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Celtic have been on the hunt for a new manager for nearly three months now but the end could finally be in sight.

Advanced talks were in full flow at the beginning of April as the top brass at Parkhead moved closer to discovering Neil Lennon’s successor; Eddie Howe.

What’s the word?

Celtic have struggled to get a deal across the line in the last month or so but there is a light at the end of the tunnel beginning to emerge.

That’s because talks with Howe are now being finalised with the view to appointing him as the club’s new boss in the near future.

The Daily Mail reported last week that he was now drawing up plans to conclude who he wanted as his backroom staff and it would appear that most issues have now been ironed out.

That’s due to an update from freelance journalist Stuart Hodge, who has, in the past, written for outlets like Sky Sports and the Daily Record.

Taking to Twitter, he shared the following news on Celtic’s manager hunt: “Hearing from various sources now that an Eddie Howe agreement has been struck and that Celtic FC will announce him as manager in the very near future. The Englishman will become the 21st manager in the history of Celtic.”

Exciting news

After the long arduous wait for an announcement, it would appear that Celtic supporters could finally have something to savour and celebrate.

That’s a feeling that the club’s supporters arguably haven’t felt since December when they won last season’s delayed Scottish Cup final.

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Since that moment, it has been a diabolical and shambolic state of affairs at Paradise.

The Green Brigade have protested outside the stadium and Dermot Desmond has been questioned over his ownership of the football club.

You can hardly blame the toxic environment, though. Celtic have relinquished their grasp on the Premiership to Rangers and they also crashed out of this season’s Scottish Cup to the same opposition.

The very fact the hierarchy trusted in Lennon for so long was also an unhelpful situation, a scenario that hasn’t been aided by their lack of clarity over his successor either.

Clearly unprepared for his departure in February, Desmond and co have spent the last few months trying to find an able replacement.

Whether Howe will be good enough remains to be seen but his record with Bournemouth certainly has to be admired.

The 43-year-old took the Cherries from the fourth tier of English football to the Premier League and managed to establish them in the top-flight playing an eye-catching brand of football.

The coach definitely won’t have things easy but the supporters should be excited at what’s to come now they’re so close to a new seeing a new manager come in.

Finally, they can begin to prepare for a better, and hopefully a brighter, future.

AND in other news, Hoops given financial boost after big Celtic news emerges, McKay surely buzzing…

Jordan Jones was offered a fresh start at Sunderland in January after falling out of favour under Steven Gerrard at Rangers, and Keith Gillespie, who was capped 86 times for Northern Ireland, has exclusively spoke to Football FanCast about how Jones must leave Rangers this summer.

Jones was one of two Rangers players that breached COVID restrictions in November which saw him suspended and sent out on loan to Sunderland as they pushed for a place in the League One play-offs.

The 26-year old has become a reliable squad player under Lee Johnson who has started him in 11 league games this season and his three goals and willingness to run at defenders helped the Black Cats secure a fourth-place finish.

Jones had only been handed two league starts this season before his COVID breach which signals his time was probably already up at Rangers, and Gillespie exclusively told FFC that Jones must leave the Scottish champions this summer:

“I think there’s no doubt he needs to leave Rangers because there’s been a few problems there and I suppose breaking COVID rules a while back didn’t help – that was a really stupid thing to do.

“So there was no way back for him after breaking COVID rules and I think there is no way he goes back to the Rangers.”

Gerrard managed to cope fine without Jones for the second half of the season as he guided Rangers to a record 55th SPFL title and in the process, stopped their rivals, Celtic, from winning their 10th league title in a row.

Jones’ versatility has proved vital for Johnson at Sunderland especially given the number of injuries he has had to contend with at the back end of the campaign.

Michael Stewart says Celtic could have held onto Scott Brown had they moved to replace Neil Lennon more quickly.

The former Scottish international was speaking on Sunday’s edition of Sportscene.

The lowdown

Celtic parted ways with Neil Lennon at the end of February but have yet to appoint a long-term successor.

Around a month after Lennon’s resignation, Brown announced that he would call time on his 14-year Celtic career.

He signed a pre-contract agreement with Aberdeen and will join in a player-coach role (via The Guardian) – the 35-year-old skipper played his last game in Celtic colours on Saturday, a goalless draw with Hibernian.

