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Sheffield United transfer target Jack Hendry has completed his move to KV Oostende.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that the centre-back is no longer a Celtic player after Oostende activated their £1.75m option to purchase the 26-year-old following his loan spell at the Belgian club last season.

It has been reported that Sheffield United, as well as a host of Premier League and Championship clubs, had been closely monitoring the defender ahead of a potential move in the upcoming transfer window, with Oostende thought to be more than willing to part with the Scotland international for a fee of around £10m, having agreed to sell him on to the highest bidder.

Jokanovic will be delighted

With Oostende’s permanent signing of Hendry being the first step in his potential move to Bramall Lane this summer, that they have tied up their deal for the £3.15m-rated Scotland international so efficiently is sure to leave Slavisa Jokanovic delighted.

Considering just how impressive the £8,000-per-week centre-back was in Belgium last season, the amount of interest in acquiring his services this summer is hardly surprising.

Indeed, over his 30 Jupiler Pro League appearances last term, Hendry helped his side keep six clean sheets, in addition to averaging 0.6 interceptions, one tackle, 4.1 clearances and winning 4.8 duels per game.

The 26-year-old also impressed in an attacking capacity, scoring two goals and providing one assist, with these metrics seeing the centre-back earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.01 – ranking him as Oostende’s third-best performer in the Belgian top flight.

As such, the addition of the former Wigan Athletic defender to Jokanovic’s backline ahead of the Blades’ upcoming Championship campaign would certainly not appear to do their chances of securing an immediate return to the Premier League any harm whatsoever.

However, with a significant amount of competition for the man Brendan Rodgers dubbed a “fabulous” player, it would be highly advisable for the 52-year-old Blades boss to try and tie up a deal for Hendry sooner rather than later.

In other news: Sheff Utd transfer update emerges on “versatile” £3k-p/w gem, Jokanovic will be gutted

Celtic youngster Karamoko Dembele has been waiting patiently in the wings for two years now.

It has been an arduous time for the Hoops prodigy, a player who broke onto the scene as a 16-year-old in 2019 but still only has seven first team appearances to his name.

The Bhoys have done well not to overexpose him but there is a fine line to be had. The truth is that Neil Lennon and now John Kennedy haven’t utilised him as much as they should.

Dembele has played so little that there are growing concerns over his future in Paradise. For a long while it was thought that the 18-year-old’s contract would expire at the end of the season, but Kennedy provided welcome news in the week that the teenager still has one year left on his deal.

However, if he doesn’t want to stick around, this will be their final opportunity to receive a fee for his services. If he still hasn’t signed by January, then Dembele will be free to speak to foreign clubs.

To lose a player of his calibre on a free transfer would be simply disastrous, especially now he looks set to make a proper breakthrough in Glasgow.

Dembele came off the bench in the 4-0 win over St Johnstone a few days ago to score his first senior goal. It has been a long time coming but it was taken like a player who’s been at the top for years.

David Turnbull played an inch-perfect ball into the teenager’s path before he burst away from the defence and calmly found the back of the net.

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He had a sensational impact and, if he doesn’t start on Saturday against Hibernian, it will feel like a crime against football, a devilish act deliberately made to trigger Celtic supporters.

The Hoops have nothing to play for on the final day of the campaign so this feels like the perfect time to finally unleash the winger. There is no pressure and no great expectation.

Speaking about Dembele in the week, Kennedy said: “Karamoko has been spoken about as the next superstar, but people develop physically at different rates. He is probably one who still has a bit of development, but is a terrific talent – we know that.”

Kennedy knows a flourishing young player when he sees one. He was crucial in the development of Kieran Tierney when he was coming through the ranks at Parkhead.

The left-back made a seamless transition to first team football, one that Dembele will now hope to follow. He has already made an impact at senior level and, if his goal on Wednesday tells you anything, it’s that he’s ready to start from the off.

Forget about Mohamed Elyounoussi, Celtic need to focus on players who will actually be at the club next season.

AND in other news, Howe set to be dealt big Celtic blow before he’s even arrived, McKay surely fuming…

Lee Ryder has shared some promising insight from observers of the potential takeover of Newcastle United on arbitration.

The Lowdown: Arbitration date set

A date has now been set for the pending arbitration case between the St. James’ Park faithful and the Premier League over the failed deal between Mike Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group.

The arbitration hearing has been set for July on an expedited basis, with the top flight been granted an extension to respond to the North East club’s separate anti-competition case against them.

The Latest: Ryder shares arbitration insight

Writing in his latest piece for The Chronicle, Ryder has shared that some observers of the bid believe that the arbitration decision will come much sooner than the one on the anti-competition claim, and that the result of arbitration could mean that the PL would be told that their original takeover decision would have to be reversed.

