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After being considered "hour-to-hour" by coach John Schneider on Tuesday (via MLB reporter Keegan Matheson), the Blue Jays revealed outfielder George Springer's status for Game 4 just under two hours before the first pitch vs. the Dodgers.

Springer was not included in Toronto's initial lineup vs. Los Angeles. The Blue Jays star left Monday night's marathon 18-inning game in the seventh inning, hours before the game actually ended.

It was determined Springer left with right side discomfort, per MLB, and that he would be undergoing an MRI to learn the severity of the injury. Springer left the field after fouling off a pitch from Dodgers reliever Justin Wrobleski in the top of the seventh inning and did not return.

Springer normally leads off for the Blue Jays, so in his absence, Nathan Lukes will take the leadoff spot for Toronto in an important Game 4. The Dodgers now hold a 2–1 lead over the Blue Jays after the 6–5 win on Monday night. The Blue Jays will need to win on Tuesday night to even out the series and avoid being on the brink of losing.

Through the postseason thus far, Springer has registered 14 hits, 13 runs and four home runs, including a three-run homer that helped the Blue Jays win the ALCS over the Mariners in Game 7. He's averaged .246/.323/.561 through 14 postseason games.

Zohran Mamdani may have won New York City’s mayoral election on Nov. 4, but it was not for a lack of trying on the part of … his city’s athletes?

After every mayoral election, New York publishes the recipients of write-in votes—often a motley crew of celebrities and politicans past and present. This election’s field was no exception.

Here, per Spencer Gustafson of WPIX-TV and Gary Phillips of the , are the athletes who received at least one write-in vote to become mayor of New York in Jan. 2026. The list includes the living and the dead, as well as representatives of three different sports.

ATHLETE	POSITION	TEAM/ORGANIZATION	NOTES
Pete Alonso	First baseman	New York Mets	Five-time All-Star
Carmelo Anthony	Forward	New York Knicks from 2011 to ’17	Six-time All-Star with Knicks
Saquon Barkley	Running back	New York Giants from 2018 to ’23	Two-time Pro Bowler with Giants
Jalen Brunson	Guard	New York Knicks	Two-time All-Star with Knicks
Jaxson Dart	Quarterback	New York Giants	1,556 passing yards in 10 games this season
Walt Frazier	Guard	New York Knicks from 1968 to ’77	Seven-time All-Star with Knicks
Lou Gehrig	First baseman	New York Yankees	Two-time American League MVP; died in 1941
Aaron Glenn	Coach	New York Jets	3-9 in 12 games this season
Josh Hart	Shooting guard and small forward	New York Knicks	11.8 points per game in 19 games this season
Derek Jeter	Shortstop	New York Yankees	14-time All-Star
Aaron Judge	Right fielder and designated hitter	New York Yankees	Three-time American League MVP
Sandy Koufax	Pitcher	Brooklyn Dodgers from 1955 to ’57	1963 National League MVP with Los Angeles Dodgers
Rob Manfred	Commissioner	Major League Baseball	Commissioner since 2015
Cam Schlittler	Pitcher	New York Yankees	4–3 with 2.96 ERA in 14 starts this season
Cam Skattebo	Running back	New York Giants	410 yards in eight games this season
Tom Thibodeau	Coach	New York Knicks from 2021 to ’25	2021 NBA Coach of the Year with Knicks

The list can be grouped with relative neatness into four brackets—the modern baseball figures (Alonso, Judge, Manfred, etc.), the faces of the Knicks’ 2020s renaissance (Brunson, Hart, Thibodeau, etc.), the football rookies (Dart, Skattebo, etc.), and the past greats (Anthony, Gehrig, etc.).

Mariners fans still grimacing at Judge’s MVP win over catcher Cal Raleigh must now ask themselves: would they trust the Big Dumper to run Seattle?

تُوّج فريق أهلي طرابلس بقيادة المدير الفني المصري حسام البدري، بلقب كأس ليبيا بعد الفوز على نظيره الأهلي بنغازي بثلاثة أهداف دون مقابل، في المباراة النهائية التي أُقيمت مساء اليوم الخميس على استاد القاهرة.

