Keira Walsh may be on her way back to the Women's Super League after the English midfielder reportedly asked Barcelona to sell her this month.
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Chelsea make offer for WalshMidfielder has asked to leave BarcelonaSpanish side want bigger transfer feeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The 27-year-old joined Barcelona from Manchester City in 2022 and has already won a host of trophies, including two Women's Champions League and Liga F crowns. However, the Lionesses star is pushing for a transfer in the near future, reports.
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Walsh has received an offer from WSL champions Chelsea but Barcelona are holding out for a significantly higher price. The Catalan club are reluctant to sell to one of their Champions League rivals and they would have to enter the transfer market to sign a replacement.
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Walsh's contract expires at the end of the season and the report adds she has no interest in signing a new contract, meaning Barca will have to sell her now if they want to avoid losing her for free. The English midfielder is in a similar situation as Ingrid Engen, who also wants to leave amid interest from Lyon.
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With just a few days left of the transfer window, Walsh will have to convince Chelsea to make an improved offer if they want to land her this season. Otherwise, she may have to see out the season in Spain.
There are a host of high-profile players who may be tempted by a move to England this month amid a lack of minutes at their current clubs
The 2024 January transfer window was the most boring in recent memory, with Radu Dragusin's £25 million ($31m) switch to Tottenham from Genoa ending up being the biggest deal conducted in the Premier League. Purse strings were tightened due to new Profit and Sustainability Rules that came with the threat of potential points deductions, which both Everton and Nottingham Forest fell foul of.
But that doesn't mean more tumbleweeds are guaranteed over the next four weeks. English clubs will have the opportunity to arrange some bargain permanent deals or clever loans in the winter market, and the bank could even be broken for the right target, if money is raised through sales beforehand.
Several household names across La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A and the Bundesliga are being linked with moves to the Premier League after falling out of favour in their current surroundings. Some desperately need a fresh start, while others have been transfer-listed after failing to live up to expectations, and England could be seen as the ideal escape route.
GOAL is on hand to run down the top eight European outcasts who might be priority targets for Premier League sides this month…
GettyEndrick (Real Madrid)
Endrick followed in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo by moving from the Brazilian top-flight to Real Madrid in the summer, and thusly arrived at Santiago Bernabeu with a lot of pressure on his shoulders. The former Palmeiras wonderkid could scarcely have asked for a better start as he marked his debut with a goal in a 3-0 La Liga win over Real Valladolid, before becoming the youngest Madrid player to ever score in the Champions League with a spectacular solo effort against Stuttgart, but he has been unable to build on those dream milestones.
Unfortunately, Endrick joined the club at the same time as Kylian Mbappe, who has hogged the limelight and the No.9 slot since his arrival. As a consequence, the 18-year-old only made Carlo Ancelotti's starting XI once in the first half of the season. Ancelotti has repeatedly insisted Endrick will eventually get his chance, but Madrid are reportedly open to loaning him out in January, with Tottenham and Southampton mooted as potential destinations.
It seems more likely that Endrick will join another La Liga club if Los Blancos do sanction a loan, but a Premier League move cannot be ruled out. He would certainly see plenty of minutes at Southampton, who are in desperate need of a goalscorer to boost their slim chances of avoiding relegation.
Paris Saint-Germain saw off competition from a host of top clubs to sign Randal Kolo Muani in 2023, having seen him emerge as one of the most exciting young forwards in Europe at Eintracht Frankfurt. Kolo Muani didn't come close to justifying his €75m (£62m/$77m) fee during his maiden season at Parc des Princes, though, and now finds himself on the fringes under Luis Enrique.
PSG are reportedly ready to offload the 26-year-old permanently or on loan in the current window, with Manchester United and Chelsea said to be among his admirers. However, claims Arsenal is a more realistic move as Mikel Arteta desperately tries to find cover for injured talisman Bukayo Saka. Kolo Muani is not in the same class as Saka, but a loan deal might help boost the Gunners' title chances, especially since Raheem Sterling's move from Chelsea hasn't worked out as hoped.
