All posts by z3u9t.icu

Celtic have endured a difficult summer so far as they have had to deal with plenty of change, both in the dugout and throughout the playing squad.

Australian manager Ange Postecoglou left last month after two years at the helm and has been replaced by Brendan Rodgers, who is now in his second stint in Glasgow.

They have also been rocked by the retirement of midfielder Aaron Mooy and, most recently, the departure of Portuguese star Jota to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad.

The winger spent two seasons with the Hoops, one of which was on loan from Benfica, and has now moved on to join the likes of Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante in the Middle East.

Who could replace Jota at Celtic?

Rodgers will need to replace the 24-year-old magician ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and could already have the dream heir to his position in the squad in Israel international Liel Abada.

Football Insider reported earlier this summer that the Hoops are expecting the young forward to depart for £10m amid interest from the Premier League, as he has rejected the offer of a new contract in Glasgow.

However, Jota's departure could provide the exciting ace with the opportunity to become a regular starter for Celtic next season, something that could well tempt him into sticking around.

The ex-Benfica star was Postecoglou's outstanding wide option as he racked up 11 goals and 11 assists in 26 Scottish Premiership starts. Only Kyogo Furuhashi's goals (27) and Matt O'Riley's tally of 12 assists stopped the terrific dynamo from leading the charts for the club in both statistics, which highlights the immense influence he had in the team.

Abada, meanwhile, contributed with ten goals and five assists in 13 league starts for Celtic, whilst he also created ten 'big chances' for his teammates. This means that the 21-year-old was directly involved in a goal every 0.87 starts on average for the Glasgow giants.

Whereas, Jota averaged one every 1.18 starts in the division on average with this suggesting that the potential is there for the £10m-rated talent to be the dream replacement for the Al-Ittihad winger.

Former Scotland full-back Alan Hutton previously described the "revelation" as being "under the radar" because of Jota, something that is evidently backed up by the aforementioned statistics.

The £15k-per-week maestro has been incredibly productive in spite of being in the shadow of the Portuguese ace, so imagine what he could do as a regular starter for the Hoops next season under the Northern Irishman.

Rodgers must place his faith in Abada by making him the replacement for Jota instead of splashing out on a new player to take his place. A fresh addition in that area could also provide strong competition for places to spur the Israel international on to up his own game.

The £14.5m-rated speedster has the quality to score and assist goals week-in-week-out in the Scottish top flight, which is why he deserves an opportunity to stake a claim for a starring role next term.

One of the most challenging situations of the summer transfer window at Leeds United will be convincing touted forward Wilfried Gnonto to remain at Elland Road following the club's relegation from the Premier League.

The Championship side are expected to lose a wealth of players after plummeting from the top flight, but a sure-fire way to ensure that a title challenge is mounted would be retaining the Italy international's services.

And while the Whites are managerless at present after dismissing both Jesse Marsch and Javi Gracia this term before making a short-term swoop for the stoic Sam Allardyce in the closing weeks of the campaign, a shrewd appointment for a Championship specialist might just be forthcoming.

Indeed, according to the Daily Mail, Farke has emerged as the leading candidate for the managerial role in West Yorkshire after being dismissed from German Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach several weeks ago.

Scott Parker and Patrick Vieira have also both been placed on the short-list, but given Farke's experience in forging two promotion-winning campaigns from the second tier with Norwich City, he could be the man for the job.

How would Gnonto perform under Daniel Farke?

The 46-year-old boss has led 138 matches in the second tier, winning 71 matches and amassing 182 points at a rate of 1.82 points per match.

The prospective appointment will be tethered to concerns over his suitability in the Premier League – should Leeds succeed in their seasonal endeavour at the first time of asking – given that Farke boasts a miserable 0.53 PPM in the English top-flight, with just six victories from 49 outings.

But that is largely down to Norwich's mediocrity at the highest level, candidly – the Canaries have suffered relegation across all four of their previous Premier League campaigns.

An offence-minded, gegenpressing coach, Farke's attractive philosophy would suit Leeds to a tee and is exactly what the squad, and indeed fanbase, needs to spark some optimism after a dismal year, and such a style could prompt touted talent Gnonto to stay.