وكان من المقرر إقامة المواجهة مساء الأربعاء، قبل أن يتم تأجيلها بسبب أزمة تقنية تتعلق بكاميرات البث التابعة للقناة الناقلة. 

طالع.. رئيس البنك الأهلي يكشف لـ”بطولات” حقيقة بيع ياو أنور إلى أهلي طرابلس الليبي

في الدقيقة 67 افتتح عزو المريمي أهداف اللقاء برأسية بعد ارتداد الكرة من القائم بينما في الدقيقة 89 سجل البديل عمران سالم الهدف الثاني بعد استقبال عرضية متقنة من الجهة اليسرى.

وفي الدقيقة 95 تمكن الأنجولي كريستوفر مابولولو من تسجيل هدف احتسبه الحكم بعد العودة إلى تقنية الفيديو.

وتمكن حسام البدري من قيادة فريقه لتحقيق الثنائية هذا الموسم بعد الفوز سابقًا بلقب الدوري الليبي الممتاز.

يذكر أن أهلي بنغازي يقوده فنيا المدرب المصري طارق مصطفى، وطارق يحيى مديرا رياضيا. 

It wasn’t easy, but Chelsea managed to get over the line against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night.

Enzo Maresca’s side managed to get themselves ahead of the Old Gold just five minutes into the game, and looked completely out of sight by half-time.

However, the West Londoners found themselves in a real scrap halfway through the second 45, and were it not for a wonder goal from Jamie Gittens, they might not still be in the League Cup.

However, while there were a few players who let themselves down in the second period, the biggest disappointment for the Blues was Liam Delap, and if he’s not careful, the Englishman could see himself replaced next season.

Delap's diabolical night

After spending the last two months out with a hamstring injury, Delap finally made his return to first-team action against Wolves.

Chalkboard

The former Ipswich Town star came on for Estevao in the 61st minute, and it would be fair to say he more than made his mark, just not in the way he would have wanted.

In the 79th minute, he received a yellow card for pushing a Wolves player and arguing with the referee, which at the time was a foolish thing to do.

However, just seven minutes later, the Englishman did something even stupider and elbowed Emmanuel Agbadou in the head, which unsurprisingly saw him receive a second yellow and get sent off.

It was a true horror show from the striker, as he wasn’t even able to have a single shot before being sent off.

Speaking after the match, Maresca didn’t hold back, describing the incident as “embarrassing” and “very stupid.”

Such a response might sound harsh, but given the state of the game and the nature of the cards, it is hard to disagree with the Italian.

Delap will surely be desperate to make amends when he returns, although he might have to do more than that, as come next season, Maresca will have another forward in the squad who could be a significant upgrade on the Englishman.

Chelsea's future Delap upgrade

With Nicolas Jackson at Bayern Munich and Joao Pedro playing better behind a striker, there aren’t too many options for replacing Delap this season.

However, that will not be the case next year, as Strasbourg star Emanuel Emegha will be making his way to Chelsea in the summer.

The Dutchman might not be a particularly well-known name in England at the moment, but he’s been playing well in France for a couple of years now and looks like he could make a real impact at Stamford Bridge.

For example, in his first season with the Ligue 1 outfit, the 22-year-old managed to rack up a tally of nine goals and two assists in 31 appearances, totalling 2226 minutes.

However, last season he did even better, ending the campaign with an impressive haul of 14 goals and three assists in 29 appearances, totalling just 2408 minutes.

In comparison, Delap managed to score 12 goals and provide two assists in 40 appearances, totalling 2670 minutes, for the Tractor Boys.

Unfortunately, the “simply phenomenal” centre-forward, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is currently injured. However, before his injury, he looked set for his best season to date, scoring four goals and providing two assists in just six appearances, totalling 384 minutes.

Appearances

66

Starts

56

Minutes

5018′

Goals

27

Assists

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.51

Minutes per Goal Involvement

147.58′

Ultimately, not only does Emegha have a better record than Delap, but he has also never received a red card; therefore, he could be a real upgrade for Chelsea next year.

