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Liverpool have made an approach for a Premier League player and Marc Guehi alternative – one who has been hailed for his “ambitious” nature.

Guehi "extremely unhappy" after failed Liverpool move

The Reds completed a superb summer transfer window by signing Alexander Isak from Newcastle United for a British record fee of £125m, but it could have been even better.

It looked as though Liverpool would also snap up Guehi, agreeing a long-term move with the Englishman, only to see Crystal Palace deny him his move at the eleventh hour. Manager Oliver Glasner reportedly threatened to quit if the 25-year-old was sold to the Reds, with the Eagles not having enough centre-back depth without him.

It has made for an ugly situation, with Guehi thought to be “extremely unhappy” at the situation, according to journalist Ed Aarons, and he is now unlikely to sign a new deal ahead of his current contract expiring next summer. That will then allow him to depart on a free transfer.

Liverpool may need to look at different defenders looking ahead, should they feel that their chance of signing Guehi has been and gone, and another Premier League player has been linked with a move to Anfield.

Liverpool make approach for Nathan Collins

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool have made an approach for Brentford captain Nathan Collins, potentially seeing him as a different option to Guehi moving forward. It’s worth stressing that a formal offer hasn’t been lodged, but the Premier League champions do see the £43m-rated Irishman as “on their shortlist of defensive targets”.

Collins would be a solid signing for Liverpool, having impressed as both a performer and a leader for Brentford, being hailed by Thomas Frank during their time working together.

“He can carry the ball out of defence and also has the composure to find the right pass during build-up play. His character is really good, and we know that character is everything. He will fit into our culture, I have no doubt about that. I see leadership potential in Nathan. He’s a perfect Brentford player – hungry and ambitious with a desire to learn.”

With all due respect to the Brentford skipper, though, Guehi still stands out as the leading option for Liverpool, whether that be in January or beyond. He has become one of the Premier League’s most consistent defenders, and has every chance of starting for England at next summer’s World Cup, and they shouldn’t give up on signing him after one hiccup.

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But Collins could be a shrewd alternative, and he is a year younger than Guehi, allowing Arne Slot to bring him in at a good age and turn him into an even more formidable all-round defender.

There was a lot made of what Celtic did and did not do in the final days of the summer transfer window, which officially slammed shut last Monday.

The Hoops were unable to sign a new centre-forward to bolster the squad, despite allowing Adam Idah to sign for Swansea for £7m, on deadline day.

This meant that the Scottish Premiership champions had to swoop for Kelechi Iheanacho on a free transfer the following day, after Sevilla terminated his contract early.

Whilst supporters will want to focus on who came in, and who did not, there also needs to be an appreciation of the players who moved on from the club, including Nicolas Kuhn.

Celtic’s model revolves around bringing in and developing young players to sell them on for a profit, but they then need to find replacements for those players to ensure that the team does not suffer as a result.

Matt O’Riley left the Scottish giants to sign for Brighton & Hove Albion last year and his move away from Glasgow left a gaping hole in the middle of the park.

Why Matt O'Riley's exit was a big blow for Celtic

The left-footed star took his game to the next level under Brendan Rodgers in the 2023/24 campaign after Ange Postecoglou moved down south to join Tottenham Hotspur.

O’Riley, who now plays for Marseille, only scored seven goals in 54 appearances in the Premiership for the Australian head coach, but did deliver 15 assists in that time.

This shows that he was a creative midfielder who did not offer a significant threat as a goalscorer from the middle of the park prior to Rodgers’ return to Parkhead in the summer of 2023.

O’Riley stepped up his game in the final third in the 2023/24 campaign, though, with a return of 18 goals in the Premiership to lead the Hoops to the title.

Sofascore rating

7.91

1st

Goals

18

1st

Assists

13

1st

Big chances created

14

1st

Key passes per game

2.5

1st

As you can see in the table above, the Denmark international was a pivotal part of Rodgers’ team because he was the main threat in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

This is why his move to Brighton last summer was a big blow because the Scottish giants lost a star who could deliver goals and assists at an exceptional rate.

O’Riley’s ability to score goals, in particular, was important for Celtic because it took some of the pressure off the forward players, which is exactly what the team need right now with their issues in the centre-forward department.

