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This summer will be one of change for Celtic. No longer is Neil Lennon in charge and Peter Lawwell will also be gone.

The club’s maligned CEO is set to retire and be replaced by Dominic McKay in a few months time.

One of his first priorities must be to address the playing squad. It’s set to be a hectic period for the Bhoys with as many as 12 players potentially facing the exit door.

Scott Brown is one player out of contract while the likes of Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer and Tom Rogic have been linked with moves to other clubs.

Considering the importance of top scorer Edouard and the defensive rock Ajer, Celtic will be desperate to hold onto them.

One area of the squad they may need to improve is at left-back. When Diego Laxalt heads back to AC Milan following the conclusion of his loan spell, it will leave Greg Taylor and Boli Bolingoli as their options.

The Hoops have been linked with a switch for French full-back Romain Perraud and if he joins, it will surely be the end of the road for Bolingoli.

Regardless of whether Perraud joins, though, the Belgian must face the exit door. The 25-year-old had one campaign at Paradise before being shipped out to Istanbul Basaksehir last summer.

It was a moment of madness from the left-back that cost him his place in the side, and arguably, should cost him his future at the club as a whole.

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During the height of the pandemic last summer, Bolingoli took the decision to go on an unsanctioned trip to Spain. When the left-back returned, he failed to quarantine, trained with the squad, and even appeared off the substitute’s bench against Kilmarnock days later.

Unbeknown to Lennon until after the game, he had spent 24 hours in Spain, ultimately putting not only the entire Celtic squad and coaching staff at risk, but also the Killie players and staff. It was a moment that put the entire of the SPFL in grave danger too.

The former Celtic boss called him “stupid” and then added: “This has been premeditated. You don’t book a flight to Spain on a whim. He knew exactly what he was doing. So this has been quite calculated. It’s been total disregarding of the outcome and the risks involved, so he will be dealt with in the strongest possible way by the club.”

Celtic were quick to condemn the player’s actions with a statement at the time reading: “All of our playing and backroom staff have been tested twice for Covid-19 since this incident and all, including the player in question, have tested negative. While this comes as a relief to all concerned, it in no way diminishes the seriousness or stupidity of the player’s actions.”

Bolingoli was rightfully sent on his way but he is still technically a Celtic player. This may come as a shock to see that the £15k-per-week defender wasn’t ousted completely but the time for that will surely come next summer. It’s not as though he provided the Hoops with many game-changing moments on the pitch either.

He has featured in just 14 matches since signing from Rapid Vienna in 2019. With Taylor improving on a regular basis, it makes it even harder to picture a future for Bolingoli in Glasgow. The former has amassed 16 tackles at a rate of 2.2 per game in his last seven starts for instance.

Taylor has to be the number one left-back over Bolingoli; there is no future for him at Parkhead.

AND in other news, Forget Brown: Celtic must unleash never-seen 19 y/o, he’s a “breath of fresh air”…

كشفت تقارير صحفية، أن نادي ليفربول يسعى للتعاقد مع الدولي الإنجليزي بوكايو ساكا نجم فريق آرسنال، خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية المقبلة.

ساكا لديه عقد مع آرسنال حتى 2024 ويقدم مستويات مميزة، وأصبح أحد أفضل اللاعبين في الفريق منذ الموسم الماضي.

طالع أيضًا | ديلي ميل: محمد صلاح يتصدر.. 32 لاعبًا يغيبون عن الدوري الإنجليزي خلال أمم إفريقيا

صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، نقلت التقارير البريطانية التي تشير إلى أن صاحب الـ20 عامًا منفتح على الانضمام إلى ليفربول، وسط اهتمام الريدز بالتعاقد معه لتعزيز الجانب الهجومي في الفريق.

ليفربول يسعى لضم ساكا من آرسنال، ومنحه فرصة اللعب في أعلى المنافسات، في ظل عدم قدرة الجانرز على التأهل للبطولات الأوروبية والمنافسة على بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي.

