All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds United have been dealt a huge setback ahead of their upcoming Premier League meeting with Arsenal on Sunday.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via Evening Standard), Gunners boss Mikel Arteta revealed that Ben White, who missed Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over West Ham United last weekend due to a hamstring injury, is now back in contention for the clash against Leeds tomorrow afternoon.

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Regarding the current condition of the centre-back, the Spaniard said: “Ben White is still in contention. He needs to train [on Saturday] to make sure that he is available to play.”

Marsch will be gutted

Considering how just how important it is for Jesse Marsch and his side to pick up a positive result from their trip to north London on Sunday, coupled with how impressive White has been for the Gunners this season, the news that the England international is in contention to feature against Leeds is sure to have left the American gutted.

Indeed, over his 31 Premier League appearances this term, the £36m-rated defender has been extremely solid in the heart of the Arsenal backline, helping his side to keep 13 clean sheets, along with making 1.4 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and 3.1 clearances and winning 4.4 duels (at a success rate of 59%) per game.

These returns have seen the £120k-per-week talent average a SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as Arteta’s joint 10th-best player in the top flight.

As such, it is clear  to see that the return of the former Leeds loanee would come as a huge blow to the Whites’ chances of leaving the Emirates Stadium will a decent result on Sunday afternoon – with a loss potentially seeing Marsch and his side fall into the relegation zone with just three matches left to play.

AND in other news: Leeds now plotting bid for “fabulous” £45k-p/w target, Orta should “take him all day”

Dominic King has been full of praise for Alex Iwobi’s performance as Everton won 1-0 at home to Chelsea in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Big win for Everton

It was a big win for the hosts at Goodison Park as they climbed to within two points of both Leeds United and Burnley in the table, courtesy of a goal from Richarlison in the early second half exchanges.

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The Toffees still have a game in hand on their two relegation rivals as well, so their destiny is still in their hands.

The Latest: Iwobi hailed by King

Taking to Twitter, Daily Mail journalist King was especially pleased with Iwobi’s performance, claiming that the 25-year-old may have gone ‘under the radar’ given some huge saves that Jordan Pickford made in the second half.

King gushed: “It may go under the radar but the shift Alex Iwobi has put in needs highlighting. He’s a player Frank Lampard loves because of his attitude and determination to play wherever for the team. He hasn’t put a foot out of place, superb.”

The Verdict: Huge shift from Iwobi

Like the rest of the team, Iwobi put in a huge shift for Everton to ensure that they took all three points on Merseyside today.

The former Arsenal ace won four of his duels in total and also recorded one successful dribble, three clearances, one interception, two tackles, one key pass and three accurate long balls (SofaScore).

He had 47 touches of the ball in total, more than any of his team-mates, showing his bravery to get his team out of tight situations in what would have been much appreciated by Lampard and the supporters, as King pointed out.

In other news, find out what ‘very strange’ incident from today’s match left Adam Jones stunned

Journalist Pete O’Rourke believes that the uncertainty of Antonio Conte’s future could make potential Tottenham transfer targets think twice about joining the club this summer.

The Lowdown: A managerial switch?

Last month, it was reported that former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino looks set to leave Paris Saint-Germain, meaning that the French giants will be searching for a replacement ahead of next season.

Conte seems to have emerged as a surprising candidate for the job after sources have claimed that the 52-year-old has offered himself to the Ligue 1 outfit.

As a result of this, O’Rourke has suggested that players will feel hesitant in being able to commit to moves if it’s unknown whether Conte will be there ahead of the start of the new campaign, but still expects people behind-the-scenes to be focusing on capturing their targets regardless of the managerial situation.

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The Latest: Conte casting doubts

When asked about how he thinks Tottenham’s transfer business will play out, O’Rourke told GiveMeSport: “Obviously, it’s not great to attract players if there are doubts over the manager’s long-term future, because players want to know that they will be playing under this manager, if he wants to sign them.

