Tag Futebol

As this summer represents the first full window with Sir Jim Ratcliffe at the helm at Manchester United, it is expected that the new part owner will oversee large-scale changes at Old Trafford.

Man Utd target attacking reinforcements

With the arrival of Ratcliffe suggesting that the chequebook may be open this summer, it is safe to assume that Old Trafford could see its fair share of action during the transfer window.

Related Man United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe planning to move for “important player”

The update comes courtesy of journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Mar 10, 2024

The most immediate area of concern for United is in attack with the Red Devils struggling for consistency in this part of the pitch. No player has scored more than seven goals this season whilst last summer's marquee signing Antony is yet to provide a league goal this campaign.

Man United Attacker Premier League Stats 2023/24

Games Played

Goals

Rasmus Hojlund

20

7

Marcus Rashford

27

7

Antony

22

0

Anthony Martial

13

1

Alejandro Garnacho

26

5

If United are to get back on track and return to the top four of the Premier League, this summer may have to see vast improvements made to their forward line.

Man Utd interested in swap deal for star

As reported on X by German journalist Christian Falk, Man Utd could be interested in arranging a swap deal with Borussia Dortmund. The deal touted could see Jadon Sancho make his deal in Germany permanent whilst Donyell Malen would move to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have previously expressed an interest in the Dutchman however, this latest development could see the deal completed without United needing to spend a penny.

Since arriving at Dortmund in 2021, the 25-year-old has yielded 50 goal contributions in 105 games. Malen's stats for this season have seen him score on 11 occasions, including an overhead kick against Weder Bremen this month.

Malen's previous spell with PSV saw him arrive at Dortmund full of acclaim. The former Dortmund star and teammate in Holland, Mario Gotze spoke highly of Malen saying of the forward:

"Donyell is extremely fast and very dangerous. If he has a chance, it's usually a goal, too. He's still young, but has really good abilities."

Dortmund may be open to getting the deal done with Sancho enjoying a slight resurgence upon his return to Germany. Providing two goals and two assists already, the winger could want to make the deal permanent and bring an end to his torrid time at Old Trafford.

If Malen, on around £100,000-a-week, is to bring his form in Germany to Old Trafford, the swap deal could be a major coup for United. With Sancho taking home £250,000 a week, shifting the winger off the books whilst bringing in an arguably superior replacement may well be a clever bit of business from Ratcliffe and co.

Arsenal could be offered a cut-price striker solution this summer after it emerged that they could snag a previous target for just £43m thanks to a release clause that activates at the end of the season.

Arteta gunning for the title

After falling at the final hurdle last season, Arsenal and Mikel Arteta look better prepared for a title challenge despite being part of the chasing pack, rather than the frontrunners, this time around.

More resilient at the back and more comfortable dealing with absentees (the likes of Thomas Partey, Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko), they are keeping pace with Manchester City and have already beaten both them and Liverpool in style in the Premier League this season.

There is still plenty of room for improvement though, and for that they are likely to turn to the transfer market.

Arsenal on the hunt for a new number nine

It is no secret that Arsenal are set to be in the market for a striker this summer. After watching their performances over the 2023/24 season, many would agree with former Gunners legend Ian Wright, who has called out for the club to sign a 'killer'. But who they will end up remains unclear.

They have previously been linked with moves for Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney, but the Nigerian striker appears to be set on a switch to PSG while Toney would be an expensive addition given his Premier League and English background.

A cheaper option could present itself in the form of Benjamin Sesko, who both Arsenal and Chelsea were linked to during his time at RB Salzburg, only for him to make the switch to sister club RB Leipzig instead.

Once compared to a "young Zlatan Ibrahimovic", he has already hit double figures in all competitions for the Bulls and has six Bundesliga goals despite starting just eight games in the German top flight.

