Also, why did Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers bat out of position?

Karthik Krishnaswamy15-Oct-20201:52

Chris Morris: Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube sent ahead of AB de Villiers to maintain left-right combination

Why did RCB promote Sundar and Dube above de Villiers?The Royal Challengers lost their second wicket in the seventh over of their innings, but instead of AB de Villiers coming in at his usual No. 4 position, Washington Sundar walked in. When they lost their third wicket, the Royal Challengers promoted Shivam Dube.Both Sundar and Dube bat left-handed, and the Kings XI had two legspinners – M Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi – in their attack. It’s a widely-used ploy to match up batsmen against spinners who turn the ball into them.At the presentation ceremony, Virat Kohli said having the left hand-right hand combination against the two legspinners was the reason behind the batting-order shuffle. Sundar and Dube made 36 off 33 balls between them, and of those 33 balls, 12 were bowled by the offspinner Glenn Maxwell, the Kings XI’s sixth bowler. Those 12 balls brought the Royal Challengers only 14 runs.By the time de Villiers came out to bat, only 4.1 overs remained in the Royal Challengers innings. He had no time to get his eye in, unlike during his 73 not out off 33 balls against the Kolkata Knight Riders in the last game where he had scored 10 off his first 11 balls before launching his onslaught. He was dismissed for 2 off five today.Every decision, as Kohli said, comes with the risk of it not coming off, but was the left-handedness of Sundar and Dube enough of a reason to promote them above one of the world’s finest T20 batsmen? The data suggests it wasn’t.Since the start of 2019 until today, de Villiers had averaged 52.50 against legspin in all T20s while striking at 135.77. Sundar averaged 50.00 and boasted a strike rate of 172.41, but his sample size against legspin (29 balls) was far smaller than de Villiers’ (232). Dube, meanwhile, had scored just 28 runs off 28 balls against legspin in this period, while being dismissed five times. Did the Royal Challengers fail to look deeper into the match-up than merely assuming the left-handers would be at an advantage?Why did Kings XI bat Gayle at No. 3?Before today, Chris Gayle had opened in all but two of his 124 IPL innings. KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal, however, had put on 30 or more in all but one of the Kings XI’s previous seven games this season, carrying on past 50 four times and past 100 twice. It would have been a difficult decision to break up that pair just to accommodate Gayle, considering it was one of the few areas of their game that was working well. Gayle, moreover, is 41 and hadn’t played any serious cricket since January.But Gayle’s age and possible rustiness could have also been reasons to not play him in an unfamiliar role. Starting your innings with powerplay field restrictions in place is very different from starting your innings after the six-over mark.Gayle struggled initially, and at one point was batting on 7 off 15 balls, which built a bit of run-rate pressure on the Kings XI after their openers had pushed them above the required rate with a partnership of 78 in 48 balls.Like the decision to hold de Villiers back, this one could also have gone either way. Gayle’s experience and almost unparalleled six-hitting ability, however, ensured he never let the required rate climb too high.Chris Gayle celebrates his fifty•BCCIWhy did Sundar not bowl in the powerplay?Among those who’ve sent down at least 15 balls in the powerplay this season, Sundar has the best economy rate (4.54). Today, though, the Royal Challengers only brought him on in the ninth over, after they had broken the Kings XI’s opening partnership.The reason, once again, was match-ups. Both Rahul and Agarwal bat right-handed, and the Royal Challengers wanted their offspinner to bowl to the left-handed Gayle. But more specifically, Gayle has often struggled against the specific style of offspin Sundar delivers – angled into the left-hander from round the wicket, pitching just short of a length, cramping him for room.When Gayle struggled to 7 off 15, it looked like the Royal Challengers had pulled off an excellent move. Gayle, though, went on to defy that match-up, hitting four sixes in Sundar’s last two overs.The first two sixes came when Sundar erred in length. The last two were Gayle specials. Sundar is renowned for hitting a length that’s too short to comfortably sweep or loft, and too full to comfortably pull, and he hit exactly that length both times, but Gayle simply opened up at the hip and swung him over long-on with a shot that fell somewhere between lofted drive and pull. Chalk that to the genius of Gayle.Should Kohli bat with more freedom?In his last match, Kohli hit just one boundary (an edged four) in 28 balls. Today he hit three fours in his first seven balls, within the powerplay, but didn’t hit another boundary while scoring 48 off 39 balls. Part of the reason was that he wasn’t at his most fluent, and mis-hit the ball on a few occasions when he tried to go after the bowling, but part of the reason was also down to his approach – he was happy to knock the ball around for singles in the middle overs, and only really started attempting bigger hits after the 15th over.It’s how he always bats, and the same approach brought him an unbeaten 90 off 52 balls against the Chennai Super Kings. But the late acceleration that he’s capable of may not always come off. And while there have been times in the past when the Royal Challengers haven’t had a deep enough batting line-up for Kohli to be able to go after the bowling earlier, they perhaps do now.Before today, Chris Morris hadn’t yet batted this season, and Isuru Udana just once in five games. Today, Morris smacked 25* off 8, and Udana 10* off 5. Perhaps their combined slog-overs display should allow Kohli to let go of the handbrake in future games.