The 19-year-old "diamond" – as he has been called by talent scout Antonio Mango – impressed for the Whites last term and posted four goals and assists apiece from his dynamic role on the left flank, with his exploits earning him a regular role in Italy's international set-up, where he has earned ten caps and scored one goal.

Farke has a history of managing prosperous forwards, salient names being Marcus Thuram, Teemu Pukki and Alexander Isak, and with the likes of Everton interested in making a move for Gnonto this summer, Farke will be determined to keep hold of his £20k-per-week man and ensure that his past management of Isak does not repeat itself.

Indeed, Newcastle United's club-record £63m striker played just one solitary match under Farke's stewardship at Borussia Dortmund II, and Farke will want to ensure that another "special" – as Gnonto was praised by Michael Skubala – prospect is not whisked away from him early on once again.

Especially considering the 23-year-old has just plundered ten goals and two assists from just 17 Premier League starts during an injury-stricken campaign.

Praised as a "pocket rocket" by pundit Tam McManus, Gnonto could use the forthcoming campaign at Elland Road as a chance to develop his skills and star for the creme-de-la-creme of the Championship, spearheading a charge back to Premier League competition and unleashing his refined skills at the highest level once again.

Manchester City are now "really close" to completing a deal for Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

What's the latest Man City transfer news?

With Ilkay Gundogan's depature to Barcelona now confirmed, Pep Guardiola has set his sights on a number of new midfielders, including West Ham United's Declan Rice, however Man City's opening offer of £90m was immediately knocked back.

Arsenal are also in the race for Rice's signature, and if City do end up missing out, there are some other options on the table, including Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, who they submitted an enquiry about earlier this month.

The Sky Blues' deal for Kovacic has been in the works for some time, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reporting a £30m deal had been agreed last week, and Sheth has now offered an exciting update about when the move could be completed.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, the Sky Sports reporter claimed he does not expect finalising a contract agreement with the Croatian to be an issue, with the deal set to be completed in the near future, saying:

"Just as you see big-name players like Gundogan leaving and going to Barcelona, City are already looking to the future, aren't they?

Kovacic is as good as a done deal and it's all agreed for £30 million. We think it's £25 million of guaranteed payment plus £5 million in add-ons. Personal terms are not expected to be a problem and it should be formally announced in the coming days, as that one is really, really close.”

Will Mateo Kovacic improve Man City?

With Gundogan playing a big part in Man City's historic treble last season, scoring 11 goals in all competitions, including a brace in the FA Cup final, Guardiola will be very disappointed to lose the German, but Kovacic could go some way to filling the void.

The Croatia international is very experienced, making 95 appearances for his country, and he has established himself as a key player for Chelsea, making a minimum of 25 Premier League outings in every season since he arrived at the club.

Hailed as "fantastic" by members of the media, there is every indication the 29-year-old would slot in well at Man City, particularly considering his passing ability, ranking in the 92nd percentile for passes attempted per 90 over the past year.

The only thing the Linz-born midfielder needs to improve is his attacking output, having found the back of the net just twice in all competitions last season.

Liverpool are believed to hold an interest in Napoli's prolific forward Victor Osimhen as they look to bounce back from a lacklustre season in the Premier League.

What's the latest on Victor Osimhen to Liverpool?

That's according to yesterday's edition of Corriere dello Sport (via Paisley Gates), who state that with a vested interest in the ace from the Reds, Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, the Serie A champions are demanding around €150m (£128m) for their talisman.

Osimhen has been one of Europe's most prolific forwards this season and has been instrumental in his outfit's triumphant campaign, but with just two years left on his current contract, Partenopi may be forced into considering a sale if negotiations are fruitless.

Liverpool's frontline is probably the area least desperate for reinforcements and given that the midfield holds a hole following contract conclusions this month, Osimhen's signature might be hard to obtain.

Despite this, Klopp will admire his superlative skill set and could look to test the waters by initiating negotiations.

How many goals has Victor Osimhen scored?

Since signing from Lille for £81m in 2020, Osimhen has scored 59 goals and supplied 14 assists from 101 appearances, bursting into prominence this term and plundering 31 strikes from 39 outings, now heralded as "world-class" by Matteo Bonetti.

The £90k-per-week phenom ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 1% for total shots and the top 3% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, as per FBref.

