Celtic fans have been reacting on Twitter after manager Neil Lennon said he will drop winger Marian Shved from their Europa League squad to Celtic TV, via Celts Are Here.
Hopes would have been high that the 22-year-old would make a big impression at Paradise after he arrived at the Scottish Premiership champions in the summer, having signed in January 2019 before being loaned back to Karpaty.
It hasn’t exactly worked out like that for the Ukraine international though, who has played just 35 minutes of football in all competitions under Lennon this term.
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The Northern Irish boss has explained why he feels the attacker is struggling, despite being in Scotland for more than six months now.
Lennon told Celtic TV, via Celts Are Here: “He’s found it difficult, he’s struggled with the English, in training, he’s not getting at the level as the rest of them are. He’s still a very talented player, but he’s still taking a bit more time to adapt.”
Some suggested that the 48-year-old is in the wrong with his comments about him struggling with the language, while also suggesting that he won’t improve unless he is given some playing time.
One fan suggested that the club now needs to rely on loanee Moi Elyounoussi to step up in Europe.
The Southampton player has missed the last two months through injury, but The Scottish Sun reported last week that the Norway international was due back in training on Friday.
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The 25-year-old scored seven goals and provided a further six assists in 13 appearances in all competitions prior to his problem.
One supporter was “gutted” for Shved, while two more went a step further with their comments which suggested this could be the end for the 22-year-old at Celtic Park.
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Given his lack of football under Neil Lennon, you would have to say that as things stand it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him go in the summer.
In other Celtic news, Hoops fans on Twitter were highly critical of one 22-year-old’s performance against Hamilton…
Newcastle United are set to be without their captain Jamaal Lascelles for the remainder of the year after the centre-back suffered a knee injury against Bournemouth on November 9.
The 26-year-old was forced off in the 20th minute of the clash at St James’ Park and is not expected to return to the field until 2020.
As a result Newcastle boss Steve Bruce will need to name a new captain for the clash with Aston Villa on November 25, and indeed in the weeks ahead.
A decent amount of Newcastle fans have been on social media offering their views on the situation, and it would be fair to say that there are mixed opinions on the topic.
Indeed, a number of players have been offered up as potential candidates to wear the armband, and it will be fascinating to see what Bruce decides in the build-up to the Villa game.
A selection of the Twitter reaction is available to view below:
Leeds witnessed a rather big clear out on Monday as the transfer window closed for clubs around Europe and lower down in the Football League.
One of the names to depart Elland Road was Vurnon Anita, a man who rarely played after signing for the club in 2017.
The Dutchman joined from Newcastle but leaves a free agent after he and Leeds came to an agreement to mutually terminate his contract.
It’s a move that is unlikely to have any sort of impact on Marcelo Bielsa’s side and that was evident in the reaction from supporters on Twitter.
There appeared to be a sense of relief in some responses as one said it was a transfer that should never have happened in the first place. Another noted his exit had to occur.
A further individual claimed he came with so much expectation and it was a shame that things didn’t work out.
Anita played just 22 times for the Whites in all competitions but ultimately never really stamped down a place.
He spent last season on loan at Willem II.
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Football.London journalist James Benge has written an article on who should be the next permanent Arsenal captain after current skipper Laurent Koscielny.
What’s he said, then?
Koscielny’s contract at the Emirates Stadium is due to run out at the end of next season and at the ripe old age of 33 and becoming more and more injury prone, he may not be offered a new one.
In that case, a new full-time captain would need to be appointed in north London to follow in the Frenchman’s footsteps and one would feel that it has to be a member of Unai Emery’s current squad.
Picking out Spanish right-back Hector Bellerin as the man for the job, here’s what Benge had to say:
“The man to lead Arsenal into that new era, then, is Hector Bellerin.”
Absolutely right
On this occasion, Benge has got one of his bold claims correct although a large portion of Gooners tended to disagree with him on the brave call.
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The Gunners need a fresh, youthful face to help usher in the Emery era, which began last summer and didn’t enjoy the best of first seasons. Bellerin is certainly that.
