Whilst it has been a frustrating summer for all involved at Aston Villa, those in the Midlands have now reportedly been handed a golden opportunity to sign an impressive Leon Bailey upgrade.
Morgan Rogers wins Young Player of the Year
Although many at Villa Park will be frustrated by their inability to welcome a number of new additions as well as Jacob Ramsey’s sale coming as a consequence of their PSR shortcomings, Morgan Rogers represents a reminder of just how talented Unai Emery’s squad still is. The former Middlesbrough midfielder officially picked up the PFA Young Player of the Year award in deserved fashion earlier this week.
After winning the award, Rogers told reporters: “Later down the line, I want to be one of those incredible players people speak about, so to do that I have to do what they did and what they followed after. It’s a nice recognition, but there’s more to win and I can’t wait.”
It’s hard to argue that it wasn’t deserved. The 23-year-old enjoyed an excellent season and, like the rest of his Aston Villa teammates, only missed out on a place in the Champions League on the final day after a controversial refereeing decision against Manchester United.
Appearances
37
Goals
8
Assists
11
Having returned to full fitness just in time to face Newcastle United in an opening day draw last time out, Rogers will now be hoping to leave his mark for the first time this season against Brentford.
Aston Villa eyeing fresh PSR bypass to sign "confident" Premier League star
Emery is a huge admirer…
ByTom Cunningham Aug 19, 2025
Meanwhile, away from the pitch, Aston Villa could yet take hold of a golden opportunity to secure their signing of the summer. The sale of Ramsey has given them some breathing room on the PSR front and that could yet see one star man arrive.
Aston Villa handed chance to sign Lookman
According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Aston Villa have been handed a golden opportunity to sign Ademola Lookman after receiving contact from his representatives. The Atalanta winger has been desperate to leave the club all summer long and after seeing a move to Inter Milan break down, has now set his sights on a Premier League return.
Atalanta's AdemolaLookmanin action
Aston Villa, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have all reportedly held conversations with Lookman in recent days to potentially ignite a late race to secure an excellent coup.
With 20 goals and seven assists to his name last season, Lookman would be a major upgrade on the departing Bailey at Villa Park and could even be enough to take Emery’s side back into the Champions League places. Simply put, Villa should be going all out for his signature this month.
Leeds United will only have Premier League matches to worry about for the rest of 2025 after they were knocked out of the League Cup on Tuesday night.
The Whites, amazingly, lost 3-0 on penalties to Sheffield Wednesday after missing their first three spot kicks, and will have to wait for the FA Cup in January to start their next ‘road to Wembley’.
Whilst supporters are still well within their rights to be frustrated with the manner of the performance and the overall result, it does now mean that they will not have any distractions from their attempts to rack up points in the Premier League.
Although you could argue that it does mean there are fewer opportunities for the fringe players in the squad to gain minutes and press their case to come into the league XI.
For example, the clash with Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night presented Daniel Farke with an opportunity to hand full debuts to Jaka Bijol, Noah Okafor, and Sean Longstaff.
Okafor arrived from AC Milan on a permanent deal earlier this month and the Whites will be hoping that he can add some attacking flair to the squad this season.
What Noah Okafor could bring to Leeds this season
The Switzerland international is a versatile attacker who could be deployed on the left flank as a winger or through the middle as a centre-forward option for Leeds, which provides Farke with flexibility in the way that he can select his teams.
It was on the wing where he made his full debut in the League Cup, though, and the pacey attacker showed glimpses of what he may be able to bring to the team this season.
Minutes
85
Key passes
2
Big chances created
1
Assists
0
Shots on target
2
Goals
0
Dribbles completed
4/8
Duels won
9/17
As you can see in the table above, Okafor was direct, completing four dribbles, and tried to make things happen at the top end of the pitch with two key passes and two shots on target.
Unfortunately, he was unable to register a goal or an assist to change the direction of the match, but there were plenty of positive signs to be encouraged by.
However, it is also worth taking into consideration that Okafor only produced one goal and two assists in 21 games for Milan and Napoli in all competitions last season, per Sofascore, and six goals and three assists in 36 outings in the 2023/24 campaign for the Italian giants.
This does not suggest that he is likely to hit the ground running as a forward who can deliver goals and assists on a regular basis for Leeds, purely based on his lack of consistency in the final third with Milan.
Okafor’s inconsistency in recent seasons and his lack of experience in English football may be why the West Yorkshire outfit are now reportedly looking at another addition out wide.
Leeds remain interested in Premier League forward
According to Football Insider, the 49ers are still eyeing a last-minute move for Tottenham Hotspur winger Manor Solomon before Monday’s transfer deadline.
