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Darren Bent has says he would resign ‘for health reasons’ if he were in Steve Bruce’s position at Newcastle. 

According to a poll conducted by the Shields Gazette at the beginning of March, a whopping 97.5% of fans ‘strongly disagree’ with the notion that Bruce is the right man to lead Newcastle forward – and that was before they went down 3-0 at Brighton, leaving the mood at the club the ‘lowest it’s been’, according to Ryan Fraser (via ESPN).

There are, of course, no fans in attendance at St James’ Park these days to offer a hostile reception, and Bruce said back in October that he doesn’t read online criticism.

Nevertheless, Bent – capped 12 times by England – reckons the atmosphere around the club will still be taking its toll.

“For Steve himself, what he’s had to endure in terms of the people hammering him from outside, if it was me, I’d have to resign just for health reasons,” he said on talkSPORT on Tuesday morning.

“The fact he’s taken so much stick – it’s difficult. For me, he’s done an okay job.”

Transfer Tavern verdict

The pain Newcastle fans feel at their club’s fortunes is entirely understandable, but while there are long-term fundamental issues clearly at play, Bruce is still partially culpable for their slide toward potential relegation. Based on their lifeless display in their six-pointer against Brighton, he has lost the dressing room.

What’s important, however – and the vast majority of Newcastle fans will likely recognise this – is that the criticism stays focused on Bruce’s sporting decisions, and does not become unduly personal.

In other news, journalists explain why Bruce retains the backing of Mike Ashley.

Borussia Dortmund chief Hans-Joachim Watzke has opened the door to a potential Jadon Sancho exit this summer as Manchester United and Chelsea continue to circle.

What’s the word?

The English winger has been one of Dortmund’s standout performers in an otherwise dismal campaign for the eight-time German champions.

Sancho, who joined BVB from Manchester City in 2017, has registered 10 goals and 15 assists across all competitions in 29 appearances this term, showing he is equally comfortable bombing up and down the flanks on the left or on the right.

The Red Devils are in the market for a new right-winger while the Blues have their own problems at the top of the pitch.

Dortmund have shown they are prepared to sell some of their top players on for the right price at the right time having sold Christian Pulisic to Chelsea.

And the Bundesliga outfit have refused to rule out the prospect of the club selling their biggest stars in the summer due to the financial repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic.

Watzke told Handelsblatt: “In the midst of a pandemic, I no longer rule anything out.

“But it is not necessarily the aim. The most important thing above all else is the financial balance: that we have a strong team on the field and are economically stable at the same time.

“If we play the whole of next season without spectators, we must certainly think about giving up a player. Asking banks for credit lines at the drop of a hat just to avoid selling a player will not be our way.”

Huge boost for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Solskjaer made the 20-year-old his top transfer target last summer but Dortmund refused to budge on their initial valuation which was believed to be in the region of £108m.

However, with reports emerging over the past week claiming that Dortmund would now accept an offer of £88m for Sancho due to these unprecedented circumstances, it seems the Red Devils have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of the 18-cap England international ahead of the summer transfer window.

Sancho’s emergence as a forward has essentially corresponded with United’s ongoing struggles on the right wing. Juan Mata’s powers have somewhat waned considerably; at 32, he is no longer physically capable of exploding into life and breaking on the counter from a standing start, while Daniel James and Mason Greenwood have received harsh criticism for their inconsistent form.

Sancho, therefore, could be the answer to all of their problems on the right wing. By the numbers, his 2.5 attempted dribbles overall per game greatly surpasses that of Mata (0.1 pg), James (0.7 pg) and Greenwood (1.1 pg), while his 2.1 shots and 2.6 key passes per 90 in the Bundesliga shows he poses a very real threat to the opposition.

It’s worth remembering that in the last campaign he also scored 17 goals and assisted a further 17 in 32 Bundesliga appearances. For context, that’s more goals than James has managed to contribute towards during his time at Old Trafford.

Signing Sancho could in fact help propel United to the next level if they can bring him to Old Trafford and he is able to hit the ground running.

