Setting their sights on reinforcements with or without promotion to the Premier League, Sheffield United have now reportedly joined the race to sign a defensive reinforcement whose quality they know all about.

Sheffield United set for key play-off battle

With Burnley and Leeds United already promoted and left to battle it out for the Championship title, Sheffield United must turn towards the play-offs and Wembley success if they are to take their place in the Premier League for next season. That is, of course, easier said than done though. The play-offs are rarely routine and have the chance to throw up the kind of shocks that the Blades will be desperate to avoid.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder reacted to the disappointment of missing out on automatic promotion recently, telling reporters: “Congratulations to Daniel (Farke) and Scott (Parker) and their two teams, for those clubs to have the ability to reach 100 points shows you what the division is like, and we’ve finished up the third best team in the division.

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He has a lot of admirers…

ByTom Cunningham Apr 30, 2025

“The season went to the 44th game and I thought we had a right go, created some chance, but the goals have killed us, it was two poor goals, and the penalty hands the initiative back to them, despite us always carrying a threat.

“We’ve had to learn on the job and the season doesn’t end here, we’d have had to get 95+ points, so it is an insane season. The players will learn from this because we’ve fallen short.”

After officially finishing third, Wilder’s side will now square off against sixth place in the Championship play-offs, which will be Coventry City if nothing changes on the final day this weekend. With Millwall, Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough all forming the chasing pack, however, Sheffield United will only know their fate at the end of this weekend’s fixtures.

Sheffield United join Ciaron Brown race

Away from the action, the Blades have seemingly commenced their summer plans even without knowing their fate. According to Graeme Bailey for EFL Analysis, Sheffield United are now racing to sign Ciaron Brown from Oxford United this summer but face competition from both Norwich City and Middlesbrough for his signature.

Those at Bramall Lane will be hoping that their place as promotion hopefuls this season and hopefully a top flight club in the coming weeks will tempt the versatile defender.

Brown is a versatile centre-back that Sheffield United know all about too, having witnessed him pocket the talented Ben Brereton Diaz in Oxford’s stunning 1-0 victory over Wilder’s side last month.

As per Fotmob, Brereton Diaz was hooked after 59 minutes, having created just one chance and taken just two touches in the Oxford box. Brown, meanwhile, enjoyed an excellent game and ended the afternoon without being dribbled past once and with 15 clearances to his name as his side kept an impressive clean sheet.

Praised for his “fantastic attitude” by former Oxford boss Liam Manning last season, Brown may now have done enough to earn a big move this summer.

Leeds United left it late on the final day of the Championship season but Manor Solomon’s dramatic strike right at the death would secure Daniel Farke’s men the title.

Amazingly, both the Whites and their nearest competitors in Burnley would end their mightily impressive campaigns on 100 points each, but Leeds’ sturdy goal difference would hand the esteemed honours over to Farke and Co, instead of more party celebrations taking place at Turf Moor.

But, as much as the West Yorkshire titans have been able to blow teams away with ease in the second tier, the Premier League is a different kettle of fish altogether.

Therefore, some potential attacking recruits are now being linked with a switch to Elland Road to help navigate the tricky step-up in quality.

Leeds' list of attacking targets

Already, Leeds have been linked with a whole host of new faces up top, with reports suggesting that the newly crowned champions might look to snap up Omari Hutchinson from recently relegated Ipswich Town.

Moreover, other rumours indicate that Leeds are intrigued by the prospect of bringing AZ Alkmaar goal machine Troy Parrott back to England, meaning the striker department would also be given a potential facelift.

Yet, there’s one name that sticks out as a top buy away from both Hutchinson and Parrott, with TBR Football revealing that Farke and Co are looking at a number of targets from Celtic, including Hoops attacking hotshot Nicolas Kuhn.

The Whites have had success when shopping from the Glasgow giants in the past, with Whites legend Mark Viduka once plying for his trade for the Scottish titans before becoming a fan’s favourite at Leeds. So, there’s clearly a proven recipe for success right here.

