All posts by z3u9t.icu

Despite a late red card being picked up by Darnell Furlong, West Bromwich Albion kicked off their fresh tenure under Ryan Mason with a 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers.

Up next in the Championship, however, the Baggies have a tough away trip on the cards to Wrexham, who will be reeling themselves after a late 2-1 slip-up to Southampton at St. Mary’s.

Portsmouth and Stoke City then see out August as West Brom’s next opponents, with the second-tier table no doubt an intriguing read by the end of the action-packed month.

One or two new faces might even be donning Baggies’ blue and white for these tense contests, as Mason and Co. now weigh up a move for this former EFL ace to join the building.

West Brom express interest in ex-EFL attacker

It has been a lively transfer window for the West Midlands side so far.

The main notable purchase to date has been Aune Heggebo leaving Brann behind for pastures new in England for around the £4.7m price range, with the Nordic centre-forward already up and running in the EFL when he assisted Isaac Price’s goal on the opening day.

Away from this standout buy, the Championship promotion candidates have also been linked with some exciting new additions, with Cadiz attacker Chris Ramos reportedly on their radar to compete with Heggebo, presumably.

A fresh report by Hayters TV has also revealed that West Brom are contemplating dipping their toes into the German market to land St Pauli attacker Dapo Afolayan.

The report states that Mason’s men have expressed an interest in snapping up the Bundesliga forward, but further interest is also there from second-tier rivals Leicester City, Blackburn Rovers, and Swansea City.

Having once ripped up the EFL with Bolton Wanderers, Afolayan could welcome a return to familiar shores with the Baggies, as the Championship outfit attempt to secure their next Grady Diangana by landing the 27-year-old’s services.

How Afolayan can be the next Diangana

Mason underwent a clear-out of some of West Brom’s most experienced EFL personnel this summer as Diangana left the Hawthorns behind at the expiry of his contract.

This must have been a sad exit for the Congolese international who had amassed 26 goals and 22 assists for the Baggies from 206 appearances, as per Transfermarkt, with a creative hole in the side now needing to be filled by a new, gung-ho forward capable of playing down both the left and right flanks.

Afolayan might just be what West Brom desire, therefore, away from sticking with what they already have, when you consider his blistering exploits for Bolton in a number of different attacking positions.

In total for the Trotters, the 27-year-old would fire home a hefty 21 goals and pick up nine assists from 101 appearances, with a further 16 efforts finding the back of the net in Germany when plying his trade for St. Pauli, as three of those came about in the Bundesliga just last season.

LW

72

16 + 6

CF

60

12 + 4

RW

53

16 + 5

AM

27

7 + 2

SS

11

1 + 1

LM

11

2 + 0

The London-born attacker’s similarities to Diangana are even clearer to see when studying the table above, with Afolayan spreading his career goals and assists all across the forward positions, as the St Pauli number 17 even gifts Mason another option up top.

Diangana also lined up as a lone striker on occasion at the Hawthorns – as seen in a quickfire four goals coming his way from this spot on the pitch from just seven outings – with Afolayan also capable as a number ten, too, much like his former West Ham United counterpart.

Coincidentally, the 27-year-old also came through the Hammers academy system before making a name for himself elsewhere, with a hope he can blossom into a Championship star – like Diangana – by following his career path even more closely.

Once lauded for his “first-class” attitude by former Bolton boss Ian Evatt, Mason will hope adding in Afolayan before September’s deadline is yet another sprinkle of quality that pushes his side into the promotion reckoning.

West Brom could sign Heggebo upgrade in "extraordinary" £3m "monster"

West Bromwich Albion still have time to seal a deal for this EFL star who is even better than Aune Heggebo.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 11, 2025

Tottenham have thrusted themselves back into the market for a new playmaker, aiming to put their Eberechi Eze disaster behind them.

Spurs’ transfer plans were dealt a brutal blow after losing out on Eze in midweek, with Arsenal swooping in to hijack their deal on Wednesday night.

