Newcastle United face a significant injury worry before their Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Arsenal on Wednesday night.

During Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Fulham at St James’ Park, midfielder Joelinton had to leave the pitch due to a knee problem. This was later confirmed by head coach Eddie Howe.

“Yeah, he was suffering with a knee injury, which was a shame,” Howe said. He was struggling in that second half.”

Disturbing images have surfaced of Joelinton wearing a knee brace just days before Newcastle’s crucial Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal. The team leads 2-0 from the first leg, set to play at St James’ Park on Wednesday at 8pm.

The photos show Joelinton at the Newcastle training facility, celebrating his son’s eighth birthday with his family, but the sight of his braced knee has raised concerns among fans. While the use of a brace could be precautionary soon after an injury, it’s not a good sign for the 28-year-old’s participation in the upcoming match.

Although Joelinton’s involvement looks doubtful, there’s some positive news for Newcastle as striker Callum Wilson nears a comeback. Out for over eight weeks with a hamstring injury, the 32-year-old is reportedly close to returning, with Howe noting he’s “there or thereabouts” for the game after resuming training.

“Yeah, Callum will be there or thereabouts,” Howe said. “He’s trained, as I said, on Friday a couple of times. He’s looked good.

“Obviously I’ll speak to everyone connected with Callum and his welfare and make sure we involve him at the right time.”

In addition to the doubts over Joelinton and Wilson, Newcastle will certainly be without winger Harvey Barnes who is still around a couple of weeks away from a return after picking up a thigh injury last month.

Jamaal Lascelles is also a long-term absentee as he enters the final stages of his recovery from an ACL injury.
Newcastle holds a comfortable two-goal lead from the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal, thanks to goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon at the Emirates last month. However, recent form at St James’ Park has been poor, with the team losing their last two home games, while Arsenal comes into the match buoyed by a 5-1 victory over Manchester City on Sunday.

Adding to Newcastle’s woes, there are doubts over Joelinton and Wilson’s availability, and they will definitely be without winger Harvey Barnes, who is still a couple of weeks away from recovering from a thigh injury sustained last month.

Defender Jamaal Lascelles is also out, being in the late stages of recovery from an ACL injury.

Manchester City’s recent negotiations with Porto over Nico Gonzalez have hit a snag, with Porto demanding that the Premier League champions pay the Spaniard’s £50 million release clause to secure his transfer.

Despite this, Gonzalez is keen to join Manchester City before the winter transfer window shuts, having previously declined a move to the club as a teenager.

Pep Guardiola’s team is in dire need of a midfielder to cover for the injured Rodri, with neither Mateo Kovacic nor Ilkay Gundogan proving adequate replacements.

Fortunately for Manchester City fans, according to TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey, the club is optimistic about securing Gonzalez’s signature. Guardiola views the former Barcelona player as a capable temporary stand-in for Rodri.

TBR Football also reports that Manchester City anticipates Gonzalez will make an immediate impact if the deal goes through on Monday.

Given how highly the club values the 23-year-old, paying the £50 million release clause seems like a prudent move, especially with their top-four Premier League position still in jeopardy.

Guardiola has a preference for players who can adapt to various roles, much like Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and Manuel Akanji have done. Gonzalez, primarily a defensive midfielder, has shown versatility at Porto this season, playing in a double pivot or in more advanced midfield roles alongside Alan Varela, contributing significantly both defensively and offensively.

Should Manchester City sign Gonzalez, his ability to fit into different tactical setups could make him a key player under Guardiola.

David Ornstein: Man City pushing for deadline day midfield transfer

Manchester City are racing against time to finalize the transfer of Porto’s Nico Gonzalez before the transfer window closes. Although no deal has been confirmed yet, discussions are in progress as City seeks to enhance their midfield for the critical end of the season.

David Ornstein from The Athletic has highlighted Gonzalez as a key target for midfield support. At 23, Gonzalez’s versatility in playing both defensive and central midfield roles aligns perfectly with Pep Guardiola’s tactical needs.

