Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is personally keen on one manager to replace Ange Postecoglou, and it is believed the tactician is now becoming more tempted by the prospect of a north London move.

Tottenham share London derby spoils with West Ham ahead of Bodo/Glimt

A season-defining encounter awaits Postecoglou’s side on Thursday, and if they can get the job done, Spurs will book their place in the Europa League final, where they will likely face Premier League rivals Man United.

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The Lilywhites travel to Norway and face-off against Bodo/Glimt in the second leg of their Europa semi-final, carrying a 3-1 lead from their clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and they go into the game off the back of a 1-1 London derby against fierce rivals West Ham.

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

Jarrod Bowen cancelled out Wilson Odobert’s opener and first ever Premier League goal for Spurs, but Postecoglou was full of praise for his players after they came away from east London with a draw.

“Yeah proud of the players’ efforts,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham’s 1-1 draw against West Ham.

“It’s not easy making so many changes and it’s going to affect fluency and even the rhythm of the team. But even the individual players haven’t played a lot regularly and it wasn’t just the changes, I mean I only made one sub so a lot of them played a lot more minutes than they have recently. I thought the efforts that they put in today were outstanding.

“They were really disciplined and organised. We were disappointed with the goal we conceded but aside from that I thought we nullified their threat as well as we could, and they had some decent firepower up front and I still thought we were dangerous going the other way. So I’m glad the boys get some reward. It’s obviously not a win but get some reward for their efforts because I thought on a difficult day they handled themselves really well.”

As the Australian attempts to end Spurs’ 17-year wait for a major trophy, uncertainty continues to surround his long-term future, following reports that Postecoglou could leave Tottenham regardless of Europa League success (The Telegraph).

Marco Silva is now open to joining Tottenham

Many managerial candidates have been linked with the potentially vacant Tottenham job in recent weeks, and one of them is Fulham boss Marco Silva.

The Portuguese’s £4 million-per-year contract, which expires in 2026, also includes an £8 million release clause, and it is believed Silva is one of the frontrunners to replace Postecoglou if he is sacked.

Now, Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke has shared a fresh update on the 47-year-old’s future.

The reporter claims Silva is now open to taking the Tottenham job this summer, and Levy is a firm admirer of the ex-Everton boss, who has impressed at Craven Cottage again this season.

He is currently more likely to be pursued than Andoni Iraola as well, considering Bournemouth are growing in confidence that the Spaniard will commit his future by signing a new deal.

Silva has been called a “master” tactician by some who’ve worked under him, and his impressive work on a shoe-string budget is unsurprisingly attractive to Levy.

Chelsea officials have held face-to-face Stamford Bridge talks with the representatives of a “monster” player in the last few days, according to a report, with the target keen on a switch to the Blues and set to decide his future after Sunday.

Chelsea set sights on new forward after pivotal Premier League final day

Enzo Maresca’s side take on fellow top five contenders Nottingham Forest on the final day of the Premier League season this weekend, and quite a lot is riding on the line for Chelsea.

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A win against Nuno Espirito Santo’s men would guarantee Chelsea’s place in the Champions League draw next season, while seriously boosting the club’s summer recruitment drive both financially and in the sense of player-pull.

However, anything less than three points would result in Maresca relying on results elsewhere to go Chelsea’s way, with this airtight race for Europe coming as the most dramatic and enthralling we’ve witnessed in years.

3. Man City

68

4. Newcastle

66

5. Chelsea

66

6. Aston Villa

66

7. Nottingham Forest

65

The immediate goal for Maresca, following his appointment at Cobham last summer, was to guide Chelsea back into Europe’s most prestigious competition. He’s now just 90 minutes away from ticking that item off his Chelsea to-do list, with Maresca set for a nervy bit of final day drama over a mouth-watering encounter against Forest at the City Ground.

While Chelsea’s boss prepares his side for their most important match of the campaign, the club’s transfer chiefs have set their sights on a new striker signing this summer.

Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku have scored just two Premier League goals between them this calendar year, emphasizing Maresca’s need for a clinical centre-forward if they’re to truly reach the next level.

Eintracht Frankfurt starlet Hugo Ekitiké, RB Leipzig ace Benjamin Sesko and Napoli outcast Victor Osimhen are three strikers being considered by Chelsea after their prolific campaigns abroad, but another name who keeps being mentioned is Ipswich Town star Liam Delap.

