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Celtic have been dealt yet another injury setback ahead of their upcoming Europa League fixture.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by The Scottish Sun, Ange Postecoglou revealed that, despite setting the Bayer Leverkusen fixture as Christopher Jullien’s return date to first-team action, the centre-back, who has not featured for Celtic since December 2020, is once again not fit enough to travel with the squad to Germany.

Speaking about the defender’s return, the 56-year-old said: “We still need to do some work with Chris. I know people are anxious but we are not quite there. This was sort of seen as a likely return date but we have just got to be careful. I want him back but I want him back for good. I don’t want him suffering a setback.”

Fans will be fuming

Following the recent news that Stephen Welsh also looks set to miss out on the Bhoys’ crucial Europa League clash this Thursday, in addition to the fact that Postecoglou has continually moved Jullien’s return date back since his arrival at the club this summer, the 56-year-old’s latest update regarding the 28-year-old is sure to leave Hoops fans fuming.

Indeed, with the £4.95m-rated centre-back not being available for selection this week, Postecoglou looks likely to be left with only Cameron Carter-Vickers, Osaze Urhoghide and Liam Scales as options in the heart of his defence, with neither of the latter two of this trio having made a single Scottish Premiership appearance so far this season.

As such, Jullien’s continued absence looks to have dealt the 56-year-old’s chances of picking up all three points on Thursday evening with a rather significant blow, with anything other than a win against the Bundesliga side more than likely resulting in Celtic being dumped out of the Europa League.

In other news: “I saw..”: Journo drops exciting claim on “dream” Celtic target, he’d be a big coup

Many Nottingham Forest fans were left slamming the display of Brennan Johnson despite their 2-0 win against Peterborough United on Saturday afternoon.

Goals from James Garner and Ryan Yates were enough to give Steve Cooper’s team all three points in the Championship clash, but while some of the Forest players would have been happy with their own individual performances, Johnson may have been disappointed by his.

The winger lots out on four of his duels in total, and also failed to record a single shot on goal, successful dribble or long ball, while he also lost possession 14 times, the joint-fourth most out of any of his teammates on the pitch (SofaScore).

Johnson never really made an impact at all on the game, emphasised by him having fewer touches than his own goalkeeper Brice Samba, in what was overall a frustrating afternoon for the Wales international.

Forest fans on Johnson display

These NFFC supporters slammed his performance on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that he has been ‘awful’ for a few matches now:

“Brennan Johnson been awful for 3/4 games”

Credit: @BrummieTricky

“Thought we were pretty awful that half tbh. Misplaced passes & wrong decisions all over the pitch for the whole 45mins. I think we play better with 3 CBs + WBs as well. Johnson not at the races at all.”

Credit: @greg_oram

“Johnson and Zinc have not been great haven’t stretched their defence at all”

Credit: @RohitMistry88

“Johnson’s delivery leaves a lot to be desired at times.”

Credit: @Craig74Nov

“Someone explain the Brennan Johnson hype to me…. Completely lacking any end product”

Credit: @mikewood77

“Great pass from Yates, Johnson has to do better”

Credit: @rematt75

In other news, find out what training ground update had Forest fans talking here!

As per 90min, a shock transfer claim has come out of West Ham United involving former Liverpool star and Paris-Saint Germain midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.

The Lowdown: Agents approach Moyes…

As confirmed by the boss himself, agents have already been attempting to offer their top players to both manager David Moyes and West Ham United (football.london).

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The Scotsman’s candid admission in a recent press conference perhaps exemplifies his side’s season so far and how they’re continuing to defy expectation, with West Ham currently still fighting on all fronts.

As the January window looms, the Hammers’ top priorities appear to be an emergency centre-half and the continued pursuit of a back-up striker to Michail Antonio (The Daily Mail).

However, that hasn’t stopped them from being tipped to bolster their midfield too, with 90min now sharing some surprise news.

The Latest: West Ham approached over Wijnaldum…

As per the outlet and reporter Graeme Bailey, West Ham and Moyes have been ‘approached’ by representatives of PSG player Wijnaldum just months after his move to the Parc des Princes from Liverpool.

His agents are apparently ‘working on finding him a potential loan move in the new year’ with West Ham among those to have been offered the 31-year-old alongside ‘more than half the Premier League’.

