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Marcelo Bielsa’s influence at Leeds United could persuade Raphinha to stay put this summer, according to ex-Scotland manager Alex McLeish.

The Lowdown: Raphinha shines for Leeds

The Brazilian was one of the Whites’ best players during a triumphant season back in the Premier League, excelling from the moment he joined from Rennes.

Raphinha was a joy to watch at times for Leeds, dazzling with his trickery out wide and weighing in with six goals and nine assists.

The 24-year-old’s performances are claimed to have alerted Liverpool, with rumours linking the Merseysiders with a bid of over £30m for the Whites star.

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The Latest: Brazilian tipped to stay

Speaking to Football Insider, McLeish believes that Bielsa’s huge reputation in the game will make Raphinha want to continue playing under him and reject other offers:

“The season Bielsa had was fantastic and Leeds were a breath of fresh air. Players like Raphinha could snub offers just to keep playing for Bielsa.”

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The Verdict: Huge player moving forward

Leeds have to be aiming big and looking for a European finish next season, but for that to happen, they must keep hold of key individuals like Raphinha.

His quality – leading the side in assists, key passes and dribbles – has lifted the level of those around him, and at 24, he is a player who can still find higher gears as he matures even more as a footballer.

Bielsa has clearly had a positive impact on his game, so the hope is that Raphinha, hailed as  is perfectly happy playing for him and sees his future at Leeds, just as McLeish suggests.

In other news, one Leeds player has been tipped to replicate the brilliance of a past footballing legend. Find out who it is here.

All of Europe's richest clubs want to sign the England midfielder, but his development would be better served by another season at Signal Iduna Park

So, now we know. Liverpool are out of the running to sign Jude Bellingham this summer, which is a shame both for the club and the player. Because a move to Merseyside made so much sense.

Liverpool are in dire need of a new Steven Gerrard, while Anfield would have provided Bellingham with the perfect platform to prove himself as a truly generational talent.

He wouldn't have just been a guaranteed starter, he would have been the foundation on which Jurgen Klopp constructed his next great Liverpool team.

Unfortunately, this season's dramatic dip in form, which will likely result in the Reds missing out on Champions League football and financing next season, has put paid to any hope the German coach had of landing Bellingham.

After all, Dortmund are, quite understandably, seeking around €150 million (£132m/$165m) for their most prized possession and Liverpool are no state-sponsored club. They simply do not have the resources to sign the most-coveted teenager in world football overhaul their squad.

Bellingham, of course, still has plenty of potential destinations to choose from, but are any of them really as attractive as Anfield?

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  Manchester City

  Manchester City are obviously one of the leading contenders to sign Bellingham and the prospect of working with Pep Guardiola would appeal to the England youngster.

  Crucially, unlike Liverpool, money is no object to the club's Abu Dhabi-based owners. Meeting both Dortmund's asking price and Bellingham's wage demands would not be an issue.

  But City's wealth is not without its downside, certainly from a player's perspective. The reigning Premier League champions can afford to make mistakes in the transfer market. If an expensive signing doesn't work out, they can just make another one.

  They are in the rather enviable position of being able to pay £42m ($53m) for a promising young English midfielder and leave him on the bench for almost the entire season. Now, people may argue with some justification that Bellingham is a far better player than Kalvin Phillips – and a very different one too – but the former Leeds United star's struggles at the Etihad this season underline just how difficult it is to break into this City side.

  Pep will obviously have a plan for Bellingham, but he doesn't exactly look like a perfect fit from a tactical perspective. City don't have another player like the 19-year-old, which is good in one way, but potentially problematic in another.

  Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva could both leave this summer, but Bellingham hardly represents a like-for-like replacement for either player.

  He is far more direct and actually more akin to Kevin De Bruyne but, again, it's difficult to see Bellingham playing instead of the Belgian or even with him, unless he makes some modifications to his game. Just look at how the ridiculously talented Phil Foden is in and out of the City starting line-up this season.

