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Hibernian striker Kevin Nisbet is on Celtic’s ‘watchlist’ but they are unable to make a firm approach amid the managerial uncertainty at the club, according to a report from The Scotsman.

The lowdown

Nisbet scored 18 goals and provided eight assists in 44 appearances for Hibernian over the course of the 2020/21 season after signing from Dunfermline. That equates to a direct goal contribution every 132 minutes.

The 24-year-old still has three years left on his contract at Easter Road and is valued at £2.7m by Transfermarkt. He has also been included in the Scotland squad for the upcoming European Championship.

Celtic may be on the lookout for a proven Premiership goalscorer, with Odsonne Edouard seemingly closing in on an exit from Parkhead.

The latest

Celtic have yet to make any formal overtures, but Hibernian fully expect offers for Nisbet during the transfer window.

The Hoops may be given the green light to make an offer when they finalise the appointment of their new manager. It was reported over the weekend that they were in advanced talks with Ange Postecoglou.

Intriguingly, Hibs are said to be eyeing Celtic’s Leigh Griffiths as a possible replacement. His contract is due to expire on Monday, although Celtic have the option to extend it for a further year (The Scotsman), and the 30-year-old has already had two loan spells at Easter Road.

The verdict

Perhaps the sensible thing to do here would be to extend Griffiths’ deal and then attempt to negotiate some form of exchange. Nisbet would be a solid if unspectacular signing for Celtic, with the comfort of knowing that he is capable of scoring abundantly at Premiership level.

This could possibly be one of a number of moves simply awaiting a go-ahead from a newly-appointed manager at Parkhead, making the swift appointment of Neil Lennon’s full-time successor advisable.

In other news, there’s an update on talks with Postecoglou.  

Newcastle United showed during the previous January transfer window how capable they are when it comes to bringing new players to the club.

Having spent a total of £91.89m in January according to Transfermarkt, this certainly seems to have been a turning point for the Toon.

Since January, Eddie Howe’s side have only lost three league games and won their four previous matches.

Now that the summer transfer window is approaching, it seems as though an early hint has been dropped over one potential area that the club could look to strengthen at Darsley Park before next season starts.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist and transfer insider Dean Jones had this to say about the possibility of Newcastle signing a striker in the summer.

He commented: “It could honestly be anyone. They’re just going to throw money at whoever seems available from across Europe. So, I still think that they’ll sign a massive name this summer up front.”

Great news for Newcastle fans

In January, the Magpies secured a deal for striker Chris Wood from fellow Premier League side Burnley for a fee of £25m.

Since then, the 30-year-old has found the back of the net on two occasions and appeared in all but one of their league games. As a result, there is clearly a need for greater quality in that area of the pitch.

In terms of who the ‘massive name’ could be, the Toon have recently been linked with a swoop for Benfica striker Darwin Nunez.

With 33 goals in 39 appearances for the Portuguese club this season, he would definitely fit the bill for what Newcastle are said to be looking for in the summer.

Having scored 21 goals in the league since the start of January, it’ll be exciting for the Toon fans to hear that the club may not only be looking at bringing another striker to St. James’ Park but also a potentially big name as well. Their record isn’t great but someone of Nunez’s calibre could certainly put that right.

Now that Howe has been able to take his side into the top half of the table after their dismal start to the season, adding a top striker to their ranks could propel the team even further up the table.

With that in mind, it could mean that finding regular game time next season may be a challenge for Wood and Callum Wilson should the club manage to add a consistent goalscorer to the squad.

In other news: Howe can finally axe “nervous” dud as NUFC plot bid for £197k-pw gem who’s “top-level”

Swansea City take on Championship strugglers Wycombe Wanderers at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday afternoon and Steve Cooper’s side will know that they need to pick up three points if they want to keep their automatic promotion hopes alive.

The Swans are currently seven points behind second-placed Watford with just five games of the season remaining, although an easier run-in could see Cooper’s side take it to the final day when they face the Hornets away from home.

Three points is a must against Wycombe on Saturday, with Gareth Ainsworth’s side closing in on an immediate return to League One this season as they are currently rock bottom of the league and 10 points from safety.

They will know that they need three points to keep their meagre survival hopes alive, so it should hopefully be an open, attacking game at the Liberty Stadium this afternoon.

Here’s how Football FanCast feels Cooper will set up his side on Saturday, with three changes from the team which beat Sheffield Wednesday last time out…

Two clean sheets in a row means Freddie Woodman continues in goal, and he should be confident of another shutout against the league’s lowest scorers.

There are two changes in defence as Cooper should go attacking for this one, so the “brilliant” Connor Roberts and Jake Bidwell return at right-back and left-back respectively, as both have contributed far more goals and assists than Kyle Naughton and Ryan Manning this season.

