Leeds United have their eyes on a new centre-back signing and one who could come in to replace Pascal Struijk.

Leeds return to top of Championship with win over Middlesbrough

The Whites and Daniel Farke managed to get back to winning ways in the week after a run of just one victory in their previous six Championship games with a 1-0 triumph over Middlesbrough.

Dan James’ early goal proved to be the winner, although Ao Tanaka and Patrick Bamford both had goals wrongly ruled out for offside.

Leeds’ win, coupled with both Burnley and Sheffield United dropping points, ensured that they’d return to the top of the table with just five games remaining.

Talking after the game, Farke said: “I’m proud of my boys. It was a tough game, overall an excellent advert for the Championship. Both sides had periods, but in the end we found a way to win this game and it was crucial today to return to our clean sheet behaviour.

“We had to dig in, had to deal with a couple of injuries and had one day less in between games, and Middlesbrough were in red-hot form. “We had to dig in and show steel and togetherness and spirit to bring this over the line in a hard-fought game and a well-deserved win.”

Leeds (85 pts)

Sheffield United (83 pts)

Burnley (85 pts)

Preston North End (h)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Norwich City (h)

Oxford United (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Watford (a)

Stoke City (h)

Burnley (a)

Sheffield United (h)

Bristol City (h)

Stoke City (a)

QPR (a)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Blackburn Rovers (h)

Millwall (h)

Leeds won at the Riverside without Pascal Struijk, with the left-footed centre-back suffering an injury against Luton Town. There is a concern that Struijk may have a fracture in his foot and could be out for the season, which resulted in Ethan Ampadu filling in at centre-back.

Now, a transfer target has emerged on the Elland Road radar who could prove to be a replacement for Struijk.

Leeds keen on signing Modibo Sagnan

According to reports in France, relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds and the 49ers are interested in signing Montpellier HSC centre-back Modibo Sagnan.

Like Struijk, Sagnan is a left-footed defender and could be on the move this summer with Montpellier bottom of Ligue 1. Leeds could take advantage of their potential relegation with a move for the Mali international.

Sagnan, 25, can also turn out as a left-back as well as a centre-back and has played for the likes of Real Sociedad, Lens and FC Utrecht before joining Montpellier.

Over the last 12 months, Sagnan has ranked in the top 10 percentiles when compared to centre-backs in the big five European leagues for both goals and take ons – he has scored five times in 39 games for his current employers.

An amazing Solomon alternative: EFL star wants to sign for Leeds this year

Leeds United could be about to land an attacking star to improve their ranks next season.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 8, 2025

Struijk also has an eye for goal with Leeds, but by the looks of things, should Leeds win promotion, a move for Sagnan could be one to watch.

Manchester United’s season is not over, not just yet. Even at their lowest ebb, the Red Devils somehow managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat on Thursday evening to squeeze into the last four of the Europa League.

In need of a performance to keep the campaign alive, proceedings started in relatively routine fashion as the hosts led by two goals at the break, courtesy of Manuel Ugarte and Diogo Dalot, before a Lyon fightback sparked understandable nerves inside Old Trafford.

The spirited visitors – who had been pegged back just before the end of normal time following Corentin Tolisso’s dismissal – looked to have then completed a remarkable turnaround in extra-time, with Rayan Cherki and Alexandre Lacazette sending United crashing toward humiliation.

But then. In just over seven minutes of heaven, the season – for now – was saved, with the ever-reliable Bruno Fernandes converting from the penalty spot, prior to an expertly placed finish from substitute Kobbie Mainoo.

A nightmare night was totally flipped on its head at the Theatre of Dreams right at the death, as the oft-maligned Harry Maguire showcased his centre-forward instincts with a crucial backpost header. Cue delirium.

A far from vintage side produced a vintage result in the end, with Ruben Amorim now left with the unenviable task of trying to make sense of that glorious chaos.

Harry Maguire's performance vs Lyon

There’s only one place to start and that’s with that man Maguire, with the Englishman proving an unlikely hero once again this season, having notably scored the winner against Ipswich Town in the Premier League and against Leicester City in the FA Cup.

The 31-year-old had set the tone for proceedings early on with a crunching challenge on the lively Cherki on the halfway line, while also playing his part in Dalot’s first-half strike, after lofting the ball over the top of the Lyon defence to find the Portuguese full-back.

It was then the turn of Maguire himself to provide that cutting edge in the final third, with the Three Lions star thrust into a makeshift number nine berth as the home side chased the game, as Amorim later admitted that he is the “only one capable of scoring with his head”.

Such a switch paid off handsomely as Casemiro picked out the 6 foot 4 giant in stoppage time, with Maguire duly guiding the ball into the opposite corner to cap a magnificent night of entertainment in Manchester.

