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It is the start of July and this means that Celtic are finally back in action for pre-season this month to prepare for the upcoming 2024/25 campaign.

The summer transfer window officially opened for business in June and the Hoops are yet to dip into the market to bolster their options across the park as of yet.

One area in which they could look to strengthen is striker after Ireland international Adam Idah returned to Norwich City at the end of his loan deal.

Last month, Football Insider reported that Kyogo Furuhashi would be allowed to leave for an offer of £25m but it remains to be seen whether or not any teams are prepared to pay that for him.

Why Celtic need to look beyond Kyogo Furuhashi

The Japan international has been the first-choice number nine for Celtic in each of the last two Scottish Premiership seasons, with 62 starts across those two campaigns.

However, Kyogo's form in front of goal has declined over the last 12 months and Brendan Rodgers must now look to life beyond the forward at Parkhead.

Celtic scouting "skilled offensive" star who could be McGregor 2.0

The Hoops are reportedly looking at the talented teenage central midfielder this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 28, 2024

Former Liverpool player Danny Murphy believes neither Arsenal's Mikel Arteta nor Chelsea's Enzo Maresca will replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

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• Guardiola in last year of contract
• Spaniard linked with Man City exit
• Maresca & Arteta told they won't replace him

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Guardiola is into the last year of his City contract and is yet to confirm his next move. Now, ex-England midfielder Murphy believes Arteta and Maresca – both of whom worked under the Spaniard at the Manchester outfit – will be at their current jobs next summer and that City will go for a manager who has a more proven track record of winning trophies if Guardiola does move on.

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  WHAT DANNY MURPHY SAID

  In a Daily Mail column, he said: "It’s a massive compliment to Pep Guardiola that two of the brightest Premier League managers worked for him at Manchester City and have greatly improved Chelsea and Arsenal on what they learned. Enzo Maresca and Mikel Arteta will be in the conversation to succeed their mentor when Pep leaves because they already know the club so well. But I don’t think it’s going to happen. First, I suspect City will want a manager with experience of winning a major league or European competition. With Hugo Viana due to begin as a new sporting director, they’ll need someone in the hot seat who can attract the stars. Just as importantly, I don’t believe even if they are courted by City either Maresca or Arteta would be prepared at this stage to sacrifice the projects they are building for the awkward challenge of following a legend. The only manager to compare with Guardiola in terms of success, Sir Alex Ferguson, has been impossible to match at Manchester United for more than a decade."

  Murphy added: "Whatever Guardiola decides in the summer, I expect this London derby to have the same figures in the technical area next season."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Guardiola has brought City unprecedented success over the past eight or so years, winning a Champions League and a host of Premier League titles. But this may be his last season at the Etihad and whoever eventually replaces the ex-Barcelona boss will have a heck of a task on their hands to get anywhere near the success he brought the club.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Maresca's Chelsea and Arteta's Arsenal lock horns at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon, while Guardiola's City are next in action at home to Tottenham in another Premier League encounter on November 23.

Tottenham Hotspur made their first real signing of the transfer window two weeks ago when they brought in Archie Gray from Leeds United, and while it was an excellent move, they're going to need more than just the 18-year-old to kick on next season.

It has been widely reported that Ange Postecoglou is desperate to sign a new number nine this summer, and when Son Heung-min and Richarlison were the only players in the squad to reach double digits for goals last season, it's not hard to understand why.

The good news is that, based on reports, it looks like Daniel Levy and Co have identified the dream striker signing and could even secure his services for a cut-price fee – oh, and he's been compared to Son, which isn't too bad.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham could make a surprise move for Sporting CP's star striker Viktor Gyokeres this summer.

The report has revealed that the Swedish international, who has a €100m release clause in his contract – £84m – could, in fact, be available for a cut-fee price, which would prompt the North Londoners to spring into action.

However, the one concern for the Lilywhites is that, according to reports from earlier this week, fierce rivals Arsenal have maintained their interest in the prolific poacher, and so, should his price come down, they may have to fight them for his signature.

That said, if Spurs have the opportunity to secure Gyokeres' services for even fractionally less than his £84m release clause, they should take it. He could be transformational under Postecoglou, and the comparison to Son is a nice bonus.

