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Celtic have ‘rejected’ an offer from Toulouse for Stephen Welsh, ending their pursuit of the youngster in the process, according to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph. 

The lowdown: Hot property

The defender has recently attracted interest from the Ligue 1 outfit, although it became apparent from the outset that the Hoops were unwilling to part ways with the talented 22-year-old.

A graduate of the Parkhead academy, the versatile Scotland under-21 international has made 47 appearances for the club, 24 of which came last season, and appears to have a bright future in Glasgow.

Celtic have seemingly further dismissed any possibility of Welsh leaving the Premiership champions this summer…

The latest: Toulouse pull out of Welsh chase

Taking to Twitter, Joseph claimed that the Bhoys have turned down a season-long loan offer from Toulouse to sign the 22-year-old, in turn prompting the French club to pull out of the chase for the defender..

The journalist stated: “UPDATE: Toulouse have ended their pursuit of Celtic defender Stephen Welsh in this window. He was their No1 centre-back target this summer. However, Celtic rejected a season-long loan bid, with an option-to-buy for £3.5m, last week. Toulouse will now move on to other targets.”

The verdict: Positive move

Whilst it remains to be seen whether the Coatbridge native can retain his place at the forefront of Ange Postecoglou’s plans once Carl Starfelt returns to full fitness, Welsh has certainly given the manager something to consider following a standout goalscoring display against Aberdeen on Sunday.

Last season, the fledgling Scot – who was hailed as ‘phenomenal’ and a ‘fan favourite’ by Celtic youth coach Martin Miller – scored twice and provided one assist in 24 games across all competitions for the Hoops, playing predominantly as a central defender but also operating at right-back.

In addition to Welsh, Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers, loan signing Moritz Jenz will be hopeful of his chances of making an impact on the starting XI in the near future, whilst out-of-favour Christopher Jullien remains no nearer to securing an exit from Lennoxtown.

Ultimately, keeping players such as Welsh in situ and seeing off interest from major European leagues can only be regarded as a feather in the cap for the Hoops ahead of their Champions League group stage return next month.

Glasgow Rangers have been handed ‘a little boost’ with the return to fitness of Alfredo Morelos for their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round second leg clash, according to Frank McAvennie. 

The lowdown: Team news

This comes after it was confirmed that the Colombian striker, Ryan Kent and Fashion Sakala would be part of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad at Ibrox.

Returning from a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a thigh injury, Morelos came off the bench to find the net in the 2-0 Scottish Premiership win over Kilmarnock, with the Gers’ boss admitting it was ‘good’ to have the 26-year-old back.

That view is shared by at least one pundit as Rangers prepare an attempt to overturn a 2-0 deficit against Belgian top-flight outfit Union Saint-Gilloise…

The latest: ‘A little boost’

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie – who played for Celtic and Scotland – claimed it is a ‘boost’ to have the 11-cap star available once again.

He said: “I think he’s the best they’ve got as a striker. As a talent, he’s a good player there’s no doubting that. They’re going to need him on Tuesday as well as the other striker [Antonio Colak]. It’s good that he scored, it’s good that Morelos came off the bench and scored.

“That’s good for Rangers and it’s a little boost for them going in to the game on Tuesday. I think he’s the catalyst for them. And Rangers fans will be delighted he’s back and scoring. Hopefully he can do that for them on Tuesday.”

The verdict: Spot on

With 160 direct goal involvements in 225 outings for the Glasgow giants, having a player of Morelos’ calibre at Van Bronckhorst’s disposal should be heralded as a major positive going into what is now a crucial European encounter.

Dubbed a ‘fantastic talent’ by ex-Teddy Bears boss Steven Gerrard, last season the enigmatic Colombian scored 19 times and provided eight assists in 42 appearances across all competitions, netting six times in Europe in the process.

Qualifying from this round, and indeed beyond, would bring about a much-needed financial windfall that would allow Rangers to compete with substantiation in the market, an area Celtic are seemingly ahead on at present given their guaranteed participation in the group stage in 2022/23.

Goals in the side and a fever-pitch Ibrox atmosphere are going to be pivotal if the Gers are going to get over the line and the inclusion of the £11.7million valued Morelos in the squad certainly enhances the chances of another famous night.

According to Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold, the Lilywhites have held internal talks about a move for Bristol City’s Alex Scott.

The Lowdown: Scott profiled

The midfielder joined the Robins from Guernsey back in 2020 and has quickly adapted to life in the second tier, with his impressive performances at Ashton Gate catching the eye of multiple Premier League clubs.

Antonio Conte’s side are one of the teams to have been credited with an interest in the exciting prospect, but they are set to face competition from rivals Leeds United for his signature.

The Latest: Spurs ‘heavily’ tracking Scott

Asked during a fan Q&A for Football.London whether he could see Tottenham signing Scott in the coming weeks, Gold said they have ‘spoken about’ the player behind closed doors:

“Spurs will have to start building their homegrown numbers up for the long-term because they have let Alli, Carter-Vickers, Clarke, Etete, Rodon (for the Premier League) and eventually will see Winks go, and in the short-term, both Troy Parrott and Dane Scarlett have left on loan.

“As for Alex Scott, he’s a player Spurs have scouted heavily and spoken about and the 18-year-old has got a fair bit of interest in him at the moment.”

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The Verdict: One for the future

Having been a regular starter at Bristol last season, making 38 appearances and racking up six goal contributions in the Championship, the Reds won’t want to let him go, but he’s proven to be a really promising young player and one that Spurs should snap up in a heartbeat.

Praised for his ‘exceptional’ breakthrough campaign by Robins boss Nigel Pearson, the teenager averaged 1.6 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per league game in 2021/22, via WhoScored.

Scott has an outstanding work rate and is skilled in winning possession back for his side, and these are all qualities that would mean he’d flourish in his development if he was to make the move to player under Conte.

Crystal Palace have reportedly made a late move to sign Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, as they look to hijack Leeds United’s bid to sign the Senegal international.

What’s the word?

According to French news outlet Foot Mercato, Palace are keen to sign the 24-year-old, despite him being in advanced discussions with Leeds.

Sarr is keen to return to the Premier League after suffering relegation with Watford last season, and Palace could have the edge on Jesse Marsch’s side, as the report claims that they need to part ways with an attacker before signing the Hornets man.

Those claims were backed up by The Athletic’s David Ornstein, who said yesterday: “Crystal Palace working on deal to sign Ismaila Sarr from Watford. No formal bid yet but interest firm & discussions ongoing. CPFC SD Dougie Freedman at Birmingham tonight but 24yo left out, injury precaution.”

Vieira would love him

As was evidenced on Monday night in the draw against Liverpool, when Ebere Eze and Wilfried Zaha combined for the goal, Vieira loves to set his side up to be dangerous on the counter-attack, and Sarr’s incredible pace makes him an ideal candidate for Palace’s front three.

The 24-year-old was recorded as one of the fastest players in the Premier League last season at 21.67mph, while WhoScored suggests that he excels at dribbling and finishing, which suggests that he would complement the likes of Zaha, Eze and Michael Olise well.

Former teammate Ben Foster was in awe of Sarr’s speed and ability last season, saying:

“He is a bit of a freak, honestly he is.

“I still don’t think people understand quite how quick Ismaila Sarr is. His acceleration off from a standing start is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. And genuinely, I’m being genuine there, I’ve never seen anybody accelerate from a standing start as quick as he does.”

With that in mind, the former Stade Rennais winger is capable of changing a game in an instant, as was evidenced by his staggering goal from the halfway line in Watford’s recent draw against West Brom. That moment of magic is something which Vieira’s current winger options of Zaha, Eze and Olise all possess too.

Last season saw the speedy wide man contribute five goals and two assists in a poor Watford side, so there is no reason why he couldn’t excel in a team that shouldn’t be worried about relegation this season.

Sarr, who is reportedly valued at £25m, could fit seamlessly into Vieira’s system and style of play at Selhurst Park, and would definitely cause problems for defenders with his speed. Thus, the French manager would surely love to see him join the Eagles this summer.

West Ham United have been dealt a blow ahead of Thursday evening’s Europa Conference League play-off clash.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to first-team coach Billy McKinlay, who – standing in for the suspended David Moyes in the pre-match press conference – revealed that, despite it initially appearing as if Craig Dawson’s injury setback was only minor, the 32-year-old will once again be unavailable for selection against Viborg FF tonight.

Regarding the centre-back’s current condition, the 53-year-old first-team coach said: “Craig has a problem with his quad, he’s missed a few weeks so he’s a short-term [injury] and hopefully won’t be too long.”

Big blow

While it is true that West Ham have added a new centre-back in the shape of Thilo Kehrer to their first-team squad this week, with the £10.1m signing looking to be available for selection in this evening’s fixture, the news that Dawson will once again be sidelined is sure to have come as a huge blow to McKinlay and the Hammers.

Indeed, at present, Kurt Zouma and – potentially – Kehrer are the club’s only available senior centre-backs, with Angelo Ogbonna, Nayef Aguerd and Dawson all being ruled out due to knocks – an eventuality that has seen right-back Ben Johnson start both of the Irons’ two Premier League fixtures in the heart of defence.

Also, with both Declan Rice and Aaron Cresswell suspended for the visit of Viborg, McKinlay is somewhat lacking in experienced leaders for the European clash – something Dawson’s continued absence only adds towards.

Furthermore, considering just how impressive the £2.7m-rated defender was throughout West Ham’s Europa League run last season – averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.17 over his ten appearances in the competition, ranking him as his side’s third-best player in the tournament – it is clear to see that the 32-year-old’s unavailability this evening is a huge blow.

As such, McKinlay will simply have to find a way to make do without Dawson for the Viborg clash – a game the Hammers must win if they wish to give themselves the best possible chance of qualifying for the Europa Conference League proper this season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers will not directly replace Morgan Gibbs-White as Bruno Lage is still prioritising signing a striker before the transfer window closes, according to Express and Star journalist Liam Keen.

The Lowdown: Gibbs-White leaves Wolves

On Friday, it was announced that the midfielder had completed a club-record move to Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest after a £42.5m deal was agreed.

The 22-year-old’s departure followed extensive negotiations between the two clubs, with the Wolves boss previously adamant that Gibbs-White would remain at Molineux this summer.

Lage’s side are widely known to have prioritised signing a striker before this as a result of Raul Jimenez’s injury, from which he is only just recovering, and Fabio Silva’s season-long loan move to Anderlecht.

The Latest: Striker is Wolves’ priority

Keen has shared an update on Wolves’ transfer plans following Gibbs-White’s move away from the club.

Taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding report from the Express and Star, the reliable journalist claimed: “Wolves are not planning to directly replace Morgan Gibbs-White, and are instead fully focusing on bringing in a striker before the window closes. Very much a ‘watch this space’ message from Bruno Lage, who again calls for patience. #wwfc”

The Verdict: Lage is right

The Old Gold scored just 38 goals in the Premier League last season, making their record the fourth-worst in the entire division and the worst of any team to avoid relegation.

Given Jimenez’s latest injury woes, Wolves have been left without an out-and-out striker, thrusting the likes of Hwang Hee-chan into a number nine role to fill the void.

Therefore, whilst there may be a void in the attacking midfield position following Gibbs-White’s exit, Lage is right to focus on bringing in a new forward before the transfer window closes in September.

Otherwise, we could see a similar tale of goalscoring woe to last season, which could lead to a scrap for Premier League survival.

Everton are reportedly nearing a deal for Manchester United midfielder James Garner, having been heavily linked with the youngster in recent weeks.

What’s the word?

Transfer insider Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – had revealed that the Toffees were still in the mix to sign the 21-year-old, with reports earlier this month revealing that United are open to offers for the Englishman.

With the Merseysiders having reportedly been in discussions regarding a deal for the playmaker, Jones stated: “They are definitely still in that conversation for Garner as well.

“So, we’ll find out very quickly where Everton are going to be in terms of shaping up this season because if they don’t get three people through the door, Frank Lampard knows that he’s in a relegation battle.”

The latest suggestion is that the England U21 international – who spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest – is now closing in on a £15m switch to Goodison Park, with journalist Fabrizio Romano revealing that “a full agreement” has been reached between United and the Toffees for his signature after a bid was accepted.

Better than Gomes?

The highly-rated prospect has been unable to force his way into Erik ten Hag’s plans at Old Trafford in recent months, hence the Red Devils’ desire to sell, although their loss could well be Frank Lampard’s gain with the 44-year-old able to acquire a real emerging talent.

While the £6.3m-rated ace has made just two Premier League appearances in his career thus far, he has more than shown his quality in the second tier of late, notably starring at the City Ground last season as Steve Cooper’s side romped to promotion.

A key figure in the Welshman’s side, the £17k-per-week sensation scored four goals and provided eight assists in 41 games in all competitions from his central midfield berth, recording an impressive 7.26 average match rating in the process, as per SofaScore – the highest in the entire Forest squad.

Lauded as “exceptional” for that stunning run of form in the Championship by pundit Paul Robinson, the Birkenhead-born starlet has been tipped for big things throughout his time at his current club, with former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer previously suggesting that he is going to be a “top player” in the years to come.

An exciting addition then for Lampard and co, his arrival could well hasten an exit for current Toffees man Andre Gomes, with the 29-year-old having been heavily linked with a move away from the club this summer.

Hampered by injury throughout his time in England, the Portugal international – who signed from Barcelona on an initial loan deal back in 2018 – has largely underwhelmed in his Everton career to date, scoring just twice in 100 appearances across all competitions for the club, laying on only seven assists.

That is a dismal return for a progressive midfielder player – particularly in comparison to Garner’s record from last term – with journalist Paul Brown previously suggesting that the 29-cap dud has “gone backwards” since arriving in the Premier League.

Seemingly now a fading force, Gomes could well find himself rightly replaced should the United gem, who is quite evidently a younger upgrade, be secured before Thursday’s deadline.

Wolverhampton Wanderers kickstarted their season into gear with a nerve-racking 1-0 victory over Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

It marked their first league win this term and it came at an ideal time for the club, moving them away from the relegation zone into 14th place.

The victory came at a massive price for the Old Gold, however, with new signing Sasa Kalajdzic substituted at half-time with knee pain which was later revealed to be an ACL injury, and he could be out for a while.

Fellow striker Raul Jimenez – who has already struggled with injury this season – was withdrawn before kick-off with a pain in his groin, which plunged Lage back into the striker crisis that he felt had alleviated following Kalajdzic’s move to Molineux.

There could be a silver lining, though, with The Athletic reporting that Jimenez is set to train this week and could be available for the clash against Liverpool at the weekend.

The Mexican was the club’s joint-top scorer alongside Daniel Podence last season with six goals and was arguably the team’s focal point through the middle as they claimed a top-half finish.

It’s still a far cry from his first two Premier League seasons at the club, though, when he netted 13 goals in 2018/19 and 17 in the following campaign.

Lage was overly reliant on the 31-year-old last term and this summer was the perfect time to bring in another couple of centre-forwards to take the burden off Jimenez. Goncalo Guedes arrived from Valencia, but he is more effective from wide areas.

It will be a major relief to the Wolves boss that Jimenez could be fit for the trip to Anfield on Saturday, as otherwise he would have had to rely yet again on winger Podence to provide Wolves’ biggest goal threat.

The 26-year-old has scored twice this season, both times in the Premier League, with his goal enough to seal all three points against the Saints last weekend.

With Liverpool there for the taking after a poor start to the season by their lofty standards, it might well be written for Jimenez to kickstart his season with a goal or two at Anfield on Saturday.

West Bromwich Albion are looking at bringing former Everton midfielder Fabian Delph to The Hawthorns.

The Lowdown: Delph’s release

Delph, who shares the same agent as Baggies defender Semi Ajayi, was released by Everton over the summer. The 32-year-old had been with the Toffees since 2019 and made 11 of which came last season.

The former Leeds United, Aston Villa and Manchester City midfielder failed to find a new club during the summer window, but he is still able to sign terms as a free agent.

The Latest: West Brom links

A report from Football League World ahead of West Brom’s trip to Norwich City claims the Baggies are one of five Championship clubs looking at a potential move for Delph.

The report adds that Rangers are also keen on the midfielder, however, a move to the second tier in England is looking more likely.

The Verdict: Another one…

The Baggies have made brought in six players in recent months on free transfers, two of which have been out-of-window moves for Tom Rogic and Erik Pieters.

Steve Bruce has two defensive midfielders and two central midfielders to pick from at this moment in time, so you could make an argument for Delph being a smart addition.

However, the Englishman, who has scored twice against West Brom during his career, may take time to get up to speed in the Championship, especially after only making £80,000-a-week wage with his former employers.

Allan is reportedly in talks to leave Everton and sign for Al-Wahda in the United Arab Emirates.

The Lowdown: Flop

Unfortunately, Allan has been somewhat of a flop at Goodison Park ever since his arrival from Napoli back in 2020, with 57 appearances made in total with no goals and just three assists to his name over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

He was a key part of the squad that almost got relegated last season, and has not yet made an appearance for the Merseyside club so far this term, already being usurped by new signing Idrissa Gueye in that defensive midfield role.

The Latest: Exit talks

As per Football Insider, talks are underway for Allan to join Al-Wahda in the UAE before their transfer deadline on October 4.

He has been given the green light to leave after falling down the pecking order under Frank Lampard following the summer arrivals of James Garner, Amadou Onana and Gueye.

The Verdict: Get rid

Given his lack of playing time, and the fact that the Toffees have other players who can cover in his position, now is the best time to get rid of Allan rather than having to wait until the January transfer window opens.

The Brazilian is currently their joint-fifth highest earner on £70,000-per-week, and so that would be a lot of money to save on the wage bill.

Nonetheless, they could then use that money saved to potentially invest further in January, should any enticing opportunities come up.