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The threat of a European Super League has rocked football to its very core but for Celtic and those associated with the Bhoys, they currently have more important things to worry about.

The Hoops are not a part of this breakaway but even if they were, they’d still need to find a new manager.

What’s the word?

This has become a real merry-go-round for Celtic with no successor for Neil Lennon even looking close to completion at the moment.

Roy Keane has come and gone while the same eventuality may well fall into the arms of Eddie Howe.

The 43-year-old is the favourite to take on the job but the longer things go on, the more unlikely it feels that he’ll be sat in the Parkhead dugout next term.

A number of reasons are playing a factor in this, not least Howe’s agent who seems to think he can still land a job in the Premier League.

And speaking to This is Futbol, Peterborough director of football Barry Fry shared his take on proceedings, insisting that a move within England could be on the cards.

He said: “I think Eddie Howe can take any pressure that’s thrown up to him; there’s no question about that. It’s whether he feels that, you know, it’s a big enough challenge because basically it’s Celtic or Rangers in Scotland, so it’s either one or the other.”

With Fry possessing an extensive list of contacts within English football, we should take his words pretty seriously.

Desmond will be sweating

This has been a torrid time for Celtic’s majority shareholder. He’s witnessed protests from the Green Brigade outside Parkhead and he’s even been questioned over his shares within the football club.

For now, however, Dermot Desmond is staying put in Glasgow. Time will tell whether that decision is vindicated but appointing the right manager would do a great deal to getting the fans back on side.

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They have been forced to witness a complete collapse this season with any hopes for ten in a row being completely washed away. They’ve not only lost their grasp on the league but they will also finish the campaign without a trophy.

Thus, for Desmond to hear that Howe isn’t convinced that Celtic would be a big enough challenge for him should be devastating and crushing news.

If anything, this should represent one of the most challenging set of circumstances in European football.

The Bhoys have lost their decade-long dominance of Scottish football to their biggest rivals and they’re not only facing uncertainty at board level, but also among the playing staff.

Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer have both been linked with the exit door while Scott Brown is off to Aberdeen and could be joined by Leigh Griffiths.

On that evidence, Howe shouldn’t take it because of how challenging things could be.

This has become a very complex case for Desmond and the Celtic hierarchy; they need to find a resolution from somewhere.

AND in other news, Worse than Kenny: £7.2m Celtic gem was “abysmal” on Sunday, Hartson said he “does nothing”…

Celtic need to ‘wake up and give themselves a shake’ as Scott Brown nears the end of his contract, according to former Hoops player Kris Commons.

Brown joined Celtic in 2007 and has worn the armband since 2010. In that time, he has won 10 Premiership titles, six Scottish Cups and six Scottish League Cups.

Brown reportedly courted for Aberdeen role

However, he is now into the final months of his contract, raising the prospect of him departing on a free transfer in the summer. Brown is thought to be considering an offer to take on a player-coaching role at his former club Aberdeen (via Daily Record).

Commons, who played for the Hoops between 2011 and 2017 and was a long-time team-mate of the current skipper, admits that the offer will be ‘tempting’ to Brown given that he would likely play more first team football at Pittodrie, having been in and out of the Celtic team in recent weeks.

However, he has nonetheless implored Celtic to tie the veteran down.

Allowing Brown to leave Celtic would be a ‘huge mistake’

“Brown has a key role to play in how the club rebuilds itself,” Commons wrote in the Scottish Daily Mail [15/03 print edition, Verdict supplement page 7, via 67HailHail]

“He has been a loyal servant to the club over the years. He’s a Celtic man through and through.

“The club need to wake up and give themselves a shake. If they allow Brown to walk out the door in the summer, it would be a huge mistake.”

Transfer Tavern verdict

As Commons argues, it is important to have Brown around for the managerial transition at Parkhead. Leaders are crucial in times of upheaval.

The captain, who turns 36 in the summer, doesn’t necessarily have to play week in, week out as he largely has this season. It is his presence which is crucial, and you imagine he would be very reluctant to leave fresh off the back of Rangers dethroning the Bhoys domestically.

A one-year deal may suit both parties and satisfy Commons.

In other news, there is an update on a new contender for the Celtic managerial role.

He is finally gone. On Wednesday morning it was announced that Neil Lennon was leaving his post as manager of Celtic. With that, Parkhead can finally celebrate the dawn of a new era.

Their biggest rivals now need just seven points to win the SPFL but who will be the man to replace Lennon in Glasgow?

On the chalkboard

There have been a whole crop of faces linked with the Celtic hot seat but one of the newest names is that of Scotland manager Steve Clarke.

