All posts by h716a5.icu

Celtic are enjoying a busy summer on the transfer front as Ange Postecoglou desperately tries to repair the disarray the Hoops found themselves in last term.

The Bhoys ended the 2020/21 campaign without a trophy to their name, being completely embarrassed by the fiercest rivals.

What’s the word?

The new manager has already welcomed Liam Shaw and Osaze Urhoghide to Paradise from the same club but he is now keen to press on with strengthening the goalkeeper position.

It’s been a great topic of debate during the ongoing market with Benjamin Siegrist linked with a move to Parkhead.

However, it’s not the Dundee United stopper who forms their next target.

According to the Daily Record, Brighton ‘keeper Mat Ryan is now a top priority for Dominic McKay and co as they look to bolster their backline.

Unfortunately, he could be heading back to Spain with Real Sociedad are closing in on a move to lure him away from the south coast of England.

A fantastic signing

It’s no secret but Celtic’s biggest weakness last season was undoubtedly their defence.

That’s despite having Kristoffer Ajer in their ranks, a man now linked with Premier League and Bundesliga moves.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-news-doig-nketiah-mccann” title= “Read the latest Celtic transfer news!”]

If he departs then you have to fear the worst for their backline.

However, Postecoglou and the supporters could rest easy if they land Ryan this summer. The Australian has worked under the new Celtic boss before and they appear to get on like a house on fire.

Speaking about the 55-year-old manager back in 2017, the Seagulls gem said: “I’ve always loved Ange’s approach, the way he doesn’t see Australia as an underdog and how he asks the question, ‘Why can’t Australia do great things in the football world?’”

The 60-cap international became Brighton’s second choice last term but moved on loan to Arsenal.

He didn’t earn much football but impressed whenever he played, particularly with his communication skills. Ryan was regularly seen barking orders at his defence and was even heard speaking Spanish to members of the Gunners’ team who found English difficult.

Communicating wasn’t one of Celtic’s stronger points last term so this could help Postecoglou’s side greatly as they aim to get back to the top of Scottish football.

Ryan was also a big presence on the training field. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta once remarked: “He trains like a beast.”

Scott Bain, Vasilis Barkas and Conor Hazard all made their own individual mistakes last season which makes this signing a particularly good idea.

He ranks in the 77th percentile for crosses stopped across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year while his save percentage from three Premier League outings was a whopping 88.9%.

That made him the best in the division last term for goalkeepers to have started more than one match.

Commanding, vocal and full of experience, this would be an ideal way for Postecoglou to continue his summer spending. They must make a late dart to beat Sociedad to his signature.

AND in other news, Forget Soro: Ange can find Celtic’s new Scott Brown by signing “very exciting” £4m gem…

An exciting West Ham transfer claim has emerged this week…

What’s the word?

The Irons are yet to complete any business in the transfer market since it opened a month ago and with the team back in for pre-season training ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, many supporters were beginning to worry about the club’s plans to bolster David Moyes’ playing squad.

However, it appears that moves may be on the horizon as the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee dropped a fresh ten-word claim to fans on Twitter.

When asked if the Hammers’ activity would pick up now that Euro 2020 had drawn to a conclusion, the anonymous but trustworthy source replied:

“I hope so mate yes, that’s what I’ve been told.”

Time to do business

This should come as hugely exciting news to many around the London Stadium as it seems that the West Ham insider has been told to expect some form of business in the near future.

It’s crucial for GSB and the club’s recruitment team to complete some transfers as soon as possible as they will only be setting Moyes up for failure by not doing so.

The Scotsman pulled off the unthinkable last season, steering the East Londoners to a place in the Europa League, just one year on from avoiding relegation to the Championship with one game to go.

He did so whilst facing a number of squad problems.

From January, he only had one senior striker at his disposal – an injury-prone Michail Antonio – and on the subject of injuries, every week there was seemingly a new name sat on the treatment table.

