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Celtic have completed some early business in the transfer window this summer, most recently David Turnbull joining from Scottish Premiership rivals Motherwell.

But it’s one player that they appear to be missing out on that could define their activity tenfold.

Mooted target Ivan Toney is edging closer to a move to Championship outfit Brentford after they had a £10m bid accepted by Peterborough United.

Given Wednesday night’s shocking exit from the Champions League, he’s a player that Neil Lennon could have done with in the absence of Odsonne Edouard, who surely isn’t going to be at Parkhead much past this ten-in-a-row season.

Back in July, Posh chairman Barry Fry slammed the Scottish giants for “piddling about” over their offer for the 24-year-old. It’s thought that Celtic only offered a mere £5m for their star man, leading to the following comments:

“They’ve told Peter Lawwell and Nicky Hammond to go and get him, but they won’t get Toney with what they’re piddling about with, that’s for sure. Toney would be a revelation for Celtic, he’d be a star, for definite. He’d score 30 to 40 goals up there, he really would. Not only is he brilliant in the box, scoring and creating with his right foot, left foot and head, at six foot four he’s also our best defender. Celtic will get £40-50m for him.”

Now the Bees have won the race to clinch him barring any last-minute bid of a similar nature and this’ll be something the club lives to regret in due course.

The blame has to fall in the hands of Nick Hammond who has failed to deliver a proper offer and now they can only sit back and watch him thrive elsewhere.

Toney bagged a whopping 26 goals and also provided seven assists for Peterborough last season and has previously been dubbed a “dream” to work with by former boss Steve Evans due to his “phenomenal” work rate and attitude.

You can’t help but feel that the Hoops have missed out on a sensation here, especially one who looked fit to fill the soon-to-be void of Eduoard.

AND in other news, Lennon plotting Championship raid in a bid to replace Ajer…

Glasgow Rangers continued their fantastic early season form with another win on Saturday against Dundee United at Ibrox.

Despite being hit by a number of injuries – Ryan Jack, Alfredo Morelos and Brandon Barker were all forced off the pitch with different issues, whilst Leon Balogun was unable to even start after encountering a problem in the warm-up – the Gers prevailed 4-0 thanks to goals from Kemar Roofe, Ryan Kent, James Tavernier and Scott Arfield.

Whilst he did not get on the scoresheet, this was a big game for Ianis Hagi. The Romania international recently made the permanent switch to the 54-time Scottish champions for £3m, but he had so far failed to set the world alight with just one goal in his first six matches. This weekend, though, he sparked into life.

The two assists he managed will catch the eye, but he proved to be an important part of everything the Gers did going forward. All in all, he made three key passes, had five shots himself, and completed one of the two dribbles he attempted. Playing in an attacking midfield role, he finally started to show why the Gers wanted to sign him.

So far, he has come under criticism from portions of the club’s fanbase, but this performance will hopefully be the start of getting them back on side. It also helped that he was playing in his favourite position rather than out on the right wing, as has been the case at times already this campaign. All in all, Steven Gerrard could not have asked for much more from his number seven.

Let us know what you think below!

Wolves didn’t have much to celebrate on Sunday evening as they were battered by West Ham United at the London Stadium.

The Midlands outfit were in need of a win after losing to Manchester City last week, but a dismal defeat to the Hammers leaves them with just one win from three to start the campaign.

However, despite the all-round poor showing from Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, there was one man who impressed the fanbase, and that was Pedro Neto.

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Indeed, the youngster did seem to be one of the only bright sparks in the Wolves side, consistently troubling the West Ham defence with dynamic runs, and coming close to levelling the game in the first half with a curling left-footed effort from range.

He once again had a good effort at goal late on, lifting one over the bar from 20 yards, but in a game where Wolves offered next to nothing going forward, that was actually a notable moment.

Unfortunately, Neto’s one-man crusade wasn’t enough for Wolves to get anything out of the game, but despite this, supporters wanted to sound their admiration for him on social media.

There were plenty of fans that were quick to make note of Neto’s efforts, with many saying that he was the only player showing any desire.

It’s hard to disagree with this sentiment, the Europa League quarter-finalist’s usual stars all struggled on Sunday, but Neto was at least putting a shift in.

Further details have emerged regarding Leeds United’s failed attempts to sign Levante midfielder Jose Campana.

Prior to the European transfer window ending earlier this month, speculation linking Campana with a move to Elland Road emerged, with Spanish media outlet Eldesmarque, claiming that the Yorkshire side had made a bid for the 27-year-old former Crystal Palace man.

A failed swoop for Bayern Munich’s Michael Cuisance seemed to push Marcelo Bielsa towards a potential move for the Levante midfielder, whilst the Argentine has also shown interest in Norwich City’s Todd Cantwell and Derby County’s Louie Sibley.

