Por meio de nota divulgada nas redes sociais, Paulo Roberto Falcão declarou que não é mais coordenador esportivo do Santos. Neste mesmo dia, o, agora, ex-representante do clube foi denunciado por importunação sexual. O ex-jogador negou a acusação.
No cargo desde o final do ano passado, Falcão disse que sua saída foi motivada por “recentes protestos diante do desempenho em campo” e declarou que sua atitude teve o propósito de “defender a imagem da instituição”.
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Sobre a denúncia de importunação feita pela funcionária do apart hotel, o ex-coordenador do Peixe negou o ocorrido e se declarou surpreendido com a notícia.
Veja nota divulgada por Falcão, na íntegra:
‘Em respeito à torcida do Santos Futebol Clube, pelos recentes protestos diante do desempenho do time em campo, decidi deixar o cargo de coordenador esportivo nesta data. Meu sentimento, em primeiro lugar, é defender a imagem da instituição. Sobre a acusação feita nesta sexta-feira, que recebi com surpresa pela mídia, afirmo que não aconteceu’.
O Santos também reforçou a saída do coordenador esportivo do clube. A equipe do litoral paulista não se pronunciou sobre as denúncias feitas. Veja comunicado:
‘O Santos Futebol Clube comunica a saída do profissional Paulo Roberto Falcão, que ocupava o cargo de coordenador esportivo desde o dia 15 de novembro de 2022’.
Before the international break, Tottenham Hotspur’s fast start to the season was stunted at home to Bournemouth, who claimed a 1-0 win down N17.
But fears of that same plague of inconsistency have been pushed aside after an emphatic 3-0 victory over West Ham United at the London Stadium, shifting Spurs into second place in the Premier League ahead of Liverpool’s clash against Burnley on Sunday afternoon.
Three wins from four marks an impressive start to life for Thomas Frank, who replaced Ange Postecoglou in the summer after the Australian coach slumped with his side down to a 17th-place finish in the Premier League.
Even the Europa League triumph couldn’t save him, but in spite of all the upheaval – including the shocking exit of Daniel Levy – Tottenham are reshaping into a force to be reckoned with.
The exciting signing of Xavi Simons bears testament to that.
Xavi Simons' Spurs debut
Simons, 22, looked Chelsea-bound for much of the summer transfer window, but Tottenham ended up winning the race and now they boast one of the most exciting playmakers in the business.
Against West Ham, the Netherlands international impressed across his 71 minutes on the field, making the assist for Pape Matar Sarr’s opening goal after the interval, curling a corner in and over the rabble and onto the unmarked Senegalese’s head.
Then the Lilywhites’ task was made easier by Tomas Soucek’s red card after a reckless challenge on Joao Palhinha. Two more goals ensued, and while Simons didn’t land a debut strike for himself, he looked very much at home on the Premier League stage.
Finer displays will follow, but this was very promising indeed, especially when considering he was deployed out wide instead of his natural berth at number ten.
Simons has what it takes to effectively replace the injured James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, maybe even rivalling such stars as being Tottenham’s finest attacking midfielder since the days of Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen in their pomp.
Spurs' new version of Dele Alli
In January 2024, Tottenham beat off fierce competition from Barcelona to sign teenage midfielder Lucas Bergvall. In fact, all the pointers previously claimed the Sweden prospect would join La Blaugrana, but he was convinced by the Lilywhites project after a hijack.
An elite talent, Bergvall has since settled into life as a Tottenham senior, and he’s still only 19 years old. In this regard, he’s somewhat like the aforementioned Dele, and might even come to be Frank’s own version of the fallen England sensation.
Dele, now 29, is clubless after being released by Como in Serie A, but it’s not hard to remember those days of old when he played with such rarely-seen gusto, a true wonder-kid after joining Spurs from MK Dons in League One in 2015.
His first three seasons in the Premier League were beyond spectacular, and had he continued in that thread of form throughout his career, Dele would surely be hailed now in conversations similar to that of the division’s greatest.
23/24
0
0 (0)
22/23
2
0 (0)
21/22
10
1 (0)
20/21
15
0 (1)
19/20
25
8 (4)
18/19
25
5 (3)
17/18
36
9 (11)
16/17
37
18 (9)
15/16
33
10 (9)
Bergvall is not the same as Dele, but his athleticism and intelligence and movement and application all bespeak the skill set of a top-level talent.
