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With a potential 12-man exodus on the cards at Celtic this summer, it could be all change at Parkhead.

The likes of Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer are regularly linked with the exit door and thus, the new manager will likely have his work cut out in the transfer market.

On the chalkboard

Another player who could depart Parkhead in a few months time is Ryan Christie. The Scot has scored just twice in his last 25 outings and has been regularly tipped to leave by Frank McAvennie.

That comes after substantial interest in the winger throughout the winter. Leeds United were linked with making a move for Christie, while it was also reported that Arsenal were interested in his services.

It would be a timely departure when you consider his significant downfall in recent months.

Last term, Christie was one of the stars of the Celtic side. He scored 20 goals and supplied 16 assists in the process. However, in 2020/21, he has been nothing short of abysmal.

The Scotland international has netted five times and has regularly struggled to beat the goalkeeper. The nadir of his season was undoubtedly when Celtic lost 1-0 to Ross County.

Christie was selected up front on that occasion but spurned four chances and even blasted the ball over the bar from a matter of yards out. It was a moment that perfectly summed up his timid season.

The solution

With Moi Elyounoussi set to head back to Southampton at the conclusion of his loan spell, the Hoops will likely have to search for internal solutions.

One such option could be James Forrest. The attacker has only played once since September after a very lengthy injury lay-off. Though, there is a controversial figure in their midst who could just be given a second chance to prove himself; that’s especially if Christie does leave.

That happens to divisive winger Marian Shved. The Ukrainian has only played for the Bhoys on three occasions and has had a rather difficult few years in Scotland.

Shved admitted over the winter that he has an ounce of regret about his move to Celtic and you can understand why based on the limited opportunities he’s received.

The 23-year-old’s loan spell at Mechelen in Belgium was hardly going to plan either. He was turning up late for training and showing a diabolical attitude. For many players, there would be no way back from that.

Mechelen boss Wouter Vrancken initially said: “Let’s be honest here, Marian Shved is an outstanding talent who would not normally choose to play for a club like Mechelen. We are very lucky to have him.”

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-transfer-news-onuachu-edouard-dembele-turnbull” title=”The latest Celtic news and views!”]

That was before he unleashed a rather remarkable assault on Shved: “The players and staff have done everything they can to include Shved in the squad, but he puts himself above the group.”

“Well, it stops now,” he added. “If he wants to be a loner, he can. Go play billiards for the rest of his life or something.”

Fortunately, Shved has since turned his season around. The Ukraine international has worked to get back in the side and has provided promising results in recent months.

He assisted Mechelen’s goal in an impressive 1-1 draw with Anderlecht last weekend, taking his tally of goal involvements for the season to seven in 16 games.

Before Vrancken’s brutal assessment of Shved, he had not scored all season. It would appear that the penny has finally dropped with the hot-headed winger.

If he applies the same attitude on his return to Celtic, there’s no reason why he can’t work himself back into their long-term plans. With the club in disarray and players potentially leaving, there will be openings for him to exploit.

AND in other news, Soro should be fuming if Celtic sign £50k-p/w brute this summer, he’s a “class player”…

With suggestions that Tammy Abraham is still on Aston Villa’s radar, Wesley may well be looking over his shoulder about his own long-term future at the club.

Reports in recent days have claimed that Chelsea striker Abraham has “admirers” at Aston Villa with his own future at Stamford Bridge unclear, amid the Blues potentially signing Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland.

If Dean Smith’s side were to pull off a deal for the £43m-rated Abraham, then that could spell big trouble for how Wesley begins to fit into his manager’s plans next season.

Both have got a similar style of play in terms of having the physical profile to hold things up, but also run the channels, and having both of them in the squad would be surely unnecessary.

The 6 foot 4 Abraham has the edge on Wesley when it comes to proven Premier League experience, with the England international having scored 15 goals in the competition just last season.

And, speaking after he delivered a superb display in the Champions League against Lille, Rio Ferdinand said: “I saw elements in Tammy’s game that I haven’t seen as much as I would have liked to before.

“His hold-up play, coming to the ball, bringing others into play. There were some balls that came into him that were Didier Drogba-esque. I think he’s developing nicely, he’s scoring goals, he’s scoring different types of goals and I think he’s a threat.

“This touch here (for his goal), when this ball comes to him, it’s a magnificent touch because it’s not the perfect ball. He adjusts his feet beautifully and the finish, the calmness to do it like that.”

With Abraham’s way of playing clashing with what Wesley brings to the table, Johan Lange has got a big decision to make on whether he goes forward with a move for the Chelsea man.

