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An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their interest in signing Roma centre-forward Tammy Abraham in 2023…

What’s the talk?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, the Villans are thinking ‘concretely’ about a swoop for the England international as Unai Emery looks to shape his squad during his first window in charge of the club.

The report claims that fellow Premier League side Chelsea have a €75m (£65m) buy-back option but it is ‘difficult to imagine’ them triggering it.

It is stated that only teams from England have the financial power to snap Abraham away from Roma. The Serie A side are open to cashing in on him, despite previously viewing the dynamo as ‘immovable’.

Big Watkins upgrade

Ollie Watkins has endured a rough season in the Premier League this term as he has struggled badly in front of goal. The Englishman has plundered two goals from 14 appearances in the top flight, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.64.

This comes after he scored 11 goals in 34 league outings in the 2021/22 campaign while averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.90. This shows that his performances have dipped this season after a respectable return last season.

Abraham, who claimed that Jose Mourinho is turning him into a “monster”, is in a similar position in that he has only scored three goals in 12 Serie A starts for Roma after smashing in 17 goals in 37 matches last term – averaging a rating of 7.06.

These statistics suggest that the former Chelsea man would be a better option for Emery if both players are at their best, as his average performance level and goal return dwarfed Watkins’ in 2021/22.

The striker has also proven himself in the Premier League in the past, as he scored 21 goals in 37 starts during his final two top-flight seasons with the Blues before he made the move to Italy.

This shows that his form in the Serie A last season was not a fluke as he has shown that he can score goals on a consistent basis in England and Italy, with his current form looking like an anomaly on paper.

At the age of 25, Abraham also has plenty of time on his hands to improve and develop as a player and this means that he could be a great signing for the here and now and for the future, rather than being a short-term option.

Therefore, Villa must swoop to sign Abraham in the January transfer window or next summer as he has the potential to be a big upgrade on Watkins at the top end of the pitch.

Tottenham Hotspur may be in pursuit of quick silverware with Antonio Conte at the helm but recent reports suggest they could be planning for the long-term future, too.

According to Radio Kiss Kiss (via Tutto Napoli), the north London outfit are among the European giants interested in Fenerbahce prodigy Arda Guler, who is being considered as a ‘real coup’ despite being only 17.

Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli are also interested in the teenager.

Guler appears to be a real star of the future and that much is obvious by the fact that the Yellow Canaries have given him the famed no.10 shirt, which has a special meaning to supporters, having once been donned by club legend Alex de Souza for eight years.

Capable of playing anywhere behind the striker, the newly-capped Turkey international has delivered four direct goal contributions across 13 appearances, of which just three have been starts, this campaign.

A goal or assist every 75 minutes is good going for a teenager getting his first taste at the men’s game.

Guler’s future could lie in the very position that’s on his back, having already earned comparisons to Mesut Ozil, who was his teammate at the Ulker Stadium last season.

“A super goal. A super assist. Quality,” the former Arsenal maestro said of the 17-year-old after one game back in March. “I hope it will continue like this, brother. You will be a world star.”

Indeed, the early signs are there – not at least because of the clubs that have been linked with interest in the past. Per WhoScored, Guler is averaging 2.5 key passes, 3.3 tackles and 3.9 successful dribbles per 90 minutes across the Super Lig and Europa League this term.

It, therefore, comes as little surprise to have seen the young Fenerbahce gem described as “special” by his former youth coach Erol Tokgozler and “mature” by national team boss Stefan Kuntz.

This exposure to the first-team at such a young age will only bode well for his chances of coming to Spurs and making an impact under Conte, should their interest be genuine.

As such, Paratici and go must look to sign Guler as he’s certainly a future superstar, based on the evidence above.

Perhaps a similar sort of deal as the one for Destiny Udogie could be completed, in which the teenage wonderkid could remain in Turkey for the next six to 18 months to continue his remarkable development.

AND in other news, Spurs could find perfect Romero partner in £43.5m “monster”, he’s set to stun in Qatar…

Celtic head into the international break at the top of the Scottish Premiership table after their convincing 3-1 win over St. Johnstone at Parkhead on Saturday.

Their rivals Rangers had their clash with Dundee postponed due to a waterlogged pitch on Sunday, which meant that the Hoops ended the weekend one point clear – having played one more game than the team in second.

