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Russell Martin and his Glasgow Rangers players are already hard at work in pre-season as they prepare for their European qualifier later this month.

The new Gers head coach will be looking to progress through to the next round of Champions League qualifiers, and will want the best possible squad available to him at Ibrox.

Max Aarons and Lyall Cameron have already been added to the team during the summer transfer window so far, but the Light Blues will not stop there.

According to Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam, central midfielder Joe Rothwell turned down LaLiga teams to join Scottish Premiership giants on a permanent deal.

The former Bournemouth star has put pen to paper on a three-year contract at Ibrox and could make his debut against Panathinaikos later this month.

What Joe Rothwell could bring to Rangers

Rothwell will bring an experienced head in the middle of the park that Rangers do not currently have. Nicolas Raskin (24), Mohamed Diomande (23), Bailey Rice (18), and Connor Barron (22) currently make up Martin’s midfield ranks.

This means that the 30-year-old maestro, who has played 204 games in the English Championship, could be a mentor to the younger players in the squad, and give valuable advice to the likes of Barron and Rice, as he has been there and done at a good level in the game.

The midfield whiz, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Leeds United, will also offer quality in possession through his impressive passing range.

Rothwell is a metronomic midfielder who likes to constantly get on the ball to progress play for his team with progressive passes and passes into the final third, helping to create chances for his teammates.

24/25 Championship

Joe Rothwell per 90

Percentile rank vs midfielders

Passes completed

63.74

Top 6%

Long passes completed

6.44

Top 2%

xA

0.22

Top 4%

Key passes

2.44

Top 1%

Progressive passes

6.64

Top 8%

Passes into the final third

7.40

Top 2%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, the experienced star provided plenty of quality on the ball in the 2024/25 Championship campaign with Leeds, who won the title to secure promotion to the Premier League.

He played in a ball-dominant title-winning side and showcased his ability to consistently progress play and create chances in the middle of the park, which suggests that he could thrive in a ball-dominant Russell Martin team chasing the Premiership title.

Whilst Rothwell, who is also capable of scoring screamers, looks set to be a terrific addition to the squad, Rangers are eyeing another midfielder who could be an even better signing.

Rangers in the race to sign former Liverpool gem

According to Liverpool-focused outlet DaveOCKOP, Rangers are one of a number of teams in the race to sign RB Salzburg central midfielder Bobby Clark in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Liverpool could be due a sell-on clause fee as a result of the English starlet moving on from the Austrian side this summer, just a year on from his Anfield exit for a fee of £10m.

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It adds that Rangers, Leicester, West Brom, Sunderland, Koln, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hamburg, Birmingham, Leicester, and Southampton are all eyeing up a move for the midfield talent.

DaveOCKOP reveals that the former Newcastle United youth prospect is expected to look for a fresh opportunity to play elsewhere next season, and that there is a concrete chance that he will leave Salzburg.

However, it currently remains to be seen how much of the £10m that was paid for him last summer Rangers would need to pay to secure his services.

Why Rangers should sign Bobby Clark

The Scottish giants should push to win the race for the English midfielder this summer because he could be an even better signing for the club than Rothwell in the long run.

Clark is ten years younger than the signing from Bournemouth, at the age of 20, and this means that he has far more potential, both in terms of development and his viability as a long-term option for Martin in midfield.

If the Gers can land a deal for the Salzburg youngster, he could be a starting option in the middle of the park for the next decade if all goes well, whereas Rothwell is heading into the latter stages of his playing career.

Clark is not the finished article in the present, like Rothwell, though, after he only started seven of his 17 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga last season, but he did show a lot of promise in the OFB Cup, the domestic cup in Austria.

24/25 OFB Cup

Bobby Clark

Appearances (starts)

2 (2)

Touches

217

Pass accuracy

85%

Key passes

8

Dribbles completed

12

Dribble success rate

63%

Ball recoveries

22

Duels won

30

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the English midfielder thrived as a starter in the cup across two appearances in the competition, creating eight chances and winning a staggering 30 duels.

Whilst it is an incredibly small sample size, it does show the kind of quality that he could provide if Martin is able to help him take the next step in his development after failing to earn regular starts with Salzburg.

Clark, who was hailed as “exciting” by reporter Lee Ryder, also showed a lot of promise during his time at Liverpool, with one goal and two assists in 14 first-team appearances for the Premier League giants, which earned him a £10m move to Austria.

The 20-year-old gem produced 18 goals and 11 assists in 64 games for Liverpool’s U18 and U21 sides combined, further illustrating the kind of attacking quality he can provide at his best.

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Therefore, Clark could be an even better signing than Rothwell because he could be an incredibly exciting midfield talent if Martin can unlock his immense potential as a dynamic, attack-minded, midfielder, who still has many, many, years left ahead of him to develop and improve.

واصل منتخب إنجلترا نتائجه المميزة مع المدرب توماس توخيل في تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم نسخة 2026، بعدما حقق فوزًا مساء يوم الثلاثاء على نظيره منتخب صربيا.

وحل منتخب إنجلترا ضيفًا على صربيا، في الجولة السادسة من تصفيات القارة العجوز المؤهلة إلى المونديال، حيث فاز الأسود الثلاثة بخمسة أهداف دون رد.

سجل هاري كين هدف منتخب إنجلترا الأول، في الدقيقة 33 من عمر الشوط الأول، قبل دقيقتين من تسجيل الهدف الثاني عن طريق نوني مادويكي.

وتمكن إزري كونسا من تسجيل هدف منتخب إنجلترا الثالث، في الدقيقة 52، واضطرت صربيا إلى اللعب بـ10 لاعبين فقط منذ الدقيقة 72 بعد طرد اللاعب نيكولا ميلينكوفيتش.

وفي الدقيقة 75، نجح مارك جويهي في تسجيل الهدف الرابع لمنتخب إنجلترا، ليتواصل الأداء المميز من جانب لاعبي كتيبة توماس توخيل في التصفيات.

وتحصل منتخب إنجلترا على ضربة جزاء، في الدقيقة 90 من عمر مباراته ضد صربيا، ونفذها ماركوس راشفورد بنجاح حيث حولها إلى هدف خامس.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد منتخب إنجلترا إلى 15 نقطة في صدارة المجموعة الحادية عشر، بينما تجمد رصيد صربيا عند 7 نقاط في المركز الثالث.

🟣🎥 تقرير خاص | عاد المنتخب الإنجليزي بفوز عريض 5 – 0 على مضيفه الصربي ليؤكد بذلك المنتخب الإنجليزي صدارته للمجموعة الـ11 بالعلامة الكاملة

🎙️تقرير | @Aitelhajyousef يوسف آيت الحاج pic.twitter.com/Fikc8CB9jn — beIN SPORTS الإخبارية (@beINSPORTSNews) September 9, 2025

England suffer a 68-run loss in Guyana as India avenge 2022 defeat, also at the semi-final stage

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2024

Jos Buttler looks on from the dugout as England’s title defence goes up in smoke•ICC/Getty Images

Jos Buttler, England’s captain, admitted his team had been comprehensively outplayed in their 68-run defeat to India in the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final in Guyana, but insisted his decision to bowl first after winning the toss had not been a significant factor in the result.After handing over first use of a spin-friendly surface that was liable to get slower and lower as the day went by, Buttler conceded that India’s total of 171 for 7 – thanks to 57 from 39 balls from his counterpart Rohit Sharma, ably backed up by Suryakumar Yadav’s 47 from 36 – was “20-25 runs too many”.In reply, England were rattled out for 103 in exactly 100 deliveries, with Axar Patel striking the key blow with his first ball of the match, in the fourth over of the powerplay, as Buttler top-edged a reverse-sweep to the keeper to depart for 23 from 15.Related

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Thereafter, Axar struck with the first ball of each of his next two overs to remove Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali on his way to Player-of-the-Match-winning figures of 3 for 23, before Kuldeep Yadav’s left-arm wristspin ripped through an exposed middle-order to finish with 3 for 19.”They certainly outplayed us,” Buttler said at the post-match presentation. “I think maybe we let them get 20-25 runs too many. That was a challenging surface that they played well on. But they outplayed us and fully deserved the win.”Morning rain delayed the start of play by more than an hour, and returned to cause a further lengthy interlude midway through India’s innings, and England opted to stick to the same seam-heavy line-up that had carried them through the Super Eight, with Reece Topley and Chris Jordan both retained ahead of an extra spinner in Tom Hartley, as well as Ben Duckett’s prowess against the turning ball.In the final analysis, however, it was England’s chosen spinners, Liam Livingstone and Adil Rashid who proved the most potent weapons, as they conceded a combined total of 49 runs in their eight overs (6.13 rpo), compared to 12 overs for 120 (10 rpo) from the four quicks.Moeen Ali, however, was overlooked, possibly as a consequence of the damp conditions early in India’s innings. Not only did Buttler admit he had erred in ignoring Moeen, he also admitted that the eventual impact of Rashid and Livingstone had caused him to fear what India’s potent spin attack could achieve on the same surface.”Obviously, they’ve got some fantastic spinners,” Buttler said. “Our two guys bowled well, but in hindsight, I should have brought Moeen [on] in that innings, with the way that the spin was playing.”Obviously with the rain around in those conditions, I probably didn’t think it was going to change that much,” he added. “And I actually don’t think it really did. I thought they out-bowled us. They had an above-par score. So I don’t think necessarily the toss was the difference between the teams.”The result was every bit as comprehensive as England’s ten-wicket victory had been at the same stage of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Adelaide, after which Buttler’s men went on to become the first men’s team to hold both 50- and 20-over world titles at the same time.1:33

Dasgupta: Axar a standout performer from game one

Both those trophies have now been prised from England’s grasp, and while a semi-final exit is a significantly better defence than the team managed in the 50-over World Cup last year, England still exit the tournament after losing three of their four matches against major opponents.Their early loss to Australia left them needing favours to progress from the group stage, while their narrow defeat to South Africa in St Lucia condemned them to the tougher semi-final draw, where India were waiting to avenge that Adelaide result with what Rohit pointedly described as a “satisfying” performance.”Two years on, in different conditions, it’s very different,” Buttler said, when asked to reflect on his team’s changed fortunes. “Credit to India, they played a really good game of cricket and they deserve the win.”With everything that’s happened throughout the whole tournament, we’re really proud of everyone’s efforts to be here,” he added, recalling their fraught progression from Group 2, when only a late break in the clouds in Antigua had allowed them to take the field in a must-win match against Namibia.”You can only play who’s put in front of you. We’ve had lots of adversity throughout the competition. We’ve stuck together well as a group, and played some really good cricket in patches but came up short when we needed it most.”

Manchester United’s side is one that has massively struggled over recent seasons, struggling to match the levels that were produced during Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign.

The Red Devils have now gone 12 whole seasons without a Premier League triumph, with current boss Ruben Amorim the latest to try his luck at Old Trafford.

However, so far, the 40-year-old has been unable to transform the situation, achieving a 40% win rate in his 42 games in the role, leading to a 15th-place league finish this season.

Leeway should be handed his way, however, only having the January transfer window earlier this year to make the additions he wanted to help him in his quest at the club.

However, this summer is a huge period in his stint in charge at the Theatre of Dreams, needing to find the right players for his system if he is to be a success in the role.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions

Viktor Gyokeres is a player who has been firmly on their radar over the last couple of years, but United now appear to be in pole position for his signature after the latest update on his future.

Warren Zaire-Emery is another surprise name on the club’s shortlist, after the hierarchy made an enquiry to sign the PSG youngster, who’s currently valued at £85m.

However, a new name has entered the mix over the last couple of days, with Borussia Dortmund’s midfield star Felix Nmecha on their radar, according to one Spanish outlet.

They claim that the Red Devils are preparing an offer to land the 24-year-old this summer, with a £28m price tag mooted for his signature in the coming months.

It also states that the former Manchester City academy star could have his head turned by the Red Devils ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, but that the Bundesliga side have no intention of offloading him.

