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No Chelsea supporter could have envisioned the immediate impact Enzo Maresca would have had during his opening months in charge at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian raised some eyebrows after his summer appointment from Leicester City, with many questioning the appointment after the dismissal of Mauricio Pochettino at the end of last season.

However, he’s exceeded all expectations during the first few months at the helm, leading the Blues to second place in the Premier League after 15 matches, just four points off current leaders Liverpool.

He’s also led the club to a 100% start to the Europa Conference League campaign, remaining as just one of two sides winning every one of their matches on the European stage.

Todd Boehly has massively backed the club since his takeover, with the summer window of 2024 no different after bringing the 44-year-old in and tasking him with the challenge of leading the club back to the top of the English top division.

Chelsea’s transfer window in the summer of 2024

After his failed stint with Manchester United, winger Jadon Sancho was given a lifeline to resurrect his once-promising career after completing a move to join the Blues.

The Englishman arrived on loan with an obligation to buy, already making an impact in West London after his summer move to the club.

Sancho has already registered two goals and four assists in his first ten matches for the Blues, starring at the top end of the pitch, helping them reach the early heights during Maresca’s reign.

Pedro Neto was another attacker who joined the club, aiming to bring added firepower to the squad to supercharge their top-four ambitions – something which now looks like a real possibility after their recent form.

The Portuguese has registered the same number of goal contributions as fellow forward Sancho, catching the eye with his direct dribbling ability and pace off either flank.

However, the same can’t be said for another summer addition, who has simply been unable to transfer his skill set onto the current side, with his future already up in the air just months after his big-money move.

The £80k-p/w player Chelsea need to cut their losses on

Boss Maresca wasn’t the only person to arrive in London from Leicester during the off-season, with midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also swapping the East Midlands for the capital.

The 26-year-old moved in a £30m deal after helping secure promotion last season, registering 12 goals and 15 assists in the process – winning the Foxes’ Player of the Year award.

However, despite all the promise of playing a starring role under the Italian, Dewsbury-Hall has barely had the chance to flourish, making the big-money fee now look like a complete waste of money.

As a result, reports have suggested that Aston Villa are interested in making a move for the Englishman in the upcoming January transfer window, with former side Leicester also targeting a surprise return for the ace.

Given the fact the midfielder, who earns £80k-per-week at the Bridge, has only featured for a total of 56 minutes in the league to date, it could be the right call to allow him to leave and cut their losses.

It’s a real shame that he’s yet to impress for the Blues, especially after receiving huge praise from the manager, who dubbed him as “fantastic” after their time together at the King Power last season.

However, ultimately, given his age, he’s coming into the prime years as a professional, desperately needing regular game time to progress after his stellar campaign in the Championship throughout 2023/24.

Villa could be a great opportunity for him to feature in England’s top flight whilst also featuring in the Champions League this season, something which he’s currently unable to do at Chelsea.

There’s no denying Dewsbury-Hall is a hugely talented player, as seen from his time at Leicester, but the move hasn’t worked out, with Maresca and Boehly needing to cash in to prevent losing millions on their recent investment.

He'd make Palmer unplayable: Chelsea want to sign "world-class" £57m star

Chelsea could be about to make a move for one of the Premier League’s biggest stars.

By
Ethan Lamb

Dec 10, 2024

Tis’ the season alright. Everton have received an early Christmas gift in the form of The Friedkin Group’s club takeover last week, purchasing outgoing shareholder Farhad Moshiri’s 94% stake.

Sean Dyche said that he wasn’t worried about his future after the acquisition, though it’s bound to bring change to an outfit desperate to improve.

In any case, recent reports suggest that change might indeed be afoot.

Everton considering Dyche dismissal

As per pundit Jay Bothroyd, via Football Insider, Everton’s first-team players are discontented with Dyche’s pragmatic style of football and his long-term suitability appears negligible.

That said, TFG won’t jump the gun and axe the experienced manager yet, for Everton have only lost two of their past 12 Premier League fixtures and have claimed points in recent matches against Arsenal and Chelsea.

The problem is that Everton’s 14-goal haul this year has proved emblematic of their struggles, toothless and uninspiring in attack. Indeed, the Toffees have failed to score in a league-high nine matches this year.

