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Celtic simply must seal the permanent signing of centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers this summer, according to journalist Stephen McGowan.

The Lowdown: Carter-Vickers superb on Sunday

The Hoops picked up arguably their biggest win of the season so far on Sunday afternoon, clinching a 2-1 victory away to their bitter Glasgow arch-rivals.

It was Carter-Vickers who scored the winning goal at Ibrox and his all-round performance was sensational as he ensured that Celtic held on for victory during a tense second half.

As per Sofascore, the 24-year-old made a hugely impressive eight clearances during the game, also winning eight out of 10 duels and making three interceptions as he posted a man-of-the-match rating of 7.7.

The Latest: McGowan urges Celtic to stump up for Carter-Vickers

Taking to Twitter after the match, McGowan urged Celtic to make Carter-Vickers’ loan move permanent in the summer following the American’s tremendous display against Rangers.

The Scottish Daily Mail’s Chief Football Writer gushed: “Irrespective of whether Celtic get that Champions League money they should pay whatever it takes for Cameron Carter-Vickers.”

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The Verdict: No-brainer for Hoops

It makes complete sense for Ange Postecoglou to bring in Carter-Vickers permanently, with the 24-year-old’s performances for Celtic catching the eye throughout the season.

He has made 27 Premiership starts and won 4.3 aerial duels per game, and there are real signs that he is forging a dominant partnership with Carl Starfelt at the back. As per WhoScored, they both rank in the top five players this season currently in Postecoglou’s squad.

Also, at 24, he is at an ideal age in terms of his peak years most likely still being ahead of him.

The eight-cap USA international’s current deal at Tottenham expires in 2023 and they may be keen to receive a fee for him while they still can this summer. That could play into Celtic’s hands if there is both a willing seller and an enthusiastic buyer.

In other news, three Celtic players shone most in the win over Rangers. Find out who they are here.

Adam Jones was left slamming the performance of Ben Godfrey as Everton lost 3-2 away from home to Burnley in the Premier League on Wednesday night.

The Lowdown: Damaging defeat

It really was yet another damaging loss for Frank Lampard and his team at the foot of the table, as the win for the Clarets closed the gap between the two sides to just one point.

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The Goodison Park faithful were actually in the lead at half-time through two Richarlison penalties after Nathan Collins had opened the scoring for the hosts from a corner, but Jay Rodriguez and Maxwel Cornet ensured that they had to suffer another miserable defeat.

Worryingly, Sean Dyche even admitted after the match that he told his players the Everton squad ‘don’t know how to win’.

The Latest: Godfrey slammed

Writing in his player ratings piece for The Liverpool Echo, Jones slammed Godfrey’s display in particular, citing the ‘awful’ mistake that he made in the lead up to the decisive goal of the game, while he ‘didn’t cover himself in glory’ with his positioning for the hosts’ second goal either.

Jones gave him just a 4/10 overall rating, the joint-worst in the squad along with Jonjoe Kenny.

The Verdict: Must do better

Godfrey will know that he made a mistake for the third goal, and overall he must do better defensively if the Toffees are to avoid the dreaded drop.

The central defender lost out on two of his duels, and only managed to make one interception in the entire match, while his passing was not up to scratch, recording just 54% accuracy, one of the lowest in the squad (SofaScore).

He was also inaccurate with all seven of his long ball attempts, and lost possession 12 times from just 36 touches (SofaScore).

Nonetheless, Lampard must seriously consider whether to start him again as Manchester United come calling at Saturday lunchtime, but with Michael Keane now available after suspension.

In other news, find out which ‘brilliant’ leader the Blues are now eyeing here!

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Salomon Rondon was on the scoresheet as Newcastle United recorded a 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

The goal was Rondon’s seventh in the league this season and there is no question that he has been a success since arriving on loan from West Bromwich Albion.

The Magpies will be keen to sign the 29-year-old on a permanent deal at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.

However, they will surely not be the only ones, with Rondon proving this season – and indeed last – that he is capable of operating at this level of football.

Rondon took to social media in the aftermath of the Huddersfield result, which led to a number of Newcastle fans lavishing praise on the forward.

Indeed, many urged the South American to join the club on a permanent deal at the end of the campaign, whilst others simply hailed the summer arrival.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Brenden Aaronson is keen on a move to Leeds United this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to The Athletic’s ever-reliable reporter Phil Hay, who delivered a fresh update on the situation of the RB Salzburg midfield in a recent Q&A with supporters.

And they’ll be delighted with what he said:

“The intention is, or certainly was, to bid again for Aaronson. He’s interested in the move, he’s played under Jesse Marsch before and Salzburg are likely to be more open to bids in the summer than they were in January.”

Indeed, the Yorkshire giants failed with two bids during the winter, the latter being in excess of £20m. Meanwhile, Transfermarkt value the USMNT international in the region of £18m.