The 24-year-old has been at the club long enough now to know it inside-out having joined as a teenager, so that’s not an issue. Bellerin is also fantastic role model on and off the pitch for the millions of young Arsenal fans, and it would be hard to see him not doing a wonderful job as skipper at the Emirates.
Aston Villa have put any potential contract discussions with Albert Adomah to one side, according to Birmingham Live. But should fans have concerns about the news?
What’s the word?
Villa have yet to open contract discussions with Adomah which means he could be set to become a free agent in the summer. It appears as though the wide player would like to stay but after contacting the club various times about his situation, things haven’t come along any further.
This could be good news for Leeds who may look to revive previous interest in the 31-year-old. Last summer a return to Middlesbrough for Adomah collapsed whilst Villa approached Leeds about a potential move for their player. It’s also understood by Birmingham Live that the latter had two bids rejected in January.
Adomah’s saga has dragged on for a while now but it could be about to come to an end if he isn’t offered a new deal.
Let Green flourish
Coming off the back of a 14 goal season during a run to the play-off final, Adomah’s form in 2018/19 has been largely inconsistent. At 31, his best days look behind him and as a result, Villa should focus on the future.
In 20-year-old Andre Green, the Villans have a hugely talented youngster on their books and after returning from a short loan spell with Portsmouth, he’s begun to feature more often in Dean Smith’s plans.
With the pair of them both wingers, Adomah’s possible departure can pave the way for a more permanent spot in the team for the arguably more exciting Green. Fortunately for Villa, they haven’t had trouble scoring goals this season but the latter’s dribbling ability could give them an added dimension in the final third, especially now he’s receiving more first-team experience.
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Aston Villa may finally lose Jack Grealish in the summer too. By bringing through another one of their own talents and using Green more, it would help soften the blow.
Spurs are heading into 2019 in a good position overall, with Mauricio Pochettino leading his club to within touching distance of sustaining a realist title challenge.
The Argentinian manager deserves a host of credit for maintaining the form of his team despite no summer signings, and with the January window now fully open and in full swing, it will be interesting to see if Spurs act now and add some quality given their position.
We here at the Tavern think adding one or two players wouldn’t go amiss, and we believe signing players of high quality but for sums that are not extortionate needs to be the way Spurs look at things.
And one man we feel fits this mould is Brazilian midfielder Walace, who has been plying his trade over in Europe with Hannover following a move in the summer from Hamburg.
However, despite only just making a switch over six months ago, contracts can often mean little these days, and Spurs would be well within their rights to make a move for the impressive 23-year-old.
A natural ball winner and somene with a fantastic engine in the middle of the park, Walace has all the qualities and attributes to be a top star if he did get a move to the Premier League.
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Spurs look light in the middle at times, and signing someone like Walace, who has power, ability, and experience in Europe, could well prove to be a shrewd move by the London club.
Spurs fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!
On October 4 in 2015, Liverpool sacked manager Brendan Rodgers, which paved the way for Jurgen Klopp to come in and transform the team.
Rodgers came close to guiding the club to their first ever Premier League title, but it was not to be.
Aside from the surprise title charge, the Northern Irishman failed to lead the club to a trophy during his three-and-a-half-year spell at Anfield.
Klopp took over from Rodgers four days later, and even though he is still yet to clinch silverware, the team look in a much better state.
The German coach has guided the club to three cup finals, albeit in all of those the Reds were beaten, and he has shaped a team that are worthy of challenging for the title.
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It is safe to say that the majority of Liverpool fans are happier with Klopp at the helm than Rodgers, who is currently in charge of Celtic.
On October 4, fans were reminded of the managerial change, and a few offered their thoughts.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Liverpool have been informed that they will have to pay £44m in order to sign Fiorentina winger Federico Chiesa in this summer’s transfer window.
The 20-year-old has been in impressive form for his Italian club this season – scoring six times and registering seven assists in 34 appearances in all competitions.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is believed to be a huge admirer of the Italian, who only signed a new long-term contract with La Viola in November 2017.
It is understood that £44m would be enough for Fiorentina to sell, and it is a deal that Liverpool will reportedly consider at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.
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The English club’s supporters, however, are not so sure when it comes to the price.
