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It's been a rough Premier League season for Manchester United this year, with every small semblance of recovery quickly extinguished by another disappointing defeat or draw.

Erik ten Hag hasn't been able to build upon his impressive first season, and following the shocking result against Crystal Palace on Monday night, it feels like just a matter of time before he is handed his P45.

That said, for all of his mistakes in the dugout, he has been let down by a number of his players, especially at Selhurst Park, where the likes of Andre Onana, Casemiro, and Christian Eriksen put in hall-of-shame performances, although based on recent reports, the club might already have an upgrade lined up for the latter, and he's been compared to a young Paul Pogba in the past.

Manchester United transfer news

According to a report from journalist Graeme Bailey earlier this week, Manchester United sent a team of scouts to watch OGC Nice's Ligue 1 clash with Strasbourg over the weekend to keep an eye on midfield ace Kephren Thuram, who they were reported to be interested in last month.

The report has claimed that Nice are 'gearing up to lose at least one big name this summer', and while Chelsea were also said to have scouts in attendance on the weekend, INEOS' links to the French side can only bode well for future negotiations.

No potential price has been reliably reported in recent weeks, but when Premier League rivals Liverpool were said to be interested in the Frenchman last year, Italian publication Tutto Juve (via Football365) claimed that it would cost around £45m to secure his services.

It certainly won't be a cheap deal to complete, but nor is it likely to be unreasonably expensive in the current market. Moreover, with the comparisons to a "young Pogba" and the cratering form of Eriksen this year, it seems like a deal United can't afford to miss out on.

How Thuram compares to Eriksen

The comparison to United's previous French midfielder may seem outrageous at first, but it comes from respected data analyst Ben Mattinson, and there is some merit in it.

He hasn't claimed that the 23-year-old talent is as good as the World Cup winner in his pomp – few players are – but that he has undeniable similarities to a younger version of the divisive midfielder.

For example, Mattinson has argued that while the Nice ace has slightly less flair than his older compatriot, he shares his attacking ability while also possessing a defensive astuteness that could see him play as a defensive midfielder, as some believed Pogba would be in his younger days.

Aside from his similarities to past stars, United should be going all out to sign Thuram because he would represent a massive upgrade on Eriksen in every department, as shown when comparing the pair's underlying numbers.

For example, while the Dane produces slightly more progressive passes per 90 than his potential competition does, he comes out second best in every metric relevant to a central midfielder and by quite some way in a few, such as progressive carries, shots, tackles, successful take-ons and aerial duels won.

Moreover, at 32 years old, it seems doubtful that the former Tottenham ace will improve over the summer, whereas at just 23, the Frenchman still has another two years until he's likely to hit his peak, per The Athletic.

Ultimately, while Eriksen has been a brilliant player for much of his career and even put in a good shift for the Red Devils last season, his decline has been steep and with Thuram seemingly attainable this summer, United should do all they can to bring him in as an upgrade.

INEOS can seal Man Utd masterclass with "extraordinary" Casemiro upgrade

The talented midfielder could solve one of Erik ten Hag’s biggest problems.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 4, 2024

GOAL takes a look at the best wonderkids to buy on EA Sports FC 24, including a few unheard-of gems.

EA Sports FC 24 is here and that means you should waste no time getting your Career Mode underway.

• See here for the best young players on EA Sports FC 25

Find the best EA Sports FC 24 deals on Amazon USBuy nowFind the best EA Sports FC 24 deals on Amazon UKBuy now

Having a long-term vision in Career Mode means planning for the future and building a foundation of quality players that will help you on your way to glory. Identifying players who will become world-class for you or stars of tomorrow who can be sold on for profit, is one of the most satisfying aspects of football management.

Here, GOAL brings you the best young players, wonderkids, and the next big talents to sign on EA Sports FC 24, listed by position and potential.

