Category Uncategorized

Newcastle United have not started the 2023/24 campaign with the same level of imperiousness that was the foundation of the English outfit's tremendous exploits last season.

The Premier League side have suffered three league defeats in succession – against Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion – after a resounding 5-1 demolition of Aston Villa to kick the term off.

While the club is not in crisis mode – far from it, in fact – it is a concerning start to the season that has left Eddie Howe's side moored in 14th place, albeit after just four games.

Qualifying for the Champions League with a top-four finish last year was an unexpected triumph, and failing to repeat the feat would not be a doomsday scenario, but the club will need to start winning and ensuring that they at least challenge for a place at the upper echelon of the top-flight.

Who did Newcastle sign this summer?

Seeking to bolster a cohesive, gelled outfit with astute acquisitions this summer, Howe and technical director Dan Ashworth welcomed Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes, Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall to the fold, having seen Allan Saint-Maximin as the only notable departee.

Howe, rightfully, opted to tinker away at his squad rather than issue wall-to-wall changes, with the St. James' Park side built on players signed shrewdly, playing for each other and fighting fiercely for the badge.

Tonali, an “extraordinary” playmaker – as has been said by his former manager Eugenio Corini – has been acquired to strengthen a formidable midfield, while Barnes is a counterweight of sorts to Anthony Gordon, with the wide men – both 2023 signings – ensuring a meld of qualities aptly restores the loss of Saint-Maximin.

Barnes is a proven Premier League star and United fought off competition from the likes of Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United to secure his signature from Leicester City for £38m, but despite his talents, perhaps a better move could have been made, with Newcastle opting to sign the £80k-per-week talent instead of a now-thriving Premier League star.

What are Harvey Barnes' strengths?

While Leicester suffered the disrepute of falling into the Championship last season – ending an illustrious spell in top-flight football that secured a Premier League title, FA Cup trophy and impressive Champions League run to the quarter-finals – Barnes was among the select few to emerge relatively unscathed.

While many Foxes hung their heads in shame, Barnes stood tall and proud after scoring 13 goals and providing one assist from 34 Premier League matches last season, earning praise from WhoScored's Martin Laurence for combining "pace with intelligent movement".

The one-cap England international actually ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals per 90 (FBref), and demonstrated the incisiveness that Howe and co paid the big bucks for with a goal and assist apiece off the bench on his debut against Aston Villa.

With a penchant for making a difference in attacking moves, Barnes boasts a cutting edge that has already demonstrated its worth to the fast-rising club, but given that Newcastle were interested in signing Moussa Diaby this season, perhaps Howe should have signed the Frenchman instead.

Did Newcastle want to sign Moussa Diaby?

Newcastle should take great pride in their remarkable 2022/23 season, making an emphatic rise to prominence and now preparing for Champions League football for the first time in two decades, with a tantalising group draw containing Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund awaiting.

But the Tyneside team are not the only Premier League outfit to have basked in glory last season, with Aston Villa also shaking off the early-season disgruntlement that resulted in Steven Gerrard's dismissal to appoint trophy-specialist Unai Emery, who spearheaded a climb up the table and clinched a spot in this term's Europa Conference League.

A momentous achievement for both sides, especially considering the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur were left mired in mediocrity lower down the league ladder, and as a result of Villa's success, Diaby was signed from Bayer Leverkusen for £52m in an impressive display of intent.

The 24-year-old had just concluded a prolific campaign in Germany, plundering 14 goals and 11 assists across all competitions and being heralded for a "supernatural, divine gift" by Morade Djeddi, the president of the ace's first club Esperance Paris 19e.

Newcastle may well kick themselves in the future after failing to follow up on their interest this summer, with Football Transfers even claiming in the early days of July that Ashworth had made his signature a transfer priority having been dissuaded by Leverkusen's asking price the prior summer.

Ranking among the top 13% of positional peers for goals per 90, as per FBref, the £37k-per-week phenom also ranks among the top 27% for assists and the top 22% for progressive carries per 90, impressing in the embryonic stage of his career on English shores, scoring two goals and supplying an assist for the Lions.

There is a seamless grace to his gliding presence on the pitch, marauding the wings and utilising his dynamism to great effect, and given his promising start to life at Villa Park, he could well blossom into one of the Premier League's most frightening forwards.

Proclaimed to be a "dangerous" attacking weapon by former Freiburg striker Nils Petersen, Diaby matches Barnes for goalscoring – actually outscoring his positional peer by a singular strike last season – but remarkably outperforming the one-time West Bromwich Albion loanee in creativity.

