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According to a report in The Scottish Sun, Neil Lennon is keen to re-sign striker Gary Hooper for Celtic if he gets the job permanently this summer, and the link is exactly what he shouldn’t be handed the role.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Scottish Sun report that the 31-year-old, who is available on a free having been released by English Championship club Sheffield Wednesday, is on the former Hibernian boss’ transfer wish-list.

The Scottish Sun report that the centre-forward would be keen on a return to Parkhead, where he scored a remarkable 82 goals in 138 games during his previous spell with the Glasgow giants.

Of course, Lennon is still to find out whether he will be Brendan Rodgers’ long-term replacement, having steered the club to the Scottish Premiership title following the Northern Irishman’s mid-season decision to depart for Leicester City.

Exactly why he shouldn’t get the job

The fact that Lennon reportedly wants to bring Hooper back to the club is one of the reasons why the Bhoys should be looking elsewhere for their new manager.

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With Steven Gerrard and Rangers set to be stronger next season, and with the club needing to make big improvements in the Champions League, Lennon and Hooper are not the men to help them do that.

The latter has been plagued by injury issues during the latter part of his spell with the Owls, making just five appearances in all competitions this term.

Celtic need to look to the future instead of the past and add a younger and more exciting striker to their frontline for the 2019/20 campaign if they want to progress – re-signing Hooper would ultimately be a backwards step.

It’s time for Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell to show some ambition, and if they do then the 31-year-old won’t be lining up in a Hoops shirt for the second time in his career.

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Recent reports have linked Sheffield United with a move for Birmingham City midfielder Jota Peleteiro.

The Spaniard has been out of sorts for a couple of seasons now, but there may not be a better place for him to recapture his best form which saw him gain many admirers during his time at Brentford.

The silky dribbler has only scored three goals this term, but his 11 assists show more of what he is capable of.

His strike tally from his time at Birmingham isn’t representative of what the 27-year-old is capable of. During his time at Brentford, he hit double figures in terms of goals in two separate campaigns, and there is no reason he can’t recapture that form at Bramall Lane.

The technician’s poor returns since his move to St Andrew’s has been attributed to his move to the right side of midfield. The consensus has been that Peleteiro is wasted out on the flank as during the most effective periods of his career he was playing through the middle.

In Chris Wilder’s 5-2-1-2 system, Jota would be able to return to the position in which he thrives most.

He would step into Mark Duffy’s current spot excellently and with the attacking style that the Blades play he would be able to recapture the type of form which saw him hit 12 goals in a Championship season.

Sheffield United’s current situation is not too dissimilar to Brentford’s when Jota was there. They will be outmatched in terms of personnel in most games, but they will still try to play a brand of stylish and expansive football.

Wilder has also had the golden touch when it comes to resurrecting under-performing players’ careers. David McGoldrick game to the Yorkshire club as a washed up striker who had just been released by Ipswich. He then went on to win their Player of the Year award and scored 15 goals as the Blades were promoted.

If Jota can get the same injection of rejuvenation under the tutelage of the 51-year-old, then the Steel City side may be about to pick up one of the most underrated and underutilised talents in the country.

To call tonight’s game against Napoli as the biggest match of Arsenal’s season might seem like a stretch, but it certainly feels like it.

A 2-0 win last week against the Italian giants has set the Gunners up for a brilliant opportunity to not only knock out one of the competitions biggest teams, but to establish themselves as the club to beat in the Europa League this season, but it won’t be an easy task.

Sure going into the game in Naples with two goals is a great advantage for the Gunners, but this is Arsenal we’re talking about, and mistakes are bound to happen tonight.

We have seen the club crack under the pressure of playing a big side on the road this season already, with Unai Emery’s side going from 1-0 up to 5-1 down against Liverpool in December as an example, and Arsenal will know that Napoli are almost guaranteed to get goals tonight.

Clean sheets away from home are rare for Arsenal, with their first in the Premier League coming last Monday against Watford, and this weakness on the road will lead to Emery facing an uphill battle tonight in Naples, but all is not lost.

