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Pundit Alan Hutton has been reacting to news on who Celtic’s top transfer target appears to be heading into the New Year.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?

The Hoops and Brendan Rodgers were busy over the summer in the transfer market after the Northern Irishman made the return to Parkhead.

On the pitch, things have begun relatively well aside from the League Cup defeat to Kilmarnock, with Celtic top of the Scottish Premiership following a Glasgow derby win at Ibrox prior to the international break.

In total, Celtic brought in 10 new players, eight of which arrived on permanent deals at a cost of just under £20m. The club were in profit, though, after Jota made the move to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad in a move worth £25m, with Carl Starfelt also moving on.

Despite a productive few months and plenty of new faces coming in, it looks as if those at Celtic Park are already planning for 2024 and further additions.

Reports have suggested that Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was a target in the summer and contact was made over a transfer.

However, the Reds weren’t willing to let the shot-stopper go, which has led to the player being top of Rodgers’ wanted list heading into January. The Celtic boss wants a long-term replacement for Joe Hart and the Irishman would be keen on a move to Glasgow.

Talking to Football Insider, Hutton, who contributes for the BBC, labelled Kelleher as “outstanding” and feels he “would be an excellent recruit”, albeit a “little bit harsh on Joe Hart”.

“Every time I have seen Kelleher play he has been outstanding.

“I know he has made a few mistakes and is not the best when it comes to playing the ball with his feet but I think he has done well at Celtic. “I think all the criticism that has been aimed at him is a little bit harsh but I understand if Brendan Rodgers wants to play a particular way and is looking elsewhere. I get that and I think Kelleher would be an excellent recruit for the squad.”

Who is Caoimhin Kelleher?

Kelleher is 24 years of age and has been on the books at Anfield since 2015 when he left Irish side Ringmahon.

The goalkeeper is now valued at a career-high €12m by Transfermarkt and has made 21 senior appearances for the Reds, keeping 10 clean sheets in the process.

He has mainly served as a backup to Alisson Becker on Merseyside in the Premier League, turning out in cup competitions, and has actually won the most shootouts of any goalkeeper in Liverpool's history (four).

Therefore, the chance of regular first-team football at Celtic could appeal to Kelleher, and by the looks of things, a move could be one to keep an eye on.

Leeds United could be set to secure a fine coup, opting for a Championship-proven star to spearhead their return to the Premier League…

Who else will Leeds United be signing this summer?

Having already welcomed four new faces to Elland Road, it could be easy to assume that this window has been a successful one thus far for Daniel Farke.

However, that has been far from the case. With players refusing to show up for matches, and others forcing loan exits to avoid the mess they created, the atmosphere in Yorkshire is far from ideal for the new German manager.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

That being said, some positivity does remain, with TEAMtalk now offering a beacon of hope by referencing them as one of the interested parties looking at Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill.

They are said to be very keen on the 27-year-old gem, who FootballTransfers value at €10.9m (£9m). However, they will have to battle with a host of top-flight clubs to secure his signature.

How good is Josh Brownhill?

Having spent the last few years of his career at Turf Moor, it feels like only recently has the midfield general began realising his potential after spells at Preston North End and Bristol City

After all, last season did mark a standout one for the one-time Manchester United academy graduate, who shone by showcasing his improved creativity.

Clarets boss Vincent Kompany is the man responsible for such an upturn, as he was thanked by the midfielder:

"He’s liberated us, because he believes in us, he believes we’re good players and we can win games. The lads who are still here were devastated by relegation last season. We just wanted to get back up and I’m very happy we did."

A key cog in that promotion push, already that pedigree will have caught Farke's eye, as he seeks to replicate that form.

Should Brownhill join and translate his form from Lancashire to west Yorkshire and they will certainly be in a fine position to do so.

After all, the Warrington-born machine did score seven times in the Championship during the 2022/23 campaign alongside a further eight assists. This helped him earn his 7.27 average rating as he also added 1.8 key passes and 2.2 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

Sky Sports' EFL pundit Lee Hendrie had predicted such a starring year as he claimed back in 2021:

"Josh Brownhill, I think he is a fabulous player, I really do. Out of [Sander] Berge and him, I'd take Brownhill all day just because Josh Brownhill reminds me of John McGinn.