West Ham United have reportedly stepped into the mix to secure the services of Manchester City’s Jack Grealish. The midfielder's future with City appears to be over and his exclusion from the Club World Cup squad served as a reminder that his services are no longer required at the Etihad.

• Grealish heading towards Man City exit
• West Ham & Everton are vying for his services
• High wages present a major stumbling block

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  While West Ham are intrigued by the prospect of adding Grealish to their ranks, any potential move hinges on a significant wage reduction. Grealish is currently on a £300,000-a-week contract at City, a figure the east London club is unable to match under their financial structure, as revealed by

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  Tottenham Hotspur had previously shown interest in the former Aston Villa captain, but their pursuit has reportedly cooled. This shift has opened the door for West Ham to move in as a serious contender. Additionally, Everton are believed to be observing the situation, but they are only keen on a loan deal.

• TELL ME MORE

  Grealish endured a frustrating 2024-25 campaign at City. Despite being fit for most of the season, he managed only 32 appearances across all competitions. Even more concerning was his limited presence in the Premier League, making just seven starts in the domestic top flight, with only one of those coming in 2025.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  While West Ham’s interest is firm, Grealish has also been linked with moves abroad. Bayern Munich and Napoli have both been touted as possible destinations, offering the chance to reunite with former team-mates Harry Kane and Kevin De Bruyne, respectively.

Sunderland will be all too aware of how challenging the Premier League can be, having been relegated four times from the intimidating division since its 1992 rebrand.

The Black Cats will be up against it too when you consider how poorly the newly promoted sides have done in recent memory, with the last six teams to go up triumphantly sinking straight back down with a whimper.

Regis Le Bris, of course, will have other plans as he embarks on his first-ever season in England’s well-known top-flight, but signings galore will need to take place to give the Frenchman and his wide-eyed team a fighting chance at survival.

One dream incoming would have been the amazing return of Amad Diallo to the Stadium of Light, but with his Old Trafford career finally now taking flight, it looks like an unlikely route to explore.

Amad's fan favourite status at Sunderland

Rumours have already begun to circulate that the entertaining Ivorian could be on the Sunderland shopping list, with this deal perhaps even bolder than the Black Cats’ reported attempts to tempt former star Jordan Henderson back to home turf.

A potential reunion will always catch the eye of Sunderland supporters just for how impactful Amad’s first stint at the club was, with his heroics from down the right wing clinching playoff football for Tony Mowbray’s men during the 2022/23 campaign.

They would eventually slip up at the semi-final stages, but nobody could knock the 22-year-old’s efforts during the near-miss season, with Amad picking up a hefty 14 goals and four assists across 42 appearances.

Since then, he has been able to firm up his Manchester United starting spot under Ruben Amorim, scoring 11 goals this season, so a stunning move back to Wearside would surely be a tall order to pull off.

But, Le Bris might well be able to win Sunderland’s next version of the spellbinding 22-year-old if another move comes to fruition.

Sunderland could sign their new Amad

It will be all about striking a fine balance between picking up signings by the bucket load and ensuring the star performers from their promotion heroics are given a fair chance up a level.

As per a new report from GIVEMESPORT, the Black Cats could be about to bolster their attacking arsenal even more away from the likes of Romaine Mundle and Wilson Isidor with the addition of Kwame Poku. Indeed, the Mackems are just one of 26 clubs who are looking to seal the winger’s signature on a free transfer after his contract with Peterborough United came to a close.