Arsenal’s record against Italian teams is fairly good, winning against the likes of Juventus, AC Milan and Napoli in recent history and only losing twice to sides from the country, one of them being their opponents tonight.

Last season, the Gunners went to Milan the underdogs and ended up walking away as 2-0 winners at the San Siro, and although the environments between the iconic Milan stadium and the San Paolo, the history backs Arsenal to get something from Naples in their biggest game of the season.

Arsenal fans, can the Gunners progress to the semi-finals of the Europa League? Let us know!

Arsenal are searching for bargains once again this summer, and Leicester ace Youri Tielemans would fit the bill perfectly, if they can fight off reported interest from Manchester United.

Indeed, the former Anderlecht ace was thought to have been a target for the Gunners over the course of the January transfer window, with El Gol Digital (via Sport Witness’ Naveen Ullal) claiming Unai Emery has requested the midfielder, though HLN recently reported of United’s interest.

The 21-year-old Monaco midfielder is on loan at The King Power Stadium, and – clearly – he’s has been a revelation since Brendan Rodgers took over. He’s notched two goals and three assists since the start of February and his long-range strike against Huddersfield certainly raised eyebrows.

Rodgers has made it clear in press conferences he wants to make the move permanent, but the Telegraph believe it would cost them a club record £40m. That may well be out of Leicester’s reach, but it could be a great long-term buy for Arsenal despite the initial cost.

He’s certainly not a bargain when you look at that figure, but he’s so young that he has the potential to play for the club for the next 10 years. In that case, he looks a bargain, so the Arsenal board need to get a move on.

It’ll be hard to find the cash unless the club let some players go, but they need to decide on who they’re selling quickly so they can start talks with potential summer signings like Tielemans. His high work rate is just what Unai Emery needs in his midfield for his style to work.

With Aaron Ramsey soon departing and Denis Suarez doing a whole lot of nothing since his arrival at the Emirates, moving for the man touted with a move back in January makes total sense.

Of course, Ramsey has impressed throughout his time at the Emirates but Tielemans offers that something special that fans have witnessed on too many occasions in North London.

It’s clear to see the direction this Arsenal team is moving in, and the Belgian would be a perfect fit and a bargain when you take into account the long-term investment. The Arsenal board need to work out a way to finance this move and claim his signature before their rivals do.

Arsenal fans, how much do you think Unai Emery will be able to spend this summer? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Jermain Defoe has been an instant hit with the blue half of Glasgow since his loan move from Premier League Bournemouth, having scored six goals in just 12 appearances for the Ibrox club.

The loan deal is for the rest of this season, and the whole of the next, but Eddie Howe has a recall clause, which he can activate in July, should he wish to take the player back to the South coast.

It means manager, Steven Gerrard, is likely to have to wait until the fringes of next season, before he knows if he is able to call upon Defoe’s services.

It is not ideal for Gerrard, with him almost certainly wanting to do any transfer business early, and not knowing if he will need to find a replacement for the former England international could hamper his plans.

Talking about Defoe’s situation, Bournemouth manager, Eddie Howe, told the Daily Echo: “To be honest, we’re so engrossed in what we’re doing here that we haven’t had a chance to sit down and discuss anything on that [Defoe’s loan deal] side.

“I’m sure that’ll be one for the summer, but I’m really pleased to see Jermain doing so well.”

It remains to be seen if Ibrox bad boy, Alfredo Morelos, has a future at the club beyond the end of this season, but having Defoe in the wings has certainly helped during his most recent suspension, and it would be nice to have him on board for the whole campaign next year.

Defoe himself expressed a desire to stay in Glasgow, when he told the Scotsman: “I want to stay here, for sure.

“I want a full season to try to achieve something special here. Bournemouth can call me back in the summer and again in January, but for me I am focused on being here and scoring goals for Rangers.”

