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Newcastle United have reportedly enquired about a potential move to sign Kristoffer Ajer from Celtic, according to CaughtOffside.

As per the news outlet, the Parkhead faithful are preparing for the Norway international to leave in the summer transfer window, with Norwich City also registering an interest in signing him.

The desire for both teams to sign Ajer is ‘strong’ and he is expected to leave Glasgow as he only has one year left on his contract, so it may just be a matter of who makes the better offer to the Hoops.

Newcastle should sign Ajer

The St. James’ Park faithful should certainly try and bring the big central defender to the North East and thus fend off the competition from the Canaries.

Standing at six-feet-six-inches tall, he should have no problems whatsoever in adapting to both the physical and aerial demands of the Premier League, and he certainly has not struggled defensively in the Scottish Premiership so far in the 2020/21 term, winning no fewer than 5.8 of his duels while also averaging 3.4 clearances, 1.4 interceptions and 1.3 tackles per game, helping the Celts keep a mammoth 15 clean sheets in the process (Sofascore).

Former Tyneside club ace Lee Clark, who managed Ajer during a loan spell at Kilmarnock, dubbed him as an ‘outstanding’ player back in March, which is certainly high praise, and there seems to be no doubt that he would give Steve Bruce a great option to use in the heart of the defence.

In other news, find out what European Super League claim Liam Kennedy has dropped on the potential takeover here!

It feels as if Celtic have been linked with Eddie Howe for a lifetime, however, the Englishman is still yet to put pen to paper on a Parkhead move.

Reports had suggested at the beginning of the month that the 43-year-old had verbally agreed on a move to Celtic Park before having second thoughts.

Howe appears to be a man in demand as he has spoken to Crystal Palace and is also on the radar of Brighton.

Nixon’s Howe update

Reliable reporter Alan Nixon has shared an update regarding Celtic and Howe on social media.

Nixon, who writes for The Sun, was asked by a Hoops supporter for the situation on Howe on Monday morning.

He swiftly replied, claiming ‘Howe is stalling’ – three words which could spell trouble for Dermot Desmond.

“Howe is stalling. But at least there’s a legit reason. Even if you do wonder. Keane doesn’t think he gets it. No sign of Celtic going elsewhere yet. But it’s dragging. Need director of football sorted.”

Transfer Tavern take

Desmond was the man who met Howe in London at the beginning of the month, but this latest development could be a worry for the 70-year-old.

One issue as to why Howe is stalling could be to do with former Bournemouth colleague Richard Hughes.

He reportedly wanted Hughes to join him in Glasgow, however, it doesn’t look as if the Hoops are willing to grant his request.

It remains to be seen as to how crucial Hughes is to any deal for Howe, but at the minute, it doesn’t look great for the Bhoys, especially seeing as there is ‘no sign’ of them moving to different targets according to Nixon, which would put them in a tricky position if the Howe deal does fall through.

In other news: Celtic interested in signing African striker, find out who it is here. 

Celtic goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas has been linked with a move away from Parkhead this summer.

According to reports from Greece, cited by the Daily Record, AEK Athens are interested in the 26-year-old’s services.

The report suggests that AEK ‘will have to negotiate a loan deal with Celtic’ – nine words which appear key in any potential move.

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Barkas, on £13,500-a-week at Parkhead, has made 20 appearances since arriving from AEK last summer in a deal worth £4.5m, keeping nine clean sheets.

Neil Lennon described Barkas as ‘excellent’ in his first few months as a Hoops player, however, he’s fallen out of favour since the turn of the year, starting just two of Celtic’s 15 Premiership games in 2021.

Transfer Tavern take

It seems as if a loan deal is the only possibility this summer. That could be due to the finances involved in a permanent deal, or it could be due to Celtic’s stance on the shot-stopper.

The Hoops may feel that a loan move could be best for Barkas with a view of reclaiming his place in the Hoops side in the future once he has a spell away from the spotlight to regain his confidence.

It’ll be interesting to see what Celtic do with Barkas and Scott Bain this summer, though, as Conor Hazard recently signed a new deal also.

One may have to make way ahead of the 2021/22 season, and it seems as if Barkas’ former side would happily take the Greece international back on a temporary basis.

In other news: Strange Ryan Christie contract update emerges, find out more here. 

