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Celtic are suffering from the loss of Ryan Christie as well as their injured players, The Athletic’s Kieran Devlin says. 

The lowdown

Celtic tried to tie Christie down to a new contract, with his deal due to expire in June 2022.

But when they failed to reach an agreement, they opted to cash in rather than run the very real risk of losing him for nothing.

Celtic wound up banking £1million from AFC Bournemouth for a player who’d made 151 appearances and recorded 85 direct goal contributions (41 goals, 44 assists).

Along with Christie, the Hoops also lost the likes of Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer and Scott Brown during the summer transfer window.

Amid a series of injuries, Celtic have endured a tricky start to the new season. They were held at home by Dundee United on Sunday, leaving them sixth in the early table.

The latest

Addressing fans in The Athletic’s matchday discussion on Sunday, Devlin said that ‘along with Furuhashi and McGregor, this team really misses Christie too’.

He feels compelled to ‘say it every week’, but the ‘thinness of the squad’ is clear and it’s having a ‘massive impact’.

The verdict

Perhaps the real issue is not that Celtic allowed Christie to go, but that they failed to sign a quality replacement.

Indeed, the club could be accused of poor planning. It wasn’t until the final day of the transfer window that his move was sealed, even though he’d made clear that he saw his future elsewhere and the contract situation was known long before that.

This feels like yet another example of Ange Postecoglou being somewhat let down by the indecisiveness of the Hoops’ hierarchy.

In other news, read this intriguing Jack Wilshere transfer claim. 

West Bromwich Albion are hoping to seal Kenneth Zohore’s departure from The Hawthorns before the end of the day.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Birmingham Live, who claim that Valerien Ismael has given the green light for Albion to sanction the departure of the 27-year-old centre-forward, with the Frenchman potentially looking to create space in his first-team squad in order to make a last-minute move for a target of his own.

Further reports have also revealed Albion’s plans to offload the Denmark international prior to the closure of the summer transfer window on Tuesday evening, with the Baggies having failed in their attempt to land the former Watford centre-forward Troy Deeney, who ultimately sealed a move to Birmingham City – something which would suggest the 45-year-old Baggies boss is indeed keen to bring in further attacking reinforcements.

Fans will be buzzing

Having made an £8.01m move from Cardiff City to West Brom back in the summer of 2019, it would be fair to say that Zohore has not exactly lived up to his price tag during his spell at The Hawthorns.

Indeed, over his 17 Championship appearances in his first season at the club, the £1.8m-rated man scored just three goals, provided his teammates with no assists and missed four big chances for his side.

These returns saw the 27-year-old earn a disappointing seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.67, ranking him as Albion’s fourth-worst performer in the second tier of English football that season.

Things did not get any better for the £16.5k-per-week forward last term, when, after being loaned out to Millwall, Zohore managed a mere two goals, registered no assists and missed three big chances over his 17 Championship appearances for the Lions.

These metrics saw the striker average an even more disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.65, ranking him as Millwall’s joint sixth-worst player in the league.

As such, it would indeed appear as if it is the right call to try and move Zohore on prior to Tuesday’s deadline, as the former ACF Fiorentina forward does not appear good enough to play a regular role in a promotion-chasing Albion side, with the news that Ismael is hoping to sanction the 27-year-old’s sale before the end of the day sure to have fans of the club buzzing.

In other news: West Brom face possible transfer blow on “unbelievable” £10m gem, Ismael surely fuming

Ipswich manager Paul Cook will surely be disappointed with his side’s terrible start to the 2021/22 campaign as they sit 21st in the table after five matches.

They have amassed only three points in League One after drawing three of their opening five games, losing the other two, and are yet to win their first competitive game of the season.

The Tractor Boys were held to draws by MK Dons, Morecambe and AFC Wimbledon, whilst they also lost to Burton Albion and Cheltenham – both away from home. In addition, they were dumped out of the Carabao Cup with a home defeat to League Two side Newport County.

Whilst a number of players will look back at August potentially feeling that they were far from their best, one player in particular let Cook down with his performances on the pitch – Kane Vincent-Young.

The 25-year-old has been given the nod at right-back and started four of the five league matches for the Blues, but failed to show his best form last month. Cook put his faith in the former Colchester man to be his first-choice right-back and you could forgive the head coach for feeling like the defender didn’t repay that faith over the course of the month.

Vincent-Young averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.63, which placed him 13th in the squad overall despite being in the starting XI for four of the five games. The overall standard of his performance was poor, with his general play leaving a lot to be desired.

However, it must be stressed that there were some signs of positivity from Vincent-Young. He created 1.3 chances per game and registered two assists in his four appearances, showing an appetite to get forward from the full-back position and provide opportunities for his teammates to score. If he can improve the other areas of his game, then he could be a valuable asset for Cook over the coming months.

