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Celtic target Charlie Wyke has now officially joined Wigan Athletic after his Sunderland contract expired.

The Lowdown: Wyke’s Hoops talks

Reports in June suggested that Wyke was ‘very keen’ to make the switch to Parkhead.

He discussed a move to Celtic Park and made a series of demands ahead of a free transfer.

The 28-year-old, who scored 30 goals for the Black Cats last season, wanted a four-year deal, a multi-million signing-on fee and his wages, which was thought to be worth £6,400-a-week at the Stadium of Light, doubled.

The Latest: Wigan deal

Wigan announced the signing of Wyke, who Phil Parkinson described as ‘excellent’ last year, on Wednesday morning. The forward has put pen to paper on a three-year deal at the DW Stadium.

Football Insider claim the League One side will pay Wyke £10,000-a-week, a salary which is less than his £12,800-a-week demands to Celtic, which would’ve cost the Hoops over £2.6m across four years.

The Verdict: Now for Nisbet?

Celtic may have missed out on Wyke, but another striker who has been linked with a move to Parkhead is Hibernian’s Kevin Nisbet.

Stephen McGowan of The Daily Mail claimed at the beginning of July that the Hoops are now working on a deal for Nisbet shortly after signing defender Osaze Urhoghide.

Odsonne Edouard was the top scorer in the Scottish Premiership last season, however, the Hoops man is still expected to leave this summer.

Nisbet was the second-highest scorer in the division with 14 goals, so a move for the 24-year-old could be a shrewd move

It could cost Celtic around £4m, but they’d be getting a proven Scottish Premiership scorer in return, something that would be crucial if Edouard does depart Parkhead.

In other news: Celtic may have completed some under-the-radar business on pre-season Wales tour, find out more here. 

After being signed for £36 million, many expected Fabio Silva to be one of the brightest talents in the Premier League.

However, after being thrown in at the deep end his flaws were quickly exposed, with Wolves legend Steve Bull claiming that the striker still has a lot to learn.

Silva was signed to be nurtured and to learn alongside Raul Jimenez in training but, after the Mexican fractured his skull mid-season, Silva became the go-to striker at Wolves, going on to feature in 32 Premier League games.

Very quickly, it was clear to see that Silva was not capable of carrying Wolves and leading the line but his total of four goals in the league was not a bad return for someone his age.

The 19-year old could not be expected to be as good as Jimenez during his debut Premier League season, though, but there are still high expectations for him at Molineux and he still has so much to learn, according to Bull, who exclusively told Football FanCast:

“I think he’s still got a lot to learn but I do think he’s come on leaps and bounds over the last six-eight months and he’s starting to bulk out a lot more and I think he can still learn a lot from Jimenez.

“He needs a mentor and Jimenez certainly isn’t finished at Wolves, don’t worry about that.”

When Wolves had made the bold decision to splash such a huge transfer fee on Silva last summer, many raised their eyebrows as he had only made 12 Liga Nos appearances for Porto.

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has taken the first step to signing Hertha BSC star Matheus Cunha this summer as a fresh transfer update emerges.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days have suggested that the Brazilian is a player who the Whites are interested in bringing to the Premier League this summer, and it appears there has now been movement in that pursuit.

According to German publication Bild (via Sport Witness), Bielsa’s side have already expressed their interest in signing the forward, and that a move could be on the cards after the 22-year-old received approval from Hertha to leave.

Imagine him and Bamford

The £27m-rated Brazilian has shades of Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino about him, with that impressive knack of getting his teammates involved, and it’s something which has been highlighted by the Bundesliga’s official website.

“Much like the former Bundesliga star, Cunha honed his skills on the streets of Brazil, giving him a one-up on defenders. He can beat them with his speed, skill or intelligence to drift from his marker, having practiced in every position across the front line.

“And much like Firmino, Cunha – even when leading the line – can be found dropping into midfield to pick up possession and link up play with teammates. It’s part of the reason why he’s such a hard attacker to defend against because more often than not, he’s not where you expect him to be.”