TFG won’t do anything drastic, but they are bound to be assessing the market and might have the perfect dugout replacement in Graham Potter.

Manager Focus

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Why Everton should appoint Graham Potter

When Dyche is no longer in the Everton hot seat, his tenure at the club may well be looked back at with more admiration and respect. He’s kept seven clean sheets in the Premier League since the start of October, more than any other side across Europe’s top five leagues.

But this is a time for ambition. Everton have languished around the pit of England’s top flight for several years now and TFG need a coach whose ideas will take root in a Blues crop capable of more.

Potter is the man for the job. Sky Sports’ Alan Myers acknowledged one month ago that Potter was a strong candidate for the Everton job but that Dyche would retain the club’s backing until the new year presents a clearer picture of things.

Described as a tactical “genius” by journalist Sam Morton, Potter enforces a ball-playing system that is fluid in its in-game shape and structure.

Over at Liverpool, Arne Slot promotes a similar outlook, and given the success that the pesky Reds have found under the Dutchman’s tutelage this term, it wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world to appoint a manager capable of turning Everton toward slicker and more stylish football too.

Potter also cut his teeth with Swedish fourth-tier side Ostersunds in 2011, leading the outfit to the Europa League in a remarkable journey that proved fundamental to his development as a coach.

Slot, too, has enjoyed the fruits of operating away from Europe’s top five leagues, managing in his homeland for a number of trophy-filled years before moving to the Premier League in the summer.

Given that Potter likes to play without a rigid formational structure and has showcased his talents in England’s major league with Brighton & Hove Albion and, to a less successful degree, Chelsea, over the past few years, there’s every reason for TFG to bite the bullet and replace Dyche with a more modern-tailored style.

It would be imprudent to dismiss the one-time Burnley boss off the bat, but it would be wise to keep a close eye on Potter, lest he fall into a rival’s clutches before Everton are able to welcome him as the spearhead of a promising new era.

Everton must sell £26m flop who's now wanted by a huge team in Europe

Everton could sell a striker to Inter Milan in the January transfer window.

By
George Light

Dec 19, 2024

Ange Postecoglou says he would be happy to see Mauricio Pochettino return to Tottenham and opened up on speculation about his own future at the club.

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• Postecoglou under pressure at Tottenham
• Would be happy for Pochettino to come back
• Says there are some 'outstanding candidates' to replace him

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tottenham are in the midst of a difficult campaign which has led to speculation that Postecoglou could be fired. The Spurs boss has even admitted that some fans have lost belief in him after seeing their team struggle and languish down in 14th place in the Premier League table.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Former boss Pochettino has recently admitted he would love to return to Spurs for a second stint and that it would be a "dream" to head back to north London. The Argentine is currently in charge of the USMNT, making a move unlikely, and Postecoglou was quizzed about what the future might hold at a pre-match press conference.

• WHAT POSTECOGLOU SAID

  He told reporters: "If he wants to come back one day, I hope it happens for him. We all have dreams and aspirations if that’s what he wants. You’re suggesting that he’s trying to put pressure on me? I don’t feel disrespected. I think if you ask Mauricio that question directly, you’d get a pretty clear answer as to what his intent was. Again, nothing from me to sort of be consumed with. I’m more focused on trying to make sure we win tomorrow night."

  The Spurs boss was asked quizzed on speculation he could be sacked by Spurs, adding: "I don't deal with it, mate. I know what my responsibilities are. I'm sure if the club decides to go in a different direction, there are some outstanding candidates out there for it. And you know what, maybe someone will think, 'Ah Ange Postecoglou's not a bad coach, maybe we'll take a punt on him.' It doesn't rock my world. It doesn't consume me. I'm here, I'm passionate about what we're doing. I was brought in to change the way the club plays, rejuvenate the squad, bring success, I'm focussed on that. That's what I'll keep doing

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TOTTENHAM

  Tottenham are back in action for the first time after the international break on Thursday against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

Glasgow Rangers will be hoping that the January 2025 transfer window will be more rewarding than the year before.

Fabio Silva, Oscar Cortes and Mohamed Diomande all arrived in Glasgow midway through the 2023/24 campaign, but it was only the latter that made an impact as he signed permanently in the summer.

