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Celtic are in the market for reinforcements this summer, though may have to sanction a departure once the window opens following an admission from one of Brendan Rodgers’ signings.

Celtic hold Glasgow Derby parity as focus shifts elsewhere

Despite having several regulars out due to injury concerns, Celtic managed to claim a respectable 1-1 draw against Rangers at Ibrox last week to maintain their 17-point advantage at the Scottish Premiership summit.

Brendan Rodgers has already led his side to a fourth successive league title and had little to prove at the home of their trophyless rivals, though he did manage to stop an unwanted scenario of three Glasgow Derby defeats in a row.

Nevertheless, Celtic will now focus on their upcoming Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen before a summer of intrigue could yield movement in both directions at Parkhead.

Per reports, the Bhoys are known admirers of Sarpsborg winger Sondre Orjasaeter, but it remains to be seen if they will return to the table for him once the window opens.

Western United defender Dylan Leonard has admitted he would love to join Celtic, even if he would likely be a developmental addition for years to come as opposed to a first-team starter.

Leeds celebrate title by eyeing £50k-p/w duo who have dominated for Celtic

The Whites are big admirers…

4 BySean Markus Clifford May 3, 2025

Champions League league phase involvement isn’t guaranteed, with Rodgers’ men having to navigate the final qualifying round. They are yet to know if they will be seeded or not in their quest to secure a place, which means they will need to kickstart their summer business early to allow a bedding-in period for prospective arrivals.

In turn, departures will be needed to supplement new faces, and they may have found a prime candidate to move on after they admitted they would like to leave Parkhead.

Gustaf Lagerbielke makes Celtic exit admission

Speaking about his future, Gustaf Lagerbielke has admitted he wants to leave Celtic for FC Twente permanently after spending the campaign on loan at the Eredivisie outfit.

He stated: “If we make it into Europe, Twente will have more money to spend. The same applies if Twente sells players in the summer. So it’s up to the technical directors of Celtic and Twente to reach an agreement about me.

Gustaf Lagerbielke at FC Twente – all competitions

Appearances

30

Goals

2

Assists

3

“I want to play and I feel good in the Netherlands. I can certainly imagine my future being here.”

Signed for £3 million by Rodgers in 2023, Lagerbielke never really got the opportunity to set the heather alight at Parkhead, making only ten appearances in total last season. Labelled “very good” by former teammate Johan Larsson, he has clearly found some sort of footing in Dutch football and may have given Celtic a platform to recoup some of their outlay for his services.

Moves don’t always work out, but his regular involvement with FC Twente should be enough to drum up enough interest even if they choose not to make his deal permanent.

The striker situation at Arsenal has been a nightmare for boss Mikel Arteta for many months now, unable to rely upon his two senior options for the majority of the campaign.

Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have missed a combined 28 Premier League games between them, with the pair currently sidelined with hamstring and knee issues respectively.

Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard are just two of the players who have been tasked with filling the void at the top end of the pitch, with the latter scoring three goals in his last two outings.

As a result, it’s a surprise to no one to see the hierarchy already targeting attacking reinforcements to help Arteta in his quest to win the title in 2025/26.

Numerous players have already been hugely touted with a switch to the Emirates during the upcoming window, certainly improving the options available at the manager’s disposal.

The latest on Arsenal’s pursuit for a new striker this summer

Ever since the appointment of sporting director Andrea Berta, it’s been clear to everyone who Arsenal’s number one target is to become their new talisman this summer.

The former Atlético Madrid man has already held talks with the representatives of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres over a switch to join the Gunners in the coming months.

The Swedish international could be available for a fee in the region of £60m this window, a potential bargain given his record of 48 goals and 11 assists in his 47 outings this season to date.

However, another name has emerged on their shortlist in the form of Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku, potentially making a shock move across the capital to join Arteta’s side.

According to French outlet RMC Sport, the Gunners have made an enquiry over a potential move for the former £52m signing, who could leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

Why Nkunku could become Arteta’s next Havertz

As previously mentioned, Arsenal forward Havertz is currently on the sidelines through injury, with Arteta missing one of his key talismen within the final third.

The German joined the club in a £65m deal from Chelsea back in the summer of 2023, with supporters unsure of where his best position would be at the Emirates.

However, his record of 29 goals in all competitions during his two years in North London is evidence that he’s more than capable of featuring as the club’s central striker.

