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Celtic are on the hunt for new additions and now have a good chance of being able to complete a deal for a reported target this month, according to a reliable journalist.

Celtic look for extra bodies in January…

It is well known that Brendan Rodgers is keen to ensure additional bodies arrive at Parkhead this month to help boost his side's hopes of securing a third Scottish Premiership title in quick succession.

Despite having to wait for all of 16 days, Hoops supporters finally got their first taste of action in the transfer window earlier this week as Nicolas Kuhn arrived from Rapid Vienna on a five-and-a-half-year contract and the former Germany Under-20 international will be expected to provide trickery in the wide areas.

Planning ahead for the rest of the month, the Hoops could now look to target a striker and a left-back in the closing stages of the market, alongside shifting several fringe players out of the club.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph delivered a brief summary of potential incomings and outgoings at Parkhead, stating on social media platform X: "Celtic are now focusing efforts to bring in a LB & ST before the end of the transfer window. Permanent deals would be preferable, but loan targets may be more achievable. GK situation is also being assessed, but more likely to be addressed in the summer."

He then added: "The Hoops are open to offers for Gustaf Lagerbielke, Alexandro Bernabei, James McCarthy & Rocco Vata. Vata is out of contract in the summer and is already in talks with Bologna & Como. Yuki Kobayashi and Marco Tilio are also likely to leave on loan this month."

Rodgers could supercharge Palma as Celtic eye swoop for £2.8k-p/w whiz

The Scottish giants are reportedly interested in a deal to snap up the young defender.

ByDan Emery Jan 17, 2024

Midfield could also become an area of concern as doubt is cast over David Turnbull's future at the Scottish giants, and one media outlet now claim an arrival in the engine room could be on the cards to bolster Celtic's engine room this month.

Celtic hold Jung Ho-Yeon talks

As per reliable Daily Record reporter Scott Burns, Celtic have held talks with Gwangju FC midfielder Jung Ho-Yeon over a move to Parkhead and it is believed that there is a 'good chance' that any potential deal could move further down the line this window.

Jung statistics in 2023 – K League 1 (Sofascore)

Goal conversion

9%

Big chances created

4

Accurate passes per game

41.3 (90%)

Tackles per game

2.0

Balls recovered per game

5.8

Clearances per game

1.1

Nonetheless, it is believed that his current employers would be keen to keep him in his homeland until the summer. Scouting missions have been taking place since last year regarding the 23-year-old as Celtic look to gain a clear picture of what he could bring to the table in the middle of the park.

Labelled a "very good prospect" by Asian football expert Dario Focardi, the Mokpo-born shuttler made 34 appearances in 2023 across all competitions, registering two goals and three assists (Jung statistics – Transfermarkt).

Loanee Kwon Hyeok-kyu, winger Yang Hyun-jun and striker Oh Hyeon-gyu form a three-man Korean contingent in Glasgow and Rodgers could well be in the process of acquiring a fourth player from the nation to play a part in the second half of the season.

Tottenham are in the “final stages” of appointing Fabio Paratici’s number two according to football.london journalist Alasdair Gold.

What’s the story?

During a Q&A for football.london, Gold noted: “As you say, it’s unlikely that a major player in the transfer game like (Luis) Campos is going to become anybody’s number two. As far as I’m aware, Fabio Paratici has drawn up a shortlist of the candidates to assist him in running the football side of Tottenham and is in the final stages of appointing his number two, who is expected to be from abroad.

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“Paratici had Spurs’ technical performance director Steve Hitchen to help him in the months after he joined from Juventus but he left the club in February and head of recruitment Brian Carey, who worked remotely and is believed to have been more of a chief scout figure, also left this week.”

Pressure on Paratici

Since joining the north London club from Juventus, Paratici has had somewhat of a mixed record in the transfer market in his time at Spurs.

The likes of Cristian Romero and Dejan Kulusevski in particular have been successes, while the jury is certainly out on Emerson Royal among a couple of others.

