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After just confirming the arrival of Adam Idah from Norwich City in a deal worth £9.5m, Celtic are now reportedly expected to submit their first offer for a Scottish Premiership star.

Celtic transfer news

The Bhoys left their business late this summer, but have still managed to impress with their arrivals, nonetheless. The likes of Kasper Schmeichel, Paulo Bernardo and, most recently, Idah have all arrived. Idah felt a particularly long time coming following such an impressive loan spell in the second-half of last season.

After finally putting pen to paper, the forward told Celtic's official website: “I think everyone knew where I wanted to be. It’s amazing for me and I’m delighted to be back. It was amazing to get all of those goals and to be in with the boys and to see these amazing fans week in, week out was unbelievable.

"I’ve never experienced anything like it and I’m just so happy to be back. I always wanted to play for Celtic and obviously last season was amazing. To come here now and be fully a part of the team and a part of this club is amazing to me."

Hatate 2.0: Celtic lining up priority swoop for £10m-rated "revelation"

The Hoops are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the young central midfielder.

ByDan Emery Aug 15, 2024

Idah may not have to wait long to be joined by another new teammate, either. According to The Scottish Sun, Dundee now expect Celtic to submit their first bid for Luke McCowan in an attempt to sign the midfielder this month.

The Scottish Premiership side have already knocked back an offer worth £750,000 for the 26-year-old, perhaps highlighting where the Bhoys should at least start with their own bid.

"Game-winner" McCowan could become a bargain O'Riley replacement

Amid serious interest from Atalanta in Matt O'Riley, Celtic could be left scrambling to replace their star man as the window approaches deadline day. And that's where McCowan could emerge to become a surprise replacement for the Dane.

In what will likely be a bargain deal compared to the reported £20m+ that the Bhoys are demanding for O'Riley, the Dundee man has certainly proven his worth in the Scottish Premiership.

Appearances

37

37

Goals

10

18

Assists

5

13

Of course, completely matching O'Riley's output last season was an almost impossible task, but McCowan deserves great credit for his 15 goal involvements in a number that would only likely increase in a better team.

Earning plenty of praise already this season, former Hibs player Marvin Bartley said via Edinburgh News: "He's a game-winner, isn't he? At this minute in time, Dundee have managed to keep hold of him. As a manager you can be as structured as you want, patterns of play in training, sometimes you need players like him to pull things out the bag.

"He's the captain and leads by example. He is not the loudest of players, not all captains have to be, not a ranter and a raver."

Former England international Theo Walcott believes that Newcastle striker Alexander Isak would complete the current Real Madrid team.

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Walcott in awe of IsakBelieves he's the missing piece of Madrid's jigsawSwede among Premier League's best forwardsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Former England international Theo Walcott has hailed Alexander Isak as the complete forward and has suggested that the current Real Madrid team would immensely benefit from having the Newcastle United ace in their ranks. Isak has scored four goals in nine Premier League appearances this season and is frequently linked with a move to a bigger club.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Isak has been a wonderful addition to the Magpies squad, scoring 40 goals in 78 outings for the English outfit since joining from Real Sociedad in 2022. He scored 21 goals in the Premier League last season and found himself on Chelsea's radar in the summer.

The Swede's contract with Newcastle expires in 2028 and the club are adamant about renewing him, but they haven't gotten in talks with Isak yet. This has sparked rumours of a possible 2025 exit from St. James' Park, with Arsenal lurking in the shadows.

Walcott, though, acknowledged that he would love to see the former Real Sociedad man return to LaLiga and play for the current holders Real Madrid.

WHAT THEO WALCOTT SAID

"Isak is the sort of player Arsenal genuinely need, but you would say everyone needs a player like him in their team right now, even Liverpool, and it is not just Premier League teams who will be trying to get hold of him either," Walcott told BBC Sport.

"Look at Real Madrid’s line-up at this moment in time. They go for these Galacticos and buy these incredible talents, but they sometimes put them in positions where they can’t quite do it. I would say that if you put Isak in that Real team then he moulds them together in a different way, where you might think they now look like a very well-balanced team.

"That’s the level he's at, and I can absolutely understand why all the very top teams would want him."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ALEXANDER ISAK?

