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Carlton Palmer reckons Valerien Ismael will reunite with Daryl Dike at West Bromwich Albion if Sam Johnstone seals a move away from the Hawthorns.

Ismael was appointed as Sam Allardyce’s successor after the former England manager opted against remaining with the Baggies following relegation from the Premier League last season.

The 45-year-old has moved into the Hawthorns dugout after an impressive stint in charge of Barnsley, who he led into the Championship play-offs before falling short of promotion in May.

It was during his time at the Barnsley helm where Ismael teamed up with Dike, having signed the American striker on loan from Major League Soccer outfit Orlando City in February.

The 21-year-old went on to score nine goals in 22 appearances for the Tykes and is thought to be on Ismael’s radar ahead of the transfer window closing at the end of the month.

However, former West Brom midfielder Palmer believes the Baggies will only be able to afford the United States international if goalkeeper Johnstone departs.

He exclusively told The Transfer Tavern: “He did really well at Barnsley and played really well for Ismael but a lot of things will depend on whether Sam goes.

“If he goes then I’m sure they’ll give him funds to reinvest. If Sam doesn’t go, they’re on a tight budget.”

The Celtic Way journalist Anthony Haggerty is excited by the prospect of Liam Scales joining Celtic.

The Bhoys have coveted the Shamrock Rovers defender for some time and, according to his current boss Stephen Bradley, the switch is imminent.

Scales was also wanted by Premier League side Southampton, but the 23-year-old has seemingly opted for a move to Parkhead instead (per the Irish Mirror).

Despite predominantly being a centre-half, all five of Scales’ appearances this season have come on the left side of Shamrock’s midfield, with him also chipping in with a goal and two assists.

That versatility will please Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou, who has made 10 signings since taking charge in June.

Scales, who has won five caps for the Republic of Ireland under-21s, is set to move for a League of Ireland record fee.

Haggerty is adamant Scales will go on to be a success at Parkhead and play a key role as they look to reclaim the Scottish Premiership title.

He told The Transfer Tavern: “Liam Scales clearly has something and all the Irish football experts are saying he’s the real deal.

“If he comes in, he should be able to enhance the team. I’m of the opinion that if players are good enough to be linked to Celtic, they must have something in their armoury. Somebody has watched and studied him.

“I don’t think many people out there are Irish football experts but those that are have been saying this guy can go places and has a terrific future.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed when Jack Grealish will be fit enough to return to action after being injured earlier this month.

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• Grealish fit to return against Luton
• Suffered injury earlier this month
• Recovered early as was feared out for a month

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  After being forced off the pitch through injury during his side's Champions League last-16 clash against Copenhagen on February 13, Grealish made an unexpected return to the bench for their Premier League victory over Bournemouth on Saturday. While City had initially prepared for the ex-Aston Villa winger to be sidelined for up to a month, he has clearly recovered faster than anticipated. And Grealish might make a comeback for City's FA Cup clash at Luton on Tuesday, according to Guardiola, who did not risk him against Bournemouth while his side were holding on to a 1-0 lead.

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• WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  Asked how Grealish was recovering, Guardiola told reporters: “Good, yep [he’s alright].”

  Guardiola also gave an update on injured defender Josko Gvardiol, adding: “He is good too. I don’t know [if he’s available]. We train this [Monday]afternoon but he’s training without much pain.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Since joining Guardiola's side in 2022 for a whopping £100 million ($126m), the 28-year-old has had a topsy-turvy time at the Etihad. While he had a difficult start to life with the team, he recovered his form and was a pivotal player for Guardiola during their treble-winning run last season. However, the signing of Jeremy Doku last summer coupled with the utilisation of Phil Foden in his preferred role has seen Grealish lose his prominence in the squad this term.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR GREALISH?

  It is possible that Grealish will feature for his side in their match-up against Luton on Tuesday, albeit at a reduced capacity. He is unlikely to start the match as Guardiola will be looking to manage his minutes, in order to ensure proper recovery going into the business end of the season.

Leicester City kick off their 2021/22 campaign this evening with the Community Shield at Wembley Stadium when they take on Manchester City.

