All posts by z3u9t.icu

West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Bruce recently hinted at the possibility of a significant transfer overhaul taking place at The Hawthorns during the summer.

Having failed to get near a promotion place by the end of the campaign, it’s easy to see why the Baggies manager thinks that some changes to the squad need to be made to put them in good shape to go again next season.

One area of the squad that the club could look to strengthen is their attack, especially after the news that Andy Carroll will not be with them for the 2022/23 campaign.

However, rather than dive into the transfer market and potentially spend millions of pounds on bringing in a new striker, one player to whom Bruce could turn and who wouldn’t cost the club a penny to unleash is Mo Faal.

After joining West Brom’s under-18 back in November 2019, the 19-year-old has gone on to make 50 appearances across the club’s under-18 and under-23 sides. In that time, the young striker has scored 16 goals in total, providing five assists along the way, showing just how much of a danger he is up front.

His latest appearance saw him play an integral role in the recent win over Wolves’ under-23 side in the Premier League Cup final, where he scored an acrobatic equaliser to take the match to penalties.

The teenager has made just one senior appearance for the Baggies, which came back in August during their disheartening 6-0 defeat against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup. In his 26 minutes on the pitch against the Gunners that night, the centre-forward made one key pass and one tackle and won two duels.

Hailed by Baggies under-18 boss Peter Gilbert as a player with a “physical presence” who “links the game up well, scores goals and is an aerial threat”, this is the sort of thing that the teenage prodigy could offer to Bruce’s side should he find himself getting a chance to shine on a regular basis in the first team.

Regardless of what transfer business Albion get done in the summer, giving Faal some regular game-time next season should definitely be in the manager’s plans.

In other news – Imagine him & O’Shea: Bruce can form powerful WBA duo by signing “immense” machine

Injury expert Ben Dinnery believes Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford will have a ‘special role from the bench’ in the club’s final two Premier League fixtures, Football Insider report. 

The Lowdown: Back in team training?

Bamford has had a season to forget, as have the Whites, and have just two games remaining against Brighton and Brentford to avoid relegation.

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The 28-year-old has been out since March with a foot problem but appears to be on track for a possible return on Sunday.

Jesse Marsch revealed earlier in the week that he expects Bamford to be involved in team training ahead of the weekend, which could put him in the picture for a place in the match-day squad at Elland Road.

The Latest: Bamford return is ‘huge’

Dinnery, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to FI about that news of a possible Bamford return.

He labelled the forward as a ‘huge’ part of the Whites squad and feels the striker will play a key role from the bench.

“With a fully fit Patrick Bamford, Leeds would be nowhere near where they are currently.

“They don’t really have a natural goalscorer at the moment. They have tried a few up there but no one has got anywhere near his goal return.

“It depends on results elsewhere. I certainly think there is a special role from the bench to be had for Bamford.

“He isn’t going to be where they want him in terms of fitness and sharpness but he knows how to score. He will make opportunities for himself and he is huge for that Leeds team.”

The Verdict: Needed

Leeds are down to the bare bones due to injury and suspension as they look to avoid the drop, so having Bamford involved again would be a timely boost.

Marsch’s side haven’t scored from open play in four games and don’t look a threat in attack, managing over 1.0 expected goals (xG) just once in their last five games.

Therefore, Bamford’s possible return to the bench would be a much-needed one, especially as he has scored 19 Premier League goals and registered 10 assists in the last two seasons.

In other news: Leeds and Orta now planning for the Championship as contact made to sign £5k-p/w flop – opinion. 

There are three top clubs interested in securing the services of Leicester City’s star midfielder Youri Tielemans this summer.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from super-journalist Fabrizio Romano, who claims that the Belgian midfielder will leave Brendan Rodgers’ side after turning a new deal down months ago.

The Italian stated: “Arsenal are discussing Tielemans internally since January.”

Though, whilst the 25-year-old is considered “one of the best options”, nothing has been agreed and with Romano iterating that “three top clubs are interested” – Champions League football will be key.

That news was then backed up by David Ornstein who said on Twitter: “AFC decision makers all keen to sign Youri Tielemans + agent dialogue encouraging so far.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Tielemans has been an important piece for a Leicester side who have balanced European football with the Premier League this season.

The Belgian has registered six goals and three assists in the Premier League and has implemented consistency into Rodgers’ side ever since his permanent move from Monaco in the summer of 2019 – having contributed with at least nine goal returns in his last three full seasons for the Foxes.

