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Despite falling out of favour, Wrexham's all-time top goalscorer Paul Mullin was elated at the club's promotion to the Championship.

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Wrexham earn promotion to the ChampionshipMullin does not hold back celebrationsRed Dragons to undergo summer revampFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Wrexham stormed to the Championship with a 3-0 thrashing of promotion rivals Charlton Athletic on Saturday evening. Celebrating their third promotion in as many seasons, Mullin could not hold back his emotion and argued his controversial move to the club in 2021 has been justified by their meteoric rise up the English divisions. While his future may lie away from the Red Dragons, Mullin's role in propelling Phil Parkinson's side up the leagues will not be forgotten anytime soon at the Racecourse Ground.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT MULLIN SAID

Speaking to after the game, Mullin said: "It's not just about me. It's a real team effort. When I first joined, Rob McElhenney told me: 'Championship in five years'. We've done it a year early. It's been some journey, unbelievable. These fans f*cking deserve it. Sorry for the language. [It's an] unbelievable feeling. I'm so happy for everyone involved. Phenomenal.

"I've found it hard not being involved as much this season, but I will enjoy this one just as much. The question I got asked when I signed here was: 'Why Wrexham? Why Wrexham?' Here's your answer for the third time in a row. It has been phenomenal; we've created history yet again. Back-to-back-to-back, never been done, it has now and it belongs to Wrexham. I'm so happy for all the fans."

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Mullin has not featured in a match-day squad in League One since being an unused substitute against Mansfield in February. His last minutes in the league came in a 3-2 defeat to Stevenage at the end of January. He has been all-but-frozen out of the squad, but still takes pride in the role he has played in helping the Red Dragons get to where they are now – and the Championship.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MULLIN?

With Wrexham adding Jay Rodriguez and Sam Smith to their striking options in January, Mullin saw his game time drop massively. With the club's promotion to the Championship now sealed, rumours linking the club with other top forwards, including Jamie Vardy, have already started flying and Mullin appears destined for the exit door. However how unceremonious his departure may be, Mullin will leave a Wrexham legend.

Exiled Wrexham striker Paul Mullin posted an emotional five-word message on Instagram after his side took a giant leap towards another promotion.

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Wrexham beat Blackpool 2-1Inch closer to third straight promotionMullin sends five word messageFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Mullin has not played a single minute for Wrexham since January but despite being left out of the squad, he still rejoiced in the Welsh side's crucial 2-1 win at Blackpool as they went back into League One's automatic promotion spots. The 30-year-old said it was a "great result" for the Red Dragons, while reflecting on their promotion from League Two in an emotional post.

AdvertisementWHAT MULLIN SAID

Mullin, who led Wrexham two back-to-back promotions, wrote in an Instagram story: "Great result from the boys!"

In another post, he posted a photo from last season and added: "Time flies… feels like yesterday".

InstagramInstagramTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Mullin has gone from being the main man at Wrexham to someone who can't even get in matchday squads under manager Phil Parkinson. January signing Sam Smith, veterans Jay Rodriguez and Steven Fletcher, and Jack Marriott are all ahead of him in the pecking order as the Welsh outfit inch closer to a third-straight promotion. While many may not want to admit it, Mullin's time with the club could be drawing to a close.

GettyWHAT NEXT?

Wrexham, who sit second in League One with a two-point lead over Wycombe Wanderers in third, can secure promotion to the Championship this weekend if they beat fourth-placed Charlton Athletic and Wycombe fail to win at Leyton Orient.

Manchester United’s need for a new striker has become even more evident after the last few outings, none more so than the meeting with Arsenal in the FA Cup on Sunday evening.

Although the Red Devils managed to get through on penalties in the clash at the Emirates, their lack of threat in the final third was notable, only managing to register four shots on target in 120 minutes of football.

Rasmus Hojlund was the man chosen to lead the line but failed to register a single effort on goal, also losing 100% of his duels, before being replaced in the 80th minute.

The Dane has now failed to score a single goal in seven matches across all competitions, undoubtedly contributing to the club’s lowly tally of just 23 goals in the first 20 matches of the Premier League campaign.

His subsequent run could see the hierarchy delve into the transfer market to try and improve the current situation, including one player who could prove to be a bargain down the line.

Man Utd target move for £30m star this January

According to one Spanish outlet, United have been credited with an interest in landing Sporting CP striker Conrad Harder before the end of the January window.

