Arsenal legend Ian Wright has revealed he will be involved with Wembley Rangers AFC ahead of the draft pick for a new six-a-side competition.
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KSI & Speed launch Baller LeagueArsenal icon involved with Wembley RangersDraft picks get underway on MondayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
YouTuber KSI and streamer IShowSpeed have teamed up to front the United Kingdom and American versions of the Baller League respectively. A total of 12 teams will feature in the six-a-side tournament and managers will assemble their squads on Monday (March 10) in a huge draft, one that ex-Gunner Wright will be involved in.
AdvertisementWHAT IAN WRIGHT SAID
Alongside a clip with him and England star Chloe Kelly, Wright wrote: "Wembley Rangers AFC x Baller League 🤝🏾 Find out who’ll join our team at the draft on Monday night! @ballerleagueuk."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The tournament is set to involve a combination of football icons and social media stars and every match will be shown live on Sports Sports and NOW TV from the Copper Box Arena in London on Monday nights. Legendary figures such as Gary Lineker, John Terry, and Luis Figo are part of the managerial lineup for the competition.
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Baller League UKWHAT NEXT?
Fans will get to see the tournament begin next week, which involves a smaller indoor pitch, 15-minute halves, and shock rule twists will be thrown in as well. After Baller League was established in Germany by Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski two years ago, this new UK version will hope to be just as successful.
Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman is leading their transfer pursuit of a £20 million+ “special” talent, according to a new report.
The South Londoners made a very slow start to this Premier League season, but they will hope a win against Tottenham Hotspur followed by a 2-2 draw with Wolves can springboard their campaign under Oliver Glasner.
Crystal Palace identify 20 y/o rising star as long-term Mateta replacement
Palace are putting together a list of replacements for Mateta should he leave Selhurst Park.
ByBrett Worthington Nov 4, 2024 Crystal Palace injury news
As Palace have turned a corner in results, they have now suffered several injury blows that they will hope doesn’t affect them on the pitch. Glasner confirmed last week that they had lost Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton, and Jefferson Lerma to injuries. He stated that all three are going to be out until after the November international break, but the injury crisis doesn’t stop there, as now striker Eddie Nketiah has suffered an injury blow.
It has been reported that Nketiah has picked up a hamstring injury and is a major doubt for their game against Fulham on Saturday. The report adds that it is unclear how long the forward is going to be out for, with him not training so far this week. This is another bitter blow to Glasner, as he is now missing two of his attacking players, Eze and Nketiah, and Palace haven’t been a free-scoring side at all this season.
The Palace boss will hope that at the very least these players are back and available after the international break. But as the injuries mount up, the Eagles now have their eye on reinforcing with a young talent who could be a welcome arrival come January.
Freedman leading transfer pursuit of Chris Rigg
According to The Sun, Crystal Palace are plotting a move for Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg. The 17-year-old is a product of the Black Cats academy and has become a key part of the first team since breaking through in the 2023/24 Championship season.
Rigg, who has been dubbed a “special” talent by Sunderland fan and presenter Dougie Critchley, has scored three goals in 13 Championship games this season, as he’s been an important player under Regis Le Bris.
Palace have watched Rigg live in action a few times this season, and he has left the Palace hierarchy impressed, so much so that sporting director Freedman is “convinced” he will prove good enough in the Premier League. A move in January has not been ruled out, in a repeat of the move for Adam Wharton from Blackburn Rovers last winter.
Apps
39
Minutes played
1,981
Goals
6
Assists
0
Rigg signed a new contract at the Stadium of Light in the summer, with that deal running until 2027, so they will look to resist any offers in January. However, Palace could make an offer of ÂŁ20 million plus, according to this report, and that could tempt the Black Cats into selling, despite his importance to the team.
Javier Mascherano confirmed some players will miss Inter Miami's MLS opener on Saturday after playing in minus-eight degrees on Wednesday evening.
