Tottenham Hotspur have now held direct talks to appoint an “outstanding” manager, with Ange Postecoglou heading for the exit door, according to a report.

Ange could be set to leave despite Europa League triumph

One year ago, INEOS arguably made the mistake of keeping Erik ten Hag in the Manchester United job after the Dutchman led them to victory in the FA Cup, and it appears as though Daniel Levy doesn’t want to make the same error this summer.

Indeed, widespread reports are now suggesting that Levy is set to sack Postecoglou, despite the historic Europa League triumph against Manchester United last month, which puts captain Son Heung-min among some esteemed company.

It may be a divisive decision to sack the manager responsible for leading Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years, but appointing a top-quality replacement could go some way to getting the fans back on side, and contact has now been made with a coach who could be in that category.

According to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna on X, Tottenham have now made “direct contact” with Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who spoke about his project and potential targets for the summer transfer window.

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Several candidates are said to be under consideration as potential replacements for Ange, but Frank is believed to be “high” on the list, and Spurs have now made their first move to appoint the Danish manager.

In another report from France, it is detailed that Ange’s future remains very much up in the air, with talks to discuss his position as manager due to take place at some point in the next week.

Frank could be "outstanding" Ange replacement

Deciding whether to sack the 59-year-old will no doubt be a difficult decision for Levy, given that Tottenham’s torrid Premier League form cannot be ignored, finishing 17th as a result of collecting just 38 points across the entire 2024-25 campaign.

However, the former Celtic boss has suggested his side’s first experience of success will make them more eager to make sure they’re in the same position again, saying: “I also wanted us to think about what’s next, you know — don’t settle for this. We’ve got a taste of it now. My players have got a taste for it. The club’s got a taste for it. Well, let’s make sure we’re back here again.”

Should Levy decide to sack Ange, there are signs Frank could be a fantastic replacement, having been lauded as an “outstanding” manager by Troy Deeney, while leading Brentford to a very respectable 10th-placed finish last season.

Having transformed the Bees from a Championship club into a solid Premier League side, the 51-year-old, who utilises a 4-3-3 formation, has earned the opportunity to prove himself at the top level, showing a knack for turning attacking talents into some of the biggest stars in their division.

Said Benrahma, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins and Neal Maupay all thrived under his guidance, with only Watkins able to replicate that form elsewhere, while current forwards Yoane Wissa (19) and Bryan Mbeumo (20) combined for nearly 40 top flight goals this season.

Imad Wasim came out of retirement for the T20 World Cup 2024 only to become part of “the lowest point” Pakistan cricket has hit during his career, but hopes that something good comes out of the reflections that follow because “you can’t get any lower than this”. Imad has called for a total reset in the way Pakistan play white-ball cricket, especially the mindset and approach because a side that “used to rule T20 cricket” has fallen behind the rest of the world.”I’m giving my personal opinion so don’t make these the headlines,” he said at a press conference a day before their last league game against Ireland in Lauderhill. “It’s all your mindset. What mindset do you want to play the game with? You either play fire with fire, or you play your way. I personally believe that you should play fire with fire. And even if you lose, you can sit down and say to yourself that on that day we were not good enough.”The problem is our team is so good, our players are so good, that we are good enough to play any kind of cricket. We haven’t tried that but the thing is you have to try that, you have to get rid of the fear of failure. In everything – batting, bowling, fielding, you have to get rid of fear of failure. Personnel change doesn’t change anything, just changing the mindset can change a lot of things. The same ball can be hit for a six, a four, a single, and that same ball can take a wicket and be a dot ball.Related

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“We compete with the world’s best teams. Their mindset has changed over time. We used to rule in T20 cricket. I think we have moved back a little now. Maybe our mindset [needs a change] – in all three areas. I won’t say any one area. If you change the mind of the player, you can achieve things beyond your limits. I always believe in this. You can talk a lot, but it is what it is – today, we are out of the tournament and whatever happens in the next World Cup, whoever plays, however they play, I think if we go with the right approach, the results will be better for us.”One reason for the fear of failure could be the personal attacks that follow. Imad was told about reports that he was played despite not being fully fit. He was asked if he felt the team, but in particular he and Mohammad Amir, both of whom came out of retirement, felt they have not repaid the trust put in them. He was also asked if his comeback was limited to this World Cup alone, and if he was going to go back into retirement after the Ireland game on Sunday.Despite there being a sense of “too soon” to these questions, Imad answered them calmly. He rubbished the allegations around lack of fitness, said he had not yet thought of his plans after the World Cup, and also pointed out cricket is a team game and is not won or lost by individuals. He reminded people that they were more disappointed than them, and that they should not be disrespected.Imad Wasim came out of retirement for the T20 World Cup 2024•Getty Images

