Celtic Could Replace Postecoglou With 43 y/o Manager

Celtic secured the domestic treble on Saturday with a 3-1 win over Inverness at Hampden in the Scottish FA Cup final but their joy has been short-lived as manager Ange Postecoglou is now on the verge of leaving the club.

The Athletic's David Ornstein has reported that the Australian coach is set to finalise a move to Tottenham Hotspur in the coming days.

This means that the Scottish giants are set to be in the market for a new boss to replace the 57-year-old, who is seemingly set to depart after winning five trophies in two seasons at the helm.

Who could replace Ange Postecoglou?

Celtic's head of recruitment Mark Lawwell could pull off a potential masterclass by using his contacts to replace Postecoglou with Manchester City assistant coach Enzo Maresca.

Last month, Football Insider reported that the Hoops were keeping tabs on the Spaniard with a view to him being on their shortlist of possible targets for the job, should it become available.

Manchester City's coaches, including Pep Guardiola and Enzo Maresca.

It appears as though the role is now about to be vacant, if the current boss' move to Spurs goes ahead as reported, and Maresca, who journalist Dean Jones claimed would be an "interesting" option, could come in and take it.

Lawwell worked at The Etihad prior to arriving at Parkhead last year and he could use his connections with the Premier League giants to strike a deal for the 43-year-old coach, who is said to be 'well-regarded'.

He does not have a wealth of experience as a manager but did showcase his potential whilst in charge of Manchester City's U23 side.

The tactician won 17 of his 24 matches at the helm of the academy side and won 2.33 points per game on average, which shows that he does know what it takes to make a winning side, albeit that has only been proven at youth level.

Maresca has worked as an assistant at Sevilla with Vincenzo Montella, West Ham with Manuel Pellegrini, and has been Pep Guardiola's assistant for 60 matches – winning the Premier League and the FA Cup so far.

It would be a gamble for Celtic to sign the Spanish coach due to not having a proven track record as a manager but appointing him at this point in his career could be a masterclass as they could bring him in before he becomes hot property.

Mikel Arteta had never managed a senior match prior to leaving Guardiola as his assistant to join Arsenal as their boss and has since led them to an FA Cup trophy and, this season, a second-place finish in the Premier League.

Therefore, Celtic could take a lead out of the Gunners' book to make Maresca their head coach before he moves elsewhere and forges a reputation that could put him beyond the club's reach in the future.

This is why this swoop could be a stroke of genius by Lawwell and one that could be an exciting step for the Hoops after Postecoglou's reported departure.

Blackburn Rovers interested in "Dangerous" EFL Forward

Blackburn Rovers are interested in signing Queens Park Rangers striker Lyndon Dykes, according to recent reports.

What's the latest Blackburn Rovers transfer news?

With the likes of Ben Brereton Diaz, Bradley Dack and Daniel Ayala all leaving Ewood Park in the coming weeks, it's set to be a busy summer for Rovers as they look to replace them.

After missing out on the playoffs by goal difference, Jon Dahl Tomasson's side has moved quickly, signing Plymouth Argyle striker Niall Ennis last month.

A lack of depth up front has been a cause for concern for the Lancashire outfit all year, with the departing Brereton Diaz (16) the only player to score in double figures for the side this season.

Rovers aren't finished there, though, and according to the Daily Mail, they are among a number of teams interested in QPR striker, Dykes.

The Lancashire Telegraph reports that the club will need to sell players to generate any finances for a transfer, though, with full-back Tayo Edun being linked with a move away from Ewood, with both Charlton Athletic and Cardiff City interested.

Will Lyndon Dykes join Blackburn Rovers?

With eight league goals this season in a struggling QPR side, the 27-year-old would add some firepower to a Rovers team that's been severely lacking it this year.

No Rovers player outside of Brereton Diaz scored more league goals than the Scottish international during the Championship's latest campaign and adding him will help alleviate any pressure on Sam Gallagher's goal-scoring output.

The 27-year-old talisman, once hailed "dangerous" by former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard shortly before his team faced Dykes and Livingston in 2020, excels as a big target man, winning 4.8 aerial duels a game according to WhoScored, almost two more than Rovers' current number nine, Sam Gallagher who wins three per game.

