Aaron Ramsdale has opened up on his relationship with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta after leaving the Gunners and joining Southampton.
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Glasgow Rangers will be looking to build upon their win in the Scottish Cup semi-final last week over Hearts as they face St Mirren in their first post-split Premiership match.
With five games left, the Light Blues need to win every single one while hoping Celtic drop points along the line.
It’s going to be a tough ask, but certainly not impossible. The key thing for Philippe Clement is to make sure there won't be any more dismal performances between now and the end of the season.
The Belgian will have to make a few changes to his starting XI, however, as a few players will miss out due to injury.
“Sima will be out, I hope to see him again this season he is very motivated for that,” said Clement during his pre match press conference.
“Matondo got a bad tackle against Hearts and is doubtful for the weekend. Ridvan and Jack I expect back in training next week.”
With this in mind, here's a look at the potential starting XI which could take to the pitch in Paisley for what is the first of five crucial league matches.
GK – Jack Butland
After conceding six goals in two games against Celtic and Ross County, Butland has kept two shutouts in a row and a third will surely put Rangers on their way to three points in the top flight for the first time since the end of March.
Across the whole campaign, the Englishman has kept 25 clean sheets in 52 matches, conceding 43 goals since the start of the season, emerging as arguably the best signing the Gers made last summer.
RB – James Tavernier
The captain failed to lead the Light Blues to maximum points against both Ross County and Dundee, derailing their title challenge in the process.
A solid, if unspectacular performance against Hearts in the Scottish Cup semi-final did little to repair the damage, yet if he can add to his 24 goals against the Buddies on Sunday, the win could pile on the pressure for Celtic to get a result against Dundee.
Tavernier will be judged on the trophies he wins when he eventually leaves Rangers. At this moment in time, he hasn’t won nearly enough.
CB – John Souttar
The Scot had a relatively comfortable afternoon at Hampden against his former club last week, managing to keep a clean sheet as the Ibrox side secured another Scottish Cup final spot.
Souttar has started every single Premiership match this year, emerging as one of Clement’s first-choice centre-backs.
He will keep the same partner from last week too, as Leon Balogun will retain his place in the starting XI.
CB – Leon Balogun
Given Connor Goldson’s below-par performances in recent weeks, the veteran Nigerian defender was drafted in at Hampden in what was a big call by Clement.
It certainly paid off, as his experience allowed the club to keep a clean sheet and, aside from a few opportunities for Hearts, the defence was largely untroubled.
This suggests Balogun and Souttar will once again be unleashed on Sunday.
LB – Dujon Sterling
With Ridvan Yilmaz injured and Borna Barisic in poor form, Sterling will be the one to operate on the left side of the defence.
The former Chelsea gem has started at left-back in four of the previous five games the club have played and, at the current moment in time, he is the best option available to Clement.
CM – John Lundstram
Another member of the senior leadership team to come under some criticism, Lundstram hasn’t quite been at the races recently.
His contract expires in a few weeks and, according to reports from Turkey, he has reportedly reached an agreement to join Trabzonspor once he departs Rangers this summer.
CM – Mohamed Diomande
Having suffered a thumb injury against Celtic which ruled him out of the subsequent two games, the Ivorian returned to the heart of the midfield against Hearts last week.
Two goals in 13 appearances have showcased his forward-thinking abilities and this could be crucial as the Gers look to break down a stubborn St Mirren defence on Sunday.
RW – Ross McCausland
Following the news that Abdallah Sima is set to miss a few weeks, last week at Hampden could be the last time the Ibrox faithful see him play for the club.
This means McCausland will come back into the starting XI after being dropped to the bench for the previous five Premiership matches.
The youngster has scored twice and grabbed three assists during his time in the senior squad this term, showing glimpses of his vast potential.
While he isn’t the finished article just yet, if Clement continues to trust him, there is no doubt he could turn into a fine player for the club.
AM – Todd Cantwell
Against Hearts, Cantwell delivered a wonderful display. He registered two assists and generally dominated the game and the performance was well needed after a few underwhelming games.
At his best, Cantwell is central to everything good Rangers do on the pitch. With five must win games coming thick and fast, he will need to replicate his Hampden Heroics if he aims to lead the Gers to another league title.
