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Newcastle United needed that. Though form in the Premier League continues to frustrate Eddie Howe and those of a Toon persuasion, there’s no denying his side on their return to the Champions League.

Jose Mourinho’s Benfica were defeated 3-0 at St. James’ Park on Tuesday evening, making it two wins on the bounce in Europe’s elite competition after that opening-day defeat at the hands of Barcelona.

This was the kind of display the Magpies need to harness and carry back over to their domestic efforts, struggling for consistency in the Premier League right now.

But if anything, it’s nights like these that remind the fanbase that this is a special group of players.

Newcastle's best performers vs Benfica

Howe was understandably chuffed with Newcastle’s winning display, now in good standing to continue the push and ascend to the next phase of the Champions League.

At the double was Harvey Barnes, whose clinical edge bore dividends on the evening. And how about that assist from Nick Pope, who continues to show why he deserves to be the number one between the sticks.

He didn’t score, but Nick Woltemade continues to dazzle. The “phenom”, as he was called by reporter Andy Sixsmith, was the connective tissue in attack, with the correspondent saying “his link-up play is mesmerising”.

Isak didn’t hit his stride in the European theatre for Newcastle; his triumph was found on the domestic stage. Alan Shearer remains the modern great in the Champions League for Newcastle, with seven goals from 14 matches for the Tynesiders.

Now, Howe has found his new version of the legendary goalscorer, and no, it’s not Woltemade.

Howe has found Newcastle's new Shearer

Shearer was brilliant at Newcastle, scoring 206 goals and supplying 58 assists across 405 matches.

Woltemade has the talent to rival the Premier League icon down the line, but it’s Anthony Gordon who was the star of the show against Benfica, and he’s proving he could emulate the one-time England international.

Indeed, the 24-year-old is now only two goals behind Shearer as Newcastle’s leading scorer in the Champions League proper, and he has four goals from three games this term alone.

Electric on the ball and ravenous for it back when against the opposition’s play, Gordon has ebbed and flowed this season, but he’s starting to find form at a crucial time, and must now transport it back to the domestic scene.

Shearer’s legacy is a peerless one, but Gordon, signed from Everton for £45m nearly three years ago, is becoming the face of his high-flying project, and his chase for Shearer’s European record is one piece of that evidence.

But Gordon’s actually gone one better in black and white: his goal against the Eagles means he is the first Newcastle player in history to net in three successive Champions League matches for the club.

It was a fantastic performance, a demonstration of Gordon’s elite talent and tenacity. The Chronicle Live gave the Three Lions star a flawless 10/10 match rating, praising his lightning speed and prolificness down the left wing, while Geordie content creators, Mouth of the Tyne, remarked that he was back to his “unplayable best.”

Anthony Gordon vs Benfica

Match Stats

#

Minutes played

85′

Goals

1

Assists

1

Touches

60

Shots (on target)

4 (1)

Accurate passes

25/35 (71%)

Chances created

1

Crosses

1/4

Dribbles

1/3

Recoveries

8

Tackles won

2/3

Duels won

7/14

Data via Sofascore

Talk about an all-encompassing performance. Gordon might not be an out-and-out striker, but he’s fighting hard to step up and succeed as Newcastle’s attacking talisman.

Alexander Isak may not play for the club anymore, but Newcastle have found a worthy successor in Woltemade, and Gordon is ready to raise his role too.

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Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have some issues to contend with this season.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Oct 21, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur return to action at the end of this week with a clash against Aston Villa at home in the Premier League after the international break.

The Lilywhites are currently third in the table, with one loss in seven matches, and Thomas Frank will be hoping that his team continues to thrive in the top-flight.

He may, however, look for more from certain players in the coming weeks. Xavi Simons, for example, is yet to score a goal since his move from RB Leipzig in the summer.

The Netherlands international, as shown in the graphic below, hit double figures for goals in the 2024/25 campaign for the German outfit before his move to England.

