Category Uncategorized

Rangers are continuing their search for a new manager at Ibrox, with an “amazing” 36-year-old now impressing club chiefs as an interesting option.

Rangers snubbed by manager target after Ibrox talks

The Gers sacked Russell Martin last weekend, following a hugely unconvincing spell in charge, and it’s now a case of nailing his successor.

Steven Gerrard has stood out as a leading option to come in, having guided Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title back in 2020/21, but a new update claims that the Liverpool legend has decided not to take the job, looking elsewhere instead.

The Gers will now have to turn their attention elsewhere, and with both Martin and Philippe Clement struggling during their respective tenures, it is vital that the club avoid a third disappointing reign in a row.

Supporters are likely to be split over whether they want another young manager like Martin, or a more proven figure in the mold of Sean Dyche, but a boss who falls into the former category has now been linked with the job.

"Amazing" manager impresses Rangers bosses

According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Rangers have been left impressed after talks with Danny Rohl, who is looking for a new job after leaving Sheffield Wednesday earlier this year.

Rohl stands out as an exciting option for Rangers, considering he is still only 36 years of age and impressed at Wednesday, pulling off a hugely laudable escape act in the Championship in 2023/24, often deploying a 4-2-3-1 formation.

It is added elsewhere that in discussions, Rohl has made it clear in talks he is ready to take the job and is already considering various ex-Rangers players who could be part of his backroom staff should he be appointed.

The German’s ability wasn’t lost on Owls legend Chris Waddle, who heaped praise on the job he was doing during his time at Hillsborough.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“I like this style of his tactics he got with the players he had, I think it was very limited, he didn’t really have a budget. You know, it was a lot of free transfers, there was a lot of players who played in League One with that team. I thought he got them organised, he got them together. The players obviously rolled their sleeves up and gave it 110%, and he got his reward. You know, at one stage, we were talking about getting in the playoffs, which was amazing.”

Related Significant Rangers manager update shared out of Ibrox after positive talks

It emerged on Saturday evening.

Posts ByCharlie Smith

Rohl’s teams try to play good football, but in a less risky manner to Martin, and if they do miss out on Gerrard, as appears to be the case now, the young German feels like an exciting option to bring in.

Liverpool’s pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz looks to finally be coming to a close, as BILD have confirmed a date for the playmaker’s Reds debut, with his contract expected to be signed in the coming days.

The Reds have been pushing to sign the 22-year-old in recent weeks, in what has to be considered one of their most exciting pieces of business in the past decade.

Wirtz has been voted the best player in the Bundesliga in both of the past two seasons by his peers, and he is considered among the most talented attacking players in Europe. Leverkusen have been stubborn in letting their star player leave, however, with Liverpool already seeing a £113m bid for his services rejected.

That said, the player himself wants to move to the Premier League champions, rather than stay put or join Bayern Munich, and there has been continued confidence that a deal will be agreed sooner rather than later.

With Wirtz’s international commitments with Germany now done for this month, the hope is that the transfer moves quickly now, and a fresh claim certainly suggests that that is the case.

Wirtz set to make Liverpool debut against Preston on July 13

Now, according to BILD in Germany, Liverpool are closer than ever to completing the signing of Wirtz from Leverkusen, as he is set to sign his contract before heading on holiday.

It is claimed that the Reds will offer €140m (£118m) for the German, with a “package consisting of a fixed transfer fee and realistic additional payments, possibly with additional bonus payments”, with the overriding feeling now that the two clubs are close to an agreement.

They even report he will make his debut in the pre-season opener against Preston, with the trip to Deepdale on July 13 pencilled in after joining his colleagues in training from July 7.

This is the news that so many Liverpool fans will have been hoping to hear, considering Wirtz could be a game-changing signing in their attack, having been lauded as the “best” in the world in his position by Patrick Helmes.

There will clearly be huge pressure on Wirtz to excel for Liverpool, considering he will shatter their club-record fee, but he has all the tools to be a sensation, from creative genius in the No.10 role – he has 57 goals and 65 assists for Leverkusen – to a strong work ethic out of possession.

Related Man City star's £500k-p/w Saudi move collapsing as Liverpool ace in talks to join instead

Is it the end of his Reds career?

Posts ByHenry Jackson

It’s now a case of getting the deal completely over the line, with the Germany international linking up with Jeremie Frimpong again at Anfield, and hopefully Milos Kerkez and an elite new striker to follow, especially if Darwin Nunez leaves Anfield in the coming days.

Sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League, alongside now officially being in the EFL Cup final after breezing past Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, Liverpool were very much loving life under Arne Slot’s expert guidance.

That was until they arrived in Plymouth, seeking to make it into the fifth round of the FA Cup. Like most games this term, this should not have been an arduous task for the Reds but they were on the end of one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s recent history, losing 1-0.

The ex-Feyenoord manager might well feel aggrieved by the lacklustre performances of some

attackers in recent games, notably against Argyle. Mohamed Salah has been in red hot form this term, as too has Cody Gakpo but the likes of Darwin Nunez – who continues to fire blanks – and Diogo Jota were not able to get their team across the line on Sunday.

The numbers behind Liverpool's attack this season

Whilst Salah is way out in front as Liverpool’s top scorer this season with an unbelievable 26 strikes from 34 games, other forwards at Slot’s disposal haven’t always been so clinical.

Indeed, the aforementioned Uruguayan is still struggling when given chances to impress, with a poor return of four strikes from 18 Premier League games worrying those at Anfield.

He won the decisive penalty in the EFL Cup to gift Liverpool a 2-0 lead over Spurs, but he still wouldn’t bury a chance even when Ange Postecoglou’s men were all at sea, as three chances in the open contest went begging.

Liverpool’s top scorers in 2024/25 – All comps

Player

Goal tally

1. Mo Salah

26

2. Cody Gakpo

16

3. Luis Diaz

12

4. Diogo Jota

8

5. Darwin Nunez

6

6. Dominik Szoboszlai

5

Stats via Transfermarkt.

Jota is another figure up top that has fallen victim to wasteful finishing too, with the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers ace only managing a weak return of two goals from his last five Premier League encounters, away from an unmemorable cameo against Spurs.

With some recent transfer rumours even seeming to indicate that Jota could be off this approaching summer, Liverpool must lament letting go of a sharpshooter when they did who has since blossomed into a sublime top-flight striker.

The former Liverpool striker who's now outscoring Jota & Nunez

Liverpool have been prone to a transfer blunder in the past when it comes to strikers flopping, with the likes of Christian Benteke and Iago Aspas sticking out from yesteryear, away from Nunez’s current woes.

Dominic Solanke arguably falls into this dud category, considering the Reds must have purchased the young forward back in 2017 hopeful that the former Chelsea youngster would immediately explode into life in his new surroundings as a raw and exciting talent.

Unfortunately for Solanke, the move just wouldn’t work out for him, with a justification for his poor performances at Anfield coming from the fact he had barely played senior football by this stage of his fledging career, away from a loan stint at Vitesse.

Liverpool didn’t possess the patience at the time to stick with him, with the now three-time England senior international only managing to pick up a dire one goal and one assist from 27 pitiful displays.

He didn’t let this setback completely demoralise him, however, with his next move away from the Reds in AFC Bournemouth putting him on a path to stardom, which has led to him scoring sumptuous strikes like the one above on a regular basis with Spurs.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

At the Cherries, Solanke would definitely find the goalscoring groove that was lacking throughout his torrid time in a Liverpool shirt, with a bumper 77 strikes coming his way from 216 contests.

Solanke’s G/A record since leaving Liverpool

Season

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

24/25

29

11

6

23/24

42

21

4

22/23

35

7

7

21/22

50

30

7

20/21

45

15

9

19/20

36

4

1

18/19

10

0

1

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Off the back of these goalscoring heroics on the South Coast, Postecoglou’s side would cough up a weighty £65m to win the deadly 27-year-old’s services last summer, with that spending spree now viewed as a worthwhile splurge when glancing at the table above.

Across his debut season in North London to date, Solanke is outscoring both Nunez and Jota with 11 strikes next to his name from 29 games, with this sterling output seeing him live up to his previous tag as a “monster” by football journalist George Sessions.

Both Nunez and Jota can only boast six goals and eight goals apiece, in contrast, as Liverpool are just left to wonder now what could have happened if they had persevered with the 6 foot 2 striker instead of prematurely ditching him.

Related Slot has hit gold on Liverpool "superstar" who's worth more than Gakpo

He’s one of the biggest unsung heroes of this high-flying Liverpool team.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair

A £175,000-per-week Chelsea mainstay is no longer part of the club’s long-term plans, despite him starting every single Premier League game under new head coach Enzo Maresca so far.