While Tomasson has prioritised a possession-based style of football, playing out from the back, his side has also shown a tendency to pick out a long ball whenever they identify space behind the opposition back line, firing 66 long passes a game, and having a forward like Dykes on the receiving end would see the £8k-a-week man almost certainly reap the rewards.

Rovers certainly aren't the only team interested in the Scottish international, though, with fellow championship outfit Stoke City and newly-promoted Burnley both also targeting Dykes, so the club have got their work cut out for them if they're going to lure the QPR man to Ewood Park.

Tottenham Hotspur Set Sights On Signing "Excellent" £15m Colossus

Tottenham Hotspur have now set their sights on a summer move for Leeds United defender Robin Koch, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Tottenham will need to bring in a new defender this summer, given that they are reportedly open to offers for Ben Davies, regardless of who is appointed as their new manager, and they have identified a number of key targets.

It has recently been reported that Spurs have reached an agreement with Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, with the Turkish club now working on sanctioning a sale, which could amount to €25m (£21m), as the player has made it clear he wants to leave.

The Lilywhites are also eyeing a move for Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba, but it would take a "huge bid" to pull off a deal, meaning they could turn their attention to other targets, including Villarreal's Pau Torres.

According to a report from Football Insider, Tottenham have also set their sights on signing Koch this summer, with the defender potentially set to be available for a cut-price fee of £15m, following Leeds United's relegation to the Championship.

Spurs have shortlisted the German as a potential target as we now enter the summer transfer window, and he is deemed likely to be on the move this summer, as his contract with Leeds is set to expire at the end of next season.

Not only that, but the 26-year-old is also keen on playing in the Premier League, potentially opening the door for a move to north London.

Should Tottenham sign Robin Koch?

There is no doubting that the centre-back is quality on his day, having been hailed as "excellent" by members of the media back in January, however, there are question marks about whether he would be able to make the step up to Tottenham.

The 6 foot 4 colossus is very impressive in the air, ranking in the 91st percentile for aerials won per 90 in the past year, however, he has no other stand-out attributes defensively, and he failed impress for Leeds last season.

Leeds United's Robin Koch

With an average Sofascore rating of 6.63 in the Premier League, the defender ranked just 17th in the squad, and Leeds conceded more league goals than any other top-flight side. As such, Tottenham may be better off avoiding making a move for Koch this summer, and they could look to instead continue to focus on other targets.

Newcastle set to sign Matt Targett

A major update has emerged on Newcastle’s pursuit of Matt Targett heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, the Magpies are set to close a £12m deal for the English left-back following his loan spell at St. James’ Park last season.

The report claims that they have already held talks over a move and Dan Ashworth is now on the verge of his first deal as the club’s sporting director.

Eddie Howe will be buzzing

This update will surely leave the head coach buzzing as Targett will be a good addition to the team heading into next season.

The full-back was a solid player for the Magpies in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign and the boss knows exactly what he is going to get from the former Southampton man.

Upon Targett’s arrival on loan in January, Howe said: “We have gone into this transfer window with a plan to add strong competition in specific areas of the team and Matt will be a fantastic option for us on the left.

“He has important Premier League experience and know-how at this level, so I’m really pleased we’ve been able to add him to the squad.”

These comments from January back up why he will now be buzzing that the defender is set to return on a permanent basis. He is a proven top-flight performer and will be a reliable, consistent, option for the head coach at left-back.

In 2021/22, Targett averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.96 across 33 starts in the Premier League for Villa and Newcastle combined. This shows that he is capable of delivering superb displays on a regular basis at the top level.

Defensively, he made himself a rock at the back. The full-back averaged a whopping 3.8 tackles and interceptions and 1.8 clearances per game in the top-flight. He has shown that he can cut out opposition attacks to win possession for his side multiple times throughout matches.

Targett can also offer some creativity going forwards. He created five ‘big chances’ in the Premier League last season and made 1.2 key passes per game, showing that he also has the potential to make an impact at the top end of the pitch.

