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Celtic midfielder Kerr McInroy thinks he’ll ‘probably’ be leaving Parkhead for good next summer, The Daily Record report.

The Lowdown: McInroy’s loan move

McInroy, who was described as ‘great’ by former Dunfermline Athletic manager Stevie Crawford, recently joined Airdrieonians on loan.

The 21-year-old featured under Ange Postecoglou in pre-season and was reportedly training with the Hoops first-team every day prior to his temporary switch to the League One side.

Airdrieonians boss Ian Murray is hopeful of extending a loan beyond January, with the midfielder’s Celtic Park contract up at the end of the season.

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The Latest: McInroy’s comments

McInroy, talking in a report from The Daily Record, admitted that he has been confused in regards to his future, revealing there is an option of extending his Parkhead deal by a further 12 months.

However, the Scot went on to say that this will ‘probably’ be his last year under contract with the Hoops, leading to a permanent exit.

“It’s a confusing situation for me. My head has been all over the place trying to work things out. So for now, it’s just a case of getting games.

“I have an option of another year at Celtic but this will probably be my last year at Celtic. So I need to get as many games as I can, wherever that may be.”

The Verdict: The right move?

Postecoglou has obviously had a good look at McInroy in pre-season and first-team training. He’s not in the current plans after being sent out on loan, so finding a new permanent home could be the best idea for all involved.

Where that will be remains to be seen, but a strong spell on loan with Airdrieonians may lead to a number of offers coming his way.

In other news: BBC pundit thinks Celtic may have Kyogo ‘problem’ after what he’s seen. 

West Bromwich Albion are expecting to receive a substantial settlement in the tribunal regarding Nathan Ferguson’s departure from The Hawthorns.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Joseph Masi’s report for the Express & Star, with the journalist revealing that, despite it having been more than a year since the right-back’s move from West Brom to Crystal Palace on a free transfer, the tribunal to determine the fee the Premier League side owe Albion is yet to take place – something which is largely down to the pandemic.

However, Masi continued to state that Valerien Ismael’s side are expecting the fee they are eventually awarded by the tribunal to be a sizeable one, as Palace had agreed an initial £11 million transfer fee for the defender in the January transfer window prior to his summer move.

Ismael will be delighted

Considering the fact that Ferguson’s move to Palace occurred a year before Ismael was appointed West Brom manager, the fact that the Frenchman looks set to receive a considerable fee for a player he did not work with is sure to delight the 45-year-old.

Indeed, should the tribunal have taken place at any point over the previous 12 months, Sam Allardyce would more than likely have spent the fee received for Ferguson in the January transfer window, on a player who – it can be assumed – would not have fit the criteria Ismael likes his signings to meet.

As such, while Masi revealed that The Professional Football Compensation Committee are yet to appoint a panel so that the tribunal can begin, and while no date has been reported as to when the proceedings could be set to start, it would seem likely that Ismael is in line to receive a windfall of cash at some point this season, which the Frenchman could then put towards either January or summer additions to his first-team squad.

In other news: Fresh report reveals twist on “fantastic” West Brom beast, Ismael will be devastated

The transfer window only slammed shut 27 days ago but Everton have already begun to think of how they can improve their ranks heading into the winter market.

The Toffees struggled to sign many players over the summer with finances limited and Rafa Benitez finding his feet at Goodison Park.

On the chalkboard

Despite that, Everton have actually enjoyed a superb start to the 2021/22 campaign.

They are one point off the summit of the Premier League table and some of their new acquisitions have been nothing short of sensational.

Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray have scored seven goals between them but there are still some concerns about their squad.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Seamus Coleman are all out injured while their lack of depth in key areas is being exposed.

Salomon Rondon has had a poor start to the campaign while their options behind Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure looked worrying following the defeat to QPR in the Carabao Cup.

Andre Gomes and Tom Davies stepped in for Benitez’s usual enforcers but didn’t set the world alight.

Davies was especially poor, missing a decisive penalty in the shoot-out and winning just 50% of his defensive duels. He gave away two fouls, didn’t attempt a dribble and failed to produce a key pass.

Figures surrounding the club appear to be running out of patience with the academy graduate, lamenting the 23-year-old at full-time.

Everton podcaster, Lee McLean, commented: “I just think he’s an extremely poor footballer which is based on five years of watching him play week in week out.

“He doesn’t score, he doesn’t assist. He’s weak, he’s not quick. He doesn’t impose himself on games and I think he hides from possession a lot.”

Davies was linked with a move away to Southampton over the summer but an upgrade must be sourced in January.

If that does occur then it may well give Benitez the power to axe him from the first-team picture.