The Englishman’s £30 million release clause after Ipswich’s relegation is well documented, and Man City’s ex-starlet has produced the goods for an otherwise underwhelming team – scoring 12 Premier League goals this season and counting.

Delap has been called a “monster” by teammates, and he’s stood out as Kieran McKenna’s shining light throughout 24/25.

Liam Delap keen on joining Chelsea and set for imminent decision

Chelsea have been laying groundwork to sign Delap for months, according to journalist Simon Phillips, with his next destination soon to be determined.

As per another update from the reporter, via his Substack, Delap is keen on joining Chelsea and is set to make a decision after this weekend. His agents also held some talks with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last Friday, alongside fellow suitors Man United, when the two clubs faced off.

“Chelsea laid down a lot of foundations to sign Delap in January, and he is very much open and interested in a move to Stamford Bridge,” wrote Phillips.

“Delap’s reps were at Stamford Bridge on Friday and held talks with United officials. These talks were not seen as positive via our sources. At the time we did not hear that Chelsea had anyone speaking to the reps of Delap. However, we have since heard from another source that Chelsea did actually get to speak with Delap’s reps early on in the evening before the game.

“Chelsea have scheduled more talks with Delap’s reps and the player will make his decision after the weekend.”

Arsenal and sporting director Andrea Berta have been alerted to the price tag of a “gifted” attacker, and it has dropped by nearly half compared to last year, as the Gunners are presented with a £63 million discount.

Mikel Arteta praises Andrea Berta with Arsenal summer transfer update

Before their final game of the Premier League season, Mikel Arteta was asked about the club’s summer recruitment drive, which is now set to take centre-stage after a very disappointing campaign.

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The Gunners end 2024/2025 with no silverware, despite being tipped to win this year’s Premier League title and mount serious challenges across other competitions as well.

Since Arteta’s appointment, there hasn’t exactly been a lack of investment in the squad, and some critics are beginning to wonder whether he is really the right man to end Arsenal’s two-decade-long-plus wait for a domestic league crown.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

However, 24/25 hasn’t been without major obstacles for Arteta either, with the 43-year-old lacking major firepower upfront for the majority of this term. Injuries to Kai Havertz – who has since returned to action – and Gabriel Jesus meant that Arsenal had been forced to deploy Mikel Merino as an emergency striker for months.

Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard were also unavailable for extended periods at points during the campaign as well, proving very unfortunate, and it highlights the need for Arsenal to reinforce their squad with further attacking quality.

Speaking in his pre-Southampton press conference, Arteta expressed his desire for Berta to bring in more “firepower” this summer, all while sharing his high expectations for the ex-Atletico Madrid chief, who officially joined in late March.

“I think he’s going to be a big contributor with his experience, and the fact that he’s already won in very difficult contexts and the way he’s built teams, he is exceptional,” said Arteta about Berta.

“I think we have to share that responsibility and Andrea is going to be a key part to driving the plans and the ideas we have and try to execute them, and we are here to support him.”

Andrea Berta handed £63m Rodrygo discoCunt after Arsenal open talks

A key target who has emerged this week comes in the form of versatile Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who England star Jude Bellingham thinks is “underrated” and the “most gifted” player in their squad.

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg stated earlier this week that Arsenal have opened talks over signing Rodrygo, and the Brazilian has shot to the “very top” of Berta’s transfer wishlist for the wide area.

Reports last year claimed Real president Florentino Perez was demanding around £130 million to sell the 24-year-old to Man City, but according to journalist Anton Meana, this price has dropped by nearly half.

Meana, speaking on Cadena SER show El Larguero this week, shared news that Real’s asking price for Rodrygo is now £67 million – meaning Arsenal can sign the South American star for £63 million less than previously believed.

£67m for a player of Rodrygo’s quality seems extremely tempting, and this potential deal has been made all the more doable by this latest financial update on an increasingly developing story.

Incoming Rangers owners, the 49ers, are now plotting the statement summer signing of a “very talented” Brazilian, according to a report.

Gers stepping up summer transfer plans

There is still a lot of uncertainty at Ibrox, with the 49ers still yet to identify a permanent replacement for interim boss Barry Ferguson, although there have been some recent developments in the pursuit of a new manager, with an offer being submitted for Davide Ancelotti.

