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Ange Postecoglou is barely through the door but Celtic have already dealt the Australian with a colossal blow as he gears up for his Parkhead arrival.

The Hoops are faced with a situation where a number of their players could leave and with the transfer window on the verge of opening, that reality is edging ever closer.

What’s the word?

Odsonne Edouard has been primed for a Celtic exit for a while now.

He’s been linked with a plethora of Premier League clubs with West Ham and Arsenal showing an interest in the Frenchman over the last six months.

However, it looks as though the striker is set for a reunion with Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City instead.

The Times reported this weekend that the Foxes had won the race to sign Edouard in a £15m deal this summer.

The deal is set to be sanctioned as soon as their new manager arrives.

Colossal blow

Edouard may have downed tools towards the end of his time with Celtic but there is no denying that this is a monumental blow to the club’s ambitions.

The Bhoys endured a trophyless campaign and if they want to earn parity with Rangers as soon as possible they will need a goalscorer as fierce as the 23-year-old in their squad.

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If there was one shining light from the 2020/21 campaign for Celtic then it would be Edouard. It has always been the Frenchman when it’s come to beating the goalkeeper and without him, you have to fear the worse.

He scored 22 goals last term, taking his tally in the famous green and white to 83 in 168 outings.

The attacker has been their top scorer in all three seasons he’s enjoyed at Paradise, taking their attack to a new level after the departure of Moussa Dembele.

£15m is a decent sum for a player whose contract expires in a year’s time and it should enable them to invest healthily in the transfer window.

That being said, it is never easy replacing someone who scores so many goals. Celtic will no doubt have contingency plans in place but as Albian Ajeti and Patryk Klimala will tell you, it’s hard to fit in.

Ajeti has only bagged six goals after arriving from West Ham for £5m while Klimala left Glasgow after just a year in Scotland.

The Celtic hierarchy will need to have a plan in place here. Losing Edouard is quite possibly the biggest blow supporters could receive this summer.

AND in other news, Celtic can replace Elyounoussi by signing 42-goal “speed demon”, he’s got “everything”…

Tottenham are reportedly willing to sell Leeds-linked defender Joe Rodon this summer.

The Lowdown: Leeds interest

Rodon, labelled as ‘flawless’ and ‘special’ in a Wales shirt by journalist Ian Mitchelmore, was linked with a move to Elland Road in the January window.

Victor Orta and co. were keen on his services in a potential loan deal alongside Newcastle, however, the Wales international remained in north London.

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Antonio Conte is yet to use the 24-year-old in the Premier League, and it looks as if a Spurs exit will be discussed once again over the coming months given he is so far down the pecking order.

The Latest: Rodon update

TEAMtalk relayed an update from The Telegraph, suggesting that Conte is willing to green-light an exit for the centre-back this summer.

Their report claims that Leeds and Newcastle are once again on alert regarding the Wales centre-back and both could be interested in a summer swoop.

The Verdict: Orta target?

Jesse Marsch currently has five centre-back options, however, he has taken over the league’s leakiest defence and is thought to be planning a defensive overhaul.

Robin Koch has been linked with an exit in recent weeks, so should he depart this summer, a new centre-back would more than likely be on his radar.

Orta clearly wants Rodon at Elland Road given the interest under two different managers, so a move could be one to keep a close eye on, providing Leeds remain in the Premier League.

In other news: Approach made: 49ers and Radz now in exit talks with club for ‘awful’ Leeds defender. 

If you looked at the League One table around two weeks ago, it had Sunderland in a very good position.

The Mackems sat in third place and with two games in hand and they were in control of their own destiny.

They were the undoubted favourites for promotion heading into the final two months of the campaign but it has not played out as Lee Johnson would have hoped.

His side were unbeaten in 14 straight matches before they travelled to Peterborough and since drawing there, they’ve faulted as they have done in the last few years.

The Black Cats now haven’t picked up three points in six games with their promotion hopes now hanging by a thread.

If anything summed up the last fortnight for Sunderland, it would be their clash against Accrington. After Charlie Wyke became the first Mackems player since Kevin Phillips at the turn of the millennium to score 30 in one season for the club, it looked as though they were coasting to victory.

Wyke had netted twice inside the first 11 minutes but they collapsed catastrophically, so much so that once the referee blew for full-time, the score was a demoralising 3-3.

Sunderland were made to bemoan yet more bad defending, this time from Luke O’Nien who was uncharacteristically poor at the heart of the defence.

He allowed Colby Bishop to get in behind him for the first goal as he was caught ball watching and then his own goal was simply disastrous. O’Nien and Lee Burge didn’t communicate properly, allowing the former Wycombe man to head the ball past his own goalkeeper and into the net.