"He's very energetic, he's very neat and tidy on the ball, he gets up and down the pitch well and you know what you're getting when you're getting a player from Burnley, Sean Dyche, what he expects."

Such offensive impetus from deep could easily draw comparisons with Ilkay Gundogan, who too earned praise for how his scoring numbers improved to help Manchester City claim a historic treble.

Whilst the German has already made his switch to Barcelona, he left the Etihad a hero, having posted 18 goal contributions across all competitions.

Then, to compare his underlying figures with Brownhill's, it is clear to see the similarities. He too posted a 7.13 average rating in the Premier League, buoyed by 1.3 key passes and one tackle per game, via Sofascore.

City boss Pep Guardiola led the praise for his midfielder and captain, noting:

"Ilkay shows again, again and again his quality and his importance. His commitment to all of us at the club. It's not just scoring goals, he has his momentum because against Leeds, he was the player and again here. He can do everything."

Whilst he starred on a far larger stage, Brownhill shares enough of those starring attributes to suggest he could emulate his figures once again under Farke and help spearhead another promotion charge.

India head coach joins captain Virat Kohli in publicly endorsing MS Dhoni’s spot in the T20 team

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-20176:03

Runorder: Is Kohli’s defence of Dhoni convincing?

MS Dhoni has received more public support from the Indian team’s management with regard to his future in T20Is. Following Virat Kohli’s statement that it was unfair to target Dhoni, India’s head coach Ravi Shastri has backed the former captain, saying “great players” decide their own future.Dhoni’s place was the subject of debate after his 37-ball 49 in India’s defeat in the second T20I against New Zealand. His innings was in stark contrast to Kohli’s free-flowing aggression at the other end and prompted former players and TV experts to question his strike rate and inability to hit big shots.While Kohli said he did not understand why Dhoni was the only player being targeted, Shastri’s defence was more assertive.”Looks like there are a lot of jealous people around, who just want Dhoni to have a couple of bad days,” Shastri said to . “There are a few people who are waiting to see the end of MS Dhoni. But great players like him decide their own future.”It [criticism] doesn’t make a difference to me. In our mind we know where Dhoni stands within the team. He is an ultimate team man. He was a great leader and now an ultimate team man.”The sentiment was echoed by Kohli, who had said that Dhoni was playing a specific role and was appreciated in the dressing room.”As team management and players, we understand the situations in which he goes out to bat. We don’t get emotional and excited by the opinions of people who are looking at things from a different point of view,” Kohli said. “If you are playing, you know how the wicket is and what the situation is like. So I think he is doing absolutely fine. He understands his game, he understands his role, but it doesn’t come off every time.”Shastri went on to suggest that the nature of television might have prompted some experts to offer the views they did.”Not so long ago I used to do television and people used to ask me questions. You need to answer questions to make a show happen,” he said. “Dhoni is a superstar. He is one of our greatest cricketers. When you have a career as glorious as that, you become a topic on television.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers are facing an uphill battle this summer, as Julen Lopetegui battles the need to make signings with the Old Gold’s inability to spend.

The Midlands club have extensive financial woes amid the emergence of their Financial Fair Play (FFP) issues back in May, handing the Spaniard added constraints to his transfer plans.

Despite such limitations, the former Real Madrid boss opted to remain at the club in the bid to build on his first spell at Molineux.

What’s the latest on Wolves’ transfer situation?

With the aim to relieve financial pressures, the club have sanctioned the moves of seven players for economic gain, making around £90m in sales.

Despite allowing such individuals to depart, the issue remains that the club has little funds to spend in order to replenish the squad amid the drop in numbers.

As well as the profitable departures, Wolves have also bid farewell to the likes of Diego Costa, Adama Traore and Joao Moutinho who left at the expiration of their contracts in the Midlands.

Lopetegui admitted that he is “worried” about the size of his squad ahead of the upcoming Premier League season, with the Spaniard having doubts over their ability to compete in the league.