Given that the original decision was to fail the takeover, this would give it another chance to be completed.

The Verdict: Promising for takeover

The fact that the league could be told to reverse their original decision can only be seen as promising for the potential takeover, as it means that there is still a possibility for it to be completed.

Although the timing of the arbitration case is not ideal, given that it falls in the middle of the summer transfer window, a positive result would be a big step in its potential revival.

Nonetheless, at least there is now a date set in stone for that hearing, meaning that the Tyneside club can now prepare fully for it once the 2020/21 season ends, with the hope that it will be resolved at least before the end of the transfer window so that they know what kind of calibre of player they may be able to bring in.

In other news, find out whose display versus Sheffield United was slammed here!

Daniel Pinder, editor-in-chief of Get German Football News, has exclusively told Football FanCast that Taiwo Awoniyi would score goals at Celtic, providing he has the right players around him.

Back in January, Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers were ready to battle it out for the young striker, who’s currently on loan at Union Berlin from Liverpool.

Despite a slow start to his loan spell in the German capital, Awoniyi has scored five times and added three assists in 19 Bundesliga appearances, with those five coming across a seven-game period, including the opener in the victory over Borussia Dortmund.

A muscle problem has kept the Nigerian out of Union Berlin’s last 10 matches, but he’s still made a significant impact during his second loan spell in Germany having spent last season at Mainz.

And Pinder told Football FanCast that Awoniyi would be a good addition for the Hoops, should they lose Odsonne Edouard this summer, with the Frenchman reportedly wanting out.

“I haven’t seen much of Edouard play, but looking at his stats, he scores plenty of goals, and I think Awoniyi could get the goals, but he needs the right players around him as he has at Union Berlin this season.”

This could prove a shrewd piece of business for Celtic, but they’ll need a far bigger name to please the fanbase providing Edouard departs this summer.

The Frenchman has been their talisman for the previous four seasons, and if the Hoops want to bridge the gap to Rangers next term, an established striker on top of Awoniyi is required.

Everton will allow Theo Walcott to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season.

That’s according to a report from Football Insider on Tuesday.

The lowdown

Southampton brought Walcott back to St Mary’s on loan at the end of the summer transfer window and it’s been a fairly successful spell at St Mary’s.

Walcott has made 20 appearances in red and white, scoring two goals and providing three assists (via Transfermarkt)

According to The Athletic’s Dan Sheldon, the club have been ‘blown away’ by the professionalism he’s displayed.

He’s been reporting to the training ground on days off, staying late and offering advice to young players.

Saints skipper James Ward-Prowse hailed him as a ‘great addition’ and said he was an ‘inspiring’ figure for the academy players.

The latest

Football Insider’s report states that Ancelotti has given the green light for Walcott, who’s made 47 England appearances, to leave permanently this time.

A club source has indicated that they won’t look to extend his deal and Everton are looking to replenish their ranks with a signing of a ‘top-class’ right-winger.

The verdict

Southampton want to sign Walcott permanently, and the 32-year-old seems perfectly at home on the South Coast – the extra effort he is putting in around the training ground is surely reflective of a player who sees his long-term future there.

It’s no surprise, then, that Everton won’t look to stand in his way.

The Toffees shelled out more than £20million to bring him in from Arsenal and, in truth, haven’t had much return on their investment.

In other news, this Premier League veteran has been tipped to succeed at Everton if he makes the move.

Everton may not move towards ‘self-sufficiency’ in the transfer market until 2024, football finance expert Kieran Maguire has told Football Insider.

Moshiri bought a 49.9% stake in the club in February 2016 and his share has since grown to 77.2%.

According to Transfermarkt figures, Everton have spent just over £526m on new players in that time. By contrast, they’ve taken in £271million from sales.

The Blues have just been given the green light to begin work on a new 52,000-seater stadium and it’s hoped that the Bramley Moore Dock venue, which will cost an estimated £500m, will open in 2024 (via Daily Mail).

‘More big-spending’ on the horizon for Moshiri’s Everton

Even amid this almighty spending, Maguire doesn’t expect Everton to start trying to balance their books just yet.

He told Football Insider: “They would love European football in time for 2024 and I think Moshiri plans more big spending until then. After that, they might move in a more self-sufficient direction.”

Everton are currently five points off the Premier League’s top four, but they possess two games in hand on Chelsea. The goal will then be to finally consolidate themselves as consistent qualifiers for continental competition, having played on that stage only three times in the last decade.

Football Insider have already claimed that Moshiri will finance another spending spree in the summer.

Transfer Tavern verdict

This is a daunting prospect for Everton’s rivals.