These statistics suggest that there is more to come from the attacking midfielder, who played in a central midfield role against Leeds United last time out, as a goalscoring threat.

Frank needs the Dutchman to step up with more goals and assists this season because the Danish tactician will be without James Maddison for some time yet.

Why James Maddison's injury is a big blow for Spurs

The England international suffered an ACL injury in pre-season and is set to be out for the majority of this season. He recently revealed that his target is to return before the end of the campaign.

This means that the former Leicester and Norwich star will not be available for selection to Frank until near the end of the season at the earliest, which is a big blow because of the quality that he can provide at Premier League level.

Maddison, who has 107 goals and assists in his top-flight career (Transfermarkt), ended the 2024/25 league campaign with a return of nine goals and seven assists in 21 starts for Spurs.

The English attacking midfielder proved that he is worthy of wearing the number ten shirt for Tottenham with his performances in the Premier League, with a consistent stream of goals and assists at the top end of the pitch.

xG

0.29

Top 4%

Goals

0.45

Top 3%

Shots on target

0.84

Top 7%

xA

0.29

Top 4%

Chances created

2.03

Top 10%

Assists

0.35

Top 4%

As you can see in the table above, Maddison ranked as one of the most effective attacking midfielders in the Premier League last season when it came to scoring and creating goals per 90.

The likes of Rafa van der Vaart, Harry Kane, Robbie Keane, Teddy Sheringham, and Glenn Hoddle all donned the number ten shirt before the Spurs star inherited it from Kane in the summer of 2023.

Maddison’s impact at the top end of the pitch, with goals and assists, shows that he is worthy of being a number ten for the club, but it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to get back to his best after an ACL injury.

If the England international does not get back to his best in an attacking midfield role for Spurs, that number ten shirt could be up for grabs in the not-too-distant future.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Whilst some may look to Xavi Simons as a potential successor to Maddison’s number ten shirt, there is an exciting young star in the academy system who could steal the number ten from the vice-captain.

Luca Williams-Barnett made his first-team debut for Tottenham off the bench against Doncaster in the League Cup earlier this season, and could have a bright future in North London.

Why Luca Williams-Barnett can steal the number ten shirt for Spurs

Per Transfermarkt, the 17-year-old starlet has worn the number ten shirt for Spurs at U18, U19, and U21 level so far, which shows that he is a fan of the number.

This suggests that his dream would be to wear the number ten shirt for Tottenham at first-team level in the future, but he currently has Maddison in his way and will need to emerge as a star for Frank’s team to have a shot at claiming it.

Williams-Barnett’s form for the club’s academy so far this season suggests that he is well on his way to breaking into the senior side, which would then put him into contention to steal that shirt number.

The teenage talent, who was hailed as “special” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has scored eight goals and provided five assists in ten appearances in all competitions this season, per Transfermarkt, which includes a three-minute appearance for the first-team.

Williams-Barnett, typically deployed as an attacking midfielder, has delivered consistent performances at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals in his number ten role.

Appearances

23

10

Minutes

1857

719

Goals

20

8

Minutes per goal

93

90

Assists

12

5

Minutes per assist

155

144

Minutes per goal contribution

58

55

As you can see in the table above, the 17-year-old starlet’s form since the start of last season has been breathtaking, with a goal or an assist every hour or so on average.

Not only is Williams-Barnett an output machine who can score and create goals at an exceptional rate, but the Spurs sensation also “scores bangers”, per analyst Ben Mattinson on X.

That comment from Mattinson is backed up by the two goals from the attacking midfielder in the video above, as it shows that he is an effective finisher from range.

However, it is now down to Williams-Barnett to prove that he can score and create goals at an impressive rate for the senior team, as he has done at U18, U19, and U21 level so far.

18-year-old Spurs gem is a "superstar" with more talent than Vuskovic

Tottenham Hotspur have a whole host of exciting youngsters to watch out for.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 13, 2025

If Frank provides the England U18 international with a chance to play regular minutes for the first-team, the impressive attacking midfielder may just steal Maddison’s number ten shirt in the future.