After missing out on the international games in October, Isak has returned to the Sweden squad for this month's Nations League encounters against Slovakia and Azerbaijan. If the 25-year-old features in both games, he'll reach 50 caps for the national team.

Romelu Lukaku, John Stones and Anthony Gordon are just three players that Everton have made huge profits on in recent years, all either joining the club for a bargain fee or coming through as a product of the Toffees’ academy.

However, they’ve also had their fair share of blunders in the market, signing players who have failed to deliver and seeing them lose a lot of money, subsequently plunging the Toffees into financial difficulties.

As a result, the club have had to act sensibly when it comes to new additions, to prevent a repeat of the breach of PSR rules last season which saw Sean Dyche’s side hit with a combined deduction of eight points.

The 53-year-old boss has done an excellent job considering the circumstances since his appointment in January 2023, securing the club’s ever-present Premier League status and providing stability in a time of off-the-field turmoil.

He now has the opportunity to bolster his squad and build on last season’s 15th-placed finish, with Everton still pushing to sign one player despite constant interest from other top-flight clubs.

Everton’s attempts to sign Jaden Philogene

In recent days, The Athletic reported that Everton had submitted a £16m bid for Hull City forward Jaden Philogene, amid long-standing interest in the 22-year-old.

The forward produced some excellent stats for the Tigers last season under former boss Liam Rosenior, scoring 12 and registering six assists in his 32 appearances, during what was his first season at the MKM Stadium.

However, the transfer saga has taken a huge twist in the last 48 hours, with Ipswich Town attempting to complete their own deal for the player, with an £18m package agreed to beat Everton to the player's signature.

Despite the agreement, Aston Villa, the club where Philogene spent most of his academy days, have triggered the buy-back option in the deal that saw him leave for Hull, with the decision now up to the player as to where he moves ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

However, despite the recent interest in the young attacker, the club already have one player at Goodison who is worth more than the in-demand Hull talent.

Dwight McNeil’s market value in 2024

After arriving on Merseyside for £20m from Burnley back in the summer of 2022, winger Dwight McNeil has become a hit with the supporters, playing a key role under Dyche in securing the club’s top-flight status.

He’s since featured 82 times for the Toffees, scoring ten goals, including a magnificent strike against Nottingham Forests towards the back end of last season, allowing the club to take a huge leap towards survival.

Games played

35

Goals

3

Assists

6

Chances created

69

Successful dribbles

30

Successful crosses

65

As a result, his market value has skyrocketed to £29m, as per Football Transfers, seeing him valued higher than current target Philogene, who’s only valued at £10m despite the recent interest at around the £18m mark.

The “special” McNeil, as dubbed by journalist Andy Jones, is still only 24, having huge potential to further improve his all-round game under Dyche, building on the excellent strides he’s made in recent years.

Missing out on Philogene may not be a bad thing for the Toffees, with his potential arrival halting the progression of McNeil, whilst also allowing the club to invest their funds elsewhere in a bid to pull further clear of the drop zone next season.

Everton preparing bid for Branthwaite 2.0 who's worth more than Philogene

He’s been a constant target for Sean Dyche’s side this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 10, 2024

Adelaide Strikers have completed their international signings for the BBL by bringing in English left-arm spinner Danny Briggs who is the leading wicket-taker in the history of the T20 Blast.Briggs, 29, has taken 172 wickets in English domestic T20 from 152 matches for Hampshire and Sussex with an economy rate of 7.16. He played seven T20Is for England but the last of those came in 2014.He has recently moved from Sussex to Warwickshire but built a strong association with Strikers coach Jason Gillespie at his former club.”Briggsy is a calm head; an experienced campaigner. He can bowl in every phase of a T20 game. He’s very versatile and very adaptable,” Gillespie said.”To have Briggsy to complement the leg spin of Rashid Khan, plus we’ve got the off-spin of Travis Head and Matt Short. We feel that Danny will add another dimension to our bowling attack should he get a surface that suits multiple spin options.”He is a fantastic guy. He’s very calm, a gun fielder but he also has that experienced head and he will crack in and do his job. He will fit in wonderfully well; the boys will enjoy his company.”Briggs joins Khan and Phil Salt, the Sussex batsman, as the Strikers’ overseas players with the trio all available for the full duration of the tournament.Current Strikers squad Danny Briggs (Eng), Travis Head, Rashid Khan (Afg), Michael Neser, Harry Nielsen, Matthew Renshaw, Phil Salt (Eng), Matt Short, Peter Siddle, Cameron Valente, Jake Weatherald, Jon Wells, Daniel Worrall

Leicester City fans will hope an announcement that reveals who Enzo Maresca's successor is comes soon, with Graham Potter still leading the way to be the Italian's replacement.