The Foxes will be hoping to get their hands on some more silverware, adding to last season’s FA Cup triumph and providing an early confidence boost in their pursuit of a top-four finish in the Premier League.

On the Chalkboard

Brendan Rodgers’ charges recorded a second consecutive fifth-place finish in the league last term, narrowly missing out on a Champions League qualification spot once again. However, the Midlands outfit claimed their maiden FA Cup through Youri Tielemans’ stunning strike, seeing off Chelsea in the showpiece at Wembley three months ago.

The Belgium international’s long-range hit earned them a place in today’s season curtain-raiser, and Leicester will be keen to show that they’re ready for another assault on the upper echelons with a solid performance.

A lack of squad depth has undermined Rodgers’ charges over the last couple of campaigns, but the former Celtic boss has added several significant additions over the summer to address that issue.

The Community Shield could be the perfect opportunity to unleash at least one of them. With Jonny Evans and Wesley Fofana out injured, Wilfried Ndidi is expected to slot into centre-back, meaning that Boubakary Soumare is set to make his debut for the club this evening.

What Boubakary Soumare adds

The 22-year-old box-to-box dynamo arrived from French outfit Lille in a £17m deal over the summer and should add a new element to Leicester’s engine room.

Lille’s former CEO Marc Ingla described him as “a powerful and technical player who can evolve to several positions in the field” upon his arrival at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy back in 2017, and he certainly lived up to that billing.

While Ndidi offers protection to the back four, Tielemans brings technical ability and an incredible passing range and James Maddison provides a goal threat, Soumare has other unique aspects to his game.

As per SofaScore, the former France under-21 international made 1.2 interceptions and 1.4 tackles and won 3.7 duels per game last season, highlighting his ability to win back the ball and stop opposition attacks.

However, what makes Soumare so special is that he’s also adept with the ball at his feet. He completed an average of 0.9 successful dribbles in 2020/21, illustrating his natural instinct to surge through the centre of the park, driving his team up the pitch.

His enviable blend of midfield skills could be crucial if Leicester are to cause an upset against Pep Guardiola’s Cityzens, and Rodgers must unleash the potentially game-changing Frenchman for this intriguing encounter.

In other news… Get it done: Rudkin must sanction LCFC swoop for £22.5m-rated gem, he’s a “top player” 

The Gunners' inexperience proved costly at Estadio Do Dragao as Mikel Arteta was given a lesson in the continental dark arts

Arsenal have never had much luck in the Champions League. The closest they came to winning the trophy was back in 2006, when they suffered a heartbreaking final defeat to Barcelona, and they haven't reached the quarter-finals in 14 years.

The Gunners have actually lost all of their last six ties in the last 16, and Mikel Arteta is now facing an uphill battle to break that cycle. Porto beat Arsenal 1-0 in their first-leg clash on Wednesday, courtesy of a stunning 94th-minute strike from Brazilian winger Galeno.

“We don’t have the experience, that’s the reality – 95 percent of these players haven’t played this competition, they haven’t played the last 16," Arteta said before the game.

In fact, Kai Havertz was the only member of Arsenal's starting XI at Estadio Do Dragao to have featured in a Champions League knockout game. Arteta's exciting young side topped their group in impressive fashion, but the way they meekly surrendered in Porto suggests they're not ready to truly compete with the best.

It was same naivety Arsenal showed towards the end of last season, as they won just three of their final nine Premier League games to essentially gift Manchester City the Premier League title, having led the table for a record 248 days. Nothing has really changed since then, and another trophy-less season will be inevitable unless Arteta's men quickly develop some street smarts.

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  Outbattled & outsmarted

  Arsenal lacked their usual fluidity against Porto, who expertly broke up the game while cutting off the supply line to Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka up top. The Gunners were outnumbered in midfield, and the ugly nature of the contest was reflected by the final foul count of 36 – the most recorded in a Champions League game this term.

  Twenty-two of those were given away by the visitors, as Porto successfully limited the Gunners' huge threat from set-pieces by dropping to the floor when feeling any sort of contact. "Every time we touched somebody, it seemed to be a foul before we even kicked the ball," Arteta said.

