All posts by z3u9t.icu

With Aston Villa finishing the Premier League season in a disappointing 14th place, it hasn’t exactly been the start that Steven Gerrard would have wanted when he took the reins last November, arriving from Rangers after he had revived the Glasgow club’s fortunes.

There has been some positives along the way, though, especially in the transfer market. The 41-year-old reunited with former Liverpool team-mate Philippe Coutinho, signing the Brazilian on a permanent deal from Barcelona after he impressed on loan in the Midlands.

Gerrard has also signed Diego Carlos and Lucas Digne as he aims to build his own squad ahead of a massive season for the club, and there is more news which will be sure to delight the supporters.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that the Villa manager wants to get his top targets into the club before pre-season.

The journalist told GIVEMESPORT: “I think that he wants that sorted before they get to pre-season so that he’s got the base and the spine of his team there. So, then he can work around and add a couple of little flair players or bits and pieces that can finish off the job.”

Villa fans will love it

Villa supporters will be delighted to hear that, much like at Rangers, Gerrard wants to have his incoming transfer business sorted as soon as possible to give players the best chance of bedding into the squad well before the start of a new season.

With Coutinho, Carlos and Boubacar Kamara already added to the Villa squad for next term, the 41-year-old doesn’t appear to be stopping there.

Interest in Rangers defender Calvin Bassey could enhance their defence, and a move for another former Anfield team-mate in Luis Suarez could be a massive move due to his tremendous scoring record and the chance to land him on a free transfer from Atletico Madrid.

Potentially adding these two players after the business that Gerrard has already done could be vital in terms of Villa challenging for a European spot next season, which must be their aim.

There is certainly no shortage of backing from Johan Lange, and if the manager gets it right, Villa could be a force to be reckoned with next season.

AND in other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior

Celtic had one of their most significant summer transfer windows in recent memory last year, which saw the club make a number of changes on and off the pitch.

Along with seeing many players move in and out of the club, the Hoops also appointed Ange Postecoglou as their new manager following Neil Lennon’s departure.

These changes seemed to work out well for the Parkhead club, as the 56-year-old and his players ended up taking the Premiership title off their Old Firm rivals.

Now that the campaign has come to an end, it seems as though a clue has emerged regarding the next steps for one of Celtic’s key figures at Lennoxtown.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones made a promising claim regarding Postecoglou and his future at Parkhead.

The reporter said: “I imagine they’ll try to reward him in some term. I mean, whether he wants a long-term commitment, who knows, I don’t think he’ll be pushing necessarily for raises or anything like that at this point.

“But from a Celtic point of view, you’ve got this identity now; they’d hate to get into a situation at the start of next season where they’re doing really well, and suddenly another job comes up elsewhere, and he’s pretty available because there’s not going to be much of a fee to get him out of there.”

Celtic appointed Postecoglou last June on a 12-month rolling contract, which has yet to be renewed. In 60 games so far in charge of the Bhoys, the Australian has won 42, drawn seven and lost 11.

Taking into account how the former Yokohama F Marinos manager was able to secure the league title and end the season with his side boasting the best attacking and defensive record in the Scottish top flight, it’s easy to see why the club would be keen on offering him a new deal.

This would also make it easy to assume that Celtic fans would like nothing better than to see the popular 56-year-old, who has already taken the club to glory, once again continue his journey with them.

We feel that Postecoglou has certainly done enough in his debut season to warrant a new deal at Parkhead. Whether that is another 12-month contract or a more long-term agreement is down to the club and how long they would want to see him in charge.

Either way, it would surely be brilliant news for Celtic and their supporters to see the Australian put pen to paper on a new contract soon.

In other news: Bad news: Postecoglou heading for big transfer error as Celtic eye move for £2m dud

Crystal Palace journalist Matt Woosnam thinks another loan move is a possibility for Conor Gallagher next season. 

The lowdown

Chelsea midfielder Gallagher has now come to the end of his season-long loan at Crystal Palace.

The Englishman played the full 90 minutes on Sunday as Palace rounded off the campaign with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Selhurst Park.

It was his 33rd start from 38 matches, underlining his value to Patrick Vieira and the Eagles.

Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea must now decide whether to integrate Gallagher, who has also spent time on loan at Charlton Athletic, Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion, into their first team next season.

The latest

Speaking in The Athletic’s Palace match-day discussion on Sunday evening, Woosnam raised doubts about Gallagher’s immediate prospects at Chelsea.

He wouldn’t be ‘surprised’ if the Blues sanctioned another temporary exit.

“I’m not sure Gallagher gets into that Chelsea team, but then perhaps they’ll set up in a way that suits him better than the slightly more defensive outlook Palace have had in the last couple of months that doesn’t play to his strengths,” he said.

