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An injury update has emerged on Rangers beast Ryan Jack, ahead of their semi-final clash with Hibernian on Sunday.

What’s the latest?

According to Sky Sports, the Gers could be tempted to hand the midfielder his first start after returning from his long-term injury.

The report claims that he is now ‘fit-again’ after coming off the bench against Ross County on the other side of the international break.

Delighted

Rangers fans will surely be delighted with this news as Jack could now be a viable option to start in the coming weeks and months. Whilst he may not immediately come into the XI against Hibernian, it is exciting for supporters to know that he can if needed as he has the potential to be a key player for the club.

He showed his class last season with a string of impressive performances in the middle of the park, and thus, it could be a big boost for Gio van Bronckhorst to have him fully fit.

The Dutchman officially starts his job on Monday and he will be able to make his own assessment of Jack on the training pitch during the week, instead of having to manage his injury situation with the physios.

Back in 2019, ex-Gers boss Steven Gerrard heaped praise on Jack for setting an example with his application in training and in matches. He said:

“Ryan is an example for the rest of the squad because he never drops his standards, whether it’s a training session or a game.

“He knits everything together, he drives the team on, he demands from everyone else around him.”

Last season, he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.14 as he impressed in the midfield. He completed 90% of his passes and made 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game as he controlled games and remained consistent, as shown by his average score.

This shows that van Bronckhorst has been handed a big boost with the midfielder returning to fitness in time for his arrival at the club. If he can reproduce his form from the 2020/21 campaign then he could be an excellent option for the ex-Feyenoord coach to call upon, which is why fans will undoubtedly be delighted with this update on his injury situation.

It will now be interesting to see how long it takes for him to make his first start and whether or not van Bronckhorst takes a liking to his style of play.

AND in other news, Rangers must unleash £15k-p/w “threat” for Gio vs Hibs, he’s a game-changer…

Chelsea’s need for new players was identified further this weekend as the Blues lost out to Champions League chasing Arsenal.

In a massively below par performance from Mauro Sarri’s men, the Blues were seen off with ease by the Gunners, and the comments following the game from Sarri suggested all is not too well within the Chelsea camp at the moment.

New players are a must then it would seem at the Bridge, and we at the Tavern think that the club need to use the next 10 days wisely and move certain players on while bringing in talent of the relevant quality to improve their squad.

And one man we feel has to be top of the shopping list is Inter Milan ace Mauro Icardi, who is once again having a superb season over in Serie A.

The Inter man, who is valued by Transfermarkt at a whopping £100m, is one of the hottest properties in world football when it comes to striking talent, and if Chelsea could sign him, it would send quite the message to the rest of the league and beyond.

Icardi is truly world class, and on his day is as good as anyone in world football.

Quick, a lethal finisher, and of the right age to spend his prime years in the Premier League, we think Icardi would be the most perfect signing possible for Chelsea in the coming 10 day period before the end of the window.

Chelsea fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!

The Daily Record’s Mark Pirie believes that Celtic will look to use Reo Hatate in the attacking third, with a January move looking likely.

The Lowdown: Agreement reached

The 24-year-old, who currently plays for Kawasaki Frontale, could well be Celtic’s first signing of 2022, with the Hoops reportedly reaching an agreement with the J1 League outfit for the versatile ace.

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His current contract expires at the end of January, but it seems as if Celtic will fork out a fee in order to bring him to Scotland as soon as possible.

Hatate can play in a number of positions all over the pitch, although Pirie has made a claim on what he thinks Ange Postecoglou may have in store for the 24-year-old.

The Latest: Pirie’s claim

Pirie shared a story on Sunday morning, looking at Celtic’s January state of play. One player of discussion was Hatate, with the reporter believing that it looks ‘increasingly likely’ that he will be deployed in the attacking third of the pitch with left-back Greg Taylor now back from injury.

