Newcastle offer for Brighton ace Dan Burn

Craig Hope has now revealed details of an offer that Newcastle United have made to try and sign Dan Burn before the January transfer window shuts.

The Lowdown: Centre-back still wanted

While the St James’ Park club have done well by bringing in both Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood this month, they have still not signed a central defender since the start of January.

Niklas Sule and Adam Webster are two names who have been mentioned recently as potential centre-back signings, and with just a few days left until the window closes, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium will not want to leave their business too late.

The Latest: Burn bid

As per Daily Mail journalist Hope on Twitter, Brighton and Hove Albion have now rejected a bid worth around £8m from Newcastle for Burn.

He explained: “I’m told Brighton have rejected an offer of around £8m from NUFC for defender Dan Burn.”

The Verdict: Do it now

With time ticking, and other positions still to be strengthened, the Tyneside club simply cannot afford to waste any more time, so they should now put in an offer for Burn which meets the Seagulls’ valuation.

The 29-year-old has plenty of Premier League £20,000 per week at the Amex Stadium. He is renowned for his freakish height – 6 foot 7, to be exact – which makes him a beast in both boxes.

Premier League-accredited journalist Jonny Bentley believes that Burn ‘will walk’ into the Magpies’ defence, and it is hard not to see why. He is currently averaging more tackles, interceptions and passes at a higher accuracy than Newcastle trio Ciaran Clark, Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles in the top flight so far this season (WhoScored).

He would be a shrewd buy who could well go under the radar at St James’ Park.

In other news, NUFC also ‘want’ to sign this ‘top class’ forward

Nunez could join West Ham in the summer

Benfica have told West Ham that Darwin Nunez could move to the east London club in the summer following David Moyes’ failed January pursuit, according to transfer insider Dean Jones (via GiveMeSport).

The Lowdown: Irons’ elusive hunt for a striker

Throughout last month, many Hammers fans were screaming for Moyes to bring in a striker, as Michail Antonio is the only recognised senior centre-forward at the club. Unsurprisingly, he is the club’s top scorer in the Premier League this season with eight goals.

However, he has a chequered injury history and, given the club’s failure to replace Sebastien Haller following his exit 12 months ago, it’s no wonder supporters may be worried that one injury to the Jamaica international could destroy any chances of securing a top-four finish and achieving Champions League qualification.

West Ham were linked with Benfica’s Nunez throughout the January transfer window, but their offer on deadline day for the player was rejected, according to Sky Sports. The Hammers were considering an improved offer, but the deal was too difficult to complete before the 11pm transfer deadline.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-copy/” title=”West Ham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Nunez could join West Ham in the summer

According to transfer insider Jones, Benfica have told West Ham that they would be more open to a deal for Nunez in the summer, adding that the delay doesn’t solve the Irons’ urgent need for greater centre-forward depth.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, he outlined: “Benfica basically said, ‘we’re not going to do the deal right now, come back in the summer’ and they might do that but it’s absolutely no help to them right now”.

The Verdict: Would be a huge signing

Sky Italy reported that West Ham offered £37.43m plus add-ons for Nunez, but this fell short of Benfica’s valuation. If the Hammers are to consistently compete for Champions League qualification, they will surely need to bring in players of the same calibre as the Uruguay marksman, with Nunez already proving his worth in the competition.

At just 22, the striker could be performing at the top level for the next decade, so West Ham should do all they can to try and secure his services in the summer after missing out on him last month.

In other news: This West Ham stalwart is ‘in talks’ over a new contract

Teams battle to retain focus

ESPNcricinfo previews the fourth one-day international between England and Pakistan at Lord’s