Silva failed to showcase his true talents, while Cortes managed just a handful of games before suffering a season-ending injury in February. The Light Blues ended up failing to win either the Premiership or Scottish Cup and recruitment this winter must be better.

With the window not opening until next week, the Light Blues have already been linked with a few players. Marko Soldo, a midfielder from Croatia has been linked, while Chelsea player Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is another name that has been doing the rounds of late.

Finances will dictate just how many new signings Philippe Clement will be able to make next month, and he could be forced to rely on loan moves like last winter. That is, unless he is able to sell a few first-team players.

Another Premier League player was also rumoured to be on the Light Blues’ radar ahead of a potential move, but this looks unlikely now…

Rangers linked with Premier League striker

Towards the end of November, news emerged that Rangers were one of the clubs showing interest in Brighton and Hove Albion’s Evan Ferguson ahead of the January transfer window.

The report claimed that the Seagulls were going to make the striker available for a loan move as he wasn’t playing much first-team football under Fabian Hurzeler, with Celtic another team who were keen on bringing him north of the border.

Several Premier League sides were also showing admiration for the Irishman as he seeks to gain more game time during the second half of the season.

A loan move would be ideal, but with so many clubs interested, it might be hard for Clement to convince the centre-forward that Rangers is the perfect club to join, especially when he can remain in the Premier League.

Do Rangers really need Ferguson, however? Not only can the manager call upon Danilo and Hamza Igamane as players who can be a key part of the club’s future, but Zak Lovelace is someone who has been overlooked of late.

The young Englishman could certainly be Clement’s own version of Ferguson – a young, talented striker who is ready to make his mark.

Zak Lovelace could be Rangers' own Evan Ferguson

Despite his tender years, Ferguson has already played 79 senior matches for Brighton, going on to score 17 goals and provide five assists.

Since making his debut for the Republic of Ireland in November 2022, Ferguson has gone on to score four goals for his country across 18 games, showcasing his talents on the international stage.

In The Pipeline

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Lovelace might not be at this level yet, but he is still only 18, making his achievements all the more remarkable.

He made his senior bow aged just 15 for Millwall, becoming their second-youngest ever player when he came off the bench against Coventry in December 2021.

Fast-forward six months and the Light Blues had managed to secure his signature, luring Lovelace to Scotland. Sporting director at the time, Ross Wilson, hailed the youngster, saying:

Under Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, Lovelace made his senior debut for the Light Blues in August 2022, coming on for the final few minutes in a League Cup tie against Queen of the South, thus becoming the fifth-youngest player to make an appearance for the club in the process.

Since then, he has only featured a further four times for Rangers, as injury issues have hampered his progress. It looks as though he is back to full fitness, however, and Clement should be integrating the 18-year-old into the first-team squad, as he could be the next big thing to make it at the club.

With Hamza Igamane showing what can happen by trusting young talent in the starting XI, Lovelace could go on to form a solid partnership with the Moroccan starlet.

Zak Lovelace could form dream duo with Hamza Igamane

Like Lovelace, Igamane can either play centrally, or out wide on the left, offering positional flexibility, which is a big bonus for the manager.

Since making his breakthrough, Igamane has scored six goals, including four in the Europa League and has looked happy wherever he has been deployed. This game time will only ensure his improvement as a player.

Lovelace has shone for both the B team and the Youth side at Rangers, scoring 19 goals and registering 11 assists in just 40 matches, which means he registers a goal contribution once every 1.3 games for the club.

His only appearance for the first team came during the Europa League clash against FCSB when the Gers were cruising to victory. He was given 16 minutes on the pitch, which saw the Englishman register a single shot, complete seven of his eight passes and take 13 touches as he made his continental bow for the club.

The more often he is involved in these squads, the higher the chance Lovelace will have of getting minutes here and there. He is still developing, but exposure at this level can only be a good thing.

There is no doubt he has a wonderful future in the game, but patience is key to his development from talented youngster to first-team regular over the next few seasons.

Signing someone like Ferguson may give the club a short-term boost, but with Lovelace already at the club itching for opportunities, might it be better to use him rather than loan a player from elsewhere?

Hopefully Clement thinks so.

Rangers' top 15 goalscorers of all time

Rangers have had plenty of natural goalscorers at Ibrox over the last 150 years.

