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One of Everton’s busiest transfer windows in recent seasons came in the summer of 2022, when Frank Lampard was manager. The Toffees signed six players on permanent deals, and two players on loan, as they looked to boost Premier League survival hopes for the 2022/23 campaign.

The headline signing from that season was Amadou Onana, who joined from Lille for £33m, although he has since left for fellow Premier League side Aston Villa. The Toffees signed four first-teamers who are still at the club today; Dwight McNeil, James Garner and Idrissa Gueye cost them a combined £26m, and James Tarkowski joined on a free.

Their sixth and final permanent deal that summer was a player who has also now departed the club. That man is striker Neal Maupay.

Maupay’s Everton record

It is fair to say that Maupay’s move to Goodison Park did not work out for any party involved. The Toffees signed him from Brighton and Hove Albion for £15m in 2022, and he never really found his best form in front of goal.

Life as an Everton player started superbly for the striker, who scored in just his second game for the club, a strike at Goodison Park against West Ham United.

However, the Frenchman failed to find the back of the net again and ended his time at Everton with one goal in 31 appearances.

Last term, the former Brighton striker left on loan to return to his former club Brentford. The 28-year-old had a far more successful time of things for the Bees than he did as an Everton player. His second spell in West London saw him score eight goals and grab three assists in 31 appearances for Thomas Frank’s side.

Following the expiration of his loan at Brentford last July, the striker departed Everton permanently. He made the move back to France, signing for Olympique Marseille, where former Seagulls boss Roberto de Zerbi is now manager. The French outfit signed him on loan with an obligation to buy him in 2025.

Things did not go according to plan for Maupay at Goodison Park. Then manager Lampard was very close to bringing in a different striker, who is now one of the deadliest players in the Premier League.

Who Everton nearly signed instead of Maupay

The player in question here is Aston Villa and England international Ollie Watkins. The striker has been a revelation under Unai Emery over the past 18 months and scored the Three Lions’ winner in the Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands.

According to an exclusive report from Football Insider back in 2022, the Toffees ‘registered their interest in signing’ Watkins during the final days of the summer transfer window. Incredible though it may seem, the report does state Villa were ‘open to letting Watkins go’, as they searched for a quality centre-forward.

Well, as it turned out, Watkins proved to be that very player for the Villans. He has now played 177 times in that famous claret and blue shirt, scoring 74 times and grabbing 29 assists. That included a superb 2023/24 campaign, in which his 32 goals and assists in 37 Premier League games helped the club qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 1983.

Season

Games

Minutes

Goals

Assists

2020/21

37

3328

14

5

2021/22

35

2955

11

2

2022/23

37

3136

15

6

2023/24

37

3226

19

13

2024/25

6

446

4

2

Watkins, who was described as “elite” by football statistician Statman Dave, has quickly become one of the most valuable players in the Premier League. According to a report from The Mirror in July, he is valued at an eye-watering £85.7m, far more than what the Toffees could have expected to pay back in 2022.

Everton fans can only dream about how things might have turned out for them had they managed to sign the Villa striker instead of Maupay.

Perhaps Lampard, who was sacked in January 2023, would have kept his job, with the Toffees were reaching the pinnacle of European football thanks to Watkins.

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ByRoss Kilvington Oct 1, 2024

While the big two tussled on Sunday evening, Manchester United couldn’t be further from a title challenge, with Erik ten Hag’s side already six points off the summit after only five Premier League games of the new campaign.

After the lows of losing to Liverpool, however, things have begun to pick up in recent weeks, with Saturday’s stalemate away to Crystal Palace seeing United record a third successive clean sheet.

Having notably struck the crossbar twice in what was a dominant first-half showing, the visitors should well have walked away with a win from Selhurst Park, with positive signs emerging in that opening 45, in particular.

That controlled performance was in stark contrast to the chaos of last season, with the influx of Ten Hag’s former Ajax assets, in particular, perhaps set to allow the Dutchman to finally implement his desired style of play.

Among the star performers on the day was one of those familiar faces that the 54-year-old has acquired in recent times, marking himself out as arguably the best of the bench with regard to Ten Hag’s recruitment to date.

