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Marcus Bent has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that there would be a huge weight of expectation on Ademola Lookman’s shoulders were Everton to re-sign him this summer.

Having come through the ranks at Charlton, the 23-year-old has gone down a different career path to many young English players at his age.

He left Charlton to join Everton, and despite scoring on his debut against Manchester City, never managed to establish himself as a regular at Goodison Park and left for Leipzig permanently two years ago following a successful loan spell.

But Lookman’s struggles resurfaced during his first year in Germany, forcing him to move back to the Premier League last summer – making a return to London with Fulham.

And despite their immediate relegation back to the Championship, Lookman showed his capabilities in the Premier League by scoring four times and adding four assists in 34 appearances.

Bent has previously suggested that a quick winger is on Everton’s shopping list this summer, but told The Transfer Tavern that Lookman would be expected to perform following his fine form for Fulham:

“He did well for Fulham, the problem being is that if he goes to Everton, he’s going to be expected to come in and do well.

“Obviously for Fulham in the Premier League, now they’ve gone down, yes, they’re going to look at him, but he’d have to hit the ground running.”

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has addressed the absence of Nir Bitton from the matchday squad in the Hoops’ 2-0 victory over Ross County on Sunday. 

The lowdown: Bitton’s importance to Celtic

The 30-year-old has endured an injury-ravaged time at Parkhead, missing 99 matches in a nine-year stint as a Bhoy with varying degrees of problems including a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a serious knee issue.

Despite the injuries, the Israel international has still amassed 269 appearances for the Hoops and has been a favourite of several managers at Parkhead over the years.

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Following the player’s latest non-appearance, Postecoglou has explained the situation surrounding the defensive midfielder…

The latest: ‘Slight issue’ for Bitton

Speaking to BBC, as quoted by the Daily Record, the 56-year-old has revealed the latest on the Israelim saying: “He’s got a bit of an issue. A slight issue.”

Bitton has not been seen in action since a fleeting 28-minute appearance in the 2-1 win over Rangers at Ibrox on April 3, having been an unused substitute in the subsequent 7-0 rout of St Johnstone.

The verdict: Worrying signs

Although Postecoglou seems undeterred by Bitton’s latest issue, unfortunately the problems keep mounting up for the 39-cap ace.

So far this season, the man who has been described as ‘fantastic’ by the Celtic manager has scored twice and provided two assists in 36 appearances across all competitions.

With Bitton out of contract in 2023 (Transfermarkt), the upcoming summer is a pivotal one for him, as the experienced midfielder will likely be hoping to receive a new deal, whilst the club could be considering selling him in order to avoid losing their man for nothing.

To that end, the Israeli will be desperate to play a part in this season’s run-in to try and secure a new contract.

In other news, one expert has made a key claim regarding the ownership of Celtic. Read more here.

Tottenham suffered a major dent to their hopes of finishing in the top four in the Premier League this season after falling to a 3-1 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon.

Ryan Mason’s side came into the game off the back of a morale-boosting 4-0 thrashing of Sheffield United last time out, with Gareth Bale netting a hat-trick in the process.

However, the Lilywhites looked completely toothless up in Yorkshire yesterday, managing just three shots on target in the entire 90 minutes and having Hugo Lloris to thank for saving their blushes with a number of top-class saves.

While Sergio Reguilon faced a lot of criticism for his performance, it was arguably Eric Dier who was Spurs’ worst-performing player on the day. The England international looked all at sea with the pace and movement of Leeds’ attack and was caught out by a near-post cross for Patrick Bamford’s goal.

That prompted Spurs journalist Alasdair Gold to remark on Twitter that Dier had fallen “asleep”, and his lack of understanding for when to track runners must have been deeply frustrating for Mason to watch from the technical area.

As per Sofascore, the 27-year-old won just two tackles in the entire game, with even Giovani Lo Celso winning more, and he triumphed in only four of his nine total duels.

It wasn’t just defensively that he struggled however, with the centre-back unable to keep calm when in possession, conceding the ball on 12 separate occasions and being hurried into going long by Leeds’ constant pressing.

Writing in his post-match player ratings for Football.London, Gold gave him a lowly three, saying: “A tough afternoon for the player up against Bamford and was at fault for his goal as he was caught watching the ball as the Leeds ace nipped ahead of him to net. Not a good game at all from the England international in front of Gareth Southgate.”