Daniel Levy earmarked the Crystal Palace star as their next marquee summer signing, a creative spark to soften the loss of Son Heung-min and cover for James Maddison’s devastating ACL injury. But just when it seemed they were in pole position, Arsenal made their move.

The Gunners opened talks with Palace and quickly accelerated negotiations. Eze, who bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, agreed to the switch despite also shaking hands on personal terms with Thomas Frank’s side.

For Tottenham, it’s a gut punch. The club had identified Eze as the player to carry the creative burden, particularly after Maddison’s long-term setback left a gaping hole in the number 10 role.

Losing out on him to their north London rivals only rubs more salt in the wound, especially after weeks of groundwork laid behind the scenes.

Spurs are now left scrambling for alternatives, but there’s no hiding the frustration. Eze ticked every box: proven Premier League quality, versatility across the front line, and the confidence to deliver in big moments. His numbers at Palace speak volumes, but it’s his ability to glide past defenders and unlock stubborn backlines that Frank will miss most.

Whoever comes in Eze’s stead will be crucial, and there is someone who the Tottenham recruitment team seriously want to sign.

Tottenham think Morgan Rogers is the "perfect" Eberechi Eze alternative

Speaking on his YouTube channel after Eze’s move to Arsenal broke, Fabrizio Romano shared that their dream number 10 alternative is Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers.

The England winger, valued at around £80 million, bagged a sensational 14 goals and 16 assists in all competitions last term as Unai Emery’s key attacking star, and he has real admirers inside Spurs.

Romano says Tottenham view Rogers as the “perfect” candidate for their attacking midfield role, but as things stand, it’s an almost impossible deal to pull off.

He mentions other candidates in his video, like Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, but the prospect of an ambitious late move for Rogers is very tantalising, albeit unlikely.

Leeds United failed to deliver on what Daniel Farke wanted from the end of the summer transfer window, as he wanted further attacking reinforcements added to his squad.

The German head coach wanted the 49ers to bring in more quality to bolster his options at the top end of the pitch, to add to Noah Okafor, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Lukas Nmecha.

Speaking ahead of the deadline, the manager said: “In defence and midfield, goalkeeper position and full-back position, we’ve done really good business. But we spoke quite open and honestly about it, we would need to add some more quality up front. We need to stay awake until the last hour of this window.”

Leeds were interested in a deal to sign Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, before Chelsea swooped in to sign him on loan to push the Whites out of the way.

The Argentine attacking midfielder reportedly earns £25k-per-week and could have been a shrewd and cost-effective signing for the Championship champions on loan.

Why Buoanotte would have been a value-for-money signing for Leeds

When you consider some of the wages that are being paid by Leeds within their current first-team squad, Buoanotte could have been a value-for-money addition to the group on a season-long loan.

Per Capology, for example, Jack Harrison is the top earner in the squad on a weekly wage of £90k, despite the fact that he scored one goal in the Premier League on loan at Everton last term and is not currently a starting XI player for Farke.

Whilst it is worth noting that Noah Okafor (£72.5k-per-week) is the only new signing whose wage is reported on Capology, Harrison does not appear to be providing value-for-money for the output that he offers on the pitch.

Particularly when you consider that Buonanotte scored five goals on loan at Leicester, per Sofascore, in the top-flight last season and only earns £25k-per-week, suggesting that he would offer more value for money than the English dud does.

Jack Harrison

£90k

Dan James

£70k

Pascal Struijk

£50k

Brenden Aaronson

£45k

Joe Rodon

£40k

Ethan Ampadu

£40k

Wilfried Gnonto

£30k

Illan Meslier

£30k

Jayden Bogle

£30k

Karl Darlow

£30k

As you can see in the table above, Brenden Aaronson, Karl Darlow, and Illan Meslier also feature within the top ten earners who were at the club at the start of the window, yet they have not started any games this season in the Premier League.

Aaronson, though, has at least come on as a substitute in all three of the team’s league matches so far, which shows that he is still part of Farke’s frontline plans.