Dubbed a "goal-scoring machine" by journalist Josh Bunting, Osimhen would bring a potency only a select few in world football could rival, providing Jurgen Klopp with the dream rival to Manchester City's devastating striker Erling Haaland.

Liverpool hoped to have found their own new talisman last summer after completing a club-record transfer for Darwin Nunez, potentially reaching £85m, but a somewhat underwhelming maiden year on Merseyside has left the Uruguayan requiring an upswing in his cutting edge to truly cement a starting berth and wreak havoc as anticipated, with club legend Robbie Fowler saying he is "too wasteful".

Coincidentally, Nunez is listed as a comparable player on FBref to the 25-cap Nigerian, albeit far less convincing in his frontal prowess at present, ranking among the top 1% of peers for total shots and the top 12% for rate of non-penalty goals per 90, which is by no means unimpressive but highlights the missed opportunities that have contributed to the Reds' malaise this year.

Still only 23-years-old, Nunez has ample time to grow into his skin but Klopp will be tantalised by the prospect of signing such a first-class attacker in Osimhen and despite his exorbitant valuation, could lodge a formal offer as he looks to rebuild Liverpool's once-imperious squad.

He is the “heart and soul” – as stated by journalist Mina Rzouki – of Napoli's thriving outfit and he could emulate such an aura at Anfield and spearhead a coveted renaissance, albeit at the expense of Nunez who could well be banished from the starting XI as a result.

Qatar’s Al-Watan newspaper has reported that Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani’s bid to complete a takeover of Manchester United has been completed and will be announced soon.

What is the latest MUFC takeover news?

For months now rumours have circulated about who could be the new owners of Old Trafford, or if the club had even actually been fully put up for sale by the Glazer family.

While the situation is ever-changing, it wasn’t that long ago that Ineos’ Sir Jim Ratcliffe was viewed as the leading candidate as his bid would see two of the Glazers stay put in a partial takeover, though it would still see the British billionaire become majority owner.

However, as reported by CNBC, Manchester United shares surged as much as 30% in premarket trading on Tuesday, before paring gains, after Qatari media suggested Sheikh Jassim was likely to succeed with his takeover bid.

Indeed, a Tweet from the Al-Watan newspaper wrote about the “success of Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Jassim’s acquisition of Manchester United” and said the announcement of deal the will be done “soon.”

On top of that, Zaid Al-Hamdan, who is the Vice Chairman of the Canadian Qatari Business Council and Chairman of Armasite Group – and is followed by Sheikh Jassim’s brother on Twitter – also spoke of ‘successful’ acquisition.

He wrote on social media: “Congratulations to Shaikh Jassim Bin Hamad Bin Jassim on his acquisition of Man Utd.”

How big is Man United’s debt?

In that CNBC report, they also note that a spokesperson for Manchester United was not immediately available to comment and so these reports are only coming from Qatar and have not been confirmed by the English side as of yet.

Last week, BBC Sport stated that Sheikh Jassim had made a final bid for 100% of the club and he will clear United’s debt – reported to be £969.6m – and has a separate fund for the club and local community as part of his offer.

If he is to fail with that bid, the Qatari banker will pull out of the race and so it feels as though we have finally reached crunch time with regard to the whole takeover saga.

It remains to be seen if his offer will be enough to meet the Glazer family’s demands but it seems those outside of England are pretty confident a deal has been struck at last.

Newcastle United remain confident of completing the signing of Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney this summer, journalist Dean Jones has claimed.

Do Newcastle want Tierney this summer?

The £110,000-a-week defender was part of a Gunners team that came close to winning the Premier League title last season, but it was a frustrating campaign for him overall.

Tierney only actually started six league games in the whole of 2022/23, with Oleksandr Zinchenko invariably preferred at left-back, and injury problems not always helping either. It is hard to see how the Scot's situation is going to change much at the Emirates moving forward, so it could be that he looks to move away this summer.

Newcastle have been linked with a switch for the 26-year-old, seeing him as someone who can bring quality and fight to the squad, providing stern competition for Dan Burn and Matt Targett in the process.

What's the latest on Tierney to Newcastle?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that Newcastle remain in a strong position when it comes to signing Tierney, partly due to a lack of competition for his signature:

"I think that they're confident that the competition isn't too fierce. They've definitely got competitors for him, but I think they'll be looking to get this one done as soon as they can, just so they know they can focus on other areas."

