Tag Futebol

Liverpool are approaching the final phase of the 2023/24 campaign and despite being knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United before the international break, remain confident of succeeding in the Premier League and Europa League.

Jurgen Klopp will be stepping down from his lionised place at the helm, sure, but Liverpool have a squad and an institution poised for further success.

There are issues beyond the dugout for Michael Edwards – returning as FSG's CEO of Football – to resolve, with contractual situations regarding Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah all requiring time and thought and negotiation, deals expiring in 2025.

More imminently, injured Joel Matip will depart the club in June, barring any significant changes, and while Liverpool may well search for a new centre-back to strengthen the ranks, Edwards might find the perfect man in Sepp van den Berg, who is excelling out on loan.

Sepp van den Berg's season in numbers

Liverpool signed Dutch defender Van den Berg from PEC Zwolle back in 2019 in a deal rising to £4m, with the 17-year-old one of the Netherlands' brightest young talents.

Fast-track to the present, nearly five years on, and the centre-back has only chalked up four displays, though he's thriving in the German Bundesliga with Mainz this term and might just be playing his way into Liverpool's long-term plans.

Now aged 22, Van den Berg has started 23 matches in the German top-flight this season, scoring twice, completing 82% of his passes, averaging 5.7 ball recoveries and 4.5 clearances per game while coming out on top in 65% of his duels, as per Sofascore.

He also ranks among the top 8% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 4% for blocks and the top 1% for aerial wins per 90, as per FBref, highlighting his aerial dominance at both ends.

His monstrous aerial ability is particularly eye-catching, suggesting that he could step up to become Liverpool's next version of Van Dijk, who is prospering as the club captain this season.

Van Dijk joined Liverpool from Southampton in a £75m transfer back in December 2017, transforming Klopp's backline, with the Netherlands star proving to be one of the most commanding defenders in Premier League history, lauded for his "absolutely immense" performances by The Athletic's James Pearce.

Ranking among the top 2% of central defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking box and aerial duels won, the top 8% for assists and the top 4% for shot-creating actions per 90, the 32-year-old colossus is unquestionably one of the best in the business.

In the Premier League this season? Well, he's been superb, completing 91% of his passes, averaging 5.1 ball recoveries and 4.3 clearances per match and winning a staggering 84% of his aerial battles.

Van den Berg might have work to do to polish his distribution, but his powers of recovery and ability to command the skies speak of budding dominance that must be harnessed, providing Liverpool with a young centre-half capable of saving the club millions down the line.

There is already such a player on Liverpool's books in Jarell Quansah, but another emergence of the sort wouldn't hurt, would it?

Jarell Quansah might have a rival

Van den Berg has not really had much of an opportunity to impress on Merseyside and if Liverpool decide to invest their resources in other areas this summer, he could be the perfect player to fortify a defence consisting of Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Quansah.

The latter, Quansah, is only 21 years old himself and was plying his trade in League One with Bristol Rovers this time last season, but has been lauded as an "absolute monster" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his efforts with Liverpool.

Breaking into the Reds' first team early in the campaign, Quansah has now chalked up 25 appearances in all competitions, scoring once and supplying three assists for his teammates.

In the Premier League, the 6 foot 5 star has only received eight starting roles so far but there's no question that he's excelled, completing 88% of his passes and slotting in seamlessly alongside his skipper, winning 62% of his duels.

His pinpoint passing and innate creativity make for tools that will allow him to emulate Van Dijk in some regards, sure, but the Liverpool captain is such a singular talent that replicating his skill set is near impossible, to the same degree in any case.

But in Van den Berg, Liverpool could meld two rising stars to unleash a formidable new backline, with Van den Berg's energy and elite aerial command sure to dovetail alongside his Reds peer.

Liverpool hit the jackpot on "genius" talent who's worth more than Nunez

This player, who signed for £0, might be Klopp’s biggest success on Merseyside.

By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 21, 2024

The young Quansah deserves plaudits for stepping up and filling in for Matip, whose season was cruelly ended in December following an ACL rupture, with his crispness in possession and robust style perfect for a progressive, high-octane Liverpool system.

And yes, Quansah is the future at Anfield but Van den Berg could certainly rival him, and given his success and similarities to compatriot Van Dijk, it might be worth giving him a shot next season.

