All posts by z3u9t.icu

Celtic not only secured the Premiership title during Ange Postecoglou’s debut season in charge of the Hoops, they also ended the campaign with the best defensive record in the league.

In 38 top-flight matches, the Bhoys only conceded 22 goals in total, nine fewer than the next-best defence.

One man who played a massive part in the Hoops’ title-winning campaign from a defensive point of view is Carl Starfelt.

Throughout his debut season at Parkhead, the centre-back made 49 appearances across all competitions and ended up playing more minutes in the league than any other outfield player in Postecoglou’s ranks.

Starfelt ended the campaign with the second-highest number of interceptions (42) and tackles won (30), as well as the joint-second highest average of clearances (3.5) and joint-highest average for aerial duels won per game (4.2) at Parkhead.

Taking this into account, it’s safe to say that the summer recruit had a rather successful debut season with Celtic, who undoubtedly made the right decision in signing him from Rubin Kazan for a reported fee of £4m.

With the season now over and the Premiership title in the bag, the focus can now move to the upcoming summer transfer window as Postecoglou looks to improve on Celtic’s success from this campaign.

In terms of their potential summer recruitment, one man with whom the Hoops have been linked and who could slot seamessly into the team next to Starfelt is Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Imagine him and Starfelt

A product of Manchester City’s youth system, the £6.3m-rated centre-back has had loan spells with clubs such as Blackburn Rovers, Anderlecht and Stoke City.

During his recent time with Stoke during the second half of the recently-concluded season, the 20-year-old ended the campaign with the joint-highest number of interceptions per game (1.9) and second-highest number of clearances per game (3.5) out of players currently at the Championship club.

Described as a player with “a defensive instinct” and a “warrior attitude” by his former Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray, Harwood-Bellis could be just what the Bhoys need in order to add some extra strength and depth to their squad at the back.

This shows just how important he quickly became for the Lancashire club and how capable a defender he is at such a young age.

It also makes us think that he could be a solid addition to Celtic’s squad, and he could give Postecoglou the opportunity to form a scary duo at the back next to Starfelt, which could make the Hoops even tougher to play against in 2022/23.

In other news: Big blow: Worrying behind-the-scenes development emerges, it’s bad news for Celtic

Wolves are plotting a bid for 18-year-old goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina as Bruno Lage looks to build for the future.

What’s the word?

Journalist Alan Nixon (via Birmingham Live) has stated that Wolves are reportedly closing in on the signing of Slonina in a deal that could be around £10m.

The club were first linked with the 6 foot 4 ‘keeper last month but fresh news claims that Wolves are close to securing a deal for the teenager.

Nixon believes they have “seen off major rivals Southampton” in the chase and this is news that will please Lage.

Slonina can be the future

Lage has steered Wolves to yet another top-flight finish in the Premier League, their third in four seasons and despite missing out on European football, there are high hopes the club can have a positive summer ahead.

With the ever-increasing likelihood that Ruben Neves will be leaving, and the out of contract Joao Moutinho unsure of his future, Lage faces a rebuild of sorts.

John Ruddy’s contract expires in the summer and Lage will be looking to add to his goalkeeping options, although Slonina may be one for the future.

He has been dubbed “impressive” by fellow Chicago Fire stopper Bobby Shuttleworth and the 18-year-old has a bright future ahead of him.

He became the youngest ever starting goalkeeper in MLS history when making his debut for the side in September last year at the tender age of 17.

In November, Slonina had made 3.36 saves from inside the box per 90 minutes, which was more than any other keeper at the time. This shows he was making a big impact and displaying his massive talent.

Although a USA youth international, he has been called up to the senior Poland squad and a move to Europe would be beneficial in terms of his international prospects.

A fee of £10m isn’t much in today’s transfer market and it’s one that Wolves could comfortably afford. This will be a deal that Lage will be desperate to get over the line.

AND in other news, Great news: Huge Wolves transfer development emerges; supporters will be ecstatic

Liverpool have been rather active in the transfer market recently. Having secured a January deal for Luis Diaz, the Reds will also be set to welcome Fabio Carvalho to their ranks this summer from Fulham.

