Celtic returned to winning ways in impressive fashion in the Scottish Premiership with a thrilling 5-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Parkhead on Saturday, including a stunning long-range strike from Cameron Carter-Vickers.

The Hoops are now on the verge of clinching their fourth successive league title, and would have been crowned champions if not for Ianis Hagi scoring a stoppage-time screamer to rescue a point for Rangers against Aberdeen on Sunday.

This means that Brendan Rodgers will lift the title for the second time in as many seasons since his return to the club, and for the fourth time in four full seasons at Celtic in his managerial career.

There is also the SFA Cup that is still to play for, with a semi-final against St. Johnstone coming up this weekend, and the Hoops can set their sights on a domestic treble, having already won the League Cup.

They will also be planning for the future and what they want to do in the upcoming summer transfer window, with Kieran Tierney arriving on a free transfer from Arsenal being the only confirmed piece of business so far.

There are some contract situations that Celtic have to be mindful of and there will be some difficult decisions to make in the coming months because of them.

Celtic's out-of-contract players this summer

Firstly, James McCarthy’s contract at Parkhead is due to come to an end this summer after four years at the club, having joined on a free transfer from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021 under Ange Postecoglou.

The 34-year-old dud has only played 27 matches for the first-team in those four years and has not made a single appearance for the Hoops since the 2022/23 campaign, with his most recent outing for the club in any capacity coming in the Lowland League for the B team last term.

Celtic should, therefore, move on from the former Premier League defensive midfielder when his contract finally comes to an end this summer, as he is – clearly – not a key figure, or even a visible figure, at Parkhead under Rodgers.

Another player who is technically out of contract at Paradise this summer is Crystal Palace loanee Jeffrey Schlupp, whose loan is due to come to an end.

Appearances (starts)

9 (6)

Goals

1

Assists

1

Tackles + interceptions

1.7

Dribbled past per game

0.3x

Ground duel success rate

54%

Aerial duel success rate

53%

As you can see in the table above, the Ghana international has provided a strong defensive presence in his appearances in the Premiership since joining the Hoops in January, winning the majority of his duels on the ground and in the air, without being dribbled past frequently by opposition forwards.

His contract with Palace expires this summer and it could be a shrewd move by the Scottish giants to attempt to snap him up on a free transfer.

Greg Taylor is the third and final player who is out of contract at Celtic at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, and Rodgers has made his wish clear.

What Rodgers wants Taylor to do with his future

Speaking after the 5-1 win over Kilmarnock, the Northern Irish head coach made it clear that he wants to keep the Scotland international at Parkhead beyond the end of his current deal.

When asked about the situation, he told the Daily Record: “I’ll always fight to the very end for a player and a person like Greg. He’s earned the right to make the decision he wants, but I think you see in his performance today how important he is in that role for us. It opens up so much, and he plays like a midfield player for us. We’ll always try to convince (him to stay). But we’ll see what happens from now until the end of the season.”

These quotes left no uncertainty over the manager’s position on Taylor’s future. Rodgers wants the left-back to put pen to paper on a new deal, but it remains to be seen whether or not that will happen.

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Hull City, QPR, Trabzonspor, and Dinamo Zagreb were all linked with an interest in the defender in January, ahead of a summer swoop, which suggests that he will have plenty of options to pick from ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Despite Rodgers’ wish to keep hold of Taylor, Celtic must permanently bin the former Kilmarnock man by deciding to move on from him at the end of his current contract.

Why Celtic should move on from Greg Taylor

With Tierney on his way back to Parkhead and Taylor’s contract expiring this summer, it could be the perfect time for the club to finally part ways with the Scottish dud.

The Hoops number three, who has been outscored (one) by Carter-Vickers (two) in all competitions with the defender’s screamer on Saturday, should be released due to his lack of quality on the European stage.

Celtic have dominated domestic football in recent seasons under Rodgers. If they win the SFA Cup and the Premiership then they will have won five of the six domestic trophies on offer since his return to the club, having won all three in Postecoglou’s final season.

It is in Europe, therefore, where the Hoops must target improvement and changes to the squad must be made with this goal in mind in the summer window.