Southampton could be set for a huge boost with Jannik Vestergaard after The Athletic journalist Daniel Sheldon claimed that they will appeal the red card he was shown in the 1-1 draw with Leicester City on Friday night.

The Danish centre-back was sent off following a VAR decision after catching Jamie Vardy with a studs-up challenge, and despite clearly winning the ball, he was given his marching orders after VAR ruled that he was denying the Leicester striker a goalscoring opportunity.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Total Saints podcast [via This is Futbol], Sheldon slammed the decision and suggested that he would be shocked if it wasn’t overturned, saying: “[Jamie] Vardy was not going to get that ball. Vardy was running one way and that ball was going another way.

“At the time Vestergaard touched that ball, that ball was going towards the left and Vardy was kind of on the right, going in a straight line.

“So on the basis that Vardy wasn’t going to get that ball, I don’t see how they can’t rescind it. I’d be amazed if they didn’t.”

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Although Vestergaard’s replacement Mohammed Salisu produced one of his best displays in a Southampton shirt to help the Saints earn a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Brendan Rodgers’ side, it would still be a massive blow to Hasenhuttl if the Denmark international isn’t available for their trip to Anfield next Saturday.

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Therefore, if the £16.2m-rated defender’s red card is rescinded in time for the weekend and he can feature, it would be a huge boost for the Austrian, as Vestergaard has been one of Southampton’s best performers in the Premier League so far this season.

The former Borussia Monchengladbach man’s 6.98 WhoScored average rating is second to only James Ward-Prowse in the Southampton squad, so it is clear that he is one of the most important players for the south coast club.

[freshpress-quiz id=“594431″]

Therefore, Hasenhuttl will be praying that the Premier League sees sense and overturns the red card, as it could drastically improve the Saints’ chances of picking up a result at Anfield this weekend.

In other news… Saints suffer devastating transfer setback to “unbelievable” ace, Ralph surely fuming

Everton have been handed a massive boost ahead of their clash with West Ham United on Sunday afternoon.

Although they will be missing the services of James Rodriguez again, they will be able to welcome back one of their key players from a promising campaign.

Carlo Ancelotti was speaking late this week about his team’s chances at the London Stadium and confirmed that Abdoulaye Doucoure was fit again.

He said: “He is really important. He showed fantastic quality and has supported the team a lot when he played.

“It was a great surprise for us to have this type of player. He put a lot of energy into the midfield and to have him back for the next game will be really important.”

Ancelotti concluded: “Without him, we have had more problems. He is one of the most important players we had and he has been a really good signing. I hope he can show his quality in the last games we have before the end.”

The Frenchman has been absent for seven games now dating back to March 4th. The £120k-per-week earner has been missing as a result of a small fracture in his foot.

Everton posted pictures of the midfield general back in full training this week which represents a huge advantage to their chances on Sunday.

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The Toffees have been missing some muscle in the middle of the park without him with Andre Gomes struggling following his own return to injury.

The Portuguese was lumped off shortly after the hour mark against Arsenal and then won just two of his nine defensive duels in the defeat to Aston Villa last weekend.

Ancelotti appears to be buzzing that his combative midfield player is back and you can hardly blame him.

Prior to his two-month-long injury, the 28-year-old had only missed one league game all season after arriving from Watford for a fee of £20m.

Against a free-flowing West Ham side, having Doucoure back is absolutely vital. He and Allan will have a huge job on their hands if they are to stop the effervescent Jesse Lingard.

AND in other news, Imagine him & DCL: Everton must swoop for £24.9m gem who gives oppo “sleepless nights”…

Jordan Henderson will not feature for Liverpool again this season, handing Jurgen Klopp another gutting injury setback…

What’s the latest?

Speaking ahead of their rearranged Premier League encounter with arch-rivals Manchester United, The Athletic’s James Pearce revealed that Jurgen Klopp has “ruled out” his skipper for their remaining four matches.

Earlier in the day, it was revealed that Virgil van Dijk will not play again this season either, whilst Joe Gomez also finds himself on the sidelines for the foreseeable future, so Henderson now becomes the third Reds star to be ruled out until the 2021 campaign.

However, the 30-year-old is due to return to training in the final week of the season, meaning he could still make this summer’s European Championships, though the German claims his inclusion will be “a decision for Gareth [Southgate] and Hendo.”

Liverpool were hoping to have Henderson back at some point April after he had groin surgery in February, as per Sky Sports, but now it has been confirmed that his season is over.