While Jurgen Klopp’s side still have the chance to snatch the Premier League title away from Manchester City as well as potentially secure the Champions League, it seems as though the Merseyside club have once again been busy behind the scenes regarding another possible transfer deal.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from the Sunday Mirror (via TEAMtalk), Liverpool have agreed with Porto a first refusal option to sign midfielder Fabio Vieira.

It’s thought the young Portuguese has a release clause amounting to €15m (£12.7m) as the Reds close in on a potential swoop.

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The next Mesut Ozil

As a product of Porto’s academy, the 21-year-old has made a total of 117 appearances for the club’s senior and youth sides.

In those appearances, the youngster has scored 23 goals and delivered 24 assists along the way, highlighting how much of an attacking and creative threat he can be.

With 27 league games under his belt this season, the Portuguese talent has found the net six times and delivered 14 assists, which is more than any other Porto player has managed to provide.

To further highlight how much of a dangerous attacking figure he is, no other player at Porto has managed to equal the number of crosses that Vieira (95) has made throughout this campaign.

He’s also listed in the top 10 for shots per 90 minutes in the Portuguese league.

His overall performances have earned him a season rating of 7.17/10 from WhoScored, making him the sixth-highest player currently in Porto’s squad.

This all shows why the midfielder has been likened to Mesut Ozil by football talent scout Jacek Kulig on Twitter, who also said that the player has a “left foot made of gold.”

Taking into account how Liverpool have racked up more goal-creating actions (148) in the Premier League this season than any other side in the top flight, potentially adding a young player like Vieira to their ranks could make them an even more dangerous outfit for many years.

Having negotiated with Porto over the sale of Diaz back in January, the Reds should definitely get in contact with the Portuguese club once again this summer to try and get them to relinquish another one of their vibrant attacking talents.

In other news: “He’s gonna leave”: Romano drops Liverpool update that’ll have supporters gutted

Newcastle United felt the full force of Manchester City’s wrath as the champions-elect ran out 5-0 winners in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Magpies have now lost their last two games – against Liverpool and City – by an aggregate score of 6-0, which is better than some teams have managed against those sides this season.

Eddie Howe’s men were second-best all over the park as Raheem Sterling (2), Aymeric Laporte, Rodri and Phil Foden got on the scoresheet.

The most preventable of the strikes came via a direct error from Martin Dubravka as the shot-stopper spilled Ilkay Gundogan’s effort and allowed Ruben Dias and Laporte to find the back of the net between them.

Whilst the Slovakian hardly covered himself in glory between the sticks, one player who let Howe down badly was central midfielder Sean Longstaff.

The £23k-per-week lightweight was handed an opportunity to come in and show that he deserves to be a regular starter. It was a chance to prove that he can compete at this level and follow Newcastle on the ride as they potentially aim to climb further up the Premier League table.

Instead, he struggled badly and looked out of his depth in the middle of the park. The mitigation is that Manchester City were outstanding and ran the show but Longstaff did not do anywhere near enough to cause them any issues or problems to deal with.

On the ball, he offered very little. Via SofaScore, he did not create any chances or complete any dribbles, whilst also being unsuccessful with three of his five long pass attempts. He did complete 18 of his 22 attempted passes in total but failed to accomplish much of note with them.

Out of possession, he was a passenger. As per SofaScore, he lost 75% (3/4) of his individual duels and did not make a single clearance, interception or block. He did make one tackle but was also dribbled past once, which means he had a 50% tackle success rate.

These statistics show that he made the game too easy for City’s midfielders as he did not get close enough to them throughout the match. Whereas, Bruno Guimaraes won six of his 11 duels and made a whopping five tackles, two interceptions and one block.

