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Former Australia international Harry Kewell is set to join Celtic as a first-team coach, according to reliable journalist Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Ange working his magic

Ange Postecoglou has enjoyed a fantastic first year as Hoops manager, inspiring his side to Premiership glory and also winning the Scottish League Cup.

The 56-year-old has put together a strong backroom team which has worked together in great harmony, with everyone at the club seemingly pulling in the same direction.

A new coaching appointment now looks to be on the cards, and the man involved is a familiar name to football followers in the UK.

The Latest: Kewell set to come in

Taking to Twitter late on Friday night, Sky Sports reporter Joseph informed followers of Celtic’s planned transfer activity, while also touching upon a significant proposed addition to Postecoglou’s staff.

Among his numerous updates, the journalist tweeted:

“1st team coach: Harry Kewell incoming.”

The Verdict: Shrewd appointment

This could prove to be an excellent appointment by Celtic, with Postecoglou seeing his compatriot Kewell as someone who can bring fresh ideas to the table.

The 43-year-old has already managed Crawley Town, Notts County, Oldham Athletic and Barnet, with 38 wins from 121 matches in his coaching career, so he has plenty of experience which should stand him in good stead.

Furthermore, Celtic’s players could also learn from Kewell in terms of his ability on the training pitch, given his standing as arguably Australia’s greatest player of all time, having scored 17 goals for his country and won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005. He also starred for the Leeds team which reached the semi-finals of that competition four years previously.

In other news, Celtic are reportedly on the verge of one signing. Find out who it is here.

Frank Lampard will be aiming to build his own squad when the transfer window opens on June 10th as he looks ahead to his first full season in charge of Everton.

Last season was better left forgotten by the Goodison Park faithful following a relegation dogfight they eventually retained their Premier League status on the penultimate matchday with a win over Crystal Palace.

There is no doubt improvement is needed, in almost every area of the pitch, and Lampard will surely leave no stone unturned in order to make this role a success.

The club have been linked with players such as James Tarkowski and Christian Eriksen of late, then there appears to be plenty of optimism in the air.

One player that the 43-year-old should be looking to bring in is someone who he knows very well from his days as Chelsea manager.

Everton were linked with Ruben Loftus-Cheek in April as Lampard sought a reunion with the midfielder, but with recent reports linking the “special” player to Serie A side Inter Milan, then Lampard will need to act fast to sign the Englishman.

Chelsea are looking at a €20m (£17m) fee to secure his services and this could be a bargain in the long run.

Loftus-Cheek is compared to Real Madrid star Luka Modric on FBref’s similar player model, with both players having related styles of play and doing the basic things well without much fanfare.

Passing is a big strength for the two, with Loftus-Cheek (90.6%) and Modric (88.1%) having the ability to control the match and create plenty of opportunities for their respective teams.

While scoring goals isn’t the pair’s main strength, they both generate over three shot-creating actions per match in order to give themselves a chance at grabbing a goal (3.36 for Loftus-Cheek, 3.23 for Modric).

Defensively, the pair are technically sound and don’t give many fouls away (24 each over the course of the season) showing that they can be excellent without having to give away goalscoring opportunities on a regular basis.

Modric is one of the finest midfielders in the world, and if Lampard has a legitimate chance of signing Loftus-Cheek, then he must act now.

AND in other news, “No chance…”: Journo drops big Everton transfer twist that’ll disappoint supporters…

Leeds United may have to pay up to £15m for Huddersfield Town star Lewis O’Brien this summer.

The Lowdown: O’Brien links

The Whites have had O’Brien on their radar for some time now and still have an interest in the central midfielder heading into Jesse Marsch’s first full season as head coach.

The 23-year-old, labelled an “exceptional” player by his manager Carlos Corberan, suffered playoff heartbreak with The Terriers last weekend but may still be plying his trade in the Premier League next season.

Leeds are thought to be one of five top-flight clubs chasing a move for the midfielder, however, recent reports that suggested a £12m release clause may be wide of the mark.

The Latest: £15m?

MOT Leeds News relayed an update regarding O’Brien from Friday’s print edition of The Huddersfield Examiner.

They cited a £15m figure when it came to the midfielder last summer and said that his stock has risen over the past 12 months, and with no mention of a release clause in the report, £15m could be the minimum Leeds may have to pay this time around.

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The Verdict: Midfielder needed

Leeds need to add to their central midfield ranks this summer after they wrap up a move for RB Salzburg right-back Rasmus Kristensen, even if Kalvin Phillips remains at the club.

New signing Brenden Aaronson is expected to be used as an inverted winger, so O’Brien could be a perfect partner for Phillips in either a 4-4-2 or 4-2-2-2 system.

