All posts by h716a5.icu

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has been handed a significant boost ahead of Sunday's Old Firm tussle at Hampden Park, with the Greek-Aussie confirming that Reo Hatate, Jota and LIel Abada are all set to be in contention to make their return from injury.

In the case of the latter man, the Israeli international has not featured in any of the Parkhead outfit's last four Scottish Premiership games, having previously racked up ten goals and five assists in 29 top-flight appearances so far this term.

Clearly a real "handful" and a "goal threat" – in the words of his manager – the 21-year-old has unsurprisingly attracted significant interest as a result of his standout displays, with recent reports suggesting that the winger could be set for a summer exit, with a fee of around £10m having been mooted.

This comes amid claims that the former Maccabi Petah Tikva ace has turned down a new contract at the club, with that only serving to heighten the belief that the £3.6m addition could be on his way at the end of the season.

Any concern with regard to the prospect of losing the £15k-per-week man could well be eased, however, by the fact that the Hoops could have already identified a dream replacement, with The Scottish Sun reporting that AEK Athens marksman, Levi Garcia, is of interest to the Glasgow giants.

The report suggests that Postecoglou and co are 'keeping tabs' on the Trinidad and Tobago international ahead of the summer window, amid the 'ongoing uncertainty' surrounding Abada's future at Paradise.

What is Levi Garcia's style of play?

While Garcia has typically operated in a centre-forward berth so far this season, the 25-year-old would also represent a fine replacement for Abada due to his ability to feature on the flanks, having been hailed for his "great speed" and "powerful shot" by former US soccer star Earnie Stewart.

Much like the current Celtic wide man, the £3m-rated speedster also possesses a real goal threat having bagged 18 goals and six assists in 33 games across all fronts this term, taking his overall tally for the Greek side to 51 goal involvements in just 107 outings.

The former AZ Alkmaar man – who boasts a haul of eight goals in 37 games for his country to date – has seemingly been a figure to look out for in recent years, having been included in Four Four Two's list of the 100 best teenagers in the world back in 2017 – ranking 37th on the list.

As the publication noted at the time, the then-youngster was said to have been 'tipped for greatness' by Dutch legend Marco van Basten, having also been lauded for his 'sprinter's pace' and 'hypnotic trickery'.

Although Garcia may not have quite hit the heights that may have been expected of him, the 6 foot ace has begun to flourish in his current home, ensuring he could represent a real coup as far as Postecoglou is concerned.

While there may be fears about just how effectively the title-winning coach will be able to replace Abada, the case of Josip Juranovic, for instance, should ease those concerns, with the former Celtic Park star having been swiftly forgotten about due to Alistair Johnston – the latter man proving a "definite upgrade", according to club legend Stiliyan Petrov.

As such, Postecoglou could again showcase his "exceptional" recruitment – as hailed by ex-Bhoys skipper Scott Brown – by showing Abada the door for a profit, before plugging that gap with the addition of the lively Garcia.

Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon has claimed that the current side are not as good as his team from the 2002/03 campaign.

What has Neil Lennon said about Celtic?

Ange Postecoglou's high-flying side, who are set to retain their Scottish Premiership title in style with 103 goals scored and just one league defeat so far this season, are now being compared with great Celtic teams of old following their exceptional displays this season.

The likes of Kyogo Furuhashi and Jota have particularly impressed with their output as Celtic march towards what could end up being a domestic treble, but Lennon has claimed that the current crop are a level below the side he played in 20 years ago.

With Martin O'Neill at the helm, Celtic were pipped to the Premiership crown on goal difference, but were most fondly remembered for their UEFA Cup run, as they took Jose Mourinho's Porto all the way to extra time in a pulsating final in Seville, which ultimately ended in defeat.

Speaking on the PLZ Soccer Football Show, Lennon highlighted that there were Champions League winners in his side – something which is not possible at Celtic now given the difference in player recruitment.

Asked if the current team could compete with the likes of Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton, the ex-Hoops boss responded: "No. Seriously, no.

"It's hypothetical and I get it, but you have to remember, me, Sutty [Sutton], Alan Thompson, John Hartson – we were all top players in the Premier League and we came this way; it wouldn't happen now," he stated.

"It's like Ange going down and buying James Maddison or Ivan Toney, for £40-50m. That's the bar that was set then.

"Rangers were bringing in Tore Andre Flo, Stefan Klos, a Champions League winner; we had Paul Lambert, a Champions League winner. They had me, Henrik, Sutty. I think we'd be too powerful for them.

