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You're going to want all of these as the temperature drops

With winter drawing in, those summer days when it was too hot to play football seem a lifetime away. Nowadays, it's the cold biting at you at five-a-side every Wednesday.

The change in weather doesn’t mean that you need to give up your weekly kickabout though, so we’ve pulled together 10 training gear pieces that will help you get through those cold, cold nights in the cage.

• Shop: Best football training gear

  Arsenal Jamaica Pre-Match Warm Top

  adidas£90.00 from adidas

  Arsenal has been churning out some top-level pre-match and training gear for a while now – referencing everything from the Bruised Banana kit to the London Underground. One of the best is their most recent, which celebrates the club’s Jamaican fans through its yellow, black and green pattern. It was released to coincide with this year’s Carnival, but it can still bring the heat in the depths of winter.

• Venezia Pre-Match Jacket

  Kappa €70.00 from Venezia club shop

  In case you haven’t heard, Venezia are the coolest club in the world at the moment. The Italian team has continued its work with Kappa and Bureau Borsche onto its pre-match gear, and this jacket is perfect for keeping warm. Its colour palette brings the club’s gold, green and orange colours onto a black base, but the stand out feature is the Kappa logos down each arm, alternating between green and orange.

• Nigeria Academy Pro Jacket

  Nike£74.95 from Nike

  Everyone remembers 2018 and Nigeria’s record-breaking Nike kit. This year, they’ve released more heat. One of the stand-out features is the Academy Pro jacket, which comes in the country’s black and green colours and is covered with two slightly different geometric patterns. As if that wasn’t enough, its moisture-wicking fabric will keep you warm while also keeping the sweat away.

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• Real Madrid Warm Up Top

  adidas£90.00 from adidas

  All adidas training gear this season follows the same format – just look at Arsenal’s Jamaica-inspired design – but one of the best is Real Madrid’s. Everything has been kept simple, with the club’s white and purple colours used for the diagonal stripes. It’s a pretty clean design, and the brushed fleece interior guarantees warmth.

Everton are rightly set to release Joshua King at the end of his contract this summer, having proven to be an utter disaster since signing from AFC Bournemouth.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, Blues chiefs have seen enough from King since his Deadline Day arrival last month to opt against retaining the Norway international.

Everton paid Bournemouth £2m to take over the final six-months of the forward’s £45,000-per-week contract, with the option to later trigger a longer-term deal.

But Carlo Ancelotti has decided against activating the clause, which would have seen the Cherries owed up to a further £3m, and will instead pursue alternative options in the next transfer window.

The Italian tactician is thought to have been unimpressed by King’s results since moving to Merseyside on the final day of the winter window, and has often overlooked the 29-year-old even when without Dominic Calvert-Lewin through injury.

King is yet to start a single fixture for the Toffees, with each of his eight appearances to date coming from the bench and totalling a combined 117 minutes.

Four of the 52-cap forward’s outings have lasted less than 10 minutes, and he is yet to provide a single goal or assist in royal blue.

King, who had previously expressed intentions to remain at Goodison Park for next season, has recently been linked with a move to Fenerbahce with claims of an approach being made by Super Lig outfit to his representatives.

Should Everton release King?

Claims of Ancelotti being unimpressed by King’s performances for Everton are hardly surprising given his lack of playing time so far, making a decision to part ways with the £9m-rated forward the best option for both sides.

Being released at the end of his contract will allow King to explore options that will return the highest payout, given claims in January that the Norwegian was pushing for a £120k-p/w deal.

Not taking up the option to extend King’s contract will also allow Everton to begin exploring potential replacements, knowing they will not be held back by first having to find a suitor willing to take on his wages.

King’s salary, plus the £2m paid to Bournemouth, has so far cost the Toffees £20,000 for each minute he has played, with the former Manchester United trainee taking in £315,000 for his 117 minutes of action since February 1st.

It is highly likely that King will continue to steal a living at Goodison Park until his terms lapse in 17 weeks’ time on June 30th, with the further £765,000 that Everton are locked into paying the striker going on a bench warmer based on his current record.

Simply put, King’s move has proven to be an utter disaster for the Toffees, who have not seen anything from the player who former Cherries boss Eddie Howe once lauded as the “complete package”.