It would be fair to say that the £80m defender has endured a rocky road as a Manchester United player, not least after being stripped of the captaincy by Erik ten Hag, but Thursday showcased once again just why he is an asset to this squad and this starting XI. As Amorim himself previously stated, the experienced ace is “perfect” for this 3-4-3 set-up.

Chalkboard

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

The same looked to be the case for Patrick Dorgu amid his arrival from Lecce in January, albeit with Thursday marking another shaky showing from the Dane at wing-back.

The Man Utd star who may need to be dropped

The 20-year-old hasn’t endured a smooth ride since his move to the Premier League, having notably been sent off in the 3-2 win over Ipswich, albeit while having particularly impressed against Real Sociedad after winning a penalty in that 4-1, second-leg thrashing.

Those mixed fortunes – which also saw the £30m man underwhelm in the defeat to Nottingham Forest – were on full display against the Ligue 1 outfit, with Dorgu putting in a somewhat frustrating performance down the left flank.

As journalist Samuel Luckhurst noted, the attack-minded asset looks like he is “creating a chance in almost every game”, although that willingness to get forward can come at a cost, as he lost the ball on ten occasions from just 48 touches – or every 4.8 touches.

Dorgu’s game in numbers vs Lyon
100 minutes
48 touches
2 shots off target
88% pass accuracy
0 key passes
0 crosses completed
0 long balls completed
0 dribbles completed
10x possession lost
5/9 ground duels won
1/1 aerial duels won
Stats via Sofascore

Prior to being replaced by teenage sensation, Harry Amass, in the early stages of extra-time, Dorgu had also failed to complete a single cross nor provide a single key pass, having also skewed two efforts off target.

Those woes – which saw the left-footer also fail to successfully complete a single dribble – were added to by his shortcomings defensively as the new man was outmuscled at the backpost in the build-up to Tolisso’s strike.

That shaky defensive display led to GOAL journalist Richard Martin handing him just a 4/10 match rating while describing the new addition as a ‘weak link’, with there perhaps an argument that the 18-year-old Amass should now be handed a run of games in that wide berth.

Yes, Dorgu deserves a consistent period in the side himself in order to get up to speed in his new surroundings, although his starting berth certainly shouldn’t be guaranteed.

It is, of course, time to revel in the euphoria of Thursday’s victory, although it’s worth remembering that United were minutes away from yet more embarrassment. This team is still in need of drastic improvement…

Forget Amass: Man Utd can soon unleash teen "steam train" to rival Dorgu

Man United are adding another talented left wing-back to their squad

By
Joe Nuttall

Apr 17, 2025

Leeds United clinched the Championship title with a century of points on Saturday after Manor Solomon’s stoppage-time winner against Plymouth Argyle at Home Park.

The Whites had already secured promotion to the Premier League and knew that a win over the Pilgrims would seal the title to go along with it.

Daniel Farke will now be preparing for a season in the Premier League, having been relegated in his only full campaign at that level with Norwich City, as Leeds aim to avoid an instant relegation back down to the Championship.

There will, obviously, be parallels drawn between Marcelo Bielsa’s title-winners, who earned promotion as recently as 2020, and the current set of players ahead of their top-flight season.

The Argentine boss had some terrific players at his disposal during his tenure at Elland Road, including iconic Spanish playmaker Pablo Hernandez, who played a critical role in the 2019/20 title success.

Why Pablo Hernandez was an icon for Leeds

The experienced attacking midfielder arrived in West Yorkshire in 2017 with a big reputation behind him, having played in LaLiga and the Premier League for Valencia and Swansea, assisting 13 goals in two top-flight seasons for the Swans.

Hernandez lived up to the hype that came with him by hitting the ground running with a return of six goals and eight assists in 35 matches in the Championship in his first season at Elland Road.

Leeds opted to appoint Bielsa as their new head coach in the summer of 2018, and it was a move that resulted in Hernandez’s output at the top end of the pitch soaring to new heights.

The Argentine manager deployed a high-pressing, high-intensity, possession-based system that allowed his attacking players to flourish with plenty of touches in the final third.

Appearances

39

36

Goals

12

9

Assists

12

9

Big chances created

16

13

Key passes per game

3.0

2.3

As you can see in the table above, the Spanish magician thrived under Bielsa in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 Championship seasons, scoring 21 goals and providing 21 assists in total.

The right-footed wizard, who could play on the flank or in the middle as an attacking midfielder, was a joy to watch with his ability to score and create goals at an impressive rate. His return of 29 ‘big chances’ created in those two campaigns speaks to just how exciting he was to watch, as the maestro could consistently unlock opposition defences.