After failing to lure Campana to the Premier League, Bielsa faces missing out on bringing a new midfielder to the club as moves for the aforementioned Championship duo came to a halt on domestic deadline day.

Why did a move for Jose Campana fail?

Following on from SuperDeporte’s claims that Leeds were interested but only after a call from the player’s agent to Elland Road officials, the Spanish media outlet have now looked into the failed transfer.

Speaking to Quico Catalan, president of Levante, Superdeporte gained the following quotes on Leeds’ failed move.

“What I call a firm offer did not [arrive]. It has not been the best summer. On one hand I am happy because we have a great asset. On the other hand, I know about Jose’s wish. But I am calm because his commitment is maximum,” Catalán explained.

“A club has been able to test his agent, but beyond that, no. It has been a complicated market even in the existence of offers.

“We have tried to be imaginative and pull financial engineering. There was a moment in August when we talked to the clubs and we were blocked.”

Would Jose Campana have been a good signing for Leeds?

The Spanish midfielder would have been an excellent signing for Leeds. Gaining an impressive seven league assists last term and averaging a whopping 3.8 dribbles per game this season along with 1.8 key passes, via Whoscored, Campana is certainly impressing.

Bielsa is desperate to sign a midfielder and, with Campana performing commendably, including an impressive statistic this season of almost four times’ more chances created (11 to 3) than Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, Bielsa may feel he has missed out on a really good signing.

Do you think Campana would have been a good signing for Leeds? Let us know your views in the comments section below…

Glasgow Rangers ace Steven Davis celebrated in style by crowning his landmark night with a crucial victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in a Euro 2020 qualifying play-off semi-final.

The Rangers stalwart sent Steven Gerrard a timely reminder in a game that went right to the wire. His 120th appearance went all the way to 120 minutes, which ended with an iconic twist when Northern Ireland won their first ever penalty shoot-out.

Rangers recently signed Bongani Zungu from Amiens on a season-long loan, but he could be forced to wait his turn, as Davis has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, at times it looked like he was playing with a point to prove…

Steven Davis’ Rangers role

Gerrard generally only plays three men in midfield, and he is hardly short of options to choose from, although his side have sometimes been accused of looking lethargic in the final third. As previously highlighted by Football FanCast, he wanted an attacking midfielder and had been previously linked with Huddersfield’s Juninho Bacuna and Preston North End’s Daniel Johnson, before settling for Zungu instead.

Davis, Glen Kamara and Scott Arfield have started two out of the past three league games together whilst Ryan Jack worked on his return from fitness and Joe Aribo remains absent due to injury. However, although the 120-cap Northern Ireland international’s work ethic is second to none, he arguably isn’t in his absolute prime any more.

But the Gers may have stumbled across the second coming of the seasoned veteran. Per SofaScore, the 35-year-old took 59 touches of the ball against Bosnia, whilst he won 75% of his aerial duels and made 34 passes at a pass accuracy rating of 79%. He also completed two clearances, two interceptions and made two tackles. And a look at his heatmap reveals he put in an immense shift around the outside of the centre circle as a critical component of the midfield.

Speaking to Sky Sports, his former Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino insisted you can put him in the same bracket as Barcelona greats Xavi and Andreas Iniesta as he shares “the intelligence to read the game.” Against Bosnia, Davis showed he is still an important part of the supply chain, with the ability to dictate play and control possession, which is something he does so well for his club. Write him off at your peril.

If Rangers are to regain the title, Gerrard is going to need all of the help he can possibly get. With Zungu arguably bringing more creativity to the engine room, the former captain could be a useful asset in the months ahead. And he didn’t cost a single penny – what a bargain!

AND in other news, Rangers boss Steven Gerrard should start Jermain Defoe instead of Alfredo Morelos…

Glasgow Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has some big decisions to make with no fewer than seven players out of contract at the end of the campaign.

One of which is former Birmingham City striker Greg Stewart, who was arguably never going to be the first name on the team sheet, but the 30-year-old has been somewhat of a surprise package at the club he has supported since he was a boy.

After arriving at Ibrox from Birmingham in 2019 as a free agent, Stewart signed a two-year-deal with Rangers, with wages which are reportedly worth £6,200-per-week.

Last term, the Scottish centre-forward played 16 games in the Scottish Premiership, with the majority of his appearances coming from the bench, whilst he scored three goals and supplied three assists, via Transfermarkt.

Stewart has dropped down to the bottom of the pecking order after the arrivals of Ianis Hagi, Cedric Itten and Kemar Roofe in the summer transfer window, as he has been restricted to only three appearances this season so far.