Kelechi Iheanacho only scored four goals in all competitions last season, per Sofascore, whilst Hyun-jun Yang and James Forrest have combined for six league goals since the start of last term.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

This is why there may be more of an emphasis on the midfielders needing to step up and score goals for Rodgers this season, and they may have their next Matt O’Riley already brewing at Parkhead.

The Celtic star who could be the new Matt O'Riley

Celtic broke their transfer record to sign Arne Engels from Augsburg for a fee of £11m last summer to ‘replace’ O’Riley, and he did not have a bad first season in Glasgow by any means.

The Belgium international delivered ten goals and 13 assists in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which is a very respectable return for a central midfielder, but there was a lack of goals from open play.

Arne Engels

21

2

Reo Hatate

24

9

Callum McGregor

29

8

Luke McCowan

12

5

Paulo Bernardo

11

2

As you can see in the table above, Engels ranked joint-bottom alongside Paulo Bernardo for non-penalty goals in the Celtic midfield last season in the Premiership.

This is why it is Benjamin Nygren who could be the next O’Riley in the making at Parkhead, not Engels, because the summer signing has the potential to deliver a huge goal threat from midfield for the Hoops.

The Sweden international arrived in Glasgow from Nordsjaelland after an impressive haul of 16 goals and four assists in 32 appearances in all competitions for the Danish outfit last season, per Transfermarkt.

Whilst Nygren is more versatile than O’Riley, having played the bulk of his minutes on the right flank, he did score four of those 16 goals in his six appearances as either an attacking or central midfield player.

Since making the move to Parkhead, the Swedish star has mainly played in a central midfield role in the 4-3-3 set-up, and showcased his knack for goals from a central position with his strike against Aberdeen.

The left-footed star has scored three goals in four Premiership matches to date, per Sofascore, and only one of his 19 goals for Nordsjaelland and Celtic since the start of last season came from the penalty spot.

His Sweden teammate Alexander Isak, now of Liverpool, described him as a “fearless” star who plays with “confidence”, which has already been clear to see during his short time with the Hoops.

Nygren takes risks with the ball, losing the ball 19 times per game, He wants to progress his team up the pitch. He wants to take shots and create chances, averaging three key passes per game in the Premiership, per Sofascore.

His impact from a central midfield and a right wing position has been impressive, and his form in Denmark suggests that it is sustainable as well.

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Therefore, the 24-year-old star may be the next O’Riley for Rodgers as a central midfield star who has the potential to go and score 15 to 20 goals in the Premiership this season if he can remain consistent with his performances.

Celtic may have completed the signing of Kelechi Iheanacho, but another out of window move could also be on the cards for the Scottish Premiership champions.

An "inexplicable" summer transfer window for Celtic

The Hoops may be top of the table early in the campaign, but this is far from a happy period at the club, with Brendan Rodgers unhappy at a lack of transfer business this summer. Speaking to Sky Sports, Tino Callaghan from the Celtic Exchange podcast echoed the manager and lambasted Celtic’s summer, not holding back in his criticism.

“It is absolutely wild, inexplicable how it’s come to this. It’s certainly frustrating from a fan point of view. It also seriously undermines Brendan Rodgers. He said in his many words just in the last couple of days, Adam Idah won’t be going unless I get a replacement.

“We haven’t got a replacement and there may be this out-of-contract signing of Kelechi Iheanacho which in itself is pretty embarrassing. The club, whether that’s Dermot Desmond [majority shareholder] or Michael Nicholson [chief executive] or the board, they’re certainly letting the manager down and absolutely letting the fans down.

“Celtic are doing their level best to make a title race where there wasn’t one before and I know people on the outside looking in will say you’re top of the table, you’re cruising there and things are fine. Things are not fine and there’s a concerning pattern starting to emerge. Celtic signed 10 players this window, but actually, how many will have an impact on the first team?”

Celtic now keen on signing "explosive" attacker

Now, according to The Herald, Celtic are “interested” in signing Emmanuel Dennis on a free transfer, looking to bring him in alongside fellow attacker Iheanacho, who joined on Tuesday evening after ripping up his contract with Sevilla.

The 27-year-old Dennis departed Nottingham Forest by mutual consent after three years at the club, and he appears to be another slightly desperate option for the Hoops.

This isn’t going to do much to quieten the dissenting voices among the Celtic fanbase, with Dennis feeling more like a panic signing than anything, even though Tom Cleverly has spoken glowingly about him in the past.