KEY:

Essential FC24 reading

• Who are the best players on EA Sports FC 24?
• EA Sports FC 24 teams, competitions & licences
• Everything you need to know about the EA Sports FC 24 web app
• Fastest players in EA Sports FC 24 revealed
• EA Sports FC 24 soundtrack: Listen to the songs & artists

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  Best young strikers & forwards in EA Sports FC 24: Wonderkid CFs & STs

  Player	Club	Age	PO	CR	PR
  Rasmus Hojlund	Man Utd	20	ST	76	89
  Elye Wahi	Lens	20	ST, LM	78	88
  Youssoufa Moukoko	Borussia Dortmund	18	ST	77	87
  Evan Ferguson	Brighton	18	ST	74	86
  Nelson Weiper	Mainz	18	ST	66	86
  Mathys Tel	Bayern Munich	18	ST, LM, RM	71	86
  Eliesse Ben Seghir	Monaco	18	CF, ST	72	85
  Alejo Veliz	Tottenham	19	ST	75	85
  Benjamin Sesko	RB Leipzig	20	ST	75	85
  Adam Hlozek	Bayer Leverkusen	20	ST, CAM	77	85
  Gift Orban	Gent	20	ST	75	84
  Giuliano Simeone	Alaves	20	ST	72	84
  Jason van Duiven	PSV	18	ST	66	84
  Norman Bassette	Mechelen	18	ST	61	84
  Rodrigo Ribeiro	Sporting	18	ST	68	84
  Deivid Washington	Chelsea	18	ST, LW	67	84
  Hakon Harnar Haraldsson	Lille	20	CF, LM	70	83

  With a potential rating of 89, Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund is considered to be the best young striker in EA Sports FC 24. However, if you are on the lookout for a younger, perhaps more affordable option, Borussia Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko and Brighton's Evan Ferguson are both 18 and have potential ratings of 87 and 86 respectively.

  If you are starting out with a club that doesn't boast the financial muscle to sign the absolute top players, it may be worth looking to the Netherlands, Portugal, or Belgium for up-and-coming talent. Jason van Duiven of PSV starts with a rating of 66 but can rise to 84, while Mechelen's Norman Bassette is capable of an even bigger growth, from 61 to 84.

  Nelson Weiper at Bundesliga club Mainz can potentially jump 20 rating points from 66 to 86 and could represent a bargain buy. Chelsea's Deivid Washington and Sporting's Rodrigo Ribeiro are capable of similar development, but may cost you a little more.

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  Best young midfielders in EA Sports FC 24: Wonderkid CAMs, RWs, LWs, CMs & CDMs

  Player	Club	Age	PO	CR	PR
  Jamal Musiala	Bayern Munich	20	CAM, CM, LM	86	93
  Pedri	Barcelona	20	CM	86	92
  Jude Bellingham	Real Madrid	20	CM, CAM	86	91
  Florian Wirtz	Bayer Leverkusen	20	CM	85	91
  Gavi	Barcelona	18	CM, LW	83	90
  Eduardo Camavinga	Real Madrid	20	CDM, CM, LB	82	89
  Xavi Simons	RB Leipzig	20	CAM, LW, RW	79	89
  Fabio Miretti	Juventus	19	CM, CAM	75	88
  Warren Zaire-Emery	PSG	17	CM, CDM	75	88
  Arda Guler	Real Madrid	18	CAM, CM, RW	77	88
  Tommaso Baldanzi	Empoli	20	CAM, CF	77	87
  Tom Bischof	Hoffenheim	18	CAM	66	86
  Noah Lahmadi	Toulouse	18	CM, CDM	65	86
  Roony Bardghji	Copenhagen	17	RW	68	86
  Romeo Lavia	Chelsea	19	CDM	73	86
  Angelo	Strasbourg	18	RW, LW	69	86
  Gianluca Prestianni	Velez	17	RM, CAM, RW	70	86
  Johan Bakayoko	PSV	20	RW	75	86
  Stefan Bajcetic	Liverpool	18	CDM, CM	72	86
  Arthur Vermeeren	Antwerp	18	CDM, CM	72	85
  Claudio Echeverri	River Plate	17	CAM	64	85
  Facundo Farias	Inter Miami	20	CAM, CF	75	85
  Heorhii Sudakov	Shakhtar Donetsk	20	CAM, CM	75	85

  Jamal Musiala has the highest potential rating of any midfielder in EA Sports FC, with the Bayern Munich CAM capable of reaching a rating of 93. The likes of Pedri, Jude Bellingham, and Florian Wirtz follow Musiala.

  If you are looking for a bargain wonderkid, consider scouting Argentina, France and Belgium. River Plate's 17-year-old attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri and Velez winger Gianluca Prestianni are highly rated and can reach the mid-to-high 80s.

  Of course, there are other, more established wonderkid midfielders to consider too, such as Gavi, Xavi Simons, and Arda Guler, but, because of the clubs these players are at, they are a little less available to buy.

