RCB are already in the IPL 2025 playoffs but will be without Lungi Ngidi for their final group game, and are also missing pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood
ESPNcricinfo staff19-May-2025Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have brought in Blessing Muzarabani, the Zimbabwe fast-bowling spearhead, as temporary replacement for Lungi Ngidi, who will leave to join South Africa for their preparations ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The replacement will be effective from May 26, the day before RCB’s last league-phase game, against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) away in Lucknow.An IPL statement said that Muzarabani would be joining RCB for INR 75 lakh.Muzarabani is in Zimbabwe’s squad for their four-day Test against England at Trent Bridge from May 22 to 25 and will link up with RCB after that game. Zimbabwe have another game lined up from June 3 – the day of the IPL 2025 final – in Arundel against the South Africans, which will act as a warm-up game for South Africa ahead of the WTC final.Related
Hazlewood expected to return to IPL for playoffs
Seifert named as Bethell's temporary replacement at RCB
Blessing Muzarabani: '100 Test wickets would be really special'
From poverty to plenty: 2025 is a bumper Test year for Zimbabwe like none before
GT, RCB and PBKS book their places in IPL 2025 playoffs
Eight South Africa players – Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans), Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants), Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings), Tristan Stubbs (Delhi Capitals), Wiaan Mulder (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch (Mumbai Indians) and Ngidi were in any case set to leave for the United Kingdom on May 30, with CSA confirming that they would not be able to complete their IPL commitments following the rescheduling in the wake of the border tensions between India and Pakistan.RCB are currently without Josh Hazlewood, their highest wicket-taker this season, who is nursing a shoulder injury, but have the rest of their overseas contingent back after the break. Of them, Jacob Bethell would also be leaving for the ODI series against West Indies ahead of RCB’s penultimate league fixture.RCB became one of the three teams to qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs on Sunday night after Gujarat Titans (GT) beat Delhi Capitals (DC). They are currently at No. 2 on the points table with 17 points – eight wins and a no-result from 12 games – and have matches left against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at home in Bengaluru on Friday and then against LSG.Muzarabani has never played an IPL game but has been a net bowler at LSG in the past. RCB’s current head coach Andy Flower was in the LSG backroom at the time. The two have also been together at Multan Sultans in the PSL and at Gulf Giants in the ILT20. Muzarabani has been one of Zimbabwe’s star performers in Test cricket in recent months, with 26 wickets in his last four Tests, including a nine-wicket match haul in Zimbabwe’s win over Bangladesh in the Sylhet Test in April.
Rangers have endured a torrid time under new manager Russell Martin this season, and with a crunch Old Firm clash against Celtic on the horizon, things are already looking pear-shaped.
The Gers suffered a humiliating exit from the Champions League after being battered 9-1 on aggregate by Belgian side Club Brugge, adding to the pressure Martin is increasingly under amid a tough start to life in Glasgow.
Overall, Martin has won three, drawn four and lost three of his ten matches in charge since joining from Southampton in the summer, with the Teddy Bears shockingly yet to win a single Scottish Premiership game this season.
It quite simply isn’t good enough, and barring a dramatic turnaround, Ibrox chiefs and the 49ers may have to admit they made a mistake by appointing Martin – even if it is still very early days.
Rangers tipped to make "box-office" hire to replace Russell Martin
Speaking to The Mail, finance expert Andy Mason, who helped to broker the deal which saw Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises take over the club earlier this summer, has told Rangers to make a blockbuster hire – explaining why Martin may not be the right fit after all.
Mason went on to suggest who he believes is the perfect candidate to step into Martin’s shoes – now-former Fenerbahçe boss José Mourinho.
The ‘special one’ was unceremoniously sacked after failing to qualify for the Champions League via qualifiers, and he’s readily available for the Glaswegians to poach.
Of his ludicrously long list of honours, Mourinho boasts four ‘World’s Best Coach’ awards, three Premier League titles, two Champions League winners’ medals (with tournament underdogs) and has got his hands on a trophy at almost every club he’s been to (bar Tottenham and Fenerbache).
The 62-year-old doesn’t have long left in the beautiful game, so why not add a Scottish Premiership to his already-illustrious CV?
