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Robinson urges Everton to keep hold of young defender amid Newcastle interest

Former Premier League star Paul Robinson has urged Everton to keep hold of Mason Holgate amid the speculated interest from Newcastle United. The young defender has struggled for regular gametime with the Toffees over the past few seasons but his fortunes have changed during the current campaign where he has been deployed in multiple positions.

Holgate excelled on a temporary stint with West Bromwich Albion last term where he featured on the right side of the defence but he has not been able to command the position with the Toffees due to the presence of Seamus Coleman and Djibril Sidibe. However, he has still managed to make the lineup as either a centre-back or central midfielder and has been able to impress in both roles.

Fernandez says Newcastle should not get complacent after recent results

Newcastle United centre-back Federico Fernandez has said that the Magpies should not get complacent after notching up back-to-back victories in the English top-flight. The Tyneside outfit have been hugely impressive since their return from the international break and they have amassed seven points from the last three games and that includes a hard-fought 2-2 draw against holders Manchester City.

Owing to this, they have propelled to 22 points after 16 games and they hold a seven-point advantage over Southampton, who are occupying the first of the relegation spots. Despite this, Fernandez has said that the team should not get carried away by the results, considering they could have a bad patch with the frequency of games in the coming weeks.

Steve Bruce says Newcastle United showed no fight against Leicester City

Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce has questioned the resilience of his team after they suffered a 5-0 Premier League defeat to Leicester City on the road. The Magpies were trailing 1-0 towards the end of the first half when Isaac Hayden was sent off and that changed the complexion of the game with the Foxes scoring on four occasions following the interval.

Speaking after the match, Bruce said that his team did not perform to the needed standard. He added that it was a complete surrender after the break with the players lacking the courage and determination to restrict the Foxes from scoring, he told: “It was certainly nowhere near what’s required.

Mikel Arteta explains why he turned down Newcastle United job

Manchester City assistant Mikel Arteta has said that he turned down advances from Newcastle United as he had already committed to remain with the Citizens for the 2019/2020 season. The Spaniard was earmarked as one of the favourites for the head coach role with the Magpies before Steve Bruce was appointed at the helm.

Speaking to Goal.com, Arteta acknowledged that he had the temptation to join the Magpies but he decided against the move after the promise made to Pep Guardiola’s side, he told: “I was about to leave, but I stopped myself. I am not in a hurry and I have not felt that I need to take the step. (It is) a matter of loyalty, when you promise someone to continue next year, with little time to manoeuvre, it was not appropriate to make that decision (to leave). “And because I think we still have that space for improvement and that ambition to be able to do something we dream of, which is to win the Champions League. That work remains to be done.”

Micah Richards talks up Newcastle United’s poor showing against Norwich City

BBC Sport pundit Micah Richards has said that Newcastle United put up a rather strange performance during the recent Premier League clash against Norwich City at Carrow Road. The Magpies showed an excellent defensive resolve during a slender 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal during the curtain raiser but nothing of that sort was present when they tackled the newly-promoted side.

Teemu Pukki continued his sensational start to the season with his maiden Premier League hat trick and the Magpies may have conceded more goals, barring the efforts of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka. Speaking on BBC One, Richards said: “Yea it was strange really. It wasn’t a typical Steve Bruce performance, normally he sets up with a structure where, it’s sort of ‘you shall not pass’, but today as we mentioned before, Norwich could have scored five, six or seven. So he will be very very disappointed with the way the team played, they may take a little bit of confidence from the fact they got a goal and it may be a positive to take into next week, but for a player who has played under Steve Bruce, he’ll be very disappointed.”

Norwich completely dominated the proceedings with nearly two-thirds of the possession and that should be worrying for the Magpies, who are an established Premier League outfit. Jonjo Shelvey provided the sole positive for the Tynesiders with a late injury-time consolation goal but that may not offer them much of a boost for the forthcoming run of fixtures.