Nonetheless, Vincent-Young’s ball retention in August was dreadful. As per SofaScore, he gave the ball away 79 times in four matches (19.8 times per game), and only completed 71% of his attempted passes. This shows that he was not a reliable option on the ball as he gave it away far too frequently, allowing the opposition to counter on Ipswich and put Cook’s side under pressure.

Defensively, he was weak in his duels. As per SofaScore, he lost 53% of his duels on the pitch, including 78% of his aerial battles, as he struggled to compete against the opposition. He failed to win back possession at any point in four games, highlighting the weakness in his game in terms of physical battles.

He let Cook down with his displays in August and will need to buck up his ideas if he wants to keep his place in the team moving forward.

AND in other news, Reason Ipswich missed out on “incredibly dynamic” beast revealed, Cook will be fuming…

Manchester City youngster Liam Delap has got a huge career in the game according to former City defender Michael Ball.

Delap scored 30 goals in just 27 appearances last season for Manchester City, including a goal in the Carabao Cup against AFC Bournemouth which was his senior debut.

After an impressive season for City’s academy there have been a number of clubs chasing the youngster, but according to Football Insider it appears that Stoke City have beaten everyone and are close to signing Delap on loan.

Former Cityzen defender Michael Ball has been full of praise for the striker and believes he will do very well in his career, telling Transfer Tavern: “I think he’s got a huge career in the game and you know whatever decision he makes will be up to him and good luck to him.”

 A loan move away from the Etihad Stadium may benefit Delap as City appear to be adding even more talent to their squad this summer. Journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that City were pushing to complete a deal for Jack Grealish in the next few days from Aston Villa and the club have also been linked with a summer move for Tottenham striker Harry Kane.

With the possibility of two new arrivals at the Etihad, it may hamper Delap’s game time in the first team, so a season out on loan playing regularly may help the youngster to develop his game further.

An update has emerged regarding Sheffield Wednesday’s future plans for Dominic Iorfa.

What’s the talk?

According to Sheffield Star reporter Joe Crann, the club are preparing to offer a new contract to the centre-back.

The former Wolves man is out of contract at the end of the season and the Owls are now attempting to secure his future with a fresh agreement.

Fans will be buzzing

Wednesday fans will be buzzing with this update as it shows ambition from the club to tie down their better players to new contracts instead of losing key assets for nothing. This follows on from Josh Windass putting pen to paper on an extension at Hillsborough earlier this week, showing that the Owls are serious about retaining their top talents in the long-term and short-term.

Iorfa missed the majority of Wednesday’s relegation campaign last term as he was restricted to just 10 appearances and nine starts in the Championship. He showed fans exactly what they were missing in his return to the team on the opening day of this season, as he put in a superb performance against Charlton in League One last weekend.

Darren Moore’s side were held to a 0-0 draw by the Addicks, with Iorfa receiving a WhoScored rating of 7.28 for his display at the back. He made three tackles, one interception and seven clearances, whilst also winning six aerial battles. This was a glimpse of what he is capable of in the third tier, which is why securing his future could be crucial for the club.

Last season, Moore hailed Iorfa as a big player for the Owls upon his return from injury. He told the club’s official website: “To see Dominic Iorfa back today is wonderful.

“We wanted to give him 20 minutes today and that’s him off and running now. He’s back in full contact training, he’s been itching to get out there.

“Really it’s been us holding back the reins on him but it’s wonderful to have him back, he’s a big player for us.”

This emphasises the £8.4k-per-week enforcer’s importance to Wednesday and shows why keeping him beyond the end of the 2021/22 season could be crucial. If he can continue to produce exceptional performances at centre-back, as he did against Charlton, then he could help the club to return to the Championship at the first time of asking, as it would give Moore a solid defensive base upon which to build his team.

AND in other news, Ominous update emerges on “improving” 24y/o that could leave SWFC fans anxious…

Leicester City have been linked with a move for Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles as Brendan Rodgers looks to strengthen his first-team squad this summer.

What’s the story?

According to BBC Sport (as reported by the Leicester Mercury), the Foxes are one of three Premier League clubs interested in signing the 23-year-old over the coming months alongside Burnley and Southampton.

Maitland-Niles is one of the players named as a potential makeweight from the Gunners in their proposed move for James Maddison, but it is understood that Leicester’s interest in the England international is not related to Maddison’s future.

Brendan Rodgers needs him

The versatile youngster made a big impression when he first burst onto the scene, putting in several solid performances in a variety of positions for the north London outfit.

His impressive displays saw Maitland-Niles earn a call-up to the senior England squad in August 2020, earning praise from former Nottingham Forest full-back Stuart Pearce.

“I think he’s been outstanding. I was surprised he didn’t get the nod to start before Saka last Thursday (against Wales). That was strange, for me,” revealed Pearce.

