Tag Futebol

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke will be able to make further additions to his playing squad when the January transfer window opens for business next month.

It will be interesting to see what kind of players the German boss wants to add to the group, though, because he has changed the formation from a 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2 in the last two matches, resulting in a 3-1 win over Chelsea and a 3-3 draw with Liverpool.

Because of how successful the new system has been, Farke may want to alter the club’s plans for the window to sign players who fit the 3-5-2, rather than a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.

Leeds make approach for Premiership star

What this may mean, for example, is that versatile wing-back options could be pursued instead of traditional wingers, as would be needed for the previous system.

Transfer Focus

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

According to the print edition of the Scottish Daily Mail, via MOTLeedsNews, Leeds United have made an approach to sign Hibernian star Josh Mulligan in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Whites and fellow Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest are both interested in a deal to snap up the versatile Scottish talent ahead of the second half of the season.

It adds that Leeds have checked in on his progress in the Scottish Premiership and made contact with Hibs to see what their stance is on a January sale.

However, the report does not reveal what the answer to that approach was or how much Mulligan would cost if they wanted to submit a bid to snap him up next month.

Why Leeds should sign Josh Mulligan in January

Scotland is not one of the club’s usual markets. Per Transfermarkt, none of the current first-team squad joined Leeds from a Scottish club, and only Mark Viduka ranks within their top 50 most-expensive signings.

The Whites signed Viduka from Celtic in the summer of 2000, and he went on to score 72 goals in 166 appearances for Leeds, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he was an incredibly successful signing from north of the border.

Mulligan could follow in the Australian striker’s footsteps by becoming one of the rare players to make the move from Scotland to be a key player and star for Leeds in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old star is not a striker who is going to go and score goals at the rate that Viduka did, but he is an impressive attacking force who could shine in the newly created right wing-back role at Elland Road.

Mulligan has played as a central midfielder, as a right wing-back, as an attacking midfielder, and as a right winger, per FotMob, and he has caught the eye with his performances.

xA

2.17

Top 15%

Assists

3

Top 9%

Chances created

14

Top 19%

Cross accuracy

30%

Top 22%

Successful dribbles

16

Top 3%

Touches in the opposition’s box

40

Top 6%

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish talent has shown that he has the attributes to make an impact at the top end of the pitch, and his dribbling, chance creation, and cross accuracy stats suggest that he is well-suited to a wing-back role.

Back in August, analyst John Walker described him as the “Scottish Gareth Bale” after a stunning Bale-esque goal from distance against Livingston in the Premiership.

He’s not the only one to compare him to the great Welshman. Former teammate Simon Ferry once said: “He’s a Rolls-Royce like Gareth Bale – powerful, strong, direct. He’s a machine at that age. He wants to learn, listens to you.”

Since the start of last season, Mulligan has provided eight league assists for Dundee and Hibernian combined, per Sofascore, whilst Jayden Bogle has produced five assists for Leeds in that time in the Championship and the Premier League.

The Hibs star has scored three goals and provided three assists in all competitions in the current campaign, compared to Bogle’s one goal and one assist, and could offer more of a threat at the top end of the pitch than the Englishman.

Mulligan’s experience playing as a wing-back for Dundee and Hibernian also means that he would be a perfect fit for Farke’s new system in the 3-5-2 formation, as he is used to playing in the role, albeit in Scotland, and could slot straight into the team as a potential upgrade on Bogle.

If the Scottish whiz can adapt to the Premier League and hit the ground running as an attacking force down the flank for the Whites, he could be Viduka 2.0 as the next Premiership star to shine in the top-flight for Leeds, if they can get a deal done in January.

Best signing since Raphinha: "Underrated" Leeds star must start every game

Daniel Farke must now start this Leeds United star for every game, who could be considered their best signing since Raphinha.

ByKelan Sarson 6 days ago

أعلن ييس توروب، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، قائمة الفريق المتوجهة إلى المغرب صباح غد الأربعاء، استعدادًا لخوض مباراة الجيش الملكي.

ومن المقرر أن يلعب الأهلي أمام الجيش الملكي المغربي، في ثان جولات دور المجموعات لبطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، يوم الجمعة المقبل، في المغرب.

