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Celtic will round off their season with the Scottish Cup final against Inverness on Saturday and can complete the domestic treble with a victory.

The Hoops have enjoyed an excellent campaign under Ange Postecoglou, as they have already wrapped up the Scottish Premiership and League Cup trophies, and they may now have one eye on 23/24.

Whilst the head coach could improve his squad by dipping into the transfer market to add fresh faces to the group, the Australian boss could delve into the academy to add competition for places.

One young gem who could be ready to make the step up to playing regular football for Celtic is youngster Adam Montgomery following his impressive loan spell with St Johnstone.

He is a 20-year-old defender who can play as a left-back or as a left-midfielder and the dynamo could be the long-term heir to Greg Taylor's position in the side.

How did Adam Montgomery perform this season?

Montgomery had already played 20 first-team games for the Hoops prior to going out on loan this season and racked up one goal and four assists in 33 appearances in all competitions for the Saints.

He showcased his defensive ability alongside his attacking prowess as the battler made 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game and won 53% of his physical duels.

Taylor, meanwhile, made featured in 31 Premiership games for Celtic and won 51% of his contests and made 2.2 tackles and interceptions per outing. The Scotland international also assisted four goals from left-back, which shows that both players are attack-minded defenders who can also put their foot in to win possession back for their sides.

Montgomery's performances in the Scottish top-flight suggest that the youngster, who is five years younger than Taylor, could be the long-term heir to the current Hoops star's position in the team, based on their similar attacking and defensive outputs.

The talented youngster was rewarded for his efforts by being named on the shortlist for the Scottish Football Writers' Young Player of the Year, which was ultimately won by Motherwell's Max Johnston.

St Johnstone boss Steven MacLean hailed the gem as "outstanding" and his former manager Callum Davidson claimed that the ace has a "big future" ahead of him, which shows that the defender impressed both of his coaches during his loan spell.

The 20-year-old still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and grow and being the back-up to Taylor for another season could provide the seasoned Hoops defender with competition and allow Montgomery to learn from him before eventually taking over the starting berth in the future.

Journalist Paul Brown has backed West Ham to make a move for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse in the summer transfer window.

Is Ward-Prowse leaving Southampton?

The 28-year-old has endured a tough season in the Premier League, being part of a Saints team who will finish bottom of the table. Relegation to the Championship has looked on the cards for some time, and it has become increasingly inevitable as each month has passed.

Ward-Prowse has done his best to keep his team in the division, scoring eight goals and also chipping in with four assists, with a free-kick winner away to Chelsea arguably the best moment of his campaign. There simply hasn't been enough quality around him, however, and Southampton have paid the price.

The £100,000-a-week midfielder has been a great servant at St Mary's, making 408 appearances along the way, but it now seems certain that he will leave this summer, with a player of his calibre not wanting to be playing Championship football.

West Ham are one of the clubs who have been linked with a move for Ward-Prowse and it is a rumour that is refusing to go away, ahead of what is sure to be his final Saints appearance at home to Liverpool on Sunday.

Could West Ham sign Ward-Prowse?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown talked up the Hammers' chances of sealing the signing of the Southampton captain at the end of the season:

"I think he's a leader, someone you can rely on, a great trainer, brilliant professional. I think he'd be a great signing for West Ham, and if Rice was to go, that would certainly sugar the pill a little bit."

Granted, the fact that Ward-Prowse is part of a relegated team doesn't necessarily reflect brilliantly on himself, but he could still be an inspired signing by West Ham this summer.

At 28, he is in the career sweet spot of being very experienced but also young enough to be at his best for a number of years to come, and he has been hailed as "world-class" by former Saints manager Nathan Jones during their time together.

Ward-Prowse's all-round quality and bite in midfield could help fill the likely void left by Declan Rice at West Ham, with an average of 1.7 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game coming his way in the Premier League this season, as well as two key passes per match, showing that he can be a force both on and off the ball.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are set for a busy summer transfer window according to Bruno Lage, and they may have now identified their first singing before the window has even opened.

