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Celtic have signed a lot of players from abroad over recent years either on loan or permanent deals.

However, the Hoops have also taken players away from their fellow Scottish clubs such as Greg Taylor and Scott Bain among others.

Another fairly recent recruit that didn’t travel too far to get to Parkhead is David Turnbull.

Signed from Motherwell back in August 2020 in a deal worth £3.25m, 14 months after a previous move for the player collapsed, the midfielder has since made 77 appearances for the club across all competitions.

The 22-year-old has shown in those appearances why the Bhoys were so keen to add him to their ranks as he has found the net 19 times and delivered 16 assists.

This shows just how successful and beneficial it can be for the club to sign some of Scotland’s young talents and embed them into their side.

Now that the latest season has ended with Ange Postecoglou guiding his side to the SPFL title, it seems as though the Hoops have the chance to secure what could be their next version of Turnbull as a young starlet making a name for himself in the top division.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Celtic have been watching Aberdeen youngster Connor Barron throughout the season at club and international level.

As a product of Aberdeen’s youth system, the 19-year-old has made 15 senior appearances for the club, eight of which came during the final weeks of the season.

In those appearances, the teenager managed to make 15 interceptions, 15 successful tackles and 15 shots at goal in addition to delivering 59 crosses, highlighting how much of a capable midfield figure he is on and off the ball.

Back in February, Barry Robson said that Barron “has a heart the size of a lion’s,” as well as describing him as an “aggressive” player on the pitch who “reads the game well” and “will go into any challenge.”

Thus, if Celtic are looking to continue their track record of signing talented young players from their fellow top-flight compatriots this summer, then securing a deal for the Aberdeen prodigy should be at the top of their to-do list before the season kicks off again.

In other news: Celtic can replicate Starfelt masterclass as Ange eyes “versatile” £900k-rated brute

West Ham United are close to securing the signature Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Defender wanted

Following the cruciate ligament rupture sustained by defender Angelo Ogbonna early on in the Premier League season, manager David Moyes was left short of options across his backline.

With Kurt Zouma also suffering from a number of injuries, at times it was just Craig Dawson and Issa Diop left as the only senior options available for Moyes’ selection.

After a sensational run in the Europa League, the Irons became visibly fatigued as the season wore on, with the hectic schedule taking its toll on the squad.

With this in mind, it became imperative for the Hammers to dip into the transfer market for a central defender ahead of next season.

The Latest: Aguerd close

According to a recent report by Football Insider, West Ham are now in advanced talks with Rennes to sign Aguerd, with negotiations closing in on a deal worth around £25m.

It is understood that the Premier League outfit are increasingly confident of securing an agreement with the French side for the 26-year-old, who is said to have already begun house-hunting in London as he looks to make the switch early on in the window.

The Verdict: Great signing

With a number of top clubs having monitored the Morocco international over the last two seasons, this will be a great signing for Moyes’ squad, given their desperate need to bring in an experienced defender to the London Stadium.

According to The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke, Aguerd is “the best value left-sided centre back in Europe” and “every club should be after him.”

Averaging 4 clearances and 0.5 blocks per game in Ligue 1 (via WhoScored), it is easy to see why the Moroccan has been on the receiving end of such heavy praise, having been capped by his national team on 19 occasions.

This could be a brilliant signing for West Ham.

In other news: Irons will look into signing Emmanuel Dennis

Former Aston Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor has made a transfer claim on the club’s interest in Luis Suarez.

The Lowdown: Suarez links

Steven Gerrard has been extremely busy ahead of his first season in charge, completing deals for Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos.

However, he doesn’t plan to stop there, with recent reports from The Telegraph stating that Villa are exploring a move for Suarez after the 35-year-old was released by Atletico Madrid.

Villa correspondent Gregg Evans revealed on Wednesday that the club are still ‘weighing up a move’ for Suarez.

The Latest: Agbonlahor’s comments

Agbonlahor, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider after hearing about Villa’s interest in a move for Suarez.