Should Ancelotti be appointed, the Real Madrid assistant is likely to have a big say in the Gers’ summer transfer business, but potential targets are already being identified, with recruitment chiefs looking to bring in players capable of bridging the gap to Celtic next season.

Scouts have been sent to watch Evagoras Charalambous in action for Anorthosis Famagusta, with the Light Blues keen on a new striker, while they are also expected to make a bid for Estoril defender Kevin Boma at the opposite end of the pitch.

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According to a report from TEAMtalk, Rangers are also keen to bolster their options in the engine room this summer, with the 49ers now plotting the statement signing of Troyes midfielder Metinho to mark the start of a new era at Ibrox.

The central midfielder has spent part of the 2024-25 campaign on loan at FC Basel, where he has caught the eye, and there is a feeling a summer deal could be possible for the relatively low fee of £4m, or potentially even less, as his contract is due to expire next summer.

The 49ers are looking to bring in young players with high potential, who can kick on at Ibrox and be sold for a profit at some point down the line, and they believe the 22-year-old fits the bill.

"Very talented" Metinho likened to Pogba

Such is the Brazilian’s potential, he was once likened to ex-Manchester United man Paul Pogba by former Fluminense academy director Marcelo Veiga, who said: “People joke and sometimes call him Pogba due to his style, his appearance and because he plays with his head up.”

The Congo-born maestro has also impressed football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who once described him as “very talented”, and he has particularly caught the eye with his dribbling ability over the past year, while also ranking highly on some defensive metrics.

Statistic	Average per 90
Progressive carries	3.49 (99th percentile)
Successful take-ons	1.83 (98th percentile)
Interceptions	1.33 (76th percentile)
Clearances	3.16 (97th percentile)

As such, the South American is clearly a well-rounded player, who just needs to add more goals to his game to be a complete midfielder, having failed to find the back of the net this season.

Regardless, Metinho is clearly a promising midfielder, who could make an instant impact at Ibrox, so it is exciting news that Rangers could look to snap him up for a relatively low fee in the summer transfer window.

Brendan Rodgers has the chance to win the domestic treble this afternoon when his Celtic team takes to the field to face Aberdeen in the SFA Cup final at Hampden Park.

The Hoops have already won the Scottish Premiership title and the League Cup, which they won on penalties against Rangers, and they can clinch a third domestic trophy with a win today.

Rodgers failed to win the treble in his first season back in the dugout at Parkhead, winning the Premiership and the SFA Cup in the 2023/24 campaign, but now has the chance to make it five trophies out of six at domestic level since the summer of 2023.

The Northern Irish head coach’s team were held to a 1-1 draw at home to St. Mirren on the final day of the Premiership campaign, as James Forrest scored a stoppage-time equaliser.

Rodgers may look to make some changes to the starting XI that took to the field against St. Mirren at Parkhead for this cup final clash, and Adam Idah is one player who could be ruthlessly ditched by the former Liverpool manager.

Why Adam Idah should be dropped

The Ireland international lined up against St. Mirren as the starting centre-forward and was withdrawn from the action after 54 minutes without a single shot on goal.

His underwhelming performance last time out, which included just six successful passes, may cost him a place in the starting XI for the cup final, particularly given his record coming off the bench for the Hoops.

Idah has only started 21 of his 42 domestic appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants so far this season, which shows that he has failed to nail down a place as a regular starter under Rodgers, despite Kyogo Furuhashi’s move to Rennes on a permanent deal in the January transfer window.

The former Norwich City marksman, who signed for Celtic on a permanent deal last summer after an initial loan spell at Parkhead, has had more joy off the bench in the Premiership for the Bhoys this term.

Adam Idah: The super sub
Premiership	Starts	Off the bench
Appearances	19	16
Minutes	1,352	357
Goals	6	7
Minutes per goal	225	51
Assists	0	1
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Idah has scored more goals and delivered more assists in just under 1,000 fewer minutes on the pitch in the top-flight off the bench in comparison to as a starter.

These statistics suggest that the Irishman is more effective as a super sub for the Scottish giants, which is also backed up by his role in the SFA Cup last year, as he came off the bench to score the winning goal against Rangers in the 90th minute at the end of his loan spell.

Therefore, the data would suggest that Rodgers could increase his team’s chances of coming away with the win and the treble by ruthlessly dropping Idah to the bench, as it could make him more effective as an option this afternoon.

This would provide Daizen Maeda, who has scored 14 goals in ten matches as a striker this season, with an opportunity to play through the middle as the main striker.

The Japan international starting over Idah in the centre-forward position would open up a spot on the wing for another player to join him and Nicolas Kuhn in the front three. That position should be filled by club legend James Forrest.

Why James Forrest should start against Aberdeen

In order for Idah to fulfill his role as a super substitute, Rodgers will need to bring another winger into the side and his options are currently limited because Jota is missing with a knee injury, which he sustained in the win over Dundee United last month.

Forrest could be the ideal option to come in to start this match because he is coming off the back of a confidence-lifting goal against St. Mirren on the final day of the Premiership season, a goal which means that he has scored in 16 different seasons for the first-team.

As you can see in the clip above, the Scottish forward blew the roof off Parkhead with his last-gasp strike, which was pretty much the last touch he had in the Premiership season to avoid ending his streak of seasons with at least one goal.

Forrest should, now, be rewarded with a start against Aberdeen, whom he scored against in the semi-finals of the SFA Cup last season, on the left flank, with Kuhn on the right and Maeda through the middle as the number nine.

That would then allow Idah to come on for Forrest in the second half as a super sub option, which would free up Maeda to move out wide, and that gives Rodgers tactical flexibility off the bench in the second half if things are not going Celtic’s way this afternoon.

It would be unfair, though, to suggest that the Scottish veteran would only be starting because of tactical reasons or because of Idah’s impact off the bench, because he is a quality player in his own right who could make a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

James Forrest’s Celtic career
Competition	Appearances	Goals	Assists
SFA Cup	41	11	11
League Cup	33	12	6
Premiership	336	73	74
Champions League	30	1	3
Europa League	31	1	7
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the 33-year-old forward has a particularly impressive record in the SFA Cup in his career, with 22 goals and assists combined in 41 appearances.

Forrest was once described as a “difference-maker” by Rodgers and that is backed up by his statistics in this competition, as he has delivered goals and assists on a regular basis.

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He should now be given an opportunity to add to that record in the clash at Hampden Park against Aberdeen this afternoon, by being named in the starting XI ahead of Idah.

This could, therefore, win the treble for Rodgers by both giving Forrest a chance to make an impact in the final third, whilst also getting the best out of the Irish striker off the bench.

It’s the start of a new era for Rangers.

On Thursday, Russell Martin was unveiled as the Ibrox club’s 20th permanent manager, appointed 102 days after Philippe Clement was sacked in February.

At his introductory press conference, Martin vowed to “prove people wrong”, acknowledging he is under pressure to deliver a winning team instantaneously, so could the signing of a “world-class” new centre-forward aid Rangers’ cause?

Rangers looking to bolster their attacking option

As previously reported by Tom Victor of the Daily Mirror, Rangers are hoping to sign Jamie Vardy on a free transfer this summer, claiming that the England international is ‘weighing up’ an offer from the Glasgow giants.

Vardy has spent the last 13 seasons with Leicester City, with whom he won the Premier League, the FA Cup and a Community Shield, scoring exactly 200 goals in 500 appearances for the Foxes, very aesthetically pleasing round numbers.

Now a free agent, countless clubs, including Sheffield Wednesday, Como, Wrexham and New York Red Bulls have all been touted as potential suitors, but could Martin convince his compatriot to make the move north of the border?

Should he do, it could be a Morelos-like move for Rangers.

How Vardy could replicate Morelos at Rangers

During six seasons at Rangers, Alfredo Morelos scored 124 goals in light blue, with the Colombian, almost unquestionably, the club’s best striker since suffering liquidation in 2012.

Of these goals, 29 came in UEFA competition, meaning Morelos is Rangers’ all-time record scorer in Europe, smashing the record previously held by Ally McCoist, one that had stood since 1997.

But is Morelos really Rangers’ best centre-forward of the modern era? Let’s find out.

Selected Rangers strikers 2016-present

Players

Tenure

Games

Goals

Mins per goal

Igamane

2024-present

46

16

166

Dessers

2023-preesent

109

51

134

Danilo

2023-present

48

12

165

Morelos

2017-23

269

124

152

Roofe

2020-24

102

38

127

Čolak

2022-23

39

18

123

Sakala

2021-23

92

24

199

Defoe

2018-22

74

32

100

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table outlines, no Rangers striker in the post-promotion era has come anywhere close to the 124 goals Morelos managed, even if Jermain Defoe, Kemar Roofe, Antonio Čolak and current forward Cyriel Dessers do actually boast better minutes per goal ratios, helped by their smaller sample sizes.

So, could Vardy be the club’s best centre-forward since el Buffalo? Well, let’s assess his statistics this season to answer that question.

Jamie Vardy 2024/25 Premier League statistics

Statistics

Vardy

PL rank

Goals

9

26th

Expected goals

11.2

14th

Shots

56

40th

Shots on target

23

33rd

Shots on target %

41.1%

48th

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

As the table shows, Vardy’s Premier League statistics this season do not immediately leap off the page, but it is worth considering that he was playing in a generally hopeless Leicester side, who won just six matches all season and were relegated.

Thus, the fact that Vardy still ranked 14th for expected goals and only 25 players managed to score more goals than him is impressive.

Writer Henry Winter believes Vardy is still a “world-class finisher”, while Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who knows a thing or two about scoring goals, believes “he is still producing”, describing his captain as a “leader”.

Also worth noting that, the previous campaign in the EFL Championship, Vardy netted 20 times across all competitions.

This underlines the fact he would be able to produce for Rangers given that, according to Global Football Rankings, England’s second-tier is the 11th strongest league in the world, while the Scottish Premiership is ranked at 43rd.

Thus, if the Gers can convince Vardy to move to Ibrox, possibly using the allure of potential Champions League football, he would surely be an excellent addition.

After all, this is a goal machine we’re talking about here, someone who bagged 145 Premier League goals.

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Everton have been put through the wringer over the past several years, but the return of David Moyes in January has turned the club back in the right direction.

The Friedkin Group have a daunting task ahead, with so many players out of contract at the end of the month. But it’s also a golden opportunity to redesign the Toffees squad as they step into a new home at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

New CEO Angus Kinnear, who left Leeds United to replace Kevin Thelwell in May, has got his work cut out, but Everton are willing to entrust their senior figures with the big decisions, and understandably so, given Moyes has identified an exciting new option to strengthen the frontline.

Everton make their first move

According to Turkish outlet A Spor, Galatasaray’s Baris Alper Yilmaz has been approached by Everton as they look to add depth and dynamism to Moyes’ squad.

Yilmaz can play across both attacking flanks and thus would fit the bill as to what the manager hopes to add. It’s understood that the Merseysiders will soon present an opening £16m offer, but that the Istanbul club are holding out for a figure closer to £29m.

With Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom both returning to their parent clubs after difficult loan spells at Goodison Park, this could be a shrewd signing indeed for the Blues.

What Yilmaz would bring to Everton

Everton’s Premier League pedigree has at times felt threatened by the turbulence at the club over recent seasons, by the dysfunction that has led to palpable fears of relegation.

Moyes, though, transformed the club when arriving in January, after 12 years away. Everton finished comfortably in 13th place, and if they can get things right during the off-season, bringing in players such as Yilmaz, they could be headed for a new level of success.

Yilmaz, a silky and talented winger, would certainly ease the burden on Iliman Ndiaye’s shoulders, the Senegalese star hailed by pundit Jamie Redknapp for his “dynamite” qualities after joining from Marseille for £15m last summer.

He could even prove an upgrade on Dwight McNeil, taking his place in the starting line-up as Charly Alcaraz makes the number ten spot his own, especially after notching 20 goal contributions from 48 matches for Gala last season.

That came after a EURO 2024 showdown with the Netherlands, which led Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk to declare his adversary “difficult for every defender”.

The Turk’s constant running and unrelenting intensity suggest he’d be a fantastic addition to the Premier League, potentially even capable of keeping McNeil on the bench.

Everton’s industrious playmaker started the 2023/24 season off with aplomb, but a knee injury ruled him out for the entirety of the midseason. Still, the one-time Burnley talent finished the year with four goals and eight assists from 21 top-flight fixtures, 15 starts.

