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Charlton Athletic have a pretty good record when it comes to developing young talent.

Most recently, Alfie Doughty swapped The Valley for Championship outfit Stoke City, whilst the likes of Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Gomez have gone on to become Premier League regulars.

Addicks boss Nigel Adkins may not know which division his side will be competing in next season, with there still plenty of matches left to seal a League One playoff spot but it will be an important summer in the transfer window either way.

And he could well save owner Thomas Sandgaard a lot of money if he looks to continue that promising academy trend.

One player who could certainly make the full step up to the first-team next season is 18-year-old defender Charlie Barker, who has already enjoyed a little taste at senior level.

The right-back, who can also play centrally, has made nine appearances this season. He started Chalton’s opening three league games but has been restricted to appearances in the domestic cups, where Lee Bowyer looked to rotate his side.

A goal against Swindon Town and a clean sheet against Crewe Alexandra isn’t the worst way to kickstart your career in southeast London.

Speaking about his debut, Bowyer heaped praise on Barker, he told the official website:

“As a positive, I thought young Barker was outstanding, outstanding. He didn’t put a foot wrong all night, in possession and out of possession. He defended properly when crosses came in, goal kicks, competing and fighting. I would say he was the biggest positive.”

Barker has seen meteoric progress in recent years, having been without a club just four seasons ago but the Addicks took a punt on him and academy chief Steve Avory has transformed him into a potential first-team star.

“Charlie came into the club quite late. He’s a good learner, he genuinely, I feel, loves the game and loves defending,” explained Avory. “He’s such a strong-willed competitor and on the whole, I feel he did then, and does now, dominate the one-v-one battles he comes up against on the pitch.”

Adkins has a few options at right-back but both are coming towards the end of their careers in Chris Gunter, 32, and Adam Matthews, 29. Of course, the pair could easily play for another three or four years but it’s not as if their form has been good enough to warrant such an opportunity.

Both are amongst Charlton’s poorest performers, as per WhoScored ratings, neither has managed above a 6.52.

Barker could well be a bargain solution this summer, should Adkins also see his huge potential.

AND in other news, Gallen must ruthlessly axe “outstanding” Addicks man this summer, he’s not good enough…

Celtic have been strongly linked with Eddie Howe for a number of weeks now.

The Hoops reportedly reached a verbal agreement with the former Bournemouth boss to take over from Neil Lennon.

However, a deal is yet to be announced, with Howe has also speaking to Crystal Palace. Celtic fear Howe is now having second thoughts, with Brighton also showing a recent interest.

Nixon answers Celtic/Howe question

Reliable reporter Alan Nixon was quizzed on the latest regarding Howe and Celtic on Wednesday evening.

Nixon, who writes for The Sun, was asked if a deal for the 43-year-old was completely off, to which he replied, seemingly implying Howe may not make the move to Glasgow:

“Shocked Celtic have not started talking to someone else…”

Transfer Tavern take

In our view, you can take this update one of two ways. You could look at it as a positive, with the Hoops seemingly not sounding out any alternatives to Howe, who wants a summer return to management at the earliest.

They may well feel as if Howe is still keen on the job and don’t want to worry about contacting any other managers as a result, also showing they have 100 per cent faith in the vision of a rebuild with Howe at the helm.

However, you could also fear the worst. Should Howe snub a move to Glasgow and take over from Roy Hodgson at Palace, the Hoops could be back to square one with time ticking ahead of the 2021/22 season.

It’s an interesting view, but it doesn’t appear as if the Hoops have anyone else in mind as of now.

In other news: Celtic ace closing in on Parkhead exit, report claims medical is booked, find out more here. 

After scoring his first goal for Rangers in the midweek draw with St Johnstone, Scott Wright has shown Steven Gerrard and the Ibrox faithful that, if Ryan Kent departs the club this summer, he can step up as his replacement.

The 23-year-old showed great technique to cut inside his opponent and curl the ball into the bottom corner at McDiarmid Park on Wednesday – it was a finish reminiscent of some of the goals Kent has scored during his time at Ibrox.

The tricky former Liverpool winger joined Rangers on a permanent deal in September 2019 after a loan spell the previous season and has established himself as one of Gerrard’s key players during his time at Ibrox. In 124 appearances, the Englishman has contributed 26 goals and 26 assists, and he has enjoyed his best campaign to date this season with eight goals and seven assists in the Premiership alone.

This has helped him average a superb 7.40 WhoScored rating for his performances, which is the joint second-best of any Rangers player in Gerrard’s squad, which emphasises just how important he has become for the Light Blues.

Unsurprisingly, this has seen him attract a lot of interest from the Premier League, and after failing to bring him to Elland Road last summer, it seems likely that Leeds United will look to sign him again ahead of next season.

