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Barcelona's return their newly renovated Spotify Camp Nou has reportedly been delayed until February due to UEFA regulations.

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• Barcelona's Camp Nou return delayed till February
• UEFA regulations postpone return date
• Will become the fifth-largest stadium in the world

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following their record-breaking La Liga title win in the 2022-23 season, Barcelona announced that their home stadium Spotify Camp Nou would be undergoing a massive renovation. The Catalan club also announced that they would not return to the stadium in Les Corts until the 2024-25 season and would play at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Montjuic, just outside the main city. Delays had hit the stadium last year, and Barcelona had announced their plans to return to the stadium by November end. However, the club has now informed their season ticket holders that the return has been pushed to February.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The club asserted that a UEFA regulation that forbade teams from switching stadiums during the first round of the Champions League was a significant contributing element. Barcelona will host Atalanta on January 29 in the last round of the new Champions League group stage. Barcelona cited the expense of simultaneously maintaining two locations as justification for delaying their domestic return to Camp Nou.

• WHAT BARCELONA'S STATEMENT READ

  In a statement to season ticket holders, Barcelona said: "Due to UEFA regulations preventing a change of stadium in the initial phase of the Champions League and the logistical difficulties and cost of maintaining two large capacity venues operational at the same time, the Club has decided to continue playing its home games at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys until the end of the initial phase of the Champions League.

  "Therefore, the games against Valencia and Alaves in weeks 21 and 22 of La Liga, as well as the game in week eight of the Champions League against Atalanta will be played at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  As per the Daily Mail, Barcelona's renovation of the Spotify Camp Nou cost the club £1.25 billion ($1.58bn). The overhaul of the stadium will give Camp Nou a capacity of 105,000, making it the fifth-largest sports stadium in the world after Narendra Modi Stadium in India, Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in North Korea, Michigan Stadium and Beaver Stadium in the United States.

Arsenal Women have confirmed their Champions League game with Bayern Munich is now at a new venue after making way for the men's Carabao Cup tie.

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• Arsenal women's game vs Bayern moved
• Clashes with men's team Carabao Cup tie
• New venue found for the Gunners

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal fans weren't best pleased when the club announced their scheduled Champions League clash with Bayern at the Emirates on December 18 would no longer be held there, with Mikel Arteta's side's Carabao Cup quarter-final match against Crystal Palace taking its place. Now, the Gunners have revealed that the encounter with the German giants will be held at Meadow Park – a place that has been their main home ground for many years but changed earlier this year – on the same date instead.

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  WHAT ARSENAL SAID

  A club statement reads: "We can confirm that our UEFA Women’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich will take place at one of our familiar home venues for our women’s team, the Mangata Pay UK Stadium Meadow Park, Borehamwood on Wednesday, December 18. This follows engagement with UEFA in recent days, who have granted special dispensation for the match to be played there, given the unique combination of factors that required a new venue following our men’s team’s home draw in the Carabao Cup quarter-final. We thank members of our supporter groups throughout this time who offered valuable feedback which was reflected in our dialogue with UEFA. We also thank UEFA for their collaboration to find a workable outcome. Supporters who have already purchased a ticket will automatically receive a full refund and a 24-hour priority access window to purchase a new ticket for this fixture at Meadow Park. This window will open at 2pm on Tuesday, November 26, with tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis (subject to availability). We would like to recognise these supporters and their commitment to following us on our Women’s UEFA Champions League campaign. As a gesture of goodwill, we would like to offer a complimentary ticket for a future WSL match at Emirates Stadium this season, or a £20 retail voucher that can be redeemed at The Armoury or on Arsenal Direct. We will make direct contact with these supporters later today. We thank our supporters again for their patience and understanding."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Given that Arsenal's women's team have an average home attendance at the Emirates of nearly 34,000 this season, and had more than 60,000 watch them play in one game last term, playing at the 4,500-capacity Meadow Park is a big step down for them. Given that Arsenal were drawn at home in the cup, though, it has seemed unavoidable.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Arsenal's women's side are next in Champions League action on Thursday when they host Juventus at the Emirates. The Gunners won the away game 4-0 last week.

