Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News 
Regardless of three defeats of their final 4 league video games, Newcastle United sit sixth within the Premier League and really a lot in competition to seal a return to the Champions League forward of the 2025/26 season.
Current away journeys to Man Metropolis (4-0) and Liverpool (2-0) supplied a sobering reminder of the squad’s limitations in sure areas.
Omar Marmoush ran rampant down the left flank and racked up a first-half hat-trick, giving Kieran Trippier a torrid time. The previous England worldwide, who will flip 35 in September, is trying increasingly his age as of late.
Final evening, Fabian Schar (33) and Dan Burn (32) by no means appeared snug towards a Liverpool assault that didn’t should get out of second gear in a cushty 2-0 win.
It’s changing into increasingly evident that Newcastle have to signal a brand new proper again to compete with Tino Livramento and a right-sided centre-back to – the one query is, who?
Age: 28
Membership: Nottingham Forest
Nationality: Nigerian
After narrowly staving off relegation of their first two seasons again within the top-flight, Forest are on observe to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, and one participant who has confirmed important is Ola Aina.
The Nigeria worldwide has excelled as a right-sided wingback beneath Nuno Espirito Santo, providing blistering tempo, stellar crossing and bodily prowess. He all the time is aware of when to go away his line and step in to make a desperately wanted intervention – no Forest participant is finishing extra interceptions per sport (1.2) than him – and along with his contract set to run out on June 30, Newcastle might signal him on a free switch this summer time.
Age: 20
Membership: Shakhtar Donetsk
Nationality: Brazil
From Ilya Zabarnyi and Oleksandr Zinchenko to Artem Smolyakov, we’ve seen fairly a couple of gifted defenders emerge from the Ukrainian league, and the newest defensive prospect to make a reputation for himself is Vinicius Tobias.
Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Tobias headed throughout the Atlantic Ocean and joined Shakhtar Donetsk in 2022. Instantly after, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would see Tobias depart and be a part of Actual Madrid on mortgage, the place he spent the subsequent two seasons with their B crew.
Having did not persuade Carlo Ancelotti of his deserves within the first crew or persuade Actual Madrid of the necessity to signal him on a everlasting deal, Tobias is again in Shakhtar and making his mark for the Miners. A technically gifted fullback, Tobias has the creativity and imaginative and prescient to make an influence within the remaining third, having grabbed an help in three of his final 4 Ukraine Premier League matches.
Age: 23
Membership: Udinese
Nationality: Denmark
Newcastle don’t simply want a proper again – in addition they want a middle again who can present a long-term choice on the coronary heart of protection in distinction to their veteran central halves like Fabian Schär (33), Dan Burn (32), and Emil Krafth (30).
As such, Thomas Kristensen could very effectively be their greatest wager. At 6’6”, Kristensen towers over the opposition and is able to holding his personal in bodily battles and aerial duels, however his expertise as a central midfielder from his adolescence has additionally resulted in him being a cultured determine who can advance the ball along with his passing.
Though he’s primarily performed as a middle again, Kristensen has deputized at proper again not too long ago for Udinese in current weeks and hasn’t appeared misplaced towards a few of Serie A’s most seasoned attackers. After impressing within the black and white stripes of Udinese, he might very effectively be set to be donning another well-known black and white strips within the close to future.
