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With Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side heading into Thursday night’s Europa League clash in rather poor form, with the Bhoys having lost four of their last seven fixtures in all competitions, the 56-year-old Hoops manager would have undoubtedly been hoping for a positive performance and result against Bayer Leverkusen in order to kickstart the club’s European campaign.

However, first half strikes from Piero Hincapie and Florian Wirtz gave the Bundesliga side a 2-0 lead at half-time in the fixture, before a 58th-minute Lucas Alario penalty and a stoppage time Amine Adli saw the visitors run out comfortable 4-0 winners, a result which leaves Celtic rooted to the bottom of the Group G table.

As evident from such a result, a number of Hoops players failed to impress over the course of the 90 minutes, with Kyogo Furuhashi, Tom Rogic and David Turnbull all receiving SofaScore match ratings of 6.4 or lower. However, it may be Cameron Carter-Vickers who is left most disappointed with his performance on Thursday night.

No tackles made

Despite having been in impressive form in the league for Celtic – with the centre-back averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.60 over his three Premiership appearances, ranking him as the Bhoys’ fourth-best performer in the top flight – the 23-year-old very much had a game to forget against Leverkusen.

Indeed, over the course of his 90 minutes on the pitch, the £1.8m-rated defender failed to make a single tackle, blocked no shots and made just one clearance, in addition to – perhaps unfortunately – giving away the penalty for Leverkusen’s third goal of the match after being judged to have handled the ball in the box.

The £20k-per-week man also committed one foul, picked up a yellow card, ceded possession of the ball on 12 separate occasions and completed just two of his eight attempted long balls. These returns saw the Tottenham Hotspur loanee receive a hugely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 5.7, with no player from either team earning a lower score than the centre-back on the night.

As such, should Celtic wish to have any chance of qualifying from their Europa League group this season, Carter-Vickers will undoubtedly need to up his game over the club’s remaining fixtures in the competition as, even more so than his centre-back partner Carl Starfelt – who also struggled on the night – the American badly failed his manager on Thursday.

In other news: Forget Ralston: 28 y/o Celtic dud who had fewer touches than Hart badly let Ange down

Watford’s decision to sign Andre Gray for a club-record fee has unfortunately proven to be a disastrous piece of business by the Hornets.

The Hertfordshire outfit paid £18m to sign the striker from Burnley in 2017, a club-record fee at the time, with the Jamaican joining on a five-year contract.

Since then, he went on to make 125 appearances for Watford, in which he managed a measly 21 goals and eight assists, which is far from good enough when you consider the fee they paid.

Last season saw the striker manage just five goals in 30 appearances despite Watford’s promotion to the Premier League and following the arrivals of Emmanuel Dennis, Josh King and Ashley Fletcher, it always seemed likely that he would be surplus to requirements in Xisco Munoz’s squad.

He joined QPR on a season-long loan late in the summer transfer window and it seems likely at this point that he will leave Watford at the end of the season when his contract expires.

Transfermarkt currently values Gray at just £3.6m, with the forward enduring a steep decline since 2019 when he was valued at £13.6m by the same outlet.

Watford fans will be hoping that the 30-year-old can impress at QPR and convince them to make his move permanent in January but any potential fee that the Hornets could receive for the striker will surely be well below the £18m they paid.

When you consider that Gray rattled in the goals during spells at Luton Town, Brentford and Burnley, it is disappointing that he has performed so poorly at Watford and it is perhaps a surprise that he has remained at the club for so long, as it has been a bit of a nightmare spell for the Jamaica international.

And, in other news… 0 tackles in 3 games: Watford dud has endured nightmare PL start

Manchester City kick off their Champions League campaign on Wednesday night as they face Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig at The Etihad.

The Cityzens have had a strong start to the Premier League season with three wins from four games. Pep Guardiola’s side have won their last three league matches without scoring a goal, beating Leicester, Norwich and Arsenal – scoring 11 times in the process.

With City competing in multiple competitions and attempting to win more than one trophy, rotation and keeping players fresh is vitally important. Therefore, Guardiola may look to make a few changes to his side against Leizpig to freshen his XI up after the win over Leicester.

One player who the City boss needs to unleash against Leipzig is Belgian international midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, who is yet to start a competitive game for the club this season.

