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Chelsea hold concrete interest in signing a “spectacular” Barcelona star, with Enzo Maresca personally keen, and they could now be willing to submit an opening offer.

Blues keen to bolster options amid slow start to the season

After clinching Champions League qualification in the 2024-25 campaign, there was an expectation for the Blues to kick on this season, but it has been a slow start, having taken just eight points from their opening six games.

Most recently, Maresca’s side came up short in a 3-1 home defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion, which has led to speculation aboutthe manager’s future, with talkSPORT’s Tony Cascarino suggesting the Italian may find it difficult to hold onto his job long-term.

One of the only bright sparks against the Seagulls was Enzo Fernandez, with the Argentinian getting on the scoresheet, while Moises Caicedo was also solid, winning eight of the 12 duels he contested and making three tackles.

However, according to a report from Spain, Chelsea still remain keen on bolstering their options in midfield, holding concrete interest in signing Barcelona’s Marc Casado, and they may even be willing to submit a €40m (£35m) bid for his services.

Maresca is personally keen on signing Casado, having identified the need to bring in a new central midfielder, and there are indications that the Spanish club could be open to a sale in the January transfer window.

Barca, given their well-documented financial issues, need to free up wages, but the midfielder has previously expressed his desire to fight for his place, so it remains to be seen whether he is open to a departure.

As bad as Chalobah: 4/10 Chelsea gem showed he’s not ready for PL start yet

Chelsea suffered a 3-1 loss at home to Brighton and this player failed to step up.

1 ByJoe Nuttall Sep 27, 2025 "Spectacular" Casado may need to leave Barca this winter

Given the La Liga champions’ squad is so stocked with talent, the Spaniard has received inconsistent game time this season, although he has impressed when given the opportunity, picking up an assist in the emphatic 6-0 victory over Valencia.

Sergio Busquets was also left very impressed with the young midfielder during the 2024-25 campaign, calling him “spectacular” last November.

The 22-year-old has featured in the majority of Barca’s La Liga matches this season, but given his talent, that is not enough, so it would make sense to move to a new club this winter.

Signing a new goalkeeper should be Maresca’s number one priority, given the start Robert Sanchez has made to the season, most recently getting sent off in the 2-1 defeat against Manchester United.

However, should Chelsea decide to sign a new central midfielder, Casado has the ability to be a success at Stamford Bridge, and a fee in the region of £35m feels fair, given his age.

Marseille midfielder Arthur Vermeeren has been warned against joining Premier League giants Chelsea or Manchester United, as he has been told that he would ruin his career if he ever moves to either of the English clubs. After failing to make a mark at RB Leipzig, Vermeeren joined the Ligue 1 giants on loan towards the end of the summer transfer window.

Vermeeren was hailed as 'next Iniesta'

Vermeeren established himself as one of the brightest prospects in world football during his time at Royal Antwerp before being signed by Atletico Madrid in January 2024 in a deal worth €25million (£21m/$29m). The Belgian wonderkid, however, failed to live up to his potential at Atletico and was eventually sold to RB Leipzig after just one year. Unfortunately, Vermeeren's form did not pick up in Germany as well, as the 20-year-old was sent out on loan this summer to Marseille. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportVermeeren warned against joining either Chelsea or Man Utd

Speaking to , analyst Marc Degryse said: "What Vermeeren absolutely mustn’t do is go to a club like Chelsea or Manchester United, where they buy thirty or forty players and then loan you out. Arthur Vermeeren will ruin his career if he does that!"

English clubs have been linked with Vermeeren

Premier League sides Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly shown interest in signing the midfielder, while Manchester United and Barcelona, at one point, were linked with a move for the young Belgium international. 

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AFPVermeeren's bright start at Marseille

Since joining Marseille this summer, Vermeeren has appeared in three matches across all competitions thus far, where he has provided two assists. The midfielder would hope to regain his form and establish himself as a top player under Roberto De Zerbi.

With Kyogo Furuhashi, Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah among those to depart Parkhead in recent times, Celtic have frustratingly had to witness some of their best and brightest move on to pastures new, instead of sticking it out for the long haul in Glasgow.

Those who have moved on haven’t always enjoyed the best of fortunes, however, with the club’s record departures a case in point.

Indeed, Kieran Tierney – sold to Arsenal back in 2019 – has returned to Scotland this summer after six injury-hit years at the Emirates. Jota, meanwhile, is also now back on the books after enduring a miserable time in Saudi Arabia and France.

