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Well, that was all just a bit odd.

Has a Tottenham Hotspur loss ever been so welcomed by their own fans and mourned by their nearest and dearest down the road before?

Ange Postecoglou told the media on Monday that the Lilywhites faithful who wanted their side to roll over for Manchester City in light of Arsenal's title bid last night "need counselling", and for about 50 minutes or so, those supporters might've been thinking about it, until Mr inevitable himself, Erling Haaland, turned up and put the visitors ahead.

There were a few more twists and turns in the game, but ultimately, the treble-winners emerged victorious, thus dealing a potentially fatal blow to Arsenal's hopes of winning a first league crown in 20 years.

Still, to Tottenham's credit, the home side put up a valiant effort, apart from a couple of their players, specifically Son Heung-min and one of his partners in crime.

Son Heung-min's performance vs Manchester City

It was a night to forget for Son last night, as he was woefully ineffective from the first minute right up until the end, and while he had one seriously clear-cut chance to level the score in the second half, he also missed several half-chances throughout.

His display was so poor that football.london's Alasdair Gold gave him a match rating on the night of 6/10, with the score mostly coming down to his massive miss in the 85th minute.

However, Gold's appraisal of the 31-year-old's performance might be too generous, as his statistics from the match do not paint a picture of a player anywhere near the top of his game.

In his 100 minutes of action, the South Korean failed to score or provide an assist despite registering an expected goals figure of 0.56, took two shots on target and one shot off target, failed in four of his five dribbles, missed two big chances completed just 23 passes, failed to complete his one cross, lost six of nine duels, was offside once and was dribbled past once as well.

In all, the veteran winger's performance was dreadful, but one of his teammates was arguably even worse.

Pedro Porro's performance vs Manchester City

Yes, the starter who put in 90 minutes just as bad, if not worse, than Son was right-back Pedro Porro, who not only failed to offer very much going forward but was also defensively suspect throughout and ultimately killed the game off by giving away a late penalty.

Gold gave the Spaniard a 6/10 on the night, writing that he was kept 'busy' all night and focused on the brain-dead tackle on Jeremy Doku that led to the penalty.

However, as was the case with the captain, the respected journalist was probably too kind to the full-back in his assessment, as his statistics from the game might be some of his worst from the entire season.

In his 100 minutes on the pitch, the former Sporting man was dribbled past, conceded the penalty, lost 8 of 11 duels, lost the ball a staggering 24 times, committed three fouls, maintained a passing accuracy of just 79%, made no key passes, failed to deliver either of his crosses, could only complete three of seven long balls, took no shots, and failed in three of his four dribbles.

Ultimately, it's hard to think of something the 24-year-old did right last night, but at the end of the day, it was an unusual game from start to finish, and while Postecoglou was irate with the circus around it, the fans probably won't be getting on the players' backs for it.

Spurs struck gold on brilliant star who's worth more than Grealish & Walker

The special talent has been a revelation in North London.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 14, 2024

Since the end of the Premier League season, Newcastle United have turned straight to the transfer market and have now reportedly sent club officials to London to seal a bargain deal for Eddie Howe.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies have wasted little time when it comes to reinforcements, with a deal to sign Lloyd Kelly upon the expiry of his Bournemouth contract reportedly on the cards. The centre-back, who can also play left-back, enjoyed an excellent season under Andoni Iraola, but informed the Cherries of his decision to depart in the coming weeks nonetheless.

Taking full advantage, Newcastle's defensive depth problem should be somewhat eased by Kelly's arrival, given his versatility to cover for the likes of Dan Burn and the injured Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman. He's not the only one reportedly on his way in a bargain deal, however.

Newcastle interested in signing "wonderful" ace amid rival's PSR struggles

The Magpies could take full advantage.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 23, 2024

According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Newcastle officials have travelled to London to seal a free deal for Tosin Adarabioyo with his current Fulham contract coming to an end.

Having rejected several attempts from those at Craven Cottage to extend his deal, the defender is on course to leave as a free agent despite holding a market value of £12.8m. The Magpies will apparently triple his current £40,000-a-week salary, which would put him on par with Kieran Trippier as the Tyneside club's third-highest earner.

Suddenly, Howe will have two young, solid centre-backs to choose from and any previous concerns or circumstances in which Burn was forced into the role should be ended.

As the Magpies seek a return to the Premier League's top four, they've certainly made a good start when it comes to summer recruitment so far.

