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Alex McLeish has expressed his surprise amid suggestions that Celtic’s James McCarthy is ‘struggling with the intensity of training’.

The lowdown

The Athletic’s Kieran Devlin revealed earlier this month that, according to ‘dressing-room sources’, McCarthy was finding it difficult to cope with the demands placed upon him behind the scenes.

He joined the Glasgow outfit on a free transfer during the summer after reaching the end of his contract at Crystal Palace.

The 30-year-old made his first Scottish Premiership start in the 1-0 defeat at Livingston and, in the words of Devlin, looked ‘incredibly awkward’.

But Ange Postecoglou kept faith with McCarthy for Sunday’s home draw against Dundee United, only for him to be forced off at half time after suffering a knock.

The latest

McLeish, the former Scotland boss, says he’s never come across a player who finds training too demanding.

He’s urged Celtic not to ‘physically flog’ the Irishman if they want to get the best out of him on matchdays.

“It surprises me to hear he’s struggling in training,” he told Football Insider.

“I have never heard of players struggling with the intensity of training.

“McCarthy is not a young player anymore and when you sign a player like that you have to manage him right. You have to do your due diligence with the sport science guys.

“If you want the best out of him on a weekend you cannot physically flog him during the week. You don’t want to tire him out otherwise he won’t be able to last long at the weekend.

“I’m a little surprised they gave him a four-year deal.

“They need to manage him now. It will be interesting to see how many minutes he plays this season.”

The verdict

It certainly doesn’t bode well that the wisdom of Celtic’s business is already being questioned. It’s only September.

This was apparently a signing neither Postecoglou nor the scouting department requested. Instead, it seems like club officials thought the opportunity to sign an experienced midfielder from the English Premier League for free was too good to turn down.

But did they stop to consider whether he’d be a remotely good fit? Perhaps not, and the fact he simply cannot seem to stay fit with the demands placed upon him by the manager is a huge concern.

In other news, McLeish picked out this man as a ‘big loss’ for Celtic. 

Some Everton fans have been left buzzing as some news emerged on Lewis Dobbin and Ellis Simms.

Writing in his latest piece for The Athletic, Patrick Boyland has now revealed that the Goodison Park faithful are currently in talks with both players to give them new deals.

Dobbin’s contract expires at the end of the season, while progress has been made with Simms’ deal.

Both players are certainly two of the most promising youngsters at the Merseyside club at the moment, as Dobbin has already Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, they are the future of the club, and so tying them both down to new contracts would be great business, especially considering what unfolded with Thierry Small this summer.

Everton fans on Dobbin and Simms news

These Toffees buzzed as the news was shared across Twitter, with one Blues supporter claiming that it is ‘good news’ while another praise the ‘massive potential’ on show:

“Definitely need to keep these two at the club, Dobbin in particular has got massive potential”

Credit: @Stevie_SES

“Good news, get these two on long-term deals then get them in and around the first team”

Credit: @ChrisPerez75

“Love it if these 2 and DCL could spearhead our attack for 5/6 years. But fans won’t have the patience. Crave immediate success. Hopefully they’ll be more Rooney than Jeffers or Cadamarteri.”

Credit: @jayhow15

“Dobbin should be given an open cheque book”

Credit: @LiamTheToffee

“Not exactly stacked with options up front and because of FFP he’ll get more time afforded to him than I suspect he would have previously. Get him tied down and get him involved”

Credit: @bluesofgoodison

“The lad should sign a new deal and stick around. Rondon ain’t the answer. Tosun will be gone next Summer and probably won’t get a look in anyway this year. With Kean gone too it’s a position where he will more than likely get an opportunity to impress.”

Credit: @sav4efc

In other news, find out which ‘outstanding’ Premier League ace EFC are eyeing here!

Everton are reportedly eyeing up a move for Stoke City defender Harry Souttar as new manager Rafael Benitez looks to freshen up his backline.

What’s the story?

According to reports, assistant manager Duncan Ferguson has scouted the highly-rated 22-year-old ahead of a potential move.

The report states that Souttar has been identified as a potential replacement for Yerry Mina after the Colombian centre-back expressed his desire to leave Goodison Park next summer.

It’s believed that Mina has his heart set on a move to Serie A with both Inter and Fiorentina keen to secure his services, while Souttar is continuing to impress in the Championship.

Benitez would love him

After departing boyhood club Dundee United to join Stoke back in September 2016, the youngster has enjoyed multiple loan spells away from the Bet365 Stadium.