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  Best young defenders in EA Sports FC 24: Wonderkid CBs, LBs & RBs

  Player	Club	Age	PO	CR	PR
  Alejandro Balde	Barcelona	19	LB, RB	81	89
  Antonio Silva	Benfica	19	CB	78	88
  Arnau Martinez	Girona	20	RB, RWB	80	87
  Jorrel Hato	Ajax	17	CB, LB	68	87
  Destiny Udogie	Tottenham	20	LB, LM	77	86
  Rico Lewis	Man City	18	RB, CDM	73	86
  Giorgio Scalvini	Atalanta	19	CB	75	86
  Patrick Dorgu	Lecce	18	LB	64	85
  Ivan Fresneda	Sporting	18	RB	72	85
  Malo Gusto	Chelsea	20	RB	76	85
  Castello Lukeba	RB Leipzig	19	CB	77	85
  Milos Kerkez	Bournemouth	19	LB	75	85
  Bjorn Meijer	Club Brugge	20	LB, LM, LWB	73	85
  Jorne Spileers	Club Brugge	18	CB	69	85
  Leon King	Rangers	19	CB	66	85
  Ousmane Diamande	Sporting	19	CB	75	85
  Abakar Sylla	Strasbourg	20	CB	70	84
  Adamo Nagalo	Nordsjaelland	20	CB	71	84
  Max Johnston	Sturm Graz	19	RWB, RB	66	84
  Tino Livramento	Newcastle United	20	RB	74	84
  Valentin Barco	Boca Juniors	18	LB, LM, LWB	71	84
  Levi Colwill	Chelsea	20	CB	74	84
  Leandro Morgalla	Red Bull Salzburg	18	CB, RB	66	84

  Barcelona full-back Alejandro Balde is considered one of the best young defenders aged 20 or under in EA Sports FC 24. Capable of playing on both the left and the right of defence, Balde has a potential rating of 89 in the game.

  Benfica's Antonio Silva is the best young CB under 20 years of age in the game, while Arnau Martinez is among the best RBs.

  Patrick Dorgu at Lecce has a high ceiling and could represent a bargain signing in Career Mode, as could Jorrel Hato of Ajax if you can negotiate a deal early.

  Leandro Morgalla of Red Bull Salzburg is very highly rated too and starts the game with a rating of 66 along with a potential of 84. The good thing about Morgalla is his versatility too, being able to fill in at right-back and centre-back.

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• Best young goalkeepers in EA Sports FC 24: Wonderkid GKs

  Player	Club	Age	PO	CR	PR
  Guillaume Restes	Toulouse	18	GK	70	87
  Bart Verbruggen	Brighton	20	GK	75	85
  Andre Gomes	Benfica	18	GK	63	84
  Dennis Seimen	Stuttgart	17	GK	61	84
  James Trafford	Burnley	20	GK	71	84
  Sebastiano Desplanches	Palermo	20	GK	68	83
  Jonas Urbig	Greuther Furth	19	GK	66	82
  Alane Bedfiane	Bordeaux	18	GK	62	81
  Aleksander Bobek	Lodz	19	GK	65	81
  Diego Callai	Sporting	18	GK	65	81
  Gabriel Slonina	Eupen	19	GK	66	81
  Gregoire Swiderski	Bordeaux	17	GK	59	81

  Goalkeepers tend to mature and reach their potential later in their careers, but there are a few precocious shot-stoppers worth considering in Career Mode in EA Sports FC 24.

  Guillaume Restes at Toulouse is the GK with the highest potential under the age of 20, with Bart Verbruggen not far behind.

  Andre Gomes at Benfica and Stuttgart netminder Dennis Seimen are younger options who may be a little more open to moving, particularly if you are managing a top team. Gomes can improve from a rating of 63 to 84m while Seimen has a similar ceiling, but starts the game with a lower rating.

  However, there are bargains to be had as well, with Gregoire Swiderski, Diego Callai, and Aleksander Bobek offering plenty to think about for a manager of a lower-league team

Rangers are in a strong position to complete an "unbelievable" signing in the summer transfer window, according to an update from transfer expert Dean Jones.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers have been linked with a host of players of late, with Philippe Clement well aware that further reinforcements will be needed this summer with his squad set to be weakened by several free agent departures.

One piece of business that the Scottish Premiership side could want to get over the line is making Abdallah Sima's loan move from Brighton a permanent one at the end of the season. The striker has been a strong signing for Rangers, scoring 11 goals in 17 league starts, and the hope is that they can strike a deal this summer.