His Arsenal links date back to his early days at Anderlecht when he was previously scouted by the club, and although he reportedly rejected a move to the Gunners, he has stated his reasoning behind the snub in an interview with Evening Standard back in 2017: “I knew not much was going to change with Arsenal’s squad.

“Their management wanted to keep the same group of players together in order to finish high in the Premier League. I had to be honest with myself and take a look at the midfielders Arsenal have got.

“They are top-class players. I knew that I would not get many first-team chances with them, so I didn’t give any more thought to joining them. I never said no to any club. But I made it clear where I wanted to go.”

Tielemans could offer a lot to Arsenal with his composure in the opponents defensive third, enabling the Gunners to build sustained attacks, with the Belgian averaging 19.86 touches in the attacking third per 90 and maintaining a shot-creating actions average of 2.85 per 90.

Champions League qualification could be the deciding factor, according to Romano. And with Arteta’s side on track to meet this requirement, supporters will be excited with the potential signing of a player who not only fits their style of play, but adds much-needed depth to an engine room that has lacked quality reinforcements this season.

At times this term, Arteta has had to call on the likes of Mohamed Elneny and Albert Sambi Lokonga to plug the gaps of injury and suspension but Tielemans would offer a far greater option when needing to refresh the team.

In other news: Forget Saliba: Arsenal must finally unleash their “exciting” rarely-seen Hale End gem

Celtic are back in action on Saturday afternoon as they are set to take on Hearts for their latest test in the Premiership.

Having missed out on the chance to pick up another three points against their Old Firm rivals last weekend, Ange Postecoglou will be hoping to see his team secure victory this time out.

However, heading into tomorrow’s clash, it seems as though the Hoops have been dealt a setback which could hamper their chances of getting the win on this occasion.

What’s the news?

Speaking in his latest press conference ahead of his side’s trip to Parkhead, Hearts manager Robbie Neilson revealed that John Souttar, Cammy Devlin and Michael Smith will be in contention to play tomorrow after being involved in the club’s recent training session.

According to the Daily Record, Souttar has not featured for the club since March after undergoing surgery on an ankle problem, while Smith has been out of action since February. As for Devlin, his hamstring issue kept him out of last weekend’s draw with Ross County, but will now be fit enough for selection against Celtic.

Despite the trio being rather defensive-minded players, all three have found the net at least once in the league this season. In fact, the trio have scored a combined total of seven league goals, showing how much of an attacking threat they can be.

Focusing on Devlin, in particular, the fact that he has the highest number of tackles (50) and interceptions (38) to his name at the club highlights what a difficult figure he is to play against.

Worrying news for Postecoglou

Taking all this into account, it could be worrying for Postecoglou and Celtic to potentially see these players make a return for Hearts tomorrow and possibly hinder his team’s chances of picking up a victory which would take them to the brink of being crowned champions.

With the Bhoys having the best attacking record in the league having scored 81 goals in 35 games, the Hoops management and supporters will be hoping that their players will have what it takes to overcome their Edinburgh opponents and secure a positive result, irrespective of Neilson’s men welcoming back several important players.

In other news – Enquiry made, then joined rivals: Celtic had the last laugh over “huge” 161 G/A dynamo

Currently in their fourth successive season in League One, Sunderland are seemingly still paying for the mistakes of the last decade, with an errant transfer approach and a hire-and-fire managerial policy sparking their rapid descent down the divisions.

In their latter Premier League days, the Black Cats recruited a whole host of questionable additions in an attempt to stave off relegation, with arguably their most infamous transfer being that of a certain Jack Rodwell.

There have been many punching bags for the club’s supporters over the last few years amid all the turmoil and decline, although there has been arguably no more unpopular figure than that of the Englishman, such was the dire nature of his time at the club.

A prodigious talent during his time at Everton under David Moyes, the midfielder’s career had stalled following a high-profile switch to Manchester City in 2012, with the Southport native struggling to make the grade among the stellar crop of talent at the Etihad Stadium.

In need of a fresh start after making just 25 appearances for City in an injury-hit two-year spell, in stepped Gus Poyet to offer the youngster the chance of a revival at the Stadium of Light, with the Wearsiders securing his services on a £10m deal in the summer of 2014.

Rodwell’s Sunderland nightmare

The Uruguayan saw promise in a player who had previously made his Toffees senior debut at the age of just 16 and earned three caps for his country, although that would ultimately prove to be misguided faith as the player failed to ever truly establish himself in the side.

