كشف صحفي شبكة “سكاي سبورتس”، فلوريان بليتينبيرج، عن آخر التطورات المتعلقة بمستقبل منبوذ مدرب نادي ريال مدريد، تشابي ألونسو، والذي يجد صعوبة في اللعب تحت قيادة مدرب باير ليفركوزن السابق.
ألونسو وضع بعض لاعبي ريال مدريد خارج خططه خلال هذا الموسم، ومن بينهم فيرلاند ميندي، وكذلك ديفيد ألابا، وإندريك فيليبي.
إندريك لم يشارك في أي مباراة رفقة نادي ريال مدريد خلال هذا الموسم وبقى الدول البرازيلي بشكل دائم على مقاعد بدلاء اللوس بلانكوس.
ويعول ألونسو بشكل أساسي على كيليان مبابي في مركز المهاجم الصريح، في حين يتواجد جونزالو جارسيا كبديل أول للدولي الفرنسي.
طالع.. سبورت: فليك اختار تشكيل برشلونة في التدريب الأخير قبل السفر إلى مدريد
وذكر بليتينبيرج عبر حسابه الرسمي في “تويتر”، أن إندريك يرغب وبشدة في الرحيل عن صفوف ريال مدريد خلال فترة الميركاتو الشتوي المقبل في يناير، وذلك بحثًا عن فرصة للعب بشكل منتظم.
ويريد إندريك استعادة مكانة في تشكيلة منتخب البرازيل، حيث يعد اللاعب خارج حسابات مدرب السيليساو، كارلو أنشيلوتي في الوقت الحالي، في ظل عدم مشاركته مع ريال مدريد.
وأشار بليتينبيرج، إلى أن ريال مدريد من جهته منفتح على فكرة إعارة إندريك في يناير المقبل، وذلك لأحد أندية الدوري الألماني، بينما يرتبط اللاعب بعقد مع النادي الإسباني لنهاية موسم 2030 المقبل.
Christian Pulisic vowed to 'work 10 times harder' after his penalty miss cost AC Milan the chance to go top of the Serie A table heading into the international break.
Pulisic acknowledges blunder vs Juventus
Pulisic has publicly shared his heartbreak after his crucial penalty miss in the 0-0 Serie A draw against Juventus on Sunday. According toLa Gazzetta dello Sport, the American international took to social media to express his anguish and make a vow to the club's supporters after the Rossoneri dropped points.
AdvertisementAFPWhat Pulisic said after the penalty miss
The day after the stalemate in Turin, Pulisic posted a message to his followers, apologising for the costly error that denied his team a vital victory. Despite receiving support from his coach and teammates, the forward felt compelled to address the fans directly. "It kills me to disappoint this club," Pulisic wrote. "I'll work 10 times harder to make things right. Forza Milan always." The message was met with an overwhelmingly positive response from the Rossoneri fanbase, who were quick to forgive their top scorer.
A costly miss in a tight affair
Pulisic's failed spot-kick was the defining moment in a cagey encounter at the Allianz Stadium. A successful conversion would almost certainly have secured all three points for Milan and sent them to the top of the Serie A table. In a match with few clear-cut chances, where Milan managed just four shots on target from 13 attempts, the penalty was a golden opportunity to break the deadlock and claim a significant away win.
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Pulisic's strong start to the season
Despite the disappointment, the miss is a rare blemish on what has been an excellent start to the season for the USMNT captain. Pulisic has been Milan's standout attacking player in the opening months of the campaign and currently leads the Serie A goalscoring charts with four goals in six games. His strong performances have quickly made him a fan favourite, and his public apology has only further endeared him to the club's supporters.
