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Celtic not only managed to end their previous season with the Scottish Premiership title in their hands, but they also managed to rack up the best defensive record in the division.

With 38 games played, the Hoops only conceded 22 goals in total, which is nine fewer than their Old Firm rivals Rangers conceded.

One player that had a massive part in this aspect of the Hoops’ impressive campaign was Cameron Carter-Vickers.

After joining on a season-long loan deal from Tottenham Hotspur in the 2021 summer transfer window, the centre-back went on to make 46 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions, with 33 of them coming in the league.

Having now secured the American on a permanent basis, this proves just how impressive he was last year and how eager the Parkhead club were to bring him back.

Even though the Hoops have also signed Moritz Jenz to help strengthen their squad, the remaining weeks of the summer transfer window could see the Bhoys add some extra depth and quality to their backline.

One player that has been mentioned with a move to Glasgow that could also be an upgrade on Carter-Vickers is KAA Gent defender Joseph Okumu.

Last season saw the 25-year-old make 49 appearances for the Belgian club after joining from IF Elfsborg in the previous summer window.

To compare his debut season in the Belgian league with Carter-Vickers’ efforts in the SPFL last year, the Gent star racked up more interceptions and successful tackles than the Celtic defender, despite making six fewer appearances than him.

Okumu also committed fewer fouls than the former Spurs figure, showing that he isn’t as much of a potential liability as the Celtic defender.

Hailed as a “tremendous” player by Dan Egner, the Gent star would definitely be a useful addition to Ange Postecoglou’s squad at the back, especially if Christopher Jullien ends up leaving, and could even rival Carter-Vickers for a place in the team.

Moving forward, with Jullien and Stephen Welsh being linked with moves away from Parkhead, should either of them do so, launching a move for Okumu should be at the top of Celtic’s priority list for the remainder of the transfer window.

AND in other news: “On the radar”: Journo drops behind-scenes transfer claim Celtic supporters will love

West Ham United supporters have been handed a fairly promising transfer update involving left-wing-back target Filip Kostic as the club chase a deal.

The Lowdown: Irons in talks…

The Irons are in talks for numerous targets after completing four major summer signings already for manager David Moyes.

West Ham are thought to attempting moves for both Lille midfielder Amadou Onana and Kostic of Eintracht Frankfurt, while the likes of Burnley winger Maxwell Cornet have also been heavily linked.

It appears the east Londoners mean business ahead of their Premier League opener against English champions Manchester City this weekend and look determined to right the wrongs of last season.

The Latest: West Ham ‘willing’ to meet Kostic price…

Now, a promising report has surfaced with an update on West Ham’s chances of landing Kostic.

According to The Evening Standard, GSB and co are ‘willing to meet’ Frankfurt’s asking price with negotiations being held over the 29-year-old’s signing.

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Going further, while they claim ‘convincing’ Kostic is proving ‘more difficult’, it is also believed that he is ‘tempted by a move to London’ and West Ham haven’t given up.

The Verdict: Perfect for Moyes?

Kostic, primarily a wing-back, is perfect for Moyes if the Scotsman wishes to change formation to a back five.

Called Frankfurt’s ‘irreplaceable’ star by the official Bundesliga YouTube channel, the Serbia international racked up a brilliant 15 assists in all competitions from out wide and was absolutely pivotal to their Europa League triumph.

Kostic’s contract situation, due to expire in 2023, could also motivate his club to accept a lower valuation and we believe West Ham should certainly keep pushing.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Matheus Nunes and that speculation has escalated following the injury to Thiago Alcantara, however, a reliable source has now weighed in on the transfer rumour.

What’s the latest?

According to The Athletic’s Liverpool reporter James Pearce, Liverpool are not interested in signing Sporting CP midfielder Nunes before the transfer window closes.

Pearce replied to a supporter who had questioned the speculation surrounding a move for Nunes:

“Reported a few weeks ago when rumour first came up that LFC were not interested and believe that’s still the case.”

