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Celtic could hold a crucial advantage this summer over defender Cameron Carter-Vickers…

What’s the story?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Pete O’Rourke claimed: “I think Nicholson will be thinking, ‘come here for regular first team football, you know the club and there is a chance to play in the Champions League next season, which would be attractive to all players’.

“I think if he went to Celtic, maybe Celtic will be thinking we can keep him here for a couple of years at least and if he continues to shine and grow then, after that, maybe a move back down to the Premier League might be in the offing for Carter-Vickers.

“He is still quite young and been out on loan a few times from Spurs, so finding a permanent home where he’s happy, when seemingly it has worked out for him at Celtic so far this season, might be his best thing to do.”

Postecoglou will be buzzing

Given the fact he’s only on loan, it’s only natural that Celtic may be worried about the prospect of seeing the USA international fail to return to Parkhead next season.

Speaking back in January, Postecoglou himself said: “I’m prepared to be patient with all of them. There is no rush with these things. It’s got to be good for the player and good for the club.

“If everybody is happy then those types of things take care of themselves. There is no need to be anxious about it. Jota’s situation is the same with Cameron Carter Vickers.”

However, last month, the Celtic boss admitted that Carter-Vickers could be tempted by the prospect of earning more with a move to the Premier League, saying: “I’m sure Champions League football will help us keep them. But I’m also sure that it will be an attraction for others to come to our football club. This is a two-way thing. The player has to want to be here and we have to want them here.

“I love having them as part of his football club. But if they can get more money down south, that’s fine. I’d never deny them that. We could get offers for some of our other players, depending on how we finish the season. That will be the choices they make. If that’s what they desire for their next move, I’ll have no issue with them.”

But O’Rourke’s claim that Carter-Vickers’ time at Celtic, and the fact he knows he’s in a place where he’s getting regular first-team football, and has Champions League action on the horizon too, may just sway things in the Hoops’ favour.

Postecoglou will be buzzing if the Bhoys can strike a deal.

AND in other news – Sold for £12m, now failing in MLS: Celtic played a blinder with shocking 6 ft disaster

Jamie Carragher warned Liverpool’s Sadio Mane about his behaviour during the first half of Sunday’s Merseyside Derby at Anfield. 

The lowdown

Tensions boiled over late in the first half after Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure fouled opposite number Fabinho.

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A ‘mini brawl’ ensued, in the words of one Sky Sports journalist, as players from both sides rushed to the scene.

Amidst the melee, Mane could be seen arguing with Allan and ‘pushing him in the face’.

Referee Stuart Atwell issued a yellow card to the Senegalese attacker, his seventh booking of the season in all competitions.

The latest

As he viewed the replay of the incident, Carragher slammed the forward.

“That’s just stupid from Mane,” the Sky Sports commentator said [17:17].

The verdict

You can understand why Carragher was frustrated with the £100,000-per-week man.

Indeed, he was arguably fortunate to avoid a red card following the incident, which would have made his team’s task far more difficult.

The laws of the game dictate that a player who deliberately strikes an opponent in the face with a hand or arm has committed violent conduct, unless the force is ‘negligible’.

That’s certainly up for debate, but you could argue that a player of Mane’s experience – this was his 258th Premier League match – shouldn’t be getting himself involved in such altercations, particularly when so much is at it stake for the title-chasing Reds.

In other news, this Liverpool superstar has been backed to sign a new deal. 

Celtic have the best defensive record in the Premiership this season, with just 19 goals conceded in 34 games.

One figure in Ange Postecoglou’s squad who has contributed a lot towards that impressive feat is Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Since arriving on loan from Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur in last summer’s transfer window, the centre-back has been a pivotal player for the Hoops, with 41 appearances to his name across all competitions (28 in the league), scoring four goals and providing one assist.

Presumably as a result of his efforts on the pitch at Parkhead, there have been reports emerging that the Bhoys are looking to secure the American on a permanent deal once his loan spell ends in the summer. However, it seems as though the Hoops could have some competition on that front, which could be worrying for Postecoglou.

What’s the news?

According to journalist Matt O’Connor-Simpson in a recent tweet, Carter-Vickers is “attracting plenty of interest” in terms of a potential summer transfer.

He said: “Fulham & Southampton are the latest to join the race but the likes of Crystal Palace, West Ham & Wolves are looking too. Celtic obviously keen but pull of Premier League football is an issue.”

To highlight how much of a defensive unit the 24-year-old has been for the Bhoys, he has the joint-highest number of interceptions to his name, along with 19 successful tackles and the highest average of clearances per game in the Celtic squad.

His overall performances have earned him a solid seasonal rating of 7.36/10 from WhoScored, making him the fourth-highest rated player currently at the club.