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However, those mistakes would have been easier to comprehend if Sunderland were better in front of goal. They may have scored three times but during the course of the match they had a whopping 17 attempts.

One of the worst culprits from an offensive point of view was Aiden O’Brien. He was particularly lacklustre in front of goal, having two opportunities in the first period which could have put the clash beyond doubt.

Just before the half-hour mark, O’Brien was set free in behind but once he got to the edge of the area he somehow stuck his shot straight at Toby Savin. He then saw another effort from the Accrington stopper saved moments before the break.

O’Brien’s poor performance extended beyond his finishing, however. The attacker managed just 27 touches before being dragged off on 74 minutes, a number that was significantly fewer than Burge (51).

On top of that, he completed only 11 passes in the entire game. It was the worst on the field with Carl Winchester matching him of those to start from a Sunderland perspective.

This was a sloppy performance from O’Brien, one that showed he had no right to start the game ahead of someone like Jordan Jones or Jack Diamond, the man to provide the assist for Max Power’s strike.

Johnson won’t be happy with his forward at all.

AND in other news, SAFC can finally axe McFadzean by signing 18 y/o that Jack Ross thinks is “brilliant”…

Tottenham Hotspur have received a boost in their pursuit of Rubin Kazan winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, after AC Milan refused to meet the asking price for his services [Calciomercato].

The Lowdown: Tottenham eye signings ahead of 2021/22

Progressing towards the 2021/22 campaign, newly appointed Spurs manager Nuno Espirito Santo will be keen to bring in some high quality acquisitions, in order to signal his intent to challenge for European qualification this campaign.

Wasting no time in getting to work on signing preferred targets, the Lilywhites have completed deals for Atalanta goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini on loan alongside ex-Sevilla starlet Bryan Gil [Transfermarkt].

Now, the north Londoners look to have received a shot in the arm following recent reports, eyeing a talented winger to come in following the departure of Erik Lamela.

The Latest: Spurs receive boost in Kvaratskhelia chase

AC Milan believe that the valuation of the Georgian gem Kvaratskhelia from Rubin Kazan is too high, claim Calciomercato, whilst they also have reservations about the signing due to the difficulties surrounding non-EU legislation.

The Serie A outfit have only one more space for a non-EU player and have reportedly turned their attention towards Santos forward Kaio Jorge.

Tottenham, Bayer Leverkusen or Borussia Monchengladbach are now all said to be the most feasible destinations for the exciting young forward.

The Verdict: Kvaratskhelia would be an astute signing for Spurs

In need of reinforcement in the wide areas, Kvaratskhelia would represent an astute piece of business at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

In 2020/21, the Tbilisi-born attacker registered 12 goals in 23 outings across all competitions; four goals and eight assists [Transfermarkt].

Furthermore, his ability to carry the ball forward is there for all to see. Combined for club and country across last season, he made an average of 4.7 dribbles per appearance [WhoScored], marking him as a possible replacement for silky dribbler Lamela.

As the start of the new campaign draws ever nearer for Spurs, they should move to close out a deal for Kvaratskhelia before it is too late.

In other news, Spurs are confident of signing an Argentinian international.

Celtic goalkeeper Ross Doohan is set to join Tranmere Rovers on loan this week, according to The Herald.

The Lowdown: Hart signed

The Hoops made a double signing on Tuesday, bringing in Joe Hart from Tottenham and free agent James McCarthy.

Hart, who was on £30,000 per week with Spurs, penned a three-year deal at Parkhead which is thought to be worth £15,000 per week.

That development appears to have opened the door for Doohan to leave, with Ange Postecoglou now having five goalkeepers on the books in Glasgow.

The Latest: Doohan update

According to The Herald’s Mark Hendry, Doohan will undergo a medical with Tranmere on Tuesday morning ahead of a season-long loan.

A move for the 23-year-old, who was described as ‘excellent’ by former Ayr manager Mark Kerr last year, is expected to go through this week.

Doohan, who has just 12 months remaining on his Hoops contract, has had a number of loan moves in the past and looks set to reunite with former Dundee United manager Micky Mellon at Prenton Park.

A season-long loan deal for Doohan was confimed by Tranmere on Wednesday lunchtime.

The Verdict: Another to go?

With Doohan heading to Merseyside for the upcoming campaign, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if another Celtic shot-stopper left on a temporary basis.

Vasilis Barkas and Conor Hazard have both been linked with possible loan exits this summer, so perhaps one of the two could leave.

That would still leave Postecoglou with three solid options from which to choose, but you’d expect that the vastly experienced Hart will be first choice going forward.

In other news: Celtic now ‘in talks’ for ‘really, really good’ 6ft 3 ace; may cost ‘significant’ fee. 

