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Dundee are looking to sign Celtic goalkeeper Conor Hazard on loan this summer, according to Scott Burns of The Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Hazard’s Hoops career

Hazard made the move to Parkhead back in 2014 from Cliftonville to link up with the club’s Under-17 side.

Since then, Hazard has spent time out on loan at Falkirk, Partick Thistle and Dundee, making a total of 38 appearances for those three clubs.

The 23-year-old made started five Scottish Premiership fixtures under Neil Lennon last season and was also the hero in Celtic’s historic Scottish up triumph over Hearts back in December.

The Northern Irishman, who was described as ‘excellent’ by Lennon, saved two penalties in a Hampden Park shootout win to seal a quadruple treble for Celtic.

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The Latest: Burns claim

Burns shared a story on Thursday evening, suggesting Dundee are keen on another tempoarary move for Hazard.

He signed a new deal at Celtic Park back in March, however, Burns claims that the Hoops are aware of Dundee’s interest and could strike a deal if Ange Postecoglou manages to bring in a new ‘keeper.

The Verdict: Could actually help Postecoglou

A loan move to Dundee for Hazard could actually help Postecoglou.

His top ‘keeper target is thought to be Brighton’s Mat Ryan, and should he move to Scotland, Postecoglou would have four senior shot-stoppers on the books, possibly one too many.

Allowing Hazard to move out on loan, where you’d expect he would get regular game time, could be handy for all involved.

That would leave Postecoglou with Ryan, Vasilis Barkas and Scott Bain for the new campaign, three experienced goalkeepers.

Should Hazard impress at Dundee, who knows, Celtic may well be happy to explore a permanent sale for him next year.

In other news: Sources claim Celtic could now make ace who has ‘got it all’ their fourth biggest signing ever, find out more here. 

Leeds United will need to pay a club-record fee if they are to secure Ben Brereton Diaz this month…

What’s the word?

That’s according to TEAMtalk, who claim that Blackburn Rovers want to see more than £30m before they would even consider selling their leading talisman.

The 22-year-old only has six months to run on his current contract but it’s believed the Lancashire outfit have an option to trigger a one-year extension.

Several teams have enquired over the possibility of signing the Chile international before the January 31st deadline, including the Yorkshire giants, West Ham United, Brighton and Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

United paid a record £30m to Manchester United for Daniel James in the summer. Meanwhile, only three players have commanded a larger fee when transferring out of the Championship – Nathan Ake (£41m), Ollie Watkins (£33m) and Moussa Sissoko (£30m).

Bielsa needs him

Given the fact that Rovers can keep him until the summer of 2023 without any fuss, it seems likely that Leeds will need to spend big bucks to land a player that Bielsa is noted to be really keen on.

And ultimately, he’s someone that the Argentinian head coach badly needs.

As we’ve seen throughout the bulk of the 2021/22 campaign, Bielsa and his squad have sorely missed top goalscorer Patrick Bamford, with the England international regularly facing time on the sideline through injury.

Only five other teams in the Premier League have scored fewer goals than United this season and no player aside from Raphina (eight) has found the net more than twice.

Diaz, meanwhile, is having a standout and breakthrough year for Blackburn. He has bagged a whopping 20 goals in just 25 appearances in the Championship this campaign, adding to his seven goals and five assists last term.

As a result of his fine form, the 6 foot 1 frontman has been dubbed a “goal machine” by The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, whilst his manager Tony Mowbray has regularly waxed lyrical about his star at Ewood Park.

“Brereton with the ball at his feet is an extraordinary talent,” he once told reporters (via LancsLive). “He’s a wonderful footballer who can dribble with both feet, take people out of the game.”

In another interview, this time with the club’s official website, he said: “Brereton’s like a beast now, and he can score goals. I see it every day in training. He’s a brilliant lad and all our lads absolutely love him.”

On the above evidence, it could be a wise and shrewd investment, even if it’ll cost chairman Andrea Radrizzani another club-record fee

AND in other news, Orta could save Bielsa millions with Leeds’ rarely-seen £8.4k-p/w “runaway train”…

According to reliable Tottenham Hotspur journalist Dan Kilpatrick of The Evening Standard, manager Antonio Conte has now made a player decision ahead of this summer’s transfer window.

The Lowdown: Big summer ahead…

The Lilywhites, currently chasing Champions League qualification, also face a big looming summer transfer window as Conte gears up for his first full season in charge.

