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Rangers may have just been handed a major boost over the future of their £15m man, it has emerged.

Key man wants out

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.

Club green light offer to sign Rangers star Clement is trying to keep

The Ibrox side could be handed a big blow in their efforts to keep a senior player.

By
Ben Browning

Mar 28, 2024

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.

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.

Butland boost for Rangers

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.

Former Barcelona striker Martin Braithwaite is reportedly looking to buy Espanyol, weeks after leaving the La Liga side.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Braithwaite wants to buy Espanyol
• Left the La Liga side this summer
• Unhappy with his treatment at the club

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The former Barcelona and Middlesbrough striker joined Espanyol in the summer of 2022 following the expiry of his contract with the Blaugrana side. The Danish forward helped Los Periquitos gain promotion to La Liga with 22 goals in 33 league appearances. However, the 33-year-old left the Barcelona-based club and is now planning to buy out the club due to his unhappiness with his treatment over the last two years.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While Braithwaite was never one of the best footballers in the world, he has been featured by Forbes regularly as one of the richest footballers in the world as he owns a real estate business, a restaurant and a clothing line. The £617,000 that Braithwaite and his brother Philip Michael put in NYCE Companies in the US is now reportedly valued at an astounding £180 million and his next goal, according to Spanish publication Marca, is to become Espanyol's largest shareholder.

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT BRAITHWAITE SAID

  Following Espanyol's promotion to La Liga in May, Braithwaite was very openly critical of the board and their handling of his contract situation in the summer of 2023. He said: "Now we have to enjoy it and see what happens in the future.

  "I don't know anything, I'll talk about it in the next few days. A year ago the club offered me a renewal, but it was disrespectful. Let's see if they want me to stay here because the offer I received a year ago shows that they don't trust me."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR BRAITHWAITE?

  The Danish striker has now joined Brazilian Serie A side Gremio and will look to buy the majority shares in Espanyol as a sort of payback for his ill-treatment. Braithwaite is yet to make his debut for Gremio as he enjoys his vacation having followed the European calendar the season prior. However, he will likely soon join the Brazilian side or training before making his debut.

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in a deal to bring Anthony Gordon to north London this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sunday Mirror (via the Evening Standard), who claim that, following Tottenham’s recent links with a move for the Everton forward, Fabio Paratici is now plotting a fresh approach for the 21-year-old after completing the £60m signing of Richarlison.

The report goes on to state that, with the Toffees set to owe Spurs £10m upon Dele Alli playing 20 fixtures for Frank Lampard’s side, the Italian sporting director is now willing to waive this fee, in addition to paying an extra £20m, in order to get a deal for the England U21 international over the line.

Mount 2.0

Considering just how exciting a prospect Gordon undoubtedly is, it is not difficult to understand why Paratici appears so keen on a deal to bring the forward to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

Indeed, the £26m-rated talent enjoyed a stellar breakthrough campaign for the Toffees last season, scoring four goals, registering two assists and creating four big chances for his teammates over 35 Premier League appearances, in addition to taking an average of 1.3 shots, making 1.0 key passes and completing 1.1 dribbles per game.

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Furthermore, the FBref ranking the 21-year-old in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s big five leagues for blocks per 90, as well as the top 4% for tackles, the top 6% for pressures and the top 15% for interceptions over the last 365 days.

These returns saw the £10k-per-week forward who David Unsworth dubbed “unbelievable” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.89, ranking him as Lampard’s sixth-best outfielder last time out – a quite incredible feat considering Everton’s struggles in the top flight.

As such, considering his talent in the final third, his extremely impressive positional versatility and his tireless work rate in helping his teammates out defensively, it is easy to see why Lampard compared the England youth international to Mason Mount – the 23-year-old attacking midfielder who has scored 30 goals and registered 31 assists over his 159 appearances for Chelsea.

And, while it would be insincere to suggest that Gordon is currently at the same level as the 31-cap England international, should the Everton youngster continue his remarkable development following a summer switch to Spurs, Paratici could well have unearthed a future Mount in the Scouse sensation – a very exciting thought indeed.