"Special" Adarabioyo will hand Howe a positive selection headache

It's set to be quite the change in mood for Howe, who was left desperately seeking defensive cover throughout the current campaign, only for injuries to pile up and options to fall short. Now, with Kelly and Adarabioyo on their way, he'll have a positive selection headache. Adarabioyo, like Kelly, won't be arriving to just sit on the bench, which hands Fabian Schar and Botman, when he returns, plenty of healthy competition.

Fulham boss Marco Silva will be disappointed to see Adarabioyo heading for the exit door, having praised his centre-back earlier this season. He told beIN Sports: “He is a key player for us. He is one of the leaders in our dressing room and we need these guys to step in in the right moments and he did it.

“We missed him a lot, we missed him because he didn’t play the first three months of the season. Tosin is a special player for us, I can’t hide that situation. The way he can defend the box but also on the ball he is a special player for me, the way I want to play, the way he can build (from the back)."

GOAL looks at which new arrivals have had the biggest impact, and are frontrunners for MLS Newcomer of the Year

Numerous newcomers have factored into the success of playoff contenders and teams across MLS this season.

In 2023, it was Atlanta United's superstar striker Giorgis Giakoumakis who beat out Lionel Messi for the MLS Newcomer Of The Year award, and in 2022, it was the Five Stripes' star Thiago Almada – both of whom were sold this past summer.

Now, the 2024 MLS season is nearing conclusion, with Decision Day on Oct. 19 looming. Matchday 36 is also in the books, and as the playoff field starts to take shape, teams are starting to prepare for the postseason. With that in mind, who has been the breakout arrival of 2024?

From Luis Suarez with Inter Miami to Petar Musa with FC Dallas to Gabriel Pec with LA Galaxy, GOAL takes a look at which new arrivals have had the biggest impact are the frontrunners for MLS Newcomer of the Year for 2024.

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• Luca Orellano, FC Cincinnati

  Luca Orellano has been nothing short nof brilliant for FCC this season. He arrived in February on loan from Brazilian Serie A side Vasco Da Gama, and has since helped lead one of MLS' most exciting attacks.

  Employed as a wingback under Pat Noonan, Orellano has scored 10 goals and recorded seven assists – including two of the league's most outrageous strikes of 2024, bagging from beyond the halfway line twice this campaign. For a "defender" to put up those numbers in hs debut season, it's remarkable. On top of that, he's become a set-piece specialist for the Orange and Blue, with multiple resulting in goal-contributions for the club.

  He's helped FCC to a top-three spot in the East with just two games to spare, and they're right in the fight for home-field advantage in the playoffs as a result. Cincy hold a buy-clause on his contract, and it would be astonishing if they didn't trigger it as a result of his campaign.

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  Jonathan Rodriguez, Portland Timbers

  Jonathan Rodriguez was signed by the Timbers on March 20 for a reported fee of $6M from LIGA MX side Club America. The 31-year-old has since taken the league by storm, with 16 goals and seven assists in 27 appearances for the Western Conference side.

  He's helped Portland become a competitor in the West, and they're firmly in the race for the postseason as a result.

  The Uruguayan designated player has created a deadly attacking partnership up top alongside Brazilian duo Evander and Antony, with the three of them combining for a total of 67 goal-contributions this season.

  He may not be the flashiest name on the list, but he's been crucial to their success, and the Timbers would not be competing for a playoff spot without him.

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  Petar Musa, FC Dallas

  Petar Musa was signed for a club-record fee of $13M ahead of the 2024 season, and after a short period of adapting to the league and life in the U.S., he's flourished.

  Brought in from Portuguese powerhouse Benfica, Musa has bagged 15 goals and recorded three assists for the Texas-based club. For FCD this season, he's been their go-to man in front of net, and he's rewarded them with goal after goal.

  He scored his first hat-trick for the club in June in a 5-3 victory over Minnesota United, which was a turning point for his season. Following that June 19 victory, he scored in six of their next seven matches, finding form right before the start of the Leagues Cup for the Western Conference side.

  A woeful spring from FCD was too much to overcome, though, as they were eliminated from playoff contention on Matchday 36 following a loss to the San Jose Earthquakes. However, that shouldn't overshadow Musa's contributions this season. He's been a threat in front of net and a pain for every defense he's played against.

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  Luis Suarez, Inter Miami

  El Pistolero Luis Suarez was questioned by so many when Inter Miami signed him in the offseason. He had an awful preseason, looked out of shape, looked like he couldn't run – but he has clearly proved the doubters wrong.

