Celtic confirmed on Wednesday evening that 21-year-old midfielder Liam Henderson has left the club to join Serie B side Bari on a permanent deal.
The Celtic academy talent, who made his first team debut in 2013, had failed to win a place in Brendan Rodgers’ starting eleven since the manager joined the club and after loan moves to the likes of Rosenborg and Hibernian over the years, finally leaves Celtic Park for good.
Having won major national trophies with three clubs already in his career, the midfielder is well placed to have a successful career and reach his potential in Italy, with his new club pushing for promotion to Serie A.
Hoops supporters are sad to see him leave but recognise it’s a positive move for the player, who had made just one substitute appearance so far this season.
Can he be a rare example of a Scottish player doing well abroad, or will we soon see him back on these shores?
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Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his transfer…
Tottenham endured a frustrating afternoon at St. Mary’s on Sunday. The Lilywhites huffed and puffed but just couldn’t break down a resilient Southampton side looking to their campaign back on track after falling into relegation bother.
Nonetheless, there were some positive individual performances from the visitors. The full-backs were recurring threats on both wings, Harry Kane typically popped up with a goal and Dele Alli – although not at his best – provided occasional moments of ingenuity in tight areas.
Others, however, such as Son Heung-min, own goal scorer Davinson Sanchez and Mousa Dembele, left much to be desired by their usual standards. So, Tottenham supporters, which stars do you think pulled their weight in a cagey affair at St. Mary’s and which stars failed to deliver?
Let us know by taking part in the poll below and giving each Spurs player who featured on Sunday an individual performance rating out of ten…
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According to his latest set of Premier League predictions via Bet Victor, former Manchester United and Newcastle United striker Michael Owen is backing Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho to end his St James’ Park hoodoo when the two teams meet on Sunday, with the help of midfielder Paul Pogba.
While the Portuguese boss is already considered to be one of the best managers to ever grace the Premier League since its inauguration in 1992, he has failed to win a league match on Tyneside in any of his six attempts – with all of those coming when he was at Chelsea.
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The 55-year-old will be looking to put that right this weekend as he looks to try and keep the pressure up on leaders Manchester City and cement second place for his team, and he will be confident of doing so given that the Magpies are just one point above the relegation zone, and have the worst home record in the Premier League with just 13 points taken and 11 goals scored in 13 matches on their own patch this term.
Owen told Bet Victor: “The Magpies are without a win in their last eight PL home games but, surprisingly, Jose Mourinho has never won a league game at St James’ Park in six previous attempts. Paul Pogba was left out of the United side against Huddersfield at Old Trafford last weekend but I expect the Frenchman to be back in the starting XI and a winning side at the weekend.”
United have won more Premier League away games at St James’ (12) than they have at any other club.
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Southampton striker Charlie Austin has told Sky Sports News that he is around five weeks away from fitness.
What’s the update?
The 28-year-old has been on the sidelines since the end of December with a hamstring injury.
Prior to the blow, the forward was in positive form, scoring five goals in seven games for the Saints.
During his absence, Mauricio Pellegrino’s side have struggled to impress in front of goal, and they have secured victory in just one of their eight league matches since Austin got injured.
While speaking to Sky Sports News, the former Queens Park Rangers striker claimed that he is edging towards fitness, but is still expected to be out of action for the next five weeks.
Do Southampton miss him?
There is no denying that the coastal club have been in need of firepower up front.
Shane Long has been misfiring, while Manolo Gabbiadini has also had a slump.
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Guido Carrillo was brought into the team in the January transfer window to provide some extra options up front, but he is taking time to find his feet.
As it stands, Southampton are one point from safety in the Premier League, and with Austin not due back until the end of March, the club cannot afford to wait for him to save them.
West Ham United manager David Moyes has exactly the same record in terms of results in his first 18 Premier League matches in charge of the club that Slaven Bilic had in his final 18 top flight games before he was sacked earlier this season, and Irons fans have all been saying the same thing about the duo.
The east London outfit looked to be in real danger of relegation when the Croatian was sacked in November following a poor start to the campaign, and Moyes certainly wasn’t the popular choice to succeed the fans’ favourite.
However, the Scot ended 2017 well with his team as they looked tighter at the back and began to find the net, although they have struggled so far in 2018 and were beaten 4-1 by Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday, with their manager’s comments in the aftermath of that defeat angering the fans.
West Ham supporters have taken to social media to give their thoughts on the two bosses, and they don’t believe they have made any progress following the mid-season change.
While one said Moyes “is doing basically what Bilic was”, another said “we look equally as bad under Moyes as we did Slav”.
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Newcastle face a tough trip to Anfield this weekend, where Liverpool are yet to lose in the Premier League this season, hoping for a result that will boost their chances of survival. Jurgen Klopp’s side are arguably playing the best football in the top flight after pace-setters Manchester City, but the Magpies will take comfort from their last outing against a top six side, beating Manchester United at St. James’ Park, and the fact Rafa Benitez certainly knows a thing or two about picking up points on Merseyside.
