There’s no question Liverpool have endured a difficult start to the 2014/2015 Premier League season. After last season’s impressive second placed finish in which they were fingertips away from having a their hands on the title, the Reds currently sit in midtable and have already lost to the likes of West Ham and Aston Villa. The departure of Luis Suarez has no doubt put the Merseysiders at a disadvantage, as his replacement Mario Balotelli hasn’t lived up to his £16m price tag so far.

In some respects, Brendan Rodgers’ summer spending spree – he spent in excess of a staggering £110m – has rather gone to waste. Many were expecting young talent’s Emre Can and Lazar Markovic to start brightly and show the Premier League they are future world beaters. But their spell in England’s top flight has thus far been plagued with injury. Rickie Lambert has struggled to get in the first team, but he could never realistically last the full 90 minutes anyway, Dejan Lovren is been part of a defence that has leaked sloppy goals and Adam Lallana hasn’t delivered the goods regularly, with most expecting him to be the shining light in the Liverpool midfield.

The current crop of players that have spent at least one season at Liverpool, including Mamadou Sakho and Daniel Sturridge, have failed to find the superb form they reproduced last season. Another player in this category is Simon Mignolet and questions are being asked about the Belgium international ‘s physicality. This has sparked rumours that former FC Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who is a free agent, could come in to replace the signing from Sunderland.

Valdes was Barcelona’s number one goalkeeper since 2002, and was considered one of the best shot stoppers in the world, despite not being first choice for his country. So why hasn’t a club snapped him up yet? Well he’s recovering from a serious knee injury, so any club that takes on Valdes will be signing an unfit player. Mignolet is still relatively young, and has vast experience in England’s top flight. If Rodgers wants another goalkeeper to challenge Mignolet, he should wait until January and nab Chelsea’s Petr Cech.

The 31 year old has been replaced as the Blues’ number one goalkeeper by 21 year old Thibaut Courtois at Stamford Bridge. From 2011-2014 while Cech was still number one for the West Londoners and Courtois was on loan at Spanish side Atletico Madrid, in which time the Czech Republic international had a higher save success rate with 76.8%, made more saves per game and claimed more crosses than his teammate.

Meanwhile in the 2013/2013 campaign, Mignolet’s save success rate was 6% lower than Cech and he conceded 23 more goals than, despite Liverpool finishing above Chelsea in the table. Cech’s Premier League prowess is the reason why he still regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and will certainly make a bigger difference than Valdes if he was to sign for the Anfield club.

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We’ve barely managed to digest the midweek Premier League action yet once again we find ourselves with another full schedule of top-flight football to feast our eyes over this weekend.

London and Midlands derbies, bottom-of-the-table scraps, unsavoury reunions and a showdown between the season’s surprise packages will all be on show.

And while there are plenty more things to look forward to, here are the pick of the bunch…

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Clash of the surprise packages at Upton Park

After their respective problems last season, who would have guessed that West Ham United versus Swansea City would be billed as a clash between two sides challenging for Europe? After a minor blip the Irons have won their past two games and are riding high in fifth with 24 points, while the Swans sit two points and two places below them, still very much in the hunt for the European qualification places after an important home victory against QPR on Tuesday. Both sides will be desperate to avoid defeat which could mean a tight affair at Upton Park on Sunday, however with the two teams playing attractive football this season and containing a number of flair players, there remains the potential for the game to be a cracker.

Man United to take advantage of Saints’ injury woes?

Despite a remarkable start, Southampton’s season is in real danger of careering off the rails; an agonisingly late defeat to Arsenal on Wednesday means the Saints are on a three-match winless streak, and an ever-growing injury list makes Monday night’s home tie against in-form Manchester United a daunting one for Ronald Koeman’s side. Although the Red Devils have significant injury problems of their own, they boast greater depth in their squad, and will be confident of securing a result on the South Coast. Indeed, it is the Saints’ lack of effective options beyond their first team that could be their downfall this season. The tie will also be an intriguing one given that Koeman and United boss Louis van Gaal – who once worked together at Barcelona in the late 1990s – are supposedly not on good terms, dating back to a feud which developed when the pair were working at Ajax.