His absence has been felt throughout the last few months, with the likes of Merino featuring in an unnatural position to make up the numbers whilst he continues his recovery.

Arteta could land another version of the German international this summer should they complete a deal for Nkunku, with the Frenchman following in a similar vein in joining from Chelsea.

He’s also come into question about which position suits his playstyle the best, but has still managed to outperform Havertz in numerous key areas in the Premier League throughout 2024/25.

The former RB Leipzig star, who’s been labelled a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but has notched a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – showcasing his clinical nature in the final third.

Games played

27

21

Goals scored

3

9

Shot-on-target accuracy

44%

40%

Pass accuracy

90%

78%

Shot-creating actions

3.3

2

Take-on success

37%

23%

Carries into final third

1.6

1.1

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst completing more take-ons and achieving a higher tally of carries with the ball into the final third – highlighting the danger he poses with the ball at his feet.

It’s unclear how much their London rivals would demand for his services, but it could be a risk worth taking with the positives massively outweighing the negatives with the Frenchman.

He’s fallen massively out of favour in West London throughout this season, with Arteta having the opportunity to sign another one of the Blues’ stars and transforming them into a key player for their title charge next campaign.

He'd make Rice unstoppable: Arsenal preparing bid for "world-class" star

Arsenal could be about to make a move for one player who would play a huge role under Mikel Arteta.

1 ByEthan Lamb Apr 26, 2025

With Mohamed Salah’s new deal confirmed last week and Virgil van Dijk’s now announced as well, Liverpool have also agreed a fresh contract with another player on improved terms.

Liverpool confirm Van Dijk deal ahead of Premier League title triumph

No matter how much Arne Slot’s side pushed on towards the Premier League title this season, a contract cloud threatened to rain down on an otherwise excellent season. That cloud, with just two wins standing between the Reds and their English crown, is set to clear at long last, however – Salah’s new two-year deal has already been announced.

The Egyptian King was pictured atop his Anfield throne where he is set to stay. Now, Van Dijk is set to follow and signal a major sigh of relief around the red half of Merseyside.

After putting pen to paper on a new deal, Salah expressed his delight – telling reporters: “Of course I’m very excited – we have a great team now. Before we also had a great team.

“But I signed because I think we have a chance to win other trophies and enjoy my football. I have played eight years here, hopefully it’s going to be 10. I’m enjoying my life here, enjoying my football. I have had the best years of my career here.”

Liverpool strongly positioning themselves for £68m goalscoring midfielder

He would offer a goalscoring boost from midfield.

ByTom Cunningham Apr 16, 2025

Van Dijk only reciprocated that delight, saying on Thursday: “It was always Liverpool. That was the case. It was always in my head, it was always the plan and it was always Liverpool.”

That said, even after Van Dijk and Salah, the Liverpool contract news is seemingly not done there amid reports that another player has put pen to paper on new and improved Anfield terms.

Vitezslav Jaros agrees new Liverpool contract

According to InFotbal.cz, as relayed by Sports Witness, Vitezslav Jaros has now agreed a new Liverpool contract on improved terms, committing his future to the club alongside Van Dijk and Salah.

Whilst the goalkeeper remains behind Alisson Becker and Caoimhin Kelleher in the pecking order in what will likely remain the case when Giorgi Mamardashvili arrives, Jaros is set to stay put at Anfield before potentially heading out on loan this summer.

Still just 23 years old, the Czech Republic shot-stopper has enjoyed spells at Stockport and Sturm Graz in recent years and even made a shock Premier League debut earlier this season when he replaced the injured Alisson 11 minutes from time in Liverpool’s 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace in October. In the same week, Jaros then went on to start in a 3-2 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup.

So, whilst his role may not be a prominent one, Jaros has still had his moments for Liverpool this season and he will be hoping to see similar opportunities fall his way in years to come.

Leeds United looked on course for a triumphant return to the Premier League when convincingly putting Sheffield United to the sword 3-1 at Bramall Lane back in February.

Now, however, everything has seemingly gone pear-shaped again on the end of Daniel Farke and Co, with the once confident table-toppers tumbling out of the Championship top two after a third successive draw in the division against Luton Town.

Much like last season when Leeds failed to win promotion, there are a number of underperformers who have failed to reach the heights expected of them across the last few worrying clashes, with one player in Farke’s camp now replicating Jaidon Anthony’s poor loan stint.