The Hoops still have the chance to secure two trophies before the end of the season as they remain in the Premiership title race and are set to play Aberdeen in the semi-finals of the SFA Cup last month.

They were knocked out of Europe in the group stages of the Champions League, and were dumped from the League Cup by Kilmarnock, during the first half of the campaign.

The Scottish giants may look to make changes to their playing squad to fare better across all competitions and in Europe next season, and there is one position that will need looking at as Joe Hart is set to retire.

Latest Celtic transfer news

Celtic will need to find a player to take the former England international's place between the sticks and Brendan Rodgers may have already found the dream replacement for him.

According to Dutch paper Algemeen Dagblad (17/03/2024), via SoccerNews, the Hoops have identified RKC Waalwijk goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen as a target ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Glasgow-based side have already placed an offer on the table to sign the talented shot-stopper to bolster their squad.

His current contract with Waalwijk is due to expire at the end of the season and this has allowed Celtic to make him an offer to sign a pre-contract agreement.

However, the outlet states that Vaessen is in no rush to make a decision on his future. The 28-year-old star has his full focus on helping his current club to avoid relegation from the Eredivisie before deciding his next move.

Algemeen Dagblad reports that Dutch giants PSV are also interested in a possible swoop to sign the experienced shot-stopper, and that the interest from both clubs has not left him 'unmoved', which suggests that he could decide to make the switch to Scotland or across the Netherlands in the summer.

Celtic, if they win the race for his signature, have already found the dream replacement for Hart between the sticks as the Dutch giant has been in sublime form and could, possibly, arrive as an upgrade on the veteran Englishman.

Joe Hart's Celtic stats this season

The 36-year-old titan, who turns 37 next month, has kept ten clean sheets in 29 appearances for the Scottish giants in the Premiership so far this season.

Celtic won the league title in both of his first two years at the club, having joined from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2021, and he will be hoping for a perfect treble before his retirement later this year.

Hart's performances in the league this season have improved in comparison to his displays under Ange Postecoglou during the 2022/23 campaign, which suggests that he is going out on a high this summer.

As you can see in the table above, the experienced stopper's save success rate, saves per game, and aerial duel success rate have all improved, whilst he has conceded the same number of goals per match on average.

This suggests that the Hoops defence has allowed more shots against his goal this time around, but he has stepped up to ensure that their mistakes have not impacted the team.

However, Hart did leave a bit to be desired with his underwhelming performances in the Champions League as he conceded 1.7 more goals than expected based on the post-shot xG value of the efforts against him in six appearances, which was also the case during the 2022/23 campaign.

In total, the ex-Manchester City star let in 6.5 more goals than expected in 19 European matches for Celtic over the last three seasons combined, which shows that the goalkeeper struggled with the quality of finishes in Europe.

Why Etienne Vaessen could be a dream Joe Hart replacement

The Hoops could now land a dream replacement for Hart by beating PSV to Vaessen's signature this summer, as the Dutch colossus has been in fantastic form this season.

Despite his side battling against relegation, the Celtic target has caught the eye with 4.0 saves per game and a Sofascore rating of 7.31 across 22 appearances in the Eredivisie.

He has prevented a staggering 4.67 more goals than expected based on the xG of the shots against him this season, which suggests that the 28-year-old star has consistently made high-quality saves against high-quality efforts.

As you can see in the table above, Vaessen has outperformed Hart in a number of key goalkeeping metrics throughout the 2023/24 campaign so far.

Not only has the potential free agent significantly outperformed the Englishman as a shot-stopper, the Waalwijk hero has also been terrific at sweeping up behind his defence and at commanding his box to relieve the pressure on his backline.

Vaessen has the quality to consistently come off his line to either clear the ball from danger outside of his box or to collect a cross to prevent the opposition from getting a shot away.

Whereas, Hart ranks within the bottom 1% of goalkeepers in the Champions League this season for defensive actions outside the penalty area per 90 and the percentage of crosses into the box stopped.

These statistics suggest that the Dutch ace, who is eight years younger than the former England international, would arrive as a significant upgrade on the current Celtic number one, should he translate his performances over to Glasgow.