“Would not be surprised to see him back out on loan somewhere.”

The verdict

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has already publicly expressed the club’s desire to re-sign Gallagher for the 2022/23 season.

And that’s absolutely no surprise in light of his contribution this season. Gallagher finished the campaign second in Palace’s goalscoring charts with eight (behind Wilfried Zaha on 15) and was also runner-up in the assist rankings behind Michael Olise (who had eight to his five).

Chelsea will surely have encouraged by these returns, but there’s some pretty daunting competition at Stamford Bridge.

Tuchel primarily operated with just two central midfielders in 2021/22, and the likes of N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are already jostling for those positions.

Kovacic is Chelsea’s former player of the year, while Kante and Jorginho have both been nominated for the Ballon D’Or.

If Gallagher winds up behind them in the pecking order, his development may slow down.

In other news, this Palace stalwart may leave in the summer. 

Celtic have had a rather busy week in terms of what’s been happening on and off the pitch at the Parkhead club.

After officially being declared champions on Wednesday following their 1-1 draw against Dundee United, the Hoops topped their campaign off with a blistering 6-0 win over Motherwell at Celtic Park.

Prior to Saturday’s final game of the season, it was revealed that Celtic’s veteran duo of Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton will be leaving the club after nearly ten years of service.

Looking ahead to the upcoming summer transfer window and the Bhoys’ next campaign, rather than dive into the transfer market to find suitable replacements for their departing duo, one figure that Ange Postecoglou could look to unleash is Bosun Lawal.

The Hoops signed the defensive midfielder back in July last year from Watford’s youth ranks on a three-year deal.

Shortly before leaving the Hornets, the teenager won their Academy Player of the Season award, highlighting just how much of an exciting talent he is.

Having played as a holding midfielder and as a centre-back in the past, this could make him an ideal long-term replacement for Bitton, who has also been deployed in those positions throughout his career.

After scoring on his debut for the Celtic Reserves in a 2-1 defeat against Bonnyrigg Rose, Tommy McIntyre had this to say about the youngster.

He said: “I thought he was outstanding, very composed and good at stepping out in front of their striker who was a handful.

“He tops it off by scoring a goal and was unlucky not to have had another with the one that was chopped off for offside.

“The fact he’s only been in with us for two days, I’m absolutely delighted with the impact he’s made.”

With this in mind, it seems as though the young Irishman can not only be a useful and versatile figure at the back, but he can also be a goal threat as well.

Former Watford striker Troy Deeney has also shared his praise for the youngster by calling him a “strong and powerful” figure on the pitch.

While Postecoglou may want to add a more experienced figure to his squad this summer to replace either Bitton or Rogic, giving Lawal his first taste of senior football with the Hoops should be in his plans at some point in their upcoming campaign.

Not only could this give the 56-year-old the chance to unearth another one of Celtic’s exciting youth prospects, but it could also give him the chance to save the club millions in potential transfer fees further down the line.

In other news: Insider: Celtic set £10m summer transfer “priority”, it’s great news for Postecoglou

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly promoted five of their young stars into the first-team setup amid an injury crisis at the club, according to a Spurs source’s reveal to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Injury concerns at Tottenham

Antonio Conte hasn’t had the best of luck with injuries this season, with Japhet Tanganga (knee), Oliver Skipp (pelvic) and more recently Sergio Reguilon (groin) being added to the medical list.

As a result, it appears that the Italian has decided to present an opportunity to some of the club’s most talented under-23 players before the end of the current campaign.

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The Latest: Spurs youngsters get senior call-up

A Spurs source is claimed to have told Football Insider that Marcel Lavinier, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Harvey White, Nile John and Matthew Craig have all ‘moved their kit’ into the senior training area.

The young quintet have reportedly ‘been told’ that they will all be in and around the first team for the remainder of the season, and it will no doubt come as a huge boost to them to be shown such faith amid Conte’s injury worries.

The Verdict: The perfect opportunity

Out of the players named above, White has probably been the most influential and eye-catching on the pitch this term, having made 11 goal contributions in just 18 appearances in Premier League 2, as per Transfermarkt.

Earlier this year, Lilywhites insider John Wenham admitted that he would like to see more of the club’s youth prospects being included within matchday squads in north London, and it now seems as though that might be the case.

As Conte looks to reassemble his squad ahead of the start of the 2022/23 season, this will be the perfect chance for the youngsters to impress in front of the first-team boss if they want to give him a selection headache.

They have the perfect opportunity to make their mark, having been introduced into the senior fold for the final few games before the end of May.