Anthony's poor stint at Leeds

Sometimes in football, certain moves just don’t go to plan, with Anthony’s forgettable season-long loan spell at Elland Road last campaign seen as one of those.

The AFC Bournemouth loanee would only start two Championship games all campaign for Farke’s Whites, with just one meagre goal coming his way off the back of such sparse game-time.

Thankfully for the former fringe Leeds winger, he has since bounced back on loan with new employers Burnley, with the Clarets amazingly now top of the second tier at the expense of his ex-outfit.

The two golden strikes that took Scott Parker’s men to the very summit actually came about from Anthony, with six goals and six assists in total for the Lancashire side in league action across 2024/25 far outweighing his measly Elland Road output.

Leeds will just hope another situation similar to Anthony’s isn’t playing out in West Yorkshire right now, with Farke sparingly using this attacker much like the now rejuvenated 25-year-old.

Farke's next Anthony at Elland Road

The German has shown across recent crunch games in the Championship that he can go against the grain with his team selections, seen in first-choice goalkeeper Illan Meslier being axed.

But, even though Farke has shown some signs of flexibility by dropping the ex-Lorient shot-stopper, he has still left Largie Ramazani mainly rooted to the substitutes bench.

Ramazani hasn’t always found himself on the periphery at the promotion chasers, however, with the ex-UD Almeria attacker racing out of the blocks all guns blazing after his summer move from Spain, with this strike against Norwich City his second goal from five Leeds outings in the league.

He has since notched up two more goals in the unpredictable second tier, alongside also registering a promising two assists, but Farke’s reliance on starting the likes of Manor Solomon and Daniel James week in week out down the wings has seen the Belgian’s own minutes disappointingly deplete.

Games played

26

Games started

7

Average minutes

29

Goals scored

4

Assists

2

Indeed, the £17.5k-per-week attacker has started just seven of his 26 league clashes for Leeds so far this campaign, with a worry that Ramazani will just fade into the background now despite such promising beginnings.

Farke didn’t even bring on the “explosive” winger – as he was previously branded by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – in any capacity during the 1-1 draw away at Luton, stating that the £10m man needs to “step up” his game in order to be considered for more first team opportunities.

The door hasn’t been completely slammed shut, but Ramazani’s time at Leeds hasn’t exactly been a rip-roaring success so far, with a concern that any possible departure down the line could see him shine much like Anthony is now proving for one of the Whites’ fierce promotion rivals.

Leeds thought they had "the new Van Dijk", but Farke sold him for just £2m

Leeds United may have prematurely sold a player who could follow in Virgil van Dijk’s footsteps.

1 ByEthan Lamb Apr 4, 2025

Birmingham City have now reportedly sent scouts to watch an impressive teenage talent as they look to battle Crystal Palace for his signature.

Birmingham looking to bounce back after "disappointing" Saints defeat

It’s been a solid return for Birmingham in the Championship so far this season. The Blues sit eighth, despite falling to a frustrating 3-1 defeat against Southampton, and could move into the play-off places with victory over Queens Park Rangers this weekend.

Manager Chris Davies will be desperate for a better performance than in midweek, having told reporters at full-time: “It’s a disappointing result for us. We lost the game in that first 20 minutes, we weren’t strong enough, we weren’t quick enough onto the ball, and paid the price with two soft goals from our point of view.

“They weren’t hard goals to score from their point of view and that gave us a real mountain to climb at a difficult away venue. After that I thought there was a lot of good, a lot of territory, we had our own chances and we managed to get back into it at 2-1.

“If we keep it there then it’s all on to finish the game and get something out of it but to concede the third goal on the break away puts us in another difficult position.

“From our point of view it was about having urgency and aggression to start the game, but unfortunately we didn’t have that. We had a few moments defensively where we weren’t strong enough, they got shots off far too easily. We have to learn from this one very quickly and move on.”

Davies’ disappointment highlights just how high the expectations are at St. Andrew’s and those expectations could be backed up by Birmingham’s ambition to sign talented teen Adam Brennan in 2026.

Birmingham sends scouts to watch Brennan

According to Football Insider, Birmingham are now battling Crystal Palace to sign Brennan from Republic of Ireland side UCD. The Blues’ scouts were spotted watching the 18-year-old in action and they could now make their move when 2026 arrives.