  The Spaniard added on Porto's tactics, after seeing his side fail to muster a single shot on target: "We are very used to playing against these defensive blocks. Especially in the first half, we lacked certain things. We will learn from it and be better in the return game. The best thing about our team was the attitude. We wanted to play. We didn’t lack aggression. Faced with such a low block and a team with no intention of playing, this is what we have to do."

  Arteta can groan all he wants, but the reality is Porto were the smarter team on the night, and a touch unfortunate not to win by a wider margin. In the 21st minute, Galeno smacked a volley against the post and then skewed a rebound effort agonisingly wide from five yards out, with the stadium announcer initially blaring out celebratory music thinking the ball had gone in.

  Arsenal may have bossed possession, but the hosts kept their most creative players at bay, with Martin Odegaard cutting the most frustrated figure after being forced to drop deep. Sergio Conceicao's side, led by notorious former Real Madrid enforcer Pepe, were always in control, and gave the Gunners a lesson in how to grind out wins in the latter stages of Europe's top competition.

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  Arsenal need more 'saviness'

  For all their failings in Porto, Arsenal were still only seconds away from earning a 0-0 draw, which would have put them in full control of the tie heading into the second leg at the Emirates Stadium. Arteta's team just needed to keep hold of the ball, which they are usually so good at, but they gave it away cheaply three times before Galeno eventually struck the decisive blow.

  Declan Rice initially won the ball back after a mishit David Raya clearance, only for Stephen Eustaquio to steal it from him. Porto's attack then appeared to break down when Galeno surrendered possession, but Martinelli inexplicably attempted a 30-yard cross-field pass to Saka, which was intercepted with ease by Otavio.

  The centre-back quickly fed Galeno again, and the 26-year-old was given the time and space to set himself before curling a brilliant effort into the far right corner of the net. “I am very disappointed the way we gave the game away at the end, not managing that situation well enough,” Arteta fumed after the full-time whistle. “You get punished in the Champions League. If you cannot win it, you don’t lose it.”

  It was strange to see Rice backing off when Galeno started to cut in on his right foot, but Arsenal's record-signing admitted he was wary of being sent-off, having been booked in the second minute of the game.

  “It was a real kick in the teeth because that can change your mindset a little bit,” he said. Rice went on to echo Arteta's sentiments, admitting the Gunners will have to show a "bit more savviness" in the most important games.

  Arsenal's season will be in real danger of unravelling if they fail to do so in their next Premier League outing against Newcastle.

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  'Does Mikel trust the players?'

  Arsenal went into their first-leg encounter with Porto having scored 21 goals across their previous five Premier League games. The Gunners picked up maximum points to put themselves right back in the mix for the title, and seemed to have rediscovered their swagger, but a lack of quality options in the final third came back to bite Arteta again in Europe.

  The 41-year-old opted to start with Trossard in a false nine role, and resisted the temptation to bring on Eddie Nketiah when Arsenal were struggling to make a breakthrough, with Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson also left on the bench. To win the biggest competitions, it is necessary to change up personnel and systems at times, especially when an attacking spark is so clearly missing.

  The only change Arteta made was to bring on Jorginho for Trossard in the 74th minute, at which point he shifted Havertz into the false nine role. That decision must have strung Nketiah in particular, given the fact he's managed more goal contributions than Havertz in the Premier League this season, despite starting seven fewer games.

  Saka and Martinelli looked visibly fatigued late on, too, but they're unlikely to get a rest anytime soon because Arteta clearly doesn't have faith in those waiting in the wings, as former Arsenal star Theo Walcott observed in midweek.

  "I remember being in this certain position before and being subbed as a forward player," Walcott said on . "Martinelli, for instance, could be tired, he’s worked a lot, he’s worked really hard, tracking his full-back quite a lot tonight. Of course, yes, lazy pass, loses the ball [for Porto’s goal], but then I’ve just got to question this squad depth of Arsenal at the start of the game – does Mikel trust the players?"

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• No.9 woes

  The question is: why didn't Arteta go all out to sign a new striker last summer? Rice was always going to be Arsenal's number one target, and he's so far managing to justify his £105m ($133m) fee, but their decision to splash another £65m (£82m) on Havertz is as baffling now as it was then.

