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Celtic have put Archie Brown on their transfer radar this summer, with a report from The Mail stating that checks have already been made by the club.

Who are Celtic signing this summer?

The 20-year-old has been impressing for Lausanne in Switzerland this season, having now established himself as a first-team regular for the club. He has managed 33 league outings for the side this season and with an added amount of gametime, he has rewarded the side with plenty of goal contributions. He's managed five goals and four assists in the competition this campaign for example, despite playing as a left-back.

It's the highest amount of games that Brown has managed so far over the course of his career, with the player having never previously played regularly at the top level. Prior to moving to Switzerland, his game time came with Derby at youth level and having never broken into their senior line-up, he opted to move countries to get regular football. Having found it – and impressed – it appears there is now interest from the Scottish Premiership in his signature.

It does appear as though there could be an Old Firm battle to sign the player this summer. According to a report from The Mail, Celtic and Rangers are both keeping an eye on Brown and could be part of a tug-of-war to land the defender during the transfer window.

A deal would likely be modest but would still cost seven figures for either club if they did want to add him to their ranks. However, they aren't the only sides keen to do business, with a multitude of other sides also believed to be keeping tabs on the situation.

Who is Archie Brown?

The defender would offer Celtic a versatile option for their backline if they did manage to add him to their ranks, with Brown already having played on the left but also centrally too. He is predominantly a left-back but can also play slightly further forward too as more of a left midfielder.

That has often amounted in goals for the player, although those strikes largely came at reserve level. For example, when pushed further forward, he has scored 17 goals with nine assists over the course of his career in that left midfield position. It shows that Brown has plenty of offensive capabilities if you allow him to get the ball forward.

The Scottish side then would be getting a young player, with an attacking mindset that has proven that he can already score goals and set up teammates at a decent level in Switzerland. If he can carry that over to the Scottish Premiership, then he could be a really good pick-up for the side.

Arsenal will hope to keep their hopes of winning the Premier League title alive by defeating Brighton and Hove Albion this afternoon at the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta’s men are currently a point behind Manchester City, who have a game in hand, and with just three matches remaining, they will need to win all three and rely on City dropping points in their final four matches.

It is a tough ask, but the Gunners arguably blew their chances with three successive draws in April, and the Spaniard may have to be content with a spot in the Champions League next season.

They enjoyed a solid win over Newcastle United last week and Arteta will be hoping his team can repeat this performance today against a Brighton side who occupied seventh place in the league table heading into the weekend.

There could be a few changes to the side ahead of the match, and Belgian forward Leandro Trossard should be given the chance to start against his former club, especially with his excellent record since joining Arsenal in January.

Will Leandro Trossard start for Arsenal against Brighton?

Journalist Charles Watts lavished praise on the Belgian before their tie against Chelsea two weeks ago, saying: “Trossard has to start against Chelsea. For all the talk around the impact of Saliba's injury and Holding's inclusion, Arsenal have not won a game since Trossard dropped out of the starting XI. They are a better team when he is on the pitch.”

Since Gabriel Jesus returned from the injury he sustained at the World Cup, he has scored five goals from nine games, but Trossard deserves a chance to lead the line.

The £45k-per-week “wizard” – as so dubbed by reporter Charlie Haffenden – has started only nine matches since joining during the winter transfer window, but he has managed to register seven assists during these matches.

Trossard has also scored and grabbed an assist from appearances off the bench, and with seven goals scored during the first half of the season with Brighton, he could be a viable option to replace Jesus and dismantle the Seagulls.

Only seven teams have conceded fewer goals than Brighton this term, and with clinical finishing required this afternoon, Trossard could be the perfect option to lead the line against his old side, especially as will know exactly how to get the better of their defence, ensuring Arteta’s side have a major advantage.