With Antonio Conte’s future far from certain at the moment – reports have even claimed that he has offered himself to become PSG’s next manager and replacing Mauricio Pochettino – the pressure is well and truly on Paratici to have a good start in the transfer window.

If he can clinch a couple of early signings, it would go a long way to convincing Conte that Spurs mean business and are ready to back him in the transfer market by getting the players that he wants.

It’s exactly why news that Paratici is close to appointing a number two to assist the r2-year-old in his work will take some of the burden away from him and hopefully allow him to better focus his thinking and strategizing when it comes to transfer targets.

Spurs fans should be excited that work is being done behind the scenes to get the club ready for the summer.

AND in other news – “Paratici will look at him”: Spurs can strike gold with “unplayable” £50k-p/w star

Rangers bloggers Four Lads Had a Dream have mocked what they’ve heard from across town following their Scottish Cup win on Sunday.

The Lowdown: Rangers beat rivals at Hampden

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men enjoyed a day to remember on Sunday afternoon, beating their most bitter rivals 2-1 in their semi-final clash.

It was a match that not only saw the Gers keep their hopes of winning a treble alive this season, but also ended Celtic’s dream of doing the same in the process.

Rangers were the better team at Hampden Park but that hasn’t stopped Hoops fans from blaming various things on the defeat, including poor refereeing from Bobby Madden, while there are also investigations into potentially offensive songs from some sections of the Ibrox outfit’s support.

[freshpress-poll id=“386877”]

The Latest: Baffled

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Four Lads Had a Dream couldn’t believe the reaction to the loss, not holding back on their thoughts on what they’re hearing from Celtic:

“Tackled hard. Referees fault. Sung bad songs. Over Celebrated. What a bunch of spoilt brats they are in defeat.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“383632”]

The Verdict: Bad losers

Put simply, this feels like a case of sour grapes from Celtic fans, who were outplayed by Rangers at Hampden and were fortunate to even take the lead in the first place – Madden had a better game than several of the Hoops key men.

The rivalry clearly means that any defeat will hurt but there was no bias in Rangers’ favour and supposed over-celebrations is a ludicrous accusation to make, given the magnitude of the game.

Football fans are admittedly fickle and will always feel hard done by when they lose, but this reaction has been particularly intense over the past couple of days.

In other news, a Premier League club are reportedly eyeing up a move for a Rangers player. Read more here.

A large portion of Daniel Farke’s summer signings at Leeds United stood out in the Whites’ dramatic 3-3 draw against Liverpool last time out.

Indeed, Dominic Calvert-Lewin would have loved following up his instinctive effort against Chelsea with a penalty goal against the Reds, having just recently waved goodbye to Everton.

Anton Stach also got in on the goalscoring act as another new recruit from Hoffenheim, before Ao Tanaka – who triumphantly lifted the Championship title last season – hammered home the crucial equaliser.

Unfortunately, not every fresh face that arrived at Elland Road this off-season has instantly gelled, with Farke now in danger of having his very own Vurnon Anita, six years on from the ex-Newcastle United midfielder’s uneventful stint in West Yorkshire.

Remembering Anita's shambolic stay at Leeds

Leeds would have felt they’d struck gold by being able to land the now 36-year-old on a free transfer in 2017, considering Anita was just fresh off a Championship promotion with the Magpies, and the Whites were desperately looking to break back into the Premier League.

On top of his EFL experience, the three-time Eredivisie winner had also amassed 106 Premier League appearances on Tyneside as a useful utility presence, with one of his former Toon coaches, John Carver, once stating that he always has the “same attitude and commitment” wherever he’s thrown into the XI.

Games played

22

Minutes played

1620 mins

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Wage per week

£25k-per-week

Wage costs for a year

£1.3m

Unfortunately for the Whites, though, they never managed to get the best out of Anita, who could play at left-back or right-back at a moment’s notice, away from his central midfield duties, with an unmemorable 22 first-team appearances all she wrote on his forgettable Leeds career.

