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The opener knows he won’t be at full fitness but is doing everything he can to play the third Test

Andrew McGlashan02-Jan-2021The next 48 hours will be key in determining whether David Warner will be fit enough to take his place in Australia’s side for the third Test against India in Sydney with his ability in the field as important as what he can do with the bat.Warner admitted it’s unlikely he would have 100% recovered from his groin injury regardless of how the next few days go. He is conscious of not being a liability to the side despite the eagerness to have him return but feels confident he would be able to manage the batting side of the game. Australia’s next two training sessions at the MCG on Saturday and Sunday will give a clearer indication of where he stands.”I’ll be doing everything I can to get on that park and play even if that means I’m not 100%,” he said. “It’s about being smart on this occasion. If I feel like I can do my duties, whether it’s standing in the slips cordon, taking catches to my right and left…think that’s where it will determine whether I do play or not.Related

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Warner a chance at Sydney even if he isn't fully fit

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“I know I can manage the running between wickets, the shot-making I have, it’s whether I have that capacity of catching the balls left and right. With Gazza [Nathan Lyon] bowling, am I going to field at first slip or leg slip? I’ve got to be agile enough to make sure I’m taking those chances.”It will have some restrictions here and there. When you get into the game adrenaline takes over. For me it’s about my speed between wickets, that’s all that matters, it doesn’t matter what shots I can and can’t play. It’s about the drop-and-run, helping the guy at the other end get off strike. They are the things I like to be 100% fit for. In this case, I’m most likely not going to be, but I’ll have to work out myself how I’m going to manage that.”David Warner’s return could come down to how he can move in the field•Getty ImagesWarner has been doing extensive rehabilitation since suffering the groin injury in the second ODI at the end of November, which has included using a hypobaric chamber to increase oxygen intake and cryotherapy, where ice is applied directly to the injured tendon.”I had a couple of jabs to get me pain-free,” he said. “The first two weeks were quite challenging, it was difficult to move around in bed and get in and out the car. When it comes to these tendon issues they hang around for quite a while and it’s quite hard to get through that pain threshold. I’m trying to manage that and we are doing everything we can to fast track that process.”In Warner’s absence, Australia’s top order has struggled to impose themselves in this series with their run rate uncharacteristically slow although the bowling from both sides has been impressive on surfaces offering more assistance that is often the case. Warner said that batsmen rode a fine line when trying to score freely but said that it was about more than just the shot-making.”It’s the loud calling, the way your shoulders are back, you are in the bowler’s face, you are trying to unsettle their line and length,” he said. “It has its challenges but sometimes you have to play outside the square and a little bit brave. I’ve always said it from day dot, I’d rather go down swinging than sitting there on the crease. If I’m able to get out there, I’ll have that intent as I always have. Applying a bit of pressure there can release the tension up the other end, help your partner out.”On the flip side of that if they are bowling well, you have to respect that and that’s what has happened in the last two Tests. Batsmen have got into that period of trying to bat time, then it has dictated that run rate. You can’t do anything about if the attack is going well. You’ll have to play a shot somewhere…if you nick off, someone says it’s a bad shot. If you hit it for four, it’s a great shot. That’s why I love it, I live by the sword, die by the sword when I’m out there with the bat.”

Liverpool-bound goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili made two incredible stoppage-time saves to earn Valencia a point against Getafe in La Liga on Sunday.

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Mamardashvili showcases excellent reflexesPulls off insane double save for ValenciaEarns side vital point as Liverpool watch onFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Liverpool officials will have been watching on as the 24-year-old stopper pulled out an amazing double-save to earn his side a 1-1 draw with Getafe in La Liga on Sunday. The Georgian keeper first saved an own-goal-bound effort before leaping up and palming out a second attempt from Getafe in the dying seconds.

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With the Reds keeping close tabs on their new signing for 2025, he is certainly doing his job as Valencia, who were seconds away from slumping to their seventh loss of the season – though they are still bottom of the La Liga table with just seven points from their opening 11 games. Mamardashvili's arrival at Anfield may come at the perfect time as the ageing Alisson misses more and more games due to a recurring hamstring injury.