“We know that Dennis has got that explosive burst. As a defender, you can think you’re comfortable on the ball, and then he appears from nowhere.”

It has been an awful summer for Celtic, who have continually missed out on attacking signings throughout the transfer window, from David Datro Fofana to Kasper Dolberg. Fofana opted to join Championship side Charlton Athletic instead of the Hoops, which isn’t necessarily a great look for them, considering the the Addicks are 16th in the English second tier.

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Meanwhile, Dolberg has joined Ajax in a separate blow for the Scottish champions, while Adam Idah has left for Swansea City, despite Rodgers not wanting him to go until sufficient cover had come in.

تحدث الدولي البرازيلي رودريجو جوس، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد عن حقيقة اقترابه من الانتقال إلى برشلونة

وأجرى الدولي البرازيلي حوارًا مطولًا مع صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية تحدث من خلاله حول كارلو أنشيلوتي وعلاقته القوية به ومنتخب البرازيلي وأسرار كثيرة من كواليس انتقاله إلى الفريق الملكي.

وقال رودريجو، إنه كان قريبًا من الانتقال إلى برشلونة قبل مجيئه لريال مدريد، موضحاً: “قبل التوقيع مع ريال مدريد، كان كل شيء جاهزًا، وكنت قد وقعت لبرشلونة، هذا صحيح لكن والدي أخبرني أن ريال مدريد اتصل بنا وكان يجب أن أختار، بالنسبة لي كان الأمر سهلًا للغاية، كنت أعرف ما أريد وما هو حلمي، لم أتردد أبدًا”.

وأكمل: “كنت في سانتوس وبدأت ألعب بشكل جيد، سعى برشلونة للتعاقد معي ​​ولطالما قلت إنه نادي عظيم وأكن له احترامًا كبيرًا لكن ريال مدريد كان حلمي وكان قراري سهلًا في هذا الوقت، لم أستطع الانتظار أكثر من أجل ريال مدريد، وعندما حان الوقت، فعلنا ذلك بالطريقة الصحيحة”.

وعن القميص الذي أهداه له والده في سن السادسة: “شجعت ريال مدريد وكنت مندمجًا مع إنجازات الفريق. إضافةً إلى ذلك، كان هناك العديد من البرازيليين في الفريق، وبدأتُ أتابعهم خاصة بعد التعاقد مع كريستيانو رونالدو، تابعت جميع مباريات ريال مدريد لمجرد رؤيته، أنا من مشجعي سانتوس في البرازيل لكنني لطالما أحببتُ ريال مدريد منذ صغري، كان حلمي أن ألعب في أوروبا”.

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وعن الفترة الصعبة التي عانى منها في الصيف الماضي قال: “الحقيقة هي أنني مررت بوقت عصيب للغاية على المستوى الشخصي، قضيت وقتًا طويلًا دون التحدث مع أحد، لم يكن أحد يعلم بما أمر به، كانت فترة عصيبة للغاية، لم أكن على ما يرام لا جسديًا ولا نفسيًا، كان ذلك صعبًا جدًا، أولًا بفضل الله، ثم بفضل عائلتي والمدرب أنشيلوتي ساعدني على تجاوز كل ذلك”.

وأوضح: “كارلو ساعدني كثيرًا، كان يرى كل يوم أنني لست على ما يرام وأنني لست لائقًا للعب، ولا أستطيع مساعدة الفريق لكن لم يكن هناك وقت للتعافي لأننا كنا نلعب كل ثلاثة أيام، وعندها لا يمكن التوقف لحل المشكلة، رأى أنني إنسان، وأن لدي مشاكل حقيقية، لقد فهم لحظتي ووضعي المعقد، قال لي ابق هنا بهدوء، أنت لست لائقًا للعب الآن، شكرته وطلبت اللعب لكنه كان يعلم أنه يجب عليه استعادة نفسي أولًا قبل الملعب، المهم هو أن أكون في حالة بدنية جيدة”.

واستطرد: “لقد كانت فترة عصيبة للغاية في حياتي لكنني الآن تجاوزت كل شيء، وأنا بخير، كلما سنحت لي الفرصة، أشكر كارليتو وابنه دافيد والجهاز الفني، الجميع ساعدني وبالطبع عائلتي، الآن لا أشعر إلا بالفرح، أنا سعيد ومتحمس جدًا لتقديم موسم رائع”.