His high £25k-per-week salary came under plenty of scrutiny, therefore, with Anita – who wasn’t even registered as an outfield player for Leeds during the 2018/19 campaign – branded as a “huge waste of money” by ex-Leeds player Noel Whelan, after he was chucked to one side by Marcelo Bielsa.

Surely, if Leeds could turn back time, they would never have gambled on the Curacao international to come good, with a worryingly similar tale playing out in the here and now for Farke…

Farke's very own Anita

Thankfully, Leeds already look to be vindicated in their decision to bring in the aforementioned Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer, with no Anita-style repeat on the cards here, as the Sheffield-born striker already boasts four Premier League goals for Farke’s men.

The same, however, cannot be said for Sebastiaan Bornauw, who appears to be destined for the exit door, just a matter of months after sealing a move to England for a modest £5.1m fee from Wolfsburg.

Yet, at the time of the capture, Leeds would have thought they’d acquired a diamond in the rough, with the 26-year-old accumulating 140 Bundesliga appearances for both Wolfsburg and FC Köln, meaning the hope would be that he could be a dependable cover option at the back for Farke.

Fast forward to the present, though, and the deal to bring the four-time Belgium international to English shores has already been dismissed as “laughable” as per Leeds-based content creator Lewis Deighton, with Bornauw only fit enough for a paltry two minutes of Premier League action so far.

This is a far cry from when Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley was hailing the capture of Bornauw as an indicator that Leeds had conducted some “excellent” summer business back in July, with the lofty number 23 already out of action for four games this season, owing to recurring knee issues.

Estimated to be on a bumper £45k-per-week pay packet, too, all the current signs are pointing in the direction that Bornauw is Leeds’ modern-day iteration of Anita.

For context, both Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu are on a lesser £40k-per-week salary each, reportedly.

Further dubbed as looking “terrible” against Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Cup by commentator Sam Matterface, on what has been his only start to date, he only won 50% of his duels against lower league opposition.

It really does feel as if Bornauw’s stay at Elland Road will be extremely short-lived, as he just goes down as a forgotten flop, like Anita before him.

The "best finisher" at Leeds now finally looks finished under Farke

This Leeds star has not been involved much this season

ByJoe Nuttall 1 day ago

Leeds United look in a strong place to end their stint in the Championship by the end of the season, with boss Daniel Farke doing a phenomenal job in charge.

His side were ransacked during the summer window, arguably losing their three most important players in Georginio Rutter, Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray for a combined £105m before add-ons.

Despite such departures, the German has led the Whites to second place after the first 21 matches, sitting three points off current leaders Sheffield United.

However, despite the club having the best goalscoring record of any side in the division, the hierarchy are targeting added reinforcements in January to bolster their promotion ambitions.

As a result, they’ve identified one player who could dramatically improve Farke’s options at the top end of the pitch should they complete a deal for his services.

Leeds United targeting European star in January

According to the Daily Mail, Leeds are eyeing a potential move for Maccabi Tel Aviv striker Dor Turgeman ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

The 21-year-old has impressed in recent months, scoring nine times in 21 matches this campaign, including four goals in the Europa League to date, including one against Spanish giants Real Sociedad.

The report fails to mention a potential price tag for the Israeli talisman, but does claim that Farke’s side have been scouting him over the last few months ahead of a potential swoop.

However, Turgeman has a valuation of €3.5m (£2.9m) as per Transfermarkt, but it’s highly unlikely that the youngster would be available for that sort of fee given his recent goalscoring exploits.

Turgeman can also operate off either wing, making him a versatile option, with his relentless pressing nature making him an excellent talent in the final third for the club as they enter the final months of the 2024/25 campaign.

Such a move could end one player’s spell at Elland Road, also providing an upgrade on the star and supercharging the Whites’ promotion ambitions.