Matches (starts)

32 (29)

21 (15)

Goals

12

4

Assists

3

8

Touches*

46.9

39.4

Shots (on target)*

2.4 (0.9)

1.2 (0.5)

Pass completion

75%

83%

Big chances created

8

12

Key passes*

1.4

1.8

Dribbles*

1.4

1.1

Ball recoveries*

3.0

3.6

Tackles + interceptions*

1.7

0.9

Duels won*

6.3

2.8

Though McNeil is evidently the more naturally creative player, Everton could add a new dimension to their attacking efforts by bringing Yilmaz in.

Everton, let’s not forget, finished 13th in the chance creation standings last season (63 big chances created) but only scored 42 goals, fewer than all but the three relegated outfits.

Ultimately, it would serve Moyes well to have both players in the team next season, but Yilmaz’s pace and directness offer shades of Ndiaye, and we’ve seen how well he took to life in the Premier League when signing for Everton.

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Newcastle United will play football with Alexander Isak at the front next season. It’s a wonderful thought, and it’s very much set to happen, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein stating there’s “no chance” the Sweden striker leaves St. James’ Park this summer.

That’s because the Carabao Cup champions sealed their place in next year’s Champions League on the final game of the Premier League season, clinching fifth place.

However, the future of Callum Wilson is less clear, out of contract at the end of the month, but offered fresh, reduced terms.

Perhaps Newcastle should move to sign a new centre-forward instead, with talks being held for an exciting Premier League star.

Newcastle meet with Premier League striker

As per NUFC Blog, Newcastle met with Rodrigo Muniz’s camp last month to ascertain whether the Fulham forward would be interested in a move to Tyneside this summer.

He would, with the player’s representatives exploring different avenues ahead of a potential summer transfer, heading into the final year of his Cottagers deal (albeit the club have the option to extend terms by an additional 12 months).

It’s thought the prolific Brazilian could cost as much as £50m.

What Rodrigo Muniz would bring to Newcastle

Muniz signed for Fulham from Brazilian club Flamengo, aged 20, in 2021, making remarkable progress across the past two seasons in the Premier League for Marco Silva’s side, having previously completed a difficult loan spell in the Championship with Middlesbrough, scoring twice across 17 fixtures.

But having found his shooting sense with Fulham over the past two years, Silva has hailed him as a “proper quality striker”, with pundit Alan Shearer backing such effusions up by calling him “horrible to play against.”

His potential was perfectly illustrated by a rich burst of form last season in the Premier League, scoring seven goals from as many matches across spring.

This year, Muniz hasn’t been provided the same regularity of minutes, but he’s still managed to bag himself a goal when afforded a chance.

This innate clinical quality is actually something that could see him replace Wilson at St. James’ Park, with his scoring leading FBref to draw him against the Newcastle man during the 2023/24 season, given both retain their attacking fluency even if not featuring week in, week out.

Wilson, reduced to scraps this season due to injury problems, is typically an invariably deadly finisher, scoring 27 goals across 30 Premier League starts over the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns.

Matches (starts)

26 (18)

31 (8)

Goals

9

8

Assists

1

1

Shots (on target)*

2.8 (1.0)

1.3 (0.6)

Big chances missed

4

5

Pass completion

62%

66%

Key passes*

0.7

0.2

Dribbles*

0.2

0.2

Tackles + interceptions*

0.5

0.5

Duels (won)*

4.6 (39%)

3.7 (52%)

He’s a target man, and no mistake. It’s interesting, though, that Muniz has enjoyed such clinical shooting success across the past two years in the English top flight, also demonstrating a tenacious attitude in the duel, if not through his passing, his creativity.

As per FBref, he actually ranked among the top 3% of Premier League forwards this term for non-penalty goals scored per 90 (0.75), so prolific and fluent when afforded the chance to impress.

His failure to earn regular starts at Craven Cottage likely came from his overall game, which may not be kitted out with the completeness of other strikers. But that’s okay; in that way, he can be Howe’s next version of Wilson.

Muniz doesn’t need to bring a protean attacking arsenal to the fold when Isak’s staying put, but his keen-edged shooting could certainly add the perfect dimension to ensure attacking success across the whole campaign, across a variety of fronts.

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Celtic want to move on a £16,000-a-week player this summer who feels hurt by manager Brendan Rodgers, and three clubs have been named as possible options.

Celtic gear up for summer with another treble on the cards

The Hoops and Rodgers are on course for another domestic treble after already sealing the Scottish League Cup and winning the Scottish Premiership ahead of rivals Rangers.