The report claims that Farke wants to add multiple new attackers to his squad before the summer transfer window slams shut, including another winger on top of the addition of Okafor from Milan.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It states that they remain long-term admirers of Solomon heading into the final days of the transfer window, suggesting that a last-gasp deal could still be on the cards.
Football Insider adds that the Israel international, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Elland Road, is ‘certain’ to move on from Spurs before the end of the window.
It is now up to Leeds to make an offer for the winger in the coming days in an attempt to bring him back to West Yorkshire, whether that is on loan or on a permanent basis, as he could be an even better option than Okafor.
Why Leeds should sign Manor Solomon
The Whites should look to bring the Israel international back to Elland Road because he has the potential to be an even better option than the former Milan man on the left flank, for a number of reasons.
Leeds United'sManorSolomoncelebrates scoring their first goal
Firstly, Solomon may be more reliable when it comes to staying fit. He only missed four games through injury last season, per Transfermarkt, whilst Okafor was absent for 13 matches for Milan and Napoli combined.
This means that he may be more likely to be available week-in-week-out for Farke in a gruelling Premier League campaign that may test the fitness levels of the players as they fight relegation.
Of course, Solomon’s quality on the pitch is another reason why he could offer more than Okafor on the left wing this season, given what he displayed in the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign.
xG
8.14
Top 8%
Goals
10
Top 6%
Shots on target
25
Top 12%
xA
10.30
Top 1%
Chances created
67
Top 5%
Assists
12
Top 3%
As you can see in the table above, the Spurs loanee was one of the best wingers in the division at scoring and creating goals, with 22 goals and assists combined in total.
Meanwhile, Okafor has not registered more than 20 goal contributions in a single season, per Sofascore, and has not produced more than nine since the 2022/23 campaign with RB Salzburg, who were a dominant force in Austrian football at the time.
This suggests that Solomon, who was described as “unplayable” by ex-Leeds boss Neil Redfearn last term, has the potential to provide a greater threat at the top end of the pitch from a left wing position, because of both his quality as a scorer and a creator of goals.
Finally, the Tottenham forward is also experienced in England and has played in the Premier League with Fulham and Spurs, as well as in the Championship with Leeds, which means that he could hit the ground running in the top-flight.
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Therefore, Solomon may be an even better option than Okafor, who has no prior experience in England, a patchy fitness record, and a lack of consistency in the final third in recent years, which is why the club should be pushing to sign him.
The PCB has adopted a more rigid stance on its hosting of the tournament, ruling out a hybrid model format
Osman Samiuddin10-Nov-2024The PCB is seeking advice from the Pakistan government on how to proceed with its hosting of the Champions Trophy, after the BCCI made clear it will not send India to Pakistan for the tournament in February.The BCCI informed the ICC this week of the decision of the Indian government to not allow India to travel to Pakistan. That decision was formally conveyed by the ICC to the PCB on Friday, who have now gone to their government for next steps.”The ICC emailed the PCB informing them about the inability of the BCCI to send its team to Pakistan,” a PCB spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo. “No reason was given. There is nothing in writing we have received from the BCCI. The PCB has apprised the federal government of the situation.”Related
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The PCB has adopted a more rigid stance on its hosting of the tournament – the first ICC event in the country since 1996 – with the board chairman Mohsin Naqvi ruling out a hybrid host model very clearly on Friday. Such a model, used in the 2023 Asia Cup which Pakistan hosted, would see India play its games outside of Pakistan and all non-India games in Pakistan.Given that Naqvi is Pakistan’s interior minister, that stance can be taken as representative of the government’s in this case. An official familiar with the situation said the Pakistan government will consider directing the PCB to stand firm, reject the hybrid model and insist the entire tournament is held in Pakistan. That would be a directive the PCB would be in no position to ignore in much the way the BCCI is unable to act against its own government’s directive.It leaves the ICC, with 100 days to go to the start of the Champions Trophy, in an especially difficult situation with simmering political issues between its two leading Full Members threatening to spill over – unsurprising given that Naqvi’s BCCI counterpart, Jay Shah, is the son of Naqvi’s counterpart in the Indian government, the home minister Amit Shah. The situation will not become any simpler when Shah takes over as the ICC chair, on December 1.The India-Pakistan rivalry is the marquee match in all global events, and organisers have long made sure they face each other at least once in every tournament since the 2013 Champions Trophy. It is regularly the match that draws the most eyeballs. But indications within this PCB administration are that their government might not allow Pakistan to travel to India for future ICC events – the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup is the next such event. On Friday, Naqvi had warned that “gestures” Pakistan had made in the past might not be repeated: he was referring to Pakistan traveling to India for the men’s ODI World Cup in 2023, right after India had refused to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup.Last month, the ECB chief executive Richard Gould made clear how important India and Pakistan both were to ICC events and the global cricket ecosystem. “If you play the Champions Trophy without India, or Pakistan, the broadcast rights aren’t there, and we need to protect them,” he said, on a visit to Pakistan during England’s Test series in the country.An event in Lahore this week to launch the schedule and start the 100-day countdown has been postponed in light of the developments. Instead, the PCB is expected to push the ICC this week to secure in writing from the BCCI the reason for its decision and on what specific grounds the Indian government is preventing its team from traveling. The ICC has been contacted for comment.As of now, the eight-team event is due to be played between February 19 and March 9, across Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. Stadiums at all three venues have been undergoing renovation and upgradation to different degrees in order to be ready for the event. Pakistan are the defending champions, having won the event in 2017.