Rangers were advised on Sean Dyche before electing to hire Martin, but Mourinho would be a major coup.
This Saturday, Spurs will have initially hoped to have paraded a certain England international by the name of Eberechi Eze around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Alas, the boyhood Gooner decided that Arsenal was for him and after the setback of Morgan Gibbs-White a few months earlier, Thomas Frank and Co were back to the drawing board once again.
They ultimately decided on Xavi Simons. The Netherlands international moves to north London from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £51m.
RB Leipzig'sXaviSimonsreacts after the match
It was a risky play from Daniel Levy, largely because for a long time it looked as though Chelsea would bring him to Stamford Bridge. For once, however, Spurs got their man.
The task now is to bolster the forward line further.
What to expect from Spurs on transfer deadline day
With the arrival of Simons, it remains to be seen whether Spurs look at strengthening Frank’s options further.
They will certainly try to do so and have a number of attackers lined up already. Lucas Paqueta of West Ham has been mooted as a target but now appears to be on his way to Aston Villa instead.
Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman is another player Levy and the recruitment team could explore. The Nigerian has been pushing for an exit all summer long and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he finally got his move on deadline day.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
There’s also the curious case of Morgan Rogers. Last week it was reported that Spurs had held exploratory talks over bringing the England international to north London. Yet, with a price tag of £80m, it’s an incredibly unlikely deal, particularly this late in the window.
Still, according to TEAMtalk, the ‘dream option for Spurs’ if they fail to secure summer target, Savinho, is indeed Rogers.
Villa have given the Lilywhites no indication that they are willing to sell but Spurs have been exploring the deal since Thursday.
How Morgan Rogers compares to Xavi Simons
After James Maddison suffered a horrendous ACL injury in pre-season, Frank knew he needed to add a new number 10, someone capable of scoring and creating in equal measure.
Maddison may not have been at his best last term but he did still find the net on 12 occasions, registering a further 11 assists in all competitions. Spurs needed someone capable of replacing that output and Simons certainly ticks a lot of boxes.
The 22-year-old scored 11 goals and supplied eight assists in 2024/25, nearly matching the output of Maddison.
Well, in Rogers, they’d secure a player capable of being elevated by Simons. In short, they’d be truly game-changing together.
Since leaving Middlesbrough behind for Aston Villa in January of 2024, the former Manchester City youth gem has been a revelation in the Midlands.
Morgan Rogers
Last season, Rogers scored a Champions League hat-trick, earned his England debut and racked up a whole host of goal involvements.
It was a stunning 2024/25 campaign for the 23-year-old who bagged 14 goals and supplied 16 assists in all competitions. So, based on raw output, he’s an upgrade on the talented Simons but just imagine the thought of those two playing together. Frank’s attack becomes infinitely better overnight.
Rogers vs Simons – 24/25 League
Stat (per 90 mins)
Rogers
Simons
Goals
0.23
0.42
Assists
0.29
0.25
Key passes
1.47
2.13
Progressive passes
3.55
5.86
Progressive carries
3.29
3.56
Attempted take-ons
4.62
4.18
Successful take-ons
1.91
1.38
Successful take-on %
41.3%
33.%
Data via FBRef.
Analysing the numbers further, we get a sense for the main similarities and differences between the two players.
Simons certainly looks a bit more creative, registering more progressive passes and managing more key passes throughout the 2024/25 campaign. Thus, he’d be a fabulous supply line for Rogers who could play on the left wing next to the Dutchman.
They’d bounce off each other tremendously well, considering when it comes to dribbling and beating a player, Rogers is your man. He’s elite at taking players on and that’s rubberstamped by the fact that he completes over 40% of the dribbles he attempts.
Combine that with the ability to score goals and you certainly have one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe right here. It’s hardly a surprise that Villa presenter Kate Tracey has described him as a “superstar”.
Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers
That’s exactly what he is and if Villa could land a sensational coup in the remaining hours of the window, it would send out a huge message to their Premier League rivals. Just imagine Rogers and Simons in the same side. It’s a scary thought.
Better signing than Akanji: Spurs make late approach for "incredible" star
Tottenham Hotspur’s business shows no signs of slowing down before Monday’s transfer deadline.
