All posts by n8rngtd.top

West Ham are believed to have verbally agreed a five-year deal with a "ridiculously good" target, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

West Ham transfer news

The Hammers have already brought in some key names this summer, from Max Kilman to Luis Guilherme, and it looks as though Leeds United winger Crysenscio Summerville will be the next player through the door. A deal has reportedly been agreed, with a £25m+ move expected to come to fruition sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, Villarreal striker Alexander Sorloth is one of many attacking players to have been linked with a move to the London Stadium. The 28-year-old was on fire in La Liga last season, scoring 23 goals in the competition, not to mention also registering six assists, showing that he is more than just a goalscorer.

Borussia Dortmund marksman Niclas Fullkrug is also considered a strong target for West Ham, having helped his side get to the Champions League final last season, as well as scoring twice for Germany at Euro 2024 earlier this summer, despite not starting a single game.

Lens centre-back Kevin Danso has been linked with a move to the Hammers, too, as Julen Loptegui looks to add more depth at the heart of his defence, despite having already secured the impressive signing of Kilman from Wolves. The 25-year-old started 30 games for the French side in Ligue 1 last term, averaging 3.8 clearances per game.

West Ham agree five-year deal with "ridiculously good" ace

According to Plettenberg on X, West Ham are now closing in on the signing of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with a verbal agreement in place over a long-term deal switch for the Manchester United defender. Technical director Tim Steidten has tabled a £10m bid, although the Red Devils want up to £18m.

Wan-Bissaka may have his detectors, in terms of his technical limitations as an attacking right-back, but he could still be an excellent signing for West Ham, not least because of his defensive expertise.

The Englishman has been renowned for his one-on-one ability up against opposition wingers for many years, with Tottenham ace James Maddison calling him "ridiculously good" in that area of his game.

Wan-Bissaka would represent a younger option than Vladimir Coufal, and while he hasn't always reached the expectations of him at a club the size of United, West Ham could be the perfect club for him to showcase his quality, as was the case at Crystal Palace before his move to Old Trafford.

The Blaugrana moved nine points clear the week after winning El Clasico, but their lead is now down to one having played a game more than Los Blancos

On October 26, Lamine Yamal admitted that he and his Barcelona team-mates believed themselves to be "the best team in the world". One could easily understand why. At the time of his revelation, Yamal was standing inside Santiago Bernabeu, where Barca had just routed Real Madrid 4-0 – only three days after battering Bayern Munich 4-1 at Montjuic.

There was a swagger about Hansi Flick's side; no side in Europe was playing with such self-confidence. "We've proven that we can beat anyone," Yamal proudly declared.

That still remains the case but, right now, Barca also look capable of losing to anyone. After going nine points clear of Madrid by beating city rivals Espanyol the week after the Clasico, the Blaugrana's lead is down to one after a rotten run of results against mid-table teams.

So, has Barca's bubble burst? Is Hansi's honeymoon in Catalunya over? Or is this just a blip for the Blaugrana?

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Risk versus reward

  Flick's Barcelona play a dangerous game. An incredibly high line allows them to put opponents under serious pressure, but it also leaves them vulnerable to the well-timed counter-attacks on account of the acres of space they leave in behind their backline. As far as Flick is concerned, though, the risk is very much worth the reward. The Clasico was a case in point.

  Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged beforehand that Barca's high line was a problem that he needed to solve. He said he had a plan in mind but, whatever it was, it clearly didn't work, as Madrid simply couldn't cope with the Catalans and Flick's forwards ran riot as a result, with the revitalised Robert Lewandowski, Yamal and Raphinha all on target.

  Flick had successfully squeezed the life out of the reigning European and Spanish champions, and it was even reported afterwards that he had told his players during the interval, "Anyone who drops back a metre, I'll substitute them!"