A blistering onslaught from Glenn Phillips in the final six overs of the first innings helped New Zealand ease to a crushing win over Pakistan in the first ODI of the tri-series in Lahore. The visitors posted 330 thanks to Phillips’ 72-ball century, with 98 runs coming in the final six overs. Pakistan could never quite muster a convincing response, with all hopes pinned on a flying start from Fakhar Zaman. However, when Phillips – who could seemingly do no wrong – trapped him in front for a 69-ball 84, their resistance melted away, and New Zealand’s task became something of a cakewalk. To make Pakistan’s evening worse, Haris Rauf picked up an injury which prevented him from batting, and New Zealand won by 78 runs.New Zealand’s innings appeared a struggle until the 44th over, with Pakistan taking regular wickets, even if half-centuries from Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell kept them ticking along. On a flat wicket, Pakistan’s bowlers had done a stellar job restricting New Zealand’s scoring rate, with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah combining for five wickets. So it seemed, anyway, until Phillips let loose, ripping apart Pakistan’s bowlers at the very end. He would score his last 77 runs in 32 balls, as New Zealand took momentum with them into the dinner break.New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat on what looked a dry, flat surface at the newly built Gaddafi stadium, but immediately ran into headwinds. Afridi continued his ODI wicket-taking form with one in his first over, inducing Will Young into a prod that got a nick through to the keeper. With Williamson largely subdued in the opening powerplay, run scoring came largely through a belligerent cameo from Rachin Ravindra. A couple of boundaries off Afridi either side of the wicket set the tone, and he had raced to 25 off 18 deliveries; 20 of them came through fours. But a slightly careless shot off Abrar Ahmed ended a nascently dangerous innings with Ravindra out caught and bowled.Williamson continued to consolidate, and for a while New Zealand had entered a rut. By the end of the 18th over, their scoring rate had fallen below four, with Mitchell looking laboured as he shuffled along, scoring 9 off his first 22 balls. The escalation came all of a sudden, and primarily through Mitchell, when he charged down the ground to loft Khushdil Shah over the sightscreen for six. Williamson began to come into his own, too as New Zealand began to milk the bowling, with the run rate beginning to tick upwards as the partnership approached three-figures.But Pakistan were maintaining a hold over the game by picking up regular wickets, and two in five deliveries pegged New Zealand back sharply. Afridi, once more, proved the partnership breaker, another gentle edge from Williamson that Rizwan comfortably pouched. The two-paced nature of the wicket went on to do for Tom Latham, who found the ball stopping on him as he chipped it up to midwicket.In Mitchell and Phillips, though, New Zealand’s two most potent late-overs bludgeoners were at the crease, and they would go on to prove it over the next hour. Mitchell was picking off the Pakistan spinners whenever their lengths dropped short; each of his five sixes came against spin, but it would also be his downfall. A harmless full toss from Abrar was clipped straight into midwicket’s arms, Mitchell’s disbelief writ large on his face as he walked away 19 short of a hundred.Fakhar Zaman’s quick fifty led Pakistan’s chase•Associated Press
But for Pakistan, that was the reprieve before the storm. Phillips had been sedate until the 42nd over, nudging it around for 29 off 43, but when Salman Agha was pumped back over his head for a six, there were signs he was awakening. Agha was dispatched for another pair of sixes in his following over, but it was when the fast bowlers returned that the beast was truly unleashed.A nudge off Naseem in the 47th over brought Phillips his half-century, but he wasn’t nearly done yet. Afridi was launched over deep midwicket and then scooped above short third for consecutive sixes, before Naseem was plundered for 17 in the 49th over. But the worst of the carnage was left for Afridi in the final over, which produced a whopping 25, bringing up Phillips’ maiden ODI century.The crowd was at full capacity and full pitch when Pakistan came out to bat, because Babar Azam was opening alongside Fakhar. The noise was for Babar, but it was Fakhar who sprung out of the traps, helping Pakistan to a brisk start in the Powerplay. But Babar’s start to opening – the first time he has done so since 2015 – was inauspicious, flicking a harmless delivery from Michael Bracewell straight into midwicket’s hands.Kamran