Why Turgeman signing could be the end for Bamford

Leeds striker Patrick Bamford will forever be a name that the supporters will cherish after his goalscoring record during their return to the Premier League during the 2020/21 campaign.

The Englishman scored 17 times during the Whites’ return to the top flight, finishing as the fourth top scorer in the division – leading to a maiden England call-up under Gareth Southgate.

However, he’s massively struggled in recent years, scoring the same amount of goals as he did in the aforementioned year, but this time over four campaigns rather than just the one.

Injuries have restricted him to just nine appearances in 2024/25 to date, with Turgeman providing the quality that they have been desiring at the top end of the pitch in recent weeks.

The Maccabi Tel Aviv talisman, who’s been dubbed “a beast on the pitch” by current boss Zarko Lazetic, has produced some impressive numbers, as demonstrated by his goalscoring tallies.

Games played

9

Goals scored

4

Pass accuracy

73%

Chances created

5

Dribbles completed

50%

Duels won

21

Fouls won

9

In the Europa League, the 21-year-old has completed 50% of his dribbles, whilst also winning 21 duels, showcasing he can star in a variety of roles, creating opportunities for teammates whilst doing the dirty work for the side.

Such figures would make him the perfect striker for Farke’s current 4–2-3-1 system, handing the club that added attacking threat as they look to return to the Premier League.

However, on the flip side, such a transfer could spell the end of Bamford’s stint in Yorkshire, especially considering his hefty wages, which see him pocket a staggering £70k-per-week.

It would be a sad closure to his time at Elland Road, but ultimately, football is a brutal industry with the Englishman potentially needing to be sacrificed if they are to complete a deal for Turgeman.

Leeds had a star who was "similar" to Klich & Phillips, then he left for £0

The former Leeds United star was highly-rated by Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road.

ByDan Emery Dec 18, 2024

West Ham United are on the hunt for a new attacker this summer. After losing Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham Hotspur for £55m, the Hammers have money to reinvest.

Graham Potter will no doubt be desperate for his side to improve on their 14th place finish, and begin ot make real strides.

Kudus might not be the only major outgoing of the summer, with star midfielder Lucas Paqueta also linked with a move away. Manchester City are said to be interested in the Brazilian, in a deal that could end up being worth just £45m.

So, the Hammers might need to strengthen in attack more than they may have initially thought at the start of the window. Already, there are a few links being banded about.

West Ham’s latest transfer targets

The Hammers are certainly looking to bring some new attacking threat to the London Stadium this summer. One player who has been earmarked for a move to the club is Southampton youngster Matheus Fernandes, who could cost as much as £50m.

Transfer Focus

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

However, it is not just the Portuguese star who could switch to East London. According to Simon Jones of The Mail, the Hammers are one of the Premier League sides who have ‘shown interest’ in signing Liverpool and Scotland winger Ben Doak before the window slams shut in just over three weeks.

However, this will not be an easy deal to do. Potter’s side are set to face strict competition with top-flight rivals Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers for the winger.

Liverpool could ask for as much as £20m to let the youngster go permanently this summer.

Why Doak would be a good signing

At just 19 years of age, Doak boasts a big reputation. The winger, who was born in Dalry, is already an international for Scotland and has six caps to his name. Last term, he spent time on loan at Championship side Middlesbrough, where he thrived.

The former Celtic star, who made two appearances for the Bhoys at senior level, experienced his first full campaign of professional football for Boro. He played 24 times, scoring seven goals and grabbing three assists.

His underlying numbers from the Championship last season show just how much of a threat he was going forward.

For example, the 19-year-old averaged 2.23 key passes and 1.77 take-ons per 90 minutes, which placed him in the top 5% and 19% of wingers in the second-tier last term.

Goals and assists

0.51

84th

Key passes

2.23

95th

Shot-creating actions

4.15

92nd

Goal-creating actions

0.56

95th

Take-ons completed

1.77

81st

Progressive carries

6.78

99th

With that kind of attacking threat, he could become the most exciting player West Ham have had on their books since Dimitri Payet.

