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He missed their best chance to score in the Mestalla but tonight Kris Ajer came of age as a

Celtic player.

After 62 minutes he rose perfectly to meet a Ryan Christie free kick from the right but got too much on his header when simply glancing it would have opened the tie right up.

Eight minutes later Kevin Gameiro scored the only goal of the game but when the final whistle blew there wasn’t a failure in the Celtic side.

The travelling support witnessed tame performances away to RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig in the group phase but against overwhelming odds, increased by the 37th minute sending off of Jeremy Toljan, the Bhoys stood up to be counted.

The 6 foot 5 youngster started off on the right of a back three and played the role with great discipline. When Toljan walked he had to go out to right-back and barely gave the Spanish side a look in.

The 20-year-old was disciplined and determined as Valencia tried to flood the flanks to find a way to goal. Ajer was well backed by his defensive team-mates as Celtic stood their ground until they were cut open for Gameiro’s goal.

His header just past the hour mark will obviously be remembered but in one of the toughest venues in the Europa League Brendan Rodgers got a glimpse of a future central defence without Filip Benkovic and Dedryck Boyata.

Here’s what Celtic fans have been saying on Twitter…

Pundit Alan Hutton believes that Celtic have already spoken with Tom Rogic in regards to a new contract, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Postecoglou’s comments

Rogic, who missed the 3-0 win over Rangers due to being away on international duty, returned on the weekend against Motherwell and put in a starring display.

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The Aussie netted twice in a 4-0 victory, and with his current deal at Parkhead set to expire in less than 18 months’ time, Ange Postecoglou was quizzed on the playmaker’s future.

Postecoglou admitted that Rogic’s contract situation was the last thing on his mind but hailed Rogic for his performance at Fir Park.

The Latest: Hutton’s claim

Hutton, who regularly contributes for BBC Radio 5 Live, was asked for his thoughts by Football Insider on Rogic and the possibility of a new deal.

This is what he had to say in reply, believing that initial talks may have already been held regarding a fresh contract.

“I think when you’re building a squad like Postecoglou’s doing, you need the experienced heads round about you. The likes of Rogic, McGregor, Hart, these kinds of guys.

“They’ve been there, seen it, done it. You need that within your squad and then you can put the different jigsaw pieces next to them.

“So I’m pretty sure that there will have been conversations that have already happened.

“He’s maybe trying to keep it close to his chest. He doesn’t want to make a big deal of it and neither does the player.

“It wouldn’t surprise me in the near future if we did hear more about it. They’ll want to tie him down. Rogic is a great player and he’s still got a lot to offer.

“He’s only 29 and he’ll want to continue winning things for Celtic. He’s already won a heck of a lot as we stand, so he will probably want to continue.”

The Verdict: Evaluate in the summer?

Rogic was close to leaving the club back in 2020, and should he continue his impressive form, you’d expect links of a possible exit will only resurface in the summer.

He’ll be into the final 12 months of his contract ahead of the 2022/23 season, which seems to be a good time to reassess his future, but also a good time for any interested parties to stump up an offer.

Rogic will turn 30 at the end of the year, so you could argue that he still has a few more years to star in Scotland. On his form this season, with no other Celtic player registering more assists, a new deal seems to be a no brainer, but there is no rush to finalise one over the coming months.

In other news: Celtic gifted injury boost as reporter relays news involving ‘very valuable’ player via Twitter. 

Many Everton fans have been left buzzing over some transfer news that has emerged on Sean Longstaff.

As per The Athletic (via Everton Talks Nsno), a potential move to bring the central midfield player to Goodison Park has now collapsed after the sacking of Rafa Benitez.

The Spaniard reportedly wanted to sign Longstaff from his old club in last summer’s transfer window, and links continued into this month, but now talk of signing him seem over.

A lot of Toffees supporters seem very relieved to hear this, as one would have to question whether Longstaff would improve their team, as he is currently averaging  fewer clearances, key passes and dribbles per match in the Premier League than both Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan (WhoScored).

With just one goal and one assist to show for the Toon so far this term (Transfermarkt), the signing would not exactly have been inspiring.

Everton fans on Longstaff transfer news

These Blues buzzed as the transfer news was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that they were ‘made up’, while a couple of others called it ‘great’:

“GET IN!!! Great news”

Credit: @Hemms10

“Great to hear”

Credit: @AintreeBlues

“Made up”

Credit: @max_musco

“Yesssssss”

Credit: @johnocallagha11

“Lovely stuff”

Credit: @jackph21

“Praise the lord”

Credit: @JakeMartinMagee

In other news, find out what manager update has Evertonians raging here!

