BILD’s Ruhr-Ost edition report that the 28-year-old was uninterested in a move to St James Park, with his ambitions playing a clear role in the decision.

Several suitors

The newspaper explains that several clubs have set their sights on the Dortmund goalkeeper. Reports in Spain have indicated that Real Madrid see him as a potential replacement for Thibaut Courtois.

But they’re not the only ones. Several clubs have Gregor Kobel on their wish list. Newcastle were one of them. They came knocking in the summer, but the Swiss goalkeeper turned them down.

The Magpies were willing to offer him ‘significantly more money’ in England but Kobel wasn’t convinced.

He believes that he can win trophies at Dortmund and wanted to stay there. He will only consider a departure if he were to lose faith in Dortmund’s ability to compete at the very top.

Dortmund determined

Dortmund, for their part, are determined to keep the goalkeeper long-term. He has a contract until 2028 but that is something they will presumably look at soon.

The Bundesliga side would be unwise to allow him to enter next summer with just a year left on his deal.

That’s particularly worrisome given Real Madrid are keen. They’ve become experts at tempting top players away from clubs on free transfers in recent years and they’d presumably like to do so again here if they can.

Newcastle are unlikely to make a return anyway. They spent the summer looking for goalkeepers to replace Nick Pope and eventually settled on Lukas Hornicek. He’s made a solid start to life in the North East so there’s no worries there for now.

They also spent big to sign Ewen Jaouen as well. He’s very much seen as one for the future, so the goalkeeper position is locked down for the forseeable and Kobel is now, presumably, off the table.

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The 24-year-old moved to La Real in 2024 from Red Bull Salzburg. This season he’s scored two goals in six matches, and his ratios are improving. That inevitably brings attention.

The Spanish club’s manager Pellegrino Matarazzo has a lot of faith in the Croatia international, however, he may not be able to count on him in the long term.

A week ago he scored the 90th minute winner against Elche. His earlier goal had been against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Subsequently, there’s a lot of talk.

Newcastle United considering paying clause

Sunday’s print edition of AS reports The Magpies have been considering paying Luka Sucic’s €60m clause. If the Magpies did so, and the player agreed, there’d be nothing La Real could do to stop a transfer.

Matthias Jaissle worked with Sukic at Red Bull Salzburg. The manager has shown a willingness to reunite with former players, and that will encourage this story.

For La Real, €60m would represent a €50m profit on what they paid Red Bull. There’s every chance they’d agree to sell for less, or least allow the payment to be spread.

Usually when triggering clauses unilaterally, the whole amount must be paid in one go. As long as there’s a good relationship between the clubs, payments are often negotiable even at clause amounts.

Real Sociedad face Bournemouth on Thursday in the Europa League. That’s an excellent chance for Newcastle United to take another look at Luka Sucic.

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The attacker has seriously improved since joining Como from Real Betis. While he picked up an injury last season, the Senegalese has started the ongoing campaign impressively.

He has two Serie A goals and also opened his account in the Champions League last week.

Sport Witness have previously covered Everton interest in him but Newcastle United and Aston Villa are also in the race.

Player’s value reaching new heights

Gazzetta dello Sport report Diao’s tactical application has really come to the fore under Cesc Fabregas. This is seen in the ongoing campaign, as Diao also puts in a lot of effort while tracking back. His 1v1 abilities have stood out, as he can play across the attack.

Como paid €12m to sign him, now their valuation is well over €50m. The lakeside club’s owner Mirwan Suwarso has already revealed that offers have been rejected.

The newspaper note that Aston Villa and Newcastle United were the clubs who stepped forward with those offers. Suwarso’s response was a categorical ‘no’, with Como now attempting to tie the player down to a new deal.

They want to protect against the idea of losing him, with plans being considered for a renewal until 2031.

Our take: No pressure to sell

Aston Villa and Newcastle United might have an impossible task. This would especially be true if Diao signs a new deal until 2031. It would leave Como under no pressure to sell the player. Besides, Fabregas’ side have not made a major sale yet.