The concern on Sunderland’s end, however, will be whether Poku can make that gigantic leap up from League One to the Premier League look seamless.

But, as was the case with Amad, he had never really been exposed to the ins and outs of the English game before his Stadium of Light loan experience – minus one or two United senior chances – with the rest now history as he tears up the Premier League for the Red Devils.

The “unplayable” Ghanaian – as he was hyperbolically labelled by Peterborough United boss Darren Ferguson last season – could well take the top-flight by storm too if given time to impress, with Poku’s trickery, flair and ability to finish off a chance at League One level making him very similar to Amad at his Black Cats peak and shows off a player ready for an increase in quality.

To rubber stamp that comparison, you only need to look at their dribbling numbers from the 2024/25 campaign with EFL hotshot, Poku, averaging 1.9 dribbles per match to Amad’s 1.6. Their eel-like ability on the ball is almost uncanny.

Games played

147

Goals scored

30

Assists

30

Trophies

2x

L1 Player of the Month

2x

LT Team of the Season

1x

Unfortunately for Le Bris and Co, they were unable to get the very best out of Amad over a long period of time, but with Poku – who is fresh off tallying up an insane 21 goal contributions from only 29 clashes last season – he will have so much more to give the cause permanently, considering he is only 23 and will be surrounded by some top-notch teammates equally eager to succeed up a division.

He might not instantly hit the ground running, but if there’s one location that should be able to get the optimum out of him eventually, it’s Sunderland with the likes of Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham and Amad all blossoming here so early into their playing days.

His value's soared 3,868%: Sunderland have struck gold on their new Clarke

Sunderland have hit the jackpot with this star who could be their next Jack Clarke.

ByDan Emery May 28, 2025

اختتمت منافسات الجولة الخامسة من عمر منافسات بطولة الدوري السعودي، بمواجهة نيوم أمام القادسية، مساء الأحد، حيث فاز الأخير بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف.

وبتحقيق فريق القادسية الفوز، أرتقي إلي المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي، برصيد 13 نقطة.

وكان فريق النصر واصل انتصارته في الدوري السعودي هذا الموسم، بالفوز على الفتح، بخماسية مقابل هدف، ليواصل صدراته لترتيب جدول الدوري، بدون خسارة ومحققًا الفوز الخامس على التوالي.

وكان نادي الهلال انتصر على نظيره الاتفاق، بخمسة أهداف دون رد، ضمن منافسات نفس الجولة، من بطولة الدوري السعودي.

طالع | الهلال يسحق الاتفاق بخماسية في الدوري السعودي

وكان الاتحاد بطل الدوري الموسم الماضي، تعادل إيجابيًا مساء الجمعة أمام الفيحاء 1-1، ليتراجع إلي المركز الرابع. جدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي

1- النصر، 15 نقطة.

2- القادسة، 13 نقطة.

3- التعاون، 12 نقطة.

4- الهلال، 11 نقطة.

5- الاتحاد، 10 نقاط.

6- الخليج، 9 نقاط.

7- الخلود، 9 نقاط.

8- الأهلي، 9 نقاط.

9- نيوم، 9 نقاط.

10- الفيحاء، 8 نقاط.

11- الاتفاق، 7 نقاط.

12- الحزم، 5 نقاط.

13- الشباب، 5 نقاط.

14- الرياض، 3 نقاط.

15- الفتح، نقطة واحدة.

16- ضمك، نقطة واحدة.

17- الأخدود، بدون نقاط.

18- النجمة، بدون نقاط.

يمكنكم متابعة ترتيب الدوري السعودي بشكل محدث باستمرار من هنا.

da esoccer bet： Manchester United have now opened talks over a deal for a “world-class” Barcelona player, with the La Liga champions willing to sanction a departure this summer, according to a report.

Man Utd's summer rebuild underway

da 888casino： After one of the worst seasons in their modern history, no Man United player has been safe from criticism, and Jamie Carragher has suggested that Bruno Fernandes doesn’t fit into Ruben Amorim’s system.

Carragher said: “I’ve always described Bruno Fernandes as a great talent but not a great player. Where does he play?

“He’s a bit mad in that he just runs all over the place, like a kid in the school yard. The best player in the school yard doing everything but in a really poor team. I don’t think he’s ever had any discipline in those No. 10 positions.”