Barnsley left-back Owen Dodgson has been linked with a move to Ibrox, too, with the defender seen as a potentially ideal replacement for Borna Barisic, who is expected to move on in the coming weeks as one of those on expiring contracts. The 21-year-old is currently on loan at Dundee, where he has averaged 2.1 clearances per game in the league this season.

Rangers are also believed to be in talks with West Ham ace Ben Johnson, seeing him as their next Dujon Sterling. The Englishman is capable of impressing in defence and midfield, so he would represent a versatile option for Clement.

Rangers back to complete "unbelievable" signing

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Rangers are likely to sign Sima permanently this summer, and says it would be an incredible deal for what he believes is a £20m player: "Rangers would be getting an unbelievable deal if they signed Sima for £6m. He’s been a good fit for them and I would expect a player with his qualities to be up towards £20million.

"A few other Premier League clubs have had an eye on him in the past couple of years, I think he’s a great watch. But optimism does seem to be there that Rangers are going to tie this one up at a fee that is absolutely from the bargain basement."

Signing Sima for good this summer has to be considered one of Rangers' primary pieces of business, considering the impact he has made. There has been talk of Fabio Silva signing permanently, too, but his fellow loan attacker should easily take precedence, considering he has done so much more this season.

The 22-year-old appears to be happy at Ibrox, while Brighton appear to be willing to let him leave at the end of the campaign, so it could just be a case of all parties coming to an agreement now.

Gers captain James Tavernier has made it clear he thinks of Sima, saying of him earlier in the season: "Sima has been a real attacking threat for us this season. He’s got electric pace and can finish in difficult areas."

Rangers flop who was tipped to be a £20m star is now unemployed at 29

Philippe Clement will be hoping to avoid the mistakes made by his predecessors in the transfer market

By
Ross Kilvington

May 2, 2024

Granted, there is rumoured Premier League interest in Sima, but Jones' update certainly bodes well ahead of the summer window, as Rangers look to make big strides in the market.

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah says he is just focusing on enjoying the last year of his contract before deciding on his future.

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• Salah into last year of Liverpool contract
• Forward wants to enjoy the season ahead
• Egyptian will assess his options in 2025

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 32-year-old will be out of contract next summer, with the Egyptian international yet to extend his deal at Anfield. Amid links with the Saudi Pro League, the former Roma star refused to commit to prolonging his spell on Merseyside.

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  WHAT MOHAMED SALAH SAID

  He told : "Before the season, I was just like: 'I've got one year left, let's just enjoy it and don't think about the contract'. I don't want to think about next year or the future, I just want to enjoy the last year [of my contract] and let's see. The most important thing is to take one day at a time and just be grateful to be here."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Salah has proven to be one of Liverpool's best-ever signings – after joining from Roma for £34 million ($45m) in 2017 – and with him still performing at the highest level, manager Arne Slot is likely to want to keep him at the club. While the Reds rejected a reported £150m ($198m) offer from Al-Ittihad last summer, they won't be able to control his fate if he becomes a free agent in 2025. Team-mates Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also into the last year of their contracts, so retaining as many of them as possible will be key.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Salah, who has scored 213 goals and bagged 90 assists in 351 games for Liverpool, will next line up for the Merseyside outfit on Sunday away to bitter rivals Manchester United. This may be the last time he takes on the Red Devils for the Reds at Old Trafford.

The rapid growth and development of the Arsenal team under Mikel Arteta has been absolutely fantastic.

From removing underperforming players to signing stars that are worth their price, almost everything has gone perfectly over the last few years, minus the lack of a trophy.

Identifying targets such as Ben White and Martin Odegaard has helped change the culture at the club, but it’s the Spaniard’s trust in one youth player that’s really been a game-changer.

Indeed, that man in question now happens to be worth more than Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba’s combined value.

Bukayo Saka’s 23/24 campaign in numbers

There’s no two ways about it: Bukayo Saka is now a superstar, an undroppable and irreplaceable figure in the Arsenal side since graduating from the academy.

At just 20 years old, football scout Jacek Kulig described the attacker as the “leader of Arsenal,” and he’s well and truly taken on that status despite not wearing the armband.

After scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists in the Premier League last season, the expectation was for Saka to go to new heights this campaign, and he’s on track to meet them.

In 31 Premier League matches, the number seven has already matched his goal tally from last season while also adding four Champions League goals and assists to the mix.

To put into perspective just how influential the England international is, he’s the club's top scorer and assister in the league and in Europe, but what is he actually worth in today’s market?