“So, that could be the only thing that might put doubts in players’ minds, but I think the recruitment team will be continuing to work away on transfer targets, whatever is going on with Antonio Conte.”

The Verdict: Up in the air

It’s already been reported that the boss is looking at signing six new players during the upcoming transfer window in a bid to rebuild his squad, but that could prove to be a difficult task if the future Spurs stars don’t know who they will be working under.

At this moment in time, things are very up in the air at the club, with the N17 side not knowing whether they will be able to successfully secure a top-four Champions League place, with the opportunity of playing elite European football another huge deciding factor when it comes to new signings choosing their next destinations.

If Paratici and the rest of the Tottenham hierarchy want to start planning for the future, then they will need to gain some clarity on Conte’s intentions moving forward before it starts affecting his team’s performances on the pitch as well as off it.

In other news… Tottenham’s sporting director is reportedly eyeing a surprise move for a player who’s been described as a ‘young Paul Gascoigne’.

Whether this is his final season at Manchester United or not, there will come a time sooner rather than later when the Red Devils will line up without Bruno Fernandes in tow, with the Portuguese’s future likely to again be a talking point next summer.

As the 31-year-old revealed in a tell-all interview ahead of making his 300th United appearance last month, he had held talks with Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer regarding a potential move, only to eventually opt to stay put in Manchester with his business still seemingly unfinished.

Also the subject of interest from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024, the club’s long-serving talisman has rightly courted admiring glances amid his stunning form over the past five years or so, racking up 100 goals and 89 assists in his 302 outings to date.

While five of those goal involvements have come in this season’s Premier League already, it does appear that the baton is finally being passed, however, with Ruben Amorim’s influential skipper no longer the sole star attraction.

Indeed, all eyes are on INEOS’ £71m signing Bryan Mbeumo following his return of six goals in his first 12 games for the club, with Fernandes quietly pulling the strings in a deeper role.

With Amorim also outlining the prospect of his captain needing to adjust to potential “rotation” next season, should United return to European competition, the gradual phasing out of the playmaker might well have started…

The candidates to replace Fernandes as captain

Fernandes himself was awarded the honour back in the summer of 2023, with then-boss Erik ten Hag taking the decision to strip Harry Maguire of the captaincy, with reports subsequently stating that the Englishman was heading to West Ham United.

To his credit, the latter man stayed to fight for his place, since securing cult hero status with a string of vital goals, be it his last-gasp clincher against Lyon, or the late winner against Liverpool this season.

With the 32-year-old facing his own Old Trafford uncertainty amid his expiring contract, however, it would be unlikely to see him outlast Fernandes at the club, with other candidates in the running to take the armband.

Indeed, at present, Matthijs de Ligt – the hero against Tottenham Hotspur last time out – is showcasing captaincy material, albeit while not actually having been included in Amorim’s self-appointed leadership group in pre-season.

Instead, that experienced bunch includes Fernandes, Maguire, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, with the ex-Sporting CP boss singling them out as the leaders in his first-team ranks.

Like Maguire, however, Casemiro’s current deal expires in 2026, while Martinez may be more concerned with getting back fit and firing again, having been absent since sustaining an ACL injury back in February.

Mazraoui, too, has also endured an injury-hit start to 2025/26, with the Moroccan defender also no longer a guaranteed starter, following Amad’s emergence in that right wing-back berth.

The form of the Ivorian – which includes his stunning equaliser against Nottingham Forest – has also plunged Dalot’s long-term future into doubt, with the Portuguese full-back potentially in line for the axe before too long.

Why Man Utd's 'future captain' needs to be sold

The merits of Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system have long been debated, although amid United’s five-game unbeaten run, it looks like a corner may have been turned, with the squad beginning to find its feet at both ends of the pitch.

Bruno Fernandes

52

Noussair Mazraoui

45

Diogo Dalot

45

Manuel Ugarte

44

Leny Yoro

44

Rasmus Hojlund

40

Alejandro Garnacho

40

Harry Maguire

40

Matthijs de Ligt

39

One area which remains something of a headache is at wing-back, however, with the 40-year-old coach having flitted between Patrick Dorgu and Dalot on that left-hand side in recent weeks.

