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Celtic’s annual general meeting collapsed into acrimony on Friday as open conflict between supporters and board members forced proceedings to be abandoned. Interim manager Martin O’Neill, who was warmly applauded upon his introduction, later described the morning as "one of the saddest" he had witnessed in his long association with the club.

• A bitter AGM ends early amid chants and accusations

  The meeting, held at Celtic Park, descended almost immediately into hostility. Within minutes, chants of “sack the board” echoed around the room, prompting a temporary adjournment less than five minutes after it began. Attempts to resume were short-lived. Shareholders erupted again when director Ross Desmond, son of the club’s majority shareholder Dermot Desmond, read a statement accusing a section of the fanbase of "bullying" behaviour. The atmosphere deteriorated further, and the AGM was brought to an early close.

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  O'Neill speaks of a "sad morning"

  Speaking afterwards, O’Neill cut an emotional figure as he reflected on a morning filled with tension and division.

  The 73-year-old said: "I thought it was a really sad, sad morning, really sad morning. I just wonder what the great Jock Stein would have thought of it all, who preached unity at the football club, said that a club not united would never be successful. It's as sad a morning as I've seen."

  O’Neill, who has attended several AGMs during more successful periods, noted the stark contrast.

  "I mean I've been to a few of these AGMs before and I suppose because we've been doing well at the time that it was nice," he said. "Not even sure I was ever asked a question in them at the time. But that was rather raucous."

  The board acknowledged mistakes, particularly regarding the summer transfer window and failure to qualify for the Champions League, but the apology did little to soothe tempers.

  "There were people who would have wanted to ask questions and the board have said that they've made mistakes," he said. "There's only so many times that you can apologise and then you have to get on with things again. So we'll start again and hopefully that will start when the new manager comes in. A united Celtic will be far better equipped to compete and try and win again."

• Supporters demand change as board relations hit new low

  Desmond’s statement branding some supporters "bullies" appears to have worsened tensions, with many fans calling it “provocative” and "tone-deaf". The relationship between the board and the fanbase is now at its most strained since O’Neill’s first arrival more than 20 years ago. But the interim manager believes bridges can be rebuilt.

  "It shouldn't be impossible, really it should not be impossible," he said. "There's got to be a coming together again from this. There's an obvious disconnect at this minute, but that surely can be rectified. You asked me a question, would my interim period fuse things together? I don't think that was ever going to happen.

  "But you've got to now realise that that has happened, mistakes have been made, and they can be rectified and hopefully rectified quickly. If I'd got an opportunity, I would probably be saying what I'm saying here, so I wish now I had said a few words. Listen, my words don't go down all that well in my own household, so I don't think it would really make much difference."

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  A club at crossroads

  Celtic’s AGM meltdown laid bare the fractures within the club. Anger aimed toward the board, accusations of bullying from senior figures, and rising frustration from supporters have created one of the most fraught atmospheres in recent memory. Speculation about Brendan Rodgers’ permanent successor intensified after reports suggested the club was closing in on Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy, leading bookmakers to suspend betting. But on Tuesday, the club clarified that O’Neill and Maloney will remain in charge for the foreseeable future. The pair will lead the first team into Saturday’s Premiership clash with St Mirren. O’Neill’s return has sparked nostalgia among supporters who remember his first spell fondly. Between 2000 and 2005, he guided Celtic to seven major trophies and the 2003 UEFA Cup final, where they fell 3–2 to Jose Mourinho’s Porto after extra time.

Glasgow Rangers underwent a squad overhaul during the summer transfer window after a change in ownership and a change in the coaching department with Russell Martin’s arrival.

Kevin Thelwell also joined as the team’s new sporting director and the former Everton chief was given plenty of money to play with to bolster the squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Unfortunately, as shown in the graphic above, that ended with Martin winning five of his 17 matches in charge of the Ibrox giants before being relieved of his duties last month.