The Preview by Liam Brickhill19-Sep-2010Match factsSeptember 20, 2010, Lord’s
Start time 1pm (12pm GMT)Shahid Afridi faces a stern challenge to inspire his troops ahead of the Lord’s ODI•Getty ImagesBig pictureIt is just three weeks since these two sides last met at Lord’s in an encounter that will live in infamy whatever the result of investigations into allegations of spot-fixing in the fourth Test. A match that included a display of Mohammad Amir’s teenage brilliance and an equally eye-catching fightback from Stuart Broad and Jonathan Trott ended in an atmosphere of tense and eerie quiet as England sealed a joyless innings and 225-run thrashing.The tour continued despite Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt’s suspension and even after an easy win for England in the first one-dayer fans on both sides turned out in large numbers at Headingley and The Oval. They were treated to what were, arguably, the two most enthralling contests this summer as England went 2-0 up before a career-best effort from Umar Gul brought the visitors back from the brink of a series defeat.Now, Pakistan’s visit has been thrown into yet more turmoil with the news that the ICC is investigating the third ODI after it received information from a newspaper before the game began alleging that bookies were aware of certain scoring patterns that occurred during the match. While the ICC have been quick to point out that it would be premature to suggest anything untoward occurred during Pakistan’s 23-run win, the fans’ show of faith now appears depressingly naive.It had been hoped that Pakistan’s visit could finish on the positive note of a hard-fought contest, but the focus may well be elsewhere after the most recent allegations and the frustration and sadness in the England camp was evident ahead of the fourth match. Morale in Pakistan’s squad will also have been undermined and it will be a challenge to retain the momentum gleaned from Friday’s win. An autumnal Lord’s may well seem a bleak venue for what could have been an eagerly-anticipated clash.Form guide (last five completed matches)England LWWWL
Pakistan WLLWLLWatch out for…Ian Bell is poised to return to international duty with England after being recalled to the one-day squad for the final two matches. Bell was been in prolific form for Warwickshire since returning from his metatarsal injury and though he might have hoped for more pleasant circumstances in which to cement his England spot, with a challenging winter ahead he will be looking to make the most of every opportunity.
Shahid Afridi showed glimpses that he was beginning to return to his destructive best at The Oval and if he can find form with the bat and rhythm with the ball he is dynamic and charismatic enough to be a dangerous player regardless of any off-field distractions. Afridi has so far managed to remain distanced from the allegations swirling around his team, and will still be looking to lead from the front.Team newsRavi Bopara’s return to England’s middle order has only been partially successful, and either he or Luke Wright could sit out if Paul Collingwood has recovered from the virus that kept him out of the third match and Bell slots back into the line-up.England (possible) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Steve Davies (wk), 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ian Bell, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Eoin Morgan, 7 Michael Yardy, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James AndersonAn embattled Pakistan are likely to stick to the same starting XI, both because this unit was successful in the last match and to present a unified front as the storm surrounding the most recent round of allegations gathers force.Pakistan (probable) 1 Kamran Akmal (wk), 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Fawad Alam, 6 Umar Akmal, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Shoaib AkhtarPitch and conditionsSaturday’s CB 40 Final, which was also a day/night affair, gave a good indication of what to expect at Lord’s. In a match dominated by the ball but won by a batsman, Imran Tahir’s returns were the most impressive. The seamers also found plenty in the pitch to keep them interested, however, and Bell’s knock highlighted the value of having someone to bat through most of the innings. Although temperatures are likely to be on the low side once again, rain shouldn’t be an issue.Stats and Trivia Bell’s performance against Somerset extended his domestic limited-overs tally this season to 554 runs at 61.55, including six fifties and Saturday’s fluent hundred. Bell has also been in decent nick in his limited Championship and he scored the only hundred of the match against Hampshire last week to secure Warwickshire’s spot in Division One.
Umar Gul clearly enjoys bowling at The Oval, and has taken 20 wickets at an average of 11.00 across three formats there. He is less enamored with Lord’s, where has 12 wickets in two Tests and three T20Is at 31.08.
Opinions are split over Fawad Alam’s success as a one-day player. While he has an impressive average of 45.00 that has been inflated by finishing not out eight times 18 innings in ODIs, and in matches where he has been dismissed his average dips to 27.60. His career strike-rate of 75.00 doesn’t suggest that he’s set the world alight, but in the ten ODIs he has played in in which Pakistan have won he averages 110.00, and so it appears he relishes the role of stabiliser and finisher in the middle order.
Quotes”They’ve been three very hard-fought cricket matches. There certainly seems to be passion on both sides, they’ve been high intensity affairs.”