“Saka hasn’t done anything wrong, but I’m a big fan of Maitland-Niles. I saw him last season against Wolves, and he was up against the big lad Adama Traore. He was brilliant and coped really well up against him.

“For me, he’ll be integral to any success Arsenal have this season.”

Despite Pearce’s prediction, Maitland-Niles found first-team opportunities hard to come by at the Emirates Stadium last term, starting just five Premier League games in the opening months of the campaign.

The £14.4 million-rated gem was linked with a move to the King Power Stadium back in January as a result but ended up spending the second half of the season on loan with West Bromwich Albion.

Despite putting in some solid performances, Maitland-Niles was unable to prevent the Baggies from suffering relegation and returned to his boyhood club at the end of the campaign.

However, it doesn’t seem as though he’ll be back for long. His versatility, age and potential make him an ideal Leicester signing, and Rodgers needs an extra option on the right-hand side of attack or further back in defence.

Cengiz Under has departed following a disappointing 12-month spell with the Midlands outfit, leaving them lightweight in that particular position, with only Marc Albrighton a natural fit.

Therefore, director of football Jon Rudkin must swoop for Maitland-Niles this summer, adding another promising, young English talent to Rodgers’ ranks.

And, in other news…Rodgers must axe struggling £16.2m-rated Leicester dud, he’s been shocking 

Sunderland could be set to offer Elliot Embleton a new deal at the Stadium of Light in the near future.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Kristjaan Speakman, with the Sunderland sporting director revealing in an interview with the Sunderland Echo that he and his side are delighted with the progress that the midfielder made while on loan at Blackpool last season, and that he is expecting the 22-year-old to play a key role for Lee Johnson’s side in the upcoming League One campaign.

The 42-year-old continued by suggesting that, as long as the academy product continues his upward trajectory this season, the club will open talks with Embleton regarding a new deal in the not too distant future.

The director said: “We’ve been really pleased with Elliot. Elliot and I spent all of the transfer deadline in January making sure we got the right place for him [to go on loan] and we worked really, really hard on that.

“He’s come back and done extremely well in pre-season and is someone who we think can be a huge player for us this season and in the future.

“We took the option up on his deal when he went out in January so he has a year left, and that’s something that we’ll have a discussion on with him and his agent.

“I’ve spoken to Elliot a few times and he’s a Sunderland boy, desperate to play for the club, and like any young player he wants minutes on the pitch, he wants to play.

“Any club at our level, you need to see the performances as well. So at the minute, it’s just a conversation that we’ll get started in terms of wanting to retain him. I think Elliot understands how much we appreciate and admire him at the club.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering the sheer amount of potential Embleton appears to possess, Speakman’s comments regarding the youngster’s regular involvement in the Black Cats first team next season, as well as the potential of the 22-year-old being offered a new deal by the club is sure to have left fans buzzing.

Indeed, over his 30 League One appearances while on loan at Blackpool last term, the £4.3k-per-week man bagged two goals, provided four assists and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.7 shots and making 1.2 key passes per game.

The midfielder also impressed in metrics more typical of his central midfield role, making an average of 1.1 tackles, in addition to winning possession 0.5 times and 2.3 duels per match.

These returns saw the man Max Power dubbed a “nightmare” for defenders to play against earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as Neil Critchley’s 12th-best player in the third tier of English football.

As such, it would very much seem as if Embleton can indeed play a huge role in Sunderland’s promotion push next season, as well as going on to star for the club for a great many years in the future – as Speakman suggests.

In other news: KLD dealt Sunderland blow over “fantastic” £180k-rated “beast”, Johnson will be fuming

Writing on Twitter, reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano has made a Celtic transfer claim as he lifts the lid on yet another big development.

The Lowdown: Bhoys been busy…

Over this last week alone, Celtic have got Ange Postecoglou’s reign off to a brilliant start and have been very busy in the transfer window.

The Hoops have just confirmed the signings of both Liel Abada and Japan international Kyogo Furuhasi whilst also bolstering their youngsters in the B team.

Indeed, Celtic announced just yesterday evening that they had secured Republic of Ireland Under-21 international Bosun Lawal on a three-year deal from Watford, even beating Chelsea to his signature.

Now, Romano has lifted the lid on another big development.

The Latest: Romano makes exciting claim…

Making an exciting claim, the Italian reporter says Celtic have completed an agreement to sign Rubin Kazan defender Carl Starfelt, and Postecoglou isn’t done there.

Indeed, on top of this, the Scottish giants are also on the hunt for a new right-back after sealing the Starfelt deal.

Celtic have a few candidates on the shortlist with ‘talks ongoing’ for Royal Antwerp ace Aurelio Buta.

“Celtic are looking for a new right back after agreement completed to sign Carl Starfelt as centre back from Rubin Kazan,” Romano tweeted. 