The Magpies are scheduled to face Tottenham Hotspur, Watford, and Liverpool in the next three league games. Among those, they are set to face Spurs and the Reds on the road and getting anything out of those matches would be a huge bonus. As such, they may have to rely on the Hornets clash at St James Park to get their season off the mark.

Steve Bruce insists Newcastle United won’t sell Sean Longstaff

Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce has indicated that he is confident that Sean Longstaff will remain with the club next season amid the interest from Manchester United. The 21-year-old made just nine appearances for the Magpies last term but his potential has apparently caught the eye of the Red Devils, who are said to be preparing a £30m bid.

Speaking to reporters, Bruce stressed that the Magpies are not looking at the prospect of selling their young players and he is confident that Longstaff will continue to serve the club for the forthcoming campaign, he said:“That won’t happen. I’m very confident. We don’t want to sell our best young players, that’s for sure.”

Meanwhile, Magpies owner Mike Ashley has recently shown ambition with the £40m purchase of Joelinton from Hoffenheim and Bruce has acknowledged that he has been pleased with the proceedings to date, he added: “We had a conversation which will obviously stay with us but that can only be a positive thing. I hope it continues. He wants the club to go forward. If he didn’t he wouldn’t have been here today I’d have thought. Of course, he wants more than just finishing 17th. You can’t say anyone at Newcastle is just happy to be 17th.”

The Magpies have lost key players in the form of Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon upfront this summer and the club are working to solve the concern ahead of the new season. Joelinton has been bought from Hoffenheim to provide a commanding physical presence upfront and it remains to be seen whether he can quickly adapt to the demands of the Premier League.

The Tyneside outfit have managed to stay clear of the Premier League drop zone in the past two seasons despite finding themselves in trouble at the midway stage of those campaigns. The fans will be hoping that the club can avoid a repeat of the same next term.

Rafael Benitez refuses to rule out Premier League comeback

Former Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez has said that he is focused on doing his job with Dalian Yifang, although he would prefer a return to the United Kingdom in the future. The Spanish tactician had managed the Magpies for the past three-and-a-half seasons but he decided against penning a new contract beyond last month after he was aware that owner Mike Ashley won’t spend big in the transfer market.

Since then, Benitez has linked up with Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang but he has hinted that he could favour a Premier League return with the Magpies or any other club, he said: “I expect to do well with Dalian Yifang and after that to come back to the UK. I don’t know when. But you are always happy to come back where people appreciate your effort and commitment – and Newcastle United’s fans have been one of the best in my management career.I can only offer them my gratitude. I showed my commitment from day one and they supported me all the time – even when things on the pitch were not going well. They supported the team and me. I sincerely hope they can achieve their potential. They deserve the best they can get.”

In the past two years, the Magpies have found themselves in a relegation muddle during the opening half of the campaign but they have managed to come up with a strong backend to the season to avoid the drop. Much of that credit has gone to Benitez, who has kept the team motivated and it remains to be seen whether the new manager can do the same.

Aside from Benitez, the Magpies have made the surprise decision to sell Ayoze Perez to Leicester City and that could leave a huge void on the attack front next season, considering the club may also be without Rondon. Rondon excelled during the second half of the loan stint from West Bromwich Albion last term and there are suggestions that West Ham United could beat them to the striker’s permanent signature this summer.

Connolly urges Longstaff to stay with Newcastle a little longer

Former Sunderland striker David Connolly has advised Sean Longstaff to remain with Newcastle United for a little longer in order to develop into a top-class performer. The 21-year-old only made his full Premier League debut for the Magpies earlier in the year but he has managed to sufficiently impress to catch the eye of Manchester United.

As such, he has recently been touted to make a big-money move to the Red Devils but Connolly feels the midfielder would be better served sticking with the Magpies for a lengthier period, he said: “I think he is a terrific young player, I really do. I think he has got a really bright future ahead of him, but I think he would be best served just going and playing a little bit longer at Newcastle.”

