All posts by z3u9t.icu

As Celtic begin their pre-season preparations and look forward to European qualifying, Ange Postecoglou must ensure new arrivals are in the pipeline.

At full-back, the Hoops look particularly stretched after the departures of Diego Laxalt and Jonjoe Kenny.

On the chalkboard

Celtic have been linked with a plethora of defenders in the ongoing transfer market.

Valentin Rosier is one name who’s been considered while rumours have surfaced surrounding Aaron Hickey as usual.

The Bhoys have been to bring him back to Paradise for a while now but a deal could be difficult to conclude considering he only signed for Bologna a year ago.

Hickey left Celtic as a 16-year-old, moving to Hearts and then being picked up by Serie A.

He’s impressed for the Italian side and like any promising Scottish left-back, has been compared to Kieran Tierney.

However, if Postecoglou and Dominic McKay do find a move tricky to wrap up, they must consider someone already in the Premiership.

Dangerous Doig

Another full-back that’s been on Celtic’s radar has been Hibernian’s Josh Doig.

The young Scot has attracted the interest of Manchester City and Leeds in the last six months but it’s Watford who made the first move.

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They made a bid of £2.5m, rising to £4m this week but it was rejected by Jack Ross and Hibs.

The Hornets could return for the 19-year-old but Celtic would be wise to hijack the bid.

Postecoglou’s only viable option in that third of the pitch at the moment is Greg Taylor. Adam Montgomery earned his first-team debut at left-back last year but will likely see more action for the reserves in the Lowland League.

Doig, however, would fit the bill perfectly. Last term the teenager contributed to four goals and was particularly useful in defensive situations.

He won 1.3 aerial duels per match, more than any other Celtic full-back apart from Kenny and won 1.7 tackles per game.

On top of that, he possesses the qualities to replicate Kieran Tierney’s influence at Parkhead.

Speaking recently, Charlie Nicholas commented: “If I was Ange Postecoglou I would be trying to sign Josh Doig because he could become the next Kieran Tierney.”

Nicholas added: “Why wouldn’t Celtic go into the market and try and sign him from Hibs? They might even be able to trade in one or two players to perhaps seal the deal.

“I think Doig has great potential and could flourish into a real Tierney type.  If it was to take £3m or £4m, then why not pay it? He would have a future sell-on and is one of the best young players in the country.”

The youngster was among the nominees for the PFA Young Player of the Season for 2020/21, joining potential new teammate David Turnbull and fellow Celtic target Ali McCann on the list.

With that in mind, it’s hard to see how Postecoglou can ignore him.

AND in other news, Forget Edouard: Celtic must sign “rare” 39-goal animal with “electric pace”…

Tottenham Hotspur retain an interest in signing Nikola Milenkovic ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Italian outlet Calciomercato, who claim Spurs manager Antonio Conte is an admirer of the Fiorentina colossus, though they will face competition from the likes of West Ham United, Manchester United and Juventus.

Valued at £18m by CIES Football Observatory, the Serbia international is a target for the north Londoners this winter, with his current contract set to expire in 18 months time.

It remains to be seen how much a move for Milenkovic would cost.

Conte’s dream defender

The Viola colossus has all the attributes to be a perfect signing under Conte and if sporting director Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy can seal his signature, then they could well form a frightening duo in north London.

Spurs could well be in need of additional centre-backs, too, with Cristian Romero facing a pretty long stint on the sideline. There won’t be many better options out there this winter than Milenkovic, and he could well be an ideal option alongside the Argentine in the future, particularly under Conte.

Milenkovic ranks inside Fiorentina’s top six players and is arguably one of their best on the ball, averaging a passing accuracy of 90.8% – the second-best of any player to start ten or more league games.

This would suggest that he’s more than capable of being a reliable ball-playing option in defence for Conte. Furthermore, he offers a ruthless edge, also averaging 1.9 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game, via WhoScored.

Once likened to Premier League great Nemanja Vidic, the Serbian should have no trouble in adapting to the English top-flight, especially if he turns out to be half the player of the ex-United powerhouse.