24/25

Play-off round

N/A

N/A

23/24

Group stage

N/A

N/A

22/23

Group stage

N/A

N/A

21/22

Second round qualifying

Group stage

Last 16

20/21

Second round qualifying

Group stage

N/A

19/20

Third round qualifying

Round of 32

N/A

18/19

Third round qualifying

Round of 32

N/A

17/18

Group stage

Round of 32

N/A

16/17

Group stage

N/A

N/A

15/16

Qualifying round

Group stage

N/A

As you can see in the table above, Celtic have failed to get past the last 16 stage in any European competition in any of the last ten seasons.

That is one of the reasons why the Hoops must move on from Taylor this summer because he has not proven himself to be Champions League quality at left-back.

Appearances

8

2

Interceptions per game

1.0

3.5

Tackles per game

1.8

3.5

Clearances per game

1.0

5.5

Duels won per game

3.4

5.0

Duel success rate

54%

71%

Ground duel success rate

57%

82%

Error led to shot

1

0

As you can see in the table above, Schlupp – albeit in a smaller sample size – has shown significantly more defensive quality in his two appearances for Celtic in Europe than the Scottish dud has in eight starts this season.

This suggests that allowing Taylor to move on and signing Schlupp to compete with Tierney could be the way for the Hoops to go if they want to kick on in the Champions League, as the Palace defender could provide more defensive security at left-back in the big games in Europe moving forward.

Therefore, the board should ignore Rodgers’ wish to keep hold of the experienced full-back and ruthlessly ditch him from the squad in the summer, making room for the Eagles loanee to sign permanently, in their bid to improve their Champions League record.

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Onana errors cost Man Utd against Lyon

Ruben Amorim’s side failed to return from their Europa League quarter-final first leg against Lyon with an advantage after being held to a 2-2 draw in France.

It was another game to forget for goalkeeper Andre Onana, who made two errors, the last of which came in stoppage time to allow Rayan Cherki to equalise.

The build-up to the game was overshadowed by Nemanja Matic’s comments on Onana, with the Red Devils ‘keeper hitting back at the former United midfielder.

Onana’s days at Old Trafford could be numbered, with a new shot-stopper on the radar in Brighton & Hove Albion’s Bart Verbruggen.

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Contact has been made over a move to sign the Dutchman to replace Onana, and by the looks of things, INEOS are looking to make a marquee signing further up the pitch.

Man Utd prepare bid for £250m+ PSG star Doue

According to reports in Spain, Man Utd are preparing a bid to sign PSG star Desire Doue. The Red Devils have ‘strongly reactivated its interest’ in the 19-year-old, who those at Old Trafford see ‘as a figure capable of making a difference’.

Doue, who PSG value at up to €300m (£261m), scored a brilliant goal against Aston Villa in the Champions League recently. The report adds that United see Doue as a top-level target, however, PSG aren’t looking to sell the teenager who’s been likened to Neymar and idolises the Brazil legend.

Interestingly though, as per FBRef, over the last 12 months Doue also compares stylistically to United skipper Fernandes, and has ranked in the top 1% for take-ons and assists when compared to other attacking midfielders.

Wingers and midfielders Doue has been compared to

Club

Bruno Fernandes

Man Utd

Bukayo Saka

Arsenal

Rodrygo

Real Madrid

Florian Wirtz

Bayer Leverkusen

Phil Foden

Man City

Luis Enrique has also praised Doue, who can turn out on the wing or as an attacking midfielder, saying: “I remember you criticised him. Today it’s praise, but one day the criticism will return because the elite level means you have to accept that when you’re not at your best. Doue needed months to adapt. Succeeding at PSG as a Frenchman is tougher.

“At Rennes, we saw his technical ability, physicality, and personality. Now, he’s reaping the rewards of his hard work. There’s still plenty to do, but he’s at the right place and club to grow and play high-stakes matches. The Champions League level, as I tell the players, is like international duty – you’re up against the best players and coaches.”

A move to Manchester could well be one to keep an eye on, but with a staggering asking price, INEOS will need to break the bank to bring Doue to England.

