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Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou guided his rampant side to victory over Hearts on Wednesday evening in what was the 57-year-old’s 100th game in charge of the Old Firm outfit, with the Hoops coming from behind to seal a 3-1 win at Parkhead.

That triumph – which was the Greek-Aussie’s 74th win of his tenure thus far – has ensured that the Glasgow giants remain nine points above bitter rivals Rangers at the summit, with the Scottish champions looking rather imperious in the pursuit of their league crown.

On that landmark night for the experienced coach, Postecoglou was largely left to thank prolific marksman Kyogo Furuhashi for powering the Bhoys to three points, with the Japan international having simply stolen the show once again in attack.

How did Kyogo perform against Hearts?

With the hosts having suffered an early setback as Josh Ginelly fired Robbie Neilson’s men ahead inside six minutes, up stepped Kyogo to drag his side back into the game, with the 28-year-old producing a stunning, driven cross to tee up compatriot Daizen Maeda at the back post, with the latter man duly prodding home for his tenth goal of the season in all competitions.

That crucial assist had seen the former Vissel Kobe ace showcase his relentless dynamism to latch onto Anthony Ralston’s threaded pass down the flanks, with that expert movement having again been evident as the £19k-per-week man then completed the turnaround on the hour mark.

The diminutive striker showed “ridiculous movement” – in the words of journalist John McGinley – to make space for himself inside the area, before powering his fierce effort past a helpless Zander Clark following a typically pin-point pass from playmaker, Aaron Mooy.

Those two moments of magic – which were followed by a late stunner from substitute Sead Haksabanovic – further rubberstamped the 5 foot 7 gem’s importance to Postecoglou’s side, having again proven himself a truly “clever player”, as per journalist Liam O’Hare.

It is also remarkable that the 16-cap speedster was able to make such an impact despite having largely been on the periphery of the game, as he made just a solitary pass and was restricted to just 14 touches in total in his 70-minute outing – fewer than teammate Joe Hart recorded in the sticks (39).

Even after that starring role – which saw Kyogo record the highest match rating on the night of 7.8, as per Sofascore – Postecoglou was clearly frustrated at the inability to get the in-form asset further involved in proceedings, having stated post-match:

“Kyogo makes fantastic runs and sometimes I get really frustrated that after 18-20 months we still don’t see them. Could he be doing even more damage? Absolutely.

“We didn’t use him well but the beauty of it is that he doesn’t get frustrated, he keeps making those runs.”

It is a credit to the ‘electric’ talent – as described by Glasgow Live’s Matthew Fulton – that he is still able to steal the limelight even with his opportunities restricted, although it is a mouthwatering prospect to think that a player who already boasts 20 Scottish Premiership goals this season could be ‘doing even more damage’.

The rest of the division, beware…

Chelsea are considering a move to sign Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Previous uncertainty

The Athletic held a recent interview with the 28-year-old who admitted that he came close to leaving Craven Cottage at the end of his side’s last season in the Premier League.

The Serbian, however, decided to stay put and isn’t out of contract until 2026 having since penned a new deal, but being Marco Silva’s top-performing player, appears to have caught the eye.

The Latest: Chelsea monitoring Mitrovic

According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), Chelsea are ‘considering a move’ for Mitrovic ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Todd Boehly and Graham Potter are ‘targeting’ the forward, who they view as a ‘back-up option’ should they fail to land Napoli’s Victor Osimhen.

Fulham succeeding or failing in their hunt for European qualification is set to be a ‘big factor’ when it comes to his decision to stay or leave at the end of the term.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Mitrovic has been dubbed a ‘relentless’ striker by his former manager Scott Parker and Chelsea should act fast to get this deal over the line this summer.

The Nike-sponsored star has posted 13 goal contributions (11 goals and two assists) in 19 league appearances this season, ranking in the 95th percentile for most shots per 90 minutes.

The 6 foot 2 colossus is also as much a threat off the ground as he is on it, currently averaging 4.4 aerial wins per top-flight outing.

