Sports
Arne Engels Could Push for Celtic Exit After Nottingham Forest Transfer Blocked
Celtic star Arne Engels could push to leave the club in the summer after he saw a £25m move to Nottingham Forest blocked on deadline day, according to Football Insider.
The Hoops have had a difficult campaign this season, and find themselves third in the table, six points behind league leaders Hearts with a a game in hand, but the team are hopeful of making a push towards the title with Martin O’Neill at the helm for the second half of the season.
That included several new faces arriving in the winter transfer window, but it also saw the club reject bids for first-team stars, including Engels, as they looked to keep their squad together. But while they saw off interest for mid-season, they could now be set to lose him in the summer.
Arne Engels Could Push for Celtic Exit
Engels, who has been described as ‘outstanding’, was the subject of three bids from Nottingham Forest late in the winter transfer window, with the third offer being worth a near club-record £25m.
But with Celtic desperate to keep hold of him and O’Neill describing him as a £100m player, the bids were rejected and the Belgian has stayed at Parkhead as a result. But it’s understood that the player was keen to make the switch to the Premier League, and while speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown believes they could now be forced to change their stance in the summer as a result.
“I was surprised Celtic turned down that offer,” he said.
“Nottingham Forest came in with £25million, which is pretty much unheard of in Scottish football, and yet they turned it down.
“I think it definitely asked questions of them, they must’ve been on 50/50 about accepting it because a fee like that his huge for Celtic, but they decided he’s too important. That’s fine, he’s a big part of their team, but I do expect the situation to change in the summer.
“Forest have been keeping a close eye on him and they’ve been impressed by what they’ve seen, so they’ll be watching in the second half of the season.
“If they come back in with an offer of similar value, I expect it will be much more tempting for Celtic and for the player, who could be tempted to move on.”
Celtic Must Win Title to Keep Stars
It’s always difficult for clubs in Scotland to keep their top stars when teams from England make a formal move, but the best way for Celtic to keep Engels at this stage is by winning the title.
Despite their horror season so far they are still in with a chance, and Engels has been one of the top performing players for much of the campaign. Winning the title will give Celtic European football again, and Forest could well be in the Championship.
If they win the title it will at least give them great leverage in any negotiations, and could convince the player to stick around and continue winning honours.
Celtic Close to Transfer Agreement, Medical Could Happen Today
Martin O’Neill is on the verge of another big Hoops signing
Sports
Arsenal Ready to Sign Morten Hjulmand After Morgan Rogers
Arsenal are active in the race to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder Morten Hjulmand this summer, with an update emerging from A Bola on his future.
It has been a relatively quiet start to the summer transfer window for Arsenal, with it being clear that they only need to add a couple of players of real quality to improve a top team who are already Premier League champions and were a penalty shootout away from winning the Champions League.
While the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester United have already made signings 10 days after the window officially opened, the Gunners are yet to complete their first new signing.
Piero Hincapie has completed his move to the Emirates on a permanent deal, but he was with the club already last season.
Arsenal have been in talks to sign 16-year-old Leicester City sensation Jeremy Monga, but they are yet to agree a fee with the League One outfit for the teenager’s services.
The Gunners are also expected to make an official move soon for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, who is currently representing England at the 2026 World Cup.
As well as the wings, it seems as though Arsenal are considering signing another central midfielder too.
Arsenal ‘Active’ in Morten Hjulmand Pursuit
According to A Bola, the pathway for Hjulmand to make a move to the Premier League season is ‘active’, with his chances of returning to Serie A narrowing because of the price involved for a transfer.
There had been links with a move to AC Milan for the Denmark international following the appointment of his former boss Ruben Amorim at the San Siro, but the Serie A giants are currently prioritising other positions.
Juventus have also pulled out of the race, leaving Inter Milan and Napoli as the only clubs who would be able to afford the 27-year-old, who has an €80m (£70m) release clause.
However, Arsenal are considering a move for the ‘absolute monster’ midfielder, while Manchester City and their sporting director Hugo Viana, who used to be at the Portuguese outfit, are big fans of the player.
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Hjulmand Wants to Join Arsenal
A Bola state that Hjulmand would fulfill a ‘childhood dream’ by playing for Arsenal, and it would be no surprise if they are his number one pick given where the club is right now too.
Not only would the 27-year-old significantly strengthen Arsenal’s central midfield depth given his stature and quality, but he is also known for his leadership skills as he currently captains Sporting.