How Kuhn could be even better than James

If Kuhn can lift his game to be on the same level as Viduka’s – who would score a colossal 72 strikes for Leeds – he would further go down as a more impressive winger than Dan James over time, even with the Welshman fresh off just winning the Whites’ Player of the Year accolade.

James should be commended for how he’s managed to turn around his up-and-down stay at Elland Road, with the ex-Manchester United attacker undoubtedly a top-drawer talent in the EFL having previously struggled in the top-flight.

Indeed, the blistering number seven has tallied up a sizeable 41 goal contributions in league action over the last two seasons, but there will be a concern in the air lingering that the 56-time Wales international isn’t cut out for the bright lights of the Premier League.

Indeed, his best tally for a campaign up a division currently sits at a mere four goals and five assists.

On the flip side, Kuhn has proven again and again for Brendan Rodgers’ men – albeit in a far less strenuous top division in the Scottish Premiership – that he can dazzle defences under immense pressure. He’s even scored in the Champions League.

Staggeringly, across all competitions this campaign, including on Europe’s grandest stage, the German forward has amassed a bumper 34 goals and assists from 47 clashes, with a chance in the Premier League to come a deserved next step for the former RB Leipzig winger.

Kuhn’s numbers this season by competition (24/25)

Competition

Games

Goals

Assists

SPL

29

12

8

Champions League

10

3

1

SFA Cup

4

0

1

League Cup

4

5

4

Sourced by Transfermarkt

In contrast, James accumulated a lesser 21 from ten fewer clashes, meaning he could take a back-seat now down the right flank for the “breathtaking” winger, as he’s been lauded in the past by pundit Marvin Bartley, to take over.

Obviously, it isn’t set in stone that Kuhn will be able to instantly acclimatise to the pressures of the Premier League, but history might well repeat itself here, especially if the Hoops number 10 can prove he belongs at the daunting level like Viduka before him.

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A “skilful” Leeds United player’s time at Elland Road could come to an end this summer, with “interested parties” emerging to snap him up.

Farke future in doubt ahead of busy summer at Leeds

The Whites are still basking in the glory of sealing promotion from the Championship to the Premier League earlier this week after their 6-0 win at home to Stoke City, followed by Burnley beating Sheffield United at Turf Moor.

It’s now a case of trying to be crowned champions ahead of the Clarets in the final two matches of the season, amid ongoing doubts over Daniel Farke’s future, despite the excellent job he is doing. In fact, Sean Dyche has already emerged as a possible replacement, should the German be relieved of his duties.

In terms of potential summer signings for Leeds, West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek has been linked with a move to the club, with the Czech reportedly open to the idea of sealing a switch to Elland Road.

The Whites are also said to be keen on signing Ipswich Town striker George Hirst, who has struggled for playing time in the Premier League this season, starting only three matches in the competition. For that reason, a fresh challenge may appeal, especially as the Tractor Boys are almost certainly heading back to the Championship.

"Skilful" Leeds player wanted by "interested parties"

According to Blick [via Sport Witness], Isaac Schmidt could leave Leeds at the end of the season, potentially not being seen as an important player upon the Whites’ return to the Premier League. The need to strengthen will make it hard for him to earn regular minutes and there are claimed to be “numerous interested parties” in the 25-year-old.

This summer does feel like the right time for Leeds and Schmidt to part ways, even though the two-cap Switzerland international did feature in the aforementioned thumping of Stoke, playing for 13 minutes after coming on as a substitute.

He hasn’t started once in the Championship all season, instead coming on 12 times and playing just 71 minutes in total in the competition, so it’s hard to see his situation changing when the Whites are playing at an even higher level next season.

Isaac Schmidt’s 2024/25 Championship stats	Total
Appearances	12
Starts	0
Minutes played	71
Goals	0
Assists	0
Tackles per game	0.4
Clearances per game	0.3
Interceptions per game	0.3
Aerial duel wins per game	0.1

Schmidt’s move to Leeds simply hasn’t worked out to date, having arrived from St. Gallen later year, even though Siwzrterland manager Murat Yakin has spoken positively about him, saying: “I really liked Isaac! He was skillful, he won all his duels and he was good offensively.”

