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Newcastle United defender Sven Botman is facing a spell on the sidelines, and a reliable journalist has revealed the potential severity of his injury that was sustained at St. James’ Park.

What's the latest on Sven Botman's injury?

The Magpies were the hosts on Sunday as they welcomed Liverpool, but despite the visitors going down to ten men following the dismissal of Virgil van Dijk, Eddie Howe’s side suffered a 2-1 Premier League defeat thanks to substitute Darwin Nunez securing a brace, and unfortunately for the boss, the scoreline wasn’t the only negative to occur that day.

The Dutch international was forced off the pitch with what appeared to be a serious ankle injury on 87 minutes and was replaced by Matt Targett, and whilst Lewis Hall, who has joined on a season-long loan from Chelsea, is in the building, he’s not yet ready to be involved. Quizzed on the youngster’s fitness, the manager said:

“He's trained with us, but he's not played a game during pre-season. He's only trained, so he's some way short of being match-fit."

With the 23-year-old seemingly out of action, PIF have already been assessing their centre-back options in the market, with Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio and Benfica’s Antonio Silva the two primary names to have been linked, and whilst reinforcements may well be needed, a promising update has now emerged on the situation of Botman.

How long is Sven Botman out for?

Taking to X, The Daily Mail's Craig Hope revealed that Newcastle are hopeful that Botman won’t be out for an extended period of time if the preliminary signs are anything to go by in a positive update.

“Understand early indications are that Sven Botman has avoided serious damage to his ankle after injury suffered on Sunday. More news awaited ahead of weekend but I’m told it’s not as bad as perhaps first feared.”

Since the start of the 2023/24 season, Botman has started all three games and has been an integral member of Howe’s squad, so considering the hugely positive impact he has on the side, it will come as a huge boost for the boss to learn that he’s not out for a lengthy spell at Newcastle.

The Muy Manero native, who is naturally left-footed, is currently averaging three clearances and two aerial wins per top-flight game this season, via WhoScored, not to mention that he’s won all five of his tackles made, showing how much of a rock he is at the heart of the backline.

The St. James’ £90k-per-week earner, who has recorded an assist since putting pen to paper with the black and white stripes, even has the versatility to operate out wide at left-back, making him a great option for the manager to have at his disposal should he need him to play out of his natural position.

Alongside Dan Burn, the northeast outfit have Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar and Hall when he's ready as their other options at centre-back so there is sufficient cover, but with the former potentially on his way out over the next few days, the hierarchy will be safer dipping into the market to bolster their defensive ranks further.

Tottenham Hotspur are now looking forward to a new era under incoming boss, Ange Postecoglou, with the 57-year-old set to take charge at N17 after catching the eye following his impressive work at Old Firm giants, Celtic in recent seasons.

Having won five trophies during a glittering two-year spell at Parkhead, the experienced coach has been tasked with the job of trying to revive the fortunes of the north London outfit next term and beyond, with the Lilywhites still reeling from a disappointing 2022/23 campaign that ended with a dismal, eighth-place finish.

Amid that search for improvement in his new home, recent reports have suggested that Postecoglou could be ready to spark something of a mass clearout at the club over the coming weeks, with the veteran duo of Ivan Perisic and Hugo Lloris leading the list of those who could depart.

Among those who may also be shown the door is long-serving defender, Ben Davies, with the Wales international – who signed from Swansea City back in 2014 – potentially set to be moved on if bids are to arrive this summer.

This follows a recent report that suggested Daniel Levy and co were willing to sanction the 30-year-old's exit for a fee of around £15m, with the 77-cap dud having formed part of a backline that shipped 63 Premier League goals this season – the sixth-worst record in the division.

As pundit Gabby Agbonlahor suggested, a departure for Davies could well be in the best interests of the club, with the versatile full-back having been "struggling to put in top performances", as he simply "just isn’t good enough any more."

With Postecoglou likely to need to find an "upgrade" – as per Agbonlahor – or a more youthful replacement for the £80k-per-week man, then the Greek-Aussie should look no further than reported target, Thierry Small.

Who is Thierry Small?

According to Football Insider, Spurs are set to make a fresh approach for the Southampton teenager ahead of next season, having previously seen an offer of around £800k rejected by the Saints back in January.

The piece adds that the newly-relegated side had been looking for closer to £1.2m at the time, with Levy and co now seemingly ready to make a 'new offer' in order to prise the 18-year-old from St Mary's.