Bittersweet emotions in victory and defeat ahead of conversion to county competition in 2025
ESPNcricinfo staff and ECB Reporters Network21-Sep-2024
Kate Coppack was in the wickets for Sunrisers•Getty Images for Surrey CCC
Kate Coppack, Sunrisers’ matchwinner in the last-ever staging of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, paid tribute to the resilience within the squad, as they capped the competition’s short history with victory over South East Stars in a rain-affected final at Grace Road.Coppack chose the perfect moment to produce career-best figures of 4 for 27, as South East Stars stumbled early in the powerplay then lost wickets at regular intervals thereafter, with only Alice Davidson-Richards’ superb 93 from 105 balls providing any lasting resistance.In pursuit of a sub-par 213, Sunrisers got themselves ahead of the rate early thanks to Cordelia Griffiths’ boundary-studded 57, and though they shipped three wickets in the first half of their innings, Grace Scrivens had the chase firmly under control with her unbeaten 39 from 47 balls, before a thunderstorm forced an early end to the contest.The victory, albeit via DLS, completed one of the more remarkable turnarounds in the short history of women’s professional cricket, given that Sunrisers did not win a single contest in each of the first three stagings of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.”There have been a lot of highs and lows as the Sunrisers so to end like that is really special,” Coppack, 30, told the ECB Reporters Network, having been a regular in their squad since 2021.”I wasn’t involved in the first year but Danni [Warren] and people have been building a team over the years. It was always going to take a while.”I think you have to give credit to Scrivens coming in as captain. She is still really young but has learned quickly and is good at balancing people and when to bowl them. Having the same group around for the last few years, and people having trust in us has really helped as we could have tried to start again when things weren’t going well.”Away from cricket, Coppack is a lawyer, while her family also run an alpaca farm. “I’ve always been a pay-to-play player and try to balance work as well,” she said. “There have been a couple of us who have been doing that, but it is nice to see the game go more professional.”For Warren, Sunrisers’ director of cricket, the victory was vindication for the team’s perseverance, even when the going was particularly tough in the early years of the competition. It also provides the squad with a fillip ahead of next year’s switch to a county format, with Essex taking over the management of the Tier 1 team that will represent the region.”It is the culmination of a lot of hard work for a lot of people, for players and backroom staff,” Warren said. “We started this era with a group of players who were untested and untried at this level and we have identified some gems.”They have done it as an exciting group of young players who are probably come together slightly more than the sum of their part. We are the underdogs – and we like that term.”There have been a lot of tears and a lot of soul-searching from a lot of people. The lowest point was the four overthrows off the final ball against Storm in 2022. The story of that time was that we found a way to lose, now we have found a way to win – and that’s a brilliant thing.”With this group of girls you don’t know who the hero is going to be, any of them can put in a performance. There will be a happy person sat in the corner later looking around the room and seeing how far we have come. But I don’t see this as the end of an era, I just see it as momentum into the next one.”Alice Davidson-Richards held the Stars top order together•Getty Images for Surrey CCC
Emma Calvert, South East Stars’ director of cricket, was understandably disconsolate as her team finished on the losing side in two finals this summer, following their defeat to The Blaze in the Charlotte Edwards Cup in June.”It is gutting,” she said. “It is the end of an era and a sad way to end that era. We wanted to go out there, put on a performance and win the trophy but we have no control over the weather.”DLS is a funny thing. I backed us to take those wickets and see it through to the end. But what happened, happened and congratulations to Sunrisers. I have seen how much effort has gone in to building that program and it is an incredible end to that journey.”Alice Davidson-Richards is an incredible player, we all know that. She is disappointed more than anyone because although she put on that performance her team didn’t win and that is what means the most to her.”South East Stars are set to be absorbed into Surrey’s all-conquering set-up from 2025 onwards, but Warren admitted it was a bittersweet moment as this initial domestic era comes to an end.”We are incredibly excited to become Surrey but in this moment it feels quite hard,” she added. “The girls are so excited to start the journey with the three feathers on our chest.”We have been on a journey and to get to two finals this year is an incredible end. November 1 is the official day we go live as Surrey, but before then we’ll have words tonight and have our awards and really celebrate what we have achieved.”Although we haven’t lifted a trophy today, we have achieved a lot and I think it is worth celebrating that.”
