NEWCASTLE UNITED are still in the dark about their £300m Saudi takeover – which is now under threat.
On the pitch, the Toon host Tottenham tonight looking to head towards the top half of the table.
And on the transfer front, Steve Bruce is keen to secure another loan deal for Danny Rose.
Follow ALL of the latest updates right here…
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WILF'S AT THE DOOR
Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha faces another summer of uncertainty at Selhurst Park with four clubs believed to be interested in him.
The 27-year-old – who saw potential moves to Arsenal and Everton fall through last year due to the Eagles‘ £80million price tag – has once again been influential for the South London side this season.
Zaha has featured in all 35 Premier League games for Palace – chipping in with four goals and five assists.
And fans will be now wondering whether this will be the last campaign he has at the club, with the Daily Mail stating that the forward is being chased by clubs from around the continent.
They report that Newcastle are one of the teams vying for his signature as they eye up a marquee signing should their proposed takeover be completed.
Meanwhile the Toffees are said to have retained interest in Zaha – despite signing Alex Iwobi from Arsenal after they failed to agree a fee with Palace.
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GOOD MORNING TOON FANS
Newcastle made it three defeats on the trot as Spurs won 3-1 at St James’ Park yesterday.
Harry Kane bagged a brace with Son Heung-Min getting on the score sheet too.
Matt Ritchie netted for the home side but there was little Steve Bruce could do as he watched Jose Mourinho’s men bag all three points.
Newcastle will now slip down to 14th if Crystal Palace can get at least a draw against Man Utd this evening.
Meanwhile, Bruce has confirmed a huge double injury blow for the Magpies.
He revealed: “Fabian Schar looks like he has dislocated his shoulder and Allan Saint-Maximin has a calf issue – we'll have to see on him but we are down to the bare bones.
“We were already missing seven.
“It's about getting a few back for the start of next season now.”
Finally, Robbie Savage was targeted again by Newcastle fans as one held up a rude sign live on BT Sport during the game.
One cheeky Magpie held up a “Savage is a w*****' poster as part of the live feed of supporters cheering on their side against Spurs.
BT Sport apologised earlier this year after Newcastle fans could be heard chanting about Savage during 1-1 draw at Rochdale on January 4.
Peter Drury, who was alongside Savage in the commentary box, said sorry to the listeners moments after the incident.
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WAT ON EARTH
Watford supporters are the Premier League’s biggest potty mouths, a study found.
They get a red card for using foul language about their relegation-threatened team online.
But where does your team rank?
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TOON BLOW
Steve Bruce has confirmed a huge double injury blow for the Magpies.
He revealed: “Fabian Schar looks like he has dislocated his shoulder and Allan Saint-Maximin has a calf issue – we'll have to see on him but we are down to the bare bones.
“We were already missing seven.
“It's about getting a few back for the start of next season now.”
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SAVAGE BANTZ
Robbie Savage has been targeted again by Newcastle United fans as one held up a rude sign live on BT Sport.
One cheeky Magpie held up a “Savage is a w*****' poster as part of the live feed of supporters cheering on their side against Spurs.
BT Sport apologised after Newcastle fans could be heard chanting about Savage during 1-1 draw at Rochdale on January 4.
Peter Drury, who was alongside Savage in the commentary box, said sorry to the listeners moments after.
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FULL-TIME
It's all over at St James' Park and Newcastle have been beaten 3-1 by Tottenham.
Matt Ritchie scored for the home side but it was not enough to match Son Heung-Min's opener and a brace from Harry Kane.
READ OUR FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
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TOON IN
We are half an hour in at St James' Park and the score is 1-0 to Spurs.
Can Newcastle find an equaliser before the end of the first half?
FOLLOW ALL THE ACTION WITH OUR LIVE MATCH BLOG.
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TEAM NEWS
Newcastle's team for tonight's game against Spurs is in.
Allan Saint-Maximin passes a fitness test to start at St James' Park.
And there are places for Matt Ritchie and Dwight Gayle in attack as the Toon look to bounce back from successive defeats to Man City and Watford.
Newcastle XI: Dubravka; Krafth, Schar, Fernandez, Yedlin; Bentaleb, Shelvey; Saint-Maximin, Almiron, Ritchie; Gayle
FOLLOW ALL THE ACTION WITH OUR LIVE MATCH BLOG
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NO WAY JOSE
Jose Mourinho takes his Tottenham side to the North East tonight.
