Celtic chiefs are working to persuade Martin O’Neill to take charge next season following a surprise update on Robbie Keane.
After a phenomenal end to a disappointing season that culminated in Celtic winning the double, club chiefs now have a decision to make on which direction they turn for their next boss.
The odds were stacked against the Hoops heading into the final five Scottish Premiership fixtures, but O’Neill once again showed his class by winning all five, including games against Rangers and Hearts, to lift the title.
Following the disastrous spell at the helm for Wilfried Nancy mid-season, the Northern Irishman took interim charge for the second time in the season and turned the Bhoys’ fortunes around.
Celtic decision-makers have now faced the decision of whether they stick with the 74-year-old, if he is willing to take the job on a full-time basis and stick around, or to look elsewhere.
One option who had been linked with the potential vacant post was Jens Berthel Askou following an outstanding season at Motherwell, but the Dane has joined Toulouse instead, ruling him out of the running.
Now it seems Celtic are ready to go all out to convince O’Neill to stay on.
Celtic Planning to Tempt O’Neill to Stay
According to Football Insider, the Celtic hierarchy are planning to ask O’Neill to remain as manager next season, despite the fact that they are compiling a new manager shortlist.
The Guardian reported in March that Robbie Keane was emerging as the frontrunner for the job, and talk among fans has increased after he resigned from his role as Ferencvaros manager in recent days.
However, Football Insider claim that while the 45-year-old is on their shortlist, he isn’t one of the leading contenders to take the reins at Parkhead.
As well as the ‘unbelievable’ O’Neill, other candidates are said to be ahead of the Republic of Ireland legend in the running.
Which Other Managers Could Celtic Target?
The same Guardian report also named Craig Bellamy as an option for Celtic, but the suggestion is that he is happy as manager of Wales and wants to continue to help the nation qualify for their home Euro 2028 tournament.
Elsewhere, two more names have been heavily linked with the Bhoys across the last 12 months.
One of those is Roberto Martinez, who is about to lead Portugal at the 2026 World Cup in North America, with his future to be decided after the tournament.
While he hasn’t managed in club football for a decade, there is a link at Celtic Park in the form of Shaun Maloney, who has both played and worked under the Spaniard previously.
The other name who keeps getting mentioned is Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen, who continues to make big waves with the Norwegian side.
The 57-year-old brilliantly led his team to the Champions League quarter-finals this season, beating Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan along the way.
If Celtic want a manager who could help them advance in Europe’s elite club competition, the experienced Norwegian might be the man.
West Ham United’s relegation to the Championship has been confirmed, and that has sparked major question marks over the future of captain Jarrod Bowen.
The England international has been a key member of the Hammers squad since signing from Hull City in 2020, scoring an excellent 85 goals in 280 appearances for the club, including the winning goal in the Conference League final just two years ago.
But this season, despite his 11 goals and 12 assists in all competitions, he couldn’t stop the club from falling out of the Premier League for the first time since the 2011/12 season, and now an exit away from the London Stadium looks inevitable for the 29-year-old.
Several clubs are likely to show an interest in the winger in the upcoming summer transfer window, and GIVEMESPORT has taken a look at the clubs considered to be favourites to get a deal done, according to SkyBet.
Surprise Team Among Favourites to Sign Jarrod Bowen
While Bowen is attracting plenty of interest heading into the summer window, the race for where he ends up when the market slams shut on September 1st remains wide open.
So much so in fact, that according to SkyBet, Bowen to stay at West Ham for next season is actually priced as the 13/10 favourite currently. The Hammers will be desperate to keep their skipper in order to fire their way straight back to the Premier League at the first attempt, but it seems unlikely.
If Bowen is to join a new club this summer, the bookmakers feel that Liverpool are the most likely destination, with the Reds priced at 4/1. Arne Slot is looking for a replacement for Mohamed Salah, who will leave this summer, and Bowen can slot into that role as a left-footed right-winger seamlessly.
Aston Villa are also keen to upgrade their forward options, and after reaching the Champions League they are priced at 9/2. Both Manchester United and Newcastle are also reportedly looking for new wingers, and as a result they are both priced at 6/1 to bring Bowen in.
Worryingly for West Ham fans, Tottenham Hotspur are currently priced at 17/2 after avoiding relegation on the final day, and after signing Mohammed Kudus last summer, a move certainly cannot be ruled out anymore.
Everton are also mentioned as a potential destination, with former manager David Moyes priced at 10/1 for a reunion with the man he signed from Hull for West Ham six-and-a-half years ago. Chelsea are said to be looking for more experienced options and are priced at 11/1, while Brighton could see him as an opportunity signing and are also priced at 11/1.
Should Bowen fancy a new challenge entirely and a move abroad, La Liga giants Atletico Madrid are big outsiders at 18/1 to seal a deal for Diego Simeone.