This multi-functional tool kit would have been perfect for Howe's side and system, looking to implement swift transitions and devastating counter-attacking ability.

The argument for Diaby's inclusion in this Magpies squad does not negate Barnes' ability, far from it; the Englishman is a fantastic footballer and will prove to alight St. James' Park on numerous occasions this year and beyond, but given the affluence and pursuit of prominence at the very highest level, Diaby would have been a tailor-made fit.

Barnes will score goals for Newcastle, but he will not provide the creative spark that Diaby would have brought to the fold.

For such an all-encompassing star to have joined a direct divisional rival could possibly come back to sting Howe's side – indeed, Diaby netted on his debut against the Toon team, albeit in a 5-1 defeat.

Only time will tell whether such a transfer failure will create a rueful air in Newcastle, but given Diaby's start to life with Aston Villa and his burgeoning rise over the past several years, he may well prove to be a massive loss in the future.

أعلن نادي مودرن فيوتشر عن جهازه الفني الجديد، بعد قبول اعتذار المدرب المصري تامر مصطفى.

كان فريق مودرن فيوتشر قد غاب عن الانتصارات على مدار الأربعة مباريات الماضية بعد أن تعادل أمام الداخلية وطلائع الجيش والبنك الأهلي كما خسر أمام بيراميدز.

وأصدر نادي مودرن فيوتشر برئاسة وليد دعبس بياناً عن تعيين طلعت يوسف مديراً فنياً للفريق الأول لكرة القدم.

رسميًا | تامر مصطفى يرحل عن تدريب فيوتشر.. و”بطولات” يكشف البديل

وأوضح نادي مودرن فيوتشر أنه قد تم إتمام التعاقد بين الطرفين عقب جلسة مع الكابتن هيثم عرابي المدير التنفيذي للنادي، تم خلالها الإتفاق على سياسة وأهداف النادي خلال المرحلة المقبلة.

وجاء تشكيل الجهاز الفني الجديد على النحو التالي:

طلعت يوسف – المدير الفني

حسن موسى – مدرب عام

منير عقيلة – مدرب عام

دانيال خيمينيز – مدرب مساعد

محمد يونس – مدرب حراس

أحمد عبد اللطيف – مخطط أحمال

كريم فهمي – محلل أداء

ويواجه فيوتشر، نادي إنبي في الجولة القادمة بالأسبوع 23 من الدوري العام في أولى المواجهات تحت قيادة كابتن طلعت يوسف.

ويتواجد فريق مودرن فيوتشر في المركز الحادي عشر في سلم ترتيب بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز “النيل”، برصيد 27 نقطة، حصدها من 6 انتصارات و9 تعادلات فيما نال 5 خسائر.

Newcastle United remain interested in signing Galatasary midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo this summer, but it is a saga that could go on until the final day of the transfer window.

Do Newcastle want to sign Nicolo Zaniolo?

It has been a positive window at St James' Park so far this summer, at a time when it is vital that the Magpies kick on after last season's brilliance. The likes of Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes have come in from AC Milan and Leicester City respectively, and the hope is that more business will be completed before the end the month.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

One player who has been linked with a move to Newcastle is Zaniolo, who only joined Galatasaray in February, but may already be looking for a move away. Not only that, but the Turkish giants could be forced to sell him, in order to ease their financial issues.

The 24-year-old has had some serious injury problems down the years, including cruciate ligament damage, but he is fit again now and could end up joining a top European club, following the emergence of a fresh update regarding his future.

Will Newcastle sign Nicolo Zaniolo?

According to Milliyet [via Sport Witness], Zaniolo's future may not be decided until the very end of the transfer window, with various teams in the race to sign him. Newcastle are still one of them, while Juventus, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain all mentioned in the report, too.

The Italian has a €35m (£30m) release clause in his current deal, so the Magpies know exactly how much he will be worth, but it remains to be seen if he would choose them over others. An update from Sabah also reveals Galatasaray's financial woes could be the deciding factor in forcing them to cash in as the deadline ticks closer.

Zaniolo could be a real statement signing by Eddie Howe's men this summer, even though his injury history does make it something of a risk, in terms of another serious setback emerging. The fact that so many elite clubs are in for him does suggest that there isn't too much concern about that happening, though, and the positives clearly outweigh the negatives when it comes to signing him.

A 13-cap Italy international who was once lauded as "incredible" by Daniel De Rossi during their time together at Roma, the Galatasaray man could be a great attacking midfield option, coming in as a strong alternative to James Maddison, who eventually joined Tottenham over Newcastle earlier this summer.

