All posts by z3u9t.icu

Celtic are reportedly closing in on securing a deal for Bayern Munich midfielder Christopher Scott ahead of the upcoming summer window.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Ghana Soccernet (via Scottish Sun), the Hoops are favourites to sign the 19-year-old and will secure the signing if they pay Bayern’s asking price of £250k.

After making 61 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen’s youth sides in which he scored 32 goals and provided two assists, the midfielder joined Bayern’s U19 side back in the 2020 January transfer window.

Since then, the teenager, who turns 20 tomorrow, has gone on to make 53 appearances for the youth teams, finding the net 12 times and delivering 15 assists in the process.

The youngster also has two senior appearances for the German giants under his belt.

On the international stage, the player has made appearances for Germany across their U15, U16, U17, U19 and U20 sides.

Celtic fans will be buzzing

The above shows the attacking and creative talent he has and why the Bhoys are reportedly close to signing him. However, it also underlines why supporters will be buzzing to see him sign.

According to Celtic Analytics on Twitter, Scott’s strengths are “offensive and on the ball as a strong passer and ball carrier,” as well as being a player who “generates a lot of threat from finishing and creativity.”

Thus, taking into account how Ange Postecoglou has shown that he is not against signing young players from abroad and giving them the chance to shine in his side such, notably Liel Abada, Scott could well be the next one in line to become a household name at Celtic.

With the likes of Nir Bitton, Tom Rogic and now Luca Connell waving goodbye to Parkhead, this could give the Bayern prospect an easier shot of making it into the first team at Celtic should he end up joining.

With all of this in mind, it’s safe to say that should the Hoops secure the German youth star’s signature in the coming days or weeks, it would definitely be an exciting signing for the club. He is capable of scoring goals and creating them for his teammates, something that makes him a real nuisance for defenders.

Given the talent he has at such a young age, the potential he has to grow into a senior star at Parkhead is a mouth-watering prospect for everyone connected to the club.

In other news: Ange can land his own Denayer as Celtic eye £7k-p/w gem who has “fire in his belly”

West Ham United manager David Moyes may have been handed a boost as the club pursue Watford forward Ismaila Sarr, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Hammers on the hunt…

The Irons’ head coach has allegedly stepped up transfer talks, with the east Londoners having already confirmed the post-season departures of four players.

Andriy Yarmolenko, Ryan Fredericks, David Martin and the retired Mark Noble will not be at Rush Green for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign, with Moyes setting his sights on potential replacements.

It is believed that the forward areas of his squad could be bolstered by fresh faces this summer, with The Sunday People (12 June, page 61, via West Ham Zone) now sharing an exciting update on Sarr.

The Latest: West Ham ‘most likely’ to sign Sarr…

According to the newspaper’s information, West Ham are the ‘most likely destination’ for the Watford attacker, who ‘could be on his way to the London Stadium’ if the right offer arrives.

It is believed that the east Londoners, and by extension club owners GSB, are lining up a move for the 24-year-old as his club look for around £25m to green-light a sale.

The Verdict: Get it done?

When handed the opportunity, Sarr can prove to be a real menace and a handful when at his very best.

According to WhoScored, over his 22 top-flight starts last season, the Senegal international averaged Watford’s joint-highest number of shots at goal per 90, whilst also attracting the most fouls.

Transfer journalist Dean Jones has said that Newcastle view Sarr as a ‘game-changer’ of a player, with former England international Ben Foster also calling the 24-year-old ‘frightening’ to play against.

For £25m, he may well be a credible option for Moyes and West Ham.

In other news: Agents offer West Ham chance to sign ‘monster’ player as price drops by 50%! Find out more here.

Celtic have been linked with a transfer move for Blackburn Rovers attacker Tyrhys Dolan.

What’s the news?

According to a recent Twitter post from talkSPORT journalist Geoff Peters, Dolan is attracting “serious interest” from the Hoops as well as their Old Firm rivals Rangers and newly-promoted Premier League side Nottingham Forest.

Peters also said that a fee of £2m-£3m could be enough to secure his signature this summer.

After spending time in the youth ranks of Manchester City and Preston North End, the winger joined Blackburn on a free transfer in the 2020 summer transfer window.

Since then, the 20-year-old has made 76 senior appearances for the Championship club across all competitions.

In those appearances, the Englishman has scored eight goals and delivered six assists along the way.

Celtic’s next Dembele

His latest season with the Lancashire club saw Dolan find the net five times and provide three assists in 36 appearances, playing in a number of different midfield and attacking positions.

This highlights the versatility he has and how much of an attacking nuisance he can be for opposition teams.