While the latter man did assist Mbeumo from that role against Burnley, he has largely looked rather uncomfortable in an unorthodox role, having notably failed to prevent Nicolo Savona from converting at the City Ground two weeks ago.

In a system that demands an attacking intent from those on the flanks, even on his favoured flank, the one-time Porto man has hardly flourished in that sense in recent times, racking up just nine goals and 18 assists in 220 games for the club to date.

While once something of a “standout” under Ten Hag – having claimed the Players’ Player of the Year award at United in 2024 – Dalot no longer appears to have a defined role under the new regime, putting his future into doubt heading into 2026.

With a contract that expires in 2028, it could prove the perfect time to try and cash in on the £24m-rated defender – as valued by Transfermarkt – with the INEOS regime no doubt needing to do what they can to reshape the squad in Amorim’s image.

Of course, Dalot appears to be an influential figure under his compatriot, as his place in the leadership group showcases, having reportedly produced something of a rallying cry in the dressing room following the 3-3 draw with Porto last season.

It is for acts like that that the £90k-per-week star had emerged as one of the club’s “future captains” – as relayed by Samuel Luckhurst – although with his own form now under scrutiny, his Old Trafford stay should be coming to an end.

Forget Sesko: Man Utd's "anxious" dud is now becoming INEOS' worst signing

Manchester United have one player who has massively struggled to meet expectations at Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 11, 2025

Glasgow Rangers will be going in search of their first win of the 2025/26 Scottish Premiership season when they welcome Hearts to Ibrox on Saturday.

The Light Blues have drawn all four of their games in the division so far, the latest being the 0-0 draw with Celtic last time out, and need to get three points on the board this weekend.

Russell Martin has confirmed, though, that Nicolas Raskin will not play any part of the clash with the Jam Tarts, after he was also left out of the squad to face Celtic before the international break.

The manager explained: “Every player has a duty to earn the trust of his team-mates and coaching staff to help us win football matches. We have to be on the pitch with trust and feeling and clarity and that’s it. I think the most important thing is Nico knows why, the players know why and we all move forward.

“He’s part of the squad in training and he needs to help that and put himself back in the squad to help us win matches. It is resolved he is still here, he is training with the group now, so it’s fine.”

Supporters will surely be hoping that the Belgian talent is back on the pitch for Rangers sooner rather than later, because he has the quality to be an influential figure for the team.

Why Rangers need Nicolas Raskin back on the pitch

The Light Blues need Raskin on the pitch because he is a central midfielder who provides qualities in and out of possession as a box-to-box star.

His attributes on and off the ball mean that he can influence games at both ends of the pitch, by breaking up opposition attacks and by making an impact in the final third.

Defensively, Raskin has shown that he can provide a combative presence in the middle of the park by making tackles, interceptions, and ball recoveries on a regular basis, domestically and in Europe.

Appearances

33

12

Tackles per game

2.8

3.7

Interceptions per game

0.6

1.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.6

7.4

Ground duel success rate

57%

50%

Aerial duel success rate

56%

55%

As you can see in the table above, the Belgium international won the majority of his duels on the ground and in the air in the 2024/25 campaign, whilst making plenty of defensive interventions each game.

These statistics show that he can break up play ahead of the back four to protect the defence and Jack Butland, which is something that is needed right now after 17 goals conceded so far this season.

Raskin’s form in the 2024/25 campaign also shows that he has the quality to provide a big threat in possession as both a scorer and a creator of goals, to go along with his defensive efforts.

The Belgian star delivered five goals and 11 assists in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, and could provide the creativity that Rangers lacked against Celtic, as they failed to create any ‘big chances’.

