in 28 games at an average of a goal every 105 minutes.

The Latest: Leeds keen

TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook provided an update on Akpom in the last 48 hours, with Leeds receiving a mention.

The reporter said that the Whites, Crystal Palace and with Everton are ‘waiting to pounce’ for Akpom if Boro’s promotion push falls short, with the player out of contract at the end of the season.

The Verdict: A gamble?

Akpom is certainly having a brilliant campaign and has been hailed as a ‘fantastic’ striker by former Boro caretaker boss Leo Percovich.

However, this is the first time in his career that he has hit double figures for senior league goals in a season, so there is no guarantee he’d be able to continue his fine form in the top flight.

Leeds also tend to move for younger players in recent years, so it’ll be interesting to see if they look at a possible free transfer for Akpom, 27, providing they remain in the top flight over the coming months.

Former Aston Villa striker Darren Bent has bemoaned Gareth Southgate's decision to leave in-form striker Ollie Watkins out of the latest England squad.

How has Ollie Watkins performed for Aston Villa?

The striker has been in sensational form recently, scoring six times in his last seven Premier League matches, while netting 10 times in all competitions this season.

The 27-year-old has been Unai Emery's trusted figure up front to the point that Danny Ings was allowed to leave in the January transfer window, and has seven England caps already to his name.

He was once described as "outstanding" by former manager Dean Smith, and his current form has been nothing short of remarkable.

However, he was omitted from the squad for England's EURO 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine, in a move that has surprised Bent.

Speaking on TalkSport, Bent claimed that Watkins' form makes him more deserving of a place than other strikers who have been called up.

He said: "Someone who I think could count himself a bit unlucky to not be in the squad is Ollie Watkins.

"He's got six goals in his last seven games. He's timed his form to perfection if he was in contention for this England squad, so to get six in your last seven and not be in there, he can count himself unlucky.

"Callum Wilson, who was brilliant in the first half of the season, he's got one goal in 2023, so that's not going for him.

"I spoke about Tammy Abraham, he's got one in the last 10. Ollie Watkins is the one where he'd go, 'hold on a second here, why am I not in the squad?'"

Should Watkins be in the squad?

Whilst Watkins is evidently in better form than Wilson and Abraham, Southgate has elected to only pick two natural centre-forwards in the shape of Harry Kane and Ivan Toney.

Marcus Rashford is also capable of playing through the middle, and if Watkins was selected, his game time may well have been limited as a result of Kane's presence.

Although Watkins has been in better goalscoring form recently, Toney's 17 strikes this season place him ahead of the Villa star, as well as having one more assist throughout the campaign as a whole.

Whilst Watkins may bemoan his luck that he failed to make the squad when in such fine form, the other options at England's disposal mean he will face an uphill battle to force his way into Southgate's plans going forward.

With Kane the unquestionable starter, whichever forward makes it in out of Toney, Watkins or Wilson will still have to settle for a bench role anyway.

Aston Villa have been longing for an offensive catalyst since the £100m departure of beloved homegrown talent Jack Grealish to Manchester City in 2021, the fleet-footed demon's feats for the Lions undoubtedly going down in the club's folklore.

Sure, Ollie Watkins has been prolific in the Premier League of late; Emi Buendia is easy on the eye with his gliding gait, but no one has captured the panache and efficiency of the former gem.

A wholly contrasting skill set, but Villa's Finn Azaz could be the optimum name to send Villa Park into rapture once again, with the midfield maestro out on loan at League One high-fliers Plymouth Argyle this season and forging a season of emphatic success; a centrepiece to the club's promotion-pushing efforts.

Argyle are table-toppers after 38 matches, five points clear in the automatic playoffs with just eight matches to play.

The Republic of Ireland international Azaz has indeed been fantastic for The Pilgrims and will certainly be in contention for a spot in manager Unai Emery's system next year, so arresting has he been in his trade.

Who is Finn Azaz?

Azaz has been on the Claret & Blue's books since the summer of 2021, when he was signed from Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion and immediately loaned out to Newport County, praised as "exciting" by the club's official website.