It’s worth remembering that he provided an assist in the 5-0 win over Lincoln Red Imps in the Europa League qualifying round last month.

Since then, Stewart has hardly featured at all, whilst he was axed from the Scottish Premiership squad altogether for three out of the Gers’ past four games.

Quite why former director of football Mark Allen decided to give him a deal we will probably never understand, as Jermain Defoe hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down anytime soon.

In fact, it’s fair to say that Stewart hasn’t really impressed at this level since he left the Blues, whilst some eyebrows were raised when he joined the Ibrox outfit in the first place. And Kris Commons has recently described him as an “outcast” which is a pretty accurate assessment.

The veteran actually ranks as the second-worst amongst the rest of the Rangers squad, as he has received a rating of 6.13 – to put that into context, only George Edmundson has averaged a lower rating, via WhoScored.

Let’s face it, Steven Gerrard is hardly short of options, especially when you consider the fact that Roofe has recently recovered from injury as well. If the Light Blues want to keep him for the rest of the season, fair enough. But it would be an inexcusable error from Ross Wilson if he gives him a new deal. Get him gone, Gers.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers ace Joe Aribo could soon overshadow Ryan Kent at Ibrox…

According to FCInterNews, Daniel Levy does not want Christian Eriksen back at Tottenham under any circumstances.

Eriksen not wanted

The £45m-valued Denmark international (Transfermarkt), of course, made the move to Internazionale in January, bringing an end to a six-and-a-half-year spell in North London.

Despite being called “decisive” by Stefan de Vrij, things have not gone well for the midfielder in Italy – he has just four goals in 33 games and has played just 302 minutes so far this campaign. There have been suggestions he could depart, but it seems that Levy does not want to re-sign him. Apparently, Eriksen wanted to run down his contract at Tottenham and leave on a free transfer – something that did not go down well at all.

No need for Mourinho

Eriksen may have been a marvellous player during his time with Spurs – he scored 69 times and provided 89 assists in 305 games for the Lilywhites – but Tottenham have moved on from him now. As it stands, Jose Mourinho’s side lies second in the Premier League table, just one point behind league leaders Leicester.

Only Chelsea have scored more than Spurs’ 19 goals this term in the league – they are hardly calling out for any attacking improvements. Eriksen may be one of the best Tottenham players of the century, but there would be no use in taking him back.

In other news, Tottenham are interested in this two-time Champions League winner.

Marcel Brands faces a fraught challenge to sign Carlo Ancelotti’s “very talented” transfer target, SSC Napoli’s highly sought-after Fabian Ruiz.

What’s the word?

According to reports in Spain, Ancelotti intends to rediscover Everton’s early season form with a January raid on Napoli in hopes of reuniting with another of his former players in Fabian, after witnessing the successful adaptations of Allan and James Rodriguez to the Premier League.

Ancelotti was awash with praise for Fabian during his time at the San Paolo Stadium and has even contacted the Spaniard to discuss a potential move to Goodison Park, which the 24-year-old is not thought to have been opposed to.

Fabian is considered an untouchable aspect of Gennaro Gattuso’s plans in Naples yet remains a winter target for Everton after rejecting offers to renew his contract, as the 8-cap international considers exploring a new challenge just two-and-a-half-years on from leaving Real Betis.

Everton could face a strong line of competition, however, as La Liga giants FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid all hold a strong interest in Fabian, who the Express claimed was also an option for Liverpool, Manchester United and Bayern Munich this summer but they all faced a staggering £74million asking price.

Jurgen Klopp had been keen to pip the growing swarm of interested parties before ultimately signing Thiago Alcantara, with Fabian’s Napoli future becoming increasingly uncertain after his agent Alvaro Torres confirmed the Betis product was reluctant to discuss a new contract after a muddled campaign which saw Gattuso replace Ancelotti at the helm.

Fabian enjoyed the best days of his career so far under Ancelotti, scoring eight goals and penning five assists in 59 appearances across all competitions. He has since netted three and assisted five in 36 games under Gattuso, who has relied on the 6 ft 2 maestro to start all six possible Serie A fixtures thus far this term.

Brands’ fraught challenge

The level of interest in Fabian’s services and Napoli’s expected asking price would make any move by Everton this January a fraught challenge for their Director of Football Brands to overcome, especially as his Italian outfit have no urgent need to sell.

Fabian is under contract at the San Paolo through to the summer of 2023 and Napoli will be well-aware that the clutch of clubs keen on his services will ensure their valuation remains high far into his current terms.

But in a boost for Everton, reports in Spain claim that the Toffees are the most likely destination for the 24-year-old, as the Merseyside outfit can improve his current salary and present an ambitious sporting project as they strive to secure European football.