Thelwell’s attacking signings, in particular, have to be placed under the microscope as he signed Youssef Chermiti from his former club for a fee of £8m, the most money spent on a Rangers signing since Tore Andre Flo for £12m in 2000.

So far, the Portugal U21 international has only scored one goal in all competitions for the Light Blues, which shows that they have not received value for money on that £8m yet.

Chermiti was brought in after the club sold centre-forward Hamza Igamane to Lille for a fee of £10.4m, and it is fair to say that they have not replaced him very well on current evidence.

Where Hamza Igamane ranks in the most expensive Rangers sales

The Morocco international only went for a fee of £10.4m because of a reported release clause in his contract, which would have been in place before Thelwell took over as sporting director, which means that he cannot be blamed for that situation.

Igamane ended his only season with the Ibrox giants with a return of 16 goals and three assists in 49 appearances in all competitions, which included 12 goals in 33 outings in the Scottish Premiership, per Transfermarkt.

The 23-year-old attacker also showcased his quality in the biggest matches, scoring the winner against Celtic in the clip above and scoring four goals in the Europa League.

As you can see in the table above, the Morocco international does still rank as the third-most expensive sale in the club’s history, behind Nathan Patterson and Calvin Bassey, but the release clause possibly stopped him from climbing higher up that list.

His departure has been a big loss for the Gers, on top of that, as Chermiti and fellow summer signing Bojan Miovski have combined for two Premiership goals after coming in to replace him and Cyriel Dessers.

Whilst Igamane was a big loss in the summer, there is a Rangers star attracting interest whose departure from Ibrox would be an even bigger loss for Danny Rohl.

Rangers star attracting interest ahead of January

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has revealed that there are clubs circling around Light Blues central midfielder Nicolas Raskin ahead of the January transfer window.

O’Rourke told Football Insider: “There was interest in Raskin in the summer window from a number of clubs in the Premier League and across Europe as well. There is still interest in the Belgium international and that’s not going to go away.

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“I’m sure clubs are keeping tabs on the situation at Rangers. I don’t think Rangers ideally would want to lose him midway through the season. It would have to be a big, big fee for Rangers to even consider selling him, that’s what I think it would take for them to let him go in January.”

Football Insider adds that the Belgium international is ‘tempted’ by the prospect of a move to the Premier League in January, amid interest from Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, as O’Rourke outlined in those comments, it would take a significant fee for the Scottish giants to consider parting ways with the midfield star, whose contract expires at the end of next season.

Why Rangers must keep hold of Nicolas Raskin

The Light Blues must resist any attempts to prise the Belgian star away from Ibrox in January because losing him would be an even bigger blow than it was to sell Igamane in the summer.

Of course, the Morocco international’s goals were important and his absence has been felt, mainly because of Chermiti and Miovski’s struggles, but he mainly impacted games in possession with his attacking play.

Raskin, however, is an exceptional box-to-box midfielder who can influence matches with his play in and out of possession, which means that he is even more important than Igamane to the overall structure of the side.

The 24-year-old star, who scored against Dundee in the Premiership before the international break, produced four goals and ten assists in the Premiership during the 2024/25 campaign, whilst also winning 57% of his duels, per Sofascore.

In the current campaign, the midfielder has delivered one goal and two assists along with 6.7 duels won per game at a success rate of 54%, per Sofascore, which shows that he is impacting matches at both ends.

As you can see in the table above, the Belgium international ranks highly among his teammates in a host of key metrics both in and out of possession in the league this season.

In fact, Raskin ranks within the top 11% of midfielders in the division for duels won (60) and the top 18% for tackles won (20) in the Premiership this season, which shows that he has been a standout defensively both by Rangers and Premiership standards.

The former Standard Liege ace, who was once dubbed “sensational” by former teammate Scott Arfield, is clearly crucial to what the Gers do at both ends of the pitch, with his contributions offensively and defensively.

That is why losing him would be an even bigger blow than when they lost Igamane in the summer, as the Moroccan forward only won 39% of his defensive duels and made 23 tackles over the entire season in the Premiership last term, per FotMob.