Sunderland supporters would have felt somewhat flat after watching their side's latest pre-season outing, as the Black Cats succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of non-league neighbours Gateshead.

Jack Clarke scored in the run-out, but it was a disappointing day at the office for the Wearside outfit all the same, with Regis Le Bris keeping a closer eye now on what players he wants to keep and who he could potentially offload after viewing that loss.

Nazariy Rusyn, who has been linked with a switch away from Sunderland after just one lacklustre campaign, could find he's out of the team when the new Championship season gets underway, especially if the Black Cats decide this move is necessary.

Sunderland could go back in for EFL ace

It had been widely reported previously that Sunderland, alongside a whole host of other EFL clubs, were eyeing up a move for Burnley attacker Scott Twine this transfer window.

However, all that talk has gone quiet now, with football journalist Alan Nixon stating via his social media recently, that no team interested in the 25-year-old ace had fielded a bid that has satisfied the Clarets.

The in-demand Burnley man could be the answer to Sunderland's prayers going forward, after going through the entire 23/24 season desperately wanting a talisman to lead the line, if they cough up an acceptable sum that Scott Parker and Co would deem as being enough.

What Scott Twine could offer Sunderland

Bagging plenty of goals out on loan away from Turf Moor last season in the second tier, Le Bris signing Twine could bring to a close Rusyn's brief time in England already, as the Frenchman attempts to leave his mark on a Sunderland team that really needs reinvigorating.

Twine will aim to reach the dizzy heights he managed when he was still on the roster at Milton Keynes Dons during the 21/22 campaign at the Black Cats, which saw him sucker punch Plymouth Argyle in one frantic League One encounter with four strikes all of his own making.

He would finish the season with a remarkable 33 goal contributions from 50 games in total, leading to Burnley swooping in to snap up his services, with injuries now plaguing his time in Lancashire.

When fit, Twine has managed to bag nine goals from 49 games at the level, with two strikes managed last season under the watchful eye of Liam Manning at Ashton Gate, who allowed for the 25-year-old to soar when the pair were together at MK Dons.

Manning even described Twine as a "terrific" talent when he was still on the books at Milton Keynes, with the Robins previously named as another side wanting to snap up the injury-prone gem this summer, away from Sunderland being keen.

Despite the fact the ex-MK Dons man has rarely played as an out-and-out centre forward across his EFL-dominated career, he could be moulded into one by Le Bris with Sunderland just crying out for a goalscoring presence to lead the line, after Rusyn helped himself to a meagre two goals from 21 Championship games up top.

Twine suits a second striker spot more so, which could even mean Jobe Bellingham has more competition in this spot soon, but his record of 43 EFL goals to date could well mean he's shoved into the deep end as Sunderland's next centre-forward experiment.

Imagine him & Browne: Sunderland can land the "finished article" for £0

Sunderland are seriously bolstering their central midfield options this summer.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 11, 2024

Jude Bellingham praised Vinicius Junior's attitude and labelled him Real Madrid's 'inspirational leader' after his sublime display against Osasuna.

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• Vini bags hat-trick against Osasuna
• Brazilian moving on from Ballon d'Or
• Bellingham also on the scoresheet

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Vinicius Jr played like he has a point to prove as Real Madrid bounced back from back-to-back defeats to thump Osasuna 4-0 on Saturday. The Brazilian winger was instrumental, scoring a hat-trick in a statement display as he moves on from losing the Ballon d'Or award last month.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It was also a pleasant afternoon for Bellingham, who scored his first goal of the season for his club. The 21-year-old endured a slow start to the campaign as he battled injury and accommodated new team-mate Kylian Mbappe, but he'll hope to kick on from here and reach last season's heights.