The solution

One player the Merseyside outfit have been touted with is Aaron Ramsey.

The Welshman is now 30 years of age but possessing 262 Premier League appearances, he’s exactly the sort of figure you want in your squad.

Benitez has already shown the benefit of signing older players since his arrival with Townsend thriving after signing for the club on a free transfer.

Ramsey could also be acquired for nothing with Juventus willing to sanction his departure in a few months time.

His performances at club level have dwindled but he looked in exceptional touch for Wales at the European Championships.

After scoring against Turkey in Baku, his international colleague Joe Allen remarked: “When you’re world-class players like Gareth and Aaron the focus is always going to be on you.

“I think the pair of them were incredible the other night and certainly answered the critics in special fashion.”

Unlike Davies, Ramsey has the ability to thrive in defensive and offensive situations.

During the 2013/14 campaign for instance, the best of his career, the 67-cap Wales international recorded 3.3 tackles per game in the Premier League but also found the net on ten occasions and registered eight assists.

If he can replicate that sort of form at Goodison, he’d be a marvellous capture.

AND in other news, Everton could repeat their Gray masterclass by signing £14.4m-rated “Rolls Royce”…

Nottingham Forest have been dealt a major blow in their bid to bring Morgan Rogers to the City Ground.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Alan Nixon, with The Sun journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that Bournemouth have joined the race for Manchester City winger Morgan Rogers, who has also been heavily linked with a move to Forest this summer.

Nixon continued by stating that the 19-year-old will make a decision as to which club he will be joining for the 2021/22 campaign on a season-long loan deal shortly, before claiming that there are a great many teams interested in the England U19 international.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “Bournemouth. Also in the queue for young Rogers at Man City. Top prospect who could step up to Championship. Loan decision shortly. Many takers.”

Fans will be worried

While it initially appeared as if Forest were the side leading the race for Rogers’ signing this summer, with the starlet being spotted at the City Ground last weekend, Nixon’s claim that Bournemouth are also in the running for the winger – the side who defeated Forest 2-1 on Saturday – will strike fear into the hearts of Forest fans, as the 19-year-old’s attention may well have been on the Reds’ opponents, rather than their own side.

Indeed, it would appear that missing out on a deal for the forward would be a significant blow for Chris Hughton and his side, as the Manchester City man appears to be a player with a significant amount of potential – something that Rogers demonstrated during his loan spell at Lincoln City last season.

Over his 28 League One appearances for the Imps last term, the £1.17m-rated winger scored six goals, provided two assists and created nine big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

These returns saw the man Michael Appleton dubbed an “outstanding” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.09, ranking him as Lincoln’s second-best player in the third tier of English football.

As such, it would very much appear as if Rogers is more than capable of making the step up to Championship football, with the City starlet clearly having the ability to make a real difference for a second-tier side this season, be that with Forest or elsewhere.

In other news: Forest transfer news confirmed on “talented” £2.5k-p/w gem, Hughton will be buzzing

While life at West Bromwich Albion could not have got off to a much better start for Valerien Ismael, with his side scoring 11 goals and picking up 10 points from their opening four Championship fixtures, with just a few days remaining of the summer transfer window, there would still appear work to be done for the Frenchman.

Indeed, the departure of Romaine Sawyers on a season-long loan to Stoke City, as well as summer signing Matt Clarke being ruled out for around six weeks due to a hamstring injury, has left the 45-year-old lacking in depth in the middle of the park – with only Jake Livermore and Alex Mowatt being viable options in central midfield.

As such, it would appear extremely wise for Ismael to bring in another body in the position prior to Tuesday’s transfer deadline, with one player appearing to be a standout candidate for the club – Trevoh Chalobah.

Ismael must move

While the 22-year-old was heavily linked with a move to West Brom earlier in the transfer window, with some outlets going as far as to claim that the midfielder’s switch to The Hawthorns was all but done, Chalobah was a surprise inclusion in both the UEFA Super Cup final and Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Crystal Palace.

However, not only did the £3.15m-rated man simply make up the numbers for the Blues in these two fixtures, he starred for Thomas Tuchel’s side.

Indeed, over his 120 minutes on the pitch in the penalty shootout victory over Villarreal, Chalobah – being deployed at centre-back – made two tackles, five interceptions and six clearances, as well as winning five of his eight duels, completing 124 of his 130 passes and touching the ball a whopping 148 times.

These returns saw the man Paul Lambert dubbed a “complete” player earn a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.6, ranking him as Chelsea’s joint third-best performer in the European final.

Rather remarkably, the £12k-per-week midfielder topped this performance in the 3-0 Premier League win over Palace, making two tackles, two clearances and bagging himself a goal – a display which earned the 22-year-old a SofaScore match rating of 8.1, the second-best of any player to feature in the game.