With the transfer embargo at the Foxes looking likely to be lifted too, according to reports, next season could see Leicester thrive in the Premier League, rather than settling for safety after being crowned as champions of the second tier.

The East Midlands outfit will want to press on to get a number of new signings in through the door soon, to bolster the squad ahead of the challenge of competing in the elite league again, with reinforcements in defence being targeted.

Leicester eyeing up their next Harry Maguire

According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are willing to offload Joe Rodon for just £10m this summer, with interest already there from Leicester among other Premier League clubs.

Fellow newly promoted sides Southampton and Ipswich Town are also reportedly queueing up to win the in-demand centre-back's permanent signature, after he impressed on loan with Leeds United last season, despite his loan club's inability to move back up to the top flight.

Daniel Farke's men were keen on a reunion this summer, but no doubt Rodon will want to test himself in the top English division, having excelled in the Championship, with Leicester admiring him from afar in the promotion race presumably.

How Rodon can become Leicester's next Maguire

Rodon could end up becoming the Foxes' very next Harry Maguire if everything goes to plan, with Leicester signing the 6 foot 4 titan for a similar fee to what is now being touted for the ex-Leeds loanee, winning the now Manchester United defender's services for £17m after a breakout spell with Hull City.

Rodon would be cheaper, however, and could go on to perform like a colossus in a similar fashion to the England international, if his last campaign is anything to go by.

Before the 31-year-old became a common scapegoat at Old Trafford – with the excessive £80m fee Man United once paid for him arguably working against the ex-Foxes man – Maguire was a strong and imposing centre-back at the King Power Stadium.

From his 69 Premier League appearances for his former club, the defender would amass five goals and become a reliable source of important strikes coming up from the back , on top of being a brute presence full stop, winning an average of 5.8 duels per game during his swansong Foxes campaign.

Games played

31

43

Goals scored

3

0

Assists

0

0

Clean sheets

6

17

Touches*

68.9

83.7

Accurate passes*

48.2 (86%)

66.0 (91%)

Interceptions*

1.2

1.2

Tackles*

1.0

1.1

Clearances*

4.9

4.5

Duels won*

5.8 (73%)

4.7 (68%)

Albeit whilst playing in the Championship, Rodon's numbers for last season better Maguire in a number of areas based on his 2018/19 showing, whilst also nearly matching up with the Man United centre-back in other aspects.

As can be seen looking at the table above, the Welshman can be an imposing figure – coming in at 6 foot 4 too – but also a calm and measured passer of the ball out from the back.

Rodon could, therefore, offer even more than Maguire managed during his final season, if the 26-year-old can handle the step-up in quality, after being a top dog in the league below.

Described as possessing a "warrior mentality" by his ex-Whites boss in Farke, when Leeds were scrapping for their lives at the start of last season to make up for a slow start, he could be the perfect person to bring in if Leicester find themselves submerged in a relegation fight.

Who will occupy the Leicester hot seat still remains to be seen, but if the next manager made Rodon their first capture, he would be an instantly popular boss.

Leicester could sign "outstanding" Vardy heir as first Potter signing

Leicester City could show they mean business in the Premier League with this striker swoop.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 17, 2024

Manchester United have tabled an early summer offer for a "quality" new goalkeeper, with sources close to him positive that he will leave his current club.

Man Utd transfer news

The Red Devils need new signings everywhere you look this summer, with either ageing figures or a lack of quality holding them back this season, as well as injury-prone stars.

Ramsus Hojlund has been a success story overall, including scoring in his last two appearances, but he is still a raw talent who shouldn't necessarily be starting every week. For that reason, a rival striker will surely come in, and Brentford ace Ivan Toney has been linked with a move to United. Sir Jim Ratcliffe is even believed to have submitted a bid for the England international's services.

Casemiro's form has nosedived this season, with the Brazilian looking a shadow of the player who was once arguably the world's leading defensive midfielder, and Benfica starlet Joao Neves has been lined up as a replaceent for him this season. At just 19, the Portuguese gem would be viewed as both an immediate key man and long-term acquisition, having made an impressive 51 appearances in all competitions this season.

Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella is also being looked at as an option for United, even though he struggled against Antony in one meeting this season, with the winger completing six out of seven dribbles on the day. With Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia suffering injury-plagued campaigns, added depth is required in that position.

Man Utd make offer for "quality" shot-stopper

According to a report from Spain, Manchester United have made an offer for Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, as they look for a possible upgrade on Andre Onana this summer. The update claims that the £46k-a-week Ukrainian's performances have seen his current club "present him with a generous offer but to date they have had no response", and "with a very important offer from Manchester United, his future could change in just a few weeks".

Lunin "knows that he will not be able to advance in his career" being in the shadow of Thibaut Courtois" and "those around the player see his exit getting closer and closer".

The 25-year-old could be a really astute addition by United this summer, although some may feel that it is harsh on Onana, who has largely recovered well after a poor start to life at Old Trafford. Ratcliffe may feel that he needs to be ruthless, however, and if he thinks the Madrid man can help the Red Devils reach greater heights than the current United stopper, he should be trusted.

The 6 foot 3 ace has been hailed for his "quality" by manager Carlo Ancelotti, and he is still a young goalkeeper with so much more improving to do.

9/10 star just had one of his best games in a Man Utd shirt

The Man United ace was even better than Diogo Dalot vs Brighton.

ByTom Lever May 19, 2024

Lunin is too good to be warming the substitutes' bench, which will happen now that Courtois is fit again – the latter is set to start the Champions League final clash with Borussia Dortmund on June 1st – so a move to United could appeal greatly.

An in-form player who will cost upwards of around £43 million is "certain" to seal a move away this summer, and Arsenal are now the "main contenders" for his signing.

Edu and Arteta draw up summer transfer plans at Arsenal

Sporting director Edu and Gunners boss Mikel Arteta work in tandem when it comes to the club's transfer activity, as is well known, and the former has already stated publicly that Arsenal have their targets in mind for the summer window.

£40,000-per-week star hints at exit after claim Arsenal are preparing a bid

He’s been in scintillating form this season.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 7, 2024

"I understand what the fans are asking for but we already have our targets,” said Edu on Arsenal's transfer plans for 2024 to TNT Sports.

“We have planned a lot ahead and I will be worried if we don’t score a lot of goals and if we’re not creating chances, which is the opposite because we create a lot and score a lot of goals. The plan is to try to get better every year and I think we are in a good moment. Let's see if we can keep improving.”

On the field, Arsenal are currently chasing down a first Premier League title in 20 years after a campaign of excellent goalscoring form. No other side in the top flight have scored more this season than the north Londoners, but Arteta is still relying on a slip up from Man City, who hold all the cards mathematically heading into the final few games of 2023/2024.

Arsenal's remaining matches	Man City's remaining matches
Man United (away)	Fulham (away)
Everton (home)	Tottenham (away)
	West Ham (home)

Having to contend with Pep Guardiola's City side, who many believe could be one of the best footballing teams the sport has ever seen, is a mightily unlucky spot to be in from Arsenal's perspective. But, whatever the outcome of this title race, it's safe to say Arsenal can hold their heads high – as they could be on for a whopping 89 points if they win their final two matches.

The summer window will be a crucial one, regardless of whether they go into it as champions of England. To maintain their place among the country's most elite sides, it is believed Arsenal are set to try and sign an "important" new striker (Fabrizio Romano).

Players like Kai Havertz, who's shone in a makeshift forward role over 23/24, will feel hard done by – but Arsenal's goalscoring form hasn't altered their plans to bring in a new natural number nine. Gabriel Jesus could even make way for Arsenal to bring in a world-class centre-forward, and one name who repeatedly gets mentioned is Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres.

Gyokeres "certain" to move with Arsenal "main contenders" for deal

The Sweden international, who's bagged an incredible 41 goals in all competitions this season, also has an £86 million release clause in his contract. However, that doesn't necessarily mean Arsenal will have to pay it, as some reports suggest Sporting could consider offers upward of around £43 million (La Gazzetta).

That would be a bargain by all standards, with newspaper Jornal de Noticias (via Sport Witness) sharing an update on his situation and Arsenal's interest. Indeed, they write that Gyokeres is "certain" to leave this summer and Arsenal are the "main contenders" to strike a deal.

Arsenal chiefs are also said to be "very impressed" by the 25-year-old's form this term, which isn't exactly surprising.

كشفت رابطة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم “لاليجا”، عن رجل مباراة برشلونة وريال بيتيس في الدوري الإسباني.

وتعادل برشلونة بنتيجة 2/2 أمام نظيره ريال بيتيس، خلال المباراة التي جمعت الفريقين على ملعب “بينيتو فيامارين”.

اقرأ أيضاَ.. فيديو | برشلونة يسقط في فخ التعادل بالوقت القاتل أمام ريال بيتيس بـ الدوري الإسباني

وتوج لامين يامال لاعب برشلونة بجائزة رجل المباراة، المقدمة من رابطة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم “لاليجا”.

وحصل اللاعب البولندي، على تقييم 8.3 من 10 في مباراة اليوم بحسب شبكة “فوت موب”، وهو الأعلى بين لاعبي الفريقين.

وتمكن يامال من صناعة هدف برشلونة الثاني من خلال تمريرة ساحرة مقدمة لـ فيران توريس عند الدقيقة 82.

وسدد ليفاندوفسكي على مرمى الخصم في محاولتين، ووصلت دقة تمريراته إلى 68%، وقام بـ لمس الكرة في 51 مرة من بينهم 4 مرات داخل منطقة الجزاء.

The left-arm spinner is also working on improving his batting to firm up his place in white-ball cricket

Firdose Moonda07-May-2020

Keshav Maharaj prepares to send one down•AFP

Keshav Maharaj has put himself forward as a wildcard candidate to take over as South Africa’s Test captain. The position remains unfilled following Faf du Plessis stepping down in February, even though South Africa have appointed Quinton de Kock as their white-ball captain.Maharaj has not been among those named as likely future Test leaders – a status reserved for Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar – but he wants the captaincy, and not just in red-ball cricket.”I really want to captain the Proteas. It’s been my dream. Not many people know that, but those close to me know that I do want to captain the South African team across all three formats,” Maharaj said. “And I want to raise the World Cup trophy in my hand as the leader of the side.”Apart from wanting to play for the Proteas as a childhood dream, captaining the team to a World Cup-winning campaign would be everything I have ever dreamed of and my life would be fulfilled from a cricketing perspective.”While Maharaj’s goals may seem ambitious to those who follow South African cricket, he has previous experience on which to make his case. Maharaj led his franchise, the Dolphins, in last season’s one-day cup, where they were declared winners after the competition was suspended because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Dolphins finished top of the points’ table with seven victories from 10 matches. Maharaj was their leading wicket-taker and fourth-highest overall, numbers that earned him an ODI recall against Australia after an absence from the team for 18 months.Maharaj had only played four ODIs before that, two in England in 2017 and two against Sri Lanka in 2018, and was considered to be behind Imran Tahir and Tabraiz Shamsi in the national pecking order. But with Tahir’s ODI retirement after the 2019 World Cup and South Africa open to playing XIs with more than one spinner, Maharaj knew he could establish a regular place and the team management even gave him a blueprint for how to do it. “I got told that apart from bowling, you need to work on your batting.”Though he only batted five times in the tournament, Maharaj finished with the Dolphins’ second-highest average, and scored his maiden List A half-century, which helped his team to a match-winning total in a low-scoring game against the Cobras.Keshav Maharaj punches off the back foot•Associated Press

