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As clichéd as it sounds, it really was a Premier League campaign of two halves for Tottenham Hotspur last season.

Ange Postecoglou got off to a brilliant start, seeing his side go unbeaten in their first ten league games, but come the final whistle on the final day, they had slipped down to fifth place.

While Europa League qualification is nothing to scoff at, it was a slightly disappointing finish considering the Lilywhites' start, and the player who best encapsulated this downturn in form was James Maddison.

The Englishman's second half of the campaign was nothing like his first, but the latest player touted for a move to N17 could be just the striker to revive his form.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from the Spanish-American network TUDNRadio, Tottenham have maintained their interest in Feyenoord forward Santiago Gimenez.

They claim that the Mexican international is "very close" to joining Spurs and that while there is also interest from La Liga giants Atlético Madrid, we are entering "crucial hours" for the player to decide "his future."

The report does not mention a potential price the Lilywhites would have to pay, but reports from Italy last month claimed that offers of around €50m, which converts to about £42m, might be enough to tempt the Dutch side into selling.

It's not a cheap deal by any means, and the interest from Atlético is far from ideal, but it looks like this really could happen, and based on his record last season, seeing him play alongside Maddison should excite fans.

Why Gimenez would be a great teammate for Maddison

Only two Tottenham players, Son Heung-min and Richarlison, reached double figures for goals across all competitions last season, and considering the latter only hit 12 goals, that's a serious problem. However, it's one Gimenez could fix.

In his 41 games for Feyenoord last season, the 23-year-old's performance was nothing short of exceptional. He scored 26 goals and provided eight assists, averaging a goal involvement every 1.20 games, which is a frankly ridiculous rate of return.

In fact, his goal haul alone is better than Dejan Kulusevski's, Richarlison's and Brennan Johnson's, and his tally of eight assists would make him the third-best provider in the North Londoners squad.

His genuinely impressive ability to put chances away would help Maddison supercharge his assist numbers, as according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Englishman is in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers for shot-creating actions and progressive passes, the top 2% for attempted passes and the top 7% for assists, all per 90.

This measurement has been taken across the last 365 days, so even though he tailed off following his return from injury, scoring one goal and providing four assists in 17 league games, he was still creating an impressive number of chances for his teammates who, in turn, could not finish them.

Therefore, adding a player as clinical as the "Mexican machine," as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, to the team can only help the former Leicester City ace's numbers shoot back up and get back to his best.

Ultimately, based on Gimenez's form last season and Maddison's underlying numbers across the last year, this could be a transformative signing for the club and the Englishman individually, and one that'll be well worth the money.

Son will love him: Spurs make enquiry to sign "mind-blowing" star

The “insane” striker could help supercharge the South Korean.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 24, 2024

The Pole's brace helped fire the visitors to an incredible win

Robert Lewandowski's brace early in the second half inspired Barcelona to a famous 4-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu to send them six points clear in La Liga.

It was clear from the start that tactics were going to play a big part in this one, with Hansi Flick's high defensive line catching Madrid offside seven times in the opening 30 minutes alone. That included a goal for Kylian Mbappe being chalked off. There was a similar moment at 2-0 in the second half.

The space in behind the back four was a source of potential danger to Barca. But they were able to create their own chances, with a one-on-one for Lamine Yamal and a strike from distance from Pedri, both saved by Andriy Lunin, the closest they came to scoring before half-time.

Where Barca had been able to routinely catch Madrid offside, Lewandowski beat the trap 10 minutes into the second half and stroked the ball into the bottom corner beyond the reach of Lunin. He showcased his generational striker instincts only two minutes later when he planted an unstoppable header into the same corner. This, after mostly being on periphery until then.

The foot of the post denied the Pole his hat-trick, in isolation a poor miss with an open goal at his mercy after a square pass from Raphinha, but it mattered little when Yamal slammed in a stunning third and a route one ball over the top handed Raphinha a fourth.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from the Bernabeu…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Inaki Pena (8/10):

  A little erratic. Positioning and distribution not always brilliant, but made two huge saves to deny Mbappe in the second half.