The 19-year-old only joined the Portuguese side in September but has wasted no time in impressing, scoring seven times in 23 appearances since his move.

The report states that the Liga Portugal side don’t want to lose the youngster, but could entertain offers in the region of €35m (£30m), potentially opening the door to a move to Old Trafford.

It would be a surprise to see Ruben Amorim raid his former club after his comments upon taking the reins at United, but Harder could provide an option in the short and long term in forward areas.

He would also provide an upgrade on another player who’s been touted with a move to the club in recent days, with the hierarchy needing to chase the Dane over a move for a big-money talent.

How Harder compares to Kolo Muani

PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani has been a name constantly touted with a move to join United this month, but the Old Trafford side face serious competition from the likes of Juventus and Spurs for his signature.

The Frenchman, who cost the Parisians £76m in the summer of 2023, has only started two Ligue 1 outings during the ongoing campaign, opening the door for a potential exit.

Amorim’s side have constantly been linked, but given the recent rumours over a move for youngster Harder, the club should put their focus into a move for the Sporting ace, who would be a better fit, whilst also having the potential to improve further.

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The Danish international, who’s already been dubbed “the new Gyokeres” by one analyst, has outscored the PSG man, whilst also averaging a higher goal per shot on target rate – demonstrating his clinical edge in the final third.

Harder has also managed more progressive carries and passes per 90 in 2024/25, having the all-round attributes to star as a superb leading talisman for Amorim for many years to come.

£30m may seem like a hefty sum for a player who’s in the very early stages of his professional career, but his talent is there for all to see, already outperforming one of France’s leading attackers.

It would be a shrewd investment for the present and the future, handing the new boss with all of the tools to build on his impressive start to life as manager in Manchester.

Huge upgrade on Zirkzee: Man Utd actively chasing £50m "future superstar"

Man Utd need to back Ruben Amorim in the transfer market this month.

ByAngus Sinclair Jan 14, 2025

Though tours of Zimbabwe are potential banana skins for fringe players, Dhananjaya de Silva and Asela Gunaratne have put in clutch performances and made themselves hard to ignore