Marsch has limited options in the middle of the park and just one holding midfielder in Phillips, so O’Brien, who is extremely versatile after playing in seven positions last season, could be a shrewd signing, despite a fee potentially going up.

In other news: Reporter says Leeds and Orta may now hijack rivals’ move for ‘outstanding’ star. 

As per recent reports, it would appear that confirmation of Celtic’s bid to sign Cameron Carter-Vickers on a permanent deal is now imminent, with the USA international having shone in what’s been a hugely impressive loan stint at Parkhead.

In his seventh temporary spell away from parent club Tottenham Hotspur, the 24-year-old appears to have found a settled home in Glasgow, despite his form also attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs.

The latest indication is that the Hoops will snap him up for a fee of around £6m – which could rise to £10m – as a reward for his integral role in the club’s tenth Scottish Premiership triumph in the last 11 seasons.

The £2.7m-rated colossus enjoyed a terrific 2021/22 campaign in the heart of the champions’ defence, averaging 4.1 clearances, 1.2 interceptions and 0.8 tackles per 90 in his 33 league outings, while also winning 68% of his total duels and registering 17 clean sheets.

That solidity has seen him dubbed “immense” by pundit Chris Sutton, while teammate Greg Taylor has also insisted that the on-loan Spurs man has been a success as he has “all the tools”.

Equally, at the other end of the pitch he also made a telling contribution, chipping in with four league goals, including a vital winner in the Old Firm derby back in early April.

Should he sign on the dotted line and commit himself to the club long-term – as is expected – his permanent arrival could pave the way for a notable departure, with Christopher Jullien potentially the man to face the axe.

The Frenchman had been the leading figure in the backline following his £7m arrival from Toulouse in the summer of 2019, although he has since been reduced to the role of understudy due to the form of both Carter-Vickers and defensive partner Carl Starfelt.

Of course, that slide down the pecking order has been impacted by his lengthy stint on the treatment table – the 29-year-old kept out of action for over 14 months – although he featured sparingly following his return to fitness in February.

The £20k-per-week giant recently outlined his frustration at that lack of action – as he made just one outing in all competitions all season – with reports suggesting that a number of Ligue 1 sides are interested in taking him back to France this summer.

Pundit Frank McAvennie has also tipped the £4.95m-rated brute to depart, with it looking as if the centre-back has no part to play under Postecoglou.

Should that be the reality, the club should not hesitate to wield the axe, with the impending arrival of Carter-Vickers offering a much younger option and one that has already proven himself suited to the manager’s bold, attacking style.

In other news, Celtic can unearth a new Giakoumakis after submitting bid for “very strong” £2.5m gem

Everton narrowly avoided relegation with a stunning 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace last week, which ensured the club didn’t have to live through a nerve-shredding final day of drama.

A 5-1 defeat to Arsenal, although disappointing, seemed irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Frank Lampard has a major job on his hands this summer, and that’s if he is still in charge over the next few weeks.

Whatever happens, the squad needs a major overhaul, with too many players coasting through matches this season and contributing very little despite their talents and bulging wage slips.

One such player is Alex Iwobi, the winger who has flattered to deceive this season, averaging a score of just 6.58 on WhoScored, which ranks him 15th out of the whole Everton squad.

The 25-year-old – dubbed “embarrassing” by David Prentice – has only contributed two goals and two assists all campaign and surely his £100k-per-week wage could go on someone who will contribute more?

With Everton being linked with a few players recently, the interest in Derby winger Tom Lawrence should be taken further and would allow the manager to axe Iwobi.

Lawrence has been superb this season as Derby were eventually relegated, despite putting up a decent fight. His tally of 11 goals and five assists prove how much of an attacking threat he is from a wide position.

The 28-year-old is a much greater danger than Iwobi, he has registered almost five times as many shots this season (101 to 24) and puts in over double the number of crosses (81 to 30) showing how poor the Everton man has been this season.

Lawrence will surely be on the move this summer, he is far too good a talent to be plying his trade in League One and Lampard could potentially make a shrewd move. with former manager Gary Bowyer describing him as a “fabulous talent” a few years ago, a move to Everton could be the catalyst for him to fulfil his potential.

AND in other news, Moshiri plotting Everton bid for “fantastic” 19y/o “huge talent”, Lampard needs him

Wolverhampton Wanderers seem to be rolling into a summer rebuild, considering the number of potential departures at the end of this campaign.

And whilst a section of the Old Gold faithful may be disappointed with what appears to be indecisiveness in failing to extend players’ contracts, Lage may well be a step or two ahead and could look to lean towards his youth – something that Wolves have been criticised for by Marcal.

The 33-year-old is set to leave the club at end of the season, and was a regular for Lage in the first half of this season. He had to contend with a groin injury that kept him out for 11 games and seemingly lost his place to Ait-Nouri.

Injury aside, his presence and versatility has been felt at Wolves, and in the two years he’s been at Molineux, he’s seen enough to form an opinion.

Speaking to Brazilian outlet IG, via Birmingham Mail, Marcal said:

“The season could certainly have gone better.

“I think we had a very good squad, we could easily have already qualified for European competitions, but I think the club’s strategy in the middle of the season of putting in slightly younger players to also being able to sell them ended up conditioning our performance in the race for European competitions.

“I ended up playing less games than expected due to the club’s strategy of selling young players. We generally fell short of expectations.”

Speaking of young players, a viable replacement for Marcal is already at the club and has featured 12 times, drumming up three goals and five assists to demonstrate his brilliance at the youthful age of 19 for the U23’s – that man is Hugo Bueno.

In the Premier League 2 semi-final play-off, Bueno staked his claim in Jamie Collins’ side, bagging Wolves’ goal in the 1-1 draw with Norwich. His attacking potency has been top-notch this season, so it comes as no surprise to see him score against the Canaries once again.

Lage has a more than viable option in Bueno, “who’s owning the left flank” in the words of the Athletic’s Tim Spiers, and should at the very least, be given a chance to prove himself over pre-season.

In other news: Contact made: Lage opens talks for “underrated” Wolves signing, he’d replace Moutinho 

After witnessing Simone Zaza’s infamous – and frankly spectacular – penalty miss at Euro 2016, clubs would have been forgiven for halting any interest in the striker, such was the shambolic nature of the Italian’s stuttering run-up and blazed effort in a game of such magnitude.

No strangers to making bold – and often bizarre – deals in the transfer market, though, West Ham United were unperturbed by that spot-kick horror show, eventually signing the player from Juventus on a season-long loan deal later that summer.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing in football, with GSB likely wishing they had heeded the warning signs, as the journeyman forward went on to distinctly underwhelm in a Hammers shirt.

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One of many notable names to have failed to make the grade for the east London outfit over the last decade or so, Zaza’s time in English football is only noteworthy for just how brief it was and how little impact he made.

Having been signed for a reported £5m loan fee by then-Irons manager Slaven Bilic, the Policoro native went on to feature just 11 times for the club in all competitions, spending a mere 571 minutes on the pitch and failing to register a single goal.

In the end, all that came of his Premier League stint was two yellow cards, with those bookings costing the club £2.5m apiece in relation to his loan fee.

Such was the dire nature of Zaza’s time in east London, Bilic and co eventually severed ties with the player just a matter of months into his loan spell in order to avoid having to pay an appearance-related £20m purchase option, as the striker secured a January move to La Liga side Valencia.

Upon his departure, the Italian’s father insisted that it had been a “huge mistake” to make the move to the London Stadium, with the club and their supporters seemingly thinking the same.

Since then, the 30-year-old has somewhat faded from view, eventually making his return to Italy after an 18-month stint in Spain, with the 18-cap international now plying his trade for Serie A outfit Torino.

He has scored just 20 goals in 102 games across all competitions for his current club, notably failing to find the net in ten league appearances so far this term, all of which have come as a substitute.

Such has been Zaza’s decline since his stint in the Premier League, he is now valued at just £1.8m by Transfermarkt, despite having reached a peak of £22.8m back in January 2018 after a brief purple patch at the Mestalla.

As for West Ham, the only saving grace is that they hadn’t agreed to a permanent deal in the first place, with Simone Zaza now just another name on their list of failed centre-forward additions.

In other news, West Ham eyeing swoop for “aggressive” £45m-rated warrior, just imagine him and Rice

A West Ham United ‘source’ has now shared some huge contract news out of Rush Green involving star winger Jarrod Bowen.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyeing new deals…

Aiming to maintain his team’s status as a Premier League force, Irons manager David Moyes is looking to tie down some of his key players, with the club tipped to table multiple new contract offers.

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Declan Rice has apparently been offered a mega eight-year deal, according to talkSPORT, but there is currently no indication that he will put pen to paper.

Midfielder Tomas Soucek is another man at the London Stadium who has been at the centre of possible fresh terms, but talks have reportedly stalled and there is currently no confirmed update so far.

Now, as per Football Insider’s inside ‘source’, club owners GSB are seemingly eyeing another major in-house agreement.

The Latest: GSB eyeing major in-house agreement…

It is now believed that West Ham are set to offer Bowen a ‘huge’ new deal to fend off interested suitors this summer and are ‘planning to open talks’ with the player ‘within weeks’.