He added that out of all of Celtic’s targets, a move for Hatate could be the one which is finalised before the Glasgow derby with Rangers on January 2.

The Verdict: Mr Versatile

Hatate can play as a left-back, central midfielder, attacking midfielder or as a winger, so his versatility could prove to be a big hit with both Postecoglou and the Hoops faithful.

At this moment in time, he may well be required in an attacking role, as Pirie mentions, especially with the number of injuries to Celtic’s attacking stars. When they return, he could provide cover for the likes of Callum McGregor, David Turnbull and Tom Rogic in midfield, while also being on standby to replace Taylor at left-back if needed.

Overall, Hatate could turn out to be an extremely shrewd signing by Postecoglou, and he’ll be looking to continue his trophy-winning habit over in Scotland, should the transfer officially go through.

In other news: Nicholson makes Celtic move on the day of Hampden Park final to sign speedster with ‘great feet’

Abhimanyu Mithun and Under-19 players, Harpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh, have been awarded the Border-Gavaskar scholarship for 2010

Cricinfo staff13-May-2010Abhimanyu Mithun and Under-19 players, Harpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh, have been awarded the Border-Gavaskar scholarship for 2010. The scholarship entitles them to a two-week training stint starting May 15 at Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Brisbane.Mithun, 20, had a fantastic debut domestic season, finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy, in which he helped Karnataka reach the final for the first time in 12 years. His performances were rewarded with a call-up to the national squad for the Tests against South Africa earlier this year, and an international debut in the one-dayers that followed.He wasn’t picked for either the World Twenty20 or the second-string side to tour Zimbabwe, but is part of the India A outfit that tours England next month. For a player who hasn’t trained or played outside India before, the trip to Brisbane helps him get a taste of overseas conditions.”The scholarship provides good preparation for that tour (of England),” Mithun told Cricinfo. “They have good coaches for fast bowlers there, it will be a good chance to learn more about fitness for fast bowlers, and my coach has told me learn about the slower ball (which he has been working on).”Accompanying Mithun will be two players who were a key part of India’s Under-19 World Cup campaign earlier this year. Harpreet is a left-hand batsman and right-arm medium-pacer from Madhya Pradesh, and Mandeep is a top-order batsman from Punjab. Both of them caught the eye during the U-19 tour to Australia last year, and were part of the Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2010 season.Players who have received the scholarship in previous years include seamer RP Singh, batsman Virat Kohli, Saurastra batsman Cheteshwar Pujara and Delhi seamer Pradeep Sangwan.

David Beckham, Gary Neville and the rest of Manchester United's Class of '92 who co-own Salford City are looking for new investors for the club.

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Beckham, Neville and Co, own SalfordGroup looking for investorsClub currently 19th in League TwoWHAT HAPPENED?

The League Two side are co-owned by key members of the famous Red Devils squad, including Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville, alongside brother Gary and Beckham. Butt, who took over as the club's chief executive from Gary Neville in October 2022, has announced Salford's pursuit of "strategic partners" to take advantage of "major opportunities" and boost the club's growth.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT BUTT SAID

Salford's CEO said in a statement: “We are backing Salford City with as much commitment and confidence as ever. We have achieved very special things here but there are major opportunities in front of us and we want to make sure we have the right mix of investment and strategic partners to take advantage of those opportunities. We had an original 10-year plan and with strong foundations now in place, it was always the intention to explore options for the next phase. That includes potentially bringing in new partners to help us grow the club and best serve the fans and community.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Beckham, Neville and Co have helped increase the capacity at Salford's Peninsula Stadium from 3,000 to 5,000, as well as securing four promotions since their takeover of 2014. The Class of '92 co-owned side now share a league with Wrexham, whose co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are currently aiming for back-to-back promotions. The Hollywood duo have been lauded for their growth of the Wrexham community as well as the club through strategic partnerships, and it is fair to assume they may serve as inspiration for Salford and their owners.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR SALFORD?