Ten Hag's best signings at Man Utd

When reeling off those who have thrived under Ten Hag’s watch since arriving at Old Trafford, it’s not exactly a long list, with it having been a real mixed bag of incomings thus far.

That said, there have been a few notable success stories, with Lisandro Martinez certainly among them, the Argentine warrior previously described as one of the club’s “best signings”in years by Patrice Evra.

At £56.7m, however, the 26-year-old wasn’t exactly a bargain buy, while his struggles with injury in recent seasons represent a small black mark next to his name.

Elsewhere, the purchase of centre-back partner Matthijs de Ligt already looks to be an astute capture, with the towering Dutchman notably scoring in the 3-0 win over Southampton, while another former Ajax man – Andre Onana – has seemingly shaken off his early woes, having produced a big double save at the weekend, after previously saving a penalty against the Saints.

Nods must also be given to last season’s top scorer Rasmus Hojlund – despite his own injury issues and £64m price tag – as well as veteran free agent Jonny Evans, although the pick of the bunch may well be that of new man, Noussair Mazraoui, even if it is still early days.

Mazraoui's market value in 2024

It might be crazy to give such an accolade to a player who has only made six appearances for the club so far, but the Moroccan machine has taken to life in the Premier League with relative ease, following his arrival from Bayern Munich.

In truth, it was a deal of little fanfare, with United splashing out just below £13m to sign the 26-year-old as a replacement for the departing Aaron Wan-Bissaka at full-back.

An attractive target due to his prior work with Ten Hag in Amsterdam – as well as his versatility to feature on either flank – Mazraoui was perhaps expected to be an able squad player this season, although his status already looks enhanced thus far.

As journalist Liam Canning has stated, the 29-cap international looks to be an “absolute bargain”, while the Stretford Paddock’s Ronaldo Brown has even gone as far as to suggest that he “has a shout at being the best player at United” already.

How Mazraoui compares to Europe’s top full-backs

Metric (per 90)

Rank

Assists

Top 8%

Passes attempted

Top 12%

Pass completion

Top 4%

Progressive passes

Top 5%

Progressive carries

Top 45%

Successful take-ons

Top 25%

Touches in attacking box

Top 18%

Tackles

Top 16%

Interceptions

Top 11%

Aerial duels won

Top 13%

Figures via FBref

Hyperbole or not, the silky smooth defender has started in fine fashion, with his early displays – coupled with the ‘bargain’ nature of his transfer fee – ensuring he does certainly warrant the tag of being Ten Hag’s best value for money signing.

That is also rubberstamped by the fact that just a matter of months into his time in Manchester, the in-form ace is now said to be worth around £26, as per Transfermarkt, thus marking a rise of 100% in relation to his £13m transfer fee.

On the early evidence, United’s new number three will only see that value soar in the coming months and years, with the club having pulled off a rare steal by getting him in the door on the cheap.

In an era of costly, high-profile signings who have flattered to deceive, Mazraoui could well represent the reverse.

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He has been a key player for Ten Hag

Posts 1 ByJoe Nuttall Sep 19, 2024

Glasgow Rangers return to Premiership action this afternoon following a two-week break and Philippe Clement will be aiming to secure another three points.

The start to the 2024/25 season hasn’t been great as the Light Blues have won just twice in all competitions, already slipping two points behind Celtic in the title race.

A 2-0 win over St Johnstone last weekend saw the Gers progress to the quarter-finals of the League Cup, but it is clear that performances have to improve going forward.

The clash against Ross County at Hampden Park today is the ideal opportunity for the team to finally deliver a confident display from start to finish.

Clement will be without a few of his first team regulars for the tie against the Staggies, which could see some rotation of his starting XI.

Rangers team news vs Ross County

Clement spoke to the media ahead of the weekend clash, detailing who was out injured for the Light Blues and who could return to the team.

He said: “Leon (Balogun) has returned. Robin (Propper) is a doubt for tomorrow but will be available next week. Oscar Cortes, I expect in training next week. A small muscle issue with Scott Wright has him a doubt.”

Seeing Cortes back in training is a big positive for the manager, as the young talent could make a big difference out wide.

Losing Robin Propper for the tie against County will be a blow for the club, however, as the Dutch defender was settling in rather nicely at the club.

