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Celtic could face a new challenge in the summer as they are expected to receive interest from the Premier League in their centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Could Carter-Vickers leave Celtic?

The American has now been playing his football at Parkhead for almost two years now having initially joined the club on loan back in 2021.

His move was made permanent over the summer in a deal believed to be worth in the region of £6m from Tottenham Hotspur.

However, it seems as if a return to England could potentially be on the cards over the coming months with a strong interest coming from the Premier League.

Indeed, speaking on the House of Champions YouTube channel, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has put Carter-Vickers’ future in doubt ahead of the summer:

(14:00) “I think it’s going to be an important summer because I’m told some Premier League clubs are already exploring this possibility. Of course, he knows Premier League football so it could be a possibility in the summer but Celtic will try their best to keep their players.”

How long does Carter-Vickers have left on his contract?

Since arriving at Parkhead, Carter-Vickers has gone on to solidify his spot in the side under Ange Postecoglou and has recorded 76 appearances across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

And Celtic fans will be thankful to hear the club were able to tie him down to a four-year deal when they permanently signed him last summer.

Therefore, going into the next transfer window, Carter-Vickers will still have three years remaining on his contract at Parkhead.

This will leave the Bhoys in a strong position ahead of the summer should any sides show an interest in the centre-back who was only bought in the summer of 2022.

Reports have suggested the move from Spurs could potentially cost Celtic up to £10m in total as a result of add-ons in the American’s contract.

Whether an exit in the summer would see those clauses fall short having only played one season as a permanent player or not is another question.

But with three years left on his deal, it likely will allow Celtic to negotiate a considerable fee for the player if they are open to the notion of allowing him to leave.

Carter-Vickers has played a huge role in the club’s success under Postecoglou, however, if the Premier League is to come calling, it may be an opportunity which Carter-Vickers feels is too good to turn down.

Having said that, he hasn’t exactly had the best of spells in the numerous clubs across England having spent his time out on a number of loans across the EFL.

So having found his feet in Scotland, Celtic fans will surely be hoping he is looking to continue his football at Parkhead. d

Alasdair Gold has ripped into Cristian Romero after his latest poor display and red card for Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League.

The Lowdown: Spurs limp out of the Champions League

It was yet another forgetful night for Spurs as they failed to score for a third game running – with all of them coming in different competitions.

Spurs were dumped out of the FA Cup by Sheffield United last week and have now been given the same treatment in the Champions League by AC Milan, with many now calling for Antonio Conte to be sacked.

Tottenham only managed two shots on target in the game, but their hopes of advancing weren’t helped by the rash decision from Romero to lunge in on Theo Hernandez, as he was sent off for the third time in his Tottenham career.

The Latest: Romero lets down Tottenham once again

After watching on at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Gold certainly didn’t hold back when handing out his player ratings to Romero, with the Argentinian’s shocking display and decision-making not going unnoticed.

Awarding Romero a miserable 2/10, he wrote: “Picked up a booking for a mistimed challenge early in the game and then earned his second yellow for a wild late challenge with 11 minutes to go. Reckless and his third red card for the club in just a season and a half to go with the large number of yellow cards. One of those nights when he proved to be more of a liability than the top-drawer defender he can be.”

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The Verdict: Maturity will be key for Romero’s development

Romero is certainly a player that plays on the edge, but if he is to become a consistent top performer for Spurs and within world football, he must bring his levels of aggression down as he simply can’t keep them in check.

It wasn’t just his sending-off that will have caught the eye for all the wrong reasons, as the Argentina international also lost possession 11 times, won zero tackles and was unsuccessful in all of his five ground duels (Sofascore).

The fact that, coupled with his poor injury record, Romero has already picked up three cards since joining Tottenham in the summer of 2021, he is far too reckless and unreliable for Conte and Spurs, and he may not be the player Spurs need in the heart of the defence moving forward.

Members of the media have reacted to an ‘astonishing’ development involving Richarlison after Tottenham’s aggregate Champions League defeat to AC Milan.

The Lowdown: Spurs out…

Spurs are now out of Europe after a dismal 0-0 draw in north London on Wednesday, having squandered their last opportunity to win a trophy this season.

Head coach Antonio Conte has been under-fire since and rumours around his immediate future are set to keep circulating.

