All posts by h716a5.icu

Celtic signing Jota on a permanent basis this summer would be ‘huge’ for the club, according to ex-BBC pundit Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Jota close to join Celtic permanently

The 23-year-old enjoyed a brilliant season on loan at Parkhead in 2021/22, thrilling Hoops supporters with his quality out wide.

Jota ended up finishing the campaign with 15 goal contributions (seven goals and eight assists) in just 21 Premiership starts, being hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by Ange Postecoglou.

It is widely expected that the winger’s loan move will be made permanent this summer, with a deal hopefully being agreed in the near future. Indeed, Football Scotland reported last week that the Portuguese gem is ‘extremely close’ to sealing a permanent move to Celtic from Benfica.

The Latest: Whelan excited by possible Jota deal

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan waxed lyrical over Jota, saying that a permanent transfer makes complete sense and would be a significant boon for Celtic.

The 47-year-old stated:

“That would be huge. What an outstanding performer and player. That’s one that the Celtic fans will be licking their lips at. That’s one name they would want straight away back in the club and in the team.

“He was a joy to watch, fantastic and exciting. He fits straight into the methodology of how the manger wants to play.

“If they can’t get that deal done on a permanent then a loan, again, would strengthen Celtic and their push to retain the title next season.”

The Verdict: No-brainer for all parties

It would now be a huge disappointment if Celtic’s permanent move for Jota falls through, considering how much sense it makes for all parties this summer.

Benfica probably can’t promise him regular playing time and they would surely be happy to receive a mooted £6.5m fee for him, whereas the Hoops will see him as a key figure for years to come.

At 23, hopefully this is only the start for Jota, who could end up being one of the next great attacking players to grace Parkhead over a sustained period, assuming there are no late hitches over a possible permanent move.

A big update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s plans for the summer transfer window after agreeing a deal to sign Nick Pope… 

What’s the talk?

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Magpies have made an official move to sign Sven Botman ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Speaking on the Qué Golazo Podcast, the reporter has claimed that the Tyneisde club submitted a €36m (£31m) “proposal” to Lille for the Dutch defender.

Romano stated that Newcastle are in a battle with Serie A giants AC Milan to land the centre-back, although he did not say how much the Italian champions are willing to put on the table.

Howe will be buzzing

Magpies head coach Eddie Howe will be buzzing with this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, he will be delighted with the pace at which Newcastle are moving to land their targets this summer. Matt Targett has already joined on a permanent deal from Aston Villa after his loan spell last term, while Pope is now set to follow him in a move from Burnley.

Whilst the latter is yet to be officially completed, Newcastle have now submitted a bid to land another addition to the squad in the form of Botman.

If they are successful with those swoops, then Howe will have three new additions with which to work for the start of pre-season. This will give the newcomers plenty of time to get to know their new team-mates and adjust to the club, giving them the best possible chance to hit the ground running once the campaign gets underway.

The Magpies manager will also be buzzing because Botman has the potential to be a sublime signing. In the last two Ligue 1  campaigns, the former Ajax man has shown that he has the maturity – despite being just 22 – and the quality to be a top performer.

He averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.08 as he made 37 appearances in his debut season in France before averaging a score of 7.10 in 2021/22 across 25 starts. Meanwhile, no Newcastle centre-back averaged a rating of higher than 6.98 in the Premier League last term.

These statistics suggest that the Dutchman would be an upgrade on the current options in his position at St James’ Park, whilst also holding the potential to improve and develop even further over time as he is still in the early stages of his career at first-team level.

Therefore, Howe will be over the moon with the club’s efforts to land Botman and will be hoping that they can get a deal over the line in the coming days.

AND in other news, Forget Ekitike: Newcastle now “close to” landing second summer signing, Howe will be elated…

An update has emerged regarding Glasgow Rangers and their chances of bringing one of their targets to Ibrox in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic, Gers target Cedric Kipre has been deemed surplus to requirements at West Brom and now looks likely to leave the club.

The report claims that the Light Blues have been keeping tabs on the 25-year-old since he played for Motherwell in the Premiership, and this update suggests that they have now been given a green light to seal a deal for him.

Birmingham Live reported earlier in the summer that the defender will be able to leave the English Championship club for a fee in the region of £1m.

Connor Goldson 2.0

Rangers snapped up Goldson from Brighton in 2018 and it is fair to say that the towering centre-back has been a successful signing at Ibrox.

To date, he has played a whopping 233 times in all competitions for the Gers and won the Premiership title, whilst also helping the team to reach the final of the Europa League last season.

In Kipre, the Light Blues can find their next centre-back from England to come in and make a huge impact in Glasgow.

The 25-year-old has proven himself in the Championship and would arrive with experience of the Scottish top flight after playing 36 times at that level for Motherwell in the 2017/18 campaign.