Former Scotland defender Alan Hutton admits Tyler Roberts’ future will ultimately be decided by how much first-team football he is playing.

The Lowdown: Up-and-down season for Roberts

Leeds United have enjoyed a superb season back in the Premier League, picking up some memorable wins and playing scintillating football along the way.

While Marcelo Bielsa has had some undoubted key performers, someone who has been on the periphery a little is Roberts.

The 13-time capped Wales international has only managed 14 starts in the league, scoring once and registering two assists in that time.

[freshpress-quiz

The Latest: Pundit admits Roberts could leave

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton believes Roberts’ future is up in the air because of a lack of playing time, following rumoured interest from Newcastle United and suggestion that he has rejected a new deal:

“The contract is such a big thing. The club have obviously made an offer. Does he see that as the right one for him?

“Is he going to get enough game time? I think a lot of it comes down to that as a player at that age. You want to play football.

“If you’re going to be in and out, or they can’t guarantee you’re going to be a starter next season, it doesn’t surprise me that you’re looking at your options.

“It’s only natural as a football player, you want to play football. You don’t want to sit on the bench and play 12 games a season. You want to play 30-plus games a season.

“If Newcastle can offer him that then it will be something that he’ll be thinking very, very hard about. They’re obviously in the Premier League, It will be a difficult decision for him.

“I think it’ll come down to the games because I’m sure Leeds and Newcastle will offer him a decent contract. It comes down to where you’re going to play the most.”

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The Verdict: Keep hold of him

While Roberts may not be one of Bielsa’s undisputed key players at the moment, it would be a huge shame to move him on at this stage in his career.

At 22, the attacking midfielder has so much potential, already making 81 appearances for the Whites, showcasing that Bielsa clearly sees a player in there.

It would be understandable if Roberts sees his future elsewhere, however – in many ways, it is admirable if he wants to play more football, rather than be a squad player for the foreseeable future.

Leeds fans could find it hard to begrudge him a move, but he is someone who still has so much to offer at Elland Road.

In other news, Leeds have reportedly scheduled talks with one player over a summer move. Find out who it is here.

Celtic are ‘ready’ to offer Hadjuk Split £5m for defender Mario Vuskovic, according to journalist Gianluigi Longari.

The Lowdown: Vuskovic starting to show his promise

Back in 2018, Vuskovic was included in The Guardian’s list of the 60 best young talents in world football.

Kresimir Gojun, head of the Hajduk academy, said back then that the youngster was ‘dominant in challenges’, ‘exceptional in buildup play’ and ‘can score from free-kicks like a No 10’.

Vuskovic has since broken into Hajduk Split’s first-team, racking up 44 senior appearances, 33 of which came in the 2020/21 season.

It seems as if his displays have caught the eye of Celtic, who watched the 19-year-old on multiple occasions during the previous campaign.

The Latest: Hoops readying bid

Longari posted this update on Twitter on Thursday afternoon regarding Celtic and Vuskovic, admitting talks are on.

“Celtic talks on for Mario Vuskovic from Hajduk. They are ready to offer £5M.”

Reports have suggested that Ange Postecoglou’s appointment sparked Celtic into action in the transfer window and the centre-back could end up being the Australian’s first addition as Hoops boss.

The Verdict: A statement first signing?

Should Vuskovic become Dom McKay and Postecoglou’s first signing at Parkhead, it could prove to be a big statement of intent.

A £5m move would make the Croatian the club’s 11th most expensive signing of all time.

He may well end up replacing Kris Ajer in Glasgow, who wants to leave this summer, so Vuskovic, Stephen Welsh and Christopher Jullien could be Postecoglou’s senior centre-back options.

It appears as if a deal still needs plenty of work, but it’s good to see that Celtic are ready to splash the cash ahead of the new campaign on a promising defender.

In other news: Hoops watching Scottish attacking midfielder, find out more here. 

After beating Watford 5-0 on Saturday at Vicarage Road in their latest Premier League outing, Liverpool are back in Champions League action on Tuesday evening with an away clash against Atletico Madrid.

A hat-trick from Roberto Firmino and additional goals from Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah perfectly set up Jurgen Klopp’s side for their latest Champions League match in midweek after winning their opening two group games.

On the chalkboard

One player that wasn’t involved in the game against Watford, that we think should be in the starting XI to face Atletico is midfielder Fabinho, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £180k-per-week according to Spotrac.

The 27-year-old wasn’t in the squad to face Watford as he was involved with Brazil on international duty just a short period before the match against the Hornets, alongside Alisson Becker.

Given that Fabinho has now had time after returning from Brazil duty to get ready for the Atletico match, we feel he should be back in the team as he would presumably be fresher than the midfielders that played against Watford such as James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita.

