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Celtic could go on to receive ‘record fees’ for the sales of Reo Hatate, Liel Abada or Jota, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Trio of transfers

The Scottish Premiership giants first recruited Abada last summer before landing the signature of Hatate in January, with the 24-year-old slotting straight into Ange Postecoglou’s midfield.

Jota originally arrived on a season-long loan from Benfica in 2021/22, but has since secured his long-term future in Glasgow by putting pen to paper on a permanent deal.

The Latest: Celtic could get huge windfall

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Joseph claimed that the Celtic trio have the ability to be sold for huge fees in the years ahead as a result of their impressive performances in the green and white stripes.

“Because the markets that they’re selling to are getting bigger, and Celtic’s market, I know it’s not going at the same kind of level, but Celtic are able to command higher fees, and they will be able to in the future.

“And it wouldn’t surprise me if someone like Hatate, or even Abada, Jota, become the next record-fee received for sales.”

The Verdict: Abada the most likely?

If any of the three players name-checked are to leave the Hoops, you’d imagine that Abada would be the front-runner given the recent speculation surrounding him.

The forward was linked with a move to Crystal Palace over the summer and has recently changed agents, sparking more concern that he might be heading for the exit door.

With four years remaining on his contract though, Celtic hold the upper hand when it comes to selling him, so we could well see Joseph’s prediction come to fruition with a massive fee required to prise the winger away.

Leeds United have been handed a huge boost ahead of Thursday’s Premier League meeting with Leicester City.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Conor McGilligan, with the Manchester Evening News journalist initially relaying the news on Twitter that, after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in the Foxes’ draw with Crystal Palace last weekend, James Maddison will now be suspended for the visit of the Whites in midweek, before stating that this will come as a big boost to Jesse Marsch and his side.

In his post, McGilligan said: “James Maddison will miss the Leeds game on Thursday. MASSIVE boost for us.”

“Massive boost”

Considering just how impressive Maddison has been in a struggling 19th-placed Leicester side so far this season, it is easy to see why McGilligan believes that the 25-year-old’s absence on Thursday night will come as a massive boost to Leeds’ chances of returning to Elland Road with all three points in tow.

Indeed, over his nine Premier League fixtures in 2022/23, the £43m-rated talent has been in sensational form, having already scored five goals, registered two assists and created two big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 3.2 shots – 1.2 of which have hit the target – and making 2.3 key passes per game.

The attacking midfielder has also chipped in for his side in a defensive capacity, making an average of 2.2 tackles, 0.6 interceptions and winning 5.6 duels – at a success rate of 51% – per outing.

These returns have seen the £110k-per-week playmaker average a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.44, not only ranking him by far and away as Brendan Rodgers’ best performer in the league but also as the joint seventh-best player in the English top flight as a whole so far this term.

As such, it is clear to see that the absence of a player who carries the goal-threat, creativity and hard-working nature of Maddison will indeed come as a huge boost to Leeds’ chances of picking up all three points at the King Power on Thursday night – a result Marsch will be desperate for in order to end his side’s current six-game run without a win.

West Bromwich Albion’s miserable run of form continued in the Championship today as they fell to yet another defeat, this time against Sheffield United.

New manager Carlos Corberan has been shown first-hand just how much work needs doing now, as his toothless outfit were kept quiet at The Hawthorns.

The Blades raced into a 2-0 lead with goals from Iliman Ndiaye and Oliver McBurnie, with the latter a delightful rifled finish from just outside the box finding the bottom right corner.

Despite boasting more possession and shots than their opponents, Albion struggled to break down a stubborn Sheffield United side who held onto their early lead with relative ease.

Although there was a new manager in the dugout, there were still plenty of West Brom players who just weren’t at the races today. Alex Palmer could be included among that number, having registered the worst rating of anyone from the home side, as per SofaScore.

Conor Townsend and Karlan Grant, who was once again handed a chance up front, were other notable disappointments, but perhaps the player who fell most into that bracket was the usually reliable stalwart Jake Livermore.

Nobody on the pitch had a worse success rate when it came to duels, as he lost 100% of his three personal battles.

Furthermore, only Grant and Jed Wallace had the ball less often. Given his position in the centre of midfield, this statistic is particularly unforgivable for the 32-year-old – even goalkeeper Palmer touched the ball more often (43) than Livermore (35), via SofaScore.

The former Tottenham Hotspur ace has been among the Baggies’ most consistent players in the midfield engine room, considering that he has featured 210 times in total for the club. It makes displays such as this even more disappointing, because of how much they have relied on him throughout the years.

Despite being in the busiest area of the pitch, Livermore also failed to make a single tackle, clearance or interception, whilst also being dribbled past once. It was a defensively invisible performance from the usually combative midfield stopper.

