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Chelsea chiefs seriously rate a player in Enzo Maresca’s squad and hold him in very high esteem, but that apparently won’t stop a potential exit from happening in January.

Chelsea players who could be sold or loaned out in January

Maresca has been ruthless in telling his players whether or no they have a future under the Italian, as highlighted by his treatment of England international duo Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell over the summer.

"Matter of time" before Maresca hands unseen Chelsea teenager senior debut

He’s “ready” for the first team.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 9, 2024

Sterling eventually sealed a season-long loan move to Arsenal, but Chilwell failed to find a new home despite links with Premier League rivals Man United. As he candidly explained to the press around that time, Maresca didn’t fancy either player, and he was up front with them about that despite their big-name status.

“I’m not saying Raheem is not a good player but I prefer a different kind of winger,” said Maresca on Chelsea players who are not in his plans, speaking in late August.

Liverpool (away)

October 20

Newcastle (home)

October 27

Man United (away)

November 3

Arsenal (home)

November 10

Leicester City (home)

November 23

“We have a big squad and it is impossible to give all of them minutes, so probably it is better to leave. Brutal? I just try to be honest. I spoke with Raheem before the City game and said he is going to struggle to get minutes with us.

“Chilwell is a lovely guy, but because of his position he is going to struggle with us.”

More men are set to follow Sterling out of the door. Regardless of Maresca re-introducing Chilwell to the senior squad – handing him 45 minutes in a recent 5-0 EFL Cup win over Barrow – the consensus is that the 27-year-old is still a firm candidate for the exit door.

Chelsea ready to offload Chilwell and midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka in the winter window, as the latter attracts interest from both AC Milan and clubs in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, defensive duo Benoit Badiashile and Axel Disasi will be sold by Chelsea if the right buyer comes in with an offer.

Then, there is of course the future of winger Mykhailo Mudryk. The Ukraine international, who has been relegated to a cup player by Maresca so far this season, appears to be battling for his immediate future in west London.

Chelsea really rate Mudryk but he could still leave in January

According to GiveMeSport, Chelsea chiefs actually still believe Mudryk is a “top-level talent”. Those within the club highly rate the 23-year-old, but his lack of form and opportunities means Chelsea may still choose to secure him a move away in January – potentially on loan to hand him more regular minutes.

The report even hints that Chelsea are optimistic he could challenge for a regular first team place next season, if he impresses on a temporary spell away, so it is clear that Todd Boehly and BlueCo envisage a future for the ex-Shakhtar Donetsk sensation under Maresca.

Signed for an initial £62 million, which could go up to as high as £89 million if add-ons are met, supporters will be praying that Mudryk can rediscover his very best and eventually contribute in this new era for the club.

There are reports that Chelsea could also decide to cut ties with Mudryk completely, so these next few months could be make or break for the forward.

The players were part of the Mushtaq Ali squad that was to travel to Guwahati for the tournament starting Nov 4

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2021

Sarfaraz Khan pushes the ball through the off side•Getty Images

Four players of Mumbai’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy squad have tested positive for Covid-19 and their replacements have been picked.Press Trust of India (PTI) said the four players were middle-order mainstay Sarfaraz Khan, left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Shams Mulani, legspinner Prashant Solanki and allrounder Sairaj Patil.PTI reported that the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has finalised on replacements for the four players, and their names will be announced soon.”We are conducting Rapid RT-PCR (of the players named as replacements) and their reports will come soon and accordingly they will join the team. We are also conducting the RT-PCR test of the other squad members,” PTI quoted a source as saying.Of the four, Solanki, 21, is yet to make his T20 debut. Sarfaraz, 24, has played 68 T20 games, and was part of the Punjab Kings squad in the recently concluded IPL. Mulani, also aged 24, has played 25 T20 games and was part of the Delhi Capitals squad as a short-term replacement for Axar Patel during the first leg of IPL 2021. Patil, who turns 25 on October 31, has played three T20s, having debuted in the format as far back as 2017.Mumbai are in Elite Group B of the Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which also comprises of Karnataka, Bengal, Baroda, Chattisgarh and Services. The Elite Group B matches will be held in Guwahati, for the competition that starts on November 4. The knockouts will be from November 16, with the final on November 22.Teams are divided into six groups for the league stage, Elite Groups A, B, C, D and E, and the Plate Group. Mumbai will begin their campaign against Karnataka on November 4.Mumbai didn’t fare well in last year’s Mushtaq Ali Trophy, winning only one of five league games to finish bottom of Elite Group E. They turned that around in the 50-overs Vijay Hazare Trophy that followed, winning the tournament.Only Solanki didn’t take part in last year’s Mushtaq Ali tournament. Sarfaraz played all five matches, Mulani three, while Patil played one game.