That knock came after Maharaj scored two Test fifties, in Pune against India and in Port Elizabeth against England, innings that showed why he had initially been spoken about as someone with all-round potential. “I have a lot more ability than the numbers I have been showing,” he said.Maharaj had two first-class hundreds and seven fifties to his name when he made his Test debut in 2016, but his early international displays, which often involved wild swings, did not indicate he could be considered an allrounder. However, he showed a more measured approach last summer, and now wants to work his way up the Test line-up. “In India, I got a taste of what it’s like to score an international fifty. I wanted to really kick on but it was a bit unfortunate to get out,” he said. “I really want to take my batting seriously and move to a bowling allrounder or a fully-fledged allrounder so I can contribute evenly. I know I am capable of scoring bigger runs. My biggest problem was getting the first fifty so I now I want to try and kick o from that and get big hundreds and match-winning hundreds.”Maharaj hopes that if he scores runs in the longest format, it may also help him get into the international scene in the shortest one; he has not yet been capped in T20Is. “I do want to break into the T20 format but I know I have to bide my time in ODI cricket and score some big runs in Test cricket to improve my chances of selection,” he said.Until then, he is happy to put in the hard work, under de Kock, who has changed the way South Africa approach their limited-overs cricket. “It’s a different dynamic to when I first debuted in terms of the aggression. It’s exciting,” Maharaj said. “You’ve got a younger leader and with youth comes a lot of flair.”Maharaj has spent the lockdown working on developing flair of his own, as he looks to become a multi-format international regular. He will have more time to do that over the next few months after his overseas deal with Yorkshire was canceled as the counties look for ways to cut costs in the face of Covid-19. That means the earliest Maharaj will play is if South Africa’s July-August tour to West Indies goes ahead, a tour they will undertake with a new Test captain. Whether that is Maharaj remains to be seen.In the meanwhile, he also has a wedding to reschedule. Maharaj and his fiancee Lerisha were due to tie the knot last Saturday but had to postpone their big day with the ban on social gatherings still in place. Even though he is disappointed not to have been able to say his “I dos”, Maharaj can see the silver lining. “It was tough accepting [the postponement] but it gives us some extra time to make the wedding even more perfect than what it was going to be.”

A manager who Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already spoken with is reportedly now being lined up to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.

Man Utd manager rumours

The Red Devils haven’t had a successful season so far, sitting sixth in the Premier League, being knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage and failing to defend the EFL Cup.

However, United and Ten Hag are still competing in the FA Cup and are preparing to take on Coventry City in the semi-final at Wembley.

There is still something to play to salvage the season, but there has been plenty of speculation over who could possibly take over from Ten Hag ahead of Ratcliffe’s first full season as co-owner.

Man Utd want 4-2-3-1 manager who plays “sublime football” to oust Ten Hag

The Red Devils have concrete interest in him.

ByHenry Jackson Apr 3, 2024

Recent claims have suggested Ten Hag’s future is a 50/50 call at this moment in time, with initial talks already held with Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi. England boss Gareth Southgate has also been linked as a candidate alongside Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou who is another mooted option. Surprisingly, Brentford’s Thomas Frank has been named as another top target.

However, it is a boss who Ratcliffe has been linked with previously who has been making waves in the media once again.

Graham Potter in line for Man Utd job with Ten Hag resigned to sack

According to The Sun’s Neil Custis, a number of Man Utd players believe that Ten Hag has resigned himself to the sack at the end of the season. It is believed that the Dutchman has changed in recent weeks, with Ratcliffe failing to give him the vote of confidence in public.

Another manager to be linked with a move to Old Trafford over the last six months has been Graham Potter. The former Chelsea boss has already spoken with Ratcliffe and recently turned down the job at Ajax, with Custis now again saying Potter is in line to take over.

The 48-year-old has now been out of work for over a year after parting ways at Stamford Bridge. He did come in for praise at the start of his Chelsea tenure from Darren Bent, who said: "What Graham Potter is doing there with the Chelsea players and the English contingent is fantastic and it bodes well for England.

“All he can do is get the players playing well, playing to his system and I still think there’s more to come. If you watch the game against Villa you have to say that they didn’t look at their best. It was two goalkeeping mistakes but they still got a result."

It was Potter’s work at Brighton that caught the eye of Chelsea, playing an attractive style of football, and you’d expect the 3-4-2-1 manager has been hard at work over the last 12 months ahead of a return to the dugout.

It looks as if a move to Old Trafford for Potter is one to keep an eye on once more, with Ratcliffe a huge fan.