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Fabrizio Romano has shared some news out of Arsenal, with one highly-rated young player about to swap north London for another club.

With the international break soon drawing to a close, Mikel Arteta is about to prepare his side for an intriguing face-off against Nottingham Forest, who have just parted company with Nuno Espírito Santo in what was a shocking overnight move.

Former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is set to replace Nuno at Forest, and Evangelos Marinakis will also have the Australian through the door in time for Saturday, which makes Arsenal’s Premier League return part of a major story.

For the Gunners, it represents an opportunity for Arteta to steal some much-needed three points off a Forest side who’ll be finding their feet under a brand-new manager, and Arsenal really cannot afford to slip up.

Their 1-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield just prior to the international break handed Arteta his first defeat of the campaign, and perhaps emphasised that the Merseysiders are indeed outstanding favourites to retain their Premier League crown after a summer of lavish spending.

Arsenal showcased real ambition in the summer transfer market as well, spending north of £250 million on an array of key signings in Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Piero Hincapie.

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£5m

Martin Zubimendi

£60m

Christian Norgaard

£15m

Noni Madueke

£52m

Cristhian Mosquera

£13m

Viktor Gyokeres

£55m

Eberechi Eze

£67.5m

Piero Hincapie

Loan

Hale End academy sensations Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri, who are the two youngest debutants in Premier League history, are also expected to play a role amid this serious hype surrounding them and fellow teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Arsenal have high hopes for young signing Mosquera too, and there is a reported belief behind-the-scenes that the Spaniard could become one of the best centre-backs in the world over these next few years.

18-year-old Dan Casey was also praised by coaches for his potential at Arsenal, but the 2007-born attacking midfielder is about to join Crystal Palace after snubbing a contract to remain in N5.

Dan Casey set to join Crystal Palace after leaving Arsenal

That is according to Romano, who reports that a deal is agreed for Casey to leave Arsenal for Palace as the two clubs shake hands on a compensation fee.

The teenager attracted praise from Arsenal Under-18s coach Adam Birchall for his performances at academy level, including as recently as February, but the prospect of any senior debut for them is now off the cards.

Chasing 148, DC romped to their target with 27 balls to spare, consigning RCB to their fourth straight defeat