Such was the level of adoration and admiration that Leeds supporters had for Hernandez, a group of fans went out to Spain to watch him play for Castellon in 2022, leaving the midfielder in tears on the pitch as they chanted his name.

Leeds could, now, unearth their next version of the iconic wizard by swooping to sign one of their reported transfer targets ahead of their return to the Premier League.

Leeds eyeing move for Premier League attacker

According to Caught Offside, Leeds United are one of a number of teams interested in a deal to sign Omari Hutchinson from Ipswich Town in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Burnley, Aston Villa, Everton, and West Ham United are also keen on the England U21 international, which means that there could be plenty of competition for his signature ahead of next season.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It states that Leeds are ‘seriously’ eyeing the young forward up because they want to develop young players and find their next generation of first-team regulars ahead of their return to the top-flight.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke recently claimed that the attacking midfielder has a relegation release clause worth £35m, which will now be active after the Tractor Boys were relegated from the Premier League.

Leeds must act upon their serious interest in the Ipswich star and win the race for his services this summer, because he could come in as the new Pablo Hernandez for the Whites.

Why Omari Hutchinson could be the new Pablo Hernandez for Leeds

Whilst Hutchinson is not a veteran with hundreds of appearances in LaLiga and the Premier League combined, the 21-year-old star would arrive with 29 top-flight matches already under his belt.

He is also very similar to Pablo Hernandez in style. Like the former Leeds man, the English ace predominantly plays as either a right-winger or as an attacking midfielder, and likes to drift inside into central positions even when he starts out wide.

Hutchinson, as you can see in the clip above, is comfortable when taking the ball under pressure in central areas around the box, and has the quality to make things happen in those situations.

The left-footed star, who was dubbed “dazzling” by Statman Dave, has scored three goals and provided two assists in 28 appearances in the Premier League, whilst playing for a struggling team that have already been relegated to the Championship.

It was his form in the second tier for the Tractor Boys in the 2023/24 campaign, however, that suggests that he has the potential to be the next Pablo Hernandez at Elland Road.

Appearances (starts)

44 (20)

xG

5.22

Goals

10

Big chances created

7

xA

5.18

Assists

5

As you can see in the table above, Hutchinson caught the eye in the Championship last term with his ability to score and create goals from a wide or central attacking midfield role.

The 21-year-old talent produced 15 direct goal contributions in just 20 starts for Ipswich, on loan from Chelsea at the time, and this shows that he has the potential to deliver consistent quality at the top end of the pitch.

Therefore, Hutchinson is a player who has all the attributes and positional qualities to emerge as Hernandez 2.0 for Leeds under Farke next season, as a versatile attacking midfielder who can produce moments of magic to excite supporters on a regular basis.

At the age of 21, the left-footed ace would also come in as a long-term asset who could develop and improve during the course of his career at Elland Road, making it an exciting signing for the short-term and for the future.

Better signing than Solomon: Leeds lining up move for £25m "machine"

Leeds United could land an even better signing than Manor Solomon by signing this £25m star.

ByDan Emery May 2, 2025

The upcoming summer transfer window will be an interesting one for Celtic as they will hope to avoid losing any more of their top players ahead of next season.

Last year, Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion swooped in to sign Matt O’Riley from the Scottish giants for a reported fee of more than £25m.

That came after the Danish magician had scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists in the Scottish Premiership during the 2023/24 campaign for Brendan Rodgers.

The Hoops now have a number of valuable assets who could be targets for other clubs in the upcoming summer transfer window, thanks to their performances this season.

Celtic's top five most valuable players

According to Transfermarkt, 27-year-old central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, who has been linked with Bayer Leverkusen, is currently the most valuable player in the squad with a valuation of £11.9m.

Celtic’s top two scorers – Daizen Maeda (31) and Nicolas Kuhn (18) – also make the top five list. Maeda is worth £9.4m, and the German forward is the joint-second most valuable in the squad at £10.2m.

Cameron Carter-Vickers

27

£11.9m

Arne Engels

21

£10.2m

Nicolas Kuhn

25

£10.2m

Reo Hatate

27

£9.4m

Daizen Maeda

27

£9.4m

Arne Engels, who joined the club from Augsburg last summer and has scored ten goals in all competitions, also makes the top five list alongside those three and Reo Hatate.

Whilst Celtic will be happy to have so many highly-valued assets at Parkhead, the Hoops once lost a player for £0 who is now worth more than all of them in the form of Aaron Hickey.

Aaron Hickey's current market value

The Scottish defender joined the club’s academy at the age of 12 and spent four years in the set-up before joining Hearts at the age of 16, as he revealed to Brentford’s official website.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Hickey confirmed that it was his decision to move on from Celtic, rejecting their offer of a new contract, because of his lack of game time in the academy, which meant that the Hoops ended up losing him for nothing.

