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Delhi Capitals’ (DC) stand-in captain Faf du Plessis pointed out that they lost their momentum in the last two overs when Mumbai Indians (MI) were batting after bowling well for 17-18 overs, which eventually led to their 59-run defeat at the Wankhede Stadium. The loss saw DC knocked out of contention for the IPL 2025 playoffs, while MI booked the last spot.Bowling first, it looked like DC would be chasing an under-par total with MI struggling at 132 for 5 after 18 overs. But Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir hammered 48 runs off the last two overs to take MI to 180 and DC were bowled out for 121 in reply.”I thought we were excellent today in the field. The guys showed great fight. Obviously, not the easiest pitch to bat on, so probably made the bowlers’ job a little bit easier. But still, it’s a very strong batting line-up (of MI), and I thought we were excellent,” du Plessis said after the game. “And then [we] just let it slip there in the last two overs which… momentum is a real thing in cricket. So I thought the way that they counterpunched there to get almost 50 in the last two overs really [cost us]. All that hard work that we did for 17-18 overs, [we] lost that momentum.”Related

• Opener troubles, missed chances haunt Delhi Capitals' Badani

• Depth over daredevilry: Suryakumar's solo show saves the day for Mumbai Indians

• Suryakumar, Santner and Bumrah lead MI into playoffs

DC were under pressure in a must-win situation as they were one point behind MI before this game, and had lost four of their last five matches before Wednesday. They further lost their regular captain Axar Patel to an illness for this match, someone who could have been useful on the Wanhede track, du Plessis said, where left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner finished with 4-0-11-3.”I’m a big believer that you’ve got to make sure you take [momentum] and you never take it for granted,” he said. “So when you’re playing like that and you’re performing well, then everything falls your way. And we could feel like the last couple of games, there was really a fight to try and get that momentum back and not doing the basics well in both departments.”So it shows you that when you’re on top of that wave, you’ve got to make sure you don’t lose it as quickly.”DC were a depleted side against MI, without Axar and their star bowler Mitchell Starc, who didn’t return to India once the IPL resumed after a brief suspension earlier this month. DC fielded as many as five uncapped players compared to MI’s one.”I think if you look at the two teams before today’s fixture, it was a case of David and Goliath. So I enjoy that because it gives guys the opportunity to really play together as a team,” he said. “So credit to them. [Sameer] Rizvi today showed some signs. He’s got some talent there. But when you’re playing against a powerful team like this, you need to be at your best all the time.1:49

Moody: ‘DC bowlers should have used the surface more’

“And unfortunately, all 17-18 overs we were, and then the last two overs I thought we were pretty average. And then with the bat, you would need a good start on a surface like that, and we didn’t get going at all with the bat. So it sums up pretty much our season. We’ve been cold in either batting or bowling the last six or seven games.”And to be in the top four in the IPL, you can’t afford to do that. So probably a fair reflection not to make that top four.”Compared to the five wickets taken by MI’s spinners combined, DC’s spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam managed just one between them, which made them miss Axar even more.”Yeah, I think especially [missed] Axar on a wicket like that,” du Plessis said. “If you look at the way that Mitch Santner bowled, they’re very similar bowlers. To bowl four overs, I think [Santner] only went for ten runs. Axar is that kind of class bowler, international, proven left-arm spinner that on a wicket like that, he would love to bowl in it. But unfortunately, he was very, very sick the last two days.”Starcy, yes, of course [we missed him]. Starc is a fantastic bowler. But I think especially the spinners on a wicket like this, it’s worth gold.”

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O técnico Abel Ferreira não comandará o Palmeiras nos dois próximos jogos do Verdão. O treinador está suspenso e não poderá estar com o restante da delegação nos jogos contra o Athletico-PR, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, e São Paulo, pelas quartas de final da Copa do Brasil. Com isso, Abel só voltará à beira do gramado no duelo diante do Flamengo, no próximo sábado (8), no Allianz Parque, pelo Brasileirão.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras ‘sobra’ entre os brasileiros na fase de grupos da Libertadores nos últimos seis anosPalmeiras30/06/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras se reapresenta, e Weverton comemora recorde atingido na LibertadoresPalmeiras30/06/2023PalmeirasQue contratação! Em três meses de Palmeiras, Artur quase iguala número de gols feitos em 2022Palmeiras30/06/2023

+ Abel Ferreira deixa aberta a possibilidade de poupar titulares do Palmeiras contra o Athletico-PR

Na partida contra o Furacão, neste domingo (2), o técnico irá cumprir a punição de um jogo de suspensão determinada pelo STJD pelo episódio em que Abel tomou o celular da mão de um repórter na zona mista do Mineirão após o empate com o Atlético-MG. O Palmeiras não deve recorrer da decisão.

Diante do Tricolor, na próxima quarta-feira (5), Abel Ferreira terá que cumprir suspensão devido à expulsão no jogo contra o Fortaleza, na Arena Fonte Nova, em Salvador, nas oitavas de final. Na ocasião, o treinador português havia recebido cartão amarelo no primeiro tempo por ter reclamado dos critérios da arbitragem, e na segunda etapa levou vermelho direto. A súmula alegou que Abel teria proferido xingamentos ao árbitro Savio Pereira Sampaio.

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Com as advertências recebidas contra o Leão do Pici, o técnico chegou a50 cartões desde que assumiu o comando do Palestra, em 2020. Ao total, Abel Ferreira soma 44 cartões amarelos e oito vermelhos, o que equivale a aproximadamente um cartão a cada quatro partidas (cerca de 26%) em que comandou a equipe alviverde.

+ Palmeiras ‘sobra’ entre os brasileiros na fase de grupos da Libertadores nos últimos seis anos

O auxiliar João Martins deve comandar o Palmeiras nos dois jogos em que o português cumprirá suspensão. Nas 20 partidas em que substituiu Abel, o Verdão somou 12 vitórias, sete empates e somente uma derrota.

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Tudo sobre

Abel FerreiraPalmeiras

RCB were sloppy on the field, but the bowlers put in a good shift; only two of the six used went at over nine an over

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Apr-2025

Yashasvi Jaiswal muscles a celebration upon reaching a 35-ball fifty•BCCI

Yashasvi Jaiswal made 75 off 47 balls to carry Rajasthan Royals (RR) to a total of 173 for 4 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the first game of IPL 2025 in Jaipur.Jaiswal was able to score so quickly on a slow pitch because he had shots all around the wicket and didn’t always look for the right ball to play them. His first boundary was a prime example of this when he turned a back of a length delivery into something else by charging at Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He made good of his match-up against spin – he averages 169.5 against it since IPL 2023 with a strike rate of 148 – because he was willing to indulge in shots like the reverse sweep and the lap sweep.Just before he was dismissed, Jaiswal played the shot of the day, a scoop off Josh Hazlewood even though the bowler went wide of off stump to deny the leg side to him. While all this was happening, the batters at the other end – try as they might – could only score 47 runs in 49 balls.Sanju Samson had a difficult return to a ground where he’s had a lot of recent success. Three of his last six innings in Jaipur have been half-centuries. This one though was a struggle. He was on 5 off 11 before falling for 15 off 19.RR’s lack of batting depth might be compelling them to be a little more cautious than ideal in T20 cricket and the innings was fizzling out.Dhruv Jurel was 2 off 8 but he rallied alongside Shimron Hetmyer and Nitish Rana to help his team score 47 runs in the last four overs to take them up to 173, which is just shy of the average first-innings score (180) at Sawai Mansingh stadium over the last two years in the IPL.RCB put in a good shift with the ball, only two of the six they used went at over nine an over. Krunal Pandya got through the day with a wicket and an economy rate of just 7.25.

Leeds United’s Championship hoodoo is finally over.

After slipping up in the second-tier playoff final to Southampton at the close of the 2023/24 season, the Whites had to dust themselves down and go again, and they did just that, with 100 points successfully accumulated last campaign as the Championship title came to Elland Road.

The best possible start to life back in the big time has also just greeted Daniel Farke’s men, with new recruit Lukas Nmecha the difference maker from the penalty spot to hand Leeds a narrow 1-0 win over Everton.

There will be no resting on their laurels, however, as the Premier League newcomers look to add even more exciting signings while the busy transfer window remains open.

Leeds lead race for £43m sensation

After all, the dust has barely settled on that Monday night success, and yet Leeds are very near to completing signing number nine of a full-on summer.

As reported by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, via X, Leeds are set to announce the signing of AC Milan winger Noah Okafor for a fee around the £18m ballpark.

This capture really should boost a Leeds attack that did manage to register 21 shots on goal against the Toffees, only to be thankfully bailed out by Nmecha’s calm approach from the penalty spot.

A new striker addition could also be on the cards in the form of FC Nantes ace Matthis Albine, with Caught Offside revealing that Leeds are among the frontrunners for the Frenchman’s services, having already held talks with the 22-year-old, who is also keen on moving to West Yorkshire.

Despite stealing a vast majority of headlines after the Everton game, Nmecha could well find he’s been upgraded on if the €50m (£43m) striker does seal a switch to England shortly, on top of Joel Piroe also feeling less secure about his first-team minutes moving forward.

How Abline compares to Piroe & Nmecha

It might well feel cut-throat to insinuate that Piroe and Nmecha will fade into the background if Abline were to arrive at Elland Road imminently.

Indeed, the German has just got Leeds up and running in the unforgiving terrain of the Premier League, while his Dutch counterpart collected the Championship golden boot accolade last campaign when firing home a clinical 19 strikes.

However, both do display some worrying deficiencies in their attacking games that could hold them back from being the lethal heroes Leeds need to help survival be reached, compared to their new French target, who scored stunning strikes like this last season in Ligue 1 with ease.

Despite powering home those 19 strikes, Piroe would still manage to squander 13 big chances in the Championship – as per Sofascore – which could prove to be costly in a fight against the drop. He’s already shown signs of rust at the intimidating level, too, with an unmemorable 27 touches of the ball registered against Everton, before being taken off by Farke.

Moreover, Nmecha is just fresh off a season that was riddled with injuries at Wolfsburg, culminating in just three efforts being powered home when he was fit enough to line up for 19 Bundesliga clashes.

Away from Piroe and Nmecha displaying many downsides, however, Abline will be raring for the challenge of the Premier League if a pricey move gets off the ground before September’s deadline, having fired home a career-best total across the 2024/25 campaign for Nantes.

Abline – 24/25 Ligue 1 stats
Stat (*per game)	Record
Games	34
Goals	9
Big chances missed	6
Assists	2
Big chances created	6
Key passes*	0.8
via Sofascore

Last campaign saw Abline fire home a large chunk of his overall 16 goals for Nantes, with 11 strikes tallied up as Luis Castro’s men survived comfortably in the French top-flight in 13th spot.

The “unstoppable” forward – as he has been hailed by journalist Andres Onrubia Ramos – could well grow into even more of a lethal attacker performing for the relegation-threatened Whites, therefore, knowing now what it takes to be a dependable hero in a battle against relegation.

Throwing Abline into the mix would give Farke plenty of options in attack, with the “instinctive” finisher – as he has also been lauded by analyst Ben Mattinson – no doubt craving the tag of being Leeds’ main man week in week out, at the expense of both Piroe and Nmecha.

Based on all the evidence noted, he will certainly have a persuasive case on his side to be the Whites’ starter up top.

"Deal to be finalised soon" – £17m league winner has decided to join Leeds

The Whites are set to sign a “magnificent” player.

1

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 19, 2025

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers wants the club to bring in new attackers to bolster his options at the top end of the pitch before the end of the summer transfer window.

Speaking after the 2-0 win over Aberdeen, the boss said: “Listen, there’s no doubt that we need to reinforce the top line. There’s no doubt, I’m really pleased with where we are structurally in defensive numbers.”

He added: “But I think we need competition at the top end of the field. So, yes, for Adam, he’s a big, honest boy. He was at his best here when was really challenging with Kyogo for the position. And that is something that is important, I think, for us to get.”

This shows that the Hoops want to strengthen their options in the final third, despite winning both of their opening matches in the Scottish Premiership this season.

It will now be interesting to see where Celtic go to find reinforcements for their attack, whether they go big with a huge money signing, a player from a major league, or an unknown gem.

One of Celtic’s most successful striker signings in the last decade is Odsonne Edouard, who joined in an interesting move from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.

How Celtic hit gold with Odsonne Edouard

The Hoops swooped to bring the French marksman to the club for the 2017/18 campaign on an initial season-long loan, in what was not a marquee addition at the time due to his lack of first-team exposure.

Edouard had only played 17 matches at senior level, scoring one goal, on loan at Toulouse in the previous season, which meant that Celtic had not brought in an established star who looked primed to be a prolific scorer for the club.

The young marksman, though, did enjoy a successful season on loan with the Scottish giants with a return of 11 goals in 29 games in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, for the Hoops, which convinced the club to sign him on a permanent deal in the summer of 2018.

Celtic reportedly splashed out a record fee of £9m to sign Edouard after his loan came to an end, and that turned out to be money well spent by the Bhoys.

24/25

Daizen Maeda

33

23/24

Kyogo Furuhashi

19

22/23

Kyogo Furuhashi

34

21/22

Kyogo Furuhashi

20

20/21

Odsonne Edouard

22

19/20

Odsonne Edouard

29

18/19

Odsonne Edouard

22

As you can see in the table above, the Frenchman scored 22 goals or more in all three of his seasons at Parkhead as a permanent player, and no player has scored 20 goals or more in three successive seasons since he left.

Premier League side Crystal Palace reportedly agreed a deal worth up to £18.5m to sign the striker from Celtic in the summer of 2021, which meant that the Hoops made a significant profit on the £9m that they paid.

The Scottish giants are now reportedly looking at a potential deal to sign a player who could come in as a repeat of this Edouard masterclass, albeit in a different position.

Celtic have £13m star on their radar

According to Football Insider, Celtic and Rangers are both interested in a deal to sign AS Monaco left-back Kassoum Ouattara to bolster their respective squads.

The report claims that the Ligue 1 side are set to demand a fee of £13m to sell the player on a permanent basis, and both Scottish teams are unwilling to pay that price this summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider: “Ouattara is somebody who has emerged on their radar. Right now, the big question mark is whether it would be a loan or a permanent deal. I think if it’s a permanent deal that Monaco are only considering, that might just be too pricy for both Rangers and Celtic.

He added: “It’s not going to be a straightforward deal for Rangers or Celtic, but it’s definitely a position both clubs are looking at as they want to strengthen their options.“

This suggests that an initial loan deal with an option or an obligation to make it permanent next year, similar to the Edouard deal, could be the route for Celtic to go down.

Why Celtic should sign Kassoum Ouattara

The Hoops should push to sign the French left-back to compete with Kieran Tierney because he is an exciting young talent who could be an Edouard repeat.

Like the former Celtic marksman, the Monaco youngster would arrive at the club on an initial loan, if that is the deal they can agree, from a Ligue 1 team after only playing 16 times at first-team level last season.

Ouattara, who was hailed as “seriously talented” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is a player who has the potential to enjoy success at Parkhead in the same way that Edouard did, albeit in a different position.

In his limited game time in Ligue 1 during the 2024/25 campaign, the 20-year-old starlet showed great promise as an offensive option from left-back, whilst playing at a good level in one of Europe’s major leagues.

xA

0.29

Top 5%

Chances created

1.38

Top 17%

Successful crosses

1.62

Top 7%

Cross accuracy

41.2%

Top 9%

Successful dribbles

1.15

Top 12%

Assists

0.23

Top 9%

As you can see in the table above, Ouattara ranked highly among his positional peers when it came to creating chances for his teammates, and getting his side up the pitch with dribbles.

These statistics suggest that the youngster would be well-suited to playing in a Celtic team that dominates games week-in-week-out, given that they have won the league in each of the last four seasons and won their first two games without conceding a goal.

This means that Ouattara would have the license to constantly bomb on and attack down the left flank, overlapping the winger, to showcase his creative qualities in the final third.

Therefore, the 20-year-old talent would have the perfect platform to show other teams what he is about to attract interest from elsewhere, which is what Edouard had when he scored 22 goals or more in three straight seasons to earn a big move to Monaco.

He'd fill the Jota-shaped hole: Celtic in pursuit of signing £5m "threat"

Celtic are reportedly still in pursuit of a deal to sign a star who would fill the hole left by Jota’s injury.

ByDan Emery Aug 11, 2025

Celtic could, therefore, repeat their Edouard masterclass by signing Ouattara on loan before bringing him in permanently next year, with a view to him being sold on for a profit in the future.

It will be fascinating to see what the future holds for Manchester City attacker Jack Grealish. It certainly seems like it will be away from the Etihad Stadium, with Pep Guardiola saying earlier in the summer that “I don’t know” if he will leave.

There have been links with a move away, of course. The most recent club to enquire about the 29-year-old was Everton. It was reported earlier this week that the Toffees were keen to accelerate a deal with City over a season-long loan for the England international, although it remains to be seen if a move will progress this summer.

Instead, City could use Grealish as part of a deal to sign a long-term target, who they are once again linked with, and could be the second coming of the England international.

Man City’s Grealish solution

It has recently been reported by Brazilian journalist Jorge Nicola that City could look to use Grealish as a makeweight in a deal to sign West Ham United and Brazil attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta this summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

That would see City’s number 10 move to the London Stadium, and they manage to knock money off the £50m package the Hammers have requested for Paqueta. A player plus cash deal is something the Citizens are ‘pushing’ to do this summer.

The former Lyon midfielder has been a long-term target for Guardiola, and the club have assessed a possible transfer for the last few summers.

In theory, this part-exchange deal is smart business from City, but Grealish would also need to be open to the move to the capital, or else it would fall through.

Why Paqueta would be a good signing

At 27 years of age, Paqueta is the talisman of this West Ham side, along with captain Jarrod Bowen. Last season, the versatile Brazilian was not at his best, but when at the top of his game, he is a “magical” player, according to Statman Dave.

Indeed, it was a quiet campaign for the former Flamengo midfielder. He failed to register an assist in any competition, playing 36 games in total. He did find the back of the net five times, with four of those strikes coming in the Premier League.

Generally speaking, though, the numbers that Paqueta has put up during his West Ham career have been strong. He’s played 120 games for the Hammers, scoring 18 times and assisting a further 14.

His most memorable assist in Claret and Blue came in the Europa Conference League final, where he teed up Bowen with a perfectly-weighted through ball for the winner.

In many ways, the 27-year-old would join City as the direct replacement for Grealish. The England international does seem like he will leave the club this summer, with West Ham now seeming like a possible destination amid their move for Paqueta.

In 157 appearances as a City player, Grealish found the back of the net 17 times and assisted 23. His best season came in the treble-winning campaign of 2022/23, where he contributed 16 goal involvements.

There are similarities between both players, which could make Paqueta seem like the second coming of Grealish. Both were one of the best players at their previous, or in Paqueta’s case, current clubs. Indeed at Aston Villa, the Englishman “was the talisman and everything went through him”, as per Dave Woodhall, editor of Villa fanzine Heroes & Villains.

Their versatility is a key trait, too. Grealish has played on both wings, as a number 10, a number eight and even as a striker for City. Likewise, so has the West Ham star in East London, as well as playing as a number six.

Comparing the numbers on FBref of each player since Paqueta has been a Premier League player, it is easy to see the similarities.

For example, the Brazil star averaged 1.56 passes into the penalty box and 0.43 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, compared to Grealish’s 2.11 passes into the penalty area and 0.62 goal-creating actions each game.

Goals and assists

0.26

0.43

Passes into penalty area

1.56

2.11

Progressive passes

6.15

4.8

Goal-creating actions

0.43

0.62

Ball recoveries

6.13

4.23

Whatever way City decide to structure this deal, it seems like Paqueta could become the second coming of Grealish. There are plenty of similarities between the two, and Guardiola would love the 27-year-old to replicate the impact City’s number 10 has had at times.

For £50m, or exchanging Grealish and rescuing the fee, this is certainly an exciting deal for City fans.

Not Paqueta: Pep could land his new Iniesta at Man City in £52m “genius”

Manchester City target £52m-rated La Masia graduate dubbed the ‘Next Iniesta’

ByWill Miller Aug 4, 2025

Arsenal have emerged as the leading contenders to sign a “rising star” for Mikel Arteta this summer, amid their plethora of other potential deals, with sporting director Andrea Berta showing no sign of slowing down.

Arsenal complete signing with medical "done", announcement due "this week"

Mikel Arteta is set to welcome another player.

4 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 9, 2025

The north Londoners have already signed goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, midfielder Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard, with the latter completing his medical earlier this week (David Ornstein).

Arsenal are now attempting to bolster a host of different areas in attack after this trio of transfers, and supporters are anticipating the end of their long search for a prolific number nine, as their club close in on a deal for Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.

Chelsea’s Noni Madueke could join the Sweden international, having agreed personal terms, with Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze also holding “positive” talks to join Arsenal in a separate deal (ESPN).

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£65m

Sky Sports back that Arsenal could sign both a left-winger and Eze this summer, in what is a very exciting prospect for fans, but it plunges the futures of both Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli into serious doubt.

Eze would come in to complement Gunners captain Martin Odegaard, as per Sky this week, and his versatility means Arteta could also utilise the 27-year-old as an alternative to Bukayo Saka when required.

Saka spent months out injured midway through 2024/2025, which undoubtedly hampered Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge, so it would be useful for Arteta to have different quality options on that side.

With Berta working on multiple attacking signings already, and a move for Real Madrid’s Rodrygo also still on the cards, it does beg the question: where does FC Porto sensation Rodrigo Mora fit in?

Arsenal in pole position to sign FC Porto starlet Rodrigo Mora

The 18-year-old was a member of Portugal’s UEFA Nations League-winning squad and displayed real flashes of brilliance during FC Porto’s Club World Cup campaign – scoring a brilliant solo goal in their 4-4 draw with Al-Ahly.

Arsenal sent scouts to run the rule over Mora during his CWC outings, with the teenager emerging as “one of the most highly-rated youngsters in world football”.

That is according to Football Transfers, who state that Arsenal are now the current favourites to sign Mora, ahead of both Man City and Man United, having expressed the most significant interest so far.

The Portuguese’s contract includes a £60 million release clause, but given Berta’s pursuit of other illustrious forwards, it would be quite a move if he managed to get a transfer done this window.

Perhaps the versatile attacking midfielder could come as an alternative to Eze, following his impressive 2024/2025 haul of 12 goals and four assists in all competitions.

He’s also already a record-breaker, having become the youngest debutant in Portuguese football history two years ago.

“We now have Rodrigo Mora, who just turned 18. He’s a brilliant footballer, another rising star,” said Porto president André Villas-Boas.

“We love the game, and I believe that passion fuels the talent we see right now. Technically gifted, for sure.”

Russell Martin may not have been the appointment many Glasgow Rangers supporters wanted, but he has carried himself well when speaking to the media.

The former Southampton manager is keen to bring a positive style of play to the Light Blues ahead of next season, focusing on a high-possession, attacking philosophy that will hopefully make the club perform well domestically.

First things first, he will need new signings, and plenty, if he stands a chance of winning the Premiership title in his first season at Ibrox.

Rangers search for new signings

The Light Blues have been linked with several names recently. Defender Max Aarons is a reported target and would be a fine addition to the squad.

As has Conor Coady, who could add some experience to the heart of the defence for next season.

Bolstering his attacking department is also a priority, and names such as Dor Turgemen and Igor Matanovic have been linked with moves.

Perhaps the most interesting rumour is regarding Matija Frigan. It was reported that the Westerlo striker may cost up to £6m should Martin look to bring the player to Glasgow this summer.

Having scored 14 goals last term, it wouldn’t be a bad piece of business for sure. But does Martin have the cash available to make such signings?

Or will he be forced to cash in on some of his prized assets to fund potential transfers? Especially someone like Mohamed Diomande, who could command a massive fee.

Rangers have struck gold on Mohammed Diomande

While it may cost around £6m to sign the Croatian hitman ahead of the 2025/25 campaign, Diomande is worth over three times more due to his impressive performances.

He moved to Rangers for just £4.3m from Danish side FC Nordsjaelland in January 2024, and he emerged as a key player under Philippe Clement.

Despite the club performing poorly last term, the Ivorian was in fine form. He registered 15 goal contributions – six goals and nine assists – across 54 matches. Not only that, but the midfielder also created 11 big chances, averaged 1.1 key passes, and won 55% of his total duels per game in the top flight.

It is no wonder he was hailed as the “complete” midfielder then by analyst John Walker just last month, and he could turn out to be the club’s next big sale.

Mohamed Diomande’s stats for Rangers last season
Metric	Premiership	Europa League
Goals	4	1
Assists	7	2
Big chances created	11	3
Total duels won per game	4.3	5.3
Balls recovered per game	4.1	4.7
Via Sofascore

According to Football Transfers, Diomande is currently valued at €9.3m (£8m), and this is rising exponentially.

This means he is valued at £2m more than the reported target Frigan, but if Martin wishes to sell the Ivorian starlet, then teams may have to pay over the odds to convince the Light Blues to part ways with him.

Whatever happens in the near future, whether it is this summer or next, the Light Blues have hit the jackpot on a player who could make them a fortune given what he is now worth in comparison to the fee that they paid for his services last year.

Will the new manager cash in when the iron is hot? Or wait and see if his price increases?

Only time will tell.

Rangers' top 15 goalscorers of all time

Rangers have had plenty of natural goalscorers at Ibrox over the last 150 years.

By
Ross Kilvington

Dec 26, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur are set for a very intriguing first Premier League season under new manager Thomas Frank, but not everyone will be along for the ride.

Players who could leave Tottenham after Thomas Frank arrives

The Dane has officially taken over from Ange Postecoglou, with Frank agreeing terms on a move to Spurs earlier this week after the club triggered his £10 million release clause (Fabrizio Romano).

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By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 11, 2025

Frank is seemingly braced for a completely different challenge away from the expectations of mid-table Brentford, as Spurs gear up for a 2025/2026 campaign back in the Champions League and fresh off winning their first major trophy in 17 years.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025	Average match rating
Son Heung-min	7.00
James Maddison	6.98
Pedro Porro	6.95
Dominic Solanke	6.84
Dejan Kulusevski	6.83
via WhoScored

The 51-year-old has big shoes to fill as well, with Postecoglou earning popularity among the Spurs squad and many speaking out publicly in defence of the now-unemployed tactician.

Frank is likely to have a major influence on the club’s transfer activity as Tottenham’s latest head coach, with some reports suggesting he has already urged Daniel Levy to keep Mathys Tel (TEAMtalk).

His stance on certain other squad members is yet to be made clear, but we’ll find out in due course, as a fair few of them face uncertain futures.

Manor Solomon and Bryan Gil are surely likely to be sold this summer, after spending 2024/2025 on loan at Leeds United and Girona respectively, while uncertainty also surrounds the long-term future of Richarlison amid interest from Everton (Sky Sports).

