Will Celtic secure a sixth treble in just nine seasons?

On Easter Sunday, the Celts swatted aside St Johnstone 5-0 at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-finals, with Callum McGregor breaking the deadlock and Daizen Maeda bagging a brace, while Adam Idah and Jota were also on target.

Thus, the Hoops will now face Aberdeen in the final on 24 May, also looking to secure a fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title before then, requiring just a point against Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday to become champions again.

While Brendan Rodgers’ team continue to dominate on the park, does he have his eye on a new winger in the transfer market?

Celtic seeking to sign a new winger

As reported by Alan Nixon of the Scottish Sun earlier this month, Celtic are ‘eyeing’ a move to sign Stoke City winger Million Manhoef.

The 22-year-old only joined the Potters as recently as January 2024 from Dutch side Vitesse for a reported fee of £3m, but journalist Graeme Bailey believes he is now valued at £10m by Stoke.

So, would this be a good move, and could Manhoef emulate those among Rodgers’ current attacking options?

Why Celtic could be targeting the next Kuhn

Earlier this season, as outlined by Michael Shearer of Breaking the Lines, Nicolas Kühn was ‘poised to become Celtic’s next great attacking player’, starring in the Champions League and unquestionably the best player in Scotland.

However, in more recent times, the German has not been impressing quite so much, as shown in the table below.

Appearances

25

20

Minutes

1,713

1,298

Goals

14

4

Minutes per goal

122

325

Assists

11

3

As the table outlines, Kühn’s form has fallen off a cliff since New Year’s Day, in fact, he’s scored just two goals in 19 outings since bagging a brace against St Mirren on 4 January.

Rodgers stated that Kühn has appeared in the “most games he’s ever played” in a campaign, attributing his drop in form to fatigue, while Robbie Hanratty of the National adds that Kühn hasn’t looked the same since suffering a ‘suspected broken nose’ against Rangers in early January.

Kühn arrived from Rapid Wien for a reported fee of £3m in January last year, now worth £25m, well, according to his agent anyway, with Celtic hoping Manhoef – who is also a diminutive, left-footed right-winger – would experience a similar leap in valuation should he move to Glasgow, so let’s assess how the duo compare.

Appearances

37

46

Minutes

2,524

3,011

Goals

7

18

Assists

4

14

Goals – xG

-2.8

+1.3

Shots on target %

36.8

41.8

Chances created

49

43

Shot-creating actions

103

24

Take-on success %

38%

42.5%

As the table outlines, Kühn does rank higher than Manhoef for the majority of statistics included, albeit this’ll be largely skewed by his performances during the first half of the season.

Also worth considering that, according to Global Football Rankings, the EFL Championship is the 11th strongest league in the world, with the Scottish Premiership ranked 42nd.

Manhoef, to give him credit, does compare favourably, hence why Jacek Kulig from Football Talent Scout labelled him “quality and versatile”, while Dean Jones told Give Me Sport that the Dutchman is “the sort of player that will get fans off their seats.”

Thus, this would appear to be a good deal for Celtic, and they could open negotiations very soon, considering Stoke City’s season will conclude on 3 May.

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Tottenham Hotspur and their search for a new manager continues to take plenty of twists and turns, with a big-name now under discussion in N17 as chairman Daniel Levy plans for life without Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham's reported candidates to replace Ange Postecoglou

Spurs are staring down the barrel of their worst domestic season in decades, and are just one game away from equalling their record number of league defeats in a single campaign since the Premier League’s inception.

Title-winning manager would love to join Tottenham with Daniel Levy "aware"

He’s apparently pretty keen.

7

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 25, 2025

Liverpool host the Lilywhites at Anfield on Sunday, where Arne Slot’s side could officially be crowned champions of England, so Postecoglou can expect them to throw the kitchen sink at his vulnerable Spurs team during a difficult afternoon on Merseyside.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures	Date
Liverpool (away)	April 27th
West Ham (away)	May 3rd
Crystal Palace (home)	May 10th
Aston Villa (away)	May 18th
Brighton (home)	May 25th

Meanwhile, in the background, uncertainty continues to surround Postecoglou and his long-term future.