Postecoglou will be gutted

With all of that in mind, it’s safe to say that Postecoglou and the Celtic fans would be bitterly disappointed to not see Carter-Vickers put pen to paper on a permanent deal at Parkhead in the summer.

The American has never truly found a home during his career, being loaned out by Spurs on no fewer than seven occasions, but WhoScored performance metrics indicate that he has found his best form in Glasgow, so hopefully he will realise that and duly lay down roots in Scotland.

Moving forward, if any Premier League club does try and sign the defender once the summer window opens, the Bhoys must hope that they can convince the defender to stay where he is and continue his upward trajectory at Parkhead rather than making a move back to England, where he could need to prove himself all over again.

In other news: Postecoglou can finally axe £20k-p/w “disaster” as Celtic plot bid for “insane” talent

Middlesbrough are said to be eyeing up a move for Mainz winger Jean-Paul Boetius during the upcoming transfer window, according to The Telegraph.

The Lowdown: Free agent available

The Dutchman first joined the Bundesliga outfit in a £3.15m move from Feyenoord four years ago, where he’s made 127 appearances for the club to date, making 36 goal contributions during that time, as per Transfermarkt.

The 28-year-old’s current contract with Mainz is set to expire at the end of the season, making him a free agent, and his impressive form looks to have caught the eye of some potential English suitors, including Chris Wilder’s side, but they are set to face some serious competition in the race for his signature.

The Latest: Boro monitoring Boetius

In a new article published by The Telegraph, it’s claimed that Middlesbrough, Watford, and Norwich are all interested in Boetius’ services, with the forward ‘on the radar’ of the named clubs.

The report further states that Boro have ‘looked at’ summer targets despite being deeply embroiled in a fight for a play-off place, one of those being the Netherlands international.

The Verdict: Premier League ambitions

The £13k-per-week star has been a real threat in the final third under Bo Svensson this season, where he’s racked up 50 shot creating actions this season, via FBRef, and he’s even been dubbed ‘the Mainz Messi’ thanks to his creativity at the top end of the pitch.

The one advantage that the Teesside-based club have over their two rivals is that the Canaries have already been relegated and the Hornets look set to be following in their footsteps, but Boro still have an outside chance of going the opposite way.

The opportunity to play in the Premier League, should they make the jump up to the top flight, is a much more attractive proposition to any potential transfer target, and so could work in their favour when it comes down to Boetius deciding where his next destination will be.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph has provided an update regarding Celtic and the pursuit of Hammarby left-back Mohanad Jeahze, with the Hoops in negotiations over a £2million move. 

The lowdown: Hoops officials visit Sweden

The Hoops have been heavily linked with a move for the Iraq international in recent weeks as Ange Postecoglou attempts to kickstart the summer transfer business.

Born in Sweden, the 25-year-old has spent his entire professional career in the Scandinavian nation, winning the national cup in 2021.

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Hoops officials were even sent to the player’s club recently and Hammarby’ s own sporting director, Jesper Jansson, admitted that there is ‘certainly an interest’.

Now, a move to Scotland could be edging ever closer for the four-cap ace, who was hailed as ‘really class’ by teammate Darijan Bojanic…

The latest: Joseph reveals £2m talks

Taking to Twitter with a fresh update, Joesph has suggested that the deal is close to coming to fruition for the Hoops, with talks well underway and a £2m offer ‘on the table’.

“Celtic are in advanced talks with Hammarby over a deal to sign left-back Mohanad Jeahze. It’s understood the 25-year-old Iraq international told the Swedish club he wants to move to Scotland. A deal in the region of £2m is on the table & talks have progressed quickly today.”

The verdict: Shrewd capture

The Bhoys look set to embark on a crucial summer as Postecoglou bolsters the Celtic Park ranks ready for Champions League football.

Described as possessing an ‘elite mentality’ by Alternativ Hammarby (via Everything Celtic) on Twitter, the swashbuckling full-back has scored once and provided five assists in 14 appearances this season, indications of a desire to attack that would be perfectly suited to Postecoglou’s system at Parkhead.

Overall, the Iraqi ace has earned a magnificent 7.63 Sofascore rating so far in the 2022 Allsvenskan, making 2.3 interceptions, 2.7 tackles and 1.2 clearances on average per game to highlight his defensive acumen to accompany his attacking prowess.

To put those numbers in perspective, no player in the Celtic squad with more than two appearances averages more than 1.6 tackles or 1.6 interceptions per game.

Jeahze – who was also a reported target for Polish outfit Lech Poznan – has a little over 14 months remaining on his deal in Sweden and at the mooted £2million should be regarded as a smart signing who will perhaps arrive as direct competition for Greg Taylor.

In other news, one Celtic player has been backed to leave the club. Find out who it is here.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has urged West Ham United to sign current Arsenal striker and upcoming free agent Eddie Nketiah this summer.