Manchester United are now eyeing a shock move to sign an “unbeatable” goalkeeper for a bargain £17m fee in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Man Utd drawing up goalkeeper shortlist

Andre Onana has put in some very disappointing performances as of late, with his late blunder against Lyon last Thursday night costing his side a crucial away win in the Europa League quarter-final, and Man United have now started to draw up a list of replacements.

FC Porto’s Diogo Costa has been named as a leading candidate to replace Onana, but with the Portugal international protected by a £64m release clause in his contract, the Red Devils will have to pay a hefty sum if they are to get a deal over the line.

As such, United could look at some cheaper alternatives, and they have also joined the race for Angers shot-stopper Yahia Fofana, who is attracting widespread interest from the Premier League, having put in some impressive performances in Ligue 1 this season.

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Fofana may cost just £15m this summer, making the Ivory Coast international an affordable option, and the same applies to Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, with Man United now interested in a shock move for their former academy player, who spent 18 months in the acadmey between 2014 and 2016.

That is according to a report from Italy (via Sport Witness), which states Milinkovic-Savic has a release clause of just €20m (£17m), which is set to become active at the end of July.

Torino owner Urbano Cairo is eager to receive the full amount, but United believe the goalkeeper’s value is around €12m (£10m), so the two clubs may still be some way apart, and there could be competition for his signature from Premier League rivals Chelsea.

"Unbeatable" Milinkovic-Savic impressing in Italy

The 28-year-old is enjoying a very impressive campaign in the Serie A, having been lauded as “unbeatable” for his record of saving penalties, while he has also looked very solid in general play.

The Serbian ranks extremely highly on a number of key metrics for goalkeepers over the past year, and he places in the top 2% for touches per 90, indicating he is composed in possession of the ball, which may be of key significance to Ruben Amorim.

Statistic

Average per 90

Save percentage

78.7% (95th percentile)

Goals against

1.06 (83rd percentile)

Touches

48.0 (98th percentile)

Save percentage (penalties)

57.1% (92nd percentile)

Amorim has confirmed that Onana will start for United against Lyon in the crucial Europa League encounter on Thursday evening, but the Cameroonian could be running out of chances, having been dropped for Altay Bayindir against Newcastle United last weekend.

Should the former Inter Milan man fail to make major improvements between now and the end of the season, it seems likely Amorim will bring in a replacement, having identified a number of targets, and Milinkovic-Savic has proven he could be a fantastic choice.

Well, we aren’t sure even the most die-hard Arsenal fans saw last night’s result coming.

The Gunners played host to European juggernauts Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, and to say it was the best performance of the Mikel Arteta reign wouldn’t be hyperbole.

They just about edged the first half and then utterly dominated the Spanish giants in the second to come away with a sensational 3-0 victory.

It was a stellar display to a man, although a couple of starters just about stood out, including Declan Rice and someone who proved he wouldn’t look out of place starring for Los Blancos.

Arsenal vs Real Madrid
Arsenal	Statistics	Real Madrid
3	Goals	0
1.51	Expected Goals	0.50
2	Big Chances	0
2	Big Chances Missed	0
12	Total Shots	9
11	Shots on Target	3
9	Shots in the Box	5
490	Passes	435
9	Free Kicks	8
All Stats via Sofascore

Rice's magical game vs Real Madrid in numbers

Arsenal fans like to sing that they got Rice for half price when they paid a club-record £105m fee for him in 2023, and while some may see it as a joke, last night suggested it is not.

The former West Ham United captain was incredible from the first whistle to when he came off, covering every blade of grass and still providing a consistent threat through well-timed runs.

He opened the scoring with a Roberto Carlos-esque free-kick – with him in the stands, mind – and then somehow scored an even better one 12 minutes later, placing it so perfectly in the far corner that Thibaut Courtois had no chance of saving it.

On top of winning the game for the North Londoners, the Englishman is now the first player to score two direct free-kicks in a UCL knockout game.

Unsurprisingly, such a sensational display impressed the press, with the Express’ Charlie Parker-Turner awarding him a 9/10 at full-time, which was more than backed up by his stats.