Celtic’s record sales

Player

Club

Fee

Matt O’Riley

Brighton

£25m

Jota

Al-Ittihad

£25m

Kieran Tierney

Arsenal

£23m

Moussa Dembele

Lyon

£19m

Nicolas Kuhn

Como

£16m

Odsonne Edouard

Palace

£14m

Kristoffer Ajer

Brentford

£13.5m

Virgil van Dijk

Southampton

£13.5m

Victor Wanyama

Spurs

£12.5m

Figures via Transfermarkt

In the case of Matt O’Riley, the elegant playmaker has joined Marseille on loan after just a solitary season at Brighton. Kuhn, now at Como, is yet to start a Serie A game since his £16m switch.

Even Kyogo – who departed for Rennes in January in the hope of securing a more prominent role for Japan – has found himself now operating in England’s Championship rather than the Champions League, with the grass certainly not always greener.

That being said, there are those who go on and flourish elsewhere after leaving the Premiership side, with young Ben Gannon-Doak proving a prime example.

Ben Gannon-Doak's display in numbers vs Belarus

Every club has a tale of ‘one that got away, with Gannon-Doak the most prominent name in recent times with regard to Celtic and their academy production line.

Handed two senior appearances by Ange Postecoglou as a mere 16-year-old, the flying winger could not be tempted to stay put in Scotland, instead moving to Premier League giants Liverpool for a compensation fee of just £600k.

While the intense competition at Anfield has seen the now 19-year-old move on to Bournemouth this summer, the nature of the £25m price tag emphasises just what a talent he truly is – a fact that he again showcased on Monday night away at Belarus.

The man who previously tormented Croatia’s Josko Gvardiol, Gannon-Doak is emerging as a real outlet for Steve Clarke and for Scotland despite his relative youth, with new Cherries teammate Ryan Christie highlighting just why he has become such a firm favourite for the Tartan Army:

That positivity was on full display on Monday, with Gannon-Doak – unleashed from the start by Clarke – proving a constant menace down the left flank, having been the away side’s ‘brightest creative spark’, according to GIVEMESPORT.

In his 74-minute outing, the youngster notably completed three of his four attempted dribbles, enjoyed a 93% pass accuracy rate and registered one key pass, as per Sofascore, having produced a performance of real authority off the left.

There was also steel to match the silk, however, a fact emphasised by a crunching challenge on the halfway line, that resulted in a yellow card, as he also notably won seven of his 11 total duels.

A player who looks like the complete package, Celtic will rue having let him slip from their grasp. That is in the past, however, with there now a new shining light to enjoy at Parkhead…

Callum Osmand could be Celtic's answer to Gannon-Doak

Too often in recent times have Celtic had to watch as their academy products have been snapped up by top-flight clubs south of the border, with teenage goal machine Daniel Cummings notably making the switch to West Ham United this summer.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

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That being said, there are times where the Hoops are able to get their own back, with Brendan Rodgers and co memorably poaching a young Moussa Dembele from Fulham back in the summer of 2016.

Such a coup looks like it could well have been replicated this summer too, with the Scottish champions having managed to prise another teenage striker from Craven Cottage, in the form of Callum Osmand.

The 19-year-old may have yet to enjoy a taste of senior football in west London, although he has flourished at youth level in recent years, scoring 23 goals in just 38 U18 games, alongside netting 20 times in 35 games for the U21 side.

In one outing for Celtic ‘B’ team, the prolific teen has already got off the mark, emphasising just why he is so “highly-rated”, in the words of Rodgers:

Having discussed the potential move with another Fulham product, O’Riley, the Welshman will be looking to try and emulate the playmaker’s impact in green and white, with a starting berth seemingly up for grabs amid the uncertainty surrounding Celtic’s number nine berth.

Much like Gannon-Doak, the rapid talent appears to have that fearless quality to his attacking game, a point that has been emphasised by Fulham expert Jack Kelly:

While Celtic have had to witness Gannon-Doak flourish at international level, perhaps they could well get their own back with the case of Osmand, with it set to be intriguing to see if he can make a first-team impact under Rodgers this season.

There is a centre-forward vacuum to be filled in the wake of Idah’s departure – could Osmand now fill it?