And that ability to drop off in between the lines, is what makes his potential partnership with Patrick Bamford a truly exciting one.

Dubbed as “something special” by former Hertha head coach Bruno Labbadia, the £55k-a-week earning Cunha averages an impressive 1.8 key passes and three dribbles per game, and clearly has that creative quality that Bamford could thrive off – to put those stats into context, only Raphinha averaged more key passes than Cunha in the entire Leeds squad, while no-one, not even the Brazilian, could manage his dribbles per match.

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Just like Raphinha however, Cunha is direct and pacy, and that’s exactly what Bielsa wants from his side given the intense pressing game that they play and how they are so deadly in transitions and counter-attacks.

Cunha’s partnership with Bamford could be a tantalising one, and the Hertha star also seems to have the kind of attributes that make him tailor-made for Bielsa.

Meanwhile, Leeds have been handed a major boost…

Rangers are once again being linked with Bright Osayi-Samuel and Ross Wilson should snap up this second chance to bring him to Ibrox this summer after failing to secure him for Steven Gerrard’s side back in January.

The Gers and their Old Firm rivals were both heavily linked with the winger during his time at QPR but he opted to join Turkish side Fenerbahce instead, with the English Championship club willing to let him leave early after he agreed a pre-contract deal with the Super Lig giants.

However, things have not gone to plan for the former Blackpool man in Istanbul, as in 19 appearances for the Yellow Canaries in all competitions, he has managed just one goal and one assist.

Turkish news outlet Fotospor have now claimed ahead of the summer transfer window that both Rangers and their rivals Celtic are keen on signing him again this summer, although a potential swap deal with AS Monaco could also be on the cards, which suggests that the Gers will have to act quickly if they want to bring him in.

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If Osayi-Samuel could rediscover the form he showed with QPR, where he contributed six goals and nine assists in the 2019/20 season, then he could definitely prove to be a solid addition to Gerrard’s side ahead of next term.

The Nigerian attacker’s decline in form since his move to Turkey is clear to see. In the first half of the season he managed three goals and two assists for Mark Warburton’s QPR side, averaging a solid 6.91 rating from WhoScored for his performances, whereas his displays in Turkey have earned him a much less impressive 6.55 average rating.

Warburton was full of praise for the 24-year-old when he starred in a 6-1 thrashing of Cardiff City back in 2020, describing his display as “outstanding” and lauding his “blistering pace”.

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A move to Rangers could help Osayi-Samuel get back to his best, and if Fenerbahce are keen to get rid of him after just half a season, then Wilson should ensure that he takes advantage this time and brings the winger to Ibrox.

In other news… Gerrard may already have his Davis heir at Rangers in never-before-seen “mountain” 

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa is eyeing a move for Lyon star Maxwel Cornet, a player who impressed Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.

What’s the story?

With the Premier League fixtures released earlier on Wednesday morning, anticipation is no doubt already growing at Elland Road about the Whites’ second season back in the top-flight.

And now, reports claim that Leeds are interested in signing Ivory Coast international Cornet this summer, and that his “pace and skill is attractive to boss Marcelo Bielsa”.

He impressed Guardiola

The £26m-rated Cornet initially broke onto the scene as a winger, but last season under Rudi Garcia, transitioned into a flying left-back, and enjoyed a superb campaign because of it.

The 24-year-old managed four goals and six assists in 39 games across all competitions, and showed that he’s more than capable of sticking to the defensive side of the game – as per Sofascore, he made 1.9 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in Ligue, and won 4.6 duels per match too (contrast that to Kalvin Phillips who averaged 2.6 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 5.3 duels won per game).

But really, Cornet’s versatility – he’s played up and down the left-flank and also on the right – is reminiscent of Leeds’ very own jack of all trades star, Stuart Dallas.

The Northern Irishman was one of the stand-out performers for Bielsa’s side last season, filling in a number of different roles, including both full-back positions and in central midfield too.