Ghulam was similarly turgid, and the pressure fell squarely on Fakhar to produce a mammoth innings if Pakistan were to make headway in the chase. For a while, he offered them hope, taking down Mitchell Santner and Bracewell as he hurtled towards his century, but Ghulam and Rizwan were sent packing at the other end.The death knell for Pakistan was struck by Phillips in the 24th over when he skidded one on that trapped Fakhar plumb in front. With the asking rate rising above nine and 212 runs still to get, there was little realistic hope the lower-middle order would be able to get Pakistan close. It was reflected in the activity of the crowd, which streamed towards the exits.Tayyab Tahir and Agha tried to keep it going, building up a tidy little partnership, but even moments of brilliance went New Zealand’s way when Bracewell took a stunning catch diving to his right to send a disbelieving Tahir back to the pavilion.Thereafter, it appeared both sides were going through the motions, New Zealand doing enough to chip away at the lower order. The only bad news for the visitors was what appeared a nasty injury to Ravindra, who lost a ball in the lights as it went on to hit him flush in the face, and went off as blood streamed down his hair.The game itself was far more straightforward for New Zealand. Khushdil and Agha fell to spin within four balls of each other and, despite an entertaining little cameo from Abrar at the very end, Pakistan were merely delaying the inevitable. Matt Henry bounced out Naseem with 13 balls still to go; they are well placed in this tournament, and, it appears, well placed ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Crystal Palace are now “very interested” in signing a “terrific” defender, amid the uncertainty surrounding Marc Guehi’s future at Selhurst Park, journalist Patrick Berger has revealed.
Guehi's future remains up in the air
With Guehi’s contract set to expire next summer, Palace will need to cash-in before the transfer window shuts, if they are to receive a sizeable fee for his services, and the centre-back has now re-emerged as a target for Newcastle United.
With the Eagles set to hold out for £50m, and Newcastle reluctant to spend more than £40m, it remains to be seen whether a deal will be possible, but there are plenty of other clubs waiting in the wings too.
Liverpool are now said to be preparing an offer for Guehi, while Tottenham Hotspur have also been named as potential suitors in recent days, so it could be extremely difficult for Oliver Glasner to keep hold of his centre-back this summer.
Consequently, Crystal Palace have now started to work on finding a replacement for the defender, and Sky Sports reporter Berger has taken to X to reveal they are “very interested” in signing Middlesbrough’s Rav van den Berg.
There is set to be fierce competition for Van den Berg’s signature, however, with FC Köln submitting an offer worth up to €7m (£6m), having identified him as their top target to strengthen their backline, and the Boro defender is open to a move to the Bundesliga.
Rav van den Berg for Middlesbrough.
Feyenoord are also very interested in the Dutchman, alongside a number of unnamed Bundesliga clubs, so it remains to be seen whether the Eagles are able to tempt him into a move to Selhurst Park.
"Terrific" Van Den Berg could flourish at Selhurst Park
The Eagles have displayed a good eye for signing and developing Championship players in recent times, with Eberechi Eze perhaps the best example, and there are signs the Dutch defender could be another fantastic long-term addition.
Despite being just 20-years-old, the youngster has already racked up a great deal of first-team experience at Middlesbrough, making 66 appearances across the past two Championship seasons, during which time he impressed Michael Carrick.
Crystal Palace make serious move for Girona star after holding Edouard negotiations
The Eagles are looking to recruit defensive additions.
BySean Markus Clifford Aug 4, 2025
The former Boro manager said: “He’s a terrific individual, really grounded and humble, terrific character and great attitude. He has a real calming influence but quite sure of himself in a really good way.”
Van Den Berg has proven he could now be ready to make the step-up to the Premier League, so it is promising news that Palace are in the race for his signature, but they may have to move swiftly, given that FC Köln have already submitted an offer.
علق عماد النحاس، المدير الفني للنادي الأهلي، على فوز فريقه على نظيره حرس الحدود 3-2، في اللقاء الذي أقيم بين الفريقين في بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
والتقى الأهلي مع حرس الحدود، على أرضية استاد الكلية الحربية، في إطار لقاءات الجولة الثامنة من الدوري المصري.