The ultimate test of Arsenal’s mettle

Stoke City versus Arsenal at the Britannia has become one of the Premier League’s most hostile encounters, partly because of the perceived jarring contrast between Stoke’s rough and physical approach to the game and Arsenal’s more delicate and aesthetically pleasing style of play, but mainly due to the animosity which has existed between the two teams following a horrific leg break suffered by Gunners midfielder Aaron Ramsey in 2010 after a challenge by Potters defender Ryan Shawcross. While it may be lazy to continue labelling Stoke as an ugly side more concerned with tackling and shoving than with passing and moving – indeed, they played some wonderful football at times last season under Mark Hughes – this particular tie still seems to motivate the Potters more than any other game. Arsenal’s record against Stoke at the Britannia has been awful in recent years – will Arsene Wenger’s men show some resilience and mental fortitude to grind out a victory and silence the doubters? Or will they wilt yet again?

Relegation dogfight at Loftus Road…

Two crucial relegation clashes in the space of a week at Loftus Road for Harry Redknapp’s QPR side – while last weekend’s hard-fought 3-2 victory over Leicester City may have briefly boosted the team’s confidence, the Rs came crashing back down to earth in midweek with a limp defeat at Swansea City. Burnley are the visitors on Saturday; considered to be dead certs for the drop just a few weeks ago, the Clarets have astounded everyone by embarking on a four-match unbeaten run, and three points this weekend would lift them out of the relegation zone. This is a game that QPR simply must win in their fight for Premier League survival; they may be pre-match favourites, but they certainly shouldn’t take buoyant Burnley for granted.

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…and at the KC Stadium

Sitting precariously in 16th and 17th place respectively, West Bromwich Albion and Hull City would not have liked to have gone into their tie at the KC Stadium as possible relegation candidates. Nevertheless, a dire run of form for both sides has rendered them thus; four successive losses means that Baggies boss Alan Irvine is currently the bookies’ favourite for the sack, while Hull manager Steve Bruce hasn’t exactly excelled this season either, despite significant investment in the summer. Another damaging loss could signal the end for one of these embattled managers.

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Since failing to pick up a single three points in their first ten games, Sean Dyche’s plucky side have just about started to turn things around in the past few weeks.

Between November and December, the Clarets went four games unbeaten, came home with a win after beating high flying Southampton, and even managed a previously unthought-of 2-2 draw with the Champions in their determined attempts to steer clear of the dreaded relegation zone.

Yes, Burnley currently sit 19th in the Premier League table, and yes, an unceremonious demotion back to the Championship certainly is still on the cards for Sean Dyche’s boys, but with their recent set of good results and even better performances, the Clarets have showed that they are still worthy of a place in the top-flight of English football.

One major aspect contributing to Burnley’s survival chances this season has been their classy team spirit and togetherness on the pitch. When the Turf Moor faithful saw their side begin their Premier League journey this season, they knew their team were coming into the new campaign with no real stand-out names, very little experience, and hardly any tested know-how in England’s top tier.

The likes of Matthew Taylor, Michael Kightly and George Boyd, transferred from West Ham, Stoke City and Hull City respectively, definitely offered Sean Dyche a handful of Premier League experience this summer, but the former Watford boss could hardly have been hopeful that his side would adapt to their new league straight away.

Whilst such worries did in-fact become reality for Burnley, the Clarets have now developed a new-found flow and confidence within their new surroundings. Full-back Keiran Trippier has gained admirers among some of the Premier League’s stronger sides, striker Ashley Barnes has found goals not so hard to come by in recent weeks, and with the promotion winning heroes Danny Ings and Sam Voakes now fit and firing, the future is starting to look decent for Burnley in 2015.

Sean Dyche himself must also take a great share of the credit for beginning to turn around his side’s fortunes. The 43-year-old Kettering born boss remains one of the only ‘old-school’ English managers left in the Premier League. Through his never-say-die attitude, willingness to mix it up tactically, and impressive positive demeanour in post-match interviews, the main-man at Turf Moor has turned his side into an outfit that are now very much hard to beat. If there’s any man able to keep Burnley up this season, it would certainly have to be Dyche.

Whilst the likes of Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal receive constant praise after signing millions of pounds worth of players, surely Sean Dyche deserves a bit more credit for the job he is currently doing, and with what little resources he is doing it with?

Another important factor that should appease the relegation worries of the Turf Moor faithful, would be the distinct lack of impressive Premier League teams who are similarly looking to avoid relegation. Leicester City look a complete shadow of the side that won the Championship last season, Crystal Palace seem to have lost the resilience brought in by Tony Pulis, and whilst both QPR and West Brom will be in improved moods as of late, Hull City are another side that look like they could be in real trouble come the end of the 2014/15 campaign.