Indeed, the Irons currently head into next season with a lack of strength in depth.

That new forward is yet to be found despite links to every man and his dog, whilst there is very little cover behind the likes of Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek in midfield and similarly in both full-back positions.

It’s also thought that Moyes is keen to add a centre-back to his armoury, on top of a Jesse Lingard return, too.

With kick-off against Newcastle United only a month away, it’s time for the Hammers to start signing players and that certainly appears to be more likely now that Euro 2020 has finished.

Whilst many still await that first arrival, excitement in East London should start to ramp up following Ex’s latest claim.

AND in other news, GSB enter into negotiations for “phenomenal” £25m dynamo, Irons fans surely buzzing…

In a remarkable and tense fourth round Standard Bank Cup clash in East London, Border became the first side to qualify for a home semi-final in beating Easterns by 16 runs

Keith Lane27-Dec-2002In a remarkable and tense fourth round Standard Bank Cup clash in East London, Border became the first side to qualify for a home semi-final in beating Easterns by 16 runs.Having lost the toss on a pitch that was always going to be lively, Border decided to bat first and by the eleventh over was in deep trouble with the top four batsmen back in the pavilion for 39-runs.In a six over spell of 3-18 Andre Nel had run through the top order with Andrew Hall joining in the green top party with the wicket of Stephen Pope.Zander de Bruyn then took over with three wickets of his own to leave Border struggling at 86/7 after 23 overs and in danger of being bowled out well inside the 45 overs.An innings saving partnership of 37 between Laden Gamiet (31) and Liam Graham (22) helped Border to reach 146, bowled out in 41.2 overs. Craig Sugden having also scored 22 earlier in the innings.With Buffalo Park known for its antics once the lights are switched on, Easterns collapsed in front of the bowling of Monde Zondeki and Tyron Henderson.Henderson started the rot getting rid of Hall and Andre Seymore in his first over and then in his third over Zondeki sent Zander and Pierre de Bruyn packing with consecutive balls to leave Easterns on 11/4 after five overs.A further wicket for Zondeki, bowling Albie Morkel, left him with figures of 3-9 after five overs that included four wides and a no ball.Graham replaced Zondeki and struck in his first over with the wicket of Derek Crookes and Easterns at 30/6, just 17 away from the lowest limited overs score in South African domestic cricket.A 32 from Geoffrey Toyana saved Easterns some embarrassment and a late flurry from Rupert Bailey (17) had them all but out on 99/9.In came Nel and together with Mpho Sekhoto they nursed the score closer to the target. It was however not to be with Nel falling on 20 and Sekhoto undefeated on 17, bowled out for 130.Zondeki won the man-of-the-match award with his opening spell, ending on 3-38 with Justin Kreusch picking up three late wickets for 21.At the Wanderers Gauteng and Eastern Province, with neither team having any chance of making the semi-finals, were frustrated when chassed off the field by rain with the visitors 134/5 after 34 overs.Eastern Province, apart from Robin Peterson, was all at sea with David Terbrugge and Clive Eksteen taking fours wickets for 31 runs in 13 overs between them.Terbrugge having taken the wicket of Carl Bradfield with the second ball of the innings also captured the prize wicket of Justin Kemp with the fourth ball of his second spell.A partnership of 84 between Peterson and James Bryant kept the Jumbos flag flying but with consistent rain and no chance of play continuing the match had to be called off.

Arsenal have reportedly submitted a bid for Manuel Locatelli…

What’s the word?

That’s according to beIN Sports correspondent and Italian journalist Tancredi Palmeri, who dropped the exciting claim on Twitter this week. He wrote:

“Arsenal have bid €40m for Italy European champion Locatelli.”

It comes after previous reports suggested that the Gunners had offered the Italian midfielder the best financial package amid interest from Serie A giants Juventus.