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Football FanCast’s Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Whilst these statistics explain why Rangers need Raskin back in the first-team squad for matches, there is another Light Blues outcast who should be moved on by sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

Rabbi Matondo did not complete a move away from Ibrox before the end of the Scottish summer transfer window, but Thelwell must find a way to finally move on from the winger, whether that is now or in the January transfer window at the start of next year.

Why Rangers need to move on from Rabbi Matondo

Raskin and Matondo both reportedly earn £15k-per-week at Rangers, but the club have not been getting equal value out of them on the pitch in recent seasons.

In fact, the Wales international spent the 2024/25 campaign out on loan at Hannover in the 2. Bundesliga because Philippe Clement decided that he was not going to make his first-team squad.

Rangers, who signed the forward from Schalke for a fee of £2.5m in the summer of the 2022, need to finally part ways with the attacker because he has not done enough on the pitch since his move to Ibrox.

Matondo has had his moments for the Gers, including the goal against Celtic in the clip above, but he has only scored eight goals in all competitions for the first-team in the last three years.

As well as struggling for consistency on the pitch, the former Manchester City youngster has also struggled to stay fit throughout his time at Ibrox, and on loan in Germany last term.

25/26

1

3

24/25

1

23

23/24

2

19

22/23

1

20

As you can see in the table above, the 25-year-old winger has not been reliable enough with his availability in recent seasons, already missing three games at the start of the current campaign.

Matondo, who Kris Boyd claimed has “blistering pace”, cannot be relied upon by Martin because of these consistent injury issues, which is why the manager should not look to reintegrate him into the team.

The Welsh international should, instead, be moved on by Thelwell, whether that is to a club whose window remains open now or to a team in January, because of his performance and injury issues.

Matondo has only scored seven goals in 44 matches in the Scottish Premiership for Rangers in his career, per Transfermarkt, and this shows that he has not been an elite talent for the team even when he has been fit.

The wide player’s underwhelming contributions in the final third and his injury problems suggest that the Gers have not got as much out of their £15k-per-week than they have for Raskin, who won the club’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season awards for the 2024/25 campaign.

Rangers must regret losing the "Mbappe of Scottish football" for nothing

Rangers had a star who was described as the Kylian Mbappe of Scottish football, then lost him for nothing.

ByDan Emery Sep 11, 2025

It is now down to the club, Martin, and Thelwell to find a solution for Matondo in the coming weeks or months, because, to this point, he has been a flop at Ibrox.

By the time that the 2026 World Cup arrives, it will be 60 years since England won the World Cup. In that time, the Three Lions have had 18 managers, one or two incredibly impressive golden generations and even a UK number one thanks to John Barnes. But as much as England ‘defend and attack’, the men’s side are yet to bring football home.

The latest tasked with doing so is Thomas Tuchel. The former Chelsea manager’s CV almost speaks for itself. He has taken charge of the Blues as well as Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund – even winning a Champions League along the way. Now, however, his greatest task awaits as England aim to end 60 years of hurt.

The German has already proved that he’s not afraid of making some bold decisions and many will argue that’s exactly what Gareth Southgate was missing throughout his tenure. Whilst the old boss often failed to change his ways and players, Tuchel has already dropped Trent Alexander-Arnold in the first international break of the season and introduced Elliot Anderson to his set-up.

Full of praise for the Nottingham Forest midfielder, Tuchel told reporters: “Elliot Anderson is very physical, a lot of volume, very precise, clean passing, so it’s a good package.”

This time next year, England fans will find out whether Tuchel’s bold nature ends in World Cup victory or whether they really should have called upon a former Premier League manager who believes he’d end the Three Lions’ drought.

Sam Allardyce believes he'd have won World Cup with England

Technically speaking, Sam Allardyce has a better win rate at England than any other England manager. But there is one caveat and that’s the fact that his reign only lasted one game, which featured a late Adam Lallana winner against Slovakia. The FA shocked many when they hired ‘Big Sam’ in 2016 as they looked to move on from a disastrous Roy Hodgson era.