Srinidhi Ramanujam01-Mar-2025Shafali Verma and Jess Jonassen smashed merciless unbeaten fifties to steer Delhi Capitals (DC) into the WPL 2025 playoffs with a nine-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Saturday. It was RCB’s fourth defeat in a row, and they ended without a single win in the Bengaluru leg of the tournament.Ellyse Perry once again led RCB’s fight after they were sent in, scoring an unbeaten 60 to help the side post 147 for 5, but it wasn’t enough against the table-toppers, who had Shikha Pandey and debutant left-arm spinner Shree Charani picking up two wickets apiece.The chase though got off on a tricky note for DC, who lost Meg Lanning in the third over, but Shafali and Jonassen put on an unbroken 146 for the second wicket off just 77 balls – the highest partnership for any wicket in a WPL run chase. The Chinnaswamy was left silenced as DC romped home with 27 balls remaining.Ellyse Perry hit three sixes on her way to an unbeaten 60 off 47 balls•BCCI Perry anchors RCB inningsPerry came into this game with three fifties in RCB’s first five games, and she was once again central to her team’s fortunes on a slow surface. While there were starts from Danni Wyatt-Hodge (21 off 18) and Raghvi Bist (33 off 32), neither went on to a big score. It was left to Perry to anchor the innings and keep the scorecard ticking at a healthy rate.Coming in after Pandey had dismissed Smriti Mandhana in the second over for another low score (8), Perry was up and running in Pandey’s next over by crashing a wide half-volley over the covers for four. She then hit a six each off spinners Jonassen, Charani and Minnu Mani.Perry put on a brisk 44 with Wyatt-Hodge for the second wicket, and 66 with Bist for the third. With Bist struggling to middle the ball, however, that partnership consumed 54 balls.Perry reached her fourth fifty of the season, off 37 balls, in the 14th over. At the end of the 16th over, RCB were 119 for 2 and eyeing a strong finish. But they fell apart, scoring just 28 in the last four overs for the loss of three wickets. Perry only faced seven balls in the last five overs, scoring eight runs off them.With 295 runs in six innings, Perry has overtaken Nat Sciver-Brunt to become the tournament’s leading run-scorer.Sree Charani finished with figures of 2 for 28 on WPL debut•BCCICharani shines on debutDC preferred Charani over fast bowler Titas Sadhu and she looked in her element. Unfazed by the huge turnout at the Chinnaswamy, Charani used the turn that was on offer in the first innings, kept the stumps in play, constantly angling the ball into middle and leg over the course of a tight spell. She removed Bist and Richa Ghosh in a momentum-changing 17th over to deflate RCB at the death, and ended with figures of 2 for 28 from four overs.Chinnaswamy fast follows Chinnaswamy feast for MandhanaMandhana owned the Chinnaswamy during WPL 2024, scoring 219 runs in five innings, including two half-centuries, at a strike rate of 154.22. This season, however, she has perished to ill-judged shots, accumulating just 50 runs in four innings at her home ground at a strike rate of 102.04. On Saturday, she chased a Pandey delivery shaping away from off stump and edged to Lanning at wide slip.Left-right combination works for DCRCB had an excellent start to their bowling powerplay, conceding just five runs in the first three overs. Renuka Singh displayed excellent control with her swing, with almost all of her deliveries finishing within the stumps. She removed Lanning for a 12-ball 2, with Perry taking a sharp chance at mid-on. But once Jonassen joined Shafali, runs started flowing for DC, and it became hard for RCB to keep them quiet.This was the second time Jonassen walked out at No. 3. She had scored another unbeaten 61 from that position at the same ground against Gujarat Giants. With DC’s top order predominantly made up of right-hand batters, they promoted the left-handed Jonassen and it began to unsettle RCB. Jonassen looked fluent in her 38-ball stay, hitting nine fours and a straight six off left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht.Shafali, who had been out in the 40s three times before this game, played a composed knock, showing a desire to not throw her wicket away after a bright start. She ended with her top score of the season, smashing eight fours and four sixes (two each on the off and leg sides) and hammered the bowling to all parts.As DC neared their target, RCB’s bowling began to wither, and Shafali and Jonassen duly punished them. From 68 for 1 after nine overs, DC sprinted to their target, hitting eight fours and five sixes while ransacking 83 runs off what turned out to be the last 39 balls of their innings.

We are just one week into the Premier League season, and Arsenal already have a significant injury setback.

News broke yesterday afternoon that, after only just recovering from his hamstring injury that ruled him out of half of last season, Kai Havertz is out with a knee problem.

It’s not clear what the specific injury is, but it looks like the German will be out of action for some time, which is not what Mikel Arteta needs with a trip to Liverpool coming up.

However, there is some good news for the Arsenal faithful, as the club are being linked with an international star who could be the manager’s next Havertz.

Arsenal target their next Havertz

It has been an interesting summer for Arsenal so far this year, as just a few weeks ago, following Viktor Gyokeres’ arrival, spirits were high.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, the sentiment in the fanbase took a nosedive this morning, mainly down to the news that Eberechi Eze looked almost certain to be heading to rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Unsurprisingly, this mood was not helped by the Havertz update, although Arsenal have acted quickly to give supporters something to look forward to with the Gunners incredibly hijacking Spurs’ bid to sign Eze, now agreeing a move themselves.

Eze hasn’t been the only Premier League attacker on the club’s radar. According to a recent report from the Sun, which has claimed Arsenal are still very interested in Morgan Rogers.

The report has revealed that the Gunners are now ‘weighing up a dramatic swoop’ for the Aston Villa star, who is valued at around £80m.

It goes on to claim that while the North Londoners were already keeping tabs on the Englishman, the injury to Havertz has only ‘increased the likelihood’ that the club will go back into the market.

It’s a lot of money to spend on one player, but Rogers is an outrageously talented player and would be more than worth it, especially as he could be Arteta’s new Havertz.

