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Celtic are going to have to move incredibly quickly in the last few weeks of the window to ensure they aren’t left behind by their rivals.

The Hoops have signed a fair few players already but with player exits and the need to improve in mind, Ange Postecoglou desperately needs further recruits.

What’s the word?

Celtic lost Scott Brown this summer as their former captain headed for Aberdeen in a player-coach capacity.

However, despite the arrival of ex-Sheffield Wednesday youngster Liam Shaw, they are yet to replace his influence in the middle of the park.

One player who’s been on the Hoops’ radar for a while now is James McCarthy. Their interest dates back to last summer but after his contract expired with Crystal Palace last month, he is now a free agent.

As a result, Dominic McKay and co won’t need to part ways with much cash in order to bring him to Glasgow.

According to the Daily Mail, the Bhoys are still very much interested in signing him too.

Soro upgrade

When Celtic considered another move for McCarthy a few months ago, it looked like a mistake.

After all, Postecoglou needed to take this Celtic side in the direction of youth, rather than players who may be past their best.

He had Ismaila Soro and Shaw to bring through as Brown’s heir but so far, his influence has actually been missing.

Shaw is yet to start for the Bhoys in a competitive fixture while Soro has unfortunately endured a torrid start to the season.

During the second leg against Midtjylland, the Ivorian was way below his best, winning just two of ten ground duels that he attempted. In the process, the young midfielder made an alarming four fouls.

Soro was again poor against Hearts last weekend, making five fouls and winning only two of his seven ground duels.

He looked like a promising young prospect last term but his start to the new campaign has proven that he still has some maturing to do in order to become a regular in the side.

Therefore, by signing McCarthy, they could give themselves a safer pair of hands.

Dubbed a “class act” by Roy Hodgson, the 42-cap international is secure in possession of the ball but importantly, he’s astute in defensive situations. A consistent performer in the Premier League, he won 2.5 tackles per match in his last season of regular action for the Eagles.

Coincidentally, that’s the same number as his career average and also a better tally than Soro. He won just 1.9 tackles per match in the Premiership last season by comparison.

Subsequently, the Hoops recruitment team are right to be searching for a player in the mould of McCarthy; they certainly need another midfielder.

AND in other news, Postecoglou could repeat Celtic’s Arzani nightmare by signing 26-goal ace…

Carlton Palmer has urged Crystal Palace to make a move for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

What’s the talk?

The former Premier League midfielder has claimed that signing Aaron Ramsey would be a sign of intent from the Eagles.

Palace have been linked with a swoop for the Juventus star this summer and Palmer thinks that bigger sides will be joining southeast Londoners in the race for his signature.

He told This is Futbol:

“It is a sign of intent. I was hearing the rumour that Arsenal were interested in signing him.

“I would think he’s having a fantastic Euros. I would think, with no disrespect to Crystal Palace, I would think there’ll be bigger clubs that will be in for him.”

Back in 2019, former Arsenal defender Martin Keown praised the outstanding midfielder. He told BT Sport, as transcribed by the Daily Mail:

“He continues to mature as a player and develop. He’s a real leader now in this Arsenal team.

“Playing in a deeper role, as he did under Arsene Wenger – I think that’s the best role for him. If you want Ozil and him in the same team. He’s so important to everything to do. It’s the energy – the box-to-box energy. He’s become an outstanding technician.”

Fans would love it

Steve Parish must act swiftly to ensure that Palace are able to beat out any potential competitors for Ramsey’s signature this summer.

Palmer believes that bigger clubs will be coming in for him, which means that Palace need to move quickly to make sure that those sides do not have the chance to swoop in for the Welsh international.

If Parish is aggressive with his pursuit of Ramsey then it could increase Palace’s chances of signing him by reducing the time other clubs have to prepare their offers.

Palace fans would love it if Ramsey arrived at Selhurst Park this summer.

Ramsey is a proven performer at Premier League level and would be able to come in and have an instant impact on the side.

It is almost a risk-free signing from a performance perspective as there is no doubt over the £13m-rated midfielder’s ability to play in the Premier League, with 262 appearances in the English top-flight to his name.

He produced 40 goals and 51 assists for Arsenal in the Premier League and has scored five and assisted six in 46 Serie A matches for Juventus, not to mention his starring role at Euro 2020 so far this month.

The £187k-per-week maestro would, therefore, be a terrific addition to Palace’s squad and inject quality into their midfield.

