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How do Rangers salvage this season, and how does Philippe Clement keep his job?

Having been ignominiously dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Queen’s Park last Sunday, defeated in that competition by lower-league opposition at Ibrox for the first time ever, the Light Blues are staring down the barrel of a trophyless season.

The Gers are 13 points adrift of run-away Premiership leaders Celtic, a gap that will be insurmountable, but Sunday’s trip to Tynecastle still feels must-win, as Clement fights to remain in situ, ahead of Rangers’ Europa League last 16 tie coming up on 6 March.

So, could the Belgian claim the victory he so badly needs by unleashing a highly-rated teenage midfielder?

Rangers' midfield issues

As noted by former Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew, midfield has been a problem area for Rangers throughout this season.

Clement has primarily deployed three different options at the base of midfield this season, so let’s assess their stats.

Statistics

Mohamed Diomandé

Connor Barron

Nicolas Raskin

Appearances

38

33

32

Minutes

2,831

2,251

2,394

Goals

5

0

1

Assists

4

2

4

Big chances created

6

0

1

Tackles per 90

1.6

2.4

3.5

Interceptions per 90

0.8

1.2

1.2

% of ground duels won

52.5%

52.1%

55.1%

Average Sofascore rating

7.06

6.88

7.20

As the table outlines, Mohammed Diomandé and Nicolas Raskin have been Rangers’ best-performing midfield duo this season.

The former boasts the best attacking statistics, goals, assists and big chances created, while the Belgian shines for defensive metrics, namely tackles, interceptions and duels.

Thus, it’s no surprise that this has been Clement’s starting duo for the last five Premiership and Europa League matches they’ve both been available for; Diomandé was suspended for the trip to Old Trafford last month.

Thus, this means Connor Barron has been the man to miss out, generally performing the poorest of the three, reflected by the fact he has the worst return for goals and assists, as well as big chances created.

Chalkboard

Earlier this season, after making the move from Aberdeen, Barron was earning rave reviews, most notably named the club’s player of the month for September.

Meanwhile, a report by BBC Sport noted he made a “promising start to his Rangers career”, with Peter Cassidy of STV describing him as “one of the few shining lights at Ibrox this season”.

However, the 22-year-old has not featured in any of Rangers’ last four Premiership fixtures due to a medial collateral ligament injury sustained during a collision with Manchester United’s Matthijs de Ligt, and the date of his return is as yet unknown.

So, currently short of midfield options, should Clement turn to a teenager at Tynecastle?

The Rangers starlet who Clement must unleash

Against Queen’s Park in last Sunday’s ill-fated Scottish Cup tie, 18-year-old Bailey Rice, who Ben Mattinson on Twitter describes as a “quality midfielder”, was handed his full-senior debut.

However, it didn’t last long, with Rice hooked at half time, a substitution that former Hearts and Hibs midfielder Michael Stewart, speaking on Premier Sports’ Scottish Football Social club, described as a “deplorable decision”, adding that Rice “did not deserve to be taken off”, with Darrell Currie saying that he hopes the youngster does not feel like a “scapegoat”.

On top of this, former Rangers defender Alan Hutton believes Rice is “ready” to start contributing at first-team level, adding that he was impressed by the teenager when he was introduced at halftime against Man United, following Barron’s injury.

Teammate Ianis Hagi has also praised the youngster’s “mentality”, so we’re advocating for Clement to put Rice back into the team at Hearts on Sunday, if the Gers are to claim the three points they so desperately require in Gorgie.

Tipped for success at such a young age, the signs point to the teenager emerging as an even bigger talent than the stricken Barron, with it set to be an interesting tussle in the centre of the park over the coming years.

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ByBen Gray Feb 14, 2025

Ruud Gullit reveals he never sought management roles and reflects on the harsh realities of being sacked and the lack of control managers face.

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• Gullit reflects on managerial career
• Dutchman was sacked by Chelsea in 1998
• Admits being dismissed is 'not a nice feeling'

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ruud Gullit has admitted he never aspired to be a football manager but was thrust into the role at Chelsea. The Dutchman was named player-manager at Stamford Bridge in 1996 and went on to win the FA Cup a year later, but a dispute with the hierarchy over compensation led to his dismissal in 1998.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Gullit's comments shed light on the pressures and uncertainties of modern football management, highlighting the demanding nature of the role and the brutal decisions that can override on-field performance. Chelsea notoriously ran through managers during the Roman Abramovich era and have already been led by Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and Enzo Maresca since BlueCo completed their takeover in 2022.

