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Celtic striker Vakoun Bayo looks set to return to Parkhead under new boss Ange Postecoglou, according to the Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Bayo’s 2020/21 season

The 24-year-old spent the 2020/21 campaign on loan at French side Toulouse.

Bayo, who Chris Sutton described as ‘powerful’ back in 2019, scored 13 goals and registered four assists in 36 appearances in all competitions, with 11 of those coming since the turn of the year.

Unfortunately for the Ivory Coast international, he failed to help Toulouse gain promotion to Ligue 1, and it seems that could be costly in regards to the forward making his stay in France permanent.

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The Latest: Bayo’s return

According to a report from the Daily Record, Bayo is in line to return to Parkhead ahead of pre-season.

Toulouse had the option to turn Bayo’s loan move into permanent transfer this summer, but it appears as if they will not decide to do that. They announced that Brecht Dejaegere had made his temporary stay a long-term one, but there was no mention of Bayo.

He is expected to return to Scotland as a result and could be handed a chance by Postecoglou, with pre-season for the Hoops beginning on Thursday.

The Verdict: A welcome boost for Postecoglou?

New Celtic boss Postecoglou could well be short of attacking options over the coming months, so a return to Scotland for Bayo could be good news for the 55-year-old.

Leigh Griffiths’ future appears to be up in the air, while Odsonne Edouard has reportedly told friends that he will be joining Leicester City.

Celtic also recently missed out on long-term target Kyle Joseph, so having Bayo back at Lennoxtown next week will give Postecoglou another attacking option as he gears up for a busy few months ahead of the crucial 2021/22 season.

In other news: Hoops linked with move for Yokohama F. Marinos forward, find out more here. 

Open up Celtic’s squad list heading into next season and there are a number of players you could reel off as potential departures from Parkhead.

Whether it’s Ryan Christie and his perplexing contract situation at Paradise, or the futures of Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard, the Bhoys could have their work cut out in the transfer market.

What’s the word?

Speaking about Celtic’s transfer business this summer, Frank McAvennie told Football Insider where he thought the Hoops would definitely strengthen. This came after he was quizzed about the club’s interest in Peterborough forward Siriki Dembele.

Posh director Barry Fry told Football FanCast’s sister site This is Futbol this week that the 24-year-old would be allowed to leave if the right offer came in, with the attacker’s contract due to expire in 2022.

With the fear of Edouard leaving also, there was only one area McAvennie was ever going to stress as a priority.

“Celtic are going to buy a decent striker,” the pundit began.

“If it was a choice between Rangers and Celtic, obviously I want him [Dembele] to sign for Celtic. But if his brother isn’t getting a game, I’m not sure how he could convince Siriki to come.”

McKay has to act soon

It’s exciting to hear that Celtic will probably sign a striker in the coming months.

After all, these are the additions supporters crave. Everyone loves to see a natural born goal scorer arriving and elevating their chances of success.

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That said, with Edouard almost through the door at Leicester, Dominic McKay will need to act soon on finding a replacement.

Josh King has been touted but the club have run into troubles over his signature with Norwich and teams in Turkey pursuing him as well. Available on a free transfer, it would be a cost-effective way to replace their exit-bound Frenchman.

Dembele wouldn’t cost the earth either with only one year left on his contract but, as McAvennie states, it could be hard to tempt him into a switch north of the border.

His brother Karamoko has had a troubled few years in Glasgow with opportunities hard to come by. He finally scored his first senior goal in the 4-0 win over St Johnstone recently but was rather bizarrely left out of the starting XI on the final day of the campaign against Hibernian.

Thus, it could come down to the type of review Siriki is given by his sibling.

It’s hard to deny that Celtic’s rising teenager hasn’t been well looked after in the reserves but, at first team level, it’s a different story. He will be the first one to tell the Peterborough forward that things aren’t always easy in Scotland.

Therefore, McKay must act swiftly to draw up a lengthy list of targets. Signing a ‘decent striker’ is one thing; replacing Edouard is a different task altogether.

AND in other news, Celtic eye manager who left Rodgers “really impressed”, he’s better suited than Howe…

Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne has provided an update on the injury he suffered in the Champions League final, which will surely delight Pep Guardiola and Citizens fans.

The Belgium international was forced off against Chelsea after a collision with Antonio Rudiger, which meant that a City comeback was always going to be tough.

After he was seen crying and unable to stand, City fans will have been rightfully concerned about the former Wolfsburg man and whether he would be fit for the start of next season, but his recent update on Twitter should allay any fears about him being out for the long term.