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has made a surprise decision ahead of this weekend’s trip to Brentford, by calling up a youngster who struggled in League Two to first-team training.

Man Utd set to travel to Brentford on Saturday

Man United will be looking to make it three wins from their last four Premier League games this weekend, when they travel to the Gtech Community Stadium to take on a Brentford side that are without a win in their last three top-flight outings.

Amorim will be pleased his side managed to return to winning ways against Chelsea last time out, winning 2-1 at Old Trafford, but it wasn’t exactly a vintage performance, with United clinging on at the end, despite racing into a two-goal advantage after Robert Sanchez’s red card.

As such, it is probably too early to claim the victory against the Blues could be a turning point in the season, and Amorim is continuing to look at ways in which he can improve his side.

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The Red Devils have identified an “incredible” manager as a replacement for Ruben Amorim.

4 ByDominic Lund Sep 23, 2025

As relayed by The Peoples Person, the Man United boss has called a youngster up to first-team training ahead of the trip to Brentford this weekend, with an official statement reading: “Young midfielder Sam Mather was also part of the group that worked in pleasant conditions on Tuesday, in stark contrast to the torrential rain that affected last weekend’s win.”

Mather is a natural winger, who is also able to play in attacking midfield, and with Amorim arguably lacking options in wide areas after Alejandro Garnacho’s departure, the 21-year-old is now training with the first-team, in what has to be considered a surprising development.

The winger came very close to leaving the Red Devils in the summer transfer window, after failing to make an impact on loan at League Two side Tranmere Rovers last season, but he now has a golden opportunity to prove himself ahead of the January transfer window.

Mather faces difficult path to save his Man Utd career

In all honesty, it seems very unlikely that the Salford-born ace will be able to save his Man United career at this stage, given that he struggled during a loan spell with Tranmere last season, appearing for just four minutes across two League Two appearances.

There are question marks over Amad Diallo’s performances this season, with YouTuber Stephen Howson calling the winger into question after the 2-1 victory against Chelsea last weekend.

However, Matheus Cunha is now back from injury, and Bryan Mbeumo has made a solid start to life at Old Trafford, starting all five Premier League games and opening his account in the 3-2 victory against Burnley earlier this month.

As a result, Mather is unlikely to be able to force his way into Amorim’s plans, and the call-up to first-team training is unlikely to be a sign the United academy product will be receiving minutes anytime soon.

حقق فريق ميلان فوزًا صعبًا على خصمه فيورنتينا، مساء يوم الأحد، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإيطالي لكرة القدم، موسم 2025/26.

واستضاف ميلان خصمه فيورنتينا في خضم لقاءات الجولة السابعة من الدوري الإيطالي لذلك الموسم، حيث حقق فوزًا بهدفين لهدف.

تمكن روبن جوسينس من تسجيل هدف أول لصالح فيورنتينا، في الدقيقة 55 من عمر المباراة، قبل أن ينجح رفائيل لياو في تسجيل هدف التعادل في الدقيقة 63.

وتحصل ميلان على ضربة جزاء في الدقيقة 86، حيث نفذها لياو بنجاح وحولها إلى هدف ثان له ولأصحاب الأرض، محققًا الفوز لهم.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد ميلان إلى 16 نقطة في صدارة الدوري الإيطالي في الوقت الحالي، بينما تجمد رصيد فيورنتينا عند 3 نقاط في المركز الثامن عشر.

Tottenham Hotspur are now pushing hard to finalise a deal for a “mind-boggling” rival, with talks recently being accelerated.

Spurs remain keen on another attacker after Simons

After missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze in disappointing fashion, Tottenham managed to get one over on Chelsea by completing a deal for Xavi Simons earlier this week.

Simons arrives at N17 with a good reputation, having performed very well for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga across the two seasons, and at just 22-years-old, he could be Thomas Frank’s number 10 for many years to come.