The Frenchman was “above anyone else” whom Mark Noble played with during his illustrious 18-year-long career with the Hammers.

Indeed, he was a special player, known for his quick feet, bags of tricks, and ability to score spectacular goals.

He only played 60 times for the club, but scored 15 and assisted 22 in that time, becoming a true West Ham icon.

With the talent that Doak possesses, it is easy to see how he could go on to become the Hammers’ best player since Payet departed back in 2017.

As football scout Antiono Mango once said, the forward can be a “menace” at his absolute best.

The way the play is similar, with both players looking to take defenders on and create bags of chances. Doak’s numbers from last term have already been highlighted, but Payet’s 2.2 successful dribbles and four key passes each game in his debut Premier League season, as per Sofascore, show just how deadly he was.

For just £20m, this is a hugely exciting deal for the Hammers. Signing Doak would be a big statement given his huge potential. The excitement he would bring to the London Stadium might not have been seen since the days Payet donned Claret and Blue.

Dream Fernandes alternative: West Ham in talks to sign "goalscoring CM"

West Ham could sign a dream alternative to Fernandes.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 12, 2025

Newcastle United must act swiftly if they are to have a squad strong enough to compete in both the Premier League and Champions League next term.

So far, only Anthony Elanga has made the move to the Magpies this summer. That was an excellent piece of business, but more is required for Eddie Howe.

There has been no shortage of links, that’s for sure, but other clubs have beaten them to the punch for players such as Joao Pedro, Hugo Ekitiké and Bryan Mbeumo.

Although adding another striker or two to the squad is a priority for the manager, there are other areas which could do with strengthening.

Newcastle's search for a new midfielder

The midfield area has not been earmarked for improvement, especially not compared to the attacking and defensive departments at the club.

Transfer Focus

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

That’s not to say Howe won’t consider a move for someone who could offer the right qualities, however.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Newcastle are looking at the possibility of bringing Conor Gallagher back to the Premier League this summer.

That being said, the Toon face competition from Tottenham Hotspur, with Thomas Frank said to be an admirer.

The player’s agent has already started putting the feelers out to determine the midfielder’s options but he would ideally stay with Atletico Madrid if he had the choice.

The Atleti star could be available for around £50m, which might be tempting for Howe. The manager can call on several midfield options, but adding in Gallagher could be a wise move, particularly considering the former Chelsea man offers the same sort of qualities as Bruno Guimaraes.

Why Newcastle must sign Conor Gallagher

Guimaraes is the fulcrum behind this Newcastle side that not only won the League Cup last term, but also secured a Champions League place for the second time in three seasons.

He scored five goals and grabbed eight assists throughout 2024/25, and Howe will be looking for him to continue this fine form into next season.

Gallagher may have played 50 times for Atletico, but only 27 of those came from the starting XI. He has qualities similar to Guimaraes, however, especially when comparing their stats from the 2023/24 Premier League season.

That term, Guimaraes was the most comparable player, via FBRef, to Gallagher, and they both performed well.

Metric

Guimaraes

Gallagher

Goals

7

5

Assists

8

7

Big chances created

12

11

Tackles per game

2.4

2.3

Total duels won per game

7.7

5.7

Key passes per game

1.7

1.4

The pair also registered similar statistics with regard to goals and assists (12 vs 15), shots per 90 (1.38 vs 1.32), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.14 vs 3.94), tackles won (52 vs 53), successful take-on percentage (58.5% vs 54.5%) and touches in the attacking penalty area (79 vs 75) domestically that season.

On this evidence, Gallagher would be an excellent signing, offering Howe the all-round package in the middle of the park that Guimaraes also provides.

Not only can he contribute in the final third, but the Englishman is more than able to chip in defensively and help his team off the ball.

He was even hailed as a “machine” by former Chelsea teammate Moises Caicedo, signifying how important he was to their style of play.

