Newcastle United had a curious summer transfer window in 2024.

They made five signings, although two of those were free transfers, namely experienced goalkeeper John Ruddy and defender Lloyd Kelly. On top of that, the signing of Lewis Hall was an obligatory agreement with Chelsea, following clauses met in his loan contract from the 2023/24 campaign.

The two other signings made by the Magpies were Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos and exciting young centre-forward William Osula, whom they acquired from Sheffield United.

Whilst the Magpies did not exactly spend big, compared to previous windows since the Saudi takeover, they have been linked with a big addition in the summer of 2025.

Newcastle target Premier League attacker

The player in question here is Crystal Palace and England international attacker Eberechi Eze. The 26-year-old, who is a crucial player for the Eagles, and made England’s squad for Euro 2024, was linked with a move away from Selhurst Park in 2024, but that did not materialise.

However, according to Football Insider over the weekend, Newcastle are among the clubs interested in prising the Palace star away from London.

Newcastle will not be alone in their quest to sign Eze next summer. The North East outfit are likely to go up against two longstanding Premier League rivals for Eze’s signature with the report noting that Tottenham and Liverpool want him too.

The England international had a £68m release clause in his contract in his contract over the summer which is inactive at the moment but can be activated again in the summer of 2025. That would see Eze become the Magpies’ all-time record signing, beating that of Alexander Isak in 2022, who cost £63m.

Why Eze would be a good signing

The 26-year-old attacking midfielder has been superb for the Eagles during his time at the club. He has so far played 133 times for the South London outfit, scoring 29 times and grabbing 18 assists.

The former QPR man was particularly excellent last season, scoring 11 goals and posting four assists in 27 Premier League games. This term, he has one goal in the first seven games, as well as two in the Carabao Cup to go along with an assist.

He was described as a “superstar” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, who explained that he thinks Eze thrives with less responsibility. He would certainly not be shackled by such an issue in a team that includes the likes of Isak and Anthony Gordon, to name two of the Magpies’ attacking options.

One player who the Eagles’ number 10 could replace in the Newcastle squad is Miguel Almiron. The Paraguayan was in talks to leave St James’ Park last season according to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, but ended up remaining at the club. He since has just 30 minutes in the Premier League under his belt this term.

There is no doubt that the signing of Eze would be an upgrade on Almiron, and that is something that is backed up by the stats, courtesy of Squawka. Last term in the Premier League, the England international outperformed the Newcastle number 24 in several key metrics.

Last term, he averaged 2.4 chances created per 90 minutes, compared to just 1.1 from the Paraguay attacker. Not only that, Eze played slightly more forward passes than Almiron, with 8.3 each game, as opposed to 8.1 from the Newcastle man.

Take-ons completed

3.1

1.1

Take-on completion rate

51.88%

51.11%

Through balls

0.4

0.3

Forward passes

8.3

8.1

Chances created

2.4

1.1

Eze is a spellbinding dribbler, who is a master in tight spaces. He is superb at using his quick feet to evade pressure and ride tackles. Last term, he completed 3.1 take-ons per game, with the Newcastle winger far less, just 1.1 each match.

There is little doubt that the Crystal Palace superstar would be an upgrade on Almiron. Whilst £68m is a steep fee, he would improve the side and the Saudi PIF did not exactly spend heavily at St James’ Park in 2024.

There is certainly scope for such a signing, and Eze would be a brilliant way to upgrade the side as Howe looks to guide Newcastle back to Europe.

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تحدث أيمن عبد العزيز المدرب بالجهاز الفني لفريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك، عن القرارات التحكيمية في مباراة زد التي أقيمت مساء اليوم الخميس.

وكان الزمالك قد تعادل أمام زد في الجولة الـ16 من عمر الدوري المصري الممتاز “النيل”، في مباراة أدارها محمد الصباحي وشهدت تعرض عبد العزيز ولاعب الفريق محمد شحاتة للطرد.

أيمن يونس: لاعبو الزمالك كانوا دون مخ أمام زد.. ولولا ناصر منسي النتيجة كانت ستختلف

وقال أيمن عبد العزيز في تصريحات للصحفيين عقب المباراة: “بعد أن نقدم أداءً قويًا ونقاتل في المباريات، ما الذي يحدث بعد ذلك؟ في مباراة بتروجت، كان لدينا ثلاث ركلات جزاء لم تُحتسب، واليوم هناك ركلة أخرى لم تُحسب”.