Getty Images SportLeon Goretzka (Bayern Munich)
For the best part of six seasons, Leon Goretzka was a vital cog in the Bayern Munich system, but he's slipped down the pecking order since Vincent Kompany's appointment as head coach. Goretzka has long been linked with a switch to Old Trafford, and according to , Manchester United have been monitoring his situation again in recent weeks.
A lack of quality in midfield has been a big reason for United's well-documented struggles, and adding a proven winner like Goretzka to their ranks would be a shrewd move. The 29-year-old could come cheap, too, given his contract at Bayern is due to expire next year, though he has expressed a desire to stay and fight for his place at Allianz Arena.
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Donyell Malen may be the first big name to secure a transfer in the January window, with reporting that Aston Villa are working to sign the Borussia Dortmund forward. Villa have seen an opening offer of €18m (£15m/$19m) rebuffed, but negotiations are still ongoing, with Unai Emery eager to bolster his frontline after a disappointing start to the season.
claims that Malen is pushing for an exit after being restricted to just six starts in Dortmund's first 15 Bundesliga games. The 25-year-old is a versatile player who carries a real goal threat, and would be a useful addition for Villa as they juggle Premier League and Champions League commitments if a deal is pushed over the line in the coming days.
Former Australia stars Lisa Sthalekar and Alex Blackwell have been named as list managers for Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder respectively bringing with them the experience of more than 400 international caps.Sthalekar will work on the lists for both the BBL and WBBL Sixers sides while Blackwell will focus on the WBBL set-up for cross-town rivals Thunder who are the defending champions.The roles were created after Cricket New South Wales had a shake-up of their structure which removed the general manager role from the two BBL clubs.”We couldn’t be happier to have engaged Lisa and Alex to manage the playing lists at Cricket NSW’s BBL clubs,” Greg Mail, CNSW’s head of cricket, said.”Their cricket pedigrees are obviously outstanding and they are both exceptional people who will bring decades of knowledge and experience to the role. The fact they both watch more cricket than most with their commentary roles and have had the chance to see plenty of talent from around Australia and across the world is a big positive.”Related
Lisa Sthalekar, a pioneer in more ways than one
WBBL final to follow opening day of Australia-Afghanistan Test
The contracting embargo has yet to lift for the BBL although conversations can be had between players and clubs, but WBBL deals have been in progress for a few weeks with that tournament beginning in October.Sthalekar will work alongside Greg Shipperd, the head coach of back-to-back champions Sixers in the BBL, but the WBBL set-up are now searching for a new coach following Ben Sawyer’s appointment as the fast-bowling coach of the Australia women’s team.The Sixers have already made some significant decisions with the WBBL squad having not re-signed Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk as overseas players with India opener Shafali Verma due to join the club.”I am excited to join forces again with the Sydney Sixers and looking forward to working with both head coaches and the leaders within both sides,” Sthalekar said. “I feel like I’m in a good position to assist both the Sixers WBBL and BBL teams to ensure that we have the right personnel within the squad to allow them to chase more titles and keep lifting the bar in both tournaments.”Blackwell will team up with the Thunder, where she was a player up to the 2019-2020 season, as they aim for back-to-back titles but they will need two new overseas players with Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont due to be on England duty in Pakistan.”I am thrilled to get the offer and think I fit the role pretty nicely,” Blackwell said. “It is something I stay across anyway because of the wonderful opportunities I get to commentate on cricket.”I also keep an eye on all domestic cricket and internationally through my role with FairBreak where I am helping put together all six teams for the FairBreak Invitational – a first of its kind global invitation tournament next year in Hong Kong.”A list manager for the Thunder BBL team will be named at a later date.
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side snatched a late winner to collect all three points at the Vitality stadium, creeping up to seventh in the Premier League table, with seven points after four games played.
Chelsea held 67% possession but struggled to create, only managing to generate 0.78 xG, compared to Bournemouth’s 1.78 xG (this includes their penalty). But it was late quality in the box from a substitute that made the difference.
A late winner from Christopher Nkunku, scoring in the 86th minute secured the victory for the Blues. Nkunku is now on three goals for the season in all competitions, despite having limited minutes in the Premier League, totaling 80 league minutes, and 228 minutes overall.
