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“Workload management and the core strength in the body are going to be the key – but do not overbowl him”

ESPNcricinfo staff16-May-20234:28

Bishop: My heart goes out to Archer, but he will have to be carefully managed

Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the English summer, including the Ashes, after the ECB confirmed a recurrence of the stress fracture in his right elbow.Concerns about Archer’s fitness were raised earlier this month when he flew home early from his IPL stint with Mumbai Indians, having already taken time out of the tournament to visit a specialist in Belgium. Prior to his comeback for England in South Africa earlier this year, he had not played for the country in almost two years, following a succession of elbow and back problems.And now, it has been confirmed that he will miss out on the entirety of this summer’s Ashes campaign, which begins at Edgbaston on June 16, and concludes six weeks later at the Kia Oval. England still harbour hopes, however, that he could yet be fit to help defend their 50-over World Cup title, when the tournament begins in India in October.Related

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“It has been a frustrating and upsetting period for Jofra Archer,” Rob Key, England’s managing director of men’s cricket said. “He was making good progress until a recurrence of the elbow injury, which kept him out for an extended period previously. We wish him the best of luck with his recovery. I’m sure we will see Jofra back to his best and winning games for England, whatever the format. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.”At the moment, all cricket’s been too much for his body to cope with and we need to get past that,” Key added. “I do think you see these times when someone like Jofra, he’s like a Formula One car almost, and he goes through the period he’s been through which has been really tough and then you think you’re getting to the point where he can come back and be able to play, and there’s another setback.”But you just hope that down the line he will overcome this, that body will get robust enough to be able to deal with the rigours of everything. And I wouldn’t sit here now and rule anything out. And as you then get through and start solving this problem for Jofra, then you can start making those decisions. But I don’t see the point in doing that at the moment.”Archer played five games for Mumbai this season, bowling his full quota in each game, picking up a couple of wickets and conceding 9.5 runs per over. Key defended the decision to let him play in the IPL, saying he wouldn’t have changed anything in the way Archer’s return has been managed.”When something like this happens, you look at every single thing,” Key said. “You look at the whole thing we had in place right before Christmas, when we had everything mapped out for how we wanted him back to get ready to play in the Ashes and the World Cup. When you get to this point and he can’t do it, you start to look at that.”But the fact is, he’s not been able to bowl more than four overs without feeling any sort of pain. Regardless of the way that we’ve gone, whether it has been right or wrong, I don’t think I’d change anything because you’re getting to the point where he’s actually had an issue that we need to just solve now.”We’re going to look at every single thing we’ve done. Everything we’ve done has been what we thought was the right thing for the player first, not actually for anyone else. Just what was the best way for him to have the best career he could possibly have. And that’s not worked out.”Key remains confident that Archer will return to England colours, despite this latest setback now meaning that he will have missed the last three English summers. He’s played four ODIs and three T20Is in 2023 and though he played his last Test for England in February 2021 Key hasn’t ruled Test cricket in the future.”People like Pat Cummins missed a lot of cricket at the early stage of his career. Now Australia have seen the benefit – he’s been able to put season after season together. I’m hoping at some point Jofra, who deserves a bit of luck to be honest, because the poor lad, who is pretty distraught with what’s happened, you just hope that luck turns for him at some point.”The one thing I’ll say about Jofra. You sometimes read and you sometimes get the feeling that people think he’s going to go down a white-ball road, that he’s not interested in Test cricket, that there are other things on his mind that come first. That’s absolutely not the case. He is desperate to play all forms of cricket. He’s desperate to play Test cricket as well. And I hope that he gets the chance to do that.”It’s going to be a fairly taxing road to go down to get this fixed and get this sorted, but I’m sure we’ll see him back at some point.”A return to red-ball cricket is not, however, what Ian Bishop thinks Archer needs. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s podcast” a little while before Archer was officially ruled out, Bishop looked back to the Ashes of 2019 – the only time Archer has played the marquee series – when he bowled 156 overs across four Tests. With James Anderson out after the first Test and Chris Woakes, the third quick, not bowling too much, Stuart Broad had the second-largest workload among the England quicks in those four Tests, bowling 130.3 overs.”There was a period when Jofra was overbowled. I sat there watching it, and I’m thinking: what madness is this, that you are going to give this guy over after over,” Bishop said. “You almost – I’m sorry to use this statement, I don’t know how else to say it – you are killing the goose that lays the golden egg for you.”It [Jofra’s] is a good action. I wake up in the morning – and I’ve said this to ESPNcricinfo before – if I hear Jofra Archer’s bowling, I snap out of my sleep, because I love the athleticism of the run-up, the high action, it’s poetry in motion. But once he got overbowled and sustained from stress workload, those little injuries, it’s always going to be hard no matter how good the action is.