ويأمل ليفربول في إقناع آرسنال بالتخلي عن ساكا، ولكن حتى الآن لم تبدأ أي مفاوضات رسمية بين الناديين.

According to Sky Sports, Arsenal are interested in signing Real Madrid starlet Martin Odegaard on loan in this January transfer window.

What’s the story?

After making significant moves already in trying to reduce the club’s bloated wage bill – the likes of Sokratis and Sead Kolasinac have left, and Mesut Ozil is set to follow – Mikel Arteta’s side have turned their attentions towards reinforcing their squad.

And, as per Sky Sports, the Gunners have made an approach to bring Odegaard on a loan deal until the end of the Premier League season, and that the Madrid board are considering their proposal right now.

The report adds that the Norway international expects to be able to leave the Bernabeu this month in a bid to get more first-team football, but that Arsenal are likely to face strong competition from Real Sociedad.

Perfect replacement for Ozil

The January transfer window is always a difficult one to do major business, with clubs understandably reluctant to let some of their most important players go mid-way through a campaign.

It’s one of the reported difficulties Arsenal have faced in trying to sign Norwich City’s Emiliano Buendia, with the Canaries of course battling for automatic promotion back to the Premier League this season.

It’s exactly why a short-term deal for Odegaard would be an Edu masterclass. It would give the Gunners an extra option in that number ten role and ease some of the creative burden on Emile Smith Rowe, whilst also making sure that if it doesn’t work out, they can just wave goodbye to him in the summer and focus on their priority transfer targets.

Described as a “phenomenon” by Norwegian football writer, Lars Sivertsen, Odegaard is a creative play-maker who appears to be tailor-made to come in and replace Ozil.

Spanish football journalist, Alvaro Montero, said: “He’s an extremely good player. He’s very similar to Mesut Ozil, he’s left-footed, he plays extremely well between the lines and between the striker and the midfielders. Maybe he even has more goal threat than Mesut Ozil, but he travels a little less. He’s an amazing player and I think he’ll be an amazing player for Arsenal and for Mikel Arteta.”

The Gunners must surely try and get this deal done.

Meanwhile, Arsenal must sell this £90k-p/w disaster…

We are now 20 days into the transfer window and Jeff Shi is yet to bring any new faces to Wolves.

With the Molineux outfit failing to win eight of their last ten games, it doesn’t bode particularly well that they’ve not tried to strengthen.

What’s the word?

One way Wolves have looked at improving their ranks is by recalling Patrick Cutrone and Morgan Gibbs-White from their respective loan spells at Fiorentina and Swansea.

Cutrone, however, could exit the club again after just a matter of weeks of returning to the fray.

That’s according to journalist Gianluigi Longari on Twitter who claims that Parma have approached the Premier League side in a bid to bring him back to Italy.

They have other targets in mind but if all else fails they will supposedly pursue Cutrone.

Get rid

It was wise of Wolves to bring the striker back to England this month. After all, he wasn’t getting sufficient game time in Florence and Nuno Santo needed another forward with Raul Jimenez injured.

Cutrone hasn’t scored all season but added depth was vitally important for a side in such a big rut. That being said, it was unfathomable that he’d be the only arrival at Molineux this month. Such is their plight that they need to heavily invest in forward areas.

That, however, could be tough for Nuno after he was told to forget about spending a large sum of cash in January.

That being said, if a suitable offer for the Italy international does arrives this month, they must wield the axe on him and get rid once and for all. This might be ruthless given he’s only just returned but it could provide Wolves with the extra cash they need to bring in someone more qualified to play second fiddle to Jimenez.

Cutrone has scored just three goals in 27 appearances for Wolves, a tally that doesn’t even come close to replicating the exploits of Jimenez in recent years.

Since being signed by Fosun, the attacker has bled the owner dry for a sum of £62.9k-per-week. With just a trio of goals to his name in the Old Gold shirt, he hasn’t even come close to being worth the £16m they paid for him in the summer of 2019.

