Tottenham have announced that transfer chief Fabio Paratici has returned to N17 on an official basis after months of reports, and he will work alongside Johan Lange as a co-sporting director.

Spurs confirm Fabio Paratici return as new leadership structure revealed

Paratici, who was forced to resign from his previous Spurs post as managing director in 2023 after a worldwide ban from football, has now made a stunning return to North London.

The Italian played a key role in the club’s signings of Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski, Pedro Porro, Rodrigo Bentancur, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie, Pape Sarr and other first-team stars, and has advised the Lilywhites on a consultancy basis for months.

1. Cristian Romero

£42.5m

2. Dejan Kulusevski

£25.5m

3. Rodrigo Bentancur

£21.5m

4. Pedro Porro

£40m

5. Djed Spence

£20m

Paratici lent a helping hand to CEO Vinai Venkatesham, Lange and manager Thomas Frank over the summer window, but ex-chairman Daniel Levy’s departure threatened to cast doubt on his rumoured return to Spurs as a full-time employee.

Now, those doubts have been quashed, with Paratici officially taking up a sporting director role with Lange as the pair lead Tottenham’s recruitment drive in unison.

Venkatesham added that the increased demands on sporting directors in today’s climate prompted the club to move forward with two experienced chiefs in Lange and Paratici.

After Tottenham were also bankrolled with a £100 million cash injection via the Lewis family last week, the January transfer window now looks even more interesting.

Tottenham identify new target in Rangers star Nicolas Raskin

According to TEAMtalk, Lange and Paratici may have already got to work on identifying a new target for midfield — Rangers star Nicolas Raskin.

The Belgium international is cut above the Gers’ star man at Ibrox, with the Glasgow giants placing a £20-25 million price tag on his head. A sale at that price would make Raskin their club-record departure, and it is believed Spurs have emerged as the latest contender for his signature.

Tottenham are expressing an interest in Raskin ahead of the January window, and considering he has just under two years remaining on his current contract, the Teddy Bears may well have a decision to make if Paratici and Lange come forward with a suitable bid.

The 24-year-old, who was a handful for James Maddison for Spurs when they met Rangers in the Europa League last season, bagged five goals and 11 assists in nearly 50 appearances across 24/25, despite mostly playing as a defensive anchor.

With Yves Bissouma likely departing in 2026, whether that be in the winter or at the end of the season when his deal expires, Raskin could be a very astute replacement for the Mali international.

Rangers are faced with a critical decision amidst serious interest from the Premier League, Serie A and Bundesliga — cash-in now or risk losing him for a much cheaper price further down the line.

Manchester United have now identified an “unbelievable” manager as their first-choice target to replace Ruben Amorim, amid the uncertainty surrounding the 40-year-old’s future.

Amorim not out of the woods despite improved results

Frank Ilett, the fan who has vowed not to cut his hair until Man United win five games in a row, probably hasn’t gotten his hopes up just yet, but Amorim has made some improvements in recent weeks, guiding his side to wins in two of their last three Premier League games.

On paper, the fixture list looks relatively kind until late October, with the Red Devils set to take on Brentford away this Saturday, before taking on Sunderland at Old Trafford the following week, giving Amorim a golden opportunity to buy himself some more time.

However, the United boss will be well-aware that things must start improving, given that he is currently regarded as one of the worst appointments since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.

It has now been revealed the Man United hierarchy have started making plans for life after Amorim, with a report from TEAMtalk revealing that AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is the number one choice to replace the Portuguese coach.

Iraola, who is one of the most sought-after managers in Europe, is being closely monitored by the Red Devils, having transformed Bournemouth’s fortunes since replacing Gary O’Neil back in the summer of 2023.

INEOS are said to view the Spaniard as an elite coach, with the capabilities of managing a top club, and they have been impressed with the way in which he has implemented his system at the Vitality Stadium.

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ByTom Cunningham Sep 24, 2025 "Unbelievable" Iraola could be perfect Amorim replacement

Sky Sports’ Sue Smith waxed lyrical about the job the 43-year-old has done with the Cherries earlier this year, describing the work he’s done as “unbelievable”.

The Bournemouth boss, who likes to implement a 4-2-3-1 system, led his side to a ninth-placed finish in the Premier League last season, and he has made a flying start to the new campaign.