AND in other news, Farhad Moshiri is set to back Everton as Carlo Ancelotti eyes a 29-y/o he described as “the best” in the world…

The Lionesses were in devastating form during their second outing at the 2022 finals, with a record-setting bar being raised a little higher

The UEFA Women’s Euros can always be relied upon to deliver intrigue and excitement, with the likes of England, Germany and Sweden having conjured up some of the most memorable performances in the competition’s history.

Goals are rarely in short supply, with some destructive attacking units filling their boots against unwitting opponents, and the record books continue to be rewritten on a regular basis.

The Lionesses, as hosts in 2022, have been in history-making form of late, with another entry added to the very top of a list regarding biggest victories on a continental stage. Here is what that particular roll of honour looks like…

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  England 8-0 Norway | 2022

  After opening a bid for glory on home soil with an unconvincing 1-0 victory over Austria, England broke their shackles in style during a second group stage outing in 2022.

  Georgia Stanway got the Lionesses off to the perfect start when converting a 12th-minute penalty, but those at the Amex Stadium in Brighton could not have predicted that the floodgates would open in such style.

  Lauren Hemp doubled the home side’s lead, before Ellen White and Beth Mead grabbed a brace apiece to have Sarina Wiegman’s side six goals in front at half-time – another Women’s Euros record.

  While England took their foot off the gas a little in the second 45, there was time for Alessio Russo to step off the bench and get in on the act, while Arsenal star Mead went on to complete an impressive hat-trick.

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  England 6-0 Scotland | 2017

  The Lionesses were already record-holders before their crushing victory over Norway, with neighbours Scotland blown away in a Battle of Britain encounter back in 2017.

  That contest also took place during the group stage, on Dutch soil in Utrecht, with the Scots brought crashing down to earth with a bump after bringing their long wait for a first major international tournament appearance to a close.

  Pre-match injuries heading into an eagerly-anticipated opening encounter did their cause few favours, and England were in an unforgiving mood.

  Three goals were recorded either side of the interval, with Jodie Taylor netting the first Euros hat-trick in 20 years while Ellen White, Jordan Nobbs and Toni Duggan also got on the scoresheet.

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  Sweden 5-0 Finland | 2013

  The Swedes were expected to go well on home turf and made a serious show of intent during a group stage outing against Scandinavian rivals in Gothenburg.

  The sight of star strikers Kosovare Asllani and Lotta Schelin finding the target came as no surprise – with the latter bagging a brace – but an unlikely source of goals got a five-star showing up and running.

  Centre-half Nilla Fischer set Sweden on their way by putting them 2-0 up, with her considerable threat from set-pieces proving impossible to contain.

  Finland struggled throughout and only mustered their first shot on target with 11 minutes left on the clock.

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  Germany 5-0 Russia | 2001

  Germany would, during a run of six consecutive Euros triumphs, ultimately emerge victorious on home soil in 2001.

  They delivered a convincing display of what they were capable of when eventually running away with a group stage game against Russia despite being kept out for 43 minutes.

  Bettina Wiegmann broke the deadlock shortly before the break, and the Germans were then off to the races in Erfurt.

  Birgit Prinz hit the net within five minutes of the restart, before Maren Meinert and a deadly double from Sandra Smisek rounded off a comfortable afternoon’s work for the most dominant team on the continent.

After a global vote involving 44 editions, Goal proudly presents its list of the best 25 male and best 25 female footballers on the planet for 2019-20

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• Goal
  

  25. Paulo Dybala @man

  In the summer of 2019, Paulo Dybala was so close to leaving Juventus that he had already recorded a goodbye video for the Bianconeri supporters that love him so dearly.

  Now, he is set to sign a new contract with the Italian champions, having reminded everyone in Turin of his importance to the Old Lady with a string of sensational performances that helped secure the club's ninth consecutive Scudetto.

  Indeed, Dybala, who hit 17 goals in all competitions, was named Serie A's Player of the Season, while Juve's Champions League elimination to Lyon was partly due to the injury which limited his involvement in the second leg.

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  25. Cristiana Girelli @woman

  After becoming well-known to the entire nation of Italy for her hat-trick at last summer’s World Cup, Cristiana Girelli kept up her reputation as a serial goalscorer in 2019-20.  