Salford did celebrate a memorable win over the Red Dragons earlier this month, recording a 3-1 victory at the Peninsula Stadium. However, their league form has been underwhelming elsewhere, as they sit 19th in the League Two table and nine points clear of safety after 34 games. Salford's next match comes on Tuesday at home to Colchester.

A rapid half-century by Darren Maddy and three wickets in four deliveries by Chris Woakes overpowered the Unicorns as Warwickshire maintained their Clydesdale Bank 40 challenge with a 60-run victory at Edgbaston.

22-Jul-2012
ScorecardA rapid half-century by Darren Maddy and three wickets in four deliveries by Chris Woakes overpowered the Unicorns as Warwickshire maintained their Clydesdale Bank 40 challenge with a 60-run victory at Edgbaston.The county side kept up the pressure on Group C leaders Sussex by making 228 for 9 and this proved to be beyond the part-timers despite an impressive knock by veteran captain Keith Parsons. Now aged 39 and playing Minor Counties cricket for Cornwall, Parsons made 58 from 77 balls and put on 71 with ex-Leicestershire wicketkeeper Tom New (31) as the Unicorns replied with 168 for 7.Warwickshire’s patchy batting display was initially underpinned by Varun Chopra’s measured progress to 69 and then set alight by Maddy’s first half century in the competition for two years. He settled in during a stand of 57 with Chopra and despite losing a string of partners during a spirited response by the Unicorn’s bowlers, he accelerated to an unbeaten 79 from 56 balls.Warren Lee, a pace bowler who played two List A games for Kent in 2009, gave the visitors an early lift with wickets in successive overs. William Porterfield (24) put up a simple chance to mid-off and Jim Troughton drove the first ball he received to extra cover. The Unicorns’ rotation of their left-arm spinners paid off to an extent with Tim Ambrose (28) lbw to Bradley Wadlan’s second delivery and Chopra bowled in the first over of a second spell by Luke Beaven.Former Lancashire seamer Steven Cheetham later removed Rikki Clarke and Woakes in the space of seven balls but the lower order stayed long enough for Maddy to inflict maximum damage. In all he hit eight fours and two sixes.Lee had Keith Barker caught at short third man for a final return of 3 for 50, and Wadlan (2 for 37) bowled a good final over in which Paul Best was stumped and Jeetan Patel run out.The Unicorns’ response was all but extinguished as Woakes blew a hole in the top order in his opening spell of 3 for 15 in six overs. It was the ex-county professionals who averted the danger of a complete collapse, although Parsons, who hit five fours and a six, was dropped twice before Warwickshire regained their momentum.Clarke eventually ran out New from mid-off and Troughton comfortably caught Parsons at deep midwicket in the final over from left-arm spinner Best.

At the end of a week that has seen Lalit Modi flexing his muscles over the Champions League and the launch of cricket’s first global Twenty20 franchise, England’s tour of Bangladesh looks increasingly insignificant to the game’s changing landscape.