وأضاف: “وبعيدًا عن مسألة قرار طردي – الذي لا أعرف سببه حتى الآن – كما أننا كلاعبين نتحمل أخطاء الحكام لأنهم بشر، فمن الطبيعي أن تتقبلوا غضبنا تجاه القرارات التحكيمية غير العادلة”.

وتابع: “لماذا منح الحكم محمد الصباحي بطاقة صفراء لـ أحمد سيد زيزو، مما يؤدي إلى إيقافه في المباراة المقبلة بـ الدوري المصري؟ ولماذا حصل شحاتة على إنذار ثانٍ ليُطرد من اللقاء؟”.

واستكمل: “نحن لا نطلب سوى العدالة، لقد قدم اللاعبون كل ما لديهم اليوم ونفذوا التعليمات المطلوبة، لكن القرارات التحكيمية كانت السبب في عدم تحقيق الفوز”.

وأتم: “وأين تقنية الفار من جميع الحالات المثيرة للجدل اليوم؟ إذا كان الحكم قد أخطأ – وهذا أمر وارد – فلماذا لم يتدخل الفار لإعادة الحق لنا؟”.

The Red Devils' boss is mimicking the Gunners' head coach by being a clear communicator and backing up his words with strong actions

Manchester United fans had more than 24 hours to digest their encouraging 2-2 draw at Liverpool when the club's X account signed off for the evening with a short message that encapsulated the mood around Ruben Amorim: 'Trust the process.' The three words were accompanied by a picture of a soaking wet Amorim at Anfield looking into the distance. Perhaps at a brighter future, when fans and pundits will be toasting the progress he has made and looking back at the dynamic display on Merseyside as a real turning point.

It did not take long, however, for users to recall that United's social media team had produced an identical message in support of Amorim's predecessor Erik ten Hag back in February 2023, after another 2-2 draw with a local rival in Leeds. Back then United were in the ascendancy and it was a little easier to trust in the process than it is now, with the Red Devils 13th in the Premier League table, 12 points off the top five and having won four out of 12 matches under their new coach.

But a look at United's next opponents and their manager offers hope that they are following the right path under Amorim. Mikel Arteta is the manager most associated with 'Trust the process', a phrase he never actually used but came closest to saying when speaking after an FA Cup quarter-final win at Sheffield United in 2020. The Spaniard said back then: "We still have a massive gap to fill in, we have to improve a lot in many departments. We have to respect the process, it's been really difficult, stop-start, stop-start but we'll get it right, I'm convinced of that, we need a little bit of time as well."

The phrase has been used as a stick with which to beat Arteta by Arsenal fans and rival supporters whenever things have taken a turn for the worse but, for all the mocking he has received for being associated with that particular slogan, the Spaniard has been proved right. In five years he has completely reshaped Arsenal and turned them from a club with no direction into one of the leading forces in English and European football. United fans would surely sign up to their team following a similar path under Amorim in a few years, challenging for the Premier League title and going deep in the Champions League.

Amorim has not yet been United manager for two months but there are already plenty of similarities between his style of management and Arteta's which should give the Red Devils reason to keep the faith and trust the process…

GettyBig performances in big games

Both Arteta and Amorim faced the daunting task of inheriting a mess at a huge club in the middle of the season, with barely any time to get their ideas across to their players on the training ground due to the unrelenting schedule. Arteta's first season in charge with Arsenal was full of frustrating results and he did not make immediate progress when he succeeded Emery in December 2019, winning just one of his opening eight league games, including failing to beat Burnley, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace.

But the one game he did win in that spell was against United and it was one of the best performances of his first season in charge of the Gunners. It was not the only big result of his first term, as his side knocked Manchester City out of the FA Cup semi-finals and then beat Chelsea, who had finished four places and 10 points above them in the league, in the FA Cup final.

Amorim's start to life at Old Trafford has also witnessed some terrible results, including home defeats by Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Newcastle and an infuriating surrender at Wolves. But he has also pulled off a stunning late win at Manchester City and saw his side come agonisingly close to snatching victory at Anfield. The United manager admitted to feeling annoyed after the game at Liverpool because it begged the question why his side could not have played with the same passion in their other games. But as Arteta's record shows, being able to produce in the games that matter the most is a good sign.