  Scoring 16 goals in 16 Serie A games, the 30-year-old helped Juventus win yet another league title while finishing top of the goalscoring charts herself.

  Girelli also scored the opening goal in Juve’s 2-0 win over Fiorentina in the Italian Super Cup and was in fine form for her country throughout the year, only failing to find the net in one of the seven games she played for Italy.

• Goal
  

  24. Jadon Sancho @man

  Borussia Dortmund and Portugal star Raphael Guerreiro says Jadon Sancho has the ability "to be just as good as Cristiano Ronaldo, maybe even better someday."

  It is easy to understand why Sancho is held in such high esteem.

  At just 20 years of age, the winger is already an England regular, having run riot in the Bundesliga since joining Dortmund from Manchester City in 2017.

  Last season alone, Sancho scored 20 goals, and created a further 19, as he established himself as one of the most coveted young players in world football.

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  24. Asisat Oshoala @woman

  When it comes to off the ball movement and the ability to be in the right place at the right time, Asisat Oshoala is impeccable.  

  One of the most exciting things is that the 25-year-old can still improve her finishing and be even more prolific.

  "She has pace and power which is tough to find in any player nationally," Barcelona head coach Lluis Cortes said after the club brought in the Nigeria international on a permanent basis.  

  With 20 goals in 19 games, the signing proved even better in hindsight, helping Barca win their first title since 2015.

Reigning champions England failed to qualify this time around but there will be a number of potential superstars on show in the next few weeks

Kicking-off on May 23, some of the stars of the future will be in action in Poland at the Under-20 World Cup.

Reigning champions England failed to qualify this time around, meaning there will be a new name on the trophy come the end of the final on June 15.

The 24 teams have been drawn into six groups of four as they begin their bids for glory.

Group A: Colombia, Poland, Senegal, Tahiti

Group B: Ecuador, Italy, Japan, Mexico

Group C: Honduras, Norway, New Zealand, Uruguay

Group D: Nigeria, Qatar, Ukraine, USA

Group E: France, Mali, Panama, Saudi Arabia

Group F: Argentina, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea

Check out Goal's handy guide to each team on show, their star men, and their chances of going on to lift the trophy next month…

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  Argentina

  COACH: Fernando Batista

  STAR PLAYER: Gonzalo Maroni

  Champions 12 years ago in Canada, Argentina believe they have a generation of players that can once again challenge for the title after they finished as runners-up in the South American Under-20 Championship earlier this year.

  Their star man is playmaker Gonzalo Maroni, who has been linked with both Inter and AC Milan, while Boca Juniors midfielder Agustin Almedra could also be on his way to Serie A, with Napoli interested.

  SQUAD IN FULL

  Goalkeepers: Manuel Roffo, Joaquin Blazquez, Jeronimo Porteau.

  Defenders: Marcelo Weigandt, Facundo Medina, Facundo Mura, Maximiliano Centurion, Nehuen Perez

  Midfielders: Cristian Ferreira, Santiago Sosa, Agustin Almendra, Gonzalo Maroni, Fausto Vera, Francisco Ortega, Anibal Moreno, Pedro de la Vega

  Forwards: Julian Alvarez, Ezequiel Barco, Adolfo Gaich, Agustin Urzi, Tomas Chancalay

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  Colombia

  COACH: Arturo Reyes

  STAR PLAYER: Juan Camilo 'Cucho' Hernandez

  Arturo Reyes' side arrive in Poland as dark horses, particularly given they are, relatively speaking, more experienced than some of the other assembled squads.

  Juan Camilo 'Cucho' Hernandez is coming off an impressive campaign for Huesa in La Liga, though there is no place for Manchester City winger Ian Poveda, who was reportedly being considered for selection despite having previously represented England at youth level.

