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Arsenal have joined the race to land a new midfielder this summer, and could yet walk away with a bargain.

Question marks in Arsenal's engine room

There is no doubt that the Gunners failed to replace Granit Xhaka in the heart of their midfield last summer, with the Switzerland international heading to Bayer Leverkusen to become a key part of their success this season.

Replacing him with Kai Havertz, Mikel Arteta's side have missed Xhaka's box-to-box tenacity despite still being top of the Premier League as things stand.

There are bigger question marks over their midfield this summer too; though Declan Rice remains a long term part of the engine room, both Thomas Partey and Jorginho will be approaching the end of their contracts in north London, and decisions will have to be made about their futures. Mohamed Elneny will also be out of contract, but replacing the Egyptian is less of a concern given his few minutes this season.

PFA Awards 2024: The favourites to win Young Player of the Year award

FFC takes a look at the six players in the running to win the PFA Young Player of the Year award for the 2023/24 season.

ByLuke Randall Aug 19, 2024

But midfield reinforcements are certain to arrive, and Arsenal are likely to need at least one, with an alternative to Rice also likely to be high on Edu Gaspar's shopping list as well as a more natural "number eight" to play alongside Martin Odegaard further forward.

Arsenal's current midfield options

Player

Premier League starts

Martin Odegaard

31

Declan Rice

33

Jorginho

10

Thomas Partey

5

Mohamed Elneny

0

Fabio Vieira

2

Emile Smith Rowe

3

With money tight and a striker also on the agenda, they may have to make some (relatively) lower cost additions in places to fund bigger moves. Now, they seemingly have the opportunity to do just that.

Gunners in race for Frenchman

That is according to French outlet Foot Mercato, who claim that Arsenal are one of several clubs tracking Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana. The 25-year-old midfielder will be down to the last year of his contract in the south of France come this summer, and may decide it is time for pastures new after seeing a move to West Ham United fall through last summer.

He is unlikely to be an expensive addition for whoever snaps him up; valued at £24m by Transfermarkt, last summer it was suggested that £30m would be enough to tempt Monaco into selling and, with 12 months less now on his contract, it is unlikely they would be demanding more this time around.

For that money, interested clubs could be landing a gem. Football Analyst Ben Mattinson described the Frenchman as "under-valued" and "technically brilliant" who could "be whatever you need in midfield".

All that in a man who currently takes home just £4,600 per week on his Monaco contract. The Gunners are not alone in their admiration, with Foot Mercato adding that PSG, Athletico De Madrid and AC Milan are all also tracking the player, who could be one of the bargain buys of the summer.

But, with the power and finances on offer to the Gunners, they are likely to be the winners of that particular fight if they really want to be.

With just five games left to play in 2023/24, Premier League title hopefuls Liverpool simply can't afford any more slip-ups if they are to end Jurgen Klopp's tenure on a high, with a trip to Goodison Park next on the agenda later today.

Taking on an Everton side who edged toward top-flight survival after beating relegation rivals Nottingham Forest at the weekend, the Reds will be hoping to keep their unbeaten run going in this fixture, having last tasted defeat against the Toffees back in February 2021.

Liverpool 0-2 Everton (Richarlison, Sigurdsson)

Home

Away

GK – Alisson

GK – Jordan Pickford

RB – Trent Alexander-Arnold

RWB – Seamus Coleman

CB – Ozan Kabak

RCB – Mason Holgate

CB – Jordan Henderson

CB – Michael Keane

LB – Andy Robertson

LCB – Ben Godfrey

CM – Curtis Jones

LWB – Lucas Digne

CM – Gini Wijnaldum

CM – Abdoulaye Doucoure

CM – Thiago

CM – Tom Davies

RW – Mo Salah

CM – Andre Gomes

CF – Roberto Firmino

CF – James Rodriguez

LW – Sadio Mane

ST – Richarlison

With Arsenal routing Chelsea to move three points clear at the summit on Tuesday night, Klopp's men need to ensure they deliver a timely response this evening, having got back to winning ways after seeing off Fulham on the road last time out.

Liverpool team news vs Everton

In a campaign that has largely been dominated by injuries, the Anfield outfit have received another notable setback following the news that Diogo Jota is facing a two-week stint on the sidelines, having only recently returned from a knee ligament tear.