He last featured for the Reds in their 2-0 defeat to Everton several months ago.

Gutting setback

Liverpool’s season very much still hangs in the balance.

Mounting injuries throughout the campaign have seriously hindered their title defence, leading to Man City being crowned as the 2020/21 champions earlier this week.

There is still a small chance that the Merseyside giants could make Champions League qualification, though.

A win over the Red Devils this evening would see them move into fifth place, leapfrogging West Ham, and whilst the points gap to the top four would still be significant, it would not be insurmountable.

Having a player of Henderson’s stature and influence available would certainly have been an added bonus when there is so much at stake, especially given Steven Gerrard’s glowing endorsement of his former teammate to BT Sport (via the Daily Mail).

“Obviously, I played with him for numerous years with Liverpool and England. A very fit, athletic boy who’s selfless in his approach on the pitch, puts everyone else above himself,” he said. “When you play alongside him you appreciate the job he does for the team and I think over the years he’s been developing parts of his game. His passing range now is fantastic.”

Klopp’s midfield could be further impacted with Ozan Kabak’s likely absence a worry as it means Fabinho could drop back into defence, a worrying prospect as Liverpool have one just once since the turn of the year with him in that role.

AND in other news, Reds handed boost in race to sign “massive” 23-year old gem, Edwards must act…

Thiago Alcantara continues to improve for Liverpool despite enduring a difficult first season on English shores.

The 30-year-old midfielder signed from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich last summer, arriving at Anfield after picking up seven consecutive league titles during his time in Germany.

However, coronavirus and a serious knee injury hampered the Spain international’s start to life with the Reds, meaning he’d only made one Premier League start by January.

The last couple of months have represented quite the turnaround for the diminutive maestro, though. A string of impressive performances have seen Thiago earn an average WhoScored rating of 7.5 over his last five outings, outlining his importance to Liverpool’s eight-game unbeaten run in the league.

His display against West Bromwich Albion was arguably his best since arriving on Merseyside, with SofaScore grading him an 8.1, the highest-rated player on the pitch, despite Alisson’s remarkable, headed winner in injury time.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Jurgen Klopp’s men for large periods at the Hawthorns as Sam Allardyce’s side set out to frustrate their opponents, but Thiago’s vision and passing ability stood out amongst the exasperation of the former Premier League champions.

The ex-Barcelona academy graduate was the game’s key creating alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold, as the pair notched up five key passes apiece, more than anyone else on either side.

Compared to his season average of 1.3 key passes per game, Sunday’s exhibition further illustrated the improvements and dominance that has now started to become normal for the two-time Champions League winner.

A game-high 120 touches against the Baggies highlights how the playmaker was pulling all of Liverpool’s strings over the weekend, and with a 91% pass accuracy, it’s clear Thiago has mastered the perfect combination of risky penetrative passes and precise ball retention.

A severe injury crisis to Liverpool’s centre-back options forced holding midfielder Fabinho to fill in at the heart of the defence in the early stages of the season, often leaving Thiago exposed in the No.6 role.

But Ozan Kabak’s arrival in late January allowed the Spaniard to move forward as Fabinho returned to his natural role, and Klopp addressed how this change of position has brought the best out of his £25m purchase.

“So we decided to adapt his position a little bit – that worked out pretty well, it gives us stability, gives him stability, we can use his football skills which are obviously outstanding. Really good,” Klopp said.

The fight for the Champions League qualification places is set to go right down to the wire, and if Liverpool want to return to Europe’s elite cup competition next season, they’ll need Thiago to maintain this outstanding run of recent form.

And, in other news…Lost possession 17x: £34m LFC star proved Klopp right with another shocking display – opinion

Aston Villa will reportedly seek to loan out Wesley in the summer transfer window following horrendous injury problems for the striker.

The Lowdown: Injury hell for Wesley

The Brazilian arrived at Villa Park in the summer of 2019, costing £22m and becoming the most expensive signing the club’s history at the time. He has since been usurped by Ollie Watkins in that respect, but it’s fair to say big things were expected of the striker.

Sadly, a cruciate ligament injury suffered at the beginning of last year halted Wesley’s progress significantly, with the 24-year-old playing just 15 minutes of Premier League football this season.