طالع|الأهلي يعلن تفاصيل إصابة محمد الشناوي أمام شبيبة القبائل

كان الأهلي قد استهل مشواره في دور المجموعات بتحقيق فوز كبير على حساب شبيبة القبائل الجزائري بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف، في اللقاء الذي جمع الفريقين مساء السبت الماضي على استاد القاهرة الدولي.

وشهدت قائمة الأهلي استبعاد محمد الشناوي حارس مرمى الفريق من رحلة المغرب لمواجهة الجيش الملكي، بسبب الإصابة في العضلة الضامة، وعودة أشرف داري وأحمد رضا بعد تعافيهما من الإصابة. قائمة الأهلي لمواجهة الجيش الملكي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

حراسة المرمى: مصطفى شوبير ومحمد سيحا.

خط الدفاع: ياسين مرعي وأحمد رمضان بيكهام وأشرف داري ومحمد هاني وأحمد نبيل كوكا وياسر إبراهيم ومحمد شكري.

خط الوسط: محمد علي بن رمضان وأحمد رضا ومروان عطية ومحمد مجدي أفشة وإمام عاشور وأليو ديانج وكريم فؤاد.

خط الهجوم: محمد شريف وأحمد سيد زيزو وحمزة عبد الكريم وأشرف بن شرقي ومحمود حسن تريزيجيه وطاهر محمد طاهر.

Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly willing to launch a £70m offer to sign Rodrygo from Real Madrid after the Spanish giants weakened their sale stance ahead of 2026.

The Lilywhites are looking to make a statement move next year in a new era without Daniel Levy. They already stole headlines when they won the race to sign Xavi Simons in the summer, but signing one of Real Madrid’s attacking stars would take Thomas Frank’s side to a whole new level.

Tottenham informed of Everton's Ndiaye stance as club-record price named

The Lilywhites are looking for an attacking boost.

1 ByTom Cunningham Nov 9, 2025

Whether they’ll be in a position to convince Rodrygo to join is difficult to say, however. Whilst Tottenham sit as high as fifth and only four points off second place Manchester City, they’re also on a run of just one win in their last four games in all competitions. Life under Frank has simply shown promise but featured inconsistency.

Saturday’s frantic 2-2 draw against Manchester United summed things up. Spurs were toothless and then ruthless as they came from behind to lead 2-1 in the 91st minute only for Matthijs de Ligt to equalise for the Red Devils in the last minute.

The international break comes at a good time after such a dramatic game, but things don’t get any easier for those in North London. Up next, Spurs are set to square off against Arsenal in the North London derby. The Gunners haven’t lost since August and just conceded for the first time in over 13 hours against Sunderland.

Up against the best defence in the league, if not the world, questions will be asked about the star power in Tottenham’s frontline. They’ll already likely be without summer arrival Randal Kolo Muani through injury in a frustrating blow despite his goalscoring woes, and will be forced to turn to Richarlison to get their frontline firing on all cylinders.

It’s a problem that needs addressing in 2026 and one that Rodrygo could certainly help solve.

Tottenham now willing to launch £70m Rodrygo offer

According to reports in Spain, Tottenham are now willing to launch an offer to sign Rodrygo worth as much as €80m (£70m) in 2026. The Brazilian has struggled for game time under Xabi Alonso and could yet seek a move away ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Florentino Pérez and co. are now reviewing the winger’s future and are more likely to accept a big-money offer for a player who is becoming less motivated sat on their bench week in, week out.

Alonso’s trash would instantly become Frank’s treasure. Rodrygo would transform Tottenham’s attack as a multiple-time Champions League winner and as one of the best wingers in world football. The Brazilian is also a player who has received incredibly high praise and comparisons with Real Madrid legend Raul – that’s the level that he’s at.

At £70m, everything points towards a player that Tottenham should go all out to sign when the January transfer window swings open.

Spurs flop who's been "swallowed by PL" must be dropped for Odobert

West Ham chiefs are apparently convinced that one Man United player is the ideal signing for new manager Nuno Espírito Santo, coming amid reports that David Sullivan and the hierarchy are set to back him in January.

West Ham make January recruitment plans after Nuno arrival

The Portuguese oversaw his second Premier League game in charge of the East Londoners last Saturday, culminating in a 2-0 defeat away to title-chasing Arsenal.