While Klopp insisted that this latest injury issue for the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man is "pretty much nothing", it will keep the Portuguese star out for the trip to face Sean Dyche's side, while Conor Bradley also remains unavailable.

The visitors do seemingly have a relatively clean bill of health other than that, with no other fresh injury blows, ensuring Klopp should have no excuses ahead of what is another pivotal battle in the title race.

In need of someone to make the breakthrough against a stubborn Everton backline – who have the fifth-best defensive record in the division – turning once again to Cody Gakpo could make all the difference.

Why Cody Gakpo needs to start against Everton

The former PSV Eindhoven man has started the last two games in all competitions, although it is fair to say that he hasn't always been a regular fixture in the lineup in 2023/24, having been restricted to just 13 league starts thus far,

The versatile asset – who can feature all across the frontline – does still boast 14 goals and five assists from his 49 appearances across all fronts this term, however, notably registering an assist last time out against the Cottagers.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

That outing saw the towering Dutchman shine despite not getting on the scoresheet himself, registering two key passes and winning seven duels off the left flank, as well as successfully completing three of his four attempted dribbles.

With Jota out of action and the likes of Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah – who both started on the bench in west London – currently failing to fire, the onus may be on Gakpo to step up once again, with the 24-year-old also boasting previous in this fixture after scoring in the 2-0 win at Anfield last season.

It was following that goal that the 2023 arrival was earmarked as the "new [Divock] Origi" by Men in Blazers, with the Netherlands international seeking to replicate the influence of a player who repeatedly came good in the big moments, the current Nottingham Forest man notably scoring six times against today's opponents.

In what will likely be a hard-fought contest with their Merseyside rivals, Liverpool will need to recapture the spirit of Origi to do so, with Gakpo also able to offer that hard-working presence in attack for such an occasion, as he ranks among the top 98% (or in the top 2%) among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for tackles made per 90.

If that work ethic can be combined with an end product, the 6 foot 4 ace could become Klopp's new hero in the derby…

Jota replaced by “unstoppable” gem in predicted Liverpool lineup v Everton

The Reds must win at Goodison Park to keep their title dreams aflame.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 24, 2024

After another frustrating season in the Premier League, Manchester United have once again been left in desperate need of a revamp, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe already eyeing some statement-making moves.

Man Utd transfer news

The Red Devils have endured a disastrous campaign, in which any initial progress made under Erik ten Hag has become undone to leave the Dutchman's future in doubt. So much so that the likes of Graham Potter and Gareth Southgate have been linked with a move to Old Trafford to succeed the former Ajax man in what would be some move from Racliffe.

Ratcliffe pressing ahead with move for £60m Antony upgrade at Man Utd

Manchester United will be urgently going after this Antony upgrade in the summer.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 28, 2024

Meanwhile, there's a busy summer on the cards when it comes to those on the pitch, according to Fabrizio Romano, with "a lot of movement" set to take place, be that through departures or in the form of fresh faces. There's no doubt that United need that movement too if Ten Hag or, indeed, another manager is to take them back into the top four and potentially even beyond that.

What's more, the headlines have already started regarding those changes, with Raphael Varane's future still in doubt and the need to sign another centre-back a clear priority this summer, which could see one star arrive.

According to top Spanish outlet Sport, Manchester United are preparing to outbid Bayern Munich to sign Ronald Araujo from Barcelona this summer. The Bavarians are reportedly willing to bid €80m (£68m) to sign the central defender, but those at Old Trafford are prepared to exceed that in one of the deals of the summer to improve their backline once and for all.

A target of two years, United could finally get their man this summer and land the ultimate replacement for Varane to kickstart the Ratcliffe era in style. The Red Devils would be making a statement by signing the Barcelona star.

"Spectacular" Araujo is better than Varane

If this is to be the end of Varane's Manchester United career, then he will leave having been a disappointment. When the defender arrived, he was a World Cup and Champions League winner seen as a top piece of business. Now, having failed to take United back to the heights they once found themselves, Varane will bow out with injuries and inconsistency controlling the narrarive of his time in England – something Araujo would look to avoid.

Progressive Carries

23

16

Progressive Passes

92

58

Tackles Won

20

11

Aerial Duels Won

52

21

Ball Recoveries

88

66

Described as "spectacular" by Barcelona manager Xavi, Araujo's arrival would go a long way in ending United's defensive woes, whether that's under Ten Hag or another managerial option next season.