What’s the latest?

Portuguese news outlet JN has reported that Wolves will join the race for and reignite their interest to sign Porto midfielder Sergio Oliveira.

As per the report, the Midlands club are interested in offering Oliveira a fresh start in England after Roma, where he had been on loan this season, did not trigger the £11m release clause to secure his signing ahead of the summer transfer window.

Lage’s Neves heir

There have been numerous reports linking Ruben Neves with a move away from Molineux this summer, with Barcelona and Manchester United reportedly expressing an interest in the midfielder, so Oliveira could be the perfect heir to his compatriot in the Black Country.

The 30-year-old, who was dubbed “important” and a “champion” by Roma manager Jose Mourinho, has been a solid and dependable performer for the Serie A club this season.

In the most recent Serie A campaign, Oliveira scored two goals, delivered one assist and created two big chances, along with making 1.1 key passes, 1.9 tackles and 27.3 accurate passes per game, He was successful in the majority of his dribbles (53%) and completed the majority of his duels (58%) in 14 league appearances.

It’s safe to say that his loan spell has been successful at Roma, playing all but one game in the Europa Conference League knockout rounds and even scoring the winning goal in their first game in the tournament against Vitesse. The Giallorossi went on to win the competition, claiming their first European trophy in over 60 years.

Replacing Neves would be no easy task if the 25-year-old were to leave the Black Country this summer, so Lage will need to identify potential replacements who can fit into the team, offering consistent performances in midfield and making an instant impact next season.

With that in mind, the signing of Oliveira would be a major coup for Wolves, as he is experienced at a high level and could make an instant impact in the team following his success with Mourinho’s Roma.

AND in other news – Forget Gibbs-White: Wolves may already have their Neves heir in gem who “makes things happen”

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s interest in Darwin Nunez heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Pete Graves has revealed that the Benfica striker is admired by multiple people within the Tyneside club ahead of a crucial few months in the market.

The Sky Sports reporter tweeted: “Was told last night ‘still work to do’ on #Ekitike to #nufc deal. Growing confidence that one will be done. At least three other strikers have been discussed. (One of them is Dominic Calvert-Lewin, certain members of the ownership also “admire” Darwin Nunez).”

Eddie Howe’s own Alan Shearer

Magpies boss Eddie Howe can land his own clinical goalscorer for Newcastle by sealing a deal to sign Nunez from Benfica this summer.

Shearer is a bona fide club legend at St James’ Park as he ended his career with 206 goals in 405 appearances for the Toon Army, which means that he scored a goal every 1.96 matches for the club. This is a phenomenal record and one towards which every player who takes the number nine shirt on Tyneside must strive.

Meanwhile, Nunez has averaged a goal every 1.79 matches for Benfica, including one every 1.67 games in the Champions League and every 1.81 games in the Portuguese top flight. He has scored 47 goals in 84 outings for the Lisbon club, with six in 10 Champions League matches and 32 in 57 league appearances.

The striker was once tipped to be a “monster” by FOX reporter James Dodd during his time at Almeira, and his form for Benfica this season shows that the Uruguayan is fulfilling his potential. 

Nunez, who is reportedly valued at up to €100m (£85m), scored at a phenomenal rate in the 2021/22 campaign and has proven that he can find the net on a consistent basis.

At the age of 22, he also has the potential to get even better as he has plenty of years left to hone his skills and improve parts of his game. This means that Newcastle would be signing a player with the ability to make an impact in the here-and-now as well as in the future, assuming that he can adapt to the Premier League.

Nunez could be Howe’s own Shearer, as he has the goal record to suggest that he will be a clinical striker; and he is at an age which will allow him to play for the Magpies for a number of years, just like the former England international did.

AND in other news, “Newcastle hopeful…”: Craig Hope issues major transfer claim that’ll excite Howe…

Leeds United are thought to be monitoring Coventry City midfielder Gustavo Hamer.