Jay Fulton, Conor Hourihane and Matt Grimes all impressed in the wins against Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday, so they keep their place for this one.

[freshpress-quiz id=“532484″]

Finally, there is just one change in attack as Morgan Whittaker comes in for Wayne Routledge on the right-hand side after the experienced winger struggled to get involved at Sheffield Wednesday – failing to record a shot and posting the fewest touches of anyone in Cooper’s starting XI (WhoScored) – whilst this game represents a great opportunity for Whittaker to grab his first league goal for the Swans.

In other news… Most tackles on the pitch: Fulton was man of the match against Sheffield Wednesday for more than one reason

Since Steven Gerrard was appointed as Aston Villa’s manager back in mid-November, the former midfielder has used a total of 24 players at the Midlands club so far.

One of those 24 players is midfielder Morgan Sanson, who, alongside Ashley Young, has made six appearances for Villa under the Liverpudlian, all of them coming in the Premier League.

The Frenchman has started two of the six league games he’s played in so far this season under Gerrard, the first of which came in their 3-1 defeat against Chelsea followed by their recent 2-2 draw against Manchester United.

Even though the 27-year-old has only made 16 appearances for the Villans since arriving from French club Marseille back in the 2021 January transfer window in a deal worth a reported fee of £16m, his future at Villa Park should be starting to come into consideration based on what he’s managed to deliver for the club.

His performances in the Premier League so far this season have earned the midfielder an overall rating of 6.34/10, currently making him the lowest-rated player in Villa’s squad at the moment that has started more than one league game according to WhoScored, suggesting that he has let Gerrard down when given the chance to show what he can do.

In the game against the Red Devils at the weekend, not only did Sanson give the foul away that led to the free-kick that Bruno Fernandes scored his first goal of the game from but the French maestro also gave the ball away in the second half that led to United’s second goal. All of that culminated in him reacting badly when he was substituted off, which he had to apologise for on social media afterwards.

In addition to his underwhelming performances, Sanson has struggled with injury issues since he made the move to the Midlands club, which former Villa manager Dean Smith described as “frustrating,” which shows that he hasn’t been a particularly reliable player for the team.

Moving forward, if Sanson doesn’t start delivering for Villa on the pitch until the end of the season, then Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris must seriously consider cutting their losses with the player in the next summer transfer window to see if they can reclaim any of the money they paid for him.

Also, with young Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka apparently not happy with his playing time at the club, potentially axing Sanson, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £59k-per-week according to Salary Sport, from the team could give him a clear path to regular game time to see if he would be a better option than the struggling Frenchman.

In other news: Lange could secure another AVFC transfer masterclass as claim emerges on £9m-rated ace – opinion

Liverpool have had their fair share of younger players make their mark on the club’s first-team over the years, and it seems fans suspect they may have another gem in their midst.

A number of players have been given a chance by Jurgen Klopp in recent seasons at Anfield, with the most notable example of course being Trent Alexander-Arnold.

One of those who may now fancy his chances of pushing for a spot in the first-team picture moving forwards is Kaide Gordon, who recently featured in the 1-1 draw against Wacker Innsbruck during pre-season.

The 16-year-old only signed for the club in February from Championship side Derby County. It was reported that the initial fee for the deal was £1million, although that fee could rise up to £3million with add-ons.

He was awarded an 8/10 match rating from the Liverpool Echo for his efforts in Tuesday’s draw, and clearly made a good impression on a number of the club’s supporters.

Liverpool are set to take on newly-promoted Norwich City in their first league match of the 2021/22 season, and perhaps Gordon could feature on the bench if these fan verdicts are anything to go by.

Plenty of the Anfield faithful took to social media to issue their thoughts on Gordon’s performance, and you can take a look at the best of the reaction from Twitter below, where one fan hailed the starlet as a ‘revelation’….

“Can’t believe he’s 16.”

Credit: @TemnoLFC

“Definitely the most impressive out there good on him! Was excited every time he got the ball!”

Credit: @Reefnot99

“Remember the name.”

Credit: @tylerallen114

“So much better than Origi.”

Credit: @TMLFC19

“Massive talent.”

Credit: @24_billings

“A pleasant revelation tbh.”

Credit: @npryce28

Leeds United are thought to be keen on bringing West Brom star Matheus Pereira to Elland Road this summer.

The Lowdown: Leeds fans wanted him signed

Pereira has been part of a Baggies side who have failed to remain in the Premier League after they came up alongside the Whites last season, with their relegation back to the Championship confirmed on Sunday.

The 25-year-old has starred at The Hawthorns, though, scoring 10 times and registering five assists in 31 league appearances.

His display against Southampton last month caught the eye of some Whites supporters, who urged the club to move for the Brazilian in the upcoming window.

The Latest: Orta and co not the only ones keen

According to the Daily Express, the Whites are now in fact interested in Pereira, who is on £39,000-a-week in the Midlands.

Leicester, RB Leipzig and West Ham are also keen on Pereira’s services, with the Baggies anticipated to demand up to £30m for the attacking midfielder described as a ‘great talent’ by Michael Brown.

So much interest from top sides is perhaps no surprise given the quality the Brazilian has shown in such a poor side this term.

The Verdict: Orta should try his luck

Victor Orta, who is of course the main man when it comes to transfer dealings at Elland Road, should make a move for Pereira ahead of the 2021/22 season.

Leeds hero Pablo Hernandez looks set to move on in the summer, so Pereira could come in to seriously rival the likes of Rodrigo and Tyler Roberts in a number 10 role.

Should Pereira move to Yorkshire, that may also then allow Rodrigo to rival Patrick Bamford as a starting striker, with the Brazilian occupying a position behind the forward.

He could well come at a club-record price, but he’s managed to produce two brilliant personal seasons in England now, and could fit into Marcelo Bielsa’s attack-minded squad with ease, as he is also capable of playing on either wing.

In other news: Noel Whelan addresses Raphinha rumours, find out more here. 

A new name has emerged in West Ham’s striker pursuit this week…

What’s the word?

According to the Express, the Irons are among several teams interested in a move for Gent star Roman Yaremchuk this summer transfer window.

It’s claimed that David Moyes is finalising his shortlist of potential forward targets and the Ukraine international is under consideration.

The Hammers have been monitoring him throughout the season and are said to have closely scouted the Belgian top-flight for the past two years. where Yaremchuk has caught the eye.

Sevilla, Bologna and Bayer Leverkusen are also reportedly keen.

Haller 2.0?

It’s no secret that the signing of a new forward will be amongst the Scot’s top priorities this window, after he was left with only one senior option following the departure of club-record flop Sebastian Haller in January.

However, Moyes must approach this with caution because he could well stumble across another similar situation.

Success in Belgium has never been a great barometer for potential signings in the Premier League. You only have to look at Aston Villa’s moves for Wesley Moraes and then Mbwana Samatta to see that.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-latest-west-ham-news-transfer-gossip-rumours-staff-gsb-moyes-updates-and-more” title= “Read the latest West Ham news, transfer rumours, gossip and more!”]

The latter is already gone from the club, having scored just two goals in 16 appearances.

Both were prolific prior to their arrivals in the Premier League and that has to be concerning, especially considering the fact that the Ukraine goal machine has found the net 23 times this campaign.

If the struggle in adapting to a league as brutal as the English top-flight isn’t enough of a concern, then the Hammers must remember that they have been here before themselves.

Haller scored 20 goals in all competitions during the 2018/19 season, before earning that club-record £45m move to the London Stadium, where he would go onto score 14 times in 53 appearances.

Once dubbed “fantastic” by his manager, Yaremchuk is a bit like the Ajax star, too. At 6 foot 3, he’s also a target man of sorts. And far from a similar option to Michail Antonio, Moyes’ only striker.

The Irons have been linked to plenty of other names in the past few weeks, including Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, who has proven experience in this division. He’d surely be a far better choice than the Gent man.

Moyes surely risks repeating West ham’s Haller mistake by signing Yaremchuk.

AND in other news, West Ham dealt transfer blow amid ExWHUemployee update…

Liverpool’s James Milner has made more fouls per 90 minutes than anyone else in this season’s Premier League, WhoScored data shows.

Milner has started three top-flight matches so far this term, lining-up in midfield for the opening day win at Norwich and then slotting in at right-back against Crystal Palace and Manchester City in the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Should Milner’s fouls have led to a red card?

He was at the centre of controversy against his former club City last time out. After being booked in the 42nd minute, he escaped a sending off for a challenge on Bernardo Silva in the second half. Pep Guardiola said after the game that he believed Milner should have been given his marching orders.

Jurgen Klopp has said that he hopes to have Alexander-Arnold back available for selection after the international break, when Liverpool are due to travel to Watford before facing Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Fan feed Anfield Edition relayed the statistic about Milner’s foul concession, and here’s what some Reds supporters made of it, with one fan describing his tendency to give away free kick as an “accident waiting to happen”.

Liverpool fans express Milner concern

“He is lucky we weren’t down to 10 against City. Thank God the refs were shook off Anfield.”

Credit: @MauUprising

“Great servant and incredible work ethic but we need to move on from him.”

Credit: @ReneOuld

“Never…I would never have guessed…an accident waiting to happen.”

Credit: @Dazmay66

“He will cost Liverpool precious points this season which is why he mustn’t be used as a full back.”

Credit: @johnhak7

“That’s because he’s old and slow. Coaching role methinks.”

Credit: @StephenMcCaig2

“Get rid of him”

Credit: @LaVillanelle

In other news, many Liverpool fans were left livid as this Reds ace was snubbed.

Nottingham Forest have had their fair share of players that have come and gone from the City Ground over the years.

The Reds finished 17th in the Championship in the 2020/21 season, in what was certainly a forgetful season for Chris Hughton and the club’s supporters.

It’s going to be an interesting summer ahead, as the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss looks to make changes ahead of the upcoming Championship campaign.

Forest are set to take on Coventry City on the opening weekend of fixtures, in what could potentially be a tricky test for the Reds, as they look to get off to a winning start next term.

One player that is unlikely to be involved in the matchday squad for that clash against the Sky Blues is defender Nicholas Ioannou, who has found regular game time hard to come by at the City Ground in recent months.

The full-back signed for Nottingham Forest back in 2020 and has gone on to make just five appearances in total for the former Premier League side.

Ioannou spent part of the 2020/21 campaign out on loan with Cypriot side Aris Thessaloniki, and made ten appearances in total for them, before returning to the City Ground this summer.

The ‘deadwood’ needs clearing out

It remains to be seen if he has a future with Nottingham Forest, with Sky Sports (via Calciomercato) revealing that Ioannou as emerged as a potential transfer target for Serie B side Como 1907.

It is thought that a loan move is the most likely option, although the report doesn’t claim whether it’s a permanent or loan deal at this stage.

A clear-out of the ‘deadwood’ is certainly needed at Nottingham Forest, and if they can replace that ‘deadwood’ with smart signings over the summer, then it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise to see Forest mounting a serious push for a top-half finish this term under Hughton’s management.

They’ve got the makings of a solid squad there at this moment in time, with the likes of Joe Lolley, Lewis Grabban and Joe Worrall showing glimpses of their quality in recent seasons, although they’ve found consistency hard to find at times in their time with Forest.

They’re simply putting off the inevitable this summer

Ioannou hasn’t made an anywhere near good enough impact in his time with Forest though, and the club should be looking to cash in on him at the earliest of opportunities.

A loan move to Como 1907 this summer would only be putting off the inevitable permanent exit, and his reported £4,000 per week wages (according to Salary Sport) could be used on a better alternative, who will be keen to make a positive impact in the near future.

Ioannou has to be sold as he’s simply not good enough.

Sunderland manager Lee Johnson will surely be over the moon with his side’s start to the season as they have racked up four wins from their five competitive matches so far.

The Black Cats have won three of their four League One games and beat Port Vale in the first round of the Carabao Cup this month. They now travel to face Championship side Blackpool in the second round of that competition, having been pipped to promotion by the Tangerines last season.

After a 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon at the weekend, with Carl Winchester scoring the only goal of the game, Sunderland will be looking to use their momentum to progress in the cup.

On the Chalkboard

This game has presented Johnson with the perfect opportunity to make changes to his team. He will want to fresh up a few positions in his side to rest legs and give others the chance to come in and stake a claim for their position in the XI moving forward.

One player who should be unleashed against Blackpool is summer signing Niall Huggins. He joined the club from Premier League side Leeds United this month and is yet to make his debut for the Wearsiders, with this Carabao Cup clash the ideal game in which to give him his bow.

Winchester has been playing out of position at right-back in the league, which means that Huggins could come in to allow the 28-year-old to play in his favoured role. He is a midfielder by trade and could slot into the midfield for Luke O’Nien, thus allowing Huggins to make his debut for the club at right-back.

After the official announcement of the 20-year-old’s arrival, Johnson hailed him as an interesting and versatile player with who he is looking forward to working with. He told Sunderland’s official website:

“Niall is an interesting player and tactically he’s very versatile – he is also very good physically in terms of his speed and acceleration and he’s a good dribbler, whether that’s playing left back or right back. He’s a bright kid and he’s had a very good education at Leeds, but now it’s the right time for him to step into that first-team environment. Niall is another one that we have added to our stable of quality young players, so we are very happy to have him and we’re looking forward to working with him.”

This shows how highly the Black Cats manager rates him and why the 20-year-old deserves this opportunity to put in a strong performance at right-back and lay down a marker for the rest of the season. It’s his time to show what he can do and prove that Johnson was right to bring him to the club this summer.

If he can come in and produce an excellent showing at right-back, it could convince the former Bristol City head coach to hand him a few starts in League One. It is down to the player to prove himself, though, and duly give Johnson some selection headaches.

AND in other news, SAFC handed boost over £900k-rated “shining light”, Johnson will be delighted…