Taking into account how Celtic could be at risk of losing Karamoko Dembele after his contract at the Parkhead club ran out at the end of last month, should the Hoops end up seeing the 19-year-old attacker leave this summer, securing a deal for Dolan could see them secure their next version of the teenager.

Labelled as a “manager’s dream” by Tony Mowbray, the Rovers starlet has also been praised by the 58-year-old for his “wonderful” attacking talent.

To highlight that talent, the youngster racked up a higher percentage of shots on target (63.3%) than any other Blackburn player in the league last season to have more than six attempts at goal.

With Dembele being praised for his attacking play in the past by Ruud Gullit, the Hoops could find the perfect solution by signing the Rovers star should they see the current Celtic youngster wave goodbye to Glasgow.

Even regardless of what happens with Dembele, the Bhoys should definitely launch a move to sign Dolan to beat the likes of Forest and their fierce rivals Rangers to his signature given the ability he clearly has.

In other news: Celtic now in the mix to sign “massive” £1.35m-rated enforcer, he’s Ange’s next Bitton

Glasgow Rangers have reportedly now ‘been offered’ the chance to bring Harry Winks to Ibrox this summer.

The Lowdown: New start

Having only managed 30 appearances in total for Tottenham Hotspur over all competitions last season, coupled up with the signing of central midfielder Yves Bissouma from Brighton and Hove Albion, Winks is in need of a fresh start.

He has been out of the England set-up since 2020 after making his senior debut back in 2017 (Transfermarkt), and so needs a move away if he is to have any chance of forcing himself into Gareth Southgate’s plans for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The Latest: Offered

Taking to Twitter, 90min editor and journalist Sean Walsh has revealed that Winks has now ‘been offered’ to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team, although a number of clubs in the Premier League are thought to be ‘interested’ in his signature:

“Several Premier League sides are interested in Harry Winks, including Everton as reported elsewhere. He’s also been offered to Rangers.”

The Verdict: Loan

Very much like the Aaron Ramsey situation last term, bringing Winks in on loan would be the best scenario for the Teddy Bears.

Of course, being at a Premier League and UEFA Champions League club means that his wages will be high, as he earns £91,000-per-week at Spurs.

This would obliterate the Light Blues’ wage structure, and so they would need to negotiate with the North London club over a suitable wage split.

Nonetheless, Winks, who has been dubbed a ‘fabulous‘ player by former Lilywhites goalkeeper Paul Robinson, is very experienced at the highest level, and so is sure to elevate the dressing room should he make the move to the Gers.

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has been reacting to the signing of Richarlison, which was confirmed by the club on Friday morning.

The Lowdown: Spurs unveil Richarlison

The Brazilian’s Everton exit always seemed inevitable, with the Toffees only just narrowly managing to escape Premier League relegation last season.

There were several top-flight clubs interested in securing the forward’s services, predominantly Chelsea and Arsenal, but it was the Lilywhites who ended up beating their London rivals to win the race for his signature after it was officially announced on Friday that the 25-year-old had put pen to paper on a five-year deal with Spurs.

The Latest: Gold reacts

Taking to Twitter, Gold shared his excitement about Richarlison’s move and is looking forward to seeing what other transfer business Spurs complete this window.

Quoting a tweet directly from the club unveiling the former Goodison Park man, the reporter wrote:

“That’s number four done, it’s July 1 and there’s more to come. What has happened to Tottenham Hotspur?”

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The Verdict: A fresh creative outlet

Richarlison now becomes Tottenham’s fourth summer signing, following in the footsteps of Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma as Antonio Conte continues to create his new-look squad ahead of next season.

The striker was the standout performer in a struggling Everton side under Frank Lampard, muserting 16 goal contributions in 33 appearances across all competitions last term, as per Transfermarkt, highlighting how prolific he can be in the final third.

Spurs do have plenty of attacking prowess in Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min, but Richarlison has the versatility to play either on the flank or down the middle, so his arrival will create a fresh new outlet for the Italian up top, who will need all the numbers he can get with the extra fixtures once the Champions League campaign begins.

A major Rangers claim has emerged on Ross Wilson and Giovanni van Bronckhort’s pursuit of a new striker in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Scottish Sun reporter Derek McGregor has claimed that Rangers are on the verge of bringing a number nine to Ibrox and are looking to wrap it up in the next seven days.

He Tweeted: “Rangers closing in on new striker and hope to seal a deal over next week.”

In the accompanying article, it is stated that the Gers have submitted a bid in excess of £2m, including add-ons, to PAOK in an attempt to sign Antonio Colak.

It is claimed that the player is interested in making the move happen and is van Bronckhorst’s number one target to replace Cedric Itten this summer.