In 2021/22, Kipre averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.97 in 14 starts for the Baggies in the second tier of English football. He made an impressive 3.8 tackles and interceptions per match as he showcased his ability to read the game and win possession back for his team.

The Ivorian also caught the eye in the 2019/20 Championship season as he averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.99, making three tackles and interceptions per game.

Wigan podcaster Adam Pendlebury once hailed the defender’s ability, saying: “He was phenomenal. He was absolutely brilliant. He was confident, nothing got past him.”

These statistics show that Kipre has the quality to be a solid defender, just like Goldson has been over the years, and that is why he could be an excellent addition to Gio van Bronckhorst’s side.

At the age of 25, he could also give his best seasons to Rangers, as he is yet to reach the peak years of his career. This means that he can provide a short-term boost to the club’s options at centre-back whilst holding long-term value with his potential.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Morelos: Wilson must now seal Rangers swoop for “outstanding” 26-goal monster…

Celtic had a rather successful 2021/22 Premiership season under the management of Ange Postecoglou.

The Hoops won 29, drew six and lost just three of their 38 league matches, leaving them with 93 points on the board as they clinched the title with four points to spare on their nearest challengers.

One other impressive factor of Celtic’s campaign is that they scored more goals than any other team in the league, finding the net 92 times, 14 more than they managed in the 2020/21 season.

To further highlight how impressive Postecoglou’s side were, 18 different players got their names on the scoresheet.

Now that the season has ended with the Bhoys taking their place as Scotland’s top side, the focus will be on the summer transfer window and getting their squad ready for the 2022/23 season.

One man with whom the Hoops have been linked and who could make them an even deadlier team in attack is Antoine Semenyo.

A product of Bristol City’s youth academy, the 22-year-old has made 98 appearances for the club, highlighting the experience that he has at a relatively young age.

He was one of the Robins’ most important players in the 2021/22 campaign, racking up eight goals and 12 assists in 31 Championship appearances. To further highlight how much of a nuisance he is to opposition goalkeepers, the centre-forward had a higher average of shots per game (2.3) than any of his team-mates.

Labelled by journalist Saddick Adams on Twitter as a player who is “difficult to mark”, the striker reportedly has a rather significant price tag of £20m.

Having also been likened to Brazil forward Hulk in terms of his stylistic similarities, this would make him an even more exciting prospect for Celtic and Postecoglou to have in their ranks.

The 35-year-old has 357 goals and 195 assists to his name in 660 club appearances, so if the Hoops manager has the chance to secure his own version of the Brazilian in the shape of Semenyo this summer, then Celtic should absolutely get him signed.

In other news – Talks incoming: Celtic plot swoop for £4.05m-rated dynamo, he’s Ange’s next “warrior”

Everton are reportedly taking an interest in Fenerbahce centre-back Kim Min-jae ahead of the summer transfer window, and with the South Korea international reportedly in England, a deal with a Premier League club could well be on the cards.

What’s the word?

According to Turkish journalist Volkan Demir, the Toffees and Tottenham Hotspur are both interested in signing the 25-year-old this summer after his impressive performances in Istanbul.

Both clubs are reported to have progressed in negotiations with the defender, and it seems as if Kim may well be on move again this summer after making the switch to Turkey in 2021.

An instant upgrade for Everton?

The 2021/22 season saw Kim make 31 appearances in the Turkish Super Lig, in which he averaged an impressive 6.91 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which was better than any defender in Everton’s squad in the Premier League.

Valued at just £12.6m, the centre-back would also represent a relatively cheap option for Frank Lampard this summer, as the 43-year-old looks to improve on a Toffees defence which shipped 66 goals in the most recent top-flight campaign.

Meanwhile, Fenerbahce conceded 38 goals in the same number of matches in their league, which suggests that, although the Super Lig is of a lower standard compared to the English top flight, Kim can be relied upon to keep opponents out.

[freshpress-quiz id=“638086″]

At 6 foot 3, he certainly won’t lack the physicality required to play in the Premier League, while his performances have also earned him the praise of Turkish news outlet Potomac, who described him as “indispensable” in recent months.

The 2021/22 season saw the 25-year-old average 1.5 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 4.1 clearances per game in the Super Lig. This was more interceptions and clearances than anyone in Everton’s squad, while only Ben Godfrey averaged more tackles from Lampard’s central defensive options.

In addition to making an impact on the pitch, the signing of a popular South Korea international could do wonders for Everton off the field, as has been seen with the formation of South Korean Tottenham Hotspur fan clubs following the success of Heung-min Son in north London.

Therefore, it seems clear that Kim would be an excellent addition to Lampard’s squad this summer, and is a deal that Farhad Moshiri must now look to complete.