With two weeks left until the January transfer window closes, Wolves still have time to make any changes to their squad that they think will put them in the best shape to end the season as strongly as possible and potentially secure a European place in the Premier League table.

However, it seems as though the club can put to bed any concerns about potentially seeing one of their key players leave Molineux this month.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Spanish media outlet SPORT, Wolves winger Adama Traore wants to return to Barcelona with Jorge Mendes apparently working with both parties for a potential deal.

However, it’s likely that Traore will stay at the Midlands club until the summer before a final decision is made on his future.

Since joining Wolves back in the 2018 summer transfer window from Championship club Middlesbrough in a deal worth a reported fee of £18m, the Spaniard has gone on to make 153 appearances for the Old Gold across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and providing 18 assists in the process.

Lage will be relieved

Despite only managing to score one goal in the Premier League so far this season, which came in Wolves’ recent 3-1 win over Southampton at the weekend, Traore’s performances have shown what an important figure he can be for the team and why Bruno Lage will be relieved to potentially have him in the squad for the remainder of the season rather than watching him leave midway through the campaign.

For the 19 league performances he’s delivered for Wolves this season, WhoScored have given Traore an overall rating of 6.97/10, making him their fourth-highest rated player below Rayan Ait-Nouri, Romain Saiss and Max Kilman.

Looking ahead to the summer, with the 25-year-old’s contract set to expire in 2023, it could be worth Wolves working out a deal with Barcelona to sell Traore on a permanent deal after previous reports have highlighted his unhappiness and unwillingness to sign a new deal at Molineux.

This way, the Molineux outfit would get a transfer fee for him that could be used to find a replacement and Traore gets the move he wants, leaving all parties happy.

Moving forward, if Traore can end the season on a high with some goals and assists under his belt, this could help Wolves be able to get more money for him if they do end up negotiating a deal in the summer with Barcelona.

In other news: Deal agreed: Fabrizio Romano drops big Wolves transfer update, Lage surely buzzing – opinion 

An update has emerged on Rangers and their deal to bring John Souttar to Ibrox at the end of the campaign.

What’s the talk?

The Gers have already agreed a pre-contract deal with the defender and Hearts boss Robbie Neilson has now admitted that there are no talks to make the transfer happen immediately instead of in the summer.

He told the Glasgow Times: “There’s been nothing new with John. Although I saw they lost three goals today so I might get a phone call!

“But at this moment in time there’s been nothing.

“He’s fine. He’s left here and he’ll be back in tomorrow. And I expect he’ll be available for Tuesday if he’s still here.”

Fuming

Rangers fans will surely be fuming with this news as it suggests that Ross Wilson is not trying to secure a deal to sign the defender before the window closes.

Souttar could be a sensational addition to the squad and improve the side’s chances of winning the Premiership title this season. He has proven his quality at this level for Hearts and could replace one of Gio van Bronckhorst’s current options, strengthening the team in the process.

The Scotland international has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.40 in the league this term – showing that he can perform to a high level on a consistent basis. He has won 70% of his duels in the division, making 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game.

Meanwhile, no Rangers centre-back has averaged a score higher than 7.18. This suggests that Souttar would come in and be an upgrade on what van Bronckhorst currently has to work with, which is why he could increase the club’s chances of securing the title ahead of Celtic for a second successive season.

Therefore, Gers fans will be gutted with Neilson’s comments as they indicate that Souttar will not be coming to Ibrox this month and they will have to wait until the summer to see him in a light blue shirt. They will be fuming with the club for not trying to negotiate a deal with Hearts to bring him in during the current window.

Although, it is worth saying that anything can still happen heading into deadline day and Rangers could pull a surprise in the final hours of the window to get a deal done. At this point, though, Souttar appears set to remain at his current side until the end of the campaign.

AND in other news,  Talks set: Rangers now eyeing key deal for “important” £16k-p/w beast, GVB needs it…

Celtic look set to be frustrated in their reported transfer pursuit of Dundee United midfielder Jeando Fuchs, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Celtic know all about Fuchs

The 24-year-old told Foot Mercato earlier this month that the Hoops had shown an interest in him amid an impressive campaign with the Tangerines. He has also attracted interest from elsewhere in the Premiership, and such has been his impact that his manager Tam Courts has dubbed him a “top player”.