It has since been confirmed that Fernandes is set to remain at Old Trafford, but the rebuild is very much underway, with Matheus Cunha arriving at the start of the month, while Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo has also emerged as a major target in attack.

Related Forget Gyokeres: Man Utd have had talks to sign "world-class" £50m+ striker

The Red Devils have engaged in discussions with the entourage of a centre-forward.

Posts ByDominic Lund Jun 10, 2025

Having been the subject of widespread criticism throughout the campaign, there have also been indications that Amorim could look to bring in an upgrade on Andre Onana this summer, and an initial approach has now been made for a Barcelona star.

Indeed, according to a report from Spain, Man United have now opened talks over a deal for Marc-Andre ter Stegen, submitting an enquiry about the goalkeeper, and they may have discovered that Barca are now willing to sanction a departure.

Onana is no longer part of Amorim’s plans, which means the manager will be tasked with bringing in a replacement, and Ter Stegen is very much of interest, although there could be competition for his signature from Galatasaray and Al-Hilal.

The German is in no rush to leave, but Joan Garcia’s arrival could unsettle him, as reduced game time may impact his chances of going to the 2026 World Cup.

"World-class" Ter-Stegen has track record of success

The 33-year-old has won 20 trophies for club and country across a glittering career, most recently playing a minor role in Barcelona’s La Liga triumph by making eight appearances throughout the 2024-25 campaign.

However, the £103k-a-week shot-stopper missed the majority of the season through injury, and given his age, there are questions over whether he would be a viable long-term replacement for Onana.

Having been lauded as “world-class” by Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann, Ter Stegen is clearly a top goalkeeper, but the rival interest coming from Galatasaray and Al-Hilal, rather than some of Europe’s top clubs, speaks volumes.

As such, it may be wise to go all out for a younger goalkeeper on the shortlist, having previously identified a number of potential targets.

Target

Current club

Potential cost

Vanja Milinkovic-Savic

Torino

£17m

James Trafford

Burnley

£30m

Emiliano Martinez

Aston Villa

?

Bart Verbruggen

Brighton

£34m

Scotland and South Africa face-off for the first time in women’s cricket; Sri Lanka meet India after back-to-back losses

Ashish Pant08-Oct-2024

Scotland vs South Africa

Dubai, 2pm local time

Scotland squad: Kathryn Bryce (capt), Chloe Abel, Abbi Aitken-Drummond, Olivia Bell, Sarah Bryce (wk), Darcey Carter, Priyanaz Chatterji, Katherine Fraser, Saskia Horley, Lorna Jack, Ailsa Lister, Abtaha Maqsood, Megan McColl, Hannah Rainey, Rachel SlaterSouth Africa squad: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe TryonTournament form guide: Scotland’s maiden T20 World Cup appearance hasn’t gone to plan so far with two back-to-back losses. They started their tournament with a 16-run defeat against Bangladesh, before going down heavily to West Indies by six wickets and 50 balls to spare. South Africa are also coming into this game on the back of a seven-wicket loss against England which saw them slip to third on the points table. Their ten-wicket win against West Indies, though, has kept their net run rate (NRR) relatively healthy.Related

• With tournament on the line, SL's Athapaththu looks within for answers

• India need to get out of second gear, now

• England loss puts Kapp's batting position and spin efficacy in focus

• Reddy, willing and able

News brief: There are no major injury concerns in either camp, though it remains to be seen how South Africa manage the players’ workload considering a less-than-48 hours turnaround time after their game against England was a day-night affair in Sharjah on Monday. Scotland are bottom placed on the group B points table, and with an NRR of -1.897, a loss against South Africa will most certainly end their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals. South Africa, on the other hand, can leapfrog England and secure top spot with a big win in Dubai. This is the first time South Africa and Scotland will face-off in any format in women’s cricket. Heat is once again going to be a factor in the day game in Dubai, with temperatures likely to touch 38 degrees Celsius.Player to watch: Nonkululeko Mlaba is currently the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with five wickets and could once again be South Africa’s trump card, especially in the day game where the ball is expected to turn more. Mlaba picked a four-wicket haul the last time she played in Dubai – against West Indies, earlier in this World Cup – and will want a repeat of that performance.Harmanpreet Kaur, who sprained her neck against Pakistan, is expected to play against Sri Lanka•ICC/Getty Images

