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West Ham United are now thought to be eyeing a late January move for one club's £25 million player, alongside the heavily linked Al-Ittihaf forward Jota and FC Norsjaelland winger Ibrahim Osman.

West Ham exploring deals for Osman and Jota

Despite having been in talks over signing the latter player for quite a while, and soon after they put pen to paper on a loan deal for Man City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, so far a move to east London has failed to materialise for Osman.

West Ham eyeing late January move for "bargain" striker likened to Toney

He’s been labelled “similar” to the Brentford man.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 27, 2024

There are discrepancies over why that is, with some reliable sources suggesting that Nordsjaelland's demands are the issue (Fabrizio Romano). Others, like B.T football correspondent Farzam Abolhosseini, who actually broke West Ham's interest in Osman, are saying they issues surround his representation.

However, despite this roadblock in negotiations, it is believed a potential deal for the Ghanaian talent is still on. An Osman move to West Ham has stalled but not totally off, according to widespread reports, but it is also believed they're weighing up Jota as an alternative.

Jota

28/01/2024

Ibrahim Osman

29/01/2024

Steven Bergwijn

27/01/2024

Jack Clarke

29/01/2024

Valentin Carboni

26/01/2024

The Portuguese has been heavily linked with a move to east London as he seeks an exit from Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ittihad not even registering him as a member of their domestic squad.

However, there are real tax issues which could make this agreement a difficult one, as Jota would stand to lose a major chunk of his salary if he were to make a Premier League switch. The complicated matter is explained best by West Ham Way writer Joe Davis on X.

In any case, both Jota and Osman remain firmly on David Moyes' radar as we fast approach January deadline day. Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, though, says another player is attracting late West Ham interest as well.

West Ham eyeing late Trevoh Chalobah move with Jota and Osman

Indeed, Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah remains out of Mauricio Pochettino's plans, and this is said to have turned a few heads at the London Stadium.

Sheth, taking to X with a January update, says West Ham are eyeing a late move to sign Chalobah, coming after reports that they're willing to sign a centre-back if Nayef Aguerd seals a late transfer away.

The 24-year-old can play at centre-back, in the full-back areas and even in midfield – which would make him a useful asset for Moyes. Chalobah's reported price tag of around £25 million is also realistic from a West Ham perspective, with former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard calling him a "delight" behind-the-scenes.

Of course, the Englishman's injury problems will also be a concern for Moyes, so it will be interesting to see if they advance.

Sunderland are finally in contention for a return to the Premier League, after years in the footballing wilderness had seen the Black Cats slip all the way down to League One.

The wheels fell off in Wearside at a rapid speed, back-to-back relegations down to the third tier making the Stadium of Light outfit the butt of many people’s jokes at the time.

Yet, under Michael Beale this season, the Black Cats could well finally rise from the ashes and return to the top flight – Beale’s youthful side just a point shy of breaking into the coveted top six at the time of writing after losing out in the playoffs last campaign.

Sunderland’s approach to transfers – if they were to return to the Premier League for the first time since dropping out back in the 2016-17 season – would differ to how they went about their business last time in the division with this record buy flopping big time when making a much-talked-about move to England.

How much Sunderland signed Didier Ndong for

Didier Ndong signed for Sunderland before this disastrous relegation season could get underway, entering as Sunderland’s most expensive player of all time with a £13.6m fee above his head.

That was always going to weigh Ndong down playing for the Black Cats, an expectation that the former Lorient man would take the Premier League by storm just based on his price-tag alone.

The move wouldn’t go to plan whatsoever for the Gabonese central midfielder however, scoring only one goal wearing the Sunderland strip from 54 appearances.

Towards the back end of his uninspiring spell with the club, Ndong would sour his relationship further with the Sunderland faithful by refusing to play when the team were relegated down to the third tier.

The now 29-year-old midfielder would see his contract eventually terminated as a result, ending an ill-fated association with the Black Cats that felt doomed from the beginning.

Ndong would opt to return back to France after this severing of ties was confirmed, with the 29-year-old becoming somewhat of a nomad since leaving Wearside behind.