Van Bronckhorst will be buzzing

The Gers head coach will surely be buzzing with this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, the suggestion that a deal could be done within the space of a week will leave him delighted as the forward would be linking up with the squad early on in pre-season.

This will, hopefully, allow him to forge relationships with his new teammates and mean that he is settled in and raring to go by the time Rangers have to compete in the Champions League qualifiers to make it to the group stage.

The Dutch boss will also be buzzing because Colak has the potential to be an excellent addition to the squad heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

He enjoyed a sublime spell on loan at Malmo last term and made his talents clear to Rangers with two goals at Ibrox in a Champions League qualifier, scoring five goals in eight matches in qualifiers for the Swedish outfit. Along with that, he also scored 14 times in 26 league matches as he showcased his ability in front of goal.

Colak enjoyed an eye-catching time with HNK Rijeka in his native Croatia earlier in his career. The gem scored 51 goals and provided 15 assists in 90 appearances, showing that he has the potential to be a regular goalscorer for the Gers if he can find his feet in Scotland.

Therefore, van Bronckhorst will be excited to work with him and will be buzzing with Wilson’s work to close in on a deal with PAOK for his services. Hopefully, they can get a move over the line in the coming days and enjoy watching him find the back of the net on a regular basis next season.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Morelos: Rangers can form dream duo with bid for 98 G/A “delicious” gem…

Liverpool will be well aware of just how important pre-season can be. If they get up to scratch from the off, shaking off the cobwebs from last term’s Champions League final disappointment in the process, then starting the Premier League season with a bang is more than likely. The Reds also have a chance to earn small bragging rites before the campaign even gets underway.

Their clash against Manchester United on Tuesday 12th July represents a pre-season fixture with a little more spice than usual and the chance to claim some early psychological dominance over their rivals. For Jurgen Klopp’s side, that will mean defeating Erik ten Hag’s version of the Red Devils at the first time of asking. 

Liverpool are in action a total of five times in pre-season – not including their Community Shield battle against Manchester City. Here’s how you can watch every game.

Liverpool’s pre-season schedule

Tuesday, 12 July 2pm: Liverpool vs Manchester United 

The first game of Liverpool’s pre-season comes against Ten Hag’s United side at the Rajamangala stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. The game will be free to watch on UK TV, and can be streamed on either MUTV, which requires a monthly subscription, or LFCTV. Both club websites are also streaming the game.

Friday, 15 July 1:35pm: Liverpool vs Crystal Palace 

Live on LFCTV, Liverpool take on Crystal Palace in their second game of pre-season. The game itself takes place at the Singapore National Stadium on Friday, July 15. Kick off is set for 1:35pm BST.

Thursday, 21 July 6:15pm: RB Leipzig vs Liverpool 

The third game of Liverpool’s pre-season sees the Reds travel to Germany, where they will face RB Leipzig on Thursday, 21 July. The game will kick off at 6:15pm BST, and is set to take place at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig. You can watch the game on LFCTV.

Wednesday, 27 July 7pm: Red Bull Salzburg vs Liverpool 

Continuing the Red Bull theme, Liverpool will then travel to Austria for their clash against Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday, 27 July, with the game scheduled to get underway at 7pm BST. The game will be shown on LFCTV.

Sunday, 31 July 7:30pm: Liverpool vs Strasbourg 

Coming a day after the Community Shield clash against Manchester City, Liverpool’s pre-season will end at Anfield, where they will face Strasbourg. The game is set to get underway at 7:30 BST, and takes place on Sunday, 31 July, and will be live on LFCTV.

How to watch Liverpool’s pre-season games online

For Liverpool fans who want to watch the pre-season action, LFCTV is clearly the way to go. It’s the only place to watch every game of the Reds’ preparation for the forthcoming campaign. As of right now, fans can sign up and get two weeks free to witness Klopp’s side shake off the rust and take on a number of opponents. 

Anthony Joseph has dropped an update regarding a potential Celtic summer move for reported target Jordan Larsson.

What’s the news?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Sky Sports journalist had this to say on the matter:

“UPDATE: It’s looking increasingly unlikely that Celtic will offer a contract to forward Jordan Larsson. His reps made contact with the Hoops – as well as a number of clubs, including Nottingham Forest. Larsson weighing up options with interest from England, Germany & Italy.”

In 83 appearances for Spartak Moscow, the striker scored 27 goals and delivered nine assists before leaving the club as a free agent following the expiry of his contract with the Russian outfit.

Celtic fans will be gutted

Along with being a very capable goalscoring striker, the prospect of having the son of former Hoops legend Henrik Larsson playing for Celtic would surely have been a very exciting one for the Parkhead faithful.