Klopp could regret it

The Portuguese midfielder is probably the most closest linked player to making a move to Anfield at the moment, so if Pearce is adamant that Liverpool are not interested in the £42.2m target, then where does that leave Jurgen Klopp’s midfield going into the upcoming games in the Premier League?

The Reds will host Crystal Palace in their next game on Monday and then head to Old Trafford for one of the most highly anticipated fixtures in the league calendar in a clash against Manchester United on 22nd of August, and at the moment the Liverpool boss is dealing with a number of injury issues in midfield.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is out with a serious hamstring injury, Curtis Jones is out with an injury that is set to see him sidelined for a month and now Thiago has also sustained a hamstring injury after limping off in the disappointing draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage last weekend.

The Spanish midfielder is believed to be out for around six weeks, but will now see another specialist to make sure the timeframe is accurate. Nevertheless, Liverpool can’t afford another injury to hit the centre of the pitch over the next few weeks if they want to continue to compete at the highest level.

Klopp did speak out after the Fulham draw on the potential of a new midfielder coming into the squad on Merseyside, but claimed it “must make sense” to do so (via The Mirror):

“A transfer must make sense, now and in the long term. We still have eight midfielders, just some of them are injured at the moment. It’s not a good situation at all, but we won’t panic. We have to see how we react.”

This is certainly not the first time the German coach has paid the price for having a small squad, as Liverpool had a tumultuous season in 2020/21 when their entire defence collapsed with injuries, leading to a season of struggles with the makeshift side managing a third place finish on the last day of the season.

As a result, Klopp could regret not making that extra midfielder signing this summer. Signing Nunes, or a like-minded midfielder, would allow his current central options the freedom to return to fitness when they are completely ready, and when they do suffer injuries to key players like Thiago, there won’t be a huge drop off from the quality and technicality of his replacement. At the moment, that feels like it could well be the case.

David Ornstein has dropped a claim on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target James Garner.

What’s the latest?

In a recent article for The Athletic, the transfer insider revealed that Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is now ready to let the central midfielder leave Old Trafford this summer, with United expected to demand a figure in the region of £14m in order to part with the England U21 international.

Ornstein goes on to state that a number of Premier League sides could now make a move for the 21-year-old, with Everton, Southampton and Leeds United all believed to be interested in the youngster, while Fabio Paratici is also thought to have scouted the former Nottingham Forest loanee ahead of a potential move of his own this summer.

The next Ward-Prowse

With it being known that Antonio Conte is interested in the idea of adding another central midfielder to his Tottenham squad this summer, with one reported target of the 52-year-old said to be Southampton’s £75m valued James Ward-Prowse, it is not difficult to understand why Paratici could now be targeting a move for Garner.

Indeed, there are clear similarities between the two midfielders, not only in their respective numbers returned last season but also in their traits on the pitch and proficiency in dead-ball scenarios.

In terms of returns, over Ward-Prowse’s 36 Premier League appearances last time out, the £28.8m-rated talent scored ten goals, registered five assists and created eight big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.5 shots, making 2.0 key passes and completing 1.8 long balls per game.

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In comparison, over Garner’s 41 Championship appearances for Forest, the £6.3m-rated midfielder scored four goals, provided eight assists and created seven big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.1 shots, making 2.0 key passes and completing 1.5 long balls per fixture.

Furthermore, the Southampton captain also made an average of 1.1 interceptions, 1.1 tackles and won 2.6 duels per outing last season, while Garner made an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and won 3.9 duels per game.

Aside from their similarities in respective metrics, the duo are also considered to be set-ball specialists, with Ward-Prowse scoring no less than 14 goals from direct free-kicks over his Premier League career, while Garner has also been praised for the accuracy of his deliveries from dead-balls, with Forest midfielder Ryan Yates stating of the 21-year-old earlier this year:

“The delivery has got to be good, it’s got to be in the right areas. We’ve got one of the best in the league at that in James. He’s unbelievable. A lot of credit has got to go to him. It probably goes under the radar a bit. He is always practising them, and he is such a threat.”

