nbthree3

https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/derby-county-takeover-ex-newcastle-owner-mike-ashley-premier-league-1393123 It pre-dated the Derby link, but a source close to Ashley told i that the former Newcastle owner “still has something to give in football”. “His business model isn’t a bad one,” they said. “It’s just better suited for a club in the Championship trying to get promoted than it is for a club in the Premier League trying to improve”. This source believes Ashley simply didn’t engage the right people on Tyneside, listening to those who knew little of the game in those early days. “He didn’t understand football and what he found out he invariably didn’t like,” they added. By the time he had got to grips with it, the die was cast and he gave up trying to be popular.

Athletic: "The 28-year-old wants to join a club that are either already in a European competition or have a serious chance of qualifying for next season. Villa are now confident their exciting project — fronted by new signing Philippe Coutinho — has convinced Digne that switching to the Midlands is the right move."

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10382911/Newcastle-talks-sign-35m-rated-Monaco-centre-Benoit-Badiashile.html Newcastle United are holding talks with Monaco over a move for centre-back Benoit Badiashile. The highly-rated 20-year-old has attracted interest from West Ham, Wolves and Manchester United in recent months and has come into focus for Newcastle as they struggle to reach agreement with Lille for Sven Botman, despite increasing their £30million bid. Eddie Howe wants two centre-backs and discussions are also continuing with Sevilla for 28-year-old Brazilian Diego Carlos. France U21 international Badiashile is valued around £35m and negotiations are ongoing as Newcastle run a number of parallel negotiations while they also have the potential of a loan deal for Barcelona's Samuel Umtiti. They also want two strikers with Callum Wilson out injured, a left-back and a midfielder. Real Sociedad's Alexander Isak, who is a target for Arsenal also, would be their ideal addition, but with time pressing they have spoken to Marseille about a £15m deal for Bamba Dieng and to Zenit St Petersburg regarding a £5m offer for prolific Iranian Sardar Azmoun. Newcastle have also discussed moves for midfielders Yves Bissouma at Brighton and Boubacar Kamara of Marseille but face competition on both. Newcastle will consider letting Sean Longstaff go to Everton if they can get midfielders in.

A centre back and a striker are wanted before the Watford game next weekend and Telegraph Sport understands Holland under-21 international Sven Botman is now actively pushing to leave Lille after the Magpies made a second bid for him on Friday. The club are still working frantically to bring in more defenders and a second bid, thought to be around £40 million, has been made for Lille centre back Sven Botman.

Sky catching on

Have to be following him for it to show up but that's genuine

40m euros hopefully is enough to get things agreed

It's what Pete said on Sky just before

One of the more vocal ones

I know we've been linked but most players tend to have been linked with us (from December)