The 57-year-old has taken the national team to the European Championships this summer and is now among the favourites to replace Lennon.

The Express claims that he is one of the frontrunners for the job, but that’s hardly surprising when you consider Clarke is someone that’s been discussed for the role in the past.

Celtic podcaster Paul John Dykes talked up the coach in November last year, only having kind words to say of him: “I am looking at the job that Steve Clarke’s done. I know that Steve Clarke has previously been courted and been interviewed for the Celtic manager’s job previously.

“I think the job he’s doing is reminiscent to Craig Brown. He’s basically shoring up the backline. That’s his absolutely key attribute as a manager.”

His defensive nuances might be important in turning round Celtic’s defence, but when it comes to his attacking philosophy, it is hardly positive.

For context, Neil Lennon has managed a record of 2.1 goals per game during his managerial career. Even when Celtic struggled this term his team still managed to score two goals a match.

Clarke, on the other hand, has seen his team score only 1.3 goals per game during his various stints in the managerial world.

Bad for Christie

If you factor this into consideration, it doesn’t particularly bode very well for Celtic’s forward line. Though, it has the potential to be disastrous for a certain Ryan Christie.

The winger netted 20 times last term but in 2020/21, he has been a shadow of his former self. He has scored on only five occasions and has found the net just once in his last 23 appearances.

There has been plenty of criticism for his performances and if Dermot Desmond brings a manager who doesn’t favour offensive football to Parkhead, it would only heap further pressure upon Christie.

The Celtic forward may have scored four goals under Clarke for the national team, but with Christie now in such bad form, a defensive manager would see his performances falter more.

Christie is someone who prefers a license to go forward, a player who thrives with plenty of creative freedom. Though, judging by the stats, he could found life difficult under Clarke.

At Kilmarnock, the 57-year-old saw his team find the net only 1.4 times per game. At Reading, meanwhile, it was even worse; just 1.1 goals per match.

If Christie can’t find form under Lennon, a manager who has given plenty of freedom to his attackers, he would surely continue to waver under Clarke’s stewardship.

This doesn’t feel like a match made in heaven.

AND in other news, Hammond could end Christie’s Celtic stay by signing 54-cap ace once hailed by O’Neill…

Tottenham Hotspur defender Matt Doherty could be in danger if emerging reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to ABC, reported Spurs target Lucas Vazquez is set to leave Real Madrid this summer, which opens the door for Daniel Levy to secure him on a free transfer.

Just last week, the Daily Star (28th February, page 45) claimed the north Londoners were mulling up an offer for the 29-year-old amid uncertainty over his future at the Spanish giants.

This season, Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane has converted the winger into a right-back, often featuring in the absence of Dani Carvajal, so if Jose Mourinho is after a new right-sided defender, it may well spell trouble for their £15m summer investment.

Doherty in danger

Doherty was signed from Wolves at the start of the campaign but has struggled to make much of an impact at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, having been usurped by divisive liability Serge Aurier.

Indeed, the Irishman has only started nine times in the Premier League this term, which has led to speculation over his future in N17, already.

As reported by ESPN just a few weeks ago, the 29-year-old has a dubious future under Mourinho as the Portuguese boss remains unconvinced by his ability.

Therefore, any arrival in the role would surely see the club wave goodbye to him as it would be the final nail in the coffin.

Aurier has started 14 matches in the top-flight, largely missing out through injury, though his instant return to the starting XI at the weekend showed exactly who Mourinho favours more.

Even Japhet Tanganga was getting games at right-back over Doherty, which speaks volumes.

If Levy were to land Vazquez on a freebie in the summer, then you can only imagine that it pushes him closer towards the exit door, especially as the versatile £13.5m-rated gem has made over 55% of his appearances at right-back this term.

Whether he’d be an upgrade on Doherty is another matter.

However, only three other players have performed better for Madrid than Vazquez (7.19) as per WhoScored ratings, while he has contributed towards six goals in only 16 league starts, which is more than Aurier, Doherty and Tanganga combined (four).

Vazquez also tops the charts for tackles per game (2.5), not only proving to be a nuisance off the ball with an incredible work rate, but also a player capable of doing his defensive duties – to good effect too, as he’s successful 66% of the time, as per WhoScored.

You cannot understate his attacking influence either as the Spaniard sits second for key passes per game (1.9), meaning he’s contributing creatively up the field as much as he’s impacting the game at the back.