The Italian’s contract expires at the end of this season with Spurs having an option to extend by a further 12 months, yet reports suggest this is highly unlikely.

The Latest: Journalists react to ‘astonishing’ Richarlison message…

Following the game, summer signing Richarlison didn’t hold back in an interview with TNT Sports (via The Telegraph), swiping at Conte’s tactics and freely admitting this season has been, in his words, “s***”.

Reacting to the uncensored post-match interview, journalist Matt Law and Jonathan Veal gave their takes – stating:

“Incredible interview by Richarlison. Often happens when players speak to their own country’s media in the mixed zone.” – Veal.

“Astonishing interview this – particularly from a forward who has scored in one game for Spurs this season, is yet to score in the PL and started the FA Cup defeat to Sheff Utd before being substituted off.” – Law

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The Verdict: Surprising…

The former Everton star has often portrayed himself as an emotional player on the field, but you could be forgiven for never expecting such a brutally honest interview.

Richarlison can have few complaints over his exclusion this season, especially when looking at his overall form for the Premier League top four chasers.

The Brazil international still has zero league goals to his name in a Spurs shirt, contributing just two in all competitions throughout 2022/2023 (Transfermarkt).

While he has found consistent starts hard to come by, you can make the argument he just simply hasn’t delivered when handed the opportunity.

Manchester United have enjoyed an impressive resurgence under manager Erik ten Hag this season, with the Dutchman having already guided the club to Carabao Cup glory, with further honours still potentially on the cards.

One member of the first-team squad who has largely been a bystander to proceedings at Old Trafford of late, however, is academy graduate, Brandon Williams, with the versatile full-back having fallen way down the pecking order in recent years.

While still only 22, it remains to be seen if the Englishman has a future under the former Ajax boss having made just a solitary, five-minute appearance this season in the League Cup triumph over Burnley back in December.

Although injury has hampered the youngster's involvement throughout the campaign, the fact that the Manchester-born menace has rarely featured in the matchday squad when he has been fit is telling of his woes, with it having been no surprise that the defender was seemingly open to a loan exit in January.

Despite such a move having failed to pan out, it would seemingly be wise for Ten Hag to allow the forgotten figure to move on at the end of the season, with it looking unlikely that Williams will be able to dislodge either Tyrell Malacia or Luke Shaw at left-back any time soon.

What salary is Brandon Williams on at Man United?

In truth, if the former England U21 international is now surplus to requirements at the Theatre of Dreams, it should well be something of a priority to move him on come the summer, with United currently having to fork out to pay his reported £65k-per-week salary.

That is a rather hefty amount for a player who appears unlikely to get a look in this term, with Williams set to have cost the club roughly £10.1m in wages by the end of the current campaign, as per FBref.

On recent evidence, that simply appears money wasted due to the defender's lack of action, with the 5 foot 7 man having also struggled somewhat on loan at Norwich City last season, with talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino stating that the full-back had "gone backwards" after his initial promise.

The peripheral dud had previously burst onto the scene under former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the 2019/20 campaign, racking up 17 Premier League appearances in that breakthrough season, notably scoring in exquisite fashion in the 3-3 draw away to Sheffield United.

Despite also emerging as a regular fixture in both domestic and European cup competitions that season, Williams was unable to build on that early success in the following campaign, having made just four top-flight outings in total.

The player himself suggested that the lack of crowds during that Covid-19 impacted year was a contributing factor in his struggles, although his subsequent form for the Canaries – where he provided just one assist in 26 league appearances – was also rather uninspiring.

As such, it must surely be time for the former youth star to be moved on by Ten Hag sooner rather than later, with it looking increasingly unlikely that Williams will be able to ever establish himself back in the side.

Leeds' defensive issues have once again been a considerable factor in their struggles in the Premier League and Javi Gracia's side could be suffering due to Jesse Marsch's decision to send Charlie Cresswell out on loan.

Did Leeds make a mistake with Charlie Cresswell?

Only Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City have conceded more goals in the top flight than Leeds so far this campaign, so fingers must be pointed towards the defenders at Elland Road.

The January addition of Max Wober has served to strengthen Gracia's defensive options with the Yorkshire club but Pascal Struijk is still ranked as the top performer for Leeds this season, with WhoScored awarding him a solid 6.9 rating for his performances in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Cresswell has been one of the most consistent performers at Millwall in their push for promotion, with the 20-year-old centre-back scoring again on Tuesday night as the Lions moved fourth with a win over Swansea.