Amin ton puts National Bank on top

A round-up of the second day of the second round of matches in Division 1 of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2010Fast bowler Wasim Khan’s 23rd five-wicket haul and Umar Amin’s unbeaten hundred ensured National Bank of Pakistan completely dominated the second day against Rawalpindi at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Beginning on a precarious 59 for 5, Rawalpindi needed another 117 runs to take the first-innings lead. Zahid Mansoor took them past 100 but Wasim had him caught behind for 32. The lower order collapsed and Rawalpindi were dismissed for 118, Wasim finishing with 6 for 42. National Bank were in some trouble at 127 for 4, but Amin and Kamran Akmal added 109 in quick time to take them to 236 for 4 and an overall lead of 293. Amin hit only three fours in his unbeaten 119 but still scored at a strike rate of nearly 75 while Akmal hammered six fours in his unbeaten 58 off 70 deliveries.Karachi Blues took control on the second day at the United Bank Limited Sports Complex, bowling out Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited for 138 and then reaching 54 for the loss of opener Naved Khan. Karachi’s new-ball pair of Adeel Malik and Babar Rehman took four wickets apiece to help their side take a healthy first-innings lead of 77. SNGPL were tottering at 55 for 7 at one stage but Usman Arshad’s unbeaten 43 took them past 100. Karachi lost Naved in the first over but Rameez Raja and Fazal Subhan batted positively in their unbeaten 54-run stand. Only 62 overs were bowled in the day.Khaqan Arsal’s unbeaten century helped Habib Bank Limited extend their advantage on the second day against Multan at the Multan Cricket Stadium. On a day when only 53 overs were possible, Habib Bank scored 231 runs for the loss of three wickets to reach 429 for 7. Arsal added 160 runs for the sixth wicket with wicketkeeper Farhan Iqbal after Kamran Hussain fell cheaply. After Farhan was dismissed for 63, Arsal carried on with the tail to give his side a lead of 289 at stumps. He hit 15 fours in his unbeaten 156 that came in 196 deliveries.Half-centuries from Mohammad Ayub and captain Mansoor Amjad lifted Sialkot from the depths of 24 for 5, but Amjad’s late dismissal left them 135 runs short of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited’s 350 at the Jinnah Stadium. ZTBL’s left-arm medium-pacers Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Khalil had run through the Sialkot top and middle order to leave them reeling at 24 for 5. Ayub and Amjad then revived the innings, almost batting till stumps in a 191-run partnership, but Amjad was bowled by left-arm spinner Raza Hasan for 89. Ayub remained unbeaten on 88 with 14 fours. The ZTBL lower order had earlier added 62 runs to the overnight score to take their side to a strong 350.Water and Power Development Authority and Faisalabad were entrenched in a duel of attrition for the first-innings lead at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha. WAPDA crawled to 226 for 6 and were still 47 runs adrift of Faisalabad’s 273 at stumps. All WAPDA batsmen except Ali Azmat got starts but none went past 50. Hasan Adnan made a sedate half-century but offspinner Hasan Mahmood took three wickets to leave WAPDA struggling at 186 for 5. Ahmed Said and captain Naved-ul-Hasan looked to be in control but Naved was caught behind off what proved to be the last ball of the day.In another fight for the first-innings lead, Pakistan International Airlines were 42 runs short of Islamabad’s 241 with three wickets remaining at the Diamond Club Ground. Nasrullah Khan took 4 for 56 as PIA lost wickets regularly, except when captain Kamran Sajid and Shoaib Khan shared a 93-run fifth-wicket partnership. Both batsmen hit eight fours each but could not carry on for long after reaching their half-centuries. Islamabad had earlier added 11 runs to their overnight score before being dismissed for 241. Three PIA bowlers finished with three wickets each. Only 71 overs were possible in the day.

Tottenham official sent on Bremer mission

As per Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via Inside Futbol, an update has come to light on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Torino defender Gleison Bremer.

The Lowdown: Centre-back eyed…

The signing of a central defender is reliably reported to be manager Antonio Conte and transfer chief Fabio Paratici’s top summer priority.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-newest-updates/” title=”Tottenham newest updates…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Indeed, as backed by The Athletic, Tottenham are eager to bolster their options in that position, particularly on the left side of the three, with an array of transfer targets having already been shortlisted.