However, Wright’s performances since joining from Aberdeen, albeit brief, have suggested that he can be considered a natural heir for the 24-year-old this summer.

The 23-year-old, who reportedly earns £5,600 per week at Rangers, looked dangerous when coming on as a substitute in the Europa League and won his team a penalty with his pace and direct running against Royal Antwerp.

He impressed in the 4-0 Scottish Cup win against Cove Rangers and was handed his first Premiership start under Gerrard in midweek, marking it will an excellent goal in the 1-1 draw against Callum Davidson’s side.

Gerrard was full of praise for the youngster after the game and suggested that he is now “ready to contribute” more next season, so it certainly seems as if Rangers fans will see a lot more of him in the months ahead.

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The winger certainly has big boots to fill at Rangers if Kent leaves but, after an impressive start to life at Ibrox, there seems no reason why he can’t go on to become as successful as the former Liverpool man.

In other news… Douglas Park could be set for huge blow as Premier League club eye “amazing” Rangers gem

Davie Provan has slammed Glasgow Rangers striker Kemar Roofe for failing to apologise to Ondrej Kolar for his tackle on the Slavia Prague goalkeeper.

Provan slams Roofe

Roofe was sent off for the Gers against the Czech champions last month following a terrible challenge on Kolar – he has since received a four-game ban for the incident (Belfast Telegraph).

Writing in The Scottish Sun, Provan slammed Roofe for falling to contact the shot-stopper with a subsequent apology. He said:

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think Kemar Roofe deliberately hurt Slavia Prague keeper Ondrej Kolar. The ball was there to be won.

“But when Roofe discovers he had fractured Kolar’s skull, shouldn’t he be making contact with the player?

“Would a social media apology have been asking too much?

“Roofe also landed in trouble after a challenge on St. Johnstone midfielder Murray Davidson this season. Not good enough from the Rangers striker.”

Harsh

Provan appears to be using this incident to have a go at a Rangers player. There is no doubting that Roofe’s challenge was totally unacceptable and dangerous, and the ban he received was more than fair. However, the columnist has no idea as to whether the £5.4m-valued Gers striker has actually contacted Kolar.

We live in a world where social media proof is seemingly needed for every interaction. Roofe may well have already contacted Kolar – if he has done, he does not need to post his apology on social media just to make sure everyone knows about it. There is no need for Provan’s comments in this situation without him knowing all of the facts.

In other news, many Rangers fans laud this man’s performance against Celtic in the Scottish Cup.

Southampton have recently been linked with a move for Metz centre-back Boubakar Kouyate and if he were to arrive at St Mary’s this summer, it could prove to be the catalyst for Jannik Vestergaard departing.

According to French news outlet L’Equipe (via Pink Un), both Norwich City and Southampton are considering a move for the 24-year-old after his impressive debut season with Metz.

The likes of AS Roma and Atalanta are also said to be interested in the young defender, so it seems likely that he could depart Les Grenats this summer.

Since signing from ES Troyes AC in the summer, Kouyate has gone on to make 26 appearances for his new side, contributing one goal.

Across his 23 appearances in Ligue 1, the Mali international has averaged a superb 7.14 rating for his performances, the joint third-best of any Metz player in the French top-flight so far this season, so it is easy to see why he is attracting so much interest.

If the £4.5m-rated defender were to join Hasenhuttl’s side this summer, then you would imagine he would potentially arrive as the replacement for Vestergaard in the Southampton team.

The Danish international has been linked with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Roma and Juventus in recent weeks and considering his contract is set to expire at the end of next season, it is looking more and more likely that he won’t be at St Mary’s past this summer.

Therefore, Martin Semmens needs to start looking for replacements for the former Borussia Monchengladbach man and Kouyate could prove to be the ideal candidate.

The six-foot-three centre-back has averaged 3.8 aerials won per game in Ligue 1 this season, which remarkably is more than the 3.7 aerials won per game by Vestergaard.

He also outscores the 28-year-old defender when it comes to tackles per game (2.4 – 1.7), interceptions (2.4 – 1.5) and clearances (5.4 – 4.1), so it certainly seems as if he could be an excellent addition to Hasenhuttl’s side.

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Kouyate can also operate as a right-back and as a defensive midfielder, so his versatility would definitely be appreciated by Hasenhuttl, so if Vestergaard does depart this summer, Semmens should definitely be looking to bring the Malian defender to Southampton.

And, in other news… Hasenhuttl suffers fresh Saints transfer blow over £18m gem with “great potential”, he’ll be gutted

Kris Commons has strongly criticised wantaway Celtic duo Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer, arguing that the club ought to have sold the ‘demotivated’ pair last summer.

The Hoops’ dismal season took yet another wretched turn on Sunday as they were thumped 4-1 by arch-rivals Rangers at Ibrox. With two games to go, they trail Steven Gerrard’s side by 23 points in the Premiership.

How did Edouard and Ajer play against Rangers?

Edouard equalised for Celtic in the first half with a header from close range, before Alfredo Morelos swiftly restored Rangers’ lead. Two further goals in the second half compounded the misery for John Kennedy’s side.

Daily Record journalist Gordon Parks awarded Edouard a team-high rating of seven out of 10 for his performance, writing that his ‘appetite for the occasion wasn’t in question’ and that he ‘refused to give up the ghost despite being drip served decent service’.

It has been reported that the Frenchman, who has now scored 20 goals this season, is intent upon leaving the club regardless of whom they appoint as Neil Lennon’s successor.

Ajer is also reported to have his eyes on the exit door. The centre-half provided a knock-down assist for Edouard’s goal but Parks accused him of ‘dereliction in duty’ after he ducked out of the way of Morelos’ subsequent shot.

What did Commons have to say about Edouard and Ajer?

Former Celtic player Commons wrote that ‘an improvement in the attitude and performances’ of Edouard and Ajer was expected after Lennon’s departure, adding that Celtic’s ‘unhealthy obsession’ with winning 10 titles in a row has led to them retaining players who ‘felt like they were doing a Celtic a favour’.

“The problem lies squarely with these players who have their own agendas and prioritised them ahead of the club,” he wrote in the Daily Mail print edition, via Daily Record.

“The unhealthy obsession with 10 In A Row is at the heart of it.

“Celtic felt compelled to hold onto a select few players who were already plotting their own exit.

“They should never have entertained the idea of having to coax these players into giving the club ‘one more year’.

“As soon as a player expresses a desire to leave, as Lennon made clear after the Ferencvaros game last August, the club should be phoning them a taxi to the airport.

“These players felt like they were doing a Celtic favour by hanging around.

“They have lost all motivation and it has been the club and the supporters who have suffered for it.”

Transfer Tavern verdict

There’s an added layer here in that Celtic have also allowed both players name-checked by Commons to reach the final year of their respective contracts. That means they won’t be able to maximise the fees for £13.5m-rated Edouard and £3.6m-rated Ajer.

That could make the task of replacing them with players of similar quality all the more difficult. Commons may have a point in wondering whether their hearts are truly in it at Celtic, but the practicality of sorting their futures seems trickier than the theory.

In other news, Edouard has responded to a huge contract offer from this Premier League club.

There is ‘absolutely zero chance’ that Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool to join Chelsea this summer, according to journalist James Pearce.

The Lowdown: Salah linked with Chelsea move

The Egyptian played a key role in the Reds’ 2-0 win at home to Southampton on Saturday night as the Premier League champions picked up a crucial three points. Salah teed up Sadio Mane for the opening goal at Anfield, before Thiago sealed the win with a late strike in front of the Kop end.

A transfer claim from Christian Falk earlier in the week suggested that Liverpool’s number 11 was being eyed up by Chelsea, with a return to Stamford Bridge mooted for the 28-year-old.

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The Latest: Pearce laughs off Salah rumour

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic after the victory over Saints, Pearce said that a return to Stamford Bridge simply won’t happen, with the Reds desperate to keep hold of Salah. He outlined:

“There is absolutely zero chance that Salah goes to Chelsea this summer. Liverpool have no intention of selling him and certainly if he did ever leave it wouldn’t be to another English club.

“I struggle to believe he’s even on a shortlist because Chelsea will know it’s impossible.”

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The Verdict: Salah to stay put

Despite constant murmurings surrounding Salah’s future, it would be a huge surprise if he ended up leaving Anfield in the summer transfer window.

For starters, he appears happy at Liverpool, with 29 goals in a tough season proof that he is still giving his all, while the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid are in no financial position to spend fortunes on players these days.

The idea of Salah moving to Chelsea is indeed a laughable one – why would Jurgen Klopp even entertain the idea of making a direct rival far stronger? – so it is a transfer rumour which seemingly has no legs, as Pearce has hinted.

In other news, one Liverpool attacking player has been tipped to leave the club this summer. Find out who it is here.

Glenn Hoddle has slammed Daniel Levy’s decision to charge fans up to £60 for a ticket for Tottenham’s home game against Aston Villa on May 19.

The Lowdown: Levy sets astonishing prices

After what has been a difficult year due to the global pandemic, there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel. For the last two Premier League matchdays of the season, it has been confirmed that supporters will be allowed to attend games.

That means Spurs’ match against Villa will be played in front of 10,000 fans. The prices for tickets for the fixture are astonishingly high, though – adults will pay £60, young adults must pay £45 and over-65s and under-18s will be charged £30 (Daily Mail).

