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Cristiano Ronaldo versus Lionel Messi in the 2026 World Cup final would likely become a “retirement match” for two all-time greats, admits Pedro Mendes. A couple of GOATs are preparing for another shot at global glory, with Messi having already added that prize to his collection with Argentina. The end is approaching for both, and it could be that they enjoy the “perfect finish” next summer.

• GOATs at 2026 World Cup: Will Ronaldo face Messi?

  Messi is yet to confirm that he will be gracing next summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, but the expectation is that the Inter Miami superstar will captain his country in their title defence.

  Ronaldo has suggested that the 2026 finals will be his last, but the evergreen 40-year-old is being tipped to play on for some time yet. Fans in every corner of the planet would love to see CR7 lock horns with eternal rival Messi on the grandest of stages.

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  Last dance: Could Ronaldo meet Messi in World Cup final?

  Ex-Portugal international Mendes – speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest football betting – has said of that potentially happening: “It's always a big occasion. Every time there's a Ronaldo vs Messi match, it's always a big occasion. We were fortunate enough to see those amazing players, but I think they were unlucky to be in the same generation. If they played at different times, they would both be considered the best of all time in their respective generations without question. But again, there's always that debate, who was the best? Messi or Ronaldo?

  “So every time there's a game between them, it's a big occasion. And it'll be great every time you see it. I hope Messi plays, because Messi on the pitch is always a joy to watch as a football fan, not just as a Portuguese fan, but as a football fan. I hope he goes. Portugal and Argentina in the final would be good. It could be the retirement match for one of them.”

• Evergreen Ronaldo: How long with CR7 play for?

  Mendes is among those that believe Ronaldo can play for as long as he wants, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner still a talismanic presence for club and country. Mendes added: “As long as Cristiano is fit and ready to play, he should play. It just brings something, even if he's not involved a lot of the time, he's always a worry for the other team. He has that killer instinct, that killer touch inside the box. When the ball bounces to him, he can score at any time, at any minute. So I think if he's fit, he should start. Every single day.

  “I think in Portugal, maybe 90% of the Portuguese people want Cristiano Ronaldo to start. But there's always that 10%, you know, there's always that 10%. But I think, again, as I said, if he drops him for some reason, it must be a physical reason. If he's fit, I think he should play. And I think Roberto Martinez will play him all the time.”

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  Ronaldo targets: Individual targets being chased down

  Ronaldo, who is now plying his club trade in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr, appears to still have individual targets to chase down. Mendes sees those keeping a personal fire burning, but a World Cup triumph could convince the evergreen frontman to bow out.

  Mendes said: “I don't know what's happening in his head and if he wants to play on. But if in his head the word retirement is there, I think winning the World Cup will be the perfect finish for him.

  “The 1,000 goals? That's the thing. He may go on for one or two more years. In Saudi, he may score them. But again, if we don't win it, maybe he'll stay a couple more years to chase that record, that 1,000 goal. But if we win it, I think it'll be a massive doubt in his head if it's enough or if he'll go for the 1,000 goal. So let's see.”

  It has been suggested that Ronaldo, who is now tied to terms in the Middle East through to 2027, will prolong his record-shattering career long enough that he gets to line up alongside eldest son Cristiano Jr – who is part of Al-Nassr’s academy system and has already made his international bow with Portugal at youth level.

Senne Lammens has been hailed as a "massive upgrade" on Andre Onana after a "dominant" start to his Manchester United career. The Belgian was brought in from Royal Antwerp over the summer and has since made the No.1 shirt his own, with the error-prone Onana shipped off on loan to Trabzonspor after losing the faith of head coach Ruben Amorim.

Lammens helps transform United’s fortunes

Lammens, a relatively obscure arrival from Royal Antwerp for £18 million ($24m) on transfer deadline day, has shifted the mood around Old Trafford. Initially signed with modest expectations, he has quickly cemented himself as the most assured goalkeeper the club has fielded in years. His emergence comes after Onana endured a calamitous run of high-profile errors before being sent on loan to Trabzonspor. Altay Bayındır briefly stepped in, but the Turkey international also struggled under the intensity of Premier League scrutiny. With United drifting and in need of a spark, Lammens was thrown into the spotlight and has responded with composure far beyond his experience, helping Amorim's side re-emerge as contenders for Champions League qualification.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALPaul Parker lavishes praise on Lammens

Former United defender Paul Parker delivered an uncompromising assessment of the club’s goalkeeping transformation, insisting Lammens represents a massive improvement. 

