Chronicle Live

Newcastle United are hoping to finally get a pre-season win on the board at the fourth time of asking on Sunday as they take on fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

The Magpies have endured a tricky tour of Asia so far. They went down narrowly to Arsenal a week ago before losing 1-0 against K-League Select XI in midweek. That followed on from a 4-0 thumping by Celtic before they set off.

Newcastle will go in against a Spurs-heavy crowd at the Seoul World Cup Stadium with thousands set to pay farewell to Son Heung-min in a Tottenham shirt. Newcastle have their own South Korean star for the fans to get excited by though, with Park Seung-soo in line for another appearance.

Eddie Howe will be forced to make a few changes from the K-League game. Joe Willock is out injured, but Bruno Guimareas and Joelinton could start while up front he will be hoping Anthony Gordon and William Osula can find their shooting boots.

We have all the team news, match action and the immediate reaction from the game below.

The Magpies are ready to let their teenage signing run riot in the remaining pre-season games

Newcastle United youngster Park Seung-soo is turning into one of the big plus points of pre-season - and could feature against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday night.

Park wooed the Suwong crowd here on Wednesday night and now goes into the tour finale hoping to face off against his hero. Son Heung-min will make his farewell to the Seoul fans in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt after 10 years at the club.

For Park the dream is to play and swap shirts with the king of South Korean football. Speaking before the game, Park, who stands at a sturdy 6ft and has been putting himself about in training, was asked about the legendary figure.

He said: "I am sure it must not have been an easy decision for Son. And since tomorrow could really be his final match with Tottenham, I'd love to swap shirts with him."

A big decision now lies ahead for Eddie Howe with Park as he considers whether to loan him out or keep him with the first team. At one stage he was set to stay with the reserves but his development looks beyond Newcastle's Under-21 side and playing in Premier League 2 may be too easy for him.

Park is excited about his time ahead on Tyneside and said: : "It's a huge honour to join Newcastle United. It's a big step for me and I feel incredibly thankful for the faith the club have shown in me.

"I'm excited to develop here, learn from the coaches, and give everything to become the best player I can be."

Running at defenders is certain to be a hit for St James' Park and the reaction of home fans in either the Espanyol or Atletico Madrid will really send a message home to Park on how big United are.

He said: "My biggest strength is dribbling. I tried to show what I do best when I stepped onto the pitch. I’m glad the moment I was aiming for came out.

"I wanted to entertain fans here tonight, and I am glad things worked out well. I don't usually hear fans' chants during matches, but for some reason, I was able to hear them tonight. They made me feel more confident."

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The Magpies were a couple of players down in training on Friday as they prepared for the clash against Tottenham Hotspur

Newcastle United have now discovered the full extent of Joe Willock's Suwon injury blow.

However, Chronicle Live understands that the former Arsenal player will not have a long lay-off after being stretchered off against the K-League on Wednesday evening in South Korea. Crucially, Willock, who came out worse in a 50-50 late in the game, has not damaged his achilles - which was the first fear as he was carried down the tunnel in midweek.

Newcastle had a lighter session yesterday in Seoul at Seongnam FC's training base, but Willock did not feature. Also absent was Sandro Tonali who, as Chronicle Live revealed yesterday, has suffered a whack to his left leg.

But Willock has remained with the squad and has not travelled home for treatment with a bruised calf the only outcome of his unfortunate moment in Suwon. Tonali is also not badly hurt and could face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in the final game of the Coupang Play Series.

Tonali was in great spirits as he took part in a meet and greet with lucky supporters who were drawn out of a ballot to meet the Italian, Kieran Trippier and Fabian Schar.

The first-team stars, who were donning the new green away shirt, were part of a promotion for Guinness which also saw fans get free pints with the images of Shola Ameobi and Shay Given emblazoned on the head of the drinks!

The absence of Willock could give Lewis Miley a chance to shine against Spurs and gain his second start of pre-season. The 19-year-old was one of the plus points of the 1-0 loss in Suwon.