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Tottenham have set their sights on a number of top transfer targets already, mainly in defence according to The Athletic, but they may need to offload certain players to boost their kitty.

One of those stars, club record signing and Lyon loanee Tanguy Ndombele, now looks like one Tottenham asset who could be up for grabs as Spurs’ head coach makes a pre-summer decision.

The Latest: Conte makes Ndombele call…

According to Kilpatrick, Conte has no faith in the 25-year-old with his future at Spurs now ‘uncertain’.

Indeed, Tottenham’s manager allegedly ‘sees no future’ for Ndombele at the club, with Lyon also not expected to exercise an option to sign permanently.

The hope now for Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy is his end-of-season performances attract interest from other clubs.

The Verdict: Time to go?

Ndombele, who shined under ex-boss Jose Mourinho at points last season, clearly has bags of ability and Spurs may well be able to attract a fairly substantial sum for his services.

Lauded as ‘underrated’ by pundit Martin Keown last season, West Ham star Declan Rice also revealed that some Lilywhites players believe the France international can be ‘unbelievable’.

The only question marks, as ever, will be centred around his attitude and application and that could prove a major sticking point for clubs interested in making a move.

Ndombele’s possible exit may well be one of the talking points of Tottenham’s summer transfer window and it will be interesting to see if Spurs manage to offload for a decent fee.

In other news: Tottenham eye agreement ‘in the coming weeks’ as they make offer for exciting midfielder, find out more here.

Lots of Manchester City fans have been left gushing over some news that has emerged involving former manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.

As shared by the official Twitter page of the Etihad Stadium faithful, the story of Eriksson’s one season at MCFC will now be told in a brand new feature production on CITY+.

The Swede was in charge of City the season before their takeover by the Abu Dhabi Group, in which he guided them to a respectable ninth spot in the Premier League.

He also managed to get to the quarter-final stage of the EFL Cup, and did the double over arch-rivals Manchester United in the league.

Nonetheless, the production will give a lot of City supporters the chance to reminisce what it was like just before the takeover went through, in what was a good season for them by their standards at the time.

Man City fans on Eriksson news

These Sky Blues gushed as the news was shared on Twitter, with a couple even going as far as to claim that they were ‘buzzing’, while another branded it as ‘fantastic’:

“One of the best years supporting the club I loved it”

Credit: @JoeCityFan

“One hell of a season that one. Remember it so well.”

Credit: @grandhustle0

“Absolutely buzzing to see this. Gutted that it was before my time, my dad still says it’s one of his favourite ever seasons supporting City”

Credit: @ttomconnolly

“This should be fantastic”

Credit: @DanTheCityMan_

“Honestly one of my favourite seasons”

Credit: @_PeterBennett

“Buzzing is an understatement”

Credit: @RNewall2

In other news, find out what new merchandise has left City fans wowed here!

Newcastle United’s prior relationship with Gleison Bremer’s agency could be key as they pursue the Torino centre-back, The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder says. 

The lowdown

Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport (via The Chronicle) has named Newcastle among a lengthy list of clubs interested in Bremer.

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Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid were also identified as admirers.

Bremer is represented by CAA Base, whose clients also include Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood.

The 25-year-old, who signed a contract extension as recently as February, has started every Serie A game for which he’s been available this season.

The latest

Ryder confirms that Newcastle have been watching Bremer and notes that Torino have ‘leaked’ €50million (£41million) price tag to the press in Italy.

The Magpies may hold a ‘trump card’ over their many competitors because of CAA Base’s ‘relationship with head of recruitment Steve Nickson’.

The verdict

This would be a real coup for Nickson and Newcastle.

Bremer is a dominant centre-back, ranking in the 95th percentile for aerial duels won per 90 minutes, and his average of 2.35 blocks per 90 (96th) also suggests he’s something of a warrior.

But that’s not to say the Brazilian’s old-fashioned. In fact, he records a high volume of dribbles (82nd percentile), indicating that he has a great deal of confidence in possession.

He also defends on the front-foot, slotting into the 98th percentile for pressures and leading the way in Europe’s top five leagues for interceptions per 90 minutes. That means he’s making more than renowned specialists like N’Golo Kante.

Journalist Maxi Angelo says he should be a contender for the Serie A Defender of the Season award, while Tifo Football’s Seb Stafford-Bloor has uniquely described him as ‘a vending machine of a centre-half’.

