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Ange Postecoglou’s reign as Celtic manager has been a bizarre affair with the Hoops appearing to take one step back every time they attempt to move forward.

The Bhoys had won their last five matches in all competitions until they took on Livingston on Saturday afternoon.

What’s the word?

With Celtic stuttering in their bid to reclaim their dominance on Scottish football, it’s become apparent that Postecoglou could do with some new acquisitions in the January market.

The Australian claimed a few months ago that he would like to target the Japanese market again after the successful signing of Kyogo Furuhashi and recent reports suggest he’s set to do exactly that.

The Times claimed that Celtic were chasing Daizen Maeda of Yokohama Marinos, the team that Postecoglou managed before arriving in Glasgow.

Kieran Devlin of The Athletic has since revealed that links to the 24-year-old should be believed.

During a Q&A he said: “They are credible (links to Maeda), yes. Unless something dramatic happens that will need addressing.”

Imagine him & Jota

The idea of signing the Japan international should be music to the ears of Celtic supporters who will no doubt be delighted at the idea of signing such a rampant goal threat.

Postecoglou has had mixed success with his offensive acquisitions since penning terms in Scotland, bringing Kyogo and Jota to the club.

The former has scored ten times in just 16 outings while the latter has seriously caught the eye with eight goal involvements in 12 appearances for the Hoops.

However, deals for Liel Abada and Giorgos Giakoumakis have been less successful. The Greek striker has found the net just once and missed a terrible penalty against Livi on Saturday. As for Abada, his form has dwindled and he now has only one strike in his last seven Premiership games.

With that in mind, signing someone who could be an upgrade on those two players would be extremely handy.

Maeda is a winger by trade and thus, the idea of him and Jota running dominantly down each flank is one that should enthral and captivate supporters.

He has scored 18 goals in Japan this term which is a sizeable tally for someone who has only played through the middle on seven occasions.

A player with that kind of record should excite fans inside the groand judging by the way Kyogo has settled in at Parkhead, fans will be hoping for more of the same here.

AND in other news, Less touches than Hart: Celtic dud who made just 5 passes all game badly let Ange down…

A major update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Barcelona attacker Ousmane Dembele…

What’s the talk?

Express journalist Ryan Taylor has revealed that the Magpies have submitted a contract to the forward ahead of the summer transfer window. The former Rennes winger’s deal with the Spanish giants expires in the summer and he is set to become a free agent, with PIF now looking to pounce on him.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “From what I understand, they’ve already made an offer to his agent for a pre-contract agreement, quite a big one as well. So, there is interest in Dembele.”

Buzzing

Eddie Howe will surely be left buzzing by this update, as the prospect of the French international arriving at St James’ Park is an exciting one.

Dembele has a wealth of experience in top-level football for club and country and still has plenty of time on his side to develop further, which is why he could be an excellent prospective addition to Newcastle’s squad. The winger played 50 games for Borussia Dortmund in Germany and has racked up 129 appearances for Barcelona, whilst also being capped 27 times by France along the way.

In that time, he has won a World Cup, two La Liga titles and two Spanish Cups – all by the age of 24. This highlights the quality and experience he could bring to the club despite his age, which is why he could be an exciting signing for fans to anticipate at the end of the season as he knows what it takes to win major silverware.

Dembele has racked up 31 goals and 23 assists for Barcelona, following on from 32 direct goal contributions in 50 matches in Germany. This shows that he has the ability to score and set up goals at the top level and suggests that he could make an impact in the final third for the Magpies next term, as he has proven it in both the Bundesliga and La Liga.

Therefore, Howe will be buzzing with the prospect of having him in his squad for the 2022/23 campaign. The ex-Bournemouth boss will also be delighted with PIF’s attempts to sign Dembele, as Taylor’s comments suggest that they are making a huge effort to bring in the Frenchman and are sparing no expense. He will now be hoping that they are able to pull a deal over the line in the coming months to lure the 24-year-old to Tyneside in July.

AND in other news, Huge blow: Newcastle facing major setback before Aston Villa, Howe will be worried…

Pundit Kevin Campbell has tipped Celtic to appoint a new CEO before January following Dominic McKay’s recent departure.

The Lowdown: McKay’s exit; five contenders

McKay left the club last week, just 72 days into his Celtic Park tenure. Ange Postecoglou admitted he was surprised at the news, with the Hoops citing personal reasons regarding his exit.

