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Former England international Danny Mills has hinted that Celtic can’t rule out the possibility of Ange Postecoglou making a move to the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Postecoglou excelling at Celtic

The Australian took charge at Parkhead last year following the end of Neil Lennon’s reign and he has become an immediate hero at the club, being described as ‘incredible’ by Fox Sports.

Postecoglou has guided Celtic to within touching distance of regaining the Premiership title, with a six-point lead opened up over Rangers currently and a direct blow landed on their arch-rivals only last week.

Furthermore, the Hoops could also win yet another Scottish Cup, with a mouthwatering semi-final against the Gers coming up on Sunday afternoon.

The Latest: Mills makes worrying Postecoglou claim

Postecoglou only signed a one-year deal last summer and a new contract hasn’t been agreed yet, with Rory Smith of the New York Times telling the BBC last week (4 April) that the Celtic boss has his admirers at Manchester City.

When asked if Premier League clubs could take an interest in the 56-year-old, Mills refused to rule out any such move, stating:

“People still accept and understand that the level of the Scottish Premiership is not that of the Premier League.

“Celtic were in a decent place. They weren’t a million miles off it, they had a good squad of players.

“Realistically it’s still only a two-team league. Rangers have dropped off a little bit, losing Steven Gerrard was a big blow for them.

“Celtic have improved a little bit, Rangers have dropped off a little bit. It appears as if it is a bigger swing than it is.

“They will want to see how he does in the Champions League first and see what his recruitment is like with another window.

“They just need to see a little bit more longevity. Because Rangers have dropped off a little bit it doesn’t tell the whole story.”

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The Verdict: Would be a huge blow for Celtic

Losing Postecoglou so early in his time at Celtic would be an almighty blow, given the influence he has had at Parkhead, but it would be a big surprise if that happened.

The 56-year-old will surely want to test himself in the Champions League, and the Hoops’ qualification for Europe’s premier club competition next season looks likely, given the current league table and Scotland’s improved UEFA coefficient.

The lure of the Premier League can be difficult for any manager to resist, but for the time being, it feels like this is only the start of Postecoglou’s story at Parkhead.

In other news, Postecoglou has spoken of his ‘concern’ regarding one Celtic player. Find out who it is here.

A number of West Brom supporters have criticised Darnell Furlong’s performance in his side’s disappointing 1-0 defeat to Stoke City.

The Baggies were back in Championship action on Friday evening, looking to continue the impressive form that has seen them to the top of the table.

It proved to be a disappointing night for West Brom, however, as Stoke ended up sealing a 1-0 home win, thanks to Nick Powell’s late strike.

It means Valerien Ismael’s side will be knocked off top spot if Bournemouth win at home to Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon.

One player who had a poor night was Furlong, who struggled in defence and received a five-out-of-10 rating from The Birmingham Mail, losing possession 24 times overall. He also scored a comical own goal that was ruled out.

West Brom fans fume at Furlong display

These West Brom fans took to Twitter to lay into the defender’s performance, on a hugely frustrating away day for the Baggies.

“We were always going to lose at some point. No positives to take out of that performance tonight, terrible from start to finish. Thought Furlong had one of his worst games for us. Fair play to Stoke, deserved the win. Roll on Blues (h)”

Credit: @matt_p_w

“Furlong been way off the pace tonight”

Credit: @93xKG

“Furlong poor tonight”

Credit: @kevin_saunders

“Lucky that the ref saw it, shocking communication from Furlong and Johnstone”

Credit: @JDWBA2

“Dreadful free-kick routine, wasteful. Mowatt’s centre finds nobody and Furlong concedes a needless free-kick himself”

Credit: @ChapmanJ92

“Furlong not even paying attention then”

Credit: @Wellsy172

In other news, some West Brom fans are desperate for one player to sign a new deal. Find out who it is here.

A number of Liverpool supporters are delighted after James Pearce claimed that Andy Robertson will sign a new Reds deal in the near future.

Jurgen Klopp’s men have got their season off to a perfect start, winning their opening two Premier League games and not conceding a goal.

Liverpool have done it without the influential Robertson, too, with the Scot still recovering from an ankle injury picked up at the end of pre-season.

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Kostas Tsimikas has performed admirably in the absence of the Scot, filling in impressively at left-back and proving that there is depth in that area.

Robertson remains the undisputed first-choice in that position, though, and Liverpool will be keen to tie him down to a new contract, having done so with several other key players in recent weeks.

