Bayern Munich's Leroy Sane has responded to links with Arsenal and Manchester United, admitting he still has a 'fondness' for the Premier League.
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La Liga giants and European champions Real Madrid, following their links to Reece James over the years, have set their sights on another highly-rated Chelsea player who has been compared to Manchester United summer signing Leny Yoro.
Real Madrid linked with move to sign Reece James from Chelsea
Since as far back as last year, the Galacticos have been sporadically linked with a move for the £250,000-per-week Chelsea right-back, with Carlo Ancelotti's side also having their eyes on Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold for the role.
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The latter has been seen laughing off a move to Spain, though, and Liverpool are quietly confident that Alexander-Arnold will sign a new contract with his current deal set to expire next year as things stand.
James could be viewed as an alternative full-back solution for Madrid, who are reportedly keen to snap up a long-term replacement for Dani Carvajal. The 32-year-old's contract is also set to run out next year, so it is believed Real are scouring the market for potential Carvajal successors.
When fit and available, James is arguably a world-class player in that position, but the England international defender has a major achilles heel in his torrid injury record. Indeed, James practically missed the entirety of last season through injury, with surgery required on a persistent hamstring problem.
Depending on his performances next season, and whether James can stay fit, he could well be a sound option for Ancelotti. Journalist Dean Jones, speaking on the Ranks FC Ultras podcast earlier this year, tipped the Premier League star to make a move to Real Madrid on one crucial condition.
Chelsea's most expensive signings since Clearlake Capital takeover
Price tag
Moises Caicedo
£115 million
Enzo Fernandez
£107 million
Mykhailo Mudryk
£88 million
Wesley Fofana
£72 million
Marc Cucurella
£58 million
“He’s made his comeback and he’s back in the team, but can we see the real Reece James for a long period of time? If we do then he will end up at Real Madrid," said Jones.
"Genuinely, they’ve wanted him for two or three years if he could become the man he could become, but he’s had setback after setback. He’s so good and if he starts the last game of the season then he’s fit for selection in Gareth Southgate’s eyes. I don’t know, I think there’s a huge temptation to take him.”
Real Madrid looking at signing Josh Acheampong from Chelsea
Interestingly, a new report from The Independent and journalist Miguel Delaney claims that James isn't the only Chelsea right-back who Real are considering.
Indeed, it is believed Real are now looking at signing highly-rated young Chelsea right-back Josh Acheampong, who Delaney writes is tipped for big things at Stamford Bridge.
The 18-year-old's sale would count as pure profit in the eyes of PSR, with Chelsea making a habit of selling academy players in recent years through their agreed exit deals for Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount and others.
Acheampong is valued at around £13 million, according to Delaney, and is seen as a youngster with a similar profile to Man United's Leny Yoro ass he can play as a centre-half in addition to right-back.
Having inherited a talented Liverpool squad from Jurgen Klopp, Arne Slot is gearing his squad up for a successful term across four fronts. The Carabao Cup was clinched and stability was restored, but there are some pressing concerns for FSG to consider over the next month.
Liverpool and Fulham are the only Premier League clubs yet to complete signings this summer, with the latter in talks to sign Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal in a £35m deal.
There is a superabundance of talent within Anfield's senior squad but there is also an acceptance that Arsenal and Manchester City were more polished and controlling across the full scope of the 2023/24 campaign. With a tweak in the system, it would seem crucial for one or two impactful additions to be brought in.
James Pearce recently revealed that the Reds have rejected a €14m (£12m) bid from Marseille for midfielder Wataru Endo, there's a suggestion that FSG could seek to welcome a new specialist No. 6, one of a higher ball-playing calibre.
But the middle of the park is not the only area in need of attention, with Liverpool considering a bid for an exciting attacking talent too…
According to Sport BILD, Hoffenheim forward Maximilian Beier is on Liverpool's list as the transfer window continues to move forward. Fresh off a tremendous breakthrough season, the 21-year-old would bring pace and finishing to Slot's frontline.
A host of Premier League outfits including Chelsea and Manchester United are also keen, but with the player's €32.5m (about £27m) release clause having now expired, Beier's Bundesliga club are free to dictate negotiations as they see fit.