By
Ross Kilvington

Dec 26, 2024

Former Premier League star Dietmar Hamann has urged Arsenal to sign Leroy Sane on a special contract after he becomes a free agent this summer.

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• Hamann wants Arsenal to sign Sane
• Urged Gunners to offer special contract
• Drew comparisons between Sane and Messi

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The German winger is in the final few months of his contract at Bayern Munich and is expected to leave the club as a free agent this summer. Amid speculation over Sane's future at Allianz Arena, former Germany international midfielder Hamann has urged Arsenal to sign the winger.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The ex-Liverpool star backed Sane to shine at Emirates Stadium as he suggested that the Gunners should consider offering the player a special contract. He also drew comparisons with Barcelona legend Lionel Messi, while defending Sane's body language on the pitch, which has often been a subject of criticism.

• WHAT LEROY SANE SAID

  Speaking to , Hamann said: "Leroy Sane’s consistency has been a problem with Bayern Munich. This is why he probably won't get offered a new contract. However, I think if you give him a performance-based contract, you’d have a brilliant player on your hands. That's what I would do. I heard that Arsenal are interested and I wouldn’t be surprised if that's the case.

  "I think he's a good kid. I think some people read too much into body language, If you look at Lionel Messi's body language, you think he's a non-league player. So I don't give too much thought to that. I think he's a good kid. The fact is he's not been consistent enough, but that doesn't mean he won't be for Arsenal next season."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LEROY SANE?

  For now, Sane remains focused on ending the 2024-25 campaign with at least one trophy, as Bayern remain in contention for the Bundesliga and Champions League titles. Vincent Kompany's side will be next seen in action on April 8 as they take on Inter in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final fixture.

The striker’s contract with the Cottagers expires on June 30, but he's hopeful to extend his deal with Fulham

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• Jiménez is in his second season with Fulham
• El “Lobo de Tepeji” has scored 19 goals for the club
• They currently sit in eighth place in the Premier League

• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Raúl Jiménez’s future appears to be with Fulham in the Premier League for next season, as the striker revealed his desire to reach a contract extension with his current club. The Mexico international joined the Cottagers two seasons ago and talks for a new deal could soon be underway.

  “I hope the option to stay at Fulham, in the Premier League, gets activated. The club can trigger it, and I’d be happy to continue in England,” the striker said in an interview with TNT Sports.

  Jiménez and Fulham are enjoying a great run in the current Premier League season. The club sits in eighth place with 48 points and is pushing for a spot in European competition next season. The striker has tallied 10 goals and three assists in 31 matches. The former Wolverhampton forward has also scored in both the FA Cup and the EFL Cup this campaign.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Jiménez is looking to stay in the Premier League for at least one more year. The 33-year-old forward is entering the final stretch of his career, but he’s well aware that the World Cup is coming up next year and he wants to be in top form to earn a spot on Javier Aguirre’s squad for the tournament.

  Jiménez has enjoyed the best years of his career in England, most notably with Wolverhampton, where he scored 57 goals in 166 matches. His numbers with Fulham aren’t bad either – he’s found the back of the net 19 times in 65 appearances.

  After his standout performance in the recent CONCACAF Nations League, where he led Mexico to their first title in the competition, Jiménez once again proved that he still has plenty to offer El Tri.

  Having regained the level he had prior to the skull fracture he suffered in 2020, the striker knows that staying in peak physical condition and playing in one of the world’s top leagues will make him a key player for "El Vasco" as the national team prepares for the World Cup.

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  WHAT RAÚL JIMÉNEZ SAID

  The former Club América player spoke about the skull fracture he sustained after a head-to-head collision with Brazilian defender David Luiz in 2020, back when he was still playing for Wolverhampton. Jiménez was sidelined for nine months and nearly had to retire from football.

  "I don’t think what happened with him was intentional," he said. "He’s always been a very fierce competitor, and I don’t hold any resentment toward him. It’s something that happened on the pitch, and that’s where it stays. I have nothing against him.

  "We actually spoke at the time – after the accident, I would get messages from him on my phone. Later on, when they came to play at Wolverhampton and I was up in the stands, he got sent off, and as soon as he left the pitch, he knew where I was sitting and came up to see me.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FULHAM?