  However, while his tactics definitely worked a treat, the final scoreline unquestionably flattered the visitors. Their performance was impressive and their victory fully deserved but, lest anyone forget, Madrid created plenty of chances (their xG was 1.48 to Barca's 2.58) and it would have been a very different game had Kylian Mbappe been capable of timing a run.

  And what we're starting to see in recent weeks is what happens when Barca's pressing and high line malfunction.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  'Everyone can play better'

  Barca were only beaten 1-0 by Real Sociedad on November 10 and they were undeniably robbed of a legitimate goal by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) – but even the controversy surrounding an erroneous offside call on Lewandowski couldn't disguise the abject nature of the Blaugrana's performance at the Anoeta.

  It was a similar story in their following Liga outing, against Celta Vigo. Barca were held to a 2-2 draw after conceding twice in the final six minutes following the dismissal of Marc Casado, but Flick was the first to admit that they'd been awful all evening.

  "It wasn't just the last 10 minutes," the German told reporters. "It was the whole match. We played a really bad game. We have to be honest. We made a lot of mistakes, also in the first half, and we weren't confident with the ball. We didn't play the football we're used to. We were lucky with some situations and in the end we got a point and we have to react because it can't be repeated.

  "These are things that can happen but we have to look forward. The least bad thing is that it's only one match and we got a point, but we're not happy and neither are the players. Everyone can play better than today."

  The problem is that very few have in the past couple of games and Barca have seen a massive lead in La Liga almost completely wiped out.

• (C)Getty Images
  

  'Many things we're doing wrong'

  In fairness to Barca, they really should have beaten Las Palmas on Saturday. As Flick pointed out, they created more than enough chances to do so: "We had 70 percent possession and 27 shots." On another day, they could have won handily – instead of losing 2-1 at home to a team that hadn't beaten Barca away from home for 53 years.

  However, the Las Palmas loss isn't being dismissed as nothing more than a freak result, given it's hardly happened in a vacuum. Barca have now dropped eight points in their last three games and tough questions are now being asked of a team that is experiencing its first poor run of form under Flick.

  "We’re lowering the level of what we were doing," captain Raphinha confessed to after seeing his equaliser on Saturday fail to prove the catalyst for a much-needed come-from-behind win. "There are many things we are doing wrong.

  "I’m angry. I don’t care much about my goal, I only cared about the victory and we didn't win, so I'm not satisfied."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  'Have to reconnect'

  Flick is in no doubt that Barca can turn things around, though, starting with Tuesday's tricky trip to Mallorca. "I believe in the players," he said. "I have faith in them."

  The former Bayern Munich boss also denied that the squad is suddenly suffering from some sort of collective crisis of confidence. However, Flick did not dispute allegations that his team is no longer exhibiting anything like the same intensity and cohesion as before. At a time when Barca should be improving as a number of key men return from injury, they're actually looking increasingly disjointed.

  "When I started here I already told them that there would be no excuses," the German said. "It is normal that some players when they return from injury are not at their highest level, but if we play as a team we should be able to beat anyone. But if some players are disconnected, it will not go well.

  "The defence is not just about the four players at the back. Players alone cannot win games. It’s always about the team. We need to have good connections in defence and attack. We have to change, we have to defend better. We have to go back and reconnect." And sooner rather than the later.

The Bundesliga giants have ripped off an impressive run of results of late as they prepare to face Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Bayern Munich's desperate search for a manager to succeed Thomas Tuchel feels like a lifetime ago. After confirming back in February they would part ways with their head coach, the club were unable to appoint a successor until the end of May.

The 'godfather of gegenpressing' Ralf Rangnick was heavily linked with the job. A humiliating reunion with Julian Nagelsmann was touted. An even more humiliatingly reconciliation with Tuchel before he walked out the Allianz Arena doors was briefly on the table.

Alas, their attempts to bring in a German candidate who knew the Bundesliga inside out proved fruitless. Attention then surprisingly turned to Vincent Kompany, who had just overseen Burnley's meek relegation from the Premier League and proclaimed his readiness for the challenge of winning promotion from the Championship for a second time.