AdvertisementGettyCommunicating well

Arteta and Amorim have two things in common when it comes to their communication style. They both are skilled orators and they have the good fortune to have succeeded coaches who struggled to get their message across. Arteta's predecessor Unai Emery had a patchy level of English when he took the Arsenal job in 2018 and he was cruelly mocked on social media for beginning every interview by saying "Good Ebening". He also made easy, albeit funny, linguistic mistakes, such as calling Petr Cech "a very big person" when he meant to say "a very good person".

Arteta hails from the same province in the Basque country as Emery but whereas the latter had never previously lived in England when he stepped into the Arsenal dugout, the former had lived in England or Scotland since 2002 and had an excellent grasp of the language. And it showed in his first press conference as Gunners boss before facing Everton.

Arteta made the obvious statement of saying he felt "back at home" in his unveiling but he also addressed the problems that had beset Arsenal in the last few years of the Arsene Wenger era and under Emery. He said the team needed to "change the energy", he talked of "engaging everybody" and he warned: "If you don't have the right culture, in the difficult moments, the tree is going to shake."

Amorim also impressed the media in his first press conference as United boss and talked in similar terms to Arteta when he said: "As a coach you have to choose one way or another, I choose always 100 percent our way. There is no second way." The Portuguese continued to preach the same message as his reign continued, talking of the importance of "the way you train, the way you dress" after leaving Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of the squad for the Manchester derby.

Getty Taking a hard line

And both managers have been true to their word, having no qualms about moving on some of their best players when it became clear they did not fit with the culture they were trying to build. Arteta took on Mesut Ozil, at the time the club's best-paid player, early on in his tenure after the German refused to agree to a pay cut during the coronavirus pandemic. He sidelined the playmaker from that moment on and he never played for Arsenal again, terminating his contract six months early in January 2021.

Just two months later Arteta made the surprising call of dropping Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang against Tottenham due to the striker's apparent lack of punctuality and the following December he stripped him of the captaincy for returning late from a trip to France. Weeks later Arteta urged the club to cut their losses and pay up the player's contract so he could join Barcelona on a free transfer.

It was a remarkably bold move against a player who had signed a bumper new deal the previous season and who had been the talisman of their FA Cup win. But the move sent out a message that no player could defy the manager.

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GettyCultural reset

The similarities between those cases and Amorim's treatment of Marcus Rashford are striking. Rashford became one of United's highest earners when he signed a new contract in the summer of 2023 and had an even bigger standing within the club than Aubameyang or Ozil due to being a homegrown player. But Amorim does not like the player's attitude towards training, namely the fact he went on a night out shortly before the game against Everton, and is not willing to play him until he sees an improvement.

Rashford scored twice in that game against Everton, as well as the first goal of the Amorim era, but the coach cannot hope to rebuild United if certain players are flouting their usual responsibilities and not preparing for matches as they should.

Arsenal have made real progress since sending Ozil and Aubameyang on their way and history has proven Arteta right, with the midfielder retiring at the age of 34 in 2023 and the striker now playing his football in Saudi Arabia. Removing the brilliant yet tempestuous personalities from the club was crucial to the cultural reset he talked about on day one.

Only time will tell if Rashford can turn his flagging career around, but Amorim is absolutely right to sanction his departure in January, even if it means making a big loss.

Leeds United needed to dip into the market to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch during the recently closed summer transfer window.

Daniel Farke led the team to the final of the play-offs, after a third-placed finish in the Championship, and lost to Southampton at Wembley last season.

This meant that the Whites were vulnerable to clubs coming in to poach their best players, ahead of a second season in the second tier, and they lost a number of key players.

Archie Gray, Glen Kamara, Crysencio Summerville, and Georginio Rutter were snapped up by Tottenham Hotspur, Rennes, West Ham United, and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively.

The departures of Summerville and Rutter meant that the club had to go out and bring in attacking reinforcements to bolster Farke's options in the final third.

Leeds went and signed Manor Solomon on a season-long loan move from Tottenham and secured the permanent signing of Largie Ramazani, who came through the academy set-up at Manchester United, from Spanish side Almeria.

