Category Uncategorized

Glasgow Rangers may be about to embark on their busiest summer in recent memory, as Michael Beale looks set to rejig the squad and move on some deadwood who don’t fit his plans.

Four players have already arrived at Ibrox ahead of next season, and there could be another few deals, while five players departed following the end of their contracts, most notably Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos.

One name that has been linked with an exit recently is striker Antonio Colak, which is perhaps surprising considering he only joined the Light Blues last summer. He netted 18 goals in all competitions last term, yet started just six matches under Beale following some fitness concerns, and he may depart to make way for another striker who fits the profile that the manager is looking for.

According to The Scottish Sun, the Gers have been linked with a move for striker Ike Ugbo, and he is someone who Beale knows well, having coached him during his spell at Chelsea a few years ago.

The Canada international won't come cheap, however, with a fee of around £3.5m being demanded by French side Troyes.

Could Rangers sign Ike Ugbo this summer?

The Ibrox side have already lured one attacker to Glasgow as Sam Lammers arrived recently from Atalanta, yet due to the departures of Morelos and Kent, another one or two forward options may be required – especially if Colak is allowed to leave.

Ugbo enjoyed his most prolific spell at Belgian side Cercle Brugge, scoring 17 goals across 34 games in 2020/21, and although his scoring rate has dipped since moving to Ligue 1 – netting only 7 goals in 40 appearances for Troyes – his potential could be enough for Beale to take a gamble.

Indeed, the former England U20 international switched allegiances to Canada in 2021 and has gained eight caps since, even securing a place in their World Cup squad last year. Although he didn’t make an appearance at the tournament, the experience, should stand him in good stead.

Despite not being as clinical as Colak, he could offer a differing variety of attributes compared to the Croatian striker, as he is able to press effectively and is solid at winning aerial duels, suggesting he could fit in well at Rangers with his dynamic nature.

This doesn’t mean he can't offer a direct danger, with the striker being dubbed a “threat” by Canadian journalist Ben Steiner in 2022, and he could certainly become a wise investment for the Light Blues.

Incoming Leeds United manager Daniel Farke should look to bring his former players to the club this summer, according to ex-Whites goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

Is Farke heading to Leeds?

Leeds have been pushing hard to find their next boss before their 2023/24 Championship season gets underway, as they return to the second tier of English football for the first time since 2019/20.

Those high up at the club have been working hard on nailing the Whites' new manager, following the expected departure of Sam Allardyce, and numerous names have been thrown into the hat.

It now looks increasingly likely that former Norwich City manager Farke is set to be named Leeds boss, having been in charge of Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach most recently.

A recent report has claimed that the German's arrival could be announced next week, ahead of what is a crucial summer, in terms of signing the right players and ensuring the Whites are back in the Premier League in no time.

Could Farke bring former players to Leeds?

Speaking to MOT Leeds News, Robinson, who contributes for Sky Sports, backed Farke to bring some of the past players he has managed to Leeds, due to already knowing them so well as footballers:

"Managers do that. A lot of managers go back to their old teams. They have players that they have worked with in the past that they know and trust and they like them in the dressing room.

"They know they will do a job for them regardless of who comes in, there’s potential for managers to do that and target players they’ve worked with in the past."

This would certainly be a shrewd approach from Farke if he was to go down that right, with the 46-year-old no doubt well aware of which players could be beneficial to Leeds moving forward.

In many ways, it could make life easier for him from the off at Elland Road, in terms of knowing he has some trusty lieutenants alongside him on the pitch, as he gets to know the Whites squad that he has inherited at the same time.

It is vital that Farke also looks elsewhere for new signings, however, with a number additions needed all over the pitch, especially if key figures move on. Should that happen, Farke needs to spend the money received wisely, ensuring Leeds begin next season as one of the front-runners for promotion.

Newcastle United have joined Manchester United in their interest for Napoli defender Kim Min-jae, reports Fabrizio Romano.

The 26-year-old has been linked with a move away from the Serie A champions this summer, and the Red Devils are currently the front-runners.

Newcastle have also taken an interest, though, and could try to hijack a move for the defender if the opportunity presents itself.