While Reguilon may shoulder a lot of the blame for his role in a couple of Leeds’ goals, Dier’s overall performance was arguably even worse. Here was an experienced head completely letting his rookie manager down.

Dier was a complete liability with his positioning at the back, and it must raise even more questions as to why Joe Rodon doesn’t start regularly for Spurs.

In other news, this manager could restore shades of Pochettino if Spurs choose him as Mourinho’s successor.

A major update has emerged in PAI Capital’s potential takeover of West Ham and it’s not good news for fans…

What’s the word?

Irons insiders Claret and Hugh have revealed that the East London outfit is not for sale after a £400m bid was rejected by majority shareholder David Sullivan.

It’s claimed that Sullivan and co-owner David Gold have no intention of selling their shares to the interested consortium ‘under any circumstances’ as they believe it would have a negative impact on the club.

Sources close to the Hammers’ hierarchy have suggested that no proof of funds have been provided, but even if they were, Gold and Sullivan do not want to sell up.

False hope

Given the relationship the West Ham board have had with the London Stadium faithful over the last few years, this latest development will come as devastating news to many.

There have been plenty of protests against Sullivan, Gold and Karen Brady over the past 18 months alone.

Back in February 2020, when the Irons were staring down the barrel of a likely relegation to the Championship, around 2,500 supporters marched to the stadium amid growing unrest at their situation on the pitch.

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It came after banners were unveiled against both Everton and Liverpool which read: “Run like a circus – Owned by clowns” and “GSB out – Sold a dream, delivered a nightmare.”

Things went from bad to worse off the pitch, even despite David Moyes’ heroics of saving the club.

The sale of promising academy gem Grady Diangana to West Brom for a total of £18m went down like a lead balloon, leading to further protests outside the ground – even club captain Mark Noble tweeted his anger at the decision.

News that PAI Capital had launched a bid for the Hammers would’ve gotten the hopes up of many who want to see GSB finally leave, but it seems like it’s more of a dream than a reality as Claret and Hugh believe they are here to stay.

Supporter group Hammers United have announced that another protest is due on September 19th  ahead of West Ham’s clash with Manchester United. “GSBOUT is our number one priority,” a Hammers United spokesman said. “Trust in Gold, Sullivan and Brady is lost.”

That clearly highlights the mood at present around East London.

Therefore, this fresh development will come as a gutting blow which will only leave fans even angrier.

AND in other news, Moyes could land West Ham’s next Ferdinand by signing “fearless” £22.5m-rated “beast”…

West Ham United could bolster David Moyes’ playing squad with another Czech Republic addition before this month’s deadline…

What’s the word?

According to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee, the Irons could turn to Slavia Prague defender David Zima as frustrations over completing a deal for Nikola Milenkovic continue.

He told his Patreon page ‘The West Ham Way’:

“Slavia Prague (where we got Soucek and Coufal from) were knocked out of the Champions League this week. This could present us with some transfer options.

“Firstly in defence, they have a young defender called David Zima. He is only 20 but has already impressed in the heart of their defence and got himself an international cap.

“We could explore a deal for him and his fellow teammate Abdallah Sima.”

Imagine him and Coufal

It’s believed that Moyes’ current priority is the addition of a new centre-back, so if they cannot execute a deal for Milenkovic, then it could be wise to revisit the league where the club have had so much success in the transfer market.

Pairing up Zima with his fellow countryman Vladimir Coufal in defence could be a masterstroke.

The 20-year-old gem is still a raw talent and has never featured outside of the Czech Republic, but having both Coufal and Tomas Soucek around would almost certainly help to smoothen his settling-in process.

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He featured 35 times throughout last season, in which he started in some big encounters, including crucial Europa League matches against the likes of Arsenal, Leicester City and Bayer Leverkusen.

Zima kept two clean sheets against the Foxes’ lethal frontline of Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho. Meanwhile, across his ten Europa League appearances, he displayed a very good eye for reading the game, averaging 1.9 interceptions per outing, via WhoScored.

As a result of his fine domestic form, he earned a call-up to the Czech Republic’s Euro 2020 squad, though he did not feature in the tournament.

The £6.75m-rated colossus, who stands at 6 foot 3, has been likened to former Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan beast Diego Godin in terms of playing style, whilst football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as a “complete and dominant” centre-back, as well as “one of the most talented U-21 centre-backs in Europe.”