Sign him up!

When the transfer window does reopen, it’s time for director of football Victor Orta and co to push ahead with signing the 21-year-old maestro at long last.

Leeds have failed to sign a new man for the engine room for nearly four-and-a-half years now, with the last arrival being Adam Forshaw from Middlesbrough in 2018.

It’s no wonder the side have been embroiled in a relegation battle in just their second season back in the big time as they clearly haven’t strengthened enough to remain competitive.

And when you risk losing someone like Raphinha in the summer, new manager Jesse Marsch is going to need plenty of new additions to bolster the playing squad and he should look no further than a player he once managed over in Austria.

The 18-cap dynamo is a hugely talented attacking midfielder with bags of potential and could be worth every penny. He has delivered five goals and ten assists across 35 appearances this season, even delivering in the Champions League, where he ranks amongst the very best indeed.

Across the last year, Aaronson ranks amongst the top 1% of similar midfielders and attackers for pressures in the final third (10.46 per 90) and tackles in the final third (0.5 per 90), as per FBRef.

He also created a whopping five key chances against Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, becoming the youngest-ever player to do so since Lionel Messi against Celtic in 2008.

It’s no wonder his manager, Matthias Jaissle, waxed lyrical about his work rate only last month.

“The special thing is, I hardly know any other No. 10 who works so much without the ball,” he said. “He always puts himself behind [on defence], he is a great team player, very hardworking and has a monster mentality.”

Meanwhile, former USA international DeMarcus Beasley described his talents as “silky” and elsewhere, he’s been compared to Clint Dempsey, who was quite the hit in the Premier League for Fulham and Spurs.

On the above evidence, the young American would be quite the signing for Marsch and this new era in west Yorkshire, one that could really get Elland Road rocking,

Supporters will be absolutely delighted to have a player like Aaronson, capable of pressing from the front and playing for the badge each and every week. Orta and co must snap him up as their first signing this summer.

AND in other news, Marsch could finally axe shocking Bielsa favourite in summer swoop for “exceptional” 21 y/o gem…

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has set his sights on a big name heir to club legend Fernandinho as news emerges on Real Madrid star Toni Kroos.

The Lowdown: Fernandinho set to leave Eastlands…

The Brazilian, speaking to media earlier this week, shocked both City supporters and Guardiola by openly confirming he will not be extending his stay at Eastlands for a third time.

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Fernandinho, a long-serving and crucial member of the Sky Blues’ squad over this past decade, put pen to paper on one-year contract extensions in both the 2019/2020 season and 2020/2021 campaign.

However, this time round, the 36-year-old will leave Manchester as he plans a return to Brazil for regular playing time – coming after discussions with his family.

The last of the old guard, this comes as some sad news for Citizens, with sporting director Txiki Begiristain and Guardiola allegedly drawing up a list of possible replacements.

The Latest: Kroos on the agenda?

As per Spanish sources, one of the big names who could now replace Fernandinho is Real midfield superstar Kroos.

The Germany legend is entering the final year of his deal at the Bernabeu with the report suggesting he is open to leaving this summer.

Guardiola, as a result, is allegedly ‘willing to convince him to play in England’ as City add him to their transfer target list.

The Verdict: Ideal heir?

No player can truly replace Fernandinho with the South American fan favourite proving to be a key player behind-the-scenes as well as on the field since signing from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013.

Kroos certainly emerges as a shock contender given his age (32) and it is arguable that CFG would prefer to target younger additions with longer shelf lives – like West Ham star Declan Rice or AS Monaco starlet Aurelien Tchouameni for example.

That being said, both men would require major transfer fees, which may be a conundrum for Sky Blues chiefs given City’s top priority chase for Borussia Dortmund star Erling Braut Haaland.

Kroos would arguably be the cheaper option given his contract situation at Real and there is no denying he would add real class – with former Galacticos boss Zinedine Zidane branding the midfielder ‘spectacular’.

As this news emerges, it will be very interesting to see if Guardiola does personally convince the £307,000-per-week star to move to Eastlands.

In other news: Man City have made an offer for ‘unplayable’ star once valued at £125m, find out more here.

Arsenal have been handed a late boost in their bid to sign Yves Bissouma this January transfer window…

What’s the word?

The Gunners were linked with a move for the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder earlier this month by The Sunday Mirror (09/01, p71), whilst they have seemingly held a long-term interest in signing him.

Now, according to The Times, the Seagulls are prepared to let him go before Monday night’s deadline for a fee of £50m.

Arsenal have missed out on some key midfield targets this window, including Arthur Melo, whose potential loan move from Juventus fell through, and Bruno Guimaraes, who is set to join top-flight rivals Newcastle United.

