After spending big on Matheus Cunha and soon Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United have now turned their focus towards much-needed sales and are reportedly negotiating the departure of a £200,000-a-week star.

Players Man Utd could sell this summer

After finishing 15th and failing to qualify for European football, many expected Manchester United to endure a difficult summer transfer window. So far, that has not proved to be the case, however.

Instead, INEOS have been splashing the cash – first welcoming Cunha for around £63m and then pushing on with an offer worth over £60m to sign Mbeumo from Brentford. But those arrivals are unlikely to come without sacrifice this summer.

On the exit front, the Red Devils must get busy and open the exit door for several players – starting with Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford. Both players are almost certain to leave Old Trafford this summer, but there remain question marks over their next destinations.

In an ideal world, Aston Villa would have the finances to sign Rashford on a permanent deal following a successful loan spell in the second half of last season, but the reality is that their PSR issues are likely to provide an obstacle in the way of any potential deal.

Instead, reports suggest that United could be forced to rely on interested parties such as Barcelona to come swooping in.

Meanwhile, Garnacho’s next destination could come closer to home this summer amid interest from Premier League rivals Chelsea. The Blues could reportedly come calling for a player that Ruben Amorim desperately wants out even if it is to the Blues.

Be it Rashford, Garnacho or one £200,000-a-week star, the Red Devils simply must undergo a significant clear-out before the end of the summer transfer window.

Man Utd now negotiating "complex" Antony exit

As revealed by Real Betis chief Manu Fajardo, Manchester United are now in “complex” negotiations to sell Antony to the Spanish club in a big-money deal this summer. The winger endured a revived spell on loan at Betis in the second half of last season and is now keen to complete a return to the La Liga side.

Farjardo told local reporters as relayed by Sport Witness: “We all have to be aware that this is a very complex operation. Given the player’s level and his recent career at Real Betis, it’s not an easy transaction.

“But, as long as Antony hasn’t committed to a third party, we, with the utmost humility, will play our cards to be able to opt for Antony. I insist, despite this being a complex operation, we will try to carry it out in different ways without compromising the club.”

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As the Betis sporting director reiterated, it won’t be an easy deal to sign Antony – not least because of his £200,000-a-week salary – but it is one that they’re still negotiating nonetheless this summer.

Middlesex 342 for 7 (Higgins 107, du Plooy 57, Roland-Jones 51*) vs DerbyshireRyan Higgins again proved the saviour of Middlesex as the hosts fought back from early trouble to post 342 for 7 against visitors Derbyshire on day one at Lord’s.The Zimbabwean-born all-rounder battled to a fourth century of the season from 152 balls, reaching his ton in the grand manner with a six into the Mound Stand as the hosts recovered from 189 for 6.Higgins and Seaxes skipper Toby Roland-Jones, whose 51 not out was his first championship half-century for 21 months, rewrote the record books with their unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 112 eclipsing that of 95 by Wilf Slack and Colin Metson set at the County Ground Derby in 1981.The late plunder was harsh on a Derbyshire attack who were excellent for much of the day, spinner Alex Thomson the pick of the bunch with 2 for 43.Middlesex’s decision to bat first on winning the toss was greeted by applause from the home faithful accustomed to seeing them insert opponents this season Ironically, it soon became clear their decision had been made on the sportiest wicket seen at Lord’s this campaign.Zak Chappell struck in the first over having Sam Robson taken at backward point, the former England opener back in the hutch without a run on the board. It set the tone for a fascinating morning’s cricket where Derbyshire’s bowlers extracted plenty of life and bounce from a green-tinged surface.Both Mark Stoneman and Max Holden had uncomfortable moments, the former nicking one from Chappell just short of slip, while the latter slashed another swinging ball from the probing Sam Connors wide of the close-catching cordon.The hosts appeared to have survived the worst when Stoneman flicked at a delivery wide down the leg-side from Anuj Dal, wicketkeeper Brooke Guest flying to his right to catch.New batter Leus du Plooy, playing against his former county, and Thomson began a gripping duel in the run-up to lunch, the batter looking fidgety and trying to give the bowler the charge, the spinner countering, mixing some tempting tossed up deliveries with others fired in short to stop his former teammate in his tracks.Holden was becalmed either side of lunch as the ball began to swing under increasing cloud cover and his patience ran out as he slashed a wide one to Aneurin Donald at slip.Again, Du Plooy and Higgins weathered a storm, the former unfurling some glorious extra-cover drives and playing a delicious late cut through third in advancing to his half-century.Thomson though proved his nemesis, when Du Plooy got too far away from one that bounced and gave Guest another catch to end a stand of 63.He’d also account for Nathan Fernandes before tea, a ball too close to cut, flying to Wayne Madsen at slip and when Jack Davies edged through to Guest five balls after the interval, Middlesex were 189 for 6.An unusually subdued Higgins, who’d been given a life on 33 when Donald grassed a chance at slip from a reverse sweep off Thomson, found sufficient rhythm to move through to 50 with five fours. Luke Hollman kept him company for a while before edging one from Daryn Pavillon to the diving Madsen at slip.With that, Higgins began to chance his arm and ride his luck, twice edging through the gap in the slip cordon to the fence at third, and with Toby Roland-Jones reviving memories of bygone days bat in hand with a couple of dreamy cover-drives the pair rattled up a 50-partnership in good time.The skipper broke his bat digging out a Connors Yorker and the change proved fruitful as he sent the next delivery over the short boundary into the Mound Stand. He later repeated the feat to raise the second batting bonus point and to compound Derbyshire’s growing frustration Higgins was reprieved a second time on 88 when a chance above head high at second slip fell to earth, Pavillon the unlucky bowler.He made the most of the let-off to reach his hundred in the death throes of the day, Roland-Jones’ landmark following shortly afterwards.

