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An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

According to The Mirror, the Magpies are one of a number of clubs hoping to snap him up on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Eddie Howe is plotting a swoop for the striker but will need to fight off interest from Brighton, West Ham and Crystal Palace, among others.

The striker is valued at £9m by Transfermarkt at present.

Huge upgrade on Chris Wood

PIF must ensure that they can work with Howe to get this deal over the line as Nketiah would be a huge upgrade on Wood at the top end of the pitch.

Newcastle brought the New Zealand international in from Burnley during the January transfer window and he has struggled to live up to his £25m value.

Since arriving on Tyneside, he has found the back of the net twice in 16 appearances – once from open play – for the Magpies. He has scored five goals in 33 games for the Clarets and the Toon combined this term – missing nine ‘big chances’ and amassing 8.22 Expected Goals along the way.

Nketiah, meanwhile, has started five Premier League matches for the Gunners and produced four goals and one assist from 4.26 xG. This shows that he is finishing off the chances he is being provided with instead of wasting them, as Wood has been doing throughout the season.

Former Magpies forward Michael Owen previously lavished praise on the Englishman, saying: “He’s very good. He’s got a real smell for it, hasn’t he? He knows where the ball’s going to drop. I like his movement. I like his hunger to score goals. With his attitude, the way he plays, he’s just going to be a goal machine all his career.”

He also excelled in the EFL Cup as he scored five times in four starts in the competition earlier in the season for the Gunners. This means that he has scored nine goals in nine starts for Arsenal in the League Cup and Premier League combined, living up to Owen’s comments on his goalscoring prowess.

Nketiah is also eight years younger than Wood and this means that he has the potential to improve and develop over time. He is already proving himself to be a better striker than the former Burnley man, so imagine how good he can be after a couple of seasons working with Howe.

The £17k-per-week England U21 international would be a major upgrade on the 30-year-old dud and Newcastle must work hard to get this deal done.

AND in other news, “Sources have confirmed”: Edwards drops huge Newcastle claim that’ll excite supporters…

West Ham stands on the brink of a historic season, with David Moyes and his men close to a Europa League final appearance and challenging for a top-six spot in the Premier League.

This has been a remarkable turnaround since Moyes took charge of his second spell at the Hammers and is a direct product of his excellent recruitment that have propelled them to unparalleled heights so far this term.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-this-weeks-latest-west-ham-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more” title= “Read the latest West Ham news!”]

Recruitment is key for success obviously but promoting youth talents should also be deemed paramount to long-term glory and West Ham have a fair few talents blossoming in the U23 squad.

One such player is left winger Armstrong Okoflex, who signed from Celtic last summer and is one of the squad’s brightest talents.  As a result, Moyes should get ready to unleash him in the near future as he could cause all kinds of threats.

The 20-year-old has 11 goals and two assists in 21 matches in the Premier League 2 this season and this is the type of form that Moyes will be paying close attention to.

Former Hammer Carlton Cole dubbed him as a “revelation” just a couple of months ago and with 17 goals in all competitions, it’s hard to argue with this sort of praise.

Okofloex could well be Said Benrahma 2.0 as the two are rather similar, with both playing in the same position and the pair having a similar eye for goal.

Indeed, the young talent even dreams of following in the Algerian’s footsteps, revealing in an interview: “The likes of Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen, I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can, especially Benrahma because of the way he dribbles with the ball and is creative. I’m happy to be here around the first team whenever I can.”

It would be nice for Moyes to have some added competition in the first team, especially for the likes of Benrahma and although this season could be a step too soon for the 20-year-old, the manager might unleash him after the summer.

The future is bright for Okoflex, the main question is, will he take his opportunity when it comes?

AND in other news, Contact made: West Ham plot bid for 14-goal gem, he could become a £63m-rated talent

West Bromwich Albion have conceded their chances of getting promoted back into the Premier League next season after failing to sustain their charge for automatic promotion and slipping out of the play-off spots – the Baggies now currently lie in 13th in the Championship.

As a result, Steve Bruce will be working hard over the summer and next season to ensure that the Baggies can challenge again and hopefully secure promotion back into the top flight in their second season following relegation in 2021.

The Baggies boss has given an in-depth interview with The Express & Star this month on his plans for his revival of the team at The Hawthorns, with one player, in particular, being singled out as a key player for the future of West Brom.