The report claims that Juventus are pushing for the Germany international as rumours around Dusan Vlahovic's future continue to rumble, and so Liverpool will probably need to accelerate their interest if they are to prevail in the race.
Having passed his second-tier test in 2022/23 with flying colours, Beier returned to Hoffenheim in Germany's top flight and completed a terrific goalscoring campaign, helping his team to a seventh-place Europa League-qualifying spot.
|
German Bundesliga: Top Scorers 23/24 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
Apps |
Minutes |
Goals |
|
1. |
Harry Kane |
32 |
2,843' |
36 |
|
2. |
Serhou Guirassy |
28 |
2,214' |
28 |
|
3. |
Luis Openda |
34 |
2,716' |
24 |
|
4. |
Deniz Undav |
30 |
2,097' |
18 |
|
5. |
Maximilian Beier |
33 |
2,435' |
16 |
|
Stats via Bundesliga |
||||
His haul of 16 goals from 33 Bundesliga matches – 29 starts – marked a triumphant campaign indeed, especially since he had spent the previous two years cutting his teeth on loan with Hannover 96 in the 2. Bundesliga, scoring ten times in total.
Principally a No. 9, Beier's mobility and snappy movements allow him to play across the frontline, but his clinical finishing suggests that he would be the best place in that central spot at Liverpool, especially as he has only missed 11 big chances in the league last term.
To put that in perspective, Darwin Nunez missed 27 big chances in the Premier League despite only bagging 11 goals. Mohamed Salah, one of Liverpool's greatest-ever finishers? He posted 18 strikes, missing 17 big chances.
Speaking of Salah, Beier could strike quite the partnership with the Egyptian phenomenon. Liverpool's main man up top is likely entering the final year of his iconic Liverpool career but could finish with quite the resounding bang if Beier is welcomed to the fold.
Salah finished the 2023/24 campaign on a middling run of form but still scored 25 goals and added 14 assists across all competitions, hailed at one stage as "the best player in the Premier League" by Brentford boss Thomas Frank.
Everybody knows of Salah's incredible goalscoring feats but he's also one of Europe's elite playmakers, with his chance creation in the Premier League pointing toward prosperity for the blooming marksman Beier.
|
Premier League 23/24: Most Big Chances Created |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
Club |
Stat |
|
1. |
Mohamed Salah |
Liverpool |
22 |
|
2. |
Kevin De Bruyne |
Manchester City |
21 |
|
2. |
Bruno Fernandes |
Manchester United |
21 |
|
4. |
Heung-min Son |
Tottenham Hotspur |
20 |
|
5. |
Trent Alexander-Arnold |
Liverpool |
17 |
|
5. |
Cole Palmer |
Manchester City/Chelsea |
17 |
|
5. |
Dwight McNeil |
Everton |
17 |
|
5. |
Martin Odegaard |
Arsenal |
17 |
|
Stats via Premier League |
|||
Beier's "exceptional" quality in front of goal – as claimed by journalist Antonio Mango, would be in good nick at Anfield. Hoffenheim ranked eighth in the Bundesliga or shot-creating actions per 90 last season (23.9), as per FBref.
Liverpool, conversely, created the most big chances in the 2023/24 Premier League season, with 102. Beier, still only 21 remember, would benefit greatly from being welcomed to such a robust and rich crop of talent.
It would be a dream for a young striker to come into a team that is regularly creating high-quality chances, as he would not be starved of service in a struggling side.
He would, moreover, succeed in repaying the favour, with Salah obviously being one of the Premier League's finest strikers, thus benefitting from Beier's creative, multi-skilled style of play. After all, he's “much more than just a goalscorer”, as put by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Liverpool have a healthy mix of offensive quality, but the aforementioned Nunez is hardly the most reliable striker in front of goal, Diogo Jota is unreliable on the fitness front, and Cody Gakpo, off the back of a tremendous Euro 2024 campaign with the Netherlands, ebbing and flowing since joining the Reds from PSV Eindhoven for £35m in January 2023.
Salah might've turned 32 this summer but he's still one of Europe's deadliest players, with his consistency across seven seasons on Merseyside proving his elite-level quality and then some.