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is attempting to have his say on the club’s summer recruitment plans, and the Italian has his eyes on one player in particular to reinforce a key area of the squad.
Chelsea ready to offer six-year deal to £45m player, talks "now advancing"
The west Londoners could make their next signing soon.
1
By
Emilio Galantini
Jun 27, 2025
Maresca’s side want to strengthen a number of areas before their manager’s second full season in charge at Stamford Bridge. Over the last week, Chelsea have been holding talks with Borussia Dortmund officials over Jamie Gittens, and it is believed by some that a deal could soon be done.
Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season
Average match rating
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
Alongside Gittens, Chelsea are reported to still be in the market for another centre-back, which perhaps indicates that at least one of Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah, Renato Veiga or Tosin Adarabioyo could be sold.
Even after their £30 million deal for Liam Delap, there are many suggestions that Chelsea could look to sign a second new striker as well, following widely reported talks with Eintracht Frankfurt over a deal for Hugo Ekitiké.
As well as this, Chelsea could still bring in another goalkeeper. As per journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea are looking to sell both Djordje Petrovic and Robert Sanchez this summer, with a move for AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan not completely off the table despite failing to reach an agreement before the Club World Cup.
Barcelona keeper Marc-André ter Stegen has been linked in the past week too, so their hunt for a shot-stopper could still be one to keep an eye on.
Enzo Maresca asks Chelsea to sign Emiliano Martínez from Aston Villa
According to journalist Christian Martin, speaking to DSports, £150,000-per-week Aston Villa number one Emiliano Martínez is now said to have major admirers at Chelsea, including Maresca.
Best Young Player winner Argentina's Enzo Fernandez,GoldenBall winner Argentina's Lionel Messi,GoldenGlovewinner Argentina's EmilianoMartinezandGoldenBoot winner France's Kylian Mbappe pose
Maresca is “asking” Chelsea to make a move for Martinez, and goalkeeping coach Willy Caballero has also given his seal of approval to the potential transfer.
“They want him as their starting goalkeeper,” said Martin.
“Enzo Maresca is asking for him, Willy Caballero, who is part of the coaching staff and trains the goalkeepers, has already given his approval. For now, Chelsea is a very reliable and precise option.”
The Argentine World Cup winner boasts both top-level quality and proven experience on the biggest stages. After becoming a leader at Villa, there is every reason to believe the 32-year-old could be tempted by the prospect of Champions League football next season and becoming Chelsea’s new number one.
Unai Emery’s side are also under pressure from PSR to sell big-name players before the start of the next football financial year, which begins on July 1, so a deal could well be had here.
Big picture: Can South Africa challenge upbeat India?
It’s been a while but women’s cricket finally returns to Chennai. Both teams are unfamiliar with the conditions: India haven’t played here since a Quadrangular Series in 2007; South Africa have only played one match in Chennai, a T20 World Cup game in 2016.But India are coming into this match not only having played a Test against England and Australia last December, but also comprehensively beating both those top sides. India’s spinners were key in those wins, and that will also be a big advantage for the home team going into this Test in what are expected to be spin-friendly conditions.Related
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India’s resources have only increased in the last several months. They handed maiden call-ups to several players and have had four players train at the National Cricket Academy exclusively for the red-ball format, boasting depth in both batting and bowling departments. Their offspin-allrounders Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma played match-winning hands in the December Tests, while their batters posted two 400-plus totals in the first innings of both matches. Most of the international players also played in the Senior Women’s Inter-zonal multi-day series in March-April.India will also take confidence from the ODI series win against South Africa into the Test. Their mainstay Smriti Mandhana showed superb form, while the likes of Deepti and Arundhati Reddy shone with the ball.South Africa, on the other hand, will be playing their second Test of the year, having suffered an innings defeat against Australia in February in Perth. They also don’t have quality preparation with the red ball heading into this Test. The format is not part of their domestic system and South Africa also had only a couple of days to adjust to the conditions. They did have long net sessions over the last two days against Tamil Nadu’s Under-14 and Under-16 boys teams, facing more spin than pace.Laura Wolvaardt has called for South Africa women to play more domestic red-ball cricket•PTI
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt said on the eve of the Test that adapting to the ball “staying low and turning a bit” will be the “biggest challenge”. They do have a left-arm spin option in Nonkululeko Mlaba, while Marizanne Kapp said Sune Luus, who bowled offspin in the second ODI, will also bowl.All things considered, it is advantage India going into the only Test.