Surrey batter commits to Ashes availability as Surrey rack up 722 for 4 against Glamorgan

Matt Roller24-Sep-2021

Ollie Pope celebrates his second double-hundred of the season•Getty Images for Surrey CCC

Ollie Pope piled on the highest score of his professional career and took his first-class average at The Kia Oval to a Bradmanesque 99.94 on the final day of Surrey’s painstaking draw with Glamorgan, in which only 10 wickets fell across a dozen sessions. Surrey’s total of 722 for 4 declared was their third-highest in first-class cricket, and their highest since 1909.Pope, captaining Surrey for the first time with Rory Burns rested by the ECB, resumed unbeaten on 95 with no prospect of a result on the final day, and feasted on a diet of part-time spin, scoring freely throughout on his way to 274 before he was castled on the stroke of tea to give Hamish Rutherford – bowling left-arm orthodox spin – a maiden first-class wicket in his 115th game.With no sign of deterioration in the flattest of pitches and Glamorgan resting their weary seamers as the season approached its (anti)climax, batting was hardly taxing. Hashim Amla made 163, adding 362 for the third wicket with Pope before chipping Kiran Carlson’s offbreak to mid-on, while there was an unbeaten 53 for Ben Foakes in his first innings since he tore a hamstring in May.Rikki Clarke made 12 not out on his final day as a professional cricketer and was given a guard of honour by Glamorgan’s fielders as he walked out after tea, following his sign-off at Surrey’s end-of-season dinner on Thursday night. All 11 Glamorgan players bowled at some stage during their 196 overs in the field, with wicketkeeper Chris Cooke sharing the new ball with Carlson, trundling in to bowl medium pace with Michael Hogan, the veteran seamer, taking the gloves; the joke went round that the best hope for some excitement would be climate activists mistaking the pitch for the M25.Related

Rikki Clarke begins the long goodbye as David Lloyd makes Surrey toil

Chris Cooke's maiden double-hundred leads Glamorgan to mammoth total

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This was the second time this season that Surrey have played a Championship game on an Oval pitch offering no assistance for bowlers following their run-fest against Leicestershire in the second round of games, and while the surface made this final day of the summer a dreary spectacle despite the bright sunshine, Pope insisted that there was merit in playing on this sort of pitch.”Part of playing on these kinds of wickets is challenging yourself and being as mentally switched on as you can for as long as you can be,” Pope said afterwards. “It’s one of those wickets that allows you to try a few things and practise a few things with your movements, and see what works well for you as well. You can gain a lot from it as a batter.”I thought if I was going to get 300, I might as well try and do it in style, and I ended up with my poles knocked out, but that’s just the way it is. Because of the nature of the wicket it wasn’t necessarily the most challenging of circumstances to be in but I had good fun batting with Hash out there – he watches closely. If he sees anything in your game he’ll tell you, even the smallest fine details, and we had a lot of fun out there.”Pope will take two weeks off after this game in a bid to switch off from cricket ahead of a likely Ashes tour this winter, and the innings ended what has been a strange summer for him. He has been typically dominant in the Championship, finishing the season with 861 runs at 78.27, but played only three Tests through a combination of injury and selection.”I feel like from a personal point of view like I’ve been in good form all season,” he said. “I’ve felt constantly like I should be scoring big runs throughout and I’ve managed to put a few big scores together. It’s frustrating when you get an injury like that which puts you out of selection for one game and then you feel like you’re chasing your tail a little bit, but it’s always an honour to pull on an England or Surrey shirt whenever selected.”Coming from the England stuff into the Surrey stuff can be a challenge at the end of the season – just mentally switching yourself onto the different challenges that county cricket produces. It’s been a stop-start time which is frustrating because, as a player, you just want to play the whole time really.”Pope also confirmed that he would be available to tour Australia, with England’s players due to receive more information on the likely restrictions they will face in the coming days.”It’s been a long season – that India tour rolled into a long county season and international summer – so it’s going to be nice just to have two weeks away from cricket, not really picking up a bat, and then start training hard again for potentially an Ashes series,” he said. “Whenever you get a little break and a chance to mentally refresh and reset, you’ve got to take it, and use it to your advantage so you come back hungry and ready to go.”Talking as a guy who plays one format at the moment for England – and I don’t have a girlfriend or wife, kids or anything – I’m one of those guys that it doesn’t really matter for me, that time away from home. I would be available for the [Ashes] tour, but I’m one of the only ones in that circumstance without a family for myself and just playing the one form.”