According to The Athletic journalist Pearce on The Red Agenda podcast [via LFC Transfer Room on Twitter], the defender’s new deal should be sorted imminently.

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Liverpool fans react to Robertson news

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to show their happiness at Pearce’s prediction about Robertson’s Anfield future.

“Get in la”

Credit: @SharafJuhayr

“Let’s gooo. Best LB in the world staying with us!”

Credit: @LFCLover_1

“Sign him up for life!!!!”

Credit: @Garth_82

“What a day”

Credit: @DiogoJotaFC20

“Dear Robbo”

Credit: @englishjen2

“We also seem to keep doing this, which isn’t as sexy but does protect the current squad”

Credit: @TomGFootball

In other news, some Liverpool fans have reacted negatively to a fresh transfer rumour. Read more here.

Aston Villa face Chelsea twice this month at Stamford Bridge in both the Premier League and the Carabao Cup.

Villa fans attending either clash will have to adhere to numerous protocols, the club revealed on Tuesday. And, as to be expected, a number of Villa supporters were quick to flock to the update.

Villa revealed that fans travelling to Stamford Bridge will need to provide proof of a vaccine or a negative lateral flow test upon arrival or face being turned away if they don’t comply with the rules.

They will also be required to wear face coverings in all indoor areas of the stadium, however, they aren’t needed when seated or outside of the stadium.

Villa fans react

Villa shared the news on their official Twitter page on Tuesday. This is what these fans had to say, with one labelling it as ‘disgusting’ as the supporters were frustrated at learning of the protocols only after purchasing tickets.

“Absolute joke selling tickets before announcing this. Not even a government guideline until October”

Credit: @vizzy9

“Disgusting”

Credit: @ShawAVFC

“Wouldn’t bother me but it’s a bit controversial them doing this AFTER people have purchased tickets”

Credit: @JBaker_24

“Maybe should have made us all aware of this before selling tickets”

Credit: @avfcbrummie

“Age 11 and up? Wow.”

Credit: @JohnGallett

“Absolute joke! Slippery slope this!”

Credit: @avfc_85

In other news: Lots of AVFC fans react to this reported transfer snub. 

West Bromwich Albion have been handed a double injury boost ahead of Friday night’s Championship clash at The Hawthorns.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by the Express & Star, Valerien Ismael revealed that both Alex Mowatt and Matt Clarke are in contention to start the fixture against Birmingham City tonight.

The midfielder has recovered a foot injury picked up in the 1-0 defeat to Stoke City before the international break, while the defender has missed Albion’s last seven fixtures with a hamstring injury.

Regrading Mowatt’s injury, Ismael said: “For us it’s good news – it’s a relief for us that it’s not broken. It’s good for us that he has trained these last two days with the squad and he’s back in the squad. Normally, as long as something doesn’t happen and change overnight, he’ll be okay for the game.”

Regarding Clarke’s recovery, the Frenchman added: “He’s back in training, back in the squad and trained very well. Now we need to manage him through these games.

“The Championship is ruthless. We play every three days, so we must learn from the first block with him and what happened to make sure that he can come through the games without another issue.

“He is fine, he is available, he trained well. We’re happy he’s back in the squad, but we need to find the balance and to manage him now. He’s very motivated, he wants to play, but we learn from the first block.”

Big double boost

Considering just how impressive both Mowatt and Clarke have been for West Brom since joining the club this summer, the news that the duo are available for the derby against Birmingham is sure to have Baggies fans buzzing.

Indeed, over his 11 Championship appearances this season, the £6.3m-rated Mowatt has scored three goals, provided one assist and has created two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking 1.1 shots and making 1.5 key passes per match.

The central midfielder has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making 1.9 interceptions, two tackles and 0.7 clearances and winning 5.5 duels per game. These returns have seen the £6.5k-per-week man average a SofaScore match rating of 7.21, ranking him as West Brom’s second best performer in the Championship so far.

Meanwhile, over his three league fixtures for Albion, the £2.7m-rated Clarke has made 2.3 interceptions, one tackle and 2.7 clearances per game and has won 7.3 duels per match.

These metrics have seen the centre-back earn an average SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as the Baggies’ joint eighth-best performer in the league.

As such, the return of both players will undoubtedly increase Ismael’s chances of securing a positive result against Birmingham, something the Frenchman will be desperately seeking following his side’s first league defeat of the season against Stoke City last time out.