Despite losing a number of key players in the summer, such as Dean Huijsen, Ilya Zabarnyi, Milos Kerkez and Dango Ouattara, the Cherries have taken ten points from their opening five games, with arguably their most impressive victory coming away at Tottenham Hotspur.

Having now proven himself in the Premier League over a sustained period of time, Iraola could be the ideal replacement for Amorim, but it appears as though INEOS are willing to give the current manager a little while longer, after two wins in the last three league games.

Leeds United will not head into the international break on the back of a positive result, but they will head into it off the back of a positive performance against Tottenham Hotspur.

The result did not fall their way, because of deflected goals from Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus, but it was a performance that should have left supporters feeling positive heading into the rest of October.

The Whites were incredibly unfortunate to come away from the clash at Elland Road with nothing because they created enough chances to potentially win the game, let alone to get a point.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was guilty of missing a huge opportunity to score in the first-half when he fired high and wide after Noah Okafor won the ball back in the Spurs box.

Leeds 1-2 Spurs
Stat	Leeds	Spurs
Possession	57%	43%
Shots	16	9
Shots on target	4	3
Big chances	4	1
xG	1.68	0.43
Passes	478	374
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, that was one of four ‘big chances’ created by the hosts, and Okafor was the only player who managed to convert one.

That goal from the Switzerland international was ‘created’ by Brenden Aaronson’s shot that was spilled by Guglielmo Vicario, in what was another promising display from the USA international.

How Brenden Aaronson has revived his Leeds career

It is fair to say that there were doubts over whether or not the American attacking midfielder would be a useful player for Daniel Farke in the Premier League heading into the 2025/26 campaign.

As you can see in the graphic above, Aaronson failed to deliver a single goal or assist in ten appearances against the other five teams in the top six in the Championship last season, which shows that he struggled against high-quality opponents.

The 24-year-old lightweight also managed just one goal and three assists in 36 appearances in the Premier League for the Whites in the 2022/23 campaign under Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce, per Sofascore.

Farke changing the system from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 cast further doubt over Aaronson’s potential involvement this season, as he played as a number ten in last term’s promotion-winning side.

However, the former RB Salzburg star has found a home for himself on the right wing in the 4-3-3 system, starting four Premier League matches so far, and has shown signs of promise on the pitch.

25/26 Premier League	Brenden Aaronson
Appearances	7
Starts	4
Big chances created	3
xA	0.81
Assists	0
Tackles + interceptions per game	2.2
Ground duel success rate	53%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson is unfortunate not to have an assist to his name in the division, as he has created three ‘big chances’ in four starts so far.

The Leeds winger has also provided quality out of possession with his impressive work rate on the flank, winning 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game and the majority of his physical battles on the deck.

His work rate off the ball and the creativity that he has shown with the ball at his feet has helped him to revive his Premier League career with the Whites this season.

Aaronson is not the only player who appears to have revived his career at Elland Road, though, as another star has emerged as a surprise key player for Farke.

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An injury to summer signing Lucas Perri has provided Karl Darlow with a run of matches to prove himself in the Premier League, and he has shown that he can be relied upon to be the team’s number one.

How Karl Darlow has revived his Leeds career

The Wales international joined the Whites from Newcastle United on a permanent deal in the summer of 2023 to be the back-up to Illan Meslier in the Championship.

Darlow started one match in the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign, because Meslier was suspended, and started the 2024/25 campaign as the second-choice once again.

However, the Frenchman’s poor form between the sticks meant that the Welshman was eventually given an opportunity to shine. He kept four clean sheets and prevented 0.74 goals, per Sofascore, in seven outings in the second tier as Leeds earned promotion to the Premier League.

The Whites then swooped to sign Perri from Lyon for £15.6m in the summer transfer window to be their new number one, which suggested that they did not believe that Darlow could make the step up. Unfortunately, Leeds United’s new signing endured a difficult start to life at Elland Road, conceding 1.99 more goals than expected in his first three appearances, per Sofascore, before picking up an injury.

That injury has provided the Wales international with a chance to prove himself and he has grasped it with both gloves, impressing in several matches in the Premier League.

Darlow, who was hailed as “superb” by reporter Graham Smyth, was even nominated for save of the month for September with his terrific acrobatic stop to prevent Kevin from opening the scoring for Fulham.