DID YOU KNOW?

At 24, Mamardashvili has already earned 25 caps for Georgia and tallied over 100 appearances for his clubs. Despite Valencia not having a win yet in 2024-25, the young goalkeeper has kept three clean sheets and remains a shining star.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MAMARDASHVILI?

For now, Mamardashvili's focus will be on keeping Valencia in Spain's top flight. His future may lie elsewhere, but his current club have given him a platform to rise and he will undoubtedly feel a strong connection to the fans and players.

After a mixed debut season with Ange Postecoglou at the helm, Tottenham Hotspur have a massive summer ahead of them.

The North Londoners managed to qualify for the Europa League, but to take the next step and really push the teams at the top of the Premier League, Daniel Levy and Co will have to land the Australian some seriously talented players in the coming weeks and months.

Luckily, the latest player touted for a move to N17 just enjoyed a brilliant campaign and has won comparisons to England international Declan Rice.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Ben Jacobs via Playback TV, Tottenham are still interested in signing Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher and are "expected to bid" for the Englishman this summer.

Alongside the Lilywhites, Jacobs confirmed that La Liga giants Atlético Madrid are also keen on the midfielder and have already seen an offer worth £20m plus bonuses rejected.

He goes on to reveal that the Pensioners want a fee of around £55m for the Cobham graduate, but the player himself would rather stay at Stamford Bridge.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but with how well he played last season, one worth pursuing – the comparisons to Rice are just a bonus.

Gallagher's comparisons to Rice

Now, the first thing to address is this comparison to Rice, and while he might not be the most popular of people on the white side of North London, he's a brilliant player to be compared to.

It primarily stems from FBref, which looks at all players across Europe's top five leagues and creates a list of the ten most similar players in their position for each one. In this case, they consider the Arsenal man the tenth most similar midfielder to Gallagher.

The best way to see the areas where the two stars overlap is to look at their most similar underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.27

0.24

Assists

0.20

0.22

Shots on Target

0.49

0.56

Passing Accuracy

89.2%

88.9%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.40

0.33

Tackles

2.44

2.32

Tackles Won

1.49

1.42

Interceptions

1.24

1.23

In this case, that includes metrics such as non-penalty expected goals and assists, actual assists, shots on target, passing accuracy, tackles and tackles won, interceptions and goal-creating actions, all per 90.

However, the pair don't just share similar underlying numbers for key metrics; they are also semi-versatile midfielders who can adapt to playing in several different roles in the middle of the park, depending on what their team needs.

For example, last season, the Chelsea "monster", as dubbed by respected analyst EBL, started 21 games in attacking midfield, 18 in central midfield, eight in defensive midfield and two off to the left. Likewise, Arteta started his £105m man in defensive midfield 30 times, central midfield 19 times and even as a centre-back once.

Moreover, like the former West Ham United captain, the Epsom-born gem was a source of goal involvements last season, racking up seven goals and nine assists in 50 appearances to the Arsenal man's seven goals and ten assists in 51 games.

Ultimately, like Rice, Gallagher has proven that not only can he influence proceedings at the sharp end of the pitch, but he can also make a serious contribution in the middle of the park and in defence.

Therefore, while the money involved is undoubtedly significant, Levy and Co should do what they can to bring him to N17, as he could be transformational in Postecoglou's midfield.

Imagine him & Maddison: Spurs targeting "magic" £51m Spain star

The impressive attacker could help the Englishman get back to his best.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 10, 2024

India captain says the vice-captain, alongwith Pujara, remain India’s ‘most important batsmen’ in Tests

Varun Shetty09-Feb-20213:21

#AskMatchDay: What will India’s XI look like in the second Test?