For Leeds, it’s now a case of the Whites nailing their summer transfer business, hopefully aided by plenty of funds being made available by 49ers Enterprises.

Leeds could axe Farke by hiring "the most underrated manager in the PL"

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By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 24, 2025

A big decision needs to be made regarding Farke’s future, too, either retaining his services or hiring a replacement who has enough time to bring in the right players.

Ipswich Town have agreed a deal to sign a new teenage midfielder ahead of Premier League side AFC Bournemouth.

Ipswich set for relegation as Tractor Boys prepare for summer

Kieran McKenna’s side could officially be relegated from the top flight this weekend as they travel to Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, 17th place West Ham travel to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Anything but five straight wins for Ipswich, coupled with five straight defeats for West Ham and a 20-goal swing in goal difference will relegated the Tractor Boys.

When asked about the lessons he’s learned in the Premier League, McKenna recently said: “There’s a whole list of things. But there’s plenty of time for that in the summer, the season is still strong.

“Of course, we’ve been reflecting and having discussions as we’ve gone along. Most of those reflections will stay in-house, to be honest, because I think it’s the right way, but I think it’s fair to say that most of them are regarding the unique challenge that we came into this year.

“They are not necessarily the finer details of football, they are more about the scale and the challenge of bringing up a football club so quickly from where it was to compete in the best league in the world – in this, a very, very difficult season in that league.

“As a football club, from the manager to every staff member to the board here, we will all have learned an awful lot about that scenario. I still have a lot of pride and belief in how we’ve tried to tackle that challenge.”

Ipswich now pursue new deal for £27,500-a-week star amid Burnley interest

Burnley and Leeds are once again going head-to-head but this time off the pitch.

By
Brett Worthington

Apr 24, 2025

Heading into the summer and a likely Championship campaign, Ipswich could lose a number of star players, including striker Liam Delap who will have his release clause lowered to £30m after relegation.

In regards to incomings, Ipswich have been linked with a plethora of players, some of which have been teenagers. Sheffield United forward Ryan One has been identified as a potential replacement for Delap, whereas 17-year-old defender Corbin Mthunzi, formerly of Brighton, has penned professional terms after a successful trial.

Ipswich Town remaining Premier League fixtures	Date
Newcastle United vs Ipswich Town	April 26
Everton vs Ipswich Town	May 3
Ipswich Town vs Brentford	May 10
Leicester City vs Ipswich Town	May 18
Ipswich Town vs West Ham	May 25

Now, another teenager has followed Mthunzi in signing at Portman Road.

Ipswich sign young midfielder on three-year contract

As relayed by TWTD, it has been announced by agency Dominance Sports Group that 17-year-old midfielder Charlie Wood will sign for Ipswich Town on July 1st after a three-year deal was agreed.

Taking to Instagram, Dominance Sports Group: “Charlie Wood has completed his transfer to Premier League side Ipswich Town from National League North side Needham Market, signing a three-year professional contract. Subject to FA & League approval on 1st July 2025.”

Wood is almost 6 foot tall and is a central midfielder who has also been on an extended trial with Bournemouth this season. It was his displays with the Cherries that caught the eye of Ipswich, who have now made their move for his services.

Previously of Needham Market, Wood has played first-team football in non-league and his next challenge will be to break into the first-team picture with the Tractor Boys with a deal until 2028.

Leeds United have a huge summer ahead of them if they are to secure Premier League survival next season after claiming promotion from the Championship this time around.

Daniel Farke’s side claimed the league title on goal difference on the final day after Manor Solomon’s late effort against Plymouth Argyle on the final day secured all three points.

The Whites finished top of the pile alongside Burnley, with both clubs ending the year on 100 points, highlighting the strength of the sides at the top of the division.

Such an achievement is just the beginning for the German, desperately needing to halt the current trend of sides suffering an immediate return to the second tier after promotion.

If he is to manage such a feat over the next year at Elland Road, he desperately needs to be backed in the market to hand him the best possible chance of success in Yorkshire.