Robin Propper’s statistics so far at Rangers

Since joining from FC Twente a couple of weeks ago, the 30-year-old has already made three appearances for the Light Blues, playing in the Premiership, League Cup and Champions League.

On the early evidence, Propper could be a solid signing by Clement, displaying his abilities in the 2-1 league win over Motherwell a couple of weeks ago.

Indeed, the centre-back took 104 touches while finishing the game with a 91% pass success rate, showing he is always keen on getting on the ball in order to circulate the ball well.

Propper’s strength in one on one battles will also prove to be an excellent trait going forward, as he won 70% of his aerial duels against the Steelmen, along with making two tackles and one interception.

His loss could be felt today, and with Ben Davies seemingly close to a loan move to Birmingham City, Clement isn’t exactly blessed with options to partner John Souttar at the heart of the defence.

Accurate passes per game

57.4

Total duels won per game

5.1

Possession lost per game

11.2

Tackles per game

1.4

Interceptions per game

1

Dribbled past per game

0.7

Thankfully, Leon Balogun is back to full fitness following a brief injury and this could see the Nigerian veteran come straight back into the starting XI against County this afternoon.

Leon Balogun’s Rangers statistics

The defender initially joined the Light Blues in the summer of 2020, arriving as one of Steven Gerrard’s signings ahead of the unbeaten title-winning campaign.

He played his part in the success, making a total of 28 appearances for the club before becoming an integral part of the first team the season after, playing 37 times as the Gers reached the final of the Europa League.

Two seasons, two trophies. Not a bad haul indeed. Yet he was released that summer after the expiration of his contract.

A spell at QPR yielded little success, and he was soon back in Glasgow, joining on a one-year deal last summer, initially thought of as cover for the main defensive options under Michael Beale.

Balogun ended up playing 19 times, including 14 Premiership games as he continued to showcase his abilities.

The 36-year-old kept seven clean sheets in these games, was dribbled past on just 0.3 occasions per game and won 7.3 total duels per game – a success rate of 68% – not bad statistics at all considering how few chances he got in the starting XI.

These performances led to the club giving him a one-year extension to his contract. It was a wise move, especially considering he knows the league inside out and the expectations that come with playing for Rangers.

Clement even hailed Balogun as a “warrior” after he suffered a facial injury during a win over Livingston last term and these fighting qualities will stand the club in good stead.

Clement must unleash Leon Balogun against Ross County

It appears as though he could be playing a more reserved role this season, as Clement seems to favour a partnership of Souttar and Propper.

With the Dutchman out injured for the clash against County, Balogun should be brought straight into the starting XI, especially after a couple of solid cameos during the first two league matches.

The 6 foot 2 titan has averaged only 24 minutes in the matches against Hearts and Motherwell so far this season, yet the 36-year-old has won a staggering 81% of his total duels, lost possession only five times on average per game and committed zero fouls.

His experience will come in handy as County travel down to Glasgow, as a win will set up the Light Blues nicely for the tie against Celtic a week later.

There could well be another centre-back signed before the end of the transfer window, especially considering Davies is close to joining Birmingham, but that shouldn’t mean Balogun’s impact will diminish.

The veteran still has plenty to offer in a supporting role, gaining the trust of the manager and his teammates due to his abilities at the heart of the defence.

Whatever happens, securing three points against the Highland outfit in Glasgow this afternoon is all that matters.

A win would continue the momentum heading into one of the most important Old Firm derbies in recent memory for the Gers.

A win against Celtic could give Clement a boost which may turn Rangers’ fortunes around. Another defeat, however, and they could be waving goodbye to the league title after just a handful of matches.

Clement must bench Danilo and unleash Rangers' £27k-p/w gem

The Light Blues face Ross County this afternoon

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 24, 2024

Harry Kane shared a positive update on his injury on social media as he plans to watch Bayern Munich in action from home on Tuesday.

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Kane back in individual trainingShared update on injuryBayern face Shakhtar on TuesdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The England captain limped off during Bayern's 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund last month, with it later emerging he had torn a muscle fibre in his thigh. There were major concerns over Kane's condition and it was speculated that the striker might not feature for the club anymore in 2024. However, on Tuesday, the star player shared an update on his injury.