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  Goalkaapers: Juan David Lemus, Kevin Mier, Reinaldo Fontalvo

  Defenders: Andres Balanta, Juan Sebastian Palma, Andres Felipe Reyes, Carlos Cuesta, Brayan Vera, Hayen Palacios, Anderson Arroyo 

  Midfielders: Gustavo Carvajal, Andres Amaya, Andres Perea, Jaime Alvarado

  Forwards: Deiber Caicedo, Johan Carbonero, Carlos Teran, Luis Sandoval, Juan Camilo 'Cucho' Hernandez, Luis Sinisterra, Ivan Angulo

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  Ecuador

  COACH: Jorge Celico

  STAR PLAYER: Leonardo Campana

  Perhaps the finest generation of players to have been produced by Ecuador arrive in Poland as South American Under-20 champions having won the title earlier this year.

  That competition's top goalscorer Leonardo Campana is set to be watched by a number of Europe's top clubs at this tournament, while Jorge Celico also possesses one of the best goalkeepers on show in Real Sociedad's Moises Ramirez.

  SQUAD IN FULL

  Goalkeepers: Moises Ramirez, Johan Lara, Pierre Bellolio 

  Defenders: Jackson Porozo, Gustavo Vallecilla, Richard Mina, John Espinoza, Luis Loor, Diego Palacios, Luis Castillo

  Midfielders: Jordi Alcivar, Jefferson Arce, Jordan Rezabala, Luis Estupinan, Jose Cifuentes, Sergio Quintero

  Forwards: Leonardo Campana, Stiven Plaza, Alexander Alvarado, Daniel Segura, Gonzalo Plata

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  France

  COACH: Bernard Diomede

  STAR PLAYER: Moussa Diaby

  Widely tipped to follow in the footsteps of the France senior side and lift the World Cup this summer, Bernard Diomede is spoiled for choice given the impressive depth of talent available to him in Poland.

  Borussia Dortmund centre-back Dan-Axel Zagadou will likely be partnered by Arsenal target William Saliba in defence, in front of Fiorentina No.1 Alban Lafont, while up front PSG starlet Moussa Diaby and Lyon striker Amine Gouiri will be relied upon to provide the goals.

  SQUAD IN FULL

  Goalkeepers: Didier Desprez, Alban Lafont, Ilan Meslier

  Defenders: Thomas Basila, Nicolas Cozza, Boubacar Kamara, Evan Ndicka, William Saliba, Sambou Sissoko, Dan-Axel Zagadou

  Midfielders: Youssouf Fofana, Enzo Loiodice, Ibrahima Diallo, Boubakry Soumare, Mickael Cuisance

  Forwards: Yacine Adli, Moussa Diaby, Moussa Sylla, Amine Gouiri, Nabil Alioui, Lenny Pintor

The winter window closes on Wednesday evening, but there is still plenty of time left for clubs to make some final signings before the deadline

• Arthur – Gremio to Barcelona

  Barcelona have already signed defender Yerry Mina and attacker Philippe Coutinho during January, but could bring in at least one more new face before the window closes on Wednesday. Gremio midfielder Arthur has a release clause of €50 million, but Barca may be willing to initially loan the 21-year-old back to the Brazilian club to get him at a lower price.

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  Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal

  Gabon international striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has long been linked with a transfer to the Premier League, but finally seems to be making the move with Arsenal set to break their transfer record to sign him before the deadline. The Gunners spent over a week negotiating with Dortmund for the 28-year-old who scored 31 Bundesliga goals last season to finish as top scorer ahead of Robert Lewandowski.

• Michy Batshuayi – Chelsea to Borussia Dortmund/Sevilla/Roma

  Even with Alvaro Morata misfiring at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has not given the Belgian a chance to make a claim for a starting role. The 24-year-old has been impressive in the FA Cup, but needs more game time ahead of the 2018 World Cup. He has been linked with numerous clubs during January and is likely to complete a loan move in the coming days.

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  Gerard Deulofeu – Barcelona to Watford

  Many were surprised when Spain international Gerard Deulofeu was re-signed by Barcelona from Everton, but the winger's latest stay at Camp Nou could be coming to an abrupt end following the acquisition of Philippe Coutinho. He played 10 La Liga games this season but is now surplus to requirements with Coutinho joining and Ousmane Dembele back from injury.

Manchester City will be looking to continue their exceptional winning run when they take on high-flying West Ham in the Premier League in Saturday’s early kick-off.

Pep Guardiola’s side have now won 19 games in a row in all competitions and are comfortable at the top of the Premier League, but will have to be at their best if they want to take three points against David Moyes’ side, who sit fourth after their own strong run of form.