The Old Gold must find a solution to their lacking squad size and imbalance of quality, however the concerned manager could find some light in seeking assistance from the academy.

Who is Nathan Fraser?

As reported by journalist Liam Keen, relayed by Talking Wolves, the club are stalling a possible loan move from Shrewsbury for striker Nathan Fraser, with the belief that Wolves see the 18-year-old as a backup option.

The young Irishman has featured heavily in the club’s pre-season festivities on the back of signing a new deal with the Midlands side in June.

A budding forward, the £180-per-week teenager netted seven Premier League 2 goals last season and has been praised for his “aggressive and strong” approach to leading the line by head of coaching Jonathan Hunter-Barrett.

Lopetegui could find himself a hero by giving Fraser a chance to perform in the top-tier, in a division that has seen many managers rewarded for their gamble with academy talents.

Not many academy graduates have come through as strong as Harry Kane, who took his chance from Mauricio Pochettino in his first full Premier League season at Tottenham.

The Englishman netted 21 goals in his first taste of being the primary choice forward at White Hart Lane in the 2014/15 campaign, in a chance that sparked the beginning of a history-breaking talent.

Fast-forward to now and the 30-year-old is the club’s leading goal-scorer and has scored 213 Premier League goals in 317 appearances for the Lilywhites.

While the instance of Kane’s talent and rise to the top is rare, Lopetegui could take a page out of Pochettino’s box in handing a real chance to a young forward lower down the pecking order in a time of need.

The 18-year-old is yet to have a taste of senior football at competitive level for Wolves, however taking into consideration the club’s anxieties going into the new season, now could be the perfect time for the Spaniard to trial the hungry talent.

Bangladesh’s captain Mushfiqur Rahim has insisted that his side will continue to play aggressive cricket in a bid to secure their first series win over Australia.”There is no way we will play safe cricket,” Mushfiqur said. “We always play to win against every side. We could have played for a draw against England, by using a flat surface, but we didn’t do it. We wanted to look for a result by using our strength. Safe cricket is not an option for us because you can’t win against a side like this (Australia) by doing so. We have to be more aggressive than them.”Mushfiqur said his team expects a backlash from Australia, who suffered their first defeat against Bangladesh in Mirpur, but backed his team to deliver at home.”Winning doesn’t mean we can’t improve or work on our game anymore,” he said. “This is a crucial match for us as we are 1-0 ahead. The Australians have played many matches under such pressure, so they know how to bounce back. But we are confident because we do well in home conditions.”Mushfiqur called for a collective performance from the team, instead of relying on one or two players. Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal did the heavy lifting in Mirpur, adding 155 runs for the fourth wicket after the hosts were reduced to 10 for 3 in four overs. That stand contributed 59% of Bangladesh’s first-innings total, and helped them earn a lead of 43 runs.Tamim followed his 71 in the first innings with 78 in the second and Mushfiqur made 41, but the rest of the batsmen struggled. Shakib claimed a match haul of 10 wickets in the first Test, and was supported by offspinner Mehidy Hasan and Taijul Islam, the left-arm spinner. Mehidy and Taijul picked up nine wickets between them in Mirpur, but Mushfiqur wanted a stronger performance from them.”Apart from Shakib and Tamim, the rest of the line-up couldn’t give even 90% input,” he said. “I think everyone has to contribute, even the bowlers. Miraz and Taijul are capable of bowling better. The message is clear that all of us need to perform, not just one or two. They are all fresh, ready to go.”Mushfiqur said his side was mentally stronger after wins over Sri Lanka and England in the past year. “Some become rapt in happiness but we have talked about this,” he said. “But we don’t get these chances every day. We are 1-0 ahead but Australia will respond strongly. We bounced back well in our last two series. It proves the progress in our mental capacity.”

تقدم فريق الكرة بـ الزمالك بالهدف الثاني أمام منافسه الأهلي في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما الآن ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري.

ويستضيف ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي مباراة فريقي الأهلي والزمالك ضمن مؤجلات الجولة العاشرة من عمر المسابقة المحلية.

