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Celtic have a track record when it comes to signing players from Premier League clubs during previous transfer windows.

One player in England’s top division that has recently been mentioned with a move to Parkhead this summer is Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley.

However, Sky Sports journalist, Anthony Joseph, recently took to Twitter to play down these rumours, suggesting he wasn’t a player that would be arriving in Glasgow.

With that in mind, another midfield option that has been touted with a move to Celtic Park that should take the club’s attention away from Barkley is Edouard Michut.

Having made 17 appearances for the French club, the 19-year-old already has eight senior games under his belt, showing just how highly they rate him there.

In those eight appearances, the midfielder has managed to provide one assist, which came during PSG’s 1-1 draw against Olympique Lyon last season.

Hailed by football talent scout, Jacek Kulig, as a “highly technical and creative playmaker”, as well as a “fantastic product” of PSG’s youth academy, Michut could be a better option for Celtic to sign ahead of Barkley given his young age and the potential he has to grow and develop into a top player.

The young Frenchman could reportedly be signed by Celtic for a fee of £5m which could make him a cheaper option than the £10.8m-rated Chelsea midfielder should the west London club look to sell him this summer.

The fact the Englishman currently picks up a weekly wage of £100k-per-week, means any deal materialising is incredibly difficult to envisage.

In comparison, Michut reportedly only earns £730-per-week at his current club, which would surely make a potential move for him a better financial option for the Hoops.

In addition to that, with players such as Tom Rogic, Luca Connell, Ewan Henderson, Kerr McInroy, Ismaila Soro and Nir Bitton all making moves away from Paradise this summer, life could well be pretty easy for the PSG prodigy when it comes to working his way into Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Therefore, if an opportunity to strike a deal with the French giants to sign their young midfielder arises before the summer transfer window closes, the Hoops should spring into action and secure his signature, putting to bed the idea of signing Barkley at the same time.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester United are working on a new deal for young forward Alejandro Garnacho.

The Lowdown: Garnacho impresses at Old Trafford

Garnacho has been progressing through the youth system with the Red Devils and made his Premier League debut last season after contributing to 31 goals in 52 games at academy level.

The winger was selected by Erik ten Hag for their pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia but didn’t make a single appearance across four games.

Ten Hag did give the 18-year-old the nod against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, though, with Garnacho catching the eye at Old Trafford ahead of the Premier League opener against Brighton next weekend.

The Latest: Romano’s update

Romano, who previously said that Garnacho is regarded as a ‘huge talent’, provided an update on the forward’s future.

He stated that United are ‘working’ on a new contract for the teenager after Ten Hag gave his approval.

The Verdict: Brilliant news

Garnacho appears to be a future star and has already impressed under Ten Hag, so securing his services for the long run is a shrewd move.

The Argentine’s current contract expires in less than 12 months’ time, which would mean that he could discuss a pre-contract agreement elsewhere in the New Year, should his situation remain the same.

Hopefully the player’s future will be resolved by then, and who knows, Garnacho’s stock may rise even further between now and January if he makes the most of any game-time that he gets over the next few months.

West Ham are ready to battle with several clubs for the signature of Wolfsburg centre-back Maxence Lacroix.

 What’s the word?

That’s according to French publication Media Foot, who claim that the French defender has been tracked by West Ham.

Amongst the list of other potential suitors is Arsenal, and the player is said to be hotly followed throughout the Premier League.

Lacroix extended his contract last September until June 2025, so it will take a substantial bid to pry him from the German club. 

An upgrade on Diop

To coerce this highly-rated defender to the London Stadium would be a huge statement of intent, especially with the ever-growing list of other interested parties. It would go a long way towards convincing Declan Rice of the club’s ambition.

Not only this, but it would form one of the more mobile defences in the Premier League, with Kurt Zouma also possessing great speed as well as a sizeable frame.

This signing could however signal the end for another of his compatriots, as it would no doubt send Issa Diop further down the pecking order.

Last season, the West Ham centre-back only managed 12 league appearances as his playtime was further limited. He could not challenge Craig Dawson and Zouma and was subsequently sidelined.

Lacroix however featured 29 times and earned huge praise for his blistering pace and intelligent defending. His performances saw him garner a 6.99 average SofaScore rating; a fine return for the 22-year-old.

