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Celtic signed no fewer than six players during the summer transfer window but it seems one name escaped their grasp – for the time being at least…

What’s the word?

According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, the defending Scottish champions could revisit their pursuit of Charlton Athletic starlet Alfie Doughty, either in January or next year.

He claims that the club are playing the long game after having bids knocked back throughout the last few months.

It’s been previously claimed that the Hoops had at least two offers rejected in September and that they had been planning to offer £800k for him in a third ploy, but evidently, that did not come to fruition.

The 20-year-old could be signed on a pre-contract for free in the winter window.

Lawwell masterclass

Neil Lennon did get an addition in the wing-back position having landed AC Milan outcast Diego Laxalt on loan, though that is merely a temporary switch at this stage which means he could be in the same scenario next summer.

And waiting for it too all unfold over the young League One winger could prove to be a masterstroke from Celtic chief Peter Lawwell as instead of paying close to seven figures for what could be a generational talent, he may well get him for free in the next three to nine months.

Doughty has begun the season in superb form for the Addicks, scoring one goal in four league starts whilst also averaging 2.8 tackles, two key passes, 1.8 dribbles and 1.3 shots per game, via WhoScored.

This makes him seem like the ideal man for that left wing-back position long-term.

Former Kingstonian boss Leigh Dynan gave the youngster his debut in the men’s game, and once dubbed Doughty a “tremendous footballer” with a “big future” before also adding: “There’s a diamond there to be polished. I can assure you that.”

Lawwell’s shrewd stance could mean that it’s the Bhoys’ diamond to polish and by the time he arrives at Parkhead, he may well have enjoyed a full season under his belt – another plus for Lennon.

They must revisit this deal in January.

AND in other news, Brendan Rodgers flop has finally found his feet…

Celtic will be looking to make amends for their home defeat against Rangers in the Old Firm on Saturday as they prepare to host AC Milan in the Europa League. The Hoops are currently operating with a thin squad after injuries and positive tests of Covid-19 have seen key players like Odsonne Edouard and Hatem Abd Elhamed out of action.

Neil Lennon may also be looking to switch up his starting eleven after their recent display against Gers left a lot to be desired. But one man he will be wishing he had at his disposal is Fraser Forster, who has returned to parent club Southampton after a season-long loan spell.

Could Celtic benefit from Forster?

The Hoops coasted to an easy title win last season after finishing a whopping 13 points ahead of rivals Rangers. Whilst Lennon’s men were unstoppable in front of goal, they were also strong in defending their own too.

In 28 Premiership appearances, Forster kept 14 clean sheets and conceded just 17 goals, seeing Celtic finish with an improved ‘goals against’ tally from last season. So far, new loan goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas has shipped six goals in nine league appearances, with the Hoops now behind Rangers in the table.

The Greece international has failed to tally a Sofascore rating of higher than 6.9 in his last five appearances. Meanwhile, the 6 ft 7 colossus from Southampton boasted a penalty save and 100% successful duels won in his Europa League campaign last season (as per Sofascore).

It will be paramount for Lennon to kick on from the Old Firm loss and focus on making headway in the Europa League. However, his side’s recent defensive performances will undoubtedly be on his mind, especially with two senior defensive players being out with injuries.

The Northern Irishman will be missing Forster, particularly after he waxed lyrical over his “world-class” performance in the Betfred Cup in December (via Daily Echo).

AC Milan haven’t lost a match since March, going on an astonishing 23-game unbeaten streak. It will take a lot to stop the Italians, who will unleash an extremely in-form Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swede has 12 goal involvements in his last eight appearances for Milan, and will be hungry to bag a goal or two at Celtic Park tonight.

In other news, Football FanCast’s predicted Celtic XI to face AC Milan after Old Firm defeat…

Arsenal appear to only be eyeing one move before tonight’s deadline and that is a swoop for long-time target, Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey.

According to Goal.com’s Charles Watts, the Gunners are making a late bid for the 27-year-old and are now willing to meet his £45m release clause.

He claims that representatives from the north London outfit have been at London Colney today to try and thrash out the last-gasp deal with La Liga possessing the player’s rights.

However, even if Edu Gaspar lands the midfield enforcer, he’s making a simply unforgivable error by not also pushing for Lyon sensation Houssem Aouar.

Arsenal have had several bids for the French playmaker rejected with the club falling short of Jean-Michel Aulas’ £55m valuation each time, per Football.London.

Now the 22-year-old is set to remain at the Ligue 1 outfit and should he have another outstanding campaign in France, then his worth will not only increase but other suitors will be attracted by his signature.

Across the Champions League and the French top-flight, Aouar delivered four goals and eight assists whilst averaging 1.2 key passes, 1.5 shots and 3.5 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is a huge fan of the Lyon ace, he once said: “He is always calm with the ball at his feet with an excellent technical quality” whilst Football Whispers claim he’s a got a “touch of David Silva about his play.”

This is merely backed up by Smarter Scout, who label Aouar a “prolific dribbler,” “skilful,” and a “very good finisher.” He’s an all-round dream to fill that Mesut Ozil void in Mikel Arteta’s system.