In an interview with Parker said: "Lammens have definitely made a big difference for Manchester United. He is a massive upgrade from Onana. He looks confident and Man United wouldn’t be where they are if they hadn’t brought him in. He is communicating a lot better than Onana, and the most important thing is that he actually looks like a goalkeeper. He can actually use his hands and make saves, which should be the most important thing for a goalkeeper, but Onana couldn’t do that."

Parker, once a key part of United’s early Premier League dominance, added that Lammens’ youth only heightens the excitement.

"He is still very young, so he has a lot of room to grow as well, but I have been really surprised with the way he has come in and dominated in goal," he said. "For me, he has been one of the best signings of the season, and combining that with his potential, I think Man United made the right decision by signing him and letting Onana go."

Sir Alex Ferguson adds his approval

Lammens’ impact has not gone unnoticed by the greatest manager in United’s history. Sir Alex Ferguson, speaking to , highlighted the 23-year-old's maturity between the sticks. 

He said: "There are signs, the manager has had some good signs. Particularly the goalkeeper has been outstanding, he’s only played three or four games and he’s looking really good. Of course, Mbeumo and Cunha, the new players from Wolves and Brentford, they’ve added to it. I hope the manager gets a bit of success because at United you need to have success – the signs are getting better."

United supporters have embraced their new number one with gusto. During the 2-0 victory over Sunderland, which delivered the club’s first clean sheet of the season, the Stretford End chanted:

Lammens, smiling but modest, dismissed the comparison.

He told United's website: "It was really nice to hear it already in the first game [against Sunderland]. I think it is a sign that the fans are happy with me. It feels really good that I can give them that trust."

While fans are already dreaming, head coach Ruben Amorim has cautioned against premature hype.

He said in October: "The first impression in this club is really important; to maintain the level is even more important and is really difficult.

"He’s not [Peter] Schmeichel yet. He’s a young guy with talent. He showed a lot of composure, and the fans liked it. But again, that is in the past; we need to prove in the next game."

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Getty Images SportBournemouth test awaits next

United climbed to sixth in the Premier League table after their 4-1 victory over Wolves. Amorim will look to build on the positive result and get another win when they host Bournemouth next on December 15. 

The team will also receive USD 4.48 million (approx. INR 40 crore) as prize money from the ICC

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2025

The Indian team lifts a long-awaited World Cup trophy•ICC/Getty Images

Following India’s win at the Women’s World Cup 2025, the BCCI has announced a cash prize of INR 51 crore for the players, support staff and the selection committee. The team will also receive USD 4.48 million (approx. INR 40 crore) as prize money from the ICC.”On behalf of the board, I congratulate the Indian women’s cricket team on this historic world championship victory,” BCCI president Mithun Manhas said in a statement. “The team’s resilience, talent and togetherness have lifted our nation’s hopes. This triumph vindicates the investment and faith the BCCI placed in building a world-class women’s programme.”India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in front of a crowd of 39,555 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. Asked to bat, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led unit posted 298 for 7 with Shafali Verma scoring 87 off 78. Led by Player-of-the-Tournament Deepti Sharma’s five-wicket haul, India then bowled South Africa out for 246 despite captain Laura Wolvaardt scoring a century.Related

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“This phenomenal achievement is the result of relentless preparation, flawless execution and the unshakable belief of our women cricketers,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said. “The coaching staff, support personnel and every state association have played a role. Congratulations to each and every member of the team. This team has made the entire cricket fraternity proud.”India had won the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023 but this was their first senior world trophy. They had come close twice, finishing runners-up in 2005 and 2017. India beat Australia in the semi-final at the same venue to set up a title-clash with South Africa, who had overcome England in the other semi-final in Guwahati.From the squad that won the World Cup, Shafali Verma has been named North Zone captain for the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal T20 Trophy starting November 4 in Nagaland. She will miss the opening match as the victorious Indian team is due to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on November 5.