Why Gyokeres would be a great signing and his comparison to Son

So, before looking at Gyokeres' incredible form last season and why he'd be unreal under Postecoglou, where does this comparison to Son come from?

It stems from FBref, which compared him to players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, created a list of the ten most comparable forwards, and then named the South Korean at the top of that list.

It's easy to understand this ranking when you look at how similar some of their underlying numbers are for specific metrics, such as assists, progressive carries, crosses into the penalty area, shot-creating actions, goal-creating actions, tackles won, and ball recoveries, all per 90.

That said, while his similarities to the Lilywhites' captain are certainly a nice bonus, they won't be the main driver behind the North Londoners' desire to sign him; that would be his incredible form from last season.

In 50 appearances for the Portuguese side, the "remarkable" marksman, as Estoril manager Vasco Seabra dubbed him, scored a frankly outrageous 43 goals and provided 15 assists, meaning that he averaged a goal involvement every 0.86 games.

Now, just imagine a striker that prolific playing in a Postecoglou system where everyone is looking to get forward and be progressive – goals galore.

Ultimately, even if Spurs can't get a cut-price deal, Gyokeres is such an incredible striker that it may well make sense for them to go big and activate his release clause, although, maybe look for that cheaper price first though.

Spurs favourites to land £60m "entertainer" who's like Phil Foden

The incredible talent would be a statement signing.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 18, 2024

Vitor Roque has opened up on the "bad times" he went through at Barcelona while admitting he idolises Lionel Messi's great rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

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• Roque opened up on Barca nightmare
• Joined Real Betis on a season-long loan deal
• Idolises Messi's rival Ronaldo

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Roque's dream move from Athletico Paranaense to Barcelona in January turned into a nightmare in the span of just six months as he left the club on loan to Real Betis ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. The miserable spell with the Catalan giants saw the Brazilian score just two goals across all competitions in 16 appearances. He clocked only 353 minutes on the pitch and started in only three matches under Xavi.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 19-year-old, however, has made a fresh start to his journey in Europe at Betis, scoring five goals in 14 matches so far this season. The youngster has now revealed that he is loving life at his new club after coming through the "bad times" at Barca last season. He also confessed his admiration for Barcelona legend Messi's eternal rival Ronaldo.

• WHAT VITOR ROQUE SAID

  In an interview with Real Betis' official television channel, the Brazilian was asked if he rushed his move to Barca, to which he replied: "Yes, yes, the truth is that I was in Brazil and I didn't know if I was going to come or not. I found out that I was going to come to Spain about a week before, I was on vacation, I didn't know.

  "And when I arrived I had few opportunities, I didn't have time to adapt either. The truth is that I had some bad times there, but they serve as a learning experience, you know? I'm very happy to be here. The things I've learned there help me today and I'm very happy."

  When asked about his childhood idol, the teenager said: "Cristiano. And I really like Neymar too, for his way of playing, his Brazilian magic. But Cristiano too, to be honest."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  After offloading Roque, new Barca manager Hansi Flick signed Spain's Euro 2024 hero Dani Olmo, who has shown early promise at the Catalan club, having scored five goals in eight appearances. Flick's men will be back in action this Saturday as they take on Celta Vigo in La Liga, with Roque set to line up for Betis against Valencia on the same day.

Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold is supposedly “officially dating” Instagram model Estelle Behnke following his split from Iris Law.

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• Reds defender spent fived months with Law
• Has taken in romantic break with Behnke
• Couple said to be "smitten" with one another

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England international jetted off to the Caribbean island of Barbados with Law – the daughter of film star Jude – shortly after the Three Lions’ agonising Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain. They were said to have first connected over social media, with a brief relationship lasting five months.

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  THE GOSSIP

  They parted ways in September, with a source telling that there is “no bad blood” between the pair but “being a WAG was never really going to be her bag”. Alexander-Arnold is now said to have linked up with 23-year-old model Behnke.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  He started liking her jet-setting Instagram posts on October 17, with the pair having taking in a romantic break at the exclusive £6,000-a-night Soho Farmhouse in the Cotswolds since then. They have also been spotted dining at celebrity haunt Cibo in Hale, Cheshire.