Bukayo Saka’s transfer value in 2024

Just like Saka, Martinelli and Saliba are two of the finest youngsters in the Premier League who play with the maturity and confidence of a seasoned professional.

The French defender in particular is extremely special, and he’s created an unbeatable partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes this season over 33 league matches.

The Brazilian winger is also an incredible prospect, with his ten goal contributions in 23 league starts highlighting his quality, although he’s not reached the heights of his 15-goal 2022/23 campaign.

Nonetheless, despite the duo being extremely valuable in their own right, they’re worth nowhere near the amount of Saka, but in truth, not many players in England are.

The 22-year-old is the joint-second-most valuable star in the Premier League according to CIES, on par with Phil Foden and only less than Erling Haaland, which just highlights his quality.

Furthermore, Martinelli and Saliba both feature on the list, but when their values are combined, they’re still a fraction lower than Saka.

What makes Arsenal’s “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Mark White, such a valuable asset is obviously his immense quality, but it’s also the amount of potential he still has, which is a frightening thought in truth.

Saka isn’t only one of the most talented players in England, but he’s also “one of the best young players in the world,” as per teammate Thomas Partey. He really is a special player.

Arsenal have truly hit the jackpot with Saka, and Arteta deserves a tremendous amount of credit for moulding the winger into one of the most frightening players in Europe.

£150k-p/w star has become Rice & Saka's biggest rival for Arsenal's POTY

Arsenal bounced back from a couple of devastating defeats by beating Wolves.

By
Matt Dawson

Apr 21, 2024

Chelsea have launched a new black Nike third kit for 2024-25 inspired in its design by the area's links to the British punk rock scene.

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• Chelsea kit debuted by women's team
• Black third strip inspired by punk scene
• Will be sold without a front sponsor

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Shop Chelsea kits at NikeFind the best deals

  Chelsea Women took to the pitch on Sunday night for their pre-season clash with WSL rivals Arsenal wearing a previously unseen black kit. The club then followed that up on Monday morning with the official launch for this season's third strip.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The anthracite grey and black shirt and shorts are complemented by pink and yellow trim, plus fabric reviving ripped-up, clashing punk patterns. There is also a particular nod to the women's game, with an upturned vertical Nike swoosh intended as a symbol celebrating its acceleration. That is set to be a regular feature across many Nike third kits in 2024-25. The shirt worn by the women against Arsenal featured Infinite Athlete as a sponsor because it is part of deal covering pre-season, but the shirt is being sold without a sponsor on the front as the club does not yet have one in place for the competitive campaign ahead.

• WHAT CHELSEA SAID

  Claire Cronin, Chelsea Football Club's Chief Marketing Officer said: "We're proud to partner with Nike in spotlighting and driving the continued rise of the Women's game through this year's third kit and it was brilliant to see Sonia [Bompastor]'s team wearing it for the first time in Washington on Sunday. The design really plays into our DNA. Chelsea was at the heart of the iconic British punk scene, with the trailblazing creativity it was known for still a huge part of who we are as a club today."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Having concluded their American tour with the win over Arsenal, Chelsea Women return to action for a final pre-season friendly against Feyenoord back at Kingsmeadow on September 7. For the men, they head to Switzerland in the Conference League for the second leg of their qualification play-off against Servette on Thursday, quickly followed by the summer transfer deadline on Friday and then a Premier League clash with Crystal Palace on Sunday.

As Jurgen Klopp battles to secure the perfect farewell against the odds at Anfield, Liverpool's injuries have quickly controlled the narrative in a season that may end in what could have been, with their latest blow hardly helping.

Liverpool injury news

Liverpool's EFL Cup final victory over Chelsea, which relied on inexperience and academy graduates for the most part, both sums up the powers of Klopp and the Reds' season. It's been rare that they've had a full squad to choose from, with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota and Alisson Becker all missing significant parts of the campaign.

Report: Liverpool now preparing to bid for £50m+ Real Madrid target

Michael Edwards isn’t messing around.

By
Henry Jackson

Apr 16, 2024

Klopp at least has all three options back among his squad to choose from, but it comes at a time when his side looks mentally and physically exhausted after suffering back-to-back defeats against Atalanta and then Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Handing themselves an impossible task of reaching the Europa League's last four following a shock 3-0 defeat against Atalanta at Anfield, and then losing any advantage in the title race courtesy of Palace, the Reds were also handed a blow on the injury front with Conor Bradley limping off against Oliver Glasner's side last Sunday.