How Rogers would be Arteta's new Havertz

So, the first thing to say is that, yes, Rogers and Havertz have not played in the same position over the last couple of seasons.

However, while that is not the primary basis of this comparison, there are a few other similarities that suggest the Englishman could be Arteta’s new version of the German.

For example, while we are on the topic of positions, they both share the trait of being versatile and playing where their managers want them to.

In the case of the Villa star, he’s spent much of his time at the club moving between attacking midfield and both wings and has even spent a little bit of time up top, which might come in handy at the moment.

The former Chelsea ace, on the other hand, has primarily spent time leading the line, but was originally a left eight when he arrived in North London, and even spent some time on the right last season.

The other key similarity is that, if this transfer goes through at the price reported, it would be another massive signing from a fellow Premier League side, and one that is challenging the European places.

Finally, both players are now full internationals, and while the former Bayer Leverkusen player has far more senior caps to his name, that would be expected given the age gap.

With all that said, there is another massive reason why Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign the former Middlesbrough gem: his output.

For example, in his 54 appearances across all competitions last season, totalling 4496 minutes, the Halesowen-born “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob, scored 14 goals and provided 16 assists.

Appearances

54

Minutes

4496′

Goals

14

Assists

16

Goal Involvements per Match

0.55

Minutes per Goal Involvement

149.86′

That means the often “unstoppable” midfielder, as dubbed by former Liverpool defender turned pundit Jamie Carragher, was able to average a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 149.86 minutes.

Having that sort of output in this team could be the difference between another second-place finish and glory.

Ultimately, even before the injury to Havertz, Arsenal should have gone all out to sign Rogers, but now we know the German will be out for some time, the club should be solely focused on bringing the Villa star to the Emirates.

Fabrizio Romano: Arsenal could move for "interesting" target in £43m star

The Gunners have a potential late-window opportunity.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 20, 2025

Carlo Ancelotti admits that Endrick’s development at Real Madrid stalled due to the presence of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, with the Italian tactician having to decide whether the teenage forward is deserving of a place in his Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup. Spots in that selection remain up for grabs less than a year out from the tournament itself.

Brazil squad: Household names left out

Endrick did not feature in Brazil’s latest squad, although a number of household names were rested for the final rounds of World Cup qualifying duty as the Selecao are already safely through to next summer’s finals.

AdvertisementGettyEndrick has 14 senior caps for Brazil

He was last picked in March, with regular game time at club level proving hard to come by. Endrick started just three La Liga games for Real last season, when Ancelotti was his manager at Santiago Bernabeu.

Why Endrick's Brazil spot is under threat

The 19-year-old faces fierce competition for places in the Spanish capital, which is putting his place in the Brazil squad under threat. The South American nation also have other exciting youngsters emerging – such as Estevao Willian, who is now in the Premier League with Chelsea.

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GettySelecao stars: Exciting talents emerge for Brazil

Ancelotti told when asked about the potential at his disposal: “I really like Estevao, he's young, he has personality, character. He started well in the Premier League, obviously Estevao, not only for this World Cup, but for the future of the national team, will be a very, very important player.

“Well, Endrick is like Estevao. He's a great talent. I think Estevao was lucky. The problem with young people who go to Europe is that they have a leading role here, but not much of a leading role there. I coached Endrick for a year and really liked him as a person and as a professional.

“And, obviously, he didn't play as well as he could, because Real Madrid had Rodrigo, Vini; competition in a big team is important, and that can affect a player's progression a little.”

Legspinner Abrar Ahmed is being treated in a hospital in Multan after being taken ill. Abrar, who bowled 31 overs on day three against England, complained of a high fever and body aches on the morning of the fourth day, and did not take the field with the rest of his team-mates.A PCB statement said he had undergone a number of tests, and a further update would be issued once results were received.Abrar endured a difficult time with the ball, with England singling him out for attack. For much of the second half of the day, he was reduced to bowling outside leg stump from around the wicket to Joe Root and Harry Brook. It did drag his economy rate down, but he was the only frontline bowler to go wicketless, with his final figures reading 35-0-174-0. It is in stark contrast to his debut on this very ground against the same opposition in 2022, when he took 11 wickets in the game – and five before lunch on day one – to catapult him to the top of Pakistan’s red ball spin pecking order.Related