The same cannot be said for Meslier, though, as the French goalkeeper has not made any of the matchday squads in any competition for the first-team this season.

He currently earns £5k more per week than Buonanotte does at Brighton/Chelsea, which emphasises how little the Whites are getting back for the wages they are paying him.

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The 49ers should be pushing to cash in on Meslier before the transfer windows in other countries around the globe slam shut, so that they can save roughly £1.5m-per-season on the shot-stopper.

Why Leeds should sell Illan Meslier

Leeds missing out on signing Buonanotte at £25k-per-week, when he scored five goals in the Premier League last season, puts into perspective how little the club are getting back from the wages that they are spending on some of their current squad.

As aforementioned, Meslier has not even made the bench for a match this season, with Lucas Perri and Darlow both ahead of him in the pecking order as it stands, yet he is earning even more than the promising Argentine playmaker.

This is why the 49ers should be pushing to sell him to any potentially interested clubs, whether that is in Turkey or elsewhere, in the coming weeks, if not then in the January transfer window.

Leeds United managing director Robbie Evans told The Athletic that there was some interest in Meslier before the English window slammed shut, but that it was not as strong as he expected for “a player of his calibre”.

Whilst the club are entitled to value the Frenchman as they wish, there has to be a degree of realism because the left-footed dud was unlikely to attract much high-level interest, in terms of clubs or possible transfer fees, after being dropped last season and demoted to third-choice at the start of the current campaign.

The 25-year-old dud made three errors that directly led to goals and conceded 2.73 more goals than expected in the Championship before being dropped for Darlow, per Sofascore, which speaks to how underwhelming his performances were.

Meslier’s struggles in the 2024/25 campaign were far from unpredictable, though, as he has rarely been an impressive or consistent shot-stopper in his career at Elland Road.

23/24 (Championship)

40

-3.1

22/23 (Premier League)

67

-12.4

21/22 (Premier League)

79

-16.2

20/21 (Premier League)

52

-3.4

As you can see in the table above, the French flop conceded a staggering 32 goals more than the post-shot xG expected him to in his three seasons in the Premier League.

This is why there needs to be some realism around a potential sale of Meslier because other teams will look at these performances, and the fact that he has dropped to third-choice this season, and wonder if it is worth spending millions to sign him for their club.

The left-footed goalkeeper, who was once dubbed a “massive liability” by journalist David Kent, has been too poor for too long between the sticks for Leeds, hence why he has found himself in this awkward position at the start of the season.

Therefore, the 49ers must finally try to work out a deal with any of the aforementioned interested teams that Robbie Evans mentioned, if their respective transfer windows are still open, in order to part ways with Meslier.

Worth more than Buonanotte & Wilson: Leeds hit gold signing "electric" star

Leeds United have hit the jackpot with this star who is worth even more than Facundo Buonanotte and Harry Wilson.

ByDan Emery Sep 2, 2025

It may have to wait until January when more teams are available to snap him up, but the lack of quality performances, or any performances at this moment in time, on the pitch shows that the club are not getting value for money out of his wages.

With their sights set on the January transfer window, Newcastle United have reportedly already made an early approach about signing a 2026 target for Eddie Howe.

Newcastle's January transfer targets

Even though the summer transfer window just slammed shut, rumours are already beginning to arrive regarding potential 2026 deals. That should come as no surprise for Newcastle fans, however.

The Magpies endured a tumultuous summer before eventually welcoming the strikers that they so desperately needed, but were forced to take their focus away from other areas. Now, with Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa at the club, PIF have the chance to address the other concerns that Howe may have about his squad.

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ByAngus Sinclair Sep 18, 2025

One of those could come in central midfield. As strong as Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton are together, there may be some concerns about the drop-off in quality when any of those three are missing. And whilst Jacob Ramsey’s arrival may help in that regard, those at St James’ Park are still eyeing improvements.

According to recent reports, Newcastle have set their sights on signing Kobbie Mainoo if the chance arrives in January. The Manchester United midfielder was denied the chance to leave Old Trafford on loan in the summer and was told by Ruben Amorim to fight for his place. Just how long he puts up with doing that is the question that Newcastle and others will have when the winter window arrives.