While acknowledging England’s dominance during the game, Virat Kohli asserted after the first Test that there will be no impulsive reactions from his team after a big defeat to start off the series. Kohli pointed that out on several fronts – in response to whether England were better prepared than the home team, whether India’s line-up needs any changing, and most pointedly at the suggestion that Ajinkya Rahane’s performances haven’t been up to standard.In 14 innings since India’s Australia tour began – including two warm-up matches before the Tests – Rahane has made two centuries, one of them a Player-of-the-Match effort in Melbourne that helped India bounce back from the lows of being bowled out for 36 in Adelaide. In the other other 12 innings during that phase, Rahane’s highest score is 42, and he aggregated only a run during India’s loss to England. But India’s vice-captain remains, Kohli said, one of their most important batsmen.Related

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Virat Kohli: Our support spinners didn't 'create enough pressure with the ball'

“Look if you’re trying to dig something out, you’re not going to get anything because there’s nothing,” a visibly annoyed Kohli said in response to a question about Rahane’s performance during the post-match press conference. “I’ve said this many times in the past as well – along with Pujara, he [Rahane] is our most important Test batsman and he is going to continue to be. We believe in his abilities, we have believed in his abilities for a long time now and he’s an impact player.”If you’re talking about the MCG Test, he stood up and scored a hundred when the team wanted it the most. So you can look at a number of innings and what happens from thereon, but the reality of the situation is they’ve won the series in Australia. Here there’s just one Test, two innings and both… today, yeah you can put that innings aside. But in the first innings, he wanted to score a boundary. It was a brilliant catch by Joe [Root] that got rid of him. So if that goes for a boundary, he gets runs in the first innings and we’re not having this conversation. There’s absolutely no issues, everyone’s playing really well and we just need to be focused a lot more, understand that Test victories are earned in any conditions – whether they’re your own or you’re playing away. Nothing is a given in Test cricket and we need to be aware of that reality and work together as a team to keep putting a lot of pressure on the opposition. That’s our focus.”Virat Kohli calls for a quick single•BCCIOn a pitch that was widely acknowledged as a benign one during the first few days, India lost the toss and England batted into the seventh session of the match to take control. Kohli said India’s response to that 578, is where the match was lost, particularly due to a lack of any prolonged partnerships. He played down the suggestion that England were better prepared for this Test, given the recent series win in Sri Lanka in comparable conditions, and the fact that India last played Tests at home in November 2019.”That’s something that was said when Australia won the first Test as well in 2017,” he said, in reference to India’s last Test defeat at home in Pune. “So look, we don’t jump the gun, we don’t come to conclusions too early.”You could say they are well prepared but to say they’re better prepared than us in our own conditions is not an accurate assessment. If you look at the second innings, when the ball was really turning and bouncing, both the sides were pretty much similar in terms of how they went about their second innings. Maybe you can analyse then [after more games] whether we’re better prepared or they’re better prepared and whether this is our toughest challenge – we’re not jumping any guns yet and we’re just focused on playing good cricket and winning Test matches.”

“I’ve said this many times in the past as well – along with Pujara, he [Rahane] is our most important Test batsman and he is going to continue to be.”VIRAT KOHLI

A template that’s emerged with India’s batting – and was the bedrock of their famous recent wins – is that they have needed help from their lower-middle order to either rescue innings or finish things off. This was the case in the first innings of this Test, and to some degree in the second innings as well with Kohli himself playing the anchor. Kohli said that the difference was about 80 runs missed with the bat in the first innings, and about that much extra conceded with the ball during England’s first innings.He put those down to their processes not going entirely right, while adding that not a lot of it would change either. There was no need to overthink their performances, he said, and that the reliance on the lower order was something India were looking at with a positive lens.”There’s two ways to look at this. As top order batsmen, we have to take more responsibility and pride in the fact that we have to do most of the work,” he said. “But, if your lower order stands up on such a regular basis, it should give confidence to us as a team and as a whole batting unit that once we have big partnerships up front, then these guys will do their extra job at the back as well. Which makes our positions even stronger.”We choose to look at the positives, regardless of what situation we’re in, and we will continue to do that moving forward. Not putting away the things that we need to improve on. We’re not a side that denies anything. We’re not a side that hides our faults or gives excuses. We accept defeat, things that have gone wrong, and we continuously strive to improve them and come back stronger and put in those performances that we as a side should be putting in every time we step onto the field.”