Doherty’s 1.5 tackles and 0.6 key passes, via WhoScored, simply aren’t a match for Vazquez, only reinforcing the view that he could easily be replaced come the summer.

Lauded for being a “reliable” workhorse by Zidane, Vazquez would surely be a welcome addition at Spurs, though given Mourinho’s extensive options in attack, the only foreseeable position for him would be at right-back.

Doherty should approach this summer with caution.

AND in other news, Mourinho must make a major U-turn over “special” Spurs star who’s “better than ever”…

In a recent interview, Frank McAvennie questioned the attitude of reported West Ham United transfer target, Odsonne Edouard. 

So far this season, Edouard has highly impressed over his 26 Scottish Premiership appearances for Celtic, bagging 16 goals and providing three assists, as well as averaging a WhoScored match rating of 7.31 – ranking him as the club’s joint fourth-best performer in the Scottish top flight.

As a result of his fine performances, West Ham have been linked with a move for the 23-year-old, for whom Celtic are reported to want a figure of around £35 million to part with.

It will be no surprise to see the Irons front of the queue if Celtic decide to cash in – David Moyes only has one recognised striker in the shape of Michail Antonio.

However, speaking recently to Football Insider, the former Celtic and West Ham striker, McAvennie, claimed that while he would like to see Edouard join the Hammers this summer, he was unsure whether the Frenchman has an attitude that would comply with Moyes.

He said: “I would take Edouard at West Ham but the way he downed tools with Lenny was disappointing. The boy’s got talent and West Ham need a striker. But if David Moyes would have that kind of player, I don’t know.

“But, you get the ball up to him and he keeps it. He’s definitely a talent. There are rumours going about here, there and everywhere but until someone comes in and spends the money, we just don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Transfer Tavern Take

Considering the fact that Edouard scored eight goals over Neil Lennon’s last eight league games in charge of Celtic before his dismissal, it could be argued that McAvennie’s claim that the striker “downed tools” for his manager is somewhat unwarranted.

And, with West Ham in desperate need of a striker in the summer transfer window, with Moyes currently only having Antonio as an option in the position, the addition of a centre-forward with the goal-scoring record of Edouard would appear to be just what the Hammers are looking for.

In other news: these West Ham fans slammed this club figure with “no ambition” after footage surfaced – find out more here!

West Brom flop Kenneth Zohore is due to return to the Hawthorns following a quite underwhelming loan spell away at Championship outfit Millwall later this week.

The 26-year-old, who cost former Baggies boss Slaven Bilic £8m in summer 2019, was shipped out to the Lions in October for a short-term stint until January 16th.

It means new Albion boss Sam Allardyce now has a major decision to make over the Dane’s future at the club.

Whilst the 66-year-old veteran is in dire need of options upfront, he absolutely shouldn’t turn to Zohore.

Indeed, West Brom currently do not have a fit senior striker available at the club. Charlie Austin has been sent out on loan himself, whilst Karlan Grant is set to miss at least five to six weeks with a broken foot.

It leaves Callum Robinson as the only real choice and he is winger by trade.

Though, even in these desperate times, it would be better for Big Sam to offload the returning Zohore once again – either permanently or on another loan spell.

Millwall boss Gary Rowett remained coy over the potential of keeping him at the Den. He told reporters (via NewsAtDen):

“We haven’t really had that discussion yet because it’s more important for Ken to stay fit. If he stays fit, then we’ll obviously ask the question,” before he added: “We’ve spent a lot of money having him here and [he’s] not [been] available, so we also need to think about what’s sensible for us as a club.”

In 17 league appearances in the Championship last term, the former Cardiff man could only muster up three goals. His tally of one strike from five outings this term surely shows that he’s barely cut out for the second-flight, let alone the Premier League. Not only has he struggled to stay fit, but when he has played, he’s hardly set the world alight.

Zohore has actually played in the big time before, but one goal in 19 matches is far from inspiring either.

Once dubbed a “manager’s dream” by Neil Warnock, Zohore has struggled to make any sort of impact for West Brom since that big-money move last summer and considering he’s on wages thought to be around £50k-per-week, as per The Sun [print version 13th September 2020, p61], he’d be better off elsewhere.

His salary could go towards a new signing, one who is actually fit enough, and good enough, to feature in the top-flight.

The Telegraph’s John Percy has played down the chances of any arrivals that exceed a transfer fee of £2m, so having Zohore off the bill would certainly help tenfold.

Millwall are thought to be playing less than half of his wages too (£17.5k-per-week), meaning since his arrival nearly 78 weeks ago, he’s cost around £13.4m and counting.