This ability has seen both players draw comparisons to David Beckham, with Theo Walcott previously stating his belief that Ward-Prowse is “better” at free-kicks than the Manchester United legend, while Trevor Sinclair also claimed that Garner’s deliveries from a dead-ball “remind me of David Beckham.”

As such, considering the clear similarities between the two players, in addition to the stark contrast between their asking prices, it is not difficult to understand why Paratici would be interested in a move for the Manchester United starlet this summer, as it would very much appear as if Garner could well go on to become the next Ward-Prowse at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Following Glasgow Rangers’ terrific 3-0 victory against Union Saint-Gilloise on Tuesday which overturned the 2-0 defeat in the first leg and ensured passage into the Champions League play-off tie, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side welcome St Johnstone to Ibrox on Saturday.

The Premiership clash offers the Ibrox side a chance to make it three wins from three on league duty and continue building the momentum ahead of the crucial tie against PSV next Tuesday.

There are no fresh injury concerns for Rangers heading into the tie, with only Ianis Hagi and Filip Helander currently on the treatment table with long-term problems.

Van Bronckhorst will be expecting to see a repeat of Tuesday’s performance against a side who will surely apply a low block and try to ensure it’s a frustrating 90 minutes for the home crowd.

Predicted starting XI

In goal, Jon McLaughlin will continue his no.1 duties, having taken over from club legend Allan McGregor, who is a more than able deputy if needed.

The back four will remain unchanged from Tuesday, with James Tavernier and Borna Barisic taking up their usual spots, with James Sands and Connor Goldson aiming for their third clean sheet in a row at the heart of the defence.

There will be one change in midfield, with Glen Kamara replacing Scott Arfield and he will feature in a midfield three containing Tuesday’s star Tom Lawrence and John Lundstram.

The front three will see the biggest change, with club talisman Alfredo Morelos, who scored on his return against Kilmarnock last week as the Dutchman dubbed him “very important”, will replace £1.8m Antonio Colak in the starting XI. The “terrific” finisher is key to the Gers success and he will be supported by Ryan Kent from the left and Malik Tillman from the right.

The young American scored the goal that ultimately won the tie against USG on Tuesday evening and he has settled into life well in Glasgow.

Predicted Rangers XI (4-3-3): McLaughlin; Barisic, Goldson, Sands, Tavernier; Lawrence, Kamara, Lundstram; Kent, Morelos, Tillman.

The Daily Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards has confirmed that two of Newcastle United’s ‘leading targets’ are Christian Pulisic and Conor Gallagher.

The Lowdown: Chelsea players wanted

As per 90min, the St. James’ Park outfit are thought to hold an interest in signing as many as four players from Chelsea in this transfer window.

As well as Pulisic and Gallagher, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Armando Broja are also thought to be on their radar, as they look to strengthen their attacking options before the deadline, with Hudson-Odoi seemingly the most advanced going by recent rumours.

The Latest: ‘Leading targets’

Taking to Twitter, Edwards has revealed that out of all of the Blues players the North East club are interested in signing on loan, Pulisic and Gallagher are the ‘leading targets’:

“Update on #nufc interest in Chelsea loans. Pulisic & Gallagher are two leading targets but no closer to knowing whether they will get either.”

The Verdict: Sign both?

Pulisic and Gallagher would certainly help strengthen Eddie Howe’s attacking options going into the rest of the season.

Nicknamed ‘Captain America’ due to his starring and leading role in the USA national team, Pulisic already has 50 caps for his country at the tender age of just 23, scoring an impressive 21 goals (Transfermarkt).

Meanwhile, Gallagher is a player who impressed so much while on loan at Crystal Palace last season, winning their Player of the Season (POTS) award and breaking into the England squad under Gareth Southgate.

Of course, both have the experience of playing in the Premier League, and at 23 and 22 years of age respectively, they have the potential to hit new heights in a Magpies shirt.