A 12-month stay at Fleetwood Town during 2019/20 proved to be the turning point in Souttar’s career to date, though, and his eye-catching performances at Highbury Stadium were enough to secure a place in Michael O’Neill’s first-team plans.

“We drip-fed him in using the cup games to begin with and he found his way into the starting XI,” said O’Neill. “I said to him that he just has to keep up the levels he’s been doing. Sometimes young players drop off a little bit. He can’t allow that to happen.

“He’s a player blessed with great natural attributes. Obviously his height, but also, he’s got good game intelligence, and he’s a great user of the ball as well. That’s something which I think will set him apart from the other defenders in this league,” he concluded.

Souttar made 38 league starts for the Potters last term as he found his feet at the heart of defence and has continued his good form into the current campaign, making ten Championship outings as Stoke sit fourth in the second-tier table.

As a result, Everton’s director of football, Marcel Brands, must sanction a move for the Australian starlet if Mina departs for Italian football.

Benitez would surely relish the opportunity to work with such a talented young player, providing the Merseyside outfit with a solid defensive foundation for many years to come. After all, the Spanish coach has already been keen to blood young players in his team this season.

Jarrad Branthwaite, Anthony Gordon and Lewis Dobbin have all become more regular parts of the furniture this season. Souttar must join that talented crop coming through at Goodison Park.

And, in other news…Everton may find their new Rodriguez by signing £22.5m-rated gem, he’s a “big player” 

Crystal Palace have been linked with a move for Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo as Patrick Vieira looks to add further reinforcements to his first team squad at Selhurst Park.

What’s the story?

According to Football Insider, the Eagles are interested in securing the 25-year-old’s signature over the coming months after impressing during his time in Scottish football.

The report stated: “An industry source has told Football Insider that Aribo is on Palace’s radar going into next year and his situation at Ibrox will be closely monitored.”

Aribo’s current contract at Ibrox expires in the summer of 2023, so the upcoming January window may be the last opportunity for Rangers to secure a high price for the versatile forward.

Crystal Palace fans will be buzzing

After joining the Glasgow giants on a free transfer following his departure from Charlton Athletic back in 2019, Aribo has established himself as one of the Scottish Premiership’s most exciting attacking talents.

In 106 appearances for Rangers, the Nigeria international has scored 19 goals and provided a further 17 assists for his teammates, playing a pivotal part in the club’s league triumph last season.

His exploits at club level have also earned him seven caps for his national side and have led to several impressed onlookers lauding his ability on the pitch, with former Rangers player Steven Thomson hailing him as “phenomenal”.

Therefore, Palace fans will surely be buzzing to learn that the club’s hierarchy are reportedly tracking the £5.85m-rated gem ahead of a potential move.

Vieira brought in Conor Gallagher and Will Hughes to begin the overhaul of his engine room over the summer, and the former has already made a big impression in south London.

However, Gallagher is only on a season-long loan from Premier League rivals Chelsea, so the French tactician is already sensibly planning ahead for the 21-year-old’s inevitable exit.

During his time north of the border, Aribo has become renowned for his dribbling skills and ability to pick out a pass, as well as being comfortable sticking a foot in and dispossessing opponents, all traits in which Gallagher excels.

It remains to be seen whether the Eagles make a formal offer for Aribo, but chairman Steve Parish must sanction a swoop for the African, duly providing Vieira with the tools he needs to keep making progress at the Selhurst Park helm.

In other news… “He was raving about..” – Tom Barclay drops CPFC claim which should delight fans 

Rangers will look to extend their lead at the top of the Premiership as they travel to face St Mirren on Sunday.

Heading into the weekend, the Gers sat at the summit of the table on 20 points, whilst tomorrow’s opponent’s were seventh and have only lost two of their opening nine matches.

Steven Gerrard’s team come into the game off the back of a 2-0 win over Danish side Brondby in the Europa League on Thursday night, so will he make any changes to the starting XI? We believe that one player he should bring into the fold is central midfielder Scott Arfield.

The experienced Scottish-born Canadian impressed during his cameo off the bench on Thursday, recording a SofaScore rating of 7.00 in 12 minutes. As per SofaScore, he won both of his duels, made one tackle and one interception, and provided one key pass as well as hitting the post with a good effort on goal.

It is time to forget about Steven Davis starting against St Mirren and Gerrard to unleash Arfield in midfield for the Gers. We published an article explaining why the 36-year-old should be axed from the starting XI after his disappointing performance against Brondby.

