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Rumoured Celtic target and former defender Erik Sviatchenko is set to stay at FC Midtjylland this summer, The Daily Record report.

The Lowdown: Celtic links

The Hoops have brought in three centre-backs this summer in Carl Starfelt, Liam Scales and Osaze Urhoghide but were linked with a swoop for Sviatchenko back in June.

Reports then suggested Ange Postecoglou had Sviatchenko on a list of potential targets at Parkhead, with the 29-year-old having unfinished business in Glasgow.

However, any chance of a shock late swoop in the current window have diminished.

The Latest: £2m bid

The Daily Record posted an update on Sviatchenko on their live deadline day blog (31/08, 10:35).

They suggested that the centre-back is in the middle of a transfer stand-off, with Midtjylland turning down a £2m bid for his services.

Dinamo Zagreb are also keen on Sviatchenko, with Midtjylland sports director Svend Graversen having this to say on the defender:

“Erik will not be sold. We are insanely happy with him and he will stay here.”

The Verdict: A good summer

The Hoops, overall, have had a productive window and look set to come out with a profit.

As deadline day got underway, Celtic had spent just over £17m on nine signings and had brought in just under £17m on various exits.

Ryan Christie has left and Odsonne Edouard also looks set to bump up the departure accounts, while Georgios Giakoumakis has joined and Filipe Jota has also arrived on loan.

Postecoglou also wanted a centre-back on deadline day, but with the market ‘proving difficult’ for one, it doesn’t look like a defender will arrive, definitely not summer target Sviatchenko, anyway.

In other news: Greek journalist drops late Celtic transfer news; ace now ‘doesn’t want to’ move. 

Former Manchester City player Steve Howey has exclusively told Football FanCast that Gabriel Jesus has been devastating as a winger.

Following the Tottenham Hotspur match on the opening day of the Premier League campaign, Gabriel Jesus has moved to play as a right winger in the games against Norwich City and Arsenal.

Normally a centre-forward, Jesus has found some real form out wide as he has one goal and three assists to his name in the two games having featured there for Pep Guardiola’s team, with former Cityzen Howey described him as ‘devastating’.

He told FFC: “Yeah, I mean he was devastating really with the runs he was making in behind, I mean he terrorised the lad. He’s played there and even sometimes when he’s upfront, he drops right back, I mean, I can remember I think last season he gave away a penalty – this was in general play, so that’s how deep he sometimes drops. 

“We know what Pep’s like, he’ll switch around Mahrez and Sterling and Gundogan, and then Foden and then obviously Jesus but they don’t really play with a main striker. Sterling might go up there but then he will drop, he’ll go left, he’ll go right and so will Mahrez, they’ll just interchange.”

Pep Guardiola has played Ferran Torres as the centre-forward for the Cityzens in their opening four matches of the season (three Premier League and the Community Shield) and he has got two goals and one assist so far this season.

City looked to bring a central striker into the football club this summer with Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo linked with moves to the Etihad Stadium, but after back- to-back 5-0 wins and both Jesus and Torres hitting form in new positions, has Pep Guardiola found the perfect formula for City to defend their Premier League crown?

Wolves’ 1-0 win on Sunday afternoon was far from perfect as Bruno Lage’s men managed to grind out for the last ten minutes of the game.

Yet, if you could have hand-picked a winning goal scorer before the game, every Wolves supporter on the planet would have chosen Raul Jimenez.

The Mexican scored a priceless goal in their win over Southampton at St Mary’s, his first since suffering his horrendous head injury last November.

It is nearly ten months to the very day since Jimenez fractured his skull but the way he took his goal, it looked as if he’d never been away.

He chased down a ball over the top before outmuscling a defender and then turning two more Saints players inside out.

It was remarkable composure from the striker who then stuck the ball past Alex McCarthy with ease.

The goal was his opening strike of the campaign and was just the second scored by a Wolves player in the Premier League in six outings this term.

Lage tried something different in attack with Trincao and Adama Traore dropped to the bench in favour of Hwang Hee-chan and Daniel Podence.

Although that worked with Wolves gaining all three points, there were some shoddy moments at the back.

Lage’s men began the game trying to play out from the back but it didn’t go well with Marcal at left-wing back.

He has been ever-present in the top-flight this term but will no doubt be looking over his shoulder in the direction of Rayan Ait-Nouri after his poor showing this weekend.