An update on Leeds’ pursuit of new additions this summer

After securing promotion, it would be a surprise to no one to see Leeds linked with numerous players to help bolster the first team squad ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Ipswich Town winger Omari Hutchinson has been one name touted with a switch to join the Whites after the Tractor Boys suffered relegation from the Premier League in recent weeks.

However, he’s not alone on their shortlist, with Leicester City talisman Jamie Vardy the latest player linked with a switch to link up with Farke’s side, according to Football Insider.

The report claims that the Whites are plotting a move for the 38-year-old after announcing he would be departing the King Power at the end of the current season – subsequently making him a free agent.

It also states that his experience and record in England’s top-flight have made him a key target for the club as they look to once again establish themselves in the top-flight after a two-year absence.

Why Leeds’ summer target could be Farke’s own Beckford

Centre-forward Jermaine Beckford arrived at Elland Road from non-league outfit Wealdstone in 2006 after impressing enough to earn himself a switch to a then-Championship club.

He would have to bide his time in Yorkshire, even being sent on two loan spells, before making a huge impact in the first-team squad, cementing his place as the side’s main talisman.

Beckford went on to score 85 goals and provided 11 assists in 141 appearances in all competitions across three seasons – before getting his own Premier League move to Everton back in 2010.

However, he gave the supporters numerous moments to remember, none more so than the winning goal in the FA Cup clash with rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.

They could land their next version of the forward with a summer move for Vardy, with the pair possessing a similar playstyle given their desire to run in behind and cause defenders an issue.

The duo are also similar in the fact that they both came through the non-league ladder before making an impact at their respective clubs – with Leeds desperately needing to take a gamble on the experienced frontman.

Vardy, who’s been labelled “sensational” by former boss Brendan Rodgers, has still managed to impress this campaign despite the Foxes suffering relegation, posting numerous impressive figures in key areas.

Jamie Vardy’s stats for Leicester in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

33

Goals & assists

11

Shots taken

1.8

Pass accuracy

71%

Dribbles completed

47%

Aerials won

1.7

Aerial success rate

49%

Stats via FotMob

He’s registered eight goals and three assists in his 33 appearances, ending the season as their top scorer, still having the skillset to impress within the final third should he move to Yorkshire.

The former Fleetwood Town ace has also won 1.7 aerial duels won per 90, having the ability to offer Farke an experienced and all-round option at the top end of Farke’s side.

If they are to buck the current trend, new additions are desperately needed this summer, with funds needing to be spent to help the manager in his quest.

Vardy may not be everyone’s first choice when it comes to signings this summer, but he could prove to be an excellent squad option, offering depth and quality in their pursuit of making themselves an established top-flight outfit.

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Manchester City would have been watching the Premier League results coming in on Saturday with glee, especially when Arsenal shockingly collapsed to a 2-1 defeat at home to AFC Bournemouth.

That surprise loss at the Emirates means Pep Guardiola’s men – off the back of downing Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 on Friday night – are only three points off matching the Gunners in second spot, meaning the rest of May could be a fight now to see who is second best to Arne Slot’s runaway Liverpool.

With an FA Cup trophy also potentially in their hands, this season, once written off as a misfire, might well have some positives after all, with some big buys in the summer boosting City’s chances of becoming Premier League title challengers again.

Man City close in on big-money target

Guardiola and Co have been linked to a whole host of names as the 2024/25 campaign begins to wind down, with the main face dominating conversation being Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz.

According to reports, Bayern Munich are also interested, meaning City would have to pursue alternative targets in the midfield areas, with the likes of Gabriel Sara also reportedly on their radar.

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But, a different path could be explored by the serial winners shortly, with a new report by journalist Graeme Bailey revealing that long-standing City target Morgan Gibbs-White is contemplating his future at Nottingham Forest.

Both Liverpool and Newcastle United are also keen to add the 25-year-old attacking midfielder to their rosters, but it remains to be seen which club would be willing to splash out the mammoth £100m asking price to land the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers man.