They were, however, reportedly interested in bringing one of their former players back to Elland Road for a second stint in West Yorkshire – Jack Clarke.

Leeds failed to land Jack Clarke

It was claimed that the Whites were eyeing up a late swoop to sign the English forward from Sunderland towards the end of the summer transfer window.

Leeds sold Clarke to Tottenham Hotspur for a reported fee of £8.5m in the summer of 2019, after he had emerged through the academy set-up at Thorp Arch, and attempted to bring him back five years later.

Unfortunately, though, they failed in their pursuit of a deal for the left winger as they faced Premier League competition from Ipswich Town, who swooped in to sign him for a fee of £15m, with £5m in add-ons.

As you can see in the table below, Clarke proved himself to be a huge threat at the top end of the pitch in his two full seasons at Championship level with the Black Cats.

Jack Clarke (Sunderland)
Championship	22/23	23/24
Appearances	45	40
Goals	9	15
Assists	11	4
Big chances created	7	12
Dribbles completed per game	2.0	3.7
Stats via Sofascore

He is a winger who can offer regular quality as a scorer of goals down the left flank, cutting in onto his favoured right foot to cause damage in the final third.

Clarke had also started the current campaign in fine form, with one goal and one assist in two Championship games, before his big-money switch to Leeds.

The 23-year-old came up through the academy system with Leeds and Farke has already shown, with Mateo Joseph and Archie Gray, that he is willing to give young players a chance to impress in the first-team.

With this in mind, the Whites may have a player at Thorp Arch with the potential to develop into the German's own version of Clarke in the future, with U18s starlet Marley Wilson.

Marley Wilson's impressive academy form

The 18-year-old put pen to paper on his first professional contract with the club this summer, signing a one-year extension, and this could be a huge season for him in his development.

Wilson featured on the bench for the U21 team last season and his aim for the current campaign should be to break into the side on a regular basis.

If he can do that, whilst carrying over his form from U18 level, then it will give Farke a decision to make over his involvement in the first-team moving forward.

The left winger, who has been at the club since the age of 10, has made three appearances for the U21s so far in his career, having made the step up because of his terrific performances at U18 level.

Wilson racked up an eye-catching return of 18 goals and five assists in 39 appearances for the U18s, with the bulk of those strikes coming last season.

The talented young whiz, who is currently out with a back injury, produced 12 goals in 14 matches in all competitions during the 2023/24 campaign, to end the term as the top scorer for the U18s.

That haul included three goals in four FA Youth Cup outings and seven goals in eight U18 Premier League appearances, as the electric winger showcased his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

Wilson's goalscoring return was particularly impressive when you consider that he scored more goals for the U18s than Farke's current winger, Wilfried Gnonto, managed for the first-team.

Wilfried Gnonto's goalscoring record last season

The Italy U21 international featured heavily for Leeds in all competitions during the 2023/24 campaign, predominantly playing on the right side.

He ended the season with a return of nine goals and three assists in 44 matches for the Whites, which included a return of eight goals and two assists in 36 regular season outings in the Championship.

Gnonto failed to hit double figures for goals in the division, or in all competitions combined, and this suggests that he did not offer a regular goal threat for Farke in the final third.

23/24 Championship	Wilfried Gnonto
Appearances	36
xG	5.36
Goals	8
xA	3.81
Big chances created	5
Assists	2
Stats via Sofascore

The 20-year-old flanker, who has produced one goal in four league appearances this term, will need to improve his output to be relied upon as a star at the top end of the pitch for Leeds.

Wilson, if he can continue to develop and translate his form to U21 and then first-team level, could eventually emerge as a more prolific option on the flank.

The 18-year-old star has proven his goalscoring quality at U18 level, as a player with the potential to be Farke's own Clarke on the left flank, and it is now down to him to take the next step and shine with the U21s this season, to earn a long-term contract.

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If he can do that then the German boss may take a look at him in pre-season next summer, with a view to him emerging as the next star from the academy.