Rohl can unearth bigger talent than Gassama in £3.5m Rangers flop

Danny Rohl could unearth a bigger talent than Djeidi Gassama in this Rangers flop.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 15, 2025

Therefore, even if a ‘big’ offer comes over the desk in the January window, the club should look to keep hold of him until they have the summer window to take their time to replace the midfield star.

Scoring runs in a MLB game is usually quite a challenge for teams. That wasn't true for the Chicago Cubs on Sunday as they plated two runners in a row by not doing anything at all. Instead, they just stood there as San Diego Padres Logan Gillaspie was called for two straight balks with runners on.

Gillaspie entered the game with two outs in the first inning and with the bases loaded. He then told the home plate umpire he was going to work from the windup with a runner on third, which he's allowed to do. But then he made the same mistake twice by stopping during his windup and was called for a balk each time.

If you're going to tell the ump you're going to work from the windup, you should probably know the rules about doing so. Instead, it turned into quite mess for Gillaspie and the Padres.

Here's a good breakdown of what happened:

Not great!

The Cubs scored five times in the opening frame after giving up three runs to the Padres in the top of the first. What a wild day at Wrigley.

Jude Bellingham's generosity has shone through with the Real Madrid star prepared to give a youth player 'his armour' following a cruel injury blow. Bruno Iglesias recently suffered a serious shoulder injury for the second time in his young career. The 22-year-old slipped and fell awkwardly in training as the Castilla star was preparing for an emotional return to Salamanca.

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  Bellingham prepared to help Iglesias

  Iglesias had been set for a start under manager Alvaro Arbeloa but injury struck again in front of family and friends. It's the second time the youngster has endured a shoulder injury leaving the Castilla player with a decision to make.

  Iglesias must now decide whether to play with a shoulder brace and endure the pain or undergo surgery that would rule him out until March. However, with less than a year left on his current deal, and the option to extend tied to first-team promotion, the Spaniard is eager to keep playing.

  And in a huge show of generosity, Bellingham has offered to lend Iglesias the same shoulder brace he used in order to manage his own shoulder injury. The England international played in excess of 100 games with the brace itself before opting for surgery following the Club World Cup.

  The 22-year-old played all six Real Madrid matches at the summer competition in the US before their resounding semi-final exit at the hands of Champions League winners PSG, after which he made the decision to go under the knife. Bellingham missed the opening few weeks of the season but has since slotted back into the Real Madrid starting seamlessly.

  "I've been waiting for a while and my patience is running out. I want to feel free now; it's exhausting playing with the sling," Bellingham said about playing in the shoulder brace.

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• 'There were a lot of days alone' in Bellingham's recovery

  Earlier this month, Bellingham opened up on his shoulder surgery and has confirmed he is now back to full fitness, stating: "It felt quick, but there were a lot of days alone, working hard, and honestly, pretty boring. I'm back earlier than people expected it was never going to be three or four months, I was always confident I’d return sooner.

  "Once I was back with the team and doing contact, I flew through the last few weeks. On the pitch, I feel confident. I had to do gym sessions on a mat, learning how to fall and roll again, making sure I wasn’t putting my shoulder in positions where it might pop out.

  "The chances are less than 1%, but it was about feeling no pain. It’s boring stuff you’re basically learning to fall again like a kid. It means a lot to hear people say they miss watching you, teammates miss playing with you, staff miss coaching you even the fans being up in the stand, seeing yourself on the big screen, hearing the claps it’s humbling to know so many people are supporting you.

  "It’s easy to get dragged into negativity when you’re injured, especially when you can’t remind people what you do. That support was exactly the reminder I needed of how loved I am in Madrid, which is all that really matters."

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  Real Madrid seek to return to winning ways at Elche

  Bellingham will now hope to help Real Madrid return to winning ways having failed to win their last two competitive games. Xabi Alonso could only watch on as his Real Madrid side fell to a 1-0 loss at Liverpool in the Champions League earlier this month.