Jarrod Bowen’s Club on September 1st 2026
Club
Odds
West Ham United
13/10
Liverpool
4/1
Aston Villa
9/2
Manchester United
6/1
Newcastle United
6/1
Tottenham Hotspur
17/2
Everton
10/1
Chelsea
11/1
Brighton & Hove Albion
11/1
Atletico Madrid
18/1
Danny Dyer Unlikely to Get Bowen Wish
Bowen leaving West Ham would undoubtedly be a huge blow to fans of the club, but it would also be heartbreak for celebrity fan Danny Dyer, who also happens to be Bowen’s father-in-law, and the grandad to his twins.
When asked about a potential move to Arsenal, Dyer simply replied, “He’s never going to do that. Why would he? What’s in it for him?”
He was then quizzed about a move to Chelsea, where he once again asked, “Why would he go there?”
But when asked about Real Madrid, he admitted he would “for sure” accept that, while also revealing that he wouldn’t be against a move to Man City either.
“Listen, it’s his career. [Man] City? I wouldn’t mind that, I’d suffer that,” he said.
“I’m not going to lie, it would hurt, but he’s a grown man and he makes his own decisions. It would obviously hurt, but of course I would be over the moon for him.”
Tottenham have reached a verbal agreement to secure a new signing amid reports that a hijack could take place, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Spurs don’t appear to have stopped working since the Premier League season finished, and it’s no surprise after such a disappointing campaign.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side managed to avoid relegation from the top flight, but work has now begun on strengthening the squad.
Tottenham won’t want to be celebrating their survival for too long, if at all, as there is no doubt they need to bring in reinforcements desperately.
It wasn’t just the 2025-26 season that was a disappointment. The previous year, they also finished 17th in the Premier League, so there are certainly underlying issues with the North London club.
According to a report from Italian journalist Romano, Tottenham have now reached a verbal agreement to sign Liverpool defender Andy Robertson ahead of the summer transfer window.
A deal is expected to be signed soon, despite Italian side Juventus trying to hijack the move recently.
Robertson, described as ‘elite’, is set to be a free agent after his departure from Liverpool was confirmed.
Conor McGregor is set to return to the Octagon in a huge main event clash against Max Holloway in the main event at UFC 329.
After breaking his leg in a rematch against Dustin Poirier back in 2021, the legendary Irish fighter will take on an old foe in Holloway at International Fight Week on July 11th, as the two face off again following their initial bout way back in August 2013, which the ‘Notorious’ one claimed victory in via unanimous decision.
One person who will be watching the fight intently is iconic former middleweight champion Michael Bisping, who is the first Brit to ever win undisputed gold in the organisation, and now sits as part of the broadcast team on commentary and analysis.
Bisping: McGregor Has 2 Advantages Over Holloway
GIVEMESPORT spoke to Bisping exclusively, via prediction market experts at Casino.org, about the upcoming fight between the two legendary former champions, and the Englishman had an interesting take on how he thinks the bout goes down.
“I respect Conor coming back and taking on Max Holloway, because Holloway’s been very active whilst Conor hasn’t fought for 5 years,” he said.
“He’s days away from his 38th birthday when he competes against Max Holloway, so full respect for taking this match up.”
“It’s happening at 170lbs, so I think that gives Conor a little bit of an advantage. I think naturally he’s (McGregor) a bigger guy, and certainly when you look at punching power, McGregor will have massive power and advantage over Holloway.
“Holloway breaks you down over the course of the fight though. When he points at the floor in the last 10 seconds, that’s because he’s broken you down over that entire period, and he knows he’s got you, and he’s like, ‘okay, let’s go’. And that’s when he knocks you out.
“He’s quick, he’s slick, he’s smooth, he’s got excellent footwork, he’s got great hand speed. I don’t know, man, it’s a really interesting fight for both of them. Conor’s been away for 5 years, obviously that’s an issue. The leg break, that’s an issue. But also, this is a guy that took the sport by storm, was a two-weight division champion.”
“He’s only 37, and yeah, that’s not young as a pro fighter, but he’s not an old man, and in some ways, you could argue that not fighting for 5 years, he hasn’t had the wear and tear. He hasn’t been going through the training camps; he hasn’t been going through the sparring and everything that comes along with preparing for fights. The mind is the most powerful weapon that any fighter can have, and you cannot doubt the mind of Conor McGregor.”
“I understand Holloway being the favorite, but McGregor is a special guy, so it’s going to be interesting.”
Exclusive: Bisping Would Have McGregor Fighting Someone Else in Comeback
McGregor is arguably the biggest name in the history of the sport of mixed martial arts, and his comeback from a major injury was always going to be a huge story.
The 37-year-old was due to return from his broken leg back in July 2024 against Michael Chandler, but was forced to withdraw less than two weeks out from the bout due to a broken toe. But speaking to GIVEMESPORT exclusively, Bisping admits that he would have matched the two fighters up once more for his comeback, despite the lengthy delay.
“Michael Chandler would have been awesome,” he said.
“Chandler would have been very happy with that. He’d be doing backflips, doing videos whilst doing kettlebell thrusts and shoulder presses, getting all nice and pumped, but he’s very hittable. That would have been a great fight.
“But Holloway, it’s a little bit trickier, it’s a little bit tougher, but as a fan, I mean, you want the Holloway and Conor McGregor rematch. I think that’s pretty much up there with the best of them.”
