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Celtic are believed to be closing in on a deal for Yokohama F. Marinos manager Ange Postecoglou, according to reliable reporter John Percy.

The Lowdown: Howe deal collapses

The Hoops had been linked with a move for Eddie Howe to take over from Neil Lennon for a number of weeks, but that proposed deal collapsed on Friday afternoon.

Stephen McGowan was the first to break the news of a deal falling through after a breakdown in talks, with the Daily Mail reporter adding that the club were in ‘advanced talks’ with another candidate.

It seems as if that man is Postecoglou, with the 55-year-old close to swapping Japan for Scotland.

The Latest: Percy’s late-night claim

Percy shared the news late on Friday evening on social media, saying:

“Celtic in advanced talks with Ange Postecoglou and are tonight close to appointing him as manager. Postecoglou, 55, has been working in Japan with Yokohama F. Marinos”

Postecoglou has held roles in Japan, Greece and his native Australia, taking charge of 349 games as a manager. He led the Socceroos at the 2014 World Cup and won the Asian Cup with his homeland the following year.

He has averaged just over three years in each role and prefers a 4-3-3 system, according to Transfermarkt.

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The Verdict: Harkin already making moves?

In our opinion, we think Fergal Harkin may have had a major say on a proposed move for Postecoglou. The Irishman is thought to be edging closer to a move to Celtic Park, with the ‘massive’ Hoops fan set to land the newly-created Director of Football (DoF) role.

Currently Manchester City’s football partnerships manager, he may know all about Postecoglou already, as Yokohama are part of the City Football Group.

On that basis, we feel that Harkin, who looks set for a move to Celtic, may have pushed for a move for the Australian following the huge twist in their pursuit of Howe. If that is the case, it seems as if the impending DoF is already making moves at Parkhead.

In other news: Hoops still hold an interest in Scottish Premiership ace, find out who it is here. 

With the summer transfer window moving ever closer for Celtic, attacking midfielder Tom Rogic was probably gearing up for a departure from Parkhead.

The Australian has been phased out of the Hoops team in the later parts of the campaign which after missing out on a move last year, will have been disappointing.

However, this summer represents another opportunity for the Bhoys midfielder to earn a switch elsewhere.

Rogic has attracted the interest of clubs in Asia and before Neil Lennon resigned, he’d have probably grasped that avenue with both hands.

Though, the entire landscape of Celtic is about to change. After failing to nail down Eddie Howe, the Hoops have turned their attentions towards Ange Postecoglou.

The 55-year-old is currently in charge of Yokohama Marinos in Japan so would be a rather left-field choice in the manager market.

That said, it’s difficult to discount him when you consider the style of play he prefers. His Marinos team play with a relentless press, hounding the opposition defence at every opportunity.

This appointment could be game-changing for Rogic, though. Initially thought to be on his merry way, the chance to work with a coach he fared so well under with Australia should be appealing.

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Postecoglou took charge of the Socceroos from 2013-2017, guiding them through the 2014 World Cup.

Rogic ended up earning 26 caps under the Celtic-linked boss, netting six goals in that time frame. One of those strikes came in an impressive outing against Germany where Australia tasted a 3-2 defeat.

The 28-year-old has very rarely set the world alight in the last few years but it’s important to keep in mind that he is incredibly gifted.

Lennon hardly allowed him to express himself and then John Kennedy denied him an opportunity to play too.

The Australia international started just one game in the final three months of the season and endured a torrid time on the bench.

However, under a coach who knows his game well from international level, he could finally be given greater freedom at Parkhead.

Speaking about Rogic earlier this year, David Turnbull could only find praise for him. “When I was up against Tom Rogic with Motherwell, I always felt it was impossible to get the ball off him,” he began.

“He’s just so strong, he can hold the ball up and hold you off as well. There’s so many good touches, it’s just hard to get the ball off him. He’s right up there with the best I’ve played with or against. You see his technical ability when he plays,” the Scot added.