Ramsey has shown that he can score and assist goals from midfield whilst playing for two top clubs in Arsenal and Juventus, suggesting that he could do the same for Palace.

This is why the fans would love him at the club, as he could help fire them up the table with his performances in the middle of the park.

AND in other news, Parish dealt major Palace blow over “interesting” 6ft 3 beast, fans will be gutted…

Former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that Crystal Palace or any other club currently in need of a manager should be looking at Eddie Howe.

Howe was on course to succeed Neil Lennon at Celtic; however, talks to take him to Glasgow broke down at the end of last month.

It leaves the 43-year-old still without a job following his departure from Bournemouth last year, though that could easily change, with so many Premier League opportunities currently available.

That includes Palace, who have parted ways with Roy Hodgson, and when asked by FFC if Howe is someone they should now be looking at, Palmer replied:

“Yeah. I’d take him anywhere, me. I’d take him at any club, anywhere. I like him. He’s innovative, he’s forward thinking, he’s always learning and he’s done a fantastic job at Bournemouth over the years.

“Any of the clubs that have been mentioned that manager jobs are available, I’d take Eddie Howe, all day long.”

Howe had actually been linked with Crystal Palace amid all of that Celtic talk, so perhaps that is something the south London club could visit now that joining the former Scottish Premiership champions is definitely off the table.

Harry Kane has insisted that he wants to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer and if he does end up leaving the north London club, Dean Windass has backed Steven Bergwijn to replace the golden boot winner.

Even for Kane’s high standards last season was a special one as he finished as the Premier League’s top scorer for the third time, but also finished the campaign with the most assists in the league. However, that was not enough to win the PFA Player of the Year award.

Since arriving in January 2020, Bergwijn has failed to impress on a consistent basis managing just four goals in 51 league appearances, but under a new manager and in a new role he could flourish and prove why Spurs brought him from PSV Eindhoven.

He has only ever been deployed as a striker 11 times as he has spent most of his career as a winger, but to save his club several million this summer he could put his hat in the ring to replace Kane if he goes, according to Windass who spoke exclusively to Football FanCast:

“It could be a situation now where it’s a great opportunity for him because he could say he’s number one now if Kane does end up leaving. I know he’s played in the wide areas but the boy is a talent.

“He’s only a young boy and I watched the Spurs documentary and when he signed he looked quite happy and his family were quite happy. So he’ll be rubbing his hands together now, not for the fact that he’s losing Harry Kane but because it’s a great opportunity for the kid.”

It would not likely be a good replacement for Kane in the eyes of Tottenham fans considering Kane is regarded as one of the best strikers in world football, whereas Bergwijn has only ever scored more than nine goals in a season once.

If the worst does happen and Kane leaves, whoever is the new manager will have a very large transfer budget to sort the squad out and improve it in almost every area after a very poor previous campaign.

Sunderland are set to complete the signing of exciting West Brom youngster Tyrese Dyce, according to a fresh report which emerged on Tuesday.

The Lowdown: Johnson plans for promotion push

The Black Cats came agonisingly close to securing promotion to the Championship last season, falling short after a League One playoff defeat to Lincoln City.

It is now Lee Johnson’s job to mastermind another promotion push in 2020/21, with new signings potentially needed in order for that to happen.

The Latest: Black Cats to sign Dyce

According to Football Insider, Sunderland have ‘agreed a deal’ to sign Dyce, with the 20-year-old’s West Brom contract expiring on Wednesday.

A club source has confirmed that he is set to join on a free transfer when his Baggies deal expires, having scored two goals and registered three assists in 22 Under-23s appearances for the Baggies.

The Verdict: Long-term prospect

While Dyce may not immediately arrive as a key first-team player, he is a long-term prospect with lots of potential, rather than a quick fix who could end up leaving after one season.

The youngster could possibly end up being a strong backup for Callum McFadzean at left-back, assuming he makes impressive early strides at the Stadium of Light, and the fact that he would cost nothing makes it less of a risk.

In other news, a pundit has slammed Sunderland for one key reason. Read more here.

Speaking live on Sky Sports News (via Football Daily), journalist Kaveh Solhekol has shared news on Tottenham Hotspur and their hunt for a new manager.

The Lowdown: Big past 24 hours

In the past 24 hours, we’ve seen a handful of major stories come out of the woodwork which could really affect Tottenham Hotspur and their search for an heir to Jose Mourinho.

Firstly, former Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte quit the San Siro on Wednesday over disputes regarding the club’s way forward (Fabrizio Romano) – with the Italian now a free agent.