Not Estevao: Chelsea star looks like Palmer 2.0 after Wolves "masterclass"

The exciting ace made all the difference for Maresca and Chelsea vs Wolves.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 30, 2025

Leeds United picked up a crucial win on Wednesday night, as they beat Chelsea 3-1 to go outside of the relegation zone. With 14 points to their name in as many games, it has certainly been a struggle for Daniel Farke’s side this season.

However, they are in good form. Of course, they beat the Blues this week at Elland Road, and last Saturday were unlucky to drop points away to Manchester City.

Only a goal in the 92nd minute from Phil Foden could sink Farke’s team, who were close to the ideal week in their relegation fight.

Indeed, there have been some standout players over the past few days for the West Yorkshire side.

Leeds’ best players in their last two games

It is hard to pinpoint just a couple of players who have excelled for Farke’s side against two of the Premier League’s title challengers, with the whole squad impressing. However, one player who shone was defender Jayden Bogle.

Against City, he played as a right-back, and won 100% of his tackles and three ground duels coming up against Jeremy Doku. On Wednesday, he had more of an advanced role and made great use of it.

Operating as a wing-back on the right flank, Bogle assisted Ao Tanaka, who made it 2-0 to Leeds on the stroke of half-time.

Another standout from the impressive performances this week was summer signing Lukas Nmecha. The German striker has been in good form this term and added to his goal tally at the Etihad Stadium last weekend. He’s now bagged four times in the top flight this season.

Whilst he didn’t find the back of the net against the Blues, Nmecha still made a real nuisance of himself for the Chelsea backline.

The German was not the only Leeds attacker who stood out in the last week.

From "Bang average" to undroppable

The Whites are not short of attacking options after a busy summer. They already had the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Joel Piroe and Wilfried Gnoto, three of the players at Farke’s disposal, who all played a big role in their promotion.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Nmecha was brought in to add to that depth, as was Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The former Everton star made the move to West Yorkshire upon the expiry of his contract on Merseyside. It was a tough start to life at Leeds, though.

The 28-year-old did not exactly set the world alight with his start in a Leeds shirt. He’d only managed one goal in his first ten Premier League games, and that was away to bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It meant the England international had to face some criticism for the lack of form in front of goal.

Earlier in the campaign, defender-turned-pundit Michael Dawson said on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday he was looking “bang average”, following the defeat to Fulham.

However, that form has recently taken a huge upturn. In what have arguably been his side’s two toughest games so far this season, Calvert-Lewin got himself on the scoresheet against both City and Chelsea.

It wasn’t just his goals that made these performances impressive, but the manner in which he played. He was a handful off the ball, winning 15 duels on Wednesday night, and six at the weekend.

He won three fouls in each game, too, making an impact despite having minimal touches.

Touches

15

35

Shots

1

3

Duels won

6

15

Fouls won

3 (1 penalty)

3

Goals

1

1

His performances were enough to earn him a pair of 9/10 ratings from journalist Graham Smyth. Against the Citizens, he praised Calvert-Lewin for the fact that he ‘gave Leeds much more presence’ and said he ‘brought others into play’ superbly against the West Londoners.

With two goals in as many games and some good centre-forward performances outside of that, it is easy to see why Calvert-Lewin could be considered undroppable for Leeds. After a tough start, it seems like he has finally begun to show his best form.

It does seem unlikely that Farke will omit the striker from his starting XI ahead of the game against Liverpool on Saturday. Instead, he will be hoping he provide further troubles for Virgil van Dijk and the rest of the Reds’ defenders.

If Calvert-Lewin can replicate such a performance again, it will go a long way to helping Leeds achieve their goal of Premier League survival.

Best signing since Raphinha: Leeds star is one of "the best" players in PL

Leeds look to have struck gold with one of Farke’s summer signings.

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 4, 2025

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Endrick jogará apenas mais uma partida pelo Palmeiras antes de se transferir ao Real Madrid. A despedida da joia será nesta quinta-feira (30), contra o San Lorenzo, no Allianz Parque, pela sexta e última rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Libertadores.

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Líder! Aposte R$ 100 e receba R$ 154 caso o Verdão vença o San Lorenzo pela Libertadores

Apesar de se apresentar à Seleção Brasileira apenas no dia 3 de junho, segunda-feira, para a disputada da Copa América, Endrick não estará à disposição de Abel Ferreira para o duelo contra o Criciúma, no sábado (2).