So, will Liverpool maintain their superb run of form or could Newcastle return to Tyneside with one or potentially all three points? Football FanCast’s writers have their say below…
John McGinley
If you’re a Newcastle fan you have to be worried about this one. Win, lose or draw, Liverpool have scored at least two goals in their last six matches and have the tools to demolish a Magpies defence that will be fearful of the likes of Mohamed Salah before the game even kicks off. The Reds know that a win could open a massive gap on fifth place Chelsea, who visit Man City, and they’re unlikely to mess about, roared on by a proud home support.
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Christy Malyan
Liverpool all day long. Jurgen Klopp’s side have really found their groove in recent weeks and I can only imagine Newcastle being completely overawed at Anfield, as they have upon visiting big six opponents throughout this season. Perhaps Benitez can work some magic at his former stomping ground, but Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane look simply unstoppable at the moment and it’s often overlooked that Liverpool are yet to lose a home game in the Premier League this season, winning eight of 14.
James Beavis
It’s hard to look beyond Liverpool simply because of the form of the front three. Newcastle will have to do something special and something the likes of Southampton and West Ham haven’t managed in recent weeks in stopping those individuals scoring and creating goals, which seems to be an almost impossible task. Benitez will have a plan, but it won’t pay off on Saturday.
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Most retired footballers want their former clubs to succeed, but ex-Newcastle United goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has revealed that he would like to see the North-East outfit relegated from the Premier League.
The comment would initially come as a surprise to most fans, but the 49-year-old has claimed that dropping into the second tier would force Mike Ashley into selling the club.
The Sports Direct tycoon, who has been regularly bashed by fans on social media, put Newcastle United up for sale in October, but he is yet to strike a concrete deal with any potential buyers.
While carrying out punditry duties for ESPN, Hislop said:
“I’ve picked Newcastle, and I’ll tell you why – because that would force Mike Ashley to sell. And I think you will not see the best of Newcastle until Ashley sells. In case you haven’t gathered, I’m not much of an Ashley fan.”
Newcastle spent last season in the Championship after Rafael Benitez failed to keep the Magpies in the top flight.
Having a full season ahead of him, the Spaniard was able to comfortably guide the club back into the elite, but they are in danger of falling right back into the second tier.
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As it stands, the club are just two points above the bottom three with nine games left to play.
Jose Mourinho is reportedly planning a Manchester United clearout in the summer and one man who looks set for the exit door is Matteo Darmian.
The Italian full-back was signed by Louis van Gaal and, initially, his steady style at right-back made some United fans think that the club had finally found the long-term successor to Gary Neville.
He is the kind of safety-first defender that Mourinho usually loves, but while he was often fielded at left-back last season and largely did the job professionally, this season, he has not had anywhere near the same level of gametime.
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Therefore, it is no surprise that the Italian looks set for the exit door and one side who have struggled at full-back this season are Everton.
While many observers may expect Darmian to return to Italy, it might be worth the Toffees making an enquiry. He would be more reliable left-back back-up than Cuco Martina and Allardyce had to rely on youngster Jonjoe Kenny largely in the absence of Seamus Coleman.
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That’s why we’re asking you; should Everton make a summer bid for Darmian – valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt? Let us know by voting in the poll below…
According to Scouts in Attendance, David Moyes watched Serbia’s friendly with Nigeria on Tuesday – could he have had an eye on Aleksandar Mitrović?
What’s the story?
There are a couple of players Moyes could have been watching in Serbia’s 2-0 win on Tuesday night. Marko Grujic was a target for the Hammers before his loan move to Cardiff, and Eddy Onazi is rumoured to be a target for both West Ham and Newcastle.
Still, even if the West Ham boss wasn’t originally there to see Mitrović, there’s only one man he would have come away thinking about, and it’s the 23 year-old striker.
Mitrović scored both goals in Serbia’s win, finishing the first with a composed volley before being in the right place at the right time to grab a second.
Would he be a good fit for West Ham?
Signed from a rival Premier League club? Check. Has a bit of a temper? Check. Unstoppable on his day? Check. Mitrović could be best friends with Marko Arnautovic!
On a serious note, the Serbian striker could be an excellent signing for West Ham, and given the fact that he was loaned out despite Newcastle desperately needing some goals, Rafa Benitez is probably open to losing the 23 year-old.
Valued at £7.2million by Transfermarkt, Mitrović’s contract runs out next summer, so the Hammers wouldn’t have to break the bank to get him. They’re also in desperate need of a striker, with Javier Hernandez not really the right fit and Andy Carroll not really ever fit.
Mitrović was sent to Fulham on loan in January, and has now scored nine times in his last 12 games for club and country. He is powerful, passionate and most importantly clinical.
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With a point to prove he could be deadly, and if West Ham could get him on the cheap then what’s to lose? If Moyes wasn’t scouting Aleksandar Mitrović on Tuesday, he certainly should have been.