If he does, then it may spell bad news for the £90k-a-week earning Wesley.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa struck a dream transfer deal with this star…

According to The Sun, Manchester United are reportedly ready to go toe-to-toe with Barcelona and Real Madrid in pursuit of Sevilla star Jules Kounde.

What’s the word?

It’s probably one of the worst kept secrets in football that the Red Devils are looking for a new centre-back, with Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof both struggling to nail down a place alongside club captain Harry Maguire.

Reports in recent weeks have revealed that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made Kounde his top summer target when the transfer window re-opens in a few months’ time, and now The Sun claim that United are set to fight both Barcelona and Madrid for his signature.

The £60m-rated Sevilla defender, 22, has emerged as one of La Liga’s surprise standouts in 2020-21 after his arrival from Ligue 1 side Bordeaux, so it’s no surprise a whole host of clubs across Europe have taken an interest in the player.

Barcelona, United and Madrid have been named as three contenders, with the European giants set to do battle to secure the signing of Julen Lopetegui’s star defender in the summer.

Imagine him and Harry Maguire

In 71 appearances for Sevilla, he has notched five goals and one assist, including a superb solo effort against Barca in the Copa del Rey semi-final as Lopetegui’s side won the first leg 2-0 last week.

But that’s not all, as the French centre-back has caught the eye with his mix of physicality, athleticism and tactical acumen, as he boasts a WhoScored strength of ‘concentration’ together with his strong ability in the air, suggesting that he could be the perfect foil for Solskjaer’s skipper Maguire.

In the last season alone in the Champions League, Kounde has made 1.6 clearances per 90, that figure rising to 3.2 in La Liga, which also matches Maguire’s average in the Premier League this season.

It seems like attackers also struggle to get the better of the youngster as he averages 1.3 interceptions per game in La Liga, which suggests he reads the game well – for context, that’s more interceptions than Lindelof has managed in the Premier League this season, as per WhoScored.

In any case, it’s surely a no-brainer right now. Signing Kounde would not only strengthen an underlying weakness in the side, but the level of quality he evidently possesses would help to take them to the next level.

United are currently second in the Premier League, but having conceded 31 goals in 24 games this season, they should be doing better than that, and need to bring an elite central defender to Old Trafford at the earliest opportunity.

Ed Woodward would do well to bring in Kounde this summer and have him become Maguire’s long-term partner at the back.

AND in other Man Utd news, Victor Lindelof endures Man Utd nightmare in Premier League draw with West Brom…

David Moyes has left West Ham United in a position where he must unleash academy striker Mipo Odubeko after Oladapo Afolayan joined Bolton Wanderers on loan.

Afolayan sealed a Deadline Day switch to Ian Evatt’s League Two strugglers and will see out the rest of the 2020/21 season at the University of Bolton Stadium.

It will be Afolayan’s third spell away from east London following previous moves to Oldham Athletic and Mansfield Town, and it comes after he scored on his senior West Ham debut during the Irons’ 4-0 FA Cup fourth-round win over Doncaster Rovers in January.

Bolton boss Evatt has lauded the arrival of Afolayan in a last-ditch move, noting: “He’s quick, strong and technical, and a very exciting talent that can play all along the front three.”

Afolayan’s exit further deprives Moyes of attacking options at the London Stadium following Sebastien Haller’s £20m move to AFC Ajax last month, with West Ham failing to secure the services of a replacement for the Ivory Coast international.

Alleged winter targets Joshua King – seen as Moyes’ top target – and Josh Maja both sealed Premier League transfers on Deadline Day, with the AFC Bournemouth ace joining Everton and the FC Girondins de Bordeaux forward moving to Fulham.

West Ham’s lack of activity means Michail Antonio remains the Hammers’ only recognised senior centre-forward, and Moyes in a position where he is now considering utilising winger Andriy Yarmolenko and Manchester United loanee Jesse Lingard as false nines.

Yet the Irons boss does not have to consider turning to alternative solutions, as Odubeko is ready and waiting for his chance to impress in the senior fold following his first-team debut.

Odubeko’s progress was stinted following a serious hamstring injury last term and the national lockdown, meaning the striker was forced to sit out for much of the previous six months. However, Moyes awarded the 18-year-old his senior debut in the FA Cup at Stockport County and must now trust in his potential.

It was alleged during the winter transfer window that Moyes could opt to take a closer look at Odubeko after his outing in the cup, as the Hammers chief wanted to see whether or not the prolific youth forward was ready to make the step up.