Season	Bundesliga appearances	Goal contributions
2023-24	32	21
2024-25	25	17

However, the Dutchman is yet to prove himself in the Premier League, and with James Maddison set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to an ACL injury, Frank appears to be keen to bring in one more attacking midfielder before the transfer deadline.

According to a report from The Boy Hotspur, Tottenham have now made a decisive move to sign West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta, having accelerated talks in recent days, but the operation could be costly, with the Hammers looking to receive £50m – £60m.

Spurs are undeterred, however, and they are now pushing hard to finalise a deal, but there could be competition for Paqueta’s signature, with Premier League rivals Aston Villa and Crystal Palace also known to hold an interest.

Tottenham make highest bid for 71-cap star who's scored at the World Cup

Spurs are in talks for him right now.

By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 30, 2025

There is confidence the Brazilian could be a statement signing for the north Londoners, having been cleared of betting allegations and rediscovered strong form, but it could be difficult to get a deal over the line, with West Ham reluctant to lose another key player to their rivals.

"Mind-boggling" Paqueta would be exciting addition for Spurs

Former teammate Declan Rice lauded the Brazil international not long after his arrival at the London Stadium, saying: “I think now you’re seeing the real Lucas. Some of the stuff he does, even in training, it’s just mind-boggling how good he is.”

A drop-off in form coincided with betting allegations, with the 28-year-old chipping in with just four goal contributions in the Premier League last season, but he has made a strong start to the new campaign, having scored two goals in three matches in all competitions.

It was absolutely vital that Tottenham got a new attacking midfielder through the door, having lost Maddison to injury, while Son Heung-min has signed for LAFC, and Paqueta has proven what it takes to perform in the Premier League.

However, having now signed Simons, it would perhaps make more sense to focus on bringing in a new winger as a direct replacement for Son, and Manchester City ace Savinho remains keen on a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

At the very last moment, just when all hope was nearly lost, Arsenal pulled off one of the greatest transfer hijacks in recent memory by usurping Tottenham to a deal for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

Earlier this week, Spurs appeared to have Eze’s signing all done and dusted when they reached a verbal club-to-club agreement for the 27-year-old, after also agreeing personal terms with the player himself.

However, Kai Havertz’s injury prompted Andrea Berta to make a last-minute dash for Eze after laying plenty of groundwork earlier this summer and holding extensive talks with the England international’s representatives.

Arsenal matched Tottenham’s bid, leaving Eze with the final decision, and he ultimately chose a return to his boyhood club – 14 years after being released by them as a young academy prospect.

The transfer, now estimated to cost Mikel Arteta’s side around £67.5 million, is great news for QPR as well – as the Hoops inserted a 15 per cent sell-on clause on any profit for Eze when they sold him to Palace in 2020.

Eze started undergoing his Arsenal medical on Friday morning, so Arteta will soon have the Londoner at his disposal in what is a seismic boost for their Premier League title challenge.

Now, the question is, how will Arteta utilise the attacking star who bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions for Palace last season?

Arsenal's plan for Eberechi Eze after hijacking Tottenham

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal plan to use Eze as a number 10, which is “fascinating” because it’s a clear indication that Arteta was planning a similar role for Havertz, before the German’s forced absence.

Lionel Messi’s presence at the 2026 World Cup has been called into question, but Argentina team-mate Cristian Romero claims the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will “easily” make it to that event. The all-time great has, at 38 years of age, conceded that fitness concerns could lead to him missing out on the defence of a global title in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

• Messi's workload being carefully managed

  Messi has nursed more knocks at club level this season, forcing him to miss the odd game for MLS side Inter Miami. His workload is being carefully managed by club and country, with no unnecessary risks being taken.

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  GOAT has hinted at international retirement

  The South American GOAT recently took in what he expects to be his last competitive outing on Argentine soil, in a World Cup qualifier, and has hinted that international retirement may not be too far off.

• Can Messi become a two-time World Cup winner?