Oliver Glasner, his manager, had labelled the defender “outstanding”. He is well thought of amongst his Wolfsburg teammates.

Not only this, but the £61k-per-week star ranked in the 99th percentile for interceptions per 90. His incredible awareness matched with his speed helped him to snuff out any danger before it had even materialised.

He also ranked in the 99th percentile for dribbles completed, marking him out as a progressive carrier who enjoys having the ball at his feet.

David Moyes must certainly act quickly to snatch this fine asset from his rivals and replace Diop, further adding to his remarkable talent pool in central defence.

AND, in other news: WHU “really interested” in signing “exceptional” £43m-rated talent, imagine him & Rice.

Aston Villa have been heavily linked with signing Anderlecht defender Sergio Gomez in recent weeks and the Spaniard could form a superb partnership with Philippe Coutinho on Steven Gerrard’s left-hand side.

Reports have suggested that Villa are keen on signing the former Barcelona man after his superb performances in the Belgian Pro League last season.

The Villans will be in the market for a left-back after Matt Targett was allowed to join Newcastle United on a permanent deal, having spent the second half of last season on loan with Eddie Howe’s side.

While Lucas Digne has impressed since his January switch from Everton, Gerrard will no doubt be looking for such competition for the Frenchman at left-back, and Gomez could be the ideal man.

Last season saw the 21-year-old average an impressive 7.08 rating from WhoScored for his domestic performances, as he contributed a superb six goals and 11 assists for the Belgian side.

The young defender, who is also capable of playing in midfield, has spent much of his youth representing either Barcelona or Borussia Dortmund, so has a rich history and looks to have a huge amount of potential.

The “great talent” spent five years in Barcelona’s La Masia academy, so could form a natural connection with Coutinho in Villa’s side next season given his footballing education.

That spell in his career has clearly had a big influence on his style of play, as WhoScored suggests that his strengths include passing, playing key passes and holding on to the ball.

These attributes would surely compliment Coutinho well down the left-hand side, and the prospect of the two working together and creating chances next season is surely one that will excite Gerrard and Villa fans.

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Therefore, Johan Lange should definitely consider making Gomez Villa’s fifth signing of the summer, as he clearly has a huge amount of potential, and his style of play could work wonders alongside Coutinho under Gerrard’s management next season.

AND in other news: Fabrizio Romano reveals “full agreement” reached, Aston Villa supporters surely gutted

Crystal Palace are still interested in signing Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah this summer, according to a report from Sky Sports. 

The lowdown: Contract saga

With the 23-year-old set to become a free agent at the end of the month as things stand (Transfermarkt), the Gunners are believed to still be in talks with the player regarding a contract extension.

Having made an early switch from Chelsea, the England youth revelation has come through the ranks in north London and spent a short time out on loan at Leeds United during the embryonic stage of his senior career.

With doubts continuing to abound over 23-year-old’s future, the Eagles are among those looking closely at the striker…

The latest: Eagles eyeing Eddie

As per Sky Sports, Crystal Palace and Borussia Monchengladbach remain ‘interested’ in signing Nketiah.

It’s claimed that the England under-21’s all-time top scorer has ‘expressed a desire to play regular first-team football’ as Arsenal attempt to persuade him to remain at the Emirates Stadium.

However, the report added that Nketiah – who was described as ‘tremendous’ by journalist Layth Yousif following a brace and two-goal, 8.60 Sofascore-rated performance against Chelsea in April – is ‘finalising details’ on a new deal with the Gunners.

The verdict: Shrewd move

Still holding a market value of £9m (Transfermarkt), the capture of Nketiah on a free transfer would be a sensational piece of business from Palace, particularly should Christian Benteke leave Selhurst Park this summer.

Previously on the periphery of matters at Arsenal, the talented youngster came to the forefront of matters last season with 10 goals and one assist in 27 senior outings, showing signs of proving his Premier League capabilities.

Despite an impressive campaign from Jean-Philippe Mateta, with only 10-goal duo Odsonne Edouard and Benteke as frontline centre-forward backup options, Eagles boss Patrick Vieira and co should remain attentive to Nketiah’s situation in north London and be prepared to make their move should the time arise.

Indeed, Sky Sports’ claim about the 23-year-old expressing a desire for regular football may suggest that he is open to leaving the Emirates.