It was a gamble based on promise and potential. The Clarets' 2022-23 campaign was built on a young and newly-assembled team playing pretty football, before living and dying by those principles the following season. So far, Bayern have benefitted from Kompany's 'tweaked' approach and newfound discipline.

Heading into Saturday's clash with arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund, Bayern have pieced together a run of seven-successive clean sheets, all the while maintaining the extra attacking edge they had hoped for under their new boss.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Inherited problem

  Many of Bayern's struggles under Tuchel came from a lack of cohesion both on and off the ball. There was plenty of firepower in the ranks, though seldom the teamwork needed to do an appropriate enough job in both boxes.

  It was the task at the defensive end which gave the German coach most problems. Having been famed for tightening up Chelsea's leaky backline so quickly they won the Champions League within five months of his arrival, Tuchel was under pressure to do the same in Munich, only to find solutions lacking. With his job on the line, Tuchel lobbied for the January arrivals of Eric Dier and Sacha Boey to try and steady the ship. There was short-term promise, but nothing more.

  Bayern's recruitment, once near-faultless, all of a sudden was viewed as disastrous. Their bank-breaking deal to bring in Kim Min-jae, the 2022-23 Serie A Defender of the Year and a Scudetto-winner with Napoli, appeared to have backfired after a string of calamitous performances, which eventually led to Tuchel blaming the South Korean for their 2-2 draw with Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals. Questions also remained over Dayot Upamecano, who hadn't kicked on as hoped at club level despite some more promising displays with the France national team.

  Tuchel's second and final season at Bayern ended in European heartache and a third-place Bundesliga finish behind runaway, superhuman leaders Bayer Leverkusen – acceptable – and surprise package Stuttgart – less acceptable.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Controversial sale

  Kompany's remit was clear. He had to instil an attacking identity, lean on youth a little bit more, and sort out the messy defence. In essence, he had to improve left for him by Tuchel, who handed over the keys to the club with the willingness of a realtor who had duped a none-the-wiser couple into buying a haunted house.

  Reshaping the back four saw Bayern move for Stuttgart's Hiroki Ito and finalise Dier's permanent signing on a free transfer after his initial loan from Tottenham. Josip Stanisic's return from title-winners Leverkusen also bolstered Kompany's options, and the promise to move Joshua Kimmich back into midfield opened up other avenues for his positional rivals at right-back.

  Baby steps were appreciated by supporters in Bavaria, only for the club to tip away that goodwill when they chose to sell Matthijs de Ligt to Manchester United – a decision so unpopular that over 60,000 people signed a petition protesting this call.

  "We all want Matthijs de Ligt to stay at FC Bayern Munich!" the petition read. "He has proven that he's a world-class defender, probably the best in our squad. There is a reason why he was elected as our best player in the 2022-23 season. Furthermore, he is only 24 years old and has a bright future ahead, which he is going to use to fulfil his huge potential.

  "Despite his young age, Matthijs is already very mature and has a great mentality which will definitely make him a leading figure in defence and probably a competitor for captaincy in some years. His ability to speak English, German and Dutch fluently would help him a lot for that. When 19, he led Ajax to the Champions League semi finals as captain.

  "Selling Matthijs de Ligt would be an absolutely horrible decision and we would definitely regret it. That's why we use our voice to call attention that we will NOT make this mistake!"

  Those pleas, however, fell on deaf ears, and De Ligt joined Noussair Mazraoui in swapping the Allianz Arena for Old Trafford.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kompany's revolution

  There were a few teething issues for Bayern to begin their first season with Kompany at the helm. With Michael Olise joining from Crystal Palace and the sensational Jamal Musiala more involved in build-up, their attacking upside was quickly realised, but was counteracted and balanced back out a little by their limit-pushing offside trap.