Why United’s £28m target would be perfect for Mbeumo

Bryan Mbeumo has been a name on the lips of all supporters over the last couple of weeks, understandably so given the keen interest in his signature.

The 25-year-old has been a player who’s thrived in the division over recent years, but he produced his best-ever campaign last time around, scoring 20 times in the Premier League for Brentford.

However, a deal hasn’t been easy up until now, with the Red Devils having two separate offers rejected, the latest being a fee in the region of £60m.

A deal should be completed smoothly if a fee is agreed, after the Cameroonian international has agreed personal terms with Amorim’s side over a move to Old Trafford.

He could be boosted in his chances of success should Nmecha move to the club, as the German possesses a lot of qualities that would aid the forward in attacking areas.

When delving into his stats from this campaign, he’s thrived in numerous key areas, making him the perfect box-to-box option within Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.

Nmecha, who’s been labelled “exceptional” by former boss Nuri Şahin, has registered an 88% pass accuracy along with 5.1 progressive passes per 90 – subsequently showing why he’d be perfect for Mbeumo and having the tools to provide him with the opportunities needed.

Felix Nmecha’s stats for Dortmund in the Bundesliga (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

26

Goals & assists

5

Pass accuracy

88%

Progressive passes

5.1

Passes into final third

5.4

Progressive carries

1.3

Take-ons completed

65%

Tackles won

1.3

Interceptions made

1.4

Aerials won

1.4

Stats via FBref

He’s also completed 65% of the take-ons he’s attempted, whilst also registering 1.3 progressive carries per 90, further demonstrating his desire to take the ball into forward areas.

The German has also starred without the ball, winning 1.3 tackles per 90 and 1.4 interceptions per 90, making him the perfect ball-winning option in the middle of the park.

£28m for a player of Nmecha’s calibre could prove to be one of the bargain additions of the summer, offering Amorim a new dimension to his midfield and taking the side to new heights.

If he can excel without the ball and provide Mbeumo with added chances in front of goal, it would be a sensational signing and one that could push them back up the table in 2025/26.

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West Indies’ net run rate is now miles ahead of South Africa’s and England’s in their Super Eight group

Danyal Rasool22-Jun-20242:02

Ganga: Chase is a utility player for West Indies

West Indies 130 for 1 (82*) beat United States of America 128 (Gous 29, Chase 3-19, Russell 3-31) by nine wicketsFor much of T20 World Cup 2024, USA haven’t looked out of place against any side, but West Indies were a class apart against them. A brilliant bowling performance from the spinners spearheaded by Roston Chase was followed up by a chase that was sledgehammer-like in its brutality. Shai Hope crunched an unbeaten 82 off 39 balls, smashing eight sixes along the way as Nicholas Pooran helped him finish the game off with 55 balls and nine wickets to spare.By the end, the contest looked like the first real mismatch USA have been on the wrong side of as they ran out of ideas bowling to Hope, who until now had only played one match all tournament. He would reach his half-century in just 26 balls – the fastest in T20 World Cup history for West Indies – before only speeding up after Jonathan Charles holed out. Pooran and Hope unleashed fire and fury towards the end as the game hurtled to an early finish, plundering the last 53 runs in just 14 deliveries.The game was set up, though, by a disciplined bowling performance led by the wily old hand of Chase. Not by any means West Indies’ most glamorous spinner, Chase didn’t even get to bat against England in the previous game. He showed his all-round value with a statement performance, though, ripping through the USA’s middle order and breaking the back of the innings.Akeal Hosein had played his customary role upfront, squeezing USA in the powerplay, while Andre Russell’s three wickets helped the hosts continue to shackle USA whenever they tried to get a partnership going. The extra bounce Alzarri Joseph generated to dismiss Andries Gous just as he was beginning to whir into full gear ended up being the sliding doors moment for USA, who, in truth, were never close to competitive from that moment on. West Indies, meanwhile, are back with a bang.Gous’ brief resistanceIt seems a long time ago, but for a short while in the second half of the powerplay in the first innings, it looked as if Gous – now the second-highest scorer of this tournament – had turned the tide on West Indies. Halfway through, it was West Indies’ powerplay, having conceded just 13 in the first three overs. But Gous, who nearly took USA home against South Africa with an unbeaten 80 off 47, stormed to a flier once more, punishing the length deliveries of Joseph to help plunder 35 off the final three of the powerplay.It helped USA put on 48 in the first six – their second-highest powerplay score at this World Cup. But with large parts of the middle order misfiring since their early couple of wins, USA needed Gous to press on as he did in the previous game. So when he holed out off Joseph after a bright 16-ball 29, trouble brewed for the co-hosts.Chase leads the West Indies rallyRoston Chase picked consecutive wickets in the 14th over•ICC/Getty Images

West Indies did not allow USA to post a big score and take the game deep; they were chasing net run rate as well as points in Barbados. Once Joseph had cleared Gous from the path, Chase and Gudakesh Motie had free rein to run rings round the rest. A bit of extra turn did for Nitish Kumar, but it was the Chase show from there.Aaron Jones had just walloped a 101m six, but it didn’t stop Chase bravely flighting the first ball of the spell up to him on the stumps. Jones missed and Chase cleaned him up, but it was the double-strike in his third over that truly crippled USA. Corey Anderson’s desperate run with the bat continued when he was trapped on the back pad plumb in front, before slowing the next one right up, duping Harmeet Singh into lobbing it up straight to point. Chase was wisely bowled out in one four-over spell, with figures of 3 for 19 not flattering him in the slightest.It’s Hope that kills USA offThere were calls for Hope to be included in West Indies’ starting line-up right from the start. Instead, it’s Brandon King’s injury that paved the way for him to come in, and leaving him out suddenly feels even more perplexing. He lit up his home ground with a sizzling display, ensuring West Indies got ahead of the rate early, and from thereon the contest turned into a run-rate salvage operation.No bowler was spared the brutality of his raw power, and when a heave over mid-off cleared the rope, he brought up a scintillating half-century. But Hope wasn’t fading away; if anything he kicked it up a notch, smashing the hapless Milind Kumar for three consecutive sixes in the ninth over, priming West Indies to the sort of run-rate boosting win they so badly needed.

Everton have reached a “verbal agreement” over the signing of a Premier League player this summer, according to a significant update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who are Everton being linked with signing?

The Blues continue to be linked with possible summer signings, with David Moyes well aware of bringing in immediate key men and also young players with bright futures.

Nineteen-year-old Reims ace Valentin Atangana has been backed to join Everton before the start of next season, potentially being seen as a long-term successor to Abdoulaye Doucoure at the heart of the midfield.

The Blues are also thought to be leading the race to sign Jack Grealish from Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola making it clear that the Englishman no longer has a future at the Etihad, having failed to justify the £100m paid for him back in 2021. He could love the idea of a new challenge on Merseyside, however, with Moyes allowing him to express himself.

In terms of outgoings, Jarrad Branthwaite’s Everton future continues to be a big talking point, as they try to keep hold of arguably their most prized asset. Chelsea are among those who have been mentioned as suitors for the Englishman, but many huge clubs are keen on him.

Everton reach "verbal agreement" with £50,000-a-week Tete

Writing on X, Romano claimed that Everton have now come to a “verbal agreement” with Fulham right-back Kenny Tete over a three-year move to the club this summer, with his £50,000-a-week Fulham deal coming to an end this month.

Tete may not be the most earth-shattering signing for the Blues, but he has proven to be a solid servant for Fulham, more than holding his own in the Premier League and being hailed by pundit Robbie Mustoe.

“I just love the way they defend as well. Kenny Tete I think is often another one who is underappreciated. He doesn’t half do a good job, he’s a good defender, steady on the ball, I think he’s a fan favourite and he was missed last year, I think it was last year that he was out for a while. I just made a quick note about him, he was one of those unsung guys at a club that is really important to the way they defend.”

Kyle Walker had been linked with a summer move to Everton from City, but Tete is 29 years of age, and therefore six years younger than him, meaning he could be the more shrewd choice.

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The fact that Tete has shown that he can perform in the Premier League makes him a safe bet for the Blues, rather than bringing in someone from a different league, and he can provide several years of good service at the club.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca wasn’t hanging about when he acted swiftly to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town in a deal worth £30m.

“It’s going to be an incredible place for me to develop, and I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies.”

Those were the words Delap said upon arriving at Stamford Bridge, and he will have plenty of chances to lift titles next term.

The Blues are back among Europe’s elite and this could give Delap a perfect chance to continue his development.

The 22-year-old is a rising star, no doubt about that. Will Maresca be keen on signing even more young starlets throughout the duration to complement Delap?

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Indeed, Brazilian talent Estevao is set to link up with the Blues this summer. As too is Sporting CP talent Dario Essugo.

It appears as though Maresca is keen on bringing the average age of the squad down, and it might go even lower should he succeed in signing the latest player to be linked with a move.

According to Caught Offside, the Blues have now entered the race to sign Southampton sensation Tyler Dibling but face competition from a wealth of sides, namely Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester United.

The €60m (£51m) asking price may deter Maresca, especially considering how much the club have spent already this window.

Still only a teenager, Dibling has an extraordinarily high ceiling and may even be a bigger talent than Delap.

Why Chelsea must sign Tyler Dibling

Delap scored 12 Premier League goals for Ipswich last season in what was his maiden season in the top flight.

Considering the club was relegated, scoring only 36 goals all season, that’s not a bad tally. Such was Delap’s impact, his goal involvement accounted for 39% of the club’s total throughout the season.

Dibling’s Premier League stats for Southampton (2024/25)

Goals

2

Assists

0

Big chances created

3

Key passes per game

0.6

Successful dribbles per game

1.4

Shots per game

0.8

Via Sofascore

A move to Stamford Bridge will give him the chance in the Champions League, but a move for Dibling could see Chelsea sign an even bigger talent.

While Delap struggled to earn game time at City in his teenage years, Dibling is already a bona fide star despite his young age. He made his debut for the Saints aged just 17 in August 2023, having returned to the Saints after a brief spell with Chelsea U18s.

His breakthrough came last term. The teenager made 38 appearances in all competitions for the south coast side, scoring four goals and grabbing three assists.

Given how poor the club were in the top flight, Dibling was arguably the brightest spark, but it is unlikely he will want to play Championship football.

Hailed as a “special talent” by journalist Josh Bunting, Dibling put himself in the shop window with his displays last season.

Despite his tender years, the youngster is currently ranked in the top 19% when compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons (2.16) per 90 over the previous 365 days, rubberstamping his exceptional potential.

Given the talent among those divisions, this stat proves that Dibling loves getting the better of his opposite man.

The question is, will Maresca take a gamble on him this summer? If so, then a bigger talent than Delap is set to be unleashed.

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Posts 2 ByRoss Kilvington Jun 16, 2025

It’s the start of a new era for Rangers.

On Thursday, Russell Martin was unveiled as the Ibrox club’s 20th permanent manager, appointed 102 days after Philippe Clement was sacked in February.

At his introductory press conference, Martin vowed to “prove people wrong”, acknowledging he is under pressure to deliver a winning team instantaneously, so could the signing of a “world-class” new centre-forward aid Rangers’ cause?

Rangers looking to bolster their attacking option

As previously reported by Tom Victor of the Daily Mirror, Rangers are hoping to sign Jamie Vardy on a free transfer this summer, claiming that the England international is ‘weighing up’ an offer from the Glasgow giants.

Vardy has spent the last 13 seasons with Leicester City, with whom he won the Premier League, the FA Cup and a Community Shield, scoring exactly 200 goals in 500 appearances for the Foxes, very aesthetically pleasing round numbers.

Now a free agent, countless clubs, including Sheffield Wednesday, Como, Wrexham and New York Red Bulls have all been touted as potential suitors, but could Martin convince his compatriot to make the move north of the border?

Should he do, it could be a Morelos-like move for Rangers.

How Vardy could replicate Morelos at Rangers

During six seasons at Rangers, Alfredo Morelos scored 124 goals in light blue, with the Colombian, almost unquestionably, the club’s best striker since suffering liquidation in 2012.

Of these goals, 29 came in UEFA competition, meaning Morelos is Rangers’ all-time record scorer in Europe, smashing the record previously held by Ally McCoist, one that had stood since 1997.

But is Morelos really Rangers’ best centre-forward of the modern era? Let’s find out.

Selected Rangers strikers 2016-present

Players

Tenure

Games

Goals

Mins per goal

Igamane

2024-present

46

16

166

Dessers

2023-preesent

109

51

134

Danilo

2023-present

48

12

165

Morelos

2017-23

269

124

152

Roofe

2020-24

102

38

127

Čolak

2022-23

39

18

123

Sakala

2021-23

92

24

199

Defoe

2018-22

74

32

100

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table outlines, no Rangers striker in the post-promotion era has come anywhere close to the 124 goals Morelos managed, even if Jermain Defoe, Kemar Roofe, Antonio Čolak and current forward Cyriel Dessers do actually boast better minutes per goal ratios, helped by their smaller sample sizes.

So, could Vardy be the club’s best centre-forward since el Buffalo? Well, let’s assess his statistics this season to answer that question.

Jamie Vardy 2024/25 Premier League statistics

Statistics

Vardy

PL rank

Goals

9

26th

Expected goals

11.2

14th

Shots

56

40th

Shots on target

23

33rd

Shots on target %

41.1%

48th

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

As the table shows, Vardy’s Premier League statistics this season do not immediately leap off the page, but it is worth considering that he was playing in a generally hopeless Leicester side, who won just six matches all season and were relegated.

Thus, the fact that Vardy still ranked 14th for expected goals and only 25 players managed to score more goals than him is impressive.

Writer Henry Winter believes Vardy is still a “world-class finisher”, while Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who knows a thing or two about scoring goals, believes “he is still producing”, describing his captain as a “leader”.

Also worth noting that, the previous campaign in the EFL Championship, Vardy netted 20 times across all competitions.

This underlines the fact he would be able to produce for Rangers given that, according to Global Football Rankings, England’s second-tier is the 11th strongest league in the world, while the Scottish Premiership is ranked at 43rd.

Thus, if the Gers can convince Vardy to move to Ibrox, possibly using the allure of potential Champions League football, he would surely be an excellent addition.

After all, this is a goal machine we’re talking about here, someone who bagged 145 Premier League goals.

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Chelsea are making moves for their desired summer transfer targets, with BlueCo reaching out to yet another player who’s keen to leave Bayern Munich.

Chelsea hold talks with Dean Huijsen and Jorrel Hato's agents this week

As per reliable Stamford Bridge journalist Simon Phillips, both Ajax starlet Jorrel Hato and Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen have been subject to approaches from Chelsea in the last few days.

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As per the reporter’s sources, writing via his Substack, Chelsea held talks with Hato and Huijsen’s representatives, just before their Europa Conference League loss to Legia Warsaw in west London, with Enzo Maresca on the hunt for new defenders this summer.

Trevoh Chalobah is likely to leave Chelsea again this summer, despite being recalled from his loan at Crystal Palace in January, while Wesley Fofana has been sidelined through yet another long-term injury.

Chelsea’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Fulham (away)

April 20th

Everton (home)

April 26th

Liverpool (home)

May 4th

Newcastle (away)

May 10th

Man United (home)

May 18th

Ajax mainstay Hato is able to provide cover at both centre-half and left-back, so the Netherlands international is an astute option, while Huijsen’s £50 million release clause has piqued interest from Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle and Chelsea after his excellent campaign at Bournemouth (David Ornstein).

The competition for both men’s signatures will be fierce, though, so Maresca’s side will have earmarked a number of defensive targets ahead of the 2025/2026 season.

Chelsea must get this summer’s transfer window right, and Maresca also has a chance to bring players in early ahead of their Club World Cup campaign, following confirmation from the Premier League that there will be an additional transfer window open from June 1st to June 10th.

Up to £100 million in prize money will be on the line during this year’s CWC, so Chelsea will be keen to reinforce areas of the squad in time to compete.

Chelsea contact Kim min-Jae with defender keen to leave Bayern Munich

According to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, it is now believed £198,000-per-week Bayern defender Kim min-Jae is a target for Maresca’s side.

The South Korean, with nearly 70 international caps, is apparently “very open” to departing the Allianz Arena this summer, despite being trusted by Vincent Kompany as a consistent starter.

Chelsea have reached out to min-Jae’s camp for discussions, as per Aouna, but Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have done the same, as both sides look to reinforce their backlines.

The 28-year-old has been linked with a move to England for years, with Tottenham registering an interest in min-Jae during Antonio Conte’s tenure in charge.

Back in 2020, during José Mourinho’s time at Spurs, it was also reported that Son Heung-min was pushing the club to sign min-Jae – so he’s clearly highly-rated by his peers behind-the-scenes.

Chelsea’s grip on a Champions League spot looks more and more uncertain by the day, especially after Enzo Maresca’s Blues stumbled to an unconvincing 0-0 draw versus Brentford on Sunday.

Indeed, the race for that final coveted spot in the Premier League’s top four is heating up, with the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Manchester City all fancying their chances over the up-and-down West Londoners.

Unfortunately for Maresca, one dud at his disposal is slowly becoming his team’s next version of Timo Werner, with the German a colossal failure in-front of goal for most of his cursed stay at Stamford Bridge.

Werner's frustrating Chelsea stint

Werner would join the Chelsea ranks back in 2020 with a growing reputation for being one of Europe’s most clinical strikers, costing the Blues a pretty £45m subsequently.

Indeed, the Stuttgart-born star had managed to fired home a staggering 113 goals from 213 games donning a RB Leipzig strip – across his two spells – but his time in the English capital with Chelsea would be anything but lethal.

In total, the former Chelsea number 11 would slot home a weak 23 strikes from 89 games playing for the Premier League giants, leading to Werner retreating back to Leipzig in the summer of 2022 to try and recapture his deadly edge.

Now on the books of Tottenham Hotspur – where he continues to struggle with zero league strikes picked up in 2024/25 – Chelsea will definitely jot down the deal for Werner as a blunder in the transfer market, coupled with the fact the German would relocate back to the Bundesliga for just £25.3m.

History could now be unfortunately repeating itself with this dud in Maresca’s camp, with the wasteful flop also costing Chelsea a hefty amount, only for the expensive attacker to be staring the exit door in the face after one too many passive performances in West London.

Maresca's very own Werner

The Champions League chasers aren’t exactly blessed with plentiful numbers in the centre-forward department, considering both David Datro Fofana and Marc Guiu are sidelined currently, alongside Nicolas Jackson being drip-fed more and more minutes recently after battling back from injury issues of his own.

Therefore, Maresca has had his hands tied behind his back somewhat when it comes to team selections, resulting in a goal-shy Christopher Nkunku having to regularly lead the line.

The Frenchman was particularly below-par away at Brentford on Sunday, with the former Leipzig attacker – which is where the similarities with Werner begin – only registering one shot on goal all game, before Maresca dragged him off at the half-time interval.

With just three goals all season long in the top-flight, Nkunku will now have the same unwanted tag above his head as the German in being an extortionate waste of money, with the 27-year-old only amassing a weak 17 goals on English shores overall, after costing an eye-watering £52m to obtain back in 2023.

Nkunku’s career G/A record

Club played for

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

RB Leipzig

172

70

52

Paris St. Germain

78

11

4

Chelsea

53

17

5

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Moreover, his explosive spell with Leipzig – which saw him collect a stunning 122 goal contributions from 172 games – makes his poor showings at Stamford Bridge even harder to stomach, with Nkunku managing just 18 touches on average this season in the Premier League as a presence now too afraid to leave a lasting mark on a contest.

Even labelled as one of Maresca’s “passengers” versus the Bees according to one football journalist, the beginning of the end for Nkunku at Chelsea already looks to be underway, with the Blues perhaps having to offload the inconsistent Frenchman for way below his past £52m price tag – much like they had to with Werner.

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