He ticked the box for experience and if anyone knew English football, it was him. As it turns out, we’ll never know whether Allardyce would have created shock history, but he certainly believes that he was denied the chance to end England’s wait for glory.

In the end, the former Premier League manager left his role by mutual consent after just 67 days. His departure followed The Telegraph’s report that he had been seen negotiating a £400,000 fee to represent a firm hoping to profit from transfers involving Premier League transfers as well as making “inappropriate” remarks.

A dream quickly became a nightmare for Allardyce, who never got the chance to prove that his football belonged on the biggest stage.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank has recommended a highly-rated attacker to the Lilywhites hierarchy, and he could come in to replace a forward who’s not in the Dane’s long-term plans.

Frank holds Tottenham talks over signing £300k-p/w ace who's open to joining

The Spurs boss has been discussing him with Lilywhites hierarchy.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2025

Spurs have many incomings and outgoings to address over the coming months, as chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange reshape the squad to best prepare Frank for his first ever campaign as a Champions League manager.

Manor Solomon and Bryan Gil are almost certain to be leaving N17 this summer, having just spent 2024/2025 on loan at Leeds United and Girona respectively, with the latter confirming his intention to leave in a recent interview.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

“That’s something my agent will tell me where things are going, but they [Spurs] told me, and I told them, that the best thing is for us not to continue being linked to Tottenham,” Gil told Estadio Deportivo in April.

“They bet on me when I was young, and they’ve treated me fairly well, but if I have to go back there, I’ll focus on giving my best as always. I’m calm because no one can have a bad word to say about me not being professional. Without playing, I’ve always trained well, I’ve done what I had to do, so whatever has to happen, will happen. We’ll see where we are next year.”

Solomon’s sale would count as pure profit in the eyes of PSR, considering he signed as a free agent in the summer of 2023, so it is likely that Spurs will sell the Israel international unless Frank or Levy decide otherwise.

Uncertainty surrounds the futures of Son Heung-min and Cristian Romero as well, amid repeated links to Saudi Arabia for the former and Atletico Madrid for the latter, with reports from Italy now claiming Wilson Odobert has been put on the transfer list as well.

Thomas Frank green-lights Gustan Isaksen move at Tottenham

That is according to Lalaziosiamonoi.it, who report that Frank doesn’t fancy Odobert, and he will be allowed to leave N17 this summer.

They add that the 51-year-old personally has his eyes on a replacement for Spurs’ exit-bound winger – Lazio star Gustan Isaksen.

The Denmark international racked up 49 appearances for Lazio in all competitions last term, registering 12 goal contributions in that time (six goals and six assists), and Frank is believed to be “crazy” about his compatriot.

Lalaziosiamonoi.it state that Frank has recommended Isaksen to the Tottenham hierarchy and would “welcome” a move for the 24-year-old. Isaksen would also be available for around £25 million, meaning he wouldn’t exactly break the bank from Spurs’ perspective.

The right-winger, who scored against European champions Spain and Switzerland during Denmark’s UEFA Nations League campaign, could be a bargain heir to Son or Odobert, if either men do call time on their Tottenham careers before deadline day.

“He has started to become decisive,” said ex-Lazio boss Marco Baroni about his former star winger. “I have always felt that he has been ready to explode on the big stage.”

Will Newcastle United secure Champions League qualification?

Ahead of the final day of the Premier League season, Eddie Howe’s team are fourth in the table, but not yet assured of Champions League qualification.

The Magpies are above both Chelsea and Aston Villa by virtue of goal difference alone, but victory over Everton at what promises to be a raucous St James’ Park will rubber stamp a top five finish and a return to the Champions League.

Expected to get the job done, Newcastle have already begun plans for the summer transfer window, so do they have an “astonishing” magician, reminiscent of a fan favourite from yesteryear, in their sights?

Hatem Ben Arfa's Newcastle United career

Hatem Ben Arfa arrived on Tyneside from Olympique Marseille, initially on loan, in the summer of 2010, and would depart four years later as a bona fide cult hero.