  How sustainable the team's aggressive pressing was became another factor for consideration. A new manager bounce, albeit one to open a campaign rather than midway through it, produced an uptick in attacking urgency and movement on the ball, but not off of it in the other direction.

  Nonetheless, Kompany was swiftly praised for his efforts in establishing a new identity, even if much of the team's core remained the same from the previous term. The cons listed against the Belgian upon arrival in southern Germany were regarding his strict man-management and gung-co carelessness, yet these concerns eased through the opening months of his tenure.

  There were some notably high-scoring wins to boot too, including a 9-2 mauling of Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League and successive victories by five goals in September Bundesliga matches, and by the time they met Barcelona at the end of October, talk was bubbling over their prospects of conquering Europe.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Turning point

  In the battle of the exciting upstarts who we didn't know if they were the real thing or not, Barcelona prevailed. That's putting it lightly, actually. They smashed Bayern 4-1 at their temporary home on the Montjuic mountaintop.

  Barca – coached by ex-Bayern boss Hansi Flick and undertaking his own redemption arc – scythed through their visitors again and again, while Kompany's side failed to beat the hosts' devilish offside trap. A competitive first half was followed by a one-sided second, and the head coach was punchy with his assessment when speaking to German media after the final whistle.

  "There are no excuses," Kompany said. "What's important is that we learn from this game. This game won't decide our season. Why there was such a big difference between the first and second half is something we need to look at."

  Ironically, this may have actually turned out to be the game which decide Bayern's season, in a twisted and convoluted sense.

Fulham look set to build upon last season's 13th-place finish in the Premier League by bringing new attacking talent to Craven Cottage this summer.

Fulham launch bids for forward players

The big news concerning Fulham's transfer activity has been their pursuit of Arsenal winger Emile Smith Rowe. A recent report from BBC Sport suggested that the Gunners had rejected an initial offer for the player, with the Cottagers now weighing up whether to renew their efforts and put in an improved bid for the 23-year-old.

Fulham "weighing up" second bid to sign £60,000-p/w Palhinha replacement

The Cottagers just lost their star man to Bayern Munich…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 18, 2024

Fulham have also held a long-standing interest in Besiktas talent Semih Kilicsoy. It was reported at the start of July that the west London outfit had opened talks with Besiktas over a potential transfer after scouting the 18-year-old for many months. It was suggested that Marco Silva's side had submitted an opening bid in the region of €20million (£16.8million) for the player.

The Cottagers have not been alone in their interest in the Turkey star, with Aston Villa also making an approach for Kilicsoy. The most recent development out of Turkey has seen the Villans table a fresh €30milllion (£25million) offer to sign the striker.

With the promise of European football potentially proving too enticing for Kilicsoy to turn down, Fulham may have to look towards other targets. With the Cottagers already in communication with Besiktas, it appears that the club could be making a move for another of the Süper Lig outfit's stars.

Fulham return for another Besiktas star

As relayed by Sport Witness, the Turkish press are now claiming that Fulham are showing an interest in Besiktas youngster Mustafa Hekimoglu. The outlet states that the Cottagers have been following the attacker for a considerable time and they are now preparing an official offer.

With the west London club having already made contact for Kilicsoy it is reported that they will use these existing links to step up their pursuit of Hekimoglu. Whilst many of the Craven Cottage faithful will be disappointed to see their club miss out on Kilicsoy, his teammate could end up being an even bigger talent.

Despite having just 6 Süper Lig appearances to his name, the 17-year-old has impressed at youth level scoring 5 goals in 12 games for Besiktas Under-19s last season. Hekimoglu also got his first taste of European football last season when he came off the bench in Besiktas' Conference League victory over FC Lugano back in December.

Hekimoglu has also enjoyed a successful career on the international stage, making a number of appearances for Turkey's youth sides. The forward most recently represented his country at under-18 level, where he scored in a 10-1 demolition of Jamaica.

The teenager has spent the majority of his career playing as a central striker, but has been deployed as both a left and right-winger when needed.