During the 3-1 win over Wolves, Smyth claimed that the goalkeeper was doing his best Superman impression, as he “brilliantly” tipped a shot over the bar.

25/26 Premier League	Lucas Perri	Karl Darlow
Appearances	3	4
Sofascore rating	6.07	6.90
Save success rate	38%	67%
Saves made	3	12
Goals prevented	-2.0	-1.9
Long pass accuracy	33%	40%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Darlow has outperformed Perri in his outings in the Premier League this season, both as an out-and-out shot-stopper as well as with his distribution out from the back.

-1.9 goals prevented may not jump out as an impressive statistic for the Welshman, but it is worth noting that he ended the Spurs game with -1.40 goals prevented, which was harsh given that Pascal Struijk deflected both goals past the goalkeeper.

His overall statistics, though, show that he has been more effective than Perri between the sticks for Leeds, which is why Farke should keep him in the XI even when the Frenchman is back and available for selection.

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Therefore, Darlow has revived his career at Elland Road by stepping up and taking his chance when it came his way, delivering quality performances in the Premier League, and, hopefully, there is more to come from the 34-year-old.

Last season, Tottenham Hotspur were made to bemoan defensive injuries. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven missed extensive periods through injury. As did full-back Destiny Udogie.

Is it any great surprise, therefore, that Ange Postecoglou’s backline looked such a mess? Perhaps not, but the Aussie was still stubborn enough to refuse change.

Thomas Frank certainly seems more flexible with his style of football but one of the first things he has corrected is that leaky backline.

Only three teams, Arsenal (3), Manchester City (6) and Sunderland (6), have shipped fewer goals than Spurs (7) in the top-flight this term.

Yet, are things beginning to unravel in similar circumstances to Ange? Like the club’s former boss, Frank has now suffered his first big injury blow at the back.

Romero limped off during the warm-up of their game with Aston Villa and after initially being selected, was not fit enough to start. Without their captain, the Lilywhites suffered a 2-1 defeat.

Frank won’t fret quite yet, but he must find a way to get more of a tune out of his attack. Big-money summer signing Xavi Simons will play a big part in that.

Why Spurs need to see improvement from Xavi Simons

Even before James Maddison suffered a terrible ACL injury during pre-season, Frank and Co had made efforts to bring Nottingham Forest talisman Morgan Gibbs-White to north London.

We all know how that saga ended but Spurs’ pursuit of a new dynamic number 10 seemed cursed at one point.

It looked for all the world as though they were set to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace. A deal was agreed and he was allegedly on his way to Spurs. Instead, a last-minute U-turn saw him head to boyhood club Arsenal. The solution was Simons.

The Dutchman had been courted by Chelsea but it was the Blues’ London rivals who eventually concluded a deal, snapping him up for £52m, a move that made him Spurs’ fifth-most expensive signing of all time.

This was an exciting acquisition. After all, he did score 11 goals and register eight assists for RB Leipzig in Germany last season.

Sadly, we’re yet to see the best of him in white. He is yet to complete a full 90 minutes in the Premier League and his only goal involvement, an assist against West Ham, came on his English top-flight debut. The Netherlands maestro has not scored or assisted since then.

West Ham (A)

71

1

Brighton (A)

29

0

Wolves (H)

78

0

Leeds (A)

74

0

Aston Villa (H)

79

0

For such a big-money signing, Frank needs to see more from him but it’s not as though he isn’t trying. Perhaps there’s a simple solution to all of this; Spurs need better players in their forward line.

How Spurs can get more out of Xavi Simons

How supporters must long for the days of Harry Kane and a prime Heung-min Son.

The duo aren’t showing any signs of slowing down away from Spurs with Kane simply in the form of his life this campaign, netting 19 times in 11 games for Bayern Munich.

As far as Son is concerned, he’s been lighting up MLS with his displays for LA FC. The South Korean has nine goals and three assists in his first ten outings for the club.

So, to see where the Spurs forward line is now will no doubt make a few fans hide behind the sofa. Combine the loss of Son with injuries to Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski and you have a real patched-together front line.

Dominik Solanke has played just 31 minutes of league football due to injury in 2025/26 while Richarlison has only beaten the goalkeeper once in his last seven Premier League matches.