“Me personally and our team, including me, are very disappointed and sad,” he said. “And the whole public is sad that we didn’t perform well and believes we are guilty. We are more disappointed than you are. This is our profession after all. But I would also like to say that we are human beings, we can make mistakes and we also get affected by these things.”Imad himself was a TV analyst when he had retired, and used to criticise his current team-mates. When asked to put that analyst hat on to review this performance, he suggested that that kind of dispassionate analysis was perhaps what was the need of the hour.”I have always talked about cricket [as an analyst],” Imad said. “I have never talked about players individually or body-shamed anyone or anything like that. Cricketers have to do their job and analyse the cricket. They have to tell you what is right and what is wrong without getting personal.”I think we should play the game the way world cricket is going. We should sort out the way we play the game, the way we should bring awareness, the way we should chase, the way we should approach the game…. We will sit and sort out our approach. Other teams also go out in early stages, but I don’t think Pakistan have exited this way. We are extremely disappointed.”But is it all about how you react after the fall? This is bad but who knows this could be big for Pakistan? We could revamp, revisit and start playing white-ball cricket the way it should be played.”

The countdown to the start of Aston Villa’s pre-season schedule is very much on.

The Villans’ will commence pre-season against neighbours Walsall at the Bescot on 16 July, taking on Hansa Rostock in Germany three days later, before a trio of friendlies stateside, meeting Eintracht Frankfurt in Louisville and then a pair of MLS outfits, namely St. Louis City and Nashville.

The Claret and Blue Army’s campaign begins for real on 16 August, welcoming Newcastle United to Villa Park on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, with supporters also eagerly awaiting the Europa League draw, coming up at the end of that month.

However, before Villa are back in action, will fans have a new signing to be excited about?

Aston Villa looking to bolster their forward line

According to widespread reports, including by Jacob Tanswell of the Athletic, it is widely expected that Monchi and Co will need to sell a key player before Monday 30 June to avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profitability & Sustainability Rules.

This was a key reason why Jhon Durán was sold to Al-Nassr for a reported £71m in January, but, as documented by Chris Weatherspoon of the Athletic, Villa’s finances remain precarious, given that they have the highest wages-to-revenue ratio in the division.

Nevertheless, despite the need for cost-cutting, Unai Emery still wants to bolster his attacking options, hence why TEAMtalk documents Villa’s interest in Crystal Palace attacker Eberechi Eze, facing competition for his signature from Tottenham, Manchester United, Newcastle, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and others.

They claim that Eze’s entourage are ‘working hard and are talking to numerous suitors’, with Spurs currently leading the race to sign him, as new manager Thomas Frank targets a statement signing, following his recent appointment.

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David Hytner of the Guardian notes that Eze’s contract contains a £68m release clause, suggesting he is unlikely to remain at Selhurst beyond this summer, with Adam Keys describing the England international as “phenomenal” and data analyst Ben Mattinson hailing him as a “superstar”.

So, could Villa convince the 26 year old to move to the Midlands?

Why Eberechi Eze would be an upgrade on Marcus Rashford

Marcus Rashford spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, very much reinvigorating his career, scoring four goals and registering six assists in 17 appearances.

He also started both legs of the Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain, underlining that he certainly got into Emery’s good books.

However, Rashford’s reported £40m price tag is putting off a lot of potential suitors, with Jamie Jackson of the Guardian claiming that Barcelona would only be open to a loan deal, something Manchester United certainly are not keen on.

Either way, it appears very unlikely that Rashford will be donning a claret and blue shirt at Villa Park next season, so would Eze be a significant upgrade?

Rashford vs Eze 2024/25 comparison

Statistics

Rashford

Eze

Appearances

41

45

Minutes

2,428

3,322

Goals

11

15

Assists

8

11

Shots per 90

2.63

3.25

Chances created per 90

1.2

2

Take-on success %

31.58%

51.94%

Shot-creating actions per 90

3.63

4.69

Touches per 90

45

55

Touches in the box per 90

4.5

3.6

Statistics courtesy of FBref.com and Squawka

As the table outlines, Eze comes out on top for pretty much every attacking metric last season, namely when it comes to goals, assists, chances created, dribbling and touches.