Technical director Edu Gaspar may have his work cut out as Locatelli has made no secret of his feelings over a potential switch to Turin, telling Sky Sports Italia (via the Daily Mail) that links to the Bianconeri are “pleasing.”

Bye-bye Xhaka?

Any move for a new midfielder would surely push Granit Xhaka closer to the exit door, especially after football.london’s chief Arsenal reporter Chris Wheatley revealed the Swiss international had agreed on a five-year contract with Roma.

Despite all of his previous controversies in North London, the 28-year-old does leave behind a huge void in midfield and one that leaves Thomas Partey without a long-term engine room partner.

This is where Locatelli can instantly make an impact after winning Euro 2020 only last week.

The £31.5m-rated enforcer featured in five of their seven matches, in which he bagged himself a brace against Switzerland in Italy’s second group A game of the tournament.

It continues on from an impressive domestic campaign at Sassuolo, where the 23-year-old provided seven direct goal contributions in 34 appearances, even donning the armband on a handful of occasions.

That would suggest that he’s capable of filling the likely leadership hole left behind by Xhaka in the heart of the pitch.

Furthermore, Locatelli was graded as Sassuolo’s second-best player as per WhoScored ratings and proved to be quite the box-to-box threat as he also averaged a squad-high 2.4 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 1.1 key passes each league outing.

It’s no wonder that one of his performances at Euro 2020 saw him earn the tag of being a “real dominator” in the middle. Those averages for 2020/21 would certainly go a long way in backing that up as he has the intelligence to read the game defensively and also get further up the pitch to contribute by creating key chances.

The “extremely talented” 6 foot 1 star would surely be the dream replacement for the seemingly departing Xhaka and as such, he would fit in right alongside Partey under Mikel Arteta next season.

Edu must do all he can to convince Locatelli to join the Emirates Stadium over the Turin front-runners.

AND in other news, David Ornstein relays exciting Arsenal update that is sure to excite supporters…

John Wright, the former president and secretary of the Irish Cricket Union, has died aged 65 following a short illness

Cricinfo staff24-Jun-2008John Wright, the former president and secretary of the Irish Cricket Union, has died aged 65 following a short illness.Wright was involved with Irish cricket for over 30 years, both with the ICU and Leinster and only stepped down as secretary at the last AGM as the ICU was restructured into Cricket Ireland.Wright also made significant contributions by working on European cricket and also had a spell on the ICC’s chief executives committee. He was a recipient of an ICC global lifetime service award, which he collected at Lord’s last month.”John was a wonderful servant and ambassador for Irish cricket throughout the world,” said Tom Prior, the former ICU president. “His dedication and professionalism were major factors in the tremendous success that Irish cricket has experienced at all levels of the game. It was a great honour and joy to be with him during Ireland’s magnificent World Cup campaign in the West Indies.”Cricket Ireland chairman David Williams said: “It was a very great privilege to have John not only as a colleague in cricket, but also as a valued friend. John’s cheery disposition, and wonderful sense of humour was always an inspiration to his friends, and no problem ever arose that John’s sharp mind was unequal to.”Senior ICC figures also offered their condolences. “This is sad loss for cricket,” said Ray Mali, the ICC president. “John’s influence and hard work benefited the game beyond Ireland’s shores and he is going to be greatly missed.”John leaves behind a great legacy – the work he was involved in has helped to put Irish cricket at the forefront of the Associate game and his contribution as a member of ICC committees made sure that his expertise had a global effect.