Whether or not City want to pay that price, according to Fabrizio Romano on Sunday, the Citizens are planning to advance their efforts to sign the Englishman soon.

After all, City have already seen what Gibbs-White is capable of when he assisted this sweet strike versus them back in March, with the potential here for the two-time England international to strike up a fierce relationship with Erling Haaland up top.

How Gibbs-White could get more out of Haaland

The Nordic goal machine does have his deficiencies when it comes to long spells out of the side with injury, but when he’s at the peak of his powers and purring in front of goal, there are few attackers better than the 24-year-old in world football.

Overall this season, Haaland finds himself on a blistering 30 strikes from 40 clashes, with 21 of those coming in the bread and butter of the Premier League, even when City have regularly found themselves off the boil.

Therefore, throwing in Gibbs-White to the mix could only work wonders for Haaland’s potency, with the 25-year-old actually bettering the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan in terms of assists this season in the Premier League.

In the words of by football statistician Statman Dave, he has been a “magician” for the Tricky Trees, amassing nine assists in the league, with his equally impressive goal count of five strikes from 30 league games no doubt enhancing Guardiola’s men in the forward areas even more if a signature was reached.

While De Bruyne makes more key passes per game with two, Gibbs-White isn’t far behind with 1.5 in the Premier League this season. That’s a number that would rank him fourth in the City squad, ahead of other midfielders in the shape of Gundogan, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes and Rodri.

1. Savinho

27

8

2. Kevin De Bruyne

25

7

3. Jeremy Doku

26

6

4. Matheus Nunes

24

5

5. Ilkay Gundogan

31

5

Evidently, City do need to freshen in the attacking midfield spots with De Bruyne heading for the exit door and Gundogan failing to find the back of the net in the league this season from 31 contests.

Therefore, Gibbs-White might be the transformative body City desire, with the £100m target also a potentially perfect teammate for Haaland to bounce off of to enable the goals to flow even more from their clinical number nine.

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Everton are on the verge of entering a new era and could be closing in on one of their first signings to grace the turf of Bramley Moore Dock, according to reports in the player’s homeland.

Everton gear up for an exciting summer under David Moyes

Everton’s spirits weren’t dampened too much despite surrendering a two-goal lead to Ipswich Town in their penultimate fixture at Goodison Park. Evidently, there is still a fragility that remains within David Moyes’ group of players, but there is plenty of optimism that the Scot can rectify any lingering problems in the summer transfer window.

Internally, Carlos Alcaraz is poised to sign for Everton permanently following his loan spell from Flamengo. Evaluating their situation, he will be far from the only one recruited to bolster squad depth.

Moyes has identified Sheffield United’s Gustavo Hamer as a priority target to add another dimension in midfield, with implementing a greater level of creativity set to be one of his main aims moving forward.

Traditionally, Everton are a hard-working outfit who have the steel needed for the cut and thrust of the Premier League. Still, a little stardust could help them reach a higher level.

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Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy may also join the Toffees on a free transfer if they can find a way to meet his wage demands amid his current pay packet every week sitting at £140,000.

Finding solutions across several positions is likely to be on their agenda, and Everton could now swoop for a long-term successor to right-back duo Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young if reports are to be believed.

Everton in advanced talks to sign Georgios Vagiannidis

According to Greek show Athletic Sunday, Everton are in advanced talks to sign Panathinaikos right-back Georgios Vagiannidis after putting forward their opening proposal to sign the 23-year-old. Veteran pair Coleman and Young are out of contract at the club, while Nathan Patterson has been far from a mainstay this season, amplifying the need for a replacement.

Georgios Vagiannidis’ statistics in 2024/25 – Greek Super League

Chances created

21

Successful dribbles

33

Successful crosses

11

Tackles won

24

Recoveries

100

Aerial duels won

36

Enjoying a fine campaign, Vagiannidis has registered one goal and three assists in 38 appearances this campaign as Panathanaikos look to secure continental qualification.

Labelled “complete” by scout/writer Jacek Kulig, who also likened the Greece international to Kyle Walker, he is also attracting interest from Brighton & Hove Albion as competition for his signature begins to heat up.

Jake O’Brien has been a major asset for Everton since taking a step to the right, but it is clear that more help is needed to provide adequate depth on that side of the defence.

Crucially, the Toffees should have the funds to do so courtesy of The Friedkin Group, making for an exciting few months once deals begin to be pushed over the line.

Five points clear of third and with just three games to go, Leeds United can begin to tentatively start plotting for life in the Premier League next season, having surged back to the summit following Friday’s narrow victory away at Oxford United.

The Yorkshire side have shaken off a March wobble amid what has been an unbeaten month so far in the Championship, with Daniel Farke’s men having now claimed three successive victories to bolster their desperate bid for promotion.

While history would suggest it would be foolish to start popping the champagne just yet, it would appear that the Whites will be able to avoid the lottery of the playoffs this time around, with Manor Solomon’s strike proving the difference at the Kassam Stadium.

The on-loan Tottenham Hotspur man expertly converted at the backpost following Jayden Bogle’s threaded pass across the box, with the visitors also going close to doubling that tally after the break, as Ao Tanaka notably struck the post from range.

Aided by the defensive solidity of the likes of Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu, the Whites were thankfully not made to pay for their inability to kill the game off, albeit with questions still needing to be asked of the attacking unit – including young Wilfried Gnonto.

Wilfried Gnonto's game in numbers vs Oxford

If and when Leeds do book their place back in the top-flight, the Elland Road side will largely have their backline to thank for that much-needed success, having shipped just 29 goals in 43 league games thus far.

While Farke’s men are also way out in front with regard to goals scored – having netted 24 more times than Burnley behind them – things have begun to dry up of late, with the league leaders scoring just five times in four outings in April.

Winning games is, undoubtedly, all that matters, although there may be a concern that Leeds aren’t truly putting teams to the sword, with Gnonto among those in the forward line who are currently failing to fire.

Indeed, the diminutive Italian – who notably looked set for an exit following the club’s relegation in 2023 – has scored just six goals and registered only five assists in the second tier this season, a record that includes just a solitary goal involvement since the start of February.

With summer signing Largie Ramazani waiting in the wings, Gnonto has still remained a first-choice figure regardless of his wayward form, with Friday evening seeing the 21-year-old fail to register a single key pass or complete a single dribble before his late withdrawal.

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The 40-touch speedster also lost five of his seven total duels and registered just a solitary shot amid his waning influence, with Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth awarding him a 5/10 match rating, while writing that he simply ‘couldn’t get going’.

In truth, Gnonto is hardly showcasing signs of a player who can light up the Premier League next season – the same is also true of Joel Piroe.

Why Leeds need to upgrade on £15k-p/w star

It’s worth noting that Friday wasn’t exactly a poor outing for the former Swansea City man, with Piroe notably teeing up Brenden Aaronson in the first half with a clever reverse pass – having registered two key passes in total on the night.

Appearances

43

xG

15.06

Goals

15

Key passes per game

0.9

Pass accuracy

77%

Ground duel success rate

33%

Aerial duel success rate

20%

Dribble success rate

31%

That said, it was another example of the Dutchman proving something of a bystander to proceedings even as his side pushed for a second, with the 25-year-old registering just 31 touches in all, fewer than teammate Karl Darlow recorded in the sticks (38).

While he can represent an effective link man, the £15k-per-week enigma hasn’t shown that much-needed cutting edge amid what is a crucial stage of the campaign, with the 15-goal marksman having now gone nine games without a goal.

What makes that record even more frustrating is that Piroe isn’t exactly thriving as the focal point in the team either, with the trip to Oxford seeing him lose the ball on ten occasions, while having lost ten of his 16 total duels.

As Smyth – who did award the former PSV man a 7/10 match rating – noted, Piroe also notably ‘faded’ after the interval, with it having been no surprise when he was ultimately replaced by Patrick Bamford on the 75-minute mark.

It would seem that Leeds will edge their way to promotion regardless of Piroe’s struggles of late, although it hardly bodes well for the impact that he can make when Farke’s side are competing in top-flight action next term.

While the signing of a new goalkeeper may be among the list of priorities this summer, the Yorkshire outfit are also in need of a genuine upgrade in the centre-forward ranks if they are to avoid a swift return to the Championship.

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Celtic appear set to conclude yet another very successful season in style.

On Wednesday night, despite the fact Brendan Rodgers made wholesale changes, the Hoops won 5-1 at Pittodrie, thanks to goals from Maik Nawrocki, Yang Hyun-jun, Luke McCowan, young striker Johnny Kenny and then Adam Idah.

Idah’s goal was his 20th of the campaign across all competitions and, given that Nicolas Kühn and Daizen Maeda had already reached this milestone, this is the first time since 1969/70 Celtic have had a trio of players register 20+ goals.

The Hoops will be presented with a record-equalling 55th Premiership trophy on Saturday, before seeking to complete a sixth treble in just nine seasons when they meet Aberdeen again in the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden a week later.

However, Rodgers is never satisfied, so he is targeting a new winger, in a deal reminiscent of, arguably, the best player he’s ever had across his two stints as Celtic manager.

Scott Sinclair's Celtic career in numbers

When Scott Sinclair arrived at Celtic from Aston Villa for a reported fee of £3m in the summer of 2016, his career was at a bit of a crossroads, looking to rediscover his best form, joining to link up with Rodgers, who’d previously been his manager at Swansea.

Well, few could’ve forecast how good the Englishman would prove to be, scoring 25 goals during his first season in Glasgow, named Celtic Player of the Year, both the Players’ and Supporters’ awards, PFA Players’ Player of the Year as well as SFWA Footballer of the Year, a clean-sweep of all the individual accolades.

In total, Sinclair scored 62 times in 167 appearances for Celtic, averaging a goal every 185 minutes, and he remains the highest-scoring player at the club under Rodgers across both his tenures as boss.

Scott Sinclair

148

60

Moussa Dembélé

94

51

James Forrest

207

45

Daizen Maeda

85

43

Callum McGregor

246

37

Leigh Griffiths

87

37

Kyōgo Furuhashi

82

31

Adam Idah

70

29

Odsonne Édouard

68

27

As the table outlines, Sinclair is still clear by quite some distance at the top of this ranking although, if Maeda continues to score at this season’s rate next time round, who knows, he could overtake the Englishman by Christmas.

Fast-forward to the present day, with Jota sidelined for up to nine months, Celtic are in the market for a new wide attacker this summer, so they could go into the market to land a replacement

Celtic could sign their new Sinclair

According to a report by Stephen McGowan of the Herald, Celtic are ‘monitoring’ winger Tyrhys Dolan, who is expected to leave EFL Championship club Blackburn Rovers following the expiration of his contract, thereby becoming available for a ‘minimal compensation fee’.

Blackburn manager Valérien Ismaël was desperate to keep the 23-year-old at Ewood Park, labelling him an “important player”, adding that “he’s at a really good age… but [has] a lot of experience already”, however, Rovers were unable to convince Dolan to sign a new contract.

Elliott Jackson of the Lancashire Telegraph believes Dolan is “absolutely terrific”, while writer Kai Watson describes him as “quick” and a “direct… goal threat”, assertions that are supported by the table below.

Minutes

3,175

86th

Goals

7

42nd

Assists

6

18th

Shots

50

61st

Shots on target %

44%

20th

Shot-creating actions

99

41st

Goal-creating actions

17

7th

Attempted take-ons

152

7th

Progressive carries

94

27th

Carries into the final third

72

15th

As the table outlines, Dolan’s primary strength is his dribbling, with only six players registering more attempted take-ons, despite the fact he only featured in 77% of Blackburn’s total minutes.

Just like Sinclair, Dolan has shown plenty of promise at Championship level.

Before joining Celtic, Sinclair’s most productive campaign came during Swansea’s promotion season under Rodgers of 2010/11, scoring 27 times across all competitions, including a hat-trick in the play-off final victory over Reading at Wembley.

The duo share many of the same attributes: explosive pace, high-quality dribbling skills and an eye for goal.

Thus, if Celtic are able to get this deal over the line, especially considering Dolan is set to become a free agent on 1 July, they’d get their hands on a fantastic new wide attacker.

​​​​​​​

Not just Nawrocki: Exciting Celtic star just made himself unsellable

Maik Nawrocki was not the only rarely seen Celtic star who caught the eye against Aberdeen.

ByDan Emery May 15, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur went into last weekend on something of an increasingly rare high.

For everything else that has gone wrong this season, the North Londoners had just secured their place in the Europa League Final, and therefore the chance to make this campaign a memorable one.

Unfortunately, the little positivity there among the crowd quickly disappeared as Ange Postecoglou oversaw yet another dismal showing in the Premier League, which ultimately ended in the club picking up their 20th league defeat in the competition.

Unsurprisingly, then, reports have continued to emerge linking the club with a host of new managers, including one who’s got Champions League experience and would be a massive upgrade on Postecoglou.

Tottenham's manager search

With the domestic campaign being as much of a disaster as it has this year, it’s hardly been a surprise that, in recent weeks anyway, there has been an avalanche of reports linking the club to a plethora of top managers, like Marco Silva and Simone Inzaghi.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Since taking charge of Fulham in 2021, the former has helped transform the Cottagers from a Championship side who’d come up and go straight back down on a regular basis into a comfortable mid-table side.

However, with little to no experience in managing a truly big club, the spotlight in North London could be a little too bright for the Portuguese coach.

In contrast, Inzaghi would be an incredible appointment down to his brilliant record with Lazio and Inter Milan, but due to the incredible work he’s done at the San Siro, it feels like hiring him is nothing more than a pipe dream.

So, this need to strike a balance between attainable and exciting might help explain the links to Roberto De Zerbi that have popped up in recent weeks.

For example, it was reported late last month that the former Brighton & Hove Albion boss is someone appreciated by many at Spurs, and then only last week, talkSPORT revealed that he’d be open to returning to the Premier League this summer.

It could be a complicated deal to get done, but one thing is certain: he’d be a significant upgrade on Postecoglou.

How De Zerbi compares to Postecoglou

So, if Spurs are able to convince the Italian coach that they’re the perfect club for him to take charge of ahead of next season, why would he do a better job than Postecoglou?

Well, the first thing to look at is their respective records in English football, as while the Australian has a marginally better one, it should be far greater given the size of Tottenham compared to Brighton and the nature of the latter constantly losing their biggest talents.

For example, the former Celtic manager has managed 98 games in England, of which his side has won 46, drawn 14 and lost 38, which comes out to a points-per-game average of 1.55 – a number seriously helped by the ten-game-winning streak from the start of last season.

Games (All Comps)

89

35

98

Wins

38

20

46

Draws

20

5

14

Losses

31

10

38

Points per Game

1.51

1.86

1.55

In contrast, the former Sassuolo boss managed to win 38 of his 89 games in charge of the Seagulls, drawing 20 and losing 31, which comes out to a points-per-game average of 1.51.

However, since moving to Marseille, the “genius” tactician, as dubbed by analyst Statman Dave, has overseen 20 wins, five losses and 10 defeats, which comes out to a far more impressive point-per-game average of 1.86.

Moreover, the fact he’s managed at a club as massive and intense as the French giants is another big plus; if he’s been able to cope with the pressures on the French Riviera, he’d be fine in North London – which hasn’t been the case for Postecoglou this year.

Finally, on top of doing well in France, the 45-year-old is often credited with being something of an innovator, with Pep Guardiola, of all people, describing him as “one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years.”

Ultimately, it now feels like there is no future for Ange at Spurs, and while he might not be as big a name as some would like, De Zerbi is the perfect combination of gettable, exciting and capable of handling big clubs.

As well as Davies: 3/10 Spurs dud must be axed for the Europa League final

This Tottenham Hotspur player should be dropped for the Europa League final as well as Ben Davies.

ByDan Emery May 12, 2025