Related Celtic struck gold signing £1.5m "beast" who's now worth more than Dolberg

Following Celtic’s failed pursuit of Kasper Dolberg, who joined Ajax instead, the Hoops do have an attacker with a higher value.

Posts ByBen Gray Sep 9, 2025

انتقد الإعلامي أحمد شوبير تصريحات مسؤول الزمالك، التي أثارت جدلًا واسعًا خلال الساعات الماضية، معتبرًا أن تصريحاته غير موفقة وتسيء إلى كيان كبير بحجم القلعة البيضاء.

وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم: “تعالوا نراجع معًا تصريحات الأستاذ حسام المندوه الحسيني، أمين صندوق نادي الزمالك، أولًا وثانيًا وثالثًا، حضرتك عندما تظهر في برنامج تلفزيوني، عليك أن تنتبه جيدًا لمن تجلس أمامه، وكيف ستتحدث، وأن تحدد أهدافك من الحوار، لأن هذا أمر في غاية الأهمية”.

وتابع: “كما أقول دائمًا: هناك مذيع طيب، ومذيع مهني، ومذيع خبيث، وآخر يحب الإيقاع بالضيف أو يبحث عن اللقطة، هذا أمر موجود في كل مكان، سواء كان المذيع رجلًا أو إمرأة، الإعلام بطبيعته هكذا، والناس تصنّف بعضها البعض كما تشاء، فهناك من يُقال عنه إنه مهني، وآخر إنه خبيث، أو أنه باحث عن اللقطات، وهذه التصنيفات تختلف من شخص لآخر، لذلك يجب أن تكون حذرًا في حديثك دائمًا”.

وأضاف: “كذلك، هناك نوع من الضيوف السهل التعامل معه، تقول له مثلًا: “إزيّك؟” فيبدأ بسرد كل شيء دون تحفظ، وهؤلاء لا يحتاجون إلى مذيع من أي نوع، لأنهم ببساطة يسلمون أنفسهم بالكلام دون وعي، ولذلك يجب على كل شخص أن ينتبه لما يقوله”.

وواصل: “بصراحة، تصريحات الأستاذ حسام المندوه الحسيني لم تعجبني على الإطلاق، خاصة قوله إن الزمالك كان مريضًا والآن يموت، أولًا، الزمالك لم ولن يموت أبدًا، وأطمئنك وأطمئن جمهور الزمالك العظيم، فالأندية الكبيرة والكيانات العريقة مثل نادي الزمالك لا تموت، قد تمر بوعكة، أو أزمة، أو تعب مؤقت، لكنها لا تموت أبدًا، تصريحك هذا جانبه الصواب تمامًا”.

طالع أيضًا | حسام المندوه يبرر تصريح “الزمالك بيموت”.. ويلوم الجماهير: تذكروا كيف تسلمنا النادي

وشدد: “ثم خرجتَ في اليوم التالي لتقول إن كلامك فُهم بشكل خاطئ، وإنك كنت تقصد توضيح حجم الأزمة المالية التي يمر بها النادي حاليًا، وليس المعنى الحرفي لكلمة يموت، لكن يا أستاذ حسام، أنت من قلت هذا الكلام، ولسنا نحن من نسبه إليك، فلا مجال هنا لسوء الفهم، فعبارتك كانت واضحة وصريحة”.

واستمر: “قلتَ أيضًا إنك أردت توضيح الحقائق لجماهير الزمالك، ولم ترغب في تجميل الصورة، بل في عرض الواقع الصعب الذي يعيشه النادي، ودعوة المسؤولين للتدخل بعد سحب أرض الزمالك في أكتوبر، مشيرًا إلى أن هناك تبرعات من محبي النادي وأعضاء مجلس الإدارة، وأن استعادة أرض أكتوبر تمثل الأمل الحقيقي للنادي، وأن بدونها ستستمر الأزمات”.

وأكد: “كنت ببساطة تستطيع أن تقول هذا الكلام منذ البداية، دون الحاجة إلى عبارة الزمالك بيموت، لأنك في النهاية تمثل منصبًا رسميًا داخل مجلس إدارة النادي، وتصريحاتك تُحسب على الكيان كله، لذلك، كان تصريحك غير موفق على الإطلاق وجانبه الصواب تمامًا”.