In truth, it couldn’t have gotten off to a worse beginning for the new arrival, who went 37 Premier League starts without his side recording a victory, eventually ending that hoodoo at the 38th time of asking with a 4-0 win over Crystal Palace in February 2017 – more than three years after joining the club.

Even that win was tainted as Rodwell was forced off in the match with injury, something which would be a familiar tale during his time with the club.

Despite continuing to hardly feature under a succession of managers as the club tumbled down into the third tier, the 6 foot 2 midfielder was still on the books until June 2018, eventually leaving on a free transfer as the club agreed to tear up his contract.

The player’s time at the club has been viewed with huge disdain as he continued to rake in a reported £70k-per-week salary despite barely featuring, with that playing its part in his signing being dubbed the worst in the club’s history by The Chronicle.

He has since spent a solitary campaign at Blackburn Rovers and 18 months at Sheffield United – where made just a single league appearance – while he now plies his trade for Australian outfit Western Sydney Wanderers.

While the 31-year-old has been a solid performer for the A-League side, with an average match rating of 7.01 so far this term, it is a sad state of affairs for a player who was once tipped to be the next Steven Gerrard by ex-Everton teammate Phil Jagielka to now be derided as a hate figure among many of the Sunderland fan base.

In other news: Advocaat had a howler on £19.8m-rated Sunderland target who “has lungs for days”

It doesn’t often occur in the Premier League, but Manchester City – even with Erling Haaland leading the line – drew a blank away at Aston Villa on Sunday.

In the end, a fiercely hit effort by Matty Cash in the first half would be the difference between the two sides, as the Citizens fell to their first league defeat since coming unstuck away at Brighton and Hove Albion at the close of August.

Tijjani Reijnders, in particular, struggled at Villa Park, with the number four’s early fall from grace at City a concerning tale to keep tabs on.

Why Reijnders was disappointing against Aston Villa

When the Dutchman has been given the freedom to express himself further up the pitch, he has been a joy to watch; however, with a goal confidently put away on his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers, even seeing statistician Statman Dave herald him as being “De Bruyne’s heir.”

However, the ex-AC Milan man wasn’t played in a De Bruyne-style position against Unai Emery’s hosts, with Reijnders not looking so comfortable as an anchor figure for Guardiola’s side on their travels, who are still presumably reeling that Rodri remains in and out of the Etihad treatment room.

Tackles won

0

Interceptions

0

Clearances

1

Blocked shots

0

Ball recoveries

2

Total duels

0/7

While Reijnders did trudge off at the end of the 1-0 loss with just two passes not reaching their intended target, the 27-year-old did noticeably find it tricky to battle away for his losing side, with an alarming zero duels won from seven attempted.

Moreover, the £46.5m summer purchase also failed to win a single tackle, with Amadou Onana for the hosts – in stark contrast – winning a combined tally of two tackles and six duels, as Reijnders routinely lost every 50/50 and scuffle that came his way.

With Nico Gonzalez also out injured, it remains to be seen what option Guardiola will go with in the games to come in the defensive midfield spot on the pitch, with Reijnders clearly not cut out for the demands of the position long-term.

He isn’t alone, though, in being worried about his first-team spot moving forward, with this “wasteful” attacker – as he was branded by journalist Amos Murphy – also in some bother about his immediate future in the Spaniard’s main XI.

The 5/10 City star who must be dropped

Watching back over the highlights from Villa Park, it’s clear that City could have nicked at least a point on another day if they had packed their shooting boots and weren’t so “toothless”, as they were branded by journalist David Mooney at the full-time whistle.

Indeed, Haaland uncharacteristically fluffed a one-on-one opportunity directly after Cash’s sweetly struck opener, with Savinho also falling victim to some poor finishing himself, when two chances in quick succession in the second 45 minutes passed him by.

Minutes played

84

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

50

Shots

2

Accurate passes

22/31 (71%)

Accurate passes in the opposition half

15/28 (54%)

Accurate crosses

0/5

Possession lost

18x

Successful dribbles

1/4

Total duels won

3/9

His overall play in attacking positions, away from spurning some big chances, also makes for some pretty grim reading, with Savinho only managing to make 15 accurate passes when in the opposition’s half of the pitch, leading to him giving away possession a mammoth 18 times.

On top of that, the lacklustre Brazilian could only muster up one successful dribble from his 84-minute stint in the West Midlands, alongside further failing to complete a single accurate cross to try and pick out the likes of Haaland, who can strike fear into any defenders he’s coming up against at a moment’s notice.