In other news… Everton in prime position to sign £19.8m-rated titan, he won’t cost a penny

Pundit Paul Robinson has made a transfer claim involving Aston Villa and soon to be free agent James Tarkowski, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Free transfer shopping

Villa have already explored the free agent market by signing Boubacar Kamara from Marseille. The French midfielder will officially become a Villa player from July 1 and Steven Gerrard also has his eyes on a move for former Liverpool teammate Luis Suarez following his release from Atletico Madrid.

Tarkowski could be another to head to the Midlands for nothing, with Sky Sports claiming last month that Villa were in talks with the Burnley defender.

The Latest: Robinson’s comments

Robinson, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to FI regarding Tarkowski. He labelled the centre-back as a ‘very good player’, adding that ‘he’d be a good fit’ at a club like Aston Villa.

“Tarky is a very good player.

“He is not a top-four defender.

“You could put him in a Liverpool side alongside Virgil van Dijk but he would be best suited as a ball playing centre-half at a Newcastle, an Everton, an Aston Villa. There’s talk of Newcastle.

“He will be a great acquisition for somebody on a free.

“He has been clever running his contract down. It has worked out well for him. He will get the move that he wants.

“I think he’d be a good fit at Newcastle, Everton, Aston Villa or West Ham.”

The Verdict: Things can change…

Tarkowski has yet to pen terms with another side, although Gregg Evans has described a move to Villa Park as unlikely.

That could well change once again, though, so until the experienced centre-back secures his next move, a transfer to the Midlands shouldn’t be ruled out entirely.

Reports even suggested that Gerrard was desperate for the club to get a move over the line, believing there isn’t a better deal to be struck all summer, so it may well be one to watch closely.

In other news: Sky Sports man now drops ‘crazy’ Suarez to AVFC claim after what he’s heard from Villa Park. 

Leeds United may be in a ‘difficult’ position now that Manchester City have set their sights on Kalvin Phillips. 

That’s according to sports journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was speaking to GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

The Daily Mail reported last week that Phillips tops the Premier League champions’ shortlist of potential replacements for Fernandinho, who is leaving the club. City are ‘expected to pursue’ the England midfielder, whom they believe to be a ‘perfect’ stylistic match for Pep Guardiola’s side, ‘in the coming weeks’.

Leeds told Phillips in December that they would like to open discussions over a new deal, but no agreement has been reached as of yet, with the 26-year-old’s contract due to expire in two years’ time.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-44/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The latest

O’Rourke has said that Leeds will be doing all that they can to persuade Phillips to remain at Elland Road, but warned that the midfielder may find the opportunity of working with Guardiola hard ‘to turn down’.

In quotes published at 8pm on Sunday night, the journalist told GiveMeSport: “There are lots of reports suggesting Manchester City are monitoring his situation right now as well.

“That might make it difficult for Leeds to secure his long-term future because if you get the opportunity to move to Manchester City, it’s a pretty hard one to turn down, joining the champions and possibly working under Pep Guardiola.

“Leeds, I’m sure, will be pulling out all the stops now to try and convince Phillips to stay at the club.”

The verdict

The news of City’s interest in Phillips will come as no surprise to the Leeds hierarchy.

He was named England’s Player of the Year for 2021, edging Chelsea star Mason Mount and City’s own Raheem Sterling, while last December he finished second behind Raphinha when Whites fans voted for their player of the year, collecting 24% of the vote.

Phillips has also won some rave reviews, with Everton manager Frank Lampard dubbing him a ‘machine’ and Arsenal legend Tony Adams describing him as a ‘wall’ in front of the defence.

He could well be tempted to move to the Etihad Stadium after admitting in 2020 that he was ‘mesmerised’ by Guardiola and the football that his team plays.

Sadly for Leeds fans who adore Phillips, the prospect of him going to Manchester cannot be disregarded – although at least it’s to the blue half of the city rather than red.

In other news, another Leeds man could be about to leave.

Gio van Bronckhorst was forced to spend the last couple of months of the 2021/22 campaign without Rangers talisman Alfredo Morelos.

The centre-forward suffered a thigh injury at the start of April and missed out on the clutch run-in for the Premiership, Europa League and Scottish Cup.

Rangers ended up winning the domestic cup and that was the only trophy that they were able to bring in as they finished second in the Scottish top-flight and lost on penalties in their European final.

An injury to Kemar Roofe meant that the Gers also spent a number of games without a natural striker as Joe Aribo lined up in a false nine role.

These issues may cause the club to dip into the market this summer to bring a new centre-forward to Ibrox in order to avoid a repeat in 2022/23.

Colombian striker Mateo Cassierra is one player the Light Blues have been tipped to have an interest in and he could be an excellent addition to the squad to compete with Morelos and Roofe.

Russian outlet Sport 24, via the Scotsman, recently quoted commentator Roman Naguchev as saying: “Mateo Cassierra is very interesting to the club. Rangers management has already been in contact with Sochi.“Van Bronckhorst is very familiar with this player.” Imagine him & Aribo

The Rangers head coach can form a deadly duo through the middle of the pitch by signing Cassierra to pair him with Aribo.