وقال عماد النحاس، في المؤتمر الصحفي بعد اللقاء: “الحمد لله كسبنا مباراتين متتاليتين، والكل يعرف أن التفكير ممكن يكون في مباراة القمة، واستقبلنا أهدافًا من أخطاء وهذا قدرنا”.
طالع|أيمن يونس يكشف أمرًا خطيرًا في الأهلي.. ويؤكد: فوز مروان عطية بجائزة رجل المباراة مجاملة
وتابع: “جراديشار اشتكى من الإصابة ولم نكن نرغب في المجازفة باللاعب، ولدينا الكثير من الغيابات لذلك لم نرغب في زيادة عددها”.
وأضاف: “عبد القادر ظهر في وقت صعب وأدى بشكل جيد وعاد من شد في العضلة الخلفية، ولدينا 5 أيام قبل لقاء القمة وسنعمل على تجهيز الفريق”.
وكشف: “ياسين مرعي عاد من إصابة لذلك لعبه في مركز الظهير الأيسر يحتاج لبذل مجهود أكبر لذلك عاد مرة أخرى لمركزه، وضغط المباريات والاجهاد تخطيناه ولا أرغب في الحديث عنه”.
وواصل: “أما بشأن تحامل اللاعبين على نفسهم من أجل المشاركة هذا لا أستطيع الرد عليه”.
وعن إهدار الفرص؟، قال: “لو معاك بجنيه توفيق سنسجل لذلك دائما أراه توفيق وعدم توفيق وأكبر دليل كرة ياسر إبراهيم، ومحمد علي بن رمضان سليم ١٠٠٪ لكننا لم نرغب في المجازفة به”.
واختتم: “تغيير تريزيجيه، ماذا لو حصل على إنذار آخر وغاب عن القمة، دعم الجماهير لم يقل ولكن علينا أن نتحمل بعض”.
Tottenham are currently in ongoing negotiations over selling a high-profile member of their squad, according to a new report.
Spurs boss Thomas Frank gave his first ever pre-match press conference before their friendly against Reading on Saturday, and in his statement to the media, he moved to quash rumours linking some star players with a move away.
Player's camp in talks with Tottenham, Frank convinced he'd join Spurs
The Dane is personally confident they can secure his signature.
2
By
Emilio Galantini
Jul 18, 2025
Son Heung-min and Cristian Romero have both been repeatedly linked with a summer exit, attracting interest from Saudi Arabia and Atletico Madrid specifically, but Frank insists they both remain a part of his plans.
“Two top players, Sonny, been here 10 years, finally got his his well deserved trophy in the summer,” said Frank.
“So important for the team and the club. Cristian Romeo, World Cup winner, Europa League winner, Copa America winner, very, very important for us as well. Both have trained well, setting the standards out there on the training pitch and both will play tomorrow so I’m very happy.
“My expectation is all the players are here and they are training well. That is what I am focusing on and again very impressed by them. They set the standards and train hard. As I said, they are playing tomorrow, that’s a good indicator that they are here.”
Of course, depending on any suitable offers that come in, the nature of the transfer market means we can never completely rule anything out.
Spurs are now starting to move in terms of outgoings, with goalkeeper Josh Keeley completing a move to Luton Town after Tottenham agreed a £1 million deal with the League One side earlier this week, as first reported by Alasdair Gold.
Alfie Dorrington has gone out on loan to Aberdeen again as well, joining young striker Alejo Veliz in securing a temporary transfer away from N17 this summer in pursuit of more game time.
In terms of bigger names leaving, Yves Bissouma has reportedly been told he’s free to leave Tottenham, while great uncertainty surrounds the futures of Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon after their 2024/2025 loan spells elsewhere.
There is also the matter of Richarlison, who suffered from a plague of injury problems last term.