Arfield is a proven performer for Rangers and could come in to give the Northern Irishman a rest. Last season, the 32-year-old averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.85 in 28 games as he chipped in with four goals and five assists in the Premiership

During the campaign, Gerrard lauded the midfielder for what he offers in and out of position in the middle of the park, which hints at what he could bring to the side this weekend against St Mirren.

The Gers boss said: “Scott epitomises what we want. Out of possession he shows grit, he shows fight, he’s there for you and in possession, he’s always available. He stands up to be counted at important times, so we’re extremely happy with Scott at the moment.”

This highlights why Gerrard must unleash the £16k-per-week beast on Sunday to show what he can do with a first league start of the season. It would allow an underperforming Davis to have a rest and focus on getting back to his best in training, whilst also throwing a bone to Arfield to see if he can stake a claim for a regular starting berth for the Gers.

AND in other news, Gerrard could unearth McGregor 2.0 in Rangers gem who has shown “excellent progress”…

Junior Firpo and Raphinha should both be available for Leeds United’s Premier League clash with Norwich City, according to journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Must-win game for Leeds

The Whites are back in league action this weekend, following their Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Arsenal in midweek.

Leeds travel to bottom-placed Norwich on Sunday afternoon knowing that only a victory will do, as they look to pull away from the relegation zone – if they can’t pick up three points against the apparent worst side in the division, things could get worrying for the Whites.

After nine games, Marcelo Bielsa’s side sit 17th in the table and have still only won once in nine league outings.

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The Latest: Hay provides positive update

With the match fast approaching, the reliable Hay provided some positive team news on Twitter on Friday, confirming in an eight-word update from Bielsa’s press conference that Firpo and Raphinha are both expected to return from injury:

“Firpo and Raphinha are likely to be available.”

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The Verdict: Crucial

This is a much-needed boost for Leeds, who are already having to make do without key men such as Luke Ayling and Patrick Bamford.

Firpo will bring natural attacking width from left-back and may allow Stuart Dallas to play his more natural position in midfield, while Raphinha’s importance goes without saying.

The Brazilian is arguably Leeds’ best player, with his first three caps for his country seeing him score and assist twice apiece earlier this month, and leading the Elland Road outfit in average match rating (Whoscored) by some distance.

In other news, a ‘great offer’ could be enough for Leeds to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

Pundit Alan Hutton has been giving his thoughts to what he’s seen from Celtic summer signing Giorgos Giakoumakis in recent weeks, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Giakoumakis’ first start

The 26-year-old has had to remain patient after joining from VVV-Venlo on deadline day in the summer.

He suffered a calf injury warming up towards the end of September but has featured following the October international break.

Giakoumakis made two Parkhead appearances in the space of five days last week, including a first start against St Johnstone.

The striker netted his first goal for the club in the 2-0 Scottish Premiership win, and Hutton has been impressed with what he has seen.

The Latest: Hutton’s comments

Hutton was asked by Football Insider for his thoughts on the forward.

This is what he had to say, believing the recent signs are positive.

“I’ve been looking forward to seeing what he can bring to the party.

“It’s been difficult for him scoring so many goals last season and then coming to a new club and being injured.

“I actually thought he performed really well in midweek against Ferencvaros. He was really good, he looked strong, he could hold the ball up, his all round play was good.

“To get your first goal, you just grow in confidence. I think that’s what he’s been itching for. It’s difficult coming into a new club to be injured.

“He looks a real talent, he ticks a lot of the boxes. Obviously, we’re going to need to wait and see over the next few weeks but he looks a very good player.”

The Verdict: More to come…

Giakoumakis appears to be reaching full fitness now, so, hopefully, as Hutton mentions, Ange Postecoglou will be able to rely on the forward as a key man over the coming weeks.

He netted 26 times in 30 Eredivisie appearances last season, so, should he continue his upward trend for the Hoops, goals may start to flow, which will only benefit Celtic.

In other news: ‘A gamble’ – Sky Sports man reacts as Celtic target Adidas sponsored midfielder. 

Many Wolves fans have been blasting the performance of Romain Saiss in their 2-0 loss at Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday.

The defender was guilty of not pushing up for the first goal that they conceded, keeping Wilfried Zaha onside, and Conor Gallagher later added a second with just over 10 minutes to go to pile on his misery.

