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2021 has so far been a year to forget for everyone associated with Celtic. The Bhoys have relinquished their grasp on the title and as a result, a host of faces are losing their jobs.

Neil Lennon has already stepped down as the team’s manager while Peter Lawwell is going to retire at the end of the campaign to be replaced by Dominic McKay.

With Lennon’s departure, there will be a new manager in the dugout for the 2021/22 season. Their goal will be clear; usurp Rangers and make Celtic great again.

That may sound a little like a mantra right out of the Donald Trump book but hopefully, the Hoops boardroom will avoid controversy, something the former US president never shied away from.

Celtic’s number one target in recent days, however, has been a rather contentious point of debate among supporters. Roy Keane had emerged as the favourite for the job last week with Football Insider revealing an interview had taken place.

Though, fresh reports over the weekend specify that a move is now less likely to occur.

A Celtic source has since helped to clear up the Keane rumours. Speaking on Sunday’s A Celtic State of Mind podcast, co-host Kevin Graham revealed:

“We are getting played, us a fan channel, and other fan outlets with the rumours that are being kicked about and certain leaks to the press. It’s extremely clear to me that there’s a split in the boardroom on who they want as the next Celtic manager.”

Graham added: “There’s a side for Keane and a side for anybody but Keane. For me, looking and knowing where the rumour of where Harkin, Keane and Butt came from, I think it is quite clear that person doesn’t want Roy Keane anywhere near Celtic Football Club, and that’s why it was put out there.”

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Reliable voice Paul John Dykes responded: “I think the important thing is to say that at A Celtic State of Mind, you appreciate that someone is actually giving you information with an ulterior motive. And that’s why it’s sometimes so difficult to manage that.

“So I remember days before I mentioned on the podcast, sending it out (The Roy Keane rumour), and you came back to me and said, ‘Well somebody in our boardroom wants to test the water or wants Roy Keane blown out the water‘, which basically did happen.”

Dykes concluded: “I mean if you were to do it in terms of a popularity vote,  the vast majority of Celtic fans that I seen on the back of the podcast and on the back of the tweet where like ‘No chance I don’t want to go near it.”

If the Celtic boardroom is indeed split on who the next manager should be, it doesn’t particularly bode well.

That being said, the theory that leaks are coming from Celtic in a bid to generate the general feeling among supporters can be seen as a good thing.

Dykes admitted last week that the idea of Keane becoming the new manager had gone down like a led balloon among supporters. It can’t be a coincidence, therefore, that just days later he’s moved down the pecking order and become less likely to join.

Those on the board who did want Keane have evidently been dealt a huge blow. However, for supporters, it’s excellent news that they’re being consulted.

It’s being done in a sly way but if Celtic are to come back from this disastrous season, they will need to avoid yet more toxic energy. Hiring the right manager would put the smiles back on supporter’s faces and avoid a repeat of 2020/21.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Edouard: Celtic must swoop for 28-goal “sensation” who’ll “go to the very top”…

Former Scotland international Alan Hutton believes that Celtic’s head of recruitment Gary Penrice deserves to lose his job.

Penrice out?

The Bhoys spent a total of £14.13m (Transfermarkt) in the summer, opting to bring in the likes of Albian Ajeti, Vasilis Barkas and Shane Duffy on loan to bolster their hopes of winning an unprecedented 10-in-a-row.

However, that has not gone to plan with manager Neil Lennon resigning and reports suggested in January that transfer guru Nick Hammond could be dismissed in the summer in what could be a summer overhaul at Parkhead.

On top of this, Penrice has also been linked with a move out of the club after what has been a disastrous 2020/21 campaign for the green half of Glasgow.

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton believes that Penrice is not up to the task anymore and expects him to be replaced this summer.

“They need to act, it’s as simple as that,” he said. “It’s not been good enough. It’s like any work you do, if you’re making mistake after mistake, you’re going to lose your job.

“You saw it happen at Aston Villa with Suso (Jesus Garcia Pitarch). He brought in so many players and it didn’t work out. He moved on and look at them now.

“I think if you go through the Celtic squad and what they brought in, yes they had some players that worked out but more often than not, it didn’t. They spent big money.

“It doesn’t surprise me they’re having a full shakeup, revamping everything.”