"If we were at our peak and Ange's team was at their peak, I think we'd be too strong for them."

Which Celtic side was better?

Although it is always tough to compare teams from two different eras, Celtic's mesmerising performances that season certainly have them in the conversation when comparing some of the club's best modern sides.

In terms of pure numbers, Postecoglou's side are well on their way to eclipsing the league performance of the 2002/03 side. With five games to go, Celtic need just five points to match the 97 Lennon's side obtained, and that side also lost three times, in comparison to the current team's solitary loss all season.

Celtic have scored 103 times this season, meaning they have already out-scored O'Neill's men, but have conceded 25 goals already, with the team of 20 years ago shipping 26 in the entire league campaign.

However, European performance is arguably what separates the two sides. After being knocked out in Champions League qualifying, Celtic made the UEFA Cup final after knocking out Blackburn Rovers, Stuttgart and Liverpool in 2003, a remarkable run which is still remembered in Hoops folklore.

Ange's side, meanwhile, finished bottom of their Champions League group this term, with two draws and no wins from their six matches against Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk and RB Leipzig. Even if they finished third in their group and dropped down to the Europa League, then they could have had a chance at bettering Lennon's side in Europe – but given no Celtic team has matched that achievement since, you can see why Lennon is backing his former teammates.

Todd Boehly has resembled a child in a sweet shop when deciding upon his transfer business at Chelsea but has arguably now made the club sick after overindulging himself.

A recent report from The Athletic claimed that the dressing room was too small to accommodate the huge number of players in Chelsea's squad, with some forced to sit on the floor.

It begs the question of why Boehly opted to bring in certain names, with several players failing to make any real impression in their time at Stamford Bridge thus far.

One such example is Swiss midfielder Denis Zakaria, as the Juventus loanee has struggled to show much in his limited appearances for the Blues thus far.

How has Zakaria performed at Chelsea?

Zakaria joined the Blues on loan from Juventus in the summer transfer window, a deal which went under the radar given the excessive spending by Boehly in his first transfer window at the club.

Since then, the former Borussia Monchengladbach man has gone on to make just seven appearances in the Premier League, averaging a shocking 6.37 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The presence of players such as N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and Conor Gallagher suggested that Zakaria was always going to be a stop-gap signing, and the addition of Enzo Fernandez in the January window has only solidified his role as a backup at Stamford Bridge.

The 26-year-old's woeful average rating remarkably sees him ranked as the 26th-best performer in Frank Lampard's squad, which suggests that the chances of his stay becoming permanent are slim, to say the least.

The defensive midfielder was handed his first minutes under Lampard in the 2-1 defeat at Brighton but failed to reward the faith shown in him to start, earning a 5.8 rating from WhoScored for his performance, which saw him labelled a "non-factor" by sports writer Gabe Henderson.

As a defensive midfielder with experience at the top level with Monchengladbach and Juventus, you would have expected a lot more from Zakaria, but he fails to rank in the top ten in Chelsea's squad for tackles, interceptions or passes per game.

Therefore, while the finger has been pointed at young, big-money signings such as Mykhailo Mudryk, the Ukrainian has arguably offered a lot more than Zakaria thus far, with no player contributing more assists in the Premier League this season.

There is, at least, a long-term future for the exciting winger at the club too, while his Swiss teammate will merely slip into the shadows once his temporary stay comes to an end, outlining him as an entirely anonymous character at Stamford Bridge.

Boehly must make better decisions next summer, and ensure that Zakaria heads back to Juventus if he wants the Blues to be challenging towards the top in the 2023/24 campaign.

Chelsea have held talks with Luis Enrique over the managerial vacancy at Stamford Bridge after the Spaniard travelled to London for discussions.

When will Chelsea appoint a manager?

The Blues look ready to see out the remainder of the campaign now with Frank Lampard in the dugout once again after recent developments.

Bruno Salter stepped in as caretaker manager on Tuesday night as the Blues were forced to settle for a point against Liverpool at the Bridge.

However, Chelsea now have their man for the remaining games of the campaign in their former manager and player, Lampard.

But the search for Graham Potter's permanent successor continues and there are a number of potential candidates believed to be on Todd Boehly's list.

One of those being the former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique who is also believed to be on the radar of their London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.

And speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed there have been talks held in London between the Premier League club and Enrique over the vacancy:

(1:15) "But also recently, Luis Enrique, was in London on Wednesday morning, together with Ivan de la Pena."

"So what's going on? Chelsea had conversations with [Julian] Nagelsmann to discuss about the long-term project and the impact was very good, very positive, but also conversation with Luis Enrique, who prepared something to explain [to] Chelsea his idea for the present and future.

"So both of them had approaches with Chelsea, we know that the race is still open because Chelsea decided to take some time."

"Luis Enrique is there and, from what I understand, Luis Enrique's 100% sure that he wants the job. He wants to go to England and he wants to try an experience in the Premier League. So he would be happy to become the new Chelsea manager. ​​​​​​"

Is Enrique the right man for Chelsea?

The 52-year-old certainly has the experience which is likely required to manage this current Chelsea side which is full of big-name players.

Enrique enjoyed most of his managerial success as the Barcelona manager where he managed the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar which will put him in good stead to manage this Chelsea dressing room (via Transfermarkt).

And his record as the Barcelona manager is likely to be something which will impress Boehly given he has got his hands on the league title and the Champions League during his time in Spain.

However, that does not necessarily mean he could translate his success into this Chelsea side which is struggling dramatically this season.

Boehly has already seen a number of managers come and go in his brief spell as the Chelsea owner so it does feel as if they need to nail the next appointment.

And it will be interesting to see whether Enrique's latest job may hinder his chances of landing the post at Stamford Bridge over the coming months.

Enrique recently left his job as the manager of Spain's national side following their dismal World Cup display which saw them knocked out by Morocco on penalties in the last 16.

Enrique is undoubtedly a big name in the game, however, no Premier League experience and a poor World Cup performance hanging over his head could well prove an issue for the Blues.

Tottenham Hotspur have struck a pre-agreement with the 16-year-old winger Herbie James over a three-year deal to move to north London.

Who is Herbie James?

Back in 2018, James made the move from Port Vale to City after the Premier League side bought the winger as an 11-year-old prospect.

The now 16-year-old has been hailed as an "exciting winger" by The Secret Scout on Twitter who originally broke the news of the youngster's agreement with Spurs.

James has already set his targets with the youngster saying he is eyeing a spot in the England side over the coming years back in 2018:

"I am looking forward to playing at the 2026 World Cup," he told the Biddulph Chronicle (via Stoke Sentinel).

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Alasdair Gold has provided some insight on the deal to bring the 16-year-old to north London over the summer:

"From what I understand, another forward – very young one, though – 16-year-old Herbie James is set to come across from Man City this summer as well.

"So they are making these signings, and from what I understand, [Fabio] Paratici has also increased the wage structure within the academy."

Is Spurs' academy producing enough talent?

The obvious success story from Tottenham's academy is Harry Kane with the 29-year-old established in the history of not onl the north London club but the Premier League.

Kane has become Tottenham's all-time top scorer and last week matched that achievement for England as he surpassed Wayne Rooney's record against Italy.

However, there does seem to be a lack of real stars that have come through the academy in the last decade which have made a real impression on the side.

The likes of Harry Winks have come through and played over 200 times for the senior side, but he has not been able to see out the recent instability at the club, unlike Kane.

Winks' spot in the side came under serious questioning during Jose Mourinho's tenure at the club where the backend of the Portuguese manager's tenure saw Winks as a regular feature on the bench (via Transfermarkt).

Oliver Skipp has impressed at an early age and is capitalising on the injury to Rodrigo Bentancur which could have been the break he needed to show the current regime what he is capable of.

However, it will be interesting to see what role he is able to maintain next season after Spurs have had a summer window to bring in some reinforcements and Bentancur returns to the fold.

There are also players like Dane Scarlett and Troy Parrott who have been tipped for exciting futures but are struggling on their respective loans at Portsmouth and Preston North End.

So it appears Spurs are creating the talent, however, it also seems as if there is a major struggle in converting their potential into results in the senior game.

Newcastle United will host Manchester United in their Premier League clash at St James' Park and Eddie Howe will surely be hoping his team can bring the fight needed to take all three points in front of the home support this afternoon.

The Magpies have the golden opportunity to break back into the Champions League qualifying spots inside the top four as a win over Erik ten Hag's side would see them leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur ahead of their game against Everton tomorrow night.

In terms of injuries, Miguel Almiron and Emile Krafth remain the only players unavailable for selection whilst Anthony Gordon will require a late fitness test following his return to full training earlier this week.