The Brazilian, at the very least, caused Pep Guardiola’s team some problems and attempted to disrupt the play. Longstaff, therefore, let Howe down as he failed to follow suit and was a lightweight throughout the 90 minutes for the Magpies.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Bruno: Howe must land NUFC swoop for £17.1m gem who “radiates calmness”…

According to a report from Spanish newspaper Sport (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are among the clubs interested in signing Valencia midfielder Valencia. 

The lowdown: Rise to prominence

A product of the La Liga club’s youth academy, the 25-year-old has broken through as a leading star over the last 18 months following an inauspicious start to life as a senior professional.

Last season, Soler directly contributed to 19 goals in 32 league outings and is now an established member of Pepe Bordalas’ side at the Mestalla Stadium.

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However, having made the grade in Spain, clubs from across Europe are now paying close attention to the versatile star.

The latest: Reds named

As per Sport, translated by SW, Liverpool, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Juventus are all keen on Soler.

The report claims that the six-cap Spain ace is ‘upset’ with his manager and could be prepared to agree to a new release clause in order to ‘open the exit door’ for a move away.

Currently under contract until 2023 (Transfermarkt), the man hailed as the ‘complete midfielder’ by ex-Bats star Curro Torres once held a remarkable €150m (£128m) release clause.

However, due to his dwindling deal, a current £42.2million get-out clause could drop even further to £33.7million on the agreement of fresh terms according to the Spanish newspaper.

The verdict: Smart signing

Whilst Soler may not be a particularly glamorous signing as Julian Ward gets his feet under the sporting director’s table in place of Michael Edwards, the Anfield club have developed an ability to pluck lesser-known players from across the continent and turn them into household names.

This season the Spaniard has scored 11 times and registered five assists in 28 league outings – earning a 7.15 average Sofascore rating in the process – no Valencia player scores higher.

Predominantly operating as a conventional central midfielder, Soler is a close match stylistically for Gini Wijnaldum according to the Fbref comparison tool and therefore could be the ideal addition to Jurgen Klopp’s squad to finally replace the Dutchman’s versatility, energy and skill-set.

In other news… an expert has delivered an update on the injury setback of Liverpool’s ‘unsung hero’.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte should unleash Steven Bergwijn in a new role as his side faces a daunting trip to Anfield to face Liverpool in the Premier League later this evening.

The Lilywhites remain in the race for a top-four finish and the prospect of Champions League football next season but currently sit two points behind arch-rivals and fourth-placed Arsenal, who they face later next week.

Meanwhile, the Reds sit one point behind defending champions Manchester City and need to keep the pressure on whilst the latter’s morale could be low following their agonising semi-final exit on Wednesday.

It leaves the Italian head coach with plenty to ponder heading into kick-off. One conundrum has to be at wing-back, where a mix of injuries and inconsistencies have caused something of a headache.

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Without Matt Doherty, Conte has had to rely on summer signing Emerson Royal, but it is very evident that he’s just not fancied, with The Times suggesting back in January that the manager felt the 23-year-old wasn’t good enough to play the wing-back role as Tottenham targeted Adama Traore.

Some supporters around N17 think he’s a “liability”, while former Spurs centre-back Jonathan Woodgate has slammed him for being “horrendous” in recent outings.

There is a serious lack of options available to the Tottenham boss, though, which is perhaps why he has continued to persist with the struggling ex-Barcelona flop.

However, Bergwijn could provide an interesting solution to Conte, especially given the attacking demands from the position. Truth be told, he’s perhaps been unlucky to not be given more of a chance in north London.

On the left, he’s competing with a red-hot Heung-min Son and on the right, he’s having to battle January arrival Dejan Kuluseveski, who has already usurped the squad in assists (eight).

The £18m-rated dynamo, who earns a reported £73k-per-week, has started just one league game since his match-winning brace from the bench against Leicester City in mid-January.

It’s not too dissimilar to the role that Jose Mourinho asked from him last season, particularly against the Gunners, where he put in two tackles and two clearances, helping Serge Aurier out defensively.

It was a performance which saw the ‘Special One’ describe the Netherland sinternational as “incredible” for his energy and work rate.

