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Tottenham are now thought to be the most serious side about signing a £70 million defender who's been called "similar" to star centre-back Micky van de Ven.

Ange admits Spurs could sign another centre-back after Dragusin

The £25 million signing of Radu Dragusin from Genoa in January was thought to be a significant deal for Spurs, as they were starved of quality alternatives to van de Ven and Cristian Romero at the time.

Related Tottenham could now offer Gil in swap move for prolific £17 million striker

This is an “attractive” proposal.

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The latter star's hamstring injury last November seriously exposed Spurs' lack of defensive depth. Indeed, van de Ven's absence midway through 23/24 prompted a brief but poor run of form, and perhaps alerted Lilywhites transfer chiefs to the glaring weakness in Ange Postecoglou's squad.

A move for Dragusin was then swiftly completed in the winter window, with the Romanian seriously helping to bolster Postecoglou's back line. His presence also allowed Spurs to cover for the injured Destiny Udogie at the end of last season, with van de Ven moving to left-back and Dragusin taking his usual spot in the centre.

Radu Dragusin's best league games for Tottenham last season

Match Rating (via WhoScored)

Sheffield United 0-3 Tottenham

6.98

Aston Villa 0-4 Tottenham

6.67

Tottenham 2-1 Luton Town

6.61

Tottenham 0-2 Man City

6.49

Fulham 3-0 Tottenham

6.28

However, despite the 22-year-old's arrival at N17, Postecoglou has previously admitted that Spurs could look to sign another centre-back this summer – as they eye even more cover.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, the Tottenham manager said.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

Tottenham made an offer to Tosin Adarabioyo before he joined Chelsea, as revealed by club insider Paul O'Keefe at the time. Spurs also held an interest in signing Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer from Bournemouth, but the Englishman is on his way to Newcastle United instead (Simon Stone, BBC).

With both free deals out of the window, Spurs apparently have their eyes on a far more expensive option in Nottingham Forest star Murillo.

Tottenham most serious side in race for Murillo

The Brazilian, who starred for Forest over his 32 Premier League starts, is also being chased by their north London rivals.

That is according to Football Transfers, who also claim that Tottenham have shown the most interest in signing Murillo at this point. They may need to stump up a considerable transfer fee, though, and it could be as high as £70 million.

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FT have also called Murillo "similar" to van de Ven, which is an enticing comparison when considering just how crucial the 23-year-old is to Spurs.

West Ham United have not enjoyed an auspicious start to 2024 having crashed out of the FA Cup against Championship side Bristol City and drawn against Brighton & Hove Albion and Sheffield United in the Premier League.

That said, there is plenty for David Moyes' side to be optimistic about heading into the business end of the 2023/24 campaign, with the club having advanced to the knockout stage of the Europa League and currently perching in sixth place in the Premier League, above the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

Moreover, Kalvin Phillips has recently been welcomed to the fold from Manchester City, joining on a six-month loan deal, to add some depth and mettle to the centre of the park.

That said though, offensive phenoms Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta are both currently nursing injuries and Moyes appears eager to secure an exciting finish to the transfer window.

West Ham eyeing late January swoop

With Phillips now in the bag, it's clear that the Irons' interest lies in landing a new attacking outlet, with Argentine playmaker Pablo Fornals a late target for Spanish side Real Betis.

As such, West Ham could use the funds from Fornal's sale to complete a swoop for teenage winger Ibrahim Osman, with the Guardian reporting that West Ham are considering returning for the Nordsjælland starlet before the end of the month. A bid has already been rejected but the Hammers may well return to the table with another ofer.

The Danish outfit are understood to be holding out for a €20m (£17m) package and the London club will now need to ensure they recuperate funds from player sales before sealing the deal.

Why West Ham want Ibrahim Osman

Osman, aged 19, has posted four goals and five assists across 29 appearances in all competitions this season and has caught the eye with his blistering pace and influence in attacking sequences.

Indeed, as per Sofascore, Osman has scored one goal and provided four assists from 16 games (14 starts) in the Danish Superliga this term and has averaged 1.2 key passes, 3.1 ball recoveries, 5.6 successful duels and 2.6 successful dribbles per game.

Osman does lack a certain incisiveness in his finishing ability but is of a lean, athletic build with pace and an innate weaving quality that could be shaped and harnessed in east London.

The likes of Arsenal and Brighton have reportedly been monitoring Osman and there's possibly a sense of urgency in wrapping up a deal from Moyes, with manager Johannes Thorup candid in admitting that the rising star will be hard to keep a hold of after such promising early endeavours on the major stage.

