According to reports in The Express on August 17, Manchester City are willing to sell out-of-favour defender Eliaquim Mangala in order to finance a move for West Bromwich Albion’s Jonny Evans.

The Express says that while Baggies boss Tony Pulis doesn’t want to sell the Northern Ireland international, for whom they have already rejected an £18m bid from City, they could be tempted by an offer of more than £25m.

However, the report adds that Citizens manager Pep Guardiola knows he needs to offload some of his fringe players as well and he could look to move on the likes of Mangala in order to boost his funds to bring Evans to the Etihad.

Considering that the former Manchester United man would ultimately be replacing the French centre-back, it makes even more sense for him to go before the transfer window slams shut next Thursday.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United have started the Premier League season with two defeats and Rafa Benitez will be keen to further strengthen his squad before August draws to a close.

Here are three reasons Newcastle should move to sign the out-of-favour Mangala…

Qualities

The 26-year-old showed the defensive qualities he has during his spell with Valencia last season, where he made 30 La Liga appearances.

The France international made 161 clearances and 69 interceptions, while he successfully won 40 tackles and 45 headed duels.

He also showed his ability to bring the ball out of defence by successfully completing 10 of the 14 take-ons he attempted, and Benitez would be a fan of a centre-back that can be comfortable and composed in possession.

Experience

While he may have struggled to become a regular in the starting line-up for Manchester City, Mangala still made 64 appearances for the club across two seasons before signing for Valencia on a season-long loan deal last term.

Having played for City, the La Liga outfit, FC Porto and Standard Liege during his career, the 26-year-old has plenty of experience in the Premier League and in Europe, while he is also at a great age to still improve before his upcoming peak years.

With new boy Florian Lejeune missing after picking up an injury on the opening day, Newcastle are lacking that know-how at the heart of the defence and signing Mangala would certainly help in that respect.

Transfer deal

The fact that City want to offload the Frenchman before the transfer window slams shut means that Newcastle could sign him for a cut-price fee if they bide the time – something that Rafa Benitez may want to do in order to use his budget wisely.

However, talkSPORT reports that Inter Milan believe they could bring the centre-back to Italy on loan with a view to a permanent deal, and that scenario would likely suit the Magpies even more rather than splashing out on a transfer fee in one go.

Do you agree, Newcastle fans? Let us know below.

Southampton are adamant that Liverpool and Chelsea target Virgil van Dijk will not be sold before Thursday’s transfer deadline, according to The Telegraph.

What’s the word?

The saga surrounding Van Dijk has been rumbling all summer ever since Liverpool made moves to sign the defender.

The Merseyside outfit were left red-faced, though, as they were forced to publicly apologise after being accused by Southampton of tapping up.

Van Dijk has since tried to force a move away from St Mary’s by submitting a transfer request and criticising the club for appearing to question his professionalism.

According to The Telegraph, despite the Dutchman’s desire to leave and interest from Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal, the Saints are prepared to stand firm and refuse a sale.

The publication suggests that only a bid upwards of £50m would likely cause Southampton to reconsider.

Is it the end of the road?

Previous transfer windows have taught us that it is never really over until the market is officially closed for business.

With just over three days until transfer activity ceases, it will be difficult for any club to secure a deal for Van Dijk due to Southampton’s unwillingness to sell.

Chelsea recruited Antonio Rudiger earlier in the campaign, and with Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta and David Luiz in the squad, the club are not in desperate need to strengthen the back line.

As for Liverpool, their all-too-familiar defensive frailties have resurfaced this season.

With Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip being the first-choice partnership, there is always a sense of unease, but the pair did manage to help keep a clean sheet against Arsenal at the weekend.

The Reds would be hugely boosted by the arrival of Van Dijk, but with the clock ticking, it seems that they may have to go without.

Newcastle United picked up a vital win against Stoke City on Saturday, battling to a 2-1 scoreline at St James’ Park.

After a difficult start on their return to the English Premier League, Rafa Benitez’s side have now won their last three matches in the top-flight and sit in a healthy position on nine points.