Parkinson takes 5-41 to claim nine for the match but hosts face big deficit

ECB Reporters' Network31-Aug-2021Kent 232 and 210 for 9 (Stevens 55*, Parkinson 5-41) lead Leicestershire 109 (Logan 3-9) by 333 runsKent did not register a win in the conference segment of the LV=Insurance County Championship but are in a strong position to remedy that at the halfway stage of their opening divisional fixture against Leicestershire.On a turning pitch, Callum Parkinson, the Leicestershire left-arm spinner, took 5 for 41, yet at 210 for 9 in their second innings when bad light curtailed the second day with 22 overs unbowled, Kent had built a lead of 333.Chief contributor was the veteran all-rounder Darren Stevens with a masterful unbeaten 55 after Jack Leaning had added 34 to his first-innings 75 not out and Jordan Cox made 38.Earlier, Leicestershire had been dismissed for 109, the wickets shared mainly between seamers Grant Stewart and Matt Milnes, who took three apiece, and another left-arm spinner, 23-year-old James Logan, who returned 3 for 8 from 8.1 overs in his second first-class match for Kent after being released by Yorkshire last autumn.Five down for 66 overnight, Leicestershire achieved their objective of avoiding the follow-on but lost the remainder of their wickets within an hour and a half.Milnes dismissed Louis Kimber and Ben Mike in his first two overs, both lbw. Logan claimed his second and third successes as Leicestershire lost their last three wickets in the space of 12 balls, Parkinson given out leg before and Chris Wright top-edging a paddle-sweep gently to second slip. In between, Will Davis edged Stewart to third slip.Ed Barnes was Leicestershire’s top scorer with 22 not out, an innings interrupted by a bang on the head from a short ball by Milnes that saw him leave the field for concussion checks. Happily, he was cleared to return at nine wickets down, confirming his well-being by hitting Stewart for back-to-back fours.With Zak Crawley looking in good touch, Kent added 49 to their lead in 15 overs without loss but the introduction of Parkinson’s at the pavilion end brought an immediate dividend for the home side as a beautiful delivery took the England batsman’s off stump. Joe Denly was leg before to Mike and Parkinson quickly picked up a second wicket as Cox edged to slip.As Parkinson changed ends, Barnes had Sam Billings caught behind with his first ball and bowled Ollie Robinson, reducing Kent to 142 for 5 but by the time rain forced an early tea the lead was 271.The final session brought two more wickets each for Parkinson and Barnes but 45-year-old Stevens drew on all his experience to hit a six and nine fours in an innings of controlled positivity that may be decisive in the match.

Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah believes healthy competition within the side, which has led to players being more confident, gives a fairer assessment of the team rather than the one based on rankings.Head coach Russell Domingo earlier said that the veteran Mushfiqur Rahim and Nurul Hasan – who impressed in the recent series against Zimbabwe and Australia – will share wicketkeeping duties in the first four matches during the home T20I series against New Zealand. Bangladesh also have four options for the opening slot in Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Naim, Liton Das and Mahedi Hasan.Related

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“Liton is an outstanding opener while Soumya has been in good form this year,” Mahmudullah said. ” Naim has been one of the top-ranked batter in our side. Mahedi is also an opening option. They are all in good rhythm. We have to make sure those who get the opportunity can contribute for the team. The positive competition within the team is a good sign.”There is some competition in their pace attack, too. Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam seem to be the preferred pair but Mohammad Saifuddin has grabbed the limited opportunities well in recent times, with Taskin Ahmed and Rubel Hossain lurking around. Bangladesh also have Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Shahidul Islam in the extended squad.”Shoriful bowled well in four matches (against Australia),” Mahmudullah said. “Mustafiz has been outstanding. Taskin has been bowling well but not getting enough opportunities. We have Rubel. Saifuddin made most of the opportunity. There’s good competition going on in every department.”I think the fielding has improved a lot. These are good signs to become a better team. Rankings and a team’s shape doesn’t necessarily show the real picture of a team. Playing well continuously usually takes the team forward.”But Mahmudullah was careful not to call Bangladesh “favourites” even against the under-strength touring New Zealand team.”You can consider yourself favourites in T20s, but if it becomes overconfidence, it can be negative for you. The team that reads the conditions well and has the hunger to do well on the day usually comes out on top in T20s.”Having said that, they are a very disciplined side in their homework and execution level. We must remain focused and hungry, as we did against Australia. I would love to see the continuity.”But he was also quick to point out that the expectation from the home side is justified, especially after their 4-1 T20I series win against Australia earlier this month.”It is a very good opportunity for our team. We are eager to prove that we are good at home. I am hopeful that the boys will be up for it.”There will always be expectations especially when it has built up in our home conditions. We are very competitive and confidence at home. We use our condition well. Every opportunity for the team and individual must be valued. Rest will take care of itself.”