• WHAT GULLIT SAID

  Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Gullit said: "I didn't want to be a manager anyway. I never wanted it. I just got dragged into it.

  "The one certainty you have is that you get sacked, that is what you know for sure, and it's not a nice feeling when you get sacked.

  "There's a lot going on behind your back, a lot of things happening around you that you have no influence on. And that's what I hate about the job."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR GULLIT AND CHELSEA?

  Many managers are now scrutinised more than ever and a shorter tenure is commonplace, with Pochettino only getting a season at Chelsea before current boss Maresca was brought in as his successor. Gullit, meanwhile, remains retired from management and focuses on punditry.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has now provided an injury update on Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu after the duo sustained issues against West Ham United on Monday night.

Blues edge past the Hammers

The Blues made hard work of it, but they returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory against London rivals West Ham United on Monday night. Maresca’s side went in a goal down at the break, with Jarrod Bowen opening the scoring late in the first half, but a Pedro Neto effort and an Aaron Wan-Bissaka own-goal turned the game around after the hour mark.

The Chelsea boss was happy with his side’s performance, insisting it was a fair result in his post-match press conference: “We had more than 10 shots in the first half. We had clear chances in the first half but unfortunately, we missed the target. With some changes the game changed. Overall we completely deserved to win.”

The only cause for concern will be the fact Jackson had to be withdrawn early in the second half after sustaining a knock, before Guiu picked up an issue of his own late on, although the youngster was ultimately able to see out the match.

The Spaniard appeared to be hurt when he went down the tunnel, which will have caused some concern for Blues fans, particularly considering the transfer window closed shortly after full time.

However, Maresca has now provided a relatively promising update on the knocks sustained by the attacking duo, saying: “To be honest they both said to me that they’re okay so hopefully neither of them are injured.”

Of course, the pair will be assessed by the medical team, but it is encouraging that neither player was too hurt in the immediate aftermath of the game.

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ByEthan Lamb Feb 4, 2025 Guiu impressing when given the opportunity

It has been a breakthrough season for the 19-year-old at Stamford Bridge, scoring six goals in as many Conference League games, so it is no wonder he has been handed an increasing amount of opportunities in the first-team set-up.

Jackson, on the other hand, has regressed somewhat since making a flying start to the Premier League season, failing to score in his last eight matches, stretching back to the 2-1 victory against Brentford back in December.

The 23-year-old has also consistently underperformed in terms of non-penalty goals over the past year, averaging just 0.47 goals per 90 despite an xG of 0.58 per 90.

As such, it may be worth Maresca considering handing Guiu his first Premier League start in the next few weeks, providing his recent injury issue is nothing more than a scare.

Despite publicly stating he wants to finish his career in the Spanish capital, Real Madrid are willing to let Luka Modric leave for free this summer.

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• Modric out of contract in the summer
• Los Blancos want to sign a new midfielder
• 39-year-old on the fringes of Real's squad

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to reporting by Diario AS, the former Ballon D'or winner is in danger of not being offered a new contract, and it is in fact more likely that a new deal will not materialise for the 39-year-old.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Modric's deal is up at the end of this season. He has previously said he would like to retire as a Madrid player, and was hoping to sign on with the club for at least one more year. It is believed clubs in Qatar are monitoring Modric's contract situation closely.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Still plying his trade at both international and club level, Modric's longevity cannot be questioned. He recently became the oldest player to appear and score for the club, and currently sits ninth in all-time appearances for the Bernabeu outfit.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LUKA MODRIC?

  The veteran midfielder will likely start on the bench for the majority of Madrid's run-in. Los Blancos have a 3-0 deficit to overturn in their Champions League quarter final tie against Arsenal, and continue their pursuit of rivals Barcelona with a visit to Eibar later this evening. Madrid currently sit in second place in La Liga, four points behind La Blaugrana.

A Manchester United scout has been spotted watching a 24-year-old goalkeeper whose club is on the brink of a PSR breach in the coming days, according to a recent report.

Man Utd transfer news

The Red Devils will have to remain patient when it comes to this January transfer window, as any business they conduct will likely come towards the latter end of the month as players need to be moved on before any new ones can arrive.