Arteta needs him

A new central midfielder must be among the many priorities around the Emirates Stadium but time is quickly running out, which is why a move for a player already based in the Premier League makes the world of sense.

Brighton have made their willingness to conduct business very clear, so the door has opened for Edu Gaspar and his recruitment staff to strike. It would be unforgivable not to.

The Gunners have offloaded as many as five players this month already, all without making a single signing, leaving Arteta light on options in the engine room.

It doesn’t help that Thomas Partey and Mo Elneny have been away on international duty but even with them around, there’s a serious lack of depth in midfield.

Bissouma has already proven his credentials in England and would be a fine addition indeed.

As per WhoScored, he’s averaging a whopping 3.6 tackles per game, which sees him top the entire division in this regard, whilst also managing 1.9 interceptions and 1.7 dribbles per outing, too.

He’s evidently an absolute beast in the heart of the pitch, one capable of not only winning the ball back but also driving it forward into the final third. Perhaps exactly what Arsenal are missing.

Former Aston Villa star Lee Hendrie once said: “I did a chat with myself and Paul Merson on Soccer Saturday a few weeks ago talking about Bissouma, and we highlighted what he actually does. I mean, his stats are absolutely phenomenal, the way he breaks the game up, his forward play.”

By comparison, the erroneous Granit Xhaka – who plays a similar role in north London – averages a lower 1.7 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 0.4 dribbles per match, via WhoScored.

Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the 25-year-old Mali international has been described as a “wonderful talent” and likened to Yaya Toure in terms of playing style.

Arteta could really do with Bissouma before tomorrow night’s deadline, so it will certainly be an interesting final 24 hours or so.

AND in other news, “I’m told..”: Reliable journo drops huge transfer claim as Arsenal make Prem star their no.1 target…

Rangers were dealt a big blow earlier this month when the news dropped that striker Alfredo Morelos will miss the rest of the season through injury.

In the Colombian’s absence, Giovanni van Bronckhorst has had to rely on Kemar Roofe to fill in and lead the line for his side.

Even though the Gers have some important games left to play before the season draws to an end and the summer transfer window opens, it seems as though the club are in the mix to sign one player that could potentially bring an end to Roofe’s time at Ibrox.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Football League World, Rangers are interested in signing Stoke City striker Jacob Brown.

Since joining the Championship club back in September 2020 from Barnsley, the Scotsman has gone on to make 95 appearances for the Potters across all competitions.

Bad news for Roofe

This season has seen the 24-year-old Brown really make a name for himself as a dangerous goalscorer.

In 42 league appearances, the striker has found the back of the net 12 times and provided four assists along the way.

Labelled as a “versatile” player by Michael O’Neill and as a “bright talent” by journalist Alan Biggs, Brown has racked up more shots at goal (80) than any other Stoke player.

Also, no other forward has been able to match the same number of tackles (24) or interceptions (16) that Brown has, showing how he can defend from the front.

This shows just how much of an all-around useful player he is on the pitch for his side, who would surely be gutted to see him leave.

Even though Roofe has only played half the number of SPFL games that the £2.7m-rated Stoke striker has this season in the Championship, it seems rather difficult to get him to do much defensive work.

With 21 league games played, the Jamaican has only made two tackles and four interceptions for the Gers.

Taking this into account and the age difference between Brown and the 29-year-old Rangers figure, Stoke’s sharp-shooter could be an ideal long-term upgrade on Roofe at Ibrox.

Moving forward, if the opportunity to sign the 24-year-old arises during the summer, Van Bronckhorst’s side should be doing everything they can to bring the centre-forward to his home country and give him the chance to win titles with the Gers.

In other news: GvB can unearth Rangers’ next Aribo in rarely-seen 18 y/o who’s “unlike anyone else”

A major update has emerged on Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos regarding his lack of involvement in his country’s World Cup qualifier.

What’s the latest?

Colombian journalist Pipe Sierra has revealed that the striker suffered a setback with a muscle injury and stated that the 25-year-old would miss his nation’s clash with Bolivia.

The Gers hitman was absent from the squad as Colombia won 3-0 in their crunch encounter, and it remains to be seen how long the attacker will be sidelined.

Sierra tweeted: “Alfredo Morelos will not be taken into account today in the Colombia National Team by Reinaldo Rueda to face Bolivia. The Rangers striker has muscle overload.”

Devastation

This news will come as a huge setback for Gio van Bronckhorst ahead of the Old Firm match in the Premiership next week. The head coach will be devastated, as losing Morelos would be a major blow to his team heading into what could be their biggest game of the season.

Rangers are currently three points behind Celtic in the table, so a win would send them level on points with their rivals heading into the final weeks of the campaign. On the other side of the coin, though, a win for the Hoops would extend the gap to six points and put the Gers’ title hopes in major doubt.