The Irons’ stance is not yet clear as they have allegedly refused to rule out the possibility of signing him temporarily in January.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Capable of playing further forward in the attacking midfield positions, Wijnaldum is arguably proven in the English top flight and could come as a cheaper alternative to target Jesse Lingard – especially on loan.

The 85-cap ace, called ‘sensational’ by Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, has scored an impressive 26 goals over those appearances for the Netherlands – potentially highlighting his threat going forward.

Despite playing a bit-part role under Mauricio Pochettino this season, he’s still managed to make his mark in the Champions League group stages with two goals, all while averaging an impressive 91% pass accuracy in midfield – more than any West Ham regular domestically with over two starts (WhoScored).

The only big caveat could be his reported £165,000-per-week wages, over £40,000 more than what West Ham’s current highest earner, Kurt Zouma, is taking home (spotrac).

In other news: ‘Oh my’, ‘Yes yes yes’…ExWHUemployee news on ‘perfect’ striker has these West Ham fans talking, find out more here.

Marcelo Flores could be Arsenal’s next big talent to emerge from the famed Hale End academy.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder, who is yet to make his senior bow for the club, was recently called up to Mexico’s friendly against Chile in America, where he came off the bench to make his international debut in an eight-minute cameo.

This would have surely caught the eye of first-team boss Mikel Arteta, who can always do with extra bodies in the engine room, particularly of an advanced nature.

Born in Georgetown, Ontario in Canada, Flores was also eligible for the North American country, as well as England, but clearly Gerardo Martino was eager to tie him to El Tri as quickly as possible.

The 5 foot 4 pocket dynamo has been in electric form for the Gunners’ U18s this campaign, delivering six goals and two assists in just nine appearances, via Transfermarkt, so it’s no wonder he’s caught the eye on a much larger stage.

Speaking ahead of Mexico’s clash with their South American rivals, Martino waxed lyrical about Arsenal’s young gem to reporters, as relayed by ESPN.

“Marcelo Flores awakens the hopes that all spectators have,” he said. “He is a different player who always asks for the ball.”

The teenage sensation excelled for the national team’s U20 squad during November’s inaugural 2021 Revelations Cup, where he provided two goals in wins over Brazil and USA, and even earned the accolade of being the ‘Player of the Tournament.’

According to Goal.com, Arteta has invited him to train with the first-team squad several times since taking the helm at the Emirates Stadium. “It was like a dream training with the first team,” Flores revealed about it in December 2020. “I couldn’t believe everything that was happening. I am enjoying all the moments that I am living. I want to become a club legend.”

Flores was named in the Guardian’s ‘Next Generation 2020′ list of the ’60 best talents in world football’, where journalist Tom Marshall likened him to former foe Eden Hazard, as well as Philippe Coutinho.

It is the former who the 18-year-old prodigy could really draw further comparisons to, especially given his height, playing style and potential ability.

Arteta could well unearth his very own Hazard if he chooses to trust Flores in the first team going forward. He really only has Martin Odegaard as an out-and-out no.10, so there’s certainly scope to hand him his debut, particularly with the hefty fixture list and his impressive performances for both club and country.

AND in other news, Forget Odegaard: Arsenal dud with fewer touches than Ramsdale let Arteta down big time against Everton…

Sunderland confirmed on Tuesday morning that tickets for the club’s trips to Arsenal and Doncaster Rovers later this month are now sold out.

And, as to be expected, a number of Black Cats supporters have been reacting to the news regarding the travelling support on social media.

Lee Johnson’s side will travel to the Emirates on Tuesday for a Carabao Cup quarter-final and will be backed by 5,200 away supporters following the sold-out allocation.

Sunderland are next in action on Monday, December 27 in a 12:30pm kick-off at the Keepmoat Stadium. The club revealed that every away ticket for the League One fixture has been sold, with Sunderland aiming to continue their six-match unbeaten run in the third tier.

Sunderland fans react

Sunderland shared the ticket news regarding the two matches on their official Twitter page. This is what these Black Cats fans had to say in reply, with many happy and more than one labelling it as ‘unreal’.

“Absolutely massive”

Credit: @Owensara5

“MASSIVE”

Credit: @cvinny007

“Sold out 5200 for Arsenal away 4 days before Christmas. The support is unreal.”