Glasgow Rangers and new Ibrox owners 49ers Enterprises have reached an agreement to sell a Gers player without the approval of new manager Russell Martin.

Aarons completes Ibrox medical and set to join Rangers

The Gers have already made midfielder Lyall Cameron the first official signing of the summer at Ibrox, however, the 49ers and Martin are after more before the Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos and their Scottish Premiership opener at Motherwell.

Motherwell vs Rangers

August 2

Rangers vs Dundee

August 9

St Mirren vs Rangers

August 23

Rangers vs Celtic

August 31

Rangers vs Hearts

September 13

Martin admitted he is “excited” at the players Rangers are targeting and is hoping for a “few” to arrive over the coming weeks.

One of those looks set to be Max Aarons, with the right-back on course to arrive on a straight loan deal from Bournemouth. The defender has even been pictured at Ibrox and has already completed a medical.

With Aarons set to sign, it could be a case of one defender in and one out at Ibrox going off a recent update.

Rangers reach agreement to sell Gers defender Robin Propper

According to reports relayed by Sport Witness, Rangers have reached an agreement in principle to sell Robin Propper for €1.5m (£1.27m) to FC Twente.

A deal is yet to be complete, though, ‘due to the recent changes within the technical staff of Rangers’, meaning Martin has yet to give the green light to an exit.

The report adds that ‘a meeting between Propper and the new head coach is planned soon and will be decisive for the further course of the transfer’.

Concern as Rangers now at risk of losing £20m Ibrox star star on the cheap

This would be a real setback for the Gers.

ByHenry Jackson Jun 24, 2025

FC Twente’s manager, Joseph Oosting, has publicly spoken out over a transfer for Propper, saying “I have been in contact with him via the app. We would like to have Robin. Will he come? That is the question.”

Oosting added to another Dutch outlet: “We have been in contact, I hope he returns. No point of discussion. I assume that it will work out. But in football you can never be sure of such things.”

Should a £1.27m deal go through, Rangers will be making a slight loss after spending £1.5m on Propper just 12 months ago.

If there is one area of the team Arsenal need to strengthen this summer, it’s the attack.

While Mikel Arteta’s side finished a distant second to Liverpool in the Premier League this season, they ended the campaign with a better defensive record than anyone in the league but with 17 fewer goals scored.

So, with this apparent weakness compared to their title rival, it’s hardly surprising to see the club linked with a host of talented strikers, like Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres and Ollie Watkins, in recent weeks.

However, the North Londoners could also do with more options off the left, which would help to explain the links to a player who could be their next Lukas Podolski.

Arsenal's winger search

Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth going over some of the other wingers who have been linked with Arsenal this summer, like Nico Williams 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 has been a long-term target for the club and has a release clause worth around £50m, which doesn’t seem too unreasonable for a 22-year-old international who racked up 18 goal involvements in 45 games this season.

Rodrygo, on the other hand, could cost as much as £85m, but considering he’d be moving from Real Madrid and has produced 24 goal involvements in 51 appearances this year.

However, while both players would be excellent additions to the Gunners’ squad, neither one can really be compared to Podolski, unlike Leroy Sané.

Interestingly, according to a recent report from German outlet BILD, the Bayern Munich star, who is out of contract this summer, could be on the move, and when it comes to English clubs, he would only be interested in joining Arsenal, with his desire to join North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur ‘low.’