Capped twice at international level, Moyes could well secure another bargain from the Fortuna Liga if he completes a move for Zima.

Just imagine him and Coufal alongside each other at the back for West Ham next season. It would be a very interesting prospect indeed.

AND in other news, Moyes may already have West Ham’s perfect Lingard replacement in £18m-rated “magician”…

Former Rangers star Michael Ball has told Football FanCast that the club’s title triumph has issued a wake-up call to the Celtic board.

Rangers have gone unbeaten throughout the season, winning the Scottish Premiership title at a canter.

Steven Gerrard’s side ended the season 25 points clear of Celtic, having finished 13 points behind their Old Firm rivals last term.

Reports have linked Celtic with a deal to appoint Eddie Howe following the departure of Neil Lennon midway through the season.

But Ball believes that Celtic need to make a change at boardroom level as well as in the dugout as they look to close the gap on Rangers next season.

Indeed, he feels that Celtic’s hierarchy will have been stunned by the manner in which Rangers have cruised to the title.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, the ex-midfielder, who played for the club between 2001 and 2005, said: “It’s not just about Eddie Howe. I feel it’s going to be about the upstairs at Celtic. It’s probably shocked them this season, of Rangers not just closing the gap but Rangers overtaking them and winning the league very, very early.

“I don’t think Celtic’s board expected that to happen so soon so it’s a wake-up call for the board.”

Howe has been out of work since leaving AFC Bournemouth in 2020.

Many West Ham United fans are desperate for the club to sign Danny Ings this summer after it was revealed he turned down a four-year contract at Southampton.

The Hammers enjoyed a fantastic campaign last time out as they finished sixth in the Premier League, which means they will be competing in the Europa League in 2021/22. However, David Moyes will surely need to add to his striking options – he currently only has one natural centre-forward at his disposal in Michail Antonio, who has had his share of injury troubles.

The Irons should be busy in transfer market as they prepare for the new campaign, and they may have an eye on Ings now that this big development has emerged. Indeed, talkSPORT’s Alex Crook claimed a few weeks ago that West Ham were chasing the 28-year-old.

The Athletic reported that Ings – a scorer of 101 senior career goals – has the rejected a new contract offer at St Mary’s, even though it would have made him the best-paid player in Southampton’s history had he accepted.

As a result, many West Ham fans want their club to sign the former Liverpool striker, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Ings’ contract snub

“Get him and Adam Armstrong and I will be a happy man, Antonio can go back out wide and we will have 2 top strikers fighting it out”

Credit: @AndrewKeavey82

“He has to be on our list of striker targets surely… Would be a great signing if we could get him!”

Credit: @WestHamViews_

“This is the signing we should be going all out for. Proven PL striker, carried that awful Southampton team. Would rather this than taking a punt on someone from abroad who could be another Haller”

Credit: @WestHamJim1

“I’d welcome this signing. Cost too much though?”

Credit: @JonScottClark6

“Gladly take him”

Credit: @VurtIVS

“Given our history of signing unsuccessful strikers who struggle in the Prem, would love to see @WestHam #WHUFC go for Danny Ings now he has rejected a new deal at Southampton. We can offer European football and his fee will be lower with 1 year left on his deal.”

Credit: @Steve_Wood1980

In other news, the Hammers have been linked with this South American.

West Bromwich Albion have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of their upcoming Championship fixture.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by the West Brom website, Valerien Ismael confirmed that Grady Diangana will not be available for selection for the trip to Swansea City on Wednesday evening, as the winger is yet to recover from a hamstring injury which saw him ruled out of the 1-0 win over Birmingham City last Friday.

Speaking about the current condition of the 23-year-old, Ismael said: “Grady won’t be available for the game because he only had his first session with the group on Tuesday. It’s too close for him to be able to play. If everything goes correctly then hopefully him being available for Saturday won’t be a problem.”

Meanwhile, the Frenchman also revealed that Alex Mowatt, who was brought off midway through the second half of the Birmingham victory due to a toe injury, will be assessed prior to Wednesday’s fixture.

On the central midfielder’s fitness, the 46-year-old said: “We’ll assess Alex before the game at Swansea. We’re going to keep a close eye on things and how he is before we make a decision on him.”

Ismael will be gutted

While it is undeniable that Diangana has not been in the best form of his career this season, having scored no goals and registered just one assist over his 11 Championship appearances, the absence of the winger for the trip to Swansea will nevertheless have left Ismael gutted. The 23-year-old proved in the Baggies’ promotion-winning campaign back in 2019/20 that he undoubtedly possesses the ability to help fire the club back to the Premier League.