West Ham fans, let us know your thoughts in the comments below…
Forget Arsenal’s slow, steady slide down the Premier League table since the Invincibles lifted the Premier League title in 2003/04.
Forget that last season marked the first under Arsene Wenger’s tutelage in which the Gunners failed to qualify for the Champions League. Forget how Arsenal’s deficiencies compared to the continent’s best were annually exposed in seven consecutive seasons as they failed to advance from the Round of 16 in Europe’s top competition.
Forget the fact Arsenal are on course to record their worst top flight finish since 2004/05, come the end of a season in which they’ve thus far managed to pick up just 13 points away from home. Forget the way in which Arsenal’s knack of letting history repeat itself, each time a little more embarrassingly before, has become a running joke in English football. Forget the fact Wenger’s once revolutionary philosophy is now so old hat that an entirely new generation of managers have built trophy-laden careers on counter-acting it, such as Jose Mourinho, or further evolving it, like Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola.
Even forgetting all of that, there is still one reason Wenger must accept his time at the club needs to come to an end this summer – the epidemic of empty seats at the Emirates Stadium.
While Europa League games have seen less noticeable absences, the lack of attendance to an arena that was meant to push Arsenal to true competitiveness with the biggest clubs in the world has been a more significant talking point than anything generated by the 3-0 loss to Manchester City, the 3-0 wins over Stoke and Watford and last Sunday’s pleasantly entertaining if not entirely immersive 3-2 comeback against Southampton.
We’ve seen all that before from Arsenal, the complete demolitions of smaller teams, the narrow avoidance of potential banana skins, and the humbling performances against the calibre of team they’re supposed to be competing with.
But fans no longer finding the motivation to fill the seats their season tickets paid for, or even shelling out single matchday fees, is something new, something dangerous, and something incredibly telling about the moment the club currently finds itself in. This isn’t so much outrage at the lowly depths Wenger has taken the club since the days of the Invincibles – rather, begrudging acceptance and subsequent apathy.
For Wenger, that should be a bigger wake-up call than any of the warning signs from the last 14 years. His philosophy has always revolved around playing a brand of gorgeous football that will leave fans purring – in fact, his devotion to that style of play has been the ultimate justification for why Arsenal have often come up so glaringly short against more pragmatic divisional rivals. He’s only been interested, for better or worse, in winning things the Arsenal way.
And yet, Arsenal no longer boast the Premier League’s monopoly on truly expansive, open play. Even the high standards of previous seasons, when Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri’s shared creativity was at the epicentre of the team, have been surpassed this year by Manchester City and Liverpool. Tottenham will feel their current side can rival anything Arsenal have produced in the last five years in terms of aesthetics too. It’s only really Manchester United and Chelsea who Arsenal can claim to play more entertaining than when enjoying their best form.
But it’s not simply a case of Arsenal being overtaken by competitors that were once below them as a consequence of their waning success. There is no doubt that Arsenal have significantly regressed stylistically over the last 18 months, and the Arsenal way of playing – an idea that once felt so definitive, identifiable and secure – has become murky and unclear.
That’s partly due to how this Arsenal side is far less confident than it once was, not to mention the inevitable lack of familiarity since the January shakeup in attack with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan replacing Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez. But it’s also a sign of how Arsenal have failed to maintain their own high standards, and how Wenger has lost his once relentlessly stubborn focus on attacking flair.
As much as the failings of the last 14 years, that’s exactly what the empty seats at the Emirates Stadium are a damning indictment of. A side that once prided itself on beautiful football can’t even claim to be the Premier League’s habitual entertainers anymore. In fact, they’re not even entertaining their own supporters and even without the many teams now ahead of them in that regard, the Arsenal way of playing is nowhere near as prevalent as it once was.
A key example of that is the Goal of the Year award. In 2013/14 and 2014/15, Jack Wilshere clinched it for two years in a row, one of those strikes being the finishing touch to a definitive Arsenal move that saw the Englishman combine so poetically with Giroud.
As things stand, Arsenal won’t even have a contender this term – they’re still waiting to win their first Goal of the Month of the campaign. Of course, Arsenal fans know better than anybody how often these become popularity contests, but it remains a small yet significant sign of the times.
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Which inevitably begs the ultimate question; if Arsenal aren’t even playing consistently entertaining football anymore, the kind of football that can guarantee bums on seats in spite of poor results, what exactly are they bringing to the English game, what exactly do they now represent and what exactly is Wenger bringing to the club?
It’s certainly not success, at least in the way fans perceive it. And when matters have reached such a head that supporters are voting with their feet, clearly it’s time for a change.
Perhaps that responsibility falls on the board and their particularly passive majority shareholder Stan Kronke. And yet, if Wenger loves Arsenal as much as he says he does, surely someone with so much passion for the club will feel obliged to stop, look and consider the ramifications for the increasingly sparse crowd surrounding him.