He wrote:

“Hi guys just got back from the hospital. My diagnosis is Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. I feel okay now. Still disappointed about yesterday obviously but we will be back.”

Although it is still uncertain whether or not he will be fit to feature for Belgium at the Euros this summer, players can often play on with facial injuries by wearing masks, and hopefully, the fractures will have healed by the time the Premier League 2021/22 campaign kicks off in August.

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The “exceptional” midfielder was a mainstay in City’s side this season and was a key reason behind their success in the Premier League and the Carabao Cup, so it was extremely unfortunate that he was unable to play a more telling role in City’s first-ever Champions League final last weekend.

His performances in the Premier League this season saw him average a superb 7.65 rating from WhoScored, which was the second-best of any player in the league, which emphasises just how important he was in City’s title win, and if he can maintain that form next year, then Guardiola’s side have an excellent chance of retaining their title.

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City will certainly be challenging for trophies again next season and from the sound of things, De Bruyne should be fit enough to get the Citizens off to a good start when they return to action next season and that in itself is news that should delight City fans.

And, in other news… Bye-bye Sterling: Txiki should seal Man City swoop for £100m PL beast

Former Arsenal and Everton striker Kevin Campbell believes Alex Moreno would be a great replacement for Ezgjan Alioski at Leeds United.

The Lowdown: Alioski replacement required

Alioski is expected to move on at the end of the season, having reportedly agreed to join Turkish giants Galatasaray. That will leave Leeds needing to sign a new left-back in the summer transfer window, with a host of names linked with the Whites in recent months.

One of those is Real Betis defender Moreno, who has made 21 appearances in La Liga this season, chipping in with two assists to date.

The Latest: Campbell rates Moreno highly

Campbell believes the 27-year-old could be the ideal man to come in for Alioski as he outlined to Football Insider why the Real Betis left-back could be the perfect fit for Leeds:

“Moreno, he’s a good player. He’s naturally a left footer and he likes to gets up and down that wing as often as possible. He has that attacking ability that Leeds will be after.

“I think he would be a great signing for Leeds. I really like him.”

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The Verdict: Could Leeds do better?

Moreno is an experienced figure who could fill the Alioski-shaped void at Elland Road, but it could be argued that there are better options to be found.

The Spaniard’s shortage of assists suggests a lack of attacking thrust – Marcelo Bielsa would surely want a forward-thinking full-back in the mould of Alioski – with an average of just 0.7 key passes per game in the league this season.

In comparison, Nicolas Tagliafico, another Leeds target, has averaged 1.1 key passes per match for Ajax in the Eredivisie, also getting one goal and three assists.

Moreno seems to be a solid transfer target, but Tagliafico appears the more experienced, superior choice if the Whites want to go up another gear in the Premier League next season.

In other news, a former Leeds player can’t understand Marcelo Bielsa’s treatment of one player this season. Read more here.

When Moise Kean signed for Everton, Marcel Brands told his family that the club would look after him.

“We will take of your son,” the Toffees figure said to his mother on the day he signed his contract.

Unfortunately, that statement was far from the truth. Kean only started six Premier League games last season before he was remarkably taken on loan by PSG this campaign.

The 21-year-old’s time in Merseyside has not gone according to plan. Once a wonderkid at Juventus, he has only bagged four goals for Everton and has even been substituted on and off in the same game.

As he slowly trudged down the Old Trafford sideline after being hauled off by Duncan Ferguson last term, it painted a desperately sad image.

This was not the promise Brands had made when Kean first signed.

However, after a stellar campaign in France, Everton really need to consider handing him a proper opportunity. Alongside the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, the youngster hasn’t looked out of place.

He has been ruthless in front of goal, showing an extraordinary amount of confidence for someone who appeared to be so shy at Goodison Park.

From an Everton point of view, the focus has always been on bringing through Anthony Gordon; the jewel in the crown of their academy.

He might be homegrown but Everton would be foolish to waste a player like Kean. After all, he’s shown mesmeric form at the highest level throughout 2020/21.

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The youngster has scored 17 goals in 40 outings for PSG this term, scoring three Champions League goals on their run to the semi-finals.

Kean’s early form was impeccable. After his first 13 games in the French top-flight, he’d found the back of the net on nine occasions. He even scored against Barcelona in the last 16 of Europe.

The striker shone under Thomas Tuchel before he was given the boot by Paris chiefs but he was clearly a player the German loved.

Tuchel described him as “fearless” earlier in the campaign, a word you wouldn’t have associated with his opening year in English football.