Sam Tabuteau of Breaking the Lines believes Eze is ‘thriving as the talisman’ at Crystal Palace, a mantle he could take up at Villa, while Daryl Gouilard of Total Football Analysis asserts that he is ready to take his game to the next level.

Thus, as outlined earlier, Aston Villa face plenty of competition for Eze’s signature this summer but, if they are able to sign him, it would certainly be a statement addition.

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A flash-flood emergency is likely to wash out the game, in which case USA will qualify for the Super Eight at Ireland and Pakistan’s expense

Shashank Kishore13-Jun-20241:48

O’Brien: USA favourites but Ireland can dream

Match detailsUSA vs Ireland
June 14, Lauderhill, 10.30am local timeBig picture – Weather likely to end Ireland and Pakistan’s hopesFlorida is in the midst of a tropical disturbance that has brought intense rainfall. And there’s no respite for the remainder of the week. A flash-flood emergency in the region threatens to wash out the entire leg of matches at Central Broward Park.Two days ago, Nepal vs Sri Lanka was washed out before there could be a toss. Friday’s morning fixture between USA and Ireland will likely meet the same fate. If that happens, USA can celebrate; a Super Eight berth will be theirs along with India from Group A. It will mean a dagger through Pakistani hearts; it will seem inevitable after they opened their campaign with back-to-back losses to USA and India.Related

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Saurabh Netravalkar may need to change the date of his ‘out of office’ email from June 17 until possibly the end of the month. It’s likely he won’t need to tell his employers why. The cricketing world watched his opening salvo with the new ball as he famously dismissed Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in successive overs on Wednesday morning.Ireland are entering this game with slim hopes of qualifying. Having begun the tournament with two morale-shattering losses themselves, including one to Canada, they need to win both their remaining games by considerable margins.But instead of plotting and planning, they will likely be scouring weather forecasts, and that may not change anything. It’s that bleak.1:33

Big match-up: Ireland top-order vs Netravalkar

Form guideUSA LWWLW
Ireland LLWWWIn the spotlight – Monank Patel and Paul StirlingMonank Patel missed Thursday’s match against India due to a shoulder niggle. The USA captain has been in good form too; his half-century was pivotal in their taking the game against Pakistan into a Super Over. In the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, he struck two match-winning half-centuries against Canada, while a crucial 42 helped steer USA home against Bangladesh. While the team management is optimistic of him being ready for Friday, the rain may just come as a blessing in disguise to give him two extra days to recover in time for the Super Eight.Aaron Jones captained USA in Monank Patel’s absence against India•ICC/Getty ImagesHe can make heads turn with his robust approach in the powerplay, but Paul Stirling has endured a lean run lately, dismissed for 2 and 9 in Ireland’s first two games. His highest score in seven T20Is since the start of May is 36 against Netherlands. Ireland will need much more than that if they are to compete. Stirling has been a part of several giant-killing acts during the course of his career. Can he come up with another to keep the group alive, if rain allows play?Team newsMonank is likely to come in for Shayan Jahangir for the hosts.USA possible XI: 1 Monank Patel (capt & wk), 2 Steven Taylor, 3 Andries Gous, 4 Aaron Jones, 5 Nitish Kumar, 6 Corey Anderson, 7 Harmeet Singh, 8 Jasdeep Singh, 9 Saurabh Netravalkar, 10 Ali Khan, 11 Nosthush Kenjige/Shadley van Schalkwyk.Conditions will probably dictate who among Ben White, the legspinner, or Craig Young, the fast bowler, play.Ireland possible XI: 1 Paul Stirling (capt), 2 Andrew Balbirnie, 3 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 4 Harry Tector, 5 Curtis Campher, 6 George Dockrell, 7 Gareth Delany, 8 Mark Adair, 9 Barry McCarthy, 10 Josh Little, 11 Craig Young.Pitch and conditionsHeavy rain is forecast for the next three days. The pitches have mostly been under covers and that’s unlikely to change. A state of emergency has been declared in five counties, including Broward where the stadium is located. It’ll need a miracle even for the curators to simply have a look at the surface underneath.Stats and trivia Stirling has gone 18 innings without a fifty since July 2023, scoring 268 runs at an average of 15.76. Aaron Jones is the second-highest run-getter in this T20 World Cup with 141 runs, and his 94* in the opening game is still the highest individual score of the tournament. Ireland and USA have faced off twice in T20Is, both times in 2021 at Lauderhill, the venue for Friday’s game. They have won one game apiece.