West Bromwich Albion fans will be counting down the days now until their side returns to Championship action, hoping for three league wins on the bounce when travelling to face Portsmouth on Sunday.

Carlos Corberan will know the gist of what his main starting XI looks like for this trip down to the South Coast, confident that Josh Maja can lead the line effectively once more after netting four goals from four league games so far, whilst also fully trusting the likes of Alex Palmer and Kyle Bartley at the back to provide another steely performance defensively.

Alongside those names, the Spanish boss in the Hawthorns dug-out will also know he can rely on both Alex Mowatt and Darnell Furlong in difficult times to come this campaign, past the test this weekend, as both continue to be everpresent under the former Huddersfield Town manager.

Furlong and Mowatt's performances this season

Both the Baggies number two and the Baggies number 27 find their spaces in Corberan's starting lineup as concrete as they can possibly be at this moment in time, with zero minutes missed this season so far in the league.

Both continue to be key parts of the West Brom puzzle for good reason too, with Furlong standing out in particular last time out during the narrow 1-0 win over Swansea City, notching up two key passes as an attacking presence whilst also performing his defensive duties valiantly with seven total duels won.

Furlong also completed this last-ditch tackle in the slim victory to ensure his side didn't leak an unwanted goal, whilst Mowatt also went about his business in a stylish manner to help clinch the three points.

Although his holding midfield partner on the day would steal the limelight, with Jayson Molumby's late second-half goal the deciding strike, the former Leeds United man also played his part in the win being secured with 100% of his duels won, but also with a calmness present in his game that saw only nine of his 45 passes be misplaced.

Going forward – even with the sprinkling of new additions to Corberan's camp this summer – both will continue to be some of the first names on their manager's team sheet, whilst others have fallen down the pecking order.

Jed Wallace would fit into the final category now, with injury issues meaning he's been a background figure for the Baggies so far this campaign, which hasn't really impacted West Brom yet on the pitch.

Wallace's future at West Brom

There were even rumours floating about at the Hawthorns this summer that Wallace was going to move on from the Baggies, with interest from the likes of Luton Town reported towards the end of the frantic window.

Wallace has stayed put, but he could well regret that decision, having found his minutes hard to come by so far this campaign as young hotshot Tom Fellows also continues to excel down the right wing, with three assists already picked up from four league games.

Player

Wage

1. Mason Holgate

£70k-per-week

2. Daryl Dike

£32k-per-week

3. Paddy McNair

£25k-per-week

4. Jed Wallace

£25k-per-week

5. John Swift

£22.5k-per-week

Alongside only featuring from off the substitutes bench so far this season from his three appearances, the former Millwall man's high wage will also be more of a pressing concern if he doesn't fight back and reclaim a starting spot soon, with Wallace coming in as the fourth highest earner currently in Corberan's camp.

Both Furlong and Mowatt surprisingly earn a lesser pay packet, at £18.4k-per-week and £20k-per-week respectively, despite proving why they are undroppable members of the Baggies first-team so far this season over their teammate.

Wallace does have moments of magic like this sublime strike up his sleeve, however, and could prove to be a useful squad member moving forward, especially if Fellows' electric form drops off.

Still, with that interesting emerging from the likes of Luton and Pompey this summer for the 30-year-old, West Brom might live to regret not cashing in on their "unbelievable" gem, as he was once labelled by ex-Sheffield United defender Jack O'Connell.

It also won't be viewed as a hindrance having him available moving forward when he gets back up to full fitness either, as West Brom now hunt down more Championship victories this month.

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Celtic have enjoyed a sensational start to the 2024/25 campaign by winning all eight of their competitive matches in all competitions, conceding just four goals.

The Hoops have won all five of their games in the Scottish Premiership and are yet to concede a single goal, as Brendan Rodgers targets a second successive title since his return to the club last summer.

Because of the club’s success and the huge standards in the first-team squad, it is incredibly difficult for young players to make the breakthrough from the B team to the senior group.

One player who appeared to be on his way to bridging the gap was Ireland youth international Rocco Vata, before his exit from Parkhead in the summer transfer window.

Rocco Vata's potential

The 19-year-old starlet scored 23 goals in 34 appearances for Celtic B and was given opportunities in the first-team by Ange Postecoglou and Rodgers.

Vata scored his first goal for the senior side under the Northern Irish head coach last term, against Buckie Thistle, and ended his career at Parkhead with that being his only strike in six appearances.

The teenage whiz opted to turn down the chance to sign an extension at Paradise and signed for Championship side Watford, with compensation to be agreed between the two teams due to his age, and he came off the bench for the Hornets in their 2-1 League Cup defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday night.

Vata appeared to be a great prospect for Celtic, given his 23 goals for the B team and his smattering of first-team outings, but will now not have the chance to fulfil his potential at Parkhead.

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Rodgers, however, may already have a bigger talent than the 19-year-old Irishman brewing in the academy in the form of centre-forward Daniel Cummings.

Daniel Cummings' goal record for Celtic

The 18-year-old star, who only turned 18 in April, has been in prolific form for the B team in the 2024/25 campaign, with a stunning 12 goals in eight appearances.

Cummings has scored ten goals in seven Lowland League games this term, and also fired in 12 goals in 19 Lowland League matches last season, which means that the forward has racked up 22 goals in his last 26 league appearances for the B team.

That works out as a goal every 1.18 Lowland League games on average, compared to Vata’s return of 23 goals in 34 matches for the same team – a goal every 1.48 matches on average.

The Scotland U17 international has scored two goals and provided one assist in six appearances in the UEFA Youth League, whereas Vata only managed one goal and zero assists in 12 outings in that competition for Celtic.

These statistics suggest that Cummings, who is a year younger than the Watford man, has the potential to be a greater goal threat as a centre-forward, as he outperformed his former teammate in the same competitions.

It is now down to the 18-year-old marksman to prove to Rodgers, if given the opportunity, that he has a future as a regular starter for Celtic, as he could be a star for the Hoops if his B team form can be translated to the first-team.

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ByDan Emery Sep 25, 2024

Liverpool have won eight of their nine fixtures under Arne Slot. The Dutchman took on the daunting task of replacing Jurgen Klopp back in June but has exceeded expectations thus far.

One of the repeated themes throughout the summer was that Liverpool would not spend, no, not big, not for the sake of spending.

The suction of club action throughout the off-season heightens fan desire for something to cheer about, and fresh faces to improve the squad assume the natural source of catharsis.

But Liverpool didn’t address their lack of a holding midfielder equipped to succeed in Slot’s control-focused system, and went into the 2024/25 term lacking – or did they?

Gravenberch's performances in 2024/25

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Martin Zubimendi, signed for €60m (£50m)? No, it’s Ryan Gravenberch – and what a ‘signing’ he’s been this season.

Last year, under Klopp’s wing, the Dutchman needed time to bed into life on Merseyside, and he also found himself lower down the pecking order than that of fellow summer signings Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and even Wataru Endo, starting only 12 Premier League games.

He’s been repurposed in a deep-lying role under Slot’s management, and he’s thriving. His gaffer said that he was “again outstanding” as Liverpool defeated Bologna this week, claiming the Man of the Match award. The 23-year-old has played every minute of the Reds’ Premier League and Champions League campaigns so far.

When Liverpool signed Gravenberch from Bayern Munich for a £34m fee, one year ago, Klopp’s final signing, he was saved from a spell of struggle in Germany, and last season’s account spelt more of the same. Now he’s not so much reborn as transcendent in his robust midfield role. He’s the real deal alright.

Imagine if things had turned out differently – had Liverpool succeeded in their long-term pursuit of Aurelien Tchouameni, it’s safe to say that Gravenberch would not be enjoying his present fruits.

When Liverpool failed to sign Aurelien Tchouameni (twice)

In 2022, Real Madrid signed Tchouameni from AS Monaco in a move worth worth €100m (£85m), ending rife speculation about the France international’s future.

The athletic midfielder is a tenacious tackler with first-class technical qualities, and he’s been instrumental under Carlo Ancelotti over the past few years, completing 98 appearances and winning La Liga and the Champions League.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

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Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Liverpool were tussling against Paris Saint-Germain and Los Blancos for his signature in 2022, but Real prevailed, as they would do again in the race for Jude Bellingham one year later.