  Los Blancos then followed up that defeat with a 0-0 draw at Rayo Vallecano and they'll hope to reclaim top spot in La Liga when they take on Elche on Sunday. Real Madrid dropped to second in the table as rivals and defending champions Barcelona secured a 4-0 win over Athletic Club in their first game at Spotify Camp Nou in over 900 days on Saturday afternoon.

  Elche are unbeaten at home in La Liga this season, winning three and drawing three of their opening six games in front of their fans as Real Madrid seek to get their season back on track ahead of their Champions League game against Olympiacos next week.

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• Real Madrid's no.5 looking to rediscover debut season form

  Bellingham, meanwhile, made an impressive return to first team action following his full recovery from surgery, coming in clutch in narrow wins over Juventus and Barcelona in the Champions League and La Liga, respectively.

  The Real Madrid no.5 will now hope to put in performances similar to his debut season in Spain, where he inspired the Spanish giants to the league and Champions League double. 

Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign Abde Ezzalzouli, at Unai Emery’s request, and Real Betis’ asking price has been revealed.

Villa’s interest in signing a new forward comes amid doubts surrounding Harvey Elliott’s future, with widespread reports suggesting Liverpool could recall the attacking midfielder from his loan spell in the January transfer window.

Elliott has failed to establish himself as a first-team regular, featuring for just 97 minutes across four matches in the Premier League this season, and Fabrizio Romano has now provided an update on whether there is any way back for the Englishman.

The transfer expert said: “At the moment, it depends on his performances in training. The situation is still not changing and of course, Elliott is not happy.”

Should the 22-year-old exit Villa Park this winter, there may be room in the squad to bring in another attacker, and the Villans are now looking to sign a new winger…

Aston Villa join race to sign Abde Ezzalzouli at Unai Emery's request

According to a report from Spain, Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign Real Betis star Ezzalzouli, with the forward being monitored closely ahead of the January transfer window, although there could be competition for his signature from Crystal Palace.

The Betis board’s asking price is ‘significantly’ in excess of the Moroccan’s current value of €12m (£11m), with the Spanish club eager to retain one of their key players, and manager Manuel Pellegrini has made it clear he wants to keep hold of him.

The 23-year-old has been personally requested by Emery for January, with the manager setting out to sign a new winger in order to strengthen his side’s chances of winning the Europa League.

It is little wonder Pellegrini is keen to keep hold of the 25-time Morocco international, given that he has impressed at Real Betis for quite some time, with scout Ben Mattinson waxing lyrical about the left-winger during the 2024/25 campaign.

The former Osasuna man has also made a flying start to the season, chipping in with three goals and two assists in his opening eight games, which has helped propel his side to fifth in the La Liga table.

Emery strengthened his options at left-wing in the summer, signing Jadon Sancho, but the Manchester United loanee is yet to make an impact, failing to register a single goal or assist in his opening eight matches in all competitions.

As such, it would make sense to bring in a new winger in the January transfer window, and Ezzalzouli could be a fantastic long-term addition to the squad.

Aston Villa targeting Ansu Fati alongside Abde Ezzalzouli

Aston Villa prepared to make Ansu Fati offer but face complicated roadblock

The Villans are willing to make a bid for a new forward, after Emery’s plea to the board.

By
Dominic Lund

Nov 4, 2025

Brad Lord's path to MLB has not been anything but standard.

The former 18th round pick in the 2022 MLB Amateur Draft made the Washington Nationals' Opening Day roster on Wednesday, according to reports, just a few months after he spent the winter working at his local Home Depot.

Lord, who, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN, worked for Home Depot moving mulch and Christmas trees this past winter, is set to feature in Washington's bullpen to start the 2025 MLB season after an impressive season in the minors in 2024.

In order to make some money during baseball offseasons, Lord has worked some pretty standard, non-baseball related jobs. In addition to Home Depot, he spent the previous winter working at Publix, all the while continuing to hone his craft on the mound.