  The former Barcelona and Liverpool forward, age 37, has 18 goals and six assists for the Herons, and he even scored the winner that clinched them the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield.

  Through 25 matches this season, he's firmly in the race for the Golden Boot, while also helping the Herons to their second-ever piece of silverware as an MLS organization. On top of that, he's scored four braces and one hat-trick this across all competitions for the South Beach club. He's been nothing short of prolific.

Bukayo Saka has revealed that being entrusted with the honour of filling Arsenal’s captain’s armband left him “speechless”.

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• Odegaard nursing injury
• Saka has taken armband
• Honoured to lead Gunners

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  With Gunners skipper Martin Odegaard ruled out through injury, England international Saka was asked to provide on-field leadership during a crucial Premier League clash with fellow title hopefuls Manchester City. He then led Arsenal out in a Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium.

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  WHAT SAKA SAID

  Academy graduate Saka, who is just 23 years of age, has told of his reaction to being asked by Mikel Arteta to take on captaincy duties: “That's one of the things where I become speechless when people ask me. Everyone knows my journey, where I came from. To take the captain's armband, walk the lads out at the Emirates Stadium. I can't put it into words.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Saka has proven himself deserving of such an honour, with 236 appearances taken in for Arsenal. He now fills their No.7 jersey and added on being a source of inspiration to fans – young and old – around the world: “When the new kits come out you see it across all of London. I'm always looking out to see if someone has my number on. It's always a nice feeling when you see a little kid or an older man wearing one of my shirts. I never take it for granted and if I can give them a bit of my time, a bit of love back to them, I'll try to do that too.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Saka has registered three goals for the Gunners this season and will be back in domestic action on October 19 when taking in a trip to Bournemouth – with there two UEFA Nations League fixtures with England, against Greece and Finland, to occupy his thoughts prior to that.

As one of the biggest and most successful teams in English football history, Arsenal are blessed with a plethora of incredible legends.

Be that the king himself, Thierry Henry, the silky smooth Robert Pirès, or Mr Arsenal himself, Tony Adams, the North Londoners certainly aren't short on genuinely incredible icons.

However, there is another, a legend who typified the beautiful game under Arsène Wenger and formed an incredible partnership with Henry: Dennis Bergkamp.

The Flying Dutchman was one of the most technically gifted footballers ever to grace the Premier League, and based on recent reports, the Gunners could soon sign a player with plenty of similarities.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a report from Spain late last week, Arsenal are now interested in signing Inter Milan's star striker Lautaro Martinez in the summer.

The story revealed that while the Italian club are doing brilliantly on the pitch and do not wish to sell the Argentinian, their financial problems off it may force their hand if Arsenal make the €90m – £77m – offer they are said to be preparing.

It would certainly be a hefty investment from the North Londoners, but considering how well one of the few signings they have made from Inter in the past turned out, it might be one worth making.

Martinez could become Bergkamp 2.0

Now, before the pitchforks and shouts of blasphemy come out, we know that a comparison to one of Arsenal's greatest-ever players – or the greatest full stop to some – is quite significant.

While Martinez is unlikely to leave quite the same impression as the Dutchman did, there are similarities between the two men, especially if this deal goes through.

The first is rather straightforward, and it's the fact that they would have moved to North London from the black and blue half of Milan, as only one player since the great invincible has made the same move, Nwankwo Kanu.

The Gunners great spent just two seasons in Italy, but in those two years, he made 72 appearances for the Nerazzurri, scoring 22 goals, providing 11 assists and winning the UEFA Cup in the 1993/94 season.

In comparison, the World Cup winner has spent six seasons at the San Siro now, in which he has scored a mammoth 129 goals in 282 games and won two Serie A titles, two Italian Cups and three Italian Super Cups, for good measure.

That brings us to the second similarity: both men have proven themselves to be incredible playmakers and goalscorers.

For example, in Bergkamp's 422 games in red and white, he scored 120 goals – including that stunner against Newcastle – but he also provided 103 assists for his teammates.

Likewise, while being described as "the best 9 in the world" by renowned football podcaster Angelo Valdes, the Inter ace has racked up 49 assists during his time in Italy, proving he's not just a penalty box poacher.

Lastly, and admittedly, this might be the weakest similarity of them all, the 26-year-old is also an absolute wizard with his right foot, just like the iceman was himself.

Ultimately, the transfer would represent a fairly hefty investment from the club, but Martinez's incredible form for Inter more than justifies it, and the fact that a comparison can be easily made to the legendary Bergkamp is the icing on the cake.