Norway Under-20 star Travis Hernes is also being pushed to the front in pre-season following the departure of Sean Longstaff to Leeds.

With Newcastle down to five central midfielders, Hernes may be held back from a loan deal this season.

It's also a chance for Alfie Harrison, still just 19, to remind Howe what he can do after being entrusted to be on the trip to the Far East. The ex-Man City youngster did not make any first-team breakthrough last term and opportunity knocks in Seoul.

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Newcastle United are on the hunt for additional attacking reinforcements after capturing the signature of Anthony Elanga. Only this time it will be a central striker pursued as Eddie Howe seeks competition for Alexander Isak.

That in itself is a hard sell. The sales pitch will essentially involve talk of rivalling Isak for a solo starting spot through the middle but attempting to persuade talent to take up that fight will come with difficulties.

Tottenham Hotspur endured a similar problem when luring players to north London to accompany Harry Kane in their attacking ranks. This is not an impossible task, however, and Spurs are actually proof that you can still find big names to come in and offer competition to your prized asset.

But one other dilemma Newcastle must deal with is the market value and inflated price tags of some of their top targets at the top end of the pitch.

So far this summer, United have seen swoops for Joao Pedro and Liam Delap fall short. Pedro moved for £60m, while Delap had a tempting release clause of £30m.

Since then, there has been speculation over moves for Hugo Ekitike, valued at £86m by Eintracht Frankfurt, and Yoane Wissa, thought to be worth £50m in the eyes of Brentford - who are already dealing with key exits in the form of Thomas Frank, Christian Norgaard and potentially Bryan Mbeumo.

Another name floated is that of Ollie Watkins, who also won’t come cheap despite entering the business years of his career. Yet still some fans on Tyneside will refuse to get excited about a free transfer in the form of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

It does certainly feels as though this summer market, more than so, has seen prices inflated in a significant way. Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m release clause move seemingly started it off.

Meanwhile, Mbeumo will cost more than that, while some will argue Elanga is not a £55m player just yet. Meanwhile, Arsenal are set to spend £50m on Noni Madueke, which again will be used as a yardstick for attacking valuations in the future.

With north of £100m being squirrelled away for Elanga, a goalkeeper and a central defender - and with limited sellable assets at the club’s disposal - Newcastle may not be able to go big on an Isak competitor.

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Dennis Cirkin came through Spurs' academy and is now being linked with a return that would solve a Champions League problem

Dennis Cirkin is a target for Tottenham Hotspur with the London giants said to be preparing to make their move.

Crucially, the Sunderland left-back is a former Spurs youth having grown up in the north London club’s academy.

UEFA rules mean that Cirkin has become a target for his former club who he left in 2021.

Cirkin played a big part in their promotion to the Premier League but it is understood the Black Cats would be prepared to accept offers in the region of £20m.

Spurs’ new head coach Thomas Frank is fully concentrated on rebuilding his squad and Cirkin fits into his style of play and principles.

Upgrading the starting XI will be the topmost priority, though, Spurs will need to add quality depth to their squad to be able to compete across multiple fronts.

Having won the Europa League by beating Manchester United in the final in May, the Lilywhites subsequently qualified for the Champions League. Therefore, they must comply with UEFA’s rules in order to compete in the Champions League.

As per Football London, UEFA rules state that Tottenham must have four ‘club-trained players’ in their squad, someone who has been on a club’s books for three entire seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21. Currently, they have just one in the form of goalkeeper Brandon Austin.

In order to comply with UEFA’s rules, Spurs have been linked with Cirkin.

Tottenham have been monitoring him ahead of a possible swoop. The left-back signed for Sunderland in 2021, having never made a senior appearance for Tottenham, and has gone on to establish himself a key player of the Wearside club.

With Spurs in desperate need of club-trained players, former scout Bryan King thinks the north Londoners will make a move for Cirkin this summer. He feels Sunderland would accept a bid of £20million for their star defender, but is unsure whether the deal is ideal for Tottenham.