In a World Cup year, players who find themselves on the fringes of their current sides will be ones to watch. It’s not just Mainoo who’s struggling with that problem. Alongside him, Newcastle are also reportedly eyeing another England international.

Newcastle make approach to sign Gallagher

According to The Boot Room, Newcastle have made an approach to sign Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid in January. The Magpies have reportedly made contact asking to be kept informed about the England midfielder, who is growing frustrated by his bit-part role at the Spanish club.

If Atletico Madrid make the former Chelsea man available, then the likes of Manchester United, Newcastle and Crystal Palace are all reportedly ready to race towards his signature. Given that he just started against Liverpool in the Champions League, however, it seems as though Diego Simeone is still keen to find a place for Gallagher in his side.

A player who needs no introduction to English football, the 25-year-old once found himself at the centre of Gareth Southgate’s praise. The former England boss was pleased with how he worked his way back into the Three Lions’ set-up in a similar way to how he could now do so under Thomas Tuchel.

With Newcastle setting their sights on his arrival and the World Cup approaching, there’s no doubt that Gallagher is already one to watch for the January transfer window.

Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall has been sublime so far this season, but he’s not the only “superstar” teenager at Spurs as one youngster vies to battle the Swede for a place in Thomas Frank’s starting eleven.

The 19-year-old is making his £8.5 million fee look like peanuts after an excellent first year and a half in north London.

Since joining from Djurgardens in February last year, with Tottenham beating Barcelona to Bergvall’s signature, the midfielder has worked his way into the first-team and made a grand total of 45 appearances in all competitions last term.

Bergvall suffered an ankle injury towards the end of 2024/2025 which prevented him from playing a role in the Europa League final, or in the semis, but the Scandinavian sensation is truly back with a bang.

Appearances

51

Goals

2

Assists

6

Bookings

8

Minutes played

2,625

via Transfermarkt

He scored his first ever Premier League goal for Tottenham in a 3-0 London derby win away to West Ham, sending an expertly guided looping header over Mats Hermansen, and earned a Man of the Match award for his display.

Just a few days later, Bergvall played a key role in Luiz Junior’s own goal to hand Tottenham a 1-0 win over Villarreal in their Champions League opener, earning his second Player of the Match award in quick succession.

Barcelona are still reeling after missing out on the midfielder, according to Spanish news outelt AS, and it really isn’t difficult to see why.

Bergvall has been called Tottenham’s next potential superstar, leaving fellow highly-rated young midfielder Archie Gray with a mountain to climb as he looks to establish himself as a key player undder Frank.

The 19-year-old did extremely well in his debut season, and under very difficult circumstances. Ange Postecoglou thrust Gray into the centre of defence amid Spurs’ injury crisis last season, having been asked to play an unfamiliar and uncomfortable role during what was a very trying time.

The former Leeds United star earned due praise for this, but Bergvall’s form, combined with Tottenham’s extra senior options, has limited Gray’s playing time to just 89 minutes so far this term.

Archie Gray vying for Lucas Bergvall's spot at Tottenham

However, as per journalist Graeme Bailey, Gray is not one to back down from a challenge, and will battle Bergvall for a place in Spurs’ squad.

Sharing further insight, Bailey still refused to rule out the prospect of a temporary move away for Gray in January.

Archie Gray must get game time at Tottenham this season

To further his development, it is vital that Frank hands Gray the minutes he deserves.

After weathering the storm of Tottenham’s 2024/2025 season, he’s more than earned his place in the senior set-up, with his versatility also potentially very attractive to Spurs’ new boss.

It is still very early days, and injuries could still take their toll on the squad to hand Gray a route back into regular first-team action.

Ideally, he’d earn his place via a different route, but Frank will still welcome his players working hard to battle for a place in what is now a much stronger Lilywhites side in terms of depth compared to last year.