LW – Fabio Silva
After four goals in his first ten matches for the Light Blues, Silva’s form has nosedived recently. Due to Matondo potentially missing out, however, he will come back into the starting XI.
Valued at €12.7m (£11m) by Football Transfers, Silva desperately needs a solid performance on Sunday against St Mirren to win back the trust of the supporters.
It is hard for Leeds United to make concrete plans for their upcoming business in the summer transfer window when they do not know what division they will be in.
The Whites are still competing to secure promotion back to the Premier League, having been relegated from the top flight at the end of last term, and are currently third in the table.
Leicester City and Ipswich Town are ahead of them as it stands, with two points separating the three teams and three matches left to play in the regular season.
Daniel Farke's side will have to go through the lottery of the play-offs if they fall short of the top two, and the German boss has no prior experience of that route – having gone up automatically twice whilst with Norwich City.
Leeds, meanwhile, are already eyeing up a possible signing to bolster their attack should they return to the Premier League…
According to reports in Turkey, as relayed by Sport Witness, the Whites are keen on a summer swoop for Fenerbahce centre-forward Michy Batshuayi if they are in the top flight next term, which is why promotion is key in this particular deal.
The report claims that the Yorkshire-based outfit have made their first move to secure his services by holding a meeting with his representatives.
Leeds, who have also been linked with Southampton's Che Adams this month, have held talks with his agents to learn about his current situation and assess the viability of a transfer to Elland Road at the end of the season, should they make it out of the Championship.
Fenerbahce have extended the Belgium international's contract through to the summer of 2025, and it remains to be seen how much they would demand from Farke's side to allow him to leave on a permanent deal.
It states that the Turkish giants want to hold talks with the player's representatives in an attempt to extend his deal by a further two years, whilst Leeds will be hoping that their interest puts an end to that idea.
Farke may want to bring the 30-year-old to Yorkshire to be an upgrade on current number nine Patrick Bamford, who has struggled at times this season.
He has not provided a reliable presence in the final third with his wasteful finishing at times. His return of seven goals from an xG (Expected Goals) of 10.2 means that he has underperformed his expected tally by 3.2.
Batshuayi's form for Fenerbahce this season suggests that the experienced forward could provide more quality at the top end of the pitch if he can carry his current finishing rate over to Leeds.
The former Chelsea forward was once hailed as "deadly" by journalist Josh Bunting during his time with Borussia Dortmund, and that still rings true in the present day.
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Michy Batshuayi (Fenerbache) |
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|---|---|---|---|
|
23/24 season |
Super Lig |
Europa Conference League |
Total |
|
Appearances |
22 |
7 |
29 |
|
xG |
10.44 |
2.23 |
12.67 |
|
Goals |
10 |
4 |
14 |
|
Assists |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|||
As you can see in the table above, Batshuayi has been an efficient finisher with 14 goals from an xG of 12.69 in the Super Lig and Europa Conference League combined this term, to go along with two goals in five European qualifiers and six goals in three domestic cup matches.
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This means that the Belgian marksman has plundered 22 goals in 37 outings in all competitions for the Turkish giants this season, which is why Leeds may want to add him to their squad to bolster the firepower in the side.
The Italy winger's recent injury record is an undoubted cause for concern, but the Reds' low-risk gamble could pay off spectacularly
Federico Chiesa was just 22 when he inspired Italy to victory at Euro 2020. For a player coming off the back of a brilliant debut season at Juventus, superstardom beckoned. Alessio Tacchinardi was among those who tipped him to challenge for the Ballon d'Or "in three or four years".
Sadly, Chiesa's career has gone in a very different direction since then. The expected leader of the post-Cristiano Ronaldo era at Juventus was deemed surplus to requirements by new coach Thiago Motta and told to "find a new club as soon as possible", with the Bianconeri board keen to cash in on a player that had just one year left on his contract.
Indeed, so desperate were Juve to get rid of their €60 million (£50m/$67m) signing from Fiorentina in 2020 that they were willing to get rid of him for less than a quarter of that fee. Remarkably, Chiesa had very few suitors – at least among Europe's elite – with many clubs seemingly put off by his recent injury record.
However, with less than 48 hours to go before the close of the summer transfer window, Liverpool have completed the signing of Chiesa for just £10m ($14m). It's a surprising move, and a strange one in some ways, but it could also prove the signing of the season…
The 2023/24 season has been a disappointing campaign for Manchester United. Erik ten Hag’s side currently sit seventh in the Premier League table, 13 points off a top-four spot and having lost 12 games so far.