He will benefit from a talent in Beier who is showing all the signs of growing into a complete centre-forward, with sharp shooting skills and dynamic movements across the final third.
Perhaps Salah doesn't quite have the legs that he once had, but Beier would join an attacking group bearing loads of electric pace.
The final piece of the puzzle? Liverpool petered out at the end of last season, spoiling Klopp's swansong somewhat, and while it was a successful, resurgent season for the club after the wretched 2022/23 term, now Slot must seek to raise the bar once more.
Beier could be a brilliant addition, and if he is available for a fee in the ballpark of £27m, it's a bit of a no-brainer as a signing to help make Salah unplayable next season.
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Cristiano Ronaldo appears set to stay at Al-Nassr beyond the end of his current contract despite being linked with a shock move to Fenerbahce.
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Ronaldo's contract set to run out in 2025Linked with Mourinho reunion at FenerbahceContract talks with Al-Nassr are now underwayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
Ronaldo has been at Al-Nassr since the winter of 2023 after joining the Saudi Pro League side following his exit from Manchester United. There has been recent speculation over his future with the Saudi side, however, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's contract set to expire in the summer of 2025.
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It has been questioned whether Ronaldo wants to stay with Al-Nassr or return to Europe as he prepares for the 2026 World Cup with Portugal. The former Real Madrid man has been linked with a shock reunion with Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahce, but transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that no talks have taken place between Ronaldo and the Turkish club over a move and he will not move there next summer. The same has also been confirmed by Mourinho, who claimed the links were 'ridiculous'.
AFPDID YOU KNOW?
Romano also revealed that sources close to Al-Nassr and the Saudi Pro League believe that Ronaldo will continue at the club and expect a contract renewal soon as negotiations are already underway between the parties. Ronaldo will turn 40 in February of next year, but looks set to play until he's at least 41 – and perhaps even longer.
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WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?
Ronaldo will next be in action for Al-Nassr on Monday when they take on Al-Gharafa in the AFC Champions League. The Portuguese faces an uphill battle to lead his side to domestic glory, however, with the Saudi giants languishing eight points behind title rivals Al-Ittihad after just 11 games this season.
With just over three weeks until the Premier League returns, clubs across the continent are busy with pre-season and planning their next course of action in the transfer market, and Tottenham Hotspur are no different.
It's been a promising summer for Ange Postecoglou's side thus far. The signing of Archie Gray is a clear sign that his project is a long-term one, and the wins over Hearts and Queens Park Rangers are encouraging indicators of the squad's current fitness.
However, with the market staying open for another five weeks, there is still plenty of work to be done, and it looks like the club are going to make the most of that time.
Recent reports have linked them with an exciting young player who could be Destiny Udogie's ideal rival and has shades of Gareth Bale about him.
Tottenham Hotspur transfer news
According to a recent report from Italian publication Calcio Lecce, Tottenham are one of several sides interested in signing Danish left-back Patrick Dorgu.
Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that Arsenal and Napoli have been in contact with Lecce to discover the youngster's price tag, while Chelsea could soon do the same.
This level of competition is obviously far from ideal for Spurs, but the good news is that if they get ahead of the chasing pack, they'll only have to pay around €30m, which is about £25m, to secure the 19-year-old's services.
This may still sound excessive for a player so young, but given his performances last season, the way he is spoken about by those in the know and the similarities to Bale, it could be a bargain.
How Dorgu compares to Bale and Udogie
Now, before looking at how Dorgu stacks up against Udogie, let's first look at how he could be compared to a younger Bale.
The primary reason is that, like the Welshman in his younger days, the Dane is an incredibly progressive left-back who could easily be transformed into a winger in the right system, akin to the former Spurs ace.
For example, U23 scout Antonio Mango described him as possessing a great deal of "pace and power," giving him "almost equal presence at both ends of the pitch." This is incredibly beneficial for the team as "his reading of offensive situations is mighty impressive."
Moreover, according to Mango, he is also "adept at taking defenders on" thanks to his impressive "close control" and "absurd acceleration."