And, while it could be argued that Tuchel may be reluctant to sanction the temporary departure of Chalobah following these impressive performances, should the Blues go on to land Jules Kounde in the coming days, the German boss could well be tempted into a deal.

As such, should an opportunity present itself, it is obvious that Ismael must do all he can to secure the signing of the 6ft 3 midfielder, as he would be able to be deployed in the place of the injured Clarke in the Albion defence, as well as in central midfield upon the defender’s return.

However, there are still a number of things that would have to fall into place for a move to be viable for West Brom, but it is undeniable that Chalobah would be a fantastic addition to the Frenchman’s side, with Kevin Phillips dubbing the potential signing of the youngster as an “amazing coup.”

In other news: Key West Brom figure drops update on “magnificent” £28k-p/w gem, it’d be a major boost

Derby County have recently completed a deal to sign former Manchester United and QPR midfielder Ravel Morrison on a one-year deal.

What’s the story?

Morrison had been training with the Rams during pre-season and had featured in their friendly clash with his former side Manchester United.

The 28-year-old had most recently been on the books with ADO Den Haag, although his spell with the Dutch side reached an early conclusion towards the end of the 2020/21 season.

Derby were struggling with numbers heading into the new Championship campaign, but have now been allowed to sign players this summer in ‘exceptional circumstances’.

Morrison is the latest signing to arrive at Pride Park, and Wayne Rooney will be hoping that the midfielder can make a positive impact with the Rams this term as they look to avoid relegation into the third-tier of English football.

‘A great player and person’

Morrison hasn’t exactly settled at any club in recent seasons, with the midfielder finding regular minutes hard to come by.

But that could be about to change with Derby County, with the Rams certainly needing additional strength in depth in their senior squad, with a number of their Under-23s having to be included in the matchday squad during pre-season and for their season opener against Huddersfield Town.

We’ve seen glimpses of Morrison’s exciting potential though, with the 28-year-old netting a memorable solo goal against Tottenham Hotspur whilst with West Ham United earlier in his career.

Rooney has evidently been pleased with Morrison’s impact during training and pre-season, and he and the club’s supporters will now be keen to see him make an instant impact with the Rams.

Speaking in a recent post-match press conference (quotes sourced from The Athletic’s Ryan Conway), Rooney expressed his delight at signing Morrison, and admitted that he’s ‘lifted’ the club, before labelling him as a ‘great player and person’.

“I’m delighted to get Ravel in. He can add to our creativity. I could speak about question marks people have against him off the pitch – he’s had a past. We’ve all got a past. But since he’s been at our club, he’s lifted us. He’s a great player and person.”

It could turn out to be a shrewd addition for Derby if Morrison can get back to his best, and he could turn out to be the difference between them staying in the Championship for another season or dropping into League One.

More importantly for the Rams, he’s another senior signing this summer, and that was certainly needed within Rooney’s squad ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

Morrison could be in line to make his Derby debut on Tuesday when Rooney’s side host Peterborough United at Pride Park in what could potentially be a tricky test in the EFL Cup.

Crystal Palace are interested in a move for Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor, according to French outlet Homme du Match.

And, as to be expected, a number of Eagles and Hoops fans have been reacting to the links on social media.

Homme du Match claim that Palace are planning to test Celtic’s resolve with a bid in the region of £7m for the Scotland international following an initial enquiry.

McGregor has been an ultimate professional at Celtic Park since 2013 and has racked up 332 appearances in green and white during that time, scoring 54 times and registering 64 assists.

He was named Celtic’s new club captain by manager Ange Postecoglou earlier this summer, succeeding Scott Brown, but it seems as if Patrick Vieira is keen on bringing the £6.3m-rated 28-year-old to Selhurst Park.

Palace fans react

Both @CPFCtransfersHQ and @cpfc_xtra shared the links to McGregor on Tuesday.

This is what some Palace fans had to say in reply to the development…

“YES PLEASE”Credit: @TomZinooo_”I’d take him”Credit: @SakyiSZN”DEFINITELY yes!”Credit: @LondonPehwb”Better than Hughes”Credit: @erictwigs”Would of put him at around £15-18mil tbh, good player.”Credit: @rhoadeze”The interactions omg Scottish fans are insecure”Credit: @IocaIpIa999tic

In other news: ‘Get him on deadline day’, ‘Will be fuming’ – Lots of CPFC fans react as transfer news emerges. 

David Moyes does not want to see Declan Rice leave West Ham this summer even if the club’s board have other ideas, says Evening Standard journalist Jack Rosser.