The Frenchman scored 14 goals and provided 16 assists in 86 appearances for the Magpies, but he was certainly more than just about pure statistics.

Peter McVitie of Goal outlines how he ‘showed flashes of brilliance’ during his time in the North East, without ever showing much ‘consistency’, winning over the Toon Army with ‘some dazzling firepower’ and ‘awesome displays of skill’.

Meantime, Louise Taylor of the Guardian labelled him ‘the sort of footballer fans adore’, praising his ‘exquisite touch… superior vision, perfect balance and elusive movement’, even if then-manager Alan Pardew regularly referred to him as “high maintenance”.

Jean-Baptiste Caillet of Opta’s the Analyst believes Ben Arfa is ‘France’s best dribbler since Zinédine Zidane, which is certainly high praise indeed, but backing it up by noting that only Neymar and Lionel Messi ‘have completed more dribbles per-90’ across Europe’s big-five leagues since Zizou’s retirement in 2006.

So, more than a decade on from Ben Arfa’s departure, could the Newcastle faithful soon have another dribbling winger to get behind?

Newcastle's search for a new forward

According to a recent report by Santi Aouna of Foot Mercato, Newcastle are ‘interested’ in signing Al-Ahli forward Gabri Veiga.

It had been reported by Fabrizio Romano that Veiga is on the verge of joining Porto for around £14m, but Newcastle, who have obvious connections to Saudi Arabia, are hoping to hijack this deal.

Born and raised in Galicia, he broke through at local, boyhood club Celta de Vigo, describing playing for los Celestes as a “dream”, with Sid Lowe of the Guardian documenting his ‘extraordinary’ La Liga form, adding that he ‘is not the stereotypical Spanish midfielder’.

In total, he scored 11 goals and registered five assists in 36 La Liga appearances during the 2022/23 season, including bagging a brace to beat Barcelona at Balaídos on the final day, which would turn out to be his last-ever appearance for the club.

His La Liga statistics from that season were certainly very impressive.

Minutes

2,294

120th

Goals

11

13th

Goals + assists

15

12th

Shots on target %

46.8%

17th

Shots on target per 90

1.14

15th

Goals – xG

+4.9

1st

Attempted take-ons

75

34th

Take-on success % (min 70 attempted)

54%

7th

Progressive carries

68

40

Given the above, it was expected that Veiga would move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs, but instead, he chose to join Al Ahli, with the Saudi Pro League side paying his €40m release clause, earning a reported €10m a year.

Well, in the Middle East, the Spaniard has scored 12 goals and registered ten assists in 65 appearances, a key figure as Matthias Jaissle’s side won this season’s AFC Champions League Elite, beating Kawasaki Frontale in the final in Jeddah earlier this month.

Now ready to return to Europe, could he be on his way to Tyneside?

Mak Pakhei of Total Football Analysis praises Veiga’s ‘awareness to play the ball forward’ as well as his ability to take on opponents in the middle third of the pitch, a trait associated with Ben Arfa from his time at St James’ Park.

Journalist António Mango believes he possesses “astonishing technical ability”, while Thomas Hammond simply labels him a “quality player with bags of potential”.

So, it is very clear that the Spaniard is a flamboyant, highly-talented midfielder who, at 22 years old, still has room for development, underlining that he would be both an excellent and exciting signing for Newcastle supporters.

Newcastle make approach for £25m ace and Howe's already revealed his thoughts

He could be an ideal addition for Eddie Howe.

ByHenry Jackson May 23, 2025

Celtic romped to a 5-1 win over Aberdeen in their final away match of the Scottish Premiership campaign on Wednesday night, despite playing a much-changed side.

Brendan Rodgers opted to hand opportunities to several players in the comprehensive victory for the Hoops, including the likes of Viljami Sinisalo, Paulo Bernardo, Luke McCowan, Johnny Kenny, and Maik Nawrocki, among others.

Nawrocki made just his third appearance in the Premiership this season and scored the opening goal in the match with a fine header, and he made five clearances, two blocks, and two interceptions.

Rodgers was also quick to point out how well the Polish colossus performed in possession, as the boss said: “I thought he (Nawrocki) played through the lines really, really well, defended well, and obviously, he was very dangerous in the box.”

The former Legia Warsaw central defender was not the only rarely-seen star who caught the eye for the Northern Irish head coach, though, as Irish striker Johnny Kenny made his first senior start for the club and impressed against the Dons.

Why Johnny Kenny could be a future star for Celtic

The Celtic manager was “pleased” for the 21-year-old centre-forward after the reserve striker scored his first goal for the club with a fine header in the second half.

Rodgers said: “Johnny, we’re also pleased for because he works so hard, he is a natural goalscorer. I think when you see his movement for the goal, it’s so, so good and everyone was delighted for him.”

The young attacker did brilliantly to get across his man to redirect the header into the opposite corner from Luke McCowan’s cross to make it 4-1 on the night.

That was one of the five shots that Kenny managed against Aberdeen, which shows that he provided a constant threat in front of the opposition goal, whilst it was one of two shots on target for the forward.

The Celtic striker, who had only made six substitute appearances in the league prior to that game, had not made a single first-team appearance for the club prior to his return from Shamrock Rovers in January.

Kenny did, however, showcase his potential whilst on loan in his home country, with a return of 26 goals and eight assists in 76 matches for Shamrock Rovers in all competitions.

Appearances

6

xG

3.78

Goals

5

Big chances missed

1

Big chances created

1

Assists

1

As you can see in the table above, the Irishman caught the eye in the Conference League during the first half of this season, scoring five goals in six matches, before his return to Celtic at the turn of the year.

Kenny is a young talent who has shown potential to shine in the future for the Hoops, given his performance against Aberdeen and his goalscoring record in Ireland, but he is also 22 this summer and potentially at a crossroads in his career, where he will have to decide whether it is worth fighting for a spot at Parkhead or going elsewhere to be guaranteed regular game time.

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Meanwhile, Celtic could unearth an even bigger talent than the 21-year-old Irishman by continuing to integrate 17-year-old Sean McArdle into the first-team.

Why Sean McArdle could be an even bigger talent than Johnny Kenny

It took Kenny until the age of 21 to make his senior bow for the Hoops. McArdle, on the other hand, has made his Scottish Premiership debut before turning 18.

The teenage talent has come off the bench in the last two matches, since the club were confirmed as champions of the division, as Rodgers has decided that he is ready to play in the first-team.

McArdle made his debut against Hibernian at Parkhead last week before coming on for the final nine minutes against Aberdeen away from home on Wednesday night.

The 17-year-old Scottish ace was praised by Rodgers after his debut, as the head coach said: “I like him, he’s got decent legs, he’s got a nice football brain, left-sided, he’s got culture when he plays, and now he’s got the best role models you can have in some of the players that we have here, like Callum and these guys, to learn from.”

Minutes

9

Passes completed

11/12

Shots

1

Shots on target

1

Chances created

1

Dribbles completed

1/1

Duels won

1/1

Possession lost

1x

As you can see in the table above, McArdle followed up on that praise by delivering an impressive cameo off the bench against Aberdeen, completing 92% of his chances and showing a few nice touches, creating one chance in the process.

After that display, Rodgers praised the teenager once again: “Yes, I liked him when he came on. I like the young players, and any player that you play for Celtic, you have to have personality. And you could see at 17, he comes into the game, he takes the ball, he passes the ball. He’s got a wee edge to him as well that I like.”

The manager was not the only person impressed by McArdle, though, as teammate and experienced midfielder McCowan described him as a “great” player.

This shows that he has gained respect from the manager and at least one of the senior players in the first-team with his performances in training and in Premiership matches, despite being just 17.

McArdle, who scored five goals in 25 Lowland League games this season, could, therefore, be an even bigger talent than Kenny because he has already made more progress than the Irishman did at his age.

Kenny is five years older than the Scottish midfielder and only made his Premiership debut for Celtic at the start of this year, whilst the teenager has played twice in the division already and could establish himself as a regular in the coming years, potentially before he gets to the age the Irish striker is at now.

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To make his breakthrough at such a young age, whilst earning plaudits from Rodgers and McCowan, speaks to his potential and suggests that he could be a future star for the Hoops for many years to come if he continues his progression.

Defensively, West Ham United have struggled in the 2024/25 Premier League season.

The Hammers, now led by Graham Potter, have one of the worst records in the top flight when it comes to conceding goals. There are only four sides that have shipped more than the East Londoners, with three of those the relegated sides.

As per Understat, West Ham have let in 59 goals this term, averaging 1.68 goals conceded per game. That overall number is actually more than three better than their expected goals against total, which is currently 62.73 xGA.

With that in mind, it might not be too much of a surprise that the Hammers are chasing some defensive reinforcements this summer.

The latest on West Ham's hunt for new defenders

One of the more ambitious defensive signings West Ham could try and make this summer would be to bring David Hancko to the club.

The Slovakian international seems destined to leave Feyenoord in a few weeks time, and Dutch publication Voetbal International report there is interest from Atletico Madrid, Al Nassr and Chelsea, as well as the Hammers.

The left-footed defender can play both left-back and left centre-back, and would add plenty of experience at the heart of the Hammers’ defence. He has made 44 appearances this term, for a Feyenoord side who have conceded just 33 top-flight goals.

Another defensive player who West Ham seem like they could be in for this summer is Kyle Walker-Peters. The Southampton man was part of a relegated side this season, but has been an important player for the South Coast side.

A report from journalist Greame Bailey suggests the Hammers are one of the sides trying to sign Walker-Peters on a free transfer this summer. However, they will face competition from his former club, Tottenham Hotspur and South London side Crystal Palace.

Despite the leaky defence at St Mary’s, there is no denying Walker-Peters’ quality. Former Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl once said he is an “unbelievably smart footballer”, and compared him to legendary right-back Phillipp Lahm.

The Hammers will certainly need to raise funds to afford the wages of both of these players. There is one obvious candidate who could leave the club to make room in the wage budget.

The defender West Ham must axe this summer

One player who has had no involvement in a Hammers shirt this season is Kurt Zouma. The Frenchman, who hails from Lyon, is currently out on loan at Saudi Arabian side Al-Orobah and has not played for West Ham at all this season.

In fact, the former Chelsea player has not had too much first-team football for his temporary side Al-Orobah, either. He has only featured 16 times in all competitions, with 15 of those games coming in the Saudi Pro League.

At one stage, the centre-back was viewed as a vital cog in the works at the London Stadium. He joined the club in 2021 for £25m after leaving Chelsea, and was described as the club’s “first choice” signing at by former manager David Moyes at the time of his arrival.

The 30-year-old made just over a century of appearances in the famous claret and blue shirt, specifically reaching 103 games for the club. Zouma even skippered the club on 37 occasions and scored six times, including one goal in a 2-1 win away to Luton Town last term.

The Frenchman was also an important figure in the Hammers’ Conference League triumph back in 2022. As per Sofascore, he played seven games in that competition, averaging 2.8 aerial duels won and 1.9 tackles won per game.

Minutes played

68.1

477

Pass accuracy

85.5%

85.5%

Long balls completed

1.7

9

Tackles and interceptions

1.9

10

Aerial duels won

2.8

15

Overall, it does seem as though Zouma’s career has petered out at the London Stadium. His contract will expire in a few weeks’ time, and it seems unlikely to be renewed, given his current loan move to Al Orobah.

Not only will that free up money on the wage budget for the Hammers, but they will also be able to reinvest it into new signings that could include Hancko and Walker-Peters.

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