What Ndong did after leaving Sunderland

The divisive ex-Sunderland man has been mixing it with Jordan Henderson out in Saudi Arabia of late, having played for the likes of Guingamp and Dijon in Ligue 1 directly after leaving the Stadium of Light.

Featuring for Al-Riyadh this season, Ndong has impressed in flashes by making 18 appearances in total for the Saudi Pro League side, even featuring in a game where he beat the aforementioned Henderson’s Al-Ettifaq 1-0.

His display in a back-and-forth encounter with Al-Shabab last year sticks out, helping himself to an assist in the entertaining 2-2 draw whilst also losing possession seven times from a holding role.

The former Sunderland flop will just look to keep plugging away in his new surroundings currently, with his time playing in both the Premier League and Championship for the Black Cats firmly at the back of his mind now.

Supporters at the Stadium of Light will most likely have forgotten about Ndong’s existence too, erasing those troubled times completely in pursuit of glory in the present with Beale’s young and hungry outfit eyeing up a playoff push.

Even with Sheffield Wednesday's current lowly predicament making relegation straight back down to League One a very real possibility, there are reasons to still be optimistic at Hillsborough for what's on the horizon in the future.

There are a number of young talents in South Yorkshire attempting to break through into the first team picture to cut through the doom and gloom, with Danny Rohl already bedding the likes of 18-year-old Bailey Cadamarteri into his starting lineup without hesitation since arriving as manager.

Cadamarteri isn't the only young Owls hotshot banging down the door for more senior minutes, however, with one highly-rated Wednesday goalkeeper on the brink of pushing through also.

With James Beadle only in through the door on a loan deal until the end of the season, and Cameron Dawson putting in some abject displays this season in between the sticks, next campaign could well be one where Pierce Charles takes the first team by storm.

The goalkeeper situation at Wednesday

It's fair to say the Owls have leaked way more goals than they would have liked to this campaign so far, as seen in the relegation-threatened side shipping four goals in two games on the spin recently in 4-0 and 4-1 defeats to Huddersfield Town and Coventry City in the Championship and FA Cup.

Signing Beadle on loan from Brighton would see Wednesday bin off Cameron Dawson in order for a fresh face to come in, with Dawson keeping just four clean sheets from 18 appearances so far this campaign.

Beadle has arguably not fared any better in his short time at the club to date, making just one save in total as the Owls were humbled by the Terriers 4-0 at the start of the month, but he has shown signs of his promise also with three clean sheets notched up.

With Beadle most likely just returning to the Seagulls when his loan stint is up, Wednesday could do far worse than giving Charles more regular first-team minutes soon to try and unearth a perfect heir to eventually replace a waning Dawson.

Pierce Charles could become Wednesday's number one

Rohl has shown he's unafraid to gift untested youth players a chance this campaign – culminating in Cadamarteri netting four goals for the senior side since bursting onto the scene when making the jump up from the U18s – and so Charles could benefit from the German manager's boldness next.

Charles came away from Wednesday's initial Cup tie with Mark Robins' Sky Blues, before the 4-1 collapse in the replay at the CBS Arena, with his head held high in the 1-1 draw.

Thrown into the deep end, the former Manchester City youth player turned Owls hot prospect pulled off three saves against a Coventry side boasting the likes of former Everton striker Ellis Simms in attack.

Only waywardly giving the ball away seven times from 33 passes out from the back too, Charles looked confident and composed even under the strain of playing under the bright lights of Hillsborough as a wide-eyed teenager.

Described as being an "excellent" talent by former Owls boss Darren Moore in the wake of the 18-year-old penning his first professional contract with Wednesday, those with connections to the South Yorkshire club will keep everything crossed that Charles can blossom into a dependable first-team goalkeeper to replace Dawson over time.

With the mood around Hillsborough typically being bleak this season, there could be a slight ray of light knowing that the Owls are producing some top talents for the future.

Sunderland couldn't start Mike Dodds' reign back as interim boss with a bang against Swansea City last weekend, as the Black Cats ended up losing 2-1 to Luke Williams' Swans at the Stadium of Light.

A number of key first-teamers let the Wearside outfit down in the narrow defeat, with the likes of reliable central midfield presence Dan Neil only winning one duel all afternoon in a passive display.