Pedro Neto's poor performance
Pedro Neto was taken off at halftime, having struggled to make his mark on the game. Just 25 touches, including losing possession 10 times, and only managing a 67% pass accuracy, it wasn’t quite coming off for the Portuguese wide man.
The Portugal international was given a 4/10 rating by GOAL, labeling the winger as ‘anonymous’ in the game. The 24-year-old has struggled to make a big impact since joining the Blues this summer, totaling 237 minutes played so far, and only clocking one assist.
Neto made 24 appearances for Wolves in all competitions last season, scoring three goals, and providing 11 assists, totaling 1,729 minutes played.
Jadon Sancho's Chelsea debut
Jadon Sancho made a huge difference when being subbed on for Neto at halftime, providing the winning assist to Nkunku, and gaining himself a 7/10 match rating from GOAL, despite only playing 45 minutes.
The 24-year-old looked confident and motivated in his cameo, despite struggling in the last few seasons for Manchester United. After joining the Red Devils, Sancho only managed 12 goals and six assists in 83 appearances for the club.
Stat
Sancho
Neto
Minutes
45
45
Assists
1
0
Touches
39
25
Dribble Attempts
2/4
1/2
Accurate Passes
24/28
10/15
Pass Completion %
86%
67%
Key Passes
2
1
Ground Duels Won
2/4
1/2
You can see from the stats that Sancho had a much bigger impact on the game, with more touches, more key passes, more dribble attempts, more ground duels won, and, of course, providing the assist for Nkunku.
The English wizard showed poise on the ball, committing opposition defenders, dragging them out to defend him wide, playing lovely incisive passes into dangerous areas, and beating his man when he had the chance, all things Neto struggled to do in the first half.
That level of temperament and IQ of Sancho was perhaps the most impressive; knowing when to recycle play, when to commit his fullback in a 1v1, and when to release the ball to a teammate in a better position than him (usually after dragging a defender out to him).
Sancho has surely done enough to start the next game for Chelsea, picking up the man of the match award, and really showing Maresca what he can offer on that left-wing.
Therefore, the manager must finally unleash the summer signing from the start for the first time when the Blues next take to the pitch against West Ham United next weekend.
The U.S. flagship professional soccer league released its attendance data, with more than 12M total in regular season and playoffs
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Major League Soccer is the second-most attended league in the world
12,124,927 fans took in games across regular season and playoffs
Two matches surpassed 70,000 fans
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WHAT HAPPENED?
MLS released its attendance data Thursday, revealing successful matchday numbers over the course of the 2024 season. The league's 12.1 million attendees is bettered by only the English Premier League, among all global leagues, and is more than 1 million more than the Spanish top flight.
Individual game numbers were impressive, too. Two matches had more than 70,000 fans, eight surpassed the 60,000 mark, and 31 featured in excess of 40,000.
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The data places MLS in a competitive spot among soccer leagues worldwide. The advantage over the Bundesliga – just more than 40,000 – is the slimmest, but the league bettered Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1 by some distance. MLS nearly doubled Liga MX's mark of 6,972,261.
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Fan attendance hasn't been the only encouraging number of the United States' flagship soccer league this season. MLS also shot up Opta's relative league strength index, and is now the 9th most competitive division in the world – up from 31st just two years ago.
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WHAT NEXT FOR MLS?
The season will come to an end this weekend when New York Red Bulls play LA Galaxy in MLS Cup. Preseason is set to begin in early 2025.
USMNT star Tim Weah is offering “alternative solutions” to Juventus, with the American forward seeing his versatility put to good use.
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Moved to Italy in summer of 2023
Used as a wing-back & forward
Now being deployed as a striker
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Those qualities have been on display since the 24-year-old first completed a move to Italy in the summer of 2023. He was often deployed as a wing-back during his debut campaign with the Bianconeri, with more defending having to be done that he is accustomed to.
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Weah was eventually returned to a spot on the flanks, with a berth on the wing considered to be his most natural position, but Thiago Motta has taken to moving him inside of late. Juve are looking for the New York native to lead their line as a central striker.
WHAT MOTTA SAID
Motta is convinced that Weah can thrive in that role, with Juve’s head coach explaining why the son of Ballon d’Or winner George has become a key part of his plans: “I like all he does. Especially the fact that he scores goals. Strikers need to finish an attack. He does many other things well, and it’s very interesting because he offers alternative solutions. He can play on the left, on the right, or as a striker. He helps, and he’s responsible. He understands what the team needs and his duties. We are happy he’s in good form, he must continue like this, whether he starts or not.”
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WHAT NEXT?
Weah has registered four goals for Juventus this season and was also on target for his country during the latest international break, as he netted in a 4-2 win for the United States over Jamaica. His club side will be back in Serie A action on Saturday when heading to San Siro for a meeting with Christian Pulisic and AC Milan.
This was India’s biggest win against South Africa in terms of wickets remaining
Firdose Moonda09-Mar-20214:11
Jhulan Goswami – ‘When you’re coming back from a long lay-off you need to settle down’
India Women levelled the five-match series against South Africa 1-1 by polishing off a small target with 21.2 overs to spare and denied South Africa a record eighth successive win. The victory was India’s biggest margin of success against South Africa by wickets.Roles were entirely reversed from Sunday’s fixture when South Africa eased their way to an eight-wicket win after opting to chase, and restricted their opposition with a clinical display in the field. The hosts were much improved from that performance, had clearly shaken off any rustiness and created several chances in the field. Jhulan Goswami headlined their effort with four wickets and was well supported by returning seamer Mansi Joshi – who has not played ODIs since October 2019 – and the spinners. Rajeshwari Gayakwad chipped in with three wickets and ensured South Africa’s middle-order was not allowed to settle or score freely.Lara Goodall was South Africa’s best batter and fell one short of what would have been her second ODI half-century, but just one other player, stand-in captain Sune Luus scored more than 12. South Africa only had one partnership over 20 runs thanks to Goodall and Luus, who put on 60 for the third wicket, and their last six wickets fell for 44 runs.By contrast, India’s unbeaten second-wicket stand was worth 138 and both Smriti Mandhana and Punam Raut reached half-centuries and were largely untroubled at the crease. They blunted South Africa’s attack and took Shabnim Ismail for 46 runs in six overs to impose themselves on a bowling group that had too few runs to work with.Mandhana hit Ismail for back-to-back sixes in the first over, both off short balls. Her first shot, a swivel-pull, was a commanding one but her second, a top-edge over fine-leg suggested Ismail’s line of attack might work. It did, but against Jemima Rodrigues, who under-edged an attempted pull onto her leg stump in the fifth over. That gave South Africa a sniff, but that was just about all they got.There was an opportunity to run Mandhana out in the next over but Ismail did not manage a direct hit and Mandhana got an inside edge off Marizanne Kapp but only as far as her pad. After that, she was in complete control.1:44
Sune Luus: Hope India’s return to Tests helps push the ICC to revive women’s Tests
She drove with authority and timed the ball to perfection to allow Raut time to get herself in. It took 31 balls before Raut found the boundary, when she charged Nonkululekho Mlaba and went over mid-wicket, and then danced down the track to hit her through mid-off. Mandhana brought up her fifty off 48 balls with an uppish drive through the covers and took India to 100 runs in 21 overs.Raut should have been out in the next over when she lofted Ayabonga Khaka to long-on but Nadine de Klerk overran. Mandhana should have been out the over after that when she holed out to mid-off off Luus, but the delivery was adjudged a no-ball for height. South Africa were unable to create any more chances, Raut went on to reach fifty off 79 balls with a ramp shot and freed her arms to find the boundary twice more but left it to Mandhana to hit the winning runs with a straight drive down the ground.Ultimately, the ease with which Mandhana and Raut could bat was set up by India’s bowlers, who were well managed by the captain Mithali Raj who brought back seamers at crucial times.Goswami struck in her first over when Lizelle Lee missed a flick, was hit on the pad in front of middle and leg and was given out lbw to