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Newcastle United "were no longer working on" a deal to sign Dominik Szoboszlai over the past few weeks because their "focus was on Sandro Tonali", claims transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Newcastle United transfer news – What's the latest on Dominik Szoboszlai and Sandro Tonali?

The Magpies enjoyed an unbelievable season last year, qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in two decades and making it to the final of the Carabao Cup, despite falling at the final hurdle.

It's no surprise that with their new status as the richest club in the world and the arrival of continental football at St James' Park, Eddie Howe and Co are looking to make a statement in the summer transfer window.

That said, the Toon haven't had it all their own way thus far, with long-term target James Maddison signing for Tottenham Hotspur earlier this week with the Metro reporting that the England international was impressed with Ange Postecoglou's pitch.

Another player that seems to have slipped through the cracks is Hungarian international and RB Leipzig star, Szoboszlai.

According to Football Insider, the dynamic midfielder was on Howe's shortlist of potential transfer targets, and the Magpies eventually made an 'approach to sign' the 22-year-old back in May.

However, it appears that any deal with the club would have been pointless, as Leipziger Volkszeitung reporter Guido Schafer claimed on the Anfield Roar podcast (via NewcastleWorld) that:

"He (Szoboszlai) wants to leave. He said 'I want to make the next step', and he loves the Premier League. If he can choose between Champions League with Newcastle and Europa League with Jurgen Klopp, he will choose Klopp and the Europa League. That is for sure."

The Hungarian dynamo now looks to have gotten his wish, with Liverpool having reportedly offered to pay the German club the £60m required to activate his release clause.

However, according to Romano, Newcastle were less keen than first thought and had recently stopped working on the deal to focus on their primary transfer target, AC Milan's Tonali.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: "Let me say for Newcastle fans that in the past few days, Newcastle were no longer working on this one because their focus was on Sandro Tonali.

"Sandro Tonali is a done deal and will be announced I think during the weekend from what I am told."

How good is Sandro Tonali?

The Italian international has been brilliant in Serie A over the last few seasons, earning himself a loan move to AC Milan from Brescia in 2020 before making the move permanent in 2021.

Since making his debut at the San Siro, he has made 130 appearances for the club, helping the team to win the Scudetto for the first time in 11 years in the 2021/22 season.

According to WhoScored, the 23-year-old averaged a brilliant rating of 6.91 across his 34 Serie A appearances last season, scoring twice and assisting his teammates another seven times.

The "leader", as described by football scout Jacek Kulig, is set to cost the Toon at least £55m, but based on his fantastic performances for Milan, that could well look like a bargain a few years down the line.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has made it 'very clear' to Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount that he is a 'priority target' at Old Trafford this summer, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest transfer news involving Mason Mount?

According to reports, United have already had two initial bids for the England international turned down by the Londoners.

However, another bid is expected to land shortly with the Red Devils are still considered as being the side that are in pole position to sign the £80k-a-week ace.

Nevertheless, Simon Jones, who is a journalist for the Daily Mail, has delivered another update in his Transfer Confidential that may worry Manchester United fans, revealing that their pursuit of Mount has now put them in a position where Ten Hag might need to choose between signing a high-profile striker or goalkeeper this summer, as their budget won't allow them to strengthen both positions.

Tottenham Hotspur talisman Harry Kane was also a target for the Red Devils previously; however, any move to bring in the 29-year-old now looks to be off the table.

Manchester United star Luke Shaw spoke about Mount when asked if they had been in contact in an interview cited by METRO while on international duty, stating:

"Yeah, obviously he’s not here [Mount was injured]. I think it’s all just a bit of banter really, obviously we have a joke and a laugh about it. I am not too sure what goes on behind the scenes; it’s to do with the club really.

"But of course when we’re here and together we have a joke about it but like I said I don’t know too much what’s going on."

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, renowned journalist Romano has signalled that Manchester United have communicated their vision to Mount at Old Trafford.

Romano stated: "They believe that this is kind of a strategy game, so let's see if Chelsea will change their position on the price in the next few weeks.

