Chelsea secured passage to the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup on Friday evening, as Pedro Neto produced a sensational performance in honour of his friend and Portugal teammate Diogo Jota.

Football world honours Diogo Jota and Andre Silva

Portugal stars Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo were left in tears during the moment of silence before Al-Hilal’s quarter-final defeat to Fluminense this week, and some may rightfully question why they were chosen to play so soon after the tragic passing of Jota and his brother, Andre Silva.

Tributes have poured in from across the football world and beyond after the Liverpool star and his younger brother were killed in a car crash in the Zamora province in Spain this week, and his colleagues have opted to honour him the only way they know how – by doing what he and they loved.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca revealed before their quarter-final clash against Palmeiras that the decision to play would be left solely up to Neto: “It’s very sad. We are all close to Pedro. It’s his decision. I had a chat this morning. Any decision he makes is the correct one.”

The Portugal winger, who not only shared an international dressing room with Jota but also played together at Wolves during the 2019/20 season, started the fixture in Philadelphia, entering the pitch with a shirt in honour of Jota and Silva.

His decision was certainly the right one, as the Blues ran out 2-1 winners courtesy of a late own goal from Agustín Giay, with Neto one of the star performers.

The 25 year-old completed six of his nine dribbles, won eight of 11 duels and also created two chances in the type of industrious and creative performance his friend would be proud of.

Minutes

87

Touches

41

Passes

17/21

Crosses

2/4

Dribbles

6/9

Duels

8/11

Maresca has since revealed a touching message he delivered in front of the Chelsea squad after what can only be described as incredible individual display given the circumstances.

The Italian is not the first manager to speak on the tragic event, and perhaps the most touching comments came from legendary Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, who told Sky Sports: “When people leave this world, normally we all say ‘such a nice guy’. Diogo was really a nice guy.”

He added: “It happened with me many, many years ago when I was working at Porto with Mr Robson. One of our boys, a loved boy, died in a car crash.

“Instead of the boys suffering alone it was like the group suffered together and trying to fight for his memory. It was a boy Rui Filipe and we were champions, I think for him. In Liverpool they’re going to suffer together.”

A funeral for both brothers is taking place on Saturday July 5.

The show must go on at Crystal Palace even as they await their European verdict, and that show could yet feature a fresh character as the Eagles reportedly step up their chase to sign a £20m midfielder.

CAS confirm Crystal Palace appeal

As expected, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has now confirmed the news that Crystal Palace have appealed UEFA’s decision to demote them to the Europa Conference League for violating multi-club ownership regulations.

A decision is now expected by August 11, at which point Crystal Palace will be hoping for a different outcome. Whether that is a realistic possibility remains to be seen, however. Club chairman Steve Parish, as well as many others involved at Selhurst Park, has already shared his disappointment at the situation and he’ll be desperate to see his side take the spot they earned by winning the FA Cup last season.

Alas, as ever, the world keeps on spinning and Palace must still keep one eye on the transfer window. On that front, the South London side have already welcomed left-back Borna Sosa and goalkeeper Walter Benitez, but their best signing could yet be on the horizon.

Crystal Palace confident they'll win Hackney race

As reported by Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Crystal Palace are now set to accelerate their move to sign Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough this summer. The Championship side are reportedly keen to get any business done early so they can focus on incomings of their own, and have set a £20m price tag for their impressive midfielder.

Despite interest from Everton, Palace are confident that they’re in position to win the race for Hackney’s signature even as the likes of Bayer Leverkusen and Porto set their sights on the England U21 international.

The £20m star earned plenty of praise last season, including from former Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, who told reporters: “We were playing against two very good central midfielders. I’ve watched Hayden Hackney from afar, seeing his career flourish.

“There’s no better teacher for him than Michael, and he’ll enjoy the way Middlesbrough play. He’s a super player, and Morris is a good player in there too.”

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His departure would be a major blow.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 18, 2025

A player who is Premier League-ready, Crystal Palace could at least welcome some good news and an impressive signing if they manage to secure Hackney’s signature ahead of fierce competition this summer.

Chelsea need to balance the books with player sales, in light of their estimated £140 million summer transfer expenditure so far, not to mention pressure from UEFA with regard to FFP.

The Blues are set to receive a bucket-load of prize money from reaching the final of the Club World Cup, having earned a reported £80 million in total from their six games at the tournament so far, but the sheer amount of deadwood on Enzo Maresca’s books needs trimming.

"World-class" player reaches gentleman's agreement to leave Chelsea

He can depart for an obtainable fee.

2

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 9, 2025

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys and Marcus Bettinelli all departed Stamford Bridge recently and brought in around £19 million, but there are a host of other players in line to depart the west London club.

Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Raheem Sterling, Noni Madueke, Christopher Nkunku and Djordje Petrovic could all reportedly leave Chelsea too, but BlueCo face an almighty task to find all the aforementioned men new homes before deadline day on September 1.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season	Average match rating
Cole Palmer	7.33
Moises Caicedo	7.02
Enzo Fernández	6.95
Nicolas Jackson	6.88
Noni Madueke	6.82
via WhoScored

Arsenal have agreed personal terms with Madueke, and ESPN report that they could agree a £43 million deal with Chelsea by the end of this week, so as things stand, it appears that transfer could be closest to completion.

Petrovic is also attracting a lot of interest after reaching a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ that he can leave Chelsea for £25 million.

The writing has been on the wall for a lot of the previously named Chelsea men for quite some time, but striker Nicolas Jackson could now join them out the door, especially after the arrivals of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.

Jackson is “no longer” unsellable, according to multiple reports, and it shows just how quickly things can change in football. The Senegal international was branded one of Maresca’s “most important” players by pundit Joe Cole in May, but Jackson now finds himself in an increasingly precarious situation.

Nicolas Jackson could leave Chelsea in Barcelona loan deal

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona could offer the African a new temporary landing spot.

While talks between the Catalans and Maresca’s side are yet to take place, Barca have apparently “set their sights” on signing Jackson from Chelsea, amid a belief that the 24-year-old would fit perfectly into Hansi Flick’s system.

Chelsea are also said to be open to letting Jackson depart for the Camp Nou on an initial loan deal, on the condition he’s guaranteed game time, so Barca’s hierarchy are closely monitoring the ex-Villarreal gem ahead of a potential swoop.

If Barca do entertain the possibility of signing him permanently in future, perhaps at the end of his loan if he does well enough, then Fabrizio Romano reports that Chelsea have placed a £52 million price tag on his head – so Barca know exactly what it will take.

Newcastle United have not enjoyed a fruitful summer transfer window so far, but Eddie Howe still has time to prove the noise is nothing more than a tempest in a teacup.

However, few of a Toon persuasion, if any, could say that Alexander Isak joining Liverpool wouldn’t be a detrimental blow to Howe’s grand plan.

It’s important to remember that the Sweden striker, who scored 27 goals last season, including a strike against Arne Slot’s Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, may yet remain at St. James’ Park.

Though the club will be cautious about keeping a player, star man he may be, against his will, it would be ludicrous to cash in for a British record £130m sum without sourcing an able replacement.

And that’s currently the focus on Tyneside.

Newcastle’s search for Isak replacement

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is the top target at number nine.

However, the Magpies are joined in the pursuit of their quarry by Manchester United, complicating matters having already fallen short in many a transfer tussle this summer.

He’s not the only one on the radar, though, with GIVEMESPORT revealing that the Tynesiders actually lead Tottenham Hotspur in the race for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, having been described as the ‘frontrunners’.

Wissa, 28, was one of the Premier League’s most prolific forwards last year, and Brentford want £50m for his sale.

However, his morale at the Gtech has deteriorated after what he believes is a gentleman’s agreement to leave for much less, terms shaken upon last summer. Brentford’s stance over the coming weeks will determine whether Newcastle will get their man.

As per the report, it remains to be seen if a compromise fee of £40m will be reached.

Why Newcastle want Yoane Wissa

Wissa might not be as ‘exciting’ as someone like Sesko, who is one of Europe’s most coveted strikers and billed as “the new Erling Haaland” by the likes of talent scout Jacek Kulig, but he’s proven in the Premier League.

In fact, he’s proved on English shores that he can chalk up 20-goal campaigns, and that’s something that could prove invaluable for Newcastle next season as they look to qualify for the Champions League once again, while fighting in Europe’s elite sphere concurrently.