More than that, the 21-year-old is likely happy where he is. Como are playing in the Champions League and they should be regulars in Europe going forward.

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Saturday’s print edition of Ekstra Bladet reports all eyes are on Monday evening to see if the Newcastle striker will be part of Denmark’s squad for the break. He is currently one of the ‘doubtful cases’.

What’s key for inclusion

Osula is not expected back until October 12^th.

National coach Brian Riemer, though, says that the 23-year-old needs playing time on Monday if he

is to be a part of the group.

“I am in constant dialogue with Will. He has a tricky football injury that can flare up and subside,” he told the newspaper.

“Will needs to get out there and play if he is to be considered for the national team. Clearly, time is running out. My completely honest explanation is that I don’t know any more than that.

“I’m naming the squad on Tuesday, and it’s starting to become problematic for him if the next match is also out of the picture.”

Riemer playing it cautious

Hence the focus is now on Newcastle’s trip to Leeds United on Monday. If Osula doesn’t feature, he won’t be heading on international duty either.

“I’ve learned from past experience,” added Riemer.

“On Monday evening, I’ll dot the i’s and cross the t’s. A lot can happen in the world of football. It’s not about what I think; I’ve already made up my mind about the squad I want to take.”

“But who will be fit, and will anyone get injured?” In the two years I’ve been here, something has always happened during that final weekend. Let’s hope those who were doubtful make it back; we’ll know by Monday evening.

“Once the final match has been played on Monday evening, we’ll make the final decision.”

Viaplay, meanwhile, report that William Osula has been wearing a protective boot on his foot because of the injury. That would suggest that Newcastle, and the player, are concerned about it.

Now all eyes are on Newcastle’s trip to Leeds, which will determine what happens in the international break.

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Sport Witness covered how the Magpies quickly opened up to loaning out the German. This was largely because they signed Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who has pretty much come in as a replacement for Woltemade.

The ex-Stuttgart man made his first appearance for Juve against AC Milan at the weekend. His impact was clear to see, as he caused chaos when Juve needed a goal and they did equalise late in the tie.

Now, the player’s role could change – at least temporarily.

Deeper usage being considered

Calciomercato IT note that Luciano Spalletti is a bit irked by Juve’s inability to score. It was Federico Gatti who scored against Milan and Bremer found the net against Frosinone. Against Parma, outcasts Nico Gonzalez and Teun Koopmeiners scored.

This has sparked an idea that the Italian can use both Randal Kolo Muani and the Newcastle United loanee in the same team. This would see the German play in an attacking midfield spot behind the Frenchman.

Spalletti has already hinted at that in press conferences and now, this can actually be tried out.

This tactic could be used in training first, especially as Woltemade’s technical ability allows him to play deeper.

Our take: Magpies made the same mistake

Last season, Eddie Howe also used Woltemade deep at Newcastle United. This helped neither the player, nor the club and the 24-year-old can find himself in the same scenario again.

His technical skillset does allow him to play in attacking midfield but it isn’t where his best comes. He is better at receiving in the final third, linking up play and scoring goals.

The experiment could work out for Juve but it is unlikely to help Woltemade long term. Newcastle United should also be alert to this, as the entire point of the dry loan is to improve the player.

The post Newcastle United player being evaluated for tactical change – Worry for Magpies appeared first on Sport Witness.

Sport cover the Barcelona director today following an interview in which he discussed Barcelona’s various transfer business this summer.

One of their biggest moves was the €80m deal – which they’re already deferring payments on – to sign Anthony Gordon from Newcastle before the World Cup.

Gordon transfer explained

That deal was wrapped up quickly but did raise eyebrows as the Catalan club appeared to have pivoted quickly away from Marcus Rashford to sign his England teammate.

Rashford had spent last season on loan with Barcelona. He impressed during that spell too, finishing his year in Spain with 14 goals and 15 assists in 49 games.