Transfer Tavern Verdict

There is no doubt that Celtic need a revamp – and fast. But supporters will probably need to accept that the rebuild could take a few seasons to get right.

While there are huge expectations for the Hoops to reclaim the Scottish Premiership crown at the first time of asking, it may take a couple of campaigns to put the respective measures in place to eradicate the deadwood in the side.

Ajeti, Barkas and Duffy have been heavily criticised for their abject performances this season – and rightly so. Time will tell whether Penrice is moved on or if Dominic McKay will trust him to move the club forward.

In other news, Celtic-linked manager reacts to Parkhead rumours; Mourinho dubbed him as ‘incredible.’

Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell believes the Gunners could “gazump” Leicester City in their attempts to sign Celtic star Odsonne Edouard this summer.

Reports from the Daily Mail last week claimed the Foxes were closing in on a £15m deal for the French forward, who made it clear he wanted to reunite with former Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers.

Edouard, who has netted 20 goals this season, is out of contract at Parkhead next summer which has resulted in his valuation dropping over the last 12 months.

Arsenal to ‘make a bigger offer’ for Edouard?

Talking exclusively to Football Insider, Campbell was asked if he feels Arsenal would show an interest in Edouard at £15m, answering with his views on a potential ‘bigger offer’.

“Edouard knows Brendan Rodgers but let’s watch this space.

“If Arsenal are looking at him then they will gazump Leicester and make a bigger offer. Leicester have got a few quid, don’t get me wrong but if Arsenal are interested it’s a different story.

“If Mikel Arteta is interested in bringing the age of the forward line down by a few years then they have got to start battling for Edouard. They will have to put something down on the table for him.”

Transfer Tavern take

It appears as if a summer exit for Edouard is inevitable and with Campbell tipping Arsenal to ‘make a bigger offer’, that could well play into the Hoops’ hands.

A bidding war between the two Premier League clubs could materialise, should both sides be extremely keen to sign the 23-year-old.

That may then see the Hoops receiving a fee closer to their £25m valuation from during the January window, which would be a massive boost to help kickstart Dominic McKay’s reign – that is a lot of money the new Bhoys chief could reinvest into the squad.

In other news: A manager has confirmed his player has been spending time with the Hoops, find out more here.

Carlo Ancelotti must unleash Andre Gomes in Everton’s FA Cup tie with Sheffield Wednesday to see if the Everton midfielder can fill the void of Abdoulaye Doucoure.

The Toffees are set to be without Doucoure for their crunch Premier League meeting with Leicester City on Wednesday night through suspension, after the £20m summer signing was issued his fifth yellow card of the season at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

An Everton victory over the Foxes will see the Goodison Park natives close the gap between themselves and Brendan Rodgers’ side to three points and they’d have two games in hand, as they battle for a place in the top-four and qualification for the Champions League.

Doucoure has played more often in the top-flight this term than any other member of Ancelotti’s squad, with the 28-year-old featuring for 1,452 of a possible 1,530 minutes after starting all 17 of their fixtures to date.

Gomes, in contrast, has fallen out of favour on Merseyside this season, with the former FC Barcelona maestro boasting only the 15th-highest total game time by an Everton player after accumulating just 573 minutes of action over 12 outings, of which he’s started five.

The last of Gomes’ Premier League starts came in November’s 2-1 loss to Newcastle United when Ancelotti sought to find a new role for him, with the £18m-rated man fielded in an advanced role in behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin before being hauled off on the hour mark.

He has struggled to impress when given the chance in the cup competitions too, with Darren Bent claiming Gomes was exposed for his lack of pace and physicality against Manchester United as Everton lost 2-0 in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.

“Gomes, on the ball, is kind of your Rolls Royce footballer that gets on it, links play, not scared to take the ball in tight areas and different scenarios. I was disappointed in Gomes because he’s a wonderful footballer,” he told Football Insider.

“There are times when the opposition’s midfield are quite quick, they’re dynamic, they get about, I think that’s where Gomes lacks real legs in the middle of the park.”

Gomes again was questioned for his performance when fielded from the start against Rotherham United in the FA Cup third round win earlier this month, with the Liverpool Echo claiming his passing was often sloppy and that his poor tackling should have been punished.

Doucoure’s absence against Leicester will be a big miss for Ancelotti, with Bent further lauding the Frenchman as a “top, top player” who “there isn’t anyone like” at Everton as he brings a powerful presence to the engine room.