That said, without the lure of Champions League football, it remains to be seen whether the central defender would make the jump from La Liga to the Premier League, especially with Bayern Munich also interested this summer. When the summer transfer window arrives, he is certainly a player United should be targeting nonetheless in a positive sign of things to come under Ratcliffe.

Chelsea are looking to sign a European winger who has been compared to Borussia Dortmund legend, Marco Reus.

Chelsea transfer rumours

It has been a rather disappointing 2023/24 season for the Blues so far. They missed out on winning the League Cup to a weak Liverpool side back in February and despite spending around £500m in the last two transfer windows, they are once again set to go another campaign without Champions League football – currently sitting 7th in the Premier League.

The Blues are on course to secure a place in the Europa League or Europa Conference League, but this is not the standard Chelsea have become accustomed to over the years and could well mean Todd Boehly whips out his wallet once again this summer, with a number of names already being tipped to make the move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have reportedly displayed interest in signing Luis Guilherme from Palmeiras. There has also been a suggestion this week that Chelsea could make an offer to sign £52m-rated Xavi Simons from Paris-Saint Germain this summer.

Elsewhere, Chelsea are said to be one of the English clubs lining up a summer swoop to sign Crystal Palace attacking midfielder, Michael Olise. There have also been reports that the Blues could offer up Raheem Sterling as part of a potential deal to land Olise.

With both Simons and Olise linked with a move to west London, it does appear as though Chelsea are keen to bring in further attacking reinforcements this summer. And now, a fresh name from outside of England is said to be of interest to the Blues.

Chelsea eye move for winger compared to Marco Reus

According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea have checked on the situation of Stuttgart’s 26-year-old German winger, Chris Fuhrich. The report adds that Fuhrich has a release clause of just over £25m, which may not be an issue for the big-spending Londoners.

However, it is understood that the winger, who has been compared to Marco Reus, sees it as a great advantage that Stuttgart will play in the Champions League next season, something that Chelsea will not be able to do.

German giants Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen are also keeping tabs on Fuhrich, who has scored eight and assisted seven in 32 Bundesliga games so far this term.

Amid his impressive 2023/24 campaign, the 26-year-old has earned his first call-up to the German national team and high praise from a number of people. Dortmund coach Edin Terzic was asked about Fuhrich and his qualities earlier this season, to which he responded: "I've known Chris for a long time. We brought him to Dortmund's U16 back then. He was a little bit weak physically, but his qualities on the ball were always outstanding."

Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß was also quick to highlight the versatility Fuhrich offers to a team: "Whether he's on the left or on the right, or in a one-on-one in the middle, he is very difficult to defend against. He has speed, is technically good and has good timing."

As a result, should Chelsea indeed manage to pull off a transfer for Fuhrich, he could be able to play all across the front line for them.

A £200,000-a-week Arsenal player has already held talks with a European club over joining them, with a meeting held behind-the-scenes.

Edu set to sell several Arsenal players this summer

The transfer window doesn't officially open until June 14, but there are already many rumours circulating in regard to Arsenal and sporting director Edu's summer business.

Mikel Arteta really likes £160,000-per-week star as he approves Arsenal swoop

The Spaniard is an admirer.

ByEmilio Galantini May 21, 2024

The Brazilian has vowed to keep on improving the Arsenal squad, and reportedly wants to bring in a new goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward (Simon Collings). However, to fund the acquisition of what would be four key signings, certain members of the squad will have to be sold to balance their books.

At the back, keeper Aaron Ramsdale has been widely tipped to leave Arsenal after losing his spot to David Raya at the start of 2023/2024. Ramsdale has still managed a spot in England's provisional squad for Euro 2024, but he may not be in Gareth Southgate's favour much longer if he doesn't go elsewhere for guaranteed game time.

Bukayo Saka

7.67

Declan Rice

7.38

Martin Odegaard

7.37

Kai Havertz

7.16

Gabriel Magalhaes

6.99

There have even been reports that Newcastle have agreed a deal to sign Ramsdale already, but this audacious claim is yet to come to fruition. Elsewhere in the squad, it is believed Edu could sell Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe – as the transfer chief looks to fund a swoop for Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes among others.