Palmeiras president in talks with Tottenham to sign Richarlison
The Brazil international, who cost Levy a whopping £60 million to sign from Everton in 2022, enjoyed a brief purple patch midway through Ange Postecoglou’s first season in charge, but his highlights have been few and far between.
Tottenham Hotspur'sRicharlisoncelebrates after winning the Europa League Final
Clubs in Saudi Arabia, Richarlison’s homeland and Turkish champions Galatasaray have all been credited with an interest in the 28-year-old, with a report from The Boy Hotspur now claiming that Palmeiras are taking the lead.
It is believed that Palmeiras president, Leila Pereira, is “personally conducting the negotiations” to sign Richarlison – currently working on payment plans and acquiring more financial resources to meet Spurs’ asking price.
Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal, Al-Shabab, Vasco de Gama, Fluminense and even Newcastle are named as other suitors for the ex-Watford forward, so he’s a man in demand, and Spurs are apparently keen on selling to reinvest Richarlison’s transfer fee in their own summer recruitment drive.
We are only in June, but Chelsea are wasting no time at all when it comes to the transfer window.
For example, even though the likes of Liam Delap, Mamadou Sarr and Dario Essugo are already through the doors at Stamford Bridge, the Conference League Champions are still looking to make more significant additions.
That said, with the Champions League and more expectations in the Premier League to come next season, it’s not hard to understand why the West Londoners want to make sure Enzo Maresca has everything he needs.
Chelseaplayersposefor a team group photo before the match
One of the names most heavily touted for a move to Chelsea is Jamie Gittens, but interestingly, another international has now been linked with the club, someone who’d arguably be an even better signing.
Chelsea target Premier League star
Since wrapping up their prior transfer dealings, the most significant saga Chelsea have been in has been about Gittens.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Interestingly, the club were first linked with him back in October and then again during the winter window, but it would be fair to say that the links have seriously heated up in the last few weeks.
In fact, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed yesterday afternoon that the deal was close to being completed, while stories from late last week claimed that a fee of around £55m would be enough for Borussia Dortmund to sell.
Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittensin action with Lille's Bafode Diakite
However, while the young Englishman is undoubtedly very talented and will be an incredibly exciting addition to the squad, it now looks like the club are moving after someone from the Premier League who’d be an even better signing.
At least that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which has revealed that Chelsea are very interested in Nottingham Forest’s Murillo.
The report goes a step further, revealing that the Blues have already made contact with the Tricky Trees to find out more information about the player.
Unfortunately, one potential sticking point for a deal for the Brazilian is that Forest reportedly value him at more than €80m, which comes out to around £68m.
While that is an enormous amount of money, this might be a deal worth fighting for as Murillo has proven himself in the Premier League and could end up being a better signing than Gittens for Chelsea.
Why Murillo would be a better signing than Gittens for Chelsea
Now, the first thing to say is that both players would be good additions to Chelsea’s squad.
After all, it’s never a bad thing to sign an exciting and dynamic young winger, who’d not only scored at the Bernabeu but also managed to rack up a tally of 17 goal involvements in 49 games for a top European side at just 20 years old.
However, in the context of what the Blues actually need this summer, there are two significant reasons why Murillo would be a better signing than Gittens, the first of which relates to the club’s abundance of wingers in the squad.
Chelsea manager EnzoMaresca
As things stand, Maresca will be able to choose from ten players who are capable of playing on the wing next season – not including Mykhaylo Mudryk – so signing the Dortmund star will make it 11, which for any team is unnecessary.
That also leads us to the second reason: due to the number of attacking options at the Bridge, the Forest ace is likely to have a greater impact if he were to join.
After all, only one centre-back made 40 appearances across all competitions this season, Levi Colwill, while Tosin Adarabioyo made 38.
Moreover, when we compare the relevant underlying metrics between the former Fulham ace and the Tricky Trees star, like tackles, block interceptions and more, it becomes obvious that the “monstrous” Brazilian, as dubbed by journalist Ryan Taylor, would be a noticeable upgrade.
