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The perilous wait for the Premiership winners to be crowned is over and, unfortunately for Celtic, they are no longer the dominant force in Scottish football.

It’s an eventuality which could cause havoc with the club’s plans. Will the likes of Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard stay? It feels unlikely.

On the chalkboard

Edouard has been a player who has been at the forefront of Celtic’s success in recent years. After signing during the 2017/18 season, the Frenchman has racked up an almighty tally of 81 goals in 161 outings.

The forward has been catching the eye for a while now and it was perhaps a surprise that he didn’t leave Parkhead last summer.

He has stuck around, however, and is now being linked with the Premier League once more. The likes of Leicester, Arsenal and West Ham have all been mentioned as possible destinations, so keeping hold of him won’t be easy.

Edouard has been a revelation in Glasgow but, with Celtic finally relinquishing their grasp on the title, now seems like the ideal time for him to leave in search of a new challenge.

With that in mind, the Hoops would need to sign a replacement in the summer window.

The solution

It’s easier said than done but finding someone who can score goals on a regular basis will be how they replace Edouard. After all, the likes of Albian Ajeti and Patryk Klimala have hardly proved able deputies this term. They have just nine goals between them in the league while their French star has 16 on his own.

One man with whom they could replace him should he leave is Genk striker Paul Onuachu. Speaking on A Celtic State of Mind podcast last week, Celtic pundit Colin Watt touted him as someone who the Bhoys should target, saying:

“One that I think people should go and take a look at [is] Paul Onuachu. He’s a Nigerian striker that plays for Genk; he was formerly of FC Midtjylland, and he’s scored almost 100 goals in five seasons, 6ft 7in tall. Roughly, the going price for him is about £7-10m.”

His colossal height means he’s a fearsome striker to come up against, and when you add pace and the ability to score goals into the equation, he’d make a fine Edouard successor.

Onuachu has found the net on 26 occasions this term in Belgium, using his frightening power to smash opponents to one side. He has always had a natural gift and, when considering his height, it’s no surprise to see him prove so successful in the professional game.

FC Ebedei’s talent spotter Churchill Oliseh, once said: “As soon as I saw him, I knew he was special.” Oliseh knows a talent when he sees one; he was the man to spot Obafemi Martins and bring him into the limelight for instance.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-manager-hunt-stories-wagner-marsch-martinez-lennon-news” title=”The last stories on Celtic’s hunt for a new manager!”]

Onuachu could just be his proudest capture yet. Oliseh continued: “For a player with his height, he has good dribbling ability. People of his height only rely mostly on their aerial strength, but he can play, both in the air and on the ground. And he has speed.”

Combine dribbling with goalscoring ability and you have a defender’s nightmare. His mere presence is enough to have opponents running for the hills. In the Belgium Pro League this term, the 26-year-old has won 108 aerial duels.

That’s an obscene tally, one which should have Celtic’s recruitment team foaming at the mouth. He would seem a very capable replacement for Edouard.

AND in other news, Celtic could find their next Turnbull in 19 y/o weapon never-seen in the first-team…

Aston Villa were desperately out of sorts when West Ham put three goals past them in midweek.

It was a performance distinctly out of character with what has been a terrific season for Dean Smith’s team.

After bravely fighting relegation last term they have bounced back in remarkable fashion. Their 1-0 win over Arsenal epitomised everything they’ve become.

It was steely, aggressive and most importantly, it was clinical.

The Villans didn’t need many chances but were gifted the game’s only goal early on. Bertrand Traore seized on possession after Cedric gave it away and he then put the ball on a plate for Ollie Watkins to roll the ball home.

Villa troubled the Gunners on numerous occasions but it was their defensive performance that stood out so much.

They restricted Arsenal to just three shots on target and what typified their resilience was the fact that Alexandre Lacazette failed to have a single touch in the penalty area.

Tyrone Mings was given BT Sport’s Man of the Match award for the performance but we think someone else deserves some recognition too.

That happens to be Matt Targett, a defender who has to go down as one of their shrewdest captures since returning to the Premier League.

The former Saint was charged with defending Bukayo Saka for the majority of the game and once the full-time whistle was blown, he would have looked inside his pocket and found the dazzling Arsenal winger sat there.

Saka has been one of Arsenal’s main creators this term but Targett stifled him and fellow youngster, Emile Smith Rowe, in dominating fashion.