He feels that a move could materialise for the Uruguayan to provide some competition to Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings, providing Suarez doesn’t ask for a ‘crazy’ wage.

“It depends on wages.

“I don’t see Villa paying Coutinho wages on Suarez, I don’t think they would do that. If the wages aren’t crazy then I don’t see why not.

“Adding an experienced striker like Suarez for a season, why not? Gerrard knows him well, he’ll get the best out of him.

“Villa need a bit of help up front. Watkins is a top player and Ings is a top player but you need a couple more strikers in there for some competition up there.”

The Verdict: Possible?

With no transfer fee involved, there is no reason why Villa and Gerrard can’t get a deal over the line for Suarez.

However, like Coutinho agreed to, you’d expect that Suarez would have to lower his previous £263,000-a-week wage for there to be any chance of a Premier League return.

Coutinho took a 70% pay cut but is still on £125,000-a-week in the Midlands, something Villa may well be open to offering Suarez, who has scored 69 goals in 110 Premier League games.

In other news: Sky Sports: Villa and Gerrard already now prioritising a fourth target; NSWE are closing in. 

Everton are desperately in need of changes after a disappointing season at Goodison Park, and now a new transfer target has been identified that could make a big impact on the team.

What’s the latest?

According to a report for The Athletic written by two of Everton’s most reliable journalists Patrick Boyland and Greg O’Keeffe, the club could make a move for Kristoffer Ajer this summer.

As per the report, it is believed that the Toffees are huge admirers of the Brentford defender as they attempt to identify players to bolster and improve their defence in the transfer window.

Lampard will love him

Everton have had a real struggle in the Premier League this season with a tight relegation fight that they narrowly managed to climb out of in the penultimate game of the season, and now Frank Lampard must make sure the club doesn’t find themselves in a similar situation again.

The defenders in the Toffees squad have come under harsh scrutiny for poor performances this season, with Jamie Carragher branding the defence a “Championship back four” following the 5-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur this season.

When you consider the number of goals that Everton have conceded this season there is definitely room for improvement with the side conceding the fifth-highest goals in the Premier League, so should the potential opportunity arise to sign players to strengthen the back-line it should be taken by the club this summer.

In terms of Ajer, the £13.5m giant who was hailed “outstanding” by Neil Lennon, has been solid and dominant in his position for Brentford this season and would be a big coup for the Toffees if they could secure his signature.

According to SofaScore, the 6 foot 6 centre-back has scored one goal, contributed three assists and created four big chances, making 1.1 interceptions, 1.2 tackles and 3 clearances on average per game. He’s also won the majority of his duels combined (63%) and been successful in the majority of his dribbles (72%).

That proves that he’s just as efficient in the defensive facets of the game as he is in the offensive parts.

With that being said, Frank Lampard and Farhad Moshiri could really improve some of the defensive issues in the team by identifying players that can offer a fresh perspective in the team’s set up and Ajer would clearly be a great addition to the team next season.

AND in other news: Huge boost: Big Everton transfer twist emerges that’ll leave supporters delighted

Celtic have reportedly agreed personal terms with loanee Cameron Carter-Vickers over a permanent summer move to Parkhead, acting as a huge boost.

The Lowdown: Carter-Vickers superb for Celtic

The American joined the Hoops on loan from Tottenham last summer and has proved to be a huge hit, making a massive impact at the heart of the defence.

Carter-Vickers has helped Ange Postecoglou’s side win both the Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup, making a total of 40 appearances in all competitions.

There is a scramble to sign the 24-year-old permanently from Spurs, however, with Celtic desperately trying to extend his stay at Parkhead for a fee believed to be around £10m with add-ons included.

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The Latest: Personal terms agreed

According to The Daily Record, Carter-Vickers has now agreed personal terms with the Hoops, in what is a major step in the right direction.

He is believed to ‘have his heart set’ on remaining with Celtic, who now have three weeks to get the 8-figure deal done before other clubs can swoop in around £10m.

The Verdict: Massive boost for Hoops

This is a huge piece of news for Celtic, with signing Carter-Vickers permanently arguably more important than any new addition that could come in this summer.

He has been a defensive rock alongside Carl Starfelt all season, averaging a whopping 4.2 clearances per game in the league, while Sir Kenny Dalglish has hailed him as ‘excellent’.

The fact that Carter-Vickers is happy at the club and sees his future in Green and White is massive and it is now a case of completing a move and ensuring he is part of Celtic’s long-term future.

In other news, Frank McAvennie is delighted by one thing he has seen at Celtic. Read more here.

While things very much appear to be on the up for Tottenham Hotspur at present – with Antonio Conte having clawed Champions League qualification back into Spurs’ hands going into the final day of the season, Fabio Paratici having secured several extremely impressive signings in the transfer market and Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski having formed a breathtakingly deadly attacking trio – there are still remnants of the old Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Indeed, with the likes of Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso, Harry Winks, Joe Rodon, Emerson Royal, Sergio Reguilon, Steven Bergwijn, Jack Clarke and Lucas Moura all looking as if they could be moved on at the end of the current campaign, it is clear to see that there is a great deal of deadwood that must be shifted in order for to Tottenham to truly progress under the management of Conte in 2022/23.

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This is largely down to Daniel Levy failing to implement a long-term transfer strategy at Spurs in years gone by, something that has also cost the club dearly in the targets they ended up choosing not to pursue – arguably the most notable of which was when the chairman backed out of a deal to bring then-Southampton forward Sadio Mane to Spurs in the summer of 2016.

Indeed, The Times reported back in 2017 that the Senegal international came so close to joining Spurs that he visited Hotspur Way to discuss a transfer from the South Coast side, only for Mauricio Pochettino to fail to convince Levy to meet the 24-year-old’s wage demands – with Mane ultimately sealing a £34m switch to Liverpool.

Since then, the £72m-rated winger has developed into one of the top forwards in world football, having scored 119 goals and registered 48 assists over his 267 appearances for the Reds.

That’s helped Jurgen Klopp’s side lift almost every trophy the club game has to offer, including the Premier League, the Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, as well as winning the 2018/19 Premier League Golden Boot.

As such, it is clear for all to see that Levy had a nightmare when deciding against a move for the £100k-per-week man who Jamie Carragher dubbed “underrated” back in 2016.

AND in other news: Paratici must brutally axe “unnecessary” £12.5m Spurs flop, he’s “damaging” for Conte

Arsenal’s bid to secure a top-four berth took a real dent on Thursday evening, as Mikel Arteta’s side succumbed to a brutal 3-0 North London Derby defeat following an error-strewn display at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Heading into the mammoth midweek encounter, the Gunners knew that a win would secure a much-coveted return to Champions League football for the first time since 2017, although a frantic first half saw Harry Kane net twice – including once from the spot – before partner-in-crime Heung-min Son added a third just after the interval to rub further salt in the wounds and fire the hosts back into contention for fourth spot.

That dismal outing for the away side was in part caused by a headline-grabbing display – for all the wrong reasons – from centre-back Rob Holding, with the Englishman seeing red inside 33 mins following two rash and needless bookable offences, while fellow defender Cedric Soares was also culpable for his clumsy foul that led to the home side’s early spot-kick.

However, one man who was also far from at his best on the night was in-form striker Eddie Nketiah, the 22-year-old failing to build on his recent brace against Leeds United after putting in a frankly anonymous display in attack.

While inhibited by his teammate’s early dismissal, which largely left the youngster chasing shadows in the forward line, the £9m-rated man did little to impress regardless, notably producing an almost laughable dive in the opening exchanges in an attempt to win a penalty, while he also failed to track the run of compatriot Kane at the back post as Antonio Conte’s men grabbed a second.

The statistics also make for grim reading for the out-of-contract man, as he made just 19 touches in his 73-minute outing – fewer than his own ‘keeper, Aaron Ramsdale (42) – while he also made just eight passes in the match, losing possession on seven occasions.