And against West Ham, the Scandinavian’s goal-and-assist performance carried shades of Dele back in his heyday.
Cristian Romero arced an aerial pass through to Bergvall moments after Soucek’s red card, and the youngster’s success in timing his run and turning the ball beyond the hapless goalkeeper with a precise header underlined his Dele-esque performance.
Because, after all, such headed goals were staples of the Three Lions star’s skills when he was in his prime at Tottenham. Who remembers that performance against Chelsea back in 2017, for example?
But the similarities don’t stop there. Bergvall’s success at such an early age is bringing him into direct comparison with a young Dele, and it’s something Spurs can now use to deepen their connection with the fanbase as this new era gets up and running.
After all, at 19 years and 223 days old, Bergvall is Tottenham’s youngest scorer in the Premier League since… You guessed it, Dele, who was 19 years and 205 days old when he scored in a 3-1 win over Aston Villa in November 2015.
There’s no question that Tottenham landed one of Europe’s prized up-and-coming midfielders when beating Barcelona to his signature, and now, with Frank at the helm, there’s a sense that Bergvall is coming into his own.
He’s a European champion, and he’s now showcased his ability to produce a rounded display in the Premier League, with data from Sofascore revealing that he won five duels, made two tackles and created a key pass against struggling West Ham.
He also completed 100% of his dribbles, demonstrating a progressiveness that will help Tottenham to no end.
Football.london handed him an 8/10 match rating, drawing attention to his neat interplay and clever touches, as well as his intelligent involvement in the build-up to Tottenham’s third, when Van de Ven sealed three excellent points for the north Londoners.
Bergvall remains a young midfielder making his way in the Premier League, but already, he is so accomplished within Tottenham’s squad.
He has featured 50 times for the Londoners and is starting to show in Frank’s system an ability to stand out among his peers, something Dele did with such prodigious aplomb during the early days of his time in a Tottenham shirt.
He'll be Frank's own Bale: Spurs have hit gold on "phenomenal" £20m star
Tottenham Hotspur have unearthed themselves a new gem over the last couple of months.
It would be fair to say that this summer has been about as good as any Arsenal fan could have hoped it would be at the end of last season.
On top of looking pretty good on the pitch, Mikel Arteta’s side have been massively reinforced in the transfer market, with seven senior players joining so far.
Moreover, the signing of Eberechi Eze was twice as sweet for fans, as not only did they get a sensational gifted playmaker who can play on the wing, but they also managed to snatch him from the grasp of Tottenham Hotspur, who look like they have done the same thing with Xavi Simons and Chelsea.
With all that said, there are still a few days left until the window closes, and if Arsenal really want to end it with a bang, they should go back in for a player they’ve been linked with before, a player more talented than Eze and Simons.
Why Eze is such an important signing for Arsenal
Even though we are going to look at another player Arsenal should sign later, it’s important to remember that Eze is a potentially game-changing addition in his own right.
Crystal Palace's EberechiEze
After all, one of the Gunners’ most significant problems last season was an inability to break teams down and make things happen when their star players were injured or out of form, and this is something the Englishman can solve.
For example, according to FBref, he ranked in the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League for total shots, the top 10% for successful take-ons, the top 11% for shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.
Moreover, despite playing for a mid-table side at best, the 27-year-old “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes.
In other words, the £100k-per-week superstar managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.
He is also a big-game player, scoring in the quarter-final, semi-final, and final of the FA Cup to help Palace win their first-ever major trophy.
With all that said, the Gunners could land themselves a bigger talent than Eze and Simons by going back in for a Premier League star they’ve been linked with in the past.
The player who is a bigger talent than Eze & Simons
Now, for a player to even be compared to Eze and Simons, let alone be considered a bigger talent, they’ve got to be something quite special.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Fortunately, that would be an apt way to describe Morgan Rogers, who has been linked with Arsenal a number of times this summer, and might just be available for around £80m.
It would certainly be a significant investment to make in one player, but the Aston Villa star has proven he’d be worth it and then some over the last season or so.