واختتم: “وبغضّ النظر عن محاولات التوضيح بعد ذلك، فالمعنى كان واضحًا، ما قلته فُهم كما هو، لدينا في مصر أمر غريب، لا أحد يخرج ليعتذر ويقول: أنا آسف، تصريحي كان خطأ، كنت أقصد كذا وكذا، الاعتذار ليس عيبًا ولا حرامًا أبدًا، بل هو شجاعة واحترام للجمهور”.

Shamar Joseph is unfit and Alzarri Joseph has chosen the ILT20 over the Test series in Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Dec-2024

Amir Jangoo had started his ODI career with a century on debut•Randy Brooks

Trinidad & Tobago batter Amir Jangoo has earned a maiden call-up to the West Indies Test squad for the two-match series against Pakistan, which begins on January 16 in Karachi. Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie returns to the side, having missed the two Tests against Bangladesh at home last month as he was playing at the inaugural Global Super League in Providence.Motie will be leading West Indies’ spin-bowling contingent, which also has Kevin Sinclair and Jomel Warrican.Jangoo and Motie replace the fast-bowling duo of Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph. While Shamar is suffering from shin splints which forced him to miss the ODI series against Bangladesh earlier this month, Alzarri is unavailable because of a clash with the ILT20 in the UAE, where he will be turning out for MI Emirates, which CWI termed as “other engagements” in their release.Jangoo was rewarded for his consistent performances in the domestic four-day competition in 2023-24, when he scored 500 runs in five matches at an average of 63.50, with two centuries and a fifty, to be Trinidad & Tobago’s highest run-getter. Jangoo also recently smashed a century on ODI debut against Bangladesh to help West Indies ace their third-highest chase in the format.”Motie rejoins the squad to bolster the spin attack, while Jangoo’s selection comes on the back of his consistency across formats in regional cricket, as well as his demonstrated high level of competency against spin bowling,” West Indies head coach Andre Coley said. “For the Test series against Pakistan in January 2025, the focus is on building on what we have done well, and transforming the learnings from 2024 into tangible results.”The rest of the squad remains on expected lines. Kraigg Brathwaite will lead the side, with wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Da Silva as his deputy. Mikyle Louis, Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty and Justin Greaves will form the crux of the batting unit.On the fast-bowling front, Kemar Roach will lead the attack, and will have Jayden Seales and Anderson Phillip for company.Next year’s tour of Pakistan will be West Indies’ first Test series there in more than 18 years. They had last played Tests in Pakistan in November 2006, although they did play Pakistan in a Test series in the UAE in October 2016.The 15-member West Indies squad will depart on January 2, and arrive in Islamabad on January 6. The first Test will run from January 16-20 in Karachi, before the teams depart for Multan, where the second Test will be played from January 24-28.West Indies squad for Pakistan TestsKraigg Brathwaite (capt), Joshua Da Silva (vice-capt), Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Amir Jangoo, Mikyle Louis, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican

Chelsea are continuing their serious progress when it comes to selling players this summer, with talks ongoing to offload another star with Lesley Ugochukwu, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carney Chukwuemeka.

"Brave" Chelsea player who Maresca loves now "wants to leave" this summer

The Blues could lose one of their best prospects.

ByTom Cunningham Aug 4, 2025

In the last 72 hours, Enzo Maresca’s side have raised around £65 million in outgoings, starting with Armando Broja, who’s completed a move to Burnley (Fabrizio Romano).

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Since then, Kieran Dewsbury-Hall has agreed a switch to Premier League rivals Everton and Ugochukwu has agreed to follow Broja to Turf Moor. Once all of those deals are announced, the club are expected to raise their total transfer income to far north of £200 million.

As things stand, Chelsea are around £58 million away from completely balancing their books, which is imperative considering their pact with UEFA.

Their seismic financial windfalls from winning the Club World Cup and qualifying for the Champions League next season have already put Chelsea in solid financial stead when it comes to PSR, but it is an entirely different case when it comes to FFP.

The Blues were fined for breaching FFP rules last month and must produce a ‘positive transfer balance’ if they want to register new signings for the Champions League next season, which explains their impressive hustle in agreeing a host of exit deals recently.

Amid Chelsea’s talks to sign both RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons and Man United’s Alejandro Garnacho, the need to make sales won’t stop here.

Borussia Dortmund are in talks to sign Carney Chukwuemeka again, so there could be yet another opportunity for Chelsea to seal another quick-fire exit this week.