Jack Clayton made 133 not out to help Queensland post 307 for 5 after being sent in
AAP08-Feb-2025Jack Clayton’s resolute, unbeaten century for Queensland kept returning New South Wales prodigy Sam Konstas waiting for his first Gabba innings.Queensland No. 3 Clayton was unbeaten on 133 after day one as the Sheffield Shield returned in Brisbane on Saturday, the hosts 307 for 5 after being sent in by the Blues.The left-hander’s fourth first class century was a valuable one, Clayton leading the recovery after they had slipped to 45 for 3 in the first session.He enjoyed some luck after being pinned on the back by a bouncer with his first delivery, dropped at first slip on 98 and then scampering through for a risky single to bring up triple figures.Lachlan Hearne (63) was the more fluent of the pair earlier in the day before Clayton expanded with a series of confident straight and off drives.Jimmy Peirson (36) helped push the total towards 300 before returning allrounder Michael Neser and Clayton got the hosts to stumps.”Nice to get the team in a decent position [on] day one,” Clayton said. “Getting sent in to bat, we want to try and get a big total on the board and drive the game.”It’s really satisfying and it’s been a bit frustrating the first part of the season … some 80s and 90s and a lot of starts. To capitalise and with a bit of luck in there was really nice.”It means young gun Konstas will be made to wait for his first Gabba innings after he was replaced at the top of the Australian order by Travis Head in Sri Lanka and sent home to gain experience on the seam-friendly Brisbane surface.Debutants Hanno Jacobs (2-75) and Ross Pawson (1-64) both had early joy, the latter dismissing Matt Renshaw when the left-hander skied an attempted pull shot to cut short a confident start.Jacobs then had Angus Lovell and Ben McDermott’s scalps in quick succession before the rearguard began.
Celtic still have plenty of time left to dip into the market to improve their squad for the 2024/26 campaign before the summer transfer window closes at the start of next month.
Brendan Rodgers has made no secret of his desire to add more quality to his options across the park in the coming weeks, particularly in the attacking areas of the pitch.
Speaking earlier this month, the Northern Irish head coach said: “The squad will hopefully look again different come the end of the window.
“I think it’s very clear. We need to improve in the front end of the pitch. The attacking department has always, and always will be, the strengths of my teams. We’ve lost important players in that area, and we need to replace players in that area.”
As you can see in the post above, Rodgers confirmed back in May that Portuguese winger Jota is set to be out of action for up to nine months with a knee injury.
This means that Celtic supporters may not see the former Benfica starlet out on the pitch in green and white again until January or February of next year.
Why Celtic need to replace Jota
The Scottish Premiership champions need to sign another left-sided attacker before the window slams shut to ‘replace’ Jota, because he could be out for more than half of the season.
Celtic’s rather drab 1-0 win over St Mirren, decided by a deflected strike from Luke McCowan, highlighted the need for attacking reinforcements to come through the door in the weeks to come.
Rodgers would surely have loved to have had Jota available to bring off the bench, or start, to add some attacking quality in the final third, after the winger delivered four goals and two assists in seven league starts in the second half of last season.
24/25 Premiership
Jota (per 90)
Percentile rank vs wingers
Goals
0.63
Top 6%
xG
0.48
Top 8%
Assists
0.32
Top 17%
xA
0.37
Top 8%
Chances created
1.89
Top 25%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, Jota hit the ground running in the Premiership after his return to Glasgow from Rennes in January, ranking highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals from the left flank.
The Portuguese star is a winger who has the ability to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis, which is why his injury came as such a big blow for the Hoops and Rodgers, and why he has to be replaced.
Daizen Maeda is currently the only fit and available senior left winger in the first-team squad, and James Forrest, 34, was the only winger of any description on the bench at all against St Mirren.
This is why the Hoops must dip into the market to sign a player who can fill the gap left by Jota’s injury, to ensure that Rodgers is not left without adequate resources out wide until next year.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
TEAMtalk recently reported that Brondby winger Clement Bischoff has emerged as a key target for Celtic, as they plan to bring in two more wingers before the end of the window.