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• WHAT A SOURCE SAID

  ’s source added on Alexander-Arnold’s new romance: “It’s very early days but they are officially dating — they seem really into each other. Trent hasn’t been single long and is enjoying spending time with Estelle. They’re just really enjoying each other’s company and seem quite smitten.”

Glasgow Rangers kick off their Scottish Premiership campaign in just a matter of weeks and their squad for the opening game may look considerably different to the one that ended the previous term.

Head of recruitment Nils Koppen and manager Philippe Clement have already made a host of changes to the playing squad at Ibrox since the end of the 2023/24 season.

Firstly, the Rangers chiefs allowed experienced first-team players Borna Barisic, John Lundstram, Jon McLaughlin, Kemar Roofe, and Ryan Jack to depart as free agents at the end of their contracts.

The Ibrox giants have also swooped to sign Liam Kelly, Jefte, Connor Barron, Clinton Nsiala, Mohammed Diomande, Oscar Cortes, and Hamza Igamane to bolster the head coach's options across the park.

Bar experienced goalkeeper Kelly, who has come in to compete with Jack Butland, all of the Light Blues' signings so far are under the age of 23, which shows that an emphasis has been placed on bringing in young talent with the potential to improve and increase in value over the years to come.

The Light Blues could now brilliantly replace Lundstram, who left as a free agent at the end of May, by swooping to sign another of their reported transfer targets.

Rangers interest in SPFL starlet

Earlier this month, Football Scotland reported that Motherwell defensive midfielder Lennon Miller has emerged as a target for Clement and Koppen this summer.

The outlet revealed that the Scottish Premiership side are keen on a swoop for the SPFL starlet to come in and bolster their options in the middle of the park.

It was claimed that the Ibrox outfit have already sent scouts to watch the talented ace in action during pre-season, as they weigh up whether or not to formalise their interest with an approach.

Football Scotland did not outline how much Motherwell would want in order to sanction cashing in on their star midfielder, though, or how much Rangers would be willing to pay for him.

This means that it remains to be seen whether or not a deal is viable for the Scotland youth international during the current transfer window, or if they will have to wait for a future window to land his signature.

If the financial aspects of a potential transfer for Miller work for Rangers, Clement and Koppen must press ahead with a swoop for him because the 17-year-old ace could brilliantly replace Lundstram.

Why Rangers were right to let John Lundstram walk

The English midfielder was out of contract at the end of last season and the Gers did not agree an extension with the former Sheffield United man, which allowed him to walk away for nothing.

He has since turned up at Trabzonspor in Turkey, alongside Barisic, and the Light Blues should not look back on their decision with regret, as long as they get the replacement right.

Lundstam went through a season of mixed success in the 2023/24 campaign. The experienced ace offered some qualities to the team but was also found wanting in other areas.

In the Premiership last term, he did provide reliable passing and creativity in possession with a pass success rate of 89% and five assists in 34 league outings.

This shows that he rarely gave the ball away in midfield whilst also creating chances for his teammates to score, which suggests that his passes were progressive and with the intention of moving the team forward – rather than backwards or safe.

As you can see in the table above, though, Lundstram did struggle with his work out of possession in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants.

He lost more ground duels than he won against opposition players in the division, which shows that opponents found it too easy to get the better of him on the deck. That is further highlighted by him being dribbled past once per game on average, as midfielders got past him to run at the Gers defence.

Therefore, Rangers were right to allow the 30-year-old midfielder to walk this summer as he is not a young player with the potential to improve and had weaknesses defensively that may not have developed.

Clement could now land a fantastic replacement for the former Premier League by swooping to sign Miller from Motherwell before the end of the window.

Why Rangers should sign Lennon Miller

The SPFL sensation would be a sublime signing for the Scottish giants because his form for the Premiership side last season, at his age, suggests that he would be a terrific addition for the short and long-term at Ibrox.

At the age of 17, he would come in as a future prospect who would have plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve, which means that the young gem fits the model that the club are going for – in terms of developing talented youngsters.

Miller is 13 years younger than Lundstram and could be Clement's go-to midfielder for many years to come if he can come in and hit the ground running in Glasgow, which his form from the 2023/24 campaign suggests he has the potential to do.