Yet, Sunderland's troubles aren't just restricted to the XI fielded by Dodds on the football pitch with this high earner currently bleeding the Black Cats dry waiting in the wings.

Earning more than double Trai Hume's wage, this fringe figure at Sunderland could soon be actively pushed out of the building to free up more wage space.

Timothee Pembele's wage at Sunderland

Timothee Pembele finds himself on a handsome £7.5k per week pay packet with Sunderland, despite barely making an impression on the senior ranks since joining last year from Paris St. Germain.

The 21-year-old starlet has made just five first-team appearances for the Black Cats since leaving Paris behind, which has seen Pembele make more waves at U21 level for the Championship side – picking up two assists in the Premier League 2 when drafted in to play there.

Still, when you scan your eye over the other earners in the Sunderland camp, it's fair to say Pembele's wage is rather inflated.

The Black Cats number six's last taste of senior football was on Valentine's Day versus Huddersfield Town, winning only one of his four ground duels on the day as Sunderland succumbed to a disappointing 1-0 defeat away at the Terriers.

This lacklustre cameo from off the bench has seen his limited game-time dry up even more, with Dodds now faced with a conundrum over whether to give Pembele more minutes in the first-team fold or leave him to play for the U21s.

More time to adjust to the senior set-up and shine could somewhat justify Pembele's extortionate wage, but with Trai Hume's spot fixed at right-back again owing to Leo Hjelde joining in January, it could well be hard for the ex-PSG full-back to ever fully break through.

Pembele's wage compared to the Sunderland squad

Amazingly, even though Hume is yet to miss a game this season for Sunderland in the league, the Northern Irish star comes in on a lower wage than Pembele according to Capology.

Hume earns a meagre £3k compared to the Frenchman's more than double £7.5k per week salary, despite being a dependable figure all campaign long for Sunderland even when times have been tough.

The 21-year-old even shone in a recent 2-1 defeat to Birmingham City that saw Michael Beale lose his job in the aftermath, completing eight tackles and eight ground duels to try and add grit to his side's game at St Andrew's.

#1 Jack Clarke

£17k

#2 Bradley Dack

£15k

#3 Dan Ballard

£15k

#4 Patrick Roberts

£12.5k

#5 Dennis Cirkin

£10k

Pembele also comes in on a heftier pay packet than the likes of Jobe Bellingham and Pierre Ekwah who regularly star in midfield for the Black Cats – the midfield duo coming in at a combined 65 first-team appearances this season but earn £6.5k per week and £3k per week respectively.

The obvious pedigree attached to the 21-year-old's signature – joining from Ligue 1 giants PSG – clearly has resulted in his wage being far higher than it needed to be.

It could well be premature to completely write off the Frenchman's future at the second-tier club, but with various key first-team presences earning less than the reserve figure, it might well be smart to offload Pembele soon to not have such a high earner just stuck on the fringes.

Former Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani sold his remaining 56% stake in the club to 49ers Enterprises in July of last year to put his reign in Yorkshire to an end.

The Italian took full control from Massimo Cellino in May 2017 and enjoyed six years with the club in total, which included a Championship title and three seasons in the Premier League.

Radrizzani was not without his blunders, though, and one of his early errors came in the transfer market with a permanent deal to sign Hadi Sacko.

How much Leeds paid to sign Hadi Sacko

The winger had already spent the 2016/17 campaign on loan with the Whites from Portuguese giants Sporting CP and the young forward struggled to find consistent form.

Sacko made 38 appearances and started 28 times in the Championship that season, which shows that he was provided with plenty of opportunities to impress.

However, the Mali international only contributed with two goals and three assists from a wide position in those 38 outings. This is a return of one goal involvement every 7.6 matches on average.

Radrizzani, who had completed his takeover of the club earlier that summer, then decided to splash a reported fee of £1.5m to sign him from Sporting in 2017.

That signing turned out to be a nightmare as the attacker then played just 14 times in the Championship, starting once, and failed to provide a single goal or assist in the 2017/18 campaign.