He would certainly offer a different prospect to current Arsenal options, and is closer to the mould of the likes of Erling Haaland and Rasmus Hojlund. Standing at 6 foot 4, he has been clocked at a mega 36.1 km/hr top speed in the past, making him something of a physical freak. Given that the only Premier League players to ever clock beyond 37 km/ph are Tottenham's Micky Van de Ven and Manchester City fullback Kyle Walker, he could prove a nightmare for defenders, and it's no surprise fans have said he has the "speed of Mbappe and the size of Haaland".

Then there is his ability in front of goal. As it stands, he has scored six Bundesliga goals from an expected goals of just 3.6. Though a very small sample size, it shows his finishing ability. On the other side, a recent study showed that Arsenal trio Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are among the worst under-performers of their expected goals in the Premier League, with all three ranking in the top five last season.

Player	Goals	xG	xG underperformance
Stats from before Burnley match*
Kai Havertz	7	12.78	-5.78
Patrick Bamford	4	9.77	-5.77
Eddie Nketiah	4	9.22	-5.22
Darwin Nunez	9	14.37	-5.37
Gabriel Jesus	11	16.17	-5.17

It means that often games are closer than they should be for Mikel Arteta's side, while the likes of Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland are able to carry their rivals through encounters with ease.

With a summer release clause set at just £43m, the 20-year-old could well be a cheap alternative to some of the astonishingly expensive players already looking set to be on the market this summer, but the Gunners are unlikely to be alone in their admiration of the star, with Manchester City, Liverpool and Barcelona all reportedly joining Mikel Arteta's side in showing an interest in the talent.

Tottenham Hotspur have been simply fantastic this campaign, with Ange Postecoglou’s approach even entertaining the neutral.

Spurs are currently fifth in the Premier League after 26 games, with the race for Champions League football firmly hotting up.

The squad has the perfect balance of youth and experience, with the average age of the squad against Crystal Palace at the weekend being 26.2.

However, there’s one young prospect in particular who has the potential to become a superstar, following in Harry Kane's foot steps.

Harry Kane’s early Spurs career

Today, everyone regards Kane as arguably the best number nine in world football, due to his insane goal-scoring ability and technical class, but what was his early Spurs career like?

In August 2011, England’s all-time leading goalscorer made his Tottenham debut, but it would be years later that he would begin to make an impact in the first-team setup. Numerous loan spells at EFL clubs such as Norwich and Leicester City handed Kane vital experience, and he’s not looked back since.

During the 2013/14 season, Kane began to make a name for himself in the Premier League, scoring three times in six starts. However, his development a year later was sublime.

Where are they now: The starting XI when Harry Kane made his Spurs debut

The England captain has come a long way since making his senior bow for the Lilywhites…

ByRobbie Walls Feb 18, 2024

In the England captain's first full season as the first-choice centre forward, Kane netted an incredible 21 goals and provided three assists, and since then, he’s just gone from strength to strength.

Kane left Spurs in the summer of 2023 for a new challenge, but he will always be remembered as the club's all-time leading scorer with 278 goals and the best player to have ever played for the Lilywhites.

Tottenham's next Harry Kane

In August, Argentinian wonderkid Alejo Veliz joined Spurs for a fee of £13m, with the view of him becoming the long-term replacement for Kane.

The 20-year-old has been handed a few opportunities by Postecoglou since joining, often coming off the bench with minutes to go. This has seen Veliz tally up eight Premier League appearances, and he already has a goal to his name, scoring against Brighton & Hove Albion in the 4-2 defeat.

However, just like Kane during his early days, a loan move was deemed the best choice for his development, as he joined Sevilla in January until the end of the campaign.

His time in Spain hasn’t quite gone to plan, with the Argentine playing just 36 minutes in total so far, but the striker has already proven to be a pure finisher in Argentina, as shown by the table below, which highlights his statistics from the 22/23 Argentinian top-flight.

Games

23

xG

8.38

Goals

11

Big chances missed

5

Shots per game

2.7

Duels won per game

7.1

It’s clear that Veliz is a clinical finisher, with his actual goals being higher than his expected output, but Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig described the 6-foot-1 attacker as “complete” due to his “finishing, movement, link-up play, and technique.” That certainly sounds a lot like Kane, doesn't it? A player with immense link-up play and remarkable shooting technique.