That presence has also returned among the highest number of progressive passes at Goodison Park this term (39), with only James Rodriguez (82) recording a significantly higher total of passes that moved play closer to the opponent’s goal in Premier League fixtures, per FBref.

Doucoure also stands strong at the other end of the pitch to make a higher number of tackles (19) in the defensive third and the second-most pressures (298) by a Blues player. Gomes, on the other hand, has offered just one more tackle in the defensive third than attacker Alex Iwobi (8) and pressures opponents (127) as frequently as Rodriguez (122).

Gomes will have big shoes to fill against Leicester if he’s the one selected, thus he must be unleashed against Sheffield Wednesday to shake off any cobwebs against a side sitting second-bottom of the Championship. Otherwise, Ancelotti will be throwing him in straight at the deep end on Wednesday.

AND in other news – Exclusive: Pundit reacts as Everton to hand £100k-p/w man a new contract.

Liverpool have been amazed by the performances of Leeds United midfielder Raphinha, according to reports.

Raphinha catches Liverpool’s eye

The 24-year-old made the switch to Elland Road from Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais in October for £16.7m and has won the plaudits of many, especially Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson, who believes he possesses “that little fine edge” (cited by LeedsLive).

Raphinha, who is earning a salary of £21k-per-week with the Whites according to Wtfoot, has scored six goals and provided six assists in 24 outings, and is a key part of Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

Football Insider revealed that Anfield scouts have been “blown away” by the winger’s development under the Argentinian tactician.

The report added that the Reds are taking a strong interest in the Brazilian and will not be the only Premier League side that will be interested in his services.

Transfer Tavern Verdict

Raphinha has certainly been turning heads this season and has been a brilliant signing for Marcelo Bielsa.

At the age of 24, he could be a player that steps into the shoes of someone like Mohamed Salah when he eventually decides to move on and could be a long-term option for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Valued at £16.2m by TransferMarkt, we expect the North Yorkshire side to demand a lot more than that if Liverpool are to take him off their hands.

In other news, Liverpool loanee given high praise by senior teammate.

Ben Johnson stole the show for West Ham United as the London Stadium natives were forced to settle for a point at home to Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon.

David Moyes opted to hand the 20-year-old prospect his first start of the Premier League season whilst reverting back to his favoured five-man defence, having been forced to utilise a four-strong backline following Arthur Masuaku’s knee surgery.

Johnson had not featured for more than five minutes in a top-flight fixture since matchday three when introduced at half-time for the injured Ryan Fredericks against Wolves, making two late cameos in meetings with Manchester United and Leeds earlier this month.

Moyes’ decision to field Johnson as his left-sided full-back paid dividends early in the second half, when the defender who former Irons academy chief Terry Westley believes “ticks every box” steered home a superb strike into the top corner of Robert Sanchez’s net.

Johnson’s 60th-minute hit pulled West Ham level after Neal Maupay broke the deadlock on the cusp of half-time, while a committed header from Tomas Soucek snatched a point with eight minutes to play after Lewis Dunk restored the Seagull’s advantage.

Johnson, praised by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville in July, had been key to the Hammers’ efforts prior to the break by providing his side’s width on the left-flank with Soucek and Sebastien Haller struggling to cause Ben White and Adam Webster any issues, but failed to see his performance rewarded.

The Irons product’s continued push ultimately returned his first goal in senior football as the London-born talent recorded his fourth top-flight outing of the campaign, more than in any other season to date having achieved a previous best three appearances last term.

Johnson firmly stole the show for West Ham against Brighton beyond his initial equaliser, with a diligent display at both ends of the field that will only instil the 20-year-old with greater confidence to beat opposing players when Moyes next looks favourably on his services.

The youngster enjoyed 43 touches of the ball against Graham Potter’s visiting Amex Stadium natives, and retained possession well with 22 accurate passes from 28 attempts. He further tried his luck with five crosses, though saw each delivery miss an Irons player, per SofaScore.

No player for either side intercepted the ball more often than Johnson, too, with the £2m-rated talent breaking up play three times, while never being dribbled past or committing a foul.

Johnson only attempted two dribbles yet left the field at the full-time whistle having won two of his three ground duels, and showed his willingness to spread play with four attempted long passes.