In total, that is around £2.7m per goal.

He has bled the Baggies dry for far too long. It’s time to get rid of him permanently.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Pereira: West Brom must seal bargain swoop for “creative” star…

Jose Mourinho will meet his former club this afternoon as he and Spurs side travel to Stamford Bridge to face their next Premier League hurdle. It could boil down into a really cagey affair in west London as the two rivals fight to assert their dominance in the table.

As it stands, just two points separate the clubs and a win or a draw for Tottenham will see them leapfrog Liverpool and reclaim their top spot.

Owner Roman Abramovich will be hoping that his 1,000th match in charge of the Blues will end in victory on home soil. However, Mourinho has the perfect chance to get revenge on the man who gave him the boot twice.

Mourinho masterclass

“You’ll have to ask Frank [Lampard] if they fear us or not,” the ex-Chelsea boss said ahead of the fixture. “But I don’t think fear is the right word at this level. We don’t fear anyone.”

With his fighting talk, he could unleash his new stroke of genius that has seen Spurs field perhaps the deadliest attack in the league this season. Mourinho has been deploying Harry Kane in a deeper role recently and his gamble has paid off in dividends.

Tottenham have scored 21 goals so far and the £250,000 per week forward has contributed to 16 of them with his seven goals and nine assists (via Transfermarkt). Kane’s deadly presence in front of goal and new unearthed playmaking ability could be crucial in Mourinho’s mission to upset Chelsea and Abramovich this afternoon. Lampard’s defence will need to be on high alert as they prepare to keep the Englishman and Son Heung-min quiet.

In other news, Exclusive: Gary Mabbutt makes bold Spurs Premier League claim…

Celtic’s turbulent season has seen them linked with several players ahead of the January transfer window. From defenders, to new attacking options, Neil Lennon is determined to bolster his squad and rectify his mistakes which has seen him and the Bhoys fall drastically away from this term’s title chance.

Their victory in the Scottish Cup to secure an historic ‘quadruple treble’ has been the boss’ saving grace but his future at the club is still in something of a grey area. If he can pull off a successful transfer window ahead of the new season, he could save his job.

But that’s not to say he should approach the January transfer window with all guns blazing. Celtic cannot afford to just throw money at players that aren’t going to benefit the team. This is the case with recently linked Benjamin Siegrist of Dundee United, as per the Daily Record.

Why Celtic must avoid Siegrist

Whilst the Hoops have indeed been struggling defensively this season, signing another goalkeeper is not the way to go. Peter Lawwell only just recently splashed out on Vasilis Barkas during the summer window and he has since been ousted from the team.

Both Scott Bain and academy graduate Conor Hazard have usurped the new recruit after he failed to impress Lennon in between the sticks. According to Transfermarkt, the Greek shot-stopper has conceded 18 goals in 17 appearances across all competitions for the Hoops. He has been selected by Lennon just once in their last five Premiership matches after falling drastically down the pecking order.

However, reported target Siegrist’s numbers are worse than this. The 28-year-old shipped 21 goals in 18 appearances for Dundee and has an extremely poor 43.5% passing accuracy for this season, as per WhoScored.

Siegrist’s low £1,500 per week wage might be attractive for Lawwell, but the answer to fixing Celtic’s inconsistent form does not lie in recruiting a fourth senior goalkeeper.

In other news, Odsonne Edouard was disappointing yet again vs Ross County…

Earlier this week, Tottenham Hotspur were linked with a potential swoop for Borussia Monchengladbach and emerging Germany star Florian Neuhaus.

According to Sport1, the north London outfit are one of several elite teams keeping tabs on the 23-year-old sensation as he continues to make waves in the Bundesliga.

From the summer, he’s set to be available for just €40m (£36m), as per the report, while CIES Football Observatory currently value him around €10m (£8.8m) more at €50m (£45m).

Indeed, the 6-foot midfielder has enjoyed quite the breakthrough in the past 18 months, but what would he bring to Spurs?

Unlike much of Jose Mourinho’s engine room options, Neuhaus is a pure box-to-box enforcer who is capable of consistently having a major influence at either end of the pitch.

This is something that just simply isn’t among the current Spurs squad and hasn’t been for quite some time. Therefore, a swoop for him this year would give the perennial underachievers something brand new.

According to The Sunday Times’ Duncan Castles, the Portuguese manager is chasing a box-to-box midfielder, so perhaps links to Neuhaus shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, though they will need to beat the likes of Bayern, Dortmund and Real Madrid to his signature.