In short, Veliz has all the attributes to become Spurs’ number nine for the foreseeable future, and based on his showing in his home country, he could be the Lilywhites’ biggest prospect since Kane. All he needs is an opportunity to shine.

GOAL rates all of the Portugal players on show as Roberto Martinez's substitutes combined to secure a dramatic late win in Leipzig

For a long, long time, this didn't look like it was going to be Portugal's night – or Cristiano Ronaldo's for that matter. The Selecao skipper had squandered two gilt-edged first-half opportunities before Czech Republic took the lead completely against the run of play courtesy of Lukas Provod's sweet shot from outside the area.

Then, after Portugal had been gifted an equaliser by a farcical and wholly avoidable own goal from Robin Hrnac (his goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek had inexplicably pushed a weak downward header into a crowded six-yard box), Ronaldo then had the misfortune to stray every so slightly offside before hitting the post with a header that Diogo Jota nodded home.

However, as the game entered injury time, two subs combined to score the winner, with Francisco Conceicao slotting home Pedro Neto's deflected cross to give an unimpressive Portugal and a misfiring Ronaldo a 2-1 victory they did not deserve.

Below, GOAL rates all of the Selecao players on show in Leipzig…

Getty Goalkeeper & Defence

Diogo Costa (6/10):

Given absolutely nothing to do before having to pick the ball out of the net after being beaten by Provod's fine strike.

Ruben Dias (6/10):

So untroubled by the Czech attack that he just focused on attacking. He even put over a great cross at one point.

Pepe (6/10):

Age not really an issue for the 41-year-old as he was given an armchair ride by Dias and Mendes but he did win plenty of possession for Portugal.

Nuno Mendes (7/10):

One of Portugal's few impressive performers. The versatile Paris Saint-Germain defender was heavily involved even before he forced the equaliser with his back-post header.

AdvertisementGetty Midfield

Diogo Dalot (4/10):

Finished the season strongly for Manchester United but just didn't offer enough penetration down the right flank. Unsurprisingly hauled off just after the hour mark.

Bruno Fernandes (7/10):

Not at his very best but still displayed far more vision and creativity than many of his team-mates. The pass he played through to Ronaldo during the first half demanded a successful finish.

Vitinha (7/10):

Provided the platform that allowed Portugal to dominate possession, while also creating a couple of good chances and testing Stanek with a decent long-range effort.

Joao Cancelo (5/10):

The wing-back role in such an offensive team enjoying so much possession should have suited his attributes down to the ground, but he contributed little from the left-hand side.

Getty Attack

Bernardo Silva (5/10):

Buzzed about the box in typically menacing fashion but his final ball wasn't great for once. Portugal needed more from such a gifted player.

Cristiano Ronaldo (5/10):

He might not do much work but his job is to be the focal point of the attack and the 39-year-old was unquestionably his side's biggest threat throughout. However, he made a mess of one early header you would have expected him to bury before wasting Bruno's glorious through-ball.

Rafael Leao (4/10):

A real livewire during the first quarter of the game, causing all sorts of problems with his pace and dribbling skills, but he did little thereafter – other than getting booked before being hooked in the 63rd minute.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Subs & Goalkeeper

Diogo Jota (5/10):

Came on for Leao as soon as the Czechs scored and thought he'd scored the winner only to see his header chalked off because Ronaldo was offside.

Goncalo Inacio (5/10):

Replaced Dalot in the 63rd minute but failed to impact the game.

Nelson Semedo (N/A):

Introduced late on.

Pedro Neto (7/10):

Only came on in the final minute of normal time but made an immediate impact, with his break down the left wing leading to the winner.

Francisco Conceicao (6/10):

Won the game for Portugal with his injury-time tap-in.