Former Spurs legend David Ginola can even see it, dubbing the young sensation as the “best replacement” for the costly German and even claimed that he’s the “type of player Arsenal fans would love” when speaking to Sky Sports this morning.

Edu should be put under pressure if he fails to see a move for the impressive wizard one over the line this window.

AND in other news, 20 Bargains For Your Fantasy Premier League Team…

Aston Villa could be about to solve one of their biggest issues and it involves swooping back into the Championship for another potential star…

What’s the word?

According to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, the Midlands outfit are in talks with Bristol City over a deal for their winger Niclas Eliasson.

The 24-year-old is entering the final year of his contract at Ashton Gate and has previously been linked with a big move to Scottish champions Celtic, who reportedly had a ‘substantial’ bid rejected during the January transfer window.

Meanwhile, BristolLive claim that a sale “seems almost inevitable” this summer.

Assist-king on the wing

A new winger certainly seems to be high on the agenda for Dean Smith with Premier League action only two weeks away, and dipping back into the English game would certainly help the player’s availability for the return as they may not have to quarantine.

Not only that, but Eliasson could also fulfil a massive gap in Villa’s side.

Aside from talismanic skipper Jack Grealish, the likes of Anwar El Ghazi, Trezeguet and Jota only combined for a total of six assists all season, thus displaying a lack of creativity.

Well, that’s where the young Swede comes in after he doubled that total on his own, providing a whopping 12 assists in just 18 Championship starts. He also netted three goals and averaged 1.7 crosses, 1.5 key passes and 1.2 dribbles, as per WhoScored.

Only Ahmed Elmohamady comes close for deliveries, managing just 1.1 per game last term.

The PFSA go onto laud his crossing ability further and also mention his “crafty movement” as another key asset to his game, and with Eliasson able to play on either wing due to his two-footed nature, he’d certainly be a welcome threat at Villa Park.

According to his old manager Lee Johnson, the 24-year-old is “one of the best” in the division, so Johan Lange should absolutely press ahead with a move for the £3.6m-rated enigma.

AND in other news, Villa move for “unbelievable” PL flop would be shades of Scott Sinclair…

It didn’t take long for Leeds United to do their first bit of transfer business after their Premier League status was confirmed as the ever-reliable Phil Hay reported that the Whites will be keeping Jack Harrison on loan for a third season, with their option to buy the winger for £8m rolling over to next summer.

It had been reported that Harrison was likely to join Leeds permanently this summer, but it seems as though that is no longer the case.

It’s hard to call this anything other than a good bit of business though, and fans were thoroughly pleased with this news.

Harrison has been fantastic this term, leading the Whites’ assist charts, but despite his good form, he’s still never played in the Premier League level, so having another year to analyse him in the top-flight, while still having the option to keep him on beyond that is a wise move.

Supporters on Twitter seemed to believe this was a canny piece of business, and when you consider everything it does seem like a no-lose situation.

Other supporters were excited about the fact that keeping Harrison on loan for another year frees up another £8m to be spent this summer, and with the likes of Said Benrahma being linked and a potential permanent deal for Ben White still on the cards, you can understand why a bit of extra cash has fans pleased.

Of course, it remains to be seen what Leeds do with the money, but the idea of bringing in new players is always exciting.

Daniel Levy has reached out to Tanguy Ndombele’s agent to try and resolve the tension with Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho.

Spurs slumped to a disappointing defeat to Sheffield United last week, although Ndombele finally got some minutes under his belt. The Frenchman was called into action to replace Serge Aurier as Spurs trailed the Blades 2-0 at the time.

Ndombele, who is the club’s record signing, has a strained relationship with Mourinho and tensions between the two have been well-documented over the course of the season so far, as per Football Insider. According to The Athletic, neither side understands the other, and the Frenchman has angrily reacted to Mourinho’s offer to train together.

L’Equipe has now reported, as per @LastWordOnSpurs, that Levy has personally made contact with Ndombele’s representatives as he is keen to find a solution to the problem.

Mourinho has never been one to back down from a confrontation, as he has developed a reputation for losing control of a dressing room on multiple occasions, while the 23-year-old seems to have followed a similar path to Paul Pogba.

As it stands, everybody is refusing to budge, and Levy is trying to bridge the gap between the two sides. Ndombele is clearly a talented player, which makes the situation even harder to understand.

The French international, who has been compared to his countryman N’Golo Kante, has shown supporters what he can do in the Champions League. He has made six appearances for Spurs in the European competition, supplying two assists, making 1.7 tackles per game, averaging one interception and completing 1.3 key passes per game on average (via WhoScored).

The trouble is, his standout domestic performances have been few and far between, which explains why Mourinho has been reluctant to use him since the Premier League restarted. However, the manager was crying out for some creativity in the midfield as Spurs struggled against the Blades, but he only gave Ndombele 19 minutes in the end.

The Frenchman, who is currently valued at £46m by Transfermarkt, seems to have grown frustrated by a lack of minutes and could possibly push for a move if he does not get his own way.