Tottenham’s dismal domestic campaign could spell the end for him, even if they end up winning the Europa League and clinching their first major trophy since 2008 (The Telegraph).

Following 18 league defeats, with Postecoglou’s men sitting a lowly 16th in the table, it is widely believed Levy and co are already doing their due-diligence on potential replacements for the former Celtic boss.

Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford) and Scott Parker (Burnley) are all managers on Tottenham’s rumoured shortlist, while the likes of Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi and Borussia Dortmund’s Niko Kovač have been linked from further abroad.

Spurs are admirers of Inzaghi (Fabrizio Romano) and some contact has also been held with Kovac (Bild), while it is believed that former boss Mauricio Pochettino would love a return to Tottenham, and he’d be Levy’s personal first choice.

Tottenham hold internal talks over appointing Jürgen Klopp

More recently, a report from GiveMeSport has lifted the lid on Tottenham’s wish to be more ambitious in their chase for Postecoglou’s replacement.

As per their information, former Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp, who guided them to their first Premier League title in decades during his tenure in charge, as well as a Champions League triumph, is now being considered.

The German is currently Red Bull’s head of Global Soccer, earning around £192,000-per-week in his new role and contributing towards his £39 million net worth. Klopp will go down as one of the Premier League’s greatest ever coaches, and now Spurs are thinking about tempting him back to England.

GMS report that Tottenham have held internal talks over appointing Klopp, alongside other prestigious names, with the board determined to be “bold” and go after a proven winner.

The jury is out on whether he’d even consider leaving Red Bull so soon, and for one of Liverpool’s Premier League rivals, but there is little doubting he’d do an excellent job there based off his phenomenal CV working with fairly limited budgets.

“The reason why I give incredible credit with the five Premier Leagues we won is because we were battling with unbelievable football club like Liverpool,” said Pep Guardiola on Klopp.

“Incredible manager and his staff and incredible players. I will never forget these battles, never ever in my life. It’s an honour, for all my career everybody knows Klopp made me a better manager and Liverpool made me a better manager. There is no doubt about that.”

An “incredible” £100m midfielder who is among Liverpool’s top targets is now open to leaving his club this summer, according to a report.

Reds set sights on new midfielder

It has been an unbelievable first season in the Anfield dugout for Arne Slot, with the Dutch manager securing the Premier League title despite making very few additions to the squad he inherited from Jurgen Klopp.

However, it appears as though Slot is now looking to put his own stamp on the squad, and bringing in a new midfielder seems to be of particular interest as we approach the summer transfer window.

The Reds are now preparing to submit a £34m offer for Barcelona’s Frenkie De Jong, whose future at the Camp Nou is now uncertain, while they are also in the race for Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, although it will take £80m to prise the Englishman away from the Eagles.

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Earlier this year, it was reported that Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White is a top target for Slot, and there has now been a positive update on the Merseysiders’ pursuit of the central midfielder.

According to a report from The Boot Room, Gibbs-White is now open to leaving Nottingham Forest this summer, with the Englishman set to consider his options if the Tricky Trees fail to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.

Forest are keen to keep hold of the 25-year-old, but there is growing interest in his signature, with Manchester City and Newcastle United also in the race alongside Liverpool, which could make it difficult to keep hold of him if they fail to finish in the top five.

However, a deal will not be cheap, as Forest may only be willing to sanction a departure for a fee in the region of £100m.

"Incredible" Gibbs-White deserves big move

Despite a stellar campaign, it is looking increasingly likely that Forest will miss out on Champions League football, having now fallen to sixth place after a poor run, which could cause Gibbs-White to look for the exit door, and there are plenty of signs he could be a solid signing for Liverpool.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers man has excelled since signing for Forest, most notably impressing in an attacking sense, picking up five goals and nine assists in 30 Premier League outings this season.

ESPN’s Janusz Michallik was also left impressed by the Forest star’s work rate in their 2-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur last month, taking to X to single him out for high praise.

At 25-years-old, there is every sign that Gibbs-White is now entering his prime, and he could be a top-quality addition to Liverpool’s midfield, but Forest are in a strong negotiating position, with the midfielder contracted until 2027, and shelling out £100m would be a risk.

The Tottenham Hotspur board have decided to showcase ambition in their hunt for a new manager, with an “elite” name now on their shortlist as a potential replacement for Ange Postecoglou.