They also crashed out of the Champions League in the group stages, and the 15 goals they conceded in the competition was the most by a Premier League team in a single campaign in the group stages, as per Opta Joe.
Of course, these numbers are nowhere near good enough for a club of United’s stature, and it has seen manager Ten Hag, who is into his second season at the club, face plenty of criticism. However the club have denied several times that they have been talking to other managers, and it remains unclear at this time as to whether or not they will part ways with Ten Hag this summer.
The finger of blame has been pointed in a few different directions by United fans this season. Aside from the criticism that Ten Hag has faced, United fans have also directed blame at certain players, including Casemiro, who has struggled for form this season, and has looked nothing like his usual self – dubbed a "Soccer Aid" player by pundit Jamie Redknapp.
Naturally, United’s way to fix the problem has been to look into the transfer market, although not just in midfield. They have looked at Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite as the man to sure up the defence, but with a £75m price tag, according to GiveMeSport, the Red Devils may have to find an alternative option, and they have identified one of the best defenders in Serie A as that player.
The man in question here is Juventus centre-back Gleison Bremer, who has recently emerged as United’s ideal alternative target to 21-year-old Branthwaite. According to The Mirror, Bremer has a £43m release clause in his contract, which would save United £32m should they sign the Brazilian over Branthwaite.
27-year-old Brazil international Bremer, who played one minute at Wembley against England last month, has been a key man for the Turin side this season. He has started 32 games in Serie A, playing every minute of each.
According to journalist Rudy Galetti, interest in Bremer from the Old Trafford club “is becoming increasingly insistent”, with Juve targeting Mario Hermoso of Atletico Madrid as a potential replacement should Bremer move to United.
Described by football analyst Ben Mattinson on X as a “monster” at the heart of Juve’s defence, Bremer is certainly one of the most highly-rated centre-backs in Europe. The 27-year-old has helped to keep 15 clean sheets for Juve this season, the joint-third most in Serie A, as per Sofascore. That is almost double the amount Manchester United have managed to keep this season, with eight, according to Sofascore.
The most notable difference between Branthwaite and Bremer is the fact that the Everton man is left-footed, and Juve’s number three is right-footed. However, this is not necessarily a cause for concern for United, who aren’t specifically targeting a left-sided centre-back, and Braithwaite is equally strong on each foot. Indeed, both are capable of playing central centre-back in a back three in possession, which is likely where they would both slot in at United if they joined the club next summer.
Bremer is a very aggressive centre-back, who likes to step up and get close to attackers; he is not afraid to contest duels on the ground or in the air. Branthwaite is a wonderful defender, quick along the ground despite his frame, and superb at defending wide spaces.
Aerially, Bremer ranks highly, according to Fbref. He averages 2.88 aerial duels won per 90 minutes, which ranks him in the top 15% of centre-backs in Serie A. In comparison, Branthwaite averages 2.69 aerial duels won per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, which ranks him in the top 21% of defenders in the competition, as per Fbref.
However, with this in mind, it is worth considering that Brantwahite is quite a bit taller than Bremer, with the former standing at 6 foot 5, and the latter smaller at 6 foot 2.
Another place where Bremer’s numbers stack up favourably against Branthwaite’s is on the ball. Whilst still not elite, the Juve defender averages 3.32 progressive passes per 90 minutes, whereas Branthwaite averages just 2.06 progressive passes per 90.
Take this with a pinch of salt, however, because Branthwaite is playing in an Everton side with far less possession and a different way of playing than Juve. In actual fact, Branthwaite is superb on the ball, despite what the numbers suggest.
Both defenders read the game excellently, and this is reflected in their interception numbers. Branthwaite excels here, with his 1.61 interceptions per 90 minutes ranking him in the top 9% in the Premier League. On the other hand, Bremer makes just 1.22 per 90 minutes, placing him as low as the 65th percentile.
No doubt, signing Bremer could help fix the struggles that Casemiro has faced this season. The Brazilian midfielder has looked like a shadow of his former self – being dribbled past 2.2 times per game in the league – although having Bremer behind him to cover for him if he loses a challenge could well be vital for the 32-year-old veteran.