Zaniolo could provide something different in the middle of the park, proving to be a link man between Bruno Guimaraes and the attack, with a tally of 42 goal contributions (24 goals and 18 assists) in 128 appearances for Roma outlining the end product he possesses.

At 24, he is still a young footballer, even though he has seemingly been around for a long time, so Newcastle would also be bringing in someone who could be a mainstay of the team for a long time to come, as Howe continues to plan well into the future.

Burnley are thought to be closing in on a deal to sign Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the latest Burnley transfer news?

The Clarets and Vincent Kompany have been busy so far this summer, making nine signings ahead of their Premier League return which gets underway on Friday against treble winners Manchester City.

Zeki Amdouni, James Trafford, Jordan Beyer, Dara O'Shea, Michael Obafemi and Luca Koleosho have all joined the club in deals which required a transfer fee, whereas Nathan Redmond and Lawrence Vigouroux have both arrived on free transfers and Jacob Bruun Larsen has signed on loan.

More could be yet to come though at Turf Moor before the September 1 deadline, with previous reports claiming that the club were set to sign Andros Townsend following a successful pre-season stint.

Ajax winger Mohamed Daramy is another final third target and it has been suggested that a loan deal with an option to buy was close.

Berge has also been heavily linked with a move to Burnley, with Mike McGrath taking to X on Monday to say that talks have been held with the Blades over a move to Turf Moor for the midfielder.

“Burnley have held discussions with Sheffield United over a deal for Norway midfielder Sander Berge. The 25yr-old has one year left on contract and there has been interest in previous windows without a deal progressing.”

It looks as if a transfer is moving along quickly, though, with Romano sharing a further development on X. The transfer expert relayed talks claimed by McGrath and added that a verbal agreement is almost complete between the two clubs.

“Burnley are closing in on deal to sign Sander Berge from Sheffield United — verbal agreement almost completed between clubs.

“Sources guarantee medical could take place already today. Burnley started talks earlier for Berge as Mike McGrath called.”

Who is Sander Berge?

Berge, sponsored by Adidas, is primarily a defensive midfielder but can also play slightly further forward in a central midfield role if required.

The 25-year-old is valued at €20m by Transfermarkt and is into the final 12 months of his £33,000-a-week Sheffield United contract after joining the club from Genk back in 2020.

A Norway international, Berge spent time with Valerenga before joining Genk and making 113 appearances for the club. In England, Berge has turned out on 109 occasions for the Blades, scoring 15 times and registering 12 assists. He helped the club back into the top flight last season, finishing second behind the Clarets in the Championship, and was hailed by teammate John Egan, who said:

“In the second half our qualities showed. This big man here (Sander) was unbelievable. One of the best players to ever play in this division.”

Berge contributed to 11 second-tier goals in 37 appearances last season, making more progressive carries than any of his teammates and the second most progressive passes, as per FBref. Therefore, signing a top midfielder from a league rival could turn out to be a wise move by Burnley, and by the looks of things, a deal is close to being completed.

Three catches were dropped during the innings – two of them off top-scorer Solomon Mire – as Sri Lanka failed to defend a target of 317

Andrew Fidel Fernando30-Jun-2017

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has once more blamed the loss to Zimbabwe on poor fielding, after his team failed to defend a target of 317. Three catches were dropped during the innings – two of them off top-scorer Solomon Mire.Dropped catches have plagued Sri Lanka for about two years now, but the problem has seemingly reached a nadir in 2017, when chances have been missed almost every match – most memorably in the Champions Trophy earlier in the month, where bad fielding cost Sri Lanka a spot in the semi final.”Poor performance by the bowlers and fielding once again let us down,” Mathews said after the match. “We dropped crucial catches at crucial moments. Can’t say that enough. We have trained extremely hard on fielding, but it’s just that in critical occasions we keep dropping catches, which costs us the game.”Mire was initially dropped on 17 by wicketekeeper Niroshan Dickwella, who failed to hold a tough chance off the bowling of Amila Aponso, then was dropped again on 94 – Lasith Malinga this time failing to hold a straightforward catch, running back from short fine leg. The straightforward catch spilled off Sean Williams by Danushka Gunathilaka at point was also costly. The partnership between Williams and Mire had been only 37 at the time, and they would subsequently go on to make a match-turning 161 together. Gunathilaka has generally been a good fielder during his time in the national team.”The pressure gets to the guys sometimes,” Mathews said. “When someone is under pressure and when the catches come, we miss them. But pressure is something that you deal with day in and day out. We train extremely hard. It’s disappointing to see the best of fielders dropping catches.”Sri Lanka have only about 40 hours to make improvements to their game, with the second ODI scheduled to be played on Sunday.”We have so many young guys in the team and we need to get the attitude and intensity right when it comes to fielding. Today it was very poor. We have to address it quickly as we have only one day and then we have to come back and win on Sunday. We need to have a shift in mindset to stop runs and take those catches.”Mathews also believed the score of 316 for 5 was plenty. Before today, no target greater than 300 had ever been chased down in Sri Lanka, nor had Zimbabwe ever defeated Sri Lanka on the island. Mathews suggested the next game could see a changed attack.”The bowlers weren’t up to the mark. On this wicket 316 was a good score. The bowlers didn’t do well and I have to talk to the selectors about the next game.”