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.07
0.07
Progressive Passes
3.25
2.68
Progressive Carries
0.62
0.32
Passing Accuracy
78.5%
91.1%
Key Passes
0.37
0.06
Passes into the Penalty Area
0.37
0.06
Shot-Creating Actions
1.24
0.96
Tackles
1.50
1.08
Blocks
1.95
0.57
Interceptions
1.02
0.70
Clearances
7.03
5.10
Ball Recoveries
4.01
2.61
Ultimately, Chelsea would be smart to sign both Gittens and Murillo this summer, but when it comes to who will likely have more of an impact next year and, therefore, be the better signing, we’d have to lean heavily towards the latter.
Chelsea ready to offer £80k-p/w ace in exchange for "amazing" 17 G/A star
The Blues could have a transfer trick up their sleeve.
Arsenal finished second in the Premier League for the third successive season in 2024/25, and Mikel Arteta knows that he needs to bag himself a new striker to defeat the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City to next year’s title.
Well, with a deal for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko in the works, it seems like the Londoners are finally sorting out that issue, but attacking quality needs to be brought in across other areas too.
Out on the left, Gabriel Martinelli’s future is uncertain, and Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams has been picked as a leading candidate to strength the Gunners’ attacking flank.
However, the Spain star isn’t the only one on the radar, especially after just 11 goals and seven assists from 45 matches in all competitions.
Athletic Bilbao'sNicoWilliamscelebrates scoring their third goal
Arsenal, alongside their pursuit of the aforementioned Sesko, might be better off looking at a different La Liga sensation…
Arsenal line up Williams alternative
According to GIVEMESPORT, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo would be willing to sign for Arsenal this summer, but only if his £250k-per-week salary demands are met.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
In fact, sporting director Andrea Berta is personally driving the deal forward, having engaged in official talks with Los Blancos and the player’s representatives last week.
Chelsea have also expressed an interest, and it’s felt Florentino Perez would be open to selling for something in the range of £85m.
However, a resolution won’t be reached until Xabi Alonso has taken the time to decide if he considers the Brazil forward as untouchable or not, so don’t hold onto your breath with this one.
What Rodrygo would bring to Arsenal
Rodrygo has been at Real Madrid since his 18th birthday, when he left Santos and his Brazilian homeland in search of footballing riches in the Spanish capital.
The 24-year-old has since scored 68 goals and supplied 50 assists across 267 appearances for Real, notably winning two Champions League trophies and establishing himself as one of the game’s foremost forwards.
If Arsenal find themselves in the right position for it, they must move this dynamic attacker in lieu of Williams.
Hailed as a “world-class superstar” by his Real teammate Luka Modric, Rodrygo must be desperate to step away from the shadow of Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe and begin to forge a new future for himself in the Premier League, where he could light up English football on the left flank.
Though he rarely features off the left, Rodrygo believes it is his best position, and when assessing his data from last term, it’s clear to see why.
Rodrygo – Real Madrid Stats by Position (24/25)
Position
Apps
Goals
Assists
Right winger
29
7
4
Left winger
12
6
6
Centre-forward
8
–
–
Stats via Transfermarkt
Bukayo Saka has Arsenal’s right wing on lock, so it makes perfect sense to sign Rodrygo and give him the keys to the position he so desperately wants to nail down. Should Arteta make it happen, we could see some of the “terrifyingly good” finishing the Brazilian is capable of, as has been said by journalist Sam Tighe.
Such potency could see Rodrygo prove an even better fit than Williams, bringing many of the Spaniard’s electric qualities to the table but providing a sharper goalscoring sense too.
As per FBref, Rodrygo ranked among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for pass completion and the top 14% for progressive carries per 90.
Such technical and athletic qualities have actually seen Williams drawn against him as one of his most statistically similar players, so it’s clear he would be a stylistic fit for the Gunners.