Players who could leave Chelsea in January or next summer

Maresca has already shown that he’s not afraid to be ruthless in axing players he’s deemed surplus to requirements, no matter their profile.

Related January bid possible as Chelsea eye "new" striker target in ex-Man City man

Stamford Bridge directors are impressed.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini

Maresca was up front to the press about England international duo Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell over the summer transfer window, admitting at the time that they may be forced to find a new club, as their game-time would be limited under him.

“Brutal? I don’t think so. I try to be honest,” said Maresca on Sterling and Chilwell’s futures at Chelsea in August.

“I can repeat again if it’s not clear: I spoke with Raheem before the City game. I said he is going to struggle to get minutes with us and this is the reason why he is out of the squad. With Chilly, I said he is a lovely guy, but he is going to struggle because of his position. He is going to struggle. If you define this as brutal, it’s up to you to decide. For me, it’s not brutal, it’s just honest.”

Chelsea’s next Premier League fixtures

Date

Nottingham Forest (home)

October 6

Liverpool (away)

October 20

Newcastle (home)

October 27

Man United (away)

November 3

Arsenal (home)

November 10

Since then, Sterling has sealed a season-long loan move to Arsenal, with Chilwell still at Chelsea but likely to leave in January. Elsewhere in the squad, a trio of other players have been linked with the Stamford Bridge exit door in 2025.

Chelsea are ready to sell Benoit Badiashile, who is yet to make a single appearance this season, with fellow Frenchman Axel Disasi also not part of Maresca’s plans.

Mykhailo Mudryk could be forced to quit Chelsea in the winter too, as uncertainty surrounds the Ukraine star’s future and BlueCo weigh up potential replacements like Veliz Sarsfield winger Thiago Fernandez.

These names don’t come as much of a surprise given their lack of inclusion so far this season, but Chelsea have since adopted a head-turning stance on one of their mainstay players.

Marc Cucurella no longer part of Chelsea's long-term plans

According to a report in The Boot Room this week, £175,000-per-week defender Marc Cucurella could be shown the door as well.

Indeed, it is believed Cucurella is no longer part of Chelsea’s long-term plans, with the indication being he could eventually be sold alongside the likes of Chilwell and Badiashile as Maresca’s side eye up a move for AC Milan star Theo Hernandez.

The Spain international, who impressed at Euro 2024 for the eventual champions, has started every single Premier League match so far and put in some solid displays at full-back in place of Chilwell.

This report therefore comes as quite a shock when factoring in just how often he’s been utilised by Maresca so far, not to mention how the Italian has praised his left-back as a key asset.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“Marc [Cucurella] is very important,” said Maresca on Cucurella very recently.

“Marc has something that you sometimes struggle to find in players. He is good and he is making the players around him good because he is a guy who is always talking, always demanding. If you can have five, six or seven players like Marc in your team, who are always talking about improving the rest, it’s very important. So I’m very happy with Marc.”

Tottenham Hotspur have generally got their transfer dealings right in recent windows.

Ange Postecoglou has welcomed the likes of Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario, and James Maddison into the side over the last year, and even January signing Radu Dragusin has looked good when given the chance to play.

However, there have been one or two duds, with former Chelsea man Timo Werner sticking out as a winter move that didn't really improve the side in any meaningful way.

That said, based on recent reports, the Lilywhites could be about to replace the German with another former Blues ace, although this time it may well work out.

Spurs looking at former Chelsea man

According to a recent report from Tottenham Hotspur reporter Paul O'Keefe, Spurs are "looking at" Nottingham Forest's Callum Hudson-Odoi "as a potential summer addition."

O'Keefe has also revealed that it would cost the Lilywhites between £25m and £30m to complete, considerably more than the estimated £5m fee the Tricky Trees paid Chelsea in September.

However, with Werner currently injured and not looking like a great long-term option, signing the Englishman could prove to be a stroke of genius, not to mention the chance to get one over a rival.

How Hudson-Odoi compares to Werner

So, the first order of business is to find out how the two wingers compare to one another, and luckily for Hudson-Odoi, his output has been slightly more impressive this season, while playing for a team who just about staved off relegation.

In his 34 games for Forest he has racked up an admirable haul of eight goals and two assists, whereas in 28 games with both Spurs and RB Leipzig, Werner has only scored four goals and provided four assists.

Hudson-Odoi vs Werner

Player

Hudson-Odoi

Werner

Appearances

34

28

Goals

8

4

Assists

2

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

0.28

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Another comparison that falls in the Englishman's favour is injuries.