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Inter Miami kick off MLS campaignLionel Messi may miss out on openerPlayed in minus-eight degrees on WednesdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Miami were in action in freezing temperatures in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup against Sporting Kansas City in midweek, a game that took plenty out of their key players. Mascherano could not confirm that Lionel Messi and other stars would recover in time for the league opener with New York City FC.
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If anyone ever really questioned whether Messi could do it on a freezing Wednesday night, the midweek trip to Kansas surely answered their question. The Argentina legend scored a superb goal to inspire his side to a 1-0 victory in alien conditions, with former Barcelona team-mates Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez also playing from the start.
WHAT MASCHERANO SAID
Mascherano said: "We are prepared and above all recovering from the match on Wednesday. Everyone is not available for tomorrow. I'm not going to tell you who, I'm not going to give you clues. The majority of players are available. We're not even 48 hours away from the game we played in Kansas. Everyone saw the conditions we played in. That also requires us to wait a little longer for the players to recover. It's been an unprecedented situation for everyone."
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI AND INTER MIAMI?
Messi has one year left on his Inter Miami contract, with the club desperate to win as much silverware as possible during his stay. The coveted MLS Cup would perhaps be top of that list, but it still seems possible he will sit out of the league opener on Saturday.
GOAL gets the measure of the latest from the football zeitgeist, from CR7's big birthday to a fresh boot drop from Nike
Welcome to the Culture & Clobber Axis, where GOAL runs the rule over all the latest from the intersection of football and culture – from the sublime to the ridiculous, to what's fire and what misses completely.
The longest January on record is finally over, with the end of the transfer window and the turn of the month throwing up storylines and new drops aplenty, as an icon of the game turns 40, Nike reveal some new boots and Joao Felix has a very big week.
But where do the week's biggest talking points from the football zeitgeist place in our comprehensive axis? Let's get into it…
GOAL
Ronaldo turns 40
There's nothing technically wrong with Cristiano Ronaldo turning 40, it just makes us feel very, very old. Now an icon of the game, CR7 was just 18 years old when he signed for Manchester United in 2003. The 22 years since have been quite incredible.
Having hit the big 4-0, the attacker has declared himself the unequivocal GOAT… we're not so sure about that, but it's hard to argue with him being considered the greatest the sport has ever seen.
GOAL's shout: Blatant own goal
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Tiote's son is a mascot vs Arsenal
Newcastle gave a poignant tribute to late former midfielder Cheick Tiote when they hosted Arsenal in midweek, with his son Rafael among the mascots on the 14th anniversary of his father's brilliant volley in the exact same fixture in 2011, when the Magpies came from 4-0 down to draw 4-4 courtesy of his strike.
The Toon honoured him on the pitch too, downing the Gunners with a relentless performance to secure a Carabao Cup final place and a huge chance to pick up major silverware. Lovely stuff.
GOAL's shout: Maverick worldie
Getty Images Sport
Man City don't like rivalries
The fallout from Arsenal's 5-1 thumping of Manchester City at the weekend has been tiresome, to say the least, with most of the rhetoric centring on Erling Haaland's now-infamous 'stay humble' jibe.
Suffice to say, the Gunners probably stay humble' as they indulged in plenty of sh*thousery in their rout of their new-found northern foes, but certain City fans' refusal to take it on the chin and flat-out denial that a rivalry can even exist before Arsenal win a trophy is downright bizarre. This is what it's all about, lads.
GOAL's shout: Maverick own goal
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Nike
Nike's unisex United pack
Nike has shown its commitment to the women's game by bringing together some of the world's leading ballers to form the Nike United collective, with a new boot drop to go with it.
The unisex United pack features their Tiempo, Phantom and Mercurial silos in a fresh purple and 'volt' colourway, all featuring a bold look inspired by shattered glass that was co-designed by the likes of Lauren James, Naomi Girma and Sophia Wilson (formerly Smith).
Newcastle United are believed to be keen on signing an “exciting” player who has already displayed his creativity this season, according to an update from journalist Alan Nixon.