  Jules Kounde (7/10):

  Had his work cut out against Vinicius Junior. No match for the Brazilian's movement or pace, yet he was well in tune with the rest of the back four when it came to triggering the offside trap.

  Pau Cubarsi (7/10):

  The space in behind him and Kounde was a concern in the first half more than the second. Clean in his passing.

  Inigo Martinez (7/10):

  Seemed to have his side of the back four a little more locked down, despite the threat of Mbappe.

  Alejandro Balde (7/10):

  It was a beautifully flighted cross that set up Barcelona's second goal. Got forward well on other occasions.

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  Midfield

  Marc Casado (8/10):

  Took a first half booking for the good for a tactical foul on Vinicius Jr. to stop a breakaway. It was necessary dirty work, but he also did the other side of game well with a defence-splitting pass that set up the breakthrough goal.

  Fermin Lopez (4/10):

  Given the nod in the big game over summer signing Dani Olmo, but hardly saw the ball and didn't return after half-time.

  Pedri (7/10):

  Got a nasty bang to the ankle midway through the first half but it didn't seem to really affect him.

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  Attack

  Lamine Yamal (8/10):

  Lost the battle of wits with Lunin in the one-on-one situation. Looked lively in general but things didn't fully click into place for him until his sensational goal late on.

  Robert Lewandowski (9/10):

  Found himself waiting for service to come but then buried his first clear sight of goal. Got his second mere moments later by taking up a position between the centre-backs where neither could get to him.

  Raphinha (8/10):

  Quieter than recent weeks for 75 minutes but made it five straight games across all competitions with at least two goal involvements by setting up Yamal and scoring himself.

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  Subs & Manager

  Frenkie de Jong (6/10):

  Appeared at the break for his longest appearance of the season so far.

  Dani Olmo (6/10):

  Eventually appeared in place of Casado just over an hour in.

  Gavi (6/10):

  Replaced Pedri late on.

  Hansi Flick (9/10):

  The high defensive line and offside trap was such a risky tactic given the pace of the Real forwards. But it absolutely worked and this will go down as a famous Barcelona win.

As they look to make their first move of the transfer window, former English Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson now believes that Celtic should look into hijacking a major move to sign the ultimate replacement for Joe Hart this summer.

Celtic transfer news

Improving a side who have just won their third consecutive Scottish Premiership title is no easy task, but the retirement of Hart has left one obvious void for Brendan Rodgers to fill in the coming months. The veteran shot-stopper enjoyed a resurgent spell in Glasgow before bringing an end to an illustrious career at 37 years old.

Replacing such experience will be no easy task, but Robinson believes that Celtic may be keeping an eye on Euro 2024 and one of the tournament's biggest standouts so far in Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Celtic monitoring £3m gem rated as one of the best prospects in his country

He’s one for the future.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 28, 2024

The former Premier League goalkeeper told Football Insider: "He played for Valencia last season, and for me, he was probably La Liga’s goalkeeper of the tournament. The way he’s played in this tournament for Georgia, I think there’ll be a lot of teams around Europe standing up and taking notice.

"If there was any type of opportunity, if Celtic were going to push the boat out and go big, I mean, this kid’s really good, really good. He’s still only 23 years old, six foot six, dominates his box, makes some great saves; that type of signing would be a real statement signing.

"Dubravka would be a good option, but again, it’s only short-term; they’re going to be in this situation again at the end of next season or the season after. I can see Celtic hijacking the deal."

"Superb" Mamardashvili would break Celtic record

If Celtic want to sign Mamardashvili this summer, they will have to get in line. The goalkeeper has already been linked with the likes of Newcastle United and Atletico Madrid in deals that could cost up to €40m (£34m) this summer, as per Fabrizio Romano. With that said, Celtic would also have to smash their current transfer record of just £9m when they signed Odsonne Edouard in 2017 if they want to secure the Georgian star in the coming months.

All things considered, while he was described as "superb" by Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig and would undoubtedly be the coup of the summer in the Scottish Premiership, Mamardashvili's arrival seems like a dream rather than anything that is likely to become a reality for Celtic.