AND in other news, Man Utd must perform transfer U-turn by snapping up Sevilla star Jules Kounde…

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has played down the prospect of Ivan Toney moving to Elland Road this summer.

Marcelo Bielsa may be looking to add to his squad at the end of the season, in order for Leeds to cement their place as Premier League regulars.

They currently sit 11th in the table after an eye-catching first season back in the big time, with the focus now on maintaining their current standards.

Whelan unsure over Toney move

One of the players linked with a move to Leeds in recent days is Brentford star Ivan Toney, with TEAMtalk claiming they are among the clubs interested in signing him this summer.

The striker has been in remarkable form with 34 goal contributions in the Championship this season, scoring 25 times and registering nine assists.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds, via insidefutbol, Whelan cast doubts over a move materialising, however, with Brentford surely keeping hold of him if they achieve promotion to the Premier League:

“If Brentford get to the Premier League there is no way they are selling him. They will not be that team again. The reason they sell a lot of players is, once you do not get into the Premier League, they have got to offload. If they get to the Premier League, there is no way they will be letting him go.”

Transfer Tavern take

It is certainly difficult to see Brentford allowing Toney to move on next season, should they be in the Premier League for the first time in their history.

The 24-year-old has been their star man this term and losing him to a direct rival like Leeds would both weaken them and make Bielsa’s attack even more potent.

In other news, Phil Hay has provided an update on Pablo Hernandez.

For Leeds United, it would seem that their bubble has well and truly burst.

The year of 2020 was a remarkable one for the Whites. They achieved promotion and sealed their passage to the Premier League for the first time since 2004.

On top of that, they smashed their transfer record to sign Rodrigo from Valencia. Yet, in 2021, things are coming to a halt.

They are yet to win this year and have now suffered three straight defeats. There is little wrong in being beaten 3-0 by Tottenham, but after losing by the same scoreline against Crawley, there was plenty of embarrassment.

It was a horrendous result, one epitomised by a haul of three very bizarre substitutions at half-time. Unfortunately, things didn’t improve against Brighton as they lost 1-0.

Their attacking flair has disappeared and that’s not been helped by the work rate and the overall performance of Rodrigo.

After he signed in the summer for a fee of £30m, there was a lot of expectation. However, at present, with his three strikes, he has cost the club £10m a goal.

Clearly, he has been a disappointment so far. On his day, he is an enthralling talent and the way he cannoned an effort off the crossbar when Leeds drew 0-0 with Arsenal summed up what he’s about.

However, in three consecutive games now he has been abject, being hauled off by Marcelo Bielsa in each match.

Against Spurs, Rodrigo was bullied by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. The Spain international completed just one dribble as the Tottenham midfielder disrupted Leeds’ flow by winning 11 ground duels.

When they played Crawley, he amassed just seven passes before being dragged off at half-time. Coincidentally, the summer arrival completed just four more passes against Brighton, despite playing 17 more minutes.

It was a lackadaisical display from Rodrigo, a man who completed the second-fewest passes of any Leeds player to start. To make matters worse, the Spaniard also didn’t achieve a single shot or key pass.

His attacking performance was woeful, but his lack of tracking back in midfield drew considerable anger from Luke Ayling.

Leeds Live reporter Beren Cross wrote in his post-match thoughts: “When Luke Ayling gave Rodrigo both barrels for not tracking his man late in the first half, he was summing up what many of us were watching.”

He continued: “In short, Rodrigo looked tired and off the pace at Elland Road. As Brighton drove a coach and horses through the middle of the rutted pitch, he was swimming through lactic acid in its wake.”

Indeed, his lack of touches (21) summed up his tired nature. He took possession on fewer occasions than substitute Pablo Hernandez and managed just two more than another substitute in Tyler Roberts. If that didn’t epitomise his unwilling performance, nothing will.

Rodrigo has now been poor for three games in a row and Bielsa will want to see a lot more from the club’s record signing. At the moment, he looks disinterested and incompetent when it comes to Leeds’ style of play.

That needs to change urgently.