India vs Sri Lanka

Dubai, 6pm local time

India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, D Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, S SajanaSri Lanka squad: Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilshari, Nilakshika Silva, Hasini Perera, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Sachini Nisansala, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Achini Kulasuriya, Inoka Ranaweera, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika KumariTournament form guide: India suffered a big 58-run loss against New Zealand in their opening game, but managed to get past Pakistan in Dubai by six wickets on Sunday. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are currently bottom of the group A points table, and are yet to win a game. They lost their opening match against lower-ranked Pakistan by 31 runs, and then went down to Australia by six wickets on Saturday.News brief: India received good news on the fitness of captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who is available to play Wednesday’s game after spraining her neck and retiring hurt in the last over of India’s chase against Pakistan. Pooja Vastrakar, though, is unlikely to take part having missed Sunday’s match due to a niggle, with S Sajana replacing her.India hold the advantage by a 19-5 margin in T20Is against Sri Lanka. But one of those five defeats was as recent as this July at the Asia Cup final. India will be keen on exacting revenge. They need a big win to bolster their NRR, something that they did not manage in their victory against Pakistan despite restricting them to 105. A defeat for Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will make their chances of moving to the next round almost nil. Dew has not had much of an effect in the games in Dubai so far, with the sticky nature of the surface and long boundaries also not making run-scoring easy.Player to watch: Smriti Mandhana does not have the greatest of records in T20Is against Sri Lanka: 379 runs in 19 innings at 22.29 with two fifties. But in a crunch game, India will bank on their experienced batter to give them a grand start, something that has not happened so far in the tournament.

“The players are ready and raring to go in the multi-day format; to adjust to that is a different story,” India head coach says

Sruthi Ravindranath26-Jun-2024India are going into the one-off Test against South Africa on the back of successive white-ball series sweeps – T20Is in Bangladesh and ODIs vs South Africa at home – but head coach Amol Muzumdar believes there’s scope for improvement in every department for the team.”We do have the momentum – we won in Bangladesh, we won against South Africa,” Muzumdar said two days out from the Test in Chennai. “They are different formats, but at the same time, we are trying to focus on every game as it comes. The demands [of playing a Test] are different. I think the team is up for it, and I think as far as improvement is concerned, I think all three departments – batting, bowling, and fielding, and fitness – four departments [can improve].”India last played a Test in December, beating Australia in Mumbai by eight wickets. That came on the back of another one-off Test at home, against England, which also India won. Also, most of the top players were also part of the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-day Trophy in Pune in March-April.Related

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Beaumont, Devine, Wolvaardt on the case for women's Tests

The teams got only five days to prepare for the upcoming Test against South Africa following the conclusion of the ODIs on June 23, but Muzumdar feels the players are aware of the challenge of switching formats, considering red-ball cricket is part of their long-term plans.”In December, we played against England and Australia; we played back-to-back Tests,” he said. “We are aware that red-ball cricket will be a part of women’s cricket going forward, and hence I feel that the inter-zonal, which happened in March-April, was very critical. So that the players also get the message that it’s not just white-ball cricket or just T20s that we are focusing on. We are also focusing on the red-ball stuff, and I think they are aware and they are ready and raring to go in the multi-day format. To adjust to that is a different story.”Those are the demands of modern-day cricket. You know you cannot escape that as a team. So we try to cater to all the demands. It’s not easy, but at the same time it’s a challenge and we accept it as a challenge to adapt to different formats.”While the core of the team won’t change as India switch formats, the likes of Shubha Satheesh, Sneh Rana, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Meghna Singh, who did not play the ODIs, will be coming in for the Test.”I think those four players are very important players. We did have a camp that happened at the NCA about 15 days back, and they were specifically given red-ball stuff to be done in the camp,” Muzumdar said. “So they’ve already had the workload. The workload has been shared to them, and also when they went back home, they were told a few things to do. Their weekly chart was organised and given to them. So they’re completely fresh and raring to go. Even when they’ve come here and [are] in the squad, we just had a practice session yesterday with those four players, and they look absolutely fine.”India won back-to-back Tests against England and Australia late last year•Getty ImagesWhile the ODIs against South Africa were part of the Women’s Championships, Muzumdar said he wouldn’t mind a men’s style World Test Championship for women to add more context to the format. However, only four teams – Australia, England, India and South Africa – currently play Test cricket.”It’s not a bad idea to have Test Championships,” he said. “That’s something to look forward to, but that is for the board to decide. And if it happens, it’s even better for the game. Test cricket is always special. We like to keep it that way, that you know every game is important [regardless of the context] – whether it’s ODI, T20 or Test match. I know there is no Test Championship to look forward to, but at the same time, every game is important. We take part to win them.”Muzumdar also said that Shabnam Shakil, the 17-year-old uncapped medium-pacer, was brought into the side for all three formats so she could get a feel of the team culture. Shakil was part of the U-19 World Cup-winning India team last year, and also made an impression at WPL 2024 for Gujarat Giants, especially when she took 3 for 11 against Mumbai Indians.”She’s definitely a superb talent, and that’s the reason she is here,” he said. “We’ve made a conscious decision of including her in the team so that she gets a feel of the dressing room, and also the atmosphere and the culture that we’re building. She gets a first-hand experience to that. She’s definitely a good talent, and we will hear more about her in the future.”