Top target: Arsenal keen on "complete" £55m star who'd supercharge Odegaard

The 6ft5 titan could help the Gunners bridge the two point gap to City next year.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 30, 2024

Good news off the pitch is hard to come by at Everton these days, but those at Goodison Park could be set to finally receive some positive headlines, given that the Toffees have reportedly opened contract talks with one of Sean Dyche's star men.

Everton transfer news

With their takeover not any closer to completion and more doubts than ever about 777 Partners' ability to even reach that stage, Everton could be in for a long summer transfer window. Without those funds, the Toffees will likely be forced to sell at least one star player to fund further incomings and avoid even more FFP sanctions.

Everton now make first move to sign in-demand "sensation" for Dyche

He’s one for the future…

By
Tom Cunningham

May 30, 2024

This could see the likes of Amadou Onana depart, with Everton reportedly more willing to sacrifice the Belgian than young defender Jarrad Branthwaite in the coming months. Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich are both among the clubs to have been linked with a move for the midfielder this summer, as Everton look to cash in.

The hope will be that Onana's departure injects enough funds into Everton's budget to avoid a similar sale when it comes to Branthwaite. But it's not just the star defender that the Toffees reportedly want to keep hold of.

According to The Athletic, Everton have opened talks with Dominic Calvert-Lewin over a new contract at the club. The forward's current deal expires next summer and with Newcastle United reportedly interested in landing a deal in the coming months, those at Goodison Park have acted to ease any exit fears.

Whilst their ability to welcome fresh faces remains in doubt, keeping hold of players such as Calvert-Lewin should be the priority at Everton. The England international showed enough form at the back end of the season to suggest that he's well on his way to rediscovering his most clinical form in the Premier League too.

"Excellent" Calvert-Lewin is still a key player at Everton

After several injury issues and a struggle to find his best form, Calvert-Lewin finally came to life at the end of the season just when the Toffees needed him most. After scoring just four goals in the first 30 games of the Premier League season, Calvert-Lewin managed four in the final eight games, including one in a 2-0 victory over Merseyside rivals Liverpool.

By the end of the campaign, the forward managed eight goals and three assists with those final eight games representing the type of form that Dyche will be desperate to see at the start of next season.

The Everton boss was full of praise for Calvert-Lewin after defeating Liverpool, saying via BBC Sport: "I thought he was excellent. His physical performance was outstanding. This season has not been too bad on the injury front.

"But it shows it does take time mentally and physically to clear your mind of that and start to play freely again. I said to him after the match, 'That is the sort of performance that gets you back around the England squad'."

With contract talks underway and Calvert-Lewin far closer to his best form, Everton could finally have a solution for their goalscoring problems next season

Sacking Erik ten Hag remains a possible option, and the Manchester United top brass reportedly discussed Thomas Tuchel during a recent meeting.

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• Man Utd bosses hold crunch meeting
• Ten Hag could still be sacked by board
• Tuchel discussed as potential successor

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Even though Erik ten Hag's prospects as Manchester United manager were looking bleak in the summer, he was able to hold onto the position largely thanks to victory in the FA Cup. However, the Red Devils have had a dreadful start to the season, with only two wins in their last nine games in all competitions, and none in their last five. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and other important figures at Old Trafford held a crunch meeting earlier this week and discussed the situation. While no final decision has been made, the Dutchman's departure remains a possibility.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reports earlier this week, prior to this meeting between club chiefs, claimed that Thomas Tuchel had become a leading contender for the United job.

  The Independent now reveal that Tuchel's name was indeed mentioned as a potential candidate to take over in case Ten Hag is sacked. The German coach has been out of a job since leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season. However, sources close to Tuchel claim he has not been contacted recently over the Old Trafford role.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  United held talks with Tuchel over potentially replacing Ten Hag over the summer, but Ratcliffe and co decided to keep hold of the Dutchman heading into the 2024/25 season. Tuchel has since been linked with the England job following Gareth Southgate's departure.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  It still remains likely that Ten Hag will be on the touchline for United's next Premier League clash – the Red Devils face off against a strong Brentford side on October 19.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are hoping to take Wrexham back into Europe, with the club admitting that is an “unashamedly financial measure”.

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• Welsh League Cup discussions
• Europa Conference League opportunity
• Hollywood co-owners excited

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Dragons have not graced continental competition since reaching the second round of the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1995-96, with Welsh sides competing in the English Football League currently prevented from entering Welsh Cup tournaments.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  That situation may be about to change – as the likes of Wrexham, Cardiff, Swansea and Newport are welcomed back into a restructured Welsh League Cup – with a potential route into the Europa Conference League opening up.

