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Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that Celtic might live to regret waiting around to appoint Eddie Howe, hinting that perhaps discussions are still going on behind the scenes.

Having reached a verbal agreement at Parkhead, the former Bournemouth manager was expected to replace Neil Lennon earlier this month, but talks have since stalled, with the Glasgow giants still yet to make an announcement.

Howe has since been linked with the role at Crystal Palace, with Roy Hodgson’s future in doubt, whilst the Newcastle job has been mentioned as another potential destination, although Howe isn’t set to return to management until the summer.

And McAvennie believes that Celtic, whose wretched season campaign continue following their Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Rangers on Sunday, cannot afford to play a waiting game with Howe.

“You get told one thing and then something else happens. It’s a bit up in the air,” the former Hoops striker told Football FanCast.

“I said to someone that Celtic is too big of a club to wait for Eddie Howe. If he’s waiting until the summer it could be that he’s waiting to see if the Newcastle or Crystal Palace jobs come up.

“I hope they haven’t put all their eggs in one basket because I know Eddie was the guy they want. I would love him to come personally, it would be a great challenge and he would give the fans something.

“He’s a fit for me, but you can’t wait around. You never know, maybe they’ve had discussions behind the scenes. I just think Eddie’s playing a strange game at the moment.”

It remains to be seen if the latest Old Firm loss will accelerate Celtic’s bid to appoint a new boss sooner rather than later.

According to a report by the Daily Mail, Tottenham Hotspur could target Brighton and Hove Albion boss Graham Potter as a possible replacement for the dismissed Jose Mourinho – with the Englishman emerging as a possible candidate alongside Scott Parker. 

Mourinho was given his marching order by Spurs on Monday after a very bizarre season, coming after they briefly raced to top of the Premier League table near the end of last year.

Tottenham could target Potter

Tottenham even thrashed Manchester United 6-1 at Old Trafford, becoming only the second team in Premier League history to do so, but a sorry slump of form soon followed their electric start.

A dismal run of results after the New Year included an humiliating Europa League exit at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb and a tame north London derby loss to Arsenal.

As a result, Mourinho was sacked by Tottenham, and there have been no shortage of successors touted in the media.

The Mail now claim, alongside the usual suspects Julian Nagelsmann and Brendan Rodgers, that the likes of Parker and Potter could now emerge as unlikely candidates.

Transfer Tavern take

The latter man in particular has attracted plenty of plaudits for his job on the south coast, with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola blown away by his quality and even calling him ‘the best English manager right now’ whilst professing his love for Brighton’s style of play (Brighton and Hove Independent).

As well as this, Independent journalist Miguel Delaney dubbed him an ‘excellent manager’ and praised the Seagulls’ ‘brave’ decision to appoint him.

Out of all the outside candidates, as a result, we believe the £1 million-per-year boss could be considered as a very credible dark horse for the job behind favourites Nagelsmann and Rodgers, due to his relatively low wages and forward-thinking tactics.

In other news: Spurs confirmed this ‘amazing’ news, find out more here.

Newcastle could sign a perfect upgrade on Jonjo Shelvey in FC Metz starlet Pape Sarr.

What’s the story?

The 18-year-old is enjoying a real breakthrough campaign with the Ligue 1 side this season, playing 18 times in the league, and has established himself as one of the first names on the team-sheet in recent weeks for Metz boss Frederic Antonetti – he’s completed the full 90 minutes in 11 of the last 14 league games.

Now, French publication L’Equipe claim that Steve Bruce’s side are one of three Premier League clubs (Everton and Chelsea the others) who are interested in signing the teenager, while he is also attracting attention from Nice.

Better than Shelvey

While Arsenal loanee Joe Willock has been the man of the moment in recent weeks with his late rescue acts – Steve Bruce has even admitted that he would love to sign him on a permanent deal this summer – there’s a real argument to be made that Sarr could be just as influential of a signing for the Magpies.

Predominantly a holding midfielder but able to play slightly further forward too, Sarr could represent a real upgrade on Shelvey in the middle of the park.

His coach at Metz, Antonetti, has not shied away from lavishing his midfield starlet with praising, saying: “Pape Matar Sarr is elegance in the midfield, it’s talent, it’s making others play.”

And, when you look at his key stats, they are all comfortably better than what Shelvey has produced this season in the Premier League.

As per Whoscored, the Senegalese youngster averages more tackles and interceptions than the Magpies man, makes more dribbles per game, and also has a far better passing accuracy too – something that has long been associated with Shelvey as being one of his strengths.