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While Cornet hasn’t yet had a stint in the middle of the park, the fact his defensive numbers were so strong last season indicates he could well be an exciting box-to-box option for Bielsa in the Premier League, especially given his natural pace and attacking instincts from being a winger.

And, after seeing him shine against his Manchester City side in the Champions League, even Guardiola was left raving about the Ivorian.

He said: “We only talk about PSG but there are many good French teams, I was very impressed by the talent of Maxwel Cornet. There are many talents in France, I like to play the Champions League because there is a very high quality everywhere, players, coaches.”

With his versatility and his energy, Bielsa could sign Leeds’ new Dallas in Cornet this summer.

Meanwhile, Leeds United could sign a new Ian Harte in this star…

Derby County defender Scott Malone is set to join Millwall on a permanent deal this summer, bringing an end to his time at Pride Park.

The Lowdown: Derby stalwart before loan move

Malone signed for the Rams from Huddersfield Town back in the summer of 2018, becoming a key man during Frank Lampard’s time as manager.

He made 47 Championship appearances over the next two seasons, before joining Millwall on loan for the 2020/21 campaign, having fallen out of favour.

Left-back Malone has been a key figure for the South London club in 2020/21, appearing in 41 of their 46 league games, starting 37 of them, perhaps implying the Rams would have been better off with him in their own squad.

The Latest: Malone tipped for permanent exit

According to South London News, Millwall look set to snap up the 30-year-old on a permanent deal, once his Derby deal expires at the end of this month.

A move is already thought to be ‘locked down’, as Malone waves goodbye to the Rams, having been hailed as ‘excellent’ by Lions boss Gary Rowett.

The Verdict: Right time to move on

In truth, it makes perfect sense for all parties for Malone to move on, with Wayne Rooney seemingly seeing no future for him at the club.

It is pointless offering an unwanted player a new deal, and from the defender’s perspective, the thought of regular football is surely too good to turn down.

Malone will be remembered as a solid servant for Derby, however, at a time when they came so close to securing promotion to the Premier League.

In other news, some Derby fans have been reacting to news surrounding the proposed takeover of the club. Read more here.

Aston Villa will look to sign Burnley winger Dwight McNeil this summer.

That’s according to a report from Football Insider, who have been informed by a Villa source that the club have identified the 21-year-old as a top target.

The report goes on to add that Villa are ‘lining up a huge bid’ – five words that appear to be massive in regards to the club’s plans ahead of the 2021/22 season.

McNeil, on £47,000-a-week at Turf Moor, still has over three years remaining on his current Clarets deal.

He’s already made over 100 senior appearances for his current employers, scoring and providing an assist in the 3-2 win over Dean Smith’s side back in January.

Transfer Tavern take

Reliable reporter John Percy claimed earlier this month that Villa will look to sign a winger this summer, and it now seems as if McNeil is their main target for that area of the pitch.

In our view, McNeil could prove to be the sort of addition Villa need to take them to the next level.

He may have only been involved in 23 goals in his 102 Burnley appearances, however, he was the 15th-most creative player in the entire league last season after creating 55 big chances.

With plenty of time remaining on his contract and a Transfermarkt valuation of £19.8m, Villa’s ‘huge bid’ they are preparing may have to be a club-record one.

In other news: Aston Villa outcast a shock target for Premier League giants, find out more here. 

Leeds must avoid a major transfer nightmare over Danny Rose after Paddy Kenny’s claim about signing him.

What’s the story?

The former Leeds academy starlet sees his contract at current club Tottenham expire in the summer, and the indications are that he will not be expected to renew his deal, with Turkish giants Trabzonspor reportedly after him.

With Gjanni Alioski set to make his own departure from Elland Road, Kenny has insisted that Rose would be a great signing for Marcelo Bielsa’s side to potentially fill that left-back slot.