A lot of noise is centered around star defender Cristian Romero right now too.

Romero is a top target for Atlético Madrid, and some reports suggest that the 27-year-old is equally keen on joining Diego Simeone’s side, despite Tottenham’s qualification for the Champions League (Marca).

Alongside Romero, another big name in long-serving £190,000-per-week captain Son Heung-min could also make an emotional departure.

The Telegraph first broke news that this year could be Son’s last at Spurs, with clubs in Saudi Arabia said to be expressing an interest.

Son Heung-min exit from Tottenham on the cards as agents hold Saudi talks

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, speaking to The Boot Room, Saudi Pro League sides have held talks with the agents of Son, who may well leave Spurs 10 years after signing from Bayer Leverkusen.

Bailey goes on to say that Son may well have played his last game for Tottenham, even if his exit isn’t exactly nailed on just yet.

“Son could very well have played his last game for Tottenham, and well, if it was the Europa League final, it would be fitting,” said Bailey.

“I am told he still believes he is more than capable of recapturing his best form – but Spurs are ready to make moves this summer and Son leaving could materialise.”

The 32-year-old’s contract expires in 2026 after Levy took up the option to extend it by a further year, but it is now or never for them to make any money off Son’s sale.

That being said, a player of his experience and quality would be invaluable to have around for Frank’s first season at the club, so this comes as an extremely tough decision. Son’s also been called the most “underrated” player in England during his time in N17.

It appears as though Steven Gerrard is in the running to be the next manager of Glasgow Rangers.

His previous spell between 2018 and 2021 saw the Ibrox side win their first Premiership title since 2011 before he left for Aston Villa.

He was savvy in the transfer market, bringing in a mix of young players with plenty of potential and experienced professionals who were ready to make an immediate impact.

One of his most underrated signings was Jermain Defoe, who enjoyed a productive Indian summer to his career in Glasgow.

Jermain Defoe’s Rangers statistics

The Englishman arrived at Rangers in January 2018 on an 18-month loan deal, scoring on his debut against Kilmarnock.

He ended up with eight goals during his first six months, before netting 17 across 32 games the following season. In January 2020, he signed a pre-contract agreement to join the club permanently and went on to play a bit-part role in the 2020/21 title-winning campaign.

Games

20

Goals

13

Goals per game

0.7

Scoring frequency (minutes)

77

Minutes per game

50 minutes

Defoe scored only five times all season, but he won his first-ever domestic title in the process. He left Ibrox less than six months later, but the veteran striker was great to have around the training ground, offering advice and encouragement to the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe.

While the transfer strategy has changed over the years, if Gerrard is appointed as manager, could he make a similar sort of signing in Jamie Vardy this summer?

An English centre-forward with a host of experience in the Premier League, looking for one final crack at the big time. It makes sense when you think about it…

Why Rangers should sign Jamie Vardy

Ally McCoist has stated his desire to see Vardy in a Rangers’ shirt next season, and given the fact he is soon to be a free agent, a prospective move could be closer than many think.

Vardy will leave Leicester City this summer after 13 years, making his 500th appearance for the club last week while netting his 200th goal for the Foxes.

It has been a remarkable career in the Premier League for the Englishman and he was even named as a “living legend” by manager Ruud van Nistelrooy recently.

He might be 38, but a season or two in Scotland could still see him finding the back of the net on a regular basis, especially if used as an impact sub.

The striker – who has ten goals to his name this term, including nine in the league – has managed to create six big chances in the top flight, having a goal conversion percentage of 16% and averaging 1.7 shots per game.

Not excellent statistics by any stretch of the imagination, but for Rangers, he could certainly replicate the feats of Defoe should the Ibrox side come calling this summer.

It may go against the club’s ethos of prioritising younger talents, but Vardy would offer something different in the final third.

That something might just make all the difference towards the end of the season. That’s for sure.

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