• WHAT SHAUN HARVEY SAID

  Said prospect has got many at SToK Racecourse excited, as another new adventure for Hollywood co-owners presents itself, and Wrexham director Shaun Harvey has told of ambitious plans: “We are interested because we have got an obligation to give the club the best chance of success. The club, like the other three clubs, is steeped in European history, albeit going back over a period of time. If those days can return to Wrexham at some stage in the future then it’s another step on a remarkable journey.

  “It’s not creating something new because the club has been there before but it will give the new generation of fans the opportunity to share the same experiences that their predecessors had. Every so often opportunities like this present themselves and we have got an obligation to both ourselves and football in Wales to look at them. With things such as this, you are always conscious that it might not be universally popular and on that basis, it needs to be well thought out.

  “Conversations started probably 18 months ago about the possibility of this. The new owners of Swansea City came to the fore and commissioned research work that categorically proved that if the four Welsh EFL clubs participated in European competitions, then it would be financially beneficial for the whole of football in Wales. There would be financial benefits for whichever club managed to win the Welsh League Cup but only one of the four could win it and it doesn’t mean the Cymru Premier clubs can’t win it either.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Harvey added on the benefits to all concerned, with it not only Wrexham that stand to bolster their coffers: “People ask why would the Cymru Premier clubs and the FAW support it. The answer is that they are satisfied that it would be in the best interests of football as a whole in Wales. Value is measured in many different ways but in this case, the measure is unashamedly financial.

  “The more money that is available to develop and promote the game throughout Wales, the better it has to be for everybody. The FAW would hopefully receive significantly more funding as a result of improved performances to support the development of the women’s game and football below the Cymru Premier.”

Celtic ended their 2023/24 campaign in style last month as they added the SFA Cup to their collection with a 1-0 win at Hampden against their local rivals.

A 90th-minute goal from Adam Idah, who pounced on a weak parry from Jack Butland to slot into the back of the net, secured the trophy for the Hoops.

That came a week after the Bhoys had lifted the Scottish Premiership title at Parkhead, which meant that Brendan Rodgers won two trophies in his first season back in Glasgow.

The Northern Irish manager was brought in to replace Ange Postecoglou, who moved down south to the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur last summer, and enjoyed a respectable start to his second stint with the club.

He will now have another chance to add more quality to his playing squad during the upcoming summer transfer window to bolster his side in the pursuit of more pieces of silverware next season.

Rodgers is reportedly already eyeing up a reunion with one of his former players to strengthen his options in the middle of the park ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Celtic's interest in bargain free agent swoop

According to Football Insider, the Hoops boss is lining up a swoop to sign Scotland international Stuart Armstrong on a free transfer this summer.

The report claims that the Scottish giants are considering a deal to snap up the experienced ace for nothing after his release from Southampton.

Football Insider describes his exit from the English side as a 'surprise' and the Bhoys could now look to take advantage of his shock move away from St. Mary's by sealing a move for him.

The outlet states that the 32-year-old central midfielder is 'very much' on their radar but he is not their first-choice option in the market at this moment in time.

Rodgers is said to be looking for big backing from the board in order to compete in the Champions League next season, and that other, younger, alternatives will be looked at before they decide to sanction a deal for Armstrong.

The report does not, however, reveal whether or not the player himself is keen on a return to Parkhead this summer, as he may have other options to consider in other leagues.

If Celtic do opt to pursue a bargain swoop for the midfielder, though, and reach an agreement with him, Rodgers could land an exciting partner for Matt O'Riley in the middle of the park.

Matt O'Riley's exceptional season in numbers

The Denmark international enjoyed an exceptional 2023/24 campaign as he swept up the Young Player of the Year, Player's Player of the Year, and Player of the Year awards at the club's awards night last month.

He was able to showcase his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals throughout the season to help his side win the Scottish Premiership title once again.

O'Riley had only scored three goals in 38 league games under Postecoglou last term and stepped his game up under Rodgers to fire in an eye-catching 18 goals in 37 Premiership outings.

This suggests that the Northern Irish boss has pushed the Danish whiz, who was signed from MK Dons in January 2022, to get himself into more goalscoring positions from midfield.

As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old magician was also a standout performer for the Hoops when it came to creating chances for his teammates.