To brutally sum things up, the 23-year-old has cost the club £5.3m for every goal he’s scored during his time in the Midlands.

That simply isn’t good enough and with players like Olivier Giroud and Diego Costa being linked to the club – proven Premier League goalscorers – they need to sacrifice both Cutrone’s talents and his wage.

Providing a bid is received, Wolves need to forget about handing out a second chance and dismiss him from their plans.

AND in other news, Wolves can finally replace Jota by swooping for “ruthless” gem with “explosive pace”…

If emerging reports are to be believed, Tottenham Hotspur outcast Dele Alli could be in further trouble as Jose Mourinho targets a new attacking midfielder this January…

What’s the word?

According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Spurs are eyeing a move for RB Leipzig talisman Marcel Sabitzer next month.

It’s claimed that the ‘Special One’ is willing to pay £45m for his signature, and whilst they suggest that it would be to replace Tangy Ndombele, who is wanted by La Liga giants Barcelona, it seems more likely that the outcasted Alli is heading for the exit door.

90min claimed earlier in the month that the Englishman was eyeing an 18-month loan exit from the north London outfit with the likes of Monaco, Inter and AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain all keen.

Bye-bye Dele Alli?

The writing appears to be on the wall for the 24-year-old midfielder as despite the increase in numbers from seven to nine on the substitutes bench, he was still snubbed by Mourinho in their matchday squad against Leicester City on Sunday.

Indeed, Alli has only featured four times in their 14 Premier League outings this term, playing a total of 74 minutes, via Transfermarkt.

Bringing in Sabitzer, who plays a similar role to him would undoubtedly push him closer to an exit.

Spurs fans will recognise him all too well as he spearheaded Leipzig’s knockout victory in the Champions League last term, whilst this season, the £31.5m-rated Austrian sensation has continued his fine form by delivering three goals and three assists in all competitions.

Adding to his whopping 16 goals and 11 assists last year.

Per WhoScored, the 26-year-old has averaged at least one key pass per game across his last three seasons in Leipzig, so perhaps he can take the role that Christian Eriksen left behind as clearly neither Tanguy Ndombele nor Giovani Lo Celso have taken the bull by the horns yet.

Sabitzer has been likened to David Beckham for his set-piece ability, which would bear further similarities to the Danish maestro.

He’s also been described as a player who “gives everything for 90 minutes” and as a “goal threat” by both his international boss, Franco Foda, and domestic head coach, Julian Naglesmann, respectively.

According to journalist Alasdair Gold at football.london, he’s a player that Spurs “absolutely love,” so there’s a very good chance these reports somewhat leaning on the truth.

It could be bye-bye Alli and Guten Tag Sabitzer come to the end of next month.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Gary Mabbutt reacts to what Serge Aurier did after being subbed vs Leicester…

Leeds United continue to be dealt major injury blows as they will now be without Robin Koch and Liam Cooper when they face Burnley on Sunday, via premierinjuries.com.

The Whites have been stricken with injuries since they returned to the Premier League, with Jamie Shackleton recently returning and Adam Forshaw still sidelined. Now, Marcelo Bielsa will need to consult the drawing board as he mulls over his very limited options in central defence.

Luke Ayling has been the man to fill in for Koch, who has made a huge impact since he joined the club in the summer. But now with the skipper also out of action, Leeds could be staring down the barrel of a loaded gun unless they recruit again in January.

Bielsa initially claimed he would not be on the market for another centre-back next month, but he is running out of options. At the moment, Pascal Struijk and Oliver Casey are match fit ahead of Burnley, as well as Diego Llorente who has just returned from his own injury, as per the club’s website. One must step up to plate at Elland Road tomorrow.

Whilst it’s a big opportunity for the out of favour Struijk and his young teammate, it’s far from good news for the team. If Koch and Cooper are looking at long recovery periods, Bielsa must accept that he will need to bring in a new central defender or he risks a huge upset as his men prepare to face the likes of Spurs and Southampton.