It is certainly sad to see such a decline, yet bringing in a player like Bremer, who can help in duels and by sweeping up loose balls, might well prove to be helpful to the former Real Madrid man – who has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, as per the Daily Mail.
Should Manchester United deem Branthwaite unattainable this season, Bremer offers a wonderful alternative. He is aggressive and good in the air, although does leave a lot to be desired in possession.
For just £43m, he could be a great choice should the Red Devils wish to strengthen at the back, and provide more support to his compatriot Casemiro ahead of him.
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Sunderland were known to splash the cash on some underwhelming duds when they were still playing their football in the Premier League, overpriced flops who struggled to ever really fit into their new Wearside environment.
Major signings such as Jack Rodwell and Didier Ndong stick out as being spectacular misfires from the Black Cats, with the latter of those two statement purchases still going down as Sunderland's most expensive capture to this date.
Fast forward to the present, flashy purchases are very much resigned to this turbulent part of the club's history that inevitably played a part in their demise all the way down to League One – Mike Dodds' side consisting more of spritely gems such as Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham now, as opposed to risking it all on some wild and rash buys.
Another one of those over-the-top transfers is remembered for being one of the biggest wastes of money in Sunderland's recent history, with the striker in question entering for a bumper £9m fee and frustratingly just drawing blanks instead of showing off his potency.
It's fair to say a lot more was expected of Jozy Altidore when he rocked up to the Stadium of Light 11 years ago than what the Black Cats unfortunately got, arriving in England from the Netherlands with a reputation for being a deadly finisher in the Eredivisie.
Altidore would net 51 goals from 93 games playing for AZ Alkmaar, including a mightily impressive 31 goals from just 38 matches during his final season at AZ before his Sunderland nightmare began.
Strikes such as this one against FC Heerenveen must have had the Wearside outfit licking their lips at the prospect of what they were going to get when Altidore travelled over to England, only for the move to be a disaster from start to finish.
The American centre-forward would end up finding the net a dire three times for the then Premier League Black Cats from 52 games, with remarkably just one of those strikes actually coming in the top-flight.
Altidore would be cursed in front of goal with Hull City at this level even before joining Sunderland, only mustering up a solitary strike for the Tigers too in the Premier League.
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Full Sunderland lineup for Altidore's Premier League debut |
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|---|---|
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Sunderland 0-1 Fulham, August 2013 |
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1. GK – Keiren Westwood |
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2. RB – Ondrej Celustka |
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3 CB – John O'Shea |
|
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4. CB – Valentin Roberge |
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5. LB – Jack Colback |
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6. CM – Sebastian Larsson |
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7. CM – Cabral |
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8. RM – Emmanuele Giaccherini |
|
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9. CAM – Stephane Sessegnon |
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10 – LM – Adam Johnson |
|
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11. ST – Jozy Altidore |
|
|
Sourced by Transfermarkt |
If anything, Sunderland should have done their research better involving this forgettable loan stint before splashing the cash wildly.
One miss during his wretched time at the Stadium of Light saw one-time Black Cats boss Gustavo Poyet describe Altidore as feeling "devastated" by his lack of a cutting edge, with the move undoubtedly going down as a terrible flop.
The move is exposed further as a blunder on Sunderland's end when you look at how much the ex-AZ striker would cost if this deal went through in today's inflated market, with Totally Money's Transfer Index heightening Altidore's Sunderland trauma even more by exposing those details.
If the same ill-fated move went through in 2024, Altidore would have been even more of a costly error on Sunderland's end with the fee – as per Totally Money – coming in at a bumped up £16.4m.
To contextualise, that would result in the 6 foot 1 striker coming in as Sunderland's second most expensive purchase of all time.
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Sunderland's most expensive purchases |
|
|---|---|
|
1. Didier Ndong |
€20m (£17.1m) |
|
2. Asamoah Gyan |
€16m (£13.6m) |
|
3. Steven Fletcher |
€15.2m (£12.9m) |
|
4. Adam Johnson |
€12.6m (£10.7m) |
|
5. Jack Rodwell |
€12.5m (£10.6m) |
|
Sourced by Transfermarkt |
|
Sunderland will sleep a little easier about the high-profile purchase of Asamoah Gyan in contrast to Altidore firing blanks, with the Ghanaian sharp-shooter earning hero status by bagging 11 goals from 37 games for the Wearside outfit.