Stoke made them work hard for it with Xherdan Shaqiri cancelling out Christian Atsu’s first half effort.

However, captain Jamaal Lascelles was again the unlikely goal hero for the Magpies, heading home midway through the second half to secure all three points. Lascelles of course was also the man who delivered the points last week, his goal leading to a 1-0 win away to Swansea.

After another excellent performance Newcastle fans are looking for the club to sign him up to a new long-term contract, with The Telegraph reporting this week he was close to signing such a deal.

Fans took to Twitter to share their excitement about his contribution on Saturday…

Celtic dropped points at home to Hibernian on Saturday after an exciting 2-2 draw which lived up to its billing as the biggest fixture in Scotland this weekend.

The Hoops rarely drop points at Celtic Park, never mind when they find themselves a goal up, but a returning Neil Lennon inspired his Hibs side at the break as they mounted a second half comeback to go 2-1 in front with less than 15 minutes remaining.

Brendan Rodgers’ invincible squad rallied though and the man who got their first, Callum McGregor, also netted the equaliser to preserve their unbeaten domestic status.

There’s no doubting that Celtic were under par on the day. In a much changed line-up, they didn’t hid their stride at all and McGregor aside there were few performers who got pass marks.

One of players fans were most frustrated with was summer signing Jonny Hayes, who again failed to really impact a match from the start for the Hoops. After 11 appearances, supporters are beginning to wonder if he has what it takes to shine for Brendan Rodgers’ side.

They took to Twitter to share their thoughts…

Former Leeds United midfielder David Prutton has suggested that the club’s recent unwanted results were inevitable.

Under Garry Monk last season, the team pushed for Premier League promotion, but narrowly missed out on a playoff spot.

With Thomas Christiansen now at the helm and Andrea Radrizzani as sole owner of the Yorkshire club, things are looking even brighter.

The start of the season was just short of perfect for the Whites as they picked up five wins and two draws in their first seven matches, putting the club at the top of the standings.

However, the club’s unbeaten run came to an end three weeks ago when the team suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Millwall.

Christiansen’s men turned it around in the following game with a 3-2 triumph over Ipswich Town, but they have since recorded back-to-back defeats to Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday.

The club have dropped to fifth in the table, but only four points separate themselves from the summit.

Despite the disappointing run, Prutton has insisted that there is no need for Leeds to be too concerned.

In a piece for the Yorkshire Evening Post, the former midfielder wrote:

“There’s a balance to be struck between taking bad results seriously and avoiding any overreaction and I don’t think Leeds United are anywhere near knee-jerk territory. I know from my own career at Elland Road that life as a Leeds fan comes with the permanent expectation of being kicked in the b******s so perhaps everyone was ready for this little wobble.”

Toni Martinez was the talk of the weekend at West Ham United due to his hat-trick heroics, but it was not for the first team.

The 20-year-old striker made London Stadium history by becoming the first Hammer to score three times in one match at the ground.

The goalfest came in a West Ham Under-23s 4-2 victory over Manchester United, with the fourth goal being scored by Joe Powell.

Martinez has been part of the East London outfit’s academy since 2016 when he joined from Valencia.

In total, the forward has scored 14 goals and created three assists in 17 league outings, and after his latest display, fans are calling for manager Slaven Bilic to promote him to the first team this season.

There have been no indications that Martinez will be called up, but now that Andy Carroll is set to serve a suspension for getting sent off in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Burnley, there could be an opening.

Newcastle United will be given £500m over the next two years to spend on players if a proposed takeover goes through, according to The Express.

What’s the word?

Since current owner Mike Ashley officially put the club up for sale, speculation over the outfit’s future has gone into overdrive.

Businesswoman Amanda Staveley, who fronts PCP Capital Partners and is known for her work with Middle Eastern investors, is overseeing a potential takeover.

According to The Express, the new owners are expected to hand over £500m to use in two years’ of transfer windows in a bid to push the Magpies to a position where they can challenge for the Premier League title.

