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Kevin Phillips has been reacting to comments from Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi regarding his Parkhead future, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Southampton links

The 26-year-old, who cost the Hoops £4.86m over the summer, has made a fine start to life in Glasgow, scoring eight goals in 11 games.

He has recently been linked with a move to Premier League side Southampton as a result, with the Saints setting their sights on the Japan international.

While away representing his country, Furuhashi has hinted in a TV interview with journalist Dan Orlowitz that he could be open to a move to England.

The Latest: Phillips reacts

Phillips, who regularly features on Sky Sports, was asked by Football Insider if Furuhashi could follow in the footsteps of Virgil van Dijk and Victor Wanyama by heading to St Mary’s from Celtic.

He suggested that it is ‘difficult’ for the Hoops, who will be ‘desperate’ to keep hold of the forward, saying:

“There is history there. A few Celtic players have made the move to Southampton.

“It is difficult for Celtic but players want to play in the Premier League. They know that. Unfortunately, when a Premier League club comes knocking it is hard for the player to turn down.

“From Celtic’s point of view, Furuhashi has done exceptionally well. I’m sure they are desperate to keep him. They will not want his head turned. It happens though. They will want him to at least see out the season.

“At this stage of the season, you don’t want one of your most influential players being coveted by a Premier League club. It is natural when you do as well as he has though. When you score goals regularly clubs come sniffing.”

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The Verdict: Not ideal

Celtic appear to have found a real gem in Furuhashi, so it’s not ideal for the Hoops that he is talking about a potential move to the Premier League as a result of links to Southampton, especially when he only came to Parkhead as recently as this summer.

Hopefully the rumours from Italy won’t gather pace ahead of the January window. However, if he continues to star in Glasgow, unfortunately it may only be a matter of time until Celtic receive multiple enquiries over a possible transfer for their impressive attacker.

In other news: Celtic fans could be in line for ‘disaster’ following Saturday’s events

Aston Villa will try to sign Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma in the summer, according to Ryan Taylor of The Express.

And, as to be expected, a number of Villa fans were quick to flock to the update on social media.

Villa were credited with an interest in Bissouma earlier this month and even reportedly had a £25m bid turned down.

It now seems as if Juventus’ Rodrigo Bentancur is the club’s main midfield target, but Bissouma is still on Johan Lange and Steven Gerrard’s radar.

According to Taylor, Villa are expected to go back in for Bissouma in the summer, when he could be into the final 12 months of his Seagulls contract. However, Brighton remain adamant he is not for sale at any price.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful relayed Taylor’s claim on Twitter on Wednesday evening. This is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply, with one believing the summer window could be ‘absolutely mental’.

“We’re cooking”

Credit: @buendiazboyz

“I can’t see us getting Bissouma in the summer so many clubs will want him”

Credit: @Benavfctooth

“Dw we’re big time again now”

Credit: @youngprodigy08

“Our summer is gonna be absolutely mental”

Credit: @JayVtid

“Good we need Bissouma”

Credit: @mattdavis281

“110% have to”

Credit: @AvfcRegan

In other news: ‘Bottled it’ – Many Villa fans react to Fabrizio Romano transfer update. 

Express and Star journalist Luke Hatfield believes it will take a serious bid for Aston Villa to consider selling Douglas Luiz before the deadline.

Birmingham Live reported that AS Roma head coach Jose Mourinho remains interested in Luiz ahead of the 11pm cut-off on Tuesday and that Luiz was a name mentioned not long after Mourinho took charge of the club.

The 23-year-old, defensive midfielder has made 78 appearances for Aston Villa during his time with the club, including playing Villa’s last two Premier League matches against Newcastle United and Brentford.

Luiz is now an Olympic Gold Medallist, as he was part of the Brazil team which went undefeated through the Olympics this summer and defeated Spain in the final 2-1 after extra-time.

Whilst there is interest in his signature from Roma, Hatfield believes it will take a serious bid for Villa to consider selling him, telling Transfer Tavern: “I don’t know how keen Villa would be to let him go now. Obviously if there was an offer which was too good to refuse then they’d probably consider it and have to wave goodbye to Luiz. 

“I think Villa will have been impressed by the way that Luiz has come back from action in South America and at the Olympics and he actually put in a really good performance on his return as well against Newcastle, I was pretty impressed by him.