  Marco Silva’s side faces a tough test in Matchday 32 of the Premier League when they visit Bournemouth. Fulham, currently eighth in the standings with 48 points, holds just a three-point lead over the Cherries.

While Arsenal’s pursuit of the Premier League is currently rather uncertain, one thing is for certain; the Gunners must strengthen their squad this January.

If Bukayo Saka’s hamstring injury wasn’t enough, then more dropped points against Brighton and Ethan Nwaneri’s muscular problem that will keep him out for ‘a few weeks’ should be.

That said, supporters will have to remain patient as the winter window is a notoriously difficult one to do business in.

Clubs don’t want to lose their star players due to the limited amount of time they have to replace them and as a result, it’s likely you have to pay way over the odds if you want your man and they aren’t available.

Despite that, not bringing in any new players would be inexcusable given Arsenal are six points behind league leaders Liverpool having played one more game.

Arsenal's January transfer window plans

We are now a week into the January window and haven’t seen much activity on Arsenal’s end.

A potential move for Wolves attacker Matheus Cunha has been touted but the latest on that is the Brazilian could be set to put pen to paper on a new deal at Molineux.

Arsenal may have to get creative therefore and reports suggest they have had a bid rejected for Botafogo striker Igor Jesus.

So, who else have they been linked with? Well, they could prise away Jude Bellingham’s brother, Jobe Bellingham.

Transfer Focus

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That’s according to Football Transfers who report this week that ‘Arsenal have set their sights’ on the 19-year-old

The club’s scouts are monitoring his progress closely and it’s thought that Bellingham is now a ‘top priority for manager Mikel Arteta’.

According to talkSPORT, the midfielder is expected to cost around £20m. Any move could well see a repeat of a deal to bring Aaron Ramsey to the Emirates Stadium back in 2008.

How Jobe Bellingham compares to Aaron Ramsey

In the summer of 2008, a young Welshman was capturing the imagination of plenty in English football.

Ramsey was making waves with Cardiff City in the Championship and it wasn’t long before Manchester United came calling. Infamously they even announced they had agreed a deal on their official club website.

Luckily for those of an Arsenal persuasion, he rejected the Red Devils and ended up signing for the Gunners in a £5m deal.

262 Premier League appearances and two FA Cup final goals later and the midfielder had cemented himself as a firm fan favourite at the Emirates. It’s just a shame the way he left.

Well, as a young star also shining in England’s second tier, a deal to bring Bellingham to north London would certainly evoke memories of Ramsey’s arrival.

They’re not too dissimilar either with the Sunderland ace not too far behind when it comes to goal and assist rate in the EFL during the embryonic stages of his career to date.

Ramsey joined Arsenal as an exciting attacking midfielder and Bellingham is certainly similar in that regard. Described as a “game-breaking midfielder” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, he highlights the teenager’s ‘powerful ball carrying’ and notes that he ‘loves to make runs into the box off the ball and arrive to finish cutbacks.’

That trait was something the Welshman certainly perfected during his time in red and white, notoriously scoring as many as 16 goals in the 2013/14 campaign when Arsenal won the FA Cup.

Bellingham has four league goals and three assists this term so he’s not quite in that ballpark yet but his ability to create magic in the final third is not going unnoticed.

A further look at the stats, however, tells us why we should all be excited about the Englishman’s potential.

Compared to positionally similar players in the Championship this term, he ranks among the top 9% of players for combined goals and assists while sitting in the best 10% for ball recoveries, rubber-stamping the Ramsey-like qualities at his disposal.

Indeed, the Wales international wasn’t just competent in attacking areas but like Bellingham, he worked hard to win the ball back and made sure he did his job from a defensive standpoint.

The Sunderland sensation is far from the finished article but as project signings go, you’d find few better than the talented teen.

Fabrizio Romano: Arsenal chasing Martinelli upgrade who's a £29m "threat"

The exciting winger would add some much-needed dynamism to Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jan 7, 2025

It continues to be a busy January transfer window for Manchester City.

Last summer, the Sky Blues’ only noteworthy edition – aside from the return of İlkay Gündoğan – was Savinho, signed from within the City Football Group for a reported £30m.

However, following the sales of Julián Álvarez (£81.5m), João Cancelo (£21m), Liam Delap (£20m), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (£20m) and others, they recorded a profit of around £126m, so are now able to splash the cash this month.