Odubeko boasts an impressive record in the junior tiers, having scored 35 times for Manchester United’s academy before sealing a move to the London Stadium in October 2019. He has since fired home nine in seven U18 games in claret and blue, plus five in three with the U23s.

Yet, while Afolayan was awarded 20 minutes against Doncaster in which he scored, Odubeko entered the action in stoppage-time at Stockport and has not been seen on the pitch since.

Moyes has kept the forward in and around the senior squad, and claimed he has “big hopes” for him, but – after losing Haller and Afolayan – it is time for the West Ham boss to put his money where his mouth is and unleash Odubeko.

The east London side certainly looked desperate for a different sort of threat from their attack against Liverpool last time out, when Antonio cut a frustrated figure and sent his only telling chance of the game wide of the post.

Obviously, Antonio is going to be Moyes’ number one striker going forwards but in terms of his Plan B options, Odubeko should be at the top of the manager’s list.

AND in other news, West Ham eye future swoop for prolific £30m striker with “absolutely superb” movement…

Carlo Ancelotti should consider sending Everton defender Niels Nkounkou out on loan in the January transfer window.

Nkounkou joined the Toffees last summer with the intentions of building his reputation in David Unsworth’s Under 23s, yet was swiftly made a first-team player with roles in the Merseyside outfit’s Carabao Cup fixtures.

A Premier League debut soon followed at Newcastle United following an injury for Lucas Digne, yet has only been given 25 minutes of senior action since after being called on as an extra-time substitute in Everton’s FA Cup third round win over Rotherham.

Everton supporters have rarely seen Nkounkou turn out in the youth ranks, either, with Monday’s start in the junior derby with Liverpool only the 20-year-old’s second outing in the Premier League 2 and first appearance since facing Chelsea in November.

Nkounkou is finding himself very much in limbo, midway between being a first-team player and the understudy of Digne to being a youth player looking to cut their teeth with regular football in the U23s.

But the youngster has admitted that he expects the picture to remain as it currently is for the time being, and will have to wait for his chance should he remain at Goodison Park in January.

“Over the next few months, they’ll stay just the same, to keep learning and developing. Looking further ahead, of course I have objectives that I’m aiming to achieve in the future,” he told Everton’s Official Matchday Programme for their FA Cup tie with Rotherham.

“I have to be patient and show the manager in training I’m working even harder and he can count on me to deliver. Once I get the opportunity to play, it will be all about showing him I’m ready to perform whenever a position in the team opens up.”

Nkounkou has also admitted to finding his Premier League debut at Newcastle a more challenging affair than he expected it to be, adding: “I put in some good performances in the Carabao Cup, but the league game against Newcastle was a bit tougher for me.

“But, as we stand right now, I wasn’t expecting all that so soon, so I’m very happy to have already made those initial small steps.”

Monday’s clash with Liverpool in the Premier League 2 did not go entirely to plan, either, as the Liverpool Echo note that his performance was rather laid back and lacked the level of ability shown in his Carabao Cup exploits.

Nkounkou’s shortcomings were also well documented before joining Everton, with French football journalist Jeremy Smith citing a handful of key issues with the defender’s game.

“He’s a potential Benjamin Mendy type — strong, solid, good engine and can cover the whole flank all match,” Smith told The Athletic. “He has a good cross on him too. He’s seen as having lots of potential but his concentration still seems to wander. He needs to work on positioning as well.”

Training with Everton’s first-team and Ancelotti’s coaching staff will no doubt have helped Nkounkou’s development, but the Italian tactician should be open to sending him out on loan this month like the Toffees have done with Jarrad Branthwaite.

The centre-half has already made his Blackburn Rovers debut with an impressive display at the weekend, as he looks to play week-in, week-out after featuring just once in Everton’s first-team all season.

Branthwaite’s progress should only continue now that he is at a club where chances are more regular, and that ought to be the same for Nkounkou with Ancelotti able to rest easy knowing Ben Godfrey can deputise for Digne following his efforts in the role of late.

AND in other news, Everton must end the 14-year club association of a player completely frozen out by Carlo Ancelotti…

Leeds United chairman has been named amongst some of the richest sports club owners in the world. The Italian businessmen has just scraped into the Top 100 list for 2020 ranking at number 100 by OLBG.com.

For a team to have only just made it back into the Premier League after 16 years, this is mammoth news for the board, the players and indeed the fans. With Radrizzani on the same list as the likes of Manchester City’s Sheikh Mansour, it’s a very telling statement for Leeds that could spell success in the near future.