  Those working with Messi are, however, confident that he will form part of their plans at another major tournament. Romero sees no reason why the iconic No.10 cannot take on the challenge of becoming a two-time World Cup winner.

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  Why Romero believes Messi will make World Cup

  Tottenham defender Romero told reporters when asked about his illustrious colleague: “I can answer about Leo, I think he’s fit, I think he could easily take part. It’s his decision. We all enjoy playing with him, we all enjoy watching him play. For me, and for people who know about football, I think he’s the biggest player in history.

  “I love having him as a team-mate in the dressing room and sharing moments with him. We've had some very happy times together. Of course, I think he's going to be right for the World Cup. Of course he is.

  “When I'm with the national team, it's still a long time before we start thinking about the World Cup. Lots of months ahead before that comes into the frame. It's all about concentrating on Tottenham.”

India lose 7 for 54 after Sarfaraz and Pant’s 177-run partnership to leave NZ in sight of first Test win in India in 36 years

Sidharth Monga19-Oct-2024

Will O’Rourke triggered a batting collapse•Getty Images

Stumps
Test cricket showed off in all its glory as India, led by the impish Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant, threatened to pull off the unthinkable in an audacious manner. But the second new ball claimed seven wickets for 62 runs to leave New Zealand 107 to win their first Test in India in 36 years. That, incidentally, is the lowest target successfully defended in India, but that was on a rank turner in Mumbai in 2004-05.This was Test cricket shorn of all of its niceties. The bowlers were under extreme pressure from Sarfaraz and Pant, who added 177 in 35.1 overs, as India tried to become only the second team to win a Test from a sub-50 first innings. This same approach resulted in a collapse when the second new ball started to nip around.Related

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This was high-variance Test cricket. India lost 17 wickets for 108 runs to the first and the third new balls, but scored 400 for 3 in 80 overs in between.India’s quick scoring rate meant the second new ball was New Zealand’s absolute last roll of the dice. Had they failed to cause any damage with the new ball, the best they could have hoped for was a draw. Keeping in mind how they had been pummelled and made to look toothless for 80 overs, it was a show of remarkable skill and persistence to roar back into the match.In under 20 overs, they drew 43 false shots from India, having done so only 72 times in the first 80 overs. Much of it was down to Sarfaraz swinging his bat hoping to blast the new ball, but who dare question that approach when he scored 150 showing similarly scant regard to the bowling. Pant himself tried to hit his way out, gloving a sweep off Tim Southee, slog-sweeping him out of the stadium, but then playing on the 6’6″ Will O’Rourke with the replacement ball on 99, his seventh dismissal in the 90s to go with six hundreds.O’Rourke was fiery, 3-3-0-3 at one point with the new ball, before Matt Henry found just the optimum seam to take out the last three. It showed just how far you fall behind when you get bowled out for 46. Sarfaraz and Pant carried on from the 231 for 3 on day three, and managed to one-up the progress. Team-mates at the Under-19 World Cup, they were innovative and thrilling.Sarfaraz turned his first Test hundred into a 150, his 11th first-class score of 150 or more out of his 16 hundreds. Pant, who missed keeping duties after a knock on his surgically repaired knee from his life-threatening road accident, matched him in audacity. However, his running hampered, he turned at least two couples into singles as he approached the hundred. He walked back with a wistful look at the sky.Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan added 177 in 211 balls•Associated Press

If Sarfaraz toyed with the bowling with late-cuts and ramps while ducking and weaving, Pant slog-swept fast bowlers and charged at them to hit them past mid-off. His five sixes took him past Kapil Dev and placed him sixth in the list of top six-hitters for India in Tests.Before the new ball, the only time New Zealand came close to a wicket was a run-out opportunity at Pant’s end, but Tom Blundell reprieved him for the second time in the match by leaving his base to collect a wide throw, seemingly unaware of the opportunity at his end. Pant was on only 6 then.As Pant felt his way into the innings, scoring 12 off the first 24 balls he faced, Sarfaraz took only six balls in the morning to bring out his cheekiness: a nonchalant ramp off O’Rourke’s first ball of the day. When they reinforced the field with a deep third and a deep point, Sarfaraz still bisected them.Soon Pant joined him. They showed little regard for the field-sets, no fear of making mistakes, and the New Zealand bowlers again failed to provide Tom Latham any control. The biggest disappointment was Ajaz Patel, who turned the ball less than the part-timer Rachin Ravindra.It seemed the seam bowlers wanted to trap Sarfaraz lbw, but that only kept giving him easy singles on the leg side. When the keeper came up to the stumps to root Pant to the crease, the visitors were rewarded with an edge but the dying pitch didn’t have enough in it to make it carry. Soon, though, he lofted Southee from the crease for a six back over his head.In the eighth over of the day, Sarfaraz punched Southee to deep cover for what would have been a single for any other batter, but he had sent all the fielders elsewhere with his late-cuts. The boundary brought up an emotional hundred.Sarfaraz Khan sprinted to a 110-ball hundred•Getty Images

When Ajaz got one to kick at Pant from the rough, the glove absorbed a lot of the impact and the ball went straight down. He now decided he had to attack. In one dramatic Ajaz over, he hit two sixes. Then he survived an inside edge and an outside edge in the same over. The inside one saved him from lbw, and his back pad denied New Zealand a catch off the outside edge. Pant still managed to hit one more four in the over, India’s 47th boundary, more than the runs they scored in the first innings.A shower brought them some relief, but India kept attacking before the new ball, taking their run rate back up to five an over. At first, it appeared New Zealand had exhausted all their luck in getting the conditions to bowl India out for 46 and in getting Rohit Sharma out in the second innings. For now, everything just started going past the bat or falling safe.Sarfaraz survived seven various kinds of false shots before he finally lobbed one to cover as the ball seamed away from him. Pant, not quite at home himself against the new ball, tried a sweep before actually dropping jaws on the floor with the slog-swept six to go into the 90s.Then came O’Rourke, who had been ramped for four first ball in the morning. This time, his first ball nipped back and kicked at Pant to take the fatal bottom edge to silence the crowd. His extra bounce and seam movement away also accounted for KL Rahul. Then one came slowly off the surface to take the toe end on a Ravindra Jadeja pull.Henry bowled an unbroken ten-over spell to keep a lid on the scoring and take the last three wickets to go with his first innings’ five. While the India fans had gone from praying for the rain to stop to now hoping for biblical thunderstorms, India didn’t seem pleased when they were asked to go off early for bad light, which did later turn into a massive storm. The new ball was moving, and India were hoping for some damage under artificial lights.

The future of an “amazing” Manchester United player now looks set to be resolved, with a new update suggesting he is on the verge of leaving Old Trafford.

Lots of Man Utd departures on the cards

After a dire 2024/25 season at Old Trafford, wholesale changes are expected within Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils squad, with Matheus Cunha already arriving from Wolves.

While United supporters will understandably be focusing on the players who come in, a host of current stars are likely to depart before the new Premier League campaign gets underway, especially in wide attacking areas.

Marcus Rashford’s name immediately springs to mind, with the 27-year-old’s Red Devils career set to reach a sad conclusion after a sustained period of poor form. He continues to be mentioned as an option for Barcelona, with a loan move to the Catalan giants mooted.

He is far from the only United attacker who is expected to move on, though, with the likes of Antony, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho all highly likely to head off to pastures new. Now, an important update has emerged regarding one of those players.

£20m+ agreement reached for Man Utd attacker to leave

According to a fresh update from Corriere dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Manchester United have now reached an agreement over the exit of Sancho to Juventus this summer.

The Englishman looks set to leave in a £20m+ deal, having made it clear that he wants a fresh challenge, and previous claims have said Amorim also doesn’t want him at the club any longer. Sancho has also accepted a contract offer from the Italian giants worth more than £5m a season.