وعن مغادرته الصيف الماضي: “في كل صيف يحدث لي الشيء نفسه، أتلقى عروضًا من هذا النادي أو ذاك، كل أسبوع كنت ألعب في فريق إذا انتبهت لما يُنشر، بالطبع هناك دائمًا عروض ولن أكذب بشأن ذلك لكنني أوضحت دائمًا للنادي أنني أريد مواصلة النجاح هنا، أكثر مما حققته بالفعل”.

واسترسل: “الفوز بدوري أبطال أوروبا مرتين في سني أمر كبير لكنني الآن أريد المزيد من الكؤوس الأوروبية بهذا القميص، أقول دائمًا طالما يريدني ريال مدريد، سأكون هنا، إذا قال لي ريال مدريد يومًا ما ابحث عن فريق جديد فسأقول حسنًا”.

وأتم: “لكن هذا لم يحدث لطالما أخبرني النادي أنهم يعتمدون عليّ، وعندما واجهت مشكلة كانوا بجانبي تكهن الناس لأنني التزمت الصمت لكنني كنت أعرف ما سأفعله هذا الموسم مع مدريد، وأنني سأركز على تقديم أفضل ما عندي، لم يزعجني ذلك، كنت هادئًا، وها أنا كالعادة، هذا موسمي السابع”.

Glasgow Rangers and the 49ers Enterprises are now eyeing as many as three more specific signings for manager Russell Martin this summer, according to a promising new Ibrox transfer claim.

10 signings for Rangers already this summer

The Gers have had an extremely busy summer to date, bringing in 10 new signings in total, with some arriving permanently and others coming in on loan.

Oscar Cortes’ loan switch to Ibrox from Ligue 1 side Lens has been made permanent, for example, and Oliver Antman is an exciting attacking addition from Go Ahead Eagles.

Meanwhile, highly-rated Tottenham teenager Mike Moore was an eye-catching loan addition, with Martin no doubt wanting to take him up a level before he likely returns to north London next summer, and Djeidi Gassama has added an attacking threat out wide after his move from Championship outfit Sheffield Wednesday.

Despite this, Rangers’ start to the season has been unconvincing, with back-to-back draws in their opening two Scottish Premiership matches, highlighting the need for further signings this month. A fresh update bodes well in that respect.

Rangers’ summer signings in 2025 to date

Signed from

Price

Oscar Cortes

Lens

£4.5m

Oliver Antman

Go Ahead Eagles

£3.8m

Thelo Aasgaard

Luton Town

£3.4m

Emmanuel Fernandez

Peterborough United

£2.5m

Djeidi Gassama

Sheffield Wednesday

£2m

Joe Rothwell

Bournemouth

£397,000

Lyall Cameron

Dundee FC

Unknown

Mikey Moore

Tottenham

Loan

Nasser Djiga

Wolves

Loan

Max Aarons

Bournemouth

Loan

Jayden Meghoma

Brentford

Loan

Rangers looking to sign three more players

According to a new report from Football Insider, Rangers and 49ers Enterprises are now targeting three different positions to strengthen in before the summer transfer window reaches its conclusion.

It is claimed that a striker, winger and centre-back are the “priority targets” for Gers currently, with Martin “keen to upgrade on the likes of Cyriel Dessers after a slow start to the season.”

This will be music to the ears of Rangers supporters, who will no doubt be frustrated at the start they have made to the 2025/26 season, with Martin possibly already under some pressure from a section of the fanbase.

The Gers have already shown that their squad doesn’t possess the depth and quality to fight Celtic until the end in the Scottish Premiership title race this season, and Hearts are posing a bigger threat than them after two matches.

A new striker is a must, in order to boost the firepower at Martin’s disposal, including in Europe, with Maccabi Tel Aviv marksman Dor Turgeman a potentially excellent option to lead the line.

Meanwhile, Brentford left-back Jayden Meghoma is the most recent player who the Gers have signed and said after joining:

“I am very excited to be here, it is a fantastic club, and I know a lot about the rich history of Rangers. When the deal was presented to me, I thought straight away that it would be a fantastic opportunity for myself and my family. The main thing for me is getting results. Rangers is a big club, and I am ready, I am hungry and excited to get going.”

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It promises to be a busy remaining few weeks of the transfer window at Ibrox, with 49ers looking to work their magic, giving Martin the best possible chance of success, both this season and beyond.