Celtic dropped down to second in the Scottish Premiership table on Saturday afternoon as they were held to a drab 0-0 draw by Hibernian at Parkhead.

The Hoops have dropped points in two of their six matches in the top-flight so far this season, and they now sit two points behind Hearts in the table.

Brendan Rodgers made a few changes to the starting line-up to freshen things up after the 1-1 draw with Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League on Thursday night, but the players coming in did not push their case forward to keep a starting berth. Arne Engels was one of those players who did not take their chance.

Why Arne Engels should be dropped by Celtic

The Belgium international was brought into the central midfield mix to replace Benjamin Nygren, who dropped to the bench, but produced an underwhelming performance in the middle of the park.

Engels, who was signed for £11m from Augsburg last summer, was substituted in the 68th minute of the match after failing to register a shot on target or a ‘big chance’ created, per Sofascore.

The 22-year-old flop lost possession of the ball 18 times and only created two chances, neither of which were ‘big chances’, before Rodgers decided to haul him off for the last 20 minutes.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Engels should, therefore, be dropped from the starting line-up after he failed to take his chance to impress. However, the Belgian was not the only underperformer for the Hoops, as Kelechi Iheanacho was even worse than him.

Why Celtic should drop Kelechi Iheanacho

The Nigeria international was brought into the starting line-up to replace Daizen Maeda in the number nine position after he came off the bench to score in the draw with Red Star Belgrade.

As you can see in the clip above, the former Sevilla striker did brilliantly to take the ball under control and find the top corner between two defenders to put the Hoops ahead in that match.

Unfortunately, the left-footed attacker was unable to follow that up with an impressive performance from the start against Hibernian, as he wasted several chances to find the back of the net.

Minutes

67

Shots

4

Shots on target

1

Big chances missed

2

Passes completed

9/10

Key passes

1

Big chances created

0

As you can see in the table above, Iheanacho spurned the two big chances that he had, one of which was a tap in that he struck the crossbar with from close range.

The worst part of his performance was that the one chance that he did take, finding the back of the net with a nice finish, was offside because he mistimed his run across the front post.

Along with his poor play in front of goal, Iheanacho also lost 100% of his duels (1/1), per Sofascore, which shows that he did not compete with and make it hard for the Hibs defenders.

This is why he was even worse than Engels, who won more duels (two), created more chances (two), and missed fewer ‘big chances’ (one) than the striker, per Sofascore.

"Phenomenal" Celtic star looks like the biggest loser from Tounekti's rise

This Celtic star may end up being the biggest loser from Sebastian Tounekti’s form.

ByDan Emery Sep 23, 2025

Both of Iheanacho’s goals for Celtic so far have come as a substitute. This, perhaps, suggests that coming off the bench to make an impact should be his role for now, which is why he must be ditched from the starting XI against Braga.

There’s no doubt that Manchester United’s dismal displays on the pitch over the last couple of seasons have fallen way below the expectations placed on the side by the supporters.

The Red Devils faithful have been treated to constant success, as seen by their tally of 13 Premier League titles – all of which came under Sir Alex Ferguson’s guidance.

Ruben Amorim is the latest manager to try and add himself to the list of managers to achieve such a feat, with the club now going 12 years without an English top-division title.

However, the club’s 15th-placed finish in 2024/25 highlights the work he and the first-team squad have to do before being able to achieve such a feat in the near future.

Whilst the prospect of battling for a title this campaign remains extremely slim, the 40-year-old will have certainly seen improvements in numerous players within his ranks.

Man Utd’s star performers in 2025/26 to date

In an attempt to get back to their former glory, United forked out a fee in the region of £71m for the signature of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford during the recent summer transfer window.

Given the nature of the fee, the supporters have no doubt had big expectations of the forward to thrive, but he’s already shown glimpses that he’s able to live up to the hype.

The 26-year-old has netted two goals and registered an assist in his first eight outings for the club, already cementing himself as one of Amorim’s most important attackers.

He’s not been alone in impressing in such an area, with Amad Diallo also making an impression and picking up where he left off from the closing stages of last campaign.

The Ivorian has failed to register a single goal or assist, but has ranked third in the squad for chances created – subsequently highlighting his ability to cause the opposition endless chaos.

However, despite the performances of the aforementioned duo, one other first team member has managed to impress and managed to turn his career at the club around.

The United star who’s been their Player of the Season so far

Given the lowly league finish last time around, it’s a surprise to no one that many United players struggled to make the desired impact at Old Trafford.

Numerous players were moved on during the summer transfer window, as Amorim looked to complete an overhaul of his first-team squad to help suit his 3-4-2-1 system.

Part of the reason behind the departures was to make room for the £200m spending spree, which allowed the likes of Mbeumo to complete their own moves to the North West.

However, some of the below-par performers did stay put at the Theatre of Dreams, with Matthijs de Ligt just one talent who the manager decided to keep hold of ahead of 2025/26.

The Dutch international was often dug out for his lack of impact last season, with former Red Devils fan favourite Paul Scholes also voicing his disappointment with the defender.

Speaking on The Overlap last season, the 50-year-old described his lack of form as a “big concern” amid his move to Manchester – but us safe to say the former Bayern Munich star has started to prove his doubters wrong.

De Ligt has started all seven of the club’s 2025/26 league games to date, featuring for every minute and helping Amorim’s men keep a clean sheet in the recent win against Sunderland.

Games played

7

Minutes played

630

Pass accuracy

88%

Duels won

6.2

Aerials won

3.6

Interceptions made

1.2

Dribble success

50%

Tackles won

2.2

His underlying stats are just as impressive, subsequently winning 6.2 duels per 90 – a tally that ranks him within the top 16% of all players in the Premier League.

He’s also won 3.6 aerial battles and made 1.2 interceptions per 90, with such numbers undoubtedly handing the side the defensive presence they lacked last season.

In possession, the 26-year-old has been just as impressive, completing 88% of the passes he’s attempted – arguably being the perfect all-round defender for the Red Devils.

Given his lack of form last campaign, and prior to joining United, it truly is a credit to the player for his remarkable turnaround, with De Ligt arguably one of the first names on the teamsheet at present.

His performances have certainly made him the club’s Player of the Season to date, with real hope that he can maintain such levels for the remainder of 2025/26.

Man Utd's "generational" gem is their best teen star since Rooney & Ronaldo

Man Utd fans can get excited about their highest potential youngster since the days of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 9, 2025

Celtic have failed to score in six competitive games in the 2025/26 campaign so far, most recently against Dundee on Sunday, as Brendan Rodgers has struggled to find consistent performers at the top end of the pitch.

The Hoops lost one of their most productive attacking outlets in the summer when they sold Nicolas Kuhn to Italian side Como for a fee of £16.5m.

Celtic’s number ten provided 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions last season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he offered a consistent threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

The German winger’s number ten shirt was vacated when he left to sign for Como, and summer signing Michel-Ange Balikwisha took over the mantle this season.

Why Celtic need more from Michel-Ange Balikwisha

Celtic signed the Belgian forward from Royal Antwerp for a fee £5m to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch, but he has yet to nail down a place in the starting XI.

The right-footed attacker has provided one assist in seven matches in all competitions for the Hoops, failing to score a single goal, and was an unused substitute against Braga in the Europa League, per Sofascore.

Balikwisha’s assist off the bench for Daizen Maeda’s winner against Motherwell before the international break has been his only meaningful contribution in a Celtic shirt to date, which is why he has only started two of his five outings in the Scottish Premiership.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Celtic need more quality, goals, and assists from their £5m signing in the final third to justify the price tag and the number ten shirt that he inherited from Kuhn.

Whilst Balikwisha is failing to live up to the number ten shirt, there is another summer signing whose form for the club suggests that he could snatch that number from the Belgian.

Why Sebastian Tounekti is Celtic's next number ten in the making

Sebastian Tounekti arrived from Hammarby for a fee of around £5m, so a similar price tag to Balikwisha’s, and he has hit the ground running in Scotland.

The Tunisia international has started all seven of his appearances for the club since his move to Parkhead on deadline day, including four in the Premiership, two in the Europa League, and one in the League Cup.

Tounekti endeared himself to the supporters in his first appearance for the Hoops against Kilmarnock in September, with direct play that led to four chances created, per Sofascore.

The 23-year-old star scored his first goal for the Scottish giants against Partick Thistle in the League Cup, but he has yet to register a goal or an assist in the Premiership, despite his best efforts.

Appearances

4

Goals

0

Key passes per game

2.5

Assists

0

Dribbles completed per game

1.8

Dribble success rate

41%

As you can see in the table above, the Tunisian star has created ten chances for his teammates in just four appearances, but they have failed to take any of them, which suggests that he is incredibly unfortunate not to have assisted any goals.

Journalist John McGinley claimed “likes being a problem” to opposition defences. That is a quote that sums Tounekti up perfectly, as he is a fearless winger who likes to take players on and make things happen, just as Kuhn was for the Hoops last term.

Balikwisha, who has created 0.4 chances per game and failed to complete any dribbles in the Premiership (Sofascore), has not played with that same fearless attitude in his appearances on the flank.

Unless the Belgian winger can turn his form around and produce performances full of flair, leading to goals and assists, for Celtic in the coming months, there may be question marks over his suitability for the Scottish giants.

Forget Yang: Rodgers can solve Maeda blow by unleashing Celtic star in new role

Celtic could solve their Daizen Maeda injury blow by unleashing this star in a new role.

1 ByDan Emery Oct 20, 2025

If that becomes the case, Tounekti’s fearless performances could see him in pole position to snatch the number ten shirt away from him when the time comes, as he embodies what Kuhn provided with his exciting displays on the wing before his move to Como.

Ex-Celtic striker Charlie Mulgrew has told the Hoops exactly what they must offer Jurgen Klopp to become their Brendan Rodgers replacement in what would be a sensational move.

The Bhoys are still looking for their next manager as Martin O’Neill continues to be a success as interim boss. The 73-year-old made it two wins from two on Sunday after defeating Old Firm rivals Rangers 3-1 after extra-time in the Scottish League Cup semi-final.

It was just like old times for O’Neill, who watched on as goals from Callum McGregor and a first goal for Callum Osmand ensured that his side got one over on their biggest rivals once again.

Relieved to earn a place in the final, O’Neill told reporters at full-time: “It was an incredible game. We were terrific and got the goal in front and got one disallowed for offside.

“We were in command, but I was saying to [assistant] Shaun Maloney we needed a goal to kill the game off and six or seven minutes later, Rangers get the penalty. I was 73 on Monday… I’m 94 now!”

Victory against Rangers has done O’Neill’s chances of becoming the next Celtic manager no harm, that’s for sure. Although the Northern Irishman was quick to admit that he’s just keeping the seat warm when first arriving, two wins from two has sparked rumours that he could yet get the job until the end of the current campaign.

With Ange Postecoglou taking a break from football and reportedly pulling out of the race and other candidates such as Nicky Hayen still in a job, O’Neill may make perfect sense. He’s more experienced than most, especially at Celtic Park, and he is already turning things around.

But he’s not everyone’s first choice. Instead, Mulgrew has urged Dermot Desmond to “go big” and turn to a Champions League winner in Klopp.

Mulgrew urges Celtic to "go big" and hire Jurgen Klopp

Speaking on the latest edition of The Warm-Up Show, ex-Hoops player Mulgrew urged Celtic to hire Klopp and offer the former Liverpool manager a contract worth as much as £7m-a-year, which works out at £135k-a-week.

There’s no denying that it would be an incredible appointment. Klopp transformed Liverpool, awaking English giants and taking them back to Champions League glory, but it seems unlikely that he would make a return to the dugout for Celtic.

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That said, whilst unlikely, all hope isn’t lost. The Liverpool legend recently admitted on Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast that a return to management is still possible – saying: “I’m 58, that means I could make the decision in a few years, I don’t know. Do I have to make the decision today?