The Lowdown: Hamer profiled

The 24-year-old made the move to Coventry from PEC Zwolle in 2020. Primarily a defensive midfielder, Hamer, a former Netherlands U20 international, can also line out as a more advanced central midfielder or even at right-back.

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Described as ‘unbelievable’ by former team-mate Marko Marosi, the Dutchman enjoyed a fine 2021/22 Championship campaign, scoring three times and registering 10 assists in 39 games.

Sponsored by Adidas, the manufacturers of Leeds’ kit, Hamer is entering the final 12 months of his contract with the Sky Blues, and a move to the Premier League could well be on the cards.

The Latest: Leeds linked with Hamer

Sussex Live shared a story on Sunday afternoon, claiming that Brighton are keeping tabs on the 24-year-old this summer ahead of a possible move.

The report added that Leeds, along with Brentford, Celtic and Rangers, are also monitoring his progress.

The Verdict: O’Brien alternative?

Another Leeds target from the Championship is Huddersfield Town’s Lewis O’Brien, who also plays in holding or central midfield roles.

Hamer could be viewed by Victor Orta and co as a possible alternative to O’Brien and could well be a cheaper target too, considering that he’s heading into the final 12 months of his Coventry deal.

He also contributed to more goals than the Huddersfield ace in the Championship last season, so a move for the Dutch midfielder could be one to keep an eye on if the Whites miss out on long-time target O’Brien once again.

In other news – £34m release clause: Leeds now interested in move for ‘special talent’ who Marsch loves

Leeds United have done it; they will be a Premier League team once again next season.It has been a torrid campaign for the Whites who under their legendary manager in Marcelo Bielsa endured trialling times at Elland Road.He was eventually given the boot and in stepped Jesse Marsch who through the help of Gandhi and Mother Theresa, found a way to keep Leeds in the top-flight.A 2-1 win over Brentford on the final day of the campaign was enough to seal their place among the country’s elite next season, condemning Burnley in the process.It felt like a victory against all odds at the beginning of the day but by the skin of their teeth safety was secured.[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]Front and centre of the celebrations at full-time was Raphinha, who joined the away end to raucously celebrate with supporters. If that is to be his final act as a Leeds player, it was one jubilant way to wave farewell.Unsurprisingly, a certain Victor Orta was right in the thick of things too. The outspoken director has never been afraid to cause controversy and show emotions, something he did so strikingly on Sunday evening.

However, it wasn’t something that went down too well with supporters on social media. Indeed, Orta could be seen celebrating with Marsch but he was very quickly to get his point across; “I was the man to bring him to the club and I deserve the praise.”

It may have looked like he wanted to steer the congratulations Marsch’s way but arguably Leeds are in this mess because of his decisions.

The action on the field of play has been rather dismal but ultimately, the decision to sack Bielsa, someone held in such legendary status in Leeds, was his. His recruitment has also left a lot to be desired with the likes of Rodrigo, Junior Firpo and Dan James failing to live up to expectations.

Certain segments of the fanbase were rather livid with his actions at full-time too, with some on Twitter berating his attempts to show Marsch in good faith.

The fact of the matter is that the American does deserve to be backed heading into next season and implement his ideas. However, Orta’s off the field and on the pitch actions will both need improving.

If Leeds are to rise up the table again next term, they will need him in top form when it comes to player recruitment this summer.

AND in other news, Forget Raphinha: £45m-rated Leeds “destroyer” who had 92 touches stole show for Marsch…

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has issued an update regarding the fitness of defender Ben White, ahead of Thursday’s pivotal Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

What’s the word?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, the Spaniard revealed that it remains uncertain as to whether the former Brighton man will be fit to feature against Antonio Conte’s side, having been absent since the win over Manchester United at the end of April.