The Portuguese boss was mentored by Magpies legend Sir Bobby Robson.
He said: “Hopefully, the takeover helps them to become an even bigger and better club.
“Everyone knows through my connection with Sir Bobby that Newcastle was part of my life indirectly because I worked for many years with him and it was a real passion for him.”
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EXCLUSIVE
The Carabao Cup is set to kick off BEFORE the start of the new Premier League season in order to rescue the competition, reports MARTIN LIPTON.
EFL chiefs plan to schedule the opening matches ahead of the beginning of the next campaign, which is currently due to start on September 12.
The Carabao Cup will either have the first round at the end of the August and the second round during the the international break at the start of September, when England travelling to Iceland for a Uefa Nations League game on the Saturday.
Or, the first round will start on September 5, the day the Three Lions return to action.
Some of the clubs who are set to play in Europe were hoping it would be scrapped altogether.
But for the EFL the cup competition accounts for about a third of its income.
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TRANSFER COU-P
Barcelona have offered Philippe Coutinho to Arsenal and Newcastle as they look to offload the big-money flop.
The Brazilian, 28, has been out of favour at the Nou Camp after failing to make the grade since signing in January 2018.
And Barcelona are desperate to get his wages off the books, meaning they have been touting him around Europe’s top clubs, while the player himself would fancy a move back to England.
Newcastle, who are in the midst of a takeover bid, and Arsenal are the two clubs who are being linked with the attacking midfielder.
Coutinho spent this season on loan at Bayern Munich but the Bundesliga giants have decided not to take up a full transfer.
Barca want to raise the funds to make a raid on Inter for striker Lautaro Martinez, who they see as a long-term successor to Luis Suarez.
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LET THE TRANSFERS BEGIN
The Premier League summer transfer window will run for 10 weeks from July 27, it has been confirmed.
Clubs will have to do all their business before October 5, when the window will slam shut.
That is the same date the domestic-only transfer window will open.
Top flight clubs will have 11 days – until October 16 – in which to sign players from the EFL.
A Premier League statement read: “Premier League shareholders have agreed on the dates for the Summer 2020 transfer window.
“The window will open for 10 weeks at the end of the current Premier League season, starting on July 27 and ending October 5.
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MORNING NEWCASTLE FANS
Newcastle's proposed Saudi takeover has hit a new stumbling block – just as the Magpies prepare to host Tottenham on Wednesday evening..
Saudi Arabia permanently banned beIN Sports from the country, making it difficult to watch Premier League football legally there.
A bitter feud between the Gulf nation and Qatar has threatened to derail the £300milion buy-out.
Qatar-based broadcaster beIN Sports own the Prem rights in the Middle East.
And they fought the Toon takeover long and hard amid claims Saudi Arabia illegally streams beIN Sports’ transmissions across the country.
Meanwhile, Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has again pleaded for a verdict from the Prem over the takeover soon.
He said: “I need it, the club needs it & the fans need it. We need a decision.
“If it happens we’ll see what the change is. If it doesn’t we’ll try and prepare as best we possibly can for next season.”
Bruce also revealed he will hold talks with Spurs over keeping loanee Danny Rose next season.
England left-back Rose is not allowed to face his parent club.
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TAKE IT OR STEVE IT
Steve Bruce is increasingly desperate for a decision on the Newcastle verdict.
He said: “I need it, the club needs it & the fans need it. We need a decision.
“If it happens we’ll see what the change is.If it doesn’t we’ll try and prepare as best we possibly can for next season.”
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KOUL ON HIS FUTURE
Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, linked with Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle over the summer, admits his future is up in the air.
He told Gazzetta dello Sport: “In football, you never know what happens.
“I never spoke to Napoli about leaving. If we have to find a solution, we will find it, but I have never talked about the transfer market.
“I also read in the newspapers about my future. But I only want to think about playing,
“I am 100 per cent [committed to] Napoli and it bothers me to be linked, every day, to this or that European club.”
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BEIN BAN ROCKS TAKEOVER TALK
FRESH doubts emerged over the Newcastle takeover after Saudi Arabia permanently banned beIN Sports from the country.
The Premier League is yet to OK the £300m takeover, which is being spearheaded by Saudi’s Public Investment Fund.
But if approved it means there will be no legitimate way to watch Prem football in a country whose sovereign wealth fund has just bought a club.
The Magpies have become embroiled in a bitter feud between the Gulf nation and Qatar that has threatened to derail the deal.