In other news: Ismael must unleash “quality” £21k-p/w beast vs Blues, he’s what West Brom are missing

Juninho Bacuna became the latest player to sign for Rangers last week and former Leeds United man Noel Whelan has recently praised Steven Gerrard’s decision to bring him to Ibrox.

What’s the word?

Bacuna joined the Gers from Huddersfield Town last week and will be hoping to replicate some of the performances that he showed during his time with Groningen in the Eredivisie after a disappointing spell with the Terriers.

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan was quick to praise Rangers’ transfer business, saying:

“He’s a very talented player.

“Likes to produce a few different hair colours as well but you don’t mind that if the player has got some ability. He definitely has got the ability and I think that’s been seen by Steven Gerrard.

“Very quick, good on the ball, technically wise. He has got an eye for a goal as well. One of these players I feel, in time to come – he’s not even in his best years of football – will probably produce for Rangers.

“I think no better than having a man like Steven Gerrard, a midfield superstar in that position over years and years and years, to give him that guidance. To progress him to the player that, potentially, he really could be.

“I mean, wow, we saw some brilliant stuff from him at Huddersfield during the time he was there. I guess it was just finding that consistency. Plus he was in a team that was getting weaker and weaker by the season.

“He was still a standout there. I think Steven Gerrard has done some really good business there. If he can get the best out of Bacuna, he’s got a really talented midfield player on his hands.”

Will Bacuna be a good signing?

Last season saw the 24-year-old midfielder contribute just five goals and four assists in 43 Championship appearances for Huddersfield, in which he averaged a disappointing 6.53 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

However, you could argue that Huddersfield have been on a downward spiral in recent seasons, and Bacuna might be better able to showcase his attacking talents in a side such as Rangers, who are likely to dominate the majority of games they play in Scotland.

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Therefore, if Bacuna can learn from Gerrard and build on his obvious talent and potential, then there is no reason why he can’t be a stellar addition to the squad at Ibrox and make a real difference this season as they look to defend their Premiership title.

If he is as good as Whelan suggests, then Ross Wilson may well have delivered another masterclass.

And, in other news… 113 touches, 92 passes: “Out of this world” Rangers ace ran the show vs Ross County

Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur are in the final race to sign Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie in January, AS report.

The Lowdown: McKennie profiled

McKennie, who actually has the same agent as Whites midfielder Adam Forshaw, can play as a central, defensive or right midfielder.

The 23-year-old has 28 caps for the United States and has made 65 appearances for Juventus – 19 of which have come during the current campaign.

He cost Juventus £18.45m from Schalke following a successful loan spell, but it seems as if he could be on the way out of Turin.

The Sun shared a story on the weekend linking Leeds with a £20m move for McKennie, labelled as a ‘rock’ by Andrea Pirlo, and AS have now weighed in with an update.

The Latest: AS report

AS mentioned The Sun’s report and led with a title suggesting Leeds have joined the final race for the USA international.

The report also name-checks Spurs with an interest and add that Marcelo Bielsa believes McKennie could help turn things around at Elland Road, with the Whites aware of his strained relationship with the Italian giants.

The Verdict: No-brainer

Leeds are in desperate need of midfield reinforcements in January, with Kalvin Phillips and Jamie Shackleton, two of their four midfield options, injured at this moment in time.

So, making a move for McKennie, who is admired by both Bielsa and Antonio Conte, could be a shrewd move both in the short and long term. He’d offer Bielsa a versatile midfield option for the second half of the season and can be viewed as a long-term signing as he is still just 23 years of age.

McKennie also has experience in the Champions League, with owner Andrea Radrizzani keen to bring European football to Elland Road in the next three years. They have to remain in the Premier League this season to have any chance of that, though, and McKennie could well help them do just that.

In other news: ‘Superb’ injured Leeds defender back in training as Bielsa now gets positive Thorp Arch update. 

Liverpool are ‘convinced’ that they should make a move for Benfica striker Darwin Nunez following his performance against them in the Champions League.

The Lowdown: Nunez impresses against Reds

The Reds picked up an impressive 3-1 win away to the Portuguese giants on Tuesday evening, as they made themselves strong favourites to reach the semi-finals.

Despite Liverpool’s dominance, Nunez looked a constant threat for Benfica and he pounced on an error from Ibrahima Konate to make it 2-1 on the night. The Uruguayan forward won four aerial duels and completed two key passes and four dribbles to go with his goal (Whoscored).

A big-money exit could be on the cards for the 22-year-old this summer and it looks as though Jurgen Klopp is now eyeing up a move for him.