Isso porque o atacante recebeu o terceiro cartão amarelo contra o Athletico, o último antes da paralisação do Brasileirão em razão da enchentes no Rio Grande do Sul, e cumpre suspensão automática.

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Em sua despedida do Palmeiras, Endrick busca encerrar um jejum incômodo. O jogador não marca desde o dia 9 de maio, quando balançou as redes na vitória por 5 a 0 diante do Liverpool, do Uruguai, pela Libertadores.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

Na atual temporada, o camisa participou de 21 partidas pela equipe paulista, sendo 20 delas como titular, marcou quatro gols e distribuiu duas assistências. Maior venda da história do Palmeiras, Endrick se apresenta ao Real Madrid após completar 18 anos, o que irá ocorrer durante a Copa América.

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RELEMBRE VALORES DA NEGOCIAÇÃO

Em dezembro de 2022, o Real Madrid acertou a compra de Endrick por 60 milhões de euros (R$ 337 milhões, na cotação da época), valor da multa rescisória do jogador.

Deste montante, 35 milhões de euros são fixos, com pagamento parcelado, e 25 milhões em bônus por metas. Além disso, a equipe espanhola concordou em bancar as taxas envolvidas na negociação: 12 milhões de euros. A somatória dos impostos com a multa rescisória (60 + 12) resulta nos 72 milhões de euros finais da transação.

Tudo sobre

EndrickFutebol NacionalLibertadoresPalmeirasSTARPLUS

Juan Soto would like to see Pete Alonso back in a Mets uniform next season.

Speaking with reporters at the MLB Awards in Las Vegas, Soto addressed the fact that Alonso is hitting free agency this offseason after opting out of a one-year, $24 million contract option with the Mets.

“I hope nothing but the best and I’m excited to see where he’s going to end up,” Soto said [via the Mike Puma]. “He’s one of the best power hitters in this generation. I really enjoyed my moment with him in a Mets uniform and I hope we can have more times to come.

“We can have fun together.”

Soto and Alonso did indeed have fun in the lineup in their first season together in New York. Soto shook off a slow start to the 2025 campaign and finished the year batting .263/.396/.525 with 43 homers, 105 RBIs and a career-high 38 stolen bases.

Alonso played all 162 games for a second straight year and batted .272/.347/.524 with a career-high 41 doubles and 38 home runs. He ranked in the top five percent of all MLB hitters in average exit velocity, barrel percentage and hard-hit percentage.

Alonso was also a free agent last offseason. When he didn’t find the long-term contract he was looking for on the open market, he signed a two-year, $54 million contract to return to the Mets with the aim to perform well, opt out of ‘25 and hit free agency again. One year later, MLB Trade Rumors predicts he’ll sign a four-year contract worth $110 million this offseason.

RELATED: Pete Alonso Destinations: Best Landing Spots for Mets Star in Free Agency

The Mets and their $342 million payroll missed out on a playoff berth by one game this past season thanks in large part to an eight-game losing streak in September. Soto is looking to right that wrong in 2026, and he’s hoping Alonso will be back in the heart of the Mets’ order along with him.

Middlesex fell 42 short as Hampshire progress to face Yorkshire in the semi-finals