It was the fifth goal of the season for the young defender, who has established himself as a regular in Gary Rowett's side since joining on loan from Leeds in the summer of 2022, and the manager was full of praise for him earlier this month.

He said: “He has really calmed down and matured in how he thinks about the game. He’s getting the benefit from it because he has got amazing attributes for a young centre-back – aggression and desire, sometimes you can’t find them as much nowadays.

"Honing them is easier than finding them in the first place. He’s done really well and I’ve been really impressed."

Cresswell is a product of the youth academy at Leeds and already has seven senior appearances for the Whites under his belt, so it is something of a surprise that Marsch opted to loan him out rather than keeping him at Elland Road this season.

That decision may well cost Gracia in Leeds' fight against relegation, as Cresswell's superb 7.03 average rating from WhoScored this season suggests that he could have been an excellent option for the Spaniard to have in his squad.

The England U21 international has averaged five aerials won per game in the second tier, which is more than anyone in Leeds' squad, while his 3.3 clearances would also rank him second behind Robin Koch, so he clearly would have been a useful asset when defending his own box.

Five goals is also a phenomenal return for a centre-back in his first full season in senior football, and his goals from set-pieces could have been a difference-maker for Leeds in what is going to be an unbelievably tight battle at the bottom of the league.

Therefore, if Leeds do go down this season, they may well look towards Marsch's decision to loan out such a promising youngster as one of the reasons why.

Journalist Jacque Talbot has tipped Xabi Alonso to replace Jurgen Klopp as manager at Liverpool amid the club's poor season.

What's the latest on Xabi Alonso and Liverpool?

It's safe to say things haven't really gone to plan for the Reds this term. Indeed, they currently sit sixth in the Premier League, seven points from the top four.

What's more, they were recently humiliated by Real Madrid in the Champions League, meaning they are now out of every cup competition.

With that in mind, some questions have been asked about Klopp and his future with the club and there is talk in the media that former Liverpool ace Alonso could be an ideal candidate to come in whenever the German leaves.

While talking about this on his YouTube channel, Talbot seemed to think the Spaniard would be a better fit than Steven Gerrard, who is currently out of work having been sacked by Aston Villa earlier this season.

He explained: "He's good because that's how you do it, he’s cut his teeth. I think he was at Sociedad, wasn’t he? He was like the [youth] manager at Real Madrid and he went to Sociedad, then he went to Bayer Leverkusen – he's done it properly.

"Rather than being like Frank Lampard: like Derby, then Chelsea! And then, you know, Steven Gerrard kind of similar. I know people are like, 'oh his Rangers phase', but apparently the Rangers stuff, that was all Michael Beale – he was like his second in command."

Would Alonso be a better manager for Liverpool than Gerrard?

The 41-year-old did indeed spend time with Real Sociedad and Real Madrid in Spain before arriving in Germany to become the senior Bayer Leverkusen coach.

And he's impressed in his current job, picking up an average of 1.79 points per game so far after 24 matches in charge. In comparison, Gerrard only managed 1.18 after 40 matches with Villa.

Klopp is at an impressive 2.05 per game after 419 matches in charge, which shows just how good he has been with Liverpool and whoever follows him will have a hard time living up to those standards.

And by the sounds of it, the German won't be leaving any time soon anyway. Indeed, he recently told the press: “I have too much responsibility and I want it and I want to sort it again.

“I am 100% committed. If we win I feel like I was part of it but if we lose I feel 100% responsible. I was always like this in my life, so you can imagine how big the responsibility at the moment is and how I feel now and we will do absolutely everything to get through this and prepare the very positive future again.”

Still, his contract is up in 2026, so perhaps Alonso will be considered in the near future if his stock continues to rise.

While much uncertainty remains at Manchester United amid the prospect of a change in ownership, excitement is no doubt already brewing at the thought of high-profile additions arriving at Old Trafford this summer.

It would appear that Erik ten Hag and co are keen on landing a new centre-forward addition – amid current links to England skipper, Harry Kane – while Manchester Evening News have revealed that the signing of a 'younger midfielder' is also a priority.

The Red Devils did only recently bolster their midfield ranks with the signings of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro last summer, although with the pair having both turned 31 last month, there may need to be a fresh injection of youth to help complement such experienced figures.