The Athletic then lifted the lid on Spurs talks with former boss and fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino as he becomes a possible contender for the role.

The Latest: Solhekol shares all on Conte…

Sharing news on the Conte situation amid his links to Spurs, Sky Sports reporter Solhekol has now revealed what he knows after ‘talking to people close’ to the 51-year-old.

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“Obviously, we’ve been making some phone calls, talking to people close to Antonio Conte,” explained the journalist live with Sky Sports on Wednesday (via Football Daily).

“What they’re telling us this evening is they think that Spurs are looking for a softer manager who’s personality would be easier to manage.

“I don’t think you could describe Antonio Conte as somebody who’s a soft manager or somebody who has a personality who’s easier to manage.

“From people close to him, he doesn’t look like he’s going to Spurs.”

The Verdict: Makes sense…

Amid the huge news of Pochettino’s talks with Tottenham, it’s hardly surprising that Conte’s move to north London seems unlikely given the difference in profiles.

Tottenham had been thought to want an open, attack-minded manager in the image of Pochettino and the 51-year-old arguably doesn’t fit that bill.

One person who does, of course, is Pochettino himself – and the recently emerged negotiations to bring him back to Tottenham appear to be taking precedence.

However, it is believed that PSG will fight tooth and nail to keep him with chairman Daniel Levy possibly facing a difficult task.

In other news: Spurs now want this ‘nearly unplayable’ star, find out more here.

Hands up if you saw that coming, then? After falling to a tame 2-0 defeat to Arsenal last time out in the Premier League, Newcastle bounced back in style with a 4-2 win over high-flying Leicester on Friday night.

Steve Bruce’s side looked almost unrecognisable from the one which surrendered meekly against the Gunners, racing into a four-goal lead at the King Power Stadium and completely blowing the Foxes away.

While a late rally threatened an improbable comeback from Brendan Rodgers’ side, the Magpies held firm, and once again they had Callum Wilson to thank for another virtuoso goalscoring display.

The striker was at his clinical best and looked a danger every time on the counter-attack, taking his brace with aplomb. His first goal was superbly dispatched, fending off Timothy Castagne and then having the composure to take it past Kasper Schmeichel before tucking it away.

The England international then wrapped things up after seeing his first effort come off the post and rebound straight back to him, capping off a fantastic night for the 29-year-old and Newcastle.

Dubbed “magnificent” by The Athletic’s Chris Waugh, Wilson looked every bit of the number nine Newcastle thought they were getting when they signed him from Bournemouth last summer.

Writing in his post-match player ratings for The Chronicle, Lee Ryder gave him a nine, saying: “What a signing he was for £20m. Two goals to take him to 12 in an injury-hit season. Looks so powerful on the break. Clinical.”

Despite only completing six passes in the entire game, it was Wilson’s off-the-ball movement which really undid the Leicester defence, who simply couldn’t keep up with his pace and power.

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While Bruce was quick to insist that Newcastle still aren’t safe from relegation from the Premier League, there’s no questioning that Wilson’s goals up front have been the key to ensuring the Magpies have avoided the drop.

While Joe Willock has been an absolute revelation in recent weeks with his goalscoring form, adding another to his tally last night, Wilson has been the man the Magpies have relied upon all season.

In other news, Steve Bruce must avoid making a transfer blunder over this Newcastle ace.

Southampton are being linked with a move for Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek ahead of the summer transfer window and should he join Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side for next season, he could form a superb partnership with James Ward-Prowse in midfield.

According to the Express, Southampton were keen on signing the England international on loan last summer before he joined Fulham and Hasenhuttl’s side are willing to offer him another chance in the top-flight next season, despite his disappointing spell with the Cottagers.

In 28 Premier League appearances for Scott Parker’s side, the 25-year-old has managed just one goal and no assists, earning a less than impressive 6.52 average rating for his performances from WhoScored.

Loftus-Cheek is a product of Chelsea’s academy and was once regarded as the next big thing at Stamford Bridge but he has unfortunately been unable to live up to his immense potential, with injury problems undoubtedly playing their part.

However, his performances in the past earned him a spot at the World Cup with England so he clearly has a lot of ability and he perhaps wasn’t able to showcase that as often as he would have liked playing in a relegation side this season.

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He has shown glimpses of his ability, earning rave reviews from Parker earlier in the season after his performance in a draw against Liverpool, for which he was labelled “exceptional” by the young manager.