Celtic supporters may not be too enthralled with the idea of Rogic earning more game time but with a glowing appraisal from Turnbull and a manager he trusts, a spark could be reignited in his career.

The £16k-per-week earner’s best form at Celtic came under Brendan Rodgers, where he scored 24 goals and produced 20 assists in 104 outings. If he can replicate those sorts of numbers alongside the effervescent Turnbull, it will surely be a recipe for success.

Coincidentally, the Aussie compared Postecoglou to the current Leicester boss back in 2016: “It’s almost a bit of a similar feel as I see the managers being a little bit similar in ways — both quite positive and both quite intense to work under,” he explained.

Rogic’s future is out of his hands at the moment but under the Yokohama Marinos boss, he could begin to thrive again. The new manager must give Rogic a chance.

AND in other news, Celtic buy McCann in £13m spending spree, Edouard axed: How Postecoglou’s XI may look…

Roy Hodgson turned down the chance to potentially become the new West Bromwich Albion manager this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that a West Brom source has revealed to them that the 73-year-old rejected the advances of the Baggies hierarchy regarding a potential return to The Hawthorns.

Seemingly as a result of Hodgson’s decision, West Brom have reportedly now turned their attention to the former Huddersfield Town manager David Wagner, who looks set to become Sam Allardyce’s successor at the Championship club.

Blessing in disguise

While it is undeniable that Hodgson has enjoyed a highly successful career in football management, the fact the veteran gaffer turned down a move to the Baggies could be something of a blessing in disguise for the club.

Indeed, over his 45-year managerial career, the 73-year-old has managed some massive football teams, including the likes of Inter Milan, Liverpool, Switzerland and England, as well as winning the Sweedish Championship with both Halmstads BK and Malmo FF, in addition to lifting the Danish Championship with FC Copenhagen.

However, in his most recent job at Crystal Palace, Hodgson often found his style of play criticised, with there being a feeling amongst Palace fans that his football was boring at times, while others felt that he had failed to roll with the times at Selhurst Park, and this has side were merely treading water in the league rather than making any real progress.

As such, with West Brom having the opportunity this summer to build a youthful and exciting side that is not only capable of promotion back to the Premier League but also has the ability to stay there, the argument could easily be made that a manager with these particular criticisms may not be the best candidate for the job.

So, while Hodgson could well have been a decent short term appointment for the Baggies, the fact he turned down the job could well be something of a blessing in disguise for the long term future of West Brom.

In other news: West Brom given huge transfer boost over “magnificent” 28 y/o gem that’ll delight fans

Ralph Hasenhuttl is heading for a potential disaster as Southampton eye up a move for Benfica left-back Nuno Tavares this summer.

What’s the talk?

According to Portuguese outlet O’Jogo, as transcribed by Sport Witness, Southampton have held talks with Benfica over a possible deal for Tavares. The report claims Southampton have been in contact with Benfica in an attempt to find out more about the player’s situation at the club, as they weigh up a potential bid for the 21-year-old.

Serie A side Napoli are also said to be keen on the full-back, who is on course to leave Benfica after being reprimanded by the club for speaking out on social media regarding his minutes on the pitch. Tavares complained about a lack of game time and was sanctioned by Benfica, with the Portuguese giants now potentially looking to cash in on him.

Tavares’ agent, Cesar Boaventura, claimed earlier this year that the “fast” defender could be one of the best players in Europe in the future. He told Radio Marte, as transcribed by TalkSport:

“He’s a fast player, one of the fastest players in the whole Portuguese league.

“He’s young. Maybe he’s not a player ready for a big one. But he could be in the future. Within a couple of years. He can become one of the best in Europe.”

Heading for disaster

Hasenhuttl could be heading for a disaster with this deal if Southampton decide to continue their pursuit of the defender. For starters, the issue with his use of social media is a major concern. It appears as though he lost his head after being dropped by Benfica and took it out on the club via his socials. This suggests that he does not react professionally off the pitch, given that Benfica deemed his actions to be a breach of conduct.