Ancelotti’s past relationship with the central midfielder can also play a key role in advancing the Blues’ standing, with the Italian a keen admirer having noted in 2019 via Napoli’s official website: “Fabian can play various roles and must certainly grow in many aspects. He is young and very talented.

“He must have fewer breaks and must gradually be inserted into the heart of the team. Compared to Marek [Hamsik], he has a different vision of the game but certainly greater penetration.”

Fabian responded to Ancelotti’s comments by recording his most creative Serie A campaign last season with six assists in 33 games and he is currently averaging 1.5 key balls and 1.5 shots per match this term as he registers 86.2 touches, 67.2 accurate passes, 4.5 duels won and 0.8 successful dribbles (83%), per SofaScore.

With Ancelotti keen and Fabian seemingly open to a move to Goodison Park, it only remains to be seen if Brands can unearth the funds needed to complete a raid on Napoli this winter.

AND in other news, Carlo Ancelotti is urging Everton to sign a “magnificent player” this winter.

Ruben Neves has established himself as a top Premier League player in his two seasons in the top-flight with Wolves, so it is no surprise to see the Portuguese midfielder being linked with a move to Liverpool.

Ahead of the fixture between the two this weekend, the Daily Star have suggested that the Reds could take advantage of the relationship between Neves and Liverpool coaches Pep Lijnders and Vitor Matos in the future, with both having worked with the midfielder during his time at Porto.

Since joining the Old Gold in 2017, the former Porto man has gone on to make 147 appearances for the club, contributing 15 goals and eight assists.

A lot of the Portuguese international’s goals have been absolute screamers too, with his superb goal against Derby County in 2018 perhaps the pick of the bunch, as he picked the ball up about 35 yards from goal before taking a touch and volleying it into the top corner in an effort that certainly had shades of some of the incredible goals Steven Gerrard scored for the Reds during his time at the club.

Neves’ performances in the last couple of seasons have been very solid, and he has helped establish Nuno Espirito Santo’s side as real contenders to finish in the European spots.

He also earned the praise of former Reds midfielder Jamie Redknapp earlier this year, after he helped Wolves to a 3-0 win against Everton, with the pundit saying:

“It’s a magnificent pass, he’s a terrific player. I’m such a fan of Neves and the way he can just control the midfield.

“He can defend he can attack, he’s so talented. He can do it at Wolves but I think he’s going right to the top of the game, it’s effortless for him.” (per Daily Mail)

The Portuguese midfielder will also have a close relationship with Diogo Jota due to the performances they produced together at Wolves, so perhaps if Neves followed the winger to Liverpool, the two could work together to a similarly impressive level at Anfield.

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The midfielder cost Wolves £16m back in 2018 and given he is still only 23-years-old, you imagine that Jurgen Klopp could help him develop into a truly world-class midfielder should he join the Merseyside club in the near future.

And, in other news… Liverpool must sign 6 foot 4 beast with “huge potential”; he can be Klopp’s new Hummels

Leeds United’s next test will see them travel to Merseyside to take on Everton in what could be a cagey Premier League affair. Only five points currently separate the two sides so neither can afford to slip up in their respective journeys.

The Whites will take to Goodison Park off the back of a hard-fought draw against Arsenal last time out. Despite the lack of goals, Leeds did well to keep Mikel Arteta’s attack muted, but they must vie for a win against the Toffees this evening.

Football FanCast has predicted how Marcelo Bielsa will line up. Whilst this doesn’t include the involvement of Rodrigo from the start, he could make an appearance in the second half. If he does, he must put in a huge performance in order to get his debut Leeds season up and running.

Rodrigo has a point to prove vs Everton

The summer signing has made just three Premier League starts under Bielsa and was unable to leave his mark on any of the matches. So far, he has contributed just the one goal, which came during United’s shock draw against Man City last month (via Transfermarkt).

Whilst his equaliser was mammoth, he cannot expect to ride on this achievement for the whole season. The Whites splashed a club record £26million on Rodrigo during the summer and they will be hoping he can replicate his seven goal, 11 assist final season with Valencia.

But after being out of action for two matches, the Spaniard could be a little rusty. The versatile forward will likely make a cameo appearance, but all eyes will be on him once he does.

Phil Hay shared his thoughts on Rodrigo’s substitute appearance against Arsenal and said that “he looks a class act” for Leeds so far. Indeed, whilst the £57,000 per week attacker is showcasing some flashes of brilliance, he must lace up his shooting boots if he is to justify the hefty fee Victor Orta spent on him this summer.

In other news, Orta must be ready with January signing as Pablo Hernandez fate looks clear…