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag will look to 'fast-track' youngster Kobbie Mainoo and will keep him around the first-team rather than sending him out on loan to continue his development, according to journalist Steve Bates.

Who is Kobbie Mainoo?

Mainoo is a talented 18-year-old midfielder for Manchester United who is steadily making a large impression at Old Trafford due to his displays in the engine room at underage levels.

Last term, combining his exploits in various elite development competitions and in the first-team, Mainoo racked up 20 appearances and registered two goals and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

In the Red Devils' 1-0 victory over Lyon in a pre-season friendly earlier this week held at Murrayfield, Mainoo put in a strong performance and backed up the hype he has continued to build over the last few weeks.

Football analyst Statman Dave took to Twitter to share his positive impact on proceedings, stating: "Kobbie Mainoo’s game by numbers vs. Olympique Lyonnais: 94% pass accuracy 48 touches 2 blocks 2 interceptions 1/1 dribbles completed. Bright future."

According to The Manchester Evening News, Manchester United did consider loaning Mainoo out this campaign to continue his development; however, it is now understood that he will be kept in and around the first-team squad after impressing senior figures at the club.

The Stockport-born midfielder is capable of playing in a variety of central positions and will travel on Manchester United's tour of the USA after featuring in friendly victories over Leeds United in Oslo and against Lyon in Edinburgh.

Writing in his column for GIVEMESPORT, journalist Bates has issued an important update on the future of Mainoo at Manchester United.

Bates wrote: "AS soon as Manchester United signed Mason Mount, Erik ten Hag’s phone started ringing with clubs eyeing up a chance to grab one of his midfield stars. The clamour for one player was loudest – rising young academy star Kobbie Mainoo. But the multiple enquiries to take the 18-year-old star on loan met with an immediate and emphatic response from the Dutch boss – “No chance”.

"But ten Hag wants to oversee Mainoo’s development at the club’s Carrington training ground after tying the youngster to a new four-year deal last season."

What now for Manchester United?

Manchester United manager Ten Hag will be focusing all of his attention on preparing his side for the new season over the next few weeks and trying to secure key transfer targets.

Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana travelled to the Carrington training complex to complete his medical ahead of a £43 million move to Manchester United and is expected to be announced imminently, according to The Daily Mail.

The Red Devils are also in advanced talks with Atalanta over striker Rasmus Hojlund to iron out the structure of the fee they will pay for the Denmark international, who has already agreed personal terms with the Premier League giants, as per The Independent.

Talking on the ESPN YouTube channel, journalist Rob Dawson revealed that Manchester United's short-term signing Jonny Evans could end up penning a longer deal at the club, stating: “United privately are saying they are not ruling anything out with him. Possibly he could sign a longer deal for the coming season, spend a year at Old Trafford as a back-up for Varane and Martinez. If that were to happen it would cast a massive doubt on the future of Harry Maguire. If they were to bring Jonny Evans in, there really wouldn’t be a place for Harry Maguire.”

Arsenal are reportedly interested in RB Leipzig defender Benjamin Henrichs, as Mikel Arteta and Edu set their sights on bolstering the squad this summer.

The Gunners have already penned a deal with Kai Havertz, and with Declan Rice set to be announced imminently, the clubs’ two former players could be planning something special at the Emirates.

Arteta’s side battled well last campaign, surpassing expectations by taking the title race to the wire, however, a lack of squad depth signalled a time for refurbishment this summer.

Signing Henrichs could be a leap in the right direction in terms of boosting the depth of the squad, in a player that shows shades of a fellow Premier League gem.