With the Magpies securing Champions League football next season for the first time in two decades, the club have their work cut out for them this summer as they look to bolster the squad and build on last season's Premier League success and adding Kim would be a great start.

What's the latest Newcastle United transfer news?

After a strong transfer window last summer, it seems Newcastle are aiming to repeat the feat this year, with the club already linked to several major names and some figures heading out of St. James' Park as they prefer for European football.

Chris Wood is the first sale of the summer for Eddie Howe's men, as the forward recently completed his permanent transfer to Nottingham Forest after he spent the last year on loan at the midlands club.

Newcastle have also announced that Ciaran Clark and Matty Longstaff will be let go in the summer, but the club have been linked to some exciting incomings.

Former Manchester City academy graduate, Felix Nmecha is reportedly a target for the Magpies, with the Wolfsburg midfielder seen as a viable option to add to the club's midfield.

While their priority is building for the upcoming season, Newcastle have also had an eye on the future, recently signing 18-year-old winger Yankuba Minteh, before immediately loaning him out to Dutch champions Feyenoord, with the plan being to assess his first-team potential once he returns next summer.

As they continue to strengthen the side, stealing Kim's signature out from under United's nose would be a huge statement of intent.

What has Fabrizio Romano said about Kim Min-jae, Manchester United and Newcastle?

While United are currently the favourites to land the South Korean, reports that they've agreed a deal with Napoli aren't true, reports Romano.

Speaking on his Youtube channel, Romano said: "There are many reports of a done deal with Manchester United coming from Italy. Guys, at the moment, nothing is done. This is not a done deal yet."

Romano also went on to reveal that Newcastle, as well as several other clubs, were interested in Kim, saying: "There is also interest from Newcastle, but also other clubs are interested in Kim, so the race is absolutely open, trust me."

With a release clause of £42m being activated early in July, the Magpies will have to act quickly if they're to beat United to a potential deal.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keeping tabs on Peterborough United sensation, Ronnie Edwards, having previously been linked with a move for the youngster last summer.

What's the latest on Edwards to Tottenham?

According to Football League World, the Lilywhites – as well as West Ham United – are believed to have been watching the 20-year-old for 'some time', with an exit from London Road said to be potentially on the cards for the promising centre-back following the League One side's failure to secure promotion.

This follows a previous report from the Daily Mail last summer which claimed that the north London outfit and fellow Premier League side, Crystal Palace were set to battle it out for the 5 foot 11 ace, with a fee of around £15m having been mooted.

The Sun also noted in the past that Sir Alex Ferguson had urged his former club Manchester United to make a move for the Harlow-born starlet, with that further indication of just how highly-regarded Edwards is.

Who is Ronnie Edwards?

The £2.7k-per-week defender – who joined his current side from Barnet back in 2020 – is regarded as an "incredible talent", according to manager Darren Ferguson, with the Scotsman also hailing his precocious gem as "easily the best young player I’ve managed".

Also described as a "Rolls Royce" by Peterborough chairman, Barry Fry, the England U20 international has been a leading figure for the lower-league side of late despite his relative youth, having kept 15 clean sheets in 42 league games this season, while also averaging two tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game.

That stellar impact has unsurprisingly sparked interest from Levy and co, with there a potential for young Edwards to be the next EFL star to make the jump up to the Premier League, following in the footsteps of compatriot and fellow defender, John Stones.

In the case of the latter man, the 28-year-old began life lower down the footballing pyramid at hometown club, Barnsley, before being snapped up on a £3m deal by Everton at the age of just 18 in 2013.

That move to Goodison Park quickly proved fruitful as the 6 foot 2 ace went on to make 95 appearances for the Toffees over the next three years, with former boss Roberto Martinez describing him as "potentially the best centre-back that England has ever produced" in 2015.

A £47.5m move to Manchester City soon followed in the summer of 2016, with Stones having gone on to claim five Premier League titles since then under Pep Guardiola, notably being praised for his "magnificent" form this season, according to BT Sport pundit, Rio Ferdinand.

Following his relatively humble beginnings at Oakwell, the 66-cap gem is now a key figure for both club and country, with young Edwards no doubt hoping he can emulate that feat if he is to seal his own top-flight move this summer.