Match facts

Friday, June 24
Start time 2pm local (1300 GMT)

Big picture

Eoin Morgan wasn’t buying the euphoria that drenched Trent Bridge on Tuesday night, after Liam Plunkett’s long levers had bludgeoned England to a share of a thrilling contest which, on balance, they deserved to have lost. “We are very lucky to get out of this game with a tie,” he said. “That was as bad as we have performed with the bat over the past year.”Morgan’s honesty was as refreshing as the attitude that had hauled his team back from the brink, both in Tuesday’s contest and, more generally, over the course of the past 18 months. There are genuine and attainable goals in the offing for England’s 50-overs squad in the not-so-distant future, but lapses such as they displayed in their first limited-overs outing since the World T20 final won’t be forgiven by better-drilled opponents.That said, it was no accident that England had the wherewithal to regroup after shedding their top six wickets in the space of 18 ill-disciplined overs. Their astonishing depth of batting is designed for occasions such as these – and you might even argue it is important that players such as Chris Woakes, England’s Man of the Match for his two wickets and 95 match-salvaging runs, are put under pressure to perform rather than allowed to gather dust as luxury tailenders, as has arguably been the case with Moeen Ali in recent months.But then again, it took a crisis to concentrate England’s minds, as if each of the top order had subconsciously been passing the buck to the next man without ever quite assuming responsibility until they really had to. Joe Root, the rock of their renaissance last summer, completed his fourth single-figure score in five innings this summer; Jonny Bairstow, their form man from the Test series, faced six balls all told and should have been out to two of them.Morgan himself fought hard against his troubling recent lack of form but was persistently challenged, and eventually undone, by Sri Lanka’s angle across his bows. But the major exception to England’s ennui was Jos Buttler, whose sojourn with Mumbai Indians perhaps reaped fewer grandstand moments than he had personally hoped for, but certainly sharpened his instinct for rising to an occasion. A brilliant catch on the long-on boundary denied him his fifth ODI hundred (and what would have been his slowest by a distance) but served notice that his team would not be quitting on their task.It was certainly a bitter denouement for Sri Lanka, who had entered the contest with intent following two galvanising triumphs in Ireland and produced, in Seekkuge Prasanna’s thrilling half-century, the most eye-catching performance of the day. The loss, however, of their captain, Angelo Mathews, was probably the difference between victory and the tie. His six overs of wicket-to-wicket wobblers had been just what the surface ordered, but the recurrence of his hamstring injury meant a spell of 2 for 22 was cut off in its prime.In Mathew’s absence, Sri Lanka’s attack closed ranks as best they do – Prasanna’s legspin matched that of the parsimonious Adil Rashid, while Farvez Maharoof, Suranga Lakmal and even the unfortunate Nuwan Pradeep all bowled better than their economy rates would suggest. But in the final analysis England did just enough to overcome their rustiness and salvage a share of the spoils. They will expect better things in Birmingham. The question is, will their opponents?Angelo Mathews underwent a fitness test on his hamstring•Getty Images

Form guide

England: TLLLW (last five matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka: TWWLW

In the spotlight

His captaincy has been a significant and acknowledged factor in England’s upsurge in recent fortunes, but Eoin Morgan‘s batting remains under a significant cloud. At the World T20, he mustered 66 runs in six matches – almost half of those in the opening fixture against West Indies – and so by that rationale, his return of 43 from 49 balls on Tuesday was a step in the right direction. It was, however, a painstaking knock – understandable to a degree, with England floundering at 30 for 4 when Buttler joined him to begin the rebuilding effort. But despite the odd flash of his most fluent self, most notably a handful of straight drives back down the ground, Morgan is still fighting to unleash the inventive instincts that made him such a stand-out performer in his pre-leadership days.There’s no ignoring the joie de vivre that Seekkuge Prasanna brings to his destructive slogging in the middle of Sri Lanka’s innings. Pinch-hitters are thought to be rather old hat these days – why risk swinging through the line when you can contort your stance and ramp a six into no-man’s land at fine leg? But the combination of a sharp eye and a fearless mind will never go entirely out of fashion, and the glee with which Prasanna brought up his fifty from 24 balls was understandable – at Malahide last week, he biffed 95 from 46 balls so he is enjoying a rare appetite for destruction. Whenever Sri Lanka choose to unleash him, brace for fireworks.