Fulham are looking to bolster their squad by raiding a Premier League giant…

What’s the word?

According to Ryan Taylor, writing for the Express, Arsenal are expected to offload Ainsley Maitland-Niles before the window closes.

Marco Silva is hoping to capitalise on this but faces stern competition from West Ham United and AFC Bournemouth.

The versatile Englishman has just one year left on his £48k-per-week deal, so the Gunners are looking to make any money they can before he leaves for free.

It could be a Wilson repeat

Having managed to secure the abilities of Harry Wilson from Liverpool just last summer, a £12m fee seems like a great piece of business for a special British talent.

In this potential Maitland-Niles deal, Silva could snatch another British winger with bags of ability, and a versatility that is of paramount importance to boosting out a squad.

The Welshman was instrumental in the Cottager’s Championship title win, scoring ten and assisting an astounding 20 goals in just 41 appearances. Although he had impressed in spells for Bournemouth, his move to Craven Cottage has seen his career explode.

Perhaps Maitland-Niles could do similarly, adding goals and assists in a fixed position rather than being forced to be the utility man as he was at the Emirates and for AS Roma.

It is clear that Mikel Arteta only viewed him as this, as despite labelling him a “huge talent”, he continued by claiming that “he’s versatile enough to adapt to almost any position on the pitch.”

At the age of just 24, he should be pushing for minutes in his favoured position, to prove whether he truly is good enough to shine at this level.

He would bring a wealth of experience to Fulham, having featured 87 times in the Premier League and even in European competitions.

Whilst Wilson came with some of this experience, Maitland-Niles’ far dwarfs that and suggests that he too could be a big hit.

The two are completely different players, but both could have massive impacts on the club in completely different ways. It could mark another masterstroke in the market for Silva.

Bukayo Saka is close to signing a contract extension at Arsenal…

What’s the word?

The 20-year-old has hinted that he could be close to a new deal after the England international agreed with manager Mikel Arteta that an agreement was close, as per the Independent.

“I am very confident that we as a club and Bukayo, his family, his agent, everybody, we are very much aligned in what we want to achieve. And now it is about putting it on a piece of paper,” the Spaniard claimed earlier this month.

Speaking after a recent win over Fulham, Saka re-iterated his manager’s confidence, claiming:

“Yes, I share his confidence. I really feel the love from my teammates, my coaches and the fans as well. So yeah, I really feel loved here.”

Best business yet

This could be the Gunners’ best business yet this summer as Saka is an integral part of not just Arteta’s project at the Emirates Stadium but for the club as a whole, having graduated from the Hale End academy.

Some of the Premier League’s elite have been mooted with interest in the versatile wide man, including Liverpool and Manchester City, so this update will surely put to bed potential exit rumours – he’d have cost in excess of £150m, according to some.

The Athletic’s Amy Lawrence has since described this development as “fantastic news” – and it’s easy to see why.

Forget about Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko or Fabio Vieira, Saka’s long-term commitment to Arsenal will be the best decision that technical director Edu Gaspar could make.

Last season, the England sensation led the squad for goals (11), assists (seven) and shots per game (2.6), which resulted in him ranking as Arteta’s best-performing player, as per WhoScored figures.

Such form also saw club legend Ray Parlour describe him as a “revelation” to talkSPORT.

“The way he took his goal today, it was fantastic. His movement, his runs off the ball, he’s got so much intelligence. He really can play anywhere.

“The England call up and playing regularly for England now has given him more belief. He can be anything he wants to be.

“If he can keep working hard, keep his feet on the ground – which I know he has done because I’ve met him a number of times, he’s a really humble guy and really wants to work – then he can be a massive player for Arsenal going forward, and for England in major competitions.”

He’s certainly already become a ‘massive player’ for the Gunners and there will be very few, if any, disappointed by this news around the red side of north London.