WhoScored highlights Azaz's most arresting traits as his 'key passes', 'dribbling' and 'finishing', and his offensive midfield deployment could indeed provide the Villans with the offensive spark to complement the front-line next season.

Emery sold Danny Ings to West Ham United for £15m in January and only signed 19-year-old prospect Jhon Duran for £18m to bolster the offence, the dynamic Colombian precocious but perhaps not quite ready for the talismanic role.

The activity hints at a marquee addition in the summer, with the likes of £44m Lille sharpshooter Jonathan David touted, and as such, a creative and enterprising force situated behind would indeed go down a treat.

The 22-year-old Azaz has recorded an average Sofascore rating of 7.14 this term, scoring seven goals and supplying eight assists and complementing his direct return with 1.7 shots and 1.9 key passes per match, hailed as a "baller" for his exploits by journalist Alex Dunne.

If Emery does decide to offer the one-cap U21 international a platform, he could stake a claim for Philippe Coutinho's place in the team, with the distinguished Brazilian branded “disappointing” by former Villa star Gabby Agbonlahor.

The £125k-per-week man has scored just one goal and provided no assists from 22 outings across all competitions this season, recording a mediocre Sofascore rating of 6.66 and offering just 1.1 shots and 0.4 key passes per outing, inferior to Azaz's output, granted, playing two divisions below but exhibiting all the prowess requisite for success in the English top-flight.

How the "imposing" Azaz – as dubbed by Ashley Preece – has carried himself in the third tier this term has been extremely impressive, and if he can continue to nurture his abilities at Premier League level with Villa, he could become a shrewd, homegrown sensation in the midlands.

He might not quite have the flair or elegance of the likes of Grealish and Coutinho, but the mechanical, industrious way he exerts his authority and dynamism cannot be understated.

Pundit and former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer believes that Hillsborough could be a possible destination for Newcastle United’s Elliot Anderson next season.

The Lowdown: Previous interest

The Owls appeared to have their eye on Anderson earlier in the year during the January transfer window, with reports suggesting that the club were keen on a loan deal for the 20-year-old, who contributed to 13 goals in 21 League Two appearances on loan at Bristol Rovers last season.

As we know, a move for Anderson failed to materialise, with the midfielder remaining at St. James’ Park under Eddie Howe, but it looks as if a loan move could be on the cards ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Latest: Palmer’s comments

Palmer, who contributes for the BBC, was talking to Football League World about Anderson, describing his display against Nottingham Forest as ‘brilliant’. The Pundit then name-checked Sheffield Wednesday as a potential destination for the midfielder next season, labelling him as a ‘very, very talented young player’.

“Elliot Anderson was brilliant for Newcastle the other night (against Nottingham Forest). He’s a very, very talented young player but all the noise coming out of Newcastle is that he could be loaned out to a Championship club, but it will be a Championship club that play football in the right manner.

“So yes, I think Sheffield Wednesday would be in the frame to get him and he would be a very, very good acquisition should they secure promotion.”

The Verdict: Wednesday to benefit?

A loan move to the second tier could be extremely beneficial for Anderson after playing just 179 minutes of Premier League action across 12 appearances. He caught the eye prior to the international break against Nottingham Forest, with Kieran Trippier hailing his display from the bench.

“He’s a young lad, with so much potential and I really mean that. It’s crazy really how good he is. He just has to be patient. Keep working hard as he has been doing. He was unbelievable when he came on (at Forest). He has a massive future ahead of him, like I said, he just has to keep being patient.”

He appears to be a star in the making, so Darren Moore’s side could benefit from having him upon their return to the Championship, should they get over the line and out of League One in the coming months.

The Owls have just one out-and-out attacking midfielder on the books in Josh Windass, so Anderson could be a shrewd signing to add strength in depth, although the club may face plenty of interest from possible second-tier rivals.

Plenty of Leeds United reporters have been reacting to the news of Archie Gray’s first professional contract at Elland Road.

The Lowdown: Two-and-a-half-year deal

The Whites confirmed on Friday afternoon that Gray has signed a first professional contract with the club. Gray turned 17 years of age last weekend and has now put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half-year deal with his boyhood club.