The Toffees have a decorated manager in Carlo Ancelotti and he looks set to get the backing to assemble a squad which can compete with the Premier League’s big hitters in the long-term.

The eventual move towards self-sufficiency won’t necessarily usher in a decline either, as arch-rivals Liverpool have pursued that model to good effect.

In other news, many Everton fans lamented this injury blow over the weekend.

Southampton are one of a number of Premier League clubs reportedly taking an interest in Barnsley youngster Callum Styles, and the 21-year-old could be an excellent addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

According to Football League World, Southampton, Leeds United and Norwich City are all keen on the Barnsley man, who has been a key part of their impressive season in the Championship.

After featuring as a midfielder earlier in his career, Styles has been converted to a left wing-back this season by Barnsley boss Valérien Ismaël and has enjoyed a lot of success in his new position.

This season has seen the former Bury youngster contribute four goals and two assists in 36 Championship appearances, whilst he has averaged a solid 6.86 WhoScored rating for his performances.

Although Styles is contracted at Barnsley until 2023, you would imagine that unless they can pull off a shock promotion to the top flight, he will depart the Tykes this summer, given that all three of Southampton, Leeds and Norwich are looking highly likely to be in the Premier League next season.

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During his time with the Yorkshire club, Styles earned himself the nickname of ‘The Bury Baggio’ from supporters, with the club themselves regularly likening their young defender to the Italian legend on Twitter.

Given that Ryan Bertrand is yet to sign a new deal at Southampton, it seems clear that the Saints are looking into bringing a left-back to the club this summer, and Styles’ superb performances with Barnsley this season certainly suggest that he would be a worthwhile addition.

Hasenhuttl is renowned for loving versatile players and therefore he should definitely appreciate someone such as Styles, who is comfortable playing in midfield and defensive roles.

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Therefore, vice-chairman Martin Semmens should certainly consider bringing the 21-year-old Barnsley ace to St Mary’s this summer, as he looks destined to be playing in the Premier League next season.

In other news… Southampton could sign a Diallo upgrade in £4.05m-rated “class act”

According to Diario Gol, Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho has his sights set on a swoop for Raphael Varane in the summer transfer window…

What’s the word?

It is claimed that the Frenchman’s contract is up in less than 18 months’ time and Real Madrid are seriously considering cashing in on him to raise funds for their own spending.

Mourinho was the man to bring Varane to the Bernabeu back in 2011 and the pair have great respect for one another.

The ‘Special One’ tried to sign him at Manchester United, and while the 27-year-old was unwilling to leave the La Liga giants, he told Canal+ (via Fotmob) that “it is not easy to say no to Jose Mourinho.”

Varane has also previously dubbed the Portuguese boss his “second father” in an interview with TF1 (via ESPN). Whilst reports claim the Frenchman has already said no again, it cannot be ruled out as things quickly change in football, especially with Madrid keen to cash in.

Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United are also mooted with interest.

Bye-bye Sanchez?

Spurs’ backline is certainly one major area of concern for Mourinho, so he will need to bolster it in the summer if he’s to get back on track in north London.

It appears he may well be doing exactly that as further reports have suggested that Davinson Sanchez is available for transfer. Just a few days ago, Football Insider claimed that the former club-record £42m signing was free to leave as he “cannot be trusted” in big matches.

As such, the Spurs boss is lining up ‘multiple’ central defensive signings and will need a replacement for the 24-year-old flop.

This is where signing Varane makes a ton of sense – if Mourinho can convince him. That may be a hard task following their exit from the Europa League this week.

Varane’s illustrious career is far beyond that of any Spurs player. It’s the sort of record that someone like Harry Kane richly deserves. The £34m-rated French international’s trophy cabinet has three Champions Leagues, three La Liga titles and a World Cup among other domestic crowns.

The Real Madrid beast has been Zinedine Zidane’s second-best centre-back in the league this term, averaging a WhoScored match rating of 6.87. His strengths appear to be in the air, having won 2.3 aerial duels per match, a number only bettered by Casemiro at the Bernabeu.

This is backed up by praise from Los Blancos legend Fernando Hierro, who said he’s “strong in the air in both boxes”, also adding: “He’s magnificent and he’s got it all.”

Similarly, Varane tops the charts for clearances per game (3.6), which suggests he’s the sort of no-nonsense defender Mourinho needs after dealing with consistent errors and mistakes from Sanchez and Eric Dier alike.

“It’s probably one of the worst partnerships in the Premier League!” said Jamie O’Hara to talkSPORT only three weeks ago.

Mourinho knows what he’s getting with Varane too – back in 2014, the Spurs boss claimed his former signing was “the best” centre-back in the world.