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For a side that were initially considered dead-certs to be relegated, with the power of team spirit and togetherness, Burnley might just show the rest of the footballing world that big names do not always equal success in the top flight of English football.

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After achieving their highest finish in the Premier League finish last season having secured a club record 56 points, a summer of departures and uncertainty appeared to have signalled that this was a good as it was going to get for Southampton.

In losing their manager – and a number of key players who had helped them in achieving an eighth-placed finish last term – many pundits feared for the club, with a number of them tipping the Saints to face a relegation battle during this campaign. 29 games and 50 points later, it seems they couldn’t have been more wrong.

Ronald Koeman was the man tasked with replacing Mauricio Pochettino after the South American swapped the dugout at Saint Mary’s for that of White Hart Lane. Arriving at a time when many of his star players were on their way out of the club, the task looked an almighty one for Koeman.

Club captain Adam Lallana was one of three high profile departures, with Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren joining him in moving to Liverpool. Promising youngsters Luke Shaw and Callum Chambers also moved on with big money moves to Manchester United and Arsenal respectively, and it was left to Koeman to pick up the pieces of a depleted, deflated squad.

Not only did the Dutchman bring in some quality replacements, he has also managed to take the club to the next level, which sees them challenging for Champions League qualification with just nine games remaining. A remarkable achievement given the situation Southampton found themselves in just a few months ago.

Currently sitting in sixth position – four points off Manchester United in fourth – they still have every chance of qualifying for Europe, and appear well on their way to another club record points tally in the Premier League. They have been unlucky at times in defeat to some of the sides above them after putting in impressive displays, but a well earned draw away at Chelsea last weekend showed just how far they have come under the stewardship of Koeman.

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Not only does his side play some eye-catching attacking football at times, the defensive solidarity of the team has been most impressive, with Saints boasting the best defensive record in the Premier League. 13 clean sheets for Fraser Forster, is the most for any goalkeeper in the division this season, highlighting just how efficient Koeman’s team have been defensively.

While his side remain outsiders for a top-four spot, a favourable run of fixtures will give them real belief in achieving their ultimate goal. And while they may well be left disappointed at missing out on the Champions League, a place in the top six will still prove a fantastic achievement for the club’s players and staff.

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Whatever happens between now and the end of the season, Koeman deserves great credit for the job he has done at Southampton this year, and there’s no doubt he will be in the running for manager of the season as the campaign draws to a close in May. European qualification would cap off a tremendous season for the club, and the fact they are still mentioned as contenders for a top-four finish in mid-March is surely beyond any fan’s wildest dreams given their situation last summer.

If Koeman can pull off the impossible and deliver Champions League football to the South coast, it would go down as one of the greatest managerial achievements in the modern era. But regardless of whether he achieves this, his first season in English football certainly warrants plenty of praise, and it’s hard to argue a case for anyone other than the man himself picking up the accolade for manager of the season.

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Manchester United have taken a huge step to ensuring they make a return to the Champions League after some crucial victories in recent weeks.

Wins over Liverpool and Spurs mean they now have an eight-point buffer with just seven games to go, that given their current form should be enough to see them over the line.

The return to European competition will prove important in the manager’s recruitment process this summer as he looks to strengthen his squad once again with some of Europe’s most talented players.

And with plenty of players set to depart Old Trafford at the end of the season you can be sure there will a few more arriving at the club as Louis van Gaal looks to build on a positive first season in charge.

Here are just five of the possible signings he could be looking to make, with reports linking all of them with a move to the Red Devils…

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Mats Hummels

The United defence is an area that Louis van Gaal will certainly be looking to strengthen this summer with a top centre-back surely a priority. And if reports are to be believed Dortmund defender Mats Hummels could be the man to help them do so.

Despite the German outfit trying to tie him down to a new contract, the World Cup winner is said to be keeping his options open regarding his future and it looks increasingly likely that he will leave the club in the summer, especially as Dortmund will have failed to qualify for the Champions League.

The Red Devils are said to have already agreed a deal in principle with the German star and although this has been denied by the man himself, the fact he is considering his future looks promising for United.