Arteta is renowned for wanting the right type of character when he is making signings, and the Dane is a player who would seemingly give everything in an Arsenal shirt.
The Gunners may be able to land Hjulmand for a fee lower than his release clause too, with Sporting said to be ready to sell him for a fee of between €40-50m thanks to a personal pact made between the parties last summer.
Sports
Man City Make Enquiry for Manu Kone After Arsenal Agreement
Manchester City have now made contact to sign a player who’s already agreed to join Arsenal this summer.
While their Premier League rivals have sprung into action, it has been a quieter start to the summer transfer window for Arsenal and City.
City are still yet to confirm Enzo Maresca as Pep Guardiola’s successor at the Etihad, but they have been hard at work behind the scenes trying to complete a mega agreement to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.
Meanwhile, Arsenal probably only need to make some tweaks to their squad after such a successful season, but Mikel Arteta will be looking to add players to his squad that can take them to yet another level next term as they look to defend their Premier League title and go one better in the Champions League.
The Gunners look set to add numbers to their attack this summer, with the north Londoners being linked with moves for Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez in recent weeks.
Arsenal are also working to find an agreement with Leicester City to sign 16-year-old sensation Jeremy Monga, but it is unclear whether he would be competing in the first-team yet or not if a deal went through.
The Gunners have also been looking at midfield additions for Arteta.
Man City Make Manu Kone Enquiry
According to journalist Damiano Er Faina, posting on X on Thursday evening, Manchester City have now made over signing French midfielder Manu Kone from AS Roma.
Even though are now closing in on an agreement to sign England star Anderson, it is being widely reported that they want another central midfielder too, with Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United another name mentioned.
Arsenal themselves are looking to reinforce that position with a lack of quality in depth shown last season when they lost players to injury, with Kone emerging as a target.
Reports from Italy earlier this month suggested that the Gunners were closing in on a deal to sign the 25-year-old with personal terms already agreed for him to move to the Emirates.
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Which Other Midfielders Are Arsenal Targeting?
Kone isn’t the only name reportedly on Arsenal’s central midfield radar this summer, with Alex Scott of Bournemouth someone they like a lot.
GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed the Gunners’ interest in the £80m-rated England international, who the Cherries are desperate to tie down to a new contract with his current deal set to expire in 2028.
Reports in Portugal claim that they are also considering making a move for Sporting Lisbon captain Morten Hjulmand, whose boyhood dream was to play for Arsenal.
Whether the Gunners firm up their reported interest in Kone or not, Arteta and Andrea Berta certainly seem to have other names on their shortlist should Man City swoop in and bring him to the Premier League themselves.
Sports
Trent Alexander-Arnold Could Have Played For the USMNT Instead of England
Trent Alexander-Arnold has long been one of England’s most talented full-backs, but his international career hasn’t always run smoothly under successive Three Lions managers, resulting in his lack of presence at the 2026 World Cup
That awkward relationship with his national side has led some fans down an unusual rabbit hole: could he have actually represented a different country altogether?
The question resurfaced after the Real Madrid man opened up about his family background in an interview, revealing a transatlantic connection that surprised plenty of supporters.
How Trent Alexander-Arnold Was Eligible for Another Nation
The discussion stems from comments back when he was a Liverpool player in 2023. Speaking to Men in Blazers about his mother, who was born in the United States. He explained his fondness for the country, saying:
“The connection is just that my Mum’s American really! I love America, I absolutely love America.”
That maternal link meant Alexander-Arnold was technically eligible to play for the US under FIFA’s nationality rules, which allow players to represent a country through a parent or grandparent’s birthplace, provided they haven’t already been capped elsewhere in a competitive fixture.
Had he picked the USMNT, Trent could be playing a pivotal role in Mauricio Pochettino’s side, rather than watching the competition from home. He’d certainly be a popular figure and the talisman in the American squad.
Why Trent Can’t Switch Allegiance Now
Despite that eligibility, the door is firmly shut. Alexander-Arnold has appeared for England in numerous competitive fixtures, which permanently ties him to the Three Lions under FIFA’s switching regulations. Had his only appearances come in friendlies, a U-turn would theoretically have remained possible, but that ship sailed long ago.
The 24 Players Born in England But Represent Other 2026 World Cup National Teams
England would have an unstoppable starting line-up if these players had chosen to represent the Three Lions
There’s an intriguing family thread running through all this, too. Alexander-Arnold’s mother, Dianne, was born in the United States to his grandmother, Doreen Carling, who was once in a relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson before relocating to New York and marrying there.
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