Having risen through Barcelona’s La Masia academy, Gonzalez featured in 37 matches for Barcelona before his move to Porto in 2023. At Porto, he’s become indispensable, with 68 appearances across all competitions.

The transfer negotiations are complicated by a 40% sell-on clause Barcelona still holds from Gonzalez’s €8.5 million transfer to Porto, which could impact the deal’s financial structure. With the deadline looming, City must consider these financial aspects while convincing Porto to release their midfield star.

Manchester City have already made several acquisitions this window, including defenders Vitor Reis, Juma Bah, and Abdukodir Khusanov, plus forward Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt. Gonzalez’s potential addition would further deepen their squad, vital for their ambitions in various competitions.

For City supporters, the idea of bringing in Gonzalez is thrilling. Known for his technical prowess and tactical understanding, he could provide the much-needed stability in a midfield often stretched by injuries and rotation needs.

His multi-positional capabilities would give Guardiola additional options in team selection, especially useful with the careful management of Kevin De Bruyne’s playing time and Rodri’s heavy defensive responsibilities. Gonzalez could be a vital rotation player for intense matches.

The main challenge lies in negotiating with Porto this late in the transfer period. If an agreement is reached, Gonzalez’s arrival might prove to be a significant boost for Manchester City in their quest for success both domestically and in Europe.

Arsenal have made a last-minute approach to Juventus about possibly signing Serbian forward Dusan Vlahovic, according to TBR Football.

The future of Vlahovic hangs in the balance as contract extension talks have hit a snag, stirring speculation about his potential exit. The 25-year-old has seen his role diminished at Juventus, with just eight goals from 19 Serie A matches under Thiago Motta. This has caught the attention of several Premier League teams as the transfer window nears its close.

He could be the key addition for Arsenal, especially with Gabriel Jesus sidelined due to an ACL injury and Bukayo Saka nursing a hamstring issue. Over the weekend, Arsenal, along with three other Premier League clubs, made inquiries about the striker, who was once dubbed ‘world-class’ when he moved from Fiorentina to Juventus in January 2022.

The Gunners had the opportunity to sign Randal Kolo Muani on loan from PSG but opted out, as Kolo Muani has now become Motta’s choice for the starting striker position.

Both Manchester United and Aston Villa have also sought details on Vlahovic’s status at Juventus. Aston Villa previously rejected a £60 million offer from Arsenal for their striker Ollie Watkins, prompting Mikel Arteta to look elsewhere for a forward before the transfer deadline.

Arsenal to smash Nico Williams release clause as Tel talks stall

Arsenal’s pursuit of Bayern Munich’s striker Mathys Tel appears to be in vain as FootballTransfers reports that Nico Williams is Mikel Arteta’s top transfer target for the summer.

The Gunners have been on the hunt for a new striker this transfer window. They were unable to secure RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, and their bid for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins was declined.

Recent discussions with Bayern’s young talent, Mathys Tel, have hit a snag due to Bayern’s inflexible demands. They prefer either a permanent transfer or a loan with an obligation to buy, conditions Arsenal are not prepared to accept. Instead, Arsenal sought a purchase option for the 19-year-old.

With the transfer window closing, Arsenal might still push for a last-minute striker, with Watkins and Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic being potential targets to back up Kai Havertz, especially since Gabriel Jesus is out for the season.

However, the club’s focus is also on future transfers, with Nico Williams at the forefront of their summer plans. FootballTransfers previously broke the news that Arsenal attempted to sign the Spanish winger in January but failed to finalize the deal despite matching his release clause.

Arsenal plans to revisit this in the summer, potentially willing to pay more than Williams’ €58 million release clause for better payment terms, which could benefit them under the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Williams seems open to joining Arsenal in the summer, influenced by the presence of his fellow Spanish internationals David Raya, Mikel Merino, and Martin Zubimendi, who are set to join the club then.