  The England international was full of praise for Vinicius after the win, praising his attitude and labelling him Real Madrid's "inspirational leader".

• WHAT BELLINGHAM SAID

  "I am proud of him for how he behaves on the field, he is a leader for us and we look to him for inspiration and when he plays like that he is unstoppable," Bellingham said.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BELLINGHAM AND VINICIUS?

  The duo will head off for their respective international camps, with England in Nations League action while Brazil have two World Cup qualifiers to come. They'll reunite for Real Madrid's clash with Leganes on November 24.

Aston Villa look intent on strengthening their squad ahead of the 2024/25 season, which will see the Midlands outfit play in the Champions League.

Unai Emery certainly hasn’t rested on his laurels, already signing Lewis Dobbin from Everton, while Ian Maatsen has seemingly sealed a move from Chelsea.

The pair won't be the only arrivals in the Midlands this summer, as Emery eyes a swoop for a former Premier League player…

Aston Villa look set to raid Sporting Club

According to a report from Portuguese outlet O Jogo (via Sport Witness) earlier this month, Villa have been linked with a move for Pedro Goncalves recently as they seek to bolster their attacking options.

Bayer Leverkusen have had an offer of £25m rejected as the Portuguese club demand a much higher transfer fee, something which could potentially be a stumbling block for Emery.

Might Goncalves want a second crack at the Premier League, however, as he made just one appearance during a spell with Wolves at the start of his career.

A move for the 26-year-old would allow Emery to sign a perfect player for Maatsen to link up with, as well as bringing in an upgrade on Morgan Rogers.

What Pedro Goncalves could offer Aston Villa

Signing Maatsen could be a shrewd piece of business, but by adding Goncalves to his squad, the Spaniard could form an impressive duo on the left wing.

Last season, the former Wolves starlet scored 18 goals while grabbing 17 assists across all competitions. 18 of these goal contributions came from the left wing, which suggests this is the position he is most comfortable performing in.

During his loan spell at Borussia Dortmund, Maatsen created three big chances, averaged 0.5 key passes and succeeded with 0.8 dribbles across just 16 Bundesliga matches, proving that he loves to get forward whenever possible, something which could work in Goncalves’ favour.

Emery signed Rogers in January from Middlesbrough after he enjoyed an impressive start to the season, but he failed to really replicate this sort of form in the Midlands.

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers across similar leagues, the youngster ranked in the top 8% for assists per 90 (0.42) yet ranked in the lowest 88% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.11) and the lowest 60% for total shots per 90 (1.97).

In comparison, Goncalves ranked in the top 12% for non-penalty goals (0.38), the top 3% for assists (0.42) and the top 9% for total shots (3.15) per 90, which certainly proves he would be a major upgrade on the current Villa gem.

Aston Villa could sign "the new Bruno Fernandes" in £25m swoop

This player could become a “superstar” under Unai Emery.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 22, 2024

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed Goncalves as “incredible” way back in 2021 and since then, he has improved both his performances and statistics season after season.

The chance to play in the Premier League and compete at the top end of the table, plus participation in the Champions League, could give Emery an advantage in his pursuit of the winger.

Much will depend on the fee Sporting Club demand for their prized asset in the coming weeks.

Aston Villa and Argentina star Emiliano Martinez has retained the Yashin Trophy at the Ballon d'Or awards.

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• Aston Villa 'keeper wins award for second year in a row
• Beats likes of Donnarumma, Lunin and Maignan
• World Cup winner honoured once again

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Aston Villa and Argentina goalkeeper has again been honoured with the Yashin Trophy, the award presented to the best goalkeeper of the year, which is selected by former Ballon d'Or winners. It has been running since 2019, and has been won by Alisson Becker, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Thibaut Courtois, and Martinez himself, who was first given the award in 2023.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Argentine won the World Cup in 2022 and played a key role once again last season as his country won the Copa America. He kept a clean sheet in five of the six games, including the final, as they beat Colombia 1-0. He also kept 15 clean sheets for Villa in all competitions as his side remarkably qualified for the Champions League.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Martinez began his career at Arsenal but only made 38 first-team appearances for the club before moving to Villa in 2020. In Birmingham, he has made 171 appearances, and has made the No.1 shirt his own.