Alongside the aforementioned quartet who have played their last games in Chelsea blue, £195,000-per-week attacker Christopher Nkunku can still leave Stamford Bridge before deadline day.

Chelsea in talks to sell Christopher Nkunku

That is according to Fabrizio Romano, who says Chelsea are in ongoing talks over selling Nkunku after a mixed campaign.

The Frenchman still managed to rack up 15 goals in all competitions, despite not being a key player under Maresca last season, and there is a belief that United are still targeting Nkunku among other interested sides.

Called a “top player” by ex-teammate João Félix, Chelsea have apparently been forced to reduce their asking price for the ex-Leipzig sensation too, so clubs will certainly be tempted to bite the bullet.

Cricket South Africa (CSA), in consultation with the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA), will make a decision by the end of this week on whether the Test team will travel to Bangladesh for two matches next month.The series, according to the Future Tours Programme, is scheduled to start on October 21 but South Africa’s willingness to tour Bangladesh depends on the security reports, which are currently being completed.The Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, which was originally scheduled in Bangladesh, was moved out of the country after the anti-government protests there in early August. CSA sources told ESPNcricinfo the information they have is that the situation in Bangladesh has settled and that South Africa are hopeful they will be able to tour, but they emphasised that they will not travel if any risks were identified in the security assessments.Related

• Jansen and Coetzee on road to recovery, likely to be back in action by November

• South Africa add fresh faces for white-ball games against Afghanistan and Ireland

• ICC moves women's T20 World Cup out of Bangladesh to the UAE

A decision will be made collectively, which means it is unlikely that CSA will leave it to individual players to decide whether they are comfortable with travelling to Bangladesh.South Africa only have six Test matches left in the ongoing World Test Championship [WTC] cycle. They have already played six games, having won two, lost three and drawn one Test. They are currently seventh on the points table and need to win at least five of their remaining games to have a chance of qualifying for next year’s final at Lord’s.All six of their series in this cycle have been limited to two Tests as CSA prioritised the launch of the SA20, their domestic T20 franchise competition, and cost-cutting. It is understood that there is no thought of playing the Bangladesh Tests elsewhere at the moment.If they do travel to Bangladesh, South Africa are unlikely to go with Marco Jansen or Gerald Coetzee with both fast bowlers expected to be back in action only by November. South Africa will next travel to the UAE for a white-ball series against Afghanistan and Ireland with plenty of fresh faces in the mix.

WA quick will play in Australia’s 50-over domestic competition to start the summer but is waiting to be cleared to play red-ball cricket after a slow recovery from a back injury

Tristan Lavalette10-Sep-2024

Lance Morris is recovering from a back injury•Getty Images

Emerging quick Lance Morris admits it’s been “frustrating” working his way through another rehab from a back injury, but hopes a cautious approach will prove beneficial as he earmarks playing in the Sheffield Shield ahead of Australia’s Test series against India this summer.The 26-year-old has not played since the ODI series against West Indies in February. After making his international debut in the series opener, Morris claimed two early wickets in the third match in Canberra before suffering a side strain which ended his season.Morris had been due to line-up for Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket before post-season scans showed a hot spot in his back and he wasn’t considered for Australia’s current tour of Scotland and England. It was a recurrence of the injury that ruled the West Australian paceman out of the Ashes tour in 2023.Related

Morris ruled out for up to 12 months after opting for back surgery

Lance Morris sidelined by quad strain but hoping for short layoff

'Feels like we're in rarified air' – WA face their toughest test in pursuit of history

Sheffield Shield preview: Western Australia chase history, Test stars to play early rounds

Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson set for domestic returns with WA

“It’s been a bit frustrating,” Morris told ESPNcricinfo. “I guess you call it a stress fracture, but when we scan it, it doesn’t have the natural characteristics of a usual stress fracture. So there was some confusion at first around exactly what it was.”The tricky one for me was I didn’t actually have any back pain when I was bowling. I get monthly check-ins with an MRI on my back to make sure things are heading in the right direction. And it’s been clearing up… healing, so that’s a positive.”While he maintained his fitness levels through running and regular gym, Morris was unable to do any skills work for around eight weeks.”Frustrating to have to stop for a couple of months. I’m at that stage in my career with a Cricket Australia contract….it’s a transition into a 12-month cricketer,” he said.”I was continually preparing to go [to MLC], but never managed to get over there.”But the silver lining is I’ve stayed fit and I feel stronger than ever. Whereas if I ignored it and cracked on with things, there’s every likelihood that I would spend 12 months on the sidelines.”Lance Morris suffered a left side strain in his second ODI in February•Getty Images