He said of the 5 foot 9 whiz: “He is a fast winger and striker, and I have huge expectations for him to be skilled. He has the pace which is important for us to have on at least one of our strikers. I don’t want to say that he has to take over for someone, but people can probably figure out that there is a player who is really good for us in the Super League, who might be really hard to keep.”

Given that West Ham star Mohammed Kudus bloomed from the same academy, it might be wise for Moyes to secure the next version of the Ghanaian machine, with the summer signing very much riding the crest of a wave since arriving at the London Stadium.

Ibrahim Osman could be Mohammed Kudus 2.0

The Hammers welcomed Kudus to the club from Ajax in a £38m deal in August to bolster the offensive fold after winning the Europa Conference League last season.

As per FBref, Kudus ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 13% for successful take-ons, the top 3% for tackles and the top 14% for blocks per 90.

Related Club's "top" captain "could be brought in" after Phillips at West Ham

Technical director Tim Steidten is busy behind the scenes.

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The 23-year-old was featured sporadically across the opening weeks of his Claret and Blue career but has excelled in plundering nine goals from 24 appearances in all competitions, starting just 17 times.

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He's even been described as a "generational talent" by African journalist Gary Al-Smith and brings dynamism and deadliness in abundance, and if West Ham can secure the services of a similar player it would only improve the offensive efforts.

Given that Kudus (right wing) and Osman (who prefers the left) operate on alternate flanks, this could be a signing that would birth a fear-inducing partnership for opponents, with Osman absorbing the fruits of his fellow Nordsjælland academy graduate's labours.

While Osman is far less clinical than Kudus – though it would seen he has more of a natural creative flair – the Hammers star does share some exciting similarities, averaging 5.8 ball recoveries, 7.1 successful duels and 2.6 successful dribbles per fixture in the Premier League.

This blistering, breakneck pace is something that West Ham could certainly make good use of down the left flank, especially with Fornals ostensibly departing and Said Benrahma also touted with a move away after starting just five matches in the English top-flight this year, with French clubs lurking.

West Ham might have started the year off slow but there is much to look forward to over the coming months and the addition of a precocious talent in Osman would be the perfect finish to the window.

Respected transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Chelsea and their plans to sign a world-class new striker.

Who have Chelsea signed 2023?

Mauricio Pochettino's side put pen to paper on deals for Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Robert Sanchez, Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Djordje Petrovic, Angelo and Deivid Washington – who all joined the club for around £397 million in the summer window.

To make way for the plethora of new arrivals, Kalidou Koulibaly, N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Cesar Azpilicueta, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ethan Ampadu and Callum Hudson-Odoi all moved away for £230 million in total.

Chelsea were yet again one of the busier clubs over what was a very interesting summer transfer period, but Pochettino is taking ome time to gel them all together.

Injuries have played a big role too, as the west Londoners have sealed just one Premier League win so far – coming in the form of a 3-0 victory over Luton Town.

Chelsea have dropped points against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, West Ham and, most recently, Bournemouth. Pochettino's side were booed off in their match against the Cherries, but the Argentine is adamant they'll begin winning games soon enough.

"I think the fans know if you invest the type of money, there is expectation," said Pochettino.

"What I can tell the fans is the circumstance, I cannot change the reality. With all of the squad fit we can compete, we don't have all of the squad available, what can we do?

"For me, nothing to say, the fans can do this. Twelve injured today, three of four youngs guys, two keepers on the bench, I am going to cry, I am going to complain, to who? I have to accept this. That is the circumstance and we need to accept.

"We have our opinion, our reality. I think we are doing good things, more than people can expect but I told you before the season, Chelsea is about the win. Young players need to feel what it means to be a Chelsea player."

Will Chelsea sign a striker?

One position Chelsea arguably need to shore up is at centre-forward, with Jackson currently leading the line but arguably isn't of the same calibre as someone like Victor Osimhen – who they've been linked with signing.

Another forward who is said to be on the agenda is Brentford striker Ivan Toney, with reliable reporter Romano sharing an update on the Englishman for CaughtOffside (via Chelsea Chronicle).

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He says Chelsea are definitely interested in Toney, and he is "100%" certain to leave Brentford next year.

"Sources close to Ivan Toney suggest he will 100% be leaving Brentford in 2024," said Romano.

“Chelsea are interested in Ivan Toney, nothing advanced yet, let’s see which club comes with the right money to try to convince Brentford, probably not before December. Chelsea will keep protecting the squad and let’s see what happens in 1-2 months.”

The 27-year-old scored 20 goals in 33 starts last term, with Bees boss Thomas Frank calling him "amazing".