Latest Newcastle news
The Magpies lost 2-1 away to Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, leaving them sitting 12th in the table, but it was a far from disappointing showing from Eddie Howe’s men. Away from the on-pitch action, Newcastle continue to be linked with new signings, following a summer transfer window that seemingly left both Paul Mitchell and Howe dissatisfied with the lack of incomings.
One player who has emerged as a potential option is Barcelona attacker Ferran Torres, who has fallen down the pecking order at the Camp Nou, following the excellent form of Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski this season. The Spaniard is seen as a January target and has experience of the Premier League, having played for Manchester City in the past.
Newcastle are also thought to be battling Tottenham for the signing of Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, with the 22-year-old a talented young player who has started all 12 of his side’s Championship matches in 2024/25 to date, scoring twice for good measure.
Newcastle eyeing move for "exciting" Championship ace
According to Nixon on Patreon [via Football League World], Newcastle are among the clubs interested in signing West Brom youngster Tom Fellows in the January transfer window.
It is claimed that Everton have sent scouts to watch the 21-year-old in action, perhaps suggesting that they are looking the strongest in the race to snap him up currently, but the Magpies are providing competition, along with the likes of Crystal Palace, Southampton and Ipswich Town.
Tom Fellows celebrates for West Brom.
Planning for the long-term future is something that Newcastle constantly have to be thinking about, even though supporters will understandably want big names who are at their peak, too, and Fellows looks like a great option.
The West Brom midfielder has already registered five assists in 10 Championship starts this season, outlining his creativity, while former England international Carlton Palmer has said of him: “He had his breakthrough into the first-team in the last 12 months, and he is an exciting player who is potentially going to have a fantastic future and is going to go up in valuation.”
Fellows has won two caps for England Under-20s in the past, showing that he has been considered a highly-rated young player throughout his career, and he is a footballer who should only go from strength to strength in the coming years.
5/10 Newcastle star was just as bad as Dan Burn vs Chelsea
Newcastle United were beaten by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
ByJoe Nuttall Oct 27, 2024
West Brom will understandably be desperate to retain the services of a prized asset with a high ceiling, but the lure of the Premier League is great, meaning his head could easily be turned by a move there. Newcastle are the biggest of the clubs being linked with him, hopefully giving them the edge in the battle to acquire his signature.
Nottingham Forest have made an excellent start to the Premier League season and they will look to keep that form going right through to January, when they will strengthen their squad once more if recent reports are to be believed.
The Reds are unbeaten in their opening four games of the season, with Saturday’s shock 1-0 win over Liverpool being the highlight of this impressive start.
Nottingham Forest eye free agent with best in the world defensive metrics
A defender who produced some impressive numbers last season could be set for a switch to Forest.
By
Brett Worthington
Sep 17, 2024
Nottingham Forest transfer news
After the victory over Liverpool, the week didn’t start in the best way for Forest, as their talisman, Morgan Gibbs-White was linked with a move to Manchester City. The midfielder has been in impressive form for a while now, so much so that the Blues have compiled a detailed dossier on him. City’s scouting network are said to be huge admirers of the player.
Morgan-gibbs-white-nottingham-forest
A recent report meanwhile has stated that Forest are among the teams interested in signing defender Oumar Solet on a free transfer. The defender left Red Bull Salzburg last weekend after his contract was terminated, and he could now be in line for a move to England, as Aston Villa, Wolves, and West Ham are also keen on landing the player.
While Nuno Espirito Santo looks to bolster his squad now, he and his transfer department also have their eyes on an attacker they would like to bring in during January.
Nottingham Forest agree likely deal to sign £17m+ star
According to Turkish media, relayed by Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are looking to sign Galatasaray attacker Baris Alper Yilmaz when the January transfer window opens. The 24-year-old, who can play up front or out wide, was linked with a move to the City Ground in the summer but a move never worked out.
But Forest’s interest hasn’t disappeared, as they are said to have worked out an early agreement with the Turkish giants to sign the 24-year-old in the new year.