Howe will be given a massive boost going into the fixture as Joelinton will return to action after serving a two-match suspension for tallying up ten yellow cards and the Newcastle boss took to his pre-match press conference to highlight the importance of the Brazilian in the team:

"It's huge to have him available. Joe is a huge presence, not just physically. The lads know how good a player he is so to have him back is a big lift. He's versatile, can play a number of positions, but others have played well."

How could Newcastle line-up vs Manchester United?

Nick Pope (GK), Kieran Trippier (RB), Fabian Schar (CB), Sven Botman (CB), Dan Burn (LB), Bruno Guimaraes (CM), Joe Willock (CM), Joelinton (CM), Jacob Murphy (RW), Alexander Isak (ST), Anthony Gordon (LW).

Football FanCast predicts that Howe will make just two changes to his starting XI that beat Nottingham Forest, maintaining his 4-3-3 formation but adding some fresh perspectives in the attacking threat where possible to give the side their best chance of a victory.

In defence, we expect that the Newcastle boss will maintain his most trusted and reliable back four with Dan Burn, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and Kieran Trippier retaining their spots in the line-up.

The first change we expect to see is Joelinton – hailed as "immense" by Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie – reprising his role alongside his Brazilian teammate Bruno Guimaraes and Joe Willock, with Sean Longstaff coming out of the team to accommodate the midfielder.

Willock has been impressive in his performances since earning a spot during the £85k-per-week ace's suspension with two assists tallied up over the last two fixtures, so it could be Longstaff who loses his starting place to give the team a much more attacking presence from the centre of the pitch against Man United.

The second and final change we predict is Gordon starting in the forward line alongside Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy.

Indeed, the former Everton winger can offer the aggression and pace needed on the left flank to really frustrate their tough opponents, replacing the inconsistent Allan-Saint Maximin to give the attack a refresh.

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to finally wrap up a deal to sign Djed Spence…

What’s the word?

That’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who delivered a fresh update on the north Londoners’ attempts to sign the 21-year-old from Middlesbrough.

Speaking to Football FanCast this week, he said:

“Djed Spence wants to go to Tottenham.

“Tottenham are close to agreeing that fee for the defender as well, so I think this one will get wrapped up pretty quickly and then Middlesbrough will be looking to use the funds to strengthen their squad elsewhere.”

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Supporters will be buzzing

The England U21 international looks set to be Spurs’ sixth signing of the summer and that will surely leave supporters around N17 absolutely buzzing as the rebuild continues ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy have delivered something of an unprecedented transfer window thus far, backing their manager, Antonio Conte, with quality additions.

Their £60m swoop for Richarlison from Everton was certainly a signal of intent, whilst the likes of Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic and Clement Lenglet will all play an important role throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

Bolstering the Italian’s squad with strength in depth was vital as the Lilywhites will be competing in the Champions League, meaning the prospect of two games per week is soon on the horizon – and if Spurs are wanting to remain competitive, then Conte needs quality in even his backup players.

Spence would be another fine arrival in north London and one that plenty of fans will be delighted to see finally get over the line, having been linked with him for much of the off-season. Spurs even had two bids knocked back for him in January.

Therefore, O’Rourke’s suggestion that this deal could be finalised quickly is sure to leave many around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium thrilled.

AND in other news, “I’ve been told..”: Transfer insider drops late Spurs claim, supporters surely excited…

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Josh Tymon to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim a source has revealed that, following reports of Glasgow Rangers’ interest in a move for the Stoke City left-back this summer, both Leeds and Norwich City have now joined the race for the 23-year-old’s signature.

It is suggested that both the Premier League and Championship side have informed the Potters of their interest in the former England U20 international, while it is also claimed that Michael O’Neill would be willing to sanction the defender’s sale this summer – as long as he is to receive an offer in the region of £6m.

“An outstanding young talent”

Considering just how exciting a prospect Tymon undoubtedly is, the news that Leeds now look to have been given the green light to make a move for the full-back is undoubtedly fantastic for everyone involved with the club.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Indeed, the £1.62m-rated talent highly impressed over his 44 Championship appearances last season, scoring one goal, registering four assists and creating a whopping 14 big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.2 key passes, taking 0.7 shots and completing 1.1 dribbles per game.

The £7.1k-per-week defender who Steve Bruce dubbed “an outstanding young talent” also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.3 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 1.3 clearances, 25.7 passes, 1.3 long balls and winning 3.7 duels per fixture.