وسجل هدف الزمالك الأول، سيف الدين الجزيري في الدقيقة الأخيرة من عمر الشوط الأول بعد انفراد تام بـ مصطفى شوبير.

وآحرز هدف تعادل الأهلي الأول، اللاعب أحمد عبد القادر في الدقيقة 73 من عمر اللقاء مستغلًا عرضية متقنة من رضا سليم.

وسجل سيف الجزيري الهدف الثاني للزمالك في الدقيقة 87 بعد تسديد الكرة من داخل منطقة جزاء الأهلي بعد وجود ارتباك بين اللاعبين. هدف الزمالك الثاني أمام الأهلي في الدوري

Celtic are reportedly close to signing Busan I-Park midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu this summer.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?

The Hoops and Brendan Rodgers could spend up to £30m this summer, with those at Parkhead looking to build on a brilliant 2022/23 treble-winning season.

Midfielder Odin Thiago Holm and winger Marco Tilio have signed five-year deals in Glasgow, joining from Valerenga and Melbourne City respectively.

Further reinforcements are on the agenda, especially after Jota departed for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25m. Gangwon FC forward Yang Hyun-jun has been a key target and he previously admitted he would give up his salary to force through a deal with the Scottish Premiership champions.

"Celtic is a good offer, so I want to go. I have to do my best as a member of Gangwon. But I think the desire to go will still be there.

"I want to go to Celtic this summer. I hope Gangwon will allow me to transfer. If the transfer fee isn’t enough, I’ll even give my salary."

It looks as if Celtic will soon get their man, with Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph revealing on Friday that the two clubs have agreed on a £2m+ fee for the winger.

“Celtic are closing in on the signing of Gangwon FC winger Hyun-jun Yang. It's understood the clubs have now agreed a fee of just over £2m.

“Personal terms with the 21-year-old are not expected to be an issue.”

Alongside Yang, though, it seems as if the Hoops are also in for Kwon. Sports Chosun reporter Yun Jin-man shared a story on Friday regarding, stating that not one but two South Korean players ‘will join Celtic’ this summer.

It is believed that Kwon, the core midfielder of Busan I-Park, will follow Yang to Parkhead, saying that there is a high possibility a move goes through. The report states that Kwon has been a major target for Celtic, who first made an offer for the player back in December and have increased that bid this summer, although they don’t cite any specific figures.

Who is Kwon Hyeok-kyu?

Kwon is 22 years of age and is primarily a holding midfielder but can also turn out in a more advanced role or in the left if needed, showing how he could be a versatile option for Rodgers, should a move go through.

Sponsored by Nike and a South Korea U22 international, Kwon appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €550,000 Transfermarkt valuation and has made 43 senior appearances for his current employers, scoring three times and providing one assist.

Kwon has also spent time out on loan with fellow South Korean side Gimcheon Sangmu during his career, turning out on 36 occasions, and it appears as if he could come in and challenge Celtic’s eight current holding or central midfield options.

He has been compared to Manchester City star Rodri by the media in South Korea, and by the looks of things, he could be the next player to leave Asia for Scotland, following in the footsteps of Yang.

ESPNcricinfo has learnt that some of the India players are unhappy with the revised pay structure, despite their annual retainer having been doubled