While he has had his fair share of problems over the years, he has only missed 21 games since the start of the 21/22 campaign due to injury, whereas the German has missed a massive 36 games in the same period and is currently out with another problem.

Moreover, while signing the Wandsworth-born "sensation", as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is certainly a gamble, he's still just 23 years old and, therefore, could still fulfil at least some of the massive potential that saw Bayern Munich lodge a £70m offer for him back in 2020.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

In contrast, the 57-capped German is now 28 and hasn't scored 20 goals or more in a season since 2019/20, suggesting that while he can still be a helpful player in the squad, he will never be more than that for Postecoglou.

Ultimately, there is undoubtedly an element of risk in spending up to £30m on Hudson-Odoi after his first impressive season in several years, but due to his age profile and the fact that he was seen as the next big thing at one point, it might well be a gamble worth taking, especially as watching a Chelsea wonderkid reach their potential in N17 would be priceless for the Spurs faithful.

Related Spurs hoping to beat Arsenal to sign "prolific" £56m upgrade on Son

The in-demand star could move to the white side of North London.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes

Sheffield Wednesday have already recruited two new bodies into the building this January, with Danny Rohl utilising the loan market well to add James Beadle and Ike Ugbo to his relegation-threatened side.

The Owls are likely to push on even further and continue to flex their muscles in the transfer window with more additions, the South Yorkshire titans doing everything in their power to stave off the Championship relegation zone and an immediate return to the unwanted depths of League One.

Letting the likes of Tyreeq Bakinson move out on loan to Charlton this month too, it could well be a new-look side that Rohl fields past this hectic January time period.

Related EFL Championship done deals: Every January 2024 transfer

As the January transfer window closes, FFC has you covered for every in and out involving your club in the EFL Championship.

Posts ByLuke Randall

Aiming to keep their heads above water in the second tier, this is what a dream Wednesday starting XI could look like past January with four new faces present…

1 James Beadle

With Cameron Dawson often shaky in-between the sticks this season at Hillsborough – the Sheffield-born goalkeeper only picking up four clean sheets from 18 games played – the ideal scenario would be that James Beadle eventually comes in and takes Dawson's starting spot.

Starring out on loan with Oxford United away from parent club Brighton before being recalled to move to Wednesday, Beadle will now be up for the challenge of testing himself in the Championship with the Owls for the remainder of the season.

2 Liam Palmer

Liam Palmer will hope to still be Rohl's starting right-back after the transfer window is over, the Wednesday stalwart putting in promising displays under the German boss' tenure to date.

Notably, back in December, the 32-year-old defender shone even as the Owls fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to Cardiff City – winning all but one of his duels when on the pitch versus the victorious Bluebirds.

3 Michael Ihiewke

Bambo Diaby's time in the first team could however be up, the former Barnsley man having a horror show last match at St Mary's as Wednesday were trounced 4-0 by Russell Martin's ruthless Southampton.

His ex-Rotherham United teammate in Michael Ihiewke fared far better against the dangerous Saints attack, making a total of ten clearances in the one-sided contest to ensure the final scoreline wasn't a cricket score.

4 Di'shion Bernard

Played in a defensive midfield role in that sobering loss to the Saints, Di'Shon Bernard will more than likely revert back to the heart of defence in a more comfortable spot in the team alongside Ihiewke to accommodate for a new signing in the centre of the park.

The ex-Manchester United youngster turned Wednesday first-teamer has shone in patches for the Owls this season despite obvious difficulties on the pitch, even notching up two assists from the back.

5 Marvin Johnson

Looking as if he was heading for the exit under Xisco Munoz's dire spell in charge, Marvin Johnson has been a revitalised figure under Rohl.

The 33-year-old expansive full-back stole the show in Wednesday's recent 3-1 FA Cup win over Hull City, picking up a goal and an assist on the day.

The Wednesday number 18's creativity from down the flanks could be crucial when the South Yorkshire side are down on their luck and need a hero to step up to the mark, Johnson onto five goal contributions for the season now since coming back into the first-team fold.

6 Barry Bannan

Adored by the Wednesday masses, Barry Bannan's spot in the side is fixed regardless of murmurs around Hillsborough that a midfielder is a top priority on the shopping list this month.

Bannan also stood out from the emphatic Cup win over the Tigers to kickstart 2024, amassing a ridiculous 112 touches as a main creative focal point for Rohl's men.