“Milenkovic is better than Vidic with the ball at his feet, and he is much calmer on the field,” Mozzart journalist Dejan Stankovic told ESPN in 2018. “He is the most talented centre-back Serbia have had since Vidic, and they definitely have one thing in common – [they are] both are fearless.”

Meanwhile, he has also been dubbed a “beast” by former Partizan head coach Ivan Tomic.

On the above evidence, Conte would surely love to seal a move for Milenkovic. He had the best defence in Serie A with Inter Milan last season, on their way to the league title, and the Fiorentina star has all the skills to be a perfect fit in his Italian-based system over in N17.

Conte and Milenkovic would be a frightening prospect heading into the remainder of the campaign.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Skipp: Spurs eye “unbeatable” £27m-rated machine, Conte would love him…

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) are set to hold further talks with Jason Wilcox over taking a Director of Football (DoF) role at Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: DoF wanted

The St. James’ Park faithful have recently been linked with a number of big names to fill in their new DoF model, including the likes of Luis Campos and Marc Overmars.

It is clearly the direction of where the new owners want to go, following their takeover in the North East.

The Latest: Wilcox frontrunner

As per The Daily Star, Wilcox, currently the Academy Director at Manchester City, is set to hold further talks with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium over potentially taking up their new DoF role.

He is understood to be the frontrunner for the job, and the Tyneside outfit are keen to appoint a DoF before they bring in a new permanent manager to replace the departed Steve Bruce.

The Verdict: Has the credentials

Wilcox certainly has all of the credentials to take up the new role, given the work that he has done with City so far, a club who were in a very similar position to the Magpies when they were first taken over.

The former Blackburn Rovers and England international winger has been praised by none other than Pep Guardiola for the job that he has done with the MCFC Academy, and is even credited with being a key influence on Phil Foden (The Daily Star).

Nonetheless, a DoF role would be a step up for him, and so Wilcox certainly seems attainable for the Toon should the talks go well.

In other news, find out which elite manager Overmars is backed to bring to NUFC if he becomes DoF here!

According to reports out of Spain, West Ham United and by extension manager David Moyes have set their sights on Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic as the Galacticos reportedly make a decision on the player’s future.

The Lowdown: West Ham set for interesting summer?

As the Hammers now become outside contenders for a top four place, with London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal seemingly in better positions, their pull in the next transfer window could hinge on whether they qualify for the Europa League or if they even go on to win the competition this season.

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Moyes has reportedly earmarked the signings of a centre-half and striker as major priorities for the club, with moves attempted in the winter, including for the likes of Darwin Nunez (Benfica) and Duvan Zapata (Atalanta).

As those transfers failed to come to fruition, West Ham must now look to the summer in an effort to boost Moyes’ options for 2022/23, with news now surfacing on a brand-new striker target in Galacticos forward Jovic.

The Latest: West Ham ‘fight’ for Jovic…

As per Spanish sources, West Ham and Moyes are eyeing a move for the Serbia international, who is allegedly ‘fed up’ with life at the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid, who are also eager to see him leave the capital, are ‘looking for the Balkan striker’s exit’ as the Irons ‘fight’ for his signature alongside their Premier League top-four competitors Spurs and Arsenal.

In addition, with both player and club eager to see Jovic depart, this report claimed that ‘all roads reach an imminent agreement’ with any interested club willing to negotiate.

Indeed, it seems that if West Ham take their interest further, a quick-fire summer deal could be on the cards.

The Verdict: Make a move?

Jovic’s return for Eintracht Frankfurt points towards a striker with much ability when at the very peak of his powers. The 24-year-old notched a brilliant 17 goals and five assists over 25 Bundesliga starts in the 2018/19 season, perhaps illustrating why West Ham and Moyes have set their sights on him.

In more recent times, during Jovic’s brief return to Frankfurt on loan last year, their ex-manager Adi Hutter lavished the forward with praise, branding him a ‘world-class’ player after a brace against Schalke 04.