AND in other news: Paratici given green light for “outstanding” £52m Spurs signing, he’s a Romero clone

Leeds United journalist Graham Smyth has dropped an update on the club’s reported interest in Red Bull Salzburg’s Mo Camara. 

The lowdown

The 22-year-old’s agent told LUFCFANZONE last week that the Whites have been ‘in direct contact’ with Salzburg over the Malian and ‘like the player’s profile’. However, he said that they had not yet made an offer for the midfielder, instead merely demonstrating ‘their interest’.

Leeds have already picked up two players from the Austrian Bundesliga champions this summer, completing deals for attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson and right-back Rasmus Kristensen. Current Whites manager Jesse Marsch was, of course, in charge at the Red Bull Arena between 2019 and 2021.

Camara operated almost exclusively as a defensive midfielder last season, but he also has extensive experience in a more advanced role.

Meanwhile, Leeds look set to lose Kalvin Phillips after an initial £42m bid from Manchester City was accepted.

The latest

Sharing a corresponding article he penned for the Yorkshire Evening Post, Smyth tweeted that Camara has been identified ‘as one of a trio of potential Kalvin Phillips replacements’.

According to the report, RB Leipzig’s Tyler Adams is also under consideration too, while Leeds’ director of football Victor Orta admires Camara, for whom a move this summer ‘cannot be ruled out’.

However, the Salzburg player is ‘thought’ to be one of the ‘pricier’ options, while it’s unclear at this stage how much the Whites are willing or able to spend.

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The verdict

Is Camara – valued at £24.3m by Transfermarkt – worth purchasing for Leeds?

He may be playing in a league currently ranked eighth on UEFA’s association club coefficient, but as per football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the ‘midfield general’ showed that he could hold his own against elite opposition with a ‘huge’ performance against Bayern Munich in the Champions League round of 16 earlier this year.

In fact, Kulig has even put Camara forward as a potential heir to Barcelona veteran Sergio Busquets – a ringing endorsement considering the Spaniard’s glittering CV.

Leeds may yet be tempted to do whatever is required to sign a player who journalist Ben Bocsak dubbed a ‘brilliant holding midfielder’.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has ‘confirmed’ Leeds United’s interest in RB Leipzig midfielder Tyler Adams.

The Lowdown: Adams profiled

Adams is primarily a defensive midfielder who can also turn out as a right-back or right midfielder. The 23-year-old has made 71 appearances under Jesse Marsch for New York Red Bulls and RB Leipzig, scoring three times and registering seven assists.

A third reunion with Marsch at Elland Road could now be on the cards, with the Leeds boss already bringing in players he knows well in RB Salzburg duo Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen.

The Latest: Leeds keen

Plettenberg took to Twitter on Monday evening to ‘confirm’ some ‘news’ regarding Adams.

He revealed that the 23-year-old is ‘on the shortlist’ at Elland Road with Leipzig keen to sell the midfielder this summer and Leeds ‘considering the situation’.

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The Verdict: Phillips replacement

Kalvin Phillips has been heavily linked with Manchester City this summer, and if the Leeds man does move to the Etihad, a new midfielder will be required in Yorkshire.

Adams, labelled as a ‘special talent’ by Marsch himself, could well be that man following the update from Plettenberg. He’s made the majority of his senior appearances as a holding midfielder and has now racked up over 100 games for the Bundesliga side.

A move to the Premier League champions for Phillips may need to go through first before the Whites go after Adams, so this could be one to watch closely if that deal gathers pace.

In other news: Orta now working on signing 31-goal striker for free; famous Leeds fan may help Elland Road move. 

Nottingham Forest are looking to strengthen their team to prepare for their return to the Premier League, but there has been a new update that could cause a setback for Steve Cooper.

What’s the latest?

According to Football Insider, Ligue One side Nantes have submitted a bid for Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba with all parties now in talks over a solution to his future.

As per the report, Samba rejected an offer for a new contract at the club and a recruitment source has told the publication that the French club are looking for a way to exploit his current situation by tempting him with a move back to France.

Bad news for Cooper

The latest news of Samba’s potential exit from the club will surely leave Steve Cooper scrambling for potential transfer options that can come in and take the place of the ‘keeper should he leave this summer.