The Latest: Transfer claim emerges

According to Record [via Sport Witness], Nunez impressed ‘those in charge and even players’ at Liverpool after his impact against them at the Estadio da Luz.

The Reds are ‘convinced’ about his ability and it is claimed that Mohamed Salah lauded the Uruguayan in a conversation with Benfica midfielder Adel Taarabt.

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The Verdict: Does Klopp need him?

While Nunez looks like a player of immense promise – Jorge Jesus has said he could become the ‘best in the world’ one day – Liverpool don’t need him currently.

They have a plethora of attacking options and the likes of Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino can all excel in his preferred central role.

Should Nunez stay put at Benfica for another year, he could be a perfect signing at the end of next season, however, at which point one of Mane or Firmino will likely be moving on, with their contracts expiring at that point.

In other news, a triple Liverpool transfer claim has emerged. Read more here.

Manchester United appear to have moved a step closer towards securing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s successor after it was revealed Brendan Rodgers is searching for a new home in the North West.

What’s the story?

According to The Sun, Leicester City’s highly-regarded tactician is the top choice to replace Solskjaer in the Old Trafford dugout and is now making preparations ahead of his potential appointment.

The report states that: “BRENDAN RODGERS moved a step closer to the Manchester United manager’s job by going house-hunting in Cheshire.

“Leicester’s boss — United’s No 1 choice to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer — is looking for a new family home in football’s jet-set areas of Wilmslow and Alderley Edge.”

Man Utd fans will be excited

Solskjaer has been coming under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks after overseeing a shocking start to the campaign in the red half of Manchester.

Humiliating defeats to the likes of Young Boys, Liverpool and Manchester City have led to the spotlight being shone on the Norwegian, with several outstanding candidates being linked with replacing him.

And now it seems as though the United chiefs have chosen their preferred option, although similar reports suggest Zinedine Zidane is also firmly in the running.

Rodgers has established himself as one of the most exciting and promising young managers in the Premier League since joining the Foxes in February 2019, though.

In 129 matches in charge at the King Power Stadium, the 48-year-old has averaged 1.77 points per game, consecutive fifth-place finishes as well as winning the FA Cup and Community Shield.

His impressive work in the Midlands comes off the back of two-and-a-half years worth of outstanding success in Scottish football with Celtic, where he claimed seven major trophies and took the Hoops back to the Champions League.

Therefore, a large section of United fans are likely to be excited about Rodgers’ prospective arrival, despite his previous ties with fierce rivals Liverpool.

Solskjaer has made significant progress both on and off the pitch during his time at United, but the Norwegian has arguably reached his ceiling with the club, and Rodgers could be the ideal option to build on the foundations that he’s laid.

And, in other news…“In the last few hours..” – Journo drops big MUFC manager update, fans surely buzzing 

According to Football League World ‘sources’ out of Tottenham Hotspur, a promising transfer update has now come out of N17 involving West Bromwich Albion keeper Sam Johnstone.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye new goalkeeping addition?

Lilywhites manager Antonio Conte has transformed the club on-field since his appointment, propelling Tottenham into top-four contention and reigniting faith in supporters.

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Winning six out of their last seven Premier League matches, the disastrous tenure of ex-boss Nuno Espirito Santo seems like a distant memory, with sights now firmly set on how Spurs could improve further in the summer market.

Loanee and Atalanta goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini looks set return to his parent club with Tottenham now having to take to the transfer window in search of a Hugo Lloris understudy.

The Latest: Tottenham confident of sealing Johnstone deal…

According to FLW, ‘sources’ have explained that Spurs are confident of sealing a move for out-of-contract ace Johnstone.

Indeed, according to the report, Tottenham are convinced the 29-year-old will choose to join them this summer as they believe they’ve entered pole position.

The Verdict: Promising update…

As explained previously by pundit and former Premier League shot stopper Paddy Kenny, Johnstone would be a ‘top signing’ for Spurs and a ‘big loss’ for West Brom (Football Insider).

He’s already earned himself caps for England with Sam Allardyce having waxed lyrical over his performances in the top flight last campaign.

Bypassing any fee and snapping him up on a Bosman would kill so many birds with one stone – the biggest ones being their homegrown quota and lack of depth behind Lloris.

Indeed, this move really does seem like a no-brainer.

In other news: Tottenham officials sent to club as Paratici eyes ‘imperious’ ex-Man City man for Conte! Find out more here.