Indeed, Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou will be quite aware of the midfielder’s abilities. When Dundee United visited Parkhead in September, Fuchs gave a starring display for the away side in a 1-1 draw. He won four tackles and seven duels that afternoon along with completing 31 of his 37 passes, while SofaScore ranked just four Hoops players with a higher rating on the day.

The Latest: Dundee United not entertaining any bids for Fuchs

A recruitment source has told Football Insider that Dundee United are primed to reject any January offers for Fuchs.

The report stated that, despite the Cameroon international being out of contract next summer and the club unable to agree a new deal with him so far, they view him as being a crucial player in their hopes of securing a top-half Premiership finish this season.

The Verdict: Celtic will get over it

While Dundee United’s stern resistance to any transfer interest in Fuchs may come as a disappointment to Celtic, they ought not to wallow in self-pity for too long.

The 24-year-old is adept at breaking up play – his averages of 2.3 tackles and 1.9 interceptions per game are better than any Hoops midfielder so far this season – but whether that would be enough to parachute him straight into Postecoglou’s first team is doubtful.

His overall WhoScored seasonal rating of 6.66 would put him a lowly 18th in Celtic’s squad, while there is already an abundance of midfield room options at Parkhead. Therefore, Fuchs falls into the category of ‘nice to have’ rather than ‘must-have’ for Celtic, who can quickly put this development behind them in the pursuit of more attainable transfer targets.

In other news: Celtic set sights on move for ‘quality’ Scot who has the same agent as David Turnbull

Aston Villa have been handed a potential boost ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

In recent comments cited by Birmingham Live, Steven Gerrard’s replacement at Rangers, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, revealed that he has already spoken to the new Aston Villa manager about the job at Ibrox, before going to suggest that the pair will continue to stay in touch regarding potential business in the January transfer window.

The report goes on to state that all three of Connor Goldson, Ryan Kent and Borna Barisic have been mentioned as potential targets for Gerrard this winter, with Van Bronckhorst’s comments looking to suggest he would be open to discussing a number of deals with the former Liverpool captain.

Speaking in his inaugural press conference as Rangers boss, the Dutchman said:

“He sent a message by email – which was really nice. Of course for him [it is] also a change in clubs. But I think we will definitely be in contact in the coming weeks to talk about stuff. He’s done a really great job at Rangers and now moved to the Premier League at Aston Villa. I personally wish him all the best and there will be some contact in the next weeks, yes.”

Gerrard & Co will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive the likes of Goldson, Kent and Barisic were under the leadership of Gerrard during his time in charge of Rangers, the news that Van Bronckhorst appears open to speaking with his predecessor this winter is sure to have left the 41-year-old, as well as Christian Purslow and Johan Lange, buzzing.

After all, a healthy and vibrant relationship with the Dutchman could well be used to Villa’s advantage when it comes to negotiating transfer dealings between the two clubs in the winter and beyond, something that represents a significant boost.

Indeed, with Barisic, Goldson and Kent ranking as Gers’ second, third and fourth-best performers respectively in the club’s unbeaten Scottish Premiership title-winning campaign last season. Gerrard would undoubtedly be more than happy to welcome any of this trio to Villa Park in the coming months and the better his friendship is with his former employers, the more likely that is to happen.

And, with it being reported that Rangers may need to cash in on a number of their more valuable assets this January in order to balance the books at Ibrox, Purslow and Lange could perhaps be able to negotiate a much more palatable transfer fee for a particular target due to the Scottish side’s need to sell.

As such, the 46-year-old Rangers manager’s comments will certainly come as a very welcome boost ahead of the January transfer for all concerned at Villa Park.

In other news: Gerrard must ruthlessly axe “inconsistent” £63k-p/w flop, he’s ransacked Villa of £23m

Former Scotland defender Alan Hutton has suggested that Celtic may already have opened new contract talks with midfielder Tom Rogic, as per Football Insider. 

The lowdown: Deal talks on hold

This comes after Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou told reporters back in February that a new deal for Rogic was the ‘last thing’ on his mind as the pursuit for the Scottish Premiership title went on.

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Fast approaching the final year of a deal at Parkhead, the club are in danger of losing the 29-year-old on a free next summer or needing to cash in during the upcoming transfer window.

However, Hutton believes that Postecoglou may already have a successor lined up for his compatriot in David Turnbull, while also claiming there are likely ongoing negotiations ‘in the background’.