Savinho will surely now sense that his starting spot is on thin ice, with only one assist next to his name from his four Premier League starts this season, not exactly the most glowing track record.

Manchester Evening News journalist Simon Bajkowski would hand out a low 5/10 rating to the 21-year-old, subsequently, who stated that Savinho was ‘largely poor’ when attempting to unlock Villa, away from a promising effort here and there on Emiliano Martinez’s well-guarded net.

Cutting a forlorn figure at the close of the slim 1-0 defeat, Guardiola will have many a selection issue to address ahead of City facing off against AFC Bournemouth at the beginning of November, with both Reijnders and Savinho potentially removed from his starting lineup for the test of the Cherries.

Man City "interested" in title-winning 39 y/o manager to succeed Guardiola

Would he be the ideal successor at the Etihad?

ByHenry Jackson Oct 25, 2025

Leeds United now have time to dust themselves down and reassess with another international break in play.

It has been far from a nightmare start for Daniel Farke’s Whites back in the Premier League, with two league wins already on the board, but that could well have been bumped up to three last time out, if it wasn’t for some fortunate deflections handing Tottenham Hotspur a 2-1 victory at Elland Road.

While there were plenty of positives to cling onto as Noah Okafor grabbed another strike in West Yorkshire, there were also other individuals on the day that let the side down, who will be fearing for their starting spots when Leeds travel to Burnley when the break has finished.

Leeds' biggest underperformers vs Spurs

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is one figure who will surely be anxious about his starting position as Leeds’ main marksman after another goalless showing versus Thomas Frank’s side.

So far this season, the former Everton striker has already missed five big chances, with another added to his unwanted resume when squandering a major opportunity against Spurs.

Mathys Tel would show Calvert-Lewin how to finish in style; on the contrary, as the Frenchman only needed 13 touches of the ball to place a fierce effort past Karl Darlow.

Gabriel Gudmundsson also looked uncharacteristically shaky during the Saturday lunchtime kick-off, after a solid start to his Elland Road career otherwise, with the number 3 run ragged by Mohamed Kudus’ pace for Spurs’ second-half winner.

Still, with Calvert-Lewin scoring against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Gudmundsson winning 4.9 total duels per match this season in the Premier League, there is some credit in the bank on both ends.

While both are likely to keep their place once Premier League football returns after the break, the same cannot be said for one of Leeds’ longest-serving players.

Leeds star is now on borrowed time

Time be given to both the Englishman and the Swede, with Calvert-Lewin a proven Premier League goalscorer when he gets going, while his Scandinavian counterpart will require time to get up to speed with what is expected of him week in week out on English soil.

On the other hand, patience could be wearing rather thin with long-standing Leeds servant Pascal Struijk now, especially after both of Spurs’ goals last time out were deflected off the “unfortunate” Dutchman, as he was branded by Leeds journalist Beren Cross.

Still, Struijk standing off the lightning quick number 20 almost invited him to have a pop at Darlow’s goal, with the 26-year-old looking in over his head again when it comes to consistently battling it out in the top-flight.

To date, the former Ajax youth product turned Leeds first-teamer only has a worrying 13 Premier League sheets next to his name from three full seasons at the level, with iconic journalist Phil Hay even noting that “he might not be Premier League quality” way back in 2023.

Games played

92

Goals scored

4

Assists

1

Completed passes

4032 (85%)

Total tackles

198

Total duels won

401

Clean sheets

13

With 92 games at the very top of the English game now under his belt with Leeds, the overarching worry will be whether Struijk will ever improve and not look so shaky in the daunting division, having also been a part of the Whites’ defence that was humbled 5-0 by Arsenal earlier this season.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Jaka Bijol might well fancy his chances of coming in and taking over from the 26-year-old imminently, having been dubbed a “monstrous” presence previously by analyst Ben Mattinson for his assured performances in Serie A.

Bijol, who cost Leeds a significant £15m this summer, would jump at the chance to impress, having picked up eight clean sheets last season in Italy, when also winning 4.8 duels per Serie A clash.

However, the forceful Slovenian is yet to get up and running at Elland Road, with a recurring spot on Farke’s bench all he has been afforded so far in the Premier League.

This could soon change, though, with a concern that Struijk staying put in the heart of defence might culminate in another devastating relegation occurring.