Arun Venugopal30-Mar-2017

A week after the BCCI announced new annual contracts, it has emerged that some players are unhappy with the revised pay structure. Despite the annual retainer having been doubled, it is understood that the players’ response has stemmed from the revised contracts not meeting their demands. ESPNcricinfo has learnt that the issue had been a concern for a while and that the players have made a concerted effort to address it in the last few months.”Things have gathered momentum over the last three months or so, through the New Zealand and England series,” an insider aware of the developments said. “Almost every player has been involved in the discussions.” The coach, Anil Kumble, who was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the central contracts system in 2003, is learnt to have pushed for a complete overhaul of the existing structure to ensure contracted players get a bigger slice of the whole revenue pie, and not just a percentage of a whittled-down portion.Earlier this month, Kumble had made a presentation on a revamped compensation structure on behalf of the players and support staff to the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) in Bengaluru. Although one source said the players are likely to meet the CoA in the forthcoming days to revisit the new contracts, a CoA official said no such meeting was on the cards.The CoA, though, believes Kumble’s proposals require an entirely new framework, which will require time to formulate. “Kumble is also aware that it cannot happen overnight,” the CoA official said. “That will be thought through and we will see what we can do on that. That is not something that can be done in 24 hours or 48 hours. It will take a lot of deliberation because it is a complete re-think of how the compensation model is thought through.”Last week, a few days after Kumble’s presentation, 32 players were handed new retainers, in which seven Grade A-contract holders – including Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane and R Ashwin – will be paid INR 2 crore (USD 300,000 approx) each per year. According to the new arrangement, those in Grade B and C will now earn INR 1 crore (USD 150,000 approx) and INR 50 lakh (USD 75,000) respectively. The match fees were also increased from INR 7 lakh to 15 lakh in Tests, 4 lakh to 6 lakh in ODIs and 2 lakh to 3 lakh in T20Is. This revision in the pay structure was the first since 2010.The assistant coaches – Sanjay Bangar (batting) and R Sridhar (fielding) – were also given a 50% hike in retainership fees; they will now earn 15 lakh each per month, barring the two-month IPL window, for which they are not paid.There were other financial rewards, too, with the BCCI announcing payments – INR 50 lakh per player, 25 lakh for Kumble and 15 lakh for each member of the support staff – for India becoming the No. 1-ranked Test side. The ICC also awarded the team USD 1 million for finishing the year as the top-ranked Test nation.Despite the windfall, some players believe the pay rise isn’t commensurate with the growth in BCCI profits. The BCCI’s total income in 2015-16 stood at INR 1365.35 crore. Out of this, the board paid a total of 56.35 crore to players. An amount of 46.31 crore was paid as “additional payment to players”, as per the board’s annual statement last year.The sticking point, though, is the income from the television rights, which is the board’s biggest revenue stream. The norm has been distribution of about 70% of the income – generated from rights – to the state associations. For perspective, when the contracts were introduced in 2003 by the BCCI, the board paid players – both international and domestic, including the junior categories – 26% of the overall revenues. Of this, half (13%) was assigned to the men’s international players, while 10.3% was distributed among the domestic players. The remaining 2.7% was allotted to a bracket featuring the junior players, although women were added to this category subsequently.What has further irked the players is that their annual retainer is comparatively lower than that of their English and Australian counterparts. Different sources have estimated Joe Root and Steven Smith’s annual retainers at between INR 8 crore and 12 crore. “When the ECB and CA compensate their players handsomely, why does the BCCI, the world’s richest board, not do enough?” the source asked. “In addition, the BCCI’s coffers have seen a huge increase since the introduction of the IPL, but the players don’t get a fair share of such revenues. It is ultimately the state associations that walk away with the lion’s share of the money.”Another source said the BCCI could not use the players’ IPL earnings as a pretext for not substantially increasing the annual retainers. “One player might get a contract worth 12 crore, another may be bought for 30 lakh, and there are players who don’t get any IPL contracts,” the source said. “Why should the board be concerned with the amount of money players make from the IPL? The values of both these properties are different, so why do they connect the two? The BCCI is the richest board and the money is meant to be spent on cricket and cricketers, not stadia.”The other cause of consternation has been the gulf in the pay structures between domestic and international cricketers. A veteran domestic player said there was very little financial incentive for someone to play only first-class cricket. “A player in the Test squad makes 7.5 lakh per game, even if he is not included in the playing XI,” he said. “If I play a whole season of first-class cricket – I get paid 40,000 per four-day game, along with a percentage of the board’s gross revenue – I will probably make a little more in a season than what a player on the bench makes per Test match.”He said that a contract system had to be put in place for domestic cricketers as well. “The absence of any concrete financial benefit is why people in first-class cricket are constantly looking to play only the IPL,” he said. “After all, not everyone can play for India. But, with a system like this, you are not producing people who would want to play Test cricket. The disparity is huge.”

Manchester City target Josko Gvardiol is “keen to join” and the club are "not so far to reach an agreement", according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

How good is Josko Gvardiol?