Guardiola made several changes to his side for the trip to Budapest to face Borussia Monchengladbach in midweek and more rotation seems likely, especially with another home game against Wolves to come on Tuesday.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects the Spanish manager to line his side up against the Hammers, with three changes from the starting team that secured a 2-0 win in the Champions League on Wednesday…

Ederson looks set to win the golden glove this season should City’s impressive defensive record continue, so he is likely to continue in goal.

There’s one change in defence, as John Stones comes back in Aymeric Laporte, having been rested against Monchengladbach in midweek, whilst Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker continue at full-back having excelled there against Marco Rose’s side.

Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan are likely to start in midfield, but they will support Kevin De Bruyne, with the Belgian left on the bench against Monchengladbach as he has only just returned from injury.

He comes in for Bernardo Silva, with Riyad Mahrez starting on the right-wing ahead of the Portuguese international.

Finally, Raheem Sterling moves up front ahead of Gabriel Jesus, who is dropped to the bench despite scoring in midweek, as Guardiola suggested that his side should have scored more in Hungary, with the Brazilian perhaps the guilty party after failing to shoot when through on goal.

AND, in other news… Txiki should hand new deal to £150k-p/w City beast; even if he rarely plays

David Moyes must have a plan in place to strengthen his midfield in the summer transfer window after Mark Noble was tipped to quit West Ham United at the end of the season.

What’s the word?

While speaking with Football Insider, former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan claimed that the 2020/21 season could be Noble’s last at the London Stadium.

Whelan believes the £4m-rated veteran will still have the fire in his belly to go out and cut it elsewhere, as Noble will not want to see his playing career end on a whimper.

Moyes has awarded Noble starting roles in just three of the Hammers’ 23 Premier League fixtures thus far this term, while handing him a further nine outings from the bench for a total of only 279 minutes.

Ben Johnson (143) and Jesse Lingard (180) are the only outfield players currently at West Ham to have featured in the top-flight less often than Noble this season, but Whelan doubts the 33-year-old is ready to throw in the towel.

“He loves the club, he’s West Ham through and through but I think everyone will understand that if it’s his last year and he’s coming to the back end of his career, he needs to be playing and enjoying it, make the most of it and squeezing every last bit of juice out of the game that he’s got,” said Whelan.

“He doesn’t want to finish just being at West Ham and being a bit-part player, that’s not how people want to end their relationship with a club. I’m sure that he feels he’s got enough left in him to go and play another couple of seasons somewhere and be successful somewhere.

“He’ll still have that desire and appetite for the game, and I think it might be a farewell for him at the end of the season.”

Does Moyes have a Plan-B?

Noble is nearing the end of his current West Ham contract, with his £50,000-per-week terms due to expire in the summer. So, Moyes will need to have a Plan-B in place in case the midfielder decides to leave the London Stadium, to either hang up his boots or wear a jersey that’s not claret and blue next season.

It has been no surprise to see Noble struggle to get on the field for Premier League games this season, with Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek both performing at superb levels in the two deep-lying roles of Moyes’ midfield.

Their efforts have left Noble forced to rely on a drop off in form from Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals or Manuel Lanzini to earn his three starts in the attacking role, and his chances have only gotten slimmer with the addition of Lingard on loan from Manchester United.

But Moyes cannot simply wave Noble goodbye at the end of the season, as the 33-year-old is currently his only senior depth behind Rice and Soucek, who – along with Aaron Cresswell – are the only Irons players to feature for all 2,070 minutes of regular time in the top-flight this term.

It is vital that Moyes and his recruitment team spend the coming months working with West Ham’s scouts to source a replacement, as well as a striker to fill Sebastien Haller’s void, as he could be despairingly thin of options next season in a campaign that may yet include European football.

AND in other news, West Ham are willing to take a £19m hit to offload an £85k-p/w flop…

Rangers-linked John Lundstram has refused to be drawn on his future, saying that “it’s the same situation, everything’s still on the table.”

What’s the word?

Reports in recent months have suggested Rangers are one of several clubs across Europe keen on landing Lundstram from Sheffield United as Steven Gerrard seeks to bolster his midfield options, with The Athletic claiming that the Ibrox side are “admirers” and are “waiting in the wings” with the midfielder’s contract coming to an end this season.