Goals from ex-West Ham captain Declan Rice, who was the best player on the pitch, and Bukayo Saka handed Nuno his first loss since taking over from Graham Potter over a fortnight ago.

Rice’s man of the match performance was only overshadowed by Saka reaching impressive milestones, with the England international marking his 200th Premier League appearance by reaching a century of goal involvements for the Gunners.

The 90 minutes went exactly how on-lookers would expect, as Arsenal enjoyed a whopping 68 per cent possession and dominated the overall play.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Despite West Ham winning two of their previous two league games at the Emirates, it was always going to be a very tough ask for Nuno to secure his first win there, but the tactician will already be getting a good idea of the areas that West Ham need to improve in.

As Nuno attempts to galvanise his new side, away from the pitch, it is believed that West Ham want to sign a new attacking player in January to inject some needed creativity in the forward areas.

AC Milan star Christian Pulisic, Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini and Galatasaray forward Baris Yilmaz have all been mentioned as potential West Ham targets for the winter window, and they’ve also got a keen interest in £105,000-per-week Man United striker Joshua Zirkzee.

West Ham think Joshua Zirkzee is perfect for Nuno

According to reports in Spain, West Ham believe that Zirkzee would “fit perfectly” into Nuno’s system, with the London Stadium now seen as a realistic destination for the Dutchman who’s had admirers at the club “for months”.

Zirkzee is yet to get off the mark for Ruben Amorim’s side after being in and out of the Portuguese’s starting elevens so far, playing just 74 top flight minutes so far, and West Ham could offer him an escape route from Old Trafford.

Since joining from Bologna, the 24-year-old has racked up 10 goal contributions (seven goals, three assists) in just over half a century of appearances for the Red Devils, but the arrivals of summer signings Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha now threaten his place long-term.

By contrast, Nuno could seriously use an alternative to injury-prone striking duo Callum Wilson and Niclas Füllkrug, with Zirkzee’s previous Serie A exploits highlighting how he would really upgrade West Ham’s options.

This is echoed by United legend Lee Sharpe, who backed Zirkzee to become a “superstar” this season.

Will Aston Villa woes in front of goal continue?

On Sunday, at the fifth attempt, the Villans did manage to score a Premier League goal for the very first time this season, thanks to this Matty Cash rocket at the Stadium of Light.

However, it did not help the Claret and Blue Army claim a maiden win of the season, with Sunderland equalising soon after, despite the fact the Black Cats played for around an hour with only ten men.

Next up, Unai Emery’s team will commence their Europa League campaign, welcoming Coppa Italia winners Bologna to Villa Park, hoping for a repeat of the 2-0 victory they enjoyed against the Rossoblù in the Champions League 11 months ago.

To do this, Villa will have to unearth a way to score goals, having managed only two in six fixtures across all competitions so far, which is why Emery should unleash his summer signing who is Bernardo Silva-esque.

Morgan Rogers' ongoing struggles

Last season was very much Morgan Rogers’ breakout campaign, scoring a whopping 14 goals and registering 16 assists across all competitions.

As recognition, he was named PFA Young Player of the Year, only the fifth Villa player to win the award, after Andy Gray (1977), Gray Shaw (1981), Ashley Young (2009) and James Milner (2010).

However, this time round, Rogers is yet to register either a goal or an assist in six appearances, seemingly struggling for confidence.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Rogers himself admitted “I might have been a surprise package last year, but now people know about me and they know about my game” adding, “they try to stop me…it’s been difficult”.

Given Villa’s ongoing struggles in front of goal, it is surely worth Emery trying something different when Bologna visit Birmingham on Thursday, so should he make a bold change instead?.

Who Unai Emery should start instead of Morgan Rogers

After a summer of frustrations due to PSR restrains, Aston Villa’s deadline day trolley dash saw them pick up Victor Lindelöf, Jadon Sancho and, most notably, Harvey Elliott.

The latter arrived from Liverpool initially on loan, but with a £35m option to buy, having starred at the under-21 European Championships, scoring five goals as England retained their title in Slovakia, named player of the tournament.

At the time of his Fulham debut against Wolves in May 2019, Elliott became the youngest player in Premier League history, subsequently spending six years at Liverpool without ever being a first-team regular, underlined by the fact that 78 of his 149 appearances for the Reds came as a substitute.

​​​​​​​

Still only 22 years old, he has moved to Villa aiming to become a first team regular, yet to start a league match in claret and blue, but that fact will surely soon change.

Well, Elliott did have an immediate impact at his new club, becoming the first Villan to score a goal this season, breaking the deadlock against Brentford in the EFL Cup last Tuesday, as they were ousted on penalties in West London.

His statistics from this summer’s aforementioned under-21 Euros underline Elliott’s potential.

Elliott – U21 Euros
Stat	Elliott	U21 Euros rank
Goals	5	2nd
Shots	20	1st
Shots on target	7	2nd
Big chances missed	3	2nd
Key passes	10	7th
Total passes	230	5th**
Average SofaScore rating	7.53	1st*
*minimum 5 appearances; **among midfielders only.
All stats via SofaScore

As the table notes, Elliott was key to England as an attacking force during the summer, with only Newcastle’s new signing Nick Woltemade​​​​​​​ scoring more goals, while only Mathys Tel of Tottenham registered more shots on target, both of whom are strikers.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said that the Englishman is “like a Bernardo [Silva]”, given his ability to “control the game from a wide area”, praising his “technical ability”, while former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor labelled him a “special young talent”.

Given Aston Villa’s lack of goal threat so far, they simply need to make room for Elliott in their lineup, ideally as a central figure, which could force Rogers onto the bench.

Their visitors on Thursday Bologna have lost both away matches so far this season, beaten 1-0 by both Roma and AC Milan in Serie A, while the Rossoblù have not won on English soil since beating West Bromwich Albion in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 58 years ago.

Thus, this is a match Europa League king Emery should be looking to win, but, stating the obvious, his team will need to score a goal to achieve this, and adding Elliott to his starting lineup may be his best hope of achieving this.

Weekly wages: Aston Villa FC 2025/26 highest-paid players

Football FanCast takes a look at Aston Villa’s biggest earners for the 2025/26 season.

By
Charlie Smith

Sep 23, 2025

Glasgow Rangers are currently on the lookout for a new head coach at Ibrox after they decided to part ways with Russell Martin on Sunday night.

The Rangers board finally made the decision to sack the former Scotland international after a 1-1 draw in the Scottish Premiership, which left the Gers in eighth place in the division.

Martin only won five of his 17 competitive games in charge of Rangers, including one win in the Premiership, and he cannot have many, if any, complaints with this decision.

Now that Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell have made this call, the Ibrox chiefs must come together to make a successful appointment that will get the supporters back onside.

Title-winning boss is interested in Rangers job

Rangers are a massive club that represents a significant opportunity for numerous managers, due to their history and fan base, which means that there will be plenty of candidates vying for the job.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

This is evidenced by journalist Ben Jacobs reporting that Dutch head coach Mark van Bommel is “interested” in replacing Martin in the dugout at Ibrox.

The Dutchman, who favours a 4-2-3-1 formation, has been out of work since he moved on from Belgian side Royal Antwerp at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, which means that the club would not have to pay out any compensation to bring him in.

Jacobs adds that van Bommel was one of the managers who was approached by the club before Martin got the job this summer. This means that he is on their radar and could be an option once again.

If the Light Blues do opt to go back in for the former Royal Antwerp head coach, he could be a repeat of Giovanni van Bronckhorst, which may not be a bad thing.

Why Mark van Bommel could be Giovanni van Bronckhorst 2.0 for Rangers

Since Steven Gerrard left Ibrox to join Aston Villa in 2021, van Bronckhorst has been the most successful Rangers manager. He won the SFA Cup and reached the final of the Europa League.

Barry Ferguson, Michael Beale, and Russell Martin failed to win any trophies. Philippe Clement won the League Cup but did not have the success in Europe that the Dutchman did.

Prior to replacing Gerrard at Ibrox, van Bronckhorst had won the Eredivisie title and two League Cups during his time with Feyenoord in the Netherlands, and he used that winning mentality to win a trophy and come within a couple of penalties away from winning a European trophy.

Eredivisie title (16/17)

Belgian Pro League title (22/23)

Dutch League Cup (17/18)

Belgian Super Cup (23/24)

Dutch League Cup (15/16)

Belgian League Cup (22/23)

Dutch Super Cup (18/19)

Dutch Super Cup (17/18)

As you can see in the table above, van Bommel’s managerial success is not drastically different to van Bronckhorst’s before his move to Rangers in 2021.

The former Royal Antwerp head coach has won a league title in his career, in the 2022/23 campaign, and won two other trophies with the club before his exit in the summer of 2024.

This means that the Light Blues would be bringing in a manager who knows how to win trophies, a league title specifically, and could instill a winning mentality into the current team, that had been managed by a head coach in Martin who has never won a league title in his managerial career.

Rangers should be winning trophies, including titles, and they may need to appoint a proven winner to do that, which is why van Bommel could be an interesting option to turn to.

He's like Mourinho: 54-year-old manager wants to replace Martin at Rangers

Russell Martin’s job as Rangers manager is no more, so who could be his replacement?

ByMatt Dawson Oct 6, 2025

If there was one problem to identify in Arsenal’s ultimately failed attempt to win silverware in 2024/25 it was their lack of goals.

With Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka missing a hefty period of time through injury during the latter stages of the campaign, it meant that for the first time in 101 years, no player scored double figures in a league campaign for the Gunners.

It’s astonishing stuff, it really is, and it beggars belief that Mikel Arteta was able to guide his troops to a Champions League semi-final.

It wasn’t always pretty but the north Londoners found a way and they did so courtesy of Mikel Merino, a midfielder more renowned for winning duels and playing a role in breaking up the play than finding the back of the net.

Alas, Arteta has helped transform the Spaniard into a force to be reckoned with.

Merino's stunning hat-trick for Spain

Before Leicester away last season, the idea of Merino playing as a makeshift and emergency centre forward had been floated. No one believed it would happen, but needs must.

Gabriel Jesus and Havertz were both out long-term through injury and Leandro Trossard looked too lightweight to play the role the German has performed so effectively since arriving from Chelsea.

Chalkboard

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

Trossard is slight, he’s good with the ball at his feet but he’s never going to outmuscle a hefty centre-back to the ball.

As a result, Merino was thrown into the fray. His impact was remarkable. In that clash with Leicester back in early February, the former Real Sociedad man appeared from the bench with the score 0-0. The score when he left the field? 2-0 to the Arsenal. Merino had scored both while playing as a striker.

It was an experiment that continued to work, so much so that the Spaniard actually looked more effective when leading the line. He ended the 2024/25 campaign having netted six times in a dozen games as centre-forward. Merino even bagged against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.

While the summer arrival of Viktor Gyokeres will dampen the chances of the 29-year-old appearing in that role again, he’s certainly staking a decent claim for it.

Indeed, the midfielder has been in stunning form over the current international break. He bagged in Spain’s 3-0 win over Bulgaria last Thursday and went even better in their 6-0 rout of Turkey on Sunday evening, scoring a hat-trick.

While Merino wasn’t playing as a forward on this occasion, his ability to pop up in the right place at the right time and attack the box evoked memories of players like Frank Lampard and, from an Arsenal perspective, Aaron Ramsey, in their primes.

The fact of the matter is that the Spain international is a mighty fine finisher, perhaps one of the best Arteta has at his disposal. The way he took his goals, particularly the third, against Turkey, was first-class.

That three-goal performance isn’t just a purple patch. Merino has showcased throughout 2025 that he knows how to find the back of the net. A few in Arsenal colours, including Martin Odegaard, could take note.

Why Martin Odegaard needs to emulate Mikel Merino

When Odegaard signed for Arsenal, initially on loan in January 2021, the Gunners were getting a player who simply needed to find a home.

Signed by Real Madrid when he was merely a boy, he grew up in Spain as a wonderkid but struggled to ever really make an impact in the capital, playing just 11 senior matches for the European giants, failing to score or assist.

It’s very rare that a pure wonderkid such as Odegaard does go on to make the grade but he’s certainly done that with Arsenal. He’s the club captain, he’s the man Arteta relies on to set the tone and lead the team’s press on the field.

Since moving to north London, he’s been brilliant, there’s no doubt about that. Back in 2022/23, he scored more goals than any other midfielder in the Premier League (15). He’s been a creative marvel, with prominent Arsenal content creator, LT Arsenal, noting that his passing is “shades of Mesut Ozil.”

In fact, the £74m-rated Norwegian has regularly been compared to the great German during his time at the Emirates Stadium. Liverpool great John Arne Riise once proclaimed that his fellow countryman was “a more complete player than Bergkamp and Ozil.”

Odegaard certainly looked like he had it all during that 2022/23 campaign, but arguably like a lot of Arsenal’s forward line, has struggled to kick on since.

The 2024/25 season was the nadir of his time in the English capital to date. Odegaard struggled with an ankle problem and didn’t look as though he trusted his body fully. His shooting became weak and feeble, ultimately ending the term with just six goals, only three of which came in the top-flight.

Odegaard vs Merino 24/25 League
Stat	Odegaard	Merino
Games	30	28
Goals	3	7
Assists	8	2
Shot accuracy	56%	48%
Conversion rate	10%	22%
Stats via Squawka.

It frustrated many a supporter. Time and time the Norway star would get the ball on the edge of the area and despite having plenty of time would refuse to shoot, instead taking the more challenging option of finding a defence-splitting pass.

Odegaard’s creativity is second to very few in Europe’s top divisions but to be considered elite, to be considered one of the best players in his position, a Kevin De Bruyne type, he needs to start scoring more goals.

He needs to get back to the type of form we saw in 2022/23 and to do that, he needs to take a leaf out of Merino’s book.

Merino had never been a prominent scorer until 2025 but he’s mastered the art of arriving late in the box and emerging in the nick of time to sweep the ball home from the edge of the area. Odegaard trademarked that sort of goal two seasons ago and he looked like one of the best in Europe as a result.

He needs to find the same level of instinctiveness when it comes to finding the net that Merino currently has. Once colleagues at Sociedad, there is no doubt a great level of respect between the two but the elder statesman is certainly the better finisher as it stands.

A duel monster Odegaard is not, but that’s not what we’re asking of him here. He’s never going to emulate Merino in that regard. However, we know he can emulate him in the goals department; we’ve already seen that during his early days in red and white.

If the 26-year-old can rediscover that level of performance again, then it won’t be long before he’s being recognised among some of the finest attacking midfielders to play in the Premier League.

Hale End prodigy left Arsenal for £0, now he's better than Gyokeres & Isak

Arsenal could have saved a lot of hassle in the transfer market with a decision at Hale End.

By
Matt Dawson

Sep 7, 2025

Glasgow Rangers will be going in search of their first win of the 2025/26 Scottish Premiership season when they welcome Hearts to Ibrox on Saturday.

The Light Blues have drawn all four of their games in the division so far, the latest being the 0-0 draw with Celtic last time out, and need to get three points on the board this weekend.

Russell Martin has confirmed, though, that Nicolas Raskin will not play any part of the clash with the Jam Tarts, after he was also left out of the squad to face Celtic before the international break.

The manager explained: “Every player has a duty to earn the trust of his team-mates and coaching staff to help us win football matches. We have to be on the pitch with trust and feeling and clarity and that’s it. I think the most important thing is Nico knows why, the players know why and we all move forward.

“He’s part of the squad in training and he needs to help that and put himself back in the squad to help us win matches. It is resolved he is still here, he is training with the group now, so it’s fine.”

Supporters will surely be hoping that the Belgian talent is back on the pitch for Rangers sooner rather than later, because he has the quality to be an influential figure for the team.

Why Rangers need Nicolas Raskin back on the pitch

The Light Blues need Raskin on the pitch because he is a central midfielder who provides qualities in and out of possession as a box-to-box star.

His attributes on and off the ball mean that he can influence games at both ends of the pitch, by breaking up opposition attacks and by making an impact in the final third.

Defensively, Raskin has shown that he can provide a combative presence in the middle of the park by making tackles, interceptions, and ball recoveries on a regular basis, domestically and in Europe.

Appearances

33

12

Tackles per game

2.8

3.7

Interceptions per game

0.6

1.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.6

7.4

Ground duel success rate

57%

50%

Aerial duel success rate

56%

55%

As you can see in the table above, the Belgium international won the majority of his duels on the ground and in the air in the 2024/25 campaign, whilst making plenty of defensive interventions each game.

These statistics show that he can break up play ahead of the back four to protect the defence and Jack Butland, which is something that is needed right now after 17 goals conceded so far this season.

Raskin’s form in the 2024/25 campaign also shows that he has the quality to provide a big threat in possession as both a scorer and a creator of goals, to go along with his defensive efforts.

The Belgian star delivered five goals and 11 assists in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, and could provide the creativity that Rangers lacked against Celtic, as they failed to create any ‘big chances’.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast’s Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Whilst these statistics explain why Rangers need Raskin back in the first-team squad for matches, there is another Light Blues outcast who should be moved on by sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

Rabbi Matondo did not complete a move away from Ibrox before the end of the Scottish summer transfer window, but Thelwell must find a way to finally move on from the winger, whether that is now or in the January transfer window at the start of next year.

Why Rangers need to move on from Rabbi Matondo

Raskin and Matondo both reportedly earn £15k-per-week at Rangers, but the club have not been getting equal value out of them on the pitch in recent seasons.

In fact, the Wales international spent the 2024/25 campaign out on loan at Hannover in the 2. Bundesliga because Philippe Clement decided that he was not going to make his first-team squad.

Rangers, who signed the forward from Schalke for a fee of £2.5m in the summer of the 2022, need to finally part ways with the attacker because he has not done enough on the pitch since his move to Ibrox.

Matondo has had his moments for the Gers, including the goal against Celtic in the clip above, but he has only scored eight goals in all competitions for the first-team in the last three years.

As well as struggling for consistency on the pitch, the former Manchester City youngster has also struggled to stay fit throughout his time at Ibrox, and on loan in Germany last term.

25/26

1

3

24/25

1

23

23/24

2

19

22/23

1

20

As you can see in the table above, the 25-year-old winger has not been reliable enough with his availability in recent seasons, already missing three games at the start of the current campaign.

Matondo, who Kris Boyd claimed has “blistering pace”, cannot be relied upon by Martin because of these consistent injury issues, which is why the manager should not look to reintegrate him into the team.

The Welsh international should, instead, be moved on by Thelwell, whether that is to a club whose window remains open now or to a team in January, because of his performance and injury issues.

Matondo has only scored seven goals in 44 matches in the Scottish Premiership for Rangers in his career, per Transfermarkt, and this shows that he has not been an elite talent for the team even when he has been fit.

The wide player’s underwhelming contributions in the final third and his injury problems suggest that the Gers have not got as much out of their £15k-per-week than they have for Raskin, who won the club’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season awards for the 2024/25 campaign.

Rangers must regret losing the "Mbappe of Scottish football" for nothing

Rangers had a star who was described as the Kylian Mbappe of Scottish football, then lost him for nothing.

ByDan Emery Sep 11, 2025

It is now down to the club, Martin, and Thelwell to find a solution for Matondo in the coming weeks or months, because, to this point, he has been a flop at Ibrox.

MatériaMais Notícias

Atualmente na quinta posição da Série C do Brasileiro e vindo de duas vitórias consecutivas, o Amazonas, do técnico Rafael Lacerda, vive um momento especial na competição. O comandante faz questão de destacar o último triunfo, sobre o Remo, no último domingo em Belém.

RelacionadasFutebol InternacionalIrwing de Freitas fala de planejamento físico para a seleção chinesa visando eliminatórias e Copa da ÁsiaFutebol Internacional19/05/2023Fora de CampoVítima do passaralho da Globo, Hortência abre o jogo sobre saída da emissoraFora de Campo18/05/2023Fora de CampoApós cancelamento de luta, Popó dispara contra Naldo Benny: ‘Só bate em mulher’Fora de Campo18/05/2023

– Algumas vitórias são marcantes numa campanha e essa é uma delas. Enfrentamos um dos clubes mais tradicionais que disputam o campeonato e alcançamos um resultado excelente. Além dos três pontos em si, foi importante para mostrar a nossa força – ressaltou.