AND in other news. Arsenal could land “outrageous” 6th signing with £17m bargain who’s “destined” to join…

West Ham United could be set to unleash Maxwel Cornet in their Europa Conference League clash with FCSB this evening.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Pete O’Rourke, with the journalist stating his belief in a recent interview with Football FanCast that, after impressing in both the Hammers’ qualifying round victory over Viborg FF last month and the 2-1 defeat against Chelsea last weekend, the 25-year-old could be handed an opportunity from the off against the club’s Romanian opponents tonight.

When asked whether he felt Cornet could be in line for a start against FCSB, O’Rourke said: “Yeah, he did well against Chelsea. He was very unlucky not to get the equalising goal with that controversial VAR decision.

“He’s played in a couple of the Europa League qualifiers against Viborg and did well in those as well. So I’d imagine Cornet will get the opportunity for another start here and get an opportunity to try and stake a claim for a starting place in David Moyes’ Premier League side going forward.”

Moyes must unleash Cornet

As O’Rourke suggests, considering just how impressive Cornet was in the unfortunate 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge last time out, coupled with how effective the winger was in his two outings against Viborg earlier this season, it would indeed appear a wise move for Moyes to finally unleash the Ivory Coast international from the off against FCSB this evening.

Indeed, over his 90 minutes on the pitch in the 3-1 first leg victory over the Danish side, the £17.5m summer signing was in spectacular attacking form, completing three dribbles, making two key passes, creating one big chance, completing two crosses, taking two shots at goal and setting up Gianluca Scamacca for the opening goal of the game.

It was a similar story for the £17.5m-rated talent over his 90 minutes in the 3-0 second-leg victory, in which he made three key passes, completed two crosses, created one big chance and set up Said Benrahma for the Hammers’ second of the match.

And, despite being afforded just 12 minutes of game time in the loss to Chelsea last Saturday, the 25-year-old very nearly earned his side a share of the spoils against the Blues, keeping his composure to fire home past three defenders after Edouard Mendy spilled Reece James’ back-header – only for his strike to be ruled out as a result of an extremely controversial VAR decision.

Furthermore, with Pablo Fornals having struggled to make any real impact over his eight appearances in all competitions so far this season, scoring one goal – a heavily deflected winner against Aston Villa – providing no assists and creating no big chances, it would very much appear as if the player who Maximiliano Bretos dubbed “unbelievable” deserves a chance to start ahead of the Spain international this evening – as Cornet has already proven himself to be a something of a game-changer for the Irons.

Man City officials were sent to run the rule over Bayer Leverkusen star Moussa Diaby as the Premier League champions seemingly eye a new target.

The Lowdown: City summer overhaul…

The Sky Blues, guided by sporting director Txiki Begiristain and manager Pep Guardiola, orchestrated a real summer overhaul with past mainstays making way for fresh faces.

Raheem Sterling, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho all left Eastlands after many years of faithful service with quartet Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips, Stefan Ortega and Julian Alvarez coming in their stead.

Manuel Akanji soon followed Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, but despite City’s plethora of summer activity, it appears Begiristain and co have their sights on a new name.

The Latest: City eyeing Diaby?

According to 90min, Man City officials were sent to run the rule over Diaby in midweek as his Leverkusen side triumphed 2-0 over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

On-lookers were said to be ‘impressed’ by the Frenchman, who even bagged himself a goal in front of Etihad Stadium chiefs.

The Verdict: Make the move?

City possess an abundance of star quality in the forward positions, most notably Haaland, Alvarez, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez, Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne.

Rising stars like Cole Palmer are also awaiting their chance to impress Guardiola, and unless there are a few high profile departures, we struggle to see where a player like Diaby fits in this team.

That being said, the 23-year-old does possess unquestionable quality.

Called ‘astonishing’ for his footballing brain by the Rheinische Post (via Bundesliga.com), Diaby notched an incredible 13 goals and 12 assists over 32 league starts last year.

If Guardiola can somehow fit him in, there would be few who’d question he possesses enough class for a role.