England'sEberechiEzecelebrates scoring their third goal with England's Morgan Rogers
Moreover, as the Premier League is ranked the toughest league in the world, and the Bundesliga is just the fourth, comparing all of his numbers to Simons’ is difficult.
However, thankfully, we can get a clearer picture of who the bigger talent is, thanks to both playing in the Champions League last year.
Appearances
12
5
Minutes
1025′
337′
Goals
4
0
Assists
3
0
Goal Involvements per Match
0.58
0.00
Minutes per Goal Involvement
146.42′
N/A
Unsurprisingly, it is the Claret and Blue “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob, who comes out miles ahead, as in his 12 appearances, totalling 1025 minutes, he scored four goals and provided three assists.
That means the often “unstoppable” midfielder, as dubbed by former Liverpool defender turned pundit Jamie Carragher, was able to average a goal involvement every 1.71 games, or every 146.42 minutes in football’s biggest club competition.
Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers
On the other hand, the Leipzig ace was unable to score a single goal or provide a single assist, despite facing some rather beatable teams, such as Sporting CP and Sturm Graz.
Now, when it comes to statistical comparisons with Arsenal’s new number ten, the Villans’ attacking dynamo does not come out on top, but his overall average of a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 149.86 minutes across the full campaign, isn’t far off.
Moreover, the reason we would still classify him as a bigger talent is that, at just 22 years old, he is approximately four years away from reaching his peak, according to research carried out by The Athletic.
So, when he does reach that point, based on what he’s already doing, we would expect his numbers to be better than Eze’s are today.
Ultimately, Arsenal have made an exceptional signing in the former Palace star, and it looks like Spurs have in the young Dutchman, but for our money, Rogers is still the biggest talent of the three.
Imagine him and Eze: Arsenal "closing in on" agreement to sign £52m "beast"
Mikel Arteta is close to finalising a deal that would be perfect for Arsenal and for new man Eberechi Eze.
Reddy has a side strain, while Rinku experienced lower-back spasms during the first T20I against England
Vishal Dikshit and Shashank Kishore25-Jan-2025
Shivam Dube has played 33 T20Is for India•AFP/Getty Images
Shivam Dube and Ramandeep Singh have been added to India’s T20I squad for the series against England in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rinku Singh. Reddy is out of the five-match series with a side strain, while Rinku experienced lower-back spasms while fielding during the first T20I against England and is out for at least the second and third matches.*With the second game set to be played later today in Chennai, Dube and Ramandeep will be available from the third T20I onwards.Reddy picked up his injury during a training session ahead of the second T20I. He will head to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence – the newly opened National Cricket Academy premises on the outskirts of Bengaluru – for rehabilitation.Dube’s last outing for India was in August 2024, during an ODI series in Sri Lanka. He then missed India’s home T20I series against Bangladesh with a back injury. Dube returned to cricket with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he scored 151 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 179.76, and took three wickets at an economy of 9.31.In all, he has played 33 T20Is for India, for 448 runs at a strike rate of 134.93 with the bat, and 11 wickets with the ball. He was part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in the West Indies and USA last year.Ramandeep has played just the two T20Is for India, both in South Africa last November. In the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy, the 50-over tournament, he totalled 126 runs from six innings for Punjab, mostly providing quick runs for a strike rate of 134.04.Dube’s most recent outing at the competitive level was Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir, which ended on Saturday afternoon. He was out without scoring in both innings, and picked up one wicket in the match as Mumbai lost by five wickets. Ramandeep was also involved in the just-concluded Ranji round, also minimally, scoring 16 and a duck in Punjab’s big loss to Karnataka.India won the first T20I against England, in Kolkata, by seven wickets with all of 43 balls remaining. Reddy didn’t have much to do in the game: he took two catches, but did not get to bowl or bat as India romped home. Rinku, too, did not get to bat with the top order polishing off the chase of 133.India’s updated T20I squadSuryakumar Yadav (capt), Axar Patel (vice-capt), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shivam Dube, Ramandeep Singh.*