• Multan marvel strengthens England belief in Bazball brand

• Jack Leach, England's unlikely Asia enforcer, comes to the fore once more

• Leach four-for consigns Pakistan to historic innings defeat

• Joe Root: Harry Brook's 317 is just the first of his 'monster' scores

• Joe Root: 'Earning the right to win' was England's motivation in historic batting display

But injuries have dogged him consistently throughout his career. He made his professional debut for Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL as an 18-year old but then spent a number of years out of the game with a persistent back injury. He sustained a nerve injury during a tour game ahead of Pakistan’s three Test tour of Australia, ultimately missing all of them, as well as the first Test against Bangladesh in August.Pakistan named Noman Ali and Zahid Mahmood in the squad for the ongoing first Test against England, but released them ahead of the start of the game.

Chelsea have missed out on a transfer target, with reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano sharing news that the player is poised to remain at his club instead.

Enzo Maresca has watched BlueCo orchestrate a fairly productive transfer market thus far.

Maresca is now pushing Chelsea to sign £150k-per-week World Cup winner

The Italian and his staff are big fans.

2

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 28, 2025

The Blues sealed a £30 million move for highly-rated young English striker Liam Delap, who’s already got on the scoresheet with his first-ever goal for Chelsea at the Club World Cup, and it is believed that optimism is growing over a deal for Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season	Average match rating
Cole Palmer	7.33
Moises Caicedo	7.02
Enzo Fernández	6.95
Nicolas Jackson	6.88
Noni Madueke	6.82
via WhoScored

They haven’t had it all their own way, though, as Dortmund rejected three bids from Chelsea for the 20-year-old before the last transfer deadline on June 10.

Chelsea also failed with an attempt to sign AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, with the Rossoneri insisting on a far higher price tag than Maresca’s side were willing to pay, and talks surrounding a pre-CWC move for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitiké didn’t go anywhere either.

Maresca’s side are in the market for a centre-back too, but according to Romano, they’ll have to move on from Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite – who’s now been added to the list of players who Chelsea won’t be signing.

Jarrad Branthwaite set to reject Chelsea and sign new Everton deal

Earlier this month, journalist Simon Phillips reported that Chelsea were planning to push for Branthwaite, and there was a possibility that the 23-year-old could ask to make the move to Stamford Bridge.

“Chelsea intend to push for him [Branthwaite] again and there is a possibility that they offer players to Everton in an attempt to get the fee down and make the deal more appealing on both sides,” said Phillips.

“We’ve also heard that he is a little frustrated, on Everton putting such a big valuation on his head. We had initially heard that Branthwaite would not actively push for a move. But it has now transpired that he is keen on Chelsea and could end up asking for the move.”

However, despite Chelsea’s intention, the £70 million-rated centre-back has just been put out of Maresca’s reach.

Romano confirms that Branthwaite will commit his future to Everton by signing a new long-term deal until 2030, dealing a blow to Chelsea and other suitors, who are poised to miss out on the Englishman tipped for a very bright future.

The former PSV Eindhoven loanee was also a wanted man at Tottenham, according to some reports, but any potential move to London will have to be put on the back-burner for a long while.

Everton are now in a race with Manchester City to sign a “crazy” homegrown talent, according to a recent report.

Everton in Bayern Munich tussle to sign Woltemade

The Toffees are looking to take advantage of the fact that the transfer window has opened early and are interested in adding to their attacking options next season. The situation around Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s future is still very unclear, and with that, Everton appear to be keeping their options open.

According to SportBild, relayed by Sport Witness, Everton have joined the race to sign striker Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart. The 23-year-old made his international debut for Germany in Wednesday night’s defeat to Portugal after his performances this season left Julian Nagelsmann impressed.

But the German manager is not the only one impressed, as Brighton & Hove Albion, Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid are all interested in signing Woltemade, as well as the Toffees.