The Latest: Villa looking to sell striker

According to Football Insider, Villa don’t intend to keep Wesley in their squad for next season, moving him on to pastures new instead. The report claimed that Dean Smith had been unconvinced by the Brazilian even before his horrific injury in January 2020.

The plan is to loan him out and sign another striker, which suggests that he has no future at Villa Park moving forward.

The Verdict: Time to move on

There was so much promise when Wesley arrived, but unfortunately the severity of his injury means that he may never be the same player again.

There is a feeling that Smith’s side have moved on without him, too, with Watkins leading the line excellently in his place, scoring 13 goals in the league this season and justifying his club-record outlay.

Wesley will hopefully be a reliable player again one day, but with another striker potentially coming in, it is hard to see how he can revive his abortive Aston Villa career.

In other news, one Villa player has been linked with a shock move to a ‘big six’ club this summer. Find out who it is here.

Crystal Palace look set to miss out Edin Terzic as they search for Roy Hodgson’s successor, with the Borussia Dortmund interim head coach seemingly ruling himself out of contention.

What’s the story?

According to Goal, the 38-year-old has revealed that he would be happy to stay with the Bundesliga giants next season despite the imminent arrival of Marco Rose, meaning that he’ll be consigned to a backseat role once again.

Terzic took control of his boyhood club on a temporary basis following the dismissal of Lucien Favre and impressed during his time in the hot seat, winning the DFB-Pokal and guiding BVB to a third-placed finish.

Parish will be devastated 

German outlet Bild had previously linked the German-born tactician with a move to Selhurst Park as the Eagles look for the right person to continue the good work of Hodgson.

With an incredible win rate of 61.2%, experience managing one of the biggest clubs in European football and some major silverware on his CV, Terzic appeared to be a hugely attractive option for Palace chairman Steve Parish, and he’ll surely be devastated to hear the latest revelation over the 38-year-old’s future.

It had been rumoured that the young coach would leave Signal Iduna Park over the summer, but in an interview, he disclosed how he has no issue with resuming his previous role in the background.

“We have clearly expressed the wish that my path can continue here with pleasure,” he told reporters.

“We will make the best decision in the interests of the club. At some point, you will find out. I will go home with full enjoyment. I will enjoy that completely for the next few days.”

The news will come as a blow to the capital club’s hierarchy as they begin a new chapter in the post-Hodgson era, and Parish will have to reassess his options going forward.

Several big names such as Frank Lampard, Sean Dyche and Eddie Howe have continuously been suggested as potential suitors to the Palace vacancy, but arguably none of them carry as much potential and intrigue as Terzic.

In other news…Massive CPFC contract update emerges over £120k-p/w “revelation”, fans will be buzzing 

Many Everton fans have been flocking to a transfer update on Tom Davies from Football Insider.

As per the news outlet, Southampton have reignited their interest in signing the midfielder after failing to land him last year.

A source from the Saints has claimed that they will make a move for him if they are given encouragement by the Goodison Park club to do so.

The 22-year-old did not score a single goal in 30 games in total over all competitions in the 2020/21 season and only recorded one assist (criticism from numerous Everton fans on occasion.

Carlo Ancelotti would surely have been expecting better numbers from a midfielder, and given his age and English nationality, the Merseyside club may be able to demand a sizeable transfer fee for him. Therefore, the Toffees should seriously consider selling him – even if it is to a rival Premier League club –  and recoup some cash to invest in other positions once the summer window opens.

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Everton fans on Davies transfer update

These Everton fans flocked to the transfer update as it was shared on Twitter, with one supporter even going as far as to claim that Davies is of ‘Championship’ standard:

“He’s not good enough, cash in. That first goal Aguero scored last week, it was cos he lost the ball, he does that about 3/4 times a game. He thinks he’s quicker and stronger than what he is. What Fernandinho done to him, the same happened v Burnley when Wood scored.”

Credit: @BlueMerseyside

“He’s been in the squad since 2016 and he’s still terrible.”

Credit: @TheYak_Creaney

“We are going nowhere with mediocre players like this. Great lad but Championship quality at best”

Credit: @SteveWardNature

“No goals, no shots, 1 assist in 24 matches, I will drive him to Southampton, lovely lad great personality but definitely not an Everton player imo”

Credit: @jeanettesimo72

“Snatch their hand off!!!!”

Credit: @dempster1969

“Bite their hand off.”

Credit: @jmacca1878

In other news, find out what transfer update has left these Toffees fans buzzing!