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 28-Aug-2025Ali Orr’s second century of the tournament guided Hampshire into the Metro Bank One Day Cup semi-finals as they saw off Middlesex in their play-off at Radlett.The left-hander struck 108, batting through most of the innings to underpin Hampshire’s recovery from 95 for 5 as they set their opponents a target of 230 with paceman Henry Brookes taking four for 53.Liam Dawson then stifled Middlesex’s reply with his spell of 4 for 33, supported by fellow left-arm spinner Andrew Neal (1 for 30) as the Seaxes were bowled out for 187 in 45.3 overs.Sam Robson top-scored with 48 and Toby Roland-Jones’ late unbeaten cameo of 39 prolonged the contest, but it was not enough to deny Hampshire a semi-final date on Sunday, when they will face Yorkshire at Scarborough.Middlesex made three changes to the side that had clinched a tense win at Lancashire to secure their knockout place, including returns for Roland-Jones and Ryan Higgins who both sent down tidy opening spells.Despite that, Orr and Nick Gubbins built a steady partnership of 45 until Brookes struck with his second delivery, tempting the Hampshire captain into a mistimed pull that sailed straight to midwicket.Fletcha Middleton was next to depart, caught behind nudging at a Brookes outswinger and the seamer soon grabbed his – and Middlesex’s – third wicket when Ben Brown was pinned leg before.Orr batted fluently, timing his shots on both sides of the wicket and steering Brookes to the point boundary to pass 50 for the second time in as many innings, but Middlesex continued to make inroads.Dawson, drafted in for his first appearance of the tournament, fell lbw to Sebastian Morgan, while Zafar Gohar’s miserly stint of one for 29 brought him the wicket of Ben Mayes, caught miscuing a reverse sweep.However, James Fuller’s spirited 42 provided the perfect foil for Orr, with the pair adding 96 from 18 overs before Higgins had the all-rounder caught in the deep.Having advanced to three figures in style by hooking Brookes for six, Orr eventually holed out to long on off Higgins, his departure effectively ending Hampshire’s hopes of clambering above 250.Middlesex rejigged their batting order, promoting Nathan Fernandes to open in the wake of his match-winning 92 at Old Trafford and the left-hander continued in similar vein with two sweetly-struck straight drives to the rope off Kyle Abbott.Although Josh de Caires fell to Fuller’s diving catch around the corner, the batting side still looked reasonably comfortable at 66 for 1 before they were decisively pegged back by the Hampshire spinners.Fernandes’ innings of 42 came to an end when he was pinned leg before by Neal and Dawson then removed Ben Geddes in the same manner before having Higgins taken low at slip.Along with seamer Eddie Jack, the spin duo smothered their opponents’ scoring rate in the middle overs and it fell to Robson to dig in, take advantage of rare stray deliveries and attempt to take the game deep.Joe Cracknell launched a brief counter-attack, clubbing a six and two fours from one Fuller over to reach 22 from as many balls, but the bowler took his revenge by dismissing both Cracknell and Gohar in the space of three deliveries.Brown’s neat stumping to remove Robson brought Hampshire a third wicket with the score unchanged and that appeared to signal the end of Middlesex’s challenge, but Roland-Jones went on the offensive, battering Abbott for a trio of off-side boundaries.He added 45 for the ninth wicket with Morgan, but Hampshire were not be denied and Dawson sealed victory by bowling last man Brookes in the 46th over.

Celtic booked their place in the final of the League Cup on Sunday after they beat their Glasgow rivals 3-1 after extra time at Hampden Park.

Martin O’Neill was in the dugout for the second time as he continues to manage the side until the club can find a permanent replacement for Brendan Rodgers, who resigned last week.

The Northern Irish head coach moved on from Parkhead after winning four trophies in just over two seasons in his second spell with the Scottish Premiership giants.

Rodgers decided to tender his resignation after successive league losses to Dundee and Hearts, which left Celtic eight points adrift of first place in the league at the time.

It is hard to deny that the former Leicester City boss had a successful return to Parkhead on the whole, given that he won four trophies in two full seasons, but it was far from a perfect spell.

In fact, there are several players within the current first-team squad, and possibly out on loan, who may benefit from his departure from Celtic.

The players who may benefit most from Rodgers leaving Celtic

Luis Palma and Maik Nawrocki were both sent out on loan this summer, having been signed in Rodgers’ first transfer window in the summer of 2023, after rarely featuring last season.

The duo combined for four starts in the Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign, per WhoScored, and may wonder if they now have a future at Parkhead when they return from their loan moves.

Palma, for example, has four goals and three assists in ten league games for Lech Poznan on loan, per Sofascore, and could provide Celtic’s attack with an injection of quality next year.

Meanwhile, in the current squad, Paulo Bernardo is one player who may benefit from a clean slate under the next head coach, after falling out of favour under Rodgers.

Paulo Bernardo (Premiership)

24/25

25/26

Appearances

28

2

Starts

13

1

Goals

2

0

Big chances created

5

0

Key passes

31

0

Ground duel success rate

58%

33%

Aerial duel success rate

54%

0%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Portugal U21 international has barely featured after showing promise last term, which is why the change in management may benefit him.

The Celtic player who has benefitted the most from Rodgers’ departure, though, appears to be Callum Osmand, who did not play a single minute under the Northern Irishman.

O’Neill has brought him off the bench in the last two games, against Falkirk and Rangers, and he scored his first goal for the club in the League Cup semi-final.

The 19-year-old centre-forward may also be pleased to hear who the Scottish giants are looking to appoint, as they are keen on a boss who could be perfect for him.

Celtic considering move for £5m manager

According to Football Insider, Celtic are considering a move to appoint Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna as their replacement for Rodgers.

The report claims that the Northern Irish head coach has emerged as one of the club’s key targets, alongside the likes of Kjetil Knutsen and Craig Bellamy.

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However, he has a £5m release clause in his contract with the Tractor Boys, which has left the Hoops to consider their options for now.

Speaking to Football Insider about the prospect of Celtic landing McKenna, reporter Pete O’Rourke said: “He is one of the most highly regarded young managers in the country as well.

“He would fit all of the criteria that Celtic are looking for in that respect. It’d be a huge coup if Celtic were to land Kieran McKenna.”

Why Kieran McKenna would be perfect for Callum Osmand

Swooping for the Ipswich manager to replace Rodgers in the coming days or weeks could be great news for emerging Celtic star Osmand, for several reasons.

McKenna has an impressive history in youth coaching. Per Transfermarkt, he worked as a youth coach for Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur before stepping into first-team management with the Tractor Boys.

This suggests that he wants to develop and work with young players, which is great news for a 19-year-old prospect like Osmand, who could be identified as a player with big potential by the boss.

As you can see in the clip above, Osmand grabbed his first senior goal for the Hoops on Sunday with brilliant movement to get ahead of the defenders to slide a cross from Kieran Tierney into the back of the net.

McKenna’s style of play at Ipswich has revolved around left-back Leif Davis providing creativity with his deliveries into the box from the left flank, which would provide Osmand with plenty of similar opportunities to score.

McKenna’s two promotion-winning seasons

Leif Davis

22/23 League One

23/24 Championship

Appearances

43

43

Big chances created

12

15

xA

N/A

10.54

Key passes per game

3.1

2.9

Assists

14

18

Stats via Sofascore

Davis, as shown in the statistics above, was an incredibly creative force down the left flank for Ipswich in their two promotion-winning seasons under McKenna, assisting an eye-catching 32 goals in 86 matches.

This suggests that the Northern Irish head coach would build his attack around Marcelo Saracchi or Kieran Tierney’s creativity, which may not be a bad way to go, given Tierney has already delivered four assists in all competitions this season, per Sofascore.

That would ensure that Celtic have a constant supply of creativity down that side, with crosses coming into the box for strikers to attack, which could provide Osmand or Johnny Kenny with chances to score more goals.

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Therefore, McKenna could be the perfect appointment for a player like Osmand, after his breakthrough goal, because of his coaching background and the way his team creates chances to score goals.

Celtic appear to be inching ever closer to finally appointing their long-term successor to Brendan Rodgers, who resigned last month after a loss to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

Martin O’Neill has been in interim charge for the Hoops since Rodgers left the club, and oversaw three wins in four matches before the international break, including a 4-0 victory over Kilmarnock last time out.

The experienced boss may not manage another game for the Scottish giants, though, as Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy appears to be on his way to Parkhead.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph reports that the French manager has been given permission to speak with the club this weekend to discuss a move to Glasgow.

If Nancy does take over at Parkhead, he will be looking to build on the success that Rodgers, as shown in the graphic above, achieved during his second stint at the club.

The Columbus Crew tactician should also look to build on some of the good work that O’Neill has done in his interim spell, as the experienced boss has got the best out of Johnny Kenny.

How Johnny Kenny could fit in Wilfried Nancy's set-up

The Ireland international has scored four goals in four matches under O’Neill in recent weeks, having only scored two goals in his first 17 appearances for the club in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

This shows that the former Shamrock Rovers star has stepped his game up since Kelechi Iheanacho suffered a hamstring injury last month, as he has shown that he can be relied on to score goals for the Hoops.

Kenny has been playing as the sole number nine in a 4-2-3-1 system for O’Neill, after playing a similar role in a 4-3-3 set-up for Rodgers, but Nancy’s preferred formation, per Transfermarkt, is a 3-4-2-1.

Diego Rossi, who is a similar profile of player to Kenny in terms of his build and attributes, has typically been deployed as one of two second strikers operating behind a focal point centre-forward in that 3-4-2-1 shape, although he has also played as part of a front two in a 3-5-2 or a 4-4-2.

Appearances

48

37

Shots

112

123

xG

13.14

15.54

Goals

21

19

xA

5.60

6.46

Big chances created

14

11

Assists

7

5

As you can see in the table above, Rossi has thrived in that role under Nancy in the last two seasons, racking up 40 goals and 12 assists in all competitions.

Kenny, therefore, could look to thrive as one of the two players behind a starting number nine, as he perhaps lacks the physicality to play as the focal point on his own in that system.

With this in mind, the Hoops could land an upgrade on him as an out-and-out centre-forward by signing a Premier League player who is a reported target.

Celtic eyeing move for Premier League striker

According to 67HailHail, Celtic are monitoring Brighton & Hove Albion centre-forward Evan Ferguson ahead of a potential swoop for his services in the January transfer window.

The report claims that he was linked with a move to Parkhead in the summer transfer window before the Ireland international, understandably, opted to sign for Serie A side Roma on loan.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It adds that his loan spell with the Italian giants could be cut short, though, in January because of his struggle for form, with no goals in ten matches so far.

Celtic are keeping tabs on his situation with a view to chasing a deal to sign him on loan for the second half of the 2025/26 campaign to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

Despite his struggles with Roma this season, which is why he may become available in January, Ferguson could arrive as a dream first signing for Nancy at Parkhead.

Why Evan Ferguson would be a dream first signing for Wilfried Nancy

The Ireland international would come in as a dream first signing because he could be the focal point that the French head coach needs to play his 3-4-2-1 formation with the Hoops.

Celtic, since they sold Adam Idah in the summer, do not have a physical and imposing centre-forward who can act as a focal point, as Kelechi Iheanacho and Johnny Kenny are both more suited to playing with another striker or as a second striker behind a number nine.

Ferguson, standing at 6 foot 2, can provide that natural number nine presence to lead the line as the centre-forward in a 3-4-2-1, acting as an upgrade on Kenny as the main number nine.

In fact, former Match of the Day host Gary Lineker once likened him to Manchester City’s monstrous forward Erling Haaland. He said: “I do see a hint of Haaland about him, his stature, his movement, his youth and stuff like that.”

He has a physically imposing presence that could make him a handful for Premiership defenders to deal with, whilst his career so far also suggests that he could offer more quality than Kenny as an out-and-out number nine.

Age

21

22

Height

6 ft 2

5 ft 8

Senior Ireland caps

26

0

Senior Ireland goals

8

0

Top 5 European leagues + SPFL games

75

15

Top 5 European leagues + SPFL goals

13

5

As you can see in the table above, Ferguson has 26 more caps and eight more goals than Kenny, who is older than him, for Ireland, whilst he has also scored eight more top-level goals.

The Brighton loanee has struggled in the Serie A this season, undoubtedly, but he managed six Premier League goals each season as a teenager in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, per Sofascore, which is no mean feat.

The 21-year-old marksman, whose finishing was hailed as “phenomenal” by James Milner, has shown incredible promise in the Premier League and at international level for Ireland, whilst Kenny has never played at a level above the Premiership and is yet to be capped by Ireland, although he is in the current squad.

This suggests that Ferguson would be an upgrade on his international teammate as an out-and-out centre-forward, potentially taking his place or forcing Nancy to unleash him in the Diego Rossi role behind Ferguson.

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ByTom Cunningham Nov 14, 2025

Overall, the Brighton striker would be a dream first signing for the French boss, should he take over at Parkhead, because of the role that he could play in the team, and the quality that he could bring to the pitch.