The Red Devils are understood to be planning an initial bid worth £18m for the midfielder with an additional £7m to be settled as performance-based add-ons. Even if they succeed with the approach, it remains unclear whether Longstaff would agree to the transfer, given he has recently indicated that he is committed to the Magpies after making a long-awaited journey to the first-team.

Aside from Longstaff, United are also understood to be interested in signing Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka and reports suggest that they have already found the breakthrough in terms of the transfer fee. The Red Devils are deemed to have agreed on a £60m deal with the Eagles and there are suggestions that the move could be made official during the next few days.

Meanwhile, the Magpies remain unclear over the summer transfer plans as they await to find out whether there would be a change in ownership. Likewise, the future of manager Rafael Benitez remains under doubt with his existing contract due to expire at the end of the month.

BBC pundit warns Sean Longstaff against leaving Newcastle

BBC pundit Kevin Kilbane has warned Sean Longstaff against pursuing a move away from Newcastle United during this summer’s transfer window. The midfielder only made his debut for the Magpies in December but he has managed to make a huge impression around the Premier League with the gametime he has been offered.

In a report covered by BBC Sport, Kilbane said that Longstaff has the credentials to become a top player but it is too early for him to think about the prospect of playing for a big club like Manchester United, he told: “A good player. It’s still too early in my mind. He’s not played enough football, certainly at the top level. The games that I have seen him play, very good footballer and a technically good footballer [But] it’s too early for that one [Longstaff to United]. Bad idea [for] now.”

Longstaff made only eight appearances for the Magpies last season but he managed to produce several standout performers before sustaining a season-ending knee injury. As such, United have been claimed as one of the high-profile clubs after his signature and it remains to be seen whether Longstaff is tempted by the prospect.

The Magpies are currently said to value the midfielder at around £25m and that should be well within the reach of United, who are aiming to pursue a recruit to bolster the centre of the park. Nonetheless, Longstaff has no assurances of gametime unlike at the Magpies, where he was able to cement a regular role following his debut and that could hamper his development at such an early phase of his career. Meanwhile, Newcastle United managed to stay clear of the Premier League drop zone for the second-straight campaign last term and the supporters will be hoping that the team can re-invest more funds to cement their top-flight status for another season at the least. Prior to that, they need to sort out the future of influential manager Rafael Benitez, whose contract expires next month.

Isaac Hayden speaks on his Newcastle United career and Rafael Benitez

Isaac Hayden has acknowledged that he will be heading through the exit door at Newcastle United when his contract expires next month. The former Arsenal graduate had been keen on parting ways with the Magpies as early as January but he was made to delay the decision to leave on a free transfer when the season concludes.

Speaking to reporters, Hayden said that he has been holding positive talks with a number of clubs but has yet to decide on his next move, he told: “It’s the same as always. We will see what happens in the summer but I have had plenty of talks with the clubs in the last couple of weeks. The signs have been very positive. I’ll see what happens.”

Meanwhile, when pressed on the future of manager Rafael Benitez, Hayden suggested that the club must do their utmost to convince the Spaniard to pen a new contract, he added: “I think it’s a big situation for everyone. I don’t think the club will do anything without the manager’s say so. Especially if he stays. He has been very receptive and honest with me and I can’t thank him enough for the season I’ve had. He has been understanding of the situation.”

Hayden struggled for regular gametime during the opening half of the Premier League season where he made just three starts. However, the ex-Gunners ace managed to change his fortunes during the backend where he was ever-present and helped the club beat the Premier League drop by a comfortable margin in the end.

Despite this, he appears keen on pursuing a fresh challenge elsewhere and the next few weeks could give an indication regarding his next move. Both West Ham United and Everton have already been linked with the 24-year-old but neither have yet to make a formal approach, considering Hayden remains contracted to the Magpies for the moment.