He was then loaned out to Las Palmas and Ankaragücü during the first and second half of the 2018/19 season respectively, after Sacko was not given a shirt number by Marcelo Bielsa – who had arrived that summer.

Hadi Sacko's current club

The 29-year-old Leeds flop currently plays in the second tier of Turkish football for Sakaryaspor, who he joined from Adanaspor in February 2023.

Sacko departed from Elland Road to sign for Denizlispor in Turkey in the summer of 2019 for an undisclosed fee, which means that it remains unknown as to how much the Whites recouped on the £1.5m they paid for him.

The Mali international then had a spell in Romania with CFR Cluj between his time with Denizlispor and Adanaspor, prior to his move to second-division side Sakaryaspor last year.

Denizlispor

60

7

5

CFR Cluj

8

0

1

Adanaspor

13

3

1

Sakaryaspor

6

0

0

Career since 2019 Leeds exit (via Transfermarkt)

He failed to score or assist any goals during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign after his transfer to the 1.Lig outfit, and has not made a single appearance so far this season.

Transfermarkt state that his most recent injury kept him out for six matches up to May of last year, which suggests that Sacko has not been in favour this term, rather than his absence being down to injuries.

Overall, the forward, who turns 30 next month, has failed to find consistent success at any of his clubs since moving on from Elland Road in the summer of 2019.

This came after he also struggled with consistency at the top end of the pitch in Yorkshire, which shows that Radrizzani had a nightmare by signing him on a permanent deal as Sacko ended his career in England with two league goals – both of which came during his time on loan from Sporting.

As FSG prepare to map out what the post-Jurgen Klopp era at Anfield may look like, they are reportedly leading the pack to sign one of Europe's most sought after talents.

Liverpool's search for a midfielder

Despite the incredible success the side have enjoyed this season, it is clear that Liverpool are in need of reinforcements in the summer. Whilst new arrivals have come in and done well, it is clear that they have yet to determine what the future of their midfield looks like.

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Following the recent departures of both Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, the Reds have struggled for consistency in the middle of the park. Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have performed well so far however, there is uncertainty as to who else FSG see as the immediate answer in midfield.

It has previously been reported that Liverpool are in for Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala however, they will face stiff opposition from current Premier League champions Man City. Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella is another name linked, but they would once again be entering a bidding war for his signature.

Liverpool lead race for Serie A star

According to Sport Witness, reports out of Italy are suggesting that Liverpool are leading the race to sign Teun Koopmeiners this summer. The outlet states that the Reds are favourites alongside Juventus to secure the services of the Atalanta man for next season.

It is suggested that despite the Dutchman boasting many "admirers in the Premier League", Liverpool are sitting "in the front row", to get a deal over the line. If the Reds are to beat the Turin outfit to the 26-year-old's signature, it is reported that he could cost £51million, however this fee has the potential to drop to £43million further down the line.

It will be a case of Liverpool waiting to see what competition they have for the player before putting an offer in, but losing out on Koopmeiners would be a massive missed opportunity for Jürgen Klopp's men.

Midfielder Stats 2023/24

Goals

Assists

Passes Completed

Tackles

Aerials Won

Teun Koopmeiners

8

3

1048

41

22

Dominik Szoboszlai

3

2

1001

29

8

Alexis Mac Allister

2

4

1108

60

16

Harvey Elliot

2

2

438

15

5

From the above table, it is clear that Koopmeiners can go toe-to-toe with the Reds' current crop of midfielders. Where the Dutchman differs from his Anfield equivalents is his versatility. Able to produce a strong defensive output whilst still contributing on the goalscoring front makes the Atalanta man a very interesting prospect for Liverpool.

Whilst it is clear that Koopmeiners would be a good pickup for the Merseyside outfit, it will be no easy task to beat Juventus to his signature. The Dutchman has been linked with a move to Turin for a while with Inter Milan legend Beppe Bergomi saying that he "is a very strong left-footed player and would be an incredible coup" for the Italian giants.

Regardless of where he plays his football next season, it is clear that Koopmeiners is destined for greatness at the highest level of the European game.

A Serie A star Liverpool are in pole position to sign has demanded to leave his current club this summer in an eye-opening interview, handing the Reds a perfect opportunity.