AND in other news, Forget Bamford: Leeds must revive interest in £27m beast with “magic in his feet”…

After grabbing all three points in a controversial Premier League encounter with Southampton, Aston Villa will be looking to make it two wins on the bounce when they host West Ham United this Wednesday.

Dean Smith’s side are still hoping to nab a European place come the end of this campaign, but the Hammers have aspirations of their own after a surprise season. David Moyes’ side were beaten by Liverpool last time out, but they had racked up an incredible six wins in all competitions prior to that result.

Smith is not expected to make major changes for the clash with the Irons, but we expect a couple of tweaks, and below is a look at how Villa might line up.

In goal, Emiliano Martinez will be hoping for yet another clean sheet after sealing his tenth of the season with a superb performance against Southampton, as the Argentina international continues to cement himself as one of the top flight’s finest shot-stoppers.

Matt Targett has been superb recently and should not lose his place, so we don’t forsee any changes in the back four. The Villa boss confirmed an injury issue for Kourtney Hause in the build-up to this match, so keeping Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa fit over these coming weeks will now be essential.

In midfield, Morgan Sanson is pushing for his full debut after joining from Ligue 1 giants Marseille, and although he hasn’t exactly set the world alight so far, Smith seemed to hint that the Frenchman is in his plans to get his first start against Moyes’ men tonight.

The 26-year-old’s availability gives Smith somewhat of a selection headache, but if he does start, Douglas Luiz looks to be the likely partner given the defensive balance he can bring, meaning popular Scotland star John McGinn would be the one to miss out.

Further forward, £40,000-a-week winger Anwar El Ghazi is surely due a chance to break back into the side after losing his place to Bertrand Traore – the Burkina Faso forward hasn’t exactly made the spot his own despite some flashes of good form.

All in all, after the win against Southampton Smith is unlikely to completely overhaul his XI, but we think these couple of tweaks could make all the difference to give Moyes a headache of his own.

Predicted XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Luiz, Sanson; El Ghazi, Barkley, Grealish; Watkins.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun recently and the youngster could well prove to be the Reds’ next Michael Owen.

According to David Ornstein in The Athletic, Jurgen Klopp’s side are admirers of the 19-year-old, who is yet to agree a new contract with Arsenal, meaning he would be free to leave the club in the summer.

Considering Michael Edwards could potentially sign the striker on a free transfer, he could be compared to former Liverpool man Michael Owen, who was a product of the Reds’ academy, going on to score 158 goals for the Merseyside club in his time there.

The pacey forward would also win the Ballon d’Or during his time with Liverpool, before completing a move to Real Madrid.

Like Owen, Balogun has been prolific at youth level with Arsenal, contributing an extraordinary 38 goals and eight assists in 41 appearances for the Gunners’ U’18 side.

His performances have clearly attracted the interest of Mikel Arteta, with the youngster having now made five appearances for the senior side, in which he has contributed an impressive two goals and one assist.

Whilst Balogun is yet to make an appearance in the Premier League for Arsenal, he has been a regular in their Europa League campaign already this season, which will surely have helped his experience.

Therefore, it is no surprise to hear that Liverpool are taking an interest in the prolific youngster and considering he is currently valued at £3.6 million, signing him on a free transfer would surely prove to be an excellent financial decision, even if he struggled to impress with the Merseyside club.

However, it seems as if the Reds will face stiff competition for the New York-born forward, with Ornstein suggesting that there is strong interest from Bundesliga sides, and they would be free to begin negotiations with him on January 1.

Hopefully, for Klopp’s side, the draw of playing for the current Premier League champions will prove decisive in their chances of signing Balogun, as he looks to be a very talented prospect indeed.

And, in other news… 141 accurate passes: LFC beast who “goes unnoticed” was Klopp’s shining light vs WBA…

Tottenham Hotspur have begun discussions over signing a new winger, according to emerging reports this week…

What’s the word?

The Athletic’s David Ornstein claims that Spurs have entered preliminary talks to sign VfB Stuttgart winger Nicolas Gonzalez, who was linked with a move to Premier League rivals Leeds United throughout the summer.

It’s claimed that Jose Mourinho may look to bolster his wide areas depending on the club’s departures this window and whilst the 22-year-old wide man does not have a release clause, the Bundesliga outfit would be looking for a fee in the region of €30m (£27m).

Serie A giants Juventus have also held tentative discussions over Gonzalez too.

Bye-bye Lamela?

Of all the positions you’d expect Mourinho to sign this winter, out on the attacking flanks is probably not among the first few priorities.

It could mean bad news for one of his current options – most likely, Erik Lamela given his age, profile and persistent injury troubles.

After breaching the government’s lockdown regulations over the festive period, the long-serving Argentian was once again snubbed from the travelling squad for their FA Cup clash with Marine on Sunday.

Lamela has been restricted to just 524 minutes of action in all competitions as a fifth major injury has stalled his playing time.

According to Eurosport’s Dean Jones, the Andre-Villas Boas signing is expendable this window if a suitable offer comes in, and even Kevin Phillips believes it’s time to move him on, he told Football Insider: “If there is an opportunity for Mourinho to offload him in this window, I think he will do it.”

Indeed, Gonzalez – a fellow South American – would be a suitable replacement, if not an instant upgrade.

After a fine season in the German second-tier where he bagged 14 goals last term, the 22-year-old gem has continued his impressive form despite promotion to the Bundesliga, scoring five and assisting two in just six starts, per WhoScored.

He’s also averaged a whopping 3.2 shots per game, the fifth-best in the division and is more than the likes of Heung-min Son and Gareth Bale – Lamela hasn’t even managed anywhere near that in eight seasons at Spurs, his best effort being two shots per game in an injury-hit 2016/17 campaign.

The official Bundesliga website likened him to the late Diego Maradona as his early career followed a similar path as well as former Madrid man Raul Gonzalez due to his ‘pace, finesse, intelligent movement and classy left foot.’

Current Stuttgart coach Pellegrino Matarazzo waxed lyrical over his qualities. He said: “He’s got a lot of qualities, but what I like best about him is that he’s a winner. He wants to win at all costs. He always gives 100 per cent and gets stuck in. He’s very important for us.”

This sounds like a Mourinho player all over, and evidently, he’d be a better long-term option over Lamela going forward. If Spurs chairman Daniel Levy can afford to, then he should absolutely sanction this £27m swoop as soon as possible.

AND in other news, £27m “leader” could become Mourinho’s next John Terry…

David Moyes is wrong to overlook West Ham United forward Said Benrahma for Saturday’s Premier League clash with London rivals Fulham after hinting at the Algerian being shackled to the bench once more.

Benrahma joined the Hammers on a season-long loan costing £5million this summer, but has so far featured for just one minute of regular time having entered the action as a late substitute against Liverpool last weekend.

Moyes felt heading into the Irons’ trip to Anfield that Benrahma needed additional time to gain match fitness having been deemed out of shape seven days prior, when the Scottish coach opted to omit the 25-year-old from his 18-man matchday squad that drew with Manchester City.

Hopes of seeing Benrahma make his first start in claret and blue against Fulham on Saturday have been dealt a major blow, though, with Moyes stating at his pre-game press conference that the Brentford loanee who West Ham will sign permanently for £20m next year is still not yet 100 per cent match fit.

“We have got a squad of players now, good competition and Said is part of that,” Moyes noted, via quotes by football.london. “He got an introduction the other day, he is getting closer to match fitness, so we are pleased with how he’s getting on.

“We will see exactly what stage he is at but yes, he will be in and around the squad again.”

Benrahma struggled to make an impact upon being thrust into the action moments after Diogo Jota fired Liverpool into the lead last weekend, with the five-time Algeria international only managing four touches.

Yet Moyes is wrong to seemingly overlook starting the attacker who played a role in 27 goals last season (17 scored, 10 assisted), as Benrahma has already shown this term the damage he can do against Fulham.

Before departing Brentford for the London Stadium, Benrahma played an instrumental role in helping the Bees to beat Fulham 3-0 in the Carabao Cup, as he offered a Man of the Match display featuring two goals, a key ball and nine successful dribbles from 10 attempts, per SofaScore.

He further won 12 of his total 13 ground duels with a 92% success rate, was fouled once, offered two tackles, one interception and one accurate long ball, while attempting two crosses.

Benrahma was less successful in beating Fulham in the Championship Play-Off Final in August, as the Cottagers won 2-1, but the Algerian was still able to offer three shots, four successful dribbles, took 70 touches and won 10 of his 18 ground duels.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank once hailed Benrahma for giving everything to the cause, too, having sparked top-flight interest just months into his time in Greater London upon arriving from OGC Nice.

“He wants to give everything to improve his performance,” said Frank, via quotes by Le Buteur.

Moyes will be hoping to see Benrahma offer that same level of attacking threat now that he is in the Premier League, and where better to start than by starting against a side he has experience of terrorising.

AND in other news, David Moyes has been backed to bring the “perfect” £10m bonus to West Ham in January.

Jose Mourinho will be disappointed that his side couldn’t come away with the goods as they took on Chelsea last night. Tottenham Hotspur struggled to make much of an impact in front of goal, with the Blues defence working well to silence the in-form duo Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.

However, whilst the pair are more than entitled to an off day following their incredible performances so far, the same cannot be said for Steven Bergwijn. The Dutch international is currently fighting for his place in the starting lineup and has been given chances ahead of the likes of Erik Lamela and Lucas Moura. Unfortunately, his Stamford Bridge display left a lot to be desired.

Steven Bergwijn vs Chelsea

Aside from his early attempt which he sent flying over the bar, the £75,000 per week winger struggled to produce anything of value against Chelsea. According to Sofascore, Bergwijn completed just 22 accurate passes in 89 minutes and he failed to register a single shot on target, successful dribble or long ball.

The 23-year-old also managed to win just one of his seven duels, meaning he lost 86% of those attempted.

Whilst a draw against Chelsea isn’t a bad result by any means, Mourinho’s winning mentality will surely mean he is unhappy with a lot of things from the match. Spurs have Arsenal next in the North London Derby and whilst it could spell a win for the Lilywhites on paper, Mikel Arteta’s frustrations could be taken out on the current league leaders.

Spurs must field their strongest XI in order to set themselves up with the best possible chance to avoid any surprising Arsenal attacks. Whilst Kane and Son are almost nailed on to shine, Bergwijn should not be a name included in the starting lineup after his silent performance on Sunday.

In other news, Exclusive: Gary Mabbutt lauds this recent Daniel Levy transfer decision…

Recent Chelsea signing and former Liverpool transfer target Kai Havertz seriously impressed for his country during Germany’s thrilling 3-3 draw against Switzerland on Tuesday. The UEFA Nations League clash saw the versatile midfielder dominate, coming up with a goal and an assist in 77 minutes.

The 21-year-old’s start to life in England was slow but he’s beginning to really flourish at Chelsea. Now, with his recent international performance, Liverpool will be cursing themselves for not stepping up talks whilst they had the chance.

Liverpool are missing a player like Havertz

The Reds have been crying out for a creative midfielder like Havertz ever since Philippe Coutinho left the club. The Brazilian’s skill on the ball and his no-fear shots from outside the box were the perfect antidote for a tough opposition defence. Liverpool may boast perhaps the best attack in the Premier League, but their midfield is in serious need of some electricity.

According to FotMob, Havertz led by example with his Player of the Match rating of 8.9. Not only did he get himself on the scoresheet but he created a whopping six goalscoring opportunities, the most in the match, and made five key passes. He also completed the most dribbles (4) and won the most duels (8) out of any other player on the pitch.

Havertz made a very brief cameo appearance the last time out, but the previous international coming together between Germany and Turkey saw him grab another two assists for his country (via Sofascore). He is becoming noticed by almost every sporting star on the planet, with Raphael Honigstein recently lauding him as an “outstanding” player.

If the German rising star can deploy these dominating performances in the Premier League, he will truly help to guide Chelsea to success. Liverpool will undoubtedly be wishing he was creating these chances for them though, as they take on a very fierce-looking Premier League to defend their recent title.

In other news, James Pearce reveals Adrian truth which may make fans change their view…