Bearing in mind how the former Spartak star’s father found the net 242 times in 315 appearances for the Bhoys, if the 25-year-old could bring any of his dad’s goalscoring genes to Ange Postecoglou’s side, it could be a very beneficial signing for the club.

However, with Joseph’s latest update playing down the chances of seeing the Swedish centre-forward follow in his father’s footsteps with a move to Glasgow this summer, this will surely be a great disappointment for many supporters.

Even though the Bhoys ended their previous Premiership campaign with more goals scored (92) than any other team in the division, adding a new attacking figure to the squad could be vital, as they will be going out to not only retain the league title but also win the other domestic competitions and enjoy a good run in Europe.

With Kyogo Furuhashi suffering with injuries, and Albian Ajeti seemingly not rated by Postecoglou, having made just 17 appearances across all competitions last season, this highlights the need for depth in that area of the squad.

Therefore, the best thing Celtic can do now is move on from sealing a potential deal for Larsson and instead focus on other potential attacking targets that they could bring in before the summer transfer window closes.

AND in other news – Imagine him & CCV: Ange can form “excellent” Celtic duo by signing £7m “big talent”

Wolves look set to miss out on another of their reported summer transfer targets as Manchester City star Oleksandr Zinchenko closes in on a move to Arsenal.

What’s the word?

Bruno Lage’s side were credited with an interest in the Ukrainian earlier in the summer, and he could have been a superb addition to the 47-year-old’s side, given his versatility, ability and strong performances for City in recent years.

However, it is Arsenal who have won the race to sign the 25-year-old after negotiations advanced in recent days, as transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano revealed on Twitter.

He wrote: “Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal, here we go! Full agreement in place since Friday with Man City for £30m guaranteed fee, personal terms also agreed. Zinchenko, always been keen on re-joining Arteta.”

A huge blow for Wolves

Zinchenko has emphasised in recent years that he is a hugely consistent player, posting a steadily rising WhoScored rating over the last three seasons, and his ability to play in midfield or at left-back would have been a huge bonus at Molineux.

Since joining City in 2016, he has gone on to make 127 appearances for the Etihad Stadium outfit, contributing two goals and 12 assists in that time.

Last season saw the former PSV Eindhoven man make just 15 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side in the Premier League, but he was always reliable, earning an impressive 7.05 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the top flight.

His versatility earned him the praise of Guardiola last season, who said: “At the end, Oleks is another player who is so reliable. I will never forget what he has done in these three or four years, playing in a position that is not his natural position.

“You can do that for one or three games, but playing seasons, you have to be so strong in the mind. He will do it every single day.”

Following the departure of Marcal, Wolves have just Rayan Ait-Nouri and Jonny Otto available as natural left wing-back options, while Lage’s midfield would undoubtedly have been strengthened with the addition of Zinchenko.

Therefore, Wolves fans will be gutted to see their club miss out on another reported transfer target, and they will be hoping that more new signings are made before the Premier League campaign kicks off in early August.

AND in other news: Wolves in pole position for “impossible” £52m signing, it’d be an “unbelievable” coup

Everton are considering a move for Borussia Monchengladbach forward Alassane Plea, according to French newspaper L’Equipe (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

The Toffees have lost Richarlison, their top scorer last season, to Tottenham Hotspur, so they may be looking for a new striker to fill the void left by the Brazilian.

Plea has twice made the France squad, first in November 2018 and most recently in October 2019.

The 29-year-old is into the final year of his contract with Gladbach, who finished 10th in last season’s Bundesliga.

The latest

According to L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), Plea is apparently ‘hoping’ to leave Borussia Park this summer in an attempt to improve his chances of making France’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar.

The player’s agent is due to fly to Germany ‘on Monday’ to ‘clarify the situation’. Everton are aware of this and are ‘following the situation closely’ with a view to potentially making an offer.

Significantly, Plea is available for ‘no more than €8million’, which equates to £6.8m. It’s thought that a move could be arranged ‘before the Bundesliga starts up again in two weeks’.

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The verdict

Plea’s goalscoring return is reasonably good. He netted 10 goals last season for a mid-table outfit, also adding eight assists, while his overall record for Gladbach stands at 47 goals and 28 assists in 142 appearances.

He’s also a versatile player, capable of playing on both wings and in a more withdrawn role behind the striker.

However, perhaps the main reason that he appeals to Everton is that he’s available so cheaply as a result of his contract situation.

Transfer funds are in ‘short supply’ at Goodison Park this summer, so it’s all about Frank Lampard and co finding enough bang for their buck.