“So, I’d be surprised if they’re willing to let him leave before the transfer window closes, but you know money talks, so if Roma come in with a serious bid and Villa think they can reinvest that cash in another area or in another player then maybe it’s one they consider.”

Villa have had a brilliant summer, strengthening their squad with real quality. With the new signings and getting four points from a possible nine so far in the Premier League, Villa will be hoping to improve on last season’s eleventh placed Premier League finish.

Aston Villa have been handed a boost in their attempts to sign PSG midfielder Rafinha in this summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to recent reports from Spain, the Ligue 1 club are ready to let Rafinha leave this summer in order to raise some funds for their own signings, and Villa could come in for the Brazilian.

French outlet Le Parisien (via AS) have now delivered an update on the situation, saying that the midfielder is on a list of players who PSG are willing to offload this summer in order to refresh Mauricio Pochettino’s squad and raise some money.

Perfect James Ward-Prowse alternative

Talking about the 27-year-old, former Barcelona team-mate Andreu Fontas once said: “Rafinha is a great player. Physically, he is a beast and, technically, he is superb.”

As per WhoScored, Rafinha boasted an impressive 90.9% pass accuracy in Ligue 1 last season (considerably better than any Villa player with more than one start), while he also averaged 2.3 tackles per match as well (only Matty Cash fared better with 2.5).

The £13.5m-rated technician could bring that same fearlessness and intensity both on and off the ball to Villa Park should Smith land his man this summer.

Given reports which have previously claimed that PSG superstar Messi rates the Brazilian very highly and was completely on board with seeing the midfielder become a prominent part of Barcelona’s side, that offers a real indication of just how talented he is.

With Southampton also confirming that former Villa target James Ward-Prowse has signed a new contract to stay at St Mary’s, signing an equally technically gifted midfielder in Rafinha would go a decent way to forgetting about missing out on the England international.

Able to cover the ground well and snap into a challenge, as well as having the ability to dictate the tempo of a game with his metronome-like passing, Rafinha seems like an ideal midfield fit for Smith and Villa.

Meanwhile, Villa must land this “phenomenal” Euro 2020 star…

Everton are reportedly still keen to secure a deal for wantaway Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek.

What’s the story?

The Toffees were strongly linked with a move for the 24-year-old over the summer, with the player himself confirming that contact had been made between the two parties, but a transfer never materialised.

Since then, Van de Beek’s struggles at Old Trafford have continued, and his playing time under current manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has remained extremely limited.

And now, well-known journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the Dutch international wants to leave the Red Devils in January after becoming increasingly frustrated at his lack of action.

“In the summer, they had a chance to sell him with Everton keen on deadline day,” Romano told The United Stand (as relayed by the Liverpool ECHO).

“Things can change, but as of now, he is planning to leave Manchester United in January. Van de Beek is a fantastic player and a top professional.

“It is true that Italian and Spanish clubs are interested, and it depends whether Man United can agree on the conditions with them. He could also move to the Premier League, with Everton one of the clubs interested.

“Donny wants to play, so if he is not playing in two-three months, he will leave, I am sure,” he concluded.

Everton fans will be buzzing

After securing a domestic double with boyhood club Ajax and playing a pivotal part in their run to the Champions League semi-finals, Van de Beek’s arrived on English soil with an enviable reputation.

However, things have not worked out for him at United. The technically gifted maestro has started just four Premier League games since arriving for £40m in September 2020 and has received just six minutes of league action this term.

His peripheral role in Solskjaer’s first-team squad has led to speculation regarding a potential imminent exit, while Everton’s director of football Marcel Brands has now come out and confirmed the Toffees previous interest in the player.

When asked about Van de Beek in a recent interview with NOS (as relayed by the Manchester Evening News) he said: “We had him on our list.

“At the beginning of the transfer window, we inquired at United, then it was impossible. At the end of the window, I received a call from Guido Albers, his agent, that he might be rented out after all. But at the last minute, it was cancelled. Stopped again.”

But reliable reporter Romano claims the Goodison Park outfit remain keen to secure Van de Beek’s signature, and that will surely leave a large section of the club’s supporters buzzing.

He scored 41 goals and provided a further 34 assists in 175 appearances for Ajax before his current woes at United, illustrating that if he can get back to his best form, Van de Beek would be a valuable asset to Rafael Benitez’s setup on Merseyside.

After losing James Rodriguez too, it only adds to the appeal of signing the Dutchman. Everton fans would surely love to see a player of his calibre at Goodison Park.