Credit: @grahamwitch1

“Best in the land”

Credit: @SafcFan1973

“Massive”

Credit: @bamgboyeolu

“Unreal”

Credit: @EthanSmith1717

Antonio Conte has urged Tottenham chiefs to sign centre-back Stefan De Vrij in January, according to journalist Paolo Paganini, relayed by Sports Witness.

The Lowdown: De Vrij keen on move

Reports last month suggested that the Inter Milan defender is aware of interest from Spurs and has asked English friends for more information on Tottenham and what London life is like.

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Sources claimed that the 29-year-old, labelled as a ‘monster’ by former Lazio defender Mauricio, is keen on a move to N17.

He worked under Conte at Inter Milan and was an ever-present figure in the 2020/21 Serie A triumph, and it seems as if a reunion could well be on the cards.

The Latest: Update emerges

Sports Witness relayed claims from journalist Paganini in a story on Thursday.

Paganini revealed that Inter Milan aren’t prioritising extending De Vrij’s contract at this moment in time, with the Dutch international having 18 months remaining on his deal.

He then added that an exit could be on the cards, with Conte making a ‘specific request’ for his services.

The Verdict: Smart move

Conte has just five senior centre-backs on the books at this moment in time, with Joe Rodon linked with a January exit in recent days.

Should that materialise, then Conte could definitely do with bringing another body in, especially as he likes to use three central defenders. Left-back Ben Davies has been used as one of those three on a regular basis since Conte arrived, so bringing in an experienced defender like De Vrij could be a smart move.

He’s been dribbled past on just 0.2 occasions per 90 in Serie A this season, fewer than any Spurs centre-back, showing that De Vrij would add some solidarity to Tottenham’s backline.

In other news: Conte now wants Spurs and Paratici to pip rivals in race for dream January signing. 

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ‘serious’ about signing Dejan Kulusevski in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Saga continues

There seem to be more and more reports of the 21-year-old potentially moving to north London, as La Gazzetta claimed that Fabio Paratici ‘could take’ him there and he now has Antonio Conte’s ‘full esteem’ to make a move this month.

Calciomercato claimed that Spurs are in pole position for his signature, so this is a story which is destined to develop over the next few weeks.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘serious’ about Kulusevski

As per Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the Lilywhites are now ‘serious’ about signing Kulusevski, and they have expressed their interest in him.

Paratici ‘knows everything’ about his situation at Juventus, and Conte ‘likes’ him, suggesting that an offer is only inevitable.

They hope to snap him up for less than €30m (£25.2m), and could use either Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele as a makeweight in order to try and sweeten the deal.

The Verdict: No-brainer

Getting a player of Kulusevski’s quality into the team at this stage of this season is surely a no-brainer.

Described as ‘explosive’ by former Sweden international Marcus Allback, the winger has managed eight goals and ten assists for Juventus in 68 games, and he has the ability to play in many different positions on the pitch (Transfermarkt).

Former Juve teammate Cristiano Ronaldo even went as far as to call him an ‘excellent’ player and a ‘great talent’ (90min), and at just 21 years of age, the world is at his feet.

In other news, this ‘magician’ could return to Hotspur Way

A major update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Reims centre-forward Hugo Ekitike…

What’s the talk?

90min reporter Graeme Bailey has claimed that the Magpies are closing in on the signing of the attacker and compared him to a PSG star.

He Tweeted: “Can reveal that Newcastle United are in advanced talks to sign Reims’ Hugo Ekitike for £30m. Outstanding talent – huge signing for Newcastle if they get it done, many in France believe he could be the next Mbappe.”

Huge coup

The Magpies could land a “huge” coup by signing Ekitike from Reims this month as he is a talented player with immense potential. Being touted as the “next Mbappe” is some compliment given what his fellow countryman has already achieved at such a young age.

Mbappe has won the World Cup with France and scored 150 goals in 197 matches for PSG, whilst also providing 76 assists for the French giants. He is also valued by Transfermarkt at a whopping £144m, having reportedly been signed from Monaco for £165.7m in 2017.

Ekitike has scored eight goals and provided two assists in just ten Ligue 1 starts for Reims this season in his first full year at senior level. Mbappe’s first season of starting more than five league matches in his career ended with 15 goals and eight assists in 17 starts for PSG, with the Reims man on course for 16 goals and four assists in 20 starts if he matches his form from the first half of campaign.