“Cirkin is still only 23 years old,” Bryan King told Tottenham News.

“Therefore, it would probably take a bid of about £20m for Sunderland to accept. I know they need to address this issue, but they’re linked with Kyle Walker-Peters as well.

“Tottenham don’t want to sign too many players in that position because they’ve already got quite a bit of coverage in the full-back areas.

“If Tottenham can bring through some U21 players to address that issue, that would be a much cheaper option than going out and buying a player like Cirkin. I wouldn’t think Sunderland would be too happy about it either.”

At 23, Cirkin’s best years are clearly ahead of him and he’d be a good option to provide back-up for Udogie. The Dublin-born talent would also fulfil the N17-based outfit’s most important requirement of club-trained players to participate in the Champions League next term.

Newcastle United play host to Sam Fender once again

Geordie royalty returns to Tyneside this weekend as Sam Fender plays three jam-packed gigs at St James' Park. Newcastle United's home will play host, for the second time in a matter of years, to the musician and thousands of fans on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Fender's two sold-out shows in 2023 are estimated to have brought £15m to the local economy, while the NUFC Fans' Foodbank will again be situated in their usual spot opposite Shearer's Bar, raising vital funds for the most vulnerable people in the region. Newcastle United as a football club will also benefit from the singer's return to his favourite venue.

These events are big business for Premier League sides who lend the use of their stadiums for these non-football events. In recent years, Aston Villa have hosted Bruce Springsteen, Arsenal recently put on a Robbie Williams show, Tottenham Hotspur have welcomed Beyonce and Fender himself, just last week, played at West Ham's London Stadium.

St James' Park has hosted its fair share of worldwide musical superstars in years gone by, but the belief is that should the north east outfit change venues - with a Leazes Park move mooted - they will be able to turbo-charge their commercial revenue by holding many more acts and other sporting events on Tyneside.

Kieran Maguire, a football finance expert, recently told the Telegraph income generated, for football clubs, from gigs was 'a closely guarded secret', while experts in the world of media suggest stadium rental fees and a percentage of merchandise sales is how clubs make their money from these occasions. Tottenham Hotspur's recent five-night Beyonce run is estimated to have made the Premier League clubs millions.

Daniel Levy's club took home a cut of the merchandise sales from each evening, as well as the entirety of the food and drink sales. The Athletic estimated the gigs could have pocketed Tottenham £15m but the club suggested the final figure was £5m when costs were taken into account.

Tottenham have truly led the way in this field in recent years after taking the leap to leave White Hart Lane for the aptly-named Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The club's latest financial accounts show revenue from third-party events, commercial avenues, sponsorship and merchandise rose to £225.2m from £227.7m the year prior (2023).

Spurs had initially been permitted to host 16 non-football events each year by the Haringey Council but recently received a license to host 30 over 12 months at the venue. in 2023, Goldman Sachs estimated those 16 non-football events were worth £55m to the club.

As well as continuously hosting Beyonce concerts, the likes of Lady Gaga and Red Hot Chilli Peppers have played gigs at the club's new ground. Heavyweight boxing clashes and NFL fixtures are also often showcased at the stadium these days. In Spurs' final season at White Hart Lane, back in 2016-17, the club made £45m in matchday revenue.

Now, they have more than doubled that figure to rank as one of Europe's best when it comes to money-making. That is what Newcastle aspire to become, whether at a new stadium or at St James' Park.

Newcastle United's chief operating officer, Brad Miller, last year said: "The second option [a Leazes Park move], we are looking at it seriously as it does have the potential to earn more than twice as much in terms of revenue, compared to a transformation of St James’ Park."

He added: "A new stadium has the potential to earn a lot more, both on match days, and non-match days."

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Newcastle United will make changes to their goalkeeping department this summer

When Newcastle United were taken over in 2021, few thought ageing, backup goalkeepers would be high on the transfer agenda almost four years down the line. However, as the summer window kicks into life, there's every chance we see another veteran stopper arrive to offer dressing room and training ground support behind the scenes.