Tristan Holme in Harare07-Nov-2016Over the past few years, visitors to Zimbabwe have faced an unwelcome prospect: little to gain, everything to lose.The decreasing value of a tour of Zimbabwe can be seen in its most consistent marker. As India visited in three of the last four years, the teams they selected became ever weaker. In 2013, five first-XI players were rested. This year, as many as 17 players who were in India’s previous limited-overs squads were left at home.Sri Lanka’s situation on this tour is slightly different in that the five first-choice players back home were all injured, and so this is the strongest possible side. Yet, the players coming in still faced the prospect of gaining little at best, and, at worst, kissing goodbye to future selections at the highest level. The way they have gone about their business has not suggested that this has been weighing on their minds.The first Test brought a maiden century for Kusal Perera, and a first Test hundred in a decade for Upul Tharanga. But with Zimbabwe dropping six catches as they felt their way back into top-flight cricket, and both batsmen benefiting from the foundation laid by Sri Lanka’s openers, neither century was one to seal debates on their long-term future.The situation was different when Dhananjaya de Silva walked to the crease on the first day of the second Test. Sri Lanka were 112 for 4, and under pressure for the first time in the series. “I think we dropped our guard a little bit yesterday morning and we found ourselves in a spot of bother,” Graham Ford, Sri Lanka’s coach, said after day two. “Some of our batters came in under pressure, and it was pleasing to see the composure in the way they absorbed the pressure that we needed them to.”Zimbabwe had enjoyed a little bit of luck in taking three wickets prior to lunch. It wasn’t necessarily luck that they deserved, but after the first Test, it could be argued that it was luck they were due. When they came out after lunch, the hosts seemed to have acknowledged that and decided to make the most of it. Bowlers who were so errant in the first session ramped up the pressure on de Silva and Tharanga, with the first 18 overs of the session yielding just 44 runs. “We started off badly in the first session, but I think we pulled it back quite nicely as the day wore on,” Hamilton Masakadza said.De Silva looked the perfect batsman for the circumstances. Although the pitch had even bounce, it remained on the slow side. Zimbabwe were playing the waiting game – a game that flashier batsmen than de Silva might well have lost. Instead, he remained compact, his neat technique never allowing him to get ahead of himself. Crucially on this surface, his range of strokes made it difficult for Zimbabwe to bowl in one place and block him up. By the end of the first day, he had an unbeaten hundred, having feasted on the spinners during the evening session. A Cricviz analysis showed the balance in his strokeplay: 51 runs off the front foot, 49 off the back foot; 51 on the off side, 49 on the leg side.”He’s known as the Ice Man in our dressing room because he showed such composure and handled real pressure against Australia – they were one of the best attacks in world cricket and he showed that he was up for Test match cricket,” Ford said. “There’s that side to it, but he also seems to have a lot of time. We saw he plays the short ball pretty well – he can dispatch it – and has good technique. There are lots of positives there when you add all of that together, so he’s a real find for Sri Lankan cricket.”While de Silva looks to have set up his stall for the foreseeable future, adding depth to a batting department that is coming to terms with the retirement of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, Asela Gunaratne’s case may be slightly different. Already 30 years old, Gunaratne is classified as an allrounder, but his bowling is never likely to be used on more than a part-time basis in Test cricket. As Sri Lanka toiled for 10 wickets on the last day of the first Test, Herath never once tossed him the ball.But 186 runs in three innings for two dismissals is difficult to argue with. In the first Test, Sri Lanka were 351 for 5 when Gunaratne came to the crease. In the second Test, the score was 255 for 5. With Gunaratne marshalling the tail, they have added 435 runs for the last five wickets over the course of two first innings. Angelo Mathews will walk back into the Test side when Sri Lanka head to South Africa next month, but it will be difficult to keep Gunaratne off the plane.”It’s good to see the form that the batsmen have shown,” Ford said. “Before the series, we knew that some of the fringe players had some talent but hadn’t seen much opportunity. Now, they’ve put their hands up and scored runs, so to see some depth in our batting department is really encouraging and important.”On the ‘little to gain’ dilemma, he added: “The batsmen can only do what they can do, which is go out and score runs. If the wicket is flat, there’s nothing they can do about it.”Sri Lanka’s greatest challenge may yet come over the final three days of this match, as they face an improving Zimbabwe side on another flat pitch. Ford believes it will take some turn, but with fewer favours from Zimbabwe’s batsmen – and the umpires, now that DRS is in place – a lot of hard work lies ahead. So far, Sri Lanka’s batsmen have ticked all the boxes. Now, it’s over to the bowlers.

The England veteran is the oldest man to top the charts since Clarrie Grimmett in 1936

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Feb-2023James Anderson has overhauled Australia’s captain Pat Cummins to become the No.1 Test bowler in the ICC rankings, off the back of his role in England’s 267-run win against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui last week.At the age of 40 years and 207 days, Anderson is also the oldest player to top the rankings since Clarrie Grimmett, the Australian legspinner, in 1936, having played an integral part in the recent success of England’s Test team, which has now won ten of its past 11 matches.It is the sixth time that Anderson has gone to the top of the rankings in a career that began against Zimbabwe at Lord’s in May 2003, and has now spanned 178 Test appearances and 682 wickets, placing him third on the all-time list behind the spin duo of Muthiah Muralidaran (800) and Shane Warne (708).Full rankings tables

Click here for the full team rankings

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In May 2016, Anderson went past his long-time team-mate Stuart Broad, as well as India’s R Ashwin, to top the rankings for the first time, and most recently he held the top spot for five months in 2018 before being displaced by South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada.It has the potential to be a short return to the top, however. With a total of 866 ranking points, Anderson is just two points ahead of Ashwin in second place, who also delivered a strong showing in India’s most recent Test win over Australia in Delhi last week. Cummins is now third on 858, but could himself regain top billing with two Tests to come against India in the next fortnight, despite flying home this week to address a health issue in the family.Wanindu Hasaranga overtook Rashid Khan to become the No. 1 T20I bowler•ICC via GettyNevertheless, the achievement is further proof of Anderson’s remarkable longevity. In the course of his seven wickets at Mount Maunganui, he brought his overall Test average down below 26 for the first time since his maiden series in 2003, but the sense that he is improving with age is backed up by his form in the last five years of his career.Since turning 35 in July 2017, Anderson has now taken 202 wickets in 56 subsequent games, at an average of 20.56. At Mount Maunganui, he and Broad also overhauled the Test record for most wickets taken as a bowling partnership, which previously stood at 1001 between Australia’s Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.”They’re the GOATs, aren’t they? I can’t see that record being broken for a very long time,” Ben Stokes, England’s captain, said after the first Test win. “Warne and McGrath were an unbelievable combination, but I think the way in which Test cricket is going now with everything else to players, I can’t see that record being broken any time soon. I can’t ever see it being broken.”Related