Brown won 10 Scottish league titles, six Scottish Cups and seven Scottish League Cups in Glasgow (via Transfermarkt).

Callum McGregor, set to don the armband going forward, insisted that the veteran ‘hasn’t lost a yard’, hailing Brown as ‘absolutely immense’ and a ‘first class’ player.

The latest

Stewart doesn’t think Brown’s departure should have been regarded as inevitable, saying the midfielder still has plenty to offer on the field.

“I can’t help but think that had Celtic been able to get this managerial situation sorted earlier, that Scott Brown could well have been hanging round there for longer.

“But what Celtic have lost is Aberdeen’s gain, forgetting the assistant manager’s role.”

The verdict

Brown must have been torn. On the one hand, Lennon’s departure and the breaking of Celtic’s stranglehold marked the natural end of an era, with a rebuild in the offing.

But on the other, he surely wanted to go out on a high rather than such a dismal low for the football club, and perhaps it would have been enjoyable to lead a new era as an experienced head, even if not a major part of the first-team action.

Ultimately, what matters now is that the likes of McGregor step up to fill the void and relish, rather than shirk, the extra responsibility. Given

In other news, there was a ‘confident’ update in Celtic’s pursuit of a manager.

Following their recent promotion, Norwich are going to need Premier League proven players to survive, but ex-Canary Jon Newsome isn’t convinced by some of the available free agents touted for the club by Pink Un.

Daniel Farke’s side secured an instant return last month, losing just seven times in the Championship season having kept most of their squad that were relegated the previous season.

But whilst only Bournemouth scored more than Norwich in the 2020-2021 campaign, Farke’s team were the lowest scorers in their last Premier League season, and should therefore be looking to improve their front line.

Teemu Pukki has come up with the goods once again in each of his three years at the club to continue his ever-growing popularity with the Carrow Road faithful.

But if Norwich are to avoid suffering an immediate relegation like this time 12 months ago, the Finnish striker will need some support up front.

Swansea’s Andre Ayew, Josh King, Andy Carroll, who’s set to become a free agent, and Stoke City’s Nick Powell were all suggested by Pink Un, but Newsome told Football FanCast that he’s not convinced by any of those on that list:

“Andre Ayew, 31 years of age, I’m sure he’s on big money, Josh King is going to be on massive money at Everton, do Norwich want to break their wage structure? When you do things like that, bringing a player in that’s on massive money, sometimes it has a negative effect.

“Andy Carroll, does he fit in with Norwich’s style of play? And Nick Powell at Stoke, untried at Premier League level, is he going to be a player that’s going to come in and make a difference on the team? There will be question marks.”

West Ham must pick Tammy Abraham over Olivier Giroud if they do business with Chelsea this summer, says former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer.

Both strikers, 23 and 34, are currently being linked with a move to the London Stadium after being left out in the cold by Thomas Tuchel this season.

According to The Telegraph, Chelsea are ready to offer Abraham in any potential deal for Declan Rice. Meanwhile, Calciomercato.it (via Hammers News) claims West Ham could make a swoop for Giroud, who will be a free agent in the upcoming transfer window.

For Palmer, if it is a toss-up between the two, then Abraham is a no-brainer. The ex-Leeds United midfielder told TT in an exclusive interview:

“In terms of taking the club forward, you’d rather get Tammy Abraham, wouldn’t you? Young player who needs to leave Chelsea. If he’s not going to play, he needs to leave, he needs to leave.

“Of course, you’d always have somebody like Giroud in your squad and around your squad, but the future is the likes of Abraham. Even if they get him out on a season loan, Abraham’s the one they need to get.”

Even though he has not played regularly, Giroud has still shown his worth this season, scoring those four goals against Sevilla in the Champions League, for example.

Given the age factor, however, Abraham quite clearly one for now and the future, going for the England international instead might make a little more sense.

West Ham United have been given an encouraging boost in their bid to sign Sam Johnstone this summer…

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the West Bromwich Albion shot-stopper has privately told friends that he wants an instant return to the Premier League with the east London outfit following the Baggies’ relegation last month.

A source told the website that the 28-year-old is said to be “very keen” on signing for the Irons in the upcoming transfer window and he remains a firm target for David Moyes.