In other news, read the latest update on another Palace transfer target

Leeds United have now received a bid for star midfielder Kalvin Phillips, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: City interest

Phillips has been a man in demand since the turn of the year, with the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle United and West Ham all keen on his services.

However, after he helped keep the Whites in the Premier League, it seems as if the only way he will leave Elland Road now is for a move to the Etihad.

City reportedly view Phillips as the perfect replacement for Fernandinho, and they have now taken the next step in their pursuit of the 26-year-old.

The Latest: Source shares major development

A Man City source shared an update to FI on Monday afternoon regarding Phillips. They claimed that the Premier League champions have now made an offer for the Leeds star, with Pep Guardiola a ‘huge’ fan.

Guardiola has made it clear to City chiefs how much he wants Phillips at the club, with an offer of around £50m potentially enough to seal a deal.

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The Verdict: Big decision

It now looks as if Leeds officials will need to respond to City’s opening offer, which could make for an interesting few weeks. If the Whites are to cash in, it may be wise to look to get a transfer finalised as quickly as possible.

That will then allow the club to bring in further midfield reinforcements before the club return for pre-season, with Marc Roca looking likely to become the third signing of the summer.

Phil Hay previously reported that Roca is viewed as competition for Phillips and not a direct replacement, which shows that Leeds would need to bring in at least one more midfielder if Phillips moves on.

In other news: Leeds now won’t sign ‘superb’ midfielder despite Phil Hay revealing talks

Bruno Lage has endured a decent first season as manager of Wolves, leading them to their third top-half finish in the Premier League since being promoted in 2018.

The next aim for the Portuguese manager is to lead his side into the European places next term and with a major rebuilding job potentially on the cards this summer, it might well turn into reality.

With Wolves playing the last game of their season away to title challengers Liverpool on Sunday, the supporters will want to end the campaign on a high, although Lage may have pleased the Molineux faithful already with one recent development.

Addressing the possibility of transfer activity in the summer, Lage explained: “Maybe we need two or three players to increase the quality and number of players in our squad.

“We cannot let what happened two years ago when it’s hard to replace a player like Raul (Jimenez).”

Wolves fans will love to hear it

These comments suggest that Lage is aiming to bring in a number of players first before there will be any outgoings at Wolves, something which will surely delight the Old Gold support.

With Ruben Neves’ future remaining uncertain following what looked like an emotional farewell at Molineux last week, and Joao Mourinho’s contract expiring at the end of the season, then it’s clear that Lage will need to act fast to bring in potential replacements.

The club have recently been linked with high-calibre players such as Joao Palhinha and Sebastian Rode, and these targets could enhance the Wolves squad ahead of what could be a massive 2022/23 campaign at Molineux.

Whatever happens, Lage has endeared himself to much of the Wolves support with his solid first season in charge, and if it weren’t for a late collapse due to some poor results, then he might even have a European campaign to anticipate later in the year.

For now, the Molineux faithful can content themselves with the manager’s burning desire not to be left short on quality or quantity within his squad once the 2022/23 season gets underway.

AND in other news, Wolves plotting bid for “special” £25m gem who “rules midfield”, Lage will love him

Everton claimed their first victory of the Premier League season yesterday, with a solid 1-0 victory against a struggling West Ham United.

Although David Moyes had commanded the Goodison Park dugout for 11 years, it was the new man in charge who has been earning all the plaudits.

Frank Lampard’s efforts to repair the wedge Rafa Benitez drove between players and fans has been nothing short of sensational and rank highly on the list of positive impacts he has had on the club.

However, probably his most miraculous turnaround was the decision to move underperforming winger Alex Iwobi to central midfield.

From what was seen as another piece of terrible business, having spent £34m on the Nigerian back in 2019, the former Arsenal man somehow now continues to prove why he should be the first name on the team sheet for his 44-year-old boss.

His performance against the Hammers further cemented this status, where he again produced a workmanlike yet classy display that only serves to enamour him more with the Goodison faithful and his manager.

Not only did he slip Neal Maupay in for the winner, but the 26-year-old also recorded two key passes in a performance that saw him voted as Player of the Match by the Everton fans.

To claim such an award in a game which saw so many fine performers further proves his importance to the team.

He was a creative influence throughout, and despite losing possession 18 times, it is clear that his desire to try something different paid off with the goal.

This could be compared to the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who too often loses possession but last season assisted 12 times.