Qatar-based broadcaster beIN Sports – who own the Premier League rights in the Middle East – have fought tooth and nail to stop it on piracy grounds.
A deal between the PIF and Toon owner Mike Ashley was struck in April.
But it has been dogged by accusations that Saudi Arabia was behind the widespread illegal streaming of beIN Sports’ transmissions across the country.
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BRUCE HAILS ROSE
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce says he will hold talks with Danny Rose's parent club Spurs about another deal for the left-back.
Ahead of Wednesday's clash between the two sides, Bruce said: “He is ineligible for tomorrow. He is Tottenham's player but in the next few weeks in particular we'll be looking and identifying players and seeing where we are.
“He's done very well for us and I'm very pleased with him so there will be conversations to have.”
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KOREA IS A NEWC POWER
Martyn Williams, a researcher who monitors North Korean TV, has explained the league’s latest territorial breakthrough.
He told Pen News: “Liverpool and Man United seem to get more exposure.
“The last five games shown, for example, were: Liverpool v Man United, Man United v Norwich, Man City v Everton, Liverpool v Wolves, and Man City v Man United.
He added: “[It is] pretty much the only foreign content on air right now. This is interesting because it's a new window on the world for North Koreans.”
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FOOTBALL'S COMMIE HOME
The Premier League has long succeeded in taking English football to some far-off lands, now including North Korea.
While citizens would be risking a death sentence to indulge in foreign films, there is now no punishment for catching an English top-flight match.
The separatist country’s communist leaders are said to have switched on the Premier League’s broadcasts late last year.
And North-West rivals Manchester United and Liverpool are making early strides as the region’s most popular teams.
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COUT ME IN
Barcelona have reportedly offered Philippe Coutinho to Arsenal and Newcastle as they look to fund a move for Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez.
Goal claims Brazilian flop Coutinho, 28, who was also linked wiht Chelsea, has no future at the Nou Camp after returning from an unsuccessful loan at Bayern Munich.
He has failed to replicate the form that saw Barca pay £110million to Liverpool in 2018.
And with Real Madrid set to reclaim the La Liga title, Catalan chiefs are ready to axe Coutinho as they eye a spending spree this summer.
Inter Milan striker Martinez, 22, is Barcelona’s top target after a move to re-sign Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain was ruled out.
And no less than NINE players are set to be sacrificed to bring in crucial transfer funds.
But the Gunners would struggle t finance the deal, while Newcastle are still sweating over their potential £300m Saudi takeover.
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BRU UP A FIERCE BATTLE
Steve Bruce says Newcastle must match Spurs' workrate in tomorrow's home clash.
He said: “It (the reverse fixture) was the first game I ever won as Newcastle manager. It was a good day in a wonderful stadium and to beat Tottenham in their own back yard will always stay with me. Almost a year later we’ve got them at home so let’s hope we can repeat the performance.
“They've got a European place to play for and you could see what beating Arsenal meant to them. When you look at the team they've got, the manager they've got and everything that's in place you know they're a big club. We have to match their endeavour on the night.”
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IN A BIT OF A JAM
Newcastle United will be without captain Jamaal Lascelles for tomorrow's match with Tottenham Hotspur, with the 26-year-old suffering with an ankle injury.
Isaac Hayden and Sean Longstaff are also unavailable with hamstring injuries – while Danny Rose is ineligible to face his parent club.
Boss Steve Bruce will make late assessments on attacking pair Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron.
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OUT FOR THE COUT
Barcelona have offered out-of-favour playmaker Philippe Coutinho to Newcastle United and Arsenal, according to reports.
The LaLiga giants are desperate to fund a summer swoop for Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez.
And according to Goal, former Liverpool star Coutinho could be headed to the Premier League, with the Gunners and Magpies mulling over the situation.
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MATT-ER OF FACT
Steve Bruce has shot down theories that he isn't giving Matty Longstaff more minutes because of his contract situation.
The Magpies boss said: “This debate that I’m not putting Matty in the team simply because of his contract, it’s not true.
“We’d all like Matty to stay and get things resolved, but the ball’s in his court. But I’m certainly not picking a team with that in mind. I gave the kid his debut. He’s had a thigh injury, unfortunately, when he came back from lockdown, which was a pretty severe one.
“I’ve treated him the way it should be. We’ve made him a huge offer, it’s up to the boy to commit himself. I’m not not picking him because he hasn’t signed a contract. We think a lot of Matty.”
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