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Juventus defender Gleison Bremer, as Unai Emery aims to bolster his squad this summer.

The Spaniard, along with compatriot Monchi has it in his sights to bring the glory days back to the Midlands, as Villa bid to sufficiently equip the squad in preparation for their European adventure.

With the likes of Pau Torres and Aymeric Laporte linked as central defenders that could head to Villa Park, Bremer has joined the list of potential targets with news in Italy naming the Villans as a club interested in the Juventus centre-back.

Last weekend, La Gazetta dello Sport, relayed by Calcio Mercato, reported that both Aston Villa and Tottenham are ‘ready to move’ for the 26-year-old with ‘official bids’ expected.

The report states that a fee exceeding the €50m (£43m) mark could force Juve to ‘seriously think’ about letting the Brazilian depart, after signing from Torino only last summer.

What could Gleison Bremer offer to Aston Villa?

This transfer window, Emery is expected to clear the deadwood at the club to allow for an efficient upgrade ahead of his first full campaign at the helm of Villa Park.

A thrilling first term at the club has opened doors for the Spaniard to compete in the market, with the four-time Europa League winner reportedly having a transfer kitty of £150m to spend, as per Football Insider.

As reported today by David Ornstein, the Villans have reached an agreement to sign Emery’s former player Pau Torres from Villarreal, and with Bremer also linked, it could signal a complete revamp of the back line ahead of next season.

With a host of talent speculated to be Villa bound, one name that could be ushered away from the Midlands is Calum Chambers, who has made just 25 league appearances since signing for the club from Arsenal in the 2022 January window.

Recording just two starts all season, the Englishman could be replaced in the squad by a talent as highly regarded as Bremer, who could add serious firepower to Emery’s back line in his place.

Lauded as a “monster” by journalist Maxi Angelo, the Brazilian ranked as Juve’s third-highest performer last campaign, with an average Sofascore match rating of 7.11 in 30 Serie A appearances.

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The 26-year-old won 56% of his total duels, as well as averaging 1.4 interceptions, 3.8 clearances and 2.6 aerial wins per game, while contributing to 12 clean sheets in the league, via Sofascore.

On an average based on his appearances this term, Chambers fell far short in comparison to the commanding Itapitanga-born machine, winning just 47% of his total duels and being expelled down the pecking order at Villa Park.

Described as “poor” by journalist Josh Bunting during his time in north London, Emery could free up £52k-per-week by letting the Englishman go, making room for talents at a level to compete in Europe.

YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has claimed that if Manchester United are bought by Qatari-linked Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, “there might be a situation” where Kylian Mbappe joins in the future, while the likes of Harry Maguire go to Paris Saint-Germain.

What’s the latest on the Qatar-linked bid for Man United?

The Glazers may well be looking to sell the Premier League club in the near future and so a number of interested parties have been tipped as possible new Man Utd owners.

Indeed, alongside Sheikh Al Thani’s bid, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and a third “mystery” US bidder have all been reported in the media as having made offers for the Glazers to consider.

Of course, the ownership group already have strong ties to PSG and it remains to be seen if the Qatar-based consortium can get passed UEFA rules to own both clubs who of course regularly play in the Champions League.

While speaking about it all on The United Stand, Goldbridge pointed out that the Red Bull-owned clubs in Salzburg and Leipzig often both play in the same European competition and are allowed to do so despite being owned by the same company.

He explained: “That’s my point. There’s already two clubs in Europe that play in the same tournament in Europe and they feed each other players, so I don’t think it would be unprecedented.”

Goldbridge then suggested that the club would have to be “subtle” to avoid “dodgy” transfers but could end up agreeing to some exciting deals with PSG if a relationship was established.

He said: “It won’t happen anyway, it will be way more subtle than that. We won’t have a situation where [Marco] Verratti and Mbappe come to Man Utd for £5m and Maguire and [Scott] McTominay go to PSG for £100m. That would be dodgy.

“But you might have a situation where Mbappe leaves PSG and comes to Man Utd because of the relationship he’s got with the Qatari ownership of PSG and they’ve got close ties with our ownership – that might happen.”

What could a Qatari bid mean for Mbappe to MUFC and Maguire to PSG?

Interestingly enough, there have already been reports in The Sun that Harry Maguire could end up joining PSG in the summer for a touted £50m transfer fee.

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That rumour, as far-fetched as it sounds, might be something the Ligue 1 outfit want to pursue regardless of any relationship with Man Utd – especially seeing as the Glazers may not even end up selling.

But if there is any truth to the report, then you can see how negotiations could be made less complicated in the summer if the Red Devils are owned by the Qatari-linked Sheikh Al Thani.

