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Tottenham Hotspur are approaching the halfway point of the January transfer window but Ange Postecoglou will hardly be concerned given his side's completed acquisitions so far.

While many Premier League outfits are yet to get going in the market this month, Spurs have already wrapped up deals for centre-back Radu Dragusin and versatile forward Timo Werner – and with Micky van de Ven and James Maddison now returning from injury, it's an exciting time for the in-form squad.

The Australian manager had previously outlined his plans to strengthen across the park but it's unlikely that a heavy outlay will occur given the spending so far – in other words, Conor Gallagher will not be transferring to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for £50m this month.

However, given the priority to bolster the backline heading into the window and Eric Dier's imminent transfer to Bayern Munich, further activity could occur in this ara of the pitch if the right opportunity arises.

Spurs transfer news – Leo Ostigard

According to a report from Tottenham Hotspur News, Spurs are indeed scouring the market for a defender to replace Dier and appear to have circled on Napoli's Leo Ostigard.

The 24-year-old has been a regular for the Serie A champions this term and has been noted for his fortitude and suitability as an 'Ange player', which Dier, frankly, is not.

It's unclear what kind of fee the Norwegian ace would command if Tottenham were to advance discussions for his signature, but it's likely that he could be an astute and affordable option.

Leo Ostigard's season in numbers

Formerly of Brighton & Hove Albion, Ostigard never quite found his feet on England's south coast despite several promising loan spells and completed a transfer to Napoli in 2022, though he started just four league matches as his side won the Scudetto.

Nonetheless, he has enjoyed incremental growth throughout his career and having been hailed as a "brilliant" player by Coventry City manager Mark Robins in the past has now emerged as an important member of his Italian team.

This term, as per Sofascore, Ostigard has played 12 matches in the Italian top-flight and has bagged one goal, completing 88% of his passes, making 1.4 tackles, 3.8 ball recoveries and 2.8 clearances per match and succeeding with 66% of his contested duels.

Just to put that in perspective, the highly-regarded Dragusin won 67% of his duels for Genoa in Serie A this season, so this is certainly promising when considering how Ostigard might slot into the Lilywhites system.

His distribution also surpasses the Romanian titan's 83% average, and while he would have to make the move back to England with the knowledge that he would be serving a utility role, Postecoglou is targeting a return to European competition next year and there will be ample opportunity for him to catch the eye.

As per FBref, the 6 foot defender also ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and the top 10% for aerial battles won per 90, and given that such attributes have placed Manchester United's Raphael Varane as Ostigard's most comparable player, perhaps it really would be a good idea to make a move this month.

Leo Ostigard's style of play

The £25k-per-week star has been used sparingly across recent weeks in Naples and could now seek a second shot at the Premier League, with Spurs happy to accommodate. And given that he does share some similar traits to Varane, this could be a beneficial move indeed.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Passing

Concentration

Aerial duels

Tackling

Composure

*Sourced via WhoScored

Man United signed Varane, aged 30, for £41m in 2021 after an illustrious career with Real Madrid, and while he has only made 57 Premier League appearances in total thus far, his qualities have been clear to see on many occasions.

Somewhat out of favour this season, the 6 foot 4 titan has still been reliable when called upon and has completed 89% of his passes and won a staggering 88% of his aerial battles – Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk, who is widely considered among the finest in the air worldwide, has won 82% of such duels.

An enterprising centre-half, Varane ranks among the top 13% of positional peers for successful take-ons per 90 and has been hailed as "the leader" by Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag.

While it's not going very well for Varane right now, he remains one of the finest defenders of the past decade and boasts four Champions League trophies and the 2018 World Cup, with former Real Madrid teammate Toni Kroos waxing lyrical about the France international's talents in 2022.

Kroos said: “He was a solid pillar for us alongside (Sergio) Ramos for many years. He did an outstanding job and is really the complete package.

“He doesn’t do miracles with the ball but is a highly awkward defender to play against. You can’t beat him in the air and, as I said, he’s incredibly fast, so you can’t run away from him either. He’s a good man.”