Radrizzani update exciting for Leeds

The Whites enjoyed a lavish summer transfer window as they splashed the cash on several new recruits. Victor Orta snagged permanent deals for the likes of Helder Costa, Robin Koch and Raphinha, majorly bolstering the first team roster.

But with Radrizzani now on the list of the wealthiest sports club owners in the world, he could be about to pump even more money in the Yorkshire outfit. Leeds are enjoying a respectable start to their Premier League season, but are struggling to muster up many chances in front of goal that don’t involve Patrick Bamford.

With a healthy money pot to dip into in January and the summer, Leeds could rapidly establish themselves as a tough side to beat next season. They already have a threat in the form of 27-year-old Bamford, but he needs some support in attack. Orta must be eyeing up some new midfield options to alleviate the pressure from the Englishman, who is the club’s leading scorer this term by some margin.

One injury to Bamford and Bielsa could struggle to keep his side above water. The Leeds board must take this opportunity to bring in another batch of new players in order to give the Whites their best chance of surviving their first season back in the Premier League in more than a decade.

And if a new spending spree brings in some more exciting players to Elland Road, then the Leeds faithful will absolutely love it.

In other news, Radrizzani must not waste money on signing Gyrano Kerk…

Leeds icon Danny Mills has predicted that a loan move could be on the cards for Tyler Roberts in January (via Football Insider). The 21-year-old has started just two Premier League games this season and was left on the bench on two other occasions. Already this campaign is echoing the club’s Championship title-winning run, in which the midfielder was left out of the action a total of 23 times in the league alone (via Transfermarkt).

Mills believes that Roberts needs to return to a Championship club in order to bag himself regular game time and boost his confidence. Indeed, if Marcelo Bielsa was already on the fence about fielding the Welshman last season, the demands of the Premier League would surely only put him further out of favour.

Leeds must recruit in January

Whilst a loan move for the remainder of the season, if not beyond, would do wonders for Roberts, Leeds must also act fast for themselves. If they allow the £47,000 per week creator to leave Elland Road in the next window, they will have just one senior attacking midfielder on their roster.

Pablo Hernandez is Bielsa’s only other choice in that role and he doesn’t seem to be in the manager’s good books at the moment. After his blow up during the Leicester match, Gabriel Agbonlahor has revealed that he wouldn’t be surprised if Bielsa opts to sell him over his unacceptable actions.

If such a prediction comes true, Leeds will be bare in their attacking midfield department. But even if Hernandez stays, the Whites will benefit from signing a younger player to contrast the 35-year-old. The new signing could also serve as competition for Roberts once he returns, which could create an interesting chemistry between the trio and even bring the best out of all three players.

Bielsa has often been branded as a “ruthless” manager, which will bode well for the club in situations like this. He and Victor Orta will know that by shipping Roberts out loan, someone new must come in during the January window if Leeds are to stay in the Premier League.

In other news, Exclusive: Carlton Palmer discusses this Leeds player’s recent flurry of criticism…

After an arduous 16-year absence from the Premier League, Leeds United are proving they are here to stick around this time.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have quickly established themselves as a side that can kick it with the best.

The Whites may only sit in 12th place, but they gave Liverpool a shock in the season-opener, drew to Manchester City and thrashed Villa the week after their 7-2 demolition of the defending champions.

And things could go from good to even better if emerging claims are to be believed.

In a recent Q&A on YorkshireLive, journalist Graham Smyth delivered a fresh update on those takeover rumours that never seem to leave Elland Road, he said:

“[QSI] never made an official bid and never did any due diligence or visited Elland Road to look at the books, but they are the kind of outfit who could take the lot, lock, stock and barrel without worrying too much about the present state of club finances.

“The 49ers seem to get lost in any takeover talk, despite already having their feet firmly under the table.

“It seems inevitable that they will up their stake this season at some point, too.” 

Whilst it appears that Leeds will not be getting a wealth of riches from the Paris Saint-Germain owners anytime soon, there is substantially good news on the investment front with the San Francisco 49ers, who already have a small piece of the pie.

Leeds and the 49ers have a lot in common, historically, they are both massive teams with silverware in their trophy locker – though, it’s been a while for both.

The NFL outfit last won a SuperBowl in 1994 – their fifth one – whilst the Yorkshire giants last won the First Division in 1992. That said, they are both hot property right now.

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Marcelo Bielsa has guided them back into the top-flight for the first time in 16 years and the 49ers reached last year’s SuperBowl, losing out to the Kansas City Chiefs.

When you take a look at some of the wealthiest teams in England’s top-flight, ignoring Manchester City’s funding from the Middle East, then you’ll soon see that all have ties to American sport.