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• THE FULL YASHIN TROPHY RANKINGS

  Martinez finished first, and Athletic Bilbao's Unai Simon finished as runner-up. In third was Real Madrid's Andriy Lunin, while PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma and AC Milan's Mike Maignan round out the top five. In sixth was Inter Milan's Yann Sommer, while Giorgi Mamardashvili, who is on loan at Valencia from Liverpool, was seventh. Porto's Diogo Costa, Mamelodi Sundowns' Ronwen Williams and Borussia Dortmund's Gregor Kobel rounded out the top 10.

Aston Villa could look a rather different team when they take to the pitch for their first Premier League game against West Ham United compared to the final game of last term.

This is due to the club having to sell players in order to comply with profit and sustainability rules (PSR) before June 30, otherwise, they could face various sanctions.

Unai Emery is clearly working hard to avoid such penalties, as Douglas Luiz, Omari Kellyman and Tim Iroegbunam are either close to departing or have already left the Midlands side in recent weeks.

These sales will allow the manager to complete a deal for players such as Ian Maatsen, who looks set to join from Chelsea, with plenty more in the pipeline over the coming weeks.

Despite raising some funds already, could Emery perhaps cash in on another one of his prized assets this summer? Particularly as there is a chance he could receive a fee which might be too hard to turn down.

Aston Villa could sell Ollie Watkins this summer

Why would Emery want to sell Villa’s highest goalscorer from last season? A player who is currently in England’s Euro 2024 squad and still has so much to offer.

Well there are a few reasons. Firstly, there appears to be no shortage of interest in the centre forward.

Arsenal are a club who have shown plenty of admiration for the player in recent months as Mikel Arteta seeks to bolster his attacking options, while Chelsea were showing some interest late last year in a bid for the Englishman.

He will turn 29 midway through the 2024/25 campaign, which indicates that he might not get much better than what he is now. Could this give Emery a licence to sell him during the current window?

Watkins currently has a market value of €52.6m (£44m) according to Football Transfers, which has been rising steadily ever since the start of last season.

There is no doubt Emery will want a higher fee than that should interest in Watkins remain over the next few weeks, especially going by his record last season.

Indeed, the 28-year-old found the back of the net 27 times last term, chipping in with 13 assists as he emerged as one of the biggest stars in a Villa team which secured fourth place in the Premier League.

Not only does he know the league, but his finishing skills could prove to be a game-changer for the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea.

Should an offer arrive, Emery must surely strike when the iron is hot. Especially considering there could be a perfect replacement available…

Aston Villa's dream Ollie Watkins replacement

According to i News, Villa are among a host of English sides eyeing up a move for LOSC Lille striker Jonathan David this summer.

Manchester United currently lead the race as they have already made contact with his representatives, but with Champions League football to look forward to, could this potentially swing the odds in Villa's favour?

With just one year left on his current deal, it appears he could be departing the French side this summer. Lille president Olivier Letang has confirmed that bids of around £25m could be enough to secure his services ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

There is no doubt the Midlands side need some added quality and bringing a player such as David to the club in the summer could give them a massive boost.

Why Jonathan David would be a good signing for Aston Villa

His statistics from last season prove that the Canadian is one of the finest centre-forwards on the continent.

Across 47 games in all competitions during 2023/24, the 24-year-old scored an impressive 27 goals while grabbing nine assists too.

Across Europe’s top five leagues, David ranked in the top 17% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.58) when compared to his positional peers, while also ranking in the top 3% for pass success rate per 90 (82%), which shows that he is more than comfortable linking the play with those who are playing behind him, which could prove useful for Emery next season.