Gvardiol is a centre-back who currently plays his football for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga having moved there from Dinamo Zagreb back in 2021, and his impressive performances under Marco Rose have recently caught the eye of Pep Guardiola.

Football Insider have reported that the Sky Blues have already held initial talks with the 21-year-old and are confident of reaching an agreement, with the defender having a £98m buyout clause in his contract that is set to become active next year.

The Secret Scout has since claimed that after Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic, the Croatia international is the next “key target” for the boss and stated that the two parties were expected to start discussing a fee, a process which sounds like it’s already begun.

Are Man City signing Gvardiol?

Taking to Twitter, Galetti revealed that Gvardiol wants to complete the switch to Man City and suggested that the Premier League champions and RB Leipzig aren't miles away from finding a middle ground. He wrote:

“#ManchesterCity are speeding things up for Josko #Gvardiol. Understand that the gap between #MCFC and #RBLeipzig is reducing, not so far to reach an agreement. The CB is keen to join the club until 2028.”

Should Man City splash the cash on Gvardiol?

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has previously dubbed Gvardiol the “Haaland of defenders” for his physical dominance and enormous potential, so he’s clearly at the high standard required to slot into Guardiola‘s team at Man City.

The World Cup participant, who pockets just £18k-per-week currently, won 17 out of his 23 tackles last season whilst averaging 2.3 clearances and 1.4 aerial wins per league game, via WhoScored, so shows real composure in the heart of the defence despite his aggressive nature.

Leipzig’s left-footed gem, who has the versatility to operate at left-back alongside centre-back, also held a desire to make a difference in the final third having scored three goals across all competitions. He also ranked in the 96th percentile for successful take-ons by centre-backs, so always looks to push his team higher up the pitch from the back.

Finally, Gvardiol will already know what it takes to compete and be successful having secured five pieces of silverware at the age of just 21, and should he put pen to paper in the top-flight, that number would no doubt only continue to increase in years to come.

Jose Mourinho has quit his position on the UEFA football board following his spat with referee Anthony Taylor after AS Roma's Europa League final loss.

What happened between Jose Mourinho and Anthony Taylor?

The Portuguese manager was incensed with the referee after his side lost on penalties in the final to Sevilla, and he quickly let him know about it.

The situation led to Taylor receiving abuse from numerous Roma fans shortly afterwards – with his family harassed at an airport – and an Italian man was even arrested for his role in the abuse.

For his role in inciting the incident, Mourinho – who was spotted waiting for the referee in a car park after the final – has been punished with a four-match ban which will come into effect at the start of next season.

Clearly unhappy with the decision, the former Chelsea manager has let the UEFA football board know he was immediately stepping down from his role with the group, reports The Athletic.

How did Jose Mourinho quit the board?

After finding out about his four-match ban, Mourinho immediately quit the board, informing UEFA Chief of Football Zvonimir Boban in the form of a letter.

The letter read: "In thanking you for the invitation you extended to me to be a member of the UEFA football board, I regret to inform you that, effective immediately, I will be renouncing my participation in this group.

“I kindly ask that you also communicate my decision to the President Mr. Aleksander Ceferin.”

Roma are expected to launch an appeal to overturn Mourinho's ban but will hold off until they receive UEFA's written reasons for the ban, before moving forward with it.

Has Jose Mourinho been involved in any other controversy in the past?

The incident is far from the first controversial moment of Mourinho's career, though, with the former Chelsea boss prone to some pretty wild moments.

One example of the Portuguese coach making headlines for the wrong reasons was his incredible seven-minute rant following Chelsea's 3-1 loss to Southampton in October 2015.

Enraged by the result, he went crazy in his post-match interview, calling out match officials, even saying the following: "I think it’s time to be a little bit honest and to say clearly that referees are afraid to give decisions for Chelsea."

Another controversial moment in his career was calling former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger a "specialist in failure" followings a war of the words between the two coaches in 2014.

Love him or hate him, there's no denying that Mourinho is one of football's biggest characters, and it's almost certain that this latest episode of controversy won't be the last in his career.