The outlet claimed that the Danish youngster is available for a fee of around £6.3m, but that they could also face competition from Sunderland and Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
Why Celtic should sign Clement Bischoff
Celtic should push to win the race for the 19-year-old talent’s signature this summer because they could finally replace the injured Jota by bringing him to Parkhead.
Bischoff could be the perfect signing to fill the specific need of this signing. He is a young player who may not expect to start every single game straight away, at the age of 19, which means that Jota’s return from injury may not cause problems in the squad.
Whereas, having Jota, Maeda, and another senior left-sided attacker who wants to start every week could cause problems and leave Rodgers in a difficult situation.
This means that Bischoff could fit the bill perfectly by coming in to play important minutes in the first half of the season, before moving to more of a back-up role when the Portuguese forward is back, learning from him to aid his own development.
The teenage whiz, who was described as a “flamboyant” and “technical dribbler” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has also shown enough quality in his time with Brondby to suggest that he can provide quality to Celtic straight away.
Extraordinarily, Bischoff has already created 24 chances and five ‘big chances’ in six games in all competitions in the 2025/26 campaign for the Danish side, playing on the left of a front three.
24/25 Superliga
Clement Bischoff
Appearances
29
Goals
2
Big chances created
9
Key passes per game
1.5
Assists
3
Dribbles completed per game
1.6
Dribble success rate
52%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the teenager only managed two goals and three assists at league level for Brondby last season, but all of his starts came as a left wing-back.
The Danish side have utilised him as a winger, instead of as a wing-back, at the start of this season and he has already produced one goal and one assist in three Superliga games.
Celtic manager BrendanRodgersbefore the match
This shows that he can provide more quality offensively when used on the wing, but it also shows that he is a versatile player who could be used in other positions down the left by Rodgers when needed.
Therefore, Bischoff could be a brilliant addition to the Celtic squad as a quality and versatile young player who could make an instant impact, whilst also having the potential to complement Jota when he is back fit and available.
Celtic could unlock Idah's full potential with swoop for "exciting" £5m gem
Celtic could help to unlock Adam Idah’s full potential by signing this reported transfer target.
Will he, won’t he? That is the question dominating those of a Liverpool persuasion, with it likely to prove an anxious few weeks amid the wait to see if Alexander Isak will make the jump to Anfield this summer.
Rival supporters are raising their eyebrows at such interest in the Newcastle United man, not least considering the £256m that has been spent so far, albeit with prior claims indicating that Arne Slot’s side could fork out for him and still be in the clear, considering how well the club has been run.
Having waited patiently amid a muted 2024 summer window, the Reds have sprung into action this time around, lasering in on Isak to solve their centre-forward woes, with the hapless Darwin Nunez seemingly heading for the exit.
The Uruguayan scored just seven times in all competitions last season, having been given the cold shoulder by Slot, while stand-in false nine Luiz Diaz has since secured his own departure, after joining Bayern Munich on a £65.5m deal.
That latter move has also heightened the need for competition for Cody Gakpo on the left flank, with recent reports indicating that the Merseysiders may well be looking toward a Premier League solution to bolster their attacking ranks.
Liverpool enter race for another Premier League addition
Isak remains priority number one right now, with reports suggesting that Liverpool are ready to lodge a bid of around £130m, following the bombshell news last week that the Swede had informed Newcastle of his desire to leave.
Isak
Despite rival interest from Saudi Arabia, the 25-year-old appears to have his heart set on making the move to Anfield, with the Magpies said to be lining up RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko as his replacement.
Away from solely focusing in on Isak, however, Caught Offside have suggested that the Premier League champions have also entered the race for Crystal Palace playmaker, Eberechi Eze.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
As per the report, while it is Arsenal who lead the race for the England international, they are facing ‘stiff competition’ from the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and now Liverpool, with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur also in the mix.
The 27-year-old is being lined up as a potential replacement for the outgoing Diaz, according to the piece, with the player’s £68m release clause likely to be an attractive prospect for any interested suitor.
Why Eze could be another Isak level signing
The beauty of signing a player like Isak is the fact that he has already proven himself in the Premier League, having scored 54 goals in just 86 appearances in the competition, following his arrival in the summer of 2022.
In that same time frame, Nunez – for example – has played 95 times in England’s top-flight, albeit while netting just 25 times, highlighting the significant upgrade that the Newcastle man would represent.