Tanguy Ndombele is finally starting to show why Daniel Levy splashed a club-record £55m to secure him last year, he’s already contributed to four goals in 14 appearances at the half-way stage of the season, matching his returns from last season while he’s seen progression in dribbling, shooting and tackling numbers, per WhoScored.

All key facets to a box-to-box maestro. The Frenchman certainly seems to be filling that role for the time being, but that’s going to starve his attacking returns in the long run – after all, he delivered three goals and seven assists in his final season at Lyon.

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Moussa Sissoko is far from filling that role, averaging a paltry 0.1 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per game, and Giovani Lo Celso’s recent absence through injury will make it hard for him to emerge back into the starting XI.

Neuhaus eclipses all of these options.

Across the Bundesliga and Champions League this term, the three-time international has averaged 1.8 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game, showing his imperious presence and off-the-ball tendencies as well as also managing an average of 1.5 shots, 0.9 dribbles and 0.8 key passes per game, meaning he’s bustling up the pitch to contribute in the final third.

He also covered 7.4 miles of pitch per Bundesliga game in 2019/20. Industrious would be one word to describe it.

By comparison via Sky Sports, Sissoko managed a total of 196.36 kilometres, which is an average of 4.3 miles covered per game with Ndombele recording a total of 108.3 kilometres at an average of 3.2 miles per match, though he was restricted to only 12 starts.

Similarly, Neuhaus’ head coach Marco Rose lauded him an “exceptional talent” who has “the potential to become an even better player” earlier this season, echoing thoughts of Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who dubbed him the “complete midfielder.”

The German monster claims he has taken inspiration from and idolises former Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil, when asked about childhood idols, he said, via Bundesliga.com: “My uncle was a Bremen fan, I had a Bremen poster on my wall of Mesut Özil. I love watching Özil and Toni Kroos play.”

If Spurs want that different threat from midfield, then Levy should absolutely sanction a move for Neuhaus, whether that be now or in the summer. As evident above, he’s a completely new dimension and one that would certainly bolster Mourinho’s midfield armoury.

AND in other news, Spurs should sign “extraordinary” out-of-contract STAR over Gareth Bale this summer…

Newcastle United are believed to be in ongoing talks which would rid themselves of player who they rejected a £15m bid for earlier in the year, according to a new transfer claim.

Frustrating summer at Newcastle

The Magpies may not have been wholly convincing yet this season, but they have still picked up seven points from a possible nine in their opening three Premier League matches. Sunday's 2-1 win at home to Tottenham felt like a big result and the hope is that Eddie Howe's men can kick on further after the international break.

It was a frustrating summer in the transfer market at Newcastle, however, with Howe hinting at his dissatisfaction at not being backed enough financially, and failing to improve his squad enough in the process.

Lewis Hall was the most expensive addition from Chelsea, but even he was already on loan at St James' Park last season, and it could be a struggle for a top-four finish to materialise in the league, given the lack of stellar additions at the manager's disposal.

While the summer window has now slammed shut in England, some leagues in other countries are still able to sign and sell players, which has led to a key Newcastle exit update emerging.

Newcastle could loan out "unbelievable" player

According to a fresh update from Sky Sports, Newcastle could allow Kieran Trippier to leave on loan this month, having rejected a £15m bid from Bayern Munich for his services back in the January transfer window.

In fact, an exit could happen in the next fortnight while the international break is taking place, with Turkish trio Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Eyupspor all making "enquiries" about the England international and holding ongoing talks with the Tyneside outfit.

At this point, it does feel as though Trippier's time at Newcastle will come to an end in the coming weeks, having found himself down the pecking order under Howe as time has gone on, being limited to only 32 minutes of action in the league so far this season.

There is no doubt that the 33-year-old has been a brilliant signing for the Magpies, though, with none other than Alan Shearer waxing lyrical over him in the past: "Some of the balls he was putting into the box were just unbelievable. What a signing he has been for Newcastle, he’s in great form."

Given his age, it feels like the right time for Trippier to move on, however, allowing Newcastle to look to the future and continue using younger options instead of him. It will also let him enjoy regular playing time again, as he looks to kick on in the autumn of his career.

Newcastle must regret selling £13m star who's now worth more than Tonali

The Magpies sold a player in 2018 who is now at another Premier League club

1 ByRoss Kilvington Sep 3, 2024

Should he impress out on loan, a permanent exit next summer would then make perfect sense, considering the England international would only have one year remaining on his current deal at that point, but it may be frustrating from an Financial Fair Play perspective to see him leave on loan for nothing when they could have bagged themselves £15m earlier this year.