Mitrovic is a proven goalscorer and target man at Fulham and he would be the perfect attacking reinforcement to put pen to paper at Stamford Bridge.

Manchester United reportedly want to sign Napoli defender Kim Min-jae this summer by triggering his €48m (£42m) release clause.

The Lowdown: Kim profiled

Kim is 26 years of age and has gone from strength to strength over the last 18 months, with his Transfermarkt valuation rising from €6.5m to £35m.

Sponsored by Nike, the centre-back has made 30 appearances for Napoli after joining from Fenerbahce in the summer. The South Korea international has been called ‘amazing’ by members of the media and is nicknamed ‘the Monster’ due to his 6 foot 3 frame.

The Latest: United interest

Sports Witness relayed an update from Corriere dello Sport regarding United and Kim in the last 48 hours.

They claimed that the Red Devils would like to trigger his 48m (£42m) release clause. However, that clause will only be valid for 15 days in the summer, with Napoli already looking to alter the player’s contract in an extended deal.

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The Verdict: Shrewd target

Erik ten Hag could well be on the lookout for further centre-back reinforcements in the summer after signing Lisandro Martinez in his first transfer window in charge at Old Trafford. Harry Maguire has been linked with an exit earlier this year, whereas Victor Lindelof will be entering the final 12 months of his contract.

Therefore, bringing in someone like Kim could be a wise move to rival the likes of Martinez and Raphael Varane. The Napoli man has averaged a WhoScored match rating of 7.11/10 this season, a greater score than all of United’s defenders.

He is averaging close to 80 passes per game with an impressive 90% pass competition, while also making more clearances than any Napoli player.

Therefore, for £42m, a move could be a smart piece of business by Old Trafford chiefs, and potentially one to keep an eye on over the coming months.

West Bromwich Albion fans have had plenty to smile about this season, with Carlos Corberan having masterminded a sensational turnaround in form that has seen them become genuine promotion candidates.

It is a far cry from the Steve Bruce regime, where relegation seemed the more likely conclusion to the season.

One of the few benefits of his tenure was the emergence of Taylor Gardner-Hickman, who truly cemented himself as a fine first-team option for the Baggies. 

The young midfielder offered a glowing recommendation for their academy, which is currently brimming with talent all vying for a spot in the first team. One such star is hulking striker Jovan Malcolm.

Can Malcolm be West Brom’s next Lukaku?

The 20-year-old marksman has been excelling this season for the U21s, with his lethal nature and physique likely to draw comparisons to former loanee Romelu Lukaku.

Although the Belgian only spent a season at the Hawthorns, his impact was monumental. He would score 17 times and assist a further seven, using his pace and strength to terrorise defences during the 2012/13 campaign.

This would be translated into long-term Premier League success, as his exploits at Everton led to him becoming their all-time top scorer in the division.

Now, in Malcolm, they have a youngster who boasts all the attributes to emulate the goalscoring machine. He even admitted the need to “bully” defenders when the occasion demands, as he recounted the goal on his senior debut from last month.

It marked one of six he has scored this season for the ‘powerful, lively and pacy attacker’ – as dubbed by West Brom’s official channels – with the bulk of them coming in the Premier League 2. There, he has six goal contributions in just ten games.

Although Lukaku may have struggled upon his fairytale return to Chelsea, Reece James’s admission of his immense presence could draw further similarities between himself and Malcolm. The English defender noted: “I can’t really think of any other players like him in the world. How strong he is and how powerful, everyone he just comes up against he bullies.”

With both strikers having been noted as physical anomalies who know how to utilise their size, perhaps the young West Brom hopeful could look to the legendary Belgian as someone to emulate.

With Daryl Dike also thriving, the future of striking is bright in this part of the Midlands, who all seem to fit that stellar Lukaku mould.

Leeds United caretaker Michael Skubala has had a full week on the training ground with the senior squad as the search for Jesse Marsch’s successor rumbles on.

The U21 boss will continue in his interim role for this afternoon’s clash with Everton, as well as next weekend’s six-pointer with basement boys Southampton.