Last year, playing at A+, Double-A and Triple-A, Lord made 25 starts and recorded a 2.78 ERA with 135 strikeouts across 129 2/3 innings. This spring, he struggled to the tune of a 6.08 ERA in nine relief appearances, but it wasn't enough to dissuade the Nationals from carrying him on the roster to start the season.

Now, the Talahassee, Fla. native is officially a big-leaguer at the age of 25, less than three years after he was selected with the No. 531 pick in the 2022 draft out of the University of South Florida.

Arsenal have made a blistering start to this season, and the theme of their success continues to be squad depth.

On Wednesday night, it was substitutes that made all the difference, as the Gunners beat Bayern Munich 3-1 in the Champions League.

Riccardo Calafiori set up Noni Madueke to score the go-ahead goal, before Gabriel Martinelli raced around Manuel Neuer to stroke home the clincher soon after, all three doing so off the bench.

In recent seasons, most notably last year, Arsenal’s title hopes have been derailed by injuries, simply not possession-requisite deputies, in terms of quality, quantity and sometimes both, to cope with key absentees.

Well, this time round, numerous key figures have been or are currently still sidelined, and this has not hampered the Gunners one bit, so do Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta now have their eyes set on further new recruits in January?

Arsenal target a new attacker

Those who thought Mikel Merino up front had been confined to the past were very much mistaken, the Spaniard forced back into the emergency centre-forward role because, well, in recent weeks there haven’t been any other options.

Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyökeres remain sidelined, Martin Ødegaard, Madueke and Martinelli have all made their returns this week, but Leandro Trossard is a doubt for Sunday’s trip to Stamford Bridge after suffering a knock against Bayern, the severity of which is not yet known.

So, could Arteta request the arrival of a new attacker in January?

Well, according to reports in Spain, Arsenal are interested in signing Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund, with Manchester United also in the race to secure his signature.

They add that die Schwarzgelben value the German international at £75m, but could be under pressure to sell, considering that his contract expires in 2027, hence why there is ‘intensifying’ interest from the two Premier League giants.

So, could he become the 13th German to feature for Arsenal, following in the footsteps of Jens Lehmann, Per Mertesacker, Mesut Özil, Bernd Leno, Lukas Podolski and others?

What Karim Adeyemi​​​​​​​ would bring to Arsenal

After beginning his senior career at RB Salzburg, Adeyemi joined Dortmund in the summer of 2022 for €38m (around £33m), scoring 31 goals and registering 22 assists for the club to date.

Analyst Ben Mattinson praises his “electric pace” and labels him a “transitional monster”, which is possibly best demonstrated by this goal he scored in the Champions League against Graham Potter’s Chelsea at the Westfalenstadion​​​​​​​.

Meantime, according to the Bundesliga, he is one of the fastest players in the division’s history, reaching a top speed of 22.77 miles per hour, which would result in an £80 fine if he ran that fast up Holloway Road parallel to the Emirates.

He is very much a key player at Dortmund, as the table below documents.

The table underlines Adeyemi’s importance to Dortmund.

Only Serhou Guirassy has scored more goals, with wing-back Julian Ryerson the only player boasting better creative numbers, but Adeyemi is currently combining the two.

The attacker also leads the way at die Schwarzgelben for all the dribbling statistics as well as top speed, registering the most touches of any Dortmund player in the opposition penalty area.

This emphasises how he is currently able to combine all the things that make both Madueke and Bukayo Saka elite – the two players noted as among the five most stylistically and statistically similar players to Adeyemi among those in their position across Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref.

Madueke is a direct dribbler who is a major goal-threat, underlined by the fact that he ranked third in the Premier League last season for progressive carries and fifth when it came to touches in the attacking penalty box.

Saka meantime is the creator in chief, registering more shot-creating actions and big chances created than any other Arsenal player so far this season, despite a spell on the sidelines due to injury.