The Brazilian was poor in possession of the ball and also lacked the discipline to stay in the right position at the correct times.

Leander Dendoncker had to bail him out in the first half after losing the ball and it didn’t get much better for the 32-year-old.

He was caught out of position by Tino Livramento who ended up causing plenty of problems down Southampton’s right-hand side.

Marcal only won 30.7% of the defensive duels he was involved in, committed three fouls and was dribbled past on two occasions.

Yet, it was when he was in control of the play that he severely let the manager down.

Just 51% of his passes throughout the afternoon were successful, meaning he had the worst tally of anyone to start the game from both teams.

That meant that the wing-back lost possession on a mighty 25 occasions. Again, that was the worst number from any player on the South Coast.

Marcal has had some positive moments this season but after Ait-Nouri’s encouraging display against Tottenham last week where he registered an assist, he is beginning to stake his case for a place in the side.

AND in other news, Bruno Lage could soon replicate one of Nuno’s big Wolves blunders from last season…

Arsenal have now dropped their pursuit of Aaron Ramsdale…

What’s the word?

That’s according to talkSPORT, who dropped a major update to supporters on Twitter.

The North London outfit had previously been mooted with a whopping £24m move for the Englishman, who was part of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 squad this summer.

As per football.london’s Chris Wheatley, the Gunners had held ‘advanced talks’ with Sheffield United over the 23-year-old shot-stopper. However, they now seem to have walked away from any potential deal.

“Breaking: Arsenal have pulled out of the race to sign Aaron Ramsdale.

“The Gunners have moved on to other targets after failing to agree a fee with Sheffield United for the goalkeeper – talkSPORT understands.”

Correct decision

This latest development should leave many Arsenal fans absolutely delighted as it means the club are no longer going to splash out on a backup goalkeeper.

Despite Ramsdale’s obvious potential, the two relegations on his CV at such a young age is certainly cause for concern and to spend more than the £20m they made on Emiliano Martinez for another second choice did seem a little absurd.

Some of the alternative options out there are available for a much cheaper price, too, including West Brom’s Sam Johnstone (£12m) and Ajax’s Andre Onana (£4m).

Furthermore, plenty of the Emirates Stadium faithful were completely against the idea of signing Ramsdale. Some of the best reactions were relayed by football.london earlier this week.

“A waste of money,” claimed one fan, with another deeming it “one of the worst transfers” he’d seen in a long time, whilst a further member of the Gunners fanbase believed the club were “completely panicking” heading into the final few weeks of the window.

Whilst it was just a small sample of fans, it did explain the general mood across North London over this potential deal.

Now that it appears to be off, they can feel a little relieved and perhaps quite excited as funds in excess of £24m could well be spent elsewhere in the squad, such as finding that new no.10 or securing another striker.

AND in other news, Arsenal “in talks” to sign £27m-rated “rare talent”, Edu could find their next Vieira…

Tottenham Hotspur are said to have opened talks to sign Caleb Chukwuemeka from Northampton Town, according to Football Insider. 

The lowdown: Contract offers turned down

Chukwuemeka is a player attracting significant interest in recent months, with the forward catching the eye with some strong displays for Northampton Town’s academy teams.

Football Insider have labelled him as a ‘rising star’, with the 19-year-old previously attracting interest from Scottish giants Rangers, who recently won the league title under the management of Steven Gerrard.

Chukwuemeka’s current deal with Northampton Town is set to expire at the end of the 2021/22 campaign, and it is claimed that he has rejected the Cobblers’ attempts to tie him down to a new deal.

The latest: Talks with Spurs underway

Spurs have reportedly opened talks with Chukwuemeka over a potential agreement this summer, although it remains to be seen as to what stage they’re at with negotiations on a deal.

Football Insider’s Spurs source has claimed they are discussing offering one of their own young players as part of a potential swap deal, which could make the deal more appealing for Northampton Town.

Spurs’ scouts have reportedly been impressed with Chukwuemeka’s performances during pre-season, with it being claimed that there is a sense that he’s progressed to a new level.

The verdict: A shrewd move for the future

This could turn out to be a smart bit of business for Spurs.