Celtic's 2023 target to replace Joe Hart is now starring for CL giants

The Hoops were reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Real Madrid starlet.

By
Dan Emery

Feb 23, 2024

Therefore, Rodgers may have already found his dream replacement for Hart with this offer on the table to land Vaessen at the end of the season, and it is now down to the Eredivisie star to make a final decision on his future.

Celtic are back in action away to Motherwell in the League Cup quarter-finals this evening, with the Old Firm outfit having secured a narrow 2-1 victory over the Steelmen when the two sides met on league duty just a few weeks ago.

Ange Postecoglou’s side had claimed all three points at Fir Park following what was a hard-fought encounter on the day, with a Reo Hatate stunner ultimately snatching victory after Josip Juranovic’s own goal had cancelled out Kyogo Furuhashi’s opener.

That triumph ensured that the Hoops have now won five in a row against the Well on their turf – scoring 19 goals and conceding just three times.

The Scottish champions are also 25 games unbeaten against tonight’s opponents, stretching back to December 2015.

As the Parkhead giants look to keep that run going later today, here’s how the Football FanCast predicts that the visitors will line up…

Postecoglou revealed on Tuesday that there are no fresh issues from Saturday’s thumping victory over Hibernian, with both Carl Starfelt and Jota still sidelined, while midfielder David Turnbull is also set to be absent once again. Skipper Callum McGregor – who was sent off when the two sides last met – is set to be out until after the World Cup with a knee issue.

With that in mind, we predict that the title-winning coach will make four changes from the weekend win against Lee Johnson’s men, with 6 foot 4, goalkeeping “monster” Benjamin Siegrist – as dubbed by former boss Micky Mellon – likely to be unleashed ahead of Joe Hart.

The Glasgow side could well line up with the same backline that was in place against Hibs, with summer signing Alexandro Bernabei notably impressing of late with two assists in his last two league appearances.

In midfield, fellow new addition Aaron Mooy deserves to keep his place after his eye-catching display just a few days ago, while the Australia international could well be joined by Oliver Abildgaard and Yosuke Ideguchi, with the £15.5k-per-week “soldier” – as dubbed by former boss Damir Buric – still waiting for his first appearance of the season having returned on the bench last time out.

In attack, Daizen Maeda could also come back into the starting XI having ended his league goal drought at the weekend, while Giorgos Giakoumakis should also be retained having now scored three times in his last two top-flight games.

The final attacking berth should likely go to recent hat-trick hero James Forrest, with the 31-year-old hoping to add to his century of goals for the club against an opponent whom he has regularly terrorised, with 19 goal involvements against today’s hosts in his career to date.

Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper could still leave the club during the international break, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

The Lowdown: Poor start to the season

Having welcomed 22 new signings to the City Ground this summer in a £152m transfer overhaul, the Tricky Trees have not got off to the start they would have been dreaming for upon their return to the Premier League this season.

Seven games deep into the 2022/23 campaign, Forest sit 19th in the league table, having gained just four points thus far.

However, the Reds are preparing to face bottom-place Leicester City at the King Power Stadium next Monday, with Cooper’s side looking to turn round their four-game losing streak.

The Latest: Sheth’s claim

Grouping Cooper alongside Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers and Wolves’ Bruno Lage for having come under scrutiny this season, Sheth believes that whilst it remains a possibility, he doesn’t think any of the three managers will lose their jobs – just yet.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the Sky Sports reporter claimed:

“That hasn’t happened at Leicester or at Nottingham Forest or at Wolves at all just yet. But then you’ve also got to remember what’s happening behind the scenes at the club as well.

“Because if, for example, they are after another manager, and they find that that manager is not available, say that manager became available the day after the international break finished, there’s still a possibility that one of these managers could still go.

“But as it stands, it seems like they’re going to be given that chance to turn things around at those clubs.”

The Verdict: Crucial fixture

Forest’s upcoming Premier League clash against the Foxes will prove to crucial for both Cooper and Rodgers as they face uncertainty over their futures at their respective clubs.

Leicester are yet to win a single game this season and have secured a draw just once, having lost the other five matches.

Cooper’s side, on the other hand, haven’t looked out of place going forward. Instead, they have continued to struggle defensively.