dent South Africa early on. Her opening partner, Laura Wolvaardt, followed soon after when she poked at a Joshi delivery that moved away and took the outside edge to leave South Africa 20 for 2 inside six overs.They could have been in much more early trouble after Luus gave Rodrigues a tough chance at gully, which she could not hold on to, and Deepti Sharma’s lbw appeal against Luus was turned down, as she missed a sweep.Luus continued to play the shot and survived another lbw appeal two overs later, but then adjusted to using her feet and going down the track to attack the spinners. She drove Sharma over her head for four and then took back-to-back boundaries off Poonam Yadav’s opening over. Luus and Goodall settled against Gayakwad so Raj went back to Joshi and the move paid off.In the 21st over, Joshi found the same away movement she had with the new ball and got Luus to drive a wide delivery to give Sushma Verma a simple catch. Goodall should have been out in the next over when she misread a Yadav googly and got a leading edge but Goswami’s diving effort at short fine leg was not enough to send her on her way. Instead, it was Mignon du Preez who fell victim to a sharp take. She was deceived by flight from Gayakwad and was early on the drive giving Sharma a chance at cover. She had to dive low to her right and held on.Goodall brought up South Africa’s century with a single down the ground and Kapp’s two fours in two overs suggested South Africa could still post a good total if the pair stayed together. But Kapp only lasted a ball after the second drinks break, when she looked to flick Goswami on the leg-side but got a leading edge to midwicket. Goodall was in the forties then and inched towards a half-century but was bowled by Harmanpreet Kaur’s first delivery which took out her middle stump.Kaur was only used for that one over before Raj brought Goswami back to finish things off. She had Trisha Chetty caught off a no-ball before taking two wickets in three balls in her penultimate over by bowling both de Klerk off the inside edge and Ismail, who tried to defend a delivery that moved across her, to end with four. Gayakwad ended the innings on 157 when Chetty top-edged a slog sweep to long-on and Mlaba chipped a catch to cover.
After keeping hold of Wilfred Ndidi, Leicester City have now reportedly made their first approach to sign a £17m midfield partner for the Nigerian this summer.
Leicester transfer news
Positives are finally beginning to emerge for the Foxes following a chaotic start to the summer transfer window, which saw both Enzo Maresca and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall swap the King Power for Stamford Bridge and Chelsea.
New Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca
Left without a manager, Leicester turned to Steve Cooper, who has since welcomed fresh faces in the form of Issahaku Fatawu in a permanent deal alongside Caleb Okoli, Michael Golding and Bobby De Cordova-Reid. However, Leicester's most underrated deal this summer, is Nidid's new contract when the midfielder looked destined to leave as a free agent.
After signing the unexpected extension, Ndidi told Leicester's official website: "I feel great, I feel excited, I feel at home. That’s the most important thing. I feel really happy to continue with the Club. My family is settled here and everyone back home, when they say Ndidi, they say Leicester also! It’s really amazing to be a part of this journey going forward.”
Leicester City now open negotiations with UCL club to sign "incredible" ace
The Foxes have made their first move.
ByTom Cunningham Jul 18, 2024
Now, in a further reward, the Foxes could hand the Nigerian a new partner at the heart of Cooper's midfield. According to South American journalist Nicola Parcerias, Leicester have made an approach to sign Richard Rios from Palmeiras this summer in a race alongside fellow Premier League side Everton.
The central midfielder is fresh from the 2024 Copa America, in which he helped Colombia reach the final before suffering defeat against Argentina. Now, Palmeiras are reportedly open to negotiating his exit for around €20m (£17m), putting aside his reported eye-watering release clause of around €100m (£84m).
"Machine" Rios can provide balance next to Ndidi
After such a successful Copa America, it's no surprise to see Rios being linked with a move to the Premier League, especially as Leicester look to form a solid foundation at the base of their midfield. Returning to the Premier League, the key may well be to find a balanced partnership between a "ball-carrying machine" in Rios – as described by Ben Mattinson – and a ball recovery expert of Ndidi's nature.
