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With Gareth Bale set to become a free agent at the end of the season, the 32-year-old has been linked with a number of clubs in recent weeks – with one of the more surprising stories suggesting there is a ‘whisper’ of a move to Celtic.

Indeed, whether or not Ange Postecoglou’s side could offer the Wales international anywhere near the amount of money he would more than likely demand following the conclusion of his £528k-per-week contract at Real Madrid is very much up for debate.

However, while it is true that the forward has not exactly been at his breathtaking best over the last few years in Spain, he would still be a quite extraordinary signing for the Hoops to get over the line this summer.

Celtic’s next Hartson

As previously mentioned, with Bale having made just five first-team appearances for Madrid over the last two seasons, it is clear that the 32-year-old would require a significant amount of work in pre-season in order to get him back up to speed for 2022/23.

However, once he regained his match fitness, the £2.7m-rated forward who scored 106 goals and registered 67 assists over 256 appearances for Los Blancos, in addition to bagging 72 goals and providing 61 assists over 237 outings for Tottenham Hotspur, would undoubtedly be a huge weapon in Postecoglou’s attacking arsenal.

Indeed, the Welshman proved over his 20 Premier League fixtures – only ten of which came as starts – during his temporary return to Spurs last season that he still has what it takes to impress at the highest level of the English game, scoring 11 goals, registering two assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

These returns saw the player who Dean Saunders dubbed a “freak of nature” and Ian Darke labelled “frightening” average a quite extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.48, not only ranking him as Tottenham’s second-best performer in the league but also the fifth-best player in the division as a whole.

As such, should Postecoglou manage to get a deal over the line for Bale this summer, the 56-year-old could well have landed Celtic their next John Hartson – the Welsh striker who scored 110 goals in 202 appearances for the Hoops – as, despite his advancing years, the 32-year-old quite clearly still possesses the ability to tear the Premiership up.

AND in other news: Huge boost: Ange reveals major Lennoxtown development, it’s brilliant news for Celtic

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Arsenal were completely outclassed by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon in a fixture which Mesut Ozil played no part despite being available on the substitutes bench.

What’s the word?

The future of Mesut Ozil has been a topic of rife discussion in north London this season.

Aaron Ramsey’s imminent summer move to Juventus has already provided Emery with one significant body blow, but comments from former Arsenal forward Ian Wright hint that Ozil will follow the Wales international out of the exit door.

Indeed, Emery left Ozil on the bench against the Premier League champions despite the fact his side were hopelessly devoid of creativity in the second-half, opting instead to hand Denis Suarez his debut against his former club.

While speaking on BBC’s Match of the Day 2 show (via Goal), Wright had this to say about Ozil: “Captain one week, next week he plays a left-back in midfield ahead of arguably our most creative player.

“Doesn’t look very good for him.”

Emery’s biggest setback yet?

To say it doesn’t look very good for Ozil is an understatement; the writing is firmly on the wall after Emery’s latest snub.

Whether Emery has personally fallen out with Ozil behind the scenes or if his decision-making is purely football orientated remains unclear, but the enigmatic playmaker’s position at the club right now is markedly more transparent: Emery simply doesn’t trust him.

While there is no room for friction and distracting sub-plots in Emery’s endeavour to help Arsenal progress into a positive future, the fact the club look set to wave goodbye to another immensely talented senior player in the summer is hugely concerning.

Not only would losing a player of Ozil’s ability represent a blow to Arsenal’s long-term ambitions on the pitch, it would also represent a metaphorical setback for the club.

The departure of Alexis Sanchez in 2018 and the imminent exit of Ramsey have already set a dangerous precedent for the future regarding their most indispensable players, and Ozil’s decision to follow them out of the Emirates will further compound the regressive theme which has emerged at Arsenal.

Wright’s assessment of Ozil’s position at Arsenal is a damning indictment of how tentative the situation is between player and manager right now, and one can only assume that Emery’s latest selection decision is just another sign that a bitterly disappointing summer departure is looming on the horizon.

Speaking live on talkSPORT to Jim White and Simon Jordan, as transcribed by their website, reporter Alex Crook has dropped an update on West Ham’s chase to sign Man United star Jesse Lingard.

The Lowdown: Lingard a top target…

The Red Devils playmaker is also one of manager David Moyes’ top transfer priorities for the January window amid his search for a striker and new defensive signing (The Evening Standard).

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Out of contract in the summer, Man United could now be forced to sell for a cheap fee this month in order not to lose Lingard for nothing at the end of 2021/2022.

He is also attracting interest from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United with the latter club apparently at work behind-the-scenes.

Crook, in a live on air update as West Ham still chase him, has made an encouraging claim.

The Latest: talkSPORT update…

Speaking to talkSPORT, the journalist says Moyes and transfer chief Rob Newman still haven’t given up on signing Lingard this month.

“They’ve not given up hope, I’m told, of prizing Jesse Lingard away from Manchester United,” he explained.

“So West Ham could be one of the busier clubs in the Premier League come the next couple of weeks.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Reports indicate that United are sceptical over selling to a top four rival like West Ham or Spurs in January with Newcastle currently the favourites, but if even Lingard manages to leave Old Trafford on a free at the end of this season, he may well come as a stellar free agent signing.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a fantastic spell on loan at the London Stadium last year, bagging nine goals and four assists, and it is believed that the player favours a move back down south over St. James’ Park as things stand.

This could boost West Ham’s chances of a free summer deal at least and it would most certainly be an astute bit of business.

Former England international Paul Robinson is certainly in agreement, calling Lingard a would-be ‘massive signing’ for Moyes who could add ‘another dimension’ going forward (Football Insider).

In other news: ExWHUemployee backs reports as West Ham now willing to bid for ‘phenomenal’ man, find out more here.

Alex McLeish has been left wowed by an exciting reveal on Glasgow Rangers’ revenues which has emerged this week.

The Lowdown: ‘Phenomenal’ sum

As per Football Insider, the Ibrox faithful are ‘well on course’ to announce revenues of up to £70m for the season.

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Ibrox sources have claimed that this would be a ‘phenomenal’ sum, in the context of their modern history and world events in recent years.

The figure will depend on how many more games that they play at home, and how far they get in the UEFA Europa League.

The Latest: McLeish reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, former Teddy Bears manager McLeish was wowed by the news, claiming that the numbers quoted are ‘sensational’:

“Those figures are sensational. You wonder how that can happen in the Scottish league, which is not the strongest league.

“But of course, the European money has been very lucrative. Rangers have deserved that money because of their achievements in Europe and getting to the later stages.

“It really is incredible money for them to perhaps put a stranglehold on things. Also, to try and have dominance in the league.

“It just reinforces what people have been saying to me for years, money men. Guys who don’t support Rangers have said to me there’s no way Rangers can’t make money.

“They’ll continue to make money despite some hard-luck times. The relegation, going through the divisions and then the pandemic.

“They’re still highly capable of earning fantastic revenue.”

The Verdict: Great for the club

The kind of money that the Light Blues are making this term really is great for the club.

Even though they are currently behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership table, they are in the Europa League quarter-finals, having seen off both Borussia Dortmund and Red Star Belgrade.

They also have a favourable draw against Braga, and so have a good chance to go all the way in the competition.

Nonetheless, if they can claw back the points needed in order to catch the Hoops, and advance further in Europe, then the Gers will be looking at very healthy revenues once the campaign comes to a close.

In other news, find out what ‘major blow’ RFC now face here!

Newcastle United journalist Dominic Scurr has now shared some ‘positive’ injury news involving both Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson.

The Lowdown: On the sidelines

Both players have endured significant spells on the sidelines, with Trippier not playing since December.

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The Magpies have nonetheless climbed 10 points above the relegation zone without the pair, but they will no doubt want them back as soon as possible in order to help them mathematically guarantee safety.

The Latest: Trippier and Wilson close to comebacks

Taking to Twitter, Scurr has shared that the duo are ‘close to returning’ after ‘positive’ results in their rehabilitation process.

Sharing a corresponding article from The Shields Gazette, he stated: “Trippier and Wilson are close to returning for #NUFC. A well-managed rehabilitation process has seen neither player rushed back.

“And positive results mean they will return without the lingering fear or pressure to deliver in a relegation scrap.”

The Verdict: Big boost for Newcastle

Having both players back for the run-in will no doubt be a big boost for Eddie Howe and the Toon Army.

Trippier is currently ranking as Newcastle’s best performer in the Premier League so far this season, while Wilson remains their top scorer with six goals (WhoScored).

Howe will feel that his team are not quite safe yet, especially with games against the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal to come, following on from Leicester City at the weekend, but having two of his key players back for at least some of those matches should help the Magpies to get the points that they need.

Nonetheless, the Tyneside club will likely continue not to rush them back, and Howe will probably only pick them if they are 100% ready to play, given how the team has managed in their respective absences and given the length of time for which both players have been sidelined.