It’s not just Palace and Birmingham interested, however. Both Hull City and Wrexham are also interested in the teenager, who could yet be lured in by the red carpet in Wales.

There’s a big decision to make for the attacking midfielder and Birmingham should be hoping that their Premier League ambitions at least put them ahead of their Championship rivals.

Whilst Brennan is one for the future, beating Crystal Palace to his signature would certainly send an impressive statement from St. Andrew’s.

There has now been a new update on Manchester United’s interest in AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, with details of his release clause emerging ahead of the January transfer window.

Semenyo has been one of the breakout stars of the Premier League this season, with Bournemouth teammate Lewis Cook praising the forward for the improvements he’s made to his game, saying: “He’s got a lot better at running back and helping out the team too. He’s a powerful lad and has all the ability in the world. Hopefully he can continue to show that.”

Naturally, given the level of his performances, the 25-year-old has started to attract interest from elsewhere, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and United being named as potential suitors.

It was previously thought that it may take around £80m to prise the former Bristol City man away from Bournemouth, but there has now been a new update on his future, which suggests a deal could be done for a more reasonable price.

Man Utd line up Semenyo move amid £65m release clause

According to a report from United In Focus, Man United are now considering a January move for Semenyo, whose £65m release clause will become active in January, with transfer expert Graeme Bailey providing a further update.

Bailey said: “Manchester United have been chasing Antoine Semenyo since the summer; they have maintained that interest since. I am told they were fully aware of the clause when he signed his new deal, after known about its validity for January and beyond.

“United like Semenyo, and whilst unlikely, he is an option that would be considered for January. Whilst Semenyo does have a clause, £65m in one hit is a big ask for any club.”

Despite being cheaper than initially expected, £65m would be a huge outlay, but it could be worth INEOS breaking the bank to sign the Ghanaian, who would become one of Man United’s top ten most expensive signings of all time.

Bournemouth’s Ryan Christie recently lauded his teammate as “scary good”, having already racked up nine goal contributions in the Premier League, although he would’ve been frustrated not to add to his tally against Aston Villa last time out, being denied from the penalty spot by Emiliano Martinez.

Still, there have been some very encouraging signs from the London-born forward, with perhaps his best performance coming in the Cherries’ 3-1 win against Fulham, picking up a brace and an assist, which resulted in a 9.5 SofaScore match rating.

Having struggled recruitment-wise in recent years, Man United may have finally found a winning formula, bringing in proven Premier League stars Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha in the summer, and Semenyo would be a similar type of signing.

Man Utd preparing British-record bid for £200m superstar The new Ronaldo: Man Utd preparing British-record bid for £200m superstar

Manchester United are looking to make further attacking investments after this summer’s spending.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 17, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are a club still in transition after Thomas Frank’s appointment in the summer, with the full extent of his system yet to be witnessed by the supporters.

The Dane was appointed on a three-year contract after Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal, with the 52-year-old only able to win five of his first 11 Premier League outings.

He’s only managed one league triumph on home soil to date, with such an issue needing to be addressed if the Lilywhites are to have any hope of finishing within the top four.

However, some of the players currently in his first-team squad have also done themselves no favours, leading to criticism of the manager for his team selection at times.

As a result, numerous players could be pushed closer to the exit door, potentially creating the additional funds needed to help build on the activity in the summer transfer window.

The Spurs players who could depart during the January window

Yves Bissouma is a player who has constantly been touted with a move away from Spurs in recent times – even before Frank took the reins back in the summer.

The Malian appeared to have burnt his bridges early on with the new boss, after being left out of the UEFA Super Cup final due to various disciplinary problems.

He’s failed to make a single appearance since Frank’s arrival, also struggling with injuries – which makes him an almost certainty to depart the Lilywhites in the winter.

Brennan Johnson is another player who could be pushed closer to the exit door in North London, something which may come as a surprise six months ago after netting the winner in the Europa League.

The Welshman has since lost his starting role in 2025/26, with Mohammed Kudus subsequently becoming the manager’s number one choice off the right-hand side.

He’s struggled to win his place back in the starting eleven of late, even being sent off in the Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen – further highlighting his lack of positive impact under the new boss.

The Spurs player who Conte was “very happy” to sign

Antonio Conte’s tenure in charge of Spurs was a memorable one for all the wrong reasons, with the Italian unable to get the best out of the crop of players at his disposal in North London.