  Havertz hasn't really got to grips with a new role on the left of Arsenal's midfield three, and certainly isn't the like-for-like replacement for Granit Xhaka that Arteta suggested he could be. Leading the line doesn't suit Havertz either, as he's largely endured the same difficulties in front of goal he did throughout his time at Chelsea.

  The Gunners should be boosted by the return of Gabriel Jesus for the return leg against Porto, but he has been equally enigmatic since his 2022 switch to the Emirates from Manchester City. Jesus can never stay fit for a significant run of matches, and rarely delivers the goods when he is available, as reflected by his measly 9.76 percent shot conversion rate in the Premier League this term.

  Saka has been Arsenal's main source of goals, and although he is a superb player in his own right, the 22-year-old is once again shouldering too much responsibility. Walcott was left in no doubt over his old club's biggest weakness, as he added: "I've said this numerous times recently, I think the argument about Arsenal's lack of prolific goalscorer will rear its ugly head again."

Speaking on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), reporter Kaveh Solhekol has now made a £75 million claim involving Tottenham Hotspur, Harry Kane and Manchester City.

The Lowdown: City eyeing Kane swoop…

As confirmed by Pep Guardiola yesterday, Premier League champions Man City are definitely interested in signing the superstar striker this summer, but he admits it is all down to Spurs’ stance on negotiating (BBC).

The forward himself is said to prefer Eastlands above all other destinations and is widely believed to want a move away from north London before August 31.

Sky reporter Solhekol, bringing the latest, has shared an update on the saga whilst dropping a £75m claim.

The Latest: Solhekol makes £75m claim…

Solhekol, speaking live to the broadcast giant (via Football Daily), reiterates Tottenham’s firm stance that Kane is not for sale this summer.

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However, in this on air message, he details the kind of figures that City have been mentioning when it comes to a swoop for the 28-year-old.

“It’s a free world, you can make an offer, but your offer has to be realistic,” explained the journalist.

“The kind of figures that Manchester City have been talking about, I’ve been told that it’s £75 million plus some players, Spurs are just not interested in that.

“They’re not interested in £75m, they are not interested in players as part of the deal either, as far as they’re concerned they are in a very strong position.”

The Verdict: Consider it?

£75m is arguably a low-ball figure on it’s own, especially considering he won the Premier League Golden Boot last season and captained England to a Euro 2020 final.

Even factoring in his age, City will have to up the ante if they seriously wish to tempt chairman Daniel Levy into selling his prized asset before deadline day.

If that fee does indeed include the offer of players, however, it should at the very least get Levy and managing director Fabio Paratici thinking.

Aymeric Laporte, for example, would be a stellar defensive partner for new signing Cristian Romero as Spurs reportedly aim to add at least two new centre-backs for Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Spaniard has been called ‘incredible’ and the ‘best left central defender in the world’ by Guardiola and Tottenham could realistically afford his £120,000-per-week salary (spotrac.com) – especially if they offload more players.

Acquisitions of his calibre, who could be included in a possible swap, should be considered as Kane’s desire to leave grows stronger.

In other news: Bid made – Tottenham have now lodged offer to sign player with ‘gigantic buzz’, find out more here.

Josh Sargent tries this best to sing alongside a group of Norwich City fans as they serenaded him in Italian.

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• Josh Sargent scores brace for Norwich
• Canaries win 4-1
• USMNT star serenaded by fans

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following his two-goal performance against Cardiff City at the weekend, the English club posted a clip of the 'Italian Canaries' serenading the USMNT star after the game. They all huddled around him and Norwich boss David Wagner, with a Canaries flag, singing to them both.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Sargent's form has been nothing short of stupendous this season. In just 13 games played, he has 10 goals and one assist – while also missing the majority of the first half of the campaign. If he continues his hot form into the Spring, there's no doubt that Gregg Berhalter will be looking at him as the potential starting striker for the USMNT in the Concacaf Nations League – and potentially, Copa America.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR SARGENT AND NORWICH CITY?

  The Canaries are back in action this weekend against Blackpool as they look to continue their incredible promotion push. Sargent's brilliant form will look to continue, as well, as he looks for goal no. 11.