Perfect Branthwaite replacement: Everton considering bid to sign £30m star

Everton could lose Jarrad Branthwaite this summer, but appear to have the perfect replacement lined up.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 5, 2025

The forward doesn’t have a release clause in his contract, though it has been claimed he could leave for around £16 million. But given he has now made the international stage and he is under contract until 2028, Stuttgart may be looking for a bit more than that, which could be bad news for Everton.

Everton looking to beat Man City in race to sign Caelan-Kole Cadamarteri

As well as looking at a more senior striker, the Toffees also have their eye on a more up-and-coming forward. According to The Star, Everton have now submitted an offer to sign Caelan-Kole Cadamarteri from Sheffield Wednesday.

The Toffees have submitted a bid which is in the region of £1.5 million plus add-ons, but Everton are not the only team to submit an offer, as Man City and Chelsea have also done the same. This report states that Wednesday’s chairman, Dejphon Chansiri, is now in discussions with the clubs about the specific terms of the deal, as the Owls want a substantial fee handed over up front, despite agreeing to the £1.5m valuation.

City are the team leading the race to sign the 15-year-old, but as of now, the young forward has yet to give any indication of which team he would prefer to join.

Caelan-Kole Cadamarteri’s career stats
	Apps
Sheffield Wednesday Under-18	1
England Under-16	2

Cadamarteri, who has been dubbed “crazy” for his rapid pace, came through the academy at Wednesday, and while he has yet to appear in the first team, he has impressed in youth football.

The Toffees have obviously seen enough from Cadamarteri that they want him to join their academy, with the view of him making the step-up into their first team in the next few years, and that is likely what the player is going to make the decision on – which club will give him the best pathway to make the jump into the first team.

Everton have not been afraid of giving young players a chance in the first team, and they will hope that helps them when it comes to getting this deal over the line.

Newcastle United are now in pole position to complete the signing of a “fearless” attacking player this summer, according to a fresh transfer claim.

Newcastle focusing on signing attackers

Eddie Howe will be eyeing reinforcements all over the pitch ahead of next season, but adding extra firepower to the attack is vital, even though Alexander Isak appears more likely to stay than leave.

Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo has been a leading candidate to come in and strengthen the right-hand side of Newcastle’s attack, despite Jacob Murphy enjoying a fantastic 2024/25 season there. The Bees winger scored 20 times in the Premier League, but now appears set for a move to Manchester United after David Ornstein revealed the player’s preference is Old Trafford.

A separate update has already emerged regarding a potential alternative to Mbeumo, with journalist Pete O’Rourke saying West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus is a backup option.

“Newcastle can afford a deal for Kudus. As it stands, Bryan Mbeumo is their top target for that right-sided forward position. Kudus is on their list and has admirers within the Newcastle hierarchy, and is somebody they feel could come in and strengthen their attacking options.

“He obviously has that release clause of around £75million, but I don’t think many Premier League clubs will be willing to pay that. Due to West Ham’s situation, his suitors feel they can get him for a cheaper fee.”

Newcastle lead the race to sign "fearless" star

Now, according to Calciomercato‘s Daniele Longo [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are in pole position to sign Fiorentina striker Moise Kean this summer, with the 25-year-old having a £44m release clause in his contract. The Magpies are reportedly “very interested” in acquiring the Italian’s signature, with Napoli also believed to have made an enquiry about him.

Kean represents a good choice for Newcastle – one who could come in as an upgrade on the ageing Callum Wilson, providing healthy competition for Isak next season.

Newcastle already sold Kudus & Mbeumo hybrid who can 'reach Mane's level'

Newcastle are pursuing Mohammed Kudus and Bryan Mbeumo this summer – but have they already sold an alternative?

ByRobbie Walls Jun 1, 2025

Granted, the Italy international didn’t fare well in the Premier League the first time around – he only scored twice in 32 appearances in the competition for Everton – but he has matured as a player since then, being hailed as both “fearless” and “courageous” by Thomas Tuchel, who lauded him during their time together at Paris Saint-Germain.

Kean is now a more established footballer than he was in England in his first stint, netting seven times in 21 caps for Italy, so Newcastle would be wise to make a move for him.