Bruce has been full of praise for Taylor Gardner-Hickman and his progress in the team saying;

“He has done very, very, well for us in midfield. He’s young. He’s desperately eager to succeed. He is one of our own and that always goes down well.

“He has had a decent start to his career. And we’re looking at big things for next season.”

The 6 foot 1 ace who was hailed “menacing” and “a cut above the rest” by journalist Joe Ellis, has been in fine form since becoming a more consistent starter for his boyhood club in the Albion senior team this season.

Gardner-Hickman has won the majority of his ground duels (55%), is successful in the majority of his dribbles (53%) and has made 2.2 tackles, 0.7 key passes and 0.6 interceptions on average per game in his 19 Championship appearances, proving that he clearly has the potential to offer a lot to his team next season as they push for promotion.

The 20-year-old secured his long term future with the club by signing a contract back in December that extends his stay at the club for another four-and-a-half years, so judging by Bruce’s comments the plan is to fully integrate him into the team with the youngster able to offer his services in both a full-back and right midfield position.

There is no doubt the future is bright for Gardner-Hickman but the West Brom manager will have his work cut out to improve and rebuild the team following a disappointing season to inspire better quality performances and positive results next season to compete for their opportunity to climb out of the Championship.

AND in other news: Talks ongoing: WBA must swoop for “talented” £25k-p/w target who’d be a “big asset”

Liverpool find themselves in a rut and under pressure to get results, something Arne Slot could help alleviate by making a club-record signing at Anfield.

Despite VAR controversy surrounding Nottingham Forest’s open goal, the Reds were well and truly second best in a 3-0 defeat to the Tricky Trees that has plunged the reigning champions into the bottom half of the Premier League table.

Another abject display has left Slot’s side with six losses from their last seven top-flight matches, and the Dutchman delivered an honest reaction to a damaging defeat that may be the final nail in the coffin regarding their slim hopes of retaining the title.

He said: “Another big disappointment. We started off quite well for the first half an hour. We conceded the 1-0, and we weren’t able to play the way we did in the first half hour. I don’t know. I heard it wasn’t offside, so if it’s not offside, there’s nothing to debate. We created and were waiting for us to score a goal. The set piece changed everything, and they scored two.

“If things go well or things go bad, it’s my responsibility. We weren’t able to create enough. I tried to adjust a few things, but it didn’t work out. We were unable to score a goal. You never know in this stadium, if you score a goal, then things can work out.”

Another ineffective outing for record signing Alexander Isak have only added fuel to the fire regarding their poor campaign, signalling that arrivals are needed in January to steady the ship. Come January, the Reds and FSG may now be willing to do just that in record fashion with a new midfielder.

Liverpool preparing record Joao Neves bid

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are preparing a record £140 million bid for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Joao Neves, someone they believe could be a pivotal piece of their engine room jigsaw as they look to catch the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City in the race for silverware.

While there is belief that he may be attainable at some point down the line, Luis Enrique has insisted that the Portugal international is not for sale at any price and that he won’t be sold unless there is a drastic change in plans from the standpoint of player and club.

Joao Neves on fire in 2025/26 – all competitions

Appearances

9

Goals

6

Assists

0

Labelled “excellent” by Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, Liverpool view Neves as a potential era-defining acquisition, and it is easy to see why after his exploits in Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League-winning campaign last term.

Nevertheless, managing to bring him to Merseyside will be no easy feat, and the financial muscle involved would likely create headlines around the world should Slot and company be able to snap him up.

Worse than Konate: Slot must drop 2/10 Liverpool flop who lost 100% duels

With both Leeds United and Burnley picking up Premier League results yesterday, it was up to Sunderland to keep up their end of the bargain today as another newly promoted side managed to stave off an unwelcome defeat.

Thankfully, it played out just like that as Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats battled it out with Aston Villa all match, earning themselves a well-deserved share of the points in the 1-1 draw come the end of the contest.

Sunderland, on another day, could well have buckled under the pressure after Reinildo Mandava received a first-half red card, culminating in the Villans then picking up an easy victory.

Instead, Sunderland stood tall and competed even when reduced to ten, with Wilson Isidor also getting in on the goalscoring action again, as the Frenchman continues to solidify himself as a fan favourite so early into the challenging Premier League campaign.

Why Isidor is a fan favourite at Sunderland

Already, Isidor was a well-liked striker on Wearside, considering he hammered home 13 strikes last season as promotion to the top-flight was achieved.