Moyes will have been delighted with Johnson’s efforts at left-back, a position he had previously played just thrice in the senior fold.

AND in other news, an “incredible” Mario Husillos flop is set to be on his way out at West Ham in 2021.

Portuguese publication A Bola reported earlier this week that Felipe Anderson is on the verge of returning to West Ham United following his failed loan spell with FC Porto, and that could present David Moyes with the chance to save the Brazilian’s London Stadium career.

Anderson departed for Portugal at the climax of the last international transfer market, aiming to rediscover his form by playing time for a Champions League side, but the move has not benefited either the one-time international or the Liga Nos outfit.

Dragoes boss Sergio Conceicao has called on Anderson to feature in just five fixtures across all competitions for a woeful total of 218 minutes to date, with his last league outing coming in October,  after which, his work-rate came into question.

Moyes, likewise, had called on Anderson to make the step up with his performances, after an underwhelming spell last season left the forward outside of the Scot’s starting line-up.

“Both had big reputations [when I arrived] and I think the games that they have played everybody had the chance to see their performances,” Moyes said of Anderson and former teammate Sebastien Haller in September, via quotes by the Evening Standard.

“I’ve got to say, the two of them are great to work with, the two of them are really good lads – I like them a lot. Felipe is a terrific lad, so is Seb. But what I want them to be is terrific players every time they play, and I want them to make a difference. They were bought by the club to make a difference, one to be a major goalscorer and one to be a major assist maker.”

Anderson failed to show that he was a ‘major assist maker’ amid his struggles with Porto and he may now return to east London but not for long, with A Bola adding that Everton are interested in taking the forward on loan as Carlo Ancelotti looks to add depth ahead of the likely departure of AS Roma target Bernard.

The Toffees are not alone in monitoring Anderson’s situation, either, as the Daily Mail have touted Serie A leaders AC Milan as another potential suitor, should the San Siro natives seek to sign options who can strengthen Stefano Pioli’s title-chasing squad.

It is also noted by The Guardian that West Ham will look to secure another loan move for the 27-year-old, as the Irons fear that him not playing games will lead to them struggling to demand a lucrative price if the club look to sell him in the summer, as is expected.

However, Moyes opting to allow Anderson the chance to stay and fight for his future in east London may deliver the Scot an option he currently lacks in his players, with quality depth in terms of wide players thin and far between beyond regular starters Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma.

Last season was far from perfect for Anderson as he offered just 1.0 key balls and 0.6 shots per Premier League appearance, after his impressive debut campaign which returned 1.8 key balls and 1.1 shots a game, per SofaScore.

Yet ,West Ham did not see a decline in his successful dribbles as they actually rose from 2.1 to 2.5, which would be enough for Anderson to rank first among all of Moyes’ current midfield and forward options, with Michail Antonio’s 1.56 a game the current best at the London Stadium.

Anderson would also rank first for key passes, with Bowen’s 0.88 the best at present, whist Andriy Yarmolenko – often Moyes’ go-to from the bench when fit – is ninth with 0.33 and ninth for shots, again with 0.33 a game.

If Anderson does return to the Premier League and stays put at the London Stadium, it might be worth the manager giving him another chance in and around the first team.

If things went well or the winger, he could prove to be the game-changing option Moyes is sometimes lacking, and it could indeed open the door for the £22.5m-rated maestro to save his West Ham career.

His stats from a few years ago were very impressive, if he could recreate them in 2021, he’d certainly provide Moyes with an effective option, he might just need to be given a chance to prove to his manager, and maybe even to himself, that he is still that same player.

AND in other news, GSB must back Moyes with WHU move for “devastating” 17-goal star with “explosive pace”.

Liverpool return from the international break with an injury-ravaged squad and Jurgen Klopp’s side couldn’t have asked for a much tougher game in their return fixture, as they face top-of-the-table Leicester City at Anfield on Sunday evening.

The German manager will be without first-team regulars Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold for the visit of the Foxes, meaning he will have to make some serious changes to his defence.