A terror for Premier League defences, Isak has already been described by Virgil van Dijk as “definitely the most in-form striker at the moment in world football”, with that glowing praise coming prior to the striker’s clincher in the Carabao Cup final triumph in March.
Such Wembley heroics are also familiar to that man Eze, with the former Queens Park Rangers starlet having scored the only goal as Palace saw off Manchester City in the FA Cup final just a few months later.
That crucial strike marked the versatile forward’s 14th goal of the campaign in all competitions, having also chipped in with a further 11 assists amid his role in a left-sided number ten berth.
Arsenal
7
1
0
Chelsea
9
1
1
Liverpool
7
1
1
Manchester City
9
2
1
Manchester United
11
0
0
Spurs
7
3
1
Total
50
8
4
Like Isak, the fleet-footed “magician” – as hailed by The Telegraph’s Sam Dean – has seemingly reached talismanic status at his current side, with now the perfect time for him to take that next step to a club operating at the summit of the European and English game.
Like Isak too, Eze has also showcased what he can do at Premier League level on a consistent basis, having registered 57 goals and assists in 146 games in the competition to date, 16 of which came in 2024/25.
Eze vs Wirtz
Of course, there is undoubted excitement over deals for the likes of Jeremie Frimpong, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, although quite how that trio will fare in English football remains to be seen.
In Eze – the man who scored at Anfield in Palace’s 1-0 win back in April 2024 – there would be no such need for concern or questioning. This is a player who can immediately make an impression on Slot’s starting lineup.
With Isak leading the line, and the Englishman operating off the left flank, the Merseysiders could have a new deadly combination to unleash next season.
The new Salah: Liverpool agree personal terms to sign "world-class" star
Liverpool are preparing to sign a new forward as Luis Diaz leaves for Bayern Munich.
Fast bowler set to depart Trent Bridge having played a role in six title-winning campaigns
ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2024
Luke Fletcher was a stalwart at Notts for 17 seasons•Getty Images
Luke Fletcher, Nottinghamshire’s veteran seam bowler, is to leave the club at the end of the 2024 season after a 17-year career at Trent Bridge.Fletcher, who turns 36 on Wednesday, has taken 442 first-class wickets since making his Nottinghamshire debut in 2008, as well as 93 List A, and 108 T20 wickets. After working his way through the age-group system at Trent Bridge, he was released back to club cricket at Papplewick and Linby – and even worked on the gates at the club – before earning a consistent starting spot in 2009.He became a cult hero at Trent Bridge for his wholehearted approach to the game, and played a role in six title-winning campaigns, including their County Championship triumph in 2010 and two T20 Blast titles in 2017 and 2020.”For a local lad to represent this club is an honour, and I never could have expected the career I’ve had,” Fletcher said. “My overwhelming feeling now is how grateful I am for all the years I’ve spent with Notts and the memories I have made along the way.”A place is only as good as the people within it, and I’ve had the pleasure of sharing a dressing room with so many great people, and creating relationships that I will cherish forever.”But it’s also everyone around the club – from the ticket office to the chefs, community teams, ground staff, dressing room attendants and so many more. I’ve been here for such a long time and it has all meant a great deal to me.”Whilst I am sad that my time at the club is done, I couldn’t be happier with everything I have achieved. Trent Bridge feels like home, it always has done, and it always will do.”Fletcher’s finest year at the club came in 2021, when he was named PCA County Championship Player of the Year after taking 66 wickets at an average of 14.9. That came four years after a career-threatening injury in 2017, when he was struck on the head by a Sam Hain drive in a T20 clash against Birmingham Bears – an incident from which he made a full recovery.He is one of only five men to have taken 100 T20 wickets for Nottinghamshire, while his eight fifties for the club include two career-best scores of 92.”Luke is a hugely popular character, and with good reason,” Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket, said. “He has given his heart and soul to this club, forged so many friendships and played with a smile on his face.”It says a great deal that Stuart Broad – who played with some of the greatest players of his generation – deems Fletch one of ‘the best team-mates you could ever have’.”It means so much to him to have represented his home county for nearly two decades, and that loyalty has been reciprocated by members and supporters who show him great affection.”His stats and success deserve mention too – he has worked tremendously hard at his craft to be the best he can be, and that has paid dividends.”We wish him all the best wherever he goes, and whatever he does – he will always get a warm welcome and special reception at Trent Bridge.”