Dubbed ‘The Wild Thing’ – in a nod to former tearaway Shaun Tait – Morris garnered considerable attention for his ability to bowl over 150kph. Regarded as arguably the fastest bowler in Australia, he became an enforcer for Western Australia on bouncy WACA decks and rose to the fringes of Australia’s Test team over the past couple of seasons.Having slowly built up his bowling loads, Morris had been left wondering whether he could reach maximum speed again until going “full tilt” in recent weeks restored his confidence.”The tricky thing with loading up really slowly is that you have restrictions on the pace you can bowl at different intervals,” he said. “You sort of wonder how you’re going to get back up to top speed.”But over the last couple of weeks, it’s been basically shackles off. It’s been nice to let the ball go.”Morris is set to make his return through Australia’s domestic 50-over competition starting later this month before eyeing a red-ball comeback in the Sheffield Shield. Three-time defending champions Western Australia start their Shield season against Queensland at the WACA on October 8.”Conversations so far… basically it’s ok to start playing one-day cricket, so [I might play] one of the first two white-ball games,” Morris said with WA opening the One-Day competition against New South Wales on September 22 before playing South Australia two days later.”There will be a little bit of a process in building up and getting ready for Shield cricket. But I think all going well, I should be available for round one or round two. I’m not too sure exactly yet, but we’re not far off.”There are four rounds of the Shield before the first Test in Perth. A solid base of competitive cricket might propel Morris into the mix with concerns over Australia’s depth behind incumbent pace trio Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.”I have no expectations at all. But if the opportunity does arise, hopefully I can jump on it with both hands,” Morris said of his Test prospects. “Fingers crossed I can stay on the park this season because I think there could be a few opportunities that arise.”Liam Haskett will miss the first half of WA’s season with a back injury•Getty Images

Meanwhile, WA left-arm quick Liam Haskett is set to miss the first half of the Sheffield Shield season as he recovers from a stress fracture in his back.Post-season scans confirmed a recurrence of an injury Haskett suffered a few years ago. The towering six-foot seven-inch paceman emerged during a breakout debut season when he claimed 20 wickets at 24.75 from six Shield matches. Haskett, 23, starred in the final round with six wickets against Victoria at the Junction Oval, but missed the Shield final against Tasmania due to a heel injury.”A rough timeline would be getting back towards the end of November-early December, but that could change with a scan result,” Haskett told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s frustrating coming off the season I had, but we’ll keep working towards getting back on the field around the middle part of the season.”

Celtic’s pre-season plans are starting to take shape, but will they get any new signings over the line before then?

On Monday, the club announced a green and white hoops Clásico, facing Portuguese champions Sporting at Estádio Algarve on 16 July, before confirming they’ll also take on Queen’s Park at Lesser Hampden 12 days earlier.

With trips to Cork, Como and now the Algarve already in the calendar for July, from a destination perspective, this is poised to be an exciting pre-season schedule for the Celtic support, but will they have a new midfielder to assess by then?

Celtic's continued interest in Lennon Miller

As has been widely reported, Celtic remain interested in midfielder Lennon Miller, with French outlet L’Équipe reporting that the 18 year old is valued at around £7.5m by Motherwell, amid interest from Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

On Monday evening, Miller made his full-senior debut for Scotland, assisting Ché Adams’ second goal during the 4-0 demolition of Liechtenstein at Rheinpark Stadion, with his performance earning rave reviews.

Thomas Duncan of BBC Sport noted how the teenager exuded calmness while, speaking during the BBC’s coverage, Celtic legend Scott Brown said that “Lennon is really special…nothing fazes him”, adding that he undoubtedly has the quality to break into the Celts’ first team.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, with countless other clubs courting Miller this summer, should Celtic turn their attention to another midfield target instead?

Celtic's dream Miller alternative

As previously reported last week, Celtic have ‘already initiated’ talks to sign midfielder Demir Ege Tıknaz.

Demir Ege Tıknaz (Tiknaz)

As Mustafa Akgün of Karabük Postası outlines, Tıknaz spent last season on loan at Rio Ave from Beşiktaş, but the Portuguese club have an obligation to buy for around £4.2m, planning to do just that before selling him for roughly double that amount.