Glasgow Rangers’ 2024/25 season is finally over. Truth be told, it was over once the Ibrox side were knocked out of the Europa League in April.

For Barry Ferguson, his interim spell at Rangers may have produced a few moments of magic, but he said his goodbyes following the 2-2 draw against Hibs at the weekend.

Now, the 49ers will be looking to bring in a new permanent manager ahead of pre-season. If they get the decision right, the Gers could challenge Celtic for domestic success next season.

Yet another wrong managerial appointment, however, and the club may have to get accustomed to finishing second in the Premiership.

One thing the Light Blues haven’t done well over the years is selling their prized assets when the iron is hot.

This has seen plenty of big-name players leave the club for nothing, or for pennies, since Steven Gerrard departed in November 2021.

Rangers' financial mistakes in the transfer market

Giovanni van Bronckhorst may have sold Nathan Patterson, Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey for big fees all within six months of each other but sadly, they have been rareities.

Indeed, these are the only significant sales the Ibrox side have made since returning to the top flight in 2016. Compare this to Celtic’s record in the market, and it is night and day.

Players released by Rangers since 2022
Player	Year released
Borna Barisic	2024
Ryan Jack	2024
John Lundstram	2024
Kemar Roofe	2024
Jon McLaughlin	2024
Alfredo Morelos	2023
Ryan Kent	2023
Scott Arfield	2023
Alan McGregor	2023
Filip Helander	2023
Andy Firth	2022
Jack Simpson	2022
Leon Balogun	2022
Jake Hastie	2022
Via Transfermarkt

Two of the club’s biggest commodities – Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos – were somehow allowed to run down their contracts towards the end of the 2022/23 season.

At the time, Morelos was valued at €6m (£5m) and Kent €9m (£7.5m), meaning that if Rangers wished to cash in, they would have got a decent figure for either player.

This proved to be a costly financial decision. As did buying players such as Sam Lammers for £3m and Danilo for a reported fee of £6m. At the time of writing, the duo have only managed to score 14 goals between them.

Hopefully, new ownership means better decisions will be made in the transfer market. With new signings, money should be invested in younger talents who have the potential to generate massive profits in the next few years.

Regarding outgoings, players should be sold when they are at the peak of their powers, thus funding the arrival of more talent, meaning the cycle can continue.

While supporters don’t want to see the club’s best players leave Ibrox, sometimes it is necessary for further improvement.

With this in mind, the new manager could do worse than aim to receive a massive fee for striker Hamza Igamane, especially as he has caught the eye of clubs down south.

The latest on Hamza Igamane's Rangers future

The Moroccan centre-forward was certainly an unknown quantity when he arrived in Glasgow last summer.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Nearly a year later, he has proved many people wrong, finishing the season with a tally of 16 goals and three assists. The youngster even gained his first senior cap for Morocco in the process.

The Europa League proved to be a happy hunting ground for the attacker, scoring four goas and grabbing an assist across ten games in the competition.

His effort against Tottenham Hotspur looked like it was enough for the Gers to seal all three points, but his performance did generate interest from the Premier League.

Indeed, it was reported after the game that Everton had sent scouts to monitor him against Spurs and were suitably impressed with his display.

Recently, French side Strasbourg have been linked with a move for the striker ahead of the summer transfer window.