Now, however, he’s a next level of popular at the Stadium of Light, with this instinctive finish after a clever Granit Xhaka header set him free, his third league goal already on home turf.

That means the energetic number 18 now finds himself in the same conversations as former Black Cats goal machine Darren Bent, with Isidor hopeful of a similarly long-lasting career at the very top of the English game if he can keep up this red-hot streak of form.

Obviously, without the Frenchman’s crucial finish late on, Le Bris and Co. would have been staring down the barrel of a defeat.

But, the clinical attacker was given that platform to be the hero off the back of a heroic defensive display, as the bold hosts put their one-man disadvantage firmly to one side to fight their way to a gritty draw.

The Sunderland star who is as undroppable as Isidor

It shouldn’t be the greatest shock that Sunderland battled well at the back; however, with the newly promoted outfit just fresh off a 0-0 stalemate at Crystal Palace, that saw the Black Cats’ defence tested regularly.

Yet, it takes another level of determined display to be able to seal a result when down to ten men, but with Nordi Mukiele in the heart of defence being valiant once more, the lack of Reinildo on the pitch wasn’t as painful to come to terms with.

Mukiele hasn’t even needed a lengthy amount of time to grow accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League, with the French colossus thrown straight into the deep end against the Eagles and Brentford in the previous encounter, only to win a ridiculous 15 duels in total.

The 6-foot-2 centre-back is becoming nearly as undroppable as Isidor by putting in these consistent attritional showings, with his hard-working approach clear for all to see again versus Villa, as the ex-RB Leipzig warrior was constantly put through his paces.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

47

Accurate passes

11/18 (61%)

Key passes

3

Clearances

12

Tackles

3

Total duels won

7/10

Amazingly, before delving deeper into his back-to-the-wall showing, Mukiele also impressed when attempting to carve out openings, with three key passes registered across his near faultless 90 minutes.

Yet, it was his battling nature that really shone through as the likes of Ollie Watkins were regularly kept at arm’s length, as seen in Mukiele winning 70% of his duels and registering 12 clearances to ensure Matty Cash was the only fortunate goalscorer for the visitors.

This never-say-die attitude on display today will stand Sunderland in great stead to beat the drop, knowing they don’t fold when the going gets tough.

After the match, Mukiele was rightly showered with praise, with Sunderland-based journalist James Copley heralding him as “absolutely incredible”, while Sky Sports’ Keith Downe dubbed him a “beast” for his commanding showing.

Further handed a 9/10 post-match rating by journalist Phil Smith – who also affectionately labelled the no-nonsense 27-year-old a “titan” – it really does look set in stone that Mukiele has to be in the heart of the Black Cats’ defence from now on, much like Isidor will feel even more assured that he is Sunderland’s leading man in attack.

Sunderland hit the jackpot on "complete" talent who's worth more than Xhaka

Sunderland look to have secured their own Moises Caicedo, who’s rising in value alongside captain Granit Xhaka

ByWill Miller Sep 19, 2025

Sir Kenny Dalglish stole headline after headline during his playing days, so it is no surprise his managerial career featured several world-class stars who did the exact same. As a legendary goalscorer himself, it only seemed right that he worked with the likes of Luis Suarez and Alan Shearer from the technical area – even winning the Premier League title with the latter at Blackburn.

The same can be said for Steven Gerrard. The former Liverpool midfielder would have caught a glimpse of Dalglish’s incredible Anfield legacy as a young boy and if you told that same young boy that he’d one day captain the Scot’s Reds, then it would have sounded more like a fantasy world. In reality, however, the Gerrard and Dalglish link-up did happen and even featured a trophy.

Gerrard’s not the only Liverpool icon that featured during Dalglish’s second reign, however. In fact, King Kenny was partly responsible for welcoming Suarez to Anfield in 2011.

After losing Fernando Torres, the Reds swiftly reacted by splashing out £22m to welcome Suarez on deadline day. And soon enough, Dalglish was pictured standing next to both the South American and fellow new arrival Andy Carroll. Of course, what makes that picture all the more iconic is the fact that Carroll cost Liverpool £15m more than Suarez.

Appearances

52

Goals

21

Assists

9

The 30-goal involvements in 52 games was just a preview of what was to come from Suarez at Liverpool. The former Ajax man soon reached a new level entirely under Brendan Rodgers, but not many will forget that it was Dalglish who introduced him to the Premier League for the first time.