Rice’s game in numbers
Minutes	80′
Expected Goals	0.47
Goals	2
Expected Assists	0.08
Touches	43
Shots on Target	4
Dribbles (Completed)	1 (1)
Lost Possession	4
Clearances	1
Interceptions	1
All Stats via Sofascore

For example, in his 80 minutes of action, he scored two goals, produced a combined expected goal plus assists figure of 0.55, took 43 touches, took four shots on target, completed 100% of his dribbles, lost the ball just four times, made one clearance and one interception.

In all, it was the sort of showing that proves Rice more than belongs at the very top of the game, just like his teammate who also shone last night.

Arsenal's other stand-out player

As mentioned above, there were sublime displays across the pitch for Arsenal last night, but when it came down to it, the other starter who impacted the game as much as Rice was Bukayo Saka.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

It was the Hale Ender’s first start since his hamstring injury in late December, and while he didn’t score, he was undoubtedly the best attacker on the pitch.

What made him so devastatingly effective in the first half was his ability to cut in and use his left foot or run to the byline and use his right – David Alaba just didn’t know what he was going to do.

Then, in the second half, he was the one who won the two free-kicks for Rice, as the Real players couldn’t do anything but foul him.

He ended up winning 100% of his duels on the night and did so well that former professional turned pundit Daniel Sturridge claimed that he “proved” he’d be good enough to star for Real Madrid.

He left quite an impression on others in the media as well, with Parker-Turner awarding him a 9/10, while content creator Joe Thomlinson simply described his showing as “utterly ridiculous.”

Ultimately, it might only be half-time in the tie, but Arsenal deserve all the plaudits they’re getting at the moment, and it was just another night in which Rice and Saka reminded the world that they are some of the very best in the business.

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Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Tottenham Hotspur and their managerial search, following another blow for Ange Postecoglou in the form of Spurs’ seventeenth Premier League defeat of the campaign against Wolves.

Ange Postecoglou comments after 4-2 Tottenham loss to Wolves

A series of calamitous goals, thanks to errors from key players, cemented yet another Spurs loss in the top flight on Sunday, with Wolves running out 4-2 winners against the Lilywhites on another lacklustre afternoon for Postecoglou.

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You couldn’t have asked for worse preparation ahead of Tottenham’s vital Europa League quarter-final second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday, a must-win game for Postecoglou after their 1-1 draw with the Bundesliga side last week.

Rayan Ait-Nouri, Djed Spence’s own goal, Jorgen Strand Larsen’s strike and a Matheus Cunha finish compounded a miserable day at Molineux for the north Londoners. Mathys Tel and Richarlison made the scoreline less embarrassing with consolation goals in their 4-2 defeat, but Postecoglou did his best to back the players following a series of high-profile errors.

“Obviously a disappointing result,” said Postecoglou after Tottenham’s defeat at Wolves.

“Funny game, because for the most part, I thought our football was decent considering all the changes we’ve made. For the most part we controlled large parts of it, were a threat going forward and didn’t give them too much. But then obviously we conceded some pretty poor goals and that made it awfully difficult to get an outcome today.

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

“It’s not like the players are doing it on purpose, so you have an understanding that that’s the unfortunate things that sometimes happen in a game of football. Probably be more frustrated if it was something that we did from a tactical perspective or organisational perspective, but they’re individual errors, you know, the players don’t mean to do it and, especially Lucas and Romero, I mean they’re two fantastic footballers and what’s important now for both of them is that they recover and we focus on the next game.”

In the background, chairman Daniel Levy is reportedly contemplating the sacking of Postecoglou, with Spurs on course for their worst-ever Premier League season.

Tottenham stance on appointing Thiago Motta to replace Ange Postecoglou

According to recent reports, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is Tottenham’s top managerial target after his very impressive campaign in the Cherries dugout, while both Thomas Frank (Brentford) and Marco Silva (Fulham) are also on their radar (The Athletic).

There’s also been recent murmurs of a potential Spurs move for Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, as well as former Juventus head coach Thiago Motta, who was recently sacked by the Serie A heavyweights.

The Italian failed to mount a successful title challenge, or show any signs of promise in terms of winning major silverware, prompting Juve to ruthlessly hand Motta his P45.