Unless they spend bigger than they've ever spent in the past, the Bhoys must look elsewhere when it comes to replacing Hart ahead of next season.

Manchester United sacked Erik ten Hag after a defeat to West Ham but referees’ chief Howard Webb feels the winning penalty shouldn't have been given.

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• Man Utd sack Ten Hag after poor start
• West Ham defeat was Dutchman's last game
• Winning goal came from a controversial penalty

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United's 2-1 defeat to West Ham proved to be the Dutchman's last as Red Devils boss with the club finally running out of patience after the match. The winning goal came from the penalty spot after a clash between Matthijs de Ligt and Danny Ings. Match referee David Coote did not give the penalty at the time but subsequently awarded a spot-kick after being told to review the incident by VAR Michael Oliver. Webb, who is the chief refereeing officer at PGMOL, thinks it was an error to give the penalty and has already made his opinion on the matter known, according to .

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The result left Manchester United down in 14th place in the table and with Ten Hag bemoaning his bad luck after the game. The decision was then taken to fire Ten Hag and appoint Ruud van Nistelrooy as the club's interim manager. Van Nistelrooy has since overseen a 5-2 win over Leicester City in the Carabao Cup and a 1-1 draw against Chelsea in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Manchester United have subsequently confirmed that Sporting boss Ruben Amorim will be the club's next permanent head coach and will start work at Old Trafford on November 11.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Manchester United have won just 12 Premier League points so far this season, their worst return after 10 games of a league campaign since 1986-87.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD

  Van Nistelrooy will oversee Manchester United's next two games against PAOK in the Europa League and Leicester in the Premier League before stepping aside for Amorim. The 39-year-old will take charge of United for the first time against Ipswich Town on November 23.

Leeds United have already paid the price for failing to earn promotion back to the Premier League as they watched academy graduate Archie Gray seal an exit earlier this summer.

The Whites lost 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley in May and are now preparing for a second successive season in the Championship.

This has meant that they are at risk of losing some of their key players and Gray has been the first, and potentially not last, to move on, with a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.

The West Yorkshire outfit are now reportedly in talks to cash in on another of their first-team performers from the 2023/24 campaign amid interest from the Premier League.

Leeds in talks to sell star forward

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, top-flight side Everton have a 'genuine' interest in securing a deal for Leeds winger Wilfried Gnonto.

The reporter claims that they have already held talks with the player's representatives to discuss a potential move to Goodison Park this summer.

He adds that negotiations are now underway between the two clubs to see if an agreement can be reached for the Italy U21 international to depart Elland Road for Merseyside.

This comes almost a year after Gnonto handed in a transfer request in an attempt to join Everton after Leeds had rejected four offers from Sean Dyche's side, before ultimately remaining in Yorkshire.

These new talks suggest that there is now a chance that the winger could finally seal the move he wanted in 2023. However, Daniel Farke should not worry about this news because he already has a big upgrade on the Italian attacker in his squad – Dan James.

Why Dan James is a big upgrade on Wilfried Gnonto

Their respective form on the right flank during the 2023/24 campaign suggests that Leeds would be better off with the Wales international being their first choice in that role next term.

They both operate on the right side of the attacking trident behind the striker and Farke could go with James as his out-and-out option there if Gnonto, who was dubbed an "amazing" signing for the Whites by analyst Ben Mattinson, moves to Everton.

Last season, the former Manchester United speedster's performances at the top end of the pitch were far more impressive, as he showcased his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

As you can see in the table above, James outperformed his xG by more and got himself into far more high-quality goalscoring positions to find the back of the net.

He also created far more quality opportunities for his teammates to score throughout the season, which suggests that the Welsh whiz made a greater impact in the final third.

If fit, the ex-Swansea wizard could be a huge asset to the Yorkshire-based side and continue to offer a regular stream of goals and assists for the club, whereas the Italian youngster provided a decent goalscoring threat with very little creativity.

Therefore, Farke already has a better right winger than Gnonto within his Leeds squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, due to the quality James has proven to provide, which is why an exit to Everton would not be a gigantic blow for the club.