Tierney could be a great addition at Newcastle before the start of next season, arriving with the bit between his teeth after not quite reaching expectation levels at Arsenal.

He would bring something completely different to Burn at left-back, in terms of natural width and pace, and he would immediately enhance the squad depth at Eddie Howe's disposal, coming in as an upgrade on Targett, who only also only started six Premier League matches last season.

Tierney who has been lauded as a "warrior" by Ashley Cole, has made 123 appearances for Arsenal and 37 caps for Scotland , which shows that he is also someone with a wealth of experience at the top level now, as well as 14 assists for the Gunners.

At 26, he is at a great age to come in and hit the ground running immediately, with his best years potentially coming soon, which could further benefit Newcastle. He has a fierce attitude and playing style, with that winning edge also a positive, and while he may not be cheap, the Magpies have the funds available this summer.

Journalist Paul Brown has been left thrilled by reports that Arsenal are targeting Man City captain and treble-chasing midfielder Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer.

Who are Arsenal looking to sign this summer?

The Premier League giants narrowly missed out on their first title in nearly 20 years last season, with Mikel Arteta being beaten to the punch by his mentor Pep Guardiola.

Despite Arsenal's position at the front of the queue for much of 2022/2023, they fell short at the final hurdle, and it's now the task of Arteta to shore up key positions of his squad for a fresh challenge next campaign.

The north Londoners are looking to sign central midfielders above all with reports suggesting they could make two key signings in that area of the pitch. West Ham's Declan Rice and Brighton star Moises Caicedo, among others, are apparently on their radar.

Sporting director Edu has also apparently earmarked the signing of a central defender to back up stars like William Saliba, with the Frenchman succumbing to injury at the back end of last season.

Going back to midfield, Man City star Gundogan is another target for Arsenal, according to reports, with the German really coming into a hot streak of form lately.

His latest heroics, a brace in the FA Cup final against Man United on Saturday, saw City clinch a domestic double with the Blues still well and truly on for an historic treble.

Journalist Paul Brown, speaking to GiveMeSport, says he could be a game-changing signing for Arsenal if they get it done.

"If Arsenal were to get Gundogan, I think that would be a great signing for them," said Brown in response to the links.

"He’s a really versatile player who can play in a number of different roles. He switches systems very easily in game and could be a game-changer for them really. And one that is quite fascinating to see.”

Who is Ilkay Gundogan?

The 32-year-old was Guardiola's first ever signing as City manager and hasn't looked back since – having played a key role over his seven-year stint.

This season, Gundogan has contributed with a number of important goals in sky blue, and he etched himself into club folklore with final day title-winning heroics against Aston Villa in 21/22.

However, City are in danger of losing him on a free at the end of this month, putting Arsenal and Arteta on serious alert.

His experience and quality could prove to be a major asset for the Gunners, especially at zero cost, and we believe he couild be an exceptional signing for them.

Newcastle United are considering a swoop for Manchester City outcast Kalvin Phillips, with the Tyneside club looking to bolster the ranks after qualifying for the Champions League.

What's the latest on Kalvin Phillips to Newcastle?

According to the Telegraph, Toon technical director Dan Ashworth is pursuing a move for the England international but has been left frustrated by the player's desire to stay at the Etihad Stadium and fight for his place next season.

Recently touted at £35m, the 27-year-old has only started for Pep Guardiola's outfit four times across all competitions this term after completing a £45m transfer from Leeds United last summer.

Despite the midfielder's public desire to remain in Manchester, the Magpies' offer of a starring role could be too enticing to resist as the transfer window takes centre-stage, especially if Guardiola is unable to provide Phillips with assurances over the number of minutes he will be provided next year.

Should Newcastle sign Kalvin Phillips?

Despite flattering to deceive with the Premier League champions – though his impact at the club was hampered by detrimental early injury issues that sidelined him for much of the first phase of the season – Phillips is a proven midfield titan on top-flight soil.

Instrumental for Leeds in reclaiming a spot among England's elite and starring during a resounding 20/21 term where the entertaining Whites clinched ninth place – just three points away from European qualification – the £160k-per-week ace cemented himself as one of the most robust midfielders in the division.