Just a few weeks ago, The Sun’s Alan Nixon claimed that the Midlands side would command around £20m to let their first-choice goalkeeper depart The Hawthorns, adding that the Scot would be willing to wait until his price tag drops to make a move, even if he’s seen as a long-term replacement for Lukasz Fabianski.

Imagine him and Ogbonna

For the sake of a few million pounds, the club’s owners GSB should probably just pay up to land Moyes his man as they’ll be investing in a key position for several years.

At just 28, Johnstone has several more seasons at the very top of his game, and with injury problems continuing to plague the Poland international, it would be a very wise decision to find a long-term successor sooner rather than later.

That is something they do not currently have amongst the first team set-up, with Darren Randolph (34) and David Martin (35) being fellow veteran options.

Despite being relegated to the Championship with the worst defensive record in the English top flight this season, the Baggies stopper has been one of the few shining lights and perhaps one of the better options between the sticks.

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As per the statistical website FBRef, Johnstone made the most saves in the division (161) by quite some margin and did so at a success rate of 70.6%, which was higher than Fabianski (69.4%) despite the Irons ‘keeper facing 65 fewer shots.

It’s no wonder that he has earned plenty of glowing acclaim from those around him and in the media, too.

Former Hammers boss Sam Allardyce suggested that the 6 foot 4 colossus was “one of the best [in the Premier League]” to talkSPORT back in December, whilst BT Sport pundit Glenn Hoddle claimed he had “been outstanding” every time he’s seen him play this season.

Furthermore, Steve Bruce believes Johnstone is an absolute “diamond” to work with on the training ground, so perhaps he could be the man to truly rival Fabianski for that number one spot next term. That may all boil down to whether or not the club can – or will – splash out that £20m, but they ought to do so.

On the above evidence, he would be a fine addition to Moyes’ current backline, where Angelo Ogbonna has excelled. He and Johnstone could be a rock-solid pairing heading into a Europa League campaign.

As former Irons striker Frank McAvennie recently told Football FanCast exclusively, the Albion star is “right up West Ham’s street,” so GSB must sanction a move for him this summer.

He wants it; Moyes wants it. Get it done, David Sullivan.

AND in other news, 6 foot 4 powerhouse who “will explode” could bolster West Ham’s European claims next season…

Serie A expert Conor Clancy believes Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic would be a superb signing for Tottenham Hotspur, and has backed him to fill the gap left by Harry Kane if he does leave the club.

Sky Sports have reported that Kane has asked to leave the club this summer, prompting interest from Manchester United, Manchester City, and Chelsea.

Vlahovic has been linked with a move to Spurs, with the club reported to have entered into talks with Fiorentina over a possible deal.

They are not alone in the race, though, with Arsenal and Liverpool also said to be in pursuit. Spurs are also in the market for a new manager and Clancy feels that either Mauricio Pochettino or Antonio Conte – both of whom have been linked – would help the forward improve immensely.

Vlahovic is just 21 and scored 21 goals in all competitions this season, while also laying on two assists.

In total, the young forward has 29 goals in 84 games for the club, and has also been capped seven times by Serbia, scoring twice.

He is valued at £36m by Transfermarkt and has a contract until 2023, and Clancy feels he would be a fine acquisition for Spurs.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “I don’t think anyone’s good enough to replace Harry Kane but in terms of what Vlahovic could go on to do, quite possibly.

“I think the ceiling for him is higher than it would be for a lot of strikers, and he’s still very, very young. You would hope that he’s only going to get better.

“If Spurs have a coach like Pochettino, I think Vlahovic could really, really step his game up, also with Conte. You saw what Conte did with [Romelu] Lukaku. It depends on the coach they get in but Vlahovic is someone that most clubs should be looking at.”

KV Oostende have moved to activate Celtic defender Jack Hendry’s release clause, as reported by the Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Hendry has went from zero to hero in the last two years

Hendry has become something of a forgotten man at Parkhead in recent years after being signed by former Hoops manager Brendan Rodgers in 2018 for £1.44m [Transfermarkt]. The 26-year-old has not kicked a ball in Celtic colours since a cameo appearance against Partick Thistle in the 2019/20 Betfred Cup [BBC].

Out of nowhere, the defender has enjoyed an unexpected rise to prominence. He linked up with KV Oostende on loan in 2020 following a brief loan spell at Melbourne City.