Despite concerns that they may lose their Europa League spot, Crystal Palace are pushing ahead with their transfer business and have now reportedly joined the race to sign a £150,000-a-week midfielder.

Latest on Crystal Palace's Europa League status

Crystal Palace not only sealed history by defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup final, they also sealed their place in next season’s Europa League. Or so they thought. The Eagles could yet have their bubble burst by UEFA, whose rules state that owners cannot have multiple clubs in the same competition.

John Textor is the majority owner of Lyon, who qualified for the Europa League in France, and the solution to the matter is a complicated one. The South London club are also unable to drop into the Europa Conference League after David Blitzer, who owns a stake in both Palace and Danish side Brondby, saw the latter qualify for UEFA’s third competition.

UEFA has reportedly rejected Crystal Palace’s offer to place Textor and Blitzer’s shares into a blind trust – following the route that Manchester City and Manchester United took to avoid the same situation – after those at Selhurst Park missed the deadline to register the trust.

Whether a solution comes to the fore remains to be seen. Chairman Steve Parish and Textor reportedly held a meeting with UEFA on Tuesday in an attempt to reach a resolution but, as things stand, Crystal Palace’s European place is at serious risk.

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The part that UEFA’s verdict could play both on and off the pitch for Palace is undoubtedly important. Without their Europa League place, the Eagles will undoubtedly struggle to welcome the same calibre of stars and may even lose some of Oliver Glasner’s key men. Whilst the situation rumbles on, however, so is their transfer business.

Crystal Palace battling to sign Kalvin Phillips

According to Caught Offside, Crystal Palace are now battling to sign Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City this summer. The midfielder is once again on the move – this time potentially permanently – and could finally revive his career following mixed fortunes on loan at West Ham United and Ipswich Town.

Selhurst Park could make perfect sense too. Rumours have been coming thick and fast regarding Adam Wharton’s Crystal Palace future and they’re only likely to intensify if the Eagles lose their Europa League place. The South London club must, therefore, prepare for the worst and that’s where Phillips could prove to be a top candidate to arrive, especially since he reportedly wants to leave The Etihad this summer.

An experienced midfielder who even has two Premier League medals to his name, the main stumbling block for Phillips this summer could be his reported £150,000-a-week salary. What may make those negotiations easier, however, is the fact that Phillips is represented by the same agency as Palace shot-stopper Dean Henderson.

It’s all gone a bit quiet at Rangers recently, hasn’t it? Russell Martin was unveiled as the new manager a week ago but, since then, very little to report from Ibrox, with supporters eager to see a new signing or two through the door.

On Tuesday, Rangers will learn the identity of their first opponents of the Martin era, with a Champions League second round qualifier to come, a tie coming up as soon as 22/23 July.

Needing to act fast in the transfer market, could the Gers be about to make a big splash?

Rangers targeting a new midfielder

A range of youth and experience could be targeted by the new manager this summer. Jamie Vardy has already been touted with a move to Ibrox, but he’s not the only Premier League stalwart in the club’s crosshairs.

According to a report by Mick Brown of Football Insider, Rangers are ‘considering’ a move to sign midfielder Christian Eriksen this summer, believing he could ‘play an orchestrating role’.

The 33-year-old is a free agent, having left Manchester United following the expiration of his contract, but still showed his quality in a Denmark shirt this week, scoring against both Northern Ireland in Parken and then Lithuania in Odense during friendly victories for de Rød-Hvide.

So, despite his age, data analyst David O’Brien believes Eriksen is still a “world-class playmaker”, so signing him would represent a massive coup for Rangers, albeit salary could be a stumbling block, considering he was earning £150k-per-week at Manchester United, according to Capology.

Nevertheless, his arrival would get the Ibrox faithful excited, especially considering he would be reminiscent of a fans’ favourite from yesteryear.

How Eriksen could emulate Brian Laudrup at Rangers

A certain Brian Laudrup joined Rangers from Fiorentina for £2.3m in the summer of 1994, and this was certainly a solid investment, widely considered to be amongst Rangers’ greatest players of modern times, as well as one of their most ‘gifted and talented entertainers’.