Now, according to James Pearce, Bradley will miss the next two to three weeks of action in a major blow for Liverpool, given how much of a revelation the youngster has been since coming into the side.

Klopp can at least feel relieved that Alexander-Arnold is now back fit at the perfect time to step back into his right-back role, but it once again delays the chances of the England international appearing in midfield for the Reds in what could play a part in turning their current form around.

Liverpool games that "fantastic" Bradley could miss

Potentially missing three weeks, Bradley will likely return around the first week of May to hand Liverpool a boost in their final two games against Aston Villa and then Wolverhampton Wanderers. Before then, however, the Northern Ireland international could miss five games in total for the Reds.

Klopp will be well aware of the talent that his side will be missing too, having praised Bradley back in January. The Liverpool boss said: "I'm not sure if Conor Bradley makes it home. He might fall asleep in the dressing room, exceptional. What a boy, a fantastic character, with intelligence, top potential.

"I was waiting for the moment we could give him an opportunity. Today was intense for him. Someone has to drive him home hopefully. He gave absolutely everything. It's really nice to see. He could show how good he already is. So much more to come."

Celtic still have plenty to play for between now and the end of the 2023/24 campaign as Brendan Rodgers bids to avoid a trophyless return to Parkhead.

The Hoops are one point ahead of their closest rivals in the Scottish Premiership, having played a game more than them, and are still in the SFA Cup, having been knocked out of the League Cup and European competitions during the first half of the season.

This means that they could still lift two pieces of silverware before the end of the term but they will need to fight hard to ensure that they do not end up empty-handed.

Attention, irrespective of how this season goes, will then turn to how the Scottish giants can improve their playing squad during the upcoming summer transfer window.

Rodgers reportedly already has his eye on possible targets to bolster his side ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, and there is one target who could be seen as the next Matt O'Riley at Parkhead.

Celtic's interest in exciting playmaker

The Daily Record recently relayed claims from Russia that Celtic are keeping tabs on exciting Krasnodar attacking midfielder Eduard Spertsyan ahead of the summer.

It was claimed that the Hoops are monitoring his situation but there is no mention of any current interest from other clubs in Europe at this time.

The Armenia international was quoted as saying that a move to Europe is something he would like to do, and recognised that it would take hard work and "fight" in order to achieve that goal.

Football Scotland reporter Mark Hendry has reported that Krasnodar have not had any contact with the Scottish champions as it stands, but have spoken with an unnamed Belgian side.

This suggests that there will be competition from other clubs to secure his signature in the summer, should the Hoops decide to act upon their interest in him.

Last summer, it was reported that Manchester City and Newcastle were among the teams looking at the talented midfielder, who was valued at €13m (£11m) at the time.

Almost one year later and it now remains to be seen how much Krasnodar would want for the 23-year-old wizard, who has just over two years left to run on his contract.

Celtic could land their next version of current star O'Riley by swooping to sign Spertsyan from the Russian outfit at the end of the season, due to his quality in the final third.

Matt O'Riley's Celtic season in numbers

The Denmark international has been in terrific form for the Hoops as an attack-minded midfielder as part of Rodgers' three-man midfield, typically alongside Callum McGregor and Tomoki Iwata of late.

Signed from MK Dons in January 2022, the left-footed wizard has the quality to both score and create goals at an impressive rate in the Premiership.

As you can see in the table, the 23-year-old magician has been one of the team's outstanding performers at the top end of the pitch with his devastating ability in front of goal.

Only Luis Palma (2.7) has made more key passes per game than O'Riley, and no other Celtic player has scored more goals, taken more shots, or registered more assists than the Danish dynamo.

With his phenomenal form for the club, however, comes interest from elsewhere. Leeds are reportedly considering a bid for the midfield whiz, should they win promotion from the Championship, whilst Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion are also eyeing up the Hoops superstar.

This means that Celtic could end up losing the former Fulham prospect in the upcoming summer transfer window, if one of those aforementioned clubs come in with an acceptable offer for his services, which would leave a huge void in the middle of the park for Rodgers.

The Bhoys could, though, land their next version of O'Riley by swooping in to sign Spertsyan, who was supposedly of interest to Newcastle and Manchester City last year, as a possible replacement for the Leeds target.

Why Eduard Spertsyan could be the next Matt O'Riley

Firstly, Ajax director Sven Mislintat hailed the Armenian ace as "special" last year and claimed that he could have been similar to Kevin de Bruyne with the Dutch club.