Fortunately for the Reds, it was confirmed earlier this week that both Fabinho and Thiago could be fit to play on Sunday evening, so it is perhaps likely that the Brazilian will return to the side as a starting centre-back, alongside Joel Matip.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects Klopp to line his side up against Leicester City on Sunday, with the German manager forced into four changes from the side that faced Manchester City before the international break…

Even if Fabinho isn’t completely match fit, it would be a surprise if Klopp didn’t start the Brazilian against Leicester City, as the inexperienced Rhys Williams and Nathaniel Phillips may both struggle to deal with the threat of Jamie Vardy in the Foxes attack.

Andy Robertson did have a slight injury concern during the international break but played the full 90 minutes against Israel on Wednesday, so should be fit to keep his place at left-back.

Meanwhile, with the injury to Alexander-Arnold, Neco Williams could make his first Premier League appearance of the season at right-back, having been described as a “machine” by Klopp in the summer.

If Thiago is fit to play, the Spanish midfielder should come in for the injured Jordan Henderson, whilst Georginio Wijnaldum keeps his place and Curtis Jones should start ahead of Naby Keita after the Guinean’s poor start to the season.

Mohamed Salah misses out after testing positive for the current viral outbreak, so Diogo Jota takes his place on the wing, making up an attacking trio that also includes Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

Although Liverpool are seriously blighted by injuries at the moment, they cannot let the chances of a second-successive title slip away from them early in the season, so this will be a hugely important game against Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester side.

Leeds will be on cloud nine after their midweek thriller against Newcastle gave them a well-deserved three points to hoist them further up the Premier League table. The Championship winners hit the Magpies for five goals, with five individual goal-scorers impressing on the night.

Their next test will come as they face Manchester United on Sunday at Old Trafford. It will be a very tasty affair as both sides are coming off the back of a hard-fought victory and neither will be prepared to drop points.

Marcelo Bielsa’s secret weapon comes in the form of Raphinha, who has been troublesome for the opposition down the right-hand side. Whilst he may have just the one Premier League goal so far this season, his ability to create chances and break down defences has been crucial for Leeds.

In his last outing against Newcastle, Raphinha made two key passes, completed 100% of his attempted long balls and 100% of his dribbles (via Sofascore). Comparing that to the performance of Alex Telles for Man United against Sheffield United, the defender could be in for a difficult game.

The Reds’ summer signing had a tough time against the Blades, losing the ball 24 times and struggling to create his usual sharp long-range passes from the backline. If Telles is up against a speedster like Raphinha, he could easily be forced into a mistake and runs the risk of losing possession just like he did at Bramall Lane.

Bielsa’s creative winger has attracted a lot of praise for his performances in his maiden Leeds season. Graeme Souness recently labelled him a “flair player” and lauded his work ethic both on and off the ball. The £27,000 per week playmaker has already shown his promising potential as a player the team has been crying out for to help Patrick Bamford break down tough opposition defences.

In other news, Radrizzani will be glad to offload Eunan O’Kane next summer…

Ezgjan Alioski is in talks for a new Leeds contract, according to Football Insider.

The Macedonian started his second league game of the season against Aston Villa on Friday as Leeds had to rejig their backline in order to deal with a litany of injury problems, and while Alioski didn’t do much wrong against the Villans, there was another player on the bench that we’d rather have seen playing at left-back.

Of course, we’re talking about Leif Davis.

Davis has been touted as a future star at Leeds for some time now with Bielsa reportedly a big fan of the 19-year-old, but if he is going to fulfil his potential, he needs to get some more game time.

Alioski seems to have nailed down the backup left-back spot at the moment, but we can’t help but feel that this situation needs to change in the near future.

We all know what Alioski is about, he’s a high-energy player who will put everything on the line for the team, but he’s nothing special, with Noel Whelan recently describing him as “ineffective”, and it’s hard to make a case that he’s the long-term solution at left-back.

Stuart Dallas is clearly the man to start there week in, week out, but when he is unavailable, or having to play in another role, it should be Davis getting a chance. Even more so after the departure of Barry Douglas.

The young left-back will only improve with more experience while Alioski is already close to his peak and he isn’t likely to rip up any trees in the Premier League anytime soon.

Davis, on the other hand, has the dynamism to be an exciting attacking modern full-back, he’s previously been compared to Gareth Bale, and the fact that Liverpool were scouting him last year is an absolute testament to how highly he is rated.

United need to stop wasting time with Alioski at left-back and fast-track Davis to a more key role in the squad.

AND in other news, Leeds should regret not signing £80M monster back in 2014…