Pat Cummins expects to see a more proactive Marnus Labuschagne at the crease in Adelaide as Australia’s No. 3 searches for a revival of fortunes, but it appears less likely he will be used extensively as a medium-pace bowler despite question marks over how many overs Mitchell Marsh has in him.Labuschagne has come in for significant scrutiny after his first innings in Perth where he made 2 off 52 balls, which was followed by shouldering arms to Jasprit Bumrah in the second and being lbw for 3. However, analysis has shown it was a wicked delivery from Bumrah that skidded through low and Labuschagne was within his rights to believe it would have missed the stumps.Still, his form has been troublesome for a while with 90 of the 123 runs he has made in his last ten Tests coming from one innings in Christchurch. During his net sessions in Adelaide, there has been a noticeable urgency to his strokeplay and indications he is looking for ways to rotate the strike. Labuschagne has an impressive record at Adelaide Oval with an average of 71.75 and three centuries.Related
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“He’s training well like he always does, hitting millions of balls,” Cummins said. “It’s pretty impossible to kind of dismiss or ignore some of the commentary about perhaps being a little bit more proactive, so I think you’ve seen that side of it in the nets. The challenge is always going out there and making sure you have that mindset. But he’s been great like he always is. Always working on things, trying to plan how he’s going to score his hundred this Test.”While accepting that Australia were not up to the mark in Perth, Cummins was hopeful that the batters would be better for having faced the India attack, most significantly Jasprit Bumrah, even though it did not go well.”I hope there’s some lessons learnt,” he said. “The good thing is, batting and bowling we’ve now had a look at them, they’ve had a look at us as well, but you get a look at some of the bowling plans that you want to implement. The same with the batters, they know how they are going to be attacked first up. I’m sure – well, I really hope – everyone’s kind of learnt a bit and come back here slightly better prepared having had a look at what they are going to throw at us.”Marsh, meanwhile, was locked in Australia’s XI 24 hours out from the Test – the only change being Scott Boland replacing the injured Josh Hazlewood – and Cummins, who confirmed Marsh had been battling back stiffness since the white-ball tour of the UK, was confident the allrounder would be able to be part of the attack despite not doing any bowling in the lead-up.”[We] made the call with the medical staff over the last couple of days to give him a couple of days off bowling, but expect him to warm up and if required [he] will bowl,” Cummins said. “Guessing he would be required at some point… prioritise his overs for the games rather than kind of using up some of them in the nets.”In Perth, Labuschagne was used as a bouncer bowler until reverting to legspin late in India’s second innings but Cummins indicated that any extra overs required in this match would likely be soaked up by the four main bowlers if Marsh was limited in his output.”I’d say more likely turn to the fast bowlers a bit more,” Cummins said. “In Perth, Joshy was getting a little bit sore as well there towards the end, so there’s a bit of preservation there. Whereas this Test everyone’s fit and firing so if that remains the case as a general rule you try and rely on your four main guys.”1:42
McGlashan: Crucial few days in Adelaide for Australia
Significantly, Cummins made mention of Boland’s ability to bowl long spells as he returns to the Test side for the first time since last year’s Ashes.”All last summer he was geared up to go and no one fell over,” Cummins said. “Feels like it’s been quite a while [since he’s played]. As a captain, it’s pretty awesome to have someone like Scotty come straight in, you know he can bowl a huge amount of overs if you need. He’s super consistent, he’s performed at this level and looks ready to go.”However, there is increasing confidence that Hazlewood could be ready to return for the third Test in Brisbane after he bowled during training on Wednesday. Cummins explained that Hazlewood had initially continued to bowl after first feeling the side issue in Perth before the decision was taken not to push him through the problem.”That’s probably the right call in hindsight,” he said. “I think in previous years where he’s kept bowling, it’s probably turned that one week injury into a three or four or five week injury whereas this year seems a little bit different and he’s really confident.”
After submitting a fresh bid to sign Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United have already reportedly turned their focus towards their next top target.
Newcastle "optimistic" after fresh Elanga bid
Having seen their first offer turned down for the Swede, it always seemed possible that Newcastle could return with a second attempt to sign Elanga. And soon enough, that has proved to be the case with reports now suggesting that the Magpies have submitted a second bid worth around £55m to sign the Swede.
Now reportedly optimistic that they’ll reach an agreement with Forest, Newcastle could be about to kickstart their summer business by adding the final part to what could be a scintillating front three alongside Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon.