  Bellingham would obviously learn a lot playing under Guardiola, and alongside some of the most intelligent footballers in the game today, but, at his age, he needs to play, and he needs to grow. It's not as if Phillips is doing either right now…

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  Real Madrid

  As it stands, Madrid don't appear to have quite enough money in the bank to bring Bellingham to Santiago Bernabeu this summer, not that a lack of cash has ever stopped them before. Real usually find a way to get what they want.

  A player's desire to move to Madrid often helps too. It remains the dream destination for most footballers, representing the most successful side in the history of the European Cup is still considered by many to be the pinnacle of their profession. Bellingham would be no different in that regard.

  Again, though, there are some red flags. Madrid have signed two young midfielders of enormous potential during the last summer two transfer windows, in Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga.

  The former was once again on the bench against Chelsea on Wednesday night, while the latter played at left-back.

  Both were obviously bought with the future in mind. Despite some compelling evidence to the contrary, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos cannot continue forever.

  But, again, Bellingham might have to spend more time on the bench than he'd like if he were to join Madrid at this particular moment in time.

  After all, another midfielder really isn't really Real's priority right now, which is telling in itself.

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  Manchester United

  In recently urging Bellingham to stay at Dortmund, club legend Stefan Effenberg pointed out in his column for that there are "no guarantees elsewhere – [Jadon] Sancho is the best example of this."

  It was a valid point. Sancho appeared perfectly primed to become a superstar at Manchester United in 2021 after three stellar seasons at Signal Iduna Park.

  Sadly, the winger has endured a tough time at Old Trafford, with the mental strain of playing in one of the most pressurised environments in world football having taken a heavy toll on Sancho, who is only now starting to look like something resembling his old self.

  Sancho certainly wasn't helped by the constant turmoil at United, and while things have improved around the first team following the appointment of the excellent Erik ten Hag as coach, the ongoing unrest at boardroom level is hugely concerning.

  Indeed, it was hoped that the Glazer family, who are reviled by many supporters, would sell the club before the end of the season, but that process could now drag on into the summer, meaning less time for the new owners to prepare for next season.

  For that reason alone, United appear unlikely to sign Bellingham. They're not presently in a position to commit to such a massive deal, while Bellingham would be well advised to steer clear while the ownership issue at Old Trafford remains unresolved.

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  Chelsea

  If United's interest should be treated with caution, any offer from Chelsea must be immediately dismissed. The new owners at Stamford Bridge are making the previous administration look like models of restraint, having already sacked two managers since taking charge last summer and spent more than £500m ($625m) on players.

  Seriously, it's The Muppet Show, an ever-expanding cast of comical characters that appear to exist only for our amusement.

  It obviously makes no sense for Chelsea to bid for Bellingham, given they're already in danger of breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations because of their historic spending spree, but that doesn't mean they won't.

  Todd Boehly & Co. clearly want to sign as many talented young players as possible. However, it would be hugely surprising if Bellingham had any interest in joining a club operating in a total state of flux.

  They won't be playing in the Champions League next season, while it's not yet known who their next manager will be – or whether he'll be sacked six games into the new campaign.

  Bellingham must avoid Chelsea at all costs.

Aston Villa could sign their new Idrissa Gueye in Metz starlet Pape Sarr as a major transfer update emerges.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that Dean Smith’s side are interested in signing the 18-year-old this summer, and it now appears that his current club are willing to let him go for the right price.

Metz’s president, Bernard Cerin, said: “All the clubs now want to buy him for cheaper. We are in the opposite situation. We want to keep him a little longer.

“The wish is to keep everyone – but we do not control everything. A very high offer makes it difficult for you to convince a player to stay.”

A new Idrissa Gueye

Villa fans will, of course, know all about Gueye and the tenacious midfield work that he got through in his time at Villa Park, before making the move to fellow Premier League side Everton and now PSG.

In Sarr, Smith could find an exciting, younger version of the Senegal international.