A Scottish Cup final triumph next Saturday against Aberdeen at Hampden Park will see Celtic seal another memorable campaign. However, after that, attention behind the scenes will quickly turn to the 2025/26 season.

Celtic set to receive major bids for "absolutely brilliant" 33-goal star

The Bhoys could have a decision to make.

1 BySean Markus Clifford May 11, 2025

Left-back Kieran Tierney has already agreed to return to Celtic Park on a free transfer when his Arsenal deal expires, and he could be the first of many through the door in Glasgow.

Brøndby striker Mathias Kvistgaarden is once again being linked with a move to Celtic, whereas right-back Veljko Milosavljevic from Serbian champions Crvena zvezda is also of interest.

A plethora of incomings may see some players exit the club, and one who looks certain to depart is Luis Palma. The winger sent on loan to Olympiacos with an option to buy back in January, however, the Greek side won’t be making a move permanent in the summer.

Talking back in March, Palma said: “I’m still with them [Celtic]. As long as there’s no transfer, I’ll continue to be grateful to Celtic, but it’s time to defend Olympiacos.”

Now, a fresh report has suggested that the attacker may not be on the books at Celtic Park much longer.

Celtic transfer update on Luis Palma exit with 3 clubs potential destinations

With Olympiacos not exercising their option to sign Palma, Celtic need to work out what to do with the £16,000-a-week winger this summer.

A new update from Greece, relayed by Sport Witness, states that Celtic are no longer counting on Palma for next season and want to move him on ahead of the 2025/26 season, with the player himself also looking to leave as he feels he has been mistreated by Rodgers.

Panathinaikos, AEK Athens and PAOK FC, are all named as potential destinations for the Honduras international and a return to Greece ‘shouldn’t be ruled out’. During his time with Olympiacos, Palma hasn’t exactly caught the eye, managing just one goal and one assist in 12 appearances.

Games

48

Goals

10

Assists

10

Minutes played

2,208

Trophies

4

Celtic paid £3.5m to sign the 25-year-old back in 2023 from Aris FC, and with his Parkhead contract not expiring until 2028, the Hoops will be looking to recoup as much of that figure as possible over the coming months, making this one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.

Amid concerns that Ibrahima Konate could yet leave the club when his contract expires next summer, Liverpool have now reportedly made fresh contact in the race to sign his potential replacement.

Liverpool's Konate concern

After Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk put pen to paper at the same time as Trent Alexander-Arnold opted out of signing a new deal, some around Anfield may have been glad to just bring an end to an ongoing contract saga. As it happens, however, Liverpool aren’t far off from having the exact same concern with Konate.

As things stand, the Frenchman will leave the club as a free agent this time next year and rumours have already circled regarding Real Madrid’s interest. After already losing Alexander-Arnold on a free deal to the Spanish giants, the last thing that Michael Edwards and FSG will want is to see Konate go down the same route. And that could leave them with a decision to make sooner rather than later.

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The defender, himself, has recently had his say on his future, telling reporters: “I know I have a lot of objectives with this club: to become a leader, to win everything. I am very happy here to be fair.

“This is another conversation with the club and my agent, we will see what will happen in the next few weeks or I don’t know when but we will see, let me say that. Progressing? Not really – but my agent met the club last week but I don’t know what will happen. I cannot say what my agent said to me but yeah we will see what will happen.”

Whilst the hope will be that he puts pen to paper and follows Van Dijk and Salah by securing his future at the club, Liverpool have already reportedly been planning for his potential departure.

Liverpool make contact in race for £75m Lukeba

According to Rudy Galetti of TeamTalk, Liverpool have now made contact in the race to sign Castello Lukeba from RB Leipzig. The impressive defender could yet complete the same move that Konate made not so long ago by swapping the German club for Anfield, and given that he could be replacing his countryman the deal would certainly make sense.

That said, Castello wouldn’t come cheap. Reports have even suggested that the Frenchman has a release clause worth as much as €90m (£75m) at Leipzig. Arne Slot is reportedly a fan of the defender, however, and that could certainly go a long way to making a deal happen in the near future.

Praised for an “amazing” debut season at Leipzig by U23 scout Antonio Mango, it may not be too long before Lukeba is making another debut elsewhere. As Liverpool’s Konate doubt rumbles on, he’s certainly someone to watch.