Journalist Florian Plettenberg revealed earlier this week that ‘talks’ between the German’s management and the north Londoners had taken place.

Plettenberg added that Arsenal are ‘considering’ the versatile full-back as a ‘backup target’ this summer.

Valued by Football Transfers at €9.2m (£8m), the 26-year-old could be a solid option for the Gunners to consider.

Where could Benjamin Henrichs play at Arsenal?

Hailed as a “talented” player by former Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev, the 26-year-old has played at the top level for the majority of his career, working his way through the ranks at Bayer Leverkusen.

The versatile defender departed his boyhood club for Monaco in 2018, before returning to the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, where he has cemented himself as a valued member of the squad.

In signing Henrichs, Arsenal could get their hands on a widely versatile defence-minded player, with capabilities of playing both on the right side of defence and in central midfield.

The German international has contributed to 66 career goal contributions over 327 appearances, having an eye for a pass as well as being a sturdy figure at the back.

Averaging three tackles and 1.44 interceptions per 90 in the Bundesliga last campaign, Henrichs has excelled defensively, as well as showing his abilities on the ball, averaging 4.48 progressive passes per 90 at right-back, via FBref.

Having a versatile full-back is something that the Premier League has become accustomed to, with Arteta reaping the benefits of having both Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko capable of contributing to offensive play.

Despite arriving as a side to watch last term, Arsenal still saw a gap between themselves and champions Manchester City, however, the Gunners could provide an answer to one of City’s sensations by signing Henrichs.

Lauded as a “versatile and tactical genius” by members of the media, John Stones has been a revelation under Pep Guardiola, emerging last season as having the talent to be deployed as a deep midfielder.

Averaging 1.12 tackles and 4.92 progressive passes per 90, via FBref, the Englishman showcased just how far the depth of his versatility goes, acting as the complete player for City.

Like Stones, Henrichs has the ability to venture into midfield, described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as being a player that ‘dictates tempo’ in central areas.

Averaging 3.78 passes per 90 into the final third, the 26-year-old has room to grow and flourish around the field, displaying strengths in his distribution and reading of the game.

Arteta could take another page from Guardiola’s book by signing a defensively equipped versatile player, replicating past notes that have seen the revolution of how the Spaniard orchestrates his back line.

Amid links to Manchester United, fans online have been reacting after a viral video emerged highlighting just how impressive Inter Milan’s Andre Onana is with the ball at his feet.

What’s the latest on Andre Onana to Man Utd?

The Red Devils are competing with Chelsea for the goalkeeper’s signature this summer, according to Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian. And the latest news is that the English club have made a second bid for the goalkeeper worth €50m (£43m) but that’s still not enough to seal the deal.

Despite suffering the heartbreak of a Champions League final defeat against Manchester City, Onana enjoyed a season to remember at Inter Milan last season, as his stock increased once more.

Keeping eight clean sheets in 24 Serie A appearances, Onana also played a key role outside of action in the league, picking up silverware in the Italian Cup and Italian Super Cup last season.

After a successful campaign, the goalkeeper has earned interest from both Manchester United and Chelsea, as per Steinberg. And, with David de Gea’s contract at Old Trafford now technically expired, the number one spot could be available for the first time in a decade.

De Gea’s ability has been questioned in recent times, too, particularly after United’s FA Cup final loss against Manchester City, in which he was potentially at fault for the second Ilkay Gundogan goal. Given recent mistakes, now could be the perfect time for Onana’s arrival.

Statistically speaking, Onana is also better with his feet than De Gea. According to FBref, Onana completed 34.9 passes per-90 last season, whilst De Gea completed just 22.8, half of the amount that Onana managed.

Such is the modern-day need for a top side to play from the back and involve the goalkeeper, too, perhaps swapping De Gea for Onana wouldn’t be such a bad idea for Erik ten Hag, who worked with the Inter number one at Ajax.

The Cameroon shot-stopper’s significant ability on the ball has been further backed up by the video posted on Twitter by @Yung_leslie, which you can see below:

Fans were certainly in awe of Onana’s ability, which is great news for MUFC supporters with their side reportedly in pole position to get a deal across the line.

Here are some of the best reactions below…

He would no doubt be an interesting addition to the Premier League.

Arsenal are closing in on their first signing of the summer transfer window as Kai Havertz is nearing a switch to the Emirates Stadium, according to reports…

Arsenal transfer news – Kai Havertz

Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has provided a fresh update on the Gunners' pursuit of the Chelsea star as he took to Twitter on Sunday morning:

"News #Havertz: He‘s very close to join @Arsenal now! All depends on the final offer from Arsenal.