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Indeed, £44m does seem a hefty fee for a player that is yet to prove himself over a long period, but Fiorentina have every right to hold out for such a fee.
A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Liverpool fans can be seen below:
Glasgow Rangers made two huge decisions on Monday as they announced that both CEO Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell had been removed from their posts at Ibrox.
Chairman Andrew Cavenagh revealed to Sky Sports, in the post below, that the Gers need different people in those two leadership positions moving forward in order for the club to be successful.
The Rangers chief was careful not to throw mud at Stewart and Thelwell for their work at Ibrox, but suggested that it was down to their performance in their respective roles, as he stated that they still aligned with the overarching project.
Given that Russell Martin’s tenure lasted 17 matches and several summer signings do not look up to scratch, it is hard to disagree with the club’s decision to part ways with both of them, particularly Thelwell.
Looking at the list of summer signings in the graphic above, it is easier to pick out the players who have flopped or struggled than it is to pick out the successes from the summer transfer window.
The summer signing that Thelwell may go on to be infamous at Ibrox for is Youssef Chermiti, as he arrived from his former club Everton in a big-money deal.
Why Rangers should not have signed Youssef Chermiti
To preface this, supporters and those at the club will, of course, be hoping that the Portugal U21 international goes on to prove everyone wrong and becomes a consistent goalscorer for the Light Blues.
However, at this moment in time, it looks like a deal that the Scottish giants should not have done, particularly for the reported money that was involved in the move.
Thelwell signed Chermiti for Everton from Sporting in a deal worth up to £15m in the summer of 2023, but he did not score a single competitive goal for the Toffees in two years during his time in England.
Then, after moving to Rangers in April, the sporting director signed the centre-forward for a second time, splashing £8m to bring him to Ibrox, in the most expensive Gers deal since Tore Andre Flo joined for £12m in 2000.
It is fair for supporters to expect a player to make an immediate impact in Glasgow when signed for that kind of money, as Chermiti is the club’s most expensive player in 25 years, but that has not been the case.
The former Everton marksman has scored one goal in 13 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues, per Sofascore, which shows that the forward has failed to deliver much in the way of quality in the final third.
25/26 Europa League
Youssef Chermiti
Starts
4
xG
1.29
Goals
0
Big chances missed
4
Big chances created
0
Assists
0
Pass accuracy
59%
Duel success rate
35%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Chermiti has been incredibly underwhelming in the Europa League so far this season, failing to score from 1.29 xG after starting all four of his appearances in the competition.
The 21-year-old striker’s dismal form for the club so far suggests that Thelwell made a mistake when he signed the forward for £8m, because he has not made the kind of impact that Rangers should expect from such an expensive signing.
Chermiti, though, is not the only one of the summer signings you could argue that Thelwell should not have signed because of their performances in the 2025/26 campaign.
Chalkboard
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The former Rangers sporting director swooped to bring in Jayden Meghoma on loan from Brentford to bolster Russell Martin’s full-back options, as the ex-Gers boss had worked with the youngster during their time together at Southampton.
Why Rangers should not have signed Jayden Meghoma
During the summer window, Thelwell decided to cash in on the two senior left-back options at Ibrox, selling Jefte to Palmeiras and Ridvan Yilmaz to Besiktas.
Whilst those respective sales were not horrendous decisions in isolation, this issue is that Meghoma was the only signing brought in to replace those two senior players.
4 Lads Had A Dream covered Ally McCoist’s claim that Rangers have “downgraded” across the pitch since last season, and referenced Meghoma in comparison to Jefte as one of the areas in which the team have failed to improve.
It is not the 19-year-old defender’s fault that he has been brought in to be a first-choice option for a team that is expected to win consistently and compete on the European stage, when his experience last season was playing 12 matches on loan at Preston in the English Championship.
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Meghoma, unfortunately, does not look ready to be a first-choice left-back at this level at the moment, as evidenced by his statistics in comparison to Jefte’s at Scottish Premiership level.
Premiership
Jefte – 24/25
Meghoma – 25/26
Appearances
33
9
Key passes per game
1.0
0.7
Assists
4
1
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.3
3.3
Clearances per game
2.9
1.3
Duels won per game
5.5
4.0
Aerial duel success rate
57%
25%
Error led to shot or goal
1
2
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian defender’s performances in the league last season were far more impressive than what the English teenager has produced in the division this term, offensively and defensively.
These statistics back up the claim that Rangers have “downgraded” by selling Jefte to sign Meghoma on loan, which adds more fuel to the fire surrounding the criticism of Thelwell’s summer recruitment.
Like Chermiti, it seems like Meghoma has been signed to fill a role that he is not ready to fill at this point in his development. They are both young players who have time to develop and improve, but neither of them look ready to be key players for Danny Rohl in the present.
Therefore, the signing of Meghoma was one of Thelwell’s worst clangers of the summer, alongside Chermiti, because he has failed to adequately replace Jefte at left-back, and it remains to be seen if either of them will end up being good enough this season.
Thelwell signing is a bigger waste of time than Chermiti & Miovski at Rangers
This Glasgow Rangers flop is a bigger waste of time this season than both Bojan Miovski and Youssef Chermiti.
Chelsea have the chance to seal their second trophy under Enzo Maresca when they face PSG in the Club World Cup final.
It will be a tough task, as the French side are arguably the best side on the planet, evidenced by their 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
Enzo Fernandez will be crucial as the Argentine will be tasked with trying to keep possession for the Blues, while also aiming to stop PSG from mounting attack after attack in the final third.
That being said, despite Maresca signing plenty of attacking players this summer, might the former Benfica starlet be growing worried amid the club’s latest transfer link?
Chelsea enquire over Barcelona midfielder
The list of attacking players linked with the Blues is lengthy, but Maresca now looks like he could be set to add a midfielder or two to his squad.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to Caught Offside, Chelsea, along with Arsenal, have enquired about the availability of Barcelona star Marc Casado this summer.
The Catalan giants are demanding €50m (£43m) should any club wish to make an official bid for the Spaniard.
Barcelona's Marc Casado against Benfica.
He does have a release clause worth €100m (£86m), but due to their financial situation, Barcelona may be forced to accept a lower offer. If Maresca does sign the player, it could be bad news for Fernandez.
Why Chelsea must sign Marc Casado
Last season in the Premier League, Fernandez played alongside Moises Caicedo in the heart of the Chelsea midfield.
He registered 13 goal contributions in the top flight, while also creating 13 big chances and averaging 2.3 key passes per game for the Blues. The Argentine may be a more effective player going forward, but defensively, Casado has the upper hand.
Indeed, last season, the Barcelona starlet tackled a higher percentage of dribblers (48.8% vs 36.9%) per 90, along with committing fewer fouls (26 vs 52) and making more interceptions (22 vs 13) in their respective domestic leagues.
Marc Casado’s La Liga statistics last season for Barcelona
Accurate passes per game
53
Goals
1
Assists
3
Total duels won per game
4
Big chances created
3
Tackles per game
1.9
Via Sofascore
Furthermore, Casado also won more total duels per game (53% vs 47%) and lost possession fewer times per game (7.7 vs 12.8) than the current Blues midfielder.
With the club signing a plethora of attacking players this summer, shoring up the midfield now appears to be Maresca’s priority.
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham in action with FC Barcelona'sMarcCasado
A move for Casado could have Fernandez fearing for his place in the starting XI next season, that’s for sure, with Caicedo seemingly a shoo-in to start, having been described by Maresca as “one of the best, if not the best, defensive midfielder in the world”.
Following Spain’s victory over Switzerland last November, Casado was showered with praise by teammate Bryan Zaragoza, who said: “He’s an animal. I don’t even know what to say about how he played. He’s barbaric.”
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This sort of player is exactly the type of midfielder that Maresca would love to have available to him.
Aged just 21, Casado is only going to get better with age, especially by playing in the Premier League and Champions League for the Blues.
If the Stamford Bridge side can secure his signature for a decent fee, it might turn out to be one of their best signings of the summer, with Casado representing a perfect partner to Caicedo in the centre of the park.
For Fernandez, however, it could well be bad news in the long run.
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