Last summer saw John Ruddy, recently released by Birmingham City, join Eddie Howe's ranks in that capacity to offer his wisdom and experience on Tyneside. Fast forward to present day and Chronicle Live understands the 38-year-old is expected to depart upon the expiry of his contract at the end of June.

Ruddy's departure would open the door for another stopper being drafted in, with the likes of Fraser Forster [37], Tim Krul [37] and Freddie Woodman [28] all being linked in recent weeks. The trio of stoppers all plied their trade for Newcastle earlier in their respective careers and surprise returns to St James' Park makes sense for one very specific reason.

As per UEFA squad rules, Newcastle must include eight 'homegrown' players in their upcoming Champions League roster. Four of those players must be 'club-trained' - meaning they were registered with the Magpies for at least three years between the age of 15 and 21.

Recent departures for the likes of Elliot Anderson and Paul Dummett mean Sean Longstaff is the only senior player in Howe's squad to fit that bill. As such, any of the free aforementioned free agent goalkeepers could be drafted back in to help Newcastle comply with UEFA's registration rules.

Forster is an intriguing option as his contract at Tottenham Hotspur ticks down. Injuries in north London saw the former Toon keeper drafted in for seven Premier League and four Europa League ties under Ange Postecoglou last season.

In contrast, Krul failed to make a single appearance for Championship side Luton Town as they were relegated from the second tier. Woodman featured in 37 of Preston's league fixtures last term but was ruled out for the final stretch of games due to injury, with the player now set to move on in search of regular, first-team football.

Forster, as such, would be an unsurprising signing in the coming weeks as Howe revamps his goalkeeping department. The former Southampton goalkeeper has even given the green light to a St James' Park return in recent years.

“If I could have had one thing in my career so far it would have been to have played one game for them at St James’ Park,” he told The Times in 2023. “To be a Newcastle fan, that’s every kid’s dream, to play at St James’, in front of 52,000.

"There as well it means so much being a Geordie and playing for Newcastle. That’s one thing I wish I could change.”

Forster joined the Magpies when he was 15 but made his name elsewhere, flourishing for the likes of Southampton and Celtic, along with spells at Norwich City and Stockport County.

With Ruddy poised to depart, decisions will be made over Nick Pope, Odysseas Vlachodimos, Martin Dubravka and Mark Gillespie. Howe has been clear he will seek to make changes to his senior stopper department after overseeing five on the books of late.

"The goalkeeper situation has been slightly difficult this year," Howe told reporters before the end of the season. "We have a high number of goalkeepers which probably hasn't been ideal.

"Those players have handled that situation very, very well. It's not easy. They have been really good professionals, all of them.

"They have created a really good team network and trained really well. They have helped whoever has been playing be at their best for match day. I am full of compliments for them. But let's wait and see."

The North London side could look to rival Newcastle for a transfer target

Tottenham are considering cashing in on captain Son Heung-min in order to help finance their summer transfer business. Spurs have been linked with a move for Newcastle United target Marc Guehi, but could need to move players on before making serious investments.

Ange Postecoglou's side qualified for the Champions League after winning the Europa League, but ended the Premier League season in 17th place, on 38 points. The North London club are set for a major summer rebuild, and have reportedly identified Crystal Palace's Guehi as a key target.

Newcastle are thought to be keen on resurrecting a deal for the England defender after failing in their attempts to bring him to St James' Park 12 months ago. Guehi is out of contract next summer and the Eagles could finally part with the 24-year-old, with a £50m asking price reported.

Spurs could lose centre-back Cristian Romero to Atletico Madrid, and want Guehi as a long-term partner for Dutch defender Micky van de Ven. Ironically, United are in the same boat, with Eddie Howe keen to find a right-sided defender to play along Sven Botman.

Newcastle have transfer funds available to them this summer, but have limited options when it comes to raising extra funds though player sales and, as have been illustrated by Bryan Mbeumo, won't pay over the odds when it comes to wages.