MatériaMais Notícias

A lista de convocados de Tite para a Seleção Brasileira está finalmente completa. Na manhã desta terça-feira, o goleiro Ederson e o atacante Gabriel Jesus chegaram à Granja Comary, em Teresópolis, para integrar o grupo que fará parte dos confrontos com Equador e Paraguai, pelas Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo de 2022.

> Veja a tabela das Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo de 2022

Os dois jogadores defenderam o Manchester City na final da Liga dos Campeões, no último sábado. Além deles, Thiago Silva está entre os 25 jogadores do CT. O jogador do Chelsea teve sua convocação mantida, uma vez que a comissão técnica projeta a recuperação de sua lesão na coxa esquerda a tempo da disputa da Copa América. Além disto,Tite chamou o zagueiro Rodrigo Caiopara o setor principalmente para as Eliminatórias.

> Começou o Brasileiro! Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

O técnico vem preparando a Seleção Brasileira no CT em Teresópolis desde a última sexta-feira, primeiramente para os jogos com Equador e Paraguai, pelas Eliminatórias. A comissão técnica também faz os primeiros ajustes de olho na Copa América, que terá seu pontapé inicial em 13 de junho.

O Brasil fica na Granja até esta quarta-feira,quando viaja para Porto Alegre, onde realizará o confronto com do Equador, no Beira-Rio, no dia 4 de junho.Já no dia 8, a equipe medirá forças com o Paraguai.

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Arsenal are firing on all cylinders at the moment and have managed to pair their steely defence with a ruthlessness in front of goal they haven't shown before.

The Gunners have won their previous six Premier League games by an absurd margin of 25-3 and, aside from their blip in the Champions League, have looked unbeatable.

Mikel Arteta has seen his team go from one that scored a single goal from 63 shots before the winter break to one that can't stop scoring, which is even more impressive considering Gabriel Jesus has been injured for a month.

The Brazilian last played against Nottingham Forest on January 30th, and while he's likely to come back into the side when fit, the player fans thought was his backup, Eddie Nketiah, might not.

The Englishman has been fit for this run of games but hasn't been picked, which could spell trouble as a Hale End gem with an eye for goal continues to develop.

Eddie Nketiah's season in numbers

The former Chelsea youth product went into this season as backup behind the talented but increasingly injury-prone Jesus, and so there was a feeling that he would get a reasonable amount of game time over the year.

For the first part of the campaign, this was true, as when the former Manchester City ace was absent, Nketiah stepped into the fold, and by 1 January, he had made 26 appearances for the team, with 13 of those being starts, in which he scored six goals and provided four assists – a reasonable if unspectacular return.

However, since the turn of the year, he has made just six appearances, but all of them have been off the bench and only add up to 88 minutes altogether, in which time he has not scored or assisted any goals.

Now, this sort of involvement might be understandable had Jesus been fit and in the team, but he hasn't been. Instead, Arteta has opted to alternate between Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz in place of the Englishman, making it feel like his time as an essential member of this Arsenal team is ending.

The Lewisham-born forward could remain and fight for his place. He has shown he can score in the top flight, but with Jesus set to return soon, the club supposedly looking for a new striker in the summer and the emergence of a talented nine in the academy, it seems like the 24-year-old's time in red and white is up.

Why fans should be excited about Khayon Edwards

So, the youngster who could potentially put the nail in the coffin of Nketiah's Arsenal career is 20-year-old Khayon Edwards.

The Islington-born nine has been a force of nature for the Gunners' youth teams over the last few years and, across 76 appearances for the U18 and U23 sides, has a remarkable return of 37 goals and 13 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.52 games.

Interestingly, while it's common for youth team players to start in multiple positions with junior teams to try and find where they excel best, Edwards has played the vast majority of his games as a centre-forward, so he has plenty of experience in the role.

Understandably, his exploits at youth level have attracted plenty of attention from more than just scouts and the like, as Kaya Kaynak, football.london's chief Arsenal writer, described him as a "deadly" forward when he watched him play in 2021.

On Arsenal's own website, he has been described as 'a hard-working attacker whose style of play and potency in front of goal emulates fellow academy grad, Eddie Nketiah', which does suggests he has the ability to make it into the first team.