The midfielder was first used in a Premier League matchday squad at the age of 15 under Marcelo Bielsa but is yet to make his senior debut.

He has made plenty of appearances for Leeds at U18 and U21 level, contributing to seven goals in 31 games in total. His highlight at the club so far on the pith is arguably a brilliant long-range strike against Manchester United for the U21s at Elland Road.

Former manager Jesse Marsch was also seemingly a big fan of the teenager, saying this after a pre-season game last summer:

“I consider Archie a first-team player at 16.

“He has cleverness, the flexibility to play in multiple positions, he can run, he sees things quickly, he’s aggressive against the ball and he’s fearless. I think he’s got the full package.”

The Latest: Media buzz

Following the news regarding Gray’s first professional contract, a number of Leeds United reporters were quick to react.

Phil Hay said ‘this is good’, while James Marshment added it is ‘great to see Archie Gray tied down, an unreal talent who has every chance at making it big.’ Joe Donnohue meanwhile described it as an ‘important’ piece of business to get done.

The Verdict: Future star?

It looks as if Leeds feel they may have a future star on their hands in Gray, who you expect will go on and feature for the first team at some point in the future.

Javi Gracia is the latest Leeds manager to seemingly be left impressed with what he has seen in Gray, saying prior to Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Wolves that Gray and Darko Gyabi are midfielders he’ll think about using while Tyler Adams is out through injury.

Gray has been out with an injury of his own in recent months so may need time to get back up to speed around Thorp Arch, possibly by playing in the U21s, however, should Adams’ injury prove to be worse than initially feared, Gray could find himself in the matchday squad between now and May.

Leeds United defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux to send the travelling Whites into rapture, having secured a coveted victory to alleviate the concerns of relegation and advance to 14th in the Premier League.

United had started the day 18th in the table, but the congested nature of the bottom half of the division means that there are a melange of outfits endangered as the season approaches the business end, with Crystal Palace 12th and just four points above West Ham United in the drop zone.

Jack Harrison added to his goal and assist last weekend, against Brighton & Hove Albion, by placing the ball past Jose Sa and taking the early lead against the Wanderers, with further strikes from Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen cementing what looked like an assured three points.

The Old Gold fought a gallant fight, with a wondrous volley from Jonny Otto preceding a deflected goal from Matheus Cunha, but the hope of a comeback dispersed after Jonny's red card, with 13-goal talisman Rodrigo coming off the bench to hammer home the priceless result in the dying embers of what was a positively enthralling encounter.

How did Aaronson perform against Wolves?

The victory is certainly what matters for Javi Gracia and co, but the tame showing of dynamic midfielder Brenden Aaronson will not have pleased the Spanish manager.

Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross gave the player a lowly 5/10 match rating after the match, lamenting his display and saying: "Another frustrating afternoon of poor decisions and weak challenges by the American. Needed more from him in the final third."

His insipid performance joins a growing list over recent weeks, with Football FanCast previously illustrating his ineffectiveness over past weeks, and if he cannot muster a more cohesive and promising spell of form he might find himself exiled from the starting fold.

Journalist Joe Donnahue even went so far as to say that Patrick Bamford was left "raging" after Aaronson wasted "a really good opportunity."

As per Sofascore, the £45k-per-week ace could only muster a match rating of 6.6 – the lowest of any offensive Leeds player on the pitch – taking 46 touches but only managing one off-target strike and losing possession 18 times.

Aaronson failed with all three of his attempted crosses and completed none of his four dribbles, being dribbled past once and winning five of his ten ground duels.

The "poor" – as branded by one source – performance continues a woeful spell of form, with Aaronson's average rating throughout the league campaign now at a measly 6.51.

Greener pastures tantalise on the horizon for Gracia and his squad, and with Leeds now having a foothold on their destiny in the English top-flight, Aaronson must be dropped, his inability to effectively contribute is now a detriment to the Whites' success.

Tottenham Hotspur's search for a manager continues to rumble on, showing little signs of coming to a conclusion anytime soon. As such, it allows the rumour mill to spin into overdrive.