Since joining FC Sochi, the South American has scored a whopping 14 goals and provided four assists in 22 appearances and averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.29. This comes after he scored ten goals in 23 starts in the Portuguese top-flight in 2020/21 for Belenenses, with journalist Tomás da Cunha once hailing him as “complete” during his time there.

He has proven that he can score goals on a regular basis and he still has the potential to improve at the age of 25. His SofaScore rating shows that he is producing all-round displays that will make him a great option for van Bronckhorst to call upon, as he is delivering week-in-week-out for Sochi.

Aribo, meanwhile, managed eight goals and five assists in the Premiership from midfield. He created nine ‘big chances’ and provided 1.8 key passes per game across 34 matches and this suggests that he deserved more assists for his creative efforts.

By bringing Cassierra in, van Bronckhorst can find a player who is capable of finishing off the opportunities that the Nigeria international creates. The Sochi gem has showcased his goalscoring talents and now it is time for Rangers to snap him up in order to create a deadly link-up between him and Aribo.

AND in other news, Rangers can land dream Kent heir in deal for £1.5m “asset” who can “affect the game”…

Manchester United are reportedly willing to spend €80m on Benfica forward Darwin Nunez this summer.

The Lowdown: Nunez links

The Red Devils have been heavily linked with a move for the 22-year-old over recent weeks. Recent reports have suggested that United are one of the sides ‘best positioned’ to sign the Uruguay international over the summer.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-news-2/” title=”Latest Man Utd news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Described as a ‘rough diamond’ by BT Sport pundit Steve McManaman, Nunez has also been linked with Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, while in the Premier League Newcastle United have reportedly been eyeing a mega money move.

The Latest: Glazers willing to spend €80m

Sports Witness relayed an update from RCM Sport regarding Nunez on Thursday.

They claim that United are ready to spend €80m (£67.8m) on Nunez, however, the player is unsure over a move to Old Trafford as he wants to play Champions League football.

The Verdict: Ten Hag to persuade Nunez?

Erik ten Hag reportedly made an ‘express request’ to United chiefs regarding Nunez last month, so perhaps he can try and persuade the forward to move to Manchester.

Yes, there wouldn’t be any Champions League football to start with, however, Nunez could play a key role under Ten Hag in an Old Trafford rebuild and eventually fix that issue himself.

Cristiano Ronaldo could be the only senior attacker left, should Edinson Cavani, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford leave, meaning Nunez could form a partnership with the 37-year-old and go on to succeed Ronaldo as the main man in Manchester when he calls time on his glittering career.

In other news: Ten Hag loves him: Man Utd now ‘pressing’ to sign transfer listed Italian after agent meeting. 

Celtic saw a significant number of players make moves away from the Parkhead club during the previous summer transfer window.

The club were able to cash in on some faces such as Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer, who both made moves to the Premier League.

However, some players, such as Olivier Ntcham and Scott Brown left on free transfers as well as a number of others who ventured away on loan deals.

One forward the Hoops sold on a permanent deal was Ryan Christie, who joined AFC Bournemouth in a deal worth a reported fee of £2.5m.

In 151 appearances for the Bhoys, the 27-year-old found the net 41 times and delivered 44 assists before joining the Cherries.

While the Hoops may not have missed the Scotsman this season, having recently been crowned league champions as well as having the best attacking and defensive record in the league, the upcoming summer transfer window could see Ange Postecoglou sign an ideal long-term replacement for the former Celtic star.

Back in March, it was claimed by Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg on Twitter that Bayern Munich youngster Christopher Scott had been in talks with Celtic over a potential summer transfer move.

The midfielder joined Bayern’s U19 side back in the 2020 January transfer window after working his way through Bayer Leverkusen’s youth ranks.

With 114 club appearances in total, the 19-year-old has scored 44 goals and provided 17 assists along the way.

This shows just how much of an attacking and creative threat he can be from the midfield, as Christie was during his time at Parkhead.

Having played in numerous positions across the midfield and attack, Scott’s versatility could also make him a suitable replacement for Christie at Celtic as the Bournemouth star also played in various positions throughout his time in Glasgow.

Labelled as a “very aggressive accurate passer along the deck” by Bhoys Analytics on Twitter, Scott could be a great investment for Celtic as he will be out of contract at Bayern at the end of June, meaning that the Hoops could sign him on a free transfer in the summer.

Given the talent that he has shown on the pitch and the further potential he has in him at such a young age, securing the midfield prodigy’s signature in the coming months should definitely be in Celtic’s plans for this summer as the rewards could be substantial.

In other news: Deal close: Huge Celtic transfer development emerges, it’s great news for Postecoglou