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Celtic are tracking Drogheda United midfielder Killian Phillips, according to The Irish Independent’s Daniel McDonnell.

The Lowdown: Phillips profiled

Phillips is 19 years of age and joined his current employers earlier this year.

Described as a versatile midfielder, the teenager is out of contract with Drogheda at the end of 2021, as per Transfermarkt.

He’s made 20 appearances for the Irish side, scoring once and registering one assist, and it seems as if he is catching Celtic’s eye.

The Latest: Celtic interest

McDonnell shared a story on Wednesday lunchtime regarding Celtic’s interest in Sligo Rovers forward Johnny Kenny.

Within his report, McDonnell claimed the Hoops will watch Kenny in action on Friday against Drogheda before sharing Celtic’s interest in Phillips.

Phillips is attracting attention from overseas, seemingly Celtic, with his long-term future on the pitch reportedly viewed as a centre-back rather than a midfielder.

The Verdict: Another Scales?

Liam Scales made the move from Ireland to Scotland this summer, and it appears as if Phillips could well follow suit down the line.

Celtic saw Scales’ versatility as crucial when bringing him to Parkhead, so Phillips’ ability to play in both midfield and in defence could work in his favour.

He may well have the chance to impress Celtic officials live on Friday during their scouting trip to watch Kenny, and who knows, should he do just that, a cut-price move in the New Year could well be on the cards.

In other news: Celtic source shares transfer news different to Sky Sports claim; good news for McKay and Ange.

Steven Gerrard has issued an update on Connor Goldson after he missed Rangers’ 2-1 win over St Johnstone. 

What’s the latest?

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has confirmed that centre-back Connor Goldson missed the 2-1 win over Livingston as he is currently self-isolating.

Gerrard refused to put a timeline on his return , opting instead to simply say that he would love to have him available for selection.

He told the Glasgow Times:

“He is self-isolating. Time will tell (how big a blow it is).

“He has been an important player for us. He has been very crucial since day one for me.

“We would love to have him available.”

Concern

Rangers fans will be concerned by this update from Gerrard as he left out a couple of key details. Firstly, we don’t know if he contracted Covid-19 or is he isolating because he was in close contact with someone who did?

Gerrard is well within his rights to keep that information private, but it does keep fans in the dark.

If he has Covid-19 then it could cause him to be out for a longer period of time, especially if he is suffering with symptoms and takes time to recover.

This leads on to the second piece of missing information, as Gerrard refused to give a timeline on when he will be able to return.

Therefore, Rangers fans will be concerned about exactly how many games the £27k-per-week beast could miss. The centre-back is a key player for the club, as the above quotes from the manager confirm, and his absence against Lyon could be a blow for Gers.

Earlier this year, Gerrard lauded Goldson as a mountain and hailed what he offers on and off the pitch. He told The Scotsman:

“Connor has been an absolute mountain for this team, a warrior.

“I can’t describe to you how well he has done for this team, not just in terms of what you have seen on the pitch but also his leadership on the inside of the club and his availability every single day.”

Rangers face Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday and now look set to be without Goldson, and Filip Helander, for the match.

The ex-Brighton defender, Goldson, was named in the Scottish Premiership Team of the Year last term, highlighting how important he is to the side, which is why his absence will hurt Rangers’ chances of picking up a positive result.

AND in other news, 82% duels won: Rangers beast with 73 touches stole the show for Steven Gerrard…

According to Italian news outlet Tuttosport, as translated by TRANSFERmarketWEB, West Ham United and new head of recruitment Rob Newman have been gifted a boost in the race to sign Weston McKennie.

The Lowdown: Newman era begins…

As officially announced, the Hammers have now begun a new era at the London Stadium with former Manchester City chief Newman taking on the club’s fresh head of recruitment position.

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Indeed, the 57-year-old will oversee West Ham’s scouting and transfer strategy in a bid to elevate David Moyes’ men to the next level.

Recently, reports have come out indicating that Newman has already set his sights on his first West Ham target.

As per Football Insider, the Irons have already started laying the groundwork to sign USA international McKennie with talks being held.

It is also believed that the 23-year-old is ‘very keen’ on a move to London and the Premier League.

The Latest: Newman gifted McKennie boost…

As per the latest from Italy, it appears Newman and West Ham have been given a boost in the race to sign McKennie for Moyes.