As for the French youngster, Wilson Odobert, he is yet to score at all across ten games in all competitions.

With such a glut of misfiring players, is it any surprise that Simons has endured a difficult beginning at Spurs?

Assists

0.3

0.3

Chances created

2.1

1.7

Passes attempted

46.2

33

Forward passes

12.2

9.3

Sideways passes

22

15.5

A look at the numbers tells us that the Dutch midfielder is struggling without a fluid forward line. Worryingly, he’s playing fewer passes per 90 minutes than he did last season at Leipzig. That ultimately means he’s creating fewer goalscoring opportunities for his teammates.

He needs the players in front of him to make better runs and there is no better example of that than the aforementioned Odobert.

The former Burnley man, signed for £25m, is still a particularly raw prospect. He’s exciting and fleet-footed but he needs to be doing more to help Simons out.

The big-money summer arrival traditionally operates in the pockets of space on the left-hand side and it’s on the left flank where Odobert tends to operate. The clip below demonstrates precisely what we’re talking about.

Mathys Tel has the ball on the edge of the box and all he needs is for a few defenders to be dragged away by an overlapping run from Odobert to potentially feed Simons in acres of space.

What does the Frenchman do? He surges right into the area where Tel is aiming for, reducing the space and cutting out a chance to get a shot or pass away.

Had Odobert made an overlapping run, he’d have created more room for Spurs’ number 7 and potentially even received the ball himself. As Jamie O’Hara said after the game, he and Tel can be “painful” to watch.

The 20-year-old is a marmite figure. He did a fair bit right against Aston Villa, completing four of his five dribbles but he needs better end product.

He missed an OPTA-defined big chance on Sunday and only completed one key pass. If Odobert can marry his trickery with the ability to make better runs and make himself an option for Simons then things will improve.

Until then, however, it would be better if the Netherlands star operated from the left flank instead or someone like Brennan Johnson operated there.

NFL icon and Birmingham City minority owner Tom Brady has claimed that his dog, Junie, is a genetic clone of family pet Lua, who died in 2023. According to the former quarterback, the cloning was carried out by Colossal Biosciences, a Dallas-based biotechnology firm in which Brady is an investor. The news was announced in a statement by Colossal as they look to lead the industry in the technology.

Brady drops bombshell cloning news

Colossal's statement on Brady's dog took the internet by surprise. The company also confirmed its purchase of another cloning company, Viagen Pets and Equine. The two firms are set to combine their research and technology to expand cloning services for both domestic animals and conservation purposes, with the hope of expanding worldwide. Brady said: "I love my animals, they mean everything to me and my family. A few years ago, Colossal used a non-invasive method to collect a small blood sample from our older dog before she passed away. That allowed them to create Junie, who’s a clone of Lua." 

Brady described the experience as a "second chance" for his family, saying he was encouraged by how the technology could "bring comfort to families who lose their pets while also supporting efforts to protect endangered species".

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCloning technology advancing

Viagen, now owned by Colossal, is known for cloning pets for high-profile clients, including Barbra Streisand and Paris Hilton. The company operates under technology licenses from the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, which created the famous Dolly the Sheep in 1996. After being founded in 2021, Colossal has gained global attention for its ambitious "de-extinction" research projects, including attempts to revive species such as the woolly mammoth and the dodo. The company recently claimed to have cloned three dire wolf pups. Financial details of Colossal’s acquisition of Viagen have not been disclosed, but reports suggest Viagen’s dog cloning services are typically priced between $50,000 and $85,000.

Cloning pets has been a controversial topic in popular culture, often featuring in discussions about the ethics of recreating animals. Brady, now a broadcaster for Fox Sports, a seven-time Super Bowl winner, and minority owner of Championship club Birmingham, said he doesn’t see Junie as a scientific experiment but simply as "part of our family".

Brady balancing hectic work schedule

Brady has been very busy since retiring from the NFL in 2023. Alongside his broadcasting duties, the 48-year-old has a stake in Birmingham City, who play in England's second division, as well as the Las Vegas Raiders Stateside. He has often been spotted in the stands at Birmingham games, and has even gone so far as to speak with potential new signings for the Midlands club, as they look to compete with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's Wrexham.