The Motherwell star made 25 appearances in the Premiership and showcased his ability as a destroyer in the middle of the park, which led to talent scout Jacek Kulig branding him a "machine" and "interesting".

As you can see in the table above, Miller significantly outperformed Lundstram when it came to winning duels, both in volume and efficiency.

He dominated opposition players on the deck and in the air and this suggests that the Rangers target could come in and provide a terrific platform for the attacking players to build from, in a number six role.

This means that the teenage ace could win possession back for the Light Blues far more regularly than Lundstram did, whilst also not allowing players to get past him as easily – preventing Butland from being worked as much.

Imagine him & Barron: Rangers make contact to sign £9.4k-p/w star

The Light Blues are reportedly interested in a potential deal to sign the midfielder.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 14, 2024

Therefore, Miller, due to his age and outstanding defensive attributes, could come in and brilliantly replace Lundstram, in the here and now as well as for future seasons.

We might be just over three weeks away from the return of the Premier League, but with the transfer window set to remain open for another five weeks, there is plenty of time for teams to complete their business.

This is great news for Tottenham Hotspur as, aside from signing Archie Gray, they have yet to make any serious additions to the first team.

In fact, Daniel Levy and Co seem to have prioritised sales recently, with Pierre-Emile Højbjerg joining Marseille this week, Tanguy Ndombele joining OGC Nice earlier this month and even recent reports that Richarlison could be on his way to the Saudi Pro League this summer.

While the Brazilian striker has been far from great for the Lilywhites, they can't afford to sell him without bringing in a replacement, although, based on recent reports, that could be a problem the club are already addressing.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Tottenham are one of several sides in the picture for Besiktas wonderkid Semih Kilicsoy.

The report has claimed that the Lilywhites and West Ham United have already sent scouts to watch the 18-year-old in action, while Aston Villa and Fulham have had offers rejected as neither club were anywhere close to the Turkish side's valuation of around €30m, which is about £25m.

It might seem like a lot of money to spend on a teenager because, well, it is.

However, given his recent performances and supposed potential, Levy and Co would be wise to match his price tag and bring him to N17, as he could already be the ideal replacement for Richarlison.

How Kilicsoy compares to Richarlison

Now, an argument could be made that at 18 years old, Kilicsoy would be too young to make a serious impact at Spurs, but as the old saying goes, if you're good enough, you're old enough.

Moreover, if Richarlison is to leave and an older replacement isn't brought in, then Ange Postecoglou's hand will be somewhat forced into playing the exciting forward, but with that said, how does he compare to the former Everton man?

Well, when it comes to the most critical metric for a striker, output, it is a worryingly close-fought competition – worrying for the Brazilian, that is.

For example, in 31 appearances across all competitions, the 27-year-old scored 12 goals and provided four assists, equating to a goal involvement every 1.93 games.

In comparison, the 18-year-old also scored 12 goals but provided three assists in 35 appearances, meaning he maintained a still impressive, but slightly worse average of a goal involvement every 2.33 games.

However, when you look at their contributions in the league alone, the teenager comes out ahead with 14 goals and assists in 23 games to the 15 in 28 from the Lilywhites' striker.

Ultimately, while the Turkish "monster," as data analyst Ben Mattinson dubbed him, is just behind the Nova Venécia-born international at the moment, it's quite evident that he's on track to become a serious proposition.

Bale 2.0: Spurs make approach to sign "explosive" £25m Udogie rival

The incredible youngster is a real “diamond.”

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 23, 2024

Therefore, if he's given the time to do that in N17, Tottenham could have a real match-winner on their hands and the perfect long-term replacement for Richarlison.

Rio Ferdinand has warned Cristiano Ronaldo to "slow down" as he continues his goalscoring exploits for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

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• Ronaldo remains in clinical form
• Scored brace against Damac
• Portugal star has 15 goals to his name

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ronaldo continued his impressive form for Nassr this season with a brace against Damac in the Pro League. The 39-year-old now has 15 goals in all competitions this term, as Nassr continue their quest for Pro League glory; they are currently third, five points behind leaders Ittihad.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ferdinand sent a joking message to his former Manchester United team-mate on Instagram, insisting that the superstar needs to halt his exploits. Ronaldo has a remarkable record for Nassr, scoring 73 goals in 82 games, while also registering 18 assists.