In other news, one Newcastle player was rated just 4/10 vs Leicester.

Everton have been linked with a move for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey as manager Rafael Benitez looks to bolster his engine room options at Goodison Park.

What’s the story?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, the Toffees are interested in securing the 30-year-old’s services in the January window, with fellow Premier League club West Ham United also listed as potential suitors.

The report claimed that both Everton and the Hammers are weighing up a move for Ramsey as the Serie A giants are eager to offload his sizeable wages as soon as possible.

Ramsey’s current contract doesn’t expire until the summer of 2023, but rumours suggest the Italian giants are eager to get the former Arsenal man off their books much sooner due to his lack of output on the pitch.

Marcel Brands must sanction Everton swoop

Everton’s director of football Marcel Brands must sanction a swoop for the £12.6m-rated Ramsey over the winter window, adding some class and technical ability to Benitez’s industrial midfield.

The Wales international has bags of Premier League experience under his belt from his time at Arsenal, where he continually impressed throughout his seven-year stay. Ramsey scored 65 goals and laid on a further 65 assists in 371 appearances for the Gunners, winning three FA Cups along the way and earning praise from several impressed onlookers, including Martin Keown.

“He continues to mature as a player and develop. He’s a real leader now in this Arsenal team,” the Gunners legend claimed back in 2019.

“Playing in a deeper role, as he did under Arsene Wenger – I think that’s the best role for him. If you want Ozil and him in the same team. He’s so important to everything Arsenal do. It’s the energy – the box-to-box energy. He’s become an outstanding technician.”

However, following a contract dispute, Ramsey departed the north London outfit on a free transfer ahead of the 2019/20 campaign, joining Juventus in a search for silverware.

Although he has claimed a Scudetto and a Coppa Italia during his time in Turin, the creative talent has only started 25 league games to date for the Bianconeri, highlighting his peripheral role within the first team squad.

Therefore, a move back to English shores appears likely over the coming months, and Everton’s hierarchy must make Goodison Park Ramsey’s next destination, aiding their push for a top six finish.

In other news… Everton could find their new Marouane Fellaini by signing “exciting” 6 foot 4 weapon 

Manchester United will be hoping to prove their status as potential champions with a victory over fierce rivals Leeds United on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.

The Red Devils finished second in the top-flight last term, 12 points behind Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City as they attempted to seal their first league crown since 2013.

It’s been a very successful summer for the Old Trafford club, though, with former Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho finally arriving in a £73m deal, while Raphael Varane is expected to be announced imminently.

United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that Sancho will play some part in today’s early kick-off, although whether he features from the off or not remains to be seen.

“Jadon is going to be involved definitely. Good week, but was ill after his holiday. He has looked sharper than expected. Can’t tell you if he is going to start, though,” claimed Solskjaer in yesterday’s press conference.

With that in mind, here’s how Football Fan Cast thinks the Norwegian will line up his side against Leeds, making three changes from their Europa League final defeat in May…

Spain international David de Gea will start in goal for the Red Devils as Dean Henderson has yet to fully recover from a viral infection.

Many United supporters would have been hoping to catch a glimpse of Varane in today’s opening encounter, but the World Cup-winning centre-back is currently unavailable. That means Victor Lindelof is set to partner Harry Maguire at the heart of defence, with the Englishman returning to the starting lineup in place of £13.5m-rated Eric Bailly.

The full-back spots will be occupied by the usual suspects of Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, completing a rather familiar-looking back five.

In midfield, Solskjaer has some big decisions to make. Reports throughout the summer claimed he was keen to play an attacking 4-3-3 system this season, meaning that Scott McTominay could anchor a forward-thinking duo involving Bruno Fernandes and Donny van de Beek.

Paul Pogba’s absence from the engine room should see him line up on the left-hand side. That’s due to the absence of Marcus Rashford through injury, Jesse Lingard through illness and Sancho and Edinson Cavani through a lack of training.

Solsjkaer’s fitness concerns should present a golden opportunity for Anthony Martial to stake his claim to be the leading striker once again, though, and might also see 19-year-old Mason Greenwood feature from the off once more.

In other news… Ole could save millions by trusting “perfect” £40m gem, Man Utd fans would love him 

Aston Villa are hoping to furnish Steven Gerrard with a new centre-back and a defensive midfielder in the January transfer window, according to Football Insider. 

The lowdown

The 41-year-old took over from Dean Smith earlier this month, so January will be his first chance to put his stamp on the squad through recruitment.

