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With the January transfer window on the horizon, it could well prove to be a nervy month for those of a Celtic persuasion, with talk already rife regarding significant interest in emerging superstar, Nicolas Kuhn.

Reportedly on the list for the likes of Premier League side Brentford – amid suggestions of a £25m price tag – the German has caught the attention after a stunning start to the campaign, scoring ten goals and providing a further 11 assists in just 17 games in all competitions.

Having been signed for roughly £3m back in January this year, the Hoops look set to make a significant profit on the 24-year-old in the near future, albeit amid the hope of keeping the wing wizard on board for a good few years yet.

Debate over whether or not the former Rapid Vienna star will leave in the winter is perhaps for another day, with it instead best to celebrate the impact that Kuhn is making in the here and now.

Season

Player

Games

Goals

2024/25*

Nicolas Kuhn

17

10

2023/24

Matt O’Riley

49

19

2023/24

Kyogo Furuhashi

50

19

2022/23

Kyogo Furuhashi

50

34

2021/22

Kyogo Furuhashi

33

20

2020/21

Odsonne Edouard

40

22

2019/20

Odsonne Edouard

47

29

Praise should most certainly be directed toward the recruitment team and manager Brendan Rodgers, with the club having enjoyed a fair few hits in the market of late, despite some early misses…

Rodgers' recent Celtic signings

The Northern Irishman’s second stint in charge at Parkhead began in auspicious fashion, with the summer window in 2023 going down like a lead balloon.

Among those signed, Gustaf Lagerbielke has since been shipped on loan to FC Twente – with Hyeok-kyu Kwon also now at Hibernian – while Marco Tilio returned to Australia faster than you could blink.

Equally, both Maik Nawrocki and Odin Holm have still yet to settle after making just four appearances combined this term, while Luis Palma has also tumbled down the pecking order after starting just two games so far in 2024/25.

Those may be the negatives, but it has been a largely positive tale since then, with Kuhn arriving in January, before the likes of Kasper Schmeichel were added in the most recent window.

The experienced Dane – who was acquired on a free transfer – has since kept 11 clean sheets in just 18 outings in all competitions, while ahead of him, young loanee Alex Valle has slotted in smoothly, with three assists to his name already.

More will be expected of £9.5m man, Adam Idah, in attack, after a return of just five goals thus far, although in the midfield ranks, the Matt O’Riley void has been somewhat filled with the additions of Arne Engels, Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan.

One further capture that certainly raised a few eyebrows was that of Auston Trusty, but the former Sheffield United man is swiftly repaying his £6m transfer fee.

The Celtic star who's on par with a £68m sensation

Celtic supporters may have been fearing a Lagerbielke or Nawrocki repeat when Trusty rocked up in Glasgow over the summer, with the centre-back ranks having endured something of a merry-go-round of late.

Early performances were hardly too inspiring either, with the United States international looking uncomfortable lining up in a right centre-back berth, in the absence of compatriot Cameron Carter-Vickers, having notably been part of the side that shipped seven away in Dortmund.

That said, ever since the heroic performance in Bergamo against Europa League holders, Atalanta – which pundit Frank McAvennie described as his “best game for Celtic” – the lanky left-footer has looked far more composed, having ousted the reliable Liam Scales as the starting partner to Carter-Vickers.

The Premiership may not always provide the strongest test, but Trusty has shown his class, and then some, on the Champions League stage, having also been “phenomenal” in the deserved 3-1 win over RB Leipzig earlier this month, as per Chris Sutton.

It is performances like that which have ensured that the one-time Arsenal man – who notably shackled a certain Benjamin Sesko when facing the Bundesliga side – now ranks as the top defensive centre-back outside of Europe’s top five leagues, as per the great minds at CIES Football Observatory.

Interestingly, that top ten list also includes Sporting CP sensation, Ousmane Diomande, with the Ivorian starlet placing just behind Trusty in third, having also dazzled in Portugal of late under Ruben Amorim’s watch.