Incredibly, the Scot has went on to rack up 30 appearances for the Belgian outfit in 2020/21 [Soccerbase], winning the prestigious Sport Voetbal Player of the Year award in the process [Sport Voetbal], so there is little wonder that KV Oostende have now moved to make his stay in Belgium a permanent one.

The Latest: Release clause activated; Hendry will be a KV Oostende player

Celtic look set to make a profit on Hendry, with De Kustboys paying a rumoured fee of around £1.75m for him [Daily Record]. This is due to the release clause included in his deal, which gave the Belgian Pro League outfit first option on the Glaswegian [Daily Record].

Intriguingly, KV Oostende could look to sell him on immediately to the highest bidder for a considerable fee. Subject to interest from England, the likes of Leeds, Burnley and Newcastle are all keeping tabs on the centre-back [Daily Record].

The Verdict: More disappointment for Celtic in their time of need

On assessment, Celtic may feel slightly miffed at the circumstantial realm in which they find themselves with Hendry. Alhough they will make a profit, £1.75m seems a measly amount for someone who scored his first goal for Scotland in a friendly against the Netherlands last week [BBC].

Described by KV Oostende boss Alexander Blessin as someone who ‘has a lot of qualities’ [Celtic Star], Celtic could’ve missed out on a potential solution to their lack of depth in the centre of their defence.

Nonetheless, the Hoops must now move on and put the fee for Hendry towards acquiring a suitable replacement.

In other news, Celtic have agreed a fee to sell their talisman.

Manchester City fans are livid at Pep Guardiola after it was revealed that up to seven Citizens players could leave the club this summer during a meeting with Barcelona officials Mateu Alemany and Joan Laporta.

It has already been a busy start to the summer transfer window for City, at least in terms of outgoings. Both Sergio Aguero (fcbarcelona.com) and Eric Garcia have completed moves to the Camp Nou, and there have been suggestions Aymeric Laporte could soon join them (Sport).

According to Spanish journalist Gerard Romero, Guardiola met with Alemany and Laporta last week, and said up to seven players could be available for purchase from the Etihad Stadium, which does not appear to have gone down well with the club’s supporters.

The news was relayed on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the fans. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the matter, and in particular about Guardiola.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Guardiola below

“Sack Pep & his friends..”

Credit: @Reallywasco

“Who is Pep working for these days?”

Credit: @tfbubendorfer

“I swear Pep will be the downfall of City”

Credit: @HerveMugabo

“Yeah, Pep is playing against us”

Credit: @onemilli19

“Pep is a spy, he was actually building a team for Barca while waiting for Laporte return!!”

Credit: @M_Muhairi93

“What is going on?”

Credit: @Harry_MCFC891

In other news, Man City fans rage at news on this striker.

Sheffield Wednesday reportedly face competition for the signing of Josh Griffiths this summer, with Portsmouth and Lincoln City also keen on a move for the goalkeeper.

The Lowdown: Owls show Griffiths interest

The Owls are getting ready for life in League One, following their hugely disappointing relegation from the Championship last season.

Darren Moore will be keen to bring in his own players this summer and West Brom goalkeeper Griffiths is someone Wednesday have been linked with.

The 19-year-old impressed on loan at Cheltenham Town last season, starting 44 games in League Two as they gained promotion to the third tier of English football, winning the league in the process.

The Latest: League One pair also keen

The Owls face competition for Griffiths’ signature, however, with journalist Alan Nixon taking to Twitter to claim that Portsmouth and Lincoln are both eyeing up loan moves for the teenager.

It remains to be seen how serious Wednesday’s interest is, but it looks as though they won’t be able to sign him easily.

The Verdict: Exciting long-term prospect

With Keiren Westwood leaving Hillsborough this summer, the need for a new ‘keeper is clear and Griffiths is someone very much at the other end of his career.

He looks like an exciting prospect who will be full of confidence after last season’s success, so Moore would be sensible to try and snap him up.

Granted, experience isn’t necessarily on Griffiths’ side, but he has already shown he can shine for a promotion-chasing team – something Wednesday will intend to be in 2021/22.

In other news, Sheff Wed have been tipped to sign an attacker this summer – find out who it is here.