Premier League stats 24/25 (via FBref)
Elanga
Isak
Gordon
Minutes
2,501
2,756
2,434
Goals
6
23
6
Assists
11
6
5
Successful Take-ons
25
42
38
One of the quickest trios that the Premier League is likely to see next season, Newcastle could yet retain their Champions League place and more in the next 12 months.
Nottingham Forest will be well aware of the quality that they will be losing if Elanga completes a summer switch to Newcastle, with Nuno Espirito Santo full of praise for his winger throughout the last campaign.
When asked about Elanga after the Swede scored an incredible solo goal against Manchester United in April, the Forest boss told reporters: “He’s a special boy and he gives this team his speed. He does it by himself and we are delighted.”
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That said, Elanga is unlikely to be the last through the door this summer. If reports are anything to go by, Newcastle and PIF have already turned their focus towards another top target even as negotiations continue over the winger’s signature.
Newcastle now prioritising Scalvini deal
According to The Times’ Martin Hardy, Newcastle are now prioritising a deal to sign Giorgio Scalvini from Atalanta once their deal to welcome Elanga is completed this summer. The 6’4 defender is reportedly valued at just £30m and is now among the Magpies’ top targets as they look to add another centre-back to their ranks.
Dubbed a “magnificent” centre-back alongside countryman Riccardo Calafiori in the 2023/24 season by scout Jacek Kulig, Scalvini could now join the Arsenal man in the Premier League.
Since the 23/24 campaign, the towering Italian has only pushed on and could hand Newcastle a bargain deal at just £30m. Given that Fabian Schar is now 33 years old too, it should be seen as a very real possibility that 21-year-old Scalvini could break into Eddie Howe’s best side if he completes a summer move.
Alongside Elanga and James Trafford, the Atalanta defender would make it three impressive signings for the Magpies in a summer which initially looked destined to be full of frustration.
Newcastle United are believed to be “planning a new offer” that could be as much as £40m to sign an “incredible” player in the summer transfer window.
More attacking targets at Newcastle after Elanga
The Magpies have lost Callum Wilson, following the veteran striker’s decision to leave the club, which has heightened the need for attacking reinforcements at St James’ Park this summer, despite the addition of new winger Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest.
The winger has cost PIF up to £55m and Newcastle certainly appear to be targeting more players in attacking areas, with Borussia Dortmund winger Karim Adeyemi the latest star to be linked with a move ahead of the new Premier League season.
The Magpies are also said to have entered the race to sign Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, with the Englishman’s future at the club up in the air currently. He could be an ideal upgrade on Wilson, providing strong competition for Alexander Isak, assuming he stays put.
Brentford’s Yoane Wissa is another exciting target for Newcastle, with the 28-year-old potentially keen on testing himself at a bigger club at this point in his career, especially if fellow attacking ace Bryan Mbeumo also leaves the Bees in the coming weeks. Now, a key update has dropped regarding a PIF target at the other end of the pitch.
Newcastle ready new offer for "incredible" star
According to Football Insider‘s Pete O’Rourke, Newcastle are now “planning a new offer” for Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, with the Englishman one of their most prominent transfer targets in recent months.
Several bids from the Magpies have already been rejected, with an “upfront offer of £22m with add-ons taking it close to £40m” now being prepared in this latest update.
England's Jarell Quansah,JamesTraffordand Taylor Harwood-Bellis line up before the match
Trafford continues to stand out as the perfect choice for Newcastle between the sticks, with the 22-year-old having so much long-term potential, being hailed by Burnley manager Scott Parker for his “world-class” ability.
“I was quoted in saying that he’s a world-class keeper, which he is and there is no doubt that I see him as a future England keeper. He’s been incredible.”
The 22-year-old Trafford was a star performer for Burnley throughout a triumphant Championship campaign that saw them return to the Premier League, with the Clarets remarkably conceding just 16 goals in their 46 league matches.
While he is clearly still a very young goalkeeper, he already possesses an aura and maturity to his game that suggests there is no reason why he couldn’t oust Nick Pope straight away at Newcastle, even though the current Magpies man remains a good option.
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Trafford is a genuine contender to be England’s next No.1 after Jordan Pickford, assuming he continues on his current trajectory, and while a total of £40m is a lot to pay for a player, it could prove to be a bargain over time. Hopefully, he is desperate to join, putting further pressure on Burnley to accept the offer.