His confidence levels are flowing and if he is willing to have a second opportunity at Everton, they must take it with open arms.

PSG don’t have an option to buy Kean in the terms of his loan deal but he surely won’t be short of many suitors.

Everton are reportedly seeking a bid of £40m to sell the attacker but they must avoid losing him at all costs; he is one of the best young talents in European football.

AND in other news, Worse than Holgate: Ancelotti surely enraged by Everton gem who made just 15 passes…

If you assess Celtic’s midfield, it’s fair to say it’s not an area where the Bhoys are too stacked for quality.

The enigmatic Scott Brown is set to depart this summer while Olivier Ntcham’s season has been a total disaster.

Combine that with a lack of opportunities for Ismaila Soro and players like Luca Connell and there are obvious holes to fill.

This will be a summer of transition for Celtic and how they could do with a tireless and combative midfielder to replace Brown.

Had they been smarter about their transfer business, they could have had his heir right in the palm of their hands.

Instead, he’s now plying his trade in the Premier League for Aston Villa. The man in question is a certain John McGinn.

Back in 2018, Celtic made three bids to sign the Scottish midfielder. They ultimately failed with their pursuit and McGinn left Hibernian for a fee of just £2m.

Villa were in the Championship at the time but they secured a bargain with the Scot, someone who has become not only a star for Scotland but also a gem in the English top-flight.

Opening up on his failed move three years ago, McGinn said last year: “It was important to weigh up everything and not just go with my heart because I had basically made up my mind I wanted to join Celtic.”

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The midfielder added: “But I also had to weigh up in my mind how strong Celtic’s midfield had been for a long time.

“I remember speaking to Brendan Rodgers and he said the important thing I would take from it was I would play games. But Steve Bruce said I would play every game.”

The midfielder ultimately played a vital hand during Aston Villa’s promotion-winning campaign, scoring seven goals and registering nine assists.

He’s not hit the same dizzy heights since they entered the Premier League but his influence has been mightily impressive, winning four man of the match awards last term.

Playing as a deep-lying midfielder, he has registered four assists for the Villans this term, establishing a feared partnership with the effervescent Jack Grealish.

Celtic have won a plethora of trophies in recent years so their mistake wasn’t felt too hard. That is until now, however.

They need to strengthen their midfield and McGinn would have been perfect. Instead, they will be wondering ‘what if?’

The 26-year-old was linked with a mega £50m move to Manchester United last summer and is now valued at an eye-catching £25.2m by Transfermarkt.

McGinn is as dynamic as they come in the middle in the park. He has made 1.6 tackles per game this term but has also completed over one key pass, shot and dribble a match.

He has also been among the goals for Scotland, scoring three strikes in as many World Cup qualifying matches.

A wonderful overhead kick against Austria a matter of weeks ago tells you the qualities the midfield general has.

Though, Celtic could have signed him before he’d even made the jump to Hibs. Celtic podcaster Paul John Dykes recalled last week: “So you’ve got a wee guy playing for St. Mirren and I remember being at a St. Mirren game and I was introduced to Tommy Craig, who was at that time managing St. Mirren. And talking to Tommy Craig, he says – keep an eye on young John McGinn.”

Dykes continued: “I think he might’ve been 17 or something like that. This was at Celtic Park and he was the best player on the pitch. Celtic won that day. But wee McGinn was superb. So you’re looking at that and you think, why didn’t we go for him even then?”

Celtic’s midfield may have been their strength a few years ago but the £50k-per-week McGinn would now walk into this side. He is proving to be a costly mistake from the Hoops recruitment team.

AND in other news, Edouard & Ajer axed, 5 new signings arrive: Predicting Eddie Howe’s Celtic starting XI…

Plenty of Aston Villa fans have been reacting to Christian Purslow’s European Super League comments on social media.

The Villa chief executive had plenty to say about the proposal on Monday, which has rocked the world of football in recent days.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham were among 12 clubs who agreed to join a new ESL.

However, following plenty of backlash from supporters all across the country, those six clubs have now all withdrawn from the proposed competition.

Talking to the media prior to the Premier League clubs pulling out of the tournament, Purslow had plenty to say.

As reported by Express & Star, Purslow described the ESL as ‘grotesque concept’.

“These proposals (European Super League) do away with sporting merit. It would enable a small number of clubs to be in this competition come what may &, for millions in football, that goes against everything the sport means & stands for.

“The idea is that the uncertainty that comes with sport, that makes it so compelling, that we all love, is actually damaging to the business models of these huge clubs. So the scheme is designed to take away that uncertainty.