It would appear as if there is some degree in the player from the Gunners as well, as earlier this week, it was fairly widely reported that talks had taken place between his representatives and the club.

It might not be the most exciting transfer, but Sané has more than proven himself over the years, and there are certain elements to this potential deal that could make him become a new Podolski for the club.

Why Sané could be Podolski 2.0

So, before getting into some of the other reasons why Sané would be a good signing, it’s worth addressing why we look at him as a potential Podolski 2.0.

The first is that both players would have joined the club from the Bundesliga as German internationals, and furthermore, while the former Gunners ace joined from Koln in 2012, he too had spent time and won titles with Bayern Munich.

Secondly, both players are positionally versatile, with the Bayern star mainly playing off the left but being able to play off the right as well, while the 40-year-old was also primarily a left-winger at the Emirates but has spent more time up top in his career.

On top of that, the pair are both left-footed, and while they can easily create and score goals, they have tended to favour the latter throughout their careers.

For example, the former Manchester City ace, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “world-class,” has scored 133 goals and provided 125 assists in his 496 appearances, while the Koln legend has found the back of the 238 times and provided 138 assists in 700 games.

Appearances

200

210

Minutes

12501′

15482′

Goals

51

70

Assists

47

37

Goal Involvements per Game

0.49

0.50

Minutes per Goal Involvement

127.56′

144.69′

Appearances

90

60

Minutes

6089′

3268′

Goals

25

19

Assists

30

12

Goal Involvements per Game

0.61

0.51

Minutes per Goal Involvement

110.70′

105.41′

Last but not least, given the fact he’s 29 years old and would be joining for free, the Essen-born international could have a similar impact as his senior compatriot did at the club, in the sense that he could come in, spend a couple of seasons as a useful offensive option and then move on, without being a significant financial burden.

Ultimately, Sané is still a brilliant footballer, and considering he’d be available for free, bringing him to the club feels like a no-brainer for Arsenal.

Their own Kane: Arsenal begin talks to sign "exceptional" £42m goalscorer

The promising poacher could develop into something special at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 5, 2025

Ian Bishop on Jasprit Bumrah: “He has developed variations and knows better than most bowlers when to use his variations”

Shashank Kishore19-Jun-20240:54

Should Kohli continue to open for India?

Matthew Hayden feels that Virat Kohli’s experience of assessing surfaces and adjusting to the variables in the Caribbean – India play at three different venues in the Super Eight – are more crucial than his lack of runs so far at the T20 World Cup 2024.Kohli has so far made scores of 1, 4 and 0 in his three innings in the group stage. However, his form prior to that was fantastic – he was the leading run-getter at IPL 2024 with 741 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 154.69, his highest in an IPL season.”Kohli in any conditions is a world-class batter,” Hayden said on . “These [Caribbean] are venues where you have to construct an innings and think about the kind of realistic totals that are possible in these different venues.Related

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“Outside of St Lucia, par scores are in the range of 160-170 and Virat, with all his experience, will be able to work out what to do, like hitting spin towards the windward side, depending on how significant it is.”Look, conditions in the USA were extremely tough, no one likes that. Everyone wants to see these great champions playing freely. But it’s not necessarily going to be the case. That’s why experience counts.”Hayden was also firm in his assessment that opening alongside Rohit Sharma was Kohli’s best option in T20s even though teams have turned to spin early against him.”I said it during the IPL as well, if Kohli was going to be in the team, he needs to open,” Hayden said. “Virat at three, I don’t think we’ll get the best out of him. You can’t just turn up and blast 250 on these wickets, you need thinking cricketers.”You look back at David Warner’s performance this World Cup – in Barbados on a sluggish wicket, he made 30-odd [39 in 16 balls vs England]. It was a really well-constructed thirty. It depends on what your benchmark is. Are you looking at 100s, 50s, strike rate?”The way Warner came out on a pretty [tough] wicket and blew the game away, that’s what Kohli is going to be challenged with in the Caribbean. Just leave him alone. He will show you why the Indian selectors have had faith in him at that position.”But Hayden also had a word of caution for Kohli.”He needs to continue to have a great strike rate,” Hayden said. “We’ve clearly seen a pattern emerge here at the World Cup where those six overs [powerplay], you have to be in front of the game. It’s too hard to catch up. If you’re looking at the back-half of the game, it’s trouble. You must be clinical in the first ten.”Bishop on Bumrah: ‘This guy is a generational bowler’Unlike Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah has had a tournament to remember so far. After missing the 2022 edition in Australia because of a back injury, Bumrah has made a big mark at this T20 World Cup with back-to-back Player-of-the-Match awards against Ireland and Pakistan.Against Pakistan, in particular, his late spell with the game on a knife’s edge was special. With Pakistan needing 40 off 36, he cracked open the game by dismissing Mohammad Rizwan, and then had Iftikhar Ahmed off the final ball in the penultimate over. Bumrah finished with 3 for 14.5:43