He led the team in assists, 'big chances' created, and key passes per game throughout the Premiership campaign, which speaks to how frequently the midfielder split open the opposition's defence to create high-quality opportunities for his fellow forwards.

Overall, these statistics show that O'Riley is an all-round attacking threat who offers immense quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position, which means that he is a match-winner who can cause constant problems for opponents.

Rodgers could now land an exciting partner for him in the middle of the park by swooping to sign Armstrong, who is another midfielder with the ability to make a big impact in the final third.

Why Celtic should sign Stuart Armstrong

Firstly, the Scottish ace is available on a free transfer and this makes him a bargain option for the club as they will not have to pay a fee to any club to snap him up.

Armstrong, who was hailed as "smooth" by manager Russell Martin, could also hit the ground running as it would be his second stint at Parkhead alongside Rodgers, who he worked with for two years before his move to Southampton in 2018.

The attacking midfielder racked up 23 goals in 98 Premiership appearances for the Scottish giants between 2015 and 2018, after his move from Dundee United, and this suggests that he would not need much time to adapt to the division.

His form for Southampton in the Championship this season also suggests that the quality is still there for him to come in as an exciting option in midfield next to O'Riley.

He ranked within the top 9% of midfielders in the division for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.20), the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.33), and the top 2% for progressive passes per 90 (8.46) this term, which speaks to how impressive Armstrong was as a creator in comparison to his positional peers.

As you can see in the table above, this was backed up by his chance creation numbers in the Championship as the experienced ace racked up 11 'big chances' created in 33 matches – one every three games on average.

Meanwhile, no Celtic midfielder aside from O'Riley managed more than six assists or three goals in the Premiership, which indicates that he could improve the team's attacking output.

These statistics show that the 32-year-old ace is very much still in top form and his powers have not waned yet, which is why this could be a great time for the Hoops to snap him up.

Celtic could start the window perfectly with £4m+ swoop for star target

The Hoops are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the shot-stopper this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 10, 2024

They could get an exciting partner for O'Riley in midfield, as they can both cause constant problems with their quality in the final third, without spending a penny on transfer fees, whilst also landing someone who has already worked with Rodgers at Parkhead.

As Nuno Espirito Santo looks to add to his attacking options ahead of next season, Nottingham Forest are reportedly monitoring a future star who outscored Taiwo Awoniyi in the last campaign.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

The Midlands club wasted no time before getting their summer business going, welcoming both Eric da Silva Moreira from St Pauli and Marko Stamenic, who will spend next season on loan at Olympiacos after arriving from Red Star Belgrade. The former will, however, play a part in Nuno's side next season, looking to make an instant impact despite being just 18 years old.

The young winger told the club's official website after putting pen to paper: "I’m really happy to be here. I’ve heard a lot about the Premier League and a lot about many clubs, so I’m very happy to be at Nottingham Forest, especially at a club that has a lot of tradition just like my old club.

“Me and my family are really happy about this new challenge and I can’t wait to get started and get to know the city, the people and everything about the club.”

Nottingham Forest eyeing new striker who's scored 11 goals at City Ground

He’d bring plenty of experience to the Midlands.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 26, 2024

Moreira isn't the only young talent who could arrive though. According to Sky Sports, Nottingham Forest are monitoring Edmund Baidoo ahead of a potential summer move. The 18-year-old winger enjoyed an excellent season with Sogndal in the second tier of Norweigian football, scoring an impressive eight goals in 17 games in all competitions, whilst also assisting a further six.

With 14 goal contributions in 17 games at just 18 years old, Baidoo could quickly become quite the player if Forest decide to make their move in the coming months.

"Exciting" Baidoo can support Awoniyi's firepower

As good as Awoniyi has been since arriving in the Midlands, his injury history remains a problem for Espirito Santo and his side, as they struggle to replace his presence leading the line. And with Chris Wood on course to leave the City Ground following the expiry of his current contract at the end of the month, Baidoo could emerge as the perfect cover for Awoniyi's goals.

Outside of Awoniyi, the Reds boss will currently be searching for options within his Forest squad in need of a player of Baidoo's potential. The teenager is already proving his goalscoring calibre, having netted more than Awoniyi last season, and should only become even better in the Premier League.

Earning plenty of praise during his time in Norway, journalist Lawrence Degraft Baidoo described the winger's characteristics as "exciting" on X:

Young players seem to be the name of the game for Forest and Baidoo certainly fits into that this summer, but it remains to be seen whether those at the City Ground will make their move.