Raheem Sterling

Having stalled on signing a new contract at Liverpool, the future of Raheem Sterling looks in some doubt. And alongside Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City’ astonishingly United are also said to be interested in the 20-year-old and could be looking to offer £50m in order to prize him away from Anfield.

Given the fact Liverpool risk losing him on a free when his contract expires, if Sterling really has intentions of moving on and playing Champions League football then they could be left with little choice but to accept that type of money if a bid was to be made over the coming months.

Edinson Cavani

With both Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao having disappointed for much of the season, United could well be in the market for a new striker to lead their attack on the Champions League.

The future of the duo has been placed in some doubt of recent weeks and it is thought the club have lined up an audacious swoop for PSG star Edinson Cavani to replace the pair, having previously failed to sign him when David Moyes was in charge.

The Uruguayan forward was unhappy at being substituted last weekend casting fresh doubt over his happiness in Paris, and having been linked with a move to the Premier League for some time now this could finally be the summer Cavani arrives in England.

Nathaniel Clyne

One area Louis van Gaal will be keen to strengthen is the right-back position with Rafael out of favour and question marks over Antonio Valencia who has been filling in for much of the season.

And it appears the Dutchman feels the ideal man to fill this role is Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne with speculation growing over a proposed move to Old Trafford.

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The Saints man has put in a number of impressive performances this season, and after breaking into the England squad would no doubt favour a move to a Champions League side.

The Red Devils are reportedly willing to offer Mexican striker Javier Hernandez as part of the deal, and with £15m on top of that; it may well prove enough to land the 23-year-old.

Kevin Strootman

Kevin Strootman continues to be linked with a move to Manchester United and reports suggest he is the main man on Van Gaal’s shopping list as he searches for a world class midfielder.

The Dutchman has been ravaged by injuries in recent seasons however and will play no further part in Roma’s season as he continues his recovery from a knee problem.

The 25-year-old has started just four games in 12 months for his club so would certainly be a risk, particularly given the fact he would probably cost upwards of £40m, but the United boss is an admirer of the Strootman having worked with him at international level and so it would be no surprise to see him do whatever it takes to get the deal done.

I can’t remember the last time a Premier League footballer as young as Raheem Sterling caused such an aggressive reaction from the Liverpool fanbase, the media and the general public.

The 20 year-old’s contract situation has become the Premier League’s biggest talking point over the last few weeks, following news of the Reds forward rejecting a contract worth over £100k per-week that would have extended his Anfield stay past 2017.

From gaffers to groundsmen, billionaire owners to ball-boys, pundits to players and Joey Barton to Joe Bloggs, the beauty of football is that everybody has an opinion. My concern, however, is that 90% of the opinions regarding Sterling have only followed the simplistic, superficial narrative of him being a money-grabber, bending Liverpool’s arm for a few extra million.

But are we actually judging Raheem Sterling, or just the stereotype of the greedy, disloyal, financially-motivated, young modern day footballer? Too many have been too quick to make up their minds.

It’s all been a bit of a PR disaster for Team Sterling so the common feeling of angst towards him is no great surprise. His exclusive interview with the BBC was only ever going to exacerbate current tensions; mentioning figures he’s turned down and describing Arsenal’s rumoured interest as ‘flattering’ was naive, stupid and inflammatory. The resulting assumption is that whoever put him up to it – naturally, his agent – is probably the same person telling him not to sign a new deal with Liverpool. Once again, his agent.

But are Sterling’s counter-arguments really so bizarre that they’re impossible to take at face value? He told the BBC the limited opportunity for silverware – not financial gain – is at the source of his reluctance to pen extended terms which, in my opinion, is a perfectly reasonable concern for a footballer of such obvious talent.

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After all, Liverpool have won just two trophies in the last decade, the 2006 FA Cup and the 2012 League Cup, and are still waiting for their first under Brendan Rodgers. In the last five years they’ve qualified for the Champions League only once and on some occasions not even picked up the wooden spoon prize of Europa League football.

The Reds’ surprise coup for the Premier League title last year almost proved successful but that was under rather special circumstances and the situation now is completely different. There’s no longer a fully fit Daniel Sturridge, a world-class talisman like Luis Suarez or a Steven Gerrard enjoying an affluent spell in the twilight of his career – or for that matter, the added passion and emotion of Liverpool’s 2013/14 campaign coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.