The Whites walked away with just a point from their double-header against Manchester United but he did manage to get the side playing a little better, just without the returns they desperately need right now.

Skubala is now tasked with a large task of picking up a victory against their relegation rivals in what is sure to be a high-pressure encounter at Goodison Park, where then-league leaders Arsenal lost recently.

The 40-year-old could bolster his charges and throw his name into the hat to get the gig full-time by making some pretty big calls, starting with Marsch favourite Jack Harrison.

Will Jack Harrison start against Everton?

The former Manchester City starlet has been a key player for the west Yorkshire outfit since their return to the Premier League, managing eight goals and eight assists in 2020/21 before another eight-goal return in the following season.

Since then, also via Transfermarkt, Harrison has managed just the one goal this campaign, with the 26-year-old managing only one assist across his last 17 top-flight appearances.

That level of form hardly warrants a start, yet he continues to feature from the off every weekend, and considering Skubala has managed the U21s to great success, he could be better off opting for somoene like Sam Greenwood.

Deployed recently as a no.10, Harrison has failed to create a single big chance, making his place in the role all that more baffling.

It echoes comments from Sky Sports pundit and ex-pro Michael Dawson, who lambasted the £35m-rated winger as “non-existent” back in August, whilst in the past, he has also been described as “awful” by reporter Jake Winderman.

If Skubala wants to truly throw his name in the hat, then he cannot afford to carry Harrison for another outing, especially in a must-win game of this magnitude.

AND in other news, Approach made: Leeds eye move for “special” 52 y/o manager, it’s a big risk from Radz…

Liverpool have struggled to retain their dominance in the Premier League so far this season, however, a victory over Everton in the Merseyside derby this week will definitely give the team a huge boost of confidence after a troubling run.

The Reds are currently ninth in the league table with just 32 points collected from a possible 63 so far, something that Jurgen Klopp must drastically improve as soon as possible in order to be in with an outside chance to secure a Champions League qualifying spot inside the top four.

Indeed, Liverpool have not had fitness on their side this season with a number of key players suffering injuries including Luis Diaz, Thiago Alcantara, Virgil van Dijk and Diogo Jota, compromising the level of quality deployed in the starting line ups which has clearly been a hindrance in their efforts to comfortably compete.

It has been widely reported that Liverpool will look to strengthen their squad in the summer with Jude Bellingham and Matheus Cunha heavily linked with a move to Merseyside at the end of the season as a youth revolution is desperately needed in the centre of the pitch.

Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner are all set to be out of contract in the summer, whilst Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara are both well into their 30s and unlikely to be part of the long-term future at Anfield, paving the way for reinvestment in the midfield personnel.

However, Klopp may have accidentally discovered one of the quality midfield talents who can lead Liverpool back to success without needing to spend a penny, as Stefan Bajcetic continues to display promising signs when given the opportunity to prove himself.

Is Bajcetic the future of Liverpool’s midfield?

The Spanish youngster earned his Premier League debut back in August during one of Liverpool’s better performances when they beat Bournemouth 9-0 and since then has been featured in both the FA Cup and Champions League after taking like a duck to water in the heart of the team.

Over six Premier League appearances, Bajcetic has scored one goal and successfully completed 57% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 18.2 accurate passes, one interception and 3.5 duels won per game, proving that he is both defensively sound and potent in attack.

Although mostly deployed as a defensive midfielder over his short career so far, Klopp has clearly seen enough to determine that the young talent could offer more than just protecting the line in the deepest midfield role, as he put Bajcetic in the famous eight role against Everton in the derby on Monday night.

The 18-year-old took the new role into his stride and gave the German coach even more to consider when he excelled over his 89-minute performance, covering more ground than any other player on the pitch (11.14km), which is an incredible achievement considering Liverpool have been outrun in a number of their league fixtures this season.

Not only that, Bajcetic – dubbed “outstanding” by club icon Jamie Carragher – completed 51 touches, two key passes, one clearance and two interceptions, as well as winning two tackles and six duels to help his team secure their first win in four league games.

Another midfield target for Liverpool is Brighton and Hove Albion’s Moises Caicedo – who has a reported £80m price tag – but now the powerbrokers at Anfield could invest that money into other areas of the pitch if Bajcetic can continue to develop his skills and prove he is more than capable of being part of the next generation of success in midfield.

A crushing Leeds United development has emerged on their pursuit of James Garner heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Journalist Jacque Talbot has revealed that the Lillywhites will not be signing the English central midfielder ahead of the 2022/23 campaign as their Premier League rivals are refusing to do a deal with them.

He tweeted:

“No chance James Garner goes Everton or Leeds. Man United won’t sell him permanently either. Full story out later this week.”

The reporter then added:

“Man United aren’t going to sell to a direct rival like Everton or Leeds of all clubs and potentially see him flourish into a world-beater. Could turn out to be like another Wilfred Zaha situation.”

Supporters will be gutted

The supporters will be gutted by this claim from Talbot as it comes as a huge blow to Jesse Marsch heading into the next Premier League season.

Garner enjoyed a sublime campaign in the second tier on loan with Nottingham Forest and he would have been an exciting addition to Leeds’ squad.

In the Championship, the midfielder averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.26 across 41 matches as he delivered excellent performances on a consistent basis. He also produced four goals and eight assists from the middle of the park as he showcased his ability to contribute in the final third.

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Defensively, he put himself about as he made 3.2 tackles and interceptions and won 3.9 duels per game for Steve Cooper’s side. This shows that he works hard off the ball to win possession back for his side and can be an asset at both ends of the pitch.

Former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson lavished him with praise in the 2021/22 campaign, saying:

“Garner has been exceptional at Forest. He is an example of why players get sent out on loan.

“He can play at the top level and I think he has proven that at Forest. I don’t think he’s one that will go straight into the Man United side but I think there is a first-team role there for him and he will feature next season.”

These comments show that the eye test matches the statistics as a former professional was impressed by his displays and he had outstanding stats.

Therefore, Leeds fans will now be gutted that the club has ‘no chance’ of being able to sign Garner. The 21-year-old would have been an exciting signing for the club but Victor Orta will now need to identify alternative targets in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, Orta can now seal “eye-catching” Leeds signing with £20m bid for “sensational” talent…

Tottenham Hotspur ‘hierarchy’ are willing to back manager Antonio Conte with risky signing this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs set for exciting summer?

The Lilywhites, after announcing a £150 million equity increase earlier this week, were further boosted by the news that Conte is now set to stay for the 2022/2023 Premier League season.

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Transfer chief Fabio Paratici and the head coach even held a meeting in Italy on Friday to discuss the club’s summer recruitment plans with a major overhaul on the cards, according to The Telegraph.

It is believed that the Italian is set for Tottenham’s full backing, and as per The Athletic, they’re even willing to go against their transfer policy for one of Conte’s targets.

The Latest: Tottenham hierarchy willing to make risky Eriksen move…

According to their information, despite the ‘element of risk involved’ in re-signing former star Christian Eriksen on a Bosman deal, it is believed that Spurs ‘hierarchy’ are willing to make ‘exceptions’ in ‘exceptional circumstances’.

Signing the Dane is viewed as a gamble given his ‘harrowing health scare’ at Euro 2020, not to mention the fact he has recently turned 30 with little sell-on value.

However, there is an ‘acceptance’ among the north London chiefs, including Paratici, that a sensational reunion for Eriksen could be viewed as one of those exceptional circumstances over bringing in younger players.

The Verdict: Promising update…

The Athletic also state that Eriksen is a personal target for Conte, backing recent reports that the former Chelsea boss is personally ‘pressing’ for his signature.

We believe the Tottenham boardroom have adopted the right stance when it comes to making a move for the international, especially considering his phenomenal campaign at Brentford under Thomas Frank.

He finished 2021/2022 as their best-rated player by average match performance with a solid 7.37/10 (WhoScored), not to mention his creativity is seemingly intact.

Making more key passes per 90 in the final third than any Brentford player, the midfield ace could well gift Conte and Spurs an injection of quality further forward.

In other news: ‘Not only Perisic’…Tottenham push for ‘genius’ signing after Conte call ‘in recent days’…find out more here.

Leeds United’s ownership could change hands this summer, according to Rory Smith…

What’s the word?

The New York Times journalist was recently speaking on the BBC Five Live Football Daily Podcast alongside pundit and former Manchester City defender Micah Richards, where he revealed that the 49ers Enterprises will likely buy out chairman Andrea Radrizzani.

“How much money do Leeds actually have to spend?” asked the Sky Sports regular, to which the reliable reporter responded:

“Not a vast amount, that’s another problem, but I think that will change this summer as I suspect they’ll be bought out by the San Francisco 49ers, they already own 40 something per cent of the club and I think they will increase to become majority shareholders over the summer.”

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American dream

This comes on the day that the Yorkshire giants officially announced the signing of Brenden Aaronson from RB Salzburg as the American links up with his former boss in a £25m deal.

Clearly, the Whites have – or had – money, so news that the 49ers are likely to complete a full takeover is certainly very encouraging and it’ll complete something of an American trifecta at Elland Road.

First came Marsch, then Aaronson and likely the NFL franchise taking full control.

We know that Radrizzani cannot afford to keep the club in the Premier League. His lack of spending, particularly during the most recent winter transfer window, saw Leeds flirt with relegation, having to stay up on the final day of the season.

Marsch and his predecessor Marcelo Bielsa have been crying out for additions, especially up front, where 2020/21 top scorer Patrick Bamford was only able to play nine league games this season due to a variety of lingering injuries.

There is also the prospect of seeing the likes of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips depart and they will need viable replacements; that won’t be cheap.

After survival and the arrival of Aaronson, those around west Yorkshire will surely be absolutely buzzing by this claim from Smith.

AND in other news, Orta now plotting Leeds offer for “exquisite” £12.5m target, imagine him & Aaronson…

Mohamed Salah will depart Liverpool if he hasn’t accepted their latest huge contract offer, according to former Scotland international Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Salah coy over future

The future of the 29-year-old has been a key talking point for months now, arguably having an impact on his overall form for the Reds.

While Salah is clearly happy at Liverpool, he and the club are yet to agree on a new deal, with wages appearing to be the main stumbling block.

With the Egyptian’s current deal expiring in 2023, this is crunch time regarding his next move, as the Reds look to tie down their star man.

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The Latest: £80m final offer

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton, a pundit for BBC Radio 5 Live, claimed that Liverpool can only offer Salah so much, reacting to a report from the same outlet detailing a ‘huge’ four-year offer worth £80m:

“Well, I think you’re looking at now. Surely, if they’ve offered him that, that’s their top level.

“Unless Mo Salah has this thing in his mind where money’s not the issue, it’s not about that. It’s not about the length of contract, it’s about another challenge in some other league.

“If that is is his wish, then it’s up to him. Then it’s about: ‘Okay, my time’s up here,’ and Klopp saying: ‘Okay, I’m going to sell you because you’re into your last year.’

“If he’s happy at Liverpool, that is an unbelievable contract at a club where he’s happy. He’s done ever so well so there’s no problem there for me.”

The Verdict: No player bigger than the club

The hope is clearly that Salah will sign a new Liverpool deal, having scored a remarkable 155 goals in 252 appearances and been hailed as ‘world-class’ by Jurgen Klopp.

That being said, it is a saga that has the potential to be troublesome, and ultimately, no player is bigger than the Reds and they can only offer the forward so much money.

It still feels likely that a compromise will be met and Salah will extend his stay at Anfield – if not, his next move will only feel like a step down in his career, given Liverpool’s current brilliance as one of the world’s top two teams.

In other news, a journalist has made a Liverpool transfer claim. Read more here.