Managers linked with Tottenham as Ange Postecoglou heads towards exit

There is a growing sense behind-the-scenes that chairman Daniel Levy will part company with Postecoglou, regardless of whether Spurs end up winning this year’s Europa League (Matt Law).

Tottenham in contact with ex-Bayern Munich boss to replace Ange Postecoglou

The Australian is being tipped to leave regardless of their European campaign.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 25, 2025

This follows a seriously lacklustre 2024/2025, where Postecoglou hasn’t been dealt the easiest hand, thanks largely to injury issues which have swept through the squad on a consistent basis all season long.

However, 16th in the Premier League after 18 top flight defeats is closer to relegation form than that of a ‘big six’ side, and critics have been arguing that Spurs should be doing far better – regardless of their luck with player availability this term.

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

With Postecoglou now heading towards the exit door, which is more likely than not as things stand (The Telegraph), the Lilywhites are making contingency plans and performing due-diligence on managerial candidates to succeed the Australian.

Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford) and Scott Parker (Burnley) have all been linked with the job within this past fortnight, while there is some belief that Mauricio Pochettino would be keen on a return to Tottenham after a tough start to life in charge of the USA.

Further abroad, Spurs are big fans of Simone Inzaghi and his work at Inter Milan over the last few seasons (Fabrizio Romano), but the Nerazzurri won’t be keen to lose their successful tactician, who is currently attempting to guide them to a second consecutive Serie A title.

According to reports in Germany, Tottenham have also made contact with Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac, but the former Croatia captain has no interest in leaving the Bundesliga for N17 as things stand.

Tottenham now targeting Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti

Now, in a surprise update, it is believed Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is being targeted by Levy and Spurs.

The Italian is one of world football’s most decorated ever managers, having won five Champions League titles across spells at the Bernabeu and AC Milan, with Ancelotti also boasting Premier League title-winning experience from his time at Chelsea.

The 65-year-old also has a Bundesliga title on his CV, having managed Bayern Munich as well, so there is no question Ancelotti brings success wherever he goes. His £8.3 million-per-year contract expires in 2026, and amid Real’s links to Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, he faces an uncertain future.

According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham’s board have internally discussed moving for Ancelotti, after “key decision-makers” at the club decided to be “bold” and mean business in their pursuit of Postecoglou’s potential replacement.

However, even if Spurs’ interest is there, they would need Ancelotti to be brave enough to consider a switch to Tottenham, and the “elite” head coach will be mindful that other proven winners like José Mourinho and Antonio Conte have come away empty-handed.

Rangers have tasked new sporting director Kevin Thelwell with finding a new permanent manager this summer, and one of the candidates has confirmed a positive conversation with the incoming Ibrox chief.

49ers expect Thelwell to begin work 'as soon as possible'

Rarely will we see an Old Firm fixture with so little on the line, as the Gers welcome Celtic to Ibrox on Sunday with nothing to play for but professional pride and local bragging rights. Their arch-rivals will put their title celebrations aside to try and redeem the consecutive defeats suffered in the previous two derbies, but for Rangers nothing is more important right now than their search for a new permanent manager.

Barry Ferguson’s intermin bounce was short-lived, and 49ers Enterprises have tasked incoming sporting director Thelwell with finding the next permanent man in charge. According to a report by The Daily Mail, the American investors expect a significant summer rebuild at Ibrox and want the former Everton chief to get a new man in the dugout as soon as possible.

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1

By
Ross Kilvington

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The rumour mill is of course already churning, with perhaps the most exciting link so far the enigmatic and decorated Jose Mourinho. The infamous Portuguese tactician has admitted he would be open to managing one of the two great Scottish clubs, but would demand serious backing from the Ibrox boardroom.

Steven Gerrard still feels like the most likely arrival, given the Liverpool legend’s previous success in the role and current availability, with the club thought to be considering moves for both Gerrard and former RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose.

The dark horse in the race is Ferguson, who despite winning just three of his seven Premiership matches so far would do his chances no harm with another victory over Celtic this weekend, and has confirmed in the build-up to Sunday’s action that he has already held conversations about the role with Thelwell.