Altidore would eventually rebuild his reputation and get his bruised career back on track when relocating to Toronto FC after leaving England, setting the MLS alight with goal after goal.
Sunderland will be left scratching their heads at what went wrong for Altidore when donning a Black Cats strip considering he looked unfazed by his Black Cats demons with Toronto, having been seen as a coup under Paolo Di Canio before freezing in his new spotlight.
Altidore would become the goalscoring beast he was in the Netherlands with Toronto, amassing 13 goals from just 25 appearances during his debut MLS season.
In total, Altidore would go on to become a decorated servant for the Canadian club by netting 79 goals from 173 games before walking away in 2021 for a new challenge with New England Revolution.
That move didn't quite go according to plan for the American centre-forward though, with the goal-shy Altidore that ruined his short but ego-crushing time with Sunderland remerging again – only firing in two goals from 30 games.
Now, the well-travelled attacker finds himself without a club at 34 years of age with retirement surely in his immediate plans.
Sunderland will worry that their current crop of centre-forwards are lacking a prolific edge similar to Altidore, with Mason Burstow only managing one goal so far on loan from Chelsea.
Likewise, Nazariy Rusyn has just two goals next to his name which so happens to be the same paltry goal return the American striker managed from two spells in the Premier League.
There is the reassurance that neither of those signings dented the Sunderland bank account like Altidore did however, with the strikers at Dodds' disposal not quite going down as being failures to the same degree as their former misfiring dud just yet.
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Rangers may have just been handed a major boost over the future of their £15m man, it has emerged.
The latest international break has only served to fuel the rumours that Philippe Clement's No 1, Jack Butland, is keen to leave Rangers this summer despite an excellent Scottish Premiership season.
The 31-year-old has been a key part of the meanest defence in Scotland, keeping 17 clean sheets and conceding just 16 times since his arrival on a free transfer in the summer.
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However, his form was not rewarded by England boss Gareth Southgate, who overlooked the ex-Crystal Palace and Manchester United shot-stopper in his latest Three Lions squad for the friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.
It led to reports that Butland was considering his options already amid Premier League interest, with the idea that a return to England may lead to greater exposure and therefore a return to the England squad.
For their part, Rangers are not set to deny Butland a move should he choose to, but will demand a massive £15m to let him leave the club this summer – something that would come close to a record sale for the Ibrox side.
|
Rangers record sales |
|||
|
Player |
Club joined |
Year |
Fee |
|
Calvin Bassey |
Ajax |
2022 |
£20m |
|
Nathan Patterson |
Everton |
2021 |
£12m |
|
Giovanni van Bronckhorst |
Arsenal |
2001 |
£11.5m |
|
Alan Hutton |
Tottenham |
2007 |
£11m |
Now though, they may not have to sanction a departure after all, with the latest reports offering hope for the Rangers no.1 to stay at Ibrox.
It has emerged that Butland may not have to leave Scotland to be in with a chance of making the Three Lions squad in the near future, with Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge claiming that he was "extremely unlucky" not to make the most recent squad.
"I was told that he was extremely unlucky not to make this England squad. There was a lot of deliberating over whether him or Aaron Ramsdale should have taken that third spot," he told GiveMeSport.
"That tells me two things – he is doing ever so well this season, and you can get in the England squad by playing in Scotland, which is a huge plus for Rangers. I actually put him in my England squad on Sky Sports News," Bridge added.
Should that message have been communicated to Butland himself, it may persuade him to remain at Rangers beyond this summer despite interest from elsewhere, knowing that should he continue to perform to the high standards he has managed thus far at Ibrox, he will not be discounted.
Of course, this summer's Euro 2024 tournament could prove pivotal. Though Jordan Pickford is England's firm No 1, there are no obvious backup goalkeepers at present, with Ramsdale not playing for Arsenal and Sam Johnstone set to miss the competition in Germany after an elbow injury on international duty with the Three Lions. Meanwhile, England youth goalkeeper James Trafford has lost his spot as Burnley's No 1 goalkeeper in recent weeks and may fall out of contention as a result.
This predicament could present Butland with the opportunity that he has craved to return to Gareth Southgate's setup, all while still playing for Rangers.