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Odsonne Edouard could end up staying at Celtic after his proposed move to Leicester City fell through, according to the Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Romano’s update

It looked almost certain the French forward would be swapping Celtic Park for the King Power this summer in a move that would reunite him with former Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers.

Edouard agreed on personal terms with the Foxes and told friends he would be joining Leicester, who were closing in on agreeing a fee.

However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano shared an update on Thursday, revealing Leicester are now looking to seal a deal for RB Salzburg striker Patson Daka after failing to reach an agreement with Celtic for Edouard.

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The Latest: Daily Mail report

The Daily Mail shared the news on Daka, Leicester and Edouard, claiming the Foxes had lined up a move for the Hoops star since January.

However, their attentions have now turned to Daka, who has also demanded less salary-wise than Edouard.

The report adds that Edouard is considering staying at Parkhead for the 2021/22 campaign to see out his contract and leave as a free agent next summer.

The Verdict: Mixed news for Celtic?

This could be bittersweet news for new Celtic CEO Dominic McKay and manager Ange Postecoglou.

Postecoglou may well be the happier of the two should Edouard decide to stay. He’s netted 83 goals in 168 games for the Hoops, so the new man in charge at Parkhead would have a free-scoring forward available for his first season in the dugout.

However, McKay may have his concerns, as Edouard, should his situation remain the same, could discuss a pre-contract agreement with a club outside of Scotland in the new year.

Celtic were after £40m for the striker just last summer, but two years on may end up receiving nothing, a bitter pill to swallow for the new chief.

In other news: Postecoglou adds 10-honour captain to list of targets, find out more here. 

According to The Sun, Mauricio Pochettino wants a return to Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

The Lowdown: Pochettino struggles in France

Pochettino left Tottenham towards the end of 2019 to be replaced by Jose Mourinho. He eventually took the Paris Saint-Germain job a year later, taking over from Thomas Tuchel.

However, he has not had the best of times in the French capital – his PSG side were beaten to the Ligue 1 title by Lille even though Pochettino has averaged 2.21 points per game since moving to the Parc des Princes (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Poch wants Spurs return

Now, it is being reported Pochettino could return to north London and wants a second crack with Tottenham.

The report also adds the Argentinian could be Spurs’ best chance of keeping Harry Kane at the club.

The Verdict: Dilemma

Pochettino did a fantastic job at Tottenham – Dele Alli once admitted he is an ‘amazing’ tactician. Many will point out he failed to win a trophy during his time there, but he turned the Lilywhites into a regular Champions League outfit, while they even reached the final of that competition in 2019, losing 2-0 to Liverpool in Madrid.

He also seemingly had a great relationship with Harry Kane, who recently revealed his desire to leave Tottenham (Sky Sports). Therefore, there are plenty of reasons as to why a return to Spurs could work out. On the other hand, though, it would feel like a step backwards – both parties have moved on since their previous partnership.

In other news, David Ornstein makes this Harry Kane claim.

Sheffield United have been dealt a huge blow in their bid to bring Jonson Clarke-Harris to Bramall Lane this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Bristol Live, who claim that West Bromwich Albion are now in pole position to land the Peterborough United forward this summer.

It is also claimed that Sheffield United, along with Rangers, Bournemouth and CSKA Moscow, are in the race to secure a deal for the 26-year-old in the coming transfer window, who would be available for around £8m.

Fans will be gutted

With goalscoring having been something of an issue for the Blades last term, with 33-year-old David McGoldrick being the club’s top league goalscorer with a mere eight strikes, as well as the fact that United scored a grand total of just 20 Premier League goals in the season just gone, improvements in the club’s attacking arsenal would appear to be a priority this summer.

And, considering how impressive Clarke-Harris was for Peterborough last term, the striker would not appear to be far off the ideal signing for Slavisa Jokanovic’s side in the upcoming transfer window.

Indeed, over his 45 League One appearances for Darren Ferguson’s side, the £225k-rated hitman scored 31 goals, registered three assists and created 11 big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.9 shots and making one key pass per game.

These returns saw the 26-year-old earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.24, ranking him as the club’s second-best performer in the third tier of English football – playing a huge role in Peterborough’s promotion-winning campaign.

As such, the addition of the player Ferguson dubbed a “leader” to Jokanovic’s attacking options at Bramall Lane would almost certainly increase the Blades’ chances of securing an immediate return to the Premier League next season, and, for a fee of around £8m, a deal for the striker would definitely not break the bank.