As good as Suarez and Gerrard were, however, Dalglish snubbed both of them when asked to name the best player that he managed.

Dalglish names "brilliant" Lucas Leiva as best player he coached

Not Suarez, not Gerrard, not Shearer, but Lucas Leiva was the name mentioned by Dalglish when asked to name the best player that he worked with. The Brazilian midfielder clearly had a fan in the Liverpool legend and the Scot made sure to hand him the highest possible praise when speaking to reporters.

Leiva, to his credit, is still a cult hero at Anfield for the many years of service he gave to Liverpool during some of their most frustrating times in the Premier League.

Ultimately, injuries prevented him from truly realising his potential at the club, but there’s a very good reason why the midfielder kept his place for 10 years on Merseyside and remains a popular figure to this day.

Talk about a baptism of fire for new Arsenal Sporting Director, Andrea Berta.

Edu Gaspar is no longer in charge of the Gunners’ recruitment and Berta has been dealt a tough hand, needing to sign Mikel Arteta his elusive striker.

No pressure then, Andrea, we only need you to find a player capable of winning the Premier League and Champions League.

Last term was a golden opportunity for the Londoners to end their 20-year wait for a league title, but a succession of injuries and inconsistent performances saw Liverpool romp to the crown, ultimately winning the division by ten points.

It was a rough old year for Arsenal but let’s forget about that for now. The 2025/26 campaign is already around the corner, although Arteta’s side face a tough start against Manchester United.

So, the need for a striker has only been heightened. Can Berta get one across the line? Here’s what Arsenal’s dream summer could look like if everything goes according to plan.

The new arrivals £100m winger & new striker sign

Arsenal haven’t quite been as gung-ho as their rivals Liverpool and Manchester City so far this summer but they have all but confirmed three new arrivals already.

Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to arrive from Chelsea in a £5m deal, replacing Neto as the club’s second-string goalkeeper. They have also agreed a move to bring in Brentford captain Christian Norgaard as Berta goes about improving the midfield ranks.

Speaking of midfielders, the most exciting addition of the summer so far is Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, set to join in a move worth just over £50m.

But, what does the rest of the window hold? Well, Arsenal fans are certainly dreaming of the attacking ranks being bolstered.

Let’s start with the striker, shall we? Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres are the two centre-forwards in the club’s crosshairs but who arrives very much remains up in the air.

Gyokeres is a devastating attacker, someone who’s coming off the back of a campaign in which he found the net on 54 occasions in 52 outings. He is the ready-made option, someone who could fire the Gunners to the title.

Yet, it might well be that Arsenal prefer the project striker, someone in the mould of Sesko who appears to have all the raw attributes to become a genuinely elite player.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Described as “the new Haaland” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Slovenian is tall, powerful, quick and has an immense shot on him. That being said, he did only score 21 goals in 2024/25, some way behind Gyokeres.

Still, he’s got incredible potential and if reports are to be believed, personal terms have already been agreed between player and club. Arsenal need a striker and Sesko could be their man.

Elsewhere, a winger appears to be on the agenda for Arteta and Co. Positive talks have reportedly been held to sign Rodrygo from Real Madrid but it remains a difficult deal to do.

If the Gunners had it their way, then Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon would be a dream alternative. Arsenal are interested but with an alleged £100m asking price, this is an incredibly unlikely deal.

That said, he’s Premier League proven and in the process of amassing 44 goal contributions in the last two seasons, he is one of the most dangerous wingers in English football.

Games

48

42

Mins played

3,869

2,946

Goals

12

9

Assists

16

7

Arsenal need another winger; they need competition for Martinelli, and in Gordon, they’d seal a remarkable coup.

The outgoings Bye-bye Trossard

If the club are going to fund two big additions to the forward line then they will need to sell smartly.

Jorginho has already departed on a free transfer, although Norgaard and Zubimendi look to be the replacements there.

But, who could fetch some cash? Well, Oleksandr Zinchenko is one of the names on the chopping block. Linked with Borussia Dortmund last January, he’s caught the attention of the German club again this summer, while AC Milan are also looking at him.

Having played just 522 minutes in the league last season, he’s certainly expendable and must finally be given the boot this summer.