Bigger names aren't ruled out from the chopping block either, as uncertainty surrounds the futures of both Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey. Both Jesus and Partey are attracting Saudi interest, according to reports, with Pro League sides said to be preparing "lucrative" contract offers to tempt them.

Partey scarcely featured under Mikel Arteta last season in comparison to previous years, making just 14 top flight appearances, with the Ghanaian also entering the final 12 months of his contract.

Thomas Partey holds Arsenal exit talks with Fenerbache

Now, Fotospor have an update on the £200,000-a-week midfielder's future. They claim Partey has held talks with Fenerbache over leaving Arsenal, with a meeting taking place between him and the Turkish Super Lig giants. However, much will depend on the result of their presidential elections, which will have a real say on whether or not they formally move for Partey.

Ali Koc, the current Fenerbache president, will be at the centre of a vote in around 10 days time. If a sufficient majority isn't achieved at the ordinary elections, another vote will be held on the 8-9 June.

If Koc remains president of Fenerbache, they will apparently sit down for formal talks with Arsenal over signing Partey. The 30-year-old, if he does depart north London this summer, will be remembered as a faithful servant – with La Liga expert Gerry Armstrong calling him "sensational".

With a deal to sign Lloyd Kelly edging closer to completion, Newcastle United have reportedly turned their attention towards another Premier League ace, who certainly has plenty of suitors this summer.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies seem to be wasting no time this summer, taking advantage of Kelly's free-agent status to line up a deal to sign the versatile defender, who will arrive to provide cover for the injured Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman.

The former Bournemouth man isn't the only defender reportedly being lined up, however. After seeing their deal to sign Tosin Adarabioyo on a similar free deal hijacked by Chelsea, Newcastle have seemingly turned their attention to Mario Hermoso. The Atletico Madrid man is set to become a free agent this summer, before potentially making his way to the Premier League. It's there that he could join another Newcastle target.

According to Globo Esporte, relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle have expressed interest in signing Andreas Pereira from Fulham this summer, with both the Brazilian and the club accepting that it is time to turn to the transfer market and another season together is unlikely. The Magpies aren't the only interested though, with Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur also reportedly making contact for the attacking midfielder.

Newcastle eyeing Bellingham 2.0 who's "destined for elite football"

He’s been touted to reach the very top despite his tender age.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 4, 2024

Pereira, earning £50k-a-week at Fulham, has enjoyed quite the revival since his Manchester United struggles and could now get the chance to return to a club competing for a place inside the Premier League's top six as a result. That said, it remains to be seen just how much Fulham could demand for his signature this summer.

"Outstanding" Pereira can replicate Willock's quality

With Joe Willock struggling with injuries throughout the majority of the campaign, Newcastle struggled for attacking intent when it didn't come through Bruno Guimaraes last season. But it's the type of quality that Pereira can replicate in abundance if the Magpies make their move in the coming months. The Brazilian may even need to replace his compatriot's hand in the goals if Guimaraes departs this summer.

Goals

3

7

1

Assists

7

8

0

Key Passes

84

62

7

Take-ons Completed

19

72

7

Starts

34

37

9

It's no surprise that Fulham boss Marco Silva has been so full of praise for his midfielder during his time in London, telling the club's official website after his side defeated Leeds United in the 2022/23 campaign: "He has been outstanding this season. I know a lot of people had doubts when I decided to sign him but I knew his qualities and his character.

"Even last season we had a conversation about his future but it wasn’t the right moment for him to join us. He’s a key player on and off the ball and with set pieces. Two assists this afternoon. A top professional who is enjoying himself at the moment in a white shirt. The three midfielders all played an amazing game today."

Celtic would reportedly love to complete the signing of an "amazing" player this summer, and the individual in question would "walk" to Parkhead.

Celtic transfer news

There is plenty of transfer talk surrounding the Hoops currently, as they look to conduct some eye-catching business in the summer transfer window. One player who is being linked with a permanent move to Parkhead is Paulo Bernardo, who impressed on loan in 2023/24 and appears to be keen on a longer stint at the club. A latest update has suggested that Celtic are in talks with him over the move.

Replacing the retired Joe Hart is surely one of the most important areas of focus ahead of next season and Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has emerged as an exciting option for the Scottish Premiership champions. In fact, Brendan Rodgers is believed to be plotting a £10m move for the Irishman, who could jump at the opportunity to be a regular elsewhere, with the world-class Alisson keeping him out of the team at Anfield.