The source explained that Moyes’ star attacker is in line for a bumper pay rise as the Hammers seek to back their manager both in the transfer market and by keeping hold of their most crucial assets.

The Verdict: No-brainer…

Bowen has been nothing short of a revelation in east London over 2021/22, becoming one of their most potent attacking threats and enjoying no shortage of fine moments.

He finished West Ham’s memorable run to the Europa League semi-finals as their joint-top scorer in the competition with three goals, whilst also registering one assist and taking the joint-most shots at goal per 90 (WhoScored)

A pivotal player both domestically and in Europe, the 25-year-old has come on leaps and bounds since the start of this season, and we believe that securing him to a new deal is a no-brainer.

However, much like Rice, it will all depend on whether Bowen actually agrees to put pen to paper.

In other news: Moyes likely to make huge bid for ‘world class’ star after claim that he likes West Ham, find out more here

Reputable French newspaper L’Equipe (via Sport Witness) has provided a fresh update regarding Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe. 

The lowdown: Not the first time…

The Reds seemingly have a long-standing admiration for the superstar attacker and it has previously been suggested that Jurgen Klopp has a ‘direct line’ to Mbappe following talks.

Having fuelled the fire when describing Klopp’s side as a ‘machine’ in 2020, the 23-year-old continues to be indexed to a move to Merseyside as his contract in the French capital dwindles.

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Set to become a free agent end of the season (Transfermarkt), despite recent reports suggesting a new deal in Paris was on the cards, it appears that Real Madrid and indeed Liverpool could still be in the picture…

The latest: L’Equipe provide an exciting update

As per L’Equipe, translated by SW, Liverpool have ‘entered the dance’ to sign Mbappe once more.

The report cites the Reds as a ‘third club’ with a possibility of signing the 54-cap World Cup winner alongside Real Madrid and an extended stay at PSG.

This comes as the Anfield club prepares for a pivotal summer regarding their own contract renewals with Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane all in the final 14 months of their deals.

The verdict: Dream transfer

Already one of the most decorated footballers in the world at present, the gifted striker truly is a generational talent and has provided an astonishing 58 direct goal contributions (35 goals, 23 assists) in 43 appearances across all competitions this season.

Whilst the prospect of adding a player of the £144million valued Frenchman’s quality to Klopp’s squad is an enticing one, particularly in light of Erling Haaland’s imminent move to Manchester City, given the likely finances involved it seems to be out of the realms of possibility.

Albeit without the eye-watering cost of a transfer fee involved, Mbappe’s reported £327,000 per week wage demands may sit outside of the Anfield hierarchy’s existing model.

Should one of Mane, Salah or Firmino leave this summer, suddenly a move for the lightning-fast phenomenon – who was lauded as ‘unstoppable’ by Carlo Ancelotti – becomes a more realistic proposition and one that everyone associated with Liverpool would no doubt welcome with open arms.

In other news, James Pearce has dropped a key Liverpool transfer update. Read more here.

Sunderland now face a big dilemma as a consortium fronted by William Storey has reportedly now submitted a £42m offer to buy the Wearside club.

The Lowdown: Storey tries again

Storey tried to buy the Stadium of Light faithful back in 2020, but failed in his bid, which leaves Kyril Louis-Dreyfus as the majority shareholder with a 41% stake.

Stewart Donald retains a 34% share, while Juan Sartori holds 20% and Charlie Methven the remaining 5% (The Daily Mail).Nonetheless, it now looks as if Storey is going to try his luck once more, and you’d have to say his timing is impeccably inconvenient given the importance of Friday’s play-off first leg against Sheffield Wednesday.The Latest: Offer madeAs per The Daily Mail, Storey and his consortium are now proposing to take up 100% of the shares, and are ‘keen’ to push through the deal if Alex Neil’s team do not win promotion up to the Championship.They welcome the Owls to Wearside in the first leg of the semi-final tonight, and sources close to the bid insist that there is ‘interest’ from some of the current owners to accept the offer, although there is none from majority shareholder Louis-Dreyfus.The Verdict: Accept it?After the confusion over the details of the ownership structure that came to light back in February, which left supporters feeling misled, now is the time to allow Storey and his consortium to own 100% of the shares, so long as they are committed to the club.It seems as if some of the owners are not at the moment, given the hectic nature of the shares split, and so their takes need to be sold to help the Black Cats move forward in unison.Nonetheless, it looks like Louis-Dreyfus is the one that needs persuading to hand over to Storey, in what is a big dilemma for both him and the club.In other news, find out which injured SAFC star could now make the Wednesday game here!