In other news, find out which three stars NUFC are now targeting this summer

While it is often difficult to predict which signings will and won’t work out, recruiting an injury prone individual more often than not tends to end in disaster for the buying party.

That has seemingly proved the case for Nottingham Forest and defender Carl Jenkinson, with the former Arsenal man having endured a torrid time of it at the City Ground, prior to his loan move away from the club in January.

Signed for £2m from the Gunners in the summer of 2019, the Englishman has since made just 15 appearances in all competitions, with both loss of form and fitness issues having perhaps predictably plagued his time at the club.

During his time at the Emirates, the Harlow-born full-back had failed to ever really nail down a regular starting berth, spending much of his eight-year stint out on loan at the likes of West Ham United and Birmingham City, as well as on the treatment table.

After making just 41 Premier League appearances for the north Londoners, he was eventually snapped up by Forest just under three years ago, albeit while never looking like a convincing option as he made just eight league appearances in his debut season.

The form of current Aston Villa and Poland star Matty Cash – as well as an ankle issue sustained just a month into his Forest career – ensured a tricky start to life in Nottingham, with the 6 foot 1 full-back having never recovered from that early setback.

He made just three more league outings the following campaign, with the arrival of Chris Hughton in the dugout bringing a halt to his already sporadic role, with the former Brighton man informing the defender that he could move on at the end of 2020/21 season.

Despite sticking it out with the second-tier side, the appointment of Steve Cooper was the final nail in the coffin, with the 30-year-old having not featured for the club since an FA Cup fourth-round tie against Swansea City in January 2021.

After a year out in the footballing wilderness, the £450k-rated man secured a surprise temporary move to Australian outfit Melbourne City over the winter, where he has since netted twice in 17 league outings.

In truth, Cooper and co will have been happy to offload some of the player’s hefty £27k-per-week wages, with Jenkinson having cost the club a whopping £5m – including his initial transfer fee – since his move from Arsenal, rinsing the club for a total of 128 weeks.

Thankfully, with just a few months remaining on his existing deal, the one-time Charlton Athletic man will likely be moving on this summer, bringing an end to what’s been a tumultuous and costly last few years for all concerned.

In other news, Forest must seal summer swoop for £2.7m-rated star who has “a touch of Collymore” – opinion

Manchester United have met with the representatives of Paulo Dybala ahead of a possible summer move.

The Lowdown: Dybala’s contract situation

Dybala, labelled as ‘world-class’ by Paul Robinson, is out of contract at Juventus in a matter of months.

The 28-year-old has scored 113 times in 286 appearances for Juventus, but could well end his seven-year stay with the Italian giants.

Premier League rivals Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Tottenham are on red alert over a deal, and it looks as if the Red Devils are also now involved in what could prove to be a transfer tussle.

The Latest: Old Trafford meeting

Sports Witness relayed an update from Corriere dello Sport, who revealed that Dybala’s representatives had a meeting with the Old Trafford club last week.

Erik ten Hag looks set to come in as United’s new manager and is reportedly ‘key’ to any chance of a free transfer materialising.

The Verdict: Need to be quick?

Dybala clearly isn’t short of suitors, so if United want to get a pre-contract agreement over the line, they may have to act fast.

That would mean confirming a move for ten Hag relatively swiftly and then looking at holding further talks with the Argentine forward’s representatives.

Dybala is a player who can turn out as a centre-forward, second striker or an attacking midfielder and is valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, so a pre-contract agreement could be an exciting first move under ten Hag.

In other news: ‘Expected’ – Fabrizio Romano drops first blow for ten Hag at Man Utd with appointment ‘imminent’. 

Leeds United turned down interest from Barcelona in Rodrigo last summer, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Rodrigo’s Leeds struggles

The Spaniard joined the Whites in the summer of 2020, coming in as the most expensive signing in the club’s rich and illustrious history.

However, Rodrigo has struggled to match the expectations of him when he arrived, scoring just nine goals in 45 appearances and finding himself in and out of the team because of injuries.

It has now emerged that the 30-year-old could actually have left Elland Road in last summer’s transfer window.

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The Latest: Barca made summer move for Rodrigo

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic prior to Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Newcastle United, Hay claimed that Barcelona tried to snap him Rodrigo on loan in 2021, only for Leeds to turn down their interest, and the journalist didn’t completely rule out the notion that the La Liga giants remain keen.