A "quality" forward will most likely join Chelsea if high-earner Raheem Sterling leaves Stamford Bridge this summer, with Enzo Maresca's plans for the winger currently unclear.

Sterling linked with high-profile exit after two years at Chelsea

Signed from Man City for around £50 million in the summer of 2022, Sterling has gone to make 81 appearances for the Blues in all competitions, scoring 19 goals and registering a further 12 assists.

Chelsea approach ex-Atletico Madrid ace who Conte desperately wants at Napoli

The former Blues boss is very eager to sign him.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 16, 2024

The Englishman, who hasn't been selected for the Three Lions at international level since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, featured often under Mauricio Pochettino until the back end of 2023/2024 – where he would then find himself relegated to the substitute's bench more often than not.

Some reports have claimed that Sterling believes he may have no choice but to leave Chelsea if he wants to regain his place in the England setup, and potential arrivals could limit his chances in west London even more.

Sterling was apparently floated as a makeweight in Chelsea discussions for Michael Olise, before the 22-year-old chose to join Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich.

Appearances

81

Goals

19

Assists

12

Yellow cards

13

Red cards

0

Minutes played

5,321

Transfermarkt

Other media sources around that time stated that Chelsea were ready to sell Sterling if they sealed a deal for Olise. While the winger's transfer didn't come to fruition, co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley are still pushing to sign a winger as one of Maresca's top transfer priorities.

Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi is said to be firmly in their thinking in that regard. The 22-year-old, who registered seven goal contributions across 34 appearances in all competitions under ex-Dortmund boss Edin Terzic last term, could be a replacement for Sterling if the ex-City star does quit.

Chelsea are reportedly ready to offer Adeyemi a seven-year contract to join them and could bid, as per CaughtOffside last week, and another update has now surfaced courtesy of the same outlet.

Adeyemi would most likely join Chelsea if Sterling leaves

It is believed Adeyemi would most likely join Chelsea if Sterling leaves, amid reports he'd cost just £25 million to prise away from the Bundesliga.

The German represents fairly good value for money in this market, given his age and contribution at club level already, and Adeyemi was subject to serious praise from Terzic during the tactician's time at the club.

"This is the quality of Karim," said Terzic.

"It was a corner kick and we defended it quite well. It was a dangerous situation but then when you see his acceleration, and this is something we showed him at half-time as well. And this is what he did. His first touch was there to accelerate the game.

"If you are quick like this then it is going to be very tough for every defence to defend against him. It was a great goal and it was very important as it was the winning goal. I hope that he can continue to perform like this.”

GOAL runs through the most memorable occasions from watching the Three Lions since the year 2000

England ended the last century looking like a football nation in decline, crawling to Euro 2000 qualification via the play-offs under Kevin Keegan after being forced to sack Glenn Hoddle for a controversial newspaper interview. But as the 21st century ends its 25th year, the Three Lions are in much better shape, boasting one of the most talented squads in world football and with a far better record in major tournaments, having reached successive European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final in their last four showings.

And yet on some levels, the events of the first quarter of the century bear some similarities to the end of the 20th century: another manager was sacked due to the work of a newspaper; the team's last major triumph remains the 1966 World Cup; there is a worrying lack of quality English coaches, leading the FA to look outside of its usual talent pool to appoint Thomas Tuchel – just as they did in the first year of the 21st century when they hired Sven-Goran Eriksson.

England still head to major tournaments thinking they are going to win them, although now their confidence is justified, though the pressure from the media is still unbearable. Watching the national team also still often feels like a thankless task. England were uninspiring for much of their Euro 2024 campaign, if we're being kind. If we're being more brutal, as Gary Linker was, they were "sh*t". But that run to the final, in keeping with the last 25 years, gave us some unforgettable goals and moments of unbridled joy, even if it ended with the familiar feeling of heartache and a missed opportunity.

