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Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and the rest of the board opted to bring Brendan Rodgers back for a second spell in the dugout this summer after Ange Postecoglou left to join Tottenham Hotspur.

The Northern Irish head coach had already enjoyed one spell at Parkhead between 2016 and 2019 and is now back with an opportunity to add more trophies to his collection.

He is following in the footsteps of his fellow countryman Neil Lennon, who also had multiple spells in charge of the Scottish giants and had great success.

How many trophies did Neil Lennon win for Celtic?

The 52-year-old head coach managed to hit double figures for trophies won across his two stints in Glasgow and proved himself to be a fantastic manager for the club.

Via Transfermarkt.

Lennon's work in the transfer market over the years played a part in his huge success at Parkhead as he was able to unearth a number of gems who went on to become stars for the Scottish outfit.

One player whom the Northern Irish tactician struck gold with was South Korean central midfielder Ki Sung-yueng, who he helped to thrive in Glasgow after Tony Mowbray had signed him in 2009.

How much did Celtic pay for Ki Sung-yueng?

The Hoops reportedly splashed out £2m to secure his services from FC Seoul in the summer of 2009 and he eventually linked up with his new team in January of 2010 after the end of his side's K League season in December 2009.

He arrived at Celtic after an impressive campaign with his former club in the South Korean top-flight. Ki racked up three goals and nine assists across 27 K League outings, including one K League Championship clash, as he showcased his ability to chip in with goal contributions from a central midfield position.

That came after the talented youngster had produced four goals and one assist in 21 league appearances for FC Seoul throughout the 2008 season.

The creative maestro, who had made his debut for South Korea at international level in 2008, caught Celtic and Mowbray's eye in 2009 as his excellent performances in midfield convinced them to spend £2m on his services.

Lennon then made the most of Ki's talents after he arrived to replace Mowbray in March of 2010, just over two months into the former FC Seuol star's arrival.

How many goals did Ki score for Celtic?

The central midfielder ended up with 11 goals and 15 assists in 87 appearances for the Hoops in all competitions during a two-and-a-half-year spell in Glasgow.

Ki struggled to find his feet from an attacking perspective over his first six months in Scotland as the talented whiz produced zero goals and two assists in ten Scottish Premiership outings in the second half of the 2009/10 campaign.

The South Korean dynamo started to hit his stride throughout the 2010/11 season as he ended the term with four goals and six assists in 35 games, which included three goals and four assists in 26 league matches.

His best campaign, in terms of his contribution at the top end of the pitch, came in his final year at Parkhead. Ki fired in six goals and assisted six for his teammates over 30 league clashes, and was directly involved in 14 goals in all competitions.

This means that Ki contributed with a goal or an assist every 2.5 Premiership games on average throughout the 2011/12 season, which shows that he was able to make a significant impact in the final third on a semi-regular basis from a central, and sometimes defensive, midfield position.

How much did Celtic sell Ki for?

His impressive form for Celtic led to interest from south of the border and Premier League side Swansea eventually snapped him up for a reported fee of £6m in 2012, which broke their transfer record at the time.

The creative gem, who was 23 at the time, made the move to Wales off the back of winning a bronze medal at the 2010 Olympics with South Korea.

The £6m figure that the Hoops received for his services meant that the club made a whopping 200% profit on the initial £2m that they paid FC Seoul for his signature, which shows that Lennon unearthed a gem for the club as he helped the midfielder to progress and improve his attacking output over their two years or so together.

In 2011, the Northern Irish boss lavished Ki with praise as he described the central midfielder as a "wonderful" modern-day midfielder who could be a real asset for the Bhoys.

That turned out to be true as his market value soared from £2m to £6m and earned the Scottish giants a nice payday upon his exit in 2012.

Where is Ki now?

Ki is currently back with FC Seoul in South Korea at the age of 34 and has enjoyed a strong year with the club throughout the 2023 season.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.17 across 27 matches, which is the highest-score within the squad of any outfield player, and contributed with four assists and seven 'big chances' created from central midfield.

His experience has allowed him to become a consistent performer in the middle of the park as the former Celtic star averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.14 in the K League 1 across both the 2021 and 2022 seasons for Seoul.

The creative ace returned to his home country in 2020 after just shy of eight years in England with Swansea, Sunderland, and Newcastle United combined.

Ki produced 15 goals and 11 assists in 187 Premier League appearances during his time south of the border, which included an impressive eight goals in 33 league matches for Swansea during the 2014/15 campaign.

Overall, the 110-cap South Korea international has enjoyed an excellent career across three different countries and showcased his attacking qualities from midfield in Scotland, England, and his own country.