This all sounds an awful lot like the kind of player Bale was during his pomp, the sort of player who'd spot the space, drive into it at breakneck speeds, and then either rifle the ball into the back of the net or lay off a teammate.
So, with the similarities with the iconic full-back turned winger, how would the 19-year-old "diamond", as dubbed by Mango, fare as a rival for the Lilywhites' current first-choice left-back?
Well, when it comes to comparing the relevant underlying numbers, the results are surprisingly even, with the "explosive" Dane, as Mango described him, coming out ahead in nine metrics and his potential teammate doing so in eight.
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.21
0.17
Non-Penalty Goals
0.11
0.08
Progressive Passes
2.82
5.83
Progressive Carries
2.13
3.12
Shots
1.04
0.34
Shots on Target
0.40
0.19
Passing Accuracy
79.8%
85.8%
Key Passes
1.03
0.90
Passes into the Penalty Area
0.75
0.49
Goal-Creating Actions
0.06
0.26
Shot-Creating Actions
2.30
2.15
Successful Take-Ons
0.86
0.90
Tackles Won
1.26
1.24
Blocks
0.92
1.02
Interceptions
0.52
1.39
Ball Recoveries
4.48
6.35
Aerial Duels Won
1.55
0.83
Interestingly, the Lecce gem emerges victorious in more attacking metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals, shot-creating actions, shots and shots on target, and key passes, all per 90.
In contrast, the former Udinese star looks better in more defensive areas, such as tackles won, ball recoveries, blocks, and interceptions per 90.
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Ultimately, while it is still too early to say whether Dorgu could surpass Udogie as Spurs' starting left-back, it is clear to see that he would offer a real challenge for a place in the starting lineup and that, alongside his comparisons to Bale, make signing him a no-brainer.
Pakistan will become the first country to resume age-group level tours since the start of the pandemic. The Under-19 team will tour Bangladesh next month for a series of five one-day matches and a four-day game starting from April 19 in Sylhet.Every traveling member will be vaccinated beforehand and the tour will have in place similar protocols as for the senior teams. The team and its management will be tested for Covid-19 before entering the camp and, after the return of negative tests, members will be allowed to move into a biosecure bubble, for which the players will convene in Lahore.The tour has been arranged to prepare the players for the next ICC Under-19 World Cup, scheduled to take place in the West Indies next year. Prior to their departure, the team will play two 50-over practice matches and a three-day match during a 10-day long camp that will run from April 3 in Lahore.Six players from the group that played the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa in 2020 were retained for this tour: Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Fahad Munir, Qasim Akram, Mohammad Irfan Niazi, Mohammad Shehzad, and Tahir Hussain. As per the ICC age criteria for the upcoming Under-19 World Cup, only players born on or after 1 September 2002 will be eligible.Pakistan named six batsmen including Abdul Faseeh, the leading run-getter with 524 runs at 65.50 last year in the national Under-19 one-day tournament. Several of the players have already begun to make waves on the domestic circuit in Pakistan; opener Abdul Wahid represented Balochistan in the last domestic season, while batting allrounder Akram was one of the star performers for Central Punjab, and subsequently selected by Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League.”The tour provides a wonderful grooming opportunity for the players against one of the most formidable U-19 sides at present, which won the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup last year,” Pakistan’s U-19 head coach, Ijaz Ahmed, said. “We have a talented bunch of players and a number of them have proven their worth already on the domestic circuit in the recently concluded season.”The squad also includes players who represented Pakistan Under-19s in the World Cup; the tour will help further develop the skills of these players as they are our future. The tour will be a challenging one for us and one that will stand these players in good stead in this developmental stage of their careers. The series will also help us identify the potential players that we will field in next year’s World Cup in the West Indies.”Pakistan U19 squad: Abbas Ali, Abdul Faseeh, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Fahad Munir, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Irfan Niazi, Mohammad Shehzad, Qasim Akram and Rizwan Mehmood, Haseebullah and Raza-ul-Mustafa, Aaliyan Mehmood, Ali Asfand, Arham Nawab, Faisal Akram, Ahmed Khan, Asim Ali, Muneeb Wasif, Tahir Hussain, Zeeshan Zameer
رد نادي بايرن ميونخ على الأنباء التي ربطت لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، جوشوا كيميتش، بإمكانية الانتقال على صفوف ريال مدريد بالمجان في نهاية الموسم الحالي.