Still fairly young, and reportedly on the market for around €30m (£25m), West Ham could give Jovic a new lease of life in the English top flight and take advantage of Real Madrid’s willingness to strike a quick agreement.

In other news: Blow for Moyes as journalist says ‘underrated’ West Ham ace is now ‘ready to leave’, find out more here.

Kalvin Phillips’ future at Leeds United is unlikely to be resolved until the summer, according to The Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Watford start for Phillips?

The 25-year-old made a welcome return on the weekend, coming on in the second half of Leeds’ 1-1 draw with Southampton at Elland Road, and he is now in contention to start against Watford on Saturday.

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Phillips had been missing with a hamstring problem since December, with the likes of West Ham, Aston Villa and Newcastle United all being linked with a move for the England international during his time on the treatment table.

The 26-year-old has informed the club of his desire to pen a new deal at Elland Road, but it doesn’t look as if one will be signed anytime soon.

The Latest: Phillips contract update

The Daily Mail’s Simon Jones shared a story on Phillips late on Monday night, name-checking West Ham, Villa and Newcastle with interest.

The report claimed that Phillips is in the process of changing agents and that talks over the next stage of his career are unlikely to take place until that is finalised.

The Verdict: Worrying for Leeds…

June was named as a possible date for Phillips’ future to be resolved, which could be a worry for the Whites. You’d expect that they would have hoped to have tied down their star midfielder to a new deal before the current season comes to an end.

That doesn’t look likely now, which will give the three interested Premier League suitors fresh hope of luring him from Elland Road under a new representative.

Hopefully Leeds will remain in the Premier League and build a team around Phillips going forward, but it seems as if Whites fans may have to sweat a little longer when it comes to the midfielder’s future.

In other news: Leeds and Marsch handed early injury boost as ‘strong’ player may now return v Watford  

Sheffield Wednesday have been handed an injury boost ahead of their League One clash against Oxford United at Hillsborough this afternoon.

After securing a 2-1 win over Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium in midweek, the Owls are now set to welcome Karl Robinson’s men to Hillsborough for their next slice of league action.

What’s the story?

This comes after Owls manager Darren Moore revealed in his press conference on Friday ahead of the Oxford clash that Sam Hutchinson was taken off during the win over Wigan as a “precaution” but has trained alongside the rest of his teammates in preparation for the match today.

That means the 32-year-old could be available to take on the U’s at Hillsborough in what would be a big boost to the manager and his team.

Wednesday fans will be thrilled

Given how Hutchinson missed Wednesday’s league games against Rotherham United and Morecambe after picking up an injury against Fleetwood Town back in August, it’s good to hear that he has not suffered another injury and was taken off against Wigan merely as a precaution.

Taking into account how the 32-year-old has played in numerous positions for Wednesday so far this season such as centre-back, defensive midfield and central midfield, it’s safe to say that he has been an important figure for the team based on his versatility when called upon and the abundant experience he has under his belt.

Wednesday originally signed Hutchinson back in February 2014 on a loan deal from Chelsea before securing him on a permanent basis in the following summer’s transfer window. He joined Pafos FC on a free transfer 13 months ago before returning to Wednesday on a free back in January.

Overall, he has made 184 appearances for the Yorkshire club across all competitions, chipping in with seven goals and five assists along the way (per Transfermarkt). He is the Owls’ second-highest rated player so far this season according to WhoScored performance metrics, with a squad-high two interceptions per game illustrating his importance in stifling opposition attacks.

Looking ahead to the Oxford clash today, we feel that if Hutchinson in fully fit enough to play, he should definitely be in the starting XI, playing in whichever position Moore thinks he is needed.

In other news: Moore must ruthlessly axe £450k-rated dud v Oxford, he’s not good enough 

West Brom forward Kenneth Zohore will feature in Valerien Ismael’s plans for the first-team this season, despite rumours that he could depart the club this summer.

What’s the story?

Zohore has been with West Brom since 2019, and has made 21 appearances in total for the Baggies, although he spent last year’s campaign on loan with Championship side Millwall in search of regular minutes.