Roberto Martinez (6/10):

The Spaniard deserves great credit for reacting to the concession of a goal by making a series of positive substitutions – one of which decided the game in his side's favour. But the late drama will not disguise the fact that Portugal performed poorly for an hour. Nor will it put an end to people wondering if the former Belgium boss is really the right manager to get the best out of this great group of players.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na infância, quando se preparava para se tornar um jogador profissional, o reforço do Confiança, Gilberto Jr. jogou parte da sua base no antigo clube formador, Real Salvador, e de acordo com o volante, sua naturalidade e início de carreira justificam sua escolha e identificação com o futebol nordestino.

RelacionadasFutebol InternacionalSérvia x Portugal: saiba onde assistir e as prováveis escalaçõesFutebol Internacional26/03/2021FlamengoEstátua de Zico é restaurada e retorna ao CT do FlamengoFlamengo26/03/2021Futebol InternacionalRepública Tcheca x Bélgica: onde assistir e as prováveis escalaçõesFutebol Internacional26/03/2021

– Eu não consigo me recordar o ano exatamente, acredito que era 2003, eu ainda pirralho, me preparando para ser um jogador profissional, disputamos o que a gente chamava de Copa do Nordeste Infantil, e ganhamos, foi o meu primeiro título da vida. Daí vem minha sintonia com o futebol nordestino, além de eu ter nascido na Bahia, e ter me formado no nordeste, inclusive, passei também pela base do Vitória, eu me identifico demais com a cultura, com o povo e a receptividade – comenta o baiano de Serrinha-BA

Pela região nordeste, além de Real Salvador e Vitória, enquanto atuava na base, o camisa cinco do Dragão já defendeu, profissionalmente, as cores do CRB, quando foi emprestado para a fase final da série B do Campeonato Brasileiro de 2012.

– Eu atuei em poucas partidas com o CRB, fui emprestado para a reta final da série B, e logo na sequência fui para o Alético de Sorocaba, então digo que agora, aqui no Confiança, é a primeira oportunidade de fato que tenho de atuar na minha região, disputar uma copa do nordeste e estadual, perto do meu povo – argumenta o jogador.

A próxima partida do Confiança no sábado (27), pela Copa Nordeste, diante do Vitória-BA, time em que Gilberto atuou nas categorias de base.

– Acredito na crescente do nosso time, a vitória sobre o Sport nos deu um pouco mais de gás para continuarmos buscando a ascensão nas competições. Assim como nós, a equipe do Vitória também é forte e altamente qualificada, acredito que será um duelo difícil, e nós vamos em busca dessa sequência de vitórias – finaliza.

Everton are in the mix to sign a "phenomenal" Premier League talent in the January transfer window, with Man Utd now preferring that their youngster join the Blues on loan rather than head abroad.

Everton transfer news

The Blues are yet to do any incoming business so far this month, but there is still plenty of time for that to change, should the right targets emerge in that time. Manchester United midfielder Hannibal Mejbri is one player who has emerged as a transfer target for Everton in recent times, with the youngster looking likely to either move to Goodison Park or Sevilla on loan in January.

Meanwhile, Brentford ace Frank Onyeka has been backed to join the Merseysiders, and a move for West Brom youngster Tom Fellows has also been mooted.

It is unquestionably an important month for Everton, as they look to ensure that they don't get dragged into yet another Premier League relegation fight – the 10-point deduction is the main reason for that – and Sean Dyche certainly won't turn his nose up at the idea of new faces coming in.

Hannibal Mejbri to Everton update

According to journalist Alonso Rivero on X, Manchester United would like Hannibal to join Everton on loan, with the Blues still very much in the race to sign him.

"Manchester United continues to pressure Hannibal Mejbri to go to Everton. Sevilla is optimistic and that the player's will will prevail. Everything will be resolved next week."

Hannibal is someone who ticks so many boxes when it comes to being a strong loan signing by Everton, not least because he will be desperate to prove to Erik ten Hag that he is worth persevering with moving forward.