Real Madrid'sRodrygolooks on
Given the need to add goals to Arsenal’s game, Arteta and Berta might be better off forging ahead with a deal for Rodrygo, who only missed one big chance in La Liga last term, scoring six goals.
A new challenge would serve him well, and he’d prove to be a superior choice to Williams while bringing a similar profile. Let’s get it done.
Their own Wirtz: Arsenal make contact to sign £70m "machine"
Arsenal could land their answer to Florian Wirtz with a statement signing this summer
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will be targeting even more success in the 2025/26 campaign after his side failed to clinch the domestic treble this season.
The Hoops won the Scottish Premiership title and the League Cup, beating Rangers on penalties in the final, but they lost to Aberdeen in the final of the SFA Cup last month.
Celtic also reached the play-off round of the Champions League, in which they were knocked out by German outfit Bayern Munich, and they may want to go further in the European competition next term.
The Scottish giants will be in the market to bolster their squad in order to improve their trophy haul next season, and they have already dipped into the market to make one new signing.
Left-back Kieran Tierney will officially sign for the Hoops on a free transfer at the end of the month, when his contract with Premier League side Arsenal expires.
Six years on from his move to The Emirates from Parkhead, the Scotland international is returning to Glasgow to be Brendan Rodgers’ first-choice left-back.
Why Kieran Tierney is a good signing for Celtic
The Scotland international is set to fill a hole for the Scottish giants because Greg Taylor is out of contract and is yet to put pen to paper on an extension at Paradise.
This means that Tierney will walk in as the immediate first-choice left-back to start week-in-week-out when available for the Hoops in the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.
The 28-year-old star could be a terrific addition for the club because, as evidenced in the graphic above, he has already proven that he can deliver in the Premiership, winning five titles during his first spell at Paradise.
Tierney knows what it takes to play for Celtic, having come up through the youth system, and could deliver a big threat as a creator down the left flank, given his 37 assists in 170 matches from a left-back position the first time around.
This suggests that the free transfer could be a very good signing for Celtic, because he is a known quantity who could hit the ground running next season, but there are some concerns over his fitness issues.
Kieran Tierney’s injury history
Season
Injuries
Days missed
Games missed
24/25
1
160
18
23/24
3
103
21
22/23
0
0
0
21/22
2
116
17
20/21
4
87
19
19/20
1
97
19
18/19
5
140
27
17/18
1
23
5
16/17
1
86
16
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Tierney has a less-than-assuring injury history throughout his career, spanning across his time at Celtic, Arsenal, and Real Sociedad.
This means that Rodgers may have to worry about whether or not he will be available week-in-week-out, which may take some of the excitement out of his arrival whilst there are still those concerns.
The Hoops are, however, reportedly on track to complete a deal for a player who would be an even more exciting addition than Tierney this summer.
Celtic expected to sign new forward
According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, FC Nordsjaelland forward Benjamin Nygren is “expected” to complete a move to Celtic in the summer transfer window.
The reporter claims that Belgian giants Anderlecht expect the player to sign for the Scottish Premiership champions, after they held talks with the winger’s agents.
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Anderlecht understand that the 23-year-old attacker has decided to turn down a move to the Pro League in order to link up with the Hoops this summer.
This news is backed up by Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, who claims that Celtic have agreed terms with the Sweden international, beating off competition from across Europe.
If this move now goes through as expected, Nygren could arrive at Parkhead this summer as an even more exciting signing than Tierney for the club.
Why Benjamin Nygren is more exciting than Kieran Tierney
Positionally, a winger is naturally more exciting than a left-back from a fan perspective, as they are the players who get supporters off their feet by taking defenders on and delivering goals and assists on a regular basis.
At the age of 23, Nygren is also a young player with potential who could grow and develop over the years to come, whilst Tierney is heading into the latter years of his peak at the age of 28. This means that the Swedish star is also more exciting in terms of what he could go on to achieve in a Celtic shirt, and his possible resale value in the future.