No próximo domingo o Amazonas receberá o Operário-PR em Manaus pela quarta rodada da Série C. Mais uma vitória poderá deixar a equipe de Rafael até mesmo na liderança. Porém, o profissional garante que o foco neste momento é outro.

– Estar em primeiro é importante, mas nesse início, além de obter as vitórias, desejo levar o time ao máximo do seu potencial. Desta maneira poderemos chegar naturalmente às primeiras colocações – definiu.

The pending departure of Heung-min Son to LAFC is one that will leave a huge hole in the final third for Tottenham Hotspur, with the South Korean one of the best attackers in the club’s history.

He’s racked up over 450 appearances during his decade at the Lilywhites, scoring 173 times, with 11 of which coming during the 2024/25 campaign, helping the club end their 17-year wait for a trophy.

There’s no denying that at 33, it’s the right time for a move, but such a departure will leave Thomas Frank and the hierarchy with a huge task to replace his constant attacking threat.

Further additions will need to be made between now and the end of the transfer window to ensure the new boss has all the options he needs at his disposal to be competitive in the Premier League.

Daniel Levy has already commenced work to potentially make top-level additions, especially if the latest updates coming out of North London come to fruition.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new attackers this summer

Over recent days, Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss has emerged as a potential option for Spurs this summer, with his £22m relegation release clause becoming active.

It was confirmed that the Lilywhites hierarchy are preparing an official approach to land the Moroccan, who registered six combined goals and assists last campaign.

However, he’s not the only forward-thinking player currently in their sights, with Real Madrid star Rodrygo another player they’re chasing, according to Spanish outlet Cadena SER.

They claim that Frank’s side have prepared a €60m (£52m) bid to land the Brazilian forward this summer, potentially being the perfect replacement for the outgoing Son.

It also states that the 24-year-old is hoping for a Premier League move during the current window, after being told he’s free to depart the LaLiga giants ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Why Spurs’ £52m target would be Frank’s answer to Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé has cemented himself as one of Europe’s leading talismen over the last couple of years – undoubtedly being a player every fan wishes played for their side.

The Frenchman burst onto the scene as a baby-faced teenager at Monaco back in 2017, before a huge move to PSG that secured his place as one of Europe’s elite.

He registered a staggering 256 goals in his 308 outings for the Parisians over an eight-year period, breaking the record for the most goals scored by a player in the club’s history.

However, he would depart the Ligue 1 side on a free transfer last summer, joining European giants Real Madrid – a move which has seen him continue his excellent talents in front of goal.

The 26-year-old found the net 44 times in his 59 outings across all competitions throughout 2024/25, having a debut campaign to remember at the Santiago Bernabéu.

A player of his calibre would cost a pretty penny in today’s market, but Spurs could be about to land a player of his level – that’s if they complete a deal for Rodrygo this summer.

The Brazilian has been labelled as a similar player to Mbappé by FBref, managing to outperform his teammate in numerous key areas during the most recent season in LaLiga.

Rodrygo, who’s been labelled “world-class” by analyst Ben Mattinson, registered more progressive passes and carries per 90, handing Frank the attacking threat he craves upon Son’s departure.

He also managed to complete more key passes and more passes into the final third per 90, able to allow fellow new addition Mohammed Kudus to also hit the ground running in North London.

Games played

30

34

Goals & assists

11

34

Progressive carries

5.3

4.6

Goals per shot on target

0.3

0.3

Pass accuracy

86%

82%

Key passes made

2.5

1.3

Passes into final third

3.1

2.3

Carries into final third

4.1

2.9

Crosses completed

3.8

1.1

Progressive passes

5.1

4.3

Rodrygo’s dominance over his teammate is further reflected in his higher pass completion rate, whilst completing more crosses per 90, showcasing his impeccable nouse for creating chances in attacking areas.

He certainly won’t be a cheap addition for Spurs this summer, but the Brazilian has showcased that he has the ability to provide a real threat for the club within the final third.

If he can transfer such a skill-set over to England ahead of 2025/26, he could become the club’s main man in their ambitions of being successful in the Premier League in the near future.

Perfect Maddison replacement: Spurs preparing bid for "sensational" talent

Tottenham Hotspur have wasted no time in making a move for a player to replace James Maddison.

1 ByEthan Lamb Aug 5, 2025