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But that hasn’t stopped United from looking at potential players who they would like to sign this month. It was reported last week that United had sent scouts to watch striker Samu Omorodion in action for Porto the previous weekend. The forward will be well known to Ruben Amorim as he came up against the forward a few times during his time at Sporting. Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic is another player who has been linked with a move to Old Trafford in the last week or so.

However, the Serbia’s arrival appears to depend on what happens to Joshua Zirkzee, as the Dutchman will need to go in the opposite direction for Vlahovic to join United. Reports have even gone on to state that the Italian side have made an official cash-plus-player offer, and both Vlahovic and Zirkzee are open to moves this month.

Meanwhile, United are continuing to look for a new left wingback, and according to Fabrizio Romano, they have placed Patrick Dorgu on their transfer wishlist. He now joins Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez and PSG’s Nuno Mendes on the list, but those two are considered more expensive than Dorgu.

Man Utd scout spotted watching 24-year-old Leicester player

A new striker and left wingback are not all that United are looking at. According to The Telegraph, relayed by Leicestershire Live, Manchester United have sent a scout to watch Leicester City’s Mads Hermansen this season and could look to capitalise on the Foxes’ PSR breach.

In recent days, it has been reported that Celtic are closing in on the signing of Altay Bayindir, and therefore, the Red Devils could be in the market for a new goalkeeper to provide competition to Andre Onana. Hermansen, who joined the Foxes in July 2023, has now emerged on the club’s radar.

Hermansen had never played outside of Denmark before moving to Leicester, as he came through the academy at Naesby BK youth and then moved to Brondby IF. The 24-year-old was brought to the King Power Stadium by former manager Enzo Maresca, and he was vital in their promotion from the Championship, as he started 44 league games and kept 13 clean sheets.

Apps

60

Goals conceded

72

Clean sheets

14

Leicester currently face uncertainty when it comes to complying with PSR, and they are expected to find out if they have fallen on the right side of the rules next Tuesday.

But given the uncertainty, United have sent goalkeeper scout Tony Coton to watch Hermansen in action for the Foxes in their 2-2 draw with Brighton this season. The Red Devils are aware of his “potential availability” as the goalkeeper is Leicester’s most “likely sale” if they have failed to comply with PSR.

Aston Villa are interested in signing an Argentine striker who has been likened to former Manchester United and Manchester City star Carlos Tevez, according to reports.

Aston Villa latest news

After a poor run that saw them win just once in nine games across all competitions, Aston Villa now seem to have rediscovered their best form. Unai Emery’s side have won each of their last three games, beating both Brentford and Southampton in the Premier League, as well as RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

Villa’s impressive 3-2 win over the German side saw the West Midlands club all but clinch a place in the tournament’s knockout stages, with victory leaving them third in the new-look league phase with just two games to play.

Colombian striker Jhon Duran earned most of the plaudits on the night, coming off the bench to score a screamer in the second-half, taking his tally for the season to 10 in all competitions.

Speaking about Duran, who has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea, after the game, Emery said: “His potential is massive. He scored a great goal and he works and we are trying to get the team strong with a tactical approach. Tactically he is improving and today he played a fantastic 45 minutes.”

Villa eyeing new striker

Though Duran is impressing, Villa are still reportedly keen to add more firepower to their arsenal. According to CaughtOffside, Emery’s side are one of a number of Premier League clubs alongside Arsenal and Newcastle United eyeing a potential move for Bologna forward Santiago Castro.

The Argentine, 20, has scored five goals and produced six assists in 20 games for Bologna this season. CaughtOffside claim that Juventus and Inter Milan are also interested, and that Bologna could sell for a fee in the region of £33 million. They expect Villa to be a “tempting project” due to the prospect of more playing time than the likes of Arsenal, as well as the chance to work under Emery.

Castro only joined Bologna from Velez Sarsfield in January and has quickly emerged as a key figure for Vincenzo Italiano’s side – especially since the departure of Joshua Zirkzee to Manchester United in the summer. According to Foot Italia, Castro’s idol is his compatriot and Inter Milan striker Lautro Martinez, however it’s another Argentine striker he’s been likened to in terms of both his style of play and stature.

“Santiago Castro looking even more like a Tevez 2.0,” wrote Italian football analyst Ben Mattinson of the young forward on X earlier this year. In a separate post, Mattinson also described him as an “Argentine prospect with a complete forward profile”.

