Celtic appear close to securing the services of Brendan Rodgers for a second time after pushing the boat out to bring their former manager back as Ange Postecoglou’s successor.
The Hoops have been on the hunt for a new boss since the Australian sealed his move to Tottenham last Tuesday.
After being linked with Manchester City assistant Enzo Maresca, Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen and West Ham manager David Moyes, among others, the Celtic board have now homed in on Rodgers, with whom they met in Majorca last weekend to initiate discussions.
The Northern Irishman left Celtic to take over at Leicester almost four and a half years ago, but he now appears set for a return to the club at which he won all seven domestic trophies available to him while laying the foundations for a remarkable quadruple-treble that was completed by his successor Neil Lennon.
Rodgers – who has also been linked with the Leeds vacancy – was barely backable with bookmakers to become the next Celtic manager on Wednesday, available at just 1/14 with Sky Bet at 6pm, amid suggestions that talks are firmly at the “advanced” stage.
The 50-year-old has reportedly been offered a salary that eclipses what he earned in his previous stint at Celtic as the Scottish champions – fresh from sealing their latest domestic treble – attempt to build on the impressive work carried out by Postecoglou over the past two years.
Rodgers, who first took the reins at Celtic in the summer of 2016, left in February 2019 amid talk that he was dissatisfied with certain aspects of the running of the club.
It is claimed he has sought assurances during talks in recent days that he will be backed in terms of recruitment to ensure the team is adequately equipped for their upcoming tilt at the Champions League group stages.
The Hoops managed a meagre two points from their six games in the competition under Postecoglou last term, while they collected only three points in each of the two campaigns in which Rodgers oversaw group-stage qualification, in 2016 and 2017.
If, as looks increasingly likely, Celtic get a deal over the line in the coming days, Rodgers will begin the task of trying to maintain Celtic’s domestic dominance – with renewed competition anticipated from a Rangers side showing signs of improvement under Michael Beale – while also preparing his squad for the Champions League, which gets under way in just over three months.
In addition, the former Swansea and Liverpool boss will have to win over a section of the Celtic fanbase who remain irked at the manner and timing of his departure, when the Hoops were just a few months shy of completing the treble-treble.
Rodgers left Leicester in April following just over four predominantly fruitful years at the King Power Stadium, and – as was the case when he moved north seven years ago in the wake of his sacking from Liverpool – he seems ready to head to Celtic once more in a bid to get himself back on an upward curve.
Charlotte FC v Philadelphia Union: Glass half full for Byrne
Nathan Byrne says Dean Smith's initiative of gifting players bottles of wine when they keep a clean sheet has provided him with plenty of motivation, as the Crown target a fifth successive shutout against the Philadelphia Union.
Charlotte have kept four straight clean sheets in MLS play, playing out a goalless draw with the LA Galaxy last time out after wins over the Portland Timbers (2-0), Nashville SC and the Chicago Fire (both 1-0).
Smith has been rewarding his players for each shutout with a bottle of wine, and Byrne hopes there is plenty more forthcoming.
"It depends if you like wine or not, but for me it's definitely an added incentive. He's behind on his payments," Byrne joked. "We've got enough as it is.
"It helps when there's consistency and the same players learning each other's games every week. We have less individual duels as we can back each other up.
"If you play consistently, you're going to grow in confidence, especially when you're keeping clean sheets and getting good results."
Charlotte are sixth in the Eastern Conference standings, four points clear of eighth-placed Philadelphia.
The Union ended a six-game winless streak by beating the New England Revolution 3-0 last time out, and coach Jim Curtin hopes that result will be a turning point for his side.
Curtin said: "It's a justification for how hard these guys have been working, because we're still the same group right?
"I'm still the same coach, these are still the same players. When they get confident and they get going, we can beat anybody."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Charlotte FC – Kristijan Kahlina
Charlotte have kept four straight clean sheets for the first time in club.
They are the only team to keep clean sheets in four straight matches in MLS this season, and goalkeeper Kahlina will be desperate to keep that run going.
Philadelphia Union – Jack McGlynn
McGlynn (two goals, three assists) has contributed to at least one goal in five straight matches for the Union, equalling the longest streak in club history.
He is the fourth player in Union history to contribute to a goal in five straight games, after Daniel Gazdag (twice), C.J. Sapong and Mikael Uhre.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
The home side has never lost a match between Charlotte and the Union, with the Crown registering a win and a draw in the teams' two meetings at Bank of America Stadium.