Summer signing Marvin Ducksch revealed that he spoke with Brady in the process of signing for the Blues, and it convinced him how dedicated the NFL legend is to his football passion. He said: "When I arrived for the medical and the contract signing, they handed me the phone, and I was allowed to speak with Tom Brady. That inspired me even more to speak with the GOAT in person. That was when I finally knew I had made the right decision."

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Getty ImagesWhat comes next?

Brady's animal experiments are just another investment to be added to his portfolio in retirement. In the world of sports, he will be delighted to see the progress of Birmingham since claiming a stake in the club. They currently sit ninth in the Championship table, having won six of their 14 games so far this season. Brady will also take pleasure in seeing that his side are above Wrexham, who currently reside in 16th, four points below the Blues – although the two did play out a 1-1 draw at the start of October. Next up for Brady's men is a trip to Middlesbrough, a team vying for the automatic promotion spots this season.

Going head-to-head with Chelsea in the transfer market, Aston Villa have now reportedly set their sights on signing one of the “most promising” defenders that Ligue 1 has to offer.

Emery not "surprised" by Go Ahead Eagles defeat

Whilst the rest of the Premier League may have watched on in shock as Go Ahead Eagles defeated Aston Villa in the Europa League on Thursday, Unai Emery admitted that the 2-1 loss did not “surprise” him.

The Spaniard initially saw his side race into the lead courtesy of one of their most expensive signings, Evann Guessand, before goals from Mathis Suray and Mats Deijl turned the game on its head in dramatic fashion. Emiliano Buendia did have the chance to level things up from the spot, but only compiled Villa’s misery by missing his penalty.

Having his say on the result, Emery said: “It was not a surprise to lose for me and the players because we are having here our experiences playing in Europe and playing away. Every year we had one defeat like that. Two years ago, Legia Warsaw, last year, Brugge, and this year, yesterday.

“Of course, still matches to play, and I want to learn. For me, yesterday, everything happened, for us, is learning. Learning, and as well reminding ourselves the experiences we had in some similar circumstances.

“Why? Because of course we were favourites and of course we dominated and of course we had more chances, but even like that, you can lose. In Europa League we are being consistent, even yesterday, losing, we are being consistent.”

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Performing well on the European stage will be the key for Aston Villa if they want to avoid further PSR problems and then attract some of the most promising talents around. Advancing in the Europa League would, for example, do them no harm in the race to beat Chelsea to an impressive Ligue 1 defender.

Aston Villa set sights on Guela Doue

According to Pete O’Rourke, Aston Villa are now eyeing a move to sign Guela Doue from Strasbourg, but face competition from Chelsea, who are looking to put Todd Boehly’s links to good use once again, with Strasbourg under BlueCo ownership.

If there were any doubts about Doue’s potential, then they should have been put to bed against PSG last weekend. The right-back got an assist as Strasbourg shocked the European champions by racing into a 3-1 lead before eventually drawing 3-3 at the Parc des Princes.

At just 23 years old, there’s still plenty to come from Doue and that plenty could come at Villa Park in the near future.

Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers has won the Scottish Premiership twice, and the League Cup and the SFA Cup once, since his return to the club in the summer of 2023.

The Northern Irish manager has yet to replicate the domestic treble that Ange Postecoglou ended his Hoops tenure with, though, and failed to qualify for the Champions League this season.

This means that the former Liverpool and Leicester City head coach, despite winning four trophies in two seasons so far, is not unquestionable at Parkhead.

One criticism that could be levelled at Rodgers is that he did not hand enough opportunities to academy graduates in his first two seasons back at Parkhead.

Academy graduates used

2

3

Academy graduate appearances

5

4

Academy graduate starts

0

0

Academy graduate minutes

90

25

As you can see in the table above, no academy graduate aged 21 or younger started a league game for Celtic in the 2023/24 or 2024/25 campaign.

However, 19-year-old full-back Colby Donovan has bucked the trend in the current season, having started in the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock in the Premiership last month.

Why Rodgers needs to give Donovan more minutes for Celtic

Injuries to Alistair Johnston and Anthony Ralston provided the academy graduate with an opportunity to start that game against Killie after the first international break of the season.

With both senior right-backs unavailable, Donovan also started the 4-0 win over Partick Thistle in the League Cup and the 1-1 draw with Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League last week.