The Lilywhites have seen themselves linked with a host of top coaches, all of whom would certainly improve their struggling outfit; yet it seems like fans may have to wait until the summer before a new face is welcomed.

Especially if the plan is to snatch an in-form boss from another club, given the expected reluctance from those who are flying high to jump ship.

Brighton and Hove Albion are one such club whom they have monitored, but another exceptional side that could be of interest to Daniel Levy is Fulham; namely Marco Silva.

The Portuguese boss has shrugged off his failed spell at Everton to return to England emphatically, leading his west London outfit on a charge for European spots.

He could now compound his return to prominence by clinching the Spurs job, having reportedly been one of the frontrunners to replace Antonio Conte in recent weeks.

Would Marco Silva be a good fit at Spurs?

Whilst questions might be raised about the supposed overperformance of his current team, the way in which he has them playing is worth praise alone.

With a quality far below Spurs' squad, the Cottagers play exciting, fast-paced football that is sure to thrill all who watch it. Whilst it can occasionally backfire spectacularly, as shown in their poor showing against Arsenal, thus far it has them sat just three points from sixth-place Liverpool and averaging 1.75 points per game.

The former Watford head coach also nearly led his side to Wembley recently too, if not for a spectacular late collapse from him and his players at Old Trafford.

It seems that his sabbatical from the Premier League has seen him return with a far better grasp on his own tactics, which were admittedly flawed during his time in the Goodison Park dugout. Despite that, he maintained a desire to play a brand of football that his fans could be proud of; the complete antithesis to the turgid football of Conte.

His director of football with the Toffees, Marcel Brands, spoke highly of the 45-year-old: "One of the most important things is that he’s a guy who wants to play attractive, attacking football."

This is a philosophy that has only been bolstered since then.

It may take some time to shift the culture within the club, but having already done so at Craven Cottage there is a belief he could repeat this with a higher calibre of players now. Finally, beautiful football could return in order to revive the white half of north London.

Javi Gracia has given Leeds United a new lease of life since his arrival at Elland Road, with the Spaniard overseeing vital wins against Southampton, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest.

The Yorkshire outfit now look to be in a better position than most in the Premier League relegation battle but it is so tight that a poor run of form could easily see Leeds drop back down the table.

Gracia's instant impact on results has been impressive but his transformation of key attackers has also been vital to the upturn in form, with Luis Sinisterra arguably enjoying his best game since joining the club on Tuesday night when he scored the winner against Forest.

However, it has arguably been the form of Jack Harrison since Gracia's appointment that has been the most eye-catching change under the former Watford boss at Elland Road.

How has Jack Harrison improved under Gracia?

Although it was a strong start to the season from the former Manchester City man, as he notched three assists and one goal in the opening three fixtures, he would then endure a barren run of form that saw him fail to register a single goal contribution in any game for the rest of 2022.

While the 26-year-old winger did manage a goal and assist in the 3-1 win over Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup, he had a woeful record of no goals and just one assist in 15 Premier League games ahead of Marsch's sacking in February.

Gracia was appointed on February 21st and Harrison, who earns £50k-per-week at Elland Road, has been a key player for the new manager ever since then, kick-starting his and Leeds' revival with an assist in the 1-0 win over Southampton.

Other than in tough away defeats against Chelsea and Arsenal, Harrison has been a constant threat to Premier League defences recently, hitting three goals and an assist in games against Brighton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest.

Leeds were very close to losing the English wide man in January when Leicester City came calling, but Marsch handed the Yorkshire outfit a parting gift by ensuring that Harrison remained at Elland Road, until the end of the season at least.

Marsch said: “Listen, all I’ll say is, I really like Jack first as a person. He’s one of the most incredible people I’ve ever coached.

“We like him here. We want to keep him. He’s performing really well. I think getting him fit and healthy has been a big key. He’s got flexibility in the way he plays.”

Harrison has certainly lived up to that praise following the American's departure and if he can maintain this impressive form, then he could be a key player for Leeds in their bid for survival.