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Elsewhere in the rankings, New Zealand’s pairing Tom Blundell (11th) and Devon Conway (17th) have risen to career-high positions, as have England’s trio of Ollie Pope (23rd), Harry Brook (31st) and Ben Duckett (38th).India’s players also received a boost following their emphatic victory over Australia, with Ravindra Jadeja moving up seven places to ninth following his seven-wicket haul in the second innings, and Axar Patel – who is the second leading run-scorer for the series so far with 158 runs – moving up two places to fifth on the latest Test all-rounder rankings.In the T20I bowling rankings, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga has leapfrogged Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan to the top, as a consequence of Rashid taking only four wickets in three matches against UAE last week.For UAE, Muhammad Waseem rose six places to seventh in the T20I batting list, after scoring 199 runs at an average of 66.33 in the three games.

Looking to cement their Champions League place once and for all, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly made contact to sign a Serie A midfielder who knows all about finishing inside the Premier League’s top four.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Six wins on the bounce and level on points with second place Arsenal in the Premier League, Nottingham Forest are proving to be no flash in the pan as the season enters its second half. It’s even worth noting that up next they have the chance to become the first side to complete the double over Arne Slot’s Liverpool side and remain the only side to defeat the Reds in league action so far this season.

Watch out Wood: Nottingham Forest could land their own Gyokeres in £35m ace

Nottingham Forest could target added attacking reinforcements to bolster their top four hopes.

ByEthan Lamb Jan 8, 2025

Defeat Slot’s side once again and Nuno Espirito Santo’s high-flying Forest will find themselves just three points adrift with the leaders, who will at least have a game in hand to rectify that gap. If the likes of Chris Wood perform at the level they did against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the coming weeks, then the title race may well have a shock participant.

The January transfer window could yet boost their impressive campaign even further too. According to The Daily Mail, Nottingham Forest have made contact to sign Douglas Luiz from Juventus this month in what is likely to be a short-term loan move away from the Serie A giants.

Having struggled since arriving in Turin, Luiz could now receive the opportunity he so desperately needs to return to the Premier League and rediscover his best form. A move to Nottingham Forest wouldn’t be without its controversy, however, given that the Brazilian spent a number of years at Aston Villa and even helped the Villans into the Champions League last season.

"Decisive" Luiz would cement Nottingham Forest's ambitions

Just like he did for Midlands rivals Aston Villa last season, Luiz could seal Forest’s Champions League ambitions by completing a January move and much-needed fresh start away from Juventus – albeit merely a brief loan spell.

Earning a reported £132,000-a-week in Serie A, it will be interesting to see just how much of Luiz’s hefty salary Nottingham Forest are willing to match and how much Juventus will pay, themselves, in order to send their midfielder on loan.

The former Villa man is certainly worth the gamble this month, having still earned plenty of praise throughout a troubled campaign so far. Among those with plenty of positives has been Aston Villa sporting director Monchi, who told reporters as relayed by Tribal Football earlier this month: “He’s playing less than we all expected, but we’re talking about a strong player.

“There are guys who arrive and impose themselves, others who need time. Patience is needed, but Douglas’ qualities are beyond discussion. He will become important for Juve. He’s a playmaker and every ball that comes out of his feet has a meaning: last year he played 90% of the games with us. He was decisive.”

It’s not clear which formats he would be in charge of, with S Sriram understood to be at the helm of the T20I side

Mohammad Isam31-Jan-2023Chandika Hathurusingha has returned to the Bangladesh men’s national team as its head coach.Not long after Cricket New South Wales confirmed that Hathurusingha had parted ways with them, the BCB announced a two-year deal starting next month. It has, however, not been confirmed which formats Hathurusingha would be in charge of, with S Sriram also around and at the helm of the T20I side.ESPNcricinfo understands that discussions about the roadmap between Sriram and the BCB in Dhaka earlier this month didn’t provide clear answers. But the board had said in December last year that it wants Sriram to be the long-term T20I head coach. If that remains true, Hathurusingha might only be connected with the Test and ODI sides.Related