As such, with left-back having been something of a problem position for Jesse Marsch last season – with Junior Firpo struggling to adapt to the pace of Premier League football – the signing of a new player in the position would appear to be an extremely wise move for Victor Orta to make this summer.

And, considering just how exciting a prospect Tymon appears to be, £6m could very quickly look to be an absolute bargain for the Whites.

AND in other news: Phil Hay relays big Leeds United transfer news, supporters will be buzzing

Wolves have been credited with an interest in Mario Vuskovic recently and the Hamburg centre-back could be the ideal man to replace Romain Saiss in Bruno Lage’s side next season.

According to Sky Germany, Wolves are keen on signing the 20-year-old after his impressive performances with the Bundesliga.2 side last season.

Despite only exercising their option to buy the defender for £2.7m in March, the German side are seemingly looking to make a quick profit on the young defender, with the report from Sky Germany claiming that they value him at around £8.6m.

Although he is only 20, Vuskovic has already amassed 76 senior appearances for Hadjuk Split and Hamburg SV, while he is also a regular in the Croatia U21 side, so could be a solid addition to Lage’s backline next season.

The Old Gold are still yet to make a signing this summer and with the season set to kick off in less than a month, supporters will be desperate for some new additions, especially after a disappointing end to last season.

Wolves’ success in the early part of the last campaign was built on a strong defence, and Saiss was a big part of that, making 31 appearances in the top-flight and averaging a strong 6.84 rating from WhoScored for his appearances.

If Lage is going to stick with playing three centre-backs again next season, then another signing is needed to support Conor Coady and Max Kilman in Wolves’ backline, and Vuskovic could represent an excellent long-term option for the Old Gold.

At 6 foot 2, he is unlikely to struggle with the physicality of the Premier League, and £8.6m could prove to be a bargain if he can adjust quickly and live up to his obvious potential.

BBC contributor and podcaster Dave Azzopardi was full of praise for the centre-back recently, suggesting he was “very highly rated” by those at Hamburg and given Wolves’ need for new signings, the Croatian should be a priority for Lage this summer, as he could slot in on the left-hand side of the defence to fill the gap left by Saiss’ departure.

And, in other news… Lage plotting game-changing Wolves bid for £22.5m-rated star, he’s “one of the best”

Illan Meslier could be the next high-profile departure from Leeds United, journalist Graham Smyth has claimed. 

The lowdown

Midfielder Kalvin Phillips has today left Elland Road to sign for reigning Premier League champions Manchester City in a £45m deal.

It is the most lucrative sale in Leeds’ history, surpassing Rio Ferdinand’s £30m move to Manchester United in 2002. The record may not stand for long, though, with Raphinha potentially following Phillips out the door.

The Brazilian has interest from Barcelona, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal and will be allowed to depart if Leeds’ demands are met (via The Athletic). Some reports have claimed that a £55m deal has been agreed with the Camp Nou outfit.

Meslier, who joined Leeds from Lorient in 2020, is under contract with the Yorkshire club for another four years.

The latest

In a Yorkshire Evening Post Q&A, one Leeds supporter asked chief football writer Smyth whether the 22-year-old could be ‘next’ to leave because of his ‘exponential potential’.

Smyth insisted that the club aren’t actively looking to offload Meslier but admitted that the goalkeeper may have lofty ambitions. A departure is unlikely this summer though, with the Whites looking to avoid further upheaval.

Smyth claimed: “I wouldn’t say Leeds are looking to move Illan Meslier on but he’s the one in the squad that you would think will be capable of going on to the next level and playing European football.”

He later added: “What Leeds don’t want is a scenario where multiple players are lost at once. Selling two, as they are, is just about manageable but the situation with any squad has to be very delicately balanced.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-46/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The verdict

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Meslier goes in the short- to medium-term future, as he could well have his admirers.

After all, he was Leeds’ Young Player of the Year in 2020/21 (also earning a nomination for the Premier League equivalent), while he has been capped nine times by France at under-21 level.

Indeed, Les Bleus’ incumbent number one Hugo Lloris has identified Meslier as his potential successor when the Tottenham veteran retires from international football.

The ‘massive goalkeeping talent’, in the words of The Athletic’s Phil Hay, is valued at £18m by Transfermarkt. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Leeds demand a lot more than that for the stopper, whose 139 Premier League saves last season exceeded every other ‘keeper in the top flight.