The Ajax chief claimed that Spertsyan playing in Russia at the time prevented the move from happening, but that he could have been De Bruyne-esque for the Eredivisie side. Celtic's current interest in his services suggests that the same issue will not be a problem this summer.

You can understand why he was likened to the Belgian superstar when you factor in his fantastic statistics from a central midfield position for Krasnodar.

The 23-year-old playmaker has racked up an eye-catching 18 goals and 13 assists in 48 appearances in the Premier Liga for his club since the start of last season.

As you can see in the table above, Spertsyan is a central midfielder who can score and create goals at an exceptional rate, just like O'Riley and De Bruyne – who produced seven goals and 16 assists in the Premier League last term – do in their respective divisions.

The Armenia international chipped in with 21 direct goal contributions, and 2.2 key passes per game, last term, in comparison to O'Riley's aforementioned 23 direct goal contributions, and 2.2 key passes per outing, in 30 league matches this season.

This shows that the 5 foot 10 star, who has 30 goals and 23 assists in 99 games for Krasnodar, has the potential to make a similar impact in the final third from a midfield position.

They are both exciting attack-minded midfielders who want to break forward to join in with the attack, and have the composure and quality to decide games with goals and assists on a regular basis.

Therefore, Rodgers could land his next version of O'Riley by securing a deal for the Armenian magician, who has been likened to De Bruyne.

The Blues' owners could earned some rare praise for taking a strong stance against racism but they instead chose to reward it

It's now four years since former QPR director of football Les Ferdinand revealed that the club's players would no longer be taking the knee in solidarity with the 'Black Lives Matter' movement.

"No one is more passionate than me about this topic," the ex-England international explained. "I have spoken on the matter throughout my footballing life. But, recently, I took the decision not to do any more interviews on racism in football because the debate was going around in circles…

"The taking of the knee has reached a point of 'good PR' but little more than that. The message has been lost. It is now not dissimilar to a fancy hashtag or a nice pin badge." Or a shiny new shirt.

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  Making a mockery of an entire movement

  Chelsea are very proud of their home kit for 2024-25, which was designed to reflect "the dynamic culture of London" with a jersey that "features a distinctive 'melting pot' pattern." It's such a shame for the marketing team, then, that Enzo Fernandez was wearing not only the shirt, but also the captain's armband as he took the knee ahead of Sunday's Premier League opener against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

  It was a truly shameful sight, a tone-deaf response to a racism row that not only made a mockery of an entire movement, but also highlighted the total lack of strong leadership at Chelsea right now.

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  'Uninhibited racism'

  Just one month before the City game, Fernandez and a number of his Argentina team-mates had felt compelled to celebrate the nation's Copa America triumph by singing a racist song about black players from a country that hadn't even participated in the tournament.

  "They play for France, but their parents are from Angola," the players joyfully sang. "Their mother is from Cameroon, while their father is from Nigeria. But their passport says French."

  As if to underline the fact that racism is rooted in stupidity, Fernandez decided to live-stream this display of embarrassing ignorance. Unsurprisingly, many of his team-mates were appalled by such behaviour, chief among them Wesley Fofana. "Football in 2024: uninhibited racism," the centre-back wrote on social media.

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  'Caught up in the euphoria'

  Fernandez promptly posted the obligatory 'heartfelt' apology, insisting that he was "truly sorry" for his actions. "That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my character or beliefs," he insisted while also rather incredibly implying that racism can be a consequence of getting "caught up in the euphoria" of victory.

  His employers also issued a public statement: "Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour completely unacceptable. We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities and identities feel welcome. We acknowledge and appreciate our player's public apology and will use this as an opportunity to educate. The club has instigated an internal disciplinary procedure."

  And how did that inquiry conclude? With Chelsea agreeing to match a significant donation made by Fernandez to an anti-discriminatory charity, before then making him vice-captain for the 2024-25 campaign.

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  'It's finished'

  "All of us make mistakes," new manager Enzo Maresca said while defending the decision to put Fernandez in such a prestigious position. "It's important to recognise Enzo made a mistake, recognised the mistake and it's finished.

  "I don't know about you, but I made some mistakes in the past and I recognised. As a human being, if you make a mistake and you recognise it, you are not going to be punished for life."

  The problem is, though, that Chelsea didn't punish Fernandez, they promoted him – and that staggering move has overshadowed all of the club's previous efforts to change the negative perception of a significant part of its fanbase, and create a more inclusive culture at the club.

Newcastle United have been blessed with several terrific centre-forwards over the years at St. James' Park, ranging from the legendary Alan Shearer, to Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, to Alexander Isak in the current day.

The Toon Army have had the pleasure of watching some superb goalscorers and scorers of great goals, particularly in the modern era, and two of them currently play for the first-team.

Callum Wilson, who scored 18 Premier League goals last season, and Isak, who has been on fire since his move to the club in the summer of 2022, are both fantastic centre-forwards for Eddie Howe.

Unfortunately, the Sweden international's sublime form has led to reported interest from elsewhere and he may now follow in the footsteps of Andy Carroll, who came through the academy before being sold for a gigantic fee after showcasing his goalscoring quality.

The Magpies struck gold with the England international as they cashed in for a mouth-watering amount of money, particularly when you adjust for the inflation of transfer fees in football over the subsequent years.

Andy Carroll's goalscoring record for Newcastle

The Gateshead-born number nine came up through the youth ranks on Tyneside as he graduate through the academy, which meant that the club did not have to pay a penny in transfer fees to sign him.

He made a smattering of first-team appearances during the 2006/07 campaign, with seven outings across the Premier League, UEFA Cup, and FA Cup, before being sent out on loan to Preston North End for the first half of the following season, where he scored one goal in 11 Championship games.

Over the subsequent 18 months, Carroll scored three goals in 18 Premier League appearances for the Magpies as they were eventually relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2008/09 season.

That drop down to the second tier allowed the centre-forward to thrive as he produced a stunning 17 goals and 12 assists in 39 league matches, including 33 starts, for Newcastle.

It was his real breakthrough season at senior level with a consistent supply of goals and assists from a centre-forward position to propel his hometown club back to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

Carroll was then able to make the step up to the Premier League with a sensational return of 11 goals and three assists in 18 starts for the newly-promoted side during the first half of the 2010/11 campaign.

This meant that the Newcastle star, who averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.54 for the Magpies that term, had plundered an eye-catching 28 goals and 15 assists in 51 league starts in 18 months.

His sensational form in front of goal, as a regular scorer and creator of goals at both Championship and Premier League level, attracted interest from elsewhere, and Liverpool swooped in to sign him in January 2011.

How much Andy Carroll's move to Liverpool would be worth today

Per Totally Money, the English giants splashed out a whopping £36.9m to sign the then-22-year-old from Newcastle ahead of the second half of the season.

As per their index, which adjusts for inflation in football since the original fee was paid, that deal for Carroll would be worth a mind-boggling £101.6m in 2024, which highlights how big of a move it was for the academy graduate at the time.

Newcastle struck gold with that transfer for multiple reasons. Firstly, they brought through an academy star for £0 and turned him into a mega-money asset, who also helped them with his superb goalscoring exploits on the pitch.

Secondly, his form after moving on from St. James' Park in 2011 suggests that they hit the jackpot by cashing in on the centre-forward when they did.

As you can see in the table above, Carroll struggled badly in front of goal in the five seasons after his exit from Newcastle, for the aforementioned staggering fee.

The 6 foot 4 giant produced 11 goals and six assists in 58 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool before they eventually sold him to West Ham in the summer of 2013 for a fee Totally Money's index has valued at £28.8m in today's money, and £15.7m at the time.

This shows that Newcastle hit the jackpot with the towering centre-forward as they cashed in on him at the perfect time, before his value plummeted by over £70m in 2024 money within less than three years.

Interest in Alexander Isak

It was recently reported by Football Insider that Premier League giants Arsenal, who are currently in the race to secure the title, are interested in Newcastle forward Isak in the present day.

The outlet stated that they are under pressure to abide by the division's financial obligations due to their spending in recent windows, and that they may have to cash in on the Sweden international if they want to make a splash in the market to improve their squad.

This means that the £63m club-record signing from Real Sociedad could be the next Toon marksman to make a big-money move to another Premier League side, as Carroll did when he made the switch to Anfield.

Like the English striker, Isak has proven his quality in the Premier League for the Magpies with his fantastic performances in front of goal since his move to the club.

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old dynamo has scored 22 goals in just 34 league starts for Newcastle in less than two full seasons at the club so far.

He has overperformed his xG by roughly three goals, which speaks to the Arsenal target's efficient finishing, and it is easy to see why there is interest in his services ahead of the summer transfer window.

Howe may want to keep hold of his star forward but if an offer that is too good to refuse comes in, as was the case with Carroll, then the Magpies could have to entertain the idea of selling him.