Having seen the success that Stones has achieved at the Etihad of late, Spurs may well be keen to find their own version of the City star with the capture of the emerging Peterborough wonderkid.

ScorecardFile photo – Peter Moor stood out with 157 in Zimbabwe A’s strong first-innings batting performance•AFP

The first four-day match between Pakistan A and Zimbabwe A ended in a draw at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, as the hosts got some valuable match practice ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka.Zimbabwe A, fielding a full squad of Test players, opted to bat first and were reduced to 193 for 5 before Peter Moor took charge of the game and scored 157, studded with 11 fours and eight sixes. Contributions from Richmond Mutumbami (38) and Graeme Cremer (54) helped Zimbabwe put on 251 for the last five wickets and reach 444. Legspinner Shadab Khan took 4 for 114 and left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar took 3 for 112 for Pakistan.Pakistan’s response started with the loss of two quick wickets, but opener Zain Abbas scored his second first-class century as he set up partnerships with Shohaib Maqsood (54) and Saad Ali (62) to take them out of trouble. He scored 137 before falling to Cremer, who ended with 4 for 82. Allrounder Fahim Ashraf scored an unbeaten 61 to take Pakistan to 358.Malcolm Waller scored an unbeaten 87 in the second innings that lasted 75.2 overs before Zimbabwe declared on 219 for 5. Sikandar Raza (40) and Craig Ervine (38) managed to get some time in after veteran Hamilton Masakadza got out without scoring. Asghar had an impressive outing once again, taking four of the five wickets that fell.Fakhar Zaman (40*) and Zain Abbas (39*), the Pakistan openers, took them to 72 for no loss before play ended.

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf has warned the PCB to stop hosting its “home” series in the UAE or it will damage Pakistan cricket.”Playing on the flat and low-bounce pitches of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai has already affected our cricket and our players, and if we don’t stop organising our series there it will eventually damage our cricket,” Yousuf told PTI.He said that playing in the UAE for the last six or seven years had an adverse effect on the skills and technique of Pakistan batsmen. “If it is all about creating records, fine. But it is not helping our cricket in anyway and we will stop producing players capable of playing on any surface in a few years’ time if we continue playing our home series in UAE.”Yousuf said that it was a point of concern that against Australia in two Tests in the UAE in 2014-15, Pakistan batsmen had scored nine centuries while in the first two Tests in England there was only one century.”And let us be straight, so far we have not encountered any typical English pitch in the ongoing series,” he said.He backed any move by the PCB to try to organise its home series at some other neutral venue. “Sri Lanka or Bangladesh are far better options as conditions there are more suited for cricket,” he said.The PCB has been forced to organise its home series at neutral venues since the attack by gunmen on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in March 2009.

West Ham are eyeing a move for Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres but will face a lot of Premier League competition for his signature.

The Hammers have once again been forced to battle this season but with a strong core available to David Moyes, smart recruitment could see them bounce back from their brush with relegation. With three games to play, West Ham have all but secured another season in the English top-flight barring any last minute drama.

What's the latest on Viktor Gyokeres to West Ham?

According to Sky Sports, Wolves are "the leading club" in the race to sign Gyokeres but there aren't yet ongoing negotiations with the player or the club.

There is a lot of strong interest from Premier League clubs after the 24-year-old's fine display this season. In 47 appearances, Gyokeres is at the top of his game having scored 22 goals and assisted ten, highlighting why he is such a sought after player heading into the summer. Fellow Coventry star Maxime Biamou even called him "unplayable" in October 2022 and he has taken his game to a new level this season.

Whether Coventry are successful in finding promotion on the last day of the season through the playoffs will determine his transfer fate. If the Sky Blues reach the Premier League, he could stay for their first season back in the top flight.

Crystal Palace and West Ham are both interested in the forward and depending on Coventry's fight for Premier League promotion, there could be a transfer race to see which club signs him, with the two London suitors going head to head with Wolves.

Would signing Gyokeres make sense for West Ham?

West Ham's biggest issue this season has been consistency and as they demonstrated against Manchester United, they are more than capable of scrapping with the biggest teams in the league.

The win over United allowed them to bounce back from losing 3-0 to City the game before, setting the stage perfectly for the 2-1 win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League semi-finals. A strong showing in the second leg will see them progress to the final at the Fortuna Arena in Prague.