"Manchester United have sent very clear messages to the player in recent days, telling him they want him and that he is considered a priority target."

How did Mason Mount fare at Chelsea in 2022/23?

Mount endured an inconsistent campaign for Chelsea, in all honesty, though he still showed flashes of quality in a collectively underwhelming time of things at Stamford Bridge.

As per Transfermarkt, the 24-year-old made 35 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, registering three goals and six assists in the process.

WhoScored detail that Mount had no problem trying to force the issue for Chelsea and showed bravery when on the ball, completing 1.3 key passes on average per match in the Premier League.

According to FBRef, Mount was a handy presence in the engine room with regard to chance provision and successfully mastered 83 shot-creating actions over the course of the term.

Being handed a fresh opportunity somewhere else to show his capabilities may be the best option for the Portsmouth-born ace's career moving forward and Ten Hag could potentially take him to the next level at Old Trafford.

Arsenal have missed out on the signing of Ilkay Gündogan, who appears set to choose Barcelona as his next club, with his agent close to saying 'yes', according to reports in Spain.

What's the latest Gundogan transfer news?

The report all but confirms Mikel Arteta will miss out on a player who would significantly impact his young Gunners side, as Gündogan's agent has apparently told the Catalans they will sign at Camp Nou, with the definitive agreement expected very soon.

This will be a disappointing blow for the Spaniard who would have fancied his chances of picking up the in-demand free agent, with Football London suggesting Arsenal were close to completing the move.

Last week Arsenal academy boss Per Mertesacker revealed his club were in a 'good position' to sign Gündogan from Man City, while speaking as a pundit in Germany, as reported by The Mirror.

The German would have been a brilliant coup and real statement signing for Arteta's project – a player who has won everything at club level, including the treble with City last season, his experience would've been invaluable.

The reason why Arteta will be disappointed to miss out on the midfielder is quite self-explanatory – Gündogan is a wonderful footballer, who despite being 32-years-old, is at the pinnacle of his game and coming off his best ever season. The 2022/23 campaign saw Gündogan tally up 11 goals and seven assists for City, along with countless key performances and big moments, particularly in crunch time.

Among his best performances was an immaculate brace against Everton in May to put City on their way to another league title. This performance prompted Manchester United legend Roy Keane to hail the midfielder saying: "What an outstanding player. What a player this guy is, absolutely brilliant."

High praise from a rival club's former legend, just proving the point that Gündogan is a special talent. Having played under Pep Guardiola for so many years, and given Arteta is essentially a student of Pep, Gündogan would have fit Arsenal like a glove.

Who are Arsenal linked with?

With Gündogan off the table, Arteta will now likely turn his attention toward alternatives. One name consistently linked with the Gunners is of course West Ham United's Declan Rice, who is fresh off his Conference League success in Europe.

Rice is reportedly being tracked by multiple Champions League sides, including Manchester City, Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

With Arsenal also reportedly willing to sell Thomas Partey, along with Granit Xhaka departing, Arsenal could be facing a huge effort to rebuild their midfield this summer and Rice could also be joined by Romeo Lavia.

Liverpool will not be making a move for Alex Scott this summer, according to a report from reliable journalist Ben Jacobs.

Who is Alex Scott linked with?

The midfielder has had an electric year in the Championship for Bristol City and has become a key player for the side already despite being only 19-years-old. He featured in a total of 42 second tier games for the Robins in the 2022/23 season – nearly every single league fixture for the club – and 40 of those came as starts. It led to one goal and five assists from the centre of the field, the teenager's best ever career tally for assists.

In addition, when compared to others in his position in the Men's 'Next 8' competitions in Europe, he ranks extremely highly despite his youth and relative inexperience (he's only had two years of first-team football).

He sits nicely in the top 11% for progressive carries for example with a rate of 2.34 per 90 and also fits into the 83rd percentile for successful take-ons, with a total of 1.22 per 90 to boot.