De Bruyne played 11 minutes off the bench against Tottenham on the opening day of the Premier League season and was an unused substitute against Leicester at the weekend. This suggests that he could now be back fit and in contention to play, as Guardiola deemed him ready enough to be used, if needed, against the Foxes.

The midfielder has shown that he has the quality to be a match-winner for the club. Earlier this year, former Blues defender Micah Richards hailed the 30-year-old as a complete footballer and said that he is one of the best in the world. He said:

“I’ve talked about De Bruyne for so long, he’s just incredible to watch. He says he’s played there before. He’s just a complete footballer.

“He can do both attacking and defensive work. It takes some beating to be better than him, it’s just absolutely incredible. I think he’s consistent.

“He’s so passionate and he wants to show the world what he can do because he’s an absolute gem of a player. He’s one of the best midfielders we’ve ever seen in the Premier League.”

De Bruyne has been named PFA Player of the Year in each of the past two seasons for City, accumulating 19 goals and 32 assists in the two campaigns combined. This shows that he is able to score and assist goals consistently, which is why he is able to be a match-winner for Guardiola.

Therefore, with the ex-Chelsea man now fit and available to play, Guardiola must unleash him against Leipzig this week in the Champions League. It will allow him to gain valuable match fitness to ease him into the season, which will prepare him for a return to Premier League action, whilst also boosting City’s chances of getting their European campaign off to a good start.

AND in other news, Man City should have swooped for “extraordinary” £54m-rated gem, Pep would’ve loved it…

Tottenham Hotspur could discover their new Mousa Dembele in this transfer window…

What’s the word?

According to French outlet Homme Du Match, Spurs have submitted a €20m (£17m) bid for Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge, who is being coveted from several top-flight teams, including arch-rivals Arsenal.

It’s believed that the Blades, who were relegated to the Championship last term, will reject the offer as they want to hold out for no less than €25m (£21.5m).

That figure is below the 24-cap Norwegian’s reported release clause of £35m, which decreased by £10m following United’s drop to the second tier of English football.

Shades of Dembele

In Berge, the North Londoners could find a player in the mould of their former midfield beast Dembele.

The Belgian box-to-box enforcer was renowned for being a big, strong and powerful presence in the engine room, but also one who could bring the ball forward with his technically gifted dribbling and passing attributes.

An average of 3.6 tackles, 1.9 interceptions, 2.9 dribbles and one key pass per Premier League outing in 2015/16, via WhoScored, merely highlights his phenomenal ability.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-team-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours, gossip and much more!”]

As former teammate Jermaine Jenas once described perfectly to the BBC, Dembele was “like a vacuum – he just sucks in all the pressure and then releases the ball at the perfect time.”

Despite Sheffield United’s relegation, Berge has displayed very similar characteristics – throughout his career so far, he has averaged 1.7 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 1.7 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

It’s no wonder his former Blades manager Chris Wilder described the 6 foot 5 colossus as a “complete midfielder” to Norwegian newspaper VG, adding: “He can play as an 8 and as 6. He can play in different formations.”

Nuno Santo may be awash with options in central midfield, with the likes of Giovani Lo Celso, Harry Winks, Oliver Skipp and Dele Alli all candidates to play alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, but none offer the Dembele-like exploits which are lacking in the middle.

Tottenham’s sporting director Fabio Paratici could do little wrong in bolstering such a key area, and in the £16.2m-rated powerhouse, he’d be providing the manager with an impressive box-to-box option who should thrive in his system – think Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho at Wolves.

AND in other news, Paratici masterclass: Spurs must secure bargain swoop for “dangerous” £18m-rated beast…

Jannik Vestergaard would have suited Wolves, claims Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.

Vestergaard recently completed a £15m move from Southampton to Leicester City; however, Wolves were also said to be interested in the central defender before his transfer to the King Power.

According to The Athletic, Wolves and a host of other Premier League clubs were all keen on signing Vestergaard as he ran down his Southampton contract.

It was not to be for the Midlands outfit, though, which Hatfield believes is a shame, suggesting that the 29-year-old would have been ideal. He told TT:

“I think he would have suited Wolves. Vestergaard would have been a really, really good signing for Wolves.

“He would have suited them well. He would have suited the wingers well, too. With someone like [Adama] Traore delivering balls into the box, Vestergaard’s height obviously makes him a real threat, not just defensively but also going forward.”

Clearly, at 6 ft 6, Vestergaard would have brought a real presence to this Wolves side.

As per WhoScored, last season, the Denmark international won more aerial duels (3.3) on average than any Wolves player. Willy Boly came the closest with an average of 2.7 per Premier League game, which is still quite respectable.

However, the Ivorian is more renowned for his pace, so that really could have been a nicely balanced partnership if Wolves had managed to sign Vestergaard and Bruno Lage opted for a back four.

Southampton have been linked with a move for RB Leipzig ace Ademola Lookman and the winger could be an upgrade on Nathan Redmond in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side next season.

What’s the word?

According to the Chronicle Live, the Bundesliga side have offered Lookman to a number of Premier League sides and value him at £10m, with Newcastle United and Southampton both credited with an interest.

It is no surprise to see the Saints linked with the 23-year-old, as he was signed on loan to RB Leipzig by Ralph Hasenhuttl during his time with Die Roten Bullen, and he contributed an impressive five goals and four assists in 11 games playing under the Austrian manager.

The 23-year-old would spend last season on loan with Fulham and was a regular in Scott Parker’s side throughout the season, although his performances were not enough to save the Cottagers from relegation to the Championship.

An upgrade on Nathan Redmond?

Last season saw Redmond make 29 appearances in the Premier League for Hasenhuttl’s side, scoring twice and assisting three times, which helped him average a disappointing 6.55 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Although his form picked up slightly after an impressive display against Bournemouth in the FA Cup, the 27-year-old winger went missing on far too many occasions last season, with Southampton far too reliant on Danny Ings, Che Adams and James Ward-Prowse as their goalscorers.

If Southampton are to improve next season, they should be looking to add more goals from out wide and Lookman could help to solve that problem.

The “impressive” youngster managed four goals and four assists for Fulham last season but was one of the top performers for the West London club, with his 6.92 average rating from WhoScored ranking him as their second-best player across the season.

This emphasises that he is far more consistent than Redmond, and considering he is also younger and more clinical in front of goal, it seems fair to suggest that he would be an upgrade on the former Norwich City man in Hasenhuttl’s side.

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Lookman has shown he is good enough for the Premier League and fits in with Southampton’s budget of targeting players for £10m or less, so Martin Semmens should definitely look to sign him this summer.

And, in other news… Semmens can land Hasenhuttl his dream signing with swoop for £14.4m-rated “Rolls Royce”

Aston Villa could enter the race to sign Lazio’s Joaquin Correa, according to Il Messaggero (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

Correa is capable of playing as an attacking midfielder or down the left but last season he was used as a centre forward. In 25 Serie A starts, he scored eight goals and provided three assists (via WhoScored).

Tuttosport have reported that Lazio need to raise up to €30million (£25.4million) in order to register new signings Elseid Hysaj, Felipe Anderson, Dimitrije Kamenović and Luka Romero and fund a move for Bordeaux’s Toma Basic. As such, they are willing to let Correa leave for that fee.

Legendary countryman Juan Sebastian Veron has actually urged him to remain in Serie A, where’s been ‘crushing it’ (via Goal) – high praise indeed.

Villa have already spent more than £95million on four new signings, but Jack Grealish’s move to Manchester City has put them back in the black (via Transfermarkt).

The latest

The report states that Villa Park is a possible destination for Correa, though there’s competition from Premier League rivals Everton and Leicester City.

The player’s agent is said to be hard at work to arrange a route out of the Italian capital.

The verdict

Do Villa really need Correa? Well his versatility would make him a good asset, but you could argue the funds would be better spent elsewhere.

The likes of Danny Ings, Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Buendia appear to block Correa’s path into the starting line-up.

There is a potential gap on the left-hand side, but Todd Cantwell would be better suited to that role.

It might be the case that Correa’s representatives have made an approach to Villa, rather than the other way around.

In other news, fans react to Gregg Evans’ Danny Ings claim. 

Writing on Twitter in reply to Tottenham Hotspur training footage, reliable correspondent Alasdair Gold has dropped some ‘terrific news’ on midfield sensation Oliver Skipp.

The Lowdown: Skipp showing promise…

The England under-21 international enjoyed a brilliant 2020/21 season on loan at Norwich City in the Championship, where he started 44 matches under Daniel Farke (WhoScored). He also made the second-most tackles per game (2.2)  and joint-third most interceptions (1.1) out of the entire Canaries squad, proving himself a solid enforcer in front of the back four (WhoScored).

However, the promising 20-year-old suffered a metatarsal fracture at the back end of the campaign which required surgery (tottenhamhotspur.com), with Gold now sharing an update in response to the club’s Hotspur Way footage.

The Latest: Gold drops ‘terrific’ Skipp update

Sharing some ‘terrific news’ on social media, Gold has claimed that Skipp should be back in full training next week after a video emerged of him back on the training pitches at Tottenham.

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Indeed, while he is not currently fully fit, the midfielder’s speedy recovery could spell good news for Spurs as he aims to get back up to speed quickly under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

Gold also believes that the 20-year-old has a ‘big season ahead’ in store, with it being hard to argue against that assessment based on the player’s potential.

The Verdict: Big boost for Spurs…

Former Lilywhites manager Jose Mourinho best summed up Skipp’s quality while he was still at the helm in north London, branding the youngster ‘phenomenal’ and a ‘future captain’. The praise is noteworthy as Mourinho is not averse to criticising young talents in public.

The homegrown starlet has been tipped to play a big role for Spurs during the upcoming season and could provide real solidarity alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the defensive midfield position.

Having him back fully fit in time for the 2021/22 campaign should  come as a big boost for Nuno, and many Spurs fans will likely be eager to see him return to full training next week.

In other news: ‘In recent days’…Journalist says Spurs have now made enquiry to sign £34.4m-rated ‘genius’, find out more here.

Liverpool will be desperate to win back their Premier League title this term, and a huge part of that will be the returns to fitness of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez. 

The Reds finished third in the top-flight standings last season, and many of the Anfield faithful will feel as though their injuries in defence caused an insurmountable task as they lost out on the title to Manchester City.

Both Gomez and van Dijk missed the majority of the 2020/21 league campaign, after picking up long-term knee injuries early into the season.

Gomez made 43 appearances for the Reds two seasons ago, whilst van Dijk made 50 appearances in total in their title-winning 2019/20 campaign.

The pair have recently been captured watching their team-mates in action during pre-season, and it seemed as though they’re in a good mood heading towards the new Premier League campaign.

A number of Liverpool fans took to social media to react to this footage of Gomez and van Dijk, and it’s safe to say that the majority were pleased to see the pair in good spirits.

Take a look at the best of the reaction from Twitter below….

“I love these guys.”

Credit: @AlexFtbl

“The league ain’t ready.”

Credit: @Josh8ii

“Imagine the bond these two will have when they come back.”

Credit: @jasiekkal

“Love these two can’t wait to see them back on the pitch.”

Credit: @corey_YNWA

“Protect them at all costs.”

Credit: @semmutalindwa

“Best duo in the league.”

Credit: @john_youhanan

“This brings me so much joy.”

Credit: @lfcoliverpool

“I’ve missed them so much.”

Credit: @icy7_YNWA

It seemed like a massive blow for Liverpool when their star man Philippe Coutinho departed for Barcelona, but after just 90 appearances since 2018 for the Catalan giants Paul Stewart believes that he would love to return.

Coutinho was the main man at Anfield who carried them through numerous tough games and scored several famous goals where he would cut in from the left and whip a shot into the far corner, but those sorts of days have been few and far between at Barcelona, even being farmed out on loan during the 2019/20 season.

Reports have suggested that Barcelona have offered Coutinho back to Liverpool as the Spanish giants are struggling to pay the full transfer fee that was agreed between the two clubs in 2018, which totalled £142 million.

The Brazilian was a fan favourite before he engineered a move away from Anfield and former Liverpool man Stewart believes that Coutinho would love to come back and play for the Reds, speaking exclusively to Football FanCast about the potential move:

“In a heartbeat he’d come back. I guess because he will be sat there on reflection saying I don’t really know why I left because my career has not kicked on, in fact, it’s sort of got worse.”

Coutinho did leave a hole in Liverpool’s side in the immediate aftermath as he was great to watch and have in Liverpool’s side with Jurgen Klopp labelling him a genius back in 2016.

It speaks volumes of how Barcelona have been run in the last few years having agreed on massive transfer fees without thinking if they are really getting a good deal and thus, are now struggling to cope with their financial difficulties.