Villa spent £89.84m in the summer, with £34.5m addition Emiliano Buendia becoming their record signing and Leon Bailey and Danny Ings slotting into their all-time top four purchases.

Their outlay was the fifth-highest in the Premier League, yet they still managed to turn a £24.46m profit after the British record sale of Jack Grealish to Manchester City.

The latest

An Aston Villa source has told Football Insider that NSWE are prepared to sanction “big money” deals in the mid-season window.

Gerrard has identified the two positions he would like to be strengthened, namely centre-back and defensive midfield.

The verdict

When he was at Rangers, Gerrard had expressed frustration at the club’s lack of spending, so you can imagine that he sought assurances that he’d be adequately backed before taking on the Villa job.

Who could he potentially be targeting? Perhaps the centre-back could be reported target Pau Torres of Villarreal, and that would certainly be a big-money deal, with a report from Fichajes claiming that he’s valued at around £42m.

Eclipsing their transfer record once again to snap up the ‘extraordinary’ centre-back would be quite some statement of intent under the new boss.

In other news, Kevin Campbell thinks Gerrard may look to strengthen this position as well

West Ham United are reportedly monitoring a rather exciting young midfielder ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

According to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee on the latest episode of ‘The West Ham Way’ podcast, the Irons hold an interest in Marseille duo Duje Caleta-Car, who is a centre-back, and Boubacar Kamara, a 21-year-old gem.

Perhaps this development should come as no surprise to those around the London Stadium after the club recruited former Les Olympiens scout Georges Santos to Rob Newman’s recruitment team in recent weeks.

Premier League rivals Newcastle United have been heavily linked with the young France U21 international since the summer transfer window.

Dream Noble successor

With club captain Mark Noble hanging up his boots in the summer, it could be wise to search for further midfield reinforcements, sooner rather than later.

The Hammers did sign Alex Kral on loan during the summer but he’s to make any sort of mark, having been restricted to just two appearances all season.

Kamara is one of Europe’s most exciting versatile future talents. He is capable of playing in defence, both in the middle and on either flank, but it is in midfield where he appears to be the very best fit at 5 foot 10.

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He has earned glowing reviews on his ability and potential already at such a young age, including one from ex-Marseille teammate Rolando.

“This kid is a phenomenon,” he claimed. “When he started training with us, he was 15 years old. And from day one, I said, no, but this little one is going to be a great player.

“He’s the kind of central defender I like. He is full of qualities and, above all, he works, he listens. It is out of the ordinary.”

Since making his debut in France, Kamara has averaged 2.3 tackles, 1.8 headers won and 1.3 interceptions per game, via WhoScored, who also list his strengths as being his aerial and passing ability, as well as his tackling and blocking.

That sort of defensive resilience and intelligence bears some hallmarks to Noble and suggests that he could be a great option sitting a little deeper alongside Declan Rice, who we have seen get forward a lot more this campaign.

Kamara also has experience in Europe, playing 19 times across the Champions and Europa League, so he would fit in well with the ambition of the club and having fellow countrymen Kurt Zouma, Alphonse Areola – who has swapped Ligue 1 for England too – and Issa Diop would surely help an easy transition.

Also lauded as a “jewel” by scout Jacek Kulig, the £25.2m-rated beast could be an exciting and long-term signing in east London.

AND in other news, Huge update emerges on Rice’s future at West Ham…

Many Everton fans have been left delighted following an update on their proposed new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.As per the official website of the Goodison Park faithful, a web camera is set to be installed at the site so that supporters of the Merseyside club can see live images of what is happening during the construction process.The Toffees will also be launching a new project website which will share all of the latest news to do with the stadium, and give an opportunity for Blues to ask any questions they may have.These are certainly exciting times for Evertonians, as now that permission has been granted to build on the site, construction for the new ground can get under way as soon as possible, and they will be able to see it happening in front of their very eyes once the web cam is installed. Everton fans on Bramley-Moore Dock update

These EFC fans lauded the update was it was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it is ‘excellent news’:

“This is excellent news”Credit: @otrochris”Loving every bit of this.”Credit: @djmikepeters”Massive day.”Credit: @seanarundel”Brilliant Blues!!!”Credit: @camoefc84″Love it”Credit: @matt1878″Yeeeessss”Credit: @Howardm37030595In other news, find out what transfer update has Toffees talking here!