Numbers like those had made a permanent move look inevitable but, instead, Barcelona decided to move for Gordon. Deco has now cleared up why that decision was made.

“We watch every training session and analyse the team,” he said.

“We have a clear idea of what we’re looking for. One of the issues last year was that, without Raphinha, the team’s energy would drop – it would be lost.

“We needed more intensity. We analysed many wingers. Signing players from the Premier League is almost impossible. First, we had the financial capacity to do it.

“The manager was convinced. From there, we worked on the deal. Gordon was very excited about being part of the project. We paid his market value. We are grateful to Rashford, but Gordon brings us more to what the coach is looking for.”

Transfer from Newcastle United working well

Fortunately for Deco, the decision to sign Anthony Gordon is looking like a smart one early on in his time at Camp Nou.

He’s yet to score for his new club but has managed five assists in five games to date and made a very positive impression on those watching.

Indeed, he now finds himself as part of one of the best attacking line ups in Europe and more assists, plus goals, will only help Deco’s decision to look smarter.

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El Desmarque report that Gordon’s ‘seamless fit’ as a Barcelona player – demonstrated by four assists to date – has convinced everyone that the deal to sign him from Newcastle was a smart one.

The deal with Newcastle includes a series of instalment payments to the Magpies. But according to Barcelona’s annual report, they’ve now changed the schedule for those payments after postponing the first of them.

Delayed payment to Newcastle United

El Desmarque explain that Barcelona owe Newcastle United €69.8m for Gordon across various payments. There is a ‘short-term payment’ of €22m and a second of almost €47m.

But Barcelona have now agreed with Newcastle to defer that €22m until June 2027. That will be one year later than originally estimated in the transfer deal.

That allows Barcelona to get some breathing room for their transfer debts. They still owe nearly €90m related on the signings for the 2026/27 season. Now they’ve managed to defer a big chunk of that until next year.

Positive financial outlook

The club have posted a highly positive financial outlook following revenues of €1.06 billion in the 2025/26 season. That has allowed them to attack the summer transfer market and get deals like the one with Newcastle for Gordon done quickly.

But they have had to commit to big transfer fees and need to be careful on that front to ensure there’s no problems. Recent years have been a constant financial battle for Barcelona.

Why this is questionable

How the deal benefits Newcastle United remains to be seen. Quite why they would agree to receive their money a year later than planned is anyone’s guess.

Perhaps they are thinking long-term in terms of SCR. It seems they were happy to do Barcelona the favour either way. Maybe with an eye to future transfer business as well. We’re sure they’d be happy to maintain a positive relationship with the Catalans if it benefitted them that way.

Alternatively, this is simply a trick of accounting from Barcelona to make it look better from their perspective.

Cronica, who focus on Barcelona, state: ‘The 2025-26 financial report reveals a short-term debt of €115.8 million to sports entities as of June 30, 2026. However, in the section on subsequent events, it reports the postponement of a payment due that was initially scheduled for July 31, 2026 , two months after the transfer was finalised. Deco not only managed to bring Anthony in through a lightning-fast negotiation with Newcastle United, but he has also been able to ease the club’s cash flow.

‘Therefore, the €22.3 million for Gordon will not be counted in the short term until the end of the current season. In the long term, €46.9 million was charged before the deferral. The fact is that the payment for the most expensive signing of the summer transfer window has not yet begun. €69.2 million is still owed for the attacker from Liverpool.’

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The defender has previously been linked with a move to England. Sport Witness covered Manchester United’s scouting mission for the Frenchman and they appeared keen on landing him.

That didn’t happen in the summer and the Red Devils made no approaches.

Kalulu continues to be a dominant figure at right-back for Juve, having started all three of their Serie A games.

As a result, interest from England continues to rise.

Juve under pressure for renewal

TuttoJuve’s Mirko Di Natale reports that Kalulu is keen on staying in Turin for a long time. He also harbours dreams of winning the Scudetto, but his future remains unclear.