It seems wrong that a player can sign a deal, whether it is a loan deal or not, for a specific length of time, but then have it reneged upon at various stages.

It would be unfair on both the player, and Rangers, to make them wait until July before making a decision one way or the other, and Gerrard and the fans, will hope it will be sorted out long before then.

The player is adamant he wants to stay. Gerrard will want him to stay. The fans will certainly hope he stays. But the ball is, very much, in Eddie Howe’s hands now.

What do you think 0f the impact Jermain Defoe has had since his arrival at Ibrox, Rangers fans? Do you hope he stays beyond the summer? Let us know your thoughts below…

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According to a report in The Lancashire Telegraph, Blackburn Rovers are continuing to monitor Charlton Athletic centre-back Patrick Bauer ahead of the summer transfer window, and if they get him they will be answering manager Tony Mowbray’s prayers.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Championship outfit were keen on the 26-year-old last summer as per The Lancashire Telegraph, but the Addicks didn’t want to lose one of their star defenders as they attempted to return to England’s second tier.

However, the German is now into the final few months of his contract at The Valley, and The Lancashire Telegraph report that he hasn’t changed his previous stance of not wanting to commit his future to the south London outfit.

That means he could leave Charlton for nothing this summer, and his future may depend on whether Lee Bowyer’s men go up or not – they look set to finish in the play-offs.

Answering Mowbray’s prayers

The Lancashire Telegraph says that experienced manager has made no secret of his desire to strengthen his backline this summer, with their poor defensive showings on the road ultimately costing them a shot at a top-six finish this term.

Of the 60 goals they have conceded, 42 of those have come on the road and they have seriously lacked height in the backline ever since Darragh Lenihan picked up an injury last month.

Bauer would certainly bring that given he stands at over 6 ft 3, and he has shown consistently with his performances for Charlton that he is ready to star at Championship level.

If they could get a quality centre-back for nothing this summer, Mowbray would be thanking his lucky stars.

Midfield creativity has been a huge issue for Liverpool this season as their over-reliance on their fearsome front three has seen them stumble in recent weeks in the Premier League.

Following the departure of Phillipe Coutinho last year to Barcelona, boss Jurgen Klopp has used the money recuperated to bolster the club’s defensive options by signing the likes of Alisson Becker, Fabinho and the excellent Virgil Van Dijk.

As a result of these purchases, the Reds have clearly shown a marked improvement at one end of the pitch yet in doing so have sacrificed a fair share of their attacking abilities. The failure of securing a deal to bring in Nabil Fekir last summer from Olympique Lyonnais has left Klopp’s side clearly lacking a spark at times in the Premier League this season.

Goalless draws on their travels at Everton and Manchester United in the last month has emphasised the chasm in midfield options between Liverpool and Premier League leaders Manchester City. Whereas Guardiola’s side has the luxury of choosing between the likes of David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, the Reds’ lack of squad depth may make all the difference in this year’s title race.

In order to address this issue next season, Klopp has to give up on the failed project of trying to get Adam Lallana back to his best.

Having moved to Anfield for a fee reported to be in the region of £25m by the Guardian in 2014 following an immensely successful spell with Southampton, the midfielder seemingly had all the hallmarks of becoming a world class talent.

Yet despite impressing initially in his first two seasons at the club, Lallana’s development was hampered by a myriad of injury problems which saw him miss 18 games for the Reds. The England international’s habit of spending far too much time sidelined has continued in the last three years as he has been unavailable for selection for a further 49 matches.

However, even when fit and playing for Liverpool, Lallana has been very inconsistent with the play-maker only producing glimmers of his talent during his five year spell at Anfield.

In terms of this season, it is clear that Klopp has a decision to make in the summer as the former AFC Bournemouth star has been incredibly underwhelming having yet to register a goal or assist in 15 appearances in all competitions.

If the Reds are to build a squad that can dominate both in the Premier League and in Europe over the next five years, they simply have to get rid of some of the deadwood in their squad. Unfortunately for Lallana, his form this season means that he has to be one of the players to depart in the upcoming transfer window.