By stark contrast, Burnley are offering 3,500 free tickets for their home clash against Liverpool on the same date (Sky Sports).

The Latest: Hoddle unhappy with decision

Club legend Hoddle was far from happy with the prices being charged by Levy and Tottenham. He said (via Daily Mail):

“If you’re going to do anything in life, you have to have harmony. At the moment, that isn’t the case. 

“The supporter trust wants change, that’s not always easy. Communication has to happen. Sit down with Daniel and talk it out. 

“If not, the war will get bigger on that front. The ticket scenario, I’m scratching my head at who’s made that decision. Give a gift back to your fans.”

The Verdict: Outrageous

It is hard to disagree with Hoddle’s point of view. The pandemic has had a negative effect on people all over Britain, especially from a financial point of view – although football clubs have lost income, they have not had to suffer like others given they have been allowed to play generally throughout. After the European Super League fiasco, Levy had the chance to build bridges with the fans, but he has once again misjudged the situation.

Supporters deserve more respect. These prices will bring in a minimum £300,000 to the club with an attendance of 10,000, and it will likely be a fair bit more than that amount, but it will still be miniscule in regards to the revenue clubs like Tottenham can generate. Hopefully, Levy has some other plans to get himself back into the good books of disgruntled Spurs fans.

In other news, Tottenham have been urged to sign this Premier League winger.

Speaking to Radio Punto Nuovo (via Tutto Napoli), Italian journalist Carlo Laudisa has dropped a teasing Tottenham claim involving Maurizio Sarri as the reporter explained that the former Juventus boss ‘could go’ to England, with Spurs the ‘most plausible’ destination.

The Lowdown: Sarri eyed by Spurs and Arsenal

The 62-year-old has been targeted by Spurs over the last month according to various reports, with Football Italia most recently saying that talks have been held for the former Chelsea coach.

Indeed, last month the same outlet also stated that contact has been made with Sarri, but north London rivals Arsenal have since joined the race for his appointment amid speculation surrounding Mikel Arteta.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘most plausible’ destination

Dropping an exciting claim, La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Laudisa has told Radio Punto Nuovo that Spurs is a likely destination for the 62-year-old, who he said could come back to the Premier League, with Tottenham appearing to be the ‘most plausible’ job.

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“Sarri could go to England,” the reporter explained (via Tutto Napoli).

“The Tottenham solution is the most plausible one, but the Arsenal bench could also free himself, given that Arteta has missed all the Gunners’ seasonal objectives.”

The Verdict: Sarri should be on the wishlist

Lauded as a ‘magnificent’ manager by Chelsea player Jorginho, who played under Sarri at Stamford Bridge, (via Football Italia), the coach is famed for his own brand of attacking football.

Conventionally nicknamed ‘Sarri-ball’, it is a combination of intense, high-pressing play, and Spurs are said to want an attack-minded manager to succeed Jose Mourinho in N17 (The Guardian).

Having won the Europa League with Chelsea and Serie A at Juventus, the 62-year-old also has a track record of winning silverware, so there are plenty of boxes already ticked for Tottenham.

Therefore, we urge Spurs not to write him off as a candidate.

In other news: Tottenham fans flock to this ‘best news’, find out more here.

Everton are reportedly keen on a summer move for Moussa Diaby, according to Foot Mercato.

The Lowdown: Diaby impressing

Diaby has shone for Bayer Leverkusen so far this season, with a total of 25 goal contributions (10 goals, 15 assists) in 41 games across all competitions (Transfermarkt).

The Goodison Park club will be looking for someone to make a real difference for them in the attacking third next season in order to try and bridge the gap to the top teams in the Premier League.

Off the back of a splended campaign, Diaby could well fit the bill for them.

The Latest: Everton keen on Diaby

As per Foot Mercato, the Merseysiders are keen on signing the 21-year-old when the summer transfer window comes around.

The Toffees have reportedly expressed their interest in the France under-21 international to his representative and are keen to know what his intentions are for next season.

They are carefully monitoring his displays and the feedback has apparently been positive, although given that he is currently under contract at Leverkusen until 2025, Diaby is not likely to come cheap.

The Verdict: Everton must sign Diaby

A natural winger by trade, Diaby could fill a problem position for the Blues, with the likes of Alex Iwobi and Bernard not really cutting the mustard as wide options. The duo have a combined tally of just two goals and two assists in 39 league appearances this term.

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The Leverkusen winger’s goal and assist record this season is not to be dismissed, and at just 21 years of age, he should only get better over the next few yeasr.

Currently rated at £34.2m by Transfermarkt, Diaby’s price will surely continue to rise as he gets better, and so it is vital that Everton capitalise now and snap him up in the summer.

In other news, find out what ‘interesting’ update on one Everton star has left some fans speculating!