Bremer, who has been in fine form for Torino this season, is one of them as news from the continent emerges.

The Latest: Tottenham official dispatched…

According to Gazzetta (via IF), a Tottenham official was recently sent to run the rule over one of Serie A’s top defenders as Conte personally identifies him as a possible signing.

It is believed, however, that his club could demand around €50 million (£41m) for his services.

The Verdict: Worth the money?

The Brazilian, highly regarded by Italian football experts, is also attracting interest from the likes of Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Leicester, Everton and Newcastle according to reports.

Amid the competition, his price could rise even further, but Bremer comes as a really promising target nonetheless and it’s no surprise to see him on Conte’s wanted list.

Averaging the second-highest match rating out of Torino’s squad on average, none of their players have made more clearances or interceptions per 90 in Serie A this season – backing his colossal defensive ability (WhoScored).

Ex-Forza Italian Football journalist Rajath Kumar has even described the 25-year-old as their ’emerging superstar’, and if Paratici opts to invest significantly in his signing, he could be a coup for Spurs.

In other news: Tottenham sources now believe they’re in pole position to seal ‘top signing’ for Conte! Find out more here.

Nketiah considering Crystal Palace switch

Crystal Palace are being considered as a potential option by Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah.

What’s the story?

That’s according to a report by The Times, who claim that the Eagles, as well as Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach, are being considered as potential destinations by the 22-year-old.

The Englishman is set to depart The Emirates this summer upon the expiration of his contract, with the forward still yet to extend his stay with the Gunners, and therefore looks set to be able to join a new club on a free transfer.

Palace had been keen on signing Nketiah during the January transfer window, with Sky Sports reporting that the south London club had multiple bids rejected.

Palace should sign Nketiah

Although his goal tally isn’t seriously impressive, there is certainly plenty of talent and potential in the boots of Nketiah.

Prior to Wednesday evening, the 22-year-old hadn’t found the back of the net in the Premier League, with all five of his goals for the Gunners this term coming in the EFL Cup.

However, the £9m-rated striker sensationally scored twice away at Chelsea as Arsenal got their top-four push back on track with a 4-2 victory at Stamford Bridge.

Despite limited game time this term, the Englishman has been subject to praise from manager Mikel Arteta in the past who has previously labelled the forward as “incredible” as well as being “extraordinary at his age.”

Palace have managed to find goals in their team this term, having scored 43 in 32 matches thus far. However, 11 of those have come from winger Wilfried Zaha, who has equalled his best-ever season in front of goal to date.

In terms of strikers, however, Patrick Vieira has chopped and changed with Jean-Philippe Mateta, Odsonne Edouard, Jordan Ayew and Christian Benteke all having spells in the side up front.

Edouard and Mateta have both scored six times in all competitions, whilst Benteke (four) and Ayew (two) have struggled in front of goal.

However, Edouard has recently fallen out of favour, starting just one of the Eagles’ last ten matches and hasn’t managed to get off of the bench in five of those, including Palace’s 2-0 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea.

Mateta is currently the favoured option, however, the south London outfit could certainly do with more prolific options in the final third, with Nketiah potentially being that man.

On a free transfer, there is little risk signing the Englishman who, at 22, has bags of potential which could make him a very shrewd acquisition for Vieira’s men.

AND in other news: Contact made: Palace now in talks for “incredible” £15m “priority”, he “fits the bill”

Darren Sammy named West Indies captain

Chris Gayle has been axed as the West Indies captain and replaced by the allrounder Darren Sammy in a shake-up that has also resulted in Brendan Nash being handed the vice-captaincy