Galatasaray are looking to get a sizeable fee for the winger, wanting at least 20 million euros, which is roughly £17 million plus, meaning it will be a hefty transfer for the club’s sporting director, Ross Wilson, to work on. Whatever the price ends up, it seems Wilson is getting a head start on proceedings by agreeing everything before the window even opens.
Yilmaz joined Galatasaray in July 2021, and since arriving he has been a consistent member of their starting XI, chipping in with goals and assists. Last season, he scored six goals and recorded seven assists in 37 SĂĽper Lig games, also making a hot start to the current campaign.
Barış Alper Yılmaz’s 2024/25 Galatasaray stats
Apps
8
Goals
4
Assists
1
His form has also earned him recognition on the international stage, as he’s been capped 21 times by Turkey and has scored two goals along the way. The versatile forward started all five of his country’s games in Euro 2024, as they made it to the knockout stage.
The last couple of years have been a dream for Aston Villa football club, especially considering the precarious position they found themselves in just a couple of years ago.
They only secured survival on the final day of the 2019/20 season away at West Ham United, with the club undergoing a huge overhaul in recent years.
Significant investment into the playing squad has allowed for a huge turnaround, with Unai Emery’s side qualifying for the Champions League during the 2023/24 campaign after finishing in the Premier League’s top four.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
Emery has been the man at the helm for their recent success, providing the supporters with memories to last a lifetime – with European football a distant dream before his arrival in November 2022.
He’s formed a fantastic squad with the help of President of Football Operations Monchi, with the pair working together to form a squad without one of the club’s most high-profile academy graduates.
Jack Grealish’s time at Aston Villa
After joining the club as a six-year-old, Jack Grealish rapidly developed through the club’s academy setup, before making his first-team debut back in 2014 following a successful loan spell at Notts County, where he registered 12 goal involvements in 39 games.
Manchester City's Jack Grealish
The forward is the definition of a modern-day club legend, staying at the club after relegation from the Premier League in 2016, and becoming a spearhead in the squad that eventually claimed promotion three years later.
He was named as club captain during the promotion-winning campaign, producing numerous moments of magic – including against bitter rivals Birmingham City after he was attacked by a supporter.
It was fitting that Grealish scored the goal to keep Villa in the Premier League back in 2020, with the boyhood fan going on to join Manchester City in a record-breaking deal 12 months later, departing Villa Park with 213 appearances to his name.
The attacker joined Pep Guardiola’s side in a £100m deal – the most expensive transfer for an English player at the time, before Declan Rice's £105m move to Arsenal last summer.
Aston Villa's top five highest transfer fees received
Player
Season
Fee
1. Jack Grealish
2021/22
£100m
2. Moussa Diaby
2024/25
£50.5m
3. Douglas Luiz
2024/25
£43.3m
4. Christian Benteke
2015/16
£39m
5. Stewart Downing
2011/12
£19.2m
Stats via Transfermarkt
Whilst it was a big call to let such a talented player leave Villa Park, the fee was too good to turn down, with the club currently having a player who is worth more than the English international in 2024.
Jack Grealish’s market value in 2024
Villa star Ollie Watkins enjoyed his best top-flight goalscoring campaign last season, bagging 19 goals in his 37 appearances – helping the club finish in the top four.
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins
The 28-year-old “nightmare”, as described by Conor Coady, has been a constant source of goals for Villa after his £28m move from Brentford back in 2020, with Dean Smith's signing going on to register double figures in every campaign he’s featured in for the club.
His excellent form last season saw him receive a call-up to the England squad for Euro 2024, scoring the winning goal off the bench during the semi-final victory over the Netherlands.
Watkins’ superb showings over the last 12 months has seen his market value soar, with the striker now valued at £55m as per Transfermarkt – a figure that is higher than former fan-favourite Grealish, who’s now only valued at £50m just three years after his record-breaking move.
The striker is just one example of the club’s excellent recruitment in recent times, with his goalscoring abilities allowing the club to reach heights that were unimaginable just a couple of years ago.