Nottingham Forest have been linked with signing Nick Pope from recently relegated side Burnley but will need to compete with Fulham and West Ham United who are both reportedly interested in securing the stopper’s signature this summer.

Cooper’s side conceded the second-fewest number of goals in the 2021/22 season (40) only one goal more than automatically promoted Bournemouth (39) which is a great achievement and a reflection of how solid Samba has been in goal for the club during their promotion challenge.

The 28-year-old kept the sixth most clean sheets in the Championship with 14 in 40 appearances, but his most notable performance came in the play-off semi-final penalty shoot-out when the incredible keeper saved three Sheffield United penalties to send his team to the final and earned Man of the Match.

With that being said, Cooper and the powers at Forest will now need to step up their interest in Pope and focus on identifying a new keeper to join the Midlands club this summer, as they could run the risk of weakening their squad should Samba leave 12 months sooner than his contract expiration.

AND in other news: NFFC plot bid to sign “majestic” £15m dynamo, he can be their own “swashbuckling” gem

Liverpool have completed the signing of Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez and now will reportedly move their focus to signing a midfielder this summer.

The Merseyside club have already missed out on a potential target in Aurelien Tchouameni who had agreed personal terms with both Liverpool and Real Madrid, but ultimately completed a move to the Champions League winners last week, so now FSG will need to take a closer look at their other targets.

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One player who has been consistently linked with a move to Anfield is Barcelona youngster Gavi who has been causing a stir with his impressive La Liga performances this season. As a result, Liverpool are thought to be willing to pay his asking price.

The 17-year-old midfielder who was dubbed an “erupting volcano” by Spain national team coach Luis Enrique scored two goals and delivered five assists in his 34 league appearances for Barcelona, however, it’s not just goal contributions that have captured the attention of the world.

Gavi created eight big chances, made 1.1 tackles and won 5.2 duels on average per game, as well as completing the majority of his dribble attempts successfully (62%) and provided an 89% pass accuracy overall in La Liga last term.

The Spanish teenager has failed to reach an agreement with his current club to extend his stay at Camp Nou and secure his future in Xavi’s side despite their desperate attempts to keep hold of him, which has prompted both Liverpool and Manchester City to pursue the player.

It has most recently been reported that as a result of cash-strapped Barcelona’s contract offers being refused so far by Gavi, they have now at the very least doubled his release clause so that the two Premier League giants cannot take the player for the original €50m (£43m) release clause, which now sits at €100m (£86m).

Liverpool have also been linked with a move for Jude Bellingham, but Borussia Dortmund are reportedly unwilling to sell the player during the current transfer window due to Erling Haaland’s move to Manchester City, but Klopp could unearth his own Bellingham with the signing of Gavi this summer.

According to FB Ref, Bellingham is listed in the top ten comparable players to the young Barcelona midfielder, with the Bundesliga star outperforming Gavi on all fronts but by very close margins proving that the Spaniard could easily develop with more experience and a coach who can get the best from him.

With that being said, FSG could either risk it by holding out another year for their marquee midfielder signing or they can get ahead of their plans to land Bellingham by signing Gavi this summer and securing his future 12 months before the Dortmund midfielder will even be available for negotiations.

AND in other news: Bid made: FSG now in LFC talks to land “world class” £60m “storm”, imagine him & Nunez

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s interest in Ismaila Sarr heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that the Magpies are eyeing a potential swoop for the Watford attacker, with Crystal Palace also considering a deal for the relegated winger.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “They (Palace) just won’t want to get into a price battle with Newcastle, who have got some interest in him.

“It’s not major interest right now, but they’re definitely looking at the situation, as they see him as a game-changer and somebody that’s probably a step-up from Saint-Maximin.”

Supporters will be delighted

The supporters will surely be delighted by this claim as Sarr has the potential to be an excellent, exciting, addition to the team next season.

He has managed ten goals and six assists in two Premier League campaigns since making the move to England from France in the summer of 2019.

In between those two seasons, he caught the eye playing in the Championship as he scored 13 goals and provided four assists in their promotion success. This shows that he has the ability to score goals on a regular basis, with glimpses of that also coming through in the top-flight.

At the age of 24, he still has plenty of time left on his hands to develop as a winger. He is far from the finished article and having two full seasons of Premier League football will be useful experience for him moving forward, as he now knows what it takes to compete at this level.