Another rumoured target is FC Lausanne-Sport winger Alvyn Sanches, who Celtic are interested in bringing in alongside both Bernardo and Adam Idah this summer, with the latter potentially making his loan move from Norwich City a permanent one.

Celtic would love to sign Tierney who is set to leave Arsenal

According to a new report from TEAMtalk, Celtic would love to re-sign Kieran Tierney in the summer transfer window, and he would "walk back" to Parkhead. The report does state Arsenal are set to sell the defender but that "the reality is they won’t be able to afford his price tag", however, which could put paid to the transfer coming to fruition.

The idea of the £109,000-a-week Tierney back in a Celtic shirt is something that would likely appeal to so many supporters, considering what a popular figure he was before departing for Arsenal. The fact that he is keen on a return also adds to the feel-good factor, but his current club are unlikely to allow him to leave on the cheap, which is a big issue.

The Scotland international was arguably one of the standout players in the Scottish Premiership at that point, hence earning a move to a club the size of the Gunners in the summer of 2019, and he won five league titles and three Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cups apiece in that time.

Tierney made 170 appearances in that time, and his attacking ability was highlighted by a total of 37 assists in that time, and Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko once said of him: "He is an amazing player. Even when I was at City I was watching his games. I think it is good competition for each of us."

Celtic in talks to sign "brilliant" player for just £3.5m

He wants to join.

ByBen Browning Jun 6, 2024

It does look as though Celtic will be priced out of bringing the 27-year-old back to Parkhead, however, which is a huge shame, but the hope is that the situation changes and the Hoops are able to somehow regain the services of their popular former defender.

The 2024/25 season holds real promise for Chelsea following a brilliant end to last season which saw the Blues secure European Football despite losing 11 of their 38 Premier League matches.

Mauricio Pochettino led the Blues to five consecutive wins during the closing weeks of the campaign to secure a sixth-placed finish, but it wasn’t enough for the Argentinian to keep his job.

The club parted ways with the former PSG boss, appointing Enzo Maresca as the club’s new manager, looking to build on Pochettino’s work with all the Blues’ new additions.

The Italian has huge expectations on his shoulders to transform the club and take them back to a title race, aiming to claim their first Premier League title since the 2016/17 campaign.

However, the new manager will have a lot of big decisions to make on the future of numerous first-team members, but he simply can’t afford to let go of one talent who excelled away from Stamford Bridge last season.

The latest on Ian Maatsen's future at Chelsea

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen is attracting interest from Aston Villa and Manchester City after his impressive loan stint at Borussia Dortmund last term.

The 22-year-old, who featured in the Champions League final, impressed during his temporary stint in the Bundesliga, scoring two goals and providing two assists in his 16 appearances for the German side.

The report from Bailey also states that the Dutchman has a £35m release clause in his contract, with Chelsea potentially looking to make a hefty profit on the full-back to boost their FFP status.

However, whilst it may seem a good deal to receive a hefty sum for a player with just 15 appearances for Chelsea’s first-team, Maresca can’t afford to let go of Maatsen, with the talent potentially following in the footsteps of one player who’s excelled since leaving the club.

Another Havertz situation for Chelsea

Last summer, the Blues agreed to sell midfielder Kai Havertz to rivals Arsenal for a reported £60m in an effort to boost their financial situation after a huge influx of incomings at Stamford Bridge.

However, since his departure, the former Bayer Leverkusen talent has excelled under the guidance of Mikel Arteta, leaving Chelsea with a scenario of what could have been for the German had he remained with the Blues.

He’s excelled in a false nine role during the 2023/24 campaign at the Emirates, scoring 13 times in the Premier League, whilst also providing seven assists as Arsenal came within touching distance of winning the title.

Games

37

Goals

13

Assists

7

Goals + assists per 90

0.5

Chances created

46

Duels won

197

A year on from the deal, the club are presented with another precarious situation with Maatsen, especially considering the interest from another top English club in champions Manchester City.

Maresca already has Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella in the left-back area, but given his temporary stint at Dortmund, Maatsen has showcased his talents on the biggest of stages, also having the potential to improve down the line.

The "exceptional" youngster, as dubbed by former Coventry City teammate Simon Moore, will want consistent first-team minutes to be able to reach his full potential, with Maresca needing to make a bold call in keeping the Dutchman, making him his first-choice on the left-hand side.

The club have become too synonymous with offloading young talents too soon, with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah both going on to thrive in the Premier League.

Maatsen is potentially next on the list should the club decide to part ways with him this summer, but, Maresca can buck the trend this window, handing the youngster the opportunity to thrive at Stamford Bridge and cementing himself as a key player under the new management team.

Chelsea could sell "irreplaceable" star in repeat of City's Palmer mistake

He has been a key player for the Blues this season

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 11, 2024

Todd Boehly and the wider Chelsea recruitment team are now seriously considering a "high profile" swap deal, as they continue their widely reported battle to sign Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise.

Palace offer Olise new contract to fend off Chelsea

As reported by Fabrizio Romano this week, the Olise saga has taken yet another twist. Indeed, the reliable transfer journalist broke news that Palace have offered Olise a new contract in an effort to thwart Chelsea, much like they did last summer, but Enzo Maresca's men are still pushing for an agreement and won't give up the chase.

Boehly now prepared to sell £175,000-per-week Chelsea star after Maatsen

The Blues could orchestrate an overhaul this summer.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 20, 2024

"What I can reveal is that, in the last two days, Crystal Palace have offered Olise a new contract," wrote Romano on his Dailybriefing.

"Olise was also close to joining Chelsea last summer before Palace offered him a new deal, and now this summer they are trying exactly the same strategy. Now it’s up to the player, and Palace have given permission to Chelsea, Newcastle United and Bayern Munich to talk to the player.

Appearances

19

Goals

10

Assists

6

Minutes per goal

128

Minutes played

1,278

"At the moment, Chelsea are really pushing and are prepared to pay what Palace want for Olise, and they are also pushing on the player side. Chelsea believe that to agree personal terms with the player will mean getting the deal done.

"Despite Palace offering Olise a new deal, Chelsea are really pushing and insisting and doing their best to land the French winger."

If the 22-year-old puts pen to paper on fresh terms just one year after his last extension, it would be an undoubted blow to Chelsea's transfer plans over Olise, as his current deal is said to contain a complex £60 million exit clause.

The proposed new deal could in theory raise his release clause or just put Palace in an even stronger negotiating position. Depending on the details of Olise's contract offer, Chelsea will be hoping he doesn't sign-off on it, as the Blues seek to back Maresca with the signing of a proven Premier League star.

There have been reports that Chelsea could tempt Palace with player-plus-cash offers for Olise. High-earning winger Raheem Sterling has been floated in Chelsea talks for Olise, according to some media sources, but now another one of Maresca's squad is being mentioned as a possible makeweight.

Chelsea seriously consider Trevoh Chalobah swap deal for Olise

According to GiveMeSport, the player in question is versatile ace Trevoh Chalobah. The Cobham academy ace started 10 of Chelsea's final 15 league games of the 2023/2024 season, after working his way back under Mauricio Pochettino following a first half of the season blighted by injury.

However, Chelsea could still elect to sell the 24-year-old, as per numerous reports in the last few months. Now, GMS state Chelsea are seriously considering a "high profile" Olise swap deal involving Chalobah.

They add that the Englishman may have already played his last game for Chelsea if all goes to plan, but it remains to be seen if this is something Palace boss Oliver Glasner and chairman Steve Parish entertain.

The summer transfer window officially opened for business just over two weeks ago and Celtic are still searching for their new number one for next season.

Brendan Rodgers lost his first-choice goalkeeper at the end of May after Joe Hart officially retired from professional football upon the expiry of his contract.

The former England international enjoyed three years at Parkhead and won the Scottish Premiership title in each of those three campaigns before his departure this summer.

Hart's exit from Glasgow has left a gaping hole between the sticks for the Bhoys ahead of the 2024/25 campaign and it is one that they must fill before the opening match against Kilmarnock.

Kilmarnock

(H)

Hibernian

(A)

St Mirren

(A)

Rangers

(H)

Hearts

(H)

The Bhoys have already been linked with Newcastle United's Martin Dubravka, Belgium international Koen Casteels, Burnley's Arijanet Muric, and Aston Villa's Viljami Sinisalo.