Saiss lost out on five of his duels and failed to block any shots, while he was also guilty of losing possession of the ball on 14 different occasions at Selhurst Park, the joint-third most of anyone in the visitors’ line-up (SofaScore).

Furthermore, the Morocco international will be wary that Willy Boly is now breathing down his neck for a starting place, returning to the bench for the last two games after a training ground injury in October.

Wolves fans on Saiss’ display

These Wolves fans on Twitter blasted Saiss’ performance against Palace, with one supporter even going as far as to claim that the Moroccan was a ‘liability’:

“Sell Coady and Saiss”

Credit: @fatchav

“Go back to attacking football, bin Coady and Saiss, bring back Boly to play with Kilman in a back four, and put another attacking midfield option in to play in a free role behind Raul”

Credit: @HUGEWolf

“Saiss. Go. Please. Just go”

Credit: @JoeJose84

“Coady and Saiss literally keeping Zaha onside but not marking anyone, so Coady and Saiss’ positioning were useless”

Credit: @Wolvoryan04

“Sorry, but Saiss is a liability at times. We’ve got to up the quality in these defensive positions”

Credit: @inlandtaipan1

“Coady and Saiss, dumb and dumber at it again man”

Credit: @P0DENCE

In other news, find out whose display against Palace was also slammed by numerous Wolves fans

Leeds United are among a number of clubs to have shown an interest in Vitoria de Guimaraes youngster Marcus Edwards, according to a fresh report.

The Lowdown: Edwards shines abroad

The 22-year-old Englishman has flourished in Portugal since leaving Tottenham in 2019, scoring 16 goals and registering 14 assists for his current club.

Edwards is another example of a young English player thriving abroad after being given more first-team opportunities, as was the case with Jadon Sancho and now Jude Bellingham at Borussia Dortmund.

The former Spurs winger has made eight appearances for England’s under-20s, scoring twice in that time.

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The Latest: Leeds linked with move

According to Jornal de Noticias [via Sport Witness], Leeds were keen on signing Edwards in the summer, along with Olympiakos, Sporting CP and Porto.

Offers were turned down for the winger, though, and he now has a €50m (£42.7m) release clause in his Vitoria contract.

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The Verdict: Exciting long-term signing

Edwards is an intriguing player to keep an eye on, considering that his former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino claimed that he played like ‘the beginning of Messi’ back in 2016.

At 22, he could come in as a long-term acquisition for Leeds, potentially blossoming into a player who might go on to fulfil Pochettino’s substantial comparison to the multiple Ballon D’Or-winning Argentine.

Edwards’ current deal doesn’t expire until 2024, however, so that release clause would need to be triggered in what would be a club-record transfer for Leeds if it went through.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly keen on signing a Premier League player. Find out who it is here.

The previous summer transfer window saw a number of players leave Liverpool, including Harry Wilson, Xherdan Shaqiri and Marko Grujic among others.

One other man who departed Anfield over the summer after making 237 appearances for the Reds across all competitions was Georginio Wijnaldum, who joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

Looking ahead to the January and summer transfer windows, it seems as though the Merseyside club could be in the running to sign a potential replacement for the 31-year-old.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by International Business Times that Liverpool are interested in making a move to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, with the Catalan club apparently willing to cash in on the Dutchman to raise funds.

Since joining the La Liga giants in the 2019 summer transfer window in a deal worth a reported fee of £65m, De Jong has made 106 appearances for the Blaugrana across all competitions, scoring nine goals and providing 14 assists in the process, prior to their league match against Espanyol this weekend.

His nine appearances in La Liga so far this season have seen the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at £81m by Transfermarkt, prove himself a useful midfield option in a creative and defensive regard. He has racked up a passing accuracy percentage of 92%, with an average of 1.2 key passes and two tackles per game according to SofaScore.

De Jong, who has been called an “extraordinary” player in the past by current Barcelona manager Xavi, has also shown how impressive he can be on the international stage. He completed 78 out of his 80 passes in Netherlands’ recent 2-0 win over Norway, as well as winning eight of his 11 duels. He duly earned an overall match rating of 7.5/10 from SofaScore, which was higher than the rating given to Wijnaldum (7.1/10).

In terms of a potential move to Liverpool, if Barcelona are willing to let De Jong leave the club, then FSG should be all over it trying to bring him to Anfield and add him to Jurgen Klopp’s squad as Wijnaldum’s long-term heir given his talent and relatively young age.

In other news: “Incredible” Liverpool ace with 2.2 shots PG has been Klopp’s unsung hero this season