It has been reported by Yorkshire Live that Zohore wass attracting interest from the likes of Sheffield Wednesday in the previous transfer windows, with his future at The Hawthorns remaining ‘up in the air’ at this moment in time.

Speaking in a recent interview (quotes sourced from Birmingham Live), West Brom boss Ismael has revealed that Zohore does feature in his plans for the 2021/22 season, as the Baggies look to win promotion back into the Premier League at the first time of asking.

“Ken I have to say, over the last two weeks, has raised his intensity for sure. At the beginning, we had some concerns about whether he can play at that intensity and buy in, but the last two weeks and the game against Birmingham show that we are on the right way with him.

“Strikers of that type you will need in the Championship, he can help us. He can score goals. He has the quality and he is part of the process.

“It’s up to him now to put the performances in on the pitch. My job, with the staff, is to make sure that he has the clarity in his head to know exactly what he has to do. I hope he can confirm what we have seen over the last two weeks.”

‘Powerful’

West Brom are well-equipped in their attacking options in the 2021/22 season, with Ismael having the likes of Karlan Grant and Callum Robinson available to him, as well as Zohore.

With The Express and Star reporting that they’re keeping an eye on both Daryl Dike and Manchester City youngster Liam Delap this summer as well, it is somewhat surprising that Zohore’s immediate future appears to be at the Hawthorns.

The former Cardiff City man has shown that he can perform to a good standard in the Championship, having played an important role in the Bluebirds’ promotion-winning campaign in the 2017/18 season.

Zohore netted nine goals in 39 appearances for Cardiff in that promotion-winning season, but hasn’t had much of an opportunity to impress in the Premier League.

The forward had an average Whoscored rating of 7.00 in the 2017/18 season for Cardiff, and could potentially be a good option to have for Valerien Ismael this term in the Championship.

Speaking in an interview with West Brom News, former West Brom forward Kevin Phillips labelled Zohore as a ‘big, powerful guy’, and predicted that he would want a move elsewhere back in the summer of 2020.

“He’s a big, powerful guy. I think the player himself will want to move on because he knows he won’t play next season. He’ll just want to go and play football. I’m sure of that.”

However, it looks like he’s now going to face a tough battle for his future at West Brom, especially if the Baggies are to add further depth to their squad in the near future.

Ismael choosing to keep the big forward around is a surprising decision, fans will be hoping that it turns out to be the right call.

And in other news, West Brom journalist says he’s expecting a battle for star forward’s signature…

A number of Crystal Palace supporters have been hailing Vicente Guaita after his last-gasp save prevented the Eagles from losing to Burnley.

Patrick Vieira’s side returned to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon following the final international break of the year.

Palace made the trip to Turf Moor to face Sean Dyche’s Clarets, with a thrilling end-to-end contest finishing in a 3-3 draw at Turf Moor.

It was 3-2 to Patrick Vieira’s side by half-time but Maxwel Cornet’s equaliser early in the second half ultimately earned the hosts a point.

It could have been even worse for Palace, however, with Guaita forced into making a big save to deny Chris Wood in the dying moments, with the Eagles’ official Twitter channel sharing footage of that heroic intervention from the 34-year-old along with the caption ‘Viva Vicente’.

Palace fans hail Guaita save

It was a huge moment in the match and these Palace fans took to Twitter to show their love for Guaita, who had been culpable of costly errors in recent weeks such as his fateful kick-out against Brighton.

“Some people wanted him dropped???? Respect VG!”

Credit: @JoeThompson95

“Have absolutely no idea why Vydra hasn’t put his foot through it. What a save though”

Credit: @SamuelMargo

“HUGE”

Credit: @jwgribbin_

“that’s an unreal save”

Credit: @Wheddsta

“And some fans have been demanding he gets dropped”

Credit: @rickyj555

“People calling for this man to be dropped… no idea”

Credit: @Jackcarter98_

In other news, a key update has emerged regarding Conor Gallagher’s future. Read more here.

Manchester United have an illustrious history when it comes to producing world-class homegrown talent, and the next superstar could be set to come off their conveyor belt in the near future.