This is why it is crucial that the Light Blues have as many of their top players available for the match against Ange Postecoglou’s side as possible. Morelos’ absence would be devastating for the club and Van Bronckhorst, as the last meeting between the two teams proved.

Kemar Roofe started in the Colombian’s place as he missed the 3-0 defeat in early February. As per SofaScore, the former Leeds man lost seven of his 10 individual duels (70%) and failed to create a single chance or take a shot in his 90 minutes on the pitch at Parkhead.

Van Bronckhorst will therefore be devastated if he is forced to call upon the Englishman again. Morelos has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 25 league outings whilst averaging a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.32 – showing that he has the quality to be a difference-maker at this level and outlining why this injury is a major blow to the Glasgow giants.

Rangers will now be sweating over the 25-year-old’s availability and wondering whether or not he will be fully fit to face the Hoops at Ibrox next weekend.

AND in other news, Forget Morelos: “Beautiful” gem who’s “unplayable” could fire Rangers to the title…

Leeds United have received a timely injury boost ahead of their return to Premier League action next week…

What’s the latest?

As revealed by The Athletic’s Phil Hay in his latest column, Adam Forshaw has seemingly returned to first-team training, where he took part in Marcelo Bielsa’s intense preparations, including the infamous ‘murderball’.

‘The last Sunday of the transfer window was a typical day at Leeds United: a late-morning session of murderball featuring the usual suspects. Adam Forshaw took part, testing his injured hamstring, but a search for new faces out on the grass drew a blank,’ he wrote.

The 30-year-0ld midfielder picked up a problem just 22 minutes into their 3-2 win over West Ham United in the top-flight before the break. Soon after providing the assist for Jack Harrison’s opener – his first of three goals that day – the long-serving star had to be withdrawn, adding to Bielsa’s injury woes.

Huge boost

When the word injury is bounded about alongside Forshaw’s name, there is certainly worry as the former Boro man has endured his fair share of nightmarish issues over the years at Elland Road.

But since his return to the side, he has been a real bright spark, even more so in the absence of fellow midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who is currently recovering from hamstring surgery and isn’t likely to be back for another month yet.

His amazing comeback has been nothing short of remarkable and that sort of progress has been highlighted by Bielsa this year.

“It is very difficult for me to refer myself to Forshaw, in this moment where he’s given such a valuable response, because I didn’t think Forshaw was going to be the player he was once before,” he told the official website. He later added:

“The club will make a very convenient decision if they extended Forshaw because every week he’s showing he’s a player of a very good level.”

Indeed, the veteran has since been rewarded with a new contract extension. He ranks joint-second amongst the squad for tackles (2.3 per game) and is one of their more accomplished passers, averaging a pass accuracy of 83%, which is actually slightly better than Phillips, via WhoScored.

According to The Athletic, Bielsa has claimed that Forshaw has the ‘right attributes’ for a Champions League side behind the scenes – a rather glowing endorsement of just how influential the midfielder is.

Therefore, the Argentine will be absolutely buzzing to have him available heading into their clash with Aston Villa in a week’s time.

AND in other news, Bielsa could now solve Leeds’ midfield woes with rarely-seen “gifted” 19 y/o prodigy…

Wolverhampton Wanderers may allow prized possession Ruben Neves to leave by means of a swap deal this summer.

What’s the word?

That is according to the latest reports from BirminghamMail (via the Mirror), who state that a mega swap deal could be on the cards, after Manchester United’s bitterly disappointing loss at Anfield on Tuesday night.

Erik ten Hag’s now confirmed arrival could see a mass overhaul at the Old Trafford side, with a potential swap deal rumoured to be offered to Bruno Lage.

Potential players who could be involved in a part-exchange include the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Alex Telles, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.

Lage should boldly axe Neves

From a Wolves perspective, whether any of the aforementioned players would be of use to Lage’s side is up for debate.

Though, the likes of Wan-Bissaka, Telles, Martial, Lingard and Rashford could improve the Old Gold side, with the latter options providing a potential upgrade in attack.

The deal would be of mutual benefit, with the listed players able to enjoy a fresh start in different surroundings, whilst the Old Gold could profit by getting them back to their best.

Neves is evidently a vital player to the club’s cause, featuring on 31 occasions this term and registering six goal involvements in the Premier League.

With that in mind, he’d be hard to replace but with a swap deal on the cards, it could give the Wolves boss a licence to boldly axe his prized possession from their ranks.

A swap-deal including a couple of these picks would certainly be much more lucrative for Lage, with their fees being considerably higher than the £36m-rated Ruben Neves, described as a “magician” by The Athletic’s Tim Spiers.

Axing the star in the summer could well work out for Lage, who has admitted the Portugal star could leave.

In other news: Lage can find Wolves’ very own Foden in 19 y/o who plays like he’s “in the playground”…