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Queens Park Rangers look set to appoint Neil Critchley as their heir to Michael Beale at Loftus Road and the former Blackpool boss should consider unleashing Sinclair Armstrong.

According to Football League World, the 44-year-old is now in pole position to take over with the Hoops, having been sacked from his position at Aston Villa just a few months after leaving Blackpool to work with Steven Gerrard in the Premier League.

Critchley will have to make big changes if he wants to turn around QPR’s form from ahead of the World Cup break, as the west London side managed just one goal and one point from their final five games under Beale.

Whether or not he will be in charge for this weekend’s game against Burnley is yet to be seen but it is certainly a tough welcome back to action in the Championship for the Hoops, and defeat could see them drop out of the playoffs having been top under Beale in October.

One change that Critchley might consider making, in order to freshen up the Hoops’ attack, is to start 19-year-old forward Sinclair Armstrong on a more regular basis.

After spells on loan with Torquay United and Aldershot Town in non-league, Armstrong clearly did enough to prove to Beale that he was worth keeping at Loftus Road, and he has gone on to make 13 appearances for the senior side so far this season, contributing one assist.

The teenage striker made a rare start in QPR’s 3-0 win over Cardiff which sent them top of the league and played a huge part in proceedings, winning a penalty in the first half which saw Jack Simpson sent off, and Beale was full of praise for the youngster after the game.

He said: “I think we gave an element of surprise by starting young Sinclair Armstrong. Didn’t he do fantastically well for the penalty, which obviously with the red card, was a big moment in the game?”

Considering QPR’s recent attacking woes, and Armstrong’s impressive display on a rare start, Critchley should definitely consider handing him more first-team opportunities when he starts work at Loftus Road.

Newcastle United have been tipped to make a move for RC Lens midfielder, Seko Fofana, with the Magpies believed to be keen to strengthen their midfield options.

What’s the word?

That’s according to journalist Robin Bairner – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – who suggested that a move for the 27-year-old could well be on the cards next summer, should the Ivory Coast international’s current side fail to secure Champions League qualification.

The reliable reporter stated:

“If Lens make the Champions League this year, for example, you could see a player like Seko Fofana staying there, simply because of this bond that they’ve got.

“If they don’t make the top three, then again, potentially next summer, this could be a move that happens. Fofana is a player who has all the attributes to play in England, and Newcastle would surely be interested.

“But I imagine he is a player that most teams in England would be interested in, given what he’s produced. But again, it’s a case of whether Lens can keep up with his ambitions.”

This follows previous reports in the summer window that claimed the Paris-born sensation was a target for those at St James’ Park – as well as fellow Premier League side Arsenal – with the Ligue 1 outfit said to be demanding a fee of around £34m at the time.

Howe’s own De Jong

The eight-cap machine has caught the attention as a result of his sparkling form in France in recent times, having been dubbed “arguably the best midfielder in Ligue 1 over the past 2 years” by writer Zach Lowy.

The “relentless” playmaker – as described by journalist Adam White – has three goals and two assists in just 13 league outings so far this term to help fire his side into European contention, having previously netted ten goals and laid on two assists in all competitions last term.

Something of a “phenom”, in the words of Lowy, Fofana could well be an ideal addition for Eddie Howe’s side, with the aforementioned Bairner having previously stated that the in-form asset would “fit really nicely with Bruno Guimaraes” in the centre of the park.

While potentially not a household name, the 6 foot 1 ace – who was previously on the books at Manchester City and spent time on loan at Fulham – seemingly offers real quality in that midfield berth, with that illustrated by the fact that he shares a number of stylistic and statistical similarities to Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, as per FBref.

That is evidenced by the attacking threat that the two men offer, with the Netherlands international ranking in the top 15% in Europe for non-penalty goals among those in his position, while Fofana ranks just ahead as he is in the top 11% for that metric.

Equally, the pair also provide real quality in possession as the latter man ranks in the top 11% for pass completion and the top 5% for dribbles completed as a sign of his ability to both retain the ball and also drive his side up the pitch, while De Jong seemingly mirrors that talent as he ranks in the top 8% and the top 16% for the same two metrics, respectively.