David de Gea has reportedly turned down a reunion with Cristiano Ronaldo amid rumours he could join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami.

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• De Gea rejects Ronaldo reunion
• Al-Nassr offered goalkeeper £500,000 a week
• Inter Miami move on the cards

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to the Sun, former Manchester United goalkeeper De Gea has rejected a £500,000 ($623,000) a week contract offer from Al-Nassr. It's believed that the player's wife, Spanish singer and actress Edurne, is not keen on moving to the Gulf state. Instead, the 33-year-old is reportedly interested in linking up with Messi at Inter Miami, who also have his former Spain teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in their ranks.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  De Gea has been without a club since he left United at the end of last season. Once considered to be the best goalkeeper in the world, the Spaniard has struggled to find a new home after his performances dipped in recent years. A move to La Liga side Valencia is another option, but their financial situation would limit how much they could pay the goalkeeper.

• COULD HE RETURN TO UNITED?

  There has also been rumours that De Gea could make an extraordinary return to Old Trafford. United could be without De Gea's replacement Andre Onana in January should the Cameroonian be called up to play at the African Cup of Nations. With the inexperienced Altay Bayındır and veteran Tom Heaton on the bench, Erik ten Hag could look to bring de Gea back on a short-term deal.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR DE GEA?

  De Gea has certainly maintained ties with Manchester and United – last month he returned to the city to spend time with Bruno Fernandes and Sergio Reguilon. His next destination is up for debate, but a reunion with Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia looks unlikely.

There will always be a manager ready to gamble on Wolves’ Adama Traore, claims Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.

Traore continues to be linked with some big clubs, including Premier League rivals Chelsea as they look to build on their European success.

According to The Athletic, the Blues maintain an interest in the £27m-rated 25-year-old, with Thomas Tuchel keen to strengthen his options out wide.

Last season, Traore was not at his best. He scored just two goals and provided the same amount of assists, a drop off from the nine he registered the campaign prior.

Even so, Hatfield believes managers will always be attracted to the Spain international. He told FFC:

“With Traore, I think everyone will always take a punt on him. There’ll always be a manager willing to take a punt on someone like Traore, particularly at that higher level where they think, you know, they can coach the best out of him.

“We’ve not seen a consistent Adama Traore really, maybe apart from the season before last. If he can get back to that, he’s certainly a player who’s worth a serious amount of money.”

While his end product is still not quite there yet, or at least not consistently, Traore still brings a lot with his dribbling.

Averaging 4.1 dribbles per game last term, no Premier League player made more (via WhoScored), so you can see why the former Middlesbrough man is attracting interest this summer.

Emma Hayes had to make Mauricio Pochettino wait after she received a call from Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson.

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• Hayes reveals she made Pochettino wait to attend Ferguson's call
• Will join USWNT as their new manager
• Will leave Chelsea at the end of the 2023/24 season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Chelsea women's manager revealed that she was forced to tell the men's manager Pochettino to wait after she received a call from legendary former Manchester United manager Ferguson.

  The Blues confirmed last month that Hayes would leave the club after 11 years at the end of the ongoing season. The 47-year-old will next take up the role of the US women's national team's manager.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The English manager has been with the London-based club for a decade now and has won every single trophy on offer at domestic level and converted them into a dominant force in English women's football.

  The USWNT, who had a disastrous outing at the 2023 Women's World Cup, are on a mission to overhaul their squad and have thus picked Hayes as the suitable candidate to oversee the changes.

• WHAT EMMA HAYES SAID

  Speaking to , the Blues boss said, "We had a chat last week, he rang me, but I was in the middle of talking to Poch so I was torn. There's not many people you tell Poch to wait for but I did say to him it was Sir Alex. He calls me from time to time so I wasn't surprised.

  "Anything he says to me I always take with such pride. He is a legend of the game and someone whose opinion I value and he has a love of America. We talked a little bit about that, a little bit about legacy, a little bit about leaving at the top. So there were wise words from him. I'm sure it won't be the last phone call I get from him this season."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  Hayes' Chelsea, who are unbeaten this season so far and are at the top of the Women's Super League, will next take on Liverpool on Saturday.