Rice has been heavily linked with a move away from the London Stadium, with The Telegraph reporting at the start of the month that the 22-year-old has turned down two new contract offers and wants to be informed of any bids that come in for him.

As for potential incomings, West Ham are struggling to agree a deal with Manchester United for Rice’s England team-mate Declan Rice.

According to The Athletic, the east London club cannot afford to pay the £30m price tag that has been slapped on the player’s head.

If West Ham want to strengthen their squad this summer, it looks like the board may have to do some selling first. Rice being sacrificed, though, is not a move Moyes will support, Rosser has told FFC.

“Whatever goes on with Declan, you know, higher up in the club, Moyes is adamant he doesn’t want to see him go,” the reporter said. “He’ll be planning to have Declan Rice in his side.”

There obviously have been no bids for Rice yet, but with still plenty of time to go until the transfer window closes, you probably cannot rule anything out at this stage.

Crystal Palace revealed their new third kit for the upcoming campaign on Monday.

And the Eagles’ brand new strip had a lot of supporters talking on social media, sharing their positive thoughts at the kit.

Palace, who have been busy when it comes to transfers in recent weeks following Patrick Vieira’s arrival, unveiled a special edition third kit.

The club went for a sky blue and white combination, which celebrates the origins of the club. Those colours were worn by Palace’s first ever team 160 years ago, with chairman Steve Parish ‘delighted’ at the 1861 design.

Palace debuted their new kit in Vieira’s first game at Selhurst Park on Tuesday evening, with the Eagles playing out a 2-2 pre-season friendly draw with Charlton Athletic.

Palace fans react

Palace shared the third kit with their fans on Monday afternoon by posting it on their official Twitter page. These Eagles fans went wild at the new strip by replying to the post, with one describing it as ‘immense’.

“Wow”Credit: @jackstacpfc”that’s actually quality”Credit: @ExhilaratingEZE”OH MY!”Credit: @PGxHachi”Wow! This year’s kits are looking amazing. Thought the yellow one was class but this is immense!”Credit: @PeterHoward01″Now this I do like.”Credit: @RomfordRoger”Kit is utter filth. Absolutely beautiful. Fantastic to keep up the 1861 campaign with this stunning shirt. Love it!!”Credit: @HC15OnTour

In other news: Lots of Palace fans fume as exit rumours emerge. 

An update has emerged on Alex Pritchard, regarding who he rejected before deciding to sign for Sunderland… 

What’s the talk?

According to Football League World, Alex Pritchard decided to reject an offer from German outfit VFL Bochum in order to seal a move to Sunderland. The out-of-contract playmaker has turned down the chance to play in the Bundesliga to remain in England and join the Black Cats.

The report claims that Pritchard is only a few steps away from officially completing his transfer to the Stadium of Light, following his release from Huddersfield at the start of the month.

Fans will love it

Sunderland fans will be buzzing with this news as it shows a desire from the player to make the switch. He had the opportunity to go and play top-flight football in Germany, potentially playing against the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus and Erling Haaland – among others. Instead, the attacker is now poised to play in the third tier in England with Lee Johnson’s side, where he will not be alongside such esteemed company – with all due respect to the players in League One.

This is a key boost for the club as it shows that they are still an attractive prospect for players looking for a new team. Despite being in League One, Sunderland remains a place where players would like to play and they could now benefit from that with Pritchard’s arrival as he could be an exceptional addition to the team.

Although the ex-Spurs man struggled during his time at Huddersfield, he previously thrived in the Championship with Norwich and Brentford, suggesting that he has the quality to be a top player at a higher standard than League One. Former Canaries coach Alan Irvine once hailed the midfielder as “influential” and claimed that he is a very talented footballer, during his spell at Carrow Road.

He told Norwich’s official website:

“I think he’s got a big part to play.

“He’s a very talented player, there’s no question about that. I’ve started him in every game since I took over.

“I’ve been really impressed with how he’s done. He’s part of the team but he’s a part that has fitted in extremely well.

“He’s been influential in a number of the games and he needs to keep that form up and go forward again next year.”

The £30k-per-week maestro managed 12 goals and seven assists in the Championship whilst on loan to Brentford earlier in his career. He then joined Norwich on a permanent deal from Tottenham and racked up six goals and seven assists in 19 starts in his first season, averaging an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.00.

Therefore, he could thrive in the third tier with Sunderland and be a terrific player for Johnson next season. This is why his decision to reject Bochum to play in red and white is a key boost for the club and one fans will love, as they could now watch him dominate League One with his creative talents, if he can rediscover his Brentford and Norwich form.

AND in other news, Forget Sanderson: Speakman must land £450k-rated powerhouse, Johnson needs him at SAFC…