The 18-year-old is enjoying a real breakthrough campaign with the Ligue 1 side this season, playing 22 times in the league, and has established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet in recent weeks for Metz boss Frederic Antonetti.

And, Antonetti has not shied away from lavishing his midfield starlet with praise, saying: “Pape Matar Sarr is elegance in the midfield, it’s talent, it’s making others play.”

He said: “He will be able to go as far as he wants to go. He must work, be as he is there, modest, regular, hardworking. He must continue to love football and he will do like the great players, he will go far. I think he will go very far.”

Dubbed as someone who’s “got everything” to his game, Sarr has averaged an impressive two tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game, while also boasting a passing accuracy of 85.3% – compare that to Gueye who’s managed 2.3 tackles and 0.7 interceptions per match in Ligue 1 this season, and having a 92.6% pass accuracy.

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Given his age, and the fact he’s already piling up plento of experience in terms of top-level football, and Sarr could be the kind of young talent who can fill those considerable shoes that Gueye left at Villa when he departed.

Meanwhile, Villa are facing a major transfer battle over this star…

The Reds have been all over the place at the back at times this season, and at least one centre-back is required during the summer transfer window

It really is remarkable how quickly things can change in football.At the start of this season, had you canvassed opinion on the strength and depth of Liverpool’s squad, the idea of needing a new centre-back or two would have been swiftly dismissed.

Six months on, though, the landscape has shifted considerably.

New midfielders, quite rightly, are top of the Reds’ agenda heading into the summer, but defensive reinforcements should not be far behind if the club is serious about righting the wrongs of this most challenging of campaigns.

The struggles of Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, in particular, have exposed the fragilities in Jurgen Klopp’s backline. And with Virgil van Dijk’s form having dropped below its usual impeccable standards, and with Ibrahima Konate beset by fitness issues, what was a strength last season has become a weakness this time around…

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  A stark decline

  The numbers speak for themselves. Liverpool conceded 26 goals in 38 Premier League games last season, but have already shipped 28 in 23 this time around.

  In all competitions, they have conceded 47 times, leaking three or more goals on eight separate occasions. They have kept only eight clean sheets in the league, and only 13 overall.

  Their decline has been stark, and never more evident than in the 5-2 defeat against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League last-16, when the team’s structural issues were compounded by baffling, but all-too-familiar, individual errors.

  “Unacceptable,” Klopp called it. Liverpool had never previously conceded four in a European game at Anfield, never mind five, and for all the plaudits directed Madrid’s way, it is fair to say the result sent shockwaves through the footballing world, opening many more eyes to the Reds’ struggles.

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  Gomez's issues

  It was Gomez who came in for the most criticism in the wake of the Madrid thrashing. The England international had an unwitting hand, or foot, in all of Real’s goals, his uncertainty and lack of assertiveness exposed ruthlessly by Vinicius Junior, Karim Benzema and Co.

  It has been that kind of season for the 25-year-old, whose performances have been so inconsistent as to bring about serious questions as to his suitability as a Liverpool player going forward.

  Gomez was brilliant in important victories over Manchester City and Everton, arguably the two high points of the Reds’ season, but he was also removed at half-time in the 4-1 defeat to Napoli in September, culpable for Kaoru Mitoma’s late FA Cup-winner for Brighton, and his fingerprints were all over the defeats to Leeds and Wolves, in which he made basic errors that cost crucial goals.

  He has played 29 times in all, more than any other Reds centre-back and more than he managed in the whole of last season (21), while it was only last summer that he signed a new five-year contract.

  His age and status as a homegrown player, as well as his ability to play right-back if needed, count in his favour, but at 25 he has already suffered at least four serious, long-term injuries, and it is beginning to look like the Gomez of 2019-20, when he was Van Dijk’s partner in the Premier League-winning team, may never truly return.

  Were a good offer to arrive this summer, it would be in Liverpool’s interests to seriously consider it.