This echoes thoughts from ex-Chelsea star Eden Hazard, who told franceinfo (via talkSPORT): “He’s already one of the best centre-backs of all time. His partnership with Sergio Ramos is wonderful.”

Daniel Levy must make a convincing swoop for him in the summer – at the very least, he has to try. As evident above, he’d be a perfect replacement if Spurs are to offload Sanchez.

AND in other news, £22.5m-rated calamity failed Spurs yet again with shocking display vs Dinamo Zagreb

Some Liverpool fans have been reacting negatively to Mohamed Salah’s comments about his relationship with Jurgen Klopp, fearing that he may leave the club.

The Egyptian has been one of the star players during this wonderful period at Anfield, scoring 119 goals in 192 appearances for the club.

In a season which has seen numerous players struggle, Salah has stood out for Liverpool, not only leading their scoring charts but also topping the pile in the Premier League alongside Harry Kane currently.

There appear to be constant question marks surrounding the 28-year-old’s long-term future at Anfield, however, and in an interview with AS back in December, he flirted with a move to Spain.

Fresh comments have now emerged from Salah, in which he discusses his relationship with Klopp, telling Marca:

“It’s a normal relationship between two professionals. That’s how I’d describe it.”

It isn’t exactly the warmest set of comments from Salah, perhaps suggesting he isn’t as close to the Liverpool manager as some of his teammates.

Liverpool fans react to Salah comments

These Reds supporters took to Twitter to provide their thoughts on the matter, with many concerned about what the future could hold.

“I feel Salah is gonna leave anytime soon, wherever he goes, I wish him all the best”

Credit: @oluwadhamendra1

“Yikes”

Credit: @Haashimlfc

“Wow…such love eh. I know which one I’d rather have at my club. Bye bye Mo”

Credit: @moustache_and

“Not exactly the great affection your hear from other players, is it? Wonder if one day we’ll find out that they were never that close. It happens, like Gerrard/Rafa, Fowler/Houllier”

Credit: @HenryJackson87

“Don’t care. Let him leave, we need the cash”

Credit: @RyShah3

“He can leave”

Credit: @DarkW0LF19

In other news, Liverpool are reportedly interested in snapping up a fellow ‘big six’ star this summer – find out who it is here.

Aston Villa saw their hopes of back-to-back Premier League wins go up in smoke, after they were consigned to a surprising 1-0 defeat to ten-man Sheffield United on Wednesday night.

The Blades have been rooted to the bottom of the table for much of this season, but pulled off a real shock at Bramall Lane thanks to a goal from David McGoldrick.

Villa as a whole didn’t look like themselves, but one man who really struggled to get to the pace of the game, was John McGinn.

The Scotland international looked out of sorts, losing possession 21 times on the night, which is far above his season average in the Premier League of 12.9 per match. He also wasn’t decisive enough in his passing either, boasting the second-highest amount of touches for Villa with 99, but only providing one key pass – even left-back Matt Targett matched his efforts.

And it wasn’t just him being sloppy in the middle of the park either. He missed a glorious opportunity early on into the game that would have handed Villa the initiative but he fluffed his lines completely after some good work from Ollie Watkins – all in all, none of his four attempts found the target.

Writing in his post-match player ratings for The Birmingham Mail, Ashley Preece said: “His sloppy pass in midfield almost handed Sheffield United their first chance, only for his brilliant recovery to pinch it back from inside the box to deny Baldock from slamming home. McGinn, though, missed a huge chance after 10 minutes as he rushed his effort after Watkins’ nod down and slashed it wide of the far post.

“McGinn was guilty of ball-watching for United’s opener as McGoldrick raced past three black Villa shirts before striking home. The Scot did improve slightly after the hosts went down to 10 men and almost assisted Traore with a cute header before his effort was well-blocked while, moments later, he had a shot of his own which was deflected for a corner by Ampadu. Looked sluggish here, as if the effort at Leeds had taken something out of him.”

And that last part is what’s absolutely critical for Villa, and why Smith should make that bold call of dropping him from the starting line-up. The £18m-rated man has played the full 90 minutes in every single Premier League game this season bar one, and that was only because of picking up a suspension for the clash against Newcastle.

The Scotland international showed signs of real fatigue and burn-out against the Blades, and given that Smith has January signing Morgan Sanson still knocking on the door for his first start in the top-flight, now seems like the perfect time for such a change to be made.

McGinn just looked off the pace going forward, and even tracking back, as seen by his role in allowing McGoldrick to score the winner. It would be a ruthless call to drop someone who’s been Mr Undroppable for Villa this season, but Wednesday’s game showed why that must exactly happen.

Meanwhile, Villa are eyeing a move for this Premier League star…