Eriksen’s fellow countryman, who had won the European Championship against all odds two years earlier, played 150 times for the Light Blues, scoring 44 goals, winning three league titles, the Scottish Cup, a League Cup and was named SFWA Footballer of the Year twice, before being inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Derek Clark of the Rangers Review labels Laudrup the greatest ever player to grace Scottish football, while Craig Williams of Football Scotland outlines how the ‘special’ Denmark international is a bona fide club legend.

So, could Eriksen have a similar impact to that of his compatriot?

Well, at his best, Adam Smith of Sky Sports argued that Eriksen was the ‘Premier League’s best creative midfielder’, while Duncan Alexander of Opta’s the Analyst agrees, labelling him ‘one of the most effective attacking midfielders’ in Premier League history having racked up 81 assists in the competition’s history.

Premier League

310

55

81

Champions League

53

7

14

Europa League

55

10

14

FA & EFL Cups

41

11

12

Denmark national team

144

46

34

Having made 649 club appearances for Ajax, Tottenham, Inter, Brentford and Manchester United, Eriksen does boast serious pedigree, just as Laudrup did.

However, at 33 years old, there could be concerns that he is over the hill. Well, let’s assess his statistics from this season to find out if that is the case.

Minutes

1,737

16th

Goals

5

7th

Assists

5

5th

Goals – xG

+1

3rd

Goals per shot

0.15

4th

Progressive passes

77

9th

Key passes

47

4th

Shot-creating actions

84

6th

Goal-creating actions

12

4th

As the table outlines, despite only featuring in 31.6% of Manchester United’s total minutes this season, Eriksen was actually one of their most-impressive performers, ranking highly for goals and assists, as well as metrics relating to chance creation, passing and shooting accuracy.

Following the Red Devils’ victory over Aston Villa on the final day of the Premier League season, Eriksen said about his future “we’ll see”, adding “there’s options” but nothing has been decided just yet, possibly opening the door to a move to Glasgow.

It’s certainly ambitious, but Rangers do have a history when it comes to recruiting Great Danes, and Eriksen would certainly make an impact, should he choose to make the move to Govan.

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After agonising rain delay, defending champions overcome early stumble against Namibia

Valkerie Baynes15-Jun-20241:46

Do England have the bowling attack to win the World Cup?

Watching rain fall doesn’t sound like a nail-biting pastime but for England the hours waiting to start their final group match of this T20 World Cup, against Namibia, were gripping. England’s eventual victory, by 41 runs in a match reduced to 10 overs per side in Antigua on Saturday, was pure relief for the defending champions.No result other than a win would have kept England in contention for the Super Eight phase but they had to get on the park for that. After the toss was delayed by three hours – won by Namibia, who chose to bowl first – they finally had the chance to control their own destiny, to a point. The equation was simple. England had to beat Namibia and then wait to see whether Australia defeated Scotland – which they duly did, though not without a struggle – to ensure England joined the Australians in progressing from Group B.Showers before the scheduled start returned to Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in the form of a torrential downpour just as it looked like the covers would be lifted. England had to hold onto hope of a reduced-overs match despite the rain appearing to have set in. Eventually, play began at 4pm local time, reduced to 11 overs per side, which became 10 when rain intervened once more, albeit briefly, with England 82 for 3 after eight overs.Harry Brook’s unbeaten 47 off 20 balls and Jonny Bairstow’s 31 off 18 steadied them from a perilous 13 for 2, the pair sharing a 56-run stand for the third wicket to help lift their side to 122 for 5. With Namibia chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 126, England’s bowlers didn’t allow them to score fast enough and secured a comfortable victory, after a torturous wait.Namibia’s dream, England’s nightmareDavid Wiese conceded just a solitary run from the first over on an understandably tacky wicket, testing England openers Jos Buttler and Phil Salt by varying his lines and lengths. Then Ruben Trumpelmann removed Buttler for a four-ball duck with a wonderful inswinger that crashed into leg stump with the second ball of the next over in a dream start for Namibia. It wasn’t until 10 balls into the match that England scored their first boundary, which became two when Salt lofted wider deliveries from Trumpelmann for four down the ground and over deep third. When Wiese returned for a second over on the trot, he had Salt caught behind off an excellent knuckle ball, delivered slow outside off stump and finding a thick edge to put England in trouble at 13 for 2 inside three overs.Bairstow unleashedLeft-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz came into the attack in the fourth over and in for some Bairstow treatment, reverse-swept for four and muscled over long-on for six next ball. Bairstow skied Gerhard Erasmus’s third ball back over his head and, to England’s relief, the ball plugged in a gap between an advancing long-off, long-on and the bowler running back. He crashed the next through the leg side for four. Brook chimed in with a powerful six over deep midwicket off Jack Brassell and sent the next through point for four to bring up England’s fifty off 34 balls. When Erasmus returned, Bairstow immediately nailed a six over midwicket.Bairstow survived a run-out chance on 31 and hadn’t added to his score when he top-edged an attempted cut off Scholtz towards short cover, where keeper Zane Green collected. Bairstow’s 18-ball knock was his first foray into double figures in three innings at this tournament and his highest score at a T20 World Cup, setting a solid platform after England’s shaky start before more rain arrived to halt play.Brook in on the actAfter such a long wait to learn whether they would get to play again, England’s innings was further reduced to 10 overs when rain caused another 10-minute stoppage, by which time Brook and Moeen Ali were left with twelve balls to set an imposing target. They took 19 runs off Brassell in the penultimate over, 18 of them to Brook, who finished with 4,6,4 to take England past the 100 mark. Moeen fell for 16 off six balls but Liam Livingstone blasted the first two balls he faced from Trumpelmann for six before he was run out on the last ball of the innings and left the field clutching his side in some discomfort. Ben Duckett’s appearance as substitute fielder in his place raised further concerns over Livingstone’s fitness.Davin makes way for WieseReece Topley conceded only two runs off the opening over of Namibia’s pursuit, one of them a front-foot no-ball on the first delivery of the innings. England’s bowlers were keeping a lid on Namibia’s scoring and, needing 83 more off the last four overs, Nikolaas Davin retired out on 18 off 16, the first player to do so at an ICC event, making way for the vastly experienced Wiese. He clubbed the first ball he faced – off Sam Curran, making his first appearance at this World Cup – for four through backward point. Wiese proceeded to smash back-to-back sixes off Adil Rashid over long-off and deep midwicket then pierced the covers for four.But they needed 55 off the last two overs and Michael van Lingen holed out to Brook off Chris Jordan, brought into the side for Mark Wood on the strength of his death bowling, on the final ball of the ninth. When Jofra Archer removed Wiese, again via a Brook catch in the deep in the final over, the 39-year-old walked off amid handshakes from several England players, a fitting international farewell in his last game for Namibia, the nation he transferred his allegiance to in 2021 after 26 matches for South Africa.

The start of Glasgow Rangers’ season is now fast approaching with the Gers’ first pre-season fixture taking place a week on Saturday, with the start of European qualifying coming up as soon as 22 July.

That’s all before the new Rangers manager, Russell Martin, will commence his Scottish Premiership campaign on Saturday 2 August.

Ahead of that busy fixture list, the Light Blues have been busy off the field overhauling their squad, so could they secure a “phenomenal” new signing in the process?

Rangers' busy transfer activity

On Wednesday, Max Aarons put pen to paper, joining Rangers on a season-long loan from Bournemouth.

He is the club’s second signing of the summer, after Lyall Cameron, but many more are forecast in the coming days and weeks.

Indeed, according to a report by EFL analysis, new manager Martin is targeting a move to bring in goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who he signed for Southampton just 12 months ago, for a reported fee of £25m.

Bailey adds that, due to the fact he is earning £120,000-per-week, the Saints are willing to sanction a loan ‘with an option to buy’ for Ramsdale this summer; Wolves and Leeds United also ‘interested’,

A fee could prove prohibitive for Rangers, given that their record-signing of the post-liquidation era is the £7.5m spent on Ryan Kent in 2019.

Nevertheless, with Southampton looking to offload, thereby open to a loan move, could the England international end up in Glasgow?

Why Aaron Ramsdale would be a game-changing signing for Rangers

Max Aarons has arrived at Rangers to much excitement, and rightly so.

The 24-year-old did just endure a pretty miserable campaign, barely featuring for Bournemouth, thereby spending the second half of the season on loan at Valencia, albeit he then made only five appearances for los Murciélagos, totalling a miserly 208 minutes.