The Senegal international was relegated in both of those campaigns and this means that he was playing in a team that was not good enough to stay in the division both times. Now, imagine what he could do if he was playing for Newcastle in a team that is looking to finish in the top half of the table instead of just avoiding the bottom three.

Sarr is a player the club invest in for the future as well as the here and now. Eddie Howe can work with him on the training pitch to help him fulfil his potential and become a crucial player for the Magpies in the years to come.

Fans will surely be keen to see young, exciting, players developing alongside the club and that is why they will be delighted with the interest in signing the Hornets attacker.

AND in other news, “Newcastle asked..”: Reporter delivers big transfer claim that’ll leave Howe excited…

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has been left impressed following the appointment of Dan Ashworth as Newcastle United’s new sporting director.

The Lowdown: Ashworth joins Newcastle

Newcastle have now announced the appointment of highly rated Dan Ashworth as the club’s new sporting director, after the 51-year-old resigned from his technical director role at Brighton back in February.

Ashworth joined the south-coast club in 2018 after a successful stint as the Football Association’s technical director, where he led various England age groups to international triumph with wins at three tournaments in 2017.

Since arriving at Brighton, the former FA man has helped establish Graham Potter’s side as a mainstay club in the Premier League.

The Latest: Downie’s verdict

Taking to Twitter, Downie shared the news of Ashworth joining Newcastle, and the Sky Sports reporter gave his verdict on the appointment, claiming:

“Feels like Dan Ashworth is as good an appointment as Newcastle could make for their Sporting Director role. Time will tell, but going by his past work this feels like a bold & clever piece of business. Also been a while since I wrote/said “with immediate effect.” #NUFC”

The Verdict: Great appointment

According to The Guardian, Amanda Staveley’s PIF-backed consortium identified Ashworth as a key figure when they completed their takeover last October.

They report that negotiations took place amid claims that Brighton wanted £5m in compensation to release him from his contractual obligations, and now a deal has been struck.

With the perseverance and money involved for Newcastle to get their man, this is clearly a great appointment for the North East club, who is highly rated due to his impressive CV in the sport.

As a result, Newcastle will now be able to start making moves in the transfer market with their focus set on next season’s competition.

In other news: Newcastle United: Magpies target Hugo Ekitike ‘told’ he can leave Reims

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has worked with many top-level players throughout his glistening managerial career who have equally won numerous trophies and awards.

The one figure that has played more games under the 51-year-old than any other player he’s managed is Raheem Sterling, who has featured 292 times under the current City boss.

City signed the winger from fellow Premier League club Liverpool back in 2015 in a deal worth a reported fee of £49m.

Since then, the England international has gone on to make a total of 339 appearances for the Manchester club across all competitions.

In those appearances, the 27-year-old has scored 131 goals, delivered 95 assists and won several domestic trophies in the process.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Sterling will decide in June whether he wants to put pen to paper on a new deal with the Citizens before his current contract runs out in the summer of 2023.

Should the former Liverpool star decide to bring his time with City to an end, the Premier League champions may have already identified who they could bring in as a suitable heir for their current winger.

It was also reported earlier this year that City are one of the potential suitors for Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka should he find himself leaving the north London club in the near future.

With 23 goals and 29 assists under his belt in 131 senior appearances for the Gunners, the 20-year-old certainly knows how to score and create goals for his side in the same way that Sterling has been doing at City for seven years.

This season saw the youngster end the Premier League campaign with more goal contributions than any of his Arsenal teammates as well as a higher overall performance rating than any other player in Mikel Arteta’s squad according to WhoScored.

This highlights just how capable he is of playing in the top division at a high level.

Labelled as an “outrageously talented” player by Gary Lineker, Saka currently has a market value of £102m according to CIES, which suggests that it may not be cheap for City to pluck him out of Arsenal this summer.

However, should the Citizens find themselves waving goodbye to Sterling or if he plans to run his contract down, securing Saka’s signature may end up being worth the potential significant investment and give Guardiola his dream heir for the current City attacker.

In other news: Man City eyeing “unbelievable” £45m gem who’s “one of the best”, Pep would love him