Leeds could perfectly replace Kamara by signing £40k-p/w star

The Whites have been linked with a swoop for the defensive midfielder this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 15, 2024

Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso is reportedly yet to make a call on his future amid links to Real Madrid.

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• Alonso has a contract until 2026
• Manager is yet to decide on his future
• Could potentially decide in March

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Alonso has been a revelation in German football since taking charge of Bayer Leverkusen. In the 2023-24 season, he guided the club to a remarkable Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double, ending Bayern Munich's dominance in German football. This historic achievement brought widespread attention to the former Real Madrid and Liverpool midfielder, positioning him as a top managerial prospect for Europe's elite clubs. With Carlo Ancelotti struggling to find the right balance at the Santiago Bernabeu, there have been speculations that Alonso might replace the Italian in the Spanish capital next summer.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  However, according to no immediate decisions have been made and the timeframe for evaluating Alonso's future is set for March 2024. This timeline allows Leverkusen and Alonso to assess their respective plans thoroughly, with sufficient time to prepare for any transitions. Until then, the focus remains on the present.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Leverkusen’s management, led by Spaniard Fernando Carro, will continue planning the team’s future regardless of Alonso’s eventual decision. The futures of standout players like Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong are not directly tied to Alonso’s status, with the club expected to determine transfer prices for their stars independently.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ALONSO?

  After their extraordinary success last season, Leverkusen have faced a tougher start to the 2024-25 campaign. They currently sit fourth in the Bundesliga table, trailing leaders Bayern Munich by nine points after just ten games. Their next Bundesliga fixture is a home match against Heidenheim on November 23, followed by a crucial Champions League clash with Red Bull Salzburg three days later.

Manchester United may already be open to selling Joshua Zirkzee, with the forward failing to meet expectations since joining from Bologna.

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• Zirkzee struggling for goals at Man Utd
• Forward signed in £36.5m summer deal
• Player's agent in talks with Juventus

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Zirkzee made an immediate impact upon his arrival at Old Trafford, scoring on his debut in the 1-0 win over Fulham back in August. It's been a struggle since then, though, with the 23-year-old failing to add to his tally. Indeed, Zirkzee hasn't started a Premier League game for United since the end of September, and rumours surrounding his future have begun to emerge.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It was reported earlier this month that Serie A giants Juventus are considering a move for the Dutch forward, and this has been corroborated by . They claim Zirkzee's agent, Kia Joorabchian, is in talks with Juve director Cristiano Giuntoli over a potential move as the Old Lady seek attacking reinforcements.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It's also reported that the Red Devils are 'aware' that their £36.5 million (€43.7m/$45.8m) investment in Zirkzee hasn't paid off. INEOS certainly will have expected more than just one goal and two assists from the attacker – although the blame for his signing can't be placed at the feet of ex-boss Erik ten Hag.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  Ten Hag's replacement Ruben Amorim will likely see if he can get a tune out of Zirkzee in the coming weeks. The Red Devils host Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League on Thursday evening, before facing Everton at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement will be hoping he can bring in a couple of new signings prior to the first Premiership clash of the season.

The 2-0 defeat to at Murrayfield on Saturday highlighted just how poor the Ibrox side were, with players such as Scott Wright and Cyriel Dessers starting the highly anticipated pre-season friendly.

The Belgian will have to sell a few first-team players at Rangers in order to free up funds for future arrivals, but if the same starting XI starts against Hearts next week that did against Man United, then questions will be asked.

There have been no shortage of rumours surrounding potential new signings. Could Clement turn to La Liga for an experienced signing?

Rangers eye move for La Liga midfielder

Fabrizio Romano claimed that Rangers had seen an opening proposal for Sevilla midfielder Joan Jordan rejected just a couple of weeks ago.

A fresh report emerged not long after from Seville-based insider Fernando Serrano, who claimed that the Light Blues were going to make a new offer for the Spaniard in a bid to lure him to Glasgow.

He stated that Sevilla wouldn’t be paying more than 50% of his salary, which means if Clement still wants to bring him in, he will be forced to pay a big weekly wage.

The 30-year-old would offer plenty of experience to the current Gers side. Not only has Jordan made over 200 appearances in the Spanish top flight, but he has also won two Europa League titles with the Andalucian side and played in the Champions League last term, notably against Arsenal.

Despite this, it looks like his high wage demands could put to bed a move to Glasgow. Clement has brought in several young talents already this summer.

Might he forget Jordan and target a player who sparked last term?

The ideal Joan Jordan alternative for Rangers

In an ideal world, Clement would be able to comfortably afford to sign Jordan without his arrival impacting the wage budget for future targets.

The 50-year-old does not have that luxury, however, such is the current state of affairs at Ibrox. This means he has to pursue moves for players who won’t break the bank.

According to reports last week, the Light Blues have made contact with BSC Young Boys midfielder Cheikh Niasse regarding a move to the Premiership this summer.

While no transfer fee has been mentioned, this type of player is exactly what Clement should be looking for. Niasse is 24, which means he could soon be entering his prime after an impressive spell in Switzerland.

Having lost John Lundstram and Ryan Jack at the end of last season, Clement is clearly looking to bulk up his midfield options and Niasse could be an ideal replacement for Lundstram.

How Niasse compares to Lundstram

Lundstram enjoyed several purple patches during his three-year stint north of the border, but he failed to remain consistent to really emerge as a key player for the club.

Despite making 53 appearances in all competitions for the Gers last term, the former Sheffield United midfielder could only register two goals and eight assists.

His campaign, and perhaps his entire spell at Rangers, was best summed up during the final Old Firm league clash of the season.

The Englishman scored an own goal before being sent off just prior to the interval for a dreadful challenge on Alistair Johnston, ruining any chance of a comeback by the Ibrox side in what was a defining game in the title race.

Niasse, in comparison, enjoyed a solid campaign for Young Boys. The 24-year-old played 41 games across all competitions, contributing five assists.

Among his teammates, he ranked fourth for tackles per game (1.7) in the Swiss Super League, while also ranking second for interceptions per game (1.4) and 16th for possession lost per game (8.8), showcasing his defensive skills throughout the campaign.

Kai Watson, founder of the Rangers Journal, heaped praise on the midfielder following the links to Rangers, saying: “A strong, ball winning midfielder who’s capable going forward.

“A good ball carrier and passer of the ball, Cheikh Niasse is the perfect profile for what we’re needing in the middle of the pitch.”

Niasse sounds like the perfect signing for the Light Blues.

How Niasse compares to Joan Jordan

When compared to his positional peers across leagues similar in quality to the Swiss top-flight, Niasse ranks in the top 1% for interceptions (2.69) and the top 4% for blocks (2.02) per 90, underlining how effective he was defensively.

Jordan, on the other hand, failed to rank in the top 50% for either interceptions (0.78) or blocks (0.78) per 90 when compared to his peers in the top five European leagues, clearly indicating that Niasse would be a better option with regard to his defensive output.

Domestically, the Young Boys starlet also won more total duels (4.1 vs 2, via Sofascore), recovered more balls (4.9 vs 2.4) and was dribbled past on fewer occasions (0.8 vs 1) per game than the Spaniard.

These statistics show plenty of evidence as to why Clement should focus on bringing in the Senegalese midfielder this summer as opposed to the Sevilla veteran.

Not only is he more competent defensively at the heart of the midfield, but he is also six years younger than Jordan, which means he will only get better if exposed to better players around him.

Jordan’s move would only be temporary, meaning the club could spend big wages, and it may not work out in the short term. Niasse, however, would join on a permanent basis. Of course, like every move, it is a gamble.

Judging by his recent statistics, it would be a risk worth taking, especially with his profile and potential to get even better as time goes on.

Much will depend on who departs Ibrox in the coming weeks, but if Clement has the funds available, making a concrete offer to Young Boys for one of their prized assets could be a major step forward in a bid to add some quality to the squad.

Davis 2.0: Rangers could sign a "perfect" CM for Diomande

Philippe Clement is looking to bring an African midfielder to the club this summer…

By
Ross Kilvington

Jul 16, 2024

Juventus' USMNT stars Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah could welcome a new defensive addition to the squad in the form of Antonio Silva this January.

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• Juve keen to sign a defender in January
• Club want cover for the injured duo of Bremer and Cabal
• Eyeing a move for Antonio Silva

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Juventus are considering a move for Benfica's out-of-favour talented centre-back Antonio Silva in the upcoming January transfer window, according to a report from Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Calciomercato). Silva's contract expires on June 30, 2027, and the defender has a €100 million buyout clause inserted in his current contract.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Juventus are desperate to add some defensive muscle to their squad, having already lost Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal to ACL injuries earlier in the season. Losing two regulars to long-term injuries has caused a fair few problems to Bianconeri boss Thiago Motta, who would be relieved to have some reinforcements at his disposal in January. Juve have already been linked to several names in recent months, such as Lyon's Nicolas Tagliafico, PSG's Milan Skriniar, and the English duo of Harry Maguire and Eric Dier.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Silva, per Gazzetta dello Sport, is unhappy with his current role in Benfica. Manager Bruno Lage has preferred 22-year-old centre-back Tomas Araujo ahead of Silva, and now the young defender wants to seek greener pastures.

  Jorge Mendes, Silva's agent, has already presented Juventus' first proposal for the player to Benfica, which was a loan with an option to buy. However, Benfica president Rui Costa rejected the offer and closed the door to any departures in January.

  Mendes and Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, though, will continue to keep working behind the scenes to ensure this move materialises in the coming weeks.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?

  Motta's troops will next face the head coach's former team, Bologna, in a tricky Serie A encounter on Saturday, December 7. Juventus are currently in sixth place in the table with 26 points from 14 games.

Celtic are reportedly preparing an offer to sign a £15,000-a-week player who was recently in advanced talks with rivals Rangers.

Celtic and Rodgers eyeing “ready-made” player

The Hoops and Brendan Rodgers are yet to complete an outfield signing this summer, with goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo the only two official arrivals at Parkhead.

Celtic are expected to secure the permanent services of midfielder Paulo Bernardo, though, following a successful loan spell from Benfica last season.

Celtic identify £6k-p/w ace as new midfield target amid O'Riley interest

He could be an excellent addition for the Parkhead side.

By
Ben Browning

Jul 30, 2024

There could be more to come after Bernardo, with Rodgers admitting back in February that the club want to be “brave” and target “another level of player” who is “ready-made”.

“I would go with supporters thinking we could maybe be a little bit braver in terms of bringing in another level of player. But that’s up to me to try and fix that over the course of my time here. You look at the strategy here and you have to be careful because in some ways it has worked. You bring in players for a minimal fee and then they go out and make the club a lot of money.

“What I want to hopefully balance in my time here is that we can still do that, because it is an important part of the modern game. But we also want to be brave enough to hang our hat on a ready-made player.”

Recent targets linked with moves to Celtic Park are Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland after his prolific form in front of goal, whereas Wolves full-back Hugo Bueno is also wanted on loan.

Now, it appears as if Celtic are readying a permanent offer to sign a Manchester United midfielder.

Celtic preparing Hannibal Mejbri offer

According to reports in Tunisia, relayed by Sport Witness, Celtic are ‘preparing to make an offer’ to sign Man Utd’s Hannibal Mejbri. The offer in question is expected to be a permanent bid, with the 21-year-old into the final 12 months of his Old Trafford deal.

Should Celtic sign Mejbri, on £15,000-a-week, they could deal rivals Rangers a real blow, with reports recently claiming that those at Ibrox were in advanced talks to sign the Tunisia international who was a priority target for Philippe Clement.

Mejbri, who can play as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder or right-winger, could be on the way to Parkhead instead, going off the recent update, although he is on United's pre-season tour in the USA.

The Red Devils man recently went on loan to Sevilla and prior to that, impressed with Birmingham City, where former manager John Eustace said: "The way he has played in the last couple of games has been phenomenal. He has broken records for total distance [covered], all that kind of stuff."

A move could be one to keep an eye on, with Mejbri potentially offering Rodgers a versatile midfield option who could go from strength to strength in Scotland.