The 42-year-old is now without a club, and is currently linked with a move to N17, but Romano has since told GiveMeSport that Tottenham have no plans to appoint Motta as things stand.

“I’m still hearing about Iraola and Silva as two concrete options,” said Romano.

“For Motta, no contacts at this stage.”

Despite his failed stint at Juve, Motta did attract praise as a tactician during his time in Turin.

“Thiago is unique and unrepeatable: he is not at Juve, Juve is at him,” said journalist Ivan Zazzaroni.

“Inside the notebook that he always carries with him and shows during press conferences, also to note down the questions and their authors, there must be a world of ideas that he scrupulously hides from the eyes of the laymen. Motta is undoubtedly the most stimulating and original coach in the championship.”

Chelsea’s attack could do with somewhat of a boost if their last Premier League clash is anything to go by with Enzo Maresca’s Blues limping over the line to a slim 1-0 win over Everton.

Nicolas Jackson was thankfully the crucial difference-maker on the day from a Chelsea perspective, with the ex-Villarreal striker ending a barren run of 13 games without a goal when powering a first-half effort past a hard-to-beat Jordan Pickford.

But, it’s clear that the Blues need an injection of something fresh in the attacking areas at Stamford Bridge regardless, with a wide array of new forward players being incessantly linked with a switch to West London.

Chelsea want to sign Serie A star this summer

Despite the arrival of talented Brazilian Estevao Willian – a winger by trade – the Blues are still on the lookout for new wingers with Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens reportedly on their radar, alongside Juventus hotshot Kenan Yildiz.

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However, the shortlist doesn’t end there with a former Premier League wide man also being looked at.

Indeed, as per a report from Caught Offside, Chelsea are planning to enter talks with one of Atalanta’s standout performers in Ademola Lookman, but are not alone in their interest of the former Everton attacker, now valued at around £55m.

Indeed, the report further goes on to name Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Arsenal as other parties from England keeping close tabs on Lookman’s situation with the clubs in question poised to begin talks soon with the explosive Nigerian.

With a £55m price-tag reportedly above the attacker’s head, Chelsea would show they mean business in the market once more by landing the in-demand 27-year-old.

How Lookman compares to Jamie Gittens

Described as a “world-class” player by BBC Sport’s John Bennett, a move to bring the Atalanta star to the Premier League could see Chelsea land an upgrade on the exciting Gittens.

Whilst Dortmund’s English sensation has regularly stunned Bundesliga defences this season with his trickery and his goals and assists to boot, Lookman has lots more experience on his side to be a success in the here and now over the Reading-born attacker.

After all, the one-time Goodison Park flop has now notched up 115 appearances for his Italian employers since his move to Bergamo in 2022, with a very healthy return of 50 strikes and 24 assists coming his way.

Gittens has impressively already reached 103 senior appearances for the Black and Yellow despite still being a tender 20 years of age, but his numbers fall flat in comparison to Lookman’s, both overall with a lesser 31 goal contributions tallied up, but also when glancing at their head-to-head statistics over the current unfolding campaign.

The Nigeria international boasts a sizeable 18 goals and seven assists for Atalanta across 37 games this season, whilst his English counterpart has an inferior 12 strikes and five assists from eight more contests across the same time span.

LW

100

29

7

SS

79

29

11

RW

62

10

11

CF

38

14

9

AM

16

2

3

LM

2

0

0

Away from being an upgrade in terms of output, Lookman has also proven across his varied career to date that he can excite supporters watching on all across the attacking positions.

Amazingly, the former Charlton wonderkid turned Serie A superstar can boast a sturdy 14 career goals from 38 games playing as an out-and-out centre-forward, meaning he could be great competition to the likes of an inconsistent Jackson away from lighting up Stamford Bridge on the left wing.

Similar to the likes of Arsenal ace Bukayo Saka too according to stats-led website FBref, Chelsea could be on to real winner if talks with Lookman escalate to being serious and a move is put is on the table, with the Blues attack undoubtedly better off with the 27-year-old available for selection.

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Chelsea have now submitted a £47m offer for a “world-class” goalkeeper, and talks are expected to move quickly in the coming weeks, according to a report.