Shola Shoretire forced himself into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-team plans towards the end of last season, becoming the Red Devils’ seventh youngest player of all time when he made his debut against Newcastle United.

His two-minute cameo in the 3-1 victory over the Magpies back in February 2021 got people excited over the versatile forward’s future, with former United academy graduate Luke Chadwick amongst his admirers.

“He (Shoretire) is a hugely talented player,” said Chadwick. “I watched him play in the youth team as an Under-16 player, he was so clever – fantastic awareness knows how to play on the half-turn, can see a pass as well.

“He’s so sharp in his mind and even if he doesn’t start a lot of matches yet, he can come on in games and make an impact.”

And Shoretire’s taste of senior football didn’t stop there. Solskjaer tipped the 17-year-old for a bright future after he came on against Real Sociedad in the Europa League, becoming United’s youngest-ever player in European competition.

Just four days after his substitute showing versus Newcastle, he broke Norman Whiteside’s record after entering the field of play at just 17 years 23 days old.

“Shola is going to be a good player for us and sometimes you need to test them against good players,” Solskjaer said. “We knew Real Sociedad are a good team with good individuals and they press.

“We felt today Amad (Diallo) – he had to come on, of course, Dan (James) had to come off – and Shola, the two of them will need these little introductions to this type of level.

“He’s a young kid that we believe in. Great attitude. You can see the shape of him. We think physically he’ll be an athlete and technically very, very good. Makes good decisions.”

Shoretire only received one more appearance in the senior setup last term, but it was a deserved reward for a fabulous campaign at youth level, with the England U19 international bagging ten goals and providing five assists in 24 appearances.

The diminutive star is yet to feature in a matchday squad for Solskjaer’s struggling side this term, but he’s carried his eye-catching form into 2021/22 nonetheless.

A total of eight goal contributions in 15 outings has shown the teenager is continuing to develop his skills, and although Amad Diallo for a whopping £19m, it could well be Shoretire who has the brightest future.

Only time will tell if the local lad can make the grade at his boyhood club, but it certainly appears to be a matter of when rather than if he becomes a regular name on Solskjaer’s teamsheet.

And, in other news…“Talks on..”: Journalist issues big Man Utd manager update, fans will be buzzing

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has delivered an exciting update on where things stand with Leeds United’s pursuit of Kristoffer Klaesson.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days from Football Insider had claimed that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are in advanced talks with Valerenga over bringing the 20-year-old goalkeeper to Elland Road.

They claimed that a Leeds source has revealed: “Klaesson is now the top keeper target and discussions are progressing well over a potential deal. The Premier League outfit have offered a contract to the Valerenga number one and a deal is edging closer.

“Leeds have already applied for a work permit for the youngster, who is not yet a full Norway international. However, he has represented his country all the way through the age groups up to Under-21 level and United are confident of their application being successful.”

Now, writing on Twitter, Hay said: “Kristoffer Klaesson poised to fly to England for a medical next week. Leeds United getting close to wrapping up a deal for the Valerenga goalkeeper.”

Fans will be excited

While Klaesson is unlikely to make too many waves next season given that Illan Meslier is firmly established as the club’s number one goalkeeper, he’s yet another potential signing who very much has the best years ahead of him.

The likes of Amari Miller and Lewis Bate have already arrived to bolster Mark Jackson’s under-23s side, while Junior Firpo, who was brought in from Barcelona, is only 24.

Klaesson is likely to find himself as Meslier’s backup but could potentially grow behind the Frenchman as an eventual successor to the former Lorient man if clubs like PSG circle once again – it was claimed in recent weeks and months that the Paris giants are keen on taking the 21-year-old back to his native France.

Klaesson would represent a seamless transition into the number one slot if that ever happens, and once he’s fully acclimatised to life in England, he’ll surely back himself to compete with Meslier and overtake him on his own merits as well.

Leeds fans will no doubt be excited at the prospect of another talented young gem joining the ranks at Elland Road ahead of the new Premier League season next month.

Meanwhile, Leeds could sign their new Pablo Hernandez in this star…