Form Guide
India WWD (last three matches, most recent first) South Africa LDL
In the spotlight: Deepti Sharma and Laura Wolvaardt
Deepti Sharma has been in brilliant all-round form lately. In the Test against England, she picked up a match haul of 9 for 39, which included superb figures of 5 for 7 in the first innings. She also scored a 67 in that game in a dominant Indian batting display. Deepti followed that up with a score of 78 and two wickets against Australia. She was in peak form in domestic cricket as well, taking 27 wickets and scoring 157 runs in three games in the Inter-zonal multi-day Trophy for East Zone.Deepti Sharma has been in excellent all-round form lately•BCCI
Captain Laura Wolvaardt has been a force at the top of the order for South Africa for a long time. But she’s been batting at a different level since last year: she averages 68.21 in ODIs with five centuries and three fifties, and 49 in T20Is with seven half-centuries. She scored 135* and 61 in the last two ODIs against India and will be a key player for South Africa in the Test as well.
Team news: India likely to go with Shubha at No. 3
Satheesh Shubha, who played the England Test in December, is likely to slot in at No. 3. Renuka Singh was rested for the last two ODIs against South Africa but had a bowl at the nets on the eve of the Test. Harmanpreet Kaur said that India would keep Renuka’s “workload in mind”.India (probable XI): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Satheesh Shubha, 4 Jemimah Rodrigues, 5 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 Pooja Vastrakar, 10 Rajeshwari Gayakwad/ Saika Ishaque, 11 Renuka SinghKapp, who did not play South Africa’s Test against Australia earlier this year, is likely to slot back in. She, however, did not bowl in the ODI series last week. Wolvaardt said at the press conference that Kapp was “managing her workload and taking it on a day-to-day basis” with the T20 World Cup around the corner. Sinalo Jafta, who did not play the last two ODIs after she suffered a mild concussion, has trained all week and is available for selection.South Africa (probable XI): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Anneke Bosch, 3 Marizanne Kapp 4 Sune Luus, 5 Tazmin Brits, 6 Delmi Tucker, 7 Nadine de Klerk, 8 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 9 Nonkulueko Mlaba, 10 Masabata Klaas, 11 Tumi Sekhukhune
Pitch and conditions: Expect spin to play a big role
The Chepauk surface is traditionally known for being slow and spin-friendly. A red-soil strip will be used for the match, and Harmanpreet expects it to start spinning “from the second or third day”.There was a cloud cover on the eve of the Test but there’s no rain threat to the game.
Stats that matter: Mandhana in sight of a milestone
Mandhana is just 20 away from scoring 500 runs in Tests. She’ll be the ninth women’s batter from India to achieve that milestone if she gets there
Deepti has played four Tests and has a fifty in each of those. She averages 63.40 with the bat and 13.75 with the ball. The average difference of 45.65 is the second best among allrounders with 300-plus runs and 15-plus wickets
Chennai has hosted only one women’s Test before this – India vs West Indies in 1976
Kapp made her Test debut when the two teams last played each other – in 2014 in Mysore. That was one of the only two Tests she would play in ten years
It appears as though Steven Gerrard is in the running to be the next manager of Glasgow Rangers.
His previous spell between 2018 and 2021 saw the Ibrox side win their first Premiership title since 2011 before he left for Aston Villa.
He was savvy in the transfer market, bringing in a mix of young players with plenty of potential and experienced professionals who were ready to make an immediate impact.
Jermain Defoe
One of his most underrated signings was Jermain Defoe, who enjoyed a productive Indian summer to his career in Glasgow.
Jermain Defoe’s Rangers statistics
The Englishman arrived at Rangers in January 2018 on an 18-month loan deal, scoring on his debut against Kilmarnock.
He ended up with eight goals during his first six months, before netting 17 across 32 games the following season. In January 2020, he signed a pre-contract agreement to join the club permanently and went on to play a bit-part role in the 2020/21 title-winning campaign.
Games
20
Goals
13
Goals per game
0.7
Scoring frequency (minutes)
77
Minutes per game
50 minutes
Defoe scored only five times all season, but he won his first-ever domestic title in the process. He left Ibrox less than six months later, but the veteran striker was great to have around the training ground, offering advice and encouragement to the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe.
While the transfer strategy has changed over the years, if Gerrard is appointed as manager, could he make a similar sort of signing in Jamie Vardy this summer?
An English centre-forward with a host of experience in the Premier League, looking for one final crack at the big time. It makes sense when you think about it…
Why Rangers should sign Jamie Vardy
Ally McCoist has stated his desire to see Vardy in a Rangers’ shirt next season, and given the fact he is soon to be a free agent, a prospective move could be closer than many think.
Vardy will leave Leicester City this summer after 13 years, making his 500th appearance for the club last week while netting his 200th goal for the Foxes.
It has been a remarkable career in the Premier League for the Englishman and he was even named as a “living legend” by manager Ruud van Nistelrooy recently.
