Lionel Messi is back in history-making mode at Inter Miami, with the Argentine superstar equalling an impressive MLS record held by Carlos Vela.
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It's safe to say that the final few weeks of the 2023/24 season didn’t quite go to plan for Glasgow Rangers. Not only did they lose momentum in the Premiership title challenge, but the Ibrox side also suffered heartache in the Scottish Cup final.
Celtic proved to be the conquerors on both occasions. Despite Philippe Clement clearly bringing the Gers back from a crisis last October, he still has plenty of work to do in order to establish Rangers as the best team in the country.
He will be judged by the signings he makes and the players he sells this summer. With pre-season training already commencing as of Monday, he has made a decent start in both of these areas.
Not only have five players been released, freeing up a solid chunk of the wage budget, but five players have arrived at Ibrox thus far, with plenty more to come.
It is clear that every area of the pitch needs some improvement, in particular the midfield. Could this be where Clement targets one of his next signings?
Rangers have shown interest in Mexican international
While there has been no shortage of links to promising players this summer, as Clement aims to change the club’s fortunes in the transfer market, some are more exciting than others.
Andres Montano is a Mexican midfielder who has been linked with a move to Glasgow in recent weeks, and he certainly has a bright future ahead of him.
Player
Year joined
Games
Goals
Carlos Pena
2017
14
5
Eduardo Herrera
2017
24
2
Via Transfermarkt
The best part is, Montano will only cost around £1m should Clement take his initial interest further, giving the Belgian the chance to secure a highly-rated talent for peanuts.
Rafael Guillen, agent for El Cielo Management, discussed his client and the need for a move to Europe, saying:
"We think that Andres could easily play without problems for Celtic, or for Rangers, because of our relationship with them, but they are not the only ones. Celtic and Rangers have a lot of quality. The English Premier League is the number one league in the world and we already have Edson Alvarez and Raul Jimenez as Mexicans there.
"The Scottish League would be the best bridge for him it has a lower level that would allow Andres to play more often.”
It is perhaps a lower level than some other European leagues, but if Montano was to sign for Rangers, he could have the opportunity to play in the Champions League should the Light Blues qualify.
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Performances on the continental stage would boost his profile significantly, thus allowing Clement and Co the chance to secure a major profit on the midfielder.
Until then, however, the current Mazatlan starlet could form a wonderful duo with another rising talent at Rangers – Mohamed Diomande.
Mohamed Diomande’s season in numbers for Rangers
Clement signed the Ivorian on a six-month loan deal with an obligation to buy in January. Six months on, it looks like a wise decision indeed.
The 22-year-old added some athleticism to the heart of the midfield, slotting in alongside the more robust John Lundstram, and he took to Scottish football with ease.
He scored twice in his first four league matches for the club and his presence in the starting XI galvanised a midfield which had lacked something since the start of the season.
Compared to his teammates in the Premiership last term, the midfielder ranked tenth for shots per game (1.7), eighth for key passes per game (1.5) and fifth for tackles per game (1.5), demonstrating that he was effective when he had the ball in the opposition half along with showcasing his defensive skills when Rangers didn’t have the ball.
Matches
13
Accurate passes per game
27.5 (82%)
Big chances created
1
Key passes per game
1.5
Shots per game
1.7
Tackles per game
1.5
Total duels won per game
3.8 (52%)
Diomande will be vital to any success the Light Blues have next season. Adding in a player such as Montano will not only bolster the midfield but would allow Clement to form a solid partnership in the heart of the pitch.
What Andres Montano can offer Rangers
While Diomande shines when it comes to making important passes and preventing attackers from bursting through the centre of the pitch, Montano has a different set of skills.
For example, he registered six goal contributions across just 26 matches, not a bad stat considering he was often deployed in the heart of the midfield, which suggests he loves to make runs forward in order to score or create chances for others.
Additionally, Montano’s dribbling ability is wonderful. When compared to his positional peers over the previous 365 days in similar leagues, the 22-year-old ranks in the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.61), the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.02) and the top 18% for progressive carries per 90 (1.94).
This is evidence of Montano’s regular forays into the final third of the pitch, and it is clear he is extremely successful at it, judging by his dribbling abilities.
