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Celtic still have the small matter of potentially securing the SPFL title this season before they can be once again let loose in the upcoming summer transfer market.

However, it seems as though an early clue has emerged over one potential deal that could take place at Parkhead that will surely delight a lot of Celtic supporters.

What’s the word?

Speaking in one of his latest YouTube videos, Tottenham Hotspur journalist Alasdair Gold had this to say about the possibility of Cameron Carter-Vickers signing a permanent deal with the Hoops in the summer.

He said: “Perhaps the forgotten man in Tottenham’s defence, he’s gone to Celtic and he’s smashed it, honestly. He’s likely to go there, £6m deal, rising to £10m if all other objectives are met.”

Fans will be delighted

Since arriving at the Parkhead club during the previous summer transfer window on loan from the north London club, the defender has been a key figure for Ange Postecoglou this season.

Described as “immense” by pundit Chris Sutton and “huge” by Greg Taylor, he’d certainly be an exciting acquisition given his displays so far this term.

With 41 appearances across all competitions for the Hoops under his belt, the centre-back has chipped in with four goals and one assist, all of which have come in the league.

As well as his usefulness in front of goal, the 24-year-old has been a rock at the back for the Hoops.

Having played in 28 league games, the American has racked up 19 tackles as well as the joint-highest number of interceptions (37) as well as a higher average of clearances per game (4.2) than any other Celtic player.

In addition to keeping a clean sheet in his latest appearance for the Hoops in their 2-0 win over Ross County at the weekend, Carter-Vickers managed to once again show what a pivotal figure he is for the team.

Throughout the 90 minutes, the defender made five clearances and won six of the seven duels he was involved in, ultimately earning himself a solid match rating of 7.3/10 from SofaScore.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that the on-loan defender has played a big part in Celtic’s season and their impressive defensive record.

With Gold’s claim that a permanent deal is likely to take place in the summer, this will undoubtedly be great news for Postecoglou. To put things simply, this signing would certainly raise the roof at Parkhead; he is that vital to their cause.

In other news: Sold for £2m, now worth £540k: Celtic struck gold on £17k-p/w dud who “had issues”

Some Rangers supporters were unhappy with James Tavernier’s performance in the 1-0 win away to Dundee on Saturday afternoon.

Steven Gerrard’s side were looking to kick on after an inconsistent start to the season, taking on a Dundee side sitting bottom of the Premiership.

In truth, it wasn’t the most convincing performance by the Gers, but they ended up getting all three points thanks to Joe Aribo’s goal. Dundee even missed a penalty, perhaps summing up Rangers’ display despite the victory.

It was a milestone day for captain Tavernier, who made his 300th appearance for the club, having been a great servant over the past six years.

Unfortunately, the right-back didn’t mark the occasion with a vintage performance. He was dribbled past twice and lost five of his duels, while he gave away possession 23 times on Saturday, the most of anyone from either team (SofaScore).

Rangers fans criticise Tavernier’s performance

These Rangers fans took to Twitter to deliver a brutal assessment of Tavernier’s “shocking” afternoon at Dens Park.

“Lundstram carrying the team. Goldson and Tavernier embarrassing… again. What’s the point in Kamara in these games. Offers nothing. Roofe is awful 3 games, good one. Aribo lacklustre and spends the game staring at the floor. Good goal though.”

Credit: @Rfc1872l

“Tavernier was woeful”

Credit: @Delmonte72

“Agree, one to keep an eye on. Tavernier was poor but that boy showed great promise”

Credit: @JohnWardMcLeod

“Enjoy and congratulations skipper. But please help sort out the performances”

Credit: @AG55Rfc

“Tavernier diving in again. Awful”

Credit: @bluediamond62

“James Tavernier has been absolutely shocking”

Credit: @RangersRobbie83

In other news, this pundit is worried about one piece of Rangers injury news. Read more here.

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…

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…

Manchester United may have already uncovered their next homegrown star before the last batch have even had the chance to make a real mark on the club.

Joe Hugill arrived from Sunderland in a £300,000 deal last year and has gone from strength to strength since joining the 20-time English champions.

The 6 foot 2 striker bagged an impressive 16 goals and provided a further three assists in 27 outings for United’s youth sides during his maiden campaign, but one performance in particular really caught the eye.

Despite being just 17-years old, Hugill grabbed the headlines back in February after scoring four goals as United’s U23s thumped bitter rivals Liverpool 6-3 on their own patch.

His quadruple didn’t go unnoticed by Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who lauded the youngster when asked about whether Amad Diallo, who had recently joined in a £37m transfer from Atalanta last month, would get some first-team action soon.

The Norwegian replied: “We’re gonna give him the time to settle in. If we go from that game (vs Liverpool), I’d pick Joe Hugill.

“Four goals by Hugill, he’s a top striker as well, we’re looking forward to seeing his development. Amad gets a good start, and why Joe didn’t take the penalty himself to get five goals, I’m going to ask him.”

Hugill has the chance to follow in the footstep of previous academy graduates such as Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, but it’s another United fans favourite who the teenager resembles more closely.

His devastating finishing, wand of a left foot, tall, lean frame and technical ability all closely resemble that of Robin van Persie, and he’ll be hoping to have a similar impact upon the Old Trafford outfit as the legendary Dutch striker did.

Although he’s not blessed with pace, Hugill has no problem finding the back of the net having done so on four occasions already this season.

Only time will tell if the youngster can succeed the aforementioned stars, but if he continues to progress at his current rate, then it’s surely a matter of when and not if he makes it into Solskjaer’s first-team squad.

And, in other news…Ole could solve big MUFC problem by signing “sensational” 19 y/o who fans would love 

Manchester City have been dealt a blow to their hopes of beating Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with reports suggesting that Harry Kane could feature for the hosts, which could certainly make things difficult for Pep Guardiola’s side.

The England captain has been heavily linked with a move to the Etihad throughout the transfer window and made it clear that he was keen to leave Spurs earlier in the summer, with the North London side set for a second successive season out of the Champions League.

Guardiola’s side have already reportedly seen a £100m bid for the striker rejected, with Daniel Levy insistent that he will remain a Spurs player, despite Kane reportedly feeling that he had a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with the chairman to leave.

After an impressive summer at the European Championships with England, the 28-year-old was always likely to miss the majority of pre-season at Spurs, but reportedly failed to show up for training when he was expected back at Hotspur Way, which only increased rumours that he was set to depart.

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However, reports are now claiming that it will be increasingly likely that he will stay with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side this summer, with some claiming that he could even feature against the Citizens on Sunday in the opening game of their Premier League season.

If he were to start, then it would certainly give the hosts a huge boost, as regardless of whether he is fully focused on winning the game for Spurs, he is still a world-class striker who is more than likely to cause City problems.

Last season saw Kane finish as both the top goalscorer and top assister in the Premier League, despite Spurs’ less than impressive form, which emphasises just how dangerous he can be.

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Given that City have lost all three of their trips to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, failing to score a single goal despite dominating the games, you worry that the return of Kane could easily help to extend their away day hoodoo in North London.

And, in other news… Guardiola dealt huge injury blow ahead of Spurs, Man City fans will be fuming

Rangers picked up their eighth consecutive win in the Premiership on Saturday as they scraped a 1-0 victory over Dundee United to extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points.

Right-back James Tavernier received the plaudits after his penalty proved the difference in what was a hard-fought victory for the Gers, who maintained their 100% winning record in the league under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Despite the 30-year-old’s winning goal, it was his fellow defender Connor Goldson who particularly impressed and played a vital role in securing the Light Blues’ fifth Premiership clean sheet in a row.

Gold-standard display from Goldson

The 29-year-old won nine of his duels as well as making three tackles, whilst not being dribbled past once as the Gers edged to victory. Goldson also managed an impressive 86% passing accuracy whilst having 112 touches, a significant tally for a centre-back.

The £6.75m-rated defender has been a kingpin for Van Bronckhorst’s side, both before and after Steven Gerrard’s departure for Aston Villa last month.

Having missed just two games in all competitions all season, playing the full 90 minutes for the remaining 30, the Englishman really has been a colossus for the Gers this term.

Rangers’ entire defensive unit has been a marvel this season, conceding just 14 goals in 19 games. However, what is particularly impressive is that they have only shipped four goals in the last eight league matches, going five consecutive matches without being breached.

Following today’s win over Dundee United, Football Scotland writer Euan Robertson stated that Goldson “is getting back to his dominant best”, but admittedly “breezed through the game in second gear” despite the narrow scoreline.

There is no doubt that the 29-year-old is a key fixture in this Rangers setup, and the Scottish champions will need the defender at his best and fully fit throughout the campaign if they are to retain their league title.

In other news – Forget Tavernier: Rangers gem who won 6 of his duels ran the show v Dundee United

Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie thinks that a new left-back will be the first thing the club will seek in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Left-back issues; Buchanan links

Ange Postecoglou has been tested at left-back in recent weeks after positional regular Greg Taylor had to undergo shoulder surgery.

The Scot has missed the last 11 games in all competitions as a result, with the likes of Boli Bolingoli, Adam Montgomery and Josip Juranovic being used in Taylor’s absence.

Celtic have also been linked with Derby County left-back Lee Buchanan in recent weeks, with reliable reporter Alan Nixon believing that the Rams may sell in the next transfer window.

The Latest: McAvennie reacts

McAvennie was talking to Football Insider about the Hoops’ left-back ranks, which he labelled a ‘problem position’ based on the instability in the role in recent weeks.

He has tipped the club to remedy that in January by making a ‘quality’ left-back addition, saying:

“Left-back is the problem position.

“We just can’t seem to get it right. I don’t think Postecoglou is happy. Juranovic is a right-back but he plays left-back quite a lot of the time.

“Taylor is in and out and Bolingoli can’t get more than a couple of games even though he’s the best of the lot.

“That tells me Ange isn’t completely happy and I think a new left-back will be first through the door in January.

“I think we will spend, the money is there. The defence is definitely the problem.

“But the same centre-backs start every week and it’s usually Ralston at right-back.

“A top-quality left-back would improve us to no end.”

The Verdict: Over to Nicholson…

With no director of football or head of recruitment in place at Parkhead, you’d expect that the club’s winter window business will be down to interim CEO Michael Nicholson at this moment in time.

A left-back appears to be needed with Postecoglou so far struggling to find the answer without Taylor, so Buchanan could be a shrewd addition.

Wayne Rooney has tipped the Derby youngster to go on and play for England, and with the player out of contract at the end of the season, January could be the perfect time for the Hoops to make their move.

In other news: ‘It’s a small fee’ – BBC pundit reacts as Celtic make first move to sign ‘incredible’ defender

Noel Whelan has been left fuming at what he has now heard from an Everton source involving Richarlison in the build-up to the clash with Leicester City.

The Lowdown: Agent talk

Speaking to Football Insider, a source from the Goodison Park faithful has revealed that Richarlison has now told his agent to find him a new club in the summer as another crucial fixture looms this evening, when the Toffees welcome Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes to Goodison Park.

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The Brazil international still has over two years left of his contract remaining on Merseyside, but given how the season has gone, it looks as if he wants to bail out now.

The Latest: Whelan fumes

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan, who regularly used to feature as a pundit for the BBC, fumed when he heard the news, claiming that ‘it’s not right’ that Richarlison is ‘plotting’ a way out of the Toffees when they are struggling near the bottom of the Premier League:

“That doesn’t surprise me at all.

“I’ve said all along that I wouldn’t want to be in the trenches with him, and that just proves my point.

“You just knew all along, once Everton got into this struggle, he would be sitting at home and plotting his way out.

“That’s not commitment to me. That’s not fighting for the cause. It’s not right.

“Will he get the move? Of course he will. He’s Brazil’s number nine, and he had Barcelona at his door only a couple of years ago.

“I’m sure he’ll get the move he wants, but it won’t be cheap. Everton will hold on for what they think he’s worth – provided they’re still in the Premier League.”

The Verdict: Sell

Richarlison has often been criticised for having problems with his attitude, and this seems no different as he reportedly looks to force his way out of the club.

He has not exactly been on top form either this season so far, with just six goals to his name in the top flight, and at 24 years of age, Frank Lampard’s team could demand a sizeable fee for him this summer.

Nonetheless, the Blues could then use that money to strengthen in other key areas of the pitch, so letting a player go who is seemingly unhappy would not be the worst thing.

In other news, find out which ‘fantastic specimen’ EFC are now eyeing here!

Wolves have a track record when it comes to signing players from Portuguese clubs over recent years.

Players such as Fabio Silva, Raul Jimenez, Chiquinho and Toti Gomes have all made their way from Portugal to Molineux in recent memory.

The Old Gold also have a significant number of Portuguese players in their squad brought in from other clubs across Europe and beyond.

With the upcoming summer transfer window on the horizon, it seems as though the Midlands club could have their sights set on signing another young talent making a name for himself in Portugal.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Sun, Wolves have identified Benfica youth talent, Martim Neto, as a potential long-term replacement for Ruben Neves should he move away from Molineux this summer.

With 71 youth appearances for the Portuguese club under his belt, the 19-year-old midfielder has scored six goals and provided four assists along the way.

This shows how capable he is of being an attacking threat from the middle of the pitch.

Their next Neves?

Taking into account how Neves has delivered 36 goal contributions in 207 appearances for the Old Gold, this could be why Neto is on the club’s radar for a potential summer swoop.

To demonstrate what sort of talent the youngster possesses, his stunning 30-yard strike versus Barcelona in the UEFA Youth League was lauded as a “missile” by journalist Luís Cristovao.Neves has a penchant for scoring goals from outside the box so this is one particular trait the Old Gold and Fosun may be looking at when assessing whether the Benfica prodigy is a suitable long-term replacement.Having had a potential price tag of £100m put on him by Bruno Lage, Neves would be a big miss for the Molineux outfit should they see him wave goodbye to the club in the summer given the number of appearances he’s made since his arrival in 2017.While it could give the Wolves boss a chance to unearth the club’s next version of their midfield maestro, perhaps signing a young player such as Neto that has no senior experience under his belt at this moment in time could be a gamble from the Old Gold.An ideal situation could be for them to keep hold of Neves and still sign Neto as a future first-team star for them once he gets enough experience in him.In other news: Sky Sports: Wolves may now lose “sensational” £36m-rated “maestro”, Lage surely fuming