The Norwegian's historic deal is a statement of confidence from the Cityzens in the face of their Premier League hearing and a message to their rivals

Yes, you read that right: 10 years. Erling Haaland's colossal new contract with Manchester City is so long that even people at Chelsea, the pioneers of the long-term deal, must have found it hard to take in. City's announcement of the longest contract in football history shows that they value the Norwegian striker so much that they want him to spend the rest of his career at the Etihad Stadium and that they trust him to lead the team long into the future, even when Pep Guardiola has gone.

Haaland, who has scored 111 goals for City in 126 games in all competitions, said: "I am super proud and happy and I am looking forward to staying here for a long time. In the end, speaking with the people I spoke with, the hunger and the support that I have been getting for the last couple of years from the board, from the bosses and from Pep, it was an easy decision. I am delighted."

The news also deals a fatal blow to any other side with ambitions to see the striking sensation wear their colours, namely Real Madrid. And the fact that Haaland has made such a huge commitment to City and is effectively turning down the chance to do any more globetrotting demonstrates his confidence that, despite their woeful defence of the title this season, the club are going to stay among the top forces in football for many, many years to come.

"The fact he has signed for so long demonstrates our commitment to him as a player, and his love of this club," said City's sporting director Txiki Begiristain. "He has made an incredible impact already in his time here and his amazing numbers and records speak for themselves. He is one of the finest strikers in world football, but Erling is still very young and will only continue to improve working under Pep and his coaching team. If he works hard, which I know he will, he will create an incredible legacy at this football club."

Here's what Haaland's mega contract means for the striker, for City, and for the rest of football…

GettyConfidence over 115 charges

Upon seeing the news of the new contract, rival fans immediately began to joke that Haaland was now destined to spend some years in football's lower leagues as City await the outcome of their hearing with the Premier League over their 115 charges for allegedly breaking financial rules. But in reality this contract demonstrates the complete opposite.

The fact that City and Haaland have committed to such a long deal shows complete confidence that the club are not going to be seriously harmed by the outcome of the hearing. Even though Haaland might have genuine love for City, there is no way he would contemplate spending even one year outside the top flight. He and his representatives would have asked for assurances from chief executive Ferran Soriano and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak before signing the deal and must have been satisfied with the response.

Guardiola will have sought the same assurances when he signed his two-year contract extension in November. City, therefore, will be certain that they are either going to win their battle with the Premier League or that the worst punishment they will receive is a heavy fine.

AdvertisementGettyLife after Pep

Haaland's excellent relationship with Guardiola is one of the reasons why he has extended his stay with the club. Indeed, when he first signed for City in 2022 there was a reported clause in his contract which said he could seek an exit in the event the coach left. After agreeing his new deal, the striker highlighted the Catalan's influence on his development.

"It is so nice to work with him. Not only because he is the best, but he is also the most hard-working person I have ever seen," Haaland said. "People think it is only because this or that, but the amount of hours he puts down is also motivating and inspiring to see. It is funny to work with him, it is hard and it is tough because he demands a lot, but that is what I want. I want people to demand a lot from me and to put pressure on me. So far, so good."