The latest: Lesson learned?

Speaking to FI, the BBC 5 Live pundit claimed that Celtic would be best served to keep Rogic in the long term, hinting at discussions behind the scenes.

“You’d hope Celtic have learned their lesson. You don’t really want any of your kind of top assets to be walking away for next to nothing or running down contracts.

“He’s been a good servant and I think he’s come back into form since the new manager’s come in. He obviously trusts him.

“You’ve also got other players within the squad to come back, the likes of Turnbull and these sort of guys. They’re in a good place right now but again, moving forward, you never want to lose a top player.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if there were talks going on in the background to try and tie him down to a longer deal. I’m kind of interested to see where it goes and what Celtic’s thinking is.

“Do they stick with the likes of Rogic? Or do they have somebody else in mind to really transform that midfield? It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out. Ultimately, I still think you need someone like that in your squad.”

The verdict: Too good to go

Whilst there can be little doubting Turnbull’s long term future as a Celtic mainstay in attacking midfield, Rogic has matched the output of the 22-year-old so far this season.

When using Transfermarkt to compare the two, the Australian has also provided 16 direct goal contributions – albeit the 51-cap Australia ace has made seven more appearances across all competitions.

Losing a key player for nothing simply isn’t a viable option for the club and as the Bhoys prepare for a possible jaunt into the UEFA Champions League group stages next term, where keeping the experience of the likes of Rogic will be pivotal.

ExWHUemployee has dropped a late injury update ahead of West Ham’s upcoming Premier League fixture.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on The West Ham Way, the Hammers insider revealed that, despite earlier reports suggesting that Kurt Zouma could be in line for a return to first-team action against Manchester United on Saturday afternoon, David Moyes is leaving the decision as to whether or not to include the France international in his matchday squad today until the very last minute.

Speaking about the centre-back, Ex said: “The manager also is going to make a late decision as to whether he includes Kurt Zouma too following his injury and period out with [the pandemic].”

Fans will be sweating

Considering just how important Zouma has been to West Ham since joining the club last summer, the news that the defender is touch-and-go for today’s trip to Old Trafford is sure to have left the London Stadium faithful sweating.

Indeed, of the 10 games that the £28.8m-rated colossus has missed due to injury and illness, the Irons’ record stands at five losses, four wins and one draw, conceding 14 goals in the same period.

In comparison, over the 12 fixtures that West Ham have played with the £120k-per-week defender in the side, the Hammers’ record is four losses, seven wins and one draw, with the team conceding just 13 goals over those dozen matches.

As such, it is evident that the Frenchman is already an integral part of Moyes’ side, with his potential absence against Manchester United potentially reducing West Ham’s chances of leaving Old Trafford with three points this afternoon. That could well have costly consequences in terms of the club’s hopes of securing a top-four finish in the Premier League come the end of the season.

In other news: West Ham remain in the race for “crazy” January transfer, he’d be a huge upgrade

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been dealt a potentially huge injury blow ahead of their upcoming Premier League fixture.

What’s the latest?

In a recent report by Molineux News, the outlet suggested that Wolves’ lack of an update on the condition of Rayan Ait-Nouri, who was withdrawn late on against Liverpool last weekend due to a knock, as well as the 20-year-old’s apparent absence from first-team training on Wednesday, could mean that the left-back’s injury is worse than the club are currently letting on.

Fans would be gutted

Considering just how impressive Ait-Nouri has been for Bruno Lage’s side since being handed his first start of the season against Leeds United back in October, should the defender indeed miss out on the club’s trip to Manchester City on Saturday, it would undoubtedly leave Wolves fans gutted.

Indeed, over his eight Premier League appearances so far this season, the £16.2m-rated man has provided one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as making an average of 0.9 key passes and taking 0.8 shots per game.

The £33k-per-week left-back has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 0.6 interceptions, 3.9 tackles – the most of any player in the top flight – 0.9 clearances and winning 7.4 duels per fixture.

These returns have seen the France U21 international average a SofaScore match rating of 6.97, ranking him as Wolves’ eighth-best performer in the league.

As such, should the youngster indeed be unavailable for selection against Pep Guardiola’s side this weekend, it would undoubtedly come as a huge blow to Lage’s chances of securing a result at the Etihad – something that, after three games without a win, could start to be a cause for concern amongst the Molineux fanbase.

In other news: Wolves dealt possible transfer blow on £40m “Van Dijk-like signing”, Shi surely fuming