Spurs have a deal with the NFL to host their international matches, the Glazer family at Manchester United also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arsenal are backed by the LA Rams’ owner Stan Kroenke and Liverpool’s John W. Henry holds 80% of the Boston Red Sox.

If United want to truly be one of the big boys once again, then the 49ers increasing their share of the club would be a major game-changer from current chairman, Andrea Radrizzani.

According to Forbes, the York family are worth in excess of $3.2bn (£2.4bn). Just imagine backing Marcelo Bielsa with that sort of money.

AND in other news, Bielsa missed chance to sign his next Samuel Saiz this summer…

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa midfielder Henri Lansbury is in line to leave the club before the end of next week.

What’s the word?

The former England U21 international has only featured in the Carabao Cup this season, and made just ten appearances in the top-flight in the previous campaign.

Now, Football Insider claim that Villa are keen to get rid of the £40k-per-week ace off the wage bill as he is now dropped out of first-team reckoning.

The report adds that the Midlands club are currently listening to offers for the 29-year-old, with his contract at Villa Park coming to an end next summer. It’s further suggested that Lansbury’s wages are a stumbling block for moving him on, and that whilst a permanent exit is possible, a loan to a Championship club seems more likely.

Villa need to cut their losses

Even despite the spending spree that Villa went on in the summer transfer window, there’s absolutely no way they can afford to be paying a player £40k-a-week to be playing in the odd Carabao Cup game.

It’s clear to see that Smith simply doesn’t fancy him, with it being particularly telling that Lansbury hasn’t crossed the ten appearances mark in the league for the past three seasons.

With his contract expiring in the summer of 2021, Villa won’t have to put up with the midfielder’s wages for too much longer, but if they can strike a deal where another club takes on his contract either via a loan or a permanent deal, then they have to take it.

Johan Lange and co have to be ruthless, and Lansbury’s departure would be a step in the right direction.

And in other news, this Aston Villa ace outshone Jack Grealish on international duty.

Michael Keane offered an impressive performance in Everton’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Saturday, standing out in the Merseyside Derby with pinpoint vision and an eye for goal.

Carlo Ancelotti awarded the 27-year-old his 115th appearance for the Goodison Park outfit since a then-club record-equalling £30million move from Burnley in 2017, and continuing a run of opening the Toffees’ last 16 Premier League games.

Keane was unable to help goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to his 39th Blues clean sheet, but there was little the centre-half could have done to prevent Sadio Mane or Mohamed Salah from firing past his fellow England international.

Mane broke the deadlock inside the third minute of the Merseyside Derby having run off the shoulder of Abdoulaye Doucoure and behind Yerry Mina to find the space in-between Everton’s two centre-halves, poking home Andrew Robertson’s delivery with a powerful effort into the top corner.

Mina was then at fault for Liverpool’s second of the match when he calamitously attempted to volley away Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross with the outside of his right boot despite running back toward his own goal, leaving the ball falling perfectly falling into Salah’s path to volley in his sixth of the Premier League season.

Everton’s Colombia international was otherwise alert to a number of Liverpool’s attacks as Mina and Keane combined well to mostly thwart Jurgen Klopp’s title-holders, and restrict the Anfield outfit to striking just 36% of their shots on target.

Keane also demonstrated his eye for goal to head home James Rodriguez’s corner to initially equalise the Merseyside Derby following Mane’s early effort, marking his second of the league campaign after scoring in Everton’s 5-2 win over West Bromwich Albion last month.

Beyond his goal in the 19th-minute, Keane impressed against Liverpool on route to a 7.6/10 match rating from SofaScore, having recorded 65 touches, completed 44 of his 52 passes (84.6%), played one key ball and scored from his only effort of the game.

The £65,000-per-week defender also won each of his two aerial duels, one of his two ground duels, was never dribbled past, made one tackle, two clearances and blocked two shots, while displaying his pinpoint vision to find teammates with seven of ten attempted long balls.

No outfield Everton player who started against Liverpool registered a higher number of accurate long passes on Saturday, with James Rodriguez’s six from seven the next-best tally while star left-back Lucas Digne misplaced eight of his nine attempted long balls.

Rodriguez has often ranked highly for accurate passes in the Toffees’ league fixtures since his summer arrival from Real Madrid, with the 29-year-old’s average 6.8 accurate long balls a game the best in Royal Blue by an outfield player ahead of Keane (5.0) and Digne (3.0).

AND in other news, Carlo Ancelotti must regret starting a £21.6m-rated man vs Liverpool after his challenging performance.