The Herald have since listed five potential contenders to replace McKay, including former defender Ramon Vega and Leicester City’s Susan Whelan.

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The Latest: Campbell’s comments

Campbell, who has appeared regularly for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding Celtic’s off-field situation.

He was asked when supporters should expect a permanent replacement through the Parkhead door, to which he appeared to back owner Dermot Desmond to take action before the New Year.

“I’m sure they have somebody in mind to take over the spot permanently. There should be contingency planning at a club like Celtic. You have to plan for every eventuality.

“Big clubs should have a shortlist of names ready to fill big roles like that. Now it is about going down that list, working through it and coming to a decision on the next appointment as quickly as possible because you need somebody in that role.

“I would think they will have somebody in before Christmas because it’s a vitally important position.”

The Verdict: 98 days…

There are 98 days before Christmas, so that should give Celtic plenty of time in regards to bringing in a new CEO on a long-term basis.

If they don’t, then that could have a knock-on effect in regards to the January window with Postecoglou possibly looking to add to his ranks in the winter window and the communication with those above him.

Who knows, the Hoops could even land McKay’s successor before Christmas, but Campbell’s prediction should be the bare minimum for Celtic’s off-field deadline to avoid any January problems.

In other news: Free-agent Ange spoke about at Celtic still available after comments emerge. 

Things have not exactly got off to the best of starts for Chris Hughton at Nottingham Forest this season, with the Reds having picked up just a single point over their opening five Championship fixtures of the new campaign.

Indeed, losses to Coventry City, AFC Bournemouth, Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City and a draw with arch-rivals Derby County have left the 62-year-old’s side rooted to the bottom of the second tier table, while a 4-0 drubbing by Wolverhampton Wanderers has also seen the club exit the Carabao Cup.

As such, it will perhaps come as no surprise to Forest fans that a number of their side’s players have not been at the top of their game during the opening weeks of the club’s 2021/22 campaign, with a number of individuals averaging a SofaScore match rating of 6.50 or below.

However, there is one player in particular whose statistics will be most concerning for fans of the club and Hughton alike – Alex Mighten.

Zero shots on target

While it may seem slightly harsh to single out a 19-year-old for his below-par performances while a great many of Forest’s more experienced players have also disappointed for the club so far this season, unfortunately, the winger’s returns for the Reds have simply not been good enough.

Indeed, over his five appearances for Hughton’s side so far this term, the £450k-rated man has scored no goals, registered no assists, made no key passes and created no big chances for his teammates.

Furthermore, the £2.5k-per-week forward has taken a grand total of one shot – which failed to hit the target – over his five league fixtures, as well as losing possession of the ball an average of 10.2 times and being dribbled past 0.4 times per match.

These returns – or lack thereof – have seen the youngster average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.42, ranking him as Hughton’s fifth-worst performer in the second tier.

Having said this, Mighten is still undoubtedly a player with an extremely bright future ahead of him in the game, the forward just so happens to be playing in a Forest side who have failed to hit anywhere near what was expected of them prior to the new season kicking off.

As such, perhaps it would be kind of Hughton to take the youngster out of the team for a couple of weeks, in order to take some of the heat away from his current level of performance and allow him to regain his confidence while playing for the club’s U23 side, before reintroducing the 19-year-old to the first-team when the club have managed to string a few positive results together.

In other news: Forest handed double injury boost ahead of Cardiff clash, Hughton will be buzzing

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left slamming the display of Connor Goldson in their 2-2 draw at home to Aberdeen on Wednesday night.

The central defender put John Lundstram into trouble with an early pass, which eventually led to Steven Gerrard’s team conceding the first goal at Ibrox, courtesy of Christian Ramirez.

It was certainly not his best night, as he lost out on four of his duels, failed to block any shots on his goal, and also lost possession of the ball on no fewer than on 14 separate occasions in the match, the fifth-most out of any of his teammates (Sofascore).

Goldson’s contract at the Light Blues is up in the summer, and if he continues putting in performances like these, the the Teddy Bears may want to think twice about offering him a new one, potentially tempting the club to cash in this January.

Rangers fans on Goldson display

These Gers slammed his performance on Twitter, with one RFC supporter even going as far as to claim that he was a ‘nightmare’:

“The mindset of Goldson to even contemplate playing that pass to Lundstram never mind actually doing it is worrying.”