Taking into account some of Fabinho’s numbers and it’s evident why he deserves to play.

He has managed to rack up an average of 2.5 interceptions per game and 4.5 tackles per game from the two previous Champions League outings he’s played in for Liverpool this season. On top of that, he’s won 73% of all duels he’s been involved in so he could definitely prove himself to be a tough and possibly even terrifying opponent for Atletico’s attacking players. That’s given how Diego Simeone’s side have only managed to score 11 goals in eight La Liga games so far this season.

One in, one out

In terms of who Fabinho could replace in the team, we feel that Klopp should take Keita out of the team given he played 90 minutes against Watford and has struggled with his fitness and numerous injuries in the past. It might be a risk to play him again in midweek, even though he played well against Watford, earning himself an overall match rating of 7.2/10 according to SofaScore.

Looking ahead to the match, whether Klopp decides to start Fabinho, who has been described as “outstanding” by the Reds manager in the past, they will definitely be looking to keep their winning streak in the Champions League going ahead of their big Premier League clash against Manchester United at the weekend.

In other news: Klopp could land perfect Mane heir at Liverpool in “pure class” £22.5m-rated star – opinion

With 22 goals scored in their opening eight Premier League games of the season, it’s safe to say Liverpool have not been shy in an attacking sense so far in their latest campaign, with Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah contributing 16 of those 22 goals between them.

Despite this impressive start to their season in front of goal, it seems as though the Merseyside club have their eye on potentially adding a new attacking star to their squad.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by Italian media outlet Calciomercato (via Sport Witness) that Liverpool are in the lead to sign Club Brugge winger Noa Lang.

The Belgian club originally signed Lang, who has been described as “pure class” by analyst Filip Joos, on a loan deal from Ajax in October 2020 before securing him on a permanent deal in the recent summer transfer window.

Overall, the 22-year-old, who is currently valued at £22.5m according to Transfermarkt, has made 51 appearances for the club across all competitions in which he’s managed to score 21 goals and provide 16 assists in the process, which could be why the Reds are apparently interested in signing him.

Potential Mane heir?

In terms of a potential move to Liverpool, either in the upcoming January transfer window or the next summer window, we feel that he could well be a good signing for the Merseyside club and act as a potential long-term heir for current Reds winger Sadio Mane.

With the 29-year-old’s current contract at Anfield set to expire in the summer of 2023, we feel that if he were to leave Liverpool at that point, this could potentially see Lang take a prominent place in Klopp’s side.

With Lang having made more key passes per game (1.9) and dribbles per game (2.5) than Mane has managed in the Premier League so far this season, with 1.1 key passes and one dribble per game, this shows the similar qualities the two players have and why Lang could be a good option for the club in the future depending on what Mane does.

In our view, if Liverpool are interested in signing Lang for a suitable price, they should definitely explore the possibility to bring him in as a squad player with the potential to then become a regular first-team player given his young age.

In other news: 2.1 key passes PG: LFC could seal ideal Wijnaldum replacement in £58.5m-rated beast – opinion

Aston Villa announced on Wednesday afternoon that their ticket allocation for the club’s first pre-season friendly with Walsall has sold out.

And a number of Villa supporters have been reacting to the news on social media.

Villa begin their preparations for the new season next Wednesday, taking on the League Two side across the Midlands at the Banks’s Stadium in a 7:30 pm kick-off.

Walsall, Dean Smith’s former club, gave Villa 3,425 tickets for the friendly next week, which went on sale to season ticket holders at lunchtime on Wednesday.

The club posted the details on Twitter, and in less than four hours, posted again to say tickets were sold out.

After the meeting with Walsall, Villa still have friendlies with Stoke City, Nottingham Forest, Bristol City and Sevilla ahead of the new campaign.

Villa fans react

This is what these Villa supporters had to say after learning tickets for the meeting with The Saddlers was sold out…

“Are you having a laugh? Why don’t you put some aside for people who can’t afford season tickets?”Credit: @villanshub”Oh”Credit: @Tom_Price_AVFC_”Wow!!! Could have done with this!! Oh well, will probably have to wait for the season to start before I can get to a game.”Credit: @GMP4AVFC”First away day, pre-season friendly match at Walsall, modest resident of League Two (English D4). 3,425 spaces in the visitor parking lot. Places all sold in less than 4 hours, without even going through the box sale to the general public. My club”Credit: @quentin_gsp”Class”Credit: @Astonxii”Didn’t take long. Was hoping to go too”Credit: @Jannetts_

In other news: Source claims Villa are now keen on record-breaking ace; decorated coach called him ‘quality’.