With such an impressive resume at youth level, the 5 foot 11 goalscorer was sent out on loan to League One side Leyton Orient at the start of February in the hope that some first team football could give his development a real boost.

In the month he has been in East London, he has started two games and come off the bench twice to pick up a total of 157 minutes of action, and while he has failed to score thus far, he did impress manager Richie Wellens with his energy, as he claimed "We’re starting with a front three, and at times we ran them ragged. Really clever sometimes in pockets, sometimes outside, our rotations were fantastic."

Khayon Edwards could form a brilliant partnership with Ethan Nwaneri

So, Edwards is a fantastically talented young striker with a real chance of displacing Nketiah in the first team a couple of years from now, but excitingly, he could do so alongside another of Hale End's most promising youngsters, Ethan Nwaneri.

The 16-year-old first grabbed the headlines in September 2022, when Arteta made him the youngest Premier League player of all time when he substituted him on against Brentford at just 15 years and 181 days old.

However, he's more than just a niche pub quiz answer in the future, as he currently has 16 goals and nine assists to his name in just 44 youth team appearances for the Gunners, and he has plenty of experience playing with Edwards.

For example, the pair both played and scored against Reading's U21 side in September 2023, with Nwaneri in midfield and Edwards up top, in what could be a visage of an Arsenal side to come.

While three years Edwards' junior, the "special player", as U23 scout Antonio Mango dubbed him, has two senior appearances under his belt and could well break into the first team around a similar time despite his younger age.

Moreover, his ability to play in multiple positions and Arteta's claim that he has the "ability to take the ball in tight areas, to escape a little bit like Jack Wilshere used to do" suggests he could occupy that same midfield role he did against the Royals, feeding balls into the frontline and racking up assists as his fellow Hale End graduate racks up goals.

Arsenal got it right binning £17m ace who felt "tricked" by Arsène Wenger

Signing the talented forward was a big mistake.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 1, 2024

Ultimately, there is a long way to go for both promising youngsters, but with their records at the youth level and the way people in the know talk about them, don't be too surprised if they are tearing it up for Arsenal in the Premier League in a few years.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Cruzeiro foi derrotado pelo América-MGno primeiro jogo da semifinal do Mineiro. A equipe de Felipe Conceição saiu na frente do placar, mas levou a virada nos minutos finais. Em seu blog no UOL, Milton Neves fez duras críticas à postura do time e apontou que o revés retrata um suposto temor em enfrentar o rival Atlético em uma eventual decisão. Por fim, afirmou ainda que o Cruzeiro, ao lado de equipes menores do estado, é a terceira força.
+ Confira a classificação dos grupos da Libertadores

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-No Mineirão, deu a lógica. Afinal de contas, o futebol de meu estado hoje tem duas forças. A primeira, é o Atlético-MG, inegavelmente. A segunda é o América-MG de Lisca, que de louco não tem nada. Aí, na sequência, no mesmo patamar, aparecem Tombense, URT, Pouso Alegre, Caldense, Uberlândia e Cruzeiro – apontou o apresentador da Band

Milton Neves ainda ponderou que a vitória do Coelho não foi surpresa alguma, apesar do Cruzeiro ter ficado na frente do placar por boa parte do jogo. Por fim, o jornalista afirmou que pelo receio de enfrentar o Atlético Mineiro na final da competição, a equipe de Conceição deixou o resultado escapar.

-O que surpreendeu foi o Cruzeiro ter passado boa parte do clássico em vantagem no placar. Mas, no final do duelo, o medo de pegar o Atlético-MG na final, o time celeste pipocou e permitiu a óbvia virada. Está mais na cara que nariz, minha gente! A final será entre Atlético-MG e América-MG – concluiu.

Na última partida entre os rivais mineiros, o Cruzeiro bateu o Galo pela nona rodada do torneio.

O jogo de volta entre os comandados de Felipe Conceição e Lisca será no próximo domingo, às 16:00, no Independência.

Newcastle, like many of their fellow Premier League counterparts, have had an inconsistent Premier League campaign thus far.

They find themselves placed in ninth position and have only won two of their last five top-flight games. In addition, despite playing 12 games fewer than last season, they now have more than double their losses from the previous term.

The Magpies have had their fair share of injuries across the season, however, they should have more than enough depth within their squad to be performing better than they have been lately.