Lancashire bookended their season with trophies as Gaby Lewis’ century secured the inaugural Metro Bank One-Day Cup women’s competition over Hampshire.Ireland international Lewis led a brilliant chase of 289 with 141 off 143, helped by an exceptional 72 from Seren Smale – with whom she put on 144.Lancashire started the season by winning the Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup, and added a second piece of silverware of 2025 when Ailsa Lister sprinted through a single with nine balls to spare.For Hampshire, whose total was underpinned by Maia Bouchier and Georgia Adams’ fifties, it was a double One-Day Cup heartbreak – after they lost to Worcestershire Rapids in the men’s competition final on Saturday.Chasing 289, Alice Clarke was run out by a Freya Kemp direct hit in the fifth over, but it was a blip before Lewis and Smale seized the initiative and put their side on the winning march.Despite never pulling away from the required rate, the pair oozed control as they both serenely scored half-centuries as they added 144 together to break the back of the chase.Both survived strong run-out shouts in their 60s before Smale was brilliantly caught at short midwicket by Kemp, and then Fi Morris was undone by a Naomi Dattani direct hit from the boundary.Threlkeld copied Smale’s low-thrills approach to guide Lewis to three figures – brought up after 121 balls and celebrated with a modest fist pump the moment the ball left her bat for a single.Lewis never looked in trouble, blocking where appropriate but also finding the ropes in all areas of Utilita Bowl – striking 16 fours in total.Lancashire skipper Threlkeld got her side even closer to the winning line before flailing to midwicket – handing former England bowler Freya Davies the final wicket of her career before retiring.But Lewis and Lister ticked the final 46 runs off with relative ease to spark the celebrations.Earlier, having been stuck in, Bouchier and Rhianna Southby got Hampshire off to a flier as they found the boundary at will in a 70-run opening partnership.Southby was caught at mid-on, but Adams continued to keep the momentum with Bouchier – the pair putting on 48.Bouchier came into the season with low confidence after a nightmare Women’s Ashes campaign, but has been crucial for Hampshire at the top of the order.She passed 1,000 runs across the Vitality Blast and One-Day Cup on her way to a run-a-ball fifty – her eighth of the season – in an innings of high-quality.Bouchier chipped to mid-on, but again it didn’t impact Hampshire’s impetus, as Freya Kemp bashed a quick-fire 41, with Adams supporting in a 75-run alliance.Even when Kemp squirted to cover, Abi Norgrove found runs flowing with Adams – who followed her semi-final century with a classy 77.With 300 on the cards, Lancashire pulled Hampshire back with regular wickets at the death. Grace Potts had already dismissed Southby, and added Norgrove and Nancy Harman to take three for 47.

وجّه الإعلامي خالد الغندور رسالة مؤثرة طالب فيها إدارة نادي الزمالك ورجال الأعمال خاصة بالراحل محمد صبري، نجم الفريق الأسبق.

وأكد الغندور أن محمد صبري كان مثالًا للاعب المحترم والمخلص، مشيرًا إلى أن راتبه في قناة النادي كان محدودًا مقارنة بقيمته ومكانته.

وكتب الغندور عبر صفحته الشخصية بموقع “فيس بوك”: “رسالة إلى نادي الزمالك ورجال الأعمال.. صبري كان إنسانًا محترمًا، وكان مصدر الرزق الوحيد لأبنائه، وراتبه كان ضعيفًا جدًا مقارنة بقيمته كمقدّم برامج وكاسم كبير مثل صبري”.

طالع أيضًا | حازم إمام: وفاة محمد صبري “درس”.. وأشكر إدارة الأهلي

وتابع: “ويجب، قبل أن تهدأ الأمور، أن يتم التواصل مع أولاده أو مع أشخاص مسؤولين عن تعليمهم، مع توفير راتب شهري وتبرع كبير يساعد أسرته على تحمل نفقات المعيشة”.

واختتم: “ولأن صبري لديه خمسة أبناء، فمن الضروري أن تكون هناك وقفة من كل اللاعبين القدامى مع أسرته وأولاده، فهذا واجب.. لأنه نجم تاريخي لنادي الزمالك وجماهيره. ويجب أن نرى أفعالًا لا مجرد كلام. وأتمنى أن تكون رسالتي قد وصلت”.

وفي سياق متصل، أعلن مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك إقامة عزاء الراحل يوم الأحد المقبل بمقر النادي، كما اعتمد المجلس صرف معاش شهري لأسرة محمد صبري تقديرًا لمسيرته الحافلة وعطائه الكبير للنادي، سواء كلاعب أو مدرب أو من خلال عمله في قناة الزمالك، وسيتم التنسيق مع إدارة القناة لضمان صرف راتبه حتى نهاية مدة تعاقده.

Boston Red Sox legend Luis Tiant, one of the greatest Latin American-born pitchers in MLB history, has died, the league announced Tuesday. He was 83.

Tiant, the son of Negro Leagues pitcher Luis Tiant Sr., was born in Cuba, where he began his professional career. He was signed by Cleveland in 1961 and made his big league debut in ’64. He made the All-Star team in ’68 but was traded to the Minnesota Twins after a down year in ’69 and after being released by two different teams early in the ’71 season, his career appeared to be on the downswing.

The Red Sox gave Tiant a chance, though, and while he struggled in his first season in Boston, he was among the best pitchers in the league in 1972, posting an MLB-best 1.91 ERA.

Tiant went on to become a beloved figure in Boston, in part because he was an effective pitcher on some successful teams and also due to his unique style on the mound—marked by his distinctive windup in which he turned his body toward second base before firing the pitch.

Tiant’s most memorable season came in 1975 when he helped lead the Red Sox to the American League pennant. He was excellent in that postseason, pitching complete games in three of his four starts as Boston fell to the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series in seven games.

Tiant ended his career with stints with the New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels. His 229 career victories ranks fourth among Latin American-born pitchers behind Bartolo Colón, Dennis Martínez and Juan Marichal.

Arne Slot has changed his assessment of Liverpool's squad after he bizarrely claimed that it lacked depth despite the Reds spending more than any English club in the Premier League in the last transfer window. The Merseysiders underwent a major overhaul after winning the Premier League last season but they find themselves in a serious rut in the 2025-26 campaign.

Liverpool's sloppy run of form continues

After winning seven games in a row across all competitions, the Reds have now lost six out of their last seven outings, including four league defeats in a row. A 5-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt is Liverpool's sole victory in that dire run of form. And things don't get much easier for Slot and Liverpool, who take on Aston Villa on Saturday night. 

The defending champions then welcome Real Madrid in the Champions League next week, with a Trent Alexander-Arnold reunion on the cards. The Reds travel to rivals Manchester City in their final game before the November international break as Liverpool look to rescue their sub-par season. A four-game losing run in the Premier League means Slot's side are now seven points behind leaders Arsenal and sit behind rivals Manchester United after the opening nine games.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSlot changes squad assessment

After heavily rotating his squad during the Carabao Cup clash loss to Palace in midweek, the Dutch coach had claimed that he was forced to use youngsters to keep his first-choice senior players free from injury as he told : "Everybody can have [their] opinion about it but with the squad we have – maybe 15, 16 first-team players available – this is the choice I've made. It's not of Liverpool's standards to lose five out of six, or six out of seven. Last time we played Southampton here in the League Cup, Giovanni Leoni got injured, and we don't have such a big squad as people might tell, because there was so much focus on the amount of money we spent [in the summer]. 

"People all of a sudden think we have 25 players available, but we mainly have 20 players then we have four injuries. I only have one right full-back, Conor Bradley, as an example, and every time I had to play him twice in three days or three times in seven days [last season], it led to him… that I had to take him off with a hamstring injury or something else. Are you willing to take that risk with such a big week coming up? Last time I played a player that wasn't fully prepared – we thought he was prepared but it was the first time – Alexander Isak, he got injured."

However, in his latest statement, Slot mentioned: "We miss nothing. I am completely happy with the team and with all the quality that we have."

Will Liverpool sack Slot?

Despite the horrible run of form, it is unlikely that the Reds would part ways with their head coach as their hierarchy have "full trust" in Slot and they believe that he will turn things around quickly, according to . BBC Sport’s chief football writer Phil McNulty has also claimed that there is "no chance" that Slot would lose his job at Anfield any time soon.

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AFPSlot responds to sack talk

Slot has also opened up on the sack talks as he claimed that he is not worried about getting sacked and that he feels supported at the Merseyside club. "[I feel supported] not only in this period but also when things go well," he said. "I'm a firm believer all the squads I had were 20-21 players that can play because if you have too many it's already a struggle to make a squad. But then you have to keep them fit."

The Reds will next face Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday night.

Former England seamer named in 14-man squad for visit of Derbyshire to Old Trafford

ESPNcricinfo staff15-May-2025

James Anderson is ready to make his professional comeback, ten months on from his final Test appearance against West Indies at Lord’s last year, after recovering from the calf injury that prevented his involvement in Lancashire’s first five Rothesay County Championship matches of the season.Anderson, who turns 43 in July, has been named in the club’s 14-man squad for their four-day clash with Derbyshire, and barring late setbacks, is expected to take his place in their final XI at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday morning.His inclusion is a timely boost for a club that sits rock-bottom of Division Two after a dreadful start to their campaign, which this week resulted in the resignation of Keaton Jennings as captain. Dale Benkenstein, the head coach, is hopeful that Anderson’s unrivalled experience will help to steer the side back to better fortunes.”We obviously get a bit of a boost with Jimmy Anderson being available,” Benkenstein told Lancs TV. “He’s worked so hard, and he’s an amazing professional at his age. And what he’s achieved, the work that he’s put in to get back and ready for this game, is amazing. So it’ll be fantastic to have him back in the team.”Anderson’s last appearance for Lancashire came in July, on the eve of his 188th and final Test, when he claimed first-innings figures of 7 for 35 against Nottinghamshire at Southport.Related

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“We know what he’s going to bring, but it is his first game back for a while,” Benkenstein said. “But that experience, you can’t have a more Lancashire through-and-through player. So to have that on the field is invaluable, as we have missed it over the beginning of the season. It’s great to have him back.”Since retiring with a national-record 704 Test wickets to his name, Anderson has been working as a bowling consultant with the England squad, but has stepped back from that role this summer, with New Zealand’s Tim Southee set to link up with the Test squad next week in a similar role.Anderson’s desire to keep playing was epitomised by his unsuccessful bids for selection at both the IPL auction and the Hundred draft. However, he has signed an multi-format deal for Lancashire, and if his body holds up, he is likely to play his first T20 match in more than a decade when the T20 Blast commences later this month.The Derbyshire match also promises to be Anderson’s first on-field appearance since he was knighted in Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours last month.His return will help to change the narrative for Lancashire, whose club hierarchy were moved to issue a public apology following their three-day defeat to Northamptonshire last week that left them rooted to the foot of the table.Since then, a new captain has been appointed – former Ashes rival Marcus Harris, whom Anderson dismissed twice in three Test appearances on the 2021-22 tour of Australia.Harris, however, has been a rare source of comfort for Lancashire this summer, scoring 749 runs at 83.22 including three hundreds.”Marcus is a very established cricketer and a very experienced person, and I feel like he understands where we are right now,” Benkenstein said. “I’m hoping that fresh pair of eyes gives us that spark we need.”As we all know, most Australians have that inner confidence. The way he is playing as well just helps.”A huge thank you to Keats,” Benkenstein added. “He’s one of the most amazing men you’ll ever meet. Having been a captain myself, you understand the pressures and the weight it has on you, especially in county cricket with the weight of cricket.”

There is no getting away from the fact that Chelsea have not had the start to the season they would’ve been hoping for.

Enzo Maresca’s side lost their opening game of their Champions League campaign, and with their defeat against Manchester United on Saturday, they have amassed just eight points in the Premier League.

Fortunately, the Blues’ League Cup clash away to Lincoln City tonight provides them with a chance to bounce back with a convincing and entertaining win.

With that said, the manager should also use it as an opportunity to play some of the younger players in the squad, like Estevao and another Cobham product.

The Chelsea youngsters who should start with Estevao

Starting from the back, tonight’s game surely gives Maresca the perfect opportunity to hand Jorrel Hato another competitive start in Blue.

Appearances

111

Starts

102

Minutes

9121′

Goals

4

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.11

Minutes per Goal Involvement

701.61′

Points per Game

1.86

The Dutchman may still only be a teenager, but he’s already got an enormous amount of experience, making 111 appearances for Ajax before leaving this summer.

Moving into the middle of the park, the manager should bring Andrey Santos into the team from the start.

The young Brazilian was brought on in the 21st minute for the West Londoners on Saturday, and all things considered, did rather well, completing 100% of his dribbles, completing 51 passes and earning a 7/10 match rating from the Standard’s Simon Collings.

Then, when it comes to the wide players, one of them has to be Estevao, who was taken off early at Old Trafford due to Robert Sanchez’s ridiculous red card.

The dynamic attacker might not have scored his first competitive goal for the club yet, but he provided a brilliant assist in the game against West Ham United and has generally looked a threat whenever he’s been on the pitch.

However, he’s not the only youngster who should be given the chance in attack tonight.

The Cobham ace who should start vs Lincoln

While every game is important for Chelsea, especially in cup competitions, the level of tonight’s opposition provides the club with an opportunity to give some academy talent a proper runout.

In The Pipeline

Therefore, Maresca should bring Shumaira Mheuka back into the squad, and not only that, but hand him what would be just his second start.

Yes, the young Englishman did get a few runouts in the first team last season, including a start against FC Copenhagen, but given his age, it would have been unfair to expect too much of him.

So with that said, why should he come back into the team tonight?

Well, simply put, because he is on fire this season.

For example, in just six appearances, totalling 523 minutes, the Birmingham-born goal machine has put the ball in the back of the net seven times for the youth sides.

In other words, the 17-year-old gem is averaging 1.16 goals every game this season, or one every 74.71, which makes it easy to see where talent scout Jacek Kulig is coming from when he describes him as “the next big thing from Cobham!”

Finally, it’s not just at club level where the youngster is flying, as in 16 appearances for England’s U19s, totalling 970 minutes, he has scored eight goals and provided three assists.

Ultimately, given the level of the opposition tonight and his recent form, Maresca should look to start Mheuka for Chelsea against Lincoln City.

Chelsea ready to open agent talks to sign "spectacular" £61m Arsenal target

The Blues are preparing to make a move for a new forward, who is also being targeted by the Gunners.

ByDominic Lund Sep 22, 2025

The international break has come at the best time for Russell Martin as tensions are bubbling at Glasgow Rangers due to their lacklustre start to the season. The Gers currently sit in 7th after drawing all four of their opening Scottish Premiership games.

The bigger source of strife for Martin is Rangers’ failure to qualify for the Champions League after being dumped out of the qualification round by Club Brugge 9-1 on aggregate.

The last game before the international break, despite being a 0-0 draw, was the first sign of things potentially improving for Martin. Following the 6-0 second leg defeat to Brugge, managing to be the first Scottish Premiership team to avoid defeat against Celtic looks to be something of an, albeit small, step in the right direction.

Rangers are hoping that the signing of a former Champions League winner may help capitalise on this result and turn around their poor start to the season.

Martin looking to bring in Champions League winner ahead of Europa League campaign

Rangers and the 49ers Enterprises are thought to be eyeing a move to sign ex-Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The former England midfielder is available as a free agent following his contract being terminated by the Turkish side Besiktas, where he spent the last two seasons, and according to TBR Football, Rangers are considering a move to sign the free agent.

As a free agent, Oxlade-Chamberlain can be signed immediately, but Rangers will face some tough competition to sign him as he has attracted attention from Premier League sides Leeds, Everton, Burnley and Brentford, as well as ambitious Championship side Birmingham City.

Rangers may be able to tempt Oxlade-Chamberlain to join them over these other suitors with European football. Rangers will start their Europa League campaign later this month as they face Genk, and another season in Europe may make Rangers a more appealing destination than the other clubs.

There are reports indicating other interested clubs on the continent, but it is as yet unclear whether or not these are Champions League teams, and it had been previously reported that Oxlade-Chamberlain, a Champions League winner at Anfield, was looking for a move back to the UK.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is a "great player" who can turn round Martin's fortunes

Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Arsenal in 2011, and he arrived alongside current Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. The pair played together on 73 occasions, and after their time together at Arsenal, Arteta had a lot of praise for Oxlade-Chamberlain:

A player with European experience who has a history of being popular among the fans at the clubs he’s served at may be the perfect signing for Martin. Not only would he be a great addition to the squad, but his character and CV might tide unsettled fans over until he can find a way to get some better results.