This is because the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham are interested. These clubs are looking to pay ‘significant sums’ to sign him and there is also a chance Paris Saint-Germain return for a possible deal.

Juve are alert to these developments, especially as his current deal runs out in 2029. They are attempting to renew the deal and have scheduled a meeting with his entourage.

Juve can feel the heat soon

While the Old Lady aren’t panicking yet, things can change. Kalulu’s stature in Turin is reaching new heights and Luciano Spalletti clearly values him in the right-back role. In the past at AC Milan, he also played at centre-back and offers a lot of value to the squad.

He would do the same for all of Newcastle United, Tottenham and Aston Villa. Beyond that, he also offers significant experience of playing in the Champions League.

The three clubs should continue to monitor the situation.

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The striker came off the bench in the Premier League side’s 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, days after playing the full 90 minutes in the Magpies’ EFL Cup win over West Bromwich Albion.

In August there were claims of Barcelona interest, and Sport Witness were informed those were nonsense. Indeed, Woltemade and his camp weren’t pushing to leave Newcastle United.

Why striker left Newcastle United

This week’s edition of SportBild gives an insight into what convinced the 24-year-old to leave the Magpies. Juventus will cover the Germany international’s full salary of €8m per year.

Newcastle United’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool on August 23rd was crucial for the striker pushing for the transfer.

The match was manager Matthias Jaissle’s first competitive fixture with his new club. He left Nick Woltemade on the bench, and this ‘angered’ the latter and his entourage.

Woltemade was also surprised by the style employed by Jaissle, with too many long balls. This made him doubt having a key role in the new style under the current manager.

Newcastle United made 56 long passes against Liverpool with 28% success rate and their opponent completed 46% of 48 long passes.

What happened with Newcastle’s stance

The Tyneside club appointed Matthias Jaissle as Eddie Howe’s successor in August. The new boss saw room for improvement with Nick Woltemade.

Therefore, Newcastle United looked for a club for the frontman and agreed a loan deal with the Turin side. It was the Magpies who initiated the exit, backing what Sport Witness revealed during the window.

SportBild adds it won’t be easy for the German at the Serie A side.

Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti has ‘has expressed clear expectations to Woltemade in recent days: The attacking player should bring even more physical quality to Juve’s game with his height, be a strong header of the ball, and create numerous scoring opportunities in the penalty area.’

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That’s according to Bild, who cover why the Premier League trio failed to secure the 20-year-old’s services.

Newcastle, Aston Villa and Everton snubbed 

On July 4th, Sport Witness covered a report from Germany explaining that the Magpies made a move for the striker.

Two days later, we relayed news of Everton tabling an offer to sign Christian Kofane. The Toffees were planning to beat Newcastle United and other clubs.

In the end, David Moyes’ side, Newcastle United, Aston Villa or another club weren’t able to take him away from Bayer Leverkusen.

Bild now reports the Cameroon international had rejected offers from Newcastle United, Unai Emery’s side and the Merseyside club. The three clubs were all willing to offer around €50m.

Future signing more expensive 

The Bundesliga side want to reward the frontman for his impressive performances and decision to turn down other clubs.

He joined Bayer Leverkusen from Albacete Balompié in July 2025. Their plan was to send him on loan, only to change that, after he impressed during pre-season.

The decision paid off as Christian Kofane finished his debut season with seven goals and nine assists from 44 matches. He has a contract until 2029, and Transfermarkt value him at €40m.

Bayer Leverkusen are working on offering him a new contract until 2031 and have been in talks with his agents, Eric Depolo and Erkan Alkan, for several weeks.

The two parties are closing in on an agreement, and he’s on the verge of signing an extension. The renewal will see him increase his salary to €4m, likely net, per year.

Bild make no mention of his salary and add the new contract won’t include a release clause.

The Bundesliga side are seeing him as their next €100m player. In short, Fofana will become more expensive for Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Everton or any other club.

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