One area of their season which has gone well for them is that of England's domestic competitions. Howe's men found themselves in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup and narrowly missed out on advancing to the semi-finals after losing on penalties to eventual finalists, Chelsea.

Up until this point in the campaign, Newcastle's FA Cup run has also gone quite smoothly.

They find themselves in the fifth round of the world's oldest cup competition after triumphing over teams such as their arch-rivals, Sunderland and then, in the fourth round, Fulham.

Their fifth-round tie will take place today, and they are set to face Championship side, Blackburn Rovers.

The Rovers will go into the game with some confidence as the Magpies are coming off of their worst loss of the term, which came at the hands of Arsenal.

The 4-1 defeat was one of the worst outings seen under Howe's tenure as manager and many of their players didn't turn up. However, there was one man specifically who had quite the unforgivable game.

Sven Botman's outing vs Arsenal in numbers

Since joining the Tyneside club in June 2022 for a fee worth around the £31.8m mark, the Netherlands international has been fairly consistent.

The 24-year-old has played a total of 63 times in the two years he has represented the black and white of Newcastle and has more or less cemented his place in Howe's starting XI.

However, his most recent outing against the Gunners left a lot to be desired, with Magpies legend, Alan Shearer, even claiming it was the defender's "worst game in a Newcastle shirt."

This bold statement is further backed up by Sofascore, who gave the defender a dismal match rating of 5.6, the lowest of any player on the pitch.

However, in general, ratings can't always be taken as a 100% accurate representation of how a player has played, but, statistics can.

Minutes played

73

Touches

83

Accurate passes

61/71 (86%)

Clearances

7

Tackles

2

Duels won

3/4

Possession lost

10x

Own goals

1

Despite winning 75% of the duels he contested, the 6 foot 4 centre-back managed to lose possession a total of ten times – a dismal tally for a ball-playing centre-back – and even scored an own goal. This poor performance resulted in him being taken off the pitch in the 73rd minute.

When compared to Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal, it shows that the pair performed at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Brazil international also won 75% of his duels, however, he only lost possession eight times and managed to refrain from making any errors.

The player to replace Botman

Newcastle have sustained an abundance of injuries across the season thus far. This evidently cuts down the options they have to replace their usual stalwart.

However, club captain, Jamaal Lascelles will be at Howe's disposal for their upcoming clash against Blackburn if he chooses to deploy him.

Lascelles has been with the club since 2014 when he and Karl Darlow were both purchased by Newcastle from Nottingham Forest.

Since then, the now 30-year-old has cemented himself as a regular first-team player. He has played a total of 248 times for the Magpies during his almost ten-year tenure, even partaking in 15 top-flight games this season.

Botman might be the better defender overall, but in order to establish some confidence in the youngster, a brief spell on the sidelines and away from the limelight for a game could be what he needs.

Lascelles is the obvious option to replace him as he can fit into Howe's system perfectly and his leadership will likely help him guide his team to the next round of this year's edition of the FA Cup.

MatériaMais Notícias

A torcida do Bahia ligou o sinal de alerta. O contrato do atacante Gilberto se encerra em dezembro e o seu futuro dentro do clube é incerto segundo o presidente Guilherme Bellintani.

Em conversa com a Rádio Metrópole, o mandatário do Tricolor explicou que a pandemia da Covid-19 atrapalhou as finanças do clube e deu a sua visão sobre o caso.

‘Ele tem contrato até dezembro, investimento significativo do clube. Pelas circunstâncias atuais, a renovação dele é muito difícil, mas é um jogador que gosta de ajudar o Bahia. A gente sempre tem abertura, converso com empresário dele. Se o clube se recuperar financeiramente e o Gilberto quiser, esse acerto vai ser feito. Preciso muito que o clube se recupere para fazer propostas não só por Gilberto, como outros jogadores. A gente fez contrato com ele pré-pandemia. Hoje estamos gerindo o clube com zero receita de bilheteria. Temos que ajustar orçamento. Posso não ser o presidente que contrata os melhores jogadores, mas não serei um presidente irresponsável’, declarou.

Vale lembrar, que o atacante Gilberto está livre para assinar um pré-contrato com qualquer clube a partir de junho.