Midfield rebuild 2.0 at Anfield

With Jurgen Klopp leaving, it is unclear what shape Liverpool will take next season, though it is likely that there will be overhaul in some areas.

Having lost Jordan Henderson and Fabinho last summer, the Reds added four new players to their ranks to replace them, but there is still a feeling they could use one more addition in the centre of the park with Thiago set to leave the Premier League this summer and both Dominik Szoboszlai and Stefan Bajcetic struggling with muscle injuries.

Liverpool's current midfield options

Player

Age

Contract until

Wataru Endo

31

2027

Stefan Bajcetic

19

2027

Ryan Gravenberch

21

2028

Dominik Szoboszlai

23

2028

Alexis Mac Allister

25

2028

Curtis Jones

23

2027

Harvey Elliot

20

2027

Thiago

32

2024

As a result, there is constant speculation about what the future may hold, and there could be further movement in that department before the new season.

Teun Koopmeiners demands move amid Liverpool interest

One man that Liverpool have regularly been linked with is Teun Koopmeiners, with the ex-AZ Alkmaar midfielder having been on plenty of club's shortlists even before his move to Atalanta in 2021.

Since then, his stock has continued to soar and the 26-year-old is now one of the hottest midfield properties in Europe, solidifiying that with a breakout campaign this year, racking up 10 goals and 3 assists in the Serie A to date. Juventus are thought to be tracking him, along with Manchester United and Jurgen Klopp's side.

Ratcliffe could blow Man Utd rival out the water to sign “sensational” star

Erik ten Hag is looking at a player who can operate in multiple midfield roles.

ByDavid Comerford Feb 10, 2024

However, it has recently been reported that it is Liverpool that are 'leading the race' for his signature this summer, with Koopmeiners valued at around £50m by current club Atalanta.

And the Reds may have been handed a massive helping hand in their attempts to land him, with Koopmeiners himself revealing that he wants to leave Atalanta this summer, and piling the pressure on the Serie A side to let him leave.

"Last year there was concrete interest from Napoli. However, in the end the two clubs did not find an agreement. I told Atalanta that in the coming summer I want to leave", the maestro told Dutch outlet De Telegraaf.

And though he admitted it would take something 'really interesting' to make him leave Bergamo this summer, he was clear that his preference was the Premier League.

"My fiancée and I are having a great time in Italy, but for some clubs in England I could even bear the rainy days there… I hope options present themselves so I can think about it", he continued.

With a contingent of Dutch players already present at Anfield, the Reds could bolster their ranks further this summer with the addition of Koopmeiners, though despite his pleas he is unlikely to come cheap.

Now near the end of Ange Postecoglou's first season in charge, Tottenham Hotspur can reflect on the positives more than the few negatives, with plenty more to come from the Australian. One forgotten man could be forced to wait another season before playing his part under the Spurs boss, however.

Tottenham transfer news

Credit where it's due, Spurs have backed Postecoglou on the most part since the sale of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich last summer. The likes of James Maddison, Brennan Johnson and Micky van de Ven have all arrived to hand the Lilywhites a welcomed boost this season. Now, in his second summer in charge, Postecoglou could receive similar backing.

Tottenham chiefs "ready" to shop for "extraordinary" breakout Serie A star

The Lilywhites are set to return to an old stomping ground for the deal.

ByBen Browning Apr 3, 2024

It remains to be seen just who will be walking through the door, but reports have at least given those in North London some clues. Players such as Brentford's Ivan Toney and Alexander Isak have both been linked with moves to the Lilywhites ahead of the summer, with a clear emphasis on finally landing an out and out replacement for Kane.

Meanwhile, away from the incomings, Postecoglou could be set to show the door to certain players too, if just on a temporary basis. According to Spanish journalist Uriel Lugt, Alejo Veliz could be heading out on loan once again this summer, having spent the second half of the current campaign on loan at La Liga side Sevilla. This means that the forward could be forced to wait until August 2025 to play for Spurs again after arriving last summer.