It is understood the Ibrox boss was interested in signing a central midfielder as well as a playmaker last year, with Bongani Zungu and Lewis Ferguson being identified as the club’s main targets.

However, Rangers did manage to sign Zungu on loan during the extended summer transfer window, but it seems Gerrard is still keen on Lundstram as he looks to complete an overhaul in midfield.

The in-form midfielder, 26, made the remarks before Sunday’s clash with Chelsea at Bramall Lane.

He said: “It’s the same situation, everything’s still on the table. We’ll see what happens.
“Of course, (speculation) is bound to happen but I’m here and while I am here I’m committed, as you’ve seen in my performances.
“I’m 110 per cent and no-one can question that. Who knows what will happen but while I’m here, I’ll give everything.”

Better than Bongani Zungu?

With Steven Davis’ contract coming to an end in the summer, the 36-year-old’s long-term future at Ibrox still remains uncertain, despite Gerrard’s insistence that the board should offer him a new deal.

Meanwhile Zungu has done very little to suggest that he deserves to stay at Ibrox on a permanent basis, with the Rangers boss giving him just 149 minutes of football in the Scottish Premiership.

In the £4k-a-week earning Lundstram, however, Gerrard could find the perfect replacement for the 124-cap Northern Irish international.

He really burst onto the scene last season, making 34 top-flight appearances for the club predominantly from the midfield, with five goals and three assists to show for his 26 starts. By comparison, Zungu has scored just twice in the past four seasons alone across all competitions, which suggests that he’d offer a far greater attacking threat than the Bafana-Bafana midfielder.

His captain at Bramall Lane, Billy Sharp, has spoken highly about his teammate’s physicality, athleticism and technique. He said:

“He gives us a lot of energy and he got an assist as well, which is important.

“He’s got all the attributes. He runs so much in a game, he provides assists and goals. He’s a real menace to other teams and a great player to have.”

Ross Wilson, therefore, should capitalise Lundstram’s uncertain future and contract status at Sheffield United by bringing the soon-to-be free agent to Ibrox when his contract runs out at the end of this season.

AND in other news, Rangers will regret letting Nathan Young-Coombes leave as he ‘closes in’ on Ibrox exit…

Both Celtic and their Old Firm rivals have been linked with a move for Airdrieonians forward Thomas Robert in recent weeks but the Bhoys will have to act fast if they want to sign him, with Dundee United reportedly having already made a bid for him.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Tangerines have submitted a bid for the 20-year-old as they attempt to steal the march on Celtic, following the opening of the winter transfer window earlier this week.

It is suggested that Robert’s performances are attracting the interest of sides across Scotland and England, after a superb start to the campaign with the Scottish League One side.

Would he be a good signing for Celtic?

The young right-winger has had no problem adapting to life in Scotland since he joined Airdrieonians from French side Montpellier during the summer, having contributed four goals and two assists in 13 appearances for his new side.

The Hoops are arguably lacking in terms of quality wingers at the club, with just James Forrest available as a natural right-winger, whilst Mohamed Elyounoussi could depart at the end of the season when his loan from Southampton expires.

Therefore, whilst Robert may well prove to be a signing for the future, it would be a mistake by Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell to miss out on him.

Back in December, Airdrie boss Ian Murray admitted that he was anticipating a bid from Celtic for Robert and was full of praise for the Frenchman, saying:

“It wouldn’t surprise me if we have a fight to keep him. Thomas has done really, really well.

“He showed his class again against Clyde with the corner kick, but it wasn’t just that, in the first half he was excellent, his touches on the ball, his movement, his timing in the releasing of the ball, the way he picked up space, was excellent.

“We’ve had loads of clubs looking at him, a few of them were pretty impressed.”

Therefore, it seems clear that Robert won’t be with the League One side for much longer based on his performances this season and the interest being shown in him, so Celtic should flex their financial muscles and ensure that they are the ones to sign the winger this month, as it looks as if he could be a great player in the future for the Bhoys.

And, in other news… Lawwell disaster: Celtic will surely rue not signing gem with 43 goal contributions in 2020