Indeed, across those two campaigns, Phillips completed 82% and 84.5% of his passes, 2.6 and 2.7 tackles per game and 1.2 and 0.5 key passes per outing, as per WhoScored.

Former teammate Barry Douglas said, "as a defensive midfielder with an array of passing skills, Kalvin Phillips is probably the best I’ve played with", while former Whites boss Neil Redfearn remarked, "Bielsa has made Kalvin an expert deep-lying midfielder but he could do both roles.”

With Magpies boss Eddie Howe seeking to bolster his midfield this summer, Phillips could be a shrewd alternative to touted West Ham United star Declan Rice, with the £100m-valued man attracting attention from a plethora of top European outfits, including Newcastle, ahead of the forthcoming transfer window.

Rice has been lauded as an "absolute monster" by ESPN UK editor David Cartlidge and ranks among the top 20% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 15% for progressive carries, the top 5% for interceptions and the top 17% for clearances per 90, as per FBref.

Phillips is capable of replicating such metrics, evidenced in the Premier League with Leeds, notably ranking in the top 8% of midfielders in the division throughout 2021/22 for tackles and interceptions combined.

Provided license to cement a prominent role at St. James' Park, he might just harness the full might of his skill set.

Frank Lampard has reportedly now personally requested to sign Bright Osayi-Samuel for Everton.

The Lowdown: Solid season

The 24-year-old is having a solid season at Fenerbahce, where he has scored two goals and supplied a further five assists playing as a right-back at times, and he has generally been a mainstay in a team who have played in the Europa League and Conference League (Transfermarkt).

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In the Turkish Super Lig, he ranks as their sixth-best performer, averaging more dribbles per game (2.3) than any of his team-mates (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, he could well be an exciting arrival at Goodison Park in the summer.

The Latest: Lampard requests

As per En Son Haber, Lampard has now made a personal request to add Osayi-Samuel to Everton’s transfer list for the summer.

The 24-year-old currently holds a market value of €6m (£5.1m), and the Toffees will ‘knock on Fenerbahce’s door’ after the campaign has ended.

The Verdict: Bargain

Signing a player for just £5.1m in today’s market holds real value, and the Blues could be getting a bargain on their hands if they were to snap up Osayi-Samuel for that amount.

Described as a player with ‘blistering pace’ and who ‘terrifies defenders’ by his former QPR manager Mark Warburton (Kilburn Times), he could offer Everton another dimension in attack and possibly give defenders in the Premier League a few problems.

Also, at only 24 years of age, he could be an ideal replacement for the 33-year-old Seamus Coleman at right-back.

In other news, find out who EFC are now fighting Liverpool to sign here!

Jurgen Klopp could be plotting a bid for Carlos Soler as he aims to strengthen his Liverpool squad ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish newspaper Sport (via Sport Witness), the Reds are among the clubs linked with the 25-year-old as they join Barcelona in the chase for the midfielder.

It was claimed earlier this week that the Catalan giants had reached an agreement to sign Soler, which was quickly rejected by Valencia, and his future destination is yet unknown.

The report by Sport has claimed that Soler is upset with his manager Jose Bordalas, and this could be good news for Klopp.

Klopp could find a new Thiago in Soler

With Klopp always aiming to strengthen his squad, regardless of whether or not players are at the peak of their powers, it makes sense to find young hungry talents who want to make a name for themselves in England.

Soler’s market value is currently £45m, but with his contract expiring at the end of next season, Liverpool could grab themselves a “bargain” signing which will only bolster the squad.

The 25-year-old could well be Klopp’s new Thiago, with the two Spaniards displaying similar characteristics. Both play predominantly in the centre of midfield, although Soler appears to be more of a goalscoring threat than Thiago, scoring 11 goals this season compared to just one for the 30-year-old Reds maestro.

The Liverpool player does appear to hold the advantage in terms of passing, completing nearly double the number of passes compared to his younger compatriot (1,174 to 559), although this is a skill where Soler may well improve.

There seems little doubt that the player who former Valencia star Curro Torres recently described as the “complete midfielder” has the necessary skillset to follow in the steps of Thiago at Liverpool and maybe even go on to be even better than the 30-year-old if he too joins Klopp’s Anfield revolution.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano claims Liverpool are in talks to sign “extraordinary” £83m machine, Klopp would love him…