AdvertisementWHAT KANE SAID

Taking to Instagram, Kane shared a photograph of himself back on the training pitch as he wrote in the caption, "Back out on the grass today with a ball which was great. Rehab coming along well! Will be watching the lads from home later."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Bavarian club have struggled in the absence of their first choice No.9 as after the draw against Dortmund, they faced elimination from the DFB Pokal round of 16 after losing to reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen. In their last Bundesliga game against Heidenheim, they had to fight hard for a 4-2 win with Jamal Musiala starring after coming on from the bench.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN MUNICH?

Kompany's men are set to face Shakhtar Donetsk next in the Champions League on Tuesday night before meeting Mainz in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

“It’s possible that if we try to reduce his rate of scoring, the chances of him making a mistake are higher”

Andrew Fidel Fernando28-Apr-2021Try to get him lbw early. Try to get him out with offspin. And if none of that works, dry up the runs.This, according to captain Dimuth Karunaratne, is Sri Lanka’s plan to dismiss Tamim Iqbal – Bangladesh’s top scorer in the first Test. Although he didn’t score a century, Iqbal’s 90 off 101 helped set Bangladesh on track for their mammoth total, before his 74 not out off 98 in the second dig crushed any hope of a Sri Lanka victory, after the hosts had claimed two quick wickets.Related

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Tamim seeks balance between caution and aggression

Iqbal, in general, has been effective in Sri Lanka. On the last tour, his 82 off 125 balls had seen Bangladesh chase down a tricky target in Colombo, leading to their only Test win over Sri Lanka.”We might have both Dhananjaya de Silva and Ramesh Mendis in the team, so we’d have two offspinners, and in the last few series Tamim hasn’t played offspinners that well,” Karunaratne said ahead of the second Test. “The first five or ten overs, Suranga Lakmal also has a good chance of getting him out. The way Tamim plays, there are lbw opportunities. So we’ve got plans like that. If that doesn’t work, we’ll try to get him into a defensive mode.”In addition to averaging 62.85 in Sri Lanka, Iqbal also has an excellent strike rate of 62.14 on the island. Sri Lanka believe tamping down his scoring rate may mean a lower average too.”Tamim scores quickly and really tries to unsettle the bowlers and put them under pressure. It’s possible that if we try to reduce his rate of scoring, the chances of him making a mistake are higher. In the first Test we tried very hard to get him out, and what happened was that we leaked a lot of runs. In this match we’re planning to close up his big scoring areas and get him to play more defensively. When he attacks more, we do give away a lot of runs, and it’s hard for us to recover.”In the absence of Lasith Embuldeniya (who is injured) and Dilruwan Perera (who failed to meet fitness requirements), however, Sri Lanka’s spin attack does not have substantial menace on paper. Karunaratne hopes his attack is nevertheless capable of taking 20 wickets.”These are the resources that I’ve got as captain. In the past we had Rangana Herath, and also Dilruwan Perera. You can’t expect the same performance you expect from a Herath from a spinner who’s only played a few matches. I think they’ll show what their got, though. As a captain I’m trying to figure out how to get them to perform. What Herath and Dilruwan Perera did – we can’t expect that. But if they can do 70% or 80% of that, that’ll be great. It’ll take the spinners some time.”

Paul Pogba was all smiles at his wife Zulay’s birthday bash, with the World Cup winner now a free agent after seeing his Juventus contract terminated.

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• World Cup winner released by Serie A giants
• Free to resume career after ban in March 2025
• Enjoying spending time with his family for now

• GOAL
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The former Manchester United midfielder finds himself without a club after being released by the Serie A giants in Turin. That decision has been taken as Pogba continues to serve a worldwide football ban on the back of failing a doping test in September 2023.

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• THE GOSSIP

  Pogba was initially suspended for four years, but has seen that sanction reduced to 18 months on appeal, meaning that he will be free to resume his professional career in March 2025. It remains to be seen who the France international will be representing the next time that he takes to the field.

• WHAT ZULAY SAID

  For now, Pogba is enjoying spending time with his family. He has taken in relaxing breaks with his partner, while also helping her to celebrate turning 31. He was among the guests at a lavish party which saw Zulay post on Instagram: “Welcome my 31!!! Feeling so thankful and blessed for everyone and everything. Thank to my baby for making all this happen @paulpogba”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Pogba is being linked with clubs across the world as he begins to mull over his next move. There has been talk of him joining the likes of Lionel Messi and Olivier Giroud in MLS, while another stint in the Premier League or potential return to his roots in France are both being speculated.