Tuttosport, shared by TRANSFERmarketWEB, say that Juventus are now ready to sanction his sale and could do it as soon as the January transfer window.

The Old Lady apparently want to lodge a bid for 21-year-old Monaco sensation Aurelien Tchouameni and the sale of McKennie may well help them to do that.

The Verdict: Get it done…

As Juve’s stance becomes crystal clear, now may be the perfect time for West Ham to strike a pre-January agreement amid their alleged behind-scenes talks.

Lauded as an ‘outstanding’ player by former Premier League boss David Wagner, it is clear to see that McKennie’s ceiling is vast given he has already racked up 25 caps for the USA at such a young age.

He could add real steel to the Hammers midfield and come as an alternative option to Tomas Soucek, offering an immediate replacement to the outgoing Mark Noble.

In other news: ‘Yessss’, ‘Beautiful’, ‘This is massive’…West Ham fans go wild as ‘actually brilliant news’ confirmed, find out more here.

Crystal Palace have been looking at Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan this summer, according to Football League World.

And, as to be expected, a number of Palace fans have been reacting to the links on social media.

Bannan spent two years at Selhurst Park before leaving for Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer in 2015.

The 31-year-old has gone on to make 262 appearances for The Owls, however, his Transfermarkt valuation has been on the decline over the last 18 months.

It seems as if Palace have been keeping a close eye on the Scot ahead of a potential return to the club.

The Eagles want a midfielder before the end of the window, and Football League World claim that Burnley and Watford have also been monitoring Bannan this summer.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared Football League World’s report on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon.

These Palace fans all seemed to be stunned at the links to the former midfielder, presumably due to Bannan now turning out in League One and seemingly on the decline.

“What year is it?”Credit: @CraigNewm22″No way is this true surely not lol”Credit: @mandyswagsta”Is this a wind up or something?”Credit: @22deans”Have we gone back in time?”Credit: @t_birch18″Why would CPFC want him back again. We’ve got rid of him once.”Credit: @Ade_C_B”Barry Bannan? Now that’s a blast from the past”Credit: @DrizzyCPFC

In other news: ‘Make it happen’ – Many CPFC fans react to transfer update on ‘magnificent’ forward. 

Ange Postecoglou wants Ryan Christie’s Celtic contract to be extended, according to journalist Ekrem Konur.

The Lowdown: Christie’s situation

It emerged back in April that Christie has less time on his Hoops contract than many thought. The 26-year-old penned a Parkhead extension back in 2018, however, that deal expires in January, not next summer.

That means that the attacking midfielder can now talk to clubs outside of Scotland ahead of a potential pre-contract agreement.

As we know, that is yet to materialise and Christie’s situation remains the same, but it seems as if Postecoglou wants to tie the Scot down to a new Celtic Park contract.

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The Latest: Konur’s claim

According to Konur, who was the first to share Celtic’s interest in Aurelio Buta last week, ‘Postecoglou wants Christie’s contract extended’.

Konur adds that talks have been held with Christie’s representatives. The midfielder’s current deal is worth £12,000-a-week.

The Verdict: All down to Christie…

Christie appears to be a man in demand this summer, and ultimately, he’ll decide what he wants to do with his contract running down.

Reports earlier this month suggested that Al-Hilal were poised to offer the midfielder a life-changing deal, whereas rumours before then claimed Sampdoria were keen on his services.

Celtic could do with knowing Christie’s stance on his future as soon as possible, as the Hoops could then look at selling this summer instead of losing him on a free in January.

In other news: Pundit drops verdict on left-back Celtic want to sign.

West Bromwich Albion are interested in a deal to bring Liam Delap to The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Express & Star, who claim that the Manchester City centre-forward is on the radar of Valerien Ismael, with the 45-year-old keen to add an out and out centre-forward to his Albion squad before the transfer window closes.

The report continues by stating that West Brom’s lack of depth up front could help the club convince the 18-year-old of a move to The Hawthorns, as the lack of competition could see the striker afforded more game time than he could get at another Championship side.

However, with the Express & Star finishing the report by revealing that a great many second-tier sides are also interested in a deal for the England U19 international, the Frenchman looks to be facing a real fight to secure the signing of Delap this summer.