“Not enough energy throughout and was largely outplayed by the Blades midfielders”, wrote Birmingham World’s Charlie Haffenden in his post-match ratings column – a damning but fair assessment of Livermore’s performance.

He’ll need to buck up his ideas quickly now that Corberan is here to stay, with the manager unlikely to accept many more performances like this from such an experienced player.

Nottingham Forest will host Brentford at The City Ground on Saturday afternoon and Steve Cooper will be thrilled with some early team news from the opposition camp that will no doubt be great news for his team.

What’s the latest?

Brentford striker Ivan Toney collected his fifth yellow card of the season in the 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend, which means he will be suspended for one match and thus, ineligible for selection against Nottingham Forest this weekend.

Thomas Frank spoke out on the blow to the Bees ahead of the clash:

“It happens, we need to find solutions for Saturday.”

A big boost for Forest

Toney has been one of the standout strikers in the division this season and is currently the fourth-highest-scoring player in the entire Premier League with eight goals and two assists so far, so there is no doubt that Brentford will lose a huge threat in their forward line this weekend.

The Tricky Trees are currently at the bottom of the league table and just suffered a 5-0 defeat to Arsenal so there will be no doubt that Cooper’s side will be feeling low on confidence ahead of their next game.

However, the latest news about Toney’s suspension will come as a big boost for the newly-promoted club with the Forest boss likely to love coming up against an understrength Bees team.

Brentford have only lost two of their last five games and are 12th in the league thanks to their consistent start to the season and although Toney will be a big miss, Frank’s side do have a lot of quality in their team outside of the striker’s goal contributions.

Forest have shown glimpses of their capabilities of competing despite their league position, with an impressive performance that led to them stealing all three points from Liverpool less than two weeks ago, so if the team can go out showing similar resilience there is no reason why they can’t secure another victory.

The World Cup is just around the corner and Cooper will be wanting to pick up as many points as possible from the last two Premier League fixtures so Brentford without Toney is a great opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.

With that being said, the Forest boss must deploy his very best team who can put in the hard work and offer the quality needed to take a result in front of the home support this weekend as they could find themselves in even further trouble should they not pick up any more points before the international break.

Reported Liverpool target Son Heung-min ‘would love’ to move to Anfield from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, according to former Scottish Premiership striker Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Liverpool plotting Son swoop

Despite still having more than two-and-a-half years remaining on his current contract at Spurs, recent reports have suggested that the 30-year-old would be open to leaving N17 in a bid to secure silverware, with the Merseyside giants interested in a deal.

When the two teams played out a 1-1 draw in May, Jurgen Klopp was pictured speaking to the forward after the final whistle, so it doesn’t come as a massive shock to learn of the rumoured attention, with the Reds reportedly keeping tabs on the South Korea star.

The Latest: McAvennie’s admission

Asked by Football Insider whether Liverpool could make a move to sign Son in 2023, McAvennie replied: “I heard that Liverpool are in for him and I think he would go.

“He is not going to win anything at Tottenham. You are going to be challenging to get into the Champions League but I cannot see them winning it, not with that team.

“He would be an absolute star at Liverpool, the way they play. I think he would love to go. I think he would want to stay in the Premier League, he loves it. Liverpool would be great for him.“

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The Verdict: Get it done…

FSG making a swoop for one of Spurs’ standout performers next summer should be a no-brainer if the opportunity were to arise, given his outstanding track record. Indeed, he netted in both games against Liverpool last season.

Son, who will be in action for South Korea at the World Cup later this month, has made a remarkable 212 goal contributions in just 344 appearances for Antonio Conte’s side, and he averages 2.8 shots and 2.2 key passes per league game (WhoScored).

Just two players in Klopp’s squad have a better shots-per-game ratio, while only Mohamed Salah can surpass the Korean’s key passes average at Anfield (WhoScored).

The Tottenham star would surely flourish playing alongside the likes of the Egyptian and would be an excellent addition to the Reds’ attacking department if they can bring him to Merseyside.

Newcastle United continued their stunning start to the season with a thumping 4-1 victory over Southampton on Sunday afternoon, with the Magpies having subsequently moved into third in the table to remain firmly in contention for a Champions League qualification berth.

For all the obvious talk of the investment that has helped to bolster the Tynesiders in recent windows, it has still proven a remarkable turnaround in fortunes under current boss Eddie Howe, following the doom and gloom that plagued the tenure of the Englishman’s predecessor, Steve Bruce.

The St James’ Park outfit have now won six of their last seven Premier League games, with their solitary top-flight defeat this season having come away to Liverpool at Anfield at the end of August, having emerged as a real threat to the established ‘Big Six’ in double-quick time.

A key figure in this recent rise for the northeast side has been that of Kieran Trippier, with the 32-year-old having been an instrumental presence for the club since his £12m arrival from La Liga side Atletico Madrid back in January.