Appearances

32

Starts

31

Minutes played

2712

Goals

19

Assists

3

Shots per game

3.3

Dribbles per game

1.4

Key passes per game

0.6

He is coming into his best years and will take some of the pressure off Isak, following a campaign that saw Kean score 19 times in 31 Serie A starts, highlighting his prolific nature for Fiorentina.

Celtic clinched their 55th league title and their fourth Scottish Premiership title in the last four seasons with a 5-0 win over Dundee United last weekend.

The Hoops only needed a point at Tannadice Park to rubber stamp their place at the top of the division, but they claimed the trophy in style with a convincing victory.

It was a big afternoon for Brendan Rodgers and his side, as they won the league title, but it was also a big game for Ireland international Adam Idah, who made a big impact off the bench.

The former Norwich City marksman scored two goals after coming on for the injured Jota, and will now be hoping to land a regular spot in the starting XI between now and the end of the season.

He has only started 16 of his 31 appearances in the Premiership so far this term, which shows that the Irish forward has been unable to nail down a place in the side throughout the campaign.

Idah is yet to prove that he has what it takes to be the main man for Celtic in the number nine position, despite Kyogo Furuhashi’s exit in the January transfer window.

Why Kyogo Furuhashi was a success at Celtic

The Japan international joined the club from Vissel Kobe in the summer of 2021, signed by Ange Postecoglou, and hit the ground running at Parkhead with 20 goals and five assists in 33 appearances in all competitions.

Kyogo did not fit the prototypical centre-forward mould, standing at 5 foot 7 and being fairly weak in his physical duels, but he made up for that with lethal finishing and exceptional movement.

The Japanese star, who scored 34 goals in the 2022/23 campaign, did not need to be a 6 foot 3, powerful, number nine who could bully opposition defences week-in-week-out, because he had the technical ability to impact matches without getting involved in physical tussles.

Kyogo ended his Celtic career with a return of 85 goals and 19 assists in 165 matches in all competitions, which illustrates just how effective he was at the top end of the pitch.

Kyogo’s three full seasons at Celtic
Premiership	21/22	22/23	23/24
Appearances	20	36	38
Goals	12	27	14
Duels won per game	1.7	1.2	1.5
Ground duel success rate	43%	44%	45%
Aerial duel success rate	20%	13%	26%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the former Celtic striker consistently struggled with the physical side of the game throughout his three full Premiership seasons, yet still managed to consistently score goals.

This shows that he was a success at Parkhead because of his movement and his technical quality, and is proof that Celtic do not need a tall, physical, experienced number nine if they opt to recruit one in the summer.

Celtic eyeing Premiership striker

In fact, Celtic may be able to unearth their next version of Kyogo by signing a Premiership player whom they are now, reportedly, showing an interest in.

According to the Chronicle Live, the Hoops are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a swoop for Hearts centre-forward James Wilson ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Hoops have ‘checked’ the 18-year-old striker out this season, in what has been his breakthrough year at senior level with the Jam Tarts, as Rodgers lines up a move for the youngster.

However, the Scottish giants will face some significant competition for his services because the outlet adds that Premier League clubs, including Newcastle United, are also interested in the forward.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It also reveals that fellow Glasgow club Rangers have also checked out the teenage sensation’s performances for Hearts this term, but Celtic may have the upper hand over their rivals because they have just won the Premiership title and may be a more attractive proposition.

Why Celtic should sign James Wilson

The Hoops must, now, swoop to sign Wilson ahead of Rangers and Newcastle, and any other Premier League teams, because he has the potential to be an exciting addition to the squad.

Celtic would be signing a young player with so many years left ahead of him to develop and improve in the future, because the Scotland international only turned 18 in March, which means that there would not be too much emphasis on him needing to be an instant success.

Like Kyogo, Wilson has a lean build and is not your prototypical, physical, Scottish centre-forward who is going to win aerial duels and hold the ball up under pressure constantly.

Instead, the Scotland international is an effective finisher who has clever movement and clean technique in front of goal, which allows him to make an impact at Premiership level.