Howe will now be buzzing with Ashworth’s work to close in on a deal for the left-back and will be looking forward to working with him again next term.

AND in other news, Ashworth “looking” at Newcastle deal for “clever” £75m gem, he can be Howe’s own Salah…

Tottenham: London journalist makes Eriksen transfer claim

Journalist Rahman Osman of London World has now shared a Tottenham Hotspur transfer update involving Brentford playmaker Christian Eriksen.

The Lowdown: Spurs in mix…

The Lilywhites, as per recent reports, are in the mix to sign Eriksen following his phenomenal and fairy-tale return to the grass.

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After suffering a cardiac-arrest at Euro 2020, few could’ve predicted the Dane would be thriving back in the Premier League under Thomas Frank and sparking interest from Spurs.

Eriksen is allegedly keen on a sensational reunion with the north-Londoners and manager Antonio Conte as the club eye a Bosman deal for their ex-hero.

The Latest: Osman shares update…

According to Osman of LW, an update has emerged, with Conte personally ‘pressing on for a deal’ to re-sign the 30-year-old.

However, if they cannot convince the midfielder to return, it is believed Brighton star Yves Bissouma has been earmarked as an alternative target.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Potentially signing Eriksen for free is an arguable no-brainer given chairman Daniel Levy once put a seismic £130m tag on his head (The Mirror), highlighting the player’s obvious value and quality.

He’s been a standout for Brentford, making the most key passes per 90 for them in the top flight last year whilst also averaging the highest match rating out of anyone in the Bees squad (WhoScored).

Sealing a return for the ‘big name’ creator may well be one of Fabio Paratici’s more shrewd moves of the summer if he can get it done.

In other news: ‘Not only Perisic’ – Tottenham push for ‘genius’ signing after Conte call ‘in recent days’…find out more here.

Leeds: Hay drops Phillips transfer claim

Phil Hay has dropped an update on the future of Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

What’s the talk?

Speaking on a recent episode of The Phil Hay Show, the titular journalist revealed that, despite the 26-year-old’s recent claim that he would like to remain at Elland Road, should Manchester City act upon their reported interest in the England international, he could see the Whites academy graduate leaving LS11 in the summer transfer window.

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Regarding Phillips’ future at Leeds, Hay said: “I think Manchester City are the team to watch with him because they do like him. Fernandinho has obviously come to the end of the line and they’ll be after a defensive midfielder. The fact that they have money and the fact that they like Phillips tells you that could happen.”

Supporters will be gutted

Considering just how crucial a part of the Leeds side Phillips has been since their promotion to the Premier League back in 2020, in addition to the midfielder’s comments suggesting he would be happy to stay at Elland Road this summer, should the 26-year-old go on to join Pep Guardiola’s side in the coming months, it would certainly be an outcome that will leave the Whites faithful gutted.

Indeed, over his 29 top-flight appearances in 2020/21, the £45m-rated talent was undoubtedly Marcelo Bielsa’s standout performer, making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 2.6 tackles, 1.7 clearances and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 52% – per game.

The £38k-per-week midfielder also impressed going forwards, scoring one goal, registering two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 1.2 key passes, 4.7 long balls and completing 41 passes per fixture.

These returns saw the 19-time capped international average a simply breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.21, not only ranking him as the Whites’ best player in the division but also as the ninth-best midfielder in the Premier League as a whole.

And, while a hamstring injury severely hampered Phillips’ game time in the 2021/22 campaign, the 26-year-old still managed to impress over his 20 league outings, providing one assist and creating one big chance, as well as making an average of 1.2 interceptions, 2.7 tackles, 38.9 passes and winning 4.8 duels per game.

As such, while it would appear extremely likely that Jesse Marsch would be handed a large sum of money to work with in the summer transfer window if Phillips were to move onto pasture new, it is nevertheless clear to see that the loss of a player as talented as the Leeds-born star would come as a gutting blow to everyone involved with the Whites.

AND in other news: “From what I’m told..”: Phil Hay drops Leeds transfer claim, supporters surely buzzing

Sunderland playoff final ticket update

The EFL have issued a huge Sunderland ticket update ahead of the club’s upcoming League One play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers on May 21.