Even for someone of his age, Sarr just looks far more composed protecting his back-four, and has got the ability to beat the opposition press either with a pass or by just powering past them with a run.

The 18-year-old has also been tipped to enjoy a superb career by Olivier Perrin, who initially recruited him to the Académie Génération back in his native Senegal when he was a youngster.

He said: “He will be able to go as far as he wants to go. He must work, be as he is there, modest, regular, hardworking. He must continue to love football and he will do like the great players, he will go far. I think he will go very far.”

So while Willock will undoubtedly be someone Newcastle look to sign this summer given his recent loan performances, bringing Sarr to St James’ Park could be a massive coup too and more focus should be given to him.

Dubbed as someone who’s “got everything” to his game, Sarr could be the next break-out star in the North East, if Newcastle can get a deal done.

Former Rangers star Michael Ball has told Football FanCast that it is no surprise that Premier League clubs, including Leeds United, are considering a move for Ryan Kent this summer.

The 24-year-old has played primarily as a left winger under manager Steven Gerrard, with Rangers winning the Scottish Premiership title at a canter.

They are currently 20 points clear of second-placed Celtic and have yet to lose in the league, with three games of the campaign remaining.

Kent has scored 12 goals in all competitions and has also registered 13 assists, and he has been linked with a move away from the club in recent weeks.

The Sun have reported that Leeds are interested in a deal to bring Kent to the Premier League, with a bid of around £15m mooted.

Leeds made a bid for the player last summer, of £11m, per the report, and Marcelo Bielsa is said to remain keen on a move for the former England U20 international.

Asked about the prospect of him moving to Elland Road, Ball told FFC: “It’s no surprise that big clubs in the Premier League are looking at him but Rangers will want a big fee, he’s a key player for them, they won’t let him walk away cheaply.”

Whoever the new manager is at Celtic next season they will not have things easy.

With a number of their best players linked with the exit door, a colossal rebuilding job will be required for the Bhoys at Parkhead.

On the chalkboard

One name linked with a fresh start is Ryan Christie. The Scot attracted interest from English Premier League teams during the winter and now his departure feels inevitable.

His contract expires in January 2022 and recent reports indicate that he could command a seven-figure fee in the summer.

Christie’s exit won’t come as a great loss to the Hoops. He may have racked up 20 goals last term but this season has been a disaster from the attacker’s perspective.

He has only found the net on seven occasions and has managed to beat the goalkeeper just once in his last 20 outings in the Premiership.

Much-maligned by various sectors of the Celtic fan base, it would come of great relief to many to see him finally walk through the door for pastures new.

Who is his replacement?

Celtic could turn to a number of players in the transfer window but one individual linked with an arrival is Egypt international Mohamed Afsha.

The 25-year-old is a rising star of Egyptian football and starred for Al-Ahly on their way to winning the African Champions League this campaign.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/celtic-manager-transfers-eddie-howe-jesse-marsch-ryan-christie-siriki-dembele” title=”Read the latest Celtic managerial updates, transfer news, rumours and gossip!”]

A diminutive figure at 5 foot 7, Afsha lacks plenty to his physical game but his technical abilities more than make up for that.

A creative force, he has provided eight assists this team, six of which have come from only 15 league matches. Afsha also knows where the back of the net is, scoring 12 goals during the course of his career with Al-Ahly.

Like Christie, the midfielder is capable of playing on the flanks but it’s through the middle where he can really make an impact.

Speaking about Afsha back in January, his former manager Ante Cacic said: “The best player in Egypt for me is Mohamed Magdy Afsha.”

Cacic added: “I watched his goal and watched the Champions League final. He’s a great player who had a great influence on the match and linked well between the lines. He is a wonderful player and has a great influence on Al Ahly’s performances.”

Although his goal scoring nature will turn heads at Parkhead, it’s his ability to link play that should be most encouraging.

After all, Christie hasn’t been productive in that department this term. He has scored only one goal from 51 attempts outside the box, taking a shot on rather than looking for a key pass.

Afsha has his own tendencies to go for goal but as his record and Cacic’s words dictate, he is creative too.

Dominic McKay would be making a shrewd acquisition here.

AND in other news, Dominic McKay is already on the verge of his first major Celtic mistake…

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Leeds United midfielder Carlton Palmer has suggested that Sam Allardyce could be a good option for the Whites if Marcelo Bielsa decides to leave in the summer.

Bielsa’s current contract expires at the end of the season and the Leeds manager is yet to agree to new terms.