Guardiola, however, cannot be expected to stay at City for quite as long as Haaland. He has already been at the club for nine years and when 2034 comes around he will be 63. But Haaland's mega-deal shows that even when Guardiola leaves City, the striker will remain pivotal to the club's plans.

GettyShearer's record in serious danger

City announced Haaland's new deal with a video showing the Norwegian writing a letter to Premier League defenders, telling them: "Sorry, I'm here to stay". He may as well have issued another apology to Alan Shearer, whose status as the league's all-time top scorer is now in grave danger.

Shearer used to see Harry Kane as the main contender to break his record and when news broke two years ago that the England captain was close to signing for Bayern Munich, the Newcastle legend offered to fly him to Germany. But the legendary striker turned Match of the Day pundit had not contemplated the fact that Haaland was an even bigger threat to his cherished status as the league's top marksman.

Haaland broke Shearer and Andy Cole's long-running record for the most goals in a single season when he struck 36 times in his very first campaign in the Premier League and he has barely let up since, netting 27 times last season to retain the Golden Boot despite missing two months with a foot injury. He has struck 16 times this season, taking his Premier League tally to 79 goals in less than three seasons.

Shearer signed off with 260 goals in 14 seasons, averaging 18 goals per campaign. Haaland is currently averaging more than 30 goals per season, putting him on course to become the all-time top scorer in 2031. Even if he slows down, the contract until 2034 allows him plenty of time to eventually take Shearer's crown.

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GettyReal Madrid robbed of another Galactico

Los Blancos were City's main rivals to sign Haaland in 2022, with the Norwegian, his father Alfie and his representatives visiting the Santiago Bernabeu and meeting with top officials to discuss a move. Haaland, however, expressed reservations due to the insatiable form of Karim Benzema and the imminent arrival of Kylian Mbappe, preferring to head to a club where he knew he would be the No. 1 striker.

Real remained an attractive future destination though and Haaland did not exactly dampen the speculation when he said "you never know" in response to a question about whether he would consider leaving City. But Madrid's hopes of ever signing him are surely gone now he has committed to City for the next decade.

Madrid have moved away from paying exorbitant transfer fees ever since their doomed signing of Eden Hazard in 2019 and although they paid top dollar for Jude Bellingham, their modus-operandi has been to convince the players they want to sign to run down their contracts and get them for free. It's how they landed Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba and Mbappe, and how they plan to lure Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alphonso Davies to the Bernabeu. So if they do want to sign Haaland, they will have to wait until 2034. In other words, the Norwegian is one 'Galactico' that Florentino Perez will have to do without.

Sheffield United have been told they have an “unreal” talent who “looks a real player” among their ranks this season after they put in another top display in the Championship.

Sheffield United beat Hull City

Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United continued their unbeaten start to the Championship season as they brushed aside Hull City 2-0 at the MKM stadium on Friday night.

Gustavo Hamer set the Blades on their way with an excellent finish after Callum O Hare robbed the ball back on the halfway line for United before teeing up his teammate to lash home from 12 yards. They added their second goal on the hour mark when Sam McCallum finished off a fine counter-attack that Kieffer Moore had led, doubling his side’s advantage and ensuring that they left Hull with all three points.

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Despite a quiet transfer window, the result moved them onto nine points after five games, with three wins having been accompanied by two draws. It is a strong start as Wilder’s side look to secure an instant return back to the Premier League after their relegation last season. However, the Sheffield United boss felt his side should have done even better.

“I don’t think it was the most free-flowing performance for us, I think we’ve played a lot better in the last four games but it’s a great experience, it’s a young team, we’re still learning. That will be a great experience for them.

“We need to be better with the ball. They give you a chance, I was just a bit disappointed that when they gave us the chance to nick it off them, which we did, we weren’t better and more clinical”, he explained.

Despite his concerns, one player stood out as a potential future star in English football.

20-year-old Blades starlet earns rave reviews

That comes as 20-year-old loanee Alfire Gilchrist once again stood out to onlookers as he put in another top performance for the Blades. The Chelsea man, who is spending the season at Bramall Lane, has started every single game so far this season and has been impressive, but his performance against Hull may have been his best yet.

He won all three of his tackles, as well as making 10 clearances and winning five duels in his 83 minutes on the pitch.