علق أيمن أشرف، لاعب النادي الأهلي السابق، على الهزيمة التي نالها الفريق في مباراة أمس أمام أورلاندو، بهدفين مقابل هدف، في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

والتقى الأهلي مع أورلاندو على أرضية استاد القاهرة، في الجولة السادسة والأخيرة من مرحلة المجموعات لدوري الأبطال.

وقال أيمن أشرف في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس”: “أرى أن الأهلي لم يكن في حالته المعتادة اليوم، لكن توجد أسباب للخسارة منها الإجهاد والغيابات بسبب الإصابات، والمدير الفني يتحمل مسؤولية الهزيمة اليوم”.

وأردف: “لأنه لا يجب أن يكون المدرب وقت الفوز في الواجهة، ووقت الخسارة يرمي على شماعات ويرمي على اللاعبين ويتحدث عن عدم وجود الصفقات، هذه مشكلة كبيرة، لأن هذه الأمور داخلية واعتدنا على ذلك في الأهلي، لكن تصريحاته اليوم عقب اللقاء لم تعجبني”.

طالع أيضاً.. وليد صلاح الدين: كولر يحرج إدارة الأهلي.. وهناك عدم تواصل بخصوص الصفقات

وتابع: “ممكن مستوى الفريق يهبط بسبب الإجهاد، وهناك غياب لـ 4 محترفين، لكن المفترض إن المدير الفني يُجهز باقي اللاعبين نفسيًا ويُحفزهم قبل المباريات، لكن واضح إن المدرب لم يعمل بشكل جيد معهم قبل اللقاء”.

وأضاف: “الإدارة تعاقدت مع صفقات في بداية الموسم، ولا يُجب أن نحملهم المسؤولية كلها، لكن المدير الفني دوره أن يُجهز اللاعبين المتواجدين، ولا يكونون بعدين عن الأساسيين، لكي يؤدي بشكل جيد عندما تتاح لهم الفرصة”.

وواصل: “المدرب في مباريات كثيرة وهو متقدم بثلاثة أهداف أو أربعة، لا يدفع باللاعبين إلا بعد الدقيقة 80، لماذا لا يمنحهم فرصة في وقت مُبكر من المباراة ليدخلوا في رتم اللقاء”.

وأفاد: “كولر عندما يخسر أو يتعادل يُعلق شماعات، مع إن هناك إجهاد للاعبين بسبب تلاحم المباريات”.

وأوضح: “الأهلي في حالات أصعب من ذلك فاز بدوري الأبطال، أتذكر 2012 الأهلي حصل على اللقب بـ 13 لاعبا، الأهلي يجيد التعامل مع المواقف الصعبة، وقادر باللاعبين أصحاب الخبرات أن يفعل شيئًا هذا الموسم”.

وأشاد: “محمد عبد المنعم لاعب كبير وإمكانياته رائعة، لكن أرى إن ولا لاعب رحل عن الأهلي وأحدث تأثيرًا، وارد يحدث تأثير لفترة قصيرة ثم يختفي، وأرى أن اللاعبين الحاليين جيدين في هذا المركز”.

وأكد: “الأهلي لا يحتاج إلى صفقات كثيرة، فقط مهاجم بجانب وسام أبو علي وكهربا ولاعب من الناشئين، ولاعب مدافع، هذان أهم مركزين يحتاجهما الفريق”.

ما رأيك في العش ومحمد ربيعة وما تردد عن انضمامهما للأهلي؟ أجاب: “الثنائي جيد جدًا، لكن لا أستطيع أن أقول أنهما سيتحملان دفاع الأهلي، لا بد أن يخوضا التجربة أولًا ونرى هل سيتحملان الضغوط ومباريات الأهلي المتلاحمة”.

هل الشناوي ظُلم من الجماهير؟ أتم: “أرى أن الناس كانوا قاسيين عليه، الشناوي تحمل المسؤولية كثيرًا، وأي لاعب وارد أن يُخطئ، مصطفى شوبير حارس جيد جدًا، لكن الشناوي حارس له تاريخ يشفع له لو أخطأ”.