Not just Aaronson: "Superb" star has saved his Leeds United career

This Leeds United star has revived his career at Elland Road and it is not Brenden Aaronson.

ByDan Emery Oct 6, 2025

Arsenal are braced for another Premier League title challenge with Liverpool, and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher suggests an emerging leader in their squad could be crucial.

Arsenal agree William Saliba deal in huge boost for Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta was boosted by the official announcement of a new deal for star defender William Saliba earlier this week.

The Frenchman, who’s been a vital component of Arsenal’s title-chasing side since the beginning of 2022/2023, was attracting serious interest from Real Madrid. Los Blancos even approached him in the summer window, but Saliba was clear that he wanted to remain at the Emirates Stadium (HandOfArsenal).

Appearances

5

Minutes played

319

Clean sheets

2

Tackles made

8

Interceptions

3

Ground duels won

24/34

Aerial duels won

12

Clearances

20

via Footy Stats

Saliba’s contract was due to expire in 2027, and sporting director Andrea Berta took a hands-on role in new contract negotiations as he eventually convinced the 24-year-old to agree fresh terms (Charles Watts).

Saliba’s new deal expires in 2030, committing him to Arsenal for another five years, with Berta praising the “incredible” defender after the Gunners confirmed his extension.

Arteta’s side take on Olympiacos in the Champions League tonight, with the Greek Super League champions travelling to North London and could face off against Arsenal’s newly-committed star in Saliba.

The France international is slowly being reintegrated into the starting eleven after recovering from an ankle injury, having started their 1-1 draw with Man City and Carabao Cup win over Port Vale, but was dropped to the bench for Arsenal’s dramatic victory at Newcastle.

Summer signing Cristhian Mosquera has seriously impressed whenever he’s asked to fill in for Saliba, and that is an avenue Arteta may well go down again in Europe tonight as he looks to avoid any more fitness issues with his star man.

Alongside Saliba, another defender has been vital to Arsenal’s success in recent years.

That man is, of course, Gabriel.

According to some reports, Saliba and Gabriel made a pact to remain at Arsenal and challenge for major silverware, with the Brazilian also signing a contract extension earlier this year.

Jamie Carragher admits he was wrong about Arsenal star Gabriel

He’s been just as crucial to Arsenal’s defensive prowess as Saliba, and their partnership is widely viewed as one of Europe’s best.

Largely thanks to the duo, Arteta’s men have conceded the fewest goals of any Premier League side in each of the last two seasons.

Gabriel’s threat from set pieces has also got Arsenal out of jail on numerous occasions, with the 27-year-old — after his winner against Newcastle — bagging more goals than any other defender in the Premier League since he made his debut in 2020 (18).

Speaking to Sky Sports (via The Metro), Carragher has made an admission about Gabriel in praise of the ex-Lille star — claiming he was wrong about Saliba being on another level to his centre-back partner.

The ex-Liverpool defender also praised Gabriel as an emerging leader in Arsenal’s side.

While Carragher has taken more time to hand Gabriel his well-deserved praise, the South American’s quality has never been lost on Arteta, who called the defender’s performances “undeniable” as far back as September last year.

Thomas Frank’s appointment at Tottenham Hotspur has started a new era at the football club, looking to build on the progress made by Ange Postecoglou.

The Aussie won the Europa League in his final game in charge, securing their place in the Champions League and handing the supporters a memorable night at the end of a dismal season.

Such a decision to sack him may have appeared harsh, but it now hands the former Brentford boss the opportunity to create new history for the club in North London.

With the summer transfer window once again open for sides to make new additions, the hierarchy have already wasted no time in targeting moves to hand him with the tools he desires.

Numerous areas of the pitch are in need of investment to help provide quality and depth in key areas, especially if they are to be competitive in the Premier League and Europe.

The latest in Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

After Frank’s arrival, winger Bryan Mbeumo has been largely touted with a move to follow his former manager across the capital to join Spurs this window.

However, if they are to land the 25-year-old’s signature, they will have to fend off interest from Manchester United, with the Red Devils seemingly in pole position at present.

Another name has entered the frame within the attacking department in recent days, with Rennes star Arnaud Kalimuendo firmly on their radar, according to French outlet L’Equipe.

Their report claims that the Lilywhites have been in talks with the Ligue 1 outfit over a deal for the 23-year-old, who’s scored 18 times across all competitions in 2024/25.

It also states that he’s valued at around the €25m (£21.3m) mark, but will face competition for his signature, with sides in Spain and Germany also wanting a move for the 23-year-old this summer.