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Castro, however, doesn’t like being compared to others: “I prefer to be talked about for who I am. I want to be judged as Santiago Castro, nothing more,” he said in a recent an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Batter set for county cricket after Australia A’s tour to Sri Lanka

Matt Roller18-May-2022

Nic Maddinson celebrates his hundred•Getty Images

Nic Maddinson has lined up a stint in county cricket to further his prospects of an Australia recall in time for the 2023 Ashes.Maddinson, 30, struggled in his three Tests in late 2016 but made 71 for Australia A against England Lions in December and is part of the squad that will shadow the Test tour of Sri Lanka next month.He has set his sights on a return to Test cricket and is closing in on a deal with Durham to replace Keegan Petersen as their overseas player for the second half of the County Championship season. He may also feature in the Royal London Cup.”It hasn’t been announced but I’m looking to go over to Durham,” he told RSN Breakfast Club. “They’ve got a South African, Keegan Petersen, over there at the moment playing for them for the first half of the season and then he has to head off.”We’re just in the final stages of getting that signed off and hopefully it’s all smooth sailing from here and I can get over straight after Sri Lanka.”Related

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Maddinson has been a consistent performer in red-ball cricket in recent years and was the sixth-highest run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield this season, averaging 54.50 for Victoria with two hundreds in seven appearances.”I’ve been very open in the last year to going over and playing in England,” he added. “I think with the stage of my career I’m at, I’m really prioritising four-day cricket.”I feel like Test cricket is the ultimate goal for me still so I want to get as much experience in that around as possible and playing in England definitely ticks that box.”With an Ashes coming up next year I felt like it was a pretty good opportunity to try and make it over there and get some experience in those conditions as well.”

After two seasons of coming painfully close to dethroning Manchester City in the Premier League, there was a belief among some that this season would finally be Arsenal’s year.

However, we are now 15 league games in, and while Mikel Arteta’s side find themselves two points clear of Pep Guardiola’s juggernaut, they’re six points off table toppers Liverpool.

It’s been a mixture of unfortunate injuries, silly suspensions and lack of cutting-edge in attack that has seen the Gunners fail to capitalise on the Champions’ own poor form.

Games

15

5

2

Wins

8

3

2

Draws

5

1

0

Losses

2

1

0

Goals For

29

8

8

Goals Against

15

2

1

So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to see recent reports linking the club to an up-and-coming striker who could be a difference-maker, either in January or next year and possibly even be an upgrade on Kai Havertz.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in Bologna striker Santiago Castro.

The report claims that the Gunners have had scouts watching him in recent Serie A matches and have been impressed with what they’ve seen, although they aren’t the only ones, as Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Everton, Juventus and Inter Milan are also supposedly keen on the 20-year-old poacher.

However, while the level of competition is far from ideal, the good news is that signing the Argentine forward won’t cost the North Londoners an outrageous amount, as the report has revealed that an offer of around €40m could tempt the Italians into selling, which comes to about £32m.

It might be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Castro’s impressive form, it is worth pursuing, especially as he could be an upgrade on Havertz.

How Castro compares to Havertz

Now, to determine whether Castro could in fact be an upgrade on Havertz, we need to see how the pair stack up against one another, starting with the most important metric of all for a centre-forward: pure output.

Interestingly, while the Argentine gem has scored fewer goals than the German this season, he’s been more productive in the time he’s been on the pitch.

For example, in 20 appearances, totalling 1336 minutes, he’s found the back of the net on five occasions and provided six assists, equating to a goal involvement on average every 1.81 games, or every 121.45 minutes.

In contrast, in 21 appearances, totalling 1767 minutes, the former Chelsea has scored nine goals and provided two assists, equating to a goal involvement every 1.90 games, or every 160.63 minutes.

So, with the young Bologna ace, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “one of the most interesting young strikers in Europe,” coming out on top for pure output, is it the same story when we take a look at their underlying numbers?

Non-penalty expected G+As

0.33

0.56

Actual Non-Penalty G+As

0.60

0.51

Shots

2.22

2.46

Shots on Target

1.02

0.87

Passing Accuracy

78.8%

77.0%

Key Passes

1.03

0.72

Shot-Creating Actions

2.39

2.32

Goal-Creating Actions

0.51

0.14

Successful Take-Ons

0.85

0.43

Indeed, it is, as he comes out ahead in the majority of relevant metrics, including but not limited to actual non-penalty goals plus assists, shots on target, passing accuracy, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions and successful take-ons, all per 90.