He has done an excellent job since arriving at Elland Road back in 2018, taking the Yorkshire club back to the Premier League and keeping them away from any real sort of relegation trouble. Bearing that in mind, it is easy to understand why some would fear losing Bielsa.

Palmer, however, does not believe Leeds’ Premier League future is dependent on the Argentinian, with the retired England international adamant that there are plenty of other capable coaches out there, including West Brom boss Allardyce, who labelled Bielsa as “so crazy” earlier this season.

When asked by FFC whether a Bielsa-less Leeds would find themselves in trouble next season, Palmer said:

“If he does go, you know, there are plenty of good managers out there. I think West Brom are going to go down now, so Sam Allardyce, if they don’t give him the funds to do the job to get them back up, he’s going to become available. He might be a good bet for them.

“So you can’t automatically assume that Leeds are going to get relegated if Bielsa leaves, but you can’t also underestimate the job he’s done with that squad of players and the way that they play.”

After such a successful campaign in the Premier League this season, following a 16-year absence away from English football’s top flight, Leeds will surely do everything in their power to keep hold of Bielsa.

Aston Villa look set to move on two longstanding scouts in a major reshuffle behind the scenes, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Villa’s major spending plans

Villa spent over £90m during the current campaign on five permanent transfers, and it looks as if another spending spree is on the way at Villa Park.

Owners Wes Edens and Naseef Sawiris have pumped around £400m into the club since taking over in 2018, and according to Football Insider back in March, they will spend big this summer in a bid to keep hold of club captain Jack Grealish.

The Latest: Friday meeting planned

According to Football Insider, Mick Brown and Alan Wood are set to leave the club.

A Villa source revealed that both Brown and Wood have been told to attend a meeting at the club’s Bodymoor Heath training headquarters on Friday.

The report described the likely parting ways of Brown and Wood as a surprise, with the pair working on potential signings under sporting director Johan Lange.

The Verdict: A bold move

It’s safe to say that Villa’s spending during the 2020/21 campaign has been a lot better than their 2019/20 business.

The likes of Ollie Watkins, Matty Cash and Emiliano Martinez have been revelations under Dean Smith, although the loan signing of Ross Barkley hasn’t really worked out.

However, a number of the arrivals in the 19/20 season have either been injured for large parts of their stay or struggled on the pitch – Wesley Moraes, Tom Heaton, Mbwana Samatta, Bjorn Engels and Jota spring to mind.

It seems as if Villa have their heart set on an off-field revamp, though, which could have real significance to Lange going forward.

In other news: Villa keen on Premier League international, many fans are delighted, find out more here. 

Steven Gerrard has teased transfers at Glasgow Rangers this summer in the aftermath of their unbeaten Premiership campaign.

The Lowdown: Preparations begin

After their 4-0 win over Aberdeen on Saturday, the Gers completed an unbeaten league season (BBC). The players and staff celebrated at Ibrox, while many supporters took to the streets across Glasgow.

Now that the season is over, those in charge at Rangers must prepare for next season and beyond. Fashion Sakala and Nnamdi Ofoborh will join the club ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, and there are likely to be more incomings to follow.

The Latest: Gerrard teases transfers

Speaking during the celebrations on trophy day, Gerrard discussed the future. He told Sky Sports (via rangersnews.co.uk):

“This is a club where you can’t stand still – it’s about the future. This has to be a launchpad. We have to fix the roof now. The sun’s shining and everyone’s happy, but it’s my job to now to find the tweaks, find the little malfunctions within the group that we need to iron out.

“The recruitment is key now. You can see in the last few games that we’re short in certain areas. I’ve had some really interesting meetings with the board and they’re with me. They’ll back me and we’ll go again and we’ll try to build on this success.”

The Verdict: Don’t stand still

It shows the mentality of Gerrard that, even in the immediate aftermath of such a success, he is already thinking ahead to next season, and he is exactly right to do so. What Rangers have achieved this term has been fantastic, but they still have so much more to do – for example, they will embark on a Champions League run next term and have the chance of qualifying for the group stages for the first time in 11 years.

If the 55-time Scottish champions want to progress further, they will have to bring in new faces to introduce fresh impetus in the squad. Sakala and Ofoborh are a good start – expect more to follow.

In other news, Rangers are interested in this English Championship midfielder.