If Rangers do decide to sell, they must aim to get as big a fee as possible. Igamane won’t be the only player attracting attention in the summer, as Nicolas Raskin will be in high demand when the window opens.

Why it's the right time to sell Raskin

The Belgian midfielder returned from an injury that derailed his opening weeks of the campaign to emerge as one of the club’s best players.

Raskin was superb throughout the league campaign, managing to create nine big chances for his teammates, while averaging 1.3 key passes and succeeding with 68% of his dribbles per game.

Defensively, the midfielder was imperious, winning 6.6 total duels per game – a success rate of 66% – while also making 2.8 tackles, 0.6 interceptions and recovering 5.6 balls per match.

Operating from the heart of the midfield, Raskin’s abilities at both ends of the pitch have been on display for the Gers and this has attracted plenty of attention in securing his services this summer.

At the start of May, both Aston Villa and Leeds United were reportedly showing plenty of interest in bringing the former Standard Liege midfielder south of the border.

Not looking to repeat previous mistakes in the transfer market, the Light Blues have reportedly valued Raskin at around £20m, meaning they could generate a big profit on their initial £1.2m investment. If a club comes in with an offer of this magnitude, or perhaps even higher, then they must be ready to cash in.

Of course, he could get better, but right now, the iron is hot, and this money could be used to reinvest in the playing squad.

Raskin began to shine during Ferguson’s interim spell between February and the end of the season, leading journalist Scott Bradley to heap praise on the Belgian who said that Raskin “has been a different animal since Barry Ferguson has come in.”

A has a big future indeed, especially considering Premier League sides are keeping a close watch on him ahead of the transfer window opening.

Rangers simply have to sell players when they are just at the peak of their talents. It might not always be possible, but letting quality players run down their contracts isn’t going to work from now on.

Igamane and Raskin are two prized jewels in this current Rangers squad. If the new manager is able to get £40m or more both, it would certainly be considered excellent business.

Not just Butland: Rangers flop may have played his last game at Ibrox

Several Rangers players wont be at the club next season after the 2-2 draw with Hibs.

By
Ross Kilvington

May 17, 2025

With three wins in three World Cup games, they’re basically showing off right now. But the toughest test is yet to come

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Taunton08-Jun-2019There is no team flexing quite as hard as New Zealand at this World Cup right now. Three matches in, six points in the bank, they are parked in front of the gym mirror in a tight tank top, making their pecs dance to the hard house music playing in their airpods.They might be alone in the establishment for now, because this, after all, is New Zealand. They are a team the cricket world is almost hard-coded not to take much notice of until the much later stages of a global event. But make no mistake. Them traps are popping. The forearms are rippling. Those shoulder muscles that have other muscles growing on them….yeah, they have those.They have, of course, been done a favour by the scheduling, because their games so far have been against three of the four lowest-ranked teams in the competition, which is almost the ideal first week. The deadlifts and bench presses await, but for now, New Zealand are breezing nicely through the easy settings on the exercise bike.Rahmat Shah walks off after getting out•Getty ImagesThe pitches, additionally, have also been the stuff of their dreams. The green-tinged track at Taunton was basically a Hamilton clone. The pitch at Cardiff for the opener against Sri Lanka might justifiably be cause for a copyright complaint from the Christchurch curator. Tree-lined grounds, lush outfields, bone-chilling breezes. If there were a few more drunks yelling curse-laden advice/abuse from the stands, this would basically be home.Watch on Hotstar (India only) – Highlights of James Neesham’s five-forNevertheless, it is an impressive start, not least because so many have shone already. The first win was set up by Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson, before openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro put on their first century stand together. Their best batsman Ross Taylor then produced his first match-winning innings of the World Cup against Bangladesh.James Neesham, the allrounder, is not one of the glory muscle groups, like the biceps, or the glutes. He’s more like a quad – useful in most situations, without being an instant eye-catcher. But targeting Afghanistan’s batsmen with tight, back-of-a-length bowling, and gaining inconsistent bounce with a wobbling seam, he now has the tournament’s best figures of 5 for 31. They were his own best returns not just in internationals, but in his entire professional career. So quickly did Afghanistan’s top order unravel, nosediving from 66 for 0 in the 11th over, to 70 for 4 in the 15th as Neesham swung the match decisively in New Zealand’s favour in the space of eight deliveries.The exalted company Neesham keeps•ESPNcricinfo Ltd”The wicket suited him a little bit,” captain Kane Williamson said. “It suited guys that come in and hit the deck a little bit. He got the ball a little earlier than he has because the pitch had that extra bounce in it. Jimmy, when he’s bowling well, can get that pace out of a surface. The bowlers complemented each other nicely.”All this, New Zealand have done so far, while also gently drawing attention to one of their other cricket flexes – that they are the cuddliest, humblest, nice guyest team on the planet. When Rashid Khan took a ball to the helmet grille during Afghanistan’s innings, Williamson was forward in a flash – not to celebrate the wicket (the ball had been deflected into the stumps), but to check on a visibly shaken Rashid. Earlier, Colin Munro was seen tying batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi’s shoelace. Such is the earnestness with which this New Zealand team upholds this reputation, that Shahidi has probably never had a shoelace knotted so artfully.New Zealand now have India to play next at Trent Bridge – by far their toughest assignment yet. But it’s a challenge they can face knowing that a loss there will not mean death to their campaign. Compare their plight to that of South Africa, for example. Having lost three of three, Faf du Plessis’ outfit, are in the foetal position, on the couch, crying and eating ice cream from the tub as they try to console themselves about the messy breakup with AB de Villiers, amongst other things.New Zealand, meanwhile, are basically a gym selfie in cricket team form. #blessed # hardworkpaysoff.

Manchester United have a reported interest in Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, who worked with Ruben Amorim in Portugal, but they look unlikely to win the race for his signature.

A recent report claimed that the Sweden international has decided that he would rather sign for the club’s Premier League rivals Arsenal instead of making a move to Old Trafford to reunite with his former boss.

The former Coventry star, who scored a staggering 52 goals in all competitions for Sporting in the 2024/25 season, is available for a fee of just over £61m, but it is the Gunners who seem to be in pole position to bring him over to England.

His incredible goal return in Portugal suggests that this news is a blow for Amorim and for Manchester United. However, the club are reportedly eyeing up a star who could be the manager’s next version of Gyokeres.

Man Utd battling to sign Spanish striker

The Premier League giants appear to be in the process of identifying alternative options in the number nine position, as the Swedish star looks to be headed elsewhere.

Transfer Focus

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

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are one of a number of teams eyeing up a move to sign FC Porto’s Spanish striker Samu Aghehowa in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Aston Villa, Arsenal, and Chelsea are all also keen on doing a deal for the former Atletico Madrid centre-forward in the coming weeks.

It states that the Portuguese giants are looking for a fee of up to £63m for the 21-year-old marksman, with United and their Premier League rivals now set to battle it out for his signature.

Whilst they appear to be on the back foot with Gyokeres, the Red Devils should push to win this race to unearth Amorim’s next version of the Sporting superstar.

Why Samu could be Gyokeres 2.0 for Amorim

The Porto marksman is similar to the Swedish ace from a physical perspective, as he stands at 6 foot 4 and has the physicality to occupy and cause problems for defenders.

In fact, talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him as a “monster” in the making due to his physicality and speed, which suggests that the forward could offer similar attributes to Gyokeres.

The Spain international’s performances in the Portuguese top-flight also suggest that he has the potential to be a prolific striker for United, albeit not as prolific as Gyokeres could be in the short-term.

Starts

23

31

xG

14.07

30.95

Goals

19

39

xG differential

+4.93

+8.05

Minutes per goal

119

72

Conversion rate

23%

28%

As you can see in the table above, Samu enjoyed a brilliant season with Porto, scoring 19 goals in 23 starts and outperforming his xG, yet still ended with 20 fewer goals than the Sporting number nine.

It is worth remembering, though, that the Spanish marksman is six years younger than Gyokeres and has plenty of time left ahead of him to hone his skills and improve his output as a scorer.

Samu, dubbed “outstanding” by journalist Josh Bunting, did also score six goals in nine matches in the Europa League, which shows that he can perform on the European stage.

Whilst he may not be the final, polished, product in comparison to the seasoned Gyokeres, the Porto star appears to have the physical and finishing attributes to develop into Amorim’s next version of the Swedish marksman, which is why he could be a shrewd signing for the club.

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The Gunners have received a boost in their pursuit of a forward, who Andrea Berta has already held talks to sign.

1 ByDominic Lund Jun 8, 2025