However, the academy graduate was left as an unused substitute in the 0-0 draw with Hibernian in the Premiership last time out on Saturday, as Ralston returned from injury and played the full 90 minutes.

The more experienced Ralston, per Sofascore, won 25% (1/4) of his duels in the clash with Hibs, which comes after Donovan had shown good strength in his appearances against Kilmarnock and Red Star Belgrade.

Minutes

90

90

Clearances

7

0

Tackles made

1

3

Dribbled past

1x

0x

Duels won

5/9

6/11

Dribbles completed

1/2

2/3

As you can see in the table above, the teenage defender won the majority of his duels in both of those matches, whilst only being dribbled past once in 180 minutes of action.

Hopefully, Rodgers dropping him from the side to play Ralston on Saturday was more about rotation than it being a sign of things to come for the young full-back, because his performances for the first-team so far suggest that he deserves more opportunities to impress.

The Celtic manager’s record of providing young players with chances in the Premiership since his return to the club, as aforementioned, does not look great on paper, which may be a concern for Donovan moving forward.

Tying both the head coach’s reluctance to offer significant minutes to U21 players and academy graduates, along with Donovan’s rise to the first-team this season, there is a Celtic academy graduate whom the club may end up regretting letting go this summer.

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The 21-year-old left-back was released by the Scottish Premiership champions at the start of the summer, and made the move to Belgian side KV Kortrijk on a free transfer.

Why Celtic may regret releasing Matthew Anderson

Celtic may end up regretting releasing the Scottish talent because he has had a strong start to life at his new club and looks to be an even bigger full-back talent than Donovan.

Anderson did not play a single minute for the Hoops at first-team level, despite an impressive loan stint with Admira Wacker in Austria, and explained that he felt there was a better pathway for him abroad.

The young left-back said: “There’s a pathway of going abroad. Lennon’s [Miller] done it now as well. Max [Johnston] has been abroad. I think the success rate is probably more than staying in Scotland, for some reason, it just seems to work.”

That is in spite of Postecoglou claiming at the start of 2023 that there was a pathway for Anderson, in particular, as he predicted that the full-back would make an “impact” in the first-team by the summer of 2024.

Of course, Rodgers replaced the Australian head coach later that year, in the summer of 2023, and the Scottish defender never got his chance to shine in the first-team.

Instead, Anderson spent two seasons on loan in Austria with Admira Wacker, earning a place in the Team of the Season in the 2023/24 campaign, and racked up eight assists in 44 matches, per Transfermarkt.

The 21-year-old starlet, who was described as a “complete” player by Scottish-focused The Young Team on X, has delivered five assists in eight league games for Kortrijk this season, per Transfermarkt.

Appearances

8

2

Key passes per game

1.0

0.5

Big chances created

3

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.6

1.0

Ground duel success rate

59%

40%

Duels won per game

4.9

3.0

As you can see in the table above, the former Celtic whiz has produced more impressive performances than Donovan at league level so far this term, carrying a far greater threat at the top end of the pitch whilst also winning more duels and tackles per game.

Anderson also showed more promise as an attacking force from a full-back position than Donovan did at B team level for Celtic, with four goals and four assists in 25 matches compared to the right-back’s haul of three goals and one assist in 36 games, per Transfermarkt.

This means that the left-back was a bigger attacking talent at youth level. Now, his performances in Belgium suggest that he has translated that form to first-team football, whilst adding a defensive edge to his displays.

Therefore, Celtic may rue releasing Anderson this summer because his performances since moving on from the Hoops, and his displays at youth level, suggest that he may be an even bigger full-back talent than Donovan.

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Celtic have won the Scottish Premiership title in 13 of the last 14 seasons, but might just be facing genuine competition for this season’s trophy.

Last Sunday, Brendan Rodgers’ team were beaten domestically for the first time this season, defeated 2-0 by Dundee at Dens Park.

This, though, had been on the cards for a while.

Across the previous four Premiership outings, the Hoops had required stoppage time goals to beat both Kilmarnock and Motherwell, as well as being held to goalless draws by Rangers and Hibs, thereby failing to score on six occasions across all competitions to date.

So now, on Sunday lunchtime, they will travel to league leaders Hearts, the Jambos currently five points clear at the top, so which “animal” should Rodgers select in attack for this eagerly-anticipated clash at Tynecastle?