Ferguson holds 'private' talks with new Rangers chief

Speaking to the press on Friday, via The Daily Record, the 47 year-old revealed what sounds like positive discussions with Thelwell: “I had a long meeting with Kev. It was good. it’s the first time I’ve sat down with him, I was impressed by him. Obviously, what was said will remain private, you know I’m going to say that.

“It was great to bang heads together. He got my feelings, he totally understood them. Very impressive and it’s something that I think will work really well for the club. Are plans starting to take shape? They need to,” said the interim boss.

In truth, the former Gers captain probably needed to make a serious charge at the Europa League to properly get his hat in the ring, with 49ers Enterprises likely wanting Thelwell to make a splash with a big name like Gerrard or Mourinho.

That said, the stand-in boss has done okay with a team he didn’t build, and with several incomings and outgoings expected this summer, perhaps someone who knows the club inside out could be exactly what’s needed to steady the ship and get things moving in the right direction.

Looking to find their Kevin de Bruyne replacement, Manchester City have now reportedly made their first enquiry to sign an in-demand star who’s available for a bargain price this summer.

Man City's frustrating Saints stalemate

With Southampton rock bottom of the Premier League by some distance and already relegated, Manchester City and a returning Erling Haaland looked likelier than ever to put on the ultimate goals show on Saturday. But that proved to be anything but the case.

What the travelling fans got instead was a frustrating stalemate as Southampton secured a point against the odds to move beyond Derby County’s points record – much to the relief of those around St Mary’s. Man City defender Ruben Dias failed to hide that frustration in his post-match press conference too, choosing to criticise Southampton’s defensive approach.

The stalemate will do the confidence of Pep Guardiola’s side no favours as they enter the FA Cup final against an in-form Crystal Palace side, who will do more than just try to play against the Citizens.

Meanwhile, as Wembley awaits, so does De Bruyne’s fast-approaching farewell. Likely to be an emotional goodbye, the Belgian has just three games remaining of a Manchester City career which has seen him win everything there is to win at the club.

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Just how those at the Etihad replace their star man remains to be seen. Names such as Florian Wirtz have already threatened to steal the headlines, but he could yet choose Bayern Munich over the Premier League. He’s not the only target, however, with one Ligue 1 talent now emerging as a serious option.

Man City make contact to sign Cherki

According to Le Parisien, as relayed by Get French Football News, Manchester City have now made their first enquiry to sign Rayan Cherki from Lyon this summer. The attacking midfielder has impressed many throughout the current campaign and will reportedly be allowed to leave Lyon for just €22.5m (£19m) in the coming months.

The Frenchman may already have some fans of his talent at the Etihad after he embarrassed Andre Onana in Lyon’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie. Even though Lyon eventually crashed out in dramatic fashion against the Red Devils, it was often the Cherki show across both legs.

Onana’s mistake allowed Cherki to follow up with a chipped effort to equalise late on for his side ahead of what turned out to be a frantic and heartbreaking second leg.

Nonetheless, even without a Europa League semi-final, the 21-year-old has found himself at the centre of praise from the likes of football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who described Cherki’s campaign as “amazing” back in April. Now, after impressing, he could be on his way to Manchester City this summer.

In an ideal reality, West Bromwich Albion would find themselves competing in the upcoming Championship playoff final after Tony Mowbray’s return had gone down as a rip-roaring success.

Unfortunately, that script hasn’t come to life, with Mowbray actually finding himself out of a job again after a dismal run of just five wins from 17 games led to the Baggies falling short of those coveted playoff spots.

West Brom do have plenty of time on their hands to assess who they would like to bring in as the 61-year-old’s successor now as the ongoing search shows no real signs of coming to a halt.

West Brom's list of manager targets

It’s been nearly a month since Mowbray was abruptly axed from the Hawthorns hot seat, meaning plenty of names have been linked to fill the vacancy.

Indeed, faces such as Stockport County manager Dave Challinor have been tipped to take on the reins, alongside ex-Southampton boss Russell Martin potentially getting back on the horse after his Saints dismissal.

Moreover, former Manchester United coach turned Minnesota United manager Eric Ramsay has also been regularly thrown about as a successor to Mowbray, but there’s one other name that looks to be the likeliest option away from any other rumoured bosses.