That fee has gone on to appear something of a snip such has been the England international’s displays this season, in particular, with yesterday’s win another shining example of just what the full-back offers to Howe and co, having been the true hero for his side once again.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man has been in “unreal” form of late – as per one source – having helped form a vital part of a side that currently boasts the best defensive record in the league thus far, having shipped only 11 goals in 14 games.

The 37-cap machine notably recorded three tackles, three clearances and one interception in his 80-minute outing at St Mary’s, while also winning a solid four of his six ground duels and two of his four aerial duels as a sign of his defensive strength.

It was the Salford-born star’s impact in an attacking sense that particularly caught the eye, however, with the £100k-per-week man notably teeing up Joe Willock for his side’s third goal, after making a stunning interception in the middle of the pitch and laying on an exquisite, inch-perfect pass to his teammate.

That moment of brilliance has ensured that the one-time Burnley gem now has five goal contributions in all competitions so far this term from his right-back berth, with such form ensuring that he now simply “has to start” for his country at the upcoming World Cup, according to Alan Shearer.

While the £11.3m-rated ace did lose possession on 18 occasions during that latest showing against the Saints, he was still able to record a stunning match rating of 7.6, as per SofaScore, with that figure the highest of any player for either side.

There will likely be concern among both his club and the Three Lions at having seen the all-action defender withdrawn late on after struggling with a potential hamstring injury, although the player himself insisted post-match that the issue was not serious.

On the evidence of yesterday’s performance, Newcastle need their leader in tow if they are to maintain their current, remarkable assault on the top four.

Manchester United will be looking to head into the World Cup break on a high with victory away to Fulham later today, with Erik ten Hag’s side hoping to close the six-point gap on Tottenham Hotspur in fourth spot.

The Red Devils head into the meeting at Craven Cottage following a week of mixed fortunes across all competitions, having narrowly missed out on top spot in Group E in the Europa League last Thursday, before slipping up away to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa in the Premier League just a few days later.

Another encounter with the Midlands outfit sprung up an enthralling affair at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup in midweek, with the hosts running out 4-2 winners on the night following a barnstorming and breathless second-half.

Following that latest triumph, here’s how Football FanCast predicts that the visitors will line up in west London:

(4-2-3-1) – (GK) De Gea; (RB) Malacia, (CB) Lindelof, (CB) Martinez, (LB) Shaw; (CDM) Casemiro, (CDM) Eriksen; (RW) Garnacho, (CAM) Fernandes, (LW) Rashford; (ST) Martial.

The major team news heading into the game is that misfiring forward Cristiano Ronaldo – who has just three goals to his name this season – is set to be absent once again due to illness, while compatriot Diogo Dalot is out through suspension, having previously started every game across all fronts this term.

With that in mind, we predict that there will be six changes from the side that clinched victory on Thursday night, with undisputed number one David De Gea set to come back into the side ahead of recent debutant, Martin Dubravka.

The absence of the aforementioned Dalot could see summer signing Tyrell Malacia deployed as a makeshift right-back, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka having hardly received a show of confidence from his manager leading up to the game, while Lisandro Martinez could come in for struggling skipper Harry Maguire – the latter man culpable for Olle Watkins’ opener last time out.

The experienced midfield duo of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen should well return, while Bruno Fernandes will likely be restored to his favoured playmaking berth, following another “anonymous” display from Donny van de Beek in that role against the Villans, in the words of journalist Tom McDermott.

As for the attacking trio, the long-serving pairing of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford will seemingly be looking to add to their midweek strikes, while emerging superstar Alejandro Garnacho should have done enough to start after his two assists while on cup duty.

The electric 18-year-old – who has been described as a “full back’s nightmare” by MUTV pundit Febian Brandy – produced a scintillating cameo off the bench against Emery’s men on Thursday, with a starting berth no doubt deserved today, particularly with attacking options limited due to the absence of Jadon Sancho and Antony.

Jurgen Klopp must finally ditch Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after the player has featured just four times this season due to injury.

What’s the news?

According to Fabrizio Romano, the 29-year-old looks set to leave Anfield next summer, with the Italian transfer insider revealing in a recent post on Twitter:

“Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, expected to leave Liverpool in 2023 as a free agent. There are no talks to extend his contract as things stand. New midfielders will be the priority for Liverpool on the market next year.”

It looks like a double boost for the Anfield faithful, moving the Englishman on while also prioritising some new midfield arrivals.

Klopp must bin Oxlade-Chamberlain

Oxlade-Chamberlain arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 2017 for a fee of £35m. Although an expensive purchase, his reputation as one of most talented English midfielders at the time was enough for Klopp to splash the cash.

He had won three FA Cups at Arsenal while registering 52 goal contributions in 198 matches for the North London side.

Despite winning a raft of honours on Merseyside, including a Champions League title and Premier League crown, the 29-year-old hasn’t quite lived up to expectations.