With tears in our eyes and high blood pressure, GOAL looks back on the 25 best England moments of the 21st century…

Getty Images Sport25Crouchy does the robot

There was a huge amount of excitement ahead of the 2006 World Cup, when the much-hyped 'Golden Generation' was tipped to go all the way in Germany. And the sense of optimism was embodied by Peter Crouch, the most unlikely-looking footballer. 'Crouchy' was impossible to miss out on the pitch due to his enormous height and his personality was infectious too, none more so than when he danced like a robot in the warm-up games against Hungary and Jamaica.

The gangly striker was England's in-form goal-scorer leading into the tournament, and just when the team looked to be heading for an embarrassing draw against Trinidad & Tobago in their second group-stage game, Crouch popped up with a towering header to break the deadlock. He went for a no-nonsense celebration then, but Three Lions fans in the stadium in Nuremberg and back home paid tribute to their new cult hero by mimicking his iconic dance.

England's tournament may have ended in bitter disappointment with a penalty shootout defeat by Portugal and Wayne Rooney being sent off, but we'll always have Crouchy and his hilarious moves.

AdvertisementGetty 24Owen vs Argentina: The sequel

Before the UEFA Nations League existed, international friendlies were still a big deal, a chance for the top teams to pit themselves against each other outside of major tournaments. And England-Argentina was never going to be played in a friendly spirit. Switzerland was the location for this meeting between two old adversaries a year before the 2006 World Cup, and for the third game in a row against the Albiceleste, Michael Owen took centre stage.

Owen had dazzled Argentina in the 1998 World Cup and won the controversial penalty which David Beckham had scored in 2002, so it felt inevitable that he would have the final say here. Wayne Rooney had cancelled out Hernan Crespo's opener, but Walter Samuel's headed goal restored Argentina's advantage. Owen, not usually known for his heading ability, nodded England level in the 87th minute, and then pounced again in added time to secure victory.

The two sides haven't met since, but given the drama that usually unfolds, the two associations should get on the phone and arrange a reunion.

Getty Images Sport23Walcott's hat-trick in Zagreb

Failing to qualify for Euro 2008 was one of the darkest moments in English football history and no self-respecting fan will ever forget that shameful night when they were beaten 3-2 by Croatia at a soaking wet Wembley, with Steve McClaren sheltering under an umbrella. The great thing about football, though, is that you always get a shot at revenge, and it just so happened that the two sides were paired together in the same group for qualification for the 2010 World Cup.

Ten months on from the nightmare at Wembley, England, now led by master tactician Fabio Capello, travelled to Zagreb and ran riot over their previous tormentors. A 19-year-old Theo Walcott bagged a hat-trick in a 4-1 win and England never looked back, thumping Croatia again 5-1 at Wembley. They stormed straight to South Africa by winning nine of their 10 games, while Croatia came third and failed to make the cut.

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Getty 22Strolling past Denmark

By 2002, it had been 12 years since England reached the quarter-finals of a World Cup, but they did so with remarkable ease in South Korea and Japan, dominating Denmark in every aspect in their last-16 clash. Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen got them off to an ideal start by fumbling a Rio Ferdinand header over his own line in the fifth minute, and the goals just kept on coming.

Owen struck the second and Emile Heskey thumped in a third before half-time. England could get their slippers on for the second half and began thinking about their last-eight tie with Brazil. Rarely has a World Cup knockout game felt so comfortable.

Former Turkey national team coach Mustafa Denizli believes Arda Guler is not happy with his situation at Real Madrid.

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Denizli claims Guler unhappy at Real Madrid19-year-old has made 12 appearances this seasonHas only started three games so farFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Former Turkey manager Mustafa Denizli believes that wonderkid Arda Guler isn't happy with his situation at Real Madrid. The 19-year-old started for Turkey in their 0-0 draw against Wales over the weekend and looked out of colour. Denizli was blunt in his analysis of Guler's performance and claimed that it was down to him not enjoying a lot of minutes at Madrid this season.