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  Matip uncertainty

  The same applies to Matip, who like Gomez has endured a difficult campaign, strewn with errors and muscle injuries.

  The 31-year-old was instrumental last season as the Reds chased an unprecedented quadruple. His partnership with Van Dijk, his calmness, and his underrated ability to step out of defence and create in the opposition half, were key as Klopp’s side embarked upon a quite remarkable campaign.

  But his 43 appearances in all competitions was by far the most he has managed in a single season since joining from Schalke in 2016, and he will turn 32 in August.

  He is about to enter the final year of his contract, and there is a growing feeling within the club that his seven-year stay on Merseyside may be about to come to an end.

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  Konate concerns

  Konate's case is a little different. The France international has shown, in his 18 months with the club, that he is capable of becoming a mainstay under Klopp.

  He started the Champions League final last May where was arguably Liverpool’s best player, and featured for France in the World Cup final in Qatar, having enjoyed a fine, breakthrough tournament with Didier Deschamps’ side.

  The only concern over the 23-year-old surrounds his fitness record. Konate has started only four Premier League games this season, his campaign decimated by knee and hamstring injuries.

  Given his record at previous club RB Leipzig, where he managed only 32 appearances in two seasons prior to his move to Merseyside, that has to be a source of worry.

  Keeping Konate fit is crucial, because his pace, strength and fast-improving reading of the game mark him out as a potential top-class centre-back. And there aren’t many of those about at the moment.

The Gunners' inspirational winger once again stepped up to the mark when his team needed him most in a 4-0 win at the Emirates.

Arsenal hit top gear as they moved five points clear at the top of the table with a thumping 4-0 win against Everton.

Gabriel Martinelli scored twice as Mikel Arteta’s side ran riot in north London, producing a scintillating second-half display which left their shell shocked visitors chasing shadows at times.

It was a third successive win for the Gunners, one that saw them take a commanding grip on the Premier League title race ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Bournemouth.

Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard were also on target as struggling Everton were swept aside in style.

Below, GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Emirates Stadium…

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  WINNER: Bukayo Saka

  Cometh the hour, cometh the man. At 21, you can just about call Saka that now. 

  Yet again, Arsenal’s young winger stepped up when his team needed him the most. With 40 minutes gone, the game was meandering towards half-time without either team threatening to break the deadlock. 

  Then, with one sharp turn and one thunderous right-foot finish, Saka turned the game on its head and gave Arsenal the breakthrough they desperately needed. 

  It was a wonderful goal from a wonderful player, who then played a key role in the second when he robbed Idrissa Gueye of possession, allowing Martinelli to race away and score. 

  It was a five-minute spell that summed up perfectly what Saka is about: hunger, determination and exceptional quality. 

  That new contract can’t come soon enough.

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• LOSER: Idrissa Gueye

  What the Everton midfielder was thinking when he lost the ball in the build up to Arsenal’s second goal only he will know. 

  But it was proper amateur hour defending from such an experienced player and it left his side with a mountain to climb in the second half. 

  Had the visitors gone into the second half only one goal behind they might have had a chance after the interval. But two goals down always looked like an insurmountable deficit to overturn, and so it proved.

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  WINNER: Oleksandr Zinchenko 

  Arsenal lacked any sort of quality or creativity in the opening 40 minutes, but then a moment of class from Zinchenko opened things up in the blink of an eye. 

  The fact that Arsenal’s left-back, frustrated by what he was seeing in front of him, took it upon himself to drift into the right sided No.8 position tells you all you need to know about the freedom he is afforded by Arteta. 

  It was his overload in midfield that caused Everton problems and the pass he produced to open up the defence and find Saka was pure quality. 

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• LOSER: Jorginho

  After such a promising start to his Arsenal career, Jorginho had a real off night here. He really struggled in the first half and was replaced at half-time by Thomas Partey. 

  For a player who is so comfortable in possession, the Italy international could barely put a pass together and you could see how frustrated he was in himself at times. 

  The good thing for Arsenal is that they had a player like Partey on the bench to came on and makae a huge difference after the interval.

Aston Villa have been credited with an interest in Vitoria Guimaraes defender Abdul Mumin, according to The Sun.

The Lowdown: Mumin profiled

Mumin appears to be catching the eye for his displays this term, where has lined out as a centre-back.

The 22-year-old, standing at 1.88m (6 ft 2), joined Vitoria last August in a free transfer from FC Nordsjaelland and has made 26 appearances this season.

The Ghanaian, who is yet to be capped at senior level for his country, can also play as a right-back.

The Latest: Villa not the only side keen

According to The Sun, Newcastle and Tottenham are also keen on Mumin, while Scottish giants Celtic have also held a previous interest. The report added that anyone wishing to secure his services would need to pay around £15m.

Should a move to Villa Park go through, the report claimed that Mumin could replace Neil Taylor, who is out of contract this summer. The Welshman, who is on £32,000 per week, is thought to be attracting interest from Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City.

The Verdict: A new centre-back required?

In our opinion, exploring the idea of signing a new centre-back this summer could be a smart move. Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa have been virtual ever-presents under Dean Smith this year, with the likes of Kortney Hause and Bjorn Engels barely (if even) getting a look-in.

Reports have suggested recently that Engels will be moved on in the summer, and should that come to fruition, bringing in a fourth centre-back may prove crucial for the 2021/22 season in terms of squad depth.

Mumin may well be that man, but it seems as if the club will need to beat numerous teams in the race for his signature.

In other news: Villa suffer transfer blow despite having target through the door, find out more here. 

Man Utd youngster Alejandro Garnacho came off the bench to score a stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Remember the name, Alejandro Garnacho!

Erik ten Hag's side looked to be heading for a demoralising draw after letting an early lead slip away until the 18-year-old popped up at the death to slide a brilliant winner past goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

Christian Eriksen had opened the scoring after just 14 minutes, netting for the first time for the Red Devils since arriving on a free transfer in the summer.

However, Dan James returned to haunt his former team after the break. The Wales international came off the bench and looked set to break visitors' hearts by nipping in and beating David De Gea from close range.

Indeed Fulham looked the stronger team in the closing stages but were undone in the dying minutes. Garnacho swapped passes with Eriksen and then produced a composed finish to snatch all three points.

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  Winners

  Alejandro Garnacho

  Man Utd had looked a little toothless in attack throughout the game but the arrival of the Argentine in the second half brought a pace and energy that had been severely lacking. Garnacho wanted a penalty within minutes of his arrival but saw his appeals turned down. However, he still managed to steal all of the headlines by scoring a late winner. Garnacho showed off his pace to start the move, combined well with Eriksen, and then still had the presence of mind to supply a precise finish.

  Christian Eriksen:

  The Dane scored his first Man Utd goal after 14 minutes to put the Red Devils ahead at Craven Cottage. A good move ended with Bruno Fernandes’ pass taking a nick on its way to the far post where Eriksen slid in to make it 1-0. That’s now 150 career goals for Eriksen, 53 in the Premier League, and he also becomes the first Dane to score for Man Utd since goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel netted against FC Rotor Volgograd in 1995. Eriksen looked a little tired in the second half but had the intelligence to combine with Garnacho for the winner.

  Dan James:

  The winger scored his first goal of the season in the second half to make it 1-1 almost immediately after coming off the bench. James arrived in the 58th minute and two minutes later he had found the back of the net. The visitors were caught out on the break when Tom Cairney picked out the substitute and he bundled the ball past David De Gea from close range. James chose not to celebrate but you can bet he was thrilled to net against his former club.

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  Losers

  Aaron Wan-Bissaka:

  The writing looks to be very much on the wall for Aaron Wan-Bissaka at Man Utd after he was left out of the squad against Fulham. Erik ten Hag was without Diogo Dalot due to suspension but still did not feel the need to turn to Wan-Bissaka. The Dutchman instead used left-back Tyrrell Malacia on the right which seems to suggest Wan-Bissaka really has no place in the manager’s plans at Man Utd.