As such, he could well have all the credentials to fill in for Emerson at right wing-back over the final four games of the season, starting with tonight’s tricky test.

Conte should give Bergwijn a chance in the surprise role – he could well unearth a vital secret weapon in the race for a top-four finish.

AND in other news, Conte now plotting Spurs for “refreshing” £34m-rated gem, he’d be a “great signing”…

Crystal Palace are looking to bring former defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka back from Manchester United this summer, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Tough times for Wan-Bissaka

The Englishman traded the Eagles for United in a big-money transfer in the summer of 2019, having caught the eye hugely with his performances in the Premier League.

Things haven’t panned out the way Wan-Bissaka would have hoped at Old Trafford, however, with the right-back really struggling to make his mark and finding himself in and out of the team, starting just 20 of 35 league matches this term.

With Erik ten Hag coming in as manager, it could be that he deems the defender surplus to requirements, allowing him to find another club immediately.

The Latest: Palace return mooted

According to The Athletic, Palace are interested in bringing Wan-Bissaka back to the club at the end of the season, with a loan move mooted initially.

He is seen as someone who could be an upgrade at right-back on the ageing Nathaniel Clyne, returning to the club he joined as a boy and helping strengthen Patrick Vieira’s squad.

The Verdict: Ideal summer signing

While Wan-Bissaka has plenty of critics after a poor spell at United, coming back to Palace this summer could end up being the ideal solution for all parties.

He was once hailed as the ‘best in the world’ in one-on-one situations by Jamie Carragher and he was superb for the Eagles, hence United wanting to sign him in the first place.

At 24, there would be no concern surrounding Palace re-signing a player who is past his best and Vieira could see the best of him again back in familiar surroundings.

In other news, Palace have been dealt a blow regarding one key player. Read more here.

Manchester United are now on red alert over a deal for a “sensational” England midfielder, who is starting to grow frustrated at his current club.

Man Utd looking to bolster midfield options

Football FanCast recently took a look at five ways Ruben Amorim could save his job, after a disastrous start to the season, and starting Kobbie Mainoo ahead of Manuel Ugarte in central midfield made its way onto the list.

Amorim has been reluctant to give Mainoo much game time up to this point, with the 20-year-old failing to start a Premier League match this season, and Nicky Butt has suggested the youngster hasn’t been “respected” by his manager.

It remains to be seen whether the 40-year-old is willing to reintroduce the England international to the starting XI, but it is clear the manager wants to bolster his midfield options regardless, with a number of targets being identified in recent weeks.

Al-Hilal’s Ruben Neves, Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton have all made their way onto the shortlist, but it has now been revealed the Red Devils are also in the race for a different English midfielder.

According to a report from The Boot Room, Man United are now on red alert over a potential deal for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, who is starting to become frustrated with his situation at the Spanish club.

Gallagher, an England international, has fallen behind the likes of Koke and Pablo Barrios in the pecking order at Atletico, which could negatively impact his chances of being part of the Three Lions’ 2026 World Cup squad.

Man Utd can hire Amorim upgrade who Fergie dubbed the PL's "best manager"

The future of Ruben Amorim continues to dominate the headlines at Man Utd – is a swift change needed?

ByRobbie Walls Sep 17, 2025

The midfielder is aware that a number of clubs could be in for him this winter, including Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, with journalist Graeme Bailey suggesting a January move could be possible.

Bailey said: “I am told the player would dearly like to make it back into the Atletico Madrid side and that is his priority, but clubs are paying real interest to him and he is very much one to keep an eye on for January.”

Gallagher could be "sensational" signing for Man Utd

A deal for the England international may be relatively expensive, with a £45m asking price previously being touted, but he clearly has what it takes to be a success at Old Trafford.

Unlike Ugarte, the former Crystal Palace man is already proven in the Premier League, making 136 appearances in the competition, during which time he amassed 18 goals and 13 assists.