The Dutchman – who was linked with a move to Manchester United throughout the recent window – is no doubt an impressive figure to be compared to, having notably been dubbed a “genius” by manager Xavi earlier this year.

If Newcastle were able to add a De Jong-esque talent to their ranks in the form of Fofana it would seemingly be real coup for Howe and co, with the club now needing to revive their previous summer interest and get a deal secured, be it in January or at the end of the season.

Liverpool are set to open talks with Roberto Firmino regarding a new contract at Anfield, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Firmino revitalised for Reds

The Brazilian hasn’t been at his best over the past couple of seasons, with his output diminishing significantly from the 25 goals that he netted in 2017/18.

Firmino has enjoyed a welcome resurgence in 2022/23, though, scoring six goals and registering three assists in just 11 Premier League appearances, already surpassing his top-flight goal tally from last term.

The 31-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, and while his ailing form of previous campaigns might have suggested that he could be sold, the situation now appears to have changed.

The Latest: New deal incoming?

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are ‘preparing to open talks’ with Firmino over a new deal, with discussions set to take place during the World Cup break.

Jurgen Klopp still thinks the Brazil international ‘still has a big role to play’ moving forward, believing he has a number of years left in him at the top, and the German is a ‘huge admirer’ of the player.

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The Verdict: No-brainer for Liverpool

This would be great news for Liverpool, with Firmino a modern-day hero of the Kop, having scored 106 goals, been vital to the Reds’ system and won every trophy possible for the club.

There was a point when it looked as though he was past his best and handing him a new contract would feel reckless, but he has shown this season that there is still plenty left in the tank.

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Iconic strikers such as Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema are proof that players can remain at the top well into their 30s in the modern era, too.

Firmino has been hailed as ‘world class’ by Klopp himself and would hopefully jump at the chance to stay on at Anfield, so it should suit all parties for them to arrive at an agreement.

Newcastle United have seen a number of players come and go at St James’ Park over the years, with there having been notable figures who were simply unable to make an impact at the club, including a certain Siem de Jong.

The Dutchman endured what can only be described as a wholly forgettable and injury-ravaged time in English football, having been snapped up from Eredivisie giants Ajax in the summer of 2014 during Alan Pardew’s stint in charge.

The Magpies had bizarrely had his younger brother Luuk de Jong at the club on loan during the second half of the previous campaign, albeit with the towering striker having failed to score in 12 appearances before making a return to parent club Borussia Monchengladbach.

Unperturbed by the disappointing nature of his sibling’s time with the Tynesiders, Pardew and co went ahead with their move for the more senior De Jong, securing the playmaker’s services for a reported fee of around £6m.

That move ultimately backfired for all parties as the 6 foot 1 menace hardly featured for the club over the next few seasons, notably making just four Premier League appearances during his debut campaign after sustaining a thigh injury just a month into the season, as well as later suffering a collapsed lung.

Having previously sparkled during his time in Amsterdam – with 16 goals and ten assists to his name during the 2012/13 season – the six-cap Netherlands international was unable to recapture that form at Newcastle, failing to score in 18 top-flight appearances during the 2015/16 season as the club suffered relegation.

That campaign had seen the struggling figure also suffer a freak eye injury in training that seemingly epitomised his time at the club, having also suffered as a result of Pardew’s departure for Crystal Palace.

The Aigle-born man was subsequently shipped back to Holland to join PSV Eindhoven on loan for the following season, before calling time on his dismal spell in England in 2017, making a return to Ajax for a fee of around £2m.

In total, De Jong had scored just two goals in 26 appearances for the northeast side in that three-year spell, ensuring that he cost the club roughly £3m per goal scored in relation to his initial cost.

The player himself seemingly has no regrets about joining the club, despite his obvious frustration at being unable to stay fit, having also insisted that he had even been keen to stay on longer before his eventual departure.

After returning to his former club five years ago, the versatile forward went on to initially impress as he provided 12 goal contributions during the 2017/18 campaign, although ultimately fell out of favour after that, subsequently spending time at A-League side Sydney FC as well as with MLS outfit FC Cincinnati.

Having spent the last two seasons with Heerenveen – where the £248k-rated marksman scored seven times in 52 appearances – the 33-year-old now plies his trade with second-tier side De Graafschap.

West Bromwich Albion have wasted plenty of money over the past five years, with some of their more notorious expenditures responsible for their recent drop to the Championship.

However, one man who certainly stands far and away from this category is the great Gareth Barry, who has earned high praise from nearly every club he has played for.

He signed on an initial one-year deal from Everton for just £1m in 2017 and went on to feature 61 times for the Baggies and once again endear himself to a new set of fans.

The midfielder currently holds the accolade for most Premier League appearances (with 653) and the record-breaking Englishman featured prominently for West Brom as he tried to help them avoid relegation, albeit to no avail. However, he did record a solid SofaScore rating of 6.74 during the 2017/18 campaign.

During that year, he averaged 1.4 tackles and 1.3 clearances per game; not bad for a man who was around 37 at the time.

The following season, the dependable cult hero stuck around to try and help them back up. He again featured heavily, but they fell short, finishing fourth.

Despite this, Barry remained an unflappable presence in their midfield. He had an exceptional tendency to always be in the right place to snuff out danger, but then possessed the quality to play his way through.

It is no surprise that he was a Premier League and FA Cup winner with Manchester City.

To think that in his place now is Jake Livermore, who is part of the mess that has seen the Baggies fall as low as they are. He has just a 6.70 average SofaScore rating this season, and can only muster a 78% pass accuracy. He has also managed just 0.7 tackles a match and 0.3 clearances, worse than that of the aforementioned Barry over four years ago.

Tony Pulis made an incredibly shrewd signing when bringing the experienced ace to the Hawthorns, and with a bit more quality around him, they might have stood more of a chance at survival.

After all, they did have, as Steve Madeley labelled him, a “legendary” midfielder in their hands. He continued by calling him a “Premier League great”, citing his “fabulous career” that came to a close in 2020.

To bring in this kind of calmness would certainly help out Steve Bruce now, who is struggling to steer what seems like a sinking ship. As they sit 21st, with just one win from ten, they could do with a man like Barry to replace Livermore in the holding role.

His experience and quality would serve them well with their aspirations of a return to the Premier League. It’s just a shame he isn’t still around to offer qualities that Albion are quite evidently craving.

Newcastle United could make a deadline day move for Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, according to Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope.

The Lowdown: Summer interest in Tielemans

As per Mail Online, the 25-year-old has been at the centre of heavy interest from Arsenal this summer, with reports claiming the Belgium international is Mikel Arteta’s number one target if he chooses to strengthen his midfield options following the injuries to Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny.

Tielemans has entered the final year of his contract at the King Power Stadium and he is now said to be keen to leave the Foxes after a three-year tenure at the club.

Surprisingly, Leicester are yet to receive an offer for the midfielder, with other reported interest having emerged out of Liverpool.

The Latest: Hope’s claim

Hope has now shared news of the Magpies showing late interest in the Leicester man, who could be available for a cut-price figure.

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday afternoon, the reliable journalist claimed: “Youri Tielemans has been on Newcastle’s ‘list’ for a while now, but chances were played down earlier in summer. Interestingly, I was told y’day that, while loans were most likely, they could still act if a deal became viable at right price, bringing forward future budgets. #nufc”

The Verdict: Great signing

When looking at the Belgian’s underlying statistics, it is easy to see why Eddie Howe may be interested in luring him to St James’ Park.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Tielemans ranks in the 95th percentile for expected goals assisted, the 93rd percentile for shots total and the 92nd percentile for shot-creating actions.

With Newcastle looking to add another creative playmaker to their ranks, the 25-year-old could be the perfect addition to their squad, given that he has been dubbed as ‘one of Europe’s top midfielders’ by Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers.

Therefore, with less than a year left on his current deal, if Newcastle can agree a cut-price with the Foxes for Tielemans’ services, this could be a great signing for the Magpies.

West Ham United are believed to be monitoring Atalanta star Teun Koopmeiners, as manager David Moyes seeks to bolster his midfield ranks.

What’s the word?

According to transfer insider Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – the 24-year-old is a player who the Hammers are keeping tabs on this summer, albeit with it seemingly unlikely that they will be able to secure his signature.

He stated: “I mean, he is definitely on the radar. I just think that it might be a bit too ambitious. He’s such a good player, and some of the genuinely top clubs across Europe have been looking at this guy.

“It’s going to be tough, if I’m totally honest, I just don’t see him joining.”

This follows a recent report from Italy that claimed the east Londoners had made an enquiry regarding the Dutchman, albeit with a move said to be ‘complicated’ with just a few weeks remaining in the window and with the midfielder having three years remaining on his existing deal in Bergamo – plus the option for a further year.

Moyes’ own Tielemans

While it’s been a largely impressive window for West Ham boss David Moyes thus far – securing five major deals in total – one area of concern remains the centre of the park, even with boyhood fan Flynn Downes having joined from Swansea City.

The retirement of long-serving skipper Mark Noble – and the exit of loanee Alex Kral – has left the former Everton boss with little depth in his midfield department, with an injury or absence to one of Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek likely to prove catastrophic.

With a new recruit needed, turning to Koopmeiners could well be the ideal solution, with the £22.5m-rated man having shone since his move to Italy last year, having provided eight goal contributions in 44 games for the Serie A side thus far.

Prior to that, the £31k-per-week ace had scored an impressive 43 goals and chipped in with 17 assists in 153 games for Eredivise side AZ Alkmaar, having also notched up nine caps thus far at international level.

That goalscoring record is all the more remarkable considering the 6-foot menace typically lines up in a defensive midfield berth, showcasing his ability to impact the game in the final third even from a deep-lying position.

While a player perhaps unfamiliar to some supporters, it is telling to note that he can be compared to Leicester City gem Youri Tielemans, with the pair sharing a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref.

The two men are both seemingly masters at kickstarting attacks with an incisive forward pass, with Koopmeiners averaging 3.51 for progressive passes received per 90 as well as 5.15 for progressive passes, while Tielemans compares similarly with an average of 3.06 and 5.83 for the same two metrics, respectively.

Furthermore, they are both goal-scoring midfielders, with the latter bagging 16 times in the past two campaigns to the Dutchman’s 21 strikes.

That will pique the interest of those at the London Stadium such has been the form of the Belgian maestro in recent seasons, with the 25-year-old’s stunning displays having seen him repeatedly linked with a move to Arsenal.

Should Moyes and co get Koopmeiners through the door, the hope will be that he can make a similar impact as to that of the Foxes sensation.

Liverpool are not interested in signing Sporting Lisbon midfielder Matheus Nunes in the summer transfer window, journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed.

The Lowdown: Nunes rumours continue

The Reds have had a good summer window so far, bringing in Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay, but their business might not be done yet.

Some want to see one more central midfielder come in, and with Jude Bellingham staying at Borussia Dortmund for another season, attention has turned to Nunes.

The 23-year-old is arguably considered one of the Primeira Liga’s best midfielders, and various reports have linked Liverpool with an imminent move for him.

The Latest: Romano provides Nunes update

Taking to Twitter on Friday, however, Romano claimed that there are no negotiations in place over a move for Nunes to Anfield, pouring cold water on the rumour in the process.

The Italian outlined:

“No bid or negotiations for Matheus Nunes to Liverpool, as things stand. Nothing has changed around this deal.

“Liverpool asked for Jude Bellingham in June, but it was impossible deal – not even a negotiation, as Dortmund consider him ‘untouchable’ this summer.”

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The Verdict: Midfield overkill?

While Nunes is clearly an excellent player – he enjoyed an 86.2% pass completion rate in the Portuguese top flight last season – it could be argued that Liverpool already have enough midfield options currently.

Granted, signing another player in that area wouldn’t be a bad thing, but Jurgen Klopp not only has experienced heads such as Fabinho, Thiago, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and James Milner to call upon but also exciting youngsters Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Carvalho.

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If Nunes were to come in, it would potentially block the paths of those aforementioned young players, all of whom have looked bright during pre-season so far.

It would therefore be a surprise if a move were to happen this summer, with Klopp perhaps making a marquee midfield signing in 2023 instead.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Raul de Tomas in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

An Italian journalist has revealed that the Magpies are keen on a deal to snap up the La Liga centre-forward ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

They Tweeted: “Newcastle interested in Raúl de Tomás. Juventus has also been informed about the situation of the Espanyol striker, who could leave for around 35 million euros.”