• WHAT FERDINAND SAID

  Ronaldo had posted on Instagram: "3 points, 2 goals and we keep going!"

  Ferdinand wrote in the comments: "Slow down bro!"

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Nassr play Al Sadd in the AFC Champions League on Monday, before taking on leaders Ittihad on Friday.

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna will be slightly concerned about the attacking players at his disposal come the opening Premier League game of the season against Liverpool, knowing that George Hirst could now be out of action alongside an injury-stricken Nathan Broadhead.

The beloved Tractor Boys boss revealed after a recent friendly game versus 1899 TSG Hoffenheim that main striker up top George Hirst will need to see some specialists owing to an injury concern sustained this pre-season.

Therefore, more attacking reinforcements could now be needed, as the Suffolk side push on to try and land this long-sought-after target to really strengthen their options.

Ipswich bidding for "ridiculous" attacker

As per Ipswich-based website TWTD last weekend, McKenna and Co are very much still chasing Sammie Szmodics' elusive signature, with a bid in the region of £10m recently fielded by the newly promoted outfit.

It has also been revealed, via TWTD, that yet another bid being turned down by the Riversiders has led to showdown talks between the former Peterborough United man and the powers that be at Ewood Park taking place, with Szmodics clamouring for an exit route out of the Lancashire club, and up to the bright lights of the Premier League.

What Szmodics could offer Ipswich

Szmodics' arrival into the building would no doubt quell any possible selection headaches McKenna is having to put up with involving who starts up top against the Reds, with the explosive 28-year-old fresh off a golden boot winning season in the Championship.

Labelled as "ridiculous" last campaign for his free-flowing exploits in front of goal by football journalist Josh Bunting, Szmodics could come into his own even more jumping up a division, playing for his new plucky underdogs as the potential main source of goals.

Although he wasn't outwardly deployed as a centre-forward last campaign, Szmodics' insane goal haul of 33 strikes in all competitions means he won't look out of place whatsoever in the Ipswich XI leading the line if he is thrown into this position soon.

Indeed, the Republic of Ireland international has bagged eight strikes from the centre-forward spot when wearing a Riversiders strip.

Looking at the table above, Hirst could find minutes hard to come by in the division above even when he's back to full sharpness, with Szmodics blowing his numbers out of the water last season in the Championship.

Missing a colossal 17 big chances in the second tier also proves that the former Posh attacker could potentially become even more clinical, and with the added talent of Conor Chaplin and Omari Hutchinson surrounding him going forward at Portman Road, he could well be the goalscoring hero Ipswich need to attempt to survive in the elite league.

A breakaway strike against Leicester City on the final day of last season ensured John Eustace's men staved off the second-tier drop zone by the skin of their teeth, and Szmodics will hope he has more memorable strikes in his back pocket if he moves to Suffolk.

Capable of also providing competition to the likes of Chaplin behind the lone striker, this feels like a buy Ipswich should prioritise, even if it will dent the bank in the short term.

Instant Townsend upgrade: Ipswich offered “talented” £20k-p/w star

Ipswich Town could instantly upgrade on new recruit Conor Townsend with this buy.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 6, 2024

Ashley Young could go head-to-head with his 18-year-old son Tyler in the third round of the FA Cup after Everton were drawn against Peterborough.

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• Young shares excited tweet
• Son Tyler playing for Peterborough
• 18-year-old has one appearance

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Young has reacted on X after Everton were drawn against Peterborough United in the third round of the FA Cup. His son, Tyler, signed for the club in the summer after a successful trial. He has gone on to make one appearance, in the EFL Trophy, but could now come up against his dad.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Young Sr is 39 and is winding down his career, although he has played 13 games for Sean Dyche's side this season. He is, of course, a deeply experienced professional, and he won the FA Cup in 2016 while he was playing at Manchester United.

• WHAT YOUNG SAID

  Young wrote: "Wow… dreams might come true. #GoosebumpsMoment #YoungVsYoung."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Both Youngs will likely have a fair bit of banter over the dinner table this Christmas. Tyler will hope to get himself into the Peterborough team in time for the potential clash with his father.