The latest Celtic injury news

Celtic did claim their first European victory of the season on Thursday, fighting back from a goal down to beat Sturm Graz 2-1 in the Europa League, but this win may have come at a cost, or three to be exact.

During the first half, featuring for the first time since picking up an injury against Kairat on 20 August, Alistair Johnston suffered a recurrence of this hamstring tear, which is a major blow for both the player and Rodgers.

Even before that, as early as the fourth minute, Kelechi Ịheanachọ had hobbled off too, which is not ideal considering he’s the only senior centre-forward at the club.

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Then, right at the end, star centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers was stretchered off having picked up a serious Achilles tendon injury that could see the American international sidelined until March; an enormous blow.

On top of this, Daizen Maeda is also already sidelined, unlikely to feature at Tynecastle on Sunday, while also a doubt for the following Sunday’s clash with Rangers in the League Cup semi-finals at Hampden.

The Japanese striker scored 33 goals last season, per Transfermarkt, four of which came in the Champions League, with former Celtic striker Chris Sutton thereby asserting that he ranks among the club’s best-ever bargain buys, alongside Henrik Larsson and Ľubomír Moravčík.

Now, though, with neither Maeda nor Ịheanachọ, Rodgers has to trust the Celts’ rarely-seen “animal” to lead the attack.

Celtic's new Daizen Maeda

When Ịheanachọ hobbled off very early against Sturm Graz, it was Johnny Kenny who was introduced, so it stands to reason that he will be the number nine for the foreseeable.

The young Irishman joined Celtic back in January 2022 from Sligo Rovers, before being immediately loaned out to Queen’s Park, subsequently making a name for himself in a different shade of green and white hoops.

His form at Shamrock Rovers certainly caught the attention of those across the Irish Sea, with the table below documenting his eye-catching form in Dublin.

Appearances

76

Goals

26

LOI goals

18

European goals

7

Assists

8

Statistics below are UECL only (per 90):

Shots

2.9

Shots on target

1.9

Shooting accuracy %

66.67%

% of touches in opposition area

13.5%

As the table above notes, Kenny scored 13 goals in the League of Ireland last year; only two players bagged more, but it was his European form that caught the eye.

The youngster scored five goals in six Conference League appearances, helping Rovers reach the knockout phase, on target against Larne, APOEL Nicosia and Rapid Wien, before bagging a brace when Borac Banja Luka were battered 3-0 at Tallaght.

Speaking on Premier Sports, following Shamrock Rovers’ credible 1-1 draw in Vienna last November, former teammate Ronan Finn asserted that Kenny has become a “different animal” in recent years, adding that “physically he’s got stronger” and that his ceiling is sky-high.

Stylistically, Kenny proved to be not only a clinical finisher in the box, but also an energetic nuisance to defenders, constantly closing them down and running all day, characteristics he certainly shares with Maeda.

Since returning to Celtic in January, he has seen limited game time, just 438 minutes to be precise, heading home his first goal for the club at Pittodrie back in May, before also netting during the drubbing of Livingston in August.

So now, set to enjoy a run in the team, can he replicate the success enjoyed by Maeda?

When the Japanese forward first arrived in January 2022 from Yokohama F. Marinos, he was very raw, often erratically missing chances, but has now become a well-rounded attacker who is a pivotal figure in this side.

Well, as already alluded to, Kenny possesses similar traits, simply needing an opportunity to showcase what he is capable of, so could he come to the fore and be the hero at Tynecastle on Sunday as Celtic’s new Maeda?

Rodgers must finally ditch Yang & unleash Celtic's "terrific talent"

With Celtic under pressure to beat Sturm Graz in the Europa League, Brendan Rodgers must bench Yang Hyun-Jun and start his “terrific talent” instead.

ByBen Gray Oct 23, 2025

سجل منتخب إنجلترا، الهدف الثاني أمام منتخب مصر، في المباراة الجارية بينهما الآن، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين تحت 17 عامًا.

ويتواجه منتخب مصر مع إنجلترا، في الجولة الثالثة والأخيرة من مواجهات المجموعة الخامسة لبطولة كأس العالم للناشئين.