England captain says line has been drawn under “blackface” issue ahead of Bangladesh challenge

Andrew Miller04-Oct-2024Heather Knight, England’s captain, says that the challenge of leading her team into the Women’s T20 World Cup has her full focus, and insists that “the line has already been drawn” on the disciplinary measures taken against her for a historic “blackface” photograph that appeared on social media recently.Knight, 33, was last week reprimanded and given a suspended £1000 fine by the Cricket Discipline Commission, after a compromising fancy-dress photograph surfaced on Facebook, dating back to a party in 2012, when she was 21. While it was accepted by the Cricket Regulator that there was “no racist intent in her conduct”, Knight said in a statement that she was “truly sorry” and had “long regretted it”.Now, speaking on the eve of England’s T20 World Cup opener, against Bangladesh in Sharjah on Saturday, Knight turned the focus squarely to the task at hand for her team, as they seek to improve on their semi-final finish at the last event in South Africa two years ago, and land their first ICC global title since 2017.Related

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“It was obviously something that has been ongoing the last couple of months and it is something, as far as I am concerned, that has been addressed, and something that was a long time ago, so it hasn’t been in my mind at all,” Knight said.”The line has already been drawn, in my opinion, so I am really excited, obviously, for what is to come. We have got super supportive group, there is no doubt about that, so yeah, I’m pretty happy to get cracking with the cricket.”England came through an unbeaten home summer, winning 13 out of 14 matches against New Zealand and Pakistan, with only a washout at Taunton denying them a clean sweep. In addition to Bangladesh, they will play against Scotland, West Indies and South Africa in the World Cup group stage, with their two likeliest rivals for the title, Australia and India, awaiting them in the other half of the draw.”Australia are going to be favourites, for sure,” Knight said of the defending champions, who have won six of the last seven stagings of the T20 World Cup, dating back to 2010. “Obviously, their success in this event has been huge, but we feel in a really good place. We’ve been playing some brilliant cricket, and while the first goal is to get out of the group stages, we’re pretty confident in what we bring. We believe we can beat anyone on our best day.”Much of England’s summer was spent honing a side that could compete in spinning conditions, with Bangladesh having been the World Cup’s original host country. The event has since moved to the UAE for security reasons, but Knight is confident that England’s spin contingent – led by the ICC’s No.1-ranked bowler in white-ball cricket, Sophie Ecclestone – will thrive at a tournament that, to judge by the tournament’s opening fixtures, already appears to favour slow bowling.”We feel very prepared for what we’ve got to come, and now it’s just about executing it and being really smart about how we do things in-game,” Knight said. “We’ve obviously got the quality spin attack. It’s been our big strength, particularly through those middle overs, how we really squeeze teams and try and rush them in that middle period.”England opted to overlook the extra pace of Lauren Filer for this tournament, instead relying on Lauren Bell as a sole specialist seamer, backed up by a trio of seam-bowling allrounders in Nat Sciver-Brunt, Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson. Charlie Dean and Sarah Glenn also offer batting depth as spinning allrounders, meaning that England – on paper, at least – have an enviably versatile squad.”We’ve got really good options, which is the nice thing,” Knight said. “The depth that we’ve got allows us to play based on the conditions that we face, and the team that we’re playing against.”It’s not going to be easy picking the team, but we’re pretty set on the little tweaks that we might need to make to get the most out of the conditions and teams that we’re playing against.”There are going to be times where we are going to have to graft a little bit, the boundaries are big and there might be times when we get on slow wickets where we are going to have to adapt to what is in front of us and be really smart with how we go about things.”Both Kemp and Sciver-Brunt were managed back to bowling fitness during the summer, after coming through back and knee issues respectively. But Knight was adamant that each was in the right place to deliver a full all-round role for the cause.”The allrounders are the fittest in the team, because of the role they have to do,” she said. “Freya, in particular, she’s super impressive with how she’s come back from that [second] stress fracture, and the work that she’s put in to be in a place to perform, it’s been brilliant.”