U23 scout Antonio Mango lauded David for being “absolutely insane” when it comes to his scoring record, while further praise came from Canadian journalist Tony Marinaro, hailing the Lille marksman as "one of the best strikers in the world", no mean feat in today’s game.

Among his teammates last season in the French top flight, David ranked highly in a number of metrics, notably first for goals and assists (23), shots on target per game (1.4) and penalties won (two), while ranking fourth for key passes per game (0.9) and third for big chances created (eight), showcasing his all round game.

Not only would David be a solid presence in the final third for Villa next season, but he is also able to drop slightly deeper to link up well with fellow teammates, creating chances for them going forwards.

Cashing in on Watkins might be the last thing on the minds of supporters, but it is clear that David can offer a well-rounded game.

Combine this with the fact he would cost just £25m, not yet reaching his prime, and a move for the Canadian centre-forward is looking more and more attractive.

He is currently representing his nation at the 2024 Copa América, scoring the winner for Canada in a 1-0 win against Peru, which puts them in a good position to reach the quarter-finals of the event.

If he continues to impress in the competition, Villa may have to battle against more than just Man United with regard to signing the talented striker, as there are plenty more European heavyweights out there who could certainly do with a player just like him.

If Emery can bring him to the Premier League, it would be seen as a massive statement of intent, that’s for sure.

Aston Villa want to sign a "monster" who's similar to Bellingham

Unai Emery eager to sign this talented midfielder this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 26, 2024

Thomas Frank has reacted to Manchester United's sacking of Erik ten Hag as the Brentford boss opens up on reports linking him with the Red Devils.

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• Man Utd part ways with Erik ten Hag
• Thomas Frank linked with vacant job
• Brentford boss opens up on rumours

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United and INEOS finally made the decision to part ways with Ten Hag after months of speculation as the Red Devils struggled to find their footing since the start of the season. The Red Devils have a number of names on their shortlist to take over at Old Trafford, including Brentford boss Frank. The Bees' head coach has now reacted to Ten Hag's sacking and opened up on reports linking him with the vacant role at United.

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  WHAT FRANK SAID

  Speaking to the media, Frank responded when asked about the Manchester United job: “It’s a very delicate question. I’ve got a big responsibility to Brentford, the fans, [owner] Matthew [Denham], the leadership, the staff, and I’ve got one focus and that’s to do our best and beat Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup.

  “I’ve said many, many times but I’m very happy here. It’s one of the best clubs in the world. What happens in the future, who knows? But I’m very, very happy here."

  When asked if he had the right to talk with other clubs after six year with Brentford, he said: “It’s difficult for me to say – that’s a hypothetical situation. I always try to be as transparent as possible. I’ll repeat myself. I’m very happy here and I can see myself being here for a long, long time in the future.

  “Of course, I’ve also said that maybe if something comes up and I think, ‘That’s an opportunity I’d like to try’, okay let’s see. But for now, no, I’m very, very happy here.

  "It’s more difficult [to focus] when you guys keep asking questions. I just want to focus on Sheffield Wednesday and focus on winning the game. But I get it’s a part of it.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Frank was also questioned about how he felt for Ten Hag after being sacked by Manchester United this early in the season, to which the Danish coach responded: “Of course, I feel for Erik. He is a great coach and has a great career. He did a good job at Manchester United, two trophies in two years.

  “It’s a non-stop developing football world and that is more than acceptable. At these big clubs, there are massive expectations but there has to be a reality check. There are three teams in Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool who look to be above everyone.

  “When you are head coach you always feel for guys who lose their jobs. It’s life. It happens. There are better people to judge that (improvement). He had a very good first season and had more than a few injury problems.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  The Manchester United top brass will be hard at work finding a potential replacement for Ten Hag. For the moment Ruud van Nistelrooy will serve as the interim coach till a decision can be reached.

Glasgow Rangers should have their eyes firmly set on kicking on to win the Scottish Premiership title next season after they fell short once again this year.