Maresca and Chelsea's goalkeeper problem

After a poor showing in the 2-1 UEFA Conference League defeat against Legia Warsaw, the Blues have responded with back-to-back victories, most recently picking up a 1-0 victory against Everton at Stamford Bridge, securing their third Premier League clean sheet of the month.

Robert Sanchez has returned to the starting XI in the Premier League, and the recent defensive showings have been much-improved, but the mistakes the Spaniard made earlier in the campaign are likely to be in the back of Enzo Maresca’s mind.

Sanchez has made five errors leading to goal in the Premier League, the joint-highest number of any player in the division, meaning there have been widespread suggestions that Maresca could look to bring in a replacement in the summer.

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AC Milan’s Mike Maignan is one goalkeeper of interest, with the west Londoners making contact over a potential deal earlier this month, while they are also in the race for Angers shot-stopper Yahia Fofana, who has been recommended by Didier Drogba.

However, it appears as though a different goalkeeper could be one of Chelsea’s key targets, with a report from Spain revealing they have now submitted a €55m (£47m) offer for Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel.

Kobel’s performances for Dortmund have attracted the attention of a number of European clubs, but the Blues are the most interested party, and talks over the deal are expected to move quickly over the next few weeks.

The 27-year-old has made it clear he wants to play for an elite club, which means a move to Stamford Bridge could be of great appeal, should they manage to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

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The 6 foot 5 colossus is clearly very highly regarded by his current employers, with Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl lauding him as “world-class”, while he also impressed scout Ben Mattinson in the semi-finals of the 2024 Champions League.

The Swiss shot-stopper’s top-level experience is likely to be appealing to Chelsea, while he has also received plaudits for his ability in possession of the ball, which could be crucial, given Maresca’s passing style of play.

While the Blues have started to pick up more clean sheets recently, Sanchez’s howlers earlier in the campaign indicate it is the right decision to bring in a new goalkeeper this summer, and it is exciting news that the move for Kobel is now gaining traction.

Everton and their hierarchy are now pushing to complete the signing of a £12 million attacker who has told his entourage to get the deal done, according to a recent report.

Everton chasing multiple signings to kick off summer business

The Toffees are one of several sides in the Premier League who have nothing to play for in the remaining games of the season, but will want to carry plenty of momentum into the new campaign. Club chiefs at Goodison Park however appear to be turning their attention towards the summer and the business they would like to conclude.

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Strengthening the options in defence seems to be a high priority for David Moyes, as they have already been linked with a shock move for Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah, who has now been backed to make the move to Everton by former scout Bryan King. The Toffees are also interested in signing David Hancko from Feyenoord, but it is not a cheap deal, as the Dutch side want to get around £34 million for his services.

It’s also been stated that Moyes is keen to strengthen his forward line, as goals have been somewhat of a problem, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin could leave for nothing come the end of the season. Brighton’s Evan Ferguson has been identified as their top target for a new centre-forward, as his future with the Seagulls is very much up in the air.

Everton are pushing to sign £12m winger Moses Simon

As well as looking at Ferguson, the Toffees are also looking at other attacking additions, and according to Africa Foot, relayed by Sport Witness, Everton have identified Moses Simon as a transfer target heading into the summer.

The report states that the Toffees are pushing to complete a deal for Simon after sending scouts to watch him live in action in Ligue 1 in the last few weeks. The Nantes winger is said to have left them impressed, and now the Premier League side are working on a deal, with Simon telling his agent to do whatever needs to be done to complete a move to Everton in the summer transfer window.

Interestingly, his agency CAA Base also represent one of Everton’s coaching staff, Dan Micciche, who is the Toffees’ Player Development Lead.

The French club do not want to sell Simon, despite his contract ending at the end of next season. However, their stance on selling the 29-year-old will change if they receive a bid worth €15 million, which is roughly £12.8 million. The Toffees meanwhile believe they could take advantage of Simon’s contract and bring him to England for less than the price Nantes want.