Moreover, Levy’s last-minute intervention may not be enough, as Barcelona have been in regular discussion with his agent over a potential move in the summer.

Tottenham fans, do you think Mourinho should give Tanguy Ndombele another chance to prove his worth at Spurs? Let us know in the comments below!

Villa Park once represented one of the most intimidating grounds in the country.

It still has its moments. of course, particularly when Birmingham City are in attendance. However, it has seemingly lost some of its passion over the past few years, which may have seen referees give them the benefit of the doubt over 50-50 decisions, as they did in the 90s and early noughties.

Having watched the Villa over the past few years it is hard not to feel that the club gets the wrong end of the deal with contentious decisions these days, apart from an obvious one behind closed doors on Wednesday night.

Whilst historically it is believed that referees and linesmen tend to favour the big clubs, the lack of consistency is incredibly frustrating and even with VAR intervention, there still doesn’t appear to be parity with big calls within the game. Conspiracy? Who knows?

So, which referees really have it in for Aston Villa and who dishes out the most cards against them? The good people at TOFFS have compiled some top-line research that analyses the data from officials and gives football fans a definitive overview of which refs have it in for their clubs.

Will the Villa be surprised at the results?

You can see the full report compiled by Abbey Green at TOFFS here.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW EVERY PREMIER LEAGUE CLUB’S REFEREE HISTORY

With Odion Ighalo’s long-term future at Manchester United up in the air, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will certainly need to be on the look-out for a new striker this summer.

The Red Devils started the campaign with just Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood as their front-line options, before Ighalo arrived from Shanghai Shenhua on a loan deal in the January transfer window.

Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?

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But reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Chinese Super League side are intent on seeing Ighalo return to them for the start of their new season, and now, it appears United have set their sights on another centre-forward.

According to French publication Foot Mercato, Solskjaer’s team have entered the race to sign Inter star Lautaro Martinez, and that they are set to face stiff competition for his signing from Barcelona.

And after hearing about their links to the Argentina international, United fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on their latest transfer target.

A couple of United fans talked up how he could be the “perfect forward” for them, with one supporter even suggesting he is going to be “the best striker in the world”.

With 16 goals in 31 games for Inter, Martinez has enjoyed an impressive campaign with the Nerazzurri this year.

He netted five times in the Champions League group stages, including scoring in both home and away fixtures against Borussia Dortmund, and once against Barcelona.

And at 22, he’s at the age that would fit in well with United’s current crop of young forwards.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti appears to be eyeing his first major splash as Toffees boss by landing a Serie A star this summer.According to Italian journalist Nicolo Schira, the Merseyside outfit are keen on paying the release clause of AS Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini, thought to be €30m (£27m) which would be paid in two installments.

And it could be an absolute bargain considering the £45m fee they paid for Gylfi Sigurdsson, who fans are quickly becoming disillusioned with after a string of poor performances as seen here.

Pellegrini has been likened to Roma legend Francesco Totti and is the sort of box-to-box midfielder that can grant Ancelotti’s engine room the ability to thrive – arguably the weakest position at the minute.

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Sigurdsson, typically the number ten for the Toffees, has struggled this term after contributing to just three goals whilst also averaging 1.8 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per game as well as recording 1.3 unsuccessful touches, via WhoScored.

Pellegrini, on the other hand, has recorded numbers off the charts this season – the 23-year-old is managing a whopping 2.9 key passes, 2.7 shots, 1.3 dribbles and 1.1 tackles each match, proving he’s contributing just about everywhere on the pitch – and more so than the Icelandic international.

The Italian has also been lauded as a “strong character” who could one day hold the captain’s armband at the Serie A side just like one former predecessor, Totti.

Earlier this year, FootballBH waxed lyrical about the midfielder in a scout report whereby he was talked up to be one of the most creative players in Europe, being involved in a goal every 109 minutes.

By comparison, Sigurdsson is involved in a goal every 676 minutes – quite the contrast. Which is maybe why Everton have only scored 37 goals this campaign.

Pellegrini solves a lot of that.

AND in other news,ÂFive players Everton must try to sign this summer…

It is no doubt still one of the great nights in Rangers history.

The Scottish side’s nail-biting penalty shoot-out triumph over Fiorentina in the UEFA Cup semi-final back in May 2008 is surely up there with some of the great moments the Gers have experienced.

After only drawing 0-0 in the first leg at home, Rangers travelled to Italy knowing they had a tough task to knock out a side containing the likes of Christian Vieri and Adrian Mutu on home turf.

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But after holding them at bay for 120 minutes, the Scottish giants booked their place in the final after Italy legend Vieri fluffed his lines from the spot.

And with that night coming on May 1, twelve years ago, fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts about that incredible night and occasion.

Some Rangers fans admitted to getting a little teary-eyed at their triumph over Fiorentina.

It’s no surprise that Rangers supporters still have such fond memories of a game that happened more than a decade ago.

The side had reached the final of one of European football’s major competitions, and whilst they may not have gone on to win it in the end, it still served up some fantastic experiences along the way.