The Ibrox giants have now failed to win the division in each of the last three campaigns, finishing second behind their local rivals each time, and they must now end that barren run in 2025.

Head of recruitment Nils Koppen has already been hard at work to make changes to the playing squad, with Oscar Cortes joining on a second loan and permanent deals for left-back Jefte and central defender Clinton Nsiala already agreed.

The likes of Bristol City's Tommy Conway, who is currently at the European Championship with Scotland, and Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland have also been linked with moves to Glasgow this month.

It was also recently reported that Scottish giants have struck a €2m (£1.7m) deal to snap up Moroccan centre-forward Hamza Igamane this month, with the striker now waiting to undergo a medical before the transfer can be officially completed.

That does not look to be their end of their business this month, however, as they are also reportedly pursuing a deal to sign a star from the SPFL.

Rangers submit contract offer to sign Scottish star

According to the Daily Record, the Gers are pushing to secure an agreement with central midfielder Connor Barron, who became a free agent at the end of last month.

The report backs up the claim that Igamane is set to join in a £1.7m transfer and adds that the club want to bring in the Scottish dynamo shortly after that move is finalised.

It states that Rangers have put an improved contract offer on the table for the 21-year-old talent, whose deal with Aberdeen expired at the end of May.

The Daily Record adds that Philippe Clement and Koppen are facing a fight to land his signature as they are not the only team interested in signing him.

Hellas Verona, from the Serie A, and English Championship sides Plymouth, Stoke, Cardiff, and Swansea have also submitted offers in an attempt to secure his services ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Barron is now weighing up all of the proposals on the table before making a final decision on his future, and the Gers will be hoping that their improved offer is enough to convince him to make the switch to Ibrox.

The report states that Rangers would then need to agree a fee with Aberdeen if the midfielder agrees to join, as the Dons would be due compensation for bringing him through their academy. If they fail to reach an agreement with the Premiership side then it would go down to a tribunal, which would decide how much they have to pay for him.

Clement could now land two exciting talents who could thrive alongside each other on the pitch by landing Igamane and Barron this summer.

Why Hamza Igamane is an exciting signing

Firstly, the centre-forward has plenty of room left to grow and develop at the age of 21, which means that he can be a long-term signing for the club.

Igamane could be a project player for Clement, as an attacker who can improve with more experience over the years to come, whilst also having the potential to make an immediate impact on the pitch for the Scottish giants.

His form in his native Morocco this season suggests that the quality is there for him to make an impact in the final third if he can quickly adapt to football in Scotland.

As you can see in the table above, Igamane showcased his ability at the top end of the pitch with ten direct goal contributions in 16 starts – more than one every other start on average.

That came after the talented youngster's return of six goals and one assist in 18 league appearances in the Moroccan top-flight during the 2022/23 campaign.

He is a versatile forward who can play through the middle, out wide, or in an attacking midfield position, and his creative and dribbling qualities, as highlighted in the table above, could make him an interesting option to use in a deeper role behind a starting centre-forward.

Why Connor Barron could thrive alongside Hamza Igamane

If Igamane is deployed in a number ten position, or as a second striker, then Barron could thrive behind him as a box-to-box midfielder for Rangers.

The 21-year-old battler has the advantage of already having experience in the Premiership, with 24 starts in the division this season, which suggests that he could hit the ground running at Ibrox.

Barron already knows what it takes to perform in the Scottish top-flight and his performances during the 2023/24 campaign suggest that the quality is there for him to be an excellent addition to the squad.

As you can see in the table above, the young talent played regularly in the league and showcased his ability in and out of possession in the middle of the park.

His three assists and four 'big chances' created from a deep-lying midfield position indicate that the 5 foot 9 dynamo likes to play forward and create for his teammates, which could make him a perfect option to play behind Igamane as he could look to find the 21-year-old attacker in dangerous positions on a regular basis.