It's led to plenty of clubs from higher up the pyramid sniffing around his signature – but one club that won't be making a move is Liverpool according to journalist Ben Jacobs. He states that the Reds have indeed scouted and had a look at Scott but that they won't be making a move to sign him. Instead, that leaves the path empty for some of the other interested Premier League sides, namely Wolves and Tottenham.

What is Alex Scott's transfer value?

A deal won't be cheap for the player even though he is only 19. That's because Jacobs adds that Bristol City want around £25m for his signature – a huge fee for a player who has yet to leave the Championship.

However, when you consider the impact he has had on the game already and some of the high praise he has receieved, it comes as no surprise. Even Pep Guardiola has hailed Scott for example, as he called the midfielder an "unbelievable player."

Indeed, some Reds fans may feel that, considering his talent, their club should be in the race to try and bring Scott to Anfield.

West Ham United still have a list of candidates that could replace David Moyes, with RMC Sport, via Get Football News France, reporting that Christophe Galtier is on their radar as someone who they could swoop for.

Is David Moyes staying at West Ham United?

The Hammers struggled to get going in the Premier League in the 2022/23 campaign, with the side finishing in just 14th place on 40 points. It meant that they were just six points clear of the relegation places and were a whopping 31 points away from the top four. However, despite their shortcomings in the top flight, they ended up being crowned Europa Conference League winners. With a victory over Fiorentina in the final, the club secured a European title and ended the season on a high note.

However, despite claiming that victory, the future of manager David Moyes has been uncertain. Heading into the final, it looked like a defeat could see him exit the club, while reports since have suggested that his future now remains with the Hammers. The former Man United boss has been with the club since 2019 and has now overseen 179 games with the side, averaging 1.55 points-per-match. It seems then as though his tenure may continue and he could even reach 200 games with the club.

A report from RMC Sport though suggests otherwise. They state that West Ham do have candidates that could replace Moyes at the club and that Christophe Galtier is one of the names they are considering. The manager has recently been in charge of PSG but is set to leave the club according to this report and has plenty of other clubs sniffing around him.

What is Christophe Galtier's managerial record?

Galtier is coming off his best ever season as a manager when it comes to points-per-match average. With PSG, the boss managed a total of 2.16 ppm. Prior to that, he was in charge at Nice in France and managed a respectable 1.84 with that side too. He also has plenty of experience in terms of winning silverware, having won the Ligue 1 title on two occasions, as well as the French League Cup and French Super Cup.

If West Ham did decide that now was the time to part ways with Moyes then, Galtier could be a more than adequate replacement for the manager – although he has yet to be tested in the Premier League and has only ever been a boss in France.

Newcastle United target Dominik Szoboszlai is “aware” of the “concrete interest” from St. James’ Park, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

Who is Dominik Szoboszlai?

The RB Leipzig midfielder first joined Marco Rose’s side back in 2021 from RB Salzburg, who are owned by the same company, and he has since become a regular feature of the first-team, clocking up 91 appearances to date.

The Hungary international was the Bundesliga outfit’s overall second best-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 7.32 last season, with this impressive form having seen him attracting plenty of interest from the Premier League.

Sky Sports reported in May that the Magpies had sent scouts to watch the 22-year-old twice within the space of a fortnight, and the player himself sparked rumours of a move when responding “next question” after being asked whether he would still be at his club beyond the summer which has now been backed up even further.

Are Newcastle signing Szoboszlai?

Taking to Twitter, Plettenberg now reveals that Szoboszlai does know about the admiration from Newcastle and stated that PIF and Eddie Howe have highlighted him as a primary target for the upcoming window. He wrote:

“News #Szoboszlai: Player is very open to leave RB in summer as he’s aware of the concrete interest from @NUFC as revealed. He’s a top transfer target of #NUFC. Release clause of around €70m (£60m). RB bosses not happy with his latest statements. It’s a question of the price now.”

Could Szoboszlai be a good signing for Howe?

Newcastle are clearly serious about landing Szoboszlai having already deployed chiefs to assess him on multiple occasions, and having been hailed a “pure quality” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, it would be a massive coup should the board be able to bring him to the northeast.