For much of the last few months, the conversation around transfers and Arsenal has focused on their need for a new number nine.
It’s not hard to understand why that is, as by the end of last season, Mikel Arteta’s side had scored 17 fewer goals than Liverpool and three fewer than Manchester City, despite finishing second in the Premier League.
However, while the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres and Ollie Watkins would all surely help the North Londoners score more goals, it would also make sense for them to bolster their winger and midfield options.
Fortunately, that appears to be what they are planning to do, as reports have now linked them with a tremendously exciting talent who has won comparisons to Bukayo Saka and Rodrygo.
Arsenal target wide talents
While a new striker is high on Arsenal’s list of priorities this summer, more wide talent appears to be just as important to Arteta and Co, as evidenced by links to players such as Noni Madueke and Rodrygo.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former could be available for around £50m, and while he won’t necessarily excite the fans, he is homegrown and familiar with the Premier League.
Rodrygo, on the other hand, is neither of those things, but with two Champions League titles to his name and a tally of 25 goal involvements in 53 appearances last season, he feels like he’s be more than worth the £85m it could cost to sign him.
With that said, another exciting talent has now entered the frame, someone who’s not only been compared to the Brazilian but also to Saka.
Yes, according to a recent report from French outlet L’Équipe, Arsenal are interested in AS Monaco gem Maghnes Akliouche.
The report has revealed that while in talks with Viktor Gyokeres’ agent, Andrea Berta also inquired about the 23-year-old, who has the same agent.
The report further explains that should the Gunners wish to pursue the French talent, they’d have to pay the Ligue 1 side around €70m, which is about £60m.
AS Monaco's MaghnesAkliouche
It would be a surprising signing, but given Akliouche’s ability and potential, Arsenal should continue exploring it, especially as he has been compared to Saka and Rodrygo.
How Akliouche compares to Saka & Rodrygo
In this instance, the primary comparisons to Saka and Rodrygo stem from FBref, which analysed players in similar positions in the Champions League this season and concluded that the Arsenal star was the fifth most similar midfielder to Akliouche, and the Real Madrid player was the tenth most similar.
Akliouche & Saka
Statistics per 90
Akliouche
Saka
Assists
0.22
0.24
Tackles + Interceptions
2.58
2.62
Carries
29.2
27.9
Successful Take-On %
37.1%
35.0%
Attempted Long Passes
4.16
4.52
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 UCL Campaign
You can gain a better understanding of how these comparisons were made by examining the underlying numbers in which the Frenchman ranked closely to the two internationals. In the Englishman’s case, these metrics included assists, tackles plus interceptions, carries, and more, all per 90.
In the case of the Brazilian, the underlying numbers included metrics such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, key passes, goal-creating actions, progressive carries, and more, all per 90.
Akliouche & Rodrygo
Statistics per 90
Akliouche
Rodrygo
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.40
0.48
Progressive Carries
4.16
4.64
Key Passes
1.46
1.65
Goal-Creating Actions
0.45
0.41
Expected Assists
0.16
0.16
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 UCL Campaign
With that said, while sharing some key statistical similarities with two of the most exciting wingers in the game is certainly encouraging and suggests the Monaco ace has a bright future, it’s not the only argument for why the Gunners should sign him.
Another key one would be his output for last season.
In 43 appearances, totalling 3301 minutes, the brilliant 23-year-old, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig describes as having a “left foot made of gold,” scored seven goals and provided 12 assists.
That means he maintained an average of a goal involvement every 2.26 games, or every 173.73 minutes, and also means he would have been the joint fourth most productive player among Arteta’s squad.
Maghnes Akliouche for AS Monaco.
Ultimately, Akliouche might not be the most well-known player among Premier League fans, but he appears to be something truly special, and therefore, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him this summer.
£60m Madueke upgrade: Arsenal eyeing "one of the fastest players in the PL"
Arsenal could sign a winger who’s one of the fastest players in the Premier League.
Glasgow Rangers are still in the process of finding a new head coach to lead them into the next era at Ibrox under the new ownership that is set to come in.
Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell are tasked with finding a permanent replacement for Philippe Clement, who was relieved of his duties in February, after Barry Ferguson’s interim stint came to an end.
The former Scotland international only won five of his 16 matches in charge of the Gers during his time in the dugout, and it was then confirmed that he would not be offered the job on a full-time basis.
Then, rather bizarrely, the Daily Record reported that Ferguson was planning to get rid of Nils Koppen, the technical director, if he had been given the job, despite the Belgian chief being in a position above his.
The focus is now on finding an external candidate who can come in to bring success back to Ibrox after a season without any major trophies.
One coach who has been linked with a move to Ibrox this summer is former Real Madrid assistant manager Davide Ancelotti, who has been working with his father Carlo Ancelotti.
Why Rangers should avoid Davide Ancelotti
It is first worth acknowledging that there are reasons why the Gers are right to have taken an interest in the Italian coach, because he is vastly experienced at the top level of European football.
As you can see in the graphic above, his father has won the Champions League five times and lifted a league title in all five of the major European leagues.
Davide has not worked with Carlo for all of those achievements, of course, but he has been either a fitness coach or an assistant manager to the legendary manager in his last six jobs.
Real Madrid (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
233
Everton (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
67
Napoli (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
73
Bayern Munich (Assistant manager)
Carlo Ancelotti
60
Real Madrid (Fitness coach)
Carlo Ancelotti
119
PSG (Fitness coach)
Carlo Ancelotti
77
As you can see in the table above, the Rangers target has plenty of experience coaching at the top level under his father, at massive clubs like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
However, Davide Ancelotti has not managed a single game as a first-team head coach or manager in his own right, which means that he would also arrive at Ibrox as an incredibly inexperienced boss in that respect.
Real Madrid assistant coachDavideAncelotti
This means that appointing him would be a huge gamble for Rangers because he is yet to prove that he can successfully coach a winning team on his own, which is why it may come as good news that there is a fresh report detailing the club’s plans to speak with another candidate.
Rangers set for talks with Davide Ancelotti alternative
According to The Scottish Sun, Rangers are set to hold talks with former Scotland international Russell Martin over a deal to be the next head coach at Ibrox.
The report claims that the ex-Southampton manager will meet with Gers chiefs at some point this week to discuss a potential move to Glasgow ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
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It states that Ancelotti, Steven Gerrard, and Brian Priske are also in the running, as Stewart and Thelwell have a shortlist of candidates that they are working through to find the new Rangers head coach.
The Scottish Sun claims that there have already been initial talks held with Martin, but they are set for further discussions when they will allow him to outline how he would bring success back to Ibrox as a coach.
However, the outlet adds that he is also a strong contender for the Leicester City job in the English Championship, which could mean that the Light Blues need to move quickly if they want him as their next boss.
Martin should, with this in mind, be a strong candidate for the role because he could be an even better option than Ancelotti and Priske this summer.
Why Russell Martin would be a good appointment for Rangers
On paper, Priske looks to be an excellent option for the job because he has won two titles with Sparta Prague and one title with Midtjylland in Denmark, which shows that he can coach a winning team.
However, the Danish tactician has typically favoured a 3-4-3 shape throughout his career, which worked in Czechia and Denmark to win titles, but he had to adapt at Feyenoord and switched between 4-4-2, 4-3-3, and 4-2-3-1 formations, with little success, before being sacked shortly after losing 6-1 to Lille in the Champions League.
With Rangers typically playing against teams sitting in a low block, a 3-4-3 formation that is more suited to transitional games and playing on the counter with wing-backs bombing on may not suit a tilt at the Scottish Premiership title, and his Feyenoord performance suggests that he is not successful at coaching four at the back formations.
This is one key reason why Martin could be better than him for this job, because he plays an attacking 4-3-3 formation that is well-suited to dominating and breaking down low blocks, as evidenced by his side’s performance in the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign when they won the play-offs to earn promotion to the Premier League.
Pass accuracy
87.7%
1st
Passes into the penalty area
594
1st
Progressive passes
2556
1st
Shot-creating actions
1255
1st
xG
79.8
2nd
Points per game
1.89
4th
As you can see in the table above, the former Rangers loanee successfully deployed a team that dominated the ball whilst creating high-quality chances at an exceptional rate.
Analyst John Walker described Martin’s style as “exciting” and “total football” and those statistics back that up, as the manager has proven that he can coach a team to be incredibly dominant and creative when he has the players to do so.
Of course, he was sacked by Southampton earlier this season after a dismal run of 13 losses in 16 Premier League games, but the Saints went on to lose 30 times in 38 matches, suggesting that Martin was not the only problem there.
The Scottish tactician also showcased his coaching ability in the lower leagues in England with MK Dons, helping to coach this incredible goal below.
Martin could bring an enjoyable and successful style of play to Rangers that could help them compete for trophies again, and could be a better option than Priske, due to his stylistic issues, and Ancelotti, who is an unknown quantity.
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Sunderland supporters have been seriously put through the wringer by their side in recent memory, with League One football even on the menu back in 2019.
But, all that agony and woe surrounding the Black Cats has been finally lifted courtesy of Regis Le Bris’ heroics from the dug-out, as the Frenchman proudly brings Premier League football action back to the Stadium of Light.
The hope will be that Sunderland’s emotional 2-1 win over Sheffield United will keep Jobe Bellingham around for a little while longer, amidst interest from elite sides such as Borussia Dortmund.
But if that is to be Bellingham’s swansong moment, he delivered yet another classy display for his top-flight-bound side from the middle of the park, alongside a whole host of other standout performers.
Sunderland's best performers vs the Blades
Before looking at the other heroes in Le Bris’ camp, Bellingham stood out once again as a key part of the young and promising Sunderland side.
The in-demand number seven would only misplace six of his 55 passes when offering the Black Cats calm through the middle on such a tense stage, whilst also winning six duels to display more grit and fight than an underperforming Sydie Peck for the Blades.
Bellingham wasn’t the only star who managed to show up for the big occasion, however, as Daniel Ballard put in another imperious display defensively when winning his own sizeable duels count of 11, whilst Eliezer Mayenda also shone when levelling the proceedings as a pacey option up top.
But, the main talking point afterwards was Tommy Watson’s last-minute winner, with the homegrown Wearside product capitalising on a lax pass by Kieffer Moore to fire home a stunning effort to seal Sunderland’s progression back up to the big time.
That was one hell of a parting gift from the 19-year-old hotshot, who is set to join Brighton and Hove Albion this summer for £10m.
Indeed, Watson is perhaps the club’s next Jordan Henderson as he goes on to potentially affirm himself as a Premier League regular with the Seagulls.
Why Watson could be Sunderland's next Henderson
Amazingly, Henderson was only one year older than Watson when his big move to Liverpool occurred.
He never looked back after waving goodbye to his boyhood club either, leading to the now Ajax man going on to make 492 appearances for the Reds, alongside winning 83 England caps.
Therefore, Watson will be aiming to follow in Henderson’s footsteps as an equally talented and promising starlet through the middle – albeit one who unfortunately does their best work away from the Stadium of Light.
After all, from only 24 first-team games to date, the 19-year-old is up to three strikes with the best left till last when breaking Blades hearts. To add context, Henderson would only power home two more efforts himself donning Sunderland red and white, even from 55 more outings.
Watson’s G/A numbers for Sunderland
Age bracket
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
U18s
40
18
7
U21s
31
13
11
First team
24
3
0
Sourced by Transfermarkt
The attacker’s blistering numbers for the Black Cats at both an U18 and U21 level also show off a prodigy ready for the bright lights of the Premier League, albeit now without his hometown side.
Still, everyone associated with Sunderland will be overjoyed that it was one of their own that got them back up to the promised land regardless of his next onward route, with Roker Report writer Andy Tomlinson handing out an 8/10 post-match rating to Watson subsequently.
There will be a concern that Watson is only getting started and will be taken to new heights on the South Coast, much like Henderson managed at Anfield.
But, whatever does happen across Watson’s lengthy career to come, he will always have this moment of magic on his resume that took his boyhood employers back up to the Premier League.
Jobe Bellingham holds positive talks to leave Sunderland before play-off final