Rain meant time had run out to play a longer game but Bangla Tigers were not happy to decide their campaign based on a one-over eliminator, and the game was declared forfeited

Shashank Kishore11-Aug-2024

File photo: Shakib Al Hasan refused to turn up at the toss for the Super Over•Raton Gomes/BCB

A controversy erupted at the Global T20 Canada on Friday when Bangla Tigers Mississauga were knocked out of the competition after they forfeited their eliminator to Toronto Nationals.It all started when persistent rain in Brampton kept players waiting for the eliminator to start. But with the clock ticking towards the cut-off time, the match officials decided only a Super Over would be possible and communicated the same to both teams, a decision that was in line with the playing regulations.Shakib Al Hasan the Bangla Tigers captain, however, didn’t turn up at the toss for the Super Over in protest. Had the game been completely washed out, Bangla Tigers would have automatically qualified for Qualifier 2 by virtue of finishing higher on the points table in the group stage.Zafir Yasin, the Bangla Tigers owner, argued that they shouldn’t have decided the result via a Super Over. GLT20 CEO Joy Bhattacharjya, however, explained the decision to play wasn’t arbitrary.”We were trying to ensure there was a result either way, however heartbreaking as it may be for the team that loses a one-over shootout,” Bhattacharjya told ESPNcricinfo. “And it was all part of the regulations.”When asked why the regulations were distributed via WhatsApp (by tournament director Ingleton Liburd), Bhattacharjya said, “they were sent to the managers’ group for immediate action, and all tournament-related updates had been provided on the same group until then”.Earlier in the day, efforts to ensure a Super Over for Qualifier 1 between Brampton Wolves and Montreal Tigers at the same venue had been futile because of rain and the ground conditions. Montreal eventually progressed to the final by virtue of topping the group-stage table.Bhattacharjya explained the Super Over wasn’t a sudden addition to the regulations.”It’s not like the Super Over provision was brought in for just the game involving Bangla Tigers,” he said. “It was in place for both games [Qualifier 1 and eliminator]. It’s just that it wasn’t possible for the first game, and because the second game happened much later in the day, there was a little more time for the ground staff to work on the outfield.”In the eliminator, after initial delays, a decision was taken to have a toss at 7.10pm, with the Super Over beginning at 7.30pm. As per regulations sent to both teams, there was a provision to call off the game if the Super Over didn’t begin by 7.50pm.”At the time of the toss, the Toronto Nationals captain was present, but the Bangla Tigers team refused to appear,” GLT20 said in a statement. “The match referee explained the plausible consequences of the said action to the captain [Shakib Al Hasan] and thereafter the umpire subsequently awarded the match to Toronto Nationals.”Yasin insists they had sought to have a minimum of five overs per innings, and not just a Super Over to decide the result. Bhattacharjya said the rules could not be changed just like that.”Where’s the credibility for a league if rules are changed on the fly?” he said. “If we changed rules for one team, Brampton Wolves would’ve had every reason to argue they were robbed of an opportunity to directly qualify for the final instead of now having to play in the eliminator. The credibility was at stake.”Bangla Tigers were also displeased that the boundaries were shortened before the official cut-off time to “remove the dangerous area of play from consideration”. Yasin said the organisers had “compromised the integrity of the competition” by seeking assistance from the Toronto owners to procure additional covers on the day of the playoffs.”If the team owner intended to assist the tournament by purchasing covers, such a contribution should have been made before the tournament began, not before a crucial match,” Yasin said. “This situation raises concerns about the integrity of the league and the possibility that the league’s management decisions were influenced in favour of that team.”Bhattacharjya explained this was done simply to ensure a crucial stage of the competition wouldn’t be decided by the elements and that these calls were made entirely by the match officials, who were the deciding authority.”In a country like Canada, where such infrastructure isn’t always easily available, procuring additional covers was only done to ensure we did everything to have play,” Bhattacharjya said. “We readily accepted any help we could get, so that we didn’t leave anything to chance with the weather around.”Despite the match being awarded to Toronto, Bangla Tigers turned up at the venue on Saturday morning to play Qualifier 2, only to be informed by the officials that no fresh requests would be entertained. Brampton, who lost Qualifier 1 by virtue of finishing lower on the table, eventually lost Qualifier 2 to Toronto, who will play Sunday’s final against Montreal.

Rangers are almost back in action and it’s a particularly exciting time for the new man in the Ibrox dug-out Russell Martin.

He will take charge of the Gers for the very first time in a pre-season friendly on Sunday, with last season’s Belgian Pro League runners-up in town, and a fair few players could be debuting in light blue.

Lyall Cameron, Max Aarons, Joe Rothwell and Emmanuel Fernandez have all arrived in Govan so far this summer, but could the biggest name of the lot be on his way to Glasgow’s West End soon?