The Lowdown: Nketiah’s situation

The 22-year-old is expected to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer upon the expiry of his contract.

Last August, it was reported that the Gunners had rejected an approach from Crystal Palace for the attacker, as they had refused to meet their £20m asking price.

In spite of this, after refusing to put pen to paper over a new deal, Nketiah looked set to leave Arsenal as a free agent at the end of the season, due to concerns over a lack of playing time.

However, in recent weeks, the former England U21 has been in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI for his side’s last seven Premier League games. As a result, he has decided to delay his decision until after the season has finished.

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The Latest: O’Rourke’s claim

O’Rourke believes that Nketiah would be a great signing for West Ham, who are desperate for a striker.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, he claimed:

“We all know West Ham need a striker; they’ve needed a striker for the last couple of windows and not been able to bring one in.

“So, I think if they could get somebody like Nketiah, who is a free agent this summer, I think it’d be a smart piece of business.”

The Verdict: Good signing

With David Moyes having to rely upon Michail Antonio as the club’s only senior striker since Sebastien Haller’s departure in 2021, a young forward with Premier League experience will be a welcomed addition to the current Hammers side.

Arsenal boss Arteta has previously been extremely complimentary of the 22-year-old, claiming that he is an “extraordinary” player for his age.

Ranking in the 94th percentile for pass completion rate and in the 93rd percentile for tackles made (via FB Ref), Nketiah shares similar qualities to that of Antonio. This could mean that his arrival on a free transfer would provide Moyes with a strong alternative attacking option, whilst being a shrewd bit of business by the east London club.

In other news: West Ham United: Irons ‘reignite push’ for Nayef Aguerd

Liverpool have a track record when it comes to securing transfers for fledgling players such as Harvey Elliott, Fabio Carvalho and Ben Doak.

Now that the summer transfer window is in sight, it seems as though the Merseyside club have their eyes on securing yet another teenage talent for their ranks.

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What’s the news?

After being recently linked with a move for Aberdeen’s 18-year-old right-back Calvin Ramsay, journalist Fabrizio Romano discussed the matter during a recent episode of Rio Ferdinand’s FIVE podcast.

The transfer expert said: “Calvin Ramsay is a full-back from Aberdeen, really interesting player, born in 2003, he’s a player that they are scouting, following and monitoring so that could be an option for Liverpool.”

A product of the Scottish club’s youth system, the teenager has gone on to make 39 senior appearances for Aberdeen across all competitions. This shows just how highly he is rated by Pittodrie, having seen so much first-team action at such a young age.

In those appearances, Ramsay has scored one goal and delivered nine assists along the way, showing that he has a knack for making a difference when surging up the field.

To further highlight his attacking talent, only one other Aberdeen player (Jonny Hayes) delivered more crosses in the Premiership this season than the teenage starlet’s 154.

From a defensive point of view, the youngster made 22 interceptions and 14 tackles in 24 league appearances, showing that he can be a useful figure at both ends of the pitch.

Labelled an “unbelievable” player by sports journalist Ryan Taylor, Ramsay could well be the next teenage talent to make the move to Anfield and potentially become a first-team option for Klopp in the same way that Elliott has.

If Liverpool’s scouting team feel that the Aberdeen gem is worthy of a potential transfer to Merseyside, the Reds could find themselves with another future star on their hands.

It seems highly unlikely that Trent Alexander-Arnold will see his place in the first team under threat any time soon, but if Ramsey does join Liverpool and continues to progress at such a quick rate, he could well become an ideal backup for the Englishman in the future.

In other news: Klopp now plotting Liverpool bid for “complete” £30m target, he’s “like Yaya Toure”

Liverpool have been handed a double injury boost ahead of tonight’s Champions League final showdown against Real Madrid in Paris.

What’s the news?

According to Reds manager Jurgen Klopp, the midfield duo of Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara will be available to play in tonight’s big match against the Spanish champions after previous injury concerns.

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Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Klopp said: “It looks good for both Thiago and Fabinho. Thiago trained yesterday with the team, trained today and we’ll go from there.”

The Spaniard had been struggling with an Achilles injury leading up to tonight’s final, whereas Fabinho suffered a muscle problem against Aston Villa earlier this month.

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Klopp will be buzzing

Given the magnitude of tonight’s showdown against Carlo Ancelotti’s side, it will undeniably be a boost for Liverpool to have the midfield duo available for selection, and it will also surely have Klopp buzzing.

Taking into account how the pair has made a combined 105 tackles between them in the Premier League this season, the two best performers in Liverpool’s squad in this regard, it’s safe to say that their presence will be huge for the Reds against Real Madrid if they are fit enough to start.

Also, the fact that the Brazilian has made more blocks (51) throughout the league campaign than any other Liverpool player further highlights how crucial he could be tonight.