وينتهي عقد كيميتش مع بايرن ميونخ في 30 يونيو المقبل، وبالتالي، إذا لم يمدد عقده مع النادي الألماني سيرحل بالمجان لاستكمال مسيرته الكروية.
في الأيام الماضية، خرج كيميتش وانتقد أداء بايرن ميونخ خاصة بعد السقوط أمام فينورد بثلاثية ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا ووصف الفريق بأنه لم يعد ضمن الكبار في القارة.
اقرأ أيضًا | الراتب ومكافأة التوقيع.. بيلد تكشف تفاصيل عقد ألفونسو ديفيز الجديد مع بايرن ميونخ
هذا ما أُثار الجدل حول مستقبل كيميتش بالفعل مع بايرن ميونخ، مع أنباء رغبة نادي ريال مدريد في ضم اللاعب الألماني متعدد المراكز.
وقال المدير الرياضي لنادي بايرن ميونخ، كريستوف فرويند، ردًا على تلك الأنباء في تصريحات عبر شبكة “سكاي ألمانيا”: “متأكد من أنه سيقرر في النهاية الاستمرار معنا وسيجدد عقده”.
وارتبط اسم كيميتش في الأشهر الماضية بالعديد من الأندية مثل برشلونة، ليفربول ومانشستر سيتي مع اهتمام آخر من جانب باريس سان جيرمان.
Competing in events of “national interest” will be one of the criteria used to judge eligibility
Reuters and ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2021
Players heading overseas to represent New Zealand are in line for early access to vaccines•Getty Images
New Zealand’s cricketers could be eligible for early Covid-19 vaccines after the government laid out its priority list with competing in events of “national significance” among the criteria.The process will begin on March 31, so it will come too late for the players heading to the IPL but is likely to include those in the squad to tour England from late May.Chris Hipkins, the minister responsible for New Zealand’s response to the global health crisis, said people would be eligible to jump the queue for the vaccine on compassionate grounds or to compete in major global events.The latter category would include Olympians, Paralympians and the cricketers, who will be travelling to the UK to play India in the final of the World Test Championship in June along with two other Tests against England.”The key yardstick here is people travelling in an official capacity and ensuring their participation is in our national interest,” Hipkins told reporters in Wellington. “They will have to make an application and it will depend on what sort of events they are participating in, to whether they fit the national interest criteria.”But certainly, your expectation is that the Olympians would be eligible under the national interest criteria and a national sports team participating in a significant event would also meet those criteria.”There was some controversy earlier this month when Dr Ashley Bloomfield, the Director-General of Health attended the final T20I between New Zealand and Australia in Wellington, where he spoke with NZC officials and spent time in the dressing room after the match.David White, the NZC chief executive, raised the issue of vaccines for players before upcoming travel and Bloomfield said he would take the conversation back to the government for consideration but both parties insisted there was no direct lobbying.However, Bloomfield later donated the value of the tickets to a Wellington charity. “It is important that I avoid any potential for perception of a conflict of interest or personal benefit,” he said.New Zealand has been one of the most successful countries at containing the virus and started the second round of its vaccine rollout for border and quarantine workers last week.International matches throughout the season have mostly been played in front of crowds except for a set of games in Wellington earlier this month involving Australia and the England women’s team when the alert level around the country was raised.
Celtic return to action once again in the Scottish Premiership as they travel away from Parkhead to take on Hibernian on Sunday in the early kick-off.
The Hoops are currently top of the division after one match, having swept Kilmarnock aside with ease in a 4-0 win in Glasgow last weekend, and will now be looking to maintain that position this weekend.
Brendan Rodgers is aiming to win the top-flight for the second time in as many seasons during his second spell at the club, and could yet use the summer transfer window to ensure that his side have the best possible chance of doing so.
So far, Celtic have brought in goalkeepers Viljami Sinisalo and Kasper Schmeichel on permanent deals to bolster their options between the sticks, and central midfielder Paulo Bernardo has been signed on a permanent basis after his loan at Parkhead during the 2023/24 campaign.