However, it is his defensive workload that truly leaves fans speechless.

From a toothless winger offering little creativity, his three clearances, one blocked shot and one tackle supports the statement made by Joe Thomas of how he is the catalyst for an Everton team showing “lots more bite.”

Somehow he has turned his career round on Merseyside, much to the delight of the fans, and the confidence his performances are breeding only serves to improve him further.

He has quickly become a fan favourite, and performances such as this will only strengthen the bond he has formed with the Evertonians.

In Sri Lanka, he is relentlessly looked down by the spinners, banished to some corner of the field. In Christchurch, Suranga Lakmal was a different beast

Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Dec-2018To be Suranga Lakmal on Sri Lankan tracks is to be more or less relentlessly looked down upon by spin bowlers.Spinners to Lakmal: “Yes, we know you’ve played more Tests than most of the remainder of the attack, and of course your seam position is nice and your cutters are cute. But , look. You’re a ‘fast’ bowler. These are dry tracks. We’re all are glad that you ran in so hard and tried your best with the new ball. Oh, you got a little swing also? Really? Aney nice. But you run along now. Off to deep midwicket, . And don’t you worry your seam-bowler’s head – the big boys have got it from here. We’ll call you back if we need you. We’ll call you. We’ll call you.”Spinners amongst themselves: “Poor fellow, no, that Suranga? Must be thinking he will get another bowl in this innings. Anyway, what to do? Seam bowler, no? Not clever like us.”Over the five most recent Tests in Sri Lanka, Lakmal bowled a total of 63.3 overs. That’s roughly six overs per innings. In the vast majority of those occasions, he bowled a new-ball spell, and was virtually never heard from again. Imagine that. Being one of only four frontline bowlers in the XI, and yet, feeling like your main job is to bowl long enough to scratch up the leather on the ball to make it softer for the spinners’ delicate little fingers to comfortably hold. You are basically a utensil. Human sandpaper. Cameron Bancroft might have used Suranga Lakmal in Cape Town, if only he had been able to surreptitiously stash Lakmal away in his undershorts.What is truly remarkable, though, is that for four of those five Tests, Lakmal was himself the official captain, with Dinesh Chandimal either suspended or injured. In two of the eight bowling innings that Lakmal led, he did not bring himself on at all. In another, he bowled himself for a measly two overs.It is almost as if the spinners have taken him captive, and so long has he been under their dominion, that he has developed a warped admiration for his captors. A bowling Stockholm syndrome. “There’s not much point in me bowling myself on pitches like this,” he has said at more than one press conference. “Especially not when we have so many quality spinners around.”But on a Hagley Oval greentop, on Boxing Day, Lakmal broke the spell. He rediscovered self-worth. He puffed his chest out. He took ownership. He played as if his own bowling was much more macho work than a spinner’s could ever be, which it absolutely is. He even did what those self-important Sri Lankan spinners routinely do at home: bowl unchanged from an end through the duration of an entire session.Twelve straight overs of Lakmal just plugging away on that good length, some balls darting this way, others jiving in the opposite direction. Lakmal’s haul, before lunch, was four wickets for 18 from 12 consecutive overs. A full quarter of those overs were wicket maidens. He would later go on to complete a second career five-wicket haul.

In Sri Lanka, Lakmal is basically a utensil. Human sandpaper. Cameron Bancroft might have used Suranga Lakmal in Cape Town, if only he had been able to surreptitiously stash Lakmal away in his undershorts.

“With the start I got, I wanted to bowl even until they were all out,” Lakmal said after play. “I didn’t want to give anyone else the ball when I’m bowling that well. There are times when I almost forcefully kept the ball. And that’s what we talked about before the game – that like we give the spinners a chance in Sri Lanka, they also have to give us a chance in a place like this. If they can do it at home, we have to do the job away. The fast bowlers have to look to get the 10 wickets.”Soon as I got on the field today, I told Chandika Hathurusingha that I’d get five wickets in this match. So glad I was able to get there.”Two of the most devious deliveries in that opening spell got rid of two in-form left-handers: Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls. Latham got an away-seamer that he pushed at, and edged to second slip. Nicholls got one that connived the other way, surging between bat and pad to rattle the top of off stump. For the majority of his career, Lakmal has been a move-it-in-one-direction-only kind of guy, which sort of explains the career average (which is still above 40), and perhaps also the shortage of self-esteem.”Moving it both ways is not something I’ve always been able to do,” he said. “It’s what I’ve been working on in the last four or five months. I can put extra pressure on the batsman now, because he now has to think about two different balls. That really helped me get five wickets.”There will of course be more Tests in Lakmal’s career in which he is surplus to requirement. When the spinners will smile their condescending smiles and banish him to some corner of the field. But right now, at the front end of this long away season for Sri Lanka, Lakmal is experiencing something unfamiliar: the feeling of being desperately needed. On a pitch that suits him completely, he has responded well.If Sri Lanka’s batting collapses as dramatically as it threatened to do against the new ball on the first evening, perhaps Lakmal will be desperately needed again very soon.