RB Leipzig’s attacking midfielder posted 14 goal contributions (eight assists and six goals) in 31 Bundesliga appearances last season, form which saw him receive four man-of-the-match awards, but he also excelled even when the ball didn’t hit the back of the net.

The EM Sports Consulting client recorded 150 shot-creating actions which was higher than any of his fellow teammates, and 117 crosses which was the second-biggest total throughout his squad, as per FBRef.

Finally, Szoboszlai is a versatile operator having played in seven different positions across the grass since first bursting onto the professional scene which will no doubt be yet another attractive attribute to the boss, making him the perfect central candidate to put pen to paper at St. James’ Park.

Manchester United's takeover situation is still ongoing, and it will not be resolved before they appear in the FA Cup final, journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed.

What's the latest on Man United's ownership situation?

There is still a lack of clarity over what Man United's current owners, the Glazers, will do moving forward, following multiple bids for ownership from Sir Jim Ratcliffe's consortium and a Qatar-backed group led by Sheikh Jassim Hamad Bin Al Thani.

Ratcliffe's bid will likely see the Glazers keep some of their shares in the club, whilst Jassim's latest bid, which falls short of the asking price, is for a full takeover.

The situation has dragged on for months, and manager Erik ten Hag will have been hoping for a resolution before the end of the season. However, speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs revealed that there is to be no answer ahead of United's final match, the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

“It's still fluid. There are still less formal talks taking place behind the scenes," he stated.

"Unfortunately for all parties, nothing has moved, and it may not move until after the FA Cup Final.”

What could happen next for Man United?

Man United's current focus will be on the cup final, which could play a crucial role in stopping their local rivals from completing a treble, a feat only achieved by United in English football.

The lack of progress on a deal may cause frustration, but with no resolution in sight, the Glazers may be waiting until the season ends before any announcement, given the potential for protests at the cup final if an unfavourable decision is reached.

There have been protests from sections of the United fanbase calling for a full sale of the club, rather than a takeover which will see the Glazers remain in any capacity.

The American family have been heavily criticised since taking over United in 2005, having seen a large buildup of debt and a steady decline in on-field performance since. The Red Devils have not won a league title in ten years, and have had to watch their biggest rivals in City and Liverpool consistently compete for major honours since.

A resolution will be necessary soon to allow Ten Hag to operate in the transfer market, following a promising first season of progress under the Dutchman. United secured a third-placed finish and won the Carabao Cup, their first piece of silverware in five years, and will be hoping to challenge for the title next season.

Celtic have a number of exciting young players in their ranks that could potentially become regular first-team players in the future.

One name that immediately springs to mind is 19-year-old winger Karamoko Dembele.

As a product of Celtic’s youth academy, the winger has gone on to make ten appearances in the senior side.

With those ten appearances under his belt, the teenager found the back of the net during their 4-0 win over St. Johnstone in December.

Now that Ange Postecoglou’s side have ended the 2021/22 SPFL season as league champions, the upcoming summer transfer window will give the Parkhead club the chance to make whatever changes to their squad that they see fit.

With that in mind, it seems as though the Hoops may have already identified one figure that could come in and potentially be their next version of Dembele.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Football.Scotland, Celtic are eyeing a summer move for Cardiff City youngster Japhet Matondo.

The 16-year-old can reportedly play on the left and right wings and has already featured for Wales’ U23 side.

The report also claims that the Bhoys “would benefit from the cross border compensation fee rule which would mean they would only have to stump up around £130k for the teenager.”

Taking into account how the Hoops have seen some of their young players leave the club in recent times such as Ben Doak and Leo Hjelde, this apparent interest in Matondo shows that the club aren’t allowing their youth ranks to be depleted.

Their deals to sign Osaze Urhoghide and Liam Shaw, both from Sheffield Wednesday, also show that the Parkhead club aren’t shy when it comes to signing players from down south, and in particular, the EFL.

If the SPFL champions are able to secure a deal for the Welsh youngster and add him to their ranks this summer, this will provide the club with another potential future first-team star.