Son has been a stalwart for Tottenham, making 454 appearances for the club over the last 10 years. However, he is now 32 and his contract is up at the end of next season, prompting Spurs to consider a big transfer decision in the coming weeks.

The South Korean international has notched 173 goals and contributed 101 assists but there have been question marks over his contribution last season, with Postecoglou's side losing 22 times in the Premier League. The Telegraph report they would be open to a deal, with interest from the Saudi Pro League.

Guehi is a man in demand this summer, with interest from Newcastle, Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea. The defender has been left out of the current England squad after fracturing his eye socket in Crystal Palace's FA Cup Final win over Manchester City.

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Manchester United are set to square off against Chelsea, while Spurs gear up for a clash with Aston Villa in rescheduled Premier League matches tonight. However, these Friday night fixtures, shifted to ensure both clubs have equal and extended rest before the pivotal Europa League final in Bilbao on Wednesday night, contravene a promise made by the Football Association regarding the FA Cup final.

Crystal Palace are due to meet Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday afternoon, but the FA had previously stated when outlining plans for this season's cup that not only would the final occur "on an exclusive Saturday" but there would be no top-tier matches the night prior "to allow focus on the build-up to the showpiece event".

Yet, Spurs' trip to Villa, who expressed discontent over the game's rescheduling, is now slated to commence at 7:30pm on Friday, followed by Chelsea versus United at 8:15pm. Both Friday night games were originally scheduled to coincide with other Premier League matches on Sunday.

Palace and City were only informed of their Wembley meeting's kick-off time a mere fortnight before the match, following lengthy discussions involving broadcasters. Nonetheless, the 4:30pm start should afford fans travelling from Manchester ample time to reach Euston station for their return journeys, reports the Mirror.

The FA has confirmed scheduling alterations for this season's Cup, announcing last year: "The Emirates FA Cup Final will now take place on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season, on an exclusive Saturday with no Premier League fixtures taking place on the same day. Additionally, there will be no Premier League games on the Friday night before the final, to allow focus on the build-up to the showpiece event."

Both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are keen to avoid any new injuries, with managers Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou likely to opt for a changed lineup. Tottenham's skipper Heung-min Son is set to get some much-needed game time at Villa Park after a month sidelined with a foot injury, having made a comeback against Crystal Palace the previous weekend.

However, several pivotal players might find themselves starting from the bench as attentions shift to the upcoming Bilbao match, where not only is significant silverware at stake but also a spot in the next season's Champions League, bringing with it substantial financial rewards.

Ange Postecoglou has vowed to pick a team that will 'do its best' to beat Aston Villa as the Spurs boss hit back at those who have questioned his side's 'integrity'.

Aston Villa could move level on points with third-placed Newcastle United if Unai Emery's team defeat struggling Spurs on Friday night and the Villains go into the game as overwhelming favourites. Although Spurs have reached the Europa League final, the Londoners find find themselves just one place above the relegation places following a solitary win in their last 10 top-flight fixtures.

It is clear where Spurs' priorities lie ahead of next week's showpiece in Bilbao after Postecoglou recently lost Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall to injury. Postecoglou, tellingly, made eight changes to that side that defeated Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League when Spurs faced Crystal Palace last week and it would be a surprise if the Australian did not ring the changes once again at Villa Park. However, Postecoglou maintained he will field a side that can get a result.

"We're certainly going to go out there and try and win the game and put out a team that, hopefully, gets that job done," the Spurs boss told reporters. "I'm not sure about the integrity.

"There have been times this year where we have had to field weakened teams because of injury. Does that affect the integrity?

"People are thinking that there is some sort of competitive balance that exists. That doesn't exist over the course of a season.

"I'd be very surprised if people are questioning our integrity to try and win a game of football. I'll put the team out that I think will do its best to win a game of football."

Newcastle will just be focusing on themselves, of course. In fact, one more victory should be enough for Newcastle to qualify for the Champions League given Aston Villa's vastly inferior goal difference and the fact Nottingham Forest cannot better the Magpies' points total if Eddie Howe's side win another game.