Is this the type of character Hasenhuttl wants in his squad during a possible relegation scrap? If Southampton are fighting at the bottom of the table and things are not going well, Tavares may not respond kindly to the adversity and could cause problems within the dressing room. Southampton need leaders and players who are capable of being positive influences behind the scenes to make sure that they can bounce back from setbacks and do not allow slip-ups to turn into landslides.

The £4.9k-per-week flop has endured a difficult season with Benfica. The 21-year-old has averaged a dismal WhoScored rating of 6.48 across 14 appearances in the league, with a slightly better score of 6.60 in his five Europa League outings. This shows that, along with potentially being a disruptive influence, he is completely out of form and may not be able to hit the ground running upon arriving at St. Mary’s. Therefore, he could be a disaster of a signing for the club.

AND in other news, Saints’ crazy call takes fresh twist with rarely-seen 23 y/o, it’s cruel by Hasenhuttl…

A Glasgow Rangers source has dropped a transfer update involving George Edmundson.

The Lowdown: Edmundson not in Gerrard’s plans

Edmundson is a player that is clearly not in the plans of Steven Gerrard, having only played in two games under the Gers manager before being shipped out on loan to Derby County in the January transfer window (Transfermarkt).

The six-foot-two central defender did not do too badly in the EFL Championship, winning no fewer than 6.1 of his duels per game, while also averaging 3.5 clearances and 1.4 tackles per game (Sofascore).

The Latest: Bids made

As per Football Insider, the Ibrox faithful have rejected multiple bids from English teams for Edmundson, and a Rangers source has shared that clubs in England are keen on taking advantage of him slipping down the pecking order.

It looks likely that he will end up leaving Ibrox in the summer window, given that he does not seem to be in Gerrard’s plans, and the Gers may end up accepting a bid for Edmundson assuming that more come in.

The Verdict: Sell Edmundson

The writing may already be on the wall, but Rangers should be looking to sell Edmundson in this window for as much money as possible.

At 23 years of age, they could demand a decent fee, and then could use those funds to help invest in other positions that are needed ahead of trying to defend their Scottish Premiership title.

Derby could be one to benefit from a permanent move given his performances for the Rams, and as Edmundson got a lot more game time at Pride Park, it is a move that the Englishman would likely be happy with, perhaps creating a win-win scenario for all parties involved.

In other news, find out what big update has Gers buzzing here!

With Ange Postecoglou finally through the door, Celtic can finally begin preparing for next season.

It will be a pivotal summer for the Hoops who need to get things spot on if they’re to challenge for the title in 2020/21.

On the chalkboard

One of the biggest difficulties the Bhoys had last term was in wide areas.

Mohamed Elyounoussi may have scored 17 goals in all competitions but that was through a combination of playing on the flanks and in central areas.

James Forrest spent the vast majority of the campaign out injured and didn’t return properly until the final months of the season.

Combine Neil Lennon and John Kennedy’s reluctance to play Karamoko Dembele with Ryan Christie’s arduous campaign and it never looked like a recipe for success.

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Dembele netted his first senior goal on the penultimate weekend but Christie struggled to replicate Forrest’s rampant energy in a wide area.

An attacking midfielder by nature, he was keen to drift inside and rarely got in behind the defence whilst playing in an unfavoured position. That culminated in a difficult term for the Scot who scored 13 fewer goals than in 2019/20.

The solution

As Celtic gear up for next term, they need a wide player capable of getting in behind and dominating the defence.

Postecoglou may find that in teenage sensation, Dembele, but Dominic McKay can give the Australian a helping hand with some shrewd activity in the transfer market.

One player who’s been on their radar for a while now is Bright Osayi-Samuel. He was linked with a move to Paradise at the end of 2020 but he eventually swapped Queens Park Rangers for Turkish outfit Fenerbahce in January.