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

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Václav Černý won’t be back, he has returned to Wolfsburg following his loan, while Cyriel Dessers is seemingly on his way to AEK Athens, if the two clubs can agree a fee, with Rangers holding out for £5m, as relayed by The National.

The biggest departure of them all though, could be Hamza Igamane, who is reportedly being targeted by Ligue 1 side Lille, in a deal which could be worth as much as £20m, thereby becoming Rangers’ all-time record sale.

Martin McMillan of the Glasgow Times claims that les Dogues have put their interest in the Moroccan striker ‘on hold’, but it does appear more likely than not that Igamane will be sold this summer, either ending up at Stade Pierre-Mauroy or elsewhere.

So, as Martin searches for attacking reinforcements, Mark Pirie of the Daily Record has reiterated Rangers’ interest in Jamie Vardy, stating that the Glasgow giants remain ‘keen’ on a move, citing the Daily Mail.

Meantime, Mike McGrath of the Telegraph has previously documented that, wherever he goes, Vardy wants to be a ‘regular starter’ and, well, given Rangers’ need for a centre-forward right now, with a Champions League tie against Panathinaikos less than three weeks away, the veteran would surely be guaranteed game time from the jump.

How Jamie Vardy would improve Rangers

Despite the fact he is now 38 years old, Vardy still scored ten goals last season, made all the more impressive by the fact he was playing for a generally hopeless Leicester City side, who were relegated from the Premier League.

By netting against Bournemouth in May, Vardy took his tally to 200 goals in 500 appearances for Leicester, which is very pleasing for fans of symmetry. In total, the veteran has scored 237 club career goals at professional level, ahead of what free-scoring Rangers skipper James Tavernier (138 career goals) has achieved to date.

His most recent manager at the Foxes, Ruud van Nistelrooy, labelled him a “living legend”, while Rob Tanner of the Athletic believes he is, unquestionably, Leicester’s greatest-ever player.

So, let’s assess how his statistics compare to Igamane, a player 16 years his junior, but one he could soon be replacing.

Jamie Vardy vs Hamza Igamane 2024/25 comparison

Statistics

Vardy

Igamane

Appearances

36

46

Minutes

2,899

2,651

Goals

10

16

Assists

4

3

Shots per 90

1.5

3

Shots on target per 90

0.9

1.6

Shots on target %

55.32%

51.52%

Big chances missed

14

7

Touches per 90

20.1

50.3

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, SofaScore and Squawka

As the table outlines, Igamane did score six more goals than Vardy last season, while the Moroccan came out on top when it came to shots, shots on target and touches per 90, which all makes sense when you think about it.

Igamane was playing for a dominant team in, according to Global Football Rankings, the 43rd strongest league on the planet.

In complete contrast, Vardy was plying his trade for one of the worst teams in the Premier League, so was very much feeding off scraps, underlined by his miserly 20 touches per 90, making his tally of ten goals actually incredibly impressive.

The season before last, when Leicester were in the EFL Championship, still ranked all the way up at 11th by the aforementioned Global Football Rankings, Vardy scored 20 goals in all competitions, so just imagine how many he would get in the Premiership.

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Aston Villa have a busy couple of weeks ahead amid their need to ensure they don’t overstep the FFP mark and one of their star men is now being lined up for a move ato Manchester United.

Aston Villa's balancing act in light of PSR

Profit and Sustainability Rules have become a contentious topic for fans who don’t support one of the traditional ‘Big Six’ clubs. However, they have become a frustrating reality that everyone now has to abide by.

Unfortunately, Aston Villa are now at risk of breaching regulations after recording £202.6 million in pre-tax losses over the past two years, which is the most out of anyone in the Premier League.

Losing a maximum of £105 million over three consecutive years is the limit for top-flight clubs, which has created plenty of speculation regarding potential sales to bridge the gap.

BBC Sport columnist Fara Williams has named Jacob Ramsey as a player Aston Villa could sell to make ends meet, as she said: “It does feel like Aston Villa will have to sell some key players this summer if they are to bring others in and keep within PSR regulations.

“There has been a lot of rumours around it and I believe Jacob Ramsey was a name being mentioned who, as a homegrown player, they would make more money from.”

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The Villans have also passed on signing Marcus Rashford permanently, prioritising Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho as a more affordable alternative.

Nevertheless, the feeling around the West Midlands is one that Aston Villa must sell before they can buy, and Unai Emery could now have a dilemma on his hands following recent developments.

Emiliano Martinez in talks with Man Utd

Now, according to reports via CaughtOffside, Emiliano Martinez is in talks over a move to Manchester United and may be a sacrificial lamb for Aston Villa amid their current PSR state of limbo, and he is thought to be open to the idea of moving to Old Trafford.

Due to the Red Devils’ status as a domestic rival, the Villans are reportedly demanding a fee north of £40 million to sell the World Cup-winning stopper this summer, who has been identified as a successor to Andre Onana under Ruben Amorim.

Emiliano Martinez in 2024/25 – Premier League (Fotmob)

Appearances

37

Goals conceded

45

Clean sheets

8

Penalties saved from penalties faced

1/2

Labelled “magnificent” by Alan Shearer, Martinez now appears primed for a move elsewhere, begging the question of who could replace the Argentina international between the sticks.

Going off recent times, OGC Nice stopper Marcin Bulka is a prominent target for Aston Villa, illustrating that Emery may have his eyes on a younger alternative in the event he is left searching for new blood.

Either way, Martinez has been a brilliant servant in the West Midlands and would be sorely missed, even if his departure feels like the best source of action for all parties involved.

West Bromwich Albion fans will no doubt still be missing the presence of the passionate Carlos Corberan on the sidelines at the Hawthorns.

After all, when the much-loved Spaniard departed the club for Valencia in late December, the Baggies had only lost three league clashes and were just outside the playoff picture in seventh spot.

Fast forward to the end of the season, however, and West Brom ended up finishing in a lower ninth position, with the experiment of bringing back Tony Mowbray not working whatsoever.

Therefore, it’s crucial that the bruised Baggies get this next managerial appointment spot on, with an ever-growing list of intriguing names being rumoured to step in and replace Mowbray.

West Brom could now appoint Corberan 2.0

In an ideal world, West Brom will be able to unearth their next iteration of Corberan with whoever takes on the ongoing vacancy.

There is a shout to say Ryan Mason could be Corberan 2.0, considering he’s been a background figure at Tottenham Hotspur for most of his coaching career to date – much like the Spaniard was at Leeds United – before exploding into life as the main presence in the dug-out.

But, the Championship outfit could look to a more left-field shout than Mason in ex-Manchester United coach Eric Ramsay, with new reports suggesting the 33-year-old is now one of the frontrunners over the much-talked-about Spurs man.

Much like Mason, Ramsay arriving on the scene at the Hawthorns could have the same impact Corberan once had on proceedings, with an argument to be had that the former Wales assistant manager has more in his arsenal than his Tottenham counterpart in the main manager game with Minnesota United.

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Why Ramsay could be Corberan 2.0

Whilst his name is more recognisable for being a second-in-command figure to Erik ten Hag and Rob Page for Manchester United and Wales, Ramsay is beginning to forge an impressive name for himself in the MLS with Minnesota.

Amazingly, his blistering Minnesota side downed a Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami 4-1 last time out in MLS action, with that comprehensive victory taking him all the way up an impressive 23 wins in total from 49 games in charge.

Wins

23

16

Draws

10

7

Defeats

16

26

Corberan will be able to resonate with Ramsay’s unorthodox start to management out in America, with the now Valencia boss having to start his own journey in the lower leagues of Cyprus and he would initially struggle, before his first EFL opportunity as a main manager would come about with Huddersfield Town.

Amazingly, Ramsay can boast seven more victories from his first 49 games in charge of Minnesota than Corberan was able to pick during his first 49 games as a head coach, but the Spaniard would go on to grow and improve past this point to turn both the Terriers and the Baggies into Championship playoff candidates.

Moreover, the former Man United coach’s growing experience of the game he’s managed to achieve from the dug-out in the MLS makes him a far more capable option than the alternative face of Mason, with the promising coach picking up just six career wins when handed the temporary Spurs reins.

Once hailed as “one of the best young coaches in football” by Page when appointed Wales assistant manager, the proof could soon be in the pudding if he can transform West Brom’s fortunes on his potential return to England.

If it does work out, it would be another worthwhile gamble taken by the powers that be at the Hawthorns, with Corberan once just a plucky coach trying to cut his teeth in the men’s game like Ramsay, before very nearly turning West Brom back into a Premier League side.

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