And so, in theory, if a deal was sorted this could then open the door for other future transfers, potentially such as Mbappe, who has been urged to join the club in recent times, so perhaps it wouldn’t be too out of the ordinary if United can put themselves in a position to fund such a move.

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is now ‘very close’ to making a return from a lengthy injury layoff, reliable journalist Keith Downie has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Isak out for months

The Swede was an exciting summer addition by the Magpies, coming in as the big-money marquee signing who could help take Eddie Howe’s side up a gear.

Isak made a promising start to life at St James’ Park, scoring twice in his first three appearances, but he hasn’t played since because of a hamstring injury suffered in September.

Thankfully, Newcastle have continued to excel without him but there is still no denying that his return is needed as a busy season ramps up after the World Cup break.

The Latest: Closing in on return

Taking to Twitter, Downie said that Isak is now close to being back in the fold and should be available in the coming weeks:

“Alexander Isak very close to a return, and should be involved in the next couple of weeks.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Huge boost for Newcastle

This is a major boost for Newcastle, with Isak a player of such immense promise, having been hailed as ‘exceptional’ by England legend Gary Lineker.

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His return will suddenly give the Magpies another major goal threat, with a truly top-class centre forward missing whenever Callum Wilson is injured, which unfortunately still is the case far too often.

Isak is someone who could make the difference in Newcastle sealing a top-four finish and he could dovetail to devastating effect with the in-form Miguel Almiron.

Manchester City have joined the hunt for in-demand Lyon sensation Malo Gusto, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Exciting times at Eastlands…

The Premier League champions have started this 2022/2023 campaign with a flourish, scoring more goals than any other top flight side whilst also boasting the least conceded.

City are the only remaining side left unbeaten in the league and have already secured their place in the Champions League last 16, following Tuesday evening’s 0-0 draw away to FC Copenhagen.

Sporting director Txiki Begiristain is handed the task of somehow improving this high-flying squad as he sets out possible future transfer targets.

Lyon starlet Gusto, as per recent reports, is now on the Sky Blues’ radar as a recent update sheds light on City’s off-field plans.

The Latest: Sky Blues join Gusto hunt…

According to 90min, Pep Guardiola’s side have joined the flurry of interested clubs keeping close tabs on the 19-year-old right-back.

Etihad officials, alongside other top teams from England, have sent officials to run the rule over Gusto in recent weeks with the teenager emerging as one of Europe’s most in-demand talents.

As well as City, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus are eyeing the flying full-back from abroad with Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham also in the hunt.

The Verdict: Make the move?

Gusto is certainly a fine talent and has already managed to keep a lid on PSG superstar Neymar in a one-v-one display.

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He’s been called ‘one of the most exciting’ right-backs in football and a ‘real player’ by members of the media, potentially making him a candidate to take over from Kyle Walker once the England international needs more rotation.

Joao Cancelo and Sergio Gomez operating on the left with Walker and Gusto on the right wouldn’t exactly leave Guardiola short of full-back options.

Nottingham Forest have been heavily linked with a move for Morgan Gibbs-White this summer, and an update on the club’s pursuit of the player has now been revealed by a reliable source.

What’s the latest?

According to The Athletic’s Wolves reporter Steve Madeley, the Reds may now cool their interest in the 22-year-old following the signing of Jesse Lingard.

Madeley tweeted in response to David Ornstein’s announcement of Lingard’s confirmed move to Forest: “Interesting from a Wolves point of view. Don’t think it necessarily ends Forest’s interest in Gibbs-White because Lingard has only signed for a year whereas MGW would be a longer-term investment.”

“But it certainly makes him less of a priority for Forest.”

Supporters will be gutted

Forest have been wasting no time or resources in making sure they try to build a team that’s fit to compete in the Premier League next season, with 11 signings already secured, but the news that the club are not likely to prioritise a deal for Gibbs-White could well leave supporters gutted.

There is no doubt that Lingard is quite a coup for Forest. The 29-year-old has ample Premier League experience with 165 appearances, 29 goals and 14 assists in the top flight, something which could be extremely valuable to Cooper as he navigates through the season.

However, the former Manchester United star has only signed on a one-year deal and is clearly not a prospect for the future, turning 30 next February. Gibbs-White, on the other hand, would have been a long-term investment for the club and a player who could continue to develop under Cooper.

The 22-year-old Wolves midfielder has been going from strength to strength in his career so far and most recently had an outstanding season-long loan in the Championship with Sheffield United last term.