وأحرز هدف إنجلترا الثاني، اللاعب ريجان هيسكي في الدقيقة 54 من عمر اللقاء، بعد هجمة مرتدة سريعة جعلته منفردًا بمرمى منتخب مصر، لتصبح النتيجة 2-0. هدف منتخب إنجلترا الثاني أمام مصر في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

طالع | المنتخبات المتأهلة إلى دور الـ32 من كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

وكان ريجان هيسكي سجل هدف منتخب إنجلترا الأول أمام مصر في الدقيقة 14 من الشوط الأول للمباراة.

وكان منتخب مصر قد حقق الفوز في لقاء الجولة الأولى على هايتي 4-1، ثم تعادل إيجابيًا 1-1 أمام فنزويلا في الجولة الثانية.

England's record cap holder, Fara Williams, has weighed in with her opinion on Mary Earps, after the former Lionesses No.1 made comments claiming successor Hannah Hampton was rewarded for "bad behaviour" when Sarina Wiegman restored her to the squad. The former midfielder accused Earps, who retired just before Euro 2025, of lacking respect towards her team-mate and manager.

• Williams: Earps should have provided detail

  Recalling being asked to write a book of her own, Williams explained in a column for that Earps must have known that the comments made about Hampton would have generated headlines, but the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper has hit out at the situation.

  Williams called on Earps to be more specific if she was going to bring up Hampton at all: "If Mary is going to be open and honest about the situation, she needs to go into more detail about the supposed bad behaviour rather than leave it up in the air.

  "I personally don't know if there was bad behaviour from Hannah, but even if that was the case, she served her punishment after being left out of the squad. If you look at Hannah's career from that moment onwards, I feel she has shown great growth, reflection and development to bounce back."

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  'Baffling' to see Earps talk publicly about a team-mate

  Earps has admitted wanting to retire upon finding out that Wiegman was planning to make Hampton England's new starting goalkeeper for the Euros. She was initially persuaded to stay, but given the very sudden nature of her eventual decision and announcement, Williams suggested it was inevitable that something would eventually come out about how it happened.

  But now that Earps has gone public, Williams said it lacks respect: "I honestly didn't like Mary’s comments about Hannah. It's quite baffling to see Mary come out publicly and talk about a former international team-mate in this way.

  "Looking back at the way her retirement played out, I was expecting something to come out eventually. It was bound to happen when you consider a player as popular as Mary to retire on the eve of a major tournament, although I couldn't have predicted Mary to talk about Hannah in the way she did, because you need to respect your team-mates whether you like them or not. The extract from the book has confirmed my initial thoughts because she described that an uncomfortable environment in camp led to her decision."

• How can a player question Wiegman?

  Williams said that Wiegman even discussing her intention to bring Hampton back to the England squad following a brief spell out of favour was more than she ever got from a manager. The Dutch coach has won three back-to-back European Championships with two different countries and has led to teams to each of the last two World Cup finals. For those achievements and her known player management skills, she commands more respect than most in the game.

  "Regarding her comments about Sarina, the fact that the England boss sat her down to explain the reasons why she was bringing Hannah back shows the respect she has for Mary," Williams continued. "I was in the England set-up for around 19 years and not once did a manager tell me that they were thinking about bringing a player back into the fold – it just doesn't happen.

  "Sarina is a three-time back-to-back-to-back Euros winner and reached the World Cup finals for the last two tournaments – how can you as a player question her decision-making given her achievements? Mary also revealed that she was unhappy after Sarina didn't watch one of her games for Paris Saint-Germain. Unfortunately for her, the French league isn't as televised as the WSL, so if she wanted Sarina to get a closer look at her performances, maybe it would've been better for her to stay in [England]."

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  Earps needs to 'own' what she wrote

  Earps has been accused by Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor of lacking class and Williams rounded back on the idea that Earps, for all her protestation this week, must have known the impact that the book and subsequent comments made in the press while promoting the release, was going to have.

  "She will have to deal with the backlash because she decided to put these comments out in public, so there are going to be opinions," the pundit said. "It's time for Mary to own what she wrote in the book because if she tries to backtrack from them, that's not a good look. Mary is a very smart person and, for whatever reason, she must've known that her quotes on Hannah and Sarina would make the headlines.

  "I'm sure the book contains more details about her journey in football and the difficulties that she had to overcome to become England No.1, but those comments about her former national team manager and international team-mate have become the biggest story."