The Australian was part of the ICC Elite Panel since 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-2021Bruce Oxenford, 60, has decided to retire from all formats of the game, thereby bringing an end to a 15-year international umpiring career.The last of his 62 Tests was the recently-concluded Australia vs India match in Brisbane. He will, however, continue to officiate in domestic fixtures in Australia.Oxenford, who was inducted into the ICC’s International Panel of umpires in 2007-08, was promoted to the Elite Panel in 2012. He pioneered the use of the arm shield as protective gear for umpires in international cricket.”I had a wonderful time as a match official and will miss the camaraderie that comes with being a part of such a professional group,” he said in a statement. “I shall particularly miss seeing and interacting with the magnificent people who are part of the support structure of our game around the world.”Oxenford is one of six Australians, after Daryl Harper, Darelll Hair, Simon Taufel, Rod Tucker and Steve Davies, to stand in at least 50 Tests. Overall, only 16 umpires have officiated in 50 or more Tests. He stood in three 50-over men’s World Cups and three T20 World Cups, apart from officiating in two global women’s tournaments.”I look back with pride at my international career as an umpire,” he said. “It is still hard to believe that I officiated in close to 200 international matches. Such a long career was not really something that I had hoped for before commencing on this journey.”Most importantly, I want to thank my wife Jo, son James and daughter Kristen for all their love and support over the years. It would not have been possible for me to have such a long career without their sacrifices and for this I am eternally grateful.”During his playing days, he featured in eight first-class matches for Queensland as a lower-order batsman and legspinner.

Donovan Miller and Graeme Welch also in the running following departure of Jim Troughton

George Dobell26-Nov-2020Mark Ramprakash has emerged as a strong contender for the role of Warwickshire head coach.ESPNcricinfo understands that Ramprakash, the former England batsman, has been shortlisted for interview. Other shortlisted candidates include – but are not limited to – Donovan Miller and Graeme Welch.After a couple of years as batting coach at Middlesex, Ramprakash enjoyed several years as England’s batting coach. Having turned down an approach from Sri Lanka, he is currently coaching at Harrow School.Miller has an outstanding record as a coach in T20 franchise cricket. As a head or assistant coach, he has overseen victories in the CPL, PSL GT20 (Canada) and Mzansi Super League (South Africa), while he was also part of the England coaching team when they won the World Cup in 2019 and at Essex when they won the County Championship in 2017.Welch, a former Warwickshire player, has earned an excellent reputation as a bowling coach – a role he currently holds at the club – and has had several stints as a consultant with the England squad. He has previously had a short spell as head coach at Derbyshire, whom he also captained in his playing days.David Saker, the former England bowling coach, was an early frontrunner for the job having been sounded out over his interest by Warwickshire’s director of cricket, Paul Farbrace, several months ago. Saker has now told ESPNcricinfo that he “has a job with Sri Lanka [he is bowling coach] so is not really interested” in the Warwickshire role.Ottis Gibson, currently the bowling coach with Bangladesh, also denied to ESPNcricinfo he had been offered an interview though he is thought to remain a strong candidate.Second interviews are scheduled to take place in the week starting December 14 with an appointment expected before Christmas.Warwickshire are seeking a replacement for Jim Troughton who was sacked at the end of a disappointing season. It is understood Warwickshire were obliged to pay Troughton, who has been connected with the club as a player or coach for the best part of 30 years, a six-figure sum in compensation.

Much has been made about how many new players Glasgow Rangers need to sign during the summer transfer window in order to challenge for the Premiership title next season.

Philippe Clement has already made a solid start, luring the likes of Jefte, Connor Barron and Oscar Cortes to the Ibrox side, but it is clear more quality is needed.

The Belgian must be ready to sell some of his most sellable assets in the next few weeks in order to raise the necessary funds to help complete his summer rebuild.

There has been some interest in James Tavernier and Connor Goldson recently, while Sam Lammers has attracted attention following his loan spell at FC Utrecht.

Tavernier's situation, in particular, is an interesting one given he is the captain, and a reported move to the riches of Saudi Arabia potentially awaits.

The next player to be linked with a move away from Rangers is centre-forward Cyriel Dessers. Could Clement cash in on a player who divided opinion during his maiden season in Scotland?