Should Matondo find himself performing to a high standard in Celtic’s youth sides, he could well follow in the footsteps of fellow winger and highly-rated teenager, Dembele, and start to get the odd chance to shine in the senior team and show Postecoglou what he’s made of.

In other news: “Very soon”: Insider drops big Celtic transfer claim that’ll have supporters ecstatic

Journalist Phil Smith has sung the praises of Alex Pritchard after Sunderland were promoted to the Championship on Saturday afternoon. 

The lowdown: Sunderland promoted

The Black Cats overcame a resilient Wycombe Wanderers to return to the second tier of English football, having won the League One play-off final 2-0 at Wembley.

Elliot Embleton opened the scoring for Alex Neil’s side before Ross Stewart doubled the advantage just 10 minutes before full-time in London as Sunderland ended a four-year spell in the third tier of English football.

After the match, in a performance full of impressive outings from the Wearsiders, Smith was full of praise for one man’s standout display in particular…

The latest: Pritchard praised

Compiling the player ratings for the Sunderland Echo, the outlet’s chief SAFC writer awarded the 29-year-old a nine out of 10 rating.

Pritchard was hailed for his ‘excellent’ positional awareness and ‘superb work rate’, whilst also providing the assists for both goals at Wembley.

The midfielder completed five of his nine crosses, won six duels and made four key passes and three clearances during an 81-minute outing which earned a match-high 8.10 Sofascore rating.

The verdict: ‘What a moment’

Ultimately, Pritchard’s performance and indeed the day were summed up in Smith’s final line – ‘what a moment’. This day had been a long time coming for Sunderland supporters, and to do it in such style was an ideal way to finally seal promotion.

Former England under-21 international Pritchard has been sensational throughout the campaign, with four goals and 14 assists, and he played a fitting role in the win which ensured that Neil’s side will bring Championship football back to the Stadium of Light for 2022/23.

Attention can now turn to Neil’s transfer business both in terms of incomings and outgoings over the coming weeks and months, and the 29-year-old is almost nailed-on to remain an integral part of Sunderland’s Championship plans after his Wembley heroics.

In other news: ‘Toxic’ – Sky Sports expert rips into Donald and Methven after Sunderland takeover development

Manchester City are expected to announce the signing of Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland by Friday, according to The Athletic’s ever-reliable transfer guru David Ornstein.

The Lowdown: City win the race

The 21-year-old first joined the Bundesliga outfit in a £17m move from Red Bull Salzburg back in 2020, where he has since gone on to make 88 appearances for the club during that time.

The forward still has two years remaining on his current contract with the German side, but in recent months, has been attracting plenty of interest from several clubs across Europe, with the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United being linked with a potential move for Haaland in the summer.

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Despite this though, it appears that the Sky Blues are the team to have won the race for the Norwegian’s signature, after reports have claimed that City are prepared to active his £63m release clause, with the striker agreeing a deal to make the switch to the Etihad ahead of the start of next season.

The Latest: Haaland move ‘a done deal’

The reliable Ornstein has basically confirmed this development by taking to Twitter on Monday to share the huge news:

“Erling Haaland to Man City a done deal + confirmation expected this week, according to sources in Germany. Personal terms complete & Dortmund anticipate City informing them in coming days of intention to activate release clause.”

The Verdict: Perfect Aguero replacement

If the Premier League giants do manage to pull off the Haaland signing, it would be absolutely huge for Pep Guardiola, especially considering that the highly sought-after attacker already has previous connections to the club, with his dad Alf-Inge having a two-year spell with City many moons ago.

The £135m-rated talisman has been in prolific form in the final third this term, having scored 28 goals and registered eight assists in just 29 outings across all competitions for Dortmund, as per Transfermarkt.

After missing out on Tottenham captain Harry Kane last summer, it’s about time that the hierarchy invested in a new centre-forward having not yet signed a replacement since the departure of Sergio Aguero, and it looks like Haaland could be about to follow in his father’s footsteps by making the move to the top-flight.

In other news… Guardiola has delivered a huge injury update on a first-team trio.