Chukwuemeka has evidently got something about him if he’s attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs, including a club with the stature that Spurs currently have, as well as Gerrard’s Rangers – the Ibrox manager knows a thing or two about what it takes to succeed in the Premier League.

Obviously this wouldn’t be a deal that would be for the first-team straight away, with the forward not having any experience under his belt in the Premier League.

But in terms of a long-term vision, it’s a signing that could pay off in future seasons for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side if the youngster fulfils his potential.

Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge doubts that Tottenham Hotspur will swoop to sign Danny Ings this summer.

Spurs have been linked with a potential bid to sign the Southampton striker in this transfer window after he rejected a new contract at St Mary’s Stadium.

He has also been linked with the likes of Manchester City and West Ham United, with a variety of clubs seemingly interested in signing him in this transfer window.

Spurs may need to bring in as many as two new strikers, particularly if Harry Kane leaves the club amid links with City.

Carlos Vinicius has returned to Benfica after his loan spell in north London last season, meaning that the club don’t currently have a back-up to Kane if he remains at Spurs.

Nevertheless, Bridge has cast doubt on any potential bid for Ings, who scored 12 goals in 29 Premier League games last season.

In total, Ings has netted 46 goals in 100 appearances for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

Bridge said: “I’d be surprised. Look, he’s been on Spurs’ list for quite a long time but I don’t think Spurs and Southampton have a particularly good relationship at the moment.

“And let’s face it, he’s very injury prone, Danny Ings. When he’s fit he’s brilliant but that doesn’t strike me as a Spurs signing at the moment and I’d imagine Spurs will probably look abroad there as well.”

Manchester City are not interested in signing Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer, with their sole focus up front being Tottenham Hotspur and England forward Harry Kane [The Athletic].

Enjoying a fantastic 2020/21 campaign, the Serbian forward registered 23 goal contributions in 40 appearances for his current employers; 21 goals and two assists [Transfermarkt].

In the last few days, reports had suggested that the Citizens had made an approach for Vlahovic for around €80 million [City Xtra].

However, the forward won’t be pitching up at the Etihad this summer.

Vlahovic is not a target for Pep Guardiola’s men, with 28-year-old Kane their main priority as the window nears a close in less than two weeks [The Athletic].

In light of this news, no wonder loads of Manchester City diehards took to social media to share their observations on the latest situation, with one supporter calling it a ‘big mistake’.

Manchester City FC fans react:

Replying to popular Manchester City fan outlet City Xtra on Twitter, here is what some fans had to say about the Vlahovic update, with many seemingly upset they are not at least attempting to bring the colossal young forward to England:

“Pain”

Credit: @MCFCnish”big mistake”Credit: @jxantrd”That hurts. We should go for him if we aren’t able to sign Kane.”Credit: @milanmahat”I hate my football club”Credit: @amanatszn”Were not a serious club, Jesus and Torres will be our strikers this season. We are finished.”Credit: @PricelessMahrez”Signing a guy we could realistically get? No! Let’s keep trying to low ball Daniel Levy up until deadline day!”Credit: @VlahovicAviIn other news, Manchester City fans want one of the world’s best players. Find out who here.

Fulham are reportedly among the clubs eyeing a move for Manchester City youngster Tommy Doyle, according to Football League World. 

What’s the story?

Doyle has been with Manchester City since 2009 and has progressed his way through the club’s academy system over the years. His impressive showings for their under-23 side has seen him feature in the senior squad on a handful of occasions.

The 19-year-old has made seven senior appearances to date for Pep Guardiola’s first team, but it doesn’t seem as though he’ll feature on a regular basis for the Premier League champions any time soon.

Manchester City are reportedly keen to find him regular minutes in senior football away from the Etihad Stadium on a temporary basis, and it seems as though he won’t be short of offers.

West Brom, Sheffield United, QPR, Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough, Swansea City, Bournemouth, Cardiff City and Coventry City are also believed to be keen on signing Doyle this summer, so Fulham won’t have it all their way when it comes to trying to finalise an agreement for the midfielder.

Strength in depth could be key

Marco Silva’s side will be aiming to win promotion back into the Premier League at the first time of asking this season, and additional strength in depth wouldn’t do any harm.

We’ve already seen the likes of Harrison Reed linked with a move to Leeds this summer, and even though a formal bid is yet to be made, it’s good to see Fulham looking at other options heading towards the 2021/22 campaign.