The sale of the midfielder could suit both parties as for Liverpool, they can use some of the funds to bring in a young, exciting creative player whilst Lallana could also benefit from a new start elsewhere which could allow him to re-build his career.

What do you think Liverpool fans? Should Klopp give up on Lallana? Or does the England international still have what it takes to perform at the top level? Let us know below.

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Arsenal are suffering something of a defensive injury crisis at present. First choice right-back Hector Bellerin is out until the end of the season, as is centre-back Rob Holding. What’s more, summer signing Sokratis is also currently sidelined.

35-year-old right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner has proved incapable of dealing with the pace of the Premier League, whilst club captain Laurent Koscielny may also struggle with the strain of starting week in, week out.

Watch the best fails from the world of indoor football in the video below…

Despite all of this, Unai Emery cannot continue to rely upon 26-year-old Shkodran Mustafi in the heart of his defence. The 20-cap Germany international is a liability at the back. However, in light of Emery’s struggle to find effective cover for Bellerin, Mustafi should be tested at right-back.

The German has played at full-back in the past for his country and previous club Valencia. His passing ability and distribution can be put to good use on the flanks, whilst his defensive mistakes ought to be less costly than they would be at centre-back.

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BBC Football pundit Mark Lawrenson has tipped Premier League strugglers Southampton to lose 2-0 when they face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, but that isn’t the only piece of bad news he has for the club.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Liverpool legend was once again providing his weekly score predictions in the English top flight, but he doesn’t believe that Saints will bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 defeat against lowly Cardiff City last time out, a result which saw them slip into the relegation zone.

Predicting a 2-0 scoreline for the Gunners, the 61-year-old also added that he believes the south coast outfit are going to find themselves in a lot of trouble for the foreseeable future.

According to BBC Football, Lawrenson said: “Southampton dropped into the relegation zone after losing to Cardiff last time out, and I think they might stay there for a while longer.

“Arsenal have got some issues they need to sort out – Mesut Ozil’s future being one of them – but their home record is very good and they should still be too strong for Saints.”

Is he right?

While his comments won’t be great reading for Southampton supporters or manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, he may well be correct in his thinking.

The south coast outfit face Unai Emery’s men, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in their next four Premier League fixtures, while they have fellow bottom-three outfit Fulham at St Mary’s on Wednesday night.

The clash against the Cottagers may be more winnable on paper than the other three, but the south coast outfit showed by taking just one point at home to Crystal Palace and the Bluebirds that they don’t always have the quality to get wins against the teams around them in the table on their own patch.

Even if they beat Claudio Ranieri’s side and lose the other three, they will be in big trouble in the final eight games.

Danny Rose completed his loan move to Newcastle United from Tottenham on Thursday night.

What’s the story?

The 29-time England international has made 10 starts for Spurs so far this season in the Premier League, but that has not been enough to keep him in North London.

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As such, the Toon have swooped to take him to St James’ Park until the end of the season. He is the third new arrival in the north east so far this month after loan moves for Nabil Bentaleb and Valentin Lazaro were also completed.

Change of direction

Steve Bruce’s side have been particularly defensive so far this campaign. Only three sides have scored less than their 24 goals so far this term and the average 39.1% possession they have managed in the Premier League is easily the lowest in the division.

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However, the arrival of Danny Rose, coupled with Austria international Lazaro, indicates a change in direction for the Toon. So far this season, Javier Manquillo, Emil Krafth and DeAndre Yedlin have all managed a maximum of 0.4 key passes per game as they have shared the right-back role. Lazaro, meanwhile, scored three goals and managed six assists last season for Hertha Berlin and averaged 1.8 key passes.

On the opposite flank, Jetro Willems has 0.8 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per fixture. With one and 1.3 last season, Rose indicates an improvement in the offensive department as well. It therefore looks as though Bruce may look to be more expansive from the full-back position – Newcastle fans should be relishing the thought.

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