Well, right now, Adeyemi is able to combine all of these qualities into one, seemingly fulfilling his full potential at the age of 23, suggesting he would be an excellent addition to Arteta’s team and could be the man to fire them to that elusive first Premier League title since 2002.

Shades of Declan Rice: Arsenal expected to move for £80m "superstar"

Arsenal are ready to add the final flourishes on their high-flying squad.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 29, 2025

Bayern Munich director of sport Max Eberl issued a cryptic update on Harry Kane’s future, saying the striker “knows exactly what he wants” amid speculation linking him with a big-money move to Spanish giants Barcelona. The England captain has been in remarkable goalscoring form for the Bundesliga heavyweights, who are hoping to keep him beyond 2027.

• Kane has been in stunning form for Bayern and England in 2025

  In what has been a tremendous 2025-26 season so far, Kane has scored 24 goals in just 20 games in all competitions for Bayern, who are currently eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table. 

  The 32-year-old helped Vincent Kompany’s side bounce back from their midweek loss at Arsenal in the Champions League with a 3-1 league victory over St. Pauli on Saturday, with Raphael Guerreiro, Luis Diaz and Nicolas Jackson doing the damage for the Bavarians.

  Kane also played a key role in helping England qualify for the 2026 World Cup, scoring eight goals in as many qualifiers as Thomas Tuchel’s men topped Group K with a 100 per cent record. 

  In their final competitive fixture before next summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States, former Tottenham striker Kane scored both goals as the Three Lions downed Albania 2-0 on 16 November.

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  Bayern chief speaks out on England captain's future

  However, while Kane continues to flourish at Bayern, speculation is swirling regarding his long-term future at the club. The forward, whose current contract expires in 2027, can reportedly trigger an exit clause before the end of January which would allow him to leave next summer for just £56.7 million (€65m/$76m).

  And while Bayern chief Eberl believes there is a strong chance Kane could extend his stay in Germany, he has fuelled speculation over the attacker’s future with recent comments on the situation.

  Speaking to following Bayern’s win over St. Pauli, Eberl told reporters: “Harry knows exactly what he wants and we have plans for him. We would like to continue. We can very, very well imagine that, but we will basically discuss everything with Harry.”

• Barcelona presidential candidate refuses to rule out Kane bid

  Eberl’s comments come after Xavier Vilajoana, who is running against Joan Laporta in Barcelona’s presidential elections next year, refused to rule out a statement move for Kane, should he emerge victorious.

  “We have incredibly talented players at La Masia, but of course, if we don't have players, we will look elsewhere,” Vilajoana told “I will always look for a player who understands Barca's DNA, not just a name. It's a dangerous thing to look for just a name, but someone who fits our style and culture."

  When asked if Kane would fit that profile, he said: "If we don't have a Harry Kane inside [the club], we are going to get him. Why not?”

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  Former Tottenham striker remains calm over his future in Germany

  Meanwhile, Kane is remaining calm over his future at Bayern, saying there is “no rush” to enter into discussions regarding a new contract.

  “I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me,” he told German newspaper this week. “I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern.

  “There's no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there's contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it's very unlikely that anything will change after this season.”

The 2025/26 season has been one full of inconsistency for Newcastle United. Whether it be on the field or in the treatment room, they cannot seem to string a positive period together.

After drawing 2-2 in last-gasp fashion with Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday evening, it meant that Eddie Howe’s men have not won back-to-back games since the end of October.

In the Premier League, they are yet to win consecutive fixtures all campaign long. This cannot go on forever and sooner rather than later, the Magpies are going to need to sustain a period of form.

They have, of course, been hampered by Alexander Isak’s departure but in their bid to replace the iconic Swede, they have not been helped by Yoane Wissa. Signed from Brentford, the DR Congo striker is yet to be seen in the famous black and white stripes due to injury.

That said, he is nearing a return. Perhaps the former Bees forward could be the man to spark some extra life in this Newcastle team.