Lennon played a vital part in his development as the Northern Irish boss helped him to thrive at Parkhead and, in turn, earn a move to the Premier League, which also resulted in the Hoops making a profit on the talented gem.

Tottenham Hotspur's start to the season has been electric, and completely unpredicted by even the most optimistic of fans.

It even has led many to wonder whether Ange Postecolgou's magic touch could be extended to other areas, perhaps even reigniting the careers of those who have failed thus far. Pape Matar Sarr perhaps stands proud as the Australian's best project so far.

How has Pape Sarr started the season?

For now, Postecoglou is likely enjoying the services of his current squad which have led him to an unbeaten start in the Premier League, with their football and the results it is gaining having been praised.

One of the surprise standouts for the Australian has been Sarr, with the youngster having been thrust into the first team, where he has shone.

The midfielder already boasts a 7.40 average rating in the league, having featured in all four of their fixtures, and thus when compared to others in his role across Europe he is one of the outstanding players. After all, he sits in the best 1% for total shots, the top 1% for assists, the utmost 5% for pass completion per 90 and the best 8% for tackles, all per 90 via FBref.

There is seemingly little the Senegalese star cannot do, with Postecoglou having rushed to laud his start to the campaign: "Yeah, brilliant. He’s been great from the moment I arrived. He’s got a great energy about him, but he’s got quality there too.

“He’s one of those midfielders who causes the opposition real problems because whether it’s him running with the ball or without the ball, he runs forward, he runs aggressively and he disrupts the opposition. He’s just got a great temperament for a young guy. So really pleased for him.”

However, his position in the side could be under threat, should the Australian perform a similar trick on a different midfielder. Step forward Giovani Lo Celso.

How good is Giovani Lo Celso?

Lo Celso set the Lilywhites back significantly with his big-money acquisition, spending £55m to tempt him from Real Betis in 2019 after the Argentine had enjoyed a stellar period in Spain.

His final full season there saw him score nine and assist four to uphold a 7.13 average rating (via Sofascore) yet swiftly fell out of favour as numerous Spurs managers opted against reintegrating him back into the squad, despite Antonio Conte suggesting he was a "top player".

Given his recent performances whilst out on loan with Villarreal, it seems that the Italian may have been right about something during his tenure in north London.

Having posted a 7.10 average rating in La Liga, his five goal contributions fed into his 1.4 key passes per game, marking him out as a keen attacking threat from the engine room. However, he partners this with 1.5 tackles per game, as if to emphasise the tireless work rate he merges into his elegant play style, via Sofascore.

With Postecoglou seemingly keen to hand him another chance in the side once again, should he shrug off his persisting injury concerns, the 27-year-old could well grow into a hugely influential creator for the team beside James Maddison.

At the very least he is worth investing some time in, given the quality he continues to show and the money spent to bring him to N17.

West Ham United are now keeping close tabs on a "world-class footballing talent" ahead of a potential January transfer swoop, according to a report.

What's the latest West Ham transfer news?

West Ham are in the market for a new defensive midfielder in the January transfer window, with Football Insider reporting they are keeping close tabs on Celta Vigo's Fran Beltran, who is regarded as a specialist at pressing and defending midfield spaces.

There were indications the Hammers could also move for an attacking midfielder, with former player Jesse Lingard training at the club since August, however they have now ended their interest, and the Englishman is eyeing a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.

In terms of potential defensive targets, it has now been reported that David Moyes could swoop for Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande, but there may be stiff competition for his signature, with Arsenal also believed to be keen on the 19-year-old. Diomande is not the only player who West Ham and Arsenal share an interest in, with The Mirror reporting the two clubs could be set to go head-to-head for the signature of Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele, and Tottenham Hotspur are also keen.

The winger only made his move to the Parc des Princes in the summer transfer window, but he has failed to find his feet in the French capital, after joining from Barcelona in a £50m deal, and there have been calls for him to be dropped from the starting XI.

Dembele has featured in all of PSG's last five matches, but he has so far failed to find the back of the net, meaning there is already speculation over his long-term future at the club, although he may be given a little while longer to prove himself.

The report states it is unlikely PSG would be willing to sanction a move so early into his career in France, but if he does become available, then the Hammers could make a move, with Moyes on the lookout for more attacking firepower in the January transfer window.

How good is Ousmane Dembele?

There are indications the France international could be a real upgrade for West Ham in attack, given that he has been lauded as a "world-class footballing talent", and a "magical creative winger who has few equals" by journalist Muhammad Butt.

The Vernon-born forward has experience playing for some of Europe's top clubs, namely Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona and now PSG, and he put in some very solid performances for Barca last term, weighing in with five goals and seven assists in La Liga.

Not only that, but the former Dortmund man is also a very impressive dribbler of the ball, ranking in the 99th percentile for progressive carries, and the 96th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Dembele could help take West Ham to the next level, given the talent that he has at his disposal, and the Irons should continue to monitor his availability ahead of the January transfer window.

Manchester United legend Wayne has backed Marcus Rashford to break his goalscoring record at Old Trafford.

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• Rooney backed Rashford to break his records at Man Utd
• Tells forward to be more consistent
• Rashford has scored six times this season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The former Red Devils star thinks that Marcus Rashford is capable of breaking his goalscoring records at the club but warned him that he must be more consistent. After a stellar 2022/23 season where he scored 30 goals across all competitions, Rashford's form took a sudden dip in the current season and he has managed to score just six goals in 33 appearances.

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• WHAT WAYNE ROONEY SAID

  Speaking to , Rooney as asked if he had much sympathy for Rashford's current troubles and replied: "Not much. I think he is in a privileged position, he is playing for Manchester United. I've said before, he is the one player, I really believe, can go and break my goalscoring records. I hope he does because he is a Manchester lad. But I think he needs to get some consistency. Of course, he is not having the best of seasons but he needs to find some form and consistency and become a leader in this team."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The former Birmingham City and DC United manager is United's all-time highest scorer with 253 goals to his name. He scored 183 goals for the club in the Premier League which makes him the all-time third-highest scorer in the competition for a single club. Rashford, on the other hand, has made 392 appearances for the club since his debut in 2016 and has scored on 129 occasions.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  Erik ten Hag's side are currently in action against Everton in the Premier League after which they will face rivals Liverpool in an FA Cup quarter-final clash on March 17.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is personally eyeing an "exciting" player, and the man in question is keen on joining him too.

Spurs transfer news

Spurs have started this Premier League season with real aplomb, as both supporters and Postecoglou's squad seriously take to their new head coach who's becoming more and more popular with each passing game. The Lilywhites have won five out of a possible seven league matches so far this term, scoring 17 goals in the process, with only Newcastle, Brighton and Aston Villa scoring more than them.

The likes of Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr, previously outcasts under Conte, are now dazzling under Postecoglou as part of a new-look Spurs side who are back to playing an attack-minded, expansive brand of football. Summer signings like James Maddison and Micky van de Ven have also thrived for the Australian, especially the latter, who's scored two goals and assisted four others while starting every single 90 so far.

However, their success could be thwarted by potential injuries to star players, as Tottenham are pretty short defensively and in other areas of the field. Spurs reportedly have a few top targets in mind to provide back up behind both van de Ven and Cristian Romero, and it is believed they could add to their forward ranks with a replacement for Harry Kane in 2024.

Who could Spurs sign?

Postecoglou's fluid Spurs frontline has coped very well without the presence of a number nine llke Kane, with new club captain Son Heung-min dazzling in a more central role. Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison (in parts), Maddison, Manor Solomon and Brennan Johnson are also fruitful options in the attacking areas, yet a new report has suggested that Tottenham could strengthen further forward by potentially signing Jota from Al-Ittihad.

The former Celtic star, who worked with Postecoglou at Parkhead for two years, is a player the Lilywhites head coach knows very well. According to 90min, Tottenham's manager is personally keen to bring Jota to N17, and the feeling is mutual. The Portuguese would "ultimately love" to link up with his old boss at Spurs, which gives Tottenham a slight edge in the race ahead of other suitors.

Pundit Alan Hutton, commenting on the player last summer, called Jota an "exciting" and "incredible" player.

"Jota's only 23-years-old, he's still developing," explained Hutton to Football Insider. "He's probably only going to get better, I think he can get better. What he's done this season has been incredible, for him to come from his parent club, where he's not really been playing. Benfica are a big club in their own right but to come to another club where there's a lot of pressure, to perform at such a young age, he's stood up to that task.

“Jota's that player fans want to see. He's exciting, he takes people on, he makes things happen, he scores goals and ticks all the boxes."

Everton fans will likely still be reeling from Saturday's emphatic Premier League victory over AFC Bournemouth, despite the pre-match worries surrounding Idrissa Gueye.

Initially drafted in to start, an injury in the warm-up saw him replaced late on. Against all the odds, this turned out to be a true blessing in disguise.

How has Idrissa Gueye been playing?

Whilst the Senegal international has been a fine servant for the Toffees, having spent nearly five years at Goodison Park across two spells, and gaining them a hefty £28m fee from his 2019 sale, his powers have admittedly been waning in the last 12 months.

Whilst his tackling remains as efficient as ever, given averages 2.3 per game alongside a further 7.9 ball recoveries in the league, it is his unease in possession that makes him somewhat unreliable when starting.

To see the 34-year-old come short for the centre-backs is a worry, as he often dawdles on the ball and provides a trigger for the opposition to press. As such, he loses possession seven times per game, and given the importance of his position, this is a figure all too high.

Co-commentator Andy Townsend would seek to highlight one such gaffe back in March, as Gueye's inability to play out saw him pounced on against Arsenal. He would tell BeIN Sports (20:13, 1 March 2023): "What are you thinking? What are you waiting for? Bukayo Saka never gave it up, he stays on the move and thinks I am going to get it back.

"Just give it back to the goalkeeper. Now his team have a mountain to climb. He’s got his back to play the goalkeeper, just give it to him. It’s really poor play, that is.”

The £80k-per-week earner remains a largely useful figure to have around the dressing room and to come on if a game needs securing, but given the performance of his stand-in on Saturday, Amadou Onana could have permanently displaced him now.

How did Amadou Onana play vs Bournemouth?

A pure force of nature in the engine room, the 22-year-old titan was as dominant as ever against a woeful Cherries side, and any threat of a counter was often thwarted by the Belgium international.

His gangly legs perhaps underplay such impressive technical prowess, which he put to good use by recording an 87% pass accuracy, one key pass and one long ball. However, perhaps more impressively was his defensive work rate, more than making up for Gueye's absence whilst adding some creativity and assuredness into his role. Onana would add four tackles to a stellar display and actually won ten of the 12 duels he competed in at an 83% success rate, via Sofascore.

Although Sean Dyche was forced into such a change late on, it actually turned into quite a profitable one, with the 6 foot 4 maestro proving instrumental in maintaining the hosts' domination throughout what was a perfect afternoon in Merseyside.

It seems the former LOSC Lille ace gets better with each match, becoming more confident and dynamic as he continues to acclimatise to English football. However, Roberto Martinez had predicted such development, describing him as "Everton’s metronome" and "Someone with such physical presence and dynamism."

Surely the midfield trio that finally claimed an elusive home win cannot be torn apart after the international break. Onana must remain, supplementing the success of James Garner and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

David Raya has revealed that Arsenal have worked 'a lot' on penalties on the training ground this season.

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• Raya the hero as Arsenal beat Porto
• Gunners stopper reveals secret to success
• Arteta's side through to UCL quarter-finals

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  And that practice appears to be paying off, with the Gunners edging out FC Porto on spot kicks to reach the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday night. With the scores level at 1-1 on aggregate after extra time, penalties were required to separate the two sides. And Raya rose to the occasion, keeping out Wendell and Galeno's efforts from 12 yards to send Arsenal through.

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• WHAT RAYA SAID

  However, when speaking to TNT Sports after the game, Raya was not entirely satisfied. He revealed that he felt he could have kept out Marko Grujic's penalty, which he got a hand to, as well.

  "I should have saved three, but I'm over the moon to save two," he said. "We played a really good game from the start. We dominated, created chances and it went down to penalties. We've worked a lot on penalties this year and all the hard work with the goalie coach and the team has paid off."

  He added: "This means everything. You play football for these kind of things and I'm lucky to be playing for Arsenal, to be in the Champions League and to get through to the quarter-finals. We're just going to enjoy the night."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Raya's match-winning performance is further vindication of Mikel Arteta's decision to sign him in the summer and make the 28-year-old his No.1 goalkeeper at the expense of Aaron Ramsdale. Aside from his penalty heroics, Raya made three saves in normal time.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Incredibly, Tuesday's game was the first Champions League knockout tie to be settled by penalties since the 2016 final between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.

Lionel Messi influences everything in the Argentina camp, with Lionel Scaloni revealing the all-time’s great contribution to him staying on as boss.

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• Coach considered walking away
• Won football's ultimate prize
• Senior stars convinced him to stay

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  On the back of a World Cup triumph at Qatar 2022, the man in charge of the Albiceleste began to ask questions of whether his journey was complete. He had achieved the ultimate goal, having already savoured Copa America and Finalissima triumphs, and mulled over whether the time had come to walk away.