Appearances

2

Starts

2

Goal contributions

0

Tackles per game

2.5

Pass completion rate

84.6%

Playing time has understandably been limited for the Tunisian this season, given his lack of experience, but he is a tenacious figure who could be popular among Blues fans, having been lauded by former John Eustace in the past, who managed him at Birmingham City:

"The way he has played in the last couple of games has been phenomenal. He has broken records for total distance [covered], all that kind of stuff. It was important we also used the squad. [Juninho] Bacuna came in today and did well and Hanni came on for that last half hour and was very good. I have said it is a squad game, everyone will be used, we are certainly stretched at the moment but it's important everyone gets that opportunity to play and feel wanted."

Everton now interested in signing "great" £20m+ AFCON star in January

The Toffees could land a crucial reinforcement once he returns from international duty.

ByTom Cunningham Jan 11, 2024

Hannibal has not played enough football to justify going straight into Everton's starting lineup as a regular – he has 13 first-team appearances to his name for United – but he could bring a good balance in the middle of the park for Dyche, not only being a relentless presser and tackler but someone who uses the ball intelligently, too.

Following a five-game winless run that saw Tottenham Hotspur squander a lead on each occasion, Ange Postecoglou's men have roared back into form after picking up three successive victories in the Premier League.

The latest triumph at home to an in-form Everton side saw the Lilywhites strike early blows courtesy of Richarlison and Son, with the former Celtic boss no doubt hoping for another fast start in tonight's mouthwatering meeting with Brighton and Hove Albion.

Ange's 88-touch Spurs titan who won 13 duels was a wall alongside Vicario

They weren’t at their best, but Tottenham secured three points against an in-form Everton side.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 23, 2023

While Postecoglou will be seeking more of the same for the trip to the south coast, a handful of selection issues could pose something of a problem this evening.

Spurs team news vs Brighton

With the north London outfit already boasting a sizeable injury list – that includes the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Rodrigo Bentancur – there will be further frustration for Postecoglou that both Cristian Romero and Richarlison were forced off with injury in the 2-1 win over the Toffees.

While neither issue appeared to be particularly serious at the time, the South American pair will have to be assessed ahead of the trip to the Amex, with the quick turnaround from the weekend clash perhaps putting their involvement in doubt today.

A further concern is the fact that former Seagulls man Yves Bissouma is set to be unavailable for the clash with his previous employers due to suspension, albeit with Destiny Udogie at least able to make his return after missing out on Saturday due to his own one-match ban.

The former Udinese starlet – who has been hailed as "sickeningly good" by footballJOE's Hunter Godson – is likely to walk straight back into the team at left-back, having only recently scored in the 4-1 thrashing of Newcastle United.

The young Italian could well be joined in the starting lineup by experienced midfielder, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, with the Danish maestro potentially set to help fill the void of Bissouma in front of the back four.

The stats to show why Hojbjerg should start vs Brighton

With Bissouma missing out at the weekend, it was Oliver Skipp who Postecoglou selected to line up alongside Pape Matar Sarr in the centre of the park, with the Englishman putting in a solid, albeit unspectacular display – winning four of his five duels and losing possession on just seven occasions from his 72 touches.

Despite hardly disgracing himself, there could be wisdom in ousting Skipp in order to hand Hojbjerg a starting role instead, with the 28-year-old – who has been linked with a January exit – having previously proven the scourge of the Seagulls.

The £100k-per-week "warrior" – as described by pundit and ex-Spurs man, Alan Hutton – has chipped in with four goals and assists in 13 career meetings with today's opponents, having regularly been a dominant force in this fixture.

The former Southampton man was particularly impressive both home and away against Brighton last season, notably proving the 'driving force' for his side in the 1-0 win at the Amex – as hailed by football.london's Alasdair Gold – while registering an assist in the 2-1 win in the reverse meeting.

Hojbjerg's 2023/24 season by numbers (Premier League)
17 games (3 starts)
0 goals & assists
90% pass accuracy rate
2.8 balls recovered per game
46% total duels won
0.1 key passes per game
6.74 average match rating
Stats via Sofascore

While the one-time everpresent has seen his game time inhibited of late due to the presence of Sarr and Bissouma, the latter man's absence should see Hojbjerg rightfully reinstated over the more youthful Skipp.