The Italian spent just under 18 months at the helm in North London, but was unable to secure any silverware and often became known for his inability to succeed in the role.

The 56-year-old even produced a remarkable rant after the clash with Southampton in May 2023, massively digging out the quality of players and criticising their lack of quality.

It ultimately spelt the end of his time in charge of the Lilywhites, leaving the club after achieving a 53% record – but without any silverware to show for his efforts.

However, he was handed key funds to make changes he desired, as seen by the £60m move to sign Brazilian striker Richarlison from Everton in the summer of 2022.

The Italian was extremely pleased with such a move at the time, even stating that he was “very happy” to land the frontman to help bolster the options within the final third.

However, three years on from his transfer to join the Lilywhites, the 28-year-old has struggled to make himself a fan-favourite and has often struggled to produce the goods.

Frank has continued to show faith in the forward during the early stages of 2025/26, but it’s so far been to no avail – especially when delving into his stats from the ongoing season.

He may have scored four times in his 12 Premier League appearances to date, but the fanbase have grown frustrated with his lack of clinical edge – often missing more chances than he’s scored.

Games played

11

Goals scored

4

Pass accuracy

63%

Dribble success

50%

Aerials won

42%

Big chances missed

5

Fouls committed

1.5

Touches per 90

31

Richarlison has also been alien at the top end in numerous matches, as seen against Bodo Glimt in September, where he only registered a total of 10 touches in his 90-minute performance.

At present, he only has 18 months left on his current deal at the club, which could see them run the risk of losing him for nothing if they refuse to sell him in January.

However, the Brazilian certainly hasn’t done enough to warrant a new deal, nor has he been clinical enough to maintain the backing of Frank in the centre-forward role.

Given the circumstances, the hierarchy desperately need to offload Richarlison in January and invest the money wisely in a new talisman to help the Dane in his quest for success at the club.

Kudus upgrade: Spurs to make club-record offer for "world-class" £70m star

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make a huge move in January for yet another big-money attacker.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 11, 2025

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been handed a fresh injury update on forward Kai Havertz, with a timeline emerging on his possible return.

The Gunners, even without Havertz, have made a brilliant start to the 2025/2026 season, with their last defeat coming all the way back at Anfield against Liverpool.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Since then, Arsenal have been a force to be reckoned with, sitting firmly atop the Premier League table and showing no signs of slipping.

One of the defining features of Arsenal’s campaign so far has been their dominance from set pieces. Arteta’s side have already scored an incredible 11 goals from dead-balls, making them the undisputed set-piece kings of the league.

From pinpoint corners to clever free-kicks and long-throws, Arsenal have turned these situations into a very reliable source of goals, much to the detest of some critics.

What’s particularly impressive is that they’ve done it while missing a plethora of key stars for long periods.

Club captain Martin Odegaard, who is back on the treatment table until mid-November following a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury against West Ham, had only just come back from a shoulder problem beforehand.

Gabriel Jesus, meanwhile, ruptured his ACL at the very start of 2025 and hasn’t played since Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Man United last season.

Noni Madueke, who was really impressing on-lookers with his early-season form, picked up a knee injury in their 1-1 draw at home to Man City, but the England international could apparently make a “faster-than-expected” return to the team (GiveMeSport).

With Havertz, the signs have also been pretty good.

Arteta’s versatile forward — the club’s highest earner on around £280,000-per-week — is believed to be impressing Arsenal staff with his recovery from knee damage behind-the-scenes.

As a result, Havertz is apparently ahead of schedule to return for Arsenal, but it still might not be too imminent.

Arsenal handed fresh Kai Havertz injury update

The 26-year-old, who scored 15 goals and bagged another five assists in all competitions last season, has played just half an hour so far this term and Arteta will be hoping to have him back as soon as possible.

However, according to journalist and founder of Premier Injuries, Ben Dinnery, Havertz may not be back in full match action until as far down the line as December.

Arteta will want to be careful managing the former Chelsea star’s load, especially considering how light Arsenal are going forward right now after Gabriel Martinelli was also sidelined recently.

Summer signing Viktor Gyokeres has done fairly well in Havertz’s place up front, albeit his goal return so far isn’t what most had hoped for.

The return of Havertz would give Arteta an extra option in that area, and Arsenal have already been tipped to bench Gyokeres for the attacker in big games once he makes his comeback.

Mikel Arteta's underrated Arsenal star adds something "people really don’t see"