The positional versatility mentioned in the post above could see him either play alongside Diomande as part of a midfield two, or slightly higher up the pitch as a number ten, just in front of the Ivorian midfielder.
He has shown previously that either position could suit him and this should make his signing a no-brainer by Clement.
Losing the likes of Lundstram and Ryan Jack at the end of last season means the Belgian must add another couple of midfielders to his squad this summer. With Connor Barron already signed up ahead of next season, bringing in Montano makes a lot of sense.
There is a good feeling surrounding Ibrox right now with the amount of promising talent that is either arriving at the club or being linked with a move.
Should the manager add in a couple of experienced heads too, Rangers could be back in business next term.
£7m duo sign, Tavernier & Goldson sold: Rangers' dream XI for 2024/25
Rangers could look very different next season compared to last
ByRoss Kilvington Jun 16, 2024
MatériaMais Notícias
Chegou a hora do Flamengo voltar a campo. Na tarde deste domingo, o Rubro-Negro Carioca enfrenta o Palmeiras no Allianz Parque, às 16h, em partida válida pela 20ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Esse será o primeiro jogo do Fla desde o dia 28 de setembro, quando o time goleou o Santos, na Vila Belmiro. Dessa forma, a seguir, o LANCE!, que transmite o duelo em tempo real, mostra o que ficar de olho no Flamengo para o confronto.
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>Entenda como o Flamengo teve um final feliz com David Luiz
Postura dentro de campo
O Flamengo de Renato Gaúcho se mostrou um time de muita intensidade, goleadas e domínio. No entanto, o Fla já tem oito desfalques e duas dúvidas para o jogo deste domingo. Assim, será interessante ver como será a postura do Rubro-Negro dentro de campo: vai para cima como sempre ou, por causa de desfalques, trabalhará mais nos contra-ataques.
Pedro
Como Gabigol é um dos lesionados do Flamengo, Pedro, naturalmente, deverá ganhar oportunidade. Assim, o atacante terá chance demostrar serviço e, consequentemente, brigar por um espaço entre os titulares do time. Ainda vale lembrar que o jogador alcançou o maior jejum de gols da carreira. Portanto, diante do Palmeiras, o camisa 21 buscará acabar com esse momento negativo.
> Veja a tabela do Brasileirão
Michael
O atacante ainda não conseguiu se firmar desde que chegou no Flamengo. No entanto, por conta da lesão de Bruno Henrique, Michael ganhou espaço no time titular e correspondeu no nível que o clube espera. Inclusive,nas últimas duas partidas, o camisa 19 participou de quatro gols do Rubro-Negro Carioca. Então, esta será mais uma oportunidade para o jogador mostrar evolução e se consolidar como uma das peças fundamentais do grupo dentro de campo.
Ramon
O jovem lateral-esquerdo formado nas categorias de base é uma das promessas do Flamengo para o futuro. Neste domingo, ele deverá ser o titular, uma vez que Filipe Luís e Renê não estão à disposição de Renato Gaúcho. Assim, Ramon terá uma grande chance para mostrar que é o futuro da posição na Gávea.
Disputa por posição no meio-campo
Para este jogo, o Flamengo não contará com Diego, que está com um edema na panturrilha direita. Dessa forma, Thiago Maia, que já vinha pedindo passagem, deve ganhar a posição de titular. Além disso, Andreas Pereira, recém-contratado, também pode ganhar minutos dentro de campo. Assim, uma boa atuação dos dois pode acirrar ainda mais a vaga pela titularidade do Flamengo.