Why is this important? Well, it is worth noting that Diomande – like Kuhn – is courting the attention of clubs across Europe, with the likes of Arsenal and Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur both chasing the 20-year-old, who boasts a £68m release clause in his contract.

Again, it is not as if the Old Firm side will – or should – be contemplating making a possible profit on Trusty so soon into his Parkhead stint, yet that comparison to Diomande illustrates the impact he is making in his new surroundings.

A £68m valuation is fanciful for the American machine, but what can be said is that perhaps the centre-back’s £6m fee no longer looks that hefty. Instead, if current performances are anything to go by, it could prove a bargain.

He's outscoring Kuhn: Rodgers could land his next Dembele at Celtic

Celtic are believed to be in the market for another centre-forward

ByRobbie Walls Nov 14, 2024

GOAL US writers debate the best kits from MLS clubs, with some truly memorable jerseys released ahead of the 2025 campaign

There is an art to a good kit. And it's tough to get right these days. There was a time in which football shirts used to be the kind of thing just worn by kids or Dads who had a few too many pints. Now, they're full-on bonafide fashion statements. It's a fair bet that our GOAL writers have a few jerseys for teams they don't even remotely care about – they just look cool.

And that's the point. Football jerseys are now wearable, ubiquitous around the world, and instantly recognizable.

This is all subjective, of course, but MLS, in recent years, has done a mixed job of meeting the criteria. There are some obvious issues. First, all MLS kits are made by the same company, Adidas, and tend to rely on similar templates. Second, the Apple TV logo can be tricky to mix into a design. And third, there isn't much of a concept of heritage design to fall back on – which many European and South American clubs execute rather well. Piece it all together, and it can be a challenge to make a winning MLS kit.

But that doesn't mean there haven't been some belters over the years. The originals from the mid-1990s have aged wonderfully, while the Galaxy, Timbers and D.C. United have produced some lovely shirts across the last 30 years. And this season is no different. LAFC, Columbus, Real Salt Lake and Seattle have all delivered some absolute stunners. Of course, there are a few stinkers, too – but that's just part of the fun.

GOAL US writers take a look at all of them in an MLS kit edition of… The Rondo.

• Real Salt Lake
  

  What is the best MLS kit this season?

  Tom Hindle: Real Salt Lake, going away. Does it look sort of like a Croatia 2018 kit with a healthcare sponsor and Apple TV logo on the side? Yes. Is that a bad thing? Not at all. Checkered kits are cool. No notes. Also a word for the LAFC white and gold kit – a truly lovely thing.

  Jacob Schneider: Hello, Seattle (Owl City fans, stand up.) What an incredible shirt. The design is brilliant, the execution was even better and just everything about it reeks of excellence. It's the best MLS shirt we have seen in a long, long time – and it could arguably contend for the best we've ever seen, too.

  Alex Labidou: This was a largely underwhelming crop of kit releases, especially in comparison to a banner 2024 batch. Still, there were about eight standouts and Portland, Seattle, and Colorado would be in the top three. Since the Rapids and Sounders interestingly went for the same water theme, let's give this one to the Timbers – who rightly amplified a classic.

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• Inter Miami
  

  What is the worst MLS kit this season?

  TH: Inter Miami home. It's so, so, so lazy. Like, they haven't even tried to avoid making it look like a pink Argentina kit. Too on the nose, doesn't look good. No, thanks.

  JS: Sorry, San Jose. There is way too much going on; the kit itself is far too busy and it feels like an elementary student's sketchbook in art class. The idea was there, the execution was really poor.

  AL: A lot of folks are picking San Diego's and it's definitely not the greatest way to kick off an inaugural campaign, but the worst of a lackluster crop? That's tough to say. The bottom three should be SDFC, FC Dallas (which weirdly looks like a kit from their in-state rivals Houston Dynamo), and sadly New York Red Bulls (who last year had arguably my favorite kit in the Daniel Patrick ones). Let's go with Dallas here.