Whilst it is highly unlikely that Hekimoglu will step straight into the first team at Craven Cottage, there is every chance that he can continue his upward trajectory and become a regular fixture at Fulham in the not-too-distant future.

Barcelona sporting director Deco says it is "nice" to see Lamine Yamal compared to Lionel Messi, but insists the winger is a "unique" talent.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Yamal compared to Messi amid Barca heroics
• Was subject of reported €250m PSG offer
• Deco spoke out on young winger's future

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 17-year-old's rapid rise to stardom with Barcelona and Spain has resulted in many comparing him to club legend Messi, heaping more expectation on him. While Deco, who played with the Argentine icon at Camp Nou, sees no problem with the comparisons, he says there is something different about the academy hero.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  WHAT DECO SAID

  "I don't think comparing him to Leo is a problem for him, but rather a source of pride for him. I don't know if it's good or bad, it depends on him. He's growing and I don't see it as a problem," he told .

  "In the end, everyone has their own story, there is no comparison. But I understand that at Barca players are compared, football is always like that. What can't be done? It will be done. What shouldn't be compared? There will be comparisons. We can't say things because in the end it's football, it's emotion, it's passion, it's normal for people to talk, to compare, to remember… But Lamine is unique, it's his life, he has his life story and the only thing he has is the coincidence of being in the same club as Leo and of being precocious in his appearance although in different situations.

  "Leo arrived at a club and entered into a dynamic of a more established team and Lamine is being part of a revolution, of a reconstruction of the club. They are different moments. But it's nice, when you compare it's because you have something good. I don't think comparing him with Leo is a problem for him but a source of pride for him. I don't know if it's good or bad, it depends on him. He's growing and I don't see it as a problem."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Euro 2024 winner had the chance to follow in Messi's footsteps when Paris Saint-Germain reportedly offered to pay €250 million (£208m/$265m) to sign him, but Barcelona rejected the offer.

  "It's normal that a player like Lamine or others that we have should arouse the interest of clubs, it's normal," Deco added when asked about PSG's interest. "We know what the market is like and what the clubs are like. Lamine is very young but he is very mature for his age. I imagine and see that he is happy to be here. With everything he has at Barca ahead of him, I would dare to say that it is very difficult to change to another club. And it's not because I'm a Barca fan or because I'm the club's sporting director. A player who has Barca and who can have a spectacular history at the club, I don't think he would change for another, but that is something that is up to us.

  "We are very happy with Lamine, he has to be valued like the others and he must build his history. We are calm, there is no concern in this sense but the club has to do what it has to do. There is nothing else. No matter how many contracts and clauses you have, the most important thing is that the players feel happy and comfortable and are eager to make history at the club, that is the most important thing."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL?

  Yamal has been ruled out for up to three weeks with an injury, meaning he will not feature for Spain in the upcoming Nations League matches. He could also be unavailable when Barcelona take in a trip to Celta Vigo in La Liga on November 23.

It was another Premier League campaign that saw Arsenal come agonizingly close to ending their two-decade title drought last season.

However, while Mikel Arteta's side couldn't quite get over the line, there were plenty of positives, including Leandro Trossard's impressive goalscoring form.

The Belgian international really stepped up as Gabriel Martinelli struggled to find form, but based on recent reports, the Gunners might be about to sign his replacement in a player who has starred at the Euros this summer.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from The Athletic, Arsenal have maintained their interest in Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams, and if they are to sign a wide player this summer, the Spaniard is 'Arteta's preference.'

Alongside the North Londoners, the report has confirmed that Chelsea and Barcelona are also keen on landing the talented winger in the coming weeks.

No price is mentioned in the story, but according to a report from Caught Offside last month, his release clause stands at €58m, which is about £49m.

It wouldn't be a cheap or easy transfer to get over the line, but given his recent performances and massive promise, signing Williams seems like a no-brainer – even if it's detrimental to Trossard's place in the team.