Sure, the likes of Anthony Gordon would help someone like Sesko find their footing, but would the England winger not find a more secure partner in Wissa?

Gordon, 24, is one of the finest wingers in the Premier League, and he has forged quite the partnership with Isak over the past couple of years.

In 2023/24, Gordon was awarded the club’s Player of the Year award. It was his first full season in black and white, and he had contributed 22 direct goal involvements in the league to drive the Magpies through a frustrating, injury-hit season.

The recent term proved tougher for Gordon, who only scored six top-flight goals. Even so, his talent has been picked up by big hitters such as Arsenal and Liverpool, leading Howe and co to slap a £100m price tag on his head, warding such suitors away.

He’s described himself as “a nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, so athletic, so snappy, so fierce. Gordon’s movement and energy would be perfect alongside such a calm and composed finisher in Wissa, one whose pedigree in the division has been proven.

Wissa’s “absolutely sensational” finishing, as it has been hailed by Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam, is underscored through the data. The Congo DR international has posted 41 goals and assists across the last two seasons alone.

Having scored at a rate of 0.59 in the league last year, as per FBref, while keeping it crisp on the ball too, the data-driven site revealed him to be one of Isak’s most statistically comparable players.

It’s clear that he would add a sense of focus and confidence in the final third that Sesko perhaps might not, and that’s something that would only serve to enhance Gordon’s own game.

League Stats 24/25 – Yoane Wissa vs Benjamin Sesko

Stats (* per game)

Wissa

Sesko

Matches (starts)

35 (34)

33 (30)

Goals

19

13

Assists

4

5

Touches*

29.1

30.7

Shots (on target)*

2.6 (1.2)

2.1 (0.9)

Big chances missed

17

10

Pass completion

79%

68%

Key passes*

0.8

0.6

Dribbles*

0.4

1.2

Ball recoveries*

2.3

1.9

Tackles + interceptions*

0.8

0.4

Duels (won)*

3.4

4.1

All data via Sofascore

Thus, Wissa could be Gordon’s new Isak, a pillar of strength, a focal point, standing proud at the front and allowing the Three Lions star to shuttle up and down the flank, stretching and creating.

The ability to score many goals in the Premier League with consistency is a rare and precious thing. Isak would attest to that. To sell the 25-year-old to Liverpool is to lose one of the finest players in the world, and though the British-record fee that his sale would demand would ameliorate the loss, it’s absolutely crucial that that fee is redirected toward the right replacement.

Though that could be plural. Such would be the financial recuperation that both Wissa and Sesko could arrive at Howe’s door without Newcastle even topping the fee they would land from Isak’s departure.

And though Sesko has potential, it’s hard to imagine that he would provide the kind of goal threat that Isak has mastered. Wissa, obviously, isn’t as complete or technically sharp as the Swede, but he is settled into his prolific place in the Premier League, and so signing him would maintain a level of fluency that could in turn propel Gordon back into the ascendancy after a challenging season.

Here is an elite finisher. Perhaps not a natural-born goalscorer, but chiselled across a number of seasons in the Premier League. He’s worked hard for his opportunity, has Wissa, and now Newcastle must push to seal his signature and receive instantaneous success in the final third.

Related A new Ben Arfa: Newcastle join the race to sign "sensational" £21m star

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Posts ByWill Miller Jul 29, 2025

Celtic look set to up the ante in the transfer window and may have gained a boost in their hunt to sign a talented star from the continent, per recent developments.

Celtic line up Manchester City defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey

Earlier this week, news broke that the Hoops have made an official approach to take Jahmai Simpson-Pusey on loan from Manchester City after his first-team breakthrough at the Etihad Stadium last season.

Several clubs in the English Championship have also made contact to gauge his availability, though the Bhoys are well and truly knocking at the door and will hope to capitalise on their long-standing trading relationship with Pep Guardiola’s men.

Overall, there is a feeling of frustration over transfer business at Celtic that Chris Sutton shares, as he recently claimed the Bhoys’ squad is currently weaker right now than the one that ended last season.