Another departure could be Leandro Trossard. The Belgian appeared in more games (56) than any other Arsenal player in 2024/25, proving his dependability as far as availability is concerned.

However, he had a disappointing campaign on the whole, scoring just ten goals in those outings. At the age of 30, he’s beginning to get on and has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia this year.

Getting a decent transfer fee for the winger could be decisive in Arsenal’s efforts to spend big on new forward players.

The contract renewals Saliba pens new terms

The biggest news as far as renewals are concerned this summer is that Brazilian colossus Gabriel has penned new terms at the Emirates Stadium.

But, who could join him? Well, the news that Myles Lewis-Skelly has signed extended terms has certainly gone down well, with reports suggesting that he’s now one of the highest-paid teenagers in world football.

Four players – Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli – see their deals expire in 2027 and while that feels like a long time away, they could depart for a cut-price fee or run their deals down if Arsenal aren’t careful.

We’re not suggesting Saka could leave on a free for one minute but it’s vital that Berta gets extensions sorted for him, Saliba and Martinelli, in particular.

Saliba has attracted the interest of Real Madrid and we all know what happens when they come calling. Trent Alexander-Arnold, we’re looking at you.

So, getting the French defender tied down could be one of the biggest pieces of business Arsenal do all summer. They simply cannot afford to let him leave.

Tying that in with the arrival of a new winger and a striker would ensure the Gunners end the transfer window with an almighty bang. Wouldn’t that be a bit special, eh?

Better than Williams: Arsenal open talks to sign ex-Spurs player for £50m

The dynamic winger could provide Arsenal with another avenue of attack next season.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 24, 2025

Liverpool have already made a series of intelligent moves this window, and Arne Slot is now looking to see off some of his closest competitors for the Premier League title to strengthen his engine room, per a report.

Liverpool close in on Florian Wirtz deal

Following Jeremie Frimpong’s arrival from Bayer Leverkusen, the Reds have returned to the Bundesliga outfit in an attempt to seal a deal for one of Germany’s most talented assets.

Despite the assumption that Florian Wirtz is close to having his feet under the table at Anfield, Liverpool have made an improved £113 million move for the playmaker as they look to match Erik ten Hag’s £126 million valuation of the Pulheim-born man.

His opener during Germany’s Nations League semi-final defeat to Portugal wasn’t enough to see off Cristiano Ronaldo and Co, but his impressive display will have pleased plenty of supporters ahead of his seemingly inevitable move to Anfield.

Nevertheless, he is far from the only player on the radar in Merseyside. Talks have been held between Liverpool and Real Madrid star Rodrygo amid speculation about the Brazil international leaving the Santiago Bernabeu, which may be a sign of things to come.

Financial expect Kieran Maguire has indicated the Reds have plenty of capital available to invest in targets after taking a minimalist approach to last season’s transfer window.

He's like Gordon: Liverpool lead race for "explosive" £40m Diaz replacement

Liverpool boss Arne Slot will need to welcome a new winger into the fold if Luis Diaz is sold.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 7, 2025

He explained: “I think for Liverpool it’s not a case of how much they’ve got to spend because they can spend as much as they want. If they spent £250m, that would not be a problem.”

In light of this, Liverpool have now identified another candidate to strengthen their thriving squad, though they may need to fend off stiff competition.

Liverpool in three-way battle to sign Morgan Gibbs-White

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are battling Chelsea and Manchester City to sign Morgan Gibbs-White following his excellent campaign at Nottingham Forest.

Valued at around the £70 million mark, the Three Lions international is considered by Slot as a valuable option to bolster his engine room. However, the outlet also notes that he is seen as an alternative should their pursuit of Wirtz hit a snag.

Five similar players to Morgan Gibbs-White (FBRef)

Mattia Zaccagni

Lazio

Lee Jae-sung

Mainz 05

Adrien Rabiot

Marseille

Kamory Doumbia

Brest

Tete Morente

Lecce

Praised for having ‘so much talent’ by Nuno, he has certainly lived up to that billing this season, notching seven goals and ten assists in 38 appearances across all competitions for Nottingham Forest.

Gibbs-White also created 51 chances on Premier League duty and became central to their eventual Europa Conference League qualification at the City Ground.

Liverpool are already well-stocked in midfield, but you can never have too many technicians capable of producing match-winning moments when in the hunt to bring regular silverware to your chosen club.