The six-foot-three midfielder would certainly add a physical presence in Hasenhuttl’s midfield and could definitely work well alongside Saints captain Ward-Prowse, who would perhaps have more freedom to dictate play alongside a box-to-box player such as Loftus-Cheek.

Only Stuart Armstrong and Kyle Walker-Peters have averaged more dribbles per game than Loftus-Cheek in the Premier League this season, which emphasises his ability to carry the ball through the middle. That’s something the Saints arguably lack when Armstrong plays out wide, as Ward-Prowse often plays alongside the more conservative Ibrahima Diallo or Oriol Romeu.

Therefore, if Southampton could bring the Chelsea man in on loan this summer, he could definitely prove to be an excellent addition in midfield alongside Ward-Prowse. It would certainly be well worth the risk from Saints vice-chairman Martin Semmens.

And, in other news… Southampton could sign their ideal Ings heir with “magnificent” 19-goal beast

Many Everton fans have been left to buzz as a new manager candidate emerged in the form of Sergio Conceicao.

As per sports journalist Pete O’Rourke, the current boss at FC Porto is in the frame for the job at Goodison Park, after Carlo Ancelotti left the Merseyside club to go and manage Real Madrid.

Conceicao’s preferred formation is a 4-4-2, which could be the way to go for the Toffees, given that they only managed to score a mere 47 goals in the Premier League in the 2020/21 season, the lowest by far out of any team in the top half of the table (Sky Sports).

Playing with two strikers would give them more opportunities to score, and give some much-needed help to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who found himself very isolated at times in games this term.

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Conceicao has also won numerous trophies throughout his managerial career so far, and would believe that he can do so again with the Blues, offering his valuable winning mentality.

Everton fans on Conceicao manager update

These EFC supporters buzzed as the manager update was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it was ‘exciting’:

“This one appeals”

Credit: @paulwithe

“Appoint him immediately”

Credit: @FinKitch

“Get it done”

Credit: @brenters85

“Oooo this may be an exciting one!”

Credit: @ctayts

“@Gwladruns yes please”Credit: @ellieq”Yes from me”Credit: @_SK1994_In other news, find out what manager update has left Toffees raving here!

There are very few superlatives in the dictionary that are appropriate when trying to analyse former Wolves target, Idrissa Gueye.Once of the Old Gold’s midland rivals, Aston Villa, Tim Sherwood described the combative midfielder as someone who “plays like a monster on the pitch.” That phrase now couldn’t be more true.Since his days in the Premier League, the Senegalese has taken his game to a new level and is now having a major say in PSG’s run to the Champions League semi-finals.That’s what makes Wolves’ decision not to sign him last summer all the more unfortunate.Reports from France claimed that Nuno Santo’s side wanted to land him last summer but a move for the £30m enforcer never materialised.Gueye was offered to other clubs by PSG in January but again, Wolves didn’t pounce. Evidently interested in the player, he could have transformed their midfield.Nuno has been keen to make his team a more attacking unit and with a player like him at the base of their midfield, it would have allowed them more freedom.Instead, the Portuguese manager is finding life difficult with the Molineux outfit lying 12th in the top-flight.Gueye is now a shining light in the Champions League and was one of the stand-out performers in both legs against current holders Bayern Munich.[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-wolves-news-and-views-lingard-leao-jimenez-mir” title= “Read the latest Wolves news and views!”]PSG knocked them out and it was Gueye who had a major say in that eventuality. After the first leg Get French Football News stated that he “covered brilliantly, intercepted better as the game went on.”The 31-year-old put in a midfield clinic during that first clash, achieving an 85% pass success rate, performing three dribbles and winning seven of his eight ground duels.He was equally as productive in the second leg, winning a colossal six tackles as he helped to break down a number of Bayern attacks.At full-time, Sky Sports journalist Ben Grounds took to Twitter to say: “Idrissa Gueye man of the match in the best Champions League tie for many, many years.”GFFN followed that up by writing about a failed loan move to Newcastle a matter of months ago, saying: “Fast-forward to the last 7 days & he has been completely indispensable for the club, phenomenal energy & intercepting play.”This was as complete a performance as they come from the midfielder. Gueye didn’t score or assist but that simply isn’t his game.As comparisons to N’Golo Kante showed when he was in the Premier League, he is a battling force embedded within a team to break up the play, not create.This would have been a magical addition for Wolves; Jeff Shi and Nuno must be full of regret.

AND in other news, Wolves could have their new Conor Coady in 18 y/o “leader” who’s been “outstanding”…