As such, the 25-year-old, who has been dubbed “sensational” by journalist John Cross, is clearly capable of making an impact on the front foot, but he is also a well-rounded player, as underlined by his performance across several key metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Interceptions

1.52 (88th percentile)

Assists

0.17 (86th percentile)

Tackles

2.43 (73rd percentile)

Gallagher arguably wouldn’t be the flashiest of signings, but he is a proven Premier League midfielder, who clearly gives it his all, having been lauded for his “insane” work rate by Nathan Dyer.

Despite a lack of recent success, Tottenham Hotspur have splashed the cash in recent years, bringing in a number of players for £30m or more.

Numerous managers have been backed in the transfer market, with a plethora of stars being attracted to the project on offer in north London. But who is Spurs’ record arrival? We’ve taken a look at Tottenham’s 10 most expensive signings.

Rank

Player

Fee

Signed from

Year

Dominic Solanke

£65m

Bournemouth

2024

Tanguy Ndombele

£62.8m

Lyon

2019

Richarlison

£60m

Everton

2022

Mohammed Kudus

£55m

West Ham

2025

Xavi Simons

£52m

RB Leipzig

2025

Brennan Johnson

£47.5m

Nottingham Forest

2023

Micky van de Ven

£43m

Wolfsburg

2023

Cristian Romero

£42.5m

Atalanta

2021

Davinson Sanchez

£42m

Ajax

2017

Archie Gray

£40m

Leeds United

2024

Pedro Porro

£40m

Sporting CP

2023

James Maddison

£40m

Leicester

2023

Mathys Tel

£30m

Bayern Munich

2025

Moussa Sissoko

£30m

Newcastle

2016

Sergio Reguilon

£27.5m

Real Madrid

2020

Giovani Lo Celso

£27.2m

Real Betis

2020

Steven Bergwijn

£26m

Ajax

2022

Roberto Soldado

£26m

Valencia

2013

Erik Lamela

£25.8m

Roma

2013

Dejan Kulusevski

£25.6m

Juventus

2023

Here’s a detailed look at Tottenham’s 10 most expensive signings… 10 Archie Gray £40m from Leeds United

Archie Gray appears to be a star in the making which resulted in Ange Postecoglou and Spurs spending big on his services from Leeds United in 2024.

As part of a deal for the youngster, Leeds signed Joe Rodon, but it looks as if a total package for Gray cost up to £40m.

9 Davinson Sanchez £42m from Ajax

Centre-back Davinson Sanchez was a club-record signing when he arrived from Ajax for £42m in 2017.

Mauricio Pochettino was the man in charge when Sanchez moved to England and the Colombia international made more than 200 appearances for the club before leaving for Galatasaray in 2023.

8 Cristian Romero £42.5m from Atalanta

Another defender who cost Spurs big money is Cristian Romero, who arrived from Atalanta in 2021.

The Argentinian has shone for club and country, winning the Copa America and being voted Serie A’s best defender, which prompted Tottenham to spend £42.5m.

Daniel Levy may well have overseen things, but it was perhaps the best thing Nuno Espirito Santo did for the club during his short spell in charge.

7 Micky van de Ven £43m from Wolfsburg

Centre-back Micky van de Ven, who made the move to north London in 2023, signed from Wolfsburg for just under an initial £35m, with the total fee potentially rising to £43m.

He quickly impressed in the Premier League with his pace and power at the back, and all going well, Van de Ven will at least be with Spurs until 2029.

6 Brennan Johnson £47.5m from Nottingham Forest

A deadline day signing in September 2023, Brennan Johnson cost Tottenham £47.5m from Nottingham Forest.

The Wales international, capable of playing anywhere across the front three, signed a contract through to 2028 and will be hoping to repay that fee over the coming years.

5 Xavi Simons £52m from RB Leipzig

After missing out on Eberechi Eze to rivals Arsenal, Spurs then moved to hijack Chelsea’s deal for Xavi Simons in the summer of 2025.

The Dutch attacker signed a five-year deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and took the number 7 shirt after Heung-min Son left for the USA.

4 Mohammed Kudus £55m from West Ham

Another marquee arrival following Spurs’ Europa League triumph in 2025 was Mohammed Kudus.