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“It’s an honour to have been given this opportunity to coach the Bangladesh national team once again,” Hathurusingha said in a statement. “I really loved the warmth of the people and the culture of Bangladesh. I’m looking forward to working with the players once again and enjoying their successes.”This is 54-year-old Hathurusingha’s second stint with Bangladesh after he had served as the head coach from 2014 to 2017. That included Bangladesh’s famous ODI series-winning streak at home, that included beating Pakistan, India and South Africa in consecutive months. Under Hathurusingha, the team also made the knockout stages of ICC events at the ODI World Cup in 2015 and the Champions Trophy in 2017, and also recorded their first Test wins against England, Australia and Sri Lanka.BCB: Hathurusingha ‘a proven tactician’During Hathurusingha’s time with the team, Bangladesh had a 40.20% success rate in 102 matches across formats. For the record, that’s lower than what his successors – and now predecessors – Steve Rhodes (51.11) and Russell Domingo (42.34) achieved.”Chandika’s experience and knowledge of Bangladesh cricket will be an advantage for him and will benefit the players,” BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said. “He is a proven tactician and we have seen his impact on the national team during his first assignment.”Following his time with Bangladesh, Hathurusingha went back to Sri Lanka, his home country, and took charge as the head coach of the national men’s team there, before moving to New South Wales in July 2020.

Plays of the day from the second ODI between India and New Zealand in Delhi, featuring cramps, throws and blows

Alagappan Muthu20-Oct-2016Nothing but painRohit Sharma had used his backfoot cover drive to bully a reasonably good ball to the boundary. There was barely any swing. There was no reason not to try it again. At the start of the eighth over, he got in position for the shot again, but this time Trent Boult, from around the wicket, got the ball to straighten just enough to snatch the edge through to the wicketkeeper. It was a beautiful ball, but that matters little to the dismissed batsman. Less so when he suddenly cramps up. Rohit was turning back to see if the catch would be taken when he felt something in his left bicep. The arm went completely limp. He was left hunched over for several moments, clutching it, and needed the physio to tend to it before he could walk off.Avoiding painLately, umpire Bruce Oxenford has been turning up for limited-overs matches with a shield on his arm. He crosses his arms in front of his chest as he takes his stance at the bowler’s end, the shield in place to deflect the ball away from his face. It turned out that the extra protection would have served his partner well too. In the seventh over, Tom Latham drilled the ball down the ground, and fear of being hit made umpire Anil Chaudhary dash frantically to his right. He was on one foot, the other in the air, looking comically ungainly. Umesh Yadav, the bowler, was able to get a hand on the ball and send it off course. But Chaudhary gestured immediately to his partner, his elbow moving up to his face, as if he were saying, “I should get a shield too. Could have avoided pain – and looked cool to boot.”Only, when Oxenford had the chance to use the shield, he couldn’t act quickly enough. Corey Anderson’s throw from the deep at the bowler’s end headed straight at him and he was struck on the box.The Superman dive that went in vainManish Pandey seemed to have done enough to secure a couple of runs. He’d played the ball softly, placed the ball to deep midwicket’s right, and the fielder there was Mitchell Santner, who is left-handed and had to run around the ball. He did so with remarkable swiftness. Then came the throw which was brutally flat. Luke Ronchi had positioned himself between the stumps and the throw, but it came to him on the half-volley, which is hard to collect because you have to keep your eyes on the ball when there is a real chance it might bounce up and hit you. But in one fluid motion, he collected the ball and swung it back to catch Pandey short despite his full-length dive.And the fast bowler’s disdainNew Zealand were floundering in the final overs of their innings, and they could have done with some good, old-fashioned Tim Southee slogs. He had, after all, made his maiden fifty in his 100th ODI in Dharamsala. Except, in Delhi, he was bowled second ball by a superb yorker from Jasprit Bumrah. It was quick. It cramped the batsman for room. And it hit the base of off stump.The second innings provided opportunity for round two. And this time, the game was at stake. It was the final over. India needed 10 to win. New Zealand needed a wicket. Bumrah was given the strike in the third ball and Southee revved up. The ball curved into the right-hander at pace, sank below the bat and crashed into middle stump to seal New Zealand’s victory.