The former goalkeeper told Football Insider: “If you can get Danny Rose on a free, that’s an absolute no-brainer. His contract is up soon and it doesn’t look like he’ll sign another. He didn’t have much to shout about at Newcastle, but these things happen.

“He’s got a lot of experience at Premier League level. He’d be an excellent player to add to their squad. You can see why he is a top priority for them (Trabzonspor). He’s got quality and sometimes you’ve got to take a step back to come forwards. He’d be a really good signing.”

Bielsa would be making a mistake

While Rose may have a wealth of Premier League and European experience, the full-back just isn’t anywhere near the same level that he was before, with The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas even saying that the 30-year-old is “on the decline”.

Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane blasted him as “dreadful” only last season, claiming that he and Serge Aurier were “Dumb and Dumber” after defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

Speaking after a particularly awful display at international level with England, the Manchester United legend said: “Rose gave a performance tonight, my goodness, someone has got to get a hold of that guy. He was shocking, abysmal. I think he’ll be the same in another three or four years. Some players don’t learn from their mistakes, that’s a big problem and at the highest level you will suffer for it.”

The £60,000-per-week ace hasn’t made a single first team appearance all season, while Newcastle decided against bringing him back after a spell on loan at St James’ Park last year.

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Leeds need to be moving forward, not back, and signing Rose would likely be a major nightmare for Bielsa. Paying a big wage packet for a player way past his prime, and whose form and fitness has been widely questioned, just doesn’t seem the right call to make.

It’s not the “absolute no-brainer” Kenny says it is.

Meanwhile, Leeds must finally offload this forgotten man who “Bielsa never trusted”…

Graham Roberts believes that Mauricio Pochettino remains the best candidate for the Tottenham job.

The Argentine was sacked and replaced by Jose Mourinho in November 2019, but with Spurs now in need of a manager, reports believe that Pochettino is on Daniel Levy’s radar.

He recently secured his second major trophy with PSG following their Coupe de France final victory over Monaco, but his failure to win the Ligue 1 title has raised serious questions over his future.

Tottenham have been linked with several names following the departure of Mourinho last month ahead of the Carabao Cup final, but Levy is trying to convince Pochettino to make a sensational return just 18 months after he was sacked.

Pochettino was a favourite with the Spurs faithful having turned the club into top four regulars before guiding the north London outfit to their first Champions League final in his final full season.

Asked whether the Tottenham chairman’s ego could get in the way of him approaching Pochettino about a return to the club, Roberts exclusively told Football FanCast:

“Everybody knows he’s got it wrong, so he’s not owning up to anything.

“Why not just say, who is the best person for this football club? Pochettino is your answer.”

Manchester United will be aiming to strengthen their grip on second place this weekend as they come up against Tottenham Hotspur.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Red Devils travel to London boosted by back-to-back wins against Brighton & Hove Albion and Granada.

Could the Norwegian be tempted to make any changes this weekend?

We envisage three alterations to the Manchester United team, with the first of those starting in goal.

David De Gea returned to the starting line-up against Granada but Dean Henderson appears to have established himself as first choice in the league, albeit possibly only for a temporary time.

Meanwhile, there should also be another slight tweak in defence where Luke Shaw, who scoops £150k per week at Old Trafford, will be replaced by Alex Telles. The England defender was withdrawn at half-time against Granada, with Solskjaer hoping that he could be fit. However, it makes little sense to risk him ahead of a hectic conclusion to the campaign.

The rest of the defence should remain the same with Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof partnered at centre-back, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka deployed on the right.

The final alteration should occur in the centre of the park where Fred is likely to come into a midfield diamond in place of Daniel James. The Brazilian is likely to be deployed at the base, with Scott McTominay pushed further forwards alongside Paul Pogba.

Bruno Fernandes will of course be the furthest advanced.

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It should be an English duo leading the line with Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood both selected. The former will be hoping to continue his good form having hit his 20th goal of the season against Granada last time out.

AND in more news, take a look at which player has handed Solskjaer a big injury boost…