The latest on Cyriel Dessers' future at Rangers

The Nigerian striker signed for the Gers last summer, with Michael Beale splashing out €5m (£4m) up front for the player in a bid to improve his attacking department.

It was a questionable signing, not only because Dessers would be 29 midway through last season, but also because of the fact he had managed to score just six league goals the season prior, albeit they were in Serie A.

Fast-forward 12 months, and it is clear the striker hasn’t convinced the Ibrox faithful that he is the one to lead the line ahead of next season. Yes, 22 goals in all competitions is a decent record, but Dessers missed more chances than he converted, often having three or four shots on goal before he scored.

Now, according to Greek outlet Nova Sports (via the Daily Record), Dessers is closing in on a summer move to champions PAOK.

The report adds that talks are advancing between the player and club as it looks like the 29-year-old is keen on leaving Ibrox for the next stage in his career.

If Clement can recoup the majority of the fee that was spent on him in 2023, then it would represent a smart piece of business, allowing him to use these funds to sign his own targets.

Cyriel Dessers’ season in numbers

Dessers did score a decent number of goals during his first season at the club. His attitude was also excellent, chasing down every ball and giving everything to the cause whenever he was on the field.

The main criticisms lay in just how poor his finishing skills were. For example, across 35 Premiership matches last term, he missed 27 big chances, a staggering amount.

This meant his goal conversion rate was only at 16%, yet another poor stat. Just how well Rangers could have done had they been able to call on a striker who was far more clinical in the final third?

His all-round game was solid enough, creating eight big chances for his teammates while also averaging 1.4 key passes per game, but the Ibrox faithful expect their number nine to be hitting at least 30 goals a season.

Unfortunately, Dessers wasn’t that type of player, and it now looks like he will be moving on sooner rather than later.

Connor Goldson

£37k-per-week

James Tavernier

£30k-per-week

Ben Davies

£27k-per-week

Cyriel Dessers

£27k-per-week

Danilo

£26k-per-week

The former Feyenoord hitman is currently earning £27k-per-week and moving on this high wage will give Clement some added flexibility in the transfer market.

He was the second most expensive arrival last summer after Danilo, while Dessers is even valued at more than double that of one of the brightest talents at the club – Todd Cantwell.

How much Todd Cantwell cost Rangers

Despite the flak that Beale got for his dreadful ten-month stint in charge of the Light Blues, he made a few decent signings in the transfer market, none more so than Cantwell.

The former Norwich City talisman made a move north to Glasgow in January 2023 following a difficult six-month spell at the East Anglian club – failing to score in 20 matches – as he cost Beale just £1.5m.

He enjoyed a wonderful start to life in Glasgow, registering 11 goal contributions in his first six months, although last season proved to be slightly trickier.

On his day, Cantwell can be a devastating force in the final third. The key thing for Clement now is to ensure the 26-year-old performs well in every match.

Todd Cantwell’s statistics last season

Throughout 2023/24, Cantwell scored eight goals and registered seven assists, which was more than the previous season.

These numbers could have been much higher if he hadn’t missed a host of games due to a series of injury problems, plus Clement often deployed him on the right wing during the embryonic stages of his reign.

Among his teammates in the top flight last term, Cantwell ranked second for overall Sofascore rating (7.38), fourth for goals and assists (12), third for big chances created (seven) and fourth for key passes per game (1.7), which shows just how effective he was in the opposition third.

The attacking midfielder has the chance to work on these figures and make them much better next season, especially considering he is entering his peak years as a footballer.

Much will depend on whether Clement is confident of the Englishman becoming his focal point in the number ten role, as he endured a few poor performances last term.

If he hits the ground running, the £1.5m investment in signing the former Norwich gem could be seen as a wonderful bargain by the Gers.

Clement will certainly be looking to avoid the mistakes of his predecessors of spending lavish sums of money on players who don’t have much resale value.

Dessers is a perfect example. While he may be in his prime, the striker turns 30 in December, which means he is closer to the end of his career rather than the beginning. If the Belgian can receive even half of the £4m that was spent on him last year, he will be doing well.

Cantwell, on the other hand, should be staying right where he is. The former Norwich man is still key to the club's plans moving forward.

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