Doyle could be an ideal signing for the Cottagers, with the youngster looking to make a name for himself in senior football having not been presented with much of an opportunity by Manchester City just yet.

Players who are hungry to prove themselves in senior football could provide the ideal competition for places in a team aiming to be challenging for promotion into the Premier League, and Silva would be hoping that Doyle could make a positive impact at Craven Cottage this term.

He has done that at under-23 level for City, with nine goals and 15 appearances in 50 appearances hinting at his game-changing ability – a trait which was lacking at Fulham last season. Even accounting for them playing at Premier League level, no player managed more than four assists in 2020/21 for Scott Parker’s team, while only Bobby Decordova-Reid scored more than four times [Transfermarkt].

Former Manchester City scout Greg Walsh labelled Doyle as “phenomenal” and “one of the best of his age in Europe” in an interview with HITC back in 2020, and it’s hard not to agree with that statement, especially when Manchester City have already given him seven appearances in their first-team squad so early into his career.

Fulham will know that they face a battle to land his signature this summer, but competition for the likes of Harrison Reed, Tom Cairney and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa is likely to be welcome for Silva ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

If the newly-appointed Fulham manager can fend off numerous other suitors for the Manchester City starlet, it would be an enormous feather in his cap ahead of his first season in the Craven Cottage dugout. Shahid Khan must do all he can to try and ensure that Fulham win the transfer scramble for the 19-year-old.

In other news, Fulham in the hunt for “excellent” midfielder who fans could love

Glasgow Rangers man Ianis Hagi has not been included in Romania’s squad for the Olympic Games in Tokyo later this summer.

The Lowdown: Gers didn’t want Hagi at the Olympics

Hagi confirmed his desire to take part in the Olympics this summer (via Glasgow Live), but the Gers did not want him to go.

That would clash with the start of the Gers’ Champions League run, and given there was no obligation for the Gers to let him go, they decided to keep him at Ibrox.

The Latest: Confirmation

Now, Romania’s squad for the tournament has been confirmed, and Hagi’s name does not feature (frf.ro) with the Gers getting their way.

20 players have been selected – they will kick off against Honduras on July 22nd.

The Verdict: Disappointing for Hagi

Of course, Hagi will have been aware of the situation for quite a while, but that does not mean this will not come as a crushing blow for the young man having expressed his desire to join in.

The £5.85m-valued 22-year-old (Transfermarkt) has made it clear he wanted to represent his country, and to do so at the Olympics is pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

It does at least illustrate however that Steven Gerrard sees Hagi as an important member of his squad – otherwise, he would not have fought so hard to keep him in Scotland at the start of the term. Now, the former Genk man must do all he can to make sure it was worth him staying with his club.

In other news, Rangers fans love this photo.

Premier League crowds are set to return to full capacity in August as the relaxation of lockdown continues, as reported by the Daily Mirror.

Final confirmation is set to be ratified next week, with social distancing mooted to be scrapped, enabling larger numbers of fans to attend top-flight fixtures. Excitedly for fans up and down the country, the measures are looking likely to be introduced before the opening day Premier League clash between Brentford and Arsenal on Friday 13 August [Daily Mirror].

This news will come as music to the ears of Aston Villa fans, who have been unable to witness their team playing live in the last 16 months, other than the 10,000 spectators present for their final day victory over Chelsea in 2020/21 [BBC]. If capacity crowds can return in time for the new season, it means that more than 42,000 people could be at Villa Park for the visit of Newcastle on 21 August.

As you can imagine, loads of the club’s supporters took to Twitter to rejoice over these recent developments.

Aston Villa fans react:

Replying to popular Aston Villa fan outlet @villareport, here is how some supporters summarised their opinions upon hearing the news. with one saying that the first full-capacity match back at Villa Park will be “unbelievable”:

“to say I can’t wait is an understatement”

Credit: @DanAV___”Full VP for the first home game of the season and away days are back. Tears in my eyes”Credit: @1874dan”Get me back to VP”Credit: @AVFCBERRY”That first home game at Villa Park is going to be unbelievable”Credit: @GW_94″Ah man it’s gonna hit different”Credit: @luke_benham”August 21st is going to be some day”Credit: @tom_avfc1In other news, many Aston Villa fans react to a reported update on this transfer target.