Only misplacing five of his 96 passes in the victory, the Owls will need the Scotsman's unerring genius to shine in crunch matches to come in a bid to avoid the dreaded relegation zone.

7 Isaac Hayden

The second new addition to the lineup could be Newcastle United man Isaac Hayden, the Owls going after another fringe Magpies player with Jeff Hendrick currently on the books at Wednesday on loan.

Rohl should attempt to secure a deal for Hayden on loan too, the 28-year-old recalled from a short-term switch to Belgium with Standard Liege to offload him to a Championship suitor.

Reportedly missing out on a deal for Conor Coventry recently, Wednesday will hope lightning doesn't strike twice and Hayden decides to relocate to South Yorkshire to help shore up a susceptible Owls back four.

8 Anthony Musaba

Anthony Musaba has blown hot and cold this season so far for Wednesday, but when the Dutchman has been on-song for the Owls, he's proven to be a crucial figure in the team.

A purple patch in December saw the ex-AS Monaco man score two late winners for the Owls, Rohl hoping the winger can be equally as important when push comes to shove in the latter stages of this gruelling season.

9 Myles Peart-Harris

Another new signing that could come straight into the starting side is Myles Peart-Harris, Wednesday reportedly linked with bringing the promising young attacking midfielder to Hillsborough on loan.

Given cameos under Thomas Frank at Brentford in recent weeks in the top flight, a loan move to the Championship could be a formative experience for the exciting 21-year-old who managed ten goal contributions in total for Forest Green in League One previously away from the Bees.

10 Djeidi Gassama

Former Paris St.Germain winger Djeidi Gassama has shown in flashes for Wednesday his obvious pedigree since joining in the summer, helping himself to assists in narrow wins over Stoke City and Norwich City last month.

Rohl will want the tricky Frenchman to terrorise more second-tier defences in 2024, the 20-year-old twisting and turning Hull defenders in the FA Cup for fun on New Year's Day with a goal scored and four key passes tallied up.

Rob Holding was the proverbial scapegoat at Arsenal, perhaps rather harshly.

Yes, his performances in a red and white shirt in the last few seasons haven't been anything to shout about, but the centre-back arguably became a victim of the club's success.

Mikel Arteta has totally transformed the Gunners since arriving at the Emirates and with that, the north Londoners have rid themselves of toxic and underperforming characters.

The Spaniard famously banished Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, got rid of Shkodran Mustafi and more recently, ripped up Nicolas Pepe's contract.

Holding will take comfort that it never got that bad for him. Still an incredibly well-liked character around Colney, he was eventually sold to Crystal Palace this summer.

That wasn't, however, without being one of the main culprits for Arsenal's title charge collapsing last season.

Why did Arsenal's title challenge crumble?

The date is 16th March 2023 as William Saliba trudges from the field. An innocuous injury was hoped to be nothing serious.

Arsenal eventually crashed out of the Europa League on penalties against Sporting on that same night, but the consequences of Saliba's injury would become far more serious.

The Frenchman didn't play again that season, with Holding the man who was tasked with partnering Gabriel at centre-back.

Such an injury cannot be helped but a lack of depth in central defensive areas certainly can. Look at Jurrien Timber's arrival this summer for the lessons learned in the back end of last season.

It is typical that he has now suffered his own injury problem, that of a crushing ACL blow, but the hope will be that Arteta can call upon Saliba as much as possible now. After all, with him on the pitch last term, Arsenal only conceded 0.9 goals per game but without him, that figure remarkably doubles to 1.8. Their win ratio also dropped from 77.8% to just 40% too. Worrying indeed.

That said, with Jakub Kiwior now up to speed and the likes of Gabriel and Ben White shining too, there is confidence that such a defensive collapse won't happen again this term.

Speaking of White, the former Brighton star's rise has been rather meteoric.

What was said about Ben White when he first joined Arsenal?

The defender's arrival at Arsenal in the summer of 2021 was one that raised eyebrows.

He had caught the eye on loan with Leeds United under Marcelo Bielsa en route to winning promotion with the Yorkshire-based side.

White had then only enjoyed one full season of Premier League football after returning to parent club Brighton, but that was enough for Edu and co to shell out £50m to secure his services.

That was a remarkable amount of money given his inexperience and at surface level, as James B of AFTV pointed out, he was actually "worse" in some areas of the game than the aforementioned Holding.