Alfie Gilchrist vs Hull City

Minutes played

83

Tackles (won)

3 (3)

Pass Accuracy

83%

Duels contested (won)

9 (5)

Clearances

10

Fouls committed

1

Sheffield United fan account AllThingsBlades took to X to dub him “unreal” against the Tigers, while local media also raved about his performance. Meanwhile, the Sheffield Star handed him an 8/10.

“Since he arrived at Sheffield United I can’t remember anyone getting the better of Gilchrist in a one-on-one situation and the Chelsea loanee just absolutely lives for defending. He celebrated one block like he’d just scored the winner and picked up a booking for scything down Omur with typical gusto. Looks a real player”

Though only on loan at Bramall Lane, it seems as though Sheffield United fans might have a rising star on their hands for at least this season.

MatériaMais Notícias

Minutos separam a torcida do Flamengo da Glória Eterna ou da tristeza profunda. Mas a confiança no acesso ao Estádio Centenário, neste sábado, para a decisão da Libertadores, não foi afetada pela naturalmente tensão que antecede os instantes derradeiros antes de a bola rolar. Músicas da torcida entoaram até em momentos de mais impaciência, com numa retenção de portão na Categoria 4 (destinada ao setor rubro-negro).

RelacionadasLibertadoresFlamengo está escalado para a final da Libertadores; veja o time titular e onde assistirLibertadores27/11/2021LibertadoresLANCE! no Uruguai: Flamengo chega ao Centenário para a final da Libertadores; assistaLibertadores27/11/2021LibertadoresPalmeiras x Flamengo: veja a festa das torcidas no pré-jogo no UruguaiLibertadores27/11/2021

Bastante retenção no portão de entrada para o setor do Fla. A torcida aproveita para ir aquecendo a voz #lanceCENTENARIO pic.twitter.com/l3w0iVClay

— Lazlo Dalfovo (@lazlodalfovo) November 27, 2021

Antes de entrar no Centenário, a reportagem do LANCE! não encontrou contratempos envolvendo a torcida do Fla no arredores do palco da decisão. Um ambiente festivo foi o tom do pré-jogo, que, aliás, deixou os torcedores oriundos do Rio familiarizados por conta do calor.

A lamentação de alguns foi a despedida da cerveja para entrar no estádio, já que a Conmebol não autoriza. Mas o otimismo (exagerado ou não) acompanha o Flamengo por natureza em quaisquer circunstâncias, algo marcante durante esta semana em Montevidéu e conseguimos provar:

Mas o importante é que a festa não pode parar #lanceCENTENARIO pic.twitter.com/NwJaOCp2PL

— Lazlo Dalfovo (@lazlodalfovo) November 27, 2021

Já a delegação do Flamengo, por conta da organização da Conmebol, receosa com o contato direto com torcedores, chegou ao Centenário num local próximo à área VIP, onde há menor concentração de pessoas. Mas um grupo rubro-negro estava passando pelo local, sem saber por onde o ônibus do Fla chegaria, e um torcedor emocionado foi premiado com a proximidade dos ídolos – e até com um aceno do Bruno Henrique.

E o Flamengo chegou! Teve um torcedor privilegiado que ganhou até um 🤙🏻 do Bruno Henrique #lanceCENTENARIO pic.twitter.com/7y28Wl3XAX

— Lazlo Dalfovo (@lazlodalfovo) November 27, 2021

A bola rola às 17h para Palmeiras e Flamengo. O L! acompanha em Tempo Real.

The 2024/24 Premier League campaign is a huge one for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal as they aim to make it third time lucky and dethrone Manchester City from the summit of the division.

In the two previous campaigns, the Gunners have come within touching distance of ending their extended wait for a top-division title, but they could be helped by the signing of one talent this summer.

Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino appears to be edging ever closer to a move to North London, with journalist Fabrizio Romano confirming that the 28-year-old has already agreed personal terms, with the two sides working on a fee for the former Newcastle United man.

The Sociedad talent could potentially complete Arteta’s midfield trio alongside Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice – a hugely talented heart of the side that could prove to be the difference during the upcoming campaign.

However, the Arsenal boss is still eyeing reinforcements in attacking areas, including one high-profile star who could transform the Gunners’ already potent forward line.

Arsenal should sign £25m talent this summer

Kai Havertz produced an admirable first season at the Emirates in a slightly unnatural centre-forward role, scoring 13 times in his 37 appearances – ending the campaign as the club’s second top scorer behind Bukayo Saka.

However, an out-and-out striker is on the agenda for Arteta this summer, with Lille talisman Jonathan David just one player to be linked with a move to North London during the off-season.

The Canadian, who only has one year left on his current deal in France, scored 19 times in 34 appearances in Ligue 1 last season – with the £25m fee touted a bargain for a player of his quality.

Arteta’s side aren’t the only ones interested in his signature this window, with Chelsea and Spurs also admirers of the 24-year-old.

Whilst he may not strike supporters as an upgrade on their current options, he would be an excellent addition and one that can allow the club to forget about a move for another striker on their shortlist.

Why David could be Arsenal’s answer to Isak

Newcastle United talisman Alexander Isak is a player who has constantly been linked with a move to the Emirates this summer, unsurprisingly after his excellent recent goalscoring exploits.

The Swedish international registered scored 21 times in his 30 Premier League appearances during 2023/24, as the Magpies narrowly missed out on a second season of European football.

As a result, the Gunners attempted to test the waters with a move, but Eddie Howe’s side slapped a £100m+ price tag on his head in order to part ways with their star man.

David could prove to be a much cheaper alternative, costing Arsenal four times less, but when comparing him to Isak – who is noted as a similar player, according to FBref – the Lille man bettered the Swede in numerous key areas.

The “mind-blowing” David, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, registered the same amount of combined goals and assists as Isak last season, whilst having a better shot-on-target accuracy rate.

How David & Isak's stats compare in 2023/24
Statistics	David	Isak
Games played	34	30
Goals + assists	23	23
Shot-on-target accuracy	57%	50%
Pass accuracy	82%	78%
Aerials won	24%	20%
Shots on target per 90	1.5	1.4
Stats via FBref

He also achieved a better pass completion rate – fitting into Arteta’s philosophy of possession-based play perfectly, allowing for link up with the likes of Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

Given the huge difference in fee and similarity in figures produced in their respective leagues last season, David would be an excellent addition for Arsenal – handing them the added cutting edge they’ve been searching for this summer.

He has the ability to become the club’s main talisman, thriving off the service provided from the players around, whilst also potentially handing Arteta’s side the edge in another title battle with Man City.

Arsenal could reach another level with dream £100m Rice & Odegaard partner

The “world-class” talent would be an exceptional signing.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 10, 2024

Scottish giants Celtic have only made three signings, including one outfield player, to bolster their squad during the summer transfer window so far.

The Hoops have brought in goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo to replace Joe Hart and central midfielder Paulo Bernardo has joined on a permanent deal, after his loan spell at Parkhead last term.

Brendan Rodgers currently lacks options at the top end of the pitch, though, as Kyogo Furuhashi is his only senior centre-forward in the group.

Hyeon-gyu Oh was sold to Genk earlier in the window and Ireland international Adam Idah returned to Norwich City at the end of last season.

Last month, Sky Sports reported that the Hoops had made an offer of £4m to sign the 6 foot 3 titan on a permanent basis but it was rejected by the Canaries, who value him at a higher figure.

However, Idah featured for the Yellows in their final pre-season friendly, against St. Pauli, on Saturday and appears to be in their plans for the 2024/25 campaign.

Instead of going back in for the 23-year-old attacker, Celtic could focus on a domestic target who has been linked with a move to Ibrox this summer.

Celtic's interest in Premiership powerhouse

Last month, HITC reported that the Scottish giants are one of the clubs in the running to sign Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland to bolster their attacking options.

The Scottish Premiership powerhouse, who won the division's Player of the Year award last term, has emerged as a target for the Hoops, who are looking at alternatives to Idah.

It was claimed that Norwich are demanding a fee of around £8m for the Irishman and that has forced the Bhoys to turn their attention to other strikers, including the Jam Tarts star.

HITC stated that Celtic were ready to step up their interest in Shankland and that they are set to challenge Glasgow rivals Rangers to his signature.

The Daily Record claimed that the Gers are considering a bid to sign the Scotland international and believe that a fee of £3m could be enough to secure his services, as he only has one year left to run on his contract.

This means that Celtic could, potentially, sign Shankland for £5m less than they would need to pay to land Idah before the window slams shut.

With this in mind, Rodgers must press ahead with a deal for the Premiership Player of the Year, as he could come in as an upgrade on Kyogo Furuhashi.

Kyogo Furuhashi's struggles in front of goal

The Japan international is still struggling to recapture his incredible form in front of goal from the 2022/23 campaign under Ange Postecoglou.

Kyogo plundered 27 goals in 31 starts and only missed 16 'big chances' in the Premiership that term in what was a sensational season for the prolific striker.

Unfortunately, Rodgers has not seen the best of his abilities at the top end of the pitch since his arrival at the club to replace Postecoglou in the summer of 2023.

His finishing left a lot to be desired in the 2023/24 campaign. Kyogo produced 14 goals in 31 league appearances – 13 fewer than the previous season – and missed a staggering 24 'big chances'.

He spurned far more 'big chances' and scored significantly fewer goals in the Premiership, which suggests that the quality of his finishing drastically decreased from the 2022/23 campaign to the 2023/24 one.

Kyogo, as the only senior striker at the club, was once again given the chance to lead the line for the Scottish giants against Kilmarnock on the opening game on Sunday, and struggled again in front of goal.

Minutes played

90

Shots

8

Big chances missed

2

Goals

0

Assists

0

Duels won

1/3

As you can see in the table above, the Japanese forward was incredibly wasteful with the opportunities that his teammates created for him, with zero goals from eight shots and two 'big chances'.

He scored zero goals from 1.26 xG and his performance is a reminder to Celtic and Rodgers that they need to bring in a player to, at the very least, provide Kyogo with competition for his place this season, which is why Shankland could be an excellent signing.

Why Celtic should sign Lawrence Shankland

The Hoops should swoop to sign the Scottish brute because he is a quality and proven Premiership striker who could come in and hit the ground running.

Instead of taking a risk on a younger player or on someone from abroad who has not experienced Scottish football, Celtic could move to sign a striker who knows exactly what it takes to score goals on a regular basis in the division.

Shankland has scored 208 goals in 418 appearances in his career, including 55 goals in 121 outings in the Premiership, which shows that he knows how to consistently score goals.

In the 2023/24 campaign, the 28-year-old forward racked up 31 goals and eight assists in 47 appearances for Hearts in all competitions – including three goals in four Europa Conference League qualifiers.

The Scotland international has plundered 59 goals and 12 assists in 95 games for the Jam Tarts and outperformed Kyogo in the division last season.

Appearances

37

38

Goals

24

14

Big chances missed

9

24

Conversion rate

18%

14%

Assists

4

5

Big chances created

6

7

As you can see in the table above, Shankland scored ten more goals despite missing 15 fewer 'big chances' and this suggests that the Hearts man was a significantly better finisher.

They both offered a similar level of creativity for their teammates, with only one fewer assist and one fewer 'big chance' created by the Scotsman, but the £3m-rated star came out on top by some margin at scoring goals.

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton described Shankland as a "ruthless" finisher on Saturday, when Hearts faced Rangers, and his statistics back that up.

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Whilst Kyogo continues to struggle in front of goal, Rodgers could swoop in for a striker who would arrive at Parkhead as a significant upgrade in front of goal to provide the Japan international with serious competition for his place.

Arsenal have now held talks with a £21 million player who's set to feature at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, and it is believed he would really want to make the move to north London.

Edu targeting four key signings for Arsenal this summer

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is aiming to compete with Man City in another Premier League title challenge next season, but this time, the Spaniard will be hoping to make it third-time-lucky and beat his former mentor Pep Guardiola to the crown.

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The summer transfer window, which shuts in over a month on August 30, will be key in determining whether Arsenal can indeed go toe-to-toe with City in what could be another hotly-contested race.

So far, Arsenal have made just one signing, with goalkeeper David Raya joining in a £27 million deal from Brentford. Sporting director Edu Gaspar is yet to land on a deal for any outfield player, despite ongoing talks to sign Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna.

Statistics

Calafiori

Gabriel

Games

29

34

Goals & assists

7

4

Progressive carries

28

13

Pass accuracy

90%

89%

Tackles won

37

28

Interceptions

56

31

Aerials won

71%

55%

Arsenal opened negotiations over Calafiori around two weeks ago, and the Italy international defender has already agreed personal terms on a five-year deal at the Emirates Stadium, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Calafiori to Arsenal deal is apparently being held by FC Basel, with Bologna attempting to negotiate a lower sell-on fee than the 50 per cent clause originally agreed with the Swiss side last summer (La Gazzetta).

Edu will be keen to get him over the line as soon as possible, and preferably before Arsenal's pre-season tour of the USA, which kicks off on July 24. This comes as Arsenal target four key summer signings in another new goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward.

Thomas Partey may need to be replaced in the engine room if he does depart in the coming weeks, which has been widely rumoured, while Arteta is said to be keen on signing a striking partner for Kai Havertz.

Arsenal hold talks with Joan Garcia who really wants to join

There is also the matter of Aaron Ramsdale, who's likely to depart London Colney with Partey after losing his number one spot to Raya last term.

Arsenal have a few key goalkeeping targets in mind, and one of them is Espanyol shot-stopper Joan Garcia. According to journalist Steve Kay on KS1TV, via TBR, Garcia would jump at the chance to join Arsenal who've held talks with him.

“Yeah, Arsenal are interested in and they have had talks with the Spanish goalkeeper, Joan Garcia," said Kay.

"There have been conversations going on there, but it’s just conversations. From what I know Garcia would jump at the chance, then you’d have two Spanish goalkeepers there, Raya and Garcia."

The Spaniard, who will represent his nation at the Olympics soon, could also leave for just £21 million due to a release clause in his contract.

Coleen Rooney has reportedly banned husband Wayne from welcoming her out of I’m A Celebrity, despite the Plymouth boss believing he could find cover.

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Coleen embracing challenge in Australia Husband has work commitments in EnglandPair will remain separated for several weeksFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Manchester United legend is currently separated from his wife by 10,000 miles, with Coleen taking the decision to head Down Under and experience life in the Australian jungle. She is said to be earning the biggest fee ever handed out by ITV, but is taking on a new challenge in a bid to give the British public a better understanding of what she is all about.

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With that in mind, it is claimed that ex-England captain Wayne is being told to stay away – in order to avoid casting any publicity shadows over his long-time partner. He does have other business to contend with in England, having returned to club management, but was confident that he could get time off to head to Oz alongside his four sons.

WHAT A SOURCE SAID

A source has told of why that will not be happening: “This is Coleen’s big moment and she wants to ensure that nothing gets in the way of that or deters the attention from her comeback, which she fears Wayne’s presence could do.

“Given all the public and private storms they've weathered over the years, she doesn’t want to risk having their marriage being thrust back into the spotlight and her time in the jungle being overshadowed by any negativity that could come with Wayne’s appearance.

“They had some difficult talks and weighed up the pros and cons of him flying out to meet her and while Wayne really wanted to be there and insisted he could get cover for the games he’d miss, Coleen was pretty adamant that this needed to be her moment to shine and said his work commitments would be the perfect disguise to cover-up her decision to avoid anything potentially destroying or overshadowing that.”

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Wayne is currently living apart from his family, as he needs to be based in Devon, but assured Coleen that he will be a rock back home – alongside mother-in-law Colette – while she tackles Bushtucker trials in Australia. Closer’s source added: “Coleen was understandably incredibly emotional leaving them and had a couple of wobbles where she had second thoughts, but ultimately she knew that she needed to do this for herself and embrace the experience and all that comes with it after putting her career on hold for the last 15 years.

“Wayne vowed to be her anchor at home alongside her parents and while he was initially upset with her decision to keep him back, he respected her reasons knowing that this is her time and after everything he's put her through, he needs to focus on supporting her 100% and doing everything in his power to ensure this experience is everything she's hoping it will be.”