The gem is available for a fee in the region of £30m but it remains to be seen whether or not the Toon are willing to pay that.

Imagine him and Allan Saint-Maximin

By snapping up a deal to sign the Spaniard this summer, Newcastle can form an exciting, new, partnership at the top end of the pitch.

De Tomas is a natural goalscorer and he can thrive off Allan Saint-Maximin’s creativity from out wide – creating a superb dynamic duo up front for the Magpies.

In La Liga last season, the Espanyol striker plundered an eye-catching 17 goals in 33 starts as he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.09. This came after he fired his side to promotion in the 2020/21 campaign, scoring 23 goals in the second division of Spanish football.

Whilst the attacker was in the Real Madrid academy, he told the club’s website about his best talents, saying: “I am a pacey, competitive and technically gifted goal-scorer.”

These comments, aligned with his statistics from the last two seasons, suggest that he is a player capable of finishing off chances if they come his way as he has proven himself in front of goal.

In Saint-Maximin, Newcastle have a player who can create the opportunities the Spaniard needs to find the back of the net. The French winger created 1.4 chances per match in 2021/22 and provided his teammates with seven ‘big chances’ in total – registering five assists in the Premier League.

Now, imagine the dynamo racing down the wing and crossing the ball in for the lethal de Tomas to beat the goalkeeper at St. James’ Park – sending the crowd into raptures.

They have the potential to be a brilliant duo to watch play week-in-week-out in the top-flight next term and fans will surely be hoping that the club will now be able to agree a deal with Espanyol for the 27-year-old before the end of the window.

AND in other news, PIF can land Howe’s very own Bowen as NUFC eye move for “very talented” £20m “baller”…

West Ham United are to continue their pursuit of Lille midfielder Amadou Onana, despite having been knocked back with their opening offers.

What’s the word?

As Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, the Hammers are contemplating making another bid for the 20-year-old, having already reportedly seen two bids rejected by the Ligue 1 side this summer – the latest of which for a fee of around €30m (£25m).

Writing on Twitter about the east London outfit’s interest in the Belgian gem, Sheth stated: “Interest still there in Lille midfielder Amadou Onana. Deciding whether to go back in with 3rd bid.”

His current side are likely to be in no rush to sell with four years still remaining on the player’s contract, while David Moyes could also face competition for his signature from fellow Premier League side, Arsenal.

There has also been the suggestion that it could take as much as £50m to be able to prise the emerging starlet from Stade Pierre Mauroy.

Good news

Despite having been rebuffed in their bid to sign the £9m-rated ace thus far, it will no doubt please West Ham supporters that the club are set to press on in their quest to land the highly-rated prospect, with bolstering the midfield ranks seemingly a priority this summer.

Having opted against making Alex Kral’s temporary move permanent – the Czech international making just a solitary league outing last term – and with long-serving skipper Mark Noble calling time on his playing career, the Irons have been left particularly light in the centre of the park.

The return of Conor Coventry from his loan spell at MK Dons, as well as the recent addition of boyhood fan Flynn Downes from Swansea City, will provide much-needed depth to Moyes’ squad in that department, although with domestic and European duties to juggle next season further reinforcements will be required.

In Onana then, the London Stadium outfit look to have identified a promising young talent who can be nurtured and developed by the former Everton boss, with the £5.5k-per-week giant having blossomed in France of late.

The most recent campaign saw the towering, 6 foot 5 colossus register an impressive 1.5 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per game in his 35 league outings, winning a solid 59% of his total duels and losing possession just 4.5 times per match.

The fact he made just 11 starts in the French top-flight may be of concern – particularly considering the price tag that is being mentioned – although the belief is that he can develop into a world-beater in the coming years, with comparisons having already been made to Premier League and Gunners icon, Patrick Vieira.

That will no doubt pique the interest of those of a West Ham persuasion, with the hope being now that GSB can wrap up a deal soon with another, improved offer.

AND in other news: West Ham closing in on “remarkable” £10m target, it would be a “masterstroke” by Moyes