It is SPFL fixture release day and as Premiership champions, Celtic will have a home game on the opening weekend, 2/3 August.
But, how many new signings will Brendan Rodgers have on board in time for his team’s first pre-season match on 4 July?
Well, Celtic have already added Kieran Tierney to their ranks, re-signing the left-back after he became a free agent, while they’ve also reportedly agreed a fee of £1.7m to land winger Benjamin Nygren in the coming days.
The Hoops are not content with just one attacking signing, however.
Celtic chasing a new winger
According to a report by RMC Sport, talks between Celtic and Royal Antwerp are “underway” as the Hoops seek to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who he claims is ‘keen on the move’ to Scotland.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Meantime, Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider has previously reported that Celtic are ‘well-placed’ to make this deal come to fruition, describing the winger as a ‘long-term target’.
Balikwisha, who is 24 years old, began his senior career at Standard Liège, before joining Royal Antwerp in July 2021, making 141 appearances for the Reds to date, scoring 29 goals and registering 17 assists.
He was a key figure in the Antwerp team that won the domestic treble in 2023, the club’s first Jupiler Pro League title for 66 years, then scoring the goal against AEK Athens that saw them qualify for the Champions League for the very first time, also on target against Shakhtar Donetsk at Bosuilstadion in the tournament’s group stages.
This season though, Antwerp missed out on European qualification altogether, disastrously beaten 2-1 by Royal Charleroi in a European play-off last month, fuelling speculation that he could be on the move, and hence why the club are looking to cash in.
How Michel-Ange Balikwisha would improve Celtic
Celtic are in the market for a new winger this summer, partially due to the fact that Jota will be sidelined for between “six to nine months” after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament at Tannadice in April.
So, would Balikwisha be a good replacement? Let’s assess his statistics.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha 2023/25 statistics
Statistics
Balikwisha
Belgian league rank
Minutes
1,784
99th
Goals
7
17th
Assists
6
9th
Progressive carries
85
10th
Carries into penalty area
34
9th
Shot-creating actions
69
30th
Goal-creating actions
10
13th
Big chances created
6
40th
Key passes per match
1.5
24th
Average SofaScore rating
7.32
14th
Statistics courtesy of FBref.com and SofaScore
Worth noting that the 2023/24 season was chosen because, similar to Jota, Balikwishais coming off a long-term injury, requiring knee surgery just over a year ago, before a meniscus injury saw him make just three appearances this season before 9 March.
After that, he did enjoy a run of games, starting each of Antwerp’s final 11 matches to conclude the campaign.
Despite his injury issues, analyst Ben Mattinson labels him an “amazing” talent, describing him as “two-footed” and “capable of beating a defender either way”. That certainly suggests he’d be a great replacement for the injury-stricken Jota.
Meantime, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes he operates best as an “inside forward”, praising his “pace, dribbling and finishing”, which he believes to be his strongest attributes.
Said to be one of the most ‘talented attacking players’ in the Belgian top-flight by Lee Scott of Total Football Analysis, that’s high praise considering Global Football Rankings believes the Jupiler Pro League to be the eighth-strongest division in the world; for context, the Scottish Premiership is all the way down in 43rd.
Given that Balikwisha has just one year remaining on his contract at Antwerp, it would appear as though Celtic will be able to sign him at a cut-price, and he seemingly has all the qualities to thrive in Glasgow’s East End.
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West Brom are said to be in talks with a manager who knows the Premier League well, as they look to nail their successor to Tony Mowbray in the coming weeks and months.
West Brom searching for Mowbray replacement
The Baggies’ season was ultimately a disappointing one, with Carlos Corberan departing for Valencia earlier in the campaign and Mowbray finding himself sacked just three months after taking charge, following a disappointing spell.
It is now a case of those high up at West Brom making sure the perfect manager comes in to steer the team to what is hopefully a successful Championship campaign in 2025/26 – one that ends in promotion back to the Premier League.
A recent report has claimed that the Baggies are believed to be big admirers of Ryan Mason, with the Englishman currently the assistant manager to Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham, winning the Europa League earlier this month.
Still only 33 years of age, Mason’s playing career was cut short by a serious head injury, but he is making waves in coaching and West Brom consider him a strong option to come. Now, a fresh update has emerged regarding him potentially heading to the Hawthorns in the near future.