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  WHAT SCALONI SAID

  Revealing how he reached the decision to extend his spell as head coach, and the role Messi played in that, Scaloni has said: “I spoke with Leo and other players. With him because he is the captain, because of what he represents. It was that day that everyone said I was going to go. He received me very well. I spoke with other players, with Angel (Di Maria), with Lautaro (Martinez), with many players, with whom I believed I had to talk. They are people that I trust a lot, that I love a lot. Ota (Nicolas Otamendi), Rodrigo (De Paul)…players who have been with us from day one and who have given us a lot. I needed to speak and give my opinion to them.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Scaloni is tied to a contract through to the end of Argentina’s World Cup defence in 2026, but he added on considering a departure and when the day will come for him to leave a prominent post: “We needed to stop the ball a little bit, it had been a difficult year beyond having won, where many things had happened. There were some personal things that we had to think about and from there, make decisions. We met with those who we thought we had to talk to, we discussed our concerns and the most important thing is to know that we were all strong to continue. You never know the deadlines, I continue and that's it.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARGENTINA?

  Argentine are readying themselves for another shot at Copa America glory in the United States this summer, with Messi ruled out of their plans for now as they prepare to take in friendly dates with El Salvador and Costa Rica during the March international break.

Finally starting to find their feet under former Norwich City boss Daniel Farke, Leeds United's recent form have been positive, having lost just once in their last five games in the Championship, which came against fellow recently-relegated side Southampton. The international break, this time, comes at a bad time for those at Elland Road, with their form the most promising it has been all season.

The break will at least give them a chance to get a full squad back in contention, however, or as close to that as possible. And one injury update has provided Farke with a thankful boost ahead of a busy period once the international football has been played.

What's the latest Leeds United injury news?

Leeds' injuries have eased up a little recently, but with the likes of Stuart Dallas and Wilfried Gnonto out long term, they could do with some positive news from the treatment room, especially with fixtures coming thick and fast in the Championship. If Farke can get his squad as close to full strength as possible, then a promotion charge will be far from out of the question, even if the top two are putting a serious gap between themselves and the rest.

With that said, The Athletic's Phil Hay has provided the latest Junior Firpo injury update, reporting that Leeds are expected to be able to recall their full-back to the side after the international break, ahead of their game against fellow play-off hopefuls Norwich City.

Hay wrote for The Athletic, via Leeds All Over: "Their aborted bid for Bayer Leverkusen’s Nadiem Amiri in August was a hint that Farke would like more depth at No 10, but Firpo is due back after the international break and neither Djed Spence nor Willy Gnonto are a mile away from recovering from injury.”

Firpo is, of course, yet to play a single minute for the Yorkshire club this season, having picked up an injury in pre-season, which ruled him out up until after the second international break of the season.

How much does Junior Firpo earn?

Back in contention, Firpo can begin to prove exactly why he's one of the highest earners at Elland Road, alongside others, as he looks to help his side bounce straight back to the Premier League.

The full-back has certainly impressed during his time at Leeds to earn that wage, with Connor McGilligan telling One Leeds Fan Channel: "We needed a left-back in January, and the reason we needed a left-back was to replace Firpo, was to get [Pascal] Struijk out of that left-back position.

“But what he's done right now is… you know, I think that that was his sixth game on the bounce. And I don't think he's done that for Leeds yet, which is great. And I think he's been immense. I think he's been very, very, very good."

Firpo will now look to pick up where he left off to become a permanent feature under new boss Farke. If he can get back to his best as soon as possible following his injury, then Leeds will have an important option.

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly was spotted picking his nose and then eating it as he watched LA Dodgers take on the San Diego Padres.

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• Boehly spotted at MLB opener
• Cameras spot him picking his nose
• Proceeds to potentially eat it

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In Major League Baseball's season opener, Boehly's Dodgers started their Shohei Ohtani era with a 5-2 win against the Padres in a historical event for the sport. The match was played at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, creating history as the first MLB main-season game played in South Korea. Boehly was also present for the event and his actions disgusted fans as they watched the 50-year-old in the background.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In 2022, Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over at Chelsea Football Club after the former owner, Roman Abramovich, had his assets in the United Kingdom seized due to his involvement with the Russian government during the Soviet nation's attempted takeover of Ukraine. Since then, Boehly and co. have pumped in a lot of money into the Stamford Bridge side, however, the results have not followed the trail of money for the Blues as they have struggled to compete.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR BOEHLY?

  The American is not only the owner of Chelsea and the Dodgers but he also owns a majority stake in Ligue 1 side, RC Strasbourg. He will likely remain with the Dodgers for some time with Chelsea not in action until March 30 when they take on Burnley at Stamford Bridge.