Signed from London rivals West Ham, Tottenham forked out £55m for the Ghanaian winger and handed him a six-year deal on £150,000-a-week.

3 Richarlison £60m from Everton

After eye-catching spells in England with Watford and Everton, Tottenham decided to spend an initial £50m on Richarlison in 2022, with his transfer potentially totalling £60m including add-ons.

The Brazilian’s first season was a struggle, scoring just once in 27 Premier League games. However, he has shown glimpses of brilliance in north London and is under contract until 2027.

2 Tanguy Ndombele £62.8m from Lyon

Midfielder Tanguy Ndombele became Tottenham’s record signing when he joined in 2019, but his move from Lyon didn’t work out.

Signed by Mauricio Pochettino just months before the Argentinian manager was sacked, it proved to be a poor misjudgement from the Spurs boss.

The Frenchman signed a six-year contract and cost a whopping £55m, while his deal could have reached £62.8m with add-ons. However, after making 91 appearances and struggling in England, Ndombele had his contract terminated in 2024.

1 Dominic Solanke £65m from Bournemouth

Tottenham’s record signing is striker Dominic Solanke, who arrived from Bournemouth in the summer of 2024.

The former Chelsea and Liverpool attacker could end up costing £65m with add-ons, with Solanke under contract until 2030.

Chelsea have now identified an “exceptional” defender as a priority summer target after holding internal talks, according to a report.

Blues planning to sign two defenders this summer

The Blues still have everything to play for as the Premier League season approaches its conclusion, with the final-day trip to Nottingham Forest set to be crucial in the race for the top five, given that Nuno’s side, Aston Villa and Manchester City are breathing down their necks.

Barring the 2-0 loss at Newcastle United, Enzo Maresca’s side have performed well during the run-in, and the manager has been pleased with the progress Levi Colwill has made, despite admitting he may need to bring in more experienced players this summer.

When questioned about the prospect of adding experience to his squad this summer, much like Jurgen Klopp did by signing Virgil van Dijk and Alisson for Liverpool, Maresca said: “For sure, if you want to close the gap with these kind of clubs then, you have to do things.”

As such, a range of centre-back targets have been identified ahead of the summer, and it is clear the manager is looking to blend youth and experience.

Player

Current club

Potential cost

Mario Gila

Lazio

£25m

Axel Tape

PSG

£0

Ben Nelson

Leicester City

Unknown

Marc Guehi

Crystal Palace

£60m

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Chelsea are also stepping up their pursuit of Ajax’s Jorrel Hato, with the defender now considered a priority target following internal discussions about their summer transfer plans.

There is a feeling that a fee of £37.8m – £42m could be enough to get a deal done, so a move for Hato would not break the bank, and he is now rapidly moving up the Blues’ shortlist.

The likes of Liverpool, AC Milan and Arsenal could provide competition for the 19-year-old’s signature, but the west Londoners are looking to move swiftly to ensure they remain in the lead.

Hato could be "exceptional" signing for the Blues

The report states that Chelsea are looking to bring in two centre-backs this summer, and it is little wonder the youngster is now one of their favoured options, given the level of some of his performances for Ajax since breaking into the team at a young age.

Football scout Ben Mattinson has been left particularly impressed by the teenager in the past, stating on X: “Hato is an exceptional athlete for his age whilst being a technical player who can carry through the lines.”

Chelsea looking to sign "composed" defender who Maresca thinks is "perfect"

The Blues have set their sights on a centre-back, with Enzo Maresca believed to be a keen admirer.

1 ByDominic Lund May 18, 2025

Not only that, but the Rotterdam-born defender is an assured passer of the ball, which could make him a good fit for Maresca, ranking in the top 1% for his pass-completion rate per 90 over the past year, when compared to other full-backs.

Indeed, Hato is capable of playing at left-back, having featured there predominantly during the 2024-25 campaign, but he has also featured at centre-back throughout his career, and his versatility would be an added bonus for the Blues.