Gibbs-White ended the season as the second-highest scorer for the Blades with 12 goals and 10 assists, and he was named the club’s Player of the Year for his contributions and performances over his 37 league appearances.

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Cooper is already aware of the potential and talent that Gibbs-White possesses after working with him at international level with England under-17s and signing him on a six-month loan at Swansea, but Wolves’ reported £30m asking price for the midfielder is likely a breaking point that Forest are reluctant to meet.

The signing of Lingard certainly puts the potential move for Gibbs-White into question, and Cooper will be hoping that their decision to bring in the 29-year-old will make the difference in the bid for Premier League survival next season.

AND in other news – More to come: Paul Taylor drops huge Forest transfer claim, Cooper will be buzzing

Crystal Palace are believed to be nearing a contract agreement with forward Michael Olise, according to journalist David Ornstein.

What’s the word?

The respected insider revealed via Twitter that the two parties are “close” to agreeing a new deal, writing of the situation that:

“Crystal Palace in talks with Michael Olise over new contract. Agreement close. Extra year likely but no salary increase. Aim is to raise release clause (£35m) to ensure future sale breaks #CPFC record (£50m) & that would benefit all.”

In his Athletic column on Monday, Ornstein went into further detail about the situation, insisting that the 20-year-old ‘wishes to stay’ at Selhurst Park and will agree to a new one-year extension on his existing deal, with the main aim of the new agreement seemingly to raise his current release clause (£35m) to ward off any potential interest.

This news follows reports earlier this week that suggested clubs were interested in taking advantage of that clause to strike a deal this summer, although any suitor will now likely have to stump up more than the £50m that the club received for the sale of Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United in 2019.

Supporters delighted

There will be many of a Palace persuasion breathing a hefty sigh of relief at present, with it looking as if the Eagles have been able to swiftly curtail any notion of a departure by striking a new deal.

The London-born France U21 international has become such an integral asset following a stunning debut campaign in the Premier League, having been snapped up for a bargain fee of just £8m from Championship outfit Reading last summer.

After a slow start to life under manager Patrick Vieira due to injury, the £19.8m-rated starlet has come alive since the turn of the year, chipping in with four goals and eight assists in all competitions thus far this season.

The left-footed speedster has dazzled as a focal point of Vieira’s exciting young side, notably earning praise from pundit Ian Wright, who suggested that “he is going to be somebody that is going to do unbelievable things.”

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Dubbed “fearless” by former teammate Sam Baldock, Olise has not looked overawed by the move to the higher level and has showcased his willingness to make an impact in the attacking third, ranking in the top 6% for progressive carries and in the top 11% for progressive passes among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues.

A young talent with a bright future, it looks as if it’ll be in south London where he continues to develop.

AND in other news: Vieira may finally axe “inevitable” 142-goal Palace dynamo as twist emerges

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side face a break from their Premiership campaign on Sunday afternoon, with Raith Rovers visiting Parkhead in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.

With the clash against a side who currently sit fourth in the Championship unlikely to cause the Premiership leaders too many issues, it could provide the Bhoys boss with the perfect opportunity to rest a number of his first-team regulars, along with handing valuable game-time to a number of the fringe players within the Hoops squad.

How many changes will the 56-year-old make to the side which started the 3-2 win over the Aberdeen last time out? Here’s how we think Celtic could line up against Rovers, along with the latest team and injury news…

With Postecoglou recently revealing that Josip Juranovic will miss today’s fixture due to illness and also confirming that Yosuke Ideguchi will be available for selection after recovering from an ankle injury, we predict that the 56-year-old will make 10 changes to the side which started the midweek win at Pittodrie.

Of the back five, only Anthony Ralston keeps his place in the initial line-up, with Scott Bain taking Joe Hart’s spot between the sticks, while Liam Scales, Christopher Jullien and Stephen Welsh replace Greg Taylor, Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers respectively.

In the middle of the park, club captain Callum McGregor – who has been playing with two broken bones in his face in recent weeks – drops out of the side for a well-earned rest, as do Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley. The aforementioned Ideguchi comes in alongside Tom Rogic, while the £14k-per-week Nir Bitton – who was once dubbed a “walking joke” by Bhoys Analytics – takes McGregor’s place in the more defensive role of the Bhoys’ three-man midfield.

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In the Celtic attack, Jota and Liel Abada make way for Mikey Johnston and James Forrest respectively, while Daizen Maeda joins his Japanese team-mate Hatate on the bench, with Giorgos Giakoumakis making a return to the XI after missing out on a start against the Dons last time out.

In other news: Celtic dealt late injury setback ahead of cup clash, fans will be gutted