Despite all of these established links, the Scottish giants have been urged to pursue a goalkeeper who has been in sensational form at the 2024 European Championship in Germany.

Celtic urged to pursue Euros star

Former Premier League shot-stopper and current pundit Paul Robinson has tipped the Premiership champions to enter the race for Valencia star Giorgi Mamardashvili, speaking to Football Insider.

The retired goalkeeper has named the Georgia international as someone the club should target if they decide to "push the boat out" and splash cash on a new number one.

Robinson claims that the 23-year-old sensation would be a "statement" signing for the Hoops due to his fantastic form in LaLiga last season and in the current Euros tournament.

The ex-Blackburn Rovers man adds that he could see Celtic "hijacking" Newcastle United's interest in the left-footed colossus, as the Premier League side are interested in a deal to sign him.

It was recently reported that Valencia are looking for a fee in the region of €35m (£30m) to allow their star stopper to depart, with Bayern Munich and Chelsea also said to be eyeing him up.

As Robinson explains, Celtic would need to push the boat out to land him as their current transfer record stands at the £9m they paid to sign Odsonne Edouard from PSG in the summer of 2018.

It, therefore, seems unlikely that the Hoops would be prepared to spend £30m, or close to it, to sign a goalkeeper to replace Hart this summer.

Would it be a good move for the Scottish giants, though, as a replacement for Hart? To Robinson's credit, it does appear as though it would be a 'statement' signing as a dream heir to the former England international, on paper at least.

Giorgi Mamardashvili's Euros form

Firstly, Celtic fans may have taken notice of his exceptional performances for Georgia in Germany in recent weeks, as his performances have helped his country into the knockout stages of the European Championship.

His performance in the second game of the group stages against Czechia was particularly impressive as the Valencia star produced miracles between the sticks.

Sofascore rating

9.8

Saves

11

xG prevented

3.0

Goals conceded

1

Punches

3

As you can see in the table above, he conceded a staggering three goals fewer than the average goalkeeper would have been expected to based on the xG of the shots against his goal.

His stunning 11 saves helped his team to earn a 1-1 draw and he followed that up with 0.52 xG prevented and a clean sheet in a 2-0 win over Portugal in the final group match, to seal qualification for the last 16.

In total, Mamardashvili has saved 84% of the shots against him and prevented 3.58 xG across his three appearances so far in the competition for Georgia, making 21 saves in total.

These statistics show that the £30m-rated titan has been an outstanding shot-stopper for his country in Germany, which may be why the likes of Newcastle, Chelsea, and Bayern are all reportedly interested in signing him ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

However, it is now just his international form that has caught the eye of teams and caused Robinson to urge Celtic to sign him. His superb performances for Valencia in LaLiga last term suggest that he could be a phenomenal signing for the Hoops.

Why Giorgi Mamardashvili would be a dream Joe Hart heir

The 23-year-old brute enjoyed a wonderful campaign in the Spanish top-flight as he proved himself to be an xG defying goalkeeper on a consistent basis.

Over the course of 37 appearances in LaLiga, Mamardashvili conceded a whopping 10.2 fewer goals than expected based on the post-shot xG value of the efforts on his goal.

For reference, Hart let in 6.5 more goals than expected based on the post-shot xG value of the shots against him across 19 outings in European competitions for Celtic during his time in Scotland.

This suggests that he was a liability as a shot-stopper on the continent, as he conceded far more than expected, whilst Mamardashvili could come in and exceed expectations with his ability to keep the ball out of the net.

Appearances

37

37

Sofascore rating

7.09

6.85

Save success rate

72%

68%

Ball recoveries per game

8.3

7.5

Ground duel success rate

88%

40%

Aerial duel success rate

91%

100%

As you can see in the table above, the Georgia international also outperformed Hart at league level in a host of key metrics, including save percentage and ball recoveries.

At the age of 23, the talented titan is also 14 years younger than the former Manchester City star and would come in as a player with the potential to be Rodgers' number one for years to come, or to make the club even more money as part of a future sale.

Therefore, Mamardashvili would be a dream heir to Hart's position at Parkhead due to both his age and his quality, yet it still appears to be unlikely on paper.

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Despite Robinson's suggestion, the money reportedly involved and the top European clubs interested in him does not suggest that the Euros ace is likely to pitch up at Paradise this summer.