And, in other news…Report reveals exciting Everton transfer update, fans should be buzzing 

Southampton have been handed a potential boost in their pursuit of Joakim Maehle, with Forza Italian Football editor Conor Clancy claiming the full-back is up for sale at Atalanta, with Saints reportedly making an approach earlier this summer.

Maehle only joined the Serie A club from Belgian outfit Genk in January and went on to make 25 appearances as the Italians booked a place in the upcoming season’s Champions League.

However, it appears Atalanta are already looking to cash in on the 24-year-old after impressing at Euro 2020.

Despite featuring predominantly at right-back for Atalanta, Maehle shone on the left side of Denmark’s defence and showcased his attacking qualities by scoring two goals and adding an assist as he played every minute of his country’s run to the semi-finals of the competition.

Southampton have been long-term admirers of Maehle, according to Danish media outlet Ekstra Bladet. The report reveals Crystal Palace, Fiorentina, Sevilla and Valencia were also in the hunt for Maehle before Atalanta made their move.

But Clancy feels Saints could finally get their man before the transfer window closes.

He told Football FanCast: “Everyone at Atalanta is for sale. That’s just how they work every summer.

“Maehle is not a starter on the left or the right at Atalanta. He showed some flashes of the player we saw at Euro 2020 early on at Atalanta, but then it didn’t quite happen for him.

“If a club wants Maehle, they can sign him. Everyone who saw the Euros knows Southampton would be getting a very good player if they can sign him.”

Celtic have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of their upcoming Scottish Premiership fixture.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by the Daily Record, Ange Postecoglou confirmed that David Turnbull is out of contention for the trip to St. Mirren on Wednesday evening, before going on to suggest that Kyogo Furuhashi is also a doubt for the clash.

Furthermore, the 56-year-old also went on to reveal that Benfica loanee Jota, who has been out of action since the start of the month after pulling his hamstring against Hearts, will not make a return to first-team football before the upcoming winter break, something that rules the winger out of the Old Firm fixture at the start of January.

Speaking about the current state of his squad, Postecoglou said: “Jota’s injury was quite significant, so we don’t think we will see him back out there before the break.

“Dave was the major one coming out of the final. We have had the scan, but we haven’t had the results yet. He will definitely be out for St Mirren, but I’m not sure how long he will miss.

“We will also have to particularly manage Kyogo during this period as he is not 100 per cent. I just need to see how he came through the game and look at St Mirren. I am not expecting anyone else to miss out and I also don’t expect anyone who was missing to return.”

Postecoglou will be fuming

While it is undoubtedly a major blow to lose the services of one of Celtic’s most impressive performers for the trip to The SMISA Stadium on Wednesday evening in the form of David Turnbull, the news that Jota does not look likely to return to first-team football before the club’s crunch match with Rangers on January 2 is sure to have left the Bhoys boss fuming.

Indeed, over his 11 Premiership appearances so far this season, the £3.15m-rated loanee has been in remarkable form for the Hoops, scoring five goals, providing four assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of three shots and making 1.5 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £7.1k-per-week 22-year-old average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.38, ranking him as Celtic’s fifth-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football – of the players who remain a part of Postecoglou’s first-team squad.

As such, while the loss of Turnbull and the potential absence of Kyogo ahead of the St. Mirren clash will certainly be frustrating for the Greek-Australian coach, the news that Jota looks likely to miss what could well be a make or break game in Celtic’s season against Rangers next month will undoubtedly come as a devastating blow for Postecoglou and his side.

In other news: Ange can finally axe “pathetic” £7.9k-p/w Celtic flop with swoop for £270k-rated beast

Former Scotland defender Alan Hutton has reacted to a claim made by Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou regarding loan stars Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota. 

The lowdown: What’s been said…

The Hoops boss recently suggested that neither the 24-year-old defender on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, nor the 23-year-old attacker spending the season in Glasgow from Benfica, were concerned over their futures.

Both players are set to head back to their parent clubs at the end of the current campaign unless Celtic trigger the options to make their deals permanent.

Despite Postecoglou playing down the urgent need to address the situation, Hutton has suggested that the club need to act swiftly…

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The latest: Resolution required

Speaking to Football Insider, the 37-year-old claimed that both Jota and Carter-Vickers would be considering what happens next in private.

Hutton stated: “You have to say the right things when you’re talking to the press and that sort of thing.

“Carter-Vickers and Jota will be saying the same things: ‘I love being here. I’ve loved my time here. I’m just concentrating on the next game.’

“That’s all footballers are programmed to say, the same stuff in interviews. That’s how it goes, but they’ll want their futures tied up as soon as possible. Whether it be Celtic or whether it be somebody else, somewhere else.

“They’ve had amazing seasons. Carter-Vickers has come up and made such a big difference, as has Jota. There’ll be other suitors watching from afar, I would have thought.

“But they’ll want a future sorted as soon as possible. Whether that be towards the end of the season, we’ll find out. Any player wants that security of having a contract.”

The verdict: Get it done

Whilst all parties would appear to be relaxed about the situation, there is nothing quite like having that assurance of a done deal.

That’s especially the case in this instance, as interest in Carter-Vickers from the Premier League has recently surfaced.

At a reported £6m fee for both Jota and the eight-cap USA international, Celtic should be desperate to secure the duo as permanent Hoops players beyond this season, particularly in light of a financial windfall following potential automatic qualification for the Champions League group stage.

Therefore, Hutton is right to call for urgency on Celtic’s part to get this particular matter resolved.

In other news, financial expert discusses Celtic plan. Find out who it is here.

Crystal Palace will be looking to extend their six-game unbeaten run when they travel to Turf Moor to take on Burnley in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Eagles secured back-to-back victories over reigning champions Manchester City and Wolves prior to the international break, filling them with confidence coming into this one. However, Patrick Vieira’s charges will have to contend without the presence of key midfielder James McArthur after he picked up a hamstring injury, ruling him out for a couple of weeks.

There is some positive team news to report, though. Joachim Andersen has recovered in time to take his usual place in the matchday squad, while we could also see a much-anticipated return for Eberechi Eze.

The 23-year-old, who has been sidelined with an Achilles injury since May, has played two games for Palace’s under-23s in recent weeks, and Vieira confirmed that he is set to take a place on the first team bench over the weekend.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects the Frenchman to line up his team against Burnley, with two changes from the side which started last time out…

In goal, 34-year-old Vicente Guaita will be looking for his third consecutive clean sheet after successfully keeping City and Wolves at bay.

Ahead of the Spanish shot-stopper will be a familiar back four made up of Tyrick Mitchell, Marc Guehi, Andersen and Joel Ward, with the defensive unit going from strength to strength in recent weeks.

Vieira will be forced into making one change in the midfield engine room, though. McArthur’s injury will allow Luke Milivojevic to come back into the starting XI, partnering Conor Gallagher and Cheikhou Kouyate.

The Palace boss may also be tempted to change things up in attack. The pace and mobility of Wilfried Zaha, Odsonne Edouard and Michael Olise should see them form a dangerous forward line, which would see the £8.1m-rated Christian Benteke to the bench after two goalless appearances.

In other news… Huge blow: Palace suffer injury setback ahead of Burnley clash, Vieira will be gutted

Newcastle United have been linked with a shock move for former Magpies midfielder Mikel Merino.

The Lowdown: Merino’s St. James’ Park stint

Merino now plies his trade with Real Sociedad after the Magpies sold the Spaniard back in 2018. The 25-year-old made the move to St. James’ Park back in 2017 on loan from Borussia Dortmund, with Newcastle swiftly making a deal permanent.

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Merino made 25 appearances as a Newcastle player and has gone from strength to strength back in his native country with Real Sociedad.

The central midfielder is now valued at a career-high £45m Transfermarkt valuation, and it looks as if Amanda Staveley is exploring a possible return.

The Latest: Magpies keen

A Spanish outlet shared an update regarding Merino late on Friday evening. They labelled the midfielder as ‘one of the most important players’ for Sociedad and claimed Barcelona are showing an interest.

The report also added that a return to Newcastle or a move to Liverpool over the coming months could also be on the cards.

The Verdict: Interesting

Merino recently hailed Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, and it seems as if a reunion between the pair could be on the cards ahead of Eddie Howe’s first full season in charge.

It looks set to be a busy summer for the club when it comes to transfers, with midfield a possible area the Magpies may decide to bolster.

Howe currently has two defensive midfielders, three central midfielders and two attacking midfielders, so a swoop for Merino, who has played in all three positions this season, could be a shrewd one, for the right price.

In other news: ‘At the moment’ – Transfer insider says NUFC ace will only be a ‘rotation’ player next season.