Credit: @ThreeLoyal

“Who is giving a lift to Connor Goldson? I am up for it could be doing with a couple of days away”

Credit: @scottgraham89

“Goldson has been a nightmare yet again tonight.”

Credit: @StegsoSteven

“Connor Goldson should be dropped immediately when Helander is available”

Credit: @joshsmith1872

“That should be Goldson and Tav’s last game in a Rangers shirt”

Credit: @5G_Rfc

“Goldson and Tav were very poor tonight”

Credit: @enakssor

In other news, find out whose first half display was slammed here!

Leeds United are reportedly interested in making a late move to sign Club Brugge forward Noa Lang in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Lang linked with Leeds move

The Whites have less than a week to make new signings, but things have gone a little quiet on the transfer front of late.

One player who Leeds have been linked with buying is Lang, with the Dutch winger impressing for Brugge and once being hailed as a ‘phenomenon’ by Belgian journalist Peter Vandenbempt.

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The Latest: New report emerges

A fresh rumour has now emerged, however, with Voetbal Primeur [via Sport Witness] claiming that Leeds remain keen on bringing Lang to Elland Road this summer.

It is stated that ‘there is interest from Leeds United’ in the 22-year-old, but Brugge are asking for ‘an absolute top prize’ of more than €30million (£25.6m).

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The Verdict: Perfect late signing

Marcelo Bielsa’s side still arguably look a little light in wide areas currently, with Raphinha and Jack Harrison the only genuinely reliable options – Helder Costa did not prove himself a quality back-up last season and has been linked with an exit this summer.

For that reason, Lang could be a perfect signing, despite his price tag, having scored 19 goals and registered 15 assists in 43 appearances for Brugge.

He would seemingly bring with him guaranteed end product and Bielsa would also be able to rotate his starting lineup more regularly, keeping key men fresh as the season goes on.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly tracking a player ahead of a potential summer move. Find out who it is here.

Celtic ‘are looking’ to loan out Osaze Urhoghide during the January transfer window, according to Joe Crann for The Scotsman. 

The lowdown: Urhoghide limited

Urhoghide was the first signing of the Ange Postecoglou era at Celtic, penning a four-year deal after his contract at Sheffield Wednesday expired (via Sky Sports).

However, he was limited to a solitary appearance prior to the winter break, and that came in a Europa League dead-rubber against Real Betis.

The right-back produced an all-action performance against the La Liga outfit, winning five tackles, prevailing in nine out of 15 duels, completing two dribbles and creating a chance (via SofaScore).

The latest: Celtic plan loan move

‘(I) understand that the club have turned down approaches to sign Osaze Urhoghide on a permanent basis,’ Crann said on Twitter.

However, the Hoops do intend to let him leave Parkhead on a temporary basis.

There’s interest in the 21-year-old from ‘clubs in the SPFL and English Championship’.

The verdict: Great decision

Opportunities have been hard to come by for Urhoghide, but he very much looks to remain part of Celtic’s long-term plans.

And no wonder, based on a ‘fantastic debut’ against Betis that Football Scotland’s Euan Robertson rated eight out of 10.

If he can impress on loan further down the SPFL or in the English second tier, he’ll return to Lennoxtown for pre-season with his prospects of a greater squad role significantly boosted.

Listing him for loan is a smart move from the Hoops, and a permanent deal should absolutely be out of the question given how little we’ve seen of his abilities so far.

In other news, Gabby Agbonlahor is in awe of this transfer business.

Everton have been rather active in the transfer window over the past few years when it comes to bringing new players to the Merseyside club.

At times, the Toffees have spent significant sums of money on players such as Ben Godfrey, Alex Iwobi and Moise Kean to name a few.

The previous summer transfer window was a different story for the club as they were impacted by Financial Fair Play rules, resulting in them only signing Demarai Gray for a relatively low fee of £1.7m.

Looking ahead to the next summer window, it seems as though the Goodison Park outfit may once again be in danger of being troubled by their financial issues, this time in a much more potentially damaging regard.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Paul Brown had this to say about the future of Everton duo Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison.

He said: “It’s inevitable that one of them goes because the financial position the club finds itself in is so dire that they know they have to sell someone to generate some revenue.”

Bad news for Lampard

Having scored a combined total of nine Premier League goals between them this season, it’s safe to say that the duo are two of Everton’s key attacking figures.