The versatile full-back then went on to make his senior breakthrough at Hearts before spending two years in Italy with Bologna, between 2020 and 2022, before his big-money move to the Premier League with Brentford ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Brentford reportedly paid a fee of £14m for the Scottish defender and he has only played 35 matches in the Premier League to date, missing 76 games with hamstring and ankle injuries.

At the time of writing, despite his lack of football in recent seasons, Hickey is currently valued at a whopping £15.4m by Transfermarkt – even more than the fee the Bees paid for him.

The 22-year-old talent was even tipped to become even better than Kieran Tierney, who is due to rejoin Celtic this summer, and Andy Robertson by Barry Ferguson, who is currently the manager of Rangers, two years ago, as shown in the clip above.

Hickey, who was described as “amazing” by former manager Steven Naismith, has been unable to fulfill that potential so far, due to his hamstring and ankle injuries, but his significant market value points to the quality he has already shown in his short career to date.

Celtic must rue losing "exciting" gem who's now playing like a £100m star

Celtic lost the talented young attacker for a fee of just £230k and now he’s being compared to a £100m talent.

ByDan Emery Apr 15, 2025

Despite those injury problems, Celtic may regret losing him for nothing as the young dynamo has gone on to become worth even more than all of Rodgers’ current stars, including Engels, Kuhn, and Maeda.

Glasgow Rangers are on the lookout for a permanent manager heading into the 2025/26 season.

With the 49ers Enterprises takeover edging towards completion, they will be keen on securing a high-profile name to take the club forward.

Steven Gerrard is a name that has been linked with a return to Ibrox, but perhaps Marco Rose would be the best option for the Gers.

The German is among one of the favourites to land the coveted role. If he does move to Glasgow, there are at least four high-profile players that both the club and he must shift from the wage bill this summer.

A fresh start is needed all across the park, starting with Jack Butland in the sticks…

1 Jack Butland

The Englishman’s mistake against Celtic in the Scottish Cup final last season has been the catalyst for a poor season at Ibrox.

The £25k-per-week goalkeeper has made a slew of mistakes throughout the season, while conceding 48 goals and keeping just 14 clean sheets across 42 matches in all competitions.

Rose could cash in on the player in the summer as he looks to recruit someone who is at their peak.

2 James Tavernier

The captain, who earns £30k-per-week, is currently heading into the final year of his contract at Ibrox.

That comes amid a poor individual season, which has seen Tavernier register only 17 goal involvements, a far cry from the 36 he recorded last term.

A new direction is needed at Ibrox, and with the Englishman turning 34 in October, surely now is the time for the club to sell him and move on.

James Tavernier’s stats at Rangers since joining

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2023/24

58

24

12

2022/23

55

18

10

2021/22

58

18

17

2020/21

46

19

16

2019/20

46

3

16

2018/19

57

17

20

2017/18

46

9

9

2016/17

44

2

7

2015/16

50

15

23

Via Transfermarkt

After yet another campaign that will end without a trophy, Tavernier’s influence is significantly on the wane. That much is certain.

3 Kieran Dowell

Michael Beale signed Dowell in the summer of 2023 as his contract expired with Norwich City, but he made only 17 appearances for the club in his maiden season.

It became clear he wasn’t at the required level to take the Light Blues to the next level and after 16 games this term, the £16k-per-week midfielder joined Birmingham City on a loan deal.

Ten goal involvements across 22 matches proves Dowell has found his level and the Midlands side could look at signing the Englishman on a permanent basis this summer.

This is a move Rose will surely sanction, allowing him funds to strengthen his squad.

4 Ben Davies

Davies is another player who spent time on loan with Birmingham City this season. After two fairly underwhelming seasons at Ibrox, Philippe Clement sent him on loan to League One last summer. The £27k-per-week defender, like Dowell, appears to have found his level during his temporary stay.

The centre-back has won 70% of his total duels in the third tier this season, along with averaging 6.2 clearances and making 1.1 tackles per game.

Following their promotion, the Blues might want to keep Davies at the club permanently and this is something Rangers must look at pushing through.

He doesn’t seem like a player who would thrive under Rose, and freeing up his massive wages would certainly help the German in the transfer window.

Related Thelwell pushing Rangers to replace Ferguson with 53 y/o "absolute genius"

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Posts ByDominic Lund May 1, 2025

Just when you thought Manchester City were back, they went and did what?

On Saturday, despite having 26 shots and accumulating an xG figure of 2.4, Pep Guardiola’s team were held to an ignominious goalless draw by the Premier League’s bottom club Southampton at St Mary’s.

This means the Citizens are still not guaranteed Champions League qualification, while this could be a confidence-denting result, ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup Final against Crystal Palace at Wembley.