England's Lionesses have been dealt a huge blow as Sarina Wiegman's assistant coach, Arjan Veurink, will be the new head coach of the Netherlands.

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Lionesses assistant Veurink to leave England roleHas won two Euros titles with WiegmanWill take Netherlands job after Euro 2025Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Veurink has been part of the England coaching staff since Wiegman took over the team back in 2021, playing a key role in the Lionesses' triumph at the 2022 European Championships and their run to the 2023 Women's World Cup final. However, after the reigning European champions conclude their title defence in Switzerland this summer, Veurink will depart to take over the Netherlands national team.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) knows Veurink well, as he was also Wiegman's assistant when she was in charge of the Netherlands between 2017 and 2021. The two had a lot of success there as well, winning the 2017 Euros and reaching the 2019 Women's World Cup final. Prior to that, Veurink was head coach of Twente's women's team, winning seven trophies in four years despite only being 25 years old when he started in the role.

WHAT VEURINK SAID

Veurink, who has signed a contract until the end of the Euros in 2029, said: "This is not only a great challenge and a wonderful new adventure, it also feels like a logical next step in my career. I never made a secret of the fact that one day I wanted to be the manager of the Dutch national team. With over eight years of experience at the very highest level as Sarina Wiegman's right-hand man, first with the Netherlands and now in England, I am ready to stand on my own two feet. The fact that this opportunity has just arisen in the Netherlands makes it extra special. I will now first do everything possible to finish the coming months in England in style."

Nigel de Jong, the technical director of the KNVB, added: "Arjan has a rich history in women's football and has witnessed up close the developments that international women's football has gone through over the past 15 years. He knows what is demanded in the absolute top, but also knows how important it is to keep the connection with the grassroots. We are therefore delighted that he wants to take up the challenge. I am looking forward to working together and to further build on the success of the Dutch national team. Finally, we would also like to thank the English Football Association (FA) for their cooperation."

DID YOU KNOW?

Veurink will actually be an opponent of the Netherlands before he departs his role with England, as the two nations are set to face off in the group stages of this summer's Euros. Both are among the favourites to emerge victorious from the tournament, as the winners of the two previous editions.

Two clubs have made a move to sign a £2.5 million Celtic player who the Hoops don’t want to sell this month, according to a Sky Sports reporter.

Celtic transfer news

The Hoops will be looking to continue their assault on the Scottish Premiership and the Champions League in the second half of the season. Therefore, Brendan Rodgers may want to make a few changes to his squad this month to improve their chances of success.

Celtic closing in on agreement for "great" goalkeeper to rival Schmeichel

He could be allowed to leave his current club.

2 ByTom Cunningham Jan 4, 2025

The Scottish champions look to be closing in on the signing of defender Kieran Tierney. It has been reported by Fabrizio Romano that negotiations have now begun in terms of Celtic re-signing Tierney. The left-back is out of contract at the end of this season, but talks are underway for an agreement to be reached this month, with Tierney keen on a move back to Celtic Park.

As well as looking to sign Tierney this month, it has also been reported that Celtic are closing in on the signing of Altay Bayindir from Manchester United. The Turkish international is currently the second-choice goalkeeper at Old Trafford, behind Andre Onana, and with him keen on playing more minutes, a move could be on the cards this month, as United look to freshen up their goalkeeper department and Celtic look to replace the ageing Kasper Schmeichel.

Two clubs move to sign £3.5m Celtic player

As Rodgers and co have their eyes on arrivals, they may also have to be prepared for one or two departures, as according to Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph, Genoa and Olympiacos have expressed an interest in Celtic winger Luis Palma.

The 24-year-old joined the Hoops in August 2023 for a reported £3.5 million, and it was an impressive first season at the club for the Honduras international, as he scored six goals and registered nine assists in 24 Scottish Premiership games.

Palma, who can operate anywhere across the frontline, has struggled to have the same impact in this 2024/25 season, as he’s hardly featured under Rodgers. Palma has started just two of the eight games he has played in all competitions, starting just one game in the league, and that came against Dundee in October.

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Joseph now reports that Genoa and Olympiacos have made a move to sign Palma from Celtic this month. Palma is under contract until the summer of 2028, and with that, the Hoops are not interested in letting the forward leave, especially as James Forrest is still out with an injury. The Scottish champions are in the market for a new winger, and should one arrive, that may change their stance on Palma.