The supporters and Emery will desperately be hoping that he can replicate his sensational form from last season in 2024/25 as the club embark on an unforgettable European adventure in the coming months.
Aston Villa struck gold on free signing who's now worth more than Martinez
Aston Villa’s return to the upper echelons of the Premier League has been years in the making, even though it may have taken the appointment of Unai Emery to act as a catalyst in their recent success.
The 3-0 win over BSC Young Boys in the Champions League on Tuesday was a reward for their ascendancy in recent months under the Spaniard, something which shows no sign of slowing down.
While Emery has made several signings that form the basis of the side now, there are a few who have been around since the days of Dean Smith, and even Steve Bruce.
Indeed, one player was signed way back in 2018, while the Midlands side were still in the Championship…
How much Aston Villa signed John McGinn for
Having lost the Championship playoff final in 2018 to Fulham, it was arguably now or never for Villa as the 2018/19 season loomed into focus.
After two years in the second tier, promotion had to be achieved, otherwise it could have seen the club endure an extended stay in the Championship.
To help things in the middle of the park, Bruce went out and signed Hibernian midfielder John McGinn for a fee of just ÂŁ2m as he sought improvement, and it has turned out to be a sublime piece of business. Bruce hailed the Scot, saying…
He hasn’t done too badly recently, that’s for sure.
McGinn @ Villa – Season by season
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2023/24
53
9
7
2022/23
36
1
3
2021/22
36
3
4
2020/21
37
3
5
2019/20
30
3
3
2018/19
44
7
10
Via Transfermarkt
John McGinn’s market valuation in 2024
McGinn helped Villa return to the promised land during his debut season before becoming an integral part of Smith’s team in the Premier League during the first few seasons back in the big time.
The Scot was hailed as a “relentless creature” by journalist Mat Kenrick during his maiden campaign at the club and this battling quality has enabled him to work his way to becoming the captain of the side.
Last season was arguably one of his most impressive at Villa Park, as he featured in 53 games across the entire campaign, scoring nine goals while chipping in with seven assists to fire the Midlands side into the top four of the league table, thus securing Champions League qualification in the process.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?
These displays helped boost his market valuation too, which means Emery could make a serious profit for the club should he decide to sell the player.
Indeed, according to Football Transfers, McGinn is now worth an impressive ÂŁ36m, which is a staggering increase on the initial ÂŁ2m outlay Bruce shelled out to sign him six years ago.
Aston Villa captain John McGinn
This represents an increase of 1700%, certainly proving that Villa has hit the jackpot on the former Hibs starlet.
Emery will surely be hoping he can continue to deliver wonderful performances for the club over the next few years, as he is vital to any success they may go on to have
Emery must instantly drop Aston Villa ace after 6/10 UCL display
He had fewer touches than Martinez in Switzerland.
The chaos continues at Chelsea amid the growing chasm between Todd Boehly and Clearlake, yet on the field, it looks as if things are beginning to take shape under Enzo Maresca.
While the Blues were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at home to Crystal Palace last time out, Maresca's men were simply scintillating away at Molineux a week earlier, hitting six past a helpless Wolverhampton Wanderers side.
That eventual 6-2 thrashing saw talisman Cole Palmer get on the scoresheet once again while claiming a hat-trick of assists, with all three of those key passes teeing up his compatriot Noni Madueke – who took his account to four for the season in all competitions.
The former PSV Eindhoven starlet was duly rewarded for that strong start to the campaign with a first senior England call-up last week, before going on to make his presence felt on debut after registering an assist for Harry Kane's second against Finland on Tuesday night.
With his ex-England U21 boss Lee Carsley now at the helm, Madueke – who scored seven goals in 20 games at that age group – will be hoping to cement a regular place for himself in the Three Lions squad, having begun to find his feet following a tricky start to life in west London.
In stark contrast to the rising 22-year-old, one youngster who seemingly couldn't be any further from establishing himself for both Chelsea and the senior England side is Carney Chukwuemeka, with the former Aston Villa man now something of a forgotten figure at Stamford Bridge.