"Havertz, keen to join #Arsenal now as personal terms are almost agreed. Arteta loves to see him in addition to Jesus.

"Bayern inquired about conditions in the last days but the negotiations with Arsenal are too advanced – Bayern informed. Therefore no offer/hijack from Bayern yet.

"Transfer fee package expected: at least around €80m [£68m] all in."

How good is Kai Havertz?

The north Londoners have endured a mixed bag when it comes to signing players from their capital city rivals over the years.

Petr Cech has perhaps been the most successful arrival, whilst the likes of Willian, David Luiz and William Gallas have certainly divided opinion amongst the Gunners' faithful.

Havertz is more than likely to fall into the latter category.

The German international has been something of an enigma since his £72m arrival in English football back in August 2020.

At Bayer Leverkusen, the 24-year-old was utilised largely as an attacking midfielder or false nine, with his 46 goals and 31 assists from 150 appearances being the very reason behind the Blues stumping up such a hefty sum, but he hasn't really been able to replicate that since.

Just 11 games shy of the aforementioned appearance total, Havertz has managed 14 fewer goals and 16 fewer assists, largely being deployed as a sole striker under an array of different managers, as per Transfermarkt.

It seems likely that Havertz would be deployed in a similar role at the Emirates, given Mikel Arteta's 'love' for him to be an alternative to current no.9, Gabriel Jesus.

The Brazilian is actually a comparable player when using FBref's player comparison model and what the Chelsea star lacks in terms of goal threat, he more than makes up for in and out of possession – in some ways similar to Jesus.

When compared to other forwards across Europe's top five divisions over the past year, the £150k-per-week talent ranks inside the top 6% for pass completion, the top 9% for progressive passes, and the top 10% for tackles, all per 90 via FBref.

It's perhaps why Gunners legend Thierry Henry made a glowing comparison to another former Arsenal forward – speaking on CBS Sports' Champions League coverage earlier in the year, he said:

"He reminds me sometimes, a little, of Robin [van Persie] – back to goal the way he can hold the ball. Now he needs to make sure he can transform that into more goals because you can play off him."

The 6 foot 4 "machine" – as once lauded by talent scout Jacek Kulig – would certainly be a bold risk for Arsenal to take during the offseason but if anyone can get him back to his brilliant best, it's Arteta.

There will also be plenty of question marks over the £68m price tag, especially after the failings of club-record signing Nicolas Pepe, but the Arsenal boss has proven that he must be trusted – if he wants the player, then sporting director Edu Gaspar should do all he can to secure him.

Celtic are "very interested" in appointing Daniel Farke as their new manager, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

What's the latest Celtic manager news?

Celtic have identified Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca as one of their main targets to replace Ange Postecoglou, and Football Scotland report the Champions League winners will not stand in his way, should he make it clear he wants to leave.

Former Hoops assistant manager Johan Mjallby has urged the board to look at appointing either Kjetil Knutsen or Graham Potter, with Pat Nevin branding the latter coach "superb" and echoing Mjallby's calls for him to take over at Parkhead.

Other names linked with the vacant post include former Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch, as well as Andoni Iraola, with the former Rayo Vallecano boss set to apply for the job after leaving the La Liga club.

In a recent update on Twitter, Plettenberg has now claimed that Celtic are also interested in appointing Farke, having already made contact with the former Norwich City manager.

The Sky Sports reporter states that "first talks" have already taken place, with the Hoops "very interested in signing him as a replacement for Postecoglou", while the manager himself is "ready to take over a new club".

Should Celtic appoint Daniel Farke?

RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose has hailed the 46-year-old for his "attractive" brand of football, while Chris Kamara also praised him for the "attacking" style of play he implemented to great success against Manchester City in 2019, with his side winning 3-2.

Setting out that way against a team like Man City indicates the two-time Championship winner is unwilling to compromise on his expansive style of play, regardless of the opposition, which suggests he could be a perfect replacement for Postecoglou.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman has recently praised the club's new manager for his attacking outlook, and it could be vital that Celtic appoint a new head coach who is capable of playing a similar way, to ensure a seamless transition.

Hailed as "brilliant" by members of the media, Farke has enjoyed success in England's second tier, however he did not manage to do quite as well in his last job, being sacked by Borussia Monchengladbach after finishing 10th in the Bundesliga.

As such, despite the fact he plays attractive football, Celtic should look at appointing a manager who has more recent experience of success in a top league.