England were the better team in the drawn Rajkot Test, but the series is still 0-0 and India are still playing at home, on a Visakhapatnam pitch that looks likely to favour their strengths

Alagappan Muthu in Visakhapatnam16-Nov-2016Is momentum in cricket real?Captains talk about it in earnest. Commentators go one step further, looking for the actual tipping point. It becomes part of the answer to why a player is in form and can even lay out why he isn’t. It impacts a side’s performance no matter the format. It even supersedes arguments such as conditions being different or that not all people tend to be affected by something in the same way.Clearly, physics was never big enough to hold momentum all to itself and having transcended into the sporting arena, it has become a buzzword that nobody can escape.In Rajkot, Virat Kohli said momentum “sort of defines if you have an advantage of a disadvantage as a team”. By that logic, can England consider themselves as being on top going into the Visakhapatnam Test? They made more runs in Rajkot. They took more wickets. They even took the awards. Assuming momentum is as powerful as everyone says, perhaps.Only, before the series began, India had crushed New Zealand, a team that seemed well-equipped to handle spin-friendly conditions. They hadn’t lost a Test in over a year and the last time they did so at home was in 2012. If momentum was such an irresistible force, Kohli and his men shouldn’t have been given the scare they were. Besides, they’ve insisted it wasn’t a scare. That tense situations like being six down with 10 overs left on a fifth-day pitch are a learning experience. You can imagine how desperately disappointed they must have been as kids when school was out.Momentum seems to have a tendency to vary with points of view as well. Alastair Cook is buoyed by the strength of England’s performance in the opening Test of one of the toughest series of his career. Kohli believes he will get a track that is conducive to India’s strengths so he is barely bothered about the events in Rajkot. Ask them who has the momentum, both men, would likely say they do. Makes sense. Not.Look at the things that have changed. India have brought back their first-choice opener. KL Rahul comes into the second Test on the back of a first-class century which not only points to his form but importantly establishes that he has recovered well from a hamstring injury. On the other hand, England are worried over the availability of Chris Woakes, who has been among their best performing players since the start of their home summer.Then there is the surface, which may start out better than hoped but would certainly deteriorate a lot quicker than the one at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Ground. R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have exploited such conditions in the past. All they need is one to spin big. That combined with their ability to undercut the ball and make a few go straight has led many a batsmen to confusion. It is not an easily replicable skill. A spinner hoping for as little deviation as possible has to avoid the seam hitting the deck. Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali and Zafar Ansari may have made a fine start to the series, but can they match the Indians’ tricks? None of them is experienced enough in this format to carry a bowling attack.Finally, the batting. It is never black and white in touch conditions, which arguably, neither of these sides has had to deal with so far. Visakhapatnam – from day three onwards – appears set to remedy that. So defensive techniques need to be tight. Partnerships become crucial for any time a new batsman comes in, the likelihood of him getting out quickly may as well be a blaring red light on top of his head.Even if someone is in form, he has to be mindful of the ways in which the bowler is targeting him. Just because he made a hundred in the last innings doesn’t give him the right to pass go and collect 200 the next time. Monopoly rules sadly don’t apply in cricket.All these factors – the pitch, each team’s plans, each individual’s plans, the outcome of the toss – dispute the impact momentum can have across matches. Within a match then. Does one team pulling ahead immediately set them up in a match? Four years ago, in Ahmedabad, Cook made a resoundingly defiant 176 while following-on which forced the Indian bowlers to tire themselves out and may even have had a bearing on their potency in the next Test in Mumbai.Hard work, skill, and just that little bit of chance, make up a cricket match. Momentum – whatever it is – is a far weaker influence.