Therefore, Cooper’s back-line will need to firm-up if their manager is going to keep his job in the coming months.

Napoli are reportedly willing to sell Victor Osimhen to Manchester United on two conditions.

The Lowdown: Osimhen rumours

Osimhen, dubbed ‘the most terrifying striker in Europe‘ by journalist and African football expert Saddick Adams, has been linked with a move to Old Trafford throughout the summer.

Reports back in May suggested that the Red Devils actually made an ‘important offer’ for the forward, and after going quiet for a while, speculation has returned in the final days of the window with the club still not getting a new recognised number nine through the door.

The Latest: United rumours

The Manchester Evening News relayed an update from the Italian press on deadline day regarding Osimhen.

They claim that the Serie A side would be ‘willing to send’ Osimhen to Old Trafford on a season-long loan on two conditions.

The first would be United making a move permanent next summer for €100m (£86m), a fee worth more than what United paid for Antony, and the second being Cristiano Ronaldo joining Napoli.

The Verdict: Unlikely

Ronaldo is thought to be in the squad for tonight’s trip to Leicester, so it does seem extremely unlikely that United would be able agree to Napoli’s demands.

It is deadline day, though, so anything could happen, but United’s only chance may be to launch a late offer without the inclusion of Ronaldo.

On paper, Erik ten Hag could do with another forward to rival Anthony Martial and Ronaldo, and Osimhen may well be a brilliant addition after just coming off his best season in front of goal with 18 goals, so it could be a deal worth revisiting in January if one doesn’t materialise in the final hours.

According to transfer insider Dean Jones, West Ham United have made ‘three’ enquiries regarding a move for Chelsea sensation Conor Gallagher.

The Lowdown: Four-way race

The midfielder spent last season out on loan with fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace and enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at Selhurst Park, with his performances catching the eye of several potential suitors.

90min have claimed that Everton, Newcastle and the Eagles themselves have all been in contact with the Blues to ask about the 22-year-old’s availability, though they aren’t the only ones as the Irons have now also been credited with an interest and appear serious in their pursuit.

The Latest: West Ham make Gallagher enquiries

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones confirmed that West Ham have made several approaches for Gallagher this window, and that they remain focused on monitoring his transfer situation.

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He wrote:

“Conor Gallagher is a player they’ve asked about three times so far this summer, just to keep tabs on it more than anything.

“They’re just making sure that, as we go through the summer, Chelsea haven’t changed their mind on his stance. There’s still a possibility they do and they want to be in that conversation. So, they’ve got quite a bit of work to do still, West Ham. They’re definitely not finished.”

The Verdict: One for the future

David Moyes only currently has Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek at his disposal as experienced senior options in the midfield, and Gallagher could come in and provide a whole new creative outlet for the Hammers.

The four-cap international, dubbed a ‘warrior’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, made 13 goal contributions for Palace in all competitions last season, and averaged 1.5 shots, 1.3 successful dribbles and 1.1 key passes per top-flight game, via WhoScored.

Gallagher’s performances earned him his first call-up to the England squad towards the end of last year, and he is a player with bags of potential who will definitely be one to watch in the future.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters have reason to be exciting heading into the final few weeks of the transfer window…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who dropped a big hint about sporting director Fabio Paratici ahead of deadline day on September 1st.

When asked about the potential of Spurs signing a big-name player late in the window, such as a Memphis Depay or James Maddison, who have both been mooted with a switch to north London in recent weeks, he told GIVEMESPORT:

“I would keep it open honestly because Fabio Paratici, the director of Tottenham, always works in this kind of opportunity.”

Exciting hint

It remains to be seen exactly what the Lilywhites hierarchy will do now, having signed a whopping six new players throughout the summer.

Antonio Conte has seen his attack bolstered with the additions of Richarlison and Ivan Perisic, whilst his right wing-back woes may have been resolved with the arrival of Djed Spence. He has even found a new left-footed centre-back in Clement Lenglet and added depth to the engine room in Yves Bissouma.

All that is really lacking is a playmaker and as per the Evening Standard, that could be high on the agenda in the coming weeks, so being linked to players like Maddison and Nicolo Zaniolo should come as no surprise.