Chukwuemeka's record at Chelsea
Signed from Villa Park for a hefty fee in the region of £20m back in the summer of 2022, having been a mere teenager at the time, the now 20-year-old has endured a turbulent last two years in the capital, having struggled to cement a regular role for himself under a succession of managers.
To date, the promising playmaker has made just 27 appearances in all competitions for the club, while registering just two goals and a solitary assist in that time – hardly an inspiring return.
Former Aston Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka.
Hampered by a string of injuries ever since making the move from the Midlands – having made just 16 first-team appearances for the Villans – Chukwuemeka has had to endure a stop-start stint at the Bridge, with it difficult to see that situation changing any time soon.
While the suggestion is – as per The Athletic – that the midfielder will be reintegrated into Maresca's bloated first-team squad, the Italian did previously hint that the £20m man may find it difficult to gain regular minutes if he were to stay put at the club.
Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka.
With interest looming from clubs in Turkey, it would be wise for Boehly and co to sanction his departure, ensuring that a costly figure is shifted from the wage bill.
Chukwuemeka's wage at Chelsea
Yet to feature at all so far this season across all fronts, the Austrian-born talent will face a real fight for game time if he does stay put until January, with the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia already battling for those midfield berths.
The prospect of Chukwuemeka wasting away on the bench or even in the stands on a weekly basis is far from the ideal situation for all parties, particularly considering the financial impact it would have were he to remain in Maresca's ranks.
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Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.
As per Capology, the England youth international is said to be raking in an eye-watering £100k-per-week salary, placing him alongside the likes of Levi Colwill, Mykhailo Mudryk and Jadon Sancho who also take home the same wage.
For comparison, the aforementioned Madueke is reported to be on just £50k-per-week at present, despite the fact that the one-time Tottenham Hotspur academy asset is now a valued first-team presence under the former Leicester City boss.
Carney Chukwuemeka
While far from being the highest earner at the club, the fact that Chukwuemeka – through no fault of his own, it must be said – is taking home such a mammoth pay packet is rather head-scratching, with a solution needing to be found sooner rather than later.
In an ideal world, the 6 foot 2 ace would go out and enjoy a temporary stint elsewhere to help reinvigorate his career, while in a financial sense, any interested party could potentially take on a share of his salary.
Chukwuemeka's 2023/24 PL season in numbers
9 games (2 starts)
1 goal
1 assist
19.4 touches per game
0 'big chances' created
0.4 key passes per game
86% pass accuracy
0.7 tackles per game
1.2 balls recovered per game
0.2 successful dribbles per game
33% total duels won
Stats via Sofascore
Equally, if the club could recoup anywhere close to the £20m fee that they paid for him initially via a permanent exit, that would also seemingly be a wise decision to take.
With limited windows still open across the globe, however, time is running out for either scenario to occur…
Granovskaia sold Chelsea star for ÂŁ34m, now he's worth just ÂŁ12m
The club conducted excellent business in offloading the talent.
Celtic secured their place in the next round of the League Cup on Sunday with a 3-1 win for Brendan Rodgers' side against Hibernian at Parkhead.
The Hoops were knocked out of the competition at this time last season by Kilmarnock but ensured that they picked up the win and progressed thanks to two goals from Daizen Maeda and one from Nicolas Kuhn.
It was the second win against Hibernian this month after the two sides had met the previous weekend in the Scottish Premiership, with goals from Nicolas Kuhn and Callum McGregor sealing all three points at Easter Road.
Viljami Sinisalo will have to wait for his debut between the sticks but there was a second debut for Idah, whilst Kasper Schmeichel and Paulo Bernardo had already made their respective debuts earlier this month in the Premiership.
There could be more debuts to come for the Scottish giants over the coming weeks, as the summer transfer window does not officially slam shut until the end of the month.
Rodgers and the club's recruitment team still have a bit of time left to make further signings for the Hoops, and they reportedly have their eye on a new defender to bolster the squad.