It’s undoubtedly a frustrating situation for Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani, who worked together to sign both Koch and Llorente this summer. They also signed new goalkeeper Illan Meslier on a permanent deal. This defensive haul must have had them convinced they were stacked at the back, but their triple injury blow only highlights how fast the situation can change.

This must serve as a wake up call for Bielsa and the board, who will reluctantly have to recruit once again once January comes round.

In other news, Orta must work his magic on reuniting Bamford and Adama Traore…

Crystal Palace have come away with their tail between their legs after being beaten by Burnley at Turf Moor in a result which has left Roy Hodgson to rue their squandered chances.

Clarets striker Chris Wood’s early strike proved to be the difference as Palace were without Wilfried Zaha, who had tested positive for coronavirus, and his presence was keenly felt.

It was the second time in the same year that Palace have been defeated by Sean Dyche’s side, although they lacked a cutting edge in attack at the weekend.

Up the other end, Michy Batshuayi wasted the Eagles’ best chance for a goal when he couldn’t reach a forward pass from James McArthur, before he failed to beat Nick Pope from close range after a mistake from Dwight McNeil.

You could pick many holes in Hodgson’s side, as Palace were without several first-team regular starters ranging from unused substitute Gary Cahill, club captain Luka Milivojevic, who is currently serving a three-match ban, and the club’s leading goalscorer Zaha at the top of the pitch.

But that doesn’t excuse the fact that several players were out of sorts, although arguably none more so than misfiring centre-forward Batshuayi, who has turned out to be a bit of a damp squib in his second spell at Selhurst Park.

SofaScore gave the 27-year-old the second-lowest grade out of the entire starting line-up with an abysmal 6.4 rating – he lost possession ten times, only won one ground duel out of six attempts, strayed offside once and conceded two fouls as well.

He received a rating of 5/10 from The Evening Standard, with Jack Rosser writing he ‘worked hard but really needs to get a run of goals together from somewhere, should have acted quicker when looking to get past Pope from McNeil’s backpass’, whilst 90min were equally scathing in their assessment, claiming ‘he couldn’t find a way past Pope when his golden chance arrived.’

Not only was the £10.8m-rated Belgian striker far from his very best, but he was largely anonymous as well with Jordan Ayew and Eberechi Eze making more than 20 passes each.

Given his disappointing display, it’s quite surprising Batshuayi played the full 90′ minutes, which will have no doubt left some fans scratching their heads, especially when you consider the fact that he has so far failed to find the back of the net on the past six occasions in the Premier League this season.

His fourth start of the campaign could be his last for some time if that performance is anything to go by as Hodgson may have to consider giving other options a chance. The Palace boss will be expected to ring several changes when his side face Newcastle United at Selhurst Park on Friday night.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace should sign Jordan Amavi if Patrick van Aanholt leaves…

New Southampton signing Theo Walcott has discussed his excitement to be back at his former club, even if it’s only for the short-term. The Everton winger has penned a one-year loan deal with the Saints, making himself part of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s project to see his side climb the Premier League table.

Speaking to Hampshire Live, Walcott admitted that when news of the potential move came through, he was on board straight away.

“As soon I heard about it I said: ‘This had to happen, this needs to happen. I really want this to happen,'” he said. “Carlo [Ancelotti], Marcel [Brands] and myself have a really good relationship where we can get things sorted and they helped to make it happen in the end which I was really grateful for.”

A permanent Saints move for Walcott?

Now 31, Walcott could be entering the final years of his professional career. His most recent season with Everton saw him become more of a fringe player than he would have perhaps wanted. The winger made just 29 appearances across all competitions and missed a total of 13 Premier League matches (via Transfermarkt).

Ancelotti recruited well this summer and has so far spearheaded the Toffees to a perfect start to the season. Key attacking players Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be untouchable, meaning there’s little room at the inn for Walcott. If the Italian decides the former England international is surplus to Everton’s needs, he could hope for a permanent move to the south coast, especially when you consider how keen he was to make the initial loan move happen judging by his recent quotes.