Team news

Plunkett’s retention ahead of Steven Finn for the first match came as something of a surprise but was, in hindsight, due reward for his role in the team that reached the World T20 final. His bowling may not have hit the mark consistently, but his six-hitting heroics amply justified his selection. Finn has been released to play for Middlesex in tonight’s T20 Blast contest against Somerset at Lord’s. Jason Roy, meanwhile, has received an injection for a wrist problem, but batted in the nets and is expected to be fit to retain his place in an unchanged XI.England (probable): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Jonny Bairstow, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 David Willey, 10 Liam Plunkett, 11 Adil Rashid.All eyes are on Angelo Mathews as he undergoes a fitness test on the hamstring strain that bugged him during Sri Lanka’s elimination, against England, at the World T20 in Delhi earlier this year, and flared back up during his bowling spell on Tuesday. Sri Lanka are considering dipping into their A-team squad for reinforcements, but the skipper is one man they simply cannot do without. He was rated at 70% on Thursday, pending another test before the match. He’ll surely play on one leg if needs be.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Kusal Perera, 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Upul Tharanga, 7 Seekkuge Prasanna, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 9 Farveez Maharoof 10 Nuwan Pradeep, 11 Suranga Lakmal

Pitch and conditions

As in Nottingham, wet weather over recent weeks means the Edgbaston pitch has not seen much sunshine. But the ground has a reputation for good limited-overs surfaces, as demonstrated by the last ODI held there, when England broke 400 for the first time. Friday’s forecast is for a relatively clear afternoon and evening.

Stats and trivia

• Bittersweet memories for England at Edgbaston in their most recent ODI encounters at the venue. This time last year, they announced the start of their post-World Cup rebirth with their highest ODI score, 408 for 9 against New Zealand
• However, they had lost each of previous five completed ODIs at Edgbaston – three against India, including the final of the Champions Trophy in 2013 – and one against Sri Lanka, who sealed a 3-2 series triumph on their last tour of England in 2014 with a six-wicket win in the fifth and deciding match.
• Sri Lanka’s share of the spoils at Trent Bridge means that the inaugural Super Series remains alive … but only just. England now lead 11-3, meaning that Sri Lanka must win each of the last five internationals (four ODIs, one T20I) to sneak a 13-11 win.

Quotes

“We’re not at all concerned about the top order not scoring runs in Nottingham. If anything we should come out and play even more shots. That’s the way we want to play our cricket. We want to put teams under pressure and there’s no reason to change.”
“We were very good with batting and bowling, the only thing is we have to improve is our fielding. If we fielded well [at Trent Bridge] it would have been a different story but we are improving.”

Aston Villa moved up to fifth place in the Premier League as they eased to a 1-0 win against fellow European hopefuls Fulham at Villa Park on Tuesday night.

What happened in Villa against Fulham?

Unai Emery's side were looking to get back to winning ways on Tuesday having dropped points away at Brentford last weekend, and they were able to do just that with a fairly composed victory over a Fulham side who were seriously lacking in attack, as Aleksandar Mitrovic continues his suspension.

Marco Silva's side did come extremely close to opening the scoring in the first few minutes when Andreas Pereira's acrobatic effort drifted just wide of Emiliano Martinez's post, but this was the closest the visitors would come at Villa Park.

Tyrone Mings was the man to break the deadlock in the first half when he headed in John McGinn's corner, and that would prove to be the only goal of the game on a surprisingly quiet night in the Midlands.

The in-form Ollie Watkins looked a constant threat throughout and came close with a couple of efforts but Mings' goal was enough to seal another vital three points.

While the England centre-back will take the plaudits after his goal and his role in Villa's clean sheet, it was arguably McGinn who was Emery's best performer against the Cottagers.

How did McGinn play against Fulham?

As per Sofascore, the former Hearts midfielder would earn an impressive 7.6/10 rating for his performance on Tuesday, which was the best of any player to feature in the game from both sides.

As well as notching the assist, the 28-year-old managed an impressive three key passes, completing 16/18 on the night with a solid success rate of 89%.

Considering the £55k-per-week earner has averaged just 0.6 key passes per game with an 81.6% pass average in the Premier League so far this season, it is clear that he raised his game from a passing perspective last night.

The Scotland international looks to have rediscovered his best form in his new role as a right-winger in Emery's side and was a constant menace to Fulham's defence, as he completed two dribbles and was fouled a remarkable six times; again an increase on his average of 1.2 and 1.7 times per game so far this term.

McGinn also contributed two clearances, two crosses and two shots in what was a superb all-round display on Tuesday, which saw him labelled as the "Flying Scotsman" on Twitter by journalist Statman Dave.

Therefore, it is arguably the Villa midfielder who deserves the credit after another impressive display, with his upturn in form no doubt a big factor in Emery's side's push for a top-four finish.

Liverpool are 'ready to raid' Chelsea for exciting youngster Levi Colwill during the summer transfer window, according to a new update.

Is Colwill shining on loan at Brighton?

The 20-year-old may be on the Blues' books currently, but he has spent this season on loan at Brighton, having been sent there last summer to enjoy more regular playing time. He has caught the eye for the Seagulls in 2022/23, not always being a regular but playing a positive role in them pushing for European football.

Colwill has made eight starts in the Premier League in total, as well as appearing five times in the FA Cup and EFL Cup combined, and he has an overall pass completion rate of 88.5%, highlighting his quality on the ball.

The Englishman will return to Chelsea at the end of this season, but his future at Stamford Bridge could be up in the air as many clubs take an interest. One of them is Liverpool, considering they could look to sign a new centre-back in the upcoming window.

Are Liverpool in the mix to sign youngster?

According to The Evening Standard's Nizaar Kinsella, Liverpool and one of their main Premier League rivals who are 'ready to raid' Chelsea for Colwill this summer:

"Manchester City and Liverpool are ready to raid Chelsea for defender Levi Colwill, as clubs queue up to take advantage of financial threats by poaching homegrown stars from Stamford Bridge."

It is added in his Evening Standard piece that both Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola are planning to "refresh their back lines this summer" and see the Chelsea defender as a "top target".

This could be a perfect summer signing by Liverpool, given Colwill comes as a player with a high ceiling, having once been hailed as "absolutely fantastic" by Carlos Corberan. Indeed, he's also been compared to Blues and England legend John Terry.

In Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk, the Reds still have an excellent first-choice centre-back pairing, assuming the latter gets back to his best next season, but they could now do with an upgrade on Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, with the former turning 32 this summer and the latter too inconsistent these days.

Colwill could be that man, combining elegance in possession but also defensive nous, averaging 2.9 aerial duel wins per game in the Premier League this season, as well as 2.3 tackles per match in the EFL Cup.

Tottenham Hotspur had to share the spoils in their Premier League clash with Southampton this afternoon at St Mary's after conceding two late second-half goals and there is no doubt Antonio Conte will be absolutely furious with his team.

The Lilywhites will find themselves looking over their shoulders in the top-flight table with Newcastle United hot on their tails, just two points behind in fifth with two games in hand which could have a huge effect on the North Londoners' pursuit to retain their Champions League qualifying spot over the remaining ten games.

Despite having equal possession (50%) with their hosts, Spurs had fewer shots on target (3 v 7), fewer big chances (3 v 2) and fewer accurate passes (385 v 376) which was a testament to the game that unfolded on the south coast this afternoon.

In the first half, the game got off to a slow start for both sides with the visitors suffering two injury concerns as both Richarlison and Ben Davies hobbled off the pitch within the first 45 minutes, however, a goal from Pedro Porro gave Tottenham the lead in the final moments before the half-time whistle was blown.

In the second half, Saints came to life early when Che Adams scored an equaliser in the 46th minute, but the home side's efforts were quickly nullified when the inevitable Harry Kane scored just 19 minutes later with Ivan Perisic following up with a third.

Another goal from Theo Walcott gave Saints hope that they could get back into the game, before a penalty – gifted by Pape Matar Sarr in the first minute of extra time – was comfortably converted by James Ward-Prowse to end the game 3-3.

Indeed, Spurs supporters will be absolutely livid with the late midfield substitution's carelessness, however, Eric Dier was the true villain throughout the clash and was ultimately a complete liability.

How did Eric Dier get on vs Southampton?

Conte has put a lot of faith into the Spurs defender this season and given Dier more opportunities than most to prove himself in the team, only for the England international to repay him with constant lacklustre and mistake-ridden performances.

This afternoon's clash with Southampton should've been another wake-up call for Conte and the Spurs hierarchy in terms of the improvements needed in the team and in the defensive set-up specifically.

Over his 90-minute performance, the £85k-per-week flop lost 60% of his duels, completed no tackles, failed to block any shots on goal and was dribbled past twice, with his 6.2 match rating, as per Sofascore, the lowest of any starting player for the visitors.

Spurs have now conceded more goals than any of their fellow Premier League teams inside the top half (40) which is further proof that the current defence is not working, with Dier making 25 starts over 28 league games in the centre-back position.

With that being said, Conte has his hands tied when it comes to unleashing another experienced defender instead of Dier, however, if the Spurs boss wants to finish the season inside the top four they will desperately need to find a resolution to their habit of leaking goals.

Manchester United await for Southampton in the Premier League, with the Saints hoping to build upon their recent good form and stave off the threat of relegation.

Their recent form under manager Ruben Selles – the former coach stepping up to replace Nathan Jones, who was sacked after a wretched spell at the helm – has been far more promising, with two victories clinched from the past three league matches.

An away triumph over Chelsea preceded a battling defeat to relegation rivals Leeds United, before a pivotal win against Leicester City, themselves just two points above the bottom three, closed the gulf to touching distance; Saints are now just one point behind the Whites in 17th.

The upswing in form has come at the perfect time considering the magnitude of the task in travelling to Old Trafford and stopping Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils, who responded emphatically after losing 7-0 to Liverpool by defeating Real Betis 4-1 in the Europa League.

What will Southampton’s starting XI be vs Manchester United?

With this in mind, here is how Football FanCast is predicting Saints boss Selles to field his starting eleven when the club take on Man United at the Theatre of Dreams this afternoon, with just one change expected after three points were clinched last weekend.

(4-3-3) – (GK) Bazunu; (RB) Maitland-Niles, (CB) Bednarek, (CB) Bella-Kotchap, (LB) Walker-Peters; (CM) Lavia, (CM) Ward-Prowse (AM) Elyounoussi; (RW) Walcott, (LW) Sulemana; (CF) Adams. 

Selles will likely stick with the same backline that secured victory last time out, especially given Southampton have now kept clean sheets in two of the past three league outings, conceding only once against Leeds.

In midfield, Romeo Lavia and captain James Ward-Prowse could continue their partnership as the two behind the attacking midfield trident.

Selles will demand cohesion and attentiveness from his outfit, and might have to do so without last week’s match-winner Carlos Alcaraz, who is touch-and-go for a starting berth against United after injuring himself in the celebration last Saturday, with The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell stating that scans were ‘positive’.

The £12m winter signing is a doubt due to his fitness and the “one-dimensional” – as remarked by analyst Ben Wells – Mohamed Elyounoussi could start by replacing the starlet at St. Mary’s.

Up front, Che Adams will retain his talismanic position in the place of Paul Onuachu, while pacy wingers Theo Walcott and Kamaldeen Sulemana will hope to make an impact from the flanks.

Tottenham Hotspur are unlikely to appoint Thomas Tuchel as manager while Daniel Levy is at the club, according to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Conte leaving?

There have been reports indicating that Antonio Conte could leave Tottenham at the end of the season, with it recently emerging that he may return to the Serie A to manage Juventus.

As such, Spurs have started to identify potential replacements for the Italian, one of which being Brighton & Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi, while it has also been reported that Tuchel would be open to talks.

The Latest: Update on Tuchel

Speaking to TEAMtalk about the Lilywhites’ search for a new manager, Jacobs said: “The other name I would just mention briefly, that keeps being linked with Tottenham is Thomas Tuchel.