Huge coup

While, in normal circumstances, hanging your promotion hopes on an 18-year-old centre-forward who has made just three first-team appearances in his career to date would not appear overly sensible, considering the potential Delap appears to possess, the Manchester City man is very much the exception to this rule.

Indeed, over 20 Premier League 2 appearances for City’s U23s last season, the £5k-per-week youngster bagged 24 goals and provided his teammates with five assists – with his contributions playing a key role in his side securing the league title, as well seeing the forward awarded the league’s Player of the Year trophy.

The man Jacek Kulig dubbed a “phenomenal” player also scored a further five goals and provided one assist over four appearances in the FA Youth Cup and EFL Trophy, taking his total haul for the 2020/21 campaign to 30 goals and six assists in all competitions.

As such, despite his tender age, it would very much seem as if Delap possesses the ability to help fire Albion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking next season, with his signing – if Ismael can indeed get a deal over the line this summer – being a huge coup for the club.

In other news: Transfer development emerges on £10k-p/w “top player”, West Brom fans will be buzzing

After the first few weeks of the transfer window, Celtic’s business looked questionable.

The Hoops had only signed a couple of younger players and it didn’t look as though Ange Postecoglou was going to be backed.

Yet, the new Bhoys manager has now sunk his teeth into the market with aplomb.

What’s the word?

After securing the services of Josip Juranovic last weekend, it looks as though Celtic have one more desire; to sign a new striker.

That could come down to whether Odsonne Edouard departs but one man who’s been on their radar is Giorgos Giakoumakis.

Talks have been ongoing over the last week but with German side Werder Bremen also interested, it’s thrown a spanner in the works.

That being said, Postecoglou has spoken to the player personally and there is a feeling in Greece that Parkhead will be his next destination.

A fresh update was given on his future by journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos on Twitter on Tuesday evening.

The reporter stated: “Giakoumakis talks with Werder (almost) collapsed. A new round of negotiations with Celtic has been scheduled for next hours!”

Exciting news

After missing out on Thomas Henry to the Italian side Venezia, Giakoumakis appears to be the next best item on their shopping list.

Henry would have been an exceptional signing given his vast array of talents. Not only is he capable of scoring goals on a regular basis but he’s immensely tall and has pace to burn at the same time.

Celtic’s Greek target might not possess a similarly well-rounded game but he certainly knows where the back of the net is.

Giakoumakis is approaching his prime at the age of 26 and could arrive at Paradise full of confidence.

After all, the VVV-Venlo striker played like a man possessed in 2020/21. Despite never scoring over 11 goals in a single campaign before, he showed that he may well be a late bloomer.

The forward racked up a mighty 29 strikes in all competitions while being named the Eredivisie’s top scorer.

What also stands out about Giakoumakis is his supreme ability in the air. Last season he won four aerial duels per game so by signing him, Celtic could discover a brand new route to goal.

At 5 foot 7, Kyogo Furuhashi is never going to be a threat in the air but no attacking player at Celtic last term even came close to the aforementioned number.

For context, only Shane Duffy and Christopher Jullien won more than four aerial duels a match in 2020/21.

With that in mind, supporters should be excited about seeing him in the green and white hoops this term.

AND in other news, Ange can discover Celtic’s new Turnbull by unleashing “first-class” rarely-seen 19 y/o…

Crystal Palace have been linked with a move for Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard as the club’s new era under Patrick Vieira starts to take shape.

What’s the story?

According to The Guardian, the highly-rated 23-year-old is a potential target for the south London outfit after working under Palace’s new development coach Saïd Aïgoun at Paris Saint-Germain’s academy.

Edouard was expected to seal a transfer to fellow Premier League side Leicester City earlier in the summer, but Brendan Rodgers opted for Patson Daka instead, leaving the door open for the Eagles to swoop.

The new Andy Johnson

Palace are set to embark on their ninth consecutive top-flight season next term, but their stay in the Premier League hasn’t been marked by a prolific goalscorer or classic No.9.

The likes of Dwight Gayle, Jordan Ayew, Alexander Sorloth, Christian Benteke and Michy Batshuayi have all attempted to become the main man at Selhurst Park with varying degrees of success, but none has established themselves as a prolific, reliable goalscorer.

In fact, Palace haven’t had that in the top division of English football since the 2004/05 season, when Andy Johnson bagged an incredible 21 league goals in 37 appearances.

His magnificent performances weren’t enough to prevent the capital club from suffering relegation, though, and a move to Everton followed 12 months later.

However, after years of top-flight football, Palace now have a strong spine and decent core of established first-team players to support an elite-level striker, unlike when Johnson was at the peak of his powers.

And Edouard could be the perfect candidate to benefit from the foundations at Selhurst Park.

Since arriving at Celtic Park back in August 2017, the £15.3m-rated gem has established himself as one of Europe’s most promising young forwards, bagging 83 goals and providing 27 assists in 169 appearances for the Hoops.

The former France Under-international’s standout displays earned several plaudits, with former Celtic boss Neil Lennon labelling him “magnificent” after a match-winning performance.

In his last three campaigns with the Glasgow giants, Edouard has bagged a minimum of 22 goals in all competitions, one better than Johnson’s famous tally 16 years ago, proving he can be Palace’s new go-to man for goals.

It’s a transfer that makes sense for many reasons, and chairman Steve Parish could provide new manager Vieira with a proven goalscorer by sanctioning a swoop for the Frenchman, a luxury few ex-Palace bosses have had.

And, in other news…Palace suffer blow in pursuit of “wonderful” £30m magician, Vieira will be gutted 

Manchester United reportedly want to make two further summer signings after they secure the signature of Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane.

What’s the story?

According to well-known journalist and transfer expert Duncan Castles, the Red Devils are lining up a central midfielder and a right-back after the proposed arrival of Varane.

United recently announced the purchase of Jadon Sancho in a £73 million move from Borussia Dortmund, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appears to be intent on making further additions to his first-team squad.

Fans will be delighted

Speaking on a recent episode of the Transfer Window podcast, Castles disclosed where the Old Trafford outfit are looking to strengthen over the coming months.

“They have Sancho secured with Dortmund, apart from fine details, and ready to start pre-season as soon as he can after England’s European Championship campaign,” he said.

“Solskjaer’s been provided with an incredible degree of attacking resource. He’s been provided with a huge amount of money to improve in defence.

“He has a midfield where a player like Donny van de Beek, who was wanted by Real Madrid, is barely used last season. (He) still wants other reinforcements in midfield and right-back as well,” added Castles.

Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga has been strongly linked with a move to United in recent days, while Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier is thought to on Solskjaer’s wish list for the right-back position.

It remains to be seen whether the 20-time English champions can secure their first-choice transfer targets ahead of the upcoming campaign, but news that they’re targeting three more signings will surely delight the club’s supporters.

The Red Devils have undoubtedly made progress under their Norwegian boss, securing consecutive top-four finishes since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement under his tutelage, but they’re also enduring their longest trophy drought in over 30 years.

Signing star names such as Sancho, Varane and Camavinga will bring an added pressure to the red half of Manchester next season, and the pressure to secure some silverware will be much greater than in recent campaigns.

And, in other news…Concerning update emerges over MUFC’s pursuit of £38.5m “leader”, Ole may be gutted

Sunderland fans were delighted as the club confirmed Luke O’Nien has signed a new contract at the club.

The Black Cats face a big season this term. Last time out, they appeared to be on the verge of automatic promotion to the Championship, but they went on a poor run of form towards the end of the season and were eventually left to fight it out in the play-offs, where they lost to Lincoln City in the semi-finals.

The north-east outfit have seen several players leave during the off-season, such as Josh Scowen, Grant Leadbitter, Max Power and Charlie Wyke, but there is now at least some good news in regards to O’Nien. On Tuesday morning, Sunderland confirmed he has put pen to paper on a new deal that will keep him at the Stadium of Light until 2024 (safc.com).

The news was shared on Twitter by Sunderland’s official account, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the O’Nien news below

“Footballs actually coming home!”

Credit: @Richbet11

“Cheers. I’m crying tears of joy at work. Nice one”

Credit: @antoneee_x

“Over the moon with this. And a ticket to the gun show”

Credit: @KierenJennings

“Brilliant news , best signing of our season by miles”

Credit: @SlimAl56

“Brilliant! Now please play him in centre midfield and give him the Captain’s armband”

Credit: @nghudson

“The best news we could’ve hoped for! GET IN”

Credit: @Mattyhall88

In other news, Sunderland fans were unhappy with this club tweet.