With Brighton the only English club that the one-time Bayern Munich man has scored twice against, he could well look to add to that tally…

West Bromwich Albion's inconsistencies that had plagued the back-end of their 2023 reared their ugly head once again to start the new year, old habits dying hard away at Swansea City with the Baggies losing 1-0 in Wales.

Back-to-back 1-0 wins against Norwich City and Leeds United preceded this flat defeat on the road to the Swans, Carlos Corberan's West Midlands side needing to string together more consistent patches of wins over losses to strengthen their somewhat flimsy grasp on a playoff spot currently.

Still, with injuries piling up in recent weeks for Corberan to contend with, the Baggies will take fifth position in the Championship with 20 more games to go in the regular season.

The FA Cup third round is up next for the second-tier promotion hopefuls, with the Spanish manager in the Hawthorns dug-out plotting possible alterations ahead of the banana skin prospect of non-league Aldershot Town today.

Jayson Molumby is among those set to miss the upcoming contest through injury, with the former Brighton and Hove Albion man seemingly deserving of the drop anyway amid his woes last time out.

Jayson Molumby's game vs Swansea in numbers

The £17k-per-week Irish midfielder has found first-team minutes hard to come by this campaign, starting just 12 of West Brom's 26 games to date in the Championship.

Corberan won't be rushing to give him another start any time soon after this sub-par showing, the attacking midfielder huffing and puffing throughout but lacking any real incisiveness in forward positions for the Baggies.

Missing one big chance in the contest on top of completing zero successful dribbles, as per Sofascore, the 24-year-old was also weak when it came to winning his fair share of duels with zero duels won.

75 minutes played

42 touches

94% pass accuracy rate

5x possession lost

1 big chance missed

0 key passes

0 successful dribbles

0 duels won

6.5 match rating

Molumby did only misplace two passes in the game, but it was a quiet and timid display from the Irishman who looked scared to truly go full throttle in truth which saw BirminghamLive journalist Joe Chapman hand out a 5/10 rating to the Baggies number eight in his post-match musings.

Corberan could shake things up this time around by slotting in Brandon Thomas-Asante into an unconventional number ten berth, with the former Leeds United assistant already confirming that Daryl Dike is in line to start through the middle.

The players who could replace Jayson Molumby

John Swift would have been the obvious replacement for Molumby if the ex-Chelsea man was himself not also injured, with the 28-year-old's absence set to provide another unwanted headache for the Baggies boss.

With Jed Wallace another who is also set to be unavailable through injury – and with Adam Reach an option to replace Grady Diangana on the flanks, amid the latter man's AFCON commitments – the job may fall to Thomas-Asante to line up behind Dike as an unorthodox number ten.

West Brom's "pocket rocket" – as described by teammate Wallace – has only featured four times in an attacking midfield role and ten times as a second striker in his entire career to date, although with injuries and absences mounting, needs must as far as Corberan is concerned.

With eight goals to his name already this season in all competitions, the former Salford City star could run riot again against the non-league side, even if taking on a new role this afternoon.

MatériaMais Notícias

A torcida do São Paulo pede, mas o atacante equatoriano Joao Rojas, recuperado de lesões no joelho, não entra em campo pelo Tricolor há mais de dois anos. Ele não foi relacionado contra o Ceará, no empate por 1 a 1. Perguntado sobre o assunto na coletiva, o interino Marcos Vizolli disse que a pandemia atrapalhou os planos para a volta do jogador.

São Paulo perto de anunciar Crespo: lembre os treinadores estrangeiros do Tricolor

– Ele está em uma transição, hoje está em um momento melhor, numa condição melhor. Mas temos que ver em relação a pandemia, ela atrapalhou muita coisa. O Rojas não participou de nenhum jogo, só está fazendo coletivos e trabalhos em campo. Está completamente recuperado e avaliado – afirmou.