That being said, his spell at Fener could already be coming to an end. Rangers have reportedly made a formal offer to sign the 23-year-old but their Old Firm rivals, Celtic, are also in the mix again, according to a separate source.

If they want to bring a direct winger to the club they’d find few better options in the summer market.

A rampaging ball of fun, Osayi-Samuel is capable of beating opponents all ends up on a regular basis.

Speaking about the attacker previously, QPR boss Mark Warburton commented: “I’m not sure many teams have that blistering pace. As long as he knows how to use it and that’s the key for him learning the game.

“He’s working so hard. He’s got that sheer pace which terrifies defenders and when he uses it wisely like he did today he looks a real handful.”

The Englishman only bagged four goals in all competitions last term but there are signs that he’s improving.

Throughout 2020/21, he completed 2.8 dribbles per game for the Rs which was significantly more than anybody in the green and white hoops. For context, Odsonne Edouard was Celtic’s top dribbler with 1.6 per match.

Capable of playing on the left or the right, he’d offer plenty to a Bhoys team who were lacking genuine pace on the flanks last season. McKay should push to get Osayi-Samuel to Celtic Park to add that pace to Postecoglou’s squad.

AND in other news, Celtic interested in signing “creative” 28-goal beast, he’s an upgrade on Elyounoussi…

This summer’s European Championship has already produced some incredible games and some heart wrenching moments for all countries involved.

England are set to play out their final group game of the tournament tonight with a visit from the Czech Republic at Wembley.

Big international tournaments such as these produce some incredible moments in football, with the Euros, in particular, able to throw up a surprise winner of the tournament throughout its history.

Greece in 2004, Denmark in 1992, there are countless incredible memories from this tournament, including the previous winners of the competition, Portugal, in 2016.

A Seleção are currently two games deep into this year’s edition, with three points on the board and a win or a draw needed against France tomorrow to ensure they progress to the knockout stages of the competition.

Portugal and Real Betis midfielder William Carvalho was a key component of the countries winning squad five years ago and has recently opened up about the occasion.

In a video with Betway Carvalho and a host of other players currently featuring at this year’s tournament spoke about how it feels to be able to play in such a coveted competition.

The Portuguese midfielder spoke about the pride and responsibility of being able to represent his country at a major tournament, as well as the feeling of being able to lift the trophy with his fellow teammates…

“The feeling of pride and responsibility in representing your country is always there… I was lucky to be able to get to the end of the match and take the cup to Portugal. It was an unforgettable experience… It was a wonderful feeling, an immense euphoria”.

Carvalho will likely be hoping to replicate that special feeling this summer with Portugal despite A Seleção not being one of the favourites.

Betway currently have Portugal at 11/1 to win the Euros this summer despite going into the tournament as reigning champions.

Tonight’s crunch game against France will be one of the country’s most important since that final in 2016, with Les Bleus the current favourites to win the tournament at 4/1.

The matchup will bring back some great rivalries from the 2016 final, with France no doubt hoping to exact revenge after losing out 1-0 to Carvalho and his teammates.

Crystal Palace’s Thursday was a busy one to say the least.

Lucien Favre was set to sign a three-year deal to become the club’s new manager, however, by the end of the day, was out of the running to take over at Selhurst Park.

The 63-year-old informed the Eagles he does not feel ready for a top-level management return, putting Steve Parish and co back to square one.

Another Thursday development involving the Eagles was the Papa John’s Trophy group stage draw.

Palace’s academy side will take part in the competition for the 2021/22 campaign and have been drawn against AFC Wimbledon, Portsmouth and Sutton United.

The Eagles will play all their games away from home, which will give Palace’s youngsters a taste of senior competitive football alongside their academy division.

Palace fans react

Palace shared the group stage draw on their official Twitter page on Thursday afternoon.

These Eagles fans were excited at the news, with one describing it as ‘absolutely cracking’.