In other news… Spurs are unlikely to pay a huge asking price for one of their transfer targets this summer

Celtic took another step towards securing the Premiership title today as they beat Hearts 4-1 at Parkhead.

The hosts found themselves 1-0 down with just three minutes on the clock as Jam Tarts striker Ellis Simms put the ball past Joe Hart.

The Hoops then managed to not only equalise but also go ahead by half-time thanks to goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda.

Two more goals from the home side in the second half secured the victory for Ange Postecoglou’s side after their early scare. Midfielder Matt O’Riley scored the third before Giorgos Giakoumakis found the net in the 90th minute after he replaced Furuhashi earlier in the half.

Despite having four different scorers, it was another Celtic figure who wowed on this occasion, namely Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Hailed by Greg Taylor as being a “huge part” of why the Hoops have been so successful in the league this season, the USA centre-back proved his worth yet again this time out.

Even though Hearts managed to break the short-lived deadlock at the start, the defender made sure that the away side didn’t end up scoring again.

With 90 minutes under his belt, the £2.7m-rated American had 72 touches of the ball in total and ended up completing 55 of the 60 passes that he attempted, as per Sofascore.

From a defensive point of view, the 24-year-old racked up six clearances, two tackles, two interceptions and blocked one shot from the opposition. He also ended up winning 83% of his duels, showing just how tough he was to play against and why the visitors only found the net once.

This display ultimately earned the centre-back an impressive overall match rating of 7.4/10 from SofaScore, which is higher than the likes of Furuhashi and Maeda managed.

His performance also caught the attention of the Scottish Daily Express, who called it a ‘solid showing from the centre half again with no problems’.

Having been praised by Chris Sutton for his “immense” performance against Rangers last month, that is what he was again today for Postecoglou’s side.

If the on-loan Tottenham defender can keep up this level until the end of the campaign, he will be a big reason why the Bhoys will almost surely end up lifting the league title.

In other news: Enquiry made, then joined rivals: Celtic had the last laugh over “huge” 161 G/A dynamo

Charlie Eccleshare has dropped an update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur winger Steven Bergwijn.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, The Athletic journalist revealed that the 24-year-old forward is now expected to leave Spurs this summer, with Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici happy to sanction the sale of the Netherlands international at the end of the current campaign – with Ajax believed to be among the interested clubs.

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In his tweet, Eccleshare said: “Steven Bergwijn expected to leave this summer, with THFC not standing in way as he seeks regular football. Ajax among interested clubs.”

Supporters will be gutted

While it is true that, following his £27m move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in January of 2020, Bergwijn has somewhat struggled to hold down a place in the Spurs team, the news that the club are already willing to cash in on the winger this summer is nevertheless sure to have left many supporters gutted.

Indeed, in a recent poll ran on Football FanCast, the majority of the Tottenham faithful revealed that they do believe the £73k-per-week forward is good enough to play for Spurs, while, in a further poll, supporters also made it clear that they would like Conte to give the Dutchman a chance in his starting XI.

And, while, on the face of it, Bergwijn’s returns this season are not overly impressive, having scored three goals and registered one assist over his 22 Premier League appearances, when factoring in the winger has directly contributed to a goal every 128 minutes of league football played – a much better record than Lucas Moura’s record of one goal contribution every 236 minutes – it is clear to see that the 24-year-old can impress when given the opportunity to do so.

However, with it now looking as if the £16.2m-rated attacker will be moving onto pastures new this summer, it appears as if Bergwijn will not go on to fulfil his undoubted potential at Spurs – something that will certainly be an extremely disappointing outcome for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful.

AND in other news: Antonio Conte could land the next Dembele as Spurs plot bid for “unreal” £68m signing

A manager who Oliver Glasner described as “amazing” is now being targeted by Manchester United as a replacement for Ruben Amorim.

Amorim under fire after Brentford defeat

After the 3-1 defeat against Brentford over the weekend, Amorim is under fire once again, with Jamie Carragher describing the 40-year-old’s time at the club as a “disaster”, and suggesting it is “inevitable” he will be sacked.

It is also revealed that just one of the 17 ever-present Premier League clubs have collected fewer points than Amorim since his arrival at Old Trafford, underlining just how poor Man United have been under the helm of the former Sporting CP boss.

Alan Shearer has suggested that the only reason INEOS haven’t dismissed the manager already is because they don’t want to admit they got another decision wrong, saying: “I genuinely believe that the owners or the people that are running the club at the minute have made that many errors in the last two years or 18 months since they’ve been there. It would look terrible to admit another error and sack (Amorim).”