Having also won just two of his nine total duels and failed to complete any of his three attempted dribbles, the academy graduate unsurprisingly received just a 6.3 match rating, as per SofaScore – the joint-third worst in the visitors’ starting outfield players.

He also received just a 5/10 match rating from the Independent’s Jack Rathborn in his post-match player ratings, writing of the £17k-per-week star’s display that: “Appeared to dive in the first minute, carved out an opening before the break and forced Lloris into a smart stop. Kept working hard despite being isolated.”

As pointed out above, the former England U21 international continued to try and put himself about even with Spurs having a man advantage, although that being said there was a stark difference in quality between the opposing centre-forwards with that man Kane looking razor-sharp, as ever, for the Lilywhites, while the younger man floundered.

In truth, it must be remembered that despite his recent strong form, Nketiah has still actually only made six Premier League starts this season, with it yet to be shown that he is a figure to be relied upon on a consistent basis.

As for Arteta’s men in general, they have now handed back hope to their rivals with their lead now cut to just a point with two games left to play, ensuring there is still plenty of work to be done over the remaining week or so.

In other news, Arsenal eye bid for £76.5m-rated “fighter” who “always creates”, he’s better than Saka

Manchester City were involved in one of the biggest Premier League transfers last summer when they shelled out a British record fee of £100m to sign Jack Grealish from Aston Villa.

Now that the next summer transfer window is set to open in the coming weeks, it seems as though the Etihad Stadium club may have already secured another big deal which would surely have lots of City fans bouncing.

What’s the news?

In a recent tweet, journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano shared an update regarding the future of Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, who has been linked with a move to Manchester in recent weeks.

He said: “Erling Haaland to Manchester City, here we go! Haaland has passed medical tests as new Man City player today, he’s back in Dortmund. It will be OFFICIAL this week.”

In another post, Romano revealed that “despite rumours, Erling Haaland’s salary agreed with Manchester City won’t go beyond the level agreed with Kevin De Bruyne, now worth around £375,000 per week.”

He then added that Haaland “will sign with Man City until June 2027” and will not break their wage structure. 

Prior to joining the German club in January 2020, the striker netted 29 goals in 27 appearances for RB Salzburg. He then brought that same goalscoring prowess to Dortmund, where he has found the net 85 times in 88 appearances.

With 21 goals to his name in 23 Bundesliga games this season, the Norwegian has racked up 72 shots in total, considerably more than any of his current team-mates.

City fans will be delighted

Along with his impressive attacking statistics, the 21-year-old’s overall league performances this season have earned him a rating of 7.59/10 from WhoScored, making him the highest-rated player at Dortmund and the fourth-highest rated player in the Bundesliga.

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that plenty of City fans would be over the moon to see the Norway centre-forward in their team for the next few years.

Looking at how proficient the youngster has been at finding the net, he has what it takes to strike fear into many defenders and goalkeepers throughout England, who may not be quite so pleased to see him added to City’s ranks.

In other news: David Ornstein drops big Man City transfer development, supporters will be gutted

Stuart Dallas’ injury is a massive setback for Jesse Marsch and Leeds United, journalist Pete O’Rourke has told GiveMeSport. 

The lowdown

The 31-year-old was forced off deep into first-half stoppage time against Manchester City at the end of last month after challenging Jack Grealish for the ball.

It has since emerged that he has suffered a fractured femur, and The Athletic’s Phil Hay has said that the Northern Ireland international will be fortunate to return before Christmas.

Leeds are fighting for their Premier League status as they enter their final three games of the season. Their 2-1 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday saw them slip into the bottom three, level with Burnley on points but with a far inferior goal difference.

It was a sign of the ill fortune that the Whites are currently enduring that the first goal for the Gunners came about from a shocking error by Illan Meslier.