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2010Chris Gayle has been axed as the West Indies captain and replaced by the allrounder Darren Sammy in a shake-up that has also resulted in Brendan Nash being handed the vice-captaincy. However, Gayle has kept his spot in the squad for the three-Test tour of Sri Lanka in November, despite turning down a central contract with the WICB last month.The board has also demoted Dwayne Bravo, who was the vice-captain under Gayle but like his captain did not agree to a new WICB deal. The pair, along with Kieron Pollard, have forged lucrative Twenty20 careers in domestic tournaments including the IPL and refused central contracts which stipulated that they must make themselves available for the West Indies team at all times.That has paved the way for the Windward Islands captain, Sammy, to take over the leadership, despite not being a regular member of the Test side. He and the Australian-born Nash will be in charge of the Test squad until the end of the 2011 home series, ending Gayle’s three-year period at the helm of the team.Gayle led West Indies to three wins in 20 Tests as captain, and they sit seventh on the ICC Test rankings list and eighth in the ODI rankings. Sammy said he was looking forward to the challenge of leading the side, even though in Sri Lanka the squad will be missing several experienced men, including the now uncontracted Denesh Ramdin, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Jerome Taylor.”Being appointed West Indies captain is an honour and distinction which I will treat with the highest regard and dignity,” Sammy said. “I believe my captaincy of the Windward Islands, a young team which I have been moulding into playing consistently competitive cricket, will stand me in good stead as West Indies captain as we work on building a team for the future.”I have always given my all when I prepare and play for the West Indies and nothing will change now. I know this will be a difficult challenge and I will take the torch from Chris and hold it high as we forge ahead. I have been playing for the West Indies since 2004 and over those six years I have built strong relationships with many players and I expect to have the full support of the squad.”The decision to appoint Sammy and Nash into positions of responsibility is indicative of the WICB’s desire to achieve stability in leadership from players whose availability isn’t in question. Ernest Hilaire, the board’s CEO, said: “Chris Gayle, the former captain, led the West Indies during a challenging period and the board thanks him for stepping up then but it is now time to past the mantle on as the West Indies rebuilds.”The squad picked for the Sri Lanka series features several players who didn’t play against South Africa at home earlier in the year, West Indies’ most recent Test assignment. Adrian Barath, the opener who burst onto the international scene with a century on debut against Australia in Brisbane last year, returns after hurting his knee in April.Carlton Baugh, who has not played a Test since 2004, will vie with Devon Thomas for the role behind the stumps, while there was also a maiden call-up for the Jamaica allrounder Andre Russell. The opener Devon Smith, who played his most recent Test in May 2009, is also back after averaging 61.50 while leading West Indies A in the first-class fixtures in England this year.West Indies squad: Darren Sammy (capt), Brendan Nash (vice-captain), Chris Gayle, Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh (wk), Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Nelon Pascal, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Shane Shillingford, Devon Smith, Devon Thomas (wk).

Team not affected by Haider's departure – Afridi

Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan captain, has said his team was “not really” affected by the bizarre disappearance of wicketkeeper Zulqanain Haider

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2010Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan limited-overs captain, has said his team was “not really” affected by the bizarre disappearance of wicketkeeper Zulqanain Haider on the morning before the fifth ODI against South Africa, and expressed hope that the ICC and PCB could sort out the problems affecting the team. South Africa beat Pakistan by 57 runs to take the five-match ODI series 3-2.”We are trying from the start to get the team back to shape before the World Cup but something or other is coming up,” Afridi said. “I hope that ICC and PCB solves the problem and sort these things so we can work towards building a good team, and ensure that there are no such problems in every match.”Afridi agreed that the turning point in the game came when Jacques Kallis took three wickets in three overs, including Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, but said it was not easy chasing huge totals “every time especially when we lose wickets quickly”. He added he was was happy with the mental toughness Pakistan showed to get back in the series and win a couple of games.”We played fairly well. We did not take pressure on ourselves, and every game we tried to motivate ourselves, which is a positive thing.”While acknowledging that his own contribution in the series was “very average”, Afridi said the team needed to improve its overall fitness and fielding before the World Cup. “We have to improve a lot on fitness and strengthen the middle order when it comes to batting. We have one more series against New Zealand before the World Cup, so we must step up in some areas before the big event, and that is very important for us.”

Wolves must swoop for Ivan Toney

Wolverhampton Wanderers have once again been linked with a move for Brentford striker Ivan Toney this summer.

According to a recent report by 90min (via Birmingham Live), Bruno Lage is in the market for adding a striker to his squad ahead of next season, although his side could be priced out of a move for the Englishman.

Toney has settled into the top-flight excellently after catapulting the Bees into the Premier League last term with 33 Championship goals, finding the back of the net 12 times in the current campaign for Thomas Frank’s side, who now look all but safe after their first season in the first division.

Having played in League One, the Championship and now the Premier League over the last three seasons, the 26-year-old’s rise up the English football ladder has been remarkable.

Netting 139 senior goals over the course of his career, Toney has been a kingpin for Frank’s men, despite only joining in September 2020.

The Danish manager has previously labelled the striker as “special” whilst also claiming that he has the “mindset of a lion.”

The former Newcastle youth player has quickly established himself as one of England’s most prolific forwards and is certainly destined for bigger things, with no disrespect to Brentford.

Although the Englishman would see sides that can offer European football as a preference, joining Wolves would certainly be a step up with the West Midlands club enjoying a successful first campaign under the management of Bruno Lage.

The Old Gold currently find themselves eighth in the Premier League, although they are three points behind seventh-placed West Ham with a game in hand.

Securing European football is still very realistic for Lage’s men which, if they are successful in doing so, will make them a much more attractive prospect for potential signings.

Despite their strong campaign, quality in the final third has frequently been lacking for Wolves who have scored just 33 goals in 32 matches – with only Brighton, Burnley, Watford and Norwich have scored fewer.

Therefore, adding a prolific striker will certainly be a priority for the Portuguese manager.

This season has seen the return of forward Raul Jimenez after a horrific skull fracture that could’ve easily forced the Mexican into early retirement.

However, while the 30-year-old is Wolves’ joint-top goalscorer this term, he has been well below the standard previously set prior to his injury, scoring just six goals.

Although there were extra matches with the West Midlands outfit reaching the quarter-final of the Europa League, the 2019/20 campaign saw Jimenez score a whopping 27 goals and assist a further 10 in 55 games.

Moreover, the season prior saw the Mexican find the back of the net on 17 occasions in 44 appearances.

Had Wolves’ defence not been as good as it has been this campaign, the Golden Boys would undoubtedly find themselves well out of contention for a European spot.

Therefore, adding a more consistent goalscorer over the summer is vital as Lage’s men cannot rely on solely shutting teams out regularly to progress. With a good record, plenty of potential and top-flight experience, Toney would be an excellent candidate.

AND in other news: Huge blow: Wolves dealt late injury setback ahead of Burnley, Lage will be gutted

Old Firm derby referee confirmed

John Beaton has been confirmed as the referee for Sunday’s crucial Scottish Premiership clash between Celtic and Rangers at Parkhead.

The Lowdown: Massive game at Parkhead

Ange Postecoglou’s side kept up their six-point lead over their rivals on Sunday afternoon, picking up a precious 2-0 victory away to Ross County.

Next up for the Hoops is this weekend’s critical Old Firm derby meeting at Parkhead, with a win for the hosts all but securing title glory after missing out last year.

It is a game that can sometimes be defined by the refereeing performance – Bobby Madden’s display drew plenty of conversation in the cup semi-final – and the man in the middle has now been confirmed for Sunday’s meeting.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/key-latest-celtic-updates-4/” title=”Key latest Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Latest: Beaton takes charge

It is Beaton who will take charge of proceedings at Parkhead, reports The Scotsman, and based on his own judgement, Hoops fans may not be particularly pleased to see him with the whistle.

Back in 2020, Beaton himself admitted that Celtic supporters would ‘absolutely love’ to get rid of Scottish referees for this fixture, claiming ‘everybody’ except the officials themselves want them replaced.

The Verdict: Unpopular choice

The appointment of Beaton will not go down well with Postecoglou and his players, or the fans for that matter – he has even hinted at preferring refereeing behind closed doors, saying in those comments back in 2020 life was easier without the intensity from the fans.

That said, Celtic need to focus on the task at hand and ignore any controversy – if the Hoops allow the referee to get to them, the only people it is going to affect is themselves, on what is a potentially defining afternoon in the title race.

Essentially, all the pressure is on Rangers, who really have to win the match – the only hope is that Beaton doesn’t end up having a negative say on matters.

In other news, an ex-Celtic hero has taken a dig at Rangers ahead of Sunday’s game. Read more here.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus