All posts by z3u9t.icu

After breezing past Ajax with ease in the previous round, Aston Villa welcomed Ligue 1 side Lille to Villa Park on Thursday night.

Unai Emery’s side set out with one mission in mind: to go to France with a lead, and they certainly achieved that, defeating the visitors 2-1.

The Villans could not have gotten off to a better start, opening the scoring in the 13th minute, and just before the hour mark, they had a two-goal advantage.

It looked set to be the perfect night, however, a late Lille goal did spoil the party slightly, making it all to play for in the second leg.

But in truth, the outcome could have been much worse if it weren’t for one star who was even better than John McGinn and Ollie Watkins.

McGinn and Watkins’ performances vs Lille

As usual, Villa lined up in the Spaniard’s 4-4-1-1 formation, with the attack being led by none other than Watkins, with the support of McGinn just behind him.

Both players combined brilliantly for the first goal of the game, with the England attacker meeting the Scot’s inch-perfect corner kick to power the ball home via his head, scoring his 25th goal of the campaign.

After the break, Villa’s second goal once again heavily involved McGinn, as the provider turned goal-scorer, placing the ball into the bottom corner from outside the box with a controlled first-time finish.

To add further context to just how influential the dangerous duo were on the night, the number 11 was handed an 8/10 match rating by Birmingham World, while the 29-year-old was given an impressive 9/10, but they still weren’t the most important on the field.

Emi Martinez statistics against Lille

The Villa faithful may already believe that Emiliano Martinez is the best goalkeeper in the world, hence their common chant, but he truly showed his quality yesterday.

The Argentine is an extremely important player to Emery’s side, not just because of his ability to keep the ball out of the back of the net but also because of his elite mentality, which will prove to be vital throughout the rest of the tournament.

In Birmingham World’s player ratings article, Martinez was handed a joint-highest 9/10 rating, stating, “absolutely outstanding to get his team out of trouble so often,” and although he was eventually unable to keep a clean sheet, the World Cup winner pulled off similar heroics to the ones he displayed in Qatar against France, coming out on top in crucial moments.

Throughout the tie, Martinez looked confident, comfortable, and relaxed, as shown by his pass accuracy of 90% and his 40 touches in the table below, which enabled Villa to not give possession away cheaply.

Saves

6

Saves inside the box

6

Goals prevented

1.67

High claims

2

Pass accuracy

90%

Touches

40

However, it's clear that it was his shot-stopping ability that deservedly got him the plaudits, as he made six saves in the tie, all of them from attempts inside the penalty area.

Most impressively, the 31-year-old had a goal prevented of 1.67, which is a brilliant indicator of just how good the chances were that he was denying, and shows that Villa could have drawn or lost the game without his heroics.

Overall, without Martinez in between the sticks, there’s no way that Villa would be going to Lille with the advantage, and although the goal-scorers tend to take the headlines, the Villa fanbase will certainly know who their real hero was with his colossal display in goal.

Arsenal have tabled a five-year contract offer to try and tempt a £69 million striker into joining them, and he actually shares the same agent as Gunners defender Cedric Soares.

Edu and Arteta targeting prolific new striker for Arsenal

It is perhaps one of the worst-kept secrets in football that Arsenal are keen on bringing in a new number nine when the transfer window reopens.

Arsenal really want to sign £214,000-per-week star, Mikel Arteta is a fan

The Spaniard is rumoured to be “attracted” to his style.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 24, 2024

Fabrizio Romano has backed that Arsenal wish to acquire an "important" striker for manager Mikel Arteta, as sporting director Edu sets his sights on the likes of Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres among other options.

"Arsenal will sign an important striker this summer, and one of the names on their list is Viktor Gyokeres," said Romano on one of his Daily Briefings recently.

They’ve been following the Sporting Lisbon striker during this remarkable season, but they’re not the only ones. Gyokeres is appreciated by Arsenal, but they still have to decide what they’re going to do, and remember that the Swedish striker has a €100m release clause, with Sporting insisting that they want something very close to this fee, not something like €50 or €60m as reported by some media outlets.

Bukayo Saka

14

Kai Havertz

11

Leandro Trossard

10

Martin Odegaard

8

Declan Rice

6

"Let’s see what happens with Arsenal, but they could have other options too."

In terms of the "other options" reportedly being targeted, there are many, with the likes of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Brentford striker Ivan Toney linked in the last few months alone.

Arsenal have been one of the league's most imperious attacking sides this season, and are still firmly in the title race as they wait for a potential slip up from Man City and look to keep chase with Pep Guardiola's side.

Three Gunners stars in Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard boast double digits in terms of league goals scored, but that hasn't deterred Arsenal's transfer plans as they still look to add a goalscorer.

Arsenal table contract offer to sign Joshua Zirkzee

Another target who's been widely linked is Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee.

The £68 million Serie A star's netted 11 goals in 31 league games this season, and it is believed his playing style is an attraction for Arsenal. Now, according to Tuttosport in Italy, via Sport Witness, the north Londoners are ready to accelerate their pursuit of the striker.

Indeed, it is believed Arsenal have tabled a five-year contract offer for Zirkzee via his agent, Kia Joorabchian, who also manages the affairs of Soares (Transfermarkt). The salary offer comes in at around £98,000-per-week, according to this report.

“He’s a great player," said AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli on Zirkzee this season.

"I’ve followed him since his days at Bayern Munich and then at my Parma. A fantastic player, with physicality and quality. He has everything. He’s doing very well at Bologna."

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has now personally identified a £51 million forward as a perfect fit for his Spurs system, according to reports.

Spurs looking to strengthen with new attacking signings

Regardless of whether they trigger the £15 million buy-option in Timo Werner's loan deal from RB Leipzig, there is a real belief that the north Londoners will look to bolster Postecoglou's ranks with fresh attacking signings.

Tottenham targeting £45m striker for Ange after Levy sets aside big funds

Spurs want Harry Kane’s replacement in the summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 17, 2024

Werner has performed very well overall since making the temporary move back to England, but there are some doubts over his ability to contribute effectively enough in the final third.

Pundit Jay Bothroyd even, perhaps harshly claimed that the 28-year-old is one of the "worst players" in the Premier League on a technical level.

“I can’t help, but I have to be critical of Timo Werner," said Bothroyd to Optus Sport.

"I’m sorry, he misses so many good chances. And those chances that he missed, they can change games. Technically, he’s one of the worst players in the Premier League. I’m going to say that, because I honestly believe that.

Son Heung-min

15

Richarlison

10

Dejan Kulusevski

6

Brennan Johnson

5

James Maddison

4

"He doesn’t cross the ball well, he hits it as hard as he can across the face of the goal all the time. He never picks anybody out. His finishing’s poor. His passing’s poor.

“And yes, you can say that he’s effective. But then I’m saying, okay, he’s an athlete. In this day and age, I look at him and I say he’s effective because of his athleticism. As he gets older and he loses that athleticism, how effective is he going to be then?”

To strengthen their forward line, it is believed Tottenham are targeting the likes of Pedro Neto, Eberechi Eze and Raphinha as few of the many options across Europe's who've been shortlisted by technical director Johan Lange and the recruitment team.

Another interesting option they're now believed to be keen on is RB Leipzig star Dani Olmo.

The Spaniard, who can play anywhere across the forward line and centrally, would plug a lot of gaps in Postecoglou's squad simultaneously – making him an attractive option with an "affordable" release clause of around £51 million.

Ange identifies Olmo as perfect for Tottenham system

According to GiveMeSport, Spurs boss Postecoglou has identified Olmo as a player who would fit "seamlessly" into his system.

The Australian has been conducting checks on potential summer targets, and he's apparently a big fan of the 25-year-old who's scored four goals and assisted five others in 18 Bundesliga matches this season.

"The Bundesliga has a higher pace than the Croatian league, so it takes some time to adjust physically. But he was extremely hard-working, won the ball a lot of times and defended very robustly," said former Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann on Olmo in 2020.

"He has exceptional abilities and is very safe with the ball. When he gets put under pressure, he knows how to provoke a foul."

Whilst there's still plenty of time for more drama to take place in the Championship this weekend, Leeds United are currently on course to miss out on automatic promotion in a failure that will reportedly have transfer consequences if they then fail to go up through the play-offs.

Leeds transfer news

Promotion will be the key to Leeds' summer transfer business. Reach the Premier League and attracting players of a certain calibre will be far simpler than pitching the project centred around first earning promotion. Meanwhile, if they do fail to go up, then keeping hold of players will become that much harder, especially when it comes to the likes of Crysencio Summerville.

49ers could drop Meslier by signing "outstanding" EFL star for Leeds

The Whites are reportedly interested in signing a goalkeeper from the Championship.

ByDan Emery May 2, 2024

The winger has already been linked with Liverpool and rejecting the Reds would arguably be almost impossible at a Championship club. Losing Summerville, in particular, would deal Daniel Farke a significant blow too. The Dutchman has managed 20 goals and 10 assists for a stunning 30 goal involvements in all competitions this season. Take those away and where Leeds would be is anyone's guess. And yet, he may not be the only player heading for the exit door.

According to ABC via Estadio Deportivo, Marc Roca has agreed to turn his loan permanent at Real Betis if Leeds fail to gain promotion to the Premier League this season. The midfielder endured a debut campaign to forget at Elland Road last year and was among those to leave on loan following the Whites' relegation. Now, if they fail to go up, he could have already played his final game for the club.

Given the success that both parties have had apart this season, a summer departure for Roca shouldn't be seen as a major blow, especially when considering that it would see Leeds clear a reported £35,000-a-week from their current wage bill.

"Interesting" Roca's exit is best for both parties

Chalked down as a transfer to forget, Roca's potential exit suits all parties involved, with the midfielder recently speaking positively about his time at Real Betis, saying in an interview with PTV Sevilla: “We’ll see (about my future). It’s true that we’re in contact with the club. We’ll see how everything evolves. It’s up to my agent to reach an agreement, and then Betis will have to talk to Leeds. We’ll see how the negotiations progress, but I’m very comfortable and very happy.”

With that said, Leeds could at least make back some of the £10m transfer fee that they initially paid out to reinvest into Daniel Farke's squad and turn any potential promotion failure into the beginning of a Championship title charge. Described as "interesting" by former Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic, Roca just never found his feet at Leeds amid a squad on course for Premier League heartbreak last season.

Since leaving Elland Road, he has made 22 starts in a Real Betis side looking to qualify for European football in La Liga this season to put his nightmare spell in Yorkshire behind him, whilst those at Leeds set their sights on returning to the top flight.

Celtic are now readying an offer to sign a “stunning” player in a permanent Parkhead transfer.

Celtic transfer rumours

The Hoops and Brendan Rodgers are in for a busy end to the season on the pitch, looking to lift both the Scottish Premiership title and win the Scottish Cup at Hampden Park, both ahead of rivals Rangers.

However, away from the pitch, preparations appear to be underway ahead of the summer transfer window, with Celtic looking to complete a number of signings.

According to reports earlier this year, Celtic Park chiefs want to at last sign a new goalkeeper, winger and striker, with a replacement for the retiring Joe Hart at the top of the agenda.

Celtic planning to accept offer for "tremendous" ace Rodgers doesn't want

His time with the Scottish giants could be rapidly drawing to a close.

ByBen Browning May 8, 2024

Rodgers has also previously admitted that the club could be “braver” with their additions: “I would go with supporters thinking we could maybe be a little bit braver in terms of bringing in another level of player.

"But that’s up to me to try and fix that over the course of my time here. You look at the strategy here and you have to be careful because in some ways it has worked. You bring in players for a minimal fee and then they go out and make the club a lot of money.

“What I want to hopefully balance in my time here is that we can still do that, because it is an important part of the modern game. But we also want to be brave enough to hang our hat on a ready-made player.”

One player who appears to be a permanent target is current loanee Adam Idah, with the striker set to return to Norwich City at the end of the current campaign.

However, the Republic of Ireland international is thought to be open to making his stay at Celtic a permanent one, and it looks as if the Hoops feel the same.

Adam Idah to Celtic transfer update

According to Football Insider in the last 48 hours, Celtic are now ready to submit a permanent bid for Idah, with the Canaries valuing the striker at £5m.

The report doesn’t say if the Hoops are willing to match that price tag, but it appears as if Norwich will receive an official offer from Celtic for the forward.

The 23-year-old, on £23,000-a-week at Carrow Road, was called "absolutely stunning” by Chris Sutton following a goal against Motherwell, and in total, Idah has scored seven times and provided two assists in 15 Celtic appearances.

Should a permanent deal go through, it will be one that may delight Rodgers, who hailed the forward back in February.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS now in charge, this summer is set to be an extremely busy period for Manchester United.

Changes are expected in abundance as they look to improve the standards of the club, from both an on and off-the-field perspective.

One aspect in particular that Ratcliffe wants to keep a cap on is player wages, with some individuals earning way more than they’ve displayed on the grass.

One is even earning seven times more than Alejandro Garnacho.

What Man Utd paid for Casemiro

At the start of the 2022/23 campaign, Casemiro was viewed as a saviour by the Man Utd faithful, after not having a true defensive midfielder for years.

The Brazilian arrived at Old Trafford off the back of a Champions League victory for Real Madrid, which proved that at the time, he was one of the best around.

The then-30-year-old was signed in a deal worth £70m, and over the season, he played a huge role in United winning the EFL Cup and finishing third in the Premier League.

Throughout his debut campaign, the number 18 made 51 appearances across all competitions for the Red Devils, scoring seven goals and providing six assists, in what was an impressive start to life in Manchester.

Premier League

28

4

3

Europa League

12

0

1

FA Cup

5

2

0

EFL Cup

6

1

2

Casemiro’s salary at Man Utd

Despite becoming a crucial player during his first season at the club, his most recent campaign with the Red Devil on his chest hasn’t exactly gone according to plan.

Casemiro started the campaign as the first-choice defensive midfielder, but towards the end of the year, he suffered an injury that kept him out for 17 matches.

Once he returned, it’s fair to say that he failed to perform as he had previously, making United vulnerable due to his lack of athleticism, with football creator Liam Canning even describing him as “embarrassing.”

Towards the end of the season, he was heavily criticised once again, being described as a “joke” by Canning this time around, and it’s fair to say that his performances haven’t quite matched his astronomical salary.

1. Kevin De Bruyne

£400k

2. Casemiro

£350k

3. Mohammed Salah

£350k

4. Raheem Sterling

£325k

5. Kai Havertz

£280k

6. Heung-min Son

£190k

To no surprise, the Brazil international is the highest earner at Man United, earning a whopping £350k-a-week, which equates to roughly £18.2m per season, without bonuses.

This means that Casemiro is on a wage that’s seven times higher than Garnacho’s £50k-per-week, who’s provided much more this season for the side in the form of ten goals and five assists across 50 matches.

Furthermore, his ridiculous wage also makes him one of the highest earners in the Premier League, with only Kevin De Bruyne boasting a superior salary. For further context, it's a remarkable £315k-per-week, or 10x more than Jarrad Branthwaite.

The Everton defender has been the subject of keen interest from United in recent months and remains a firm target for the Red Devils heading into the summer.

Given the above, it’s no surprise to see that United are desperate to move the declining midfielder on this summer, with Goal Brazil reporting that they’ll look to retrieve around £30m.

The fact that the clubs interested are from Saudi Arabia and not Europe indicates that his time at the very peak of football is over, and if United don’t send him packing this summer, he’ll earn an astounding £36m in wages alone before his contract is up.

Therefore, it’s clear that Casemiro’s future doesn’t belong at Old Trafford, with any potential move away potentially also set to help Ratcliffe and Co fund that aforementioned move for Branthwaite.

Ratcliffe will finally ditch Man Utd ace who earns 8x more than Amad

The Man United ace has cost the club £6.5m per goal this season.

ByTom Lever May 18, 2024

With their added Red Bull millions no doubt helping when it comes to the upcoming summer transfer window, Leeds United fans can be equally as excited about incomings at Elland Road as they will be anxious about a number of key players uprooting.

Daniel Farke and Co won't just allow the star-studded squad that was agonisingly close to a promotion back up to the Premier League to be gutted with no replacements drafted up, eager to go one better next season and use this heartbreak as fuel to jump back up to the top-flight at the second time of asking.

That will be easier said than done, however, as the Championship is an unpredictable league at the best of times – just ask Kieran McKenna and Ipswich Town, who achieved back-to-back promotions and denied Leeds a more leisurely way back up a division.

Still, with a number of names being circulated as potential incomings, Leeds could take the division by storm regardless of any hangover from last season lingering, with a shrewd free transfer being lined up.

Leeds' transfer latest

A whole host of names are being linked with a switch to West Yorkshire this summer, as Farke prepares to fill the squad with some much-needed talent, ahead of a potential mass exodus still taking place.

Leeds have been linked with the likes of Stuttgart winger Silas Katompa Mvumpa, West Ham United defender Ben Johnson and Sheffield United striker Daniel Jebbison to name just a few, with a new name being tipped for a switch to Elland Road catching the eye as well.

Long-standing Fulham servant Bobby Decordova-Reid is a new rumoured face Farke wants ahead of somewhat of a rebuild, with TEAMTalk stating that the Cottagers attacking midfielder will not be putting pen to paper on a new deal to stick it out with Marco Silva's men, after talks had collapsed.

Everton are also known to be an interested party, according to TEAMTalk, which could make Leeds' pursuit more difficult, considering the Toffees are in the Premier League whilst the Whites languish in the division below to their continued despair.

Games played

33

Goals scored

6

Assists

4

Big chances missed

3

Big chances created

3

Fulham will be gutted to see the back of Reid, who had become part of the furniture at Craven Cottage with 209 appearances notched up, but their loss could well end being Leeds' gain, with the experienced 31-year-old a goalscoring threat in the Championship previously in his career.

Pushed out to the flanks by Silva when given chances last season, which hasn't actually seen his output dry up based on the table above, the Jamaica international has excelled in the division below when played in a more central attacking midfield position, where he could oust Joel Piroe from the line-up in the process.

He would even give Georginio Rutter a run for his money in the number ten role too, with the Frenchman and the Dutchman interchangeable in this slot as well as in the lone striker position, whilst also competing with the ex-Swansea City man up top, who really struggled towards the back-end of the Championship campaign to excite Leeds fans.

Joel Piroe's struggles for Leeds

As much as Piroe did finish the campaign with a respectable 13-goal tally next to his name, the 6 foot 1 forward really didn't impose himself into major contests for Farke's promotion challengers, notably the Championship play-off final just passing him by.

The lacklustre 24-year-old would fail to register a single shot on Alex McCarthy's net in the soul-destroying 1-0 defeat to Southampton, who won promotion courtesy of having a more lethal attacker in their ranks in Adam Armstrong, with Farke potentially having lost all faith in the Dutchman consequently ahead of a new season coming into view.

He could be ditched for good with this latest development involving a potential free transfer of Reid, who has managed to net 43 EFL goals across his career, with 23 of those coming in the Championship from an attacking midfield spot for the Cottagers.

Piroe largely played in this number ten role for Farke's men this season just gone, away from being handed lone striker duties for the crunch clash at Wembley, with eight goals and one assist coming his way from this position on the pitch.

Stat

Piroe

Rutter

Reid (21/22)

Games played

53

51

44

Goals

16

8

8

Assists

3

18

7

Big chances missed

8

17

7

Big chances created

3

22

10

Goal conversion

15%

5%

17%

Stats by Sofascore/Transfermarkt

Looking at the table above, Reid was far more effective going forward than his ex-Swans counterpart in certain areas when last competing in the second tier, finishing the season with a better goal-conversion percentage than Piroe, on top of creating seven more big chances overall.

Reid's adaptability will also make the 31-year-old an even more worthwhile asset worth exploring, having predominantly played down the left wing this season just gone, alongside being capable of playing anywhere across the midfield if necessary for his team.

Leeds will hope they can get the best out of Reid in that number ten position, pushing Rutter all the way in the process, having bagged a career-best tally of 19 strikes playing here for Bristol City during the 2017-18 campaign.

Piroe's future at Leeds

Reid's signature being confirmed down the line could signal the end of Piroe in a Leeds shirt, when you consider Reid's 43 EFL goal total is only nine off Piroe's total, and his flexibility to fill in gaps could make him an important cog for Farke to rely upon.

Leeds would attempt to recoup some of the £12m they paid to land the 24-year-old for, however, with Reid also acting as a cheap upgrade, instead of the Whites casually burning more money.

With two promotions up to the Premier League on his glittering resume also, Reid could be the missing piece of the jigsaw – who was once referred to as "unbelievable" by ex-Fulham boss Scott Parker – from Farke's perspective to mount another challenge at promotion.

Leeds will want to instantly exorcise the demons of Wembley regardless of who does and doesn't line up for them next campaign, returning back to where they feel like they belong, instead of making do with the second tier.

Leeds line up early move to sign "wonderful" Archie Gray replacement

Leeds United don’t have to break the bank when shopping for a potential Archie Gray replacement.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 4, 2024

Any anxiety or worry about Kieran McKenna's future at Portman Road has been well and truly put to bed, with the Ipswich Town manager's new contract now being signed.

That means the rumour mill will go into overdrive now not over potential managerial replacements for the former Manchester United face, but instead, in terms of incomings that could sign for Ipswich to help them during their maiden Premier League season.

Ipswich looking at "unique" Hutchinson alternative

The Tractor Boys will reportedly aim to press on and get a permanent deal done for their past sublime loanee Omari Hutchinson, who notched up 11 goals in all competitions last campaign during Ipswich's promotion heroics, but they could be tempted to steer in the direction of signing this attacker instead if such a move for the Chelsea youngster doesn't get off the ground.

A report from TEAMTalk at the end of last month indicated that Ipswich were preparing a swoop for Newcastle United gem Miguel Almiron, with a fee in the region of £21m needed to try and get this ambitious deal done.

How Almiron compares to Hutchinson

With Eddie Howe's men looking to sell on a number of players this off-season to get rid of the more seasoned professionals in the squad, it's no shock to see Almiron's name in and amongst those rumoured to be off, with the Paraguayan midfielder tallying up an impressive 209 appearances for the Toon since joining with much fanfare attached to his name in 2019.

The former club record buy failed to set the world alight this season for the Magpies, however, with his FBRef numbers compared to Hutchinson struggling in certain areas over the last year, alongside the fact the ex-Atalanta United man managed just three Premier League strikes in total.

Non-penalty goals

0.15

0.40

Non-penalty xG

0.23

0.21

Total shots

2.03

2.71

Assists

0.08

0.16

Shot-creating actions

2.64

3.81

Passes attempted

36.69

35.18

Pass completion %

82.0%

71.8%

Still, with his wealth of experience at a top-flight level no doubt coming in very handy for Ipswich, Almiron could prove to be a dream Hutchinson alternative.

His prowess in the division – even during a poor campaign in terms of output this season – resulted in in Howe calling him "unique" after a blistering display against Burnley saw him score the blinding strike below.

As much as Hutchinson did prove to be a very effective loan last season for McKenna's overachievers, the 20-year-old has only ever tasted Premier League action once for the Blues.

With the rest of the Ipswich ranks equally inexperienced with what it takes to cut your teeth making the step-up, having battled in the EFL the majority of their careers over playing in the bright lights of the Premier League, Almiron could be the experienced head they need in order to traverse the potentially choppy waters smoothly.

177 of Almiron's 209 Newcastle appearances have fallen in the top flight, with the South American midfielder bagging 23 of his 30 Magpies strikes in the division.

It's not as if the winger has dramatically seen his powers diminish on Tyneside either, picking up 11 Premier League goals during the 2022/23 campaign.

That matched Hutchinson's numbers from the league below before the tricky 5 foot 9 Toon attacker ended up struggling this season in contrast with just three strikes registered.

Regardless, Ipswich wouldn't turn their noses up at the South American entering through the door this summer to add more nous and experience, with Hutchinson also another possible incoming to really bolster their squad ahead of their entry into the great unknown.

Ipswich eyeing swoop for £40k-p/w "animal" to instantly replace Moore

Ipswich Town will look to replicate their fantastic Omari Hutchinson deal with this potential incoming.

ByKelan Sarson May 29, 2024

Glasgow Rangers will have a number of big decisions to make throughout the summer transfer window, with players coming in and out of Ibrox.

Head of recruitment Nils Koppen has already been hard at work on the former, with deals for Oscar Cortes, Jefte, and Clinton Nsiala already agreed.

FAR Rabat attacker Hamza Igamane is also reportedly closing in on a permanent move to the Scottish giants to bolster Philippe Clement's attacking options.

Meanwhile, John Lundstram, Borna Barisic, Jon McLaughlin, Ryan Jack, and Kemar Roofe have left the club to become free agents, after their contracts expired at the end of last month.

There may, however, be further exits from Glasgow as the Light Blues could look to cash in on some of their contracted players to generate funds for more new signings to improve the team before the window slams shut at the end of August.

One current first-team star who could be moved on to make way for a replacement in his position is experienced central defender Connor Goldson, amid links to an addition in that area of the park.

Rangers' interest in £4m colossus

It was recently reported by Austrian media, via The Scotsman, that the Gers are one of the sides interested in a swoop to sign Salernitana defender Flavius Daniliuc this summer.

The report claimed that both Old Firm sides – Rangers and Celtic – are eyeing up the 23-year-old colossus, who was signed from Nice for £4m in 2022, to bolster their defensive options ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

It stated that both of them are in the market to add new centre-backs to their ranks as they look to protect their respective goalkeepers more next term.

Daniliuc spent the 2022/23 season on loan with RB Salzburg in his home country but it has been reported that they have decided not to take up their option to sign him on a permanent basis, although they may look to agree another deal for him later in the window.

Meanwhile, Football Insider have reported that Steven Gerrard is pushing to snap up Goldson from Rangers to improve his Al-Ettifaq squad in Saudi Arabia.

The outlet stated that the Gers do not want to lose the veteran defender but could be forced to cash in on him if a 'big' offer arrives on their desk from the Pro League side.

Football Insider added that Nsiala's arrival would help to replace Goldson but that a more experienced option would be required, and that is where Daniluic could come in and allow Clement to brutally ditch the Englishman.

Why Rangers should cash in on Connor Goldson

The 31-year-old central defender enjoyed a solid season at the back for the Gers in the Scottish Premiership but this could be the ideal time to cash in on him.

At the age of 31, the English battler is heading into the final throes of his playing career and may not have much development, if any, left in him, which means that his value may not be any higher than it is now.

With two years left on his contract, the Light Blues would also be in an uncomfortable position next summer as he would only have one year left and they would risk losing him for nothing the following year if they did not sell him for a cut-price in 2025.

Therefore, this summer could be the optimal time to sell the former Brighton & Hove Albion man, particularly amid interest from Al-Ettifaq and Gerrard, as the Pro League side could offer them a chance to rake in some cash that they can then reinvest before the end of the window.

Starts

30

Tackles per game

1.5

Interceptions per game

0.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.5

Ground duel success rate

73%

Aerial duel success rate

67%

As you can see in the table above, Goldson was an important player for Rangers in the Premiership this season as he started 30 of their 38 league games.

The right-footed titan showcased his physical dominance by winning the majority of his contests on the deck and in the air against opposition players.

However, Clement can now brutally ditch the experienced star by signing Daniliuc to replace him, which would allow the Scottish giants to cash in on him amid the interest from Gerrard's team.

Why Rangers should sign Flavius Daniliuc

Firstly, the 23-year-old is eight years younger than Goldson and would arrive at Ibrox as a player with the potential to be a key defender for many, many, more years to come.

If he can adapt to Scottish football and establish himself as an important piece in Clement's system, Rangers could have a starting centre-back for a very long time unless they opt to sell him on at a later date.

His form in the Austrian Bundesliga during the second half of the season and the Serie A during the first half of the campaign suggest that the potential is there for him to be a strong addition to the squad.

Passes attempted

53.86

49.72

Progressive passes

3.43

4.48

Progressive carries

0.14

0.97

Successful take-ons

0.00

0.12

Shot-creating actions

1.14

1.21

As you can see in the table above, Daniliuc could come in and offer more in build-up play than Goldson, as he has averaged more progressive passes, shot-creating actions, and progressive carries per 90 over the last year, despite attempting fewer passes.

This suggests that Clement could improve how frequently his team can build attacks by progressing the ball out from the back by signing the Salernitana ace to bolster his backline.

The Austria international also won 52% of his duels in the Bundesliga and 57% of his aerial battles in the Serie A, which shows that he can win the majority of his battles on the pitch, albeit not as efficiently as the current Gers titan.

Back in 2021, U23 scout Antonio Mango hailed him as a "generational" talent and "Rolls Royce" for Nice, before his move to Salernitana, and the Light Blues could hope to unlock that potential at Ibrox.

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The 23-year-old's statistics suggest that the quality is there for him to hit the ground running as an excellent replacement for Goldson, particularly with his use of the ball, whilst the young defender could also grow and improve under Clement over the years to come.

Manchester City have yet to make a signing this summer as Pep Guardiola plots how he can get his team firing on all fronts in a bid to reclaim the Champions League trophy they won in 2023.

While winning a fourth successive Premier League crown – making history in the process – is a wonderful achievement, it is not enough to satiate the City faithful.

Could they be about to deliver another blow to Manchester United, but this time in the transfer market as opposed to on the pitch?

Manchester City eye up swoop for Barcelona star

According to reports in Spain (via Football365), Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong ‘wants to join’ Man City this summer.

It is no secret that Erik ten Hag is a keen admirer of the Dutchman, with reports from Spain (again via Football365) that the manager was lining up a swoop to bring both him and Matthijs de Ligt to Old Trafford during the transfer window in a bid to bolster his squad.

It looks as though City may now have the upper hand as they eye a swoop for the 5 foot 11 maestro, especially with Champions League football on offer at the Etihad, before the end of the window.

Player

Club joined from

Josko Gvardiol

RB Leipzig

Matheus Nunes

Wolves

Jeremy Doku

Stade Rennais

Mateo Kovacic

Chelsea

Via Transfermarkt

De Jong would be an excellent signing for the Premier League champions and could emerge as Guardiola’s own version of Arsenal star Declan Rice.

How Frenkie De Jong compares to Declan Rice

The current Arsenal sensation has gone from strength to strength since making the move from West Ham United to the Gunners last summer.

He finished last season with a 91% pass success rate while ranking first in their squad for tackles per game (2.2) and signing someone with similar sort of qualities could allow Guardiola to strengthen his midfield.

The Englishman is currently the tenth-most comparable player to the Barcelona gem via FBref and last season, they registered similar statistics with regard to shot-creating actions (3.3 vs 2.79), percentage of challenges won (42.1% vs 56.1%), successful take-on percentage (54.2% vs 45.7%) and aerial duel percentage (57.5% vs 47.6%), demonstrating how close they are across several attacking and defensive metrics for their respective clubs.

De Jong was hailed by his former manager at Barcelona, Xavi, in 2023, saying: “Frenkie de Jong is one of the best midfielders in the world right now.

“He’s at spectacular level, he’s playing at incredible level — he gives us a lot, I’m so happy with Frenkie.”

A year later, the 27-year-old currently ranks in the top 5% when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues for pass success rate (91.9%), progressive passes (8.70), and progressive carries (3.24) per 90, showing exactly what he could bring to a City team who love controlling and dictating games under Guardiola.

Much will depend on the fee Barcelona expects to receive for one of their prized assets, especially considering he still has two years remaining on his current contract at the Catalan giants.

Should he really want to move to Manchester, then the manager must go all out and bring him to England this summer to land his own Rice in the middle of the park to play alongside the likes of Rodri, Kevin de Bruyne, and Bernardo Silva across all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign.