Celtic have been advised to prioritise the appointment of Graham Potter as their next permanent manager ahead of Roberto Martinez following Martin O’Neill’s interim tenure.
The Scottish Premiership champions are currently assessing their long-term options ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
Martin O’Neill returned to Parkhead in 2025 to stabilise the club following the departure of Wilfred Nancy.
Nancy lasted just one month in Glasgow before being removed from his position, prompting the board to turn to a familiar face.
Potter brings Premier League pedigree
Potter is available immediately after parting ways with West Ham United earlier this season.
The 50-year-old reportedly tops the wish list for the Hoops as they look to rebuild their squad identity.
While his recent stints in London proved challenging, his foundational work at Brighton remains highly regarding within the game.
He successfully cemented the Seagulls as a Premier League force while developing a host of young players for significant profit.
Experience at the highest level
The tactical demands of Scottish football require a manager capable of handling intense pressure and scrutiny.
Potter has now amassed significant experience managing massive institutions following his time at Chelsea.
This exposure to the highest level of the English game stands him in good stead to take on the expectations at Parkhead.
He is an outstanding manager.
Pep Guardiola on Graham Potter
Reports suggest that this recent club experience gives the Englishman a distinct advantage over other potential candidates.
Concerns over Martinez’s absence
Roberto Martinez has also been linked with the vacancy but faces questions regarding his recent career path.
The Spanish coach has not managed at club level for over a decade, focusing instead on the international stage.
His time leading Belgium and Portugal suggests a move back to the day-to-day rhythms of domestic football carries significant risk.
Potter is viewed as the safer and more progressive appointment for Celtic as they look to secure their future dominance.
Arsenal are hopeful that Bukayo Saka and Ben White will be fit to face Chelsea on Sunday as they continue their Premier League title push.
The Gunners re-established a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table with a 4-1 victory against Tottenham last weekend.
However, the north London derby win came at a cost, with Mikel Arteta’s side suffering a fresh injury scare concerning their top scorer.
Saka concern after derby collision
Bukayo Saka was forced off in the second half against Spurs after appearing to suffer an ankle injury.
The England winger went down following an awkward collision late in the game and immediately signalled to the bench for assistance.
Despite receiving lengthy treatment on the pitch, the 22-year-old was able to walk off unaided.
Saka was also observed moving freely during the post-match celebrations, raising optimism that the issue is not serious.
Arteta is expected to provide a definitive update on his talisman’s availability during his pre-match press conference on Friday.
Defensive doubts and returning forwards
Ben White is also a major doubt for the visit of Chelsea after missing the Tottenham fixture completely.
The defender sustained a minor issue in training prior to the match, forcing a reshuffle in the Arsenal backline.
“It was Ben, he had a little niggle yesterday and he couldn’t make the game.”
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal Manager
While the manager did not offer a specific timeline, the club are hopeful White will recover in time for Sunday’s showdown at the Emirates.
Elsewhere, Kai Havertz could be in contention to face his former club after missing the last four matches.
The German international has been sidelined since the victory over Sunderland in early February.
Arsenal medical staff had hoped Havertz would return for the derby, but the fixture came too soon for the forward.
Merino faces long road to recovery
Summer signing Mikel Merino remains absent and is fighting to play again this season following surgery.
The Spanish midfielder suffered a stress fracture in his foot during the defeat by Manchester United in January.
“The timeframes, we’re talking about months – whether it’s three, four or five, we don’t know.”
Mikel Arteta on Mikel Merino
With a Carabao Cup final against Manchester City on the horizon, Arteta will be desperate to get his key stars back to full fitness as the season reaches its climax.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is reportedly willing to fulfil his contract at Anfield until 2027 should a proposed move to the Saudi Pro League fail to materialise.
The Egypt international remains a pivotal figure for the Reds despite persistent speculation regarding his future.
Salah, 33, is content to see out the remainder of his current deal, which runs until the end of next season.
While interest from the Middle East remains high, the club’s record Premier League goalscorer has not ruled out extending his stay on Merseyside.
Premier League clubs circle Frankfurt defender
Competition is heating up for the signature of Eintracht Frankfurt defender Nnamdi Collins.
Six Premier League sides have registered an interest in the 22-year-old German centre-back.
Title chasers Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City are monitoring his progress in the Bundesliga.
Newcastle, Brighton and Brentford are also tracking the defender regarding a potential move.
Casemiro eyes European stay
Manchester United midfielder Casemiro intends to continue his career in Europe when his contract expires this summer.
The 34-year-old is expected to leave Old Trafford but does not wish to move to a developing league yet.
Italy has been identified as a likely destination for the veteran Brazil international.
Old Trafford goalkeeping overhaul
Manchester United are planning to sell Andre Onana permanently when the transfer window opens.
The Cameroon goalkeeper, 29, is currently on loan at Turkish side Trabzonspor.
United executives expect to recoup significantly less than the £50m paid to Inter Milan for his services in 2023.
However, Onana maintains a desire to fight for his place as the club’s number one upon his return in May.
Meanwhile, an agreement has reportedly been reached to sell reserve goalkeeper Altay Bayindir to Besiktas for £4.3m.
Wirtz agent reveals Real Madrid talks
An agent connected to Florian Wirtz has revealed the midfielder was offered to Real Madrid prior to his blockbuster move to Liverpool.
Volker Struth claims contact was made with the Spanish giants before the Germany international completed his £116m switch from Bayer Leverkusen to Anfield.
Elsewhere, Antoine Griezmann has received a three-year contract offer from Major League Soccer side Orlando City.
The 34-year-old Atletico Madrid forward will hold talks with his current club before making a decision on his future.
Galatasaray survived a spirited comeback from 10-man Juventus to secure a 7-5 aggregate victory after extra time in a chaotic Champions League tie.
Late drama in Turin
The Turkish champions lost 3-2 on the night but progressed thanks to their resilience over two legs.
Juventus faced a significant disadvantage after Lloyd Kelly was shown a red card.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, the Serie A side mounted a fierce response to level the aggregate score and force the match beyond 90 minutes.
Extra-time decisive
The numerical advantage eventually told for the visitors during the additional half-hour.
Galatasaray struck twice in quick succession to extinguish the home side’s hopes.
The flurry of goals silenced the Allianz Stadium and confirmed the elimination of the Italians.
The bigger picture
This result caps a high-scoring tie that saw 12 goals shared between the two European heavyweights.
Okan Buruk’s side will now look ahead to the next round of the competition following this hard-fought triumph.
Paris St-Germain survived a nervous finish to edge past 10-man Monaco 5-4 on aggregate following a thrilling 2-2 draw.
Champions strike quickly
The French champions appeared to be cruising through the tie after striking twice in quick succession.
Marquinhos opened the scoring before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia doubled the lead moments later to give the hosts a commanding advantage.
The Georgian winger’s strike seemed to have put the contest beyond reach for the visitors.
However, a spirited Monaco side refused to surrender despite suffering a significant setback midway through the contest.
Coulibaly sees red
The visitors’ task became mountainous when Mamadou Coulibaly was dismissed by the referee.
The young midfielder was shown a red card, leaving Adi Hutter’s men to chase the game with a numerical disadvantage.
Yet, the dismissal seemed to galvanise the principality club rather than deflate them.
Monaco continued to press forward, forcing the Parisians into uncomfortable defensive errors.
Nervous finale for hosts
Jordan Teze struck late on to reduce the deficit and inject panic into the Parc des Princes crowd.
Luis Enrique’s side were forced to defend deeply in the dying minutes to prevent the tie from slipping away.
Ultimately, the Ligue 1 leaders held their nerve to secure their progression in the tournament.
Alexander Sorloth scored a hat-trick to guide Atletico Madrid into the Champions League last 16 with a commanding victory over Club Brugge.
The Spanish side won 4-1 on the night to secure a chaotic 7-4 aggregate triumph following a high-scoring two-legged tie.
Sorloth joins exclusive club
The Norwegian striker produced a clinical display of finishing to settle the contest at the Metropolitano Stadium.
In doing so, the 28-year-old became only the second player in the club’s history to net a treble in the competition since 2014.
His contribution ensured Diego Simeone’s side avoided any potential upset against their Belgian opponents.
Simeone’s side march on
Despite the comfortable final scoreline on the night, the aggregate nature of the contest kept the tension high until the hosts pulled away.
The Rojiblancos displayed the necessary ruthlessness in front of goal that has occasionally been missing in recent European campaigns.
Atletico will now look ahead to the knockout stages having rediscovered their scoring touch on home soil.
Stuttgart forward Tomas Cvancara has warned Celtic that their Europa League knockout play-off tie remains in the balance ahead of the decisive second leg at the MHP Arena.
The Bundesliga club welcome the Scottish champions to Germany on Wednesday night aiming to secure a place in the last 16.
Cvancara insists the hosts are ready to fight despite the pressure of the elimination fixture.
Home advantage pivotal for Germans
The Czech international believes the atmosphere in Stuttgart will be a defining factor in the outcome.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the 25-year-old struck a defiant tone regarding his side’s chances of progression.
“It is only half-time in the tie and we know exactly what we have to do,” said Cvancara.
“Celtic are a strong team but with our fans behind us in our stadium, this is far from over. We have prepared well and believe in our quality to get the result we need.”
Celtic look to break German curse
The Hoops travel to the MHP Arena knowing that a disciplined performance is required to extend their European campaign.
The Glasgow giants have historically struggled away from home against Bundesliga opposition.
However, the Premiership leaders arrive in Germany with confidence high following recent domestic form.
Victory over two legs would see the visitors progress to Friday’s draw for the Europa League round of 16.
Lazar Samardzic scored with the final kick of the game to send Atalanta into the Champions League last 16 following a chaotic victory over Borussia Dortmund.
The substitute kept his composure to smash a penalty into the roof of the net deep into stoppage time.
However, the decisive moment was overshadowed by a furious finale that saw three red cards brandished moments before the winner.
Stoppage-time mayhem
Tensions boiled over in Bergamo as the high-stakes encounter reached its conclusion.
An incident in added time reportedly left a player with a head injury as the referee struggled to regain control.
Official confirmation of the dismissed players is expected shortly following the mass confrontation.
Samardzic the hero
Despite the ugly scenes, the Serbia midfielder remained focused to convert the spot-kick.
The result ensures the Serie A club progress to the knockout stages at the expense of their German opponents.