Indeed, journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed recently that West Brom still ‘really like’ Tottenham Hotspur background figure Ryan Mason, with his young and fresh approach one factor that ticks a lot of boxes for the Baggies hierarchy.

Ramsay is the same age as Mason – with both the fresh-faced managers only being 33 years of age – but the Spurs coach arguably has more experience of the hustle and bustle of the English game, meaning he might well be viewed as an upgrade on the left-field Minnesota boss.

Why Mason is an upgrade on Ramsay

There is a logic behind West Brom wanting to go down the route of appointing a youthful new manager, having been burnt by the experienced Mowbray returning and ultimately failing.

On top of that, the likes of Liam Manning – who is only six years older than Mason – managed to steer Bristol City to the playoffs just this season, whilst the equally blooming Danny Rohl improved on a near escape from relegation at the helm of Sheffield Wednesday by guiding them to a comfortable mid-table finish.

Whilst both of those figures will likely go on to achieve far more in their careers, Mason does hold an advantage over both of them currently – on top of also bettering Ramsay in this department – with the 33-year-old gaining experience on the job of what it’s like to be an interim boss of a Premier League team with Spurs.

Whilst Ramsay does have an impressive 24 wins under his belt in charge of Minnesota, he has no experience of what it’s like to be thrown into the deep end of Premier League action, having only ever watched from afar when situated at the Red Devils.

Mason’s overall record as Spurs interim manager

Stat

Mason

Games managed

13

Wins

6

Draws

1

Losses

6

Goals scored

26

Goals conceded

21

Biggest win

4-0 H (Sheffield United H)

Biggest loss

3-1 L (Leeds A)

Sourced by Transfermarkt

On the contrary, Mason has briefly shone when handed the reins of the North Londoners, with six wins collected during some testing and turbulent times after some notable managerial exits.

He could be what West Brom needs, therefore, to recover from the popular figure of Mowbray flopping, with Ange Postecoglou even going out of his way recently to label Mason as “outstanding” for his work at the Premier League side.

Clearly, the Baggies need to think somewhat outside of the box to bring success back to the Hawthorns after the tried and tested route of Mowbray unravelled.

Whilst Ramsay would fit that unorthodox label, he might well flounder attempting to adapt to the Championship. Whereas, the time could be just right for Mason to prove himself after a worthwhile education at Spurs.

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Aston Villa made it five wins from their last six games in the Premier League when grinding out a determined 1-0 victory away at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.

This win – which was clinched courtesy of Villa’s new all-time top-flight scorer Ollie Watkins – guarantees at least Conference League football for Unai Emery’s Villans next campaign.

But, the main prize of Champions League football is still very much up for grabs for the in-form outfit sat in sixth spot.

It wasn’t the prettiest performance by Villa on the South Coast, but at his crunch stage of the season, any win will do, with a big team effort needed to clinch the three points, especially after Jacob Ramsey was dismissed.

Aston Villa's best performers vs Bournemouth

Villa really had to dig deep during the last ten minutes of the clash after homegrown attacker Ramsey was shown his second yellow.

Thankfully, Emery’s visitors were already hanging onto a slim lead courtesy of the aforementioned Watkins, who once again came up trumps for the Villans in their moment of need.

The potent number 11 would find himself in the right place at the right time yet again to fire home his 75th career goal in the big time, with this effort ultimately being the difference-maker to the annoyance of Andoni Iraola’s frustrated hosts.

The Cherries just couldn’t find a breakthrough, with the likes of Emiliano Martinez having to stay very alert throughout with four saves made, alongside both Matty Cash and Lucas Digne down the flanks who won a combined 11 duels on the day.

But, it was once again Morgan Rogers who stood out in attack for Emery and Co, with the electric number 11 understandably a wanted man heading into the hectic transfer window.

Morgan Rogers' transfer value continues to soar

Rogers isn’t the only face that could soon be waving Villa Park goodbye, with Watkins – who the ex-Manchester City man set up for the winner at Bournemouth – also reportedly keen on a move away amidst interest from Arsenal.

For the 22-year-old, however, according to other reports, Chelsea and Stamford Bridge might well be his next onward destination, but off the back of a seriously impressive campaign for Emery’s men, the 6 foot 2 attacking midfielder won’t be exiting the building for cheap.