Indeed, over his 30 Championship appearances that season, the £9m-rated forward bagged eight goals, provided six assists and created eight big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.6 shots and making 1.4 key passes per game.

These metrics saw the £36k-per-week man earn a highly impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.06, ranking him as Albion’s third-best performer throughout the campaign in question.

As such, while, as previously mentioned, the former West Ham United winger is yet to hit these heights so far this season, it is abundantly clear that Diangana can win a game in an instant for West Brom, a talent that Ismael will sorely miss on Wednesday night.

In other news: Forget Hugill: Ismael could save WBA millions by placing trust in 20 y/o “star boy”

According to Football Insider, Tottenham are interested in signing Harry Souttar from Stoke City.

The Lowdown: Spurs need defensive reinforcements

Tottenham’s erratic form this season can certainly be attributed to trouble in the heart of defence, with no one really putting themselves forward as the clear candidate to become Cristian Romero’s long-term partner.

They kept three clean sheets in each of their first three matches, including in a 1-0 victory over Manchester City, but they then shipped three goals in each of their next three matches, and have now already conceded 13 times in their opening nine Premier League game (Sky Sports).

The Latest: Spurs eye Souttar

As per this latest report, Spurs are interested in signing Souttar, while Aston Villa and Everton are also in the race.

An N17 source told the outlet Nuno Espirito Santo is a big fan of the player and wanted to sign him for his former club Wolves.

The manager signed five players in the summer and it appears the club are planning to have him in charge during the next transfer window if he is already picking out more targets.

The Verdict: Really the right option?

Souttar has certainly shown promise with the Potters. He has played in 12 of the club’s 14 Championship’s matches so far this campaign (Transfermarkt), with Stoke conceding less than all but six other sides in the division (BBC). Current Stoke boss Michael O’Neill even called him a “top level” player earlier this year (via socceroos.com).

However, it is worth questioning whether this is the kind of target Tottenham should be pursuing. They are trying to compete at the highest level, and the last Championship defender they signed, Joe Rodon, has made just one appearance in the league this term. If they are serious about challenging the best of the best, they must look so sign more proven performers than the 6 foot 6 Souttar.

In other news, this man has been blamed for Harry Kane’s struggles.

Everton have been busy in the transfer window this week, with the Toffees aiming to significantly bolster their forward line.

Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray both joined the club on the cheap, but the Merseysiders’ work isn’t done yet.

What’s the word?

With Richarlison and James Rodriguez both linked with exits, Everton may need to significantly bolster their options in the final third.

One man who could rejoin the club is Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley. He spent last term on loan at Aston Villa but has now headed back to the Blues, where he looks surplus to requirements.

David Moyes is hoping for a reunion at West Ham, but Everton and Newcastle are two of the other interested parties.

Another Francis Jeffers

If Barkley returns to Goodison Park this summer, it would have shades of Francis Jeffers at the turn of the millennium.

Jeffers came through the academy at Everton before earning a major £8m move to Arsenal. However, after scoring just eight goals in 39 league outings for the Gunners, he returned to the Toffees on loan for a season.

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He flopped at Arsenal and ultimately hasn’t been remembered too fondly by many supporters in Islington.

Therefore, it’s easy to see where the Barkley comparisons lie. Similarly to Jeffers, he was part of the academy in Merseyside before earning a huge move to a major London club.

He joined Chelsea in a £15m deal back in 2018 but has ultimately had a rather indifferent spell since heading to the capital.

Barkley was described as a “special talent” by Tim Cahill when he first burst onto the scene but has never lived up to expectations. The 27-year-old has scored 11 goals and provided just 11 assists in 86 outings for the Stamford Bridge club.

He’s also earned 33 caps for his country but it’s difficult to suggest that it’s worth bringing the attacking midfielder back to Goodison Park. The former Toffee endured a difficult loan with Villa last term, contributing just five goal involvements all season.

If Richarlison and James do leave this summer, Everton will need to find a player with the ability to produce moments of magic on a more regular basis.

Barkley once showed great promise but he simply isn’t that precocious player anymore. Rafa Benitez should look elsewhere this summer.

AND in other news, Everton eye swoop for 18-goal “supreme talent”, he’s their dream Richarlison successor…