He stated: “If you look at the squad going into the season, it’s still a little bit light. Brendan Rodgers, everything I’ve seen him hint and say, he feels the same.

Celtic’s incomings and overall transfer spend

Kieran Tierney

Free transfer

Ross Doohan

Free transfer

Callum Osmand

Free transfer (cross-border compensation)

Benjamin Nygren

£2 million

Shin Yamada

£1.5 million

Hayato Inamura

Undisclosed

All fees courtesy of Sky Sports – full spend £3.5 million + undisclosed figures

“The fact that Brendan talked about ambition, he is always quite calculated in what he says and the words that he uses. I think that’s a little warning shot across the bows to say ‘we need to bring players in.”

Firing a warning shot or not, Brendan Rodgers need new bodies fast, especially with the beginning of the Scottish Premiership season seeing his side take on St Mirren this Sunday.

Now, Celtic supporters may have found out a new insight regarding one of their reported transfer targets amid recent developments.

Club director speaks out on Celtic target Jakob Breum

According to reports in the Netherlands via Sport Witness, Celtic target Jakob Breum wants a move to Glasgow after Go Ahead Eagles director Jan Willem van Dop confirmed his agent has informed them he “hopes he’ll go”.

The Hoops have already seen proposals turned down to sign the Denmark Under-21 international.

Van Dop stated: “Then he [Streuer] had a second question, and that was about Jakob Breum. That’s negotiable, but as long as the price is right. And we didn’t reach an agreement on that.

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ByDan Emery Jul 28, 2025

“What I did find positive: his thoughts were certainly higher than the official offer Celtic ever made. That was €1.5m. I’ve told Celtic that we won’t be accepting their offer. I spoke to Breum’s agent on the phone Monday morning, and he hopes he’ll go in that direction.

“We’re certainly not the most difficult club, but it has to be a good fit. And if we can’t reach a financial agreement, we also have the right to say: well, it’s not going to happen.”

In layman’s terms, Go Ahead Eagles wouldn’t be opposed to selling Breum if they receive a suitable offer following a campaign where he registered 11 goals and six assists across all competitions.

Capable of playing in attacking midfield or on either flank, the Odense-born man would be an ideal replacement for Nicolas Kuhn at Celtic, but it remains to be seen whether the Scottish champions have the wearwithall to push a deal over the line.

If Liverpool aren’t already favourites to retain their Premier League title after signing Florian Wirtz for a British record transfer fee of £116m, then they certainly would be if they signed Alexander Isak.

Plenty of teams around the globe have dreamed of bringing the Swede to their club and the Anfield outfit could well make that a reality this summer.

Boy, what a signing this would be. Isak scored 27 goals in all competitions last term. He netted 23 in the Premier League. The only man with more was Liverpool hero, Mo Salah.

So, the Newcastle United forward is a pretty special talent and it’s understandable that the Toon have no desire to let him depart St James’ Park this summer.

Still, Liverpool are trying and they’re willing to put a lot of money on the table to bring him further south to Merseyside.

The latest on Alexander Isak to Liverpool

While Liverpool have dreamt of signing Isak all summer long, they haven’t made their intentions clear until this week.

Indeed, the Athletic’s David Ornstein dropped a seismic piece of news earlier in the week that the league winners have made an approach, but no formal offer just yet, to sign Isak. The Magpies have reiterated that he is not for sale, that’s despite Liverpool suggesting they are willing to pay around £120m for his services.

That being said, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has suggested that “every player has their price” and Newcastle could be brought to the negotiating table if a £150m bid is made.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Whether the Reds have what it takes to put that sort of money out there after breaking their transfer record once this summer already remains to be seen.

With such money involved, a move does feel unlikely. It’s why they are courting alternatives.

Liverpool's two best Isak alternatives

The main striker on the radar of the recruitment team at the moment is Hugo Ekitike. However, like the Isak situation, it’s a tricky situation. That’s because Newcastle are embroiled in this saga as well.

News broke at the beginning of the week that Newcastle are working on a deal to sign the Frenchman from Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany. Yet, he’s also a player that Liverpool like.

Ornstein again revealed on Wednesday that the Merseysiders have made contact with the Bundesliga club regarding a move.

Fabrizio Romano has already indicated that if Newcastle don’t sell Isak then they will aim to steal the Toon’s number one target away from them. Well, the wheels are in motion on that move already, with Romano revealing on Thursday that a bid has now been submitted to sign the Frankfurt striker.

Liverpool have other players on their radar, perhaps most notably Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford. The most exciting name is Julian Alvarez.

A report from Spain earlier in the window indicated that Liverpool were prepared to pay around £142m for the Atletico Madrid forward and now Anfield Watch reporter Bence Bocsak has revealed that the Argentine is still on their ‘radar’.

He suggests that Alvarez is a ‘dream option’, but like Isak, it’s unlikely Atleti will sanction a sale just one year after bringing him to Spain from Manchester City.

How Alvarez compares to Isak and Ekitike

Isak would be a remarkable coup for Liverpool if they could get a deal over the line. He’s one of the best strikers around the globe and has proven over the last two campaigns that he can score goals at a regular rate in the Premier League.

Ekitike, by comparison, clearly has lots of potential. He’s already been described as “the next Mbappe” in some quarters but rather like Darwin Nunez, he’s a raw talent, someone who still needs to refine his game.

What’s Alvarez like? Well, he’s proven, not just on the continent now with Atleti but also in the Premier League, where he won trophy after trophy with Manchester City.

He’s also the complete package, cut from a similar cloth as Roberto Firmino. This is not just a goalscorer. He’s a creator, a facilitator, and someone who could thrive just as Firmino did with the likes of Salah and Cody Gakpo either side. Dare we say, it could even be with Real Madrid’s Rodrygo to one side? Liverpool are currently leading the race for the Brazilian, according to reports, but that’s a story for another day.

Described as a “monster” by Argentine journalist Pablo Gonzalez and remarkably as “the best forward in the world” by reporter Roy Nemer, he ended his debut campaign in the Spanish capital having scored 29 goals, two more than Isak, and he also registered eight assists.

Let’s also cast your mind back to his final term at the Eithad. During 2023/24, he was prolific in front of goal, bagging 19 goals and registering 14 assists. This is a player who does a lot of things right.

Alvarez vs Isak since 2023/24 (league only)
Stat (per 90 mins)	Alvarez	Isak
Goals	0.49	0.79
Assists	0.21	0.14
Shots	2.90	3.00
Pass success %	78%	77%
Key passes	1.88	1.22
Progressive passes	3.40	2.85
Shot-creating actions	3.94	2.94
Progressive carries	2.50	2.71
Stats via FBRef.

Analysing the numbers deeper across the last two seasons, we get a sense for what Isak and Alvarez do well, but primarily from the metrics assessed, where the Argentine superstar thrives in comparison.

The Swede is clearly more prolific per 90 minutes as far as goals are concerned but Alvarez offers the ability to create, registering more key passes, progressive passes and producing an extra shot-creating action every 90 minutes.

That means that even if he doesn’t score quite as many goals, he’s remaining a big threat in the final third and would provide that Firmino-like ability to make things happen in Slot’s attack.

Isak is the dream but here us out, Alvarez has his perks too. His overall game is certainly better, that’s for sure.

He's better than Ekitike: Liverpool chasing "monster" £60m Isak alternative

Liverpool are looking to sign a new number nine in the summer transfer window.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 15, 2025

Newcastle United are set to miss out on another transfer target as Benjamin Sesko looks bound for Manchester United. Both Premier League sides had submitted bids to RB Leipzig, but it now looks apparent that the Slovenia international’s desired destination is Manchester.

This is the latest in a number of failed transfer sagas for the Magpies after numerous other players opted for moves to other clubs, with Sesko reportedly agreeing personal terms at Old Trafford as the Red Devils close in on a deal.

The biggest positive for Eddie Howe’s side this window has been the arrival of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest. The Swedish winger arrived in July, and since then, it’s been clear that Howe wants more attackers to join him.

As well as Ekitike, Liverpool have also attempted to bring Newcastle’s own Alexander Isak to Merseyside after offering a figure just shy of £120 million. While Newcastle rebuffed the first bid, the potential for Isak to agitate for a move has only made their need to sign a striker stronger.

Newcastle United enter talks for Chelsea star

Despite their disappointments in the transfer market so far this summer, Newcastle have added a new target to their striker shortlist with Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson. Journalist Ben Jacobs has reported that Jackson was featured on their striking shortlist alongside Sesko, and that the interest has progressed to the point where the two clubs have entered “club-to-club talks”.

Jackson has played against Newcastle five times, making them his joint-highest faced opposition. During those five appearances, fans have witnessed the good and the bad that Jackson can bring to the club, as he has scored against the Magpies twice but also received a straight red card towards the end of last season.

In the same post, Jacobs mentioned that Brentford’s Yoane Wissa is still a target and that the player is actively pushing to get the deal done.

Jackson may be the easier of the two deals to complete however, as Chelsea have a number of forward players at the club and view the Senegalese striker as surplus to requirements, whereas Brentford have been stripped of a number of their management team and star players this summer, so they may be more reluctant to let another player go.

Jackson is within Newcastle's budget

Since it looks likely that their bid for Sesko will be unsuccessful, it is reasonable to assume that the £70 million plus add-ons they were willing to spend is now available for other transfers.

Liam Delap

Chelsea

Hugo Ekitike

Liverpool

Joao Pedro

Chelsea

Bryan Mbeumo

Man Utd

Benjamin Sesko*

Man Utd*

In July, Sky Sports reported that Chelsea wanted between £80 – £100 million for Jackson following Ekitike’s move to Liverpool and a belief from the Chelsea board that Jackson was the better player and thus should command a higher fee. That price tag appears to have dropped significantly, with the i stating that Chelsea’s new evaluation of Jackson is around £65 million.

Even if the Sesko bid was all that was left of their budget, which is very unlikely considering the low number of incoming players that Newcastle have currently signed this summer, they would be able to match Chelsea’s newest evaluation for Jackson.

أعلن النادي الأهلي، تقديم بلاغ إلى النائب العام وكذلك شكوى لـ المجلس الأعلى لتنظيم الإعلام ضد مدحت شلبي مقدم البرامج الرياضية.

ويأتي هذا التصعيد بعد حالة الجدل التي أثارتها تصريحات مدحت شلبي، والتي اعتبرها مسؤولو القلعة الحمراء مسيئة وغير صحيحة بحق رئيس النادي محمود الخطيب.

طالع | بالدليل.. أسامة حسني يرد على مدحت شلبي: الخطيب لا يدعي المرض

وكان مدحت شلبي قد أدلى بتصريحات في الساعات الماضية أثارت حالة واسعة من الجدل، بعدما أكد أن سبب غياب الخطيب عن السفر إلى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية مع بعثة الأهلي في كأس العالم هو عدم حصوله على التأشيرة وليس المرض كما قيل وقتها. بيان الأهلي بشأن مدحت شلبي

قررت إدارة النادي تكليف محمد عثمان، المستشار القانوني للأهلي باتخاذ كافة الإجراءات القانونية ضد مدحت شلبي، وما جاء على لسانه بشأن الكابتن محمود الخطيب، رئيس النادي، من كلام ينافي الحقيقة في برنامجه الذي تبثه قناة MBC Masr 2، وتقديم بلاغ للنائب العام، وشكوى عاجلة للمجلس الأعلى لتنظيم الإعلام”.

Glasgow Rangers are now interested in completing the signing of a young player who could play in six different positions at Ibrox, according to a new Gers transfer claim.

Rangers and Martin could miss out on Liverpool gem

The Gers have been linked with a move for Liverpool left-back Owen Beck this summer, seeing him as a strong option in that area of the pitch.

However, it looks as though the Scottish Premiership giants are set to miss out on the 22-year-old, with journalist John Percy claiming that a move to Championship side Derby County is now on the cards instead.

While defensive additions are important for Rangers ahead of the new season, it looks as though Robin Propper’s exit remains possible, with FC Twente technical director Jan Streuer talking up a return to the club, should the centre-back not be part of Russell Martin’s plans at Ibrox.

“We had too many changes at the back last season; something had to be done. It isn’t [very simple], because of all sorts of factors beyond your control. Just before last season, our captain, Robin Propper, left at the last minute. We really missed him. Rangers bought him.

“A Scottish top club, you can’t compete with that. Now there’s a new manager at Rangers, he might play less. Then he could return. But he’ll want to wait and see first whether he’ll actually play less. Do we have to decide: do we wait for that, or do we look further?”

Rangers keen on signing versatile new target

According to Prima Vercelli [via Sport Witness], Rangers are in the mix to sign KR Reykjavik youngster and new target Johannes Bjarnason this summer.

The 20-year-old midfielder is also wanted by Genk and Pro Vercelli, but there is no mention of an asking price in the report. The Gers have reportedly been attracted by his impact in the final third, with Bjarnason netting six league goals in 2025.

Bjarnason is a relative unknown compared to some other Rangers targets this summer, given his age and the fact that he is playing in Iceland currently.

Rangers player could now "return" to former club if Martin doesn’t rate him

Would selling him be the right decision?

ByHenry Jackson Jul 21, 2025

The midfielder could still be an astute signing by the Gers, however, coming in as a long-term option who will hopefully blossom from a squad player to a key man over time.

Bjarnason has already scored 15 goals and registered 10 assists in 72 appearances for his current club, and has represented Iceland across six different youth age groups. His versatility allows him to shine in as many as six different positions, too.

Central midfield

16

5

2

Right midfield

14

3

4

Right-back

10

0

1

Attacking midfield

3

0

2

Defensive midfield

3

0

0

Left-back

1

0

0

This all highlights why Rangers signing him this summer could be exciting, with the Icelandic ace possibly a player with lots of potential moving forward.

Tourists make two changes for second Multan Test with spin expected to play bigger role

Matt Roller14-Oct-2024Ben Stokes will return to captain England in Multan this week after two months sidelined with a torn hamstring. Stokes has stepped up his recovery in the past week and will replace Chris Woakes in one of two England changes from the first Test, with Matthew Potts also coming in for the rested Gus Atkinson.”I feel good. I’m looking forward to getting back on the field,” Stokes said ahead of his return. “I’ve worked really hard at the back end of my rehab period at home and throughout the last Test match as well. I’ve put myself through a fitness test, pretty much, over the last couple of days, and come through that pretty well.”England are braced for a lower-scoring second Test, with the match set to be played on the same strip as the one used for their innings win last week. The pitch has been heavily watered but has dried out in the sun during two practice days, and the used surface could bring both teams’ spinners into the game.Stokes has been bowling in training and will be England’s third seam option behind Potts and Brydon Carse, his Durham team-mates. It is a rare example of England picking three seamers from the same county. “It’s going to be a proud moment for the club,” he said. “Durham have a great record of producing England cricketers, and in particular fast bowlers.”On his own fitness to bowl, Stokes said: “I’ve obviously got to be sensible. Playing on a used wicket made the decision a little bit easier… We’ve got two workhorses in the team in Carsey and Potts who just keep going and going and going. But I’m available to bowl, and when I sense the time is right for me to come on and make an impact, there won’t be any doubts in my mind.”Related

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England’s seamers all had a heavy workload in the first Test, despite their innings win: Atkinson bowled 39 overs, Carse 38 and Woakes 35. Atkinson and Woakes both played all six Tests of England’s home summer and have been rested, with a short turnaround between matches, while Carse should be much fresher after spending June, July and August serving a ban.”You’re looking at the last seven Test matches being pretty gruelling – in particular, the last one,” Stokes said. “Looking at the seamers we’ve got out here, this is a good time for them to have a rest and refresh the body. They’ve had a really big summer and put in really good performances, bowled a lot of overs. It’s a good time for them to get their feet up and have a break.”Ben Duckett retains his place at the top of the order after recovering from a dislocated thumb sustained on the second evening of the first Test, while Jamie Smith will shuffle back down to No. 7 to allow Stokes to return in his favoured role at No. 6.England have stuck with the same spinners – Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir – despite Bashir’s quiet first Test, in which he returned match figures of 1 for 156. Rehan Ahmed is the other spin option in their squad, while the Warwickshire and England Under-19s legspinner Tazeem Ali is on holiday in Pakistan and has been bowling in the nets this week.England XI: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Matthew Potts, 10 Jack Leach, 11 Shoaib Bashir