Moses Simon’s Ligue 1 stats

Apps

173

Goals

32

Assists

37

The Nigeria international has scored seven goals and recorded nine assists in 28 Ligue 1 games this season, which is his best return in his career. Everton may need to strengthen in the wide areas this summer, as there is uncertainty over the future of Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom, who are both on loan until the end of the campaign.

Manchester United secured a remarkable quarter-final triumph over Lyon last night, producing a comeback Sir Alex Ferguson would’ve been proud of.

Ruben Amorim’s side looked to be on the verge of defeat, trailing 4-2 on the night, until three goals in seven minutes secured a place in the semi-final, setting up a clash with Athletic Club.

Bruno Fernandes scored from the spot before substitute Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire scored in the last couple of minutes to secure a phenomenal turnaround.

Such a win has kept the Red Devils’ hopes of ending the season with a trophy alive, now being just three games away from winning yet another European title.

However, despite the victory, numerous players failed to deliver at Old Trafford, potentially putting their starting role in the side at huge risk in the process.

Man Utd’s poor performers against Lyon

Striker Rasmus Hojlund was tasked with the responsibility of leading the line after Joshua Zirkzee was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury.

However, the Dane failed to take advantage of the opportunity handed his way, losing 12 duels – the most of any player on the pitch – whilst also failing to register a single effort on goal.

He wasn’t the only player to disappoint at the Theatre of Dreams, with Andre Onana shipping four goals on his return to the starting eleven after missing the defeat against Newcastle United.

The Cameroonian was helpless with a couple of the efforts, but only managed to complete 69% of the passes he attempted – often putting the backline under needless pressure.

However, despite the showings of the aforementioned duo, one other United player struggled to make a positive impact, with his time at the club needing to come to an end.

The United player who must never play for the club again

Whilst the side produced one of the best comebacks Old Trafford has ever seen, Amorim will have a few question marks to contend with over the next few months.

Hojlund’s lack of form will undoubtedly come into question once again, with his own future up in the air, potentially needing to be moved on to resurrect his once-promising career.

With the summer transfer window looming, a new striker will certainly be top of the manager’s shopping list, with serious firepower needing to be added to take the side back to the summit of the Premier League.

However, he also needs to make a brutal call on the future of Luke Shaw after his failure to impress off the substitutes bench in last night’s iconic turnaround.

The 29-year-old has been extremely prone to injuries over the last couple of years, adding to the list of reasons why he should be moved on during the off-season.

He was brought on to replace Noussair Mazraoui at the break, but struggled to make an impression, giving away the penalty that gave the visitors a two-goal advantage.

Shaw also only completed one of the four crosses he attempted, whilst also giving possession away five times – leading to journalist Adam Joseph labelling his showing as “disastrous”.

Minutes played

75

Touches

32

Passes completed

22/24 (92%)

Crosses completed

1/4 (25%)

Possession lost

5x

Penalties conceded

1

Ground duels won

0/2 (0%)

His disappointing showing didn’t stop there, losing 100% of the ground duels he entered, and failing to win a single tackle – struggling to make the desired impact at the back.

As a result of his showing, the defender was handed a measly 3/10 match rating by Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst, highlighting how disappointing he was off the bench.

His inability to produce an encouraging showing, whilst also taking his injury record into account, it’s crucial that Amorim makes the brutal decision to offload him during the upcoming window. Indeed, it would be no surprise if he does not feature again before the campaign is out.

He’s been an excellent servant to the club, but unfortunately he’s no longer at the level required if the side are to return to Premier League glory, needing fresh blood to help them in their quest next campaign.

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A recent report suggested that there are just four players deemed to be unsellable this summer at Manchester United, with almost the entire squad at risk of being shown the door, should a suitable offer arrive.

Unsurprisingly – despite recent interest from Saudi Arabia – talismanic captain, Bruno Fernandes is among that select quartet, with the 30-year-old only recently lauded as “one of the top players in the world” by compatriot, Ruben Amorim.

20-year-old wing-back Patrick Dorgu was also named, having only joined the club from Lecce in January, while man of the moment Harry Maguire appears to be another set to stay put, having been described as “perfect” for the 3-4-3 system by his manager.

The final name mentioned on that list was a player who only recently signed a new bumper contract extension, with Amad Diallo committing his future to the club until the summer of 2030.