Of course, Leicester must be careful not to run into any more trouble regarding the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, but if they can avoid any sanctions and land a player on the rise such as Rios, then it should be considered incredibly solid business.
Walking a budgeting tightrope, the Foxes may yet sign the perfect partner for Ndidi before the transfer window slams shut.
يرى ليساندرو مارتينيز، لاعب فريق مانشستر يونايتد، إنهم كان يتعين عليهم الفوز في مباراة اليوم ضد ليفربول، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
واستضاف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة الفريقين في الجولة العشرين من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث تعادلا بهدفين لمثليهما.
كان ليساندرو مارتينيز قد تقدم بهدف لصالح مانشستر يونايتد، قبل أن يعود ليفربول بهدفين من خلال كودي جاكبو ومحمد صلاح، وتمكن الضيوف من التعادل عن طريق أماد ديالو.
وسنحت فرصة مثالية لـ مانشستر يونايتد من أجل تسجيل هدف الفوز القاتل قبل إطلاق صافرة النهاية، بعدما سدد هاري ماجواير كرة ولكن جاءت أعلى المرمى.
وقال ليساندرو مارتينيز في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “لقد أظهرنا الشخصية الصحيحة اليوم، لقد كنا نؤمن بقدراتنا حتى النهاية، كان يجب أن نفوز بالمباراة لكننا لم نستطع، إلا أننا حاولنا”.
وأضاف: “يتعين علينا الاستفادة من الإيجابيات، كنا فريقًا مختلفًا عما كان عليه قبل بضع لقاءات، خضنا مباراة جيدة حقًا، يتعين علينا الإيمان أكثر بما يمكننا القيام به”.
اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | فان دايك يشتعل غضبًا تجاه لاعب ليفربول في مباراة مانشستر يونايتد
وفيما يخص كيفية تحسن الأداء كثيرًا عن المباريات الأخيرة، قال: “لقد غيرنا طريقة تفكيرنا، الإيمان والثقة، رأيت الجميع لديهم إيمان اليوم، مع الثقة في كل تدخل، تمريرة، دفاع، استمتعنا حقًا بالمباراة اليوم”.
وأوضح: “إذا شاهدت المباريات القليلة الماضية، فقد كانت سيئة، هذا صحيح ونحن نقبل ذلك، بالنظر إلى اليوم فقد لعبنا جيدًا، وعلينا أن نؤمن، كرة القدم تتعلق بالعقلية”.
وعن ثلاثي دفاع مانشستر يونايتد، قال: “لقد لعبنا بحرية اليوم وبدون مشاعر، عندما تلعب بهذه الطريقة، يمكنك الاستمتاع بكرة القدم، أنا سعيد حقًا بالأداء”.
وأكد: “لقد قمنا بتنفيذ خطتنا، اليوم فكرنا أكثر في مهاراتنا وفريقنا وأفضل ما لدينا، نمتلك لاعبين من الطراز الأول، يمكنهم اللعب بالكرة، ولكن كنا نشعر بالضغط عندما كانت الكرة لدينا قبل بضع مباريات”.
Glasgow Rangers have been hard at work to improve their playing squad during the summer transfer window after they failed to bring the Scottish Premiership title back to Ibrox last season.
Rangers had to watch on as their closest rivals lifted the trophy for the third season in a row and Philippe Clement will now be plotting ways to return to the top spot in the 2024/25 campaign.
Gers Head of recruitment Nils Koppen has wasted little time in snapping up fresh talent for the Belgian head coach to work with before the Light Blues kick off the season with a trip away from Glasgow to take on Hearts at the start of next month.
Rangers' opening five games
24/25 Premiership
H/A
Hearts
(A)
Motherwell
(H)
Ross County
(H)
Celtic
(A)
Dundee United
(A)
Jefte, Oscar Cortes, Liam Kelly, Connor Barron, and Clinton Nsiala have already been brought in to Ibrox and forward Hamza Igamane is reportedly set to be the next to come through the door.
Rangers' pursuit of a new number nine
Igamane can play as a striker but is also a versatile player who can play out wide on either flank or as an attacking midfielder, which means that Clement could use him out wide or behind a starting number nine.