Celtic keen on Premier League full-back
According to Football Insider, Celtic are working on a deal to sign left-back Owen Beck from Liverpool on a permanent deal before the end of the window.
The report claims that the Hoops are hoping to see off competition from a host of clubs in the English Championship to land the full-back's signature, with Queens Park Rangers named as one of the interested parties.
It states that the Premiership champions want to sign the 22-year-old talent on a permanent basis and that the Premier League giants are looking for a fee within the region of £3m.
Liverpool defender Owen Beck.
Football Insider reveals that the Bhoys are in the market to add another left-back to their squad because Greg Taylor is currently the manager's only senior option in that position, with Alexandro Bernabei currently out on loan.
The outlet adds that Celtic see Beck as a player with 'huge' potential who could come in and provide the Scotland international with competition for his place in the starting XI this season.
However, the Welsh dynamo is not the only left-back on the club's radar. Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph recently claimed that they are also interested in Ajax's Owen Wijndal.
The journalist claimed that the Dutch giants are open to cashing in on the left-footed defender and that Celtic have made an initial inquiry about his availability.
Owen Wijndal's form last season
The 24-year-old defender struggled to nail down a starting position at Ajax in the 2022/23 campaign, with just 15 starts in the Eredivisie, and was sent out on loan to Royal Antwerp last term.
It was a chance for the full-back to go and play regular football week-in-week-out in the Belgian top-flight and he enjoyed a solid season down the left flank.
However, it was not an outstanding year for Wijndal and there may be concerns that he would not come in at Parkhead and offer genuine competition for Taylor.
Appearances
29
35
Goals
1
3
Assists
0
4
Big chances created
1
11
Duel success rate
57%
52%
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.6
2.2
As you can see in the table above, their defensive statistics were similar at league level last term but the Celtic star's attacking work was vastly superior.
As a dominant team in the Premiership, the club's full-backs must be able to carry an attacking threat to break down low blocks and it does not appear as though Wijndal does.
His statistics in the Champions League for Antwerp last term are further evidence of that. The Dutchman did not create a single chance for his teammates in six outings in the competition, with zero key passes in five starts.
His form in Europe and domestically for the Belgian outfit suggests that Wijndal would not offer much in possession for the Hoops, which is not ideal when Taylor has the quality to be a difference-maker in the final third.
Beck would be a dream alternative to Wijndal as a £3m signing from Liverpool due to his Premiership experience and attacking quality from left-back.
What Owen Beck could bring to Liverpool
Whilst the 24-year-old Dutchman struggled to provide much creativity down the left flank for Antwerp last season, Beck spent the year on loan at Dundee and provided a big presence at the top end of the pitch.
Liverpool sent the young defender out on loan to the Premiership and he proved his quality in and out of possession throughout the season, earning himself a place in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year.
Owen Beck coming on for Liverpool.
This means that Celtic would be signing a player who has already shown that he can compete week-in-week-out in the Scottish top-flight, whereas Wijndal has no prior experience in the division, and this suggests that the Welshman could hit the ground running at Parkhead.
The 22-year-old, who was once described as a "spectacular" left-back by talent scout Jacek Kulig, made an impact in the final third with 2.3 key passes per game and six 'big chances' created in 25 league outings.
Appearances
29
25
Goals
1
2
Key passes per game
0.6
2.3
Assists
0
4
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.6
3.9
Duel success rate
57%
55%
As you can see in the table above, Beck has the ability to offer far more than Wijndal in possession due to his ability to score goals and create chances from a left-back position.
He also made 1.3 more tackles and interceptions per game last term, whilst winning a similar percentage of his physical duels, and this suggests that Beck could win possession back more frequently through tackles and interceptions for Celtic.
Therefore, the £3m-rated star could be a dream alternative to the Ajax defender because of his Premiership experience, defensive work, and attacking quality, which is why Rodgers must push for this deal to be completed this month.
Hatate 2.0: Celtic lining up priority swoop for ÂŁ10m-rated "revelation"
The Hoops are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the young central midfielder.