“My understanding is that Daniel Levy doesn’t see Tuchel as a fit for Tottenham. And Tuchel himself is not necessarily pushing that one at this stage.

“So I think that Tuchel cannot be considered a likely future Spurs manager or a frontrunner in any way. At least, not for as long as Daniel Levy remains at the club.

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The Verdict: Disappointing news

While there are plenty of other managers that Tottenham could turn to, Tuchel has a proven track record managing a Premier League club, and he has also enjoyed plenty of success abroad.

The trophy-laden German won six pieces of silverware during his time with Paris Saint-Germain, and famously oversaw Chelsea’s 2020-21 Champions League triumph, after which he was given the world’s best club coach award.

Conte is by no means guaranteed to leave Spurs, with pundit Alan Hutton still convinced that he will stay, but if he does leave in the summer, then Tuchel would be an excellent replacement, and Levy should reconsider his stance.

ESPN journalist Mark Ogden has addressed the recent Manchester City transfer rumours linking them to defender Antonee Robinson.

The Lowdown: Summer plans

According to The Sun, Pep Guardiola’s side are lining up a summer bid for the Premier League left-back as they look to replace Joao Cancelo.

The Portuguese full-back hasn’t left on a permanent just yet, but his loan move to Bayern Munich does have the option to buy that will cost the Bundesliga outfit £61.5m.

Nathan Ake and Rico Lewis have been used by the Man City boss in their most recent games in the league and FA Cup.

The Latest: Ogden on Robinson pursuit

Despite the reports, Ogden told ESPN that he had spoken to people within the club about their interest in Robinson, who said he wasn’t on their list of candidates.

He stated: “It wasn’t close in this window. I spoke to somebody at City today [Friday] just to get a check on this before I came on the show, and they said, look, they’d heard the rumours, as far as they were concerned, the senior figures at the club are saying he wasn’t on their list. But, I was also told that anything can happen, and it can.

“Antonee Robinson’s had a good season at Fulham, he’s had a better than a good season. He’s a talented player.

“I’d be surprised if he goes to City, but because there aren’t many top left-backs around, and that City need one, it’s not the most outlandish prospect.

“But the likelihood of it happening, I think, right now is slim. And it definitely wasn’t a goer during the window.”

The Verdict: Question marks

We would be taken aback if Robinson ended up joining Manchester City in the summer, as we’re not sure if he’s ready for the step up.

The American has only played two seasons of Premier League football, suffering relegation in one of them with Fulham.

This time around, his second league campaign in England has been going a lot better with the Cottagers, while pundit Noel Whelan labelled the player as ‘excellent’ when discussing his abilities with Football Insider.

Whilst we may have reservations about Robinson, Guardiola signing him would be a massive statement, in our view.

Being wanted by a manager who’s managed world-class talent like Lionel Messi, Xavi and Manuel Neuer says a lot about what he sees in terms of his potential, and we would be intrigued to see if City reignite their reported interest in the summer.

Fulham have made a last gasp ‘move’ for Queen’s Park Rangers star Sam Field, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Whites in talks…

The Whites, lead by manager Marco Silva, have displayed some ambition in this transfer market with reports of talks to sign Torino star Sasa Lukic.

There have also been links to the likes of Sander Berge in this January transfer window as Fulham seek to back Silva and maintain their excellent start to the Premier League season.

The Latest: Fulham make Field move…

According to journalist O’Rourke, writing for Football Insider, the club have made a deadline day ‘move’ for QPR star Field alongside Crystal Palace.

The 24-year-old is seen as an insurance option for Silva in case of missing out on other targets but the report adds that contact has been made over Fielf.

The Verdict: Great player…

The defensive midfield ace has been one of QPR’s shining lights and a pretty key player at Loftus Road over the 2022/2023 Championship season.

According to WhoScored, Field ranks top of QPR’s squad for both successful tackles made and successful interceptions made per 90 – not to mention joint top for blocks made.

His importance for the west Londoners is backed by just how often Field is played – with only goalkeeper Seny Dieng playing more second tier minutes than the midfield man.

If Fulham can pull off this signing, it would be a brilliant little addition to Silva’s squad.