How Williams compares to Trossard

So, based on how last season went for Arsenal, if they were to get their hands on Williams this summer, then his primary competition out on the left next season would probably be Trossard.

In which case, how do they compare? Well, from a pure output perspective, the Spaniard comes out on top.

In his 37 appearances last season, he scored eight goals and provided 19 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.37 games for the Basque club.

In contrast, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star scored 17 goals and provided two assists in 46 matches for the Gunners last season, which equates to an average of a goal involvement every 2.42 games. While that's still impressive, it doesn't quite hold up to the young prospect.

Okay, so how about their underlying numbers? Is it another victory for the "mind-blowing" 21-year-old, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango?

Indeed it is, as in the majority of metrics per 90, such as non-penalty goals and assists, progressive carries, progressive passes received, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons, aerial duels won, and ball recoveries, the Pamplona-born gem comes out on top.

In his defence, the Waterschei-born star comes out on top for non-penalty expected goals, assists, and progressive passes, but that's about it.

Ultimately, considering Williams comfortably outperforms Trossard in raw output and underlying numbers, signing him as an upgrade on the Belgian seems like a brilliant idea.

However, with how spectacularly he has played at the Euros over the last few weeks, that could be easier said than done.

Arsenal join the race to sign £60m England star who's like Dani Olmo

The sought-after star would be a brilliant addition to the Gunners.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 10, 2024

Celtic played out their first friendly of pre-season on Friday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by lower league outfit Ayr, whilst missing a number of key first-team performers due to international commitments.

Kyogo Furuhashi scored from the penalty spot but that was not enough to secure a win in the Scottish giants' first outing ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

There were no new signings on display for the fans to get excited about as the Hoops are yet to make their first addition of the summer transfer window.

The Scottish Premiership season kicks off in less than a month and the Bhoys may want to have some fresh faces in the door before their clash with Kilmarnock at Parkhead.

A new number one after Joe Hart's retirement is needed and Newcastle United's Martin Dubravka and Croatia star Dominik Livakovic have both been linked with moves to Paradise.

The Premiership champions are also reportedly looking to bring two players back to Glasgow after their respective loan spells at the club last season.

Celtic in talks to sign £4m star

According to the Daily Record, the Hoops are in talks to secure a permanent deal to sign central midfielder Paulo Bernardo from Benfica this summer.

The report claims that the Bhoys are negotiating with the Portuguese outfit to thrash out a fee for the Portugal U21 international ahead of next season.

It states that Benfica are looking for a fee in the region of £6m for their talented maestro but Celtic think that they will be able to bring him back for a fee of £4m, plus a sell-on clause.

That sell-on clause could be a game-changer in negotiations as Benfica have also reaped the rewards of such an agreement, having netted a whopping £7.5m from Jota's £25m move to Al-Ittihad last summer due to being owed 30% of any future transfer after they sold him to the Bhoys the previous year.

The Daily Record adds that the Hoops are 'confident' that they can get a deal over the line for the impressive youngster, who is also keen to return to the club for a second spell in Glasgow.

This suggests that a transfer may be a formality once they can finalise a fee with the Liga Portugal outfit as the player wants the move to happen and Celtic are pushing to bring him back.

If Brendan Rodgers can strike a deal to sign Bernardo for the Glasgow giants then he could be a terrific long-term option for the club to play in attack alongside another player they want to bring in – Adam Idah.

Celtic's pursuit of Adam Idah

BBC Sport recently reported that Norwich City have rejected an offer from Celtic to sign the Ireland international after his loan spell at Paradise last season.

The report claimed that the English Championship side have turned down a bid that was between £4m and £5m for the 6 foot 3 centre-forward, as they are not 'actively' looking to sell him and their new manager – Johannes Hoff Thorup – is excited to work with him.

This means that the Premiership team will need to go back in with another attempt to snap him up from the Canaries to bolster their attacking options for next term.

The 23-year-old attacker caught the eye with his fantastic performances for the club during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, after joining on loan from Norwich in the winter window.

Idah hit the ground running in the Premiership and ended the season with a sensational return of eight goals and two assists in the league, despite starting just five of his 15 appearances.

As you can see in the table above, the Irish marksman was incredibly prolific in the top-flight with more goals than 'big chances' missed and less than 90 minutes per goal.

Idah also produced a huge moment in his last game for Celtic in the SFA Cup final at Hampden Park with a last-minute winner against Rangers, slotting into the back of the net after Jack Butland spilled a shot… from Bernardo.

Why Paulo Bernardo and Adam Idah could become a dream duo

The two loanees from the 2023/24 campaign did not establish themselves as regular starters but they are both young talents who were in their first seasons in Scotland.

They could develop into first-choice options at the top end of the pitch for Rodgers with more experience in Glasgow and more development on the training pitch under their belt if they are both signed on permanent deals this month.

Despite not starting week-in-week-out, both players showed enough in the Premiership last season to suggest that they could eventually become a dream duo at Parkhead.

The Portuguese whiz, who was hailed as "tenacious" by Rodgers, showcased his attacking qualities with six direct goal contributions in just 11 league starts.

As you can see in the table above, the 22-year-old maestro did enough to show that the potential is there for him to develop into an excellent midfielder for the Hoops.

He chipped in with goals and assists at an impressive rate as a starter and his driving run and shot from midfield, which did not officially register as an assist, created Idah's winner in the SFA Cup final.

Bernardo is a dynamic and forward-thinking midfielder who can carry the ball, as shown by his Premiership dribble success rate of 58%, forward to provide quality as a scorer and a creator of goals from the middle of the park.

Celtic could ease possible O'Riley exit with swoop for SPFL goal threat

The Hoops are facing interest from the Premier League in their star midfielder.

1

By
Dan Emery

Jul 3, 2024

Idah, meanwhile, proved himself to be more than adept at making the most of the chances that came his way in a Celtic jersey, as shown by his aforementioned statistics, and that is why the pair could eventually become an exciting and dream duo for Rodgers in the final third.

Manchester City are reportedly in talks to sign RSC Anderlecht defender Sergio Gomez.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Nieuwsblad.be, the Premier League champions are negotiating with the Belgian club over a potential deal for the left-back.

After working his way through Barcelona’s youth ranks, the 21-year-old joined Borussia Dortmund in 2018 before leaving Germany last summer to sign for his current club.

David Ornstein added to the story by saying on Twitter: “Man City working on deal to sign Anderlecht left-back Sergio Gomez. 21yo Spain youth int’l seen as development talent; move is irrespective of 1st team targets.”

Guardiola should be thrilled

With City in conversations to secure a deal for the young full-back, the Manchester City boss will surely be thrilled.

His debut season in Belgium saw only one other outfield player rack up more minutes than Gomez, who ended the campaign with five goals and 11 assists to his name in 34 appearances as he demonstrated sublime skills in the final third.

To further highlight his attacking talent, no other Anderlecht player even came close to matching the number of crosses the Spaniard delivered (284).

In fact, no other player in the entire league provided more crosses than the full-back, showing just how useful he is in an attacking sense.

From a defensive point of view, Gomez, who has an apparent release clause of €15m (£12.5m) made 53 interceptions and won 32 tackles in total, placing him in the top five for each statistic at Anderlecht.

This shows how significant he can be without the ball as well as how dangerous he can be on it.

It also makes it easy to see why City are keen on adding the left-back, who has been dubbed the “king of assists” by football talent scout, Jacek Kulig, on Twitter, to their side.

The Citizens have seen Oleksandr Zinchenko leave the club this summer and recent reports meanwhile claim that they have all but walked away from securing a potential deal for Marc Cucurella. Thus, a deal for Gomez should definitely have Guardiola thrilled.

With Ornstein claimeding that the Manchester club see the Anderlecht defender as a “development talent” and that City remain in the market for senior recruits at left-back, it bodes particularly well for the management who are so keen on adding new options to the team in defence.

While Gomez has proved himself to be a very capable attacking full-back, which Guardiola would surely love to have another one of next to the likes of Joao Cancelo, who ended his previous league campaign with one goal and seven assists, the prospect of having the Spaniard and another more senior left-back brought in would definitely set City up to attack their next league campaign.

Liverpool are reportedly making strong progress regarding the potential signing of Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham in the summer of 2023.

The Lowdown: Bellingham staying put

The midfielder is arguably one of the most exciting English players of his generation, already growing into a key figure for Dortmund at the age of just 19.

Bellingham has 90 appearances to his name for the Bundesliga giants and has been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool in recent months, but to no avail as of yet.

The 19-year-old will instead remain at Dortmund for another season before almost certainly moving on next summer.

The Latest: Exciting update emerges

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are ‘putting in place an agreement’ to sign Bellingham in 2023 as they attempt to acquire his signature 12 months in advance, as was the case with Naby Keita.

The England gem has been ‘identified’ by the Reds’ recruitment team as someone who can take Jurgen Klopp’s side up another level, such is his quality.

[freshpress-quiz id=“398089″]

The Verdict: Makes complete sense

This is fantastic news for Liverpool if true, with Bellingham someone who looks like a prototype of a Klopp midfielder, possessing technical ability, power, intelligence and versatility. He averaged 1.6 tackles and 1.7 dribbles per game in the league last season.

With Jordan Henderson 33 by the time the 2023/24 season starts and doubts still surrounding Keita’s consistency, the Dortmund gem could be the ideal player to come in and fill the right-sided central midfield role at Anfield for many years to come.

[freshpress-poll id=“399042″]

While it would have been exciting to see Bellingham arriving at Liverpool this summer, Klopp has enough options in midfield currently, so snapping up the 19-year-old in advance is the next best thing, with the Reds seemingly closing in on an agreement for the teenager.

Southampton are plotting a move for highly-rated Chelsea defender Levi Colwill this summer and a journalist has dropped a huge update on their interest.

What’s the latest?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook said: “He’s got a lot of interest. Southampton, Bournemouth, Brighton as well down on the south coast, they’d all take him.”

The update comes after Fabrizio Romano said that it was “likely” the player would leave on a permanent deal in this window with the Blues prioritising signing three new centre-backs.

However, Saints will face a battle for his signature with the fellow south coast clubs also willing to try their best to persuade Colwill to move.

Supporters will be buzzing

It’s no surprise that supporters at St Mary’s will be buzzing to hear the news of their interest given the recent success the club has had in signing players who have come through Chelsea’s famed Cobham academy.

All the signs point toward Colwill repeating that trend too after a successful loan spell in the Championship with Huddersfield Town last season where he produced some good performances.

The 19-year-old made 32 appearances for the Terriers in 2021/22 and was key in helping them reach the play-off final. It ended in defeat with Colwill scoring an own-goal on the day, but everyone makes mistakes and it will be a moment he will surely learn from.

When you look at his statistics you can see just how much he impressed, averaging 1.8 tackles per game and winning 65% of his total duels overall.

He certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed and has been described as a “rising talent” by the Athletic’s Simon Johnson.

Colwill has also earned praise from his teammates at Huddersfield, with midfielder Lewis O’Brien saying he’s “going to have a fantastic career ahead of him at the highest level.”

He’s also been capped twice at U21 level for England despite having never made a top-flight appearance.

Given his impressive displays last season it’s clear he’s ready to step up to the Premier League, it’s unlikely he will get that opportunity at Stamford Bridge, so we think he should make the move elsewhere in order to push on.

AND in other news: Saints can land big Broja upgrade with bid for £10m dynamo, he’d be a “great signing”