The Lowdown: Extra ticket allocation

The Black Cats have set up a meeting with Gareth Ainsworth’s side at the end of the month after securing a 2-1 aggregate victory over Sheffield Wednesday in the semi-final, and so will obviously want to have as many fans there backing them as possible.

The Wearside outfit sold an allocation of 43,960 tickets in just a few days, so an additional 2,500 were made available for purchase on Wednesday, with the club confirming that this would be the final distribution.

The Latest: EFL release statement

Despite the capacity of Wembley being approximately 90,000, Wycombe have so far only sold 22,000 tickets, meaning that there is set to be a huge number of empty seats around the ground.

However, in a new update, the EFL have revealed that due to the segregation of supporters, they are unable to offer any more to the Black Cats. As quoted by Sunderland Echo, the statement read:

“Following discussions with Sunderland AFC and Wembley National Stadium over the past 48 hours, the EFL is pleased to confirm that an additional allocation of approximately 2,500 tickets will be made available to Sunderland supporters for this Saturday’s Sky Bet League One Play-Off Final.

“The configuration of Wembley Stadium presents a number of challenges for the event organisers that must be considered while implementing the requirement for the segregation of supporters, but this final allocation ensures that there will be in the region of 46,000 Sunderland supporters attending this fixture.

“The EFL acknowledges that it will be incredibly frustrating for fans who have been unable to secure a ticket to see a number of empty seating blocks on show at the weekend, but the decision by Wembley National Stadium to make this the final allocation of tickets has been taken in the primary interest of supporter safety.”

The Verdict: Positive track record

If Alex Neil’s men manage to sell out their extra allocation, this would mean that there would be over 46,000 fans inside the ground on the day urging their team to try and gain promotion to the Championship.

Sunderland have got a good track record against their opponents, having secured a 3-1 win at the Stadium of Light earlier in the season, followed by a 3-3 draw in the reverse fixture.

Yet to be defeated by Wycombe this campaign, the Black Cats should be going into this game with the confidence that they are more than capable of pulling off another big result on the one day that it matters most, and the only shame is there won’t be even more Wearsiders down South to enjoy it in the flesh.

In other news… a former Sunderland captain has backed his old side to join him in the promotion party.

Lampard drops Everton transfer update

Everton have had a troubling season in the Premier League and their battle with relegation has led to wide speculation on the future of players like Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and now Frank Lampard has addressed the rumours surrounding the striker.

What’s the latest?

The Toffees manager took to his pre-match press conference to quash rumours about the 25-year-old potentially leaving Goodison Park this summer, after Newcastle United were strongly linked with him earlier this week.

Lampard told the press (via Daily Mail): “He’s a huge player, they are not very common. He is contracted to us, three years left on his contract, and I want to take this club forward and players like Dominic help that.”

‘He’s a player that would be wanted by clubs because of the level of player he is. There are not many strikers out there, they cost a lot of money. I’m not worried about him at all.”

Supporters will be delighted

There is no doubt that Calvert-Lewin has become a fan favourite at Everton when you consider his goal contributions to the team since his arrival at Goodison Park six years ago, so supporters will surely be delighted that Lampard has no intentions of letting the striker leave this summer and is planning for a future which includes him.

The transfer rumours come after a disappointing season by the striker’s standards, with numerous injury problems plaguing the England international throughout. As a result, he has not scored a goal for the Toffees since August as he struggles to gain a consistent run of form this season.

Despite Calvert-Lewin’s injury problems this term, the centre-forward is by far the biggest attacking threat the club has had over the last few years, with an impressive 56 goals and 17 assists in 188 appearances for Everton since he joined back in 2016.

Lampard’s admission that the striker is firmly in his plans is a promising update for supporters, as the 25-year-old has been constantly linked with multiple Premier League clubs, with Arsenal also reportedly interested in snatching him away from Merseyside this summer.

That being said, if the former Chelsea boss can’t pull off the great escape in the relegation battle by the end of the season, it will almost definitely play a huge part in potential outgoings at Goodison Park this summer, so focusing on getting the points needed to remain in the Premier League is essential.