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The latest

O’Rourke has said that Dallas’ injury is a ‘huge’ problem for Leeds at a critical time and thinks that the player’s versatility will be one of the things that Marsch misses most.

The journalist told GiveMeSport: “It’s a huge blow for Leeds to lose someone like Stuart Dallas, especially at such a crucial stage of the season, you want all of your best players fit.

“We know how important Stuart Dallas is to Leeds, he can play in so many positions, which he has done in the past. He’s played in midfield and defence and would probably play up front if he was asked to by Leeds.”

The verdict

Dallas is the ultimate utility man. This season, he has operated in both full-back positions, defensive midfield, central midfield and on the left wing.

The £53,000-per-week stalwart had started all 34 of Leeds’ Premier League matches before suffering the nasty injury, along with all but one league game in the preceding two campaigns, so his importance to the team is clear.

More generally, the Whites’ injury woes this season have been extensive. As of 5 April, they were second in the division for total injuries and first for total days missed (via Ben Dinnery), with the likes of Patrick Bamford, Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper all enduring lengthy absences.

Perhaps if they had better luck, they simply wouldn’t be in this position. Alas, they can’t afford to wallow in self-pity, with their Premier League status very much on the line over the next fortnight.

In other news, a pundit makes a worrying Calvin Ramsay transfer claim.

Everton boss Frank Lampard has issued a concerning update regarding the fitness of defender Ben Godfrey, ahead of Sunday’s clash with Chelsea…

What’s the word?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the visit of his former club, the 43-year-old revealed that the young centre-back will once again be absent at Goodison Park, with doubts raised as to whether the former Norwich City man will be able to return to action before the end of the season.

Asked about potential injury concerns for the clash with Thomas Tuchel’s side, Lampard confirmed the 24-year-old’s absence and insisted he faces a race against time to feature again this term: “Ben [Godfrey] is out and will be a few weeks out. We would love to get him back towards the end of the season but it will be a close call.”

The £19.8m-rated star missed the 2-0 Merseyside derby defeat at Anfield last weekend after picking up an injury in the warm-up, having only returned to the side in March after a month-long layoff.

Blow to survival hopes

Although the Toffees boss did also confirm that Yerry Mina is now fit again for selection, news that teammate Godfrey could well miss the remainder of the campaign is a bitter pill to swallow for the club’s supporters, particularly as they head into a decisive period in the run-in.

The Merseysiders are currently five points adrift of safety, albeit with two games in hand on fellow strugglers Leeds United and Burnley, with the Turf Moor outfit having enjoyed something of a bounce effect following the sacking of Sean Dyche a few weeks ago.

Three wins and a draw from their last four Premier League games has rejuvenated the Clarets under caretaker boss Mike Jackson, with Everton now facing a real fight to try and stay in contention with just six games left of the season to play.

Perennial yo-yo side Norwich City have, perhaps inevitably, already been confirmed as the season’s first casualty – ensuring a fourth successive relegation from the top-flight – while Roy Hodgson’s Watford side are teetering towards the brink, with a rapid return to the second tier on the horizon.

Lampard’s men could well join those two ill-fated clubs in the Championship next season, with a first relegation since 1951 a very distinct possibility.

The absence then of that man Godfrey – who joined the club on a £20m deal back in October 2020 – will only further harm their hopes of survival, with the 6-foot defender having proved a real asset in recent years, not least for his versatility.

Former boss Carlo Ancelotti was a notable keen admirer of the Englishman, previously insisting that: “He’s powerful, he has a lot of energy, tactically intelligent, really aggressive in the duels and so he can play in different positions and this is really important”.

In a miserable campaign for the club, the £68k-per-week colossus has performed well on a personal level, averaging two tackles and four clearances per game in his 23 league outings, while also winning a solid 64% of his ground duels.

As they approach what appears set to be a real scrap to ensure their top tier status in the coming weeks, not having the two-cap international in tow could prove costly.

In other news, 146 duels lost: Lampard must finally axe £16.2m-rated Everton disaster vs Chelsea…