The 20-year-old, who is currently with the Türkiye national team squad in America for friendlies against the United States and Mexico, is reportedly being courted by many big European clubs, including Celtic and Sporting CP, so the Scottish champions will need to act fast.

In an interview with the Athletic, Tıknaz compared himself stylistically to Sergio Busquets, stating “I always want to have possession… I’m kind of a playmaker”.

Meantime, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout compares him to another Spaniard, namely Rodri, labelling him a midfield “anchor”, praising his “passing, vision and football IQ”.

Analyst Ben Mattinson agrees, stating that Tıknaz ‘reads the game well’, praising his ‘timing of tackles​​​​​​​’ and ability to ‘steal the ball’.

As a result, according to Aryan Suraj Chadha of Goal, he has become one of the most ‘sought-after talents across Europe’, making 33 appearances for Rio Ave of the Primeira Liga this season, scoring four goals and registering two assists.

Nevertheless, the key question remains. How does he compare to Miller? Well, let’s find out.

Appearances

33

39

Minutes

2,340

3,398

Goals

4

4

Assists

2

8

Big chances created

2

12

Tackles won (per 90)

2.1

1.8

Interceptions (per 90)

1.7

1.3

% of ground duels won

51.1%

57.9%

% of aerial diels won

53.1%

41.2%

Possession lost (per 90)

7.3

17.4

As the table outlines, while Miller is more of an all-rounder and an attacking threat, Tıknaz does come out on top for the vast majority of defensive metrics, namely tackles, interceptions and aerial duels, giving away possession significantly less frequently too.

So, while Miller is unquestionably a big talent, possibly to such an extent that Celtic will ultimately miss out on him, the Hoops should therefore make signing Tıknaz a priority.

Celtic set to sign 14-goal star who'd be Moussa Dembele 2.0 for Rodgers

Celtic are set to complete a deal for a young star who could be a repeat of Moussa Dembele.

ByDan Emery Jun 9, 2025

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin heading for the exit door, Everton have turned their attention towards a La Liga star and are now reportedly ready to match his release clause worth over £30m.

Everton set to lose Calvert-Lewin

Calvert-Lewin’s contract situation is one that has been rumbling on for some time. In truth, however, a new deal has never really seemed likely for the academy graduate, who now looks destined to depart as a free agent at the end of this month.

It puts the Toffees in an interesting position. Whilst they wouldn’t have been desperate to lose an academy graduate, Calvert-Lewin’s form and injury history across recent years have hardly made him the main man in Merseyside, especially with Beto finding his feet under David Moyes in the second half of last season.

2024/25

3

2023/24

7

2022/23

2

2021/22

16

Circumstances have been tough at times, but Calvert-Lewin’s drop-off is undeniable. From scoring 16 goals in one season to finally bursting into life and finding his best form, the forward has managed a combined total of 12 in the last three seasons. For all parties, an exit makes perfect sense.

That said, Everton must still replace the 28-year-old and they seem well aware of that. The Friedkin Group already attempted to make a statement by winning the race to sign Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap, only for Chelsea to come calling with an offer that the forward could not and did not refuse.

Now, they’re back to the drawing board. Ahead of a new era, a marquee signing to lead the line certainly wouldn’t go amiss. After missing out on Delap, the big question is just who Everton will turn to in the coming months.

The rumours are coming thick and fast regarding a La Liga star, however, who has a similar release clause to the aforementioned Delap.

Everton ready to match Thierno Barry's release clause

According to TEAMtalk, Everton are now ready to meet Thierno Barry’s release clause this summer which is worth €40m (£34m) this summer. Having initially shown interest in the Villarreal forward, those in Merseyside are reportedly ready to step up their move to commence their transfer business with the La Liga star also keen on a move.

It’s clear to see why Everton are so eager to push on with their move for Barry too. The 22-year-old got off to a rapid start at Villarreal last season, earning the praise of scout Jacek Kulig who dubbed him an “exciting CF investment”, and has since stolen even more headlines.

Everton now gifted chance to sign "excellent" £300,000-p/w PL star on loan

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BySean Markus Clifford Jun 8, 2025

By the time that last season reached a conclusion, Barry had found the back of the net 19 times in all competitions. If Everton are to welcome a marquee signing to commence their summer business, he should be at the top of their wishlist.