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Guler was signed from Fenerbahce in the summer of 2023, but had to wait for a long time to make his debut as injuries kept him out of action. He ended the season pretty strongly, scoring six goals in LaLiga at the end of the campaign.

He had a sensational Euro 2024 tournament with Turkey and was among the best young players. Such displays pointed towards more prominence under Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti this season, but that has not been the case.

Guler has made just 12 appearances this season in all competitions, with only three of those coming as a starter.

WHAT MUSTAFA DENIZLI SAID

“Arda has shown immaturity in his performance," Denizii claimed after Turkey's goalless draw against Wales during the weekend (h/t Football Espana). "It’s normal because he’s not in the same condition as when he went to Real Madrid. He doesn’t look happy there. We know that he has enjoyed few minutes and opportunities, but his rivals in the dressing room have stepped up their performances.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARDA GULER?

After an unimpressive international break with Turkey, Guler will be desperate to work hard in training as he returns to Valdebebas. He made a substitute appearance against Osasuna before the break, but will now be hoping to get more minutes as the season wears down. Real Madrid travel to Leganes on Sunday, November 24.

Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal says it’s unfathomable IPL will move out this year

Shashank Kishore19-Feb-202114:30

We were thrilled to get Steven Smith just above his base price – Parth Jindal

The IPL is mulling the possibility of conducting the entire league stage of the 2021 season in Mumbai before moving to Ahmedabad for the knockouts. This is according to Parth Jindal, co-owner of the Delhi Capitals, during a chat with ESPNcricinfo soon after Thursday’s auction in Chennai.”From what I’m hearing and seeing, if England can come and tour, if the ISL (Indian Super League) can happen all in Goa, if Vijay Hazare Trophy (domestic 50-over competition) and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20 competition) can happen across venues, I can’t fathom the IPL moving out of India,” Jindal said. “I do believe the IPL will happen in India.”I believe they’re contemplating whether to have the league phase at one venue (city) and playoffs at another venue. There’s a lot of chatter about Mumbai being possibly being one venue because it has three grounds (Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium, DY Patil Stadium) and enough practice facilities, and Motera (Ahmedabad) hosting the knockouts, but it’s all unverified, it’s all just what I am hearing.”Jindal further stated having the league phase in Mumbai, for example, could be advantageous to the Capitals, who have a number of players from the city in their mix. Although the possibility of playing in Mumbai could be slim given Maharashtra’s recent spike in Covid-19 cases which has prompted a new round of lockdowns.”If you look at our selection of Steven Smith, we felt the wickets in Mumbai will suit his style of batting.””The fact that we have so many Mumbai boys – Prithvi [Shaw], Jinks [Ajinkya Rahane], Shreyas [Iyer] helps. Mumbai has true bounce, the ball moves a bit because it’s on the coast, and all that played a role. The other option is being mulled right now is, why not open up all venues, go everywhere and show the world we’re ready for the T20 World Cup? They [BCCI[] are still unsure, I think it all depends on how the covid situation plays out in India over the next two weeks.”A few other key personnel from other franchises offered a straight bat. VVS Laxman, mentor of the Sunrisers Hyderabad, said “things were still uncertain regarding venues”, while Venky Mysore, chief executive of Kolkata Knight Riders, echoed Laxman. Anil Kumble, head coach of Punjab Kings, meanwhile, said they’d picked a composition of their squad keeping “all options” and conditions in mind.”We’re extremely delighted with what we could manage,” Kumble said. “We had the largest purse which meant people would chase us and keep upping the price, but the squad looks like what we wanted. We have all bases covered. If the tournament’s going to be in India, we have all options covered. If in case it moves out, we wanted to cover those options as well [at the auction].”Mysore, meanwhile, said: “Every team you can see has gone for that balance to adapt to whatever conditions we’re given. These are unusual times and we’re all very supportive of the BCCI. That the IPL was held itself was fantastic given the pandemic. If it happens in India, we’re supportive of working through that and if it’s elsewhere too. Most important the collective effort towards the tournament happening and in the most unimpeded way.”The ongoing England series is BCCI’s first full International series at home since the pandemic broke out in February last year. After hosting the first Test in Chennai behind closed doors, they opened up the venue for the remainder of the series with crowds up to 50% of the stadium’s capacity, despite the Indian government allowing outdoor sports events to have capacity crowds. England are scheduled to play five T20Is in Ahmedabad followed by three ODIs in Pune to wind off the tour on March 28.”This year is going to be big as well because of what it is,” BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had said earlier in the week, without divulging further details on the venue. However, over the past few months, he has been vocal about prioritising hosting the tournament in its entirety in India. “We’ll see whether we can get the crowd back into the IPL, it’s a decision we’ll have to take very shortly. But it’s going to be another great tournament.”