Australia and BBL players have been moved to NSW after border restrictions were imposed on South Australia
Daniel Brettig17-Nov-2020A mass airlift of Australia, Australia A and Big Bash League players into New South Wales has been successfully completed to avoid Cricket Australia having its summer plans severely disrupted by border restrictions imposed on South Australia due to a developing Covid-19 outbreak in the state.While the number of new cases in SA dipped promisingly to five on Tuesday after 14 on Monday that were traced to an outbreak in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, CA and the BBL clubs moved rapidly to ensure all players left the affected state and also Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania after all three state governments imposed quarantine restrictions on SA.These moves, including a charter flight specifically to transport all players and staff from the Adelaide Strikers to a training camp in Coffs Harbour, will allow for Australia players to prepare freely for the looming white-ball series against India, plus Australia A players preparing for warm-up games against Virat Kohli’s touring side and also the Strikers and other SA-based BBL players ahead the tournament’s scheduled early-December start in Hobart.This meant rushed farewells to family and friends for the likes of Test captain Tim Paine, Matthew Wade, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head and Cameron Green, but ensured smooth progression of the summer even if the SA outbreak continues to grow. SA’s border remains open to NSW and Victoria, and CA maintains that Adelaide Oval will host the first Test of the summer against India from December 17 onwards.”CA has taken a proactive approach and mobilised a number of people across the country over the past 24 hours to shore up our men’s domestic and international schedules,” CA’s interim chief executive Nick Hockley said. “I would like to thank the players and staff for their understanding regarding the changes to their travel schedules and for their commitment to ensuring the summer of cricket is a huge success.”I would also like to thank the various leadership groups across Australian cricket for coming together over the past 48 hours and taking quick, decisive action – made possible by thorough, cross-department contingency planning. CA will continue to monitor the situation in South Australia and the resulting border restrictions around the country.”As ever, we will remain agile in addressing the challenges presented by the pandemic and remain more confident than ever of hosting a safe and successful summer across all formats.”
As they look to land their first signing of the summer, Manchester United have reportedly agreed personal terms to gain the edge over Arsenal in the race to sign a new striker who is currently away at Euro 2024.
Man Utd transfer news
With a deal to welcome new sporting director Dan Ashworth finally secured, the Red Devils can commence their summer business in an attempt to hand Erik ten Hag a side capable of returning to the Premier League's top four. The Dutchman was recently given a show of good faith by Sir Jim Ratcliffe in the form of a new contract to end any speculation over his Old Trafford future once and for all.
Speaking to Manchester United's official website about the decision, Ashworth said: "With two trophies in the past two seasons, Erik has reinforced his record as one of the most consistently successful coaches in European football.
"While the club’s review of last season highlighted areas for improvement, it also reached a clear conclusion that Erik was the best partner for us to work with in driving up standards and outcomes."
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Now, with Ten Hag's future sealed and Ashworth arrived, those at Old Trafford have reportedly taken a major step towards securing their first arrival of the summer. According to Caught Offside, Manchester United have now agreed personal terms with Joshua Zirkzee and are in discussions with Bologna over the preferred way to pay his reported £34m release clause this summer.
Gaining an edge over Arsenal and AC Milan in the race to sign the Dutchman, who is at Euro 2024 with the Netherlands, United could have the answer to their attacking problems ahead of the coming campaign. If that is the case, then Ten Hag should be better-placed than ever to lead the Red Devils.
"Intelligent" Zirkzee should partner Hojlund
Having started with two strikers leading the line at the end of last season, which proved a particular success in their FA Cup final victory over rivals Manchester City, Manchester United would be welcoming an ideal partner for Rasmus Hojlund in Zirkzee.
The Dane showed plenty of promise in his debut campaign at Old Trafford, but desperately needs a strike partner if he is to reach his devastating best in the Premier League, and Zirkzee's link-up play is up there with the best of them, allowing Hojlund to play as the focal point.
Goals
11
10
Assists
4
2
Expected Goals
7.4
7.6
Key Passes
43
28
Both young forwards were clinical in front of goal last season but perhaps lacked the service to boost their output. Zirkzee's creativity can quickly unlock that service for Hojlund, however, with his statistical profile similar to that of France superstar Antoine Griezmann according to FBRef.com, perhaps filling the role for United that Griezmann does for Les Bleus.
Still just 23 years old, the former Bayern Munich man looks destined to find his way back to the top with a summer switch to Old Trafford edging closer and closer. Described as "intelligent" by Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig, all signs are pointing towards a player who would make a significant impact under Ten Hag next season.
Newcastle United have "agreed personal terms" with a "priority" £25k-a-week target ahead of a summer move, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Newcastle transfer news
The Magpies will be targeting new signings in various areas of the pitch in the summer transfer window, as Eddie Howe looks to bounce back after a relatively disappointing season for his side in the Premier League.