As a result, wide-spread reports suggest that the Citizens are close to bringing in both Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens and Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush, but the Egyptian forward isn’t the only die Adler player they have their eye on.

Manchester City targeting midfield reinforcements

According to a report by GiveMeSport, Manchester City and Arsenal ‘are battling it out’ as the Premier League rivals seek to sign Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson.

TEAMtalk reported back in November that Liverpool and Tottenham also have the 20-year-old on their radar, who, according to the same outlet, is valued at around £70m.

Larsson joined Allsvenskan champions Malmö as a 12-year-old, winning a domestic double and making 61 appearances for the Sky Blues, before joining Bundesliga club Frankfurt for a reported €9m (£8m) in May 2023.

Fair to say, he has quickly established himself as a key figure in Dino Toppmöller’s team, racking up 1,515 minutes across all competitions prior to the winterpause, starting 18 of 24 matches, scoring four goals, two of which have come in the Europa League.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Despite only having eight senior international caps to his name, Per Lagerström of Viaplay has claimed he is one of the “hottest” prospects in the Bundesliga.

How Hugo Larsson would improve Manchester City's midfield

Sticking with the theme of rave reviews, data analyst Ben Mattinson on Twitter believes Larsson is stylistically “very similar to [Jude] Bellingham”, which is certainly high praise indeed, so let’s see how the duo compare?

Of course, Bellingham’s attacking numbers significantly outweigh those of Larsson, with the Englishman scoring 36 goals since the start of last season, compared to the Swede’s six, albeit the Real Madrid man has massively overperformed his xG, doing so by more than 12 goals, suggesting this may not be sustainable.

Where Larsson is comparable to Bellingham is when it comes to passing and out-of-possession statistics, registering very similar pass completion percentages, touches and tackles per 90, while the Frankfurt midfielder has the edge in terms of interceptions.

That last point underlines why Larsson could prove such a shrewd addition for Manchester City.

The Citizens have not been the same since Rodri ruptured his ACL in September, with Pep Guardiola calling the Spaniard “irreplaceable”, adding that no other team “plays with a central midfielder who has a Ballon d’Or”.

So far, neither Mateo Kovačić nor Gündoğan have been able to fill the void vacated by Rodri, but Larsson has all the credentials to suggest he could do just that, so his signing could spark the beleaguered champions into life.

Big upgrade on Grealish: Man City plotting to re-sign "electric" £37m star

Manchester City could shock the Premier League by re-signing an old winger.

By
Ben Gray

Jan 8, 2025

Sigurd Rosted, Mathew Longstaff, Ola Brynhildsen and Luka Gavran were spotted courtside during the first game of the first-round playoff series

• European imports embraced Canadian hockey culture
• Players received personalized Maple Leafs jerseys during in-game recognition
• Toronto FC face New York City FC next in MLS

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  WHAT HAPPENED

  Toronto FC's international contingent embraced Canadian hockey culture as defenders Sigurd Rosted and Luka Gavran joined midfielders Matthew Longstaff and Ola Brynhildsen courtside. The Toronto FC quartet was captured watching the first game of the first-round playoff series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena. The four footballers were also featured on the arena's jumbotron during a first-period break, drawing enthusiastic applause from the hockey crowd.

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• WHAT TORONTO FC POSTED

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Toronto FC have shown signs of life in recent weeks, picking up momentum after a slow start to the season. While they currently sit 14th in the Eastern Conference with seven points from nine league games, recent performances suggest a potential turnaround. Only CF Montréal (3) are below them in the standings, but with their improved form, Toronto will be hoping to continue climbing back into playoff contention.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Following the first win of their season against Real Salt Lake, Toronto FC will be hoping to build on that momentum when they host New York City FC next at the BMO Field on April 26. They then face fellow Canadian side CF Montreal in the preliminary round of the Canadian Championship on April 30 at home before another MLS home game against New England Revolution on May 3.

Celtic confirmed their place in the play-off round of the Champions League this season with a 1-0 win over BSC Young Boys at Parkhead on Wednesday night.

A late own goal from Loris Benito, who bundled the ball into his own net after Adam Idah’s initial shot was saved, secured all three points for the Hoops in Glasgow.