“Any fast bowler is, with all these formats that we have now, going to pick it [injuries] up somewhere along the line. So workload management – as much as we hate it – and strengthening the core strength in the body is going to be the key. But do not overbowl them”Ian Bishop

“Any fast bowler is, with all these formats that we have now, going to pick it [injuries] up somewhere along the line,” Bishop said. “So workload management – as much as we hate it – and strengthening the core strength in the body is going to be the key. But do not overbowl them.”I personally feel that I would not allow Jofra to think about red-ball cricket, at least for a while in the next couple of seasons. It’s too much.”

In what would be one of the bargain deals of the summer, Newcastle United are now reportedly in contact with a Premier League-winning winger who Pep Guardiola loves.

Newcastle offered chance to complete attack

It’s a big summer ahead for the Magpies, who have sat back in fear of PSR sanctions in the previous two windows. Leaving Eddie Howe to make do with his current squad, those at St James’ Park have watched on as his side have struggled to maintain their Champions League ambitions and grow desperate for reinforcements.

At long last, things could change this summer. PIF’s spending power could be unleashed, but that may yet come with a sacrifice in the form of a star player. In order to break free of their PSR problems, Newcastle may need to sell before they can buy and amid growing interest in the likes of Alexander Isak, Howe could have to lose his key man for the sake of an improved squad.

Of course, the flip side is that the Magpies could instead look to act with a bit more discretion once again this summer all whilst adding the reinforcements they’ve been crying out for. And that could see one particular deal emerge.

According to The Boot Room, Newcastle have now been contacted with the chance to sign Leroy Sane on a free deal following the end of his Bayern Munich deal this summer, with agents reaching out to the Magpies and other top English clubs.

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A two-time Premier League winner at Manchester City, the German has endured a mixed spell at Bayern Munich. At his best though, there’s no doubt that he would complete Newcastle’s attack alongside Isak and Anthony Gordon. The prospect of those three combining at St James’ Park is a mouth-watering one, to say the least.

Meanwhile, at a bargain price, the Magpies could welcome Sane without having to worry about players heading for the exit door this summer.

"Incredible" Sane could make Premier League return

With his Bayern deal coming to an end at 29 years old, the Premier League could yet see the return of Sane courtesy of those in Tyneside. A far more experienced player these days, the winger could take English football by storm for a second time and rediscover his best form following a frustrating campaign in Germany’s top flight.

Last time out, the German found himself at the centre of praise from around the Premier League, including from Pep Guardiola. The Manchester City boss dubbed Sane the best winger in the world, telling reporters in 2019: “Playing in the middle he can do it. But I think he’s better out wide.

“I’m not saying he can’t (play in middle) but at the moment we have better players to do that job. But Leroy is best playing in the world out wide. I’d prefer to use him where he is strongest, he’s an incredible player.”

A move back to the league that saw him steal plenty of headlines may well see Sane return to his best, having scored just eight goals and assisted another four in the current campaign.

The Fulham fullback will now undergo a period of rehabilitation ahead of the 2025-26 Premier League season

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Robinson undergoes knee surgeryDefender beginning rehab ahead of the 25-26 seasonFullback was not named to USMNT Gold Cup training camp rosterFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

English Premier League side Fulham have announced that U.S. men's national team defender Antonee Robinson underwent successful minor right knee surgery on Tuesday and will now be undergoing a period of rehabilitation over the summer in order to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season.