Will Howe be willing to shell out £50m for a midfielder when he is in urgent need of a striker and defender this summer? Only time will tell, but Gallagher would certainly be worth the money.

Newcastle send scouts to watch "electric" star who'd be their very own Gakpo

He has impressed with his end product of late.

ByHenry Jackson Jul 21, 2025

What a big summer it is going to be for Leeds United.

Daniel Farke’s side are hoping to defy the odds and avoid relegation in the Premier League, something that has become notoriously more difficult over the past few seasons. In the last couple of campaigns, all six previously promoted sides were relegated.

So, it will have to be an odds-defying campaign for the Whites, who were the team to beat in the second tier last season. They won the Championship, picking up 100 points and losing just four games. Farke will be hoping to count on his players to step up even more in 2025/26.

However, they will be active in the transfer market too. In fact, they are stepping up their hunt for a midfielder to help upgrade their options in the middle of the park.

Leeds' hunt for a midfielder

Farke already has some talented midfielders at his disposal, including Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev. So, to strengthen in that area, and potentially upgrade on the likes of Brenden Aaronson, would be a huge statement of intent.

According to a report from the Yorkshire Evening Post, the Whites have ‘included’ Noah Sadiki on their shortlist to beef up the midfield this summer.

However, he’s not the only one. Indeed, they are said to have ‘identified’ Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra ‘as a potential midfield addition’. The Senegal international is a player ‘they believe will be Premier League quality’ ahead of next season.

It would appear that this a move firmly in the works now with Sky Sports journalist Rob Dorsett further revealing on Tuesday that the Elland Road outfit have lodged a bid of £21m to sign Diarra.

Why Diarra would be a good signing

If Leeds were to sign Diarra this summer, they would be adding a “complete midfielder” to the squad. At least, that is how football analyst Ben Mattinson described the Senegal international, implying he can play all over midfield.

That “Swiss Army Knife” type profile would surely work well in Farke’s midfield, and give him plenty of tactical flexibility. Diarra is both a goalscorer and creator, finding the back of the net four times and registering five assists for Strasbourg last season.

Impressively, the 21-year-old, who is already the Strasbourg captain after coming through their academy, scored on the international stage for Senegal against England one week ago. He showed good intelligence to curve his run behind the Three Lions defence, carrying the ball into the six-yard box and slotting home from a narrow angle.

Diarra could be the perfect upgrade in the Leeds midfield for Aaronson. The USA international has previously struggled in the Premier League.

He has made 36 appearances in the top flight of England, mainly operating as a number 10 and a right-winger, but has just four goals and assists to his name.

Despite scoring nine times and registering two assists in 46 Championship games last season, there have been doubts about Aaronson’s scalability to the top flight. The Whites’ former goalkeeper, Paul Robinson, told Football Insider he is “nowhere near Premier League level”.

So, if they do bring Diarra in as his replacement, the numbers on FBref suggest it’d be a good move. Not only did he average more goals and assists per 90 minutes than Aaronson, with 0.34 compared to 0.28, but his off-the-ball work was better, too. Diarra’s 3.45 ball recoveries each game trumped Aaronson’s tally of 3.09.

Goals and assists

0.34

0.38

Progressive passes

4.44

4.05

Passes into final third

2.45

2.13

Interceptions

0.50

0.20

Ball recoveries

3.45

3.09

If Leeds can agree a deal to sign Diarra somewhere around the £21m mark, it would be a fantastic piece of business. They are signing a leader and an international-class midfielder, capable of playing numerous roles.

As far as an upgrade on Aaronson goes, time will tell, but the stats are there to suggest this is the dream move for the Yorkshire club this summer.

Big Aaronson upgrade: Leeds close to agreeing deal for £30m "magician"

Leeds are confident that they will sign this star, and he would be a big upgrade on Brenden Aaronson.

1 ByDan Emery Jun 17, 2025

Aston Villa kept their Champions League ambitions intact with an impressive 4-1 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday evening in the Premier League.