The Argentine may at least get his first real taste of Premier League action next season, however, with Bournemouth reportedly attentive to his situation. Given that the Cherries could be forced to replace the Spurs-linked Dominic Solanke this summer, Veliz represents an ideal option. It's certainly a deal that would suit all parties, offering Spurs the chance to see their youngster in regular top flight action.

"Promising" Veliz must have patience

Whilst it's undoubtedly a frustrating wait for his Spurs chance, Veliz must take the mentality that his opportunity will eventually arrive when he is ready. Admittedly, however, his Sevilla loan spell has hardly helped speed things up, having made just three appearances in La Liga and not a single start for the Spanish side.

If it is to be Bournemouth next season, then game time is a must for the 20-year-old, who cannot afford another season away from North London just to sit on the bench. Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig will be among those frustrated by Veliz's lack of opportunities, having detailed his talent before his move to Spurs last summer.

As Spurs look to finally replace Kane this summer, the hope will be that Veliz kicks on away from the club to eventually emerge as a far more ideal candidate to fill the boots of the Lilywhites legend.

Celtic are back in action in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon as they travel away from Parkhead to take on their closest rivals to keep their place at the top of the table.

A defeat at Ibrox would see the Hoops move two points behind Rangers, having played a game more than them, whereas a win would see them go four points clear.

Brendan Rodgers' side come into this match off the back of a 3-0 win over Livingston last time out, thanks to an own goal from Jamie Brandon and strikes from Paulo Bernado and Matt O'Riley.

The Bhoys have won five of their last six matches in all competitions and will be looking to carry that form into this massive top of the table clash this afternoon.

Rodgers may look to make alterations from that win over Livingston, however, as Kyogo Furuhashi had a particularly poor showing at the top end of the pitch.

The Northern Irish boss must now unleash Norwich City loanee Adam Idah over the Japan international to form a potentially lethal partnership with O'Riley in the final third.

Kyogo's performance against Livingston in numbers

The 29-year-old striker was selected to lead the line on the artificial pitch and struggled badly throughout the match before Idah was brought on to replace him during the second half.

Celtic will need every player to be at their best to ensure that they can get the better of their rivals and strengthen their chances of securing a third successive league title over them.

With this in mind, Kyogo should be dropped to the bench after his underwhelming, to say the least, display last time out with zero goals and zero assists in the 3-0 victory for the Scottish giants.

Minutes played

71

Sofascore rating

6.4

Goal contributions

0

Shots

4

Big chances missed

2

Key passes

0

Duels won

2/4

As you can see in the table above, the Japanese forward had opportunities to find the back of the net, with two 'big chances' created for him by his teammates, but did not have the finishing quality to put them away.

This has been a common theme throughout the season for the former Vissel Kobe star. No Celtic player has underperformed their Expected Goals tally by more than his -4.21.

Kyogo has scored ten goals from 14.21 xG in the Premiership so far this season, and missed 20 'big chances' in total, which illustrates how wasteful he has been, as was the case again versus Livingston.

Why Adam Idah should start

Rodgers must now ditch the experienced striker to start the on-loan Ireland international, who has made a big impact in his short time at Parkhead so far.

He came off the bench to replace Kyogo last Sunday and made an instant impact with an assist for O'Riley's goal and Celtic's third strike in the 82nd minute.

Since his move from Norwich City at the end of last transfer window, Idah, who Rodgers dubbed an "incredible" talent, has racked up five goals and two assists in eight Premiership appearances for the Hoops, despite only starting four of those games.

He has scored five goals from an xG of 4.37, which includes a missed penalty away at Hearts, and this shows that the talented youngster has outperformed his xG so far.

Whereas, Kyogo has severely underperformed his xG and, on current form, is unlikely to take a chance if it comes his way, whilst Idah appears more likely to find the back of the net.

The 23-year-old Irishman, who scored six goals in 12 Championship starts during the first half of the campaign for Norwich, has been in lethal form for Celtic and should be given a chance to really make a name for himself against Rangers in what could be a season-defining match at Ibrox.

Appearances

31

8

Goals

10

5

Minutes per goal

206

83

Assists

4

2

Aerial duel success rate

25%

71%

Duel success rate

39%

50%

As you can see in the table above, the Canaries academy graduate is also a far better outlet for the side at the top end of the pitch due to his strength in duels, particularly in the air, in comparison to Kyogo.