Glasgow Rangers play their opening Premiership match of the 2024/25 season this week, yet it is fair to say that Philippe Clement is far from finished with his transfer business.

The Belgian coach may have made eight signings already this summer, but his activity in the window could be summed up by the players he hasn’t signed.

The club were heavily linked with defender Jose Córdoba back in May, but the centre-back decided to make the move to Norwich City instead.

Then there was winger Yusuf Kabadayi, who looked to move to Ibrox in June before deciding to remain in Germany ahead of the new season – another blow for Clement.

This is the nature of the transfer market, but there is no doubt the club have not exactly had the best of luck when it comes to convincing players that Scotland is best placed for further development.

The latest update surrounding the club’s transfer activity is hardly the best news with the league season just around the corner…

Rangers miss out on La Liga midfielder

The majority of the summer arrivals have been younger players who can spend their time in Glasgow getting better, hopefully generating the club a massive profit in the process.

While this new strategy has been a long time coming, Clement still requires a few experienced heads in the starting XI. This is where Joan Jordan comes in.

Player

Club signed from

Connor Barron

Aberdeen

Clinton Nsiala

AC Milan

Mohamed Diomande

FC Nordsjaelland

Hamza Igamane

AS FAR

Oscar Cortes

RC Lens (loan)

Vaclav Cerny

Wolfsburg (loan)

Liam Kelly

Motherwell

Jefte

Fluminense

Via Transfermarkt

Midway through June, Fabrizio Romano claimed that the Light Blues had seen an opening proposal for the Sevilla midfielder rejected. Seville-based insider Fernando Serrano offered a fresh update not long after, saying the club were ready to make a new offer for the player, remaining undeterred in their pursuit.

On the weekend, it appeared that the Gers and Sevilla had agreed a deal for the 30-year-old to join the club on a season-long loan with a £3.4m option to buy clause inserted into the deal.

A smart signing on the surface, Jordan has made over 200 appearances for Sevilla, winning the Europa League twice in the process, giving the manager plenty of experience in the heart of the midfield.

Shortly after, the deal was off. Jordan, despite not being in Garcia Pimienta's plans for the upcoming campaign, did not want to move to Scotland, meaning Clement has to continue his search.

Could he perhaps forget the Spanish veteran by making a swoop for a youngster making waves in Scottish football?

Rangers showing interest in Scottish sensation

The need for some experience is a priority for Clement, no doubt about it, but might missing out on Jordan be a blessing in disguise?

Earlier this month, Football Scotland reported that Motherwell starlet Lennon Miller had been identified as a potential target for the Ibrox side. The report even claimed that the Gers had sent scouts to watch the 17-year-old during Motherwell’s first pre-season friendly.

No fee has been mentioned surrounding the club’s recent interest in the teenager, but they may have to pay a pretty penny to lure him to Ibrox, especially considering Miller is one of their prized assets despite his tender years.

The money Clement has saved by paying Jordan’s high wages, plus the potential £3.4m to sign him permanently, could be used to bring Miller to Glasgow in the coming weeks.

Lennon Miller’s season in numbers

The youngster made his big breakthrough during the 2023/24 campaign, making a total of 32 appearances in all competitions, scoring once while grabbing three assists, and emerging as a key player for the Steelmen.

Towards the end of that campaign, talent scout Jacek Kulig heaped praise on Miller via X, saying: “17 years of age. A real midfield machine. Such an interesting box-to-box midfielder. The future of Scottish football.”

Goals

1

Assists

3

Total duels won per game

5.8

Possession lost per game

11.2

Touches per game

43.4

Tackles per game

1.8

Via Sofascore

He may not turn 18 until August, but Miller showed signs of his maturity last season. Among his teammates, the midfielder ranked fourth for accurate passes per game (22), while also ranking third for tackles per game (1.8) and for interceptions per game (0.8), showing his class in these performance metrics.

Across the entire league campaign, Miller also won an impressive 5.8 total duels per game – a success rate of 68% – which allowed him to demonstrate his physical strength in one-on-one battles.

What Lennon Miller could offer Rangers

His season was perhaps best summed up by his display for the club at Ibrox against Rangers in March. During their surprise 2-1 victory, the youngster won a staggering ten of his 12 total duels during the clash, making four clearances, three tackles, and three interceptions too.

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Defensively, he was excellent in the heart of the midfield as Clement’s side couldn’t break down the Steelmen and there is no doubt Clement would have been paying close attention to the talents of Miller during that game.

This ability to succeed in one-on-one battles could be a big bonus for the 50-year-old coach next term, allowing Rangers to win the ball in the middle of the pitch.

While he isn’t 18 until next month, it is clear that Miller is showing maturity way beyond his years and would make for an ideal long-term solution to the problems faced by Clement.

Much will depend on the transfer fee, of course, as the club may wish to bring in a couple of experienced heads between now and the end of August, but as Miller has shown last season, he is clearly ready for the rigours of the Scottish Premiership.

The 5 foot 10 sensation will only continue to improve should he join the Light Blues, especially with regular game time in European competition next season.

Rangers have failed to lure local talent to the club in recent years, preferring to do their business either abroad or south of the border.

Clement must not let a talent like Miller slip through his fingers, otherwise he could come to majorly regret it.

Neymar has admitted that he "wanted to give" up and retire from football after his recent knee injury "messed" with his body and mind.

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Neymar ruptured his ACL in October 2023Returned to pitch after more than a yearSidelined again with fresh setbackFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

In October 2023, Neymar ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament while representing Brazil. This severe injury sidelined him for over a year before he finally returned to the pitch after 369 days against Al-AIn in the AFC Champions League.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite his long-awaited comeback, Neymar's return was short-lived. He managed just 13 minutes before being withdrawn and is now nursing a separate hamstring injury with a recovery timeline estimated at four to six weeks.

WHAT NEYMAR SAID

Reflecting on his recovery journey, Neymar laid bare the struggles he faced in the Netflix documentary .

“Some days when I wake up, I want to give up,” he said.

"I admit, this injury is the one that shook me the most in my career. I was really sad, and very down mentally for the first month. I knew it was a serious and long-term injury. Being on the sidelines is tough. The beginning of an injury is quite complicated. At the start, you only feel pain. I only felt the pain, I just wanted it to stop. I wanted to bend my knee as quickly as possible so that I could regain my movement and make the pain go away."

Neymar credited his family and close friends for helping him navigate this difficult period.

“If you don’t have the people you love by your side, your family, your friends, then it can be difficult to come back from an injury like this. It really messes with your mind and your body," he said.

“I’m not 20 anymore, I was 31 when it happened. I’m very grateful to have my friends and family around. To have my children who motivate me every day."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR NEYMAR?

Despite being one of the marquee players of the Saudi Pro League, Neymar’s limited impact on the pitch has fuelled rumours about his future with the club. Reports suggest Neymar could reunite with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at MLS side Inter Miami. A return to his boyhood club Santos in Brazil is another possibility under consideration. For now, he remains focused on his rehabilitation efforts in Riyadh, determined to reclaim his place at the top of the sport.