Andrew McGlashan12-Feb-2010At the end of a week that has seen Lalit Modi flexing his muscles over the Champions League and the launch of cricket’s first global Twenty20 franchise, England’s tour of Bangladesh looks increasingly insignificant to the game’s changing landscape. However, for Alastair Cook, the man at the helm, it provides an important opportunity for him to show he can handle the captaincy role that he has appeared pre-ordained to take since he was a schoolboy.Cook was officially unveiled as England captain in the Sandton Sun hotel in Johannesburg almost a month ago when it was confirmed that Andrew Strauss would take the tour off. But just to add to complicated nature of the England captaincy, Cook will be back in the ranks when the team lands in Dubai on Saturday with Paul Collingwood taking over for the two Twenty20s against Pakistan which were arranged at short notice.However, Cook has now had the chance for his new-captain-at-Lord’s moment and, as he did in South Africa, offered a strong defence of the decision to change leaders. “There’s a huge amount of time and effort that has gone into that decision and it’s a proactive event for him [Strauss],” he said.”He’s looking ahead to what is a huge time for us over the next 18 months with the Ashes and the World Cup. He’s decided he needs the break so he is fully refreshed and we are fully backing that decision. It gives opportunities for other players to step in and it gets a few more people used to international cricket.”It is a move that has provoked much debate about dereliction of duty and the risk Strauss is taking by standing aside, most recently from Shane Warne. England should win comfortably in Bangladesh, but there is potential for embarrassment, especially in the one-dayers, and if any part of the tour doesn’t go to plan the heat will be on Strauss’s decision.”There’s a huge amount of cricket to be played and he’s decided he needs a rest and it gives me a massive opportunity to learn and get some experience in the role,” Cook said. “Bangladesh are a hugely talented side at home and will be a tough nut to crack. We have to focus on playing good cricket but if we turn up and think we will win easily we will come unstuck.”Cook has worn the tag of Future England Captain since his days at Bedford School, yet has precious little leadership experience on his CV. He led the England Under-19 side at the World Cup in Bangladesh in 2004, but this trip will give him a taste of what the top job takes.”I’m viewing this as a six-week block and not looking too far ahead,” he said. “I’m excited by the opportunity and hopefully it will benefit me as a person and a cricketer. Creating more leaders in the English side will help Straussy when he comes back, but to lead out my country will be thrilling and I will give it my all for six weeks.”Cook has prepared for the tour with a spot of lambing on the family farm having taken a break from cricket since his return from South Africa, but in the past week has been tapping the brain of his mentor, Graham Gooch, while also speaking regularly to Andy Flower and Strauss. Cook is grateful for all the advice he can get, although he is keen to put his own stamp on the captaincy.”Straussy and I have spoken in the last week and I’m going to continue the work he’s been doing,” he said. “We are singing from the same hymn sheet. We want to move the team forward and I’m sure it will be a seamless link when he returns.”He will be on the end of the phone if I want to chat to him but we also have a lot of experience in the squad. However, if you try to be something you’re not it’s very hard to keep that up and I’m definitely going to do it my way. Ultimately I need to be my own man and need to get my ideas out there as well.”

Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo gave his Instagram followers a sneak peak of his strict training regime with a video of his gruelling workout.

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Ronaldo in insane shape for 38Currently on break from SPL actionBut hitting the gym with gruelling workoutWHAT HAPPENED?

The Saudi Pro League is currently on a break due to the upcoming 2023 Asian Cup, but that hasn't stopped the Portugal superstar from putting in the hours at the gym. Ronaldo has been known for his commitment to maintaining his incredible physique throughout his career, with the latest evidence coming in his recent Instagram story. In it, the 38-year-old could be seen working out topless using gymnastic rings, in what looked a gruelling workout.

AdvertisementWHAT RONALDO POSTEDIG:cristianoIG:cristianoGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ronaldo is undoubtedly in insane shape for a 38-year-old. It shows that his high standards have never dropped despite stepping down a level to play in the Saudi Pro League over a year ago. This was shown by another stellar calendar year for the Al-Nassr and Portugal star, who topped the globe's scoring charts for 2023 with an incredible 54 goals to his name for club and country.

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Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

Training will no doubt continue at the Ronaldo abode as he gears up for a return to Pro League action in mid-February. Before that, though, the Portuguese talisman will face eternal rial Lionel Messi in an eagerly-anticipated friendly contest on February 1.

Milan have made some premium player sales this century!

One of the most iconic football clubs in the world, AC Milan have left a permanent mark on the beautiful game.

The Rossoneri is the birthplace of some of the greatest footballers to have walked the earth.

Talk about Paolo Maldini or Franco Baresi, two of the greatest defenders ever.

Or Ronaldinho and Kaka, two of the all-time great Brazilians to have played in Europe.

Or, Alessandro Nesta, Cafu, Marco van Basten, Andriy Shevchenko, Ruud Gullit…..the list is almost endless.

Despite having such legends feature for them, Milan have had to let go of many such great players when other clubs agreed to pay a premium fee for them.

Which players form part of Milan's most expensive sales, though?

Let's take a look!

Milan most expensive sales by season

Season

Biggest sale

Fee

Total sales

2022/23

Jens Petter Hauge

€10M/£9M

€13.05M/£11.75M

2021/22

Diego Laxalt

€3.50M/£3.15M

€5.50M/£4.95M

2020/21

Lucas Paqueta

€23.44M/£21.10M

€51.39M/£46.25M

2019/20

Krzysztof Piatek

€24M/£21.60M

€59.23M/£53.31M

2018/19

Leonardo Bonucci

€35M/£31.50M

€88.10M/£79.29M

2017/18

Mattia De Sciglio

€12M/£10.80M

€34.48M/£31.03M

2016/17

Stephan El Shaarawy

€13M/£11.70M

€25.15M/£22.64M

2015/16

Ricardo Saponara

€4M/£3.60M

€11.16M/£10.04M

2014/15

Mario Balotelli

€20M/£18M

€28.20M/£25.38M

2013/14

Kevin-Prince Boateng

€10M/£9M

€17.40M/£15.66M

2012/13

Thiago Silva

€42M/£37.80M

€88.50M/£79.65M

2011/12

Marco Borriello

€10M/£9M

€22.30M/£20.07M

2010/11

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

€14M/£12.60M

€25.93M/£23.34M

2009/10

Kaka

€67M/£60.30M

€80.66M/£72.59M

2008/09

Alberto Gilardino

€14M/£12.60M

€47.20M/£42.48M

2007/08

Massimo Donati

€4.50M/£4.05M

€11.11M/£10M

2006/07

Andriy Shevchenko

€43.88M/£39.49M

€57.33M/£51.59M

2005/06

Jon Dahl Tomasson

€7.50M/£6.75M

€12M/£10.80M

2004/05

Martin Laursen

€5.30M/£4.77M

€12.20M/£10.98M

2003/04

Jose Mari

€9M/£8.10M

€12.85M/£11.57M

2002/03

Francesco Coco

€22.50M/£20.25M

€40.60M/£36.54M

2001/02

Cristian Zenoni

€15.50M/£13.95M

€33.50M/£30.15M

2000/01

Roberto Ayala

€5M/£4.50M

€8.55M/£7.70M

TOTAL

€786.4M/£707.7M

*All figures are taken from Transfermarkt unless stated otherwise.

Milan top 10 most expensive player salesGetty10Mario Balotelli | €20 million/£18 million | Liverpool | 2014

After joining Inter Milan's under-19 team in 2006, Mario Balotelli was promoted to their first team in 2007.

Over the course of the next three years, the Italian striker made 59 appearances for the Nerazzurri, scoring 20 goals.

Newly rich Manchester City came calling in 2010, signing him for €29.50 million (£26.55 million). After helping City win the FA Cup in his first season, Balotelli assisted Sergio Aguero's iconic Premier League title-winning goal in the 2011-12 season.

In January 2013, he joined Milan in a €20m (£18m) move, scoring 26 goals in 43 appearances for them before returning to the Premier League, this time with Liverpool who agreed to pay €20m (£18m) for the Italian forward.

AdvertisementGetty Images9Suso | €21 million/£18.90 million | Sevilla | 2020

A product of Liverpool's academy, Suso joined the Reds in 2012 and after making just 14 appearances in three seasons, including a season-long loan at Almeria, he moved to Milan in a €1.30 million (£1.17 million) transfer in January 2015.

Suso established himself at Milan, making 126 appearances for them over five years, scoring 21 goals.

His best run at the club came in the 2016-17 season when he scored seven goals and assisted nine, helping Milan win the Supercoppa Italiana late in 2016.

In January 2020, the Spaniard moved to Sevilla on a loan before they signed him for €21m (£18.90m) later that summer.

AFP8Zlatan Ibrahimovic | €21 million/£18.90 million | PSG | 2012

After spending his youth at Malmo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic moved to Ajax in 2001 for €7.8 million (£7.02 million).

Three seasons, 71 games and 35 goals later, Juventus came calling, signing the Swedish striker for €16m (£14.40m). At Juventus, Ibrahimovic scored 23 goals in 70 appearances over two seasons before Inter signed him for €24.80m (£22.32m).

After winning three league titles with Inter, the forward to Barcelona in a €69.5m (£62.55m) move in 2009.

However, Ibrahimovic could only survive one season at Camp Nou, and went to Milan on loan in 2010 before signing for them permanently for €24m (£21.6m) in 2011.

Just a year later, Paris Saint-Germain signed Ibrahimovic in a mega transfer worth €21m (£18.9m).

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Getty7Francesco Coco | €22.50 million/£20.25 million | Inter | 2002

A product of Milan's youth academy, Francesco Coco made his debut for the senior team in 1995 and went on to feature for them for seven years, three of which were on loan to different clubs.

The Italian left-back made 56 appearances for Milan as he was loaned to Vicenza, Torino and Barcelona before Inter came calling in 2002.

Inter chose to sign him for €22.5 million (£20.25 million) in July 2002.

Coco went on to make just 26 appearances for Inter over five years, which included two season-long loans to Livorno and Torino.

A pair of teenagers and a trio of New York Red Bulls headline Goal's selections as the best values, based on salary, in Major League Soccer

Salaries in Major League Soccer continue to rise, and have seen a considerable spike since the infusion of targeted allocation money in the past two seasons. That has led to a near doubling of the number of million-dollar salaries in the league, and a sizable jump in the number of players making more than $500,000.

That doesn't mean there still aren't some super-sized bargains to be had. Players signed via homegrown player deals and those who enter the league via the MLS draft continue to give MLS teams a steady stream of bargains, several of which make up the squad chosen by Goal to be part of the MLS Bargain XI, the best values in the league.

Here is the 2018 MLS Bargain XI, with salaries based on guaranteed compensation as released by the MLS players union last week .

Greg BartramGK Alex Bono, Toronto FC, $102,200The 24-year-old goalkeeper is in the midst of his second full season as Toronto FC's starter and is continuing to show improvement, building on his MLS Cup-winning 2017 season. His exploits in TFC's CONCACAF Champions League run turned heads, and he has also broken into the U.S. national team picture. Still playing on his rookie contract, Bono should be securing a new contract soon, assuming he doesn't head to Europe via transfer.AdvertisementRB Julian Gressel, Atlanta United, $111,250A midfielder who has thrived this season since being moved into a right wing-back role, Gressel has carried over the success from his MLS Rookie of the Year award-winning 2017 into the 2018 season. He has been one of the key reasons Tata Martino has seen his team enjoy such success playing in a 3-5-2 formation. The 24-year-old German-born standout should be drawing attention from scouts and will have a strong case for a new contract this winter.Mark J. RebilasCB Tim Parker, New York Red Bulls, $115,935How is Parker so underpaid? He's still playing on his original rookie contract, which expires at the end of this season. He is in line for a big payday this winter, either in Europe or in a new MLS deal. The Vancouver Whitecaps traded him rather than making him one of the league's highest-paid defenders. Since joining the Red Bulls, Parker has been outstanding and has helped his new team forge the best defense in club history.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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CB Aaron Long, New York Red Bulls $73,125A repeat selection on the MLS Bargain XI, Long has followed up his breakout 2017 season with a strong start to 2018. His skill on the ball, coupled with an improving defensive skill set, make him one of the league's most underrated defenders. It shouldn't be long before the 25-year-old central defender secures a new contract with the Red Bulls.