24/25 Premiership	James Wilson
Starts	15
Goals	5
Big chances missed	4
Duels won per game	2.6
Ground duel success rate	45%
Aerial duel success rate	29%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Wilson does not win many duels per game and he has been dominated by opposition defenders in duels on the ground and in the air throughout this season, which has been his first of regular football in the league.

This shows that he is similar to Kyogo in the sense that they both struggle with the physical side of the game, but his goal return speaks to his ability in possession.

Wilson, whose appearance as Scotland’s youngest ever debutant was described as “incredible” by Neil Critchley, scored five goals from 4.77 xG, which shows that he has been efficient in front of goals in the top-flight.

This suggests that he has the potential to be similar to Kyogo at Celtic as a centre-forward who can provide a clinical touch in the final third, without offering a physical presence, by using his movement and technical qualities to make a big impact.

Worth less than Nawrocki: Celtic must axe flop who "wants to be at the club"

Celtic must ruthlessly bin this player who is now worth even less than Maik Nawrocki.

By
Dan Emery

Apr 29, 2025

Couple that with his age profile and potential to improve, and this is why the Scottish giants should push to bring him to Parkhead in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Can Celtic move three points closer to securing a fourth successive Scottish Premiership title?

If the Hoops beat Kilmarnock on Saturday, and then Rangers are beaten by Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday, the Celts will have rubber-stamped a record-equalling 55th Scottish top division title, as well as their 13th in just 14 seasons.

This is actually despite the fact the Bhoys have lost three of their last six Premiership games, having lost only two of the previous 46, most recently beaten 1-0 at St Johnstone last weekend, their first defeat against the side bottom of the table since November 2005.

So, as Brendan Rodgers’ side seek to get back to winning ways, with one eye on a Scottish Cup semi-final date with the Saints at Hampden on Easter Sunday, the boss should make changes to his starting lineup, unleashing his “on fire” wide-man.

Nicolas Kühn's season of two halves

Nicolas Kühn was absolutely outstanding during the first half of this season, very much on course to be named Celtic’s player of the season, with David Irvine of the National even suggesting he was being considered by Julian Nagelsmann for a call-up to the German national team.

However, he has not been able to sustain this form, as the table below outlines.

Nicolas Kühn 2024/25 season statistics
Statistics	Kühn in 2024	Kühn in 2025
Appearances	25	19
Minutes	1,713	1,242
Goals	14	4
Minutes per goal	122	311
Assists	11	3
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As shown, Kühn’s statistics have fallen off a cliff since New Year’s Day, scoring only twice in 15 outings since bagging a brace against St Mirren on 5 January.

The German has started each of the Hoops’ last eight fixtures, hooked at half-time at McDiarmid Park last Sunday, and we believe he should begin Saturday’s meeting with Killie on the bench, considering this major downturn in form.

The Celtic star who should replace Kuhn

Yang Hyun-jun was introduced as a substitute at the interval in Perth last weekend, replacing Kühn as part of a double alteration, but the South Korean deserves to be in from the start this time.

Yang joined Celtic from hometown club Gangwon FC for a reported fee of £2m two summers ago, but made very little impact in Glasgow until recently, as the table below outlines.

Yang Hyun-jun’s Celtic career in numbers
Statistics	Yang in ’23 & ’24	Yang in 2025
Appearances	45	16
Minutes	1,753	651
Goals	1	5
Minutes per goal	1,753	130
Assists	4	5
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As laid out, since the turn of the year, Yang’s statistics have exponentially improved, scoring five times, most notably bagging a brace at St Mirren Park during a 5-2 victory, with Korean journalist Joel Kim describing his compatriot as “on fire”.

After this win in Paisley, Rodgers credited Yang’s girlfriend for his recent resurgence, telling the BBC that she has been in the country for “a little while”, adding that he’s had a chat with the translator and will do everything in his power to ensure she can stay for a bit longer.

When compared to Kühn, Yang is certainly the man in form, hence why the South Korean deserves to start against Kilmarnock on Saturday to see what he can do at the top end of the pitch in place of the faltering left-footed forward.

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