That said, the United hierarchy are clearly now planning for life after Amorim, with a report from The Sun revealing that Brighton & Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler is now under consideration as a replacement for the Portuguese manager.

Fabrizio Romano says legendary 4-3-3 manager wants Amorim's job at Man Utd

He’s previously won a top-flight title and enjoyed a distinguished playing career.

BySean Markus Clifford Sep 29, 2025

INEOS are said to have drawn up a three-man shortlist, which also includes Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and AFC Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, with the board evidently keen on bringing in a proven Premier League manager.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is still backing Amorim for the time being, but contingency plans are now being put in place, with Hurzeler one of the managers being targeted, having performed well at Brighton, leading the Seagulls to an eighth-placed finish last season.

"Amazing" Hurzeler impressing in first Premier League job

At 32-years-old, the Brighton boss is the youngest manager in the Premier League, but he has shown maturity beyond his years, with Glasner being left particularly impressed by the work his opposite number has done in England and Germany.

The Palace manager said: “He did an amazing job in Germany with St. Pauli. Also, what I always like with every manager is when you can see a clear style of playing and this is what he implemented in Germany, in St. Pauli, and what he implemented here with Brighton.

“He does a fantastic job there.”

The German has averaged 1.70 points per match during his time with the Seagulls, having taken charge of 53 matches, suggesting he would be a big upgrade on Amorim, with the United boss averaging 1.35 over 49 games with the Red Devils.

With the former St Pauli boss preferring to implement a 4-2-3-1 system, appointing the up-and-coming manager could mean a welcome return to four-at-the-back for Man United, amid widespread calls for Amorim to tinker with his system.

That said, it would be a risk to appoint Hurzeler, given his age, with United perhaps in need of a more experienced manager, who has a proven track record at some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz and Liverpool controlled the noise from the summer transfer window on Merseyside, but David Moyes’ Everton have quietly assembled a team more capable of competing on higher ground than in recent years.

Whether the Toffees will make it a successful one is, of course, anyone’s guess, but the signs certainly suggest that improvements have been made under Moyes’ wing.

But then, what to define as success? Everton sit sixth in the Premier League after four games, two wins tallied and three games unbeaten. The Farhad Moshiri era fizzled out rather quickly, and staving off the threat of relegation was the aim.

But now, Everton want more, and understandably so. There have been some good signings in recent years, but maybe this current crop feel a little different.

Everton's best signings of recent years

Everton’s men’s side bid farewell to Goodison Park at the end of the 2024/25 season, but the change afoot was to be more than just the scenery.

A host of first-teamers left at the end of their contracts, and many needed to be shipped out if Everton wished to segue into a new, finer form.

Abdoulaye Doucoure was among those to leave at the end of their contracts, but the Malian midfielder’s departure was a more poignant one than most. 32 years old, he was still an industrious and effective part of the team, but he was also the highest earner on the books, taking home £130k per week.

His departure was necessary, especially with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Charly Alcaraz added to the central midfield ranks, the latter permanently.

The three years after Doucoure’s £20m move from Watford to Everton in 2020 were sparse in regard to jackpot signings, although Dwight McNeil has been a fantastic player when fit, and Amadou Onana did well before being turned for a healthy profit when sold to Aston Villa for £50m in July 2024.

It was one year ago, though, that Everton signed Iliman Ndiaye from Marseille for £15m. The Senegalese winger is among the most electric to play in England, and he has been described as being capable of “magic” moments by Sky Sports commentator Seb Hutchinson.

His ten-goal return in 2024/25 was eclipsed by no Toffees member, and he was the cream of the crop.

Perhaps he’s not anymore. At no disrespect to the fleet-footed winger, Jack Grealish has arrived at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and looks eager to step up as the club’s talisman this term.

Moyes has hit the jackpot on Jack Grealish

This summer, Everton handed Grealish a lifeline. The England international was a Three Lion no more, kept from duty for his country across Thomas Tuchel’s first three camps. Sir Gareth Southgate opted against picking the Manchester City man for the 2024 Euros.

In fairness, Grealish had fallen from grace under Pep Guardiola’s wing. Joining the Premier League giants for a British record £110m fee in 2021, Aston Villa’s beloved maverick never quite captured the same effortless flair that defined his time at Villa Park, even if he has decorated his cabinet with a wealth of silverware.

It was time for a change, and Moyes offered him a platform to reinvent himself this summer, signing the 30-year-old on loan in August.

Grealish has been in fine fettle since joining, posting four assists from as many games and winning the Premier League Player of the Month award for August.

Matches (starts)

20 (7)

4 (3)

Goals

1

0

Assists

1

4

Touches*

28.5

48.3

Accurate passes*

18.8 (91%)

24.8 (88%)

Big chances created

2

3

Key passes*

1.2

2.8

Dribbles*

0.7

2.0

Ball recoveries*

1.3

4.5

Tackles*

0.5

1.8

Duels (won)*

2.4 (55%)

6.8 (54%)

While the data pool is shallow at this stage of the season, Grealish is already demonstrating an ability beyond what was seen across his last two years at the Etihad Stadium, more confident and creative.

He’s already shaping into the Merseysiders’ attacking talisman, especially given the profligacy of the centre-forwards, and with that in mind, maybe Grealish could prove to be Everton’s own version of the aforementioned Isak, who joined Liverpool in a British record £125m move on transfer deadline day.

Isak, 25, has established himself as one of the best strikers in the world over his three terms on Tyneside, with pundit Alan Shearer even hailing him as “world-class” last season, scoring against Liverpool at Wembley to win the Carabao Cup, and hurling constant daggers into the net to propel Newcastle back into the Champions League.

There’s no question that he was the attacking leader for the Toon, and he will be for Liverpool too, especially as the 33-year-old Mohamed Salah approaches the autumn of his career in England.

Grealish is not a striker, and he’s never been a particularly reliable goalscorer, but he could be Everton’s new hero in a different way, inspiring and galvanising and making things happen in a way that none of his peers, even Ndiaye, can match.

Both Ndiaye and Grealish are players who stand out as among Everton’s finest signings in many years. It’s not a particularly high bar, but there are many teams across the Premier League and across Europe who would jump at the chance to welcome such stars to their ranks.

Who knows if Everton will turn Grealish’s loan spell into a permanent deal? The opening weeks of the campaign suggest that it should be so. Last term, Theo Walcott remarked that he is a player of “incredible talent”, but that his spark had been “coached out of him”. Moyes is instilling that joy and wonder once more.

The playmaker’s wage demands would need redress: the attacking midfielder cannot take permanent residence in Moyes’ squad without agreeing to a pay cut.

But if some agreement could be engineered, Everton would land themselves one of the most talented players in the Premier League, a player who has already shown himself capable of standing out in a rising team and with a smile on his face too.

Just like Isak over at Anfield, Grealish has the chance to be a superstar in a new setting, and TFG must ensure they get his signature scribbled in permanent ink.

Big Beto upgrade: Everton have already sold "the new Lukaku"

This centre-forward would thrive at the front of David Moyes’ Everton system.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 16, 2025

With Callum Wilson looking likely to leave, Newcastle United have reportedly made their first approach to sign an 18-goal forward and are even willing to pay a big fee to secure his signature this summer.

Callum Wilson could leave Newcastle for free

After spending five years at Newcastle, Wilson could be set to leave the club as a free agent when his current contract comes to an end next month. The experienced striker is yet to put pen to paper and left St James’ Park in tears following what is likely to be his final game for the club against Everton.

Despite his contract situation and his emotions at full-time last weekend though, Eddie Howe remained coy on Wilson’s future. The Newcastle boss told reporters: “Let’s wait and see. We will sit down with his representatives.

“I’m not sure about the thought it’s going to be huge change in the summer. There could be. I’m in a position where I don’t know what’s going to happen. You never know going into any summer with transfer activity, ins or outs you never know the numbers.”

With or without a new contract, however, it must be said that replacing Wilson would be no bad idea for the Magpies. The experienced striker has often struggled on the injury front, forcing Howe to play the likes of Anthony Gordon in the lead role of his frontline when also without Alexander Isak throughout the season.

Given that they’ve got Champions League football to offer now too, Newcastle and PIF could set their sights on some of Europe’s top talents. And whilst names such as Jonathan David have been mentioned, it could yet be another Ligue 1 talent who arrives.

Newcastle make first Kalimuendo approach

According to L’Equipe, as relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle have now made their first approach to sign Arnaud Kalimuendo and are ready to pay a big substantial fee to secure the Stade Rennais forward.

"Spectacular" Real Madrid star now main Newcastle target in £150m+ spree

He would be a statement signing.

ByTom Cunningham May 27, 2025

The Frenchman has enjoyed an excellent season in France, scoring 18 goals in all competitions whilst also setting up another two throughout the campaign. At 23 years old, the forward still has his best years to come and represents the type of player who would be an ideal backup for Isak.

Praised for how “dangerous” he is around the box by U23 scout Antonio Mango back in March, Kalimuendo would be ready to take the Premier League by storm if Newcastle made their move.

The Magpies already suffered in the past when attempting to balance European football with Premier League action, but the arrival of the depth provided by players like Kalimuendo would go a long way towards avoiding that problem this time around.