It certainly seems like a plausible deal, with Hasenhuttl already making it clear that he’s an admirer of Walcott’s.

“There is a lot of history between this club and Theo, so I know how special this will be for him and for our supporters,” the Southampton boss told Hampshire Live after the player signed. “But what is most important to me is that we have signed a player who can help our squad and give us another strong option in our attack.”

Hasenhuttl went on to discuss the other benefits of having Walcott in the squad, including helping to integrate the young talents into the first team. As a three-time FA Cup winner – who spent an astonishing 12 years with Arsenal – the forward has a lot of seniority and knowledge to implement into the team. Bringing him to the club full-time is definitely an option Hasenhuttl and co should be considering next year.

In other news, Southampton cashed in on Morgan Schneiderlin at the exact right time…

In the end, Arsenal got the job done, but it wasn’t anywhere near plain sailing for Mikel Arteta’s side on Thursday night.

With the whole Mesut Ozil saga dominating the pre-match headlines, it would have been no surprise to see the Gunners go into the Europa League clash against Rapid Vienna with their attentions elsewhere.

And so it proved to be. A howler from Bernd Leno – who looked nervy all game with his distribution – saw the Austrian side take the lead, before goals from David Luiz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang got their European journey off to a winning start.

But whilst Leno may be the man to come in for some criticism after gifting a goal to the opposition with a poor pass from inside the penalty area, it’s Sead Kolasinac who boss Arteta should really be ruthless with.

The Bosnian looked all set to leave the Emirates in the summer transfer window, but a deal to join Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen collapsed in the final few days, with the left-back ending up staying.

On the basis of Thursday night’s performance, the Gunners really should have done everything to have gotten him out the door at the Emirates.

Playing once again on the left-hand side of a back-three, Kolasinac was tasked with dovetailing with Bukayo Saka, but was often caught in no-man’s land between giving him support and staying further back for protection.

More often than not, the duo just got in each other’s way, and it was so revealing that when Hector Bellerin came on in the second-half, most of Arsenal’s attacks came down the right-hand side – the winning goal of course coming via some neat build-up play involving the Spaniard.

As per Sofascore, Kolasinac lost possession 16 times over the course of the game, whilst he made just one interception and no tackles whatsoever.

Whenever he had the ball at his feet, the Bosnian looked uncomfortable, and often took too many touches to either play it down the line or come back inside with it.

When January comes around, Arteta and Arsenal must show the door to him.

Until the transfer window closes, the future of Arsenal star Mesut Ozil will continue to be discussed. However, we now know the German’s stance on his future as he gave an interview to David Ornstein and committed to staying until his contract runs out next summer.

The obvious issue here is the fact that the former World Cup winner is not fancied at all by Mikel Arteta, and this has been emphasised by the fact that Ozil has not made a single appearance for the club since football returned in June.

Many have been discussing the situation, including Joey Barton. The Fleetwood Town manager was speaking on talkSPORT, via The Boot Room, and was asked what he would do if the problem was his to sort out.

He replied: “It’s a tough one. Everyone knows what everyone is on [wages] and it affects the dressing room. If the big-paid players aren’t performing and those on less are playing, it creates an ill-feeling. He’s a World Cup winner, an unbelievable player and I would be trying to get the maximum out of him.”

There is no doubting Ozil’s quality, which has been proven by his rich CV, which includes a La Liga title at Real Madrid, four FA Cups with Arsenal and the World Cup and European Under-21 Championship with Germany, per Transfermarkt.

However, this quality was not often on show last season as the player, who is on a reported £350,000-a-week, only managed one goal and two assists in all competitions, per WhoScored.

With the 31-year-old costing the club around £18.2m annually, Barton has a point in saying that Arsenal should try to make the most out of him. However,  with the Gunners winning the FA Cup without calling on him, Arteta’s decision to continually overlook him seems justified; and if there is no way into the team for Ozil, perhaps it is best for Arsenal to move him on.

Gunners fans, do you agree with Barton’s verdict on Ozil? Let us know your views in the comments below!