They have now only lost one of their seven matches in the European competition in the 2024/25 campaign, after they were knocked out in the group stage last term.

Joy turned to possible confusion for Celtic supporters, however, as shortly after the full-time whistle at Parkhead, it was reported that Kyogo Furuhashi is set to sign for Rennes.

Sky Sports claims that the Japan international is in advanced talks to join the French side for a fee of £10m, despite starting on Wednesday night, and the Hoops are closing in on an £8m deal to sign Jota.

Jota, the Portuguese forward who initially left for Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023, is not a centre-forward, however, and Celtic are also reportedly looking at a number nine to come in and replace Kyogo.

Celtic eyeing Kyogo replacement

According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic are plotting a deal to sign Brondby marksman Mathias Kvistgaarden in response to Rennes’ swoop for their number eight.

The report claims that the Hoops have been long-term admirers of the Danish centre-forward and that they attempted to sign him in the summer and in January of last year, but they were unable to agree a fee for him at the time.

It states that the Scottish giants are now prepared to rekindle their interest in the Denmark U21 international, in light of Kyogo’s £10m move to France, and that they are plotting a new bid to test Brondby’s resolve.

The Scottish Sun adds that Eintracht Frankfurt, who just sold Omar Marmoush to Premier League champions Manchester City, are also in the race to secure Kvistgaarden’s services, which has left the Danish side in a great position to demand big money for the forward.

It also reveals that the 22-year-old striker is currently valued at £8m and that Celtic have enough money, given the sale of Kyogo, to launch a bid to sign the young attacker before the end of the January transfer window, which means that they could use the money gained from Rennes’ deal for the Japan international to fund a move for the Superliga sensation.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Celtic’s board must, now, ensure that they put together an offer that is attractive enough for Brondby to accept before Frankfurt get the chance to make a move for him in the coming days.

If they do manage to strike an agreement to bring Kvistgaarden over to Glasgow for the second half of the season, it is important to recognise the player he will have to replace.

Kyogo Furuhashi's form this season

The Japanese attacker has had a mixed season in front of goal for the Scottish giants across all competitions, perhaps best summed up by his performance on Wednesday night.

Kyogo was a constant threat in the final third and had the ball in the back of the net three times, only for two to be ruled out for offside and one to be chalked off for a foul in the build-up, whilst he also had another two shots that did not beat the goalkeeper.

That has sort of been the story of his campaign as the attacker has constantly been in positions to score, but the goals have not always come for various reasons.

As you can see in the table above, Kyogo has been very wasteful with the chances that have come his way in the Champions League and the Premiership, missing 20 ‘big chances’ in total.

Celtic could, now, find an upgrade on the Japanese striker and a player who would thrive alongside Jota, if they can get that deal over the line as well, by signing Kvistgaarden.

Why Kvistgaarden would thrive with Jota

Firstly, if the Hoops can strike a deal with Rennes to bring Jota back to Parkhead for a second spell, Brendan Rodgers would have an incredibly potent offensive talent at his disposal.

The 25-year-old magician racked up 28 goals and 26 assists in 83 appearances in all competitions for Celtic in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns under Ange Postecoglou.

Jota created a staggering 30 ‘big chances’ in 51 starts in the Scottish Premiership for the Bhoys, whilst Nicolas Kuhn has created eight ‘big chances’ in the league this term to top the attackers in that statistic.

Kvistgaarden, who was described as “sensational” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, would thrive off the quality of service that the former Benfica starlet could provide him with on the left flank.

The Danish star, who scored 31 goals in 45 games for Brondby at U19 level, has shown off his ability in front of goal in the Superliga for his current club this season.

As you can see in the table above, Kvistgaarden has been far more clinical in the final third than Kyogo, with only six ‘big chances’ missed to go along with ten goals in 15 matches.

These statistics suggest that the potential is there for the Denmark U21 international to offer more than the Japanese striker at the top end of the pitch, as he is more efficient at finding the back of the net.

However, Kvistgaarden will need players around him to create those opportunities and that is why he would thrive alongside Jota in the second half of the season, because the Portuguese whiz has the quality to consistently create ‘big chances’.

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By
Dan Emery

Jan 23, 2025

Therefore, Rodgers could improve his team by landing deals for both Jota and Kvistgaarden before the end of the January transfer window.