Focusing on his efforts in the Champions League, no other Reds player has equalled the average of tackles per game (2.3) that the 28-year-old has averaged throughout the tournament so far.

With Real Madrid scoring 80 goals in La Liga this season, the most in the Spanish top flight, and 28 goals in the Champions League (including a few against the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain), having Thiago and Fabinho available will surely give the Reds a better chance of overcoming Ancelotti’s formidable outfit.

If the duo are 100% fit enough to start tonight, then they should definitely be in the starting XI to take on Los Blancos. That could be a crucial factor in Liverpool potentially winning their seventh European Cup in a few hours’ time.

In other news: Liverpool eyeing move for “tenacious” £100m “predator”, Klopp would love him

Aston Villa are reportedly keen on adding further midfield reinforcements this summer in the form of Brighton and Hove Albion’s Yves Bissouma, despite having only recently confirmed the signing of Boubacar Kamara.

What’s the word?

As per 90min, Villa are set to follow the arrival of the young Frenchman with a move for the Seagulls star, with manager Steven Gerrard said to be ‘hopeful’ of bolstering his midfield ranks even further.

The report suggests that a bid of around £30m could be enough to prise the Mali international from the Amex, with the Midlands outfit seemingly to set follow up their January interest in the 25-year-old – who has just a year remaining on his existing deal.

The report also goes on to add that while both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are keeping tabs on the former Lille man, it is NSWE who are ‘leading the chase’ for his signature.

Huge Coup

Edging those two north London rivals to the signing of the £31.5m-rated gem would represent a major coup for Gerrard and co, with the club having already showcased their pulling power in 2022 with the signings of Kamara, Philippe Coutinho and January arrival, Lucas Digne.

With further additions expected – amid links to Sevilla’s Diego Carlos – it would seem that the ambitious club are plotting an assault on the top half of the table next term, with seemingly the ultimate aim to return to Europe.

The arrival of Bissouma would no doubt help in realising that goal, with the £29k-per-week colossus having dubbed “Champions League level” by manager Graham Potter, such is the “array of his quality”.

The Ivory Coast-born playmaker has starred for his current side since making the £17m move from Ligue 1 in 2018, notably earning praise from pundit Gary Lineker who labelled him an “exceptional footballer”.

A smooth operator in the centre of the park with a knack for the spectacular, the 6-foot powerhouse compares favourably to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues in a number of metrics, ranking in the top 10% for clearances and the top 13% for tackles made, as well as in the top 11% for dribbles completed.

Also ranking in the top 9% for pass completion, there is seemingly little that the all-action gem can’t do, impressing both in and out of possession during his time in England.

Gerrard had previously noted his slight frustration at not getting the backing at his former club Rangers to properly kick on, although on recent evidence he is set to receive bountiful support from his new club and its owners, with the potential arrival of Bissouma set to represent another major statement of intent.

IN other news, Gerrard can now axe £20m “mistake” by signing £15m ace who’s “capable of leading” AVFC

A major Newcastle United transfer claim has emerged regarding the club’s pursuit of Hugo Ekitike heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has provided an update on the state of play as the Magpies attempt to get a deal over the line for the French centre-forward.

He tweeted: “Newcastle hopeful of sealing Hugo Ekitike signing (structure/fees/terms still being discussed). A loan + obligation to buy was mooted (a way to delay FFP restrictions) but it will be permanent. Deals also still in play for Sven Botman & Matt Targett.”

Hope has since added to his initial claim, tweeting: “Newcastle believe he wants to sign. Last I heard was agent fees were still being negotiated.”

Eddie Howe will be excited

The Magpies head coach will surely be left feeling excited by this news, as he will be keen to get Ekitike to St James’ Park as early as possible.

Howe will want as many signings in the door as the club can manage ahead of pre-season, as it will give him the best chance of integrating them into the team ahead of the first Premier League match of the campaign. Conversely, bringing someone in with only days, or even hours, left in the transfer window will leave them playing catch-up, as Newcastle would already be a few matches into the season.

The Toon boss will also be excited by the prospect of working with the French striker, who has shown great promise in his short career so far. In the 2021/22 Ligue 1 campaign, the youngster managed 10 goals and three assists in 15 starts for Reims, showing that he can make a big impact in the final third on a consistent basis.

As per FBRef, he also ranked in the 99th percentile for interceptions (1.06) and 86th percentile for tackles made (1.2) per 90 in his position in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days. This shows that he works his socks off for the team and is an asset in and out of possession.

He has the quality to make things happen in the penalty box when his team has the ball and he also has the tenacity and work rate to cause the opposition problems when they have possession. Howe will be delighted with this as it will enable him to get his team to press high up the pitch, knowing that he would have Ekitike to put pressure on defenders.

AND in other news, “I’m told…”: Journalist drops “exciting” NUFC transfer claim that supporters will love…