What is clear is that the Sky Blues require a major squad overhaul, so are they in the market for one of the Premier League’s hottest properties?

Manchester City seeking to sign a new right-back

According to a report by Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento is one of the options “under consideration” as Man City seek to sign a new right-back, adding that he is part of a “four-man shortlist”.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Livramento joined Newcastle from Southampton just two years ago for a whopping £40m, viewing this as a long-term investment, considering the Magpies believed he would go on to become England’s first-choice full-back, as noted by Chris Waugh and Conor O’Neill of the Athletic.

Well, fair to say, the 22-year-old has impressed on Tyneside, with Jacob Whitehead of the Athletic labelling him “outstanding” while, speaking on Match of the Day, Newcastle’s all-time record goalscorer Alan Shearer described him as “sensational”.

So, he certainly won’t come cheap, but all the indications are that Livramento would be a fantastic signing for Man City, should they be able to get the deal over the line.

Manchester City's right-back issue

In that aforementioned Romano report, he notes that Kyle Walker “will 100% leave” Manchester City this summer, even if AC Milan do not make his current loan move permanent, which is certainly in doubt, given that I Rossoneri have failed to qualify for the Champions League.

Nevertheless, Man City are very much in the market for a new right-back, given that Matheus Nunes has primarily been filling in there throughout the season.

Michael Cox of the Athletic described Nunes as an “uncomfortable… makeshift right-back”, while Graham Ruthven of Forbes agrees, adding that the Portuguese international “doesn’t have the defensive instincts of a natural full-back”.

Guardiola meantime, stated that Nunes “can become a good right-back” but the reason that he’s not been deployed in midfield is because “he’s not clever enough”, adding that he has “physicality”, but lacks “composure”.

That does not suggest Guardiola believes the 26-year-old will become a Man City stalwart long-term, even though he continues to be used regularly in the starting lineup.

So, let’s assess how Livramento and Nunes compare this season.

Appearances

37

43

Minutes

2,500

3,279

Goals

4

0

Assists

9

1

Expected assists

6.3

2.5

Progressive carries

90

74

Progressive passes

107

150

Attempted take-ons

54

50

Take-on success %

50%

44%

Pass completion %

87.2%

85.2%

Shot-creating actions

61

41

Tackles won

38

42

Interceptions

21

25

Clearances

40

103

Blocks

19

35

Duels contested

166

255

% of ground duels won

47%

55%

Touches per 90

62

49

As the table outlines, Nunes is more of an attacking goal-threat, scoring more goals, providing more assists, attempting more dribbles, completing a higher proportion of his passes and registering a greater number of touches per 90.

Livramento, on the other hand, is a significantly more solid defender, underlined by the fact he boasts better statistics when it comes to tackles, blocks, interceptions, clearances and duels.

Nevertheless, the England international’s in-possession statistics are comparable to Nunes’ across the board, actually accumulating more progressive passes, for example, suggesting he would not be a downgrade in that regard.

Thus, all available evidence suggests Livramento would be an excellent signing for Man City; the biggest challenge will be persuading Newcastle to sell.

Better than Walker: Man City pushing ahead with deal for "exceptional" star

Man City could be close to making a new signing…

ByRoss Kilvington May 9, 2025

Saturday was a special day for Celtic for multiple reasons after they clinched the Scottish Premiership title with a 5-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice Park.

The Hoops ran out comfortable winners on the day, thanks to two goals apiece from Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah and an own goal from Ryan Strain, to secure their fourth title in as many seasons.

It was the club’s 55th top-flight league title and that means that they are now level with their city rivals on 55 league titles, with a chance to overtake them next season.

Brendan Rodgers has now won four league titles in four full seasons at Parkhead, split across two spells, and will be looking to make history with that 56th title in the 2025/26 campaign.

One player who has already made history in a Celtic shirt, however, is James Forrest after he claimed the 26th trophy of his career at the club on Saturday, making him the most-decorated player in the club’s history.

The one-club man has been in the first-team for 26 trophies won, an incredible accomplishment, but he may not be as involved next season, as his powers on the pitch are waning.

Why James Forrest may not play as much next season

The 33-year-old star is heading towards the latter stage of his career and could find himself on the fringes of the squad next term if the Hoops look to make additions in the summer transfer window.

Forrest’s contract at Parkhead does not expire until the summer of 2026, which means that he is unlikely to move on ahead of next season, but he could spend the final year of that deal on the periphery of the group.

The Hoops academy graduate is currently on course to end the season without a single goal to show for his efforts at the top end of the pitch, having managed at least one goal in all 15 of his previous campaigns in the first-team.

There are, of course, a few more matches left to be played for the Hoops, including the final of the SFA Cup against Aberdeen at Hampden Park, but Forrest has played 25 games in the Premiership and the Champions League to date without finding the back of the net.

Appearances

19

4

Goals

0

0

Shots

28

2

Big chances missed

3

0

Big chances created

3

1

Assists

4

1

As you can see in the table above, Forrest has had 30 shots and missed three ‘big chances’ without scoring a goal in those two competitions, whilst he has only created four ‘big chances’ for the team in that time as well.

At the age of 33, it is not a surprise to see the winger’s influence on the pitch diminish. However, if Celtic want to push on and achieve more success in Europe, they should look to bring in another forward who has the potential to offer more, particularly in Europe.

Celtic's January interest in Norwegian winger

The Daily Record recently reported that the Hoops tried to sign Sarpsborg winger Sondre Orjasaeter to bolster their wide options in the January transfer window.

It also claimed that the attacker, who carried his passport around in case a move to Parkhead did materialise, is valued at £7m by his current club, although it remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops would be willing to pay that much for him.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

During the January transfer window, Football Insider revealed that Rodgers wanted more quality options to call upon in the wide areas and that the club were due to ‘accelerate’ a swoop for the Norwegian starlet.

Journalist Mark Hendry later reported that the Scottish giants had an opening bid rejected by Sarpsborg for the young forward, and the Hoops ended the window without a deal for the 21-year-old talent.

After the club failed to sign the winger in January, Rodgers should push for the Hoops to bring Orjasaeter, once dubbed an “artist” by Havard Flo, to Glasgow in the summer window because he could be an upgrade on Forrest on the flanks.

Why Celtic should sign Sondre Orjasaeter

As aforementioned, the 33-year-old Celtic veteran’s powers are waning, and he should not be relied upon as much as he has been this season, particularly with his four appearances in Europe.

The Hoops will need more quality in the final third if they want to progress in the Champions League and compete in the latter stage of the competition, which is why they should target Orjasaeter and other additions to bolster their squad.

Whilst the Norwegian star is not a proven Champions League performer who would be guaranteed to make a big impact for the Bhoys on the European stage, the 21-year-old talent’s performances for Sarpsborg suggest that the potential is there for him to offer more than Forrest.

Orjasaeter has been in impressive form for his club at league level since the start of the 2024 campaign, showcasing his qualities as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Appearances

28

4

Goals

5

0

Big chances missed

5

1

Big chances created

12

4

Key passes per game

1.9

1.8

Assists

5

1

Dribbles completed per game

2.4

2.3

As you can see in the table above, his teammates have let him down at times by only scoring six goals from the 16 ‘big chances’ that he has created on the wing.

These statistics suggest that he has the quality to offer more than Forrest in the final third, as both a scorer and a creator of goals, if he can translate that form over to Scottish football.

At the age of 21, Orjasaeter is also 12 years younger than the Scottish ace and could be a long-term addition for Celtic, with the potential to develop and improve throughout his time at Parkhead.

Celtic can bin Idah by signing "absolutely sensational" £10m star

Brendan Rodgers could land an instant upgrade on Adam Idah by signing this star for Celtic.

ByDan Emery Apr 28, 2025

This is why the Hoops should push to get a deal done for the young ace this summer, because they could improve their team and allow Forrest to become less of a frontline option, seeing out his career and contract without being relied upon in the Premiership or the Champions League.

Sheffield Wednesday are looking to build the foundations for another tilt at the Championship playoffs next term, though they may now face a fight with Blackburn Rovers to sign a reported target.

Sheffield Wednesday remain in a state of limbo with Danny Rohl

Usually, stability at a football club starts from the manager and filters down to his players, but the future of Danny Rohl at Hillsborough appears anything but certain at this point.

With the 36-year-old’s work in South Yorkshire not going unnoticed, interest is starting to mount in his services as clubs around Europe enter a period of change in the off-season.

If he were to leave South Yorkshire, where could the Sheffield Wednesday boss end up? Glasgow could be a potential destination after Rangers identified Rohl as a prospective permanent successor to Philippe Clement.

Fulham are another side intrigued by his managerial style, though ties haven’t been formally severed, which has led to a state of limbo involving all parties.

Regardless, Sheffield Wednesday need to start building for the new season. Some clarity over the direction of their squad has been found in Thursday’s retained list amid a lack of communication on matters at managerial level.

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Barry Bannan, Akin Famewo and Callum Paterson are in talks to stay, while Anthony Musaba, Michael Smith and Josh Windass have been tied to new deals following the club’s decision to trigger their options. Stuart Armstrong, Mallik Wilks and Marvin Johnson are among notable departures, paving the way for eventual reinforcements to take their place.

Undoubtedly, a feeling of anxiety exists over Rohl’s future, but forward planning is underway regarding their pursuit of a highly-rated defensive target.

Sheffield Wednesday make enquiry to sign Aston Villa youngster Rowe

According to Football Insider, Sheffield Wednesday are pursuing Aston Villa youngster Triston Rowe on a loan basis amid competition from Blackburn Rovers for his signature and have made a move by launching an initial enquiry.

The Villans have seen enough in the England Under-19 international’s development to decide on farming him out to the EFL Championship for further experience after his role in their Under-18 side’s treble victory.

Triston Rowe in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

35

Goals

1

Assists

1

Primarily a right-back, Rowe can also deputise in central defence or further up the flank if needed and was previously called up to Aston Villa’s matchday squad in their 2-1 EFL Cup victory over Wycombe Wanderers last year.

Nevertheless, he isn’t yet viewed as a viable competitor to Matty Cash, so a loan move would allow him to continue developing without the spotlight of being thrust into a high-stakes top-flight environment.

Former Scotland international Liam Palmer isn’t getting any younger, which may have prompted Sheffield Wednesday to assess their own pecking order on the right-hand side of defence.

Now, their challenge will be to convince the youngster that Hillsborough is the correct environment to thrive while growing into the senior game next campaign.

Celtic ran out in front of their own supporters at Parkhead for the first time since they won the Scottish Premiership title when they faced Hibernian on Saturday.

The Hoops clinched the league title with a 5-0 win over Dundee United away from home at the end of last month, before they travelled across Glasgow to play out a 1-1 draw with their rivals last weekend.

It did, however, look as though Hibs were going to spoil the party when they took the lead at Celtic Park thanks to an opening goal from Martin Boyle in the 25th minute.

The Premiership champions, though, bounced back and led before the break after goals from Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah turned the game around, before Reo Hatate added a third in the second 45.

Cameron Carter-Vickers, who has suffered with hamstring injuries this season, was given the weekend off by Brendan Rodgers, in order to manage his minutes in the final few weeks of the season.

That opened up a position at the heart of the defence and the Northern Irish head coach opted to go with Auston Trusty next to Liam Scales.

Scales and Trusty's performances for Celtic this season

The Hoops reportedly paid a fee of £5m to sign Trusty from English side Sheffield United in the summer transfer window last year to bolster their left-sided centre-back options.

The USA international and Scales have competed for the starting berth next to Carter-Vickers at centre-back, but they have also had to play alongside each other at times when the former Spurs man has been unavailable, like on Saturday.

Although Celtic won the match comfortably in the end, Trusty, who lost 100% of his ground duels, had a moment to forget when his poor attempted clearance dropped straight to Boyle to find the back of the net.

Unfortunately, errors have been too common for the former Arsenal defender in the Premiership this season since his £5m move to Parkhead, particularly in comparison to Scales and Carter-Vickers.

24/25 Premiership

Cameron Carter-Vickers

Liam Scales

Auston Trusty

Appearances

29

25

21

Error led to shot

1

1

4

Error led to goal

0

0

1

Penalties committed

0

1

0

Dribbled past

3x

5x

11x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Trusty has made more errors that have led to shots, more errors that have led to goals, and been dribbled past more times, despite playing fewer matches than the other two centre-backs.

This also shows that Scales, who was unlucky to give a penalty away at Ross County, has been more reliable than the American dud in the Premiership.

This is despite the former Aberdeen loanee being worth just £3m, as per Transfermarkt, which is £2m less than the fee the club paid Sheffield United for the other left-footed defender.

The Ireland international has not made as many errors as the former Premier League flop and that may be why Rodgers has preferred him over Trusty alongside Carter-Vickers in recent weeks.

However, the Celtic boss did still opt to select Trusty on the right side of the defence over Maik Nawrocki, a naturally right-footed player, and the Hoops must ruthlessly ditch the Polish centre-back this summer as a result of his lack of minutes on the pitch this season.

Why Celtic should cash in on Maik Nawrocki

The 24-year-old defender, whose Transfermarkt value is just £1.7m, was an unused substitute once again against Hibernian, as he failed to add to his paltry two appearances in the Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign.

When questioned about Nawrocki’s lack of game time in March, Rodgers explained that it was because he prefers to have left-footed players on the left. He said: “I do always prefer where I can a left-footed centre-half on that side, in all honesty, because that allows you to get through the pitch quicker and have more speed playing forward.”

However, Carter-Vickers was unavailable against Hibernian and the manager still opted for Trusty on the right side, despite him being a naturally left-footed player who has the same problems that Nawrocki has playing out on his weaker side.

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This suggests that the former Legia Warsaw star’s lack of game time goes beyond Rodgers’ concerns about which side of the centre-back pairing he plays, as he was unwilling to give him minutes against Hibernian with no other right-footed centre-backs available and the title already wrapped up.

The most frustrating part of this for Nawrocki, however, may be that this has come after his impressive performances in the Premiership in his two outings in March.

All the way back in January of last year, Nawrocki told reporters that he was prepared for his moment to shine in a Celtic shirt, and that moment eventually came in March of this year when Trusty and Scales were injured and he was named in the XI against Rangers and Hearts.

Maik Nawrocki

Vs Rangers

Vs Hearts

Minutes

90

90

Clearances

7

9

Blocks

0

3

Tackles + interceptions

5

1

Duels won

7/10

8/9

Dribbled past

0x

0x

Pass accuracy

93%

98%

Error led to shot/goal

0

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Polish star took his chances to impress with dominant and reliable defensive displays in those two matches, which led to pundit Chris Sutton hailing him as “fantastic”.

However, Nawrocki has been an unused substitute for four matches, missed out on the matchday squad twice, and not played a single minute of football since the win and clean sheet against Hearts.

As aforementioned, his Transfermarkt value now stands at just £1.7m. This means that he is worth less than Scales (£3m) and Trusty (bought for £5m), whilst also being the least used centre-back option, with just two league outings.

Therefore, Celtic must brutally axe the 24-year-old outcast from the squad in the upcoming summer transfer window because he is a depreciating asset who is not getting enough minutes on the pitch.

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Rodgers has shown that he is not ready to trust Nawrocki ahead of Scales or Trusty and it is now down to the board to find a team that is willing to snap him up so they can recoup some money for his services ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

It might be something of an understatement to say that this season hasn’t gone quite how the Tottenham Hotspur faithful would have hoped back in August.

Yet, while they sit 16th in the Premier League, Ange Postecoglou’s side are in with a real chance to lift the Europa League, although before they can think about that, they need to secure passage to the final by keeping or extending their two-goal advantage away to FK Bodø/Glimt on Thursday night.

Unfortunately, they will be without James Maddison, and as things stand, Dominic Solanke could also be set to miss out.

While he’s been effective here and there, the club-record signing has not blown anyone away this season, and that might explain recent reports linking the team to a new centre-forward, who may well be an upgrade on the Englishman.

Tottenham's striker search

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other strikers linked with Spurs in recent months, such as Daizen Maeda and Jonathan David.

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The former may spend a lot of time on the wing, but he’s no stranger to playing down the middle, and with a tally of 45 goal involvements this season and a potential price tag of £25m, he could be an incredible signing.

The latter has racked up a sensational haul of 25 goals and 12 assists in 47 games this season and, thanks to his contract expiring at the end of the campaign, will be available on a free.

However, another international striker has now caught the attention of Daniel Levy and Co: Tim Kleindienst.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Tottenham are one of several teams interested in signing the German forward this summer.

In fact, the report claims that the Lilywhites are now ready to pay up to £30m for the goalscorer, but so are West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton.

Moreover, AC Milan, AS Roma, and Bayern Munich are also keeping close tabs on the Bourrusia Mönchengladbach star.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but it’s one worth fighting for, especially as Kleindienst could be a big upgrade on Solanke.

How Kleindienst compares to Solanke

So, if Spurs are going to go out, get ahead of the competition and splash the cash on Kleindienst, would he come straight into the starting lineup?

Well, when we compare him to Solanke, as he’d be his main competitor, the answer is a pretty resounding yes.

For example, when it comes to the pair’s raw output from this season, which is, of course, the most important metric for a striker, it’s the German who comes out comfortably on top.

In just 32 appearances for Mönchengladbach, totalling 2835 minutes, the “remarkable” 29-year-old, as dubbed by ESPN reporter Archie Rhind-Tutt, has scored 16 goals and provided ten assists.

In other words, the Jüterbog-born poacher is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.23 games, or every 109.03 minutes.

Kleindienst vs Solanke in 24/25
Player	Kleindienst	Solanke
Appearnaces	32	41
Minutes	2835′	3131′
Goals	16	14
Assists	10	8
Goal Involvements per Match	0.81	0.53
Minutes per Goal Involvement	109.03′	142.31′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, the North Londoner’s record signing has scored 14 goals and provided eight assists in 41 appearances, totalling 3131 minutes.

That means the Englishman is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.86 games, or every 142.31 minutes, and while that isn’t bad, it is noticeably worse than his potential competitor.

Furthermore, while the former FC Heidenheim ace has scored four goals and provided one assist in his six senior caps for Germany, the former Bournemouth striker has no goals or assists to his name in three caps.

Ultimately, while Solanke has been a useful player for Spurs so far, it’s clear that Kleindienst is the better goalscorer, and therefore, Levy and Co should go out and sign him this summer.

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