AND in other news: Thelwell plotting Everton swoop for “exceptional” 6 foot 2 tank, Lampard would love him

Arsenal could sign Fabregas 2.0

Arsenal are one of three top clubs who are reportedly interested in signing Leicester City’s Belgian sensation Youri Tielemans.

That is according to none other than Fabrizio Romano, who has boosted the Gunners’ hopes in securing the 25-year-old, having stated on Twitter that “Arsenal are discussing Tielemans internally since January.”

As if the reliability of Romano was not enough, The Athletic’s David Ornstein has entered the rumour mill with a report which will surely have Arsenal fans excited.

On Twitter, alongside a link to his latest report, Ornstein said: “AFC decision makers all keen to sign Youri Tielemans + agent dialogue encouraging so far.”

Whilst Arteta will be keen to wrap up a deal for the 25-year-old in order to improve the Gunners’ depth issue in midfield, fans may well be excited at the Belgian’s resemblance to Cesc Fabregas.

With the strength of his link-up play, defensive astuteness and ability to contribute with attacking returns, Tielemans may well provide a modern-day influence to Arsenal similar to what the Spaniard exerted in the Emirates Stadium’s early years.

The Belgian, who has been dubbed “scary” by Sam Dean and a “genius” by Roger Bennett, is capable of fitting into the one-touch possession focus that Arteta looks to employ at Arsenal. Also, he is more capable of progressing the ball than the likes of Thomas Partey, who is evidently more defensive-minded than the Belgian.

Partey’s match average of 12.8 touches in the attacking third, in comparison to Tielemans’ average of 19.86, is demonstrative of what kind of style those players would bring to the team.

In the context of styles, Arteta will have surely taken influence from Pep Guardiola’s ideology at Manchester City, in which he ensures that he has a different style for each position. For instance, on the right wing, he has an inverted winger in Riyad Mahrez, an inside forward in Gabriel Jesus and a wide man in Raheem Sterling who can help to spread the play.

Arteta can look to implement this throughout the Arsenal engine room with a player like the £40m-rated Tielemans, who can offer the b0x-to-box midfielder element that the Gunners have been missing.

In other news: “Arsenal are..”: Romano drops exciting transfer claim that’ll leave supporters buzzing 

Man United: Ten Hag eyes Tyrell Malacia bid

Manchester United are reportedly interested in making Feyenoord’s Tyrell Malacia their first signing of the Erik ten Hag era.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from The Sun who claim that Manchester United will back their incoming manager in this summer’s transfer window, with Feyenoord left-back Tyrell Malacia “set” to join the Premier League side for a fee of around £20m.

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The Pitbull

Known as a “pitbull” for his tackling technique, Malacia has been described as “the sharpest [full] back in the Eredivisie” as per NOS Sport.

In 31 league appearances this season, Malacia has notched up a respectable five attacking returns in the form of one goal and four assists.

Whilst boasting some healthy numbers for his defensive participations, with his average of 2.7 tackles per game perhaps a standout, the 22-year-old has asserted himself as a creative threat this season.

Malacia’s eight big chances created see him rank second in Feyenoord’s squad this season, with his expected assists total of 5.9xA another demonstration of his offensive quality.

Though the signing of the Netherlands international will most certainly provide additional competition for Luke Shaw, the move could also see the likes of Alex Telles and Brandon Williams axed, something that would no doubt delight supporters who are keen to see the overall quality of the squad improve.

Brandon Williams has been on loan at Norwich this season and having suffered a relegation with the Canaries, is eager to return to Old Trafford having said: “I know I can play in this league, and I know I can get to the top and that’s what I want to do” (as per Manchester Evening News).

Telles, on the other hand, has started just 44% of his 19 appearances for United this season having chipped in with four assists – a creative return more than Luke Shaw, who has shared the left-back spot with the Brazilian this season.

The signing of Malacia could cause a domino effect for Manchester United’s full-backs this summer, with the likes of Telles and Williams surely concerned over their place in the squad, come next season.

In other news: ETH plotting major MUFC deal for “unbelievable” £29m “weapon”, he’s Beckham 2.0…