The tactical tweaks Eddie Howe needs to make at Newcastle

To cut Howe some slack, he has not been helped out by a number of his chief lieutenants this season.

In the last few weeks, Nick Pope has become something of a calamity between the sticks and even if he is now injured, it would not be a surprise to see Aaron Ramsdale replace Newcastle’s no.1 long-term. That feels like a necessary change if they are to improve at the back.

The defence has not been helped by injury either. Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall have both missed games and if Howe can now keep the English duo injury-free, they will be key to any improvement Newcastle make in the future.

Hall, in particular, has been outstanding since returning. He was hailed as the “best player on the field” against Spurs by BBC North East correspondent Andy Sixsmith and looks every bit a left-back who should be in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad next summer.

Hall’s return has led to one key tactical tweak. Dan Burn is no longer playing at left-back. In that position, he had floundered and flattered to deceive, notably described as “the stuff of nightmares” in that role.

It’s in midfield and up top where Howe has struggled to find the most consistency. Summer arrival Anthony Elanga is still without a goal since arriving and Wissa’s injury problems are well-documented.

Anthony Gordon is arguably in the worst form of his Toon career too, scoring just once in nine league outings throughout 2025/26. It’s just as well they also have Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes to choose from in wide areas.

Gordon has been one of the biggest scapegoats of the ongoing campaign but there’s a bigger one in the middle of the park and it’s time for Howe to drop him to the bench.

Newcastle's long-term servant must no longer start regularly

This has been a hugely frustrating season for the likes of Elanga and Gordon but it’s arguably been a worse one for Joelinton, whose performances in the middle of the park are waning.

Signed as a striker by Steve Bruce in a then club-record deal, Howe has worked wonders with the Brazilian, turning him into a no-nonsense midfielder who loves a duel.

He’s been one of the most important components of Howe’s squad throughout the year, delivering his ‘greatest performance’ for the club during that League Cup win at Wembley last term.

Since then, however, it’s been a tale of woe for the former Hoffenheim man. Excusing his first term in England, this is arguably his worst since moving from Germany.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

In the words of journalist Mark Douglas in mid-October, he has been “nowhere near his best” in recent memory, leading to sections of the fanbase calling for him to be dropped from the XI.

He remained on the bench in the defeat to Marseille in Europe but has started the last three league games. His form, however, is not getting much better.

Journalist Charlie Bennett noted that Joelinton was “very sloppy” on the ball during Newcastle’s 2-2 draw with Spurs on Tuesday. The club’s number seven lost the ball 11 times out of 49 touches and had a pass accuracy of only 83%.

Judging by recent performances, which have been gritty but lacking composure, the likes of Jacob Ramsey and Joe Willock must be wondering what they need to do to start more games.

There is no dislodging the likes of Sandro Tonali and skipper Bruno Guimaraes but there is an extra slot that is being filled, perhaps undeservedly, by Joelinton.

Willock, signed from Arsenal in a deal worth £25m has barely been seen this term. He’s fallen behind in the pecking order and the days of him running riot during that famous loan spell are now a distant memory.

Likewise for Ramsey. He joined from Aston Villa in the summer for a whopping £40m and even if he has struggled with injury, he should now be starting more matches.

The fact that error-prone Joelinton is starting ahead of them on a regular basis should leave the pair rather angry. Newcastle needed some extra drive and the ability to hold onto possession. Ramsey, in particular, with his ability to surge through midfield, could have offered this against Spurs.

Lewis Miley has started the odd game recently and was one of their best players in the win over Everton last weekend. Even he had a right to be fuming that Joelinton has started more games than him.

It’s time for a regular spot on the bench for the big Brazilian.

Fewer passes than Ramsdale: Howe must drop 6/10 Newcastle star after Spurs

Newcastle United were denied another Premier League win by Tottenham Hotspur last night.