Barron, who was once hailed as "tenacious" by Belgian scout Niels Liebens, also has the athleticism and defensive awareness to consistently win possession back, as shown by his 5.3 ball recoveries per game, and his 56% duel success rate.

This means that he can excel at breaking up opposition attacks with key interventions and that would then create more opportunities for Rangers in transition, which Igamane could thrive in due to his aforementioned dribbling quality.

Tipped to score 40 goals: Rangers could sign big upgrade on Dessers

The Light Blues have been urged to swoop to sign the SPFL centre-forward this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 17, 2024

The Morocco U23 international could receive the ball from Barron, after the midfielder wins possession back, and then use his ability to effectively beat his man to open up the pitch and make things happen in the final third.

The Premier League side saw several chances go begging as they edged out their Ukrainian opponents at the Emirates on Tuesday

Arsenal edged past Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 in the Champions League, but needed an own goal from keeper Dmytro Riznyk to claim the win on a night when missed chances and injury concerns took centre stage in north London.

The hosts dominated the majority of the contest and looked set for a comfortable success when Gabriel Martinelli's shot came back off the post and deflected in off the unfortunate Riznyk just before the half-hour mark.

But they wasted several chances to put the game to bed, with Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Jesus both guilty of poor misses before the break, while Leandro Trossard saw a weak penalty saved after the interval.

The hosts survived a nervy final few minutes to make it seven points from a possible nine so far in Europe, but Mikel Arteta's injury-hit squad lost Calafiori to a worrying looking knee injury with Sunday's crucial meeting with Liverpool looming large.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (7/10):

  Had very little to do on the night, but was alert in the dying seconds to make a vital save to deny Pedrinho.

  Ben White (5/10):

  Replaced by Merino at half-time. Didn't look 100 percent fit and was on a booking, which might explain the substitution.

  William Saliba (7/10):

  A fairly comfortable night's work after his red card at the weekend. Never really put under pressure.

  Gabriel Magalhaes (7/10):

  Looked to defend on the front foot as always. Made a couple of important blocks.

  Riccardo Calafiori (7/10):

  Missed a golden early chance to open the scoring. Got forward well at times and linked up with Martinelli. Went off injured in the second half after appearing to twist his knee. Worrying for Arsenal.

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  Midfield

  Thomas Partey (8/10):

  The dominant player on the pitch in the first half, both with the ball and without it. Getting back to his very best, which is a good sign. Moved to right-back for the second half after White went off.

  Declan Rice (7/10):

  Looked to drive forward when he could. Had a couple of sights on goal he could maybe have done better with. Played some nice cross-field passes.

  Gabriel Martinelli (7/10):

  Bright on the left and is unlucky that the first goal will not be credited to him after it went in off the keeper. Arsenal's stand-out attacker.

  Gabriel Jesus (6/10):

  Should have scored just before half-time and you could see that miss weighed heavily on his shoulders. Played OK aside from that. Got on the ball a lot playing on the right wing and caused Shakhtar problems.

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  Attack

  Leandro Trossard (6/10):

  Buzzed around all night and caused problems with his pressing. Had some nice touches and glanced one header just wide early in the second half. Really poor penalty late on, which summed up Arsenal's night in front of goal.

  Kai Havertz (6/10):

  Unable to score for the eighth successive home game. Worked hard, but didn't really get a chance all night. It was a surprise not to see him take the penalty.

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  Subs & Manager

  Mikel Merino (6/10):

  On for White at half-time. Made a few important blocks defensively, offered very little in attack.

  Raheem Sterling (5/10):

  Couldn't really get into the game. Little impact.

  Myles Lewis-Skelly (N/A):

  Replaced the injured Calafiori.

  Jorginho (N/A):

  On for the final few minutes.

  Mikel Arteta (6/10):

  Made a couple of changes to his starting XI but resisted the urge to bring in Ethan Nwaneri. Could have brought on the youngster at half-time, but went for Merino instead. His team lacked spark in the central areas as a result.