Former Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho has been linked with a move to St James' Park, with the attacking ace now a free agent after leaving the King Power Stadium at the end of the campaign. He has the same agent as Joelinton, which could potentially help discussions over the transfer.
A new goalkeeper appears to be high up on Howe's list of priorities ahead of next season, with Nick Pope suffering an injury-plagued 2023/24 campaign. Young Burnley stopper James Trafford has emerged as a long-term option between the sticks, with a first bid submitted for his services.
In midfield, Marseille's Matteo Guendouzi is reportedly wanted by Newcastle in the coming months, with the Frenchman picking up plenty of Premier League in the past during his stint with Arsenal. He is thought to have fallen out with his current manager Igor Tudor, and could therefore look for a new challenge.
Newcastle agree personal terms with player
According to Romano on X, Newcastle have now agreed personal terms with Trafford over a summer move to the club, seeing him as a "priority" option to bring in.
"Understand Newcastle have agreed personal terms with James Trafford as priority option to become new goalkeeper. New proposal to Burnley expected soon, in the region of £15m with add-ons based on performances. Man City will receive 20% of the fee from Burnley."
Trafford jumps out as one of English football's brightest young talents currently, initially emerging as a big prospect at Manchester City, before impressing at Burnley after sealing a permanent move to Turf Moor last year. He made England's preliminary squad for Euro 2024, too, and while he didn't make the final cut for the tournament, that still outlines the progress he has made.
At just 21 years of age, the £25,000-a-week 'keeper still has the vast majority of his career ahead of him, and international colleague Cole Palmer has waxed lyrical over him, saying: "I've always said to him – even when we were little – that he is going to be world-class."
Trafford could be seen by Newcastle as a player who can come straight in and challenge Pope for regular minutes, as well as being viewed as the Englishman's long-term successor at St James', learning from training with him every day and maturing as the years pass.
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The sky appears to be the limit for the former City man, who will surely dream of being England's first-choice goalkeeper eventually, and the Magpies could have him for around 15 years potentially, making him a long-term investment who could look like a steal over time.
A £210,000-per-week striker, who's been compared to footballing icon Cristiano Ronaldo, now thinks a transfer to Chelsea is the best possible move for him.
Chelsea still targeting new striker for Maresca this summer
The west Londoners, after spending a combined £105 million on the signings of Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Omari Kellyman, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Brazilian starlet Estevao Willian, remain in the market for more fresh faces.
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Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech, Lewis Hall, Omari Hutchinson and Ian Maatsen have gone the other way out of Stamford Bridge, bringing in around £84 million and helping to reduce Chelsea's overall net spend to around £21 million – with this year's PSR accounts surely in mind.
Chelsea have leeway to invest further in Enzo Maresca's squad and provide the Italian with key upgrades. As widely reported by reliable media sources, Chelsea are in the running to sign Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, but face serious competition from London rivals Arsenal.
The addition of another centre-back is very much a possibility with Calafiori, but it also remains the case that Chelsea are looking to add a prolific new number nine to their ranks as well.
Todd Boehly and the wider recruitment team are believed to have their eyes on some familiar names, with journalist Simon Phillips claiming this week that Chelsea have internally discussed the possibility of signing Ivan Toney.
Chelsea's top scorers in all competitions last season
Goals
Cole Palmer
25
Nicolas Jackson
17
Raheem Sterling
10
Noni Madueke
8
Conor Gallagher
7
The Englishman's heroics against Slovakia in the Last 16 of Euro 2024 have gone down well, with Toney coming off the bench in extra time to provide the winning assist for Harry Kane to make it 2-1.
Chelsea continue to be linked with Napoli star Victor Osimhen as well, with the Nigerian so far struggling to finalise a move away from the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is believed to be holding firm on his £110 million release clause to negotiate a sale, and as things stand, no European club appear willing to pay it.
Osimhen thinks Chelsea is best possible transfer for him
That is according to HITC, who also claim that Osimhen believes Chelsea is the best possible move for him this summer. Maresca's side are maintaining an interest in the £210,000-per-week striker, and have opened lines of communication with Osimhen's representatives.
However, they are only willing to do a deal for under £100 million, so unless De Laurentiis softens his stance, then this deal looks set to be on ice for the time being.