By
Ethan Lamb

Dec 3, 2025

Hansi Flick has delivered a crushing blow to Marc-Andre ter Stegen's hopes of reclaiming his starting spot at Barcelona. The German coach publicly confirmed Joan Garcia's status as the undisputed number one, leaving the club legend facing a January exit if he wants to keep his World Cup dream alive.

• Flick's brutal honesty

  The goalkeeping hierarchy at Barcelona has been the subject of intense scrutiny for months, but Flick has finally moved to end the debate with a ruthless declaration of intent. Speaking ahead of his side's return to La Liga action, the former Bayern Munich boss made it abundantly clear that there is no rotation planned between the sticks. Despite Ter Stegen's return to fitness and his inclusion in the matchday squad against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League midweek, the door to the first team appears firmly shut.

  When asked about the situation and whether the veteran German could expect minutes soon, Flick was blunt. He reaffirmed his faith in summer signing Joan Garcia, dismissing the notion that the position is up for grabs.

  "Joan is number one," Flick stated emphatically. "I am not going to talk about the number two or number three goalkeeper. Joan plays, we believe in him and I have no idea of changing Joan. And he has done very well."

  He added: "Of course I've spoken to him. It's my job, but it's something between him and me.
  "

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  A legend out in the cold

  This public vote of confidence in Garcia represents a dramatic fall from grace for Ter Stegen. For the best part of a decade, the 33-year-old was an untouchable figure at Camp Nou, wearing the captain's armband and saving the team on countless occasions. However, the landscape shifted violently during the summer.

  Ter Stegen's troubles began with a recurring injury that plagued him for much of last season, raising doubts about his long-term durability. These doubts were compounded by the club's aggressive move to sign Joan Garcia from Espanyol. The arrival of the Olympic gold medallist was reportedly met with hostility by Ter Stegen, leading to reports of a 'feud' behind the scenes. The German shot-stopper viewed the signing not as competition, but as a direct lack of respect for his legacy, and he was soon informed he would not be the first or second choice options in 2025-26, with Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny ahead of him. His attempt to make it difficult for Barca to register Garcia resulted in him being stripped of the captain's armband, though that issue was soon resolved.

• Ter Stegen returns to the fold

  Hopes of a reconciliation or a sporting comeback were briefly raised earlier this week. Ter Stegen was named in the squad for the Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt, marking his first involvement since his latest fitness setback.

  Ter Stegen watched from the bench as Garcia played the full 90 minutes. Flick's comments today confirm that his inclusion was merely for depth rather than a signal of intent. The manager's refusal to even discuss the "number two or number three" suggests that Ter Stegen is now viewed purely as a backup option, a status that is untenable for a player of his calibre and salary.

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  World Cup dreams hanging by a thread

  The timing of this demotion could not be worse for Ter Stegen. With the 2026 World Cup in North America looming on the horizon, the goalkeeper is desperate to cement his place as Germany's number one following the retirement of Manuel Neuer. However, Julian Nagelsmann has made it clear that he will only select players who are playing regularly for their clubs.

  Sitting on the bench in Catalonia will effectively hand the German jersey to rivals like Alexander Nubel or Oliver Baumann. As a result, the January transfer window has become a critical juncture. Reports suggest that Ter Stegen's representatives are already sounding out potential suitors, with clubs in the Bundesliga and perhaps even the Premier League monitoring the situation. He knows that he must move in the winter window to secure the game time needed to convince Nagelsmann he is still the best option for the national team.

  For Barcelona, the situation presents a financial and diplomatic headache. Ter Stegen remains one of the club's highest earners, and having such an expensive asset sitting on the bench is a luxury they can ill afford given their perpetual economic balancing act. Flick's comments may be a strategic move to push the player towards the exit door, accelerating a separation that now feels inevitable.

  For Ter Stegen, the message is clear: the era of his dominance at Barcelona is over. If he wants to lead his country out at the World Cup in 2026, he will likely have to do so as a former Blaugrana player. The "undisputed" reign of Joan Garcia has begun, and Hansi Flick has no intention of looking back.