Irfan Pathan on what makes Jasprit Bumrah special

Ian Bishop believes that teams have become wary of taking the attack to Bumrah, mainly because of what he can do, but also because of his reputation.”Jasprit is smart, a good communicator who thinks about the game,” Bishop said. “It starts from the foundation, but he has also developed variations and knows better than most bowlers when to use his variations.”You hear him say, ‘it’s not every day I go hunting for wickets – there are days I bowl my yorker at the stumps, days I bowl a wide yorker; there are days when I assess conditions and bowl my slower ball into the pitch or use my bouncer’. In addition to that, he has other ingredients.”He has a unique action where the ball gets on to you a lot quicker than batters anticipate, the full toss [that got Iftikhar, for example] is because of that. Sometimes they don’t get smashed because they get on to you. Of course, when you develop that reputation… when I bowled with Curtly Ambrose, Matthew [Hayden] never put a foot wrong against Curtly because of his reputation, but he’d look to smash me. This guy is a generational bowler.”

Florian Wirtz’s medical is scheduled for Friday, and Liverpool supporters are surely now confident that they will get their man.

Despite all the noise regarding obscene transfer fees, Bayer Leverkusen’s Wirtz will sign for an initial £100m fee, with a further £16m achievable through add-ons.

No doubt, Arne Slot can’t wait to bring the German playmaker into his team, adding some truly world-class quality to ensure the Premier League champions stand a great chance of defending their belt.

Of course, Liverpool need a new centre-forward to dance to the creative tune Wirtz will play from number ten. Darwin Nunez’s time on Merseyside is at an end, reported interest from Serie A rising.

Multiple names have been bandied about, but Hugo Ekitike’s has held the most weight over the past several weeks.

The latest on Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool

Liverpool need a striker, and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Ekitike has been billed the perfect fit, not just a budding goalscorer of a high class but also a dynamic and rounded player whose strength lies in his elegance and flair.

The 22-year-old completed his first full season in Germany last year, scoring 22 goals and providing 12 assists across 48 matches in all competitions.

But with a deft touch, selfless link-up play and intelligent off-the-ball movements all front and centre of Ekitike’s skillset, there’s little question that he has a “very complete offensive range”, as noted by one French reporter.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has also dubbed Ekitike “one of the best strikers out there”, but he’s not the best. That particular player lingers elusively out of reach for all who might want him this summer, but Liverpool haven’t given up hope.

Liverpool still in for Ekitike alternative

As per the Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle, Liverpool are still huge admirers of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak and are attentive to his situation.

Even though The Athletic’s David Ornstein claimed the 25-year-old would not be moving this summer after qualifying for the Champions League, Liverpool chiefs are looking to raise funds through the sales of existing players, and the summer is still young.

For their part, Newcastle categorically don’t want to sell. Isak is the cream of Eddie Howe’s crop and has been valued at more than £150m.

Why Alexander Isak would be perfect

Isak is one of the best players in the Premier League, with analyst Raj Chohan even declaring him “the best striker in the world” after his extraordinary 2024/25 campaign.

Newcastle signed the marksman from Real Sociedad three years ago in what remains a club-record £63m move, but Isak has shaken away the injury issues of seasons past to have enjoyed his finest year yet, bagging 27 goals and six assists over 42 matches in all competitions.

In the Premier League, his 23-goal return was surpassed only by that man Mohamed Salah, and with Isak missing only 18 big chances and creating 11 golden opportunities for his teammates, as per Sofascore, he’d help Liverpool’s Egyptian star and the rest in creating a layered attacking game next year.

Isak’s goalscoring is second-to-none, sure, but that’s not why Liverpool have a vested interest. Instead, it’s the player’s underlying quality, so rounded and technically impressive.

His physicality and robustness (when swerving the injury front) have established the rangy forward to become one of the best in the world, with his goal against Liverpool at Wembley to win the Carabao Cup in March underscoring his value.

Maybe that was the game that convinced FSG of this star’s prowess, for rumours of his potential cross-country summer switch have persisted ever since.