Asked about the injury latest regarding his squad, the Gunners boss stated that: “Thomas [Partey] is still out, Kieran [Tierney] is still out, “Ben [White] is a doubt. We’ll have to assess him he’s feeling much better and Bukayo [Saka] is the same.”

The 40-year-old went on to add that it will be a close to call as to whether both White and teammate Bukayo Saka will be able to feature: “Very difficult to rate (a chance) with injuries, it’s just how they feel today,” he said. “That’s the last day we can assess them so we’ll have to see.”

White has missed the wins over both West Ham United and Leeds United due to a hamstring injury, while Saka was withdrawn late on against the Elland Road outfit. Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney remain on the sidelines.

Fingers crossed

Arteta will be praying that the England centre-back will be fit to feature at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with it set to be a titanic tussle between two bitter rivals going toe-to-toe in the race to secure fourth spot.

For the Gunners, however, the motivation is clear, with a win confirming their Champions League qualification ahead of their north London neighbours, with the Emirates outfit currently four points clear and with just two games left to play following the meeting with Spurs.

The club are on the cusp of a return to Europe’s premier competition for the first time since 2017 following a largely promising season, although defeat would ensure a nail-biting end to the campaign.

Should White be absent for that encounter, it would no doubt serve as an almighty blow, with the 24-year-old having been in imperious form since his £50m arrival last summer.

The £36m-rated man, previously dubbed “exceptional” by pundit Jamie Redknapp, has been a real force of nature at the back so far this term, averaging 3.1 clearances, 1.4 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per 90, while also winning a solid 59% of his total duels and keeping an impressive 13 clean sheets from 31 league outings.

Comfortable as both a central defender and at right-back, the £93k-per-week gem also offers his manager valuable versatility and flexibility, with his ability to also feature as part of a back three – as he did under Graham Potter last term – potentially useful up against Conte’s 3-4-3 system.

It would appear, however, that the one-time Leeds loanee faces a race against time to be fit, with it simply set to be a case of crossing fingers ahead of a game of such long-term importance. Should he miss out, though, the manager will understandably be gutted.

IN other news, Vieira 2.0: Arsenal gifted chance to sign “top-class” £25m ace, he could guarantee UCL…

Crystal Palace have had a solid first season under the management of former France midfielder Patrick Vieira.

The 45-year-old steered his side to an FA Cup semi-final in his maiden campaign in charge at Selhurst Park and has the team well placed for a top-half Premier League finish, which would be an excellent base to build from looking ahead to next season.

This weekend, Palace travel to the Midlands to take on Aston Villa, who only sit a point behind them in the table in the race for a top-half spot.

With both teams enjoying decent runs of form, it’s hard to predict a winner, although Vieira has been handed a big lift which will please Eagles supporters.

Speaking about the availability of his squad for Sunday, the 45-year-old said: “Everyone trained this week and the only one out is Nathan Ferguson who is following his induvial training on the field.”

This will be a boost to the Palace faithful as the final three fixtures of the campaign loom on the horizon. With a fit and firing squad, Vieira will have plenty of options to choose from as they look to make it three wins on the bounce.

The Frenchman will be seeking some form of revenge against Steven Gerrard and his side following a 2-1 reverse in November in the 41-year-old’s second match in charge of the Midlands club.

Vieira will be looking at Wilfried Zaha for inspiration, with the winger arguably one of the Eagles’ finest players this season, scoring 14 goals in all competitions and registering two assists.

Whatever happens on Sunday, it has been an encouraging start for the 45-year-old in his first managerial role in England. There’s no doubt that he possesses a winner’s mentality from his hugely successful playing career, and next season could be an exciting one for Palace, who may feel they have every chance of a victory this weekend after this weekend’s good news squad-wise.

AND in other news, Vieira eyeing bid for £14k-p/w gem with “world at his feet”, imagine him & Zaha

There is a chance that Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster might still sign a new contract at St Mary’s, according to journalist Tom Barclay.