If the 19-year-old can go on to achieve even half of what Mbappe has managed in his career then he could be a sizeable coup for the Magpies and improve their team in the short and long-term. He has already shown that he can score goals in a top-five league, which suggests that he could make an impact in the Premier League this season. Furthermore, he holds the potential to massively increase his value further down the line.

Therefore, this could be a fantastic piece of business by the club, one that shows they are not only looking at stop gaps and short-term solutions to problems. They are seemingly looking to build Eddie Howe a team for the future as well as the present and Etitike, on paper at least, appears to be a great first step to doing that.

AND in other news, Howe can land NUFC’s new Andy Carroll in swoop for £72k-p/w beast who’s “Sheareresque”…

The Athletic journalist David Ornstein has revealed the latest on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Sevilla defender Diego Carlos as Eddie Howe looks to bolster his squad this month.

What’s the story?

According to Ornstein, Newcastle are pushing to sign the 28-year-old defender along with Lille centre-back Sven Botman, with the Tyneside club “intensifying efforts” to complete the deal.

Eddie Howe’s side have the Premier League’s joint-worst defence, having conceded 42 goals in 19 games this season. The Magpies have already bolstered their rearguard in recent days, with right-back Kieran Trippier arriving from Atletico Madrid this week.

Having signed from Nantes in 2019, Carlos has been a regular for Sevilla, making 117 appearances for the Spanish outfit and helping them to Europa League glory in 2020.

This season, he has made 18 La Liga appearances for Sevilla, as well as playing every minute of their Champions League group stage campaign, and he is currently valued by Transfermarkt at £40.5m.

Moreover, the defender has kept 11 clean sheets in 26 appearances this term, an average of one shutout every 2.36 games.

Newcastle fans will be buzzing

With the Magpies in a precarious position and the threat of relegation still looming, Howe will be desperate to improve his squad as much as possible, particularly in defence.

The addition of Carlos would prove to be a major statement of intent from the Tyneside club’s new Saudi owners, who are expected to spend heavily in the January transfer window.

Not only would the defender add significant quality to the Newcastle backline, he would also provide immense experience, having played in the Champions League as well as for his native Brazil.

When his seasonal WhoScored rating of 6.72 in La Liga compared to the likes of Ciaran Clark (6.24) and Jamaal Lascelles (6.42) in the Premier League, it is clear to see why Newcastle fans might be very welcome to the idea of Carlos playing for their club. They ought to be buzzing with Ornstein’s update that the Magpies’ hierarchy are pressing hard to try and get a deal done.

In other news, Newcastle have also been linked with this exciting defender…

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has addressed Celtic’s interest in Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Hannes Wolf, Give Me Sport report.

The Lowdown: McGree move breaks down

The Hoops have already brought in four players during the January transfer window, two of which have been midfielders in Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi.

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Ange Postecoglou seemingly wants more, though, as it appeared as if he would be getting another in Riley McGree. However, talks broke down over personal terms, with the Aussie now set to join Championship side Middlesbrough.

Celtic were linked with a move for Wolf prior to the saga with McGree, and O’Rourke has been having his say on a possible swoop for the Austrian.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

O’Rourke was talking to Give Me Sport regarding Celtic’s interest in Wolf, claiming that Postecoglou is a ‘big admirer’ of the midfielder.

“Wolf has been a long-term target for Celtic.

“Ange Postecoglou is reportedly a big admirer of him and it seems he doesn’t really figure in Monchengladbach’s plans going forward.”

The Verdict: Loan move?

The £12.5m-rated attacking midfielder can also play on either wing, so he could be a shrewd addition with David Turnbull ruled out for two months through injury.

A loan deal is thought to be possible for Wolf, and if the Hoops can include an option to buy within a temporary transfer, it would give them the power in the summer.

Wolf has featured just once in Monchengladbach’s last 12 Bundesliga fixtures, however, should he replicate his 2018/19 form with RB Salzburg where he contributed to 15 goals in 22 games, it could be a wise move with the versatile midfielder still just 22 years of age.

In other news: Ange now eyeing Celtic move for left-midfielder amid McGree collapse; he’s his agency’s top star.