According to transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano, one such talent who could well be on United's radar ahead of next season is Borussia Monchengladbach gem, Kouadio 'Manu' Kone, with both Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain also in the mix for the 21-year-old's signature.

As per Romano, the promising Frenchman could be one of the "big names" on the market this summer, with the Bundesliga side potentially willing to sanction a sale for a fee of more than €50m (£44m).

Should Man United sign Manu Kone?

The former Toulouse man has caught the attention since arriving in Germany ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, showcasing that he is a truly "monstrous box-to-box midfielder in the making", as per talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Also previously hailed as a "one-man army" by Kulig after starring against Bayern Munich back in August, Kone has no doubt warranted the intense interest that is flooding his way, with Ten Hag likely to be keeping a close watch on the youngster's rapid progress.

Any fears over whether the France U21 international can adapt to life in England should be eased by the fact that he is said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with Brighton and Hove Albion sensation, Moises Caicedo, as per FBref.

That likeness notably comes from the fact that Caicedo has also been described as a "box-to-box midfielder" by Kulig, while the pair are also alike due to their ball-winning prowess, with the Seagulls man ranking in the top 14% in Europe's top five leagues among those in his position for tackles made, while Kone also ranks in the top 14% in that regard.

The duo's creative quality is also shown by the fact that the Gladbach ace has provided 136 progressive passes and 38 progressive carries from his 24 league starts this season, while Caicedo's record is undoubtedly similar, as the 21-year-old has provided 148 progressive passes and 21 progressive carries from his 23 league starts.

That comparison to the Brighton gem – who has been valued at around £80m amid interest from Arsenal – will be of particular interest to those at the Theatre of Dreams, with the Colombian dynamo having reportedly been a target for United last year, after the Red Devils previously fluffed the chance to sign the playmaker back in 2021.

While it would now seemingly take a hefty fee to prise Caicedo from the Amex, Ten Hag could find his answer to the exciting menace with the signing of a cheaper alternative, such as Kone.

Newcastle United have sent scouts to watch Feyenoord midfielder Orkun Kokcu ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Kokcu to Newcastle?

Eddie Howe is reportedly looking to bolster his ranks with a couple of new central additions following Jonjo Shelvey’s permanent move to Nottingham Forest in January, and has identified the 22-year-old as a player he’d like to bring to St James’ Park. The Turkey international won’t be out of contract in Rotterdam until 2025, but being Arne Slot’s overall best-performing player with a match rating of 7.34 (as per WhoScored), he has caught the Toon manager's eye.

The Eredivisie star is also the captain of his side, who are currently at the top of the table and eight points clear of Ajax, which shows that he’s more than capable of leading his team towards success – an attribute that is no doubt extremely attractive to Howe.

According to De Telegraaf (via Sport Witness), Newcastle, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are all “in the picture” to sign Kokcu ahead of the 2023/24 term. The Magpies have already “sent their scouts” to watch him in action, with the top-flight trio “regular visitors” when it comes to being in attendance to assess their target.

Feyenoord’s skipper recently admitted that he thinks the Premier League is “really great” and “one of the best” in the world, which could give them an advantage, but with Benfica also interested in completing a deal, the three English suitors “have to be wary” of their fierce competition.

Should Newcastle go all out for Kokcu?

Feyenoord will be in a very strong negotiating position given Kokcu’s contract situation, so his required price tag remains to be seen, but looking at the qualities he possesses going forward, we think Newcastle should definitely do what they can to get a deal over the line.

The two-footed ace is naturally a central midfielder but is extremely strong in the attacking aspect of his game, having posted 15 goal contributions (12 goals and three assists) in 37 appearances across all competitions this season.

Dubbed a “leader” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the £5.8k-p/w playmaker ranks in the 99th percentile for shot-creating actions and most progressive passes among players in his position at a similar level for the past year, showing that he’s always looking to make things happen in the opposition box.

Kokcu also has the versatility to play in central and attacking midfield alongside roles out wide on either flank, so he would add plenty of flexibility and depth to Howe's squad at St James' Park.

Glasgow Rangers have enjoyed Premiership and Scottish Cup success in the previous two years, along with reaching a stunning Europa League final last season and despite being off the pace in the league title chase this term, Michael Beale looks to be the man to get them back to the summit.