When the summer transfer window opens in a matter of weeks, Celtic are going to have a huge task on their hands.This will be one of the biggest rebuilds in the Hoops’ history with a plethora of players set to be sold and a number of others heading back to their parent clubs.Odsonne Edouard could be heading to England while another Bhoys player attracting attention from south of the border is Kristoffer Ajer.If the imperious Norwegian left Paradise behind it would represent a huge blow to their chances of narrowing the gap to Rangers.After all, he has been a shining example to others, holding together a particularly abject defence.Celtic conceded 16 more goals than Rangers in the Premiership this term so they could do with strengthening that area.Ajer leaving would be a poor start to that but they could find a very similar player by targeting Micky van de Ven.The 20-year-old hasn’t been linked with Celtic at the time of writing but after assessing his playstyle, we’ve concluded that he’d be perfect for replacing their towering Norwegian.Van de Ven currently plays for Volendam in the second-tier of Dutch football where he captains the side. He’s had a very impressive campaign, winning the Best Talent award for his displays throughout 2020/21.[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-manager-and-transfer-news-howe-favre-mcgregor-mccann-tierney” title=”Read the latest Celtic manager and transfer news!”]Standing at 6 foot 3, he’s just three inches shorter of Ajer but the way in which he plays is the spitting image.Described as a “freak†for the level he currently plays at, Van de Ven has been tipped for a move to the Eredivisie. He’s also been touted as a promising acquisition for Celtic.In a thread on Twitter, Scouted Football wrote: “Suggested elsewhere that Van de Ven would be a really interesting/exciting option for Celtic. May need time to settle but suits him as the next step, and not even sure it would need a seven-figure fee to get him. One of the best options in that market.â€Representing a bargain in the market, there’d be fewer players more equipped to replace Ajer than Van de Ven.Like the Norway international, he has a big frame that can overwhelm players while he’s also vibrant in possession of the ball.Scouted Football added: “But where Van de Ven really excels/excites is on the ball, more specifically as a progressive ball-carrier. Volendam facilitate it (questions about portability to higher levels too) but his ability to drive from deep is extraordinary.â€Out of context, that could quite easily describe Ajer.He is the very definition of a marauding centre-half, something we saw against Rangers a few weeks ago when the defender tip-toed his way past several players inside the area before getting a shot away. He also attempted a typically striking 40-yard run against Hibernian on the final day.Assessing footage of Van de Ven, you’ll notice his long strides and long-bursting runs into the opposition half.

The modern centre-back is usually capable of playing with the ball at their feet and driving forward but breaking towards the penalty area is particularly rare.

To lose Ajer would be a meaty blow for the incoming Eddie Howe but the young Dutchman in question would be a stellar replacement.

After all, you only need to look at the way Howe progressed Nathan Ake at Bournemouth, turning the defender into a man Manchester City wanted to spend £40m on.

He’s proven himself astute at developing young talent; something Van de Ven should lap up.

AND in other news, Celtic begin negotiations to sign 22-goal beast, he’d be a huge upgrade on Elyounoussi…

Sunderland midfielder Josh Hawkes is attracting interest ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Sheffield Echo, who claimed that Ipswich Town, along with a number of Premier League clubs – including West Ham United, Crystal Palace and Newcastle United – are interested in a move for the 22-year-old attacking midfielder in the upcoming transfer market.

The East Anglian Daily Times reported that the £510-per-week man, who has one year left to run on his contract at The Stadium of Light, is understood to be keen to leave the Black Cats this summer as a result of his lack of first team football under Lee Johnson.

Huge mistake

Having shown a great deal of potential for the club’s under-23 side this season, should Sunderland go on to lose the services of Hawkes this summer due to Johnson’s apparent reluctance to give the youngster first-team minutes, the argument could easily be made that it would be something of a catastrophe for the 44-year-old.

Over his 20 Premier League 2 fixtures for the Sunderland under-23s this term, Hawkes scored 13 goals – the joint-most in the competition – and registered six assists, with the 22-year-old’s goals often being game-changing. He also fired the youth team to the play-offs, in which Sunderland narrowly lost on penalties in the final against Crystal Palace.

Indeed, on numerous occasions throughout the course of the season, many Sunderland fans appeared eager for Johnson to include the youngster in his matchday squad, with one claiming that Hawkes had “needed to be in the first team for weeks,” while another stated that he “surely has to be in the first team” as the midfielder was “banging them in every week.”

However, despite this, Hawkes made just one appearance for the Black Cats this season, in the 2-1 loss to Fleetwood Town in the Papa John’s Trophy.

As such, if the man Jeff Stelling dubbed a “free spirit” does wish to leave Sunderland this summer in search of regular first team football, it appears as if Johnson will have nobody to blame other than himself.

In other news: Sunderland dealt transfer blow over “brilliant” £6.4k-p/w beast, Johnson will be devastated – opinion