The £125k-per-week midfielder has played over 30 league matches just twice in five full seasons at the club, with injuries disrupting his chances of gaining any sort of consistency.

Indeed, since joining in 2017, he has missed a staggering 90 matches due to a range of injuries and with his contract expiring next year, it’s time both parties moved on.

Atul Kasbekar dubbed the midfielder as “woeful” at the start of the year and with the player costing Liverpool a whopping £73m over the previous five years (£35m transfer fee plus £38m in total wages), it represents a colossal waste of money.

Aston Villa were linked with him during the summer transfer window and Klopp might be able to entice new manager Unai Emery into revisiting a move in January.

It would be shrewd business by the German if he manages to get any fee for Oxlade-Chamberlain, and this can free up wages for some new midfield additions the club urgently needs.

Chelsea have hit a poor run of form in the Premier League and are now currently 8th in the table, however, Graham Potter will get the opportunity to strengthen his team in the January transfer window, with a new potential transfer target emerging.

What’s the latest?

According to Spanish news outlet SPORT, Chelsea have shown interest in Memphis Depay.

As per the report, the Blues are joined by Manchester United and Arsenal in their interest in signing the forward but will not make a move until they have seen his performance in the World Cup for the Netherlands over the next couple of weeks.

Potter can get Stamford Bridge rocking

There is no doubt that Chelsea are in desperate need of a natural finisher who can offer the team more goal-scoring opportunities and convert chances in their pursuit to climb back up the table into a spot that earns them qualification in the Champions League next season.

Potter will be desperate to make a positive impact on the second half of the season, something he may be able to achieve by adding quality players who fit his philosophy in the second half of the season.

As a result, the signing of Depay could be exactly what Chelsea needs to get the front line firing more consistently as he is an experienced forward with an impressive goal tally over his career so far.

The Barcelona star has scored 159 goals and registered 96 assists throughout his playing days with a goal contribution every 112 minutes proving that he is a consistent and reliable performer in front of goal.

Not only that, Depay – who was hailed a “joy to watch” by Ronald Koeman – is a ruthless creator.

He ranks in the top 1% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for passes attempted and progressive passes received, as well as ranking in the top 15% for shot-creating actions, touches and pass completion, further displaying the striker’s discipline and ability to get himself into dangerous positions against opponents.

Chelsea may be at an advantage to sign the out-of-favour player after the prestigious international tournament as he has only made two La Liga appearances this season and will surely be in search of more regular football which may be found in West London if he performs to a high level in Qatar.

With that being said, Potter could certainly get a quietened Stamford Bridge rocking again if they can secure Depay’s signature in the January transfer window.

He is a player who knows England already, is a clinical finisher and an incredibly creative playmaker. Versatile as well, it seems as if the Dutchman ticks plenty of boxes, something that would suggest he is a perfect acquisition this winter. It would surely be a signing that pleases many at the Bridge.

Much of the speculation surrounding Wolverhampton Wanderers during the summer was whether or not Portuguese maestro Joao Moutinho would sign a new deal to stay at Molineux.

Eventually, the 36-year-old would agree to a new one-year contract with the Old Gold but his performances this season suggest that former manager Bruno Lage may have made a big mistake in keeping him on.

The once “outstanding” midfielder joined Wolves from Monaco in a deal worth £5m in 2018 and he has been a mainstay at Molineux in the four years since, making 191 appearances and scoring five goals in that time.

It was no surprise that Lage wanted Moutinho to stay for another year in the summer, as he made 35 appearances in the Premier League last season, averaging a solid 6.69 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the top flight.

Sadly, his form this season has been far less consistent, as his 13 league appearances have returned no goals or assists, with an average rating of 6.57 from WhoScored.

Considering he averaged an impressive 7.06 rating in his first season at Molineux, it is clear how much he has declined with age, and it seems clear that Wolves would be better off starting a younger midfielder as they look to avoid relegation this season.

No player in Wolves’ squad has been dribbled past more often in the current campaign, which emphasises that Moutinho no longer has the legs to compete in the Premier League and the Portuguese pass-master is a luxury which the Old Gold can no longer afford to have.

The summer additions of Matheus Nunes and Boubacar Traore at least give new manager Julen Lopetegui alternative options for when the Premier League resumes next month but in truth, Lage spent an unnecessarily huge chunk of Wolves’ wage budget on Moutinho in the summer, which could come back to bite them in January.

According to Capology, no player in the squad earns more than Moutinho’s £100k-per-week at Molineux, which suggests that Lage was thinking with his heart rather than his head when offering the veteran midfielder a new deal in the summer.

It seems clear that Moutinho is no longer good enough to be a regular starter in the top flight, and Wolves fans will be hoping that Lage’s summer blunder doesn’t cost Lopetegui too dearly in January as he looks to overhaul a squad that currently looks doomed to relegation.