He won nine of the 14 duels he completed, losing out just once aerially. This had the potential to be a tricky encounter for the 25-year-old but he made it look comfortable.

Only Marvelous Nakamba (6) won more tackles than Targett’s five. That was a tally which just so happened to severely usurp Mings. As for aerial duels, only Watkins won more than Targett’s four.

This was as complete a performance as they come from the Villa defender. Saka tried time and time again to get down the right but he failed to complete any of the four dribbles he attempted. That was a testament to Targett’s magnificent display.

The Arsenal academy graduate has been their match-winner on a regular basis in recent weeks so this was a pivotal fight on the pitch. The fact that the £35k-per-week Villa earner overcame the challenge made him Smith’s true hero.

AND in other news, Villa may rue not signing 5 ft 11 gem with “unique pace”, Dean Smith will be worried…

With suggestions that Leeds United are after a new centre-half in the summer transfer window, Marcelo Bielsa may be better off thinking again, and looking to one of the club’s burgeoning academy prospects: Charlie Cresswell.

Reports in recent days and weeks have claimed that the Premier League side are interested in Torino centre-back Nicolas Nkoulou, whose contract with the Italian team is set to expire come the end of the season, thus allowing him to join on a free transfer.

But, rather than bringing in a soon-to-be 31-year-old, Leeds could in actual fact unearth their next Ben White, in Cresswell.

White was a huge presence for Leeds in their promotion-winning campaign last season, playing the full 90 minutes in every single game in the Championship.

In Cresswell, he appears to be tailor-made to step into those shoes given his style of play as a ball-playing centre-half.

Speaking about Cresswell earlier this season, Noel Whelan was glowing in his praise about the youngster, saying: “He is the future, he’s one for the future. At that centre-half position he’s got great attributes, he’s very calm on the ball, a great size to him, he’s quick, he can head, he can pass. He’s the modern-day, young centre-half.”

The 18-year-old is one of the rising stars of the Whites’ academy system, and only penned a new contract with the Elland Road side back in November, signing a new two-and-a-half year deal.

And, after the U23s beat Fulham 7-1 this term, Leeds Live hailed the centre-back in their post-match player ratings: “His security on the ball was convincing, even indulging in a Cruyff turn inside his own defensive third to evade danger in the second half.

“Perhaps the best action of his during the game was the frequent interceptions he made. Cresswell read the play excellently, seizing on forward passes as Fulham looked to break, turning the visitors’ attacks into countering opportunities for the Whites.”

That ability to read the game and make interceptions is somewhat reminiscent of White’s performances at Elland Road last season, who averaged 2.5 interceptions per game in the Championship.

So, rather than bringing in another centre-back into the ranks, Bielsa could be pleasantly surprised by promoting Cresswell into the fold. He’s got all the attributes that made White a big success at Elland Road, in terms of being the “modern-day, young centre-half” as Whelan says.

Now is just about being given an opportunity to shine at the highest level.

Meanwhile, Leeds could hire Bielsa’s dream successor in this 36 y/o…

Phil Foden has been much more of a regular in Pep Guardiola’s side so far this season but it seems as if the academy graduate feels as if he should be starting a lot more games in the Premier League for the Citizens.

According to a report in The Telegraph, the England international is growing increasingly frustrated with his playing time at Manchester City, which will be a worry for the Citizens considering Real Madrid have recently been linked with a move for the creative midfielder.

Following David Silva’s departure in the summer, Foden was perhaps expecting a lot more game time in Guardiola’s side this season but has been limited to just five starts in the Premier League.

Whilst he is well on track to surpass the 12 starts he made in the top-flight and Champions League last season, the youngster clearly feels that he warrants more game time in the Premier League.

Considering he featured in all six of City’s Champions League group stage matches and averaged a superb 7.22 rating for his performances, it seems baffling that the Spanish manager is so reluctant to start him in the Premier League, as he now hasn’t started consecutive top-flight games since October.

The 20-year-old is destined for a huge future with Manchester City, with Guardiola having described him as the most talented player he’s ever worked with, despite working with the likes of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Robert Lewandowski in his career.

The Spanish manager discussed the youngster recently, saying:

“He has incredible energy for a guy of 20-years-old but [in] still the final decision, the final pass, he has to slow down a little bit.”

Therefore, it seems clear that whilst Foden believes he is ready to be one of the first names on the teamsheet in Guardiola’s side, the former Barcelona boss still feels that he needs to fine-tune his ability.

Of course, Foden has a lot of competition in the attacking-midfield spot, as he is up against one of the world’s best in Kevin De Bruyne but Guardiola must eventually find a way to fit both players into his starting team on a regular basis, otherwise, he risks losing Foden’s generational talent.

And in other news… City can afford to axe “world-class” beast following worrying admission; Pep doesn’t need him

Steve Bruce should urge Newcastle United to swoop in and sign Sam Cosgrove during the January transfer window after Stoke City had the Aberdeen striker scouted.

What’s the word?

According to The Scottish Sun, Potters boss Michael O’Neill is a big admirer of Cosgrove and had the 24-year-old watched as Aberdeen were beaten 2-1 by runaway Premiership leaders Rangers earlier this month.

Cosgrove has been a long-term target for Stoke having tracked his situation for the last two windows, while Newcastle are said to have been assessing his potential as a younger Andy Carroll type who can provide cover in attack.

The 6 ft 4 colossus turned down a £2.7m move to French second-tier side En Avant de Guingamp last summer, and Aberdeen are expected to demand a similar fee to sell him this month.

A deal for Cosgrove would further deplete Aberdeen’s attacking ranks, with talks with Rangers over a deal to offload Scott Wright this month already underway and Ryan Edmondson now at Northampton after his loan from Leeds.

Cosgrove missed the start of the 2020/21 Premiership season after sustaining cartilage damage but returned to action in late October and has started seven of his 12 Scottish top-flight appearances to date, scoring three goals.

Should Newcastle sign Cosgrove?

Stoke’s scouts will not have been entirely bowled over by Cosgrove’s performance against Rangers earlier this month, with Steven Gerrard’s side winning their 21st game of the season to pull further clear of rivals Celtic at the top of the table.

Cosgrove could not find the back of the net with his only shot of the Gers affair, having rarely found possession in the final third but contesting 13 ground duels and nine aerial contests, per SofaScore, to show that he was not afraid to go toe-to-toe with the best opposition around.

His output up top was not unusual, either, with Cosgrove only averaging 1.1 shots per league game this season, yet his combative nature was far above his general standards of 6.6 ground duels and 5.3 aerial challenges contested a game. Those are certainly aspects Bruce would stand to benefit from at Newcastle, with the threat of a relegation battle a growing reality after Monday night’s 3-0 loss at Arsenal.

Cosgrove’s stellar goal record last season proved he knows where the goal is, too, having scored 23 times in 38 games across all competitions, which Bruce would no doubt love to tap into with Callum Wilson proving his only regular goal threat at Newcastle.

But even Wilson has not found the back of the net in his last four Premier League games and only boasts one goal in his last seven top-flight appearances, forcing Bruce to hope that Carroll can add to his only goal in the last 1,010 days across all competitions.

Dwight Gayle also only has one goal to his name this season and is yet to start a fixture in any competition, with each of his seven appearances to date coming from the bench following yet more injury struggles for the 31-year-old.

Having another option who can score frequently in Cosgrove, then, could prove to be what saves Newcastle’s season from total collapse, and a £2.7m fee may prove very good value for money.

AND in other news, Newcastle United are being targeted to solve another PL side’s transfer crisis…

An interesting name has emerged as a potential long-term striking target for Tottenham Hotspur this week…

What’s the word?

According to Eurosport’s Dean Jones, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is eyeing up a move for Brentford forward Marcus Forss as the 21-year-old goalscoring sensation is attracting interest from several elite clubs, including Borussia Dortmund.

It’s claimed that the Finland international is quickly becoming one of the EFL’s most talented starts, which is an opportunity the tough-negotiating Levy does not want to pass on.

Spurs’ own Werner?

Forss is quite the enigma. He’s started just five matches in all competitions and has scored seven goals. In the Championship alone, he has managed a goal every 69 minutes, per Transfermarkt.

Originally seen as a back-up to £5m summer signing Ivan Toney, the Bees have now started him in their last two league outings, pairing him up with the former Peterborough monster.

David Ornstein at The Athletic has also reported on the Bundesliga giant’s interest in Forss, claiming that there is something Jamie Vardy-like about his physique, movement and finishing.

Forss has even been likened to Erling Haaland as a ‘fox in the box’ who is hard-working and is truly efficient with what touches he does get with the ball, so perhaps it’s not a shock to see why Dortmund might be keen on his services.

Indeed, the combination of the above could also point towards the 21-year-old prodigy being that of a Timo Werner type as if you were to remove the names above, then the ex-Leipzig man would undoubtedly be one of your first guesses.

This is further compounded by Breaking The Lines’ analysis of the Bees striker, who said: ‘Forss also excels at creating space for his teammates via his intelligent movement and quick lay-off passes.’

Back in November 2019, fresh off a successful loan spell with AFC Wimbledon, former Brentford B head coach Kevin O’Connor told Sky Sports:

“Once we got him up to match speed, especially for the B Team, you could see his quality; you could see straight away that he was a finisher and had very good ability with both feet. I think it was only a matter of time before he got in and around the first-team squad.

“He can hold the ball up, he can spin, he’s strong and when he gets half a chance, I expect him to score. He’s clever; he aims for the defender’s legs. He shifts the ball, waits for them to shift their legs and then always shoots in between their legs so the ‘keepers can’t even react. He’s a very intelligent striker in his finishing.”

Forss is even now reaping the rewards on the international stage as he downed 2018 World Cup winners France during the recent break, which can be witnessed here.

He ransacked Spurs midfielder Moussa Sissoko before rampaging through to fire past a helpless Steve Mandanda.

The modern game now, especially at an elite level, requires forwards like a Werner, a Haaland or Vardy, and that’s something very different to Harry Kane, so Levy must do all he can to land the impressive goalscorer in 2021.

AND in other news, Mourinho has totally transformed £27m-rated Pochettino dud into a “sensational” STAR…

With Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho reportedly eyeing a new midfielder in January, one left-field name has emerged this week…

What’s the word?

According to Primer Tiempo, Spurs are one of several teams keen on signing Zenit St Petersburg powerhouse Wilmar Barrios next month.

It’s claimed that they will also face competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United as well as Serie A leaders AC Milan.

The 27-year-old is said to be open to moving to one of Europe’s top divisions, though an exit seems more likely in the summer rather than the winter.

Sissoko upgrade?

Barrios, who is valued at just £14.4m by Transfermarkt, could prove to be an interesting option in the engine room considering he bares similarities to the playing style of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Indeed, we could see a shift to a double pivot that would allow either Tanguy Ndombele or Giovani Lo Celso additional freedom to roam further up the pitch.

It’s clear that the ‘Special One’ doesn’t fancy Harry Winks in the role amid speculation over his future whilst Moussa Sissoko reminded everyone of his shortcomings during the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday evening.

He made only 56% of his 25 passing attempts, won just 38% of his duels, and lost possession 16 times, via SofaScore.

Barrios has proven to be a better protector of the ball across the Russian top-flight and the Champions League having averaged 2.1 tackles, 1.9 interceptions and a passing accuracy of 88.5% across 22 starts, as per WhoScored.

It’s not the first time the Colombian enforcer has been linked with a move to north London either as Mauricio Pochettino reportedly wanted him in 2018 from Boca Juniors.

A fee of £25m was being linked then.

Some supporters may even remember the livewire from the 2018 World Cup when Barrios appeared to headbutt Jordan Henderson in England’s last-16 clash.

Former Celtic scout Neil McGuinness, the man who unearthed Virgil van Dijk, wrote about the Zenit star prior to the tournament, and said:

“He operates mainly in the holding midfield role but rather than just being able to break up play – which he does very well – he also has great technical ability and skill on the ball. A player with good balance and agility, he can float past players with a drop of the shoulder and astutely anticipates opponent movements. Barrios is strongly suited to European football.”

Perhaps the time has finally come for the midfield monster to make the switch to the Premier League.

AND in other news, Spurs talisman endured a HUGE night to forget in Liverpool defeat…

Well, it was going to end at some point Aston Villa fans. Dean Smith’s side had enjoyed an incredible start to the Premier League season, racking up four wins from four and blowing teams away.

But a home clash against Leeds United on Friday night proved to be the end of the road for their winning run, with a hat-trick from Patrick Bamford consigning them to a 3-0 defeat at Villa Park.

In truth, it could have been more, had it not been for some pretty questionable finishing from Marcelo Bielsa’s side. Villa boss Smith will be keen to ensure that a bit of perspective is put on the defeat – after all, this was a team that had narrowly avoided relegation back to the Championship on the final day of last season.

However, he needs to make a ruthless call on one under-performing ace: Trezeguet. The Egypt international has watched Bertrand Traore arrive from Lyon in the summer transfer window, and that added competition appears to have just knocked him off his stride a little.

Despite starting every single Premier League game this campaign, he had yet to find the back of the net prior to Friday, and against Leeds, delivered unquestionably his worst performance of the season.

He struggled to get into the game whatsoever, and the tempo of Leeds’ pressing and intensity seemed to catch him off guard. As per Sofascore, he made just seven successful passes in the 66 minutes that he was on the pitch, whilst his tally of 25 total touches was the lowest of any player who started the game for either side.

He lost a whopping nine of his 14 total duels, and also committed a team-high of five fouls. He also failed to register a single shot on target, whilst he sent in no accurate crosses either.

With Traore waiting in the wings for his chance to start, Smith must make a tough call and drop Trezeguet.

West Ham United will forever rue not signing Franck Kessie in the summer transfer window, as AC Milan are now reportedly striving to tie the midfielder down with a new contract.

What’s the word?

According to Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness, David Moyes had big aspirations of improving the core of his midfield in the recent market, and sought to add Kessie as the missing piece of the jigsaw to partner Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek.

It is suggested there was no lack of effort on the Hammers’ part in moves to sign the Ivory Coast international, who also appeared as a potential target for Ligue 1 side AS Monaco.

Serie A rivals SSC Napoli and Inter Milan also held a strong approval of Kessie’s services, per Calciomercato, as the midfield powerhouse continued to impress game by game following his €28m (£25m) move to the San Siro in 2017.

But Kessie did not envisage leaving the San Siro this year as his preference has always been to remain with the Italian sleeping giants, who will now work on tieing the 23-year-old down with a new five-year deal once contracts are sorted for Gianluigi Donnarumma, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Hakan Calhanoglu.

Kessie is currently contracted through to the summer of 2022 and has begun the campaign with starting roles in six of Milan’s seven league fixtures, as the Rossoneri enjoy an unbeaten start to sit top by two points during the November international break.

“Far better” than Gattuso

Kessie’s future with Milan came under doubt earlier in the summer as the Rossoneri lined Ralph Rangnick up to replace Stefano Pioli, before ultimately retained their head coach on a new contract after deeming the former RB Leipzig manager to not be the right fit.

It’s a decision that paid dividends for Milan, as Kessie has started the season as an integral aspect of Pioli’s plans and repaid that faith by scoring twice and assisting one goal, with each of his successful strikes opening the scoring in matches that would return all three points.

Kessie’s potential has been there to see for years, with former Milan boss and 2006 World Cup winner Gennaro Gattuso once lauding the 38-cap international as being “far better” than he ever was, as the combative 23-year-old’s skill in the final third puts him into a different category to the Italian icon.

“Kessie is far better than I ever was, because he has seven or eight goals in his legs per season,” Gattuso told Mediaset, via quotes by Goal. “In any case, we’ve got to focus on the collective and not individuals.”

Kessie’s best Serie A season in front of the net came in 2018/19 when he struck home seven times and provided three assists, and has scored at least twice in every campaign since establishing himself with Atalanta in 2016.

West Ham will be ruing failing to land the enforcive presence Kessie could have brought to east London, having missed what could be their only shot at signing the Ivorian for years to come.

AND in other news, David Moyes can solve a West Ham dilemma by unleashing his plan for a £10.8m-rated dynamo.

Many associated with Manchester United have been very vocal about the club as of late, and former player Darren Fletcher has been discussing the possible transfer of Jadon Sancho – he believes the club don’t have to rush to acquire the player and that they shouldn’t sign a second choice.

The Englishman has made 101 appearances for the Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, registering 80 goal contributions as he has scored 35 times and supplied 45 assists, per Transfermarkt.

Speaking about the winger, according to MEN, via utdreport, Fletcher said: “If that’s your main target, why not wait for him instead of signing a stop-gap and eventually losing out on Sancho?”

It’s safe to say that these comments have not gone down well with a lot of the United fan base, as the club have only signed one player this window and many supporters believe they need more big additions if they want to compete with Liverpool and Manchester City, which is understandable as Liverpool finished 33 points above them last season.

Here is what fans are saying following the comments:

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