Howe ‘desperate’ for return to Champions League ‘It’s not ideal in this moment to be light in that position’ Eddie Howe has warned that Newcastle’s hopes of Champions League qualification could well be jeopardised if, as expected, they fail to replace Miguel Almirón. Howe acknowledges, albeit tacitly, that only a place in Europe’s showpiece competition next season will keep arguably his four most important players, Alexander Isak, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimarães and Anthony Gordon, together at St James’ Park. Continue reading...

Paraguay winger back in US after six years on TynesideFour-and-a-half year contract agreed with Atlanta Miguel Almirón has left Newcastle and is bound for the US to sign for his former club Atlanta for a fee of around £9.5m. The Paraguay winger has agreed personal terms and subject to a medical will sign for the team he left six years ago. Newcastle’s then manager, Rafael Benítez, was delighted to acquire Almirón for £21m in 2019 and his time on Tyneside has largely been successful. Continue reading...

Paraguayan has been at St James’ Park since 2019Newcastle also receive £6m bid for defender Kelly Miguel Almirón is close to a return to Atlanta and MLS after Newcastle agreed a fee of about £8m-£10m. The Paraguay winger, also pursued by FC Charlotte in recent days, is believed to be keen on moving back to the United States after six largely successful years at St James’ Park and is in advanced talks with his former club. Although the 30-year-old has slipped out of favour this season, starting only one Premier League gamee, he proved a mainstay of the team that secured Champions League qualification during the 2022-23 campaign. Continue reading...

MLS club confirm interest in 30-year-old ParaguayanAlmirón joined Magpies in £21m switch from Atlanta Charlotte FC are hopeful of striking a deal to take Newcastle wide-man Miguel Almirón back to the MLS. Paraguay international Almirón was a target for Charlotte during the summer, but ultimately remained on Tyneside, although seven of his 10 appearances so far this season have come from the bench as he has slipped down the pecking order. Continue reading...

Winger’s sale could ease financial strain but leave squad thinKieran Trippier and Callum Wilson also attracting interest Newcastle’s Miguel Almirón is the subject of interest from the Saudi Arabian team Al-Shabab. If the Riyadh club comes up with an attractive offer for a player who turns 30 next month it will leave Newcastle’s majority Saudi owners with a dilemma. Selling Almirón could make financial sense for Newcastle as they strive to create room to invest in new players while remaining within the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR). Yet with Eddie Howe’s slender squad debilitated by injuries, losing the winger would make sense only if a suitable replacement were lined up. Continue reading...

Live updates from the 4.30pm GMT kick-offMatch report: Luton 1-2 Manchester CityGet in touch! You can email Niall or tweet him “G’Day Niall, a brutal 3.30am kick-off Down Under,” yawns Chris Paraskevas. “It’s a little surreal seeing Ange Postecoglou christened as English football’s new High Priest of Old Skool Vibez and Soul™️. Quite a makeover since the days of his iconic “interview”/ live ambush on national TV at the hands of a rampant, seething Craig Foster.” The last time these teams met, Newcastle put six past a broken Spurs side at St James’ Park. They also won the earlier fixture last season, prevailing 2-1 at this ground with goals from Callum Wilson and Miguel Almirón. Newcastle have a decent record here in recent years, winning this fixture five times since the 2013-14 season. They did also lose 5-1 to Antonio Conte’s Spurs in 2021-22, mind you. Continue reading...

Champions League updates from the 5.45pm GMT kick-offLive scoreboard | And feel free to drop Scott an email Plenty of changes to both starting XIs from the reverse fixture at St James’ Park a fortnight ago. Borussia Dortmund make five changes: Julian Brandt, Niklas Süle, Julian Ryerson, Salih Özcan and Karim Adeyemi replace Marco Reus, Donyell Malen, Marius Wolf and Ramy Bensebaini, all of whom drop to the bench, and the injured Emre Can. Newcastle make four changes to the team they sent out for that 1-0 defeat. Alexander Isak and Dan Burn are both injured, while Antony Gordon and Miguel Almirón drop to the bench. Stepping up: Callum Wilson, Joe Willock, Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall. Newcastle’s injury crisis is such that they’ve only named eight subs, including 21-year-old midfielder Lucas de Bolle and 18-year-old striker Ben Parkinson, plus two goalies in Martin Dubravka and Loris Karius. Continue reading...

Two years ago Sean Longstaff looked to be on his way out of Newcastle, almost certainly destined for a lower-division future, while Dan Burn could not be certain of a first-team place at Brighton. Few crystal ball gazers would have predicted that particularly unlikely pair not merely joining Miguel Almirón and Fabian Schär in scoring against Paris Saint-Germain here but utterly eclipsing Kylian Mbappé and friends as Newcastle’s first home Champions League game for 20 years concluded amid unbridled geordie joy. Continue reading...

From Bielsa with Uruguay to Simeone at Atlético, managers from the South American nation are everywhere – except Brazil When Uruguay appointed Marcelo Bielsa as coach in May, they joined a growing club. Lionel Scaloni led Argentina to glory at the World Cup. Chile are managed by Eduardo Berizzo. Paraguay are managed by Guillermo Barros Schelotto. Bolivia are managed by Gustavo Costas. Colombia are managed by Néstor Lorenzo. Venezuela are managed by Fernando Batista. Seven of the 10 Conmebol nations have Argentinian coaches and although Peru have a Peruvian and Ecuador a Spaniard, both succeeded Argentinians. Argentinian coaches are everywhere in South America; only Brazil stands aloof. Continue reading...