“Exciting times for the Academy; whole new Academy site, those making a name for themselves coming through and now we’ve got the youngsters involved in what will both be a brilliant experience on a personal note and competitively for them. Let’s get behind the U21s”Credit: @CPFCMOORE”Perfect draw! Can’t wait for these games”Credit: @PeterHoward01″Well at least our draw for the Papa John’s Trophy was good. Absolutely cracking group that.”Credit: @Wheddsta”Omg this group is insane how did I miss this?”Credit: @Adam_Palace”Quality draw.”Credit: @Alitheeagle1″Amazing draw”Credit: @MarkCPFC82

In other news: Some CPFC fans think one man might be staying at the club following official post, find out more here. 

Former Everton star Michael Ball believes Everton won’t be willing to pay a huge fee to bring Nikola Vlasic back to the club this summer.

The Toffees have been linked with a potential swoop for their former player and his agent has already confirmed that he could well leave CSKA Moscow this summer.

Vlasic, a Croatia international who has been with his country at Euro 2020, spent the 2017/18 season with the Toffees, making 12 appearances in the Premier League, before moving to CSKA.

Everton banked £14m from the Russian club when he moved and Ball does not believe they will be willing to pay a higher fee than that to bring him back to Merseyside.

Since his move to CSKA, Vlasic, who can play as an attacking midfielder and as a winger on either side, has made 103 appearances and scored 33 goals, while also laying on 20 assists.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Ball said: “He did have a talent, he was very young when he was at Everton, but the money side of things, I don’t think Everton will be happy to be paying more than what they sold him for.

“It’s an interesting one but it’s the type of position Everton have been looking to improve on in the summer, bringing players in, and Vlasic could be one of those players.”

A crucial update has emerged regarding Sunderland’s hopes of signing Dion Sanderson this summer.

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic, Wolves have decided that they want to keep the Black Cats transfer target and are hopeful that he will put pen to paper on a contract extension at Molineux. The report claims that the Premier League club are in talks with the centre-back over a new deal and are then planning to loan him out to a club in the Championship, which would come as a further blow to the Wearsiders.

Football Insider reported earlier this summer that Sunderland are open to bringing Sanderson back to the northeast either on a temporary or permanent basis next season.

Fans will be gutted

Sunderland fans will surely be gutted by this news as it seemingly rules out any chance of Sanderson returning to the Stadium of Light for a second spell, but ultimately there is nothing Kristjaan Speakman can do in the negotiations if Wolves are unwilling to sell him.

The Midlands club are two divisions above the Black Cats and have the greater financial muscle due to being in the Premier League, which means that Sunderland appear to have no way of tempting them to change their mind in the coming weeks.

Black Cats manager Lee Johnson has made it clear that he is a fan of the centre-back, with effusive praise of his performances last season in League One. Earlier this year, the former Bristol City coach claimed that the 21-year-old has a bright future in the game and highlighted his leadership skills on the pitch.

Johnson told The Chronicle: “He’s a good personality and a great kid first and foremost, but the bit that most impressed me was how he stepped up in the leadership and communications skills areas, which shows he has a bright future.”

This shows why supporters will be disappointed as the League One club are set to miss out on what could have been a terrific signing. Sanderson averaged an impressive WhoScored rating of 6.88 in 17 starts as a centre-back in the third tier last term on loan at the Stadium of Light.

The 21-year-old stood out for Sunderland and, along with Johnson’s quotes about his personality, that shows why he could have been a superb signing to bolster their squad this summer ahead of the new campaign.

Therefore, this is a hammer blow to Speakman and Johnson’s plans and they will now need to look elsewhere in the market for defensive reinforcements. Sunderland cannot afford to wait around for Wolves to potentially change their mind on Sanderson as it could lead to them missing out on other targets throughout the summer, so they need to move on swiftly from this disappointment.

AND in other news, Speakman could strike gold for Sunderland as 6ft 1 beast agrees to join The Black Cats…