The Lowdown: Healthy competition

It had previously been reported that Saints number one Alex McCarthy is close to agreeing a new deal on the south coast.

That may have suggested that Forster could be shown the door, especially considering that he is out of contract at the end of the current season, making him a free agent to any potential suitors who might be interested.

However, with McCarthy being ruled out of action since December after sustaining a serious thigh injury, the 34-year-old has been chosen to step in by Ralph Hasenhuttl and has impressed between the sticks since coming back into the team. That could duly benefit him when it comes to the hierarchy deciding whether or not to offer him a new deal in the summer.

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The Latest: Forster extension a possibility

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Barclay suggested that Forster’s superb form could persuade Southampton to hand him a contract extension rather than allowing him to leave.

The journalist said: “I think, from Southampton’s point of view, they would prefer to have a younger keeper developing behind one of the older keepers. But, Fraser Forster is playing so well, that I don’t think it can be ruled out still, that they won’t extend his deal as well. And maybe be in a similar situation as they are now.

“I think there’s still the possibility, and if he shows the kind of form that he’s been showing until the end of the season, and the terms are right for Southampton, he might put himself in a position where it can still happen.”

The Verdict: Bags of experience

Despite his age, the 6 foot 7 shot-stopper has delivered some colossal performances since joining Southampton in a £10m move from Celtic back in 2014, keeping a total of 55 clean sheets in 161 appearances across all competitions for the Saints.

Forster, who was once described as an “outstanding” goalkeeper by former Hoops stopper Rob Douglas, even earned another call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad in March, having already won six caps for the Three Lions during his career.

Looking to the future, whether the Hexham native extends his stay with the Saints or not will likely depend on whether Hasenhuttl is happy to continue relying on experience in goal or if he’d rather move him on and replace him with someone a bit younger.

Performances like the one against Arsenal at Easter would indicate that keeping him around for another while would be the sensible option.

In other news… this Southampton star has been backed to finish his career with the Saints

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has made a decision concerning the future of Kalvin Phillips.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Star, who claim that Radrizzani is not prepared to offer the defensive midfielder a new contract until the conclusion of the Premier League season, as Leeds’ status as a top-flight club appears increasingly uncertain following Everton’s 1-0 win over Chelsea last weekend.

The report goes on to state that, should the Whites ultimately suffer relegation back to the Championship, not only will they be unable to offer the England international the £100k-per-week wage he is looking for in a new deal at Elland Road, but the club will also have no choice but to cash in on the 26-year-old.

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Finally, the report claims that Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have all enquired about the signing of the Leeds academy graduate, while the Daily Mail recently reported that Radrizzani and Victor Orta would be willing to accept an offer of around £60m for the Whites midfielder this summer.

Supporters will be devastated

Considering just how important a part of the Leeds side Phillips has become in recent years, the news that Radrizzani is holding off on his offer of a new deal until the end of the current campaign certainly does not appear to bode well for the long-term future of the 26-year-old at Elland Road.

Indeed, while injuries have hampered Phillips’ 2021/22 campaign, the £45m-rated deep-lying playmaker proved just how crucial he is to the Whites over his 29 Premier League appearances last term, making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 2.6 tackles, 1.7 clearances and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 52% – per game.

The £38k-per-week dynamo also impressed going forwards, scoring one goal, registering two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as completing an average of 1.2 key passes, 4.7 long balls and 41 passes per fixture.

These metrics saw the 26-year-old average a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.21, not only ranking him as the club’s best performer in the top flight but also as the ninth-best midfielder in the league as a whole.

As such, while the vast majority of Leeds supporters will likely admit that, should the Whites indeed suffer relegation to the second tier this season, it will be a near-impossible task for the club to keep hold of a player of Phillips’ ability, the fact that Radrizzani already appears to be planning for life without the midfielder is sure to have left the Elland Road faithful devastated.

AND in other news: Orta can finally axe £55k-p/w “schoolboy” as Leeds plot bid for £15.3m-rated “beast”