The signing of the England youth international could well be the long-term solution at left-back that Spurs are in need of, with the "quality" gem – as previously hailed by ex-Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti – able to take Davies' place moving forward.

The former Toffees ace – who made the move to the south coast back in 2021 – showed his defensive prowess while on loan at St Mirren in the second half of the campaign after averaging 1.3 tackles per game, with that a superior record to what Davies averaged in the Premier League (0.9).

Equally, it is young Small who also appears to offer more in attack, with the 5 foot 10 starlet having averaged one key pass per game as a marker of his creative talent, while Davies averaged just 0.6 key passes in that time.

That would suggest that despite his inexperience, the youngster has the makings to be a real star of the future in the game, hence just why it would be wise for Postecoglou to push for a move.

As such, after 311 games for the club, it could be time for Davies to seek out pastures new…

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed Chelsea haven't quite finalised the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as they still have to agree on details such as the length of his contract.

What's the latest Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino news?

It's widely understood and has been reported that the Argentine is now the clear favourite to take over from Frank Lampard at the end of the season.

Indeed, despite past links to the likes of Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann since Graham Potter was sacked, it sounds as though the Blues have finally landed their man.

However, while talking on the latest episode of the Here We Go podcast, Romano did explain that it's not quite been formalised just yet.

Even so, it doesn't sound as though there is any reason for Chelsea fans to panic, with most of the key details relating to the project agreed upon.

The journalist explained: “The agreement is really close. Now it's also about the contract. So why the deal is not in place or completely not announced yet [is] because they are working on the final crucial points of the contract.

"So now it's about the details of the contract. Because the main points of the project, they already discussed that and everything is almost ready between Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea.

"Now it's about the contract – length of the contract, clauses, these kinds of things. So the discussion is ongoing. We wait, but all sources are very confident on this appointment."

What's been said about Pochettino joining Chelsea?

This news of a deal with the 51-year-old not quite being wrapped up just yet might concern some supporters who must be desperate to have some sense of clarity over the manager's position at their club – especially amid the turgid form since Lampard took over as interim.

But with the Englishman hired to guide the Blues for the rest of the season, there's no rush for either Pochettino or Chelsea with regard to the finer details of his contract.

And so, by the sounds of it, once a few more specifics have been ironed out, the club will be able to officially announce the Argentine – though that could take a little while yet.

Pundit Gary Neville certainly seems to think it's a good move. He told The Overlap (via The Chelsea Chronicle) “I think he is a really talented coach. I think Chelsea next year could really surprise us. Pochettino will bring the club together because he will; he’s likeable, and the players will respect him enormously,”

“I think he’ll do a very, very good job next season. He’ll cover a lot of the stuff that’s going on behind the scenes is my prediction. If they get him, I think you’ll have a very good season next year.

“Those players are perfect for Pochettino; they are talented and young, but they just need direction.”

Arsenal are still "also pushing very hard" to sign Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan despite the advanced reports involving Barcelona, according to an update out of Spain.

Who will Arsenal sign this summer?

Mikel Arteta's side have many plates spinning as they attempt to bolster their ranks for the 2022/2023 Premier League season, with midfield additions and forward reinforcements in the pipeline.

West Ham star Declan Rice is a player of serious interest with Arsenal already having multiple bids rejected for the England international, though they remain determined to complete a deal and talks are ongoing (Dharmesh Sheth).

Meanwhile, the Gunners are believed to be nearing the capture of Chelsea star Kai Havertz, with reliable journalist David Ornstein confirming as much just today.

Lavia of Southampton is also apparently "most likely" to join Arsenal despite interest from Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool. Gundogan, who is out of contract at the end of this month, has been heavily linked with a move to north London too.

The Germany international commented on his future recently amid links to Borussia Dortmund, saying there are talks happening behind-the-scenes.

"Of course I have a strong connection to Dortmund. I wasn’t surprised those rumours came up," said Gundogan.

"But the probability wasn’t too high for me. It wasn’t a big issue for me to return to the Bundesliga.

"Basically, there is no decision yet. Talks are going on in the background."

Both Arsenal and Barcelona are major suitors for the 32-year-old, who played a real role in helping City achieve monumental treble-win.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Gunners are "also pushing very hard" for his signing alongside Barca, despite Gundogan sending "positive messages" to the La Liga champions.

They say those at Camp Nou are still awaiting a definitive decision from him, meaning Arteta's side are still firm contenders to steal him away despite reports this week suggesting he is on the verge of a deal with Barca.

How many goals has Gundogan scored for Man City?

Over his 300+ plus appearances in sky blue, Gundogan has racked up an impressive 60 goals and 40 assists, highlighting his real threat in the final third.

However, his real strength is making a mark on the big occasion, having most recently bagged a brace in the FA Cup final to seal an all-important victory over rivals Man United – a win which helped them clinch their treble.

He scored many crucial goals on City's way to retaining their Premier League title as well, leaving little wonder journalists have described Gundogan as "one of the most underrated big game players ever".

Tottenham Hotspur were likely shocked to the core when Bayern Munich submitted their offer for Harry Kane, with Daniel Levy probably assuming most would be put off by the ludicrous £200m price tag that was placed upon his head.

The chairman has remained staunch on his stance regarding the England captain, and having rejected that first advance from the Germans, he stuck to his word.

However, with news continuing that a second bid will come, it seems that now a decision must be made on whether to cash in on the 29-year-old now or lose him for free next summer when his contract comes to a conclusion.

Should he opt for the former, perhaps he could seek to reinvest those funds in the future of his number nine position, handing Ange Postecoglou the tools necessary to truly kickstart his revolution in north London.

He will need more than the initial €70m (£60m) that the Bavarian giants offered though if he is to secure the £130m that Napoli will demand for Victor Osimhen. Despite that, the Lilywhites remain one of the listed interested parties in the striker.

Is Victor Osimhen better than Harry Kane?

Across Europe, there were few front-men who could compete with the imperious form of Kane as he found the net on 30 occasions in the league despite his club being in turmoil.

In fact, he even ranked second in the race for the European Golden Shoe, of which Erling Haaland unsurprisingly stands way out in front. However, just three places behind the £200k-per-week finisher is the Nigeria international, showcasing how the 24-year-old is not far behind the levels that the Spurs favourite has reached.

The former LOSC Lille marksman hit 26 Serie A goals last term alongside notching five assists, with his raw physicality offering a completely different style to Kane's. Journalist Colin Udoh had even branded the former a "monster of a player" as if to further emphasise this point.

It could be argued that given the relentless press Postecoglou will attempt to implement in north London, Osimhen even offers an upgrade on his technically-exceptional but somewhat sluggish current option.

The presence of this 6 foot 1 star in a title-winning side will likely also interest Levy too, as he desperately seeks to add some silverware to end the stigma surrounding his club.

Kane has spent 11 long years as a senior player in the capital, with little to show for it except for his chance to break the all-time Premier League scoring record.

However, should he turn that down in favour of guaranteed trophies in Germany, Postecoglou can be safe in the knowledge that, should they choose Osimhen as his replacement, he will see little downturn in terms of goalscoring.

West Ham United have surprised plenty of neutrals this season, remaining unbeaten in the opening four Premier League games, with only Manchester City earning more points than David Moyes' side.

Those at the London Stadium will just be hoping that the international break didn't halt their momentum entirely, and they simply pick up where they left off, starting with a clash against the treble winners at the top of the league table.

It hasn't been an international break full of good news, either, with reports emerging that one key player is now refusing a contract extension, casting doubts over his West Ham future.

What's the latest West Ham United news?

Since losing Declan Rice to Arsenal for a reported £105m in the summer transfer window, West Ham have done well to pick themselves back up, both on and off the pitch.

Only time will tell, of course, whether their spending proves to be smart, but on paper the arrivals of the likes of Mohammed Kudus, James Ward-Prowse, and Edson Alvarez all coming through the door certainly looks like solid business.

The focus now may well be on keeping hold of the players, given that they've just bid farewell to Rice in the summer transfer window. Unfortunately for the Hammers, though, they could be set to suffer another blow.

According to Sean Whetstone, via West Ham Football, Pablo Fornals has decided not to extend his contract at the London Stadium. West Ham Football Tweeted: "Hammer Pablo Fornals has decided NOT to take up an unilateral option to extend his contract at West Ham, nor has he agreed to sign a new contract meaning he will be free to leave next summer.

"Fornals signed a five-year contract in 2019 which will expire next June. He cost the Hammers £24m with up to £6m add-ons. Fornals has made 184 appearances for the Hammers in all competitions."

How has Pablo Fornals performed this season?

It would be some blow for West Ham if Fornals not only left, but left as a free agent next summer. The midfielder is still an important part of Moyes' side, having featured in all four Premier League games so far this season, with the London club leaving many impressed in the last month or so.

When on form, the Spaniard has deservedly received plenty of praise, including from Moyes, who said, via the official West Ham website: "Pablo is a player that we really like. He is a great energetic player who does great work for the team, and he also has a knack for coming up with goals. There was the one at Bournemouth and in the semi-final. He has been a great team player over the last two years, and I have really enjoyed working with him. He is a great boy.”

With that said, it will certainly be interesting to see how the Hammers act when the January transfer window comes around. With Fornals on course to leave for free next summer, they may yet decide to cash in on the midfielder, who has been at the club for four years now.

Journalist Aidan Macdonald has praised Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley for his "phenomenal" display in the Scottish Cup.

What's the latest on Matt O'Riley and Celtic?

The Bhoys were hoping to progress into the final of the competition as they met Old Firm rivals Rangers at Hampden Park on Sunday lunchtime.

It was a hard-fought encounter, but in the end, Ange Postecoglou and co came away with the victory thanks to a single goal.

Indeed, late on in the first half, Michael Beale's side men suffered a lapse in concentration which allowed Daizen Maeda to steal the ball in a dangerous area and find Jota with an inch-perfect cross.

The Portuguese winger made it 1-0 with a fine header and that's how the match finished. Rangers will no doubt be disappointed with the result but in O'Riley they came up against a midfielder who was on top of his game.

This was certainly noted by Macdonald who gave the 22-year-old an 8/10 player rating for the Glasgow Times.

The football writer also added: "The Dane had a phenomenal afternoon in the middle of the park. He dictated play for the 65 minutes he was on the pitch. Some of his passing and touches were that of a top-level player. Ultimately he was replaced by Aaron Mooy."

How good was Matt O’Riley against Rangers?

It's safe to say Macdonald wasn't the only one impressed by the efforts of the young midfielder on the day.

Indeed, freelance journalist Ryan McGinlay took to Twitter to lavish the praise on the Dane, saying: "Matt O’Riley has been absolutely sublime so far."

Adding to that, Ryan McDonald noted how the player put in one of his best recent performances, handing him a 7/10 in the Scotland Football player ratings and writing: "The midfielder hasn't been at his best this season but put in a combative shift in the middle of the park."

All in all, it seems everyone is in agreement, this was a fine outing for the midfielder as he helped the Bhoys continue on their hunt for major silverware.

They have already won the Scottish League Cup – beating Rangers too – and look destined to win the SPFL, so this could be a season which ends with a treble should they go one step further having now reached the final of the Scottish Cup.

Not at all a bad season for 22-year-old O’Riley and his Celtic teammates.

Aston Villa are now ready to sign AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham, who could cost as much as €55m (£48m) this summer, according to reports from Italy.

Will Tammy Abraham leave this summer?

Abraham has been attracting the attention of a number of Premier League clubs, though it has recently been reported that Villa are in pole position for his signature. However, they would be forced to shell out a club-record fee.

Manchester United are also said to be monitoring the striker, with scouts having been in regular attendance at Roma games so far this season, but journalist James Horncastle has also pointed out Chelsea have first refusal on their former player.

Recent reports from Sky Italy have also claimed the forward is likely to return to the Premier League at the end of the season, as he is struggling with Roma (via Football Italia).

In a recent report from Il Messaggero (via Sport Witness), the Englishman's poor recent form is highlighted, and it is suggested he is now becoming a problem for Jose Mourinho, meaning a return to his home country is potentially on the cards.

Villa are said to be one of two English sides "ready to sign" the 25-year-old, although he will not come cheap, with Roma sporting director Tiago Pinto setting an asking price of up to €55m (£48m).

However, that fee is on the high end of the spectrum, and the report also speculates the Serie A club could sanction his departure for €40m (£35m), as they would still be making a healthy profit.

Should Aston Villa sign Tammy Abraham?

Villa fans will know all about the 11-time England international's qualities following his very successful loan spell at Villa Park in the 2018/19 season, in which he scored 25 goals in 37 Championship games during the regular season.

Hailed as "sensational" by members of the media, the London-born marksman has come on leaps and bounds since that loan spell, scoring 27 goals for Roma in all competitions last term, including nine en route to their Europa Conference League triumph.

With Danny Ings leaving to join West Ham United back in January, Unai Emery is short on options in attack, with Ollie Watkins proving to be his only consistent goal threat, scoring 11 goals so far this season.

As such, a new striker will almost definitely be required this summer, and we feel Abraham would be an excellent addition for the Villans given that he has a proven track record of scoring goals.

There is no hiding away from the fact that Everton are in real danger of dropping out of the Premier League and their woes in front of goal have played a signifcant role in their struggles this season.

The Toffees are currently 15th in the table and one point above the relegation zone, having played one more game than all the teams below them, and their top scorer in the division is Demarai Gray with four, while Dwight McNeil (three) is the only other player with more than one goal.

Sean Dyche is in desperate need of a reliable goalscorer and Everton have had their fair share of lethal number nines over the years – from Wayne Rooney to Romelu Lukaku.

One centre-forward who had mixed success at the club was Yakubu as manager David Moyes had a howler with the inconsistent finisher.

What happened to Yakubu?

He scored 15 Premier League goals for the side in 2007/08 after joining from Middlesbrough for £11.25m and looked set for an excellent career at Goodison Park.

After his superb start to life on Merseyside, the towering centre-forward struggled to replicate his performances over the next three top-flight campaigns – failing to score more than five league goals in any of them.

Although, the dynamo did produce five goals and four assists in 25 Premier League appearances in 2009/10, which was a solid return from the attacker.

His struggles in 2010/11 – scoring once in 14 league matches – led to a loan move to Championship side Leicester and the marksman found his feet again with 11 goals and five assists in 20 games.

However, then-boss Moyes did not offer the machine a chance to kickstart his Toffees career and, instead, sold him to rivals Blackburn Rovers for a fee of just £1.5m.

Yakubu, who writer Michael Oti Adjei hailed as "clinical", quickly proved that his loan spell with the Foxes was exactly what he needed to get back to his best in the Premier League by racking up a stunning 17 goals in 30 matches in the top division in 2011/12.

His goals were, however, not enough to prevent Blackburn's relegation and their drop down to the Championship activated a clause in his contract that allowed Chinese club Guangzhou to snap him up.

The hulking attacker went on to score 25 goals in 45 games for his new club and this meant that the forward found the back of the net 43 times in 78 appearances in the three seasons following his exit from Goodison Park.

These impressive statistics show that Moyes certainly had a howler with the sale of Yakubu for a meagre £1.5m.

Erik ten Hag has set his sights on adding another one or two players to his Manchester United squad before the summer window slams shut in a couple of weeks.

Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Mason Mount have already joined the Old Trafford side and although there is the need for another defender, especially if Harry Maguire departs in the next few days, Ten Hag could also be tempted to sign a midfielder.

A Premier League star has been linked, and it appears as though the Red Devils are ready to make the next step to securing his signature.

Who do Man United want to sign this summer?

According to The Guardian, United look set to make an approach to Everton with regard to a potential deal for Amadou Onana.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

The Belgian only joined the Toffees from French side Lille last year, with the Merseyside club reluctant to sell this summer.

Sean Dyche would only entertain bids of over £50m as per the report and Everton are under no pressure to sell one of their prized assets so soon after arriving in the Premier League.

Who has played for both Man United and Everton?

United have endured mixed success by signing players from Everton throughout the previous 20 years.

The likes of Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini didn’t quite live up to expectations during their spell in Manchester, yet Wayne Rooney was arguably Sir Alex Ferguson’s finest signing.

Rooney joined the Red Devils aged just 18 having shone at the 2004 European Championships for England, yet it was his breakthrough at Everton which convinced Ferguson to make the move ahead of the 2004/05 season.

A debut hat trick set the tone for what would turn into a glory laden 13 years at Old Trafford, netting 253 goals in total. As it happens, Ten Hag could repeat United's Rooney masterclass by managing to convince Onana that a move along the M62 would be the best for his development.

The 21-year-old showcased his impressive defensive abilities from the heart of the Everton midfield as he was arguably one of their few bright sparks in an utterly woeful campaign that nearly culminated in their relegation.

He ranked third across the squad for tackles per game (2.2) and also finished in the top five for interceptions (1.1) and lost possession just 7.7 times per game, one of the lowest totals in the team.

Hailed as a “tenacious tackler” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Belgian certainly could add that extra bit of bite into the United midfield and make them more formidable.

Winning a total of 4.2 ground duels – at a success rate of 59% – undoubtedly backs up this praise from Kulig and although potentially costing in excess of £50m, it would be a wise investment for not only the upcoming season, but for the next five to ten years.

Rooney arrived at Old Trafford under undue pressure to succeed and he more than repaid the club’s investment.

Onana may offer totally different qualities to that of the former forward, but he can still have a similar sort of impact by arriving in Manchester.