However, with it being reported that West Brom are now the favourites to land the forward, should Clarke-Harris indeed go on to join the Baggies this summer, it would come as a huge blow for United, as, not only would the Blades be missing out on the 26-year-old’s goals, but one of their main promotion rivals would be directly benefiting from them – an outcome that would undoubtedly leave Sheffield United fans gutted.

In other news: Transfer claim emerges on “unplayable” £15m beast that’ll have Sheff Utd fans fuming

As West Ham United announce they will be welcoming 10,000 supporters back to the London Stadium for the final Premier League match of 2020/2021 against Southampton, many Hammers supporters have flooded in response to the ‘fantastic’ news.

As COVID-19 restrictions steadily begin to ease with the government slowly lifting restrictions on public contact, this will have an impact on Premier League stadium attendances up and down the country.

Making an announcement, West Ham now confirm that 10,000 fans will be allowed to attend the match against Southampton in what could be a crucial encounter in their race to qualify for Europe.

All Season Ticket Holders who renewed for the 2020/2021 term will be automatically entered into the ballot and handed a chance to attend the game, but holders who were successful in the last ballot against Crystal Palace will apparently be given first priority.

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As this news emerges, it’s little wonder one supporter called it ‘fantastic’ as the majority of the Irons faithful haven’t been able to attend a home game since last year.

Find all of their best verdicts from social media down below.

West Ham fans flock to club announcement

“please please please please”

Credit: @JackkWHU

“Fantastic enjoy whoever gets to go xxx”

Credit: @lisajune1980

“Yess”

Credit: @thehammerone1

“Super”

Credit: @julie_trudgill

“What a lovely day”

Credit: @_moseme

“COYI”

Credit: @sauerlandhammer

“IRONSSSS”

Credit: @whugabes

“Begging for the ballot”

Credit: @Leanne_Baker_

In other news: Sky Sports pundit in awe of this ‘great news’ for West Ham, find out more here.

Former Everton star Michael Ball has told The Transfer Tavern that the club will have to pay through the nose to sign Norwich City right-back Max Aarons this summer.

The Toffees have been heavily linked with a potential summer move for the England U21 international.

Aarons has been in brilliant form for Norwich thus far this season, as the club have won the Championship title at a canter.

He has made 45 Championship appearances this season, scoring two goals and laying on five assists.

The Independent have reported that Everton are keen on a swoop, and that he would cost around £30m to sign this summer.

Ball believes that Carlo Ancelotti’s side have been tracking Aarons for some time, and will have to make a decision on whether they are willing to invest heavily to bring him in, as a long-term replacement for Seamus Coleman, or sign a budget option.

He told TT: “I think Everton have come quite strongly for Max Aarons. I feel they’ve probably been looking at Max Aarons for the last 18 months or so, wanted to bring him to the football club.

“Norwich, rightly so, want top dollar. Everton need to try to figure out how they’re going to prioritise that position and whether they’re going to look at a cheaper option for the next year or two years.”

Rangers have been linked with a move for Blackpool striker Jerry Yates recently, and he could be a great addition to Steven Gerrard’s side should he make the move to Ibrox this summer.

What’s the word?

According to The 72, Rangers have joined the race to sign the former Rotherham United man, who was also attracting interest from Nottingham Forest and Blackburn Rovers during the January transfer window.

In January, it was suggested that he was valued at around £2m, but his asking price may well have gone up as a result of his strong form since the turn of the year, and could rise even further should Neil Critchley’s side earn promotion to the Championship this year.

Would he be a good signing?

Yates has enjoyed an excellent season since joining the Tangerines in last summer’s transfer window, contributing 18 goals and four assists in 39 League One appearances, resulting in a solid 6.94 average rating from WhoScored.

His performances have helped Blackpool into a play-off position in England’s third tier and they still have an outside chance of automatic promotion this season.

Rangers certainly seem to be in the market for a striker ahead of next term, with a strong likelihood that both Greg Stewart and Jermaine Defoe will depart once their respective contracts expire in the summer.

There is also the possibility that an English Premier League side will come in for Alfredo Morelos this year as a result of his impressive performances for Gerrard’s side in recent seasons, so it would not be a surprise to see the Light Blues dip into the transfer market to seek out a potential replacement.

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Although Yates struggled during his time at Rotherham United, loan spells at Swindon Town and Carlisle United in the past certainly suggest that he knows where the goal is, whilst he has really emphasised his quality this season with Blackpool.

His performances last season with Swindon certainly won over his then-manager Richie Wellens, who was full of praise for the 24-year-old recently as he said: “I love Jerry to bits, absolutely love him to bits. He’s good at everything. He’s got decent pace, he can hold the ball up.”

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Therefore, it seems as if Yates could prove to be an excellent addition to Gerrard’s squad this summer, and sporting director Ross Wilson should do everything he can to try and bring him to Ibrox.

In other news… Signed for nothing, sold for £2.5m: Allen delivered a masterclass with controversial Rangers dud

Aston Villa must avoid a major Ross Barkley nightmare after Dean Smith’s transfer update.

What’s the story?

The England international joined the club on loan from fellow Premier League side Chelsea, and has since endured a disappointing spell at Villa Park, scoring just three goals in the top-flight all season.

And now, speaking after his side’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday night, Smith revealed that there have been no discussions over a potential permanent deal with Chelsea.

He said: “No, Ross Barkley came in on loan at the start of the season. Obviously, Frank (Lampard) was the manager at the time we did a deal to bring him in on loan. That’s where it was. He’s got another two years left on his contract at Chelsea and that’s not been discussed at all.”

Major nightmare for Dean Smith

It’s been a real telling sign that Barkley hasn’t started a Premier League game since the 2-1 defeat at home to Leicester, either being left on the bench as an unused substitute, or just coming on for brief cameos – even starlet Jacob Ramsey appears to have pipped him in the pecking order in recent weeks.

Villa podcaster Simon O’Regan critcised the midfielder’s recent form just last month, saying: “I think what’s sort of annoyed me as well over the last few weeks is Ross Barkley, and I’m not trying to single him out because I think he has been really heavily criticised more than he probably should have been, especially when other players haven’t exactly stepped up either.

“These last few weeks were a real opportunity I think for him to really shine and play his way into getting in a decent move and he hasn’t really done that.”

As O’Regan says, the £18m-rated Barkley just hasn’t shown enough to warrant Villa coughing up a decent sum of money to make this move permanent, and that really is on the midfielder himself for not doing so.

With Jack Grealish out, he had the perfect opportunity to really showcase his worth and prove to Smith and the fans that he’s someone worth keeping over the long-term. Instead, he’s proven beyond doubt that Villa simply cannot justify signing him on a permanent basis.

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Johan Lange must avoid a major Villa nightmare this summer and just let Barkley walk away, or else Smith will surely be fuming at signing someone he clearly doesn’t rate anymore.

Meanwhile, this Villa star let Dean Smith down just as much as Matty Cash vs Man City…

Writing in a Q&A for the Athletic, when asked about realistic candidates to potentially replace current boss Jose Mourinho, Tottenham Hotspur journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke said Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has been mentioned among favourites, alongside Julian Nagelsmann and Brendan Rodgers.

Hasenhuttl, who the journalist explains has done very well with limited resources at the St Mary’s Stadium, is apparently one of the three favourites for the Spurs job if it becomes vacant alongside heavily linked managers Nagelsmann and Rodgers.

Hasenhuttl touted with possible Tottenham job

The 53-year-old, according to Pitt-Brooke, is among the most likely candidates to replace Mourinho if chairman Daniel Levy opts to sack the Lilywhites boss – and beyond those three names, Spurs would be looking at more fringe targets.

While Hasenhuttl is a candidate, as the journalist explains in the Athletic, he has heard various sources wonder whether his intense management style would translate well to the big name Lilywhites dressing room.

However, given his recent plaudits by fellow managers and the media alike, it’s little wonder why the Saints boss is apparently being considered.

Transfer Tavern take

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to the press earlier this season, lavished Hasenhuttl with praise – calling him an ‘exceptional manager’ who he knows from his time in Germany (Man City official).

Meanwhile, speaking on an episode of the Football Writers podcast back in late October, Jonathan Northcroft raved about Hasenhuttl and even claimed there is an ‘echo of Pochettino’ due to his ability to create a team ‘so much better than the sum of their parts’.

Whether or not he does replace Mourinho, or if the current Spurs boss even leaves, remains to be seen – but the Southampton manager is clearly in the running.

In other news: Tottenham will make a move to sign this ‘leader’, find out more here.

Newcastle have opened talks with former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe about the possibility of taking over at St James’ Park, according to Frank McAvennie.

It was reported at the start of the month that Howe, who left the South Coast club last summer following their relegation from the Premier League, was on the verge of joining McAvennie’s former club Celtic.

But uncertainty has since crept in. Football Insider claimed that Crystal Palace intervened first in a bid to hijack the deal, and now McAvennie has revealed that, according to his sources, Newcastle have thrown their hat in the ring.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “Eddie Howe is going to be speaking to Newcastle.

“From what I hear, he’s holding back on Celtic and it looks like he’s talking to Newcastle, which is a shame because Steve Bruce has done a good job.”

Howe was Newcastle fans’ number one choice

Last month, 14,000 Newcastle supporters took part in a Chronicle Live survey, and a whopping 95% called for the club to part ways with Steve Bruce amid the threat of relegation.

10,000 of those fans voted on their preferences for Bruce’s replacement, and Howe led the way with the backing of 25%.

Transfer Tavern verdict

The hold-up in the proposed Celtic deal certainly suggests that Howe has cold feet. His preference may be another shot at Premier League management.

But it’s difficult to see him taking the job at Newcastle. Yes, they’re a huge club, but the 43-year-old has the air of an immensely ambitious coach, and the ceiling at St James’ Park is pretty low while Mike Ashley remains in charge.

Perhaps if the takeover is eventually completed that may change things, but at the moment we can’t see Howe becoming the latest in a long line of managers to be stifled by Ashley.

In other news, Newcastle have been told how much they should be prepared to pay for Joe Willock.

Newcastle United have landed a potential boost with Fabian Schar stepping up his recovery from knee ligament surgery, but Steve Bruce will still have to wait before he can unleash the defender again.

That’s according to Chronicle Live, who have noted that the centre-half shared an Instagram Stories post of himself jogging on an AlterG anti-gravity treadmill on Monday.

Schar has been sidelined since the Toon beat Southampton 3-2 last month, having been one of three casualties of the Premier League fixture, along with Callum Wilson and Javier Manquillo.

Bruce ruled Schar out for eight weeks after the 29-year-old was forced to undergo surgery, such was the extent of the damage the Swiss international sustained to his knee ligaments.

Schar has now started running on an anti-gravity treadmill as he steps up his rehabilitation, having ditched the protective boot he had been forced to wear since going under the knife.

The AlterG treadmill helps players with their recovery by using air to unweight them to allow them to run freely and without pain, but using it is usually a sign that they remain some weeks away from a return to the pitch.

It remains to be seen if the £12m-rated enforcer will be able to play a part in Newcastle’s fight for Premier League survival, though Bruce expects Schar to do all that he can to prove his fitness ahead of this summer’s European Championship.

“He has an operation on his ligament and knee. He will try everything to get fit for the Euros,” Bruce said on February 11, via quotes by the Mirror. “He had the op on Tuesday, and it is eight weeks.”

The Southampton win marked Schar’s 13th start in 16 Premier League appearances for the season, having missed the start of the campaign with a shoulder injury and was later sidelined in early December after testing positive for coronavirus.

Having Schar back available, potentially after the upcoming international break, will come as a boost for Bruce in Newcastle’s fight for survival, having previously lauded the impact that the 29-year-old can provide at St. James’ Park.

Speaking at the start of the season while the 58-cap centre-back was sidelined after surgery on a shoulder injury, Bruce rejected speculation that Schar could be set for a last-ditch move away amid speculation of a potential transfer.

“He [Schar] certainly has a part to play here, although you can’t stop the speculation. Fab is recovering from a shoulder operation but is an important part of what we do. That hasn’t changed,” the Toon boss said, via quotes by The Northern Echo.

Schar ultimately stayed and proved to be a fixture of the United backline between spells on the sidelines, while establishing himself as one of the Magpies’ heroes against Manchester City on Boxing Day despite losing 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

He has been the most aggressive of Bruce’s centre-halves who have played five or more top-flight matches this season at winning possession back, too, with a positional-high 1.6 interceptions a game – only Joe Willock (2) and Isaac Hayden (1.7) make more, per WhoScored.

Newcastle will need those brave enough to break up opposition play if they are to remain a Premier League side for another season, with United lingering just two points above the drop zone and allowing the second-most shots per game (14.4) of any side in the division to date.

AND in other news, a Newcastle player with 25 PL games this season and dubbed “our best player” has been tipped to leave in the summer…