Mohammad Asif has returned to Pakistan after being deported from the UAE, where he was in detention since June 1 for suspected possession of an illegal substance

Cricinfo staff20-Jun-2008
Mohammad Asif is back in Pakistan after spending 19 days in detention in the UAE © AFP
Mohammad Asif has returned to Pakistan after being deported from the UAE, where he was in detention since June 1 for suspected possession of an illegal substance. The case against him was dropped by the Dubai public prosecutor on the grounds of “insignificance.””First of all, I am thankful to God and I am happy to be back in my country. Now I am not going anywhere,” Asif said at Lahore airport, where he arrived after taking a connecting flight from Karachi.Asif maintained that he was innocent. “I did not use any banned substance. During the IndianPremier League, I underwent two doping tests, and clearedboth of them,” he said. “If I had been tested positive, the ICC would not have cleared me.”He also credited those who had worked for his release. “I am thankful to our ambassador in Dubai, Ahsanullah Khan, who put in a lot of effort, and when Nadeem Akram [the PCB’s director – human resources] arrived, it gave me lots of encouragement.”Meanwhile, Asif is set to face an internal enquiry from the PCB, which earlier in the day issued a press release to confirm the case against him had been dropped. “The drug tests conducted on Asif during the investigations in Dubai were clear and negative for any contraband substance.”

Solihull Moors striker Kyle Hudlin would give Darren Moore “another option”, says former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer.

The Athletic have hinted at Hudlin becoming a potential target for Wednesday this summer as the club look to bolster their options up front.

At 6 ft 9, Hudlin is believed to be the tallest outfield player in English football right now, so to say he could offer Moore’s side a focal point would be an understatement.

The 21-year-old is currently plying his trade in the National League and is yet to play in the EFL, but Palmer has no doubts about what he could bring to the table for Wednesday.

“I know he’s attracting a lot of interest,” Palmer said in an exclusive interview with TT. “League One or maybe even in the Championship, having that height and that physical presence [can go a long way]. 

“A lot of goals, 90% of goals in football are scored from restarts, corners, free kicks, throw-ins, so it gives you another option.”

At 21, Hudlin obviously has plenty of time to develop and grow, while being at a National League side like Solihull Moors means he probably will not cost that much, so perhaps the English youngster is worth taking a punt on.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in a move for FC Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho, according to Spanish publication Sport (via Tutto Mercato Web).

Coutinho has apparently been given permission to leave the Catalan giants, three and a half years on from his £142million move from Liverpool.

What’s Coutinho’s next move?

He’s said to be after some stability after a ‘fluctuating period’. The Brazilian was, of course, sent on loan to Bayern Munich for the 2019/20 campaign.

The 29-year-old made 12 La Liga appearances last season before a serious knee injury in December ended his involvement.

A return to Liverpool is a potential option for Coutinho, but Everton and Wolves are also said to ‘like’ the player. No ‘official offers’ have arrived just yet, though.

Coutinho spent five years at Anfield and played more than 200 games for the Reds. Overall, he scored 54 goals and provided 45 assists (via Transfermarkt).

Fan feed Talking Wolves relayed Sport’s claims, and here’s what supporters made of them.

These Wolves fans keen on bringing Coutinho back to England

“Exact player we need to take us to the next level”

Credit: @Adam11520205

“Wouldn’t say no tbf”

Credit: @joehands_19

“We’ve been crying out for a quality creative attacking midfielder. If we have the budget for him, sign him up!”

Credit: @earlknudsen

“Tbf that’s saucy, let’s see”

Credit: @nocontextkeanee

“If we sell Podence for over 20m & bring in Coutinho do we give Jeff a statue?”

Credit: @haydenbd_

“Imagine Coutinho at Wolves man”

Credit: @WolvesNumber37

In other news, these comments didn’t get a good reception from Wolves fans.

Steve Waugh is part of a growing group of current and former players who have supported Adam Gilchrist’s push for Twenty20 to be part of the 2020 Olympics