“To give predictability to their businesses so that, if they’re badly managed or have a poor year, they’re still in the premier tournament. Does that sound like sport or football to you? To me it sounds a grotesque concept.”

Villa fans react

@villareport shared Purslow’s comments on Twitter on Monday lunchtime, which, as to be expected, received plenty of interaction from a number of Villa supporters.

These fans were full of praise for Purslow, with one labelling his thoughts as ‘brilliant’.

“My CEO what a guy”

Credit: @LukeKing_

“The words of someone who respects the integrity of the game, the clubs and most importantly the fans. Proud to be a villan but today we all should be one club.”

Credit: @LionsMinnesota

“Couldn’t ask for a better CEO, this is what you call a football club”

Credit: @BevanRachael

“Brilliant so proud of my club @AVFCOfficial”

Credit: @helz83

“Purslow speaking facts”

Credit: @BenKavanagh_7

“Love Purslow”

Credit: @villa_sol21

In other news: Plenty of fans full of praise as brilliant gesture from Aston Villa ace emerges, find out more here. 

Tottenham Hotspur are in need of a squad overhaul this summer, irrespective of whether or not Jose Mourinho remains in charge.

However, the reality is that the Portuguese is likely to keep his job given he’s one of the highest-paid managers in world football and remains under contract until 2023 without a break clause, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

A mega-money payout is probably the last thing Spurs chairman Daniel Levy wants to do and you also have to consider the fact that much of this squad was inherited, so many of Mourinho’s problems have been lingering long before he arrived.

And as such, the Telegraph’s Matt Law believes a rebuild could happen at the end of the season, with many players facing an unlikely future…

Dele Alli

One name mentioned is, of course, Dele Alli.

The 24-year-old midfielder saw a move to Mauricio Pochettino’s Paris Saint-Germain collapse in January and is still struggling for game time under Mourinho.

Indeed, Alli has played only 964 minutes in all competitions this campaign; an average of 43 minutes per outing, via Transfermarkt.

As a result of him festering away on the bench and often on the sideline, his overall transfer value has plummeted 71% in the space of two years, with CIES Football Observatory now rating his worth at just €30m (£26m).

Now Football Insider claim that PSG could come back in for him in the summer.

Alli certainly has a lot to prove after the international break, though his route into the starting XI looks rather difficult. Tanguy Ndombele is now a first-team regular, and Giovani Lo Celso has recently returned from injury.

It seems hard to imagine that his Spurs career is done for at just 24, but if he can make a point to Mourinho in training in the coming months, then who knows what can happen.

He’s certainly going to have to fight for his future in north London, if he wishes to remain.

Harry Winks

Another name mentioned by the Telegraph is Harry Winks, who has gone from a trusted and highly-rated marshall in midfield under Pochettino to a forgotten man.

He too has been linked with interest ahead of the summer transfer window – Sport (via Sport Witness) claim the 25-year-old will insist for a move this summer amid likely interest from La Liga.

It would be an interesting move to make as he was once dubbed England’s Andres Iniesta by the ex-Spurs boss.

“Harry has the profile of the perfect midfield player,” explained Pochettino to the Evening Standard. “His characteristics are perfect. When we talk about midfielders like Xavi and Iniesta, he’s like this type of player.”

However, Winks has played only 24 times this campaign, of which only seven appearances are starts in the Premier League. And just one of those has come since the middle of January, as per Transfermarkt.

And just like Alli, his value has sunk from £36m in December 2019 (Transfermarkt) to €30m (£26m) in March 2021 (CIES).

As a graduate from the Hotspur Way system, you’d imagine there is nothing he’d like more than to feature but again, just like Alli, he’s out of the England fold and may need to move onto pastures new.

He’ll have to make a big statement if given an opportunity to do so before the end of the season.

Serge Aurier

A third name mentioned by the report is Serge Aurier. Perhaps the most surprising, given his turnaround in form this season.

The £18m-rated defender looked set to be replaced in the summer when Spurs clinched Matt Doherty for £15m from Wolves but if anything, that only spurned the Ivorian on, as he’s often been preferred at right-back.

Darren Bent once lambasted Aurier as a “liability” whilst Mourinho was seen telling the former PSG man that he was afraid of his ‘poor’ defending during Amazon’s ‘All or Nothing’ docuseries last year.

Maybe that still grates on his mind and with the £70k-per-week star soon-to-be entering the final year of his deal, it’s easy to see why he may be moved on.