With Lucas Pacqueta beginning to really come into his own and Jarrod Bowen getting better all the time, a player like Gyokeres could be a great signing, although it's unclear what it means for Michail Antonio. That said, West Ham's European adventure has underlined the need for more strength in depth if the London outfit is going to aim to qualify for Europe in future seasons.

A lot of stress and fatigue is placed on players when they play too regularly or if the intensity of a game is more difficult to recover from. It's a new problem for the Hammers but one they should not shy away from.

Arsenal have got a bit of a quandary on their hands in assessing the future of Emile Smith Rowe, an immensely talented and dynamic option struggling to reintegrate into the side following a lengthy injury.

The Gunners have been in stellar stead this season and have finally combined the pieces after several years of cautious progress under the tutelage of Mikel Arteta, who won the FA Cup in 2020 during his maiden managerial campaign, but had failed to qualify for the Champions League before the current term.

Indeed, the north London outfit perch in second place in the top flight and have waged a ferocious battle with Manchester City for the throne, spending 27 of the 34 match-weeks as the division's table-toppers before a recent four-match skid allowed the Citizens in, who are looking to complete a Premier League three-peat.

However, the improvements have been clearly discernible, with 78 points on the board, and with four matches still to play, the Gunners could conclude the season with 90 points – which would match their personal best in the Premier League.

One of the most prominent points of the club's resurgence this term has come in the form of Granit Xhaka, with one tactical analysis illuminating the importance he has to the outfit with his forward-thinking movements in the No. 8 role, maintaining a level of robustness and ubiquity in the centre but flourishing with penetrative darts and delivery from deep.

This is evidenced by the metrics, with FBref ranking the £120k-per-week Swiss among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's big five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking box, the top 15% for rate of goals, the top 12% for shot-creating actions and the top 17% for progressive passes per 90.

Does Smith Rowe have a future at Arsenal?

So how is this relevant to Smith Rowe's future? Well, according to Football.london, the graceful gem has been partaking in training sessions as a central midfielder recently, with Arteta seemingly convinced that the Englishman can play a part in a deeper, pivoting role over the coming years – something that could certainly play into his favour.

Arsenal are inundated with offensive options and murmurings on the transfer mill suggest that summer arrivals might be forthcoming, so deploying him in a new, centre-midfield position could be an auspicious move for all parties.

Smith-Rowe played a major part in his outfit's 2021/22 campaign, scoring ten goals and providing two assists from just 21 starts in the top flight, as the north Londoners narrowly missed out on a top-four finish.

Praised as a "gamechanger" by journalist Mark Mann-Bryans, the three-cap England international has not started in the Premier League this season and has registered just the one assist, but this is largely due to the groin surgery acquired early in the campaign, and his failure to break into the team can be put down to Arteta being wary of disrupting the harmony.

Should he find a home closer to the nucleus of the midfield, Smith Rowe might yet find his brightest days in Arsenal red lay ahead of him; as per WhoScored, the attacking midfielder has averaged one key pass per match and maintained a pass completion rate of 87.3% across the duration of his professional career.

Despite his main position being in the offensive area of the midfield, the "special player" – as heralded by Martin Keown – has the knack of masterful precision with his passing play. However, he will need to improve his defensive output if he is to succeed in Xhaka's current role.

As per Sofascore, the one-time Huddersfield Town loanee forged an average of 0.5 interceptions and 0.4 tackles last term, winning 50% of his duels and succeeding with 60% of his dribbles.

Such numbers need work, though Xhaka himself only averages 0.4 interceptions per outing and 0.9 tackles in the league this term, with a dribble success rate of 64%.

There are plenty of questions surrounding the ostensible decision to offer the £40k-per-week ace a fresh slate after a challenging year: does he boast the physicality to adopt the new role? Or the defensive aptitude? Or indeed, will he be able to adapt to the new role with the same level of quality that cemented him as such a promising prospect over the past few seasons, with Danny Cowley describing him as a player who "can find space in a telephone box" during his time with the Terriers.

As Smith Rowe acclimatises to his new deployment in training, the picture will swiftly become clearer and Arteta might indeed nurture his dream Xhaka heir without having to delve into the transfer market.

أوضحت صحيفة عكاظ السعودية، موقف الدولي المصري أحمد حجازي مدافع الاتحاد من الرحيل أو الاستمرار مع الفريق خلال الفترة المقبلة.

ويعاني الاتحاد في الفترة الأخيرة من سلسلة نتائج سلبية في الدوري السعودي، حيث خسر آخر 3 مباريات له بالمسابقة، بالإضافة إلي توديع بطولة كأس العالم للأندية التي أقيمت في السعودية ديسمبر الماضي من دور ربع النهائي أمام الأهلي المصري.

ويحتل فريق الاتحاد المركز السابع في جدول ترتيب دوري روشن السعودي برصيد 28 نقطة.

وكشفت صحيفة “عكاظ السعودية”، أن الرباعي الأجنبي، أحمد حجازي وفابينهو وكانتي وكريم بنزيما مستمرون مع الفريق.

طالع | فيتوريا يضع برنامجاً خاصًا لتجهيز أحمد حجازي قبل كأس أمم إفريقيا

بينما باقي اللاعبين المحترفين، جروهي، فيليبي، جوتا، كورنادو، رومارينهو، وعبد الرزاق حمدالله، سيتم حسم مصيرهم بالبقاء أو الرحيل وفق التقرير الفني السري للمدرب جاياردو، الذي حدد احتياجاته الفنية التي يرغب في وجودها ضمن صفوف الفريق الكروي الأول من أجل المنافسة على باقي البطولات المحلية والقارية في الموسم الحالي.

يذكر أن أحمد حجازي كان قد ساهم في تتويج فريق اتحاد جدة بالدوري السعودي وكأس السوبر السعودي في الموسم الماضي، قبل تعرضه إلي إصابة بقطع في الرباط الصليبي بنهاية الموسم، وعاد المدافع المصري للمشاركة من جديد بداية من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية الأخيرة.

ويتواجد أحمد حجازي في الوقت الحالي، رفقة منتخب مصر، من أجل الاستعداد لخوض منافسات بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023 بكوت ديفوار.

Aston Villa now have a penchant for spending heavily in the transfer market, and it will only continue to get worse as time goes on and clubs start demanding more money for players.

Since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, the Midlands side have splashed out £33m to sign Emiliano Buendia, £25m on Leon Bailey and just last year, £26m to sign defender Diego Carlos.

Signing quality players on a budget just simply doesn’t happen too often, with arguably the last such buy for Villa being John McGinn, who cost a paltry £2m to sign back in 2018, with his value currently standing at €40m (£35m) according to Football Transfers.

Arguably one of the club’s finest signings in terms of value for money was that of Christian Benteke, who joined in the summer of 2012 for a fee of just £7m and went on to become a sensation in the Premier League.

How did Christian Benteke do at Aston Villa?

The Belgian had scored 20 goals for Genk prior to moving to England with Paul Lambert certainly taking a gamble on the player, however, it paid off handsomely.

In his first season, he was incredible, scoring 19 league goals and while the subsequent two campaigns saw a slight drop-off, scoring ten and then 13 times in the league respectively, they were still solid totals.

Across three seasons, Benteke managed to find the net on 49 occasions while registering 12 assists for the club. It’s no wonder, therefore, that he was dubbed “outstanding” by writer Joel Rabinowitz.

When Liverpool came in with a £32.5m bid for him before the start of the 2015/16 season, it was too hard to turn down but without his goals, the Villa Park outfit were relegated that season.

The fee the club received from the Anfield side was a staggering 364% more than what they had paid for him just three years earlier, and it was evident that they had struck gold over the striker.

He didn’t hit it off at Liverpool, though, scoring just ten goals all campaign. As a result, he was soon off to Crystal Palace, where he enjoyed a more stable run of form and got back to his goal-scoring best.

The “sensational” gem – as lauded by the Telegraph's Alex Shaw – is now plying his trade in the MLS for D.C. United, with it hard to believe that the 45-cap Belgium international is still only 32.

He may have shone briefly for Villa, but they managed to rake in a serious profit on the player and his time at the club won't be forgotten.