  Tyrell Malacia

  The 23-year-old played out of position at right-back and really struggled. Willian had the beating of the youngster throughout the first half, and Fulham repeatedly targeted that flank. He was then nowhere to be seen when Dan James made it 1-1 and it was a surprise to see him last the 90 minutes. Erik ten Hag did have other options on the bench but opted to keep on Malacia at right-back for the whole match.

  Harry Maguire:

  The centre-back did not see a minute of action at Craven Cottage despite Man Utd being without Dalot and Raphael Varane to injury. Ten Hag instead partnered Lisandro Martinez with Victor Lindelof and opted to put Malacia at right-back. Maguire was spotted warming up in the first half as Malacia struggled but Ten Hag kept faith with the Dutchman. The manager's selection decisions highlight just how far down the pecking order the England international has fallen at Man Utd.

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  Man Utd Ratings: Defence

  David de Gea (7/10): Two good saves from Carlos Vinicius and Tim Ream at the start of the second half but couldn't do much about the goal.

  Tyrrell Malacia (3/10): The left-back was played out of position on the right and it showed as Fulham targeted his flank. Looked a weak link, really struggled against Willian.

  Victor Lindelof (6/10): A better showing from the Swede who had his hands full but coped well.

  Lisandro Martinez (8/10): Another excellent showing from the Argentina international.

  Luke Shaw (7/10): Did well defensively and put plenty of quality balls into the Fulham penalty area.

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  Midfield

  Casemiro (7/10): Won the ball in midfield to set up the goal and looked a cut above in the middle of the park.

  Christian Eriksen (8/10): Slid in at the far post to open the scoring but should have added a second just before half-time. Set up Garnacho for the winner.

How will America's finest get on in this season's Premier League?

For the first time in a while, there's a sizable contingent of U.S. men's national team stars in the Premier League.

Just three Americans earned minutes in England's top flight last season, but that number should balloon this season, with a number of USMNT players now on the books of some of the country's top teams.

Christian Pulisic remains the star attraction for American audiences, of course, and the winger will be once again looking to lock down a place in Thomas Tuchel's starting line-up.

However, Pulisic has been joined in the Premier League by several international teammates, from newly-promoted veterans to big-money transfers.

Below, GOAL runs through the Americans set to test themselves against English football's finest in 2022-23…

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  Christian Pulisic (Chelsea)

  While still the biggest name in American soccer, Pulisic has a fight on his hands to prove himself at Chelsea.

  Pulisic has had plenty of bright moments with the Blues, proving his worth to Maurizio Sarri, Frank Lampard and Thomas Tuchel several times over.

  However, injuries have always seemed to strike at the wrong time, preventing him from truly cementing his place as the club's starting winger.

  That task will become even more difficult this season as Chelsea splashed the cash to sign Raheem Sterling from Manchester City.

  Romelu Lukaku's loan move to Inter may have freed up some space in the forward line but Sterling's arrival means that Pulisic has another world-class player to compete with for a spot out wide.

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  Brenden Aaronson (Leeds)

  The first of two American stars brought in by Jesse Marsch at Leeds, Aaronson has taken a logical step up in class by reuniting with his former boss at RB Salzburg.

  Even after Marsch's departure in the summer of 2021, the Philadelphia Union product continued to shine in Austria, with his impressive performances paving the way for his move to Elland Road.

  The $31 million (£25m) price tag is lofty, but it's also one befitting of a player with Aaronson's skillset. A midfielder with relentless energy and an improved skillset in the final third, he should fit nicely into Marsch's system.

  Indeed, he dished out three assists in the club's preseason finale against Cagliari and should be a major player for Leeds, who will be hoping to take a significant step forward this term after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.

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  Tyler Adams (Leeds)

  The second member of the Leeds United States of America, and another already well-known to Marsch, who worked with Adams at Red Bull-owned clubs in Germany and New York.

  Indeed, there's probably no player Marsch knows better than Adams, who will slot right into Leeds' midfield as the No. 6.

  With Kalvin Phillips having departed for Manchester City, Adams will be crucial to Leeds' Premier League hopes this season.

  Adams has said he isn't a like-for-like replacement for Phillips, and he's definitely right, as Phillips is certainly a bit more complete than Adams is at this stage.

  But Leeds will expect Adams to up his game and lock down a starting spot as they rebuild under Marsch.

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  Antonee 'Jedi' Robinson (Fulham)

  The Return of the Jedi (and Fulham)!

  One of England's great yo-yo clubs, the Cottagers are back in the top flight after winning last season's Championship.

  And Robinson was a key player in that promotion push, making 36 league appearances in total.

  Robinson will remain the go-to left-back for Fulham, and the USMNT, for the foreseeable future and, at just 24, there's still plenty of time for the defender to improve.

  There's a reason that AC Milan once expressed an interest in his services, and that's because Robinson is a pretty good left-back.

  If he can help keep Fulham in the Premier League, there's a chance that other clubs could come calling in the future, too.

Former Premier League midfielder and Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has exclusively suggested to Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that Chris Wilder would be a better fit than Eddie Howe for Celtic.

The Glasgow club are yet to appoint a permanent manager following Neil Lennon’s resignation back in February, though Howe is said to be the leading candidate for the post.

According to journalist Alan Nixon, the coaches that the 43-year-old would like to bring with him are still contracted to Bournemouth, complicating things.

As far as alternatives go, however, Hendrie believes Celtic should be looking at Wilder, suggesting the former Sheffield United boss could actually be a better fit than the current frontrunner for the Celtic gig.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about the two managers, the ex-Aston Villa player said:

“I think most Celtic fans, they’d probably go with Eddie Howe I just feel for the football side of things. But I feel for the part and passion and the whole round circumference of Chris Wilder, I’d be looking at him. 

“I feel he’d get the club rocking again – I really do. And I just feel he’s got that temperament and that mentality to do that.”

In terms of managers who are available, Wilder, 53, definitely looks like he could be a good option given what he managed to achieve at Sheffield United.

Under his leadership, the Blades went all the way from League One to the Premier League. Last season, they were quite the success story, finishing in ninth place following their return to English football’s top flight.

The Premier League duo made the cut, but who else rounds out our best picks from this year's tournament in Egypt?

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  Mohamed El-Shenawy

  Algeria goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi won the competition, and was named CAF’s Man of the Match in the final, but El-Shenawy excelled during the early stages of the competition.

  Egypt’s campaign may have ended even earlier had the 30-year-old not bailed them out against the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe, while they also had the goalkeeper to thank for not falling behind against Uganda.

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  Youcef Atal

  Comfortably the best full-back in the competition, both offensively and defensively, before a broken collarbone sustained against Ivory Coast ended his competition prematurely.

  Offered the overlap effectively, carried the ball well, and also contributed an assist in the 3-0 last-16 victory over Guinea.

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  Kenneth Omeruo

  Returned to form, and to Nigeria’s starting XI, in some style, with a series of excellent performances during the Super Eagles’ run to the bronze medal.

  He scored the winner against Guinea in Nigeria’s second match, helping keep a clean sheet in both that game and the opener, while he also weighed in with an assist as Cameroon were defeated 3-2 in the last 16.

  Demonstrating that he’s a man for the big occasion, Omeruo also delivered an imperious display in the play-off victory over Tunisia.

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  Djamel Benlamri

  Dogged, rugged, tenacious and unruffled in the heart of the Algerian defence, Benlamri proved why he’s such a fan favourite among Fennecs fans with a series of committed displays.

  He played with his heart on his sleeve throughout, demonstrating a mastery of some of the game’s darker arts, while proving to be an ideal complement for the cultured Aissa Mandi.