He might be 38, but a season or two in Scotland could still see him finding the back of the net on a regular basis, especially if used as an impact sub.
The striker – who has ten goals to his name this term, including nine in the league – has managed to create six big chances in the top flight, having a goal conversion percentage of 16% and averaging 1.7 shots per game.
Not excellent statistics by any stretch of the imagination, but for Rangers, he could certainly replicate the feats of Defoe should the Ibrox side come calling this summer.
It may go against the club’s ethos of prioritising younger talents, but Vardy would offer something different in the final third.
That something might just make all the difference towards the end of the season. That’s for sure.
Rangers could sign Gerrard and immediately suffer blow as Arsenal poach 17 y/o
It could be a frustrating start for the Liverpool legend if he returns to Ibrox.
After turning their season around in excellent fashion, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly turned their attention towards keeping hold of one of Vitor Pereira’s star men.
Wolves' resurgent run under Pereira
When Wolves sacked Gary O’Neil before replacing him with a manager who had never stepped foot in the Premier League, there were plenty of concerns over their ability to avoid relegation. Five months on, however, Pereira has silenced doubters and even shared a few drinks with his fans following a recent run of six-straight Premier League victories. The Midlands club haven’t just survived under their new manager, they’ve thrived.
Games
19
Wins
10
Draws
2
Defeats
7
Goals Scored
27
Goals Conceded
22
What makes that record even more impressive is the fact that star man Matheus Cunha has missed four of those 19 games, including three of Wolves’ six-consecutive wins between March and April.
It’s an absence that Wolves fans would have feared, but one that they now know Wolves can perform with. And that’s something that Pereira’s side will likely have to get used to amid rumours that Cunha will be on the move this summer.
The Brazilian has a release clause worth around £63m and has attracted interest from Manchester United and others as a result. Following an excellent campaign, there’s no doubt that the forward deserves a big move. Whether that big move will be to Old Trafford and a side who are on course to finish below Wolves remains to be seen, however.
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ByBrett Worthington May 7, 2025
If the former Atletico Madrid man does depart, meanwhile, then those at Molineux will be in for an important summer. With money to spend, they would have to instantly replace Cunha whilst also keeping hold of their other star men amid similar interest.
Ait-Nouri set for new contract talks
According to the Express and Star, Wolves are now set to offer Rayan Ait-Nouri a fresh deal in an attempt to keep hold of their versatile left-back just over a year before his current deal expires.
Although the Algerian has gone under the radar at times this season thanks to Wolves’ early struggles, there’s no denying that it’s been another fantastic season. With three Premier League games to go, the defender has scored five goals and assisted another seven in all competitions to significantly improve on last season’s numbers.
Ait-Nouri
As important to Pereira as he was O’Neil, Ait-Nouri found himself at the centre of the latter’s praise last season when his former manager told reporters: “It’s very important being able to use him in a few different positions out of necessity.
“He could roll inside and play in midfield from left back, he played as a 10 in the second half. He’s a great lad. He’s come on professionalism-wise and asks loads of questions now.”
Whilst reports suggest that Wolves value their full-back at £40m this summer, Ait-Nouri’s time at the club may not be coming to an end any time soon with a new contract seemingly set to be on the table.
Barry Ferguson’s Rangers are still, just about, alive in this season’s Europa League.
Before kick-off, most would’ve agreed that the Ibrox outfit required a win at home to stand a realistic chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Well, when referee István Kovács blew for full-time following a whopping 12 minutes of injury time, the Ibrox faithful celebrated the 0-0 draw with Athletic Bilbao like a victory, and with good reason.
This stalemate means the Light Blues will travel to the Basque Country next Thursday with a fighting chance of keeping this continental adventure going but it wasn’t without its stresses, that’s for sure.
Was Robin Pröpper's red card justified?
The primary reason why Rangers supporters and players alike were delighted with this first-leg goalless draw is because centre-back Robin Pröpper was sent off after just 12 minutes.
Following video review, the referee deemed that the Dutch defender had denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity when he, rather aggressively, brought down Inaki Williams on the edge of the penalty area.
Speaking during commentary on TNT Sports, Rangers legend Ally McCoist, fair to say, did not agree with this decision, describing the red card as “really harsh”, adding “he’s gone to try and win the ball… he’s been beaten by a bit of skill”.
Pröpper was only starting as a result of John Souttar’s suspension due to yellow card accumulation, meaning the Scotland international will be available to return at the heart of the Rangers’ defence in Bilbao next Thursday.
This though, is not the Dutchman’s first mishap; Aaron Nijjar of Football Insider claims his ‘performances have been marked by uncertainty’ since joining from Twente last summer.
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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Not everyone in Blue performed badly…
Rangers' hero against Bilbao
The headline team news ahead of Thursday’s first leg came in goal where, following a string of error-stricken performances, Jack Butland had been dropped, with Liam Kelly donning the gloves instead.
Well, fair to say the 29-year-old repaid his manager’s faith, accumulating three high claims and making three saves, preventing an xG figure of 1.84, a large proportion of which is thanks to his penalty save late on.
As outlined by Will Unwin of the Guardian, everyone inside Ibrox ‘was confused’ when Athletic had a goal ruled out for offside, only for a penalty to be awarded instead; Dujon Sterling penalised for handball, and this one was rather harsh.
Álex Berenguer who, four and a half minutes earlier, had been celebrating in front of the 3,000 traveling Athletic supporters, elected to smash his spot-kick down the middle, only for Kelly to stick out his right boot and make a remarkable save, sparking wild scenes of celebration.
So, while Kelly was the hero, his teammate up the other end of the park did not cover himself in glory.
Rangers' frustrating front-man
Rangers assistant manager Neil McCann himself admitted last week that Cyriel Dessers ‘will always divide opinion’, which is probably a bit of an understatement if we’re honest.
Scott Bradley of Breaking The Lines describes the Nigerian as the “most frustrating player” he’s ever seen in a Rangers jersey, and Dessers did not star on Thursday, accumulating just 18 touches – fewer than the aforementioned Kelly (44) – losing possession seven times, registering just four passes and firing both of his attempts off target, albeit in difficult circumstances.
Dessers has, in fairness, been in fantastic form since Ferguson took over as interim manager, scoring five goals in eight appearances, most notably on target during the famous 3-1 victory over Fenerbahçe in İstanbul.
Nevertheless, despite the fact his centre-forward was clearly exhausted, Ferguson waited until the 85th minute before introducing Hamza Igamane.
This change surely should’ve been made earlier, with the Moroccan possibly even deserving to start in Bilbao, as these statistics underline.
Appearances
48
39
Minutes
2,892
2.277
Goals
23
14
Assists
7
3
Europa League goals
3
4
Minutes per goal
126
163
Goals – xG (UEL only)
-2.3
+2.8
Big chances missed
26
5
The two statistics that jump off the page from the table above are big chances missed, Dessers have racked up a staggering 26 across the Europa League and Premiership this season, as well as the goals – xG.
In this season’s Europa League, only Malick Fofana of Olympique Lyonnais can boast a better goals – xG figure than Igamane, while only five players rank below Dessers for the same metric.
Thus, looking ahead of next Thursday’s mouthwatering return leg at San Mamés, it’s clear that Igamane is the better option to start at centre-forward.
McCoist: I'd have loved to have played with Raskin and this Rangers star
The England and KKR opener has had success by going all in on his attacking ability
Alagappan Muthu and Deivarayan Muthu13-Apr-2024Among Phil Salt’s favourite games of cricket is the CPL final in 2019. He scored a duck.”Did you see that?” he said, using one hand to trace the path of the delivery and the other to act as his elbow because that’s what the ball hit before ballooning up in the air and resulting in his dismissal, caught behind.He shook his head, recalling all of it, but there was a big smile on his face. Spend the week holidaying in Miami. Drop into the Caribbean to play a bit of T20 cricket. End up champion. There are worse ways to live.Salt is an opening batter but that doesn’t even begin to describe who he is and what he does. His strike rate comes close. At 166, it is the third-best among those that play T20I cricket for Full-Member nations (min. 250 balls faced). He is a professional risk-taker. There’s a one in two chance that he’ll start the innings by finding the fence.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”I suppose it’s about taking the bowlers off their natural lines and lengths,” Salt said. “It’s all about me imposing myself on the game and doing what I want to do and taking them [the bowlers] off what they want to do. Ultimately, if I can hit the first over for more than ten, I’m putting someone under pressure big time. And if they come back, and I can take them on again and again, it’s ruining their day and they’ve got to go to their weaker option. It’s just about your skill vs their skill, one ball at a time. That’s about as complicated as it gets really.”His career, even at domestic level, began after the 2015 World Cup. By then, England had become suspicious of the very concept of caution. Salt “spoke to Eoin Morgan, who was captain at the time, and he said there is only one way to play if you’re going to play for us and it’s not for yourself. It’s for the team. So from that moment onwards everything was sort of lined up to play for the team and that’s where I had success. And that’s what I will keep doing.”Salt has kicked off 95 of the 188 T20s he’s been at the top of the order with a four or a six in the opening exchanges. He has the second-highest boundary count in first overs since he made his debut in May 2016, behind Paul Stirling but ahead of the man he has replaced at both England and Kolkata Knight Riders, Jason Roy. He has fought to be like this.Related
Salt carves unusual route to the top with exemplary work ethic
Phil Salt: From Barbados to England via T20 finishing school
“There’s been a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes,” Salt said. “It’s probably one of the things… Probably the only thing that does wind me up slightly is when people say, ‘Oh, I’m talented and I’m this and that’. They don’t see how much hard work, the stuff I’ve had to overcome in my short career so far, they don’t see it.”Every cricketer has got a story. From having coaches who change how you want to play… Sticking to my guns and knowing where I want to be and what I want to do as a cricketer, that’s the sort of stuff I’ve come through, I suppose. So, I’d say 90% of it is hard work and I think I’ve always had the ability to strike a ball or kick a football .”It isn’t just power, though. Salt is capable of accessing both sides of the wicket. Last year, at the Hundred, he had 30 off 10 before his much more senior partner got to face a single ball. Jos Buttler was a spectator as he watched the game start with a cover drive for four and then, when the bowler adjusted his line and brought it closer to middle, get flicked off the stumps for six.Phil Salt has often climbed onto the offensive at the Hundred•Getty ImagesSalt made 86 off 32 for Manchester Originals against Trent Rockets that day. But the most stunning detail of that performance was that he came into it with four single-digit scores, including a duck, in five matches. He had every reason to throttle down. Instead, he played one of the Hundred’s top five innings by strike rate (min. 15 balls faced) and bettered it the very next week.Salt didn’t let failure hold him back. He understands it is a necessary part of his job, that some risks come off and some don’t. “You have to learn how to manage that and stay level,” he said and hinted at how he does it. “Hopefully you can win a few games for your side.” That’s the metric he judges himself against. Not runs or fifties or hundreds. That’s why every time he goes out to bat, he carries the potential to be devastating.KKR have bet on that, and by pairing him with Sunil Narine, they’ve ended up with the quickest scoring first-wicket partnership (12.83 runs per over) in IPL 2024, which Salt must love considering this tournament and Narine’s old team are part of the reason he does what he does.
“We don’t talk a lot out in the middle. It’s mainly about which bowlers we want to take down and how we’re going to adapt to the conditions. We keep it very, very simple”Phil Salt on his partnership with Sunil Narine at KKR
“It’s probably from watching TV, watching the IPL,” he said, “That’s around the age where I started watching more cricket. Champions League [CLT20] was also on and that was awesome. I was talking to Sunil the other day about Trinidad & Tobago [Trinbago Knight Riders] and how good a side they were. I loved watching that and I saw the way the openers were going about it and I just thought, ‘I wanted to do that’.”We don’t talk a lot out in the middle, though. It’s mainly about which bowlers we want to take down and how we’re going to adapt to the conditions. We keep it very, very simple. All of our chatting is done the night before and when we go out there, we just play. The aim is to put our side in the best position possible going forward and that’s all we keep it about. I think that’s the same all the way through this KKR line-up. Nobody is batting for themselves and nobody is going, ‘I’m going to have the orange cap at the end’. Nobody in the dressing room thinks about that, which makes it such a good batting group to be part of because everybody is aligned to the same goal.”Born in Bodelwyddan, Wales, raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, once so starstruck at seeing Sir Garfield Sobers in a restaurant that he took the wrong order home, then being in the crowd to celebrate England’s T20 World Cup title in 2010 and now with a chance to do that as a member of the actual team. Salt is living the dream, but knows enough to not take anything for granted.Sunil Narine and Phil Salt have given KKR rapid starts more often than not•BCCI”The whole game is a learning curve,” he said. “I remember MS [Dhoni] saying last season that he’s constantly learning as well. It’s one of those things. Every cricketer keeps evolving. Because if you stand still the game will pass you by and if you want to get the best out of your ability, you have to keep learning.”The more conditions that you can expose yourself to, the better. Franchise cricket has helped, no doubt. But as a player, you can go out of your way to create those experiences for yourself. I remember before a T10 tournament, I came out here by myself for ten days in Mumbai, organised by Sachin Bajaj [who runs the Global Cricket School, which county players frequent to improve their game against spin]. So, I feel the more you can expose yourself to different conditions, in different parts of the world, the quicker it’s going to take your game up for sure.”Salt has played in Australia (32 T20s), Bangladesh (3), England (114), India (13), Pakistan (21), South Africa (20), Sri Lanka (10), UAE (10) and West Indies (9). All of that means unless there’s a dramatic breakthrough at some point in the near future and our game is transported off planet, he knows exactly what the conditions are in almost every country where a T20 World Cup can take place. That is a serious advantage, the feeling of having been there and done that, the comfort of knowing what to expect, if not from the opposition then at least about the conditions.For the moment, Salt’s eyes are trained on the IPL. Soon it will shift. In June, he will likely be part of the England side headed to the Caribbean to defend their T20 crown. His career is proof that batting for a good time, not a long time, can bring success too.