This means that he is more of a handful for opposition defenders, who do not find it easy to get the better of him in physical contests during matches.

He could also form an exciting partnership with O'Riley at the top end of the pitch due to both his ability to finish chances created by the midfielder, as well as his quality as a creator for the Denmark international, which was on show against Livingston for the third goal.

Matt O'Riley's Celtic season in numbers

The former Fulham youngster positioned himself perfectly to fire into the back of the net from Idah's clever lay-off inside the box last weekend, for his 12th Premiership goal of the campaign.

O'Riley is the top scorer in the Hoops squad with his 12 strikes in 30 appearances in the division, to go along with his 11 assists – also the most of any player in the team.

The left-footed maestro, who has been directly involved in 23 goals in 30 Premiership games, has the ability to consistently contribute at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

This means that the Danish playmaker, who has created ten 'big chances' in the division, has the finishing ability to score from chances that Idah creates, whilst also being able to tee up the Irish marksman to find the back of the net.

Therefore, they could be a terrific pairing due to their combined quality at the top end of the pitch, which could cause problems for the opposition's defence throughout the match.

Whereas, Kyogo's performance against Livingston did not cause any issues for the defence and Rangers could find it too easy to keep him quiet on his current form, which is why Idah should be unleashed.

Now, just imagine O'Riley and the £23k-per-week striker causing mayhem at Ibrox this afternoon to secure all three points for Rodgers' side.

Chelsea somehow turned around a certain 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in midweek to score two injury-time goals and win the tie 4-3.

Maurico Pochettino will have breathed a huge sigh of relief at securing a win which bolsters their chances of snatching an unlikely European spot for next season.

Despite the win, several Chelsea players didn’t exactly perform well throughout the clash against the Old Trafford side, most notably Marc Cucurealla, who was disappointing during the match.

Marc Cucurella’s game in numbers vs Man United

The left-back started just ten times in the Premier League prior to the clash at Stamford Bridge in midweek, and it showed during a poor display.

The Spaniard was dribbled past on four occasions, while winning five of his 11 ground duels, made two tackles and lost possession 13 times during his spell on the pitch.

Accurate passes per game

42.6

Big chances created

0

Key passes per game

1

Possession lost per game

9.2

Total duels won per game

5.5

No wonder United scored three times with a defensive display as poor as this, while his attacking output was hardly effective either.

Going forward, Cucurella made just one key pass, delivered one unsuccessful cross, failed with his one dribble attempt and saw his only shot fail to hit the target.

It was an uninspired performance on the left side of the defence by the former Brighton and Hove Albion gem and this could perhaps influence Pochettino’s thinking ahead of the clash against Sheffield United today.

It wasn’t just Cucurella who was poor, as Mykhaylo Mudryk struggled to get into the game and provide a decent attacking threat.

Why Mykhaylo Mudryk must be dropped

The Ukrainian winger has scored just six goals across 32 matches this season for the Blues, hardly the output expected of a player who cost £88.5m just over a year ago.

He was deployed in his favoured left-wing position against the Red Devils with the hope of creating chances for Nicolas Jackson.

Throughout his time on the pitch, Mudryk took just 38 touches – three fewer than goalkeeper Dorde Petrovic – while completing only 18 passes, indicating that he failed to really get involved in large spells.

He did succeed with 100% of his dribble attempts while managing three shots in total against United, yet he was successful with just one of his five crosses and made just one key pass.

Mudryk was also careless with the ball, losing possession 11 times while winning just two of his eight duels, indicating that he was easily bullied and brushed off the ball by the United defenders.

Pochettino should drop him to the bench for the clash against the Blades and perhaps bring in Raheem Sterling to the starting XI.

The Englishman came on for the final 20 minutes in place of the Ukrainian, completing 91% of his passes, and it might be time for him to be unleashed in the lineup.

Another three points this afternoon could see Chelsea move further up the table depending on other results and give Pochettino a massive lift heading into the final few weeks of the season.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 5, 2024