Liverpool were actually linked with the Frenchman once again last year but he flat-out rejected any notion of moving to England, of leaving football’s holy land at Santiago Bernabeu.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 13% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 4% for passes completed, the top 15% for interceptions, the top 9% for clearances and the top 7% for aerial battles won per 90. It’s no surprise that he’s considered “world-class” by Transfermarkt’s Stefan Bienkowski, among many, many others.

He’s a big ol’ boy, with a presence and power that is fit for… well, Real Madrid. However, did Liverpool score the shrewdest of shrewd signings, in hindsight, given that Gravenberch is now outperforming him, signed for £50m less than Klopp and Co would have had to have forked out?

Aurelian Tchouameni vs Ryan Gravenberch (2023/24)

Stats (*per game)

Tchouameni

Gravenberch

Matches (starts)

7 (7)

6 (6)

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches*

85

80

Shots (on target)*

0.7 (0.0)

0.3 (0.3)

Pass completion

92%

89%

Key passes*

0.3

0.3

Dribbles completed*

0.4

1.0

Ball recoveries*

5.0

6.5

Tackles + interceptions*

4.6

4.2

Total duels (won)*

5.1 (60%)

6.3 (64%)

Stats via Sofascore

In all truth, the respective stars are pretty well matched. Tchouameni is perhaps a tad more aggressive in the tackle, slightly crisper with his distribution, but Gravenberch is a bit more combative and more athletic, covering more ground and winning more balls for the Reds.

Liverpool have triumphed with this one. It’s all coming together.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Oct 3, 2024

Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing the signing of a “brilliant” Premier League player, in a deal that could break his current club’s outgoing transfer record.

Newcastle eye transfers despite Howe and Mitchell feud

The rumours surrounding the sour relationship between Eddie Howe and Paul Mitchell are refusing to go away, with the Magpies’ manager and sporting director seemingly failing to see eye to eye since the latter replaced Dan Ashworth during the summer.

In fact, a big new claim has suggested that, in a summer meeting which did not involve Howe, Mitchell told staff that he is now the man in charge, leaving many in the room stunned. Clear-the-air talks are believed to be planned or have already taken place at Newcastle, and it is an issue that needs to be resolved either way as soon as possible.

As for potential Magpies signings, Monaco youngster Maghnes Akliouche has been linked with a move to St James’ Park, with Mitchell wanting to snap him up after working alongside him at the Ligue 1 club, before leaving at the end of last season.

Meanwhile, Villarreal attacking midfielder Alex Baena has emerged as a potential option in the January transfer window, should Howe feel he needs more depth in the middle of the park. Scouts have been sent to watch him in action, and he already has five assists to his name in just six La Liga starts this season.

Newcastle eyeing move for "brilliant" forward

According to Give Me Sport, Newcastle are interested in signing Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, as they look for more attacking quality. Liverpool and Arsenal are also providing stiff competition, however, highlighting how well thought of the Cameroon international is.

The Bees want more than £40m for his services, which would beat the fee paid by Al-Ahli for Ivan Toney, and it looks like any deal would take place next summer not in January, with all three suitors expected to head “to the negotiating table at the end of the season”.

Mbeumo could be a wonderful signing for Newcastle, considering he is arguably one of the most in-form wide players in the Premier League so far this season.

The 25-year-old already has five goals in six games in the league, one of which came in the first minute of last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to West Ham, and Brentford manager Thomas Frank has hailed him as “brilliant”. Meanwhile, Tottenham ace James Maddison even called his goal against Spurs this month “fantastic”, claiming it would be in contention for the Goal of the Month award.

Liverpool and Arsenal being interested in Mbeumo is clearly an issue for Newcastle, considering the pair are Premier League title challengers, but they already have elite players in Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka in Mbeumo’s right-sided role.

What Paul Mitchell told Newcastle staff in a meeting without Eddie Howe

All is not well between the pair currently.

ByHenry Jackson Sep 30, 2024

Howe doesn’t possess such a level of talent there – they were linked with finding an upgrade on Miguel Almiron all summer long – so the hope is that the Brentford star sees himself as more of a regular starter at St James’, deciding that a move there would be better for him moving forward.