Ultimately, Havertz has been a useful signing for Arsenal, but should the club want to improve their attacking options, then signing the exciting Castro in January or next summer seems like a no-brainer, especially as his rate of return and underlying numbers point to him being an upgrade on the German international.

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In need of yet another rebuild, Manchester United are now reportedly battling to sign one of Ruben Amorim’s targets who has a release clause as expensive as £67m in 2025.

Man Utd transfer news

Recently linked with both Harry Kane and Leroy Sane, it’s certainly seems as though Manchester United are done messing around. The arrival of Amorim must be a turning point. With INEOS in and a modern structure as a result of their arrival, which includes sporting director Dan Ashworth, the Red Devils must begin their journey back to the top of English football.

Starting against Ipswich Town after the international break, Manchester United have the chance to turn in the right direction and create a positive out of a season which looked destined to end in failure.

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1

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In an ideal world for those at Old Trafford, Amorim will take Manchester United into a European place – whether that’s the Champions League or the Europa League – before turning his attention to much-needed reinforcements.

According to Caught Offside, Manchester United are now battling Aston Villa to sign Oihan Sancet from Athletic Bilbao. The deal may not come cheap, however, given that the Spaniard reportedly has a release clause as high as €80m (£67m) to create an instant obstacle in the way of any deal taking place next summer.

Despite welcoming Manuel Ugarte in the summer, United’s midfield has still looked incomplete in the last couple of months, with an ageing Casemiro still featuring at the heart of the side. Clearly in need of at least one other reinforcement in the middle of the park, Sancet could yet emerge to become an ideal option to complete Amorim’s midfield.

"Incredible" Sancet could complete Amorim's midfield

Amorim’s preference for a back three with four midfielders ahead, two further advanced number 10s and one leading striker could make Sancet the perfect fit at Old Trafford. Whilst Ugarte and perhaps Kobbie Mainoo sit deeper, it’s Sancet who could fill one of the two number 10 roles to great effect if Manchester United make their move.

The Athletic Bilbao man has earned plenty of fans over the years, including Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig who described his form in 2022 as “incredible” when the midfielder was just 21 years old and on the rise.

Now 24-year-old, Sancet has only continued an impressive rise, scoring five goals in 12 games in all competitions so far this season. If Manchester United are looking to sharpen a fairly blunt attack then beating Aston Villa to the midfielder’s signature may well be the key. As Amorim seeks much-needed reinforcements, Sancet could be one to keep an eye on.

How the match played out
Andre Fletcher and Soumya Sarkar blasted out Sylhet Sunrisers with a rapid opening partnership that set up Khulna Tigers’ nine-wicket win. The partnership followed their captain Mushfiqur Rahim’s criticism after Khulna’s previous match, when he expressed his frustration over their slow starts.The pair added 65 in the powerplay, before Soumya was dismissed with Khulna’s score on 99 in the 11th over. Fletcher, who remained unbeaten on 71 off 47 balls, and Thisara Perera wiped out the 44 runs required in just 3.3 overs. Perera ended the match with his only six to finish unbeaten on 22 off nine balls.Big hit
Fletcher struck four sixes over long-on and one high past long-off. The cut shot also worked well for him, as he hit four boundaries in that region, apart from a flicked four off a Muktar Ali full-toss. Soumya, who made 14 runs in his previous three innings, struck the ball cleanly through midwicket and long-on, as well as blasts over extra cover and long-off.For Sylhet, Mohammad Mithun turned his form around with 72 off 51 balls, his eighth half-century in the BPL. He added 68 runs for the fourth wicket with captain Mosaddek Hossain, who made 34 off 30 balls.Mithun smashed four straight sixes, two over the bowlers’ head and two over long-on. His fours came mostly through the covers, but he also played a superb sweep shot off the fast bowler Kamrul Islam Rabbi in the penultimate over.Big miss
Sylhet handed out BPL debuts, one to left-arm seamer Shiraz Ahmed, who became the first cricketer from the UAE to play in the tournament, and the legspinner Jubair Hossain, who played his first T20I for Bangladesh in 2015. Both were economical, but neither was able to pick up a wicket.Nazmul Islam also returned for Sylhet after recovering from a hand injury, but Khulna hit him for 39 runs in 3.2 overs.