The chances of another runner-up season any time soon, whilst Chelsea are healthy and stable, Arsenal are clawing their way back into the reckoning, Manchester City are far from over and Manchester United are on the mend, seem remarkably slim.

One could accuse Sterling of disloyalty. He wouldn’t be where he is today without Liverpool. But he wouldn’t be where he is today without QPR either and nobody seems too concerned about him honouring a club he spent seven years at, compared to just five on Merseyside, and initially learnt his trade. Shouldn’t they be reaping the rewards for Sterling’s development into one of Europe’s best youngsters right now? Not a club over 200 miles from where he grew up in Wembley.

Furthermore, Sterling, in my opinion at least, is destined for the top. He’s comfortably the best player in Liverpool’s squad at just 20 years of age and was 2014’s Golden Boy winner. You only need to mull over the names of some of his predecessors for the award – Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero, Cesc Fabregas, Mario Gotze and Paul Pogba, for example – to consider what this says about the England international’s future, the level he could play at and his capacity to win titles. Why stay at Liverpool if he’s already good enough to contribute at Chelsea, Manchester City or, dare I say it, Manchester United?

And it’s not as if he’s somehow left Liverpool facing a raw deal. With two years left on his contract, they can still demand an enormous transfer fee for the most talented Englishman of a generation. Money-grabbing would be to sign a £100k per-week deal, before turning around next summer and saying he wants to leave. When you think about it, he’s actually saving the Merseysiders a fair few bob by being honest about his ambitions.

Indeed, I fail to see where money actually enters the equation, apart from all the talk in the media. His agent probably is eyeing the commission from either a new contract or a move to another club – but that doesn’t mean Sterling has the same motivation. Yet, he still can’t escape the notion that it’s somehow all about the money – a Premier League player verging on talisman status at one of the biggest clubs in England currently earning less than what some get in the Championship. If it was all about the money, wouldn’t Sterling have said something a little sooner, not delayed contract negotiations even further?

Perhaps I’m wrong. Perhaps Sterling’s agent is whispering sweet nothings into his ear whilst the Liverpool star thinks about which colour he wants his Buggati Veyron to be. But let’s not judge an innocent man until he’s proven guilty. And perhaps more importantly, lets not judge him upon the greedy acts of other footballers.

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Let’s wait and see whether he accepts a £150k per-week contract – his apparent demand according to the tabloids – or remains adamant that his future lies away from Anfield.

I have a far more simple theory; after watching Steven Gerrard every day in training for the last five years, about to walk off to the MLS without a Premier League title to his name, Sterling doesn’t want to be his generation’s also-ran. When he jets off for a swansong abroad, aged 34, he wants something more than the just Kop’s adoration to recognise how talented a footballer he was.

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West Ham have named former Besiktas manager Slaven Bilic as the man to replace Sam Allardyce.

The Hammers decided not to offer Allardyce a contract renewal at the end of the season after four years in charge of the Boleyn Ground outfit.

And after two weeks of searching for a suitable man to guide the Hammers in to the their new Olympic Stadium in August 2016, and help deliver their ambition of breaking in to the Premier League’s top six, they have got their man on a three-year-contract.

West Ham’s co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan had reportedly spoken with the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Carlo Ancelotti and Unai Emery during that search, while it is believed Rafa Benitez verbally agreed to take the job before Real Madrid came calling.

But the Hammers have settled for their former defender, Bilic, who represented the club between 1996 and 1997 before signing for Everton.

Bilic made 48 Premier League appearances for West Ham during that time, scoring two goals.

Bilic told West Ham’s official site: “I’m really glad to be back with West Ham United.

“It’s in the Premier League, which is among the best in the world. It’s a big challenge and you are competing with the best and what better club to do it with than West Ham.”My first priority when choosing a club is to look at its ambitions. When I spoke to the Chairmen and Karren Brady, they made clear that it is not only the fantastic new Stadium we are moving into, but they showed their determination and ambition to make what is a big club even bigger.”I saw their determination and passion that they want to do that. That was the number one reason. I could feel that they really wanted me so it was an easy choice.”I would say to the West Ham fans that I will give my best and together we will achieve great things.”West Ham’s season begins as early as  July 2 with a Europa League first round qualifier.

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According to reports on Mexican website Super Deportivo, Arsenal are prepared to pay €48m (approximately £42.4m) to sign PSV Eindhoven forward Hirving Lozano, who has scored 10 goals in 15 Eredivisie games this season.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Super Deportivo says that despite the fact the Mexico international only joined PSV on a six-year deal during the summer, the Gunners are ready to offer them double what they paid for the 22-year-old following an impressive start to his career for the Dutch outfit.

Super Deportivo says that it is unclear whether a deal would go through in January or after the World Cup if it was to happen, but the north London want to seal a move as soon as possible, especially with doubts over the futures of contract rebels Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.

How good has Lozano been this season?

He has been excellent.

The 22-year-old winger has scored 10 goals and provided a further six assists in 15 Eredivisie games this term, although his form has dropped in recent weeks following an outstanding start to the campaign.

According to Squawka, the Mexican attacker has created 27 chances, won 37 fouls and successfully completed 27 of the 50 take-ons he has attempted, and it is no surprise that he is catching the eye of the likes of Arsenal.

Would he be a good signing for the Gunners?

He certainly would be.

It is looking more and more likely that Sanchez will leave the Emirates either in January or next summer, and Arsene Wenger will be looking for a replacement for the Chilean.

Considering Lozano can play on either wing and has similar attributes to the 29-year-old, he could prove to be the perfect addition for the north London outfit.

When you look at his statistics and performances this season it is no surprise that Arsenal are keen to get a deal sorted before the World Cup next summer, where his price tag could increase even more.

Will they pay such a big fee for him?

If Wenger loses Sanchez he will know that he needs to bring in a top-class replacement in order to appease the fans, and those supporters will want to see the club splash the cash to make sure they get the right man.

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Arsenal showed they aren’t afraid to spend with the addition of Alexandre Lacazette in the summer, and they must do the same for Lozano.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has told fans to be “calm” over Toby Alderweireld’s contract situation, reports Sky Sports.

What’s the latest?

The defender has become a favourite among the supporters since his 2015 switch from Atletico Madrid.

The 28-year-old has been on the sidelines since the start of November with a hamstring injury that he suffered during Tottenham’s 3-1 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Alderweireld is not expected to return to action until February, but he is regularly in the news due to his future.

The centre-back’s contract does not expire until 2019 and there is also an option for the club to extend the deal by another year.

Despite this, fans are nervous that their star player could leave given that he is yet to put pen to paper on fresh terms.

Pochettino, though, does not feel anxious about the situation.

Sky Sports quotes the manager as saying:

“This is a message for our fans and for everyone: Toby still has two-and-a-half years of contract. [Lionel] Messi was six months left on his contract [at Barcelona, then signed]. Messi! If something happens [on Alderweireld], the club is going to communicate. But I don’t understand all these things when the players are all under contract.”

Should Tottenham fans take his advice?

Pochettino makes complete sense by bringing up Alderweireld’s contract length.

The defender is still tied down to the club, so there is no immediate concern for Spurs, even if a potential suitor makes a bid this summer.

However, in the modern game, it is difficult for fans to feel completely secure until the ink is dry on the contract.

One problem that could be encountered during negotiations is salary. Compared to other Premier League clubs, Tottenham have a fairly modest wage structure.

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Alderweireld will have the knowledge that he could potentially earn much more money elsewhere.

If the sticking point comes down to salary, then chairman Daniel Levy may need to tweak his current system.

Newcastle United fans have had a difficult relationship with club owner Mike Ashley over the past 10 years.

Many supporters were delighted to learn in mid-October that the businessman has decided to sell up.

Amanda Staveley was widely reported to be interested in tabling an offer via investment company PCP Partners.

The 44-year-old Yorkshire-born businesswoman was involved in Sheikh Mansour’s 2008 takeover of Manchester City, which has since transformed the North-West outfit into one of the richest Premier League clubs.

With that in mind, nobody could blame Newcastle fans for feeling like their club would rise in a similar manner, particularly when The Independent  reported in December that Staveley upped the takeover offer to £300m.

Now, though, it seems that the club are back to square one following reports that talks have collapsed.

The Guardian, along with other media outlets, are carrying a statement made by Ashley’s camp to Sky Sports News, claiming that discussions over a deal have been a “waste of time”.

“It is only right to let the fans know that there is no deal on the table or even under discussion with Amanda Staveley and PCP. Attempts to reach a deal have proved to be exhausting, frustrating and a complete waste of time.”

It remains to be seen what the next steps will be, but it is safe to say that Newcastle fans have been left feeling frustrated.