Indeed, it’s now being speculated that Villa would only consider parting ways with Rogers if a bumper £90m bid was put on the table, with the exciting forward menace arguably deep in the best form of his career at this point in time.

In all competitions this campaign, Rogers has notched up a ridiculous 14 goals and 14 assists from 52 overall games, leading to Jamie Carragher even hailing the four-time England international as an “unstoppable” force, on top of Villa thanking their lucky stars now that they won the 22-year-old for a modest £15m just last year.

Rogers’ numbers at Villa
Stat	Rogers
Games played	68
Goals scored	17
Assists	15
Original fee	£15m
Value now	£90m
Percentage increase	500%
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Emery’s side have had to exercise patience with the 22-year-old, considering he only chipped in with three goals and one assist last season after a January move, but it’s clear that he is destined for greatness now, whether that be with the Villans long-term or with Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea.

Further lauded as “magnificent” by scout Antonio Mango after his assist away at Bournemouth, his current employers will just pray that Rogers sees Villa as his home for the foreseeable.

But, with his value increasing by that whopping 500%, Emery and Co would be mad not to sell up, particularly if that £90m does fall into their bank account soon.

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By
Tom Cunningham

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Although their Champions League fate remains in question, Aston Villa have already reportedly entered talks to sign a rising star who could become a crucial part of Unai Emery’s side for years to come.

Aston Villa's final UCL push

It certainly hasn’t been for the want of trying, but Aston Villa still need help from elsewhere to grab a place in the Premier League’s top five. Emery’s side have lost just one of their last nine league games and enter their trip to Manchester United on Sunday knowing that just one Chelsea slip up against Nottingham Forest or Newcastle United against Everton will leave them with a golden opportunity.

Liverpool (C)

83

45

Crystal Palace (H)

Arsenal

71

34

Southampton (A)

Manchester City

68

26

Fulham (A)

Newcastle United

66

22

Everton (H)

Chelsea

66

20

Nottingham Forest (A)

Aston Villa

66

9

Manchester United (A)

Nottingham Forest

65

13

Chelsea (H)

Anything could still happen in the Champions League race, with the top five the only real remaining drama when the final day arrives. Emery is well aware of just how important it is that his side focus on their own task at hand, too.

The Spaniard told reporters after victory over Spurs on Friday: “I am very happy. Today, we closed out our season here with our supporters trying to transmit our energy. We won, but there is still work to do to have a chance to play in the Champions League. We have to try and keep the inconsistencies down and focus.”

Whether their fate changes their summer ambitions is the big question for Aston Villa, of course. Their PSR concerns are no secret these days, but that hasn’t stopped them from reportedly opening talks to potentially secure an early incoming this summer.

Aston Villa open talks to sign Zepiqueno Redmond

According to Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa are now in talks to sign Zepiqueno Redmond are in pole position to welcome the 18-year-old Feyenoord sensation to the Midlands this summer. The young forward could be the first striker that Villa sign since losing Jhon Duran in January and may well have finally found their replacement for the Al-Nassr forward.

Villa’s pursuit of Redmond should come as little surprise. The teenager has enjoyed a promising season in the Netherlands, scoring twice for the senior side in their domestic cup, the Toto KNVB Beker, and three more times for Feyenoord’s youth side.

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Dubbed “powerful and quick” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Redmond may not steal the same headlines as others this summer, but there’s no denying that Aston Villa would have a rising star on their hands.

In hindsight, Jurgen Klopp was right.

When he stepped down from his Liverpool post, almost nine years into his tenure, the iconic manager’s decision was met with dismay from the fanbase, whose success over the past decade had been engineered by the German’s brilliance.

But Klopp was right. He was tired, you see, and knew that without that burning ball of energy within, his infectious personality wouldn’t feed into his team, into his tactics, into the club’s far-reaching community.

It was hard to accept – some, perhaps, still haven’t – but Klopp was right, because Arne Slot has taken his place and has taken Liverpool to a higher level, winning the Premier League in his maiden term at a canter.

Such has been the Reds’ dominance that they are currently lapping up the Gulf sunshine, on holiday in Dubai to celebrate triumphs and say farewell to Trent Alexander-Arnold as his expected transfer to Real Madrid looms large.

In his place, Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes seem set on signing Jeremie Frimpong to replace the vice-captain, strengthening the firm Dutch contingent.

Liverpool's growing Dutch contingent

Liverpool are fortunate to have welcomed Conor Bradley to the first team over the past two seasons, thus easing the onerous task of finding a Trent replacement.

Still, Bradley’s young and injury-prone besides. Frimpong would be a brilliant addition to shore up the right flank and add a new taste of attacking flair. Correspondents have clearly been briefed by the dozen, with numerous reports emerging that Liverpool are in advanced talks to seal the Dutchman’s signature.

Frimpong certainly wouldn’t be short of pals on Merseyside. Slot is a big admirer of the versatile right-sider, a compatriot who has played a defining role in Xabi Alonso’s trophy-filled Leverkusen era.

The boss’ compatriot would find plenty of teammates in the ranks, of course, with Virgil van Dijk both Liverpool and Netherlands captain and Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo good friends with the speedy flanker on the international scene.

The cohesion at Anfield has been a strong thing this term, Liverpool going from strength to strength under Slot’s wing. Gravenberch, especially, has bloomed into a high-class midfielder this season after sitting largely on the periphery last year.

He perhaps doesn’t get the same credit, but Gakpo has also taken bounding strides in his development, with Slot truly having hit the jackpot on his prolific left winger.

Slot has hit the jackpot on Cody Gakpo

When Gakpo reached the end of his first season at Liverpool, having joined at the midpoint, he probably felt a fair measure of frustration that he hadn’t reached the heights surely anticipated when FSG came calling.

The Netherlands international had just put his name on the map at the Qatar World Cup and was terrorising Eredivisie defences with PSV Eindhoven, so when Liverpool moved to hijack Manchester United’s deal and bring Gakpo to Anfield for a £35m base fee in late December 2022, there was plenty of excitement.

He certainly wasn’t poor, but Gakpo entered Liverpool with Klopp’s side in the throes of a collapse, the midfield malfunctioning and experienced heads looking at a dizzying loss.

He still managed to record ten goal involvements across 26 matches, but Gakpo looks a different player at this stage of his career, dovetailing perfectly into Slot’s system. Pundits Joe Cole and Peter Crouch agreed that he has “gone up a level” under new management this year.

24/25

47 (30)

18

6

0.51

23/24

53 (32)

16

7

0.43

22/23

26 (22)

7

3

0.38

The secret in the sauce hasn’t been anything complex, at least on the surface level. Gakpo was ferried about the starting line-up to no end, with Klopp determined to make good use of his player’s obvious technical ability.

Gakpo’s dynamism lent itself to multi-positionality, but this frustrated his prolific senses and left him itching for a more structured role. To be sure, this was a fundamental part of Gakpo’s development, something he stressed himself during Liverpool’s title celebrations, but it’s hard to argue against his new role being one of greater reward for club and player.

That’s why Slot has left him on the left flank, with 40 of his 47 outings this season coming from the wide channel.

That £35m fee now looks to be an absolute bargain. Indeed, as per Transfermarkt, the Dutch forward has seen his market value shoot up to £59m after his exploits across the season, marking an increase of £24m on the investment made just two-and-a-half years ago. Frimpong, for instance, is said to be worth £42m.

Journalist Jacob Schneider claimed Gakpo was “downright ridiculous” before making the move to Liverpool, and that’s now been corroborated and then some.

This is quite the feat for a player who was brushed off by many rival fans after his stop-start beginning on Merseyside. While Gravenberch has taken most of the plaudits for his stunning season, Gakpo has been every bit as brilliant, and it would take quite a feat to eclipse the player.

That is to say, Frimpong might be joining Liverpool with the confidence from Slot and the powers that be that he can make a marked effect on the project, but he’s not going to knock Gakpo off his high perch without some special and sustained performances in red next year.

In any case, it hardly matters for those of a Liverpool persuasion. What matters is that Slot knows what he’s doing and has already showcased his ability to get the very best out of his countrymen.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

There’s no doubt the coach has hit the jackpot on Gakpo and Gravenberch, but he might just have the same impact on Frimpong too next season.

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