Following Saturday’s gut-wrenching penalty shootout defeat in the Scottish Cup Final, all Celtic supporters have turned their attention to the club’s plans for the summer.

Before they are next in action, Brendan Rodgers will be hoping to have a few new signings he can showcase, with some key areas clearly to address at Parkhead.

Kieran Tierney is set to arrive at left-back, while a replacement may also be needed for the injury-stricken Jota on the flanks. Kyogo Furuhashi arguably hasn’t been properly replaced since he left in January either.

But, where does their latest target feature?

Celtic's latest transfer target

According to a report by Japanese outlet Sponichi Annex, Celtic are ‘interested’ in Djurgardens’ defender Keita Kosugi, claiming that Paris Saint-Germain have also made a move to secure his services.

The 19-year-old spent his youth career with Shonan Bellmare, before travelling to Sweden for a trial with Djurgarden in March 2024, impressing to such an extent that the Blue Stripes rewarded him with a four-year contract less than a week after his 18th birthday.

How Kosugi could be Celtic's latest Asian success story

Something of an attacking threat from left-back in a similar mould to Tierney, the defender has made 43 appearances for the Stockholm-based giants, scoring five goals.

He was notably on target against both Víkingur Reykjavík and Rapid Wien during their historic run to the Conference League semi-finals, bagging a stunning equaliser during the quarter-final comeback in Vienna.

It’s that star quality that could see him be an enormous success story in Scotland, just as his fellow countrymen have been since the Ange Postecoglou era.

Indeed, to date, eight Japanese players have made a senior appearance for Celtic, many of whom have made a massive impression.

Shunsuke Nakamura was the first, with Ryan Benson of Opta’s the Analyst noting that he is ‘one of the best free-kick takers of all-time’, and many of his compatriots have followed since.

Shunsuke Nakamura

2005-09

155

31

Kōki Mizuno

2008-10

12

1

Kyogo Furuhashi

2021-25

165

85

Yosuke Ideguchi

2022

6

Zero

Reo Hatate

2022-present

142

27

Daizen Maeda

2022-present

158

62

Yūki Kobayashi

2023

7

Zero

Tomoki Iwata

2023-24

42

1

Four of the eight Japanese players have had a huge impact at Celtic, two of whom remain key figures in Rodgers’ team right now.

Daizen Maeda picked up all of this season’s individual accolades, Celtic’s player of the year, PFA Scotland Players’ Player of the Year and SFWA Footballer of the Year and rightly so, considering he scored 33 goals in all competitions.

The forward arrived in 2022 from Yokohama F. Marinos for just £1.5m, which has proved to be an absolute bargain, so could Kosugi represent similarly excellent value for money?

Well, Han June of Football Asian believes the left-back to be “one of Asia’s hottest young prospects”, praising his “fearless defending”.

Meanwhile, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout is impressed by his ‘pace…work rate…versatility and technique’, among other attributes, labelling him ‘a modern defender’.

Minutes

987

14th

Goals

2

51st

Progressive carries

23

30th

Carries into final third

23

10th

Attempted passes

506

36th

Tackles

23

18th

% of dribblers tackled

85.7%

8th

Blocks

22

3rd

Interceptions

12

24th

Clearances

46

15th

Ball recoveries

42

40th

Touches

653

26th

As the table outlines, Kosugi is a very well-rounded player, impressing both in and out of possession, supporting Kulig’s assertion that he is an “exciting talent”.

Writer Kai Watson believes he is an “excellent prospect”, noting that Kosugi is a “promising attacking threat” as well as being “defensively… superb”, regularly “winning the ball back to drive forward”.

Thus, with Greg Taylor and Jeffrey Schlupp set to depart, even with Tierney poised to return, Kosugi has all the attributes to be Celtic’s latest Japanese sensation.

He's like Gareth Bale: Celtic eyeing "Rolls-Royce" who'd be Johnston 2.0

Celtic are eyeing a Gareth Bale-esque star who could be Alistair Johnston 2.0.

ByDan Emery May 28, 2025

The summer transfer window officially opens for business next month and Celtic have already completed their first signing, although he will not officially join until the start of July.

Kieran Tierney will re-join the Scottish giants in the summer after his contract with Arsenal expires at the end of June, which means that the Scotland international will return on a free transfer.

The former Hoops academy graduate enjoyed a terrific first spell at Parkhead, racking up 37 assists in 170 matches in all competitions before his £25m move to The Emirates in 2019.

This suggests that Brendan Rodgers is set to have a brilliant attacking left-back option at his disposal when the 2025/26 campaign gets underway later this year.

Celtic are also set to be in the market for a player to play ahead of Tierney in the left wing position after it was revealed that Jota could be on the sidelines for up to nine months with a knee injury.

That could put the Hoops on alert for a new winger in the summer transfer window because losing the Portuguese talent to a long-term injury is a big blow.

Why losing Jota is a big blow for Celtic

The Scottish Premiership champions reportedly paid a fee of £8m to bring the attacker back to Parkhead from Rennes in the January transfer window, 18 months after they sold him to Al Ittihad for £25m.

This shows that the Hoops were willing to pay big money to reunite with the exciting winger, and for good reason, after his first spell on the flanks in Glasgow.

As you can see in the graphic above, Jota was an absolute joy to watch during his time in the team under Ange Postecoglou in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns, as he delivered goals and assists on a regular basis, whilst playing on the left and the right wing.

Prior to his recent injury, the former Benfica starlet showed that kind of form again with a return of four goals and two assists in seven starts in the Premiership during the second half of this season.

The Celtic star hit the ground running on his homecoming to Glasgow, despite scoring just one goal for Rennes in the first half of the campaign, and looked set for a strong end to the season after his fast start to life back at the club.

Unfortunately, the Scottish giants will now have to deal without having Jota for the best part of a year, which is a blow because they have lost a star who has proven that he can score and assist goals on a regular basis in Scotland.

Celtic could, however, find a perfect replacement for the Portuguese gem for the start of next season by signing their latest reported transfer target.

Celtic eyeing move for English attacker

According to The Herald, Celtic are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign 23-year-old attacker Tyrhys Dolan from Championship side Blackburn Rovers.

The report claims that the Hoops are monitoring his situation with the English side, as Rodgers seemingly lines up a swoop for the talented forward.

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Dolan’s current contract at Ewood Park is due to expire at the end of June and this means that the Scottish giants could swoop in to land him for a compensation fee, as he came up through the youth ranks at Blackburn and they would still be entitled to a nominal fee. This is quite remarkable considering the Scottish Sun suggests that he is actually valued around the £10m mark.

The Herald adds, though, that fellow Premiership side Rangers have already made contact with the player to be informed about his situation, which shows that Celtic are not the only side interested in a swoop for the English attacker.

It is now down to the Hoops to win the race for the Championship star’s signature because he could come in as a perfect replacement for Jota for Rodgers.

Why Dolan would be a perfect Jota replacement for Celtic

Like the Portuguese forward, Dolan is a versatile right-footed winger who can play out on the right or on the left flank, which means that he can play down the line as a touchline winger on the right or on the left as an inverted winger who cuts inside to create space for an overlapping full-back.

That could make him an ideal left-winger for Tierney to play with because the English ace could drift infield onto his stronger right foot and drag the right-back, which could provide the Scottish defender with opportunities to deliver crosses in from the space that creates.

This means that the Blackburn star could be the perfect Jota replacement from a stylistic perspective, because of his ability to fulfill the tactical roles that the £8m signing could play for Rodgers.

Of course, Celtic also need a winger who has the quality to provide goals and assists at the top end of the pitch to help them win matches and trophies, and Dolan also has the potential to be that forward as well.

Appearances

44

Goals

7

Conversion rate

14%

Big chances created

7

Key passes

44

Assists

6

As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old star has delivered seven goals and six assists in the Championship this term, which is a respectable, but not outstanding, return.

It is more impressive when you consider that Blackburn rank 16th in the Championship for xG, with 51.7 xG in 46 games, which shows that they are not a front-footed team that consistently creates chances.

Celtic, meanwhile, racked up 84.0 xG in 33 matches before the split. This means that Dolan, who Tony Mowbray once hailed as scoring a “wonderful” goal, would be in a team that creates significantly more chances for their attacking players.

Therefore, the English star could add far more goals and assists to his game by playing in an attacking, dominant, side in Glasgow, which could turn his decent haul of 13 goals and assists into Jota-esque contributions over the course of a Premiership season.

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Therefore, Dolan could be the perfect replacement for the injured Jota as a low-cost signing, given his contract situation, who fits tactically and has the potential to be an excellent operator in the final third.