However, there is still a few weeks left before the summer transfer window officially slams shut and this means that the Scottish giants could make further additions to their squad to improve the manager's options across the park.
Celtic eyeing up Premier League starlet
Speaking on Redmen TV on YouTube (07/08/2024), journalist Paul Gorst claimed that Celtic are one of the teams in the running to sign Liverpool central midfielder Bobby Clark.
The reporter stated that the Hoops and Glasgow rivals Rangers are both in the 'mix' to land the England U20 international on a season-long loan deal.
Gorst added that a number of teams in the English Championship, including Norwich City, Leeds United, and Derby County, are also interested in signing the talented young maestro.
He also revealed that Austrian side RB Salzburg have had an offer to sign him on a permanent basis turned down by the Premier League club.
This comes after The Athletic recently reported that Liverpool are more likely to send the 19-year-old talent out on loan for the 2024/25 campaign, than cash in on him.
That report did reveal, though, that the Merseyside outfit would be open to doing business for a fee of £12m, if they were to sell the former Newcastle United youngster this summer.
Clark is not the only player Celtic are attempting to sign, though, as the club are reportedly in talks with Norwich City over a deal to bring Adam Idah back to Parkhead.
The BBC recently claimed that the Hoops have submitted a new offer, having already had a bid of £4m turned down, and it has not been accepted by the Canaries, but the two teams remain in negotiations over a possible transfer.
Why Adam Idah could be a good signing
Idah arrived in Glasgow at the end of the winter window earlier this year and spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan with the Hoops.
He made an instant and huge impression on the club and the supporters with his fantastic performances on the pitch, as the Norwich academy graduate hit the ground running.
The Ireland international did not take long to catch the eye, with two goals against Motherwell in his first start, and went on to plunder eight league goals in 15 appearances.
Appearances
15
Starts
5
Goals
8
Big chances missed
7
Conversion rate
27%
Minutes per goal
76
Assists
2
As you can see in the table above, Idah fired in eight goals in just five starts and showcased his clinical finishing by scoring more goals than he missed 'big chances'.
Whereas, Celtic's current first-choice – and only – striker, Kyogo Furuhashi, has had issues with his finishing since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.
The Japan international scored 14 times in 38 Premiership matches for the Bhoys last season, and spurned a staggering 24 'big chances' in that time.
He then started the current campaign with two 'big chances' missed and zero goals in the 4-0 win over Kilmarnock last weekend, which means that the forward has missed 26 'big chances' and only scored 14 goals over the last 12 months or so in the league.
These statistics suggest that the potential is there for Idah to return and provide a better option upfront for Rodgers due to his clinical nature in front of goal.
Why Bobby Clark could be a dream for Adam Idah
With this in mind, Clark could be a dream signing to come in alongside the 6 foot 3 centre-forward to provide him with chances to find the back of the net from a central midfield position.
The 19-year-old is a box-to-box midfielder, rather than an out-and-out number ten, but has displayed his quality as a scorer and a creator of goals at youth and senior level.
In the 2023/24 campaign, ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp brought him through into the first-team and provided him with 12 chances to play with the likes of Mo Salah, Alexis Mac Allister, and ex-Celtic star Virgil van Dijk, among others, which speaks to how highly the German boss rated the teenager.
The £12m-rated starlet racked up four goals and six assists in 24 matches for the senior and academy teams combined last term, including one goal and one assist in two Europa League outings.
Appearances
27
37
14
Goals
13
5
1
Assists
5
6
2
As you can see in the table above, the Hoops target consistently provided a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a midfield position at U21 and U18 level for the Reds.
Clark, who was hailed as "exciting" by reporter Lee Ryder, is a dynamic and talented midfield maestro who could come in and provide Celtic with an attacking boost, whether that is as a starter or off the bench.
Idah, as shown by his eight goals in five starts but 15 league appearances, is proof that a player can come in and excel as an impact substitute.
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Clark and Idah could both come through the door and come off the bench as an exciting pairing, whilst working hard to both nail down places in the starting XI.