Charlotte have only lost two of their last 26 home matches in all competitions, winning 14 and drawing 10 in a run dating back to late March 2023.
The Union, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their first seven away matches this season (three wins, four draws), the longest unbeaten streak on the road in their history.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Charlotte FC – 35.5%
Philadelphia Union – 39.3%
Draw – 25.2%
Man Utd without injured Maguire for FA Cup final
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire will miss Saturday's FA Cup final clash with Manchester City, Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag has confirmed.
Maguire has been sidelined since suffering a muscle injury in training earlier in May, with the timeframe for his recovery estimated at around three weeks.
That meant he always faced an uphill battle to make Saturday's showpiece game at Wembley Stadium, though he was included in England's preliminary Euro 2024 squad on Tuesday.
At Thursday's pre-match press conference, Ten Hag confirmed Maguire will not be available but said Victor Lindelof, Mason Mount and Anthony Martial are in contention after being pictured in training.
"Harry Maguire is unavailable but the rest, all the players you mentioned, I think they are available," the Dutchman said when asked for a team news update.
"We have our final training tomorrow and then we have final decisions to make. But, as I oversee it now, it looks good."
Asked if Maguire's chances of featuring at the Euros were in doubt, Ten Hag said: "I don't think so. It's just he doesn't make it [the final]. It didn't heal as we expected."
Fellow centre-backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane are expected to be available, with the latter set to leave United on a free transfer after the final.
United have lost 19 games and conceded 84 goals in all competitions this season. They last lost 20 in a campaign in 1973-74 (22) and last conceded more than 84 goals in 1963-64 (89).
Ten Hag's position has been called into question throughout their miserable campaign, with reports on Thursday suggesting Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna was a target for the Jim Ratcliffe regime.
Ten Hag, however, says the opportunity to win a second major trophy in as many seasons is his only focus.
"It's all about trophies," he said. "We have a huge opportunity to win a trophy.
"In the last 10 years, there were not many trophies in this club but we have an opportunity to win two trophies in two years."
New England Revolution v New York City FC: Porter committed to Revs' fight
Caleb Porter has praised the New England Revolution’s fighting spirit as they aim to turn their luck around against New York City FC on Saturday.
New England currently sit bottom of the Eastern Conference with seven points after winning just two of their opening 12 matches in the league.
After losing back-to-back games, the pressure is increasing on Porter, though he does not shy away from the hard work needed to move them up the table.
"This team is united," Porter said. "They're fighting. We're all committed to this club and this season.
"This team is on board. They're fighting. They're not happy with the results, but the locker room is together. The key is to win the next game.
"The other thing is, I'm not going anywhere; I'm committed to this club. I know where we're going to get to. I'm not backing down. I'm not wavering. I'm not flinching."
NYCFC sit in third, eight points behind leaders Inter Miami, after losing just one of their last nine MLS matches.
They made it three wins on the bounce with a win over local rivals Red Bulls last weekend, but Nick Cushing is reluctant to get too excited about their current run.
"We've won some football games, that's all we've won," he said.
"We're in a solid position in the league, but in four weeks’ time, I could be saying 'we haven't won that' or 'we should've won that'.
"It's about taking every game as it comes and just keep winning football games. We enjoy our wins, but we focus on the next games. Now, I want to win [against New England]."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New England Revolution – Carles Gil
Gil has been directly involved in New England’s last two goals scored at home, scoring their most recent and assisting the other.
Overall, he is the club’s top scorer this season with four goals, twice as many as their next most prolific players, Tomas Chancalay and Giacomo Vrioni.
NYCFC – Santiago Rodriguez
Rodriguez assisted one of NYCFC’s two goals in their win over the Red Bulls last Saturday. The Uruguayan (five goals, four assists) has been involved in half of the 18 goals NYCFC have scored this season.
MATCH PREDICTION – NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION WIN
Dating back to the end of last season, New England have lost 14 of their last 18 MLS matches (three wins, one draw incl. playoffs), including losing nine of 12 to start this season (two wins, one draw). The Revs’ seven points are their fewest after 12 matches of a season in club history.
NYCFC recorded a 2-0 home win over New England on April 13. However, they have never defeated the Revs twice in a single regular season before.
NYCFC have won six of their last seven matches (one defeat) including each of the last three in a row. They have won consecutive games away from home but won just one of their previous 24 on the road in all competitions (nine draws, 14 defeats).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New England Revolution – 41.2%
Draw – 30.3%
NYCFC – 28.5%
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