• Columbus Crew
  

  Who had the best MLS kit campaign?

  TH: Can't say that any have been revolutionary, but the Crew's whole Goosebumps thing was quite cool (even if I don't quite get the hype with the shirt.) Also, the kit itself is a bit medicore, but the premise behind the Galaxy's "rizon" jersey is cool, complete with a lovely hype video that shows off its connection to LA.

  JS: The Columbus Crew, for sure. It was a nice throwback to childhood seeing them partner with author R.L. Stine. The books were fantastic, and the films were fun to watch as a kid, too. The kit itself wasn't executed the best, but the video was fantastic and the drop itself was perfect. Well done there.

  AL: Strangely, the promo campaigns of these kits were way stronger than most of the kits on tap this season. They showcase just how far MLS has come from a marketing sense. That all said, let's give Adidas a shout for their brilliant Ian Wright-led commercials. The Cavan Sullivan spot and Lionel Messi campaign were both awesome but let's give a slight edge to the GOAT having some fun.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  What is the best MLS kit of all time?

  TH: 2012 LA Galaxy home. The diagonal stripe is a thing of beauty, complete with the whole starry pattern that you'd have to look closely to see. Also bonus points for the Adidas longsleeve, which will always, always, always be cool.

  JS: 2014 Seattle Sounders. Rave Green, XBOX as the sponsor, Clint Dempsey sporting the kit… it was a jersey that brought so many fans to the game. Arguably the greatest American soccer player of all time sporting it, a logo that sports/video games fans from all over the world knew AND an iconic color. It was perfect. It holds the throne.

  AL: MLS has had some underrated bangers since its inaugural season in 1996. The Kansas City Wizards kit is all-timer, and the Galaxy rebrand in 2007 – because David Beckham – was sharp. The all-time best is the Timbers Rose City. It's always cool when teams take a risk that still overall ties to their narrative and local roots, and while it was a departure from their typical green and red, it made sense because of the story behind the kit. The Timbers this year and in 2022 were on point.

Southampton face a crucial Premier League clash with Leicester City this weekend and they’ve been boosted by some positive team news over the international break.

Southampton prepare for huge Leicester game

It’s fair to say that life back in the top flight has been a baptism of fire for Saints, having come crashing back down to reality after their Championship playoff final win over Leeds United last season. Russell Martin’s side have only picked up one solitary point from their first seven league matches in 2024/25, which came at home to fellow newly-promoted outfit Ipswich Town.

For that reason, many feel that Southampton are on their way back down to the Championship, and if results don’t improve fast, they could quickly find themselves cut adrift in the relegation zone and a change in manager could be needed. On Saturday afternoon, a massive game awaits, as Leicester make the trip to St Mary’s Stadium.

The Foxes have fared slightly better than Saints so far this season, sitting 15th in the division, but Martin’s men know that victory over their opponents this weekend would put them just two points behind them. Injuries will play a key part in the remainder of the campaign and a big update has now dropped regarding Southampton’s fitness situation.

Southampton receive double injury boost

Writing on X on Thursday, Rees-Julian confirmed that Will Smallbone and Kamaldeen Sulemana are fit for Southampton’s clash with Leicester on Saturday, although Ross Stewart is out injured.

Having Smallbone and Sulemana available for selection against the Foxes can only be a good thing, both in terms of the quality they possess and the depth it will give Martin. Neither are the first name on Martin’s team sheet, having only started three Premier League games between them this season, but injuries are a big reason for that, with Smallbone sidelined since the end of August and Sulemana not being available at all yet.

The former was such an important part of Southampton’s promotion campaign last time around, featuring in all 46 Championship matches and starting 38 of them, while the latter featured 15 times in the competition. It would be a surprise if either Smallbone or Sulemana came straight into Southampton’s starting lineup for the Leicester game, given their lack of minutes, but having them as options from the substitutes’ bench is a major boost for Martin, at a time when he needs as many players as possible.