The 21-year-old has never played club football outside of his home country in Morocco and the Gers may want to bring in a striker who could be relied upon to hit the ground running, given that they have huge Champions League qualifiers next month.
According to the Daily Mail, the Gers do have an interest in two more experienced strikers who currently play for teams in the Scottish Premiership.
The report claims that Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland remains an option for the Ibrox giants and that the Scotland international would be open to the move.
Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski.
It also states that the Light Blues 'like' Aberdeen centre-forward Bojan Miovski but are wary of the rivalry between the two clubs inflating the price of a potential deal.
The Daily Mail adds that a swoop for the North Macedonia international feels 'unlikely' at this moment in time, due to that frayed relationship with the Dons.
If Koppen and Clement can overcome the odds to sign the Rangers transfer target, however, then they could land a dream replacement for Kemar Roofe at the top end of the pitch, after the ex-Leeds forward left the club to become a free agent at the end of May.
Why Rangers need to upgrade on Kemar Roofe
The Scottish giants must swoop to sign a better striker than the Jamaica international this summer as he did not provide enough competition for Cyriel Dessers last season.
Finishing was a major issue for the Gers during the 2023/24 campaign in the Premiership as the team scored just 85 goals from 99.4 xG in total.
Rangers striker Kemar Roofe.
No player underperformed their xG by more than Dessers as the Nigeria international scored 16 goals from 21.59 xG – an underperformance of 5.59.
Danilo missed 41 matches through injury during the season and that left Roofe as the only senior striker in the squad to compete with the misfiring marksman.
Rangers needed him to provide a suitable alternative to Dessers when the former Cremonese forward was struggling badly in front of goal but he failed to be what they needed.
23/24 Premiership
Kemar Roofe
Appearances
15
Starts
6
Goals
1
Assists
0
Pass accuracy
66%
Stats via Sofascore
Unfortunately, as you can see in the table above, the 31-year-old dud struggled badly with the opportunities that Clement and ex-boss Michael Beale afforded him.
Roofe ended the campaign with one goal from 1.48 xG and two goals in 24 appearances in all competitions for the Gers, which came after he had managed two goals in six outings during the 2022/23 season.
Alongside his struggles in front of goal in his last two years at the club, the experienced frontman was also a big liability when it came to availability.
He was absent for 12 or more matches in each of his four seasons at Ibrox and missed a staggering 35 games apiece in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns.
This all shows that Rangers need a better option than him to compete with Dessers and that is why Miovski would be a dream replacement for Roofe if they can bring him in before the end of the summer transfer window.
What Bojan Miovski would bring to Rangers
Firstly, the 25-year-old attacker is a proven Premiership performer who could be relied upon to come in and hit the ground running ahead of their league opener against Hearts, and Champions League qualifiers, next month.
He was named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year, alongside fellow Gers target Shankland, whilst no Rangers attacker made it into the XI.
Bojan Miovski for North Macedonia.
This shows that his peers voted him as one of the best players in the SPFL during the 2023/24 campaign and Livingston boss David Martindale backed that up with his comments during the season.
The Livi coach hailed him as "one of the best STs in the league" who would "walk" into any team in the Premiership back in December, which speaks to how impressive he was in front of goal last term.
Miovski has proven himself to be a lethal force in the Scottish top-flight over the course of his two seasons in the country with Aberdeen, which suggests that the left-footed star has the quality to be an instant success at Ibrox.
Bojan Miovski for Aberdeen
Premiership
22/23
23/24
Appearances
37
38
Goals
16
16
Minutes per goal
181
197
Big chances missed
15
16
Conversion rate
23%
15%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Light Blues target has racked up 32 league goals for the club and missed 31 'big chances' in total in his first two years in Scotland.
Whereas, Dessers missed a staggering 27 'big chances' for Rangers in just one season last term, which highlights the difference between the pair when it comes to finishing high-quality opportunities.
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Therefore, Miovski could be a dream replacement for Roofe this summer as his statistics suggest that he could come in and provide Dessers with far more competition for his place next term.