This aerial dominance is something that Ostigard offers and given that Van de Ven – who has been beyond impressive this term – only averages a 44% success rate in the Premier League, this is a potential chink in the armour that could be fixed this winter.

Spurs could sign the next Robbie Keane in £100m "superstar" who idolises Kane

Ange Postecoglou wants to replace Harry Kane with a prodigious talent.

ByAngus Sinclair Jan 12, 2024

With Dier out the door, even the addition of Dragusin has not solely dealt with the lack of depth in the Spurs ranks, hence why snapping up a promising successor to the Englishman – such as Ostigard – could be worthwhile.

With it unlikely that Ostigard – who is valued at just (€30m) £26m by CIES Football Observatory – would take a sizeable chunk out of the transfer war chest, Postecoglou must now seal a swoop to complete his backline ahead of a crucial few months down at N17.

The five-wicket win was set up by some excellent bowling from Shreyas Gopal and Jofra Archer

The Report by Vishal Dikshit20-Apr-20198:16

Post-match show – Royals v Mumbai

Rajasthan Royals announced a change of captain just over an hour before the game against Mumbai Indians and, three-and-a-half hours later, saw new captain Steven Smith lead the team home in a tricky chase with an unbeaten half-century.The five-wicket win was set up mainly by some strangling bowling from Shreyas Gopal and Jofra Archer, after Mumbai Indians had looked set for a much bigger total than 161 for 5, having reached 81 for 1 at the halfway mark.Archer and Jaydev Unadkat bowled five of the last six overs that saw Mumbai score only 52 runs. Legspinner Rahul Chahar gave Royals a scare early on in the chase, again bagging three wickets, but Smith’s unbeaten 59 off 48 balls took them home after he had brought the equation down to 25 required from 24 balls along with Riyan Parag. Royals now have six points from nine matches, still placed seventh, while Mumbai are at No. 2 with 12 points from ten games.Steven Smith cracks one to the off side•BCCIAggressive openers and contrasting No. 3s
On a strange Jaipur pitch that had scattered patches of grass, both Powerplays were driven by the more attacking openers – Quinton de Kock for Mumbai and Sanju Samson for Royals. Put in to bat, de Kock used the middle- and leg-stump lines of the Royals pace bowlers and the ball turning into him from Shreyas to pepper the leg-side boundary, scoring 42 of his first 50 runs there. Jofra Archer put him down at long-on when he was on 4 in the third over, and that helped, as de Kock cashed in to hammer three fours and a six on the trot off Dhawal Kulkarni in the next over.Mumbai, however, lost steam after de Kock’s 34-ball half-century. Their No. 3 Suryakumar Yadav scratched his way to 34 off 33, with only one boundary (a six) in his first 30 balls. His slow scoring added pressure on de Kock, and both fell within a space of five balls, and Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard were left with too much to do at the end.Royals’ chase started with Samson hitting two consecutive fours off Hardik in the first over, followed by three off Krunal Pandya in the next to race to 21 off his first seven deliveries. Ajinkya Rahane handed a catch to cover in the fourth over before Royals’ No. 3, Smith, played the role Suryakumar could not earlier in the day, to help the hosts race to 60 for 1 in the Powerplay.After Chahar had Samson hole out to long-on for 35 off 19 and Ben Stokes chop on a legbreak for a duck, Smith changed gears to anchor the chase as Royals unveiled a new No. 5.Jofra Archer spilled three catches in the deep•BCCIThe 17-year-old Royals enforcer
Mumbai have been known to unleash unknown youngsters in the past, but were on the receiving end this time when 17-year-old Parag walked out at 77 for 3 after eight overs. With a healthy run rate going, Parag used audacious strokes to attack whichever the Mumbai bowlers erred with their lines or lengths, sometimes even when there was nothing wrong with the delivery. He first scooped Hardik to fine leg, then scythed him to third man, and later smashed Chahar for six down the ground. He even took on Malinga when he sent down an inaccurate yorker by drilling a drive over the covers.Parag’s 43 off 29 made sure Smith could afford to slow down and chaperone the chase as the senior batsman. From 29 off 18, Smith went without a boundary for 18 deliveries to avoid a stutter despite late wickets that included Parag’s run-out and another first-ball duck for Ashton Turner.Archer’s mixed day
Apart from dropping de Kock early on, Archer put down two more chances – both of Hardik, both off Unadkat – but he made up for them with his bowling. Smith saved three of his overs for the death and Archer was accurate with a variety of deliveries: yorkers, bouncers, tight lines. That strangled Mumbai in the end despite having Hardik and Pollard in the middle when the 16th over started.Before that, Shreyas used his wrong’uns to good effect yet again to get the big wickets. He took a return catch off Rohit Sharma with his third delivery and returned seven overs later to concede only singles and doubles in his remaining three overs. He nearly had de Kock stumped with a googly in the 13th over but got him in his next over with another wrong’un, a top-edge going to long-on.The result means that Mumbai are now winless against Royals in Jaipur since 2012.

Wrexham goalkeeper Mark Howard believes the club's recent success and worldwide acclaim has "rattled" opposition teams and fans.

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• Wrexham secure back-to-back promotions
• Welcome to Wrexham documentary put club on the map
• Howards says other teams are "rattled" by their rise

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Dragons backed up their National League triumph in 2023 with promotion out of League Two this season. Ahead of taking on the teams in League One next term, substitute keeper Howard spoke about how the Welsh side are "already in the heads" of rival teams – partly due to the success and popularity of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary – amid their ascent up the English Football League.

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  WHAT MARK HOWARD SAID

  He told The Leader: “There is a lot from opposition players, staff and fans. We hear it and see it. But we like it. We know it’s already in their heads, we know we have a slight edge on them as we have rattled them before the game starts. The comments are going on weekly. We find it a bit funny that we have got to people. It’s a motivational tool that people try to throw in our faces but we are accustomed to it.

  “For this level it’s been a bit of a media circus but it’s something as players, and I will include the staff in that, that we are all used to. We have all embraced it. A lot of players use that against us. For the documentary style show, they all want to be the villain who ruins the episode of Welcome to Wrexham. A lot of the away teams want to ruin the party.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Co-owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds appear to have the Midas touch since taking over the club just over three years ago. They have secured two straight promotions and have their sights set on the Premier League. And much of that success is down to the documentary, which has led to more revenue coming in, widening the club's appeal across the planet, and more.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While Wrexham's players are now enjoying a summer break, they will return late next month to begin their pre-season campaign. In July, the Welsh side take on Bournemouth, Chelsea, and Vancouver Whitecaps in North America in friendly matches.

Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers could have a difficult situation to manage at the start of next year as a number of players look set to be unavailable due to international duty.

The 2024 Asian Cup takes place between the 12th of January and the 10th of February and this means that the Hoops could be without a number of their top players during that period, depending on selections and how far their respective countries go in the tournament.

Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, Hyeon-gyu Oh, and Hyun-jun Yang are just a few of the Bhoys talents who could be on their way to the competition and miss games for the Scottish giants.

This could leave Celtic particularly light at the top end of the pitch as both of their recognised centre-forward options could be competing in the Asian Cup and, therefore, be unavailable for selection for Rodgers.

With this in mind, it could be beneficial for the Parkhead side to bring in another number nine during the January transfer window to lead the line in their absence.

They already appear to be on the case as the Hoops have been touted with an interest in striker Sydney van Hooijdonk, who is the son of former Bhoys star Pierre.

Celtic transfer news – Sydney van Hooijdonk

According to Italian outlet Corriere di Bologna (20/11/2023 printed edition, Sport page 3), via 67HailHail, Bologna are prepared to sanction a loan deal for the young ace in January.

The report has claimed that the Serie A outfit are willing to send him out on a temporary basis for the second half of the season in order to free up space for them to bring in their own additions in that area of the pitch.

It is stated that Celtic have already made opening enquiries about a possible swoop to secure his services, although it remains to be seen whether or not they would want a permanent or loan deal.

A temporary arrangement could be the perfect solution for Scottish giants as van Hooijdonk could come in to provide relief whilst Oh and Kyogo are possibly away with their respective countries and then the club are not tied down to three senior strikers beyond the end of the season.

Rodgers only lines up with one centre-forward in his favoured formation and it could be difficult to keep three first-team options happy, particularly when Celtic are bottom of their Champions League group and on course to be kicked out of Europe this season.

Van Hooijdonk is not a new target for the Hoops as Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph named him as a player who had been on the club's radar throughout the summer transfer window. Although, they either opted against a move at that point or were unable to strike a dela with Bologna.

Celtic could now find a lethal partner for Luis Palma during the second half of the season by signing the Serie A prospect to bolster their attacking options, as they could thrive alongside each other.

Luis Palma's season in numbers

The Honduras international has enjoyed a terrific 2023/24 campaign since his move from Aris FC over the summer and is proving himself to be a superb signing by Rodgers.

He has hit the ground running in Scottish football and has showcased his ability to provide consistent quality as a scorer and a creator of goals from out wide.

Palma arrived at Parkhead off the back of a return of 13 goals and eight assists in 36 appearances in all competitions for his previous club last season. The exciting ace then started the current campaign with two goals and three assists in five outings for the Greek side before his move to Scotland was completed.

Since his switch to Paradise, the 23-year-old whiz has racked up five goals and five assists in 12 matches for Rodgers – with nine of those goal contributions coming in the Scottish Premiership.

Statistic	Palma vs Aberdeen (12/11/2023)
Minutes played	90
Sofascore rating	10
Goals	One
Assists	Three
Big chances created	Two
Key passes	Seven
Dribbles completed	Four
Palma's most recent Celtic performance (via Sofascore)

As you can see by his latest Hoops showing, Palma is capable of the spectacular and has plundered an outstanding four goals and five assists in five league starts for the club so far.

He has created four 'big chances' and produced 2.6 key passes per game for his teammates in the top-flight, which shows that the former Aris star is able to consistently open up the opposition's defence to create opportunities for his fellow attackers.

Sydney van Hooijdonk's goal record

Palma could, therefore, be a fantastic partner for van Hooijdonk in the final third as the Bologna youngster has the potential to be a reliable scoring option for Rodgers.

The 23-year-old marksman has only scored one goal in 11 first-team matches for his current club but proved himself to be a lethal scorer in Dutch football.

He started his career with NAC Breda and racked up 42 goals and two assists in 57 U17 and U19 appearances combined before a step up to the senior squad, where the young finisher produced 23 goals and four assists in 70 outings.

This form earned him a move to Bologna and the Italian side opted to send him out on loan to Heerenveen for 18 months to continue his development.

Van Hooijdonk, who was once hailed as "prolific" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored six goals and created two 'big chances' in 13 Eredivisie matches during the first five months of his loan spell.

He followed that up with a sublime return of 16 goals and one assist in 30 league starts for Heerenveen as the right-footed dynamo showcased his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

His record of 22 goals in 43 league starts for the Dutch side on loan meant that van Hooijdonk averaged more than a goal every other match during that period.

Now, imagine how lethal the £9k-per-week gem could be in front of goal with the supreme talent that is Palma out wide providing him with a regular stream of chances, and 'big chances', to score from for Celtic.

They could thrive next to each other in attack whilst Oh and Kyogo are potentially unavailable, which is why this could be a fantastic piece of business by Rodgers.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Campeonato Brasileiro se aproxima do fim e o Athletico começa a pensar na próxima temporada. A principal meta da diretoria é a busca por um técnico e o nome de Roger Machado começa a ganhar força nos bastidores.

+ TABELA DE CLASSIFICAÇÃO DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO

De acordo com o site ‘Um Dois Esportes’, a diretoria aprova a chegada do treinador que é um sonho antigo. Antes de fechar com Dorival Junior no começo do ano, Roger era o favorito, mas as negociações não avançaram.

No momento o comandante está desempregado. Ele deixou o Bahia em setembro e mantém o seu critério de assumir uma equipe apenas quando a temporada encerra.

+ Atlético-MG é o novo líder e Botafogo assume a lanterna: confira a classificação do returno do Brasileirão!

Antes do Esquadrão de Aço, Roger Machado passou pelo Juventude, Novo Hamburgo, Grêmio, Atlético-MG, Palmeiras e Bahia.

Paulo Autuori

Atualmente no comando da equipe, o técnico vai assumir o posto de diretor técnico do departamento de futebol a partir de fevereiro.

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A "really good" Manchester United player is now set to leave the club during the January transfer window, according to an update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd transfer news

The Red Devils have been a bizarre team to watch this season, somehow being both hugely entertaining and head-scratching at the same time. United have done well to win some matches that they haven't necessarily played well in, but equally, far too many disappointing results have come their way when they really could have won, both in the Premier League and the Champions League.

There could be plenty of focus on incoming business at Old Trafford when the January transfer window opens next month, with additions needed particularly in defence. Lisandro Martinez arguably feels like the only genuinely strong option at centre-back now, and he is currently out injured. Jean-Clair Todibo is a very popular name in the rumour mill, while Benfica rising star Antonio Silva has been strongly linked with Man Utd.

On the flip side, there are also players who United could be looking to offload in the near future, with several established figures out of contract at the end of the season, including Victor Lindelof and Anthony Martial.

Van de Beek 100% certain to to leave Man Utd – Romano

Writing on X on Friday, Romano claimed that Van de Beek "will leave" Manchester United in January, also sharing Erik Ten Hag's comments regarding his compatriot's future.

"I really think Donny has to play. It a slow start in the season because he still recovered from physical setbacks. But now he is back…and I can see that he has to play. For his career, for everything."

In truth, Van de Beek's time as a United player has been largely disastrous, considering how big his reputation was when he arrived at the club back in 2020. At that point, he had recently starred in Ten Hag's Ajax team that reached the Champions League semi-finals a year earlier, but he has never come close to repeating those performances at Old Trafford.

In the past three-and-a-bit years, the Dutchman has had to make do with a peripheral role for the Red Devils, with Van de Beek's stats standing at just four goal involvements in 62 appearances, which is a scarcely believable return for an attacking player.

Donny Van de Beek's Man Utd stats

Total

Appearances

62

Goals

2

Assists

2

While some supporters may still retain some hope that Van de Beek can come good at United – he is still only 26 years of age and has been described as a "really good" by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp – it feels like the right time for the club to cash in on him in January, receiving some good money for him in the process.

They are clearly unlikely to be able to recoup the £35m they paid for him back in 2020, given the manner in which he has dropped off, but there will still be clubs who will believe they can get the best out of him.

If Van de Beek returns from injury and suddenly proves himself in the New Year, there could just be a lingering chance for him to salvage his United career, but it feels like a natural time to part ways.

It is certainly an entry into the list of most extraordinary scorecards.At the ICC World T20 Asia Regions Qualifiers in Kuala Lumpur, Myanmar and Malaysia produced a completed match – albeit rain-affected – with a grand total of 20 runs.Having been put into bat, Myanmar were reduced to 9 for 8 from 10.1 overs before rain arrived. Six batsmen made ducks as Malaysia’s Pavandeep Singh bagged 5 for 1 off his four overs. None of Myanmar’s scoring shots produced more than a single.Chasing a revised target of 6 – in eight overs – Malaysia didn’t make the ideal start, losing both openers for ducks in the first over before Suhan Alagarathnam secured victory with the only boundary of the match, a six.

Celtic have thrown their hat in the ring to sign a new "incredible" player in January, and he’d consider a move to Glasgow, according to one new report.

Celtic transfer news…

The Hoops and Brendan Rodgers were extremely productive in the summer transfer window, bringing in 10 new players and still making a profit following Jota’s big-money move to Saudi Arabia with Al Ittihad.

Celtic summer signings	Former club	Price
Maik Nawrocki	Legia Warsaw	£4.3m
Luis Palma	Aris Saloniki	£4.1m
Gustaf Lagerbielke	Elfsborg	£2.9m
Odin Thiago Holm	Valerenga	£2.6m
Hyun-jun Yang	Gangwon FC	£2.1m
Marco Tilio	Melbourne City	£1.5m
Hyeok-kyu Kwon	Busan IPark	£875,000
Tomoki Iwata	Yokohama F. M.	£838,000
Nathaniel Phillips	Liverpool	Loan
Paulo Bernardo	Benfica	Loan

However, things haven’t gone to plan for the former Celtic star, who was left out of Al Ittihad's league squad due to rules on overseas players being registered. The 24-year-old hasn’t featured for his new side since the middle of September, which has led to rumours of a possible return to Celtic Park.

Now, in a new Jota to Celtic transfer update shared by TEAMtalk, the Hoops ‘have thrown their hat into the ring’ to re-sign the forward, should he become available as expected. The report adds that Jota would consider a return to Scotland, however, Tottenham, and former manager Ange Postecoglou, are also interested in the player.

Jota at Celtic…

Jota really made a name for himself at Celtic Park after initially joining on loan from Benfica back in 2021. The winger contributed to a whopping 27 goals during his temporary stay at Celtic Park, which resulted in praise from Alan Hutton, who said:

“He’s still developing. He’s probably only going to get better, I think he can get better. What he’s done this season has been incredible, for him to come from his parent club, where he’s not really been playing. Benfica are a big club in their own right but to come to another club where there’s a lot of pressure, to perform at such a young age, he’s stood up to that task.

“Jota’s that player fans want to see. He’s exciting, he takes people on, he makes things happen, he scores goals and ticks all the boxes.”

The Hoops then made a transfer permanent in 2022, and Jota once again starred in Scotland, this time scoring 15 goals and providing 12 assists to help the club win a domestic treble. (Jota Celtic stats – Transfermarkt)

Therefore, you can see why there was interest earlier this year and a big money exit, but with things not working out for the Portuguese attacker in Saudi Arabia, a return to Scotland could well be one to keep an eye on following this recent update.

Glasgow Rangers made the decision to part ways with manager Michael Beale during the recent international break after a dismal start to the campaign.

The Ibrox giants lost three of their opening seven Scottish Premiership matches and failed to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League as they were thrashed 7-3 by PSV over two legs.

Beale endured a difficult tenure in charge of the Light Blues as he ended his spell as the main man without a single trophy to show for his efforts.

Player

Position

Jack Butland

Goalkeeper

James Tavernier

Right-back

Connor Goldson

Centre-back

Ben Davies

Centre-back

Ridvan Yilmaz

Left-back

Jose Cifuentes

Midfielder

Ryan Jack

Midfielder

John Lundstram

Midfielder

Sam Lammers

Right winger

Cyriel Dessers

Striker

Abdallah Sima

Left winger

Beale's last Rangers XI vs Aberdeen

The 43-year-old tactician finished second in the league last season and failed to win either of the two domestic cup competitions, and left with the side in third place this term.

These statistics show that the former QPR boss did not leave much of a legacy behind as a head coach at Ibrox, after a successful stint as Steven Gerrard's assistant earlier in his career, due to his lack of silverware.

There are still unanswered questions about the quality of his recruitment as the likes of Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers, and Jose Cifuentes, among others, are yet to prove their worth.

However, one player who is well on his way to proving himself to be a blinder of a signing by Beale is Belgian central midfielder Nicolas Raskin.

How much did Rangers pay for Raskin?

The Light Blues reportedly paid an initial fee of €1.5m (£1.3m) to sign the talented youngster from Standard Liege during the January transfer window earlier this year.

An additional €500k (£430k) could be added if bonuses are earned and his former club are due to receive 20% of any profit the Scottish giants may make on him in any future transfer.

He put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Gers and came in as a player who could make an instant impact on the pitch whilst also having the potential to grow and develop throughout his time at Ibrox.

The 22-year-old whiz was 21 at the time of the move but had already racked up plenty of experience with Liege at first-team level prior to the transfer.

How many goals did Raskin score for Liege?

He produced five goals in 96 senior appearances for the Belgian club after his move from Gent, which is where he started his professional career, at the start of 2019.

Raskin was not a regular goalscorer for his former club but did showcase his creative quality with 13 assists to his name throughout his time with Liege.

The impressive youngster showcased his qualities on and off the ball during the first-half of the 2022/23 campaign to convince the Scottish side to splash £1.3m on his services.

He started 14 Pro League matches and caught the eye with four assists and 1.1 key passes per game for his teammates, which showed that the gem could unlock the opposition's defence with a fair degree of regularity.

The Liege star also displayed his defensive strength with an eye-catching 3.7 tackles and interceptions per outing, along with a duel success rate of 58%.

This shows that he was able to make numerous defensive interventions to cut out opposition attacks from a midfield position and the young ace won the majority of his contests, which meant that he was not a liability from a physical perspective.

How many appearances has Raskin made for Rangers?

The central midfielder has made 28 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues since he completed the £1.3m move to Ibrox at the start of the year.

Raskin endured a difficult settling-in period at Rangers during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign under Beale after his first move away from his home country.

The Belgium U21 international's numbers from his time at Liege dropped at Premiership level for the Light Blues. He made 12 league appearances and contributed with 0.6 key passes and a combined 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game during that period, along with a duel success rate of 52%.

These statistics show that the £1.3m-rated ace was not making as much of an impact at either end of the pitch as he was in the Pro League, with fewer chances created and fewer defensive interventions made per outing.

However, the 22-year-old magician, who was dubbed "different class" by journalist Josh Bunting this summer, has hit his stride at Ibrox this season.

Raskin has played seven Premiership matches and currently has an average of 1.3 key passes and a combined 3.9 tackles and interceptions per clash, along with a duel success rate of 58%.

No Rangers player has made more tackles (2.9) per game than the Belgian whiz this season, whilst none of his fellow central midfielders have produced as many key passes per match.

This suggests that the former Gent prospect has been an outstanding performer for Beale, and now Philippe Clement after his impressive showing against Hibernian on Saturday, at both ends of the pitch from a midfield position.

Raskin's first match under Clement (via Sofascore)

Statistic

Raskin vs Hibernian (21/10/2023)

Sofascore rating

7.7

Goals

One

Chances created

One

Duels won

Five

Pass accuracy

85%

Tackles made

Four

How much is Raskin worth now?

At the time of writing (23/10/2023), FootballTransfers have placed his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at a whopping €6.4m (£5.6m) after his impressive performances for the Gers this term.

His value has, therefore, soared by a staggering 331% from the initial £1.3m that Rangers paid to sign him from Liege at the start of the year.

This shows that Rangers and Beale struck gold by securing a deal to sign Raskin from the Belgian side midway through the 2022/23 campaign.

His performances on the pitch this season suggest that he has the quality to be an important player for the Light Blues in the short-term. Meanwhile, his soaring market value indicates that there is long-term potential for him to develop and improve further over the years to come.

This could mean that Rangers either have a terrific, improving, player on their hands for a number of seasons, or they are able to rake in a significant profit on the £1.3m, that could rise to £1.7m, that they paid for him.

Harry Kane has a licence to thrill, with the record-breaking England striker getting a James Bond-esque “009” billing at Bayern Munich.

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Article continues below

Article continues below

• First man to hit four hat-tricks in debut Bundesliga campaign
• Has smashed through 30-goal barrier in all competitions
• Delivering perfect response to questions of future

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The prolific former Tottenham frontman continues to do all he can to ensure that Bayern do not end the 2023-24 campaign empty-handed. He has reached 36 goals for the season in all competitions, with 30 of those efforts coming in the Bundesliga.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kane hit a hat-trick in his latest outing for Bayern and has become the first man to hit four trebles in a debut Bundesliga campaign. There may be more history to come as he closes on Robert Lewandowski’s record haul of 41 strikes in the German top-flight.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Questions have been asked of how happy and settled the 30-year-old forward is, as Bayern run the risk of missing out on major silverware for the first time since 2012, but the Three Lions skipper is said to be “feeling right at home” as he thrives at the Allianz Arena.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

  Kane is no secret agent, with the threat he poses painfully obvious to opponents, and he will hope to continue firing his way past rival defences over the coming weeks as Bayern take aim at Champions League glory and an unlikely Bundesliga title triumph.