Southampton take damning step behind the scenes that's bad news for Martin

A concern for the Saints boss…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 10, 2024

The importance of three points for Saints this weekend cannot be overstated, with defeat potentially signalling the end for the manager, who knows that he is under immense pressure. On the flip side, victory could spring their season into life, paving the way for an improved run of form.

Kieron Pollard said it was “unacceptable” for an international team to be bowled out for 55 like his West Indies side were in their T20 World Cup opener against England in Dubai on Saturday night, but stressed that they would “bin it and move on” rather than making wholesale changes to their side or strategy.West Indies, defending champions following their triumph against the same opponents in the 2016 edition, were bundled out for the third-lowest score in men’s T20 World Cup history on a blameless surface, which Pollard described as “a good wicket to bat on”.Related

• Simmons: West Indies batters will 'continue to be aggressive' but shot-selection should improve 'tenfold'

• Stats – West Indies' worst batting effort in T20 World Cups and first loss to England

• England launch T20 World Cup campaign with rout of West Indies

It was their third successive defeat since they arrived in the UAE, following losses in warm-up matches against Pakistan and Afghanistan, but Pollard insisted that the best attitude for his side would be to forget about the game rather than over-analysing their collapse.”There’s no words to explain it,” he said. “Being bundled out for 55 is unacceptable. We accept that – we accept the responsibility. These sorts of games, we just have to bin it and move on. I don’t think any sort of panic will come into the camp. We just need to accept it – we have to take it on our chests as big men and move on, because this is international sport.

Watch the T20 World Cup on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch the Men’s T20 World Cup live in the US. Match highlights of England vs West Indies is available here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).

“In the warm-up games, sometimes the intensity is a bit down with all the teams. Even though Afghanistan and Pakistan won, the intensity wasn’t still that great. For us it’s a matter of finding our straps. We haven’t batted well in the three games so far and we have to find a way to get a competitive total on the board.”West Indies opted against selecting Roston Chase, who had won a T20I call-up on the back of an excellent season for St Lucia Kings in the CPL and had appeared to be their designated ‘anchor’ in the Marlon Samuels role in the middle order. Pollard said that while Chase would be considered, he was not inclined to make “wholesale changes” on the back of a freak defeat, and said that the promotion of Dwayne Bravo to break up their run of left-handers might have worked on another night.”You can look at all sorts,” Pollard said. “Yes, Roston has got the opportunity to be selected in the squad, but we thought that this was the best XI to go out and try to win the first game for us. Just because we’ve been demolished in eight-point-something overs and made 50-odd, doesn’t mean there’s going to be wholesale changes because, as we know, when you’re not playing and you’re on the bench, your stock tends to go up a lot higher. We just need to bin it and try to come back stronger.”We lost a couple of wickets early on and expected the guys to bat a couple of overs, just knock it around and see if we could set it up for the back end but we kept losing wickets, hence the reason Bravo went up to break the trend of the left-handers, just to knock it around a bit more. It didn’t work today and these things happen. We have a plan for how we want to play this game. It didn’t come off today.”Obviously, we play a lot of cricket around the world, and this is not the first time something like this would have happened in any team or any environment. This is not something that’s new to any of us because you would have had it as you play a lot of cricket. With the experienced guys, in a situation like this, it’s easy for us to move on. We have another game in three days’ time and with this group, each game is important. It boils down to a four-game mini-tournament and we’ll take that and move on.”

Thieves broke into the team van while it parked outside the hotel

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2021Queensland’s rescheduled trip to Adelaide got off on the wrong foot after the team van was broken into and some playing equipment stolen ahead of Thursday’s Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania at Karen Rolton Oval.Thieves broke the van’s window while it was parked outside the team hotel and stole some gear. Queensland wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson posted a photo on his Instagram of the van’s broken window stating that he was “the unlucky one” to have a couple of brand new bats stolen.Queensland have reported the incident to South Australia police who are investigating the matter using the hotel’s CCTV footage.

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