The attackers also make up two of Everton’ three highest-rated outfield players currently at the club in terms of their overall performances according to WhoScored.

Also, with the pair being worth a combined fee of £82.8m, they are the club’s two most valuable players, showing why Brown thinks selling one of them could help the Toffees financially.

However, given how vital they both are on the pitch for the Merseyside club, selling either of them anytime soon would be a disaster for Frank Lampard and the fans.

While this could be an issue for the Toffees by the time the upcoming summer transfer window opens for business, their main concern at the moment will surely be on doing all they can to stay in the division.

Moving forward, the best thing that Everton can do is to win as many points as they can from their remaining league games.

Once they potentially manage to do that, the focus can then shift onto their summer business.

In terms of what the financial situation at the Merseyside club will look like at that point, it should be their top priority to keep hold of both Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin.

In other news: Lampard can now axe “desperate” flop as EFC plot bid for “exceptional” £37k-p/w dynamo

As per The Evening Standard, an update has emerged involving Manchester City defender Nathan Ake and West Ham’s plans for January.

The Lowdown: West Ham in defensive crisis…

After injuries to both Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma, the Irons have been left short of options at the back, with manager David Moyes having just Issa Diop and Craig Dawson at his disposal.

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This has prompted the club to look at their options in the transfer market, with the likes of James Tarkowski and Nathaniel Phillips already linked.

The Championship could also be a source for Moyes as West Ham have reportedly sent scouts to watch QPR defender Rob Dickie, Middlesbrough mainstay Dael Fry and Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly (90min).

The Latest: West Ham weigh Ake loan bid…

As per The Evening Standard, Moyes is personally keen on signing a left-footed centre-half as West Ham weigh up a January loan bid for Ake.

The Netherlands international, who has been featuring more often for City this season, is now on the Irons’ agenda amid their injury woes, and Moyes wants a player of the 26-year-old’s ilk to bring balance to the back four.

The Verdict: Right move?

Described as ‘underrated’ by international teammate and Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk, bypassing Ake’s £28.8m valuation (Transfermarkt) and bringing him in on a temporary basis would be an astute bit of business from West Ham’s perspective.

However, City boss Pep Guardiola could arguably wish to keep the 26-year-old at Eastlands for the time being, with his squad having suffered from player availability emergencies as of late. For instance, centre-back Aymeric Laporte missed the trip to RB Leipzig on Tuesday night with a minor knock, so Guardiola may want Ake around for cover.

While it would be a hard move to pull off, especially mid-season, there is little arguing that Ake would improve West Ham’s defence, with Guardiola himself recently calling the Dutchman ‘focused’, ‘intelligent’ and a ‘joy to have’ (mancity.com).

In other news: West Ham could now back Moyes with £17.1m bid to sign 6 foot 3 powerhouse in January, find out more here.

Journalist Steve Madeley has laid into West Brom midfielder Alex Mowatt’s ineffective performance in his side’s 4-0 defeat away to Nottingham Forest.

The Lowdown: Baggies humbled at Forest

Steve Bruce’s side made the trip to the City Ground on Monday evening, looking to pick up a rare positive result in an increasingly disappointing season.

The Baggies were thumped by their promotion-chasing opponents, however, trailing 3-0 at half-time, not helped by Darnell Furlong’s red card.

Forest added a fourth goal after the break, with the defeat leaving Bruce’s languishing 12th in the Championship table and effectively ending their playoff chances.

The Latest: Madeley critical of Mowatt

Mowatt had a bad evening, with Sofascore noting that his total of 23 touches was comfortably fewer than goalkeeper David Button managed (43), and Madeley took to Twitter to criticise his efforts:

“Molumby on for Mowatt, who has had a poor night.”

The Verdict: Can this season end?

After such confidence at the start of the season, when Valerien Ismael arriving as manager and automatic promotion expected by many, this has turned into a dismal campaign.

Mowatt perhaps sums it all up, also coming in with big expectations but not matching the hype, providing just six direct goal involvements and often frustrating fans.

For West Brom to be 12th in the league with the squad they have is simply not good enough and there must be question marks over Bruce’s future moving forward.

The right decisions need to be made in the summer, in terms of the manager and playing personnel, ensuring the Baggies produce a far stronger campaign next time around.

In other news, West Brom have been backed to sign a Premier League midfielder. Read more here.