The two clubs are both vying for a top-five finish and with it a spot in Europe’s top table next term. Unai Emery’s side defeated PSG in midweek, but this performance will also bolster their confidence ahead of the final few games of the campaign.

Ollie Watkins opened the scoring in the first minute before Fabian Schar equalised for Newcastle.

The second half was all Villa, however, as Ian Maatsen, an own goal by Dan Burn and an effort from Amadou Onana sealed all three points.

The majority of the starting XI performed wonderfully well, but it was Watkins and Morgan Rogers who powered the club to yet another league win.

How Watkins and Rogers performed against Newcastle

Watkins set Villa on their way to all three points after slotting home a deflected opener against the Magpies.

The Englishman also grabbed an assist, registered five total shots and made two key passes before he was subbed off in the 82nd minute.

He is returning to the form of last season and Rogers is someone who is helping him flourish. The attacking midfielder has enjoyed a fine season, having scored 14 goals and recorded 12 assists in all competitions.

Accurate passes

Youri Tielemans (71)

Key passes

Marco Asensio (5)

Ground duels won

Youri Tielemans (8)

Tackles

Ian Maatsen (6)

Shots on target

Morgan Rogers (3)

Against the Toon, Rogers grabbed another assist, completed 90% of his passes, made two key passes and succeeded with all three of his dribble attempts.

When the pair are playing at this high standard, nothing can stop Villa, that’s for sure. There is one player in the squad who has been the fulcrum which makes everything tick – Youri Tielemans.

The 9/10 star who's becoming Aston Villa’s best player

The Belgian international has been the standout performer for the club this season, showcasing his talents at the highest level.

Five goal contributions in 12 Champions League games proves that the midfielder has been sublime in the competition. Add in another eight goal involvements in the Premier League and Emery has a player who could be in high demand this summer.

Content creator Mark Goldbridge described Tielemans as “Villa’s player of the season this year” following his display on Saturday evening, and it is easy to see why.

Operating in a deep-lying midfield role, the former Leicester City star completed 88% of his passes, took 98 touches, won 11 of his 16 total duels contested and even made three key passes throughout the match – including the assist for Watkins’ opener.

Alongside Boubacar Kamara, Tielemans dominated proceedings and his performance was key in Rogers and Watkins delivering in the final third yet again. Indeed, journalist John Townley awarded the 27-year-old a match rating of 9/10 for his stunning display.

Emery has started the midfielder in every single Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League match this season, highlighting his importance to the club.

Should Villa qualify for Europe’s premier club competition next season while also winning the FA Cup, they will have Tielemans to thank.

Aston Villa in talks to sign "talented ball carrier" likened to Grealish

Villa aren’t the only side interested, though.

ByCharlie Smith Apr 19, 2025

Glasgow Rangers showed plenty of fighting spirit under Barry Ferguson once again during his interim period in charge as they came back from 2-0 down to draw against Aberdeen.

The result was made even better by the fact that Ross McCausland was sent off for the Ibrox outfit after receiving a second yellow card just five minutes before the interval.

With the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final tie coming up against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday evening, it was evident that Ferguson was thinking ahead to that game, making nine changes to his team.

In the grand scheme of things, the result wasn’t important, especially as the domestic season is all but done for the Light Blues.

The game did present an ideal chance for several fringe players to make an impression against the Dons. The likes of Danilo, Rafael Fernandes, Findlay Curtis and McCausland were all given starts at Pittodrie.

Given the most important match of the season is fast approaching, none of the aforementioned players took their chance to shine against the Dons.

In McCausland’s case, his brief cameo on the pitch could well turn out to be one of his last games for the Ibrox side.

Why Ross McCausland was sent off against Aberdeen

The Northern Irish winger was given his first league start since the 2-1 loss to the same opponents all the way back in October 2024.

He received an early yellow card before he chopped down Aberdeen player Topi Keskinen in what was a senseless challenge that saw him receive a second yellow and ensured the Gers would play the rest of the game with ten men.