Artilheiro

Nesta temporada, Gilberto vive novamente uma excelente fase ao marcar seis gols, em oito partidas disputadas pelo Bahia.

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When the news emerged that Jurgen Klopp would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, the narrative of the Reds' season changed in an instant. Their last dance under their most successful Premier League manager of all time, those at Anfield will be desperate to see Klopp crowned champion once more to confirm the perfect ending.

Away from the action, however, FSG's focus must be on finding the right replacement and contact has already been made in pursuit of that, according to the latest reports.

Liverpool's next manager

So far, a number of names have been mentioned as potential options to replace Klopp, with Roberto De Zerbi, Julian Nagelsmann, and former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso all potentially on the shortlist. Whoever does come in will potentially have one of the toughest jobs in European football, as they attempt to complete the impossible task of following in the footsteps of a club legend.

There could also be concern that without Klopp, there's no guarantee that star players will stay put. As an era ends, certain players may feel as though it's the perfect time to end historic spells of their own. Club captain Virgil van Dijk has already had to clarify comments over his future.

The man who could be left dealing with situations of that type may well be Alonso. According to Foot Mercato, FSG and Liverpool have now made contact with Alonso over replacing Klopp at the end of the season. The Bayer Leverkusen manager reportedly sits top of Liverpool's list of candidates and whilst it remains to be seen whether the iconic midfielder will return to his former club, he's certainly proved his managerial ability in Germany.

"Extraordinary" Alonso continues to break records

When you look at Alonso's rise in the technical area, it's one that those around European football could have seen coming. After all, this is someone who played under and learned from Pep Guardiola, Rafa Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti, just to name a few. Combine the best parts of those and it's no wonder Leverkusen are on course to shock Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, having already matched their record of 30 games unbeaten in all competitions.

It's no surprise that those around the Premier League have already been full of praise for Alonso, with Brighton manager De Zerbi telling Cronache Di Spogliatoio, via Football Italia: "He is doing an extraordinary job. His team plays so well. The style is well-defined. He was already good when coaching Real Sociedad's second team three years ago and he is proving the same in a great club like Bayer Leverkusen."

Last week, three Aston Villa scouts watched Norwich City's Jonathan Rowe in action against Leeds United in the Championship. Unai Emery's side are showing a strong interest in Rowe and have long been big admirers, but he looks like a plan-b if they can't get their top target.

The number one priority for Emery appears to be Middlesbrough's Morgan Rogers, who's already been subject to two unsuccessful bids. There have been conflicting reports on the likelihood of him ending up at Villa Park, with one suggesting that he may receive the greenlight after Chelsea knocked Boro out of the Carabao Cup, and another saying this saga could run until the very end of the window. We've now seen another significant development as Thursday's deadline looms.

Villa make third Rogers offer

According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, Villa have now submitted another bid for Rogers. This one is worth up to £15m with add-ons, and while Boro have yet to accept it, negotiations are ongoing. The hope at Villa Park is that a deal will move quickly towards completion in the early part of this week.

In an attached article, Ornstein confirms that Rogers is the primary target for Emery in the days that remain. The player is thought to be "excited" by the prospect of making the move to Villa Park, and may be waiting anxiously to see the outcome of the current talks.

Why Rogers can be the ideal Diaby alternative

Sports journalist Josh Bunting hailed Rogers as an "excellent" acquisition when he joined Boro from Manchester City in last summer's transfer window, and he's justified that with his fine performances in the Championship so far. In addition to scoring a couple of goals, he ranks ninth in the division for assists (six), and fares even better on a per-90 basis (second at 0.41).

Assuming a deal gets done, the natural question to ask is where he fits in at Villa. The Englishman's versatility will help him in this respect – he's mostly lined up in an attacking midfield role, but he can also play more advanced or on the left, as the table below shows.

Morgan Rogers position

Games played

Attacking midfield

10

Centre-forward

4

Left midfield

3

Left winger

2

Second striker

2

Emery's most common tactical set-up at Villa is 4-4-2, and in that shape Rogers could operate as the left midfielder or play the Moussa Diaby role in the front two alongside Ollie Watkins. Diaby has also served as the number ten in a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-4-1-1, which is another spot that could suit the youngster quite well.