Romano’s latest comments should leave the Spurs faithful absolutely buzzing and excited about what is left to come during this window as the reliable transfer expert hasn’t played down more additions and in fact, he suggests that Paratici will be looking to make a splash as it is in his nature to do so.

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The Italian supremo has got most of his signings right thus far, with the likes of Cristian Romero and Dejan Kuluseveski instant fan favourites around N17.

With Spurs back in the Champions League and Conte given free rein in the dugout, it’s certainly an exciting time to be a Tottenham Hotspur supporter right now.

AND in other news, Transfer insider reveals Spurs’ “priority” after Spence, supporters will be buzzing…

Crystal Palace have been one of several Premier League clubs linked with a move for Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Pete O’Rourke said about the interest in the 22-year-old: “I think his form at Sheffield United showed just how much potential the player has and he has attracted interest from a number of other Premier League clubs.

“I think Everton, Southampton and Nottingham Forest, so it’s going to be a real battle for his signature and it might take a big money offer for Palace to get him and we could end up seeing them breaking their transfer record.”

The youngster enjoyed a fine season last year whilst on loan at Sheffield United, with his creativity and work rate drawing praise from many who watched him.

Perhaps if Patrick Vieira could tempt him to sign for the Eagles, he could bag himself a Conor Gallagher replacement who could make up for the 13 goal contributions that the Chelsea youngster provided last season.

Gibbs-White rose to the occasion in his first full season with regular action in senior football and was dubbed “superb” by journalist Jack Rathbone.

His 23 goal contributions across the campaign was certainly a superb return, and if he can translate this fine form into Premier League performances, he could quickly pay back the reported £25m price tag for whoever (if anyone) signs him.

His 7.16 average SofaScore rating is also indicative of a consistent performer, exceeding that of Gallagher’s 7.08.

It is no surprise that Gibbs-White was labelled “absolute magic” by Joe Edwards, and he finally seems to be realising the huge potential that he was previously renowned for having.

However, with Wolves possibly set to lose him, it represents a perfect opportunity in the market to sign a young English talent for comparatively little, given his remarkably high ceiling.

Vieira spoke throughout last season about how Palace struggled to replace Gallagher in his absence,  claiming: “It is difficult to find in the squad a player with Conor’s type of energy”.

Gibbs-White could prove that energy and more, potentially adding to the ranks of young hungry talent that the French manager has accumulated at Selhurst Park.

Averaging 1.6 key passes per game with a passing success rate of 73%, the versatile midfielder could play across the front line or slightly deeper. Wherever he is deployed though, Palace would likely get creativity and energy in bucketloads.

Gibbs-White could more than replace Gallagher for half the price, and in turn revolutionise Vieira’s midfield options. This deal represents a no-brainer for Palace, whose manager could partner him with Chieck Doucoure to create a finely-balanced midfield.

AND in other news: Vieira plotting bid for “outstanding” £5k-p/w “rising talent”, he’s Gallagher 2.0

talkSPORT pundit Darren Bent was left stunned after Leeds United agreed a £42m fee with Manchester City for Kalvin Phillips.

The Lowdown: Move edging closer

News broke on Friday evening regarding the England midfielder, with Leeds and Ma City reaching an agreement on a fee. Both The Athletic and Fabrizio Romano cited an initial fee of £42m, with add-ons varying between the two sources.

The 26-year-old has already agreed on personal terms at the Etihad Stadium, so it looks as if it is just a matter of time until a transfer is officially announced.

The Latest: Bent reacts

talkSPORT shared an on-air reaction from Bent on Friday evening on their Twitter channel, with the former Tottenham striker providing his thoughts on the transfer.

He believes that Man City have bagged themselves a good deal and labelled a £42m fee as ‘bonkers’, ending his reply with ‘wow’.

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The Verdict: Could Leeds have done better?

An initial £42m figure does seem to be fairly low for a player of Phillips’ quality. He now has two seasons of Premier League experience and is a regular for England, winning their Player of the Year for 2020/21.

Phillips is valued at £45m by Transfermarkt and still had two years left on his Elland Road contract, so Leeds could have attempted to push an initial fee closer to £50m.

It looks as if the 26-year-old had his heart set on working under Pep Guardiola, something which appears to have worked against the Whites when it came to negotiations.