After breaking into the first-team squad last season due to an injury crisis, McCausland looked to have a bright future ahead of him, although there were certainly a few things to work on.

The current campaign hasn’t exactly been much of a success, as the winger has featured 25 times for the club, with only seven of those coming in the starting XI.

A tally of just three goals and a solitary assist has been registered from those matches, hardly numbers which have given the Ibrox faithful much confidence in his abilities.

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Across his 13 league matches this term, the youngster has registered only 1.2 shots per game while creating no big chances, averaging just 0.6 key passes per match and succeeding with only 0.8 dribbles each appearance for the Light Blues.

In Europe, these numbers decrease even further, as he has averaged no key passes per game while succeeding with 0.7 dribbles and recording only 0.4 shots a match in the Europa League.

Goals

3

0

Assists

4

1

Key passes per game

1.4

0.6

Big chances created

3

0

Successful dribbles per game

0.9

0.8

It has become evident that he isn’t up to the required standard to be a regular at the club, especially if the new manager wishes to embark on a title challenge next season.

If a decent offer arrives this summer, then McCausland should be offloaded at the first available opportunity, no doubt about that.

He isn’t the only one who must be sold when the summer transfer window opens either, as someone who was signed just last summer must headline the list of those expected to depart Rangers.

Bajrami's performance against Aberdeen in numbers

Nedim Bajrami was making his first start for the club since a 3-1 victory over Dundee United in January. With a chance to make a solid impression ahead of the second leg against Bilbao in midweek, it’s fair to say that the Albanian failed to take his chance.

Deployed in a deeper role than he is perhaps accustomed to, Bajrami struggled throughout the match, taking just 44 touches and completing only 25 of his 32 passes against the Dons.

Bajrami lost possession ten times, registered no shots and failed to deliver an accurate cross throughout his time on the pitch. The former Sassuolo man was subbed off with 25 minutes remaining and quite frankly, must not start again in Light Blue.

Journalist Ben Banks of Glasgow World gave Bajrami a match rating of just 4/10 for his performance on Sunday and it is clear he has regressed massively since arriving at Ibrox last summer.

With yet another lethargic display for the Light Blues, Bajrami may have started his last game for the club.

Why Bajrami could be sold this summer

The midfielder joined Rangers in a deal worth around £3.4m towards the end of the 2023 summer transfer window.

It appeared as though Philippe Clement had landed a decent signing, as Bajrami did showcase his talents during his first few months at Ibrox.

He scored on his first European start for the club against Malmö in September, adding goal involvements against Aberdeen, Dundee and Motherwell, with his goal against the latter sending the Gers through to the League Cup final.

Since the start of 2025, however, Bajrami has recorded only four assists in all competitions, with none coming in Europe.

Stevie Clifford, who runs the Four Lads Had a Dream, criticised the player back in January after a string of poor performances, saying: “I’ll highlight it again, it’s not singling him out, but Nedim Bajrami is not offering enough at all. We need him to influence games & be involved, largely anonymous so far, again. £4m is big money to do it in these type of games & he’s miles off it so far.”

He hasn’t become any more influential since Clifford said this and his spell in Glasgow may be short-lived, especially if a new coach comes in who wants to sell a few players to raise transfer funds.

If an offer comes in that would see Rangers recoup the majority of the £3.4m they paid for him, then the board will certainly be keen on accepting this, without a shadow of a doubt.

Some transfers work out well, while others don’t. That is the nature of the beast. In Bajrami, Rangers thought they had a player who might take them to the next level, especially considering he had shone at Euro 2024 and in Serie A. Unfortunately, it hasn’t quite worked out like that.

As bad as McCausland: Ferguson must instantly drop £5m Rangers man

Rangers fought back from 2-0 down to salvage a 2-2 draw at Pittodrie against Aberdeen, but one flop in particular came in for scathing criticism.

ByBen Gray Apr 13, 2025