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Villa have qualified for the Europa Conference League round of 16, and they'll be back in action on Thursday nights from next month onwards. As he simultaneously tries to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League, Emery will have to ramp up his rotation, and again that will play into Rogers' hands.

MatériaMais Notícias

No dia 17 de fevereiro de 2019, a trajetória profissional do meio-campista Nonato se iniciava com a camisa do Internacional ao ser titular diante do Caxias, no Beira-Rio, pelo Gauchão daquele ano. E o primeiro passo foi com vitória de 2 a 1, gols de Willian Pottker e Patrick, com Rafael Gava descontando para o time do interior.

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>Os desafios finais do Internacional pelo Brasileirão!

De lá para cá, Nonato variou entre a titularidade e o banco de reservas sendo que, com Odair Hellmann no comando, recebeu a maioria de suas oportunidades. Até aqui, ele acumulou 72 partidas no Inter com seis gols marcados sendo o último deles em novembro do ano passado no empate em 2 a 2 contra o Coritiba no Beira-Rio.

Através das redes sociais, o jogador revelado nas categorias de base do São Caetano comemorou a data e almeja construir uma história ainda maior no clube de Porto Alegre:

– Dois anos de um momento único, minha estreia pelo Internacional. Sempre me recordo com muito carinho deste dia. Aqui comecei a trilhar meu caminho no Inter em busca de sonhos e objetivos. Agradeço à comissão técnica, grupo de jogadores e torcedores que me apoiam diariamente. Que os próximos anos sejam repletos de coisas boas!

Celtic could lose a rising star at Parkhead either in January or the summer transfer window as talks are now said to be in the works between the man in question and two high-profile clubs, as per a report.

Celtic's questionable youth development…

Over the years, youth development has become an increasingly complex issue at Celtic despite the club retaining a core of long-serving homegrown players, such as Callum McGregor, James Forrest, Stephen Welsh, Anthony Ralston and Mikey Johnston. Several youngsters have elected to try their luck at first-team level elsewhere in recent times as the climb from underage, or more recently B team level, increases in difficulty at Parkhead.

Liverpool prospect Ben Doak, former viral wonderkid Karamoko Dembele, Liam Morrison, Barry Hepburn, Vincent Angelini, Leo Hjelde and Aidan Borland are just some recent examples of Lennoxtown's youth exodus over the past few years, which has prompted concern among fans of the Scottish Premiership holders as to where the next crop of talent may come from in Glasgow's east end.

One man in recent times who has looked certain to make the grade is Republic of Ireland Under-21 international Rocco Vata, who has already gone on to make four senior appearances at the club and has emerged at B team level as one to watch for the future (Vata statistics – Transfermarkt).

Speaking about the Glasgow-born winger in the summer, Brendan Rodgers looked to have talked up his chances of potential integration into the senior side, stating in an interview cited by The Irish Independent: "I remember Rocco as a young player when I was here last. He’s developed physically. There are aspects of his game that he needs to work on to make the next jump but his attitude is good. He’s strong, quick, he wants to score goals. There is lots of development he needs, if he’s willing to do that."

Despite this, he could now be the next prodigious talent to slip through the fingers of Celtic before too long, as a new report on his future indicates.

Juventus and Monaco pencil in Rocco Vata talks

According to Football Scotland reporter Mark Hendry, European giants Juventus and Monaco have scheduled talks with Vata's entourage as his deal at Celtic runs into its final stages, which will leave the Irishman able to depart in summer 2024 for a nominal fee of £340,000 in cross-border compensation.

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Celtic have a shortage of quality in the wide areas due to recent injury problems.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Dec 11, 2023

The Hoops are yet to propose any form of contract extension in an attempt to tie the 18-year-old down for the long term and both of his suitors sent scouts to watch him in action for his country's under-19 side. They also sent a delegation to watch a recent match between Celtic B and Brighton & Hove Albion's development squad, where Vata found the back of the net.

Starring in the Lowland League this campaign, Vata has registered nine goals in eight outings for Celtic B as he continues to blossom in Scotland's fifth tier (Vata statistics – Transfermarkt).

Labelled "exciting" by talent scout Jacek Kulig last year, it looks like Vata could now be snapped up by one of Europe's big guns unless the Hoops manage to act quickly to guarantee he remains in Glasgow.