Nevertheless, the youngster is still a player of great potential, almost joining Tottenham for £15m as a teenager, with Tom Quartly of Breaking the Lines asserting that he offers ‘fluidity in both attacking and defensive phases’ from full-back.

Aarons’ arrival does bring into question the future of Rangers’ two existing right-backs, namely captain and long-serving stalwart James Tavernier, as well as the promising Dujon Sterling, as this was not an area of obvious need.

The same, however, cannot be said about goalkeeper, with the potential arrival of Ramsdale addressing a pressing issue.

After arriving two years ago, for so long, Jack Butland was Rangers’ undisputed number one, starting 102 of his first 111 matches at the club, before being dropped by interim manager Barry Ferguson, following a sequence of high-profile errors, hence why deputy Liam Kelly got the nod for the Europa League quarter-final tie against Athletic Club.

Even though the Scotland international shot-stopper dramatically saved Álex Berenguer’s late penalty in the first leg at Ibrox, the table below emphasises that neither Kelly nor Butland are perhaps what Martin is looking for.

Goals against per 90

1.11

3rd

1

2nd

Save %

65.5%

17th

67.9%

11th

Clean sheet %

37.5%

5th

40%

4th

So, would Ramsdale be a major upgrade?

Well, former Arsenal goalkeeper asserted that Ramsdale’s performances for the Gunners as “phenomenal”, while manager Mikel Arteta described him as “exceptional”, following a man of the match performance during a 2-2 draw at Anfield two seasons ago.

So, let’s take a deeper look at his statistics in the Premier League.

Saves

120 (2nd)

94 (10th)

Save %

67.6% (15th)

70.6% (11th)

Post-shot xG – goals conceded

-0.08 (17th)

-0.05 (12th)

% of crosses stopped

5.5% (16th)

5.8% (16th)

Short passes attempted

1,026 (9th)

956 (8th)

The table includes last season, when Ramsdale was plying his trade for a historically terrible Southampton team, hence why only Mark Flekken made more saves than he did, as well as his final campaign as Arsenal’s number one, this 2022/23.

While the England international’s statistics don’t all leap off the page, it is clear that he is certainly a Premier League-level goalkeeper and a very good one at that, one that should not be playing for the team at the bottom of the division, that’s for sure.

His passing numbers are also impressive, which would very much fit into Martin’s style that prioritises control through possession.

Thus, if Rangers are able to lure him north of the border, this would be a massive coup, especially considering the trials and tribulations endured by Butland and Kelly last season.

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ByBen Gray Jun 26, 2025

Slowly and then all at once might be one way to describe Arsenal’s transfer window so far.

For weeks and weeks, it felt like very little was happening at the Emirates, but now Martin Zubimendi’s transfer is reportedly wrapped up, as is Kepa Arrizabalaga’s, and there have been reports of progress being made towards both Rodrygo and Viktor Gyokeres.

It’s not just incomings either, as Fabrizio Romano broke the news yesterday afternoon that Thomas Partey is now “set to leave” this month.

As if that wasn’t enough, yesterday also saw news come out linking Arsenal to Christian Nørgaard as a potential replacement, but if other reports are to be believed, Mikel Arteta could be looking to sign another midfielder who’d be even better than the Brentford star.

Arsenal target Nørgaard upgrade

While it’s been known for a few days now that the contract talks with Partey were not advancing and that there was, therefore, a real chance the Ghanaian could leave this summer, there were no murmurings that Nørgaard was being looked at as a potential signing.

Transfer Focus

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In fact, the report from Danish journalist Mads Glenn Wehlast on Wednesday morning was the first time most people had any idea the club were even supposedly interested in the 31-year-old.

The report claims that the Gunners have already submitted an offer worth around €11m in total, which is about £9m.

While that could end up being a good deal, there is still another midfielder the club are interested in, someone who’d be a better signing: Lucien Agoume.

According to a recent report from The Athletic, Arsenal are still very much interested in the Sevilla star, who has been the subject of talks.

A price for the young Frenchman is not mentioned in the report, but stories from earlier this week claim that he could be available for just £20m, although he is also a target for Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

It might not be a big-name signing, but based on the ability Agoume has already shown, and the potential so many believe him to possess, it’s one Arsenal should fight for, especially as he would be a better addition to the squad than Nørgaard.