He’ll need to keep performing at a higher level to Doherty in these coming months to remain in N17 for the long-term. He too must be playing for his Spurs future alongside Alli and Winks.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Rodon: Spurs can build defence for the future with £22.5m-rated “leader”…

Leeds United star Raphinha has been receiving more praise over the weekend following an excellent performance against Sheffield United.

The Whites picked up another win on Saturday afternoon as their impressive first season back in the Premier League continues. Marcelo Bielsa’s men saw off the bottom-of-the-table Blades 2-1 at Elland Road, with Jack Harrison finding the net and Phil Jagielka scoring an own goal.

The player who arguably stood out the most was Raphinha, however, with the Brazilian producing a superb display, including an assist for the opening goal. He also won seven duels and executed four key passes on a rewarding afternoon for the 24-year-old.

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Savage lauds Raphinha’s brilliance

Speaking on BT Sport Score [via MOT Leeds News] during the match, Savage waxed lyrical over the Leeds star, hailing his impact:

“Raphinha has been exceptional. I’m sure he’s in Jules’ fantasy football team. It’s great play [for the first goal], they’re relentless in the high press.”

Savage is just the latest pundit to laud Raphinha, with ex-Whites striker Noel Whelan describing him as “incredible” back in February in an interview with Football Insider.

Transfer Tavern take

The winger is a fantastic footballer and he was a joy to watch on Saturday, catching the eye with his elegant style and quick feet.

Amid reported transfer interest from Bayern Munich, the 24-year-old is someone Bielsa desperately needs to keep hold of beyond this summer in order for the team to continue progressing in a positive manner.

In other news, Leeds are believed to be keen on offering one player a pathway into the first-team. Find out who it is here.

Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey was Steve Bruce’s unsung hero in Sunday’s goalless draw with West Bromwich Albion, despite Arsenal loanee Joe Willock receiving lavish praise for his performance at The Hawthorns.

Shelvey anchored the Magpies’ engine room against their relegation-rivals as the two sides played out a drab affair, which extended the Toon’s sorry run of form to just two wins in their last 18 games across all competitions.

The result did neither side any real favours with Newcastle now just a point clear of the drop zone, albeit with a game in hand over 18th-placed Fulham while moving above Brighton and Hove Albion after the south coast side lost 2-1 at home to Leicester City on Saturday night.

Neither West Brom nor Newcastle could claim they deserved more than they took from the weekend’s result, in an encounter featuring some intent from both sides but little to no quality from either the hosts or visitors when it mattered.

The Baggies had arguably the better chances to snatch what would have been just the West Midlands outfit’s fourth win of the Premier League season, but could not make their pressure count with Mbaye Diagne only able to direct one of his four shots on target.

West Brom also delivered 36 crosses as a team as they were forced to play wide, but found their efforts thwarted by Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark in the Toon backline as they restricted Diagne to winning just five of his 15 aerial duels, per SofaScore.

Lascelles won two of his aerial contests while Clark won four, along with seven of nine ground challenges to hold Diagne to two from seven, for Sky Sports to name the centre-back duo as the stars of the visiting side.

Yet, for Chronicle Live, Willock was the Magpies’ Man of the Match having looked like the only Newcastle player capable of winning the game, and would have had it not been for Sam Johnstone denying the Arsenal loanee at his near post on the hour mark.

However, it was not Willock, Lascelles or Clark who was Bruce’s real hero but rather Shelvey, having provided a key defensive presence in the midfield battle. The former Liverpool and Swansea City star also kept Newcastle on the ball far better than United’s winter signing.

Shelvey recorded four successful tackles on Sunday, double the tally registered by Willock and from one fewer attempts, with the Gunners product dribbled past in five of his seven lunges for possession, per WhoScored.

Willock also offered half as many clearances as Shelvey (4) and made no interceptions, while the 29-year-old broke up West Brom’s play a game-high six times – three-times as often as any of his teammates, with Paul Dummett second with two.

Newcastle’s midfield play also flowed through Shelvey, with the £13m-rated beast taking 62 touches and completing 70% of his 44 attempted passes – only Clark (49) attempted a higher amount while Willock misplaced 48% of his 23 passes.

Despite being more defensive-minded in his approach, Shelvey additionally matched Willock for key passes with one goalscoring opportunity created each and shots taken (1).

Shelvey’s efforts even eclipsed the former England international’s average 1.4 successful tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per game in the Premier League this season by a considerable margin.

Bruce will have been delighted to see Shelvey thrive at such a level, given some of his performances in February were lazy and disinterested, while putting Willock in his shadow.

AND in other news, some Newcastle players want a “very good organiser” lauded by those he’s worked with to replace Steve Bruce…