Robinson, 27, was not named to Mauricio Pochettino's CONCACAF Gold Cup training camp roster, with the U.S. manager saying the federation spoke with Fulham about what the best decision to make was for the player this summer.

"We were considerate and talked with the medical staff and the staff from Fulham about the situation," Pochettino said after announcing his roster last week. "He was visiting different specialists, and it's still not clear, the situation. I'm no doctor to explain the problem that he has, but it's a player who hasn't been training much over the last few months…He's only been competing on the weekend, and then, next weekend, they'll see if he can play or not. I saw it as a big risk and, in this moment, we need to consider and pay attention to the advice of the medical staff and, of course, Fulham."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The 27-year-old defender last appeared for the U.S. in November 2024 in the Nations League semifinals against Jamaica. Under Pochettino, Robinson has made four appearances, recording one assist while logging four starts.

Robinson has made 136 appearances for the in the Premier League, recording 17 assists while earning 25 clean sheets along the way. In the 2024-25 season, he had a breakout year in the final third, recording 10 assists as a defender.

WHAT ROBINSON SAID

The U.S. fullback posted an update on social media platform Instagram, saying he will "come back stronger."

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ROBINSON?

The 27-year-old will be recovering over the summer to prepare for the 2025-26 campaign, which begins in August. He'll also be keeping a keen eye on the performances of his USMNT teammates at the Gold Cup this summer, as the U.S. seek their first title in the tournament since 2021.

But there is the matter of the lights and the pink ball – Australia have a perfect ten-in-ten record in day-night Tests

Andrew McGlashan07-Dec-2022Big pictureThe Frank Worrell trophy remains in Australia’s hands, as it has since 1995, and there was hardly any doubt it would be that way although they were made to work for their victory in Perth. It is that fact, the fight West Indies showed, which offers hope that the now traditional day-night Test in Adelaide may not be a walkover for Australia.However, it will only be a contest if West Indies find a way to break through Australia’s batting. Six wickets was the sum total of their efforts at Optus Stadium and a few of those came at times of little consequence. The one glimmer was the spell from Alzarri Joseph to Marnus Labuschagne, but such bursts have to translate into wickets.Related

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Still, the performance of captain Kraigg Brathwaite should be inspiring – his second-innings century was worth a debate about being his best in Test cricket – and the debut of Tagenarine Chanderpaul was highly encouraging. If others can follow their lead then there is the basis of being competitive, although the day-night element of this game throws up new challenges.One byproduct of the fight shown by West Indies in the opening Test is that already eyes are being drawn towards the workload of Australia’s quicks. Pat Cummins has been ruled out with the quad strain he picked up, which means, for the second year running, he misses the Adelaide Test with Steven Smith taking on the captaincy. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood also racked up the overs. For that duo, it’s not so much this outing that is the concern, but the fact that Australia’s entire Test summer is crammed into a little more than five weeks.It would, however, be one of the bigger upsets if West Indies – who themselves have a number of injury concerns – were able to level the series. In a way, though, it’s about the strides they can make in a series such as this. “Stay in the fight as long as possible,” assistant coach Roddy Estwick said. Australia should win, and probably will, but West Indies can make it as tough as possible for them.Recent formAustralia WLWWD
West Indies LWWWDIn the spotlightDavid Warner will feel he missed out in Perth. After dragging on early on the opening day and then watching Labuschagne and Smith pile up 200s, he got himself a base in the second innings before edging Roston Chase to short leg. Barring injury, his 100th Test will arrive against South Africa at the MCG and his future in the format remains very much in his hands, but an average of 22.78 in 2022 is lean. On a ground where he averages 76.86, albeit not all of that against the pink ball, he will hope for a substantial return.Alzarri Joseph raised the pitch in the first Test with a hostile spell on the fourth day•Getty ImagesEven if Alzarri Joseph had not overstepped against Labuschagne it would not have been enough to change the game, but his spell on the fourth day did raise the question of what could have been, or what could be. He was said to be under the weather during an underwhelming first-innings display and that it would be unfair to judge him on that, so instead remember the pace and fire of his later spell. His career-best remains 3 for 33 but the belief in the team is that a breakthrough haul is close.Team newsScott Boland returns in place of the injured Cummins as the one change in the Australia XI.Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Nathan Lyon, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Scott BolandWest Indies will wait until the morning of the game to give their injured players as much time as possible. Kemar Roach (hamstring) and Jayden Seales (knee) are both concerns, which means Marquino Mindley could debut 48 hours after arriving from Jamaica. Kyle Mayers won’t be able to bowl.West Indies (possible) 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 3 Shamarh Brooks, 4 Kyle Mayers, 5 Jermaine Blackwood, 6 Jason Holder, 7 Joshua Da Silva (wk), 8 Roston Chase, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Kemar Roach/Anderson Phillip, 11 Jayden Seales/Marquino MindleyPitch and conditionsIt is expected to be a typical Adelaide day-night pitch. Curator Damien Hough said he had left the standard 8mm of grass on the surface. The cool, damp spring has made preparations tricky, so it remains to be seen how much pace is in the pitch – the drop-in was only put into place last week following a Guns N’ Roses concert. The forecast is set fair and the temperature will warm up on Saturday. “This surface offers a bit to everyone,” Smith said. “There’s a bit of seam, if you bat well you can score runs and it offers some spin. Looks no different this year to the last couple of years.”Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul were impressive in the first Test•Getty ImagesStats and trivia Jermaine Blackwood will play his 50th Test Australia have a ten-in-ten record in day-night Tests Nathan Lyon needs one wicket to be the leading bowler in Adelaide, overtaking Shane Warne, while he and Smith need to combine one more time to go ahead of Warne and Mark Taylor as the most successful fielder-bowler combination for Australia. Lyon also needs four wickets for 450 in Tests If Smith scores another hundred, he will equal Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Matthew Hayden on 30Quotes”Bit more time to prepare for this game than last year. That was a bit chaotic. We are in a good place, played some good cricket last week, hopefully we can continue it here and continue our pink-ball form.”
“It’s very inspiring. For a long while we are close friends… he really came and showed that he had that hunger and determination to score that century. As a batting unit we have a lot to learn from that.”

كشف الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم “يويفا” عن الفائز بجائزة أفضل لاعب شاب في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا 2024-2025.

وتوج باريس سان جيرمان بطلاً لدوري أبطال أوروبا لأول مرة في تاريخه، على حساب نظيره إنتر ميلان الإيطالي.

واكتسح باريس سان جيرمان خصمه إنتر ميلان، بخمسة أهداف دون مقابل، على ملعب “آليانز آرينا” في ميونخ.

وتم اختيار ديزيري دوي لاعب باريس سان جيرمان، كأفضل لاعب شاب في دوري أبطال أوروبا 2024-2025.

اقرأ أيضًا | يويفا يعلن أفضل لاعب في دوري أبطال أوروبا 2024-2025

وأوضحت مجموعة المراقبين الفنيين بالاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم: “كان دوي بمثابة اكتشافٍ مذهل هذا الموسم”.

وأضافت: “لقد حقق إنجازًا مذهلاً في الأدوار الإقصائية، حيث وصل إلى النهائي وقدّم أداءً رائعًا في المباراة ليلة السبت، ليصبح أول لاعب مراهق يسجل هدفين في مباراة نهائية، من الرائع أن يكون لدينا قدوة تُشجع اللاعبين الشباب الآخرين على التألق في المستقبل”.

وقال دوي: “لا أصدق ما حدث، لقد صنعنا تاريخًا للنادي في كرة القدم الفرنسية، وفي كرة القدم الأوروبية، لقد كان موسمًا رائعًا، نحن فريق رائع جماعيًا، وقد أثبتنا ذلك، لا يزال عليّ أن أدرك أننا فزنا بدوري أبطال أوروبا وأعدنا كتابة تاريخ هذا النادي، إنه لأمر رائع حقًا”.

🏆 Désiré Doué named 2024/25 UEFA Champions League Young Player of the Season 💫#UCL | @PSG_inside pic.twitter.com/WiKBQvPkzb

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 1, 2025

حسم النادي الأهلي بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز لموسم 2024-2025 رسميًا، بعد فوزه الكبير على فاركو بنتيجة 6-0 في اللقاء الذي جمعهما مساء اليوم على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثامنة من مرحلة الحسم.

وواصل المهاجم الدولي الفلسطيني وسام أبو علي تألقه اللافت، بعدما سجل “سوبر هاتريك” تاريخي في شباك فاركو، ليقود المارد الأحمر نحو منصة التتويج بأقدامه، ويخطف الأضواء كواحد من أبرز نجوم المرحلة الأخيرة من المسابقة.

افتتح وسام أبو علي التسجيل مبكرًا في الدقيقة 10، مستغلًا تمريرة متقنة داخل منطقة الجزاء، قبل أن يضيف الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 33 بعد تحرك ذكي وانفراد صريح بالمرمى.

وفي الشوط الثاني، استكمل تألقه بهدفين متتاليين في الدقيقتين 61 و66، أنهى بهما آمال فاركو تمامًا في العودة للمباراة.

وفي الدقيقة 75 أطلق حسين الشحات قذيفة مدوية بعد هجمة منظمة مسجلًا الهدف الخامس في اللقاء.

وفي الدقيقة 93 ظهر إمام عاشور هداف الدوري ليسجل الهدف السادس للأهلي والثالث عشر له هذا الموسم، بعد هجمة رائعة للكتيبة الحمراء.

وشهد اللقاء حالة طرد مؤثرة لصالح فاركو، بعدما أشهر الحكم أمين عمر البطاقة الحمراء في وجه محمد سعيد شيكا عند الدقيقة 56، عقب تدخّل قوي ومراجعة تقنية الفيديو “VAR”، مما زاد من صعوبة مهمة الفريق السكندري أمام طوفان الأهلي الهجومي.

طرد مباشر لـ حارس فاركو أمام الأهلي في الدوري المصري

بهذا الانتصار، رفع الأهلي رصيده إلى 58 نقطة، حاسمًا لقب الدوري، بفارق نقطتين عن بيراميدز صاحب المركز الثاني، والذي كان يترقب تعثر حامل اللقب.

وتُوّج الأهلي بدرع الدوري رقم 45 في تاريخه، ليواصل تعزيز رقمه القياسي كأكثر الأندية تتويجًا باللقب في مصر، ويضيف بطولة جديدة لخزائنه بعد موسم شهد تقلبات فنية وتحديات في جدول المباريات والمنافسة مع بيراميدز والزمالك.

الجدير بالذكر أن الموسم الحالي من الدوري المصري أقيم بنظام استثنائي، حيث تم تقسيم الفرق إلى مجموعتين في الدور الثاني؛ مجموعة لحسم اللقب وأخرى للصراع على البقاء، وذلك بهدف ضغط الجدول وتقليل عدد المباريات بسبب الارتباطات المحلية والقارية.

ويُعد هذا التتويج تتويجًا لموسم شهد صبرًا وتطورًا واضحًا في أداء الفريق، مع بروز أكثر من اسم لامع في تشكيل الأهلي، يتصدرهم المهاجم الفلسطيني وسام أبو علي، الذي حفر اسمه بأربعة أهداف حاسمة في ليلة تتويج لا تُنسى.

When it comes to Tottenham Hotspur stars of the last 15 years or so, people will understandably name the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min for the utterly sensational partnership under Mauricio Pochettino and beyond.

However, while they’re both undoubtedly legends of the club and icons of the league, it could be argued that neither one was quite as magnificent as Gareth Bale in his absolute prime.

The Welsh international took a little while to make his mark on the club, but in the few years prior to his world-record transfer to Real Madrid, he was without question one of the very best players in world football.

In fact, his final campaign for the club, in the 12/13 season, could be put forward as one of the best any player has ever had in English football, as he racked up a bonkers haul of 26 goals and ten assists while playing primarily in left-midfield, and some of the goals were utterly sublime to boot.

It would be fair to say that the Cardiff-born legend was a once-in-a-lifetime type of player, and while the Lilywhites might never have a winger quite as devastating as him, recent reports have linked the club with a youngster who could be something close to their next Bale.

Tottenham targeting their next Gareth Bale

According to a recent report from the Telegraph, Tottenham are incredibly interested in Southampton star Tyler Dibling.

Transfer Focus

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The report has revealed that the Lilywhites have already held talks over the teenage sensation and would ideally like to sign him this month, but are also discussing an agreement to bring him to the club in the summer.

A potential price the Lilywhites would have to pay for the exciting talent isn’t mentioned in the story, but other reports from earlier this month claim that the Saints value him at a whopping £55m and that several other sides like Chelsea, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Leipzig are also all keen on the player.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line for Spurs, but given Dibling’s immense ability and massive potential, it’s undoubtedly one worth fighting for, especially as there are some similarities between him and Bale.

Why Dibling could be Spurs' next Bale

So, there are a few reasons why Dibling could be Spurs’ next Bale and the first is the simple fact that, like the Welsh icon, he’d be joining the club from Southampton as an exciting teenage prospect.

The Lilywhites signed the future Champions League winner from the Saints when he was just 17 years old, and like the talent they are chasing today, they paid what was seen as slightly over the odds at the time, a fee of £5m rising to £10m.

Moreover, similar to the South Coast side’s current young star, the Cardiff-born dynamo was a highly sought-after prospect, with Arsenal and Manchester United both credited with an interest in him prior to his move to N17.

Now, in terms of their similarity on the pitch, it’s a little complicated.

At the time of his transfer, and for some years after, Bale was primarily used as an attacking full-back, but thanks to the genius of Harry Redknapp, he was eventually moved up to wide midfield and the wing, where he’d go on to terrorise opposition defenders with his direct style of play, brutal shot power and underrated range of passes.

The Saints’ current teenage sensation has thankfully been playing in his best role for much of his short senior career already, albeit on the opposite flank, and while it would be absurd to expect a similar level of output out of him as the man whose footsteps he could follow in, he’s already proving to be a handful for defenders.

For example, in just 24 appearances, totalling 1505 minutes, the “special” prospect, as dubbed by former professional turned pundit Danny Murphy, has scored four goals and provided two assists.

Tyle Dibling’s 24/25

Appearances

24

Starts

17

Minutes

1505

Goals

4

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.25

Minutes per Goal Involvement

250.83′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

That means he is averaging a goal involvement every four games, or every 250.83 minutes, which is only made all the more impressive by his age and the fact he is doing so in a team that could go down as the worst in Premier League history.

Ultimately, Dibling looks like he will develop into a superstar a few years from now, and even though he’ll cost a lot of money, Spurs should do all they can to sign him, as he might just be their next Bale.

Related The next Kane: Spurs ask about signing "phenomenal" Solanke rival on loan

The exceptional talent could be just what Spurs need to challenge Solanke.

Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 28, 2025

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement might not be in charge at Ibrox for the majority of the January transfer window, especially if the club suffers yet another defeat to Celtic on Thursday afternoon.

The Premiership title race will definitely be over should this occur, but given the fact the Gers are currently trailing their rivals by 14 points, and it isn’t even January yet, many of the supporters believe that the manager should have been sacked already.

Whatever happens over the next few weeks, the Light Blues must bring in some quality during the winter window to bolster the side. Not only that, but several members of the side need to be moved on.

Naturally, the rumour mill has already started with regard to potential incomings and one player that has been linked recently is shining in the Championship.

Rangers showing an interest in signing Championship midfielder

According to journalist Graeme Bailey,, Rangers have an interest in signing Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill on a pre-contract agreement next month.

The Englishman is about to enter the final six months of his current deal with the Turf Moor side, which means clubs can offer him a contract when the January window opens.

Bailey claims in the report that Lazio and Fiorentina have both made pre-contract offers to the midfielder, while English clubs such as Everton, West Ham United and Brentford will have to wait until the summer to make an approach for the player.

Celtic are also showing interest, and it is clear that the Light Blues have plenty of competition if they wish to bring Brownhill north of the border, especially with Premier League sides and clubs from the continent sniffing around.

Transfer Focus

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

Over the years, the Gers have had some success with signing players on a pre-contract when the winter window opens. The likes of Dado Prso, Jean-Alain Boumsong and John Souttar moved to Rangers this way in the past.

If the club do manage to sign the Burnley star, however, it could turn out to be a repeat of the move to sign Scott Arfield back in 2018, who moved to Scotland once his contract expired.

Scott Arfield’s Rangers statistics

Arfield became one of Steven Gerrard’s first signings when he moved to Ibrox and, given the fact that he had played nearly 200 games for Burnley, with 86 of these coming in the Premier League, the move was an inspired one.

During his first season, the Scottish-born Canadian international midfielder registered 19 goal contributions – 12 goals and seven assists – across 46 matches, adding some much-needed dynamism in the final third.

This would be a recurring theme during his spell with the club, as Arfield would add quality whenever he was called upon, endearing himself to the supporters in the process.

Overall, Arfield made a total of 233 competitive appearances for the Light Blues, scoring 43 goals and chipping in with 19 assists. He was a key part of the teams that won the Premiership title in 2021 and the Scottish Cup a year later.

He left at the end of the 2022/23 season following the expiration of his contract, but there was no doubting how good a signing Arfield was for the club, especially with his impact on the pitch.

Brownhill could certainly offer the same sort of qualities that Arfield did during his time in Scotland and if the Gers could bring him in for free, it would be a wise piece of transfer business. That’s a certainty.

Why Josh Brownhill would be a good signing for Rangers

Before moving to Burnley in January 2020, Brownhill was a key player at Bristol City, and he once earned some interesting praise from Lee Johnson, his former manager at the club, back in 2019.

Since moving to Turf Moor, the midfielder has been impressive for the club, making 111 appearances in the Premier League during that time.

Burnley suffered relegation last season, but in the Championship this term, the 29-year-old has been in excellent form. Not only has he missed just one league match all season, but the midfielder has found the back of the net on nine occasions, while grabbing three assists in the process.

Brownhill has also created three big chances in the second tier along with averaging one key pass and averaging 1.9 shots per game, indicating how vital he has become for the club in the final third.

When compared to his positional peers in the Championship this term, the former Bristol City star currently ranks in the top 1% for non-penalty goals (0.32), in the top 9% for total shots (1.9) and in the top 11% for touches in the opposition penalty area (2.44) per 90.

These statistics prove he is among one of the finest midfielders in the Championship, especially with regard to these attacking metrics, and he could be a wonderful addition to the Rangers team.

Building a squad which has excellent depth is now the main priority for the club, with players such as Kieran Dowell clearly not good enough to be squad members.

Bringing in someone like Brownhill, who has a wealth of experience in England, would allow the Gers to sign a quality midfielder for nothing. He may be nearing the end of his career rather than the start, but when finances are tight, making new signings who don’t cost a penny could be the way forward.

Not just Dessers: Rangers star who's in a "rut" is costing Clement his job

Rangers title hopes appear to be over after more dropped points in the Premiership

By
Ross Kilvington

Dec 30, 2024

Manchester United’s attack has been satisfactory at best during the opening months of 2024/25, struggling to provide the goods in the final third – leading to their lowly Premier League standing.

Marcus Rashford is somehow the Red Devils’ top scorer in the league alongside Bruno Fernandes, despite not featuring since the first week of December in the defeat against Nottingham Forest.

Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee are the two other senior strikers currently at Ruben Amorim’s disposal but have only managed to score a combined five goals between them in the league to date.

As a result, their tally of 23 goals scored is the fifth-lowest in the division, showcasing how desperately they need to bolster the frontline throughout this month.

Randal Kolo Muani has been widely named as one of the targets on United’s shortlist, but given his lack of goals, which has only seen him net twice this season – they desperately need to look at alternative targets instead.

The hierarchy could subsequently move for one player who’s appeared back on their radar over recent days.

Man Utd target deal to land PL star

According to GIVEMESPORT, United are one of a number of top-flight sides currently monitoring the progress of Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha ahead of a possible move.

The 25-year-old has already registered ten goals in 19 matches despite the lack of form from the West Midlands outfit – easily being the most impressive player at Molineux in recent months.

However, Arsenal and Spurs are just two other sides keeping up with the Brazilian in 2024/25, also pondering a potential move for his signature.

The report also states that should a deal not be completed this window, the forward will be available for just £45m in the summer if Vitor Pereira’s side suffer relegation to the Championship.

Despite the links to Cunha, rumours continue to persist over a move for another attacker plying his trade in England’s top flight, with both undoubtedly improving the options at Amorim’s disposal.

Why Cunha would be better than Mbeumo for Man United

Kolo Muani has been on the club’s shortlist in recent months, but given a temporary move looks the most likely for the Frenchman – the United hierarchy should look for a permanent solution to the goalscoring issue this month.

As a result, Brentford’s Bryan Mbuemo has been another name touted over a move to Old Trafford – unsurprisingly, given his recent form for the Bees during 2024/25.

The Cameroonian has scored 13 times in 20 Premier League matches, with his goalscoring form certainly providing Amorim with the added ammunition he so desperately needs.

However, given the 3-4-2-1 system and Mbeumo’s usual role of a right-sided winger not being included in such a formation, it may see the former Troyes star be wasted at Old Trafford.

When comparing the Brentford ace to Cunha, the Brazilian has dominated the Bees man in various areas throughout the ongoing season, highlighting what a superb addition he would be for the Red Devils.

Games played

19

20

Goals & assists

14

16

Progressive carries

3.9

3.2

Progressive passes

4.1

4

Shots-on-target

1.2

0.8

Pass accuracy

72%

70%

Take-ons completed

2.3

1.3

Aerials won

33%

29%

Cunha, who’s previously been dubbed a “monster” by current teammate Joao Gomes, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but has produced more progressive carries and passes per 90 – showcasing his creative ability, aiding his potential new teammates at Old Trafford.

He’s also achieved more shots on target per 90 along with more dribbles completed, making him the perfect player to feature in behind the striker or at the top end of the pitch under Amorim.

Regardless of whether it be this month or in the summer, £45m for a player of Cunha’s quality would be an absolute bargain – one that would certainly improve the attacking output of the side.

The likes of Kolo Muani and Mbeumo are names that the club should stay away from, with the Wolves ace having the skill set and the technical ability to be the perfect fit for United in the years ahead.

He's like Vinicius Jr: Man Utd chasing exciting £33m Rashford upgrade

Manchester United may have already found the perfect Marcus Rashford replacement.

ByEthan Lamb Jan 10, 2025

Cristiano Ronaldo remains Portugal greatest asset, says Louis Saha, and will be a 2026 World Cup threat because he has “same heart as a 20-year-old”.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Still going strong at the age of 40
• Remains captain of his country
• Expected to grace another World Cup

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Questions have been asked of whether Ronaldo should be figuring as prominently for his country at 40 years of age as he did when performing at the peak of his powers. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner recently captained Portugal as they booked their place in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He has reached 219 caps for his country, scoring 136 goals, and is still going strong at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. Various options are being mooted for CR7 as his contract in the Middle East runs down, but he is expected to grace another World Cup finals next summer.

• WHAT LOUIS SAHA SAID

  Ex-Manchester United striker Saha sees no reason why his former team-mate should not figure prominently at that event, telling : “I think that he's still got the same heart as a 20-year-old. He expresses every emotion. His desire is there, and I hope that he can still prove that he can help. That is what he did (against Denmark). I’m very impressed by him being in that kind of form at this age. It's an enormous achievement.

  “He has provided some interviews lately saying that he just wants to be there. He just wants to participate and to be an asset for Portugal and for any team that he's playing for. So yes, who would not want that guy to still score goals and still help his country to lift trophies? I'm a big, big supporter.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Pressed further on whether Ronaldo will be remembered as the GOAT when the day finally comes for him to head into retirement, Saha added: “I think, yes, it's for me the one that I always said that he's the most complete player. In that regard, it's someone that can do everything on the field. Physically and football, IQ combined and all this, yes, as a player. As a player, he is the best version of a football player if you want to start any game at any level.

  “But if you want to have a bit different style because you have a team of other, talented players, you can maybe look at others. But as a machine, as a robot, he is the closest version.”