The Sweden international, who Danish Scout on X claimed is a “no-brainer” signing for the Hoops, also has the quality on the ball to excite supporters with his play at the top end of the pitch from a right wing position.
24/25 Superliga
Benjamin Nygren
Percentile rank vs wingers
xG
10.90
Top 4%
xG on target
16.95
Top 1%
Shots on target
40
Top 1%
Goals
15
Top 1%
xA
5.97
Top 8%
Assists
2
Top 50%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, Nygren is a lethal finisher who can outperform the quality of chances that are created for him, as evidenced by his 6.95 xG overperformance based on the quality of his shots on target.
This shows that he would provide an efficient presence in front of goal to find the back of the net on a regular basis for Celtic, which could make him an exciting player for the club as a huge attacking threat.
Nygren’s assist tally of two should be taken into context, too, because he had an xA of 5.97, which suggests that his teammates did not provide enough quality with their finishing.
The winger, who scored 15 goals in 28 Superliga starts, has shown the kind of impact that he can have at the top end of the pitch in domestic football, but also scored an eye-catching five goals in five Conference League matches during the 2023/24 campaign, which shows that he can also deliver on the European stage.
Unlike Tierney, the forward also has a promising injury record. The attacker has only missed 14 matches through injury since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, which means that Celtic can realistically expect count on him to be available most weeks.
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Overall, Nygren would be a more exciting signing than Tierney for Celtic due to his style of play, as a winger, his age profile and potential, his injury history, and his impressive statistics in Denmark.
Celtic have the chance to win the domestic treble for the second time in the last three seasons when they face Aberdeen in the final of the SFA Cup.
Brendan Rodgers clinched his second Scottish Premiership title in as many seasons last weekend when his side swept Dundee United away with a 5-0 win.
The Hoops will want to continue their dominance for seasons to come, and have already swooped to make one high-profile signing in the form of Kieran Tierney.
Why Kieran Tierney is an impressive signing
The Scotland international will officially join Celtic on a free transfer when his contract at Arsenal expires at the end of June, returning to the club after six years in England.
As you can see in the graphic above, the academy graduate enjoyed a phenomenal first spell in Glasgow, winning five league titles and making 170 first-team appearances.
At the time of writing (01/05/2025), Transfermarkt currently values Tierney at £8.5m, which is a drop from the £25m he was sold for, but that still means that the club are signing an £8.5m-rated asset for £0. He is an impressive addition for the Hoops because he is a proven Premiership star and a valuable asset.
Celtic do, however, have numerous valuable assets at the club, in what is a very talented squad, and one of those who is worth even more than Tierney is Daizen Maeda.
Celtic have hit the jackpot with Daizen Maeda
The Hoops swooped to sign the Japan international, who was described as a “snip” by pundit Chris Sutton, for a fee of just £1.6m, in the summer of 2022 from Yokohama F. Marinos.
Maeda, who was recently hailed as “brilliant” by Rodgers, has soared in value over the past three years in Glasgow, and is currently enjoying his best season at the club.
The 27-year-old forward has plundered 33 goals and provided 11 assists in 47 appearances in all competitions, which is a tally of 44 goal contributions that beats his return of 14 and 18 in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, respectively.
Date
Market value
March 2025-present
£9.3m
December 2024
£6.8m
October 2024
£6.3m
May 2024
£5.9m
December 2023
£5.5m
June 2023
£5.1m
December 2022
£4.2m
June 2022
£2.9m
Valuations via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Maeda’s value has skyrocketed as a result of his improved output at the top end of the pitch in the current season, going from £5.9m last summer to £9.3m at the time of writing.
His current market valuation of £9.3m also means that his value has soared by 481% from the £1.6m that Celtic paid for his services back in 2022, and that he is now worth even more than Tierney, who was once sold for £25m.
Daizen Maeda
This shows that the Scottish giants have hit the jackpot with Maeda because he has provided sensational performances on the pitch this term, and the Japan international is now an incredibly valuable asset who is worth even more than a big summer signing.
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