Selling Sancho this summer is a no-brainer for United, even though the 25-year-old is clearly a player with bags of talent, having been hailed as “amazing” by Ian Wright during his loan spell at Chelsea last season, and lauded by Blues manager Enzo Maresca.

“Jadon is doing well. He needs to continue in the same way; work hard, every day. As I’ve said before, for sure he is going to help us. We really believe that he is a special player. But the only way for him to confirm that is by working hard every day and never be happy and always be ambitious. He needs to want more and more and more.”

Sancho’s move to United simply hasn’t worked out, though, with just 12 goals and six assists to his name in 83 appearances, and it makes complete sense for them to cash in at this point, using the money to find a superior option.

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ByEthan Lamb Jul 12, 2025

The fact that Amorim sees no future for the England international is the final nail in the coffin for him, and while he may go to Juventus and excel, as he did abroad with Borussia Dortmund in the past, the United boss will feel he is making the right decision.

Celtic are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign FC Nordsjælland forward Benjamin Nygren, whose contract expires at the end of this year, on a permanent deal this summer.

The right-sided attacker could become the second official signing for the Hoops in the off-season, after the club confirmed Kieran Tierney’s arrival on a free transfer from Arsenal earlier this week.

Celtic's transfer priorities this summer

Following the much-needed signing of Tierney to fill their gaping hole at left-back, with Greg Taylor out of contract this summer, Celtic appear to have turned their attention to the wide areas.

Nygren is ‘expected’ to sign for the Scottish giants to bolster their options on the right flank, but they are also looking for a new forward on the left side of the pitch.

It was recently claimed that the Hoops are in talks with left-winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha’s representatives over a move from Royal Antwerp, and the Scottish Premiership champions are in negotiations with Sarpsborg over a move for Norwegian flanker Sondre Orjasaeter.

This makes it clear that Celtic are after a right-footed left-winger – Balikwisha or Orjasaeter – to go along with the signing of Nygren, who is a left-footed right-winger.

New wingers are not the only signings on the agenda for Brendan Rodgers this summer, though, as the Northern Irish head coach is also looking to improve the depth of his midfield.

Celtic believe they can land bargain deal for Premier League star

According to West Ham United-focused outlet Claret & Hugh, Celtic are interested in a deal to sign Scotland international Andy Irving, who is for sale, in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Hammers are open to offers for the 25-year-old central midfielder, as ‘almost everyone’ is for sale at the Premier League side.

It reveals that the Hoops believe that they can land the left-footed maestro for a ‘bargain’ fee, although no exact price tag is mentioned, because he was rarely used by Graham Potter in the 2024/25 campaign, playing just ten times in the top-flight.

24/25 Premier League	Andy Irving (per 90)	Percentile rank vs midfielders
Passes made	60.00	Top 8%
Pass accuracy	90.0%	Top 16%
Long passes made	3.89	Top 5%
Long pass accuracy	87.5%	Top 4%
Cross accuracy	50%	Top 11%
Touches	87.78	Top 6%
Stats via FotMob

Irving showcased his quality in possession, as shown in the table above, by ranking highly among his positional peers in a host of key passing and possession-based metrics in the limited minutes that he had on the pitch.

Claret & Hugh adds that the Scottish midfielder is ‘open’ to a move away from the Premier League club in order to go in search of regular first-team football, which is why a transfer to Parkhead could be one that ‘suits all parties’.

Irving, who made his Scotland debut earlier this month against Liechtenstein, appears to have the on-ball qualities to perfectly suit playing in a Celtic team that averaged 75.1% possession per game in the Premiership in the 2024/25 season.

His desire to constantly get on the ball and make passes, short and long, whilst being efficient in doing so, could make him a good fit for Rodgers’ dominant Hoops midfielder, which is why this is a deal that could make a lot of sense for both clubs and the player.

More exciting than Tierney: Celtic expected to complete "no-brainer" deal

Celtic are expected to seal the signing of a star who would be more exciting than Kieran Tierney.

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By
Dan Emery

Jun 14, 2025