“Brandon Soppy is one of the options – talks ongoing also with Royal Antwerp for Portuguese right back Aurélio Buta.”

The Verdict: Yet more big news…

Celtic appear to mean business this season as they aim to steal back the SPFL crown, with arch rivals Rangers halting their dominance last season.

The Hoops dominated over an imperious 10-year spell before Steven Gerrard’s side made it 55 and Celtic supporters will be hoping they can seize back control of the Scottish top flight.

Making this many moves – and nearly all for young talent – is certainly the right way to go about it and Postecoglou’s debut season as manager will be one of the most interesting campaigns in the last few years.

In other news: ‘What a day’, ‘Yesssss’, ‘Holy moly’…Celtic fans rave as club drop another announcement, find out more here.

A major development has emerged on Sunderland target Carlos Mendes Gomes, regarding where he will be playing next season.

What’s the talk?

The Black Cats have been dealt a blow as Luton Town have officially confirmed the signing of the 22-year-old winger from League One side Morecambe for an undisclosed transfer fee.

Earlier this summer, Football League World reported that northeast giants were one of a number of clubs looking at Gomes as a potential target. The Hatters were named in the report, alongside Cardiff, Huddersfield, Hull, Peterborough, Swansea and Barnsley from the second tier.

Fans will be gutted

Sunderland fans will surely be gutted by this news as the club have missed out on what could have potentially been an excellent signing this summer.

Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has been dealt a blow with this news and will now need to pursue other targets in the wide areas, although it was always going to be a tough ask for the Black Cats chief given the host of the aforementioned Championship sides chasing his signature.

Sunderland do not have second-tier football to offer targets, with the prospect of a promotion push from League One their selling point as a team.

Gomes enjoyed a stellar campaign in League Two with Morecambe.

The winger was directly involved in 21 goals in 46 matches, scoring 16 and assisting five. He averaged an excellent WhoScored rating of 6.98 and provided 1.1 key passes per game for his teammates, showing off his creativity along with his consistent goalscoring.

Gomes also worked hard for the team defensively, averaging an impressive 2.3 tackles and 0.6 interceptions despite being an attacking player – showing that he is a well-rounded winger who can make an impact at both ends.

It’s no wonder ex-Shrimps boss Derek Adams lauded him “a fantastic boy” to The Visitor. “You can tell that by his work ethic in training and in games,” he added.

It is a major setback for Speakman and Sunderland because Gomes could have been the long-term successor to Aiden McGeady at the Stadium of Light.

McGeady will be 36 by the end of next season, whilst Gomes is will be 23, which suggests that the Irish winger could be coming towards the end of his playing career.

Gomes, who is currently 22, still has the majority of his career ahead of him and could have been his natural replacement out wide for Sunderland.

This is why fans will be disappointed that a deal could not be done for Gomes by Sunderland, as Lee Johnson has potentially missed out on his McGeady replacement.

AND in other news, Forget Scowen: Speakman must seal SAFC swoop for starlet compared to Andres Iniesta…

Writing on Twitter, reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has backed reports of a significant contract update involving West Ham United star Declan Rice.

The Lowdown: Rice rejects new deal offers…

As reported by reliable outlets like the Guardian and the Evening Standard, Hammers star Rice is now thought to have turned down new contract offers as the club attempt to turn off summer suitors.

Indeed, despite West Ham’s eagerness to keep hold of the 22-year-old, who is currently shining at Euro 2020, the midfielder has apparently snubbed two improved deal proposals.

It is thought that he is not making a ‘concerted’ effort to leave but still wants to be informed of any incoming bids, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all monitoring his situation.

The Latest: ExWHUemployee backs these claims…

Writing on Twitter, club insider ExWHUemployee has now backed these reports with a six-word claim.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-2/” title=”West Ham latest!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Reinforcing rumours that the player has indeed snubbed attempts by West Ham to tie down their star, Ex simply stated that ‘the information about Rice is true’.

Expanding on this development, Ex says that the offers were simply not befitting of Rice’s ability and the club will have to table far improved terms to secure his future.

Allegedly, the salary proposals were even below what Andriy Yarmolenko is currently earning at the club (£115,000-per-week, spotrac).

The Verdict: Big blow…

This could come as a Hammer blow to the club as they aim to keep their star man and ward off potential suitors, but a silver lining could be that Rice doesn’t seem to be pushing to leave.

ExWHUemployee’s update indicates that West Ham could potentially tie him down by coming back with a much improved offer, but the club may have to make this a top priority given his array of suitors.

As West Ham gear up for a busy campaign including the Europa League group stages, the last thing they will want is to lose their talisman.

In other news: West Ham make approach to sign ‘magnificent’ 34-cap ace for Moyes, find out more here.