West Brom in talks with 4-4-2 manager
According to Football Insider, Mason has “opened talks” to become West Brom’s new manager, with the report saying he is in “pole position” to take charge of the Baggies ahead of next season.
He has taken charge of Spurs 13 times as an interim manager, in between them finding another boss, and is an exciting young option, rather than a more tried and tested choice like Mowbray.
Tottenham Hotspur assistant coachRyanMasonduring training
The 4-4-2-playing Mason could be an intriguing appointment at West Brom, during an era in which managers appear to be getting younger all the time, being trusted to take big jobs before they are experienced.
The former Spurs midfielder has shone during his time coaching in north London, with Ben Davies once praising him for the impact he had during a brief stint as manager:
“It’s not the easiest situation to come into [for Mason]. We’ve got a limited amount of games so it’s hard for him to come in and completely change things and do it his own way. But there’s been a clear message that we need to be as good as we can with the ball and tighten up without it. It’s pretty basic but that’s the way we’ve been training and working. Ryan’s instilled that belief in us that we’re able to do that.”
Tony Mowbray (2025)
17
1.12
Carlos Corberan (2022-2024)
107
1.59
Steve Bruce (2022)
32
1.13
Valerien Ismael (2021-2022)
31
1.45
Sam Allardyce (2020-2021)
26
0.73
Granted, there would be an element of risk with West Brom hiring Mason, given his lack of experience in management, but if the club feel he is now at a point where he can leave Postecoglou and go out on his own, they need to be trusted.
Celtic clinched their 55th top-flight title when they won the Scottish Premiership with a 5-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice Park on Saturday.
An own goal from Ryan Strain put the Hoops ahead before Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah both netted braces to secure a comprehensive victory for the away side, and one that wrapped up the title.
One player who was not involved in the matchday squad for the crowning moment, however, was Maik Nawrocki, who has fallen out of favour despite a couple of impressive outings recently.
Why Maik Nawrocki's time at Celtic might be over
The Polish defender, signed from Legia Warsaw, has only played two games in the Premiership this season, despite being available for every match, and they both came in March in back-to-back games against Rangers and Hearts.
Maik Nawrocki
Vs Rangers
Vs Hearts
Minutes
90
90
Clearances
7
9
Blocks
0
3
Tackles + interceptions
5
1
Duels won
7/10
8/9
Dribbled past
0x
0x
Pass accuracy
93%
98%
Error led to shot/goal
0
0
Stats via Sofascore
The rarely-seen star stepped up in those matches, as shown in the table above, with dominant defensive displays, whilst also being reliable in possession.
However, he was then an unused substitute in the next two games and was not named on the bench against Dundee United, with Liam Scales preferred as a starter and Auston Trusty preferred on the bench.
Nawrocki has only played 12 Premiership matches in almost two seasons at Parkhead and that may be why his time at the club could be over heading into the summer window, as the defender may want to go and play regular football.
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The 24-year-old ace may not be the only centre-back to move on from Parkhead this year, though, as Celtic must ruthlessly bin Stephen Welsh as well.
Why Celtic should sell Stephen Welsh
Once dubbed “excellent” by Brendan Rodgers, the 25-year-old flop was sent out on loan to Mechelen in Belgium during the January transfer window but he’s done very little to suggest he deserves a future at Parkhead, something the player clearly wants.
Welsh has started 11 matches in the Pro League during the second half of the campaign, and his team are yet to keep a single clean sheet – conceding 25 goals in the process.
Celtic defender Stephen Welsh.
Those statistics do not suggest that the Scottish dud is likely to return to Parkhead to challenge for a starting berth next season, given how poor his current team’s defence has been with him in the side as a starter.
His disappointing form is reflected in his current market value of £700k, as per Transfermarkt, which is even lower than Nawrocki’s valuation of £1.7m, despite him having only played two league games this season.
Welsh’s current contract at Celtic does not expire until the summer of 2027. However, the decision to send him out on loan, coupled with his market valuation and his dismal defensive numbers with Mechelen, suggests that he does not have much of a future at Parkhead.
Therefore, the club must ruthlessly bin the central defender by cashing in on him in the upcoming summer transfer window, and Nawrocki may follow him out of the door if he wants to play regularly next term.
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