SIMULE OS PRÓXIMOS JOGOS DO SÃO PAULO NO BRASILEIRÃO

RelacionadasSão PauloCapitão do São Paulo Sub-17, Léo Silva encerra ciclo na categoria e espera por conquistas no Sub-20São Paulo11/02/2021São PauloMP pede libertação dos envolvidos em ataque ao ônibus do São PauloSão Paulo11/02/2021São PauloDe saída, Brenner se despede do São Paulo: ‘Nos vemos em breve’São Paulo11/02/2021

Sobre o futuro, Rojas tem contrato até o final de fevereiro com o São Paulo.Conforme o LANCE! apurou, as conversas sobre uma possível renovação estão estagnadas, devido ao acerto com um novo treinador, provavelmente o argentino Hernán Crespo.

Há uma chance, ainda que remota, do contrato ser prolongado até o final deste ano. Em contato com a reportagem, pessoas próximas ao atacante disseram que ele quer permanecer no São Paulo.

Emprestado ao Tricolor pelo Cruz Azul (MEX) em 2018, o atacante teve uma boa sequência de jogos após a sua chegada, interrompida após a sua primeira lesão. No total, o equatoriano tem 20 jogos pelo São Paulo e um gol marcado.

Celtic are in the market for quality reinforcements in January and are now said to be keen to bid again for one of their reported summer targets. However, they will need to fend off competition for his signature after a new development.

Brendan Rodgers wants January signings

Anyone who follows Celtic will know by now that Brendan Rodgers is desperate to add quality to his squad in the January window, which is understandable given that his side have lost consecutive Scottish Premiership matches to Kilmarnock and Heart of Midlothian in uncharacteristic fashion.

Earlier this month, the Irishman said as much in an interview with Sky Sports News, stating after the Hoops' 2-0 defeat to Lazio on matchday five of the Champions League: "There's no doubt now that, one, the squad will come down in numbers and obviously we need to add quality."

Related Celtic could now sign "flamboyant" player for Rodgers in January

This could help in the club’s search for another Scottish Premiership title.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Dec 15, 2023

He then added: "There is no dressing it up, the group lost real quality players in the summer. That's something that over the coming windows we will look to improve on."

Put simply, there are too many players present at Parkhead that simply aren't delivering enough on a week-by-week basis. Despite having 77% possession and 22 shots at goal against Hearts over the weekend, Celtic recorded just five shots on target and truthfully never looked like breaching the opposition rearguard.

Bringing in a striker will undoubtedly be a priority at the club in January, with Kyogo Furuhashi, Oh Hyeon-gyu, Daizen Maeda and winger Yang Hyun-jun all potentially unavailable for a portion of matches in the New Year if they are selected for their respective nations at the upcoming Asian Cup.

Now, one report has explained the latest situation regarding one player Celtic could look to target again in January after links during the summer transfer window.

Mathias Kvistgaarden on Celtic's radar once again

According to Football Scotland, Celtic have indicated to Brondby that they will return with an improved offer for striker Mathias Kvistgaarden in January after previously having a £4 million bid thrown out for the Denmark Under-21 international in the summer.

Mathias Kvistgaarden Superliga statistics – 2023/24 (Sofascore)

Big chances created

6

Shots per game

2.1

Shots on target per game

1.1

Goals per game

0.3

Big chances missed

9

Average match rating

7.18/10

Nevertheless, Bundesliga 2 side Schalke have now approached the player's entourage and have made an official enquiry regarding his availability in an attempt to try and pave the way for the 21-year-old to move to the VELTINS-Arena instead. The outlet report that the German club sent representatives to watch Kvistgaarden in action on more than one occasion during November.

Labelled "fantastic" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Birkerod-born striker is capable of playing centrally or on the flank and has notched five goals and seven assists in 17 league appearances this campaign (Kvistgaarden statistics – Transfermarkt).

Celtic need another option in the forward areas and Kvistgaarden's attributes could add some extra ingenuity in attack heading into the second half of the season.