Interestingly, the African has drawn comparisons with Ronaldo.
“Victor is a crazy driving force, as soon as you put a competition on the pitch he wants to win, he brings his team, a bit like Cristiano calls his team,” said former Napoli boss Rudi Garcia.
“He’s among the best center forwards in the world. I’ve read that other clubs wanted him. He is great in the attack, and he defends and presses like crazy.”
يستعد فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك لخوض مواجهة مرتقبة أمام المصري البورسعيدي، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.
ويصطدم الزمالك بنظيره المصري في رابع جولات دور المجموعات بكأس الكونفدرالية، وذلك يوم الأحد المقبل.
بيان رسمي | المصري يُعلن عدد جماهير مباراة الزمالك في الكونفدرالية
ويتواجد فريقا الزمالك والمصري في المجموعة الرابعة بمنافسات بطولة الكونفدرالية، التي تضم إلى جوارهما بلاك بولز الموزمبيقي وإنييمبا النيجيري.
وعلم btolat.com أن النادي المصري طالب الجهات المعنية بالسماح بحضور 10 آلاف مشجع في المباراة بواقع 7 آلاف تذكرة لجماهيره، باعتباره صاحب الأرض، بينما خصصت 3 آلاف تذكرة لجماهير الزمالك.
وفي خطوة موازية، أرسلت إدارة نادي الزمالك خطابًا رسميًا للجهات الأمنية لطلب زيادة عدد الجماهير المسموح لهم بالحضور إلى المباراة، نظرًا لأهمية اللقاء بالنسبة للفريقين ولإضفاء طابع حماسي على الأجواء.
من المتوقع أن يشهد اللقاء حضورًا جماهيريًا كبيرًا من كلا الفريقين، وهو ما قد يساهم في زيادة الحافز للفريقين لتحقيق نتيجة إيجابية في المباراة، التي تترقبها جماهير الكرة المصرية بشغف كبير.
وكانت مباراة الزمالك والمصري في الجولة الثالثة من منافسات الكونفدرالية قد انتهت بفوز الفارس الأبيض بهدف دون رد.
ويعتلي الزمالك صدارة ترتيب المجموعة برصيد 7 نقاط فيما يأتي المصري ثالثًا بـ4 نقاط، بالتساوي مع بلاك بولز صاحب الوصافة.
Arsenal fans were left fuming after seeing William Saliba pick up a red card against Bournemouth that will rule him out of the visit from Liverpool.
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Saliba sent off in first half against BournemouthWill miss Arsenal's clash with LiverpoolGooners left distraught by sending offFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Saliba was initially shown a yellow card for tugging back Bournemouth striker Evanilson as he looked set to run through on goal. However, referee Rob Jones was sent to the monitor by VAR Jared Gillett and then produced a red card for the defender. The sending off means Saliba will now face a suspension and will definitely miss a crucial clash against table-topping Liverpool next time out in the Premier League, leaving fans fearing for their team's season already.
AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING
Arsenal fan @Bikila88 posted on X: "Saliba Red? And missing Liverpool? We’re screwed."
Fellow Gooner @bukayocore felt the same way: "no saliba for liverpool we’re actually finished omg."
And @CallumLukePayne was also feeling pessimistic: "no saliba for liverpool newcastle and chelsea, we’re cooked."
Arsenal's habit of picking red cards was also disappointing @ThePeakSanti: "Third red card of the season and just like that no Saliba for Liverpool I'm tired man."
While @Rory_Talks_Ball felt Arsenal's whole season is now in jeopardy: "Yeah season’s f*cked then Saliba missing liverpool."
@expiredjollof added: "Title gone. No Saliba vs Liverpool is nuts man."
AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Saliba has endured something of a nightmare week for club and country. The defender conceded a penalty for France against Belgium at the start of the week and has now received his first red card for Arsenal. His absence against Liverpool will be a huge blow in a match between two teams who have started the season strongly and are expected to battle it out with Manchester City for the title.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Saliba's red card is his first in 93 games for Arsenal and also his first in his 157th appearance in a match in Europe's big-five leagues.
Carlo Ancelotti and his son Davide, Real Madrid's assistant coach, are said to have had disagreements over Arda Guler.
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