It’s hardly surprising. Liverpool clearly want a certain type of centre-forward, with FBref’s data-driven model revealing Ekitike to be one of Isak’s most statistically comparable players.

Let’s have a look at how they match up.

Goals scored

0.75

0.53

Assists

0.20

0.28

Shots taken

3.10

4.00

Shot-creating actions

3.00

3.55

Touches (att pen)

6.17

6.88

Progressive passes

2.87

1.86

Progressive carries

2.71

3.27

Successful take-ons

1.37

1.83

Ball recoveries

1.80

3.06

Tackles + interceptions

0.49

0.81

What’s interesting is that Ekitike is a bit more active in his ball carrying and in his recoveries, but he also unleashes strikes on goal with greater regularity, with xG (expected goals) tally reaching 0.76 per 90.

Isak’s xG tally, conversely, amounted only to 0.66 per 90, which basically means he scored more frequently than he should have from the chances he found himself at the centre of.

Ultimately, we’re not going to see both players under Slot’s wing, but one of them should suffice. Given Ekitike’s stylistic similarities to Isak, though, you could argue that he’s little more than an imitation of the Swede, pastiching his style of play but not to the same effect.

The 6 foot 3 star has a wealth of experience as a top striker in the Premier League, so it’s understandable that Liverpool would have to pay a premium.

Would the £150m mark be too much for the Reds? It’s likely, but then such a figure is potentially overinflated. Wirtz, it must be said, was touted at €150m (£127m), right up into Liverpool announced themselves the finances involved in a deal that leaves the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal with bigger outlays on single-player transfers at this stage.

To fork out what would likely reach the £100m ballpark once again in the same transfer window would be a big ask of FSG, but the American owners have established a self-sustainable model that has bred illustrious success, and with the right player sales, this might just be one to keep an eye on.

Their new Mo Salah: Liverpool favourites to sign "incredible" £84m striker

Liverpool are planning to sign a new number nine in the summer transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 16, 2025

It is safe to say that the Glasgow Rangers squad as it stands, isn’t good enough to challenge for the Premiership title.

Russell Martin has a mammoth job on his hands, especially with the Gers facing off against Panathinaikos in the Champions League qualifiers in just under three weeks.

Date

Opposition

Competition

July 22

Panathinaikos

Champions League qualifiers

July 30

Panathinaikos

Champions League qualifiers

August 2

Motherwell

Premiership

August 9

Dundee

Premiership

August 23

St Mirren

Premiership

Via Transfermarkt

The new boss has made a decent start in the transfer market, signing players such as Max Aarons, Emmanuel Fernandez and Joe Rothwell.

It remains to be seen whether this trio can make an impact at Ibrox, but bringing in those who can play to the required style is a massive boost.

There are still two months left of the window, meaning Martin will have plenty of time to move people on and bring in more signings to the Light Blues.

The team finished trophyless last season, the second time in three years this has occurred. Ultimately, it is down to the squad of players.

Yes, there may be some standout individuals. Nicolas Raskin and Hamza Igamane spring to mind from the 2024/25 campaign, but the sheer lack of depth across several positions is worrying.

At the time of writing, there is only one right-winger in the first-team squad, while the defensive options aren’t looking healthy at all.

Some more centre-backs and wingers would be nice, that’s for sure. Here’s what Rangers’ dream squad could look like if everything goes according to plan this summer.

The goalkeepers

Jack Butland may have enjoyed a decent enough debut campaign during 2023/24, but last season, the Englishman was well below the required standard.

He kept just 14 clean sheets across 44 matches for the Ibrox side in all competitions, conceding 51 goals in the process.

Liam Kelly did manage to play 13 games for the club last term, conceding 13 times and keeping five clean sheets. Academy graduate Kieran Wright has signed a one-year extension, and he will provide cover for those two throughout the campaign.

There haven’t been any links to potential new goalkeepers this summer, and it remains to be seen whether or not Martin wishes to bring in someone else in this position.

Full list of goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Liam Kelly and Kieran Wright

The defenders

The defence is a priority area which Martin must improve on ahead of next season, especially at centre-back.

Last year, the Gers conceded a staggering 71 goals across 58 matches in all competitions, which works out as 1.2 goals conceded every match.

Fernandez has joined from Peterborough as mentioned, while Leicester City defender Conor Coady – who is valued at £3m by Football Transfers – has been linked with a move north of the border this summer.

Robin Propper has been linked with a move away from Rangers, with a return to his former club, FC Twente, reportedly on the cards ahead of next season.