Despite those triumphs, Ross Wilson’s business in the transfer market has been shoddy to say the least, missing out on a few high-profile targets, with current England star Ivan Toney being one.

The Brentford striker was wanted back in 2020 and a fee of just £5m was required to secure his services from Peterborough United, where he scored 49 goals in just 94 matches.

Remarkably, the forward very nearly joined Gers, once claiming: "I was going to sign for Celtic – but I was also going to sign for Rangers."

Since then, he has now graduated to becoming a full England international while sitting third in the Premier League goal-scoring charts this term on 17, and it was a huge missed opportunity for the club.

Another transfer saga rumbled on last year too, as the Light Blues scouted Israeli talent Oscar Gloukh according to Rangers podcaster Andy Barnett.

He told the Heart and Hand podcast: “They (Rangers) were meant to be looking at Oscar Gloukh, who I’ve seen play in person and is an absolutely superbly talented youngster, a wonderkid.

“He came on for Maccabi Tel-Aviv in the final third of the season and was just the best player in the league in the final third. He scored against Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Tel-Aviv which are the two biggest games and there was meant to be clubs from La Liga as well as Rangers looking at him last night."

Where is Oscar Gloukh now?

Having impressed for Maccabi Tel-Aviv, scoring nine goals in 33 appearances, he sealed a move to Red Bull Salzburg after they activated his £6m release clause in January.

The “exciting talent” – as dubbed by football consultant Raphael Gellar – has begun life in Austria well, registering three goal contributions in only nine matches so far with that initial return suggesting he could turn out to be an incredible investment,

In the Austrian Bundesliga, the attacking midfielder has already averaged a rating of 7/10 across just seven games, taking two shots per game, creating four big chances and making 1.9 key passes.

All of these attributes will certainly have given Beale an extra dimension in his new-look Rangers attack.

Aged just 19, Gloukh already has three caps for Israel, scoring once and there is no doubt he will continue to rack up appearances on the international stage considering his wonderful form of late.

With a host of Rangers midfielders out of contract this summer, including Scott Arfield, Steven Davis, and Ryan Jack, while Malik Tillman ends his loan spell, there could have been a space available for Gloukh to develop and stake a claim for a first-team slot.

£6m sounds like a lot of money for Rangers but his potential is remarkable. Indeed, in a campaign where Beale's men trail Celtic, they could have done with the additional firepower and creativity, particularly after Joe Aribo's exit.

Indeed, this may well have to go down as their biggest error in the transfer market since the aforementioned Toney.

Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips has been linked with a move to Aston Villa in the summer transfer window, with a swift exit potentially on the cards.

Is Phillips set for Man City exit?

The Englishman joined the Citizens in a £45m move last summer, coming in as a replacement for Fernandinho, who departed after a legendary spell at the club. While big things were expected of him, having become such a key player for Leeds United and England, things haven't panned out that way this season.

Phillips has had huge injury problems throughout the campaign which not only robbed him of playing time for City, but also meant that he would only feature sporadically at the 2022 World Cup. He has only started two games all season – one apiece in the FA Cup and EFL Cup – and he has been limited to just six substitute appearances in the Premier League.

While the 27-year-old may be given time to prove his worth at the Etihad, a fresh update suggests that he could also depart after only one year at the club.

Could Villa swoop for Kalvin Phillips?

According to Football Insider, Villa have a "strong interest" in Phillips ahead of a potential summer move for him, with Unai Emery wanting a "top-class signing" in the middle of the park and feeling he "fits the bill". City would reportedly be willing to sell him for the same amount they signed him for in 2022, bringing a premature end to his time at the club, with his current deal not expiring until the end of the 2027/28 season.

This is a big decision for Pep Guardiola to make in the coming months, with the manager having to choose between showing faith in Phillips or accepting that he simply hasn't been a signing that has worked out. While injuries have clearly been damaging, it may also be that the 26-cap England man hasn't adjusted to life at the Etihad after struggling to reach the physical levels required, and is in need of a move back to a lower-ranked Premier League club.

It would be nice for him to be given some minutes between now and the end of the campaign, but given the importance of City's fixtures domestically and in the Champions League, it is hard to see him featuring too regularly, even though he has been described as "phenomenal" by former England manager Fabio Capello in the past.