The report adds that Andros Townsend could be on the list of candidates, despite the winger leaving Newcastle after just six months following the club’s relegation to the Championship at the end of the 2015-16 season.

The England international joined Crystal Palace, but the Eagles may be open to selling the 26-year-old for around £30m.

Could an injection of cash transform Newcastle?

The staggering figure being reported is certain to push the North-East outfit in the right direction.

With the help of Abu Dhabi billionaires, Manchester City have become a force in the Premier League, but it took a number of years for them to establish themselves among the elite.

Rafael Benitez is the calibre of manager that can challenge for a title with the right team, but even if the club are handed a £500m transfer kitty over two years, they will not suddenly become contenders.

Newcastle fans are hugely passionate about their club and due to the size and stature of it, expectation is high.

If a new owner brings with them bundles of cash, then that expectation level will rise significantly, which could cause problems if the club fail to match it.

The important thing for Newcastle fans is to stay realistic and understand that there will be a big transition period to go through if a new owner takes over.

England legend Sir Geoff Hurst believes that Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane is currently the best striker in the world.

The 24-year-old was once deemed a one-season wonder after he broke into the first team at White Hart Lane.

Now, Kane is being regarded as one of the best by a man who is the only footballer to have scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final.

The Spurs star has been the Premier League’s top scorer for the past two seasons and he is currently joint-leader with Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero on eight goals.

In all competitions, Kane has netted 13 times so far in the 2017-18 campaign, and he will be hoping to add to that tally if passed fit for this weekend’s North London derby against Arsenal.

Hurst, who spent the majority of his club career at West Ham United, thinks that there is no better striker on the planet right now.

The Mirror quotes the retired forward as saying:

“Harry Kane, with the way he’s been playing, is superb. Worldwide you couldn’t pick anybody as good as him anywhere in any other league. He’s got five or six hat tricks, hasn’t he? He’s absolutely flying. Those goals don’t come easy.

“He works up front, he’s aggressive in his all-round play and you couldn’t pick anyone better worldwide. He’s a fantastic player in a very difficult position. He can score goals from any other position, can use both feet and not many strikers can do that.”

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has been ruled out of Saturday’s North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur after picking up an injury on international duty.

Giroud was sent home early from the France camp after suffering a thigh problem, although it had been thought that the 31-year-would be available for the clash at the Emirates Stadium.

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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, however, has revealed that the forward will not be fit to face Tottenham.

Giroud, who is valued at £19.8m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has not started a single Premier League match this season after being forced to play second fiddle to Alexandre Lacazette and Alexis Sanchez in the final third of the field.

That said, he has appeared in 10 of Arsenal’s 11 league matches at the start of the 2017-18 campaign.

Wenger told reporters at his pre-match press conference:

“Olivier Giroud has picked up an injury and I don’t think he will be available.

“It’s short term, but he should start again on Monday and we have to assess him on Monday, but I don’t think he will be available.”

Arsenal will enter the clash with their bitter rivals off the back of a 3-1 defeat at Manchester City in the Premier League before the international break.

A total of 19 points has left the Gunners down in sixth position in the Premier League table.

Daniel Sturridge’s Liverpool future has been a talking point ever since Jurgen Klopp walked through the Shankley Gates at Anfield.

The striker does not fit into the German’s style of play and his injury problems continue to mount.

Now, The Mirror reports that the 28-year-old is open to leaving in January due to his World Cup place being at stake.

England manager Gareth Southgate left Sturridge out of his squad for recent friendlies against Germany and Brazil.

With the lack of game time at Anfield – just four starts in all competitions – the former Chelsea player reportedly feels that he needs to leave the Merseyside club to get his career back on track.

Sturridge moved to Liverpool from Stamford Bridge in January 2013 and has gone on to score 62 goals in 120 appearances.

After news emerged that the ex-Manchester City attacker may consider moving on when the transfer window reopens in less than two months’ time, Liverpool fans have had their say.