Cricinfo staff05-Aug-2008
Steve Waugh said the 1998 Commonwealth Games was the “time of my life” © Getty Images
Steve Waugh, who led Australia to a Commonwealth Games silver medal, is part of a growing group of current and former players who have supported Adam Gilchrist’s push for Twenty20 to be part of the 2020 Olympics. Gilchrist raised the idea on Monday and since then a series of big names, including Kumar Sangakkara, Sourav Ganguly and Stephen Fleming, have climbed on board.Waugh, a mentor of the Australian Olympic team in Beijing, said the idea was “definitely worth pursuing”. “If you want to globalise the game then you have to look at including countries like China and the United States, and getting cricket into the Olympics will fast-track that move,” Waugh told the Press Association.In 1998 Waugh captained Australia at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and said it was the “time of my life”. “Winning the silver medal was one of the highlights of my career,” he said. And he believes Twenty20 will become a “worldwide phenomenon” over the next few years.”The Olympic Games would provide the perfect platform to showcase the game to a larger audience, drawing in new fans and helping drive cricket development in emerging cricket countries,” Sangakkara wrote in the Times of India. “The snowball effect this could be enormous. 2020 may seem like a long way away but we need to start the process now.”From a player’s perspective, the privilege of competing at an Olympic Games would undoubtedly be a highlight of your career.”The proposal has also received backing from Fleming, Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Yuvraj Singh. While Fleming and Gilchrist have retired from internationals, they are both involved in the Indian Premier League and see huge potential in the Twenty20 format.”The Olympics would be the greatest vehicle to spread the game worldwide and it would be a logical fit,” Fleming said in the Australian. Ganguly also took a global view of the possible development.”It will help the players to be part of a worldwide movement,” he said in the Deccan Chronicle. “Cricket is an exciting sport and should definitely be part of the Olympics.”Laxman said representing India at an Olympics would be a “great honour” while Yuvraj felt it was an excellent initiative. “Should cricket make it to the Olympics,” he said, “it would be significant, especially to our country where the game is most loved.”Gilchrist said his proposal was a “call to arms for the game’s administrators” and James Sutherland, Cricket Australia’s chief executive, is excited by it. “When you think of the Olympics, you also think of the big nations like the US, Russia and now China,” Sutherland told the paper. “Those regions are clearly potential growth opportunities for cricket and we see Twenty20 at the Olympics as a superb vehicle.”For cricket to be included in 2020 it would need to be approved by the International Olympic Committee in 2013. The game received Olympic “recognition status” last year, but it faces a battle with other sports, such as golf, karate and baseball, to become part of the programme.

Greek Super League club Aris Thessaloniki are in ‘advanced’ talks with Newcastle United’s Yoshinori Muto about a potential transfer, according to Sportime. 

The lowdown

Newcastle paid £9.5m to sign Muto from Bundesliga outfit Mainz in 2019 after he had been directly involved in 30 goals in 66 appearances in the German top-flight (20 goals, 10 assists).

However, he was unable to produce that kind of form at St James’ Park, finding the net just twice in his 28 appearances since making the move to Tyneside.

The 29-year-old, who’s now valued at just £2.25m, spent the 2020/21 season on loan at Eibar in La Liga. He only scored one league goal in 1,117 minutes of football in the Spanish top flight and they finished bottom of the pile.

However, former Eibar boss Jose Luis Mendilibar said he was more concerned with the work-rate from the striker than his goal figures, and insisted that Muto had done a ‘sensational job’ (via Chronicle Live).

The latest

Sportime said that negotiations with the Japanese ace have progressed as they hope to agree personal terms. They would then need to present Newcastle with an acceptable offer for the stiker.

The report added that ‘now is a good time’ for him to find a new club as he enters the final 12 months of his contract at St James’ Park.

The verdict

It’s clear that Muto’s time at Newcastle is up. Backup options to Callum Wilson isn’t an immediate concern for Steve Bruve, with Joelinton able to play that role and Dwight Gayle also on their books if needed.

Ultimately, Muto hasn’t done enough to suggest that he would be a valuable part of the Magpies’ squad.

It’ll be tricky for Newcastle to secure any significant sum from his sale given his contract situation and meagre goal return, but at least they would free up £54,000 per week from their wage bill from moving him on.

In other news, read this pundit’s prediction on when the takeover process will be concluded.