Elsewhere, Ben Davies is attracting interest from Birmingham, where he spent last season on loan. Moving the Englishman on would be a good piece of business by Martin, especially as it would free up £27k-per-week in the wage budget.

John Souttar and Leon King look set to remain at Ibrox, while Clinton Nsiala has a bright future ahead of him, but he will need more chances to prove his worth under Martin.

James Tavernier will have some competition at right-back, as Aarons will be keen to play on a regular basis. Dujon Sterling will also provide cover in this position, although he can deputise at left-back or even in the midfield if Martin is short of options.

On the left side of defence, Ridvan Yilmaz and Jefte will battle it out for the position. Robbie Fraser is an exciting talent who will be ready to pounce on any opportunities should either of the two get injured throughout the season.

Full list of centre-backs: John Souttar, Emmanuel Fernandez, Leon King, Clinton Nsiala and Conor Coady.

Full list of right-backs: James Tavernier, Dujon Sterling and Max Aarons.

Full list of left-backs: Ridvan Yilmaz, Jefte and Robbie Fraser.

The midfielders

Midfield is where the most business looks likely to be conducted. Rothwell has already joined, and he will provide competition for both Nicolas Raskin and Mohammed Diomande. While youngster Bailey Rice is hoping that this season could be his breakout one.

The pair have attracted plenty of attention due to their performances last term, but Martin will be hopeful that they remain in Glasgow for the 2025/26 campaign.

Indeed, Leeds United and Aston Villa are both eyeing up a move for the Belgian international midfielder. He has a contract running until 2027, but another year at Ibrox would stand him in good stead for the 2026 World Cup.

Diomande is the subject of a big money offer from Besiktas. The bid is in the region of £8.6-10.2million, but this is nowhere near the true valuation of the Ivorian.

The 23-year-old recorded 15 goal contributions – six goals and nine assists – last season and his performances have clearly attracted some admirers.

Martin will be looking to build the team around him and Raskin next season, especially as the duo will only continue to get better and better.

Should big offers arrive, however, might they be too good to turn down? Only time will tell.

It is in the attacking midfield area where Martin must bring in someone exceptional. Thelo Aasgaard has been linked with a move to Ibrox, and he could cost up to £5m from Luton Town.

The Norwegian international scored an impressive tally of 14 goals last season across spells at Wigan and Luton, and he could be the player who finally embraces the attacking midfield role at Rangers.

Last summer, Philippe Clement paid over the odds to bring Nedim Bajrami to Rangers under the impression that he could take the club to the next level.

Despite a few solid displays during the first half of the campaign, including a goal against Celtic in the League Cup final, he largely struggled at the club.

Unless an offer comes in, he will be part of the squad this term. Lyall Cameron joined from Dundee and his presence could be interesting, especially after the year he had on Tayside.

He scored 14 times and grabbed nine assists for Dundee, helping them avoid relegation and the Scot deserves a chance to showcase his abilities at Ibrox.

Full list of midfielders: Nicolas Raskin, Bailey Rice, Joe Rothwell, Mohammed Diomande, Lyall Cameron, Thelo Aasgaard, Nedim Bajrami.

The forwards

This is an area which Martin must look to get spot on ahead of next season, no doubt about that.

Ross McCausland is the only option on the right flank and this must change sooner rather than later. Bournemouth winger David Brooks – who has been hailed as “sublime” in the past by former boss Eddie Howe – is a reported transfer target for Martin.

The winger scored twice in the Premier League last season and at 27, he still has plenty to offer, especially by making a move north of the border.

On the left wing, Oscar Cortes will be looking for a clean slate under Martin, as injuries have hampered his Ibrox career since first joining on a loan deal in January 2024.

Rangers made this permanent ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, but in total, the Colombian winger has played only 18 times for the Ibrox side in 18 months.

Elsewhere, Rabbi Matondo returned from his Bundesliga loan spell, but it remains to be seen whether Martin will give him another chance in the first-team squad.

It is the centre-forward area which has been talked about the most. Cyriel Dessers looked like he was joining AEK Athens, but the two clubs have stalled on a transfer fee.

Martin will be looking to ship out the Nigerian striker though, especially as this sale could fund other signings.

Hamza Igamane also looks to be on his way out of Ibrox, as Lille have shown interest and it was reported that the player had agreed personal terms on an exit.

This would leave Danilo as the club’s only senior centre-forward heading into the new season. That is unless Martin gets his way with a couple of strikers he has shown plenty of interest in.

Dor Turgeman is available for a fee of around £5m and he would instantly improve the side. He scored 20 goals and registered six assists for his club last season.

Furthermore, the Gers are also keen on Croatian striker Matija Frigan, although he could cost £6.5m this summer.

While this is a significant fee, if Martin can move on Dessers and Igamane in the coming weeks, around £20m could be raised, which would fund moves for those two targets.

There would be change left over and this should be spent trying to improve his wide options. Starting a Champions League qualifier with McCausland as the starting right-winger is certainly a recipe for disaster.

The dream XI Martin could build at Rangers: Vardy and £15m duo all sign

Now that Rangers have officially appointed Russell Martin as their new manager, we assess the dream lineup the new boss could build at Ibrox.

1 ByBen Gray Jun 5, 2025

The new manager has done plenty of things right in his opening few weeks of the job. The onus now is to continue improving the squad and laying down a marker when the first competitive match comes around.

Full list of wingers and forwards: Ross McCausland, Oscar Cortes, David Brooks, Danilo, Dor Turgeman, Matija Frigan.

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Worcestershire old boys make key contributions on return to New Road

ECB Reporters Network18-Jul-2024

Pat Brown has had a prolific season•MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Derbyshire Falcons kept alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Vitality Blast with a last-ball five-wicket success over injury-hit Worcestershire Rapids at Visit Worcestershire New Road.It was a triumphant return to New Road for former Worcestershire duo Pat Brown and Ross Whiteley who played key parts in their side’s success.Brown finished with figures of 4 for 23 to take his wicket tally in the competition this summer to 21 as Worcestershire were restricted to 169 for 8. Then Whiteley smashed an unbeaten 41 off 22 balls just when Falcons were falling behind the run rate.Alex Thomson turned Tom Taylor for the decisive run, meaning Falcons must now defeat visiting Durham in Friday evening’s final group match and hope other results go their way.Worcestershire’s total was based around opener Ed Pollock’s first half-century of the summer.Worcestershire were without eight senior players through injury and handed Blast debuts to academy player, Jack Home, and 2nds keeper Henry Cullen.Rapids were put into bat by Falcons captain Samit Patel on a used hybrid pitch. Pollock was soon into his stride with two boundaries in an over from spinner Thomson but Brown struck in his first over when Brett D’Oliveira was caught at cover.Josh Cobb cleverly steered Brown through the vacant third man area and crashed the same bowler straight back past him to the boundary before being caught at backward square leg off the same bowler.Pollock, who has experienced a lean Blast, looked in good touch and a straight drive off Mitch Wagstaff took him into the 30s for the first time this season.New batter Gareth Roderick used the reverse sweep to good effect to collect two fours and a six at Patel’s expense but was then caught and bowled off the same bowler.Ethan Brookes went past 300 Blast runs for in his first campaign for Rapids when he edged Thomson for four to bring up the 100 in the 12th over. Pollock completed a 37 balls half-century with seven fours and Brookes raced to 30 off 19 balls before he pulled Zak Chappell straight to deep midwicket.The safe hands of Whiteley ended Pollock’s knock, also at deep midwicket, off Chappell.Brown returned for the final over to claim his 20th victim of the campaign by bowling Rob Jones and then deflected a straight drive onto the stumps from Jake Libby to run out Tom Taylor at the non striker’s end. There was a fourth victim for Brown when Cullen was pouched at cover.When Derbyshire batted, Aneurin Donald gave his side the ideal start with two fours and a massive six over backward square in Cobb’s first over.Home came into the Worcestershire attack for the first time in the third over and the youngster was soon celebrating his first scalp as he bowled Donald for 28 made of just 12 balls.Another youngster in Harry Darley then accounted for Luis Reece at cover as Derbyshire reached 50 for 2 in the powerplay. Darley struck again as David Lloyd found Cullen at cover but Madsen and then Patel lofted tamely to long-off against D’Oliveira.Madsen batted well for 44 but then tried to ramp Brookes and was bowled. But then came Whiteley’s trademark hitting to tip the scales in the Falcons favour.Fourteen were still needed off the final over from Taylor but he eased the pressure with successive boundaries from the first two deliveries.

The allrounder hasn’t quite kicked on with the bat in the WBBL but should get more opportunities up the order with Thunder

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jul-2024Sydney Thunder have secured a significant signing ahead of WBBL10 by bringing in allrounder Georgia Voll from Brisbane Heat on a three-year deal.Voll, 20, is one of the most highly regarded batting talents in the Australian game and has also had an impact with her offspin.Last season was somewhat of a struggle with the bat in the WBBL as she slid down the order during the tournament, finishing with 206 runs at 18.72 and a strike-rate of 112.56, but she claimed 4 for 19 in the Challenger final against Perth Scorchers before Heat went down to Adelaide Strikers in the final.Related

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However, her batting prowess was on show later in the season when she struck a double century in the red-ball ‘Green and Gold’ game in Adelaide and also made two WNCL hundreds for Queensland.Voll had interest from a number of WBBL clubs but said conversations with Thunder coach Lisa Keightley had swayed her decision.”I never expected myself to play for a New South Wales team, to be honest, but after talking to Lisa and the guys down there, I’m super excited for the opportunity, and it’s a really good young group coming through,” she said.”Lisa was quite clear on the role she wants me to play and what she wants me to do and that sort of got me over the line. I liked what the Thunder were about last year, really playing as a team and getting around each other on and off the field.”Trent Copeland, Sydney Thunder general manager, added: “Georgia has shown since the day she arrived on the scene that she is a special talent with both bat and ball If you were to pinpoint the next young star to crack the Australian setup, Georgia is it. The 200 for Australia A in red-ball cricket, two hundreds in WNCL last season and the all-round capabilities we’ve seen for the Heat in WBBL. This is a huge signing for the club.”Voll’s departure continues significant change at Heat during the off-season with them also losing New Zealand allrounder Amelia Kerr to Sydney Sixers while coach Ashley Noffke has departed for a job in New Zealand. However, they have signed South Africa allrounder Nadine de Klerk on a two-year deal and will still have a formidable top order that includes Grace Harris, Georgia Redmayne, Laura Harris and emerging allrounder Charli Knott.

Glamorgan 182 for 8 (Ingram 47, Allison 3-52) beat Essex 156 (Walter 53, Rossington 41, van der Gugten 3-15) by 26 runsGlamorgan made it back-to-back wins in the Vitality Blast with a 26-run victory over Essex in Cardiff. Middle-order runs and a brilliant bowling display helped them close out their fourth win of the tournament.Having been put in to bat, Glamorgan scored 182 for eight with Colin Ingram top scoring with 47. He was well supported by Marnus Labuschagne and Chris Cooke to set Essex a stiff target.An excellent stand between Adam Rossington and Paul Walter looked to be taking Essex to victory before Labuschagne and Mason Crane choked the life out of the chase to give Glamorgan the win.Essex were bowled out for 156 with the highest score coming from Walter who made 53.Essex kept Glamorgan guessing with their bowling changes in the first part of their innings, with eight bowling changes in the first eight overs. Mixing up the bowling seemed with work with 43 runs and two wickets coming from the PowerPlay.Both Glamorgan openers fell early with Will Smale top edging a sweep shot off Simon Harmer that was caught inside the circle by Robin Das and Kiran Carlson dismissed for 11 when he edged a ball from Ben Allison through to Adam Rossington.A stand of 49 between Tom Bevan and Marnus Labuschagne helped Glamorgan recover from the loss of their openers inside the Powerplay but Bevan departed when he nicked Matt Critchley to Rossington for 23.The experienced trio of Labuschagne, Ingram and Cooke were the reason Glamorgan got to a competitive total with all three players making significant contributions. Labuschagne made 30 from 26 balls that steadied things after the loss of early wickets. He was dismissed when he missed a sweep shot and was bowled by Critchley.Ingram and Cooke combined for the highest stand of the Glamorgan innings, scoring 67 runs for the fourth wicket. Ingram was the highest scorer in the innings but it was Cooke who was the most destructive, scoring 38 runs from just 18 balls. Both fell in the pursuit of quick runs at the death, with Cooke departing to a fantastic catch from Ben Allison on the boundary that robbed him of another six.The Essex innings started with Timm van der Gugten claiming three early wickets to leave the visitors 27 for three. Van der Gugten trapped Dean Elgar lbw for 4 before bowling Michael Pepper and having Robin Das caught behind.The target seemed a long way away at that point but a brilliant partnership of 83 between Rossington and Walter brought Essex back into the game. Walter was the main contributor, making 53 of those runs from just 33 balls before he was dismissed by Dan Douthwaite.Rossington fell in the very next over when he skied an attempted sweep off Labuschagne’s legspin and he was caught by the bowler for 43 to leave Essex 113 for five.From there Crane and Labuschagne strangled the Essex middle-order as the run rate kept climbing. The two legspinners combined for eight overs for the cost of just 48 runs and claiming five wickets between them as Essex were bowled out a long way short of the target.