“Then I will not coach again. But thank God, I don’t have to do that. I can just see what the future brings.”

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Leeds United fans must now be growing impatient with Daniel Farke at the helm, as another disastrous away performance was put in against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Heading into this huge tie towards the lower reaches of the Premier League, Forest had managed to collect just one home victory all season long.

Thankfully for Sean Dyche’s men, Leeds felt in a charitable mood defensively as another horror show performance on the road saw the Whites crash to a 3-1 loss, which now leaves the away side just one point above the dreaded bottom three spaces.

While the Tricky Trees have shot up to nine points after the win, and have some much-needed hope now that they can get out of their relegation mire, Leeds seem to be getting sucked more and more into a dog-fight as the season progresses, with several Whites first-teamers letting their under-fire manager down in the dreadful defeat.

Leeds' biggest underperformers against Forest

Minus Lukas Nmecha, who hammered home Leeds’ opening strike of the day before the wheels fell off, not many Leeds shirts can come away from that 3-1 loss with their heads held high.

In particular, the Leeds midfield ranks badly let the German down, as Sean Longstaff looked nowhere near his assured best when squandering possession 13 times.

Moreover, Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu also looked a shadow of his Championship best up against Dyche’s rejuvenated hosts, with the Whites captain failing to provide the away side’s defence with a stern cover, when winning just four of his nine duel attempts.

He was also at fault when Morgan Gibbs-White headed home the game-clinching second goal for the Tricky Trees, as the Welshman – alongside an equally ropey Jaka Bijol – left the England international in acres of room to become Forest’s hero on the day.

Farke will know he needs to make some alterations for Leeds’ next Premier League clash against Aston Villa in a bid to save his job.

Farke must now ditch Leeds' new Meslier-like figure

A certain Illan Meslier is now nowhere to be seen in the Leeds starting lineups, despite once being a regular week in, week out, stretching all the way back to the glory days of Marcelo Bielsa.

He was a consistent starter last season up to a point, too, before far too many error-prone moments started seeping into his game, leaving Farke with no choice but to bring in reserve stopper Karl Darlow to see out the rest of Leeds’ promotion bid.

Former Arsenal winger Perry Groves would put it down to a “lack of concentration” on the ex-Lorient goalkeeper’s end when consistently making errors, which made Leeds move for a new number one stopper in Lucas Perri in the summer.

The Frenchman hasn’t always been dismissed as an accident waiting to happen in between the sticks, though, with 21 clean sheets tallied up last season when at the peak of his powers.

Another scapegoat in the shape of Brenden Aaronson could well be becoming a new Meslier-type figure in the here and now for Leeds.

An unbelievable performance against West Ham United, which saw him bag Leeds’ opener, was then followed up by two forgettable showings against Brighton and Hove Albion and Forest to start November off on a damp note and push him back into the spotlight as an inconsistent individual who lets his side down too often, just like Meslier.

Minutes played

90

74

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

0

1

Touches

41

38

Accurate passes

24/26 (92%)

14/15 (93%)

Shots

0

2

Successful dribbles

0/2

1/7

Possession lost

11x

10x

Ball recoveries

1

10

Total duels won

3/10

8/16

Across Leeds’ last two pitiful defeats on the road, Aaronson has only managed to muster up one successful dribble from nine attempts, which is a far cry from him completing all 100% of his dribbles against West Ham as a reliable livewire.

On top of that, while the American found himself in the thick of the action all night long against Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, he could only amass a lacklustre 38 touches of the ball versus Forest, with the aforementioned Perri even managing more in between the sticks at 44.

These constant hot and cold performances could kill Farke in the long run as he searches for consistent form from all his players to save his skin, with Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth handing Aaronson a 4/10 post-match rating even after he had a minimal part to play in Nmecha’s early strike.

Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto are available in reserve down the right flank if Farke wants to ditch the attacking midfielder who has been so staunchly loyal to.

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