Hay outlined: “Barca looked at him very late in the last window (loan bid) but Leeds said no. It doesn’t seem to have resurfaced yet but they clearly have, or had, an interest in him”.

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The Verdict: Better to keep hold of him

While Rodrigo has been a disappointing signing overall, it is still better that Leeds have him in the squad than not, given the quality that he can offer. The Spain international has shown sporadic glimpses of his brilliance, including a last-gasp equaliser in a Man of the Match performance at home to Wolves earlier in the season.

Granted, Rodrigo needs to go up a gear if he is to become an unqualified success at Elland Road, especially given his age. However, with Patrick Bamford out injured and Leeds lacking any other potent centre-forward as they try to move clear of a relegation battle, it is crucial that the Spaniard is still around between now and the end of the season.

In other news, one rumoured Leeds transfer target could be available this summer. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham Hotspur could see two of their midfield flops depart the club before the January transfer window deadline on Monday evening…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who delivered a fresh update surrounding the likely outgoings from Hotspur Way this weekend to supporters on social media.

“Tottenham are confident on the outgoings: [Tanguy] Ndombele’s expected to leave on loan, same for Dele Alli. Ajax won’t give up to sign [Steven] Bergwijn on a permanent deal,” he said.

“Loan plus buy-option bid for Sofyan Amrabat ready since Sunday, and Luís Diaz deal still discussed with Porto.”

Mauricio Pochettino’s Paris Saint-Germain are thought to be the likely destination for him, with Romano also claiming that the two sides were in “advanced” talks.

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Finally?

After costing the Lilywhites a club-record £55m in the summer of 2019, the Frenchman’s nightmare in England could finally be coming to an end and that’ll please many of the fans who booed him off during his last appearance several weeks ago.

Arriving from Lyon, Ndombele was touted to be a future star but he’s struggled for consistency and has never really cemented a regular place down under any of the last four Spurs managers.

Seemingly with every season, there are murmurs that the 25-year-old is unhappy under the current man in the dugout, especially with Jose Mourinho and then Nuno Santo.

Across 91 appearances, the £34.2m-rated star has only provided ten goals and nine assists, which works out to be a direct contribution every 271 minutes – roughly once every three games, per Transfermarkt.

That’s just not good enough from an attack-minded midfielder who is supposed to be in the side for his ability to drive the team forward from the engine room to help create chances in the final third. One assist every ten games only proves that he’s been nothing but a flop.

His attitude during the Lilywhites’ third-round win over Morecambe in the FA Cup was the final nail in the coffin. The team were losing, Ndombele trudged off slower and slower as the jeers got louder.

Forced to train alone since then, many will be delighted to see the back of him before Monday.

AND in other news, Spurs eye late move for £14m “special talent”, he could become Conte’s new Eden Hazard…

As per Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, via Sport Witness, Liverpool are interested in signing FC Porto midfielder Vitinha. 

The lowdown: Vitinha at Wolves

The Reds have been credited with an admiration of the creative ace for some time now and it appears that the interest remains.

A graduate of the Porto academy, Vitinha moved to Wolves on loan before returning to Portugal in 2021 having failed to score in 19 Premier League appearances during 2020/21.

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Now it appears that Liverpool could be set to attempt to bring the midfielder back to England…

The latest: Liverpool in pursuit

According to O Jogo, as translated by SW, the Reds are following the Portugal international ‘with a lot of attention’ ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report also cites interest from Bayern Munich and Lazio in the man recently hailed as ‘fabulous’ by manager Sérgio Conceição following a standout display in a 4-2 victory over Paços de Ferreira.

Previously, a report from the same source has claimed that Liverpool assistant coach Pep Lijnders is personally scouting the one-cap star, who has a €40million (£33.2million) release clause.

The verdict: Get it done

Having witnessed the impact Luis Diaz has had since arriving from Porto in the January transfer window, it’s no surprise that the Jurgen Klopp and new sporting director Julian Ward would be considering adding the Colombian’s former teammate to the Anfield ranks.

So far this season Vitinha has earned an outstanding 7.54 average Sofascore rating from 25 Primeira Liga outings, which is actually better than the Diaz’s 7.47 rating prior to heading to Merseyside, whilst boasting an impressive 90% passing accuracy.

Predominantly operating from a central midfield role, the 22-year-old has scored three times and provided four assists in 40 appearances across all competitions so far this season, and it appears as though Ward, Klopp and Lijnders are growing quite fond of the Porto talent production line.

In other news: French source claims Liverpool are interested in talented youngster