Indeed, the latter was far more accustomed to playing in the opposition's half, making 0.18 tackles in the attacking third to White's 0.11.

What's interesting, though, is that Holding played a great deal more passes throughout the 2020/21 campaign. Considering White is renowned as a ball-playing defender, this is surprising.

As per FBref, the former completed 52.2 passes per 90 minutes compared to the 42 of White and the ex Brighton defender also had a poorer percentage of passes in various thirds of the pitch per 90 minutes.

Ben White's passing statistics

Rob Holding passing statistics

255.08 progressive pass distance

360.60 progressive pass distance

16.19 short passes completed

16.54 short passes completed

3.69 long passes completed

6.44 long passes completed

3.30 passes into final third

4.33 passes into final third

Not only that but Holding bettered White in several key defensive metrics per 90 minutes, namely tackles (1.51 vs 1.38) and aerial duels won (2.50 vs 1.38).

How good is Ben White now?

Since that campaign White has only gone from strength to strength while Holding has faded into obscurity.

That was truly evident during Arsenal's All or Nothing documentary for Amazon Prime. One scene broadcasted a conversation between the £50m man and Carlos Cuesta, one of Arteta's right hand men.

Speaking to the defender, Cuesta noted: "You have all the potential to be a world-class player," before labelling his biggest strength. The full clip can be seen below…

That world-class potential is now certainly being lived up to, but not in the position we perhaps thought he'd make his own.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Initially a centre-back, the 25-year-old is now Arsenal's first choice right-back. So good was his form that he was among the England squad for the World Cup in Qatar.

White may not have got on the field but it was evidence of a man in the best form of his life.

Comparing his stats to Holding now would be redundant. Instead, looking at how he ranks within Europe's top five leagues is the biggest litmus.

The former Leeds loanee may now play in a team that keeps the ball for longer periods of play but his passing has gone up a level, ranking in the top 10% of full-backs on the continent for passes attempted per 90 (68.39) and the best 9% for pass completion.

Crucially, he also makes tackles more regularly than he did in his final campaign with Brighton, making 1.48 every 90.

Whether or not onlookers agreed with the price tag when he arrived, it's safe to say he's proven the doubters wrong. The funny thing is, knowing the full-back's personality, he wouldn't have cared in the slightest what anyone thought after he moved to the Gunners.

Celtic officials will back Brendan Rodgers in the transfer market after terms were agreed to bring the manager back to Parkhead, Sky Sports report.

What’s the latest Celtic news involving Rodgers?

The Hoops have been on the search for Ange Postecoglou’s permanent replacement in recent weeks and have explored a number of options, including Enzo Maresca and Daniel Farke.

However, Rodgers, who left Glasgow back in 2019 for Leicester, will return to the club. The Northern Irishman, who tends to play a 4-2-3-1 system, won seven major honours with Celtic in 169 games in charge and has been out of work since April.

Sky Sports have now said that Rodgers and Celtic have agreed terms on a long-term deal for the 50-year-old to return to Parkhead, with an official announcement made on Monday morning.

Rodgers will reportedly earn more than his previous Celtic contract, which will once again make him the highest-paid manager in the club's history.

There was some exciting transfer news within the update as well. Sky Sports were also told that ‘Celtic's board will back Rodgers in the transfer market to help him deliver domestic success and compete in the Champions League’, hinting that there could be a summer spending spree on the cards at Parkhead over the coming months.

Who could Celtic sign under Rodgers?

The Hoops will be looking to continue the good work of Postecoglou, who won the treble before leaving for Tottenham at the end of the season. Champions League football is also on offer at Celtic for the 2023/24 season, something which could appeal to potential targets.

One player who has been heavily linked with a move to Glasgow is Valerenga midfielder Odin Thiago Holm, with a £2.6m fee agreed between the two clubs. Medical and personal terms still need to be agreed, but it seems as if the 20-year-old could be the first through the door under Rodgers.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Los Angeles FC forward Kwadwo Opoku is another player on the transfer wishlist, with the attacker potentially costing just £3.1m. Finally, Liverpool youngster Leighton Clarkson has also been linked with a move back to the Scottish Premiership with Celtic, but it appears as if Aberdeen are leading the race at this moment in time.

It is good to see that Celtic are willing to back Rodgers, though, and he’ll more than likely have some immediate targets in mind once he is confirmed as the club’s new manager, making it a possible busy summer for the Hoops.

TalkSPORT punditTalkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor has criticised Tottenham forward Richarlison for his Premier League form this season.

The Lowdown: Richarlison misfiring…

The Spurs attacker, signed by sporting director Fabio Paratici last summer from Everton, has found goals very difficult to come by in the English top flight.

Richarlison has contributed with strikes in cup competitions, the Champions League group stages specifically, yet remains without a single goal in 16 league appearances.

The Brazilian has been shining at international level but is struggling to really capture that form at Spurs so far, which is perhaps made worse by both injury issues and often being relegated to the bench this campaign (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Agbonlahor sends Richarlison message…

Speaking to Football Insider, the talkSPORT regular has claimed that Richarlison could be ‘moved on’ if he doesn’t improve soon.

He explained:

“Richarlison has got to wake up.

“He wasn’t great against West Ham or Chelsea – and that’s been a theme of his season.

“When you watch him, you struggle to see what he’s good at. He’s got no standout attributes.

“He’s not quick, he’s not a great finisher, he can’t hold the ball up, he can’t pass that well.

“I feel that he could be someone that Spurs look to move on. He’s not showing himself to be good enough for where they want to go.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-4/” title=”Tottenham latest news” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-tottenham-fans.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Harsh?

The 25-year-old, as mentioned before, has had to deal with both limited appearances off the bench throughout 2022/2023 and injuries to his hamstring/calf (Transfermarkt).

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

It’s often difficult for players to gain consistent form when they’re so in and out of the team, potentially stifling Richarlison in his bid to justify a £60 million price tag.

Of course, when handed an opportunity, it is the job of the player to grasp it with both hands – which certainly wasn’t the case for Richarlison last night against Sheffield United.

Still fairly young and signed on a new deal until 2027, Spurs supporters have plenty of time to see their player’s best, but he could need time and consistent minutes.

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a blow in their bid to bring Sofyan Amrabat to north London in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French media outlet Foot Mercato (via BBC Sport), who claim that, despite Antonio Conte’s long-standing interest in the ACF Fiorentina central midfielder, the 26-year-old would prefer a move to Tottenham’s Premier League rivals Liverpool this winter – with the Reds also thought to be keen on the Morocco international.

The report goes on to state that Jurgen Klopp has already met with the player’s representatives regarding a potential switch to Anfield in January, with talks between the two parties expected to continue talks in the coming weeks.

Finally, it is said that Atletico Madrid are also keeping a close eye on the situation of the midfielder ahead of potentially launching their own move this winter, while Fiorentina are believed to be looking for a figure in the region of €40m (£35m) in order to sanction Amrabat’s sale.

Conte must move

Considering just how impressive Amrabat has been for both club and county so far this season, it is not difficult to understand why Conte would be interested in a deal to bring the 26-year-old to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of the second half of the Premier League campaign.

Indeed, over his 13 Serie A appearances in 2022/23, the £17.5m-rated talent has been a rock in the heart of Vincenzo Italiano’s Fiorentina side, making an average of 1.2 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 0.5 clearances and winning 2.8 duels per game, as well as completing an average of 40.2 passes – at a success rate of 91% – per match.

These returns have seen the 46-cap international average a very respectable Sofascore match rating of 6.80, currently ranking him as La Viola’s 11th-best performer in the top flight of Italian football.

However, it was undoubtedly over Amrabat’s six fixtures at the World Cup that the £32k-per-week midfielder impressed the most, enjoying an average of 57 touches, playing 2.2 long balls and completing 37.3 total passes – at a success rate of 85% – per game, in addition to making an average of 2.5 tackles, one interception, 1.7 clearances and winning 3.8 duels per match.

These returns saw the former Hellas Verona star average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as Walid Regragui’s joint eighth-best performer in the competition – playing a crucial role in his country’s simply sensational run to the semi-finals of the tournament.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Rather understandably, his performances in Qatar earned a considerable amount of praise, with French president Emmanuel Macron said to have told Amrabat he was “the best midfielder” in the competition following Morocco’s semi-final defeat to France, while Jamie O’Hara, speaking live on talkSPORT, also stated that the 26-year-old would be “perfect” for Tottenham.

As such, while the latest reports would not appear to bode well for Conte’s chances of landing the Moroccan sensation this winter, it would nevertheless appear wise for the Italian to still launch a move for the midfielder, as Amrabat would indeed appear to make something of a perfect addition to the 53-year-old’s current options in the middle of the park.