Why Spurs’ latest target could be Frank’s next Wissa

As previously mentioned, Mbeumo was a key part of Frank’s success at Brentford, but striker Yoane Wissa also thrived under his guidance and reached levels never seen in his career before.

The DR Congo forward made 35 appearances in the league last time around, registering a total of 19 goals and four assists, forming an excellent partnership with the Cameroonian.

Like his current teammate, he’s been linked with a move to join Spurs this window, potentially following the manager in moving to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

However, they’re not alone in their hunt, with Nottingham Forest once again emerging in the race after having an offer rejected for him back in January.

If Frank is unable to land a reunion with Wissa, he should pursue a move for Kalimuendo, with the Frenchman having all the tools to be a threat in the Premier League.

The Rennes ace, who’s been labelled “one of the most prolific” stars by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has registered a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate, backing up the claim made about him.

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted and registered a higher take-on success rate – handing Frank the all-round option he’ll need in North London.

Arnaud Kalimuendo

Stade Rennais

33

17

Hugo Ekitiké

Eintracht Frankfurt

33

15

Emanuel Emegha

Strasbourg

27

14

Benjamin Sesko

RB Leipzig

33

13

Mika Biereth

Monaco

16

13

Liam Delap

Ipswich Town

37

12

Thierno Barry

Villarreal

35

11

Joao Pedro

Brighton

27

10

Kalimuendo’s dominance doesn’t stop there, also registering more carries into the final third and more passes into the opposition area per 90, handing the attackers around him the chance to thrive too.

Whilst Wissa may appear to be a solid option given his time under the manager at the GTEC, a move for the Frenchman could allow the boss to land his next attacking star.

If he can transfer his skillset across to England, it would be a superb signing, having the potential to explode into an elite level talent given his tender age.

He's more exciting than Tel: Spurs now confident of signing £70m "monster"

The outrageously talented attacker will be incredible for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 17, 2025

Celtic find themselves in the hunt for more forward options this summer and have received a shot in the arm regarding their pursuit of a 25-goal striker, according to a report.

Celtic looking to sign a striker this summer

Kyogo Furuhashi departed Celtic in January and there was plenty of contention surrounding the club’s decision not to replace the Japanese marksman despite a last-gasp bid to land Danny Ings from West Ham United.

In the end, Daizen Maeda moved into a central position and Adam Idah earned more seniority through the middle, leaving inexperienced forward Johnny Kenny to plug the gaps on the odd occasion.

Ending the campaign on a respectable tally of 20 goals, Celtic striker Idah is confident he can handle the scoring burden associated with being the leading number nine at Parkhead.

He stated on international duty: “The pressure is a lot and you are expected to deliver. I think with my experience now, you have to put that behind you. You know what you are good at.

“If you don’t score for a couple of games, it is not helpful to listen to an ex-player. I am not really concerned with what he thinks – I am there to do my bit.”

Celtic table bid to sign a star who'd unlock Yang's "world-class" potential

Celtic are reportedly interested in a move to sign a star who could be a dream for Hyun-jun Yang.

ByDan Emery Jun 3, 2025

Without question, Celtic will sign a striker this summer. They face more fixture congestion than most clubs around Europe due to their regular juggling act between domestic and European football.

Now, they may have received a boost regarding their pursuit of a reported target to help fill the Furuhashi-shaped void under Brendan Rodgers if recent developments are to be taken into account.

Celtic target Youssef El-Kachati rejects Hannover 96 move

According to Kicker, Celtic target Youssef El Kachati has rejected a move to Hannover 96 as his contract at Telstar moves closer to expiring, with a decision on his next club expected very soon.

The Moroccan striker was previously thought to have found a verbal agreement over a move to Germany with their sporting director Marcus Mann, but he is now said to prefer a switch to a side that will feature in European competition next season.

Youssef El Kachati in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

45

Goals

25

Assists

9

Austria Wien have also been mentioned in the race for his signature. Celtic have been watching El Kachati over several months and will have been aware of his exploits that saw Telstar promoted to the Eredivisie for the first time in almost half a century.

It is anticipated that a decision on his future could come sooner rather than later. At this point, top-flight football with the prospect of testing himself on the continent is a better career option than the German second-tier.

Celtic need to bolster their frontline to handle the strain of another jam-packed campaign of action and El Kachati could be a financially advantageous signing that would provide competition centrally and out wide.