Previously something of a bit-part player in previous regimes, the returning Ivorian now looks set to be front and centre under Amorim – and deservedly so.

Amad's record under Ten Hag vs under Amorim

There was a feeling that Amad’s chance would never come at Old Trafford, with the former Atalanta wonderkid having actually signed as far back as October 2020, before eventually arriving just a few months.

An inventive header against AC Milan on debut showcased a mere glimpse of why United had forked out an initial fee of £19m, albeit with the then-teenager going on to play just eight games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s watch.

Sent out on loan to Rangers and then Sunderland, Amad’s subsequent return to the first-team squad was halted by injury on the pre-season tour in 2023, with Erik ten Hag seemingly hesitant to unleash the forward even when he was back to full fitness for the start of 2024.

While last season ended on a high with his first Premier League goal against Newcastle United, having netted the winner in the FA Cup thriller against Liverpool, he never seemingly earned the faith of the Dutchman, having again slipped behind Antony in the attacking pecking order prior to Ten Hag’s dismissal.

Reinvigorated during Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim spell, which yielded two goals, the £120k-per-week winger has also been a shining light following Amorim’s arrival, having chalked up an assist from wing-back for the first goal of the Portuguese’s tenure against Ipswich Town.

Manager

Games

Goals

Assists

Erik ten Hag

24

3

3

Ruben Amorim

22

7

6

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

8

1

1

Ruud van Nistelrooy

4

2

1

Ralf Rangnick

1

0

0

Michael Carrick

0

0

0

Total

59

13

10

High-profile goals have since followed against the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, alongside a blistering hat-trick against Southampton, with Sunday’s consolation strike against Brentford marking his 13th goal involvement in just 22 outings under the new boss.

Injury had hampered his progress between February and April, but fit and firing again, Amad will be crucial over the coming weeks, and potentially years.

That said, it is exciting to suggest that an even bigger attacking talent could be on their way to Manchester this summer…

Man Utd could sign an even bigger talent than Amad

The last year or so has marked a real rise for Amad in a United shirt, having stepped into the limelight and stayed there, seemingly unburdened by the pressures that have shackled far too many before him.

A refreshingly positive and front-foot player, the diminutive wideman is a talent that gets the crowd off their feet. The next challenge, however, is to find real consistency, particularly on the Premier League front.

That is a quality that reported summer target, Bryan Mbeumo has showcased in abundance, with the Cameroon international having enjoyed a simply stunning campaign for the Bees in 2024/25.

Recent reports have claimed that the Red Devils are eyeing a potential move for the £60m-rated sensation this summer, with interest also being shown in another shining top-flight talent, Matheus Cunha.

It is Mbeumo, however, who has eclipsed both Cunha and Amad – as indicated below – with the France-born speedster racking up 18 goals and six assists in the league this season. To put that into perspective, not even Marcus Rashford has reached 18 goals in a Premier League campaign in his career so far.

Games

23

30

35

Goals

7

15

18

Assists

6

6

6

Big chances created

5

12

16

Key passes*

1.7

1.8

1.8

Pass accuracy*

85%

79%

74%

Successful dribbles*

1.7

1.9

1.3

Possession lost*

10.8

15.7

17.0

Fouls won*

1.0

2.3

1.2

That record of 16 ‘big chances’ created also outlines just what a weapon Mbeumo has been under Thomas Frank, with not even United’s creative hub, Fernandes, able to better that tally (14), as per Sofascore.

There’s no denying that this has been by far Mbeumo’s best season since Brentford’s promotion, although that’s not to say he hasn’t impressed previously, having registered 67 goals and assists in 140 appearances in the competition – including 18 goals in 2022/23 and 2023/24 combined.

Amad, meanwhile, has just eight goals and eight assists in the Premier League to date – albeit from only 35 games – with Mbeumo something of the benchmark when it comes to the very best that the division has to offer.

Simply “unplayable” on his day, in the words of Frank, the former Troyes man would be a worthy option as a number nine, a number ten or even in a wing-back berth, with the potential there for him to emerge as United’s new attacking figurehead.

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