How Agoume compares to Nørgaard

So, if it ends up being a choice between signing Agoume and Nørgaard in the coming weeks, why should Arsenal opt for the former?

Well, the first argument, and its significant one, is the statistical one, as when we take a look under the hood and compare their underlying numbers, it becomes clear that the Sevilla star, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig described as “10 out of 10 talent,” is the more well-rounded midfielder.

The Dane might do marginally better in a few metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists and passing accuracy per 90, but he comes out a clear second-best in most other statistics that are relevant for a number six.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.14

0.18

Progressive Carries

1.23

0.45

Progressive Passes

5.74

4.92

Passing Accuracy

81.5%

81.6%

Key Passes

1.15

0.58

Passes into the Final Third

5.36

4.38

Shot-Creating Actions

2.55

1.85

Goal-Creating Actions

0.21

0.42

Tackles

2.98

2.52

Blocks

1.28

1.66

Interceptions

1.74

1.57

Errors Leading to a Shot

0.00

0.03

Successful take-ons

0.94

0.22

Aerial Duels Won

1.79

1.57

For example, the former Inter Milan gem comes out looking far better in things like progressive passes and carries, key passes, shot-creating actions and, most crucially, tackles, interceptions and aerial duels won per 90.

This suggests that not only does he have the Bees ace beat in plenty of attacking areas, but he’d also be able to better provide cover for the back four, and the fact he’s so good at winning balls in the air will be like music to Arteta’s ears.

Finally, there is another number that matters here: his age.

At 22 years old, the Yaoundé-born maestro has plenty of time to continue developing, and if he does do that, then the Gunners would have a serious midfielder on their hands down the line, whereas at 31, the Brentford star is only going to regress over time.

Moreover, if Zubimendi is going to be the starting six anyway, surely it makes sense to bring in a promising understudy to cover for him, someone who could seriously rival him for game time in a few years.

Ultimately, while Nørgaard wouldn’t be a bad signing by any means, Agoume just looks like the far better option, and therefore, Arsenal should be doing what they can to get him this summer.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 25, 2025

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin heading for the exit door, Everton have turned their attention towards a La Liga star and are now reportedly ready to match his release clause worth over £30m.

Everton set to lose Calvert-Lewin

Calvert-Lewin’s contract situation is one that has been rumbling on for some time. In truth, however, a new deal has never really seemed likely for the academy graduate, who now looks destined to depart as a free agent at the end of this month.

It puts the Toffees in an interesting position. Whilst they wouldn’t have been desperate to lose an academy graduate, Calvert-Lewin’s form and injury history across recent years have hardly made him the main man in Merseyside, especially with Beto finding his feet under David Moyes in the second half of last season.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin by season	Premier League Goals (via Transfermarkt)
2024/25	3
2023/24	7
2022/23	2
2021/22	16

Circumstances have been tough at times, but Calvert-Lewin’s drop-off is undeniable. From scoring 16 goals in one season to finally bursting into life and finding his best form, the forward has managed a combined total of 12 in the last three seasons. For all parties, an exit makes perfect sense.

That said, Everton must still replace the 28-year-old and they seem well aware of that. The Friedkin Group already attempted to make a statement by winning the race to sign Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap, only for Chelsea to come calling with an offer that the forward could not and did not refuse.

Now, they’re back to the drawing board. Ahead of a new era, a marquee signing to lead the line certainly wouldn’t go amiss. After missing out on Delap, the big question is just who Everton will turn to in the coming months.

The rumours are coming thick and fast regarding a La Liga star, however, who has a similar release clause to the aforementioned Delap.

Everton ready to match Thierno Barry's release clause

According to TEAMtalk, Everton are now ready to meet Thierno Barry’s release clause this summer which is worth €40m (£34m) this summer. Having initially shown interest in the Villarreal forward, those in Merseyside are reportedly ready to step up their move to commence their transfer business with the La Liga star also keen on a move.

It’s clear to see why Everton are so eager to push on with their move for Barry too. The 22-year-old got off to a rapid start at Villarreal last season, earning the praise of scout Jacek Kulig who dubbed him an “exciting CF investment”, and has since stolen even more headlines.

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By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jun 8, 2025

By the time that last season reached a conclusion, Barry had found the back of the net 19 times in all competitions. If Everton are to welcome a marquee signing to commence their summer business, he should be at the top of their wishlist.